Solace Tatum
Full Member
First Class General Manager
"Don't Take It Personal..."
Posts: 117
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Post by Solace Tatum on Oct 18, 2021 4:11:09 GMT
MATCH 4 Winner earns shot at Evolution title next First Class Ada Pierce Vs. Denise Dimarco
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Post by Ada Pierce on Oct 29, 2021 16:21:42 GMT
Malevolence: Hours after the war against Jamie Riott… After being transported to the arena after the brutal match against Jamie Riott, Ada Pierce finds herself in the doctor’s office backstage as the Malevolence PPV plays on the TV set up in front of her. Currently, Solace Tatum is battling Mercedes, representing more than just herself as The Coven have made more than one enemy in First Class. You could argue the fight is bigger than the two women in the ring, instead acting as a clash of ideals. Even had they not targeted her, Ada Pierce would’ve most likely found herself siding with Solace’s ideals as she intently watches the match. Stitched up, bandaged and hurting all over, the Karateka’s is brought to her phone as it starts ringing and buzzing. Wincing in pain as she reaches over to grab the phone, Ada’s eyes light up when she reads the name on the screen: ‘Vickie <3’. She instantly answers.
Ada Pierce | “VICKIE, MY OLD FRIE-”
Ada’s eyes widen as she succumbs to a coughing fit. Her bruised and almost broken body certainly didn’t appreciate her high pitched greeting.
Vickie Burke | “Are you dead yet?”
Ada chuckles as she clears her throat.
Ada Pierce | “Ahem. No. Not yet. Won’t be for a while longer. How’ve you been?”
Vickie Burke | “How’ve YOU been?! I’m not the one who just went through barbed wire and almost died.”
Ada Pierce | “I’ll live, Vicks… wait, you’re watching the show?”
Vickie Burke | “You bet your bruised keister I’m watching the show. I stayed up for this stuff. Kinda have to when you’re not sure if your best friend’s gonna die.”
Ada Pierce | “Well, I’m alive… but… -sniff- …I have to get a new gi…”
Ada fakes her crying, lamenting her bloodstained karate gi as if that’s the most noteworthy thing to happen to her on this night. Knowing exactly what she’s doing though, Ada moves the phone away from her ear as she can barely make out Vickie’s R Rated *rant*, covering her mouth with her hand to prevent Vickie from hearing her laughter. After about a solid minute, Ada brings the phone back to her ear.
Vickie Burke | “AND ANOTHER THING!”
Ada Pierce | “Alright alright! Calm down!”
Vickie Burke | “hmph!”
Ada Pierce | “I’m in the doctor’s office right now. He did a bang-up job fixing me up. I also met up with the boss lady around here and, well, I know who my next opponent is.”
Vickie Burke | “Jesus, another opponent already? You need some time off after what you just went through.”
Ada Pierce | “Nahhh. If anything, it’s gonna get more hectic from here on out. How do you usually do your radio show?”
Vickie Burke | “Before I give your “weirdest segway” award, it’s not a radio show. It’s a podcast. Why?”
Ada Pierce | “Say I decided to start a podcast of my own, would you be able to help me set everything up?”
Vickie Burke | “If you don’t mind staying up because time zones are a thing? Sure thing. But I dunno, A… you, a podcaster?”
Almost as if it was on cue, Ada spots a lower third advertising the Diamond Mine, reminding viewers that the premiere will immediately follow Malevolence.
Ada Pierce | “No time like the present to start, right?”
Vickie responds, but Ada can’t hear any of it. On the TV screen, she spots a masked woman hitting the ring and assisting Mercedes against Solace. Solace had the match won, but the masked assailant pulls Tatum off of Mercy, breaking the pin. Before long, Mercy recovers, joining the masked woman in attacking Solace. Ada nearly tosses her phone against the wall out of rage, but decides to say four words.
Ada Pierce | “I’ll call you back.”
Ada drops her phone and makes a beeline for the door, but the doctor begins to approach the Karateka, no doubt attempting to do the right thing and advise her to rest up. Ada, however, doesn’t even hear it, kicking the door open before running out, wincing through the pain but refusing to let Mercy steal this win. Not after what she did… Ada’s Apartment: One week after Malevolence… Ada Pierce sits in front of her computer. The lights are set up, the music is ready to go, the webcam is pointed at her. Ada is dressed in a glittery sequin dress, her hair either fully dyed pink or covered in a wig, her face covered in makeup. A huge change from her usual appearance. She hovers over to the Discord icon and brings it up, checking to make sure everything is set up.
Ada Pierce | “We’re good, yeah?”
Vickie Burke | “Hell yeah we’re good. Tweet’s sent out, I’m gonna mute myself and moderate the whole thing. So I’ll handle the callers and you handle… whatever the hell this is.”
Ada Pierce | “Alright! HIT IT!”
‘On Top of the World’ by CFO$ plays as Ada claps along to the beat as Vickie turns off her camera mid facepalm. Ada gets jiggy with it for a bit as the callers begin filing into the server and the podcast goes live.
Ada Pierce | “Eyy, what’s going on everyone! Welcome to the first and last edition of the Keeping up with Ada podcast where we, you guessed it, keep up with me! We’re talking makeup. We’re talking fashion. We’re talking reality TV! Basically anything you can think of, and if we have enough time, maybe, just maybe! …We’ll even talk wrestling and First Class! But let’s focus on the important stuff first!”
