(OOC Note: This would have been in my Violent Conduct RP(s), but because of everything going on and my LOA, I wasn't able to do it so I wrote it up and posted it here. More will be shown in my future Rage RPs once he returns.)
Tuesday September 6th
Ann Arbor, Michigan
It has been quite some time since Rage has stepped foot in Michigan. Last time, in fact, was during the short time he and his ex-girlfriend, Electra Blaze, had lived there so she could be close to her family. Following their break-up, Rage left Michigan completely, and had no more contact with Electra or her family.
But all that changed earlier this year when Rage ran into Electra’s brother, Danny, and the little girl he was told was Danny’s daughter and Electra’s niece, Ember. As it turns out, though, Ember was more to Rage than he ever wanted to believe. Ember was, in fact, his daughter. His daughter that he never knew about, and for as long as he could remember, he told himself he didn’t even want. Electra’s brother was raising Ember as his own, and after finding out the truth just a couple of months ago, Rage still had no idea what to do about it.
Maybe seeing her again would help him make up his mind. He was hoping as much anyway, which is why he left Canada following Climax Control, and got a flight here. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to do, but maybe just getting a glimpse of his almost ten year old daughter would spark something in his brain. He really had no idea.
He’s sitting in his rental car just outside the home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Danny is raising Ember. It’s in the afternoon, and he looks around the neighbor, nodding slowly. Decent neighborhood, he thought. Good choice to raise a kid. Much better place than Detroit where his family was from. As he sits in his car, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, a school bus pulls up just outside of Danny’s home. Moments later, Ember exits the bus with her backpack in tow and meets the only father she has ever known, just in the front yard. The bus drives off a few moments later and Rage spots another familiar face….Electra!
Ember runs up to Electra and wraps her arms around her in a hug. Ember looks up to her “daddy”, and says something to him but Rage can’t hear from where he is sitting. Danny shakes his head and Ember says something else, but Danny shakes his head again. Before they all know it, Ember throws her backpack down to the ground and runs off down the street! Rage raises an eyebrow curiously and watches as Danny shakes his head again and disappears back inside the house. Just as Electra is about to do the same, her attention is drawn over to Rage’s rental car and, more importantly, Rage sitting behind wheel. She grins a little bit but then starts walking towards him and he prepares for a confrontation with his former girlfriend.
Electra folds her arms as she walks up to his car, standing just a few feet away.
Electra: I’m surprised to see you here. How did you find Danny’s place?
Rage lets out a laughing and just looks at her with a look that says “you really had to ask?”
Rage: You should know by now that I have my ways of getting information I need.
Electra: More like Synn has a way of getting information you need. What are you doing here, Rage?
Rage turns his head in the direction Ember had run off and then back to Electra.
Rage: What the hell was that all about? Your brother just going to let her run off to where ever she wants to go?
Electra: What can I say? She has your temper sometimes. Now, are you going to answer my question or not?
Rage shakes his head and takes in a deep breath. He avoids the question as long as he can, because he doesn’t know how to put into words the reason that he is here. He wanted to see her? And by her, he meant Ember. Not Electra.
Rage: I’m still trying to figure that out, honestly.
Electra cracks a smile and just stares at Rage.
Electra: You know why you’re here, Rage. You just don’t want to admit it. I know the last time we spoke, you still didn’t believe that she’s your daughter. You chalked it up to being some story that I was trying to spin to you, but it’s not. And deep down you know it. And I think deep down you want to get to know her on some level.
Rage narrows his eyes and glares at Electra. While the former is true- that the more he thought about it, he believes what Electra was telling him is true. He believes that Ember is his daughter. But he wouldn’t admit to the latter. He still isn’t sure if he wants to get to know Ember, or if he even wants her to know that he’s her father.
Rage: Look, Electra, don’t stand there and act like you know what is going on in my head, because you don’t. Alright? The fact is that I came out here to try and figure shit out. I came out here hoping I would make up my mind on what the fuck I want to do. About everything. I’m going into the toughest match of my career in a few weeks- a match that I don’t even want to happen I might add. And I have a feeling that after that match, a lot is going to change.
Electra raises a confused eyebrow and takes a step closer to the car, and to Rage.
Electra: I’ve been watching the shows recently. I saw the show on Sunday so I know that you have to face Despayre in a few weeks. I understand how hard that’s going to be, but what does that have to do with Ember? Or whether or not you want to be a part of her life?
Rage takes in a deep breath and lets out a frustrated sigh. He grips the steering wheel and shakes his head, more lost than ever.
Rage: I don’t know, Electra! Alright?! I don’t fucking know. I just...I’m sick of a lot of shit right now, and I think after Violent Conduct, things are going to change. I don’t know how, but just call it a gut feeling.
He doesn’t look at her. Instead he looks forward, trying to organize the thoughts in his mind. Electra places the palms of her hands on the door’s window frame and leans against it as she looks down into the car at Rage.
Electra: Look, I know none of this is easy. Just take time and focus on your matches in SCW right now. Ember’s birthday is next month. She’s been asking Danny a lot of questions about her mother, and he’s come around to the idea of finally telling her the truth then. I don’t know how it’s going to go, but maybe you being here might make it a little easier? It’s up to you, and I’ll understand either way, but I’d like you to be here for our daughter’s tenth birthday.
Rage takes a few minutes to think about it and just as he turns his attention back to Electra to respond, their attention is drawn behind them to Ember heading back home. She’s picks up her backpack and is met by her “father”. A few words are exchanged and Ember storms inside the house. Danny turns and looks in Electra’s direction, and his eyes fall on Rage. He doesn’t look too pleased to see Electra speaking to him, but he turns around and heads back inside. Electra shakes her head and turns back to Rage.
Rage: Electra are you really sure telling her the truth is a good idea right now? Judging by her mood just now, it might not go well.
Electra lets out a chuckle and nods.
Electra: It doesn’t matter if it goes well or not, Rage. She has to find out the truth sometime and preferrably before she is a teenager. Don’t let what you just saw get to you. She’s a good kid, but she is a kid and they’re prone to outbursts like that. Just think about what I said, okay?
Rage lets out a sigh and nods.
Rage: Yeah, sure. I’ll think about it.
Electra: Good. It was a big step for you in choosing to show up here today, Rage. You might not think so, but I do. I better get back inside, but we’ll be in touch soon.
Rage just nods in response and Electra smiles again. She waves as she turns around and heads back into her brother’s house. Rage sits there for a few moments, thinking to himself before he roars the engine to life and then speeds off down the street.
TBC...
