OOC: I was able to scrap together something more for Aaron Blackbourne, but due to the illness I mentioned in Thirteen's RP thread I did have to cut a part I wasn't able to get finished in time because I was too tired trying to sleep this off to get it finished, but I might be able to salvage it for a future RP at least.
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To say that the past few weeks have been awkward for Aaron Blackbourne would be quite the understatement.

Roughly two weeks ago on Breakdown, his latest run with the TV Title came to an abrupt end after a back-and-forth battle with former World Champion Alexis Quinne. Simply put, Aaron got caught and paid the price, and while he could at least take solace in the fact that this reign exceeded his previous one in both length and successful defenses, it still stung that the hard work he put in to win the belt at Rise to Greatness had already ceased to exist. Perhaps if there was something waiting in the aftermath he could at least have something else to preoccupy his mind, but that simply didn’t seem like the case as he was given the previous Breakdown off from action to recover following several weeks in a row of competing, and it didn’t seem like there were any plans for him to be in action for Apocalypse tonight either. He would still be at the arena, especially in support of his friend Owen Cruze when he did battle with Regan Street, but other than that he would need to figure something out going forward.

What certainly didn’t help was this new admirer he seemed to have, and as the weeks began to pass Aaron was starting to become more and more unnerved by the situation even if he did his best to maintain his calm when the cameras were trained on him. Clearly Scarlet Grey was enamored with him, and as flattered as he was the fact of the matter is she was several months too late. His heart already belonged to Liane, and if the fact they were still hesitant about the subject of being in anything less than their everyday clothes around one another was any indication, what they had together had nothing to do with sex appeal. That seemed to be Scarlet’s driving force, and between flaunting her own body freely before him and clearly trying to see him beyond even his wrestling attire, she was making him uncomfortable. The fact that she’d even invited him to watch Apocalypse with her from a private hotel room didn’t sit well with him either, as even if his actual relationship was taken out of the equation he knew that simply watching the show together would likely be the last thing she’d want to do. Scarlet was being extremely forward, and no matter how attractive she was Aaron got a bad feeling whenever she was near him. It was the same feeling he got the few times he’d been around his brother Andrew’s boyfriend… a feeling that sent chills down his spine and told him bad things would happen if he actually gave in to this woman who was such a free spirit when it came to her body that he doubted she actually wanted anything significant with him beyond just claiming she scored.

The whole situation with Scarlet also creating a storm on the horizon that he was nervous about dealing with. When he’d headed to Pittsburgh for the Breakdown that signaled the end of his title reign, he and Liane had separated after he’d gotten a call from Pete about how the tattoo artist had managed to convince a local comedy club to give Liane a chance as their headliner, so she’d spent these past couple of weeks back in Seattle performing. He had no doubt she was still keeping up with his SCW endeavors and had seen what was going on in regards to Scarlet Grey, and the fact they hadn’t really had any contact in that time made him worry she was looking at this the wrong way like everyone else was initially. The current plan was for the two of them to reunite as she was flying out to Chicago so she could join Aaron in watching the pay-per-view, then from there things would resume as normal unless she got called for more gigs after two weeks of nonstop performances every night. He just wanted to try and clear the situation up before it gained any negative traction and ultimately endangered their relationship, because Liane meant so much to Aaron’s life and he couldn’t afford to lose that.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, things weren’t entirely organized inside Aaron’s head either. Leading up to the Breakdown in Las Vegas where he’d defended the TV Title against AJ Helms, he had a moment where he’d completely lost control of his creative landscape. The last thing he remembered was Ferrugo fighting of his own accord with the Twin Stars while Nemesis seemed to mastermind the whole ordeal, even redirecting Aaron’s attempt at mental solitude to make sure he was aware of it. When you factored in how easily he’d suddenly lost control of himself and nearly beheaded a comedy club owner because of his refusal to let Liane perform on a clearly advertised open mic night, something was very wrong and he needed some way to piece everything back together. This was why he’d decided to try a little bit of meditation before heading to the airport to pick up Liane, and he could only hope he was able to sort himself out before that encounter.

