Standing (Over You).

[Jennie Docherty / Djinnie!]

San Jose, California. The camera zooms across the line of people waiting to enter the venue, the SAP Center. Several of the fans take their moment on the camera to attempt to garner further attention, while others shy away and shield their face with their hand from the camera, but there was no hiding the excitement they felt by merely being present at the venue that would host the monumental event, Legacy, this upcoming weekend. People are already lined up to partake in the festivities!

Along with people already lining up to enter the venue, another crowd has gathered at a red carpet for all of the attendees and invited people to participate in the event. A series of vehicles begin arriving in front of the venue. One by one, everyone renowned from the sport exit their vehicles and each one gives their own greeting to the crowd that has amassed for the event before finally entering the venue on their own…amongst the arrivals, a 2023 Cadillac Escalade arrives, and the chauffeur steps out from the driver door and hurries to the rear passenger side door, and opens it up. The crowd bellows when they see the multi-colored hair belonging to the former IWF Women’s World Champion with a mild bounce as she steps out of the vehicle… The Celestial Championship that is still hers adorns her waist, and she waves to the crowd with one hand, whilst the other holds her phone toward her as she shows off her own excitement at being here.

The crowd also cheers when Allen Chaney steps out of the vehicle, and also acknowledges them with a wave, and then hovers over Jennie’s shoulder to greet the audience watching the live feed coming from Jennie’s own personal device…as he hovers his head over her, she reaches her hand back to cradle the back of his neck, and pulls him in for a passionate kiss which makes the ring veteran blush as the crowd gives their “oohs” and their “awws”.

“Hallo, everybody! And thank you for tuning in!” Jennie exclaims while holding up the traditional “peace” sign, and sticks her tongue out at the camera, before finally resuming, “It’s me! Your LEGO Lord! The granter of your wishes! The object of your desire! Returning to an IWF ring near you!” she says whilst pointing at the camera.

Many of the comments from the live feed are coming in before Jennie has a chance to acknowledge any of them, and while distracted by her phone and the audience attending the convention, a certain ginger dashes onto the scene! Cliff Cook puts his arm around Jennie Fenix, nudging her and giving himself some of the attention from her live feed.

“BOBAS FOR LIFE!” Cliff shouts.

“IT’S CLIFFORD, EVERYBODY!” Jennie says, pointing and giving an exaggerated look of utter shock… the camera turns back to Allen, also imitating the look.

“Never trust a ginger!” Allen shouts.

Cliff feigns a look of distraught, and betrayal before shouting over the crowd at Allen, “I thought what we had was special!”

“You knew what this was!” Allen says with conviction.

Cliff laughs from the short exchange with Jennie and Allen, “I’ll see you two inside!”

“W-w-wait!” Jennie says, and pulls Cliff close to whisper something to him. Cliff nods in turn, and then hurries forward whilst Jennie and Allen take a little bit longer since Jennie also insists on greeting as many of the fans as she can. Whilst walking along the red carpet, Allen Chaney and Jennie Fenix alternate who is carrying the phone while they also take pictures with the fans and sign autographs. When they reach the end of the carpet, where the fans are not yet allowed, Allen takes the phone for the final time and points the camera toward Jennie.

“The people want to hear from you!” Allen says.

Jennie looks into the camera again, and flashes a quick smile before continuing, “Welcome to LEGACY weekend, folks! And–” she sucks in air through her teeth, and chuckles under her breath a little bit, “It’s going to be a doozy! I mean, really, you have ZASSHU–” Jennie holds two fingers at the camera again, “THE SECOND! Teaming up with yours truly,” she bows slightly forward, and then continues after straightening her own posture, “TAKING ON! Rowan AND April Madrox… YES! That Madrox. The same Madrox family that took away my precious, and– kept my precious from me…” She takes a deep breath, snorting out heavily in frustration when she recalls how Brooklyn Madrox had defeated her for the championship at Night of the Immortals and then successfully retained at Bloody Assizes.

