Quote:#ooc: I may post two. We'll see. Definitely wanted to get this one up.
Drake sits where he usually does, dead in the middle of the large cabin he has chosen to make his sanctuary. The inside is nothing special, no photos of any kind decking the walls. Two bookshelves do exist in the back behind where he is sitting. All that exist for a bed is a sleeping bag off that is off to the side. His eyes are closed. Drake submerges himself in deep meditation. Clearing his mind is of the utmost importance, much easier to walk the path with a clear mind.
In his remote location there is no cellphone service. Predictably, no internet, no possible way to get in contact with the outside world, just the way his mentor Loretta Inglewood intended. The outside world is an distraction she repeatedly tells him. Must keep the poisonous voices from polluting the mind is the message she has drilled into his head most of his life. Not once has he questioned her on this. He knew, from experience, due to the nature of being a wrestler, mingling with the outside world was exhausting, being within cell range to access Twitter to spread the good word was a necessary evil, he doesn’t doubt how corrupt the world is. He believes Loretta’s heart is in the right place.
All he wants, more than anything, is to make her proud.
Twenty minutes pass, his meditation is over. Time to decide his next course of action. He didn’t know. All Drake can do is wait for Loretta to join him. He had no clue where she was. Likely out spreading the message? On another part of the compound? The compound was spacious in the realm of Jim Jones. Not everyone had their own solo cabin. The rest of the recruits had to share a space. Drake is special to Loretta, he was her first, the one she is grooming to take her place. Drake looks forward to that day, he thought that day came in EMERGE.
He was wrong.
Moments later, the door opens. A caucasian female with long flowing black hair gracefully walks into the room. It’s Loretta Inglewood, she's walk over to where Drake is sitting. He stares at Loretta, anticipating what she is about to say.
“Clear of mind?” Loretta ask.
Drake nods.
With a warming smile on her face, she continues. “Good. We have a lot of work to do. It’s time we venture back into the world of wrestling. We have been sequestered long enough. Our message needs to reach the masses. I trust that you’re ready.”
The stoic Drake nods again.
Her warm smirk slowly fades. “Good to know.”
Drake places his hand on Loretta’s shoulder. “What troubles you?”
“Nothing.”
“Speak freely.”
Loretta pauses a moment to gather her thoughts. “Athena warns me that you are not one hundred percent committed to my mission. I don’t want to question our Goddess, through her, all things are possible. But... I agree.”
Drake narrows his eyes. He wasn’t expecting Loretta to express her concern about his commitment.
“With all due respect Loretta, I have been more than faithful to our--”
“Mika Kozlov.”
“We were abandoned by our families. She found comfort speaking to me.”
“She is a known manipulator. Mika doesn’t support our mission. How about the friendship you formed with Kandis? A woman promotes unrestrained sex? Our ways will never be hers.”
“Kandis is not and will never be a threat to our movement.”
“I beg to differ. I saw the way you looked at her.”
“Did I give into the temptation of the flesh?”
“No. But--”
“There is no need to question my resolve. Mika is out of the picture. Kandis, I understand, she holds beliefs contrary to our own. I took a vow of celibacy. I devoted my life to remaining pure. What more do you require?”
“One final test.” Loretta says firmly.
Drake watches on as Loretta stands up. He refuses at any point to breaks eye contact. Feeling the stone cold resolve coming from her, she continues. “There are always risk. The outside world provides many dangers that could possibly undo everything we are working for, the risk is worth taking. Their savior, Jesus, died on a cross for the outsiders, he knew the risk he was taking. Yet now, they worship him. He mingled with their kind. We need to be more proactive. Our home has given us safe haven, Drake, we can only do so much within these confines. So we need to venture out into the world. Become one with the outsiders, show them that purity is the way. The only way. If you can resist temptation, Athena assures me that you will be ready to take my place.”
Drake never thought he would hear the day that Loretta wanted to openly risk everything to challenge whether he is the man she always had faith he could be. He rose to his feet without breaking eye contact. Tilting his head to the side, he says. “Where will we stay?”
Loretta smiles. “The Mason Estate.”
Drake’s eyes widen. Of all the places in the world Loretta wanted to settle down, the estate his mother lives on would have been the last place he expected her to plant their flag. Not holding back, he shakes his head. “No.”
“Mrs. Mason denied you your birthright that. Not anymore. The estate is big enough to house everyone here.”
“I want nothing to do with my mother!!” Drake asserts.
“We all have to do things we don’t want to do in life.” Loretta folds her arms. “Don’t let your past rob you of what is owed. You have every right to be there. I get it, she abandoned you. Look at it this way, the greatest men in history were once abandoned by their parents. If it wasn't for your mother giving you up for adoption, you wouldn’t be on the path you are now. You should thank Mrs Mason for her sacrifice. ”
Drake raises his eyebrow. “Hm. You make it sound so easy.”
