****************
So Stephanie, what did you need my help with? Angel asked coming through the office and bringing a cold breeze with her.
I have a new girl on my roster, and shes a good talent, but so are you, and youve been around the block with your brother. What I think as of this moment is that you could help her in the right direction.
How so?
Shes getting herself involved with Matt Hardy. She doesnt think anyone sees it, but its there and I honestly think in the long run it could hold the both of them back. What I need from you is your help in directing her focus where it belongs.
In the ring?
Exactly what I mean. She has this uncanny ability to go places. Not only in the womens division but with the men as well. She has a title match against Matt at the pay per view, and I think this could be her time to win it.
Shes that good already then?
Oh shes better. I have some tapes of her independent days for you to take a look at, as well as the stuff shes done with us to this point. Shes going toe to toe with the men, and I think that could mean good things for her. I just dont want this relationship with Matt getting in her way.
I can see your point. She worked hard to get here, and I dont think she wants to leave it before she sets out to do something with it. So I can talk to her for you.
Thank you, thats all Im asking for at this point. You were there with Shawn in the younger days, you picked up on a lot of things that most people dont in this business because you didnt get in the face of it. I think you have a lot to offer this girl in terms of motivation and mutual talent and respect.
Well thank you for the kind words, but Ill do it regardless of what you say Stephanie. We need women competitors that are strong, and can fight with the men. I hope that in some small way I can help her do just that.
I think you can. So watch the tapes, and then get back to me. We can figure out a course of action from there. How does that sound?
Sounds good Steph. I will be in touch as soon as I can.
*****************
Aurora walked into the locker room as everyone went back to their own things after the meeting. She saw Matt linger at the end to talk to Stephanie and the writers, and she knew it wouldnt be long until he came in here looking for her. As if right on cue, Matt stormed through the door and caught her eyes.
So do you want to tell me how you ended up getting a match against me?
What do you want me to say?
I want you to sit here and tell me you didnt really ask for this. I just got word that this was all your idea, and now Im wondering what your motives are.
What my motives are?
Yes I believe thats what I just said.
I asked for the match yes. I asked for it before we even got together. What I find amazing is how bent out of shape you are over this.
Well why the hell shouldnt I be pissed off. Youre my girlfriend dam nit.
Yes I am, but that doesnt mean you make up my mind for me does it? Because if thats the deal I want out right now. I made that match when we werent speaking, as a purely career move. I want to make it in this business and why not beat you to do it?
Matt laughed lightly at her comment and then looked down to the floor when he saw how serious she really was about the whole thing.
Whats so funny?
You really think you can beat me at this point do you?
I know your style and your moves. I also know how to counteract them. So yes Matt I do think I have a chance in beating you for your belt.
Well then this match should be fun.
What?
Its not going to happen Rory. I will not fight my girlfriend. I dont agree with it.
You think Im too fragile to take you on or something?
Ya, thats a big part of it actually.
Im not the normal girl Matt. I made this my career and I can take a hit better then most men.
I never said you couldnt. Look I know why you made the match; I dont care about that at all. I accept that you want to be something in this business. I just dont know how I feel about fighting you thats all.
Why?
Youre my girlfriend Rory. I dont want to beat you up. Its just the southern guy in me I guess. I just dont think thats right. I wouldnt hit any woman, especially someone I care about.
You care about me do you?
You know I do, at least thats my hope.
I know you do, its just nice hearing you say it. This is business Matt, eventually girlfriend or not, we were going to fight. This was how it has to go down. I dont have a choice in where my career goes, except if I dont take this chance its going down the toilet. I dont want that.
You really want this match dont you?
Yes I do.
Matt was shocked. She really did love this business. He knew from talking to her before she loved it, but this dedication to it right now, when it might affect the romantic relationship budding between them, well it was just jaw dropping to Matt. He didnt want to fight her but he was afraid if he didnt she would just leave him anyway. Maybe there was a way they could make this work without anyone getting hurt.
I dont want to hurt you Aurora. Matt managed to choke out as Rory stepped closer to him. Putting her hands on his cheeks gently, she looked him directly in his eyes.
Its one match, and I know you, Ive scouted you, I know whats coming win or lose. Just trust me.
***************
You wanted to see me Stephanie? Aurora asked coming through the door of the office in Connecticut. Stephanie had called the night before at the hotel and asked her to fly out to see her. Aurora had no idea what it was about, but she wasnt going to say no to the boss.
Yes, thanks for coming out to see me on such short notice. I called you here on business.
