01-31-2020, 02:27 PM
02-05-2020, 12:48 AM
ooc: I'll be honest for a moment... when it comes to this story I want to tell, it should be a lot farther along. This is a piece that I feel should have been told before the ppv, but I really don't have anyone but myself to blame for the fact that it's only just now getting to this point. With any luck, I'm fully adjusted now to be able to try and put forth more consistent efforts like this I can be happy with. That said... this CD is a bit ugly, in a sense. While it's nothing explicit, it does set the stage for some implications about part of Valeria/Ruby's past that are not exactly pleasant, especially in this day and age. There's a reason she is the way she is, and this is just a small taste of the not very pretty reason why. This glimpse into her past is going to play into a larger present day story using a character I originally introduced early in her run as Ruby only to kind of retcon the idea because I didn't really know where I wanted to take it. Consider this a do-over of that idea now that I know where I want it to go. Also, to clear up any confusion, any instance in the CD that refers to a character only identified as --- is actually talking about Valeria. The idea is pulling from an old concept I saw once before but can't remember where that's treating certain important details about a memory as something corrupted for one reason or another in recollections, in this case being the name she went by during this period of her life for reasons stated within. Best of luck, and I'll also say reader discretion advised to some degree to be on the safe side.
When you feel like you've lived as many lives as Valeria Garcia has, you're bound to have a few you prefer not to remember, no matter how deeply they've become ingrained into your brain.
In the vast majority of cases, there's a very good reason why she's never gone back to a life she'd abandoned to start anew. In fact, Valeria was the first time out of who knows how many years now where she's reverted to a previous name and started that life once more. Her claims of simply not caring about what she left behind being the reason why a lot of the information of who she was before isn't readily available to recount even if she wanted to is an elaborate excuse that even she's bought into for the most part. In reality, she remembers far more clearly than perhaps she would like to, but a lot of vital details have been locked away behind a mental vault by her brain as a precautionary defensive tactic out of fear of what may happen if she can clearly recount the full details.
One in particular always stands out above the rest, though... one that, while insignificant in the grander scheme of that life, is a memory that she always finds herself going back to as a reminder.
She doesn't know why it's always this memory, but she has a theory as to why it's become more frequent lately. A certain someone involved with it had to be aware of her by now. No matter how much she changed her name and appearance, there was always the fear that at least one person had to recognize her through it all, and he was the best possible candidate. To believe otherwise would be an insult to what he was capable of. She was no fool; she'd seen the signs of his men conveniently being around at SCW events no matter where in the world it took place, likely trying to either confirm for sure she was who they were told she was or simply investigating this woman who likely got his attention, which is how it had all started once before.
The more she thinks back to that one night so long ago, the more she realized once and for all what kind of person she would strive to be no matter who she was to everybody else.
She knew full well there was a storm raging outside, but right now she could care less.
As she shoved whatever she felt she could hang on to that could fit into the backpack, one thought ran through her mind over and over again: how much she needed to get away from here, no matter what.
She was done with the games, tired of the conversations that convinced her that all of this was her fault and made her believe that all of this was necessary. The only thing that she could admit to being her fault was allowing him to ever say a word to her, because the moment he opened his mouth he latched onto something and refused to let it go, knowing he could make her feel powerless against it. Powerless... weak... those were terms she'd become all too familiar with recently, and it disgusted her that she could read the definition of those words in a dictionary and the first image that would come to mind was herself.
If she could just leave this all behind and start over again, she could maybe cast herself in a new light.
It was easier said than done, and the clap of thunder that tore through the sky made that point loud and clear. The window to her room was not an option; trying to tie bedsheets together and rappel down the side of this place from the third floor in heavy rain and wind was next to impossible without the added risk of making herself into a human lightningrod. Her only hope was slipping out the front door and praying she was quick enough to get some distance that couldn't be closed so easily.
Quietly leaving her room, she found the hallway empty, which was both perfect and right on schedule. She'd spent the better part of the past week or two mentally mapping out the regular routines of everyone within this mansion as a means of devising an opening she could exploit, and despite her preferred method of escape being cut off she knew now was her best chance to pull this off. He was likely tied up with either some sort of late night business dealing she was almost positive wasn't legal in the slightest or having a "friendly" card game with whoever he could con into it as a means of both bleeding them dry and setting them up for blackmail he could exploit at a later date when he needed a "favor."
Definitely a "gentleman" in every sense of the word.
