A Little History Lesson...Sort Of

I was walking outside, late at night an alone...the way I wanted to be right now. Granted it was a little chilly out, but that was the reason for my light fabric, long sleeve shirt and jeans. I knew better than to walk around at night without a light long sleeve like the one I had on or at least a light jacket at night in my hometown. No one had really seen me without my hair done or without my make-up done, so I felt a little naked like this, but I wanted to have a semi-normal evening for once. Yes I was genuinely a bitch to everyone 99.99% of the time, but it didn't mean that I wasn't human and that I didn't get just frustrated or irritated at things...and I was finally irritated at the life of being a celebrity in my own sense. You weren't a model and not well known, no matter what you modeled...the two just didn't go hand in hand like everyone wanted to believe they did. Mix wrestling into it all, and I was just royally fucked when it came to privacy. I continued my walk and noticed the cameras following me just a few moments later, giving everyone either a live feed or a video to watch later if they chose to do so.

"Darkness...something that follows all of us at one point or another. It's something that we all embrace at one point in our lives or another. It's inside of us...and it consumes most of us, but it's consumed me in a good way. The careers I have has proved that much. My own personal darkness started right here on these Montreal streets. And I vowed that I'd never come back here again once I was gone yet here I am again for Ragnarok. Oh sure, I'm billed from here and I grew up here in a sense, but I got away from here as soon as I possibly could."

I continued my walk along the sidewalk, following a specific road, not bothering to stay under the lights as I did. I wasn't worried about if someone was going to try and attack me or not since I had made a name for myself before I even left Montreal...you could say that I was a bit of a trouble maker when I was growing up, but I had the perfect past to cause it. An alcoholic father that just grew more alcohol dependent with the death of my mother which ultimately landed me in an orphanage because my father was forced to sign his rights over. Who could expect me to be a good kid after that...I mean really? Who could or would expect me to be good after dealing with all of that before I was even 10 years old. I continued down the sidewalk, with my freshly manicured hands in the pockets of my jeans, for what felt like forever, but I knew in reality, it was only 5 or 10 minutes. I abruptly stopped in front of an old, almost abandoned looking house and walked through the rusted gate, running my hand over the semi-splintered wood ever so lightly as I began to speak in a low voice.

"There are times, whether we realize it or not, that the darkness starts to consume us as young children right in our childhood homes...or what should be our homes. A person's childhood is supposed to be one of the best times in their lives as is their teenage years. But no one thinks about those who have their childhood and teenage years destroyed by something as simple as a sudden car accident or someone that may drink just a little too much. It's true when they say that you never know what tomorrow's going to bring and that it could be your last day. It's kind of funny how that happens, isn't it Anna? We get filled with darkness at an early age but never realize it until it's far to late to save ourselves."

I walked around the somewhat run down house and shook my head as I looked over the condition of it. It hadn't always looked the way it did now, and I knew it since it used to be my home. I decided that I had enough of being filled with horrible memories, and I began making my way down the sidewalk once more, not looking back as my old home faded into the darkest of black shadows. As my journey continued, I started looking around at all of the old sights and saw that other than have sticking with the times, none of them had really changed. I saw a few posters here and there for Simple Plan and the Montreal Canadiens, but the majority of the posters seemed rather aged, so I didn't pay them any mind though they only brought back more memories. I shook my head as I sent the memories back to the depths of my mind and began speaking out loud to no one in particular. I had mentioned my opponent for Ragnarok here and there, but I chose to speak directly to her this time.

"Anna Stone...you have one up on me, there's no reason to deny it, no reason to try and come up with excuses as to why. You just simply have one up on me from BattleGrounds last week, but that's not going to happen again at Ragnarok. It's time for memories to fade, and sweetheart, you're one of the memories. There's no place in the future for the past which means there's no room for you...only for me as the new Queen of Wrestling Champion. It's time to take my Natural place in IWF, and that means taking you down in the process of getting there. I was born for destiny, I knew that without my mother telling my throughout the time she was alive after I was born...she just encouraged that."

Once again I found myself stopping dead in my tracks at the sight of a new renovated yet all too familiar place. I had spent many nights sleeping here from the time I was 7 until I was 8 simply because my dad couldn't stay out of the bar. And yes, I was completely serious about sleeping here...the bartender always had me a small pallet set up behind the bar where I wouldn't be in his way so that he could keep an eye on me since my louse of a father wasn't being parental. I glanced in the window for old time's sake and shook my head angrily and sorrowfully when I saw a familiar body sitting at the bar as usual. For some reason, I felt drawn and compelled to go inside, and I did just that, wrinkling my nose slightly when the smell of alcohol and smoke hit my nose. Despite the fact that I felt disgusting just being in the old bar, I smiled at the sight of the same old bartender. I walked up to the bar, sitting beside the familiar body frame, and smiled at the older man behind the bar before I spoke in a friendly voice to him though I know I took him and the body beside me by surprise.



''Damn it's good to see you again Grant! It's been way too long...you could have visited me at the orphanage, you know."

