│STAND MY GROUND│ Tag Team Match
Aug 15, 2021 7:02:17 GMT -5
CallMeRobert, Pyro, and 1 more like this
Post by gothmother on Aug 15, 2021 7:02:17 GMT -5
HAND OF SORROW [WILL ALL OUR SINS BE JUSTIFIED]
[Osaka, Japan] AFTERMATH FALLOUT XI
When being part of an illustrious industry like this for so many years, surprises hardly happened. While half of the roster could pretend, Elena DeDraca never did. Ever since she saw the match on the card, she knew the outcome. Was she a fortune telling cookie? No. But for most of her life she lived and survived on pure instinct.
Syndicate.
A small smile spread on her face. Mostly out of amusement, but there was something else. Pity. She felt sorry for the boy that thought he was a man now. The same boy that kept drowning himself in his tears. Instead of accepting his own failures, he blamed the whole world around him. Desperate, right?
She was still sitting on the comfortable leather sofa inside their locker room, sipping from iced tea. Around her the ladies she did consider family. They were more than just members of HYDRA. They were sisters in arms. Her eyes were still focused on the screen, even though it seemed pointless at this point.
“So, Syndi 2.0. How excited are you, El?”
It was the voice of Alexandra Kelly that forced her to shift the previous mentioned focus. In a slow manner she placed her drink on the table, taking her time to respond. Probably way longer than needed, but it was the right of females to build up moments. Right guys?
“Joy to the world? Am I supposed to send him a fruit basket now? Maybe not, he doesn’t look like someone that takes in his vitamins all too regularly. Either way, he won a match. He earned a chance. But apart from that, nothing.”
“But he will come for you, love. He will rip you apart now that he is allowed to fight back.”
It was hard to miss the sarcasm in Alexandra’s voice, not that she tried really hard to hide it. The petit female sat there all stretched out on one of the chairs, playing with her long dark hair. Every now and then she would create a bubble with her cherry flavoured bubblegum. A habit that Elena hated so much, but tried to ignore at this point.
“Yeah, right? Like he couldn’t have found a way before, if he had used his brain a little more. But let’s face the facts for a moment. That means there are two competitors at this point, at least on paper. One is the I returned from the dead Jason Long. What a hype, huh? And all because of a whory, attention greedy girlfriend that obviously is more braindead than zombie Long would have been. I can just hope when they brought him back they didn’t forget his balls.”
Alexandra was the first one to giggle, joined by the husky laugh of Lara who was currently pouring herself a drink. The redhead was very picky with her poison, it had to be Everclear. One of the most disgusting alcoholic drinks ever created, but to each their own.
“What balls? I wasn't aware he had any before getting stabbed. Man that was a sight worth watching through a boring performance. Some call it pointless violence, I would refer to it as...Art.”
“You are a rather sick human being, Lara.”
Elena said but at the same time winked at her friend. The LEGACY champion licked over her lips in a seductive manner.
“To me it doesn’t matter. He might be talented but at the same time he is a slack. I am fully aware that the audience loves the drama, hence they can have their fifteen minutes of fame. Do you honestly think that in years from now anyone will remember the candy sucking bimbonette? Or her ego driven, unoriginal boyfriend? I am doubting that. I can take the competitor Jason Long seriously, but the person? Not really.”
“This company truly doesn’t deserve you and you know it. They don’t see your higher motives, trying to clean the place of deadweight. A true saint you are, Elena.”
Just to add some comedy one of the girls got up and stood right behind Elena. She held something like a halo over the female's head while humming HIGHWAY TO HELL. Once more the whole group laughed.
“I stopped caring a long time ago. I know that I am that damn good, probably the best in this fucking company. But that doesn’t mean that I will receive the appreciation that I deserve. That’s fine though. Envy is a very powerful emotion. And while they are fully aware that I am the most dominant force, they will try to belittle me. Why? Because they are scared. They will not address me face to face, but try to be subtle.”
She rolled her eyes and then with a quick move kicked over the wooden table in front of her. Not only her drink but everything else took a flight through the room. The desk breaking.
“I am not subtle. I am not playing games. If you want something from me, come and ask. I am really not that hard to find, just follow the smell of success. And maybe burnt flesh. Depends on the day.”
In her usual graceful manner she lifted herself from the sofa, quickly followed by the rest of HYDRA. They girls stood strong just like any other time. They were ready for whatever Elena had in mind.
