Post by Boardwalk Angels on Aug 18, 2017 18:54:26 GMT -5
”No matter how dark life gets, I can always count on family and friends to bring me into the light… at least temporarily. Once upon a time I would be able to just put on a happy face and put the pain aside but lately that gets harder and harder. It makes me cling to the pleasant moments, not wanting them to end. I’m sure that’s how everyone feels at times, though. And why not? Who wants to hurt? Who wants to feel as though they’re alone with their pain and suffering? No one. And it isn’t that I don’t treasure my family and friends already… but having them close to me these days means that much more. My appreciation for them grows with every smile and warm vibe they pass on to me.”
* August 19th, 2017, morning *
* Hilton Garden Inn *
* New York City, NY *
My Light and My Joy
Open curtains allow for plenty of sunlight to flow into the room, what of it isn’t obscured by the picturesque New York City skyline that is. It radiates through the glass and upon two forms nestled in different positions upon and within the king-sized bed. Katalina Star, looking rather relaxed, sits up against a small pile of pillows, glasses perched on the end of her nose as she reads from a very old book… a birthday gift from Victoria and Joanna Essex, in fact. Her hand obscures the title but whatever is within is obviously riveting. She has a faint smile on her face that never fully disappears. Zoey Madigan-Star, on the other hand, is accomplishing something she seldom manages: sleeping in. She’s nestled down against the pillows, one bare arm visible with the hand under her cheek.
Her eyes flicker open after a few moments and she looks up toward Katalina with a smile. She reaches out to try and draw the book open further, seeking to peek at the contents, but Kat playfully (yet firmly) swats her hand away, making the magician laugh. The domina’s attention shifts to her wife for a moment and her smile grows.
”You sleeping this long could be considered a coma, you know. You’ve been keeping us waiting for some time.”
”Us?”
Yawning behind her hand, Zoey rises up on her arm, a purple tank top shown to clothe her upper half. She looks toward the end of the bed and her smile gets rather bright… more so than the sun, in fact.
”How long has she been waiting?”
”Around twenty minutes, give or take.”
”Is that so? Well…”
Having turned from the foot of the bed to her wife, Zoey now looks back again, sitting up fully and opening her arms.
”I’m awake now, lovely, so come on up!”
”WHEEE!”
Bounding up onto the bed with surprising alacrity, little Makayla bounds right into Zoey’s arms, wrapping her arms around the magician’s neck. Both share sweet laughter as Zoey likewise hugs her daughter, kissing her forehead.
”I missed you too, Princess! Did you sleep well?”
”I did! Did you?”
”Very much so, thank you!”
”I slept nicely as well, if anyone would like to know.”
”I do!”
And just like that, Katalina, in a buttoned-up nightshirt, has to quickly put her book aside to accommodate her daughter’s embrace, returning it happily. Zoey watches with an expression of pure happiness, reaching out to run her fingers through Makayla’s hair.
”Did you enjoy getting to see Mama wrestle in person last night, sweetheart?”
”Mama really can do magic! I saw you fly!”
The mention of it makes her smile, though Zoey can certainly still feel the landing. Nothing that wouldn’t pass after a hot shower and breakfast, though. Her springboard shooting star press was a thing of beauty to hear the fans cheer and to hear Makayla talk about it. Though Katalina did express her concern, as was natural. She did so now with a slightly-reproving gaze at Zoey over their daughter’s head.
”Mama is multitalented, if a little reckless.”
”It was pretty!”
”Mommy is right, though. I should be a little more careful.”
Zoey understood the look from Katalina and, despite her happiness in making their daughter’s night with that springboard shooting star press to the outside of the ring in that six-woman tag, she knew she should limit those moves a bit better. Makayla settles between both women, snuggled in as Kat leans back, putting an arm around her. Zoey reaches for a glass of water from the nightstand and takes a sip before changing the subject.
”Are you sure you don’t want to come to North Carolina with us, love? You know you’re more than welcome to. Farrah will be there, obviously, but so will Stacy and Jen… maybe even Katie as well.”
The domina smiles thinly and shakes her head.
”The Katalina Empire moves ever forward, love. I must be there to guide it.”
”Of course, Empress. We’ll make up for lost time when we get home, then. How about you, cupcake? Do you still want to come with Aunt Farrah and I?”
”Mm-hmm! Gonna see Mama wrestle some more!”
Train, rather, but the little girl was excited. No helping that. No need to help that. Katalina looks on with a smile, first at their daughter, then at her wife.
”You’re sure she won’t be a distraction?”
”Not at all. Mr. Shinsuma’s daughters often work at the school themselves and they’ve offered to look after her while Farrah and I train. They do the same for Mr. Donavan, Stacy and several others when little ones are about.”
”They sound rather pleasant.”
”They are. Poor Hiashi… he found out recently that they want to wrestle, too. The thought gives him chills.”
Not unlike Kat’s feelings about Makayla starting kindergarten soon. A look of concern comes onto the domina’s face but a kiss to her cheek and a hug from Makayla soon wipe that away.
”Gonna be fine, Mommy! We promise!”
”That we do! Now… go get dressed, sweetheart. We’ll all go get some breakfast.”
Makayla happily bounds off the bed and moments later Katalina is nestled into Zoey’s embrace, the magician’s fingers going through her hair slowly.
”Everything will be fine, love. You have my word.”
”I know…”
Concern drips from every note of Kat’s voice now, few as there are. Zoey remains quiet, offering her wife comfort as the scene fades.
