AS 108 - Theron Daggershield versus Eve Taylor (Non-Title)
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Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
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Scene opens up to a view of a rack full of cosplay costume outfits. Mario, Link from The Legend of Zelda, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7, Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon, and many other characters' outfits can be seen. The voice of Theron Daggershield is heard from offscreen.
Theron: (Offscreen) Kirilah! Look what I found!
Angle zooms out and Theron walks onscreen. He is wearing a cosplay version of Link's Goron Tunic outfit from Ocarina of Time. The Warblade walks over to a corner that is surrounded by mirrors to do poses as his girlfriend and WZCW manager Tiffany Wyatt walks over.
Tiffany: Looks good. I am surprised you did not go for the traditional green tunic he wears in most games. You wanted to model heroes' outfits, correct? Few are more heroic than the Hero of Time in his iconic green tunic.
He responds to her, mid-pose.
Theron: Yeah, but red's my favorite color! Plus, the red armor was the best in both the original Myth of Esmerelda as well as the third game in the series.
Tiffany: I think the green one might suit you better. Go grab the traditional green tunic version of what you are wearing now. Actually.... were there not four similar tunics in the same Zelda game once? Green, red, blue, and purple? Find the others and come model them all for me, alright? For sure you need to get the green one though.
He stops posing and looks at her before nodding in agreement.
Theron: You got it. I saw a traditional green Sync outfit back there next to one of Squeegee from Super Stereo Brothers. As for the others.... I'll look for them.
Tiffany pulls out her iPhone once Theron leaves to get the other outfits. Her thoughts are heard as she scrolls through her inbox.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) Week 3 as Shawn's onscreen manager. WZCW have now given me a deadline of Unscripted 2016. By that night, they want to see who Shawn Daggers is behind the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying hero of light persona. Shawn's Dungeon Master and roommate Ian never fully responded to my text message I sent to him during the week of Meltdown 130. By the time he finally responded, Shawn had already competed in his tag team match with Justin Cooper against Constantine and Abel Hunnicutt on Meltdown.
The angle zooms in on the iPhone and the text message conversation can be seen.
Angle zooms back out to show Tiffany again. She has sat down at one of the chairs by the mirror wall.
Tiffany: What is taking him so long, it has been 25 minutes since his last message and normally he is always on time.
A female Store Associate walks over to Tiffany. She appears to be around 19, has medium length brown hair, and glasses.
Associate: Hello, can I help you find anything?
Tiffany: No, I am fine, thank you.
Associate: Are you sure? We have a Sailor Venus outfit that could be perfect for you! No, wait.... Even better! I heard your conversation with your boyfriend earlier, if you want to match his colors when he wears the green tunic you could always go for the green variation of Princess Zelda's Smash Bros portrayal. I saw that particular dress in the back earlier today.
Tiffany: No thanks. I appreciate the offer though. We are here so that I can help him get into the mind of his opponent, Eve Taylor, who is a former model.
Associate: That's a great idea. What better way for Theron to do a little modeling of his own than to do so by cosplaying. I saw his match with Eve from Gold Rush last year, by the way. I bet he can defeat her again!
Realizing this girl is a fan, Tiffany looks at her with a smile.
Tiffany: Of course he will! Be sure to watch Ascension 108.
Associate: Well, I better get back to work. Come find me if you need any help locating anything.
The store associate walks off. A couple of seconds later Theron's roommate and Dungeon Master, Ian, shows up. He is wearing a light blue button up shirt, denim pants, a blue necktie, and aviator sunglasses. His long blonde hair is in a ponytail. Ian walks over to where Tiffany was sitting. Tiffany gets up out of her chair, crossing her arms. Ian stands next to her.
Tiffany: I was beginning to think you were not coming. Now that you are here.... What happened that night 3 years ago, back in September 2013?
Ian: What happened that evening? We played D&D. I shall share the rest of the details later.
Tiffany: Can you not tell me now? I need to know because-
She is interrupted by the returning Theron, who is now dressed in the iconic traditional green tunic costume of Link from the Zelda series.
Theron: I found many other colored versions of the same outfit, Kirilah. I'll put them on one by one and try each out....
Theron is holding a Master Sword replica in his right hand and a Hylian Shield replica in his left. The store associate who had spoken to Tiffany earlier walks by and places down a stack of Link costumes in a pile by Theron including the red Goron tunic, blue Zora tunic, a yellow Pipit tunic, a white Skyloft tunic, a grey Fierce Deity Link replica tunic, a Shadow Link tunic, and a Purple tunic. Then the associate walks offscreen. Theron goes to the pile of Link tunics. He notices Ian is there.
Theron: Hey Kaleesta! I didn't know you were coming.
Ian: You look like a true hero, my friend. Let's see some cool poses!
The store associate returns with a pile of various item replicas from the Zelda series and sets them down by the tunic pile.