So whats up?
Weve discussed this over with the writers and also the higher ups in the business and regarding your match at the pay per view, weve made a decision.
And that would be?
Well Rory, you better sit down for this, it might be a little shocking.
I doubt it. I mean Matts gonna keep the title right? Thats alright with me, I just want to show the fans Im not the typical girl.
No, youve got it wrong. Matt will not be keeping the belt.
What?
As of Vengeance in two weeks Aurora, you will be the new cruiserweight Champion.
****************
**********************
"So I guess you heard huh Jeff?" Matt said turning to his brother has he entered the locker room.
"Yeah I heard, and how do you feel about that?"
"I don't even want to fight her man, I mean this could screw everything up in the long run but she doesn't see that. I don't mind her winning the belt, I mean having it as long as I have now, and it means shit to me. Like it did when we got the tag belts a hundred or so times. It lost its flavor to me, but this is my girlfriend I'm going to lose too, and I've got to make her look good by not beating on her."
"Do you really want to beat on her Matt?"
"God no Jeff! I was just stating the facts. I don't want to lay one harmful hand on her. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I grew up thinking you don't beat on your girlfriend or any woman for that matter. We did grow up in that house right bro?"
"Yes we did and I totally agree, but this is business Matt and she knows it. I know her better then you do at this point, and she can take care of herself against any man in that ring and give it back at them just as bad. So as much as you want to be careful do not go out there and treat her like glass, otherwise I will tell you bro, you will lose her."
"She would break up with me if I went too easy on her?"
"In a heartbeat. This business is her life, just as it is yours and I think if you both go into this half assed it's going to look bad on you and on the company you work for and that wants to put on a good show."
"You have a point I guess."
"I always do. Now you stretch some more, you've got an important match tonight! I will see you out there, but for now I'm going to go check on Rory and also pick up my girlfriend."
"Thanks Jeff and I hope I make you proud out there."
"You've got Mattitude, what else do you need?" Jeff said with a quick laugh leaving the locker room and walking towards Aurora's. As he got closer to her locker room he thought he saw a flash from his past walking by with Stephanie. As he blinked and looked again, they were gone.
*****************
"So you don't think seeing her on the night of her big match is going to be that big of an issue?" Angel asked as they knocked on Aurora's locker room door.
"No, if anything she's going to be a mess right now, if my suspicions about her and Matt Hardy dating are true. She doesn't want this match as much as she did when they weren't together, and I think you being around might help her."
"Because of my past with Paul and Shawn?"
"Well you have to admit, you did have a past with Paul and it was pretty heavy at some point, and it came between your brother and him for a period, so you are the best person to talk too."
"Yeah but Stephanie in all the time you've known me, which is a very long time off and on, I never once had to face Paul for a belt, take it and then get back to dating him. We had it easy compared to most couples."
"Not as easy as you'd think. I will explain that all in due time. Listen I brought you here for her so that she could see another side to this match. So I'm going to introduce the two of you and then you're going to see what you can do about getting her more motivated to be a champion."
"Sounds like a plan, I just hope it doesn't backfire in her face."
"Me either. She's a good girl and I think she'd be the best choice to have that belt now, but her feelings for Matt are becoming something I'm not prepared to deal with. If you can get through to her, then I won't have to move her off this show."
********************
Opening the locker room door, dressed in her ring clothes, Aurora saw Stephanie standing there with a straight face, and a tall girl beside her, dressed in the same fashion as Stephanie. Sweeping her hands into the room she let them come in, and closed the locker room behind her.
"So what brings you by Stephanie?"
"Aurora Rivers, this is Angel Michaels, the one and only sister of Shawn Michaels. Now we go way back, and I know this is a big match for you, and Angel has been there before, so I thought you and her could talk shop before the match."
"I've got some more stretching to do, but other then that I think that would be fine. You want to help me with them Angel?" Aurora asked with a smile.
"Sure."
"Well then this is where I make my exit, have a good match out there tonight Aurora, if I don't see you before it and I know you will make this company proud. Angel, you know where I am when you're done in here alright? I have some business to take care of."
"Of course, later Steph."
The two women watched as Stephanie let herself out of the locker room and the door slam behind her. Glancing at each other nervously, Angel decided to be the one to break the ice.
"She asked me here to talk to you."
"I gathered. So what's her issue with me that she won't talk to me herself about?"
"Matt Hardy."
"My boyfriend."
"Is he? Your boyfriend I mean."
"Yes he is."
