Post by electrastevens on Jul 15, 2012 15:46:41 GMT -5
note: posting this on the board because Webs has been acting up.
~*~
MPW HQ - Gym
Sunday 1:46 pm
One thing I had expected was for Adian Caine to make some more sexist comments...and of course, like predicted he had. He'd grasped at straws instead of finding real information to use against me...he'd resorted to commenting on my clothing. Well hmmm.... that's very interesting because I seem to remember that on Monday before the show I'd been wearing my referee shirt and shorts....
I laughed out loud over my iPod while using my work-out item of choice, the punching bag. It didn't matter what he said or what he thought because come Monday night he'd be standing with Toby as a loser....his second loss since joining MPW.
Toby had actually been gracious and offered me good luck on Twitter. Super of him if you ask me but we were all supposed to be good guys around here, I really think Caine needed to re-evaluate that though.
I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and stop a second to look at it. A text from Tasha Jordan.
TJord: Did you see Caine's promo?
I laughed. Was she a mind reader?
EStev: Of course I did. I make it my business to follow my opponents.
TJord: I still don't think he has anything on you....
Smiling I think a second. He really didn't have anything on me. If you looked at it, I had held a belt, I had still had the envy of most of the superstars in this fed and I was also cheered when I came out, even when I wasn't in a real match. What did Adian Caine have?
EStev: Regardless I think I need to say something in my own defence...
TJord: I was just thinking that. Are you free this afternoon?
EStev: Yes but don't you think it would be lame to do the same thing again?
TJord: yes, that's why we're not going to do the same thing.
she gives me an address and I agree to meet her at 3. I pride myself on my confidence. I'm not someone that can be easily defeated and Caine hadn't even breached me. His words were nothing but verbal diarrhea spit out by a desperate man.
~*~
2:25pm
Duffel bag in hand I'm leaving my locker room when I crash right in Analise, her plastic case spilling onto the floor.
She said something under her breath as tubes of lipstick and pots of eye shadow roll in all directions. I immediately follow her do the floor to help her pick them up.
"I'm so sorry..." I say and start to crawl around trying to stop them.
"It's not entirely your fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. I've been so frazzled lately..."
"That doesn't have anything to do with a secret admirer does it?" I ask flashing her a grin. She looks back at me annoyed.
"You know he sent me a teddy bear this time...and chocolates...." she rolled her eyes. "I don't want gifts you know, What I want is a guy to just come up and say hey...my name is so and so and I like you. Will you like to go out for drinks some time? Is that really so hard?"
I shrug.
"For some guys it is."
"He actually gave me his phone number this time...but why should I have to call him? I'm old fashioned you know...blame it on the way I was raised but I really feel like a guy should be the one that makes the first move."
I laughed. "Sorry can't agree with you there. I think I've always made the first move."
She stopped for a minute to look at me. "How do you do that?"
"Well I just go up to them and...." she's shaking her head.
"No I mean have so much confidence. What if the guy turned you down?"
"Then he turns me down. I took a huge risk when I went to Drake's room that day but well..."
"It's because your beautiful...if you were plain like me it wouldn't be that easy..."
I frowned. "I don't do things because I've been told my whole life I'm pretty. If anything I've had more trouble because I'm attractive. I learned to use it to my advantage for the most part but if I had been more plain I probably wouldn't be here...I might have ended up some common house wife in Toronto..." The thought was a real possibility....would Daniel have left me alone if I had been born more plain in looks like Chrissy had....we looked alike yes...could almost pass for fraternal twins but her brown hair and blue eyes made her different. Even the 3 inches that I had over her made her not as what some would call beautiful. Although I always thought she was prettier than me.
"Your entirely too modest...I haven't figured out if it's false or not...or if you truly don't know how extraordinary you really are."
"Analise, you are far more beautiful then I will ever be. But we could sit here all day and argue over it and we'd never come to an agreement. It's hard to change someone's mind when they have it made up."
She nodded in agreement. I picked up the last of the run away makeup and handed them to her. She put them back in the box and smiled.
"You know most people wouldn't have stopped and helped me...thank you."
