Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker (Cornellverse)

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] "Ok. Well, would have been nice if we could have started with this." I don't like being put in uncomfortable positions. But I got to admit, where I thought that it should have been handled privately, I could see why it wasn't. After all, it [I]was[/I] a matter for the whole booking team to address. "Sorry," Karen said, genuinely apologetic. "But I thought it was something we all need to discuss. I do not mean to put you on tha spot. But here we are. So." "Yeah," I said. And...?" "Why do you feel you want a push?" "Ah. Well, that should be obvious." I said. When no one replied, just looked at me, I continued. "All righty then. Look, it's like this. I'm a written contract. Which means my pay is solid, no matter where I am in the card. And I'm only 4 months into an 18 month contract. So use me!" I said, leaning forward. "Grace put in a good point about pay. Get more out of me. You know I'm good for it, and if you don't think so, ask Cat and Grace. I know I can not only [I]be[/I] main event, I can pull it in, too." "But you fight stiff," Grace interjected. "And you have a style that's a little more real and a little less entertaining than the fans are looking for. I think that hurts your appeal." "Which is why I'm a heel," I explained, turning to Grace. "Look, if the fans are going to hate me anyway, then I couldn't be a face if I wanted to. That was decided a long time ago. And besides, my style is my style. It's not like I can go back in time and rewrite my entire training regimen just to suit what these fans want." "Akurat," Karen said, nodding thoughtfully. "But still, moving to tha main event is a big step." "I'm up for it. You know that." "And we are top heavy, which is where this meeting began." Karen looked at me deadpan. "How top heavy can we be?" I demanded. "Just so," Karen said, digging out a paper. "Well, talking with Cat and Grace, we should haff something around 20 people, as they recommend. Workers, not tha rest of staff like Jim and Farrah, and all tham. So. 20 workers. We haff now 28. Now," she continued, warming to the task, "our roster looks something like this..." She handed me a paper with our roster outline on it, something like this -- [B][U]Main Event:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/JoanneRodriguez.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/WandaFish.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/CatherineQuine.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/SuzueKatayama.jpg[/IMG] Joanne Rodriguez; Wanda Fish; Catherine Quine; Suzue Katayama; [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/BlackWidow.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/RavenNightfall.jpg[/IMG] Black Widow; Raven Nightfall [B][U]Upper Midcard:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/GraceHarper.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/LornaMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/CherryBomb.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/SuzanneBrazzle_alt1.jpg[/IMG] Grace Harper; Lorna Midnight; Cherry Bomb; Suzanne Brazzle; [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/Vixxen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/DevilsDaughter.jpg[/IMG] Vixxen; Devil's Daughter [B][U]Midcard:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/KristabelPlum.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/MichelleBrendon.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/TracyBrendon.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/SaraMarieYork.jpg[/IMG] Kristabel Plum; Michelle Brendon; Tracy Brendon; Sara Marie York; [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/Gorgon.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/GoldenDelicious.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/KatherineGoodlooks.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/JessicaBunny.jpg[/IMG] Gorgon; Golden Delicious; Katherine Goodlooks; Jessica Bunny; [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/HelenBach.jpg[/IMG] Helen Bach [B][U]Lower Midcard:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/WendyAnderson.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/StephBlake_alt1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/MissMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/MissyMidnight.jpg[/IMG] Wendy Anderson; Steph Blake; Miss Midnight; Missy Midnight; [B][U]Openers:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/MissMexico.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/MissyMasterson_alt10.jpg[/IMG] Miss Mexico; Missy Masterson [B][U]Enhancement Tallent:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/TsukiKawamata.jpg[/IMG] Tsuki Kawamata [B][U]Staff:[/U][/B] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/AnneStardust.jpg[/IMG] Owner: Anne Stardust [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/KarenSorrenson.jpg[/IMG] Head Booker & Road Agent: Karen "Sorely" Sørrenson [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/JimLouFreebush_alt1.jpg[/IMG] Announcer: Jim Lou Freebush [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/FarrahHesketh_alt1.jpg[/IMG] Color Commentator: Farrah Hesketh [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/LoisHudson.jpg[/IMG] Referee: Lois Hudson [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/Characters/100x100s/SueDanes_alt2.jpg[/IMG] Personality: Sue Danes "So," Karen went on as I looked it over, "Staff is not important to this talk, but it is there, so you see it. And as you can see too, we are top heavy. We are two over in tha Main Event, Upper Midcard, and lower midcard, and three over on the solid midcard. Now as you see, on the middle card we are a huge bloated fish. In a way it would make more sense to move pople down, but I'm not going to do thet. So. If you want a push to Main Event, than we will be 3 over there. Thet would make us top heavy enough to haff a problam, yo?" I dropped the paper back onto her desk. "Look, I'm not unhappy. I wrote that, and told you that, and I'm telling you now. And we all know I'm not about causing problems. I'm just saying that after all this time with Angel, I think I deserve a bit of a push." Karen nodded thoughtfully, hands steepled before her lips again. She thought it over. "Ok," she started. "You want a push. We haff some work to do first. You do yor job as you do it, and well as you do it, and we'll see. But we all know you haff things to finish first, akurat?" They were all looking at me. I knew that that meant. "Sure," I admited. "I got some things to iron out, which will take a show or three." I nodded to Karen, as we'd discussed it earlier, and she undoubtedly talked it over with Cat and Grace. No need to beat a drum till it had no more sound. "Akurat. And after thet, you push [I]yorsalf[/I]. And we'll see where it goes. Ok fair?" "Fair enough," I agreed. Time would tell. And I was already forming some ideas on how I'd go about it. [CENTER][B][SIZE="4"]_________________________________________________[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [QUOTE] [B][U]Image Credits:[/U][/B] Lorna Midnight - 3D character art by [B]Finister Foul[/B] Miss & Missy Midnight - 3D character art by [B]timo/ugpsobta[/B] [/QUOTE]

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] "Hey, Wendy. Glad you stuck around." I ran into her as I was headed for a workout, so I was just in the body suit. No coat. "Hey," she answered. "My boyfriend is working late, you know, second shift and all, so I kinda worked out some. You know..." She still looked very shy. That pained me. She's a good kid, and it took a little while for Cat to bring her out of her shell, as it were, changing her from a gentle receptionist into a wrestler. It's what Wendy wanted, sure, but you can't know exactly what it's all about till you start in. And by then, it's too late. You're in, you're a part, and you either make it, or fall out. Wendy proved tough under that shy, country girl exterior. She did well. I knew her. Wendy Anderson didn't deserve to be skittish and shy around me. But I was going to fix that. Tonight. I smiled at her. "Come on. I want to show you something." "Oh kay..." she droned and followed me upstairs. I took her into the new training room. It was pretty huge on account of the walls, in what had been office spaces, having been removed. The practice stage, ramp, and ring had been brought in and reassembled, and it was ready to go. Wendy had seen it before when it was downtown, but she looked impressed just the same. "Wow," she said, looking around. "This place looks huge! I mean..." I did it to her. Not hard, but not gentle either. As she was coming out of her shock and saw where she was, where I was, and what I'd just done to her, she put two and two together. "You're going to [I]kill[/I] me!" "Relax," I told her. "You're a face, right?" She nodded. "Well, that makes you weak." That stunned her. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. I chuckled. "Look. our fan base likes "traditional" entertainment. Which is open to a lot of interpretation, sure. But it basically means they want story as well as a fight, and high drama. And nothing makes high drama like a surprise. You yourself were a part of that last night." I let that sink in. I could see the light dawning a little a she looked at me. I squatted down next to her and continued. "So, we heels have developed a secret. And management lets us get away with it. You've never been part of it before, because you just plain weren't ready. But tonight that changes. See, a lot of times we do things by surprise. Adds a legitimate feel of the unexpected, since someone like you is genuinely surprised. Pulls out a better performance. But we generally don't do anything [I]to[/I] someone who's not ready for it. And for me, I don't even like to involve anyone not ready. Just too dangerous." "So. Thing is, on top of all that, sometimes someone will use that for their own private agenda. Making people not in the know, well, as surprised as everyone else. And that makes you a dupe. That also might lead you to getting hurt, which I don't like, but some around here aren't as particular about. So tonight, I'm letting you in on this little 'secret'. And maybe, just maybe, if you're up for it, we can do some surprising of our own." I grinned and held out my hand. She thought for a minute. Then took my hand. "So... what do I have to do to get ready?" I helped her up and smiled. "Good girl. Ok. What you have to remember, all the time, is that you've [I]got[/I] to be ready any time, anywhere. All the time." She gave me a worried look. Good. "Come on. Give me a hand." As she followed me, I continued. "It's like this. We use surprise to make things more genuine. If you're ready, you may be just as surprised as everyone else, but you can pull it off and make it better. Sure, that sort of thing can be down right painful, but you've been there. Like just now." "Yeah," she said, a hesitant smile forming, flexing a bit to stretch her back. "Kiddo, you're going to be sore tomorrow. But you'll be alright. Because from tonight, you'll be ready. Not in body or training, but in mind." I poked her forehead playfully, and she smiled. "Ok, kiddo. Give me a hand with this." I'd taken her over to the storage area where spare equipment is kept. I had her help me drag some out, and we set up. I had her help me set it up as well. Had to show her everything as she's not a rigger, but she's a quick study. I didn't say much for what it was about, though, so the whole thing left her wondering. We got done finally, and stood up to survey our work. "So," she started hesitantly, "what's all this for, anyw..." I did it to her again. Hard as I could this time. "You alright?" I asked, holding my hand out again. She croaked a response since I'd near knocked the wind out of her. But she was alright. She nodded, taking my hand. "Good." I smiled, helping her up. And did it again. And again. I must have put her through it six or eight times before I figured she'd had enough. After, I instructed her to keep her boyfriend busy with massages and other things the next day or so. She was definately going to be sore for a couple days. But in many ways, she'd graduated to the next step in her wrestling education. She was ready.

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] Friday. The day before our new Saturday Spectacular show. I only hoped it would be as spectacular as Karen thought it was going to be. She was going to try and fill the Portland Center like she said Wednesday night she wouldn't. Live and learn, I guess... Once again we were in the Gym/Headquarters. The construction crew had completed most of the renovations on the 'public' part of the ground floor Thursday. They'd done a pretty good job. Check it out. [QUOTE][CENTER][IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA/FloorPlans/AAAHQLobby_900.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER][/QUOTE] Made sense that was the first thing done. Karen had decided Triple-A would have a more "publicly accessible image", as if we were some public gym or something. And with Press expected to stop in as well as the occasional fan or curious passerby looking in the front windows of the downstairs weight room, it would be the first thing they'd see. I'm not sure I liked it, though. Nothing like being gawked at while you worked out. Still, we were encouraged to use the downstairs facilities as much as we could stand, so I did. Put your best foot forward and all that. Besides, I admit it. I liked the facilities themselves. Nice feel to them. So, we were breaking in the Dining Room/Lounge. Stephie, being a senior in high school, had arranged to have Study Hall after lunch, so she could take extended lunches with me and Jen on occasion. At first I was against it, but she kept her grades up and we only got together like that once or twice a week. So I let it go. Hell, with my high school record, I guess I couldn't be too tough with her. But I'd made it clear that should her grades slip, it would be back to the grindstone. So far, so good. Lois Hudson was sitting with us, and Masterson was there too. Missy seemed to be an ever present fixture with the girls. Not that Missy and my girls were best friends or anything. Masterson was just a kind of puppy-following-you-around type, and she was a good enough egg and a fun personality to boot, so we didn't mind. Mostly. That being the case, she hung out with us a lot, since she worried, sometimes rightly so, about irritating the other workers. Lois was not only our referee, but she was surprisingly tech savvy, and took on the task of being our resident internet guru. She kept up Triple-A's web site, and was currently busy with it on her laptop. She was trying to explain to us what she was doing. The girls pretty much were getting it, but me? I just nodded a lot when things got technical. Not that I'm illiterate. I've been a college level reader since I was a kid. I just don't get all the 'HTML', 'XML', 'XYZ', 'PDQ', and all the rest of the alphabet-soup/spaghetti that was internet web page stuff. I mean, come on! If want to mess with Java, I head over to the neighborhood Starbucks. "So," Lois continued, "we can track our 'grades' on our shows and such, once I finish up." I say she continued, as I don't want to bore you with things I don't understand. Hell, I don't want to bore [I]myself[/I] with things I don't understand. "Boshness!" Stephie exclaimed. The girls were very interested. "Yeah. Just like school all over again," Jen said with a grin. "You're only out of school a year. Stop acting like an oldster." Stephie replied. "Thanks a lot," Lois said, though from my vantage I could see a smirk hiding in her lips. "Sorry!" the girls said, looking worried. They liked Lois. I guess the electronics thing was bridging that particular generation gap. Lois laughed. "Don't worry. I'll be the first to admit to being an 'oldster'" "I'll second that," I said, poking at my goulash. Stephie'd insisted on making diner for lunch in the kitchen here. She's like that. Lois chuckled, and went on. "Now, with what I've worked out here, we can view our 'grade' for any given show by the next day." "Isn't that kind of thing unreliable?" I interrupted. I couldn't hide my scepticism. "I mean, come on. Grades?!" "Well," Lois answered, looking thoughtful a second. I know she was trying to think of how best to dumb down the explanation for me. "I take an amalgamation... a grouping, if you will, of grades from a few sites, and combine them like a floating average. That gives us a pretty good indicator." "Yeah, but grades like that are subjective as hell." I objected. "So is how the fan base figures how much they like us." Well, she got me there. "Besides, if our grade track shows us getting 'better', which I don't doubt we will, then that'll act sort of like advertisement all on its own. People visiting the site will see that, and maybe that'll make them want to see our shows more." "We'll need [I]all[/I] of that with our weekly schedule," Masterson chimed in. "True," Lois allowed. "That's why I'm doing it." "So what's our grade now?!" Stephie asked excited. Jen was as excited, Stephie just got the question out first. "Well, let's see... Our last show seems to have pulled a 'D'." "A [I]'D'[/I]?!" Stephie exclaimed. She and Jen looked at each other, and I could hear them thinking it was their fault. "That's why I hate those sorts of things," I said irritatedly. "It's too subjective, and doesn't take a lot of real-life factors into account. And before you even start," I admonished the girls, "it's [I]not[/I] your fault." "What web site you basing this on," Master asked. "Total Extreme Wrestling-dot-com, for starters," Lois explained. "Hack site," I quipped and resumed eating. "It is [I]so[/I] not a hack site!" Stephie objected. Jen looked irritated at the comment as well. "Hey now," Lois cut in. "I'm also combining that site's grades with a few others, and a sleeper poll site I set up. So it's less hack and actually more scientific that it looks at first blush." "Sleeper?" Jen asked. "Yeah," Lois said with a nod. "I set up a separate web site for polls on wrestling in general. Seems it's becoming popular, and since I got it its own URL... web site separate from Triple-A's," Lois explained for me, "it's more an unbiased poll than people would think. People seem to be more honest then if they knew it was affiliated with us." "Sneaky," Masterson said with a nod, looking very profound. That got a chuckle out of Lois, and giggles out of Jen and Stephie. If anyone knew about sneaky, it was Masterson. Our resident sneaky, eavesdropping gossip. "Well, I still think it's deceptive," I said, unconvinced. "I mean come on! Triple-A's been around and doing shows since the mid-Nineties, and we get a 'D' for our last show..." Sorry, but I couldn't keep the contempt out of my voice. "Well, it's rated not by itself, but in comparison to other Promotions, and by extension what fans have come to expect." Lois was being very patient with me. Then again, she's known me since I'd started with Triple-A. She knew to take me with a grain of salt. Well, ok. The whole shaker. But still, my point stands. "Sure," I scoffed, returning to my goulash. And yes, with chopsticks. That's what makes it an adventure in eating. And a good distraction from irritating things like web polls and stupid show grades. And before you even say it, yes, I realize I sound just like Stephie. "Hey, just look at it as a way to guage our progress, nothing more," Lois said, as if my negativity were starting to bother her. Then suddenly, Lois turned to look as a woman came in the main entrance. Lois closed her laptop with a snap, a smile on her face.. "And on that note, kids, I got to go. Business just walked in." Everyone looked as Lois headed, laptop in the crook of her arm, to greet the newcomer. She was striking, and seemed familiar, but I couldn't place her. Not too tall. very good looking, Comparable to me in age, looked like. Dark, dark brown hair done in a simple mid-part, hair pulled behind one ear. As she doffed her overcoat she revealed a simple black mini-skirt suit, black blouse, no jewelry in evidence. A simple black handbag and black laced-up thighboots completed the look. She and Lois exchanged greetings at the entry. Apparently they'd met before. "Who's that?!?" Stephie asked overly loud. She got a firm slap on the arm from Jen, who knew as well as I Stephie'd done that just to beg an introduction without "being too obvious" in her opinion. That got a look from Lois and the new woman, and Lois brought her over with a grin. "This is Karen..." Lois began, but the woman's outburst surprised her, as well as the rest of us, into temporary silence. "And this must be Lorna Midnight!" 'Karen' said, seeming very happy, extending her hand. Great. Probably a reporter or something. Which would explain her almost-familiarity. "Your reputation precedes you, and of course the outfit is unmistakable! Very nice!" she said, looking me up and down. "Much more impressive in person, I must say." She smiled, seeming genuinely pleased. Lois chuckled. "Lorna wears that whenever she's here. Sort of the 'method actor' in her." Lois shot me a teasing look. I made a point of paying more attention to the new arrival than Lois' grin. I took 'Karen's hand, shook it firmly. I was a little impressed. She shook firmly in kind. No dead fish on the end of that arm. "Huh. Another Karen. This'll be interesting." I quipped, though I softened it with one of my trademark almost-smiles. 'Karen' got it and smiled back. "More than you know. And the pleasure is all mine. I've heard a great deal about you. Now," she continued abruptly, "You two must be the Midnight Sisterz!" She beamed at Jen and Stephie. "Yeah!" Stephie said, awed, grin brightening her face. Jen looked impressed too. Everyone seemed to ignore the fact that the recognition irked me. Guess they were used to that by now, though I caught 'Karen' glancing at me out of the corner of her eye, probably noting my less-than-pleased look. "Again, the pleasure is all mine!" she said happily as she shook their hands, Stephie and Jen standing to stammer thanks for the acknowledgement. "Well!" 'Karen' continued before anyone could catch their breath, "I have to go. I'm indecently late for an appointment with the new Head Booker!" She turned to go with Lois, saying over her shoulder, "It's wonderful meeting the Midnight Family!" "Did you [I]see[/I] that?!" Stephie exclaimed dramatically quiet, and she and Jen proceeded to get all giggly and impressed with themselves at Masterson's expense, who apparently didn't even merit an honorable mention. My girls got so excited, as if they'd instantly become famous. Great. [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [/CENTER] We finished up lunch, me having to both cheer Masterson up and tone my girls down. No use them getting too giddy, less than a week after their one and only debut match. Masterson took a perverse pleasure out of teasing Jen and Stephie that they did as badly in the ring as Masterson herself did. That both took them down a notch and made it not a hard-boiled, terribly depressing thing. Jen and Stephie headed out, Masterson volunteering her car to bring Stephie back to school and then she and Jen would be off on a shopping trip at the mall. As they left they had to console Stephie, promising to get her a growing list of things she 'absolutely had to have!' I was standing there, watching through the windows as the girls went out to Masterson's car, when the airport limousine service pulled up. Out stepped a woman that had me instantly intrigued. She was tall and very Asian, a stern-faced beauty with dark hair back in a very Oriental bun, complete with a long hair pin. She was dressed in relaxed western attire, however; casual dark gray slacks disappearing under a heavy green coat above and hiding the tops of dark green ankle boots below. She stood there, straight-backed and formal as the valet got a bag and a suitcase out of the back of the van for her. She was almost regal. George was half way to the door. "I got this, George," I said, holding a hand up to forestall him. "Oh, great, thanks!" he gruffly boomed, irony written on his expressive face. "Second looker in not even 30 minutes and you guys won't let me do my job!" He chuckled and returned to the desk and an apparently hastily abandoned phone call. Sometimes I feel for the guy. This wasn't one of those times. Something about this woman... She had gotten her luggage by now and made her way through the doors. I was right there to greet her. "Hey there," I said, reaching out for her bags. "Help you with those?" She smiled at me and surrendered her suitcase without a word, but instead of giving me the bag, which she'd slung over a shoulder, she reached into her coat pocket and produced a small card. I looked at it and got a surprise. I'd thought it was a business card, which it looked like since it was very neatly printed. Instead, it looked something like this -- [QUOTE] [CENTER] I apologies. I do not speak any English. Nor do I read it, as a friend made this card for me. My name is Umeko Karube. Please to meet you. [/CENTER] [/QUOTE] It was all I could do to keep from swearing out loud. Her's was a name I knew well! Five-Star Supreme Wrestling is an all-women's Japanese Promotion pretty much a sister to Angel Athletic. We even had a sort of working agreement with them, where neither would sign each others' workers to written contracts. In fact, that's the reason J-Ro, Tsuki and Gorgon hadn't made our Pretty Amazing show; they were working for both us and them, and 5-Star'd had a show that day as well. So those three had opted for Japan. Anyway, anyone who's been in the business for any length of time or followed 5SSW even superficially knew the name DEVIL Karube! "George!" I practically shouted. "Yes ma'am!" came the reply, as George hurried over, looking ready to help and pleased that he might get to meet 'a looker' after all. How should I say this... George is quite the tallent scout. "George, do you have an appointment in the book for an Umeko Karube? And she doesn't speak any English." George was crestfallen for only a moment, and then his gregarious helpfulness kicked in. "Yeah! I remember that name! Sorely asked me to keep an eye out for her." Umeko Karube nodded to George, saying "Sorely". "Oh, no ma'am," George said with a throaty chuckle, "I'm not Sorely. And... you don't speak any English. Sorry..." I bailed him out. I tried my passible Japanese. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Greetings, Karube-san. Forgive my friend, who speaks not Japanese[/I][/FONT].}" "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Ah[/I][/FONT]!}" she said, smiling, her stern features dissolving into pleasant surprise. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]You do your friend credit, and thank him for me just the same[/I][/FONT].}" "George, she doesn't mind you not speaking Japanese, and she thanks you for your greeting...   George?" He was staring at me, mouth agape, but recovered quickly. "Wow! I didn't know you spoke like that! Oh, and tell her 'welcome' for me. I take it you got this..." he said, turning sheepish. "Yeah. I got this," I assured him with a smile. "Man, oh man," he replied, returning to the desk, shaking his head and grinning. One more secret for him. He lived for that. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]My friend thanks you for your understanding[/I][/FONT],}" I told her, and added with a polite bow, "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]His name is George, and he gives you greetings on behalf of Angel Athletic Association[/I][/FONT].}" She smiled and turned to him with a polite bow of her own. "Tank-a you, Gorge-san" she said, in very broken and barely understandable English. "Sure, sure!" George practically bellowed with a friendly wave, then a glance at me. I smiled and nodded reassurance to him that he was doing ok, and motioned a bow. "Oh, right!" he exclaimed, and bowed overly dramatically to her. She laughed, genuinely amused at George's attempts, and returned the bow with a slight, polite one of her own. I swear, George was all smiles for the rest of the day after that. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]So, you are here to see Karen Sorrenson[/I][/FONT]?}" I asked her. She smiled at me and nodded. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Yes. Please[/I][/FONT],"} "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Then I shall be honored to guide you to her[/I][/FONT],}" I replied. I found it odd, and somehow thrilling, that the Japanese I'd learned so long ago came back so readily. I didn't use it with practically anyone else, though Suzue, and to a lesser extent Tsuki, were in-the-know. Suzue made my having to use it for Tsuki superfluous, except on the rare occassions Tsuki and I spoke alone. Still, it came back as if I'd spoken it regularly until just last week, rather than the nearly 14 years it actually had been. I turned and proceeded through the entryway toward the stairs and the upstairs where Karen had her office, Karube following demurely behind, looking around. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]A very nice entrance you have[/I][/FONT],}" Karube opined, seeming pleased. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]And the nicest Greeter I have met in a long time[/I][/FONT].}" "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Thank you[/I][/FONT],}" I said with a smile of my own. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]He'll be very happy when I tell him that later. Still[/I][/FONT],}" I said, turning to look around thoughtfully. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I think it would be much improved with a rock garden in place of the plants[/I][/FONT],}" I offered. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Yes, but then it would not be[/I] your [I]place[/I][/FONT],}" she replied with a smile filled with both happiness and wisdom. Then what I'd forgotten dawned on me and I stopped, embarrassed. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Forgive me, Karube-san[/I][/FONT],}" I said with a deeper, more respectful bow. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I failed to introduce myself. I am Lorna Midnight[/I][/FONT].}" "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Ah[/I][/FONT]!}" she said with a smile. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Of you I have heard. I am very pleased to know you now, as I have heard many good things about you[/I][/FONT].}" That surprised me, and she noticed and laughed good-naturedly. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Tsuki Kawamata, on her trips to join Five-Star Supreme Wrestling, our organization, has told me that despite your gruff exterior, you have gone out of your way to be kind to her on occasion, and that you treat her as an equal. And Gorgon too respects you. Since I know them, those things have meaning[/I][/FONT].}" That just about embarrassed me, but only for a moment. I covered quickly. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I can imagine what Rodriguez has said about me[/I][/FONT].}" She smiled knowingly. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Of what Joanne Rodriguez says, I hear little and listen less[/I][/FONT],}" she said with a slight bow. That got a laugh out of me, and she laughed too. I had a feeling Karube and I were going to get along well. [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [/CENTER] "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]So[/I][/FONT],}" I said when we'd gotten to the top of the stairs and the upstairs lounge. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]What brings you to the States, and here to see us[/I][/FONT]?}" "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Ah[/I][/FONT],}" she said, nodding and looking solemn. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]It was a business trade between Angel Athletic Association and Five-Star Supreme Wrestling. So I come here, to be in tomorrow's show, as I understand[/I][/FONT].}" That about knocked me over. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Traded[/I][/FONT]?!?}" I stammered, shocked. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]With whom[/I][/FONT]?!}" "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Myself[/I][/FONT],}" Suzue Katayama said, emerging from the locker rooms into the lounge. She had travel bags of her own, full enough to have emptied her locker. You could have blown gently and I would have tumbled down the stairs. "Suze?!" was the only thing I could think of saying. Suzue's stoic face hinted at a brief grin as she put her bags on one of the tables. The grin then vanished as quickly as it had appeared. and she proceeded to stuff stray odds and ends of hers from the table into one of the bags. "Suze, what the hell?!" I said, gaping still and going to her. "You..." "Yes?" she said, pausing her packing to look at me. I mastered myself and kept myself as rigid as Suzue normally did, because I didn't know what would happen should I relax and let my feelings show at that point.. "Suze, you got traded. To Japan." "Yes," she replied, going back to bag-stuffing. "Do not be surprise. I am good wrestler, yes?" "Well, hell yeah!" I replied, half shocked and half indignant. "But... Well, it's not fair!" Granted, Suzue and I were never close, but to my mind a sort of unspoken kinship had developed between us. Myself with close ties to Asia in my own peculiar way, at least in my mind, Suzue simply accepting it without explanation. And in that moment I came to realize just how important that had become to me. "It is fair," Suzue corrected me. "One for one. Karube is here, and I will go." "Well... you'll be back, right?" A tight knot had developed in my stomach. I knew the answer she'd give, as well as the [I]real[/I] answer. Suzue glanced at me from her packing as the last few items disappeared from view. "Of course," she said matter-of-factly, looking at me with an odd expression. "I am not in Angel show tomorrow. So I go now, for the Five Star show Monday and Tuesday." The hint of a grin appeared again. "I take the time to find a quite, poor hotel." "By the sea. I know," I said, nodding stiffly. She'd told me once she loved the ocean off Japan for reasons she'd never bothered to explain, and I'd just accepted it. I could easily see it. Just the way she spoke of it almost made me long once again for that quiet little beach house, just outside that sleepy little fishing village on Okinawa... "Sure. Ok," I said, nodding and suppressing my shock. A goodbye was not the time to be surprised. It was a time to be in the moment, especially since I knew I would never see her again. Karen's words came back to me from Wednesday night's meeting: "[I]I think there is a need to trim. We can talk about thet later.[/I]" Remembering that, my mood changed. I resolved to make it sooner rather than later. Much sooner. Suzue zipped up her bag and turned to me, standing straight. "You will help Tzuki to translate?" she asked me, eyes narrow. "Of course I will," I replied. "I'd be honored." It was all I could do to keep that last from making my voice croak. Suzue nodded, satisfied, and a smile threatened to crack her stiff facade. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Well. Goodbye, Suzue-san[/I][/FONT],}" I said formally, extending my hand. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]It has been an honor to fight with you[/I][/FONT].}" Suzue nodded curtly and folded my hand into her firm grip, shaking once. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]And you, Lorna-san. We shall miss each other only a short time[/I][/FONT].}" And then she strode to the stairs and was gone. [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [/CENTER] "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]You two are close?[/I][/FONT]}" Karube asked finally. After my goodbye with Suzue, we had walked to Karen's office in silence. Felt like a damn death march. I paused at Karen's office door and took a deep breath. My mood had gotten good and dark in that walk, but Karube didn't deserve that, and her question made me think. So I stood there facing the door, considering. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Before today, I would have said no.[/I][/FONT]}" Karube nodded solemnly. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]These things come upon us like burglars into our night-shrouded homes.[/I][/FONT]}" I nodded, mood darkening once again. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Yes. Yes they do. And Suzue was wrong. I won't miss her a[/I] short [I]time...[/I][/FONT]}" You got to hand it to me, though, at that point. I knocked. "Ha deh!" came the cheerful greeting. Bitch. I opened the door and strode in at once, Karube trailing after, having noticed my mood. I restrained myself, though. "Karen, this is Umeko Karube." I got it out without clenching my teeth too tightly. Karube spared me a glance bordering on worry, so I forced a smile and nodded to her. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Apologies. I am upset with Sorely.[/I][/FONT]}" She nodded and got stiff-faced and formal, apparently hoping to stay out of it. Confusion and/or concern still tainted her eyes, though. Karen was once again with papers all over her desk, but this time a laptop was added to the mix. She leaned back in her chair, face brightening. "Ah! Devil Karube! I am happy to see you." Karen was all smiles, and then she looked at me. "I take it you are translating..." She stopped, seeing my expression. "Yes. I'm translating," I said. Hand it to me again. I didn't growl those words. Felt like it, though. "We need to talk." "Ah," Karen said, all concern now. She quickly rose and indicated the chairs before her desk, looking to Karube and me. "Please, make yourself home." "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Karube-san, Karen Sorrenson welcomes you and offers her place as yours. Please, make yourself comfortable.[/I][/FONT]}" Karube nodded with a slight, polite bow and a smile to Karen. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Thank you. I am honored to make myself so.[/I][/FONT]}" "She's honored and thanks you. Can we talk for a moment first please?" It was all I could do to stay civil, but I did it. Long years of practice made me good at it. Though inside, I wished that the show were tonight and not tomorrow night. It was looking to be a long work-out session tonight. With the kick bag. "Of course!" Karen said, looking worried now. "What is it?" I held up a finger in pause, and turned to Karube. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Please forgive me. I need to speak with Karen first, if I may? My apologies.[/I][/FONT]}" Karube nodded understanding to me. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Of course.[/I][/FONT]}" I thanked her, and turned right on Karen. "What the... heck is your problem?!" Karen blinked. "I wos about to ask you thet," she answered. She looked worriedly from me to Karube and back again. I contained myself. "What's my problem?" I repeated, calmly. "Ok. I'll tell you what my problem is. That's pretty damn low, letting Suzue go like that. And if you don't mind, I don't think it was very smart, either. She's one of our [I]best[/I] workers! And if you had any eyes in your head you'd have seen that Tuesday Night. She damn near stole the show and made her match one of the best of the night! She performs as hard as she can, [I]every match and spot[/I]! And besides all that, she moved to the States [I]specifically[/I] to join Angel Athletic. And here you are, from out of the States [I]yourself[/I]... What's so funny?" I was working up a good head of steam, while Karen had started to smirk, then grin, then to suppress a laugh. "I am so sorry!" Karen said, apparently barely able to keep from laughing. "Lorna, I am so sorry! You do not see! I should have made announcemant. Oh...!" She giggled and then immediately supressed it. I got indignant, and I could see out of the corner of my eye Karube looking more and more confused. Karen noticed it too. "Lorna, please tell Karube thet you thought Suzue was permanently traded for her. I am so sorry...!" She started in with suppressed giggles again. I looked at Karube, then at Karen, then back to Karube. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]She says to apologize for her, that I thought the trade was permanent[/I][/FONT]} what do you mean, 'I thought the trade was permanent'?!" I demanded, turning back to Karen. "A talent trade, Lorna. We haff tha working agreemant with Fife-Star. Quine never used thet...?" Karen was back to suppressing giggles. I gaped at Karube, who was smiling too now. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]You thought this was permanent?[/I][/FONT]}" she asked. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Not a work trade between our promotions?[/I][/FONT]}" Karube put a hand to her mouth in a surprisingly delicate gesture, to hide her own growing mirth. I flopped back in my chair. And swore. "I forgot about the damned worker swap..." I translated, without the vulgarities, for Karube. Then, "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]How many shows?[/I][/FONT]}" "How many shows?" looking from one to the other of them. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Three.[/I][/FONT]}"   "Three." Almost in unison. That started Karube giggling, which brought Karen to outright laughter. "Great," I grumped. "I'm glad I could serve to break the ice between you two." The laughter got worse as I translated. [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [/CENTER] Credits: [QUOTE] Blueprint image of Angel Athletics Lobby area of the HQ/Gym created by myself on '[I]The Learning Company[/I]'s [B][I]3D Home Architect Deluxe[/I].[/B] [/QUOTE]