Noticing quite a few people ready to talk to her, Ada decides to jump directly into taking calls.
Ada Pierce | “Yas queen! We have a ton of people calling in already so let’s just get to the calls! Caller you’re live on the air with Totes McGoats Ada Pierce, what’s your name?”
Caller 1 | “Hey yeah, this is uh, Mike from New York.”
Ada Pierce | “Gurrrrrrrrrl, what’s up?!”
Caller 1 | “...Ada, you doin alright?”
Ada Pierce | “Literally, like, for real? I couldn’t be doing any better! What’d you wanna talk about? The Grammys?”
Caller 1 | “I mean, well, no. I was hoping to talk about your match with Jamie Riott at Malevolence.”
Ada Pierce | “Ehhhh bloody hell, who cares about that? You want some dating advice?”
Caller 1 | “I’m actually a huge fan and I wanted to let you know that you kicked ass on the show. Jamie was awesome too, it was just a really fun, really brutal fight and I was hoping you were doing alright.”
Well shit. Ada was hoping to stick to her not-at-all passive aggressive facade, but this fan is just too wholesome to ignore. She just can’t bring herself to do it.
Ada Pierce | “Well, Mike, just because you’re adorbs, I’m gonna talk about Malevolence. Thank you so much for your kind words. Really means a lot. I’m doing alright and I’m pretty sure Jamie is too. Despite everything she did to me, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t respect her will to give it everything she’s got. I’m sure we’ll meet again down the line, and I hope our next meeting isn’t surrounded by barbed wire and weapons. I wanna see what she’s made of when it’s one on one. A test between two warriors to determine who the better one is. No weapons, no nothing. Just our fists.”
Caller 1 | “Hell yeah! I’ll be backing you up when that happens! And I just wanted to say, great work going out there to make the save when Solace was in trouble. And good luck against Denise, Ada! You got this!”
Ada Pierce | “Thanks Mike! Means the world! Someone had to intervene, right? Alright, next caller!”
Ada takes in a deep breath as she waits for the next caller to connect. That last one was great, but she really needs to get into character for the next one.
Caller 2 | “Hey can you hear me?”
Ada Pierce | “ohmigod, like, yes! What’s your name?”
Caller 2 | “My name’s Sarah. The hell happened to your face?”
Ada Pierce | “Don’t I look gorg’? And this dress, too?!”
Caller 2 | “…uh sure, nice dress?”
Ada Pierce | “Thanks! It was 14 quid at Primark.”
The caller audibly chuckles as Ada grabs her Denise DiMarco branded coffee mug and takes a sip from it.
Caller 2 | “Wait, was that Denise DiMarco’s face on the mug?”
Ada Pierce | “Yaasssss. Her face is literally everywhere. She’s like, literally the face of everything.”
Caller 2 | “So are you gonna fight her dressed like that? And what’s the music?”
Ada Pierce | “What! It’s the official theme of the Keeping up with Ada podcast! It’s just a nice, fun song. Don’t overanalyze stuff, sis.”
Caller 2 | “Uhuh. Well, I just wanted to let you know that you’re a JOKE and this whole thing is a JOKE too! I can’t wait for the Face of First Class to put you in your place!”
Ada’s eyes widen as she overdoes her reaction, gasping as loudly as she possibly can, which is Vickie’s cue to play the music they’d planned on in case of angry callers. Right on cue, ‘Get Crazy’ by LMFAO replaces ‘On Top of the World’ by CFO$.
Ada Pierce | “Juuuuuuuuuuuicyyyyyyy! How dare you speak to the face of- err, the Karateka like that!”
Vickie immediately disconnects the caller before Ada goes full Jersey Shore on her. Ada starts airing herself with a Diamond Mine branded fan, overdoing her reaction as she looks truly offended. Vickie unmutes herself, attempting to reach out to her friend.
Vickie Burke | “It’s okay, Ada. Just breathe.”
Ada Pierce | “Begone, Assistant! Do not order me to calm down!”
Vickie Burke | “I’M NOT YOUR ASSISTANT!”
Ada flinches in her seat, dropping her fan as Vickie instills the fear of an incoming rant into her.
Ada Pierce | “oof ok damn. Next caller!!!”
Caller 3 | “Hey I was just wondering about what you’re gonna do when the Coven decide to kick your ass again?”
Ada Pierce | “Oh hell naw. Hit me, Vickie.”
Oh no. What reality TV theme song is coming now? To our surprise, however, the… Halloween theme by John Carpenter plays? It appears Vickie is winging this at this point and Ada is quick to capitalize.
Ada Pierce | “Listen up, dweeb! You see Halloween Kills yet?”
Caller 3 | “Wait, wha-”
Ada Pierce | “First off, I resent your tone and your question, bro. Second, if they even THINK about ambushing me again, I’m gonna make like Michael Myers and brush everything off.”
Caller 3 | “Wait, how’re you gonna-”
Ada Pierce | “Even if they put me through five, no, ten tables! All they’re gonna see is a chick in a Bill Shatner mask rising from the ashes like nothing ever happened. And after I’m done, YOU better watch out for the Shatner mask too.”
Caller 3 | “That’s incredibly unsettling.”
Ada Pierce | “Good. Happy Halloween. Next caller!”
The third caller is disconnected and in comes the next.
Caller 4 | “Ada!!! I cannot wait for you to wipe the floor with Denise at First Class! I was worried about you after the match with Jamie, but considering you’re facing Denise, this should be easy!”
