Picture Your Ego Behind Your Belt

Chapter Three

"Claudio! Come on! It's about time to get going we will to be late!"

"Come on in Cristine, I'm just re-stitching up the logo on my shorts it's just come undone."

Cristine pushed in the door to his room and watched the scene in front of her, Claudio sitting in a chair sewing. She snapped a picture.

"That's one for the scrapbooks." She Cristine spoke to herself. Right beside her was Claudio's Championship belt, it lay right on its very own pillow. Cristine traced it with her left index finger while Claudio continued sewing.

This was the first week where everything begins to go downhill from here. They had spent months as a dominant team, with mostly Cesaro doing all the work, after five successful Pay-Per-View bouts Cesaro came out victorious, and every Monday night RAW Cricket would walk down that ramp handing out posters of Cesaro as the new Intercontinental Champion.

Last Friday Night Smackdown Cesaro joined with Zeb Colter and Jack Swagger but Cristine felt like she was a fourth wheel. Though they weren't going to allow Cesaro and Cricket to break up. Zeb gave Cesaro an ultimatum, Cesaro had to prove himself to be able to join, and as the Intercontinental Champion. He had already proven himself enough during his 5 successful championship matches, but Cesaro wasn't going to give up when given the chance to prove himself even more to someone.

"Cristine! What are you doing with my belt!?"

Claudio gripped Cristine's hand away his belt, and held in the air.

"I was just tracing the leather on your belt that's it! Nothing more nothing else!"

"Alright, let's just get ready to leave. Do you have everything packed and ready?"

For a moment there Cristine was shocked and scared. She knew Claudio was capable for doing a lot worse than was allowed in the WWE and it might have been unleashed all because of touching his belt.

"Welcome everyone to Monday Night Raw I am you commentary host Matt Striker along with Assistant General Manager Brad Maddox. We start off here with Vickie Guerro the General Manager of RAW making a mixed Tag Team match between Antonio Cesaro and Aksana vs. Cody Rhodes and Brie Bella."

"Don't forget that Nikki Bella and Cricket will also be joining their respective groups. It's also rumored that Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter will also be watching this match up."

"Right you are Brad, upcoming right now it is Sin Cara, vs. Santino Marella let's see how this is going to continue."

"Now, Cricket you will be wrestling tonight, if you aren't sure than all you need to do is let me know 20 minuet's before your match and you don't have to wrestle. It's all in you, you have gone over everything right?"

"Yes, I am more prepared than anything, I appreciate you taking your time to speak to me. Mr. McMahon."

"I put my trust in you Cricket so I hope you do well."

"I will."

Cricket was pacing back and forth her heart on edge as the time limit to tell Mr. McMahon that she did not to go through this was almost up. Cricket watched herself in the mirror and she could see the dark begs under her eyes get bigger.

"You seem jumpy, don't you normally have your routine?"

Christian spoke to Cricket as they both stared at the same mirror. He seemed so far away but when Cricket turned Christian was so close.

"I'm wrestling tonight though"

"So? It's the same routine for anything whether you are a referee or a wrestler if it calms you down, then it doesn't matter what role you are playing that night. Good luck."

Christian and Cesaro crossed paths without a significant not to each other. A cup of joe was passed to Cricket.

"Take a sip it will help your nerves, but if you drink all of it, it will have an opposite effect.

"Thank you Cesaro."

"No problem, as long as you're with me everything will be just fine."

"How long will that last though?"

Cesaro didn't speak but Cricket continued to nursed her coffee.

"Are you both ready to go? Cricket you have some sort of wrestling gear on am I correct?"

"Yeah, I can wrestle in this or I could use my wife beater or something?"

"That's fine as long as we don't have a wardrobe malfunction."

Cricket was the first one to walk out of that black curtain, Cesaro would soon follow her but Cricket had a short moment with herself and the WWE Universe. She stood at the top of the stage just watching them, waving and snapping as many pictures of the crowd as possible. Over the days they loved watching Cricket stop, stand and take pictures of them. She got quite a reaction when she comes out.

When Cesaro ventured out, Cricket did her job flawlessly and precise. Though what was so difficult with this job, she has been taking pictures all her life. What makes this any more different.

