Post by Kasey Winterborn on Mar 24, 2021 5:27:14 GMT -5
March 23
Amoudi Bay, Santorini, Greece
“I still can’t believe you talked me into this,” Kasey Winterborn huffed, slightly out of breath as she stepped out of the warm blue Mediterranean waters surrounding the rocky structure rising up from the sea floor. Wringing salt water from her vibrant red hair, she shot a disgruntled look at her companion Nolan Rowe, while he just gave her a cheesy grin.
“Trust me, this is totally gonna be worth it!” he said enthusiastically, beginning the short climb up the somewhat steep embankment to a flat platform some twenty feet above their heads.
Kasey sighed and shook her head, but followed along in his wake. The two of them had been in Greece for the better part of a week already, taking in the culture of the idyllic country and eating their weight in seafood. But just yesterday, Nolan had suggested doing something a little more...adventurous.
Which is how the two of them now found themselves traipsing up a rocky cliffside after a short swim across a channel from the main island of Santorini in the navy blue stillness that preceded dawn. With every step higher, Kasey’s heart pounded a little more forcefully inside her ribcage, and she willed herself not to look back. Nolan reached the platform first, turning around and offering a hand to help her up onto it as well. When her feet were flat on the rock, she took a moment to catch her breath, before it was promptly taken away again by the sight in front of her.
In the predawn darkness, the town on their left side was softly lit with street lamps and porch lights, creating an ethereal glow that washed over the stark white buildings. To their right, the Mediterranean Sea stretched out for miles until it met the line of the horizon, somewhat ominous in the darkness but still impressively beautiful. She stood in quiet awe for a few moments, until Nolan bumped her shoulder with his own lightly.
“You alright over there, Cricket?” he said, giving her the lopsided grin that always made her heart skip a beat or two.
She shook her head slightly, returning his easy smile with one of her own. “Yeah, just...admiring the view.”
“Well, it’s gonna get a whole lot better here in about a half hour.” He walked to the edge of the platform, settling himself down and swinging his legs over the edge before patting the space next to him.
Kasey hesitated for a moment. She hadn’t really been good with heights since a disastrous encounter in a ladder match some years ago sent her hurtling through an announce table and cracking two of her ribs in the process. But she told herself that she was perfectly safe with Nolan, and she sidled close to him and took a seat, though she sat a little back from the edge with her legs tucked up underneath her.
Nolan noticed this, but didn’t say anything as he leaned back on his hands and stared up at the sky. The stars were beginning to fade away as the inky night sky began to lighten. “So, big match coming up on Sunday,” he said conversationally, the first time they had spoken about wrestling since they had arrived in Greece. “How are you feeling about it?”
The question took her by surprise for a moment, but she shrugged her shoulders and picked at a piece of loose skin on her fingernail. “Trying not to think about it too much right now. I’m in one of the most beautiful and culturally significant countries in the world with my best friend. Why would I want to think about work?” She laughed lightly, hoping it didn’t sound as forced as she felt.
He gave her a sideways glance, the lightness gone from his boyishly handsome face and replaced with something a little sterner. “Kase, you might be able to fool most people, but not me. You’ve been on edge ever since the last Fallout show, that conversation you had with DeMarco. You’ve been masking it well enough, but I see you when you think no one’s looking.” His face softened into a look of something akin to pity. “You’re nervous.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but instead let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. She knew there was no use trying to lie to him. He had always been highly perceptive, especially when it came to her. “Yeah, I am,” she admitted quietly. “I mean, my track record at pay-per-view events isn’t exactly stellar. Add that to the fact that Christian basically put an entire division on my shoulders before the match has even taken place…” She twisted her fingers together, drawing even more into herself. “I just don’t know if I’m ready for all of it.”
