RECORDING START
Eve Taylor pulls away from the camera after switching it on to record, and positions herself in a slouching position, resting her elbows on her knees as she rubs her hands together. She is sitting on what appears to be a desk chair, and behind her is the desk that accompanies it, along with the mirror. In the mirror's reflection, you can see some simple furniture, like a bed and an end table; it looks like a standard hotel room. Eve Taylor hasn't any make-up on, or wearing any fancy clothes. Actually, she is in her undergarments, and they are non-brand and bland as they come. Her hair hasn't been done, and she is not putting a smile on her face; her face is resting.
After a few seconds of remaining in the same position - pondering, and taking a deep breath - she sits upright, and leans on the back of the chair, looking directly into the camera.
"My name is Eve Taylor."
She pauses for a second.
"Well, that's actually my stage name. My real name is Eva Pellegrini, but a long time ago, I distanced myself from that name. The name I was given at birth was not the name that I wanted to have as an adult. Not because I hated the name; in fact, I love the name. Eva is the name of my grandmother, who I love most dearly and someone who I wish I could see everyday. However, due to my schedule, and personal family issues that legally prevent me from seeing my family, I am unable to see her... and Pellegrini? It rolls off the tongue, and it is a name descended from peregrine falcons. A fierce bird capable of cold, calculated manoeuvres to strike down on its prey. How cool would it be if I was able to have that last name, or change it up slightly for my stage name as "The Fabulous Falcon" Eva Peregrine? That question goes doubly for my wrestling career..."
Eve trails off, looking to get back on track.
"... the name Eva Pellegrini... I had to get rid of that name to succeed. That name has too many negative connotations for me to carry over in my career. The horrible memories I had of my childhood would continue to haunt me if I didn't let go of my real name. I couldn't allow myself to have the journalists, the agents, and the other supermodels burrowing down on me with a tainted name. I needed a new name. I needed to re-brand myself, and show everybody that I was wanting to start anew. By selecting a new name, and limiting my mentions of the previous life I used to live, it was like I was granted the ability to restart my own life, and recreate the life I wanted. I could show the world who I truly am without carrying that baggage behind me. I had people who were paid to carry my baggage; if I could palm off the physical baggage, then surely the mental and emotional baggage would be easily removable, too? So, that's what I did. I got rid of it by changing my name from Eva Pellegrini to Eve Taylor. I introduced myself to the world as such, and I played my cards correctly. The world was focused on watching the teenage sensation known as Eve Taylor rise up the fashion industry, and slowly become one of the greatest supermodels to ever exist. Every day I lived as Eve Taylor was a day closer to the world forgetting about Eva Pellegrini. Perhaps, every day that I lived as Eve Taylor was a day closer to myself forgetting about my memories, and forgetting about the past."
She threw her hands in the air and shrugged.
"I thought that if I could distance myself from the past, then I wouldn't have to deal with it, y'know? If I could throw away my name, I would be someone else. 'Fake it to you make it' was the motto I adopted from the fashion industry, and I thought it would work in my real life."
Eve exhaled out her nose, half chuckling and half sighing.
"But it didn't work, did it? The world might know me as Eve Taylor, but I still remember myself living the life of Eva Pellegrini. I still remember the name. I still have her memories. Everything that worried Eva is still inside me today, and no matter how hard I try to escape, she keeps following me. When I went into the modelling industry, I tried to escape by putting on a new face every day; a new dress; a fashion... nothing I could do to change the physical would allow me to quench my thirst to escape. And when the modelling world cast me out of it, I tried to escape again in the wrestling world. The name of Eve Taylor became a disgrace to the world because I had failed in the fashion industry, and I held onto my new persona with a death grip because I didn't want to go back to square one. I tried to repair my name in the wrestling world, and, for a while there... it worked. I thought that if I continued to pursue being a professional wrestler, I would create the personality that I always wanted. Any chance of failure resulted in my mental breakdowns, because I couldn't lose myself again."
She looked away from the camera.
"The worst part about it all is when the Lethal Lottery had finished. I lost two things at the Lethal Lottery; the two things I cared for the most in my life vanished from my grasp, and both of those were my fault."
Eve put up her thumb to indicate she was beginning to count with her fingers.