"Despite what some people seem to think about me I'm not a bitch and I'm not judgemental, I call it as I see it."
She laughed. "Right. Good luck tomorrow by the way. I think you deserve the win far more than those other bone heads."
"Who's being judgemental now?" I smirk and she starts laughing.
"It's true. I don't know them and so I want you to win because I think I kind of know you now....maybe even more than just know each other...."
"I never turn down new friends Analise."
"Ana. please, I hate my name...."
"Then call me Lexi." I stand and then offer her my own hand to rise. "I'd love to say let's go grab a coffee or something but I actually have somewhere to be so let me get your phone number." I pull out my phone. She recites it and then I give her mine. "You know what...maybe you should call that guy, even if it's just to tell him that you can't be bought with things...."
"I suppose I could do that...."
"Some guys like a strong woman. Don't count him out before you actually give him a chance. That's just my advice, although my advice on guys is not that great." I give her a half smile and then wave as I head toward the exit.
Maybe I had been able to make some new friends. I still missed London and her cute little laugh that no matter how bad a mood I was in brought me back from the brink of abyss.
~*~
2:56pm
Vegas Balloon Rides
4390 Polaris Ave.
I arrive at the location that Tasha told me to be at and I'm confused. Is that really a hot air balloon that their inflating?
I see a little mustang pull up and once it parks Tasha jumps out, as well as a man holding a hand held camera. I give her a confused look.
"Look, Tasha, I know that I allowed you to do something wacky before but I mean...do you really expect me to get on that thing...don't you know I'm petrified of heights?"
she gives a big smile.
"You have to...when I tell you how much it cost me for the three of us to get in that thing your conscience will eat at you."
Fuck off. Really....she wants me to get into a hot air balloon. The only reason I'd been getting better at airplanes was because one...it was enclosed, two I had drake's fingers to crush.
"I'm not getting on that thing..."
"What was it you said before miss big shot...oh let me quote you a second. 'You must do the thing you think you cannot do'...am I right?"
"I was talking about winning a bloody belt...not getting into a helium death trap..."
"I had to pay extra to make the pilot keep his mouth shut. usually he has this long speech about the history of hot air balloons." She grabs my hand and starts to practically drag me toward where the thing was sitting. "I figured that would look bad in your promo if some old guy was talking in the background."
"Tasha why do I have a feeling I'm going to love to hate you...."
She gave me a smirk and continued to pull me. She was determined...I had to give her that. She had a lot more spunk then London did and I think that would take her far.
The man in the basket gave us all a big smile. "Are you Miss Jordan?" he asked.
"Yes, and my guests, Electra and Bob. he's going to be filming. I'm doing an interview so I was assured by paying the extra 50 bucks you wouldn't do your normal thing..."
"Of course." he smiles and opens the door on the basket. My heart feels like it's going to burst out of my chest. Shoot me...shoot me now.
"Can I at least make a phone call before you take me to my death?" I say. Tasha raises her eyebrows and smiles. I pull out my phone and dial Drake's number. He answers on the second ring.
"Hey honey...when you going to be home?"
"Maybe never." I say and I know the panic is evident in my voice.
"What? Why?....Lexi..." I know I'm over reacting and now I've gotten Drake into paranoia mode.
"Remember I told you that Tasha Jordan wanted to do another interview?"
"Yes..."
"Yeah well this time she's making me get into a hot air balloon...."
There's a couple seconds of silence before he starts bursting out into hysterical laugher.
"Lexi, you'll be fine. You've been doing so much better with planes..."
"This isn't a fucking plane!"
He laughs some more. Damn it. Why did everyone think my fear of falling to my death was irrational? Didn't everyone have a fear...I mean Rage was afraid of.... well He hasn't done anything bad to me lately so I won't embarrasses him...
"You'll be fine Lexi. Make me proud baby. Look how good your last promo was...I was so proud of you. I know that your going to win this with how much more confident you've gotten. Go up there, prove your not afraid of anything and shove it all in that Asshole Caine's face."
I sigh. He was right. Maybe I just needed to hear his voice to give me the courage I needed. I mean if I could get on this contraption and be fine then it will be no problem to beat a big mouth know it all and a British goof ball. right?
