Not an Xmas themed promo.

[Zasshu II]

”I’m just going to go ahead and be honest here. I wasn’t expecting to make it to the semi finals.”

{ She shrugs with a little smirk. }

”Round one I was paired off with Atara Raven, the so called Goddess and while I do think fairly highly of myself I wasn’t exactly counting my chickens if you forgive the dated analogy.”

{ She’s old school, what do you want? }

”But here I am. Some how I’ve added another legend to the notches in my belt as I inch ever closer to the biggest prize in all of women’s professional wrestling. If the goose pimples aren’t obvious on camera then let me just say that my arms are riddled with them. The professional wrestling world moves fast but I’m moving at a speed I wasn’t entirely expecting.”

{ She looks around for a moment. }

”I know, I know. I’m supposed to stand here and tell you things went exactly how they were supposed to go. I’m supposed to act like I knew I’d win last week and I know I’ll win next week and I know I’ll be holding the Women’s World Championship before the end of January. I’m supposed to act like I’m the greatest professional wrestler to ever live and that everyone who stepped into the ring before me was just keeping the water warm.”

{ She grimaces and sticks out her tongue like she’s gagging. }

”Sorry, I don’t dabble in undeserved ego. I try to be a realist. And the realist in me didn’t expect to beat Atara Raven just like I didn’t expect to beat Rowan. I’ve been in this business for a cup of tea compared to most of the women I’ve faced, my name is relatively unknown, with or without the mask and I personally wouldn’t consider myself one of the most skilled women on the roster.”

{ She moves her head around like she’s trying to disregard her own self deprivation. }

”But here I am anyway in the semi finals. I did beat Atara Raven. I proved that just a regular old person can stand toe to toe with a God and come out the otherside. And now I have to contend with who’s next. And who is next? Well, she may just be the odds on favorite to go all the way to the finals.”

{ She drops her shoulders into a slouch for a moment. }

”Vivienne Rogers… Jesus.”

{ She throws her arms up in exasperation. }

”Round one I had to face THE Goddess and round two I had to face possibly one of the best women to ever lace up a pair of boots? It’s like someone in the back has it out for me or something!”

{ She looks around the camera like she’s trying to spot who that person is. }

”I know who you are!”

{ She points off camera and you can hear footsteps scurrying off. }

”So… Viv… Wow. I’m sort of at a loss for words. Honestly. Let me just be a fangirl for a moment and say that you were my favorite… Circa 2019.”

{ She throws her arms up again. }

”Look, I know that sounds a kind of like an insult but it’s not. Watching you scratch and claw your way to the IWF Women’s World Championship was literally awe inspiring. I, like so many fans around the world, lived vicariously through you. You showed everyone that you don’t need to be something to be successful. And by something I mean a God or a monster or a serial killer or Pennywise the clown. You stepped into the ring as just a regular person and showed out every single time. You had the crowd in the palm of your hands and you held that world championship over your head. That moment was literally the background on my phone for wayyyyyy too long.”

{ She shrugs again. }

”You were it, Viv. IT! You were the type of wrestler every young person in the crowd and watching at home should want to be. You got it done without being some homicidal maniac or sadomasochist or just plain creepy complete with a white panel fan and a basement full of hooks and chains. You did it just as yourself and that was totally awesome.”

{ She sways her head around for a moment. }

”And even when you dropped off we still believed in you. We still pushed for you. We still supported you. I was right there at the front lines of the Vivienne army rooting for your comeback every single time you stepped into the ring. And I’m not here to try and paint you as undeserving of your Hall of Fame station. Not at all. But I am here to say that something changed after you lost the World Championship.”

{ She half smirks but not in a condescending way, more in a she doesn’t know what to say way. }

”Look, I can’t speak for you and I won’t try to. For whatever reason you just never reached the same height again. You were never able to climb the mountain again. And I don’t know why, Viv, I don’t because you’re clearly talented enough, you’re clearly good enough. Hell, you’re pound for pound one of the best professional wrestlers in the world, in my opinion. I don’t know if you got in your own head or if your personal life was just in the way but for the last four years you’ve been a shell of who you were…”

“And then the Murder happened.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah it’s not the Pack 2.0 but isn't it just sort of the Pack 2.0? It’s Rowan leading a ‘pack’ of people completely devoted to her fighting for a totally vague and unattainable goal? I mean, that sort of sounds exactly like the Pack to me except this time it’s all about girl power or whatever?”

{ She shrugs. }

”So the Murder is the Pack with heavy Spice Girls influence. The pre teen in me is super excited because who doesn’t love Spice Up Your Life? But the adult professional wrestler in me kind of groans because a stable of people with a vague goal in mind sounds really boring. And the fact you’re all just following Rowan because women aren't getting it done? That doesn't really make much sense. And it never made sense that the Pack was so devoted to her even though she never did anything for them. She wasn’t even charismatic enough to be a cult leader. Now throw some face paint on and start handing out fliers for the Children of Eternity and I could see how that may be appealing. At least her vagueness is by design and not just a lack of imagination.”

{ She laughs under her breath. }

”Sorry, I know it’s sacrilegious to speak out against Rowan but I just don’t see the appeal in following her orders. She’s like the villain from a bad eighties slasher movie, not a leader. And certainly not someone I’d expect to see Vivienne throwing in with. Unless of course she latched onto your doubt and somehow convinced you she could take you back to the promised land but can we be honest with each other, Viv? When has Rowan ever carried anyone but herself anywhere?”

{ Finger guns to shoot the point home. }

”I suppose you could argue Brooklyn if you wanted to completely remove any agency from our reigning World Champion?”

