Post by Aurora Graves on Jul 1, 2024 2:03:43 GMT -5
Venice Beach, CA
June 27, 2024
Breathe in, breathe out
breathe in, breathe out
It’s early in the morning… or at least it could be considered early for those who prefer to sleep in. For the moment, the only sound that can be heard apart from the near-constant calls of seagulls flying overhead is the occasional car rolling over the sand that has blown into the nearby parking lot. Only a handful of people are out on the sand this morning, and the ones that are there seem more content to just lie there and enjoy the breeze.
Breathe in, breathe out
breathe in, breathe out
Isolated from the other beachgoers by several yards, Aurora Graves sits on her towel, taking a series of slow, deep breaths. Interrupting her solitude, a seagull lands beside her, pecking at the sand. It picks up a piece of broken cracker that had been buried there for who knows how long, then flies off as Aurora looks on, shaking her head.
Aurora: Heh… talk about breakfast on the go...
She chuckles to herself as she stands up, picking up the towel she had been sitting on. She shakes out the sand that had worked its way into the corners of the towel, then folds it up and drapes it over her shoulder. As she turns to walk toward the parking lot, she spots the camera and smiles.
Aurora: With just a little over a month away from Prime, where we will finally find out who will walk out of Tallahassee as the first-ever Prestige Champion, I figured I’d take some time to come out here and think about just what that will entail. After all, this match will be a first for me… and at the same time, it won’t. Now, what that means for the rest of the world… the fans that have followed my career up to this point know. If you don’t, don’t worry. You will soon enough.
Aurora continues making her way through the sand at a leisurely pace, occasionally stopping to shake some of the sand that had made its way between the soles of her feet and her sandals. She smiles as she watches a couple of teenagers walk towards the shore, chuckling as she overhears their conversation.
Girl: Was that Aurora Graves?
Boy: I think so… the tattoos look familiar. I wonder what she’s doing out here…
Girl: HEY! You’re supposed to be here with ME! Not gawking at other women!
Boy: Calm down! Besides, she’s too old for me, anyway!
Aurora flashes an incredulous look for a moment as she silently mouths the words “too old,” before giggling to herself and continuing on her walk toward the parking lot.
Aurora: But before that, I need to say something about the last person I stepped into the ring with. Dead Eye, wherever you are…
She shakes her head a little and glances down at the sand, a faint smile across her face.
Aurora: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. It was a dream match that was literally years in the making, and if we ever meet in the ring again, I’d welcome the opportunity. But alas, it’s time for me to move on.
She pulls a Sailor Moon keychain from the pocket of her shorts, letting the keys jingle as she walks.
Aurora: Slim, you and I are coming into this match with one thing in common; we both have something to prove. You want to prove that you can still hang with the current generation of wrestlers. You’re looking for redemption, perhaps to reclaim lost glory. I can respect that.
She smiles a little, nodding her head.
Aurora: I’m looking for my own form of redemption, Slim. I want to get out there and once and for all show the world that I’ve got what it takes to stand at the top of the mountain. But before I can prove that, I’ve got another stop along the way, and that’s you. Now, I saw your match with Jackson Cole, and I have to say… everyone has an off night. Had he been on top of his game, I have no doubt in my mind that you would’ve been in for more of a fight. I can say that; I’ve been in the ring with him. Of course, there’s no sense dwelling on hypotheticals, is there?
She shrugs.
Aurora: But if you want to see how you fair against someone that’s seen more than their fair share of in-ring action, then you’ve come to the right place. Size… weight… sure, on paper, you’ve got the edge by a mile. But if there’s one thing my trainer has been drilling into my head since I first started working with him...
She puffs up her chest and clears her throat before continuing with a gravelly tone in her voice.
Aurora: Size will only get you so far. It doesn’t mean shit if you don’t have the skill to back it up.
She rubs her throat a little, grimacing slightly before resuming in her normal voice.
Aurora: Remind me to never attempt that again.
She chuckles a little as she pushes the button on a key fob. A few yards away, the tail lights of a black Dodge Magnum flash. With another push of a button, the engine roars to life. Aurora shakes her head and lets out a dreamy sigh.
Aurora: Damn, I love that sound!
She smiles as she lifts the tailgate, tossing her towel into the cargo area.
Aurora: I may be just a few weeks shy of one of the biggest, most important matches of my career, but don’t think for one second I’m looking past you. You will get the same 100% that I give to everyone I step into the ring with.
Aurora shuts the tailgate and moves to the driver’s side door.
Aurora: I expect no less from you. I’ll see you on Wednesday, Slim.
Aurora slips into the driver’s seat and shuts the door, revving the engine again as the scene fades out.