"Thanks honey. I'll call when I'm on my way home."
"You'll do fine...." With that I told him I loved him and hung up the phone. Tasha and 'Bob' were already in the basket. I took a deep breath and stepped past the threshold.
"Do you need to kiss the ground before we go?" the pilot laughed and I gave him the nastiest look I could muster through my fear. He shut his mouth and turned back to what he was supposed to be doing. Keeping his trap shut.
We started to rise off the ground and I griped the side of the basket, the whole time Bob has got the camera in my face and I don't want to look like a coward. It was my biggest pet peeve. Maybe this would be good for me. I turn to him and he give me a thumbs up. Tasha moves beside me and then hands me a little mic that goes in your ear and has a mouth piece.
I have no idea how it's hooked up to the hand held but I wasn't the technology expert by any means. She has one too. She looks at Bob.
"Okay go ahead." he says and Tasha turns to me.
"Tell us a little bit about why we're in a hot air balloon, above Sin City Electra..."
I take a deep breath. I could do this. I will not let my opponents' see fear.
"I'm doing this to make a point. I used to be so afraid of heights that I would be paralysed in place. I couldn't even get on a plane without going comatose. I want to show my opponents that Fear does not have a grip on me anymore. I kicked Fears ass and I intend to do the same with you two buffoons. That's right, I'm talking to you with the monkey ears, Adian Caine. you think by standing in the middle of a ring and talking trash about the way I dress it's going to make me bow down to you? a big mouthed pig who couldn't even cut it in a bigger promotion like WWE? How many titles have you held in your life Adian? Just Curious."
"He's also said that you judged him too harshly...what do you have to say about that?"
"You don't like that I pointed out an obvious trait? That you have no respect for women....I don't care what you say your mother taught you, because you don't show it. You say that the only reason you undressed me with your eyes was because I was barely wearing anything....Ummm....since when is a ref shirt and shorts barely wearing anything? the point here is that your just sore because I didn't reciprocate the advance. If I wanted a monkey I'd adopt one. If I wanted something that talked nonsense I'd buy a figit friend or a furby. you say you don't care what I say about or think about you...well I think when 3/4 of your promo was mentioning me somehow that it proves that you do care. If You don't want to admit it...it's no skin of my back."
"What about your other opponent, Toby Foster?"
"You know I have more respect for that guy then I do Caine. At least he had the decency to offer me good luck. There's that thing I was talking about before...someone that actually cares. It could very well be that he only did that because I'm a woman competitor but does it really matter...the fact is that he did it and being the type of person I am I did the same. Caine's got his head stuck too far up his own ass and it will bite him eventually. Probably when I walk out of that ring the winner."
"So you have no doubts that you are going to win tomorrow night?"
"None whatsoever. I am ready for this, as I was ready 8 years ago when I got into that ring with Tammy Velso."
"The name of that opponent whom you couldn't remember?" Tasha asked surprised.
It was true...I could never remember her name but I made an effort after last time to look her up. I'd even found where she was now. She was retired, had a little family and was living in Penn state somewhere. She'd emailed me back to say that she hoped I won and that she was going to watch my match.
"I may not have been able to defeat her but it was close. I have made it my goal to remember the face and name of every person I defeat. Two of those people are going to be Toby Foster and Aidan Caine."
"What about Apostle Kried? if you do win you will have to go on to face him for the title."
"That's right and I'm looking forward to it because he will be my toughest challenge. Like I said, I hardly know him, but I know that he's a decent guy and that it will be a fair match...not like the other match I had in NYCCW against Laura and Lindsey. I will be MPW's first North American Champion and I will be a champion that the fans can be proud to represent them. Now I'm not saying that I'm god's gift to wrestling and I'm not saying that I'm the best out there but I know I'm good and I know that I can overcome any challenge thrown at me."
"Any final words for the fans and our opponents?"
