Post by Danielle Basch on Jun 10, 2017 17:10:43 GMT -5
BaschTech Corporate Headquarters – Office of Danielle M. LeBlanc
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Danni LeBlanc walks through the frosted glass door, looking like she’s in desperate need of coffee after the commute to the office from her condo. The two-hour drive is draining enough, even if it is offset by the handsome man sitting in the driver’s seat. She can’t wait for the day when “commuting” meant little more than the short 10-minute drive from Donovan’s place.
Two more months...
She sits down at her desk, her hands resting against the smooth, black leather armrests of her chair, her eyes staring up at the ceiling.
Just two more months and my lease is up, and I can put the back and forth bullshit behind me!
She sighs, staring across the room at the coffee maker. As she sees the automatic timer trigger the power light to go on, she knows it won’t be long until the office would be filled with the aroma of Sumatra Black Satin Roast. The thought alone plasters a smile of pure bliss on her face.
Danni: This is gonna be a while; I might as well go see if Donny needs anything....
As the coffee maker does its thing, Danni steps out of her office and into the hallway.
Voice: I’m surprised not to find you crouched under the boss’s desk.
The crude comment causes Danni to stop dead in her tracks. Without fully turning around, Danni glances halfway over her shoulder. She doesn’t need to see the face to know that the voice that had just spoken out of turn belongs to the receptionist from the front desk.
Danni: Excuse me?
Receptionist: You heard me. To be frank, I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long.
The bitter-looking redhead glares at Danni, then turns her attention to the door, scoffing as her eyes spot Danni’s name emblazoned on the door in fresh gold paint.
Receptionist: Really? It’s gotten to the point where he felt the need to give you your own office? And only the best office space in the building, next to his own? You’d think he was actually going to keep you around for more than a couple of weeks.
Wow... jealous much?
Danni: Look, Bethany. I don’t know what the hell your problem is with me, but as long as my name is on that door, that means I’m as much a part of this company as you are, so you’re just going to have to learn to live with it.
Voice: Bethany, that’s enough!
At the sound of her name, Bethany cringes, knowing who she’s going to be facing once she turns around. Danni, however, has a vindicated smile on her face as she looks past Bethany and into the eyes of her boyfriend, Donovan, looking ever so handsome in his black suit, black dress shirt, and black tie, his long brown hair swept back, with just enough hair gel to keep it from falling in front of his face.
Donovan: I’ve had it up to here with the disrespect you’ve shown Ms. LeBlanc from the moment she first arrived here. Now, I don’t care what you think of her; she’s going to become a permanent fixture around here, so I would suggest you get used to seeing her around.
Bethany: But sir, I don’t understand. What qualifications does she have to serve as the Chief Executive Assistant?
Donovan: That’s for ME to decide, not you. Besides, this is precisely why I’m training her myself. I want her to learn exactly how I want this company to be run, and the best way for her to do that is to have hands-on experience.
Whoa... careful with the double entendres, Spidey!
Bethany: Hands-on... sure....
Donovan: I said that’s enough! Now, I mean it; you say one more word and you’re fired! Do I make myself clear?
Bethany: As crystal, sir.
Donovan: Good then. Now if there’s nothing else, get back to the front desk.
Bethany: Yes, sir.
As Donovan continues to brow-beat Bethany, she turns and reluctantly walks away. Danni looks on, somewhat impressed with her boyfriend’s assertion of authority. When Donovan turns to look at Danni, he sees the look on her face and immediately softens his own expression.
Donovan: Sorry you had to see that, Danni. I’ve warned her about that attitude problem of hers before. You think she would’ve learned her lesson...
Danni: Hopefully, she’ll back off. At least most of your staff has been somewhat welcoming.
Donovan: One way or another, people will learn to show you the proper respect, since they’re going to have to get used to seeing you around here. This may be the best office in the building, but your job title is just temporary.
Danni: Temporary?
Donovan: As quickly as you pick things up, I see big things for you here....
Danni: I bet you say that to ALL the new hires....
Donovan: Not really. Just the ones that show promise.
Donovan chuckles a little bit, then sniffs the air.
Donovan: Come on; smells like the coffee’s ready....
Danni smiles as she walks back into her office, with Donovan close behind her.
Meanwhile...
Home of Marie LeBlanc
El Segundo, CA
It’s well into yet another standard morning routine for Marie LeBlanc, as she pours some fresh coffee into a mug that resembles something a five-year-old child might make in a pottery class. Indeed, the mug bears the name “DANIELLE” in bright pink letters painted near the bottom edge. Marie adds nothing to her brew, drinking it straight up as she sits at the kitchen table, flipping through the local newspaper, specifically the sports section.
