Post by Tara Fenix on Aug 16, 2013 0:48:41 GMT
BAM! The punching bag in front of me swayed back and forth as I connected with one of my harder right hooks and I sneered for a moment while taking a step back... I wait a few seconds before connecting with a two left jabs, right hook, and a spinning back kick with my calf connecting with it and the bag nearly swings off of the hook but starts to swing back and I take a couple steps away from it. My breathing has gotten a bit heavier as my eyes look toward the ground... it seemed that my life was starting to get back together. There was one thing that was missing from the picture, though --- my Ruby Championship. A smirk crossed my face as the thought of that belt being back around my waist came to my mind, and I lifted my eyes to see Angel approaching and it brought a smile all the way across my face.
Tara Blake:
"I thought you were watching the kids today...?"
As we got closer, I extend my arms out and hug him tight; I'm not a very religious person... the cards have gone against me more times in my life than I care to count, but I felt blessed to have a man like Angel in my life. His arms wrapped around me and he held me close and I knew that he felt the same.
Angel:
"Alex said he'd watch them all for the day."
Oh, God... I lean away from him and give him the stare as if he made some kind of mistake. He grins and gives me a gentle squeeze before re-assuring me...
Angel:
"It'll be fine."
I chuckle at the thought, and finally release my husband to step back to the punching bag... My eyes lock on it, and my mind imagines Amber in its place as I go into a light sprint and connect with a super kick with the same velocity that was behind my brother's own Genocide Kick to me less than a week ago. As I start to regain my balance, my eyes land back on Angel and I can see a small look of disappointment on his face.
Tara Blake:
"What's wrong?"
Angel:
"It's just... well..."
He was hesitating and I take a few steps toward him as he is walking in my direction, again.
Tara Blake:
"Go on."
Angel:
"Well... I know that you want the Ruby title --- but you're facing someone who's like a sister to me..."
I should've guessed that it had something to do with that bitch. My eyes roll at the mere thought of it and Angel grabs my hand before standing directly in front of me.
Angel:
"She's not going to go out of her way to hurt you... and I know that you have a score to settle with her. I know what you can do when you do go all out... I don't want you to hurt her. Do what you have to do to win the match, but please---"
Tara Blake:
"Angel... Look at what's going on between you and Doc. My brother. My blood... brother... I'm not asking you to hold back. If this is something that you feel you need to do, I want you to do it --- as long as you leave him breathing. He betrayed me."
Angel:
"Which is why this is different! Amber has not kicked me in the face as a sign of disrespect, and she has not done anything to disrespect you."
Tara Blake:
"That's where you're wrong---"
Angel:
"I don't want to debate this, Tara... Please... For me, do not go out of your way to hurt her."
I look away from him and draw in a deep breath... Everything that I had said I was going to do to Amber, what I was going to do; hurt her. Even if she wasn't the last person to get eliminated, I was going to drag her ass down to the ring just to make sure she sees who is standing better than her... Superior to her. I bite my lip before nodding my head.
Tara Blake:
"I'm still walking away with that belt."
Angel:
"Thank you."
His arms wrap around me, again, and I stand there almost motionless --- there was that twisted part of me that wanted to snap this Sunday, and make sure that Amber can't even walk out of the building. There was the other part of me, the stronger part of me, that loved Angel too much to do anything that would force him to be skeptical of me. There was one more thing, though; I knew that if she crossed the line I would have no choice but to break my word with Angel, and I would have to put Amber down... for good.
Respect is something that isn't handed out easily in this industry...
People like Joe Everyman, a man that nobody thought would ever get to the top but no matter how many times you counted him out --- and I was one of the people that did count him out the moment I saw him step into the ring for the very first time in his career --- he was able to stand back up and get his ass back into the ring for another match. He is one of the people who earned the respect that he has from me.
Angel; there's nothing in this industry that my husband isn't able to accomplish when he has his mind set to it. Every time that he stepped into the ring, he brought the best out of everybody and he earned their respect because he never gave anything less than his best! When people were laid out in the ring after suffering a defeat; none of them felt humiliated, none of them felt ashamed... Because they knew that he was the very best at stepping into the ring and it was a task just to be able to stand toe-to-toe with him.