"No, because nothing I do is final. If what I did was final I wouldn't be back here. I would still be in Toronto upset over that loss that made me retire the first time. I will however give everyone some words to think on until they see me sparkle tomorrow night. You can believe what whatever you want...I could stand up here and babble about nothing meaningful and it wouldn't matter a lick because you already have your mind made up. You either love me or hate me. The same with who I'm facing. It doesn't really matter who you want to win, it's going to be the best man or woman that does. I will still go out there and make those who support me proud and that...is the only thing that truly matters."
I stare over the side of the balloon and for the first time in my life, looking down at the ground and all it's doll sized buildings and people I'm not afraid. I look back to the camera.
"I once had this quote of the day calendar and there was one that stuck out at me. So much that I actually kept the paper and taped it on my fridge...and that was..."
I cleared my throat. I had the quote memorized because it applied to me so much.
"'A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up. It's all a matter of pride.' I'm not a quitter anymore. Say what you want about me I'm still going out there tomorrow night and kicking your ass. And I'll do it wearing a string bikini if I want and it's not going to matter because my skill has nothing to do with what I've got on, either way your going to get pinned to that mat."
"Thanks Electra for bringing us up here and showing us a true side of the real Electra Stevens. Make sure to tune in tomorrow night for MPW's Main Event, a 3 way battle for the right to challenge Apostle Kried for the North American Championship featuring not only the lovely and talented Electra but also her competitors Toby Foster, 'the textbook' and Adian Caine."
Bob shut off the camera and smiled.
"Another amazing interview Electra."
"Thanks."
"Are you okay? I'm sorry I forced you up here..."
"I'm great Tasha. Actually I want to thank you. You were right, if I couldn't face my fears here, then how could I do it in a ring. I still don't think I'll be completely okay in a plane or...a hot air balloon but it's getting better."
"I'm glad. We can go down if you want..."
"No, let the man finish his tour, I'm actually having a good time."
"A toast then." the pilot indicates a basket at his feet. Tasha bends down and pulls out a bottle of champagne and three glasses. She fills each half way and hands one to everyone but the pilot, who obviously couldn't drink while on duty.
"To conquering fears." she said.
"And new friendships." I add. It was pretty good. And when I got that title shot it would taste even better. Sweet, nothing bitter about that.
~*~
MPW HQ - Gym
Sunday 1:46 pm
One thing I had expected was for Adian Caine to make some more sexist comments...and of course, like predicted he had. He'd grasped at straws instead of finding real information to use against me...he'd resorted to commenting on my clothing. Well hmmm.... that's very interesting because I seem to remember that on Monday before the show I'd been wearing my referee shirt and shorts....
I laughed out loud over my iPod while using my work-out item of choice, the punching bag. It didn't matter what he said or what he thought because come Monday night he'd be standing with Toby as a loser....his second loss since joining MPW.
Toby had actually been gracious and offered me good luck on Twitter. Super of him if you ask me but we were all supposed to be good guys around here, I really think Caine needed to re-evaluate that though.
I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and stop a second to look at it. A text from Tasha Jordan.
TJord: Did you see Caine's promo?
I laughed. Was she a mind reader?
EStev: Of course I did. I make it my business to follow my opponents.
TJord: I still don't think he has anything on you....
Smiling I think a second. He really didn't have anything on me. If you looked at it, I had held a belt, I had still had the envy of most of the superstars in this fed and I was also cheered when I came out, even when I wasn't in a real match. What did Adian Caine have?
EStev: Regardless I think I need to say something in my own defence...
TJord: I was just thinking that. Are you free this afternoon?
EStev: Yes but don't you think it would be lame to do the same thing again?
TJord: yes, that's why we're not going to do the same thing.
she gives me an address and I agree to meet her at 3. I pride myself on my confidence. I'm not someone that can be easily defeated and Caine hadn't even breached me. His words were nothing but verbal diarrhea spit out by a desperate man.
~*~
2:25pm
Duffel bag in hand I'm leaving my locker room when I crash right in Analise, her plastic case spilling onto the floor.
She said something under her breath as tubes of lipstick and pots of eye shadow roll in all directions. I immediately follow her do the floor to help her pick them up.
"I'm so sorry..." I say and start to crawl around trying to stop them.
