Las Vegas, Nevada - 2016
Okay, so we are going to take a little look back into the past; a flashback if you will which has become a much loved and used staple for the average wrestling promo. Where some might mark the beginnings of such a story with the trademark "Once Upon A Time," here with a full blooded chick from New Orleans, we believe we'll stick with "Y'all ain't gonna believe this shit..."
Gabriel: So talk to me. Why do you want to be a professional wrestler?
Devona was not surprised in the least that this was one of the first questions out of the mouth of the former two-time Heavyweight Champion of Sin City Wrestling. It wasn't just her, as a person, that Gabriel wanted to get to know before he agreed to take her on as a prospective student at his new training facility. He wanted to know the motivations behind her desire to enter the sport. He wanted to know if her reasoning was superficial like some who wanted to use the business he made his own as a stepping stone to other career highlights, such as television or, and this is really stretching things; movies.
Men such as Dwayne Johnson, who swore to never turn their back on the business of wrestling to become a movie star, did exactly that when Hollywood came a calling and waved a big enough pay check in front of his greedy eyes. Drake Green had found a balance of sorts between the two careers, being mostly retired from the ring but still stepped into the six-sided ring of SCW every now and then when the need arose. And of course, there was Crystal Millar who called herself the 'Silver Screen Queen.' But if Devona was going to be brutally honest, she hadn't seen a single film of Crystal's to make a judgement call.
No, what did surprise Devona was the fact that she was not sitting in Gabriel and Odette Stevens' training facility at this very moment, but inside of their own home in Las Vegas. Perhaps this was his way of further controlling the situation around them, or perhaps he was just trying to use a comfortable surrounding to ease her nerves, of which there were plenty. Had he asked to meet her at the training facility, she would have been surrounded by work out equipment and a wrestling ring (or three), each a reminder of what would be encompassing her life while she put her future in the hands of him and his wife. But if she was going to be honest, she probably would have preferred meeting him at the facility. Here in his home, she felt the butterflies doing their thing even more.
She sat on the plush, wine colored sofa that rested against the far wall of Gabriel and Odette's living room, dressed in a simple and warm blouse for the late year weather of Nevada, jeans and high heeled shoes. She wore very little makeup, as she was not a fan of the idea of walking around like a painted clown. Oh sure, she knew she'd most likely have to get used to it once she officially set foot inside of the ring, but on her own time? Generally she went without.
And Gabriel? He sat opposite her in what she could only imagine was 'his' chair, a comfortable looking recliner that gave him a prime view of the large, picturesque window to the left of the room, and the fifty-six inch flat screen on the right handed corner. He himself was clad in a smart ensemble of a white dress shirt and dark slacks that could have either been black or an insanely deep colored blue. He was clearly waiting so best she get to answering his first question, wouldn't you agree?
Devona: Why does anyone want to get involved in this sport and be a wrestler? On one hand I could say it's because I've always watched and been a fan of it. On the other, I could say that the money and chance to tour and meet people is a big factor.
Gabriel was the picture of stoic calm, his ankle kicked up over his knee and his chin resting in the cup of his hand as he took in everything she said. Or tried to. There was the barest of frowns on his face but she chalked that up to her Louisiana accent.
Gabriel: So? Which of the above?
Devona: All of the above. I can't lie and deny the appeal of getting in the ring and testing myself against other women and what they bring to the table. I know SCW is a region-based indy but they do pay more than most other indies. And I haven't traveled much outside of Louisiana, so travel...
Gabriel held up a forefinger to interrupt.
Gabriel: Point of order, SCW only tours really twice a year. Aside from that, they're based really only in three states; Nevada, California, and Arizona.
Devona: And even that's more than what I'm used to seeing. Just coming here to Las Vegas for this meeting? I was nervous. Especially as I came alone. I wanted to bring my two buddies for company but the one had to work and the other had a campaign in World of Warcraft he couldn't get out of -- or something.
Gabriel snorted back a laugh.
Gabriel: Sounds like quite a pair.
Devona smiles.
Devona: I wouldn't trade them for anything.
Gabriel: Well ... as you've just admitted you travel little and this is your first time in Las Vegas, I'd be a poor host if O and I didn't take you for a trip down the Strip tonight. Let you see what Vegas is all about. Then dinner at the Stratosphere.
