Breaking the Tension!™ Episode 8: Emilia Hawthorne

Oh, spicy.

Patty tried hard to hold back a Cheshire grin, as Emilia laid out he stance clearly and plainly for anyone in the locker room to hear. It hadn't been what she'd come for, but controversy was what she strived for with Breaking the Tension!™, the opportunity to get some flames fanned. Who knew? She could even spark some heat between the Friction girls, and draw on that audience. While Patty had wanted to stay focused on Tension, if crossing over brought more money to the table and helped her ad revenues, well, she wouldn't be opposed to a short trip to the other side of the fence. Though, she would have to figure out a new name for the show. That would be a pain...

Patty came back to reality and realized she'd allowed a little dead time to happen in the interview while she pondered. She straightened out quick and looked back up to Emilia, regaining composure like the professional she was. Nothing that couldn't be edited out. "Strong words," Patty nodded, tapping her chin. "Let's talk about the way you'll be backing them up. I noticed in your match with Blaise that you seem to favor a more methodical, thoughtful style of wrestling. While there are plenty of exceptions in the AFW, most women wrestlers tend to favor speed and agility, and you'll be one of the few Tension women with a submission-focused skillset."

If the message board she'd perused an hour ago was correct, anyway.

"Tell us a little about your specific style. When you start a match against a larger man, what goes through your mind?"

Emi was pleased that Patty had touched upon that specific point, nodding her head in agreement. Her style, in her eyes, was an expression of who she was and the qualities she felt important in a wrestler. “What goes through my mind, hm? The first thing that usually crosses my mind is how satisfying it'll be to topple him and his ego. 'The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall' I believe is the term some use.” She slanted her head on her open hand, looking almost proud at her admission. “But I have to say, what I think it will be like to dominate him and what it actually is like...well, the latter is unreal compared to the former. Only natural, don't you think?”

Emi flicked her hair almost casually. “I'm sure speed and agility have their place in a match, certainly. But I've always been fond of power and submission techniques as I believe they are the best representation of who I am and what I stand for. It isn't enough to simply beat your opponent, but to annihilate him. Crush his spirit and leave him empty inside, with no room for leverage. So I utilise moves that I believe accomplish that best. Well, that and moves I consider unique...standard piledrivers are so dull and uninspired these days. Yet so many use them.” The girl shuddered, repulsed. “It's an insult to the sport, in my opinion. I'm merely attempting to save it and give it the respect it deserves through my style.”

Patty could certainly understand where Emilia was coming from - so many wrestlers preferred the most basic of moves, sticking with the more mundane tactics. She felt like Emilia's style would be a welcome change to things, and that she certainly had the drive to push wherever she wanted to go. There was dedication in her voice. Resolves. Perhaps a little creepy obsession, too, but quirks such were part and parcel with this profession. Which brought a few questions to mind, now that Patty considered it.

She snuck a quick sweet while Emilia was saying her last words, and gobbled it down right as she finished. "I'm sure no one will object to you bringing your style and flair to the ring - wrestling is a sport, but it should also be entertaining. I'm a firm believer in giving the people more of what they want, and what they want is variety!" She gave a thumbs up to the camera and winked, reassuing her thousands of fans.

"I must ask, though - and forgive me for taking a step back - but I'm a little curious what drove you to wrestling in particular. After all, a refined lady such as yourself could indulge in any sort of past time she chooses. Tennis, swimming, croquet, soccer. Wrestling isn't exactly a sport for the afluent. What drove you to it? What keeps driving you to it?"

"The best kind of sports are the entertaining ones." Emilia concluded as Patty winked and displayed a thumbs up to the camera. "Do you know why the Olympics attract so many spectators? Because people love to watch athletes in competition with one another, putting on a show for the masses. It's been a part of our history for centuries." Her eyebrows rose at Patty's next question. The smallest of smiles graced her lips, as if Patty was nearing some kind of rare tidbit about her. "This may surprise you and the audience at home," She gave a glance to the camera before continuing. "but my refined upbringing is exactly what drove me to the sport in the first place." Emi sat upright, leaning forward.

"Imagine, if you will, having everything you could ever want at the mere snap of your fingers. Toys, outfits, food...all you had to do was to demand it, and it was yours." She shook her head, looking disdainful. "The problem that comes with that is that you have no reason to try, and therefore nothing that motivates you. Truth be told, I began to despise it. It was horrendously dull, day in and out, growing up in a life of luxury."

"Fortunately...I found something to stimulate me." Amusement coated her expression now. "There was an incident involving local boys, a game of 'wrestling' they thought I couldn't partake in. But they were very wrong. I found it invigorating, and it gave me my first real experience of breaking a man. In fact, for the first time in my life I had enjoyed something. And I desired to feel that sensation again." She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she soaked in the memory of that moment of realization.

"And it was also at such odds with the relaxed, 'prim and proper' upbringing that I had grown to hate." Emi elaborated further, opening her eyes again. "That was the moment when I realised I wanted to make something of myself through wrestling. To establish myself through brutality. It's my calling in life, so to speak. And I will continue to pursue it, so long as it keeps me entertained." She smirked. "Which I'm sure won't stop anytime soon, hee hee~"

Patty leaned forward with real, honest interest in her eyes, as Emilia relayed the story of her life and what had brought her to the squared circle in the first place. It was interesting stuff, really. A tale of a woman who rose through the ranks and stepped out of the posh life she'd be handed, wanting more than her social circle allowed. She droppped to a lower level, not because she had to, but because the lifestyle called to her, and know she was living the dream - a bright superstar in a foreign country, looking to make her name.

This had all the trappings of an inspiring movie in a decade or so, and Patty was desperately trying not to let her excitement at the  possibilities show. Who would they put in the role of the spunky, beautiful young reporter? Somebody appropriately high up on the totem pole, she hoped. Maybe they'd even let her play herself!

