Two Obstacles, One Path

Sailport Waterfront Suites
Tampa, FL
Thursday, December 7, 2017

Aurora stood out on the balcony of her suite, leaning against the railing as she looked out over the bay. Looking skyward, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, and the wind blew a few raindrops into her face. The former Tag Team Champion sighed, then pushed off of the balcony railing, turning around to take up residence in a nearby chair. She swung her feet up onto the table, resting her elbow on the thin, metal armrest.

She touched her hand to the corner of her mouth, her eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth to speak.

Aurora: I think it goes without saying that I’m not exactly in the best of moods right now. If not for the antics of a certain individual, then perhaps this wouldn’t be the case, and I could sit back and truly enjoy my surroundings. But just like the weather here, I feel like there’s a dark cloud following me around. Not the best feeling in the world, I can tell you that much right now.

But how to vent that anger, hmm? What would be the best way for me to take out my frustrations?

Another bolt of lightning flashed as she scoffed and stood up, walking through the sliding glass door into the living room of her suite. She walked down the narrow hallway and into the bedroom, where an empty duffle bag sat on the end of the bed.

Aurora: Oh, that’s simple, really. I’ll just do what I always do, and that’s unleash it all on the poor sap that has the misfortune of standing across the ring from me.

She opened the top drawer of the dresser, pulling a few select items out and stuffing them into the duffle bag.

Aurora: Oh yeah, that’s right! This time, it’s a triple threat match against Gaia Galanos and Johnny Maverick...

A derisive smirk crept up on her face at the mention of Maverick’s name as she rolled her eyes.

Aurora: I’ll get to you in a minute, boy. First thing’s first... the one named after the Greek personification of the earth....

I suppose I should applaud you for winning the inaugural AFI Cup. Perhaps if things had panned out differently for me in that tournament, and we had the opportunity to face off then, things might have happened a little differently, but there’s no use in dwelling on “what if,” am I right? The fact of the matter remains that you and I have never faced off against each other, which makes things interesting for me. I’ve always been the type of woman who enjoys facing off against fresh competition.

To be fair, you made quite the debut at the last episode of Dissension against Grayson Hunt, but then again, you were BOTH debuting. One of you had to start off their NGW career with a great big goose egg on their record.

She shrugged her shoulders.

Aurora: But this time, it’s a different story. You’re not facing off against another rookie. This time, you’re facing off against one half of the longest reigning Tag Team Champions in the history of NGW. And while you may be a little bit older than me, a little taller, and you may weigh a little more, all those statistics are are simply a bunch of numbers as far as I’m concerned. They don’t mean a damn thing to me.

To me, you’re just another face I see standing on the other side of the ring, standing between me and my climb to the NGW Championship. I WILL have another championship belt around my waist soon enough, and if I have to go through you to get there, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do, and there’s not a damn thing that you can do to stop me. But by all means, have fun trying.

She stepped away from the duffle bag, moving toward the bathroom, where she grabbed a couple of towels from the towel rack on the wall. She slung them over her shoulder and walked back into the bedroom, sitting down on the foot of the bed.

Aurora: Now, onto you, Johnny Maverick. I find it funny how you’re so quick to bring up the fact that you’ve beaten my husband, as if that’s supposed to mean anything to me. Are you trying to get under my skin, by bragging about such a thing? If that’s how you’re going to try and piss me off, then I’m afraid that your feeble attempt has failed miserably.

If, however, that was your attempt at saying that beating me will be just as easy as beating him was, then once again, I’m afraid that you’re gravely mistaken, if you’ll pardon the pun. I may share the same last name, the same manager, and the same trainer as my husband, but you’re a fool if you believe that I wrestle like him. You’re one step ahead of me in the rankings, and yet I’m the one in YOUR way? Oh, Johnny, I beg to differ. But I’m not surprised. With all of that smoke from sucking on those disgusting cancer sticks, your judgement is more than likely as mucked up as your lungs.

Sorry Johnny, but I think you have things a little backwards. You see, YOU are the one standing in MY way, and just like any other obstacle in my path, I will do whatever I have to do to remove you.

She took the towels from her shoulder, and carefully folded them before putting them into the bag and zipping it up.

Aurora: I’m not in the position where I can rest on my laurels and keep dwelling on my successes in the realm of tag team wrestling. While it has helped to make me the wrestler that I am today, it’s not all that I’m about. And this Sunday at Warfare, Gaia Galanos and Johnny Maverick are going to be the ones to learn that... the hard way!

She stood up once again, slinging the bag over her shoulder. As she headed out of the bedroom, she was greeted in the hallway by her husband, Damon. He greeted her with his usual smile, his eyebrow arched as he twirled his keyring around his finger.

Damon: Ready to go, Harley?

She smiled at her husband as she walked her fingers up his chest.

Aurora: Hmph... you bet I am!

Damon: Alright then. By the way, you keep doing that, and we’ll never get to the gym!

She scoffed as she walked past Damon and headed for the door.

Aurora: Spoilsport....

Damon chuckled, shaking his head as he followed his wife into the hallway.