Post by Tornado Desencadenado on Jul 19, 2017 21:37:16 GMT -5
This is a collaboration between myself and Ruby Rose Lance Many thanks to her for being part of this story.
The scene opens inside the West Coast Genesis Performance Center’s training room. The area is as big as an airplane hangar, with six regulation sized rings spread equidistant throughout. Currently only one is in use; as a pair of prospective WCG talents ‘run the ropes’ criss cross, while a current member of the roster watches from outside.
Tornado Desencadenado, wearing a Union Battleground tee shirt and a pair of green gym short, leans against the apron and absently watches the drills. Surprisingly, given his reputation as a ‘gym rat’, he’s not here to train; but teach. Not those inside the ring, though; and not about wrestling. Not really.
“Couple more minutes, guys, and then she’ll be here,” he tells the duo.
After those couple of minutes, Ruby Rose Lance shows in something of a hurry with an apologetic cringe on her face. She approaches TD wearing a pair of black and camouflage tights with a WCG t-shirt and her hair pulled up in a ponytail.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late."
“No apology necessary,” Tornado replied, “You’re the one doing me the favor.”
He called the wrestlers in the ring over to introduce them to his friend.
“Ruby, this is Erin Pearle and Tug Blackheath. They agreed to help us.”
“Hey,” Tug nodded in greeting.
“Big fan here,” Erin told the South Bay Champion, “It’s great to be working with you.”
Ruby blushes from the compliment and can't help but grin like an idiot that's never been told that before.
"Oh, that's so sweet. Thank you."
With the introductions out of the way, Tornado got down to business, “So this is the plan; Tug and Erin will work a standard match with you as referee. I’ll be on outside acting as Tug’s ‘manager’. Assume you’re at a real show, so you have to remember where the hard camera is, and that there’s an audience in attendance. Sound good?”
Ruby nods long, glancing in different directions as she mentally tries to place the camera and the audience… something that it appears she didn't even consider with this assignment.
"Right. Yeah."
“One last thing,” TD turned his attention to the novice wrestlers, “You guys are here to test Ruby as much as yourselves. Make her earn those stripes.”
With that reminder out of the way, Tornado moved to stand by Tug’s corner, his eyes on Ruby, waiting to see what’d she do next.
"Okay… so… yeah. Just call the match like normal. I already know the rules, so that should be easy."
She nods along with herself and looks to be trying to prepare herself for this new experience.
Erin and Tug stand staring at each other, then look to Ruby. The young woman motions for them to start. The pair lock up, with the much larger Tug gaining the advantage. He forces his opponent back into the corner. Ruby immediately goes to seperate them, telling Tug to back off. He doesn’t move right away, but after a second, more forceful warning complies. They move out into the middle of the ring and again go for the elbow and collar tie up.
“So, Ruby, that’s great news about Danni and Donovan,” Tornado said casually from his spot on the apron.
"Uh… what?"
She glances in his direction, confused at why he's bringing this up randomly in the middle of her trying to referee a match.
"I mean… yeah. It's awesome, but… what?"
As if on cue, Erin takes her thumb and pokes Tug in the eye with it.
“Ahh! Son of a bitch!” as Tug breaks the hold and clutches at his face.
“Sorry,” Erin whispers to her sparring partner before trying for a roll up.
Ruby spins around at Tug's shout but before she can make any assumptions, Erin is rolling him up. She rushes to make the count and Tug kicks out before three. She shoots a glance in TD's direction, slightly annoyed that he would randomly try to start a conversation while she's trying to referee her first ever "match".
“Hey!” Tornado leaps up onto the apron and points at Erin, “She just poked him in the eye! Where’s the DQ, ref?”
Erin, following her ‘script’, moves past Ruby to get at TD, nudging her slightly as she does, “Get out of my ring!” she shrieks.
“I’m not in the ring!”
Ruby wedges herself between the two of them, forcing Erin back with a stern expression and turns to TD still on the apron.
