Legacy [RP vs. Apathy - FIRESIDE World Title Defense]
Dec 24, 2021 20:52:20 GMT -5
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Post by Kris on Dec 24, 2021 20:52:20 GMT -5
There were perks to being known for her blond curls, Natalie Burrows knew.
It made finding her in a crowd easy--not many people were possessed of riotous curls like hers, after all. It also meant that a hair straightener and a slicked-back bun was all it took to render herself invisible to the vast majority of the population. That conditional anonymity was proving itself to be quite useful, she couldn't help but think.
No one was interrupting her, a precious commodity she had learned to appreciate more and more over the years.
She'd spent the last couple hours tearing down the oldest ring in the Morgan J. Reid Wrestling Academy to make room for its replacement. While removing the turnbuckle covers was child's play, the Southern Belle couldn't help but think that the ring didn't want any part of it since it fought her every step after that. Nuts and bolts that turned easy as pie for routine maintenance refused to budge, ring ropes tangled themselves together with no real rhyme or reason... and just when she finally got things to where she could remove the canvas?
RIP.
"Oh you God-Blessed--" A huff of a laugh and Natalie shook her head. Considering how this was the same canvas she had ever set foot on when she was sixteen years old, it was no wonder that it was worn almost threadbare in places with as many careers had begun on its surface. Maybe she could convince Morgan to frame this piece of the past, put it up near the pictures from when he first started taking students--
"Still at it, huh? Figured you'd be done by now!" The booming voice of her mentor startled her out of her train of thought, the Southern Belle jumping before shooting a mock-glare at her father's best friend. Slapping his knee, Morgan wheezed out a laugh before reaching up and ruffling his prized pupil's hair, ignoring the sound of protest she made. "Is the ol' gal puttin' up a fight?"
"You could say that. It's like it's decided to do its best impression of you when Dr. Kahler said you had to put up your boots." There's a huff of mild irritation as Natalie reaches up with her free hand to try to smooth her hair back into place, but it's too late now--those freed strands of hair were already curling. Letting out a resigned sigh, she offered the remnant of canvas to Morgan. "Looks like you're replacing this ring just in time. I wasn't even pulling that hard when that ripped off."
"Oh yeah?" Wrinkled hands took hold of the material, the long-time veteran turning the piece of fabric over in his hand... and what he saw earned a fresh batch of cackling, the bout strong enough to force him to lean harder on his cane than normal."I forgot all about that stunt of your dad's!"
"What stunt?" Natalie quirked a brow, her head turning to look at her mentor curiously. Any time that he mentioned her father, he had her attention whole... and they both knew it.
"You remember when me'n Robbie bought this ring, right?" At the champion's nod, Morgan continued. "Well, I wound up needin' to... borrow more money than I planned, right? And your daddy gave it to me, but he said that if he did, I'd have to pay for all his beers from now on. I said I would as long as I remembered, so to make sure I would? He wrote it on the canvas in Sharpie!"
Turning the piece of fabric in his hand, he showed Natalie something that made her heart jump into her throat. There were few examples of her father's handwriting left and, even if all the more that was visible was 'Ro'? She could still feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, a hand reaching out to run calloused fingertips over the faded writing. Silence reigned for a moment--a moment she knew was being given to her to regain her composure--before Morgan handed the bit of canvas back to her.
"I think I'll take a hunk and frame it--maybe where he wrote my name. You..." His hand settled on the small of her back in a comforting touch, one that she'd felt hundreds and hundreds of times since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. "You take that one, alright?"
"Yeah... yeah, I'll do that." A swipe of the back of her hand across her eyes and Natalie nodded, the canvas carefully folded and tucked under her arm. "Thank you, Mister Morgan. I'll just run this to the car and then I'll get back to work--"
"Hey, Morgan! There's a guy up front with a delivery--wait...." The student that interrupted the duo looked back and forth between the two of them before her eyes caught sight of the curls Morgan tussled free earlier. The redhead's eyes went wide, excitement gleaming as she gaped before asking the inevitable question. "Are you Natalie Burrows?!"
"In the flesh!" Morgan clapped Natalie on the shoulder, not giving her the ability to deflect the student's attention elsewhere. "How 'bout you leave the rest of dismantlin' ol' Gracie to one of the other trainers and let Alexis here pick yer brain? She's got educated feet like yours!"
For a moment, the blond considered gently rebuking the favor her mentor had indirectly asked for... but all it took was one look at Alexis' expression for her resolve to crumble, a smile gracing her lips as she nodded. "I can spare a few minutes, sure. What do you wanna know?"