She clicks her tongue a couple of times to subside the frustration from getting the best of her, but resumes her own speech, “And– it is my first match back since losing to Brooklyn Madrox, and now I know people are probably wondering: why? I mean, after what happened at Bloody Assizes, what do I have to come back for? You don’t have to tell me about Rowan being there… April… Vivi… I WAS THERE! They shocked the world with their return, right?! They stood over me. Conquerors. The new flagship of the women’s division! Captained by the one and only Rowan MacDonnough! And what a return– what a legacy that she has already created for herself, and for The Pack, and now for THE MURDER… One of the single most dominating forces in the history of the company! They stood victoriously over me, and all I had after that bell rung was: nothing. I was knocked from the top of the mountain at Night of the Immortals, and at Bloody Assizes, I was knocked all the way down to the base. What do I have to come back for? That’s the lingering question, innit? I mean… there we have it, folks! Fair and square, one-on-one, no excuses, no questions, no doubts: Brooklyn Madrox defeated me in the middle of the ring! Brooklyn Madrox is the IWF Women’s World Champion, and I– am just yesterday’s news, right? Right?” The question lingers for a couple of seconds, but Allen moves the camera horizontally to give a visual cue of “no”.

“WRONG! Y’see, the first time I lost to Brooklyn Madrox… when she took the title away from me, I said something very important, a lesson that no one should ever forget: REBUILD! Never give up! Never stay down! And so… I saw an opportunity this week! I saw an opportunity to team up with someone who– needed a little bit of help… and so you know what I told Roberto? Well, Hannah. I told her: BOOK ME! I told her that I’m tired of sitting on the sideline and watching everybody else compete week in and week out, while I’m twiddling my thumbs in the back! BOOK ME! Put me in the ring with Rowan! Put me in the ring with April! PUT ME IN THE RING! ‘Cause that’s something that I’ve become accustomed to, right? I’ve become accustomed to being knocked down! But I’m always going to get back up, and I’m always going to REBUILD!” Her voice raises with determination.

“What better way to rebuild than going against The Murder? Zasshu II was in need of a partner, and I answered! April… April, April, April. I know what it’s like to be you, because– I am you. I am the baby sister, and I had something to prove! I had a shadow over me! I had shoes to fill! It’s always hard being the second act, isn’t it? Because there’s no denying that these people are looking at you, just as they looked at me, and then looking at your sister, just as they looked at mine… and comparing us… every step of the way. And I know– what it’s like to have everybody putting a target on your family, and believing that you are going to– expecting that you are going to turn your back on your family! But if you’re anything like me, April, I know that’s not an option for you. I know that turning your back on your sister is not an option for you. Because I will never turn my back on my sister! I will never turn my back on my family! But I still have to pave my own path… and my path leads back to your sister. My path leads back to taking back the title! My path leads to me REBUILDING! And since I wouldn’t turn on my family–” Jennie shakes her head, “I’m not about to ask you to. BUT!” Jennie snaps her fingers, “That means I’m going to have to go THROUGH you. But you’re not alone, right?”

Jennie smirks, mirroring the infamous Docherty smirk that her sister and nephew are known for having.

“Rowan– you have a reputation as being one of the baddest bitches in this business… in instilling fear into your opponents. There aren’t too many people who want to go toe-to-toe with the likes of you, but I’m something of a crazy person myself! I WANTED TO BE IN THE RING WITH YOU! When I was the champion, I made a list… and guess what? YOU WERE ON IT! You were near the top of the list of one of the people that not only did I want to be in the ring with, but I wanted to– I HAVE TO BEAT! Now I know what you’re probably going to come on and say…”

Jennie smacks her lips, and turns to a mimicking tone, “You’re the younger Fenix, and Tara couldn’t beat me on her best day, so what makes you think you can, and blah blah blah blah blah, you don’t know what you’re asking for, and you don’t know what I’m going to do to you! BLAH!” Jennie leans toward the camera, “BLAH!” she repeats.

“I don’t care! I don’t care about any of that! I don’t care what you threaten me with! I don’t care what you do to me! LOOK! I’ve been knocked down, honey. I’ve been knocked down to the pits! But I’m still standing… I’m still getting up, and I’m still rebuilding, so Rowan, I want you to understand: I don’t care what you threaten me with. I don’t care what you say you can do to me. I’m still going to be standing! But like you were standing over me at Bloody Assizes, I am going to be standing over you at Legacy! SEE YOU ON SUNDAY! And for the rest of you: I’ll see you inside! COME ON!”

Allen continues filming as he and Jennie now enter the SAP Center. END.