With a warm smile, Loretta declares, “Athena declared it so my dear Drake. Do you lack faith?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
“Good.”
Loretta kisses Drake on the cheek. She turns around, walks to the door. Looking over her shoulder she tells him, “You’ll make me proud, I know it.”
Drake watches Loretta as she leaves him alone in the cabin. With the door shut behind her, he sighs.
.
.
.
A day later, Drake and Loretta stand outside the pristine gate of the Mason State. Robert Mason can be credited with building the home that Drake’s brothers Victor, Blake and his sister Cassandra Mason grew up in, Drake himself would never know what it was like to roam the grounds. Recently he has been on the other side of the gate, due to Blake’s invitation, not his mother. His brother isn’t around to give him entry, he needed to be the one to ask his mother about, in Loretta’s words, claiming his birthright.
Drake presses the button. Him and Loretta stand there.
“This is going to work out, I promise.” Loretta tries to assure Drake.
No answer. Growing impatient, Drake pushes the button again. This time...
“Hello” a voice says over the intercom.
Drake takes a deep breath. “Mother... it’s your... bastard son.”
There is a long pause. His mother didn’t respond immediately. Taking this as a sign, Drake turns around, before he can turn his back completely the gate opens. Part of him hoped his mother wouldn’t be as welcoming, the other half welcomed the development. He has done his best over the years to avoid his mother. Thanks to Loretta’s insistence there is no turning back now.
Drake and Loretta walk up the long pathway to the front of the door. Soon as they get there, the large brown double doors open. Immediately, his mother greeted him with a hug. He didn’t react at first. His mind bounced all over the place. To give her some comfort, he hugs her back. Having enough, Drake withdraws from the embrace.
“Please, don’t call yourself a bastard.” his mother sternly said.
Drake reinforced matter of factly. “Any child born out of wedlock is a bastard. Statement of fact.”
“Not in my eyes...” his mother stopped. She lays her eyes on Loretta. “So I finally get to meet the woman who stole my son’s heart.”
Loretta extends her hand. “Yes... and no. Don’t know if Blake told you, we annulled our marriage.”
“Oh?” Drake’s mother said blissfully unaware.
“We came to the conclusion that our marriage wasn’t... pure. Your son meant well. A bit misguided, our bond has not been severed.”
Relieved to hear the news, Loretta’s former mother-in-law says cheerfully. “Nice to hear.”
Drake takes a step inside the mansion, as does Loretta. He hears the door close behind him. His mother walks around so she is standing in front of him. To avoid any lingering silence, his mother got straight to the point. “If you are looking for Blake, he isn’t around.”
“We--” Drake stops himself. He clears his throat. “I came to see you, mother.”
“Oh?”
“Yea--” Drake pauses to collect his thoughts.
“We would really hope if we--” Loretta began to say. Drake put a stop to that by grabbing her arm.
“It should be me.” Drake turns to Loretta. Under normal circumstance he would never cut her off. He can’t in good conscious allow Loretta to speak for him. This is his Moses moment. Loretta doesn’t react negatively, she nods, giving Drake her seal of approval. Drake returns his focus to his mother.
“If you say no, understandable; I won’t hold a rejection against you. I’m used to it by now.”
“Drake, I’m sorry. I’ll always regret giving you up. I had no choice.”
“I didn’t come here to rehash the past.” Drake said harshly. “Loretta and I have decided to leave the grounds we call home. Time to move forward. She brought up the idea of us possibly living here, with you. Not just us; we would like our brothers and sisters who have chosen to give their lives to Loretta’s cause to find a safe haven here.”
“Look at this as a chance to heal, Mrs. Mason.” Loretta cuts in. “I will be forever grateful for you giving birth to this special young man. I have done my best to steer him in the right direction. This estare is his birthright as much as it is Victor, Cassie and Blake. Are you willing to open your doors to us?”
The mother smiles at Loretta, “Nothing would please me more than to spend more time with my son.” She turns her attention to Drake. “I love you. I’m surprised you would consider living under the same roof with me--” She pauses. The excitement she had escapes her. “I can’t allow your... cult the same privilege.”
“We are NOT a cult.” Loretta says angrily. “I have given the downtrodden of the world a safe haven. What would you know about looking out for people less fortunate than you?”
Drake grabs her arm. “Loretta. Stop.”
Ignoring Drake, Loretta lets her anger carry her. “We came to you, hoping you would be willing to open your heart. Turns out we made an error in judgement.”
Drake’s mother responds, “Hold on, how can you expect me to welcome people into my home that I barely even know?”
“Your home?” Loretta says flabbergasted. “Drake has a place here.”