Slowly but surely she managed to make her way down to the first floor, ducking out of sight and abusing blind spots when she came across one of his house staff or "associates" to avoid detection as they made their usual rounds. While they normally wouldn't question her being out and about since she lived here too, in a sense, they would certainly notice the backpack and ask questions that would compromise everything. When she got to the stairs she waited until she had a clear view all the way down before moving her feet as lightly and quickly as possible to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention. Reaching the bottom, she found nothing standing between her and the front door, and a quick peak around made her aware that she was compleetly alone in this area at the moment. She was going to take full advantage and take her leave, abandoning everything that made her feel weak and-
???: And where are you off to in such a hurry, my clever little diamond in the rough? Don't you know there's a nasty storm brewing outside?
She froze at the accent that had gone from making her knees feel weak to causing her skin to crawl in a matter of months. She tried to put it out of her mind and start sprinting, but that moment's hesitation upon hearing him call to her had already been her undoing. Before she could get her legs moving again, she suddenly found the front door being barricaded by a duo of burly men, their bodies easily large enough to put the toughest football players to shame and make it clear they meant business. Her mind began to race for any alternatives she could rely on, but even that began to lock up when she felt a hand on her shoulder and instinctively spun around to face who it belonged to.
Telebor: I don't believe you answered my question, ---. This is certainly no weather to be taking a hike in, so why the need for the backpack and desperate hope of getting outside?
---: I... I was just... I wanted to go play in the rain a bit, and maybe see if I could find anything interesting to-
Despite her best efforts to show confidence, she was cut off by a laugh that immediately made it clear he wasn't buying whatever she was trying to sell him. She should've known better. This was Ivan Telebor she was talking to, after all. The man was a self-made millionaire of Norwegian descent who ran some of the most profitable businesses in the entire world. Worst of all, though, was that he was a cunning monster who could read just about anybody very easily. Many of his practices and dealings were shady and underhanded, but these connections were impossible to trace between the wealth and connections he possessed to simply erase them from existence. He was a man who simply needed to get one word out of you, and he would find something to latch onto like a leech and bleed that dry to keep you under his spell for as long as you had value to him. A man who could be considered every woman's dream was, in reality, an absolute nightmare for anyone that made the mistake of interacting with him, and she was one such person who realized too late what a grave mistake that was.
Telebor: Come now, ---. I give you all the credit in the world for the effort, but I wasn't born yesterday, you know. My delicate little flower is trying to run off into the world, just like she's done before, and I'm afraid I just can't let any harm befall her after all we've been through together.
He began to kneel down before her and extend his hand, and her first response was to slowly recoil. But he had to flash that smirk, full of confidence in knowing who he was dealing with, and she felt herself losing control of her body as she began to lean forward, allowing him to cup her chin gently in his fingers.
Telebor: Who is it that was willing to hear you out on why you became a runaway desperate to start your life over, and not for the first time? Who took you in, out of the kindness of his heart, and gave you a much better home than you've ever had before? Who made you a part of his world, admiring your body, mind and spirit and allowing you to both give me input on how to make our lives better and showed you what love truly is?
---: Y... you did, Ivan...
Telebor: That's right, my dear. Now, I understand that things haven't always been great between us, but know that I do love you and would never do anything to you that wasn't necessary. It's simply how I help people to grow stronger, something anyone who works for me can attest to.
She wanted to vomit at the sickening;y sweet tone he laced those words with, knowing full well all of it was a lie. He took advantage of some vulnerability that lingered from her last life and used it to lure her in, promising her everything she could ever desire no matter how well she knew better by now. In the few months she'd been here with him, she had been the brains behind several of his schemes that have only caused his immense wealth to multiply, though she wasn't surprise he took any credit for it himself. He'd told her everything she wanted to hear, gave her anything that would make her more complacent... he hadn't been her first, considering she'd had to resort to some methods she personally didn't agree with after coming of age earlier this year to escape from her last life and try to start over, but she knew it was just another thing he could use to hold power over her for as long as he needed to. She knew she didn't need him, but it was hard to convince herself of that when his voice kept looping through her mind, reminding her of all he'd done for her to set this life up in th first place.
---: All you've done is break me and make me feel weak. I don't need y-
She felt her frustration boiling over as words began leaving her lips, her mouth making a desperate attempt to snap her out of the spell she was falling under all over again. Despite her best efforts to keep her tone low so it sounded like she was just muttering incomprehensively under her breath, he managed to pick up on it, and his immediate response was to introduce her face to his fist. She hit the floor, hand moving to cover her cheek despite the stinging buise she could feel forming, looking up at him as his expression quickly shifted from one of anger to regret. She'd seen him give this exact look to others thousands of times, though... he wasn't truly sorry, no matter how good he was at creating the illusion. To further try and sell her on the lie, he quickly reached down and helped her back to her feet before pulling her into a deep kiss, roughly driving her back against the wall as even her rebellious lips now betrayed her with Ivan taking full advantage of passion to make her unconsciously submit to his will once again. Her mind was so lost in a haze that she hadno idea when the kiss ended, just that the next thing she could recall was that the burly bodyguards were gently escorting her back up the stairs and likely back to her room as well.