"My mental state is well-documented at this point, so that’s a dead horse that needs no strikes. Despite my efforts to get right, sometimes that darkness comes out. And at one point that worried me. But part of the reason Farrah and I chose to have this match as a Boardwalk Brawl is, quite simply, so that any outburst that happens doesn’t cost us. If I have to live with this dark side of myself for any length of time, I have to learn how to use it. And leave it to Catherine Neville to show me just what it made me capable of..."
* August 20th, 2017, afternoon *
* HYBRID Combat School *
* Fairview, NC *
Old Adversaries
The sessions at the Combat School for HYBRID Wrestling took place early in the morning, but there was still quite the turnout to see and have the chance to spar with the LAW Tag Team Champions. Even HYBRID’s Evolution Champion and a woman competing in LAW’s Queen of the Ring Tournament, Stacy Jones, was on hand to take her turn. A good time was had by all, with Zoey and Farrah more than happy to speak with the students after their drills were done. Things had thinned out by now, and with most of the students on break or working out solo at this point, as well as the Shinsuma Twins having taken the little ones and some of the others out for lunch, Zoey was able to get a little… extra training. It was the first time in a while that she and Catherine Neville, the blue-haired, latex-sheathed warrior who first broke her into MMA, had seen each other, much less trained. And anyone who knew Zoey and Catherine knew how fierce their training could be. Both often left bloody and bruised. Yet Zoey would forever be grateful to the woman, no matter how much she endured. The Boardwalk Angel’s toughness had increased tenfold thanks to Neville’s lessons.
”About time, Zoey. For your sake, I hope you haven’t gotten soft since last time.”
Typical brusque, standoffish comment from Catherine. Most were put off by her attitude and harshness. Zoey had long since learned to deal with it and fire back when necessary. She smirked at the cerulean powerhouse and finished taping up her right wrist, biting off the end of the roll and setting it aside. Pounding her fist into her palm, then alternating, she cracked her neck and nodded to the heavy back hanging before her.
”Twister Bag, huh?”
The heavy bag was laden with targets created of colored tape in the standard Twister colors of red, blue, yellow and green. They dotted the bag haphazardly, randomly… obviously some idea of Catherine’s.
”I call it, you hit it how I tell you. The pace is going to pick up fast and I’m not going to tolerate you missing or getting sloppy.”
She brings up a bamboo rod, slapping one end into her palm.
”That clear?”
”Crystal. Start it up.”
Snorting, Catherine starts calling out strikes and names, such as “right hook red!” and “left knee blue!”, at which point Zoey strikes that color on the bag. Which target is struck doesn’t seem to matter at first, but when the bag starts swaying and the targets are moving as a result, Zoey finds herself on the business end of the cane quite a bit. As this goes on, Zoey’s voice speaks via voice-over. With all the breath needed to keep up with Catherine’s orders, and to deal with the sting of the cane when she misses, that’s no surprise.
”Farrah talked last time about how your sister Kayla needed to pick a side, Christy. I’ll say this much where you’re concerned: you’re devoted to being completely crass, insulting and inflammatory. Not exactly positive traits, though credit is due for not letting anything change you. By now, though, we’re numb to your epithets and smack-talk. It’s always the same… some crude play on our name or cheap shot at our personal lives… but rarely anything about our in-ring ability. Because no matter how much you despise us, even you have to admit that the Boardwalk Angels can get it done in the squared circle. And I bet that just burns in your gut.”
The pace continues to quicken and already the parts of Zoey’s body not covered by training gear have pink welts rising. Sweat beads on her skin but she keeps going… even as Catherine peppers snide little comments in between her target calls.
”Come on, Zoey… you’re not exactly doing the Bitchtress proud here. Her or your little rugrat what’s-her-name. Step it up!”
Another snap of the cane, this one across Zoey’s lower back. The sting makes her pause for a moment which invites another lash across her right bicep. That strike gets ignored as Zoey picks up her pace again, trying to keep focus despite the baiting.
”At this point, there’s really nothing either Farrah or myself can say to you, Christy. Or to your sister. Two times we’ve gone at it, once shortly after our arrival in LAW and once again after we defeated the Naughty Girls for the LAW Tag Team Championships, and both times we defeated you handily. From the sound of you, nothing has changed. You still come at us full-bore without any sense of self-preservation. I’m glad that you recognize the fact that this match is no-holds-barred, dear, but it isn’t the two of us who should be worried about this being in your proverbial wheelhouse. We know that about you already, yet we chose this match… heck, we gave you a shot at the titles. Consider those points for a moment.”
”Good grief, this is boring. You fight like this in Vegas and you’ll have the fans snoring. Put some fire on that shit, Zoey! Hit it like you got a pair!”
Zoey’s eye twitches and her jaw sets. She does indeed put more fire on it, really sending the bag to swaying. Unfortunately, that makes it a bit harder to strike the called targets… and Catherine’s cane is quick to let her know.
”It’s because you don’t scare us, Christy. You OR Kayla. It’s because we know we can handle the two of you no matter the stipulations. When you talk like you do toward us, it reeks of desperation. You’ll do anything to get a rise out of us when all you’re doing is displaying just how concerned you truly are. And I don’t blame you there; title matches are a big deal. I get the reservations despite the tough-girl shell you keep putting on. But if you’re entertaining any third-time-is-the-charm thoughts… let them go. You didn’t lead us, you didn’t trick us. We chose this match because, once and for all, we mean to show you just how dominant we are. You and every other team in LAW, in fact. I could say it till I’m blue in the face and you wouldn’t accept it, but let’s try again: there’s a reason Farrah and I are undefeated as a tag team. For the third time, for the last time, we’re going to show you that reason live and in living, painful color, in Las Vegas at Queen of the Ring.”