"Ruby girl! I've missed you sweetheart, and I know...but you know how things here get. I have to be here to watch the people that stumble in here, and it's basically a 24 hour job in some cases."

I knew that Grant was talking about my father since it never seemed like the man left the building. It had been to the point that the old bartender had built a small room for my father to stay in though he kept the alcohol locked up when he went out and her father was there alone. I nodded to Grant in understanding and then turned my attention to the body next to mine. He really did disgust and ashamed me...not that he really care most likely. He had ever only been concerned for himself, so it was a miracle that I didn't wind up dead myself after my mom died...but I really think that was because of Grant. I rolled my eyes as I looked at him, surprised he didn't look worse, but Grant had probably made him clean up and hadn't given him a drink until the one in front of him. I held just a hint of disgust in my voice as I began speaking to him, and of course I instantly wished I hadn't, but there was nothing I could do about it now since the words just seemed to spill off of my tongue and out of my mouth.



"The house looks like shit, I guess you didn't bother ever going back in it after I left. And I see you haven't changed one bit...time's not being kind to you old man. Besides, last Grant here told me, he had put you in rehab...what happened, managed to get kicked out some how?"

"And I thought I'd never have to see your hideous face again...besides what did I need the house for when my good ole buddy here made a room for me in my favorite place in the world. I thought you were leaving and never coming back...what happened to that? Did you fail at life more than you already do, so you decided to come back here and be a fat pig like your mother?"

Now normally, I wouldn't start a fight in Grant's bar just because he was a sweet and kind man, but my father was the one exception to this rule. I didn't care if we were at church or with royalty for some reason or even the damn pope because if I was around him, something was bound to start. I dealt with his words the same way I did any other time I regrettably saw his ugly mug which was a lot more than I would have liked after he gave me up, but he knew the one way to get to me which was to insult my mom. The sad thing is, the same woman that birthed me had married his pitifully desperate for an alcohol fix ass. As soon as I heard the insult start though, I raised my hand and smacked the hell out of him, making sure that my manicured nails scratched the surface of his skin, not enough to cause him to bleed yet, but just enough to leave a nice scratch and welt on his cheek. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Grant trying not to smile since the sperm donor that was my father deserved the smack among much more. Of course a portion of the smack was me imaging Anna's face as well. I wasn't surprised that the two people that were the biggest thorns in my side possible right now were the ones that could easily just enrage me.

"Don't you dare EVER talk about my mother again, you piece of crap! She was 20 times better than you and deserved so much better than you! It's because of you that's she's gone as it is...if you didn't need more damn booze that night then she'd still be here, and I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore! It's a damn miracle your idiotic ass is even still alive! You drink more booze in a day than anyone, that I know, drinks in 6 months or more!"

"Oh please...that woman was every bit of a pathetic bitch that you are. She got no where in life and was nothing more than my personal whore that cleaned after me, cooked for me, got me booze, and was there when I needed a quick fuck. Other than that she was nothing to me, and you weren't much better. I couldn't have gotten rid of you any sooner than after that stupid bitch died."

I felt my anger boiling, and it wasn't hard to tell that it was considering my face was turning beet red and my fists were clenched tight enough for my knuckles to turn white as a ghost. I saw the pathetic excuse of a man laughing in front of my as he continued to nurse his first drink of the night. He knew my life had been turned upside and sent into turmoil because of him, but I also knew that he could have cared less. In his eyes, I was nothing more than a disappointment despite the success I had earned for myself. If anyone wondered about the bitterness that consumed me, all they had to do was come into this bar and look at this man. Grant knew that something bad, yet justified at the same time, was going to happen, so he quickly moved his glasses from us, which proved to be a good call on his part since I all but tackled my father to the ground from his bar stool. The impact of hitting the floor didn't bother me too much...I'd be sore later, but the sperm donor in front of me would be way worse off than I would be. I instantly began throwing punches, hitting him in the face, the chest, his arms, basically anywhere I could reach although I wasn't seeing just his face, I knew that in the back of my mind, I was seeing Anna's face and imagining the beat down I was going to give her at Ragnarok. I smirked when I heard the satisfying crunch of his nose, but I didn't stop by a long shot. I got up and grabbed an extra chair that Grant had out only to turn around and dent and break it over my old man's head and torso. I threw the chair down and smirked again, glad that I had decided to wear pointed toe boots as I began kicking him, sending blows to his hips and knees before finally settling on his crotch. I grinned in as I listened to his shrieks of pain from me grinding my stiletto heel into his balls before I gave him one last kick and looked over at Grant.

"Sorry about the mess Grant....but it could have been worse. At least you got the classes out of the way."

"Honey, don't even worry about it. I saw it coming, that's why that was an extra chair. And blood isn't that unusual of a sight in a bar. I'll take him to get cleaned up after closing."

