Post by Aurora Graves on Sept 24, 2016 17:30:23 GMT -5
Aurora and Damon’s hotel suite
Indianapolis, IN
Saturday, September 24, 2016 – 5:00 am
The faint glow of the lights from the surrounding buildings was the only thing casting any illumination in the otherwise pitch black bedroom. Well, that and the thin, rectangular rim of light surrounding the door that led into the bathroom of the hotel suite. All was quiet, until the stillness of the early morning was interrupted by the sound of a toilet flushing from behind the door. The light from the bathroom went out with a faint *click* as the door slowly swung open. Damon stepped through the door clad in a pair of black sleep pants, his bare feet sinking into the carpet as he looked across the room toward the bed.
As he gazed at his fiancée, he wanted to contemplate how peaceful Aurora looked as she lay there under the covers, still sound asleep.
Except she wasn’t.
Her eyes were closed, and she was indeed asleep, but the look on her face suggested her sleep was anything but peaceful. Her brow was furrowed and her closed eyes were clenched as if she was trying desperately to avoid looking at something – or someone, Damon couldn’t really tell.
Damon: Damn it... not another nightmare.
He could only watch as Aurora’s body twisted beneath the covers, a soft, barely audible whimper forcing its way through her lips. For Aurora, it had been the second time in as many weeks that this had happened.
Aurora: Stop it... leave me alone....
Damon looked out the window. The sky was a vivid shade of royal blue, as the sun had yet to fully light up the city. He shifted his attention back and forth between the window and his sleeping fiancée. No... sleeping wasn’t the right word, given the fact that she was tossing and turning, almost crying as she fought off whatever it was that was tormenting her.
Damon: Wonder if I should wake her up.... I hate seeing her like that.
As a yawn snuck its way out of Damon’s mouth, he moved away from the window and back toward the bed, carefully slipping in beside Aurora as he continued to watch her. He shifted onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow as a tear squeezed out from Aurora’s clenched eyelids.
Damon: That’s it....
He placed a hand on Aurora’s bare shoulder, gently rubbing her arm.
Damon: Harley... Harley, wake up!
Still in the grip of her nightmare, Aurora jerked away from Damon’s hand, turning her body away from him. He reached for her again, taking a firm grip on her shoulder. Her body had broken into a cold sweat, and she was trembling.
Damon: Harley!
Aurora gasped as her head shot up from her pillow, her long blonde hair hanging in disheveled waves as she looked around with her eyes wide open. Her breath was rapid and heavy, and her hand was clenched around the edge of the sheet that covered her body like her very life depended on it. Feeling the hand on her shoulder, she turned around to look Damon in the eye. Her own eyes were red, bleary from the sudden jolt from sleep, but upon recognizing the face – albeit blurry – of her fiancé, she managed the slightest smile. A smile veiled by a mild sense of embarrassment.
Aurora: I did it again, didn’t I?
She looked at Damon apologetically, her breath slowly returning to a normal, less labored pace. He nodded, pushing her hair from her face.
Damon: At least you didn’t try to bite me in your sleep this time....
It was a lame attempt on his part to try and put a humorous spin on things, and Aurora was having none of it. She sat up, holding her head in her hands as she glared at him.
Aurora: It’s not funny, Damon. The way he kept staring at me... his eyes – they were totally black. It was like looking into a pair of bottomless chasms. He just stared at me... laughing at me.
Damon draped an arm over her still-trembling shoulders, pulling her close to him. She buried her face into his neck and started to cry, wrapping her arms around him as her hair tickled his chest. He jumped, but only slightly as he tried to concentrate on comforting her.
Damon: It’s all right, Harley. It was just a dream; nothing more.
She sniffled as she looked up at him, her eyes swollen from crying and lack of sleep. Two tiny rivers of tears now ran down his chest, which Aurora was quick to wipe away.
Aurora: Sorry about that, Puddin’.
She managed a half-forced, apologetic smile as Damon chuckled softly. They glanced toward the window – the sky was much brighter now, having shifted from royal blue to a much brighter hue. Seeing that it wouldn’t be long before the sun would be casting its rays through the window, Aurora sighed.
Aurora: Well, so much for going back to sleep....
Damon: Meh... I was about to put on some coffee anyway. I wanted to get an early start.
