Solace Tatum
Full Member
First Class General Manager
"Don't Take It Personal..."
Posts: 117
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Post by Solace Tatum on Nov 1, 2021 4:11:03 GMT
RULES: 2 RP MAX, UNLIMITED WORDS. 1ST RP MUST BE A COLD OPEN (NO RESPONSE TO YOUR OPPONENTS FIRST RP) Failure to abide by this rule will result is deduction of final points.
1ST RP MUST BE POSTED BY SOFT DEADLINE (SAT 6TH, 11:59 PM EST.) Failure to post first RP by soft deadline and you will be given only 1 RP max.
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Post by Ada Pierce on Nov 6, 2021 21:59:16 GMT
The Night of First Class Fallout: Heading Home… Ada Pierce Vs. Denise DiMarco has come and gone with Ada emerging as the victor through a count-out victory. Not quite the win Ada had planned on, but a win nonetheless. Still feeling the effects of the heated battle with the self-proclaimed ‘Face of First Class’, Ada has changed back into her street clothes and packed her things to return home. The Uber driver is on their way and the night is almost over. As Pierce exits the locker room, she feels her phone buzzing in her pocket, prompting her to pull it out. Deja vu sets in when Ada reads ‘Vickie <3’ on the screen, bringing her back to the night of the Malevolence PPV when her best friend called to check in on her. Ada swipes her thumb across the screen, answering the call. ”VICKIE MY OLD FRIEND!” exclaims Ada, this time managing to get through the loud greeting without her soul attempting to leave her body like it did after the war against Jamie Riott. Vickie can’t help but laugh as she wastes little time congratulating her best friend. ”You freakin’ did it, A! Goddammit, I’m so proud of you!” responds Vickie, barely able to contain her happiness for the ‘Karateka’. After all, she helped her execute her, arguably, questionable plan to bring the best out of DiMarco. But while Ada was busy preparing for the match, training and training the days away as we drew closer to First Class, Vickie had been planning on a surprise of her own. The Sensei’s daughter, filled to the brim with excitement to share some news with her best friend, fails to even ask how Ada is physically holding up. ”So, I kinda did something today. You may wanna grab a seat for this one.” Having already made her way halfway down the backstage area to the exit, Ada improvises by laying her luggage down on the ground before sitting down on it. It’ll do.
”What’s up!” Ada excitedly asks with a big smile on her face. ”Guess who’s gonna be there for the Battle on the Atlantic?!” Ada’s eyes widen big time, chills sent down her spine at the mere thought of having her best friend in the crowd to watch her do her thing. ”…Bloody hell, no way!” she yells out, flying off her luggage as she pumps her fist up in the air. With Vickie nearly crying out in happiness on the phone, Ada’s blue eyes fill with tears, causing her to bite her tongue, preventing herself from losing control over her emotions. The happiness… is there… but there’s something bothering Ada about this news. Something that’s wasting little time in overshadowing her joy. But this isn’t about her. Nobody likes a downer, right? One gulp later, Ada tightens her shakey grip over her phone before asking for details. “Give me all the details! When do you get here?!” she inquires as Vickie is quick to happily respond. ”Long-ass flight aside, I should be there in exactly one week! I know you’re gonna busy training though, so I’ll just hug the crap out of you and leave you to it! We’ll celebrate after you get that title, Miss Number One Contender!!!” Vickie boldly states. A little naive considering she knows how scatterbrained Ada can get when her nerves go haywire, and this reunion already has her thinking of a trillion different things all at the same time. What if she can’t focus on her training? What if she can’t perform at her absolute best knowing her childhood friend is in the crowd? Ada’s self-doubt slowly creeps back up on her. She always figured she’d get a title shot at some point… but all of this is proving to be a bit much for the Karateka to juggle in her mind. But she’s happy. This she knows for sure.”You there?””Yeah, sorry… just a lot to take in, know what I mean?””It’s okay! I know you’re probably a little banged up after tonight too. Dad said some of the IIW production people are meeting him too. Wanting to meet the Sensei behind the student and all that, Miss Big Shot!””Wow… really?””Mhm!”Shit. If Ada wasn’t stressed about a lot of things all happening the same time a few seconds ago, she definitely is now. Fearing she may slip and accidentally put a damper on the whole thing, Pierce decides she needs to isolate herself for now. “I don’t even have the words, Vicks… this is great…” the Karateka calmly responds as she wipes the tears off her face before leaning against the wall. “Crap, my Uber is almost here. I need to quickly grab my things and head home. Kinda aching right now but… damn, I can’t wait to see you again. This is gonna be so fun.” she continues, bottling all of her emotions up. Suppress it. Keep it all in. It’s gonna be fine.”It’s okay, A! I’ll see you soon. You have a wonderful night now, you hear?””You too. Err, in like, several hours. Time zones, haha.” ”Not for long! Speak soon, sweetheart.” ”Be safe, love.”The call ends as Ada slips her phone back into her pocket. She reaches down, grabbing her luggage before continuing to make her way to the exit. “Head home… pfft. Who am I kidding? I ain’t getting any sleep tonight…” she thinks to herself. Her mind’s racing. Burke’s Dojo, the place she’s called her home for years and the place she’s spent more time in than any other place to hone her skills is going to be covered for all to see. This should be good… but it just isn’t sitting well with Ada. Despite her confidence skyrocketing after surviving the barbed wire match at Malevolence, a situation she never expected to be in, the sense of dread, the fear of disappointing those she loves and the fans who’ve slowly grown to believe in her… it’s a bit much. As the Uber driver arrives, Ada stores her luggage in the trunk before entering the car, sitting in the backseat.“Hey, is it okay if I change the destination?” Pierce asks in a cold tone as her head races. ”Sure thing! Might cost a little extra depending on where you’re headed.” the driver responds. Pierce pulls out her phone once more, but before she can unlock it to change the destination, she notices a text message from Sensei Burke.“I’m so proud of you. Make sure you get some rest tonight. Big day tomorrow.”It seems Burke knew better than to drop the bombshell of the coverage they’re getting, knowing how Ada can be with this kind of thing. She quickly swipes across the message, responding with a simple heart emoji. She swipes up, unlocking the phone before changing the destination. She’s still heading home. Just not the apartment. Burke’s Dojo: 40 Minutes Later Ada arrives at the empty dojo carrying her luggage and a Tesco bag. She’d requested a brief stop for something to ease her nerves and mind. As she makes her way to her room, Ada spots the speedbag in the corner her and Sensei Burke set up a few days prior due to her desire to improve her striking. Placing the luggage on the side, Ada retrieves one of several mini Smirnoff Red Label bottles she’d purchased, placing it on the table between the sofa and the television she was watching the Diamond Mine on. Sitting down on the sofa, Pierce breathes in as deeply as she can, closing her eyes as she does her best to make her brain just stop. During the ride to the dojo, Ada couldn’t help but rewatch her performance against Denise on First Class on her phone. Nothing particularly stood out to her during the match itself that she didn’t expect to happen, but a line from Nyssa Laurie at the very end got her:”That heart of hers might be her worst quality.”Was Nyssa right? Ada’s heart says no… but her scatterbrained mentality forces her into a corner, an internal struggle, questioning everything she can think of. After all, it’s that very heart that caused her to turn a blind eye to a potential ambush after a match. To expect better from people, hold them to a high standard. It wasn’t something she expected to happen, having been raised on principles that taught her to never go for the easy way out. Always respect your opponent. Always take the high road, no matter how much difficult it may be compared to the low road. When Ada decided to challenge Jamie Riott on that night, it was to stand up to a bully and not much else. A just cause, she thought. When The Coven attacked, Ada thought “they’re probably Jamie’s buddies”. But no. That wasn’t the case. It would’ve been more understandable if it was. They attacked just because. It was all for a ‘message’. Innocent people who had nothing to do with their business? Their careers be damned. The very feeling of dread that washed over the Karateka when Casie Debonaire set her up for the powerbomb into the table has been creeping up on her ever since Vickie’s call. And the fact that Casie and Steph basically washed their hands clean of the entire ordeal… just doesn’t sit well with her. Ada buries her face into her hands, her head starting to hurt at this point. She needs to relax. Calm down… she breathes in… breathes out… breathes in… screw it. This isn’t working. Ada grabs the small bottle, twisting the cap open before downing the entirety of it in one shot. “Shit, that burned.” she says to herself before coughing a bit, clearing her throat. She takes in one more deep breath before making a beeline to her luggage. Retrieving the karate gi Burke gifted her a few days ago, the ‘Karateka’ changes into it. This feels better. Deciding she needs to exert this energy, Pierce grabs her AirPods and makes her way to the speedbag as she pops her earbuds in, taking her phone out to go into the music app before hitting ‘Shuffle’. Hold My Liquor by Kanye West plays, causing Ada to chuckle to herself. She could swear this phone is watching her sometimes. Stabilizing the speedbag while placing the phone on the ground, Ada punches it in quick succession. It’s a little new to her, but she sees it swinging back at her with every strike. Perfect. She worries the speedbag wasn’t properly mounted, but it shouldn’t be an issue. This should help drain her so she can finally rest. As Chief Keef’s refrain kicks in, Ada shuts her eyes for a moment to search for the source of her stress. She succeeds in mentally isolating herself. Nothing but darkness. She’s taken back to her debut at a dark Combat show… it was frightening. Finding herself in the ring with a woman who was far more experienced than her in the ring. But no… that’s not it… as Keef’s refrain comes to a close, the song growing louder and louder… a single figure appears from the shadows in Ada’s mind palace. STEPH
Kanye’s verse hits as Ada’s eyes open wide before she begins training on the speedbag, hammering away at it, keeping up a proper rhythm as her mind clears up. As the music heats up in her ears, Ada’s body is almost moving by itself, keeping up with the speedbag, exerting all of her pent up anger and frustrations, channelling all of her stress into it. Her mind takes her back to the beginning of First Class Fallout earlier in the night… the audacity of Steph and Casie to claim that they were “two girls who’ve given their all for IIW”. “Bullshit” Pierce thinks to herself. Who are they fooling? Most of the fans apparently, who just cheered for them like they never had a hand in Mercedes’ transgressions. Two people Ada was almost sure they couldn’t fool were Solace Tatum and Katia Fyre. But even then… are they trustworthy? What guarantees that they won’t try to end her career like Mercedes and Casie? Ada shakes it off, thinking she’ll cross that bridge when she gets to it. For now, it’s good to have people backing her up.