"Get down! You're not even this match. And maybe I would have seen it if you weren't trying to have a conversation right now."
Tornado holds up his hands in a placating manner and silently drops down to the floor below, “Sorry. Are you going to be in the wedding party?”
As he asks this, Tug grabs Erin by the hair and pulls, slamming the back of her head hard against the mat. He then goes for a cover.
"Hey!"
Ruby catches that out of the corner of her eye, glaring back at TD for a moment and heads over to reprimand Tug.
"Watch the hair pulling!"
She reluctantly goes into the count and Erin is able to kick out before three.
"Anthony! Seriously! Enough."
The Ring Revolutionary seems surprised by the reprimand, “You do your job, ref, and let me do mine.”
Ruby stares at TD, almost dumbfounded as Erin and Tug are both back to a vertical base, exchanging stiff forearm shots. Erin gets the better of her opponent, and then runs the ropes to try for a bulldog on her comeback. Only she doesn’t get it as TD slyly trips her up when she gets near.
"Hey!"
She yells out at TD, holding her arms out questioningly. She moves between Erin and Tug, holding an arm out towards each of them to keep them from advancing towards the other.
"Wa-wa-wait! What exactly is going on here?"
The question is directed at TD innocently standing at ringside.
“It’s a match, ref. Why are you stopping from letting them fight?! Let Them Fight! Let Them Fight! Let Them Fight!”
TD, looking out at the non-existent crowd, beckons them to join him in his chant. Ruby isn't buying it, though, and she's letting TD know this with the way she looks at him. After a moment, she shakes her head and walks over to the ropes, stepping out onto the apron and dropping down to the floor.
"You know what? It's fine. I think I'll just watch some tapes or something. Because I don't know what you're doing, but this is not helping me."
Tornado’s grin vanishes as it dawns on him he has legitimately upset his friend, “Ruby, what’s up? You’re not really mad, are you?”
He moves to stand beside her, “This was something I cooked up to help you get ready for the match at Rise. I wasn’t trying to embarrass you; just help prepare you for what might happen.”
"You really think someone is going to be outside the ring trying to ask me about Danni and Donovan's wedding? And that I would pay attention to them over your match?"
“I think anything can happen during the match; and because of that we have to be prepared for everything,” Tornado replied, “You heard Lat-, Scotty; he told us both backstage months ago; he’ll do whatever it takes to win a match. He laughed in our faces about it because we think that’s wrong. If we want this fight to be without any kind of controversy, we’re going to have to be on our toes. That’s why we were all playing fast and loose with the rules-”
He gestured towards Tug and Erin, who were still waiting awkwardly inside the ring, “-Because Scotty is likely going to pull a fast one on y- us.”
Ruby stares at TD for a moment, then looks to the two awkwardly watching this little argument take place, before turning back to Tornado.
"So, you think that I won't be able to spot Scotty trying to cheat? He'll be in the ring. You two will be the two that I'm watching!"
“He’s got friends, remember? Friends who have the same exact attitude he does when it comes to playing by the rules. And even if he doesn’t have active outside help, there are still ways he could distract you, or some bystander does something unknowingly gets your attention, and in that split second,” TD snaps his finger, “Latimer takes advantage.”
“Uh, hey, are we really done here? Because I want to get some ice for this,” Tug asks the pair while gesturing at his swelling eye.
“I really am sorry,” Erin repeated her earlier apology.
Ruby stares at Tornado even after he finishes explaining himself and she takes a moment to compose herself before turning to Tug and Erin.
"We're done here. Thanks. And I'm sorry to waste your time."
She turns back to Tornado and she shakes her head.
"Look, you could have just told me that. I get your concerns, I really do. I just think you're being a little much with this."
