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IRL!

(Saturday, Sept. 3rd, 2022)

Clash of the Castle

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Morning. Chaos. Tight chest. Breathe.

Coffee. Hot shower. Blood blister.

Breathe. Count to five. Stop. Slow down.

Get up. Wake up. Stop. Get out. Help. Help. Help m-

The morning of a ple was always the most painful, chest-tightening experience of a day.

I've fought many, I've won many, but today is different.

Today is critical.

Leaving NXT, or more-so being "called-up" is an absolute fight to shine, or dull out. Most wrestling fans only care about you for a short period of time. And if you've just arrived to Raw or SmackDown, your window of opportunity to stand out before you're iced out, crafted into a joke, or shoved into a random tag-team is minimal.

Few these days actually make a long lasting impression to stay. NXT wrestlers aren't painted in the same gold they use to be. The Paige's and Finn's are hard to come by now.

SummerSlam was a vital moment, but this one is pivotal. If I don't win tonight, I might as well not be worth a damn for years to come.

Talent. Desperation. Doubt. Run.

Time. Fading. Endless. End it.

Gotta win. Gotta win. Gotta win.

Losing is not an option worth feening, and time is not a luxury to spare.

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Denni had to arrive early with me to run through her schedule for tonight of which wrestlers she would photograph backstage and ordered us coffee and egg bites for me when we got here. My stomach was too twisted in knots, but I did need food in my system all the same, and to stay hydrated.

While Denni went off, I went to hair first since that'd be the quickest. I wanted something cute but simple, first ple or not, I wanted it out of my face. We went with a braid starting from my roots and intertwining in a pony tail bubble braid. Then I moved over to Jet for makeup, discarding my protein coffee along the way and starting on my second water. I worked on my gear for tonight endlessly this past week and Jet and I messaged the past couple days with ideas and inspo pics for a makeup look to match.

Rhea arrived towards the end of my makeup, raving on and on about it before Jet snagged some pictures to post and Rhea and I swapped positions so she could get hers one next. We talked about how Dominik Mysterio is supposed to flip soon, but they weren't being told when... savoring element of surprise, but I told her it's gotta be tonight since it was a ple after all.

When I finally allow myself to look in the mirror after changing into my gear, chills spread all thoughout my scared body. One brow is painted red, the other white. Jet did a beautiful job creating a wing and eye look with red, white, and black and also creating claw marks on my cheek to match my gear. White top and bottom, both etched with black lines, black claw marks with hints of blood, blood splatters, and rhinestones adorning all throughout. My vision of clawing my way to the top of the division, and not minding to get my hands bloody on the way there.

I smudge my red-painted lips and stretch my neck side to side.

I'm ready.

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After two hours of agonizingly waiting, stretching, warming up, it's finally time. The only moments I wasn't moving in some way was when Dominik Mysterio turned on his dad, knew it.

I inhale sharply in the gorilla, taking my mind to another place. I will walk out of tonight in victory, or I will not be worthy of coming back.

Our video package plays out on screen, starting with my SummerSlam debut, flashing through SmackDown over the past few weeks, and our separate interviews.

"Of course she'd choose Ronda Rousey to make a name for herself, but this is stupid. I would've snapped Liv's little arm off and walked out as champion at SummerSlam if it weren't for her."

"The fastest way to rise to the top is to take out the best. Somehow that's some washed up MMA fighter who claims I've been given handouts?! As if her first match in this company wasn't on the biggest stage of them all, the event those of us only dreaming about being a part of someday? Not only that, it was with a Hall of Famer and against Triple H and Stephanie? Okay..."

"This bitch is gonna get her arm snapped and tap out like ever other woman I've ran through in this company so far. Shayna can keep the title warm, cause after I'm through with Crimson, it'll be mine." Her dumbass smug grin is the last thing that shows before all I can see is red. She appears on screen, walking out from the back as I'm ushered to the curtain. The voices and chaos around me sounds like I'm hearing it under water when suddenly my music hits.

Punk, Shawn, and Uncle Jack's texts whirl through my mind, along with Rhea, Day, Finn's words. The flashes of Denni's camera as her smile beams brighter.

All the doubt, all the bruises, the aches, the late nights, the early mornings, ice packs, heating pads, cracked blisters, rough callouses, the abu-— the screams, the pain will be worth it. It will.

I step out onto the stage, the crowd a roaring hum as I make my way down the ramp wearing a cunning look of amusement. Once on the apron, I drag my nails across the claw marks of my gear before laying across the top rope and blowing a kiss to Ronda who's bouncing back and forth on her toes, shaking her head while punching the air.

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall.... introducing first!" The announcers voice falls upon deaf ears until the bell ringing snaps me back to reality.

Ronda pins me down with a steaming stare, my lack of movements boiling her over. I raise my hands up, with a light shrug gesturing for her to make a move.

"Let's play," I smirk eagerly, "Bitch."

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𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

HAPPY MONJEY NIGHT MAMIII!!

Heyyy... long time no seee!! Welcome back to Crim Ust... y'all still here haha

So srry it's been a couple weeksss, I have been actively working on this chap for the past couple weeks but ngl i got stuck a few times this chap & fell asleep early many evenings lol, butt we're backkk!!! I seriously hate going a bit without updating this book bc i get stressed ppl will lose interest & ik so many of y'all read this so i try to not let y'all down, & it feels like it's been foreverrr omggg!! missed y'all & y'all's commentary smmm!!

ALSOOO!!! I'VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU GUYSSS BUTTT I AM GOING TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW IN 2 WEEKKSSS!!! AHHH!! I'M SO EXCITED!! This will be my first raw show!! And only my 2nd one ever!! My first wwe show was last August when I went to SD!!

And wp added a poll featureee, hello?! Oh I will be USING the hell outta thattt, esp for this book haha, sooo I did one for fun to try it out!! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapterrr!! I felt like that spongebob meme where he's writing in the zone on fire haha, I am SOO proud of the beginning of this chap, I'm obsessed with it!! I was gonna have the match in this chap but blinked and wrote a lot and had a good stopping point sooo... untilll next timeee ;)

RAW RANT !! THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT RETURN BC WHO THE HELL WAS IN CHARGE OF RAW TN?! I AM PISSED TF OFF ABOUT BOTH TITLE SITUATIONS TN WHAT THE HELL...!!!