The Hard Part
Dec 8, 2016 21:49:38 GMT -5
Post by Cordy on Dec 8, 2016 21:49:38 GMT -5
I always say this because it’s true: sometimes we really do run away from the things that are truly meant for us.
Some do it involuntarily. They don’t even realize that they’re doing it. Instead they set off searching for greener pastures, either ignoring the blessing that is right there in front of their face the entire time or not even realizing that it’s there in the first place.
While others simply run. Afraid to embrace the blessings and opportunities that we may encounter because we ourselves tend to be our biggest obstacles. Doubt is our greatest antagonist and we let his whisperings lead us into the fatal mistake of over thinking. And we run, not because we don’t want what is meant for us, but because we feel we’re inadequate and not capable of obtaining it.
I ran for as long as I possibly could.
Fooled myself into believing I’d been doing the right thing, simply because I was too ashamed to admit to myself that I was afraid. I ran away from my destiny.
But eventually, it always catches up to you in the end.
And mine had caught up with me.
And suddenly I felt so silly. The joy, the elation… the euphoric feeling was matched by absolutely nothing else in the world. Why did I try so hard to evade it? Why did I intentionally try to pass up on the sweetest thing I’d ever come to know? I honestly couldn’t express to you what I felt when that bell finally rang; or what was going through my head the moment that I was finally handed that title. It was all a blur and all I knew was that I was the epicenter in a vortex of emotions.
And truthfully that feeling didn’t dissipate for days.
But when it finally did and I emerged from that haze of bliss and allowed a moment of realization to set in. I realized that not only was I the new FGA World Champion -- but I was $100,000 richer as well. Yeah, not a bad perk at all to have completely forgotten about.
Not that the money wasn’t important, or that it wasn’t needed. Believe me it was. And I knew that it would come in handy. But the FGA World title had been the apple of my eye. It was my dream come true and at that point in time, it was all I’d wanted. Not that the money would go to waste. In my mind, it was already gone and spent. There were bills that needed to be paid and not necessarily mine either.
Mommy always used to tell me to count my blessings, and while in the midst of doing that, be sure that you were being a blessing to someone else. That was how positivity spread in the world. Some things you never forget. Some things stick with you. And that was something I’d always believed in. Who’s to say that my blessings were mine alone?
They didn’t have to be, and I’d already come to the conclusion that this one wouldn’t be.
****
“A hundred thousand dollars...” A bewildered Mrs. Patterson asked as she glanced up at me with widened eyes. Her hands were visibly shaking as she tightly clutched the check that I’d placed in her hands. “T-That’s a lot of money Ms. Stevenson, I can’t.” She added with a disapproving shake of her head as she wiped at the tears welling in the corner of her eyes, obviously touched by my benevolent gesture.
You see after my match, I paid another visit to the little girl and her family who had helped put everything in perspective for me. That initial encounter with Gabriela had been a powerful one, and one that I was absolutely sure I’d never forget. Her spirit had been touching; the conversation one that was engrained in my memory. With that one chance visit, that little girl and her family had left their mark for a lifetime and I felt compelled to reciprocate that somehow. This was my attempt.
“Hey…” I said softly, my voice soothing as I grasped a hold of her hands to comfort her. “It’s Cordy remember? And I want you to have it.” I said reassuringly. “I figured you could do a lot more with it than I could.”
I could still see the reluctance in her eyes; not because she didn’t want to take it, but because somehow I could tell she felt as if she would be doing me a disservice by taking it. It was a lot of money. More than double what a majority of most families brought in for a year. There wasn’t a doubt that it could do wonders for me, but it wasn’t about that. I knew that they needed it more. Prior conversations during my last trip had revealed just how far into debt the Patterson’s had fallen by getting Gabriela the medical care that she required. It just seemed so unfair to me that they had to deal with that burden along with having to watch their baby girl suffer. The world could be inexplicably cruel and the most fucked up thing about it was that there wasn’t anything that was going to change the situation or what they were facing. The most I could do was help in any way that I could.