”Oh, what the fuck?! Is that all?! I bet if your Bitchtress was he-”
The cane comes down again but this time Zoey catches it beneath her arm. Grabbing hold of it and wrenching it out of Catherine’s hand. She snaps it between her hands and throws it down, shooting a one-eyed glare at Catherine.
”In the ring. Now.”
”Feeling like a badass now, Cyclops? I’m going to beat your ass for intent now.”
”We’ll see.”
Rolling into the ring, Catherine stands just a little too slowly. She is unused to Zoey being quick on the aggression and it shows when she turns right into the magician tackling her to the mat and immediately throwing forearms down toward her jaw. Catherine is quick to cover up, naturally, but this burst has her surprised for sure. She shoves Zoey back and the two clash again as Neville gets to her feet. They trade fists and knees, forearms and kicks, just laying into each other like a pair of street fighters in a back alley. Looking for an advantage, Catherine goes for Zoey’s patched eye and that gets the magician off her game for a moment… long enough for Catherine to drive a hard knee into Zoey’s midsection, dropping her to her hands and knees. Breathing heavily, Catherine looms over her.
”Idiot… that thing’s a fucking bullseye! Protecting what you know is a weakness is only going to make you look frail!”
”You dirty…!”
Catherine grabs her by the hair, yanking Zoey’s head back and glaring down at her.
”Say it. I fucking dare you!”
”Grrr…!”
Dragged up to her feet by the hair, something snaps in Zoey and she lunges at Catherine, driving her head into the blue-haired woman’s temple! The ferocity of the motion leaves several long, black hairs in Catherine’s hand but Zoey is beyond caring. A bit discombobulated over the impact, Catherine finds herself shoved into the ropes and almost has her head taken off by a big roundhouse kick from Zoey. She stops herself, swinging a hard right hand at the magician, looking to crack her right in the jaw. Zoey leans back, bending out of the way of the swing, and grabs Catherine’s arm. She twists it, step over and flips the woman to the mat, locking in her Spellbound cross armbreaker. Catherine, on instinct, puts a foot over the bottom rope… but Zoey only pulls harder. Gritting her teeth, Neville refuses to tap out, snarking at Zoey even from her compromised position.
”You don’t have the guts to do it!”
”Don’t… test… me!”
A fierce wrench has Catherine growling in pain before she finally slams her hand against the mat a couple of times.
”Fucking Christ! All right! Let go of me you crazy bitch!”
Without a word, Zoey lets go of her arm before rolling away and up to her feet. The patch, pulled off again in the melee, is on the mat but Zoey doesn’t reach for it, staring at Catherine with mismatched eyes. Neville, shaking out her arm a little, gets to her own feet to see the magician staring coldly at her. This isn’t a look Catherine has seen on Zoey’s face before and for a moment the harsh veneer lowers.
”The hell got into you?”
”...Black Sorcery.”
”Fuck is that?”
”A side of me you don’t want to see.”
Going for the patch, Zoey puts it back on and looks to Catherine again, glancing to her arm before leaving the ring and heading toward the locker room. As the scene fades, Zoey speaks in voice-over once more.
”The classic line about us not being trapped in there with you, but you being trapped in there with us, is appropriate here. There’s a side of me you’ve never seen before, Dynasty… one that I intend to teach you all about come Queen of the Ring. I like to call her… Black Sorcery.”
* August 20th, 2017, mid-evening *
* Soul Garden Restaurant *
* Asheville, NC *
What More Can Be Said?
A few hours later, the Boardwalk Angels sit at a corner table in one of Asheville’s most popular restaurants, the Soul Garden. The peaceful ambiance and classical decor is a stark contrast to the vibrant, often-fiery flavors that come from the kitchen. And while Zoey and Farrah have been happy to partake of the array of Irish, American and Creole dishes on the menu up until now, with Farrah having set up the camera for their address to their Queen of the Ring challengers, savory delights and a charming locale are a distant secondary. Farrah seems to have a constant smile on her face, subtle and almost mocking. Zoey, however, is blank of expression, her one good eye locked on the camera as she folds her hands before her.
”This… is getting tired, Dynasty. What more can we say? What more can we do? In this, one of the most important opportunities for you two in LAW yet, all we’re hearing, at least from Christy, is the same threats, the same longshot promises… we’re truly starting to wonder if you understand the situation that you’re in.”
”And if you do understand, we’re left wondering if you even care.”
Farrah shakes her head, the smile becoming a smirk. Zoey never takes her attention off the camera.
”I am fairly certain Kayla knows from personal experience what it means to hold a championship and the pressure that comes with defending it. It’s unimaginable and can crush a person’s spirit if they let nagging thoughts and worries consume them. I’m going to be real with you: leading up to our defense against Kenzi Grey and Kate Steele? I was a mental mess worrying about whether Farrah and I could successfully defend our titles. Part of that was the fact that Guilty Pleasure was capable of anything and a skilled team on top of that but another part was the fact that it was undiscovered territory for Farrah and I. These LAW Tag Team Championships…”
Both Angels reach down and bring up their titles, displaying them on a table top devoid of all else but a gas lamp and full glasses, Zoey’s filled with club soda with lime and Farrah’s with a Long Island iced tea. The magician gazes at her title for a moment, then turns back to the camera.
