Post by Gabriela Luna on Mar 13, 2017 4:08:08 GMT
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
IWF American Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Gabriela winces getting down from the examination table, clutching her ribs as Dr. Ian Karameros, a member of IWF's medical staff shakes his head ruefully. He looks her up and down as she walks, biting his lower lip slightly as Gabriela turns to face him defiantly. "Miss Luna...I can't in good conscience clear you for action given your condition. I'm sorry to say it, but...you won't be able to compete on Sacrifice this next week."
Gabriela begins to open her mouth to protest, but as she draws her breath in, a flash of pain shoots across her face, and she clutches her ribs, wincing. Dr. Karameros just nods, pointing at her with his pen. "And that's exactly why. You can't even tell me I'm wrong without feeling pain, Gabriela, and I know how you wrestle. I'm not letting you go out there and cannonball yourself back into that box you destroyed on Sunday. I wouldn't be able to live with myself."
Gabriela snorts, managing to suppress the pain this time, and walks back over to Dr. Karameros, glaring up at him. The effect isn't quite as dramatic as she would have hoped, given his height advantage, but she jabs a finger into his chest anyway, voice insistent and firm. "Listen to me, Doc. I don't care what you have to do to get it past your boss, but I want back in that ring. Nothing I dealt with was going to require extensive rehab, right? I don't have a concussion, and nothing's broken. How fast can you clear me?"
Dr. Karameros groans, checking his computer and cursing under his breath. "You're going to be the death of me, Gabriela. I was expecting bruised ribs, broken maybe, but...as loath as I am to admit it, you're right." He turns back to face her, straightening his glasses. "It's not as if you'll be laid up on the shelf for months. Hell, Helena Sawyer hasn't even been in to see us since Metamorphosis. You'll be able to compete, Gabriela. I just don't know when."
Gabriela nods, slipping a hand through her hair. She exhales slowly, grabbing her phone from her jacket, and unlocks it, fiddling with it as Ian talks. "Again, it's a miracle you're not more hurt. I guess you must have taken good care of yourself as a kid, huh?" Gabriela looks up from her phone, a smile on her face, and Dr. Karameros' phone sounds with the alert tone of a notification. Dr. Karameros looks over at Gabriela, and his own expression turns to one of suspicion. "...why are you smiling like that?"
"Like what?" Gabriela asks, attempting to look innocent and failing miserably. Dr. Karameros cocks his eyebrow, and she shrugs her shoulders in an exaggerated display of confusion. "I'm just on Twitter. What possible harm could I do on Twitter?" As that line crosses her lips, the grin on her face goes from a slightly-exaggerated version of her normal smile to a full-blown shit-eating grin. Dr. Karameros immediately grabs his phone from his desktop, flicking open the Twitter app.
"Don't give me that shit, I follow Fiona McFly. Now..." As his eyes scan the screen his jaw drops. "What...WHAT DID YOU DO?!" His voice shoots straight to full-blown apoplexy, as he thrusts his phone towards Gabriela. "Tell me—TELL! ME!—you didn't just, while we were standing here, IN FRONT OF ME, issue an open damn challenge to ETERNITY! Tell me my eyes are deceiving me!"
Gabriela pauses, about to open her mouth, and shrugs silently once more. Ian throws his hands up, clapping his phone down on his desk and pacing back and forth, muttering to himself again. "I don't believe you. I don't believe you! Honestly, I just...wh-what is wrong with the mind of wrestlers? What in the hell possesses you to put yourself through this?!"
As Ian fumes, Gabriela shrugs, hopping up on the observation table again with a quick and effortless leap. Ian pauses mid-rant to look over at her, and Gabriela grins down at him. "So this is what it's like...you wanna know why, Doc? Because I didn't go through that war for nothing, and if there's even a single chance of being able to get the job done and take that title home, I'ma get the damn job done. I don't do things halfway. ¿Comprendes?"
Ian nods slowly, walking back towards his terminal while never breaking eye contact with Gabriela. "Yes...I understand. I understand fully. I know what that kind of bloody-minded determination can do." His phone goes off again, and he glances at it, a rueful look crossing his face. "And that's an acceptance...I think." Ian squints at his phone. "I can never tell with Eternity...so. Under the conditions of Open Fight Night, that's a match contract. And if you were to breach that contract...well, I don't want to deal with Legal any more than you do."
