Post by Deleted on May 17, 2017 0:42:31 GMT
~~Wednesday, May 10th, 2017~~
A short text exchange occurs this fateful night:
TheReaver: I need to tell you something. It might be too late, it's definitely later than it should have been, but I need to try.
PrincessTwilightSexyFangs: What's up?
TheReaver: Not here, in person. Wanna do it right. If that's okay?
PrincessTwilightSexyFangs: You bet. I am free any time in the next two days.
TheReaver: Right now? I'll come over.
PrincessTwilightSexyFangs: Absolutely. We are just hanging out. Hungry?
TheReaver: I...don't deserve you being nice to me. I'll be there soon, leaving now.
~~30 minutes later~~
*Knock knock*
Sarah skips over to the door and checks herself in the full-length mirror they have by the door. She is in full Red Queen mode: A gown of black and red satin that covers diamond-encrusted slippers, her hair pulled up into an ornate weave, and her signature black wings stretching out from her eyes. Her lips are painted red to match her rate albino pupils and she stands with a stiff, perfect posture. She spares a glance to look at Kenzi, her dark lover lazily dressed in a ripped Blood Reavers Cult shirt and shorts, setting out a plate of crackers on their glace table. With a sigh, she opens the door.
"Good evening, Melissa."
Mel smiles, though not her usual enthusiastic smile. She looks to Sarah, then to Kenzi beyond her. She hands are tucked into the pockets of her black jacket, covering her top half, and she is wearing simple jeans on the bottom half.
"Hey..." She stands, awkward. "I...I didn't want to take up too much of your time. But, um, well...yeah, I was hoping we could have a word alone for a few moments?"
Sarah stares at her silently for a moment, red eyes blazing, measuring. Then she giggles, grabbing Mel by elbow and yanks her inside.
"Oh my God you have not seen our apartment, yet!"
She shows a do doubt bewildered Reaver the left side of the grand room, her side, neatly arranged with 10 pairs of her shoes aligned on a rack and of the parasols she uses to keep the Southern California sun away from her delicate porcelain skin. With a grimace on her plump lips, she also shows her the other side, Kenzi's, with a floor littered with half-eaten Doritos bags and mismatched socks. Her voice gets higher and higher as she excitedly shows her their kitchen, balcony, dining table, grand piano ("We bought it the day I moved here!") and the room dedicated to the throne flown in from Lacklanland.
Finally seated in their black leather couch, Mel squished between the two, Sarah forces a plate of crackers onto her lap as she herself picks at a selection of carrot and celery sticks.
"So, how are things?"
Mel sits, stunned, mind aflutter with questions of an ulterior motive.
"This is a really nice place. I, um, I'm glad you two are happy here." She stares out at nothing particular. "Sarah, please."
Sarah bites through a carrot stick with a loud snap, regarding Mel as she chews and swallows.
"I meant it when I apologized, Melissa. I..."
She pauses, looking down.
"I was not in a very healthy frame of mind that night."
She looks up, eyes glistening.
"You know well how hard it is for me to apologize. I am sorry for what I said."
"That's why I'm here..."
Mel looks at Sarah, trying to hide the emotion that's brewing inside.
"I know you've had a lot go on recently. That happened...then I got dumped and this shit with Cass...it all kinda happened at once. And when you apologized I acted like a jerk to you. So I came here to tell you, face to face, that I'm sorry.”
Sarah's eyes go wide for a second and shoots a glance at Kenzi, who just give a her a small nod. Sarah smiles wisely as she looks back at Mel.
"I appreciate that. I..."
She pauses, licking her lips.
"I am a terrible friend. But am willing to try, if you are."
Mel sighs, looking at both of the girls.
"I'm hardly any better as a friend..."
She nods.
"But I do want to try. I should have done this sooner, you deserved better."
Sarah shrieks in glee, the Londoner accent strong. She lunges forward to embrace Mel on a hug, squeezing for life.