Cody and Brie came out, shortly after linked arm and arm, though they weren't romantically linked they walked down to the ring like a pair. Cricket was so amused with the crowd, their signs their shirts, and the happy faces she saw.

Cricket just circled the ring, once twice. Passing Cesaro for the second time she continued to capture images during commercial break. She passed Brie and Cody and then she. Slipped.

Her legs were kicked out from her and she crashed onto her back, Brie Bella taunted her, hovering her foot over Cricket's precious camera.

"Welcome back to RAW everyone during the commercial break, Cricket the hired photographer by Antonio Cesaro was tripped by Brie Bella."

"I wouldn't mind being on the ground with Brie Bella standing over me."

"Jerry that's just gross. This is Matt Striker here reporting that there might be some dangerous interactions between these two. Let's watch Aksana."

Aksana was making her entrance into the WWE ring, Cricket snapped a picture, but that would be the only picture she would take before Aksana was attacked by a hooded felon. Aksana fell, but gripped her ankle as if it was her heart that was stopping.

Cesaro was certainly bewildered. Screaming at the official to find him another ring partner, after already traveling down the ramp after checking on Aksana.

"Aww, Poor Cesaro can't find another partner, why don't you have little bug girl do it? That's a thought." Brie taunted Cricket on camera as Cricket remained on the outside of the ring. Cricket's eyes wide as she refused.

Cesaro stood there to contemplate,

"Cricket all you have to do is stand there. And I will do all the work ok? You really don't have to do anything, not that you do much anyway."

The crowd screamed with "Ohhhh" and "Oh Snaps" Cesaro had said that over microphone. Cricket looked hurt but I guess that's all she had to do, though she agreed to it in the end.

Cody and Cesaro started the match out strong, Cesaro clearly having an advantage over Cody, but maybe that was because of the two pair of eyes that stared down at him in the ring. The eyes of Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter assessing Cesaro.

Cesaro had his eyes focused on Cricket as he yelled at her.

"You will not be tagged in so just let me do all the work ok?"

Cricket just nodded her head, but Cesaro came crashing onto of her quickly after that. Brie Bella standing victorious.

"Ladies and gentlemen Cody Rhodes has made the tag to Brie Bella and she took out Cesaro as quickly as possible."

"It looks like the Official is calling that collision between Cesaro and Cricket a tag."

"I don't think Cricket knows that she has been tagged in."

"Cesaro was that a tag? CESARO WAS THAT A TAG?!"

Cricket was trying her best to understand the situation that was going on here, but that was before she was yanked and pulled by the root of her bun into the ring.

"What are you doing to do now?! You are in the ring with me!"

Brie stood on top of Cricket pulling at her hair. In a quick swoop Cricket's lenses were snatched away from her.

"You don't need these!" They were tossed and stomped on by an amusing Cody who stood outside the ring.

Cricket's hair was lose and Brie pulled on it like horse reigns. Cesaro was still unaccounted for so that left Cricket all by herself.

"Look right here bug! Look what I have for you."

Cody Rhodes stood right in front of Cricket dangling her camera from the outside of the ring.

"It would be a shame, if someone broke it."

"Cody Drop it!"

In slow motion she watched as her camera slipped from Cody's hands, when she heard the crash, she broke.

"What are you doing to do about that bug?"

Something in Cricket snapped.

Hooking her arms with Brie she tossed Brie in front of her. Her sneakers pressed against Brie's stomach, she stomped on it. Once. Twice. Three Times. Four.

Standing Brie up by herself she only knocked her down as soon as she could.

"DO YOU HEAR ME BRIE!" Cricket held her down as she continued screaming. "NEITHER YOU OR CODY OR ANY OF YOU WILL TOUCH MY CAMERA AGAIN DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Cricket had just announced an all-out war and she showed it by the way she was releasing all her anger out on Brie.

"I think they broke her."

"I know a couple of way to break girls in and trust me she aint broken yet."

"Really Jerry? How do you still have your job with those types of remarks?"

Brie laid out on the floor apparently not feeling up to the challenge of facing Cricket dead on.

"Cricket you can tag me! You can tag me!" Cesaro was screaming, but Cricket wasn't planning on giving this up.

She tossed Brie over her shoulder and onto the middle of the ring face to the floor Cricket stood over her.

