A Sweet Reprieve

[Envy]

"Thanks. I needed this."

The door to the peaceful bar opens with a creak and The Covetous Cunt slips passed her employer, flashing him a gracious smile as she passes. Luckily, there doesn't appear to by many patrons within its confines tonight, a smooth melody plays in the back ground, and the smell of nice cologne and booze wafts into their nostrils. Once the diva clears the path, Vlad lets the door fall behind him, and the two EVPW wrestlers make there way to the bar in a comfortable silence. The Covetous Cunt takes a seat at the bar first, raising her finger to draw the booze peddlers attention, but being wary not to show her battered face. The man behind the counter walks toward them, the diva staring at the table with her tender visage cupped in her hand and her elbow rested on it's surface. As her mangled mug comes into view his face goes through a series of emotions; shock, horror and finally outrage over the diva's grotesque appearance. He shuffles over to the pair and addresses the emerald haired diva, "you poor girl, what kind of sick fuck would do such a thing to a pretty young woman?"

Envy raises her gaze from the sleek cheery wood counter, a growl gurgling in her throat. Aryana scowls at the slinger of spirits and retorts venomously, "I think a better and more appropriate question is, 'what would you like to drink Miss?"

The sting in her words take the portly man aback and with an indignant huff the bartender addresses her again, "What would you like to drink Miss?"

She chooses not to further acknowledge his unprofessional inquiry, far more concerned with enjoying the night, and replies with a friendly smile, "A pint of your house red please."

He nods and turns his attention to Strife, "And you Sir?"

[Vladimir Strife]

"A Pliny The Younger."

The tender gives the pair a nod and takes to retrieving their orders. As he does, the GodKing turns to his date with a sigh.

"Great, I've hardly just met you and everyone already thinks I'm beating you. How uncouth? I don't beat my women until at LEAST the third or fourth date!"

The joke earns him a bit of a laugh from his employee and a bit of a stinkeye from the man behind the counter as he sets their glasses before them. There was nothing he could say, however, recognizing the star before him and knowing it's his company that has made his bar a local name and their checks and brawls that enabled him to consistently keep new equipment and furnishings.

They each sipped their brews and began to relax, the brutal day finally done for them. As two of the last persons anyone in EVPW would want to cross began to unwind, their hard exteriors giving way to approachable, identifiable humans, a beeping comes from the Behemoth's pocket. He reaches in and slips his phone out, quickly turning off the reminder that has popped up. He places it back to where it was and begins digging through another pocket.

Vladimir produces an opaque orange container with a white cap, readily apparent as a prescription pill bottle and twists off the cap. He tilts it toward his open palm and the medication spills out, little white dots showering over the edge of his appendage and onto the floor.

"FUCK!"

He pops one into his mouth and puts the handful back into their container before setting it onto the counter. The man swiftly collects the rest from the floor around him and dumps them back in as well, a bit of a flush to his cheeks as he looks back towards the Covetous Cunt, whose eyes fixate on the label. Vlad screws the cap back onto the bottle of Tarceva and sets it back into his pocket, a silence between himself and Aryana as he takes a large gulp of his beer and his mind begins to race with dread.

tbcb Envy

[Envy]

Envy chortles at the EVPW legends joke, “aw and I was so hoping for an opportunity for a nice spanking tonight, you know the thrashing Carson gave me just didn’t satiate my hunger for a good thorough beating.”

She scoops up her drink without glancing in the booze peddler’s direction and takes a grateful swig of the smooth Irish ale. Envy raises her brow quizzically as his alarm goes off and The GodKing proceeds to withdraw a prescription from his pocket. Aryana Watches as he fumbles with the container, wondering what sort of medication someone like Vladimir Strife could possibly be on. However, she remains silent, not wanting to further unnerve him, for it seemed since the phone went off the light hearted mood of the male wrestler had morphed into one of discomfort and vulnerability.

