"I'm A Damsel, I'm In Distress, I Can Handle This."
Apr 20, 2021 5:29:15 GMT -5
CallMeRobert and Tyrant Warstein like this
Post by Kasey Winterborn on Apr 20, 2021 5:29:15 GMT -5
April 10
Tunis-Carthage International Airport
Tunis, Tunisia
“I’m telling you, Nolan, it was the creepiest freakin’ thing. My blood would have run cold, if I hadn’t lost half of it during that match.”
Making her way through the airport in the early hours of the morning, Kasey Winterborn couldn’t help but keep her head on a swivel as she talked on the phone with her trainer and one of her dear friends, Nolan Rowe. Despite the sweltering heat of the Mediterranean country, she wore an oversized black hoodie with the hood pulled over her vibrant red hair and long leggings to cover the distinct tattoos on her legs along with her favourite pair of Doc Martens. A pair of mirrored aviators covered the rest of her face as she hurried at a quick pace through the terminal, pulling her rolling suitcase along behind her.
“You don’t have to tell me, Darrell and I were watching. He practically had to tie me to the couch, I was that ready to jump through the damn screen.” Nolan’s voice sounded a little strange to her ears, a note of exhaustion creeping into it. “Besides all that, how are you physically?”
She let out a snort of laughter, but winced and whimpered slightly as the bandages across her back tightened over her still-fresh wounds. “The next time I say I want to step outside my comfort zone, slap me and tell me I’m insane, OK?”
That roused a chuckle from Nolan. “I’m not gonna slap you, not after seeing what you put those two poor bastards through. Who knew you had a bloodthirsty psycho in you?”
“Hey, I resent that!” she laughed, just as she approached the check-in counter. She put Nolan on hold while she handled her check-in. “Hi, Kasey Winterborn checking in for the flight to Tampa.” She handed over all the necessary paperwork.
The chipper hostess behind the desk began typing away furiously. “Alright, Miss Winterborn, you’re all set to go...oh, it looks like your ticket was upgraded to first-class.”
A chill shot down her spine as she slowly took off her sunglasses, her big brown eyes going even wider as she stared at the agent wordlessly. “...I’m sorry?”
“That’s correct. Your ticket has been upgraded to first class.” The agent printed it out and bundled it together with her passport, holding it out to the stunned woman. “Seems someone wants you to fly in comfort.” She gave a little wink. “Your flight will be departing in two hours.”
Kasey was still shocked as she took her papers back, but managed a small smile and a nod of her head as she walked away from the counter, heading towards the food court area. She was about halfway there before she remembered she still had Nolan on hold, and quickly tapped the screen of her phone and held it back up to her ear. “Sorry, sorry! Just finished with the agent.”
“Kase, you good? You sound a little freaked,” he asked with concern.
“Yeah, yeah, fine. Just....” she hesitated, biting her lip. She debated telling him about the upgrade, thinking she was just being overly paranoid. But then her mind flashed back to the locker room full of flowers, and the ending to her match…”My ticket got upgraded to first class.”
“Oh no, say it ain’t so,” Nolan said, with a hint of sarcasm. “How devastating.”
“Nolan, I’m serious. With what happened at the show, I’m a little...freaked out right now. I don’t know who this is or what they want. What if they upgraded me to sit right beside them? What if it’s some deranged fan? What if -”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow your dinner roll, Cricket! Darrell and I upgraded your ticket yesterday. We thought it would be a nice surprise for you because Darrell said - and I quote - ‘champions do not ride anything less than first class.’ We didn’t know it was gonna send you into a tizz, or we would have let you know beforehand.”
Kasey took a few deep, slow breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. “Sorry, it’s just that this whole...thing has got me a bit weirded out. Christian promised me that he was going to investigate it, but I’m still freaked. Not that I don’t have faith in his skills, but this person managed to get a freakin’ truckload of flowers into the building and no one thought that was weird?”
“Hey, if someone looks professional enough, most people don’t question it.”
“Not. Helping.”
