Drive. It was something Trish Stratus had always possessed in spades, but she had been learning during her time in EBWF that it didn't always matter how much drive you had if no one ever handed over the keys to the vehicle. She wasn't all that surprised when she beat Becky Lynch. At the end of the day, Trish was still a fan favorite, and it was beneficial to keep her on tv for another week. Not to mention there was a certain luster to the idea of Velvet Sky versus Trish Stratus. Certainly more anticipation than say Velvet versus Becky Lynch. She was in hair and makeup, and to this point had been very quiet until the makeup artist brought her back to life.

Claudio: Trish, doll, you're awfully quiet today.

Trish Stratus: Oh... am I? I just... yeah, I guess, I'm just a little depressed is all.

Claudio: You? That doesn't sound like you.

He carefully ran a makeup brush against her face, spreading a setting powder.

Trish Stratus: I guess it doesn't sound like me, I just... nothing feels right. You know what I mean? And this whole tournament... it just feels like such a waste. They're not going to let me go much further with it. I just feel like I'm stuck with just about everything I'm doing in my life. It's... contented. But not going nowhere.

Claudio: You can't really mean that.

Trish Stratus: Today, it feels like I do.

The makeup artist filled in her eyebrows with a pencil, and studied her, hard.

Claudio: I've never liked this dark hair on you.

Trish Stratus: Is that what we're going to talk about now? My hair?

Claudio: It's always made your smile seem a little less bright. You know what you need tonight? We need a little classic Trish tonight, I think...

Trish Stratus: I am not. going back. to blonde.

Claudio: Fair. Fair. But otherwise, I have some ideas.

He leaned across to the hair stylist and whispered something in her ear.

Trish Stratus: Don't go doing anything crazy now. I do have a promo to cut after this.

She ultimately did not object anymore and soon after she was looking like the classic Trish Stratus, flawless makeup, gorgeous long, flowing locks. She had on her Trish branded "We Can Do It" t-shirt, cut into a crop top. Her tight black wrestling tights with boots and the "Trish" belt buckle. Classic Trish. There was an idea. When she was all set, she went to find the camera crew she'd reserved. They were a little hesitant when she she mentioned where she wanted to go. Apparently, no one in the front office had really thought it necessary to get a filming permit for Lincoln, Nebraska. There was nothing here but corn, and dumpsters. That's where Trish stood now, about a half block from the arena, in an alley behind a Subway and a Mexican Restaurant. The alley was lined with dumpsters, two of which had black, industrial sized trash bags piled up beside them. There was litter flying about, and Trish found the atmosphere perfect for what she wanted to accomplish. Those cameras began rolling.

Trish Stratus: It's a beautiful day here in Lincoln, Nebraska and low and behold it wasn't all that difficult to find a row of dumpsters in order to give a little visual for all of you today. Tonight on Warfare, I get to face one of the EBWF Diva's Division's permanent fixtures, Velvet Sky. Velvet Sky is best known for winning Babe of the Year a couple of times, winning Tag Team of the Year like the one year her tag team didn't do anything, not being able to figure out if she actually wants to be Angelina Love's friend or not, and of course, she has the distinct honor of being the only woman who worked here for like 100 years before she actually won the Women's Championship - last Fall, finally. Those are her many accolades, but in the back, the EBWF Divas pretty much just know Velvet for the gutter trash that she is.

Trish held her hands out as if to say "observe" toward the dumpsters and trash around her.

Trish Stratus: I know it's not a popular opinion, and I know that it's probably going to really upset the 22 Velvet Sky fans that are left out there, but it's true. Velvet Sky is the worst kind of gutter trash. The kind that pretends to be really sweet and supportive to your face, and then just turns into a hell-bitch when she doesn't get her way. Congratulations, Velvet, really from the bottom of my heart. It must have been a really big accomplishment to beat that raving lunatic Molly Holly. She's insane. The whole roster knows she's insane, but in keeping with your fake, good girl image, you had to go say that you respect her. Is that your new oppositional prose? "Oh, yeah, they're really good, and I respect them, but I'm just a teensy, itsy bitsy, bit better." Give me a break. I know all about that game. I sort of invented it.

She gave a coy little smile.

