The Very Best Wrestling School

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September 27^th, 2019

Charlotte, NC

Off Camera

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Emerge has already got its first taste of what it can expect from the self-proclaimed MVP of Emerge.  Aubrianna Powers made her debut at Invasion Miami and while she did earn an impressive victory over Madeline Masters in round one of the Spirit Championship Contender’s tournament, she would fall to Jake Shelley.  Her attempt to win the Spirit Championship in this tournament on her debut night as an Emerge superstar came up far too short.  While most would be pleased with the fact that they did at least win their debut match, this is not the case for The MVP.  Powers holds herself to a higher standard than most professional athletes; some may argue that her standards are unrealistically high.  “Simply The Best” and “The MVP” are not just gimmicks for the beautiful blonde, it is the bar that she strives to reach each and every time she steps into a wrestling ring.

Powers has an opportunity to right the ship in a big way, as she teams with her friends Kali and Rush Champion Jennifer Helms as part of a tournament.  And while tournaments have not necessarily been kind to The MVP as of late, this particular tournament provides an incredible reward if the trio can somehow pull off this victory.  The winning team will participate in the Pyramid against Willow Wilkes for the Emerge Championship.  This one failure at Invasion Miami can easily be forgotten if she can win her way into an Emerge Championship match and become the top title holder in this company.

That is where her focus should be and she knows it.  Unfortunately she finds herself on her way down the streets on the outskirts of Charlotte, North Carolina.  Powers is not driving, she is far too frustrated to drive right now.  In the drivers’ seat sits her fiancée, Dexter Russell.  The wrestling journalist can tell by the enraged look on his future wife’s face that she is not pleased.

“I’m sure your brother has a good reason for calling you out here.   This is Steve, he has a reason for everything.” Dexter says, hoping his wife will buy his logic.

“If you actually believe that crap you’re spewing then you clearly do not know my brother.” The MVP snaps back with venom dripping from her voice. “His ideas are almost always crazy and completely illogical.”

“Did he at least tell you what this is about?” Dexter asks.  Powers lets out a loud, frustrated sigh.

“No!  He just wanted me to come to this old gym.”

“An old gym?” Dexter asks curiously.  Powers is still angry but is starting to calm down a little as she nods her head.

“Yes.  It’s where Steve learned to be a wrestler.  He trained and honed his craft there.  He would later be there with Derek as he, too, learned to be a pro-wrestler at that same facility.”

“Can I safely assume that you also learned how to be a wrestler there?” Dexter asks. Powers nods her head.

“Of course.  I learned under the tutelage of my brothers, Steve and Derek.  But I haven’t been back to that training facility in a long time.  I have grown, Dex.  I am better than that place and Steve knows it.  The only logical reason I can see him wanting to drag me back here is for some stupid nostalgia crap and if that’s the case, if this is just about freaking nostalgia, then he is wasting my damn time!  I have a GCW commitment this weekend, next weekend I have an Underground commitment, and I have an Emerge commitment in little over a week…”

“You could get some workout in?” Dexter offers with a jovial grin.  He knows this will get Aubrey hot. The blonde sticks her tongue out at Dexter.

“Shut up, Dex.”

“Well, you could…” his voice trails off.  Powers sighs and nods her head.

“Yes, I could, but like I said, I don’t need to be there.  And I don’t want to be there.  This is a waste of my time.”

Dexter Russell decides it is best to exercise his right to remain silent in this case.  He just continues to drive on down the road until what appears to be an old, run down, seemingly abandoned building comes into view.  The journalist recognizes a vehicle parked in front; it is Steve’s car.  This clearly must be the place Aubrianna is referring to.  As if that evidence wasn’t enough, The MVP points with her slender finger towards the run down building.

“There it is!” Powers exclaims.  Dexter nods and slows the car down enough so that he can safely turn in and park his car in front of this abandoned building right in front of Steve’s vehicle.  Dexter opens his driver’s side door and starts to get out but Powers grabs him by the arm and pulls him back in.

“No.  You stay.” She states in a demanding tone.  Dexter stares at her curiously.

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me.  This will not take long.” She points at the run down building. “I’m going to march into that hell hole and give my brother a piece of my mind and come back out here so we can leave.”

“A hell hole?” Dexter asks curiously. “You surely have good memories of this place.  You trained here.”

“Good memories?” Aubrianna says in a scoffing tone before exiting the car and slamming the door behind her.  Dexter is curious as to just what is bothering her.  Clearly there is something she is not telling him but he decides to press the issue.  As for Powers herself, she marches intensely and with determination towards the front door of the gym.  It all looks the same to her since the last time she was here.  Very little has changed.  As she flings the front door open and steps inside she notices that the inside of this facility hasn’t changed any either.  There is a standard four sided wrestling ring set up in the center of the room.  That part of the setup is definitely new, as the last time she was here the ring had been taken apart.  Another oddity about this setup is the fact that her brother, Steve Powers, stands in the center along with an overgrown giant of a man.

“STEVE!” She exclaims in a loud, shrill voice. Steve Powers and the giant turn and gaze at Aubrianna.  “What the hell, man?!”

