Post by Ruby Lance on Nov 11, 2017 20:31:52 GMT -5
"I am Ruby Lance! I am not just a champion, I am the first-ever and only South Bay Champion."
- Ruby Lance
The sound of a shower turning on can be heard as we fade in from the darkness. Water hitting hard title can be heard echoing through an enclosed space as we focus on one of the newest members of the New Generation Wrestling roster, Ruby Lance. The former champion is still in her work-out gear; camouflage leggings and a Phoenix Club tank top. She leans back against the counter and lets out a deep breath. It's now that we realize she's not a gym or the West Coast Performance Center that she typically frequents. She's actually at a hotel; the room that she's sharing with her boyfriend Scotty Latimer. I guess this hotel has a pretty good gym.
"Just over a month ago I declared myself as the first-ever and only South Bay Champion. Half of that remains true today."
She frowns a little and shrugs her shoulders.
"They say championships come and go, right?"
Despite this saying, Ruby doesn’t look comforted in the wake of losing her championship.
"For 126 days I was the South Bay Champion and if people want to call me arrogant or say I’m different because of this, I don’t really care anymore. I was proud to be the South Bay Champion and I was a damn good champion. Great, even! I represented my company to the best of my abilities and I may not have had any experience being a champion, but I never backed down from anyone, any challenge.”
She declares this with a lot of confidence and even some determination against the naysayers that have lots to say about her, including claims of arrogance seeping in.
"The thing is, I am different. People have worried about me changing because of Scotty and who knows what other reasons. But at the end of the day, I am different. I am no longer the South Bay Champion.”
Ruby let’s out a heavy breath and drops her eyes to floor.
"That changes you whether you want it to or not. It changes you no matter what people say.”
She pulls her hair tie out of her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders as the bathroom starts to steam up a little from the shower.
"The truth is, I’m different but I don’t know who I am right now. I used to be the South Bay Champion. I used to be the West Coast girl. Now? Now, I’m not the South Bay Champion. Now, I’m still a west coast girl but I’m not the West Coast girl.”
Interrupting herself, she holds her hands up to keep people from jumping to conclusions. She already looks slightly apologetic for any of those who have jumped to conclusions they might not like.
"I know that Julianna DiMaria is the West Coast Champion and she was for the majority of my reign. I’m not trying to take anything away from her. I’m well aware that she is the face of West Coast Genesis whether anyone likes it or not. She is the West Coast girl but I’m sorry that I’m not here to talk about anyone else at the moment. Again, call me arrogant or whatever claims people want to make against me. ”
Ruby shrugs her shoulders, doing her best to look like she’s not bothered by claims like that against her. We know better, though.
"I’m going to be self-involved for a moment and talk about me. I’m going to do what everyone else does and have a single moment where I only worry about myself for once.”
This is certainly a new side to Ruby Lance, although it’s obvious even she isn’t fully behind this moment. Something continues to keep her from feeling okay with ever worrying about herself over others.
"I’m not who I used to be. I don’t know who I am. Some call me an NGW wrestler. That’s kind of generalized and can be applied to many that have had that role far longer than I have. Some call me Scotty’s girlfriend despite our attempts to keep that out of the ring.”
She shrugs her shoulders. That’s a fight they lost a long time ago.
"But that’s what I am, not who I am. That’s not all there is to me. I wish I could tell you who I am now. I wish I knew who I was but I’m in a moment of transition. I’m in a moment of discovery. The girl I used to be is gone. From her ashes is rising something different. I don't quite know what I am yet, but I promise that it's going to be better than before. Stronger and smarter. Maybe even dangerous.”
Her eyes flash up at the camera and there's something a little different behind them that moments earlier. There's a glimmer of confidence she was lacking. Even a glint of determination to accompany it.
"But am I already all those things? Or am I still transitioning? Still rising? I wasn't ready for Jazmyn Rain. I wasn't ready for someone of her caliber. Does that mean I'm not ready for New Generation Wrestling?"
There's a moment of concern and doubt that flashes across her expression as she glances off camera. She takes a deep breath, forcing that doubt to the back of her mind and returns her gaze to the camera.
"It just means I wasn't ready in that moment. This moment is different. Every time I step into that ring - whether it's becoming the South Bay Champion, defending my title, losing my title, losing to a talent the caliber of Jazmyn - I grow stronger. Every time in that ring brings me closer to the woman that I am meant to be here in New Generation Wrestling."
She pushes off of the counter to stand tall in the middle of this hotel bathroom.
"Am I there yet? That's for John Blade and Alicia Hixx to wonder. It's something they're going to find out very soon."
There's a light knock at the door and Ruby glances over as it slowly opens. Scotty Latimer sticks his head in and offers a smile to the blonde.
"Hey babe. You alright in here?"
She smiles back at him and nods her head. He makes his way into the room, revealing that he also finished up a workout recently. He's shirtless but still wearing a pair of gym shorts hanging low on his waist.
"You… want some company?"
The sweet concern on his face shifts more devious in nature so seamlessly that it's no wonder some have trouble trusting this handsome devil. She smiles as he brushes her hair over shoulder and places a soft kiss on her cheek.
"The point of the shower is to get clean, sweetie."
"Yeah, but it's not a law or anything.""
He winks at her with a grin. Ruby looks up at him and places her hand against his cheek, softly stroking his beard with her thumb. His expression softens at the look in her eyes and he leans in to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.
"I'll be here when you're done."
Scotty lingers for a moment, lowering himself just a little to meet her gaze. Once she gives him a nod, he finally departs. He disappears behind the door again, pulling it shut behind him. She watches him leave and her eyes linger on the door a moment even after he's gone, then she looks back to the camera.
"I may or may not already be the woman that I'm meant to be, but I can assure you of one thing. I'm ready to make the most of every opportunity that comes my way. Everyone is ready for the good parts of this business. The wins - especially the title wins - but very few are ready for the bad parts. The losses, the judgments, the… painful parts that leave you questioning your worth."
Ruby struggles with the last part of her sentence. The flash in her eyes as she glances away from the camera makes it clear to anyone who wasn't there for it that she's experienced the latter more than she cares to remember.
"I'm ready for those. I don't like them, but I know they're coming. More importantly, I'm done letting them control me. I'm done listening to other people. I'm done silencing my own voice. Done silencing the voices that mean the most to me. Because no one else is silencing theirs."
She shrugs her shoulders as her only form of apology before she steps up to the camera and shuts it off.
