[Devona]

 When she had been warned by both her fellow-student Evie Baang and mentor, Odette Stevens, that Wellington had earned its nickname of the "Windy City," Devona had smiled politely and acknowledged their words, taking into account everything that they had been saying. Well, more Odette than Evie. They both would know, after all. They were both from Australia, it was true, but New Zealand was only roughly two and a half thousand air miles from Australia, and they were the only two on the entirety of the SCW roster from this neck o' the woods, so to be forewarned was to be forearmed, right? That is how the saying goes, after all.

Still, nothing would have prepared her for just how windy it was in Wellington! Devona walked down the city street, her jacket closed tightly around her and her shoulders hunched up in an ineffective attempt to stave off the chill of the weather. And to think, she thought Minnesota, a state that shared the nickname of Wellington, was bad on the one time she had ventured there on a class field trip! It was nothing compared to what she was facing down as she went in search of a brief adventure while she was on this "Thunder From Down Under" tour as Sin City Wrestling seemed keen to refer to it as. The air in Wellington was chilling her to the bone, only being in the mid-fifties. It made her long for home in Louisiana where a brief Skype chat with her buddy Beast had informed her that it was a sunny and glorious ninety degrees. Still, business was business and she was prepared to face these little inconveniences so long as she was able to step inside of that ring again.

That was why she paused briefly on Cuba Street to set her purse down on a vacant curbside table to fish a silver knot ponytail holder from her bag and she reached behind her head to fix her hair so it wasn't in any worse shape than it already was. She rarely did this, as she preferred her long hair to remain loose down past her shoulders, but she had a funny feeling if she didn't then she'd end up looking like she just did a fifty yard dash in a wind tunnel. Once finished and satisfied, she glanced up and as luck would have it, the Coffee Gods were smiling down on her in the form of one of Wellington's top coffee cafes, Midnight Espresso. It was a sign from above, if you believed in that sort of thing, as she grabbed her purse and pulled the door open, entering.

It had an eclectic atmosphere too it, comfortable and non-imposing. Brightly lit and inviting, Devona waved her way through the tables and clientele until she got to the front counter where her eyes were beholden to a bounty of pastries and desserts; eclairs and brownies, muffins and croissants, each stared from the case and beckoned to her as if calling out to her for a purchase. This place seemed as much a restaurant as it was a cafe or coffee house. Hell, even Starbucks would be hard pressed to top these tempting eats, but she was here for one thing, and it wasn't something fattening -- entirely.

Barista: Can I help ya luv?

Devona couldn't help but feel charmed by the young man's accent. She had a weakness for men with accents, and this young man's voice was -- head in the game, Dev! He's waiting -- and staring!

Devona: Oh, er, yes. Please. Can I just get your largest chocolate latte ... and one of those cheesecake brownies?

She openly winced, as if he would be judging her. So she decided to be a little bad where her diet was concerned, so what? But the young man just smiled and winked, and set about filling her order.

Once paid for and happy that she could warm up in the chilly wind, she stepped outside to resume her journey. And of course, that's when the rain started. She glanced up as the sky had clouded over and a light mist cascaded down. Nothing heavy, mind you, like what she had went through back home, but it was enough to sour a mood.

Devona: Of course...

She looked up at no one in particular and held her arms out as she asked aloud, never minding the funny looks she drew her way.

Devona: Seriously!?

She had been on her way to catching a cab to the zoo, or a walk through the Botanical gardens. Anything to escape from inside of her hotel room at the prodding of Beauty, Beast, AND her Grams! But she was hardly going to spend an afternoon outside in either environment, in this cold weather that was already sapping the strength from her bones. She could just head back to the hotel and pop open that bottle of wine she got at one of Wellington's well renowned wineries, but she pushed that idea to the back of her head.

Best to save that for a little celebration after she defeated Mikah this weekend. Damn! She frowned jokingly. She could have asked that hot little number at the cafe to join her if that was the case.

So she went with a Plan B; a destination that had drawn an interest from her, and somehow seemed appropriate mood-wise where this weather was concerned...

Castlepoint Lighthouse



The walk up to the Lighthouse was pleasant, and the view amazing. What better place to visit with the wind blowing and the rain coming down than an old fashioned lighthouse that came to be over one hundred years ago? It was a damn shame that visitors were not allowed to go inside, as Devona had always had a fondness for lighthouses. Still, she was satisfied. She stood at the base of the lighthouse, where a memorial plaque was fashioned to want visitors and tourists not to take any unnecessary risks on the rocks that surrounded them. She was one of only a handful of visitors right now, as the weather was a seeming deterrent.

She drew the hood of her jacket up and over her head, figuring her head couldn't get any wetter than she already was and snapped a photo of the view as a keepsake before she inhaled deeply. She loved the scent of the rain, and coupled with the sea air?

Devona: Third time's the charm. That's the saying, isn't it? Well, whether or not this is the last time Mikah and I face each other for awhile, two things I know is for certain;

One? I'm walking into this match as the SCW Bombshell Internet Champion, and I will be leaving the exact same way. I am not going to be known in history as a paper champion, some 'flash-in-the-pan one hit wonder' for others to point and laugh at. I won this belt at Violent Conduct IV in a match that I am very proud of, and I'm not going to let go of it that easily. I am not going to disappoint my friends or family. I am not going to let Gabriel and Odette down. And I am certainly not going to do the walk of shame, past any fans who cheer me on.

And the second thing? Finally, after more than a month and what will be three matches, I am going to earn Mikah's respect even if I have to beat it out of her. You see, unlike her, I can admit to when an opponent took me to the absolute limit or when they had me on the brink of defeat. Amy Marshall did. Mercedes Vargas did. And certainly, Mikah gave as good as she got two times over! The first time neither of us could beat the other. The second time, I knocked the queen off of her throne to become the new champion. I know, I know. She's been going around, saying that she let me win. But honey? Nobody who put up a fight like you did was eager to just lay on her back and just accept the three count. Saying you let me win ranks right up there with a kid falling off of their bike and telling everyone around them that they meant to do that. It's unbelievable. It's immature. And it's the mark of a sore loser.

So just accept the facts as they are, chere. I didn't beat you in Las Vegas because you allowed it to be so. I beat you, because it was so. And in just a matter of time, I'm removing all doubt. I am going out there not just to beat you a second time and retain the Internet Championship, but after? Whether you like it or not, you will shake my hand. You will have no choice but to accept the fact that I'm the champion, and you will be  on the sidelines moaning to everyone about how you're not going to be on the rest of the tour, even though everyone knows you're just blowing smoke up your own backside.

Tick tock, Mikah. Time is running out for you to make any more excuses.

That being said, Devona turned and started to make her way back down the path...