Friend?
Johanna wasn’t used to this. Being around so many people, day in and day out. She would wake up at 5am in her tiny apartment a block away from Wolfslair, she would hydrate, eat a protein dense low carb breakfast, stretch and go for a run to warm up, come home, grab her work out gear and be out the door and on the way to the gym at 7am. She would arrive, put her food away, grab a protein shake and be on the grappling mats by 730. She would work out, eat lunch, work out some more and be home by 3pm, shower, eat dinner, stretch, enjoy an hour of television.
Then by 830pm she was asleep.
Minimal communication with anyone. A word to Alex here, a small conversation with Sonja there. A competitive joust with Alicia Lukas. And then, if she had time, a cruel look of anger or word of frustration with the muscular tanned Australian with the stupid haircut and convict tattoos.
This was her life.
It was lonely. It was solitary. But it was what she wanted. It was what she needed. A life not ruled by interactions with others and false promises and lies. Forced niceties were kept to a minimum and all she had to do was worry about getting better. Stronger. Smarter. The raw talent she had for violence was being moulded, fused with knowledge and skill that she would have taken years to acquire herself. This was the promise of Wolfslair. The gym Alex had brought her into. The method of accelerated learning and experience.
The gym was there to create and build machines. Killers of the professional wrestling world that would show just how good they were and would draw so many others to the gym. Better names, bigger competition and a chance to Johanna to get her name out there and prove what kind of competitor she was and was willing to be.
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ
5am. Time to get up.
Johanna dragged herself from her bed, stretching as she moved through to the kitchen , grabbing eggs and a steak, she slammed her fridge door shut before cooking and eating it. No frills, no specials. Just straight up cooked food. She went on her run, drinking a half gallon of water. She was ready for the gym, to really start her day. She moved toward the door, a small wave and smirk to Alex, he was always here before anyone else, then Sonja would arrive just before Johanna. Usually she was the third person in, the first one not named Jones. But, not this time. Austin was here, as was the Australian. The two of them talking in the corner just outside the door.
Johanna walked in, going to her locker, grabbing her gear. Then, something caught her eye. A backpack. It was orange, a few lighter parts, and what looked to be long rabbit or dog ears on the side, a small chain on the zipper leading to a half toned red and white ball that could be yanked on to open it. Johanna blinked, shaking her head before turning and making her way back towards the mats, when she looked up to see Alex standing there. ”Hey Jo I-”
Before he could continue Johanna smiled, time to make minimal small talk. ”Did you bring Harley today?..I saw the backpack…”
He looked at her confused, not sure what to say before following the general direction that Johanna motioned to, the backpack sitting on the floor near the lockers. ”Oh the Eevee backpack? Yeah Harley isn’t here, that isn’t my daughters, that is-”
”Hey Alex! THIS PLACE IS SO GREAT!” A voice cut through the gym, like a squeak from a mouse but amplified through a megaphone. Johanna winced as her eyes focused to the left seeing a bubbly blond run towards them, Alex cleared his throat, turning to say something, but before he could say anything, the little blond girl continued, her arms flailing in an over excited anime fashion. ”LIKE OH MY GOD, the grappling mats, the two rings and the weight room? Like it’s so great I can learn so much and I’m so excited and Sonja is so nice she has like that full on maternal vibe, which I get cause she’s like totally a mother…oh Hi how are you? My name’s Kallie” She held out her hand. Alex swallowed hard, as if sensing dread.
Johanna blinked a few times unsure of what to do or say. She reached out taking Kallie's hand. ”Nice to meet you, I’m Jo-”
”OH WOW I LOVE YOUR ACCENT!” The volume and speed with which the words just flew from her mouth made Johannas eyes widen, she was a ball of energy, an infectious excitement machine. ”But your name is Jo? That’s awesome, I’m sure we’ll be friends and stuff, but I have nto put my stuff away, NICE TO MEET YOU MOJO JOJO!”
,Mojo what?
Johanna was shocked, she stood silent staring at Kallie as she ran back toward Sonya, almost skipping as she went. ”Yeah she’s...she’s new. A little excitable”
”No...I couldn’t tell” Johanna folded her arms over her chest, the reply coming out dry and sarcastic, as if there was any other way. ”It’s ok, I’m sure I won;’t work with her much till she catches up to speed, thats if she doesn’t quit...I give her a week” Johanna started laughing, Alex didn’t, he nervously scratched the back of his neck, his eyes darting to the floor. ”What?...look I get the whole teamwork thing but she’s a powderpuff...and I-”
”She’s your workout partner…”
”Come again?” Johanna moved her head forward, convinced she heard Alex wrong.
