Post by Stella Basch on Aug 27, 2024 16:00:23 GMT -5
Ancient City Martial Arts
St. Augustine, FL
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Our scene fades in with a shot of the interior of a local gym, where Stella Basch, clad in hot pink leggings and a black sports bra, is throwing some blistering shots into a heavy bag held by her brother Donovan as her boyfriend Tom Carradine looks on. Through the speakers, Halestorm’s “You Call Me a Bitch Like it’s a Bad Thing” is blaring, and Stella has a determined gleam in her eye as she continues laying into the bag.
*BEEP, BEEP*
Stella throws one final kick into the bag before Donovan releases the bag and steps back.
Donovan: Excellent work, Starr! You almost managed to knock me back with that last one.
Stella smirks at her brother as she moves out of the way to let Tom take her place at the bag.
Stella: What can I say? It’s in the blood!
Donovan chuckles quietly.
Donovan: Indeed.
He turns to Tom, his eyes peering at him from beneath an arched eyebrow, the trademark Basch smirk turning the corner of his mouth upward.
Donovan: Carradine, you’d be wise to stay on her good side, in any event.
Tom shrugs.
Tom: No worries there, big man. I know how to keep her...
Stella: TOM!
Both men turn toward Stella, who makes a cutting motion with her hand as if to say “leave it at that.” Tom nods his head, then turns back to Donovan as he shakes out his arms in preparation to start hitting the bag.
Tom: Right… anyway, where were we?
Donovan once again braces the bag, looking directly at Tom’s face as Tom begins throwing punches. The camera then pans back toward Stella, following her as she walks toward a ring in the corner of the room. She climbs in, leaning against the turnbuckle. She pulls out her phone, cuing up a replay of the closing moments of last Scion’s main event. As the sound of the bell ringing to end the match can be heard, Stella smirks, shaking her head as she sets her phone down on the ring apron.
Stella: You know, this whole thing would be funny as fuck if it wasn’t just so damn sad...
She chuckles softly, then braces her arms to lift herself up to sit on the top turnbuckle.
Stella: You see, I’ve always prided myself on the fact that I’m nice to everyone until they give me a reason to act otherwise. You know… match the energy that people give me.
Stella shrugs her shoulders.
Stella: ”But Stella” you shriek… “You’re just like everybody else that wants to disrespect me, so FUCK YOU!”
Stella rolls her eyes, then clears her throat, as the banshee-esque tinge she added to her voice has caused it to crack a little.
Stella: Not that far off, isn’t it, Duvall? Here’s the thing… not once have I ever knocked your ability in the ring. “But Tom said…”
She scoffs, shaking her head as she waves her hands in front of her.
Stella: Forget what my boyfriend said! You played right into his hands! He goaded you into wanting to prove him wrong, and in the process, you proceeded to act like a child when he wasn’t even bothered by the loss. It’s like I said before… there’s such a thing as a bad winner, and that’s you in spades.
Stella raises an eyebrow as the corner of her mouth curls upward, not a full smirk, but just enough to be noticeable.
Stella: Now, let’s go back to last Scion, and the Blitz Match for the Coastal Championship, shall we? Sure, you came out on top at the end, looking to put some stank on your little victory by stealing one of my boyfriend’s moves. Not one of mine, which would’ve been more appropriate. but something that belonged to a competitor that wasn’t even in the match. That to me reads as something far beyond the mere intended “fuck you,” as you so eloquently put it, but dare I say, it comes across as obsessive.
A disapproving look washes over her face as she shakes her head.
Stella: “Now why on earth would I be obsessed with YOU!” you ask? Well, I would think it fairly obvious. You’ve had it out for me the moment I called you out for disrespecting my boyfriend, saying you wouldn’t lay down for him. Never mind the fact that he never once expected you to, nor did he ever say you’d be easy “to beat.” His exact words were “Another thing that’s going to be easy as pie? Our match at Prime.” He quickly followed up with saying that he wasn’t underestimating you, but he pointed out that your head wasn’t in the game. You see, context is key here. He meant that HIS STRATEGY would be easy, because you lacked focus going into the match. This is still true to this day. You’re still dwelling on things that have nothing to do with the match, and everything to do with how we live our lives outside of wrestling.
