Post by Aurora Knight on Jul 26, 2016 15:08:19 GMT -5
Daphne’s Greek Café
Torrance, CA
July 21, 2016
“Rude” by Magic! played over the speakers of the small restaurant as Damon approached the table with two Gyros Pita sandwiches and an order of French Fries covered in Daphne’s famous Fire Feta. Aurora snagged a fry, scooped up a bit of the Fire Feta, then slipped it into her mouth, glancing at a nearby speaker with an annoyed expression.
Damon: I take it you’re as annoyed with that song as I am?
Aurora shook her head.
Aurora: Annoyed? No. Actually, I kind of like the song. I can appreciate the message behind it, if that makes any sense.
Damon: A guy asking for some guy’s blessing to marry his daughter… doesn’t get it… says he’s gonna marry her anyway. Nothing says “family unity” like defying your father, eh?
Aurora glared daggers at Damon, sending a chill down his spine that made him drop his sandwich.
Aurora: Damon….
Damon: Sheesh! It was just a joke!
Aurora: Not funny…
Damon: Point taken. But why do you like it so much? I would think it would upset you….
She let out a deep sigh before ripping a chunk out of her sandwich. She washed the bite down with a swig of Mountain Dew, then leaned back in her chair.
Aurora: Well, with me being the only daughter, Daddy had one rule when it came to dating. He had to meet them first. And then I met…
She paused, a disgusted look on her face as she took another sip of her soda.
Damon: Listen, if you don’t want to talk about it…
Aurora: No, I need to get this off my chest. See, Jered wasn’t trying to date me. We were in the same English class at school, and I invited him over so we could work on a joint project we got paired up for… Didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. Boy was I wrong! Dad lost his shit. And well… you know the rest.
She popped another Fire Feta-laden fry into her mouth.
Damon: Wow… you really were naïve back then.
Annoyed, Aurora tossed a fry across the table. Damon made no attempt to dodge; he simply opened his mouth to catch the projectile potato.
Aurora: Great… a smartass AND a showoff!
Damon: You just described two of my best qualities! But did you really think it would end well to just run off like that? Never mind marry a guy you didn’t even love.
Aurora: Can we not talk about him anymore? Bad enough my attempt to stick it to my father backfired… HORRIBLY. But there’s a part of me that wishes he wasn’t so damned old-school.
Damon: There isn’t a father out there that doesn’t want to protect his daughter from scum like your ex. I’d hate to even think of what he’d find wrong with me… two full sleeves, a mouth like a sailor…
Aurora: Oddly enough, he’d probably like you.
Damon: So, I could walk right up to his front door and say “Hey, I’d like to marry your daughter!” and he’d hand me a beer and say “Welcome to the family”?
He stroked his chin in mock contemplation as Aurora turned red with shock. She slammed her hands on the table as she stared at him, wide-eyed.
Aurora: Don’t you dare! You know it’s not that simple! Hell, he’d probably do like he did back then and chase you off the property!
The chorus of “Some Heads are Gonna Roll” played at a muffled volume as Aurora’s phone went off in her back pocket. As it vibrated against the seat, Aurora nearly jumped onto the table.
Aurora: SHIT! Now I remember why I stopped carrying my phone like that. Well, let’s see what the boss-man wants, shall we?
She answered the phone, putting it on speakerphone.
Aurora: What’s up, Jason?
Jason: Where’s my Baklava?
Damon: We just sat down to eat, Boss. We’ll grab some on the way out.
Jason: Good, because I’m sitting here with one killer fucking sweet tooth, and the wife is hoarding the chocolate! And while you’re at it, can you bring me a kebab plate?
Aurora: You want some Fire Feta?
Jason: Nah… I dare not eat that stuff in front of Alicia. She’ll KILL me!
Aurora: We could bring her some, too…
Jason: Nope… Doctor said no soft cheeses while she’s pregnant. THAT’S why she’ll kill me!
Damon: I see. Wait… while I still have you on the phone, did you want those kebabs to be steak, chicken, or one of each?
Jason: Beef.
Aurora: Got it.
Damon: Alright then. We’ll finish up here, order your kebabs and baklava to-go, and head back to the gym. Gonna have to work off all of this gyros meat, anyway.
Aurora rolled her eyes as Damon looked at her and shrugged.
Damon: What? You think I don’t work to maintain these abs?
Aurora hung up the phone, setting it on the table. Shaking her head, she shot a smirk at her boyfriend.
Aurora: What am I gonna do with you?
Aurora and Damon’s Hotel Room
San Diego, CA
Friday, July 22, 2016
6:00 am
The alarm on Aurora’s cell phone kicked in, but the initial whisper of “Bodies” did nothing to rouse the slumbering Tag Team Champions as they lay entwined in each other’s arms in the center of the king sized bed.
Alarm: FLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!
