Post by Savannah Taylor on Aug 9, 2015 2:00:27 GMT -6
Sunday, August 9th, 2015
Hard Rock Hotel
San Diego, California
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The late afternoon/early evening sunset was beginning to cast a tranquil glow throughout the downtown San Diego area, creating the perfect pre-nightlife atmosphere. At the famed Hard Rock Hotel, not to be confused with the more famous one in Las Vegas, the outdoor bar is gearing up for one last weekend rush before the workweek starts. For those looking for a little more quiet end to the weekend, then the rooftop pool is the place to be. The pool area was fairly quiet, with only a small handful of people milling about the private cabanas or taking a dip in the pool. Large, plush looking lounge chairs border the pool and hot tub, with only a couple of patrons occupying them. On the chair closest to the hot tub sits a pair of stunningly gorgeous blonde women, one wearing an ice blue strapless bikini with the bottoms tied at her slender hips, and the other woman wearing a classic bombshell red triangle top bikini, making the most of her enviable curves. To the untrained eye, these would just appear to be two friends out on vacation. But upon closer inspection, the woman in the blue bikini is current EXODUS International champion Savannah Taylor and the woman in the red bikini is former EXODUS World champion Heather Halliwell. It is clear that the two women have been out by the pool for a while, because the warm Southern California sun has begun to turn their skin a gorgeous shade of brown. Savannah leans back as she glances over at Heather, watching as the older of the two women has her eyes closed and a smile upon her face, enjoying the time out in the sun.
Savannah Taylor: Someone seems to be enjoying themselves…
She says with a smirk. Heather rolls her head towards Savannah lazily, a sly grin on her face. She lowers her sunglasses and wiggles her eyebrows at Savannah.
Heather Halliwell: I love my life, but the occasional girls day... It's quite lovely. And I do thank you again for the invitation. This is incredible.
She adjusts her position as the waiter walks by. He glances her way and Heather drops him a devastating smile as she holds out her empty glass. The young man nearly trips over his own feet rushing over. Heather winks at Savannah playfully and pushes her glasses back over her eyes.
Heather Halliwell: Did you need anything, dear?
Savannah props herself up on her elbows and glances over at the waiter, her blonde hair slowly falling over her shoulders as she smirks.
Savannah Taylor I could use another drink. I’m feeling a little parched.
She says as she lays back down, turning her head away from the waiter. Heather is running her fingers tentatively over the top of the ice bucket. She studies her companions perfectly crafted face, her out of this world body and shakes her head slightly.
Heather Halliwell: You seem to be in better spirits, I must say. It's about time, too. I was worried... You've come such a long way.
Savannah looks down slightly, a small smile creeping onto her face as she regards her companion, her features magnified to the fullest in the setting sun.
Savannah Taylor: I’m in a pretty great mood, actually. Things are slowly looking up for me, in both aspects of my life. I didn’t mean to worry you.
Heather smiles softly and reaching out in an affectionate gesture; twirls a strand of Savannah's hair around her finger.
Heather Halliwell: It can't be helped, dear. It's just what I do. I am curious, though... How are you feeling about this upcoming three way match? These two you're going up against, they are...
Heather raises an eyebrow and waves a finger in circles by her head. Savannah snickers as she leans her head towards Heather.
Savannah Taylor: Yeah, they are kind of…...you know. I’ll be honest, what is at stake here in this match combined with who I’m up against…..the pressure is on. I mean, winning the number one contender spot would be HUGE.
She says as she looks out across the pool, her crystal blue eyes filled with about a thousand different emotions. She had fought to get where she was today and to get a shot at the World Title? That would be the icing on the cake.
Savannah Taylor: I’ve just got a lot of pressure, you know?
Heather Halliwell: I do know, I know very well. I wanted to tell you something, something I don't think you hear enough.
Heather pushes her glasses up over her face and stares Savannah in the eyes.
Heather Halliwell: I'm proud of you. Everything you've done, how hard you've worked for it. I admire your tenacity and the skill you back it up with. You do what it takes. Many have shamed you for it. I know there are those who would try and use past decisions against you. The fact is, you want to win and you'll do what it takes. That's admirable. Honestly, dear, I see a future World Champion in you. Maybe sooner than even you anticipated.
Savannah remains silent as Heather finishes her statement. It was pretty much the first time that anyone had ever said that they were proud of her. She had done some things in the past, things she wasn't exactly proud of, but she was trying to put those things behind her and move onward and upward.