“We are not finishing the show now? I mean, not that I was all that interested…”
They were ready to leave when Lara pulled them back for a second. On the screen in front of them the audience was hit with a huge surprise. Well, some.
“IT WAS ARIK?”
Elena giggled, which was scary enough. The other three looked at her with a puzzled expression on their faces.
“If bimbo and bimbonette had paid a little more attention, it was pretty obvious. I knew for a month, give or take. I just wish he wouldn’t have been slacking on his job or obsession. But sometimes, very rarely, there is a second chance.”
She took one last look at the screen before stepping through that door. Not once looking back.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE [BUT NOW YOU ARE SLIPPING AWAY]
[Garrison, New York]
You are everything.
She thought to herself while sitting outside in their enormous garden, enjoying a summer day. Well, Isabella and Mark enjoyed it- while Elena was hiding in the shadows. Her eyes were covered with huge sunglasses, her whole body covered in sunblocker. It was not that she didn’t like the sun, but the sun didn’t like her. From a distance she watched their beloved taking care of the animals. It was hard to keep track of all the differences at once, as Izzy brought new ones almost daily.
But she never heard a no when it came to that. Kindness was one of the things Elena taught her in the past years. She will be turning six this year. Whenever Elena thought about that, she shook her head. Timy was indeed flying, especially when you had the chance to watch your little wonder grow.
Things could have gone differently.
The pregnancy itself hadn’t been easy. If it was up to the doctors, Isabella would have never been born. With the condition of Elena DeDraca’s body, they strongly suggested against a pregnancy. But she didn’t care. When hearing the little girl's heart beat for the first time, the decision was made. She was willing to sacrifice her own life just to give this girl a chance. But despite the negative predictions here they were.
From her spot she saw Isabella setting herself in motion. As quick as her short legs allowed it she ran towards her mother. There was something tiny resting in her hands. When she reached her destination, Elena discovered it as one of the little ducklings. Small and fluffy.
“See, mama… I told you it would survive.”
“Of course it did, with you feeding it every day. I am very proud of you, darling. The little thing did depend on you and you didn’t let it down. Did you give it a name?”
“I named it Cerberus.”
For a long moment nothing happened. Elena just looked at her little daughter with amusement, then back at the ducky. She tried so hard to keep a serious face, but the smile would come either way.
“But that’s the name for a hound, darling. Not for a duckling.”
“No. It survived against all odds and fought against his siblings. It’s the perfect name.”
Of course they could have argued about this, but Elena decided against it. There was some truth in Izzy’s statement. She was ready to congratulate her, but the little girl had already taken off again. She was running back to the pond, kneeling down next to it. It took Mark no longer than that to arrive next to his wife, planting a kiss on her head. For a moment she allowed herself to get lost, closing her eyes.
“If she keeps going like this, we will need a bigger garden. The other day she suggested she save one of the elephants from the zoo.”
“We always knew she was going to change the world. Why not start with baby steps.”
“An elephant, Elena. ELEPHANT.”
The smile was still intact when she took off her sunglasses, looking into his steel blue eyes. If she had a hard time telling her daughter no, for Mark it was impossible. He loved her just like she was his own. Always.
“I will have a talk to her about it. But I think there is something else we are supposed to talk about.”
“The letter?”
“Yeah. Another note from pre- school. They wanna start a petition against me from what I read. I am not sure it was the right decision to go back to this business, Mark. It is no big deal when I receive hate from people via social media. It is okay when they question my morals and what not. But it is the first time this affects Izzy.”
He was reaching over to where she was sitting, grabbing her hands. This gentle gesture gave her all kinds of emotions at once. Happiness but also a deep sadness she couldn’t begin to describe to anyone.
“You are a good mother, Elena. No matter what anyone tries to tell you, never put that in doubt. We knew this was going to be difficult, but we decided against a house teacher- or one of those elite schools. You wanted a life as normal as possible for Isabella. And even though it hurts, you more than her, this is life. I could be a butcher and you could be a stylist and they would still find something. Especially since you are the hottest mother there.”
“What has this to do with anything… .”
“My heart, jealousy gives people the motivation to do very silly things. If they wanna file a petition, we will fight back. And believe me when I say that, we won’t be shooting blanks.”