"Firstly, I lost the Lethal Lottery. I was well on my way to achieving the success that I wanted, and to finally cement the name Eve Taylor into the history books by being the first ever female to win the Lethal Lottery, and go on to main event Kingdom Come. Even if I lost that match, I would still find my place in history, just by being in the main event of the biggest PPV of the year. Everybody was expecting me to do it, too. I desperately wanted to win the Lethal Lottery, and I believed everyone else who believed in me. Why? Well, by winning that match, I would be very close to earning my place into the Hall of Fame, under the name of Eve Taylor. I hoped that by winning the Lottery as Eve Taylor, I would once again bring prestige back to my name, and I would accept myself as Eve Taylor, and distance myself from the tainted memories of Eva... but, the reality is, I lost, and now Eve Taylor is associated with being a choke artist. I lost the Lethal Lottery, and I lost a number one contender's match, even after I beat the toughest female in all of WZCW history at the biggest stage. Because of these failures - my failures - I have been branded a choke. Every step I take forward now, will result in many steps back, should I lose, especially now in this Gold Rush Tournament. I can't afford to lose in this tournament, because then, my name will truly be tainted. The name of Eve Taylor will become as worthless as the name Eva Pellegrini."
She holds up another finger, counting two with her hand.
"For the second loss I suffered at the Lethal Lottery... was... well..."
Eve looks away from the camera.
"Mikey Stormrage."
Taylor moves out of the mirror's reflection, showing the camera what the room is; it is a hotel room.
"Days after the Lethal Lottery, I came to this very room with Mikey Stormrage, who had just managed to walk out of the event as the World Heavyweight Champion. He was ecstatic to be the greatest wrestler on the planet, and represent WZCW as its champion. I could not have been more happy for him, and all I wanted to do was lay him down, on that bed, and show him how much he meant to me... but that never happened, because I attempted to do the same thing that I tried to do when I wanted to escape my childhood. I distanced myself from Mikey Stormrage. I told Mikey that he was the World champion, and I was a failure, and I couldn't weigh him down any more. If he focused on me, he would not be able to make it out of Kingdom Come alive. I am a failure. He was the success. No matter how hard I would try, all I could foresee was a future were Mikey would fail with my by his side."
Eve still can't look into the camera, and it appears she is holding back watery eyes.
"What I really meant to tell Mikey was that I couldn't be with someone who had pushed through the success, and made it to the other side. I could not bear to watch Mikey Stormrage, the World Heavyweight champion, every single second at my side, achieve his dreams and live his life story. I couldn't watch someone like Michael be the champion I wanted to be, and become the person I wanted to be... I couldn't... as much I wanted to say that I loved him, and hold him close to me, I did not want him to be anywhere near me to remind me of how much of a failure I am."
She is struggling to fight the tears.
"And look what happened as a result! I cost Mikey everything because I left him alone. He lost his championship. He lost his career. He lost his ability to fight. He lost his friends... and he lost himself... all because I'm too FUCKING selfish to be attached to anybody, and I'm afraid they will do better than me, and achieve everything that I want for me... all because I wanted to clear my GOD DAMN name of my past."
Eve lets out a gasp of air as she puts her hands over her eyes, doing her best to wipe away the tears. She allowed herself a short outburst of sadness so she could stablise herself, and attempt to continue her thoughts. She grabs a tissue, and she removes all trace of tears.
...
...
...
"... why am I admitting all this, you ask? What is the point of this video confessional? Why should I break down, and bear my soul, in front of the camera, during the time when I should be the strongest? I am in the Gold Rush tournament, and it is only going to get harder as the rounds persist. And once I am done, presuming I win, then a World title match awaits, and an even tougher opponent on the other end... and if, by some chance, I become the World champion, I do not have a chance to rest because instead of focusing on one opponent, the entire world will view me as its opponent; I will have to fight everyone to keep that title, and every person who comes at me will be tougher than the last. The road to being the champion I wish to be is only going to get progressively harder. There is no room for me to be weak any more."
Eve steadies herself in her chair, making sure all her tears are gone. She positions herself, and brushes her hair, to show that she isn't wearing much of anything.
"Well, as you can see, I am stripped of everything today. No make-up. No dress. No nothing. I come to you almost as a clean slate. It's what they call in the fashion business a 'clean-clean.' It is where the models show up as natural as the day they were born, allowing the directors to shape the models to whatever they wish them to be. A blank canvas for the fashion artists to paint their vision. I am discussing this with you with the intention of a clean slate; to start anew. A way to cleanse myself of my past sins and transgressions... but unfortunately, simply having a shower and not wearing clothes isn't going to the trick. This is merely a symbolic gesture for what I intend to do at Ascension."
She straightens herself.