If he didn’t start to right this ship, he could feel it was destined to sink and cost him everything he was finally earning for himself.

Before going to pick Liane up, Aaron decided to spend some time meditating back in his hotel room, trying to steer himself to his “safe place” inside his mind in order to hopefully sort things out. Within an hour or two, he had gotten his mind in order for the time being, but now he needed to see how well that was going to hold up.

He could feel his nerves clashing with the calm he was trying desperately to maintain as he stood in the arrivals area of Chicago O’Hare International Airport, eyes carefully scanning the crowd for the familiar head of brown hair that belonged to his girlfriend. He knew her flight had come in since she’d texted him to let him know, the first contact they’d had in some time. Considering it didn’t go beyond that and Aaron letting her know he’d be waiting for her, it was clear that if she did want to talk about what was going on in SCW with Scarlet, she preferred to do it face-to-face. Aaron couldn’t blame her… after all, she would no doubt want a good look at his face to make sure that what he planned to tell her was the genuine truth. Of course, he planned to tell her nothing but the truth, but one can never be too careful when the seeds of doubt are planted, especially if it’s someone else’s handiwork.

After a few minutes of waiting around and taking some deep breaths to maintain the composure he’d just spent the past little while rebuilding inside The Sanctuary, the moment was finally here. He saw Liane carefully wading through the crowd with her luggage in hand, and when the two locked eyes she quickly made her way over to where he stood. Her face seemed pretty neutral which was a bad sign as far as he was concerned, as under any other circumstances she’d have likely been all smiles and eager to tell him about how things went with the comedy club headliner gig. He briefly had a thought about her not being in a good mood because that didn’t go so well for her, but he quickly kicked that thought out of his head when it dared to try and be the more preferable option to what he knew the real issue was. He didn’t know if that was the doing of Nemesis or simply his grip beginning to slip away, but he wasn’t about to roll the dice any more at this point. When they were finally close Liane just walked right past him, silently motioning for him to follow and he complied, knowing that if they were going to talk it was probably best to get away from the crowded airport so nobody could eavesdrop. The walk to the parking garage where Aaron’s rental car sat was agonizingly quiet, but once they finally found it Liane set her bags down and sat on the edge of the hood, tucking her hands into her jeans pockets.

“I’m sorry if I’m not as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I usually am Aaron, but I think you know why.”

“I’m aware… we parted ways to focus on our respective opportunities, and now you know I apparently have a stalker obsessed with me.”

“A stalker? Aaron, she stood before you butt naked and invited you to take a shower with her! She even wore next to nothing in the ring and tried to emulate your whole ‘demon’ thing!”

“I know Liane… to anyone simply watching, it looks like a mess, I’m not going to lie. Hell, that interviewer I had time with this past Breakdown certainly thought there was something going on, but I’m setting the record straight. What I said on Breakdown is the truth: I’m in a committed relationship with you and you alone, and nothing Scarlet Grey does is going to change that. I don’t know why she’s suddenly so interested in me, but the feeling is so far away from mutual you’d sooner discover a new galaxy on the edge of the universe than you would see me and her together.”

Aaron saw a trace of hope in Liane’s eyes, but it faded when she looked down, and he had a feeling he knew why. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her evaluating her own body in a negative fashion, especially since they both had a bad habit of being their own worst critic at times.

“I want to believe you Aaron, but… what do I have that she doesn’t? Let’s face it: she’s tall and obviously has curves in all the right places, and she’s not afraid to show that off. I just look kind of awkward, especially compared to her, and I’m still hesitant at the mere thought of being in my underwear around you, let alone anything less.”

“You make me happy Liane, simple as that.”

Liane’s gaze suddenly jolted up, just in time to catch Aaron closing the distance as he planted a soft kiss on her lips and took her hands in his for comfort, making sure she could see deeply into his eyes to know and trust in every word he spoke going forward.

