Invitational Battle Royal

[ThatWasley]

“So, um… surprise?”

Yes, a surprise indeed; our video opens to show Kathryn Pearson sat on the edge of the pool of the cruise ship currently playing host to the roster of Emerge wrestling and its loyal fan base. She wears a bright yellow bikini that doesn’t leave much to the imagination and her tattoo-covered skin glistens with oil to boost her tan. She smiles, guiltily.

“Blame Ivy, she like, totally hid me in her suitcase, I swear! I was kidnapped! Or is that shanghaied, if your on a boat? Meh, same difference!”

The former IWC and UWA roster chuckles to herself.

“Yeah, sorry guys… I guess I should have given you all a heads up about this one, huh? Thing is, I wasn’t going to do this, I like, totally had no plans to enter this open invitational in Emerge, what so ever… but then I realised this was probably the only way I’d get to spend time with my friend Ivy if I didn’t because pinning her down to a schedule is super impossible so I figured why the hell not!”

She chuckles again.

“Okay, okay, I’m kidding… I didn’t come just for the free vacation, I swear! No, the real reason I’m here, despite having no plans to enter until roughly a week ago, is somebody else entirely… Rachel. Tatum. Lee.

Yep, ms ass kicker herself, the violent kind, the cowgirl who kids butt! Hi sweetie, if you’re watching! 

She doesn’t know this of course, doesn’t know I’m here doing this, or that she’s the reason I am here… but she is. Watching Taking Hold of the Flame last week, watching her inspiring performance in that battle royal? Well, I just summed that up perfectly didn’t i? Inspiring!”

She nods her head, super-seriously.

“Seeing Rachel come back from everything she’s been through, watching her fight so defiantly and come so so close… well, it kind of put thing into perspective for me.

I was never the best fighter. I tried, I gave my all… but in the end, I gave up. I quit and went back to being a mommy.

But why not me? You fail one hundred percent of the things you don’t try to achieve, right? Totes!

For better or worse, Emerge… I’m all in! I probably won’t win, probably won’t come close even, but I’m giving my best shot! And like Rachel inspired me, who knows, maybe I’ll inspire somebody else, inspire someone who’s watching at home to train that little bit harder, run that bit faster. Maybe they’ll enroll in a training school and make a go of it themselves, who knows!”

She smiles softly.

“But I know what inspiration can do… it put me here, by this pool in this bikini and for one night only, the four B’s of professional wrestling is back! Hope that inspired you to get up and go too. Mwah!”

With that, she kisses her fingertips and blows the kiss to the camera and the video ends.

[James Evans]

Saber

[Giovanni Aries]

Chris Staggs

[ThatWasley]

A dark room. One isolated light hanging from above. Two men sit cast in shadows, one more illuminated than the other, who sits brooding and hidden. The one we do see? Former IWC World Champion, Ba’al. He smiles, and inclines his head in welcome. 

“We all have our toys, no?” 

He casts the briefest of looks to his companion, before shifting eyes back to the camera. 

“Our pet projects, our play things… for some that means an excuse to get drunk, do drugs. Some buy cars, boats, such as the one we shall soon be on. For others… others such as my brother, myself… we prefer the more… exquisite... 

My brother’s project, his creation, has already announced… and now I find myself throwing my own hand into the mix, with his blessing of course. One cannot let his younger brother have all of the fun, after all.

And yet, imagine the spectacle…” 

Ba’al places his hand on the shoulder of his companion, who flexes his shoulders indicating a considerable build. 

“Monsters of our design. Blitzkrieg, whom has already bloomed into a magnificent specimen I think we can all agree, and my own inception here, Dreadnought, together. Not a clash of titans but an unstoppable force. My brother and I, the House of Frost, we stand united in one aim.

Destruction. Control. Punishment for sin, prosperity for those whom are deserving. 

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, is that not the verse? But if sin was punished promptly, people would not continue to transgress… I have made no secret over the years about my virtues, my passions and my drive. Shame to those who assume anything has changed with my absence.

My family has grown. The bloodline shall continue beyond my own mortality… yet blood does continue to flow through my veins, and with it my desire still percolates, I am driven by my cause…”

He removes his hand from Dreadnought’s shoulder and places it back into his own lap.