“Give me a sec…” Steve says to the big man before exiting the ring.  He walks towards his sister and she walks towards him.  They meet halfway.  Steve, whose nickname in pro-wrestling was ‘The Very Best’, gazes down at her with a grin. “…you don’t look very happy.”

“No shit, Sherlock.” Aubrey snaps. “I have important things to do, I have places to go and wrestling commitments to make.  But instead you drag me back here to this dump.  Do you mind telling me why?”

“This is not a dump, sis.  This is where you became The Very Best…” Steve flashes a big toothy grin “…trainee I ever had!”

“Your only trainee, dipshit.” The blonde female retorts.

“Details, details, point is that this place isn’t full of the bad memories that you remember.”

“I’d rather not talk about it.” Steve’s sister remarks quietly, motioning to the big man still in the ring. “Especially with strangers present.”

“Right…” Steve nods his head “…anyway, yeah, there may be some bad memories, but we can fill them new memories, GOOD memories, because I am going to refurbish this place, give it a complete makeover, and open it as a wrestling school.”

“Are you freaking kidding me?!” Aubrey remarks out of shock.  The Very Best shakes his head.

“Not kidding!  I’m dead serious, sis!   Care to guess what I’m gonna call it?”

“The Very Best Wrestling School.” Aubrey answers.  Steve furrows his brow.

“Yeah.  How’d you know?”

“Because referring to everything associated with your stupid ass as The Very Best is your lame as fuck gimmick!”

“It isn’t lame!  It was cool!”

“It was cool in 2000, dumbass.  It isn’t cool today.” Aubrey states coldly with venom.

“You really are angry today.” The older sibling remarks with a chuckle, almost as if he is amused at his sister’s current angst. “What got your panties in a bunch?”

“I already told you, idiot!” She exclaims. “I have commitments, a LOT of them quite frankly, and I do not want to miss any of them.  But you’re distracting me with this wrestling school nonsense…”

“It isn’t nonsense.” He shakes his head.

“It is nonsense because the very idea of you leading anyone to greatness is absurd.” Aubrianna states coldly.  Her brother points a finger at her.

“I led YOU to greatness.” Steve says with a knowing smirk upon his face.  Aubrey rolls her eyes.

“Even a blind squirrel will find the nut once in a while.  You get one thing right and you think you’re a master.”

“No, I am not a master.  I am The Very Best…” he flashes a big toothy grin “…Steve Powers!”

“Quit that!” Aubrey exclaims. “There is no audience!  No fans!  There is no need to use your stupid catchphrase!”

“Technically we do have an audience.” Steve again motions to the giant of a man who still stands in the ring alone, waiting for their conversation to conclude.  Aubrey rolls her eyes.

“Shut up, Steve.  Is this all you wanted to tell me?  This wrestling school?  If so, then I’m leaving.  Like I said, I have other commitments and…”

“Yeah, about that.” Steve reaches into his coat pocket and produces a piece of paper.  He passes it to his sister who takes it and starts to read it.  Her eyes grow wide as she looks up at her brother.

“Is this what I think it is?”

“Yes.  I spoke with Sasha D…Sasha…whatever her name is, I spoke with her.  She’s smoking hot by the way.”

“Of course that’s the first thing that comes to your filthy mind.” Aubrey spits.

“Well she is!” He shakes his head.  “Anyway, these are some the terms to a potential SCW contract.”

“Potential?” She asks curiously.  Steve nods his head.

“Yeah, potential.  SCW officials want to meet with you first before giving you any specific terms but this is about what it would look like.  They are definitely interested in bringing you on board, sis, and I think you should give it a shot.”

“I would love to be a part of something as big as SCW but…” the beautiful blonde sighs and shakes her head “…I can’t; I would probably have to leave Emerge and I cannot abandon my friends.”

“If you mean Kali then she’s nuts.  No one will blame you for leaving her high and dry.”

“She’s my friend, Steve!” She exclaims.

“Seriously?” Steve asks, sounding somewhat shocked. “I thought you were just using the nutcase.”

“No, she is my friend.  And I don’t want to leave her on her own in Emerge.  Especially not now.”

“And that is precisely my point.” Steve Powers remarks, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “Silas Mason, Aiken Frost, The Unforgiven, all of this is a perfect storm that could lead to disaster for your career.  There are idiots in that damn company who want to play hero, idiots like that Tommy Wasley fool and Moustache Ride, they’re gonna get massacred, just like Schmidt, just like Skyy.  And you could end up the same way if you stay.”

The MVP stares at her brother for a few moments.  She rarely sees him like this, with emotion and concern on his face.  But it is obvious that is worried about her.  A smirk forms upon the beautiful blonde’s face.

“You’re worried about me.”

“Of course I am.  You are my baby sister, you always will be, and I don’t want to see anything happen to you.” Tears form in Steve’s eyes.  He wipes them away. “Sorry…”

“It’s ok, bro.  And it is touching that you are concerned for my safety, and you’re right, it is a dangerous time to be in Emerge right now.  The smart thing to do would be to leave town.  But I’m not the kind of person who abandons my friends.  Kali and Jennifer [Helms] need me to play my part in this tournament and if we can win all three of us get an Emerge title match.” She puts the paper up in Steve’s face. “If I take this offer and leave Emerge, then I leave Jennifer and Kali in a two on one situation.  It benefits me, sure, but it screws them over.  I won’t do that.”

