I WANT IT ALL...(But Not at That Price)

Clients Posts : 56 Join date : 2020-02-24

London, England
O2 Arena

I WANT IT ALL...(But Not at That Price) Et47d110

It was a very strange feeling. Tournament finals had eaten at Emmy’s soul for the longest. Twice she had been in them, once even in WrestleWorld. Victory was so close that she could taste it…but it only eluded her. Now, finally, after a grueling final against three other women she had earned the right to hoist the SWWS Queen’s Cup trophy. Was it joy? Was it appreciation for the fans that were cheering her and the peers that respected her enough to shake her hand even as she was working her way into a ridiculous “Cinderella” style dress to accept the Cup and the Crown? Was it relief that she could finally put to rest some of those painful memories of watching confetti fall for Tara Fenix, of watching Arata Asakura make the walk to sit on the throne she had gotten so close to assuming for herself? The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was ALL of those things. The trophy didn’t mean that much. Neither did the crown for that matter. But it was the feeling of warmth that built up inside of her with a crowd cheering her on, other wrestlers who competed in the final alongside her offering her respect. The sport that she had loathed for so long…she was loving it now.

“LONDON…..WHAT’S GOIN’ ON!?”

The crowd cheered again. Emmy knew that she didn’t have that long to speak, but wanted to express her joy as best as she could. Getting knocked around for twenty minutes and being exhausted wasn’t the best formula for an eloquent speech.

“I’ve been having a rough time with some things personally. One of my favorite places to work shut down almost instantly. I lost a title in another organization in a triple threat match. I’ve been starving for something to feel positive about. Starving for a moment like this.”

There was some silence from Emmy, fatigue catching up to her. The crowd cheered her through it.

“Twice. I’ve been in situations like this twice. I lost the Clive Darling Memorial Cup final, a playoff that was forced because another wrestler and I were level on points. I lost, watching one of my best friends and greatest rivals hoisting a trophy I was half a second from winning myself. I wrestled Arata Asakura in WrestleWorld for the right to be called King of the World. I pulled every dirty trick I possibly could. Every bit of wrestling knowledge I had in my body was for nothing. Again…I had to watch someone else get the confetti, claim the prize…..BUT NOT TONIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!!!”

The massive roar from the fans in attendance sent a chill up Emmy’s spine, their energy in turn giving her energy.

“I’ve got the Queen’s Cup Trophy, I’ve got the Crown. I’ve even got the dress. For once, I don’t have to sit here and smile politely even though I lost. I fucking won and I can smile a real smile! Man….I’m honestly a bit tired. These women, they’re fucking tough in the SWWS. But I won, and I’m holding a tournament trophy for the first time! It makes me want to sing!”

There was notable confusion in the crowd as Emmy cleared her throat. She knew her song choice may not necessarily be popular in London but, screw it. What’s an Emmanuelle performance without a little top-tier trolling?

BLUE MOON…

There were some annoyed boos but even a few cheers. Heh, a few people from Manchester had made their way there after all. Hell, they even sang along in reply to her…

YOU SAW ME STANDING ALOOOOOOOOOOOONEEEEEEE

WITHOUT A DREAM IN MY HEAAAAAAAAARTTTT

WITHOUT A LOVE OF MY OOOOOOOWNNNNN

“Okay okay okay! I better cut that out. I know that can be a pretty divisive song choice. Hmm. I’ll think of a better song. But first, I just wanted to say that even though I have traveled the world, won things like this, met people like you all…there’s still one burning ache in my heart that needs to be relieved. About a year ago now, I think, I lost the Shogun Championship in WrestleWorld. My efforts to get that belt back have been frustratingly close but no cigar. Now I have a chance to get it back again and make good on a promise to myself. I said that no matter what it took, I would get it back! Now that I’ve won the Queen’s Cup, I’ll turn my attention to that. So…what song should make an appropriate anthem for my mindset going forward as your new Wrestling Queen, huh?”