“But this is yours.” She continued defiantly. “You worked hard for this.”
I laughed and waved her off. “Girl, I beat Tony Carmine. That ain’t nothing I ain’t ever did before!” I joked. Although the fact that it was true kind of made me laugh a bit harder than I needed to. Laughter is contagious though, it caused her to chuckle. Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at the check once again before raising a brow at me.
“You sure?”
“Positive.” I confirmed.
There was another brief second of contemplation before I unexpectedly felt the weight of her around my neck as she stood on her tiptoes and pulled me down for a hug. “Thank you so so much, Cordy. You have no idea just how much this means to us.”
The sincerity and gratefulness were evident in her tone. My gift had definitely made her day, hell maybe even her week. Mrs. Patterson deserved small wins like that. God knows life was hard enough on her, I was happy that I could give her a reason to smile. Even if it was only temporary. Because deep down I knew that things would only get rougher from there.
The hard part had yet to come.
-----------
“It’s not easy getting to the top.” She began, the camera catching a profiled shot of her as she stared out at the city of Boston below. Cordelia Stevenson felt as if she were on top of the world, and the image before us was a sure representation of that. Bundled up to combat the brisk coolness of a “Boss Town” Winter; especially taking into consideration how much colder it was than the norm at her heightened elevation atop the John Hancock Tower — FGA’s resident ‘2 Strap Shawty’, living up to her name with a title belt slung over each shoulder, looked at relative ease despite the somewhat frigid climate. Being a native New Yorker, the cold wasn’t anything new to her. It was what she was used to. What amused her more than anything however was the correlation that she could draw from the juxtaposition when the situation was related to her career.
With her change in elevation came a newfound frigidness that she’d have to deal with.
She could already sense the shift in the atmosphere. The smiles had become ingenuine, just as fake as the people they belonged to and the same people she’d once believed were rooting for her, now gazed at her with something other than admiration in their eyes. Was it jealousy? Envy? Bitterness? She couldn’t say that it didn’t sting. She’d noticed the pot shots. The little snide quips disguised in meme and gif format, she’d taken a mental note of it all.
She hadn’t outwardly addressed it, instead she’d opted to play it cool and allow the true colors to be shown. However she couldn’t really say that she’d been surprised either. Everyone loved an underdog, and her journey to where she was had been the supreme underdog story. The magnitudes and weight of her previous failures… overcoming the injuries that she had sustained, it was only natural that people had wanted to see her succeed then.
But now that she’d finally managed to overcome that final obstacle, to clear that one hurdle that had tripped her up time and time again, it seemed as if her peers would have much rather preferred if she’d have just fallen flat on her face once again. After all, that was the last single thing that they could hold over her head wasn’t it?
But that’s how life was. Like Jay-Z had said in ‘So Appalled’ it was the ‘Dark Knight’ feeling. die and be a hero, Or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.
The thing was, Cordelia Stevenson simply didn’t know how to die. So it was only a matter of time before that perception of her eventually changed. She knew that. From The Underdog to the Alleged Chosen One. She’d live with that. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t change anything at all. It didn’t change what she’d done. It didn’t change what she’d accomplished. And most importantly, it didn’t change who she was. She was a successful individual at the top of her game and she understood that the top could be a cold and lonely place. It was simply a burden she’d have to bear.
“Most never make it and are only left with the remnants of the dreams they had of one day reaching that pinnacle; of standing atop the proverbial mountaintop and experiencing that feeling of accomplishment that comes with the moment.”