“Yeah, Scarlet might be attractive, but if I was looking for a one night stand like she obviously is then I would’ve followed Pete’s lead back in that bar where we first met all those months ago. Plus, even if I want to feel flattered by her being attracted to me, I get a vibe from her that I haven’t felt since the last time I dealt with my own mess of a family. It’s weird, but I can almost feel the toxic influence radiating off of her whenever she tries to get anywhere near me. It may be true that I saw her naked, though not by my own choice, but looks aren’t everything. You have been my source of strength for a long time now Liane, from trying to deal with whatever the hell’s going on in my head threatening to hijack my imagination and make me appear insane to powering through whatever obstacles both SCW and life in general try to throw my way. There’s no reason for us to try and rush things… I’m just happy knowing you’re a part of my life, and what you give me is far more than Scarlet or any other woman on this planet could offer, and I mean that sincerely. I don’t care what she was hoping to do with Apocalypse tonight, because I won’t be joining her. I’m going to be backstage cheering Owen on for his match and otherwise enjoying the show with my girlfriend… no, my soulmate.”

Any doubt that was lingering in Liane’s mind almost instantly vanished in that moment. Plain and simple, if there was any girl Aaron wanted by his side for eternity, it was Liane, and he just knew in his heart that he meant it when he called her his soulmate. He severely doubted any girl could make him feel the way she did, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt Scarlet was incapable of coming anywhere close in that regard. The two of them couldn’t help but indulge in a good-length kiss to further seal the deal, and Liane’s big smile returned the moment their lips parted. Perhaps the only thing that could somewhat sour the mood at that point in time was the sound of Liane’s phone going off, but Aaron didn’t mind and left her to answer it while he loaded up her bags in the trunk of the car. As he went to climb into the driver’s seat though, he stopped when he saw Liane motioning to him, the smile on her face already gone again. As he moved to stand by her, she tapped a button on her phone and then held it flat against her palm as she extended her arm a bit.

“Alright, I’ve got his attention, and you’re on speaker now.”

“Thank you. Mr. Blackbourne, are you there?”

“I am. And you are…?”

“Dr. Miranda Lopez, a therapist who’s been trying to get in contact with you for weeks now.”

“Really? I sincerely apologize doctor, I’ve just been really busy with my wrestling schedule. When you add in the untelevised house shows, free time kind of becomes a fleeting luxury some days.”

It was a sarcastic comment, but he did his best to mask it. Truth be told, he was very much aware of the repeated voicemails she’d been leaving him and he chose to ignore every single one. He knew she was simply concerned just because of whatever she heard from both of their families, but in his mind he didn’t need a therapy session and neither did Liane. Sure, they had their fair share of problems, but they were both confident they could help each other work through them, and the last thing Aaron wanted to put up with was a therapist confusing his creativity for some form of a mental disorder. It wasn’t the first time it would’ve happened, and he wasn’t about to go on another rant over it either.

“I should apologize to you Mr. Blackbourne. When I tried to contact you about scheduling an appointment I did not take your wrestling schedule into account. Your family failed to mention anything in regards to that career.”

Gee, I wonder why…

“With all due respect doctor, we understand you might have some concerns, but just because our families think we might need help doesn’t mean they’re right. We both just… have some disagreements with our families over things, but we’re perfectly fine where we’re at right now.”

“And with all due respect to you Miss Forte, I would like to be the judge of that for myself. Considering some recent developments in regards to Mr. Blackbourne’s family I’m not sure he’s even aware of and how insistent your family is, I’m afraid it’s imperative that we at least meet to discuss things. If what you say is true, then there’s no harm in one session to show me everything is in the clear before we part ways.”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news doctor, but between Liane’s new comedy gig she got recently and my wrestling schedule I’m not sure if we’re even going to have time to-”

“Let me stop you right there Mr. Blackbourne. I’ve already taken care of the matter to ensure that we can have this session without any further delay. I have contacted both of your respective employers and insisted some mandatory time off on the grounds of requiring an evaluation before I can clear you both for work, so there is no further reason to delay this.”

Hearing that almost had Aaron seeing crimson again, but he did his best to suppress the irritation he felt at how persistent this therapist was being all just to get an appointment he knew likely wasn’t going to end well. He turned to look at Liane, who wore an identical mask of annoyance on her face in that moment.

