Act 1: Celebration
"The celebration... you cannot practice it or anything. It's a moment when the excitement of your goal make you react to the moment."
Peter Bondra
The scene opens on the beautiful countryside of Salerno Italy. The sun had started to rise over the mountain side and onto the city below. The Canelli estate where we see a few guards moving about the estate grounds. The camera goes over the now empty vineyards, and the covered outdoor pool. The camera goes around the estate taking in the beauty of it all. The camera then goes to the interior of the house where we find Reno and Rude sitting in front a flat screen TV playing Super Smash Brothers. They sit staring at the screen and don't notice Joanne walk down stairs in nothing more then a pair of short shorts, and a long t-shirt. Her hair was out of place, and she wore no makeup, but somehow she still managed to look good. She leans against the arm of the couch, and yawns.
Joanne: What day is it?Reno and Rude both look up from the game, and Reno smiles, as Rude just waves.
Rude: It is Sunday morning.Joanne: Sunday the what?Reno: The 18th. You've been out for like 3 days. That was one hell of a party.Joanne: It must have been... I don't remember any of it.Rude: Damn, ever since you won that title it's been non stop parties until you passed out three days ago.Anthony: That's right. Once you passed out, I told everyone to leave. How are you doin' sweety?Joanne turns around and smiles softly. She hugs him and he just smiles.
Joanne: I'm fine. Maybe you can clear up somethin'... What happened last week?Anthony: Of course sweety. A few of my associates stopped by, and well you made them a lot of money two weeks ago.Joanne: They were bettin' on the match?Anthony: They always do. You made them a lot of money sweety, and I mean a lot of money.Joanne: I see but that doesn't explain why I've been passed out for the last three days.Anthony: When they stopped by sweety you were still a bit lit from the celebration from your win, and said the more the better and you wouldn't mind to celebrate a bit more. They brought the finest wines, and a few other thin's and well we had a party that the whole ton was welcomed to.Joanne: Wow. I didn't mean for it to get out of hand. I'm sorry daddy.Anthony: What for? This was the best thin' that could happen for our family. The people of Salerno love us and will look to us for protection from the other families that try to muscle their way in. You did something wonderful my dearest.Joanne smiles softly and looks at her father, knowing the people of Salerno had been oppressed by the Costa Nostra for centuries and now they had guardians. Salerno belonged to the Canelli's. Joanne sighs and sits on the arm of the couch again, watching them play.
Joanne: How long have you two been at this?Reno: Three days.Joanne: So as long as I've been out huh?Rude: Actually longer... When you're father's friends showed up, we came in here and started playing.Joanne: No concern about my safety huh?Rude: What? It wasn't like we were out of the house, and your father's guys were all over the place.Reno: You were in good hands. And we haven't really had a chance to play our game for the last while.Joanne just sighs and shakes her head. She gets up from where she sits, and heads out of the room, and toward the kitchen. Her soft footfalls fell on the Italian ceramic floor. It felt cool to the touch as she moved along, and soon entering the kitchen. She sits down on one of the stools, and sees a piece of paper with writing on it. She picks it up, and reads it.
Joanne: Dear sweety, someone from SCW called and said you have a match this week. They said you had said yes to somethin' called "Blast from the Past", and you are teamed up with some guy named Lucian Frost, and your facin' some chick and some other guy. Not sure who.. Sorry love dad.Joanne sighs and shakes her head. Her father wasn't the most reliable person when it came to taking messages, but she understood. She gets up from where she sits, and heads back toward the main part of the house. She walks through the long corridor and comes to a set of double doors and opens them revealing a rather large office, that was now empty. Joanne smiles to herself as she walks into the room thinking back to the years she had spent playing the floor in her father's office as a child as he did business with his associates. They had spent summers here abroad taking in the countryside that surrounded them. She moves to the desk and to the computer that sat on the corner of the desk. She turns it on, and leans back in the chair waiting for it to come up. It soon does, and the site for SCW soon appears. She smiles softly as she's her opponents and her partner for the match. Joanne turns the chair around to face the window.