{ She shrugs. }

”All I’m trying to say is the Murder is sort of redundant and not in a Back to the Future 2 is just Back to the Future 1 sort of way. Like, I don’t think the women’s division needs brutal saving. Brooklyn is already our champion and WHEN she chooses to wrestle she absolutely kills it. And as far as the rest of the division goes, I think it’s pretty stacked. The IWF may have the best version of its women’s division it’s ever had. So, again, I feel like the Murder’s vague mission is a little redundant and I just fail to see why a Hall of Fame talent such as Vivienne Rogers is bending the knee to yesterday's super villain?”

{ She looks around like she’s preparing to block a fireball but then faces the camera. }

”The bottom line is, Vivienne Rogers doesn’t need the Murder and she certainly doesn’t need Rowan. Everything that made Viv the legendary talent she is still resides within her and she didn’t need Rowan to reach that status. You did it on your own. And you should do it on your own again. You should look back on that naive twenty something girl and try to find what it was that pushed you to reach the top of the mountain. You should be hunting for whatever it was you lost instead of just blindly walking in someone else’s footsteps. Besides, you kind of overshadow everyone you’re following.”

{ She throws her arms up as if to say, hey, it’s true. }

”All of this has been my way of saying I don’t want the Murder Presents: Vivienne Rogers. I don’t want the person Rowan tells you to be. I don’t want the hyperbole or the insinuations or the bullshit. I want Vivienne Rogers the professional wrestler. I want Vivienne Rogers the IWF Women’s World Champion. I want Vivienne Rogers the Hall of Fame talent. I want the person you used to be, the person you’ve forsaken, I want the only version of yourself that mattered in this company.”

{ She takes a determined stance. }

”If you come out to the ring Tuesday night playing whatever part it is that Rowan tells you to play and you expect to win? I’ve got super bad news for you. That Vivienne Rogers isn’t going anywhere fast. That Vivienne Rogers isn’t a World Champion, she isn’t the Heiress to the Throne, she isn’t even the runner up. This part you’re playing, the one you’re trying to pass off as the real you? No one is buying it. Every beat down you take part in? We see you pulling your punches. Every order you follow? We see you rolling your eyes. Every time you stand in the ring as a third or maybe fourth wheel with women we know you’re better than? We see that you know it too.”

“You’re better than who you’re pretending to be.”

“I know it. The fans know it. It’s time you knew it too. It’s time someone reminded you of who Vivienne Rogers is, what she’s capable of and how far she can fly when she isn’t on a leash. It’s time you remembered who you are and maybe me slapping the living shit out of you is exactly what you need. I’m not going to stand here and promise victory. That isn’t me. What I will do is stand here and tell you that you’ll need to remember who you are to beat me.”

{ She points at the camera. }

”That’s a promise! Because I’m not afraid of the Murder. I’m not afraid of Rowan. I’m not afraid of what’s going to happen to me after the match. There’s an entire locker room full of women who are already sick and tired of your crap and we outnumber you. So, Viv why don’t you do us both a favor and drop the act. Be yourself. Be the professional wrestler you were born to be and fight me. Fight me and may the best person win.”

“Goodnight and goodluck.”

{ The date went well, so well in fact that they found themselves back at the apartment belonging to Zasshu. The two women were enjoying a bottle of merlot while everyone’s favorite Christmas movie, Gremlins played on the television. In between getting lost in the movie they each picked up part of the previous conversation, this time it was Maria’s turn to keep the conversation going. }

”So you’re a pro wrestler?”

”Yup.”

{ For whatever reason Zasshu felt some level of embarrassment, like she had something to be ashamed of. }

”Are you anyone I might have heard of? Your screen name didn’t ring any bells?”

”Eh, probably not.”

”Oh so you’re one of those mysterious wrestlers!”

{ Maria said as she suddenly turned to face Zasshu on the couch. }

”What’s your thing!?”

”What do you mean?”

”You know what I mean! What’s your thing? Are you like a grave robber or a circus worker with a demented past? Wait, I’ve got it. You were the boss's secretary who secretly trained to wrestle and then finally got your chance?”

”I’m just me.”

{ She said as she shoved her shoulder into Maria playfully. }

”Then why don’t I recognize your name?”

”I don’t use my name… Anymore.”

{ She let a truth slip she hadn’t intended to. No one in IWF or in wrestling knew who she was under the mask. They didn’t know who she used to be. She liked that. She liked the anonymity but piece by piece Maria was breaking down her walls. }

”Why?”

{ She knew that question was coming and still she didn’t want to answer it. }

”I just… I didn’t like who I was or who I was trying to be…”

”I like who you are.”

{ Maria said as she nuzzled her head into the crook of Zasshu’s neck. }

”Even if you won’t tell me your super secret professional wrestling name.”

”It’s not a secret!”

{ She says with a laugh as she lays her head against Maria’s. }

”Suuuure it’s not… So, your thing, super awesome secretary or crazy clown lady, there’s no inbetween?”

{ The two of them laughed as they watched the climax of the movie. }

”Neither. I’m just me. The best version of me.”

”Well I wish the best version of you good luck… Maybe on our next date you’ll tell me know your wrestling name so I can cheer you on?”

”Second date?”

{ She was surprised, things were going well, sure but a second date is never guaranteed. }

”Uhhhh yeah, second date. What did you think, you could come into my life as average height, cute and mysterious and just disappear without a second date?”

”N-no.”

”Good. Then it’s a second date.”

{ Maria nuzzled in a little further as our scene came to a close. }