Digging deeper, further isolating the main things fueling the fire that is her anxiety, Ada begins to ask herself the same questions she directed at Denise DiMarco during the ‘podcast’. “What am I doing this for?” she asks herself. At one point, it was all about being like the badass characters she idolized in her favorite fighting games as she grew up in the arcades. Chun-Li. Cammy. Mai Shiranui. Yuri Sakazaki, whose ‘Diet’ theme she’s used as an entrance theme since her debut. That was quite the get for IIW, lots of licensing loop holes to go through. Ada has wanted to become a real life version of those fighters she loved to control, who acted as extensions of who she truly was within as a kid. Maybe she could’ve been to at least one little girl out there what those characters were to a young Ada Pierce. But as sad as it makes her, Ada begins to feel like she may have outgrown that goal. It’s no longer about living up to those characters or becoming a real life fighting game character. That’ll always be a part of who she is, deep within her heart, but it’s beyond that now after what The Coven did to her. It’s about making every single one of the women who tried to end a career she’s slowly grown to need in her life pay the ultimate price for what they did. Even if they truly have become better women, no longer interested in associating themselves with someone as unhinged as Mercedes… it’s a little too late. They won’t get away scot free, presenting themselves as heroines without facing the consequences after they just let MJ run roughshod all over the place. And if they still stand by what they said after Ada’s done, maybe forgiveness might be on the menu. But until then, it’s all about making them, and the masked woman who interjected herself into the main event of Malevolence, pay for thinking they’re untouchable. Without Sensei Burke and Vickie to keep her grounded… Ada’s anger takes hold. It takes full control. She’s convinced herself that she has to be stronger than she’s been. That’s the source of her fear, her anxiety. It’s the fear of losing to Steph, letting her get away with what Ada blames her and Casie for abiding by and letting happen to innocent women of First Class. She won’t lose. She won’t fall short of becoming the champion in front of her childhood friend…!”By the end of this, they’re gonna know my bloody name!” Ada yells out before slamming her fist into the speedbag so hard it flies off its hinges and bounces off the wall as the song ends. Could’ve maybe done a better job securing that thing in place. Out of breath, covered in her own sweat, Ada rips the AirPods out of her ears before collapsing to the floor next to her phone. She can’t move… all she can do is gulp one big batch of air after another… She’s pushed herself too hard… everything’s getting dark… maybe she should just close her eyes for a little bit…
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Post by ~Steph~ on Nov 7, 2021 2:02:28 GMT
We open our scene backstage, straight after Steph’s successful Evolution Title defence. The lady on question is walking through the corridor holding her face, primarily her jaw. Casie and Tyler come up beside her, Tyler carrying a bag of ice which he promptly places on the side of Steph’s face as they walk into her locker room. She stumbles as they enter the room and Casie settles her into a chair, as Tyler grabs a Coke from her cooler bag and hands it too her, watching as she cracks it open and begins to swig it back as if it were a beer.
Steph - ”Jeeze that was crazy… Holy shit that was intense!”
Tyler - ”You okay babe?”
Casie - ”Yeah, hun, you might be concussed.”
Steph - ”No, I’m fine. The adrenaline it’s just coursing through my veins! Although I’m a little pissed that she didn’t accept my sincere recognition tonight.”
Casie - ”Let’s be honest Steph, we knew they weren’t going to be accepting of our change anytime soon… You’ve just got to let it go and keep doing your own thing…”
Steph - ”I know, I know… And so it continues huh? Ada Pierce beat Denise DiMarco and she therefore has become my next challenger… The irony in the saying “no rest for the wicked” right now!”
Casie shakes her head as Tyler chuckles. Steph stands up and heads towards the bathroom… A few minutes later and she’s out of her wrestling attire which she places in her bag. Now dressed in “everyday street clothes”, Steph grabs another Coke and points towards the door.
Steph - ”Shall we go?”
Tyler - ”You sure you’re okay? You don’t want to go to Medical or anything?”
Steph - ”No, I’m good honestly. I just want to rest and fix up before the next match.”
Casie - ”The next match is an entire two weeks away, sweetie.”
Steph - ”And that’s the kind of rest I need!”
They all laugh as Steph throws the First Class Evolution Title over her shoulder. Tyler takes her bag for her and the three of them leave the dressing room and head toward the exit of the stadium, as the scene begins to fade into darkness…
^^^^^^^^
…The scene reopens and we find ourselves over five thousand miles from the IIW stadium, in Manchester. The silver Mercedes C-Class Convertible makes its way along Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, California and the three girls in the car are laughing and talking as the driver pulls over and parks up outside the VALENTINO store. We now see that the occupants of the vehicle are Casie Debonair, Stephanie LaCroix and Michaela Ford. The three walk straight through the door as the Concierge waves them in. All three head over to the dresses and instantly, Michaela reaches for a Crepe Coutoure black San Gallo dress, before seeing the label and shoving it back where she found it. Casie checks the label and laughs, taking the dress off the rail and handing it to Michaela.
Casie - ”Take it, Micki. Consider it a never having been in your life gift and no, before you say anything I’m not trying to buy your love.”
Micki - ”Cas… I mean, mom. I can’t just take that from you… Seriously that’s like quad digit pricing right there!”
Steph scoffs and shakes her head as she too checks out the price tag before almost freaking out and swallowing hard.
Steph - ”Oh, is that all? I’m gonna get the red one!”
Casie - ”The PR company does very, very well. And you’ve gotta remember, I was doing that long before I got in the ring.”
Steph - ”That’s true, you can buy me the red one then.”
They all laugh as Casie leads Micki over to the shoes and the girls begin to look through some of the range that’s on show. Micki’s eyes and hands go for a pair of sneakers straight away. They’re a pair of fabric, Valentino Garavani Crochet sneakers… Casie grabs them and places them in the corresponding box. They walk over to the counter and Casie hands over a black Amex card as Micki looks around the rest of the store.
Micki - ”Hey, where’s Steph gone?”
Casie - ”Oh, no idea. She’s probably gone to one of the other stores. So, listen… I wanna talk to you about something whilst you’re out here with me.”
Micki - ”Oh yeah? What’s that?”