Devona: That sounds great!
Devona could not help but feel the excitement grow. Neither Gabriel nor his wife had to do any of this to make her feel welcome; a trip down the famed Vegas Strip, offering to take her out to dinner ... The funny thing about this whole thing? She was from New Orleans! Mardis Gras! Bourbon Street! New Orleans and everything about it was a major tourist destination, and here she was feeling excited about a nighttime trip down the Las Vegas Strip and eating at one of the city's most famous restaurants. To her, New Orleans was home, and had been her entire twenty plus years. So what might excite others about her hometown, to her was really no big deal.
Gabriel: So, why me? Why come to me and my wife to train you up for a career in the ring? Even with ties to SCW, you'd be spoiled for choices. Austin Parker might have been willing. Friend of Mark Ward's, Jordan Williams, has a school. Mark even knows a woman in Japan that has a training school.
Devona: But he recommended you.
Devona smiled.
Devona: I've heard enough about Austin Parker and saw what he did for J2H but he's not for me.
Gabriel shook his head.
Gabriel: If I take you on, I wouldn't be going easy on you.
Devona: I wouldn't ask, or expect, you to.
Gabriel nodded.
Devona: And as far as that school in Japan, no. I can't go that far to train.
Gabriel: Oh? May I ask why? Many people are willing to go to whatever extreme lengths it takes to get their foot in the door.
Devona: But I have a grandmother in N'Awlins I just wouldn't feel right leaving for that long a period of time, or that far away.
Gabriel held a hand up and nodded.
Gabriel: That I can understand, and appreciate. Family first.
Devona just smiled, grateful that he understood.
Devona: And besides, Mark Ward didn't suggest any of those schools. He suggested yours.
Gabriel chuckled.
Gabriel: He must see something, in you and what Odette and I'd be capable of with you.
Devona held up two fingers.
Devona: Two words? Evie. Baang.
Okay, that brought out more than a chuckle from the man who would (hopefully!) be heading up the training for her career. He laughed. Hard. Finally calming himself, Gabriel sat back in his chair and his frame visibly relaxed.
Gabriel: Evie has been a handful, I will admit that. But she's also been pretty bloody successful and made O an me both proud. Couldn't have asked for a better start to me life as a trainer.
This time, it was Devona who smiled.
Devona: Just give me time.
Gabriel stared at Devona for a few brief moments, but enough to make the young woman sit uncomfortably in the silence. If she could read minds, she'd be able to see that Gabriel was, in fact, impressed by her confidence at what she thought she could offer him. As both a student and future prospect to Sin City Wrestling. She did not want to disappoint him, but more importantly, she was self assured that she would not. He gave a lilt of his head.
Gabriel: Why Devona? Where'd you get that nickname?
To this question, she broke out into a wide grin and shook her head.
Devona: Oh god, that came from years ago. Back when I was just a little girl. I was reading a women's wrestling magazine, and there was an article in it about a group of indy women. One of them was this statuesque, sleek beauty. She was black, and just looked absolutely regal. Just the way she carried herself in a single pose in that photograph, and her name was...
Gabriel: Devona.
She nodded with a smile.
Devona: Strange as it might sound, it was that picture and article, that was behind me wanting to wrestle more than anything. You might say I took on the nickname almost as something of a tribute.
Gabriel nodded with an appreciative smile.
Gabriel: Honoring those that came before you. I like that.
And of course, there were other questions to this sit-down interview. Questions about her life in New Orleans, her education, possible back up plans if worse came to worse and there was an untimely injury or her training did not work out as they both hoped it would. Gabriel wanted to know as much as possible about this young Cajun lady if he and his wife was going to be responsible for her.
Gabriel: And you think you have what it takes?
Devona: I hope so! Otherwise I've wasted your time and my own.
Gabriel nodded, but a smile crept on the corners of his lips. He paused in a brief moment of contemplation, then glanced up at the young woman and gave his head a brief shake.
Gabriel: I don't think you have. You ready to see the as-yet-to-be-named facility?
Devona: I'd love to!
Satisfied, Gabriel stood up, prompting Devona to do the same. But before they made their exit, Gabriel turned back to her and inquired.
Gabriel: Did you bring any work out clothes?
Devona: Yes, for when I have my morning run.
