I took a sigh when I started this because I've been waiting to get this started and finished for a very long time, with so many things going wrong. But now, I can see this through. I can't wait for this story to be over.
Allison Payne vs. Rachel Apache
Rachel is at her mansion in her birthplace of beautiful and peaceful Boulder, Colorado and she sits in one of her spacious living rooms watching a screen that covers the entire wall, while playing one of her many violins, since she has the screen on mute. The 31 year old, 5’11” 150 lb Rachel, with her Persian brown skin, her shin long wavy black hair, midnight blue eyes, and Wonder Woman figure is dressed in a purple, blue, and white striped sweater that she knitted herself, a pair of blue camel skinned pants, and soft dark purple Minnetonka boots and she contrasts with the naturalistic feel of a room that has taxidermy all over it and those stuffed animals are from all over the world. Rachel helped build this house herself and many of the animals on display were killed by Rachel because they tried to attack her; they belonged to one of the many tyrants she helped eliminate as a government operative; they could not be reverted from feral or had some sort of altering to their genetics or were experimented on, and had to be put down.
It‘s a very very little known fact that more than fifty of the fighting styles Rachel knows have been banned from OPW by Siena Blaze to protect the other fighters. Rachel and Siena don‘t mention this publicly, but this info has been leaked several times and it has only added to Rachel‘s mystique and to those who have repeatedly said that Rachel Apache is the greatest female fighter of all time. There are many trophies and title belts and all sorts of souvenirs from Rachel’s many matches and many adventures all over her home; perhaps the animals are trophies as well. But Rachel also hunts animals as well for food, though she could very well buy the meat. No one really knows how rich Rachel is; she may very well be a billionaire, but a lot of people don‘t know that Rachel has given millions to charitable causes around the world and has even gone as far as to hire mercenaries to end hostage situations and finance rebels to help overthrow dictatorships. This is something that she doesn’t mention, but those close to her are very well aware of it.
There are many skins in the room as well; Rachel believes that every part of an animal she hunts must be used, as many Native Americans do, despite Rachel being the offspring of a Japanese mother and a Persian/Iranian father. Growing up in a place as beautiful and so natural as Boulder is has made an eternal impression on Rachel. As a child, Rachel took to Boulder’s environmental stereotypes and was a vegetarian, but her childhood friend turned husband Angelo Thunderhawk’s love of meat made her adjust herself a bit. Now, Rachel loves Italian food and could just about cook anything, yet is still one of the most spiritual people you could meet, once you get passed her stoic exterior. Rachel’s eyes narrow as she sees the face of her oldest rival on the wall-vision and says “sound on”…
****
Siena- Right now, it’s a three horse race and forth and fifth horses may be entering late. When we were making this fight a few years ago, Washington DC was supposed to be the site and I’ve got the mayor and a bunch of folks coming to me saying the fight should still be there. I’m also looking at Philadelphia because our February event is called “No Love” and Philly seems like the place to go; Rachel’s camp seem to like that. Then there’s Chicago at Soldier Field, which I’m pretty strong about and Allison’s camp and Rachel’s camp like that site. But the problem is that there’s a snowstorm blowing right up that entire region, so moving this thing indoors may be the way to go. We recently had a card in Dallas and we’ve done big business there; the fight may have to go to Cowboy Stadium and that’d work fine because the Super Bowl is going to be there and we’d want it to be in a big market. Then there’s a huge indoor stadium where the Indianapolis Colts play where the Super Bowl will be next year as an option because that’s pretty close to Chitown. I told the fighters as soon as the fight was signed to just go ahead and start training and I’ll worry about a neutral location.
Reporter- What about the rumors that you’re offering certain cities “hush fights?”
