Post by emmanuelle on May 5, 2021 22:58:19 GMT -5
Knockout Stage
Brazil is a beautiful country. I would love to spend time in it where I’m not cooped up in a hotel during an international health crisis and all that, but that’s where we are right now. Sure, I’ve dined out, taken a few tour rides when possible, but the whole getting out on the beach and going out and fully exploring the country thing is out of the question. Seiji damn sure won’t allow it. As crazy as I think things are going back home in the States, I would almost relish being home where I could move about freely instead of this hotel thing. Such is the glamorous life of a pro wrestler, huh? One thing that has benefited from this bunker mentality is my concentration. Without new business deals to plot and new pretty ladies to chase, I’ve been able to slowly but surely round closer and closer to the form I know I can show and have shown all over the world. Singles matches here and there, tag matches with various partnerships, even the odd decision of a six-man tag. The whole time I’ve been trying to learn more and more about these Project Honor people. I’ve been very quiet by my own standards. I haven’t made bold, wild declarations to say I’m going to take over the world. I haven’t tried to muscle my way into title matches. I’ve been patient and diplomatic, waiting for this very opportunity to come up. Now that it’s here, I think it’s time that the gloves come completely off and I show them what the Platinum Standard truly is.
Fasano Hotel
São Paulo, Brazil
In one of the city’s finest hotels, Emmy finds a way to relax in the most decadent of luxuries while having the demeanor of a prisoner pining for freedom. In the hotel’s on-site spa, she is being pampered with a deep tissue massage. It’s a welcome distraction from the wear and tear that her body has faced working through a grinding schedule before returning to Brazil, but she craves to be out in the city. Her manager, however, has put her under lock and key if only for the rebellious young starlet’s own good. She knows that she could do far more than complain and do what she wanted but two things hold her back: respect for her manager’s decision and her new-found attention to detail. Even more so than before she has become a “student of the game” as it pertains to wrestling, studying her opponents to find any flaw possible, pouring over matches both recent and as far back into a person’s career as she can find. Even the smallest things she believes can be exploited are noted. As she casually watches the exploits of her opponent Aiden Reynolds on her phone, the massage continues. The masseuse, a young Brazillian woman with long brown hair, tries to strike up a conversation.
“Are you enjoying your stay here, Emmanuelle?”
“I most certainly am. Especially this massage. You’re pretty good at this.”
“T-thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Most of the clients here are a little surprised when I speak English to them. They don’t expect it, you know?”
“Meh. I grew up in a house with three different languages and traveled all over the world as part of this wrestling gig. I’ve probably picked up enough Portuguese to at least have a casual conversation.”
“Is that so? Por que você compete em um esporte tão perigoso quando você é tão bonita?”
Emmy managed to roll her body, covered only by a large white towel, so she could look up at the woman with a playful smirk.
“Para que eu possa visitar lugares lindos como este e conhecer mulheres lindas como você.”
The young woman started to blush quite heavily at the comment, a bashful smile on her face as the massage continued.
“Thank you...Also, I know that you are being quarantined somewhat because of everything going on, but if you wanted to see some place in the city...Perhaps I could double as a tour guide?”
“Are you hitting on me?”
“No. We are just taught to be as welcoming and as helpful as possible here. The fact that you’re on par with most of the models in my country has nothing to do with it.”
It was the masseuse’s time to give a playful grin and a small bite of her lip. Emmy definitely seemed more pleased with being stuck in the hotel now that she had someone to occupy her time. Quarantine life wasn’t so bad after all. Before she could plot all the fun things she could do with her new friend her phone started to ring, prompting Emmy to check and find that her mentor was calling.
“I’m sorry but I’ve got to take this……Hello?”
“Emmy, what’s good? I’m seeing you popping up all over the place on television. Lookin’ like a young me in my prime and all that shit! Ladder match one promotion, title matches in other ones, signing that sweet OWA deal...then THAT MATCH WITH SABERTOOTH a couple of weeks ago in WrestleWorld? I think one of my British friends called it an absolute belter, whatever the fuck that means.”