The traces of a faint smile were shown as she recalled her moment of triumph. She took a deep breath and then turned towards the camera, her brows furrowed. “How many have dreamt of that moment though? Only to reach the end of their careers without ever seeing it come to fruition?” She shrugged, pondering just how many would never get the chance to call themselves a World Champion. “The number is endless; the sea of faces blossoming every day with only the promise of growing exponentially as time goes on. Not that it’s a bad thing. I mean, there’s so much to be done in this business, a million different ways to make a mark and leave a lasting impression. A fruitful and storied career is very possible without ever reaching that pinnacle and for the longest, I was a testament to that!” she exclaimed, knowing just how true the statement was.
Over the years she’d put together quite an impressive resume; a multi-time tag champion in PDW, Queen of the Deathmatch Tournament Winner, Frontier Lion’s Cup Winner, Gold Rush Rumble winner, Dynamic Duos winner; not to mention the countless awards and accolades she’d earned. Her many accomplishments in such a short period of time had established her as a force in the wrestling business, all without having ever won ‘The Big One’.
“So I’ve always had a certain level of respect for those that were fortunate enough to make it to that pinnacle — because I know how difficult of a feat it is, and now that I’ve accomplished it for myself, I can speak from experience when I say it’s a truly amazing feeling. But…” she held up a finger. “...there’s a huge misconception that I notice a lot of people have. That this…” She said, torquing her body more towards the camera and nodding towards her FGA World Championship. “... automatically makes you great.” She shook her head., hating to be the bearer of bad news.
“It doesn’t.”
“There’s a fine distinction between doing something great… and being great; and it’s one that I’ve noticed many people fail to make. It’s the distinction that sets people like Chandler Scott… or hell, even Jimmy Page worlds apart from the A.J. Fairchilds and the Zero McHannons. All did great things. Not all are revered as great champions. Getting here? It’s exceptionally hard. But staying here?”
“Well that’s even harder. “
“THAT is why Chandler Scott gets the praise that he does til this very day. THAT is why Jimmy Page’s run was considered one of the best in this company’s history. Sustaining a certain level of excellence for such an extended period of time? That’s the making of a great champion, and that’s the company that I want my name mentioned with when all is said and done.
“I’ve finally earned the right to call myself the FGA World Champion and you have no idea just how proud that makes me. For many, that would simply be enough. For people like Zero McHannon, just having your name on the list and being able to gloat about it, despite not doing a damn thing with it… is enough.. But I want to earn that distinction. I want to separate myself from the crowd in a manner such as the way that Chandler did. In a way that Jimmy did. For me, being the FGA Champion isn’t enough.”
“I want to be a great champion. Just like Dan and I have been with the tag team championships.”
“And the legacy I leave, the legacy I will begin to establish…. It all begins right here in this very city. It all begins against Savannah Taylor.”
Cordelia brushed a loose strand of hair from her face as she exhaled, a thin thread of vapor escaping into the air. The match against Savannah was actually one she’d looked forward to ever since news first broke that the last EXODUS Pro World Champion had signed with the company way back at the end of last year. Cordy herself had been sidelined with an injury at the time, but she always knew that one day they’d cross paths. And here they finally were.
“You’re no stranger to this, Savannah; having been a former World Champion yourself. You above anyone know the pressures that come with this position.” Cordelia hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “They’re pressures that you’re still succumbing to until this very day...” Cordelia added in no way to be malicious, but simply for a point. “...pressures that you haven’t quite yet learned how to cope with.”
“You see, I know how glorious it was for you that night, love. I was there in the building. At The Autumn Effect 3? When you not only defeated one of my best friends, Heather Lasiewicz in what I must say was an amazing match… but when you also bested Chris Strike, but Christum Furor as well… when you did what many perceived to be the unthinkable. Without a doubt, that was probably the greatest night in your career, wasn’t it? That night changed the entire course of your career chica, and now, you’re left crumbling beneath the weight of the expectations that that night created.”
