Remodeling.

by litw Sun Sep 03, 2023 1:08 pm

As the latest edition of Shockwave rolls on, previewing the fallout from an incredible BattleScars 9, Otranto’s music hits. The fans are mixed; those who recognize the two women walking to the ramp right now boo, but others are just silent. It simply serves as a reminder for how much has changed in CMV in the nearly six months that Violet Evans and Yvonne Ivy have spent away. Evans and Ivy both enter the ring as Violet motions to the ringside crew for a microphone. After months of silence from someone as talkative as her, you can only imagine what the topic will be tonight.

Violet Evans

Now…

As I stand here and look around, I can notice that not many of you remember us. Which is fine. I mean, the last time we were here, it… it wasn’t something I was very proud of. So let me reintroduce ourselves. I am Violet Evans, this here by my side is Yvonne Ivy and we are Otranto. Our friend Beatriz Lótus, who I’m sure you all are familiar with, isn’t here tonight. She got a much needed break, for someone who has been carrying our message through all these past months while we were gone. Honestly, I’m very impressed.

The crowd does react to Lótus being mentioned. Even with her allegiances to Otranto, the way she has carried herself in the ring managed to attract some fans in CMV. Ivy smirks behind Evans, who remains focused on her words.

Violet Evans

This past Saturday, as I was back there watching BattleScars, I just kept thinking about how things were a year ago. Because, in case you don’t remember, we made HISTORY after BattleScars 8. That was when Otranto first appeared and took out the most important people in the division. Hell, we even scared Kate Stronghart away!

Violet smiles at the crowd, who return the favour with boos, before she focuses her gaze on the camera.

Violet Evans

Let’s go back even further, though. Just last month, Ascendance XI was live from London! That’s just four hours away from the place where me and Ive spent YEARS dreaming about making it to the top, main eventing the biggest shows in wrestling. But where were we that night? Nowhere to be seen… Forgotten. And it was all my fault.

She looks back at Yvonne but focuses on talking again before she can see a reaction.

Violet Evans

Otranto came to be after I sat here in CMV for months and saw the truth about this business. When me and Ive decided to start training to be wrestlers, to make that age-old dream a reality, it was never what we imagined. First, she couldn’t be there with me. They said it just wasn’t time for her, but I kept pushing. We’d make it there one day, right?

Once I made it to CMV and tried so desperately to be the HERO that I always WANTED to be, you people didn’t care. Everyone preferred Jane Stone. Why? Because she was flashier? Because she won that one time? Because she was a lot faker than me? Whatever it was, I took matters into my own hands. I was myself and I was winning, just like I knew I would. But it wasn’t enough.

Evans looks out at the fans, fired up.

Violet Evans

I was completely disillusioned with this place and I saw the true nature of everything. The fans only idolised these larger than life people that never deserved the acclaim they got. After I got fed up, I brought Ive in to help me change everything. We will forever be a duo, but we needed someone else. That’s when we found Lótus.

There was something special about her that made us want to mentor Bia and take her to these heights, but she outgrew us. Otranto’s success was largely due to her. Besides, I managed to stain our group at Fortune when I let my emotions get the better of me and ended up costing us a shot at the tag titles. I couldn’t believe that I allowed something like that to happen, I-I spent all this time trying to be above these sorts of things, trying to outsmart everyone, but I let that same tag team partner from months before get the better of me and manipulate me into a bad decision.

Ive stuck by my side all those months, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak to Bia again. She left us behind at Fortune and she was completely in her right to do so. So I was absolutely shocked when she came back here carrying the Otranto banner and representing us, even after all that happened. Lótus was good enough to show up again, she was good enough to make the Elimination Chamber match, and she was good enough to make it to Ascendance. Which I couldn’t do. Even though I always wanted that.

Ivy looks over at Violet, who’s getting more and more invested in her words, and motions her head in agreement. She knows what Ascendance would’ve meant to both of them. Evans is talking for the duo right now, as she looks down before continuing.

Violet Evans

As proud as I was of someone who was once my protegé, of someone who is barely twenty years old and is still breaking records and doing things I could never imagine doing, I felt useless. Lótus didn’t need me anymore. Why would I be here again if I was holding her back, if I was holding all of Otranto back? But Ive convinced me to return. And I did that. Before that match at Octane, I spoke to Bia for the first time in months. I told her that she should… stay by herself. There’s nothing we can do for her anymore.

Evans catches her breath and looks out at the fans.

Violet Evans

She refused. Lótus told me that we’re her family. She said she wouldn’t just leave us based on one single mistake. She even tried apologising for Fortune. And, you know, that touched me. Talking to her again showed me why I had to be here and why it was so important that Otranto was back at full strength. We did change things up a bit. Lótus and Ive were tag team specialists back then but seeing Ascendance in my home country made me remember the years that we had spent imagining making it there, and I realised that we can’t let that opportunity pass again. Because next year, we’ll be there together. While Bia is celebrating world title wins and breaking even more records.

But dwelling on the future is of no use to us because I still see so many issues with the women’s division in the present. So many undeserving people are still running the whole show with NO ONE to take charge against them. But I don’t see everyone here in the same way. Ari Lee… you managed to beat me in my first match back. In all honesty, I have nothing against you. People love you, and for a good reason, look at all you’ve done in nine months here! But… We have our goals. And to accomplish those, some people are going to be taken out. I know Lótus really wants to get her hands on you, so beware. That’s all I have to say to you.

Evans stares deeply into the camera before slowly forming a smile as she finishes talking about Ari.

Violet Evans

As for everyone else? We’ll make our first move soon, don’t worry. For now, just know that… it feels good to be back.

The fans react more loudly than before, and Evans smirks after being able to speak her mind in the way she’s wanted to for months. She and Ivy leave the ring, as the CMV Universe continues to reflect on the possibilities for what Otranto might do next.