“So that explains why I was suddenly pulled from my gig and given some time off after only two weeks…”

Clearly Liane hadn’t simply given up the gig or taken time off to return to her boyfriend, especially since the usual post pay-per-view time off meant Aaron could return home and see her perform for himself. This sudden announcement also meant he probably wasn’t going to be seeing any action on the next Breakdown either, which kept him from being able to try and “right the ship” like he so desperately wanted to on the SCW front. In his mind, this therapist was starting to overstep her bounds, and that was usually a red flag in his book coming from a profession he already had difficulty trusting in.

“With all of that said, when do you two feel might be the best time for you to meet me at one of my offices? I can even tell you where my closest office is from wherever you’re both located now to make it easier to set this up.”

“If you don’t mind me asking Dr. Lopez, do we specifically have to see you? Or do we just need to see any therapist in order to be cleared?”

“Well, I would prefer if you come and see me since I’ve been handling so many sessions within your respective families and social circles already, but if there’s another therapist who can see you sooner I suppose…”

Liane looked to Aaron as Dr. Lopez continued to ponder to herself over the phone, and he just smirked and motioned for her to trust him.

“The reason I bring this up is because I’ve found out that one of the current wrestlers for SCW is a registered therapist, and we’re currently in his hometown of Chicago for a pay-per-view event. I’m pretty sure his office would be here as well, so we could probably set something up with him at the arena tonight and get this taken care of within the next day or two, which saves us some money on an extra flight.”

“…alright, but I would very much like to get in contact with him to discuss what he got from his session with you as soon as possible.”

“I’ll make sure to pass your number along to him once we’re done doctor.”

Dr. Lopez bid the two of them goodbye before the call ended, and Aaron breathed a sigh of relief now that he was done with that. He took a moment to lean against the call and make sure he was collected, and as he did so he took note of the curiosity in Liane’s eyes.

“That therapist on the SCW roster… you mean that Thirteen guy, right? Are you really going to ask him about…?”

“Honestly? Not really. No offense to him, but I just used the resources we had from being here to try and buy us some extra time to get her off our backs. I’m sure Dr. Lopez means well, but if you ask me we’ve got some other things that need to be taken care of first, and one of them is not sitting in front of a therapist for an hour trying to explain to her that being creative is not the same thing as having an unstable mind.”

“I feel bad about lying to her, but I don’t know what my parents might have told her about me and I think I’d rather ride things out with you first to see if I continue staying in control of myself before thinking I need any professional help.”

Maybe it was a bit underhanded, but in Aaron’s mind they were perfectly fine where they were at right now and were perfectly capable of helping one another past whatever issues they knew they had. They didn’t need a therapist that had likely been fed some misinformation trying to blow things out of proportion. As much as he knew he’d lost the next Breakdown, he knew that “doctor’s order” wouldn’t last considering Fatal Fortunes was after that, and as long as Aaron could physically compete SCW was going to book him regardless. Liane’s situation was a little more difficult, but never let it be said that Aaron wasn’t capable of finding creative solutions to any problem. It would require a bit of thought, but he’d come up with something. For now, they were simply going to go enjoy Apocalypse together before figuring everything out one step at a time, because together they could accomplish anything.

At least, that’s what Aaron believed, and his feelings hadn’t steered him wrong yet. He just needed to make sure they weren’t further poisoned by Scarlet’s antics or whatever was going on inside his head to keep it that way.

OOC: Unfortunately, due to being ill the past few days and trying to sleep it off I didn't have as much time as I'd have liked to do more, so this is a shoot only effort for Thirteen. I swear I'll get him truly back in gear once Fatal Fortunes is done.
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“I would ask if you guys have missed me, but I think we all know how everyone would respond to that.

