Chapter 2: Talking Nightmares and Stating Pride.
Just hours ago AJ Lee had experienced an encounter with her biggest, most intimidating, most imposing opponent to date, Kharma.
To call Kharma a monster would be appropriate. She was just over six feet tall and well into the two hundred pound range. She wasn't just a powerhouse among most female professional wrestlers, she was a giant, and an imposing threat to any professional wrestler who had the nerve to challenge her.
Or in AJ's case, any opponent she challenged.
Kharma hadn't been seen in the WWE since 2012 and her impact was not lost among the WWE Universe. They welcomed her back with open arms and smiling faces, knowing she had unfinished business and unearned glory and the thought of AJ Lee, the most dominant WWE Diva in recent memory facing off against Kharma, a returning monster that was bent on claiming the Divas Championship would be sure to put butts in arena seats and eyes on television and computer screens. However AJ didn't feel the same joy and anticipation that the WWE Universe was feeling, in fact the nervousness started to creep up on her.
As she rode in her customized "Love Bites" tour bus, trying to cover up her uneasy nerves in some late night cartoons on TV before bed some unusual thoughts of wariness and unease filled her mind.
"Kharma's huge…like really huge. I wonder if my Black Widow can even get locked in on her…if she doesn't sit on me first. Great! Now I have to worry about if she's going to flatten me or not! No AJ, no get those thoughts out of your head. She's just a diva and you've beaten divas before. Sure they weren't a foot taller than you and ate more than you weigh but you can beat Kharma...right?"
For the first time in years AJ was the underdog heading into her feud with Kharma, she wasn't the favorite to win and it bothered her. So much so that she wasted no time putting on her Harley Quinn pajamas and getting into her bed. Soon enough she'd wake up and great a brand new day with a fresh, bright, outlook on her life.
Or so she thought…
It was a vivid dream, lifelike and deep, fitting of the imaginative mind of April Mendez. AJ Lee was in the ring of a WWE Arena, waiting for Kharma. This was obviously going to be a match and It would've been normal if the entire scene wasn't black and purple with shadowy figures in the crowd and commentators tables and silver spots for eyes and mouths. There was a black figure in a white shirt as the referee for the match, and a blank titantron. It was like she was performing in front of the whole world but nobody at all at the same time.
But just when it couldn't get any stranger there was a voice that sounded like raspy and gritting, like a demonic Justin Roberts in it's tone
"The following match is scheduled for one fall and it is for the Divas Championship!"
AJ knew just who she was facing and she rested on the ropes, putting on her proverbial game-face which was really just her trademark tilted-head smile. It was her typical greeting for a new, unlucky challenger who thought that they had what it took to defeat her and end her reign.
That smile faded however when she saw heard the twisted laughter and sinister-sounding music that led to Kharma. Kharma slowly made her way to the stage with every footstep shaking the nightmarish arena as if she was King Kong or an approaching Dinosaur. Now the Black Widow wondered just what the hell she had gotten herself into. Retreating the ring to at least get her wits about her seemed like a great idea and she tried to do just that.
But for some reason the ring had other plans
She tried fleeing the ring but the ropes were like some kind of force field, keeping her in place and not moving an inch when she approached them.
AJ tried rolling through the bottom rope, nothing.
Then she tried moving to the middle rope, no luck there either.
Then AJ grabbed the top rope, willing to ride it to the apron and then step out of the ring just to escape the approaching she-monster but to no avail. It was as if the ring ropes had an invisible wall or force field on them. She couldn't get over them, through them, or under them.
Once Kharma stepped to the ring AJ decided to give up trying her escape attempt and decided to get ready to fight. Then the music stopped and AJ greeted Kharma in the middle of the ring with her Divas Championship raised high in the referee's hands to show that this was a championship match.
"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" AJ yelled out in Kharma's face, speaking out her confidence and defiance while Kharma simply gave AJ a wide, twisted, grin. She was going to enjoy every second of this.
The following match really was a nightmare for AJ because everything she tried seemed to fail to hurt Kharma or even stun her. The heavier diva shrugged off her punches and elbows and endured her kicks before catching her leg, throwing it down and flipping her over with a belly to belly suplex.