Savannah Taylor: Wow. i….thank you. No one has actually said that to me before. I've always been under the impression that people would just assume to look me over and move onto the next person in line when it comes to the top title. But hearing that from a former champion….it means a great deal to me.
Heather sits up and stretches like a lioness. She stands for a moment and stretches again, curling her toes. She leans over and plants a gentle kiss on Savannah's forehead before sitting back down. The waiter comes back with their drinks. Heather takes a sip and flashes Savannah an evil grin.
Heather Halliwell: Let's see about getting you past those Looney Toons... Then I can share with you some stories about our current World Champion.
Savannah bites her lower lip to suppress a grin as she reaches over and takes her drink, the condensation from the glass leaving a few drops down onto Heather’s leg. She simply gives an innocent shrug as she raises the glass to her lips and lets the amber liquid hit her throat, ignoring the slight burning sensation going down.
Savannah Taylor: Oh those sound like some interesting stories, no doubt. But getting past Team Looney Toons is task number one.
Heather rubs the water droplets up her leg mindlessly. She reaches into her cup and retrieves an ice cube, which she sucks on for a moment before rubbing against her shoulders and collarbone.
Heather Halliwell: Have you thought about your strategy? Both of those two are a bit... Sketchy.
Cocking her head to one side, Savannah rests her glass between her knees and adjusts her strapless top before leaning back, taking the glass from between her knees as she runs her finger along the rim, her finger gently touching the drink.
Savannah Taylor: The only real wildcard is Shozo, because of reasons. As far as Ruby goes, she’s a little easier to nail down. I’ve seen enough tapes of her to get something of a gauge of what to expect.
Heather gives a satisfied little smile and flips over onto her stomach.
Heather Halliwell: Shozo is... He's dangerous. It's hard to say what he'll do to win. Be wary with him, he reminds me of a caged animal with a slot loose. Shake his cage too much... Yeah.
Heather smirks a little and takes a sip of her drink. Savannah swirls her glass a bit, the ice cubes hitting the sides of the glass with a sharp “plink” sound.
Savannah Taylor: He is a few bricks shy of a full load, that is for sure. Like I said before, he’s the real wild card in this match, the one no one knows what is going to happen.
Heather Halliwell: Worst case scenario, you get him riled up, then push Ruby in the way and wait.
Heather's eyes widen. She slaps a hand over her mouth and giggles. Savannah lets out a snicker as she takes another sip from her drink.
Savannah Taylor: Now there is an idea. But honestly, I’d prefer to take both of them on. Its who I am, really.
She raises the glass to her lips and tilts her head back, draining the rest of her glass. Shaking her head a little, she sits the glass down and also turns over onto her stomach.
Savannah Taylor: Lord knows I’d like to show both of them a thing or two.
Heather Halliwell: I have no doubt that you shall. I'm looking forward to sparring, I always did enjoy...
Heather trails off as she notices she and Savannah have an audience. She runs a hand slowly down Savannah's face and down her arm. She grins cheekily and with her voice raised, finishes.
Heather Halliwell: The feel of our bodies, flushed and covered in sweat, pressed against each other. Feeling your breath on my hair and neck. Our hands exploring each other, looking for all the right spots...
Savannah bites her lip to refrain from laughing out loud. The Las Vegas native glances behind her to see the slight crowd of pool patrons nearly gawking at the two knockouts.
Savannah Taylor: Mmmm, now you’re getting me excited. I’m shivering with antici…….
Her face breaks out into a sly grin as she watches Heather lean in closer to her, her face a mixture of excitement and anxiousness.
Savannah Taylor: ……..pation.
Heather quivers and squeals, jumping up from her chair and pouncing onto Savannah playfully. She leans in close and with a giggle, peaks up at their audience from under her hair.
Heather Halliwell: All too easy.
She snatches an ice cube and as she slowly slides off of Savannah, she runs the cube playfully over the younger blondes back. The sudden feeling of ice on her back causes Savannah to jump slightly as she can’t help but imagine just what kind of reaction their audience is giving.
Savannah Taylor: I always did like to put on a show for people….
Heather lets out a loud laugh and flicks the ice cube towards the watching patrons. They all applaud as she takes her seat. She rolls her eyes and crosses her legs like a proper lady.
Heather Halliwell: Honestly, I sometimes wonder why I chose wrestling. You and I, we had a choice. We could have been models, pretty faces who could have had rich husbands and easy lives. But we're much too feisty for that, aren't we? No, we're women of action. And your scenes are becoming clearer, m'dear. This may be frowned upon by some, but I'm gonna go ahead and call this now: It's your destiny to face Strike. This is your time. Summer was just a warm up, I think... I do believe this is going to be the autumn of Savannah Taylor.