Ada Pierce | “Urgh, do we HAVE to, like, talk about wrestling?”
Caller 4 | “Haha. Loving this whole Denise impression you’re doing. But uh, yeah! Just wanted to say you got this in the bag! Go show that reality TV model what you’re made of!”
As the fourth caller disconnects, Ada decides this clown show has gone on long enough as she rips the pink wig off her head.
Ada Pierce | “Now... everyone’s probably thinking “this is a joke, right?” It is. But yet, it isn’t. Vickie here, my best friend since we were kids, helped me set this whole thing up. Was it a lot? Sure. But when I was told that I’d be facing none other than Denise DiMarco, I was excited. Some of my fans have been laughing this whole thing off. I see people in the server chat eating this all up. They’re probably thinking I’m just doing this to mock Denise, right? The wig, the makeup?”
Ada begins wiping the makeup off her face as she continues.
Ada Pierce | “I knew this would get Denise’s attention. Why wouldn’t it? It’s juicy drama, right? I can already see it. A Nobody Mocks The Diamond. That’s a whole Diamond Mine’s episode worth of juicy juice. But this isn’t what this is, Denise. I’m not about to mock you for being the smokin’ face of First Class. You own it. But I wanted you to see first-hand what some people think of you. You’ve got your loyals fans who’d come to me with their pitchforks, absolutely. But in your bubble, they drown out the ones who think you’re a model, a woman hired based on her looks and her giant following on social media. And I’d like to take this time to let you know that I disagree with them. And this may piss some of you off in the chat, but hear me out. The woman who stepped in the ring with Steph at Malevolence wasn’t a model. She was an asskicker. She fought ‘till the very last second. Nyssa and Leana on commentary even claimed that Denise isn’t known for being a good wrestler, yet just a few minutes later, here comes DiMarco with a gorgeous frog splash off the top. No cheating, no back-up. Just Denise DiMarco giving you everything she’s got. She wasn’t the winner, but she emptied the tank. If she didn’t earn your respect, I’m sorry, but you’re just naive. But Denise…”
Ada completely wipes off the makeup off her face, letting her blonde hair down as she looks directly into her webcam.
Ada Pierce | “You let the same woman from that Coven that attacked me beat you to become the first ever Evolution Champion. You deserve this second chance to get another shot, but you’re gonna have to get through me to get to her or Katia Fyre. And on the off chance that Steph beats Katia and remains champion… I’m not gonna risk watching you come up short again. Not after what Steph and her Coven did. My mission, my goal in this company right now is to break every single one of them. But right now? Right now they don’t care about me. But if I had that Evolution title, I know that they’re gonna scatter like the cockroaches they are. I’m gonna have something they want. So I’m sorry Denise. But I’m gonna have to kick your goddamned head in. But I’ll give it to you; you’re a fighter. You’re a warrior, despite what some of the people outside of your social media bubble may think. But if you come at me while juggling all the other appearances and media stuff you have? You’re not gonna last in the ring with the Karateka. I hope you’re pissed off right now, because you’re gonna have to give me everything you got and more if you wanna get to Steph. Really look within yourself. What are *you* doing this for? Money? Fame? Bragging rights? Do you wanna become the Evolution Champion just to say you did? You wanna know what I’m doing this for? Revenge. When Mercedes was directing traffic as Casie put me through a table, she was probably thinking they’d ended me. She probably didn’t even know my name.”
Ada’s eyes twitch as she’s filled with pure anger. Her veins almost pop out of her forehead as her eyes redden.
Ada Pierce | “I’m gonna make sure they know my bloody name. Part of me almost wants Steph to beat Katia to retain the title. Because I want her to be the first one off my list. I don’t care about the family drama they’ve got going on. All I know is that the Coven as a whole almost resulted in the end of my career. No sympathy for Casie, the woman who put me through a table. After I’m done, and after the Evolution title is around my waist, they’ll have no choice but to come for me. Whether it’s Mercedes, Steph wanting her title back or Mercedes… this time? I’ll be ready. So Denise… tell me. What’re you doing this for…?”
Ada simply stares into the webcam for a few seconds as her fans in the chat are left speechless. Before long, the stream ends.
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Post by denisediamond on Oct 30, 2021 4:57:23 GMT
It is two weeks off Malevolence, two episodes of Diamond Mine have aired so far in total… and Denise DiMarco is not the Evolution Champion. This is not how she expected things to go, but failure is never really something she sees coming. Some could call it a wakeup call, or simply a return to reality where she does not get everything handed to her. Whatever it is, Denise absolutely despises the feeling it brings her and has become a bit of shut-in as of late, only leaving her home whenever it is deemed fully necessary to do so by contractual obligations with brands and global companies. Spending the night in the house, Denise is scrolling through social media to check recent happenings and her account growth. Her follower count appears to still be rising steadily despite losing at the pay-per-view, so the appearance on such a large national scale seems to have been beneficial regardless. Tali is doing, well… her usual work. She is sprawled out on the opposite facing couch, looking through emails that might be important, or contain offers that would help build the brand of The Diamond. Both women are busy doing whatever they are doing, until Denise stumbles upon something that catches her eye. Not in a positive way either; it sort of irks her and causes her to scowl at the sight of it. She didn’t like it.