"Matt Tastic. I intend to beat you, and move onto the third round of the Gold Rush tournament. This intention is not only due to you being the randomly-drawn opponent for this round, and the only way for me to progress is to beat you; honestly, I couldn't give a damn who was in my way, for I was going to go as hard on them as anyone else... but the reason I have a little more motivation, and a little more confidence in myself to beat you, is because you are a reminder of the past, and the physical embodiment that haunts my mind."
Eve leans in towards the camera.
"You see, Matthew... Mikey and yourself always had a special relationship with each other. Together, you were the beloved tandem known as Live Mas, and you inspired many people around the world. You showed everyone what a true friendship was, and in many ways, I admired you for having something that special with Michael. I wasn't able to do it, and the man was ecstatic to be around me, even when I was a complete bitch to him. And before you jump to conclusions, this isn't about jealousy at all; I would very much like to make it clear that jealousy is not my motivation. Whenever I think about the name of Matt Tastic, I think about the name of Mikey Stormrage. You two are almost inseparable in my mind. Just like Eva Pellegrini is synonymous with failure, Matt Tastic is synonymous with Mikey Stormrage... and it hurts me..."
Eve attempts to recollect her thoughts.
"I have only one shot at redeeming myself, Matthew, and that is through this Gold Rush tournament. I am here to create a life for myself that I feel comfortable enough living, and the only way I know how is to solidify myself as one of the best. I have to become just like you: a Hall of Fame superstar. For me to do that, I must beat you. I must show the world that I can hang with the greatest superstars this place has to offer, and that I am, in fact, ready to wrestle for the World championship... and become that champion. I must show the world that I am not a choke artist. I must show the world that I am not a failure. Not only must I advance to the next round of the tournament, I have to beat a Hall of Fame legend to do so; I have to beat the person I see as the physical manifestation of all my past failures, as a symbolic defeat that I am no longer held down by the fears of my past.
"Matt Tastic, you are a good person. A great person. The stories Michael has told of you about how you treat him, the fans, and your grandfather... they paint you in a positive light. There is no light bright enough to describe how great of a person you are, and admire you for that. But right now, you are in my way. You remind me of everything I don't want to remember. You have attained the success that I wish to achieve. I refuse you from advancing any further in this tournament, because you've already been there before. I have yet to reach the mountain top, and I will not stop fighting until I get to the peak. This match between us, Matthew, will only end in your defeat, and if you wish to continue, I will have no choice but to hurt you, just like your presence hurts me."
Her eyes are staring into the camera.
"Matt Tastic... you were once given the opportunity, a long time ago, to shed your skin, and become someone else. The Killjoy... Baez... these names you wished to distance yourself from, and you were granted that opportunity. Do I not deserve the same chance here? Do I not deserve a restart for myself, and make amends for every failure I've done wrong? I mean, that's why you're back, isn't it? To avenge the fall of your best friend, Mikey Stormrage. You are here to get revenge on the man who put down Michael, and destroy the group that led to his destruction. My leaving his side as his girlfriend may have been a trigger to the chain of events, but I was not the person who lead the charge against him, nor was I the one to deliver the final blow. So, fighting me, with all your heart, in this tournament, is a worthless endeavour. Save your energy for someone who deserves the true power you display as a Hall of Fame competitor. Focus your time on the people who deserve your wrath.
"I need to win this tournament more than anyone else to prove myself as one of the greatest in the world. You already own such a distinction. Beating me is a selfish act. Don't follow in my footsteps, Matthew, and be selfish like me. I am a lost cause, Matthew. I didn't even stick up for Michael during his time of need, and when the final blow was delivered, I cared more about some gold than a real human being. I am more focused on winning this tournament than gaining a measure of revenge. Even if I were to proclaim that winning this tournament would allow me the chance to take away the title from the person who orchestrated the attack on Michael, I would be lying. In reality, I just want the World title for myself, and whoever holds it doesn't matter... Matthew, do what I do not have the strength to do: go after Mark Keaton, and Vis Imperium, for what they have done to Michael. Do what you came back to WZCW to do, and let me do what I am here in WZCW to achieve."
Eve drops her head slightly.
"There is no need for bloodshed between us Matthew. Lord knows I have too much on my hands already. Even with this self-cleansing, I know I am a bad person... and if you decide you wish to fight, well, then I will have no choice but to show you, in that ring, just how bad a person I am... because I am willing to do anything to win this tournament. And if that means I have to break you Matthew, just like I broke Michael, then so be it."
RECORDING END.
