Title: The Road Less Traveled (14/?)
Author: Esquirella
Rating: R (for violence in some chapters.)
Disclaimer: I own the Rio character and have written other stories with her. I own all non WWE characters. But I do not own the wrestlers. (Unfortunately. They are so cute!)
Synopsis: Rio takes care of a problem for Jeff and Shannon, and then finds she has to explain herself to Justin. Distribution: Just in case anyone's interested in it, please ask me first. More than likely, I will agree.
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Rio finished stretching as she heard her opponent's music hit. She rolled her shoulders and took her place on top of the ramp, waiting for her own entrance theme.
This match would not be like her most recent ones. She'd requested it of Henry herself. He seemed surprised that she wasn't badgering him again for a title shot, requesting a lower level fighter instead. Yet, probably grateful for the break, he'd readily agreed to accommodate her.
Rio had heard through her various contacts that Grendel and Sinbad had a third ally who accompanied them to the Indy events where they stalked various performers from other fighting circuits. Deciding to even the odds, Rio sought out this third fighter and manipulated him into challenging her that night. He was easy prey as he was just as hungry for a main event level fight as the other two. She was hoping that Grendel and Sinbad wouldn't try to talk him out of the fight, and apparently they hadn't.
As Duran Duran played, Rio launched herself down the ramp and slid under the bottom rope of the ring. There, glaring at her triumphantly, stood Menace Man, lean and sinewy in his black and yellow attire. Rio grinned at him, leaning into her bow.
He wasted no time in attacking, throwing himself at her heavily. Rio sidestepped him and grabbed his arm. She decided not to draw this particular fight out and immediately broke his left forearm. When he collapsed at her feet, she drove her elbow into his right calf and broke his leg. He slammed his arm on the mat repeatedly, signaling his surrender.
The crowd hollered appreciatively as Rio took a final bow and darted back up the ramp. The entire match, including entrances, took about ten minutes.
When she reached the back, Henry was waiting for her. He was leaning against a table with his arms crossed, regarding her curiously. His thick chestnut hair was slicked back today and he was wearing his expensive Hugo Boss collection. He must have a hot date tonight, Rio thought sardonically.
"Not that I care much," he said, "but why so aggressive this evening, Quick Silver?"
Rio wrinkled her nose slightly at the nickname. He'd begun calling her that after her first match and, much to her dismay, it had stuck with the competitors in the back.
"He annoyed me earlier," Rio answered. "That's why I asked for the match in the first place."
Apparently placated, Henry nodded as he walked away.
One down, she thought to herself.
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"What are you up to now, small one?" Justin quietly asked her when she answered her cell phone later that night.
"What are you talking about?"
"Do not pretend with me. I know you are up to something. Except for the title shot, you never request matches."
"He pissed me off?" she offered.
"Doubtfully," he responded.
Rio sighed. She was hoping she would not have to involve Justin and Sven in this little matter. It would likely only serve to upset them and she was afraid of what would happen if they became upset.
"It is nothing, Justin."
"Does this have anything to do with that Hardy boy you spoke to the other night?"
Wonderful, now they are tracing my phone calls, she thought, chagrined. "So, my conversations are not even to remain private, then?"
"We did not listen in on it," he said slowly. "We just know you called him, as well as the other one earlier that night."
"He is a friend."
Justin remained silent.
"Am I not to have any friends?"
"That isn't what worries us," he replied. "We are relieved that you wish to make friends. It is the ones you have chosen that worry us."
Rio sighed in exasperation. She honestly did not quite know how to handle Justin and Sven anymore. It was easier to gauge their behavior when she was with them because she could see their expressions. Although most would not see anything, Rio had become good at interpreting the most infinitesimal facial change. This phone/email only relationship prevented that.
"Okay," she relented. "I will tell you, but only if you promise me you will allow me to handle this myself."
Justin remained silent.
"I mean it, Justin. I am not a child."
Justin gave his own audible sigh. "Fine, but I cannot promise not to try to talk you out of it, though."
"Fair enough," Rio said. She then related to him all of the events of the past week, beginning with her first meeting with Andrew and ending with her match against Menace.
"I do not like this at all, small one."
"No kidding."
"You are trying my patience now."
Rio was surprised to find she was not as frightened as she once would have been if she'd heard him say that. She knew it was because she was beginning to understand her 'fathers' better.
"I am not trying to do so," she said. "I just want to help these people. You know they do not deserve to be picked off like wild game."
"I do not like that you are the one who has taken it upon herself to help them though."
"Why? You took it upon yourself to save me."
