She strained her ears, trying to hear the muted sounds coming from the living room over the running water, making a cheerful splashing in the sink. Soft clinks of ceramic dinner plates being moved about punctuate the soft humming of her mother, washing dishes with all the speed of a sleepy snail.
She waits, towel in hand, bouncing on the toes of her shoes, eager to get the chore of drying the dishes over with, so she could be off. Her eyes flick to the bright green numbers lit up on the microwave. There was still time, but she didn’t want to miss a second!
“Nova...” her name, spoken like a prompt, has her head swiveling back to see the soft amber eyes of her mother looking at her, hand outstretched with a small salad bowl in it. She takes it, begins drying it carefully, her tongue poking out from between her lips as she makes sure to get all the water droplets.
She would just have to do it over if she missed any.
She sets the bowl down on the counter and gets back to waiting, scuffing her toe on the worn linoleum of the kitchen floor, keeping one ear attuned to the doorway. As a serving spoon heads her way, she grabs it before it even has a chance to stop earning her an arched brow and small look of amusement. “In a bit of a rush, are we?” the light musical tones were teasing. “Where do you have to be that you are in such a hurry?”
“Oh... I...” she stammers, her gaze skittering towards the doorway to the living room and back. “Just wanted to spend some time with dad... watching TV.” Her mother was not the biggest fan of things she thought was ‘too violent’ for Nova. For being a free spirit, and a bit of a hippie, Rainbow Skye –yes really- had some pretty antiquated views on how she should raise her young daughter.
Unfortunately for her, that daughter had been born with a healthy dose of wild and untamed nature, chafing under the bridle of being like a lady. She was constantly being tutted at for coming home with torn dresses and scraped up knees. Her mother couldn’t always be around when she played outside but this? This was something Nova wasn’t really willing to run the risk on... her father usually sided with her but.... Her eyes go round and innocent, taking the offered plate and setting the towel to it feverishly.
“Hmm. Too much of that will rot your brain you know. You should really read one of the nice, what was it? Boxcar Children? Books that your auntie Poppy sent you.”
Nova makes a small noise of agreement, wishing desperately to get off the subject, and any chance of things going south for her.
“Did you do your homework?” the question seemed to come out of nowhere, but she bobs her head. “Yes momma, I finished all of it before dinner.” Rainbow seems lost in thought for a few minutes, scrubbing small circles on a pan, while staring out into the deepening dusk through the small window over the sink. The red checked gingham curtains dance lightly in the soft breeze that comes in, teasing her mother's chestnut locks. She is just about to sneak another peek at the time, when the lilting tones come once more on a soft sigh. “Okay Nova, you can be excused from your chores tonight. But...” she tilts her head, stilling her vibrating with glee daughter, holding up a soapy finger. “You do double duty tomorrow, set AND clear the table, got it?”
“Yes momma!”
Nova bolts from the room, happiness lending wings to her feet, she skids to a halt and whirls, returning to poke her head around the doorframe, a wide smile lighting up her small face.
“Thank you!”
She spins, scampering swiftly down the hall as the announcement for the upcoming show hits the air. Just in time! She barrels through the door and tumbles onto the couch on top of her brother in a giggling heap. “Hey, get off!” he gives her a mild shove, not really minding his little sister but at the age where it was time to act cool. It apparently took a lot of practice. Nova caught him posturing in the mirror all the time. She disentangles herself, grabbing a throw pillow to bop him over the head with.
“Calm down squirt.” the mild voice of her father emerges from the deep, comfy recliner as he raises the bottle of beer to his lips for an idle swig. Unfazed and unbothered by most things, he never takes his eyes off the television. “Orion, remember she's little.”
“I’m not THAT little.” Nova mumbles, settling for sticking her tongue out at Orion. She places the pillow down, eyes now riveted to the screen as the opening theme hits, an ornate pyrotechnic show making the screen flash with all different colors. Her mouth drops open in a small little ‘o’ of pleased surprise, when the very first thing that happened after the announcers talked about the show, was the music of her absolute favorite personality coming through the speakers.
Nova lived for wrestling.
The colors of the lights, the screaming of the fans, the brightly hued costumes, the drama... Listening to the wrestlers pump the crowd up, talk to their opponents, post under the spotlights... it filled her heart and soul with the desire to be a part of it.
Her gaze ravenously eats up all the moves, tensing when all seems lost. Watching the bodies soar through the air like they had invisible wings has her holding her breath, letting it out with a whoosh when the move connects. She cheers when her favorite wins the match, earning an eyeroll from her brother. “You know they can't hear you right?”
“Shut up!”
“YOU shut up.”