A smile crosses the face of the LeBlanc matriarch as she catches a quarter-page article on the second page:
“El Segundo High School Alumna Trades in Volleyball Uniform for Wrestling Tights – Will Compete in Televised Fight in Riverside”
Marie: That’s my girl!
She smiles as she takes another sip of her coffee. No sooner does the liquid find its way down her throat than her doorbell rings...
Marie: Odd; I’m not expecting anyone....
Bearing a facial expression that’s a mixture of confusion and concern, she reaches into her knife drawer and pulls out a small paring knife... small enough to conceal in her hand, while providing just enough of a pointed edge to do some damage if need be. Cautiously, she makes her way to the door.
**DING DONG**
Marie: Just a minute!
Tucking the knife-wielding hand behind her back, Marie carefully reached for the knob of the door, standing behind it as she pulled it open about an inch, using her foot as a doorstop.
Marie: Hello?
Man’s Voice: Marie? Is that you?
The voice is low and gravelly, but at the same time, has a sense of non-threatening charm to it. It’s enough to convince Marie to open the door further, but when she does, her eyes fly open in a mixture of shock and rage.
Marie: YOU!
The man on the other side of the door is the same man that Danni spotted at the ice rink a few weeks ago, albeit only briefly. He stands at roughly 6’3”, with a well-built frame covered by a grey button down shirt and black slacks.
Man: Oh, come on, Marie... after all these years, this is how you greet me?
Marie: You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face around here after all these years, Luther...
Luther: Ah, so you do remember my name! Well in that case, let me ask you a question... it’s about the girl in this picture.
He holds up a flyer advertising Hype in Riverside while pointing at Danni’s face.
Marie: You stay away from her!
Luther: Why? Why should I stay away from her, Marie? Especially when you all but just admitted that this is exactly who I suspected she was?
Marie’s face softens, fading from anger, to sadness.
Marie: For nearly 23 years, I looked into my little girl’s eyes, and all I could see was you staring back at me. And all I could think about was how you abandoned us when we needed you most, and for WHAT? Because you valued your reputation over the life YOU helped create. I’ve done my best to raise a proud, strong, confident, and downright beautiful young woman, and I did it without you to foul things up!
Luther: Marie, I...
Marie: SHUT UP! 23 years, Luther! 23 years, and NOW you show up wanting to know about your... no, she’s MY daughter; you haven’t earned the right to be called her father!
Marie slams the door in Luther’s face, leaving him standing there, shaking his head. With a deep sigh, he takes a step back, looking at the flyer in his hand.
Luther: Maybe I’ll just find out for myself....
He turns from the door and heads off toward the sidewalk.
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!
– Figs from Thistles: First Fig, by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Black Tiger Martial Arts Academy
Oceanside, CA
The West Coast Genesis camera crew carefully move their equipment through the academy’s front door, but not before panning to one side of the lobby, catching sight of a picture of a familiar face framed in black, hanging on the wall...
Donovan Basch, dressed in a black gi, with his long hair pulled back into a low ponytail. The shot lingers here for a moment, before the director signals for the camera to pan away.
Director: Hey, listen... I think I hear something.
Sure enough, just out of the camera’s range, obscured by a trophy case filled with trophies of varying sizes, the sound of combat can be heard, with what sounds like the voices of one man and one woman.
Director: You hearing that?
Cameraman: Sounds like it might be trouble...
Woman’s Voice: Eee-yah!
Man’s Voice: Whoa!
The camera crew look at each other as the sound of a body hitting the floor rings through the academy, then hurry toward the sound to find Danni LeBlanc clad in a white gi, standing over a shirtless Donovan in a fighting stance, with Donovan himself laying on his back, a somewhat surprised, yet approving smile on his face. Cinched around his waist is a black belt with four red stripes on each end. With a smug grin on her face, Danni extends a hand to help Donovan to his feet.
Donovan: Where did you learn to move like that? Have you been taking classes without telling me?
Danni: No, but I’ve seen a lot of your training videos.
Donovan cocks his head to the side, his eyebrow arched as if to suggest she’s trying to downplay her viewing habits.
Danni: Okay... I watched all of them. Pretty much committed everything to memory.
Donovan: Color me impressed. Some of those moves take years to master, and here you are, looking like you could give Jackie Chan a run for his money!
Danni gets a disappointed pout on her face.
Danni: Damn... I was hoping for Bruce Lee.
The camera crew can’t help but laugh at this, which catches the couple’s attention. Danni turns to the crew, smirking at them with her hands on her hips.