Hands fold one over the other on her lap as she waits for him to finish his ‘regimen’, but when the pills spill out onto the floor she slides from her seat to assist him with retrieving the runaway medication. However, he manages to gather the stray pills on his own and whilst he deposited them into their rightful place inquiring eyes scan the label. When she finally comprehends the purpose of his prescription, The Queen of Mean fights the urge to gasp in surprise, calming her thoughts and preparing to approach the subject with as much tact as she can muster . Once the Behemoth settles back into his seat she gives The GodKing a solemn gaze, “does Kingbear know? Or anybody else for that matter?”

[Vladimir Strife]

Vladimir lifts the glass to his lips and dumps nearly half of it's contents down his gullet, letting out a deep sigh as he sets it back onto the counter and stares into it as though the words he sought would be floating around within the ambrosia. He continues to peer at the drink as he finds what he believes he's seeking, as if addressing the brew. It was not silliness or madness that drove him to speak to the beer, but rather the comfort that it possessed no brilliant eyes to judge him with nor luscious ruby lips with which to flash an apologetic half-hearted smile or frown (the truth being that he never knew which was the appropriate action in a moment such as this as social graces had far from been his forte).

"Of course not. If KingBear knew or the company's medical examiner.. there's absolutely no way they'd let me step foot in that ring. Not knowing that I'm putting off the hard treatments just to get in there and fight.."

The beverage gently wavers to and fro with minute shivers of his appendage, rocking like a miniscule amber tidal wave before regaining it's composure. It neither smiles or frowns at the revelation, merely going with the flow as though there were nothing tragic about it.

"And then what would I be? I wouldn't be that legend who went out on top in one of the biggest matches of his career... I'd just be that foreign guy who got cancer and had to quit. I can't do that.. I've worked too long and too hard to let my story end that way. I may not have the immortality of a god, but I have the resolve of a king to end my career on my terms.."

The Titan finishes his thoughts by consuming his confidant and orders another, before forcing a smile he hopped was the social norm for such matters and glancing over at his date.

tbcb Envy

[Envy]

The diva watches silently as Vladimir stares into his glass of spirits as if it were his crystal ball. She smiles bemusedly to herself, imagining the GodKing clad in a wizards costume and predicting the fates of the EVPW roster. Aryana could sense his uneasiness with his current position of vulnerability and chose not to further his discomfort by fully acknowledging the severity of the situation, “Well… I can’t decide if I understand exactly where you’re coming from or if you’re a crazy mother fucker. I saw your most recent match and that was some serious shit, have you thought about how participating could affect your ability to fight the more serious battle on the horizon?” She swallows the remainder of her beer in one refreshing gulp and taps the glimmering surface of the counter, “another.”

The bartender deposits another pint of Irish Red in front of The Covetous Cunt and she gives him a grateful grin, her face stinging all the while. She then returns her attention to Vlad, “I doubt your legacy can be so easily erased. You will always be the superstar with the longest winning streak in wrestling history, The GodKing, but I can understand the need to end your career on your terms… Everybody wants to end things with a big bang that burns into peoples’ minds for eternity, why should you be the exception.”

Envy returns his smile, hers being much less forced then her counterparts, “you don’t have to play nice for me, I like you just the way you are you crazy bastard. Now, I need some advice, how do you get under the skin of a guy like Carson?”

[Vladimir Strife]

Vladimir considers the first of her questions, answering it truthfully without trying to sound like a cliche.

"Honestly.. I don't care about the big battle.. I mean, I'm going to kick the bucket some day or another. That's inevitable. What I do in the ring though.. those kinds of all out fights that dominate the highlight reel.. that will live on beyond me. Years after I've rotted, people will remember and watch and enjoy my life's work. My legacy is the only sort of immortality I could ever truly obtain."

The remark drives his date to quickly finish off her beverage, ordering another before continuing. He smiles, this time genuinely, at her request for advice. The devilish glint in her eyes as she concerns herself with revenge against Carson reminds him of himself, the eroticism of it only mildly surprising the egotist.

"How do you get under the skin of Nicholas Carson? Has this truly turned to small talk? I mean, you really don't have to try. Just stand there, somewhere in the vicinity of the guy. The very presence of another person who isn't at his whim seems to piss the guy off. He especially seems to crave control though. Challenge the fucker in the slightest, even a hint of not letting him get his way.. and you should have the cocksucker seeing red."