“Not to say that your tenure here in this company has been bad, you’ve definitely had your moments. But your status, your position and your standing as a former World Champion dictates that alright simply isn’t enough anymore. You came into this company with that shimmering aura around you: Savannah Taylor. The Las Vegas Siren. The Last ever EX PRO Champion.” Cordelia arched her eyebrows and slowly let out a hiss. “But my how that luster has long since dulled my love, and I realize that at the end of the day I just don’t want to be another you, Savannah. I don’t want to be just another World Champion that failed to live up to the hype; that got the ball in her possession and fumbled it away. Although your circumstances were quite different, the pressures are all the same. Yours possibly even more so, because you were the LAST champion of your company. You are forever the flagbearer and standard for which that company will be remembered and are you serving as a good representation.”
Cordy motioned her hand, swatting away at the camera.
“It’s unfair, I know… being tethered to something long gone but it’s not forgotten Savannah and you need to understand that. What we do once we’re in this position? It matters.” She said through gritted teeth. “It will always matter. And that’s why our match at Vertigo is so important to me. Never mind the fact that I actually respect you as a competitor. Never mind the fact that I think you’re talented beyond this world. Never mind the fact that I know you’ll push me to my max… No, even with all of those things in play, I look forward to our match because it sets the tone for me and what I’m looking to achieve.”
“My very first match as the FGA World Champion--” She couldn’t help but to smile as the words slipped from her tongue. “... it’s all about starting strong chica. Showing that there’s no complacency here. Because truth be told there isn’t. I can’t help but to feel as if the entire world is watching and they’re waiting for me to misstep somehow. They’re waiting for me to stumble, and they’re waiting for that fall from grace. I’m lowkey stubborn, Savannah and I’m not too keen on giving them the satisfaction of seeing it happen.” She admitted with a shrug.
“As if it isn’t bad enough that they’re already trying to discredit me.” She spat incredulously. “As if I haven’t bust my ass ever since coming back from my injury. People like Zero want to say I only wrestled a part of the year, when in all actuality, I’ve won more matches in that short period of time than the number of matches he’s wrestled for the company all year. But they don’t see that. As if I lowkey didn’t just put together one of the best years of my career. Achieving the Golden Crown by winning Dynamic Duos with Dan… becoming a tag team champion. The Wild Lottery tournament, not only becoming the new World Champion… but a double champion at that.”
She let out a low whistle as she looked at both titles in her possession.
“Maybe they’d acknowledge it more if I stood in front of a camera for twenty freaking minutes at the beginning of every show ranting and raving about how great I am. Maybe they’d take notice if I banged on a keyboard or keypad until my fingers were bruised to the bone, tweeting reminders to you all every single time I felt desperate for attention.” Cordelia shrugged. “Maybe… but that was just never my style. I always felt that I could show people better than I could ever tell them, and that’s what I’ve done time and time again. That’s what I will continue to do because that’s just who I am. When my number is called, I show up and I show out, and Vertigo won’t be any different, Savannah. Only this time, I’ll be showing you exactly why I am the FGA World Champion.”
“Don’t tell me that you’ve been down on your luck lately. Don’t tell me that you’re looking to reverse your fortunes. Just do it. Don’t give me this song and dance about wanting to do better. Just be better. You see, the problem with people around here is that they love to talk, but there’s usually very little follow through. The Siren’s song has become quite redundant and quite frankly we’ve all heard it so many times that I’ve come to know it like the back of my hand. I don’t want any excuses from you, Savannah. I don’t want any threats nor do I want any promises. I simply want your best. Is that too much to ask? I want the Savannah Taylor that made this climb… the Savannah Taylor that fought with an undying tenacity to reach that mountaintop when no one thought that she could. I want to meet her here at the top!” Cordelia exclaimed, taking a step back with her arms outstretched. Her eyes narrowed a bit as a sly smile crossed her lips. “So I can give her her first lesson on staying here.”
She let out a low chuckle as she glanced off to the side.
“Yeah, getting to the top is hard chica. And there isn’t a doubt in my mind that staying here will be even harder. But the thing is? I have no intentions of going anywhere… any time soon. And at Vertigo, you will be my messenger, Taylor. Run and tell the whole world…”
She smiled.