Don't worry, I'm not going to have some sort of meltdown just because I disappeared for a while and no one seemed to notice until I chose to resurface. Even with all my years of experience, I can always count on the inevitability that the vast majority of those around me will let me stick to the shadows and fly under the radar until I find myself with an opportunity that was ‘supposed to be theirs’ among other baseless claims. It's just one of the things you pick up on when you've been doing this for a while, along with the ability to read certain individuals to know exactly what kind of game they're going to play and how you can use that to get what you want out of a situation. Consider that one reason why my return has been focused on unraveling the mystery behind this masked individual and ripping away that proverbial safety blanket my old ‘friend’ Syren continues to hide behind until she gets her way.

That, and the fact that I'm not exactly going to let this man think he can get away with costing me an opportunity at the World Title without repercussion.

You see, SCW is full of men and women who are just desperate for one thing or another. Most want to have that spotlight they feel they deserve, or to put championship gold around their waists or simply have everyone's respect and admiration. The unfortunate truth is that these are not things they can receive as easily as they think, and that has nothing to do with Mr. D and his family or the Board of Directors or anything more than the very nature of the world we live in. After all, human beings are, by nature, greedy creatures that will never be satisfied even if you could hand any one of them absolute power on a silver platter. They always desire more, and when they don't get it they expect everyone around them to drop what they're doing and fix this ‘injustice.’ Of course, this doesn't happen as each of those individuals is expecting you to do the exact same thing for them, creating a vicious but fragile cycle that only ever ends with one person getting that temporary moment of glory before it all starts anew.

The more people hide behind their veil of ignorance expecting everyone else to bend over backwards for them, the more the truths get lost in the shuffle.

I'll at least say this about Syren: she has some respect for herself, even if it's hard to see behind the paradise she wants but believes others are keeping her away from. Years ago, when she defended the World Title against me one-on-one and we were denied a proper finish, I knew she would never be willing to accept that. Granted, I wasn't fully expecting the path she did decide to take in regards to that, but she was still willing to fight in a vain attempt to silence all her critics even though it came back to permanently scar her psyche. Even back at Rise to Greatness, I could feel the fear when she found herself trapped in the same hold that lost her the top prize in SCW so very long ago, and would have put her out again if not for Sienna Swann.

In case you're curious, my self-imposed exile had nothing to do with Sienna's claims that she's ‘erased the past’ when she's come nowhere close. Doing so implies that she did so much damage to me that I finally decided I cannot physically keep going in this business, and I'm afraid this is a feat Sienna is simply incapable of. This does, however, highlight just how fragile Sienna's ego truly is when compared to even that of Syren: unlike my longtime rival, Sienna will simply take any victory she can get and claim there's nothing more for her to prove. Never mind the fact that she proved nothing in regards to me when she never actually pinned me, or that she simply benefitted from Syren's outside attempt to turn the tide in her favor; as far as she's concerned, she's beaten me and put an end to me and will never look back, and as long as she has her little support system to kiss her ass and praise what is simply not built to last, she can hide pretty deep inside her own head to avoid actually having to deal with business left unfinished.

Of course, this means that when this angel's time is finally up, her fall from grace will be one she will never be able to recover from, especially when introduced to the difficult reality she claims to be a part of in regards to SCW constantly trying to move forward.

Of course, that leaves the million dollar question then... why the silence for so long? It's true that falling short at Rise to Greatness, regardless of the circumstances surrounding it, was quite a harsh blow, but when you've been doing this for as long as I have now these failed opportunities simply fade away as you persevere. Needless to say... I was given the time off to think some things over. After all, Mr. D has been going on and on about ‘anchors’ for quite some time now to either light a fire under veterans' asses or have an excuse to get rid of them, and I'm not so blind to believe my name isn't on that list. Like it or not, that World Title reign of mine from six years ago was the last time I've held any sort of championship gold in SCW or otherwise, and while I'm not in desperate need of any more gold to add to the legacy my name already carries that will rival some of the biggest names to ever grace a wrestling ring throughout history, he views that as a sign that I might not have it anymore and shouldn't continue to be a part of this roster. When you add to the fact that I doubt Sasha has forgiven me for my actions all those years ago like her father seems to have, and that's two very powerful names in SCW that want my time here to expire.