Elena knew fully well that he was right with how he spotted the situation, but that didn’t make it any easier. If she was protective of anything in her life, it was her daughter. And despite being a professional wrestler, she knew what fear was. Especially when it came to the well being of her princess. Too wildly did she remember that one night an opponent made an appearance in the girls room. Only to send a message to her.
Never again.
“Where is your fighting spirit?”
He said, trying to sound playful but there was a serious tone in his voice.
“I left it somewhere in Project Honor.”
Mark was ready to start a discussion but she squeezed his hand. Probably a bit harder than expected.
“But you are right. It is not in my nature to just give in. We may need to call the lawyers, I won’t accept this kind of bullshit any longer.”
“See, that’s my girl. Maybe you need to view the whole situation in a different light. Like your upcoming fight, darling. You would never go into this without a plan, or allowing yourself the thought of failure.”
A long sigh. The sheer thought of that upcoming match gave her a headache. The kind you couldn’t cure with popping a pill.
“Jesus, don’t remind me. Did you see the team we go up against? Pop Tart and Oh boy. I don’t even know where to begin.”
He was fully aware there was more to come, so in his best Mark manner he leaned back. But not before grabbing himself something to drink. He knew better than most what buttons to push and the pleasure of watching his plan unfold.
“That chick is dumber than a piece of bread. I am not sure she even knows what kind of contract she signed. But I swear to god, if she uses the term DIVA once more- I will lose my shit. If she wants to be that, then she might find herself on a Kardashian show. She got the fake looks for it. And Earl? Dude is at least fun but I am not sure he has the right idea about teaming with that ho..rrible excuse of a woman.”
“And now tell us how you really feel, love.”
She looked at him slightly confused but then caught the hint of sarcasm in his voice. She was at home, she was safe and no one expected her to be the A class performer. So in a very uncharacteristic manner she bursted out laughing. It was a deep and honest laughter.
“You put me on a rant. That’s evil.”
“I did no such things, love. But I do believe that you have had a lot of things on your mind as of late. Private just as much as business. And that laughter was needed. It doesn’t matter who you team with, it will always be the winning team. End of story.”
And just like every other time he knew the right words to put her at ease. Without giving another verbal response she leaned back in her comfortable chair, putting the sunglasses back on. Her eyes were set on her daughter again, causing her to smile further. No matter what the world saw in her, she knew that for this little girl she was a superstar.
And that’s why I keep going.
May the lord have mercy on you, because I won’t.
STAND MY GROUND [THERE’S NO TURNING BACK FROM HERE]
[Garrison, New York]
If you wanna achieve greatness, you have to be willing to sacrifice everything that you are. That was a lesson she learned the moment she began her wrestling training. It was people like Shannon Summers and Shawna Martinez that kept reminding her of that. Each of them was more successful than she could have ever imagined. Multi- time champions. But more importantly, never did they bend to anyone’s expectations. Doing their thing, as the cool kids would say.
Whenever she was in doubt of her journey, she thought about their lessons. Knowing that good intentions did only bring you this far. She never was the type that needed backup, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have it. Nowadays in the form of HYDRA. A group of females formed by true fighters that didn’t care about the consequences of overstepping boundaries. Just like Elena DeDraca herself.
Pot and Kettle.
Elena tried to fight against her ever growing rage. While for a few years it was nothing more than a light whisper in the back of her head, it was always present these days. So what changed? She did. There was no need to fight it any longer. Embracing it. Nonetheless to remain the full package, she had to work on all of her.
Yoga. A splendid idea of her former trainer and mentor. While she was indeed very flexible, she had a huge problem with calming on the inside. For the past twenty minutes she sat in the warm grass, listening to some weird mantra. Whenever she found herself distracted, the frustration kicked in. This time so badly that she kicked away her iPod. A light growl escaped her throat.
“I am not meant for this kind of crap. Who am I? Fucking Buddha?”
She grabbed the towel that rested next to her, getting rid of the sweat pearls that began to form on her forehead. Finding inner peace was indeed hard work.
“I tried to reach the state of Unicorns shitting rainbows and clouds becoming sweet little sheep. Did it work? Nah. Did I learn something about myself trying? Yeah. You can not control the chaos. Which is probably the reason why Fallout is my show. It was always my show and it will always be my show. It doesn’t matter if I am the LEGACY champion, which means I appear on both brands. I just felt it was time to clear that once and for all. I leave Proving Ground to the pussies that think they run the world. Of course no offense Indy Darling. It’s not like he isn’t trying. But there are wrestlers and then there are fighters. It is pretty obvious which brand to look at. Good luck Team Proving Ground, you will need it.”