”...are our first major championships in a top-flight promotion. I don’t mind saying that when Kenzi almost knocked Farrah out with brass knuckles, I got a sick feeling in my stomach thinking that our reign would end right then and there.”
”Not gonna lie: I can still feel that punch. But the key with such tactics is that you have to execute them properly. In this case, that would mean hiding the evidence. They didn’t do that and it cost them. Guilty Pleasure, a team including two of the most prolific stars in LAW history…”
”Don’t adjust your sets, Kate and Kenzi; that was indeed a bit of props from Farrah Cornett.”
The smirk is back, but Farrah continues around it.
”...couldn’t beat us with or without cheap shots. You’re not on their level, Christy. Your sister might be, but you aren’t. And on that night, they weren't on ours. Transitive property. That badass shtick you keep shoving in everyone’s faces? It is getting to the point where even you don’t believe in it as much. I can hear it in your voice and read it in your body language. You’re wondering if you have what it takes anymore.”
Nodding, Zoey considers her words for a moment as Farrah takes a sip of her drink. Her hand unknowingly comes up to her eye patch, a fingertip running along the rim of it.
”I, personally, am not unused to that feeling. You know where this came from, Christy. It came from Jade Valentine trying to burn my eye out of my skull. When it happened and the diagnosis was given to me, I felt as you’re feeling now. There’s no sense in trying to hide it. That fireball opened up a side of me that I didn’t know existed… threw the prison door wide open and let out the darkness for the world to see. I told you her name already: Black Sorcery. At first, yes, I felt diminished and weakened by this injury but… not so much anymore. Not heading into our Boardwalk Brawl at Queen of the Ring.
Again… there’s myriad reasons why we chose this type of match. Not to lure you into a false sense of security, which has obviously happened, and not solely as a means of putting on a more impressive show for the amazing LAW fans in Las Vegas although that will be a nice bonus. It’s because after all is said and done, we want no further excuses or threats from you or your sister. You claim joy with our choice and more power to you but you refuse to look at the other side of the coin, much to your detriment.”
”Kayla, Christy… it really isn’t so hard to grasp. You already know that I’m a fighter who doesn’t mind getting down and dirty or even bloody if I have to. I’ll never shy away from a fight. Kayla, you felt that first hand before your sister decided to save your hide. But Zoey here? She tries to tone it down and fight fair and clean. I respect her for that because I don’t have that kind of self-control. Freely admitting that before the world.”
The magician smiles faintly, which Farrah smiles back at. Things quickly take a turn for the serious, though.
”That control, though? It’s going out the window at Queen of the Ring. You’re getting a taste of what happens when a supremely kind and caring person flips their own script. Zoey is going to unleash Black Sorcery all over the both of you and when you pair that with my own Hellcat ways? It doesn’t look good for the Dynasty. The third time is going to be the harm, not the charm.”
”That isn’t a threat, ladies. It’s a promise. Farrah and I will walk into Vegas and right back out as LAW Tag Team Champions. Facing the Boardwalk Angels in any form of match is already a daunting task for any team in LAW, but when these titles are on the line? We’re at our very best. Lingering injuries, stress, pressure… they aren’t excuses waiting to happen. They’re motivation waiting to be utilized. I think it has been said before, at least for you Kayla, that there’s some respect. We’re not discounting either of you in terms of ability or desire, but at this point? That simply isn’t enough. It wasn’t enough at LAW #58 when we defeated you for a shot at these titles…”
”It wasn’t enough at LAW #59 when we beat you again after becoming champions, either.”
”And at LAW #66? Farrah proved that it wasn’t enough when her domination of you, Kayla, was so intimidating that Christy inserted herself in the proceedings. Are the two of you powerful, talented and determined? Most certainly. Are you a team that should always be prepared for? Without question. But are you a championship-caliber tandem? Absolutely not. At least not here in LAW. The Boardwalk Angels have been the benchmark since we laid hands on these championships and that isn’t changing at Queen of the Ring.”
”Anything can happen in a Boardwalk Brawl, ladies. Maybe you’ll find a way to bring in your new assistant Britney, Christy… or perhaps that big hoss Grace that you’re so fond of talking about when you feel threatened. It would certainly be within the rules, wouldn’t it? And a four-on-two situation would put us in a bad way quick-fast.”
And so it would… except Farrah and Zoey don’t seem particularly bothered by the possibility, something Zoey expands on, answering the unspoken question.
”Except that we won these titles at Rising Stars in what was essentially a five-on-two situation. Katalina, Katie, Candi, Chastity and even Kenzi Grey all conspired to keep the record-setting reign of the Naughty Girls. I don’t agree with their tactics, but I do not blame them for trying as hard as they did. Except… it didn’t work. Did it?”
The Angels knowingly glance at their titles, then turn back to the camera.
”We ain’t rattled, girls. And we ain’t scared, either. You can bring it all, but it’s only going to make you look worse if it doesn’t pan out. Beat us by stacking the odds and you’ll forever have that stain on your reign. Lose to us with stacked odds and you’ll look that much worse. My question is this: do you have the courage to come at us two-on-two, woman-to-woman, from start to finish? Because we certainly have the fortitude to give you the same courtesy. But I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.”
”Defying expectations, against all odds… it’s what the Boardwalk Angels do. We’ve done it since the genesis of our reign and we will continue to do it until the end. Maybe the end comes at Queen of the Ring… maybe not. But I think the whole world knows where the smart money is.”