As Alexis talked and Natalie mostly listened, the latter held that shred of canvas close--a tangible reminder of the legacy she was honoring, not to mention of the legacy she was trying so hard to build.
"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Missus Deveraux-O'Rourke... but the Kindling you've won will not be given the chance to burn at Good Riddance."
Natalie's voice gives no quarter as the visual fades in, the lioness standing strong in the face of the newest challenger--the newest threat!--to her reign with a solemn expression Lit from above by a single light in a room that is otherwise pitch black, the blond of her curls and the gold upon the title belt on her shoulder both gleam brightly. No, not just gleam...but seemingly burn, as if the Southern Belle and her belt are hewn of the very stuff that FIRESIDE is named for while each makes the other all the brighter with their connection. The Southern Belle wastes no time in getting down to business.
"I know those are strong words to begin with, but considering the literal Hell I've endured in both capturing and defending the FIRESIDE World Championship... I mean each and every last one of them. Let me be clear that I am in no way questioning your talent or your drive--there was a reason I insisted upon being ringside for your match with Mister Zepp to get a good look at you both--and when you came out the victor, I took the time to go back through your time in FIRESIDE to learn all I could. Knowing what you're up against, the risks you face above and beyond what all of us who lace up our boots and step into the squared circle, pushing through your fibromyalgia symptoms to keep doing what you love... your courage is inspiring, underscoring the grit and determination that I saw you dig into to earn your chance to face me."
The respect the Southern Belle feels is clear as can be, but for all that she wants to see the woman who calls herself Apathy succeed...
"But your bravery isn't going to be enough."
It will not be at Natalie's expense. A firm shake of her head.
"For all that you are courageous each and every time you walk down that ramp, for all that you rage against the stereotypes that have been used to belittle you and your accomplishments, for all that you have a family that waits with bated breath for the call they hope never comes... so do I. Just as you have faced promoters who tried to sink your career for refusing to bed them, just as you were forced to be twice as good to get half of what the mediocre men you were surrounded by, just as you were faced with the unfair biases that still exist in this business... so did I. Not only have I faced that, but so have numerous other women who have dared to set foot in what was once, undeniably, a man's world. The difference between you and me, though, is a simple one, one that dumps Niagara Falls on that Kindling I mentioned before, rendering it unable to ignite When you were faced with those obstacles... you complained. Me?"
The defending champion leans forward, the shift in the lighting throwing her features into stark relief that seemingly makes those blue eyes ignite.
"I rose anyway."
Natalie's eyes narrow into a glare.
"I didn't just sit back and observe the changes in professional wrestling as they happened--I swore that the world would not be that way within the reach of my arm and I became the change that I wanted to see, building a legacy that will endure long after I'm gone. I was the only competitor, male or female, to ever enter Hardkore Helloween and come out the victor without needing a weapon to do it. I was the first woman to ever hold the VWA World Heavyweight Championship, a company that, at one point, didn't even allow intergender matches until I and other strong, capable women came along--other women who took action instead of settling back and letting others do the work. Heck, I'm the first woman to ever hold the FIRESIDE World Championship and, while I have no doubt that I will not be the last? You will not be the one to take it from me!"
That last statement is delivered with unshakable conviction, a brief pause taken to inhale slowly, rein in her passion so that it can be put to proper use at Good Riddance.
"I know that, in the eyes of some, the... honorable thing would be to show you mercy, to go easier on you, to spare you so that your career can go on that little bit longer. However, anyone who thinks that has likely never had to fight as hard as we both have to reach this point. For me to pull the part of my offense that focuses on your neck, your spine, your head--that wouldn't be upholding what this championship represents, which is being the best that FIRESIDE has to offer no matter the difficulties they overcame to get there. For all that I am not going to dismiss what your burdens to bear are, I'm also not going to dismiss my own. If anything? I'm going to celebrate them, the aches and pains and scars of a career that made me strong enough to take down MAJESTY not just once, but twice because it's those trials and tribulations that taught me to do what I do so well. And going up against someone who calls themselves Apathy like it's meant to be something to be admired...perhaps it wasn't water that was poured on that Kindling after all."
Trailing off, the World Champion shakes her head.
"No, it was gasoline because not only will my passion and determination burn bright to light the way to my victory... but it will also incinerate your chances of laying claim to my spot at the top of the mountain. I suppose, though, that you'll take it in stride."
There's the faint beginnings of a smile, though no mirth reaches the gaze of the Southern Belle.
