I know what I want.

[Jennie Docherty / Djinnie!]

Jennie presses her face against the glass, and her nose is pushed up slightly from being against the glass so you can see right up her nostrils. There are no bats in the attic; she had taken every possible precaution to ensure such a tragedy would not occur… She taps her finger against the glass several times; the first couple of times as if to question herself and what she is pointing toward, but the next couple of times more as a decisive pointing gesture.

“That’s the one!” she shouts.

The camera pans out to unveil that Jennie is inside of a bakery with a swarm of people surrounding her. Whether they are her adoring fans or just people waiting not-so-patiently for their own turn to order… What she happens to be pointing at is a cake; slathered with cream cheese frosting, and a thin line of raspberry jam encircling it. Panning back further, Allen Chaney stands with his hands tucked into his pocket; Jennie glances back at him with the brightest eyes.

“That’s the one I want!” Jennie repeats.

Have you ever had one of those times where you didn’t really have to think about what you wanted…?

Allen looks absolutely confused while standing in the bakery, and everyone around is starting to look around as if to wonder where the voice had come from. The voice was recognizable as another one of the stars of the scene, the IWF Women’s World Champion, Jennie Fenix, who was the only one inside the bakery that paid no mind to what was happening.

“Is that a voiceover? Are you doing a voiceover?” Allen asks, and gestures toward Jennie.

“What are you talking about?” Jennie asks.

“The voice… That–” Allen starts pointing upward, “That– that’s your voice.” He insists.

It was like, no matter what was placed in front of you… No matter how many different options there were, you knew that you were going to make THAT! ONE! CHOICE!

“Oh, okay, yeah. We’re doing this.” Allen smacks his lips together, and folds his hands in front of him. He gives an awkward smile to the people surrounding the two of them, and a subtle nod while letting the voiceover continue.

That is the opportunity in store for me this week. Where I’ll be standing in the ring with two former champions, both of whom have their eyes set on walking out with their own arms raised to earn their own chance at fighting me in the ring…for my belt…I am looking to solidify my reign. I am looking to prove to the world that I EARNED this! I am looking to prove to the world that I am the champion, and for a good goddamn reason–

Jennie… the live Jennie, not the one that is talking overhead, snickers when the voice makes that specific comment.

Maybe you are more like her than you care to admit… But there is nothing wrong with emulating yourself to being someone who is easily recognized by this industry as one of the greatest to ever do it. Tara. There is a reason that we are teaming together… There is a reason for why we are the Interstellar Gemini Champions, or to say it a little bit better: one of the greatest teams in the business! But that’s neither here nor there. This week isn’t about her, and this week isn’t about The Fenix Sisters... This week isn’t even about Shelly Diamond or Caroline Machado.

This week is about me…myself…and I! This week is, and I repeat myself, me PROVING why I am the champion! Me PROVING that I earned this! Me PROVING that I deserve this! And more importantly, it’s going to give me the opportunity to CHOOSE who I want to finally defend my title against… I’ve been called the champion for months now. MONTHS UPON MONTHS! Survival of the Fittest. I took this title away from Caroline before she could really get her feet back under her because she was living on top of the world, under some sort of delusion that she was going to be a great champion, but I showed the world…I showed Jimbo…even Fifi…that their students are one thing, and one thing alone!

MEDIOCRE.

At best.

Being nice.

They are…

MEDIOCRE.

“A little harsh…” Allen chimes in, but immediately waves himself off, “But true! True!” and gives a thumbs up to the sky.

There’s no denying that Caroline is vying for a chance to redeem herself… She’s DYING for a chance to once again call herself a champion, but honey…boo…snookums…it’s not going to happen. Because you have to look at the people that are against you: you are standing against the ring with one woman who dominated the entire division– the entire COMPANY for over ONE YEAR! You are standing against the CURRENT IWF Women’s World Champion who took that belt away from you in a one-on-one competition, where there is literally ZERO excuse that you can make for what happened because I pinned you to the mat in the middle of the ring!