Gabriel: Good. Go get it and meet me there.
Gabriel started to step out of the room but glanced back at her over his shoulder and noted her confused look. He smiled.
Gabriel: What? You didn't think the entire interview was just us having a chat up, did you?
Indeed not, because not more than an hour later did Devona find herself standing in the very same building that Evie Baang had kick started her in-ring career. A spacious gymnasium that had state of the art work-out equipment, most of which she could not identify save for the weights and the treadmills. Everything else was a mystery but she was certain that given time, Gabriel and Odette would have her well aquatinted with everything. And then there was the wrestling rings, of which there were three. Upon closer inspection, they looked a lot harder with less padding than she had always assumed wrestling rings had. Clearly she was going to be grossly sore and her body screaming if things worked out for the better -- and she would welcome every moment of it. But that would happen (hopefully) in time. For now? Devona was standing at the ready at a boxing bag that dangled from the building's ceiling. As requested, she was now sporting her workout clothes, although she admittedly felt just a hint self conscious. Her attire was that of a black sports bra with purple accents, matching lycra shorts and her high tops. Not what she expected to be wearing during this interview, but given the circumstances, infinitely better than her previous attire.
To his credit, Gabriel had changed as well. He stood back behind the punching bag, clad in a gray, sleeveless t shirt and black sweat pants. He held the bag firmly in place as she gave it her hardest shots, both left and right.
Gabriel: Good, good! Now, your application said you could give me a stiff kick so let's have one and see, eh?
He braced himself, and Devona stepped back and delivered a hard shot from a single kick to the back, the flat of her foot connecting to the firm leather. She had taken a number of kickboxing training classes and the proof was in the King Cake Bread Pudding as the blow had enough 'oomph' in it to knock Gabriel back three steps, even when behind the safety of the bag. He burst out laughing!
Gabriel: Bloody hell! That was brilliant! Hate to be the bird in the ring that gets one of those in the head! Now...
He moved out from behind the bag and picked up two pairs of padded punch gloves, colored white and black. He slipped them on and moved around in a wide circle, Devona's eyes following him every step of the way.
Gabriel: Going out on a limb here and guessing you're not giving me yer hardest punch, because it might hurt yer knuckles against that bag. Didn't bring your own punching gloves...
He held up a hand before she could raise an objection.
Gabriel: Granted, you didn't know you'd need `em. Lesson learned for the future. Bring everything, no matter where you're traveling or if yer booked or not. Never know when you'd need `em.
Devona nodded that she understood, and Gabriel finally positioned himself and held his padded gloved hands upright and palms out.
Gabriel: Okay, now give me yer hardest shots. Right here.
He clapped one gloved hand into the palm of the other for emphasis, then held out his hands again.
Gabriel: Don't worry, and don't hold back. Mark said you had a pretty wicked right so I want to see for meself. Okay? Go!
And give it her all she did, throwing a stiff right into the palm of his gloved hand. She had the satisfaction of seeing a flicker of surprise on Gabriel's face from the stiffness of the punch, and she started throwing more at him, rapid lefts and rights into his offered gloves.
Gabriel: Good! Bloody...! Keep it up! Another!
Suddenly the training facility's entrance door swung open with a bang and a loud voice pierced the walls...
"GAAAABRIIIIEL!!!"
And by sheer instinct, Gabriel turned his head and a bright smile lit his face at the sight of the form heading his way at top speed, but just at the same time as Devona had thrown a right hand towards his glove. A glove that had moved a fraction too much at the distraction and her own hand shot past it and connected with Gabriel's cheek bone! His head whipped back from the whiplash effect, and Devona froze! Shocked!
Devona: I would have sworn at that very moment that I had blown it. But you know the funny thing? After I checked on him, after he was checked on by the two who had entered the gym at the time and caused the distraction, he was smiling. Smiling! He said it was that shot that finalized his decision to take me on as a student!
New Orleans - Current day
The sun beat down from the clear, blue sky as hundreds upon hundreds of Louisiana natives and tourists alike came from all over for the NOLA Crawfish Festival at the Central City BBQ's Smoke Yard. The setting was like that of a large park made over into a carnival setting, but there were no rides. Everything there was all about one thing; food!