[Remianen]

Honestly, besides the personal aspect, a permanent trade of Suzue for DEVIL would be like the purchase of Manhattan. Suzue's good but she's essentially a pile of trinkets compared to DEVIL. And it's nice that you picked up Karen Killer (can't be Karen Bilous since she doesn't speak English), but I'm dying to see what you plan to do with her. :)

[rowleyball]

This keeps getting better. Great job NordVolf!

[NordVolf]

[CENTER]((OOC Segment))[/CENTER] I feel like Strongbad. [QUOTE] {Strongbad, singing way off key} "Time to read the Eeeeeemailllll..." [/QUOTE] So, let's answer some posts. [QUOTE=Remianen;249147]Honestly, besides the personal aspect, a permanent trade of Suzue for DEVIL would be like the purchase of Manhattan. Suzue's good but she's essentially a pile of trinkets compared to DEVIL.[/QUOTE] Ooooo. Ok. Got it. But try telling Lorna that... ;) [QUOTE]And it's nice that you picked up Karen Killer (can't be Karen Bilous since she doesn't speak English), but I'm dying to see what you plan to do with her. :)[/QUOTE] *[B][I]chuckle[/I][/B]* Remmy, you sly bast... er... dog! *[B][I]smirk[/I][/B]* And thanks. I got a plan or two for her. ;) [QUOTE=rowleyball;249150]This keeps getting better. Great job NordVolf![/QUOTE] Thank you so much, Rowley! I am really getting into this, and am enjoying it immensely. I'm so glad that I'm managing to entertain others with it as well! Thanks everyone for your comments, suggestions, support, and especially your posts! And now, let's get down to it! As always, comments, suggestions, and predictions are welcome... [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/AAA_BannerMini.jpg[/IMG] [I][B][SIZE="7"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]Angel Athletic Association[/FONT][/SIZE][/B][/I] [SIZE="1"]in conjunction with Washington State's Northwest Athletic Conference and the Seattle Athletic Sports Association[/SIZE] [I]presents[/I] [SIZE="4"][U]Angel Athletic Association's[/U][/SIZE] [SIZE="5"][I][B]SATURDAY SPECTACULAR![/B][/I][/SIZE] [B][I]LIVE[/I][/B] at the [B][I]Portland Center in Seattle Washington[/I][/B] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [U]Our Preshow[/U] Will Feature, Straight from Japan, DEVIL KARUBE! in a one-fall International Tag Team Extravaganza: [B][SIZE="2"]DEVIL Karube & Miss Mexico[/SIZE] [SIZE="1"]v/s[/SIZE] [SIZE="2"]The Midnight Sisterz (Miss & Missy Midnight)![/SIZE][/B] [SIZE="3"][U]Our Main Show Opener[/U][/SIZE], In a stunning show of [I][B]High Flying Action[/B][/I]: [B][SIZE="3"]Grace Harper[/SIZE] v/s the irrepressible [SIZE="3"]Missy Masterson![/SIZE][/B] Thrilling [B][I]Tag Team Action[/I][/B] continues, as Brawn Challenges Beauty for the [B][I]Triple-A Tag Team Championship[/I][/B]: [B][SIZE="3"]Wild Times[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Goodlooking Bunny![/SIZE][/B] In our [U]Feature Presentation[/U], Showcasing a Potential Preview to [I][B]Tripple-A's Top Contender Title[/B][/I] Contest: [B][SIZE="3"]Cherry Bomb[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Suzanne Brazzle![/SIZE][/B] A One-v-One Match, in a Classic Rivalry we all know well: [B][SIZE="3"]Catherine Quine[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Lorna Midnight![/SIZE][/B] [SIZE="3"][B][U]And in the Main Event[/U][/B] In a contest of [B][I]The Light[/I][/B] versus [B][I]The Darkness[/I][/B]:[/SIZE] [B][SIZE="4"]Joanne Rodriguez[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="4"]Black Widow![/SIZE][/B] [B][I][U][SIZE="4"]Don't Miss It![/SIZE][/U][/I][/B] [SIZE="1"]Tickets on sale now at: [B]Ticket-tron[/B] the [B]Master Outlet[/B] ([I]featuring all your wrestling apparel and accessory needs[/I]) the [B]Portland Arena Box Office[/B] and your local sporting event ticket outlet.[/SIZE] [/CENTER] [/QUOTE] [/CENTER]

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] Stephie: "Awe, come on! It's a no-brainer." Jen: "It is not! You [I]so[/I] don't get it!" Stephie: "Look if [I]you[/I] were there you'd probably agree with me. It's so [I]totally[/I] not the right thing to do." Jen: "Fine. But I still say that if he's as angry and loud as he looks, it's a wonder he was with them [I]this[/I] long!" Me: "What the hell are you girls arguing about now?" That's the conversation I walked into. I was determined to have a sit-down lunch, a regular thing instead of the off-and-on irregular lunches with the girls. And here they were. It's like they got ESP or something. "We heard about a worker getting fired," Stephie said, a forlorn look on her face that she has, for friends or strangers alike, when she feels they've been wronged. I sighed. I swear Stephie should have joined the Peace Corpse, or become a public defender, or started some activist group to march on Washington DC or something. She's got that 'I Feel for everybody so I have to Save the World' mentality. But nooooo. She went and became a wrestler... "Sweety, that sort of thing happens in the world-after-high-school." I rubbed my temples. This sort of conversation was all I needed right now. "You ok?!" That from Lois. She was there in the dining room again, with The Kids (which would almost make a good stable name, but we won't go there...), laptop open and online. They were undoubtedly looking something up related to wrestling. "How's the eye?" That made me chuckle. What is it with people? "I'm fine," I said, and quickly tried to fend off the subject. "What are you girls looking up? And what's for lunch?" I added. "Oh!" Stephie said, beaming, and got a bowl from off the pile of them at the side of the table nearest her, handing it to me. "Stew. Have some?" she asked cheerfully, handing me a pair of chopsticks. "Very funny, you!" I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster. It made everyone laugh, and hopefully killed the subject of 'my eye'. "Yeah," Lois said, grinning. "But appropriate." "Great. Just encourage them why don't you?!" I said mock-irritably while Stephie ladled me stew. Ok, so maybe instead of the Peace Corpse, she should have joined a soup kitchen or something. Where she got her love of cooking for other people I have no idea. My very own Little Miss Julia Childe. Well... a lot slimmer and without the nasal, whiny, irritating voice. After a good chuckle from everyone at my expense, it was back to business. Jen on my immediate left next to Lois, and Stephie on my immediate right, started sniping again about the 'firee'. I, of course, was once again on the end seat, western-most side of the southern-most table in the dining room. I swear someone's secretly put a plaque with my name on it in a place that only I couldn't see, one for Jen on my left and Stephie on my right. Like King Arthur's Round Table or something. Although Jen sometimes sat on Stephie's right. But not today. Sara Marie York and Missy Masterson rounded out The Kids. And of course, there was Lois. "Whoa, whoa whoa!" I said, hands up, after less than a minute of it. Jen was adamant that whomever-it-was was legitimately let go, while Stephie insisted that he had been wronged. "First off, let's not bicker too much over something that we can't do anything about anyway." Yeah. Like [I]that[/I] reasoning would hold water with them "And second, who are we talking about, anyway?" "Mom," Jen said with her typical, 'you're kidding me, right?' look, sidelong at me. She turned Lois' laptop so I could see. "Would [I]you[/I] wanna work with a guy like this every day?!" I looked at the picture on the laptop while taking my first taste of stew, Stephie having relented and given me a decent spoon. And almost spewed stew out of my nose. [QUOTE][CENTER][IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/News/NewsKinji_01.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER][/QUOTE] After a good chuckle at my expense all around, except for Stephie who took this very seriously, I composed myself. "Wow, honey. Um..." I put my hand over my mouth, speechless for a second. "Well, he's certainly... Um... seems to be... outspoken..." "I guess maybe!" Jen said. "I can hear it now. '[I]Hey, Kinji. How you doin' today?[/I]"   '[I]AAAAAAAHHH![/I]'   '[I]That good, huh?[/I]' " That got chuckles all around too, myself included. Stephie looked upset by it. "Well, I still say that's mean!" she grumped. "Listen, sweety," I said, patting her hand comfortingly, "That sort of thing happens, like it or not. And most of the time there's very good reasons for it." "Oh, sure mom," Stephie said, growing irritated. "Take their side why don't you!" She pointed across the table, and I gathered that Lois and Jen presented a united opposition in Stephie's eyes. "Hey, sweety, don't get upset with me," I said, amused. "I'm not part of this..." "But you so totally are!" Stephie said. "You [I]so[/I] feel the same as me!" That surprised me, but I didn't let it show. "Look, regardless of what you [I]think[/I] you know about how I feel on the subject, there can be very legitimate reasons for letting someone go." "That's not what I heard..." Stephie said in her patronizing slow drawl she gets when she knows something she thinks you don't think she knows. "Huh," I said, turning thoughtful. "What'd you hear?" The mood at the table changed slightly, and Jen looked down right uncomfortable, but apparently couldn't think of anything to say. She knew what was coming. It's like fishing. You want to get the fish, so you throw out some bait, something that looks like what it's not. And then you wait. See if the fish takes it. But sometimes the fish knows. Can see something that you missed. Probably in your 'innocent' presentation that tips the fish off. Like now. And damn, but didn't the fish bite anyway. "I heard," Stephie drawled, as if dragging it out with all the suspense it was worth, "that you got very upset when you thought they let Suze go." "Oh really?" I said, more matter-of-factly than I felt. "Huh. Where'd you hear that?" Now everyone at the table got slightly uncomfortable except Stephie, who continued to play it casual. And Missy Masterson, who looked like she wanted to crawl under the table and die. "Oh, I forget," Stephie said in a tone that was part smug and part overly casual. "I just overheard it or something..." "Huh," I said, glancing at Masterson. "Seems like someone's got a big..." "Isn't the stew good, though?!" Stephie chirped in interruption, beaming a bright smile at me. Once again taking the heat off someone. "Made it myself, too!" she added, taking a bite to show that she, at least, was oh so enjoying it. "Mmmmmm!" I chuckled. Once again someone had gotten away with murder, thanks to Stephie. "Yeah, Sweety. It's very tasty," I said, taking a bite of my own. "Mmmmmm," I imitated. "So..." Jen drawled, apparently thinking fast as she could. "Lois, what other news has there been?" Jen, being older, is usually the General of the two girls, but in matters such as this, the "humanities" if you will, she takes her cues from Stephie. "Well, let's see!" Lois said, brightening and turning her attention to me. "I was just about to explain the TV rating system to the girls, and how it relates to shows." "Yeah, that's an improvement," I quipped, casting Lois a snide smile. "So, never mind the explanation," Jen told her, "What's been on, and what's beat out what this week?!" Just like girls. Try and get the dirt on who got made to look bad. Gossip material. "Well, let's see," Lois said, turning the laptop back to herself and typing. "Here we go. Where would you like to start?" she asked. "Oh, and remember, we don't air on TV yet, so we won't show up here." "That's just about a relief," York breathed, looking as if it did, in fact, relieve her. "I dunno!" Jen said, turning excited. "Cherry's interview was pretty bosh. Wasn't it just [I]psycho[/I]?!" "Yeah, but you don't have to crawl into the ring with her," York said glumly, remembering the drubbing she'd received earlier in the week. "That is so unfair!" Stephie exclaimed, shocked. "Yeah," Jen added, "We've sparred with her a LOT of times!" "All right, alright! Enough!" I interjected, hands raised. "Lois. How about that TV thing..." Lois chuckled. "Well, to keep things less technical than they could be, let's just see who got beat out by what programming..." The girls all shushed each other as they waited while Lois called that up on her laptop. "Here we go," she said. "Let's start with Monday." She typed in a lot, and studied the screen a lot more. "Well, well! On Monday, the Burning Hammer promo got beat out by [I]Crime Lab[/I] on the C.B.A network, and [I]Alone In The Wilderness[/I] and [I]Family Tree[/I] on ACE." Pffft," Stephie scoffed. "Reality shows. I mean, really...!" "Well," Lois said smiling at Stephie's reaction, "There's always Tuesday. Let's see... Oh! TCW, SWF and PGHW all beat out [I]Celebs In Da Hood[/I]." "Caaaaaann!" all the girls chanted in unified derision, giving a big Siskle And Ebert 4-Thumbs Down. For some reason the C.A.N.N. Network wasn't popular at all with kids. Me neither, for that matter, but at least I wasn't vocal about it. "Hmmm..." Lois continued. "On Wednesday, all the wrestling shows did well but one. UCR's [I]International Wrestling Superstars[/I] got beat out by..." She looked around the table, building drama. "[I]The Bear Cam Show[/I]!" Now it was my turn to be vocal. "Oh God...! UCR must have [I]really[/I] sucked to get beat out by the Hack Network..." "Mom!" Jen objected. "The POP! Network is so totally [I]not[/I] a hack network!" "I would so [I]totally[/I] miss watching wrestling TV for the Bear Cam Show...!" Stephie said, as dreamy as she gets when discussing the latest Teen-Hunk-Of-The-Day. I laughed out loud. "Really, sweety?! Come on...!" "No, totally, Mom!" Stephie objected, excited. "They put this camera on bears and then see what they do, and why they get into mischief and stuff!" "Sweety," I said as patiently as I could, "you can watch the same thing at a more reasonable hour on the Discover Channel, and it would be much more scientific..." "But it [I]is[/I] scientific, Mom!" Stephie exclaimed. "They got scientists and rangers an' everything, and they do it to study what makes bears raid camps and go into towns and suburbs and stuff. You know, to try and understand it from the bear's point of view so they can do something about it! Kind of, like, Civilization bumps up against Nature!" she finished, slapping her hands together to emphasize the collision. "Sounds like somebody's taking liberties with the TV in her bedroom [I]after midnight[/I] on a school night..." I replied, the implications obvious to the girls. "Mom," Jen butted in, covering for her sister, "Stephie took a nap right after homework so we could watch that. Had me wake her up and everything, so it's not like she lost any sleep..." "I [I]thought[/I] I heard a lot of giggling and carrying on Wednesday night," I replied to Jen, fixing her with my best 'mom's not happy' look. "You're encouraging your sister to stay up after midnight on a school night?" "Mom," Stephie said, deadpan with an 'I don't believe this' look. "I am so [I]totally[/I] not twelve years old any more. Besides, it's only on Wednesdays!" "Well," Lois cut in, "If you like that, then you'll love this! On Thursday, Twenty-First Century Wrestling got beat out, thirty-two-to-one, by [I]Celebrity Shark Attack[/I]." "Go POP!" all four girls chanted in unison, pumping victory fists or holding up 'Number One' fingers. "Great. You guys make fun of reality shows, and you watch crap like that." I droned. "Lois, I just don't understand today's kids." I added in an aside to her, going back to eating. "Yeah, and you probably never will, either," York quipped with a smirk, tossing a small wad of napkin at me. "Hey, don't make me come over there!" I scolded, pointing at York with my spoon, but a grin on my face none-the-less. "And on Friday," Lois went on dramatically, "Every wrestling show on air got beat out by... Drum roll please!" The girls all started slap-drumming on the table as the suspense built... "Sebastian's World!" Lois called in a dramatic finale. "Ooooooo," the girls all cooed, hands over their mouths in mock awe. Lois then glanced at me. "And on Saturday, today, not only is there wrestling programming on, but also [I]Bet The House[/I], Maple Leaf Sports Networks [I]National Hockey[/I], and finally, last but not least... [I]The Rick Ford Files[/I]!" That got my interest. "The Files? I thought that went off the air. Huh..." "Yeah," Lois explained, "that was on NBT. But they're showing it in syndication on Canada On-Air." "Really?" I was interested. "What time?" "Oh, come on, mom!" Stephie said in disbelief. "That show is [I]so[/I] old!" "Hack show, hack show," Jen coughed into her hands, but I could tell she was grinning at me. "Hey!" Now it was my turn to object. "That's a damn good detective show, it's intelligently written, and if you want high drama there's nothing else you need to watch. What time's that on, Lois?" "Six-thirty," Lois said, looking smugly satisfied at the switch in attitude between me and the girls. "Mom, you are [I]so[/I] not going to go upstairs to watch that before tonight's show, are you?" Stephie asked, incredulous. "Hey," I said, leaning over to her and pointing at her with my spoon. "If a certain someone will miss bedtime for the [I]Bear Cam Show[/I]...!" I didn't feel I needed to finish that statement. Stephie and Jen both rolled their eyes. "Anyway, Lois. Any real news out there this week?" I asked, heading off further confrontation. "Sure!" Lois said, typing again. "Here we are. Let's see... There's been a flurry of signings from quite a few promotions in the US, Canada and Japan. And quite a few booking changes." "A lot of new Head Bookers?" I asked. Pretty hard to believe. "Yes," Lois confirmed. "Seems that something's going on, though it may be a lot of things." We all thought about it as Lois let that sink in, while apparently looking more in-depth into things on the web. "Ok, here we go. Seems the economy's been going down hill for a while, and wrestling interest has followed. Not a full-scale recession or anything, but getting close." Lois looked around the table. "That's from National Leading Economic Indicators. And it seems to be world-wide." She then went back to narrating. "The US has it not too bad, relatively speaking, but the rest of the world is following suit. Mexico, and especially Great Britain, have it the worst. Canada is hanging right in there, and Japan has the world's best economy looks like. And every economy seems to be falling. Again, no recession in the works, but you never know. As far as wrestling, interest is falling too, world-wide." "Makes sense," Jen said, nodding. "Less money to spend on extraneous stuff." Jen was always good at economics in school, it really seemed to interest her, along with social sciences and pre-law. I always figured her for either an accountant or a lawyer. And here she is, a Triple-A worker. Go figure. "Yeah, but it still sucks," Stephie added, glumly. "Hang on," Lois went on, "I take that back. Wrestling is falling world wide except in Mexico. Wrestling interest is on the rise there. Otherwise, the US has the lowest interest in the world, statistically speaking. Though the highest interest is in Great Britain, and once again in Japan." "In actual wrestling news," Lois continued, "As you all know, Kinji Akamatsu was released by Warrior Engine Twenty-five. Otherwise, there's been a flurry of hirings. Most notably... let's see... Playboy Jake Sawyer with TCW, Jenny Playmate with 4C, five, no six signings of various people with North Of The Border Pro Wrestling in Canada alone. Oh, and Stephie, you may appreciate this..." "Oh kay..." Stephie replied cautiously. "Whippy the Clown signed with NOTBPW!" "Whippy the Clown?!" Stephie yelled, falling into giggling. Jen suppressed a laugh. Till she looked at the laptop over Lois' arm. Then she burst out laughing, turning the laptop so Stephie could see. The two of them giggled and Masterson and York scurried to see too. They laughed as well, but Stephie just about fell out of her chair, which brought more laughter from the girls than Whippy the Clown did. Lois calmed herself, and I found myself grinning too. "And, to top it off," she finished, "No less than six promotions changed head bookers. Most all of them, quote, 'promise to make their mark on the promotion.'" That sobered the crowd imediately. "What does [I]that[/I] mean?" Stephie asked, looking puzzled and a little worried. "Means they're going to hire, and fire, a [I]lot[/I] of people." Jen explained. Stephie got an indignant look, but then she looked worriedly around the table. Everyone got quiet. We all realized we had a new Head Booker too. "Well, we're ok," York pointed out. "We're all still here, there's a show tonight, and Jen and Steph got signed to full time by Sorely." She smiled all around, but with a hint of the unspoken, 'I'm right, aren't I?' "True enough," Lois confirmed. "Oh," she added, "here's something I know you all missed!" "How do you know we missed it?" Masterson asked. Lois shot her a sly grin. "Because if you'd have heard it, it would have been all over town by now." Masterson turned glum, but only for a second. Then she got excited. "Hey! What was it?!" Lois laughed. "Check [I]this[/I] out. It was a radio interview Thursday." She hit a key on her laptop and it started in through it's tiny speaker. Never ceases to amaze me. Not full and deep like a stereo, but still pretty good for something small as a wristwatch. Pretty damn good sound, actually. We all listened, and after a second, York exclaimed, "Hey, that's Gorgon!" "SHHHH!" the rest of the girls shushed her, me included. We listened. I mercifully won't go into a full transcript. I say it like that because, well, Gorgon isn't a good Audio Personality. She's just no good on a mike. Anywhere. Not that she's dumb or anything. She's actually pretty bright. But there just doesn't seem to be any life to her speaking, publicly anyway. None of that nebulous quality some people have, myself included if I may say so, to prompt interest. Some people have good entertaining skills, and some people don't. Gorgon was firmly placed in the 'don't' category. But we all listened anyway, and it was only a 5 minute spot or so, like the kind of mini-interviews you hear on National Public Radio. Still, she did say one thing interesting. She liked to be in the opening matches of shows, believe it or not, because she felt she could get the crowd revved up for the rest of the show. I remember thinking, "Well I'll be a daughter of a b... Huh." I figured I might have to ask Gorgon about that, and mention it to Karen. Not that I'm a snitch or anything. I mean, if Gorgon [I]really[/I] likes opening, hey. Who am I to argue?

