Chapter One
Royal Rumble
Chicago, Illinois
Royal Rumble had arrived with a bang. The atmosphere was electric; the excitement within the crowd was intensifying; and the anticipation for the first pay-per-view event of the year was at an almighty high. The crowd had arrived in its thousands, all milling into the arena for a glimpse at the excellent talent that WWE had employed and were presenting to them for a night to remember.
The first match of the night was for the Diva's Championship. Nikki Bella and her twin Brie descended down the ramp, their eyes scanning the animated crowd and excitement building in their stomachs. Their music came to an end, the sound fading out and replaced by silence. The crowd began to boo as the Diva's Champion AJ Lee began skipping down the ramp, the Diva's Championship hooked on her shoulder. Her eyes were fixed upon Nikki who was stood in the middle of the ring, and warming up her muscles. This was a huge match for the both of them; with AJ Lee defending the title and Nikki having the opportunity to become the new champion. She had worked hard, making her way up the metaphoric ladder within the company. She had proved herself, and it had paid off.
The bell sounded, causing both women to start their tirade on each other. They fought hard, as if their life depended on the outcome of the match. Fists were thrown, kicks were struck, and the two women began to weaken the other. The crowd chanted as they watched the women fight for the championship. AJ Lee was able to get the upper hand, and delivered a Tornado DDT to the challenger. AJ Lee smirked, as she stared at Nikki Bella on the mat, breathing heavily.
This was it, she thought. She dragged Nikki Bella off the mat, and applied her finishing move, the Black Widow. AJ hooked her leg around Nikki's leg, causing Nikki to fall to one side. She trapped Nikki's arm with her own, draping her free leg over Nikki's neck forcing it downwards. Nikki fought to escape the hold that was on her, and she dismissed the referee's attempt to check her status. Her arm was locked in, and was pulling at the muscles in her chest and arms. Nikki couldn't hold it for much longer, the pain becoming unbearable.
Just as Nikki was about to tap out, the whole arena fell into darkness. The crowd intensified, wondering what was happening within the black out. It felt like a long time, but it was only a few seconds. The lights went back on, and in the ring, along with AJ Lee and Nikki, was someone that neither women had ever seen before.
She was short, a little taller than AJ, and had long auburn hair. She was switching her unwavering gaze to them both, her eyebrows narrowed and her nose flaring. The crowd fell silent, with all eyes on her. She was dressed in black denim shorts and a simple white tee. A smirk etched across her face. Nikki watched from her place on the mat as the stranger moved towards AJ Lee and speared the champion. Nikki moved out of the way, with the help of her twin sister, as the stranger turned towards her. They stared at each other for a moment, before the woman smirked and left the ring, ascending up the ramp.
Nikki took the opportunity and slid across the ring towards AJ Lee who was out for the count. Nikki pinned the champion, and hearing the count of three, she moved away from AJ Lee as quickly as possible. The bell rang signifying the end of the match, and the beginning of her reign. She was the Diva's Champion.
As the referee passed her the championship, she stole a glance towards the ramp where the woman was stood at the top, staring at her. She didn't know who this woman was, but from the intensity of her stare, Nikki knew she meant business.