99 Problems and Nero Ain’t One

[Ryan LeCavalier]

99 Problems and Nero Ain’t One

She’s been defeated before—

Nevertheless she’s all sideways grins and lifted eyebrows, sight smiles on top of bruises, raw determination a and fire in her eyes not to mention that force of will she recognized for so well – she’s harnesses it on a regular basis. It’s in the way that she fights out of holds – the boiling of her blood – reaching every inch to get back to her feet. She’s more than just a fighter, she’s lioness; one that surges trough wrestling at a moment’s notice. The adrenaline rush that she gets from stepping between the ropes is like no other, if you were to ask it would only be hard for her to explain it to you. She’s always ready easily standing within a state of steady anticipation. Yearning for every single second spent in front of a crowd, she’s backed down from no one and unexpectedly become one of the best in the sport of professional wrestling.

She likes it. She respects it. She sees things in it that make her want to ascend to become a better person outside of wrestling, even if that meant devoting her life to it, even if her status is one worn down from time and trial and error. She’s ever the optimist, the admirable, and immediately there’s that intrinsic urge that’s been inside of her entire life: to want to ascend to the highest of heights.

There’s no hesitation in her movement – even if she wasn’t the favorite going into her quarter-final main event against “Sunshine Scandalous” Tony Carmine. She decided to take the more proactive approach, because even if he didn’t think that she could wrestle on his level, she meant to prove him wrong. Even if there was a part of her that insisted that it wouldn’t matter either way (he’d look through her, the same as he always does others nowadays, not seeing how close of a bullet he dodged or how he just so happen to luck into a semi-finals spot.) Where she didn’t see the point in being given an empty opportunity she saw a chance to do something different: she’d put forth one of the best matches of her career.

And she did—

Tony was victorious of course.

He’s secured his semi-final encounter against Annie Zellor at the 5th Anniversary Show.

It never occurs to her to seek retaliation; at arm’s length she registers it (his eventual victory over her) as insignificant, and then let’s go and proceeds on, this all while underneath the assumption that it wasn’t her time.

And then there was someone on her mind like: Chris Madison.

Madison was a physical manifestation of all her growing suspicions that she had about both her career and her style for wrestling. It was like both assumed the identity of a car driving a hundred miles an hour on the freeway; she has her spine back against tarnished plush of the seat. Madison was the seatbelt tightening like razor wire across her chest.

Trapped by momentum, all she can do is hold on; knuckles hinged bone-white around the overhead handle, gripping as if it were some last shred of sanity.

Coiled pose obscuring comes

An unwieldy,

Deceptive breath.

Ryan knew that being alone with her thoughts after her previous week – where she wrestled for most of it – was a bad idea. Sure, there were a few people who were proud of her (and what she’s done), but half of them she hadn’t interacted with them in a long period of time; on the other hand, others were complete strangers…she didn’t even know. They didn’t know her. They didn’t know her habits too well and only had heard of them through word of mouth, thought she was always good for applying sound judgment, though what they didn’t realize was she wasn’t as focused on the tournament once it was announced. There was a reason for that with more than one point surfacing at the same time: (1. She hadn’t earned her shot, they jettisoned her into it. 2. She hadn’t attained a mouth full of gold like the rest of the field. 3. She really wanted to get her hands on Zero non-titled of course for putting a black eye on the company.)

That’s why she went directly into training thereafter. She had more important things to worry about, though she was frustrated karma seemingly put her on a path. Her luck changed, it was indifferent. Chris Madison was someone who was on her level, if not above. Madison not only wrestled, he fought, and he was damn good at it. That actually bothered her for some reason. Tony might’ve won the battle, but he hadn’t won the championship. Yet, there’s this sense that he actually might should he get past Annie Zellor. The thought crossed her mind should Zellor actually best Carmine; and she almost vomited. Not because Zellor was horrible, she couldn’t stomach knowing she was bested by someone who went onto become FGA World Champion.

That’s why her focus was drawn elsewhere. Not only was she preparing for an uneventful (at least for her) 5th Anniversary celebration against Nero Darling, she’s slated to fight Erika Geneva in Macto Legion Championships. You didn’t have to guess as to which was more important to her.

THWACK!

She assumes a defensive stance after throwing a very harsh middle kick to the side of the punching bag; the kick rocked the bag slightly. She brings both her fist steady as they’re gloved and ready for combat, she’s been at this for hours with seemingly no end in sight. Not only has she been training off and on for the past few weeks, she’s been using her defeat as the catalyst for ascending to higher plains within FGA.

“Someone came in early.” marked a voice of someone who seemed to be directly behind her.

She smirked, throwing another jab at the punching bag, “You know me. Always have to resort back to violence some way or another.”

“Of course, it’s how you communicate.” Riley offered, watching her progress like a willful teacher. His arms slowly cross is chest as he assumes as the position as ‘spotter’ looking for any imperfections in her striking. Luckily for him, already he’s found none.

“Such the comedian,” Ryan huffed slightly her breathe out of rhythm. A sharp elbow thuds against the bag that only led into a Right cross landing in sequence. “How’s the new job going? I hear ever since you switched your focus to training others, you’ve really amassed yourself quite the following.” Ryan’s eyes didn’t leave the punching bag, instead she reset her position and threw a high axe kick that landed perfectly.

“Is it really a following?” Riley asked, shaking his shoulders while is arms are folded. “I’ve always felt that if you reach a certain point in your career you give back no matter the profession. It’s part of the reason why I’ve been helping you so much. Not that you need it, anyway. In all likelihood you’ve built yourself a glorified support system with me hanging around.”