DENISE DIMARCO : Tali you gotta have a look at this. These wrestling blogs are talking about that girl, Ada Pierce. You know, Ada as in my opponent at the next first class. She was literally mocking me or whatever. That’s what the clickbaity headline says anyways. I’m not going to sit through it and watch all of it… Wait, someone posted a TLDR. God bless you, random internet dweller. You just made my day so much easier. Lemme read through it.
She scrolls and scrolls, skimming through the bullet points that detail the more important parts of Ada’s content. Her eyes widen at some of the bits, a bit shocked to see that it wasn’t entirely negative. Either way, it was still something that bothered her. This girl did an entire podcast and profited off her brand. Now, she is finally relevant to make it in wrestling headlines. That is how Denise saw it anyway. A leech that was using her name for some fame. Compliments flatter her, but she never understood it when people say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Why would someone want to be imitated?
DENISE DIMARCO : She like, addresses me at the end. Asks me a bunch of questions. Whatever, I’m not in the mood to deal with this right now. I have more important issues to worry about… Like, the actual match itself, and then beating whoever is still champion after the show.
TALI ZORA : Denise, you’ve been inside for most of your free time for almost two weeks now. I think instead of sitting around and letting her use you like that, you should fire right back and let her know why you are here and what your purpose is. Show her that she’s nothing compared to The Diamond.
DENISE DIMARCO : Okay, so you want me to do what exactly? I don’t have any interviews lined up, because I declined them all. I don’t have any podcasts to go on… I don’t even want to think about podcasts right now. Sorry girl, but there’s nothing I can do until we’re in the ring together.
TALI ZORA : I mean, you could always show up to a Combat show. The microphone is open there and you could say whatever you want. Get everything off your chest in a wrestling setting. Let her know who the boss is. Sis, your entrance music literally says you’re a boss chick. Live up to the name.
DENISE DIMARCO : Ewwwwwww. You did not just suggest I go on Combat… Combat is like a third world country if a wrestling show could be a third world country. It’s not the right place for a special attraction like me. If I’m in standing in a wrestling ring, I really don’t want it to be on a dark show nobody cares about. That’s so bad for my brand, Talz.
TALI ZORA : Who’s the expert in Public Relations again? This is like totes good for your brand. It makes it look like you care about wrestling, which you do, but like… you know what I mean. Actions speak louder than words, so people would be super impressed if you took the time to appear on a dark show. Also, you don’t look like a complete chump by not responding to Ada. You should do it.
Denise tucks her phone away in her purse and stands up from the couch. Primping up her hair, she walks over to Tali and pulls her off the couch. Reaching into her designer bag, she puts a pair of shades over her eyes. A smile forms on Tali’s face, happy to see that she was convincing enough.
TALI ZORA : That’s the face of literally everything that I know. Let’s go get ‘em.
…
An edition of Combat is taking place and Denise DiMarco is actually present. It’s one of the biggest shockers of all time, wrestlers taking a second glance after walking past her to make sure they aren’t simply hallucinating her being there. She is actually there in the flesh though, walking through the backstage area with Tali Zora to where the curtains were so they could make their entrance to the ring. The pair steps through the curtains as “Boss It” by def rebel blares through the arena. They are met with a mixed reaction of cheers and boos while walking down the ramp. Denise doesn’t interact with the crowd like she usually does, her face looking more serious than ever. Tali doesn’t look too amused either, heading ringside to snatch the microphone out the announcers hand before joining Denise inside of the ring. Tali then hands the microphone over to Denise.
DENISE DIMARCO : I’ll wait for silence… I’ll wait. I decided to bless Combat with my presence, and I have something very important to say to anyone that might see this. Recently, my name made headlines without me even needing to lift a finger. I’ve been out of the public eye for half a month, so obviously this was not of my own doing. The root of all this is none other than Ada Pierce, who made the decision to cosplay as me on her podcast, mock me, and then suddenly play the role of life coach. I know that all of you here have seen it. It went viral on nerdy wrestling Twitter. Ada Pierce, I’m going to address you firstly. You asked me a question after your mega-weird mind games: Why am I here? What do I want? What is the purpose of The Diamond here in IIW? Luckily for you, I’m going to do a free Q&A for you and give you an answer to that query. You see… I’m Denise DiMarco. I can do anything. I am anything I want to be, and I can promise you I’ll be damn good at it. People say I can’t wrestle, and I don’t really care. To be good at “wrestling”, you need to take a good look at what is relevant in wrestling today. On one side, there are people that care about boring 30 minute matches between two personality-void athletes with no story, just because they can do the cool flippy stuff. They are the minority. On the other side, you have the people that are in it for the entertainment. The big fight feel. The star quality. They are the majority in this day and age, whether those nerds like it or not. This is why I am good at “wrestling” in the year of 2021. I bring something to the table that nobody else can, and I love rubbing it in everyone’s faces. So, that’s why I am here. I’m good at everything and because I simply can. Tali, take it away.
The crowd truthfully does not know how to take that. She insulted quite a bit of the fanbase, but there are a lot of people that can’t get enough of the influencer. They’re split right down the middle for First Class’ most polarizing and controversial star. Denise gives the microphone over to Tali and takes a step aside to let her have the spotlight for a while. She gets a milder, but also less negative reaction. Probably because it’s easy to root for the overworked assistant, but Tali was far from rebelling. That is not in her game plan, and she intends on staying one-hundred percent loyal to her best friend.