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] Just at that point, as the Radio Interview, or the internet copy of it anyway, ended, in walked Karen Sorrenson with another young woman in tow from upstairs. Just like that. No, really. It's like God sits in heaven, watching or something. I can see it now; there sits God, headset on with a mike to his lips, nodding thoughtfully as thing go along. "Ok, that's the end of the radio interview. Wrap that, and cue the 'Sorrenson And The New Arrival' angle..." Ok, so maybe I've spent way too much time back stage in the entertainment business... "Ha deh!" Karen greeted everyone cheerfully. Come to find out that means both 'hello' and 'goodbye' in Norwegian. Go figure. Karen got various responses for her greeting, some more enthusiastic than others. I'll give you three guesses who two of the more enthusiastic girls were. First two don't count. "Everyone, this is Buttercup," Karen said. Buttercup was all smiles. "She is going to be our new Head Road Agant," Karen went on. I nodded while everyone else greeted her. Me? I appraised her. She stood there, all of 5 foot 8 or so. Tousled hair of an intriguingly dark, platinum blonde. In fact, it almost looked like she and Karen were sisters, though Buttercup clearly was American. She was in a simple baby-blue tee shirt and dark jeans that looked brand new. Sneakers, the kind of very heavy, thick-soled high tops with the velcro straps up them, gave her a sort of buoyancy I admit I liked in her. She was very happy to be here, and I thought I knew why. I'd heard of her before. One of the few women road agents that was good at her job. And yet, oddly, she'd stayed unemployed, though there had been rumors that Babes of Sin City in Vegas had negotiated with her. Briefly. And now, here she was. With us. "Well," I said finally, after the initial exchange had died down. "Nice to meet you. We could definitely use someone competent backstage." I paused for effect while Karen started to frown. "Not that Karen hasn't been competent, but still." I smirked at Karen, and she grinned at me then, realizing I was just poking at her. "Well," Karen said, "I will be taking other duties now. I know it will not seem like me at all, but my new image is..." She paused for dramatic effect too, the girls all gawking, excited with anticipation. "...an Authority Figure." "OOoooooo..." All the girls cooed at once, then broke down into giggles. "Wow... I said, mock-amazed. "That [I]is[/I] a stretch. Think you can pull it off?" That got more giggles around the table, as well as my arm slapped by Stephie. Karen gently put her hand on my shoulder. "I think I can handle it," she affirmed with a smile. "Buttercup," she went on, turning to her, "this troublemakker is Lorna Midnight. You haff to keep a close eye on her." "So I've heard," Buttercup said with a playful smile for me. Then she grew serious. "Speaking of eye... How's the forehead?" she asked. She leaned in, brushing a finger across my brow to sweep my bangs aside for a better look. I knew what she was doing. Her intention. But I baited her anyway. "You a doctor too?" She smiled. "No. But as your new Roady it's my responsibility to make sure everyone's up to snuff for the show tonight. And before you think I'm an ass or something, I'm actually genuinely concerned. How is it?" She continued to look, but frowned in puzzlement. She didn't even see it. "Left eyebrow," I said, looking her in the eye. "It's fine." "Hey, there it is," she said, finding it and smiling again. "Just about good. Looks like they used that super glue. Probably won't even scar." We smiled at one another for a moment. "I think we'll get along ok," I said. "Good," she said. "I was really hoping so. I been hearing about you." She looked around the table. "I take it these are your girls?" she asked, indicating Jen and Stephie. "Yeah," I said, nodding. I kept a neutral expression. "Ok, girls," Buttercup said, growing serious. "I'll need you two to do me an extra favor, right off the bat." "Oh?" Jen said, at the same time a "Huh?!" came from Stephie. "Yeah," Buttercup said. "Here's the deal. Your mom is worried enough about you as it is, so that gives me [I]extra[/I] responsibility. So, I'll be scripting your matches down to the finest detail. I'll need you to pay extra close attention when we go over things before your matches. I need you to listen close, and since you're in school," she said, indicating Stephie, "and you're just out," she said to Jen, "I'll need you two to be quick studies. And to do [I]exactly[/I] how we plan things. I want you two to look good, have good fights, but above everything else, I want you two to be [I]safe[/I]!" That drew three smiles. Two bright ones from Jen and Stephie as they both quickly and enthusiastically agreed, and a secret one from me that sort of snuck out onto my face. "Yeah," I said when I caught Buttercup's eye. "I think we'll get along just fine." Karen clapped her hands once, not so much in glee, though she did look pleased at me, but also to get everyone's attention. "Akurat. Thet is lunch, and I'd like everyone in tha show tonight to head for tha bus. I want us to hit tha Center early today. Buttercup has things she wants to go over with you, and I think an early set-up is better than a last minute one." Everyone got up to move out, the girls, Lois, Masterson and I in a rush to collect our things to go, York a bit slower and a little disappointed. She wasn't on the card for tonight. As everyone else rushed off I fuzzled York's head, a real knuckle job that made her squeal, and then I spared her a smile. It's generally unlike me to do stuff like that, unless it's my girls. And it also made York's day because of that very fact. Of course, I was counting on everyone being suddenly too busy, rushing off to get ready, to see what I'd just done. I turned to get my things as well. And Karen was right there, smiling at me. Busted. "Thank you," Karen said quietly, giving my arm a squeeze and turning to head for the parking lot and the bus. Well, at least I could allow myself some small consolation. No one [I]else[/I] saw... And so we were off. The Saturday Spectacular awaited.

[Beeker]

Grrr. stupid wrong button making me retype this. So again. NordVolf this is the most creative diary I've read in a long, long time. Mainly because it's clear you're a neophyte to wrestling and are therefore doing things most people who followed this for an extended period of time wouldn't try. The Bounty Angle is a perfect example. Normally it's heels placing the bounty and it's NEVER collected, yet you did the exact opposite in one show. Which makes for a compelling and unexpecting read. AAA could never hope to have a facility like the one you've designed. But they do and it's a better story because of it. And still you add nuances to characters while introducing new characters as well. Be it DEVIL Karube or Sarah Marie York or even Buttercup. Quality stuff. On to the Midnight Sisterz. For Jen, I'd play up her 'leader' roll but modifying her name to Mistress Midnight. Sure it's got a Dominatrix aspect to it, but it would also drive Lorna crazy. For Stephie, I thougth of Moonlight Midnight but that's a horrible rhyming name that would be fine if she joined NOTBPW to be the valet for Whippy the Clown but wouldn't work for AAA. So Moonshine Midnight seems possible - as she shines in the ring and the moonshiners were doing something illegal but accepted during prohibition. A bit like Stephie (still in school) is doing. Or you go the complete other way and call her Solara Flare or something and dress her in reds, oranges, yellows and whites and really play up her happy-go-lucky (yet save the world) persona. Finally. The Sisters plus someone should battle Miss Mexico and Missy Masterson again in a six-woman match. (the additional two should be better at running things in the ring - hello basics and psychology!) Mexico and Masterson win and the Sisters get new names. Now... to hit POST instead of Go (to the Dynasties.) Yay! Success!

[VBigB]

Well I had to post somthing, based on the simple fact that your not a wrestling fan since thats pretty much my background. Sure I did watch quite a bit in the mid to late eities when I was younger but I haven't really watched since. I completely stumbled on TEW2005 by accident and I've been following ever since (TEW2005, Wrespi II, TEW 2007). But still I'm a newb compared to the legends around here such as Ramienan, Panix, Undertaker, ect. Anyway I've never really been interested in reading diaries but this one sucked me in. So much so that I may actually take you up on your recommendations and check out a few others. Anyway again (run on paragraphs abound when I talk) keep up the good work and you can bet that I'll be looking forward to what you come up with next.

[NordVolf]

[CENTER]((OOC Segment))[/CENTER] My appologies for not having this up until now. I'd planned on having another addition up a day or so ago but got hung up. There were a few things in the story that I wanted to get right, so took the extra time to rewrite and re-rewrite till it felt right to me. Also, Real Life rears it's ugly head and interferes with my hobbies. Or... maybe it's my numerous hobbies interfering with... my other... hobbies... :rolleyes: Anyway. Let's answer some posts! [QUOTE=VBigB;252180]... I've never really been interested in reading diaries but this one sucked me in. So much so that I may actually take you up on your recommendations and check out a few others. Anyway again... keep up the good work and you can bet that I'll be looking forward to what you come up with next.[/QUOTE] Thanks, VBigB! I appreciate your comments! Sounds like you were in the same boat I was starting out. *[B][I]chuckle[/I][/B]* I'm pretty sure you'll like the reading I recommended. Good stuff! Glad to have you reading, and thanks for your post! [QUOTE=Beeker;251976]NordVolf this is the most creative diary I've read in a long, long time. Mainly because it's clear you're a neophyte to wrestling and are therefore doing things most people who followed this for an extended period of time wouldn't try. The Bounty Angle is a perfect example...[/QUOTE] Thanks, Beeker! I apprecaite the comments. I was rather hoping I wasn't doing anything blatantly 'wrong', and it's good to know that I come across as something fresh rather than an idiot! *[B][I]grin[/I][/B]* And yeah, I thought about that bounty angle too. Face offering a reward? Hmmm... Ok, so maybe I was a pitcher in another life. I like curve balls. ;) And Triple-A's facility is kind of like a dream gym/club or something I've had in my head for a long, long time but I could never figure out what to do with it. Not that I write a lot. Sort of a closet writer. But now I get to! Happy me. I'm also very glad you like the characters. They've become some of my favorite imaginary people. [QUOTE]On to the Midnight Sisterz...[/QUOTE] Beeker! You freak! Holy crap! You got ESP or something! You know [U]exactly[/U] what I needed! See, I'd had the general story and major parts of it down, but details eluded me. Such as, I got person 1 going to point A and B, person 2 going to B and C, and person 3 going to A and C. But how do I get them all to come together at the same time at D?! Or, I had certain people who would come to feel a certain way, but why? How do (did?) they come to feel like that? I read your post, and everything clicked! You're a freakin' genius! Thanks so much, man! Your post set everything in motion, and it's pretty clear to me now. Now all I got to do is write it! And with that, as I imagine Catherine Quine would quip, [I]let's git 'er done[/I]! [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [B]Week 1; January 2007[/B] [B][I]Saturday Spectacular Preshow[/I][/B] [/CENTER] "Well... at least the place isn't empty," I said. Trying to console Karen. Sure. Anyone could have said there wouldn't be a packed house. With a show just last week, not as many people would be willing to shell out for an additional show. And since this was a weekly event, I guess people figure if they miss one show, they can always catch next week. But Karen had been so full of hope. So she'd gone all out again, to try and make this the best show ever. Lighting. Production. Staff and crew. A decent line-up of matches. Brought in DEVIL Karube from Japan. Put together an array of "happenstances" to keep the audiance entertained, guessing. She didn't even raise ticket prices at the recomendation of so many people, on the theory that, like in that baseball movie whose name I forget, if you build it and make it affordable as possible, they will come. And now? She and I stood just off the apron, looking between the wall and the curtain at The House. Not packed. "They said an estimate of one thousand three-hundrad people!" Karen said. "Evan with adjustmant down, there [I]still[/I] should haff been one thousand to fill tha Center..." She was extremely disappointed. "Well, it's nearly full," I offered. Ok, sure. She'd made a mistake. And not too big of one, either. For myself, I thought the place would be half empty. Ordinarily I wouldn't be very sympathetic. But Karen had put a huge personal and even emotional investment in this show. She wanted it to top Tuesday's show so badly. Not many saw what I saw. They just shrugged and either saw it as no big deal, or as affirmation that Karen had screwed up. But I had come to know just how much it meant to her. And, well, sorry but I couldn't help it. I felt bad for her. Very bad. So I stood with her in the darkened corner of the apron, looking out at The House. "Look," I said as the silence threatened to stretch, "What's done is done. Let's just do the show. And before you go kicking yourself too badly over this, it still looks mostly full. What, initial estimates put us at more than 800 here tonight? That's over 80 percent. Not bad, really. Not bad at all." "I should haff seen this," Karen insisted. She screwed up her face in a thoughtful scowl for a moment. Then she nodded to me, determined. "80 percent is not a packed House. Not tha same feel for tha show." She was quiet for another moment. Then, "No mistake like this next week. We will do a smaller place." I chuckled. "Doesn't that sound familiar," I joked, hoping that Karen would see it like that and be cheered. Thankfully, she did. "Akurat," she said with a nod, turning to the business at hand, probably heading to Buttercup to start the show. "Fife Minutes!" she shouted to the backstage. Then she turned to me, pointing at me. "I won't make tha same mistake twice," she said with a wry grin. And with that, Saturday Spectacular kicked off. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/JimLouFreebush.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/FarrahHesketh.jpg[/IMG] . [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/Random_Female18.jpg[/IMG] . [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/LoisHudson.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Jim Lou Freebush from Ring Center} "[I]Good evening Seattle![/I]" Obligatory crowd pop. {Jim} "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, devoted fans of Angel Athletic Association, I would like to welcome you to tonight's debut of Triple-A's weekly Saturday Spectacular event, live here at the Portland Center in beautiful downtown Seattle Washington. And with me tonight at the announcing table, as our feature color commentator, will be none other than Angel Athletics' former three-time Femme Fatale Champion, Farrah Hesketh![/I]" Crowd pops as Hesketh limps into the ring, smiling. Hesketh takes a mike from a waiting technician. {Farrah Hesketh, waving with a smile} "[I]Hello, Seattle![/I]" Obligatory crowd pop. {Farrah} "[I]Thanks so much, Jim. It's always a pleasure to be so warmly welcomed by you, as well as our fans![/I]" {Jim} "[I]The pleasure is all mine, Farrah, especially since we have such a great show lined up for this evening. But first I'd like to once again introduce to you our Head Booker, who worked so hard to put this show together for you tonight. Let's give a great big Seattle thank you to Karen Sorrenson![/I]" Crowd pops as Karen Sorrenson briefly appears on stage, taking her bows. {Jim} "[I]And also, please give a warm welcome to our referee tonight, Lois Hudson ladies and gentlemen![/I]" Crowd pops as Lois Hudson waves from ringside. {Jim} "[I]And now, folks, we have a special treat for you tonight. Because with us this very evening is a wrestler famed in Japan for her style, technique, and power. Earlier this evening, Sue Danes put together an introduction for this unique and talented athlete, DEVIL KARUBE![/I]" Minor crowd reaction as the Center darkens, the Titantron comes to life, and Jim and Farrah vacate the ring. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/DEVILKarube.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] The video begins, showing DEVIL Karube walking quietly in an Oriental rock & banzai garden, looking contemplative. {Sue Danes} "[I]In Japan, tradition rules supreme. Philosophy and meditation, dedication, work ethic, all serve to define the person, their place in society. In the world of wrestling in Japan, none personifies that way of life better than Umeko Karube.[/I]" The video continues, now showing Karube performing a slow kata in a classic Japanese paper-walled dojo. Oriental music, mostly drum and flute, echoes in the background. {Sue} "[I]The cousin of wrestling legend Ken Shimedzu, and an impressive joshi fighter in her own right, Karube has trained ceaselessly from an early age to perfect her art. For to Karube, wrestling is, indeed, an art.[/I]" The video now shows a montage of clips: Karube receiving training under Wrestling Masters, who pose her in various wrestling stances; Karube practicing katas in a formation of perfectly-synchronized wrestlers, stern-faced Masters looking on; Karube sparring with other wrestlers, all dressed in a variety of traditional Oriental fighting garb while the Wrestling Masters watch in the background. {Sue} "[I]The training regimen is grueling, but rewarding, forging both body and soul into the perfect fighting machine. And just as Japanese society places such demands of perfection on the individual, so Umeko Karube placed such demands upon herself.[/I]" Now the montage shows Karube fighting various wrestlers in the ring. {Sue} "[I]Making her debut in 2004, already a promising star-on-the-rise, she battled many a challenger, but only managed to make a name for herself as an impressive warrior. Recognition as the greatest wrestler in Japan eluded her. But the summer of 2006 saw a marked change overcome Umeko Karube...[/I]" The montage now shows Karube donning a Japanese Noh Devil Mask, looking fierce and gruesome, striking a martial arts guard pose. {Sue} "[I]Some say that it was due to a failing relationship with her then-tag-team partner, Yuma Maruya. Some say it was due to the influence of evil spirits. Still others say that it was foretold in omens, as Karube had begun her training in the year 2000, not only the turn of the Millennium but also known throughout the Oriental world as the Year of the Dragon. What ever the reason, Umeko Karube became DEVIL Karube, and for her, a new era was born.[/I]" The montage switches to clips of Karube fighting, obviously with a nastier style, dominating her opponents. {Sue} "[I]DEVIL Karube rose to meet, and exceed, many challenges as never before, and soon came to be both respected and feared in her native Japan. But with rising fame came fewer and fewer challenges to sate the warrior spirit within DEVIL Karube. And so she found her way here, to the United States, where new challenges, new warriors, and an entirely new world await her.[/I]" The montage shows Karube sparring with Wanda Fish, then Catherine Quine, and a few other Triple-A workers. {Sue} "[I]Only time, starting tonight, will tell whether DEVIL Karube can manifest the same indomitable spirit and overcome all challenges, as she puts our American warriors to the test.[/I]" The montage ends, traditional Japanese drum and flute still playing a haunting melody, to a fading image of Karube in her Noh Devil mask. [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/DEVILKarubeMask02.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D+[/COLOR])[/B] It was the fastest five minutes I've ever been through. Buttercup had gone over everything with my girls well before, and she had gone over it with Mexico and Karube as well, me translating for Karube of course. Even so, Buttercup felt the need to go over it again, fast, to try and catch them at mistakes or something, while the montage played. I'd tried to beg off, as I wanted to watch the montage, but Buttercup said she'd just go ahead without me. Sometimes I hate being a professional. I went and translated. Karube, Mexico, and my girls all had their parts down, which I was relieved with. Still, I was worried. Until Karube noticed. Then she swore on her heritage she would take care of Jen and Stephie personally. That made me feel better. Somewhat. Still, Karube's sly smile as she readied herself left me uneasy. Just before the four of them left for the ring, I pulled Karube aside. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Karube-san, remember to please remove your mask and robes as soon as you get to the ring.[/I][/FONT]}" She swung the mask my way. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I do not understand[/I][/FONT],}" she stated, and though I couldn't see her face, I could hear the confusion in her voice. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]It is because people here will misunderstand. They believe they came to see wrestling, not Noh. They will dislike you as a result[/I][/FONT],}" I explained. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]It is good for your entrance, but not after.[/I][/FONT]}" "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I understand[/I][/FONT],}" she said flatly, clearly displeased. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I apologize for our people here.[/I][/FONT]}" I said, bowing slightly. She laughed, then. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Ah, so. Do not be ashamed, Midnight-san. I understand now. I am only disappointed.[/I][/FONT]}" She bowed to me respectfully. She then turned, straightened herself like royalty, and regally swept out to the stage. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/DEVILKarube.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/MissMexico.jpg[/IMG] . [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/MissMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/MissyMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [B][SIZE="3"]DEVIL Karube & Miss Mexico[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]The Midnight Sisterz[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] {Jim Lou Freebush} "[I]Well, Farrah, this has been one heck of a match, I must say![/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Indeed it has been, Jim. With Miss and Missy Midnight still getting their wrestling legs under them, they've still put in a great showing of budding talent![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah, and now Miss Midnight, once again tagged in by her sister, enters to square off with DEVIL Karube.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, this is by no means a repeat of last Tuesday, either. The Midnights have tagged off pretty well this time, and have done a passible job of keeping Karube isolated from her corner.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]That's right, Farrah. A marked improvement over their debut match indeed, as these two notible up-and-comers seem destined to progress with every foray into the ring AND THERE GOES KARUBE, with a stunning spear, driving Miss Midnight into the turnbuckle![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Punishing, Jim, just punishing! DEVIL did that to Missy not too long ago, prompting her almost desperate tag with her sister...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]And DEVIL Karube now racing for her corner for a tag with Mexico and Miss Midnight recovers gives chase AND CUTS KARUBE OFF WITH A CHOPBLOCK, and the two of them go down once again![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, this has been pretty exciting! It's been going back and forth without let-up, and I bet the fog in London is clearer than trying to predict the outcome of this match![/I]" {Jim} "[I]You can say that again, Farrah, as Karube and Miss Midnight struggle to their feet, BOTH of them showing an apparantly indomitable will to win. It has indeed been going back and forth in a see-saw contest that sees neither team dominating, and indeed only holding on to momentum for a short time before loosing it, as Karube regains her ballance and lunges at Miss Midnight, a vicious clothesline that sends Miss Midnight crashing to the mat near her own corner, and Karube covers for the count, Miss Midnight struggling for the rope AND MISSY BLIND TAGS IN, Karube's noticed that and it's a race as Karube stands, Missy headed for the top rope and KARUBE GETS A KICK FROM MISS MIDNIGHT, knocking her off ballance, Missy [B]leaping off the top rope[/B] AND CATCHING KARUBE IN A DRAGONRANA! And down they go, Missy apparently recovered somewhat and rolls onto a groggy DEVIL for a pin attempt![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]What a move! Where is Missy getting it from?! She's barely recovered from Karube's last assault![/I]" {Jim} "[I]I don't know, Farrah, but as Hudson counts two it looks like Missy may have it AND THERE"S THE THREE FOR THE PIN, as the Midnight Sisterz pull a stunning upset, not only successfully fighting off DEVIL Karube and her partner, Miss Mexico, but pulling out a pinfall on the DEVIL herself! And unless I'm mistaken, Farrah, that's Missy Midnight's new signature move as well![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Right you are, Jim! The time has come, the bell has rung, and that, ladies and gentlemen, was the Stroke of Midnight![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And my goodness, ladies and gentlemen, a simply [B]thrilling[/B] finish to a great match here at Angel Athletic Association's Preshow. What a finish, and what a move, as the Midnight Sisterz show with increasing skill and talent that they, perhaps one day soon, will become a tag team to contend with![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]Midnight Sisterz win in 4:35 when Missy Midnight defeated DEVIL Karube by pinfall with a Stroke of Midnight.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR])[/B] "Tell me you translated that right!" Buttercup was livid. "Hey," I said, defensively, "Don't look at me, I didn't do anything..." "Tell me you frickin' translated that right!" Buttercup now was down right pissed. "Ok, ok!" I said, growing irritated myself. "I translated what you told her verbatum, no mistakes." That didn't molify Buttercup much. She turned on Karube. "What the hell was that out there?!" she demanded. "Not that I'm a bitch or anything, but I'm not very impressed with your little improv out there!" I translated. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Forgive me, Buttercup-san. I did not think it appropriate for the Midnight Sisters to loose.[/I][/FONT]}" Karube explained with a polite bow. Uh oh... I translated, though. Buttercup just about turned purple, stayed that way a moment, then calmed to just being upset. "That's not your call to make! I get the instructions from Sorely, and relay them to you. That means [I]I'm[/I] the one who decides what's appropriate or not, not you! Karen brought you all the way from Japan to make a run here for us, and you pull a stunt like this...!" Buttercup then turned on me. "How the hell did they set it up, anyway? Your kids know Japanese?" I finished translating, scowling, but had to admit inside it was a legitimate question. Especially since I was wondering that myself. "No, they don't speak any Japanese. And before you ask, neither does Mexico. And Karube doesn't speak any English, or Spanish either." "Well how the frig did they work it out, then?!" Buttercup demanded. I translated. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Ah,[/I][/FONT]}" Karube said, "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]the Midnight Daughters and I speak a common language of hand signs. They are very bright, and quickly understood what I was trying to convey.[/I][/FONT]}" Great. The girls were in on it. Something for me to [I]definately[/I] have a little chat with them about. Later. "Buttercup, they used hand signs, drew pictures or something." Buttercup scowled. "Ask her if she's a professional or not." I translated, but I didn't like it. Neither did Karube. But then Karube calmed, and even looked a little stricken. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I understand what Buttercup-san is trying to say. I did not follow her instructions as I should have. I violated her trust as Road Agent, especially on her first night, and so made her look poorly. I am shamed.[/I][/FONT]}" Karube bowed to Buttercup, a deep bow this time, and stayed that way. I translated, verbatum. Buttercup looked confused, partly angry and partly surprised. And, it turns out, partly satisfied. "Well... you don't have to go overboard. Just... Look, if you want to be here, then just... do what I say. Ok? And... and you don't have to bow like that. I'm not the frickin' queen..." Buttercup apparently hadn't expected Karube to plead guilty and throw herself on the mercy of the court like that. I translated. Karube vowed to never disobey Buttercup again, which I also translated. That pretty much settled Buttercup. Somewhat. "Miss and Missy!" Buttercup called, putting her angry face back on. Miss Mexico came over, looking like she was hoping she wasn't next in line for a balling-out. "What?!" Masterson called out, looking irritated since she was getting ready for her upcoming match, and she was a touch sensitive about people calling out to her in anger since it happened a lot. Buttercup turned purple again. "Miss and Missy MIDNIGHT!!!" Buttercup stalked off to scold my girls. And while I was tempted to follow right after and keep Buttercup to a dull roar, defend the girls, I didn't. After all, they had it coming. They'd recieved the same detailed instructions from Buttercup as Karube had. And it saved me from scolding them as well. For now... "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]I like Buttercup. She is very efficient at running the backstage and workers.[/I][/FONT]}" I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Karube. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Yes,[/I][/FONT]}" I agreed. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Cute kid, too. And good at what she does.[/I][/FONT]}" Karube nodded. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Yes. She is also very angry.[/I][/FONT]}" "Yeah," I agreed. "{[FONT="Georgia"][I]Yes, she is.[/I][/FONT]}" [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/Random_Female18.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/GraceHarper.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] The Titantron shows the backstage area near the locker rooms, Grace Harper sitting reading a magazine. Karen Sorrenson walks in, dark brown business suit, heels, clipboard and pen. {Karen Sorrenson} "[I]Ha deh, Grace.[/I]" {Grace Harper} "[I]Hey, Sorely[/I]." {Karen, consulting the clipboard} "[I]Grace, so you don't get rusty till next week, I'm giffing you a light match against Missy Masterson tonight.[/I]" {Grace, looking dubious} "[I]Sorely, I don't think that's necessary...[/I]" {Karen, scowling} "[I]Grace, it's Miss Sorrenson, and as long as I'm head booker, I'm assigning tha fights. Or would you care to take thet up with Miss Stardust?[/I]" {Grace, irritated} "[I]Sorry, [B]Miss[/B] Sorrenson. But I think I'm up for a little more than Little Missy Masterson. I mean, come on![/I]" {Karen} "[I]Ah. So you know, you may be in tha mood to argue, but I am not.[/I]" {Grace} "[I]Look, give me a break! Come on! Give me Brazzle or Plum or somebody![/I]" {Karen, scowling again} "[I]Ah. Still argue? You can [B]open[/B] than with Masterson. More arguemant?[/I]" Harper looks about to say something, but shuts her mouth. {Karen, with a satisfied nod} "[I]Akurat. Now, don't worry. it's just a little warm-up to keep you loose, yo?[/I]" {Grace, sighing and turning glum} "[I]Yes, ma'am...[/I]" Karen departs. Grace leaves for the locker rooms, clearly unhappy. [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E-[/COLOR])[/B] Needless to say, Harper was irritated. Being upper-mid card, she was in no mood to play patty-cake with Masterson. Not to mention that she'd been looking forward to a week off. I mean, sure. Once a week isn't a barn-burning schedule, but when you're used to once a month... At any rate, they quickly came up with a video to hype the coming match. Two videos, actually, probably courtesy of Jomo's quick thinking and being organized. First one hyping Harper as a contender of something or other. Then Masterson, ever the challenger. I didn't see the video, though. Been there, done that. Stock footage. Makes sense it didn't wow the crowd, which I'd heard was the case later. I was dealing with other things at the time. [B][I]Harper v/s Masterson hype video.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR])[/B] "Um... Hey there, ma'am!" That from the tall geeky one. Kid, probably still in high school or just out, tall and thin, kind of cute in a gawky kind of way I might have appreciated when I was decades younger. Nice button-down shirt, jeans, sneakers, looked like he'd slept in his clothes. Ballsy, too. He'd tapped me on the shoulder. I turned, taking him and his friend in. The other was a shorter, dumpy looking kid, same age I guessed. Dumpy in his manner of dress more then weight, though he did look to out-mass his partner by a dozen pounds or more. None of it muscle. He had on wire rimmed glasses and a kind of adoring look, when he was looking at me and not gawking around the backstage. Dressy looking slacks and shirt, the dress look put to rest by beat-up sneakers and a tan windbreaker that looked a couple sizes too large. The kind of kid that seemed to have a burning need to go to conventions on Star Trek or comic books if I judged him right. "Hey there," I said, and they both brightened somewhat. They thought this would go well. So I frowned. "I don't recognize you boys. So I bet you're not supposed to be back here." Apparently my level gaze complete with frown didn't phase the taller one. "Yo miss, it's cool. We got backstage passes," he said, holding up the end of his pass. I don't know what I hate worse. A white kid playing like he was a "brother from the hood", or a kid thinking attitude would play with me. His friend apparently had more sense. He got this horrified look and slapped 'Tall, Pasty and Yo' across the arm. I scowled at the tall one. "You know who I am?" I folded my arms, so as not to be even remotely tempted. These were kids, after all, besides which security was nearby if I really needed to 'get nasty'. Triple-A hires the kind of security that scares people. Big, burly, and professional looking. Like CIA or something. The tall kid looked puzzled for a second, till his friend clarified the issue. "Sure, ma'am! You're [I]Lorna Midnight[/I]!" he said, over-emphasizing my name and slapping his buddy in the arm again. I guess my rep holds true. The tall kid got even pastier. "I... I'm sorry, miss. really, I am! I didn't know!!!" Tall Pasty and Suddenly-Not-So-Yo stammered. His short buddy babbled an apology too. "Ok, ok," I said, holding up my hands. "Tell you what. Why don't you kids just beat it. Come back after the show, and we'll forget this ever happened. Ok?" They looked crestfallen, and promptly made clear why. "Um, ma'am," the short one said, "Security already tore our passes. We won't be able to come back..." He held up the ripped stub of his pass, and the tall one flipped his around to show me the ragged end of his as well. "We're so sorry! Please don't throw us out, we won't be any trouble at all!" I could see their point. It was like a theatre, but not. Security checked everyone for passes, which were one-time only. This wasn't some club where you got a hand-stamp. If they caught you trying to get in with an already ripped pass, they'd not just escort you out from the backstage. They escorted you out of the building. I scowled. "Where are your parents, anyway?" "They're in the seats, ma'am," Tall and Lanky answered, finally straightening his act out. "Um... we told them we were getting something at the concession..." "Yeah," Stubby chimed in. "Show hasn't started yet, you know, Preshow and all, and, um, we were gonna get right back, we won these passes from WJYX Radio yesterday, and wanted to score some autographs..." "Look, kids," I replied, trying to be patient. "Show's about to start. Passes are meant for [I]after[/I] the show, you should know that. Lot of activity is about to happen here, and you'll be seriously underfoot. Now go on. Scram before I call security." "Yes, ma'am," Stubby said sorrowfully. Ok, so maybe I was a bit hard on them. But hey, I got a rep, right? Besides, I wasn't lying. They could cause some serious problems if they stayed backstage. Lanky looked like he wanted to object, but Stubby grabbed him by the arm. "Sorry to have bothered you, ma'am." Stubby appologised for the two of them. They turned to go, Stubby even pushing his glasses up his nose. I sighed. That had done it. "Guys," I called sternly. They froze, then turned around to see me coming toward them with my hands in the pockets of my coat. They got sudden looks of, "Oh God, what did we do?!" I think they thought I would put the knuckles to them or call Security or something. So I pulled my hands out of my pockets, and held out two pristine backstage passes. The kids gaped. Blinked and everything. And stood there. Hey, so what? It was just to keep them out of trouble, you know. Out of [I]my[/I] hair, and out of the show's way. Wasn't like I was being nice or anything... Anyway, all us workers are given a small handful of passes each month to do with as we like. Usually for VIPs like press, talent scouts, sponsors, workers from other promos, celebrities, what-ever. I'd never used any of mine before. But I kept a few in my coat. You know. Just in case. "Well?" I asked, holding the passes out. They collected their mouths from off their chests and went for the passes, which I jerked back, just enough to keep them from grabbing them, but not far enough that they'd think they wouldn't get them. It got their attention. I looked Stubby, then Lanky, in the eye. "You guys know who I am, right?" They both nodded. "Ok. I got a rep to maintain. You [I]ever[/I] tell anyone I did this for you, I'll come looking. Got it?" I held out the passes. They took them, both looking pleased and awed. "Yes ma'am!" Lanky exclaimed. Stubby slapped his arm again. "Ow, what'd you do that for...!" Stubby looked at me reverently. "He meant 'no', ma'am! We won't tell a soul, honest!!!" "Oh, right! No ma'am," Lanky assured me, looking contrite and earnest, "we won't tell [I]nobody[/I]!" I nodded curtly. "All right, then. Get back to your parents. We'll see you after the show." "Yes ma'am!" they both exclaimed, turning to race off. I sighed, nodded, and turned to get busy. I had something to take care of... "Um, Mrs. Midnight?" That from Lanky. "Yeah?" I answered, turning around. "Um... Do you think your daughters, you know, Miss and Missy Midnight, will they be here after the show too?!" I scowled my fiercest scowl. "You know who I am, and you're asking me that question?" I took one step in their direction. They both got wide-eyed, and Stubby slapped Lanky on the arm. They fled. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/WendyAnderson.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]And now, ladies and gentlemen, Sue Danes is preparing for an interview of Wendy Anderson on her upcoming match here in the Preshow, so let's turn to the Titantron, shall we?[/I]" The Portland center goes dark as the Titantron comes to life, showing back stage. Sue Danes is on-camera, mike in hand, apparently waiting on something or someone. {Sue Danes} "[I]Thanks, Jim. We're waiting here, as we have word Wendy Anderson will be coming through on her way out to her match this evening... And here she comes now![/I]" The camera swings to view Wendy Anderson as she comes walking down the Locker Room hall. Anderson begins to smile as she sees Sue Danes and the camera crew. As Anderson comes out of the hall into the backstage, another figure steps out from behind some equipment nearby, difficult to see because it's dark there and the figure is all in black. {Wendy Anderson} "[I]Hey there, Sue![/I]" {Unknown Speaker} "[I]Hello, Wendy.[/I]" Anderson freezes in place, a horrified look on her face. She turns slowly, forces a smile and hesitantly waves to the dark-shrouded figure. {Anderson} "[I]Lorna... H... hi![/I]" Anderson breaks into a run as Lorna Midnight leaps after her. [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/WendyAnderson.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/LornaMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Um... So much for that interview, folks...[/I]" {Jim Freebush} "[I]Right you are, Farrah. Looks like Lorna Midnight's ambushed Wendy Anderson! But there's a lot of movement, hard to see exactly what's going on... Someone hold that camera still! OH MY! It looks like Midnight's caught Anderson, and now is proceeding to beat her down on the backstage floor![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, Midnight's looking good and angry about it, too![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah! And Anderson looks to be down and... Wait...!, Midnight's picked Anderson up in a Fireman's Carry, and is coming out toward the stage with her! What could she possibly be doing...?![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I got a baaad feeling about this, Jim...![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Yes, Lorna Midnight is proceeding through the backstage, and now she's coming out on stage, with Anderson still draped over her shoulders![/I]" {Farrah, horrified} "[I]Jim, I think Anderson's about to have a very bad day...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]I think you're right Farrah, and it looks like Anderson's coming around now, starting to struggle AND MIDNIGHT SLAMS ANDERSON DOWN in a Fireman's Carry Slam, right onto the stage! What could be prompting such an attack?![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, Jim, I can only guess right now, but...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Whoa! Looks like Midnight's not done yet, as she's pulling Anderson up by her hair, bending Anderson over before her AND SWINGS ANDERSON UP ONTO HER SHOULDERS! Oh my god, somebody do something! Lorna Midnight has got Anderson sitting on her shoulders, and now she's moving to the edge of the stage, No no NO! OH NO!!! Midnight has Powerbombed Anderson RIGHT OFF THE STAGE! My God! Right down into the equipment area, through a table, and onto the [B]concrete floor[/B]![/I]" {Farrah} "..." {Jim} "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, this is just terrible! Wendy Anderson is not moving, having been [B]crushed[/B] by a Release Powerbomb right off the stage, into the electronic equipment pit and the concrete floor there! And now Lorna Midnight is raising a finger in victory! What could possibly have prompted such a display of brutality?![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, I don't think that's victory. I think that's [B]number one[/B]...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]As in claiming she's number one?![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]No, Jim. One down, one to go. You remember Tuesday, when Wendy Anderson and Katherine Goodlooks beat down Lorna Midnight backstage? Unless I miss my guess, this is a revenge attack, Jim![/I]" {Jim} "[I]By gosh, I think you're right, Farrah! And if that's the case, then it's probably one down, TWO to go, because as you may recall, that attack Tuesday was prompted by a One Hundred Thousand Dollar bounty Raven Nightfall had offered to anyone who could take Lorna Midnight down![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Yeah, Jim. Bought and paid for, too! It's probably a good thing for Nightfall that she doesn't happen to be here tonight![/I]" {Jim} "[I]You can say that again, Farrah! However, Katherine Goodlooks [B]is[/B] here tonight! And now Lorna Midnight walks offstage, calmly and looking quite satisfied I must say, as security and paramedics are tending to Wendy Anderson who [B]still[/B] hasn't moved![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Looks like they're calling for a stretcher, Jim! Oh God, I hope she's alright...![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the evening has taken a turn for the worst, as Lorna Midnight has just decimated Wendy Anderson with a vicious Release Powerbomb, completely off the stage and onto the [B]concrete floor[/B] of the electronics pit! And with Katherine Goodlooks here tonight for a match of her own, one can only wonder: is it just a matter of time before Lorna Midnight strikes again?![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR], [COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR])[/B] Image Credits: [QUOTE]Pictures I'm using for: Lorna Midnight - 3D character art by [B]Finister Foul[/B] Miss and Missy Midnight - 3D character art by [B]timo/ugpsobta[/B] Image of the Noh Devil Mask [I]Daikijin[/I] from the [B]INOUE Corporation[/B] [url]http://nohmask21.com/[/url] [/QUOTE]

