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Without Equal - Chapter 1 - A Little Twist
By: RampageSports Date: November 1, 2015, 12:31 pm
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OK, so I'm only a couple of days late getting this one started.
That's kind of a record for me. :P
I'm hoping to get the whole thing posted within the next day or
so, since it's kind of time sensitive. :)
[hr]
Without Equal - Chapter 1 - A Little Twist
October 30, 2015
Poor Olivia Holt was getting her head beat in.
No matter what we tried, there was no fix for it. She could
study and learn from Jules or Kristen Bell or Jennifer Morrison.
She seemed to idolize Ashley Tisdale, and Tiz was becoming
something of a coach for the younger fighter. So,
relationship-wise, everything was working great.
Effort-wise, the story was no different. She was a willing
pupil and a quick study. Despite her irritation with me, it was
clear she came to RSI every day willing to learn. When Steph
was trying to show her something, she always seemed eager and
attentive.
Of course, that last part might just be an act of
self-preservation.
The problem revealed itself when it was time to put the things
she learned to use. Liv is the first true rookie RSI has
brought on in quite a while, and we didn't really consider the
problems that might cause. Though she can train and learn from
just about anyone, there is no one at her skill level for her to
spar with.
Steph has tried every combination she can think of. The other
bantamweights are simply too much for Holt to handle, and trying
to have the more experienced fighters hold back wasn't working
for anyone. Sparring with a fighter from a different weight
class was an option, but nothing seemed to work out there,
either. Training with the likes of Emma Watson and Tiffany
Mulheron has pushed Shelby Chesnes to a level Olivia's not ready
for, and the weight difference between she and Michelle Lewin is
simply too significant for Liv to overcome. The best option
we've found so far is Jenna-Louise Coleman, but that only works
for the days RSI co-trains with Dragon's Den. The problem
persists when it's just us, which is most of the time.
Today's experiment had Olivia in the cage with welterweight
fighter Anna Kendrick, and it was not going well. Not only does
Anna have quite a bit of experience on Liv, but she's already
shown she's got the skills to handle herself against some of the
UMMA's best. Her record is full of ups and downs, but she's
beaten teammate Amanda Seyfried, as well as top DEF contender
Kristanna Loken. And at the recent Hit the Beach tournament,
Anna shocked the hell out of ESL champion Megan Fox. So, while
she still has a lot of learning to do, it's clear the girl's got
game.
Olivia, meanwhile, has nothing more than a couple of horrendous
— and technically illegal — fights under her belt.
So, it really shouldn't have surprised anyone to see Anna
smacking the young blond around the cage with very little
effort. Liv was trying... you could see the determination
written on her face... but she just couldn't keep up.
I stood with Steph and Danni Harris at cage-side.
"You come up with that song, yet?" Danni asked.
"Nothing to come up with," I said. "I already know my answer."
"I know I'm going to be sorry I asked," Steph said, "but what
are you two talking about?"
"Danni asked me this morning what my favorite Halloween song
is," I said.
"And she refused to answer," Danni said. "Which means she
doesn't have one."
"Bullsh*t. I have a perfectly good answer. I simply asked you
to guess what it was. At which point you tersely announced that
you don't like guessing games. Which led to me saying you could
then kiss my ass."
"I don't recall being terse."
"Oh, you were definitely terse. Made it sound like such
silliness was far beneath your royal stature."
"Well, now you're just making sh*t up," she said.
Steph's expression never changed. In fact, she never took her
eyes from the action in the cage.
"I want to thank the both of you," she said, "for meeting my
expectations perfectly."
"You're very welcome," Danni said.
"Reliability is our thing," I chimed in.
We watched together as Anna dodged an attack from the young
bantamweight, then countered with a brilliant combination that
knocked Olivia to the canvas. It was the third time she'd gone
down in the last ten minutes, and, as with the previous
occasions, she pushed herself up and climbed to her feet to come
back for more.