“-sigh-...Hey Carlos. How are you?”
“I’m good, just taking a break from getting ready for my big first round tournament match here in the States. I hear YOU have a pretty big tournament match coming up yourself, don’t you?”
“Yeah. For Project Honor’s vacated X-Factor title. I mean, I wasn’t expecting to be involved but here I am, giving it a go and I didn’t even have to raise my voice or demand it. All I had to do was show up and win.”
“Yeah, I heard about the injury the old champ had. Unfortunate stuff. But you know how that stuff goes. His loss, your gain. You know what the bracket for this thing looks like, yeah?”
“I do, actually. It’s got a lot of faces that I’m now familiar with in it. You remember Myojin, right? A few big fish are involved like Blair Regent and that walking mountain masquerading as a human called Lance. Aiden Reynolds is my first round matchup though. What do you know about him?”
“Not a damn thing. What about you, I’m sure you’re doing your crazy research about everything in a motherfucka’s life history to try to find out about this dude, yeah?”
“Well, I did find some matches of note. He actually beat Ozymandias.”
“You’re talking about that psycho from Europe who wears the mask. Butcher of the Rhine I think they call him?”
“Yep. that impressed me a lot. I saw first hand what kind of animal that ungodly thing is and anyone willing to step in the ring with him one on one is either very crazy or very good. Probably both. Ah, found some more material on this guy too. Has teamed with Dickie Watson as a team called the Commonwealth.”
“What the hell kind of name is Dickie? Anyway, it seems like you’re well on your way to picking this guy apart and moving on. I just want you to stay focused, okay? No partying, no carousing, none of that. Just get the W and move on to the next. You’re already a great champion in one promotion, if you get your hands on a title in a place hot and on the rise like Project Honor is, the sky's the limit, you feel me?”
“I get you.”
“Good. I just wanted to see if you were up for it and I know you are. Go get that title. One more thing though..I haven’t been to Brazil in a while, they still got all those big booty freaks?”
*CLICK*
“Hello?....Emmy?”
Hello, Aiden. Hopefully you’re watching this comfortably somewhere. It’s just a little video message that I’ve decided to record for you. I would rather be out and about in Sao Paulo and enjoying the nightlife, but here we are in this hotel room...which isn’t half bad, especially when you’ve had some EXTREMELY entertaining company the past few hours, but I digress.
Ever since I arrived in Project Honor, I have faced some criticism. Not necessarily from people in Project Honor but in some other promotions that I’m based. A lot of them were starting to feel that my attention was lacking, that my motivation to be in Project Honor was only getting paid for my job. In a way, that’s half true admittedly. When I first came here, I came here with little fanfare and didn’t expect anyone to really put much thought into me. My star, for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to shine as brightly as your partner Dickie Watson’s or Myojin’s or Zane, just to name a few. Even TJ Thompson gets treated to a little fanfare here and there. People actually were HAPPY to see him when he and I teamed together.
Was I surprised when I got this invitation to compete in the X-Factor Championship tournament? A little. I had just finished off a cake-walk in a nondescript six man tag that probably shouldn’t have even been on the show at all and was a complete waste of Cadillac, Myself and Lance Williams’s time. But then the waste of time turned out to be an opportunity of a lifetime. Just like other belts that I’ve won or have chased, I don’t care much about the prestige or the history of the title. I’ve fought for established titles, brand new ones and everything in between...and “prestige” is something that you can build upon and make your own.
Look at me and the WrestleWorld Shogun Championship. I know different companies, but if you study my reign there you know what I am capable of. I’ve beaten the likes of Rosanna Vendetta, Sakuya Goto and Christopher Sabertooth to keep that beautiful title around my fine ass waist and I’ve employed any and all means to do so. I’ve outwrestled, overpowered and outsmarted anyone stupid enough to come for my head.