[NordVolf]

[CENTER] [U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [B]Week 1; January 2007[/B] [B][I]Saturday Spectacular Main Show[/I][/B] [I]Part 1[/I] [/CENTER] Well, the show must go on, huh? Yeah. Sure it does. And it did. The crowd was subdued, and I got to admit that I didn't blame them. It was, I guess I can say, the most wretched Preshow that Triple-A's had in a long time. And yeah, I was partly to blame. But some things work, some things don't. And some things just [I]have[/I] to be done. If nothing else, to see how things turn out. Or to finish up things other people put into motion. Right? Right. Everyone hoped that the rest of the show would go better. And yeah, I hoped so too. We'd see. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/JimLouFreebush.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/FarrahHesketh.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]For those of you just joining us from the intermission, welcome back to Angel Athletic Association's Saturday Spectacular, here in the Portland Center in breathtaking down-town Seattle, Washington. And welcome too to the near-capacity crowd of fans gathered here this evening to watch some of America's finest women wrestlers, here making their mark on the wrestling world in their own uniquely talented way. And welcome, too, to my partner here at the announcing table, our color commentator and former Angel Athletic wrestler herself, Farrah Hesketh![/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Thank you, Jim! It's so good to be here, all the fans raring to go for the Saturday Spectacular's Main Show![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Absolutely, Farrah! And Sue Danes thinks so as well, since she's backstage for an interview with Grace Harper. Sue?[/I]" [/QUOTE] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/GraceHarper.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] The Titantron comes to life, showing Sue Danes in the backstage area. {Sue Danes} "[I]Thanks, Jim! Here with me getting ready for her match in a few short moments is Grace Harper.[/I]" The camera widens out to show Grace Harper next to Sue Danes, looking a good deal less than enthused. {Sue} "[I]Grace, I understand that you are matched up against Missy Masterson in tonight's Main Show Opener. Quite the spot to kick off the evening![/I]" {Grace Harper, with contempt} "[I]Thanks for saying so, Sue. But everyone here knows I'm better than this. The fans, the other wrestlers, everyone. So let's just get this over with.[/I]" {Sue} "[I]Grace, you mean to say you don't want to be here?![/I]" {Grace} "[I]Oh, not at all, Sue. I'm happy to be here. But not to fight in the opener like some rookie curtain-jerker like Masterson. And facing Masterson herself at that![/I]" {Sue} "[I]Well Grace, Missy Masterson has been with Angel Athletic for a while now, and before that fought professionally in Canada...[/I]" {Grace, interrupting Sue} "[I]Look, let's not mince words. Masterson is a rookie. A starter. An amateur fit only to give inexperienced wrestlers a leg up. Not for someone like me. Our Head Booker thinks this will keep me limber for next week? I don't think so. I won't even break a sweat! I'm [B]way[/B] above Masterson. This match will be a complete waste of time, not to mention my talents. I'm going to walk out of there the winner, and Masterson is going to loose. Badly. Done deal. A foregone conclusion. End of story.[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D+[/COLOR])[/B] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/GraceHarper.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/MissyMasterson_alt10.jpg[/IMG] [B][SIZE="3"]Grace Harper[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Missy Masterson[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]And Grace Harper leaves the ring! What is she doing? What is going on?![/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]I don't know, Jim, but Grace has been unhappy with this match from the start.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]That certainly is true, Farrah, as not only her pre-match interview showed, but also her actions in the ring, as she's been continually thwarted in her attempts to destroy Masterson. It certainly hasn't improved Harper's disposition that Missy Masterson is proving [B]way[/B] more of a challenge than Harper thought she would![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]That's right, Jim! Right from the start Missy has proven to be a wily opponent, almost teasing Harper to catch her, taunting her even, while being able to deliver an occasional attack herself.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]I agree, Farrah, and here we are just about 4 minutes into this match, as Hudson begins the DQ 10-count, and unless Harper reenters the ring before the count is over, Masterson will win by disqualification![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, Harper's well aware of that, I think she has something else in mind...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]She does, as Harper has gotten a folding chair from the ringside concession table, and is returning to the ring with it! Oh lordy, I didn't think Harper was a garbage fighter![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, Jim, Harper's pretty angry about now, and I think you push someone far enough, they just might snap![/I]" {Jim} "[I]That may prove to be the case, as despite Hudson's warnings, Harper slides the chair into the ring and begins to climb in through the ropes AND MASTERSON'S GRABBED THE CHAIR![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I don't blame her, Jim! I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a chair shot, and I don't know anyone who would![/I]" {Jim} "[I]What a development, as Harper got the chair into the ring, but an oversight on her part leaves Masterson in possession of it! And Hudson and Harper now arguing animatedly, Harper trying to get past Referee Hudson to get the chair back and Masterson will have none of that! And the dance continues, ladies and gentlemen. Why doesn't Masterson just toss the chair out of the ring?[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I think Missy's worried Harper will just go out and get it again, Jim.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]You know, you may be right, Farrah, and now the argument between Hudson and Harper is getting heated, as it looks like the referee is blaming Harper for the chair being in the ring in the first place, and Harper pointing out she doesn't have it any more! Hudson turning occasionally to try to get Masterson to get the chair out of the ring...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Masterson's doing a good bit of dancing on her own, Jim! She's staying opposite Hudson to keep both herself and the chair out of Harper's reach...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, Masterson is OH! MASTERSON DUCKS AROUND THE REFEREE AND HITS HARPER WITH THE CHAIR! Oh my lord, ladies and gentlemen! Harper goes down and Masterson tosses the chair out of the ring![/I]" {Farrah, laughing} "[I]Yeah, and Masterson's now giving the ref a "what did I do?" look to boot![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, this is certainly a switch as Masterson realizes what she's done and JUMPS ON HARPER TO COVER FOR THE PIN! Ladies and gentlemen, what a turn of events, and now Masterson is yelling at Hudson to start the count! Hudson shaking her head, now Harper seems to be coming around, and Hudson seeing that starts the count![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, that seems fair, now that Harper is snapping out of it, gives her a chance to kick out or something...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]But Harper still seems groggy, perhaps she doesn't realize what's happening, and Masterson grabs a leg for leverage, up that leg goes, and Hudson counts two, a rather slow count apparently to give Harper a chance but Harper [B]still[/B] seems very dazed AND THERE'S THE THREE FOR THE WIN BY PINFALL! Ladies and gentlemen, in a stunning reversal of fortune, not only has Masterson defeated Harper, but Harper, being a known dirty fighter, has gotten beaten with her own weapon of choice I suppose you could say, and [B]Missy Masterson[/B] comes away with the win! Un-be-lievable! And now Masterson is screaming and jumping and carrying on, seems she just can't believe it either![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, Jim, this is the biggest win in Masterson's career to date! Huge, in fact![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Indeed, Farrah! What a [B]stunning[/B] upset that just had to be seen to be believed! Someone get Sue Danes in there for an interview or something![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]Masterson defeated Harper in 5:05 by pinfall after using a foreign object.[/I][/B](!) [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D-[/COLOR])[/B] Masterson jumped and danced like I'd never seen her do before. Sexy, too, like she was some diva or something. She played to the crowd, yelled and whooped, she was all over the place. And I must say, it wasn't half bad. In fact, I was impressed. Of course, she was so overjoyed that it took a while for her to realize Sue Danes was chasing her around for an interview. Sue taking a step in when it looked like Masterson was winding down, and Missy then jumping around again all unaware. Her antics were so infectious that it even seemed like the crowd was getting into it. Sue finally got Missy to settle down long enough for a few words. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/MissyMasterson_alt10.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Sue Danes} "[I]Missy Masterson, what prompted you to go ahead and use the chair?![/I]" {Missy Masterson, breathing heavily} "[I]Well, Sue... I knew that if I just tossed the chair out of the ring like... like the ref wanted, Harper'd just... go out there and get it again. And I... I didn't wanna just give the chair up, you know, 'cause... Harper wouldn't give me an opportune... opportunity like that again! So... so, I did the only thing I could think of to keep Harper... you know, from just getting the chair back![/I]" {Sue} "[I]I can understand that, and I think the fans can too. But it looked like you hesitated a long time before going for that pin attempt! What was going through your mind at the time?[/I]" {Masterson, still out of breath} "[I]Well... All I could think of was... 'Thank God, Harper didn't have that chair'!... And, um... Well, I guess it took me a couple seconds to realize... the opportunity for the pin I had. I really... really didn't mean to hit her that hard, but... you know, she would have hit [B]me[/B] that hard, so... so I guess all's fair in love an' war... you know?![/I]" Masterson breaks into a huge smile, and begins once again to laugh and shout and dance around the ring despite her being out of breath. {Sue, laughing} "[I]Well, there you have it, as Missy Masterson celebrates, completely overjoyed, for her [B]huge[/B] upset against Grace Harper, Masterson prevailing even as Harper sought to end the match by cheating her way to victory. Back to you, Jim.[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D+[/COLOR])[/B] "Well, how's your first show going?" I asked Buttercup a couple minutes later. Masterson had since calmed down enough to leave the ring, well after Harper'd slunk off almost unnoticed. Grace was very disappointed. Sure, as someone on the booking team she knew things like this happened, and she's a pretty good actor. But in that pre-match interview, only part of her was acting... "This isn't my first show," Buttercup said, casting me a 'thanks a lot' glance as she looked out from between the curtain and the apron wall. I joined her, looking out. "Well," I said, "this is your first show with us. Lot of new stuff. New venue, new workers to work with, new production crew. Like that." "Oh," She said thoughtfully. "Well, it's ok, I guess. I wish Grace wouldn't have ad-libbed the chair like that, though. Getting to be a frickin' habit with everybody tonight. Makes me wonder what I'm here for." Oh really? Huh. "Well, she was pretty upset before the match." "Yeah, but Masterson needs a leg up [I]some[/I] time," Buttercup countered. "I mean, come on. Harper's a heel. It's what happens." Buttercup then looked at me. "Say... You don't think Grace got that chair to actually try and [I]win[/I] the match, do you?" I shrugged. "No idea. But I doubt it. Probably trying for a DQ or something. Anyway, she's on the booking team, she knows which way the cookie crumbles. She knows it. I know it. You know it. But it's still got to be irritating to Grace. We got plenty of Faces higher up the card." "Yeah, well," Buttercup said with a sigh, "the match was Sorely's idea anyway." I think deep down Buttercup agreed with me, just didn't want to say it. She looked a little down about it, even though it was entirely not her fault since Sorrenson had made the call. Speaking of whom... Karen Sorrenson had entered the ring, mike in hand. "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, I haff an introduction to make tonight! Our newest member of Triple-A, and our new manager![/I]" She pointed to the top of the ramp, and everyone looked. At that point calls rang out for the Special Effects crew to start smoke from the ramp top. Thick black stuff, too, from the fog machines. No flares or other pyrotechnics in evidence. "Huh," I said, pointing it out to Buttercup. "That's a different entrance. New talent we haven't met yet?" Buttercup brightened into a grin, looking on. "Yeah. It'll be killer, I think!" she said, a smirk on her face. As if she'd made a pun or something. As we watched, music started up. High-hat cymbal beats with an underlying narrative: "[I]Who is this irresistible creature who has an insatiable love for the dead?[/I]"     "[I]Living Dead Girl![/I]" And Rob Zombie's [I]Living Dead Girl[/I] kicked in over the Center's speaker system. So much for keeping production costs down... [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/Random_Female18.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] The moment Rob Zombie's [I]Living Dead Girl[/I] main music begins, a dark-haired woman sashays out of the smoke-shrouded stage to the ramp top. She's dressed in a black, sleeveless, shoulder-strap corsetted gown, black leather-and-lace loop gloves, and patten leather 5-buckle-strap midcalf pumps. The woman pauses dramatically, then slinks down the ramp. At the bottom, the woman begins a dance that sees her move all the way around the ring. She dances sexily, seductively, with an air of creepiness imparted by her occasional, eery laugh. She plays to the crowd, leering and beckoning. On completely circling the ring she goes up the stairs and enters the ring itself, taking a mike from a waiting staff member. {Karen Sorrenson} "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, our newest addition to Angel Athletic Association, Karen Killer![/I]" At center ring, Karen Killer leans back impossibly far, her haunting, eery laugh echoing throughout the Portland Center. Karen Sorrenson takes this as her cue to vacate the ring. {Karen Killer, in a low, seductive voice} "[I]Hello, Seattle[/I]" Minor crowd pop. {Killer} "[I]Tonight, not only am [B]I[/B] making my debut, but as a Manager I'd like to introduce my newest clients. So without further adieu, come on out, Devil's Daughter and Vixxen! WILD TIMES, ladies and gentlemen![/I]" Again, Karen Killer's creepy, gleeful laughter echoes through the Center as Devil's Daughter and Vixxen appear in the dissipating smoke at ramp-top. Wild Times then walks down the ramp to the lingering beats of Rob Zombie. They enter the ring, joining Karen Killer, and begin to celebrate their new manager, playing to the crowd. [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KarenKiller_alt.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/DevilsDaughter.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/Vixxen.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Red"]F[/COLOR], [COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR], [COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR])[/B] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KatherineGoodlooks.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/LornaMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Well, ladies and gentlemen! A new manager, and apparently a new direction for Wild Times, as Karen Killer assumes the reins of that team, and if appearances are any indication, it can only mean darker times ahead for one of Angel Athletic's premier tag teams![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I guess so, Jim! Karen Killer has a reputation for dark, gothic types, and it looks like she's found plenty to her liking right here![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah. And none too soon, as everything looks ready for Wild Times' match with Goodlooking Bunny! And here they come now...[/I]" Goodlooking Bunny, Katherine Goodlooks and Jessica Bunny, make their way down the ramp to the ring as final preparations for the match are completed. The fans cheer Goodlooking Bunny all the way. {Farrah} "[I]Well, Jim, looks like the fans just love this duo![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah. Goodlooking Bunny has been a staple of Angel Athletic for quite a while now.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, they've been with Angel Athletic since 2004, and have been the darlings of Triple-A practically the entire time.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, Farrah, that close association and familiarity will be needed by Goodlooking Bunny, as you may be aware; their Tag Team Championship titles are on the line tonight![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]That's right, Jim. But that doesn't look to be bothering Goodlooking Bunny, as they're both playing to the love these fans have for them tonight...[/I]" (Jim} "[I]Hang on, Farrah! Katherine Goodlooks has stopped her celebrations, and is looking into the crowd with what seems to be a nervous look![/I]" {Farrah, surprised} "[I]You're right, Jim! She looks very concerned! Is that a fan or something?[/I]" The Titantron comes to life as the camera sweeps the crowd, zooming in and coming to rest in close-up on someone in a seat very near the ring, about three or four rows in from the front. {Jim} "[I]Oh my goodness, Farrah! That's Lorna Midnight in the audience, nearly in the front row![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]That [B]is[/B] her, isn't it! And she looks to be making a close study of Goodlooks too, if I'm not mistaken![/I]" {Jim} "[I]No, you're right, Farrah. Midnight has taken a seat in the audience apparently to watch this match! I certainly hope that Lorna Midnight doesn't disrupt anything...![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]That's not Midnight's style, Jim. But with what happened earlier to Wendy Anderson, I bet this will certainly be a concern for Katherine Goodlooks throughout the match![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah! And Katherine Goodlooks does indeed seem to be distracted from the final preparations for her match. We'll have to see if it proves telling to the match's results![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D[/COLOR])[/B] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KarenKiller_alt.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/DevilsDaughter.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/Vixxen.jpg[/IMG] . [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KatherineGoodlooks.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/JessicaBunny.jpg[/IMG] [B][SIZE="3"]Wild Times[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Goodlooking Bunny[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Folks, this has been one [B]heck[/B] of a contest this evening, as two tag teams, Wild Times and Goodlooking Bunny, are vying for Triple-A's Tag Team Championship title belts, currently held by Goodlooking Bunny.[/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]While that's very true, Jim, it's also looking like Goodlooking Bunny's going to loose that title, especially if Karen Killer has anything to say about it![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Quite right, Farrah! Karen Killer has been [B]all over[/B] the place in this contest, doing everything she can, and more, to win this match for her new clients![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, Jim, I hate to say it, but Karen Killer's been living up to her reputation, as everything she's done has been to cheat Wild Times into the Championship. She's consistently distracted Referee Hudson, and more than once has actually reached into the ring to mess with someone![/I]" {Jim} "[I]I take it you're referring, Farrah, to when Karen Killer reached in to grab Jessica Bunny's hair, to distract Bunny from the arm bar she had on Vixxen, or the time she kept pushing Katherine Goodlooks' hand away from the rope as Goodlooks was trying for a rope break from that choke hold Double-D had on her?[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, both those and more, Jim. Did you miss when Killer reached in and tripped Bunny as she was springboarding off the ropes for a move on Vixxen? Or when she actually grabbed Hudson to get her attention when Killer wanted to make that bogus call about Goodlooks cheating, or tripping Bunny right off the turnbuckle when Bunny went for the unusual move of a Sunset Flip against Double-D? It's a wonder Hudson hasn't called for a disqualification yet![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, Farrah, I must say she's tutored Wild Times very well, as each time she did those things, whichever one of Vixxon or Devil's Daughter were out of the ring would distract Hudson by entering the ring without tagging in, a classic tag team move that forced Hudson to order the offender out of the ring, and gave Karen Killer plenty of opportunity to do whatever it was she was doing, right behind Hudson's back![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, it didn't help, Jim, that Goodlooks was distracted pretty thoroughly almost the entire match by Lorna Midnight sitting in the audience![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Good point, Farrah! Lorna Midnight has been in attendance this entire time, sitting calm and patient, looking with apparently great interest to Katherine Goodlooks performance...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]And there she goes again, Jim! You almost missed it, Karen Killer's tossed a ringside technician's clipboard into the ring![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah, and as Hudson picks it up to clear the ring of debris, Vixxen grabs Bunny for what looks like a slingshot catapult, and Double-D OH!!! DEVIL'S DAUGHTER ENTERED THE RING FOR A LARIAT! A devastating combination slingshot catapult/lariat, and Hudson didn't see it so can't make the call![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, Devil's Daughter was nowhere [B]near[/B] enough to be tagged in, Vixxen being almost ring-center for that catapult![/I]" {Jim} "[I]That's right, Farrah, and Vixxen leaves the ring as if she'd tagged Devil's Daughter in, leaving a nearly [B]unconscious[/B] Jessica Bunny to the tender mercies of Devil's Daughter! And now Double-D grabs the legs, will this be another slingshot catapult... NO! Devil's Daughter rolls Jessica Bunny up into a Boston Crab! And Hudson looks on, not having realized what happened, as Double-D begins to apply pressure![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, that woke Bunny up![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Indeed, Farrah, as Bunny starts to yell, clearly in pain as Devil's Daughter bends back to just [B]stretch[/B] Bunny so very painfully![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, I think this is it! Wild Times has been very wily and unrelenting, and this could see the change in ownership of those title belts right here![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah, as Jessica Bunny, in considerable agony now AND THERE'S THE TAPOUT, as Jessica Bunny, first decimated by that combination catapult/lariat and then just agonized with that Boston Crab, couldn't take it and tapped out! Ladies and gentlemen, Hudson calls for the bell, meaning that Devil's Daughter has defeated Jessica Bunny by submission! And the Angel Athletic Tag Team Champion Titles go to Wild Times! And Jessica Bunny now being helped out of the ring by Katherine Goodlooks, Bunny [B]still[/B] apparently both dazed by the devastating combination from Wild Times and in lingering pain from that Boston Crab.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, it looks like Goodlooks is still distracted, as she's not even complaining to Hudson about the call! In fact, I think Goodlooks missed that illegal 'tag-in' as well![/I]" {Jim} "[I]I think you're right, Farrah. Katherine Goodlooks apparently completely missed that move, it happened so fast that if I hadn't been watching I would have missed it myself! And now Karen Killer enters the ring, and it looks like Wild Times is setting up for a celebration. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the championship belts are brought in, and that makes it final, folks, as [B]Wild Times[/B] are the new Angel Athletic Association's Tag Team Champions![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Say, Jim... Have you seen Lorna Midnight?[/I]" {Jim} "[I]What? She's not seated in the audience anymore?[/I]" The Titantron comes to life as the camera's view shows an empty seat where Lorna Midnight had been sitting... [/QUOTE] [B][I]Wild Times defeat Goodlooking Bunny in 7:52 when Devil's Daughter defeated Jessica Bunny by submission after blatantly cheating. Wild Times win the AAA Tag Team Titles.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR])[/B] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KarenKiller_alt.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/DevilsDaughter.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/Vixxen.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Sue Danes} "[I]Jim, Farrah, I'm here in ring center with Karen Killer, while around us Wild Times, Devil's Daughter and Vixxen, celebrate their winning of the Tag Team Championship Titles. Karen Killer, with a clearly tainted win such as your team had tonight, aren't you worried about an aura of illegitimacy to this championship?[/I]" {Karen Killer, laughing} "[I]Oh, please, Farrah! We won the titles and that's all that really matters! And if anyone objects they can just get in the ring with our Tag Team Champions and take it away from us! Of course, with me in charge, that's not going to happen any time soon, now, is it?[/I]" {Sue} "[I]Perhaps not, Karen. And having cemented this 'victory', and I use the term loosely, what are your future plans for Wild times?[/I]" Karen laughs enthusiastically. {Karen} "[I]Why Sue! You are [B]so[/B] clever, I just love you! And as for Wild Times, you haven't seen anything yet! I have big plans, very big plans indeed, and as the days and weeks unfold, you'll have more than your share of things to report on. Now, if you'll excuse me, we have some Tag Team Champions to celebrate![/I]" Karen Killer goes back to celebrating the championship win with Wild Times, playing to the crowd. {Sue Danes} "[I]And there you have it, folks. Karen Killer, not caring about winning by hook or by crook, as long as her new clients, Wild Times, win. And with that, it certainly looks like the ushering in of a new and gloomy era for the shadowy, gothic side of Angel Athletic Association. Back to you, Jim.[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D-[/COLOR])[/B] [QUOTE] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Thank you! Sue Danes, ladies and gentlemen, interviewing Karen Killer, the new manager for Angel Athletics' gothic tag team, Wild Times, as the celebration continues for the victory of Wild Times over Goodlooking Bunny to win the Tag Team Championship Titles.[/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Jim, with Goodlooking Bunny having been defeated like they were, it seems they [B]very[/B] quietly left the ring.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Indeed, Farrah, and a somber departure it was, as Katherine Goodlooks escorted her partner, Jessica Bunny, who still looked dazed and in quite a bit of pain from a conjunction of a devastating combination slingshot catapult/lariat from Wild Times and an immediate Boston Crab from Double-D that forced Jessica Bunny into submission.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]You know, Jim, I like Goodlooking Bunny a lot. I hope Jessica Bunny's alright...[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, let's find out, shall we? Can someone get a camera backstage, so we can see how they're doing?[/I]" The Titantron comes obediently to life, showing Katherine Goodlooks easing Jessica Bunny onto a convenient table. Goodlooks appears very concerned, looking around for someone. {Katherine Goodlooks} "[I]Now you just lie down here, Bunnyhoney, I'll go get the paramedics, they're bound to be around here [B]someplace[/B]...[/I]" {Voice of someone off-camera} "[I]Hey there, Goodlookin'.[/I]" {Katherine Goodlooks, turning with a suddenly pleased look} "[I]Why, thank you, honey! That's so swee...[/I]" Lorna Midnight steps from behind some equipment, arms folded and a dark scowl in place. She says nothing further. {Goodlooks} "...!" Goodlooks bolts for cover and Midnight gives chase! [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KatherineGoodlooks.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/LornaMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Farrah} "[I]Oh no! Jim, was that...?![/I]" {Jim, surprised} "[I]Yes, Farrah, that's Lorna Midnight, in hot pursuit of Katherine Goodlooks through the backstage area! And what we had all feared would happen looks to be coming to pass, as Midnight attempts to catch Goodlooks to do who-knows-what to her![/I]" Midnight chases Goodlooks through the backstage area, Goodlooks pushing desperately past backstage staff and crew and Midnight just knocking them out of her way. {Farrah} "[I]Jim, Midnight's loosing ground, she doesn't look to be pushing the chase! Goodlooks may get away![/I]" Goodlooks runs desperately around a corner and runs headlong right into a rolling clothes rack being pushed to someplace. Goodlooks tumbles, tail-over-teakettle, in a flurry of limbs and clothing, coming to rest in a sprawled tangle of garments. Lorna Midnight rounds the corner and stops, then casually steps over the overturned rack towards Goodlooks. {Goodlooks, desperate} "[I]No! Lorna, honey...! Please NO![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Ohmygod! I can't watch...![/I]" {Jim} "[I]My sentiments exactly, Farrah OH MY GOSH, ladies and gentlemen, Lorna Midnight is now laying into a helpless Katherine Goodlooks with punches, and Midnight hits Goodlooks with a vicious Elbow Smash! Goodlooks flops back onto the floor, just LEVELED by Midnight![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Tell me when it's over, Jim![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And now Midnight picks a stunned Katherine Goodlooks up into a Fireman's Carry... Oh my! It looks like... Yes, Lorna Midnight is carrying Katherine Goodlooks toward the stage in a frightening repeat of her attack on Wendy Anderson earlier tonight! This bodes very ill indeed for Goodlooks. And now Midnight has arrived on-stage and pauses, looking around at the crowd! And the fans are just horrified, and showing it![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I am too, Jim! Oh God...![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And Midnight pauses still, surveying the stage as a couple security guards attempt to intervene, pleading with Lorna Midnight not to carry this any further.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Oh, Jim, security apparently doesn't dare go within arms reach of Midnight, even with her carrying Goodlooks. Look at her, Midnight's staring them down now![/I]" {Jim} "[I]But Midnight still hasn't done anything further... Could Lorna Midnight be having a change of heart? Will she have mercy on a helpless Katherine Goodlooks? Perhaps so, as Midnight lets go the leg and...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Oh, please, Lorna Midnight, let Goodlooks go![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Wait a second, folks! Midnight maneuvers Goodlooks into a Cravate OH MY NO!!! Oh my goodness, ladies and gentlemen, Lorna Midnight has just dropped to one knee, flipping Katherine Goodlooks in a nasty Snapmare RIGHT OFF THE STAGE and into the electronics pit below! In a horrifying repeat of what she did to Wendy Anderson earlier this evening, Katherine Goodlooks has been unceremoniously thrown into the electronics pit from off the stage, to be [B]devastatingly[/B] blasted through a table full of equipment and to the concrete floor below![/I]" {Farrah, horrified} "[I]She's not moving, Jim! Katherine Goodlooks is not moving![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Someone get some paramedics over there! Oh my... I'm just about speechless, folks... and now Lorna Midnight, in apparent confirmation of what we speculated earlier, holds up two fingers![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Oh my lord, Jim! Oh... Lorna Midnight has gotten revenge on the second of her attackers from just this last Tuesday! And I'll say it again, it certainly looks like a lucky thing Raven Nightfall is not here this evening![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Farrah, it remains to be seen if Lorna Midnight meant two of two, or two out of three in her quest for revenge. And now, once again, Midnight walks calmly off the stage into the backstage area, looking satisfied with the results of her [B]devastating[/B] attack against Katherine Goodlooks, who is now being tended to by paramedics, as they have called for a stretcher to evacuate Goodlooks to a waiting ambulance.[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR], [COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR])[/B] Image Credits: [QUOTE]Pictures I'm using for: Lorna Midnight - 3D character art by [B]Finister Foul[/B] [/QUOTE]