She gave her prettiest smile.
“But that shall not be my problem, right? Just wanted to show some patriotism, or whatever you weird Americans call that. If you ask me, God save the Queen is a lot more fitting. Anyway, Latoya Hixx and Earl Boyde. I guess I am to blame for this one. I should have pulled a REDD on you, then we wouldn’t be in that kind of clusterfuck match. So, I apologize for whatever is going to happen down the line. On the other hand, I expect a thank you from my partner. You will take notice how fun it is throwing those two around. One because she is an airhead. The other just because you can. So Havoc, my favourite fruit is pomegranate. If you need suggestions for a basket.”
“I wanna say jokes aside the whole time, but it is tougher than it ever was. I can’t take someone like Latoya Hixx seriously. Have you looked at the girl? If she gets in a car crash the airbag won't even activate, because she carries her own. You hardly find me dig at someone’s appearance, but what else is there to do? Focus on her match record? Too easy. I get no kind of vibe at all from that woman. I wonder, is she even a human being. I heard they make those very realistic dolls in Japan. You know the ones for adult guys that never hit it with a real woman. I am certain a few on the roster know exactly what I am talking about. Don’t be ashamed, guys. Considering the lack of personality, you are really better off with a doll. They will obey and give you the feeling that you are a real stud. Something you haven’t experienced inside a wrestling ring.”
Elena shrugged slightly before leaning back a little further onto the grass. She looked up for a moment, noticing the dark clouds that formed in the near distance. A storm in the making.
“But enough about that thing and the weird aftertaste I have in my mouth whenever saying her name. Earl. Buddy. How you doing? Probably on your third beer by now, making the world a little prettier for yourself. Let me state something here before I rip you apart. I don’t have any problem with you. I find you somewhat entertaining, even if it’s on a level that kids would enjoy. And I can fully understand why you find yourself admiring your partner to a degree. I have been to the kind of bars a dude like you hangs around in. Nothing too fancy, but kinda interesting. And then I saw the females hanging around there. Eek. So I get it. I really do. But don’t let little Earl make bad decisions for you, right? We are not going to have a nice get together, drink a few beers and exchange fighting stories. Havoc and myself are out there with only one goal. Leave you in a pool of your own blood.”
“What a nice thought, isn’t it? And even though Havoc might not be my best friend, I can respect the man for his work. And his intentions. So one could say DeMarco was out of his mind booking this- but don’t you see the bigger picture? There is always a method to his madness. And while Havoc and me couldn’t be any more different, we are kinda the same. Confusing, isn’t it? But not when you take a closer look. We live for the thrill of the fight. It gives us satisfaction to violate people. So even though it might be a one night only thing, it will be worth it for the audience. And above that, it will teach another valuable lesson to Latoya and Earl. If I tell you to stay down, you should listen. It is such an easy concept, although it might be a master thesis for you.”
One of the clouds now had moved in front of the sun. In an instant it became dark, a long shadow falling over Elena’s face. She welcomed the change in the weather, inhaling the now cooler air.
“Is there anything I can gain from this match? Not really. But that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy every single second of it. I am given the chance to give the two of you a makeover. And even though my skills are a little roster, it can’t get worse than it is. A hint of red here. A broken bone there. Always the finishing touches to a perfect night. At least my kind of perfect night. And while the audience might criticise me for this too, I couldn’t care less. I already hear them, annoyed that I don’t take either of you seriously. So what? If anyone can explain to me how either of them are professional competitors, I will listen. I am not that small minded that my idea of someone can’t be changed. The problem is though, there are no valid points to make. But you are welcome to try.”
“You have seen what happens when I am really challenged. Ask Mark Hunter, he had a first row seat. Now imagine what happens when I am bored? Or disgusted when it comes to certain people. I will get creative and I will take my time. And while I do that, I promise to leave something for Havoc too. He deserves a little fun too. But a small warning to you too, love, don’t get in my way. You have been in this ring with me before and you barely made it. Everything will be peachy, as long as you know what role you have to play. And with that I shall end my lecture for today. Make of it what you want, learn a lesson or don’t. I am not here to save your lives or make them brighter. I don’t have any time to waste.”