You, with your massive inferiority complex and borderline self-hatred, I bet you’re thinking “What does that have to do with me?”
Everything.
You see, I have done everything possible to lull the Project Honor community to sleep. I won’t say that I was throwing matches or anything stupid like that, but I certainly have picked my spots when and when I have not chosen to give a shit. When I’m at my best, I can tap out people like Blair Regent. When I don’t…..meh, I guess you can point to the Cadillac match where I probably didn’t take him as seriously as I should have. Unfortunately for you, Aiden, I take you very, very seriously. You’re talented, you’ve won everywhere you’ve been, and you’re probably one of the favorites in the field to claim the title. A minnow like me shouldn’t be able to swim in the deep waters with a shark like you and survive. I’m sure that’s the prevailing logic in the locker room.
Well the locker room is in for a seismic shock. I’m talking about South Korea beating Italy in the World Cup kind of shock. And you, my dear Aiden, are going to be a wonderful footnote in the annals of Project Honor history. Not for your comedy, not for your teaming with Watson, not for being an outstanding athlete. No, your place in history is going to be the answer to the trivia question: “Who did Emmanuelle beat in the first round on the way to winning Project Honor’s X Factor Championship on Proving Ground?”
The rest of the tournament field, even though I know very well some of the people in it, is not my concern right now. Nothing else going on in Project Honor is taking priority right now for me over beating you and moving on to the semifinals. I have no problem with you, honestly. I think you will be one of the biggest stars the world has ever seen. You are someone that most people in the business should aspire to be like. I respect your hustle and your drive to succeed.
Unfortunately for you, I don’t respect it enough to let you walk over me. And I don’t respect your abilities to the extent of fearing you if I know that I can beat you, seeing as how I’ve never lost to Myojin and he handed you your ass not that long ago.
You will learn the rule, the Platinum Rule, the cardinal rule of Proving Ground:
Don’t Fuck With Emmanuelle.
See you soon.
By the way, the rest of the people in the field, I hope you’re all watching what I do. Two more of you are going to be added to the highlight reel alongside Aidan soon enough.
Brazil is a beautiful country. I would love to spend time in it where I’m not cooped up in a hotel during an international health crisis and all that, but that’s where we are right now. Sure, I’ve dined out, taken a few tour rides when possible, but the whole getting out on the beach and going out and fully exploring the country thing is out of the question. Seiji damn sure won’t allow it. As crazy as I think things are going back home in the States, I would almost relish being home where I could move about freely instead of this hotel thing. Such is the glamorous life of a pro wrestler, huh? One thing that has benefited from this bunker mentality is my concentration. Without new business deals to plot and new pretty ladies to chase, I’ve been able to slowly but surely round closer and closer to the form I know I can show and have shown all over the world. Singles matches here and there, tag matches with various partnerships, even the odd decision of a six-man tag. The whole time I’ve been trying to learn more and more about these Project Honor people. I’ve been very quiet by my own standards. I haven’t made bold, wild declarations to say I’m going to take over the world. I haven’t tried to muscle my way into title matches. I’ve been patient and diplomatic, waiting for this very opportunity to come up. Now that it’s here, I think it’s time that the gloves come completely off and I show them what the Platinum Standard truly is.
Fasano Hotel
São Paulo, Brazil
In one of the city’s finest hotels, Emmy finds a way to relax in the most decadent of luxuries while having the demeanor of a prisoner pining for freedom. In the hotel’s on-site spa, she is being pampered with a deep tissue massage. It’s a welcome distraction from the wear and tear that her body has faced working through a grinding schedule before returning to Brazil, but she craves to be out in the city. Her manager, however, has put her under lock and key if only for the rebellious young starlet’s own good. She knows that she could do far more than complain and do what she wanted but two things hold her back: respect for her manager’s decision and her new-found attention to detail. Even more so than before she has become a “student of the game” as it pertains to wrestling, studying her opponents to find any flaw possible, pouring over matches both recent and as far back into a person’s career as she can find. Even the smallest things she believes can be exploited are noted. As she casually watches the exploits of her opponent Aiden Reynolds on her phone, the massage continues. The masseuse, a young Brazillian woman with long brown hair, tries to strike up a conversation.