Adventure seeker on an empty street

Just an alley creeper, light on her feet

When the crowd started to figure out what she was singing, they started clapping along. And Emmy couldn’t hide the smile on her face while she kept going.

A young fighter screaming, with no time for doubt

With the pain and anger can't see a way out

Oh this was FUN!

It ain't much I'm asking, I heard her say

Gotta find me a future move out of my way…

Emmy was thoroughly enjoying her moment in the sun, but as the crowd was clapping along to Queen’s famous song, she let them belt out the chorus for her, holding the microphone out to them as a cue, egging them on to get louder.

I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now!

Hours Later
Emmy’s Charter Flight

Her body was definitely in pain, but Emmy’s spirit hadn’t felt this good in a while. The tournament that she had won was a perfect way to resharpen her focus and get herself out of what was a slump by her lofty standards. A few weeks without a title? Not in her world. Unacceptable. She had worked hard to become a winner and would be one her entire career. Even so, she couldn’t help but wonder about the opportunity given to her. She could have easily accepted the offer of the Ghost Organization. She’s seen their association pay dividends too: April Song had captured the American Dream Championship after pursuing it for years, partly because of her ruthlessness in a triple threat match and partly because the opportunity was handed to her and Hana. But…even for a woman thriving on ego like Emmanuelle, something didn’t sit right with all of it to her. Something felt impure about it all. Most all….she didn’t like being beholden to anyone.

The usual congratulatory texts and well-wishes were flooding her phone when she got a call from one of her best friends and most trusted confidants: Sonya. She couldn’t see the woman obviously, but Emmy could almost see her smile just by her excited, happy voice.

“Hey! I heard about your win last night! Congratulations!”

“Thanks, Sonya. I’m tired but you and I are definitely going out when we get to the Neutral Territories. I’ve got some business to take care of state-side before I meet you there but you know how that’s going to go.”

“Burning out the candle at both ends, huh?”

“You know me! I didn’t sign up to be a wrestler to do this for a long time. I’m going to suck as much fun and joy out of it as I can and then do something else….I know you don’t usually call me unless it’s an emergency or something really awesome happened so….out with it?”

“Remember those friends that you introduced me to? The ladies working for EWC from Japan?”

“Yes.”

“They helped me get a tryout and I’m going to be signed to a deal! I should have all the paperwork finalized within a couple of weeks!”

“OHMIGOD!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!”

Emmy was truly happy about Sonya’s new contract. The woman had taken time off of her wrestling career to help her in WrestleWorld. She helped her with her pet project Sena. But now her pursuing her dream would possibly mean losing one of her biggest allies when she needs her most. Sonya obviously couldn’t see it, but Emmy’s mood was significantly dampened by the news. Not only because a potential ally against the Ghost Organization may be going away, but she would be losing one of her closest traveling companions.

“I’m really excited to have this chance and I just wanted to thank you for everything. You helped me so much the last few months and to wrestle again…I can’t describe how excited I am.”

“I’m happy for you. Does this mean that you’ll stop coming to the Neutral Territories?”

“......what do you mean?”

“I mean with you wrestling and-”

“Stop it. I’ll be there as much as I can to help you still. I’m not turning my back on the woman who helped me when I was struggling.”

“Oh, bullshit, you were never struggling!”

“Oh but I WAS. I wasn’t going anywhere in those early days. I was just scuffling around. You opened my world up to a bigger picture, to more important things. You helped me mature just by letting me tag along and watch you work. And if someone who is as crazy and energetic as you can work for like fifty promotions, manage Sena, and run businesses, I should at least be able to wrestle and back you up when you need it.”

“Cool…..Sonya? Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Well, since you’re on the phone with me now, I have to ask you something: Do you think they’ll ever trust me?”

“Hmm. I don’t know. But I don’t think there’s nothing you can do about that except prove your worth and earn their trust. Even though you never really had many issues with them personally, you and World’s Finest have never been on the same page. And now, after getting an offer from the Ghost Organization to join them, you’re trying to make an alliance. Then you’re challenging someone in their upper echelon for a title…a title that you desperately want back. I can see why the mistrust would brew.”