Tornado sighs and rubs the back of his neck in consternation, “If I told you what was coming, then it might not have worked. That was the whole point; to catch you off guard. You yourself said you never reffed a match before. I am just trying to get you ready for anything Scotty tries. And he’s going to try something; after all these months of back and forth between us, there’s no way he’ll accept losing this match to me fair and square.”
"Yeah. I know. I know you don't trust him. And I promise you I'm going to do my best. But are you saying it's possible to prepare for whatever he's going to try? Do you really expect it to be that predictable?"
“I don’t know. The guy’s a weasel, Ruby. I’ve got good reason not to trust him. And, I know you’re going to get more mad at me for saying this, but the fact is you shouldn’t be so trusting of Latimer either. He’s not going to be above trying to trick you in that ring.”
Ruby nods, takes a deep breath, and manages something of a laugh that doesn't do a great job of taking his advice in stride.
"Okay. I'm not wrestling him. And I will be keeping an eye on him. I'll be keeping one on you, too. Not because I don't trust you, because it's my job. It's the job you asked me to do."
“I know you will. And I owe you a lot for agreeing to do this; but remember: it’s not me you have to worry about at Rise,” Tornado said in a tone that tried not to be too condescending.
She takes another breath and holds it for a moment.
"Again… I know. But my job is to keep an eye on the both of you. I know you don't trust, Scotty. I really get it."
“I’m really not sure you do, Ruby,” TD replied, “I think when it comes to Scotty Latimer, you got a bit of a blind spot. The way you let him talk down to your friends, the way you just accept what he says about your own beliefs about the sport… I know you like the guy, but you ignore too much of his crap for whatever reason.”
Ruby takes a step back, looking at TD as if he just slapped her right across the face.
"Look, I get that you and Scotty have never seen eye to eye. I get that he's far from even polite to you. But you don't know him. And because he sends out a couple of tweets or makes some remarks backstage, you're going to act like you've got him all figured out? I don't have a blind spot for him. I know exactly who Scotty is and that's what is going to help me when I referee this match between the two of you."
Tornado wasn’t buying it, “Not just me; but Ryan Keys. And Jonathan. And probably other people I’m forgetting. He takes his digs about how we’re trying to leech off your fame, and you sit there and say nothing. He calls my way and your way of doing business ‘loser talk’, and you let it slide. Worse, he plays this game while you’re right there because he knows you’ll vouch for him, and excuse his behavior by telling us who know better he’s ‘really not a bad guy’. Just like you’re doing right now. How much respect does Latimer have for your feelings if he’s willing to put you on the spot like that, huh? You got a good heart Ruby; that’s why so many people care about you; but at some point you need to take off the blinders and see things as they are.”
Ruby takes all of this in silence, remaining that way even after Tornado concludes his evaluation of her relationship with the self-proclaimed Future Elite.
"I'm sorry that I don't defend you against, Scotty. I didn't realize it needed defending."
She shrugs her shoulders, shaking her head.
"I didn't think anyone bought for a minute that you're trying to leech off my fame - something I don't even acknowledge for a second. But if you want me to say something next time, and get the response that I have to stand up for you - something that you also have gotten upset over in the past - then I'll do it. And if you want me to get back in that ring and act like a trained monkey while you stand out here and have a laugh, then I'll do that too. And I'll spend my time doing this, and refereeing your match because I know that's what you really want rather than getting ready for my first-ever title match. So, let's just do it. Bring your friends back."
Throwing her hands up and motioning for TD to round up the players in his skit.
"Scotty's the bad guy, you're the good guy. Any other rules that I need sorted out before the bell rings?"
Tornado was stunned by Ruby’s words, “I didn’t think I needed to say anything when being slandered by someone YOU consider a friend. I just assumed YOU would realize it was wrong and step up yourself. As for this,” he gestured to the ring, “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to inconvenience you anymore than I already have. It was a mistake to ask you to referee in the first place. I’ll tell Kaylee Kassie she needs to find another ref or I’ll just forfeit the match. Consider any obligation you might feel you have towards me fulfilled. What I said about Latimer, though? Still stands, even if you don’t want to admit it. You keep ignoring his crap it’s going to cost you, either professionally or personally.”