Telebor: I'm deeply sorry I had to do that, ---. But you need to be grateful for all I've done when I didn't have to do anything for you. I have some business I need to finish up, but I promise I'll be by in a little bit to make this up to you and make you forget all about this little incident. Remember that I always love you, and you will always need me.
She hated remembering any of this, despite his claims of being able to make her forget about it all. She hated that it wasn't the worst of what he'd done to her, but it was the moment in time where she fully realized just how weak and pathetic he'd made her. She'd felt that way prior, but despite how much he made her obey once again that feeling never faded again after that night. She would get her chance at freedom mere weeks later, when Ivan had to return home to Norway to sort out some issues with a company in his homeland he operated that was under fire for some reason she couldn't recall. Despite his orders to keep a close eye on her since he didn't have the time to secure a passport to bring her with him, she had managed to slip away under her guards' noses and run as far away as she could.
She never heard anything for sure about him since then, she didn't remember what life she ended up building after making yet another change, and she had long since tried to forget at the very least what name she had gone under during that ugly time. But one thing she took away from that memory... no matter what name she went by, be it Valeria or Ruby or anything else, she would NEVER be weak again. She would never show weakness, she would never allow herself to get too attached, and she would be the one pulling the puppet strings and making others know how it felt to be manipulated for a change.
She would never be weak again... no matter what...
As our shot opens up, the first thing we hear is the sound of falling rain. Indeed, it's pouring in the city of Portland as we gaze out from what looks like a balcony at the dark clouds hanging over the Rose City. It's still a beautiful sight, though obviously not as beautiful as it could be if the weather was nicer. This doesn't seem to bother someone, though, as the camera pans over a bit to find Valeria Garcia, softly humming to herself as she sits on a chair holding an umbrella to shield her from the rain. Despite the fact that she's missing something she was probably hoping to be holding right now, she seems pretty unaffected by the turn of events from Day of Infamy. Her smirk only deepens as she locks eyes with the camera, continuing on with her melodic humming for a few moments longer before her song comes to an end and she shifts gears.
Garcia: It was night, and the rain fell; and falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood. And I stood in the morass among the tall and the rain fell upon my head-and the lilies sighed one unto the other in the solemnity of their desolation.
She can't resist a chuckle at mentioning a line from one of Edgar Allan Poe's shorter and somewhat more obscure works, no doubt as a means of seeing if a certain Ravyn is listening. The words are appropriate to her considering the elements around her, and she seems to feel the poem in question certainly has quite a bit of relevance to the present moment.
Garcia: Maybe you feel that verse was more appropriate for a previous opponent, but I have a very good reason for quoting Poe here today. I'm sure everyone is buzzing about Day of Infamy, and some of you are cutting through the talk about trios and what a certain Swann is going to do to point out the fact that I am not sitting here with a tag title draped over my shoulder. Good for you to remember that Las Bandidas de Gata Negra did not succeed on that fateful day... but I would hope that a mastermind as 'revered' as Ravyn knows full well that one match is not the end of our little tale. After all, what kind of 'knockoff' would I be if I simply let one slight misstep bring all of my plans crashing down just like that? I can promise you this, Ravyn Taylor: we will dance again, and with each new meeting we shall come to understand one another just a little bit more. You can say what you will about my seeming identity crisis just as I could say the same about how much you cling to the necessity of championship gold as a futile sense of power in a chaotic landscape, but minds like ours will always agree to disagree about philosophies, now won't we?
Valeria makes sure the camera can see the knowing smile on her face. Maybe it surprises Ravyn that she isn't taking that title loss as hard as she may have thought, or perhaps she may be hopeful to see it. Clearly there is more to be said on the matter, but the woman lounging before us knows there's a time and a place for everything, and this conversation is one to continue once the two find themselves face-to-face once again.
Garcia: So I believe it's for the best if we all leave Day of Infamy in the rear view mirror and turn our focus to Breakdown right here in Portland, shall we? I'm certain someone would love to forget about the way they spent that Sunday night as they watched the world fall apart around them only to grasp on to the faint glimmer of hope that is a faint sense of certainty about what they believe the future will hold. After all, they may not be a guaranteed captain for the upcoming trios tournament, but would anyone be surprised if they witnessed her end up on a team with a certain someone under the belief that they shall receive any sort of advantage against seven other teams that may either do the exact same thing or simply pick options far more talented and experienced than anything they may have to offer?