The air hung heavy between them with the weight of her confession, and Nolan just stared at Kasey as she deftly avoided his gaze, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. He noticed the slight tremble in her hands, the sag of her shoulders, the way she looked like she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. He clambered up to his feet, looking down at her and reaching out a hand. She gave him a puzzled look, but took his hand and allowed him to pull her to standing. They stood like that for a moment, just staring at each other, Kasey feeling more and more awkward the longer the moment stretched on. But just before she opened her mouth to make some kind of wisecrack to break the tension, Nolan began to speak, his face set into a look of determination as he held her gaze with a fierce intensity in his brown eyes.
“Kasey, I have known you for going on seven years now. I’ve watched you go through every conceivable situation that’s been placed in front of you, and no matter how insurmountable it seemed, you have faced it all head-on, powered through and come out on the other side looking like a god-damn warrior queen. You’ve never let anything hold you back before. Do you know why Christian DeMarco put you into this match? Why he gave you that little speech back at Fallout?”
Again, Kasey opened her mouth to give some smart-aleck remark, but Nolan beat her to the punch. “It’s because he believes in you. He sees the incredible work you’ve put in since you arrived to Project Honor. You were the first female signed to the company, and you’re one of the few originals still here after all these months. You’ve stepped up to every single challenge they’ve thrown at you. You headlined the very first pay per view event of this company. You are undefeated on regular television. The fans absolutely love you. You are a promoter’s dream come true. Why the hell wouldn’t Christian put all his chips on you?”
She could feel her cheeks getting warmer, and she knew that if it hadn’t been so dark outside Nolan would be able to see the pink flush rising in them. But he wasn’t quite finished yet. “He sees in you what everyone else does. Everyone else...except you.” He tucked a finger underneath her chin and raised her face so that they were looking eye-to-eye. The sincerity and adoration on his face was plain as day, and Kasey blinked in surprise. “You are a once in a lifetime kind of talent, and you’re going to walk into Wired Consequences and blow them all out of the water, and become the new Ascension Champion on Sunday night.”
Tears prickled behind her eyelids as she bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. But she couldn’t stop the smile that slowly overtook her face, and she rushed forward to wrap her slender arms around Nolan’s waist tightly and bury her face in his chest. She tried to find the words to convey just how much his words meant to her, but nothing she thought of seemed adequate enough. So she just squeezed tighter, knowing that he would understand what she was trying to convey.
He smiled and returned her hug full-force, almost lifting her off her feet. When they separated, they looked back out across the water where the sun was just beginning to crest over the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of pink, orange and yellow. As they took in the breathtaking sight, Kasey felt a massive weight lifted from her shoulders and off of her heart. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I won’t let you down. I promise.
The sun had fully risen in the sky now, though it was still fairly early in the morning. Staring out across the sparkling turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, her vibrant crimson hair swirling around her shoulders in a warm wind, Kasey Winterborn had her eyes closed and a serene expression across her face. After a few peaceful moments, her dark brown eyes opened and blinked slowly, adjusting to the sudden rush of light before a smirk quirked up one side of her lips. She paced a few steps, walking closer to the edge of the cliff with each pass in front of the camera lens.
“Fear is a strange emotion. For some people, it completely paralyzes them. Leaves them immobile, unable to propel themselves forward. But for others, it’s a catalyst. It motivates them to do things that they would otherwise be unable or unwilling to do. Now, where do I categorize myself when it comes to my reaction to fear? Once upon a time, I would have said I was the first person. The minute I felt fear enter my body, I would freeze up. Be completely catatonic, and just watch helplessly as opportunity passed me by time after time. But now, I use that fear to my advantage. I take that adrenaline rush and I leap headfirst into anything and everything that gets put in front of me. For the most part since I’ve arrived here in Project Honor, that mindset has brought me success. Sure, I’ve stumbled and tripped up a time or two, but I’ve picked myself right back up and thrown myself back into the fray, always ready to chase the next thread of fate that fell across my lap.” Her bare feet scraped across the ground, inching closer and closer to the jagged cliff’s edge. “This Sunday, I get a chance to step up and become the new face of the Ascension division, facing off against four men all just as hungry and determined to leave their own mark on the division. But only one of us is going to truly ascend. And, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news gentleman, but I’m just going to have to give it to you straight - it’s a woman’s world, and you’re all just living in it.”