"That was different," he insisted. "You were defenseless."
"Against these odds, so are they."
"Why would you try to hide this from us? You know we would have found out anyway."
Now Rio was becoming annoyed. "Ah, yes. Because you two follow me everywhere and see everything I do. How did that shit I took this morning look? I thought it was a little too dark myself."
Justin gasped then started laughing loudly into the phone. Rio waited, silently wondering what the hell was so funny.
"It's about time you found that again," he said finally, between fits of chuckles.
"Now what are you talking about?"
"Your sarcasm," he said. "We knew it was under there somewhere."
"Happy to oblige you," Rio answered ruefully. "Now, promise me you will let me handle this."
"We will for now because you have handled those two before," Justin agreed. "But we will watch you carefully as we continue to work on this matter of your slimeball boss."
"Okay," Rio smiled. She valued their place in her life, but she didn't want them to make her decisions for her. If Henry distracted them, she would be grateful for it.
"I will expect regular updates on this."
"Yes, Justin," Rio said in a sing-song voice.
"I will talk to you soon," he said, still chuckling.
Rio waited for the dial tone before hanging up the phone. She contemplated the ceiling for a few long moments before dialing Jeff's cell phone number.
"'Lo?" he answered on the first ring.
"Hello, Jeff."
"Ri! I was just thinking about you."
Rio pushed the warm feeling she was getting aside. It would not do to become attached to anyone other than Justin and Sven. Those two she could be almost certain she would not lose. But Jeff, Andrew and the others weren't from her world. Those attachments lead to extraordinary pain.
"How are ya?" Jeff asked, breaking into her thoughts.
"I am fine," Rio replied. She decided that reminding him of her violent side would help keep the distance between them. "I took care of a potential problem this evening."
"What kina problem?"
"I learned that Grendel and Sinbad had a third partner who accompanied them to the Indy shows," she explained. "And I decided to take him out of the equation tonight to keep our plan intact."
Jeff didn't speak for a while and Rio could almost feel the tension through the phone line.
"He ain't dead, is he?"
The shock that passed through her left her feeling considerably cold. She'd wanted him wary of her, not scared to death.
"I do not kill people, Jeff," Rio said, when she regained her composure. "I am sorry if I have frightened you."
"Whew!" he said with feeling. "I didn' mean t' imply ya were a killa. But th' way y' said it scared me."
"I guess this call will be my turn for apologies," Rio smiled. In spite of her earlier misgivings, she knew she was definitely becoming attached.
"No problem," Jeff laughed. "Yaw allowed."
"Is your friend still intent on following through with his plans?"
"Shanny cannot be convinced othawise," Jeff confirmed.
"Okay then, I guess we will proceed as we have planned."
"One teensy development, tho'" Jeff said.
"What now?" Rio whined.
"The great Rio whinin'?" Jeff hooted. "Now tha's not somethin' ya hear ev'ryday!"
"Amusing," Rio sighed. "What is the problem?"
"I's not really a problem, per se," Jeff said. "I's just a development. M' brotha Matt's comin' t' th' show."
Rio raised an eyebrow at that. She didn't know Matt other than from the brief meeting the night at the club, and they hadn't said anything to each other. She did know that he wasn't happy with Jeff's interest in her though. She'd seen his frown when Jeff smiled at her that night. If Matt was there when she saved Shannon, Rio knew he'd figure out his brother was speaking to her. She also knew he'd give Jeff hell over it.
"This will be a problem for you," she said to Jeff. "You know he does not like me."
"I's not tha' he doesn' like ya," Jeff contended. "He doesn' kno' ya. He jus' thinks yo' dangerous an' that I shouldn' be around ya."
"He is right about that," Rio said, her voice sounding sad to her own ears.
"He's not right," Jeff said softly. "An' neitha are you."
"Jeff, open your eyes," she hissed. "I seriously hurt people for a living!"
"I kno' that. But yo' not dangerous t' me, are ya?"
Rio stared open mouthed at the phone for a few seconds before returning it to her ear. "How can you possibly be sure of that?"
"Ya saved us, dintcha?"
"That proves nothing."
"It does, baby, it does," Jeff said in a soothing tone. "I kno' ya won' hurt me. Don' worry, tho'. I won' spread it around."
Rio laughed softly in spite of her initial annoyance. "Thank you. It would not be helpful to my reputation if you did."
"It wouldn' help mine eitha if anyone knew th' daredevil Jeff Hardy had a ninety pound bodyguard," he said with mock indignation.
Rio laughed harder. "I will call you next week," she sputtered and clicked off her phone.