Trish Stratus: You've had a really rough year, haven't you Velvet? Losing a Women's Championship match to AJ Lee of all people. AJ Lee, this girl who wouldn't even be able to turn left if she didn't hold her index finger and thumb out and see which hand makes the "L" shape. Then you've had to sit back and watch Brie Bella and Sasha Banks take opportunities that should have been yours. I'm so surprised you can keep such an upbeat and positive attitude. I mean, haven't you been around long enough now that you should either at least be "with it" or at the very least know some people who could help you out? You're not fooling me though, sweetheart. I know that that syrupy sweet charm as fake as your spray on tanner. That's why when you said that you respected Molly Holly I almost spit out my Diet Coke. Is that the same tired line you're going to use on me? "Oh, Trish is an Icon in the division, and I just respect what she's done for our industry, so much." Yeah, you and everyone else, get in line.

She used her thumb to direct over her shoulder, as if pointing to that line that was forming.

Trish Stratus: You have been saying something lately though that I really agree with though. Something that just hit really close to home for me. You have no one to blame for your mediocre to awful performances, but you, Velvet. I mean, really who are you? You were once pegged as the EBWF Administration's FAVORITE. Heaps and heaps of praise was put on you for being strong, and beautiful and bad ass. And now you can't even turn out a win against a big name. Doesn't that just prove my point? You've had us snowed all along. You've pretended, put on this facade, that you're an amazing contender, when really... you're just a big pile of gutter trash. A pretty, no talent girl who batted her eyelashes at the right people, and talked a really good game and got herself into the big leagues. Even your best friend has dumped you. You're like the Edge to Angelina's Randy. Nothing without her.

Trish gave that smirk again.

Trish stratus: It might be true that I don't have as many matches as I used to, but the funny thing about that, Velvet is that when I do wrestle? I win. I mean, you don't want to feed your small, fragile egoed women to the strongest link in the food chain right away. I can see why EBWF might need to hold me back in order to make the other little girls feel good about themselves. I've run down my list of accolades almost to the point where it's both boring and expected. It's almost eye roll worthy all of the amazing things I've done, and the the feats I've accomplished. And what's even better is that I'm still running this game today. The only one who might have had a prayer, was you Velvet. Think about it, if I win this, I get to face Summer or Emma, and they won't even know what hit them. And on the other side of the bracket we have both Bella Twins and two girls whose names I haven't even bothered to learn because they won't be here next year.

Trish rolled her eyes.

Trish Stratus: This fake girl stuff? It doesn't suit you, Velvet. This new found respect you have for everyone? Isn't fooling anyone, because we know how you can be. We've seen the way you treat Angelina, and it wasn't pretty was it? If only you had reclaimed who you really are before it was too late. Then, you might have had a shot. But the problem, sweetheart, is that I'm always one step ahead. Because there isn't anything I haven't seen in this industry. There isn't any time of grueling physicality I can't put my body through. This tournament, is my first stop on reclaiming the women's championship, for one, because I'm Trish Stratus, and there's no other face of women's wrestling and secondly? Because someone has to shut Sasha Banks up and so far everyone else has been unsuccessful, so I guess that burden is going to go ahead and fall on me isn't it? Sorry hun, it just isn't your year.

Trish bent down, picked up a foul looking pizza box from the ground and proceeded to throw it in the dumpster as the red light went off.

Cameraman "George": Got it.

Trish Stratus: Good. Can we get out of here. Jesus, the smell...

Trish stood off to the side while the two men began picking up their equipment. They were talking amongst themselves.

Cameraman "Ted": Did you hear about Velvet and Justin after her promo last week?

Cameraman "George": Gabriel? Her boyfriend? No, what happened?

Cameraman "Ted": I don't know what was said, but some folks backstage said he kind of went ballistic on her, all mean like, and then dragged her away.

Cameraman "George": Like hurt her?

Cameraman "Ted": Yeah, someone said she told him he was hurting her, and he said to stop fighting him then.

Cameraman "George": Admin won't like that at all.

Trish raised an eyebrow.

Trish Stratus: How long has this been going on?

The camermen both looked at her, forgetting she was there.

Camerman "Ted": Dun'know. A while I'd guess. You hear things.

Trish Stratus: Oh.

She hadn't heard anything. She reached for her phone, while the men continued to pack up. She found a number she hadn't dialed in a while, but it was still there all the same. She pulled it up to draft a text message as she and the two cameramen walked back to the car.