NEW - NOIR EXTREME WRESTLING

(Previously: Part XII - Starting Again)

Lauren_James: I take a slow, deep breath, adjusting my gear as I stare into the locker room mirror. A couple of months have passed since I decided to kick Hana out of my life, and the ring feels quieter without her shadowing my every move. Knowing her like I know her, she's probably run all the way back to Korea by now, wallowing in her own failure. When I think about her, I feel regret... regret that I didn't do worse to her. She had become dangerously useless to me. It's frustrating to admit, even strictly to myself, that a part of me always wanted to be like her, to hold that same effortless light... and that I desperately wanted to be the role model she sees in Sara. But I couldn't, so I destroyed her instead. The police have been sniffing around, trying to investigate what happened in her apartment, forcing me to swallow my pride and call my older brother. He’s running for the Senate, and the last thing his campaign needs is a headline about his sister beating the hell out of a former co-worker. He pulled the right strings, made the calls, and smoothed it over. Because everyone in this company knows the truth: Hana wasn't just released, she was erased because of me. I might be mediocre in the ring compared to the pure technicians, but I have influence, and in this world, influence brings absolute power. Even her precious best friend Sara hasn't dared to challenge me directly since it happened. That is real power. I’m followed by almost a million people on Instagram. I’m the heiress who plays pro wrestling, and the higher-ups know exactly who brings eyes to the product.

Lauren_James: Tonight, I demanded a jobber for a quick, effortless squash match. I don't feel like putting in the work. I just need an easy win to feed my toxic ego and keep my name on the highlights. I finish lacing the elastic of my kickpad and reach into my bag to toss it into the bottom of my locker. As I push it back, my hand brushes against something paper-thin. I pull it out into the dim light. It’s an old photo of us. From before. A sudden, sharp chill runs down my spine, holding me frozen for a fraction of a second. I stare at her smiling face, my chest tightening with a strange, dark mix of obsession and bitter hatred.

Avery_Breaux: Another night, another win for Lauren. I am officially her right-hand woman now, a position that came with a massive boost to my contract conditions and status in the company. I follow her everywhere like a loyal guard dog, almost worshipping the floor she walks on. She has the power, the money, and the ruthless edge, she is everything I want to be. We are back in the locker room getting ready for the night's show. Lauren is sitting by her vanity, lacing up her boots, when I notice her staring silently at a small, crumpled photograph an old picture of her and Hana from happier times. I step up beside her, towering over her shoulder like a dark shadow, and nod toward the photo. "Uhh... Are you not afraid that she might come back for vengeance?"

Lauren_James: I put the picture inside my locker. "Are you stupid, Avery? Do you really think so?" I sneer, letting out a sharp, cruel laugh that echoes off the locker room walls. "Months have passed since I broke her spirit into a million pieces. I don't even believe she's alive anymore. She's a ghost." I snatch the picture off the table, crumble it into a tight ball, and casually toss it into the trash can next to my vanity. I smooth down my gear, check my lip gloss in the mirror, and throw my velvet robe over my shoulders. "Let's go," I command, not even waiting for a response as I stride past you and head out toward the gorilla position. "I have a show to steal."

Hana_Jeong: My legs tremble, and a knot of cold, nervous butterflies twists tightly in my stomach as I blend into the pulsing crowd of the Ballroom. Without Sara’s unwavering strength pushing me from behind, I would never have found the courage to stand in this building again to face the monster who destroyed my life and turned my home to dust. Under the deep shadow of my black hoodie, with my hacked short hair and heavy black makeup, I am a stranger. Only Pam, the sharp-eyed ticket checker at the entrance, paused for a split second when I scanned my ticket for the floor. "Heyo girl, standing area is straight and turn right... Geez, I was sure I’ve seen ya face somewhere before, sista. Ok go on " She was one of my fans back when I wore bright colors and smiled for the crowd. I just lowered my head and kept moving. I pick my way through the dense sea of bodies and the line at the bar, slipping silently through the shadows until my hands press against the cold steel of the front row guardrail.