Garcia: Maybe you think I'm twisting this all wrong, but it's a fact that you can change the teambuildeing process however you like and at the end of the day trios is still going to be a night where disappointment shall likely loom overhead like the dark clouds above. I am not expecting to be picked for trios, nor do I care if I am or not. All that matters to me come Breakdown is proving a simple point: if you think you can corner a cat, it's going to bite and scratch and claw until it has the opening it needs to slip around you, and once it does you have no hope of catching it.
Garcia: I'm sure that's not the thought running through your head right now, is it Kandis? If I were a gambler, I would wager that when you decide to open your mouth you'll preach about how your trios moment is signed, sealed and delivered purely because dear Tommy wouldn't dare ignore the woman willing putting out for him every single night in exchange for someone who may actually give him some hope of victory, such as one of the recently revealed coffee lucha wannabes that just so happens to be his old friend and fellow hall of famer for example, who I'm sure he knows and trusts far more than even you. But then we get back on track and you proceed to gloat about how I am not a tag team champion and remind me of your little plan to cause whatever chaos will get you and Tommy back to the point where you will defeat Infamous and succeed where we failed.
Garcia: Let's assume I'm right in my predictions... now tell me why I'm supposed to be concerned.
Valeria sits up a bit, a confident look still sitting on her face as though she's expecting Kandis to hear her and immediately voice a response to what's been posed. She knows she's not going to get it at this immediate moment, but it doesn't stop her from looking amused all the same.
Garcia: Maybe I would be more inclined to feel threatened if you had heeded warnings I had given you in the past, even when I had no provocation to do so. Once upon a time we were on the same side and I had no issue trying to help you get to a position we both know you deserved, after all. Would it be so wrong to hear me offer caution about putting your trust in anyone who had any sort of ties with SCW's most notorious schemer and expect to not be burned in the process? I am 'Ravyn Lite' after all, so who better to heed such warnings from than someone who thinks in a similar fashion? And yet, for as much as you will tell me that you and Tommy can succeed in getting those titles off of Ravyn and Christy where Maria and I failed, it was your blind trust in the man who trained you and his beloved who had a significant part of her career defined by existing in the shadow of Dark Fantasy that opened that very door in the first place.
Garcia: Perhaps this is why the saying goes to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Garcia: All of that aside Kandis, we find ourselves in an interesting position now. The easy way to put this is that Maria and I are back at the bottom of the pile and have to fight our way back up much as you and Tommy have been complaining about doing, and while this match will strictly be between the two of us I can only imagine how badly you want to try and run your knee through my face if it means putting me out of commission to make sure nothing 'funny' happens again in regards to who should be next in line for a shot at tandem glory. You've been quite vocal in how you feel you and your so-called friend are the ones who run this division and got screwed out of your rightful rematch, ignorant of the fact you lost all right to said match the moment Ryan and Autumn couldn't hang onto the titles against someone else. But now is the time to put all that talking aside and actually make a statement against someone who's actually a frequent fixture in 'your' division, never mind the fact that I have gotten one over on you before.
Garcia: I think it goes without saying that for as much as Tommy loves to speak his mind about the way he and you conduct business, I am capable of doing the same without actually giving away my intentions. Though maybe you shouldn't be as surprised about the whole tights thing, considering who we've both been partners with at one point or another.
Valeria lets out a sigh, clearly reminiscing on her former partnership with Scarlet Grey. It's hard to tell if she truly misses it or not, but it's at least something she can say she'll remember. Plus, there's a small bit of amusement to be found in the memory of everything Scarlet thought she and Kandis had despite it all being thrown away within the past few months before the red-obsessed royal went down with an injury.
Garcia: I think the greater point to be made here is the question of who needs this win more, and I would actually agree with your presumption that it would be you. After all, with a head start on a new set of rankings that puts Maria and myself at the very bottom and the possibility of trios as a safety blanket on the horizon, it would do you no favors to slip up now. You need to knock me out and make it known that the tag match from some time back had to be a fluke because it validates all your claims that you are in charge of the division and you deserve to be staring down the champions the next chance you can be given.
Garcia: Except, history has proven that things don't always go to plan for you, now do they?
Garcia: Make no mistake Kandis: one way or another, Las Bandidas de Gata Negra will have tag team gold within our sights again. It's never a matter of 'if' but 'when' to me. Unlike you, I can be patient when necessary, and it is because of that patience that all of your desperate hopes are about to find themselves turned on their heads as you struggle to comprehend exactly why it's become harder to justify you and Tommy for the next title shot. The fact that this is one-on-one will only soften the blow so much, and by night's end that may be all you cling to as you pray that I am not giving you yet another warning you failed to heed when Tommy decides what to do for his one and only certain pick for trios. Unlike you, my undivided attention is right here, ready to rob you of everything you walk into Portland with and leaving you with nothing but a hope and a prayer that something other than your prodigious backside will cushion the fall when the world as you know it continues to crumble all around you, just like raindrops falling from the sky.