Now AJ had been tossed around by other divas before: Natalya, Beth Phoenix, even Kaitlyn. But to get sent through the air on your front and landing on your back by the strength of a woman who weighed more than 100 pounds than you did gave a different type of agony and a new outlook on pain.
AJ tried to mount an offense with more punches and other strikes to Kharma only to get clubbed by down hard every time: Elbows to her back that felt like she was hit with a baseball bat, knees that drained air out of her when they connected with her stomach. And those were just the strikes.
Slam after slam after body-shaking, bone-rattling slam was inflicted on AJ's tiny body. She was thrown around the ring by Kharma and her brutal suplexes, throws, and powerful slams but AJ just wouldn't stay down, moving and dodging whenever possible to sneak in quick shots and fast strikes that did little damage to Kharma but gave AJ a fighting chance. Then she kicked Kharma hard in the knees while dodging strikes from the larger woman, thinking that would slow her down and Kharma grunted in pain, dropping to a knee.
AJ smirked from ear to ear as Kharma fell down to a knee. She wasted no time attempting a Black Widow submission hold as the living silhouette of a referee stood near.
Kharma's arm was so thick, so heavy compared to the other divas she's attempted this move on but she managed to lift it up albeit with some effort, get a leg over it too and lock it in! But then things took a turn for the worst. Kharma overpowered AJ and broke free of the hold, countering into a side slam and AJ laid there in a blend of pain and shock. Kharma was the first woman to break the Black Widow hold
And it just went downhill from there.
Kharma proceeded to use AJ like a 98lb living throw toy in anger. Body slams, hip tosses, and elbow drops, all finishing with an Implant Buster for the pin.
"ONE…TWO…THREE!" the referee counted. Three seconds, three fateful seconds, and it was over. AJ had lost her Divas Championship
"The winner of the match and the NEW WWE Divas Champion, KHARMA!" The demonic-sounding announcer declared as the crowd cheered. The shadow referee grabbed the Divas Championship that once belonged to AJ's and now handed it to Kharma and raised her hand up high.
That was when AJ woke up with a start. Her eyes were the size of saucers, her mouth agape as she panted and looked around her surroundings and felt her mobile bed. She was still on her tour bus and it was still pretty dark outside, and a relieved smile slowly graced her face.
"That was it, a nightmare, a bad dream. A bad, bad, bad, bad, dream" she repeated to herself while she reached out and grabbed her Divas Championship that she had on the side of her bed and held it tightly and going to sleep once again.
"It's mine…it's all mine…this is my baby and it will never leave me!" AJ said, cradling her Divas championship in her arms while kissing it lovingly, sweetly, as if it was her own infant child as she drifted off to sleep with it in her arms. The reigning Divas Champion was going to make sure that her nightmare of Kharma taking her beloved Championship from her was going to stay that way, just a nightmare, somehow. Until then she held her dear championship belt close to her heart. This time having pleasant, Kharma-free, dreams.
The following night was Smackdown and AJ was pacing the floor of her private locker room in thought, dressed in her latest t-shirt, dark blue jean shorts, and Chuck Taylor wrestling boots with her mind filled with thoughts of tonight's show.
"Okay. It's Smackdown. Tuesday Night and I have to show the whole world that I'm not afraid of Kharma, that I'm not scared of that monster, but how?" she said to herself while she paced. Then she stopped in her tracks, an idea swirling in her mind
"An interview! I'll do an interview and let everybody know I'm not afraid of her, because I'm not!" she said with a widened smile, her pacing now turning into happy skipping. She'd do an interview, play it safe and let people know she wasn't intimidated by Kharma without getting on the bad side of the WWE Diva monster However it was certain to get the ebony monster diva's attention and her aggression but she couldn't back down simply because she worried about what could happen.
Ready to get this over with she impulsively left her locker room with her Divas Championship draped on her shoulder and walked to the Interview Area. She was ready to talk to the WWE Universe because she had a lot on her mind.
WWE's favorite barefoot commentator and interviewer Renee Young was wearing a blue dress and waiting for AJ Lee in the interview area backstage. She was there for any WWE Superstar or Diva to talk to at certain intervals and moments of the show and with Smackdown well into its first hour AJ Lee was the first one to see her.