”Angels fight to the bitter end, Dynasty.”
”Hair up, squared up with our fists up.”
”So bring it all to Queen of the Ring.”
”And get ready to fly.”
The Angels hold up their tag team titles, giving the camera, and the Dynasty, a lingering, challenging stare before the feed cuts to black.
* August 19th, 2017, morning *
* Hilton Garden Inn *
* New York City, NY *
My Light and My Joy
Open curtains allow for plenty of sunlight to flow into the room, what of it isn’t obscured by the picturesque New York City skyline that is. It radiates through the glass and upon two forms nestled in different positions upon and within the king-sized bed. Katalina Star, looking rather relaxed, sits up against a small pile of pillows, glasses perched on the end of her nose as she reads from a very old book… a birthday gift from Victoria and Joanna Essex, in fact. Her hand obscures the title but whatever is within is obviously riveting. She has a faint smile on her face that never fully disappears. Zoey Madigan-Star, on the other hand, is accomplishing something she seldom manages: sleeping in. She’s nestled down against the pillows, one bare arm visible with the hand under her cheek.
Her eyes flicker open after a few moments and she looks up toward Katalina with a smile. She reaches out to try and draw the book open further, seeking to peek at the contents, but Kat playfully (yet firmly) swats her hand away, making the magician laugh. The domina’s attention shifts to her wife for a moment and her smile grows.
”You sleeping this long could be considered a coma, you know. You’ve been keeping us waiting for some time.”
”Us?”
Yawning behind her hand, Zoey rises up on her arm, a purple tank top shown to clothe her upper half. She looks toward the end of the bed and her smile gets rather bright… more so than the sun, in fact.
”How long has she been waiting?”
”Around twenty minutes, give or take.”
”Is that so? Well…”
Having turned from the foot of the bed to her wife, Zoey now looks back again, sitting up fully and opening her arms.
”I’m awake now, lovely, so come on up!”
”WHEEE!”
Bounding up onto the bed with surprising alacrity, little Makayla bounds right into Zoey’s arms, wrapping her arms around the magician’s neck. Both share sweet laughter as Zoey likewise hugs her daughter, kissing her forehead.
”I missed you too, Princess! Did you sleep well?”
”I did! Did you?”
”Very much so, thank you!”
”I slept nicely as well, if anyone would like to know.”
”I do!”
And just like that, Katalina, in a buttoned-up nightshirt, has to quickly put her book aside to accommodate her daughter’s embrace, returning it happily. Zoey watches with an expression of pure happiness, reaching out to run her fingers through Makayla’s hair.
”Did you enjoy getting to see Mama wrestle in person last night, sweetheart?”
”Mama really can do magic! I saw you fly!”
The mention of it makes her smile, though Zoey can certainly still feel the landing. Nothing that wouldn’t pass after a hot shower and breakfast, though. Her springboard shooting star press was a thing of beauty to hear the fans cheer and to hear Makayla talk about it. Though Katalina did express her concern, as was natural. She did so now with a slightly-reproving gaze at Zoey over their daughter’s head.
”Mama is multitalented, if a little reckless.”
”It was pretty!”
”Mommy is right, though. I should be a little more careful.”
Zoey understood the look from Katalina and, despite her happiness in making their daughter’s night with that springboard shooting star press to the outside of the ring in that six-woman tag, she knew she should limit those moves a bit better. Makayla settles between both women, snuggled in as Kat leans back, putting an arm around her. Zoey reaches for a glass of water from the nightstand and takes a sip before changing the subject.
”Are you sure you don’t want to come to North Carolina with us, love? You know you’re more than welcome to. Farrah will be there, obviously, but so will Stacy and Jen… maybe even Katie as well.”
The domina smiles thinly and shakes her head.
”The Katalina Empire moves ever forward, love. I must be there to guide it.”
”Of course, Empress. We’ll make up for lost time when we get home, then. How about you, cupcake? Do you still want to come with Aunt Farrah and I?”
”Mm-hmm! Gonna see Mama wrestle some more!”
Train, rather, but the little girl was excited. No helping that. No need to help that. Katalina looks on with a smile, first at their daughter, then at her wife.
”You’re sure she won’t be a distraction?”
”Not at all. Mr. Shinsuma’s daughters often work at the school themselves and they’ve offered to look after her while Farrah and I train. They do the same for Mr. Donavan, Stacy and several others when little ones are about.”
”They sound rather pleasant.”
”They are. Poor Hiashi… he found out recently that they want to wrestle, too. The thought gives him chills.”
Not unlike Kat’s feelings about Makayla starting kindergarten soon. A look of concern comes onto the domina’s face but a kiss to her cheek and a hug from Makayla soon wipe that away.
”Gonna be fine, Mommy! We promise!”
”That we do! Now… go get dressed, sweetheart. We’ll all go get some breakfast.”
Makayla happily bounds off the bed and moments later Katalina is nestled into Zoey’s embrace, the magician’s fingers going through her hair slowly.
”Everything will be fine, love. You have my word.”
”I know…”
Concern drips from every note of Kat’s voice now, few as there are. Zoey remains quiet, offering her wife comfort as the scene fades.
"My mental state is well-documented at this point, so that’s a dead horse that needs no strikes. Despite my efforts to get right, sometimes that darkness comes out. And at one point that worried me. But part of the reason Farrah and I chose to have this match as a Boardwalk Brawl is, quite simply, so that any outburst that happens doesn’t cost us. If I have to live with this dark side of myself for any length of time, I have to learn how to use it. And leave it to Catherine Neville to show me just what it made me capable of..."