The sales clerk, hands the bag with Casie’s purchases in, over and the two girls begin to make their way out of the store. Micki pulls a bar of chocolate from her jeans back pocket and breaks off a strip offering a piece to Casie who takes it and pops it into her mouth, as Micki pops a square into her own mouth, Steph comes walking out of the D&G store next door, with a massive bag on her arm and a massive smile on her face.
Casie - ”Hey you, disappeared real quick! What did you get?”
Steph - ”Hah! Sorry just wanted to grab a few things before we leave. I got Tyler a pair of hand-painted two-tone canvas Portofino sneakers and myself some Gattopardo shades and a Strobo clutch.”
Casie - ”Wow, flush! Alright look we’ve had a great time here the past few days, got to show Micki my old apartment and the Los Angeles Courthouse but now we’ve got some real business to attend to. We’ve got about two hours before we need to check in at LAX and it’ll take us around forty minutes with the current traffic. So let’s get going!”
All three jump into the Mercedes and strap themselves in as Casie pulls away from the kerb.
Micki - ”Oh mom, you were saying you wanted to chat to me about something?”
Steph - ”Wait, you haven’t told her yet?”
Casie - ”No, not yet! Yeah Micki, basically… I’ve spoken to the heads at First Class and sent over a couple of your tapes. They say they’d probably want to see you at a few Combat tapings, but… They think there’ll be a contract waiting for you, soon.”
Micki - ”Holy shit are you for real right now?”
Casie - ”Language! And yes, I’m for real. It’ll prob not be until the new year but they’ll keep us informed.”
Micki - ”Wow, mom if I could hug you right now, I would… But I don’t want us crashing before we reach the airport!”
The girls laugh amongst themselves in the Mercedes C-Class, as they continue along Rodeo Drive and towards LAX, Michaela in deep thought as a smile crosses her lips and we fade out…
^^^^^^^^
… We reopen around seven hours later, to a set of sliding doors opening and the three women stepping out to the sounds of shouting and honking, small bags in hand, no suitcases. The huge sign for JFK International Airport looms large overheard as the sun is setting in the distance. They don’t approach any of the cabs waiting at the rank, but instead head on over to a Land Rover Defender, being driven by none other than Asher Greenberg; son of Abe and former fiancé of Mercedes. He opens the back door and smiles as they begin to climb in, as he jumps in the drivers side and flicks the ignition, pulling away.
Asher - ”Ladies… How was your flight?”
Casie - ”Not too bad, thank you Asher… Will we be going to see your dad now, or back to Fred’s apartment first?”
Asher - ”Oh, we won’t be going to Fred’s complex. They’re renovating some of the ground floor apartments. Dad has set you guys up in one of his buildings… It’s still in Hell’s Kitchen though.”
Steph - ”That’s cool… We’re only here for a short while anyway. Just wanted to check out Casie’s old neighbourhood and of course deal with a few things eh?”
Asher - ”Oh, I wouldn’t worry about the “Conte conundrum”, that’s been dealt with.”
Micki - ”Wait, what are we talking about?”
Casie - ”What?? It has??”
Micki - ”Mom, what…?”
Asher - ”I say dealt with, a message has been sent. You’ll have to speak to my dad when we get there but yeah, pretty much dealt with.”
Casie - ”Hmm, I guess this entire trip turned into no business all pleasure after all…”
Micki - ”Hold up, are you telling I’m not going to get to see you guys set my “dad” straight?”
Steph - ”Doesn’t look like it, Micki, no…”
Micki - ”Well, that sucks…”
Michaela huffs back in her seat, setting Casie off in a fit of chuckles watching her daughter sulk. Steph shakes her head and smiles as the car continues on through the evening traffic…
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Around twenty five minutes later and Asher’s Defender pulls around outside a store called Kiehl’s on 9th Avenue. Inside the store, as the girls get out of the car, Abe can be seeing dusting off the ends of a haircut from the barbershop inside. He thanks the barber and heads out, smiling at everybody as he shakes Asher’s hand and kisses each girl on the cheek twice, hugging them.
Abe - ”Evening son, ladies… How are you all?”
Casie - ”A bit annoyed if I’m honest, Abe… Haha, honest Abe, get it?”
Steph - ”You been waiting long for that one?”
Casie - ”Oh, you don’t even know! But no, seriously… You’re telling me Charlie is off our backs for good? He won’t come looking for Micki again?”
Abe - ”The message has been sent, he hasn’t been seen around her school or even Hell’s Kitchen in the last week to be honest with you, Casie… And, how have you been since we last spoke, Michaela?”
Micki - ”Good thank you, Mr. Greenberg.”
Casie - ”Wait, you already know each other?”
Abe - ”That’s good to hear darling and I’ve told you, call me Abe… Of course we know each other. Who do you think kept an eye on her when you couldn’t because they wouldn’t tell you where she was?”
Casie - ”And who told you to do that? Did he know already? Fred?”
Abe - ”I think this is a story for another time… Don’t you?”
Casie - ”Oh, yeah of course… So, where we staying?”
Asher - ”Not too far at all, actually. Right over there.”
Asher points to a block literally across the street from Kiehl’s and they all grab their bags from the car, making their way across the street.
Asher - ”Oh also, Steph, NYWA have reopened recently, you should probably turn up and say a few words tonight.”
Steph - ”The New York Wrestling Alliance? No shit? I’ll def be there then!”
Asher - ”Awesome! Alright ladies I’ll catch you later tonight.”
They open the front door to the block as Asher heads back to the car and his dad. The three girls begin to make their way to the elevator, when someone jabs Michaela in the back. She freezes but Casie and Steph spin around and we see a Korean girl just stood there, short-staff pointed directly between Michaela’s shoulder blades.
Girl - ”Move and I’ll bust your kneecaps, bitch…”
Micki - ”오, 당신의 얼굴을 보여주기로 결정? (Oh, decided to show your face?)”
Girl - ”와, 한국어를 배우셨군요. 인상적이군요. (Wow, you learned Korean. Impressive.)”
Suddenly, Michaela spins and grabs the short staff, coming face to face with the girl.The girls stare each other down for a bit as Casie and Steph just look on waiting to do something. Suddenly Micki and the girl laugh and she drops the short-staff to her side as they hug one another and jump up and down.
Micki - ”Oh my God, Seo-Jun! What are you doing here?? Oh this is Stephanie LaCroix from IIW First Class and m…”
Seo-Jun - ”Your mom, of course, you guys look just like one another! Also from IIW First Class. Amazing to meet you both!”
Micki - ”Guys this is Seo-Jun, we’ve grown up together and been training together for years, she’s also a wrestler.”
Casie - ”Very nice to meet you Seo-Jun. You’ll have to tell me more about how you and Michaela know each other.”
Seo-Jun - ”That would be amazing, Miss Debonair! But it may have to wait until tomorrow, I’ve got to get to The Hunter Sportsplex! I’m the Women’s DRK Champion in NYWA.”
Steph - ”NYWA? For real?! I’ve been told I should probably go there tonight to say a few words about my First Class match coming up.”
Seo-Jun - ”Hey we should totally do this. Come with me now, I’ll get you in the arena and the ring! You guys wanna come too?”
Michaela and Casie look at each other and smile as the elevator opens. They call climb inside and as the door closes, we fade out…
^^^^^^^^
…The scene reopens inside The Hunter Sportsplex, Manhattan. Seo-Jun is inside the ring, pacing around with her DRK belt over her shoulder. She’s already been talking away for a good few minutes as the crowd chant her name. She takes the microphone to her lips as she smirks.
Seo-Jun - ”Alright look, enough about me, enough about The DRK Championship! I wanna invite a new friend out here tonight to talk and she’s also a CHAMPION! So please give a warm New York welcome… To STEPHANIE LACROIX!”
The guys in the back don’t have Lil Jon’s “Turn down for what?” readied up, so Steph walks out from behind the curtain to complete silence, except the roar of the crowd as she jumps around on the ramp and holds the IIW First Class belt in the air before making her way down the aisle and sliding into the ring. She jumps up on the turnbuckle raising the belt again before dropping down and turning to face Seo-Jun. The girls high five and Seo-Jun hands Steph the microphone as she climbs out of the ring. Steph paces for a while before holding the microphone to her lips.