A slightly cocky smirk fell across her lips. “Let’s begin with Zack Tyler. The one I’m most familiar with in this match, in that I’ve already handed him a defeat. In fact, it was just two short weeks ago, in a dark match just before Fallout aired. Which begs the question...just how did you manage to find yourself in this little title scramble? Because even before that, you haven’t exactly done much to warrant a title opportunity. At least, not in my estimation. But I don’t do the booking around here, and I guess Christian DeMarco must like you or something if he’s giving you this opportunity. If I were you, I’d be bowing down to kiss that man’s feet the next time you see him. Though it really isn’t going to change the outcome of the match.”
“Crash Rodriguez…” She tapped a finger against her chin, seemingly in thought. “I admit, I don’t know too much about you, save for the fact that you’re 0 and 2 so far and that you pal around with a...cow. A legit, honest-to-goodness bovine. I mean, I love animals and all, but that’s gotta be a bitch to take care of. I bet most of your paycheck goes to feeding and cleaning that thing, huh? So what, you hoping to get your hands on a title and a pay bump to help put food in the trough?” Kasey waggled a finger in front of her face, making a tsk tsk noise. “Sorry, but that’s not about to happen, my guy. Just gonna have to tell poor old Bessie that there’ll be no gold in the barn this time around.”
Another few steps, inching even closer to the edge. “And now, we come to the first-ever Ascension Champion himself, Mr. Daniel Horror. You got a raw deal, my friend. You set the bar for the title when you were the first to hold the strap...only to lose it in your first defense. That’s gotta sting something fierce. But now, here you are. Your big chance at redemption. Your chance to reclaim your lost glory. Except...this ain’t your Cinderella story, Daniel. There won’t be some glorious fairy-tale ending to this match for you. Only the bitter taste of being so close, yet so far away. You’ll have to watch on as once again the gold slips through your fingers and lands itself directly into my hands.”
“Last, but most certainly not least, the current champion himself. Eli Atlas. So far, the longest-reigning Ascension Champion, with one successful defense under his belt.” Kasey gave a round of light applause. “I hope you don’t take that to be sarcastic, because it’s not. I have all the respect in the world for you. It’s not easy to win a championship, let alone defend it successfully. Must feel like the weight of the world on your shoulders, huh?” A little chuckle escaped her lips. “Sorry, but I just had to sneak that in there. You had to know it was coming at some point. And considering where we are right now...well, I saw my shot and I totally took it.” She shook her head slightly. “Alright, now that that’s out of my system, back to the business at hand. I know that you’re walking into this, the biggest defense you’ve had so far, and you’ve gotta be feeling that pressure. That energy. That intangible sensation in the pit of your stomach. You can’t tell if it’s good or bad. You just know it’s there, and it’s consuming you. It’s gonna get bigger and bigger the closer we get to Sunday night. You wanna know how I know? Because I’m feeling it too. Just as I’m sure the other three are feeling it too. The difference is going to come down to just how each of us uses that. Who’s going to crumble and fall apart under the pressure? More importantly, who’s going to rise above all the fear and doubt, and ascend to the upper echelon?” She cocked a slender eyebrow. “I’ll give you a big hint - you’re looking at her, boys.”
She turned around to face outward, gazing out at the Mediterranean with a wide smile across her face, turning to glance over her shoulder with a coy glance and a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. “No guts, no glory.”
And in a flash, she had pushed herself off of the cliff, a slow-motion moment almost frozen in time as she hung suspended in the air before time caught up to her and she plummeted twenty feet down and landed with a powerful SPLASH! in the water down below.
