This chapter includes the Fozzy song "Judas", which I obviously don't own. Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm looking forward to your feedback!
One week later in Nashville, Tennessee Ravyn meets with Mark Carrano. They're on their fifth straight day of shows and everyone is exhausted. Ravyn sits across from Carrano, her gear bag at her feet because she hadn't even made it to the locker room before being called into his office.
"So.." He starts with zero emotion. "Good news."
She lets out a huge sigh of relief, "Not a phrase I'm used to hearing these days."
He smiles his weird creepy smile, "You're back on TV tonight... And your new music has been approved."
"Do I have a match?" She asks hopefully.
"We're finishing up the card. Should know in the next hour or so," he tells her. "Assume it's Naomi though."
She thanks him and wheels her bag down the hallway. She shoots AJ a quick text letting him know the good news and that she will be back in the women's locker room tonight. As she reaches the doorway with a computer paper printout reading 'Female Talent' taped to it a lump rises in her throat. She nearly loses her nerve and walks to AJ's locker room, but Becky walking up behind her changes that plan.
"Finally back to join us in the low rent district, Champ?"a hint of animosity seeps into the Lass Kicker's voice.
Ravyn looks at her sheepishly, "I deserved that."
The orange haired beauty immediately regrets her choice of words, "I'm sorry. Dat was a wee bit harsh."
"No, no," Ravyn stops her. "I should have been here with you guys instead of hiding from my problems."
Becky is quiet for a second, "What I really meant to say is.. We're happy to have you back."
Ravyn smiles, relieved to see that Becky and the rest of the locker room welcome her back with open arms. She spends the next few hours with the girls, catching up and avoiding any questions about AJ or the leaks. Once the show begins she goes over her segment with Naomi and the two of them get ready to go out there. Ravyn changes into her ring gear silently missing Tyler's leg floofies. Her new dark grey and black plaid shorts look dull against the shiny metal of the women's title belt. She grabs her leather jacket and swings through hair and makeup for a last minute touch up.
The glam squad curls the ends of her colorful locks and darkens her eyeshadow a smidge before sending her on her way. She sees AJ, Tyler and JJ waiting outside of gorilla for her while Naomi's music starts playing in the arena. The crowd buzzes with excitement. Ravyn hugs her best friends and kisses AJ before stepping into gorilla herself. Naomi is in the ring cutting a promo, demanding her rematch from the absent champion.
{I'm becom- I'm becom- I'm becoming...
I'm becom- I'm becom- I'm becoming...}
The words almost whisper over the arena sound system. Naomi drops the hand holding her microphone down to her side and looks around the arena.
{I'm becom- I'm becom- I'm becoming...
I'm becom- I'm becom- I'm becoming...}
The whisper comes again, slightly louder this time before a heavy guitar riff begins. The crowd murmurs in excited confusion.
{You are beautiful on the inside.
You are innocence personified...}
Ravyn tugs at her jacket psyching herself up to walk down the ramp
{And I will drag you down, and sell you out.
Run away.}
Road Dogg hands her a live microphone. She steps up to the back of the curtain and waits just a few more moments for the next lyric.
{I am cold like December snow.
I have carved out this soul made of stone...}
Lights flash, the Titantron comes to life with her name and a video package of career highlights. She steps out onto the stage and the crowd explodes with a mixture of cheers and boos.
{And I will drag you down, and sell you out.
Embraced by the darkness I'm losing the light,
Encircled by demons I fight...}
She climbs the ringside stairs and steps between the ropes.
{What have I become? Now that I've betrayed...
Everyone I've ever loved and pushed them all away..
And I have been a slave, to the Judas in my mind...
Is there something left of me to save in the wreckage of my life...}
She turns from the camera to Naomi as the chorus continues for a few more bars. Ravyn raises the microphone to her mouth as the music fades out. The crowd teeters on explosion as they listen to every word.
"Naomi," she smirks. "What makes you think that you even deserve a rematch for my title?"
The two women go back and forth on the mic for a few minutes until Daniel Bryan comes out to demand that Ravyn honor Naomi's rematch clause. Ravyn throws a fit refusing to defend her title on her first night back. The Smackdown Live general manager has other plans though. The bell rings a minute later and the match begins. They lock up in the middle of the ring getting a good reaction from the crowd. Any time Naomi starts to get in any offense Ravyn cuts her off by ducking her head through the ropes like a chicken shit heel. By the third time she does it the crowd is enraged, just wanting to see them fight. Finally Naomi gets the upper hand to the delight of the audience.