There was many things that Louisiana was known for; Mardis Gras chief amongst them. But the crawfish festivals throughout the state during the month of May was one of the most popular gatherings for all! Beer and over 5,000 pounds of the most mouth watering crawfish a person could want! BBQ delights such as burgers and Cajun sausages! And the music! A gumbo of New Orleans' finest musicians came to play at this event, entertaining with jam sessions, exciting collaborations and surprise sit ins. But more than anything, it was a time and place for family and friends to gather for a celebrated tradition in their city.
"Here you go!"
And the man serving the free crawfish served up one last heaping pile of the small, delicious eats into a red and white cardboard serving dish and handed it over to a gargantuan hand. Pulling back, the hand was revealed to belonging to none other than Twitter mainstay and Devona's close friend and self-proclaimed 'big brother,' Beast. Don't ask his real name, because nobody in this little familial setting was about to reveal it.
Beast: Thank you!
He said in his own booming, baritone accent with a Cajun lilt. He turned and was joined by his brother, known as Beauty, and a blonde, older woman who had a foreboding look to her despite her casual dress. This, obviously, was the woman that brought both brothers into the world. The one they simply called 'Momma.' And along with his own little family, was his extended one of sorts. Devona stood there, and close to her was her Grams, an older black woman who looked just as stern as Beast and Beauty's own mother. And growing up friends with each others' families since before they could remember, both brothers knew 'Nan' to be just that. But 'Grandma Victoria,' who was as much a grandma to the brothers as she was to her own granddaughter, could also prove to be comforting and indulging when the mood struck her.
Each present had their serving of the spicy crawfish in one hand, and a plastic cup filled with beer in the other. Admittedly one of the rare times you might see either Momma or Grandma Victoria indulge with a drink of something as "vile" as beer. It was simply a part of the festival, and as much a part of their enjoyment as it was for the younger generation. They moved as a familial unit through the crowd, casually in search of a place to sit and enjoy their food for the tastes and the music for the senses.
Grandma Victoria: Glad you three made it back in time for at least the last day here.
Momma: Yes. Victoria and I thought you'd end up missing the entire festival.
Devona: We would have probably made it back from Boston yesterday, but we had a little delay.
Momma: Oh?
By instinct Momma glanced over and 'up' at her giant of a son Beast and raised an inquisitive brow.
Momma: Forget your brother at a rest stop again?
Beast paused in step, but only for the briefest of a moment, before he shrugged it off and shook his head in the negative.
Beast: Of course not.
Beauty: Twice!
Beast turned and shot his brother a withering look that had the younger sibling clear his throat and look away hurriedly. Then Beauty's cell went off with a musical ring tone and he frowned. He paused and set his beer down while the others turned and waited, watching as he fished his phone from his "too tight" jeans and clicked on it to answer.
Beauty: Hello? .... Do I like to party? .... Sure I do! ... No. No, I don't think I'd like that. ... Afraid? No. No, I just don't think that's anatomically possible...
Beast: Give me that!
He snatched his brother's phone from his hand and turned it off before shoving it in his own shorts pocket to keep Beauty from answering it further. His phone had been ringing off the hook ever since the first time he "accidentally" left him at a rest stop, and Beauty thought to get even by scrawling his brother's phone number on the men's room wall, along with "For a good time, call..." message. It probably would have worked too, had the idiot not gotten confused and accidentally used his own number in the message.
Beast picked his beer back up from where he had set it and they moved on, claiming a vacant picnic table for their own use. A marvel in itself that there was one available amidst the hundreds here. Once they had all gotten settled, the five started to feast! They grabbed the heads of the crawfish firmly with one hand and the tails with the other. They twisted and pulled the tails from the head and then peeled off the first few rings. They then pinched the tails, and while the three younger sucked the spicy juices from the shell first, Victoria and Momma simply started pulling the meat from inside to eat.
Momma: So dear, when do you have to be in New York for your first show?
Devona washed down some of the spicy crawfish with a gulp of beer before she was able to answer.
Devona: I have to leave Saturday. Mark Ward sent me a plane ticket, which is a relief. I thought I was going to have to make the drive all over again.
Beauty: That wouldn't have been so bad. We had fun.
Beast: You had fun. Didi and I had to listen to that whale mating call you refer to as singing.