Ian rubs the bridge of his nose, pacing back and forth as Gabriela watches from her perch, a Cheshire cat smile on her face. Finally, he throws his hands up, looking up at her with an exasperated look on his face. "Goddamnit, I hate this job sometimes. Alright. I'll clear you to compete at Open Fight Night—"
Gabriela lets out a whoop of joy, and Ian keeps talking, raising his voice as he does. "—ON THE CONDITION that you undertake no strenuous physical activity until that night! You hear me? You're on bedrest for the next two weeks, and that's to even get you to the minimum I feel comfortable clearing for competition. And no damn gimmick matches!"
Gabriela rolls her eyes, managing to turn her enthusiasm into a playful smirk as she hops down, patting Ian on the head as she drops. "Relajate, you're fine. No stipulation this time. Just me, her, and a whoooole lotta hurtin'. Thanks, Doc. See you at Open Fight Night?"
With that, Gabriela spins on her heel, sweeping her jacket back across her shoulders and walking out of the examination room. Ian leans out of the room, shouting after her. "Hey! We're not done yet! Gabriela! Get...oh Christ, I don't know why I try..." He steps back into the exam room, shaking his head, and Gabriela's laughter echoes down the corridor, punctuated by a painful coughing fit, as we fade to black.
IWF American Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Gabriela winces getting down from the examination table, clutching her ribs as Dr. Ian Karameros, a member of IWF's medical staff shakes his head ruefully. He looks her up and down as she walks, biting his lower lip slightly as Gabriela turns to face him defiantly. "Miss Luna...I can't in good conscience clear you for action given your condition. I'm sorry to say it, but...you won't be able to compete on Sacrifice this next week."
Gabriela begins to open her mouth to protest, but as she draws her breath in, a flash of pain shoots across her face, and she clutches her ribs, wincing. Dr. Karameros just nods, pointing at her with his pen. "And that's exactly why. You can't even tell me I'm wrong without feeling pain, Gabriela, and I know how you wrestle. I'm not letting you go out there and cannonball yourself back into that box you destroyed on Sunday. I wouldn't be able to live with myself."
Gabriela snorts, managing to suppress the pain this time, and walks back over to Dr. Karameros, glaring up at him. The effect isn't quite as dramatic as she would have hoped, given his height advantage, but she jabs a finger into his chest anyway, voice insistent and firm. "Listen to me, Doc. I don't care what you have to do to get it past your boss, but I want back in that ring. Nothing I dealt with was going to require extensive rehab, right? I don't have a concussion, and nothing's broken. How fast can you clear me?"
Dr. Karameros groans, checking his computer and cursing under his breath. "You're going to be the death of me, Gabriela. I was expecting bruised ribs, broken maybe, but...as loath as I am to admit it, you're right." He turns back to face her, straightening his glasses. "It's not as if you'll be laid up on the shelf for months. Hell, Helena Sawyer hasn't even been in to see us since Metamorphosis. You'll be able to compete, Gabriela. I just don't know when."
Gabriela nods, slipping a hand through her hair. She exhales slowly, grabbing her phone from her jacket, and unlocks it, fiddling with it as Ian talks. "Again, it's a miracle you're not more hurt. I guess you must have taken good care of yourself as a kid, huh?" Gabriela looks up from her phone, a smile on her face, and Dr. Karameros' phone sounds with the alert tone of a notification. Dr. Karameros looks over at Gabriela, and his own expression turns to one of suspicion. "...why are you smiling like that?"
"Like what?" Gabriela asks, attempting to look innocent and failing miserably. Dr. Karameros cocks his eyebrow, and she shrugs her shoulders in an exaggerated display of confusion. "I'm just on Twitter. What possible harm could I do on Twitter?" As that line crosses her lips, the grin on her face goes from a slightly-exaggerated version of her normal smile to a full-blown shit-eating grin. Dr. Karameros immediately grabs his phone from his desktop, flicking open the Twitter app.
"Don't give me that shit, I follow Fiona McFly. Now..." As his eyes scan the screen his jaw drops. "What...WHAT DID YOU DO?!" His voice shoots straight to full-blown apoplexy, as he thrusts his phone towards Gabriela. "Tell me—TELL! ME!—you didn't just, while we were standing here, IN FRONT OF ME, issue an open damn challenge to ETERNITY! Tell me my eyes are deceiving me!"