Author: Esquirella
Rating: R (for violence in some chapters.)
Disclaimer: I own the Rio character and have written other stories with her. I own all non WWE characters. But I do not own the wrestlers. (Unfortunately. They are so cute!)
Synopsis: Rio takes care of a problem for Jeff and Shannon, and then finds she has to explain herself to Justin. Distribution: Just in case anyone's interested in it, please ask me first. More than likely, I will agree.
--------------------------------------
Rio finished stretching as she heard her opponent's music hit. She rolled her shoulders and took her place on top of the ramp, waiting for her own entrance theme.
This match would not be like her most recent ones. She'd requested it of Henry herself. He seemed surprised that she wasn't badgering him again for a title shot, requesting a lower level fighter instead. Yet, probably grateful for the break, he'd readily agreed to accommodate her.
Rio had heard through her various contacts that Grendel and Sinbad had a third ally who accompanied them to the Indy events where they stalked various performers from other fighting circuits. Deciding to even the odds, Rio sought out this third fighter and manipulated him into challenging her that night. He was easy prey as he was just as hungry for a main event level fight as the other two. She was hoping that Grendel and Sinbad wouldn't try to talk him out of the fight, and apparently they hadn't.
As Duran Duran played, Rio launched herself down the ramp and slid under the bottom rope of the ring. There, glaring at her triumphantly, stood Menace Man, lean and sinewy in his black and yellow attire. Rio grinned at him, leaning into her bow.
He wasted no time in attacking, throwing himself at her heavily. Rio sidestepped him and grabbed his arm. She decided not to draw this particular fight out and immediately broke his left forearm. When he collapsed at her feet, she drove her elbow into his right calf and broke his leg. He slammed his arm on the mat repeatedly, signaling his surrender.
The crowd hollered appreciatively as Rio took a final bow and darted back up the ramp. The entire match, including entrances, took about ten minutes.
When she reached the back, Henry was waiting for her. He was leaning against a table with his arms crossed, regarding her curiously. His thick chestnut hair was slicked back today and he was wearing his expensive Hugo Boss collection. He must have a hot date tonight, Rio thought sardonically.
"Not that I care much," he said, "but why so aggressive this evening, Quick Silver?"
Rio wrinkled her nose slightly at the nickname. He'd begun calling her that after her first match and, much to her dismay, it had stuck with the competitors in the back.
"He annoyed me earlier," Rio answered. "That's why I asked for the match in the first place."
Apparently placated, Henry nodded as he walked away.
One down, she thought to herself.
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"What are you up to now, small one?" Justin quietly asked her when she answered her cell phone later that night.
"What are you talking about?"
"Do not pretend with me. I know you are up to something. Except for the title shot, you never request matches."
"He pissed me off?" she offered.
"Doubtfully," he responded.
Rio sighed. She was hoping she would not have to involve Justin and Sven in this little matter. It would likely only serve to upset them and she was afraid of what would happen if they became upset.
"It is nothing, Justin."
"Does this have anything to do with that Hardy boy you spoke to the other night?"
Wonderful, now they are tracing my phone calls, she thought, chagrined. "So, my conversations are not even to remain private, then?"
"We did not listen in on it," he said slowly. "We just know you called him, as well as the other one earlier that night."
"He is a friend."
Justin remained silent.
"Am I not to have any friends?"
"That isn't what worries us," he replied. "We are relieved that you wish to make friends. It is the ones you have chosen that worry us."
Rio sighed in exasperation. She honestly did not quite know how to handle Justin and Sven anymore. It was easier to gauge their behavior when she was with them because she could see their expressions. Although most would not see anything, Rio had become good at interpreting the most infinitesimal facial change. This phone/email only relationship prevented that.
"Okay," she relented. "I will tell you, but only if you promise me you will allow me to handle this myself."
Justin remained silent.
"I mean it, Justin. I am not a child."
Justin gave his own audible sigh. "Fine, but I cannot promise not to try to talk you out of it, though."
"Fair enough," Rio said. She then related to him all of the events of the past week, beginning with her first meeting with Andrew and ending with her match against Menace.
"I do not like this at all, small one."
"No kidding."
"You are trying my patience now."
Rio was surprised to find she was not as frightened as she once would have been if she'd heard him say that. She knew it was because she was beginning to understand her 'fathers' better.
"I am not trying to do so," she said. "I just want to help these people. You know they do not deserve to be picked off like wild game."
"I do not like that you are the one who has taken it upon herself to help them though."
"Why? You took it upon yourself to save me."