Associate: By the way, these are all part of a big sale today. Buy one costume, get a prop free!
She walks offscreen. The Warblade walks over by the mirror wall and does a number of poses dressed in the green tunic. One with the sword raised, one portraying a defensive stance with the shield, pretending to hold up a newly procured item, and several others. Tiffany's thoughts are heard during this.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) You did not imagine it. Shawn called Ian "Kaleesta". He sees his own roommate as the Cleric of Tyr named Kaleesta from Dungeons & Dragons that he plays. This is a lot like how he sees me as the Paladin of Mystra named Kirilah that I play. Everything is a Dungeons & Dragons campaign to Shawn. How can I get him to shed that for even five seconds, before the Unscripted event?
Scene fades in to black for about two seconds, then fades back in. Theron is now wearing the blue Zora tunic and is striking similar poses, weilding a Hammer replica instead of the sword. Tiffany's thoughts are still heard during the medley of poses.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) This will be great mental training for him to help him understand what it may have been like to model, having to try out several different colors of outfits. Green, red, blue, purple, and so many more. Posing over and over again, only to have to restart the process in different colors until each outfit has been posed in.
Scene fades out to black for two seconds again, then fades back in. Theron is now wearing a yellow Pipit tunic, similar in appearance to one of Link's alternate costumes in Smash Bros. He begins posing again, this time with a replica of Link's Ocarina item now.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) The new entrance music was a successful change. So were the new dragon images for use with Shawn's WZCW Network Promos in between the shows. A Gold Dragon for Meltdown, a Green Dragon for Ascension, and a battle against a Red Dragon for special events like Unscripted. Fans love his new Epica entrance theme and the new dragon promo graphics. Now for his next change.... A potential update to his in-ring strategy. I am going to try to suggest that he be more willing to use his weapons when the referee is not looking, and similar tactics. The amount of fan emails that action caused speaks for itself.
Scene fades to black for roughly two seconds once more, then fades back in. Theron is now wearing a white Skyloft tunic. He is posing, but now with a Boomerang instead.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) Ian is not telling me the whole story. I have to get it out of him immediately. Not just for me, but for Shawn. When Shawn goes to purchase these outfits, which I am sure he will, then that is my chance to ask Ian for the truth.
Scene fades to black yet again for two seconds, then fades back in. Theron is wearing the Purple tunic resembling the one from Four Swords. He is holding a replica of a Bottle item while posing pretending to hold the bottle up to drink potions.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) I like this outfit, personally. I wonder if it comes in women's sizes?
The former World Heavyweight Champion sets down the bottle replica and then turns over to his allies after Tiffany stops pondering her thoughts.
Theron: What outfit should I try next?
Tiffany: Actually.... your portrayal of Link gives me an idea. The next thing I was going to ask you to change for your matches.... I received more fan emails than usual last week. There was one that stuck out to me. Somebody who mentioned your use of the Buster Sword replica when the referee was distracted. What if you began doing things like that more often? Maybe you should be a little more like Link and use some different tactics to overcome the obstacles in your path.
Theron: Hmmmm.... That's worth looking into. The Triad and Mystra would not be opposed to it so long as I continue to focus on vanquishing villains. Like Ella Teague, who I'm going to battle on Elevation 108! I still have to abide by the rules in the ring though. Should I really have used my Sword when the guard was not looking? It was not a Weapons Brawl.
Tiffany: Sometimes you have to break the rules in order to guarantee that the greater good will overcome the enemy....
He turns to face Ian.
Theron: What are your thoughts on that, Kaleesta?
Ian: You need to do what you feel is right, my friend.
Theron: Good point, Kaleesta. Kirilah is onto something. Ella Teague changed up a few things of her own, and now she is the longest reigning Expert Champion.
Tiffany: Did you want to buy those Link costumes? Can you check and see if they have any of that purple one in girls sizes? I really liked that one.
Theron: I'll go find the merchant and ask.
He leaves to go find an associate. Tiffany sighs and looks at Ian.
Tiffany: Now can you tell me?
Ian: Shawn came to Jason, Austin, and myself with bad news on that night in September 2013. That was the night he informed us that he was not going to be able to graduate, his only chance at having a successful career was his new job in WZCW as a wrestler. He was extremely stressed out and needed an escape from reality.... So we played D&D.
A few seconds of silence pass before Tiffany speaks again.
Tiffany: Ok, but then what happened after that?
He faces her and takes his sunglasses off.
Ian: He needed a bigger escape from reality than usual, so I told him to create his own world. I gave him my Dungeon Master's Guide to borrow, thinking he would design a D&D campaign to get his mind off shortcomings in school. I didn't think he would delve into it as deeply as he did.
A look of shock is seen in Tiffany's facial expressions.