TALI ZORA : Hello, Manchester! You’re not Los Angeles sadly, but we can all hope and dream that IIW will start touring soon so we can get away from all of you and return to the greatest city in the entire world. But, yeah… Ada Pierce. Part of me thinks you are OBSESSED with the idea of being The Diamond. That is why you dressed up like her. That is why you are prying all of these answers from her. You can’t stand to look at yourself in the mirror. You want to be her, and you want to be my client. It just makes too much sense. It’s never going to happen though. Nobody on this planet can be The Diamond except for The Diamond herself. She is the one and only Face of First Class and the biggest draw in professional wrestling of all time. Even bigger than The Rock, there, I said it. However, I’m always looking for unknown clients if you need some help becoming a “somebody” like Denise. Until then, cut the crap. She does not need your compliments or your approval. She has the approval of the world. Remember that. I’m sorry that the fake witches did whatever they did to you, but you’ll never get your revenge. Steph probably won’t retain, let’s be real, but even if she does… you won’t beat Denise. So, looks like your little road to revenge is going to be cut off short. Maybe try focusing on new things? Yoga helps me move on from stuff that bothers me and makes me feel #SLAY in the mornings. Try that.
Tali drops the microphone, and elicits a much more negative response from the crowd because of her heated, no filter promo. The reality television queens pose together in the middle of the ring while drowning in a mix of applause and heat, before they step out and exit the premises to head backstage together. They hug each other once they’re backstage and off camera, obviously proud of the promos they just cut, and because they addressed the issues they had with Ada.
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Post by Ada Pierce on Oct 30, 2021 17:02:17 GMT
Burke’s Dojo: One day after Ada’s “podcast”… After a few hours of training with her sensei, the Karateka decides it’s time to unwind before calling it a day. Feeling somewhat fulfilled with herself, Ada chills on the couch in the dojo’s break room with a bowl of popcorn in her lap, watching the latest episode of the Diamond Mine. Intently watching and finding herself hooked on Denise DiMarco and Talia Zora’s adventures, Ada appears to have completely lost track of time. That is, until the TV is abruptly turned off by her Sensei, eliciting a muffled protest out of the Karateka’s popcorn-filled mouth.
Ada Pierce | “mmffiWasWartchingTHaght!”
Sensei | “That’s about enough of that.”
Sensei Burke sits on the table across from Ada, blocking the TV to prevent her from turning it back on. After Pierce’s stunt the night before, Burke decides he needs to discuss it with her.
Sensei | “What you did last night was very childish.”
Ada angrily places the popcorn bowl next to her, wiping her hands clean with a tissue as she rolls her eyes.
Ada Pierce | “Alright, let’s talk. Did you not see the last few minutes of it? You didn’t see why I did what I did?”
Sensei | “Oh I did. I also noticed you fidgeting all day, trying to avoid talking about it.”
Ada Pierce | “Well, I’m free now. Let’s talk.”
Burke sighs deeply. He has faith in Ada but regardless of his faith, he sees it as his responsibility to make sure she stays grounded.
Ada Pierce | “Let me guess: you don’t want me to turn into the bullies I promised to go after. Right?”
Sensei | “An oversimplification, but yes. The entire “podcast” thing was overboard. You didn’t have to go that far to send the message to DiMarco.”
Ada Pierce | “Mmm, but I had to. And I’ll explain why. I have more than enough faith in the viewers and the Diamond Army to put two and two together and see what I see in Denise after our match. But I noticed that wrestling fans have a tendency to… stick to a particular narrative if they believe it, no matter how much they see that isn’t true. If they believe it, good luck trying to convince them others.”
Burke leans forward, listening intently to his student.
Sensei | “Interesting. Continue.”
Ada Pierce | “Regardless of the camp those fans that joined the server last night fell in, they all came to see me mock Denise. Her fans wanted to have their biases confirmed that I was a nobody trying to profit off of her name. My fans wanted to see me embarrass Denise and show her what a “real wrestler” looks like. Sure, you have odd ones out, but the main narrative within both camps drowns them out. What neither camp expected, however, was for me to give Denise the props she deserves.”
Burke nods along as Pierce continues. He’s starting to truly understand what prompted her to do what she did.
Ada Pierce | “Did I feel kinda gross putting on a fake charade just to get to that point? Absolutely. But Denise and her assistant are too thick to hear me out. I’m just a bump in the road for them. Denise is completely convinced that the First Class world revolves around her. If I lose to her, she probably won’t even acknowledge my existence. If I win, she’ll call shenanigans and protest the result. Bloody hell, she may even do that either way. But if I literally became a mirror of her… now that’s headlines. That gets your attention, doesn’t it? Rooting for me? You’ll immediately go to check it out and see me trash a woman you don’t think belongs in the ring. Maybe you’re a Denise fan? Obviously you wanna give me a piece of your mind and try to shut me up. Either way, I got your attention. But I didn’t give you what you wanted. I gave you *my* truth. The truth that Denise DiMarco is one hell of an athlete, whether you like it or not.”
Burke can’t help but crack a smile. He’s proud of Ada, prouder that she came up with this entire plan while dealing with the injuries she sustained during her battle with Jamie Riott that ended up destroying her prized karate gi. Even when she’s talking trash, she’s still trying to bring the best out of her opponent.
Sensei | “In that case… well done. Looks like you got exactly what you wanted. I guess it’s time for your reward then.”
Ada raises her eyebrow. What reward? Burke walks off, confusing Ada as she raises her arms like “I’m still here?”. Before she can question him, Pierce’s phone buzzes, prompting her to grab it and swipe across the notification.