"That was different," he insisted. "You were defenseless."
"Against these odds, so are they."
"Why would you try to hide this from us? You know we would have found out anyway."
Now Rio was becoming annoyed. "Ah, yes. Because you two follow me everywhere and see everything I do. How did that shit I took this morning look? I thought it was a little too dark myself."
Justin gasped then started laughing loudly into the phone. Rio waited, silently wondering what the hell was so funny.
"It's about time you found that again," he said finally, between fits of chuckles.
"Now what are you talking about?"
"Your sarcasm," he said. "We knew it was under there somewhere."
"Happy to oblige you," Rio answered ruefully. "Now, promise me you will let me handle this."
"We will for now because you have handled those two before," Justin agreed. "But we will watch you carefully as we continue to work on this matter of your slimeball boss."
"Okay," Rio smiled. She valued their place in her life, but she didn't want them to make her decisions for her. If Henry distracted them, she would be grateful for it.
"I will expect regular updates on this."
"Yes, Justin," Rio said in a sing-song voice.
"I will talk to you soon," he said, still chuckling.
Rio waited for the dial tone before hanging up the phone. She contemplated the ceiling for a few long moments before dialing Jeff's cell phone number.
"'Lo?" he answered on the first ring.
"Hello, Jeff."
"Ri! I was just thinking about you."
Rio pushed the warm feeling she was getting aside. It would not do to become attached to anyone other than Justin and Sven. Those two she could be almost certain she would not lose. But Jeff, Andrew and the others weren't from her world. Those attachments lead to extraordinary pain.
"How are ya?" Jeff asked, breaking into her thoughts.
"I am fine," Rio replied. She decided that reminding him of her violent side would help keep the distance between them. "I took care of a potential problem this evening."
"What kina problem?"
"I learned that Grendel and Sinbad had a third partner who accompanied them to the Indy shows," she explained. "And I decided to take him out of the equation tonight to keep our plan intact."
Jeff didn't speak for a while and Rio could almost feel the tension through the phone line.
"He ain't dead, is he?"
The shock that passed through her left her feeling considerably cold. She'd wanted him wary of her, not scared to death.
"I do not kill people, Jeff," Rio said, when she regained her composure. "I am sorry if I have frightened you."
"Whew!" he said with feeling. "I didn' mean t' imply ya were a killa. But th' way y' said it scared me."
"I guess this call will be my turn for apologies," Rio smiled. In spite of her earlier misgivings, she knew she was definitely becoming attached.
"No problem," Jeff laughed. "Yaw allowed."
"Is your friend still intent on following through with his plans?"
"Shanny cannot be convinced othawise," Jeff confirmed.
"Okay then, I guess we will proceed as we have planned."
"One teensy development, tho'" Jeff said.
"What now?" Rio whined.
"The great Rio whinin'?" Jeff hooted. "Now tha's not somethin' ya hear ev'ryday!"
"Amusing," Rio sighed. "What is the problem?"
"I's not really a problem, per se," Jeff said. "I's just a development. M' brotha Matt's comin' t' th' show."
Rio raised an eyebrow at that. She didn't know Matt other than from the brief meeting the night at the club, and they hadn't said anything to each other. She did know that he wasn't happy with Jeff's interest in her though. She'd seen his frown when Jeff smiled at her that night. If Matt was there when she saved Shannon, Rio knew he'd figure out his brother was speaking to her. She also knew he'd give Jeff hell over it.
"This will be a problem for you," she said to Jeff. "You know he does not like me."
"I's not tha' he doesn' like ya," Jeff contended. "He doesn' kno' ya. He jus' thinks yo' dangerous an' that I shouldn' be around ya."
"He is right about that," Rio said, her voice sounding sad to her own ears.
"He's not right," Jeff said softly. "An' neitha are you."
"Jeff, open your eyes," she hissed. "I seriously hurt people for a living!"
"I kno' that. But yo' not dangerous t' me, are ya?"
Rio stared open mouthed at the phone for a few seconds before returning it to her ear. "How can you possibly be sure of that?"
"Ya saved us, dintcha?"
"That proves nothing."
"It does, baby, it does," Jeff said in a soothing tone. "I kno' ya won' hurt me. Don' worry, tho'. I won' spread it around."
Rio laughed softly in spite of her initial annoyance. "Thank you. It would not be helpful to my reputation if you did."
"It wouldn' help mine eitha if anyone knew th' daredevil Jeff Hardy had a ninety pound bodyguard," he said with mock indignation.
Rio laughed harder. "I will call you next week," she sputtered and clicked off her phone.