Making History.... On an Empty Stomach
Jul 1, 2017 13:24:30 GMT -5
Danielle Basch and Ruby Lance like this
Post by Donovan Basch on Jul 1, 2017 13:24:30 GMT -5
Valley Plaza Mall
Bakersfield, California
Scene opens with Donovan sitting in the food court, looking down at a lone hot dog on a stick sitting in the middle of a tray. He’s taken a single bite out of the hot dog, but it’s clear that such a small item won’t be enough to sate the hunger of someone of his stature.
Donovan: I find myself in quite the quandary. On one hand, I have an opportunity that any competitor would kill for; a chance to be part of history as the very first person to hold a newly minted championship. In this case, West Coast Genesis is introducing the South Bay Championship. On the other hand? Not only is the match one that does not favor a man of my size, being a ladder match and all, but the fact that I have five other people with the same goal as I have, clamoring for the belt hanging over the ring.
But seriously, I’ve been defying other people's expectations for most of my adult life. When people look at me, all they see is a giant of a man, so the first assumption they make is that I must be dim-witted. That’s the first illusion that I enjoy dispelling….
He looks up into the camera, his face frozen into a sinister glare.
Donovan: Another fallacy that people love to subscribe to about me as that being as large as I am, that I MUST be more of a ground based wrestler. When I’m standing on the top turnbuckle, looking down and seeing my opponent’s look of apprehension when they see that I’m about to fly…. Almost like a work of art, if you ask me. In fact, if you were to ask my girlfriend, she might tell you the same.
His expression softens into a light smirk. Picking up the hot dog, he takes another massive bite, then places it back on the tray.
Donovan: Ugh… I really need something to wash this down….
He clears his throat, then looks around for a place to quench his increasing thirst, as well as something a little more substantial than the small morsel in front of him.
Donovan: I’m not intimidated in the slightest at the thought of a ladder match. It isn’t as if I have a fear of heights; not physical and certainly not symbolic. It doesn’t matter to me if the ladder is 15, 20, or 50 feet high, I will climb as high as I need to in order to take possession of the championship and I will not flinch in the face to the prospect of soaring to great heights that this belt will open up to me.
But climbing the ladder is just a small part of the match… Not insignificant, but it isn’t the only thing about the match I need to concern myself with. Five other people want to ascend to the same level I strive to reach, and they certainly aren’t going to make things easy for me….
Between me and the South Bay Championship, we have Ruby Rose, Austen Blackwell, Jessica Hardy, Zachary Sears,... and Danni LeBlanc.
Upon mention of that last name, he frowns a little.
Donovan: Austen, out of everyone in this match, you can say with 100% honesty that you possess the best record as far as wins and losses. Granted, you’ve had one match, but still, you can say that you’re undefeated. So you may very well be coming into this match with a great deal of confidence, wanting to ride that wave of momentum to a title in your very second match….
Jessica Hardy….. The first word that anyone should use to describe you would be tenacious. You and I both came into West Coast Genesis at the same time, with both of us debuting in the same match. While we have not crossed paths since then, I have kept myself abreast of your career here. A win at Hype, especially one for a title, will certainly bring you back into prominence. However, whatever respect I hold for you will not be enough to stop me from doing what I have to do to make sure you don’t make it up that ladder before I do.
Ruby Rose…. One of the few people in this business that I can say that I actually like. And trust me when I tell you that that is no easy accomplishment. I have to commend you for how you comported yourself at that beach party we all attended. The way you tried to play peacemaker with some of our…. rowdier compatriots. It's a rare gift, but in our match at Hype, is it something that you can set aside? Compassion is a wonderful thing… outside a wrestling ring. Inside the ring, it's nothing but a hindrance.
