[samsoni]

Jeeze Virginia dont be pickin on the huge shirt.... hairy backed guys

[Virginia Dare]

Collar and elbow tie up?

Okay, Red. Let's try that out--


NOT.


I gimp across the ring, barely able to put any weight at all on my ankle without sending pain signals all up and down my right side. With your arms up--yeah, I don't believe that for a second. Not a second. You're going to kick at my ankle or throw an elbow or grab my hair. Heel Red. Rowan's Red. And if Bruce Lee taught me anything, it's beat the other gal--or guy, in this case--to the punch. You're gonna try something dirty, so I may as well make sure that doesn't happen.


What did she do, Red? What did she do to you to make you go bad? She's got all kinds of promises. And she can do things I can't. She's got so much more to offer. I understand why. And when I came back, I knew you'd be under her raven's wing. I didn't expect you to be waiting for me. Nobody should have to wait for anyone. Especially someone who vanishes for more than a year. But I had some growing up to do. Had to learn a few things. Figure some stuff out. And I hoped you would be here. And I hoped we could be friends again. But you are hers. And whoever tastes that shadowy wine of hers--there's no coming back.


I put my left ankle behind me, out of your reach and put my weight on the right, leaning in for the clutch. But I don't fully get into the clutch. Rather, as soon as your arms start to move, I pivot on my right foot, twisting my hips, jumping up with that foot to go for a flying armbar!

And I look like a flying rhino. I'm not subtle or graceful. Not usually. And not on one leg, to be sure. But maybe, just maybe, it will catch you off guard enough to put you down and give me your arm.

And not the armbar where you land on your back. The one where you land on your chest.

And you know which arm I'm going for, don't you Red?

[RedEnforcer]

I need to get this done fast. The more this drags out, the better it goes for Rowan no matter which one of us loses.

I see you still hopping. Weird stance, but you seem to be going for that tie up. Good old reliable Jenny.

So when I lean in with my right arm leading...

You promptly leap up which catches me off guard because you don't do that sort of thing and you grab my right arm and shoulder.

FUCK

It's the shoulder you popped out of joint during our Texas Death Match. You fucking remember. But worse than that, you're doing a move that Rowan would do.

She had to have gotten to you. She talked you into coming back and pointed you at me.  She saw you in Paris after so long and knew she needed me hurt or you hurt so she could take this title. And she trained you? Why? Why are you doing her moves? What did she say to you to get you to fight me.

The shock of it all has me falling forward. Which sucks. See kids, with a move like ADR's cross arm breaker, what you do is grab the trapped wrist and keep your opponent from extending it. Then, if you're strong enough, you yank that sucker up off the mat and powerbomb them to hell.

Now if you end up face first on the mat like I am, forget all that.

But your legs are scissoring my arm and you know how hard to pull. You've pulled that hard before..before we really knew each other...You popped my shoulder out.

One good thing about this is I have a little extra time to think about a counter. And as fast as I can, my free hand snakes up towards your boots. Pick a foot Red. 

I grab the toe of your boot....and my eyes are wet because of the pain I'm feeling right now as you're straining my arm...not because of what I'm going to do next..

Not because I'm going to twist that boot...

And not because I think Rowan has her claws in you...

[Virginia Dare]

I see you reaching up behind your back to get to my wrist.

Uh, uh. I've got a simple solution for that.

I cross my heels, putting my left ankle way out of reach. At that angle--on your belly, trying to reach up behind your back--you aren't touching my ankle, Red.

No, there's only two ways of getting out of this:

1) You can tap, or
2) You can try lifting me up on your shoulders

But before that happens, I give your arm a good tug.

The referee bends down to check on you, asking if you want to quit.

I tell you, "Come on Red. Don't make me do it."

And while my voice sounds like I would--

--and I have before--

--I just--

My lips purse and my eyes focus. I take hold of your wrist and tighten my grip, turning your arm under me.

"Come on Red!" I say louder. "Don't make me--"

But I can't finish the sentence.

After seeing Megan and Rowan and after the way they brutalized each other, there's a part of me that--

Stop it Jenny. Just stop it.

"Tap, Red!" I scream.

And I tighten my grip, threatening another twist, my voice snarling. "DO IT!"



please

[RedEnforcer]

Fuck.

Your ankle is out of reach.
I can feel your strong legs tightening on my, clamping my arm and securing a hold more.

And you tug. Muscles and tendons strain. Bones slide. Shit you are still strong as ever.

As I shake my head no, I hear you ask me to not make you do it.

I feel your hands tighter on my wrist, turning my arm.

I pull my knees up under me and I hear you say louder, almost pleading. But I shake my head no.

You scream at me. I reach out at the referee. Hand on his face, dragging fingers at his eyes as I shake my head no.

