Post by Bryce Albright on Nov 1, 2021 21:54:15 GMT -5
"Alright Toni, let's have ourselves a little pow-wow because just when it seemed I had met with a terrible fate..." Our protagonist snaps her fingers, her hand lingering in the air afterward. "I find myself in Clock Town; dawn of the first day. Funny how these things just work out for me. You, yourself, are no stranger to these weird circumstances, oh great oracle. Perhaps, could it be, you took your eye off the ball?" She smirks as she raises a knowing eyebrow. "Let's talk about what got you here - more specifically, your matches with Jason Ryan - and what lies ahead if you on this path."
"Standing just a few hundred metres up the proverbial road is Chelsea Skye. She debuted in late September, became a singles competitor in October, and now in November is your number one contender. She employs a high-flying, high-risk style with a solid technical base, and a tight triangle choke hold." Instinctively, an arm flinches upward toward her neck. Her gaze becomes distant and falls toward the floor, as if someone had hit a switch in her head. After a fleeting second she blinks several times and looks back toward the camera. "And after having falling directly into that trap, I can tell you Ms. Jack of All Trades, Master of None, you don't have a way to keep her down. And I get it, you're wild and tough. You have a never say die attitude; and I can commend you for that, but sweetie, you will walk directly into a triangle choke. Even a vain attempt at finishing Chelsea off leaves you vulnerable it if she's fast enough; and I can attest that she is, indeed fast enough."
"Entrer Arden, sauveuse. Your personal protagonist, here to save the day like I'm Mother Teresa," she says with her arms outstretched. "Because Toni, I fully intend to beat you this week in that squared circle, and punch my ticket to Christmas Chaos. I said it last week, but it bears repeating; I am going to force of will my way through this match if I have to. Just like you did before me, Toni, I will stand here and tell you that I will kick your ass so bad that I will be named your co-number one contender. Since you like sports analogies, let me repeat that in words you'll understand. I will Derrick Henry my way through you, this week, and Roll Tide to Christmas Chaos." She pouts. "No? Not a college football fan, or have you just been living under a rock?" She puts her hands up defensively. "You might just hate 'Bama; and for that, I could not fault you."
"Here's the deal though, Toni. I'm not too thrilled about the way things went for me two weeks ago. I had trained so hard to avoid the triangle choke from Chelsea Skye, you have no idea. I worked endlessly on the mat to block any and every attempt. I tried so hard, and, Toni, I got so far." She turns a knowing glance to the camera. Her lips curl ever-so slightly upward. "So imagine mine own crushing defeat when I walked directly into said choke. Imagine the frustration of getting to the back, Chelsea's words cutting so god-damn deep."
"So all shit-talking aside, Toni, let's get to the meat of the matter."
"Two weeks ago, I walked out in front of this, here, camera. I told the world that the two competitors that stood across from me deserved their place; I commended them." The expression on her face soured. "And what do I get in return? If you ask Chelsea Skye, I got everything handed to me on a silver platter by my wealthy parents." She takes a deep inhale and aggressively exhales in what proved to be a failed attempt at controlling her breathing. "So in that moment backstage, knowing the major lapse in my judgement, I mulled over it again and again." She holds up her index finger. "Just one more chance, and I would slap the taste out of her mouth."
"That one more chance to stand in that ring and tell Chelsea Skye where to go, and the most economical route in which to get there; because, Toni, I do not live in shadow of my parents' success. I don't face the camera every week and flaunt my wealth. I don't come out here and tell you some lovesick story about the boy who broke my heart. I come out each and every week and I show how hard I work inside of a squared-circle. To be denied acknowledgement of that, even out of ignorance... that shit lights a fire."
"So this week, Toni, this ain't about putting myself in a title match I believe I am good enough to deserve. This isn't about my legacy, or propelling myself into super-stardom. This match is about that one more chance I had brooded about just a half of a month earlier; and Toni, I think you can sympathize with that. As the middle sister of a wrestling family I'm sure you've heard the rumblings; that you or your sisters live in each other's shadow. I'm sure you know that anger that burns at the pit of your stomach; the proverbial laser-focus as you get ready to punch through all the doubters. The hunt for the four words that create a bitter pill your opponents to swallow-" She holds up her hand and raises a finger for each word. "Look. At. Me. Now."
"That's why I'll beat you, Toni. I've got the drive, I've got the talent, and now, I've got the motivation. You on the other hand," she shrugs. "What do you have to lose? I mean, really? If you lose this week you'll find yourself defending your International Championship against Chelsea Skye and a person that will be looking to teach Chelsea Skye a little respect." She shrugs again. "I might be using some Scott Steiner math in my calculations here, but it looks like you actually have a better chance of winning if I get added to the match. Like, I won't question your heart or your skill in that ring, but you're kind of in a win-win scenario the way I see things. So what is there to lose for you, really?"
"Me on the other hand? I just spent the last," she lets out a loud exhale through her mouth as she looks at the watch on her wrist. "ballpark, six minutes talking mad shit about Chelsea Skye. So you better believe I will fight you to my dying breath just to get into that match at Christmas Chaos. And I won't do it to prove a point to you Toni; I won't do it to flaunt my parents' success. I won't even do it for the fans, despite how much I appreciate their support each and every week. I'm going to do it because someone took a shot at my honour; and to me, that's worth dying on a hill. If I may recycle my earlier analogy, I've got all twenty-six masks, Toni. I collected all of the bottle, bomb, arrow, and wallet upgrades. I got every heart piece, even the Dampe heart piece. All that's left is for you and I to play bad guys and good guys. Good luck, Toni, you might just end up needing it this week."