With a nod, Valeria leans back in her chair and resumes humming her song, closing her eyes and immersing herself in the melody that the rain provides her around her umbrella shelter. As the weather has started to pick up as droplets begin to smack the lens through whatever was keeping the valuable piece of equipment dry this whole time, the cameraman immediately bolts back inside, causing our feed to be cut so this footage could be salvaged for your viewing pleasure.
When you feel like you've lived as many lives as Valeria Garcia has, you're bound to have a few you prefer not to remember, no matter how deeply they've become ingrained into your brain.
In the vast majority of cases, there's a very good reason why she's never gone back to a life she'd abandoned to start anew. In fact, Valeria was the first time out of who knows how many years now where she's reverted to a previous name and started that life once more. Her claims of simply not caring about what she left behind being the reason why a lot of the information of who she was before isn't readily available to recount even if she wanted to is an elaborate excuse that even she's bought into for the most part. In reality, she remembers far more clearly than perhaps she would like to, but a lot of vital details have been locked away behind a mental vault by her brain as a precautionary defensive tactic out of fear of what may happen if she can clearly recount the full details.
One in particular always stands out above the rest, though... one that, while insignificant in the grander scheme of that life, is a memory that she always finds herself going back to as a reminder.
She doesn't know why it's always this memory, but she has a theory as to why it's become more frequent lately. A certain someone involved with it had to be aware of her by now. No matter how much she changed her name and appearance, there was always the fear that at least one person had to recognize her through it all, and he was the best possible candidate. To believe otherwise would be an insult to what he was capable of. She was no fool; she'd seen the signs of his men conveniently being around at SCW events no matter where in the world it took place, likely trying to either confirm for sure she was who they were told she was or simply investigating this woman who likely got his attention, which is how it had all started once before.
The more she thinks back to that one night so long ago, the more she realized once and for all what kind of person she would strive to be no matter who she was to everybody else.
She knew full well there was a storm raging outside, but right now she could care less.
As she shoved whatever she felt she could hang on to that could fit into the backpack, one thought ran through her mind over and over again: how much she needed to get away from here, no matter what.
She was done with the games, tired of the conversations that convinced her that all of this was her fault and made her believe that all of this was necessary. The only thing that she could admit to being her fault was allowing him to ever say a word to her, because the moment he opened his mouth he latched onto something and refused to let it go, knowing he could make her feel powerless against it. Powerless... weak... those were terms she'd become all too familiar with recently, and it disgusted her that she could read the definition of those words in a dictionary and the first image that would come to mind was herself.
If she could just leave this all behind and start over again, she could maybe cast herself in a new light.
It was easier said than done, and the clap of thunder that tore through the sky made that point loud and clear. The window to her room was not an option; trying to tie bedsheets together and rappel down the side of this place from the third floor in heavy rain and wind was next to impossible without the added risk of making herself into a human lightningrod. Her only hope was slipping out the front door and praying she was quick enough to get some distance that couldn't be closed so easily.
Quietly leaving her room, she found the hallway empty, which was both perfect and right on schedule. She'd spent the better part of the past week or two mentally mapping out the regular routines of everyone within this mansion as a means of devising an opening she could exploit, and despite her preferred method of escape being cut off she knew now was her best chance to pull this off. He was likely tied up with either some sort of late night business dealing she was almost positive wasn't legal in the slightest or having a "friendly" card game with whoever he could con into it as a means of both bleeding them dry and setting them up for blackmail he could exploit at a later date when he needed a "favor."
Definitely a "gentleman" in every sense of the word.
Slowly but surely she managed to make her way down to the first floor, ducking out of sight and abusing blind spots when she came across one of his house staff or "associates" to avoid detection as they made their usual rounds. While they normally wouldn't question her being out and about since she lived here too, in a sense, they would certainly notice the backpack and ask questions that would compromise everything. When she got to the stairs she waited until she had a clear view all the way down before moving her feet as lightly and quickly as possible to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention. Reaching the bottom, she found nothing standing between her and the front door, and a quick peak around made her aware that she was compleetly alone in this area at the moment. She was going to take full advantage and take her leave, abandoning everything that made her feel weak and-
???: And where are you off to in such a hurry, my clever little diamond in the rough? Don't you know there's a nasty storm brewing outside?