Heather holds her drink up and toasts to her own speech. Savannah holds up her empty glass in a toast of her own. Setting it down, she heaves a sigh.
Savannah Taylor: I hope I live up to expectations then.
She says as she brushes a lock of hair out of her eyes. Few people could understand just how important this match was to Savannah. They didn’t understand that she was essentially fighting for her survival. Despite being the current International champion, she had a feeling that she was on borrowed time and that despite every effort, her best wasn’t going to be good enough. That is why she was going to show Ruby and SHOZO a side to her that no one has seen. They were going to get the woman that she knows she was destined to be. They were going to get the fighter that grew up in a less than idyllic environment. More importantly, EXODUS as a whole was going to be put on notice that a new threat has arrived, one that no one even saw coming.
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If you were to tell me one year ago that I would not only be holding the International championship but would be in a match that would see the winner receive a World Title shot, I would have straight up laughed in your face. In a way, I still would. You see, people around the San Diego area have a funny habit of expressing doubt in someone who, essentially, has all the tools and talent to become the top draw in this company. Let me rephrase that. They express doubt in people NOT named Chris Strike, Christum Furor or Fiona Collins. That is just one of many bones of contention I have with the RIMAC faithful. I bet it irritated everyone back in San Diego two weeks ago when I made good on my promise that I would become International champion if it was the last thing I did. I knew that was my last chance at becoming champion, and I made good on my promise. Not only that, but I did it in a place where the fans actually APPRECIATE me and RESPECT me. I did it in my hometown. Call me sentimental, but that win meant a great deal to me. I will give credit where credit is due. Justin Brooks brought the fight to me. He and I put on a match that SHOULD be a Match of the Year contender. But while Justin was good, I was better two weeks ago. If I fought that hard to win this title, just imagine how much harder I am going to fight to keep it.
This week, the stakes are just a bit higher. This week, we get to see the champions of EXODUS in the same ring at the same time. How fortunate for the fans, but unfortunate for SHOZO and Ruby. You see, the prize for the winner is a coveted shot at the EXODUS World championship. If there is ANYONE in this match who is more deserving of a shot, you are looking at her. I dare you to look at SHOZO and Ruby and tell me on what planet do they even deserve to be in this match? I mean a certifiable nut case and a hunter of some sorts? Since when did EXODUS turn into a daytime soap opera? I would make a joke about someone’s lover turning out to be their sibling or some other asinine statement, but I forgot where I work. It could be revealed to be true as soon as next week. While my opponents seem to enjoy living in Bizarre-O World, I chose to live in the REAL world. I can’t wait to introduce them to reality come Monday.
SHOZO, SHOZO, SHOZO. If ever there was a cautionary tale to be told about the dangers of this business, yours would be at the top of everyone’s required reading list. I have never heard or seen a more tragic fall from grace in the near two years that I have been with this company. You seemed to have it all. You had friends. You had a promising career. Yet you threw it all away because of the green eyed monster known as jealousy. You became jealous over the success of your one time best friend Shinji Uchikawa. Then you became involved with REVOLUTION and set out to shake things up around rEvoltution. You want to know what I honestly think of REVOLUTION? You all are nothing more than Gods and Monsters knock offs. I know I’m not the only one who thinks this way either. You can deny it until you are blue in the face, but the proof is in the pudding. You want to know the difference between REVOLUTION and Gods and Monsters? At least Gods and Monsters made good on our promises of running things around here. For pretty much a full calendar year, no one could stop us. Can you sit back and say that about your little ragtag group of spoiled misfits? No you cannot. Hell, you can’t even follow the correct formula for a successful group bent on company domination. But hey, at the end of the day you can sleep a little easier knowing you tried.
Does that grind your gears, SHOZO? Does it wear thin having everyone remind you of how hard you used to try? How hard you used to try but you never got anywhere, despite encouragement from your peers? Guess what? It is part of life. Being reminded of the times when you weren’t at your best and when you failed at certain things is a motivational tool to get better. You had better get used to it, because as long as I am upright and breathing, you will be hearing about this for a long time.