“Both of you quit.” the chiding tone of their mother has them both obeying, sinking down into the cushions under her stern gaze. Rainbow stares at the television, pressing her lips together before turning to her husband. “I think this is a bad influence. You know I don’t like when they talk like that...”
“Oh Rain, they aren't learning from this...”
It is that unfortunate moment, that the wrestler in the ring screams out ‘SHUT UP!’ at the top of his lungs to the booing crowd. She slants him an ‘oh really?’ look “James, do you really think they should be watching this nonsense? Especially Nova? She’s so little. The violence...”
“I’m not THAT little.” she mutters again, her hand coming up to twirl the end of one long pigtail. “I don’t think we have to worry about them trying to take out their friends with a running clothesline or anything. And as for the language... it's not that bad, BUT I’m sure they will promise not to do it again. Right?” Both kids bob their heads in agreement, turning hopeful expressions up to their mother. “Yeah, we are sorry mom.” Orion weedles. Nova scrunches her face up at him slightly. It was annoying, but he was pretty good at sucking up to their mother. He had gotten them extra portions of dessert in the past.
“Oh alright... But I had better not regret this.” Rainbow turns and continues on her way, down the hallway towards the bedrooms. James sips on his beer, looking over his two kids. “You two can watch, but no acting it out and watch your words, you know your mother doesn’t approve of things like that.” he says, pointing the beer bottle at each of them in turn. They nod. Rainbow ran a strict household when it came to manners... a little over the top to be honest, but she had a soft heart. Nova looks back at the TV, a small smile curving up her lips.
“I’m gonna be a wrestler one day.”
She wasn’t even aware the words had come out of her mouth until Orion snorted. “What? I am!” she says defensively, looking to her father who looks at her with a bemused expression. “Well, I am! Why don’t you believe me? I CAN do it!”
He laughs and shakes his head, choosing to humor his precocious daughter.
“I know you can do it.”
___________________________________________________________
“I know you can do it Nova! Come on!”
Lungs worked like bellows as her legs worked, keeping pace with the man running beside her. Muscles complained, being pushed beyond the endurance they had been used to, but still she urged them on, focused on the path before her, her eyes on the building that loomed up in front of her. The figure to her right gains ground, moving slightly ahead.
Almost there.
She could do this.
Adrenaline surges and her stride lengthens bringing her abreast once more, keeping steady until they cross the invisible finish line. They slow, coming to a halt. Nova bends over, hands braced on her thighs as she sucks in deep lungfuls of cool air, trying to get her breath back. Her body shimmers with a light sheen of sweat despite the cool temperature. A light smack on her back has her craning her head around, offering up a grin to her trainer. “Great job today. Glad you could keep up after that ring work. Your stamina has really improved.”
“Thanks Tanner.” Nova straightens, following him back into the building.
“You nervous for your debut?” he asks as he tosses her a towel. She presses it gratefully to her face. “Believe it or not, no. I’m more excited than anything else. When I got the chance to go out into the arena after signing my contract it felt.... amazing. I’ve wanted to do this since I was a little kid.” He nods in response as they both sink into cool down stretches. “It’s going to be different than you expect. Your nerves might hit you right before you hit the stage. Talking to the crowd and actually wrestling are two separate animals. Especially the type of match you’re going into. You’ve trained hard for this, not everybody gets to live their dream you know.”
“I know... I didn’t expect it to be on Malevolence either, but when she offered it, I couldn’t resist! I had thought I’d be a curtain jerker in a regular match. If I win, against over a dozen others, it puts me at a higher chance of working my way up to a title shot.”
“Slow down killer... Take this one match at a time. Such a damn rush and you haven’t even gotten your feet wet.”
She flashes him a megawatt smile. “You said yourself I have a natural talent Tanner. I’m not going to give up until I get what I want. I’m going to be wearing that gold sooner rather than later, mark my words.”
“You’re stubborn as fuck is what you are... So, I don’t doubt it.” he chuckles as he crosses his arms, leaning back against the ring apron. “Why did you pick a company based overseas though? There are plenty here, you know Mikey would have vouched for you.”
“They were the best fit. I looked at a lot. Most were missing something that I was looking for, the IIW... it checked all my boxes. With the exception of being in the UK. I mean, if all goes well I’ll just get an apartment closer to the airport or rent a flat out over there and split my time between it and the States.”
“When are you flying out?”
“Tonight actually. In a few hours. In fact, I brought my stuff with me.”
“Why so soon? The shows not until next week, isn’t it?”