If nothing else, Liv has proven the strength of her resolve and
the depth of her resiliency.
"She's gonna get killed," Danni said.
Olivia retreated to the other side of the cage to confer with
Ashley. You could see the pain, exhaustion and frustration all
over her. The look on her face. The way her hands pressed into
her sides, almost as though her arms were somehow holding her
up. Hair flying wildly and soaked with sweat.
"There's no solution," Steph said. "She's too raw for anyone
we've got."
Despite the situation, the conversation between Ashley and
Olivia was very serious and animated. Olivia had little chance
to make any headway against Anna to begin with. In her current
state, she had none at all. But there she was, discussing
strategy for the next volley, oblivious to the odds.
She had the skills of a rookie and the heart of a lion, and I
could think of no better mentor for her than Tiz.
"What are you up to?" Danni asked, catching my look of
admiration.
I turned and looked at her with a sly smile.
"Trying to read my mind again, Miss Harris?"
I knew what she was thinking. I have, from time to time,
partaken in some extracurricular activities in the cage when I
deemed it appropriate. The first time was against an angry and
out of control Emma Watson. Though the long-term result turned
out reasonably well, the immediate impact of that battle had
been disastrous and nearly fatal. And some of the ill effects
still lingered. Though the physical trauma to all involved has
healed, it took a heavy emotional toll on Danni, who was left to
fix what Emma and I had broken.
Since then, I've stepped into the cage to work with a number of
RSI fighters, but never in a situation like that. These
subsequent occasions have been about teaching and training and
being able to share what I know. They are as safe as I can
possibly make them, and they typically turn out pretty fun. In
fact, I've even had a much more constructive session with Emma
that worked out very well.
None of that mattered much to Danni. Whenever she found me in
the training room after hours, she would be overcome by memories
of that horrible day. I could wear a Victorian suit of armor in
the cage, and she would still worry.
We have, more recently, devised a way to handle this issue.
Danni doesn't find me in the cage anymore, because I make sure
she's there from the start. Not only does this keep her stress
level down, but it also brings another knowledgeable resource to
bear on whatever the problem of the moment happens to be.
Still, she likes it best when I just don't do it.
"I'll withhold my reply until I get the answer to my question,"
she said, a clear note of pre-disapproval in her voice.
Though I've given her plenty of past evidence to support her
current theory, she was wrong on this one.
That doesn't mean I was going to pass up an opportunity to twist
her tail feathers a little. Especially when she was setting it
up so nicely.
"What if Olivia trains with me?" I asked, wandering away from
the cage and toward the exit.
"I knew it," she said irritably, as she and Steph walked along
with me.
Though she had kept a lid on the volume level, it was clear from
her tone she was spoiling for a fight. Danni is one of the
warmest people I know, but she has a limit. If you push her
across the line, the reaction can be intense.
I have discovered that I am able to get to Danni like no one
else. On top of that, I seem to permanently reside right on
that line.
Steph casually slid to her left in order to gain a little
distance from the upcoming fray. She didn't care much what we
did, as long as she didn't end up getting sucked into it.
"What?" I asked innocently.
"You do know she hates you, right?"
"Hate is kind of a strong word."
"Very well. Then she dislikes you intensely."
"I am aware that young Miss Holt is not fond of me, yes."
"Do you recall what happened last time you got in there with
someone who was not fond of you?"
"I assume you mean Emma. In which case, I don't think you can
realistically compare the two situations."
I was right and she knew it. Olivia was an aspiring young
fighter, looking to find her footing. Emma was a destructive
force, whose foot would smash your face before you even knew
what happened.
Danni took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Then, she
took a different tack.
"Why is this always your first solution?"
"I don't think that's a fair statement."
"Really?" she asked incredulously. "Are you serious?"
I tried for a bewildered expression. I either got it right, or
Danni was too worked up to notice I was faking.
"Don't look at me that way," she said. "You think climbing in
that cage is the answer to everything."