Now, now, now, I know that you are used to being the underdog… I know you are used to having people count you out before you have been given a proper chance. Hell! I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE! Do you know how many times I’ve had people tell me that I didn’t have a chance? Do you know how many people didn’t think that I could do the unthinkable and actually take a win over BIG SIS? The list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on of how many people didn’t think that I would be able to do that… the list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on of how many people never thought that I would see the day that I become a champion!

Just like you– just like no one thought the day would come that you would be able to call yourself a champion, but y’know what? No matter what I say about you… No matter how many times I bash you down… No matter how many times that I tell you that you are in over your head when you step into the ring with Shelly and me at Odyssey this week, there is something that neither one of us can take away from you: you are a former champion. You can count yourself amongst the list of former champions! We can’t take that away.

“Soooo… Are you taking the cake?” The baker asks.

Jennie straightens her posture and looks at the baker, who has a striking resemblance to Paul Hollywood off of The Great British Bake Off, but then she leans back down to look at all of the different cakes. Each one had something unique about it that made it stand out, and each one would be a great cake to take home… Perfectly decorated; a succulent sponge, no soggy bottoms; however, her eye always goes back to that first one that she picked. She knew that she had to trust her gut; that was the cake she wanted.

And now we look at Shelly…

“Oh, bloody hell…” the lookalike Paul Hollywood says while rolling his eyes. His eyes glare at Allen Chaney, a look that would chill the bones of any normal man, but Allen Chaney was a skilled fighter, but he just gave the awkward smile as if he understood the frustration that he was going through, as well as all of the other customers who were still waiting their turn as the line was now going out the door, and down the sidewalk.

Y’know, when I first started looking at this title… I thought of you. I thought of how badly I wanted the honor– the satisfaction– of taking this title away from you. I wanted the honor, and the satisfaction in being able to say that I was the first person to defeat you! I wanted that– before Tara came back… I wanted that before Caroline took the title away from you…

I WANTED IT!

I mean, seriously, to this day, you keep reminding everyone how you haven’t been pinned! You haven’t been submitted! Not within the confines of the IWF! This place has become…your playground…this place, as many people are fighting over who it belongs to, The Work– you– have as much claim as anybody else! Right? Right. Because you, Shelly– you have gone against every person that has challenged you… You have risen to every challenge, and you have sought out new ways to try to ensure that everyone is talking about you!

But like you, challenging everybody, I, too, wanted to challenge EVERYBODY! I wanted a CHALLENGE every time I went into the ring, because I wanted to BETTER MYSELF! But whereas you seem to get that reputation where everyone thinks that you’re going to kick their ass because you were a badass mother, and did what you had to do in order to survive– I have some sort of reputation for being a… a fuck up… the person that no one wants to take seriously, ‘cause they don’t think that I’m actually going to make something… ‘cause they’re always going to see that shadow lingering over me. They’re always going to see it.

But y’know what happened while they were focused so hard on that shadow? I took what I wanted! I started turning heads– I started gaining attention– those that were actually WATCHING what I was DOING were starting to see that I’m not just “the little sister”; they were seeing me for everything that I’ve fought to prove myself as and that is a FIGHTER! That is a COMPETITOR! That is a WARRIOR!

Truly, I have only been disappointed… disappointed with the competition not wanting to step up to FIGHT ME because they’re too busy looking at people like you, and people like Tara; they’re all fighting to become a number one contender, but then they’re not wanting to do anything with it!

Talking about you, ‘CHE.

That’s why this match matters so much to me, and probably more to me than this title does… Because then I get to step out and PICK my opponent! Then I get to go out there and bring the competition to me, which is what this title should’ve brought… That line should be going out the door with people looking to fight me for EVERYTHING but it’s empty. It’s empty. And it’s a damn mistake.

Where are the Rowan’s?
Where are the Eternity’s?
Where are the Virginia’s?
…the Vivienne’s?
…the Atara’s?
…the Jessie’s?
…the Fiona’s?
Where is everybody?!

Whilst still pressing the tip of her nose against the glass, she taps a finger against it; she is clearly more lost in thought than anything else, but not doubting her decision to take what she wants. But she is looking at every cake alongside it. She licks her lips, salivating slightly at the wonder of having every cake.

