Post by Mercedes Vargas on Nov 30, 2015 4:00:45 GMT
..::PROLOGUE::..
I haven't won an IWF Award, yet I have more recognition than every person on the roster. I have yet to win the top titles in the division, yet people can't stop talking about my Ruby Championship reign for some reason. I don't even need to be booked, yet there isn't a second that goes by without my name being mentioned, even in whispers.
And I sure don't need to be in the main event because I'm always top billing at every IWF event. You want proof? This coming Sunday will be one year since I returned at Survival of the Fittest. And what were people talking about the morning after last year? It sure as hell wasn't the matches. Nobody cared about the Extinction Event, nobody cared that Mike Laszlo became Imperial Champion or Amber won the Diamonds Championship for the third time. IWF.com didn't care about who performed that night.
The topic on everyone's lips, the most talked about event, the conversation at the water cooler, playground and street corners, on social media, and in the most elusive nightclubs start and end with?
They cared about me dropping the mic prior to that main event.
And you know what the best part of that was? I enjoyed every moment, every second. Of course, I was probably hated for it, and that didn't bother me one bit. Nope. See, because I don't think, I KNOW I am the single most hated person on the roster. Notice I did not say the Diamonds division, I said on the roster. By the fans, by the roster, by the front office, hell, maybe by the entire universe. If you need proof of this, you don't have to go far. As much hatred and vitriol people have for Amber and Ana, I don't think anyone wanted to end their career. That's how I know I'm doing my job well and I know I'm doing it well.
If I'm making you shift in your seat, if I make you a little uncomfortable, if I’m getting under your skin and light that fire under you, if I'm pissing you off than that's what I'm here to do. To me, that's a lot better than winning a championship.
For someone that claims that I'm worthless, people sure do seem to talk about me a lot, if not indirectly in some way. It's comical how they claim nobody cares about me and what I have to say. And yet, here I am on the lips of all of these idiots and people watching and waiting and wondering what I'm going to say next. And if people hate what I had to say at Survival of the Fittest last year, they're REALLY gonna hate what I have to say when I win Sunday and they're not going to have a single excuse when I leave Survival of the Fittest the number one contender to the Shieldmaiden. And unfortunately for Emma Danielson, it's going to be at her expense.
Love me or hate m, they just can't ignore me.
_______≈₪≈______
__________________________
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
RICK'S TAVERN
♦ ♦ ♦
W E D N E S D A Y
24TH NOVEMBER 2015
11:35 AM PST
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
When ae they going to realize they will never shut me up? I don't give a damn who you are. I don't care if you're wearing a suit, a pantsuit, if you're a referee, the janitor, or the popcorn vendor. They want to call me a motormouth, that's fine. I'l take that and I'll wear it like a badge of honor. The least they could call me is the Energizer Bunny because I'll keep going and going and going.And I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.
[The scene opens on Mercedes Vargas sitting outside the patio at Rick's Tavern in Santa Monica. Dressed in bootcut jeans, a pastel pink off the shoulder top and a matching jacket, the Argentine enjoys the little downtime she's given before preparing for her next match at the pay-per-view Thanksgiving weekend. Obviously, her upcoming match has really got her fired up.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
I've already told them that wins and losses aren't going to stop me, disses and putdowns aren't going to stop me. The bitches on the roster sure couldn't do it, and they put out their best. Where are they now? Either retired, off the grid, no longer with the company or irrelevant. Me, I'm still here. I've lasted longer than some people fee I should have. I've outlasted every damn body in the division, without fail.
[After pausing to take a bite of her Romaine salad, Mercedes, now talking with her, now turns to the important match of the night against yet another old rival, not just in NCW, but also in her career.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
Whenever I have a match against Emma Danielson, I always take advantage of these opportunities because I might not have many more chances left to wrestle her. Hey, she's not that bad. She's not very good either. But I've never been better. I guess you can say she's a cure-all to anyone's doubts. I'm thrown into this number one contender's match, but let's face it, it's not like I need to beat Emma to validate my shot at Asterisk. So, I'm not too worried about Emma ahead of this match. I've beat her in triple threat matches. I've beat her in tag matches. All there's left to do is beat her in a singles match. She definitely proved she can get her ass kicked over the last four months, but that's nothing new.
[She pauses there for a moment from her drink and late lunch to talk more of her favorite subject at the minute.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
Every time I hear this name Fiona, I think of the ogre from the movie Shrek and I think of how ugly she was. That's why I hate it. Funny how she thinks I spend all my time on social media, especially Twitter. Think June 22 was the last I sent out a tweet, which is ironic because she was the last person I sent it to. And even if I did waste my time on social media, since when is it any of her concern? Do I care that she got a hole-in-one in minigolf? No. Once again, she serves as a constant reminder that while ignorance is a disease, you can't fix stupid.
