Enjoying some "Me Time"

Graves Residence
Las Vegas, NV
Thursday, January 4, 2018

Aurora stood in a fighting stance at the heavy bag inside the Graves’ home gym, clad in a pair of black leggings and a red sports bra under a black tank top with the Rebel Ink logo emblazoned on the front. With her fists taped up and her long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, she threw a few blistering punches into the bag before pausing to turn to the camera.

Aurora: SHHHHHHHH!

She raised a finger up to her lips in the standard SHHHH gesture, holding it there for a moment until a sly smile spread across her face.

Aurora: Can you hear that?

There was another pause while Aurora tilted her head from one side to the other, noting the total silence in the room. The smile on her face faded into a smirk as she scoffed.

Aurora: Precisely. That’s exactly what we heard out of Trixie’s mouth after the referee raised my hand in victory at Dissension. You know, after I made her pound the mat so hard she damn near put a hole through the ring.

You know, it’s funny when you think about it. The last time I lost a match, it was against that piece of garbage Travis Blake, and he had to cheat in order to beat me. Even then, I took the time to tell him and the rest of the world exactly what I thought of his actions. Meanwhile, as I look back at Twitter, after I made her scream like a motherfucking banshee and showed her that as good as she thinks she is, I proved that I was that much better, what do I hear?

She stood with her arms outstretched, once again basking in the room’s silence.

Aurora: That’s right... SILENCE! No “You were the better wrestler, Aurora” or even a simple “It just wasn’t my night” out of the so-called “Prime Girl.” If it were anyone else, I’d be surprised, but then again, considering who I’m talking about, I guess it’s to be expected. Bottom line is that she – and her stupid-ass list – are officially ancient history...

Good fucking riddance! Now, I can move on to more important things, like focusing on my match at Homecoming. This time, it’s a triple threat against Alex Jones and Jessica Sears. The question is, with whom do I start?

Aurora stepped away from the heavy bag, walking toward a tall wooden stool. She pulled it away from the wall and slid onto the seat. Crossing her arms, Aurora tapped a finger against her chin as she pondered her options.

Aurora: I guess I’ll start with you, Jess.

She gave the camera a quick nod of her head as she smiled, confident in her choice.

Aurora: You know, it’s funny. We’ve known each other – well, at least on Twitter, anyway – for just a few months shy of two years. And during that time, I don’t think we’ve shared a single cross word with each other, have we?

She paused, a bewildered look on her face as she took a quick glance at the ground. She shook her head, as if she was trying to shake off her confusion.

Aurora: “Cross words”? Hell... I haven’t even been a mother for two weeks, and already I’m starting to sound like my grandmother!

But anyway, where was I? Right... Jessica Sears. Now, in a perfect world, you and I could just say “Fuck it; let’s just go binge watch Sailor Moon until our eyes bleed” and call it a day. But we can’t, and that’s okay. I’ve never been one to turn my nose up at a challenge, and for me, stepping into the ring against a fresh face is just the ticket. Hell, had it not been for the fact that we’ve got Alex Jones mixed up in this, making it a three-way dance, Devlin Scott could have labeled this the Battle of the Blondes!

The tattooed former champion chuckled at the thought.

Aurora: Look... you know I’ve got no beef with you. Hell, you’re one of the few women in this business that I actually like, really. You’ve never given me any reason to dislike you, and coming from me, that’s saying a lot. Granted, I may have issues with some of the people you pal around with, but that has nothing to do with you. With that in mind, you know I won’t underestimate you coming into this match, like so many of your other opponents have. Like me, you’re a former champion, and such status doesn’t come easy. I know you’re going to be bringing the fight, so you’d better believe I’ll be in that ring doing the same.

She stared defiantly into the camera as she hopped down from the stool.

Aurora: Now, onto the other point in this tumultuous little triangle, Alex Jones. Now, outside of a road show that took place a few months back, this is the first time you and I have crossed paths on a televised card. When you mention the names Graves and Jones in the same breath, only a few matches come to mind, such as the Trios tournament in FSociety – as much as I’d just as soon forget that tournament ever happened, mind you. Granted, even on the rare cases that they have, those that had the pleasure of watching certainly got their money’s worth. I can only assume that this time will be no different.

With that being said, while you may have come up on the winning side when you faced off against my husband, the last time you and I faced off, I beat you, so I already know I have what it takes to do it again. The question remains is whether or not you’ve learned from our last encounter. If you have, and you manage to pull one over on me, good for you. Just remember, I’ve continued to grow as a wrestler since that night, so don’t go in expecting to face the same Aurora Graves you did back in October.

She shook her head.

Aurora: Nah... you’re better than that. You don’t amass the amount of titles that you have by being an idiot. Hell, you’ve got more titles to your name than a good chunk of the guys that like to call themselves legends in this business, and I’m sure you’ve got a few more years left to go. But all that aside, people like you are exactly the sort of wrestlers I need to face – the type that I need to push myself to be better than if I’m going to carve my name into the history books.

Aurora slowly began to unwrap the athletic tape from her fists, shaking her head as she smiled.

Aurora: This Sunday at Homecoming... the three of us may only be on the card for Night One, but that just means we get to set the pace for everyone that has to follow us. And I don’t know about you two, but I intend to be one hell of a tough act to follow.

Aurora walked to the door that led out of the gym, pausing as she rested her hand on the switch plate beside it. Her fingers rested lightly on the three switches as she looked over her shoulder.

Aurora: See you two in Cleveland....

Aurora flipped the switches, cutting the lights as she closed the door, leaving the room in darkness.