Unfortunately, if I proved anything all those years ago when I turned this entire company upside-down to the point where it still hasn't fully recovered, it's that I'm not so easy to get rid of no matter what you think you have against me.

This ultimately brings me to my return to competition, and it happens to coincide with the always chaotic event known as Fatal Fortunes. For the next two weeks, no one will have any control over their destinies and will be left completely in the dark until mere moments before they're told they have to head out to the ring. In the time I've been with this company, I've either been left out of the proceedings altogether or somehow ended up with a title opportunity of some kind, and while I'm not going to stand here and make claims of any guarantees that one champion on this roster right now will need to hold on to their championship gold tight when they hear my music, there are several men and women standing on those pedestals right now that do not want that trend to continue. After all, Heaven forbid if they actually have to try and back up their claims of superiority against me once more knowing that with something prestigious on the line, anything less than absolute victory will leave that door wide open to a more ‘undesirable’ scenario down the line.

Of course, maybe I won't find myself challenging for a title this time around. Maybe I can get this masked man I've been hunting inside of a steel cage or have him forced to be attached to me to deny him any hope of running away this time so we can finally see who was so desperate they would sell their soul to be Syren's little bitch until her temper tantrum over not being World Champion is resolved. Perhaps I can simply cut straight to the part where I continue Syren's downward spiral as she falls further and further away from the only thing that keeps her mentally stable in this company. Maybe I could even find myself facing some cocky up-and-comer to prove this ‘anchor’ is still more than capable of causing the ill-prepared to sink well beyond their depths for getting too far ahead of themselves. The possibilities are endless, and while I'll be contending with the unknown all the way up until you hear my music, there is one fact that will always persevere.

No matter how much SCW falls apart in the face of a generation that cares more for getting their way by any means necessary, my place in history will never be erased no matter what anybody claims. And if they think it's going to be that easy to do away with the likes of me, then perhaps it's time I stop playing this game of judge, jury and executioner and simply go back to dissecting anyone who gets in my way and building an undeniable case that cannot be overlooked. After all, no matter how much things may change on the surface, they will always stay the same at their very core.”

Reusing the RP from the last Breakdown, which has been posted again below.




This wasn't how Scarlet had planned to spend tonight, and it clearly bothered her.

As far as she was concerned, Apocalypse wasn't about some self-perceived model flaunting her inferior body for the mindless masses they failed to see REAL perfection when she was present, or whether or not any of the champions would be able to survive with their title reigns intact, or even what hell would be unleashed when a lunatic sought to behead a false queen in the name of his imaginary kingdom. No, Apocalypse was supposed to be about her, and more importantly what she could offer to a certain special someone that he would never be able to get from some run-of-the-mill little girl that could only dream of being in the same league as the one and only undisputed most attractive female not just in SCW, but walking the earth today.

Unfortunately, it seemed like Aaron Blackbourne still didn't seem to understand that, and Scarlet was starting to get irritated over figuring out why. The only thing that made any sense to her was that he was way too preoccupied with playing around in his own head that he was losing touch with reality. After all, somehow it seemed to work with several others, so maybe forgetting reality was even a thing was the best way to go? Of course, many would claim Scarlet was already in that boat between her claims and more than half of what she desired for herself. That still didn't explain why such a nice and clearly open-minded guy wouldn't at least satiate his curiosity by accepting her invitation, even if for only a few minutes because that was all the crimson bombshell needed. But no, she was laying in this hotel room watching the show's closing moments all by her lonesome, as opposed to some innocent (well, as innocent as you can probably get with her) naked cuddling to show someone how deep her desires ran.

Amarant: He never showed, did he?

Scarlet slowly turned her attention away from the chaos that ended the show over at the arena, her face wearing a mask of annoyance. Sure, they'd both booked rooms at this hotel and Ruby had taken precautions to have access to Scarlet's room if necessary, but that still didn't mean she wanted to see her right now or hear her go on and on about how she was right, as usual. True, always proving she was right and overall mentally superior to people was what made her who she was, and Scarlet always admired that, but even if she'd toned it down around her fellow red-haired beauty it still wasn't something she wanted to deal with right now, or the fact she'd entered her room without a sound like some kind of sexy ninja.

