It’s been a … wild … couple of weeks for young Chelsea Creed. She would eventually find her way into the city of Minneapolis with help of the farm hand that found her lost in the corn field on July Third. She had no money, no car, no anything -- just the clothes on her back. He was kind enough to assist her, allowing her a phone to use. She hated to do it, but a phone call to Emmanuelle needed to happen. Emmanuelle was, of course, worried about her new-found friend - concerned about her disappearance, but was relieved when she received the phone call and was on the next flight to Minneapolis. The farm hand was also kind enough to give Chelsea a ride into the city. He dropped Chelsea off at the hotel where it was rumored APEX stars would be staying while in the city. There was one problem though; no I.D. and no cash. Chelsea had no choice but to wait…
When arriving in the city, Emmanuelle retrieved her rental car and drove around just long enough to find Chelsea. The young blonde wasn’t hard to spot; the one in dirty clothes looking like she walked through the gates of Hell. Chelsea was off in her own world; JUDITH was the only thing she could focus on. JUDITH was the only thing she could think of. Getting her revenge. Shelling out her own justice to JUDITH for the months of torment that she’s been through.
“You look like hell.” Emmanuelle’s voice pulled Chelsea back into reality. She tilted her head upward to see her one and only ally in the industry standing in front of her with a backpack slung over her shoulder. “Thought you could use this, I grabbed some clothes for you.”
“Thank you.” Chelsea said shyly. Embarrassed. Humiliated. The last thing she wanted was anyone in APEX, especially her new-found friend, to see her vulnerable. She knew she was a rookie, as green as green could be, but she didn’t want to come off that way. After taking the backpack from Emmanuelle, Chelsea spoke again. “JUDITH got the best of me, yet again.” She exhaled deeply after turning her head. She was defeated.
Emmanuelle nodded her head, placing her back against the nearby wall, leaning against it with her arms crossed over her chest. “Only if you’re counting attacks and mind games. She hasn’t beaten you in the ring.”
“Yet.” Chelsea replied. “If you haven’t noticed, Emmy, I don’t quite have the best track record. And it’s clear that she’s in my head.”
“Listen. Sure, you’ve lost some matches. But you were catching your stride, and I believe that you could have done well in the tournament. JUDITH attacked you, put you on the shelf and stole your opportunity.” Emmanuelle said bluntly, repeating the events of what happened. “I like you, Chels, and I can see the talent that you have - but you’ve got to shrug this off. You’ve got to focus on this match, on rightfully winning the championship. Your first opportunity was taken from you, don’t let this one slip because you’re in your own head.”
She was right. While Chelsea’s eyes were directed to look at something in the distance, she didn’t see it. She was in her head; she was shifting her thoughts. Emmy was right - she needed to focus on JUDITH, on the Next Level Championship.
“You’re better than you give yourself credit for. You’ve just been the victim of the rookie woes; we’ve all been there. But it’s time to shake all of that off and restore honor and credibility to the Next Level championship.” Emmanuelle finished. Her head turned to look down at Chelsea, who’s face twisted from a look of uncertainty and loss of hope - to a focused, fired up version of herself.
“You’re right.” Chelsea said, the tone of her voice completely shifting 180. She pushed herself up from her seated position. There was a fire in her eyes. Emmanuelle pushed that button that fired Chelsea up again. She remembered how she felt when she returned from injury, stopping JUDITH’s attack on Emmanuelle. She remembered how she felt when she had the Next Level Championship in her possession.
“You’re absolutely right. I’ve worked my ass off to get to this level. I’ve worked too hard to have impressed the right people in APEX for some jacked up Hot Topic mannequin to steal everything away from me and keep me down. She might have succeeded in stealing my opportunity - potentially even my title. But she won’t keep me down.” While she turned to look at Emmanuelle, her eyes narrowed as she spoke.
“I’m going to re-introduce myself to the world at King of the Mountain. I’m going to re-introduce myself to JUDITH. No scare tactics will work. No mind games. Pure technique always determines the winner, and I have it in spades.”
“Thank you, Emmy.” Chelsea finished, offering Emmanuelle a smile and then a quick, friendly embrace.
Emmanuelle returned the smile and hug before stepping away. “No need to thank me. … Actually, if you want to thank me; beat her ass and take the championship away from her. I said it before; if it’s not me - I want to see you with that title.”
“I promise.” Chelsea replied with a smile.