"It's not entirely your fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. I've been so frazzled lately..."
"That doesn't have anything to do with a secret admirer does it?" I ask flashing her a grin. She looks back at me annoyed.
"You know he sent me a teddy bear this time...and chocolates...." she rolled her eyes. "I don't want gifts you know, What I want is a guy to just come up and say hey...my name is so and so and I like you. Will you like to go out for drinks some time? Is that really so hard?"
I shrug.
"For some guys it is."
"He actually gave me his phone number this time...but why should I have to call him? I'm old fashioned you know...blame it on the way I was raised but I really feel like a guy should be the one that makes the first move."
I laughed. "Sorry can't agree with you there. I think I've always made the first move."
She stopped for a minute to look at me. "How do you do that?"
"Well I just go up to them and...." she's shaking her head.
"No I mean have so much confidence. What if the guy turned you down?"
"Then he turns me down. I took a huge risk when I went to Drake's room that day but well..."
"It's because your beautiful...if you were plain like me it wouldn't be that easy..."
I frowned. "I don't do things because I've been told my whole life I'm pretty. If anything I've had more trouble because I'm attractive. I learned to use it to my advantage for the most part but if I had been more plain I probably wouldn't be here...I might have ended up some common house wife in Toronto..." The thought was a real possibility....would Daniel have left me alone if I had been born more plain in looks like Chrissy had....we looked alike yes...could almost pass for fraternal twins but her brown hair and blue eyes made her different. Even the 3 inches that I had over her made her not as what some would call beautiful. Although I always thought she was prettier than me.
"Your entirely too modest...I haven't figured out if it's false or not...or if you truly don't know how extraordinary you really are."
"Analise, you are far more beautiful then I will ever be. But we could sit here all day and argue over it and we'd never come to an agreement. It's hard to change someone's mind when they have it made up."
She nodded in agreement. I picked up the last of the run away makeup and handed them to her. She put them back in the box and smiled.
"You know most people wouldn't have stopped and helped me...thank you."
"Despite what some people seem to think about me I'm not a bitch and I'm not judgemental, I call it as I see it."
She laughed. "Right. Good luck tomorrow by the way. I think you deserve the win far more than those other bone heads."
"Who's being judgemental now?" I smirk and she starts laughing.
"It's true. I don't know them and so I want you to win because I think I kind of know you now....maybe even more than just know each other...."
"I never turn down new friends Analise."
"Ana. please, I hate my name...."
"Then call me Lexi." I stand and then offer her my own hand to rise. "I'd love to say let's go grab a coffee or something but I actually have somewhere to be so let me get your phone number." I pull out my phone. She recites it and then I give her mine. "You know what...maybe you should call that guy, even if it's just to tell him that you can't be bought with things...."
"I suppose I could do that...."
"Some guys like a strong woman. Don't count him out before you actually give him a chance. That's just my advice, although my advice on guys is not that great." I give her a half smile and then wave as I head toward the exit.
Maybe I had been able to make some new friends. I still missed London and her cute little laugh that no matter how bad a mood I was in brought me back from the brink of abyss.
~*~
2:56pm
Vegas Balloon Rides
4390 Polaris Ave.
I arrive at the location that Tasha told me to be at and I'm confused. Is that really a hot air balloon that their inflating?
I see a little mustang pull up and once it parks Tasha jumps out, as well as a man holding a hand held camera. I give her a confused look.
"Look, Tasha, I know that I allowed you to do something wacky before but I mean...do you really expect me to get on that thing...don't you know I'm petrified of heights?"
she gives a big smile.
"You have to...when I tell you how much it cost me for the three of us to get in that thing your conscience will eat at you."
Fuck off. Really....she wants me to get into a hot air balloon. The only reason I'd been getting better at airplanes was because one...it was enclosed, two I had drake's fingers to crush.
"I'm not getting on that thing..."
"What was it you said before miss big shot...oh let me quote you a second. 'You must do the thing you think you cannot do'...am I right?"
"I was talking about winning a bloody belt...not getting into a helium death trap..."