“I wanted to go out early and look around, learn the area. I didn’t get a chance to stay more than overnight when I signed, and I’ve never been over there otherwise... so it's kinda like a vacation too. Do some sightseeing, taste some food, you know... real touristy stuff.”
“Then you’d better go and get cleaned up and get your ass to the airport.”
Nova nods and throws her arms around Tanner in an exuberant hug. He returns it, then settles his hands on her shoulders, setting her out in front of her. “And good luck... We are all going to be watching, and rooting for you.”
She pecks him on the cheek and scampers to the locker room, pausing only to turn on the shower that always took forever to heat up the way she liked, before walking over to the two suitcases sitting on the bench among the long row of metal lockers. She pulls out some street clothes, and lays them out neatly. She glances at the large clock on the wall. A quick shower and she would be on her way to catch the plane that would ferry her over the ocean to what was her dream come true. Elation fills her as she strips the oversized t-shirt over her head. She had worked hard, and now she was so ready to reap the rewards. During her favorite holiday too? It was just meant to be!
She turns, popping the door open to look at the costume hung neatly within. Emerald green fingerless gauntlets that would run the entire length of her forearms from wrist to elbow. Slick metallic green singlet that was designed to look like a dress. Matching emerald hued boots. All adorned around the edges with fake foliage. Ivy to be exact.
Poison ivy.
Her own play on it, because why be like the rest of the crowd when you were born to stand out?
She carefully folds it, settling everything into her suitcase. She pulls out a thick, corded rope that she would wear around her waist. The long, flowing train of sheer gold and kelly green fabric shimmered wildly as the hundreds of sequins catch the light. She could only imagine how it would look under the spotlights of the arena as she strolled down the ramp, flowing out behind her like a banner in the wind.
Steam was now filling the air, indicating the shower was hot enough. She swiftly begins to strip. The quicker she got this done, the quicker she would be on her way. She had a plane to catch.
And an entire roster to show just who the new star was.
Nova Skye, was about to take IIW by storm.
___________________________________________________________
“Dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.
I have achieved many throughout the years, with the best ones so far being accepted into a training school, and being hired on by Intense International Wrestling. On Sunday, the 17th, another one of mine comes to fruition. Stepping into the ring for the first time in my professional wrestling career. This has been something I have never stopped wanting, ever since I was a young girl. It was a dream I chased relentlessly even when so many doubted I could do it. They didn’t think I had the size, they didn’t think I had the strength... what they did not see, if that I more than made up for it in tenacity.
Their comments only served to push me.
Push me to train harder. Push me to take my body to the limits. Push me to defy all the odds.
I wanted to prove them all wrong and I did, and I will continue to do so as I launch into my path to stardom, because make no mistake about it... that is where I am destined.
To be IIW’s number one star.
Some might say that I am too cocky, and yeah... perhaps I am. But for good reason. Let’s be real... I have it all and then some. I have the looks, I have the charisma, I have the talent... and most of all I have the drive to chase things down. I will never be content to play around at the bottom of the ladder. My eyes are firmly affixed at the top, and I am going to power my way right on up, knocking off whoever thinks they are going to stand in my way. Rung after rung, until I hit the pinnacle, playing in the sky... until I reach the ceiling with the other top stars.
And then I’ll break that too.
Because even the top isn't good enough... no... I want to be known as the one and only, the best. To step into the Hall of Records. I’m here to both set and shatter records.
I fully plan on doing so in my quest to complete the next dream on my checklist... and that is to wear IIW gold around my waist. I have a bit of fondness for all things sparkly and shiny, and come on... everybody knows damn well that those belts would look better around my waist, than any of the others hanging around the roster.
And the ironic thing is... my very first match I get to prove just how powerful I actually am.
Not only do I get to make my debut performance on a pay per view event, I get to do so not in a one-on-one match... but a battle royale with about a dozen others. These ladies with be the first to taste defeat at my hands. The first to be graced with my presence in that ring, to stand across from me, look into my eyes and know just how much trouble they are in. To feel the determination radiating from my very being. To drink deep of the fire that burns in my soul... but all will suffer the same fate, one right after the other. Because there can be only one winner that night...
And it will be me.
It won’t be Hixx. It won’t be Vengeance. It won’t be Wyld, or Cano, or Frost.
It will be me.
Now girls, let me just say, I sincerely hope you bring me your all. I do love good competition after all, I wouldn’t want to make this look too easy.”
She flashes a sassy wink to the camera.
“I am not looking by any of you... after all, anybody can get lucky, right?