He sighed and shrugged. ”She’s your workout partner, you can help her, she’s really athletic and has great basics, but she needs a little more...grunt” He gave Johanna a grin, Johanna opened her mouth about to say something, realising it was fruitless.
She turned away from Alex, grumbling under her breath before hearing the high pitched shrill voice. ”HEY MOJO THINK FAST!” A medicine ball came flying across the gym, it hit Johanna in the face causing the angry german to stumble back holding her face. Kallie’s eyes widened as her hands came up to her face in a gasp. ”OH MY GOD I’M SO SORRY!” Johanna shook her head trying to get her vision straight.
The large Australian started to laugh hysterically pointing across the gym. ”That ain’t the first time you’ve hard large balls wacking your face” Johanna very slowly looked up and right at him, Aidens smile quickly faded, he turned to Austin who just slowly shook his head.
”Dude...I’d run”
An outlook
”It still burns. Getting put in that ridiculous match...the graveyard thing…”
Johanna sighed, holding her arms over her chest and snarling afterwards.
”I know it was over a month ago now, I know that it is “in the past” but I can’t help but feel all I was being used as was a lead in. A name to put on Krystals list of people she has defended against as she went in against Char Kwan. Char freaking Kwan was viewed as a bigger draw and a bigger threat than me. Do you know how damaging that is to someones ego?”
“To be told that someone like that is worth more than you? That you are not even to that level?”
“It broke me. It made me furious and burned under my skin.”
“So, when the dust settled from that match, when Krystal left half the Bombshells division in the dust and went on to her bullshit “big showdown” with Kwan I went home, I sat there, in my little apartment and stared at the wall. I waited for the anger to go away so I could get back to myself. And for whatever reason after that match and how I feel like I was treated, it never happened. So I kept it, I owned it and I waited. I waited to be booked min another match to show the world what I was capable of and explain WHY I was not a goddamn afterthought…”
Johanna snarls, her leg shooting out as she kicks a chair sideways clearly still angry.
”I got put in a match against The “queenslayet” herself Dani Weston. A woman who went toe to toe with Alicia so many times, a woman who has been the Bombshells champion and a woman who just got done beating Mikah. A woman who was known as the champion of champions. Holding the Bombshells title longer than anyone else in total days. Dani was being looked at as a resurgent warrior, returning to make a run at her title that she had held years before. You all bought it. You all bought her little song and dance about returning and what she wanted to do.”
“Meanwhile, I’m standing here wondering what was next?”
“Where would I go and what would I do?”
“The answer was simple. Destroy everyone.”
“So I started with Dani, I beat the queenslayer and walked on to the next challenge. And the next challenge is Chloe Benton….but what? Why am I being put against this wet behind the ears kid? What did she do to piss off Christian and Mark so much?”
She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
”And I’m sure you’re wondering what exactly I mean by that?. Well, Chloe is not just new to Sin city wrestling she’s new to wrestling. She’s green as goose shit as Alex would say. And a few weeks ago she went against another rookie, that french kid. And she had more than a “rough time”. She lost. She lost to a fellow rookie and now she’s being put in the ring against me. A two time Roulette champion, a former mixed tag team champion and someone who has beaten former bombshells champions and now, now you want to throw this rookie at me?”
“Do any of you realise what I will do to her? I don’t want to be that horrible, I don’t want to destroy this kid and break her down, but this is what you’re forcing me to do.”
“If you’re not scared or intimidated Chloe, you should be. You should be terrified of what I am prepared to do and who I am. I’m all about making statements, I’m all about sending messages and I’m going to use you to do it. Just like I did Dani Weston, just like I did when I won the Roulette title and the mixed tag team titles. I have shown what I am capable of but people still doubt me, they doubt the kind of person I am. And why? Is it because I have never been the bombshells champion? Is it because this year wasn’t as good as last year for me? I suppose so. Valid points really. But they also don’t understand the amount of multi person matches I have been thrown in for shits and giggles. Cause one on one….I’m a danger to anyone and everything.”
“I will bring down the entire hierarchy if given the chance, but that chance isn’t going to come facing new faces like Chloe Benton. It will come by destroying the best of the best. But to get those matches, to get to those points, well. I have to hurt people. Hurt people like you Chloe. So Climax Control will be a new moment for you. A chance for you to shine. But to shine you need to be able to beat a fucking bulldozer….and I don’t like your chances…”