Chelsea and Emmanuelle then turned and entered the hotel lobby. Now that Chelsea had some belongings, she could finally get her room to properly sleep, shower, and prepare for the war that she was walking into. …
---------------
“May Eighth; it was supposed to be the night where I began to climb up the ladder. It was supposed to be the night where I cut my teeth in this industry and began to make a name for myself. Could I have made it through the tournament? Many believe ‘no’. I know I don’t have the cleanest of records in my career. More losses than wins. But a loss isn’t a detriment if you keep a positive mindset. You can find the lesson from the loss to help you perfect your craft. I’ve taken some hard losses; close matches that came down to my lack of experience that prevented me from going over. I’ve taken those losses, turned them into positives, and I’m ready to take the next step.”
“I was ready until I was assaulted. Attacked by some coward who couldn’t look me eye to eye. Attacked by someone who wanted to throw their weight around and bully their way into the tournament. Who would have thought someone who’s so obsessed with horror culture, someone who’s as big and as powerful as JUDITH would be a spineless coward? Who would have thought that someone who demands attention, someone as intimidating as JUDITH would need to sneak attack and injure someone in order to advance their career?”
“Do you remember June Forth, JUDITH? Of course you do, that was your big night. You won the Next Level Championship, capping off a tournament that you should have never been a part of. But that’s not the reason I ask you about that date. I ask you to see if you remember that I came back from that little injury that you gave to me and I returned the favor. I stopped you from doing the same thing to Emmy that you did to me, and I stopped you from celebrating with a title that you should have never touched. I walked out of Event Horizon with the Next Level championship - and let me tell you, I plan on doing it again at King of the Mountain. This time it will be official.”
“You may have bested me in mind games. You may have inches of height advantage and twenty-plus pounds in weight advantage. You have the experience, and had this match taken place months ago; you would have the intimidation factor. But, I want to thank you for something JUDITH. I want to thank you for putting me through all of the pain and all of the torment, both mentally and physically, that you have - because you’ve unknowingly prepared me. What you’ve done is unknowingly strengthened my heart - my mind - my body and my resolve. I’m ready for whatever hell you and your funky little Halloween masks and props can bring forth - but are you?”
“I’ve showcased my talents in APEX. I’ve put on wrestling clinics, I’ve stood on my own and have proven I can hang. Rookie inexperience May have cost me a few matches, but I’ll be damned if it happens this time JUDITH. Are you ready for the natural talent that I possess? The sharp-as-a-knife technique? I know you’re big and you rely on your strength and power; but all of that will be rendered useless. Size, while often your strength, will turn to be your weakness. And strength is no match for the knowledge of this profession. The know how to scout, to counter everything you can throw my way. My size will be my advantage; elusiveness, my shield and technique my strength.”
“I’m ready for whatever you can bring, JUDITH. And if you want to kill me? Then go right ahead and do it because that’s the only way that you’re going to defeat me. Getting you back from the weeks, months of torture - sneak attacks - violence and mind games isn’t my only motivator; believe it or not. The second motivator is restoring honor and prestige to the championship that you - truthfully - have no business holding. The chance you had in the tournament was mine, you stole my opportunity. No honorable champion, no rightful champion, would ever take pride in that. You, though? You don’t know the meaning of the word ‘honor’. You, though, have no semblance of pride or sportsmanship. All you care for is yourself. All you care about is winning championships at any cost, no matter what you have to do or who you have to do it to.”
“You might not be used to this concept, JUDITH, but I’m standing up for APEX. I’m standing up for all of the people like me that you’ve bullied, that you’ve shoved aside, that you’ve stolen opportunities from. Other people may have let you walk all over them. Other people may hear your horror-influenced music, watch your theatrics and decide against challenging you; but I’m not them. I’m standing up for everyone that you’ve wronged in the past, and I’m going to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. Not while my blood still pumps through my veins. I’m going to do something that I assume not too many people do; bring the fight to you. I’m not scared of you, I’m not intimidated. Not now. Not anymore.”
“I’m tired of looking over my shoulder. I’m tired of having to worry about you standing around every corner, or appearing out of nowhere to assault me. I don’t want to have to worry about being taken and left to die in a fucking field. You made a mistake, JUDITH. You let me survive. You didn’t kill me here in Minneapolis; you let me make it to the city. You let me make it to this very day - to King of the Mountain, and now you have to deal with the consequences of your actions.”
“You’ve messed with the wrong one, JUDITH. You may have saw me as a weak, feeble little nobody. Just some rookie who wouldn’t stand up for herself.”
“You didn’t know how wrong you were. And now that I finally have the opportunity to meet you in the ring for battle, I’m going to give you every ounce of fight that I have. I’m going to bring you a level of competition you aren’t used to.”
“I’m going to leave Minneapolis as the Next Level Champion. And I’m going to do it for all of APEX.”
by MinaAizawa Thu Oct 13, 2022 3:46 am
Subject: "Standing Up." King of the Mountain 