“Denise DiMarco to Respond to Ada Pierce on Combat”
Ada Pierce | “Well would you look that… the almighty face of everything is gonna address me in a wrestling ring…”
Ada tosses her phone aside as she looks down at the ground. Her mind races, excited by the news she’d just received. After all, there was a chance DiMarco would’ve either ignored her or used the situation for the Diamond Mine… but no. Just this simple fact that Denise would actually attend a dark show to address her… Ada’s blood boils in the best way possible. Unable to contain it, she flies off the couch…
Ada Pierce | “YES…!”
…only to realize that Burke’s standing in front of her with a folded set of attire in his hands. How long has he been here? Damnit, Ada… stop losing track of your surroundings.
Ada Pierce | “….what’s this?”
Ada retrieves the reward from her sensei. Unfolding it, she’s left speechless… a brand new karate gi to replace the one that was destroyed as a result of the malevolent barbed wire match against Jamie Riott. Ada admires the craftsmanship, noticing the First Class logo stitched into the gi. Gone are the days of the plain white gi she’d rock… now, this gi can represent her roots as well as her new career as a wrestler. Embracing both past and present. Unable to form the words to thank her karate master, Ada wells up, smiling at Burke.
Sensei | “Knock ‘em dead.” First Class: Sunday, October 31st, 2021 It’s the night of First Class: Fallout. Ada Pierce arrives on time in an Uber. On her phone, she watches Denise DiMarco and Talia Zora’s venomous promo on Combat, smiling as the segment ends. Swiping back to the Uber app, Ada leaves the driver a five star review as she exits the vehicle, retrieving her bag before entering the arena through the back. Several backstage IIW wave at Ada, prompting her to wave back. Dressed in a casual black Friday the 13th tank top, denim shorts and black flip flops, the Karateka can barely contain her excitement over her new karate gi she’ll debut tonight. Entering the locker room, Ada sets the bag down before opening it, eyeing the “First Class” logo switched above her name on the karate gi. She closes her eyes, losing herself for a few moments as she takes a deep breath, meditating. A minute passes before a backstage IIW crew member knocks on the door, notifying Ada that she’ll be live with Sally Bird in ten minutes. Ada’s eyes widen as she closes the bag and exits the locker room, ready to take on the world. She makes her way over to the interview area, greeting First Class’ resident interviewer Sally Bird as they prepare to go live. On the show, a recap of Denise DiMarco and Talia Zora’s Combat promo plays. As it ends, Sally Bird introduces her guest.
Sally Bird | “Ladies and gentlemen… please welcome Ada Pierce.”
Ada enters the frame as the fans in attendance pop big for her. Pierce smiles, able to make out the incredibly warm reaction from the First Class faithful. She bows out of respect before preparing to answer whatever question Sally throws her way.
Sally Bird | “Ada, you seem to have drawn first blood leading up to your match with Denise DiMarco with your… stunt. This was a new side to you we haven’t seen before. What made you do that?”
Ada Pierce | “Great question! Before I answer it, however, I’d like to just take a moment to say how awesome it is to be back in First Class after my life flashed before my eyes at Malevolence! Won’t lie, I didn’t think I’d be able to come back to Manchester so quickly after that ordeal!”
Pierce revels in the cheap pop she elicited by name dropping Manchester for a bit, no doubt motivated in doing so after Denise trashed the city at Combat.
Ada Pierce | “Let’s get down to business. Yes, I drew first blood. But I’m happy to say that, Denise appearing on Combat to try to shut me up? That surprised me. What didn’t surprise me, however, was Denise and Talia’s delusions on full display. You two thought you had me all figured out, didn’t you? You see, I told myself that the whole podcast thing would lead you to view it from two perspectives. You could’ve said “jeez, the lady has a point. She’s been wronged by the Coven and she’s doing this for revenge. She’s doing this to send a goddamned message that this cheap attack bullcrap ain’t gonna work here”. You could’ve reflected deeply about it all and let your silence do the talking. Came here tonight and whooped my behind all over the ring. But you couldn’t help yourself but go with Option B: PR. No doubt influenced by the ever wise Talia Zora.”
Ada smirks at the camera as it zooms in on her face.
Ada Pierce | “You couldn’t wait for tonight. You just had to waltz over to Combat and brush everything aside as a publicity stunt from yours truly. Let’s talk about you, Talia. You claimed that I did this because I *want* to be Denise. Oh, how off the mark you were with that statement. I’m perfectly comfortable staring at myself in the mirror, seeing a warrior look back at me. A warrior that clawed her way to First Class out of nothing to remind people that, no, you don’t have to walk around with a clique and beat lone wolves up to make a statement. I spit on all the traditions and principles I was taught by my Sensei when I walked into a ring covered in barbed wire to face a woman that thought she could end my career. But I realized, walking into that fight, that I was wrong. I couldn’t have been any more faithful to my principles when I did what I did at Malevolence. Because in the end, instead of walking away from a challenge, I accepted it and kicked some heads in.”
Ada balls her right hand in a fist as she starts to get truly fired up, nearly staring a hole through the camera lens.