Vlad takes a big drink of his beer and chuckles a little.

"Or you could upstage him. Do what he never could and put me on my back."

The GodKing gives a small wink and takes another drink, looking around to see if there are any 'No Smoking' signs or ashtrays.

tbcb Envy

[Envy]

“Put you on your back eh? Is that an invitation?” The Covetous Cunt chuckles, her emerald orbs sparkling mischievously, and she gives The EVPW legend a pleasant smile, “somehow I doubt that would make Carson too upset, though he seems fairly keen on me pinning him all the same, are you maybe suggesting that the most effective way to piss this dag off would be to refuse him the match he so desperately desires? THAT is the one thing I can see that he seems to want me to do currently, aside from jumping on the ogre he calls a cock, and that will never happen.” 

With a scoff Aryana scoops up the remnants of her frothy brew, draining the glass of its contents before returning her attention to Vladimir, “No… That wouldn’t satisfy my thirst for vengeance in the least. After all, his name's on my ass, burnt into my flesh, and I want to leave a mark of my own. I was honestly hoping for something more substantial from someone of your…. Talents. I suppose I will have to think of something, it’s just that this fellow, well… He’s a different brand of crazy all together.”

Envy’s hand gently rests on the GodKing’s knee and she gazes into his eyes with a look of genuine respect, “It really is a disappointment to see you retiring, I would have liked to have had the opportunity to play with The Vladimir Strife in the ring, though I doubt I would have been able to defeat you… Though to be beaten by you, well, that wouldn’t be as terrible as some might think.”

[Vladimir Strife]

Vladimir smiles at the Covetous Cunt, placing a hand over hers. He downs another drink of his beer before retorting.

"It's for the better, I suppose. I would have hated to busted up something so lovely. But I think I have just what you need.."

Envy's eyes light up a little and the GodKing chuckles, having meant something a touch different this time.

"Submission. You can knock Carson around all day, pin him, knock him out.. he'll just take pride in whatever damage he inflicted along the way. Now... you make that son of a bitch give in and you'll wound his ego. Having to spend the rest of his career knowing he tapped out to a woman half his size? The thought will eat him alive. That even when he was in full control of continuing the bout by only having to not surrender, it was too much for him to endure. That said.. it won't be easy. If you can pull it off though, it'll be rewarding."

tbcb Envy

[Envy]

“A submission match? Hmm…. “ her free hand inches toward her face, fingers caressing her chin, and her brow raises quizzically as she contemplates the idea proposed by Vlad. Envy’s thoughts linger momentarily on the fact that she was most definitely not a skilled submissionist and that from what she knew about Carson he would have an advantage in such a match up. Enough about Carson, you can handle that fuckwit on your own, this man just told you he has cancer… Perhaps you should change the subject back to him.

“We’ll see, knowing Carson he’ll want some kind of a hardcore match so that he can molest me right proper without interference. Tell me, what kind of stupendous show do you have planned for your final match?”

Her hand slowly retracts from her employer’s lap and she waves for the bartender to refresh her beverage. Envy suddenly recalls earlier he had been smoking a cigarette and she couldn't resist the urge to reprimand him playfully for his disregard for his current condition. The diva tilts her head to the side and smirks, giving Vladimir an amused expression, “so, you’ve got cancer, but you still smoke? You honestly don’t give a shit, do you Vlad?”

[Vladimir Strife]

Vladimir laughs and smiles before motioning for a refill of his own.

"Well, hell, I already have cancer. It's a little late to worry about the smoking, isn't it? I'm sure they'll make me quit when I start the hard treatments though, so I'd better enjoy it while I still can."

The King takes a drink of his fresh beverage and taps his fingers a little, itching for the aforementioned vice. He takes another long sip of the brew before him to help alleviate the fiending before turning his attention to her other inquiry.