Then... there's me. Over thirteen years in this industry, I've been around the world and I've been willing to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime, and I had the same exact mindset that Angel had --- I gave my best... at every... single... encounter. I've climbed to the top of this industry, and to the top of a number of companies, and I'm well beyond the point that I need to wear a title to become recognized. You were right to proclaim it, Amber; I'm not wanting to toot my own horn, but I am a f*cking legend in this industry. It doesn't matter what company I sign to, it doesn't even matter where I'm at as far as position goes --- I don't need to be the number one seed... Hell, I could be struggling to gain one victory or I could be dominating the competition.
The fact is that when my name is mentioned, arenas begin selling out... Because the world knows my name, and they know that every single time I step into the ring, whether it's to win or to lose or whatever, I'm going to make sure that those people get their money's worth. I draw the crowd.
And who are you?
Oh, right... You're the Ruby Champion.[/color]
YAWN.
You have something set in your mind that you've suddenly ascended straight to the top, not just of a company; but of an entire industry... You think that your name went from being well known in a small town in England, to suddenly selling out arenas in Japan? Mexico? South America? Just because you're on a little bit of a hot streak... Tell you what, when you get to twenty-one of a winning streak --- you can come talk to me. Okay? You're good. But you're not that good.
Have you ever heard of the term; don't write checks your ass can't cash? You're wallking a fine line right now, Amber, and if you make one mistake... just one slip... you're going to fall.
Cocky? Arrogant? You seem to have a hint of both, but there's a difference between myself and all of the other people that seem to be giving you critique; I don't care about that. I'm not going to call you out on it. When I was young, what do you think I did? And I continue to explain that to my students every chance that I can... You need to be able to step in front of the camera and you need to be able to tell the world that you're going to be the one walking out with your arm raised as the winner. Here's something that I did, and something that you're doing... Backing it up.
...Again, I'm not going to try to take anything away from you! I just want to explain that you still have a long way to go before you can be on my level.
I have no problems with the way that you conduct your business. I have a problem with your attitude towards me... your words towards me.
You call me vindictive... How have I been vindictive? Give me one, just one, good reason that would support your theory that I've been vindictive to Angel --- I was lied to by my own family. My own blood. My brother and my sister tried to tear Angel and I apart, and I didn't expect it from them... What do you expect of me? What would you do if you were in my shoes? If Angel had lied to you --- if Cable had lied to you --- what would you do? I don't want you to judge me for something that I've already admitted was a bad decision.
You take everything a little step further, though; we have Ashley who is going to march down to that ring this Sunday and after torching her with your own words, you attempt to rescue her from mine? Yes, I should have been faster last month --- I should have been able to stop you from taking that pin fall... but let's remind you of how that much ended. The match ended when I connected with the Phoenix Wings on Ashley, and then you had blindsided me to knock me down, and then take the cover...
There was no time for me to react.
Ashley --- I want to know when you are going to speak up. When are you going tell this stupid bitch to stop defending you, and defend yourself? When are you going to fight your own battles? Even with her attempt to defend you from my words, she proved my point a little further.
This is a match that Ashley does not belong in. This is a match that she should not be in.
She can't defend herself from my words.
She won't be able to defend herself from any of us in the ring.
It's going to be a futile attempt from her.
And Ayla, I've already said that you're one of my favorites to step into the ring with. I find it to be an absolute honor to step into the ring with you. But I think that you and I need to come to an understanding --- one of us is going to walk out as the Ruby Champion. Let's see to it that Amber doesn't walk out with it. Let's see to it that she understands that she's no better than anybody else.
Amber, you keep burning all your bridges as you cross them... When you get to the point that I've reached in my career; I guarantee that you're going to be alone. No one is going to have your back. You could say that I'm giving my word for Angel, or you could say that I'm giving it to help you --- I'm going to rip that title away from you this Sunday. And I'm going to teach you a lesson that I had to learn for myself.
Humility.[/color][/p]