* August 20th, 2017, afternoon *
* HYBRID Combat School *
* Fairview, NC *
Old Adversaries
The sessions at the Combat School for HYBRID Wrestling took place early in the morning, but there was still quite the turnout to see and have the chance to spar with the LAW Tag Team Champions. Even HYBRID’s Evolution Champion and a woman competing in LAW’s Queen of the Ring Tournament, Stacy Jones, was on hand to take her turn. A good time was had by all, with Zoey and Farrah more than happy to speak with the students after their drills were done. Things had thinned out by now, and with most of the students on break or working out solo at this point, as well as the Shinsuma Twins having taken the little ones and some of the others out for lunch, Zoey was able to get a little… extra training. It was the first time in a while that she and Catherine Neville, the blue-haired, latex-sheathed warrior who first broke her into MMA, had seen each other, much less trained. And anyone who knew Zoey and Catherine knew how fierce their training could be. Both often left bloody and bruised. Yet Zoey would forever be grateful to the woman, no matter how much she endured. The Boardwalk Angel’s toughness had increased tenfold thanks to Neville’s lessons.
”About time, Zoey. For your sake, I hope you haven’t gotten soft since last time.”
Typical brusque, standoffish comment from Catherine. Most were put off by her attitude and harshness. Zoey had long since learned to deal with it and fire back when necessary. She smirked at the cerulean powerhouse and finished taping up her right wrist, biting off the end of the roll and setting it aside. Pounding her fist into her palm, then alternating, she cracked her neck and nodded to the heavy back hanging before her.
”Twister Bag, huh?”
The heavy bag was laden with targets created of colored tape in the standard Twister colors of red, blue, yellow and green. They dotted the bag haphazardly, randomly… obviously some idea of Catherine’s.
”I call it, you hit it how I tell you. The pace is going to pick up fast and I’m not going to tolerate you missing or getting sloppy.”
She brings up a bamboo rod, slapping one end into her palm.
”That clear?”
”Crystal. Start it up.”
Snorting, Catherine starts calling out strikes and names, such as “right hook red!” and “left knee blue!”, at which point Zoey strikes that color on the bag. Which target is struck doesn’t seem to matter at first, but when the bag starts swaying and the targets are moving as a result, Zoey finds herself on the business end of the cane quite a bit. As this goes on, Zoey’s voice speaks via voice-over. With all the breath needed to keep up with Catherine’s orders, and to deal with the sting of the cane when she misses, that’s no surprise.
”Farrah talked last time about how your sister Kayla needed to pick a side, Christy. I’ll say this much where you’re concerned: you’re devoted to being completely crass, insulting and inflammatory. Not exactly positive traits, though credit is due for not letting anything change you. By now, though, we’re numb to your epithets and smack-talk. It’s always the same… some crude play on our name or cheap shot at our personal lives… but rarely anything about our in-ring ability. Because no matter how much you despise us, even you have to admit that the Boardwalk Angels can get it done in the squared circle. And I bet that just burns in your gut.”
The pace continues to quicken and already the parts of Zoey’s body not covered by training gear have pink welts rising. Sweat beads on her skin but she keeps going… even as Catherine peppers snide little comments in between her target calls.
”Come on, Zoey… you’re not exactly doing the Bitchtress proud here. Her or your little rugrat what’s-her-name. Step it up!”
Another snap of the cane, this one across Zoey’s lower back. The sting makes her pause for a moment which invites another lash across her right bicep. That strike gets ignored as Zoey picks up her pace again, trying to keep focus despite the baiting.
”At this point, there’s really nothing either Farrah or myself can say to you, Christy. Or to your sister. Two times we’ve gone at it, once shortly after our arrival in LAW and once again after we defeated the Naughty Girls for the LAW Tag Team Championships, and both times we defeated you handily. From the sound of you, nothing has changed. You still come at us full-bore without any sense of self-preservation. I’m glad that you recognize the fact that this match is no-holds-barred, dear, but it isn’t the two of us who should be worried about this being in your proverbial wheelhouse. We know that about you already, yet we chose this match… heck, we gave you a shot at the titles. Consider those points for a moment.”
”Good grief, this is boring. You fight like this in Vegas and you’ll have the fans snoring. Put some fire on that shit, Zoey! Hit it like you got a pair!”
Zoey’s eye twitches and her jaw sets. She does indeed put more fire on it, really sending the bag to swaying. Unfortunately, that makes it a bit harder to strike the called targets… and Catherine’s cane is quick to let her know.
”It’s because you don’t scare us, Christy. You OR Kayla. It’s because we know we can handle the two of you no matter the stipulations. When you talk like you do toward us, it reeks of desperation. You’ll do anything to get a rise out of us when all you’re doing is displaying just how concerned you truly are. And I don’t blame you there; title matches are a big deal. I get the reservations despite the tough-girl shell you keep putting on. But if you’re entertaining any third-time-is-the-charm thoughts… let them go. You didn’t lead us, you didn’t trick us. We chose this match because, once and for all, we mean to show you just how dominant we are. You and every other team in LAW, in fact. I could say it till I’m blue in the face and you wouldn’t accept it, but let’s try again: there’s a reason Farrah and I are undefeated as a tag team. For the third time, for the last time, we’re going to show you that reason live and in living, painful color, in Las Vegas at Queen of the Ring.”