Zachary Sears…. I do have to question why you were put into this match, as it is your debut in West Coast Genesis. But it isn't your VERY first match, nor is it the first time you've wrestled under the auspices of Devlin Scott’s leadership. Your experience with his previous promotions must've made a favorable impression if he catapulted you to the head of the line without the benefit of having even wrestled a single match here. No, no favoritism here, right? But I digress, Mr Sears. The experience advantage you hold is an obstacle, but on the flip side of the coin,
unless you've been doing some serious research on the rest of us, we are all unknown factors to you, and that's something that can be exploited.
His eyes fall once again to the hot dog left behind by his girlfriend, or rather what is left of it. A brief chuckle forces its way out of his mouth, but any resulting smile fades almost as quickly as it appears.
Donovan: Danni… If it weren’t for the fact that you’ve earned your way into this match with just as much hard work as others, it would seem that you were entered into the fray as some sort of cruel joke on Devlin Scott’s part. But we both know better, don’t we? You weren’t put into this match for any other reason than because you DESERVE to be here. I’m not saying this because we’re romantically involved with each other, Danni. Even if we had no other relationship than a strictly professional one, I wouldn’t say anything different. Yes, I realize that I sound somewhat cold right now, but if I let my feelings come to the surface, then I should just take myself out of the match right now. No, for this match, my emotions need to be locked down. I need to be at my very best, and I know you’d be disappointed with me if I weren’t. So rest assured that while there’s no malice behind anything I do to you inside the ring, I can’t and I won’t hold anything back, not even for you. And by the same token, I expect the very same out of you, Danni. Give me your best, and I’ll do the same.
He pulls what’s left of the hot dog off of the stick, popping it into his mouth as he stands up from the table. Grabbing the tray, he moves toward the nearest trash can, pausing as he stands beside it.
Donovan: One way or another, a new champion will be crowned. And regardless of how I feel about the five other people involved in this match, I have one goal… to climb that ladder and carve my own name into West Coast Genesis history as the first South Bay Champion.
Donovan deposits the leftover food wrappers in the trash and leaves the tray stacked neatly in the space provided for that purpose.
Donovan: Hmmm, I thought I saw a Jamba Juice nearby…
Scene ends as Donovan sets off in search of liquid refreshment.
Bakersfield, California
Scene opens with Donovan sitting in the food court, looking down at a lone hot dog on a stick sitting in the middle of a tray. He’s taken a single bite out of the hot dog, but it’s clear that such a small item won’t be enough to sate the hunger of someone of his stature.
Donovan: I find myself in quite the quandary. On one hand, I have an opportunity that any competitor would kill for; a chance to be part of history as the very first person to hold a newly minted championship. In this case, West Coast Genesis is introducing the South Bay Championship. On the other hand? Not only is the match one that does not favor a man of my size, being a ladder match and all, but the fact that I have five other people with the same goal as I have, clamoring for the belt hanging over the ring.
But seriously, I’ve been defying other people's expectations for most of my adult life. When people look at me, all they see is a giant of a man, so the first assumption they make is that I must be dim-witted. That’s the first illusion that I enjoy dispelling….
He looks up into the camera, his face frozen into a sinister glare.
Donovan: Another fallacy that people love to subscribe to about me as that being as large as I am, that I MUST be more of a ground based wrestler. When I’m standing on the top turnbuckle, looking down and seeing my opponent’s look of apprehension when they see that I’m about to fly…. Almost like a work of art, if you ask me. In fact, if you were to ask my girlfriend, she might tell you the same.
His expression softens into a light smirk. Picking up the hot dog, he takes another massive bite, then places it back on the tray.
Donovan: Ugh… I really need something to wash this down….
He clears his throat, then looks around for a place to quench his increasing thirst, as well as something a little more substantial than the small morsel in front of him.
Donovan: I’m not intimidated in the slightest at the thought of a ladder match. It isn’t as if I have a fear of heights; not physical and certainly not symbolic. It doesn’t matter to me if the ladder is 15, 20, or 50 feet high, I will climb as high as I need to in order to take possession of the championship and I will not flinch in the face to the prospect of soaring to great heights that this belt will open up to me.
