Overheating
A scuffling sound can be heard before the thump of a body as it hits ground followed by a grunt and muffled curse. A man in green camo khaki and black boots gets to his feet with a chuckle and then leans over the body of the person lying on the ground.
“Looks like you got soft,” he offers as his hand extends downward to help the person up. Once his hand is grasped, he yanks the person to a sitting position and then squats down to the same level. “Since you left Vix, you lost your edge it looks like. What the hell happened?”
Vixen lets her arm rest on a raised knee as she regards her friend in the camo. Wiping at her forehead to push back hair that is plastered there from the exertion, Vixen shrugs noncommittally. “I really don’t know what the hell happened. Maybe it is because I am facing women in these federations I work for. Maybe it is because I am going easy on you today or maybe it is because right now, I don’t have the right motivation,” replies Vixen as she picks herself up and dusts her rear off. “Listen Guertin, as much as I want to think that I am ready to be champion, I have to get out of the mindset of a bombshell or diva or whatever they call us women wrestlers. I use to be a cruiserweight for sobbing out loud, now I am just another woman wrestler.”
Her buddy shakes his head slowly as Vixen crouches slightly in preparation for another collar and elbow tie up. Getting a curious look on her face, she straightens up and moves towards Guertin. “What are you doing?” she asks in confusion. “We are supposed to be training here.”
“We aren’t training Vixen, this is me kicking your ass,” he responds as he crosses his arms. “When you left the service, you were able to take on the guys and win most of the time. Now you can’t even beat a girl if what I read on the ‘net is any indication.”
Vixen flushes in embarrassment at the comment. Lately her record certainly reflected that statement. Never one to make excuses, she lowers her head and nods. “I know. Trust me, I know!”
“Then do something about it! Weren’t you like a cruiserweight or something?”
Vixen’s head snaps up and a sneer of anger crosses her face. “Don’t you think I have tried?” she shouts. “I am the number one contender to the NYDW title Guertin…”
“A woman’s title,” he interrupts her with a condescending smirk.
“They won’t let me fight men!” responds Vixen. “Try as I might, I can’t get a match against any males in the SCW federation because intergender matches aren’t allowed and NYDW is a woman only federation. So smart guy, what do I do about that huh?” Clearly frustrated, Vixen begins to pace in front of her friend who raises one eyebrow with another smirk.
“You get yourself involved in that NWA last chance battle royal going on in Halifax,” he responds. “Don’t tell me you didn’t think of that.”
Vixen stops and levels a glare at her friend who holds his arms out in a “what” motion that just makes Vixen turn away quickly. Moving towards a bench, she sits down, head hanging and sweat dripping from her. Truth be told, she had thought of it but for the most part was worried that preparing for it would interfere with the crazy life she was leading in NYDW and SCW.
“The last time I faced men in the ring,” she begins slowly, almost thoughtfully, “was the RMP last ever show and it was a battle royal too. Maybe that is what I need…a return to my roots so to speak. After all, I was Heavyweight champion there. And I did put their golden boy out for almost a year…”
“The way you wrestle now Vix, you don’t stand a snowball’s chance,” Guertin reminds her. “You have to get back to that wrestler Vixen before you even think of putting yourself in that match.”
Getting to her feet, she moves back towards Guertin who takes a small step back. “You’re right Guertin,” she says to the soldier. “And you are just the man I need to train me. And get me back to the Fox I use to be”
Guertin takes a deep breath that he lets out in a slow whistle. “Work you over you mean. You can’t get me on my back even if I give you an advantage…”
Before he finishes his comment, Vixen grabs him by his shirt and flipping her hip, she tugs at him only to realize that he isn’t going to be pulled off his feet. His laughter only angers Vixen who then flips her hip again, angrily tugging him off his feet awkwardly and then rolling through to lock his arm into an armbar. Smirking down at her friend, Vixen tsks slowly.
How’s it feel to be on your back,” she jokes a bit breathlessly as she moves to help him up. Getting to his feet, Guertin only grunts a response before flipping Vixen to the ground once more before laughing.
“You tell me,” he says before noticing that Vixen’s eyes were fluttering closed as she loses consciousness. Concerned, Guertin picks Vixen up and heads towards the buildings nearby shouting for someone to call 911.
Missing all the fun
Vixen slowly blinks in the dim light of a hospital room, eyes focusing on the person sitting at the end of the bed. Plastic tubing has her hooked up to a now half empty bag of saline solution that lets her know she is in a place she normally wouldn’t be caught dead in.
“Hey,” she whispers as a smile slowly comes to the face of Guertin who gets to his feet and moves to the side of the bed. “How, what...”
“You passed out from the heat,” he replies. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I was hit by a deuce ‘n’ half,” teases Vixen before trying to sit up. “But I will be all right. I have to get to the show for SCW...”
“You missed it Vix,” says her friend as he lays a hand on hers. “And you know something isn’t good about that N...ummm what was that group you said you are part of again?”
Vixen thinks for a moment then tilts her head slightly. “You mean NXT?” she asks curiously.
“Yeah, that’s the one,” he replies. “Well, the new girl had lots to say about you on Climax Control last week and it sounds like she is callin’ you out there Foxy.”
Vixen’s eyes narrow and without saying a word, she holds her hand out and points to the phone sitting on the hip of her friend. Pulling it free, he hands it over to the woman who begins to push buttons on it. “You know they don’t like you calling people on those things in here,” he offers with a half smile.