I know people are warning me about you. They say you are a few tacos short of a combination platter. They say you are unhinged, a menace to society. They say you could snap at any moment and become an unstoppable monster. Do you want to know what I say to all of that? Bring it on. If you only knew what people have said, and still say, about me then you would realize that maybe we are somewhat similar. Think about it. Two weeks ago, we told everyone that we would both win our respective championships. We made good on that promise. But when I look at you and the Pacific Coast title that you clutch to your chest, I don’t see someone who is willing to do any and everything to hold onto the title. I see someone who just used the title win as a move to rub it in his former friend’s face, nothing more, nothing less. Me on the other hand? I needed this win. This was a do or die situation where the only solution was to win. I knew there would be no more chances after this, and I did what I had to do to win. This International title means everything to me. It legitimizes me as someone to watch out for. Your Pacific Coast title? Well, it makes for a nice belt buckle. I’ll give you that much.
There is one more thing I’ve noticed about you, SHOZO. You have slowly and steadily become wrestling’s answer to Anakin Skywalker. Think about it. How does that one line from that one movie go? Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. You let your fear over Shinji’s success get to you and you got angry over it. You let your anger cloud your judgement and you ended up hating everything and everyone, outside of your REVOLUTION cronies. You let your hate lead to the suffering of those who you feel wronged you. You are one wrong turn away from being thrown down a pit because you let your emotions cloud your judgement. It is that one fatal flaw that you have that is going to prevent you from getting the shot against Chris Strike. So sad for you.
I’m going to be completely honest. I’m very much looking forward to this match. I’m looking forward to this because I get to finally face the ‘esteemed’ San Diego Bay champion Ruby Tyler. The cordial thing would be to congratulate you on such a hard fought title defense against a hard fought opponent. Hell, the cordial thing would be to congratulate you on winning the title in the first place. Cordial is something I have never been accused of being. I’m not one of these people that is going to come out and kiss your ass simply because it is the cool thing to do. I’m not going to show you any form of respect because quite frankly, you haven’t done anything to earn my respect. You haven’t done anything, in my opinion at least, to warrant a place in a match of this magnitude. Do you even know what is at stake, Ruby? The prize at stake is a shot at EXODUS immortality. The prize that everyone wants is a shot at the richest prize in the business. The fact that someone like you, someone who hasn’t been here all that long, is immediately thrust into this pressure situation makes me a little sick to my stomach. I have had to fight my way into this chance. I have had to bust my ass harder than you could possibly imagine to even come CLOSE to a shot at the World title. I am not about to let a glorified science fiction take away my chance at the World title.
A lot of people look at you Ruby and they see a young woman who is tenacious. They see a born fighter who isn’t afraid to put it all on the line when the time calls for it. Do you want to know what I see when I look at you? I see a woman who is living in someone else’s shadow. Think about it. Everything that you have done thus far, I have not only done first but I have done so much better. Getting into a feud with Kevin Hardaway? I did it first. Having something of a messed up history prior to coming to EXODUS? Been there done that. Winning the San Diego Bay championship? I put that title on the map. I made that title relevant. So you see Ruby, whether you want to admit it or not, you are living in my shadow. I bet for your next trick you are going to tell me that you are going to become the greatest San Diego Bay champion that EXODUS has ever seen. Do me a favor and quit while you are ahead. We all know that you are never going to be HALF the champion that I was. Hell, the only other person who can best me for the title of ‘Best San Diego Bay Champion Ever’ is someone who could wrestle circles around just about everyone, me included. Besides, you hardly look like you are from the East Coast anyway.
You may think that this is going to be just another match, but you couldn’t be farther from the truth. This is going to be a war. You may think that your match with Kevin Hardaway was hell and that you won’t have to go through that kind of torture for a long, long time. Oh how naïve you are Ruby. The biggest challenge in your fledgling EXODUS career doesn’t come in the form of Kevin Hardaway. Hell, it doesn’t even come in the form of SHOZO. Your biggest EXODUS challenge comes in the form of the current and reigning International champion. You are looking at someone that has taken the big, bad, scary Justin Brooks and dropped him to the ground like a sack of potatoes. You are looking at someone who has taken Jessica Lasiewicz, Samantha Raine and Adrien Cochrane and run them all out of EXODUS. I did that without as much as a thank you for my obvious humanitarian efforts. But that is OK. I’m used to people barely recognizing anything that I have done here, and if they do, then it is under duress. You may think you have what it takes to best SHOZO and to best me, but you really don’t. You really don’t have a clue as to what awaits you on Monday.
Ruby, SHOZO, listen up and listen up well. You both have had it easy thus far. I don’t care about anything either of you have done up to this point. All that I care about is what the two of you are capable of doing on Monday. I want both of you to be at your very best. I want the both of you to bring you’re A-plus game. That way when it is all said and done and the referee is raising my hand in victory, you can both go to sleep that night knowing that your best wasn’t good enough. Your best will NEVER be enough.
Auf Wiedersehen.