[Her cellphone rings to the tune of a Latin pop song popular in the turn of the decade. She takes out her cell and sends a flurry of text messages out before going back to talking. The Extinction Events plays a crucial role to who walks out with the top two titles in the Diamonds division, and Mercedes was relishing the main event, especially when it concerned the Shieldmaiden and the current champion.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
I believe I can beat Asterisk, and I still do. My confidence isn't shaken having pinned by her last week. I now have a opportunity to get payback. I think Fiona or Esperanza can beat her, but I don't think they're going to. I know Asterisk will still be champion because, really, Fiona McFly, Esperenza Serranto? Do either of them inspire Diamonds Championship dreams? Yeah I didn't think so.
Everyone knows Fifi is the welcoming mat of the division and New Girl not only got her butt kicked by The Fluke last week, but she got two shots at the Shieldmaiden the last two Open Fight Nights, that's two title matches in five weeks. Chances are, the third time isn't going to be the charm. With the team they're on and who they're facing? Might as well call the Extinction Event CSI: Tacoma.
They're going to get so killed.
[Mercedes smirks. She adds that IWF.com will likely have the dates and time for the funeral service afterwards of the challenging team.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
With this match, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. The reward for all the work I've put in is right there and if I go out and beat Emma, I'm right where I need to be, I've gotten myself back to where I've earned that title shot and no one can say different.
[Fade.]
_______≈₪≈______
__________________________
COBBS HILL PARK _____
UPSTATE, NEW YORK
♦ ♦ ♦
T H U R S D A Y
26 NOVEMBER 2015
6:55 PM PST
.::MERCEDES::..
Where are we going?
.::CARMEN::..
We've been over this? We're spending Thanksgiving with family.
.::MERCEDES::..
I don't know why we do this every year, it's annoying. Plus, they normally spend the holidays with us. Why do we have to go over there?
.::CARMEN::..
Oh, get a grip, Mercy! It's really not as bad as you think. I thought it would be nice to surprise them this year.
.::MERCEDES::..
You could have gone by yourself. You didn't have to drag me along.
.::CARMEN::..
You seem surprised, I don't see why.
.::MERCEDES::..
Not really surprised. More like amused.
[Carmen guides her black sedan down Monroe Avenue passing the double-wide town hall on the right and the church on the left before taking the right turn down Southern Parkway. A quarter of a mile down, she turns right into a circular driveway. Mercedes sees a few other cars along with her parents. She didn't remember other people being invited to spend the holidays with her parents.]
.::MERCEDES::..
What's all this? I thought it just be us?
.::CARMEN::..
Your guess is as good as mine
[Carmen kills the engine and steps out onto the grave. Mercedes looks towards the Victorian home belonging to her parents. The breeze plays with her hair which causes her to continually keep strands of it from her face. She raises her sunglasses over her head, taking one last glance at the rear side mirror than trudges behind Carmen and continues towards the house. Composing herself, she raises her hand and knocks on the front door. To her surprise, Jorge answers it. Mercedes smiles sweetly at her brother.]
.::MERCEDES::..
Hello. Where's Mom and Dad?
.::JORGE::..
They're around.
.::CARMEN::..
Good. I want to hear how Aunt Estelle and Uncle Fernando spent the day at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.
[Carmen and Mercedes walks inside. Mercedes looks around and realizes that something just felt wrong about this picture. Her mom usually was humming, her dad watching the Thanksgiving football games. They were no table set up for dinner. In fact, there wasn't aroma of food anywhere.]
.::MERCEDES::..
I'm guessing we're ordering takeout this year? I don't really mind, really. I mean, who wants to slave over a kitchen all day, right?
[As she looks up, she notices a big sign hanging above the mantle. It referenced an intervention. Jorge sees her looking at the sign.]
.::MERCEDES::..
What's with the sign? An intervention?
.::JORGE::..
Oh, that's not important.
.::MERCEDES::..
Wait, hold on. Is this intervention for someone I know? People tell me I'm a good listener. Maybe I could help.
[Jorge starts giving this apologetic look. Before long, he and Carmen take their seats. A few other friends and family parade in and does the same. Looking around confused, Mercedes takes her seat. This wasn't the scenario she had in mind when she decided to come here. Carmen is the first to speak up.]
.::CARMEN::..
So, you know why you are here, right? You know what this is about?
.::MERCEDES::..
The one night a year where we get to enjoy each other's company and engage in a roundtable discussion about what we're most thankful for? Other than that, no. I don't have a clue.
[I know that for all of them to be around they must think that I am lying; after all, if there is a problem that is big enough for all of them to need to come to the rescue, it must be something I am aware of as well.]
.::CARMEN::..
Mercy, you have a problem we need to help you resolve.
[Mercedes looks back at Carmen confused.]
.::MERCEDES::..
Problem? What problem? I know what an intervention is. I've seen Dr. Phil. Oh, this is stupid. I knew coming here was a waste of time. I have to catch a flight to Tacoma for a wrestling match over the weekend.