She froze at the accent that had gone from making her knees feel weak to causing her skin to crawl in a matter of months. She tried to put it out of her mind and start sprinting, but that moment's hesitation upon hearing him call to her had already been her undoing. Before she could get her legs moving again, she suddenly found the front door being barricaded by a duo of burly men, their bodies easily large enough to put the toughest football players to shame and make it clear they meant business. Her mind began to race for any alternatives she could rely on, but even that began to lock up when she felt a hand on her shoulder and instinctively spun around to face who it belonged to.
Telebor: I don't believe you answered my question, ---. This is certainly no weather to be taking a hike in, so why the need for the backpack and desperate hope of getting outside?
---: I... I was just... I wanted to go play in the rain a bit, and maybe see if I could find anything interesting to-
Despite her best efforts to show confidence, she was cut off by a laugh that immediately made it clear he wasn't buying whatever she was trying to sell him. She should've known better. This was Ivan Telebor she was talking to, after all. The man was a self-made millionaire of Norwegian descent who ran some of the most profitable businesses in the entire world. Worst of all, though, was that he was a cunning monster who could read just about anybody very easily. Many of his practices and dealings were shady and underhanded, but these connections were impossible to trace between the wealth and connections he possessed to simply erase them from existence. He was a man who simply needed to get one word out of you, and he would find something to latch onto like a leech and bleed that dry to keep you under his spell for as long as you had value to him. A man who could be considered every woman's dream was, in reality, an absolute nightmare for anyone that made the mistake of interacting with him, and she was one such person who realized too late what a grave mistake that was.
Telebor: Come now, ---. I give you all the credit in the world for the effort, but I wasn't born yesterday, you know. My delicate little flower is trying to run off into the world, just like she's done before, and I'm afraid I just can't let any harm befall her after all we've been through together.
He began to kneel down before her and extend his hand, and her first response was to slowly recoil. But he had to flash that smirk, full of confidence in knowing who he was dealing with, and she felt herself losing control of her body as she began to lean forward, allowing him to cup her chin gently in his fingers.
Telebor: Who is it that was willing to hear you out on why you became a runaway desperate to start your life over, and not for the first time? Who took you in, out of the kindness of his heart, and gave you a much better home than you've ever had before? Who made you a part of his world, admiring your body, mind and spirit and allowing you to both give me input on how to make our lives better and showed you what love truly is?
---: Y... you did, Ivan...
Telebor: That's right, my dear. Now, I understand that things haven't always been great between us, but know that I do love you and would never do anything to you that wasn't necessary. It's simply how I help people to grow stronger, something anyone who works for me can attest to.
She wanted to vomit at the sickening;y sweet tone he laced those words with, knowing full well all of it was a lie. He took advantage of some vulnerability that lingered from her last life and used it to lure her in, promising her everything she could ever desire no matter how well she knew better by now. In the few months she'd been here with him, she had been the brains behind several of his schemes that have only caused his immense wealth to multiply, though she wasn't surprise he took any credit for it himself. He'd told her everything she wanted to hear, gave her anything that would make her more complacent... he hadn't been her first, considering she'd had to resort to some methods she personally didn't agree with after coming of age earlier this year to escape from her last life and try to start over, but she knew it was just another thing he could use to hold power over her for as long as he needed to. She knew she didn't need him, but it was hard to convince herself of that when his voice kept looping through her mind, reminding her of all he'd done for her to set this life up in th first place.
---: All you've done is break me and make me feel weak. I don't need y-
She felt her frustration boiling over as words began leaving her lips, her mouth making a desperate attempt to snap her out of the spell she was falling under all over again. Despite her best efforts to keep her tone low so it sounded like she was just muttering incomprehensively under her breath, he managed to pick up on it, and his immediate response was to introduce her face to his fist. She hit the floor, hand moving to cover her cheek despite the stinging buise she could feel forming, looking up at him as his expression quickly shifted from one of anger to regret. She'd seen him give this exact look to others thousands of times, though... he wasn't truly sorry, no matter how good he was at creating the illusion. To further try and sell her on the lie, he quickly reached down and helped her back to her feet before pulling her into a deep kiss, roughly driving her back against the wall as even her rebellious lips now betrayed her with Ivan taking full advantage of passion to make her unconsciously submit to his will once again. Her mind was so lost in a haze that she hadno idea when the kiss ended, just that the next thing she could recall was that the burly bodyguards were gently escorting her back up the stairs and likely back to her room as well.
Telebor: I'm deeply sorry I had to do that, ---. But you need to be grateful for all I've done when I didn't have to do anything for you. I have some business I need to finish up, but I promise I'll be by in a little bit to make this up to you and make you forget all about this little incident. Remember that I always love you, and you will always need me.