Ada Pierce | “But you two? You walked away from the challenge when you brushed everything aside as a pathetic attempt by me to reach your level of notoriety. But the thing is… I don’t want your followers, Denise. I don’t want your coffee mugs, I don’t want your posters, your shows, your YouTube channel. Vlogs, reality shows, podcasts, shirts, pants, socks, shoes. All your merch, I don’t want any of it. I want the warrior that I know is hiding somewhere deep underneath your cold exterior. And I think I’m gonna get it. Because even though you and Talia tried to ignore everything I said, I saw your face when you walked out to the ring. Just the mere fact that you took to Combat instead of responding to me at the end of a 30 minute YouTube vlog tells me everything I need to know.”
Ada’s smirk slowly returns to her face as she nods, realizing that she’s successfully gotten to Denise and maybe, just maybe, succeeded in bringing out the warrior she knows is inside her.
Ada Pierce | “Less than an hour to go, Denise. Hashtag Slay vs Hashtag Karate Kick Your F***ing Head in. Bring it on.”
The audience explode with loud cheers, not expecting to hear a bleeped expletive in an Ada Pierce interview. Even if this is your first time tuning in to First Class, you know that this woman has everything to lose and will do everything in her power to fulfill her goal of revenge. The screen fades to black as we prepare to head back to the ringside area…
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Post by denisediamond on Oct 30, 2021 22:10:04 GMT
Following the taping of Combat, Denise and Tali Zora decide to celebrate surviving the perils of an obscure dark show with a fancy dinner. It takes them a while to find a restaurant that actually suits their tastes, because let’s be real, most places in Manchester are not up to the standards of The Diamond and her most trusty sidekick, Tali Zora. But, they eventually decide to settle on a place that is thankfully located close enough to the IIW arena for them to not succumb to hunger. Their driver drops them off and parks somewhere in one of the reserved spots. Almost instantly, Denise is swarmed by paparazzi and diehard fans of hers that must have known she planned an appearance on Combat tonight. She stops and signs a few autographs, trying her best to block the blinding light of the camera flashes with her Vera Wang pouch bag. Camera flashes… after that one stipulation match that she ended losing a while back, she never quite enjoyed them like she used to. Now, they feel more like a nuisance than anything. She’s a professional though, and knows that they are worth dealing with. There is a price to pay to maintain fame and popularity, and she is quite used to having to pay it. After the crowd dies down and most of the fans are left happy with sign posters and such, Denise and Tali make their way inside of the high end restaurant. Wow, who knew a gem like this was hidden away in… Manchester. They still aren’t the biggest fans of Manchester. The fabulous pair are greeted by the hostess who reads their names off the reservation list, thus allowing them to walk past the velvet rope barrier and find their set table. They take seats across each other and scour the menu.
DENISE DIMARCO : What do I want? Hmm…
TALI ZORA : Heard they have good linguine pasta salad. I don’t like pasta salad.
DENISE DIMARCO : This place is Italian?
TALI ZORA : I guess, I dunno. It just looked fancy and the reviews were really good. Thought that we’d give it a shot and see how it’s like.
DENISE DIMARCO : Tonight must be the night of taking shots then. First shot proved to be successful, so I’m not too doubtful as of yet.
TALI ZORA : That’s the spirit.
DENISE DIMARCO : Well, seeing as I’m not a complete psycho like you … joking F.Y.I … I actually enjoy pasta salad, so I’ll be having that.
TALI ZORA : Pasta salads are for psychos, not the other way around. But okay.
DENISE DIMARCO : See anything you like?
TALI ZORA : Girl… I think I’m going to be basic and get a chicken parm or something. You can never go wrong with a chicken parm.
DENISE DIMARCO : Solid choice!
A waitress comes over to take their orders. They both add a glass of water with lemon to their requests, and that begins the waiting game. Every restaurant has the waiting game, and some take longer or shorter than others. Neither of them are known for their patience, so they pray that it doesn’t take too long. Until then, they pull out their phones and check social media, like they know how to do best during their free time. For the second time tonight, Denise finds something that interests her and raises it to Tali’s attention.
DENISE DIMARCO : The promo is going viral already. Some people love that I’m incorporating being in love with fame into my character. Others aren’t too keen, but that’s how it seems to always go with wrestling fans and I. Whatever, it’s a trending topic. #DENISE.
TALI ZORA : #QUEEN, #SLAY. Knew that it would all turn out for the best. That’s why you have to just trust my intuition. This only adds more heat to your match.
DENISE DIMARCO : Right, right… Don’t know why I ever doubted you. You have led me astray yet, girlfriend. Anyways… where’s the server? I’m hungry.
Tali shrugs and decides to pass time by buttering a complimentary free bread roll and munching on that until their food arrives. Denise decides to do the same. Bread? Not the best for her diet. But, this is supposed to be a celebratory dinner. She can ease up for the night. It’s just one time. Out of the blue, a man wearing a white IIW branded tee approaches their table and watches over the two of them. In his hand, he has a glass of wine. All hell breaks loose when he dumps the entire glass over Denise and calls her “A YANK SLAG”, to quote him exactly. Her promo seems to have gotten her over in all the wrong ways. Shuffling for cloth napkins to try and sop up the stain, Tali shrieks and yells for security, or anybody that can help.
TALI ZORA : THIS MAN JUST TOTALLY ASSAULTED DENISE DIMARCO!!! THE, DENISE DIMARCO!!! GET HIM OUT OF HERE!!! SOMEONE PLEASE!!!
DENISE DIMARCO : This is NOT going to make me like Manchester more! What the HELL is wrong with you?! You’re out of here, bud!