"Hi Renee," AJ said with a friendly smile on her face, showing a good nature to the blonde interviewer. "Hello AJ, how are you?" Renee asked the Divas Champion.
"I'm doing great, thanks for asking," AJ smiled.
Renee was a little surprised at this. She thought that AJ would be a little nervous considering just who she was feuding with but apparently it didn't look that way.
"You ready for your interview? I'm sure people want to know " Renee asked curiously. AJ raised her eyebrow and smiled, "I'm always ready to talk, you should know that by now," AJ answered easily. She couldn't remember the last time that she was shy, she couldn't recall the last time she wasn't ready to speak especially to the WWE Universe.
"Well you'll have your chance. The Cesaro VS Kofi Kingston match just ended and we'll be live in ten minutes champ," Renee smiled and AJ nodded in response, giving her Divas Championship an affectionate kiss as the seconds counted down. Five, four, three, two, one…
"Ladies and Gentlemen my guest at this time the WWE Divas Champion, AJ Lee!" Renee announced to a mostly cheering crowd as the camera panned over to AJ who was smiling pleasant smile.
"AJ this past Monday on Raw, Kharma returned to the WWE and challenged you for your Divas Championship but you turned her down and you two fought it out. So the whole WWE wants to know, are you worried about losing the Divas Championship to Kharma?"
"You know, Renee I worry about a few things, you know? I get nervous at times. I worry if my PlayStation 4 will overheat after a twelve straight hours of gaming, I worry that I'm going to miss the latest Harley Quinn comic every month, and I definitely worry if I don't get my four cups of coffee a day, but I am NOT worried about Kharma," AJ said confidently.
"But AJ, Kharma's bigger than you and stronger than you. She's the largest diva in the WWE," Renee said, wanting to push the interview forward by digging deeper with her questions. AJ however was ready with a reply of her own.
"I am the longest reigning Divas Champion of all time. I've held this title longer than anybody else, I've held it more times than anybody else, I am the greatest WWE Diva of all time and if you think I'm afraid of big bad Kharma plodding my way to try and take my baby from me then I am so sorry but you'll be sadly disappointed," AJ said before skipping down the hallway, ending the interview. She stated her confidence, spoke her pride, now she can relax and see just what Kharma had to offer.
She wouldn't have to wait long too since Kharma had a match tonight against Alicia Fox. AJ saw this on her phone earlier today and made a mental note of this. While Alicia was by no means a threat to Kharma this would let AJ see just how Kharma wrestled in the WWE.
About twenty minutes later the sound of "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Party" to the Smackdown Crowd followed by the presence of the 'Foxy Floridian' herself, Alicia Fox.
She had a blank, cold, reception by the crowd. No cheers, no boos, just apathy but apparently she didn't care. She sauntered her way to the stage, flaunted that tight and sexy body of hers by bending over for a bit, and then walked down the stage and ramp with a cold, businesslike, look on her face. It was a sign of smugness, conceit, and pride. She was ready to fight.
However she found holding the smug look on her face rather difficult when the sharp piano chords and wicked laughter of "Bad Kharma" played and the crowd cheered instantly.
Kharma was the larger and taller of the two ebony divas, clearly outweighing Alicia Fox as she moved her way to the ring.
"This is one of the few times where I think running away from a fight ain't such a bad idea," JBL said with clear worry in his voice over what was going to happen to Alicia.
"Alicia Fox will be the first opponent in Kharma's first match as a WWE and if you want to talk about an uphill battle just look at the size difference between these women!" Cole exclaimed.
"Alicia ain't backin down though. She's stayin in the ring and getting ready to fight, good luck Foxy!" JBL said as Kharma now entered the ring, looking at her much smaller competitor.
"You ain't so tough," Alicia mouthed, looking at the larger, stoic, woman. She put on a front of confidence while in her mind she was wondering just how the hell did Kharma get to be so big and why did she have to be facing off against her. That didn't mean she wasn't going to bring her best though. Then the bell rang and the match started.
