Welcome back to my current favorite fanfic of mine that I enjoy writing, 9AM In Italy! This story has gotten off to a rocketbuster of a start and I just want to thank everybody who is actually taking the time to read, enjoy, and review the story. It really means a lot. I see I'm turning heads with people's opinions about the Rock too! What a pleasant surprise! Well, here's chapter 5!
Chapter 5: Family Doesn't Matter?
The Rock and Arianna had quickly jetted from the free fields of where they were to an unknown village, well at least unknown to Ari. It seemed like quite the peaceful settlement, being right outside the town on the outskirts of Milano. Ari scratched her head in confusion. Dwayne seemed like the type that would enjoy the attention that he brought to himself, so why would he be in a place like this.
"You like this place?" The Rock said, snapping Ari out of her daze. "The Rock calls this place the People's Village," he said pointing to all the turban-like homes and smiling. "The Rock says he loves this place. So much in fact that when the Great One got banished from his own home, he took some of his own cousins with him. The ones who truly believed in the Rock and followed him to this place," he said.
"You wanna meet the Rock's cousins Ari? There's not many here but they are still family nonetheless," he said, and Ari let a smile shine on her face. "Of course! I wonder if they act like you," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.
The Rock smiled back. "The Rock says he knew you were going to do that. For now though, stand back and watch this," he said with a grin as the harbinger did what she was told. Lifting some makeshift contraption to his mouth and looking directly at the sky, the Rock smelled the air and spoke.
"Finally…the Rock has come back to the People's Village!" the Rock yelled out, as some of the young kids came rushing out of their homes, throwing their arms around Rock's legs in an attempt to crush the Great One. Ari smiled at the adorable scene that was happening before her. She had definitely adored kids and one day did want a family of her own.
The fact that the Rock seemed to be so calm, charismatic, and caring of the kids made her smile even more and make her heart melt just that much more. He definitely seemed like the type who could one day make a great family. She unknowingly held her hand up to the pit of her stomach. Was she really considering what she was thinking?
Her thoughts were interrupted as some of the young Samoan children came running over to Ari, attempting to crush and hug her as well. The young Italian smiled and knelt down to their level, before enveloping them all into a big group hug. "You all are so cute," she commented, slightly looking over to the Rock. "No wonder you've got Dwayne's genetics and blood in your veins."
"Who's Dwayne? That's the Rock!" one of the little boys shouted with a smile as the kids began to chant the Rock's name. "Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!"
"Alright kids, settle down and go back inside to your homes. The Rock says we're supposed to be learning how to fingerpaint today, remember?" The kids all nodded their heads and did as they were told, running back into their huts and homes, starting on their assignments. Ari cocked her head to the side and gazed at her beau in front of her. "Wow, you didn't tell me you were the owner of a village," she said, crossing her arms and giving him a playful glare. The Rock cocked an eyebrow and smirked.
"Well damn baby, the Rock says you haven't even been in the Rock's village for 5 minutes, and already you think you're the queen?" he joked, but Ari slapped him in the chest.
"I will be soon enough, once I kick your candy ass," she said with a cocky grin and stared him straight in the eyes, err shades that was. The Rock looked her in the eyes carefully, sensing the sensual tension in the air between them. Instead of making a move, he patted the side of his inner thigh and smirked at Ari.
"Whoa easy there big fella! The Rock says you already got to meet Ari, and there will be plenty of more opportunities to meet her again too!" Ari slightly blushed at his comments once she started to catch on to what he was talking about.
"Is that all you ever talk about? Just food, sex, and how big your anatomy is?" Ari questioned. The Rock looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "The Rock doesn't see you complaining, so why not?" he countered, and Ari knew deep down that he was right. Nobody could ever have any type of control over her, but again, the Rock was a completely different story.
"Okay you're right, I enjoy everything you say and do to me. Happy now?" she finally admitted. "Now where the hell are your cousins you promised to let me meet?"
The Rock pointed over to one of the main huts, and Ari was surprised to see two Samoan twins walking out, with big buckets attached to a cane of some sort being carried over their shoulders. "Those two right there are the Rock's younger cousins. Their names are Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso, the Uso brothers. They are some wild party animals," the Rock commented, as the twins waved to the both of them with Jey winking at Ari.
Ari giggled a little, but then saw the Rock raise a warning eyebrow at the twin that prompted him to keep going about his business. "Jealous much?" Ari joked, but the Rock shook his head. "No, the Rock doesn't get jealous. He does put boots to asses though," he added with a solitary grin. "Whatever you say Rocky," Ari said with a teasing grin.
"It doesn't matter," he said, slapping Ari in the rear and making her glare at him as she bit him in the neck, making the Rock grin at her. "Trying to snap into a slim jim? That felt tender," he grinned as Ari rolled her eyes and pressed the back of her head against his chest. The Rock pointed over to another cousin of his coming from the coastline with a net of fish in her hands. She looked pretty tall in stature and truth be told, her fierce warrior look and dark scowl on her face intimidated Ari just a little bit.