[Carmen looks at everyone else and then back at Mercedes.]
.::CARMEN::..
“And there lies the problem. We need to discuss your addiction.
.::MERCEDES::..
My “addiction”? What addition? What are you talking about?
.::CARMEN::..
All you care about is wrestling.
[Mercedes look over at the others that are in the room and she see them looking towards each other and nodding. Mercedes is still a little confused at the whole gathering. She rises from her chair, anger flushing her face.]
.::ESTELLE::..
Mercy, sit down, please.
.::MERCEDES::..
Mom, I think I'm fine standing, thank you. And this is bullshit!
.::FERNANDO::..
Don't raise your voice at your mother!
[A pregnant pause between them. Mercedes is dangerously close to losing her composure as her father stares back at her, the rest of her relatives too paralyzed to even move, let alone look away from her obsessed face as they continue to watch in awkward, confined silence.]
.::MERCEDES::..
How the hell is wrestling an addiction? It's not like I'm getting high or anything. How the hell do you think I make a living? I have a huge following as a wrestler and people enjoy watching my matches. When the hell did this become a problem? If anything, it's my LIFE and I enjoy doing it. Where's the problem?
[All of a sudden Jorge speaks out.]
.::JORGE::..
You never want to do anything anymore. All you ever want to do is wrestle. We used to go out every weekend and hang out. We would go at the arcade. We would watch movies. And lately all you have done is put off our plans so you can move on with whatever your next match is. It's affecting the family and I'm not sure how much longer this can go on before you've gone off the deep end.
.::ESTELLE::..
Your brother's right, dear. You never call, you never write. It's like we don't even know you anymore.
.::CARMEN::..
This is why Jorge and I talked about this meeting at Hallow -
[Looking back at her mother, than her cousin, and then everyone else, Mercedes shakes her head in disgust.]
.::MERCEDES::..
Wait, what? You were in on this the WHOLE time? And you all just kept me in the dark? You know what? Fuck you! All you need to know is that I'm focusing on my career. Whoever doesn't want to respect that can kiss my ass!
[Mercedes could no longer at them, instead looking at her napkin, which was already in rivets by her fingernails.]
.::MERCEDES::..
This is stupid. I knew coming here was a waste of time. Don't wait up. I'm going back to California, even if I have to walk.
[The argument comes to an end, the agonizing silence if but a brief moment following the slam of the front door.]
_______≈₪≈______
..::EPILOGUE::..
Now, just because Thanksgiving is over doesn't mean you can't be thankful for what you have in life. And oh am I thankful for this one. The top brass in IWF booked me in a number one contender's match this weekend and in my debut match at IWF's November pay-per-view. And what's more? Against an opponent I can't wait to defeat yet again.
You found yourself in a very tough spot this weekend, Emma Danielson. Not only do you have a losing streak a mile wide, but you get me...on pay-per-view...again. And I'm not in a very good mood. And when I'm not in a very good mood, bad things happen. Especially when it comes to me and you, isn't that right? I don't know how or why you're even getting another Shieldmaiden contendership match because last I checked, you already had one a month ago at the last pay-per-view. They should start a Kickstarter campaign for you to never get another title match again, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think the last time you and I met, Em, you talked about pride. If you're looking for a moral of the story, might I suggest the Richards/Valentine-Jones? Each member of that family thought they were untouchable, they thought the world revolved around them. Oh, but as we soon came to learn, each of them suffered a tragic end which until this day they have never recovered.
Depending on what side of the fence you're on, pride is seen as a virtue or a vice. One of the seven deadly sins, they say.
But, see, pride can also be seen in a good light. For me, I take pride in myself that I'm not like other girls who see this business as just a stepping stone to greener pastures. I take pride in my wrestling career. I take pride in the championships and accolades I've won – yes, even the titles that people claim that I mention, oh, about every five seconds, though that couldn't be further from the truth - I pride myself in being known in most circles, even the world over, and I sure as hell take pride that I don't need to play dirty or cheat to win a match or a championship. And something else I take pride in? It's no secret that I loooove to talk. I'm sure by now you know this. I call things as I see them and I'm never going to sugarcoat just for anybody. Criticism doesn't bother me and you're not persecuting me if you disagree with me. Don't like what I have to say? That's not my problem.
Is it so wrong to have pride? Am I prideful? I guess I am, yeah. Pride is a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
This is why I think our rivalry is so special. Not everyone can be as biting and cruel with verbal jabs like Zelda Knite. Then again, not everybody was able to beat her in NCW or any other promotion where she ended up. Unless your name was Mercedes Vargas.
True story.
So, what do you call this, Em? Is it a feud, is it a rivalry? I don't know, I'm not sure. I like to call it a friendly competition between two former NCW Starlets who just loves to compete. It's a healthy rivalry. For the better part of four years now this past August, we've been trading verbal barbs and sneak attacks, but on November 29th, we're going to be trading blows, and kicks, and punches, we're going to be throwing everything we have at each other because believe it or not, this match has high stakes. This is a match where we're both fighting for something. Well, at least I am.