“You are welcome.”
[Osaka, Japan] AFTERMATH FALLOUT XI
When being part of an illustrious industry like this for so many years, surprises hardly happened. While half of the roster could pretend, Elena DeDraca never did. Ever since she saw the match on the card, she knew the outcome. Was she a fortune telling cookie? No. But for most of her life she lived and survived on pure instinct.
Syndicate.
A small smile spread on her face. Mostly out of amusement, but there was something else. Pity. She felt sorry for the boy that thought he was a man now. The same boy that kept drowning himself in his tears. Instead of accepting his own failures, he blamed the whole world around him. Desperate, right?
She was still sitting on the comfortable leather sofa inside their locker room, sipping from iced tea. Around her the ladies she did consider family. They were more than just members of HYDRA. They were sisters in arms. Her eyes were still focused on the screen, even though it seemed pointless at this point.
“So, Syndi 2.0. How excited are you, El?”
It was the voice of Alexandra Kelly that forced her to shift the previous mentioned focus. In a slow manner she placed her drink on the table, taking her time to respond. Probably way longer than needed, but it was the right of females to build up moments. Right guys?
“Joy to the world? Am I supposed to send him a fruit basket now? Maybe not, he doesn’t look like someone that takes in his vitamins all too regularly. Either way, he won a match. He earned a chance. But apart from that, nothing.”
“But he will come for you, love. He will rip you apart now that he is allowed to fight back.”
It was hard to miss the sarcasm in Alexandra’s voice, not that she tried really hard to hide it. The petit female sat there all stretched out on one of the chairs, playing with her long dark hair. Every now and then she would create a bubble with her cherry flavoured bubblegum. A habit that Elena hated so much, but tried to ignore at this point.
“Yeah, right? Like he couldn’t have found a way before, if he had used his brain a little more. But let’s face the facts for a moment. That means there are two competitors at this point, at least on paper. One is the I returned from the dead Jason Long. What a hype, huh? And all because of a whory, attention greedy girlfriend that obviously is more braindead than zombie Long would have been. I can just hope when they brought him back they didn’t forget his balls.”
Alexandra was the first one to giggle, joined by the husky laugh of Lara who was currently pouring herself a drink. The redhead was very picky with her poison, it had to be Everclear. One of the most disgusting alcoholic drinks ever created, but to each their own.
“What balls? I wasn't aware he had any before getting stabbed. Man that was a sight worth watching through a boring performance. Some call it pointless violence, I would refer to it as...Art.”
“You are a rather sick human being, Lara.”
Elena said but at the same time winked at her friend. The LEGACY champion licked over her lips in a seductive manner.
“To me it doesn’t matter. He might be talented but at the same time he is a slack. I am fully aware that the audience loves the drama, hence they can have their fifteen minutes of fame. Do you honestly think that in years from now anyone will remember the candy sucking bimbonette? Or her ego driven, unoriginal boyfriend? I am doubting that. I can take the competitor Jason Long seriously, but the person? Not really.”
“This company truly doesn’t deserve you and you know it. They don’t see your higher motives, trying to clean the place of deadweight. A true saint you are, Elena.”
Just to add some comedy one of the girls got up and stood right behind Elena. She held something like a halo over the female's head while humming HIGHWAY TO HELL. Once more the whole group laughed.
“I stopped caring a long time ago. I know that I am that damn good, probably the best in this fucking company. But that doesn’t mean that I will receive the appreciation that I deserve. That’s fine though. Envy is a very powerful emotion. And while they are fully aware that I am the most dominant force, they will try to belittle me. Why? Because they are scared. They will not address me face to face, but try to be subtle.”
She rolled her eyes and then with a quick move kicked over the wooden table in front of her. Not only her drink but everything else took a flight through the room. The desk breaking.
“I am not subtle. I am not playing games. If you want something from me, come and ask. I am really not that hard to find, just follow the smell of success. And maybe burnt flesh. Depends on the day.”
In her usual graceful manner she lifted herself from the sofa, quickly followed by the rest of HYDRA. They girls stood strong just like any other time. They were ready for whatever Elena had in mind.
