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Tears of Tomorrow
Part IV
Artemis lay sprawled across the leather couch in her dad's locker room, her thick, deep red hair hanging over her shoulders as she spoke to her father while he rummaged in his duffel bag. Smackdown had already started, but the show was only ten minutes in. She nibbled on her lip, a sign of nervousness.
"So Stephanie created a new hardcore title and a new women's title," Artemis filled him in on what had happened in the last ten minutes, "And there's going to be a tournament for both of them," she finished, and sighed, flipping onto her stomach, turning to him as he stood. "The hardcore tournament's going to start off with four triple-threat matches. After that, there will be two singles matches between the winners. The winners of the two singles matches will then go up against each other at the Pay-Per-View. The women's tournament is just going to be singles matches throughout." The Undertaker scoffed at the mention of a women's tournament.
"Is there enough women for a tournament?" he asked. She pursed her lips together, giving him an irritated look.
"Yeah," she said, there're 8 of us."
"Who?"
"Sable, Torrie, Nidia, Dawn Marie, Skye, Isabella, Tyra, and Me," she said, spitting Tyra's name out in disgust. "Stephanie said that all of the women were automatically in the tournament – that kind of pissed Sable off, seeing as how Stephanie wasn't in the tournament and she can't wrestle worth crap – and that anyone that wanted to be in the tournament for the hardcore title had to sign up in her office."
"And did the women have to visit Stephanie's office for the tournament?" 'Taker asked, remembering that he saw Artemis exiting her office as he walked in. Artemis winced, nervously twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"Umm… No…" she admitted. He sat down on the armrest near her head, looking down at her. There was an expression that she couldn't quite read in his eyes.
"You signed up for the hardcore tournament?" he asked, sighing tiredly. She nodded quietly, not meeting his eyes.
"1 of the 16," she murmured quietly. He looked down at her.
He pressed his hands together and sighed once more. "Look, Artemis, I know you can handle yourself, and I know you're a damn good wrestler… But honey…" he exhaled. "You just can't sign up for the hardcore tournament on your third show." Artemis sat up quickly, her gray eyes flashing. "Excuse me?" her voice carried venom.
The Undertaker sat down next to her. "Let me rephrase this. You can open the biggest cans of whoop ass I've ever seen…but you're not ready to hold the hardcore championship or become a player for it." The redhead gritted her teeth, staring at her father. "In this business you fight for one title and stick with it until you move on. You don't try for two titles at once…at least not until you are a veteran."
Artemis narrowed her eyes as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "The Women's Championship is a joke. You know it, I know it; we all know it. I'm in the tournament because I have to be not because of choice. But if I had a choice, I'd still be in it. I know I can win this thing. But honestly, when I do, there's never going to be any brutal matches or huge fights, because no one will give a flying fuck about that title."
"Honey--"
"Stop," she snapped, and stood up. "I'll do what I like, when I like, regardless of what you say." Her temper, like the Undertaker's, didn't take long to start. Her eyes narrowed at her father, simply daring him to make a comment. "I can handle myself, I don't need you," she hissed.
He stood abruptly, eyeing her down. "You don't, do you? Need I remind you who was the one who rescued you two weeks ago?"
"You're so full of it," Artemis snarled. She grabbed her duffel bag and slung over her shoulder. "I'm outta here…"
"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" Artemis turned around, her eyes glaring a hole through the Undertaker. "I forbid you to enter in the tournament!" he opened his mouth to speak again, but Artemis held her arm out, her palm facing him.
"Before you waste your breath, I'll clear something up for you. Yes, you are my father, and yes, you did save me a couple weeks ago. Yes, I am grateful for that, and yes, I do appreciate and consider your input on my decisions," her eyes sliced through him. "That does not mean, however, that you have the right to forbid me to do anything. I considered what you said, but I still want to go through with this tournament, and I will, regardless of whether you're behind me in it or not." Her sentences rang true, but Artemis had struck up the Undertaker's anger, and it was near impossible to quell.
He grabbed Artemis's outstretched forearm and twisted it, dragging the redhead closer to him. "I am your father," he hissed. "You do what I say."
"And that's where you're wrong!" Artemis hissed in reply. In a sudden movement, she jerked her twisted arm out of 'Taker's grip and grabbed his hand, pulling downward. At the same time, she bent over, kicking her foot backwards into his jaw, performing an excellent Slashing Viper. The redhead looked down at her father, eyes emotionless. She ran her fingers over the now-red skin where the Undertaker had grabbed her. Feeling the burning sensation, Artemis snarled, and snapped her shoe into the shoulder of her father.
As the door slammed shut behind her, the Undertaker reached up to touch his jaw from the sprawled out position he had landed in. He hissed through his teeth and looked at the door to his locker room the best he could from his spot on the floor. Painstakingly and slowly, he crawled to his feet and made his way to the door.
He had a hardcore tournament to sign up for.
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Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since an update! I hope you guys liked this chapter, and please review, it means a lot!