[NordVolf]

[CENTER] [U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [B]Week 1; January 2007[/B] [B][I]Saturday Spectacular Main Show[/I][/B] [I]Part 2[/I] [/CENTER] Ok. Go ahead and say it. I'm a cruel bitch. I hurt people. I'm good at it. I practice at it, day in and day out. I build and maintain strength, skill, I hone my talent. It's what I do. It's what I am. And I make no apologies. I'm a cruel bitch. Or maybe I'm not. Maybe, I'm just responding to what [I]other[/I] people do, with my own, inimitable flair. After all, I'm only one person in this aggregate of workers who, day in and day out, study, and train, and work, looking for better ways in which to hurt one another. Which is what scares me sometimes. That one day, I will hurt someone in a way that is profound, and total, and irreparable. I'm not worried at all that I'll be hurt. I know how to defend myself. Protect myself. I've known that ever since that time long ago on Okinawa, when that little old, old man took me and my husband in. Into that little beach house, just outside that quiet, sleepy fishing village. Made us welcome. Made us a part of his family. And taught us things... But I worry about everyone else. So far, that day hasn't happened yet. I have yet to really hurt someone in that profound, total, and irreparable way. But I worry about it. Which is why I work so hard, day in and day out, to find new ways of protecting the people I work with. To build and maintain strength to hold them. To build and maintain skill and hone talent in order to cover them, protect them, and keep them safe. I'm not a show-off about it. I don't brag about it, how safe I try to be, or how I care so much about the people I work with. I just do it. Quietly. Unhurriedly. Unspoken. In a twisted way, that very unspokenness hurts them a lot of times. I can tell. A look here. A gesture there. Maybe even just a feeling in the air between us. But I can see it. I [I]know[/I] it. Because in their own way, just like every one of the rest of us, if you don't tell someone you care, the only thing left for them to believe is that you don't. So in that way, yeah. I'm a cruel bitch. Because no one around me knows just how much I care about them. Well... except for my daughters. But there's obvious reasons for that. But enough about me. There's a show going on. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/JimLouFreebush.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/FarrahHesketh.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Welcome back, folks, to the second half of Angel Athletic Association's Saturday Spectacular, a show that has proven to be a roller coaster of events, from great matches to devastating between match occurrences which had left everyone, including myself, breathless.[/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Me too, Jim. But this brief intermission has left everyone collected and refreshed, and we're all raring to go, eager for what the second half of this show will bring![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, Farrah, one of the things it will bring is Sue Danes, who even now is backstage for pre-match interviews with Cherry Bomb and Suzanne Brazzle! Sue?[/I]" [/QUOTE] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/CherryBomb.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] The Titantron comes to life, showing Sue Danes backstage. {Sue Danes} "[I]Thanks, Jim. I'm here backstage with Cherry Bomb, to discuss her upcoming match with Suzanne Brazzle.[/I]" The Camera widens to show Cherry Bomb, this time with her own microphone. {Cherry Bomb} "[I]You say that like it's a big thing, Sue. Well, it is for [B]ME[/B]. But not for BRAZZLE! The only big thing that lowlife pile of fermented cow patty will see is the shockingly huge HOSPITAL BILLS![/I]" {Sue} "[I]Well, that's quite the confidence you have there...[/I]" {Cherry} "[I]I have every right to be confident! That little mealy-mouthed miscreant Brazzle should have been cut out of Triple-A's roster like an ugly, cracked and yellow-stained, ingrown toenail a long time ago! She doesn't DESERVE to be in the ring with me. She won't like being in the ring with me. Because I'm going to drop the [B]BOMB[/B] on her![/I]" {Sue} "[I]Well, Cherry, it [B]has[/B] been said that tonight's match, coming before the big push for the Angel Athletic Top Contender championship, will be a preview of what may happen in that contest, as you and Brazzle, along with Gorgon, will be vying for that title.[/I]" {Cherry} "[I]Of course it will be, Danes! Tonight's match will be just like the Top Contender Championship! Because tonight I'm going to give Brazzle a preview of PAIN. I'm going to make her suffer almost as much as she will in the championship fights! I'm going to roll her up into a little ball, tie her up in knots, and punt her like a soccer ball CLEAN OUT OF THE PORTLAND CENTER![/I]" {Sue} "[I]... Wow...[/I]" {Cherry} "[I]Wow is right, Danes! Wow to ME! Not wow to Brazzle. That little forgettable memory of what never has been is WORTHLESS! I had a good mind earlier to rip her apart tonight and then sell her pieces on E-Bay, but then I realized how WORTHLESS she really is! It would be like those stupid little things you see people try and sell on Jay Leno. Up next for bid is Suzanne Brazzle's left arm. What do you say, people, Sold or Not Sold?[/I]" {Cherry Bomb, leaning in till her face completely fills the camera view} "[I][B]NOT SOLD!!![/B][/I]" {Cherry, retreating from the camera and looking around} "[I]Speaking of which, where is that little sack of hair-ball cat puke?! Let's hear what she has to say before I rip her apart, chew her up and SPIT HER OUT, and then drop the BOMB on her! [B]BOOM[/B]!!!![/I]" {Cherry, stalking off camera to the left} "[I]Come out, you little Brazzle-dazzle fuzzy-headed FREAK! WHERE ARE YOU!?![/I]" {Sue Danes, composing herself} "[I]Well... And, there goes Cherry Bomb, as always her... unique self. But Cherry should have looked no further for Suzanne Brazzle, because here she comes now![/I]" [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/SuzanneBrazzle_alt1.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Suzanne Brazzle, coming on-camera from the right} "[I]Hey there, Miss Danes![/I]" {Sue, laughing} "[I]Hi there, Miss Brazzle![/I]" {Brazzle, looking in the direction Cherry had gone with a grin} "[I]Wow... Looks like somebody forgot to take her meds this morning or something...![/I]" {Sue, laughing} "[I]It certainly seems that way, Suzanne. But tell me, with Cherry Bomb clearly off the deep end and spoiling to put some hurt on you when your match with her starts in a few short moments, how are [B]you[/B] feeling about it?[/I]" {Brazzle} "[I]Well, Miss Danes, I'm feeling pretty good, actually. I've been wrestling a long time, and have fought all kinds of wrestlers from the sane to the psychotic. And I'm here to tell you, I'm ready for anything Cherry has to throw at me![/I]" {Sue} "[I]And how do you feel about some people's contention that tonight will be a precursor to your upcoming battles for the Triple-A Top Contender title with Cherry Bomb and Gorgon? Do you feel that tonight in any way could be a preview of how that Championship battle will go?[/I]" {Brazzle} "[I]Well, Sue, Cherry Bomb is a heck of a fighter. She's a bit out there, but that doesn't seem to slow her down any. But while she's one tough customer, I'm confident I'll show her what's what tonight. As for the Top Contender Championship, I can't predict the future and I don't believe anyone else can either. Anything can happen, and we all have our good and bad days. I'm confident, though, and for now I'm taking it one day, one match, at a time.[/I]" {Sue} "[I]Thanks, Suzanne! Well, it's time to let you go, as your match will start any moment![/I]" {Brazzle, departing off-camera to the right} "[I]Thanks, Miss Danes![/I]" {Sue, turning to the camera} "[I]And there you have it. Two wrestlers, in a face-off tonight that may well portend the coming AAA Top Contender Championship contest...[/I]" {Cherry Bomb, coming on-camera from the left} "[I]Was Brazzle just here?! Did you just interview her?![/I]" {Sue, pointing the way Brazzle had gone} "[I]Why yes, Cherry. She went out to get ready for the match, as I suspect you should as well.[/I]" {Cherry} "[I]HAH! I knew that sneaky, sniveling little snot nosed fish-bait worm wouldn't have the nerve to face ME in an interview! SHE FEARS ME! But she'll know better the meaning of fear after this match, because I'm going to DROP THE [B]BOMB[/B]...[/I]" {Sue} "[I]Um, shouldn't you be going out for your match...?[/I]" {Cherry} "[I]Oh, yeah. Right! Here...[/I]" Cherry Bomb goes to hand Sue the microphone, but does it so fast that instead Sue gets rapped in the knuckles with it. {Sue} "[I]OW!!![/I]" {Cherry} "[I]Oh. Sorry Sue. Next time grab the mike, for Chrise' sake![/I]" {Cherry, turning to the camera} "[I]Here, give this to her when she's feeling better...[/I]" Cherry hands the mike to the camera man, then leans in till her whole face fills the view. {Cherry} "[I][B]BOOM!!![/B][/I]" Cherry stalks off-camera to the right, leaving Sue Danes shaking and flexing her hand in obvious pain. {Sue, through gritted teeth} "[I]Jim? Back to you...[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]Cherry Bomb and Suzanne Brazzle Interviews. Suzanne Brazzle has switched to her Clean Cut gimmick.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D[/COLOR], [COLOR="Orange"]D[/COLOR])[/B] [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/CherryBomb.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/SuzanneBrazzle_alt1.jpg[/IMG] [B][SIZE="3"]Cherry Bomb[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Suzanne Brazzle[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Well, ladies and gentlemen, once again we find ourselves in the midst of the action here at the Portland Center, viewing a match that has been simply spectacular, and Suzanne Brazzle and Cherry Bomb once again struggle to rise after a mutual assault that left them both on the mat! I love this job![/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Isn't that the truth, Jim! And having been a wrestler myself for Angel Athletic for a good many years, I can tell you from personal experience that they love their jobs too! There's nothing like being in the ring in a contest of skill, determination, and thrills! Nothing like it, Jim![/I]" {Jim} "[I]I hear you, Farrah, and now both combatants have regained their feet and are circling warily, and if this is, indeed, a portent of what is to come in the future Top Contender Championship contest, we are in for one [B]hell[/B] of a ride![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I bet it is, Jim. These two are laying it on the line tonight, but that's nothing compared to what a wrestler puts on the line when a Championship is at stake! I've seen people do things I never have before, or since, in their desire to win![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, as a three-time Femme Fatale Champion in your own right, Farrah, that is no small claim! And now Brazzle suddenly charges Cherry hoping to take her by surprise AND CHERRY COUNTERS WITH A SCOOP POWERSLAM! Oh! And Cherry gets up instead of trying for the pin attempt, now getting Brazzle up by her head AND THERE IT IS, ladies and gentlemen, Brazzle has been hoisted aloft, inverted by her head, in the first part of Cherry Bomb's signature move, the Cherry Bomb![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Jim, that variant of a Suplex, in fact a Delayed Vertical Suplex, is particularly difficult since it pauses with your opponent literally held in the air by strength alone![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And what a power move it is, as the crowd begins a signature of it's own, goaded by Cherry, into a count![/I]" {Farrah, laughing} "[I]You got to hand it to Cherry, she can be a real ham, and with strength enough to burn, I think Brazzle's going to be up there a while![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And as the crowd counts sixteen it looks like you're right, Farrah, as Brazzle can do nothing but wait for the inevitable! And now the crowd counts twenty, and Brazzle starts to struggle UNBALANCING CHERRY AND THERE IT GOES as Cherry Bomb delivers the finale of the Cherry Bomb, slamming Brazzle mercilessly after 24 SECONDS HELD ALOFT, and Cherry flips around for the pin attempt! Brazzle looking quite dazed from that nasty, powerful Suplex, and Hudson counts two... AND THERE'S THE THREE! Cherry Bomb lives up to her word, as she has just [B]decimated[/B] Suzanne Brazzle with her signature Cherry Bomb for the win![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]Cherry defeats Brazzle in 8:14 by pinfall with a Cherry Bomb.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]C-[/COLOR])[/B] You got to hand it to Cherry and Brazzle. Two solid competitors that can pack in a good performance no matter what. Of course, without the Top Contender Title on the line, it just meant a good time. And next up? What I hoped would be a good match. A real good match. After all, I had to do [I]something[/I] to redeem myself. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/CatherineQuine.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Sue Danes} "[I]Jim, Farrah, I'm here ringside with Catherine Quine discussing her upcoming match with Lorna Midnight.[/I]" The camera widens out to show Quine and Danes just off the ring apron. {Sue} "[I]Catherine, with all that's happened tonight, what with Lorna Midnight brutally attacking Wendy Anderson and then Katherine Goodlooks, how are you feeling about climbing into the ring with her?[/I]" {Quine} "[I]Well, Sue, first off, this is the ring, so I don't have any worries about being ambushed. If I don't expect to be attacked here, then I'm in the wrong business![/I]" {Sue, laughing} "[I]Good point! But seriously. Your fight last Tuesday with Wanda Fish showed that perhaps you're not at the top of your game. And now you're going to be climbing into the ring with one of the most brutal and cruel of Triple-A's roster. Doesn't that concern you?[/I]" {Quine, sighing} "[I]Look, Midnight may be a lot of things. But when we get into that ring, she's all business, and a good fighter. And just to cue you in, Midnight may be brutal, but she's no sneak attacker, and not as nasty as others around here. And as near as I can recall, I've [B]never[/B] seen her cheat in a match. I don't have any worries[/I]" {Sue} "[I]So you're defending her?[/I]" {Quine} "[I]No, of course not. I don't know exactly what her problem is with Anderson, Goodlooks, and the whole Nightfall thing. Lorna and I don't talk. I make it a point not to hang out with people like her. But I know [B]myself[/B], and even though Midnight's tough, I can handle her. So you don't have to worry about me. All I'm lookin' for is a good clean fight, and I know Midnight'll give me a hell of a workout to boot.[/I]" {Sue} "[I]Thank you, Cat, and good luck![/I]" {Quine} "[I]Why thank you! Any time, Sue![/I]" {Sue} "[I]Well, there you have it, Jim. Catherine Quine, ready for anything that Lorna Midnight has to throw at her in tonight's match and confident that she will come away the victor. Jim?[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]C-[/COLOR])[/B] Oh good lord. "! makes it a point not to hang out with people like her"? *chuckle* Oh kay. Fine. Be that way, Cat. We'll see... [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/CatherineQuine.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/LornaMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [B][SIZE="3"]Catherine Quine[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Lorna Midnight[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush, over general PA} "[I]And now, ladies and gentlemen, introducing out next bout for this evening's Angel Athletic Association [B]Saturday Spectacular[/B], in a classic one-fall singles match, is our defender, Catherine 'The Cat' [B]QUIIIINE[/B][/I]!" Minor crowd pop {Jim, back on announcing audio} "[I]And 'The Cat' takes the ring, now awaiting Lorna Midnight to make her entrance.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]And if I know Midnight, Jim, it'll be an interesting entrance, to be sure![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And as usual, I'm betting Midnight will be inspecting the ring![/I]" {Farrah, giggles briefly} "[I]Of course, Jim! It's rare that Midnight fails to look the whole thing over, even if just briefly. It's like an airline pilot giving the plane a once-over before a flight or something.[/I]" {Jim, laughs} "[I]You know, that's a pretty accurate analogy now that I think about it, Farrah! Ah, and here's the cue for Lorna Midnight...[/I]" {Jim Freebush, over general PA} "[I]And our Challenger this evening, as tough and brutal and as bad as they come, Lornaaaaa [B]MMMIDNIIIIIGHT[/B][/I]! The Portland Center darkens, similar to when the Titantron is cued, as the beginning strains of Rammstein's "[I]Sonne[/I]" echo through the Portland Center, complete with it's opening count in German. As the count progresses, various lights appear on the ramp and stage, the glow building with the count to reveal a backlit figure shrouded in darkness at ramp top... "[I]Eins. Zwei. Drei. Vier. Fünf. Sechs. Sieben. Acht. Neun. AUS![/I]" [SIZE="1"]"{[I]One. Two, Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. OUT![/I]}"[/SIZE] Pyrotechnics burst forth along with full lighting, as Lorna Midnight takes slow, dramatic strides down the ramp, her coat billowing behind her. As she reaches ramp bottom she commences a normal, bad-ass walk to the ring steps. Midnight dramatically doffs her coat in a sweep that sees the coat fan out, coming to rest across her arm. She extends her arm, almost as an afterthought, allowing her coat to be taken by a waiting "stage-hand" almost as if she doesn't notice. Midnight's entire attention is focused in her stare at Quine in the ring. Midnight then mounts the stairs and climbs through the ropes into the ring. {Jim, back on announcing audio} "[I]Now [B]that's[/B] an entrance, Farrah![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Well, that's classic Midnight, Jim![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And now Lorna Midnight presents her gloved hands to Referee Hudson for inspection...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]That's right Jim. It's almost a tradition with Lorna Midnight! Ever since the allegations two years ago, brought by Raven Nightfall, that Midnight had padded her gloves with lead, Midnight has done this.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]I remember that, Farrah! And as I recall, Raven Nightfall's nose [B]was[/B] broken in that match, and she was out of the wrestling scene for a time on doctor's orders while it healed.[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Right, Jim. But Midnight was later exonerated by witnesses and a subsequent quite public investigation, which incidentally was insisted upon by Nightfall.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]And so the tradition continues, Hudson apparently satisfied and giving Midnight the nod, and now Lorna Midnight begins what looks to be a brief inspection of the ring![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Right, Jim. A lot of people say that since the incident where she was accused of cheating like that, Midnight hasn't trusted anyone or anything since, so she inspects the ring just to be sure. But [B]I[/B] think that ring inspection is a subtle statement against the people who would question her integrity. You know, showing the ridiculous extremes such things can climb to. But that's just me.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, as a former wrestler with Triple-A yourself, Farrah, I don't doubt that's true. And apparently Midnight, knowing Catherine Quine as her opponent tonight doesn't stoop to anything but honest wrestling, has kept the inspection mercifully short. And as she finishes up, let's turn things over to Ring Center and Referee Lois Hudson...[/I]" Lorna Midnight joins Hudson and Quine at ring center. {Hudson} "[I]All right. This is a standard, one-fall singles match. Standard match rules apply.[/I]" {Hudson, looking from wrestler to wrestler} "[I]All right. Follow my instructions at all times. Break when I tell you to. You both know the rules. We have an understanding? Quine?[/I]" {Quine} "[I]Not a problem, Miss Hudson.[/I]" {Hudson} "[I]Midnight?[/I]" Lorna Midnight simply nods, her gaze not wavering from Quine. {Hudson} "[I]All right. Go to your corners, and let's have a good fight![/I]" Quine turns to go to her corner, Hudson stepping back from ring center preparing to call for the bell. But as Quine glances back towards Midnight before getting even half way to her corner, Midnight charges across the ring. {Jim Freebush} "[I]Whoa! Midnight charges Quine with a Flying Lariat! And it looks like the fight is on, ladies and gentlemen, even before Hudson calls for the bell![/I]" [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, these two wrestlers have been going at it for a [B]good[/B] 5 minutes plus now without let up, in an all-out contest like I haven't seen in a long time![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I'll say, Jim. It's like [U]Clash of the Titans[/U] or something! I don't know what happened, whether Lorna Midnight is angry with Catherine 'The Cat' Quine or something, but Midnight just cut loose on Cat even before the bell![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right you are, Farrah! Hudson finally just called for the opening bell, and has pretty much had to let things go, these two are so intense![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Yeah, Jim, but they've been fighting pretty cleanly! Midnight especially has been giving it [B]everything[/B] she has, and hasn't cheated once.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]And the two times Hudson called for a break...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Like that rope break when Quine beat out Midnight's attempt at her Midnight Sleeper?[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Exactly, Farrah! Even as Hudson was calling for the break Midnight just let Quine go, stepped back...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]And the two of them ran together like [U]Titans[/U] again![/I]" {Jim} "[I]That's right, Farrah! Those running, mutual collisions have taken a heavy toll on both these women, and now it looks like Lorna Midnight is tiring![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]I agree, Jim! Not only has Midnight thrown everything, including the Kitchen Sink, at Quine, but I believe her attacks on Anderson and Goodlooks earlier tonight also took a lot out of her, and it's showing now![/I]" {Jim} "[I]I believe you're right, Farrah, as Quine takes advantage of an apparent lapse by Midnight and handsprings off the ropes TAKING MIDNIGHT WITH A BACK ELBOW! And down Midnight goes! Quine hurries to cover for a pin attempt and Hudson starts the count... and a kickout from Midnight stops the count just shy of two! Quine now up and Midnight climbs to her feet, looking near exhaustion...