“We are not finishing the show now? I mean, not that I was all that interested…”
They were ready to leave when Lara pulled them back for a second. On the screen in front of them the audience was hit with a huge surprise. Well, some.
“IT WAS ARIK?”
Elena giggled, which was scary enough. The other three looked at her with a puzzled expression on their faces.
“If bimbo and bimbonette had paid a little more attention, it was pretty obvious. I knew for a month, give or take. I just wish he wouldn’t have been slacking on his job or obsession. But sometimes, very rarely, there is a second chance.”
She took one last look at the screen before stepping through that door. Not once looking back.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE [BUT NOW YOU ARE SLIPPING AWAY]
[Garrison, New York]
You are everything.
She thought to herself while sitting outside in their enormous garden, enjoying a summer day. Well, Isabella and Mark enjoyed it- while Elena was hiding in the shadows. Her eyes were covered with huge sunglasses, her whole body covered in sunblocker. It was not that she didn’t like the sun, but the sun didn’t like her. From a distance she watched their beloved taking care of the animals. It was hard to keep track of all the differences at once, as Izzy brought new ones almost daily.
But she never heard a no when it came to that. Kindness was one of the things Elena taught her in the past years. She will be turning six this year. Whenever Elena thought about that, she shook her head. Timy was indeed flying, especially when you had the chance to watch your little wonder grow.
Things could have gone differently.
The pregnancy itself hadn’t been easy. If it was up to the doctors, Isabella would have never been born. With the condition of Elena DeDraca’s body, they strongly suggested against a pregnancy. But she didn’t care. When hearing the little girl's heart beat for the first time, the decision was made. She was willing to sacrifice her own life just to give this girl a chance. But despite the negative predictions here they were.
From her spot she saw Isabella setting herself in motion. As quick as her short legs allowed it she ran towards her mother. There was something tiny resting in her hands. When she reached her destination, Elena discovered it as one of the little ducklings. Small and fluffy.
“See, mama… I told you it would survive.”
“Of course it did, with you feeding it every day. I am very proud of you, darling. The little thing did depend on you and you didn’t let it down. Did you give it a name?”
“I named it Cerberus.”
For a long moment nothing happened. Elena just looked at her little daughter with amusement, then back at the ducky. She tried so hard to keep a serious face, but the smile would come either way.
“But that’s the name for a hound, darling. Not for a duckling.”
“No. It survived against all odds and fought against his siblings. It’s the perfect name.”
Of course they could have argued about this, but Elena decided against it. There was some truth in Izzy’s statement. She was ready to congratulate her, but the little girl had already taken off again. She was running back to the pond, kneeling down next to it. It took Mark no longer than that to arrive next to his wife, planting a kiss on her head. For a moment she allowed herself to get lost, closing her eyes.
“If she keeps going like this, we will need a bigger garden. The other day she suggested she save one of the elephants from the zoo.”
“We always knew she was going to change the world. Why not start with baby steps.”
“An elephant, Elena. ELEPHANT.”
The smile was still intact when she took off her sunglasses, looking into his steel blue eyes. If she had a hard time telling her daughter no, for Mark it was impossible. He loved her just like she was his own. Always.
“I will have a talk to her about it. But I think there is something else we are supposed to talk about.”
“The letter?”
“Yeah. Another note from pre- school. They wanna start a petition against me from what I read. I am not sure it was the right decision to go back to this business, Mark. It is no big deal when I receive hate from people via social media. It is okay when they question my morals and what not. But it is the first time this affects Izzy.”
He was reaching over to where she was sitting, grabbing her hands. This gentle gesture gave her all kinds of emotions at once. Happiness but also a deep sadness she couldn’t begin to describe to anyone.
“You are a good mother, Elena. No matter what anyone tries to tell you, never put that in doubt. We knew this was going to be difficult, but we decided against a house teacher- or one of those elite schools. You wanted a life as normal as possible for Isabella. And even though it hurts, you more than her, this is life. I could be a butcher and you could be a stylist and they would still find something. Especially since you are the hottest mother there.”
“What has this to do with anything… .”
“My heart, jealousy gives people the motivation to do very silly things. If they wanna file a petition, we will fight back. And believe me when I say that, we won’t be shooting blanks.”
Elena knew fully well that he was right with how he spotted the situation, but that didn’t make it any easier. If she was protective of anything in her life, it was her daughter. And despite being a professional wrestler, she knew what fear was. Especially when it came to the well being of her princess. Too wildly did she remember that one night an opponent made an appearance in the girls room. Only to send a message to her.