"We are going to kick so much ass!" Pulling off, she grabs another carrot stick. "Sorry about basically breaking up your band. Oh! What happened to Cynthia? Want me to hate her? I will SO hate her for you, if you want."
She takes a loud snap of the carrot stick.
"The band wasn't your fault, Cassandra is to blame there." Mel sighs at the mention of the name, then seem to try and perk up a little. "As for Cynthia...yeah, that sucked. She said I was a rebound, too soon, etc. Then she left."
She sighs a second time.
"But I won't let all of that beat me. And now, more than ever, I think I appreciate my real friends, you know? I know you and I started off really rocky, and I know we've had moments...but what you said, about me not being able to stand you...I just want you to know that you're wrong about that."
Sarah looks towards the door leading into the apartment with a somber nod.
“You entered into the TruthZone when you crossed our mantle. No lies or even omissions of truths here, Melissa.”
She looks deep into her partner’s eyes.
“I know how I am. I set everything I touch on fire.”
She glances at Kenzi, her face darkening for a moment, before turning back.
“I cannot stop myself. But if you mean it, then I appreciate it more than you could know.”
"I do, I mean it."
Mel reaches out, her palm pressed gently against Sarah's forearm.
"I didn't come here to lie you. I came here because I want my friend back..."
Sarah smiles as she holds back the tears she knows want to fall. Her perfect teeth shine brightly against her red lips.
“I would love that. More than you know. I only have you, Mackenzie, and my sister. You three make me a better person.”
Her eyes go wide for a moment and then she leans forward, her voice bursting out.
“OH MY GOD! We still need a tag finisher! And an entrance them! This is going to be so awesome! Blood Reavers F-T-Dub!”
Mel manages a genuine smile.
"Yeah, we do. Did you have any ideas?"
Sarah’s eyes go with a manic light.
“Lots! Like, I kick them in the head to turn them around right into your Deconstructor. And that Total Elimination move is totes something we could do. Oh! Oh! Killswitch Engage’s My Curse is TOTES OUR SONG!”
"Ha. I already use Killswitch for an entrance theme, so you KNOW I like the band."
She nods along.
"And I like your idea for the finisher there, too."
Sarah smiles warmly.
"We got this, Mel."
"We do, Sarah, we do."
She smiles back, just as warmly.
"Hey...I never really got to say that I was sorry we didn't get to team up that one last time to earn the gold together."
Sarah smirks.
"Hey, I am the one that set that up. Had to push myself."
She gives one of her exaggerated eye rolls.
"Did not exactly go to plan. But you proved your badassery! Final FSociety tag champion!"
"Thank you."
She sighs.
"Still...I did wish it had been you out there with me. I know why you weren't and I fully supported you trying, but still.”
Sarah takes her hand and smiles.
"Maybe we shall do it in FAW. The Fucking Awesome Blood Reavers has a killer sound to it."
"True."
Mel nods enthusiastically, squeezing the hand a little tighter.
"I'd love to do that. I was hoping to have a noteworthy run at a singles championship, too. Really make my mark in the company, show I can do more than tag matches. So maybe we can both do that? Ha...maybe we should aim to own all of the titles between us."
Mel chuckles at the idea, but Sarah's eyes fill with a manic light.
"You would be an amazing Showcase Champion! Oh! Oh! And! AND! When I get my Hardcore Title shot, the three of us can rip Cassandra's horse lips right off her stupid face!"
"Ha. Given her recent antics, I certainly wouldn't stop you from kicking her ass..."
She shrugs.
"She's changed."
"I suppose she fits in with that circlejerk we always find ourselves around. But! Should I have my way, I will make her retire due to severe burn trauma. That will be fun!"
"She tormented Aiden by using a dead baby. I don't give a fuck what she says, she will pay for that."
Mel grows visibly angered.