“The only thing to fear is fear itself. Words attributed to Franklin Roosevelt. But he was wrong. He was naive. Innocent. Fear is not an embodiment, it is an effect. You do not fear the process, you feer the axeman’s blade. You do not fear height, you fear falling from it. And likewise, here… you do not fear the monsters under your bed… you only need fear the monsters staring you in the face.”

With that, Ba’al falls silent. Dreadnaught sits forward and his face is lit for the first time. He glares into the camera.

Dreadnought:

“Der Haifisch lebt im Wasser… und jetzt er steht vor Sie.” 

[the shark swims in water… and now he stands in front of you]

The grin on his face is twisted, menacing, as he slowly slips back into the shadow. Static briefly flashes on the screen, then we see a close up of Ba’al’s piercing eyes, 

“I fear we may need a bigger boat…”

Static flashes again, then nothing. Fin.

[Serenity]

The scene opens on a bright sunny day with Dawn leaning against the railing of the yacht she is on.  


“Yes, Abi, I’m on the boat.”



Dawn winks.



“Fans blow up my Twitter mentions every day, ‘Dawnie, what’s wrong, you’re not yourself, what happened to the wonderful human being who graced our airwaves for most of your career.’”


“The answer isn’t that simple.’”


“Put yourself in my shoes. Imagine being the light to two sisters who don’t hesitate giving into their dark tendencies.”


“Picture being the hero to an industry where a good chunk of the wrestlers first instinct is to act on selfish impulses.”


“Imagine feeling a burning desire to succumb to the rage you feel inside. Being afraid if you give into your base impulses, the world won’t look at you the same way.”


“Can you relate to putting a smile on your face each and every single day on the outside, knowing, on the inside, you don’t feel as wonderful as you claim?”


“For a moment think, how would you feel if the very foundation you were raised on, was built on a lie?”


“Now do you understand?”


“Probably not. I don’t understand myself. If I did understand I would not have walked away from Supreme Championship Wrestling. If I did understand, I wouldn’t keep walking away. Every time the inner pressure mounts, I lose my smile, I become angrier and angrier. Watching pro wrestling around me become more and more corrupt; the people in it losing a piece of their souls every single day.”


“Enough to make you lose your smile.”


“Enough for a person to believe there is no hope left.”


“There are days I feel I should... abandon it.”


“To be honest with the world for the first time in awhile... I don’t have it all together. I don’t know what to believe. I don’t know what my purpose is in this industry anymore, I have kept tabs on SCW. Yes, I still watch. There are pretty perfect people, young men that were born to do this, strong people who want to fight against tyrants, I was once like them. Optimistic. Grinding. Fighting the good fight. Just made me realize, for the first time, no matter how much good you do, you can be replaced. Is that what I am ultimately fighting for, to not be replaced. To not get lost in the shuffle. To serve an actual purpose?”



“Saying all this doesn’t sound sexy or cool. I can’t pretend. Not anymore. Bet you’re wondering if I am so full of doubt, why am I here?”


“Not why. It’s the who. Who am I here with?”


“Spoiler alert, I didn’t come alone. When my partner reveals themselves, trust me, none of you will have a wonderful day.”


Dawn blows a kiss into the camera.


“Promise.”


Scene. Fades.

[Rachel Tatum Lee]

REC:

A tanned and muscular lean woman with long purple hair, leather pants, open toed heels and purple halter top, nails and lipstick a deep purple, leans against the guardrail with the ocean background behind her. Her amber eyes look into the camera…

“Abandon All Hope…

The three words that rang in the ears of every opponent I ever had in the SCW. It was a time where I dominated and to this day you can blame me for the way Katya D. turned out. My reign of terror is still talked about today. Matter of fact, who else has been suspended from a company indefinitely, to allow my contract to run out so I could never step foot in the SCW again over comments to a man that died and really never died. I became a shadow of my former self, fell on hard times, didn’t care about anything or anyone until ONE man came and visited me due to the pact he had with my sister, Rachel Tatum Lee.

That’s right, my name is Daisy Rhea Lee and most of you remember me as THE Red Rayne, the most dangerous member of New Eden, the Leader of the Blood Grove, the woman who forced Mr. D to lose his mind and become the most violent owner and promoter the SCW had ever seen and right now?