"Anthony, no. That's not what I'm saying. Come on. You know that Kaylee won't let you have this match unless I ref it and I'm not going to make you forfeit. I just feel like you're taking this whole 'Scotty is the bad guy' a little to the extreme. I mean, you're acting like I don't know what he's like."
She sighs and leans against the ring apron almost in defeat.
"Look, I know you two don't get along. I know that you want to beat him and I'm not trying to downplay what he's done to you. I just feel like… it's almost like you're trying to imply that I'm too stupid to do this the right way. Just ease off a little bit, please? This doesn't have to turn into Us vs. Scotty. I'm supposed to be impartial, remember?"
“I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you’ve got this idea in your head that you can ‘save’ Scotty. And hey, good luck with that. But the match? I’m out. You are now free to focus on your title defense, since what I asked of you was such a burden. I just wish you had told me that in the first place instead of the two of us dragging this out.”
Tornado turned and headed for the exit, “I’ll be rooting for you at Rise,” he said over his shoulder as he walked away from Ruby.
"Anthony! Stop!"
Ruby chases after him, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back.
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. This isn't a burden. You're not a burden. You're my friend and I know how important this is to you. I just don't like feeling like you don't trust me. The last thing I want to do is let you down in this match."
He stopped walking, but Tornado would not look down at Ruby, “At this point, I don’t give a shit about the match anymore. Now please let me go.”
Ruby releases his arm by jerking her hand back in surprise. She takes a step back and her eyes fall down to the ground as she remains silent in response to his tone.
“Thanks,” he said softly, as he finally faced her. His mouth opened briefly as if he was going to tell her more, but whatever those thoughts were were left unsaid. Tornado simply shrugged, smiled apologetically, and walked away.
Ruby opens her mouth to call out to him again, but she closed it with a sigh and shakes her head as the scene fades out on TD's exit from the Performance Center.
The scene opens inside the West Coast Genesis Performance Center’s training room. The area is as big as an airplane hangar, with six regulation sized rings spread equidistant throughout. Currently only one is in use; as a pair of prospective WCG talents ‘run the ropes’ criss cross, while a current member of the roster watches from outside.
Tornado Desencadenado, wearing a Union Battleground tee shirt and a pair of green gym short, leans against the apron and absently watches the drills. Surprisingly, given his reputation as a ‘gym rat’, he’s not here to train; but teach. Not those inside the ring, though; and not about wrestling. Not really.
“Couple more minutes, guys, and then she’ll be here,” he tells the duo.
After those couple of minutes, Ruby Rose Lance shows in something of a hurry with an apologetic cringe on her face. She approaches TD wearing a pair of black and camouflage tights with a WCG t-shirt and her hair pulled up in a ponytail.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late."
“No apology necessary,” Tornado replied, “You’re the one doing me the favor.”
He called the wrestlers in the ring over to introduce them to his friend.
“Ruby, this is Erin Pearle and Tug Blackheath. They agreed to help us.”
“Hey,” Tug nodded in greeting.
“Big fan here,” Erin told the South Bay Champion, “It’s great to be working with you.”
Ruby blushes from the compliment and can't help but grin like an idiot that's never been told that before.
"Oh, that's so sweet. Thank you."
With the introductions out of the way, Tornado got down to business, “So this is the plan; Tug and Erin will work a standard match with you as referee. I’ll be on outside acting as Tug’s ‘manager’. Assume you’re at a real show, so you have to remember where the hard camera is, and that there’s an audience in attendance. Sound good?”
Ruby nods long, glancing in different directions as she mentally tries to place the camera and the audience… something that it appears she didn't even consider with this assignment.
"Right. Yeah."