Siena- Those are not rumors; I want to compensate the other cities when they don’t get the Allison/Rachel fight. We’ve already had Allison and Jasmine agree to face each other in Chicago, so with this huge storm coming, I think that’s a big enough fight for them to be alright with Rachel/Allison being somewhere else. In fact, No Mercy is going to be in Chicago this year so that’s a little gem for you guys to salivate on. I haven’t gotten a confirmation yet, but we’re talking to both Marie and Samantha and they’ve agreed to fight each other one more time for Marie‘s TV Title, and I was thinking about Philadelphia for that. The fight, Lord willing, will be this month and because these two haven’t been able to come together on much since they legitimately hate each other, and because it’s a fight everyone wants to see, I’m glad that I don’t have to be asked about that. My staff is working on other matches to be on that card. Queen of the Ring will be in Miami, not London because I think it’s disrespectful to crown a queen where there already is one. But there will be an event in London and the OPW World Title will be defended against Gemma Rox, though she will be fighting before that. What else? Dallas and Indianapolis are going to get taken care of too, if it comes to that. But right now, the more I think about it, the more Washington is making sense, but don’t quote me on that because the weather is bad there too.
****
“Anything worth mentioning?” Rachel’s husband Angelo says, “Roselyn’s taking her nap and the chili is great.”
Rachel- Thank you, hon. She’s still debating where the fight will be. She can’t make up her mind. We may be going to Dallas.
Angelo- Home of my Cowboys.
Rachel- (frowning and rolling her eyes) Yes, of course.
Angelo- I’m sorry, sweetheart. Hey, we didn’t make the playoffs either. Maybe next year will be a better year for your Broncos… maybe.
Rachel- You and your humor. You’re lucky we’re not still in our teens; I would knock you silly for that.
Angelo- Oh? I think I would outlast you. After all, I know all your weak spots.
Angelo leans over his wife and kisses her on the cheek.
Angelo- Come on; I wanna show you something.
Rachel gets up and heads to the elevator with her husband.
Rachel- I’ve been meaning to tell you this; I’m not used to this type of training camp. I’m used to intensity and just pushing myself and lots of watching tape and coming up with my strategy. This is so laid back. I think we should move the camp someplace else; I just… this is my home. I just am having a hard time getting motivated here because I’m so comfortable. I want to go and chop some more firewood or build another snowman. I may even give Roselyn some more violin lessons later on before dinner. She’s a lot better than I was when I was her age. But Angelo, this is so laid back, I’m worried.
Angelo- Well, I have a feeling that’s going to be changing soon. And let me worry about the strategy a bit, sweetheart. Just enjoy the experience.
Rachel- Angelo, I’m your wife and a mother and sometime between all of those duties, I have a fight to train for with a very dangerous opponent. I’m concerned.
Angelo- Have I ever told you how cute you look when your voice gives away a little feminine softness and sensitivity?
Rachel- I’m not playing, Angelo. I gave up being a vegetarian for you and I let you beat me in a fight so that you could marry me as part of the tradition, and you--
Angelo- Oh, here we go with that again.
Rachel- You just better be right about this.
Angelo- Voila, Rachel.
Rachel emerges from the elevator in her extremely large underground gym. The gym is the size of two football fields, has several rings and cages, tons and tons of workout equipment, running tracks and swimming pools and even holographic simulation equipment (think the X-Men‘s Danger Room)… and this is a very small part of Rachel’s home, but as Angelo would tell you, the underground parts of Rachel’s many mansions make the Batcave look like a cardboard shack. Rachel’s eyes focus on a young woman with a swimsuit model figure with large breasts, a firm stomach with a little pigeon pouch below the navel, a large butt and strong legs who is approaching her. She’s 5’8” roughly around 140 lbs, long brown hair with a big white patch of hair in the front and at the top (like Rogue from the X-Men) and she’s got green eyes and is wearing a yellow and green one piece with brown wrestling boots.
Rachel- Is this a joke, Angelo? I think you need to put down the comic books.
Angelo- No. This is your sparring partner. Her name is Roxy.
Roxy- (extending her hand) Ah’m pleased to meet ya.
Rachel- What makes you think you could last five minutes, let alone one minute, with me?