She scoffs again.
Stella: Hell, you even had the audacity to turn your attention to my entire family… including people who have never even so much as uttered your name even in passing. Or is it the fact that they’re not even acknowledging that you breathe the same air as them enough to earn your scorn? Seriously… all of this “I’m GLAD I’m not one of the ‘cool kids’” blathering is really just another bloviated cry for attention. And all because two people in a particular group don’t like you, and actually have a reason, while the other two haven’t even said word one to or about you. But it’s always gotta be about you, doesn’t it?
She hops down from the top turnbuckle, her feet landing with a soft thud as they hit the canvas. She leans against the corner, resting her arms over the top ropes on either side.
Stella: Well, congratu-fucking-lations, Alexandria… you finally get what you wanted for once… my undivided attention! Because at Scion, it’s gonna be just us girls stepping through those ropes. No other wrestlers to get in the way… just the two of us, hashing out our little beef. But if I know you, you’re gonna drag it down to another name-calling session where every other word out of your mouth is about who I’m dating… or to put it as poetically as you did, “who I’m fucking,” like that’s any of your business either way. Which always seems to be your plan of attack. You rarely focus on people’s ability in the ring… you attack them on a more personal level, because in your mind, if they’re not talking about wrestling 24-7, they’re wasting their time and they’re wasting your time. You go on about such trivial things as conversations between competitors, or something as petty as taking shots at someone’s appearance. So what if someone likes to switch things up in regards to how they look? Last time I checked, that wasn’t a crime. Hell, I’ve been known to change up my hair from time to time, myself. Why? Because I like trying new things. But again, that has no bearing on what I can do in the ring.
She props her foot up on the bottom turnbuckle, then tucks some loose strands of blonde hair behind her ear.
Stella: Now, I know you’re more than just a spoiled little brat that just loves parading around with her new toy and rubbing it in everyone else’s face… “Look at what I’ve got and you don’t! Everyone else is jealous of ME because I’M the FIRST-EVER Coastal Champion!!” PUH-LEASE! Grow the fuck up already! This is why no one respects you, Alexandria. All of that in-ring talent, and yet you have the personality of a pile of horse shit.
A light sneer briefly creeps onto her face.
Stella: And while we’re at it, I could sit here and pout about how this match isn’t even for the Coastal Championship. Because I can almost guarantee that if the shoe was on the other foot, you’d be demanding that the title be on the line. But then again, I’m not like you… THANK FUCK!
There’s an awkward silence as Stella feels the gaze of her boyfriend and her brother upon her. She glances back at them and smirks before the two men resume their training, this time with Donovan hitting the bag and Tom bracing it.
Stella: I’m not going to stomp my feet and march into the boss’s office and demand that you defend your title against me, because I’m a patient woman. I don’t need to take shortcuts to the front of the line; I’m more than happy to work my way up like everyone else. And while that may make me seem weak in your eyes, I really don’t care. But what this match will do is set the tone for your entire run as champion. Will you be the champion that takes on all comers and fights like they’ve got everything to lose? Or will you be the coward that hides behind “it’s non-title” or other technicalities? Or will you be somewhere in the middle? I guess we’ll find out one way or another. At the end of the day, regardless of whether you win or lose, you’re still going to be leaving as champion, and you’ll keep rubbing it in everyone’s face until the day someone finally beats you for it. Because that’s the new goal for everyone in the Coastal Division… to be the one that beats you for the title. Again, congratulations; the focus of everyone in the division is ALL on YOU!
Stella grins, her eyes narrowed as she points at the camera, as if her opponent was standing right in front of it.
Stella: In the meantime, go right ahead and call me every name you can dig up from the depths of your sphincter, because it says far more about YOU than it does about me.
She crouches down, her hands still gripping the top rope in an effort to stretch out her arms.
Stella: Remember… all I’m doing is matching your energy.
The camera pans over to show Tom climbing into the ring, with Donovan standing outside on the ring apron.
Stella: Now, time to get back to work...
She smirks as she and Tom move toward the center of the ring, locking up in a collar-and-elbow tie-up as the scene fades out.