“Sorry. But like you said, DeMarco’s on it. The guy’s super protective of his brand, he’s not gonna let this fly. I’m sure he’s gonna get to the bottom of it soon. So just get home, cool out for a bit, and then you can focus on the next challenge in your path.”
Taking one last deep breath, Kasey smiled a bit. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m gonna go grab a bite to eat and browse the shops before my flight. I’ll see you at the airport?”
“You got it, Champ.”
------------
April 20
Bosque dos Buritis
Goiânia, Brazil
“You know you’ve really made it in the business when you get a stalker.”
Sitting on the raised edge of a man made water feature in the heart of one of Goiânia’s many lush parks, Kasey Winterborn swished her feet around in the cool water as she gazed up at the sky through the leafy canopy above her. Dressed for the 30 degree Celsius weather in a knee-length bright orange sundress, and of course accessorized by her Ascension title proudly displayed across her lap, the fiery femme fatale cocked a little amused smirk as her brown eyes slowly traveled down to gaze into the camera at her side.
“I mean, it’s an odd achievement to have, but when someone is that invested in your life that they dedicate so much time and effort into garnering your attention...well, it’s a tiny bit flattering, I will admit.” She cocked a slender eyebrow. “What, did you all think I was just going to be some trembling little flower, too spooked to show up to my job just because some slightly deranged maniac has got some kind of psycho crush on me?” She snorted a short laugh. “Pah-lease. Y’all act like I didn’t just bleed out two opponents in the middle of the ring like a couple of stuck pigs. You think some flowers and flickering lights with a creepy little song are gonna make me tuck tail and run? Not in this lifetime. You see, I got a title to defend and a record to achieve. If I win my next match on Fallout, not only will I have the most successful defenses of the Ascension championship, I will become the fourth roster member - and first female - to hit double-digit wins. So yeah, wild horses ain’t gonna keep me from this match.”
She swirled her feet again, her neon-green painted toenails catching the light and glittering under the crystal-clear water. “And boy, what a match I drew this week. See, I know that Christian DeMarco is on the case of whoever this Looney Tune is, and he told me he was gonna put his best man on it. The very same man that he just happened to book in a match against me this week for my pretty little belt here.” Kasey gave a fond pat to her black and silver title, gleaming under the midday sun. “I mean, it’s kinda giving me mixed signals here. Like, I’m grateful to Arik Holt for helping to get to the bottom of this mystery, but that doesn’t mean that I’m just gonna let the guy waltz in and just take my belt.”
She held up a finger and wagged it back and forth, like a parent scolding a naughty child. “Sorry to say, but that ain’t gonna fly in this chickie’s coop. It took me forever and a day to finally get my hands on some gold, and I do not plan on giving this up quite so easily. So Arik, I do appreciate what you’re doing in trying to get to the bottom of my little situation, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.” She gave a little shrug of her slender shoulders, her mouth twisted into a not-quite-frown. “It’s really nothing personal, my dude. To be honest, I think you’re a pretty cool guy. But you’re not really a full-time wrestler. So I kinda feel for you stepping into the ring with me. I’m not saying that you won’t be able to hold your own. But boy, I ain’t the lady to mess with. Every time I step into that ring with this belt on the line, I become a whole different beast. I fought long and hard to get this thing, and I’ve already defended it once in a bloody, brutal match. Just because this is something normal doesn’t mean that I’m about to walk into this match thinking it’s going to be a cakewalk. Because too many times I’ve seen people fall into that mindset, only to have it creep up and bite them straight in the behind. I’m not about underestimating my opponents, no matter who’s on the other side of the ring with me. If you know me, you know I’m all about the respect. So while I know that you’re not a full-timer like the rest of us, I know that you’re not about to show me any mercy. Just like I’m not gonna show any to you.”
With a little smirk, she draped the belt over her shoulder and rose up onto her feet, reaching down to pick up her discarded sandals that had been resting beside her. “Let’s rock the joint, Arik.” And with a little curtsey and a kiss blown to the camera, Kasey flipped her hair over her shoulder as she turned and walked through the shallow waters back through the forested area, splashing up water with her feet as the camera faded away to black.