Amoudi Bay, Santorini, Greece
“I still can’t believe you talked me into this,” Kasey Winterborn huffed, slightly out of breath as she stepped out of the warm blue Mediterranean waters surrounding the rocky structure rising up from the sea floor. Wringing salt water from her vibrant red hair, she shot a disgruntled look at her companion Nolan Rowe, while he just gave her a cheesy grin.
“Trust me, this is totally gonna be worth it!” he said enthusiastically, beginning the short climb up the somewhat steep embankment to a flat platform some twenty feet above their heads.
Kasey sighed and shook her head, but followed along in his wake. The two of them had been in Greece for the better part of a week already, taking in the culture of the idyllic country and eating their weight in seafood. But just yesterday, Nolan had suggested doing something a little more...adventurous.
Which is how the two of them now found themselves traipsing up a rocky cliffside after a short swim across a channel from the main island of Santorini in the navy blue stillness that preceded dawn. With every step higher, Kasey’s heart pounded a little more forcefully inside her ribcage, and she willed herself not to look back. Nolan reached the platform first, turning around and offering a hand to help her up onto it as well. When her feet were flat on the rock, she took a moment to catch her breath, before it was promptly taken away again by the sight in front of her.
In the predawn darkness, the town on their left side was softly lit with street lamps and porch lights, creating an ethereal glow that washed over the stark white buildings. To their right, the Mediterranean Sea stretched out for miles until it met the line of the horizon, somewhat ominous in the darkness but still impressively beautiful. She stood in quiet awe for a few moments, until Nolan bumped her shoulder with his own lightly.
“You alright over there, Cricket?” he said, giving her the lopsided grin that always made her heart skip a beat or two.
She shook her head slightly, returning his easy smile with one of her own. “Yeah, just...admiring the view.”
“Well, it’s gonna get a whole lot better here in about a half hour.” He walked to the edge of the platform, settling himself down and swinging his legs over the edge before patting the space next to him.
Kasey hesitated for a moment. She hadn’t really been good with heights since a disastrous encounter in a ladder match some years ago sent her hurtling through an announce table and cracking two of her ribs in the process. But she told herself that she was perfectly safe with Nolan, and she sidled close to him and took a seat, though she sat a little back from the edge with her legs tucked up underneath her.
Nolan noticed this, but didn’t say anything as he leaned back on his hands and stared up at the sky. The stars were beginning to fade away as the inky night sky began to lighten. “So, big match coming up on Sunday,” he said conversationally, the first time they had spoken about wrestling since they had arrived in Greece. “How are you feeling about it?”
The question took her by surprise for a moment, but she shrugged her shoulders and picked at a piece of loose skin on her fingernail. “Trying not to think about it too much right now. I’m in one of the most beautiful and culturally significant countries in the world with my best friend. Why would I want to think about work?” She laughed lightly, hoping it didn’t sound as forced as she felt.
He gave her a sideways glance, the lightness gone from his boyishly handsome face and replaced with something a little sterner. “Kase, you might be able to fool most people, but not me. You’ve been on edge ever since the last Fallout show, that conversation you had with DeMarco. You’ve been masking it well enough, but I see you when you think no one’s looking.” His face softened into a look of something akin to pity. “You’re nervous.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but instead let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. She knew there was no use trying to lie to him. He had always been highly perceptive, especially when it came to her. “Yeah, I am,” she admitted quietly. “I mean, my track record at pay-per-view events isn’t exactly stellar. Add that to the fact that Christian basically put an entire division on my shoulders before the match has even taken place…” She twisted her fingers together, drawing even more into herself. “I just don’t know if I’m ready for all of it.”