The older Powers sighs and shakes his head in disappointment.  “Look, will you at least promise to talk to SCW?  Talk to Sasha?”

“I can do that.” Aubrey answers, nodding her head. “But regardless of whether I sign a contract or not, I am going to see this tournament through to its conclusion.  I will not abandon my friends.”

Steve sighs and nods his head. “I suppose that’s a good compromise.”

“It’s the best you’re gonna get, bro.” She leans in and embraces him in a tight hug. “Now quit worrying about me, ok?”

“You know I can’t do that.” Steve winks at her. Aubrianna chuckles lightly.  She motions to the big man inside of the wrestling ring.

“Uh, bro, before I leave care to tell me who your friend is?”

“Oh him!  I almost forgot!” Steve grabs his sister by the hand and practically drags her over to the ring. “I wanted you to meet the first student of The Very Best…” Steve stops to flash his big toothy grin “…Wrestling School!”

“Do you have to do the damn grin every time you say that?!” Aubrey asks, clearly annoyed as they stop in front of the ring. Steve nods his head.

“Yes!” He motions to the giant to come over towards them.  He easily steps over the top rope and exits the ring, joining Steve and Aubrianna outside of the ring.  “David, this is my sister Aubrianna.  Aubrey, this is David Moore and he is the inspiration behind this wrestling school.”

“An inspiration?” Aubrey laughs. “I find it difficult that my brother would be inspired by anything.”

“Nahce to meetcha, ma’am.” Moore says, extending his enormous hand out for Aubrianna to grasp.  Her delicate hands are engulfed.  The blonde looks up at her brother and furrows her brow curiously.

“Where did you find him?”

“Mind if we talk alone?” Steve says to David.  David shrugs and walks off to the side.  Steve then leans in to whisper to his sister so that Moore cannot hear.

“He doesn’t really have a home to speak of.”

“What?!” Aubrey exclaims in shock. Steve shakes his head.

“No, he’s been staying with me recently but look at him; the muscles, the raw power he possesses, he could make a career out of wrestling.  He could save himself.   He just needs a chance, you know?  And that’s the purpose behind this school.  I want to give people a chance to make something of themselves.  Starting with him.”

The MVP shakes her head. “You have changed, Steve.  You are not the same asshole who used to take advantage of anyone and everyone in this business.  You’re not the same jerk who said this was a cutthroat dog eat dog world.  Is this some kind of path of redemption for you?”

“Maybe it is?” Steve shrugs his shoulders. “But don’t you think this whole family could use some good karma instead of the tons of bad karma we’ve built up over the years?  Let’s just help that guy, you and me.  That’s what I want to do.”

“You’re not involving Derek?” Aubrey asks, referring to the middle Powers sibling.  Steve shakes his head.

“No, not yet at least.  Just you and me.” He holds out his hand. “What do you say?”

Aubrianna sighs and accepts the handshake. “I’m probably going to regret this.”

“Yeah, you probably will…” Steve pulls her in for a tight hug.

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On Camera

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Friendship.  True friendship is about loyalty and dedication but most importantly commitment to one another.  Many of you out there have questioned my sanity in remaining a part of Emerge after what happened at Invasion Miami, after the chaos that was the absolute destruction and devastation of The Unforgiven and realizing that there will surely be more of that to come.  And that isn’t even to mention the fact that Silas Mason and Aiken Frost have a joint fifty percent share of interest in this company.  Of course the wisest of moves would be to abandon Emerge to its own demise.  Drew Bryant created this situation.  Is a battle with The Unforgiven or a battle with Silas Mason and Aiken Frost really worth my time?  Is it worth my career?

Once upon a time I would’ve taken my ball and gone home.  After all, this isn’t my fight.  I only just made my debut in Emerge at Invasion Miami.  I have nothing invested in this company and no reason really to want to see it succeed or fail.  Once upon a time I would have taken a look at that situation and just left, because I have no need to risk my neck for something that doesn’t involve me.

That’s selfish.  And it’s not friendship.  And my friends, specifically Kali and my new friend and new Rush Champion Jennifer Helms, need me.  They need The Most Valuable Powers to show up at her very best against Devna, Killgraves, and the monster Sundown.  They need me to be exactly what I say I am and that is Simply The Best.  And this match is just step one, if we survive that battle then we have one more battle on the horizon before we can declare victory in this war and the prize for the winners of this war is an opportunity at the Emerge Championship.

Invasion Miami was certainly an eye opener in terms of what I got myself into but at the same time I am not willing to abandon my friends.  Kali, Jennifer, and myself, we are The Most Valuable Limitless Friendship and together we’re going to squash Devna’s dreams, we’re going to stop Killgraves dead in her tracks, and we will bury Sundown.  No one will stop us from punching our ticket to the Pyramid.  And no one will stop ONE of us from becoming Emerge Champion.  And there is nothing anyone can do about it.  Nothing except…

…learn to love it, bitches.