Hard Rock Hotel
San Diego, California
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The late afternoon/early evening sunset was beginning to cast a tranquil glow throughout the downtown San Diego area, creating the perfect pre-nightlife atmosphere. At the famed Hard Rock Hotel, not to be confused with the more famous one in Las Vegas, the outdoor bar is gearing up for one last weekend rush before the workweek starts. For those looking for a little more quiet end to the weekend, then the rooftop pool is the place to be. The pool area was fairly quiet, with only a small handful of people milling about the private cabanas or taking a dip in the pool. Large, plush looking lounge chairs border the pool and hot tub, with only a couple of patrons occupying them. On the chair closest to the hot tub sits a pair of stunningly gorgeous blonde women, one wearing an ice blue strapless bikini with the bottoms tied at her slender hips, and the other woman wearing a classic bombshell red triangle top bikini, making the most of her enviable curves. To the untrained eye, these would just appear to be two friends out on vacation. But upon closer inspection, the woman in the blue bikini is current EXODUS International champion Savannah Taylor and the woman in the red bikini is former EXODUS World champion Heather Halliwell. It is clear that the two women have been out by the pool for a while, because the warm Southern California sun has begun to turn their skin a gorgeous shade of brown. Savannah leans back as she glances over at Heather, watching as the older of the two women has her eyes closed and a smile upon her face, enjoying the time out in the sun.
Savannah Taylor: Someone seems to be enjoying themselves…
She says with a smirk. Heather rolls her head towards Savannah lazily, a sly grin on her face. She lowers her sunglasses and wiggles her eyebrows at Savannah.
Heather Halliwell: I love my life, but the occasional girls day... It's quite lovely. And I do thank you again for the invitation. This is incredible.
She adjusts her position as the waiter walks by. He glances her way and Heather drops him a devastating smile as she holds out her empty glass. The young man nearly trips over his own feet rushing over. Heather winks at Savannah playfully and pushes her glasses back over her eyes.
Heather Halliwell: Did you need anything, dear?
Savannah props herself up on her elbows and glances over at the waiter, her blonde hair slowly falling over her shoulders as she smirks.
Savannah Taylor I could use another drink. I’m feeling a little parched.
She says as she lays back down, turning her head away from the waiter. Heather is running her fingers tentatively over the top of the ice bucket. She studies her companions perfectly crafted face, her out of this world body and shakes her head slightly.
Heather Halliwell: You seem to be in better spirits, I must say. It's about time, too. I was worried... You've come such a long way.
Savannah looks down slightly, a small smile creeping onto her face as she regards her companion, her features magnified to the fullest in the setting sun.
Savannah Taylor: I’m in a pretty great mood, actually. Things are slowly looking up for me, in both aspects of my life. I didn’t mean to worry you.
Heather smiles softly and reaching out in an affectionate gesture; twirls a strand of Savannah's hair around her finger.
Heather Halliwell: It can't be helped, dear. It's just what I do. I am curious, though... How are you feeling about this upcoming three way match? These two you're going up against, they are...
Heather raises an eyebrow and waves a finger in circles by her head. Savannah snickers as she leans her head towards Heather.
Savannah Taylor: Yeah, they are kind of…...you know. I’ll be honest, what is at stake here in this match combined with who I’m up against…..the pressure is on. I mean, winning the number one contender spot would be HUGE.
She says as she looks out across the pool, her crystal blue eyes filled with about a thousand different emotions. She had fought to get where she was today and to get a shot at the World Title? That would be the icing on the cake.
Savannah Taylor: I’ve just got a lot of pressure, you know?
Heather Halliwell: I do know, I know very well. I wanted to tell you something, something I don't think you hear enough.
Heather pushes her glasses up over her face and stares Savannah in the eyes.
Heather Halliwell: I'm proud of you. Everything you've done, how hard you've worked for it. I admire your tenacity and the skill you back it up with. You do what it takes. Many have shamed you for it. I know there are those who would try and use past decisions against you. The fact is, you want to win and you'll do what it takes. That's admirable. Honestly, dear, I see a future World Champion in you. Maybe sooner than even you anticipated.
Savannah remains silent as Heather finishes her statement. It was pretty much the first time that anyone had ever said that they were proud of her. She had done some things in the past, things she wasn't exactly proud of, but she was trying to put those things behind her and move onward and upward.
Savannah Taylor: Wow. i….thank you. No one has actually said that to me before. I've always been under the impression that people would just assume to look me over and move onto the next person in line when it comes to the top title. But hearing that from a former champion….it means a great deal to me.