The air hung heavy between them with the weight of her confession, and Nolan just stared at Kasey as she deftly avoided his gaze, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. He noticed the slight tremble in her hands, the sag of her shoulders, the way she looked like she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. He clambered up to his feet, looking down at her and reaching out a hand. She gave him a puzzled look, but took his hand and allowed him to pull her to standing. They stood like that for a moment, just staring at each other, Kasey feeling more and more awkward the longer the moment stretched on. But just before she opened her mouth to make some kind of wisecrack to break the tension, Nolan began to speak, his face set into a look of determination as he held her gaze with a fierce intensity in his brown eyes.
“Kasey, I have known you for going on seven years now. I’ve watched you go through every conceivable situation that’s been placed in front of you, and no matter how insurmountable it seemed, you have faced it all head-on, powered through and come out on the other side looking like a god-damn warrior queen. You’ve never let anything hold you back before. Do you know why Christian DeMarco put you into this match? Why he gave you that little speech back at Fallout?”
Again, Kasey opened her mouth to give some smart-aleck remark, but Nolan beat her to the punch. “It’s because he believes in you. He sees the incredible work you’ve put in since you arrived to Project Honor. You were the first female signed to the company, and you’re one of the few originals still here after all these months. You’ve stepped up to every single challenge they’ve thrown at you. You headlined the very first pay per view event of this company. You are undefeated on regular television. The fans absolutely love you. You are a promoter’s dream come true. Why the hell wouldn’t Christian put all his chips on you?”
She could feel her cheeks getting warmer, and she knew that if it hadn’t been so dark outside Nolan would be able to see the pink flush rising in them. But he wasn’t quite finished yet. “He sees in you what everyone else does. Everyone else...except you.” He tucked a finger underneath her chin and raised her face so that they were looking eye-to-eye. The sincerity and adoration on his face was plain as day, and Kasey blinked in surprise. “You are a once in a lifetime kind of talent, and you’re going to walk into Wired Consequences and blow them all out of the water, and become the new Ascension Champion on Sunday night.”
Tears prickled behind her eyelids as she bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. But she couldn’t stop the smile that slowly overtook her face, and she rushed forward to wrap her slender arms around Nolan’s waist tightly and bury her face in his chest. She tried to find the words to convey just how much his words meant to her, but nothing she thought of seemed adequate enough. So she just squeezed tighter, knowing that he would understand what she was trying to convey.
He smiled and returned her hug full-force, almost lifting her off her feet. When they separated, they looked back out across the water where the sun was just beginning to crest over the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of pink, orange and yellow. As they took in the breathtaking sight, Kasey felt a massive weight lifted from her shoulders and off of her heart. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I won’t let you down. I promise.
-----------
It all starts here
With a rush of blood to the head
And I feel no fear
And nothing’s happening yet...
The sun had fully risen in the sky now, though it was still fairly early in the morning. Staring out across the sparkling turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, her vibrant crimson hair swirling around her shoulders in a warm wind, Kasey Winterborn had her eyes closed and a serene expression across her face. After a few peaceful moments, her dark brown eyes opened and blinked slowly, adjusting to the sudden rush of light before a smirk quirked up one side of her lips. She paced a few steps, walking closer to the edge of the cliff with each pass in front of the camera lens.
“Fear is a strange emotion. For some people, it completely paralyzes them. Leaves them immobile, unable to propel themselves forward. But for others, it’s a catalyst. It motivates them to do things that they would otherwise be unable or unwilling to do. Now, where do I categorize myself when it comes to my reaction to fear? Once upon a time, I would have said I was the first person. The minute I felt fear enter my body, I would freeze up. Be completely catatonic, and just watch helplessly as opportunity passed me by time after time. But now, I use that fear to my advantage. I take that adrenaline rush and I leap headfirst into anything and everything that gets put in front of me. For the most part since I’ve arrived here in Project Honor, that mindset has brought me success. Sure, I’ve stumbled and tripped up a time or two, but I’ve picked myself right back up and thrown myself back into the fray, always ready to chase the next thread of fate that fell across my lap.” Her bare feet scraped across the ground, inching closer and closer to the jagged cliff’s edge. “This Sunday, I get a chance to step up and become the new face of the Ascension division, facing off against four men all just as hungry and determined to leave their own mark on the division. But only one of us is going to truly ascend. And, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news gentleman, but I’m just going to have to give it to you straight - it’s a woman’s world, and you’re all just living in it.”