I laughed at Grant's words and gave the older man a hug before I turned to leave the bar. I knew that Grant wouldn't call the cops on me, and my father didn't have enough balls to dare call the cops on me for beating the shit out of him. Everyone else in the bar just minded their own business since it didn't concern them...well that and they all knew better than to mess with me since all the regulars knew me somehow. As I passed my father's curled up body, I sent one last kick into the center of his spine, making sure that I gave it all of my might and not caring what damage I did to the man. I was about to leave the bar when I looked back at my dad and slowly made my way back over to him, spitting on his now injured body before I spoke in a low and menacing voice.

"I wouldn't be within 2,000 miles of you if I could help it, but I'm here on work. I wrestle now, but I guess you could really care less about my life...although the feeling is quite mutual. But I have a huge match on Sunday against Anna Stone at Ragnarok for IWF. And despite what you say, I know I'm making a name for myself considering I'm in a title match within just a few weeks of signing with IWF. And trust me, I don't want to be anywhere near your pathetic self anymore than you want me around. Next time though, I would choose your words very carefully otherwise you'll be in much worse shape for talking shit about the best woman that was alive. Hopefully next time I'm stuck seeing you, you'll be on your death bed."

With having said that, I turned on my heels and walked out of the bar, and a part of my life that I never wanted to see or handle again. With any luck, IWF wouldn't be back in Montreal any time soon after this, so I never would have to go through that again. Once outside, I crossed the street and turned now another street, only to show the viewers that there wasn't much more light down this street than the one before. Here was where I felt most at home, in the most darkness I could find on these streets. I knew where I was going, I had been down this way many years from the time I was 7 until I was 18 and it hadn't changed a bit in the couple of years I had been gone. It was a bit more of a walk than anywhere else, and I began speaking again.

"Oh Anna, I bet you can't wait to exploit my shadows in our match...everyone finally knows something that proves to be a problem for me rather than something positive. But I suppose what you don't realize is that my shadows, my darkness, is what makes me who I am today. I'm something more than just some silly little girl from Montreal that got lucky with modeling and then sick of it in two years. I'm far more than a pathetic woman that decided to try wrestling for some fun and to get away from modeling for a bit. And I'm certainly far tougher than anyone actually gives me credit for, especially you Anna. I lost in a tag team match and to Loca, big whoop either way. When it comes to actual single matches however, I have remained undefeated since signing and joining Natural Law. I aim to keep it that way as well when Ragnarok actually happens. You may walk in as a champion, sweetheart, but you'll be getting rolled out on a stretcher. And me? Well I'll be walking out with the Queen of Wrestling Championship around my waist where it rightfully belongs. I hope you've kept it nice and shiny for me because I want a freshly polished title around my waist, not something that looks grungy and dingy because it had the misfortune of being stuck with you."

I quickly turned on my heels as I finished speaking, but it was only because I had reached my desired location. I was in front of an old church, but I went into the cemetery that was beside it instead. It took me around five or so minutes, simply because of the overgrowth, but I soon found my mother's grave and brushed all of the leaves and fines off of it. I sat on my knees in front of her grave, not caring about the damp grass and dirt, and bowed my head in a small prayer. Normally I wasn't one to pray, but my mom had always encouraged it, so I always did for her when I would remember to...this time was no different than the past times however. I leaned forward and kissed the headstone that read this:

"Here lies Marietta Winters
March 3rd, 1969 to November 18th, 1999
Beloved mother, sister, aunt, daughter, and woman.
May the angels welcome her with open arms."

I sighed softly as I stared at her grave for a few more minutes. I didn't really have much to say in this instance, but I felt at peace in the graveyard. I wasn't one of those people that was into the creepy shit like this, but my mother's presence was always with me here more so than anywhere else, and it just made me feel that much better about everything in life. I stood up a few moments later and left the graveyard though I glanced back at the grave as I left. I was about to go back to the hotel when the church beside the graveyard grabbed my eye. I smirked and walked inside, surprised that it was still going, and made my way to the front and the large statue to Jesus Christ. I sat on my knees once more and bowed my head, bringing my hands up in a prayer stance and began speaking in a soft voice.

"Our Lord and heavenly father, keep your warm embrace upon my mother as she rests there with you. I'm not going to pray for a miracle for myself this week as I was taught to always be worrysome towards others, so instead I shall pray for this. Place your hand on Anna Stone in hopes that I don't destroy her too badly and so that she may be able to return to the ring of IWF sooner rather than later when I'm finished with her. Keep your eye upon her so that she may realize when she is done even if I may not be done with her. And shield her body with your own as protection for the pain and terror that I'll bring upon her lowly form. On Sunday at Ragnarok, Anna Stone will need all the protection that you'll be able to provide for her Lord because she hasn't truly met me in the ring, and this week is going to be different. Forgive me Father, for soon I shall sin upon Anna Stone and kill her career. Amen."

I looked up and smirked as I stood, keeping my eyes on the statue before turning and walking out of the church. It was only a matter of time now, and Anna was soon going to learn just how much of a 'nothing' I truly was in the ring. It was time for the Gem of IWF to truly shine bright, and I intended on shining my absolute brightest.