Supervivencia. Survival.
Survival of the Fittest. Couldn't have found a perfect name to a pay-per-view. When you consider the Ruby Championship, we might as well call it an endangered species. When you look at the eight champions who held that belt, half of them came from NCW. But do you see Tara Fenix around? Nope. Is Jennifer Famularo still on the roster? Negative. Today, Crystal and I are the only former champions left. And as for the rest? Well, two champions had to retire because, apparently, they didn't have much of a backbone, another disappeared off the face of the earth, and the final champion is still hiding in her McMansion with the belt.
It's amazing some of the things I've seen and have had to put up with since I set foot in this company, from Diamond Searches and Thursday night wrestling shows that went absolutely nowhere to watching a revolving door of failed comebacks and promising newcomers that lasted about as long as your latest coffee-and-doughnut run of IWF security, from keeping score in a game of hot potato with the Diamonds Championship to the latest Faction of the Week that either overstayed their welcome like the Age of X or ended up as running jokes like the COE and Body Count.
Even now having to listen to people sullying my name and constantly bringing up a title reign that ended more than a year ago just boggles me when you consider the mind-numbing circumstances behind it, not to mention being the target of many failed attempts on ending my career – either physically, mentally, emotionally or verbally. Some charmed life this is turning out to be.
And yet I rolled through the punches when most would have cracked or given up. Fighting and surviving go hand in hand and that is what makes my resilience unstoppable than any opponent standing in my way. I don't give up, I don't give in, I don't back down and I sure as hell don't quit. Because if I can deal with all of that, if I can survive all of that in almost two years since I got here, Emma, than I can survive beating you again this Sunday.
Maybe you believe what they're saying. What they're saying about the old guard that are left in the division. That we former NCW Starlets really are old, washed up, desperate and pathetic. Hell, if I were in your shoes, I would believe it. And you know the first thing I would do? I'd ask for my release. I'd join Tara Fenix and Rayne and Ayla and Desiree St. James and Alysson Gardner and Freya Kane...all the other former Starlets who used to be here, I would want to become a “former IWF Talent”, which is really code for the parade of men and women who just didn't have what it takes to be here. Some were talented, others were godawful, still others were lazy, but they all shared something in common.
They threw in the towel. They waved the white flag. They quit.
And I wouldn't blame them. People look at me and say that I'm too stubborn for my own good. It's served me well in my career, why change course now? Have I won in IWF? I have five times as many wins as you and I've beaten former Diamonds Champions to boot. Have I lost in IWF? Of course I have. Same story in other companies I have wrestled for. Does that change the fact that I was the first Ruby Champion to surpass 100 days? How about the fact that I was in the first-ever Iron Maiden and just one of the two Diamonds in the division to have made back-to-back appearances in the Iron Maiden and Heiress to the Throne Tournament? Or the fact I have wrestled more matches than ninety percent of the roster? Nope. Doesn't change a damn thing because of my losses.
I've faced worst odds, battled through cracked ribs and being put through flaming tables. I've dodged the shots fired by every mealy mouth bitch on the roster. And for every loss, I get up, dust myself off and keep going. Nothing hasn't changed. The pinfall loss to Kayla in the triple threat, the loss at October Revolution to Alexis. I have remained vigilant in pursuit of the Diamonds Championship and putting you down and then winning the Shieldmaiden will be just the first step in doing that.
I fully expect you to give your all and put up as much of a struggle as you can, but, in the end, it won't matter. It's obvious that you need this match in the worst way, but there's not much more I can say that's going to change the outcome Sunday. You're not competition, you're not even a contender. What you are is just a fringe in the Diamonds division along with the Garcias and Mirsada. Your mere existence doesn't matter in the least unless the top brass remembers you're still on the company payroll.
If I can annoy the hell out of the Richards Sisters with what I say to them, than it should be child's play getting under your skin. I sure as hell hope so, because I'm not coming to Tacoma after a three-hour flight from Los Angeles to embarrass you again. I'm coming for a damn fight. So for once in your sad, miserable life, Emma, let my words get to you. Let them settle in your mind. Get angry. Get pissed off. SHOW ME THE HARDCORE HELLION WHO SHOULD BE FEARED. SHOW them they're wrong about you. PROVE me you're worth a damn.
There's a huge difference between being hard on yourself and being honest with yourself.
Being honest doesn't mean beating yourself up.
Bring your best, and you best hope you've got enough of it because if you come in with anything less, I'll make sure you regret it. Do your worst, because even at your best, I'll be prepared for it.
I'll see you at Survival of the Fittest, Emma.
You'll come to find that I'm not just a survivor, I'm not just unstoppable...
I'm unbreakable.