“One last thing,” TD turned his attention to the novice wrestlers, “You guys are here to test Ruby as much as yourselves. Make her earn those stripes.”
With that reminder out of the way, Tornado moved to stand by Tug’s corner, his eyes on Ruby, waiting to see what’d she do next.
"Okay… so… yeah. Just call the match like normal. I already know the rules, so that should be easy."
She nods along with herself and looks to be trying to prepare herself for this new experience.
Erin and Tug stand staring at each other, then look to Ruby. The young woman motions for them to start. The pair lock up, with the much larger Tug gaining the advantage. He forces his opponent back into the corner. Ruby immediately goes to seperate them, telling Tug to back off. He doesn’t move right away, but after a second, more forceful warning complies. They move out into the middle of the ring and again go for the elbow and collar tie up.
“So, Ruby, that’s great news about Danni and Donovan,” Tornado said casually from his spot on the apron.
"Uh… what?"
She glances in his direction, confused at why he's bringing this up randomly in the middle of her trying to referee a match.
"I mean… yeah. It's awesome, but… what?"
As if on cue, Erin takes her thumb and pokes Tug in the eye with it.
“Ahh! Son of a bitch!” as Tug breaks the hold and clutches at his face.
“Sorry,” Erin whispers to her sparring partner before trying for a roll up.
Ruby spins around at Tug's shout but before she can make any assumptions, Erin is rolling him up. She rushes to make the count and Tug kicks out before three. She shoots a glance in TD's direction, slightly annoyed that he would randomly try to start a conversation while she's trying to referee her first ever "match".
“Hey!” Tornado leaps up onto the apron and points at Erin, “She just poked him in the eye! Where’s the DQ, ref?”
Erin, following her ‘script’, moves past Ruby to get at TD, nudging her slightly as she does, “Get out of my ring!” she shrieks.
“I’m not in the ring!”
Ruby wedges herself between the two of them, forcing Erin back with a stern expression and turns to TD still on the apron.
"Get down! You're not even this match. And maybe I would have seen it if you weren't trying to have a conversation right now."
Tornado holds up his hands in a placating manner and silently drops down to the floor below, “Sorry. Are you going to be in the wedding party?”
As he asks this, Tug grabs Erin by the hair and pulls, slamming the back of her head hard against the mat. He then goes for a cover.
"Hey!"
Ruby catches that out of the corner of her eye, glaring back at TD for a moment and heads over to reprimand Tug.
"Watch the hair pulling!"
She reluctantly goes into the count and Erin is able to kick out before three.
"Anthony! Seriously! Enough."
The Ring Revolutionary seems surprised by the reprimand, “You do your job, ref, and let me do mine.”
Ruby stares at TD, almost dumbfounded as Erin and Tug are both back to a vertical base, exchanging stiff forearm shots. Erin gets the better of her opponent, and then runs the ropes to try for a bulldog on her comeback. Only she doesn’t get it as TD slyly trips her up when she gets near.
"Hey!"
She yells out at TD, holding her arms out questioningly. She moves between Erin and Tug, holding an arm out towards each of them to keep them from advancing towards the other.
"Wa-wa-wait! What exactly is going on here?"
The question is directed at TD innocently standing at ringside.
“It’s a match, ref. Why are you stopping from letting them fight?! Let Them Fight! Let Them Fight! Let Them Fight!”
TD, looking out at the non-existent crowd, beckons them to join him in his chant. Ruby isn't buying it, though, and she's letting TD know this with the way she looks at him. After a moment, she shakes her head and walks over to the ropes, stepping out onto the apron and dropping down to the floor.
"You know what? It's fine. I think I'll just watch some tapes or something. Because I don't know what you're doing, but this is not helping me."
Tornado’s grin vanishes as it dawns on him he has legitimately upset his friend, “Ruby, what’s up? You’re not really mad, are you?”
He moves to stand beside her, “This was something I cooked up to help you get ready for the match at Rise. I wasn’t trying to embarrass you; just help prepare you for what might happen.”