Gabriela pauses, about to open her mouth, and shrugs silently once more. Ian throws his hands up, clapping his phone down on his desk and pacing back and forth, muttering to himself again. "I don't believe you. I don't believe you! Honestly, I just...wh-what is wrong with the mind of wrestlers? What in the hell possesses you to put yourself through this?!"
As Ian fumes, Gabriela shrugs, hopping up on the observation table again with a quick and effortless leap. Ian pauses mid-rant to look over at her, and Gabriela grins down at him. "So this is what it's like...you wanna know why, Doc? Because I didn't go through that war for nothing, and if there's even a single chance of being able to get the job done and take that title home, I'ma get the damn job done. I don't do things halfway. ¿Comprendes?"
Ian nods slowly, walking back towards his terminal while never breaking eye contact with Gabriela. "Yes...I understand. I understand fully. I know what that kind of bloody-minded determination can do." His phone goes off again, and he glances at it, a rueful look crossing his face. "And that's an acceptance...I think." Ian squints at his phone. "I can never tell with Eternity...so. Under the conditions of Open Fight Night, that's a match contract. And if you were to breach that contract...well, I don't want to deal with Legal any more than you do."
Ian rubs the bridge of his nose, pacing back and forth as Gabriela watches from her perch, a Cheshire cat smile on her face. Finally, he throws his hands up, looking up at her with an exasperated look on his face. "Goddamnit, I hate this job sometimes. Alright. I'll clear you to compete at Open Fight Night—"
Gabriela lets out a whoop of joy, and Ian keeps talking, raising his voice as he does. "—ON THE CONDITION that you undertake no strenuous physical activity until that night! You hear me? You're on bedrest for the next two weeks, and that's to even get you to the minimum I feel comfortable clearing for competition. And no damn gimmick matches!"
Gabriela rolls her eyes, managing to turn her enthusiasm into a playful smirk as she hops down, patting Ian on the head as she drops. "Relajate, you're fine. No stipulation this time. Just me, her, and a whoooole lotta hurtin'. Thanks, Doc. See you at Open Fight Night?"
With that, Gabriela spins on her heel, sweeping her jacket back across her shoulders and walking out of the examination room. Ian leans out of the room, shouting after her. "Hey! We're not done yet! Gabriela! Get...oh Christ, I don't know why I try..." He steps back into the exam room, shaking his head, and Gabriela's laughter echoes down the corridor, punctuated by a painful coughing fit, as we fade to black.
The smart thing would have been to stay home, right?
I should have just let myself heal up, let the next chance come when it came. Why in the world would I provoke Eternity? Don't I remember what happened at High Stakes? How hard must I have hit my head to think this is the best course of action?
Well, to answer that last question, pretty fucking hard. Eternity don't mess around, and no matter how much you brace, you ain't ever gonna soak all that pain up and keep movin' the same as before. But you know what? I saw somethin' in her eyes as we were getting wheeled out of there. I saw something in Eternity I ain't seen in a long, long while, no matter how far back I go on the tapes.
I saw fear.
Deadass, I saw fear in those eyes. We were supposed to have a winner. It was supposed to be the death of things, the final moment, and with one Phoenix Splash I shattered that like I shattered that coffin. Suddenly, she ain't got that anchor to hold on to. Suddenly, she's not the unstoppable badass everyone thinks she is. Under the facepaint, under the creepy-ass nursery rhymes, under the reputation of a dominator...I saw the girl down beneath it all, and I saw her shakin' like she ain't been shook in a good while...knowin' that one more inch, one bad landing, and she ain't gettin' back up ever again.
Welcome to my world, girl. Welcome to every day of my godDAMN life. Ever wonder why I'm so proud of bein' who I am? If I fuck up once, ONCE, I'm done. I fuck up and I could break my legs on the guardrail, crack my head off the canvas, get dropped spine-first on the apron and shatter my back...I slip once, and I don't get to come back. Every move and every moment could be it for me, Eternity. I ain't got your time.