Heather sits up and stretches like a lioness. She stands for a moment and stretches again, curling her toes. She leans over and plants a gentle kiss on Savannah's forehead before sitting back down. The waiter comes back with their drinks. Heather takes a sip and flashes Savannah an evil grin.
Heather Halliwell: Let's see about getting you past those Looney Toons... Then I can share with you some stories about our current World Champion.
Savannah bites her lower lip to suppress a grin as she reaches over and takes her drink, the condensation from the glass leaving a few drops down onto Heather’s leg. She simply gives an innocent shrug as she raises the glass to her lips and lets the amber liquid hit her throat, ignoring the slight burning sensation going down.
Savannah Taylor: Oh those sound like some interesting stories, no doubt. But getting past Team Looney Toons is task number one.
Heather rubs the water droplets up her leg mindlessly. She reaches into her cup and retrieves an ice cube, which she sucks on for a moment before rubbing against her shoulders and collarbone.
Heather Halliwell: Have you thought about your strategy? Both of those two are a bit... Sketchy.
Cocking her head to one side, Savannah rests her glass between her knees and adjusts her strapless top before leaning back, taking the glass from between her knees as she runs her finger along the rim, her finger gently touching the drink.
Savannah Taylor: The only real wildcard is Shozo, because of reasons. As far as Ruby goes, she’s a little easier to nail down. I’ve seen enough tapes of her to get something of a gauge of what to expect.
Heather gives a satisfied little smile and flips over onto her stomach.
Heather Halliwell: Shozo is... He's dangerous. It's hard to say what he'll do to win. Be wary with him, he reminds me of a caged animal with a slot loose. Shake his cage too much... Yeah.
Heather smirks a little and takes a sip of her drink. Savannah swirls her glass a bit, the ice cubes hitting the sides of the glass with a sharp “plink” sound.
Savannah Taylor: He is a few bricks shy of a full load, that is for sure. Like I said before, he’s the real wild card in this match, the one no one knows what is going to happen.
Heather Halliwell: Worst case scenario, you get him riled up, then push Ruby in the way and wait.
Heather's eyes widen. She slaps a hand over her mouth and giggles. Savannah lets out a snicker as she takes another sip from her drink.
Savannah Taylor: Now there is an idea. But honestly, I’d prefer to take both of them on. Its who I am, really.
She raises the glass to her lips and tilts her head back, draining the rest of her glass. Shaking her head a little, she sits the glass down and also turns over onto her stomach.
Savannah Taylor: Lord knows I’d like to show both of them a thing or two.
Heather Halliwell: I have no doubt that you shall. I'm looking forward to sparring, I always did enjoy...
Heather trails off as she notices she and Savannah have an audience. She runs a hand slowly down Savannah's face and down her arm. She grins cheekily and with her voice raised, finishes.
Heather Halliwell: The feel of our bodies, flushed and covered in sweat, pressed against each other. Feeling your breath on my hair and neck. Our hands exploring each other, looking for all the right spots...
Savannah bites her lip to refrain from laughing out loud. The Las Vegas native glances behind her to see the slight crowd of pool patrons nearly gawking at the two knockouts.
Savannah Taylor: Mmmm, now you’re getting me excited. I’m shivering with antici…….
Her face breaks out into a sly grin as she watches Heather lean in closer to her, her face a mixture of excitement and anxiousness.
Savannah Taylor: ……..pation.
Heather quivers and squeals, jumping up from her chair and pouncing onto Savannah playfully. She leans in close and with a giggle, peaks up at their audience from under her hair.
Heather Halliwell: All too easy.
She snatches an ice cube and as she slowly slides off of Savannah, she runs the cube playfully over the younger blondes back. The sudden feeling of ice on her back causes Savannah to jump slightly as she can’t help but imagine just what kind of reaction their audience is giving.
Savannah Taylor: I always did like to put on a show for people….
Heather lets out a loud laugh and flicks the ice cube towards the watching patrons. They all applaud as she takes her seat. She rolls her eyes and crosses her legs like a proper lady.
Heather Halliwell: Honestly, I sometimes wonder why I chose wrestling. You and I, we had a choice. We could have been models, pretty faces who could have had rich husbands and easy lives. But we're much too feisty for that, aren't we? No, we're women of action. And your scenes are becoming clearer, m'dear. This may be frowned upon by some, but I'm gonna go ahead and call this now: It's your destiny to face Strike. This is your time. Summer was just a warm up, I think... I do believe this is going to be the autumn of Savannah Taylor.