"You really think someone is going to be outside the ring trying to ask me about Danni and Donovan's wedding? And that I would pay attention to them over your match?"
“I think anything can happen during the match; and because of that we have to be prepared for everything,” Tornado replied, “You heard Lat-, Scotty; he told us both backstage months ago; he’ll do whatever it takes to win a match. He laughed in our faces about it because we think that’s wrong. If we want this fight to be without any kind of controversy, we’re going to have to be on our toes. That’s why we were all playing fast and loose with the rules-”
He gestured towards Tug and Erin, who were still waiting awkwardly inside the ring, “-Because Scotty is likely going to pull a fast one on y- us.”
Ruby stares at TD for a moment, then looks to the two awkwardly watching this little argument take place, before turning back to Tornado.
"So, you think that I won't be able to spot Scotty trying to cheat? He'll be in the ring. You two will be the two that I'm watching!"
“He’s got friends, remember? Friends who have the same exact attitude he does when it comes to playing by the rules. And even if he doesn’t have active outside help, there are still ways he could distract you, or some bystander does something unknowingly gets your attention, and in that split second,” TD snaps his finger, “Latimer takes advantage.”
“Uh, hey, are we really done here? Because I want to get some ice for this,” Tug asks the pair while gesturing at his swelling eye.
“I really am sorry,” Erin repeated her earlier apology.
Ruby stares at Tornado even after he finishes explaining himself and she takes a moment to compose herself before turning to Tug and Erin.
"We're done here. Thanks. And I'm sorry to waste your time."
She turns back to Tornado and she shakes her head.
"Look, you could have just told me that. I get your concerns, I really do. I just think you're being a little much with this."
Tornado sighs and rubs the back of his neck in consternation, “If I told you what was coming, then it might not have worked. That was the whole point; to catch you off guard. You yourself said you never reffed a match before. I am just trying to get you ready for anything Scotty tries. And he’s going to try something; after all these months of back and forth between us, there’s no way he’ll accept losing this match to me fair and square.”
"Yeah. I know. I know you don't trust him. And I promise you I'm going to do my best. But are you saying it's possible to prepare for whatever he's going to try? Do you really expect it to be that predictable?"
“I don’t know. The guy’s a weasel, Ruby. I’ve got good reason not to trust him. And, I know you’re going to get more mad at me for saying this, but the fact is you shouldn’t be so trusting of Latimer either. He’s not going to be above trying to trick you in that ring.”
Ruby nods, takes a deep breath, and manages something of a laugh that doesn't do a great job of taking his advice in stride.
"Okay. I'm not wrestling him. And I will be keeping an eye on him. I'll be keeping one on you, too. Not because I don't trust you, because it's my job. It's the job you asked me to do."
“I know you will. And I owe you a lot for agreeing to do this; but remember: it’s not me you have to worry about at Rise,” Tornado said in a tone that tried not to be too condescending.
She takes another breath and holds it for a moment.
"Again… I know. But my job is to keep an eye on the both of you. I know you don't trust, Scotty. I really get it."
“I’m really not sure you do, Ruby,” TD replied, “I think when it comes to Scotty Latimer, you got a bit of a blind spot. The way you let him talk down to your friends, the way you just accept what he says about your own beliefs about the sport… I know you like the guy, but you ignore too much of his crap for whatever reason.”
Ruby takes a step back, looking at TD as if he just slapped her right across the face.
"Look, I get that you and Scotty have never seen eye to eye. I get that he's far from even polite to you. But you don't know him. And because he sends out a couple of tweets or makes some remarks backstage, you're going to act like you've got him all figured out? I don't have a blind spot for him. I know exactly who Scotty is and that's what is going to help me when I referee this match between the two of you."