Aurora shot up in bed, clutching the covers around her otherwise bare skin, her eyes bleary from the sudden awakening. She looked over at Damon, who had just barely begun to stir, having been aroused from his dormant state more from Aurora’s sudden upright jolt than the alarm. After rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she leaned over, kissing him softly on the lips.
Aurora: Time to get up….
Damon slowly propped up the weight of his torso with his elbows, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the morning light that poured through the open curtains.
Damon: What time is it?
Aurora: 6:00. Come on; we need to hurry up and get ready. I want to get to the exhibitor’s hall before it opens so we don’t end up getting swamped.
Damon: But I thought we were coming in from the vendor’s entrance?
Aurora: It’s still going to be a fucking nightmare trying to get through.
She paused as she reached across Damon’s chest to the nightstand, where one of his black tank tops hung on the corner. She slipped the garment on; the fabric covered just enough of her body to avoid being rendered “indecent” should anyone come charging through the door to their room. From the bed, Damon followed her with his eyes as she walked toward her suitcase. They were only staying that one night, so they didn’t feel the need to unpack.
Aurora: You gonna lay there all damn morning or are you gonna get your ass out of bed?
Damon: Shit… it’s only 6, Harley! Place doesn’t open until 9:30.
She growled as she moved toward the bed, grabbing the sheets and pulling them back. Damon sat there, clad in only a pair of dark green boxer briefs. He shook his head, grumbling as he begrudgingly stuck a leg over the side of the bed.
Damon: Fine… I can take a hint.
Aurora: Glad you’re starting to see things my way….
He stood up, moving toward the desk on the other side of the room, where his own luggage sat. After grabbing a change of clothes, which remained a folded bundle of black fabric and blue denim clenched in his hand, he slipped into the bathroom.
Aurora: Hmph… I guess I’m making coffee this morning.
She tossed her clothes onto the bed and zipped up her suitcase before walking into the bathroom, which was separated into a long counter with a sink on one end. Why these smaller, lower budget hotels always put the coffee makers on the bathroom counters – even when the room itself had a mini fridge and microwave – she didn’t pretend to understand. As long as the coffee didn’t wind up tasting like garbage, she didn’t really care.
Damon’s showers were always notoriously fast, so it was no surprise to her that while the coffee was brewing, she heard the water in the shower cut off. She watched as the door leading to the shower swung open, and Damon stepped up behind her, a thick white towel wrapped around his waist. His wet hair sent tiny trails of water down the sides of his face, then dripped onto Aurora’s shoulders as he leaned toward her, kissing the top of her head. She smiled, then slipped out from between him and the counter.
Aurora: You keep that up, and we’ll never get out of here…
Damon: You say that like it’s a bad thing.
Aurora: When you’ve got a 10:00 signing, it kinda is. Plus, I want to make the rounds of the exhibitor’s hall before we head back to LA.
Damon: Yeah, and I do wanna kind of hit the Marvel booth. Fine… but wait until I get you home…..
Aurora: Hold it, loverboy! Save it for later…
Aurora’s default ringtone went off. Aurora groaned as she walked over to the nightstand to read the caller ID. It was the same number that had called her prior to the tag team match at Vendetta. With an annoyed growl in her throat, she again rejected the call, tossing the phone onto the bed before storming off into the bathroom.
Aurora: I don’t have time for this prank-calling bullshit!
Damon could only watch as Aurora slammed the door behind her and got into the shower. He looked on the counter, spotting the ring he had given her sitting next to the coffee maker. He smirked as he picked it up, carrying it with him as he moved toward the bed. Glancing at Aurora’s phone, he shook his head.
Damon: (whispering) Damn it, old man! Now I have to figure out how to fix another one of your fuck-ups…
As soon as Damon heard the water running in the shower, he went for his own cell phone. He kept one eye trained on the door as he flipped through his contacts, tapping on a listing that simply said “Old Man”. With an exasperated sigh, he called.
Voice over Phone: (muffled) Hello?
Damon: Look, man. You can’t keep doing that to her. You call, and you either hang up as soon as she answers, or you let the voicemail pick up and you don’t leave a message.
He paused, a frown forming on his face as he listened.
Damon: No excuses, man. I don’t have a lot of time right now; if she comes out while I’m on the phone with you, she’s gonna lose her shit. But you seriously need to quit playing games with her. After all, the way I see it, you’re the one that fucked up.
Another pause. Damon’s foot began to tap on the floor, the look of anger deepening on his face as his patience was gradually being chipped away.
Damon: I know what you said, but this has to be done the right way, and that can’t happen unless you get over yourself.
Another pause. With each passing second, Damon grew even more annoyed with the person on the other end of the line. He sat down on the foot of the bed, his fist balled up as he pressed it into the mattress.
Damon: Whatever, man. The ball’s in your court from this point.
One final pause as Damon looked nervously at the bathroom door.
Damon: Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, I can’t exactly bring her to you; the second she catches sight of your front door, she’s going to know something’s up. It would have to be on neutral territory. We’re heading to Memphis in a couple of days. If you’re going to do anything before we leave, I suggest you get on it, because right now, you’re apologizing to the wrong person.
He flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling as he ended the phone call. As the water in the shower cut off again, Damon scrambled to get dressed, slipping into his jeans just as Aurora opened the door.
**ON CAMERA**
San Diego Convention Center Lobby
San Diego, CA
Friday, July 22, 2016 – 1:00
Outside of the exhibitor’s hall, people moved in small clusters from one place to the next. Some were dressed in street clothes, but a good number of people that passed by were clad in all matter of costumes, from the simple ones constructed out of off-the-rack clothes to the ones that looked as though they had taken an eternity to make. For Aurora’s part, she appreciated the efforts that the convention attendees put into their costumes, but instead opted for simpler attire – a pair of blue jeans and a dark gray Sailor Moon S t-shirt.
She sat near one of the entrances to the exhibitor’s hall, on a gray padded bench facing away from the doors that led out of the convention center, two large bags practically bursting with convention swag sitting off to one side and her half of the NGW Tag Team Championships sitting on the bench beside her. As the other convention attendees passed back and forth behind her, she stared into the camera, a stoic, cold look in her eyes.
Aurora: Aspirations… everyone has them, and anyone that dares to say they don’t is not only lying to everyone around them; they’re also lying to themselves. When I first signed my NGW contract, I did so with one goal, and one goal only… to work my way up the ladder and fight my way to a championship title. I’m not stupid, nor am I so full of myself that I expected to get handed a title shot the second the ink was dry on my contract. If it took a couple of weeks, months, or even years – okay, so I don’t think it’ll take THAT long – I’d use that time to show everyone exactly what they’ll get with me as their champion.
Now, I stand here as one half of the Tag Team Champions, and while my last match may not have gone the way Damon and I had hoped it would, if I take nothing else away from that match, it’s that we gave just as good as we got.
Aurora pursed her lips just a little as she cast a quick glance down to the mint green carpet beneath her feet.
Aurora: But now, it’s time to move on from that match, because this time, it’s just me in that ring, standing up against a man by the name of Mark Storm. A man who – at one time – shot up the rankings like a rocket, only to fade away and eventually disappear.
Her expression softened ever so slightly, shifting from the harsh glare to the faint glimmer of a smile as she chuckled softly.
Aurora: Nah… that’s not really fair, is it? After all, it’s not like you dropped off the face of the wrestling world; you just went somewhere else… and another somewhere else… and – well, you get the idea. I know it sounds like I’m making slight of what you’ve done in that ring, but what do you expect when I see you show up after months of being away doing who the hell knows what? From what I’ve seen, you’re certainly no slouch in the ring. At least, when you’re actually focused. And perhaps it was your match against Kenzie Rydell that sent her on that unfortunate downward spiral after that brutal match you two had back in March. But then, some time after that match, and just around the time I arrived in NGW, you decided to take your leave. Why? Was it because you didn’t want to have to deal with the new blood coming into NGW? Or was it because you wanted to see what it was like on the other side of the fence? You certainly liked to leave little love notes – for lack of a better term – saying “HEY! Look at what I’m doing over here!”
And here I thought I’d had a hectic couple of days… my brother in arms, Corey Bull laid up in a coma, and being handed my first loss – mind you, I can still say that I haven’t been pinned or made to submit since I’ve been here in NGW – and now, I’m playing catch-up with all of my other engagements, both in and out of the wrestling industry. But that’s absolutely nothing compared to you, Stormy…
You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?
She got up from the bench, standing with her thumbs looped into the belt loops of her jeans.
Aurora: Just kidding – I really don’t care if you mind. But hey, be glad your name isn’t as easy to mangle as some of the other wrestlers in NGW. But just who are you, exactly? A mysterious individual with a skull slathered onto his face who just so happens to have as much dislike for Gavin Grimes as pretty much everyone else on the roster, save for that dirty, scum-sucking cowboy and that Kenny Rogers wanna-be partner of his. So, I guess you could say we have a common enemy, but that isn’t saying much, is it, Stormy?
And then I found out that just like a handful of other wrestlers on the roster, NGW isn’t your only source of a paycheck. Wow… seems like you’ve got a foot in the door of just about every promotion out there, don’t you? I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Hell, whatever gets your name out there, right? I’m not gonna stand here and tell you you’re spreading yourself too thin; I’m sure you get that enough as it is. But let’s face it, you’ve got a fuckton on your plate, and judging from the looks of you, it would appear your eyes are a little too big for your stomach, so to speak. By all means… feel free to prove me wrong.
Yeah, yeah… books and covers and all that other cliché shit… whatever. You may very well have the stamina of a herd of mustangs for all I know, and maybe you can actually keep up with a demanding schedule like the one you’re working with, but it’s gotta end somewhere, Stormy. And come Vendetta, I shake off the dust of my last defeat by taking a man that thinks he can just waltz back into this company and demand a shot at the same guy that beat you for the Unified Championship not once, but twice.