"I had to pay extra to make the pilot keep his mouth shut. usually he has this long speech about the history of hot air balloons." She grabs my hand and starts to practically drag me toward where the thing was sitting. "I figured that would look bad in your promo if some old guy was talking in the background."
"Tasha why do I have a feeling I'm going to love to hate you...."
She gave me a smirk and continued to pull me. She was determined...I had to give her that. She had a lot more spunk then London did and I think that would take her far.
The man in the basket gave us all a big smile. "Are you Miss Jordan?" he asked.
"Yes, and my guests, Electra and Bob. he's going to be filming. I'm doing an interview so I was assured by paying the extra 50 bucks you wouldn't do your normal thing..."
"Of course." he smiles and opens the door on the basket. My heart feels like it's going to burst out of my chest. Shoot me...shoot me now.
"Can I at least make a phone call before you take me to my death?" I say. Tasha raises her eyebrows and smiles. I pull out my phone and dial Drake's number. He answers on the second ring.
"Hey honey...when you going to be home?"
"Maybe never." I say and I know the panic is evident in my voice.
"What? Why?....Lexi..." I know I'm over reacting and now I've gotten Drake into paranoia mode.
"Remember I told you that Tasha Jordan wanted to do another interview?"
"Yes..."
"Yeah well this time she's making me get into a hot air balloon...."
There's a couple seconds of silence before he starts bursting out into hysterical laugher.
"Lexi, you'll be fine. You've been doing so much better with planes..."
"This isn't a fucking plane!"
He laughs some more. Damn it. Why did everyone think my fear of falling to my death was irrational? Didn't everyone have a fear...I mean Rage was afraid of.... well He hasn't done anything bad to me lately so I won't embarrasses him...
"You'll be fine Lexi. Make me proud baby. Look how good your last promo was...I was so proud of you. I know that your going to win this with how much more confident you've gotten. Go up there, prove your not afraid of anything and shove it all in that Asshole Caine's face."
I sigh. He was right. Maybe I just needed to hear his voice to give me the courage I needed. I mean if I could get on this contraption and be fine then it will be no problem to beat a big mouth know it all and a British goof ball. right?
"Thanks honey. I'll call when I'm on my way home."
"You'll do fine...." With that I told him I loved him and hung up the phone. Tasha and 'Bob' were already in the basket. I took a deep breath and stepped past the threshold.
"Do you need to kiss the ground before we go?" the pilot laughed and I gave him the nastiest look I could muster through my fear. He shut his mouth and turned back to what he was supposed to be doing. Keeping his trap shut.
We started to rise off the ground and I griped the side of the basket, the whole time Bob has got the camera in my face and I don't want to look like a coward. It was my biggest pet peeve. Maybe this would be good for me. I turn to him and he give me a thumbs up. Tasha moves beside me and then hands me a little mic that goes in your ear and has a mouth piece.
I have no idea how it's hooked up to the hand held but I wasn't the technology expert by any means. She has one too. She looks at Bob.
"Okay go ahead." he says and Tasha turns to me.
"Tell us a little bit about why we're in a hot air balloon, above Sin City Electra..."
I take a deep breath. I could do this. I will not let my opponents' see fear.
"I'm doing this to make a point. I used to be so afraid of heights that I would be paralysed in place. I couldn't even get on a plane without going comatose. I want to show my opponents that Fear does not have a grip on me anymore. I kicked Fears ass and I intend to do the same with you two buffoons. That's right, I'm talking to you with the monkey ears, Adian Caine. you think by standing in the middle of a ring and talking trash about the way I dress it's going to make me bow down to you? a big mouthed pig who couldn't even cut it in a bigger promotion like WWE? How many titles have you held in your life Adian? Just Curious."
"He's also said that you judged him too harshly...what do you have to say about that?"
"You don't like that I pointed out an obvious trait? That you have no respect for women....I don't care what you say your mother taught you, because you don't show it. You say that the only reason you undressed me with your eyes was because I was barely wearing anything....Ummm....since when is a ref shirt and shorts barely wearing anything? the point here is that your just sore because I didn't reciprocate the advance. If I wanted a monkey I'd adopt one. If I wanted something that talked nonsense I'd buy a figit friend or a furby. you say you don't care what I say about or think about you...well I think when 3/4 of your promo was mentioning me somehow that it proves that you do care. If You don't want to admit it...it's no skin of my back."