Tornado wasn’t buying it, “Not just me; but Ryan Keys. And Jonathan. And probably other people I’m forgetting. He takes his digs about how we’re trying to leech off your fame, and you sit there and say nothing. He calls my way and your way of doing business ‘loser talk’, and you let it slide. Worse, he plays this game while you’re right there because he knows you’ll vouch for him, and excuse his behavior by telling us who know better he’s ‘really not a bad guy’. Just like you’re doing right now. How much respect does Latimer have for your feelings if he’s willing to put you on the spot like that, huh? You got a good heart Ruby; that’s why so many people care about you; but at some point you need to take off the blinders and see things as they are.”
Ruby takes all of this in silence, remaining that way even after Tornado concludes his evaluation of her relationship with the self-proclaimed Future Elite.
"I'm sorry that I don't defend you against, Scotty. I didn't realize it needed defending."
She shrugs her shoulders, shaking her head.
"I didn't think anyone bought for a minute that you're trying to leech off my fame - something I don't even acknowledge for a second. But if you want me to say something next time, and get the response that I have to stand up for you - something that you also have gotten upset over in the past - then I'll do it. And if you want me to get back in that ring and act like a trained monkey while you stand out here and have a laugh, then I'll do that too. And I'll spend my time doing this, and refereeing your match because I know that's what you really want rather than getting ready for my first-ever title match. So, let's just do it. Bring your friends back."
Throwing her hands up and motioning for TD to round up the players in his skit.
"Scotty's the bad guy, you're the good guy. Any other rules that I need sorted out before the bell rings?"
Tornado was stunned by Ruby’s words, “I didn’t think I needed to say anything when being slandered by someone YOU consider a friend. I just assumed YOU would realize it was wrong and step up yourself. As for this,” he gestured to the ring, “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to inconvenience you anymore than I already have. It was a mistake to ask you to referee in the first place. I’ll tell Kaylee Kassie she needs to find another ref or I’ll just forfeit the match. Consider any obligation you might feel you have towards me fulfilled. What I said about Latimer, though? Still stands, even if you don’t want to admit it. You keep ignoring his crap it’s going to cost you, either professionally or personally.”
"Anthony, no. That's not what I'm saying. Come on. You know that Kaylee won't let you have this match unless I ref it and I'm not going to make you forfeit. I just feel like you're taking this whole 'Scotty is the bad guy' a little to the extreme. I mean, you're acting like I don't know what he's like."
She sighs and leans against the ring apron almost in defeat.
"Look, I know you two don't get along. I know that you want to beat him and I'm not trying to downplay what he's done to you. I just feel like… it's almost like you're trying to imply that I'm too stupid to do this the right way. Just ease off a little bit, please? This doesn't have to turn into Us vs. Scotty. I'm supposed to be impartial, remember?"
“I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you’ve got this idea in your head that you can ‘save’ Scotty. And hey, good luck with that. But the match? I’m out. You are now free to focus on your title defense, since what I asked of you was such a burden. I just wish you had told me that in the first place instead of the two of us dragging this out.”
Tornado turned and headed for the exit, “I’ll be rooting for you at Rise,” he said over his shoulder as he walked away from Ruby.
"Anthony! Stop!"
Ruby chases after him, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back.
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. This isn't a burden. You're not a burden. You're my friend and I know how important this is to you. I just don't like feeling like you don't trust me. The last thing I want to do is let you down in this match."
He stopped walking, but Tornado would not look down at Ruby, “At this point, I don’t give a shit about the match anymore. Now please let me go.”
Ruby releases his arm by jerking her hand back in surprise. She takes a step back and her eyes fall down to the ground as she remains silent in response to his tone.
“Thanks,” he said softly, as he finally faced her. His mouth opened briefly as if he was going to tell her more, but whatever those thoughts were were left unsaid. Tornado simply shrugged, smiled apologetically, and walked away.
Ruby opens her mouth to call out to him again, but she closed it with a sigh and shakes her head as the scene fades out on TD's exit from the Performance Center.