“I do too. Doesn’t that make you think that this is some kind of setup? It’s too simple. They’re trying to make me out like the one who is going to be stabbing people in the back.”

“I agree. I’ll be there, I promise, but please….be careful. I will help you as much as I can if things go sour, but I’m very worried.”

“Me too….but we’ll figure it out once we get to that point, right?”

“We always do.”

“Thank you Sonya…and I can’t wait to see you debut. Do you mind if I get some sleep? I’m already gonna be jet lagged when I get home but I just want to get some rest.”

“You got it. Safe travels, Emmy.”

You know something, it’s funny how wrestling works. You’re down in the dumps, you’re frustrated. You’re craving another opportunity to get things right and with being in the right place at the right time, you get your wind back. You take advantage of the opportunity on offer and get started down another path!

But this screams of something being a little too convenient.

Anybody who knows me knows that the Shogun Championship is something that I look at not as just another title. It was the first title I won in my wrestling career. It was the title that I won when I was undefeated and had absolutely nobody in my corner to vouch for me except for the man that trained me. It’s a title that defines my legacy in WrestleWorld more than anything else. You all saw how shattered I was when I lost it, you know the story. People have dallied around with other titles since they’ve come here. Shit, the two people that I’m going to be facing for the Shogun title are former holders of the European Championship as well. But there is only one title I truly desire. Only one title that I want to continue to put my distinct flavor and essence into as a champion…and that’s the belt that Christopher Sabertooth is holding.

I’ll get back to him in a second because I’ve got a lot to say.

Let’s start with you, Cynthia. There’s a lot going on with you that seems to leave me wondering if you’re fit to stand with World’s Finest. You, more than anyone else, have every reason not to be in that group. You don’t believe in yourself, even though you’re a former European Champion, a winner of the World Cup, someone who has taken every level up in badassery to be where you are now. Except you seem to feel like you don’t belong. You don’t feel like you’re at a level that you should be. Everyone else has a clear agenda in front of them…but you don’t seem to. And most importantly of all, at least in my eyes: You have a profound fear of being left behind.

You starve for approval from your peers. You beg your allies and friends to accept you. You worry constantly about little things that don’t matter. And that’s what sets me apart from me and you. Yes, I’m a bitch. An arrogant one to boot. I don’t mix well with most people and I’ve been accused by some members of upper management in certain places of having “attitude issues”. You beg for the world to accept you, to cater to your fragile ego and sense of self. I MAKE EVERY MOTHERFUCKER I COME INTO CONTACT WITH RESPECT ME. Win or lose, right or wrong, Fair or Unfair. I don’t give a fuck about what people think of me. All that I demand is acknowledgement for my talent and respect for what I do, what I sacrifice. And that’s what I fucking go out to the ring and earn night in and night out.

When Chris told me more or less to fuck off when I asked to team up with World’s Finest, I didn’t pay it any mind. Because I’ve always been independent. Everything I’ve done in this business I’ve done by myself. People can point to Sonya, to my trainer Carlos and say shit about me, but I can say this:

EVERY ACCOLADE THAT I HAVE I EARNED ON MY OWN. EVERY TITLE WIN, EVERY TROPHY, EVERY FAN AWARD, EVERY FUCKING THING I HAVE IS BECAUSE OF ME! NOT ANY GODDAMN ONE ELSE!

And you can too. Nobody’s ever had to hold your hand. Everything that you’ve done in this sport you’ve done with your own skill. So why are you still acting like a child, still hoping for someone to help you make sense of things that you should already fucking understand? WHY ARE YOU STILL LATCHED ON TO THE WORLD’S FINEST LIKE A PUPPY INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO BE A LEADER!?