Grey: No, he didn't. I'm guessing you're here to gloat about being right, as usual?

Amarant: I could, but gloating over facts just doesn't satisfy me like it used to. Some people out there just love to take the fun out of simple pleasures.

Grey: Then why don't you go bother them? I'll be fine for the night.

Amarant: And even if I believe that, what about the next time? I gave you space when you asked for it, even if I still feel it was against my better judgment, but as much as I know you just seem to shrug things off you'll eventually lose it if you don't keep getting your way. I don't have to bring up the self-destructive rampage you went on that led to our temporary leave of absence from SCW in the first place, do I?

Considering the mention it just got, it was a rhetorical question, and it was another thing Scarlet wasn't interested in right now. She just turned over in the bed to take her focus off her partner, hoping the sight of her glorious ass would give Ruby the hint to either do something with it herself to make up for getting under her skin or to simply take a hike. All she heard was a sigh and the gentle sound of footsteps on the plush carpeting before an extra weight was introduced to the bed. Scarlet could feel her hair being stroked in a comforting way, like she was some kind of cat or dog being petted, and did her best to relax when it became clear Ruby wasn't simply going to let her be until she knew for sure the more sexually active and emotionally unstable of the two of them wasn't going to do anything life-threatening to herself all because she got stood up tonight, a rarity in and of itself considering the woman in question.

Grey: What does he see in this girl that he keeps telling me he's in a relationship with? I don't see any girl hanging on his arm when he's backstage or lounging around when he's in front of a camera, so how do I know what my competition is so I can crush it in the most ruthlessly satisfying fashion and claim my prey?

Amarant: I can promise you that whoever she is, she has nothing on you Scarlet. And I'm not saying that just to put your ego at peace; compared to just about any woman in the human race, you truly are a goddess among women, which is one reason all its own why I continue to linger around you even if some circumstances dictate I'm better off walking a different path entirely. You are a truly special entity, and I don't make such claims lightly.

Grey: Does that mean you'll fill in all these blanks about yourself one of these nights Rubes?

Amarant: ...maybe someday I will Scarlet. Right now I don't feel comfortable doing so, but I promise it's more for your safety and nothing more. I will say that I did manage to acquire something through one of those “blanks” for the next Breakdown, but I need you to do something for me with it, alright?

It was worth a shot, but Scarlet knew she'd be getting that tired old answer the moment the question caused Ruby's hand to freeze and leave her head. As much as she was going to make it clear to SCW and especially Aaron that when she wanted something, she would find a way to get it no matter what it took, she wanted Ruby to know that as well. Not even she was an exception to that rule of the life of Scarlet Grey, no matter how much she saw herself as a superior individual in the human race. Still, hearing that whatever Ruby got involved with when the two were separated from one another had secured something got her attention as she turned her head, taking careful note of the timid look that briefly existed in the maroonish eyes of the normally unshakable genius. She quickly replaced it with her default expression, but Scarlet had already filed the sight she needed away in mental storage until she might need to call upon it again.

Grey: I'm listening...

Amarant: I managed to get some strings pulled in a sense to make up for our return being spoiled, no thanks to your head being more on this “masterpiece” you're trying to create for yourself than the goal of the Red Empire, which I should remind you is more your goal than mine. I may be able to pick apart anybody, but like it or not I'm still bound by human limitations and I can only do so much against two people without some help.

Grey: I said I was sorry when we got back to my castle, didn't I?

Amarant: The point is this: I agreed to give wrestling another shot because you still want to get something out of it. Wrestling is your little passion project at present and I'm simply helping you to mold it to your heart's content, even if neither of us really need the business as far as I'm concerned. If we're going to continue to bring your kingdom to life in this area, then I need to know I can trust you to stick with it. If you're losing interest like you have other endeavors, tell me now so I can get this company off our backs permanently.