That company NEEDS me more than ever.

Orlando Cruze before his untimely passing helped me understand the err of my way and so I was indebted to watch over his son, and I failed. Instead I ran and hid from society, ashamed of what I had become. The last thing I did worth mentioning was defeating Datura and sending her into hiatus while competing in UWA. When the doors shut down…

I disappeared again.

Away from Social Media, and the people who supported me.

Now, I returned after watching my sister defy the odds and supplant herself back in the SCW? It encouraged to take this opportunity, enter this battle royal with the love of my life, Dawn Lohan and remind every single person that wants to make a name for themselves in this platform there is no one that can handle and defeat Daisy Rhea Lee. Yes, The Red Rayne is gone yet it lays dormant inside my psyche, occasionally breaking free long enough to remind me exactly what I am capable of and none of you want to know just how far I will go…

To get back to the top. Blitzkrieg, my love once? I’m here, sugar. Everything changes now big guy. Ba’al? Aiken? Even my stepmother, Mary Beth Mallory. Did you think I would not take this opportunity? I couldn’t pass it up. From Memphis Cade to Saber, the Tay-Tay fan to Madison Chase? It doesn’t matter….

There is nothing from preventing Dawn and I from reminding the world what we can do together with TRUE HOPE ….

Shhhh remember the word….

REDRUM!”

Daisy winks and smirks….

/REC

[Sienna Swann]

REC:

Inside the casino of the Cruise Line, a man in a black Stetson, black suit, no tie and blue shirt, with snakeskin boots, sipping a glass of whiskey, with some cards in his hand starts to speak in his Texas twang…

“I bet every single one of ya right now is shittin’ yer pants, sayin’ ta yerselves, What the Fuck is this asshole doin’ on my TV right now? Ya know, the same guy that took Kelcey Wallace to the World Championship AND becoming the FIRST woman ta ever win Takin’ Hold of the Flame? What about Rachel Tatum Lee? I took that Cowgirl ta the UWA World Championship and then she lasted over 70 minutes in the The Flame this year all because of me. Angelica Jones? Champion. Taylor Chase? Hall of Famer. Myra Lynwood?

Alright, I’m a fuckin’ genius NOT a miracle worker so one outta ten ain’t too bad.

Yer probably wonderin’ why the hell is Silas Mason talkin’ like that sumbitch is gonna get in the ring and wrassle? Well, I am. Before I continue I gotta get this off my chest. Kelcey, I know one day yer gonna watch this when ya wake up. I’m a bastard but I ain’t a disloyal husband. I warned ya about that piece o’ shot, Chris Cannon back in 2014. That fucker promised yer daddy that he would care for ya til’ death do us part and hell, ya close ta it and he has yer kid with Sienna Swann, the woman I brought inta wraslin’, another World Champion, another success story and it was ME that put in her mind, she was the NEW Perfect Ten.

Do ya see what I am?

I single handedly made the biggest impact in SCW. UWA. IWC. ULW and we can go on and on and on but ya never forgot Silas Mason. So why now am I throwin’ my hat in the ring in EMERGE? I think ya’ll forgot that I used to wrassle, I am a man of many talent and can you imagine what would happen if I won? I get a title match? Money? Power? Think of the possibilities and what I can do with that. Ya can forget about Mitch Sanders, I would be the new Cinderella story without makin’ ya look good fer I did that fer five fuckin’ years. I see Streets. Chase’s, Lohan’s, Lee’s, a cripple, a couple of Japs, a Loud and Proud brotha that thinks its 1960 Mississippi.

We got legends, we got heroes and villains and we got some of the most talented wrasslers in the ring. I’m the underdog and like every time, how I conduct business? I will always and I mean ALWAYS FIND A WAY TA WIN!

And now? I do it fer ME.

Drew Bryant, I’m gonna drink yer liquor, win yer money and finally take yer titles. This is Silas Mason’s EMERGE….

And ya can all suck this!”

He laughs before sipping his whiskey…..

/REC

[Corner G]

OOC One to tangle with all the monsters... enjoy.