“Are you enjoying your stay here, Emmanuelle?”
“I most certainly am. Especially this massage. You’re pretty good at this.”
“T-thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Most of the clients here are a little surprised when I speak English to them. They don’t expect it, you know?”
“Meh. I grew up in a house with three different languages and traveled all over the world as part of this wrestling gig. I’ve probably picked up enough Portuguese to at least have a casual conversation.”
“Is that so? Por que você compete em um esporte tão perigoso quando você é tão bonita?”
Emmy managed to roll her body, covered only by a large white towel, so she could look up at the woman with a playful smirk.
“Para que eu possa visitar lugares lindos como este e conhecer mulheres lindas como você.”
The young woman started to blush quite heavily at the comment, a bashful smile on her face as the massage continued.
“Thank you...Also, I know that you are being quarantined somewhat because of everything going on, but if you wanted to see some place in the city...Perhaps I could double as a tour guide?”
“Are you hitting on me?”
“No. We are just taught to be as welcoming and as helpful as possible here. The fact that you’re on par with most of the models in my country has nothing to do with it.”
It was the masseuse’s time to give a playful grin and a small bite of her lip. Emmy definitely seemed more pleased with being stuck in the hotel now that she had someone to occupy her time. Quarantine life wasn’t so bad after all. Before she could plot all the fun things she could do with her new friend her phone started to ring, prompting Emmy to check and find that her mentor was calling.
“I’m sorry but I’ve got to take this……Hello?”
“Emmy, what’s good? I’m seeing you popping up all over the place on television. Lookin’ like a young me in my prime and all that shit! Ladder match one promotion, title matches in other ones, signing that sweet OWA deal...then THAT MATCH WITH SABERTOOTH a couple of weeks ago in WrestleWorld? I think one of my British friends called it an absolute belter, whatever the fuck that means.”
“-sigh-...Hey Carlos. How are you?”
“I’m good, just taking a break from getting ready for my big first round tournament match here in the States. I hear YOU have a pretty big tournament match coming up yourself, don’t you?”
“Yeah. For Project Honor’s vacated X-Factor title. I mean, I wasn’t expecting to be involved but here I am, giving it a go and I didn’t even have to raise my voice or demand it. All I had to do was show up and win.”
“Yeah, I heard about the injury the old champ had. Unfortunate stuff. But you know how that stuff goes. His loss, your gain. You know what the bracket for this thing looks like, yeah?”
“I do, actually. It’s got a lot of faces that I’m now familiar with in it. You remember Myojin, right? A few big fish are involved like Blair Regent and that walking mountain masquerading as a human called Lance. Aiden Reynolds is my first round matchup though. What do you know about him?”
“Not a damn thing. What about you, I’m sure you’re doing your crazy research about everything in a motherfucka’s life history to try to find out about this dude, yeah?”
“Well, I did find some matches of note. He actually beat Ozymandias.”
“You’re talking about that psycho from Europe who wears the mask. Butcher of the Rhine I think they call him?”
“Yep. that impressed me a lot. I saw first hand what kind of animal that ungodly thing is and anyone willing to step in the ring with him one on one is either very crazy or very good. Probably both. Ah, found some more material on this guy too. Has teamed with Dickie Watson as a team called the Commonwealth.”
“What the hell kind of name is Dickie? Anyway, it seems like you’re well on your way to picking this guy apart and moving on. I just want you to stay focused, okay? No partying, no carousing, none of that. Just get the W and move on to the next. You’re already a great champion in one promotion, if you get your hands on a title in a place hot and on the rise like Project Honor is, the sky's the limit, you feel me?”
“I get you.”
“Good. I just wanted to see if you were up for it and I know you are. Go get that title. One more thing though..I haven’t been to Brazil in a while, they still got all those big booty freaks?”