“Is it really that much of a support system?” Now Ryan trades a single glance with Riley, however, it’s one of those playful glances that they often traded back and forth. “Last I checked I wasn’t able to throw flying submissions aimed at professional wrestling.”

“Touché, but at least you learned them.” Riley joked, as if she was a horrible ‘student’. Riley cocked his head to the side, “What about you, what’s been going on?”

Ryan sighed, thinking about her encounter with Chris Madison, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you actually...”

“What is it?” he looked at her puzzled, unsure what she might’ve asked. Still, he was going to be supportive no matter what or so he thought.

“Do you know anything about Chris Madison?”

Riley stood puzzled for a little longer before saying anything, “Madison? Yeah, I’ve seen some of his work. He’s pretty though – something going on?”

Ryan nodded, confirming it. “He’s been running through the competition in FGA. I beat someone I beat weeks before in record timing, he also was included on that World Championship tournament FGA threw. Of course we both didn’t make it, however, we’ve crossed paths and sort of challenged one another.” she reveals firmly though there’s a slight pain in the side of hers ribs, it’s stuck, and it doesn’t feel like she’s right for it.

“Not much, from what I do know he’s pretty good. If you’re looking to challenge yourself, he’s the perfect guy to start with.” Riley confessed rubbing the side of his hand, “You’ll need to on standby around him, that’s for sure.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” A quick wink is thrown in Riley’s direction and a faint grin faded from her lips. She chops at the bag with another sharp kick. “I don’t know what I enjoy more. The fact that Madison could very well be the best person I’ve come up against in a very long time or the fact I don’t know what he’ll do.”

I see in trying to get somewhat ahead during FGA’s World Championship Tournament I fell just short. I know people won’t admit that the main event that I wrestled two weeks ago was anything short of interstellar. For the very first time the entire roster of Frontier Grappling Arts got a preview of what I’m really about. If anything, they’re not wondering if I can go anymore – just ask Tony. I said above all else, I was going to decide if Tony walked away with the spot in the Semi-Finals. Yeah, I didn’t win. Though, didn’t Tony learn my name? With that said, I think Tony has earned my respect. Have I earned his? No, but that’s not what it’s about. I had a goal: I was honest with myself that tournament wasn’t meant for me to win, so instead I tried to have a coming out party so to speak.

Instead of pretending that my individual exploits were interesting enough warranted a shot, I focused on getting through the tournament as a primary goal. Gotta keep climbing, right? I know I’ve said that the tournament wasn’t for me. No matter how many times I reiterate that, I know that neither the fans nor you (as my peers) would even believe it. I’m either lying because I wasn’t good enough or I’m lying because deep down nobody would’ve given me a second thought while you’ve got names in it like Johnny Canon, SSTC, Annie Zellor…so on, and so forth.

Here’s the truth. Some opportunities just aren’t made for you. I know that’s hard to believe, but knowing the match I wrestled last week was meaningless really does add some perspective to things. For example, this week is supposed to be the 5th Anniversary show for FGA – it’s where we celebrate everything FGA’s gone through to continually provide quality wrestling to those who’ve desperately have been in search for it. And while that’s all well and good, I noticed that my opponent this week is someone I’m no stranger to facing…well, at least not in the ring anyway.

Unfortunately for Nero, this is pretty much an old VHS tape ready to be played over and over again. Now, I’m not one to doubt someone’s skills in the ring. But if you saw what I saw in the cage during our fight at MLC’s 5th event, you’d think otherwise I’m sure. Certainly something’s got to give right? She’s got to pull one back against the combat specialist turned professional wrestler. I don’t know who the matchmaker for Vertigo is – all I know is, if he’s a fan of the MLC he already knows what I might try to put her away with. For those of you out there who’ve never seen what happened I’ll tell you, Nero just felt the need to take a nap. I remember it was a spinning back kick, something that for some reason she didn’t see coming. If she would’ve studied tape or at least watched my highlights she wouldn’t have been left drooling on the canvas, and then I think back to now, she’s about to go through that all over again.

I wouldn’t think so had I not lived it, but I've been wrong before.

Then again, some of you already see it coming – either by sure confusion or future sight – you already know the outcome of this match, they’ll turn a blind eye to what’s going to happen. I get it though; there are far more important matches on the card. You’ve got two semi-finals to crown, not to mention the crowning of a new contender. There are four polarizing personalities vying for a shot at Zero…we don’t have to like it, but that doesn’t mean somewhere down the line we can’t change our fate.

I hope I’m not considered an awful human being, I don’t like the idea of carrying all of Nero’s weight; just like I don’t like the fact FGA’s carrying Zero’s weight as he guilt’s them shamelessly for attention. If you think I won’t make a statement off of Nero’s presence, you’re sadly mistaken. Sadly, it won’t be much of a statement if all she does is collapse to the ground after a couple of moves. Again, I’m actually concerned about her well being. If she’s up for making a name for herself, I fully support and encourage her to show me something I haven’t seen. If we’re being optimistic still, I think after this match it would be perfect if she called it a career. Trust me. It would be perfect, it being the 5th Anniversary Show and all…

I know sounds it’s pretty delusional, I know, but what am I supposed to do? It’s not like I didn’t have a chance myself to taste of pseudo glory. They’ve had theirs and now they want a purer concentration of it, and they figure it’s time to go after it when the actual champion isn’t around.

All I know is this might be one of the greatest matches of Nero’s career and she’ll be better for it in the end.