A/n: Thanks a bunch to everyone who has read and reviewed, and subscribed this story, it makes me feel so awesome that you guys are actually interested and that just keeps me going to thanks a bunch for that, so don't stop now please :)
Disclaimer: I only own Fate and the plot. Everything else belongs to the founders of TNA, who I think is Jeff Jarret, and whoever the hell is in involved with founding TNA.
Okay so it was my official first night on the job, if you could really call this a job. Tonight is the night that the ten of us in the Knockout Lookout competition will be personally introduced to the fans and the competition will begin. I was still holding onto my charade as Fate Heartfield, which really wasn't that hard since I was still being me just... not me. Okay I think I just confused myself....
"Hey hun, ya nervous about going out there tonight?" Saved by the Ryley.
For some reason my stomach had been seriously cramping ever since we arrived at the arena for the show tonight. It was most likely from nervousness, not about the competition starting but maybe about the fact that soon I would be on national television, introducing myself to the world as someone I'm not, or just knowing that I'm going to be seen by thousands of people worldwide on national television, yep that was probably it. I usually wasn't a very shy girl, not at all actually but something about this whole thing just made me extremely timid and nervous.
I forced a smile as the southern bell took the fold-able black steel chair beside me. Once again the ten of us were shoved up into this tiny locker room which was no bigger than my walk-in closet back home. This locker room had officially been declared our locker room, until it was time for our segment on that taping of Impact, after that we would immediately be returning to the hotel to being packing. Packed for what you ask? For training.
That's right, in the morning at 7 a.m. a few of the company vans are going to come and pick the ten of us up from our hotels, and take each of us to some training facility in Tampa- Jeff wanted us close to home-so we can each be taught by a professional trainer how to actually... wrestle. Of course Jeff failed to mention when I signed my contract to join this stupid competition that wrestling would in fact be needed, like I told him in the first place, I just wanted to interview superstars backstage or something like that, not actually risk life-threatening injuries fighting large, bulky women inside a ring. Most of the other girls were excited about actually being able to train to wrestle, of course I had to put up a facade that I was too.
"Is is that obvious?" I responded with a nervous laugh to Ryley's question.
"I hear ya. I don't think I ever expected to actually get up and go out in front of a thousand people, and being viewed by thousands more at home... but that's the price of living the dream right?" She responded playfully nudging my elbow which once again I forced a smile.
"Yeah.. living the dream..." I murmured mentally kicking myself.
This really wasn't my dream, I don't, nor have I ever in my life wanted to be a wrestler, I actually wanted to be a social worker, or an advice columnist or something safe and secure like that. Every other girl here wanted this so bad, I could just tell since pretty much everything they talked about revolved around wrestling whether it be TNA or that other rival wrestling industry, WWE.
What if I did win this thing in the end? I'd be taking away the opportunity that each of these girls hear dreamed about their entire lives. That could not be good for my karma points, okay with Leslie I really didn't care, but what about Ryley? She'd been so sweet to me, she was actually the only friend I had at the moment since I hadn't heard from those backstabbers Naomi, or Jill yet. They hadn't even called to apologize for uploading that stupid picture on the Internet, I'm still surprised that none of the girls in the competition have seen it, or if they have they haven't said a thing to me about it.
"Ladies, your on in ten minutes," one of the backstage workers named Mickey reminded us as he quickly peaked his head into the door with his eyes closed before we told him we were decent. He opened his eyes and gave us a smile and a nod before he was gone as quickly as he came.
Oh crap, here come the cramps again. I moved my hands to comfort my stomach as my heart began beating so hard that I was surprised the other girls couldn't hear it echoing inside the room.
Our orders for tonight were simple, go out there introduced right after our guest host who Jeff finally revealed to us as someone by the name of, Jamar Shipman, Jeff said that he would be going by his ring name though which was, 'Black Machismo' Jay Lethal. Everyone else knew who he was, so I pretended I did to.
I looked up to the television as I watched the man called Eric Young, yes I'd learned a few ring names, hit his finisher move which was some kind of piledriver, on his opponent named Robert Roode before getting the pin and winning the match. He snatched his hand away from the referee as he tried to raise it in victory, before he walked over to one of the turnbuckles to taunt the crowds.
"I hate that they turned Eric into a heel, he was so hilarious before, definitely one of my former favorites," Ryley sighed in disappointment as she adjusted her white cowboy hat on her head.
"Yeah, totally," I responded deciding to agree with her even though I didn't have the slightest clue what she was talking about. What the hell was a heel anyway?
Suddenly the door to our locker room opened for the second time tonight and once again Mickey peered his head into the doorway to tell us that it was time for us to get to the tunnel since our segment was beginning in only five minutes.
Reluctantly I got up from my seat and followed the rest of the extremely giddy girls out of the locker room as we made our way towards the entrance to the tunnel leading out onto the stage. As we made our way through the hall towards the entrance to the tunnel we passed by some of the superstars on the roster, each of them sizing us up most likely deciding who had what it takes to win upon our looks.
If I thought my heart was racing before, it was kicking it into overdrive now. Tiny beads of sweat began to form on my forehead and I quickly wiped them away to avoid ruining my make-up. This was it, this is where it all officially beings.
Suddenly a man, dressed like he was still in the 70's time period came walking up beside us, his clothes were an array of 'funkadelic' colors and designs, he must have been this Jamar Shipman person who was hosting this competition. He stopped in front of myself and Ryley in the back and smiled as he removed his black and white checkerboard shades.
"What's up ladies, I'm Jamar Shipman. Damn, I'm glad I decided to do this hosting thing now, you ladies are gorgeous!" He complimented smiling as he looked over each of us. "I wish you all the best of luck."
"Thanks Jay!" Ryley exclaimed giving him a five-finger wave and a bright smile as we watched him walk past the group and through the tunnel out into the stage followed by a roar of applause from the audience in the stands which seemed to boom throughout the entire arena.
A few moments later I heard his voice again over the microphone, only this time he sounded nothing like he did five seconds ago, his voice wasn't as soft and smooth anymore, it was more jagged and well just different.
"Alright everybody you all know that my name is Black Machismo Jay Lethal and tonight, tonight I have the honor of introducing you all to some of the most foxy creatures on this earth as your host of the Knockout Lookout competition," there was a roar of cat calls, and wolf whistles heard from the fans, mostly I'm guessing the male fans.
"These ladies have come from far and wide in hopes of becoming one of the most dominating line of women in history today, a TNA Knockout!" Again more cheers. "Now, ladies and gentlemen put your hands together for the lovely ten contestants of the Knockout Lookout! Come on out here ladies!"
The crowd went wild as the first girl in our line moved forward walking through the tunnel and out onto the stage followed by the next girl, and the next. The song that was blasting over the speakers which Jeff said the the official theme of the Knockout Lookout was 'About A Girl' by The Academy Is which just happened to be one of my favorite songs, number five on my iPod playlist.
Ryley gave me one final reassuring smile as she noticed my nervous state and a comforting pat on the shoulder before she turned around and followed Leslie out onto the stage meaning that it was now my turn, this moment would either make me or break me. I put on a bright smile being sure to show a few of my pearly whites as I walked forward through the smokey tunnel and out onto the stage just above the ramp leading to the ring as the fans greeted me as well as the rest of my fellow competitors with a roar of applause and cat-calls.
Game on.