Well, that’s assuming that he can get past his wife, of course, but that’s another story.[/color]
Her eyes narrowed as the corner of her mouth turned slightly upward. The glare from earlier returned with a vengeance as she sneered into the camera.
Aurora: Seriously, what makes you think you can just cut right in ahead of everyone that has been busting their asses to claim their spots in the rankings by showing up and fighting for every fucking show? What have you done lately? And more importantly, what are you going to do after I beat your ass at Vendetta? Are you going to keep pushing for that title shot against Gavin Grimes – or, if we’re being realistic, Ashleigh Grimes – or are you going to slink off back to one of your other homes away from home? Are you going to step through those ropes and show me why you call yourself the Reckoning of Professional Wrestling, or will the Angel of Rebellion cast judgement on you for your sins?
And what sin have you committed? Why have you been put in the crosshairs of the Angelz of Destruction? Well, for starters, the sin of Envy. To think that you were once considered for top contention for the Unified Championship, only to drop in the rankings like a damn stone. Then you disappear for a couple of months, only to come back and demand a spot? Oh no, my friend. You get to sit at the back of the line like the rest of the noobs and WORK your way back up the ladder like the rest of us!
She glanced over her shoulder, watching the driveway out in front of the entrance to the lobby.
Aurora: Your second sin is the sin of Pride. In your vanity, you seek to spread your name as far as you possibly can, to make sure that your name sits on the tip of the tongue of as many people as possible. But how far can you expect to spread yourself – how much gold can you hope to carry before it all starts to weigh you down? How long before one show starts to bleed into the next, until you can’t keep anything straight anymore? You see, that’s how burnout happens, Storm. Yeah, it wasn’t that long ago when I was giving Avery Miles props for doing the same thing that you are, but then again, he’s been a constant presence in NGW.
You once told Kenzie Rydell that you could have just stayed gone; that you could just as easily have kept up at one of those other promotions you dabble in, leaving NGW as just another footnote in your past. But the biggest lie is that you came back out of love for this promotion. Bullshit! If that’s the case, then why the hell did you leave… AGAIN!? If you loved this place like you say you do, you would have stuck around, but you didn’t. Yeah, you beat Kenzie after she’d already been handed a loss, but you couldn’t keep up the momentum after that, could you? Just like you won’t be able to pick up where you left off against me. I may be coming off of a loss myself, but unlike you, I’m focused on one thing and one thing only… and that’s kicking your ass all over that ring!
The sneer faded to a slight smile as a familiar sound filled her ear. Behind her, a black 1972 Dodge Charger pulled up in the driveway. She reached down toward the bench where she had been sitting, picking up the NGW Tag Team Championship belt and draping it over her shoulder as she stared into the camera.
Aurora: I know you’ve been watching, Storm. You’ve seen what I can do in that ring. You’ve seen me climb the ladder, you see me standing here as half of the NGW Tag Team Champions. You KNOW you’re in for one hell of a fight as soon as that bell rings! But what you don’t know is that I’m even more dangerous in that ring once I’ve tasted defeat. It makes me even more determined to bust ass and make sure it doesn’t happen again. You just get to be the poor sap that has to be on the receiving end.
When you faced off against Kenzie, you told her you were at rock bottom. You managed to pick yourself back up, only to fall back into the abyss once again. Now, you’ve come back for another chance to crawl out of the hole of obscurity – at least where NGW is concerned – and you find yourself faced with one of NGW’s hottest rising stars, and that’s not just me being cocky; you should have seen the line at the autograph signing I just did!
But that’s beside the point. I’m a rising star, while your light is dimming at an ever-increasing pace. But by all means… keep going. Keep trying to scratch and claw your way out of the pit you’ve dug for yourself, even as the dirt starts to collapse around you. Keep chasing Avery Miles across the globe… keep sniffing at the heels of Gavin Grimes for that elusive win that you’ll probably never see. At least you’ll have something to fall back on after Vendetta, when I leave you on your back in the middle of the ring. After I beat you, you can walk off into the sunset yet again, and maybe we’ll see you darken the NGW’s doorstep in another couple of months. Or you can just stay gone, and maybe turn up somewhere down the line in one of those “Whatever Happened to…” Blu-Ray specials. Honestly, I really don’t give a shit. I have more important things to do with my life than give two fucks about some part-time, “come and go when I feel like it” wrestler.
So, I guess if I don’t see you before Vendetta, I’ll see you around… or not.
With a final narrow-eyed smirk into the camera, she grabbed her bags and headed out of the lobby, where her tag team partner Damon Graves stood waiting at the trunk of his car. He greeted her with a quick kiss as she loaded the bloated bags into the trunk and shut the lid.
Damon: I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long…
Aurora: Oh, I had a way to keep myself occupied.
Damon: Good… now let’s get the hell out of here before you’re tempted to clean out another vendor’s booth.
Aurora shoved him playfully as he made his way to the driver’s side door. She climbed into the passenger’s seat, shutting the door as they drove away.