Heather holds her drink up and toasts to her own speech. Savannah holds up her empty glass in a toast of her own. Setting it down, she heaves a sigh.
Savannah Taylor: I hope I live up to expectations then.
She says as she brushes a lock of hair out of her eyes. Few people could understand just how important this match was to Savannah. They didn’t understand that she was essentially fighting for her survival. Despite being the current International champion, she had a feeling that she was on borrowed time and that despite every effort, her best wasn’t going to be good enough. That is why she was going to show Ruby and SHOZO a side to her that no one has seen. They were going to get the woman that she knows she was destined to be. They were going to get the fighter that grew up in a less than idyllic environment. More importantly, EXODUS as a whole was going to be put on notice that a new threat has arrived, one that no one even saw coming.
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“Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year? In daylight, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, how do you measure a year in the life?” – ‘Seasons of Love’ from the musical ‘Rent’
If you were to tell me one year ago that I would not only be holding the International championship but would be in a match that would see the winner receive a World Title shot, I would have straight up laughed in your face. In a way, I still would. You see, people around the San Diego area have a funny habit of expressing doubt in someone who, essentially, has all the tools and talent to become the top draw in this company. Let me rephrase that. They express doubt in people NOT named Chris Strike, Christum Furor or Fiona Collins. That is just one of many bones of contention I have with the RIMAC faithful. I bet it irritated everyone back in San Diego two weeks ago when I made good on my promise that I would become International champion if it was the last thing I did. I knew that was my last chance at becoming champion, and I made good on my promise. Not only that, but I did it in a place where the fans actually APPRECIATE me and RESPECT me. I did it in my hometown. Call me sentimental, but that win meant a great deal to me. I will give credit where credit is due. Justin Brooks brought the fight to me. He and I put on a match that SHOULD be a Match of the Year contender. But while Justin was good, I was better two weeks ago. If I fought that hard to win this title, just imagine how much harder I am going to fight to keep it.
This week, the stakes are just a bit higher. This week, we get to see the champions of EXODUS in the same ring at the same time. How fortunate for the fans, but unfortunate for SHOZO and Ruby. You see, the prize for the winner is a coveted shot at the EXODUS World championship. If there is ANYONE in this match who is more deserving of a shot, you are looking at her. I dare you to look at SHOZO and Ruby and tell me on what planet do they even deserve to be in this match? I mean a certifiable nut case and a hunter of some sorts? Since when did EXODUS turn into a daytime soap opera? I would make a joke about someone’s lover turning out to be their sibling or some other asinine statement, but I forgot where I work. It could be revealed to be true as soon as next week. While my opponents seem to enjoy living in Bizarre-O World, I chose to live in the REAL world. I can’t wait to introduce them to reality come Monday.
SHOZO, SHOZO, SHOZO. If ever there was a cautionary tale to be told about the dangers of this business, yours would be at the top of everyone’s required reading list. I have never heard or seen a more tragic fall from grace in the near two years that I have been with this company. You seemed to have it all. You had friends. You had a promising career. Yet you threw it all away because of the green eyed monster known as jealousy. You became jealous over the success of your one time best friend Shinji Uchikawa. Then you became involved with REVOLUTION and set out to shake things up around rEvoltution. You want to know what I honestly think of REVOLUTION? You all are nothing more than Gods and Monsters knock offs. I know I’m not the only one who thinks this way either. You can deny it until you are blue in the face, but the proof is in the pudding. You want to know the difference between REVOLUTION and Gods and Monsters? At least Gods and Monsters made good on our promises of running things around here. For pretty much a full calendar year, no one could stop us. Can you sit back and say that about your little ragtag group of spoiled misfits? No you cannot. Hell, you can’t even follow the correct formula for a successful group bent on company domination. But hey, at the end of the day you can sleep a little easier knowing you tried.
Does that grind your gears, SHOZO? Does it wear thin having everyone remind you of how hard you used to try? How hard you used to try but you never got anywhere, despite encouragement from your peers? Guess what? It is part of life. Being reminded of the times when you weren’t at your best and when you failed at certain things is a motivational tool to get better. You had better get used to it, because as long as I am upright and breathing, you will be hearing about this for a long time.