Lauren_James: The bassline of Iggy Azalea - Fancy rattles through the arena floor, and the moment the lights turn blood-red, a wave of pure hostility explodes from the crowd. Deafening boos crash against the barricades, almost drowning out my entrance music. They know. The whole world knows what happened to Hana months ago, and they hate me for it. I soak in every drop of it. I strut down the ramp with a slow, arrogant smirk, raising my hands dismissively as I pass the guardrails making a show of pulling back as if the fans' presence might contaminate me. Reaching ringside, I snag a microphone from the timekeeper, slide effortlessly under the bottom rope, and completely ignore you standing across the canvas in your plain grey gear. I walk to the center of the ring, popping my hips as the arena erupts into a furious, unanimous chant: "SLUT! SLUT! SLUT!" I wait a beat, letting the anger peak, before raising the mic to my lips. "First of all... I don't give a fuck about any of you," I drop the words like ice, pausing just long enough for the boos to turn into a roar. "And yes... Hana got released because I said so." A dark, cruel laugh escapes me, echoing over the sound system. "It's something you morrons will never understand. It's called power. You're all sitting there wondering why? Because to walk beside someone like me, you cannot be a loser. You have to do your job... and Hana didn't do hers. Hana proved to be completely useless, so her place is in the trash where she belongs.... like all of you!"

Lauren_James: Satisfied with the rage radiating off the crowd, I finally turn my body toward the jobber. I toss the microphone over the top rope, letting it clatter loudly to the floor outside. I step right up into herpersonal space, closing the distance until I'm staring down my nose at her, towering over her debut moment like a shadow. "So I'm here to make things right for me," I whisper, my voice dripping with toxic malice as the referee raises his hands to call for the bell. "Ready for your beatdown, jobber?"

Avery_Breaux: The poor girl across the ring is visibly trembling in fear. She is the fourth jobber Lauren has brutally injured and sent packing straight to the hospital in recent weeks. For the first two minutes, Lauren completely dominates the match, tearing through her opponent with ruthless efficiency. Whenever the girl desperately tries to string together a desperate comeback, I step in from the apron cutting her off, driving her back down to the canvas, and ensuring Lauren maintains total control.

Hana_Jeong: I slip quietly through the crowd, pulling the hood of my dark sweatshirt down, and reach the ringside guardrail just moments before the bell rings. As you and your new enforcer march down the aisle past me, I quickly drop my gaze and look down at the floor, intentionally avoiding direct eye contact. But out of the corner of my eye, I notice a young teenage girl standing right beside me, staring at my face with wide, recognizing eyes. "Hana?" she whispers, her voice barely audible over the roar of the arena. I instantly raise a single finger to my lips, shushing her gently. "Yes, it's me, but please... I'm trying to be discreet," I whisper back. The girl’s face lights up with a quiet, thrilled smile, and she nods eagerly, keeping my secret. Before she can say anything else, my attention snaps entirely toward the ring. My eyes lock onto the canvas as you both step through the ropes, addressing the crowd with that arrogant smirk. The match starts with your brutal assault, and as expected, it finishes very quickly leaving another broken girl in your wake, and setting the stage for what comes next. "Ok Hana... get ready" I whisper to myself.

Lauren_James: I pinned that poor bitch for the 1, 2, 3, but of course this is only the Act I of my violet show. "Avery, pull that bitch up!" I bark, stepping back to give her room. I grab the jobber by her hair, yanking her up to her knees, completely helpless. I don't hesitate. I drive a heavy, brutal fist straight into her exposed belly, watching the air explode out of her lungs. I follow up immediately with a sickening right hook to her ribs, then throw a sharp, stiff right hand straight across her jaw. Her head snaps back, fresh blood spraying across the white canvas. I am completely, utterly amused by the sheer destruction, and I make sure the entire crowd can see the sadistic grin plastered across my face. I bend down, grabbing her by the chin and pulling her dripping face close to mine. "How dare you step in the ring against me, bitch?" I yell right into her ear, my voice cutting through the wall of boos drowning the arena. I throw her head down onto the mat like trash and straighten up, smoothing down my gear with a smug, cold laugh. "Avery, go pick a chair," I order, pointing toward ringside.

Avery_Breaux: We truly deliver a brutal post-match beatdown to the poor girl, treating her like a punching bag to send a message. I immediately obey Lauren's command, dropping down to slide a steel chair out from underneath the apron of the ring. I slide back between the ropes, gripping the cold metal, when a sudden, electric shift ripples through the arena crowd. The wall of boos for Lauren abruptly morphs into a confused, deafening roar as thousands of fans suddenly turn their attention away from us and toward the entrance ramp. I freeze in the center of the ring, the chair slipping slightly in my grip, and blink in sudden disorientation. "What a..."