“...to get familiar.”
Some do it involuntarily. They don’t even realize that they’re doing it. Instead they set off searching for greener pastures, either ignoring the blessing that is right there in front of their face the entire time or not even realizing that it’s there in the first place.
While others simply run. Afraid to embrace the blessings and opportunities that we may encounter because we ourselves tend to be our biggest obstacles. Doubt is our greatest antagonist and we let his whisperings lead us into the fatal mistake of over thinking. And we run, not because we don’t want what is meant for us, but because we feel we’re inadequate and not capable of obtaining it.
I ran for as long as I possibly could.
Fooled myself into believing I’d been doing the right thing, simply because I was too ashamed to admit to myself that I was afraid. I ran away from my destiny.
But eventually, it always catches up to you in the end.
And mine had caught up with me.
And suddenly I felt so silly. The joy, the elation… the euphoric feeling was matched by absolutely nothing else in the world. Why did I try so hard to evade it? Why did I intentionally try to pass up on the sweetest thing I’d ever come to know? I honestly couldn’t express to you what I felt when that bell finally rang; or what was going through my head the moment that I was finally handed that title. It was all a blur and all I knew was that I was the epicenter in a vortex of emotions.
And truthfully that feeling didn’t dissipate for days.
But when it finally did and I emerged from that haze of bliss and allowed a moment of realization to set in. I realized that not only was I the new FGA World Champion -- but I was $100,000 richer as well. Yeah, not a bad perk at all to have completely forgotten about.
Not that the money wasn’t important, or that it wasn’t needed. Believe me it was. And I knew that it would come in handy. But the FGA World title had been the apple of my eye. It was my dream come true and at that point in time, it was all I’d wanted. Not that the money would go to waste. In my mind, it was already gone and spent. There were bills that needed to be paid and not necessarily mine either.
Mommy always used to tell me to count my blessings, and while in the midst of doing that, be sure that you were being a blessing to someone else. That was how positivity spread in the world. Some things you never forget. Some things stick with you. And that was something I’d always believed in. Who’s to say that my blessings were mine alone?
They didn’t have to be, and I’d already come to the conclusion that this one wouldn’t be.
****
“A hundred thousand dollars...” A bewildered Mrs. Patterson asked as she glanced up at me with widened eyes. Her hands were visibly shaking as she tightly clutched the check that I’d placed in her hands. “T-That’s a lot of money Ms. Stevenson, I can’t.” She added with a disapproving shake of her head as she wiped at the tears welling in the corner of her eyes, obviously touched by my benevolent gesture.
You see after my match, I paid another visit to the little girl and her family who had helped put everything in perspective for me. That initial encounter with Gabriela had been a powerful one, and one that I was absolutely sure I’d never forget. Her spirit had been touching; the conversation one that was engrained in my memory. With that one chance visit, that little girl and her family had left their mark for a lifetime and I felt compelled to reciprocate that somehow. This was my attempt.
“Hey…” I said softly, my voice soothing as I grasped a hold of her hands to comfort her. “It’s Cordy remember? And I want you to have it.” I said reassuringly. “I figured you could do a lot more with it than I could.”
I could still see the reluctance in her eyes; not because she didn’t want to take it, but because somehow I could tell she felt as if she would be doing me a disservice by taking it. It was a lot of money. More than double what a majority of most families brought in for a year. There wasn’t a doubt that it could do wonders for me, but it wasn’t about that. I knew that they needed it more. Prior conversations during my last trip had revealed just how far into debt the Patterson’s had fallen by getting Gabriela the medical care that she required. It just seemed so unfair to me that they had to deal with that burden along with having to watch their baby girl suffer. The world could be inexplicably cruel and the most fucked up thing about it was that there wasn’t anything that was going to change the situation or what they were facing. The most I could do was help in any way that I could.