Steph - ”New York how are ya?! (huge ovation) that’s what I thought and I’m glad to hear it! Alright look, I’m just going to jump straight into it because I shouldn’t actually be here, I’ve kind of gatecrashed this party and definitely don’t want to overstay my welcome! I want to sincerely apologise to my opponent this coming week, Ada Pierce! That girl has walked into First Class and really cemented her place among the elite in the Women’s division, but didn’t deserve to be hunted down by Mercedes, by The Coven, the way she was! Ada Pierce was blindsided by The Coven, Ada Pierce was put through a table and still I’m not sure why any of it happened. I said before that Mercedes had been directing things as it were but that’s still no excuse! I played my part in anything and everything that happened and I’m going to be taking responsibility for that!
I’ve got absolutely, categorically no excuses for anything that happened between Ada Pierce and myself or even Ada and Mercedes as it was under The Coven banner and I was a member of The Coven. Casie and I are trying our damned hardest to make amends for all the crap that went on back then and we both know we can’t just snap our fingers like Thanos and it all be over, we’re most definitely aware of that… All I’ve got, all I can do, is to look forward to my next match which just so happens, to be against Ada! Now, there’s no doubt in my mind that the girl is still pissed off! There’s no doubt she’s about to let rip when she and I face off in the ring, but there’s one thing she’ll be forgetting already and that is the fact that she is the one challenging for this belt, whilst I am the one holding it! I beat Denise DiMarco to be here, I’ve bypassed Katia Fyre and now I must face face this girl, alone… No Coven, No Revolución! Just a straight up one on one!
The crowd go absolutely nuts as Steph paces around the ring. She stops on the ropes, leaning out to face the crowd as she continues on.
Steph - ”Now Ada, I don’t especially know too much about you, other than the fact you’ve grown up on video games and are extremely well educated and versed in the discipline of Karate… That’s amazing, it’s very impressive indeed girl and I love the way you took care of Denise last week to be ok with the chance you’re in to go one on one with me this next weekend on First Class! But just going back to the things that really interest you and get you pumped up. When I think of Karate and video games, the first thing that pops into my mind is Double Dragon or Spartan X or even the K-1 games… For you however, it may be slightly different. You know what beat-em-up I really used to love though, Ada? It was called Final Fight! Oh I spent hours on that game, I swear if my mom gave me twenty dollars for the weekend, at least half of that was chucked into the coin slot on the Friday night, forget about it lasting until Sunday! In fact I’ve got to find me an arcade once I’m done here chatting with you wonderful people!
But as you’re well aware, Ada, this isn’t any kind of video game! This is the real world! This is two human beings, going at it, in order for you, to try and take this belt, from me! You must have been elated Ada, when you were declared the winner of the match against Denise DiMarco at First Class: Fallout, much like one of either Alessia Capella, Robin Vengeance or Latoya Hixx may feel after this edition of First Class, but what you all fail to remember is that this match actually has a champion! This match actually has somebody you’ve got to take the belt from, it has… An owner! An owner you claimed before now only had an “off chance” of retaining the Evolution Title, against Katia Fyre, well then… You wanted me to beat Katia though didn’t you, Ada? You wanted me to be the first on your little list… Haven’t you ever heard the saying though, Ada… Be careful what you wish for?! You made a wish and the genie in the lamp has made it come true for you, but do you think you’ve really thought it through??”
Steph hops off the ropes as the crowd go absolutely nuts, chanting her name again. She holds up the Evolution Title as she parades around the ring, stopping at a turnbuckle she turns and pulls herself up so she’s sitting on it and speaks again.
Steph - ”You know it is funny Ada, you said the other week that Denise thought she had you all figured out, but she had it wrong… Well you’re doing the same here aren’t you sweetie? You thought you had The Coven figured out and now you think you’ve got me, Stephanie LaCroix all figured out but girl let me tell you, you can’t even figure out a simple math problem, let alone yours truly! But you feel you’ve been wronged by The Coven and I don’t disagree but that’s neither here nor there. If you want to go calling all kinds of revenge stepping into this match against me; for my Evolution Championship then that’s your call! But that ain’t going to make a difference when we face off… Because you either take me on with a mindset of looking for some kind of retribution or you take me on with a mindset of peace, tranquility and being able to think! Either way, Ada Pierce, you’ll be standing on the opposite side of the ring to me, ready for that bell to ring and so bow you choose to do that, is your call.
Now Ada, I’m fully conscious of the fact that you, albeit only my second opponent for the Evolution Title, are not the only member of the First Class roster who’s balls to the wall angry at The Coven. I’m also perceptive to the fact that, despite me no longer being part of The Coven, people will still have a major issue with me! I mean hell, I know Robin Vengeance isn’t too happy with me but I’m gonna guess even if Alessia Capella or Latoya Hixx win and I’m still the First Class Evolution Champion, they’ll find something I’ve offended them with… It just seems to be the way! Look the bottom line is simple, Ada. This is all business, there’s nothing personal about it. I’m sure you’re one of the most amazing women to have ever graced the doors to IIW First Class, but right now to me, you’re the next person standing in the way of me keeping hold of my belt! Nothing more and nothing less… But perhaps one day, who knows? We may be able to grab a drink together?! This promotion is growing and I’m growing along with it… Evolving into a new breed of Champion and I won’t let anybody get in the way of that! See you at sea, Ada!”
Steph drops the Evolution Title onto the mat, slides out of the ring and picks it up again as she heads to the back of the stadium, leaving the fans to chant her name as well as, unexpectedly, “IIW, IIW, IIW” something the YNWA head honchos weren’t happy with as we fade into black.
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Post by Ada Pierce on Nov 13, 2021 23:54:17 GMT
Darkness Ada Pierce stands in the middle of a 4x4 wrestling ring as darkness surrounds her and the entire arena, the only things cutting through the darkness being what appear to be arcade monitors spread out across the arena where the fans usually are. Confused and frozen in place, all Ada can do is look ahead as a figure slowly steps out of the darkness and into the center of the ring. Suddenly, the monitors begin to go out, one by one, but a single spotlight hits the center of the ring. Ada’s vision is hazy, but she shakes her head… and sees none other than Stephanie LaCroix in front of her with the Evolution championship wrapped around her waist, the spotlight beamed down on her. Filled with anger and the desire to take that very title from LaCroix, Ada calculates a plan in her head. She knows exactly what to do. She has a good idea of what Steph may do to counter her offense, but she’s got this. Pierce’s heart starts to feel like it’s beating a million times per minute as adrenaline takes hold, urging her to make a move… but she can’t. Her eyes widen, her inner voice echoing the words “I can’t move” over, over and over again as Steph inches ever closer to her. “Ada… Ada…”Ada can’t help but begin to audibly grunt as she does everything in her power to attack, move, anything, but nothing works. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the masked woman, who’d interjected herself into the Mercedes vs. Solace main event match at Malevolence, crawling into the ring. Claustrophobia hits Pierce hard as her feet remain planted on the mat, refusing to move an inch. To make matters worse, a hand is suddenly planted on Ada’s right shoulder, alerting her to the fact that someone is behind her and they are not afraid of making their presence known. Ada’s eyes widen further when a piercing pain shoots down her spine before quickly spreading throughout her entire back… this is when she realizes whose hand is on her shoulder… Casie Debonair. That same touch instantly brings Ada back to the night of September 19th, 2021 when this entire ordeal with The Coven began. That same pain that feels like it’s tearing her back apart is what she felt when she was driven through a table by Casie Debonair. “Wake up…”Surrounded, frozen and unable to do anything but stand in place, Ada gnashes her teeth as a feeling of helplessness, something she hasn’t felt since becoming Burke’s student, fills her soul. And as if this couldn’t get any worse, the aforementioned arcade monitors light back up, displaying nothing but static… before hovering up in the air and joining each other to create one big display that covers the entirety of the ceiling. Suddenly, Ada’s head is forced up against her will as Mercedes’ face replaces the static on the “screen” before cackling away at her, her eyes almost piercing the Karateka. Unable to contain it any longer, Ada lets out what can only be described as a battle cry as the “screen” closes in on her.“Ada… wake up… wake up!!!”“Hurgh!” blurts out the Karateka as her body jolts her back up to a seated position. “Where am I?!” she questions before breathing as heavily as a person can, but it only takes a few seconds for her to realize that Sensei Burke is holding onto her right shoulder, visibly concerned after finding his student passed out on the dojo floor next to her phone and ear buds. “Christ, Ada… what’s wro-“ Burke asks, but is interrupted when Pierce dives into his arms and hugs him as tightly as she possibly can, shaken by the nightmare she just experienced. It was a culmination of everything that’s been eating away at her. Her fear of returning to being the helpless person she views her younger self as, surrounded by bullies too strong for her to stop. “Breathe, girl.” instructs the Sensei, clearly worried sick for her mental health that’s slowly been eaten away by her fears, paranoia and anxiety. Ada steadily catches her breath, happy to be done with whatever the hell she just experienced. She’s glad to be back in the safety of Burke’s Dojo as she refuses to let him go, but there’s nothing for her to worry about as the Sensei allows her to take as much time as she needs to regain her senses…Chorlton Water Park: The Following Week “This is dumb.” Ada whispers to Vickie Burke, her best friend since childhood who’d just arrived from the States. They find themselves standing in an isolated area in the Chorlton Water Park in Manchester with a small film crew surrounding them. After capturing Ada’s reunion with Vickie at the dojo and interviewing the Sensei, the film crew decided that they wanted more footage of Ada’s kata, which prompted Vickie to suggest this location, knowing it’d help Pierce simmer down and do what she does best. Unfortunately, Ada’s been standing around with her arms crossed for the past few minutes, and with the sun beginning to set, the crew begin to feel restless with zero footage of Ada’s kata to edit into the deep dive docu-short film planned to promote her upcoming match against Steph for the Evolution title. “Lemme just talk to her for a few minutes, y’all.” Vickie states, prompting the crew to spread out to allow her to potentially talk Ada into not acting like a child. “What’s your problem?” Vickie directs the question to her best friend. Ada uncrosses her arm, furrowing her brows before responding. “I just don’t feel comfortable with this stuff. Here I was talking shit about other wrestlers wasting time with media appearances to focus on their craft and now I gotta play along with this garbage?”Vickie responds by using Ada’s trademark judgemental squint against her as she approaches. “Nobody said this is going on the E! Network, A. Whether you like it or not, people are gonna interview you, they’re gonna wanna know more about who you are as a person and what drives you. And aside from all of that, since when were you THIS closed off?”Ada curls her lips in with nothing to say to her friend. She knows she’s got a point, but she just can’t form the words to describe what she’s been feeling. Good thing Vickie knows her very well. “Dad told me about last week, you know. About you burning yourself out and passing out in the middle of the dojo. The hell’s been going on in there?” Burke questions before poking Pierce in the forehead, forcing a laugh out of her. That single laugh is enough to get Ada to finally open up, the fact that her best friend is standing right in front of her, supporting her through her journey finally dawning on her. Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst idea to just… talk.“I dunno, Vicks. I’ve been so overwhelmed recently… I’m happy you’re here, I really am. But between this shoot, the title match… knowing you’ll be there for all of it… I guess I’m kinda…”“Scared?”Ada shuts her eyes for a moment as she breathes in as deeply as she can, before exhaling. “Yes. I feel like there’s a demon inside me, just fighting to break out. When I was standing next to Solace and Katia last week to confront Steph, Casie and Mercedes, I felt like I was DYING to just run in there and start brawling. I know I shouldn’t be feeling this way, I know this isn’t what I was taught and what I’ve applied to my life but-“Vickie instantly cuts right through Ada’s sentence upon hearing this as she places her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Nah, A. That ain’t a demon within you. Look, I know Dad can be… old school with his teachings. And I know you see things eye to eye. Sometimes I feel like he sees you like the daughter he wishes I was.” Vickie continues, and despite Ada attempting to say something, Vickie doesn’t allow her to do so, “No, don’t. I don’t feel bad about that. You’ve always been like a sister to me. Even if we’ve gone our separate ways in recent years, I still got your back. And considering everything you’ve gone through recently? That ain’t a demon inside you. That’s who you’ve always been. That said, you’ve also always been way too nice. I just don’t think you can keep it up.”A visibly confused and lost expression forms on the face of the Karateka as she desperately asks for guidance. “What do I do?”, she questions as Vickie wastes no time handing her the solution. “Stop playing by the rules you’ve forced upon yourself that nobody else is playing by. All those imaginary walls you’ve built around yourself? Tear them down. I’m not telling you to become what you’re trying to fight, but what’s the point of losing your mind trying to be honourable to people who couldn’t give any less of a crap about you, their opponents or even the fans?”Ada’s mind starts racing. Everything Vickie’s saying is only reinforcing everything she’s been saying to herself in her head, but the fear of disappointing Vickie, her Sensei, her fans… it’s been holding her back. Realizing she’s getting through to her friend, Vickie continues. “I believe in you. I know you’re not gonna lose your way. And hell, I agree with you. I don’t buy the fact that Steph and Casie are suddenly the heroes they claim to be, but we both know that everyone can and will change with time, whether they want to or not. Close your eyes… do your… weird, meditation stuff and just do your thing, A. Nobody’s here. Nobody’s watching. Think of you in a ring against Steph and no one else. To hell with the baggage you’ve been carrying around ever since they put you through a table. Do what you’ve always done. Stick to your mastery over your craft and test yourself and your opponent. But just don’t make the mistake of respecting someone who wants end your career.”Vickie pats Ada on the shoulder before walking away to stand next to the film crew. She quietly signals them to start filming. Ada, meanwhile, follows her friend’s instructions. She shuts her eyes and goes back to the same space she found herself from her nightmare. There she is, standing in the middle of the ring with Steph standing across from her. It’s the two of them. No fans, no Casie, no Mercedes, no mysterious masked assailant. Just two women ready to do their absolute best to prove they’re the best. Steph’s face in this vision is vastly different from the nightmare. It isn’t one that intimidates Ada. It’s a face that invites her to challenge her skills, her craft. It wipes the slate clean. Maybe she did change. Maybe the match won’t be a brawl. Maybe it’ll be what brought Ada to the world of professional wrestling to begin with. And just like that, Ada’s body begins to move on its own. She instantly breaks into a cat stance, her form is elegant and powerful, inspiring strength as Vickie looks on, finding it impossible to not crack a smile. She did it, the genius. She broke Ada out of her shell. She can finally breathe.