I haven't won an IWF Award, yet I have more recognition than every person on the roster. I have yet to win the top titles in the division, yet people can't stop talking about my Ruby Championship reign for some reason. I don't even need to be booked, yet there isn't a second that goes by without my name being mentioned, even in whispers.
And I sure don't need to be in the main event because I'm always top billing at every IWF event. You want proof? This coming Sunday will be one year since I returned at Survival of the Fittest. And what were people talking about the morning after last year? It sure as hell wasn't the matches. Nobody cared about the Extinction Event, nobody cared that Mike Laszlo became Imperial Champion or Amber won the Diamonds Championship for the third time. IWF.com didn't care about who performed that night.
The topic on everyone's lips, the most talked about event, the conversation at the water cooler, playground and street corners, on social media, and in the most elusive nightclubs start and end with?
They cared about me dropping the mic prior to that main event.
And you know what the best part of that was? I enjoyed every moment, every second. Of course, I was probably hated for it, and that didn't bother me one bit. Nope. See, because I don't think, I KNOW I am the single most hated person on the roster. Notice I did not say the Diamonds division, I said on the roster. By the fans, by the roster, by the front office, hell, maybe by the entire universe. If you need proof of this, you don't have to go far. As much hatred and vitriol people have for Amber and Ana, I don't think anyone wanted to end their career. That's how I know I'm doing my job well and I know I'm doing it well.
If I'm making you shift in your seat, if I make you a little uncomfortable, if I’m getting under your skin and light that fire under you, if I'm pissing you off than that's what I'm here to do. To me, that's a lot better than winning a championship.
For someone that claims that I'm worthless, people sure do seem to talk about me a lot, if not indirectly in some way. It's comical how they claim nobody cares about me and what I have to say. And yet, here I am on the lips of all of these idiots and people watching and waiting and wondering what I'm going to say next. And if people hate what I had to say at Survival of the Fittest last year, they're REALLY gonna hate what I have to say when I win Sunday and they're not going to have a single excuse when I leave Survival of the Fittest the number one contender to the Shieldmaiden. And unfortunately for Emma Danielson, it's going to be at her expense.
Love me or hate m, they just can't ignore me.
_______≈₪≈______
__________________________
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
RICK'S TAVERN
♦ ♦ ♦
W E D N E S D A Y
24TH NOVEMBER 2015
11:35 AM PST
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
When ae they going to realize they will never shut me up? I don't give a damn who you are. I don't care if you're wearing a suit, a pantsuit, if you're a referee, the janitor, or the popcorn vendor. They want to call me a motormouth, that's fine. I'l take that and I'll wear it like a badge of honor. The least they could call me is the Energizer Bunny because I'll keep going and going and going.And I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.
[The scene opens on Mercedes Vargas sitting outside the patio at Rick's Tavern in Santa Monica. Dressed in bootcut jeans, a pastel pink off the shoulder top and a matching jacket, the Argentine enjoys the little downtime she's given before preparing for her next match at the pay-per-view Thanksgiving weekend. Obviously, her upcoming match has really got her fired up.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
I've already told them that wins and losses aren't going to stop me, disses and putdowns aren't going to stop me. The bitches on the roster sure couldn't do it, and they put out their best. Where are they now? Either retired, off the grid, no longer with the company or irrelevant. Me, I'm still here. I've lasted longer than some people fee I should have. I've outlasted every damn body in the division, without fail.
[After pausing to take a bite of her Romaine salad, Mercedes, now talking with her, now turns to the important match of the night against yet another old rival, not just in NCW, but also in her career.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
Whenever I have a match against Emma Danielson, I always take advantage of these opportunities because I might not have many more chances left to wrestle her. Hey, she's not that bad. She's not very good either. But I've never been better. I guess you can say she's a cure-all to anyone's doubts. I'm thrown into this number one contender's match, but let's face it, it's not like I need to beat Emma to validate my shot at Asterisk. So, I'm not too worried about Emma ahead of this match. I've beat her in triple threat matches. I've beat her in tag matches. All there's left to do is beat her in a singles match. She definitely proved she can get her ass kicked over the last four months, but that's nothing new.
[She pauses there for a moment from her drink and late lunch to talk more of her favorite subject at the minute.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
Every time I hear this name Fiona, I think of the ogre from the movie Shrek and I think of how ugly she was. That's why I hate it. Funny how she thinks I spend all my time on social media, especially Twitter. Think June 22 was the last I sent out a tweet, which is ironic because she was the last person I sent it to. And even if I did waste my time on social media, since when is it any of her concern? Do I care that she got a hole-in-one in minigolf? No. Once again, she serves as a constant reminder that while ignorance is a disease, you can't fix stupid.