[/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Don't let that fool you, Jim. Midnight's used that look before, only to come back full force, faking out her opponent![/I]" {Jim} "[I]That's a possibility, Farrah, but looks unlikely, and now Midnight backs Quine into a corner, Midnight gathering herself for an attack, and Quine backs up the turnbuckle, and Midnight charges in BUT QUINE GOES OVER THE TOP IN A SUNSET FLIP! And Quine pulls Midnight over and into a Sitout Pin![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Midnight must be tired, she didn't notice Quine setting her up for that signature move, her Cat's Cradle![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And Hudson begins the count, but Midnight is in a predicament, she struggles but Quine holds on and Midnight looks helpless to do anything about it! And Hudson counts two as Midnight looks to be going [B]nowhere[/B]... AND THERE"S THE THREE! IT'S ALL OVER FOLKS, as Catherine Quine, with a pinfall against Lorna Midnight, wins the match, finishing with her signature Cat's Cradle![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]Quine defeats Midnight in 7:47 by pinfall with a Cat's Cradle. Lorna Midnight was visibly tiring toward the end.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D[/COLOR])[/B] Wow. Yeah. I was beat. Both literally and figuratively. And I don't mean Cat pinning me, either. Between my 'antics' earlier in the evening and Buttercup's instructions to go all out in the match to make it shine, I was pretty whipped by the end. I was actually glad when it was over, which is rare. Guess that meant I wouldn't need a workout after the show like I sometimes do. You know. To wind down so I could get some sleep later. But that night? I slept like a dead woman. And off the topic, 'sleeping like a baby' has to be a saying invented by guys. I mean, come on! Babies wake up all hours of the night screaming for a feeding, and I had to feed them. That's not restful, I'm telling you! Well... ok, maybe for the baby, since that's what they do. But still! Anyway. After the match I was so beat I didn't even bother to put on my coat as I left the ring, up the ramp, and into the backstage. Yeah. I know. Shocking. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/KarenKiller_alt.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/LornaMidnight.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] The Titantron shows backstage in some sort of lobby. Lorna Midnight sits on a bench against a wall, coat off and on the bench beside her. She is bent over, unbuckling a boot. Karen Killer enters. {Karen Killer} "[I]My, my, my. What a match you had! Such a struggle, all that muscle of yours, straining with everything you had to commit violence... mmmmm.[/I]" Midnight glances up, then goes back to her boots. {Lorna Midnight, deadpan} "[I]Yeah.[/I]" {Killer, approaching Midnight, laughs} "[I]My! I just [B]love[/B] those bare arms! So powerful and sexy like that. So much violent potential![/I]" {Midnight, deadpan, not even looking up this time} "[I]Yeah. Thanks.[/I]" {Killer, laughing again} "[I]My, my, my! Mmmmm...[/I]" Killer moves to stand close to Midnight, bends over and places her head next to Midnight's, as if to whisper in her ear. {Killer, breathing deeply} "[I]Ahhhhhh....[/I]" {Midnight, sitting up, growing irritated} "[I]What do you want?[/I]" Killer moves close to Midnight again, face to face. {Killer, laughing quietly, evilly} "[I]Why, I have a proposition for you, my dear![/I]" Midnight adjusts the wrist straps on her driving gloves, the sound of the velcro somehow growing ominous. {Midnight, sarcastic} "[I]Sorry. I don't swing that way.[/I]" {Killer laughs, cheerfully evil} "[I]Not that kind of proposition, you clever thing you! I mean for you to join us! With you at our side, there is nothing that could stand in our way. Ooooo, such power you have, so dark and angry, I just love that![/I]" {Midnight, sourly} "[I]Us, huh?[/I]" {Killer, almost a whisper now in Midnight's ear} "[I]Why of course! You, and I, and Wild Times![/I]" {Midnight} "[I]Huh. I don't see Double-D or Vixxen here.[/I]" {Killer} "[I]Of course not, Lorna my dear. It's just you and me, all alone.[/I]" Midnight cracks the knuckles of her right hand audibly, simply by curling her hand into a fist. {Midnight, quietly in Killer's ear} "[I]Exactly. Step back.[/I]" Killer looks shocked for a second and steps hastily back. She then laughs cheerfully, evil. {Killer} "[I]So Dark, and [B]Threatening[/B]... I love you![/I]" Midnight sighs, shakes her head in disgust, and bends over to begin unbuckling her other boot. {Killer} "[I]Listen, my dark beauty! We could be so [B]good[/B] together, you and I! You, and I, and Wild Times! With you added to our ranks we could be an unstoppable force! With [B]us[/B] at [B]your[/B] side, there is [B]nothing[/B] you couldn't accomplish! Why, you are [B]so[/B]...![/I]" {Midnight, not even looking up, deadpan} "[I]Not interested.[/I]" {Killer, surprised} "[I]Excuse me?[/I]" Midnight stands, gathers her coat in her right hand and steps in close to Killer. {Midnight, quietly yet forcefully} "[I]I said I'm not interested.[/I]" Midnight now continues speaking, growing more quiet and threatening with each step she takes, backing Killer up. Midnight's unbuckled boots jangle with each step, sounding like spurs. {Midnight} "[I]I am not interested in Wild Times. I am not interested in your plans. And I am not interested in joining you.[/I]" Midnight now has Killer backed up against the opposite wall, all without touching her. Killer looks startled as her back bumps up against the wall. {Midnight, threateningly calm} "[I]If you cause any problems for me... or my daughters...[/I]" Midnight curls her left hand into a fist, now cracking those knuckles audibly. {Killer laughs, now nervous} "[I]Aren't you going to get specific, my dark, dark dear?[/I]" {Midnight, now whisper-quiet in Killer's ear} "[I]I'll rip Double-D and Vixxen's heads right off their shoulders and feed them to you.[/I]" Killer reaches up to lick her right middle fingertip seductively. {Killer, shuddering as if in ecstasy} "[I]... I... I think I'd like that...![/I]" {Midnight, straightening to stand slightly back} "[I]Yeah. I bet you would. But then, who would you have as your oh-so-dark servants?[/I]" Killer looks surprised, then thoughtful. {Killer, puzzled} "[I]Oh. Hadn't thought of that...[/I]" {Midnight, over her shoulder as she turns to head for the locker rooms} "[I]Exactly.[/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]"Killer Offer".[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR])[/B] [B][I]"Killer Offer Refused".[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D-[/COLOR])[/B] "Mom! Mom, that was [I]awesomely[/I] bosh!" Stephie squealed as she and Jen cornered me in the locker rooms lobby. I snorted or something, made a sort of 'yeah right' noise. I was too tired to really remember exactly what I did. But I do remember replying, "Come on. My entrance wasn't that good."   Hey, so I had Buttercup earlier in the show work out a pyrotechnics with Rammstein entrance. If Karen was going to spring for royalties and license fees, and higher productions costs anyway, what the hell, right? "Nooo, mom!" Stephie drawled. She gave me a 'You big goof' look. "Yeah, mom!" Jen chimed in. "The other thing!" I guess I had a puzzled look on my face. I was that tired. So they explained. Jen started. "You know, that bit with Karen Killer!" Stephie picked up, then. "Yeah, we were watching from the apron corner, behind the curtain. We saw the whole thing!" From there the girls gathered speed like excited kids do... Jen: "But more importantly, we also watched the fans." Stephie: "Yeah! When Karen started in with her Killer Offer..." Jen: "Stephie, you are [I]so[/I] punny..." Stephie: "Stop, I'm telling this! Anyway, when Karen was giving her pitch the crowd was, like, '[I]ho hum, evil person trying to recruit someone, been there done that[/I]'..." Jen: "Yeah, especially an evil someone they didn't know from Eve..." Stephie: "Yeah, but then you turned her down...!" Jen: "Yeah, you were like, 'Don't dare cause problems for me or my daughters..." Stephie: "That was [I]such[/I] a boshness mention...!" Jen: "... and you got all bad-ass and threatening about ripping their heads off an' stuff..." Stephie: "Yeah, an' people were, like, '[I]YES! You tell her, Midnight! Set her straight![/I]' It was [I]so[/I] bosh...!" Jen: "We are so [I]totally[/I] proud of you!" I didn't know quite what to say to that for a second. Then I chuckled and gave them a tired smile. "Thanks, huns. Means a lot. Now, help an old, tired nanny goat to her locker room, will you?" So they did. One under each arm. Ok, fine. So it was one part help an old, tired nanny goat to her locker room, and two parts group hug. Sue me. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/JimLouFreebush.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/FarrahHesketh.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]And once again we find ourselves here at ringside in anticipation of Angel Athletic Association's Main Event![/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]That's right, Jim. And tonight may prove to be especially spectacular, due to the added importance of this match. Because tonight begins the three-way tug of war for Angel Athletic Association's Femme Fatale Championship Title![/I]" {Jim} "[I]That's right, Farrah, as a round-robin of matches featuring Joanne Rodriguez, Black Widow and Suzue Katayama in a two-win finish showing who will face Wanda Fish for the Femme Fatale Title![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Exactly! Whoever can beat her other two opponents in these matches will win the contendership for the Title Match![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And with that kind of contest, there are sure to be memorable moments, moments of triumph and defeat, thrilling matches, wrestlers doing things that will take our collective breath away.[/I]" {Sue} "[I]Absolutely, Jim! I can't wait![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, let's not, then, Farrah! Let's just turn things over to Referee Lois Hudson at Ring Center to get this show on the road![/I]" [/QUOTE] Wow. It was an even better match than mine and Cat's. And before you ask, no, I didn't beat on Cat with everything I had because of what she'd said about me in her interview. Come on! She's a friend of mine. I beat on her with everything I had because it's my job. Anyway, tired as I was, I just had to go out to the apron and see Widow and J-Ro's match. Turns out that I and a couple of the girls were on the left end, while Jen, Stephie and a few others were on the right. I think the entire part of the roster that was there for the show, and a few others, were there to watch. Widow and J-Ro came out swinging, but they also knew what was at stake, so they maneuvered more, took their time, felt each other out, took the time to wait for opportunities to present themselves. So no, it wasn't a fast-paced match that held the crowd on the edge of their seats. But to those of us watching in the wings? It was poetry in motion. Black Widow isn't a slouch. She's almost as old as me, and works out only half as much. But in the ring she has this savvy, 'been there done that and learned from [I]all[/I] of it' thing going. And she uses it. She's lean, mean, limber, and wary. What, you think I don't like fighting her because I don't like her personally? Pffft. I worry about getting my ass kicked. And say what you want about J-Ro. Call her stuck up, a snob, mean, shallow, what-ever. Call her stuck so far up her problems with people that she can't see when she could instead be making a really good friend. Call her so in love with herself, being 'wanted' by two wrestling promotions like Angel and 5-Star that she thinks she's the best thing since grated cheese. Say anything you want. But at the end of the day, even I got to admit one thing. That girl can [I]wrestle[/I]. [QUOTE] [CENTER] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/JoanneRodriguez.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/NordVolf/TEW%202007/BlackWidow.jpg[/IMG] [B][SIZE="3"]Joanne Rodriguez[/SIZE] v/s [SIZE="3"]Black Widow[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] {Jim Freebush} "[I]Ladies and gentlemen, if you only got to see one match in it's entirety, it certainly should be this one! What a steady show of wrestling skill these two have shows us tonight![/I]" {Farrah Hesketh} "[I]Well, this just goes to prove why we show these fights last, Jim![/I]" {Jim} "[I]You can say that again, Farrah, as here comes Widow, maneuvering for yet [B]another[/B] attempt at a finisher she calls her Spider's Kiss, but Rodriguez has been too wily to let her get in that initial Powerbomb![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]That's no wonder, as Joanne has fought Widow on many occasions, and knows that move well.[/I]" {Jim} "[I]Well, at more than 14 minutes into this match, this could go on all night![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]And just like that things change, Jim!!![/I]" {Jim} "[I]Right, Farrah! Widow tried to once again wrap Rodriguez for a powerbomb, but Joanne speared her right into the turnbuckle! And now Rodriguez throws Widow with an over-the-shoulder arm drag and Widow is down! And now Rodriguez crosses Widows arms over her chest, kneeling on them... Oh, we know what this looks like![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Yes we do, Jim, and now Rodriguez works the legs and it's definitely the Delphin Clutch we all know and love as...![/I]" {Jim} "[I]The J-Rocker! And Widow is in a heck of a predicament as Hudson starts the count![/I]" {Farrah "[I]What a reversal, Jim! And I think this is it![/I]" {Jim} "[I]And as Hudson counts three IT IS! JOANNE RODRIGUEZ WINS WITH A PINFALL J-ROCKER, and Widow looks to be in a bad position for the outcome of the Femme Fatale Championship as Joanne Rodriguez bests Black Widow![/I]" {Farrah} "[I]Right, Jim! Now all J-Ro has to do is beat Suzue Katayama in next week's Saturday Spectacular and, having beaten her two opponents, she will be the Contender wrestling Wanda Fish for the Femme Fatale Title![/I]" [/QUOTE] [B][I]J-Ro defeats Black Widow in 15:06 by pinfall with a J-Rocker. Black Widow was visibly tiring toward the end.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D+[/COLOR])[/B] [B][I]J-Ro celebrates in the ring for the fans.[/I][/B] [B]([COLOR="Orange"]D[/COLOR])[/B] I didn't stay long for any kind of post-show celebration. I was beat. Jen and Stephie were a little tired as well. So, I decided we should call it quits for the night and just go home. Thankfully the girls agreed, so off we went. There would be plenty to talk about tomorrow morning at the post-match meeting. [QUOTE][CENTER] [B][I]Angel Athletic Association's[/I][/B] [B][I][SIZE="3"]Post-show Recap[/SIZE][/I][/B] [/CENTER] AAA's Saturday Spectacular Saturday, Week 1, January 2007 Midnight Sisterz defeated DEVIL Karube & Miss Mexico   [B]([COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR])[/B] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] Missy Masterson defeated Grace Harper   [B]([COLOR="DarkOrange"]D-[/COLOR])[/B] Wild Times defeated Goodlooking Bunny for the Tag Team titles   [B]([COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR])[/B] Cherry Bomb defeated Suzanne Brazzle   [B]([COLOR="DarkOrange"]C-[/COLOR])[/B] Cathering Quine defeated Lorna Midnight   [B]([COLOR="DarkOrange"]D[/COLOR])[/B] Joanne Rodriguez defeated Black Widow   [B]([COLOR="DarkOrange"]D+[/COLOR])[/B] [B]Overall Show Rating:   ([COLOR="DarkOrange"]D[/COLOR])[/B] Portland Center capacity: 1,000 Attendance: 850 [/QUOTE] Image Credits: [QUOTE]Pictures I'm using for: Lorna Midnight - 3D character art by [B]Finister Foul[/B] [/QUOTE]

[Remianen]

This was great! Just a few things: - A tribute to your writing style, I've actually taken a bit of a dislike of Buttercup. The fact that she doesn't understand the significance of what DEVIL did makes her seem kinda amateurish. To explain, in Japan, Jen & Stephie would probably NEVER have been given the win over a worker as respected as DEVIL (Jen & Stephie are, after all, the very definition of Young Lions). So for a veteran to willingly work a match where they lose to give the lions a bit of a leg up, is a pretty big deal. One thing I'm confused about though. If DEVIL was teaming with Miss Mexico, why did Buttercup have to go over the match with her and Tsuki Kawamata? ;) - I like the direction you're going with Cherry Bomb, personality wise. While I may have given her a slightly different persona, it's because I didn't think the psycho-ish one would fit the level she's at in the promotion (*hint hint*) - Lorna getting 'blowed up' in under 8 minutes is hilarious, given her personality and attitude. Try doing some cardio, old lady. :p - I agree with Grace. Jobbing her to the likes of Missy Masterson is not only short-sighted, it'll also prove to be largely ineffective IMO. - Karen Killer's personality the way you depict it is off the chain (that's a good thing ;)). Might have to st....errr, think about that. :p I've stolen...erm, been inspired by some ideas you've presented, not the least of which is Katherine Goodlooks (though I repackaged her since the Goodlookin' Bunny type of persona wouldn't fit her push in our promotion). Also, your formatting works a bit better and speeds things up a bit for me so, hope ya don't mind. ;)

[NordVolf]

[CENTER] ((OOC post.)) [/CENTER] [QUOTE=Remianen;253943]This was great![/QUOTE] Hey, Remmy. Thanks! [QUOTE] [I]Just a few things:[/I][/QUOTE] Figures. *[B][I]smirk[/I][/B]* [QUOTE]- [I]A tribute to your writing style, I've actually taken a bit of a dislike of Buttercup. The fact that she doesn't understand the significance of what DEVIL did makes her seem kinda amateurish. To explain, in Japan, Jen & Stephie would probably NEVER have been given the win over a worker as respected as DEVIL (Jen & Stephie are, after all, the very definition of Young Lions). So for a veteran to willingly work a match where they lose to give the lions a bit of a leg up, is a pretty big deal[/I]. [/QUOTE] Yes, it is a pretty big thing. I'm thinking Lorna will 'educate' Buttercup on it at some point... Anyway, Buttercup [I]is[/I] amateurish. Besides which, my entire booking team insisted that Karube be 'Enhancement Talen' in AAA. I know, IRL she would probably be heavily insulted by that, but I'm new at this, remember? *[B][I]smirk[/I][/B]* As she goes on, I'll definately push her hard up the ladder, though, don't you doubt it! But Enh Talent seems to be the booking recomendation for any on-loan talent. I got a couple more waiting in the wings... Also, I go with what I read in the unmodified Corellverse descriptions of characters. And in the skill set of Karube, she is 'Very Nice'. Besides the cultural faux-pa (which lets you know that I'm a fan but no expert on Japanese culture, and a Shultz-like "I know nothink!" on Japanese wrestling!), I figured she'd come to quickly like Lorna, and adores the girls. Go figure. *[B][I]shrug[/I][/B]* That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. *[B][I]smirk[/I][/B]* Of course, now that I think about it, may have been the wrong thing for me to write/set up. Chalk another one up to growing experience. [QUOTE][I]One thing I'm confused about though. If DEVIL was teaming with Miss Mexico, why did Buttercup have to go over the match with her and Tsuki Kawamata? ;)[/I][/QUOTE] Nice catch! Um... Buttercup is so new to AAA that she thought Tsuki could translate, and Lorna wasn't about to argue? No, no... Ok, John Lovitz I'm not. Fixed. Thanks! Helpfull Oversight Assistance is always appreciated. Besides which, I proof read it before posting at 5:00am, after being up all night formatting all three parts of the show in one go since 10:00pm the night before so I could post them back-to-back... *[B][I]blinks bleary eyes[/I][/B]* [QUOTE][I]- I like the direction you're going with Cherry Bomb, personality wise. While I may have given her a slightly different persona, it's because I didn't think the psycho-ish one would fit the level she's at in the promotion (*hint hint*)[/I][/QUOTE] My AAA or your promo in your story? Probably yours. Anyway, I'm going by the Cornellverse stuff again. Rough quote: "Cherry's psychotic interviews are among the best in the business." Or something like that. So I'm trying to do it justice. Besides which, Cherry's not quite like that 'IRL'. *[B][I]wink[/I][/B]* If that's not the hint you were shooting for, PM me and hit me over the head with it like using a 2x4. I can be dense sometimes... I'm glad you like it. [QUOTE][I]- Lorna getting 'blowed up' in under 8 minutes is hilarious, given her personality and attitude. Try doing some cardio, old lady.[/I] :p[/QUOTE] Hey, Lorna explained herself. "[I]Between my 'antics' earlier in the evening and Buttercup's instructions to go all out in the match to make it shine, I was pretty whipped by the end..[/I]" Still. Cardio couldn't hurt. If that happens a lot or causes problems, then I may have to, um, 'look into it'. May have to anyway, just to make sure things match my "inner vision". I could see it if she were in her 40s, as I'm there with her IRL. But she's in her late thirties. Hmmmm.... {NordVolf looks thoughtful for a moment} Yeah, ok. Sounds like I just talked mysefl out of my own justification, doesn't it? I'll 'look into it'. *[B][I]smirk[/I][/B]* [QUOTE][I]- I agree with Grace. Jobbing her to the likes of Missy Masterson is not only short-sighted, it'll also prove to be largely ineffective IMO.[/I] [/QUOTE] Again, I'm new at this. I thought it would work, and I'm still using 'canned' story lines, the "Underestimating a rookie" sounded interesting to me, so what the heck? I tried it. May be a while before I'll get creatively motivated enough to start using unchained arcs, and writing my own storylines in the editor looks daunting for now. Anyway, I'll follow the storyline out. Harper'll get some revenge. *[B][I]smile[/I][/B]* Hey, and at least I found a way to get the chair in the ring so Masterson could use it but still keep her 'face'ness, IMHO. See, I booked the match, Roadied it for a tainted win, and ran it expecting the generic "Masterson wins after blatantly cheating" or some such. But nooooo. The in-game result said she used a foreign object. So how the *bleep* am I to get Masterson, a face and someone in my personal imagination-view who is fairly non-cheat in-ring a foreign object? I tried to think of something in the imediate ring vicinity, but all I could come up with for that was the ropes, a turnbuckle, or Hudson. :/ Hmmm. "Harper wouldn't have any problem just getting and using a chair, why is this so hard for Masteron?!" I thought. Then did a double-take in my head at the thought, and started furiously writing... And yes, so you know, the entire time I was booking that match Roady-notes kept nagging on me about Harper not liking how it made her look. Some people... [QUOTE][I]- Karen Killer's personality the way you depict it is off the chain (that's a good thing ;)). Might have to st....errr, think about that. :p[/I][/QUOTE] *[B][I]chuckle[/I][/B]* I know! It's so much fun to write her, and it gets more fun the more I even think about it! Nice to just cut loose an 'off-the-chain' persona and see where it goes. I've always loved that! Great. Now I sound like Killer... [QUOTE]I've stolen...erm, been inspired by some ideas you've presented, not the least of which is Katherine Goodlooks (though I repackaged her since the Goodlookin' Bunny type of persona wouldn't fit her push in our promotion). Also, your formatting works a bit better and speeds things up a bit for me so, hope ya don't mind. ;)[/QUOTE] Not even a little bit, Remmy. I'm actually quite flattered that you think so much of it that you want to use things. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I'm always told. Besides, this is just for fun. Not like I'm getting paid for this or anything... I'm not getting paid for this, am I...? ...?! ;)