Tiffany: So that is how it began. Do you know how I can snap him out of it? WZCW has been demanding an answer regarding what Shawn is like outside of D&D. He has until his 20-Sided Open Challenge at Unscripted to answer, and I have not even been able to tell him of this expectation yet.
Ian: I'm afraid Shawn may never recover his original perception of reality without professional help.
Tiffany: What am I going to do then, Ian!?
She begins freaking out, unsure of how to process this revelation.
Ian: Have them do the interview at Unscripted that you spoke of. Make sure Shawn brings this, though.
He shows her a playing card deck, one that has four different colors. The spades and hearts are traditional black and red, but the clubs are green and the diamonds are blue.
Ian: While the real Shawn Daggers might be hidden underneath layers upon layers of D&D fantasy, this Blackjack deck might be the catalyst that you need....
She flips through the card deck, admiring its use of four colors.
Tiffany: I have never seen one of these with more than two colors before. I like this color scheme. So, Shawn liked playing cards before he jumped into his.... world?
Ian tilts his head a little to the side and hesitates to answer this at first.
Ian: Not.... exactly.... Watch what happens when I show Shawn the cards.
She gives him back the cards and Ian moves his head back to its normal position. Theron returns, this time wearing a green trenchcoat. He sets down a huge plastic bag, which has all the Link outfits and props from earlier in it. Including the female variation of Purple Link for Tiffany.
Theron: Well this has been fun. I'm willing to try that tactic change you suggested, Kirilah. If it's needed. Ella Teague has been on an incredible roll lately breaking the Expert Championship record. This is where she stops rolling Natural 20's though. Kirilah! Who ended Ella's reign as Global Champion?
Tiffany: You did. At Gold Rush 2015. It is match that is regarded as one of your best.
Theron: Exactly! When I defeated her at Treasure Hunt it catapulted me to greatness. It will happen again at Elevation 108. I have to be ready for ANY possible opponent at Uncalled For when I issue my 20-Sided Challenge. If I can defeat Ella Teague who just beat Michelangelo Tempest, the current World Gladiatorial Heavyweight Champion, then I can enter Uncalled For with full confidence knowing I can win against any gladiator.
Ian: That match between Eve and Mikey had an odd finish, from what I heard too.
Theron: It did, Kaleesta. The reason Ella won was because she cast a Charm Spell on Michelangelo when he least expected it. Ella's Charm Spell will not work on me though. I love Kirilah, so the affection of another woman, whether genuine or not, has NO effect on me. Then there's the fact that Ella's so focused on her desire to face Cecilia Rose, her obsession with the protection of her belt to the point of naming it Shuriken, and preparing for her next title defense.... She is so preoccupied with Shuriken and dream matches that she won't see my Critical Hit coming. She underestimated me at Treasure Hunt 2015. It wouldn't surprise me if she does it again on Elevation 108.
Ian pulls out the Blackjack card deck.
Ian: After you win your match, how about we play some Blackjack, for old times sake?
Theron stares at the deck of cards for a few seconds, blinks four times, then responds.
Theron: Sure thing, Diamond! Let's go! I have a match go to win!
He walks offscreen with the bag of outfits. Tiffany looks over at Ian, completely confused.
Tiffany: Why did he call you "Diamond"? I thought your character's name was Kaleesta?
Ian: I'll explain on the way. Let's go show Shawn our support in his match.
Ian walks offscreen in the same direction Theron did. Tiffany's thoughts are heard as she looks in the direction they departed in.
Tiffany: (Voice-over) "Diamond"? Things just got a whole lot more complicated. At least I know this much.... Shawn's victory against Eve Taylor the last time he faced her was one of the biggest wins of his career. He must win this time too. He has everything to prove. Unlike the complexities surrounding Shawn's perception of reality, what he must do next is actually very simple. Just like the last time he faced her, in the Eurasian Championship match at Gold Rush 2015. He is going to defeat Eve Taylor.... Again.... And then he will move on to great success.... Again!
Fade to black.
Viola Moonlight
I'm Literally Just Here for WZCW
The snug room had been vacated by Stacey Madison and the recording crew for a few minutes, taking a quick coffee break in the catering area. Eve Taylor remained behind with Senshuken, all alone; the Elite Openweight championship sat upon her, like royalty ruling on the throne, with Eve Taylor its protector, yet nobody around to declare their challenge. Whilst it was nice for Eve to feel slightly relaxed in this environment, the anxiety of not knowing anyone willing to stand against her reign was beginning to seep inside Eve's mind. The obvious comes to mind: a mysterious opponent could be anyone, and Eve had to prepare for anything. If she failed to do so in every conceivable fashion, Eve Taylor had lost. The worst aspect of the mystery is that the only person who could take on Eve - Noah Ryder - held the contract to officially change any match, at any event, into a title match, involving himself. No challengers with no date; one opponent at any time. Indeed, these were scary times for Eve, despite the tough persona she kept when the camera was rolling. As the longest reigning champion in history, Eve was forced to become strong. She had to adopt a face of stone and an unbreakable Titantic body, showing no signs of weakness; however, enough damage dealt to stone will reveal cracks and the iceberg will soon approach, looking to sink Eve Taylor as champion. She knew her time with Senshuken was coming to an end, and whilst she had already accepted her feat, Eve was not going to let the thought of one piece of ice floating in the waters cause her to drown just yet; she was going to remain at full speed... so why was Eve worried?