Devona and the other two ladies watched this verbal jousting between the brothers, back and forth like a tennis match but with the light of amusement dancing in their eyes.
Beauty: Trog.
Beast: Hermaphrodite.
Beauty: .... Oh yeah!?
Satisfied with the small victory, after all beating his brother in a battle of wits was as simple as beating a pig in a game of chess, Beast turned as Grandma Victoria addressed her granddaughter.
Grandma Victoria: Only one plane ticket?
Devona: Afraid so. I was hoping that would mean that I'd be meeting Gabriel at the show but he says he might not be making it to New York.
Momma frowned.
Momma: He trained you. You'd think he'd want to be there for your first match.
Devona nodded.
Devona: I'm sure he does, but he has a little two year old boy that he also has to look after. I'm sure he'd rather do it from the comforts of his home than by taking a toddler all the way to the Big Apple. I don't mind saying I'm not thrilled at being that far off on my lonesome.
Grandma Victoria scoffed.
Grandma Victoria: Can't say I'm too thrilled about it myself!
Momma turned, her glass of beer raised in hand and looked to her oldest son who shrugged helplessly.
Beast: I got to work most of the week Momma. But I did ask my boss for a couple extra days off so Butthead and I could make the drive and join her for the show.
Devona smiled at that bit of news, as her two 'brothers from another mother' never let her down in times of need. This was just another example. The two older women nodded, satisfied that 'their Didi' would not be alone on her big day. Beauty, however, was looking between them all with a frown on his face. He had glanced up from the crawfish pinched in his fingertips, stopped mouthing 'Let it go' and spoke up.
Beauty: Butthead ... that's not fair! I wanna go too!
Momma closed her eyes and exhaled as Devona and her Grandma shared a look, while Beast openly palm faced.
Devona: Wow! That's all I can say. I spent close to seven months at Gabriel and Odette's school and there were plenty of times I wondered if I would ever be ready, and here I am. Into the Void VI and my first official match as a professional wrestler! Excited? You bet! Nervous? Who wouldn't be? Oh I know all the self assured ring vets and rookies will put on a brave face and tell everyone how simple their first time in the ring was, win or lose, but I'm not about to blow smoke up anyone's ass. I want to go into that ring with my head held high, and I want to leave it the exact same way.
It'll be far easier thing said than done. After I signed my contract and Mark Ward told me I would have my first match as an SCW Bombshell in New York City, I was elated! I put some thought into it and figured I'd be booked against another rookie, probably another woman out to make the same mark as I hope to make, but that's not the case. No, I find out that instead of a rookie, I'm being booked against probably one of the most celebrated women in SCW, Amy Marshall.
Amy ... Marshall. Former World Champion. Three-time Tag Champion. Two-time Roulette Champion. And two-time Internet Champion. You understand what that makes her? The woman was the first Grand Slam Champions in SCW history, male or female, making her a literal historical figure in the world of professional wrestling! That fact is enough alone, but she was also inducted into the 2015 Hall of Fame. And this is the woman that they book me against in my first match. All I can say is that its a daunting task. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. Daunting, but not impossible. My own predecessor, Evie Baang, proved that being a rookie isn't necessarily a roadblock in this sport. Not even a full year into her in-ring career and already a World Champion in the tag team division. That puts a lot of pressure on me as a follow up act of sorts to the man and woman who took me in and trained me; Gabriel and Odette Stevens, but there's a fact that they found out, and Amy is going to realize come Into the Void VI.
And that fact is, that I thrive under pressure. The more weight you put on my shoulders, the more I am going to fight to get ahead and accomplish my goals. The more you try to hold me back, the harder I am going to fight to press ahead and get past you. And the more times you knock me down, the more I am going to get back up on my feet, ready to keep fighting. Time and again! Gabriel and Odette took a big chance on training a girl from N'awlins. Mark Ward took an even bigger one by signing an unproven commodity to a contract on name alone. A name that wasn't my own. He saw what Gabriel and Odette gave him in Evie, and I can't help but think he hopes lightning is going to strike in the same place twice for him. I hope it does as well. I know it will. I have no intention of letting down Gabriel or Odette. I will not have Mark look back to my contract signing and ask himself, 'What was I thinking?' And Amy? You posted on twitter you had no idea who I was. Well give me time, cher. Because come the thirteenth?
You will.