Never again.
“Where is your fighting spirit?”
He said, trying to sound playful but there was a serious tone in his voice.
“I left it somewhere in Project Honor.”
Mark was ready to start a discussion but she squeezed his hand. Probably a bit harder than expected.
“But you are right. It is not in my nature to just give in. We may need to call the lawyers, I won’t accept this kind of bullshit any longer.”
“See, that’s my girl. Maybe you need to view the whole situation in a different light. Like your upcoming fight, darling. You would never go into this without a plan, or allowing yourself the thought of failure.”
A long sigh. The sheer thought of that upcoming match gave her a headache. The kind you couldn’t cure with popping a pill.
“Jesus, don’t remind me. Did you see the team we go up against? Pop Tart and Oh boy. I don’t even know where to begin.”
He was fully aware there was more to come, so in his best Mark manner he leaned back. But not before grabbing himself something to drink. He knew better than most what buttons to push and the pleasure of watching his plan unfold.
“That chick is dumber than a piece of bread. I am not sure she even knows what kind of contract she signed. But I swear to god, if she uses the term DIVA once more- I will lose my shit. If she wants to be that, then she might find herself on a Kardashian show. She got the fake looks for it. And Earl? Dude is at least fun but I am not sure he has the right idea about teaming with that ho..rrible excuse of a woman.”
“And now tell us how you really feel, love.”
She looked at him slightly confused but then caught the hint of sarcasm in his voice. She was at home, she was safe and no one expected her to be the A class performer. So in a very uncharacteristic manner she bursted out laughing. It was a deep and honest laughter.
“You put me on a rant. That’s evil.”
“I did no such things, love. But I do believe that you have had a lot of things on your mind as of late. Private just as much as business. And that laughter was needed. It doesn’t matter who you team with, it will always be the winning team. End of story.”
And just like every other time he knew the right words to put her at ease. Without giving another verbal response she leaned back in her comfortable chair, putting the sunglasses back on. Her eyes were set on her daughter again, causing her to smile further. No matter what the world saw in her, she knew that for this little girl she was a superstar.
And that’s why I keep going.
May the lord have mercy on you, because I won’t.
STAND MY GROUND [THERE’S NO TURNING BACK FROM HERE]
[Garrison, New York]
If you wanna achieve greatness, you have to be willing to sacrifice everything that you are. That was a lesson she learned the moment she began her wrestling training. It was people like Shannon Summers and Shawna Martinez that kept reminding her of that. Each of them was more successful than she could have ever imagined. Multi- time champions. But more importantly, never did they bend to anyone’s expectations. Doing their thing, as the cool kids would say.
Whenever she was in doubt of her journey, she thought about their lessons. Knowing that good intentions did only bring you this far. She never was the type that needed backup, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have it. Nowadays in the form of HYDRA. A group of females formed by true fighters that didn’t care about the consequences of overstepping boundaries. Just like Elena DeDraca herself.
Pot and Kettle.
Elena tried to fight against her ever growing rage. While for a few years it was nothing more than a light whisper in the back of her head, it was always present these days. So what changed? She did. There was no need to fight it any longer. Embracing it. Nonetheless to remain the full package, she had to work on all of her.
Yoga. A splendid idea of her former trainer and mentor. While she was indeed very flexible, she had a huge problem with calming on the inside. For the past twenty minutes she sat in the warm grass, listening to some weird mantra. Whenever she found herself distracted, the frustration kicked in. This time so badly that she kicked away her iPod. A light growl escaped her throat.
“I am not meant for this kind of crap. Who am I? Fucking Buddha?”
She grabbed the towel that rested next to her, getting rid of the sweat pearls that began to form on her forehead. Finding inner peace was indeed hard work.
“I tried to reach the state of Unicorns shitting rainbows and clouds becoming sweet little sheep. Did it work? Nah. Did I learn something about myself trying? Yeah. You can not control the chaos. Which is probably the reason why Fallout is my show. It was always my show and it will always be my show. It doesn’t matter if I am the LEGACY champion, which means I appear on both brands. I just felt it was time to clear that once and for all. I leave Proving Ground to the pussies that think they run the world. Of course no offense Indy Darling. It’s not like he isn’t trying. But there are wrestlers and then there are fighters. It is pretty obvious which brand to look at. Good luck Team Proving Ground, you will need it.”