The time by herself allowed Eve to reflect on such a question, but it wasn't until she remembered what she said - in the first half of the interview with Stacey Madison - that she truly understood the answer. Once more, Eve Taylor found herself without a soul in any direction. The manifestations of Eve's mind, whether they be memories or projections onto inanimate objects like Senshuken, were the only souls surrounding her. Yes, this has been a recurring issue for Eve, and yes, she isn't any stranger to this situation (although, Eve had started with opening up to people like Abigail), but this feeling was different. Instead of being alone without anyone willing to be her friend, she stood proudly on top of the Elite mountain without anyone willing to be her enemy. Eve's hunger for success consumed friendships: it made acquaintances out of friends, and enemies out of acquaintances. This was the life cycle Eve knew and grew accustomed, but there were no enemies this time. There was just nobody. Whilst Eve tried taking this in stride, telling herself that a clear radar was because of her success as champion, she couldn't shake the notion in her head that fate had once more laughed at her, showing her that nobody what she achieved, she would be an outcast for the rest of eternity. It sickened Eve to think she could feel like this, and she imagined others laughing at her she should revealed this information.
'Eve was a successful, dominate champion, and she was feeling sorry for herself? Wow, what an attention ****e!' Said the voices Eve imagined in her head. 'Can't she think of somebody else for once?'
"But who is there to think about?" Eve replied in a whisper.
"Pardon me?"
Shocked, Eve looked up to see Stacey Madison walk back into the room, followed by the recording team. She stood directly in front of Eve with a coffee cup in hand, looking at her with body posture suggesting she was waiting for an answer.
"Oh, nothing." Eve hesitated, letting off a quick nervous laugh.
She cleared her throat and adjusted herself, looking around the room to see if anyone else noticed, or cared. Luckily for her embarrassment, everyone was working on getting the set-up working again, and Stacey Madison went over to the garbage can to dispense her finished beverage. Madison returned to her seat, and fixed herself up.
"Were you okay in here by yourself?" Stacey questioned.
Eve took a second to answer. "Yeah, fine. Just thinking."
"Good. I thought you were muttering to your championship. I know you've named the title because you care so much about it, which is a nice touch, but when you start talking to it, you might want to consider a shrink."
Eve laughed at the response, doing her best to shrug it off as the recording crew began counting down to start. Stacey Madison straightened herself up and got ready for the camera. Eve took a second before she supermodel-ed up, putting on a smile and creating a happy glow on her face.
... 3
... 2
... 1
...
"Alright everyone, welcome back to my exclusive interview with Eve Taylor and thank you for tuning in. This is the second half of the two-part interview, and if you're here on Eve's channel without seeing the first half, we'll leave a link in the description, as well as an annotation on screen somewhere here:"
"The first half was a very formal interview with some hard questions and strong answers, but this second half will be a more informal and chatting more about Eve herself than anything else; less of an interview and more of a quick podcast. Hopefully, it'll be refreshing."
"Well, we haven't had a good WZCW podcast in a while. The latest one was such a killjoy. The guy likes to let loose on his misogynistic language from time-to-time."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, apparently when he's not following the script, he just doesn't give a damn. I find it weird since I've spoken to him, and even worked with him as well on a few WZCW projects, and I've never noticed that. I guess that's what happens when you stop doing extra curricular stuff and focus on being a strong competitor. But, I digress, since I'm being a typical girl and complaining."
Eve let out a belly laugh, winking at the camera. All those worries she had before were gone by having a little fun. Maybe Eve needed to let loose herself from time-to-time too, minus the sexism.
"I'm only having a bit of a ramble, don't worry. I won't be spending the entire time ragging on other people again. There's much more to me than my bitchy traits." Eve laughed.
"Well, why don't we get to know a little more about the real 'Eve Taylor', then?"
"What is to say that hasn't already been said?" Eve immediately responded. "I've told the rags to riches story main times: I grew up on a farm outside of Milan, Italy with a poor family..."
"Is that the real Eve Taylor, though?" Stacey interrupted. "I'm not trying to downplay the life you've lived and how it's negatively affected you, but that story is the essence of your character, right? It's the life blood of Eve Taylor and every decision you've made relates back to that person. Yes, it's true, but it's not really you. What I'm asking is if we strip back the performer; take away everything that makes you Eve Taylor and ask, if I may, Eva Pellegrini some questions about her life."