IIW Combat: A Few Days Later Having rediscovered herself with the help of Vickie Burke, Ada Pierce decided that it’s time to go back her old stomping grounds. It was at Combat back in July when Ada made her unofficial debut before being officially signed to First Class. A tryout match against a veteran in Stella Crabtree. It was that very night that gave Ada her first taste of the brutality and disrespect that can come from some of the wrestlers she’d take on. And after two full days of shooting promotional material whilst training, Ada knows that she needs this. She needs to get back in that ring and prepare for the biggest match of her life. No matter what happens, win or lose, Ada will always go back to the drawing board. But the recent conversation she had with Vickie before going all out in her training and promotional material filmed, something’s clicked in the Karateka’s head. She finally feels like she knows exactly who she is. “You’re up, Ada.” instructs a nearby producer. It’s time for her match against an opponent she specifically requested to face in her first match at a Combat show in months. Pierce tightens her black belt around her gi and heads to the entrance, stopping short of coming out to the arena as the backstage crew prepare to give the crowd a taste of what they’re in for at Battle on The Atlantic. The lights in the arena go out as all of the fans in attendance are drawn to the video that begins to play on the tron accompanied by the extended version of ‘Battle Cry’ by Little V. On the tron above the entrance, we slowly pan over to a blonde woman sitting in the middle of the forest in front of what appears to be a hole in the ground. As we get closer and closer, the camera zooming in on her, the fans in attendance cheer, slowly building to a pop, realizing it’s none other than the Karateka herself. The video cuts to a close-up of Ada seemingly meditating, her eyes closed as she calmly breathes in and out… but as Little V’s “the one winged angel screams” line blasts out the PA system, Ada’s eyes open as she holds up her tattered, bloodied gi she wore to Malevolence when she faced Jamie Riott in the brutal barbed wire match. With ‘Battle Cry’ building up, Ada places the blood covered gi in the hole before standing, facing the rising sun. With Pierce’s new theme continuing to build, the tron goes out as darkness envelops the audience… until V’s emphatic “are you ready for this?!” challenge echoes throughout the arena, cueing a single spotlight that hits the top of the ramp, revealing Ada Pierce, her head bowed down, standing atop it as a montage of her defining moments play out on the tron as the fans cannot help but applaud this drastic shift in Ada’s presentation. Gone is Yuri Sakazaki’s ‘Diet’ theme that told you everything you needed to know about what Ada loves to represent when she goes out there to test her opponents’ skills, replaced by Little V’s metal sounds blasting through the PA system. While it’s an original, non-game related song, Ada’s essence, her love for fighting games continue to be represented in it as you wouldn’t be blamed for expecting to hear an instrumental version of it in Street Fighter or Tekken. Ada’s head remains bowed until the chorus properly kicks in, prompting her to raise her head, accompanying V’s “I hear the battle cry!” scream with a battle cry of her own as she begins to make her way down the ramp, her eyes now locking onto her opponent in the ring… Stella Crabtree. Considered to be nothing more than ‘enhancement’ for bigger names in IIW to take on, this veteran was the first woman Ada had ever faced in a wrestling environment. Before making her First Class debut, Ada Pierce accepted a match at Combat against this woman, hoping to test herself and guarantee her spot in IIW. Despite her win/loss record in Combat shows, Stella was the first woman in wrestling to take advantage of Ada’s respectful approach to combat sports, catching her off guard with stiff shots and nearly handing her a loss before her official debut. This was but a mere taste of the kinds of athletes Ada would go on to face in First Class, brutal women with no respect for their opponents, defying everything the Karateka was taught to uphold when testing herself against another human being. Vickie’s words to Pierce made her realize that people like Stella do not deserve respect. Despite fans reaching out to high five the Karateka, she remains laser focused on Stella in the ring. And as Ada makes her way up the steel steps in the corner, she realizes that Stella inadvertently prepared her for all the obstacles that’ve presented themselves, blocking the high road Pierce has taken ever since arriving in IIW.“I’m gonna finish the job this time, karate girl!” Stella boldly yells out as Ada kicks her flip flops off before entering the ring, her eyes still transfixed on the veteran that took liberties with her in her unofficial debut. She hasn’t forgotten a second of it, and she’s decided that it’s time to officially and definitively close this chapter of her career. We’ve come full circle, but this time, a different woman stands in front of Stella Crabtree. The bright-eyed rookie who bowed and extended a handshake was killed by the Coven, replaced by a woman who’s decided she’s going to do whatever it takes to teach the likes of Stella Crabtree a lesson in some goddamned respect. The referee approaches Ada, confirming that she’s ready for the match to begin. Ada simply nods while keeping her eyes on Stella, the veteran with a cocky grin on her face. Seconds after the music dies down, the bell sounds and Ada immediately explodes out of her corner, thrusting her leg forward before smashing Stella directly in the chest, causing her to fly back into her corner before colliding with the turnbuckles. Despite the loud reaction from the fans who’ve just been taken off guard by this aggressive start, Ada hears none of it. All she hears in her head is all the garbage Stella talked in their first encounter. “You’re nothing, karate girl!” the words echo in Ada’s head. How dare she... With adrenaline and anger coursing through her veins, Ada harshly pulls Stella back up to her feet before letting loose with strike after strike, punch after punch, kick after kick, all aimed at the veteran’s chest. The cocky smile on Stella’s face is gone, replaced by one that tells you everything you need to know about the amount of agony she’s going through. This may have been enough to force Ada to back off, but not this time. She’s done with this bullshit. Nobody’s ever gonna carry themselves in that cocky, disrespectful manner around the Karateka and get away with it. Never again.With her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, Ada grabs Stella’s face and nearly stares a hole through it. She wants to get a good look at it, see if there’s any hints of disrespect in it. But all she sees is the face of a woman who knows she made the biggest mistake of her life back in July when she treated Ada the way she did. “What’s my name?” Ada questions Stella, and with incredible pain numbing her body, the veteran can barely respond. But her face is enough. The fear she sees in it is enough. Ada releases her, pushing Stella back into her corner. Suddenly, Ada freezes. The doubt begins to set in. Is she becoming what she hates? Is she going too far with this? “Hell no” she says to herself. Despite the shocked fans in the front row that Ada’s just now noticing, this isn’t the same thing. This isn’t an innocent woman standing before her. She’s not ambushing someone to send a message like the Coven did to her a month ago. Ada’s sending a message to any woman in the locker room that thinks they can ambush her, disrespect her or take away from her accomplishments. This is a message to every bully watching that if Ada gets her hands on you, you will pay. You either respect your opponent or you carry yourself with no honour and bring this monster out of the Karateka. Knowing her job is done, Pierce decides to end this. To send one final message to Steph, Ada appears to throw out her K.O.! spinning heel kick finisher, but she instantly decides against it, appearing to throw out a low kick, but just as quickly, she changes course and lands a sickening Skull Kick, slamming her foot against Stella’s temple! The message is clear. Even if you think you know what’s coming, Ada can change course in the blink of an eye and kick your lights out before you even realize what just happened. As Stella’s body hits the mat like a sack of potatoes, Ada looks down at her with no remorse. No mercy for those who think they’re untouchable. The Karateka goes for a confident pin, hooking Stella’s leg, and the ref could count to a thousand before the veteran wakes up out of the kick she just ate. One. Two. Three. Ada rises back up to her feet as the referee raises her hand. She takes this opportunity to survey the land, spotting many, many fans cheering her on harder than ever before. They realize that this version of Ada will be making her official debut when she takes on Steph for the Evolution Championship, and they cannot wait to see what happens. Ada’s out for blood, and the horrified faces scattered amongst the cheering fans in the crowd attest to that. With her new theme blasting out the PA system in the arena, Ada begins to walk to edge of the ring, but before leaving, she stops. Her mind races once more. She knows not many will hear about this. She doubts if IIW will even release this footage to the mainstream media considering how short it was. Thinking of the statements made by Steph at an NYWA show in Manhattan. She remembers the amount of headlines that resulted of that promo. With this in mind, Pierce approaches the referee who’d been checking on Stella in the ring and instructs him to retrieve a microphone for her, which he quickly does. Ada slams the palm of her hand against the microphone several times to confirm it’s fully functioning as her theme song dies down. She brings the microphone up to her mouth as the fans’ cheers die down.“Who here saw our esteemed Evolution Champion, Stephanie LaCroix, run her mouth at the recent NYWA show?”The fans explode with cheers, both to confirm that they have indeed seen and also popping for the mention of Steph, who they’ve come to embrace as a changed woman. “Hold on a second.” Ada requests of the fans before quickly rushing the downed Stella, harshly pulling her up before tossing her out of the ring.“Get the bloody hell out of my ring. Now…”, Ada approaches the center of the ring, staring at the hard camera. She’s got everyone’s attention now. “Steph, Steph, Steph. You said a lot of things recently, didn’t you? You even apologized to me! Feigned ignorance when you brought up the night I was put through a table by Casie.” she continues as the fans now begin to boo. They may be on Steph and Casie’s side now, but even they weren’t too happy about the random attacks on the members of the First Class locker room. Ada raises a hand in the air, prompting the fans to quiet down as she continues.“I appreciate the sympathy, truly. But I never asked for it nor will I ever ask for it. You know, leading up to this match, I’ve been in such a weird place mentally. I’ve been… overthinking things. Because you see, I’ve lived by rules, principles, a sense of honour that’s been taught to me by the best Sensei I could’ve ever asked for. Yet most of my opponents thus far don’t seem to see things the way I do. But that’s okay. You do you, right? Live and let live. But not at the cost of other people. Not when you hurt innocent people for no reason. Not when you go around acting like you own the place, like you’re free of being held accountable only to then turn around and act like you’ve been cleansed of your sins for simply speaking it into reality.”Ada’s veins nearly pop out of her forehead as the hard camera zooms in on her face, her eyes filled with anger and passion that’s driving her to become the best version of herself as the fans applaud her words.“As far as I’m concerned, Steph… you’ve done nothing to prove that you’ve become a better person. But I’m here to help. Much like I helped Denise at Fallout, I’m here to help you too. You don’t need to remind me that this isn’t a game. I know damn well that I’m walking into the biggest FIGHT of my life at sea when I step into the ring against you. But what I now know for real, what I know to be true, is who I really am and who I’ve always been.” Ada continues, lowering the microphone for a moment as the fans are dead silent, hooked and listening to the Karateka’s every word. She takes this opportunity to let her face do the talking. She wants Steph to know exactly what she’s gonna get at Battle on the Atlantic. No cheap shots, no ambushes. She wants Steph to see her coming.“I’m Ada goddamn Pierce.” she emphatically states as the fans go from dead silent to the loudest they’ve been all night. “And I know exactly what I’m getting when I face you in the ring. And I want you to know what you’re gonna get. I want every single woman AND man in that locker room to know what they’ll get when THEY step into the ring with ME. And that’s an important distinction we’re gonna get back to in a bit, but the fact of the matter is that you have everything to lose while I have everything to gain. Because what has truly lit a fire under my ass the past few weeks has been my desire to get into the ring with you and find out first-hand if you really are what you claim to be. Because if you step into my ring and face me like a woman, with no shenanigans and no one to help you, you’re gonna be tested. And if you want me and all these people to buy that you are what you say you are, a changed woman, then you’re gonna have to prove it. And that’s the distinction. I don’t need to step into the ring with you, YOU need to step into the ring with ME.”The fans cheer as Ada steps towards the side of the ring where she tossed Stella out of the ring before continuing as she points at the veteran’s motionless body. “THAT is the fate that awaits the likes of Mercedes. THAT is the fate that awaits ANYONE who thinks they can blindside or ambush me or anyone else to get ahead in this company. Because to act like a disrespectful piece of trash, something tells me nobody’s ever taught you a lesson in humility. A lesson in respect.” she continues as she steps back into the center of the ring. She pauses for a few moments before bringing the microphone back up to her lips.“I’m that lesson.” she states as she stares a hole through the camera, the fans exploding with loud cheers once more. “I’m the lesson in humility and respect that awaits you. But credit where credit’s due… you beat Katia fair and square. That’s what I want from you, Steph. That’s the Evolution Champion I want to see. Because come First Class, I’m gonna help you go out as a dignified champion. I’m gonna send you to the back of the line. And if you’re the woman you say you are? You’re gonna crawl your way back to the top in no time. And I’ll be waiting.” Ada spikes the microphone down onto the mat before rolling out of the ring as her theme song hits. With her game plan set-up and ready to be executed, the Karateka walks up the ramp, her heart racing as she cannot wait to step into the ring with the Evolution Champion. She now knows who she is. She’s come to terms that the lines she’s drawn must be crossed in order to exact her justice and vengeance to those who view themselves as untouchable and above the others. The fires of passion rage within Ada Pierce, who turns around to get one last glimpse of the fans before First Class. She smiles. She’s ready to fulfill her destiny.