"First of all," I said, "that's not true."
"The hell it's not..."
I pushed the crash bar on the big steel door and stepped out
into the RSI lobby.
"I let you and Steph handle almost everything out here on the
floor," I said.
"Right," she said, "and the minute there's a problem, you decide
the solution is you."
We stopped outside my office, and I eyed her coolly for a
moment.
"I'm sensing some hostility from you," I said.
"That's very perceptive," she said.
"You don't know what's going to happen," I said. "I might be
the key to getting Olivia on the right track."
"You're too advanced for her," Danni responded. "What makes you
think you can ease off any better than the rest of us?"
"I don't see how it can hurt to try," I said.
"Yeah, sure," she said. "Admit it. You see something in her,
and you want the chance to test that something for yourself."
"That's ridiculous," I said. "She has a lot to learn before
we'll have any clue how good she is."
"I agree," she snapped, "and she needs someone she can train
with. Someone she can keep up with."
"You're right," I said.
"I... wait, what?"
I smiled as I put an end to my act.
"Danni, I have no intention of getting in the cage with Olivia,"
I said.
She took a moment to digest that, then said, "I don't believe
you."
I considered what she said a moment ago about testing Olivia for
myself.
"Well, I currently have no intention of getting in the cage with
Olivia."
"Better," she said, "but I'm still not buying it."
"I know I'm not what she needs," I said. "She needs someone she
can partner up with, full time. Someone she can compete with
and learn with... both of them, together."
She regarded me a moment more, then nodded unconvincingly.
I turned to Steph, who managed to hang on the edge of the fray
while simultaneously looking totally disinterested in everything
that had transpired.
"Have Olivia come by my office at three o'clock," I said to her.
"Why?" Danni asked, still suspicious.
"I have some things to discuss with her. Meanwhile, you ladies
have a meeting at two."
Danni looked at Steph, who shrugged. Then she came back to me.
"We have a meeting?"
"An interview, actually."
"Who are we interviewing?"
"With any luck," I began, as I took a step toward my office,
"Liv's new training partner."
[hr]
Character Reference
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Richelle_100x120.jpg
Name: Richelle Winterfeld
Nickname(s):
Background: Owner of the RSI stable, former underground fighter
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Danni_100x120.jpg
Name: Danneel Harris
Nickname(s): Danni
Background: RSI stable leader, reigning DEF welterweight
champion
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Stephanie_100x120.jpg
Name: Stephanie McMahon
Nickname(s): Steph
Background: RSI's fighter development coordinator, reigning SCQ
super heavyweight champion
[img]
HTML https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMGp0Y09TVXo4Rlk[/img]
Name: Olivia Holt
Nickname(s): Liv
Background: FAC bantamweight contender
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Julianne_100x120.jpg
Name: Julianne Hough
Nickname(s):
Background: ESL bantamweight champion
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Kristen_100x120.jpg
Name: Kristen Bell
Nickname(s): Princess Anna
Background: DEF bantamweight contender
[img]
HTML https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Bz8YsEjMxOhMNm1uT0lpZEp5OVE[/img]
Name: Jennifer Morrison
Nickname(s): The Savior
Background: DEF bantamweight contender
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Ashley_100x120.jpg
Name: Ashley Tisdale
Nickname(s): Ash, Tiz, Blondie Girl, Sharpay
Background: ESL bantamweight contender
[img]
HTML https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Bz8YsEjMxOhMUU1zUWZkbWxjT2s[/img]
Name: Anna Kendrick
Nickname(s):
Background: ESL welterweight contender
[img]
HTML https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Bz8YsEjMxOhMd0FxOHRlV3VaRlE[/img]
Name: Shelby Chesnes
Nickname(s):
Background: FAC featherweight contender
[img]
HTML https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Bz8YsEjMxOhMbmRvWThWZDlvRjg[/img]
Name: Michelle Lewin
Nickname(s):
Background: ESL light heavyweight contender
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