Is it because you intend to betray them at some point? Is it because you know at some point people are going to peep out how insecure you truly are and how desperate you truly are for approval and validation that you’ll eventually betray your friends and every bit of your belief system to get to that point? I’m just guessing, but I’ve been a pretty good judge of people since I’ve been in this sport. I knew Arata Asakura was beatable when he was Shogun Champion. Not for lack of skill, but because he was arrogant, careless. I knew from the start the self-righteous dickheads in SPAWN were just using me for clout when they tried to wrest the Shogun Championship from me. Where are they now? I knew that Hana Nakajima was a pretentious little bitch. Guess who is in the Ghost Organization now along with her Grandma of a tag partner?

I know people, and I know you. I also know that the last time we fought, I dropped you on your head in the middle of the ring and pinned you to score a win. Your skills have gotten better. You’ve been a Champion, and a good one at that. But you and I, we’re built differently. You’re scared of being replaced by the people you meet. Me? I’m only worried that the people I meet may drag me down at some point, making me apathetic. I know that you think that most other people wouldn’t even dare consider you as someone willing to let the Ghost Organization whisper honeyed poison into your ears and flip. But I’m not most people. I don’t trust everyone blindly and I don’t believe in trust being handed out like candy. And I get it, they have fucked you over several times in recent weeks and months. But who’s to say that all of that suffering hasn’t broken you? That you haven’t made a deal with the other side behind everyone’s backs while continuing the innocent schoolgirl act? Huh? I mean, I don’t classify myself as a paranoid person, but I have heard of the old saying “If you can’t beat em…join em.” Who is there to say that you aren’t living by that same mantra right now and you’re just conveniently waiting until after you’ve collected the Shogun Title to say something to everyone else, hmm?

Oh, and if what I’m saying offends you? Fight me. Prove to me that I shouldn’t be talking about you like this. Do everything in your power to make me sorry for even disrespecting you in the first place. If you can do that, then maybe we can stand toe to toe as allies. Everyone knows my past. I don’t have shit to hide from anyone. I’m just wondering if you’re the one who is hiding something. I watch tapes too, sweetie. You’re good. Very good. But you’re not better than me. You never have been and you never will be.

All the more reason to go crying and running for help, right? Cynthia, I have no intention of trying to replace you. Your heart and soul have been etched into this group. You gave people hope, inspiration and all that other bullshit when WrestleWorld really needs it. The way you had your title taken from you? Brutal. But now is not the time for you to be sitting around having confidence issues or being reluctant to seize on an opportunity because you think it may be tainted or you’re not worthy. We’re fucking professional wrestlers. Athletes. We’re paid to fight, we’re paid more to win and we’re paid even more to be champions. So stop trying to make an idealist utopia in your head and put your focus on the prize in front of you.

I mean, you’re not going to win…but you can at least get a platinum star for trying.

Now, with that person out of the way. Chris. You know why I’m here. You knew I would be coming back at some point. That title you have in your possession means the world to me and every time I see you making an appearance with it I go in the gym to work on something, to make myself better. You’ve been the better man the last two times we’ve fought over the Shogun title. I’m not going to dispute it. It hurts, it makes my blood boil to concede that someone else has been better than me, but it’s true.

And you know what, you’re starting to remind me a lot of the guy I beat for that fucking belt in the first place. Shit, it’s apparently starting to remind your own WIFE of him. You know who I’m talking about. The arrogance. The hypocrisy. The unyielding belief that he’s the best thing since sliced bread. While you’re not on track to become an Arata clone anytime soon, you’re checking off the starter kit boxes pretty fucking well.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room, with all due respect: Your wife. You’re literally sitting in bed at night and sleeping next to someone IN THE GHOST ORGANIZATION! I’ve heard the cliche sleeping with the enemy before but you, my friend, are taking that to some pretty extreme territory. You’re not just banging the enemy, you put a fucking ring on it! And sure, maybe Hana and April are new birds in the Ghost Organization flock, but I don’t know how keen I would be on being shacked up with someone who has joined a group whose mantra is to literally make you “OBEY”!