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Post by ~Steph~ on Nov 13, 2021 23:58:07 GMT
We open the scene in the midday sun on a runway at Westchester County Airport, in White Plains, New York. Casie and Steph are stood next to Micki and Seo-Jun as well as two men in Military fatigues. Casie is talking on the phone as one of the Soldiers checks over itinerary whilst Micki finishes up checking her bags. She stands and turns to Seo-Jun.
Micki - ”So we know the plan right? If NYWA crumbles again, before you lose the DRK Championship, you get on the first plane over and come join as at The Courthouse, got it?”
Seo-Jun - ”Oh definitely! And… IF I lose the DRK Belt before NYWA folds again, I’ll be on the first plane over to join you at The Courthouse!”
Micki - ”Win-win for us in any case right?!?”
Casie finishes up on the phone around the same time that the solider gets their checks over with. She turns to the rest of the group.
Casie - ”Ok, Abe says he and Asher are going to join us back in England once First Class: Battle on the Atlantic is over with… But obviously we need to get to the Aircraft Carrier first. Any chance our plane gets here soon?”
Soldier 1 - ”Oh, you guys aren’t taking a plane…”
The solider points as a Bell UH-1 Iroquois Utility Chopper begins its descent onto a helipad on the far side of the airfield. Everybody looks at each other and huge grins cross their faces.
Steph - ”Okay this is pretty awesome. I’ve never travelled in a chopper before!”
Solider 2 - ”Just to inform you guys, you won’t be going straight to the Aircraft Carrier. Mr. Debonair wants to see you all before you go.”
Steph - ”Fred? Did he say what or why?”
Soldier 2 - ”No, ma’am… He did not. But we’ll endeavour to get you to him pretty quickly.”
Casie - ”That’s all well and good, but even I know it’s over three thousand miles to England and this bad boy can only make it just under three hundred before needing to refuel.”
Soldier 1 - ”Oh, we’re not going back to Manchester, England, ma’am.”
The girls just look at each other as the chopper lands and they’re ushered toward it by the Soldiers. Micki says goodbye to Seo-Jun before climbing onto the Huey, followed by Casie, then Steph. Finally the two Military officers climb on board and the chopper begins to lift as the scene slowly fades into darkness…
^^^^^^^^
As we reopen, we follow the Utility Chopper as it slowly moves toward what appears to be a vessel in the ocean. It isn’t the First Class branded Aircraft Carrier, but it does have a helipad on board. There is clear writing on the port side of the vessel too which clearly states “Debonair Enterprises”.
Casie - ”Only one person would even have the audacity to do this…”
Everybody - ”Fred…”
The chopper lands and both Military personnel get out and safely direct the girls away from the area and into a huge metal doorway. Once they pass through that, they open up into a huge area that was likely the mess hall, or drills area. Sat behind a desk with his feet up on it, sits Fred Debonair. As the girls walk in he smirks.
Fred - ”So, is this where I say “Angels!” And you all shout “Hey Charlie!” Hm? No, that’s really creepy sounding right?”
Casie - ”Ew, no…”
Steph - ”Just a bit Fred…”
Micki - ”Muy creepy, uncle Fred…”
Fred kicks his feet off the desk and chuckles, shaking his head while raising a hand toward Micki.
Fred - ”Muy creepy? We speaking Spanish now?!”
Casie - ”Anyway, how the heck are you running this thing? Is it legal?”
Fred stands up and walks around to meet up with the girls, as the Soldiers leave the area… He points toward another door which they all head toward.
Steph - ”Yeah this is a pretty big boat for just you, Fred.”
Fred - ”Relax, she’s decommissioned! She’s not weaponised, she’s now an A-List fishing vessel and I’ve got my fishing licence…”
Steph - ”Fishing vessel? Wow, didn’t know you did any fishing, Fred…?”
Fred - ”I don’t, we’ll didn’t. But there is just so much potential for this baby!”
They all move through the door and along a narrow corridor with what look like cabins situated to the left and right along the way, Micki and Steph look inside them as they pass along, before Fred opens a hatch and begins walking up a metal staircase, the others following suit.
Casie - ”You definitely haven’t bought this ship for fishing, you’re talking out of your ass dear brother… I mean you could have just put a massive ring on the deck like we’ll have this weekend on First Class.”
Micki - ”Uncle Fred, did you get a ring to go outside??”
Fred - ”Did you have to ask?!”
Steph - ”Wait… Did you?!”
Fred - ”No, that’s why I said did you have to ask! I’m really pissed because that’s such a good idea I can’t believe I didn’t think of it!”
They all climb through the entrance at the top and arrive at the ships cockpit. Steph looks around and nods her head out onto the deck where the two Soldiers are chatting away.
Steph - ”And what about those two? Surely you realise that if they’re just Actors and you’ve not got the right paperwork and whatever for them to be in Uniform it could be classed as stolen valor?”
Fred - ”Oh they’re nothing to do with me, I figured that Jolie Vexx sorted all this. They’re your actual ride to the Aircraft Carrier where your match is taking place, I just had it diverted here first!”
Steph - ”Weird, first I’ve heard of them doing that for their competitors but hey, who knows? Maybe they’re really enjoying the prospect of this show we’re about to put on.”
Casie - ”Hey, Fred… Have you heard from Mercedes in the last week or so?”
Fred - ”Funny you should say that, little sister… Because yes I have. We have decided to just call everything quits and everybody is going to stay out of everybody else’s hair.”
Casie - ”I’m sorry… What??”
Steph - ”And who decided that exactly?”
Casie - ”You’re joking right? That girl has practically ruined an entire promotion and blamed it on everybody but herself.”
Fred - ”Are we really going to stoop to her level? She laid waste to First Class, WITH your assistance and with yours too, Steph.”
Steph - ”That’s true, Fred, but with all due respect we’ve owned what we did.”
Fred - ”I’m aware of that. Mercedes isn’t well, Steph and we’ve all seen this for a while now and we’ll be getting onto that. But until then… I’ve told her we’ll steer clear BUT… But I also told her that I know very well you guys won’t keep silent if she does anything beyond what she should be doing as a First Class, athlete. And we have Jolie Vexx’s full support on that now too. Anyway, listen guys… You’ve got your own cabins and bunks set up back downstairs, I’ve also got Chef’s on board here cooking up a storm so, go chill and do whatever you want or need, freshen up whatever. We’ll meet up in an hour or so.”