“You’re right, Loretta, he does. Always has. I made a mistake turning him away once. I don’t want to do it again. You need to look at it from my perspective. I don’t know your cul--, sorry, community. I’m uncomfortable letting people move into this home that I don’t know. Perhaps we can find a way. She grabs her sons hand. “Son, Loretta is right about one thing, all of this is your birthright. You may not share the same blood as my late husband, you are half Hemingway. I am still the matriarch of the family until someone takes my place. Mason Consolidated is apart of your birthright, too. If I am going to take a chance on allowing strangers into my home, how about you take one. I’m not asking you to run the company. By the looks of things, you have a calling, one I don’t understand, it is your calling nonetheless. Visit Mason Consolidated. Get to know the company. Meet me halfway. In return, I’ll open myself to the idea of allowing your community to live on the grounds.”
“Conditions? Mrs Mason--”
Drake squeezes Loretta’s wrist. “Fine. Agreed.”
Loretta looks at him. Clearly, she is not pleased by the turn of events. “Drake, not like this.”
He lets go of her wrist. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he gives it a light squeeze. “You are the one who said I needed to take a chance. Standing inside this house is uncomfortable, and yet, here am I. My home. My call. Yee of little faith?”
Loretta sighs. “Don’t question my faith.” The disappointment from Loretta’s face fades away. With a cordial smile, she tells Drake’s mother. “Ok Mrs. Mason, we agree to your terms. We’ll tell the others. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Mason.”
“Not now. We can stay a moment longer.” Drake says.
“Are you sure?” his mother ask.
Drake nods. “Yes. No need to rush.”
“That’s great. Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”
Drake’s mother leaves the room going god knows where. Loretta places her hands on her hips. Eying Drake she waste no time saying, “I didn’t teach you to compromise.”
Drake tilts his head to the side. “It. Is. Finished.”
Loretta rolls her eyes. “Fine. I’ll go along with this, for now.”
Drake soaks everything in. He’s home, he’s... actually home? A smirks creeps on his face. And... fin.
<Promo Time>
“What does the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal represent?”
“For the downtrodden. The disenfranchised. The competitors who feel like they are overlooked by the establishment. Taking Hold of the Flame represents, hope.”
“I can understand that. From afar I was a witness. As far back as last year, women like Syren have manipulated her way to remain at the top of the company, the scheming of her lover is legendary. Towards the end of last year, she did it again, manipulating Katya to serve her agenda.”
“We can’t ignore The Beauty Factory. Sienna Swan, has been a fixture at the top since she wrestled the World Championship from Kennedy. Her reign of terror existed long before that. Slowly she has beaten your heroes. Knocked down Perfection, melted a Snow Queen, put a dent in Kennedy's flawless nature, all coming to a head on the show after last years Rise to Greatness. These two titans have risen, the hope to ascend where they maneuvered there way to, deep down, it dwindles by the day, I can feel it. I watch the program. I study your mannerism. The men and women on the roster work hard, an argument can be made some of you deserve to be in their spot, alas, it is not to be. All the hard work. The dedication to your craft. A belief that your way will ascend you to the promised land, all comes crashing down. So Taking Hold of the Flame, for most of you, is your final chance to take your shot. Syren or Sienna walks out of Taking Hold of the Flame the undisputed World Champion.”
“One of them will wait at Rise to Greatness to serve as the killer to your possible dreams.”
“Where do I stand?”
“Simple.”
“I am the hope Supreme Championship Wrestling needs of a purified champion.”
“When was the last time SCW had a World Champion it could be proud of?”
“Before Sienna there was Kennedy Street. Sexy Flawless Diva. The manner in which she promotes herself, not becoming of a lady.”
“Syren, sold her soul to become champion.”
“Jake Starr? His history in the company is well documented.”
“Allistaire Allocco, he comes close. His recent lust driven actions towards a woman I share a history with... unbecoming. He is falling victim to vice.”
“Ace Marshall? Need I say more?”
“Selena Frost claims she knows what she believes in. She reeks of hypocrisy.”
“I can go on forever. I made my point.”
“I am not a believer in the virtue of your current and former champions. They are all corrupt in one way or another. The World Championship needs to be purged of its impurity. I am the man who will make, that, happen. Supreme Championship Wrestling reeks of filth. With Loretta by my side, I am going to clean up the mess. I am going to give the people what they really want. A virtuous champion. A pure... champion. A real model of civility. I come to liberate Supreme Championship Wrestling of its sinful nature.”
“I don’t care how many men and women I need to go through. Your fate will be the same, thrown over the top rope. Walking to the back, wondering, why you weren’t good enough to be the one to end the darkness. As long as Syren or Sienna hold the World Championship, the darkness continues. If anyone other than me wins, the darkness continues.”
“I have no other choice. I need to win. I need to be the savior... who else can RISE UP to cleanse SCW?”
“I am the one.”
“Follow me.”
“A-men.”