But I took the time to do a little bit of research on each and every one of you, and what I saw... just boosted my confidence right on up. While a couple of us are coming in on even footing, this being our first match... the majority of you seem to already be under me in the rankings with nothing but a loss or two to your names. Walker, Owens, Dracona... I would hope that you would be coming into this hot, looking to avenge your names, try to get a little bit of a foothold on the ladder to success after getting bumped right down onto your asses from the very start. Fledglings tossed out of the nest who couldn’t find their wings in time to fly, smashing into the earth and some damn harsh reality.
I would hope that you will be training away, working to up your game, perhaps studying tapes to see just where you went wrong and working to correct your flaws. I would hope that you took that loss to heart, instead of just shrugging your shoulders.
I’m not holding my breath.
Even if you were doing all these things, I have some harsh reality of my own to mete out... It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m here now... and what does that mean for you girls when it comes to this little party?
Another check mark in the loss column.
I guess it’s a good thing you have already tasted the tang of defeat, maybe it won’t quite be so bitter this time around... then again, maybe it will be even worse. Knowing that someone just strolled into the building and landed a well placed boot right into your asses, taking another chunk out of your hopes. Dashing your chance at actually doing something with yourselves yet again. Hey, not all of us can shine like diamonds... some people are just meant to be the fodder, to showcase the skills of the rest, to be a stepping stone on the way up into the twinkling lights of the upper Escalon.
But my lovelies, please try your best... I do hate when things are too easy.
Now, onto the other new recruits, those just dipping their toe in the water of the big pond. It's pretty damn amazing, isn't it? For some this will be our very first match ever. Stepping out onto that stage, the attention turned our way to see how we stack up against the more seasoned vets. To see where we stand in it all. Will we become crowd favorites? Perhaps some will be the ones everybody loves to hate. Still others... just a blip on the radar, doomed to fade out without ever really doing a damn thing. The wheel of fate is spinning, waiting to sling us all in different directions, to send us off into our destinies... no two paths exactly the same. But there is one thing we have in common, all of us here with stars burning bright in our eyes...
And I’m going snuff every damn one of yours come Malevolence.
It's nothing personal... you all are free to go about your business filling in the blank spots on the card, opening up and getting the crowd riled, there is a huge need for that after all... but not a single one of you are going to take the place I plan on filling.
Only one of us can become the breakout star, hurtling up into the ranks of those more tenured than us, making a splash that they cannot ignore. Shaking the very foundation they stand upon, feeling safe secure up on high, used to those that already surround them, only taking note of those making moves into the federation to test for any threat. The taste of blood in the water... but will a shark appear from the depths looking to make the kill? Or will it just be a band of scavengers looking to partake in the scraps? Once known, they will disappear back to where their attention is really needed, among their peers, until they are called upon again to turn their eyes towards new bodies... assessing the threat factor.
You all may be coming into this hungry, but I am hungrier for it. We are a pack of wolves and I am going to emerge the alpha, the front runner, the strongest of you all. Leaving you all behind to fight for your places... the path before me clear from any of you mere obstructions.
And that leaves us with those with some wins under their belts. Perhaps with a couple losses thrown in, that still settle them at a higher level on the rankings list. And I'll even include those I don’t know too much about like Robin Vengeance and Anya Sharapova, simply because you have been here awhile, and I am assuming you have that mix of results that I mentioned. To all you ladies, I really just have one thing to say.
Good luck.
Good luck in getting any higher than you already are, because you are about to meet the powerhouse that is Nova Skye. You will have a hard time climbing up through the ranks with me blazing my path through you all, adding more and more L’s to that column each time you have the misfortune of facing me in the ring. You can look at your number and kiss it goodbye, because each and every one of you will sink down a spot as time goes on... and next Sunday, is the start of it all. You will watch your hold start to slip, your grip weakening, as you start to slide backwards in my wake.
I hope you all have enjoyed your place in the sun, if you had it. The spotlight shining on you as you got your arm raised in the air. Getting to experience the heady mixture of cheers and adrenaline that coursed through your bloodstream as you realized you had ascended to victory.
Because you won’t get that again while I’m around.
I hope those of you that have been around awhile don’t mind the losses, see them as part of the game. Are used to carrying your bruised, defeated bodies from the ring, taking that slow walk to the back to figure out where it went wrong this time. The you win some, you lose some type of mindset. But I also hope you don’t carry around a little part of you that thinks the tide will turn in your favor... because I am here to crush any chance of that happening.
In just over a week, we will all step into that ring.
And one by one, you will all learn to fly the hard way, getting tossed over the top rope.
Until there is only one left standing.
And it will be me.
I might not be able to really showcase my talents, pinning any of you to the mat for the win... but this is a damn good start if you ask me.
Be ready ladies...
The era of Nova, is about to begin.”