Hana_Jeong: In a single, dizzying flash, the last few months race through my mind: my grueling physical transformation, the punishing dark matches I fought in the shadows of underground night clubs, and the bitter sweat of training. But more than anything, I think of Sara. She gave me the roof over my head, the strength to rebuild my dignity, and the courage to do what I am about to do. It is now or never. The teenage girl beside me catches the shift in my posture, instantly realizing that I am about to breach the ring. A tear slips down her cheek, and she reaches out to squeeze my arm. "Good luck," she whispers fiercely. "No matter what happens, you are the best." I offer her a tight, hard smile. "I'm doing this for you, too." Before she can say another word, I vault over the cold steel guardrail and slide effortlessly under the bottom rope, moving like a ghost before arena security even registers the movement. The moment my boots hit the canvas, the deafening roar of the crowd fades into a distant hum, washing away into white noise. Now all I see is you. Before Avery can even turn around with the steel chair, I throw my entire weight forward, charging straight at you with a primal, deafening scream that tears right out of my chest.

Lauren_James: Suddenly, a sharp blur of movement at ringside catches my eye. "Wtf..." I turn my head, and the breath catches in my throat as I lock eyes with your infuriated face charging across the ring. "Wtf... Hana...?" My face turns completely pale. My heart drops into my stomach like a stone... you are the absolute last person on Earth I ever imagined seeing in a Noir ring again. Panic violently shatters my calm, arrogant high. Instinct takes over. I snatch the battered, half-conscious jobber by her shoulders as a human shield. The second you collide with her, I scramble backward, ducking behind Avery's towering frame to put her massive body between us. "Avery! Kill her!" I scream from behind my enforcer, my voice shrill and laced with pure terror.

Avery_Breaux: The sudden rush of movement catches me entirely off guard. I spin around just as you explode through the ropes, your terrifying scream cutting straight through the arena air. Panic instantly replaces my arrogance. My breath catches in my throat, and for a split second, I am completely frozen in absolute terror, staring at the ghost I thought I had buried forever. "Avery! Hit her! Stop her!" I scream in a shrill, frantic voice, my eyes wide with absolute anger like an asian demon. Hearing my desperate command, Avery snaps out of her shock. Terrified of failing me yet shaking in her boots just as much as I am she hefts the steel chair. She lets out a ragged, panicked war cry, swinging the heavy metal wildly right at your oncoming charge. "AAARHGGGG!"

Hana_Jeong: My momentum is absolute, and every ounce of hesitation is gone. As Avery panics and hefts the heavy steel chair backward to swing, I don't slow down for a single second. I leave my feet in mid-air, snapping my legs out in a lightning-fast, perfectly executed running dropkick. My boots slam flush into her face with a deafening CRACK, sending the steel chair flying out of her trembling hands and crashing violently against the canvas. Avery crumples backward in a heap, completely knocked out before she even hits the mat. I land smoothly on my feet, spinning around with wild, dark eyes locked directly onto you.

Lauren_James: I yank the half-unconscious, battered jobber off the canvas, hauling her up by her hair and wrapping my arm around her throat to use her as a human shield. My heart hits my ribs as I watch Avery get completely laid out by that brutal dropkick to her jaw. She flies backward, crashing hard against the canvas before rolling lifelessly under the bottom rope like dead meat, completely useless. Panic hits me like a wave. As you leap back up and lock your terrifying, dark eyes onto me, I shove the jobber forward as hard as I can tossing her body straight into your path like an expendable piece of trash to buy myself a split second. I don't wait to see if you catch her. I scramble backward through the ropes, tumbling out to the floor and backing up toward the entrance ramp, clutching my throat as I scream at the top of my lungs. "Security! Get out here now! Get this psychotic bitch off my ring! SECURITY!"

Avery_Breaux: I hit the cold floor outside the ring like a sack of lead, completely dazed and broken. The world goes entirely black for a second, then spins out of control. I lie there on my back, drooling onto the concrete and twitching uselessly as my jaw throbs with a blinding, white-hot pain. The roaring lights above fade into blurry streaks of color, and the deafening noise of the crowd sounds like it's coming from under water. I don't have a single goddamn idea where I am, who I am, or what just hit me.

Hana_Jeong: The poor jobber girl stumbles heavily into me, but I don't catch her. I grab her rough by the front of her torn gear, my grip like iron, and hurl her violently through the middle ropes. She crashes hard onto the floor below, right next to Avery's twitching body, landing with a sickening thud. My veins are pumping pure, unadulterated fire I am so completely consumed by an all-consuming rage that I have zero mercy left to spare, not even for an innocent victim who did nothing wrong. My breathing comes in ragged, furious gasps. I step up to the ropes, dark eyes dead-locked on you as you retreat up the ramp, and I let out a feral roar that echoes straight across the packed arena that goes crazy.