"After all, you've long since been queen of the ashes of what could have been. What's another heap added to the pile?"
Fade.
It made finding her in a crowd easy--not many people were possessed of riotous curls like hers, after all. It also meant that a hair straightener and a slicked-back bun was all it took to render herself invisible to the vast majority of the population. That conditional anonymity was proving itself to be quite useful, she couldn't help but think.
No one was interrupting her, a precious commodity she had learned to appreciate more and more over the years.
She'd spent the last couple hours tearing down the oldest ring in the Morgan J. Reid Wrestling Academy to make room for its replacement. While removing the turnbuckle covers was child's play, the Southern Belle couldn't help but think that the ring didn't want any part of it since it fought her every step after that. Nuts and bolts that turned easy as pie for routine maintenance refused to budge, ring ropes tangled themselves together with no real rhyme or reason... and just when she finally got things to where she could remove the canvas?
RIP.
"Oh you God-Blessed--" A huff of a laugh and Natalie shook her head. Considering how this was the same canvas she had ever set foot on when she was sixteen years old, it was no wonder that it was worn almost threadbare in places with as many careers had begun on its surface. Maybe she could convince Morgan to frame this piece of the past, put it up near the pictures from when he first started taking students--
"Still at it, huh? Figured you'd be done by now!" The booming voice of her mentor startled her out of her train of thought, the Southern Belle jumping before shooting a mock-glare at her father's best friend. Slapping his knee, Morgan wheezed out a laugh before reaching up and ruffling his prized pupil's hair, ignoring the sound of protest she made. "Is the ol' gal puttin' up a fight?"
"You could say that. It's like it's decided to do its best impression of you when Dr. Kahler said you had to put up your boots." There's a huff of mild irritation as Natalie reaches up with her free hand to try to smooth her hair back into place, but it's too late now--those freed strands of hair were already curling. Letting out a resigned sigh, she offered the remnant of canvas to Morgan. "Looks like you're replacing this ring just in time. I wasn't even pulling that hard when that ripped off."
"Oh yeah?" Wrinkled hands took hold of the material, the long-time veteran turning the piece of fabric over in his hand... and what he saw earned a fresh batch of cackling, the bout strong enough to force him to lean harder on his cane than normal."I forgot all about that stunt of your dad's!"
"What stunt?" Natalie quirked a brow, her head turning to look at her mentor curiously. Any time that he mentioned her father, he had her attention whole... and they both knew it.
"You remember when me'n Robbie bought this ring, right?" At the champion's nod, Morgan continued. "Well, I wound up needin' to... borrow more money than I planned, right? And your daddy gave it to me, but he said that if he did, I'd have to pay for all his beers from now on. I said I would as long as I remembered, so to make sure I would? He wrote it on the canvas in Sharpie!"
Turning the piece of fabric in his hand, he showed Natalie something that made her heart jump into her throat. There were few examples of her father's handwriting left and, even if all the more that was visible was 'Ro'? She could still feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, a hand reaching out to run calloused fingertips over the faded writing. Silence reigned for a moment--a moment she knew was being given to her to regain her composure--before Morgan handed the bit of canvas back to her.
"I think I'll take a hunk and frame it--maybe where he wrote my name. You..." His hand settled on the small of her back in a comforting touch, one that she'd felt hundreds and hundreds of times since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. "You take that one, alright?"
"Yeah... yeah, I'll do that." A swipe of the back of her hand across her eyes and Natalie nodded, the canvas carefully folded and tucked under her arm. "Thank you, Mister Morgan. I'll just run this to the car and then I'll get back to work--"
"Hey, Morgan! There's a guy up front with a delivery--wait...." The student that interrupted the duo looked back and forth between the two of them before her eyes caught sight of the curls Morgan tussled free earlier. The redhead's eyes went wide, excitement gleaming as she gaped before asking the inevitable question. "Are you Natalie Burrows?!"
"In the flesh!" Morgan clapped Natalie on the shoulder, not giving her the ability to deflect the student's attention elsewhere. "How 'bout you leave the rest of dismantlin' ol' Gracie to one of the other trainers and let Alexis here pick yer brain? She's got educated feet like yours!"
For a moment, the blond considered gently rebuking the favor her mentor had indirectly asked for... but all it took was one look at Alexis' expression for her resolve to crumble, a smile gracing her lips as she nodded. "I can spare a few minutes, sure. What do you wanna know?"