Siiiiimbaaaaa…

A different voice is heard in the voiceover this time, which finally does earn the attention of the “real” Jennie. She blinks several times, and the voice is recognized immediately by Allen Chaney.

“Bird Jimmy? Is that you?!” Allen asks.

Oh, shit! Allen! How are ya, buddy?

“Oh, y’know! Still breathing!” Allen replies.

Nice, nice.

“Getting my wickedly hot girlfriend a cake, though. What about you?” Allen asks.

Jennie continues blinking several times, but her face does appear a bit more flushed.

Oh, I’m good. I’m good. Just… you know… doing voiceover things.

Allen nods, and shrugs his shoulders slightly, “Sounds pretty fun, actually.”

“JAMES! ALLEN! I’m trying to… Can you two? Could you two just–” Jennie rolls her hand forward, and Allen raises his hands to protest his innocence.

“Sorry!” Allen replies.

Yeah. Sorry, Jennifer! Hey! If you see Tara, can you tell her that I’m a-comin’?

“Sure! SURE!” Jennie rolls her eyes.

Great! Anyways… SIIIIIIMMMMMBBBBBAAAAA! Remember… who… you… arrrrreeeee….

James Raven’s voice fades away. Jennie just blinks several times before turning her attention back to the bakery case in front of her, and taps the glass. “That’s definitely the one I want.”

“Finally!” the lookalike Paul Hollywood exclaims, and all of the people in the bakery cheer over her decision. The baker grabs a box to pack up the cake, and Allen takes a step forward.

“Was that so hard?” Allen asks.

“Not at all!” Jennie answers, “I knew what I wanted all along…”

Everybody groans.

“I just wanted to take a moment to think about it because…well…y’know, there’s times that I go with my gut instinct, and sometimes I get it wrong. But then there’s other times that I reconsider what my gut instinct was telling me, and then I regret it and feel like I should’ve just gone with my gut! My gut is telling me that this is the challenge–” Jennie clears her throat, “–the cake that I want.” Jennie gives a wry smile while watching the baker pack it up, but then she glances over her shoulder at everybody who, while happy that Jennie finally made her pick and the line can now continue moving, they look all look disgruntled and frustrated with the annoyingly long time that Jennie took in picking.

“What’s the occasion?” Allen asks.

“A birthday…” Jennie answers, rather blunt about it.

“Sooo, is it your birthday?” Allen asks.

Jennie gasps and looks appalled by the question! She playfully punches Allen on the arm, “What?! NO! Wait…You don’t know my birthday?!”

Allen, while rubbing his shoulder, “You never told me!”

“I can’t believe you don’t know my birthday!”

“It would help if you would tell me!”

Jennie purses her lips, and shakes her head, “That’s my secret! You’ll have to find out…

It’s March twentieth, dove…

Another voiceover comes over this time, and the voice is unmistakable as Atara Raven. Allen smiles while looking upward, but everyone around groans again.

“Atty!” Jennie exclaims, and simultaneously…

“Thank you, kindly!” Allen answers.

Jennie grumbles under her breath.

He asked!

“You didn’t have to answer!” Jennie shouts.

Whoops.

Atara answers, but Jennie knew that it was no actual “whoops”. Jennie sighs, as Allen starts visibly contemplating ideas on how to celebrate her birthday, but also considering what they need a cake for.

“Who’s birthday is it?” Allen persists.

“It’s gonna be Eduardo’s, and Hayleigh’s!” Jennie answers, “Annnd really wanted to get them a good cake.”

That’s right, Shelly: I’m getting her a cake! What’re you gonna do about it?

The baker nods his head slightly, “You know, she could probably get her a cake, too.”

“NO ONE ASKED YOU!” Jennie retorts.

The baker hands the cake over to Jennie, as she holds it carefully, and then the baker raises his hands and takes a step back as if to protest innocence from Jennie’s wrath. Jennie, again, looks back at the crowd, “You know what, let me go ahead and pick up the tab for all these people… Go crazy!”

The crowd now rushes forward, each one shouting their orders incoherently at the baker while Jennie and Allen head over to a table and just watch the chaos unfolding while waiting for everyone to put in their orders. The scene ends.