Eve was stunned. She hadn't an answer for a few seconds. The real Eve Taylor? The person behind Eve? Asking Eva Pellegrini? Eve wondered what Stacey was looking to achieve here.
"Um, sure, I guess." Eve answered to her best of her abilities. "I'm not sure how well I'll do though, nor do I understand the compromise. I am Eve Taylor. How can I not be Eve Taylor?"
"Yeah, it is a hard ask to someone in this profession. You spend your entire life learning to be someone else when you step out that curtain, and return to the person when it the show is over. For some like you, you've had to do it twice. Once as a supermodel, and another as a professional wrestler; much like Theron Daggershield, your opponent on Ascension coming up. He's a man you've had history with, but he's much more like you than you care to admit. He's much the same: a character in the ring, and on the board... but is his name really Theron Daggershield? That's almost as absurd, or the very least coincidental, considering he plays D&D and his last name consists of two items one character requires, whilst you were a model and your last name is a profession of a person who makes dresses for them. Little weird, don't you think?"
"So you want me to talk about my name choice?"
"If that's where you feel comfortable. Am I right?"
Eve let out a big sigh, taking a moment to answer.
"As important as my childhood is to my Eve character, Eva Pellegrini doesn't exist any more." Eve admitted. "For a majority of my life, I've played the role of Eve Taylor. This charade you believe you see is the same person you see outside, because I've been doing this since I was a child. Even before I became a supermodel, I was always pretending to be someone else. That's what you do as a kid sometimes, you venture off into dreams and become a princess, but with how bad my childhood was like, a lot worse than I've described when I was playing the Eve Taylor character, becoming someone else was my only reprieve. My father didn't love me, and my mother pretended to care; both of them were on autopilot when it came to raising me among my other siblings. They didn't want another child, and for a couple of years, they were happy with their choice, until one day they had an accident. That accident was me, Stacey. They've told me this story several times. You know how much that hurts?"
Stacey couldn't answer.
"My parents didn't want me, my siblings viewed me as the young girl who always made mistakes. Only my grandmother really cared for me, because I was named after her and took a liking to her... and even then, I didn't get to spend much time with her. So you can't blame me for taking the first opportunity I had to get out of there, right? My family can, apparently. They haven't talked to me since. Funny how they care so little about me when I'm there, but yet they disowned me for abandoning them?"
Eve looked away for a second.
"If you want to ask Eva Pellegrini any questions, go find her invisible tombstone. All you get is childish answers and a plea for help. Maybe she'll even ask you for a good hiding spot to stow away whilst father came at her with the belt, all because she wanted to dream. All that's here Stacey is Eve Taylor, the character who is now the person, carrying the burdens of a dead child. So if you want to ask anything to the person behind the character, go talk to Theron, but even he, the mightiest of warriors, has difficulty finding the distinction between the two people sometimes. If you have anything personal up your sleeve, you can try to ask me, I guess... but you'll probably get the same thing I would say with a microphone in my hand. This person you see here is the same as the Eve Taylor that goes out and defends the Elite Openweight championship with pride, and is also the same person that spends time with you or falling in love with someone like Aubrey Sloan. A character I haven't figured out is the best I've got; a shattered fragment of a person yet the perfect character in a story. For that, I'm sorry."
There is a moment of silence between the two.
"So you want to know why I chose Eve Taylor? Eve was the closest name I could pick that reminds me of my grandmother, and Taylor was because my 14 year old brain couldn't think of anything better than the person who makes dresses for models. In a sense, you were correct. Sometimes I wish I could've changed the name, but it's all I've got. The life I've lived as someone else is all this girl has, and I'm not letting go of it. If anything, I'm clutching it tighter than I clutch Senshuken, and I want to make it mean something. That's why I'm always after success, because all I want is to make this name mean anything to someone, including myself. Other people like Theron feel the same about these names, but once the game is over, so too is that name. For me, the game only ends when I die, and even then, my name will live on for however long people are willing to remember me."
Eve looks down at the floor, as Stacey leans back in her chair.
"I'm sorry I pressured you into that question. That's some heavy stuff."
Eve smiled. "You're right, I didn't think I'd go deep neither, but when you asked, and I started, I couldn't stop. That's how I've lived me life, though. I never wanted to go deep with the Eve Taylor name, as I only wanted to keep it as a stage name. However, with the memories of my family and how they treated me as I grew older as a model, the more I insisted on people referring to Eve Taylor. Hell, I even demanded people call me 'fabulous' as a prefix as personal revenge for the names my father called me. It was vicious hate-filled cycle and I went too deep at times, losing people I truly cared about like Aubrey Sloan... but I'm making steps to correct that. I don't want to be making those mistakes any more, because these are the sorts of mistakes people cannot be making when they are at the top of the mountain. Physically, I am at peak conditioning. I can handle any challenge that comes my way, but in the mental department, I'm only strong in ring awareness and match psychology, not personally stable. Although Theron Daggershield will never resort to such tactics, there are tough competitors like him who will utilise that to their advantage, and I don't think I can survive any more in this pit of hate. John Doe was enough. Can you imagine if it was someone like Dr. Zeus?"