She hated remembering any of this, despite his claims of being able to make her forget about it all. She hated that it wasn't the worst of what he'd done to her, but it was the moment in time where she fully realized just how weak and pathetic he'd made her. She'd felt that way prior, but despite how much he made her obey once again that feeling never faded again after that night. She would get her chance at freedom mere weeks later, when Ivan had to return home to Norway to sort out some issues with a company in his homeland he operated that was under fire for some reason she couldn't recall. Despite his orders to keep a close eye on her since he didn't have the time to secure a passport to bring her with him, she had managed to slip away under her guards' noses and run as far away as she could.
She never heard anything for sure about him since then, she didn't remember what life she ended up building after making yet another change, and she had long since tried to forget at the very least what name she had gone under during that ugly time. But one thing she took away from that memory... no matter what name she went by, be it Valeria or Ruby or anything else, she would NEVER be weak again. She would never show weakness, she would never allow herself to get too attached, and she would be the one pulling the puppet strings and making others know how it felt to be manipulated for a change.
She would never be weak again... no matter what...
*****
As our shot opens up, the first thing we hear is the sound of falling rain. Indeed, it's pouring in the city of Portland as we gaze out from what looks like a balcony at the dark clouds hanging over the Rose City. It's still a beautiful sight, though obviously not as beautiful as it could be if the weather was nicer. This doesn't seem to bother someone, though, as the camera pans over a bit to find Valeria Garcia, softly humming to herself as she sits on a chair holding an umbrella to shield her from the rain. Despite the fact that she's missing something she was probably hoping to be holding right now, she seems pretty unaffected by the turn of events from Day of Infamy. Her smirk only deepens as she locks eyes with the camera, continuing on with her melodic humming for a few moments longer before her song comes to an end and she shifts gears.
Garcia: It was night, and the rain fell; and falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood. And I stood in the morass among the tall and the rain fell upon my head-and the lilies sighed one unto the other in the solemnity of their desolation.
She can't resist a chuckle at mentioning a line from one of Edgar Allan Poe's shorter and somewhat more obscure works, no doubt as a means of seeing if a certain Ravyn is listening. The words are appropriate to her considering the elements around her, and she seems to feel the poem in question certainly has quite a bit of relevance to the present moment.
Garcia: Maybe you feel that verse was more appropriate for a previous opponent, but I have a very good reason for quoting Poe here today. I'm sure everyone is buzzing about Day of Infamy, and some of you are cutting through the talk about trios and what a certain Swann is going to do to point out the fact that I am not sitting here with a tag title draped over my shoulder. Good for you to remember that Las Bandidas de Gata Negra did not succeed on that fateful day... but I would hope that a mastermind as 'revered' as Ravyn knows full well that one match is not the end of our little tale. After all, what kind of 'knockoff' would I be if I simply let one slight misstep bring all of my plans crashing down just like that? I can promise you this, Ravyn Taylor: we will dance again, and with each new meeting we shall come to understand one another just a little bit more. You can say what you will about my seeming identity crisis just as I could say the same about how much you cling to the necessity of championship gold as a futile sense of power in a chaotic landscape, but minds like ours will always agree to disagree about philosophies, now won't we?
Valeria makes sure the camera can see the knowing smile on her face. Maybe it surprises Ravyn that she isn't taking that title loss as hard as she may have thought, or perhaps she may be hopeful to see it. Clearly there is more to be said on the matter, but the woman lounging before us knows there's a time and a place for everything, and this conversation is one to continue once the two find themselves face-to-face once again.
Garcia: So I believe it's for the best if we all leave Day of Infamy in the rear view mirror and turn our focus to Breakdown right here in Portland, shall we? I'm certain someone would love to forget about the way they spent that Sunday night as they watched the world fall apart around them only to grasp on to the faint glimmer of hope that is a faint sense of certainty about what they believe the future will hold. After all, they may not be a guaranteed captain for the upcoming trios tournament, but would anyone be surprised if they witnessed her end up on a team with a certain someone under the belief that they shall receive any sort of advantage against seven other teams that may either do the exact same thing or simply pick options far more talented and experienced than anything they may have to offer?
Garcia: Maybe you think I'm twisting this all wrong, but it's a fact that you can change the teambuildeing process however you like and at the end of the day trios is still going to be a night where disappointment shall likely loom overhead like the dark clouds above. I am not expecting to be picked for trios, nor do I care if I am or not. All that matters to me come Breakdown is proving a simple point: if you think you can corner a cat, it's going to bite and scratch and claw until it has the opening it needs to slip around you, and once it does you have no hope of catching it.