Damon got out of bed first, looking for the shirt he had set aside. He turned around to see Aurora pulling it over her body, standing beside the bed. Though it was clearly too big for her, the bottom of the shirt barely made it past the curve of her ass. He let out a quiet gasp as she tilted her head to the side, a sly smile on her face.
Aurora: Don’t give me that look, Puddin’. You moved too slow.
Damon: I didn’t hear you complaining last night...
Laughing, Aurora tossed a pillow at her fiancé, who swatted it away with his arm as he echoed her laughter.
Damon: Now that’s a major improvement! That’s the kind of face you need to make more often. About that coffee....
Aurora: You know how I like it.
Aurora and Damon: Black, with one packet of stevia.
She smiled as she followed Damon out of the bedroom.
South Delaware Street
Indianapolis, IN
Later that day
Beneath an overpass that crossed South Delaware Street, cloaking that section of the road in a shadow that rivaled that of the darkest night, the sound of two sets of footsteps echoed against the steel and concrete. From the far side of the overpass, two silhouettes – one male, one female – walked into view, the figures filling more and more of the camera as they drew closer to the camera.
Woman: You know, I almost wish this was October... we’d be able to check out IndyCon while we were out here.
Man: Hmph. But then you’d want to do the whole Cosplay thing, and probably drag me into it as well.
Woman: But Puddin’, you’d totally slay as Jared Leto’s Joker!
The sound of the woman retching could be heard, followed by the splat of a bit of saliva as it hit the gutter.
Woman: Sorry... different spelling, but that name still leaves a foul taste in my mouth. But anyway, let’s shed a little light on things, shall we?
Man: Not a bad idea. Time to show the world exactly who they’re dealing with, Harley....
The two shadowy figures walked toward the camera to the other side of the overpass, finally stepping into the light to reveal the tattooed tandem known as Rebel Ink – Aurora Knight and Damon Graves. As usual, Damon’s tattoos are on full display beneath his faded denim vest over a weathered pair of blue jeans, while his tag team partner and fiancée put what appeared to be some fresh ink of her own, as she was clad in a pair of black cut-off shorts and a red tank top layered under black fishnet. The engaged pair stood side by side, both bearing smiles that more than exuded confidence.
Aurora: Just one month ago, Devlin Scott shocked the world when he suddenly shut the doors of NGW, IPW, and Alpha Rising, leaving everyone – including their respective champions – wondering where they would go next. Some of us found new stomping grounds, while others simply... waited. Now, anyone that knows us knows that we’re not the type to just sit around and wait for things to happen.
Damon: No, instead, we went out and we MADE things happen! We went out and kept the train known as Rebel Ink running on a full head of steam, and it’s led us to some interesting places.
Aurora: But more importantly, it’s led us right here, to Redemption Wrestling. And at Zero Hour, that train is going to lead us to the Redemption Tag Team Championships, as we step into the ring with three other teams... some that have traveled the same path that we have...
Damon: And some that have just started.
Aurora hopped effortlessly up onto the concrete half wall that separated the steel-reinforced walkway from the street, as cars hurried beneath the overpass, whipping her hair around as they passed.
Aurora: In one corner, you’ve got two girls that have never stepped into the ring as a tag team, and already thrust into the title picture straight out of the gate. The cynical side of me might insinuate that one half of that particular team got where she is courtesy of the fact that she shares a bed with Devlin Scott himself, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she can make it as a wrestler aside from her – ahem – connections. Granted, she’s gonna have to face the fact that this is one hell of an ugly business, and no place for someone that wants to “stay pretty.” Looks fade; having your name etched into wrestling history among the legends of this business... THAT is the sort of shit that lasts forever!
Damon: Trixie wants to act like we’re old news... like anyone hanging on from the IPW and NGW is automatically old news. Hey, at least those places actually HAD a tag team division. I wouldn’t brag about being part of a company that folded with only ONE champion. And then there’s her tag team partner, a girl that – well, to be frank, hasn’t been all that vocal about this at all. You’d think a title shot fresh out of the gate would have a rookie like her chomping at the bit. Especially since this business is in her blood.
Aurora tilted her head to the side, touching her finger to her chin in contemplation.
Aurora: Hmm... wonder why she’s been so quiet. Oh well; it doesn’t matter, because when you put two girls who still have more than their fair share of dues to pay in this sport against a team that has already proven themselves to be of championship caliber...