"Then what of your comments in the first half of this interview, when you mentioned you didn't like Vis Imperium?"
Eve laughed this time. "Sometimes, when you're looking for a challenge, you've got to go out there and look for it yourself. I know it's a shit excuse, but how do I get better unless I face off against someone who causes such problems for me? Whilst Theron Daggershield is a humble soul with good intentions, I hated him at one stage in my life. He took the Eurasian championship from me at Gold Rush, and I became enraged at him for doing so. The one thing I cared about was ripped away from me, I felt. I convinced myself that he stole it from me, and he didn't deserve the title. All I could do was make excuses and fill myself with even more hate, and I suffered a mental breakdown, running through the streets naked at one point crying out for my title. I don't want to get back there again.
Luckily for me, 2016 has blessed me with a chance at redeeming myself. At Kingdom Come, the place where I decimated Aubrey Sloan the year prior, I escaped the group that caused me to destroy her, and I saw her for the first time in a long time. I made peace with her, and I promised her to carry the championship I hold right now with pride. When I'm done with my journey, I have an opportunity to join her in the mountains and live the rest of my days with her. I've taken on men like Constantine and Mikey Stormrage, looking to right the wrongs of my hate, and this week, I've got another in Theron Daggershield. It's a slow process, but I'm thankful for the opportunities."
"So you want to repent for your sins, is that it?"
"Not as religious as that, but on the same sort of wavelength. I just don't want to fall into another pit of hate again. I've been in it for too long, and it is time for me to start being genuine to people. Then, and only then, may I have a chance to combating my perpetual loneliness that plagues me."
"Well, the foundations for Selena and I are still ready to be build upon, if you think you're ready to tackle us again. I know it can be hard with Selena incessantly bickering and my constant dismissal of her comments like we're a married couple, but nothing's perfect." Stacey laughs.
"Yeah, I'd like that." Eve smiled. "Not today though, I don't think I can do anything else after this. I feel drained!"
"It was some heavy stuff, Eve... but you've dealt with worse and you have many challenges in the future, including your upcoming match with Theron Daggershield, which I shall wish you luck for... but for now, that's it from us here in the studio. I hope you enjoyed the content, and maybe next time, we'll ask some easier questions."
The two laughed. It was good to laugh after having such a tough conversation in front of the camera.
"See you next time."
The time by herself allowed Eve to reflect on such a question, but it wasn't until she remembered what she said - in the first half of the interview with Stacey Madison - that she truly understood the answer. Once more, Eve Taylor found herself without a soul in any direction. The manifestations of Eve's mind, whether they be memories or projections onto inanimate objects like Senshuken, were the only souls surrounding her. Yes, this has been a recurring issue for Eve, and yes, she isn't any stranger to this situation (although, Eve had started with opening up to people like Abigail), but this feeling was different. Instead of being alone without anyone willing to be her friend, she stood proudly on top of the Elite mountain without anyone willing to be her enemy. Eve's hunger for success consumed friendships: it made acquaintances out of friends, and enemies out of acquaintances. This was the life cycle Eve knew and grew accustomed, but there were no enemies this time. There was just nobody. Whilst Eve tried taking this in stride, telling herself that a clear radar was because of her success as champion, she couldn't shake the notion in her head that fate had once more laughed at her, showing her that nobody what she achieved, she would be an outcast for the rest of eternity. It sickened Eve to think she could feel like this, and she imagined others laughing at her she should revealed this information.
'Eve was a successful, dominate champion, and she was feeling sorry for herself? Wow, what an attention ****e!' Said the voices Eve imagined in her head. 'Can't she think of somebody else for once?'
"But who is there to think about?" Eve replied in a whisper.
"Pardon me?"
Shocked, Eve looked up to see Stacey Madison walk back into the room, followed by the recording team. She stood directly in front of Eve with a coffee cup in hand, looking at her with body posture suggesting she was waiting for an answer.
"Oh, nothing." Eve hesitated, letting off a quick nervous laugh.
She cleared her throat and adjusted herself, looking around the room to see if anyone else noticed, or cared. Luckily for her embarrassment, everyone was working on getting the set-up working again, and Stacey Madison went over to the garbage can to dispense her finished beverage. Madison returned to her seat, and fixed herself up.
"Were you okay in here by yourself?" Stacey questioned.
Eve took a second to answer. "Yeah, fine. Just thinking."