Ruby is caught off guard a bit when Scarlet suddenly shoots up, a fire in her eyes that she's only seen in her partner when she's truly hellbent on getting whatever she's after. This look signifies Scarlet at her most dangerous, and this is all Ruby really needs to see. Even still, Scarlet makes sure she hears it as well to ensure all doubt is eliminated.

Grey: Look, I get it. I fucked up by hoping I could get Aaron's attention so he could have a front row seat to my own little display of creativity as well as the Red Empire's grand return, and it cost us. I'm starting to see that whatever he's doing to convince himself that I'm not worth simply kicking this other girl to the curb for isn't as easy to break as I thought. Can you blame me? Most men, and women for that matter, take one look at me and the next thing you know I've got them wrapped around my finger. If I can't get his attention by playing his game, then maybe I can do it by putting on a performance I know he can't ignore. He's a former two time champion after all, so surely he'll start giving the proper attention to a winner.

Amarant: Not exactly the wording I was expecting, but at least you're in the ballpark I was hoping you'd be in. I sincerely hope that Sam Raine chick and her “best friend” aren't riding too high with that fluke win they scored over us due to you allowing yourself to be blinded by infatuation, because she's going one-on-one with YOU come Breakdown. If you really want to make it clear that this is still the game you want to play, then go out there and make sure the only way she returns to the locker room is in defeat with someone helping her remember where she even is. Do that, and I'll back off a little bit on how harsh I've been over this whole ordeal... maybe you'll even get your wish and your new little “boy toy” will start paying attention.

Grey: ...I want something from you in return.

Ruby raises an eyebrow as Scarlet rises to a stand. She's not going to lie that the passion and intensity that's radiating from her right now has her intrigue at a rare all-time high, especially being the kind of aura that actually contradicts with the fact that she's still lacking any sense of clothing right now. In this moment, Scarlet doesn't care what she is or isn't wearing. All she cares about is putting her own spin on Ruby's offer to make it crystal clear just how badly she wants this... both the success she craves like a drug and the creative individual she's currently pining for.

Grey: I'm not going to let him or all those mindless morons have any idea otherwise, but I'm done full-on playing the “puppy love” game and simply expecting him to fall head-over-heels with anything I do. If Aaron starts paying attention to what I'm going to do to that wannabe mental patient, that simply saves me some trouble. I'm not expecting him to bite the hook though, but he'll soon realize that what I said in that little interview was not some throwaway comment or even a minor threat. I'll embarrass Sam and reclaim our rightful win to put your brilliant mind at peace, but in return for having to request that of me at all I'd like a little bit of help making sure that Aaron understands this thing between us will only ever end one way: with him becoming mine. Consider it a case of conquering a man who's held championship gold twice to our present zero to help boost our stock if you need to for motivation.

Ruby and Scarlet just stare one another down, the fury of the latter starting to feel so intense it could burn down the entire hotel if it could actually manifest into a physical flame. The former finally cracks a smirk, even chuckling to herself over the thought of having flipped a switch on Scarlet that very few even knew existed, especially with how much she's preferred to play around to some degree without Ruby present to keep her on the right track. But if unleashing this more dangerous side of Scarlet would be beneficial to them both and what they were after, Ruby could only say one thing before leaving her partner alone for the night to piece together her latest lust-themed scheme.

Ruby: Deal.

OOC: Appearances with approval, including the small cameo in the shoot, which was filmed this morning. This should kick off some interesting things. I really enjoyed the last scene/flashback, any chance I get to write that character makes me happy. Enjoy!

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Fatal Fortunes 2018

Just thought that I would post this up now, but I will be going on vacation on the week of the 5th of October. I would like to not be booked that week. I should be fine for the show on the third, but the following one is the one that I need off.

Took me a while to get this rolling, liked how it ended up and hope it translates well while moving things forward for all parties involved. This story has a lot of consequences moving forward and I'll admit i'm looking forward to how it all pans out by the end whenever that may be.

Enjoy and good luck to all involved with Fatal Fortunes.

Before i forget, be sure to read Sienna's first before reading mine.


Weight of the World...