[Her cellphone rings to the tune of a Latin pop song popular in the turn of the decade. She takes out her cell and sends a flurry of text messages out before going back to talking. The Extinction Events plays a crucial role to who walks out with the top two titles in the Diamonds division, and Mercedes was relishing the main event, especially when it concerned the Shieldmaiden and the current champion.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
I believe I can beat Asterisk, and I still do. My confidence isn't shaken having pinned by her last week. I now have a opportunity to get payback. I think Fiona or Esperanza can beat her, but I don't think they're going to. I know Asterisk will still be champion because, really, Fiona McFly, Esperenza Serranto? Do either of them inspire Diamonds Championship dreams? Yeah I didn't think so.
Everyone knows Fifi is the welcoming mat of the division and New Girl not only got her butt kicked by The Fluke last week, but she got two shots at the Shieldmaiden the last two Open Fight Nights, that's two title matches in five weeks. Chances are, the third time isn't going to be the charm. With the team they're on and who they're facing? Might as well call the Extinction Event CSI: Tacoma.
They're going to get so killed.
[Mercedes smirks. She adds that IWF.com will likely have the dates and time for the funeral service afterwards of the challenging team.]
M E R C E D E S ♦ V A R G A S
IWF DIAMOND
With this match, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. The reward for all the work I've put in is right there and if I go out and beat Emma, I'm right where I need to be, I've gotten myself back to where I've earned that title shot and no one can say different.
[Fade.]
_______≈₪≈______
__________________________
COBBS HILL PARK _____
UPSTATE, NEW YORK
♦ ♦ ♦
T H U R S D A Y
26 NOVEMBER 2015
6:55 PM PST
.::MERCEDES::..
Where are we going?
.::CARMEN::..
We've been over this? We're spending Thanksgiving with family.
.::MERCEDES::..
I don't know why we do this every year, it's annoying. Plus, they normally spend the holidays with us. Why do we have to go over there?
.::CARMEN::..
Oh, get a grip, Mercy! It's really not as bad as you think. I thought it would be nice to surprise them this year.
.::MERCEDES::..
You could have gone by yourself. You didn't have to drag me along.
.::CARMEN::..
You seem surprised, I don't see why.
.::MERCEDES::..
Not really surprised. More like amused.
[Carmen guides her black sedan down Monroe Avenue passing the double-wide town hall on the right and the church on the left before taking the right turn down Southern Parkway. A quarter of a mile down, she turns right into a circular driveway. Mercedes sees a few other cars along with her parents. She didn't remember other people being invited to spend the holidays with her parents.]
.::MERCEDES::..
What's all this? I thought it just be us?
.::CARMEN::..
Your guess is as good as mine
[Carmen kills the engine and steps out onto the grave. Mercedes looks towards the Victorian home belonging to her parents. The breeze plays with her hair which causes her to continually keep strands of it from her face. She raises her sunglasses over her head, taking one last glance at the rear side mirror than trudges behind Carmen and continues towards the house. Composing herself, she raises her hand and knocks on the front door. To her surprise, Jorge answers it. Mercedes smiles sweetly at her brother.]
.::MERCEDES::..
Hello. Where's Mom and Dad?
.::JORGE::..
They're around.
.::CARMEN::..
Good. I want to hear how Aunt Estelle and Uncle Fernando spent the day at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.
[Carmen and Mercedes walks inside. Mercedes looks around and realizes that something just felt wrong about this picture. Her mom usually was humming, her dad watching the Thanksgiving football games. They were no table set up for dinner. In fact, there wasn't aroma of food anywhere.]
.::MERCEDES::..
I'm guessing we're ordering takeout this year? I don't really mind, really. I mean, who wants to slave over a kitchen all day, right?
[As she looks up, she notices a big sign hanging above the mantle. It referenced an intervention. Jorge sees her looking at the sign.]
.::MERCEDES::..
What's with the sign? An intervention?
.::JORGE::..
Oh, that's not important.
.::MERCEDES::..
Wait, hold on. Is this intervention for someone I know? People tell me I'm a good listener. Maybe I could help.
[Jorge starts giving this apologetic look. Before long, he and Carmen take their seats. A few other friends and family parade in and does the same. Looking around confused, Mercedes takes her seat. This wasn't the scenario she had in mind when she decided to come here. Carmen is the first to speak up.]
.::CARMEN::..
So, you know why you are here, right? You know what this is about?
.::MERCEDES::..
The one night a year where we get to enjoy each other's company and engage in a roundtable discussion about what we're most thankful for? Other than that, no. I don't have a clue.
[I know that for all of them to be around they must think that I am lying; after all, if there is a problem that is big enough for all of them to need to come to the rescue, it must be something I am aware of as well.]
.::CARMEN::..
Mercy, you have a problem we need to help you resolve.
[Mercedes looks back at Carmen confused.]
.::MERCEDES::..
Problem? What problem? I know what an intervention is. I've seen Dr. Phil. Oh, this is stupid. I knew coming here was a waste of time. I have to catch a flight to Tacoma for a wrestling match over the weekend.