"Then you're in a tough spot tonight I take it?"
"Yes I am, but it's nothing I can't handle."
"Can Matt handle it?"
"I don't know honestly, and that's my only concern. He hasn't really talked to me since he found out I'm winning the title, so I'm not sure what his mindset will be."
"Leaving the wrestling alone for a second, do you like him a lot?"
"More then anything, you should see the stuff we've gone through to get here together."
"I can imagine. I dated Paul before. You know HHH right?"
"Yes, I know of him, but we haven't had a whole lot of contact."
"Well I've been where you are with the relationship. The only difference is I didn't have to beat him for the heavyweight title at some point. It was just behind the scenes. Stephanie asked me here to give you advice."
"And what would that be?"
"I can't tell you an easy way to make this better out there tonight Aurora. All I can tell you is what I know. Paul and I broke up over stupid shit back in the day, and I don't know if we had stayed together would have happened. But this is business, and you do your job well, I've scouted you out a lot this past week, and I think that if you and Matt can put your differences aside, then you will be alright. Just go out there and think that you are fighting the guys from the Indy scene. Don't focus on your feelings for the Hardy brother, just focus on the long term goal."
"Kicking his ass and taking his belt?"
"My point exactly. Do that and eventually it will all fall into place. Trust me on that much."
***********************
*****************
***Music Starts as Michael Cole and Tazz make their way down to ringside to begin the commentary. Price to Play by Staind Plays in the background, the official theme song for WWE Smack down's Vengeance***
"Thanks for joining us tonight folks. This is the first Smack down brand pay per view and we promise you, we will not disappoint. We've got a good showing tonight of superstars. We've got a Brock Lesnar/Kurt Angle/Big Show match as our main event, as well as a Tag Team Championship match with Billy Kidman/Rey Mysterio against the Worlds Worst Tag Team of Haas and Benjamin."
"Hey Cole, its Worlds Greatest isn't it?"
Michael ignored his partner in Tazz because he didn't care what the tag team was called; only that he wished secretly that they lost the tag team belts.
"Our most anticipated match is that for the cruiserweight belt folks. This match has been a long time in the making, and it's about time a female stood up the plate and won it. Aurora Rivers, the new talent acquired from the Independents, has decided to challenge Matt Hardy, the current champion, and it looks to be a good match. So why don't we get to our first match of the evening, the US Title deciding match between Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero."
****************
Aurora watched from her quiet locker room as the action began. The closer that it got to show time, the more nervous she found herself getting. Which for her was completely absurd. She never got nervous over this kind of thing. At least she didn't before she met Matt Hardy. She really wanted to go to his locker room and make sure he was ready and things were set in stone with the way this match would go down, but like Angel said, she needed to keep her mind focused on business tonight. She knew she was going to rip a hole in Matt's ego tonight, but it was all about business in the long run and what it took to succeed.
With one last look in the mirror she went to stand in the Gorilla spot to wait for her cue. She knew she was the match out after this one, and although she did want to see who would win the US championship, so she could eventually make a play for that belt too, she knew she had to get herself together and get out there and put on the best damn show of her life.
******************
Matt splashed cold water on his face, and looked over at Shannon who was standing there with a huge grin on his face. This was something he didn't need to deal with before his match tonight.
"What's the smile for?"
"She's going to beat you down man, and you're totally going to let her."
"What makes you think that?"
"Look at you man, you're totally nervous and you look like your about to be sick or something. She doesn't want you to go easy on her, but you are."
"I have no other choice."
"You could actually wrestle her man to man, err, woman for that matter, but you could just wrestle her fair Matt."
"I can't do that."
"Then watch out for the aftermath if you don't man. She's not going to be pleased if she wins the belt off you in five minutes."
"Well that's for me to deal with, so let's go get ready for this match, it looks like Eddie is about to win anyway, and I'm the first one out tonight."
With one last look around the locker room, Matt followed Shannon out of the room and down the hall to the Gorilla Spot, named after the late Gorilla Monsoon. He saw Aurora already standing there, looking stunning even though she was coming to fight. This was definitely going to be a long night for him.
****************
"This next match is scheduled for one fall, and it's for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. First making his way to the ring is the current Champion, hailing from Cameron, NC, and weighing in at 225 Lbs, accompanied to the ring by Shannon Moore, Matt Hardy Version One!"
The minute the music hit, Matt took one last look at his girlfriend standing in the spot, waiting her turn to make her way to the ring, and he kissed her gently. He had to make her see this wasn't just about business anymore for him. He was going to help her look well and beat him for that belt.