"Is she going for a submission move? I think she is! Ladies and gentlemen Cricket is going to show us her submission move!"

Cricket dropped to her knees in the middle of brie's back. Wrapping her left arm around Brie's neck she wrapped her right around Brie's legs. Quickly she dropped to her back making sure her shoulders went down without touching the floor she stretched Brie's abdomen while she screamed.

"That's a bow and arrow submission move! Ladies and gentlemen this is a first look at Cricket's wresting artillery right here!"

"That move is great but a terrible way to have it turn back on you. If Brie knew to move her weight a little Brie could force cricket to have her shoulders on the mat as Cricket tries to support Brie but that would end up with Brie taking the win."

"That is true Jerry but if you look Cricket' has locked herself to keep her shoulder's elevated. Great job right now."

"It seems that this might be the end for Brie Bella right here!"

"Do you submit Brie? Do you submit?" The referee called to her as she was still being stretched by Cricket

"Come on then Brie huh? What the hell are you waiting for? Do it!"

The crowd was screaming, cheering with an uproar as they watched. It was almost in slow motion as the ref stood up and the waved his arms. The sound of the bell sounded slow and hollow but once Cricket heard it she dropped Brie immediately.

The first thing that came to mind was her camera. As a photographer the camera is your first priority without it you aren't a photographer.

Cricket ignored the screaming fans as well as the screaming Diva that still remained inside the ring. She pushed Cody's grubby feet away from where her camera lay. She held is as if it was the most important thing in her life. It practically was, though nothing seemed broken, she would have to find out in her own privacy but for now she can relax."

"Cricket won?! Cricket won! Ladies and gentlemen Cricket has won her first debut match!"

"Ladies and gentlemen the winner the team of Cricket and Antonio Cesaro!"

Cricket could only feel her arms lifted above her head as an official stood by her side, suddenly everything came back to normal.

The crowd was screaming and cheering, while Brie screamed above her.

"This is not fair! You were not supposed to win! I was supposed to win! This isn't fair!"

"I won? Did I really win?" Cricket couldn't believe it, camera hanging around her neck she jumped in joy. The closest person to hug was Matt Striker and she has no problem with hugging him, though she quickly stayed away from Jerry.

"Congrats on your win Cricket." Matt spoke as he returned the hug.

Cricket ran to the middle of the ring to hold up her arms in the air! The crowd cheered once more. Though she had to capture this moment. Climbing up on each turnbuckle she snapped a picture of the crowd.

"Cesaro! I won! Cesaro! I won!"

Cricket called out to Cesaro who was storming up the ramp, though he paused to watch Zeb Colter and Jack Swagger shake their heads slightly and look away from him. Before he passed, the Captain crossed his path, not interested in Cesaro though but to stare at a confused Cricket as she stand in the middle of the ring. Behind her an angry Brie and Cody Rhodes.

All Christian did was clap and stare at her, though Cricket felt a pale ghost on her neck and quickly slid out. Christian was still clapping at her as she walked up the ring, facing an enraged Brie Bella as she held the microphone.

"I WAS SUPPOSED TO WIN! I DIDN'T HAVE NIKKI ATTACK AKSANA JUST TO BE BEATEN BY A STUPID BUG IN THE END! I SHOULD HAVE WON!"

"Oh, it seems that Brie should have kept her mouth shut"

"Oh if Brie was with me I would never have her shut her mouth, she could be useful if you know what I mean?"

"Really Jerry? There is a reason that Cricket hugged me and not you right?

All Cricket did was shrug give out her apologies and continue walking up the ring, facing Brie Bella in hope that she doesn't attack Cricket from behind, though with that little outburst Brie or Nikki's night isn't going to go so smoothly as they once thought.

To her left was Colter and Swagger, she stared at the snapped a picture and they silently nodded their head, though to her right Christian was just barely inches away from her, she could feel the air from the claps push against her bare skin. Cricket ran into him and Christian gripped his hands over her shoulders.

"Watch yourself there." Christian spoke softly.

Cricket watched him strangely before quickly running through the black curtain.

Cricket rushed to speak to Cesaro,

Everything will go downhill from now on

"Are you ready for the day that this is all over?"

"I'm not sure that I am ready for it."