Damn. The ref is rolling away in pain as I feel you gripping my tighter and snarling now.

I say nothing and turn my head to look at you, wordlessly staring. Eyes meeting. I wish I could tell you what Rowan threatened me with, but you wont believe me.

I struggle up, trying to lift you as well. Shaking my head no the whole time.

[Virginia Dare]

Another few moments of pressure and I could really hurt you. Really hurt you.

So when you start to use those legs and arms of yours to lift both of us off the mat, it's not so much an impressive feat as it is a standard Red move. It's really the only move you have.

I can feel you heaving us both up--slowly.

Up to one knee.

Up to two knees.

When you start to lift from there, that's when I pivot off your arm, landing on my good ankle. Still holding your wrist.


This is going to hurt.


And holding on to your wrist, I charge forward, pulling your injured shoulder toward me with my left hand while my right arm extends, aiming the Go Home Lariat right where it needs to be.

Charging like this--I can already feel the pain in my ankle.

If this lands, I'm going to be flat on my face. And I'll probably need a walking cast.

[RedEnforcer]

And here is the moment. That one time in every match where the end is decided.  I have been fighting a different kind of fight for me and still here we are. I am sore, hurting and in trouble.

And there you are, the Yellow Rose of Texas in all her glory, fighting through the pain to deliver her finisher and end the bad guy once and for all. Good triumphs at last.

End scene.

Except...

I have not been talking. I have kept my mouth shut for some time.

When I sensed the end coming, I had a little accident with the referee leaving him a little distracted.

And I have bet everything I have on you. On the fact that no matter what happened. If you learned from Rowan or not. That you would be you.

That you would sense me at the end of my rope and offer me a Go Home Lariat.

And when you drop down and I feel you moving at me, I watch you, and my eyes smile.

You always look so lovely  when you are delivering this move.  It is as part of you as your honest nature. You are in your element and it is a beautiful sight.

But to keep you safe from Rowan, to keep you that Jenny still...

I have to do this.

And with a deep explosion from my diaphragm, I spit.

My last homage to my master, the Great Kabuki.

Asian mist.

A bright red spray shoots from my mouth towards that face...your face...

And here we see who hits what. You with your lariat or me with my mist.

It all gets decided here.

[Virginia Dare]

I've never felt the poison mist before. Nobody's ever hit me with it.

Until now.

When I run into the cloud of mist, it looks like my body ran into a wall. My body flops backward, hitting the mat hard, my hands reaching for my face. I try to scream, but the burning sensation fills my mouth and throat. I can't breathe. When I try to open my eyes, it feels like someone poured ghost pepper sauce straight into them. I'm rolling on the canvas, clutching at my face, trying to wipe the pain away.

Roll! Roll! Get out of there! my brain tells me. But I don't know which way to go. And my face keeps burning.

Once, I ate a ghost pepper on a dare. I'm from Texas and we take dares seriously. I popped it in my mouth without asking any questions, without saying a word. I chewed it with a smile on my face. See, when you first eat it, you taste the heat, but you don't understand why everyone is so--

--then the REAL heat kicks in. And after a few minutes, it fades--

--then the REAL REAL heat kicks in--

--fades--

--then the REAL REAL REAL heat kicks in.

So, when I say it feels like someone poured ghost pepper sauce straight into my eyes, that's what I mean.

It burns--then fades--then BURNS--then fades--then BURNS.

I'd be screaming if I could breathe. Instead, it's just pure, merciless heat. All down my throat and in my lungs.

I'm rolling on the canvas. Can't breathe--can't breathe! Can't see! I can't--

can't--

[RedEnforcer]

I see you on the canvas and my shoulder breathes a sigh of relief.

It looks almost comical as the ref is still trying to get his sight back and you're rolling on the mat, wordlessly screaming.

I know what kinda pain you're in. It took me a while before I could get used to this..whatever the hell it is..in my mouth. My teacher's recipe.  I tried the green stuff but that paralyzed my tongue. The red, just fits. You're down and helpless and easy prey.  I can just hear Rowan telling me

Now is your chance, Red. Finish her, once and for all.

And I could...it'd be sooooo easy.

And I see you and the pain you're in now, which will go away with water, and....

I grab the ref and toss him over near your shoulders. Then I drop down across your torso. Classic pinning position. I reach out for your left leg...and stop...grabbing your right instead and wrapping my right arm under your thigh and pulling up.  Hooking the leg. Which people tend to overstate, but it is important.

I also pull hard enough to have my body lean so my weight presses on your shoulders as well. This is the most important, it keeps people from just rolling their shoulder out of a pin.

The ref rubs his eyes and sees shoulders down and slaps the mat hard..


"ONE"

Not much longer now.

[Virginia Dare]

I feel the sudden weight upon me, Red's powerful arm hooking my leg.