“You go watch the door then as Vixen turns the android phone sideways as the youtube app opens up. Dialing up the results of last week’s show, she grimly watches Odette and her stable mates talk. A smile breaks out at the chant of her name by the fans. Once it finishes she puts the phone on the bed beside her. “You believe that girl,” Vixen says. “Acting like she’s the leader of NXT. Well, la dee da for her, so she is the “new face” of NXT. Fine but before she starts thinking that she is the end all and be all bombshell of NXT, she is going to have to realize that maybe just maybe she better think twice about pushing my buttons. She talks about how I am quiet, how I am going to have to make some noise? Well if I start making any noise it is going to be me hitting her and her hitting the mat.”
“Oooh tough words coming from a dehydrated Fox in a hospital bed,” teases Guertin as he waggles his fingers in mock fear. Reaching for the phone, he is stopped by Vixen again as she snatches it away then begins to push buttons again. “What do you think you are doing Vix?” he demands, reaching for the phone that Vixen holds away from him.
“I’m checking to see if I have a job Mr. Funnyman,” she replies, one thumb pushing the return button to bring up the SCW webpage. Vixen looks at the card while she still holds Guertin off and smiles when she sees her match for the week. She turns the phone to show her friend. “I still got a job and even better, it is a match that I know I am going to win. I’m facing Gothika. But who the hell said I was working with the Logan boys?”
“I guess management thinks you got it in you to help ‘em,” Guertin says with a smirk as he finally manages to elude the restraining hand and grab the cell phone. “Think you can get ready for the match?”
Vixen glares in mock anger and nods. “Just because she and Raynin get the title shots at the NWA tag titles and I am slogging along having to play second fiddle to Odette Ryder doesn’t mean that I am going to let her forget that it was me that almost took the title from Misty, me that Spike came to first to join NXT, ME that is going to get the win and then work my way back into the title picture once again. And if I have to do it by pinning the shoulders of that vamp to the mat then so be it.”
“Again, oooh, tough words from a woman in a hospital bed,” Guertin says as he puts his phone back in its holster only to raise his head with a loud yelp of pain as Vixen smacks him on the back of the head. “What was that for?”
“To smarten you up buddy,” Vixen gloats before falling back and looking fragile when a doctor opens the door.
“Everything all right in here?” the doctor asks as Guertin rubs the back of his head.
“It’s getting there,” the soldier replies with a sidelong glance over at Vixen who sighs and rolls her eyes. “So is our little Fox here going to be in wrestling shape for this week. She has a match against a vampire named Gothika and well, she ain’t no Buffy the Vampire Slayer if you know what I mean...”
Vixen turns her head at a now smirking Guertin who sticks his tongue out at her. Over the doctor’s shoulder, Vixen flips the soldier the bird as he backs out of the room, mumbling something about Tim’s and a doughnut. “Bring me back an ice cap or else!” shouts Vixen as the doctor checks the IV bag over her head.
Bouncing back
Vixen slowly strolls through another airport, this time arriving at the city where in only hours she will be facing Gothika in a match. Looking confident in a pair of black boots and a light blue minidress, she moves to the cab stand and hails one of the vehicles. Sliding inside with her overnight bag, she relaxes into the fake leather seat and directs the cabbie to the arena.
“You wrestler,” says the cab driver in a eastern european like accent, a smile on his dark face. “I watch you wrestle. You not like Iron Sheik but you good.”
“Thanks I think,” she replies before looking down at her Ipad that is starting up.
“I watch you tonight...I have ticket, front row ringside,” he boasts. “You beat Gothika yes?”
Vixen nods enthusiastically as she holds up the Ipad and presses the Facetime app icon. Suddenly the video begins as Vixen starts to talk.
Hi all, Vixen here and I am enroute to the show and taking a quick minute to talk to you, all the fans out there. See, this week I am facing Gothika and trust me, she is going to be looking to get all the advantage she can for her match with the Logans. Well, I can’t let have any advantage...”
“You give Gothika a HA and a Hiyah...then kick her!”
Vixen shoots him a look, then shaking her head, she turns back to the Ipad.
“What he said. Anyways, I just want to say thank you guys. I saw what happened last week when Odette had her little thing to say and it did my heart good to hear you chanting my name. Just like I hope you will be doing this week.
And Gothika, I know that as the person that is facing you this week, it is nothing personal about me having to wrestle with the Logan boys in my corner but I am coming to win and that is going to suck for you because that means when you challenge for the tag titles, you are going to be going into that match facing an uphill battle because tonight, you are going to be feeling the vibration of the referee counting you down and out with a one, two three.”
“You tell it girl,” the cabbie vows as he pulls up in front of the arena. Tapping the farebox, he half turns to Vixen and holds up his hand. “Fare on house if you do me favor,” adds the cabbie who holds up the newspaper with the advertisement for Climax Control . “Can I have autograph?”
Vixen smiles and nods, reaching through the plexiglass and taking the pen he is holding up and signing beside her image. Reaching into her pocket, Vixen also hands the cabbie the fare anyways with a smile before leaving the car and heading into the arena. The cabbie counts the money and then putting the car in gear once more, pulls away from the curb whistling Vixen’s theme before starting to sing it offkey.