Tunis-Carthage International Airport
Tunis, Tunisia
“I’m telling you, Nolan, it was the creepiest freakin’ thing. My blood would have run cold, if I hadn’t lost half of it during that match.”
Making her way through the airport in the early hours of the morning, Kasey Winterborn couldn’t help but keep her head on a swivel as she talked on the phone with her trainer and one of her dear friends, Nolan Rowe. Despite the sweltering heat of the Mediterranean country, she wore an oversized black hoodie with the hood pulled over her vibrant red hair and long leggings to cover the distinct tattoos on her legs along with her favourite pair of Doc Martens. A pair of mirrored aviators covered the rest of her face as she hurried at a quick pace through the terminal, pulling her rolling suitcase along behind her.
“You don’t have to tell me, Darrell and I were watching. He practically had to tie me to the couch, I was that ready to jump through the damn screen.” Nolan’s voice sounded a little strange to her ears, a note of exhaustion creeping into it. “Besides all that, how are you physically?”
She let out a snort of laughter, but winced and whimpered slightly as the bandages across her back tightened over her still-fresh wounds. “The next time I say I want to step outside my comfort zone, slap me and tell me I’m insane, OK?”
That roused a chuckle from Nolan. “I’m not gonna slap you, not after seeing what you put those two poor bastards through. Who knew you had a bloodthirsty psycho in you?”
“Hey, I resent that!” she laughed, just as she approached the check-in counter. She put Nolan on hold while she handled her check-in. “Hi, Kasey Winterborn checking in for the flight to Tampa.” She handed over all the necessary paperwork.
The chipper hostess behind the desk began typing away furiously. “Alright, Miss Winterborn, you’re all set to go...oh, it looks like your ticket was upgraded to first-class.”
A chill shot down her spine as she slowly took off her sunglasses, her big brown eyes going even wider as she stared at the agent wordlessly. “...I’m sorry?”
“That’s correct. Your ticket has been upgraded to first class.” The agent printed it out and bundled it together with her passport, holding it out to the stunned woman. “Seems someone wants you to fly in comfort.” She gave a little wink. “Your flight will be departing in two hours.”
Kasey was still shocked as she took her papers back, but managed a small smile and a nod of her head as she walked away from the counter, heading towards the food court area. She was about halfway there before she remembered she still had Nolan on hold, and quickly tapped the screen of her phone and held it back up to her ear. “Sorry, sorry! Just finished with the agent.”
“Kase, you good? You sound a little freaked,” he asked with concern.
“Yeah, yeah, fine. Just....” she hesitated, biting her lip. She debated telling him about the upgrade, thinking she was just being overly paranoid. But then her mind flashed back to the locker room full of flowers, and the ending to her match…”My ticket got upgraded to first class.”
“Oh no, say it ain’t so,” Nolan said, with a hint of sarcasm. “How devastating.”
“Nolan, I’m serious. With what happened at the show, I’m a little...freaked out right now. I don’t know who this is or what they want. What if they upgraded me to sit right beside them? What if it’s some deranged fan? What if -”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow your dinner roll, Cricket! Darrell and I upgraded your ticket yesterday. We thought it would be a nice surprise for you because Darrell said - and I quote - ‘champions do not ride anything less than first class.’ We didn’t know it was gonna send you into a tizz, or we would have let you know beforehand.”
Kasey took a few deep, slow breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. “Sorry, it’s just that this whole...thing has got me a bit weirded out. Christian promised me that he was going to investigate it, but I’m still freaked. Not that I don’t have faith in his skills, but this person managed to get a freakin’ truckload of flowers into the building and no one thought that was weird?”
“Hey, if someone looks professional enough, most people don’t question it.”
“Not. Helping.”
“Sorry. But like you said, DeMarco’s on it. The guy’s super protective of his brand, he’s not gonna let this fly. I’m sure he’s gonna get to the bottom of it soon. So just get home, cool out for a bit, and then you can focus on the next challenge in your path.”