”Oh, what the fuck?! Is that all?! I bet if your Bitchtress was he-”
The cane comes down again but this time Zoey catches it beneath her arm. Grabbing hold of it and wrenching it out of Catherine’s hand. She snaps it between her hands and throws it down, shooting a one-eyed glare at Catherine.
”In the ring. Now.”
”Feeling like a badass now, Cyclops? I’m going to beat your ass for intent now.”
”We’ll see.”
Rolling into the ring, Catherine stands just a little too slowly. She is unused to Zoey being quick on the aggression and it shows when she turns right into the magician tackling her to the mat and immediately throwing forearms down toward her jaw. Catherine is quick to cover up, naturally, but this burst has her surprised for sure. She shoves Zoey back and the two clash again as Neville gets to her feet. They trade fists and knees, forearms and kicks, just laying into each other like a pair of street fighters in a back alley. Looking for an advantage, Catherine goes for Zoey’s patched eye and that gets the magician off her game for a moment… long enough for Catherine to drive a hard knee into Zoey’s midsection, dropping her to her hands and knees. Breathing heavily, Catherine looms over her.
”Idiot… that thing’s a fucking bullseye! Protecting what you know is a weakness is only going to make you look frail!”
”You dirty…!”
Catherine grabs her by the hair, yanking Zoey’s head back and glaring down at her.
”Say it. I fucking dare you!”
”Grrr…!”
Dragged up to her feet by the hair, something snaps in Zoey and she lunges at Catherine, driving her head into the blue-haired woman’s temple! The ferocity of the motion leaves several long, black hairs in Catherine’s hand but Zoey is beyond caring. A bit discombobulated over the impact, Catherine finds herself shoved into the ropes and almost has her head taken off by a big roundhouse kick from Zoey. She stops herself, swinging a hard right hand at the magician, looking to crack her right in the jaw. Zoey leans back, bending out of the way of the swing, and grabs Catherine’s arm. She twists it, step over and flips the woman to the mat, locking in her Spellbound cross armbreaker. Catherine, on instinct, puts a foot over the bottom rope… but Zoey only pulls harder. Gritting her teeth, Neville refuses to tap out, snarking at Zoey even from her compromised position.
”You don’t have the guts to do it!”
”Don’t… test… me!”
A fierce wrench has Catherine growling in pain before she finally slams her hand against the mat a couple of times.
”Fucking Christ! All right! Let go of me you crazy bitch!”
Without a word, Zoey lets go of her arm before rolling away and up to her feet. The patch, pulled off again in the melee, is on the mat but Zoey doesn’t reach for it, staring at Catherine with mismatched eyes. Neville, shaking out her arm a little, gets to her own feet to see the magician staring coldly at her. This isn’t a look Catherine has seen on Zoey’s face before and for a moment the harsh veneer lowers.
”The hell got into you?”
”...Black Sorcery.”
”Fuck is that?”
”A side of me you don’t want to see.”
Going for the patch, Zoey puts it back on and looks to Catherine again, glancing to her arm before leaving the ring and heading toward the locker room. As the scene fades, Zoey speaks in voice-over once more.
”The classic line about us not being trapped in there with you, but you being trapped in there with us, is appropriate here. There’s a side of me you’ve never seen before, Dynasty… one that I intend to teach you all about come Queen of the Ring. I like to call her… Black Sorcery.”
* August 20th, 2017, mid-evening *
* Soul Garden Restaurant *
* Asheville, NC *
What More Can Be Said?
A few hours later, the Boardwalk Angels sit at a corner table in one of Asheville’s most popular restaurants, the Soul Garden. The peaceful ambiance and classical decor is a stark contrast to the vibrant, often-fiery flavors that come from the kitchen. And while Zoey and Farrah have been happy to partake of the array of Irish, American and Creole dishes on the menu up until now, with Farrah having set up the camera for their address to their Queen of the Ring challengers, savory delights and a charming locale are a distant secondary. Farrah seems to have a constant smile on her face, subtle and almost mocking. Zoey, however, is blank of expression, her one good eye locked on the camera as she folds her hands before her.
”This… is getting tired, Dynasty. What more can we say? What more can we do? In this, one of the most important opportunities for you two in LAW yet, all we’re hearing, at least from Christy, is the same threats, the same longshot promises… we’re truly starting to wonder if you understand the situation that you’re in.”
”And if you do understand, we’re left wondering if you even care.”
Farrah shakes her head, the smile becoming a smirk. Zoey never takes her attention off the camera.
”I am fairly certain Kayla knows from personal experience what it means to hold a championship and the pressure that comes with defending it. It’s unimaginable and can crush a person’s spirit if they let nagging thoughts and worries consume them. I’m going to be real with you: leading up to our defense against Kenzi Grey and Kate Steele? I was a mental mess worrying about whether Farrah and I could successfully defend our titles. Part of that was the fact that Guilty Pleasure was capable of anything and a skilled team on top of that but another part was the fact that it was undiscovered territory for Farrah and I. These LAW Tag Team Championships…”
Both Angels reach down and bring up their titles, displaying them on a table top devoid of all else but a gas lamp and full glasses, Zoey’s filled with club soda with lime and Farrah’s with a Long Island iced tea. The magician gazes at her title for a moment, then turns back to the camera.
”...are our first major championships in a top-flight promotion. I don’t mind saying that when Kenzi almost knocked Farrah out with brass knuckles, I got a sick feeling in my stomach thinking that our reign would end right then and there.”