"That's the Rock's cousin Tamina Snuka. The Rock says that she is the toughest and most skilled warrior the Rock has ever seen in his life, and let the Rock tell you Ari, he's glad that she is on his side."
"I can imagine," Ari commented, taking in the sight of Tamina fearlessly and mercilessly gutting each and every fish with hungry intent.
"You don't have to be afraid Arianna. If she doesn't have a problem with you, then you have nothing to worry about," the Rock said, resting his chin on the top of Ari's head. "I'm not worried," she said, trying to play it cool, but the Rock knew better.
The Rock then pointed to a man that was rested up against a shade tree watching them. "That right there is the Rock's cousin Roman Reigns. He may be quiet, but he's a force to be reckoned with, no doubt about that," he said.
Ari watched as Roman walked from under the tree and approached them rather quickly. Ari barely had any time to blink at all. It was like he was quicker than a shadow. Maybe he possessed power too?
"Rock, the stone giants tried to make a move on us today," he reported, and the Rock raised an eyebrow. "Did you kick their candy asses back to Stonehenge?" he asked, and Roman nodded his head.
"Of course…who is this?" he said, looking at Ari, not impressed at all with the young harbinger.
"My name is Arianna Mendillo, and I'm a guest," Ari said rather fiercely. She hadn't meant for her tone to sound the way that it did, but sometimes she couldn't control the way she spoke when it came to immediate reactions.
"Right, okay squirt," he said, pushing his hand down on her hand and watching her fall down to the ground. Ari got up and immediately delivered a vicious right hook to his face, busting his lip open. The Rock quickly pulled her away from his rather large and dangerous cousin. "Ari, knock it off! You don't know what he's capable of!" the Rock scorned her, making her glare at the Rock hard. "I don't care Dwayne! I won't be disrespected like that!"
"I know Arianna, trust me when I tell you I know. Don't think for one single solitary second though, that Roman won't hesitate you to hurt you and put you in your place. He prefers when our family sticks with people of our family. You know, Samoan blood?" he questioned.
"What the hell is wrong with Italian blood? My blood is just as valuable as yours is Great One!" the harbinger peeved off, crossing her arms and mentally juggling objects in the air with her telekinesis. "Ari, just please calm down," the Rock said, noticing the objects in the air, and not wanting her to destroy his village he worked so hard to build.
"Arianna, the Rock wants you to know something, okay? Roman, Tamina, whoever; it doesn't matter what they think, okay? This is the Rock's village and while it may be called People's Village, just remember who the blue hell it was made by and started from: the Rock. So the Rock wants you to know Ari, that you are special. Your blood is important. You are an incredibly amazing talented young lady. You got so much potential and you're putting it to use in the wrongest ways possible."
"So what are you saying?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow up in slight concern. The Rock immediately responded.
"Stay with the Rock. Let the Rock train with you and help you hone your powers. You're never gonna know when you might one day need them, understand?" he asked, and she nodded her head.
"I know Rocky but still. This place isn't my home, and quite frankly I don't even know if I would fit in. But I'll stay this one night tonight, just for you okay?" she finished, the Rock nodding his head in slight affirmation.
"Alright, for one night only, you get to go one on one with the Great One!" he said in dramatic fashion, making Ari laugh a bunch and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Now that's the Rocky that I know," she said.
"If you smell what the Rock is cooking," he said with a wink at the young Italian. Yes, it was definitely going to be something to remember.
After 12 Rounds and a Rock Bottom Later…
Arianna had never really been one to let herself get caught in her own emotions or in any type of emotion for that matter. No guy was ever going to be worthy of her and even though her parents wanted her to marry Alberto, she just wasn't having it. She was going to live the rest of her life as a bitter woman angry at the entire world.
Then the Rock came along. She lay nestled into his big arms, after many sessions of what apparently the Rock was calling 'suppertime with the Rock.' She wasn't one to care much for sex anyway, and her virginity had proven that, but once again the Rock had come along, and taken that. He was starting to make her feel very addicted to the physical game of action and feelings that were known as sexual activity.
She rotated her body down so that she was facing the Great One straight in his eyes. He was lightly snoozing, but opened his eyes once Ari had pressed another kiss to his temple and to his lips. "Damn Ari, the Rock can't catch an ounce of sleep with you doing that you know," the Rock said with a grin. Ari stuck her tongue out.
"I don't care. I'm young and carefree now, remember? Unless you can't handle me," she said in a slow teasing tone. "Girl, the Rock will whoop your candy ass all over Italy until you beg the Rock to stop, and even then he won't," he said, zapping Ari from behind and making her yelp out a moan.
"Stop that…"her attention immediately zoomed in on the Rock's left arm and shoulder, which was completely covered in a bunch of tattoos, tribal ones at that.
"What's with all these tattoos Dwayne? Do they have any meaning or something?" Ari questioned, highly curious about the Rock's mana on his arm.
"Yes Ari, the Rock says these tattoos do have meaning to the Rock. They have very deep meaning. I'll even show you," the Rock said and pointed to the one on the very hard surface of his shoulder. "This one right here means love. The Rock says one of the key feelings in this world is love, and quite frankly, I don't care what anyone says, you can't live without being loved in this world."