Danni: About time you guys showed up! How much of that did you catch?
Director: Donovan was already on his back by the time we got back here. Could you show us what you did?
Danni shakes her head no.
Danni: Sorry... no command performances.
Donovan: I’m going to go get changed. I’ll leave you to your business, Danni...
He and Danni face each other, and the pair exchange the customary bow before Donovan heads off to change, with Danni following him out of the room with her eyes, an almost involuntary smile on her face as she watches him walk away. She quickly shakes it off once he’s out of sight, then turns to the camera.
Danni: Not what you were expecting, is it Rachel? Did you honestly believe that I spend all of my time lounging around in a bikini, wiggling my toes in the sand while my boyfriend stands by, snapping away with the camera? Oh, you silly little thing! I had thought you had more sense than that, but I guess I was mistaken.
You see, while tossing your image around who even knows how many different companies, entering this tournament and that, and hardly spending any time in one place before you’re off to find the next thing you can use to pad your résumé may be what you think is the best possible course of action for you in your career, it also seems to have put this idea into your head that you’re better than anyone that doesn’t take the same path as you, and you’re constantly looking down on them for it. To you, your way is best, but not all of us want to be like you, Rachel. Especially when being like you means going around with such an overinflated sense of entitlement.
She holds up her index finger in a sort of “A-ha!” gesture, complete with the accompanying open-mouthed expression.
Danni: You’re right about one thing, though. I’m happy with the way things are going for me in West Coast Genesis. I like being able to concentrate my efforts into one place and one place alone. It means my attention isn’t divided all over the place, like so many other young wrestlers I’ve seen come and go in this business. People like you are living embodiments of the idiom, “burning the candle at both ends.” Of course, in your case, you’ve split your candle in half, and now all FOUR of your ends are burning. Can you say, “burnout?”
The smile on her face is somewhat condescending, which is a tad unusual for Danni. Perhaps some of her boyfriend’s personality has rubbed off on her?
Danni: By the way, Rachel, you seem to forget that road shows are a thing in West Coast Genesis. So which is it? Am I just resting on my laurels, wrestling only one match a month, or am I competing in two to three matches every weekend when we’re not being televised? You even acknowledged that I took part in the tournament to win the right to represent WCG at WrestleForce. Congrats, by the way. How did that turn out for you?
Never mind; I was actually AT WrestleForce, watching every match from the curtain jerker to the main event. I know exactly how well you did in that Rags to Riches match... you didn’t even score the dirty rag! Oh well... at least you have all of those other lines cast into the sea of wrestling promotions. Eventually, ONE of them will bite. Me? I’m proud to say that I was the first person to sign a contract with West Coast Genesis. Why? Obviously, it’s because Devlin Scott saw something in me as a competitor. The fact that I choose to remain exclusive to WCG could lead to my talents being even more sought after once my career is a bit more established. You can call it putting all of my eggs into one basket, and that’s fine. You keep doing you, and I’ll keep doing what works for me. We’ll see who ends up as a casual mention on some distant-future “Where are They Now?” Blu-Ray in 20 years... or, whatever the preferred video format will be by then.
She giggles a little, followed by a lighthearted sigh as she walks barefoot across the padded floor of the dojo, passing by a mirrored wall with kick pads lining the lower portion of the wall. In the mirror’s reflection, a row of weapons can be seen mounted on the opposite wall, as well as pictures of Donovan with some of his other students.
Danni: You know, for all of Brandy Cognac’s drunken, I-don’t-give-a-fuck-about-this, rambling bullshit, there was one thing she said about you that still rings true to this day. You still walk around like you have a giant stick up your ass, and frankly, I’m beginning to wonder if it would be worth it to tell you to pull it out yourself, or if I should just shove it even further up there, in the hopes that it eventually punctures the part of your brain that makes you act like such a high and mighty, rampaging cunt of a human being. I’d tell you to lighten up, but that would be like trying to scream in outer space. There’s simply no point.
So by all means, keep touting yourself as the best thing to hit West Coast Genesis since the day Devlin Scott first flipped the switch at HQ, even though your official record here is no different than mine... keep bragging about the ONE win you have over me in the two matches where we’ve occupied the same ring, and in general, just keep on underestimating me. That will only make me smile that much harder when I knock you flat on your ass and shove that slice... no, make that the WHOLE humble pie down your throat!
The last thing the camera records is Danni once again getting into a fighting stance, before knocking the camera to the floor with a roundhouse kick. As she walks away, the boom mic picks up on her parting words.
Danni: Don’t worry... Devlin Scott knows we’re more than good for the cost of a replacement camera....
**STATIC**
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