"What about your other opponent, Toby Foster?"
"You know I have more respect for that guy then I do Caine. At least he had the decency to offer me good luck. There's that thing I was talking about before...someone that actually cares. It could very well be that he only did that because I'm a woman competitor but does it really matter...the fact is that he did it and being the type of person I am I did the same. Caine's got his head stuck too far up his own ass and it will bite him eventually. Probably when I walk out of that ring the winner."
"So you have no doubts that you are going to win tomorrow night?"
"None whatsoever. I am ready for this, as I was ready 8 years ago when I got into that ring with Tammy Velso."
"The name of that opponent whom you couldn't remember?" Tasha asked surprised.
It was true...I could never remember her name but I made an effort after last time to look her up. I'd even found where she was now. She was retired, had a little family and was living in Penn state somewhere. She'd emailed me back to say that she hoped I won and that she was going to watch my match.
"I may not have been able to defeat her but it was close. I have made it my goal to remember the face and name of every person I defeat. Two of those people are going to be Toby Foster and Aidan Caine."
"What about Apostle Kried? if you do win you will have to go on to face him for the title."
"That's right and I'm looking forward to it because he will be my toughest challenge. Like I said, I hardly know him, but I know that he's a decent guy and that it will be a fair match...not like the other match I had in NYCCW against Laura and Lindsey. I will be MPW's first North American Champion and I will be a champion that the fans can be proud to represent them. Now I'm not saying that I'm god's gift to wrestling and I'm not saying that I'm the best out there but I know I'm good and I know that I can overcome any challenge thrown at me."
"Any final words for the fans and our opponents?"
"No, because nothing I do is final. If what I did was final I wouldn't be back here. I would still be in Toronto upset over that loss that made me retire the first time. I will however give everyone some words to think on until they see me sparkle tomorrow night. You can believe what whatever you want...I could stand up here and babble about nothing meaningful and it wouldn't matter a lick because you already have your mind made up. You either love me or hate me. The same with who I'm facing. It doesn't really matter who you want to win, it's going to be the best man or woman that does. I will still go out there and make those who support me proud and that...is the only thing that truly matters."
I stare over the side of the balloon and for the first time in my life, looking down at the ground and all it's doll sized buildings and people I'm not afraid. I look back to the camera.
"I once had this quote of the day calendar and there was one that stuck out at me. So much that I actually kept the paper and taped it on my fridge...and that was..."
I cleared my throat. I had the quote memorized because it applied to me so much.
"'A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up. It's all a matter of pride.' I'm not a quitter anymore. Say what you want about me I'm still going out there tomorrow night and kicking your ass. And I'll do it wearing a string bikini if I want and it's not going to matter because my skill has nothing to do with what I've got on, either way your going to get pinned to that mat."
"Thanks Electra for bringing us up here and showing us a true side of the real Electra Stevens. Make sure to tune in tomorrow night for MPW's Main Event, a 3 way battle for the right to challenge Apostle Kried for the North American Championship featuring not only the lovely and talented Electra but also her competitors Toby Foster, 'the textbook' and Adian Caine."
Bob shut off the camera and smiled.
"Another amazing interview Electra."
"Thanks."
"Are you okay? I'm sorry I forced you up here..."
"I'm great Tasha. Actually I want to thank you. You were right, if I couldn't face my fears here, then how could I do it in a ring. I still don't think I'll be completely okay in a plane or...a hot air balloon but it's getting better."
"I'm glad. We can go down if you want..."
"No, let the man finish his tour, I'm actually having a good time."
"A toast then." the pilot indicates a basket at his feet. Tasha bends down and pulls out a bottle of champagne and three glasses. She fills each half way and hands one to everyone but the pilot, who obviously couldn't drink while on duty.
"To conquering fears." she said.
"And new friendships." I add. It was pretty good. And when I got that title shot it would taste even better. Sweet, nothing bitter about that.