the Top of the World | Prelude
May 31, 2022 11:04:16 GMT -5
Karlie Nash, Addy A, and 4 more like this
Post by Lissie Hope on May 31, 2022 11:04:16 GMT -5
Azurine Vebbins just wanted to be a good friend.
We aren’t particularly close - there was a time when I sat around a warm fireplace during the holidays with her and a few strong female friends, and I opened up about a letter I'd written to myself for my 12-Step Program. I was emotionally naked and vulnerable for those ears who had never heard my story from my own heart, and I could feel that they were absorbing it. And I needed it - at that point in my life, after I’d defected from Philidor Holdings and was on a course of redemption - all on my own - but I didn’t want isolation and detachment. I couldn’t - I don’t think I could’ve made it, otherwise. But Azurine was there for me. And I appreciated it.
And she wanted to be here for me now. She wanted to help me train for this Dog Collar match against Jaka, one of the most hyped one-on-one’s in the early tenure of CU:LT’s existence. It was a feud that was smoldering under the surface, since the day I signed my contract. My name flooded the timeline, and Jaka had decided to instigate a mostly harmless pissing contest with me. Granted, she tried to humiliate me and discredit me, and considering I’ve never been one to shy away from some verbal shit-talk, I encouraged it. I knew she was potentially one of the top stars in the company - she was one of the first challengers for the New World Championship, after all.
But that was before I got here.
Did she have my legacy? No. My name recognition? No. But she had balls of steel, and even if I never publicly admitted it, I respected it.
And now, after months of jawing, we’re finally on our collision course - in one of the most sacred cities in my professional career. A place I’ve soared over the moon - winning my All-In briefcase here, my first World Championship here. I stole the show at Denzel Porter’s Inivtational here - and in two weeks, I will compete at Evolution for the AW Tag Team Championships. Here.
But I’ve also suffered devastation here. I lost a World Championship here. I lost my soul here. I lost my brother.
HERE.
Las Vegas - it’s baggage. And carrying the weight of this baggage on my shoulders is exhausting. I’ve proven I can take on the most talented people in the world under these bright lights, on these big stages, surrounded by this hypnotic energy. What potentially dooms me, though, is the subtext. It’s everything else. And every time, I’ve had to cast the extracurriculars aside, and focus on what is the most important. For the most part, I’ve pulled through. I’ve managed to keep my eyes focused on the prize, and I haven’t allowed my demons to pull me under.
But they’re always there.
Especially when you don’t expect them to be.
ACTION WRESTLING: XIII
Nate Nytro: NO! CYPHER IS GOING TO HOG-TIE LISSIE HOPE!
And I couldn't remember anything else.
Azurine entered the gym dressed in a leather midi-skirt and a form-fitting bustier that hugged all of her curves. In her hand, she held a leather strap attached to metal chain-links. In the other? “I appreciate you helping me train, Azzy, but I don’t think the vat of hot oil is necessary!” With a smirk on her face, she circled around me and snapped the leather around my neck. She buried her hands into the holsters attached to her skirt. “Weapons are common in CU:LT and all… but I really don’t think Jaka will bring a pair of wooden paddles to the ring!” When she softly ran the wood over my flesh, I felt a sensation of electricity course through my bones - not literally, though that wouldn’t be much of a shock, pun intended. But I was tingling, my senses overloaded, and in overdrive -
“I don’t think this is the kinda thing that’s gonna happen in Vegas…” I said with a grin, picturing a rabid Jaka, foaming at the mouth on the other end of the chain. There definitely wouldn’t be sexual chemistry, at least not on my end - I don’t really know about her. I mean, she targeted me for a reason, right?
At least, that’s was what she originally implied.
After nothing but a promotional photo, she said I had a “punchable face”. But this wouldn’t be the first time a lady protested too much.
“Ow - wait,” I said, feeling my eyes beginning to burn, my throat beginning to constrict as the leather collar cinched tighter around my throat. “Azzy, stop. …please.” My heart started to convulse in my chest, and I felt myself perspiring, thinking back to the last time I was shackled.
Restrained.
Defenseless.
ACTION WRESTLING: XIII
Nate Nytro: NO! CYPHER IS GOING TO HOG-TIE LISSIE HOPE!
I felt the metal cuff wrap tight around my wrist, before he contorted my elbow and chained my other wrist through the rope. I was tangled in his web, and I couldn’t fight out of it. I could only watch as he prepared to bite into my throat.
Before he delivered the killing blow, he paraded my ex-fiancee out in front of me to witness his brutality. His fists on my skull felt like the serrated edge of a blade, twisting and turning and tearing my flesh. He toyed with me, knowing there was nothing I could do. No friends I could turn to.
And I couldn't remember anything else.
“This feels unnecessary.”
I didn’t answer. Feeling my heart in my throat, I stretched the leather collar in my hands, feeling the stitching. The holes. The metal spike that would clasp it together. Johnny Bacchus - we have a complicated relationship. He’s a man who knows what I’m thinking before I even say it. He knows what I’m feeling before I can even express it. He knows me better than anyone, even if I couldn’t admit it.
“And it’s not going to prove anything. You understand that, right?”
“I won’t let this control me,” I said stoicly, removing the anguish and the emotion from the timbre of my voice. I slowly wrapped the leather around my throat, and turned my back to him, moving the hair from my neck.
“You’ve got it,” he told me, backing away. I turned to look into his eyes.
“I asked you to come here because I need your help, J,” I pleaded. He didn’t respond. Instead, he removed himself from the immediate vicinity and started making his way towards the door. I took the chain back into my hands and stared at my emotionless reflection.
I have to accept that I must do this alone.
Once again, I looped the leather band around my throat. I felt it tightening along my flesh as the buckle fell into place. I took a deep breath as I clipped the metal link into the carabiner.
And then I remembered.
“I’m going to kill you for this.”
I watched Cypher’s smirk contort into a scowl. And he planted his lead leg, and I watched his boot soar through the air, clipping the underside of my jaw.
And I remember waking up on a gurney.
I watched Cypher’s smirk contort into a scowl. And he planted his lead leg, and I watched his boot soar through the air, clipping the underside of my jaw.
And I remember waking up on a gurney.
“Noo,” I cried out, dropping the chain to the floor below. My knees buckled, and I collapsed, right into Johnny’s extended arms. He held me close to his chest.
“Easy there, Tiger.” he said, running his palm through my hair. “S’okay. Everything’s okay,” he promised.
I don’t know if I believed him.