But you...you always had somethin' about you. Even if you talk a big game about bein' tight with death, you always had that swagger on you like you didn't fear anything. But layin' like you did? You got to see things from my perspective. You got to hurt like I do, you got to feel like I do, and you didn't like it. I got some real estate inside your head now, chica, and I'm like a bad virus, 'cause I ain't goin' away until the damage is DONE.
You're infected, Eternity. You got that Phoenix burnin' through your veins, lighting you up from the inside, and you know that if you don't put me down it's gonna fry you alive. You ain't been 100% since you stepped inside the Den, and I just made it worse. How you gonna be now? How you gonna be now, girl? You got what it takes to step again? I don't think so.
See, if you was smart, you woulda turned me down. You woulda said no, kept me hanging, given yourself some time. But you're more like me than you think. You got just enough confidence left to be a danger...and you're runnin' out enough rope that I'ma take it and hang you with it, leave you danglin' in the wind as a warning. I don't play games. I don't tell jokes. I say what I'ma do and I go do it.
At High Stakes, I sent you out with your shield. This time, I'ma walk out with it on my waist. You took me up, Eternity. God don't give second chances for nothin', and I ain't exactly in the opportunity-missin' business. El final viene, Eternity...en alas de fuego.
You ready? No? Too fuckin' bad, 'cause I am. Ain't gonna be no Round 3. I'm takin' what's mine, and I'm takin' it for good. Shit's gonna be lit.
Vamos a bailar.
I should have just let myself heal up, let the next chance come when it came. Why in the world would I provoke Eternity? Don't I remember what happened at High Stakes? How hard must I have hit my head to think this is the best course of action?
Well, to answer that last question, pretty fucking hard. Eternity don't mess around, and no matter how much you brace, you ain't ever gonna soak all that pain up and keep movin' the same as before. But you know what? I saw somethin' in her eyes as we were getting wheeled out of there. I saw something in Eternity I ain't seen in a long, long while, no matter how far back I go on the tapes.
I saw fear.
Deadass, I saw fear in those eyes. We were supposed to have a winner. It was supposed to be the death of things, the final moment, and with one Phoenix Splash I shattered that like I shattered that coffin. Suddenly, she ain't got that anchor to hold on to. Suddenly, she's not the unstoppable badass everyone thinks she is. Under the facepaint, under the creepy-ass nursery rhymes, under the reputation of a dominator...I saw the girl down beneath it all, and I saw her shakin' like she ain't been shook in a good while...knowin' that one more inch, one bad landing, and she ain't gettin' back up ever again.
Welcome to my world, girl. Welcome to every day of my godDAMN life. Ever wonder why I'm so proud of bein' who I am? If I fuck up once, ONCE, I'm done. I fuck up and I could break my legs on the guardrail, crack my head off the canvas, get dropped spine-first on the apron and shatter my back...I slip once, and I don't get to come back. Every move and every moment could be it for me, Eternity. I ain't got your time.
But you...you always had somethin' about you. Even if you talk a big game about bein' tight with death, you always had that swagger on you like you didn't fear anything. But layin' like you did? You got to see things from my perspective. You got to hurt like I do, you got to feel like I do, and you didn't like it. I got some real estate inside your head now, chica, and I'm like a bad virus, 'cause I ain't goin' away until the damage is DONE.
You're infected, Eternity. You got that Phoenix burnin' through your veins, lighting you up from the inside, and you know that if you don't put me down it's gonna fry you alive. You ain't been 100% since you stepped inside the Den, and I just made it worse. How you gonna be now? How you gonna be now, girl? You got what it takes to step again? I don't think so.
See, if you was smart, you woulda turned me down. You woulda said no, kept me hanging, given yourself some time. But you're more like me than you think. You got just enough confidence left to be a danger...and you're runnin' out enough rope that I'ma take it and hang you with it, leave you danglin' in the wind as a warning. I don't play games. I don't tell jokes. I say what I'ma do and I go do it.
At High Stakes, I sent you out with your shield. This time, I'ma walk out with it on my waist. You took me up, Eternity. God don't give second chances for nothin', and I ain't exactly in the opportunity-missin' business. El final viene, Eternity...en alas de fuego.
You ready? No? Too fuckin' bad, 'cause I am. Ain't gonna be no Round 3. I'm takin' what's mine, and I'm takin' it for good. Shit's gonna be lit.
Vamos a bailar.
Well howdy there pardner.