I know people are warning me about you. They say you are a few tacos short of a combination platter. They say you are unhinged, a menace to society. They say you could snap at any moment and become an unstoppable monster. Do you want to know what I say to all of that? Bring it on. If you only knew what people have said, and still say, about me then you would realize that maybe we are somewhat similar. Think about it. Two weeks ago, we told everyone that we would both win our respective championships. We made good on that promise. But when I look at you and the Pacific Coast title that you clutch to your chest, I don’t see someone who is willing to do any and everything to hold onto the title. I see someone who just used the title win as a move to rub it in his former friend’s face, nothing more, nothing less. Me on the other hand? I needed this win. This was a do or die situation where the only solution was to win. I knew there would be no more chances after this, and I did what I had to do to win. This International title means everything to me. It legitimizes me as someone to watch out for. Your Pacific Coast title? Well, it makes for a nice belt buckle. I’ll give you that much.
There is one more thing I’ve noticed about you, SHOZO. You have slowly and steadily become wrestling’s answer to Anakin Skywalker. Think about it. How does that one line from that one movie go? Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. You let your fear over Shinji’s success get to you and you got angry over it. You let your anger cloud your judgement and you ended up hating everything and everyone, outside of your REVOLUTION cronies. You let your hate lead to the suffering of those who you feel wronged you. You are one wrong turn away from being thrown down a pit because you let your emotions cloud your judgement. It is that one fatal flaw that you have that is going to prevent you from getting the shot against Chris Strike. So sad for you.
I’m going to be completely honest. I’m very much looking forward to this match. I’m looking forward to this because I get to finally face the ‘esteemed’ San Diego Bay champion Ruby Tyler. The cordial thing would be to congratulate you on such a hard fought title defense against a hard fought opponent. Hell, the cordial thing would be to congratulate you on winning the title in the first place. Cordial is something I have never been accused of being. I’m not one of these people that is going to come out and kiss your ass simply because it is the cool thing to do. I’m not going to show you any form of respect because quite frankly, you haven’t done anything to earn my respect. You haven’t done anything, in my opinion at least, to warrant a place in a match of this magnitude. Do you even know what is at stake, Ruby? The prize at stake is a shot at EXODUS immortality. The prize that everyone wants is a shot at the richest prize in the business. The fact that someone like you, someone who hasn’t been here all that long, is immediately thrust into this pressure situation makes me a little sick to my stomach. I have had to fight my way into this chance. I have had to bust my ass harder than you could possibly imagine to even come CLOSE to a shot at the World title. I am not about to let a glorified science fiction take away my chance at the World title.
A lot of people look at you Ruby and they see a young woman who is tenacious. They see a born fighter who isn’t afraid to put it all on the line when the time calls for it. Do you want to know what I see when I look at you? I see a woman who is living in someone else’s shadow. Think about it. Everything that you have done thus far, I have not only done first but I have done so much better. Getting into a feud with Kevin Hardaway? I did it first. Having something of a messed up history prior to coming to EXODUS? Been there done that. Winning the San Diego Bay championship? I put that title on the map. I made that title relevant. So you see Ruby, whether you want to admit it or not, you are living in my shadow. I bet for your next trick you are going to tell me that you are going to become the greatest San Diego Bay champion that EXODUS has ever seen. Do me a favor and quit while you are ahead. We all know that you are never going to be HALF the champion that I was. Hell, the only other person who can best me for the title of ‘Best San Diego Bay Champion Ever’ is someone who could wrestle circles around just about everyone, me included. Besides, you hardly look like you are from the East Coast anyway.
You may think that this is going to be just another match, but you couldn’t be farther from the truth. This is going to be a war. You may think that your match with Kevin Hardaway was hell and that you won’t have to go through that kind of torture for a long, long time. Oh how naïve you are Ruby. The biggest challenge in your fledgling EXODUS career doesn’t come in the form of Kevin Hardaway. Hell, it doesn’t even come in the form of SHOZO. Your biggest EXODUS challenge comes in the form of the current and reigning International champion. You are looking at someone that has taken the big, bad, scary Justin Brooks and dropped him to the ground like a sack of potatoes. You are looking at someone who has taken Jessica Lasiewicz, Samantha Raine and Adrien Cochrane and run them all out of EXODUS. I did that without as much as a thank you for my obvious humanitarian efforts. But that is OK. I’m used to people barely recognizing anything that I have done here, and if they do, then it is under duress. You may think you have what it takes to best SHOZO and to best me, but you really don’t. You really don’t have a clue as to what awaits you on Monday.
Ruby, SHOZO, listen up and listen up well. You both have had it easy thus far. I don’t care about anything either of you have done up to this point. All that I care about is what the two of you are capable of doing on Monday. I want both of you to be at your very best. I want the both of you to bring you’re A-plus game. That way when it is all said and done and the referee is raising my hand in victory, you can both go to sleep that night knowing that your best wasn’t good enough. Your best will NEVER be enough.
Auf Wiedersehen.