In a sign of confidence Alicia brought her offense first. She threw elbows and punches to Kharma that seemed do nothing but annoy Kharma, barely doing any damage. Then she tried to lift Kharma up for a scoop slam but only ended up harming her back in the process
"That's not gonna work, Kharma's way too big!" JBL exclaimed as Kharma stood there, barely moving as Alicia tried and failed to lift her. She then she simply struck back hard with a knee to Alicia's stomach to double her over followed by an elbow club to her back to knock her down to the canvas with a thud.
That was when Kharma got to work. She simply bent down, lifted Alicia up with the greatest of ease by her waist, and hit a clean gutwrench suplex on Alicia, making some of the fans to pop from the impact.
"That was a big suplex by Kharma," Cole said after he saw the easy gutwrench suplex.
"And Kharma's not done!" JBL exclaimed as Kharma grabbed Alicia Fox by her arm and pulled her up to her feet before some stunning punches to her face before whipping her to the corner across from her. Then Kharma charged at Alicia Fox, hitting a running clothesline to the corner which knocked some air out of the smaller girl as she collapsed onto the canvas.
"That was a big move by a big woman!" Michael Cole said as Kharma's running clothesline was shown on replay.
Kharma wasn't finished by any means though as Alicia tried to fight the best she could at this point as she made it to her fours and threw weak punches at the bigger woman. However she did by herself some time by throwing in an eye-rake at Kharma that made her stagger back.
"Alicia with an eye rake, referee Charles Robinson warning her," Michael said. "That bought Alicia some time lets see what she can do with it," JBL said in curiousity.
Alicia slowly got to her feet, body aching from the damage she's taken but she mustered out some offense by quickly stepping to Kharma behind her and kicking her in her calves, ankles, and knees in desperation and as soon as Kharma started to wobble and drop to a knee Alicia did a bold move and tried a piggyback sleeper hold to try and bring the big diva down.
It failed.
Kharma rose up to her feet and threw Alicia Fox down by her reddish brown hair just a few suspenseful seconds later, sending the smaller diva off of her back and onto the canvas. Annoyed and angry at the smaller ebony competitor she grabbed her by her arm to force her to rise so she could attempt a gorilla press slam. Kharma held Alicia Fox in the air with the greatest of ease, eight seconds before dropping her to the canvas.
"And Alicia Fox is getting thrown around like a ragdoll here John. You think AJ is in the back watching this match?" Michael asked.
"She should be Michael. Alicia's barely bigger than she so if Kharma can toss her around can you imagine what she could do to AJ?" JBL replied.
Kharma decided to finish this with a battle cry, or perhaps battle laugh was the better term as she let out a sinister cackle that wasn't unlike the one in her theme before grabbing Alicia by her hair once more, doubling her over with a knee to her stomach and underhooking her arms. It was time for the Implant Buster.
"She's lifting Alicia Fox up...Implant Buster!" Cole exclaimed as Kharma hit the move and went in for the pin in which the fans counted along with the referee.
"ONE! TWO! THREE!"
Kharma won the match as 'Bad Kharma' played loud and clear to a cheering crowd.
"The winner of the match, KHARMA!" Lillian Garcia declared as veteran referee Charles Robinson raised Kharma's hand in victory.
Meanwhile backstage in her private dressing room AJ was still on her couch with her Divas championship draped on her lap while she stroked it lovingly with her hands like while she watched the match. From bell to bell it wasn't even five minutes in length and Alicia got in virtually no offense, just strikes and a failed attempt at a sleeper hold. AJ was certain that if she was in that ring fighting Kharma the outcome would've been much different. She was a better wrestler than Alicia Fox and a better wrestler than Kharma, and she was going to prove it to the world.
And speaking of proving something to the world Kharma reached for a microphone. She had something to say.
"AJ! AJ Lee!" Kharma called out while she stood in the middle of the ring, "I know you're watching this. I know you're scouting me right now so I'm telling you this. If you won't fight me with your championship on the line then I will destroy every last diva in the WWE until I get to you and once I do the Divas Championship will be mine!"
Then "Bad Kharma" played out loud and clear to a cheering crowd as Kharma left the ring, the fans and AJ had something to think about. Kharma just declared war on the entire Divas division and Alicia Fox was her first victim and with how easily that Kharma defeated her opponents there were going to be even more defeated Divas in her wake.