“But this is yours.” She continued defiantly. “You worked hard for this.”
I laughed and waved her off. “Girl, I beat Tony Carmine. That ain’t nothing I ain’t ever did before!” I joked. Although the fact that it was true kind of made me laugh a bit harder than I needed to. Laughter is contagious though, it caused her to chuckle. Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at the check once again before raising a brow at me.
“You sure?”
“Positive.” I confirmed.
There was another brief second of contemplation before I unexpectedly felt the weight of her around my neck as she stood on her tiptoes and pulled me down for a hug. “Thank you so so much, Cordy. You have no idea just how much this means to us.”
The sincerity and gratefulness were evident in her tone. My gift had definitely made her day, hell maybe even her week. Mrs. Patterson deserved small wins like that. God knows life was hard enough on her, I was happy that I could give her a reason to smile. Even if it was only temporary. Because deep down I knew that things would only get rougher from there.
The hard part had yet to come.
-----------
“It’s not easy getting to the top.” She began, the camera catching a profiled shot of her as she stared out at the city of Boston below. Cordelia Stevenson felt as if she were on top of the world, and the image before us was a sure representation of that. Bundled up to combat the brisk coolness of a “Boss Town” Winter; especially taking into consideration how much colder it was than the norm at her heightened elevation atop the John Hancock Tower — FGA’s resident ‘2 Strap Shawty’, living up to her name with a title belt slung over each shoulder, looked at relative ease despite the somewhat frigid climate. Being a native New Yorker, the cold wasn’t anything new to her. It was what she was used to. What amused her more than anything however was the correlation that she could draw from the juxtaposition when the situation was related to her career.
With her change in elevation came a newfound frigidness that she’d have to deal with.
She could already sense the shift in the atmosphere. The smiles had become ingenuine, just as fake as the people they belonged to and the same people she’d once believed were rooting for her, now gazed at her with something other than admiration in their eyes. Was it jealousy? Envy? Bitterness? She couldn’t say that it didn’t sting. She’d noticed the pot shots. The little snide quips disguised in meme and gif format, she’d taken a mental note of it all.
She hadn’t outwardly addressed it, instead she’d opted to play it cool and allow the true colors to be shown. However she couldn’t really say that she’d been surprised either. Everyone loved an underdog, and her journey to where she was had been the supreme underdog story. The magnitudes and weight of her previous failures… overcoming the injuries that she had sustained, it was only natural that people had wanted to see her succeed then.
But now that she’d finally managed to overcome that final obstacle, to clear that one hurdle that had tripped her up time and time again, it seemed as if her peers would have much rather preferred if she’d have just fallen flat on her face once again. After all, that was the last single thing that they could hold over her head wasn’t it?
But that’s how life was. Like Jay-Z had said in ‘So Appalled’ it was the ‘Dark Knight’ feeling. die and be a hero, Or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.
The thing was, Cordelia Stevenson simply didn’t know how to die. So it was only a matter of time before that perception of her eventually changed. She knew that. From The Underdog to the Alleged Chosen One. She’d live with that. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t change anything at all. It didn’t change what she’d done. It didn’t change what she’d accomplished. And most importantly, it didn’t change who she was. She was a successful individual at the top of her game and she understood that the top could be a cold and lonely place. It was simply a burden she’d have to bear.
“Most never make it and are only left with the remnants of the dreams they had of one day reaching that pinnacle; of standing atop the proverbial mountaintop and experiencing that feeling of accomplishment that comes with the moment.”
The traces of a faint smile were shown as she recalled her moment of triumph. She took a deep breath and then turned towards the camera, her brows furrowed. “How many have dreamt of that moment though? Only to reach the end of their careers without ever seeing it come to fruition?” She shrugged, pondering just how many would never get the chance to call themselves a World Champion. “The number is endless; the sea of faces blossoming every day with only the promise of growing exponentially as time goes on. Not that it’s a bad thing. I mean, there’s so much to be done in this business, a million different ways to make a mark and leave a lasting impression. A fruitful and storied career is very possible without ever reaching that pinnacle and for the longest, I was a testament to that!” she exclaimed, knowing just how true the statement was.