Damon: Well, let’s just say that all the girl power in the world won’t be able to help them.
They paused, sharing a quick laugh as a train thundered across the tracks overhead. They waited for it to pass, casting their eyes skyward.
Damon: Well, that was fortuitous...
Aurora: Indeed... almost as if foreshadowing what we plan on doing to them and the other teams involved in this match.
Anyway, next on the list is Radicalliance 85, the only other team in this match that has tasted championship gold. But what have the Jew Blazer and Ronnie North been doing since IPW closed down? Let’s see... from the looks of things, Ronnie North has been busy stocking up on bottles of baby oil. Seriously, how much of that stuff does that guy go through? Most guys only use enough to highlight their muscles and whatnot...
Damon gave his fiancée a smirk peppered with a hint of disgust. Aurora shrugged her shoulders in response.
Damon: Speak for yourself! I don’t use that shit!
Aurora: Neither do I. Besides, I said MOST guys. But anyway, Ronnie North uses enough of that glop to push an elephant through a pair of New York brownstones! The phrase “greased pig” is the first thing that comes to mind when his name comes up, especially considering that the guy comes off like he’s God’s gift to women. If that’s a gift from God, then I hope he included the gift receipt, because I sure as hell don’t want it!
Damon: Not to be outdone, his tag team partner, Jew Blazer seems to have kept busy. Managed to snap up a tag team championship with some other dude. Proves that he’s not a complete waste of spandex and that he actually has SOME talent in the ring. But apart from that, all I’ve ever seen him do is talk about video games and fall over his own feet.
Aurora: Now, that’s something I have a problem with. If you’re going to form a tag team with someone, to the point where you become tag team champions, why would you fuck up that formula by teaming with someone else? To prove that you can team with anyone and still come out on the winning side of things? To me, that shows a lack of loyalty, and no sense of loyalty means you can’t be trusted.
Aurora draped an arm over Damon’s shoulder, pointing at him with her other hand as she stared into the camera.
Aurora: You see this man right here? We’ve been a team since day one, and I can’t imagine tagging with anyone other than him. Our partnership has brought us championship gold in not one, but TWO different wrestling organizations, and you just don’t mess with a winning combination. It’s a pity that Radicallliance 85 seems to have forgotten about that....
Aurora shook her head, rolling her eyes as her long blonde hair fell from her shoulder down her back.
Damon: And last, but not least, there’s Chaos Love... the only other tag team that’s taken their relationship outside the ring. Granted, I don’t know which came first... the tag team or the relationship.
Aurora: Does it really matter which one came first? The only thing this couple has done in the ring is lose in their debut match to Radicalliance 85.
Damon playfully nudged Aurora with his elbow, prompting a smirk from his tag team partner.
Damon: They probably spend too much time drooling all over each other on Twitter.
The smirk shifted into a giggle as Aurora raised a hand to her mouth to stifle it.
Aurora: Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But maybe they should lay off the love fest until they – oh, I don’t know – actually ACCOMPLISH something in the ring! If these two think that their love will carry them through to championship gold, then they are in for some serious disappointment.
Love is a powerful thing – don’t get me wrong – but it takes more than that to make a great tag team. It takes two people that can read each other so well that they know exactly what the other is going to do. It’s knowing how to use your partner’s skills to complement your own...
Rebel Ink stared into the camera – Damon with a sneer, and Aurora with a wicked smile on her face.
Damon: But by all means, go right ahead and keep arguing about which one of you loves the other one more. We’ll be too busy kicking everyone else’s asses to give a shit.
Aurora: At Zero Hour, four teams will face off, vying to be the last ones standing. Whoever remains when the dust settles and the final bell sounds will become Redemption Wrestling’s first-ever Tag Team Champions.
Damon: Chaos Love, Radicalliance 85, and Pride... don’t feel too bad. You can always use the extra space in your luggage for souvenirs, because those titles are coming home with us! Maybe you can find some shirts that said “We just got our asses kicked by Rebel Ink, and all we got were these lousy t-shirts!” Maybe that will fill the void.
Damon turned his attention to his fiancée, holding out his arm as he smiled.
Damon: Harley, what do you say we get the hell out of here? I’m starting to feel like a troll, hanging out under this damn bridge....
Aurora: Good idea. Besides, all that shit-talking is making me hungry.
Aurora looped her arm through Damon’s, laughing as the pair walked off down the street.