"Good. I thought you were muttering to your championship. I know you've named the title because you care so much about it, which is a nice touch, but when you start talking to it, you might want to consider a shrink."
Eve laughed at the response, doing her best to shrug it off as the recording crew began counting down to start. Stacey Madison straightened herself up and got ready for the camera. Eve took a second before she supermodel-ed up, putting on a smile and creating a happy glow on her face.
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"Alright everyone, welcome back to my exclusive interview with Eve Taylor and thank you for tuning in. This is the second half of the two-part interview, and if you're here on Eve's channel without seeing the first half, we'll leave a link in the description, as well as an annotation on screen somewhere here:"
"The first half was a very formal interview with some hard questions and strong answers, but this second half will be a more informal and chatting more about Eve herself than anything else; less of an interview and more of a quick podcast. Hopefully, it'll be refreshing."
"Well, we haven't had a good WZCW podcast in a while. The latest one was such a killjoy. The guy likes to let loose on his misogynistic language from time-to-time."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, apparently when he's not following the script, he just doesn't give a damn. I find it weird since I've spoken to him, and even worked with him as well on a few WZCW projects, and I've never noticed that. I guess that's what happens when you stop doing extra curricular stuff and focus on being a strong competitor. But, I digress, since I'm being a typical girl and complaining."
Eve let out a belly laugh, winking at the camera. All those worries she had before were gone by having a little fun. Maybe Eve needed to let loose herself from time-to-time too, minus the sexism.
"I'm only having a bit of a ramble, don't worry. I won't be spending the entire time ragging on other people again. There's much more to me than my bitchy traits." Eve laughed.
"Well, why don't we get to know a little more about the real 'Eve Taylor', then?"
"What is to say that hasn't already been said?" Eve immediately responded. "I've told the rags to riches story main times: I grew up on a farm outside of Milan, Italy with a poor family..."
"Is that the real Eve Taylor, though?" Stacey interrupted. "I'm not trying to downplay the life you've lived and how it's negatively affected you, but that story is the essence of your character, right? It's the life blood of Eve Taylor and every decision you've made relates back to that person. Yes, it's true, but it's not really you. What I'm asking is if we strip back the performer; take away everything that makes you Eve Taylor and ask, if I may, Eva Pellegrini some questions about her life."
Eve was stunned. She hadn't an answer for a few seconds. The real Eve Taylor? The person behind Eve? Asking Eva Pellegrini? Eve wondered what Stacey was looking to achieve here.
"Um, sure, I guess." Eve answered to her best of her abilities. "I'm not sure how well I'll do though, nor do I understand the compromise. I am Eve Taylor. How can I not be Eve Taylor?"
"Yeah, it is a hard ask to someone in this profession. You spend your entire life learning to be someone else when you step out that curtain, and return to the person when it the show is over. For some like you, you've had to do it twice. Once as a supermodel, and another as a professional wrestler; much like Theron Daggershield, your opponent on Ascension coming up. He's a man you've had history with, but he's much more like you than you care to admit. He's much the same: a character in the ring, and on the board... but is his name really Theron Daggershield? That's almost as absurd, or the very least coincidental, considering he plays D&D and his last name consists of two items one character requires, whilst you were a model and your last name is a profession of a person who makes dresses for them. Little weird, don't you think?"
"So you want me to talk about my name choice?"
"If that's where you feel comfortable. Am I right?"
Eve let out a big sigh, taking a moment to answer.
"As important as my childhood is to my Eve character, Eva Pellegrini doesn't exist any more." Eve admitted. "For a majority of my life, I've played the role of Eve Taylor. This charade you believe you see is the same person you see outside, because I've been doing this since I was a child. Even before I became a supermodel, I was always pretending to be someone else. That's what you do as a kid sometimes, you venture off into dreams and become a princess, but with how bad my childhood was like, a lot worse than I've described when I was playing the Eve Taylor character, becoming someone else was my only reprieve. My father didn't love me, and my mother pretended to care; both of them were on autopilot when it came to raising me among my other siblings. They didn't want another child, and for a couple of years, they were happy with their choice, until one day they had an accident. That accident was me, Stacey. They've told me this story several times. You know how much that hurts?"
Stacey couldn't answer.
"My parents didn't want me, my siblings viewed me as the young girl who always made mistakes. Only my grandmother really cared for me, because I was named after her and took a liking to her... and even then, I didn't get to spend much time with her. So you can't blame me for taking the first opportunity I had to get out of there, right? My family can, apparently. They haven't talked to me since. Funny how they care so little about me when I'm there, but yet they disowned me for abandoning them?"
Eve looked away for a second.
