Post by Fiona McFly on Aug 20, 2021 11:57:03 GMT
The inaugural episode of Fiona’s Corner: The Mama Bear Sessions opens up with the graphic of a bear devouring a rival, surrounded on all sides by olive branches. As the countdown clock reaches zero, we hear the strains of the show’s official theme song, Queen’s “I Want It All.”
”I want it all
I want it all
I want it all
And I want it now…”
The programme opens up inside Fiona’s study at her family’s ancestral home in Northern Ireland, with shelves lined with books and her desk adorned with trinkets from her travels. She adjusts the boom mic above her head to add some more clarity to her voice.
FIONA MCFLY:
Hello, hello one and all! Welcome to the first of -- and I hope of many -- my monthly podcast series. All I’ve got to say about this one is…finally! Right?!
she chuckled sheepishly to herself before clearing her throat.
FIONA:
Seriously though, I will apologise for the lengthy delay in getting the podcast going for this month. I’ve found myself to be a bit of an airheaded newbie when it comes to setting up for these things, and as a result...I dealt with various technical bugs and other issues. I’m here now, and...I hope you all can hear me loud and clear.
A’right...so, what exactly is Fiona’s Corner all about? I am a professional wrestler with the Imperial Wrestling Federation; I’ve been with the company for going on six years as a former two-time Iron Maiden and former Women’s World Champion. But I’m gonna take you to where very few people have the opportunity to go -- behind the curtain, where you’ll get a raw and unfiltered look into what truly makes a wrestler tick. Stories about being on the road, favourite programmes they were involved in, you name it. Plus, you’ll get to delve into some non-wrestling related material as well, from music to...yes, I’m going there, politics.
And wow...do I have a shit show in store for our dearly-esteemed 46th President of the United States.
I’ll save that mess for a future episode.
No, I want to make this first show a happy occasion, a time when we can all get together and reflect upon what it truly means to take the path you’re taking in this life. Each and every one of you tonight has a story, a tale of how far you’ve come in a world that often values life less and less. My very first guest on Fiona’s Corner has so much to tell about his time in the wrestling business, about what makes him tick and out-of-ring moments that will make you smile.
I present to you…Nick Danger!
The original Final Fantasy victory jingle is cued up, followed by the Willie Nelson classic tune “On the Road Again”...
”On the road again
I just can’t wait to get on the road again
Well I find love is making music with my friends
And I can’t wait to get on the road again…”
...followed by the chorus to Nick Danger’s entrance theme, “The Mountain” by Three Days Grace.
”Every day I'm just survivin'
Keep climbin' the mountain
Even when I feel like dyin'
Keep climbin' the mountain
Every time I think I'm over it
I wake up in the bottom of it all again
I'm still survivin', keep climbin'
Keep climbin' the mountain…”
The song fades out as Nick Danger steps into the picture; Fiona gives him a warm and loving embrace before directing him towards the other chair. Nick takes a seat and admires the setup of the room.
FIONA:
Nick...I, uhmm...where should I start?! For purposes of full and fair disclosure, Nick Danger has recently begun training with JJ over at the All Infamous Wrestling and Martial Arts Academy near Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in Grapevine, Texas. What an honour to have you with me on the set here, if you can call it a “set” in the strictest sense. (chuckle) Anyways, before we get the ball rolling, I’m gonna give you this microphone so you can let the world get to know you.
Nick Danger grabs the microphone from Fiona to speak.
NICK DANGER:
Wow…this is such an honor to be here on Fiona’s Corner. Again my name is Nick Danger “The New Savior Of Wrestling” and training at Infamous Wrestling and Martial Arts Academy at Dallas Texas has been a great experience and I hope to get better and learn more. So shall we get this show started Fiona?
Fiona gently pats Nick on the arm, calming his nerves.
FIONA:
A’right...let’s start with the i question. What got you hooked into professional wrestling, and who inspired you to try your hand in the business?