Lauren_James: "SECURITY, WTF?!" I scream, my voice cracking in pure panic as I back up the ramp, pointing wildly at the ring. I look down at Avery groaning on the floor. Rage exploding through my fear, I drop down, grab her by her hair, and yank her head up, slapping her face hard back and forth with loud, stinging cracks. "GET BACK IN THE RING, YOU USELESS BITCH!" I yell, shoving her head back down against the floor as the security guards finally rushes past me, swarming the apron to keep you from tearing me apart.

Avery_Breaux: "No, Lauren, please no!" I cry out, wiping the drool from my chin. My head is spinning and my jaw throbs with pain. I look at Lauren and feel like a trash object, just used to buy her time to run away. "She's gonna kill me!" I beg, pulling away and curling up on the floor, too terrified to even stand up.

Hana_Jeong: My whole body is trembling, running on a dark, surging adrenaline I have never felt in my entire life. All I want is to tear across this ring and get my hands on your neck. I sprint toward the ropes, but before I can vault over, three heavy pairs of security arms tackle me from behind. I crash hard onto the canvas, and a guard brutally immobilizes me, digging his knee right into my cheek. "GET OFF ME!" I scream, thrashing violently against their weight, my voice raw and unhinged. The entire arena explodes into a wall of furious noise. Deafening boos crash down from the stands as the crowd erupts into a unified chant: "LET HER FIGHT! LET HER FIGHT!" Drinks, crumpled posters, and plastic bottles start raining down onto the ring, showering the guards as they struggle to keep me pinned to the mat.

Lauren_James: "You fucking coward!" I spit, pulling my boot back and driving it into Avery's ribs with all my strength. I am completely desperate, watching the ring in sheer horror. A wall of six huge security guards are barely struggling to keep you contained at the ropes, their boots slipping on the mat as you hurl yourself against them like a caged animal. Suddenly, a hard plastic object flies out from the crowd and cracks me right across the forehead. "FUCK...!" I yell, clutching my head as blood starts to trickle down my eyebrow. I spin around to scream at the fans, but as I turn toward the ramp, I realize the crowd isn't looking at me anymore. The arena has exploded into a deafening storm of furious boos directed at the entrance curtain behind me. Standing right at the top of the ramp, arms crossed with a cold, unreadable expression, is the General Manager, Madeleine. Madeleine marches out to the top of the stage, flanked by additional security, holding a microphone. Looking at the chaotic arena and the enraged crowd. "STOP IMMEDIATELY! Please Secuturity, remove Hana immediately from the building!" after saying this words, Madeleine realizes the situation is completely out of control. "Ok... Ok ... give her a microphone... you all need to..."

Hana_Jeong: Drinks and plastic bottles start raining down onto the ring, showering the guards as they struggle to keep me pinned to the mat. The moment the security guards release their grip and slide a microphone across the canvas, I push myself up off the mat. I don't let Madeleine finish her sentence. "Lauren, I'm coming for you," I say into the mic. My voice is cold, sharp, and cuts through the arena speakers like a blade. The crowd explodes, throwing their hands in the air and roaring in absolute solidarity. Madeleine raises her mic again, trying to impose order over her show. "Hana, you can't just..." "Shut the fuck up, Madeleine," I snap, not even looking at her. "You should be ashamed of being a puppet for this woman and letting her take Noir hostage." The crowd loses its mind, the noise swelling so loud that I have to pause for a second, standing in the center of the ring while the chants echo off the rafters. I lower my head slightly, swallowing the lump in my throat, before looking out at the fans. "Lauren... I did a lot of bad things for you," I start, my tone shifting as the arena gradually falls attentive and quiet. "I have no excuse for what I did. I regret all of it, every single day. And I just hope my best friend Sara, the girls in the locker room, and all of you fans can forgive me one day." I step toward the edge of the canvas, leaning hard against the top rope directly in front of where you're cowering on the floor. "Lauren, you stole everything good from me."

Hana_Jeong: My voice trembles, and the hand clutching the microphone shakes violently with raw, suffocating emotion. "All that's left inside me is hatred for you. You made me hate someone for the first time in my life, and now you are going to have to deal with that... because I'm here to do something to you that, if I did it outside this ring, would put me in prison for the rest of my life."

Avery_Breaux: The entire arena explodes into a wall of furious noise. Deafening boos crash down from the stands as the crowd erupts into a unified chant: "LET HER FIGHT! LET HER FIGHT!" . I'm really scared, I didn't join Noir for this and I feel being dragged to a huge conflict.