"I'm taking him into the Asylum Cage Deathmatch. I'm not sure how much of my work you've followed... but it's second to none in terms of matches. The ultimate blend of hardcore and technical wrestling. I designed it myself to be just so. Took me months going over the idea to do so... I'm rather proud of it. If there's anything that can decisively put the two of us to our limits, it's that thing.."

tbcb Envy (sorry, at work and brain is tired, not many ideas going)

[Envy]

"Interesting way of looking at it," another beer is deposited in front of Envy and she scoops it up, "but I admire your devil may care attitude."

Ms. Renfield guzzles down the frothy beverage in my fell swoop and the sweet tintinabulation of the glass as it connects with the table top rings in her ears. A delightfully warm starts to crawl up her neck and spread across her cheeks, the alcohol finally starting to affect. Aryana grimaces and covers her mouth as a burp slithers from between her lips, a sheepish grin spreading from ear to ear. She ponders momentarily on the carnage that would take place at the magnificent match that Vladimir described and she nods thoughtfully to her companion,"Sounds like a match to watch, can't wait to see it."

With a satisfied sigh Envy separates herself from her seat and addresses Vladimir, "So how about that cigarette? After that I think I'll call it a night, it's been a while since I've had a drink and well... It seems to be hitting me more quickly than I had anticipated."

[Vladimir Strife]

"That sounds like an excellent idea.."

Throwing a fifty on the counter, Vlad finishes his own drink, setting it down beside Aryana's.

"Come on, slowpoke."

Her teasing brings a smirk to his face as he stands up from the stool and accompanies her on the path toward the exit. She stops, waiting by the door so that he may open it and hold it for her like a gentlemen, despite the vicious and violent legacy behind the Romanian. He does so, the pair sharing a smile once more before stepping out into the cool night and brandishing their cigarettes and lighters. The GodKing's fails to light, and the Covetous Cunt swings her lighter over, still lit, assisting him.

The tandem lean back against the wall, a comfortable silence between them. As the Czar of Scars takes a deep inhale of the nicotine and blows it out, a contemplative expression to his visage, the Decimation champion softly traces his forearm with her pointer finger. Vlad recoils, as though burns by this.

"Look... Aryana... you're a great girl and all, but everything as it is.. maybe we shouldn't get too close. I mean.. a month from now, if I'm... look, I just don't want to end up some charity case.

to be continued and/or finished by Envy

[Envy]

She pulls her hand away as if her fingers have grazed a hot burner, immediately feeling foolish for her brazen flirtatious nature. Envy loathed her behavior under the influence of alcohol; rarely did she awaken the next day without the heavy burden of regret after a night of drinking. However, she gives Vladimir a roguish smile, eyes sparkling mischievously as the cigarette waits patiently, poised to plunge into her swollen lips, “actually,” her mouth ensnares the smoldering stick and The Covetous Cunt inhales luxuriantly before completing her sentence.

A cloud of smoke seeps from her flapping trap as she speaks, “can you truly refer to a roll in the hay with THE Vladimir Strife a pity fuck? Am I not the one that looks like a battered housewife?… Unless that sort of thing does it for you,” she chuckles and gives him a playful expression, “And I seriously doubt someone of your… skill… Can ever be considered a charity case in any way. In short, Mr. Strife, I’ve seen you in the ring, I can only imagine what you’d be like in bed. I think I’d be getting the better end of the deal.”

She pops her cigarette back into her mouth, resting the back of her head against the cold stone of the building. Aryana drinks in the carcinogenic smoke once more, blowing it out shortly afterward in a cloudy plume reminiscent of a chimney in winter, “And I wasn’t asking for a relationship, or saying I’d stand by your side as you undergo chemoherapy. I only meant for us to have a bit of fun tonight.”

The ember flares as she takes one final drag, “but… Perhaps you’re right and such territory is best left unexplored. Good luck with your match Vladimir, I’ll be rooting for you.

The diva tosses her stog to the ground before snuffing out its light with the rubber sole of her boot. Sparkling green orbs then return to the behemoth, giving him one last genuine smile, “Thanks again, this has to be the first time I’ve actually had an amiable interaction with another wrestler. Call me, if you’re ever looking for a drinking partner or need someone to talk to. See ya around Strife.”

Envy heads toward her car, the tintinnabulation of her car keys playing a sweet tune upon her retreat.

EOT