Is there something that you wanna share with the Class, Christopher?

You don’t trust me? Cool, but honestly why should I trust you? What legitimate reason is there for there to be trust either way? I’ve already pointed out the painfully obvious thing that everyone in WrestleWorld is ignoring, but yeah. You have to earn trust this way too, bro. I’m not so blind as to think that you won’t back a winning horse if it means ensuring your own victory. Do the words “Ashes of the Wake” ring a bell, sunshine? You’re talking about who you trust and all of that other horse shit like you haven’t constantly tried to maim your opponents and squabble and scheme to retain your position.

And don’t give me “OHHHHH THAT WAS HAVOC!”. Bullshit. You benefitted as a wrestler from that monster inside of you. You have a comfortable house, beautiful wife and all that shit now, don’t you? HAVOC is not the ONLY reason where you are where you are, but he’s definitely played a helping hand. Who is to say that the monster within is completely gone? Who is to say that the Devil isn’t still around laying out the details for something sinister at this very moment?

And you have the nerve to talk to me about earning trust.

If you want what is the closest thing I can offer to an olive branch, here it is: I hate your fucking guts. I still have nightmares of how you took a title from me that I worked so hard to win and worked even harder to try to build the credibility of. Every fiber of my being hates you and I want nothing more than to take this title from you and restore my place as WrestleWorld’s premier champion. But, BUT….one thing that I’ll never do is rely on a corporation to do it for me. I’ll never use power that I don’t personally have to set something up to take it from you. I want to stab you, metaphorically speaking, but I’m going to stab you through the fucking heart instead of behind your back. Being a liar is not high on my list of abilities.

Can you say the same to yourself about me? You respect me, yes, but can you just be honest enough and say you can’t stand me? That you want me to go the fuck away instead of trying to help you guys? I would understand. I did bully you a bit when you were in crisis. I was inches away from retiring you. I would get it if you didn’t like and were just as honest as I was about this sort of thing.

I understand your bond with the Shogun Championship. It’s a proof of your validation. It’s proof that you CAN do these things. It means the same to me. Before I won it, people just wrote me off as a Social Media Thot who worked out a lot, who would be a flash in the pain in the wrestling business. As much as that belt is a part of your sanity, in some ways it’s the embodiment of my very soul. I’m not saying that just to be dramatic, it’s the truth. You have pushed me to be a better wrestler, a better athlete and in some ways…even a better person.

I hate you, but I can’t deny that losing that title to you forced me to grow up some. But one thing I’ll never condone or take lightly is someone talking to me and acting like I have to prove something to them. It’s the easiest way to piss me off. If I say I’m going to be there for someone, I’m there. If someone is upfront with me, I’m upfront with them. The only thing that a person really has in this world is their credibility. Yes, we have cars, houses, championships, all of those things.

BUT FOR YOU TO SUGGEST THAT I WOULD LIE TO YOU JUST TO TRY TO TAKE A FUCKING TITLE….THAT is NOT some shit I will take lightly. So, get ready for a good old fashioned ass-kicking. We’re going to fight, you, me and Cynthia. And we’re going to workout some shit in the process. You’re going to learn to trust me, Cynthia’s going to learn to trust herself instead of toadies or her friends, and I’m going to learn if I’m making the stand I’m taking for the right reasons.

I reached out to you all because I believe that we can win this war…and I also believe that someone else is about to aid these bastards and that the only way to end this is to squash them now before they get back to full strength.

I want the title that you have, but I’ll never betray you for it. Beating you for it, the way you overcame me when you were at one of the lowest points in your career, is the only way I want such a prize.

Even for someone like me who is materialistic as they come….there’s no price tag on my fucking soul.

The Shogun Championship has been calling out for me for a long time, it’s time for Mommy to reclaim her long lost baby.

» Two For the Price of One
» Claudia Michaels | It Comes With a Price
» Price to pay (v. Amber Payne on Dominion)