Taking one last deep breath, Kasey smiled a bit. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m gonna go grab a bite to eat and browse the shops before my flight. I’ll see you at the airport?”
“You got it, Champ.”
------------
April 20
Bosque dos Buritis
Goiânia, Brazil
“You know you’ve really made it in the business when you get a stalker.”
Sitting on the raised edge of a man made water feature in the heart of one of Goiânia’s many lush parks, Kasey Winterborn swished her feet around in the cool water as she gazed up at the sky through the leafy canopy above her. Dressed for the 30 degree Celsius weather in a knee-length bright orange sundress, and of course accessorized by her Ascension title proudly displayed across her lap, the fiery femme fatale cocked a little amused smirk as her brown eyes slowly traveled down to gaze into the camera at her side.
“I mean, it’s an odd achievement to have, but when someone is that invested in your life that they dedicate so much time and effort into garnering your attention...well, it’s a tiny bit flattering, I will admit.” She cocked a slender eyebrow. “What, did you all think I was just going to be some trembling little flower, too spooked to show up to my job just because some slightly deranged maniac has got some kind of psycho crush on me?” She snorted a short laugh. “Pah-lease. Y’all act like I didn’t just bleed out two opponents in the middle of the ring like a couple of stuck pigs. You think some flowers and flickering lights with a creepy little song are gonna make me tuck tail and run? Not in this lifetime. You see, I got a title to defend and a record to achieve. If I win my next match on Fallout, not only will I have the most successful defenses of the Ascension championship, I will become the fourth roster member - and first female - to hit double-digit wins. So yeah, wild horses ain’t gonna keep me from this match.”
She swirled her feet again, her neon-green painted toenails catching the light and glittering under the crystal-clear water. “And boy, what a match I drew this week. See, I know that Christian DeMarco is on the case of whoever this Looney Tune is, and he told me he was gonna put his best man on it. The very same man that he just happened to book in a match against me this week for my pretty little belt here.” Kasey gave a fond pat to her black and silver title, gleaming under the midday sun. “I mean, it’s kinda giving me mixed signals here. Like, I’m grateful to Arik Holt for helping to get to the bottom of this mystery, but that doesn’t mean that I’m just gonna let the guy waltz in and just take my belt.”
She held up a finger and wagged it back and forth, like a parent scolding a naughty child. “Sorry to say, but that ain’t gonna fly in this chickie’s coop. It took me forever and a day to finally get my hands on some gold, and I do not plan on giving this up quite so easily. So Arik, I do appreciate what you’re doing in trying to get to the bottom of my little situation, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.” She gave a little shrug of her slender shoulders, her mouth twisted into a not-quite-frown. “It’s really nothing personal, my dude. To be honest, I think you’re a pretty cool guy. But you’re not really a full-time wrestler. So I kinda feel for you stepping into the ring with me. I’m not saying that you won’t be able to hold your own. But boy, I ain’t the lady to mess with. Every time I step into that ring with this belt on the line, I become a whole different beast. I fought long and hard to get this thing, and I’ve already defended it once in a bloody, brutal match. Just because this is something normal doesn’t mean that I’m about to walk into this match thinking it’s going to be a cakewalk. Because too many times I’ve seen people fall into that mindset, only to have it creep up and bite them straight in the behind. I’m not about underestimating my opponents, no matter who’s on the other side of the ring with me. If you know me, you know I’m all about the respect. So while I know that you’re not a full-timer like the rest of us, I know that you’re not about to show me any mercy. Just like I’m not gonna show any to you.”
With a little smirk, she draped the belt over her shoulder and rose up onto her feet, reaching down to pick up her discarded sandals that had been resting beside her. “Let’s rock the joint, Arik.” And with a little curtsey and a kiss blown to the camera, Kasey flipped her hair over her shoulder as she turned and walked through the shallow waters back through the forested area, splashing up water with her feet as the camera faded away to black.