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] Sunday. The day after our Saturday Spectacular. Early. That day, that early, early morning, I wasn't a bad-ass. I wasn't a bitch either. I was a spider. You know. Spinning webs, that kind of thing. Which can get complicated, and takes a bit of planning, but I think I did an ok job of it. Let me explain. [CENTER] [SIZE="4"]__________________________________________________[/SIZE] [/CENTER] The previous night when we'd gotten home I asked the girls if Buttercup had scolded them for what they'd done. You remember; they, in cahoots with Karube, had disobeyed Buttercup and won the match instead of Karube and Mexico winning it. The girls looked glum and sad and told me that yes, Buttercup had in fact given them what-for, and they were ready for me to cut loose on them too. I just nodded. "Ok, girls. See you in the morning. Early." And I went to bed without saying another word about it. I [I]know[/I] that bugged Jen and Stephie. Anyway. Sunday. Early, as promised. I got the girls up. They both complained since they normally love sleeping in, but I was insistent. They were both coming with me to Triple-A. "But moooom! Why?" Stephie wailed from her room as I was in Jen's room dragging her butt out of bed. "Because I said so. Besides which, you're wrestlers now too, so if you refuse I'll beat your asses." I yelled back, which also incidentally cut Jen's budding 'but it's Sunday!' objection off at the nub. Once they'd gotten dressed and all, I relented. "Look, huns," I said in sympathetic tones. "You know how I like to go into work early. Right?" They both nodded sourly. "Well... I guess I just want to share that with you." I shrugged. Didn't know how else to put it, and it was true regardless. That changed their looks from sour to questioning, since it was still hanging in the air that I disapproved of their wrestling. It had become this unspoken, huge white elephant that had moved into the apartment with us. "Besides," I said, "I just thought it'd be nice if you two could, you know, whip up some breakfast there. Us together. And maybe if someone else is there this early, you know, then them too." Jen accepted that with a shrug, though still had her "alright, what's going on?" look. Stephie? She got excited. You know. The whole cooking for people thing. So, off we went. When we got there, Jen and Stephie went straight to the kitchen. Didn't take long for Buttercup to show up. She'd already been there a while. The front doors were locked, and I'd had to use my key. So Buttercup was most likely the only one there, besides us. "Huh," I said when she came downstairs. Looked like she'd just gotten out of the showers. Dressed in a sweat suit and sneakers like she was going to go for a jog, or maybe that was her "relax wear", but her hair was wet and she had a towel around her neck. "Morning," I greeted her. "Morning," she replied with a nod. "Thought I heard someone down here. You're here early. Meeting's not till noon or so." I shrugged. "I could say the same thing. But anyway, I usually am the early bird, always have been. I just thought it might be nice to have my girls here too, you know, do up the whole breakfast thing." "Oh?" she said, fuzzling her hair with the towel draped around her shoulders. "Jen and Steph?" "Yeah," I replied. "You're welcome to join us if you like." She thought it over a long moment, her hair-fuzzling slowing as if in deep thought too. I could just about hear her thinking, "Why don't they have breakfast at home, or eat out?" but she left that question unasked. "Ok," she said matter of factly, having decided. Then she brightened a touch. "Thanks, actually. My apartment is a wreck anyway, which is why I'm here." "Oh?" I asked inquiringly, taking a sip from my first mug of coffee for the day. Ok, fine. Breakfast is important, but stopping for drive-through coffee from Dunkin Donuts is a religious experience for me. I mean, hey, it's Sunday, right? "Yeah," Buttercup said with a resigned sigh, sitting at the table. We were in the dining room, me in my 'accustomed' seat. Buttercup sat on a side chair a ways down on my right. Leaving Jen's chair on my immediate right open. Buttercup hadn't been with Triple-A long, but had apparently realized our preferred seating arrangement quickly enough. "Landlord's renovating it," Buttercup went on to explain. "Tore everything apart, kitchen, bath, stuff like that. I mean, it's a nice place, great rooms, I love it, but needed a lot of work, so I agreed to take the place for half rent while they finished it up, just so I could get it when it was done." "Nice," I said, nodding appreciatively. "Great places are hard to come by in town. Congratulations." "Thanks!" Buttercup said, giving me a smile. "Anyway, since all the workers and everyone has a key anyway, Sorely told me I could, you know, kinda stay here till my place was set." "Huh" I said, nodding appreciatively. "Very nice of Karen to do that for you. Pretty cool." Didn't take long for the girls to whip up breakfast. Buttercup and I chatted about nothing in that time. Since I'd picked up a copy of Sunday's [I]Seattle Examiner[/I] on the way in, we chatted mostly about the news. And, I think Buttercup and I started in on getting to know each other a tiny bit. Anyway, the girls came out with a feast. Leave it to Stephie to overdo it. Eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, French Toast, coffee, orange juice, grapefruit, you name it. "For chrise' sake, girls, who all did you think would be in this morning?!" Stephie stopped short. "Um... I dunno. I thought maybe..." She looked around. Not another soul in sight besides me, the girls, and Buttercup. "No one really comes in on Sundays," I explained to her "New meeting's not till noon, so... Just us. Sorry, I should have said something." Stephie brightened. "You could call Cat! She [I]hates[/I] getting up early!" I laughed and got my cell out. "So," Jen started hesitantly, looking at Buttercup. "Um... so why are you here this early?" "Oh," Buttercup said, and explained to the girls her apartment thing while I got Cat out of bed. Was the third time I'd heard Buttercup's story. Yeah, I said 'third' time. See, the night before at the show, I'd overheard Buttercup tell her sad story to Sorrenson, and Karen had actually suggested that since everyone had keys, and while the offices were locked behind their own, differently-keyed doors, most of the downstairs as well as the gym and showers were open for use. Never know when a worker wanted to come in during the dead of night to work off some steam or whatever. So, why didn't Buttercup just make herself at home till her place was finished? Buttercup had thanked her, asking if anyone ever came in early on Sundays, to which Karen had replied nope, she'd have the place all to herself. Well, maybe I'd be there, as I was there so often it was like a second home for me, which I guess it was. Sort of. So. Here we all were. It was a touch awkward, as the girls were sort of on pins and needles with Buttercup right there, but oh well. They had to work together. Deal with it. Cat ended up begging off, even when Stephie insisted on getting on the cell to talk to her personally, though Cat did promise to be in soonish. So, we started without her. We'd gotten about half way through a leisurely breakfast and things were loosening up. Turns out Buttercup isn't the type to hold a grudge, and she's not a prima dona either, so she wasn't snippy with the girls or anything, and in fact she was rather nice. But the tension was still there, under the surface. Good. At that point, I decided to break that tension. Redirect it. All part of the plan. "Hey, you guys want to hear a funny story?" I asked out of nowhere. "Sure!" Stephie chirped, and Jen nodded. Buttercup shrugged and gave me a "Sure," of her own. "All right," I said, getting good and ready. "It's an Oriental story." The girls froze, though Buttercup went on eating as if nothing happened. She didn't know. Then she noticed the girls' expressions and stopped too. I waved my fork nonchalantly, looking at Buttercup. "The girls are a little buggy because I never talk about the orient. I lived there when they were babies. Their father died over there." I shrugged. Buttercup was now frozen as well. "Relax!" I said, waving the fork again. "Was a long time ago. Come on, guys, lighten up! It [I]is[/I] a pretty funny story." So, they relaxed a little, and I started in. "So. This is a story about a man, went by the name of Shin Mao. Now, a lot of the story isn't known because it's one of those hand-me-down kind of things, and a lot isn't recorded, so a lot of details just aren't there. But, this is what [I]is[/I] known about Shin Mao. "Now, Shin Mao was a warrior. More specifically, a Samurai. See, he'd worked and slaved and trained for a very long time, [I]years[/I], to be the best Samurai there ever was. Worked his way all the way from a Young Lion on up, too." "Now, you may not get what I mean by Young Lion, so let me explain. It's kind of like a real young lion. You know, the animal. Now, for male young lions, it's all about trying to date the girls." That brought a giggle from Stephie and Jen, and Buttercup relaxed with a smile. "But! The oldster Big Daddy Lion will have none of it! Not your place, he'd say, and cuff the kids and put them back in their place, because even among lions there's this social ladder they got to climb before they can become Big Daddy Lions themselves. So that's what they do. But it takes a long time. So, young warriors just starting out to become great warriors are also called Young Lions. Partly because of the way real lions have to grow up, and also because lions are held in really high regard as noble critters and all. That would take a long time to explain, but there it is. And it's come to be used now for anyone who is an up-and-comer. You know." At three nods, I continued. "So. Shin Mao had worked his way up from a Young Lion all the way up to Samurai, and became known throughout the land, his home island, as a great warrior, full of honor and strength. Sure, there were a lot of other Samurai, but they all respected Shin Mao because of how hard he'd worked to get where he was. Which is a big thing in Japan. Even if someone stands to inherit family money, they're expected to work their way up to it, to earn it. And that still holds true today. People in power or authority over there are held in high regard and respected, even if they're not-so-nice people, because they had to [I]earn[/I] where they are. So in Japan, and in the Orient in general, life is all about respect for that kind of thing. "Anyway, that's exactly what Shin Mao did. Worked his way up. And not only that, but he treated all the other Samurai with great honor and respect, and didn't let his position go to his head. And eventually, Shin Mao's King gave him a high, very respected position in the army. And still Shin Mao was respectful and very noble about it, and so he was very well respected, and a lot of people loved him for it." "Now, it came about that word of Shin Mao, and the kind of man and warrior he was, got out, and people from other islands came to know what a great Samurai he was. And turns out this Warlord on another island was looking to bolster his own army and his own power and reputation, yadda yadda yadda. So, he contacted Shin Mao's King and asked if he could have Shin Mao's service for a while. That way, the Warlord could use Shin Mao and gain all the respect and prestige having Shin Mao in his army would bring, and Shin Mao's King would look great because everyone would know Shin Mao was his to begin with." "So, an agreement was made, and Shin Mao set sail for the foreign island." "Bosh!" Stephie said with a smile. She and Jen were getting into the story, and I could tell even Buttercup was listening intently. Good. "Yeah, it was. Now, Shin Mao got to this other island and made his respect to his new Warlord and all that, and got put in the army. But! Instead of an honored place, Shin Mao was placed at the bottom." "That sucks," Jen said with a scowl "Well, yeah," I agreed. "But things are different over there. Besides, the way Shin Mao probably saw it, this was a whole new island, practically a while new [I]world[/I]. Even though back home everyone had seen what Shin Mao had done, and gotten to know him for the man he was, these new people hadn't. So, Shin Mao would have to start all over again to prove what kind of man, what kind of warrior, what kind of Samurai he really was. He knew he had to earn this new army's respect. So, he took his place at the bottom, not seeming to mind. And you know, I got to believe that because of the man Shin Mao was, deep down inside he didn't mind. Made him proud, too, I bet, because here was his opportunity to test himself and prove to everyone else that even starting from the bottom again, he could work his way up with honor and respect and pride and do it right. He was just that kind of a man, a warrior, and a Samurai." That got a couple 'wow's from the girls, and Buttercup nodded, seeming impressed too. "So. While there, Shin Mao came to meet another Samurai, who was in a pretty decent position in the Warlord's army. His name was Reiji. Now, Reiji had been in the Warlord's army for years and years, and worked his way up too. But instead of treating Shin Mao like crap for being on the bottom, he treated Shin Mao with respect, because Reiji had been to that other land once and knew how it was over there, and had heard about Shin Mao too. So, between their mutual respect, Shin Mao and Reiji actually started to become friends." "Now, it happened that Reiji had two sons, who were also warriors, Young Lions working their way up to Samurai themselves. Just starting out, actually. Now, Shin Mao came to like the sons as well, not just because of his friendship with Reiji, but because they were such good sons, and warriors, in their own right. And maybe Shin Mao remembered that he'd been a Young Lion once himself too, and so maybe they reminded him of his younger self. But exactly why isn't known. One of those things left out or something, you know?" "Anyway, turns out that Reiji didn't actually want his sons to be Samurai. Was dead set against it, too. Why that was, no one knows. Probably Reiji never told anyone exactly why, but there it is. Anyway, Reiji's sons not only went and became warriors, Young Lions, but they also joined the same Warlord as their father!" That stopped Jen and Stephie dead, and they stared at me. Buttercup wasn't fazed, she didn't know us well enough yet. But I couldn't have gotten more shocked looks from the girls if I'd hit them with baseball bats. But I continued. "Anyway. It happens that there was this battle coming up. Some bandits or something that needed to be put down or something. Wasn't a big thing, and in fact was a pretty small thing, but it still needed to be taken care of. So, the Warlord calls Shin Mao and tells him that he's going to be put in charge of this small group of soldiers to do this battle, and that he should assume this position, and it would make Shin Mao look good and so allow him to work his way up in the army that much faster. So Shin Mao bowed and made his respects and like that, and said he'd do it." "The Warlord then said that another man would go along as the Warlord's proxy, since the Warlord had other things to do. So he introduced Shin Mao to his Daimyo, a sort of right-hand man, and told Shin Mao that the Daimyo was the Warlord's trusted man. Shin Mao would have to do everything the Daimyo told him to do, because the Daimyo got his instructions straight from the Warlord. So everything coming out of the Daimyo's mouth should be considered to be straight from the Warlord mouth. Of course, Shin Mao understood this too, because that kind of thing was done regularly, even by Shin Mao's King. So Shin Mao agreed, made his respects to the Daimyo, like that. So I guess you could say the Daimyo was kind of like... oh... a Road Agent or something." I waved my fork nonchalantly in Buttercup's direction without looking at her. And it was Buttercup's turn to stop and stare. "Anyway. Off they went, the army and the Daimyo and Shim Mao. Now, it also happened that Reiji's sons had also been ordered to go along, so they did. But being Young Lions, they were with the soldiers, didn't have much say or anything. But they were excited, because they were going along, and they'd only fought in one other battle or some-such before, so this was a big thing to them." "Now, maybe Shin Mao saw that, and remembered his early battles so long ago or something. Or maybe Reiji's sons' excitement amused him, or maybe he just liked them for their own sake. I don't know, since it doesn't seem to have been told. But as it turns out, at the height of the battle, just when things were getting mopped up, Shin Mao told Reiji's sons to assume the place at the head of the battle. Shin Mao didn't come out and say it, but that would make the Young Lions look great, you know, give them a leg up, and at the same time make Shin Mao look not so good." "Now, wouldn't you know it, after the battle the Daimyo was pissed, because the Warlord had told Shin Mao to be in charge, and it even made the Daimyo look bad because Shin Mao had disobeyed him, so Shin Mao turned out to actually be disgraced by it all. But, like in so many Oriental stories, there's things that Shin Mao knew that everyone else didn't." "Now, I can't say exactly the reason Shin Mao did what he did, but for what ever reason, Shin Mao was still a great man, and a great warrior, with a very good heart, and so he must have had damn good reason for his decision, not only to give the Young Lions, Reiji's sons, a leg up, but also by disobeying the Daimyo and the Warlord! That disobedience is a HUGE thing over in Japan. But there are so many stories about how great warriors, or servants sometimes disobey their Warlords or Masters of the House or whatnot for the best of reasons. And more often then not in those stories, if the Warlords or Masters are any kind of good people at all, they'll discover this, and even though they may punish the offending servant or warrior, they understand that sort of thing comes from the heart. And it's a tremendous personal sacrifice to boot!" The girls and Buttercup sat there thoughtfully, looking more than a little disconcerted. "Um... What happened to the Young Lions?" Jen asked. I shrugged. "I'm not sure. Oh, sure, they probably got a rightful yelling at from the Daimyo, no doubt, because Shin Mao was supposed to be in charge, and it messed up a little of the Warlord's plans for Shin Mao. They may even have gotten punished. But hey, they're Young Lions. They do things like that, till they learn better. Or till they do something so bad they get their heads cut off for it..." Stephie looked crestfallen. "And what about Reiji? Was he pissed at his sons?" "Of course he was!" I said. "And probably disappointed too. They'd got the same instructions Shin Mao had got, and they went against the Daimyo and the Warlord. Not only that, but their actions also brought shame on Reiji's house, because Reiji had raised his sons, and if they couldn't or wouldn't obey the Warlord and all, that would mean Reiji didn't quite raise them properly. So Reiji looked very bad too." The girls slumped, looking miserable. I went back to eating. It was dead quiet at the table for a moment. "What about the Daimyo?" Buttercup asked, looking at me hesitantly out of the corner of her eye. She was pretty unreadable, but that guarded look was either as if she were expecting me to slap her, or she was trying to keep from slapping me. I shrugged. "I don't know. That's one of those things that wasn't recorded, you know, like I said in the beginning. But I'd like to think that the Daimyo, if he ever got wind of what Shin Mao had really done, and why, well, I'd like to think that the Daimyo would cut Shin Mao a break. Oh, Shin Mao was probably punished or something, for sure! I mean, in those days to disobey a Warlord, Shin Mao would be lucky not to have his head cut off. That sort of thing was expected. Still..." I shrugged. "I'd like to think that the Daimyo would take things into consideration, if nothing else to forgive Shin Mao in his heart, and maybe even respect Shin Mao for what he did and why. And maybe, even go to the Warlord and explain things. But of course, the Warlord was reputed to be good and fair, and over all it's not like Shin Mao lost a whole war or anything. But what ever happened, the Warlord and the Daimyo would do what they would do, and that would be that. You know. Those things are expected of Warlords and Daimyos." Jen and Stephie stared at their plates. Buttercup nodded thoughtfully, taking a sip of coffee. Silence stretched again. "I bet that screwed things up for Reiji and Shin Mao's friendship, huh?" Jen grumped, looking sullenly at her plate. "Actually, it didn't," I replied. "You see, Reiji knew about those kinds of things. And Reiji probably figured out what it was that Shin Mao did, and why. It was a huge thing that actually brought honor to Reiji and his sons from Shin Mao, even if no one else knew that. It was such a huge thing, it was a debt..." I had to stop for a second because my voice threatened to crack. When I'd got a handle on it, I took a deep breath, let it our slowly, and went on. "I think... I think that even though Reiji didn't want his sons to be warriors, for what ever reason, he loved them dearly, like any father would. And Shin Mao would know that. And maybe, just maybe, even though Reiji was disappointed with his sons' choices, there was a part of him that was very proud of his sons. Maybe Reiji didn't actually want to come out and say it. Kind of like a pride thing. And maybe Shin Mao figured that out too. But everything else aside, Reiji would know that Shin Mao did such a tremendous favor for Reiji's sons, and at such a personal sacrifice, too! I think it made Reiji and Shin Mao closer. And I also think Reiji would feel it was a debt he could never fully repay to Shin Mao." Ok, I admit it. I had to hide behind my coffee mug for a second, then behind my napkin as I wiped my mouth. "Well," I said, sliding my chair back. "Breakfast was great! Thank you girls so much!" The girls mumbled you're welcome. "Anyway, I'm packed to the gills," I added, getting up and filling my coffee mug from the decanter the girls had brought out earlier. "So packed I don't think I'll be working out any time soon. So I think I'll take a walk." As I went to leave I saluted Buttercup with my mug. "Thanks for joining us. Seriously." Buttercup raised her mug to me in return, a bit of a wry smile on her lips. "Thanks for having me." She then turned to the girls as I went out. "Breakfast really was great, guys. Thanks." As I passed the kitchen I could hear the girls reply you're welcome. And I could barely hear the three of them quietly starting to talk as I hit the front doors. Credits: [QUOTE] Inspiration for the story [FONT="Georgia"][I]Shin Mao and the Young Lions[/I][/FONT] provided by Remianen's last post. Thanks, man. [/QUOTE]

[Beeker]

NordVolf, You're welcome. One thing I hope the people on these boards understand is that I actually get wrestling. I'm a bit out of interest with it right now, which is why I enjoy the CVerse stuff moreso than Real World. I just worked with the palette you left laying about. Great show and write-up as ever. Oops... need to read this last post. Swanky~!

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] The remains of the breakfast didn't go to waste. Shortly after I went for my walk, Masterson showed up. She comes in early a lot as well. She's the type to hang out, like she doesn't have a life or something. Of course, I'd found out what her deal was quite a while ago. But I'm no Missy Masterson, so no one else found out about it. At least not from me, if they did. So Masterson joined the girls in mopping up breakfast. Of course, Cat showed, and a few other of the 'regulars'. Wanda Fish was one such. Not that she spends even near as much time as myself at Triple-A, but she always finds her way there when something is going on. Hudson, Harper, Brazzle, even Goldy showed early. Golden Delicious, that is. She's not one of the regulars, pretty much a stay-to-herself type, only showing when it's mandatory like shows or meetings. But I don't pry, and didn't when she showed early. No big deal. Hell, by 10 even Nightfall had shown up. Which I thought a little odd. Far as I knew, she hated coming in on weekends, let alone Sunday. At least I've never seen her when I was there on a weekend. Yet here she was. Chalk another one up to no big deal weirdness. Anyway, she hung out in the weight room, shooting the breeze with Fish and Goldy. By then I decided it was getting crowded, and went upstairs to the gym. By eleven most of the other girls that had been in the show had shown up, which were all the workers who were mandated to shown. Vixxen and Double D, Bunny, Cherry, J-Ro and Widow. Anderson and Goodlooks were no-shows. The others? Curious, or just wanting to show support to the rest of us, or what-ever other reason they had. Lois had by then set up her internet "station" in the upstairs "Media Lounge". Sort of a makeshift media center sporting VCRs, DVD player/recorders, cable and digital hookup, and a wide screen TV flanked by smaller color TVs. And of course the obligatory Hi-Fi radio/CD set-up. The Media Lounge was used by a lot of us workers for watching tapes of prior shows, watching news TV, listening to the radio, or just hanging out. So I guess more of us than I'd actually thought about use this as a home away from home. The seating was comfortable, with couches and chairs scattered around. Pretty much like an oversized living room, big enough for just about the entire roster to hang out in. If you didn't mind a crowd. With the set up of Lois' internet station just off the media center, she proceeded to kick her new web stuff into high gear, showing grades and results from everything from AAA's web site statistics to how the show went. Turns out our show did ok. About what it had done the prior week, which is what I pretty much expected. About our usual. In a lot of past shows we'd done better, but things always ebbed and flowed with our worker turnover, our head bookers' direction, and the fans' interest. From what I'd seen since I'd been with Triple-A, we'd done better, but for now we weren't doing as bad as I'd seen either. I would call our current work low-average, looking to improve a good bit. But with Lois' new grading system, it made us look bad. Pretty sick, actually. I mean, a 'D'?! Come on. Totally biased towards what I thought might be an unattainable goal. I mean, I know Karen wanted us to shoot for the moon, and I know Stardust always wanted us to make tons of money like the more mainstream men's promotions, but I guess I couldn't see that. Hell, according to Lois' new scale, even the SWF in this last Tuesday's show only scored a 'C'. But to Lois, Karen, and some others, this new method of determining the grade scale was "accurate and representative of the standards of the industry". Sure. Whatever. Anyway, 20 minutes later was 10 minutes too long for me, listening to Jen and Stephie along with Lois, Fish, Cherry, and a few others arguing and discussing the grade stuff. Call me a skeptic, but not only do I not trust that kind of thing, but all the talk in the world wouldn't do anything for us either. It required doing things in the shows. But, you can't fight City Hall. Well... you can. But you loose. So. A 'D' it was. Great. Like I said, after 20 minutes I'd had enough. And Karen still hadn't showed. About the time I headed out of the Media Lounge she was coming up the stairs. I nodded in greeting, she said her 'Ha deh' thing, and I went into the gym while she went to her office. Don't ask me why I did what I did next. Curious, maybe. Morbid fascination perhaps. Maybe I was getting irritable after a couple minutes by myself trying to use the kick-bag with no one to hold it. Or maybe I just have ESP or something. Whatever the reason, after a few minutes on the kick-bag I went to Karen's office too. "Ha deh!" she called cheerfully when I'd knocked. The door was open, but what the hell. She looked busy at her desk, which was strewn with papers and a couple laptops. I swear, her desk looks worse every time I see it sometimes. "Hey," I greeted her back. "What's up?" "Same as you, I think," she said with a wry grin. "I felt like coming in a little early." "Well," I countered, "you're the boss. You're supposed to come in early. Things to prepare before the meeting and all that." "True," she said, nodding. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked at me, then at her laptop. She chewed her lip. I sat in one of the "guest" chairs. "Spill it," I said, making myself comfortable. "Hmm?" She asked. I guess she hadn't heard that expression a lot, as she had no idea what I'd meant. "Spilling things is bad. But after, all you can do is get to cleaning up the mess. So when someone tells you to 'spill it', they think you're thinking something bad, or have something on your mind, so they want you to just go ahead and say it, get it over with, so we can get to cleaning up the mess," I explained. "Ah," she said, smiling now. "Well, I [I]had[/I] wanted to see you." "Yeah," I said, "you gave me an odd look when we saw each other a little bit ago." "Well, than," she said. "I haff a confession to make." "I'm listening," I said, looking at her levelly. "Akurat." she said. She settled into her chair, steepling her fingers in front of her mouth, tapping lightly. She thought a moment. "I am nosey sometimes," she finally said. The way she said it made me feel like I should have joined seminary to hear people's confessions. But I quickly found out why. She got up suddenly like she'd decided something important and went over to a filing cabinet, looked through some files, pulled one, and returned to her chair. She laid it out on her desk, opened it, and started going through it. I saw my picture on the first page, like it was some police file or something. But Triple-A's like that. They have a picture of you in your ring garb, your gimmick-wear I guess you could call it, in case they need to discuss you with other management in the profession or something. Just to have. "I did some looking," Karen said. "And I found something thet interested me." She looked hesitant only for a second. Then she asked, "Yo're maiden name is Reid, yo?" "Yo," I drawled slowly, then more quickly, "You know it is. It's in my application, and in some other of my papers." Karen smiled a small smile, one that she was trying not to smile. "Thank you. Now, looking at yo're papers, I thought tha name Reid sounded familiar. Since I'm nosey, last night I did some looking up. So," she said, pulling up something or other on the laptop on her left. "Are you any relation to Charles, 'Rippin' Paddy' Reid?" She spun the laptop around so I could see it. A picture of my father stared me in the face. At that point Karen looked with surprise past me at the door, which was still open, and I heard a squeak as if someone were trying to hold in a noise. In the bare second it took me to turn around, there was no one there. But I knew I could head her off before she got to the stairs. I hit the door. "Missy!" I bellowed. She stopped dead in her tracks. Right at the head of the stairs. "Come here." Missy Masterson turned slowly, looking very hesitant. She looked like she didn't want to come over. "Don't make me come over there!" I scolded and took a step. "Ok, ok!" she piped, running to me. She stopped and took the last two steps to me very hesitant. "I didn't [I]do[/I] anything. I stared at her a moment. "Look," I said, "you're not fooling me. You looked in, eavesdropped, didn't you?" "I wasn't eavesdropping!" she denied vigorously. Then more quietly, sheepishly, "You know, I was just coming down the hall from the gym, and the door was open... You know." I scowled. "Yeah. I know all about it." I stared at her another moment, which looked to make her very uncomfortable. Good. "Ok," I said finally, "It's like this. You are going to keep your mouth shut, you understand me? Not a word to anyone. Not a soul." She sighed. "Oh kaaaay" she drawled. "Not good enough," I said, shaking my head. "I mean it. Not a word." "All right, all right," she said, striking her hand across her chest. "Cross my heart." "Show me your other hand." She'd had her other hand behind her back. "Look, I'm not 12, ok? I'm frickin' 23 years old, ok!" she denied quietly, but in no small outrage. "I said I wouldn't." "Yes," I acknowledged, "and I also know you have a burning need to tell everyone you can possibly find in the next few minutes about something as 'juicy' as this. I know you, Promise me." "OK, ok," she said, resigned. "I won't tell [I]nobody[/I]!" "I mean it! Promise me." She sighed dejected. "Ok," she drawled again. "I promise." She sounded like I were confiscating her favorite puppy. Good. Masterson likes to gossip, but a promise from her is as good as gold in the bank. "Ok," I said. "Scoot." She scooted. I leaned back in the door to Karen's office. "We'll talk about that later," I said. Karen had by then turned the laptop back towards herself, then gotten up to retrieve her suit coat from the coat tree. She nodded as she came to the door, clipboard in hand. "Akurat. Thet's noon, anyway. Time for tha meeting. But," she added more quietly, "you didn't answer tha question. Wos thet your...?" She had a bright smile on. "Father," I finished the question for her with a scowl. Then, louder, "Missy...!" "Ok, ok," I heard in reply from part way down the stairs, close enough that she could still overhear. "I'm goin', I'm goin'!"