”Not gonna lie: I can still feel that punch. But the key with such tactics is that you have to execute them properly. In this case, that would mean hiding the evidence. They didn’t do that and it cost them. Guilty Pleasure, a team including two of the most prolific stars in LAW history…”
”Don’t adjust your sets, Kate and Kenzi; that was indeed a bit of props from Farrah Cornett.”
The smirk is back, but Farrah continues around it.
”...couldn’t beat us with or without cheap shots. You’re not on their level, Christy. Your sister might be, but you aren’t. And on that night, they weren't on ours. Transitive property. That badass shtick you keep shoving in everyone’s faces? It is getting to the point where even you don’t believe in it as much. I can hear it in your voice and read it in your body language. You’re wondering if you have what it takes anymore.”
Nodding, Zoey considers her words for a moment as Farrah takes a sip of her drink. Her hand unknowingly comes up to her eye patch, a fingertip running along the rim of it.
”I, personally, am not unused to that feeling. You know where this came from, Christy. It came from Jade Valentine trying to burn my eye out of my skull. When it happened and the diagnosis was given to me, I felt as you’re feeling now. There’s no sense in trying to hide it. That fireball opened up a side of me that I didn’t know existed… threw the prison door wide open and let out the darkness for the world to see. I told you her name already: Black Sorcery. At first, yes, I felt diminished and weakened by this injury but… not so much anymore. Not heading into our Boardwalk Brawl at Queen of the Ring.
Again… there’s myriad reasons why we chose this type of match. Not to lure you into a false sense of security, which has obviously happened, and not solely as a means of putting on a more impressive show for the amazing LAW fans in Las Vegas although that will be a nice bonus. It’s because after all is said and done, we want no further excuses or threats from you or your sister. You claim joy with our choice and more power to you but you refuse to look at the other side of the coin, much to your detriment.”
”Kayla, Christy… it really isn’t so hard to grasp. You already know that I’m a fighter who doesn’t mind getting down and dirty or even bloody if I have to. I’ll never shy away from a fight. Kayla, you felt that first hand before your sister decided to save your hide. But Zoey here? She tries to tone it down and fight fair and clean. I respect her for that because I don’t have that kind of self-control. Freely admitting that before the world.”
The magician smiles faintly, which Farrah smiles back at. Things quickly take a turn for the serious, though.
”That control, though? It’s going out the window at Queen of the Ring. You’re getting a taste of what happens when a supremely kind and caring person flips their own script. Zoey is going to unleash Black Sorcery all over the both of you and when you pair that with my own Hellcat ways? It doesn’t look good for the Dynasty. The third time is going to be the harm, not the charm.”
”That isn’t a threat, ladies. It’s a promise. Farrah and I will walk into Vegas and right back out as LAW Tag Team Champions. Facing the Boardwalk Angels in any form of match is already a daunting task for any team in LAW, but when these titles are on the line? We’re at our very best. Lingering injuries, stress, pressure… they aren’t excuses waiting to happen. They’re motivation waiting to be utilized. I think it has been said before, at least for you Kayla, that there’s some respect. We’re not discounting either of you in terms of ability or desire, but at this point? That simply isn’t enough. It wasn’t enough at LAW #58 when we defeated you for a shot at these titles…”
”It wasn’t enough at LAW #59 when we beat you again after becoming champions, either.”
”And at LAW #66? Farrah proved that it wasn’t enough when her domination of you, Kayla, was so intimidating that Christy inserted herself in the proceedings. Are the two of you powerful, talented and determined? Most certainly. Are you a team that should always be prepared for? Without question. But are you a championship-caliber tandem? Absolutely not. At least not here in LAW. The Boardwalk Angels have been the benchmark since we laid hands on these championships and that isn’t changing at Queen of the Ring.”
”Anything can happen in a Boardwalk Brawl, ladies. Maybe you’ll find a way to bring in your new assistant Britney, Christy… or perhaps that big hoss Grace that you’re so fond of talking about when you feel threatened. It would certainly be within the rules, wouldn’t it? And a four-on-two situation would put us in a bad way quick-fast.”
And so it would… except Farrah and Zoey don’t seem particularly bothered by the possibility, something Zoey expands on, answering the unspoken question.
”Except that we won these titles at Rising Stars in what was essentially a five-on-two situation. Katalina, Katie, Candi, Chastity and even Kenzi Grey all conspired to keep the record-setting reign of the Naughty Girls. I don’t agree with their tactics, but I do not blame them for trying as hard as they did. Except… it didn’t work. Did it?”
The Angels knowingly glance at their titles, then turn back to the camera.
”We ain’t rattled, girls. And we ain’t scared, either. You can bring it all, but it’s only going to make you look worse if it doesn’t pan out. Beat us by stacking the odds and you’ll forever have that stain on your reign. Lose to us with stacked odds and you’ll look that much worse. My question is this: do you have the courage to come at us two-on-two, woman-to-woman, from start to finish? Because we certainly have the fortitude to give you the same courtesy. But I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.”
”Defying expectations, against all odds… it’s what the Boardwalk Angels do. We’ve done it since the genesis of our reign and we will continue to do it until the end. Maybe the end comes at Queen of the Ring… maybe not. But I think the whole world knows where the smart money is.”
”Angels fight to the bitter end, Dynasty.”
”Hair up, squared up with our fists up.”
”So bring it all to Queen of the Ring.”
”And get ready to fly.”
The Angels hold up their tag team titles, giving the camera, and the Dynasty, a lingering, challenging stare before the feed cuts to black.