But climbing the ladder is just a small part of the match… Not insignificant, but it isn’t the only thing about the match I need to concern myself with. Five other people want to ascend to the same level I strive to reach, and they certainly aren’t going to make things easy for me….
Between me and the South Bay Championship, we have Ruby Rose, Austen Blackwell, Jessica Hardy, Zachary Sears,... and Danni LeBlanc.
Upon mention of that last name, he frowns a little.
Donovan: Austen, out of everyone in this match, you can say with 100% honesty that you possess the best record as far as wins and losses. Granted, you’ve had one match, but still, you can say that you’re undefeated. So you may very well be coming into this match with a great deal of confidence, wanting to ride that wave of momentum to a title in your very second match….
Jessica Hardy….. The first word that anyone should use to describe you would be tenacious. You and I both came into West Coast Genesis at the same time, with both of us debuting in the same match. While we have not crossed paths since then, I have kept myself abreast of your career here. A win at Hype, especially one for a title, will certainly bring you back into prominence. However, whatever respect I hold for you will not be enough to stop me from doing what I have to do to make sure you don’t make it up that ladder before I do.
Ruby Rose…. One of the few people in this business that I can say that I actually like. And trust me when I tell you that that is no easy accomplishment. I have to commend you for how you comported yourself at that beach party we all attended. The way you tried to play peacemaker with some of our…. rowdier compatriots. It's a rare gift, but in our match at Hype, is it something that you can set aside? Compassion is a wonderful thing… outside a wrestling ring. Inside the ring, it's nothing but a hindrance.
Zachary Sears…. I do have to question why you were put into this match, as it is your debut in West Coast Genesis. But it isn't your VERY first match, nor is it the first time you've wrestled under the auspices of Devlin Scott’s leadership. Your experience with his previous promotions must've made a favorable impression if he catapulted you to the head of the line without the benefit of having even wrestled a single match here. No, no favoritism here, right? But I digress, Mr Sears. The experience advantage you hold is an obstacle, but on the flip side of the coin,
unless you've been doing some serious research on the rest of us, we are all unknown factors to you, and that's something that can be exploited.
His eyes fall once again to the hot dog left behind by his girlfriend, or rather what is left of it. A brief chuckle forces its way out of his mouth, but any resulting smile fades almost as quickly as it appears.
Donovan: Danni… If it weren’t for the fact that you’ve earned your way into this match with just as much hard work as others, it would seem that you were entered into the fray as some sort of cruel joke on Devlin Scott’s part. But we both know better, don’t we? You weren’t put into this match for any other reason than because you DESERVE to be here. I’m not saying this because we’re romantically involved with each other, Danni. Even if we had no other relationship than a strictly professional one, I wouldn’t say anything different. Yes, I realize that I sound somewhat cold right now, but if I let my feelings come to the surface, then I should just take myself out of the match right now. No, for this match, my emotions need to be locked down. I need to be at my very best, and I know you’d be disappointed with me if I weren’t. So rest assured that while there’s no malice behind anything I do to you inside the ring, I can’t and I won’t hold anything back, not even for you. And by the same token, I expect the very same out of you, Danni. Give me your best, and I’ll do the same.
He pulls what’s left of the hot dog off of the stick, popping it into his mouth as he stands up from the table. Grabbing the tray, he moves toward the nearest trash can, pausing as he stands beside it.
Donovan: One way or another, a new champion will be crowned. And regardless of how I feel about the five other people involved in this match, I have one goal… to climb that ladder and carve my own name into West Coast Genesis history as the first South Bay Champion.
Donovan deposits the leftover food wrappers in the trash and leaves the tray stacked neatly in the space provided for that purpose.
Donovan: Hmmm, I thought I saw a Jamba Juice nearby…
Scene ends as Donovan sets off in search of liquid refreshment.