*CLICK*
“Hello?....Emmy?”
Hello, Aiden. Hopefully you’re watching this comfortably somewhere. It’s just a little video message that I’ve decided to record for you. I would rather be out and about in Sao Paulo and enjoying the nightlife, but here we are in this hotel room...which isn’t half bad, especially when you’ve had some EXTREMELY entertaining company the past few hours, but I digress.
Ever since I arrived in Project Honor, I have faced some criticism. Not necessarily from people in Project Honor but in some other promotions that I’m based. A lot of them were starting to feel that my attention was lacking, that my motivation to be in Project Honor was only getting paid for my job. In a way, that’s half true admittedly. When I first came here, I came here with little fanfare and didn’t expect anyone to really put much thought into me. My star, for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to shine as brightly as your partner Dickie Watson’s or Myojin’s or Zane, just to name a few. Even TJ Thompson gets treated to a little fanfare here and there. People actually were HAPPY to see him when he and I teamed together.
Was I surprised when I got this invitation to compete in the X-Factor Championship tournament? A little. I had just finished off a cake-walk in a nondescript six man tag that probably shouldn’t have even been on the show at all and was a complete waste of Cadillac, Myself and Lance Williams’s time. But then the waste of time turned out to be an opportunity of a lifetime. Just like other belts that I’ve won or have chased, I don’t care much about the prestige or the history of the title. I’ve fought for established titles, brand new ones and everything in between...and “prestige” is something that you can build upon and make your own.
Look at me and the WrestleWorld Shogun Championship. I know different companies, but if you study my reign there you know what I am capable of. I’ve beaten the likes of Rosanna Vendetta, Sakuya Goto and Christopher Sabertooth to keep that beautiful title around my fine ass waist and I’ve employed any and all means to do so. I’ve outwrestled, overpowered and outsmarted anyone stupid enough to come for my head.
You, with your massive inferiority complex and borderline self-hatred, I bet you’re thinking “What does that have to do with me?”
Everything.
You see, I have done everything possible to lull the Project Honor community to sleep. I won’t say that I was throwing matches or anything stupid like that, but I certainly have picked my spots when and when I have not chosen to give a shit. When I’m at my best, I can tap out people like Blair Regent. When I don’t…..meh, I guess you can point to the Cadillac match where I probably didn’t take him as seriously as I should have. Unfortunately for you, Aiden, I take you very, very seriously. You’re talented, you’ve won everywhere you’ve been, and you’re probably one of the favorites in the field to claim the title. A minnow like me shouldn’t be able to swim in the deep waters with a shark like you and survive. I’m sure that’s the prevailing logic in the locker room.
Well the locker room is in for a seismic shock. I’m talking about South Korea beating Italy in the World Cup kind of shock. And you, my dear Aiden, are going to be a wonderful footnote in the annals of Project Honor history. Not for your comedy, not for your teaming with Watson, not for being an outstanding athlete. No, your place in history is going to be the answer to the trivia question: “Who did Emmanuelle beat in the first round on the way to winning Project Honor’s X Factor Championship on Proving Ground?”
The rest of the tournament field, even though I know very well some of the people in it, is not my concern right now. Nothing else going on in Project Honor is taking priority right now for me over beating you and moving on to the semifinals. I have no problem with you, honestly. I think you will be one of the biggest stars the world has ever seen. You are someone that most people in the business should aspire to be like. I respect your hustle and your drive to succeed.
Unfortunately for you, I don’t respect it enough to let you walk over me. And I don’t respect your abilities to the extent of fearing you if I know that I can beat you, seeing as how I’ve never lost to Myojin and he handed you your ass not that long ago.
You will learn the rule, the Platinum Rule, the cardinal rule of Proving Ground:
Don’t Fuck With Emmanuelle.
See you soon.
By the way, the rest of the people in the field, I hope you’re all watching what I do. Two more of you are going to be added to the highlight reel alongside Aidan soon enough.