Torrance, CA
July 21, 2016
“Rude” by Magic! played over the speakers of the small restaurant as Damon approached the table with two Gyros Pita sandwiches and an order of French Fries covered in Daphne’s famous Fire Feta. Aurora snagged a fry, scooped up a bit of the Fire Feta, then slipped it into her mouth, glancing at a nearby speaker with an annoyed expression.
Damon: I take it you’re as annoyed with that song as I am?
Aurora shook her head.
Aurora: Annoyed? No. Actually, I kind of like the song. I can appreciate the message behind it, if that makes any sense.
Damon: A guy asking for some guy’s blessing to marry his daughter… doesn’t get it… says he’s gonna marry her anyway. Nothing says “family unity” like defying your father, eh?
Aurora glared daggers at Damon, sending a chill down his spine that made him drop his sandwich.
Aurora: Damon….
Damon: Sheesh! It was just a joke!
Aurora: Not funny…
Damon: Point taken. But why do you like it so much? I would think it would upset you….
She let out a deep sigh before ripping a chunk out of her sandwich. She washed the bite down with a swig of Mountain Dew, then leaned back in her chair.
Aurora: Well, with me being the only daughter, Daddy had one rule when it came to dating. He had to meet them first. And then I met…
She paused, a disgusted look on her face as she took another sip of her soda.
Damon: Listen, if you don’t want to talk about it…
Aurora: No, I need to get this off my chest. See, Jered wasn’t trying to date me. We were in the same English class at school, and I invited him over so we could work on a joint project we got paired up for… Didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. Boy was I wrong! Dad lost his shit. And well… you know the rest.
She popped another Fire Feta-laden fry into her mouth.
Damon: Wow… you really were naïve back then.
Annoyed, Aurora tossed a fry across the table. Damon made no attempt to dodge; he simply opened his mouth to catch the projectile potato.
Aurora: Great… a smartass AND a showoff!
Damon: You just described two of my best qualities! But did you really think it would end well to just run off like that? Never mind marry a guy you didn’t even love.
Aurora: Can we not talk about him anymore? Bad enough my attempt to stick it to my father backfired… HORRIBLY. But there’s a part of me that wishes he wasn’t so damned old-school.
Damon: There isn’t a father out there that doesn’t want to protect his daughter from scum like your ex. I’d hate to even think of what he’d find wrong with me… two full sleeves, a mouth like a sailor…
Aurora: Oddly enough, he’d probably like you.
Damon: So, I could walk right up to his front door and say “Hey, I’d like to marry your daughter!” and he’d hand me a beer and say “Welcome to the family”?
He stroked his chin in mock contemplation as Aurora turned red with shock. She slammed her hands on the table as she stared at him, wide-eyed.
Aurora: Don’t you dare! You know it’s not that simple! Hell, he’d probably do like he did back then and chase you off the property!
The chorus of “Some Heads are Gonna Roll” played at a muffled volume as Aurora’s phone went off in her back pocket. As it vibrated against the seat, Aurora nearly jumped onto the table.
Aurora: SHIT! Now I remember why I stopped carrying my phone like that. Well, let’s see what the boss-man wants, shall we?
She answered the phone, putting it on speakerphone.
Aurora: What’s up, Jason?
Jason: Where’s my Baklava?
Damon: We just sat down to eat, Boss. We’ll grab some on the way out.
Jason: Good, because I’m sitting here with one killer fucking sweet tooth, and the wife is hoarding the chocolate! And while you’re at it, can you bring me a kebab plate?
Aurora: You want some Fire Feta?
Jason: Nah… I dare not eat that stuff in front of Alicia. She’ll KILL me!
Aurora: We could bring her some, too…
Jason: Nope… Doctor said no soft cheeses while she’s pregnant. THAT’S why she’ll kill me!
Damon: I see. Wait… while I still have you on the phone, did you want those kebabs to be steak, chicken, or one of each?
Jason: Beef.
Aurora: Got it.
Damon: Alright then. We’ll finish up here, order your kebabs and baklava to-go, and head back to the gym. Gonna have to work off all of this gyros meat, anyway.
Aurora rolled her eyes as Damon looked at her and shrugged.
Damon: What? You think I don’t work to maintain these abs?
Aurora hung up the phone, setting it on the table. Shaking her head, she shot a smirk at her boyfriend.
Aurora: What am I gonna do with you?
Aurora and Damon’s Hotel Room
San Diego, CA
Friday, July 22, 2016
6:00 am
The alarm on Aurora’s cell phone kicked in, but the initial whisper of “Bodies” did nothing to rouse the slumbering Tag Team Champions as they lay entwined in each other’s arms in the center of the king sized bed.
Alarm: FLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!
Aurora shot up in bed, clutching the covers around her otherwise bare skin, her eyes bleary from the sudden awakening. She looked over at Damon, who had just barely begun to stir, having been aroused from his dormant state more from Aurora’s sudden upright jolt than the alarm. After rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she leaned over, kissing him softly on the lips.