Garcia: I'm sure that's not the thought running through your head right now, is it Kandis? If I were a gambler, I would wager that when you decide to open your mouth you'll preach about how your trios moment is signed, sealed and delivered purely because dear Tommy wouldn't dare ignore the woman willing putting out for him every single night in exchange for someone who may actually give him some hope of victory, such as one of the recently revealed coffee lucha wannabes that just so happens to be his old friend and fellow hall of famer for example, who I'm sure he knows and trusts far more than even you. But then we get back on track and you proceed to gloat about how I am not a tag team champion and remind me of your little plan to cause whatever chaos will get you and Tommy back to the point where you will defeat Infamous and succeed where we failed.
Garcia: Let's assume I'm right in my predictions... now tell me why I'm supposed to be concerned.
Valeria sits up a bit, a confident look still sitting on her face as though she's expecting Kandis to hear her and immediately voice a response to what's been posed. She knows she's not going to get it at this immediate moment, but it doesn't stop her from looking amused all the same.
Garcia: Maybe I would be more inclined to feel threatened if you had heeded warnings I had given you in the past, even when I had no provocation to do so. Once upon a time we were on the same side and I had no issue trying to help you get to a position we both know you deserved, after all. Would it be so wrong to hear me offer caution about putting your trust in anyone who had any sort of ties with SCW's most notorious schemer and expect to not be burned in the process? I am 'Ravyn Lite' after all, so who better to heed such warnings from than someone who thinks in a similar fashion? And yet, for as much as you will tell me that you and Tommy can succeed in getting those titles off of Ravyn and Christy where Maria and I failed, it was your blind trust in the man who trained you and his beloved who had a significant part of her career defined by existing in the shadow of Dark Fantasy that opened that very door in the first place.
Garcia: Perhaps this is why the saying goes to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Garcia: All of that aside Kandis, we find ourselves in an interesting position now. The easy way to put this is that Maria and I are back at the bottom of the pile and have to fight our way back up much as you and Tommy have been complaining about doing, and while this match will strictly be between the two of us I can only imagine how badly you want to try and run your knee through my face if it means putting me out of commission to make sure nothing 'funny' happens again in regards to who should be next in line for a shot at tandem glory. You've been quite vocal in how you feel you and your so-called friend are the ones who run this division and got screwed out of your rightful rematch, ignorant of the fact you lost all right to said match the moment Ryan and Autumn couldn't hang onto the titles against someone else. But now is the time to put all that talking aside and actually make a statement against someone who's actually a frequent fixture in 'your' division, never mind the fact that I have gotten one over on you before.
Garcia: I think it goes without saying that for as much as Tommy loves to speak his mind about the way he and you conduct business, I am capable of doing the same without actually giving away my intentions. Though maybe you shouldn't be as surprised about the whole tights thing, considering who we've both been partners with at one point or another.
Valeria lets out a sigh, clearly reminiscing on her former partnership with Scarlet Grey. It's hard to tell if she truly misses it or not, but it's at least something she can say she'll remember. Plus, there's a small bit of amusement to be found in the memory of everything Scarlet thought she and Kandis had despite it all being thrown away within the past few months before the red-obsessed royal went down with an injury.
Garcia: I think the greater point to be made here is the question of who needs this win more, and I would actually agree with your presumption that it would be you. After all, with a head start on a new set of rankings that puts Maria and myself at the very bottom and the possibility of trios as a safety blanket on the horizon, it would do you no favors to slip up now. You need to knock me out and make it known that the tag match from some time back had to be a fluke because it validates all your claims that you are in charge of the division and you deserve to be staring down the champions the next chance you can be given.
Garcia: Except, history has proven that things don't always go to plan for you, now do they?
Garcia: Make no mistake Kandis: one way or another, Las Bandidas de Gata Negra will have tag team gold within our sights again. It's never a matter of 'if' but 'when' to me. Unlike you, I can be patient when necessary, and it is because of that patience that all of your desperate hopes are about to find themselves turned on their heads as you struggle to comprehend exactly why it's become harder to justify you and Tommy for the next title shot. The fact that this is one-on-one will only soften the blow so much, and by night's end that may be all you cling to as you pray that I am not giving you yet another warning you failed to heed when Tommy decides what to do for his one and only certain pick for trios. Unlike you, my undivided attention is right here, ready to rob you of everything you walk into Portland with and leaving you with nothing but a hope and a prayer that something other than your prodigious backside will cushion the fall when the world as you know it continues to crumble all around you, just like raindrops falling from the sky.
With a nod, Valeria leans back in her chair and resumes humming her song, closing her eyes and immersing herself in the melody that the rain provides her around her umbrella shelter. As the weather has started to pick up as droplets begin to smack the lens through whatever was keeping the valuable piece of equipment dry this whole time, the cameraman immediately bolts back inside, causing our feed to be cut so this footage could be salvaged for your viewing pleasure.
02-05-2020, 12:55 AM