"And when she dropped the news story about Sofie's miscarriage and Sofie was down, Cass came to me and told me to fix it. Just after Cyn left me. She never asked about Cyn and I, no, she told me to fix HER mess. Better yet? When I said I didn't know if I could because I don't know Sofie, she told me if Sofie killed herself it'd be MY fault..."
Sarah's perfectly maintained eyebrows lower.
"That makes zero sense. Better off without, I say."
"I'd agree. She told me she'd never use her news thing to hurt her friends...and then she delivered her 'story' about Aiden and I being seen cozying up. Lies, we never did anything at the show, I didn't even see him until afterward. She got that from somewhere else..."
"Point being, she betrayed me. Also unforgivable."
Sarah smiles widely.
"We will destroy her! Whether in singles, tag-"
She glances at Kenzi, who is lost in her phone, roasting some Cornett on Twitter.
"-or as a trio, we will unstoppable. Nothing but gold on the horizon!"
"Yeah. I know it sounds really fucking lame, but together I feel like we can overcome anything. And whilst maybe I can't hide my contempt for Cass as well as Kenzi can, she'll still never see my retribution coming…”
Sarah shrieks and lunges forward, enveloping Melissa in a bear hug.
"Now THAT is the Mel I have been waiting for!"
Mel falls backward in the seat a little as she catches the hug, which she happily embraces.
"Do you wanna know the funniest part of it all?"
"What is that?"
"I...hooked up with her on New Years eve. That's not the funny part!"
She preemptively playfully frowns at Sarah's probably reaction.
"And afterward she told me a whole heap about herself. Not least her biggest, closest guarded, darkest secret. Just a few public words from me and her world shatters.”
Sarah's eyes shine with delight.
"Do it!"
"I gotta wait for the absolute right moment."
Sarah squeals.
"This is going to be the Best. Thing. Ever!"
"Though, if she goes at Aiden again, using V...I won't be responsible for what I say.”
Sarah hugs her even tighter, if that was possible.
"We are going to be unstoppable!"
She pulls off and sits back upright, her angled face turning sombre.
"Thank you, partner."
Mel smiles, until she notices the look on Sarah's face.
"Hey...are you okay?"
"I am, now. I know I am...difficult...so I appreciate this."
"Oh yeah, you're a massive pain in the ass."
She chuckles and nods in agreement with herself. Mel affords a quick glance to Kenz, then back to Sarah.
"But you're OUR pain in the ass."
Sarah claps her hands.
"Yay!"
"Alright, stand up, you."
Sarah stands up, raising one of those perfect eyebrows.
Mel wraps her up into a 'proper' hug, holding her close for several seconds. She pulls back, smiling.
"You deserved that."
Sarah smiles up at the taller woman.
"Thanks, Mel."
"You're welcome."
She nods and smiles.
"I'm glad I came over. Thanks for letting me."
Sarah gives her a patented eye roll.
"I am the vampire between us, remember? You are always welcome."
Mel chuckles.
"Even still, my point stands."
"Gym next week, yeah? Work on those moves?"
"Absolutely. I have a busy weekend, but after that I'm good."
"Same! I have, like, 27 fights coming up!"
"Then we should expect 27 victories, no?"
"Absolutely! Fighting the world across the world!"
"So I saw. You joined ALL of the companies. Or so it seems!"
"And more to come!"
She offers a wink.
"But that is a surprise."
"Oh? Well now I'm curious. Thinking about a second place myself, once this tournament is done..."
"I said a surprise! Including to family. But the other dive companies I am with should be enough. Being a freelancer should be fun. Just like Father."
"I wasn't asking, silly. Just curious why it's a surprise?"
Sarah smiles seriously.
"Father taught to never be expected. And this? No will expect. But! I have at least three fights before then, anyway, so it is a bit out of mind."
"Okay, well, I'll be watching with a keen interest.”
The two girls smile and commence with small talk. By the time Melissa leaves for the evening, the two had plans for a rigorous training schedule at GrayFoote LA for the following week and were, much to Kenzi’s supreme happiness, a Blood Reavers team reunited.