And I'm all in
It's too late to turn around
Adrenaline is taking my body now...
A slightly cocky smirk fell across her lips. “Let’s begin with Zack Tyler. The one I’m most familiar with in this match, in that I’ve already handed him a defeat. In fact, it was just two short weeks ago, in a dark match just before Fallout aired. Which begs the question...just how did you manage to find yourself in this little title scramble? Because even before that, you haven’t exactly done much to warrant a title opportunity. At least, not in my estimation. But I don’t do the booking around here, and I guess Christian DeMarco must like you or something if he’s giving you this opportunity. If I were you, I’d be bowing down to kiss that man’s feet the next time you see him. Though it really isn’t going to change the outcome of the match.”
“Crash Rodriguez…” She tapped a finger against her chin, seemingly in thought. “I admit, I don’t know too much about you, save for the fact that you’re 0 and 2 so far and that you pal around with a...cow. A legit, honest-to-goodness bovine. I mean, I love animals and all, but that’s gotta be a bitch to take care of. I bet most of your paycheck goes to feeding and cleaning that thing, huh? So what, you hoping to get your hands on a title and a pay bump to help put food in the trough?” Kasey waggled a finger in front of her face, making a tsk tsk noise. “Sorry, but that’s not about to happen, my guy. Just gonna have to tell poor old Bessie that there’ll be no gold in the barn this time around.”
Another few steps, inching even closer to the edge. “And now, we come to the first-ever Ascension Champion himself, Mr. Daniel Horror. You got a raw deal, my friend. You set the bar for the title when you were the first to hold the strap...only to lose it in your first defense. That’s gotta sting something fierce. But now, here you are. Your big chance at redemption. Your chance to reclaim your lost glory. Except...this ain’t your Cinderella story, Daniel. There won’t be some glorious fairy-tale ending to this match for you. Only the bitter taste of being so close, yet so far away. You’ll have to watch on as once again the gold slips through your fingers and lands itself directly into my hands.”
“Last, but most certainly not least, the current champion himself. Eli Atlas. So far, the longest-reigning Ascension Champion, with one successful defense under his belt.” Kasey gave a round of light applause. “I hope you don’t take that to be sarcastic, because it’s not. I have all the respect in the world for you. It’s not easy to win a championship, let alone defend it successfully. Must feel like the weight of the world on your shoulders, huh?” A little chuckle escaped her lips. “Sorry, but I just had to sneak that in there. You had to know it was coming at some point. And considering where we are right now...well, I saw my shot and I totally took it.” She shook her head slightly. “Alright, now that that’s out of my system, back to the business at hand. I know that you’re walking into this, the biggest defense you’ve had so far, and you’ve gotta be feeling that pressure. That energy. That intangible sensation in the pit of your stomach. You can’t tell if it’s good or bad. You just know it’s there, and it’s consuming you. It’s gonna get bigger and bigger the closer we get to Sunday night. You wanna know how I know? Because I’m feeling it too. Just as I’m sure the other three are feeling it too. The difference is going to come down to just how each of us uses that. Who’s going to crumble and fall apart under the pressure? More importantly, who’s going to rise above all the fear and doubt, and ascend to the upper echelon?” She cocked a slender eyebrow. “I’ll give you a big hint - you’re looking at her, boys.”
She turned around to face outward, gazing out at the Mediterranean with a wide smile across her face, turning to glance over her shoulder with a coy glance and a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. “No guts, no glory.”
You got me
Skydiving
You got me
High flying
Oh, I'm jumping off of the world now
I'll never stop, never slow down
Skydiving