Security rushes in to respond to the commotion, and everyone huddles around to film the drama to most likely post it on their social media later. Yet another viral moment tonight, except this one is certainly less positive and uplifting. The security guards grab the man by the wrist and start hauling him out.
TALI ZORA : THAT’S RIGHT! DON’T MESS WITH THE DIAMOND! BYE LOSER!
DENISE DIMARCO : Call the driver now. We’re leaving.
TALI ZORA : YEAH! I’LL DO THAT! WAIT, WHAT ABOUT THE BILL?!
DENISE DIMARCO : I don’t give a shit about the bill… and why are you still screaming? Look, I’ll just have one of my finance people deal with it for me.
TALI ZORA : Oh, I was still screaming. Yeah, I’ll call the driver and he’ll be back ASAP. Let’s bounce and get as far away from this place as possible.
…
Fast forward to the night of Fallout; another special edition of everyone’s favorite bi-weekly professional wrestling show. Denise and Tali are roaming the backstage premises, signing autographs for all of the lesser known crew and staff that idolize and respect her celebrity status. It’s tiring work being the most famous person in the locker room. That’s according to herself at least, but she’s sure that most people would agree with that statement anyways. She doesn’t even notice the camera crew following her around, meaning that this is all being aired on the episode. The crowd boos, cheers, her usual mixed reaction when she appears on the titantron. The booing seems to be a lot louder this time around though, and it is probably due to her trashing the entire city of Manchester.
DENISE DIMARCO : Nice Shaun Hart shirt. Just a reminder that Diamond Mine is still the most must-see IIW media. Podcasts are lame. Well, it’s a guilty pleasure. But don’t tell anyone that I listen to it.
She gives the final autograph to the man wearing the shirt and turns around to Sally Bird shoving a microphone right in her face. After having a chat with Ada Pierce, the interviewer must be making rounds to make sure to get both sides of the story. Denise looks confused at first, but soon gets the memo that she is about to be asked questions that will be broadcasted on the show and for the fans in attendance.
SALLY BIRD : Ladies and gentlemen, I am here with The Diamond, Denise DiMarco. Denise, the past week has been quite eventful for you in the sense that you seem to be the talk of the town–
TALI ZORA : When is the social media and reality TV queen not the talk of the town, Sally?
SALLY BIRD : Fair point. What I wanted to ask you about is your match with Ada Pierce. After taking a loss to Steph at Malevolence and failing to take the Evolution Championship, you’re being offered another chance to take the gold. With everything going on with you in the news, how are you feeling going in?
DENISE DIMARCO : Sally, being in the news is not something that bothers me. Someone on the level I’m at has already been through so much media training that this is simply a walk in the park. So, I’m feeling amazing going into my match. I’m ready to beat Ada and get another chance at gold. Gold is one of my signature colors, hello.
SALLY BIRD : Have your feelings on Ada Pierce changed after reassessing her intent?
DENISE DIMARCO : Umm, no. Not really. I totally get her point, but I don’t see why she’s so obsessed with trying to be my therapist or something. I haven’t seen one of those in over a decade. Definitely don’t need to see one either. So, I’m still convinced that deep down she wants to be me. She wants to know that even if she loses, she’s still the highest paid woman on the roster. She wants the brand deals, the merchandise, the interviews with famous celebrity talk show hosts. She craves it and that is why she’s fixating on my psyche. Listen up, Ada. It’s not happening.
Denise glares into the camera and points right at it. Her face is similar to the serious expression she had during her appearance on IIW Combat.
DENISE DIMARCO : If you’re looking for a warrior, you’ve already found one. That’s the thing. You’re in search of a stereotypical kind of warrior. One that isn’t into the glitz and glamor of it all. A warrior that lives and breathes wrestling. I’m here to tell you that you’ve already found one. You saw the match with Steph and you know what I’m capable of, so let’s move back to reality where I can do the same things I did to her, to you and stop acting like I’m somehow hiding my true self. This is my true and authentic self. I’m a girly girl that can kick your teeth in, and I’ll do that all while recording it for my next YouTube vlog. I think something about this being my final form perplexes you, and that’s okay. I would be confused if I were a karate master and was about to lose to a social media star too. But, it’s real and it’s happening. I’m not trained in mixed martial arts, I haven’t wrestled in Japan, I love Instagram, and I’m still going to win our match.
Denise’s expression softens, and that star-studded smile then forms on the beautiful woman’s face. Tali Zora is right by her side smiling as well.
DENISE DIMARCO : You gave me your sob story with the Coven and I heard you out, I really did. But, I sincerely have it way worse than you. Did you die? Exactly. It must not have been that bad. But do you know what died when I lost my match at Malevolence? For the first time in my entire life, my pride suffered its demise. I stayed inside for almost two weeks until Tali convinced me to show up on Combat so I could let you know that you can’t use my name for free press. Nobody can. It should be against the law. See you in the ring and good luck, Ada. You’re really going to need it when you’re on the mat after I hit the Diamond Mind and cover you for the three count.
Denise mocks Ada by bowing, like she would in traditional settings. This gets some good heat from the crowd. Tali Zora then grabs the microphone from Sally Bird, because it appears she has something she wants to get off her chest.
TALI ZORA : And my name is TALI, not TALIA. Everyone that continues to call me Talia on social media is getting BLOCKED. Effective immediately.
The crowd gives a confused response to the final words by Tali. The two walk away from Sally Bird and start making their way to the curtains to make their entrance for the match.
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