Prodigy (Part 1)

Renegade Women's Wrestling's latest show was absolutely off the chain. Five matches took place, but the main attraction was a 15 woman battle royal. Fifteen women battling it out in a huge-sized match, and the only objective was elimination, which occurs when a competitor is thrown over the top rope, and both feat have to hit the floor. The battle royal lasted 35 minutes before it was down to two women. One was Lady Beatrice, a popular wrestler who had been with RWW for six years. The other was Joanne Kendall, who only had two years of wrestling under her belt. The two women fought hard, and the battle was taken to the edge of the ring, and seeing how they both went over the top, elimination was definitely being faced.

Joanne ended up ducking a clothesline attempt, and super-kicked Beatrice, knocking her off the apron. Joanne stood tall as the winner of the battle royal, but her celebration ended up being interrupted by thoughts of her school work, and that she needed to catch up as soon as possible. The following day saw Joanne arrive at her college's campus in a rush, and but after arriving, she heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Good morning, Miss Kendall."

Joanne turned around and saw the dean of her college, Dr. Celeste Payne, standing across from her. "I'm sorry," said Joanne.

"Don't be," said Celeste. "Something tells me, you have other extra activities in your life. Just remember: don't burn the candle in both ends."

"I'll remember that, Dr. Payne." Joanne said as she rushed back to her class.

A week passed, and Joanne was addressing the crowd about her big battle royal win, which guaranteed her any match she desired. Of course, there was one match she wanted: a challenge for RWW's World Championship. However, just as Joanne was about to make said challenge, an image appeared on the video screen, and it was quite the shocking sight for the crowd in attendance: a mysterious masked woman in a red and gold bodysuit, donning a crown, gloves, and a cape.

"Joanne Kendall!" the masked woman exclaimed. "Before you make any championship plans, you must face me! I am the Crimson Queen, the most lethal force in women's wrestling! These people, my subjects, know about me. And you definitely should know and fear me! After all, my greatest foe was The Golden Goddess."

Joanne was taken aback by that last statement, but despite this, she stayed focused on the maniacal Crimson Queen.

"Be forewarned," the Crimson Queen hissed. "I will come for you. Prepare for most lethal battle yet!" The Crimson Queen ended her promo with a laugh that was almost demonic, but strangely, the laugh wasn't the only thing that alarmed Joanne. It was the mention of The Golden Goddess that got to Joanne, and for a good reason. The Golden Goddess' real name was Christine Kendall--Joanne's mother. Joanne remembered that Christine always told her about her days as a wrestler, and mentioned her feuds, including one with the Crimson Queen, though Joanne always thought the Crimson Queen was a bit of a fairy tale, until she appeared to Joanne that night.

Weeks passed, and Joanne continued juggling her time as a college student, while also thriving in the ring. She still had her championship aspirations in mind after winning that battle royal, but with that came the addition of the Crimson Queen, who continued to taunt her.

"I'm coming for you, little prodigy."

"You will kneel before your queen!"

"You'll never escape me; I am your destiny!"

Joanne faced off against "Hardcore" Hannah Walz, and managed to defeat her in just five minutes. An opponent like Hannah would have been much more of a fight for Joanne, but there was a deep focus in Joanne, coming as as a result of being on the receiving end of the Crimson Queen's taunts and teases.

"So for weeks, I've been called out by the Crimson Queen," Joanne said to the crowd following her victory. "Apparently, she's this big bad-ass who went up against my mom--the Golden Goddess--decades ago, and now she wants to face me. I still have plans regarding the RWW World Championship, but right now, my main focus is the Crimson Queen!" Joanne later walked towards the camera, and made the following statement:

"Queen, if you're watching, know this: I am not afraid of you!"

"But you should be!" the Crimson Queen shouted from nearby, and Joanne turned around and saw the sinister villainess on the video screen. "Look at you, just like your mother. You have that same fire as her, that same... sweetness. It would be a pleasure and an honor to put that fire out. You say you want to be champion, little prodigy? Prove it! Face me, face the very villainess who plagued your dear mother for so long. That is, if you truly are your mother's daughter."

"I accept!" Joanne proclaims.

Joanne had said those two words without thinking, but right after accepting the Crimson Queen's challenge, so many thoughts entered her mind. She spent the next few days studying, not just her school work but also the Crimson Queen, with the latter including watching matches between the Queen and the Golden Goddess. The intense watching went noticed by someone very close to Joanne: the Golden Goddess herself, Christine Kendall.

"Still watching some of my old matches, sweetie?" asked Christine. "It can't be me you're studying. You are every bit as good as I ever was."

"Hey, Mom," greeted Joanne, who received a hug from her mother.

"And I see you're watching my battles with the Crimson Queen," said Christine. "Would this have anything to do with the last few weeks?"

"She's been on my heels for weeks, Mom," said Joanne. "The teases, the taunts, and she mentioned you quite a bit. I still remember those stories you told me about facing her." Joanne later showed Christine a video message from the Crimson Queen, which was sent to Joanne a week prior.

"The outfit's a little bit updated," said Christine, "but that is definitely my old foe, the Crimson Queen. She definitely put me to work in that ring."

"I wish I knew who she was under that mask," said Joanne.

"I do have an idea, but I'm not certain," Christine said as she rummaged through her wrestling memorabilia, later taking out a photo from the collection. "Originally, the Crimson Queen was partially masked. I'm guessing the full mask in this was created for mystique." Christine showed the photo to Joanne, who was stunned by the face of the woman next to Christine in that photo.

"Mom!" said Joanne, "that looks like my dean!"

"She was Celeste Baxter back then," said Christine, "but she did get married during her career to a man named Lloyd Payne. I was the maid of honor, and was carrying my bundle of joy, you, at the time. I knew Celeste had a good head on her shoulders, but she's now your dean?"

"I can't believe this," said Joanne. "Dr. Payne is a wrestler? And she was your biggest rival? And now she wants to face me?"

Meanwhile, Celeste Payne was at her home seated at her laptop. She watched her most recent challenge to Joanne, and then watched one of her old matches with Christine, the Golden Goddess.

"Joanne, you truly are your mother's daughter," said Celeste. "You are the spitting image of the Golden Goddess. Now, I'll find out if you have her drive and her spirit. I look forward to our dance, my dear. And we'll see if you'll thrive in the spotlight, or if you'll be at my mercy."

Celeste gave a sinister chuckle as she continued to watch her old matches, and then turned to Joanne's matches as well. Joanne has the dean of her school after her, for a potential clash of generations. But the main question lingers: why? What is Celeste's true motivation for stepping back in the ring against the daughter of her biggest rival?

Check out Part 2 below!