"If you want to ask Eva Pellegrini any questions, go find her invisible tombstone. All you get is childish answers and a plea for help. Maybe she'll even ask you for a good hiding spot to stow away whilst father came at her with the belt, all because she wanted to dream. All that's here Stacey is Eve Taylor, the character who is now the person, carrying the burdens of a dead child. So if you want to ask anything to the person behind the character, go talk to Theron, but even he, the mightiest of warriors, has difficulty finding the distinction between the two people sometimes. If you have anything personal up your sleeve, you can try to ask me, I guess... but you'll probably get the same thing I would say with a microphone in my hand. This person you see here is the same as the Eve Taylor that goes out and defends the Elite Openweight championship with pride, and is also the same person that spends time with you or falling in love with someone like Aubrey Sloan. A character I haven't figured out is the best I've got; a shattered fragment of a person yet the perfect character in a story. For that, I'm sorry."
There is a moment of silence between the two.
"So you want to know why I chose Eve Taylor? Eve was the closest name I could pick that reminds me of my grandmother, and Taylor was because my 14 year old brain couldn't think of anything better than the person who makes dresses for models. In a sense, you were correct. Sometimes I wish I could've changed the name, but it's all I've got. The life I've lived as someone else is all this girl has, and I'm not letting go of it. If anything, I'm clutching it tighter than I clutch Senshuken, and I want to make it mean something. That's why I'm always after success, because all I want is to make this name mean anything to someone, including myself. Other people like Theron feel the same about these names, but once the game is over, so too is that name. For me, the game only ends when I die, and even then, my name will live on for however long people are willing to remember me."
Eve looks down at the floor, as Stacey leans back in her chair.
"I'm sorry I pressured you into that question. That's some heavy stuff."
Eve smiled. "You're right, I didn't think I'd go deep neither, but when you asked, and I started, I couldn't stop. That's how I've lived me life, though. I never wanted to go deep with the Eve Taylor name, as I only wanted to keep it as a stage name. However, with the memories of my family and how they treated me as I grew older as a model, the more I insisted on people referring to Eve Taylor. Hell, I even demanded people call me 'fabulous' as a prefix as personal revenge for the names my father called me. It was vicious hate-filled cycle and I went too deep at times, losing people I truly cared about like Aubrey Sloan... but I'm making steps to correct that. I don't want to be making those mistakes any more, because these are the sorts of mistakes people cannot be making when they are at the top of the mountain. Physically, I am at peak conditioning. I can handle any challenge that comes my way, but in the mental department, I'm only strong in ring awareness and match psychology, not personally stable. Although Theron Daggershield will never resort to such tactics, there are tough competitors like him who will utilise that to their advantage, and I don't think I can survive any more in this pit of hate. John Doe was enough. Can you imagine if it was someone like Dr. Zeus?"
"Then what of your comments in the first half of this interview, when you mentioned you didn't like Vis Imperium?"
Eve laughed this time. "Sometimes, when you're looking for a challenge, you've got to go out there and look for it yourself. I know it's a shit excuse, but how do I get better unless I face off against someone who causes such problems for me? Whilst Theron Daggershield is a humble soul with good intentions, I hated him at one stage in my life. He took the Eurasian championship from me at Gold Rush, and I became enraged at him for doing so. The one thing I cared about was ripped away from me, I felt. I convinced myself that he stole it from me, and he didn't deserve the title. All I could do was make excuses and fill myself with even more hate, and I suffered a mental breakdown, running through the streets naked at one point crying out for my title. I don't want to get back there again.
Luckily for me, 2016 has blessed me with a chance at redeeming myself. At Kingdom Come, the place where I decimated Aubrey Sloan the year prior, I escaped the group that caused me to destroy her, and I saw her for the first time in a long time. I made peace with her, and I promised her to carry the championship I hold right now with pride. When I'm done with my journey, I have an opportunity to join her in the mountains and live the rest of my days with her. I've taken on men like Constantine and Mikey Stormrage, looking to right the wrongs of my hate, and this week, I've got another in Theron Daggershield. It's a slow process, but I'm thankful for the opportunities."
"So you want to repent for your sins, is that it?"
"Not as religious as that, but on the same sort of wavelength. I just don't want to fall into another pit of hate again. I've been in it for too long, and it is time for me to start being genuine to people. Then, and only then, may I have a chance to combating my perpetual loneliness that plagues me."
"Well, the foundations for Selena and I are still ready to be build upon, if you think you're ready to tackle us again. I know it can be hard with Selena incessantly bickering and my constant dismissal of her comments like we're a married couple, but nothing's perfect." Stacey laughs.
"Yeah, I'd like that." Eve smiled. "Not today though, I don't think I can do anything else after this. I feel drained!"
"It was some heavy stuff, Eve... but you've dealt with worse and you have many challenges in the future, including your upcoming match with Theron Daggershield, which I shall wish you luck for... but for now, that's it from us here in the studio. I hope you enjoyed the content, and maybe next time, we'll ask some easier questions."
The two laughed. It was good to laugh after having such a tough conversation in front of the camera.
"See you next time."
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