She gave her prettiest smile.
“But that shall not be my problem, right? Just wanted to show some patriotism, or whatever you weird Americans call that. If you ask me, God save the Queen is a lot more fitting. Anyway, Latoya Hixx and Earl Boyde. I guess I am to blame for this one. I should have pulled a REDD on you, then we wouldn’t be in that kind of clusterfuck match. So, I apologize for whatever is going to happen down the line. On the other hand, I expect a thank you from my partner. You will take notice how fun it is throwing those two around. One because she is an airhead. The other just because you can. So Havoc, my favourite fruit is pomegranate. If you need suggestions for a basket.”
“I wanna say jokes aside the whole time, but it is tougher than it ever was. I can’t take someone like Latoya Hixx seriously. Have you looked at the girl? If she gets in a car crash the airbag won't even activate, because she carries her own. You hardly find me dig at someone’s appearance, but what else is there to do? Focus on her match record? Too easy. I get no kind of vibe at all from that woman. I wonder, is she even a human being. I heard they make those very realistic dolls in Japan. You know the ones for adult guys that never hit it with a real woman. I am certain a few on the roster know exactly what I am talking about. Don’t be ashamed, guys. Considering the lack of personality, you are really better off with a doll. They will obey and give you the feeling that you are a real stud. Something you haven’t experienced inside a wrestling ring.”
Elena shrugged slightly before leaning back a little further onto the grass. She looked up for a moment, noticing the dark clouds that formed in the near distance. A storm in the making.
“But enough about that thing and the weird aftertaste I have in my mouth whenever saying her name. Earl. Buddy. How you doing? Probably on your third beer by now, making the world a little prettier for yourself. Let me state something here before I rip you apart. I don’t have any problem with you. I find you somewhat entertaining, even if it’s on a level that kids would enjoy. And I can fully understand why you find yourself admiring your partner to a degree. I have been to the kind of bars a dude like you hangs around in. Nothing too fancy, but kinda interesting. And then I saw the females hanging around there. Eek. So I get it. I really do. But don’t let little Earl make bad decisions for you, right? We are not going to have a nice get together, drink a few beers and exchange fighting stories. Havoc and myself are out there with only one goal. Leave you in a pool of your own blood.”
“What a nice thought, isn’t it? And even though Havoc might not be my best friend, I can respect the man for his work. And his intentions. So one could say DeMarco was out of his mind booking this- but don’t you see the bigger picture? There is always a method to his madness. And while Havoc and me couldn’t be any more different, we are kinda the same. Confusing, isn’t it? But not when you take a closer look. We live for the thrill of the fight. It gives us satisfaction to violate people. So even though it might be a one night only thing, it will be worth it for the audience. And above that, it will teach another valuable lesson to Latoya and Earl. If I tell you to stay down, you should listen. It is such an easy concept, although it might be a master thesis for you.”
One of the clouds now had moved in front of the sun. In an instant it became dark, a long shadow falling over Elena’s face. She welcomed the change in the weather, inhaling the now cooler air.
“Is there anything I can gain from this match? Not really. But that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy every single second of it. I am given the chance to give the two of you a makeover. And even though my skills are a little roster, it can’t get worse than it is. A hint of red here. A broken bone there. Always the finishing touches to a perfect night. At least my kind of perfect night. And while the audience might criticise me for this too, I couldn’t care less. I already hear them, annoyed that I don’t take either of you seriously. So what? If anyone can explain to me how either of them are professional competitors, I will listen. I am not that small minded that my idea of someone can’t be changed. The problem is though, there are no valid points to make. But you are welcome to try.”
“You have seen what happens when I am really challenged. Ask Mark Hunter, he had a first row seat. Now imagine what happens when I am bored? Or disgusted when it comes to certain people. I will get creative and I will take my time. And while I do that, I promise to leave something for Havoc too. He deserves a little fun too. But a small warning to you too, love, don’t get in my way. You have been in this ring with me before and you barely made it. Everything will be peachy, as long as you know what role you have to play. And with that I shall end my lecture for today. Make of it what you want, learn a lesson or don’t. I am not here to save your lives or make them brighter. I don’t have any time to waste.”
“You are welcome.”