Ari slowly nodded her head in understanding. She was finally beginning to understand things now. Funny how it took a man she had barely known for a couple of days to help learn these things, and not the help of her own family. She shook her head at the thought of that. She loved her family dearly, but lately…their actions had made her just want to run away from them, and run away from it all.
The Rock continued on. "This one right here on the Rock's bicep means a warrior's spirit," he said. "In every fight you're in, you must fight like a warrior to survive and win. It doesn't matter if you're fighting for your people, your pride, your country, or just someone that you love…"he glanced at Ari who smiled and nodded for him to continue. "It always reminds the Rock that no matter what the odds are or what wall you're backed into, you can always find a way to win if you fight with a warrior's spirit," he said.
"Wow Rocky, is that why you kick everyone's ass so damn well without breaking a sweat?" Ari asked, and the Rock smirked. "Of course the Rock can kick anyone's candy ass Arianna, and the Rock is glad that you're starting to take notice of that," he grinned. Ari smiled more and pointed to the last one on the backside of his shoulder. "What's that one mean?" she asked inquisitively.
The Rock paused for a moment, and then nodded his head and spoke. "That one means family, and quite frankly, that may be the most important one of all. The Rock loves his family, and he loved his home country. If the Rock had a choice in the matter, he never would have left." Ari blinked in surprise as she saw a rare tear fall out the corner of the Brahma Bull's eye and she quickly caught it.
"What happened? Why did you leave?" she asked, tuned completely in.
The Rock sighed. "Well Ari, the Rock's family bloodline is legendary. It started with my grandfather the High Chief. In order to save the village from invaders, he made a deal with a being called the Immortal. He granted my grandfather the strength to save the village, but the power was so great that my grandfather ended up killing himself to save himself from the madness. By doing that though, it placed a curse on my family's blood."
Ari gently patted the Rock's chest as she nestled again deeply even more. "Then what happened?"
"The Rock's dad, Rocky Johnson was expected to take the helm of our village and be the leader, but he was unfortunately placed in debt to the Immortal since my grandfather didn't do what he was supposed to have done, so we became a lost cause under his guidance. Hence, that was when the people decided to begin training me."
Ari nodded on, raising an eyebrow. "Then what?"
"So then, the Rock came face to face with his own father. His dark influence had terrorized the country for long enough, even though it wasn't his fault. The Immortal's evil influence caused this, and the Rock had to put a stop to it. Around this time as well, the Rock began discovering that he had powers of electricity."
The Rock looked around, rolling his shoulders to get a grip of himself and Ari noticed the uneasiness in his motions.
"it's okay Dwayne, just remember that I'm here for you," she said in a soothing tone that made him relax just a little bit.
"To stop the evil from terrorizing and hurting my father even further, I had to kill him." The eerie silence that followed was followed by the young Italian locking the Great One in a very tight hug that the Rock would have preferred no one saw or know about.
"The people of the country turned against me, and even when I finally defeated the Immortal and killed him, something I regrettably hate doing, killing, I lifted the curse from their bloodline, and they still cast me out. So the Rock took some of his loyal people with him and he left. Never once did he ever go back. I am the People's Champ for a reason. I give the people what they want, and they got what they wanted. The Rock is never going back."
"Aww but Dwayne, they're your family. Don't they understand?" she asked, and he shook his head. "They're a lot like yours now that I think about it," he said, and Ari raised an eyebrow. "Maybe…"
"Who says family has to be about the past though? I'm sorry for the loss and pain you've gone through to get to this point. Someone as amazing as you shouldn't have to feel this pain," she said solemnly, placing a kiss to his lips.
"It's fine," the Rock said, kissing her back. "Besides, the Rock always wanted to build a family of his own one day with the right woman." Ari nodded her head too. "Me too. I want the most perfect little family ever, and I don't care if I even have to go through hell and high water to get it, but I know for damn sure that I will." She held her hand to her stomach. "It's like I feel something here, but then I don't. Weird ass harbinger shit," she muttered.
The Rock finally laughed. "The Rock knows what you mean. The Rock has plenty of power too though Ari. Not only is he the most electrifying man in the world, but he can also sense other supernatural entities nearby, even if they are babies. Plus, the Rock has visions. Just like when the Rock woke up this morning, he knew he was going to get some pie from you today," he grinned.
"Shut up you ass!" Ari barked, punching him in the shoulder, only making him laugh. "Seriously though, the Rock would love to have a family. He always wanted a daughter, and wanted to name her Simone. Who knows? Maybe you can make that happen for the Rock," he suggested, making Ari look soulfully into his eyes and nodded her head.
"I want to babe, I really do." The Rock nodded his head.
"Then let's really get electrifying," he smirked, and back into action they went. Who knew what was to come next…
There's chapter five! Rocky and Ari making a baby? That might have severe consequences…and still to come, Mick Foley confronts Layla about what she's up to, and Ari faces the wrath of her parents…stay tuned! (:
-Ronnie