Over the years she’d put together quite an impressive resume; a multi-time tag champion in PDW, Queen of the Deathmatch Tournament Winner, Frontier Lion’s Cup Winner, Gold Rush Rumble winner, Dynamic Duos winner; not to mention the countless awards and accolades she’d earned. Her many accomplishments in such a short period of time had established her as a force in the wrestling business, all without having ever won ‘The Big One’.
“So I’ve always had a certain level of respect for those that were fortunate enough to make it to that pinnacle — because I know how difficult of a feat it is, and now that I’ve accomplished it for myself, I can speak from experience when I say it’s a truly amazing feeling. But…” she held up a finger. “...there’s a huge misconception that I notice a lot of people have. That this…” She said, torquing her body more towards the camera and nodding towards her FGA World Championship. “... automatically makes you great.” She shook her head., hating to be the bearer of bad news.
“It doesn’t.”
“There’s a fine distinction between doing something great… and being great; and it’s one that I’ve noticed many people fail to make. It’s the distinction that sets people like Chandler Scott… or hell, even Jimmy Page worlds apart from the A.J. Fairchilds and the Zero McHannons. All did great things. Not all are revered as great champions. Getting here? It’s exceptionally hard. But staying here?”
“Well that’s even harder. “
“THAT is why Chandler Scott gets the praise that he does til this very day. THAT is why Jimmy Page’s run was considered one of the best in this company’s history. Sustaining a certain level of excellence for such an extended period of time? That’s the making of a great champion, and that’s the company that I want my name mentioned with when all is said and done.
“I’ve finally earned the right to call myself the FGA World Champion and you have no idea just how proud that makes me. For many, that would simply be enough. For people like Zero McHannon, just having your name on the list and being able to gloat about it, despite not doing a damn thing with it… is enough.. But I want to earn that distinction. I want to separate myself from the crowd in a manner such as the way that Chandler did. In a way that Jimmy did. For me, being the FGA Champion isn’t enough.”
“I want to be a great champion. Just like Dan and I have been with the tag team championships.”
“And the legacy I leave, the legacy I will begin to establish…. It all begins right here in this very city. It all begins against Savannah Taylor.”
Cordelia brushed a loose strand of hair from her face as she exhaled, a thin thread of vapor escaping into the air. The match against Savannah was actually one she’d looked forward to ever since news first broke that the last EXODUS Pro World Champion had signed with the company way back at the end of last year. Cordy herself had been sidelined with an injury at the time, but she always knew that one day they’d cross paths. And here they finally were.
“You’re no stranger to this, Savannah; having been a former World Champion yourself. You above anyone know the pressures that come with this position.” Cordelia hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “They’re pressures that you’re still succumbing to until this very day...” Cordelia added in no way to be malicious, but simply for a point. “...pressures that you haven’t quite yet learned how to cope with.”
“You see, I know how glorious it was for you that night, love. I was there in the building. At The Autumn Effect 3? When you not only defeated one of my best friends, Heather Lasiewicz in what I must say was an amazing match… but when you also bested Chris Strike, but Christum Furor as well… when you did what many perceived to be the unthinkable. Without a doubt, that was probably the greatest night in your career, wasn’t it? That night changed the entire course of your career chica, and now, you’re left crumbling beneath the weight of the expectations that that night created.”