Aurora: Time to get up….
Damon slowly propped up the weight of his torso with his elbows, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the morning light that poured through the open curtains.
Damon: What time is it?
Aurora: 6:00. Come on; we need to hurry up and get ready. I want to get to the exhibitor’s hall before it opens so we don’t end up getting swamped.
Damon: But I thought we were coming in from the vendor’s entrance?
Aurora: It’s still going to be a fucking nightmare trying to get through.
She paused as she reached across Damon’s chest to the nightstand, where one of his black tank tops hung on the corner. She slipped the garment on; the fabric covered just enough of her body to avoid being rendered “indecent” should anyone come charging through the door to their room. From the bed, Damon followed her with his eyes as she walked toward her suitcase. They were only staying that one night, so they didn’t feel the need to unpack.
Aurora: You gonna lay there all damn morning or are you gonna get your ass out of bed?
Damon: Shit… it’s only 6, Harley! Place doesn’t open until 9:30.
She growled as she moved toward the bed, grabbing the sheets and pulling them back. Damon sat there, clad in only a pair of dark green boxer briefs. He shook his head, grumbling as he begrudgingly stuck a leg over the side of the bed.
Damon: Fine… I can take a hint.
Aurora: Glad you’re starting to see things my way….
He stood up, moving toward the desk on the other side of the room, where his own luggage sat. After grabbing a change of clothes, which remained a folded bundle of black fabric and blue denim clenched in his hand, he slipped into the bathroom.
Aurora: Hmph… I guess I’m making coffee this morning.
She tossed her clothes onto the bed and zipped up her suitcase before walking into the bathroom, which was separated into a long counter with a sink on one end. Why these smaller, lower budget hotels always put the coffee makers on the bathroom counters – even when the room itself had a mini fridge and microwave – she didn’t pretend to understand. As long as the coffee didn’t wind up tasting like garbage, she didn’t really care.
Damon’s showers were always notoriously fast, so it was no surprise to her that while the coffee was brewing, she heard the water in the shower cut off. She watched as the door leading to the shower swung open, and Damon stepped up behind her, a thick white towel wrapped around his waist. His wet hair sent tiny trails of water down the sides of his face, then dripped onto Aurora’s shoulders as he leaned toward her, kissing the top of her head. She smiled, then slipped out from between him and the counter.
Aurora: You keep that up, and we’ll never get out of here…
Damon: You say that like it’s a bad thing.
Aurora: When you’ve got a 10:00 signing, it kinda is. Plus, I want to make the rounds of the exhibitor’s hall before we head back to LA.
Damon: Yeah, and I do wanna kind of hit the Marvel booth. Fine… but wait until I get you home…..
Aurora: Hold it, loverboy! Save it for later…
Aurora’s default ringtone went off. Aurora groaned as she walked over to the nightstand to read the caller ID. It was the same number that had called her prior to the tag team match at Vendetta. With an annoyed growl in her throat, she again rejected the call, tossing the phone onto the bed before storming off into the bathroom.
Aurora: I don’t have time for this prank-calling bullshit!
Damon could only watch as Aurora slammed the door behind her and got into the shower. He looked on the counter, spotting the ring he had given her sitting next to the coffee maker. He smirked as he picked it up, carrying it with him as he moved toward the bed. Glancing at Aurora’s phone, he shook his head.
Damon: (whispering) Damn it, old man! Now I have to figure out how to fix another one of your fuck-ups…
As soon as Damon heard the water running in the shower, he went for his own cell phone. He kept one eye trained on the door as he flipped through his contacts, tapping on a listing that simply said “Old Man”. With an exasperated sigh, he called.
Voice over Phone: (muffled) Hello?
Damon: Look, man. You can’t keep doing that to her. You call, and you either hang up as soon as she answers, or you let the voicemail pick up and you don’t leave a message.
He paused, a frown forming on his face as he listened.
Damon: No excuses, man. I don’t have a lot of time right now; if she comes out while I’m on the phone with you, she’s gonna lose her shit. But you seriously need to quit playing games with her. After all, the way I see it, you’re the one that fucked up.
Another pause. Damon’s foot began to tap on the floor, the look of anger deepening on his face as his patience was gradually being chipped away.
Damon: I know what you said, but this has to be done the right way, and that can’t happen unless you get over yourself.
Another pause. With each passing second, Damon grew even more annoyed with the person on the other end of the line. He sat down on the foot of the bed, his fist balled up as he pressed it into the mattress.
Damon: Whatever, man. The ball’s in your court from this point.
One final pause as Damon looked nervously at the bathroom door.
Damon: Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, I can’t exactly bring her to you; the second she catches sight of your front door, she’s going to know something’s up. It would have to be on neutral territory. We’re heading to Memphis in a couple of days. If you’re going to do anything before we leave, I suggest you get on it, because right now, you’re apologizing to the wrong person.
He flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling as he ended the phone call. As the water in the shower cut off again, Damon scrambled to get dressed, slipping into his jeans just as Aurora opened the door.
**ON CAMERA**
San Diego Convention Center Lobby
San Diego, CA
Friday, July 22, 2016 – 1:00
Outside of the exhibitor’s hall, people moved in small clusters from one place to the next. Some were dressed in street clothes, but a good number of people that passed by were clad in all matter of costumes, from the simple ones constructed out of off-the-rack clothes to the ones that looked as though they had taken an eternity to make. For Aurora’s part, she appreciated the efforts that the convention attendees put into their costumes, but instead opted for simpler attire – a pair of blue jeans and a dark gray Sailor Moon S t-shirt.
She sat near one of the entrances to the exhibitor’s hall, on a gray padded bench facing away from the doors that led out of the convention center, two large bags practically bursting with convention swag sitting off to one side and her half of the NGW Tag Team Championships sitting on the bench beside her. As the other convention attendees passed back and forth behind her, she stared into the camera, a stoic, cold look in her eyes.
Aurora: Aspirations… everyone has them, and anyone that dares to say they don’t is not only lying to everyone around them; they’re also lying to themselves. When I first signed my NGW contract, I did so with one goal, and one goal only… to work my way up the ladder and fight my way to a championship title. I’m not stupid, nor am I so full of myself that I expected to get handed a title shot the second the ink was dry on my contract. If it took a couple of weeks, months, or even years – okay, so I don’t think it’ll take THAT long – I’d use that time to show everyone exactly what they’ll get with me as their champion.
Now, I stand here as one half of the Tag Team Champions, and while my last match may not have gone the way Damon and I had hoped it would, if I take nothing else away from that match, it’s that we gave just as good as we got.
Aurora pursed her lips just a little as she cast a quick glance down to the mint green carpet beneath her feet.
Aurora: But now, it’s time to move on from that match, because this time, it’s just me in that ring, standing up against a man by the name of Mark Storm. A man who – at one time – shot up the rankings like a rocket, only to fade away and eventually disappear.
Her expression softened ever so slightly, shifting from the harsh glare to the faint glimmer of a smile as she chuckled softly.
Aurora: Nah… that’s not really fair, is it? After all, it’s not like you dropped off the face of the wrestling world; you just went somewhere else… and another somewhere else… and – well, you get the idea. I know it sounds like I’m making slight of what you’ve done in that ring, but what do you expect when I see you show up after months of being away doing who the hell knows what? From what I’ve seen, you’re certainly no slouch in the ring. At least, when you’re actually focused. And perhaps it was your match against Kenzie Rydell that sent her on that unfortunate downward spiral after that brutal match you two had back in March. But then, some time after that match, and just around the time I arrived in NGW, you decided to take your leave. Why? Was it because you didn’t want to have to deal with the new blood coming into NGW? Or was it because you wanted to see what it was like on the other side of the fence? You certainly liked to leave little love notes – for lack of a better term – saying “HEY! Look at what I’m doing over here!”
And here I thought I’d had a hectic couple of days… my brother in arms, Corey Bull laid up in a coma, and being handed my first loss – mind you, I can still say that I haven’t been pinned or made to submit since I’ve been here in NGW – and now, I’m playing catch-up with all of my other engagements, both in and out of the wrestling industry. But that’s absolutely nothing compared to you, Stormy…
You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?
She got up from the bench, standing with her thumbs looped into the belt loops of her jeans.
Aurora: Just kidding – I really don’t care if you mind. But hey, be glad your name isn’t as easy to mangle as some of the other wrestlers in NGW. But just who are you, exactly? A mysterious individual with a skull slathered onto his face who just so happens to have as much dislike for Gavin Grimes as pretty much everyone else on the roster, save for that dirty, scum-sucking cowboy and that Kenny Rogers wanna-be partner of his. So, I guess you could say we have a common enemy, but that isn’t saying much, is it, Stormy?
And then I found out that just like a handful of other wrestlers on the roster, NGW isn’t your only source of a paycheck. Wow… seems like you’ve got a foot in the door of just about every promotion out there, don’t you? I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Hell, whatever gets your name out there, right? I’m not gonna stand here and tell you you’re spreading yourself too thin; I’m sure you get that enough as it is. But let’s face it, you’ve got a fuckton on your plate, and judging from the looks of you, it would appear your eyes are a little too big for your stomach, so to speak. By all means… feel free to prove me wrong.
Yeah, yeah… books and covers and all that other cliché shit… whatever. You may very well have the stamina of a herd of mustangs for all I know, and maybe you can actually keep up with a demanding schedule like the one you’re working with, but it’s gotta end somewhere, Stormy. And come Vendetta, I shake off the dust of my last defeat by taking a man that thinks he can just waltz back into this company and demand a shot at the same guy that beat you for the Unified Championship not once, but twice.