Going Home

[Kas]

In one of the rooms aboard the cruise ship that’s currently playing host to EMERGE, Gwen Blair sits on the edge of the bed. With her grey eyes lined with red, but still smiling, she holds the camera up to her face.

"My name is Gwen Blair, and I am a member of the EMERGE roster. I wrestled last night against three others, and came up just a touch short of the goal of contendership for the Spirit title. I'm tired, I'm sore, my bruises are spectacular, but I'm having the time of my life. A wrestling show, on a cruise ship, it sounds like a peculiar fever dream, but this is our current reality, and I plan to take advantage of everything I can experience.”

She grins.

“Which means entering into this Invitational. We've got gods and monsters, superstars and nobodies, and everyone in between. Some of the entrants scare the shit out of me. Some of the entrants, well, I can't believe I'm breathing the same air as them. For some, it's both.

I'll be fine by the time comes around to crowd into the ring with everybody, but I think I can be excused for having a bit of a fangirl moment.

But you know what most of these people have in common?

They're not roster members.”

She shakes her head.

“They're in it for the money, or the shot at glory. They're in it to prove a point, or make waves. They're in it to prove that they've never gone away, or that their reach is long. They're here as threats, defenders, or simply because they want to be.

And I think that's brilliant.

Then there's me. And if I stood here and told you that I wasn't in it for any of the reasons I mentioned, then I'd be a hypocrite.

The money would be lovely, the glory and the shot better. I'd love to continue making waves. I'm always watching, I'm always learning. I'm proving a point to myself and others. I have so many reasons to be in the Invitational.

And not one of them matters. Reasons don't win matches, bodies do. Reasons drive the body, I suppose, but they themselves aren't going to chuck anyone out of the ring.”

She chuckles.

“I know that I'm at a disadvantage going in, but this is a chance that I can't pass up. For myself, for my fans, for my family. And as long as I get in the ring and give it everything, then I'll be happy with my performance, and the experience that it gives me.”

[Kennedy Street]

REC:

Inside one of the cabins, this next entrant to the Battle Royal was kept a secret. Sitting down wearing ripped jeans, flip flops, a Motorhead t-shirt, nails polished red with her long hair hanging to the side. Her brown eyes look up to the camera, as it is none other than Taylor Chase…

“I wasn’t going to do this, yet I felt like I had to. Thirty people in the battle royal and I wasn’t planning on coming back like this, but the stakes are too high and honestly the more I think about it, the more I must. First, my best friend is in a coma, Kelcey Wallace deserves better, the bravest woman I know. Look, I know I fucked, I am a three-time world Champion, a Hall of Famer, done everything possible in wrestling and yet why do I feel incomplete?

EMERGE doesn’t need me, it is fine the way it is, I need EMERGE right now.

I have a son, Sebastian who I want for one day to look at his mother and be proud of what she accomplished, I don’t want him to know the cunt I became. I have another in Owen Cruze who that kid has busted his ass in SCW and gone through Hell recently and still gets up every morning and competes, what he did at THoTF was inspiring. I look at who the hell is in the field now, from rookies to legends, Future HoF inductees, assholes, womanizers to even my own sister and boyfriend who didn’t think I was going to do this. I even have a fan that almost looks like me and well, I don’t know what to make of it, guess I will honor her with my presence?

Who the fuck knows.

What I do?

This maybe the only chance I must right the wrongs I’ve committed recently and if Kelcey doesn’t make it and she passes, without me ever telling her how important she’s been in my life and how much I love her? Then I had done the same thing I did to Orlando, I can’t…. I won’t. This is one of the most important decisions I have made in my life and if I lose, then I need to look in the mirror and wonder if there is anything left for me as I walked away a few years ago and tarnished who I was and what I stood for.

I am sorry.

This isn’t how my story ends; it will be how it continues. There are a lot of subplots, renewed rivalries and new ones to be made. First, Shaun Cruze, I fucked up man, I apologize to you for the shit I put you through. Owen, I want you to be proud of me, like I am of you. Orlando, no more bullshit. Sebastian is going to know your legacy.

And EMERGE?

Time to remind you that I AM the FIRST Lady of Wrestling.

True Story.”

She lowers her head, nodding….

/REC