At the first opportunity Ravyn rolls away to the outside to get away from Naomi's onslaught. She reaches into her kneepad for a pair of brass knuckles. The referee still distracted by Naomi trying to get to the outside. As the ref backs her up Ravyn rolls back in. One solid punch with the steel fingers and the challenger collapses to the mat. Ravyn tucks the metal into the back of her tights and covers Naomi for the victory. She sneers to the camera with a cocky wicked grin as she snatches the belt from the referees hands. The crowd boos her as she walks back up the ramp from her successful title defense.
She steps back through the curtain to the smiles of the crew in gorilla. Road Dogg puts a hand on her shoulder to let her know she did a good job. A smile from Vince at the desk full of monitors confirms that she did ok. Satisfied, she leaves gorilla for the backstage area. AJ is there waiting for her with open arms. She buries her face in the crook of his neck and breathes in deeply. The moment is cut short by a production crew member calling Ravyn over to film a backstage promo for later in the show. AJ and her friends follow at a distance, wanting to watch but not be a distraction. Renee smiles as the two women prepare for the cameras to start recording. The crew counts them down and on the signal the cameras roll.
"Ravyn you've just defeated Naomi to retain your women's championship, albeit using nefarious methods.." Renee gets cut off.
"Nefarious methods," Ravyn snorts. "I won. She lost. It's as simple as that Renee. I'm the champion for a reason. None of these other women can hold a candle to me. When I got called up to Smackdown Live I knew it wouldn't take me long to become the champion. Even with being injured and out of competition for six months, here I am. At the top of the mountain while others who have been here for just as long, without injuries, haven't even had a title shot."
"Are you talking about JJ?" Renee asks. "You guys were best friends in NXT."
Instead of answering the cute blonde Ravyn just rolls her eyes. A smug look to the camera and she walks off screen leaving Renee looking confused. The smiles on the writing teams faces tell Ravyn that they liked the promo. JJ squeals excitedly and rushes over to hug her best friend.
"I can't believe this is finally happening!" JJ exclaims.
Ravyn nods excitedly, "I know! I never dreamed that the belt would be involved in our first feud!"
After a day off the company lands in Mexico for a duel roster tour. Having both Raw and Smackdown brands touring together gives some superstars the chance at a small break by not being booked. The rest get to catch up with the friends that they don't normally get to see. They board busses and head for their first arena in Puebla, Mexico. The card is stacked with talent, and the girls match is no exception. Ravyn tags with Alexa, Dana Brooke and Charlotte Flair against JJ, Bayley, Sasha and Becky. The good guys get the win sending the heel team retreating up the ramp. Soon after the girls are back in the locker room winding down after the match. JJ is messing around on her phone when Ravyn catches an odd look on her friend's face.
"J...? What's wrong?" Ravyn asks, her voice filled with concern. "You're making a face."
"Look at these comments," JJ motions for Ravyn to come read her Instagram. "I don't know where they're coming from."
Ravyn leans over her friend's shoulder to get a closer look at the phone screen. "What the hell?" She's shocked to see an array of replies to JJ's photo calling the girl a slut. Immediately she's reminded of the many similar comments she had received on her own social media after all of the leaks had started. "You'd better Google yourself..."
"That's never a good thing," JJ sighs, firing up a web browser.
Ravyn waits impatiently, "Anything?"
Without a word JJ hands the phone to her best friend with trembling arms. Once she's let go of the device she buries her face in her shaky hands. What Ravyn sees shocks her. It's a photo of her and Corey looking smug. He's shirtless with her standing at his side kissing his neck. The part that she can't seem to wrap her brain around is a redhead on her knees with her naked back to the camera, her head obviously hard at work on Corey's crotch. Her face isn't visible, but from behind it definitely looks like JJ.
"Holy shit! When was this even taken? I feel like I would remember that," Ravyn stammers.
JJ almost gets defensive, "You won't remember it, because it didn't happen. That's not me."
Ravyn analyzes the picture further, "It definitely LOOKS like you... Jesus this is bad."
"There's no way it is," JJ explains. "I hated Corey even then. I wouldn't have been caught dead in a situation like that."
Ravyn nods, "You're right. You never did like him. We've got to figure this out."
A text from Dolph pops up on the phone screen. "hey... I'm outside the locker room.. Looks like we have something to talk about babe."
"Uh oh," Ravyn sighs. "Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks that that looks like you."
"Grand," JJ groans. "Hopefully he believes me. I don't think I can take him being mad at me again so soon."
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Ravyn tells her. "Wish I could back you up... But I don't even remember that night. I must have been wasted."
JJ runs a hand through her hair nervously biting at her lip, "Guess I better go get this over with."
"Good luck friend," Ravyn says encouragingly.