NICK:
Okay…my grandfather and father got me hooked into professional wrestling because they were still wrestling when I was younger and I watched all. My grandfather inspired me to try my hand in the business because I guess he saw potential inside me when I was playing superior football at age six. And I got inspired before he passed when I was fifthteen by watching old videos of him in the ring. That also inspired me to take up the nickname ”The New Savior Of Wrestling” because my grandfather was the original “Savior Of Wrestling”. I am proud that I got into this business because I would never have gotten a desk job working on a computer. I love wrestling and nothing is going to change that.
Fiona smiled and took a deep breath.
FIONA:
Family’s family, very important. Admittedly, I wanted to enter the political arena after my time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, double-majoring in Political Science and Communication. My family, the paternal side especially, were either diplomats or members of the Royal Navy. I...I didn’t think I’d have a career in wrestling ‘til Jack Gaither, the one who’d be my husband, got me out of a bar I worked at as a bartender. Jack had been a wrestler and brought me backstage -- got me hooked.
Okay, okay...I won’t ramble! Who was the first person to greet you when you entered the IWF locker room for the very first time?
NICK:
The very first person to welcome me into the IWF locker room was Warren Kane. I was preparing for my match against Ducky and Warren Kane saw me and welcomed me into IWF. I said maybe in the future we can become a tag team in the future. This year at High Stakes me and him fought for the World Championship and he told me after the match to never give up and keep moving forward in the future.
Fiona nodded warmly.
FIONA:
Jessica Reed...fucking Christ, that woman is a trailblazer. She’s the first person I spoke to when I first set foot into the women’s division; she often remarked that the division was a great mechanism to prove that we weren’t simply “eye candy” in the eyes of men -- not ALL men, mind you, but a selective few. I started off working with Hall of Famers, and seriously...Jess is the person I’ve enjoyed working with the most through the years. Sometimes, we had ideas that didn’t mix well, but still...she’s one of the more approachable people anyone can ever meet.
Then...there’s people like JJ and Rob. I was dealing with depression, dealing with a neck problem that nearly led me to suicide, but those two men sat me down, gave me a business card for a therapist, and told me “Fi, take as much time as you need to get help and recover.” I came back mid-2019 after seven months of counsel and my first neck procedure; I wound up having a second one and…
Fiona paused, taking a deep breath and trying to keep her composure.
FIONA:
Point is, wrestling saved my life, taught me how to take better care of myself. I think that there’s so many people that want to plan for a brighter future, yet life has this way of throwing and piling on the shit in order to test you. When you commit yourself to something, you find a way to stick to it -- no matter how long it takes or how many times you have to stop and recharge.
You have a very, VERY good future ahead of you Nick. This business can be very cruel sometimes, and you often find yourself surrounded by those who’ve trained longer and-or been on the road longer. Always cherish those moments you spend in the gym, or some theme park, with the people you meet -- ‘cos those moments will never come again.
Anyways...enough of the speeches! Let’s open up the Mailbag!
The sound of a flyover of fighter jets is cued up, followed by the chorus of Elvis Presley’s 1950s classic, “Return to Sender.”
”She wrote upon it
Return to sender, address unknown
No such number, no such zone
We had a quarrel, a lovers' spat
I write I'm sorry but my letter keeps coming back…”
The song fades out as we now see Fiona taking a sip from a bottle of Snapple peach tea.
FIONA:
A’right, the Mailbag is here! Fans can ask either myself, Nick, or the both of us questions related to wrestling or other aspects of life itself. You can submit your Mailbag queries to the specialised Discord server titled “The Mama Bear Mailbag.” Due to time constraints, I won’t be able to read every question; so if I miss yours the first time. I humbly apologise. Also, as a ground rule, if you submit multiple questions for a future episode, I will only be able to read one per sender. That streamlines things and makes it fair for everyone to have their voices heard.
So here we go, the first question comes from DJ! Welcome aboard, DJ, you asked the both of us…
Fiona glanced over at her computer screen at DJ’s question…
”Are you single?”
...before breaking out into a fit of hysterical laughter, nearly causing her to spit her drink out.