Lauren_James: "Oooh, ooh, hold on a minute..." I sneer, taking a step back and pointing a trembling, manic finger at you. "You are not going to do anything, bitch! You got fired, remember? You don't even work here!" I turn around, stepping up close to Madeleine, covering my mic with my palm so only she can hear me. "Do something!" I hiss under my breath, my voice laced with desperate rage. "Call the cops! Get her out of my sight!" Madeleine looks at me, her eyes wide, frozen in total shock as the deafening roar of the arena shakes the floor beneath our feet. "I... I can't do anything, Lauren! Look at the crowd!" she whispers back, gesturing frantically at the volatile sea of fans threatening to tear down the barricades. I stare at her with deadly, murderous eyes, realization sinking in that my control over this arena is slipping through my fingers.

Hana_Jeong: I remain leaned heavily against the top rope, my knuckles white as I grip the microphone, my dead-eyed stare locked onto you. Madeleine clears her throat, bringing the microphone back up to her lips. "Ok, Hana, here's the deal..." she announces, her voice echoing through the arena. "You want a match against Lauren? You have to earn it! Next Friday, you will face Avery Breaux. If you beat her, you will sign a contract right then and there for an unsanctioned match against Lauren James!" The entire arena explodes into an effusive, thunderous cheer, the fans slamming their hands against the barricades in approval. "To earn it?!" I interrupt, my voice slicing right through the GM's announcement. "This woman screwed me over, destroyed my life, and I have to earn the right to get my hands on her?!" I shake my head, a bitter, terrifying chuckle escaping my lips. "You know what? I don't care," I spit, leaning further over the ropes and staring straight into your pale, horrified face. "Send Avery. Send all your minion bitches in that locker room against me. They will all fall... and in the end that bitch is going to get what she deserves."

Lauren_James: I stare incredulously at Madeleine, my eyes bulging in disbelief, but she just firmly shakes her head at me silently pleading with me to trust her play. I snatch the microphone from her grip, my chest heaving with rage as I step up to the edge of the stage, glaring down at you in the ring. "So, if this Asian whore gets to choose the match type, she’s going to have to accept whatever stipulations and stakes I want after signing that contract!" I screech into the mic. The entire arena instantly erupts into a wall of deafening, furious boos, but I just stand there on the stage with a bitter, vindictive sneer, waiting for your response.

Avery_Breaux: I lie bruised on the cold floor, completely shocked. I feel like a worthless object in the hands of these three women, tossed around and used like trash just to serve their war. My ribs burn where Lauren kicked me, and my jaw aches from Hana's boot, but a deeper terror sets in as the truth hits me. Madeleine's decision is final. I am actually going to face the one and only Hana Jeong in the ring. I pull my knees up to my chest, trembling on the concrete, knowing I am being led straight to the slaughter.

Hana_Jeong: "Do you think I'm afraid of anything from you? Please..." I let out a harsh, cold laugh that echoes loudly over the arena speakers. "You can't do anything by yourself. So add whatever stipulations you want, because if you were a real woman, you'd fight me anytime, anywhere. You are an egocentric, jealous, coward piece of shit." My voice drops, heavy with a lethal, absolute quiet that chills the entire building. "Believe me... I am going to get you, even if I die doing it." I pause, fixing my glare directly on the top of the ramp. "Ah, and you, Madeleine... the reason why I'm not going after you is because you are just a mere puppet in the hands of that monster... but believe me... if you go back on your word... you are the first!" I toss the microphone onto the canvas, letting it bounce with a dull thud. Without another word, I roll under the bottom rope, vault over the guardrail, and melt back into the sea of screaming fans, disappearing into the dark crowd like a ghost.

Lauren_James: Backstage, I burst through the locker room doors and instantly go mad. I slam my foot into a steel folding chair, sending it skidding across the concrete, then sweep my arm across a table, sending water bottles and tape rolling everywhere. I wheel around to face Avery, who is sitting on a bench, holding an ice pack to her bruised, swollen jaw. I march right up to her, invading her space, and grab her by the front of her collar to force her to look straight into my eyes. "You listen to me very carefully, Avery," I spit, my voice dripping with pure venom and desperation. "I plucked you out of obscurity when you were a literal jobber in this locker room. I gave you a spot at my side. So you had better put every single pound of those useless muscles of yours to good use next Friday and destroy Hana... for your own damn sake." I let go of her collar with a violent shove, turning back to the mirror as my hands shake with fury. "Because if she gets past you," I whisper, staring at my pale reflection, "you are dead to me."

Avery_Breaux: I respectfully remove your hand and press the cold ice pack against my swollen jaw. It still hurts to speak, but I stand up slowly and look straight into Lauren's eyes. "I won't let you down, Lauren," I say, my voice low and serious. "I am the right woman for the job."