Joanne: It seems after my win must have impressed someone to place me in a match that is goin' to be the talk of the world. Blast from the Past Tournament. But I've been paired with someone that I can't even find any information on. But then again why should that bother me? We're going to be paired together and yet I know nothin' about you, and you more then likely don't know much about me, but then again... You can search my name on gawd knows how many search engines and you will see my accomplishments. But you're my partner not my enemy. You and I have to work together and stay on the same page if we want to win this match don't we? I mean I'm not really sure of what to expect from you, except that you were once part of the Tag Team Champions so you can't be all that bad I guess.Joanne just smirks and stares out the window that over looked the vineyards that spread out for what appeared to be miles.
Joanne: As for our opponents... Alex do you even realize what you did when beat Sephiroth two weeks ago? You have made yourself an enemy that will never leave you alone. You will never know peace, no matter where you go what you do. He is someone that you never want to turn your back on or win over. I made that mistake once. He smiled and asked me to be his tag partner, only to hit me with a chair, and then challenge me to a match that nearly killed me in the end. But after that he sent me flowers... And then ever since then we actually be in the same room and act like civilized people. But you... You wronged him and that's not a good thin'. But I can't touch you Alex but my partner can, and there is no stoppin' him from what I could find of him in matches... But there is one... There is one I can touch.An almost an evil smile appears on her lips as she looks over her shoulder slightly.
Joanne: As for my opponent Jade, I don't really know what to say about you. You have a long list of accomplishments, but then again so do I. You are not the only that has managed to put titles before your name time and time again, but yet you have gained nothin' since you have been in the SCW, but I have. I've gained three titles now, and the latest one I don't intend to give up this one just yet, and I don't plan on givin' it up anytime soon. You've come out of retirement and for what? To be beaten once again, while I go to the top once again. I mean all the way to the top. Once Frost and I win this match we are goin' to go on and actually win this and then, then I will get what I want. I have to get through you and Alex then so be it. You two are our first victims and there is no stoppin' what has always been the strongest the company has ever seen.She turns from the window and takes on of the cigars from a box on the other corner. She sits down in the chair once again and lights it after she cuts it, and takes a deep drag. Smoke soon fills the air, and she smiles.
Joanne: Jade do you really think that you can stand against me? I mean I've been around long enough to make a name for myself and I'm not goin' to let you destroy it in just one match. You call yourself the Bitch of Hardcore but can you live up to it? There is a reason they call me the Jersey Devil Diva, and it's simply because of the fact that when I am let loose in the middle of the middle of that ring, I am a wild animal that no one can tame until that bell sounds, and even then you'll be lucky to escape my grasp. I don't back down and I will not stop until you are nothin' but a pile of broken bones in a pool of your own blood.She takes another drag from the cigar in her hand, and it drifts around her face. Her dark eyes burned through the smoke, as she turned the chair once again to face the window.
Joanne: Not you can be smart about this match Jade and just walk away. But I know that's goin' to happen. Did you even watch my match against the seven other losers for the Internet Title? I managed to out last seven others and you really think that you are goin' to beat me in the middle of that ring? No. You'll be lucky to walk away the same way that you walked into that ring. I'm goin' to do everythin' that I can to destroy you, and gain another win over anyone who stands in my way. I'm not afraid of you, or your partner, but you should be afraid of me.A ring of smoke appears over the chair, and a laugh erupts from the other side. An almost evil laugh that seems to be darker and menacing. As the chair turns around we see a crazed look in Joanne's eyes as she stares at the camera.
Joanne: Our time draws ever closer to our match, and soon we will come face to face with each other. The only thing is you will be the one that ends up on the mat will be you, and your little wannabe of a partner. My time in this company is not done, let alone goin' to be tossed to some little bitch who thinks she can stand against the biggest bitch in the yard. If you're feelin' froggy though... Go ahead and jump. Jump right into that ring, and see how long you can last against me, and then, then tell me that you have what it takes to keep this company goin', and keepin' the fans happy week after week. I am no push over, let alone an easy target for someone like you. We are the Mafioso and we get paid to kick your ass! See you soon... Oh and good luck, you're goin' to need it.Joanne smiles and gets up from where she sits, and walks out of the office, closing the doors behind her as the scene fades to black.