[Carmen looks at everyone else and then back at Mercedes.]
.::CARMEN::..
“And there lies the problem. We need to discuss your addiction.
.::MERCEDES::..
My “addiction”? What addition? What are you talking about?
.::CARMEN::..
All you care about is wrestling.
[Mercedes look over at the others that are in the room and she see them looking towards each other and nodding. Mercedes is still a little confused at the whole gathering. She rises from her chair, anger flushing her face.]
.::ESTELLE::..
Mercy, sit down, please.
.::MERCEDES::..
Mom, I think I'm fine standing, thank you. And this is bullshit!
.::FERNANDO::..
Don't raise your voice at your mother!
[A pregnant pause between them. Mercedes is dangerously close to losing her composure as her father stares back at her, the rest of her relatives too paralyzed to even move, let alone look away from her obsessed face as they continue to watch in awkward, confined silence.]
.::MERCEDES::..
How the hell is wrestling an addiction? It's not like I'm getting high or anything. How the hell do you think I make a living? I have a huge following as a wrestler and people enjoy watching my matches. When the hell did this become a problem? If anything, it's my LIFE and I enjoy doing it. Where's the problem?
[All of a sudden Jorge speaks out.]
.::JORGE::..
You never want to do anything anymore. All you ever want to do is wrestle. We used to go out every weekend and hang out. We would go at the arcade. We would watch movies. And lately all you have done is put off our plans so you can move on with whatever your next match is. It's affecting the family and I'm not sure how much longer this can go on before you've gone off the deep end.
.::ESTELLE::..
Your brother's right, dear. You never call, you never write. It's like we don't even know you anymore.
.::CARMEN::..
This is why Jorge and I talked about this meeting at Hallow -
[Looking back at her mother, than her cousin, and then everyone else, Mercedes shakes her head in disgust.]
.::MERCEDES::..
Wait, what? You were in on this the WHOLE time? And you all just kept me in the dark? You know what? Fuck you! All you need to know is that I'm focusing on my career. Whoever doesn't want to respect that can kiss my ass!
[Mercedes could no longer at them, instead looking at her napkin, which was already in rivets by her fingernails.]
.::MERCEDES::..
This is stupid. I knew coming here was a waste of time. Don't wait up. I'm going back to California, even if I have to walk.
[The argument comes to an end, the agonizing silence if but a brief moment following the slam of the front door.]
_______≈₪≈______
..::EPILOGUE::..
Now, just because Thanksgiving is over doesn't mean you can't be thankful for what you have in life. And oh am I thankful for this one. The top brass in IWF booked me in a number one contender's match this weekend and in my debut match at IWF's November pay-per-view. And what's more? Against an opponent I can't wait to defeat yet again.
You found yourself in a very tough spot this weekend, Emma Danielson. Not only do you have a losing streak a mile wide, but you get me...on pay-per-view...again. And I'm not in a very good mood. And when I'm not in a very good mood, bad things happen. Especially when it comes to me and you, isn't that right? I don't know how or why you're even getting another Shieldmaiden contendership match because last I checked, you already had one a month ago at the last pay-per-view. They should start a Kickstarter campaign for you to never get another title match again, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think the last time you and I met, Em, you talked about pride. If you're looking for a moral of the story, might I suggest the Richards/Valentine-Jones? Each member of that family thought they were untouchable, they thought the world revolved around them. Oh, but as we soon came to learn, each of them suffered a tragic end which until this day they have never recovered.
Depending on what side of the fence you're on, pride is seen as a virtue or a vice. One of the seven deadly sins, they say.
But, see, pride can also be seen in a good light. For me, I take pride in myself that I'm not like other girls who see this business as just a stepping stone to greener pastures. I take pride in my wrestling career. I take pride in the championships and accolades I've won – yes, even the titles that people claim that I mention, oh, about every five seconds, though that couldn't be further from the truth - I pride myself in being known in most circles, even the world over, and I sure as hell take pride that I don't need to play dirty or cheat to win a match or a championship. And something else I take pride in? It's no secret that I loooove to talk. I'm sure by now you know this. I call things as I see them and I'm never going to sugarcoat just for anybody. Criticism doesn't bother me and you're not persecuting me if you disagree with me. Don't like what I have to say? That's not my problem.
Is it so wrong to have pride? Am I prideful? I guess I am, yeah. Pride is a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
This is why I think our rivalry is so special. Not everyone can be as biting and cruel with verbal jabs like Zelda Knite. Then again, not everybody was able to beat her in NCW or any other promotion where she ended up. Unless your name was Mercedes Vargas.
True story.
So, what do you call this, Em? Is it a feud, is it a rivalry? I don't know, I'm not sure. I like to call it a friendly competition between two former NCW Starlets who just loves to compete. It's a healthy rivalry. For the better part of four years now this past August, we've been trading verbal barbs and sneak attacks, but on November 29th, we're going to be trading blows, and kicks, and punches, we're going to be throwing everything we have at each other because believe it or not, this match has high stakes. This is a match where we're both fighting for something. Well, at least I am.