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] The meeting didn't last long. Karube showed up at the last moment, promptly and exactly on time. I stood near her and quietly translated. Mexico finally showed a couple minutes late, full of shy appologies. Everyone pretty much ignored her, which was par for the course, except for Karen who told her it was ok, but to try and be punctual next time. Karen then got the show on the road. We held the meeting in the Media Lounge so Karen could use the wide screen TV which Lois had hooked into her computer stuff. Karen went briefly over the grades and the internet media hype on our show, which wasn't glaringly bad. You know, fans polled after the show said it was generally good and they enjoyed it over-all. Then Karen explained the grade thing. Long story short, yes it was based on the "industry standard", sort of an expectation of the "perfect show", and even down to the "perfect match". The fact they were going to be grading our matches made me distinctly uncomfortable, but that's beside the point. Anyway, Karen took pains to explain that it wasn't a pass or fail thing for us. Merely a way to track in some concrete detail how we were doing, and whether we were improving, staying put, or getting worse. She also said that we should see the show grades, and especially the match grades, as a tool to make ourselves better, in light of how the fans liked it, how it went over, and we could have a better idea what to look for in case we studied the tapes of the shows and matches to see what went wrong or what went right. The subject was brought up that my spots, namely the attacks, were way over the top and quite bluntly were completely excessive. That brought to the table by Nightfall. Karen quickly squashed that. This meeting wasn't so we could slam one another, she pointed out, besides which Nightfall hadn't been at the show so couldn't know exactly how it went over anyway. Post-show meetings were a review so we could see what we did and how we'd done, in order to know what to focus on for the next week. She didn't want the meeting to boil down to negativities, unless it was constructive. I'd expected Nightfall to change tack and get 'constructive' with it, but instead she shut up cold. Of course, Karen gave me a look. You know. The kind of look that says, "She's right, you know," without actually saying it. I nodded, and she accepted that. Which meant we'd probably discuss it later. Karen then recapped some things she'd noticed, and invited us to comment. First on the table was Cherry and Brazzle. Particularly Brazzle. Turned out it was the best match of the night, which got some ugly looks from J-Ro. Cherry is always very consistent, which practically goes without saying, but Brazzle's improvement was marked. To which Suzanne got 'gratz all around, much to her embarrassment. And of course the obligatory knuckle buster head fuzzle from Cherry after she'd promptly grabbed Brazzle into a headlock. Of equal congratulations was Masterson, whose performance was very much better, thanks in huge part to Harper. Grace got a momentary sour look, but then nodded curt acknowledgement to Missy. Karen quickly went on to explain that a story would probably play out of that. That brought a grin to Harper, and a nervous look from Missy, who looked like she was expecting Harper to attack her at any second. Sure, she was nervous. She'd never been in something like that before. But she was ready. Then came me, who was congratulated along with Quine for putting on a good match. Seems my performance was improved over my prior match with Bunny on Tuesday, so 'gratz was also warranted for me. I muttered something half way between 'thanks' and 'yeah, right', but otherwise kept it down to a dull roar. Well, a dull roar for me, which I'll admit is just about quiet. I don't get into the whole pep-talk/public acknowledgement thing. Generally. Last was an acknowledgement of Jen and Stephie doing better than they'd done Tuesday, even if just a little, (but that was to be expected) and they looked like they just might amount to decent wrestlers some day. That drew some teasing derision and outright praise from the other women, a smile from Karen, gleeful giggles from the girls, and of course a subdued frown from me. Karen then said that if we continued to give it our all every week, then she expected our shows would dramatically improve, both in grade and in how fun it was to do them. At any rate, Karen went on, we'd be doing a smaller venue next week, unless it was looking like we'd draw a huge crowd. Karen wanted to keep us in full houses, so the shows would look that much better. You know, as if people were lining up to get in for a packed house. We all understood that, though I was curious to see what venue we ended up in. We'd played a few other places in Seattle before, but the Portland Center was our usual, being steeped in wrestling 'tradition'. Us at The Center had become pretty much a tradition, not only for us but for The Center staff and crews as well, and also for the fans. In fact, wrestling had become a staple at The Center in general, including shows from other men's promotions from elsewhere from time to time. And people in the North West are nothing if not closet traditionalists. Somewhat, anyway. Karen then read aloud, and posted, a list of what matches she decided we would have next week. That might change, of course, but not likely. She'd decided to advance book some of them in the media, in order to try and help draw a larger crowd. Here's hoping it would work. It was just preliminary, nowhere near an actual ad flier, but looked something like this: [U]Preshow:[/U] Feature - [B][I]DEVIL Karube & Tsuki Kawamata v/s the Midnight Sisterz[/I][/B] [U]Main Show:[/U] [I]Opener - [B]Miss Mexico v/s Missy Masterson[/I][/B] [B][I]Lorna Midnight v/s TBA[/I][/B] [I]Feature - [B]Catherine Quine v/s Gorgon[/I][/B] [I]Main Event[/I] - In continuation of the Femme Fatale Round Robin bouts,         [B][I]Joanne Rodriguez v/s Suzue Katayama[/I][/B] TBA, of course, was "to be announced" whenever it was decided. Karen then stated she cut the show's length from an hour-and-a-half to one hour. Made sense to most of us, though some thought it disappointing since fewer workers would be needed. And the unspoken 'so less of us will get paychecks'. Karen quickly pointed out that we were used to only one paycheck a month anyway, she was trying to spread the work around as best she could, and February's More Than Meets The Eye show would still be a no-holds-barred two hour all-hands thing. Or at least as many hands as possible who could make it. Besides which, she was still figuring out who would be used where and how often, though she already had some ideas. She looked at Cherry meaningfully at that, and several comments floated around. "Show-off." "Show-stealer." "There she goes again..." Karen also pointed out that if a match was postponed it probably wouldn't turn the fans off, since there was only a week between shows, and if anyone grumbled, say the press, there was always 'plausible deniability'. "Oh, you thought it was this week's Saturday Spectacular? No, we meant next week's Saturday Spectacular. We know the weekly show name thing can be confusing, we're [I]so[/I] sorry..." The younger kids thought that was cool, and us older ladies were dubious, but we'd see. Next Karen outlined where we stood in relation to the various titles, and what she'd had planned for them. You know, the Femme Fatale, Top Contender, and Tag Team titles. She also broached some ideas she'd had for another title and some movement on the current ones. I won't bore you with the details of the discussion that followed. Let's just say that everyone had ideas, Karen listened patiently and mediated when the discussion got heated, then tabled the whole thing till we had a chance to meet as the whole promotion. But she made sure we understood that she valued our input, and we'd given her a lot to think about. Lastly, Karen said she wasn't disappointed that our last show was a 'D'. After all, she said, it wasn't a pass or fail thing unless we started to do 'E's or especially 'F's, though she said she'd be surprised if we'd ever put on a bad show like that. And considering the economy was on the way down, as was wrestling interest, and an 'A' was pretty much an absolutely bring-down-the-house perfect show, a 'D' wasn't a bad start. She said that she was actually impressed we'd done so well, even in her first show Tuesday. Karen said she had no illusions that the show depended on not only the workers but the booker, in assigning the kind and styles of matches and such. She had, in fact, half expected to have gotten our first show an 'E' of some sort. That prompted Cherry to call for "any cheers for our booker?" That brought out a cheer from all of us, even me, and Masterson made sure to call out that it deserved a Cherry Knuckle-Fuzzle. Which Karen laughingly, shriekingly got with the assistance of several of the rest of us.

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] Post meeting lunch was provided for, of course, by my girls, who'd apparently been at work in the kitchen long before the meeting as a sort of 'we done good' celebration. Most of the women didn't stick around, either having other pressing things to do, or places they'd rather be. It [I]was[/I] Sunday, after all. Of course, The girls were sitting at 'our' table. Jen and Stephie, Masterson, Cat, and Lois. Of course, my spot was open. I hit the table, and Masterson promptly offered to get more coffee. Hmm... I said sure, and off she went to the kitchen. Not that I mind someone getting coffee for me. Me and coffee, right? But Masterson volunteering to get it for me? Interesting, to say the least. The girls were switched. Jen on my right, Stephie on my left. Stephie was going over something with Lois quietly. "Hey, guys. What's for lunch?" "Fish!" Stephie said happily. "Some trout, and corn-on-the-cob, an' Potatoes Au Grattin! Oh, and home-made rolls, even though we're not really [I]home[/I]. And real butter, too!" "Good lord, sweety," I said, settling in. "Do you ever not go overboard?" Not that I was starved, but meals can be nice, and when we're at the gym we don't really have a get-together just to get together. It was going to be nice. "Mom," Jen interrupted, looking at Stephie seriously. "Can we ask you a question?" "Oh, yeah," Stephie said, looking suddenly both hopeful and pokerface. I furrowed my brows, but there was only one way to find out if what I guessed was right. "Sure. Ask away." "Mom," Stephie started, mock-casual. "Why didn't you ever tell us about Gran'dad?" "Sweety," I said, rubbing my temples, "I told you guys about your Grandfather Charlie." "Yeah," Stephie acknowledged, "but you never told us Gran'dad was Charlie '[I]Rippin' Paddy[/I]' Reid?" She spun Lois' laptop toward me. And again I found my father stared at me. The volume at the table died. So did my good mood. "Missy!" I called. "Mom," Stephie said, "You don't have to yell. I'm right here." "MASTERSON!" A squeak came from the kitchen, followed by a howl of either pain or surprise or both. Masterson then appeared out the door of the kitchen. She was holding a mug in one hand and the coffee carafe in the other. There was a stain of coffee-with-milk down her front. "You don't have to frickin' scream like that!" she complained, looking at the front of her sweatshirt, as if trying to decide how to wipe at it with both her hands full. "Come here, Missy," I said calmly. "Hang on," she said, turning to the kitchen. "Now." I was a bit less calm. "Cripes, lemme wipe this off at least? It's frickin' hot!" She turned to the kitchen again, looking irritated. I put my hands on the armrests of my chair and the chair's legs scraped on the floor as I pushed back to stand up. I can't recall which was louder. The chair legs or my growled, "All right then..." Missy squeaked again and raced to the table, trying variously not to spill the carafe or what little was in her mug. "Ok, ok," she said, looking scared but trying to look irritated. I settled back into the chair. "I distinctly recall you promising not to say anything." Missy's eyes got wide. "You said not to tell anybody, like if they didn't know. I didn't know Jen and Stephie didn't know!" I gritted my teeth, about to let rip on Missy when Stephie chimed in. "It's true! She didn't know." I took a deep breath. "Stephie, this is not the time to try and bail somebody out..." "It's true, Mom!" Jen added. "Missy thought we already knew. I mean, who would think that you never told us about our [I]grandfather[/I]." Lois stood. "I think I hear someone calling me," she said politely and turned to go. "Oh please. Lois, sit," I admonished her. The cat was obviously out of the bag. "No, it's ok. I'll just..." Lois motioned absently elsewhere, with the unspoken 'think of something'. "Cat," I pleaded to Quine. "Lois, it's ok," Cat told her, putting a hand on her arm. So Lois sat. I sat there for a few minutes, chewing my thoughts. Like a pit bull. I scowled, I glanced at Jen and Stephie, I fumed at the fish. Then I picked up my mug and held it to my left. Missy poured. "Sugar?" she asked in that hopefully cheerful way she has when she hopes to heaven she's off the hook. "Please," I said. Not friendly, but not through gritted teeth either. Missy dropped a large spoon of sugar in my coffee. "Um... can I, like...?" She indicated her sweatshirt front. "Yeah. Then come back," I replied flatly. It took Missy literally seconds. Turns out she had a tee shirt under her sweatshirt. She disappeared into the kitchen and came back out almost immediately. She came back demurely, and sat quietly next to Jen. The entire time it was quiet at the table. Cat knows when I get like this, it's best to let me sort things out in my head. The girls know that as well. Masterson? When there is a prospect for her learning something about someone she doesn't already know, she has the patience of a stone. Lois, being referee material for more than just her in-ring skills, was content to wait, since she'd been invited to stay. She rightly figured since I'd invited her, something would come of it. And knowing me, sooner than later. I didn't disappoint.

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] Charles Reid. He started life somewhere in the midwest, in Wisconsin. Born just before World War II, he was brought up with the ideology of fighting for what was right. Fighting to make things better. At just 4 years old his father died, fighting in Europe, and his mother, never remarrying, continued to raise him on a steady diet of stories about his father and The War. She also went to work as a seamstress to support herself and her only son, making enough to get by on her work and her husband's military death benefit. At 14, Charlie, dropped out of school to take up work so he and his mother could live better. Odd jobs and short-term employment always left him wanting, however, and he became very disillusioned with the working life. At 17, Charlie joined the army, hoping to make a name for himself the way he imagined his father had. But after only three years, he'd learned how to fight too well, and was dishonorably discharged as a discipline case, various incidents including striking superior officers. It was speculated by the military brass that his mother dying a year prior had a lot to do with it, but at that time military psychiatric help for non-wartime personnel was none existent. So Charlie returned to civilian life. 20 years old. Charlie soon found out that his dishonorable discharge made life difficult, particularly finding work. WWII was still fresh in people's minds, and while a military history opened door, they closed just as quickly when the particulars of his discharge came to light. Work was scarce. For whatever reason, after six years he moved to the Northwest. He drifted from Seattle to Portland to Vancouver, working where he could and moving when he couldn't. He worked as a crewman on a fishing boat for a few of years, as a longshoreman working dockyards for a few more. By 28 he had established himself not only as a somewhat troublesome worker but also as a very strong one. In his 28th year, he met Adelaide. A pretty brunette out of Seattle, she quickly fell for Charlie's rough charms, and saw in him not only his problematic exterior but his inner potential. For his part, Charlie quickly fell for her beauty and wit, and her staunch belief that he could make himself something better. Adelaide became Mrs. Reid soon thereafter. Adelaide convinced Charlie to settle down in Seattle for keeps and try to become a better man. Surely there was something he could find that would not only get him steady work, but also be something he loved. So he settled in Seattle, continuing to work as a shipyard laborer until he could find something better. However, he was still a rough and tumble man, and got into trouble every now and again. At 29, a friend he'd recently made among the other yard workers suggested that he had something that could help Charlie stay out of trouble, as well as make them some money. Charlie agreed, and that night attended his first fight. It wasn't a formal thing. It was held in a warehouse where a group of a few dozen men had gathered to watch and bet on bare knuckles brawling. After watching for a while, his friend convinced Charlie to give it a try; his friend would put up his and Charlie's money on bets, and if Charlie won it would gain them a considerable sum. Seeing as Charlie was a newcomer to the scene, betting odds would not favor him, so the potential payoff would be quite large, in fact. Charlie agreed. The fight went very well; Charlie's friend leveraged extremely heavily in the betting, winning a ton of cash. He collected the winnings, and when Charlie was temporarily distracted by congratulations from bystanders, promptly disappeared. Never to be seen again. Loosing his entire week's pay was a severe blow, but Charlie learned something valuable. He learned there was money to be made fighting, and he enjoyed it. The fact it was 'illegal' bothered him not in the least. His news when he got home was greeted with a good deal less than enthusiasm, as his loss made for an extremely tough week. Adelaide was now pregnant, her growing moodiness increased by Charlie's 'squandering' of their money. In the following weeks, Charlie worked steadily. saving his money and making life a bit easier on the couple, but he was now filled with a goal. He had found his dream. He would become a fighter. As the weeks went by, Charlie began to spend increasing amounts of time in warehouses, back alleys, abandoned clubs and anywhere else fighters gathered. He began to learn the ropes, make contacts among agents and small-time promoters. He began working his way into the business. But that work ended up costing him in a way he did not foresee. His lengthening times away from home increasingly disturbed Adelaide. At 30, Charlie became a father of a baby daughter, but despite Adelaide's attempts to dissuade him, he quit his job as a shipyard worker and took up fighting full time. It was a bittersweet move on his part. The bare knuckles fighting that had been so prevalent in the depression, and later in the war years, was on the wane. Coupled with increasing vigilance by the law enforcement community of the time, 'work' became scarce despite Charlie's growing proficiency. Even a promoter Charlie had come to know and work for on occasion disappeared from the scene after being jailed. As a result, life once again became a struggle. Charlie refused to give up, however, fighting whereever he could find a 'venue', which saw him having to travel further and further afield. Eventually, it proved too much for his wife. Adelaide filed for divorce only a year after their daughter was born. Adelaide kept their daughter, and Charlie left to pursue his dream. Over the following years Charlie drifted where work took him. The Northwest, Midwest, and Canada's British Columbia. It was in the US's Midwest that the next stage of Charlie's life began. At that time and in that area, bare knuckles brawling had lost it's appeal, fans of combat instead gravitating to the well-established prizefighting or wrestling. Charlie had tried to get into formal boxing, but no promoter or agent would touch him, seeing him more as an undisciplined 'garbage fighter'. But things were different in wrestling. The Independent Circuit was rife with many promotions, all clamoring for any talent they could get their hands on. The fact that brawling was accepted both allowed Charlie to feel at home, and also didn't look down on his anything goes style. He soon found himself a promotion, and the promoter convinced him to take on the stage name and persona of Rippin' Paddy Reid, in honor of his Irish heritage. But with the independent promotions came a fluid dynamic which often meant any given promotion was in a state of flux, either changing wrestlers often, going out of business, or more typically merging or breaking up. However, the money was better than his prior brawling, so he stuck with it. His new name and growing fame also stoked the fires of his soul. So Ripping Paddy Reid began again his traveling ways. The age of 40 found Rippin' Paddy Reid once again in Washington, in the Seattle area seeking work. He'd become somewhat of a cult icon, and word quickly spread, helped along by the fact that the indy promotions put his name on every advertisement imaginable. But fans weren't the only ones to notice Charlie 'Rippin Paddy' Reid. A friend of his from the dockyards years earlier looked him up. What at first appeared to be the friend's 10 year old daughter turned out to be Charlie's daughter. Adelaide had died not more than a week prior due to complications of pneumonia, and there was no one but the friend to see to the child's welfare. It seemed to be a happy happenstance that Charlie Reid had found his way back to town. Thus it came to pass that Charlie Reid took to raising his daughter, Lorna, as best he could. The traveling life of a wrestler working the Independent Circuit wasn't the best life, but it wasn't the worse one either. It was hardest on the girl; bouncing around to town after town in the US and Canada, never able to keep friends very long, constantly switching schools and the paperwork nightmare that entailed. At 15 Lorna simply dropped out of school. Not only was continuing education ridiculously difficult, but she'd started working a little along with her father, often merely as an errand girl to keep herself busy and to feel she was a meaningful part of her father's life. This went on for two more years, Charlie Reid becoming a veritable icon in the Independent Circuit. The times when Lorna tried to convince her father to try and join a more permanent promotion met with little success. It would just mean starting back over in relative obscurity with much less pay, and Charlie had become enamored of his success. Such as it was. Then, in the year that Lorna turned 17 and her father 47, change came again. They were in Seattle. As chance would have it, at that show was a rabid fan who had brought a friend along. The friend was home on leave from the military, and looking for something to do. While the fan was enthusiastic, the friend was far from it. He didn't particularly like wrestling, and in fact disliked it. But it was something to do after all, so why not? While the fan's name has since been forgotten, the friend's name was not. For that was how Richard Leigtner met, by pure happenstance, the daughter of Charles Reid. The two hit it off instantly, and over the next year continued to correspond and grow closer together, and in fact fall deeply in love. Rick even took pains to travel on his military leave to the places Lorna happened to be at the time, since she was touring with her father still. But as time went by the touring life proved lonely to Lorna, and her love for Richard grew greater than anything had ever been before. Excepting her love for her father. In those years of touring with him she'd come to know him well, and love him as he loved her, and while the touring life meant they had very little, they proved enough for one another. Things changed again the day Richard proposed to Lorna. While thrilled, she was torn between wanting to marry Richard and remaining with her father. In the end, her love of Richard, his coming move to an Asian duty station and the security and stability that entailed, and her father's understanding and even encouragement won out. That year Lorna was 18, her father was 48, and she became Mrs. Lorna Leigtner. She lived with Richard in Asia for the next few months. A very happy time. But she missed her father, and so took a bit of a vacation of her own to visit him, since Charlie was conveniently working in Vancouver. Her arrival was a happy reunion with her father, though Lorna began to try and convince her father that perhaps it was time he settled down and retire. He was, after all, quite old for a wrestler, and he had some money set aside. He could move to Asia with her and Richard, settle in. But Charlie insisted not. He didn't feel old, he said, despite the little things that Lorna noticed and he wouldn't admit. He might come to visit, but his life was as a wrestler. Always was. Always would be. That very evening Lorna went to watch her father at a show. He did well, though his age was indeed catching up to him as evidenced by his apparent exhaustion after his match. After helping him back to his locker room, Lorna did her best to make him comfortable, doing many of the things for him she'd done as a girl; helping him get the tape off his hands, unlacing his boots, getting him water, and trying to get him to sit still and rest. As it was, he seemed particularly agitated, but finally settle down. And it was then that Lorna came to know just how serious her father's physical condition was. Charles Reid had been suffering from growing heart problems, though he angrily never admitted it, and had in fact hidden that fact from his daughter under complaints of "this damned heartburn". In the months Lorna was in Asia things had worsened, though only his closest associates had any indication anything was wrong. Rippin' Paddy even began to train harder, as if to prove to everyone he was fine, and pushed off anyone who tried to convince him otherwise. Unfortunately that evening, his age and the training and that last fight proved too much for Charles "Rippin' Paddy" Reid. His heart failed, and he passed away as he perhaps had wanted. With his daughter by his side, caring for him in his locker room, after one last fight.

[NordVolf]

[CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] After my little story, it was very quiet at the table. I didn't know what else to say. So that's exactly what I told them. That I didn't know what else to say. I also told Jen and Stephie I'd talk with them when we got home. Then I went and waited in the car. The girls finally came out, looking like they were both angry and afraid. It was a long, quiet drive home. Long story short. I told the girls I didn't care what they had to ask me. I didn't care what they wanted to bring up, even if I was sick of it. I didn't care how angry or disappointed or upset they got. That sort of thing was done at home. You didn't confront someone with stuff like that in public, not because it was something to hide, but because you never knew what sort of bad, awful, sad, or other things a person was having to deal with. And now I'd had to deal all over again with my father dying, not just with them, but in public in front of others. Thanks a lot. Besides which, now everyone else was feeling awkward about it, and things would probably be weird for a while because people don't quite know how to deal with something like that. Everyone is different, so what do you say and how do you say it, or do you say nothing, when people air their private laundry at you. So now I'd have to deal with everyone being weird with me at work. Thanks for that too. And now, not only would I have to deal with my two daughters and how they felt about me and what I'd chosen to tell or not tell, but I'd have to deal with all the rest on top of that. Besides which, now Jen and Stephie would have to deal with it too, because people would see them different, ask questions, be awkward or weird with them as well. Great. If, instead, they would have confronted me with it at home, we could have talked or shouted or argued it out like we always did, and work out what needed to be worked out. And no one would have to deal with any weirdness from people whose business it wasn't. I made sure they knew that I was pissed and disappointed with them about it. Regardless of their being pissed or disappointed or whatever with me. I also made other things clear I won't bore you with. To their credit they didn't argue much. Oh, they tried. But in the end, when I told them to make sure they were arguing for the right reasons, not just so they would feel better about what they'd done, they simmered down. Especially when I pointed out I was giving them this little 'chat' in private so they wouldn't have to be embarrassed about it. And then I went out. I hadn't done that in a long time. Go out for a drink. Not that I used to drink a lot. Not even close. But sometimes you just have to get away. I called Cat, asked her if she was up to anything, and would she like to join me. She showed up as fast as she could drive there. So we sat at the bar. Cat and I. We drank a little, talked a lot, fended off guys, and generally put the day behind us. Cat told me she'd settled things with Lois and Missy, and I shouldn't worry about anything. Things at Triple-A would go back to the boringly usual. I certainly hoped so. When I finally got home I checked on the girls like I always did. Looked in on them, found them awake, told them I loved them, and they told me they loved me. I won't tell you the three of us had another talk, and then a good little cry together. That wouldn't be any of your business.

[Remianen]

That was great! Seriously!

[VBigB]

[QUOTE=Remianen;257727]That was great! Seriously![/QUOTE] Yep, I'm impressed. The last couple updates really fleshes out Lorna. Keep up the good work.

[NordVolf]

[CENTER]((OOC Segment))[/CENTER] [QUOTE=Remianen;257727]That was great! Seriously![/QUOTE] [QUOTE=VBigB;258866]Yep, I'm impressed. The last couple updates really fleshes out Lorna. Keep up the good work.[/QUOTE] Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. Glad you're liking it. Lorna has more secrets about her and her life that may be revealed in the future. Not sure yet. It comes out as I write, so... We'll see. As I go I find I'm also fleshing out others. And it's proving a lot of fun to do. Speaking of which... Time for a few more installments! [CENTER][U]Days in the Life - Confessions of a Triple 'A' Worker[/U] [/CENTER] The rest of week two, January, 2007, went pretty smoothly. True to Cat's word, things weren't weird but were the boring usual. Lois never said anything about it to me, and the times we saw each other she handled it like nothing had happened. Masterson avoided me like the plague for a few days but otherwise didn't say anything either, acting like nothing happened as well once she realized I wasn't going to hunt her down and put the knuckles to her. On Monday we found out that Cat's boyfriend, Damian "The Natural" Carvill signed with Canadian Golden Combat. So now he worked for them as well as his usual NOTBPW. While it was great news for him, it sucked for Cat. With two to three shows every week in two of the most opposite regions in Canada he could have possibly gotten, Cat wouldn't get to see him very much at all. Especially since, on the times he'd be in British Columbia, his shows were on Friday and Sunday, then it was back east to the Maritimes. But while disappointed, Cat was determined to make the best of it. So, she and I put our heads together to figure schedules and travel for him so they could spend time. Needless to say, when she called him he was very surprised. It was nice when his surprise turned into Cat's happiness. He went for it. On Wednesday came a second good thing. Suzue came back from Japan, her talent trade contract for three shows having expired. When she got back she was her usual, stoic self. I greeted her, she greeted me. I made a point to ask her if she'd known I'd made a mistaken assumption that she was going for good. She said yes, rewarded me with the slightest of sly smiles I'd ever seen, and went to put her things away in her locker. Thanks a lot. I told her that, too. To which she didn't reply. Just got that secret, hidden quirk of the corners of her mouth that passed for a laugh out loud for her. Thursday found my girls and a few others in the Media Lounge. They were talking animatedly; and even though I was headed for the showers from the training room with Fish, I just had to stop and ask. Turns out they weren't discussing grades for once. Instead, they were discussing USPW. Seems that news reports indicated that USPW was given a warning by their PPV provider. While that in itself wasn't notable to me, as USPW didn't have a women's division and so didn't compete with us directly, they did compete for fans and viewership. We didn't have a PPV venue, though Lois and the girls quickly pointed out if USPW lost their show, that would be one more slot potentially open for us to take. Of course, sour apple me just had to point out that they just might be loosing their show because people just weren't interested. The economy, and interest in wrestling in general, continued to decline. Things got interesting on Friday.