FIONA:
Nick…?! I’ll let you...I’ll let you...wow! Is this Love Connection or Fiona’s Corner?! Nick, I’ll let you answer first…
NICK:
I am not single. I have been dating this girl named Amy Snow for about a month now. She is beautiful and sweet. I would love to introduce her to you guys someday.
During Nick’s answer, we heard the drop of Fiona’s mic as she walked off the set -- STILL trying to control her fit of laughter! When she sat down and cleared her throat…
FIONA:
Sorry, Caroline -- but Nick’s off the market!
Nick starts laughing as Fiona sighed, recomposing herself.
FIONA:
Oh, DJ...what am I gonna do with you?! Seriously though...I posted my profile on a dating site the other day, thanks to JJ’s advice. But I’m pondering...who, in their right frame of mind, would want to go out with someone like me, huh?! I’m 39 years old, traveled around the world, and...have plenty of physical and mental scars to show for it. Thing is…
Fiona paused, taking another sip from her drink.
FIONA:
….part of being in professional wrestling is getting to know people from different backgrounds, cultures, you name it. I love stories, I love listening to stories of where people have been and great stuff like that. I...I just don’t feel as if people would be comfortable around me, given how much excess baggage I tend to carry. I simply don’t know...but anyways, the question comes from The Great King, addressed to Nick.
Fiona glances back at the Discord chat and reads the following…
”Do you have a favorite anime to watch when you’re on the road?”
...she nods warmly and stays silent.
NICK:
My favorite anime on the road are Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Fire Force. I am a huge anime fan. Most of them I watch with my brother or by myself.
Fiona flashes a grin as she glances at the computer screen, then sighs when she realises that there’s nothing else left in the Mailbag.
FIONA:
Ahh, only two questions this month, but maybe as September and the future rolls along, I’m pretty sure that the questions will be flying. Anyways, Nick...what can I say?! It’s been a real treat to have you around the Corner this evening, and perhaps...I’ll be looking forward to having some more guests stop on by.
NICK:
My pleasure being here, I had nothing but a great time here at the Corner. I hope you have more guests here and really get to know them behind the curtain.
Fiona cues up some canned applause -- and the theme to The Price is Right -- before giving Nick a wrm bearhug. He makes his exit as she sits back down aand checks off a bullet point on her format sheet.
FIONA:
Whether you’re training or just plain traveling, nothing ought to excite people more than listening to that one particular song that sticks in your mind forever. It’s that time for my Song of the Month, a piece of musical motivation I’ve hand-picked that symbolises a mood or certain events. For this month of August, many children are going back to school after a summer break full of unbridled emotion as many states are trying to get back to a sense of normalcy.
I’ve often found myself looking forward to the first day of school when I was younger. It was the start of another chapter of my life, a chance to write something that’s both exciting and heartwarming. To celebrate the occasion, let me take you back to 1982 and share a track from a movie that’s always been one of my guilty pleasures. From The Four Tops comes “Back To School Again” from the musical Grease 2 -- enjoy!
So here we are, with the start of a new term comes some major announcements. First and foremost, I’ve been working on the second film in the two-part Infinity & Beyond saga, Subtitled “Lunar Whale,” you’ll be following our main protagonist as she finds a legendary item hidden underneath her family’s ancestral home -- only to wind up being accidentally thrust forward nearly 400 years into a future where she experiences the feeling of being a relic, a useless being in an advanced world. Thematically, it does explore issues of age and the prospects of finding yourself beaten down by a society that tells you that you’re not wanted or appreciated anymore.
How can anyone feel useful in an “evolved” world, even as society tells you to go fuck yourself -- you've got no purpose?
That’s the question prominently asked in the film.
Anyways...more big plans are on the horizon, but unfortunately the time has run out on me! I know, riht?! Time constraints in a podcast! I have to fly back to Texas this weekend so I can finalise the huge news I’ve got in store. Trust me, it’s going to be a massive day indeed. ‘Til then, I’m Fiona saying...may the wind be at your back. Love you all!
“I Want It All” begins playing once more as we transition back to the podcast’s logo.