As Alexis talked and Natalie mostly listened, the latter held that shred of canvas close--a tangible reminder of the legacy she was honoring, not to mention of the legacy she was trying so hard to build.
"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Missus Deveraux-O'Rourke... but the Kindling you've won will not be given the chance to burn at Good Riddance."
Natalie's voice gives no quarter as the visual fades in, the lioness standing strong in the face of the newest challenger--the newest threat!--to her reign with a solemn expression Lit from above by a single light in a room that is otherwise pitch black, the blond of her curls and the gold upon the title belt on her shoulder both gleam brightly. No, not just gleam...but seemingly burn, as if the Southern Belle and her belt are hewn of the very stuff that FIRESIDE is named for while each makes the other all the brighter with their connection. The Southern Belle wastes no time in getting down to business.
"I know those are strong words to begin with, but considering the literal Hell I've endured in both capturing and defending the FIRESIDE World Championship... I mean each and every last one of them. Let me be clear that I am in no way questioning your talent or your drive--there was a reason I insisted upon being ringside for your match with Mister Zepp to get a good look at you both--and when you came out the victor, I took the time to go back through your time in FIRESIDE to learn all I could. Knowing what you're up against, the risks you face above and beyond what all of us who lace up our boots and step into the squared circle, pushing through your fibromyalgia symptoms to keep doing what you love... your courage is inspiring, underscoring the grit and determination that I saw you dig into to earn your chance to face me."
The respect the Southern Belle feels is clear as can be, but for all that she wants to see the woman who calls herself Apathy succeed...
"But your bravery isn't going to be enough."
It will not be at Natalie's expense. A firm shake of her head.
"For all that you are courageous each and every time you walk down that ramp, for all that you rage against the stereotypes that have been used to belittle you and your accomplishments, for all that you have a family that waits with bated breath for the call they hope never comes... so do I. Just as you have faced promoters who tried to sink your career for refusing to bed them, just as you were forced to be twice as good to get half of what the mediocre men you were surrounded by, just as you were faced with the unfair biases that still exist in this business... so did I. Not only have I faced that, but so have numerous other women who have dared to set foot in what was once, undeniably, a man's world. The difference between you and me, though, is a simple one, one that dumps Niagara Falls on that Kindling I mentioned before, rendering it unable to ignite When you were faced with those obstacles... you complained. Me?"
The defending champion leans forward, the shift in the lighting throwing her features into stark relief that seemingly makes those blue eyes ignite.
"I rose anyway."
Natalie's eyes narrow into a glare.
"I didn't just sit back and observe the changes in professional wrestling as they happened--I swore that the world would not be that way within the reach of my arm and I became the change that I wanted to see, building a legacy that will endure long after I'm gone. I was the only competitor, male or female, to ever enter Hardkore Helloween and come out the victor without needing a weapon to do it. I was the first woman to ever hold the VWA World Heavyweight Championship, a company that, at one point, didn't even allow intergender matches until I and other strong, capable women came along--other women who took action instead of settling back and letting others do the work. Heck, I'm the first woman to ever hold the FIRESIDE World Championship and, while I have no doubt that I will not be the last? You will not be the one to take it from me!"
That last statement is delivered with unshakable conviction, a brief pause taken to inhale slowly, rein in her passion so that it can be put to proper use at Good Riddance.
"I know that, in the eyes of some, the... honorable thing would be to show you mercy, to go easier on you, to spare you so that your career can go on that little bit longer. However, anyone who thinks that has likely never had to fight as hard as we both have to reach this point. For me to pull the part of my offense that focuses on your neck, your spine, your head--that wouldn't be upholding what this championship represents, which is being the best that FIRESIDE has to offer no matter the difficulties they overcame to get there. For all that I am not going to dismiss what your burdens to bear are, I'm also not going to dismiss my own. If anything? I'm going to celebrate them, the aches and pains and scars of a career that made me strong enough to take down MAJESTY not just once, but twice because it's those trials and tribulations that taught me to do what I do so well. And going up against someone who calls themselves Apathy like it's meant to be something to be admired...perhaps it wasn't water that was poured on that Kindling after all."
Trailing off, the World Champion shakes her head.
"No, it was gasoline because not only will my passion and determination burn bright to light the way to my victory... but it will also incinerate your chances of laying claim to my spot at the top of the mountain. I suppose, though, that you'll take it in stride."
There's the faint beginnings of a smile, though no mirth reaches the gaze of the Southern Belle.
"After all, you've long since been queen of the ashes of what could have been. What's another heap added to the pile?"
Fade.