The referee's hand hits the mat and I still can't breathe.

All that thrashing around and I might as well be underwater. I'm choking. And you need oxygen to power your muscles. And right now, all I can do is--

"TWO!"

--I can't--escape--can't---

breathe

[RedEnforcer]

"TWO"

And one more slap and this is all over. The bell will ring, Jenny will be safe and I get to beat the hell out of Row--

DING DING DING

Hunh? Did I miss the slap? I look up at the ref who yells at me after seeing Jenny covered in mist.

"DQ! DQ!"

FUCK! Wait..a DQ...I keep the title. I lose, but I'm still champ.  I still have to face Rowan.  I'll take it.

I let go of your leg and shift over on your chest and immediately start to wipe the red gunk off your eyes.

"Shhhh..be still...keep your eyes closed...calm down...match is over...lemme help"

I try my best to get the red stuff off your eyes first...then as the ref brings in a bottle of water, I start gently pouring it on your face...

"Here, you'll need to drink something too."

People are kinda stunned. Booing the DQ call, booing me, booing everything about this...

[Virginia Dare]

I hear the bell.

I've lost. I lost.

Still in burning pain, I feel your body lift off mine. I roll to the side, rolling away from you. But you grab me and pour water over my face. The burning washes away and I open my eyes.

There you are. The face paint smeared. And I can see some of your face without the mask.

Why did you--? Why aren't you--?

The referee is making the sign for disqualification. The announcer is saying my name as the winner.

But why--?

Why aren't you wearing your--?



Your mask.

You always wear your mask.

Not--


I look into your eyes and I see--

--not Rowan's Red.


Where is your--?

--Rowan's Red--

She--

--your mask--


It hits me like a kick to the gut.

Rowan has your mask.


I shake my head. I don't understand. Why would you--

--because she has his mask--

But then, why--

--because she has his mask--

You could have--

--because she--


I blink, still feeling some of the effects of the mist.

You knew I was about to hit the Go Home Lariat. And you sprayed the mist so--

--to protect me from--


--because she has your mask.

I reach up and grab the back of your head and kiss you hard. Not a bashful kiss. A lover's kiss.

Because you were trying to protect me.

Then, I let our lips part and I slap you hard. Not a soft slap. A Japanese slap.

Because you were trying to protect me.


I look up into your eyes.

"I want a rematch."

Then, I roll away and roll out of the ring, limping on my ankle up the aisle as my music plays.

The fans are confused. MY fans are confused. I'll explain it later during a backstage interview next week.

Right now, I just want to let my ankle heal and think.

[RedEnforcer]

2 days later

I am back in the office of the bigwigs of the FCF Wrestling federation.  You would never expect an internet media site to run a wrestling promotion, but stranger things have happened. I really do not wanna be here so I show up dressed accordingly.  My old and faded high school ball cap (Class of 91), the t-shirt promoting my gym (that idea came from Sadie, I just want to run a gym and school but she always is on me about Marketing plans and such, so much so I wonder if Megan and her trademark all the things ways has rubbed off on my angel) and jeans that used to be blue, probably last millennium, but are my favorite hanging out pair to wear especially when I have the belt my dad used to wear, double thick leather with a America designed belt buckle as big as most folks fist holding it together and my worn, black canvas Chuck Taylors (size 13).

But no mask this time. Rowan still has it. She got it from me in a moment of weakness for me. I know what you may be thinking. I could just wear another. No, this one was taken off by me for a reason. And some traditions have to be upheld. Till then, I have the reflective aviator shades that were my dads on. Near enough of hiding to suit me.

There is some conversation going on and I really dont hear much of it. My mind is still back in Louisiana, in that ring.

She kissed me

Yeah and then she slapped the taste out of your mouth.

Explaining that situation to Sadie when I didnt understand it myself?

Yeah, I have no fucking idea what is going on in her head. Jenny I mean.

So we have a preliminary agreement?

Those words snap me back to the present.

What now?

The promoter looks over at me with a wolfish  smile. You know, not the Kevin Costner spirit of the earth type wolves or even the overly CGI Twilight wolves. No the one that was looking to take on Liam Nelson in the snow. That look.

He pushes me a contract over. I look at it. One month give or take, Jenny gets her rematch.

In Texas.

Stipulations to be determined later.

Rowan still will not be medically cleared in time, so Jenny Dare gets another shot at you. This time, could you wear your mask? We need to move some merchandise. As soon as we determine the location in Texas and the host promoter, we will hammer out the stipulations. Just rest assured, next time there will be a winner.

Great. One month to get ready for another ass whipping.

And he wants me to get my mask back.

The hits just keep coming.

[Rowan Chance]

(SADIE WINS THE INTERNET TODAY!!!)