"Well, speaking from personal experience, I can definitely relate to wanting to do something in your life that you enjoy, and I'm certain the AFW Universe will respect that. They also respect skill and prowess, which you clearly have in abundance." She playfully wagged her finger Emilia's way, adding a little friendly flavor to the conversation. "Before we go, why don't you give the audience a little preview of what they can expect in future matches? What are some of your favored moves, and what are the mechanics behind them?"

Patty seemed rather beside her at that moment, or was it Emi's imagination? The reporter was buzzing with zeal throughout her body. Perhaps she had just been caught up in the interview? If there was one word Emilia would use to describe Patty based on everything so far, it would be passionate. When she complimented Emi on her in-ring abilities with a wag of her finger, the Silver Scorpion waved her down. "Please, you needn't state the obvious. But I thank you kindly for doing so."

"The moves I prefer using most in the ring are ones focused on displaying my precise skills and raw strength to my audience." She raised her arm and lifted up two fingers. "Firstly, dangerous submission holds that aim to weaken a foe's limbs and render them useless. For instance, my Latzelia Prison, a torture rack, places severe strain on my foe's back as if it were on fire with no hope of escape." The first finger fell down.

"Secondly, fierce power moves that serve to send my opponent's every nerve into agony. A fitting example of this is my finisher, Scolopendra Breaker, a Vertebreaker. As you may guess from the name, this is an appropriate technique to make a man realise that his defeat is inevitable...and with the impact, it crumples his spirit into dust. I've lost count of how many I've destroyed with this devastating move." The second finger dropped down. "I suppose so far in AFW, Blaise is the only one, but I'm sure many will follow~"

This was where Emilia started to lose Patty a bit. The more technical side of things. Sure, she'd been watching wrestling to get a feel for the genre she was specializing in and the audience she wanted to attract, but memorizing all the moves? A bit beyond her. What was a torture rack? It sounded painful, but she wasn't quite sure what all it entailed. Stretching, maybe? And a 'Vertebreaker'? Maybe it was some sort of camel clutch, bendy...thing. But the way Emilia described it, it seemed to have more to do with slamming, so...

She shrugged it off and refocused, managed to get her serious and thoughtful face on by the time the camera was back on. "Ah, I can see the beginnings of a solid moveset, there." She nodded and closed her eyes, giving the impression that she was running the moves through her head, working them over with thoughtful consideration. "But we can't give away too much, can we? Strategy and all." She gave Emilia a playful wink and sat back up.

"Ms. Hawthorne - Silver Scorpion - your time is precious, and I won't take up any more of it. Before we part ways, are there any words you'd like to share with the AFW Universe and your future opponents? The stage is all yours."

Emilia smirked slyly at Patty's wink. In her mind, she had fleshed out and refined her moveset over years of training, so as to portray a depiction of herself that was precise, but deadly. A scorpion was those qualities, after all. Her moves were an extension of herself and a depiction of what she considered important in wrestling. Dominance. Power. Flawless execution. She'd be demonstrating that very clearly over the next while.

"Yes, thank you for asking. There certainly is something I'd like to bring to the AFW's attention...as well as my soon-to-be foes in the arena." She tilted her head with a cold smile, batting her eyelashes in a mesmerising manner. "A scorpion lives by ensnaring and devouring her prey, and that is exactly what I plan to do here at AFW. One way or another, a gentle hiss is all you'll hear before a small, but lethal prick...when I sting you, and your resistance in the ring collapses~ Scurry as far across the ring as you wish...there's no escape for you hapless victims."

Emi inclined her head forward, bowing to the audience in a rare show of humility. Of course, it was more for show than any actual display of modesty.

"Thank you again for tuning in."

Patty was beaming with satisfaction at a job well done. She'd had some good interviews with Tension, but this was the first one where she didn't feel like any carrying was nescessary on her part. Emilia shined all on her own, and she didn't need Patty's impressive journalistic skills to help her warm up the camera. They made an amazing duo.

Oh, and Ran helped, too. Marginally, in her own way.

"There you have it, folks." Patty leaned back and turned to the camera, putting on her trademark smile and giving her pigtails a little bounce. After a moment, she sat up to make sure her chest was in the shot, as well - that alone would get her a 10% boost from the ad revenue. "The Silver Scorpion is on the hunt, and the AFW Universe - particularly the male side - had best take heed. Emilia Hawthorne is a shooting star that's guaranteed to crash into her opponents and leave a path of destruction in her wake. How will everyone react to her impact? There's no way to be sure. But as the path unfolds, you'll know where to turn." She pointed at the screen as her eyes lit on fire. "Say it with me: Breaking the Tension!™"

Patty waited for the little red light to fade on the camera, and then she stood up and threw her hands in the air, triumphant and joyous. "Instant. Classic."

"I'm glad you're so pleased, Ms O'Malley." Emilia commented, watching Patty celebrate the interview. Emi however remained seated, her legs folded, the picture perfect glimpse of grace and refinement. Of course, it was quite at odds with the chilling interview she had just given, but it all served to establish herself within the AFW. And Patty herself would clearly benefit from talking with such an up-coming star. It was a win-win scenario for both girls.

There was a small *ahem* that caused Emilia to glance over the couch. Henry had announced himself, carrying a delectable looking tiramisu on a tray. "Your dessert, miss." He announced to Patty, walking around the table to place the dish in front of the girl, before giving a short bow.

"Thank you, Henry." Emi was clearly in a good mood, as she made no further orders of her servant or even a casual teasing remark at his expense. She only had eyes for Patty, leaning forward. "Please, dig in." She encouraged. "You deserve it after such a stellar performance on the camera, presenting me so superbly, and I won't take no for an answer."