Supervivencia. Survival.
Survival of the Fittest. Couldn't have found a perfect name to a pay-per-view. When you consider the Ruby Championship, we might as well call it an endangered species. When you look at the eight champions who held that belt, half of them came from NCW. But do you see Tara Fenix around? Nope. Is Jennifer Famularo still on the roster? Negative. Today, Crystal and I are the only former champions left. And as for the rest? Well, two champions had to retire because, apparently, they didn't have much of a backbone, another disappeared off the face of the earth, and the final champion is still hiding in her McMansion with the belt.
It's amazing some of the things I've seen and have had to put up with since I set foot in this company, from Diamond Searches and Thursday night wrestling shows that went absolutely nowhere to watching a revolving door of failed comebacks and promising newcomers that lasted about as long as your latest coffee-and-doughnut run of IWF security, from keeping score in a game of hot potato with the Diamonds Championship to the latest Faction of the Week that either overstayed their welcome like the Age of X or ended up as running jokes like the COE and Body Count.
Even now having to listen to people sullying my name and constantly bringing up a title reign that ended more than a year ago just boggles me when you consider the mind-numbing circumstances behind it, not to mention being the target of many failed attempts on ending my career – either physically, mentally, emotionally or verbally. Some charmed life this is turning out to be.
And yet I rolled through the punches when most would have cracked or given up. Fighting and surviving go hand in hand and that is what makes my resilience unstoppable than any opponent standing in my way. I don't give up, I don't give in, I don't back down and I sure as hell don't quit. Because if I can deal with all of that, if I can survive all of that in almost two years since I got here, Emma, than I can survive beating you again this Sunday.
Maybe you believe what they're saying. What they're saying about the old guard that are left in the division. That we former NCW Starlets really are old, washed up, desperate and pathetic. Hell, if I were in your shoes, I would believe it. And you know the first thing I would do? I'd ask for my release. I'd join Tara Fenix and Rayne and Ayla and Desiree St. James and Alysson Gardner and Freya Kane...all the other former Starlets who used to be here, I would want to become a “former IWF Talent”, which is really code for the parade of men and women who just didn't have what it takes to be here. Some were talented, others were godawful, still others were lazy, but they all shared something in common.
They threw in the towel. They waved the white flag. They quit.
And I wouldn't blame them. People look at me and say that I'm too stubborn for my own good. It's served me well in my career, why change course now? Have I won in IWF? I have five times as many wins as you and I've beaten former Diamonds Champions to boot. Have I lost in IWF? Of course I have. Same story in other companies I have wrestled for. Does that change the fact that I was the first Ruby Champion to surpass 100 days? How about the fact that I was in the first-ever Iron Maiden and just one of the two Diamonds in the division to have made back-to-back appearances in the Iron Maiden and Heiress to the Throne Tournament? Or the fact I have wrestled more matches than ninety percent of the roster? Nope. Doesn't change a damn thing because of my losses.
I've faced worst odds, battled through cracked ribs and being put through flaming tables. I've dodged the shots fired by every mealy mouth bitch on the roster. And for every loss, I get up, dust myself off and keep going. Nothing hasn't changed. The pinfall loss to Kayla in the triple threat, the loss at October Revolution to Alexis. I have remained vigilant in pursuit of the Diamonds Championship and putting you down and then winning the Shieldmaiden will be just the first step in doing that.
I fully expect you to give your all and put up as much of a struggle as you can, but, in the end, it won't matter. It's obvious that you need this match in the worst way, but there's not much more I can say that's going to change the outcome Sunday. You're not competition, you're not even a contender. What you are is just a fringe in the Diamonds division along with the Garcias and Mirsada. Your mere existence doesn't matter in the least unless the top brass remembers you're still on the company payroll.
If I can annoy the hell out of the Richards Sisters with what I say to them, than it should be child's play getting under your skin. I sure as hell hope so, because I'm not coming to Tacoma after a three-hour flight from Los Angeles to embarrass you again. I'm coming for a damn fight. So for once in your sad, miserable life, Emma, let my words get to you. Let them settle in your mind. Get angry. Get pissed off. SHOW ME THE HARDCORE HELLION WHO SHOULD BE FEARED. SHOW them they're wrong about you. PROVE me you're worth a damn.
There's a huge difference between being hard on yourself and being honest with yourself.
Being honest doesn't mean beating yourself up.
Bring your best, and you best hope you've got enough of it because if you come in with anything less, I'll make sure you regret it. Do your worst, because even at your best, I'll be prepared for it.
I'll see you at Survival of the Fittest, Emma.
You'll come to find that I'm not just a survivor, I'm not just unstoppable...
I'm unbreakable.
Well howdy there pardner.