Steph smiles politely and nods, turning back toward the hatch and making her way down the stairs. Casie on the other hand, shakes her head and sighs as she makes her way down to her cabin. Michaela isn’t quite sure what to do, so she just stands there raising her eyebrows, clicking her tongue and moving her hips from side to side as the scene begins to fade…
^^^^^^^^
…We reopen in Steph’s cabin, as she’s just pulling a laptop from her bag and setting it up on a desk in the room. After a few minutes logging in and a couple of clicks on the laptop, a zoom meeting fires up and Tyler Debonair can be seen in his living room. He smiles and gives a little wave.
Tyler - ”Hey babe, you on board dads boat?”
Steph - ”Hey, yeah… How did you know about it??”
Tyler - ”He’s had it planned for a while but you know dad, likes to make these big grand gestures! Hey, you ok? You seem a little annoyed.”
Steph - ”I wouldn’t say annoyed, just another grand gesture your dad’s made… This time with Mercedes. Have you heard what he’s agreed to after everything she’s done?”
Tyler - ”Has he agreed to step back and convinced her to leave you guys alone?”
Steph - ”Erm, yeah, exactly that.”
Tyler - ”Awesome. Thank God.”
Steph balks a little and raises an eyebrow, which Tyler sees and chuckles at.
Steph - ”Sorry, awesome? Thank God? Elaboration requested please.”
Tyler - ”I’ve had that talk, with dad. Mercy is going to get the help she needs, trust me on that. Him agreeing to let her do her, without any further ambiguity to her behaviours means he’s preparing to call in the coats.”
Steph - ”The coats?”
Tyler - ”White coats… As in the men in? Dad hasn’t taken this lightly, but honestly… I only had to behave a third of the way she currently has and that’s how I ended up in Resnick, Steph. So believe me, it’s the right thing to do…”
Steph - ”You know I trust you, Ty. I trust your dad too, always have… So if you guys think this is the right call, so be it.”
Steph shuffles in the chair trying to get comfy, as Tyler smiles again and leans back, before throwing his arms up in excitement.
Tyler - ”It is… Enough about her though! What about you?!! Second defence of your FC Evolution Title and you just keep swinging don’t ya??”
Steph - ”Well believe it or not, it’s a lot easier when the Management send you women who want your belt and know how to fight for it. Like Katia Fyre last week, Ada Pierce this coming weekend and of course on the next edition of First Class should I keep hold of the belt, it’ll be one of Latoya Hixx, Robin Vengeance or Alessia Capella.”
Tyler - ”Oh no doubt that’s some real competition! Ada is going to be no joke this week, she got to this point on merit but so did you… You need to stop thinking that everybody around you is worthy but you!”
Steph - ”Huh?! What do you mean, babe?”
Tyler - ”C’mon, Steph I see you do it, all the time! It’s always nice to praise your competition, always nice to hype up the opposition! But never at the expense of yourself… Do you see where I’m coming from? YOU are the Evolution Champion because you DESERVE to be. You’ve got to stop believing you’re not worthy of the belt.”
Steph and Tyler sit there for a bit in awkward silence, before she smiles and digs deep into her bag. She pulls out the First Class Evolution Title and slaps it over her shoulder. Tyler laughs and grins as Steph tenses and flexes her muscles.
Steph - ”I know, I know… You’re right. Listen babe, I’ve just heard your dad calling us for dinner. I’ll hit you up before we fly off to the Aircraft Carrier tomorrow.”
Steph and Tyler say their goodbyes and she shuts off the laptop, before standing up to leave the bunk. She actually considers a couple of times whether or not to take the belt upstairs, but decides to leave it as Fred once again calls for dinner and the scene begins to dissipate…
^^^^^^^^
…When we reopen, it’s the next morning and the sea is super choppy around the carrier. The sun is only just breaking the horizon and everything is dead and empty around the vessel as Stephanie LaCroix leans against one side of the ship looking out at the endless skyline beyond. She pushes herself away from the barrier and raises her arms out wide as she closes her eyes.
Steph - ”This cool, ocean breeze… This warm sun hitting my face. This is exactly what it feels like, to be a Champion. The Earth grows and it evolves and so with it, do I! The Evolution Championship is the crowning glory in the ever growing First Class Women’s division of IIW and something which I hold foremostly and dear to my chest… And each week I am given the opportunity to put myself out there and show exactly what I’m capable of. In my first week as a Champion, it was against Katia Fyre and what an effort she gave it, what a display she put on and wow, I was extremely impressed! This week, I have another very impressive competitor coming my way, in the form of Ada Pierce…
Now Ada, sweetheart… You are an extremely deserving individual, deserving of everything that comes with being a Champion in First Class but something about you struck me. Very recently you were heard to utter something along the lines of after this, they’ll know who you are and I’ve got to say I know exactly how you feel! Before I was given the shot at the inaugural Evo Title, I hadn’t won a single match! No, at the time I was the third wheel, in The Coven. I was the one with the least experience and I was the one who had yet to win a match… IIW was my first promotion also, so everything was riding against me but just look at me now! And I think it’s pretty obvious that they know my “bloody” name, don’t you?
Now we’ve got a bit of an indirect history wouldn’t you say, Ada? You’ve had a few issues here and there with Casie or Mercedes, but not really with me and I think that should count for something don’t you? You may say one member of The Coven is all members of The Coven, but you’ll soon find out that isn’t the case, Ada. Not even a little bit. You’ve got a gear to grind, an axe to smelt, I get it… But do you really want to be picking the wrong battles, sweetie? Do you really want to be pulling in the fights you can’t finish? Just have a think about that before you come at me all guns blazing?! I know you don’t give up easily though, Ada… I know you’re a true fighter, you’re strong and you’re resilient! And if it ever came down to finding a team to put together you would most definitely be on it!”
Stephanie stops walking tilts her head down from the sky and opens her eyes slowly. She looks around her and heads slowly toward the bow of the ship, looking out toward any kind of destination that may be ahead of them.
Steph - ”I’ve seen girls like you before, Ada. I’ve been where you are and I’ve watched them come in all teeth and tails. I’ve watched the excitement smack them straight across the face and leave them stumbling in the dark! What do you think makes you any different from those other girls, Ada Pierce? Because I know exactly what it is; I’m just wondering if you do? You don’t seem green to me, Ada, but some of the things you say give the impression you are so I’m at a slight loss at which bracket to put you in… Are you a potential candidate for the person who’s going to take this belt off of me? Most definitely, are you going to be the person who does take it off of me? Absolutely not! You know, on any other given day and maybe anywhere else but IIW, you and I may have been good friends and maybe even a tag-team, Ada. There are so many things you and I have in common and so many fights shared that it would be impossible to at least not be acquaintances, perhaps we could even be in this day and age, after the match of course!
I said the same thing to Katia as I’m going to say to you, Ada… IF I happen to lose my IIW First Class Evolution Title, to you… I will feel no shame, because no shame will be necessary! Every opponent I’ve had since taking the Evolution Title against Denise DiMarco has been a worthy fighter who deserves the belt as much as I do! It’s always nice to share those moments with someone else you care about also isn’t it, Ada? That’s why I bet for you, your friend Vickie being there when we face off is going to be incredibly special, right? I’m just sorry it’ll be the first time she’s seen you in such a long time and she’s going to witness you being beaten, in the middle of the ring!
I’m ever so sorry that our match has to be this way, Ada and I’m sorry that your shot at the Evolution Title has to be when I’m the one holding the belt, I mean that’s going to be one of the toughest breaks there are… It would have been so much easier had you been the challenger of someone less worthy than myself, someone less of a fighter, someone willing to just let things go… Someone weaker, than me! I know you’ve already studied me more than you likely should have Ada and that’s good because if I was training you; I’d have probably instructed you to do the same thing with your opponent too, especially given she was a Champion. You’ve probably taken in every little bit of detail that I’ve spoken about in these last weeks and you’re probably trying to understand it all and see where you fit in the picture. Right?”
Steph stops and raises her flat hand over her eyes, shielding them from the sun, as she peers over the skyline. She takes a deep breath in and closes her eyes again.
Steph - ”There isn’t much more to say really, Ada. So I’ll leave it at this. Good luck on Sunday, good luck at First Class: Battle on the Atlantic. You’ll need it. But come find me when we’re done, I may have a proposition for you…”
Fin.
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