“Not to say that your tenure here in this company has been bad, you’ve definitely had your moments. But your status, your position and your standing as a former World Champion dictates that alright simply isn’t enough anymore. You came into this company with that shimmering aura around you: Savannah Taylor. The Las Vegas Siren. The Last ever EX PRO Champion.” Cordelia arched her eyebrows and slowly let out a hiss. “But my how that luster has long since dulled my love, and I realize that at the end of the day I just don’t want to be another you, Savannah. I don’t want to be just another World Champion that failed to live up to the hype; that got the ball in her possession and fumbled it away. Although your circumstances were quite different, the pressures are all the same. Yours possibly even more so, because you were the LAST champion of your company. You are forever the flagbearer and standard for which that company will be remembered and are you serving as a good representation.”
Cordy motioned her hand, swatting away at the camera.
“It’s unfair, I know… being tethered to something long gone but it’s not forgotten Savannah and you need to understand that. What we do once we’re in this position? It matters.” She said through gritted teeth. “It will always matter. And that’s why our match at Vertigo is so important to me. Never mind the fact that I actually respect you as a competitor. Never mind the fact that I think you’re talented beyond this world. Never mind the fact that I know you’ll push me to my max… No, even with all of those things in play, I look forward to our match because it sets the tone for me and what I’m looking to achieve.”
“My very first match as the FGA World Champion--” She couldn’t help but to smile as the words slipped from her tongue. “... it’s all about starting strong chica. Showing that there’s no complacency here. Because truth be told there isn’t. I can’t help but to feel as if the entire world is watching and they’re waiting for me to misstep somehow. They’re waiting for me to stumble, and they’re waiting for that fall from grace. I’m lowkey stubborn, Savannah and I’m not too keen on giving them the satisfaction of seeing it happen.” She admitted with a shrug.
“As if it isn’t bad enough that they’re already trying to discredit me.” She spat incredulously. “As if I haven’t bust my ass ever since coming back from my injury. People like Zero want to say I only wrestled a part of the year, when in all actuality, I’ve won more matches in that short period of time than the number of matches he’s wrestled for the company all year. But they don’t see that. As if I lowkey didn’t just put together one of the best years of my career. Achieving the Golden Crown by winning Dynamic Duos with Dan… becoming a tag team champion. The Wild Lottery tournament, not only becoming the new World Champion… but a double champion at that.”
She let out a low whistle as she looked at both titles in her possession.
“Maybe they’d acknowledge it more if I stood in front of a camera for twenty freaking minutes at the beginning of every show ranting and raving about how great I am. Maybe they’d take notice if I banged on a keyboard or keypad until my fingers were bruised to the bone, tweeting reminders to you all every single time I felt desperate for attention.” Cordelia shrugged. “Maybe… but that was just never my style. I always felt that I could show people better than I could ever tell them, and that’s what I’ve done time and time again. That’s what I will continue to do because that’s just who I am. When my number is called, I show up and I show out, and Vertigo won’t be any different, Savannah. Only this time, I’ll be showing you exactly why I am the FGA World Champion.”
“Don’t tell me that you’ve been down on your luck lately. Don’t tell me that you’re looking to reverse your fortunes. Just do it. Don’t give me this song and dance about wanting to do better. Just be better. You see, the problem with people around here is that they love to talk, but there’s usually very little follow through. The Siren’s song has become quite redundant and quite frankly we’ve all heard it so many times that I’ve come to know it like the back of my hand. I don’t want any excuses from you, Savannah. I don’t want any threats nor do I want any promises. I simply want your best. Is that too much to ask? I want the Savannah Taylor that made this climb… the Savannah Taylor that fought with an undying tenacity to reach that mountaintop when no one thought that she could. I want to meet her here at the top!” Cordelia exclaimed, taking a step back with her arms outstretched. Her eyes narrowed a bit as a sly smile crossed her lips. “So I can give her her first lesson on staying here.”
She let out a low chuckle as she glanced off to the side.
“Yeah, getting to the top is hard chica. And there isn’t a doubt in my mind that staying here will be even harder. But the thing is? I have no intentions of going anywhere… any time soon. And at Vertigo, you will be my messenger, Taylor. Run and tell the whole world…”
She smiled.
“...to get familiar.”