As his music hit, the words ran through the arena, throwing him instantly into the groove.
~~~~
don't feel like home, he's a little out...
and all these words elope, it's nothing like your poem
putting in, inputting in, don't feel like methadone
a scratching voice all alone, there's nothing like your baritone
it's nothing as it seems, the little that he needs, it's home
~~~~
Matt slid himself into the ring and Shannon just stood on the outside. Normally the way the matches went down was Matt would be close to losing and Shannon would help him retain the belt, but this time, they knew the stakes were high and that Matt was going to lose it, with no help from Shannon at all. He looked up the ramp to wait for Aurora's theme to hit and just to watch her make her way down to the ring.
~~~~
Every day a new deception
Pick your scene and take direction
and all in all I search to connect
but I don't wear a mask and I have no regrets I am focused on what I am after
the key to the next open chapter
~~~~
************
Aurora listened as her music hit and she made her way out from behind the dark curtain and just stood at the top of the ramp. With a smile to the crowd and throwing her hands in the air, Matt watched as the crowd got into her. This was going to be an easy match for Matt because he was selling for Aurora, and not for himself. He watched her as the words hit to her song, the one they had chosen together a few short weeks before. Her face just seemed to go into the zone, a zone that Matt knew all too well. She was coming to play the game tonight.
Aurora made her way into the ring and the bell sounded starting the action. Matt came at her and her locked arms with him. He caught her eye and whispered quickly to her, so no one could see.
"Just do whatever you need too."
"No Matt, I want your best out here right now, if you can't give me that then I'm out right now."
Getting the better of her boyfriend, Rory threw him back away from her, knocking him with a huge force back into the ropes. Matt, who was accustomed to being swung into the ropes bounced back like second nature and knocked her down with a huge clothesline.
He realized he might have done the wrong thing and slowly bent down to check on her, which making it look like he was indeed laying hidden punches to her face at the same time. Aurora knew the game he was playing and went along, feigning pain with every fake punch Matt was supposed to be throwing.
"Just wrestle me dam nit Matt!"
"You're going to get hurt."
"No, I'm not, you are."
Aurora then used her legs and kicked Matt away from her, pissed off now that he was taking this to be some sort of joke, when she was out there to win the gold that night. She knew he was her boyfriend and didn't want to hurt her, but this was now getting insane. She wanted to win this fair, and if Matt wasn't going to give it to her, then she was damn well going to do it all herself.
She stood slowly and went over to Matt, picking him up off the mat, and swung him into the corner turnbuckles. As Matt started to get to his feet and come up from the corner a little bit, Aurora saw her chance and speared him, but miscalculated her steps and ran her shoulder into the steel pole. She grabbed it instantly and looked at Matt who was lying in the middle of the ring. Not wanting to waste time with her now broken and bruised shoulder, she grabbed his leg for the one two three. What she got instead for her trouble, was the first time Matt wasn't fighting her all night. The ref got to a two count and Matt kicked out.
********************
Banging the mat in frustration, and to play to the crowd, Aurora grabbed her shoulder and decided it was time to do the one move Jeff wanted her to carry in her arsenal. As she jumped up to the top rope to do the move, Matt quickly came up behind her and pulled her down into a small package, which after two she kicked out of.
Matt then decided it was time that he get into the match a little more and he picked Aurora up by the hair and dragged her to the corner, where he started laying punches to her chest, the entire time looking like he was going to kill her, which was something he didn't want to do, but she wasn't telling him to stop. She looked like she was glad, as he saw a smile cut across her face.
Leaving her in the corner, Matt started showboating to the crowd, giving Aurora enough time to get to the finish they were talking about. Not wasting any time, she hopped up onto the top rope and as Matt turned around to face her, she dived off, executing the perfect Swanton, and knocking him to the ground.
Grabbing Matt's leg quickly and with Shannon diving in to make the save for his friend, the referee counted the one...two...three and the match was over. Shannon banged his hands on the mat in frustration as the referee came over to Aurora with the belt and handed it to her, lifting her hand in victory.
****************
As scripted, Aurora took one last look at the two fallen foes in the ring and made her way up the ramp as the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion. She had tried to get Matt into the match from the start, and towards the end she knew she had succeeded. Deep inside he was all about business too, and this was what this was. With a quick wave and a couple of slaps to her fans, she made her way back through the curtain, and that's when the smile allowed itself to fade.
***************