Well, that’s assuming that he can get past his wife, of course, but that’s another story.[/color]
Her eyes narrowed as the corner of her mouth turned slightly upward. The glare from earlier returned with a vengeance as she sneered into the camera.
Aurora: Seriously, what makes you think you can just cut right in ahead of everyone that has been busting their asses to claim their spots in the rankings by showing up and fighting for every fucking show? What have you done lately? And more importantly, what are you going to do after I beat your ass at Vendetta? Are you going to keep pushing for that title shot against Gavin Grimes – or, if we’re being realistic, Ashleigh Grimes – or are you going to slink off back to one of your other homes away from home? Are you going to step through those ropes and show me why you call yourself the Reckoning of Professional Wrestling, or will the Angel of Rebellion cast judgement on you for your sins?
And what sin have you committed? Why have you been put in the crosshairs of the Angelz of Destruction? Well, for starters, the sin of Envy. To think that you were once considered for top contention for the Unified Championship, only to drop in the rankings like a damn stone. Then you disappear for a couple of months, only to come back and demand a spot? Oh no, my friend. You get to sit at the back of the line like the rest of the noobs and WORK your way back up the ladder like the rest of us!
She glanced over her shoulder, watching the driveway out in front of the entrance to the lobby.
Aurora: Your second sin is the sin of Pride. In your vanity, you seek to spread your name as far as you possibly can, to make sure that your name sits on the tip of the tongue of as many people as possible. But how far can you expect to spread yourself – how much gold can you hope to carry before it all starts to weigh you down? How long before one show starts to bleed into the next, until you can’t keep anything straight anymore? You see, that’s how burnout happens, Storm. Yeah, it wasn’t that long ago when I was giving Avery Miles props for doing the same thing that you are, but then again, he’s been a constant presence in NGW.
You once told Kenzie Rydell that you could have just stayed gone; that you could just as easily have kept up at one of those other promotions you dabble in, leaving NGW as just another footnote in your past. But the biggest lie is that you came back out of love for this promotion. Bullshit! If that’s the case, then why the hell did you leave… AGAIN!? If you loved this place like you say you do, you would have stuck around, but you didn’t. Yeah, you beat Kenzie after she’d already been handed a loss, but you couldn’t keep up the momentum after that, could you? Just like you won’t be able to pick up where you left off against me. I may be coming off of a loss myself, but unlike you, I’m focused on one thing and one thing only… and that’s kicking your ass all over that ring!
The sneer faded to a slight smile as a familiar sound filled her ear. Behind her, a black 1972 Dodge Charger pulled up in the driveway. She reached down toward the bench where she had been sitting, picking up the NGW Tag Team Championship belt and draping it over her shoulder as she stared into the camera.
Aurora: I know you’ve been watching, Storm. You’ve seen what I can do in that ring. You’ve seen me climb the ladder, you see me standing here as half of the NGW Tag Team Champions. You KNOW you’re in for one hell of a fight as soon as that bell rings! But what you don’t know is that I’m even more dangerous in that ring once I’ve tasted defeat. It makes me even more determined to bust ass and make sure it doesn’t happen again. You just get to be the poor sap that has to be on the receiving end.
When you faced off against Kenzie, you told her you were at rock bottom. You managed to pick yourself back up, only to fall back into the abyss once again. Now, you’ve come back for another chance to crawl out of the hole of obscurity – at least where NGW is concerned – and you find yourself faced with one of NGW’s hottest rising stars, and that’s not just me being cocky; you should have seen the line at the autograph signing I just did!
But that’s beside the point. I’m a rising star, while your light is dimming at an ever-increasing pace. But by all means… keep going. Keep trying to scratch and claw your way out of the pit you’ve dug for yourself, even as the dirt starts to collapse around you. Keep chasing Avery Miles across the globe… keep sniffing at the heels of Gavin Grimes for that elusive win that you’ll probably never see. At least you’ll have something to fall back on after Vendetta, when I leave you on your back in the middle of the ring. After I beat you, you can walk off into the sunset yet again, and maybe we’ll see you darken the NGW’s doorstep in another couple of months. Or you can just stay gone, and maybe turn up somewhere down the line in one of those “Whatever Happened to…” Blu-Ray specials. Honestly, I really don’t give a shit. I have more important things to do with my life than give two fucks about some part-time, “come and go when I feel like it” wrestler.
So, I guess if I don’t see you before Vendetta, I’ll see you around… or not.
With a final narrow-eyed smirk into the camera, she grabbed her bags and headed out of the lobby, where her tag team partner Damon Graves stood waiting at the trunk of his car. He greeted her with a quick kiss as she loaded the bloated bags into the trunk and shut the lid.
Damon: I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long…
Aurora: Oh, I had a way to keep myself occupied.
Damon: Good… now let’s get the hell out of here before you’re tempted to clean out another vendor’s booth.
Aurora shoved him playfully as he made his way to the driver’s side door. She climbed into the passenger’s seat, shutting the door as they drove away.