Roxy- Well, ah don’t really know the answer to that, but ah’m willin’ to try… ah’m not a quitter.
Rachel- We will see, child. We, will, see. I don’t think I’m going to waste time changing for this.
Rachel walks to the cage while Roxy looks at Angelo.
Roxy- She’s got a pretty crappy attitude. Ah’m glad you prepared me for it.
Angelo- My wife isn’t the friendliest person when she first meets someone, especially if that person is someone she’s going to spar with. And I read a lot of comic books and my mom looks a lot like Rogue.
Roxy- Is that right? Your momma must be a good woman then. My friends told me ah look just like her, so I dyed my hair, an’ ah’ve got the accent and the attitude. Your wife’s about to find out.
Angelo- Just take her with a grain of salt. She means well. She will respect you; trust me.
Roxy- Oh, ah know she will. Ah’m gonna go rogue on her ass.
Roxy enters the cage and balls her fists up, looking at the taller Rachel, who stares back with her hands on her hips.
Roxy- Let’s get it on, sugah!!
Roxy charges Rachel and wings a left hook that Rachel sidesteps, a right cross that Rachel avoids as she shoots a skeptical glance at Angelo, grabs Roxy’s wrist, and knees her in the stomach.
Roxy- OOOOF!!!
Roxy doubles over as Rachel grabs her by her butt and the back of her neck, lifting her up and slamming her stomach down across her knee.
Roxy- OOOOUUUGGHH!!!!
Roxy tries to roll and hold her stomach, but Rachel still has a hold of the back of Roxy’s neck and flings her against the cage using only one hand. Roxy’s back and head hit hard and Rachel runs in, does a cartwheel, but misses the sidekick as Roxy throws a right hand to Rachel’s solar plexus and the taller woman freezes long enough as Roxy ducks low, wraps her arms around Rachel’s waist, lifts her up onto her shoulders and falls backwards, throwing Rachel into the cage in a fall away slam. Roxy yanks Rachel up by her collar and rams a knee into Rachel’s stomach.
Rachel- Ough…
Roxy’s knee hit Rachel right in the middle of her stomach, but her calf felt the softness below Rachel’s navel. Roxy grabs Rachel, and power slams her down on the mat. But on impact, Rachel tightens her legs and arms around Roxy’s arms, locking on a crucifix submission and extending them, but Roxy easily breaks free, much to Rachel‘s chagrin, stands as Rachel rolls and gets to her feet, ducks a Rachel left hook and buries an uppercut just below Rachel‘s navel.
Rachel- Uuuuggghhh!!
Roxy staggers Rachel with a right hand to her cheek, grabs her arms and yanks her into another knee to her stomach.
Rachel- Ohhh…
Roxy turns Rachel’s head with a left hook and Rachel brings her arms up to block the following right cross as Roxy starts in on those ribs.
Roxy- I gotcha, sugah. Don’t feel too good to be gettin’ your ass whipped in front o’your hubby, do it?
Rachel- Ugghh!! You’re about to find out some--ugghhh!! Things about me that may surprise you.
Roxy- Like what? You ain’t as good as people say you are? Honey, that don’t surprise me any!
Rachel raises her arms above her head and locks her fingers, but before she can land the double axe handle smash, Roxy sees Rachel’s sweater raise up and the shirt underneath, revealing her sexy brown stomach with her trademarked navel that doesn’t stick in or out, and she drives a punch right on it, freezing Rachel in her tracks as her eyes widen.
Rachel- guuh…
Roxy- Night night, sugah.
Roxy’s right cross hit’s the point of Rachel’s chin and Rachel goes down flat on her back. Roxy puts her foot on Rachel’s stomach and looks down at her, smiling and pointing.
Roxy- Let this be a lesson to you, Ms. Thang. Ah ain’t no slouch when it comes to fightin’ an’ as long as Ah’m here, you will respect my abilitAHHHHH!!!!
Rachel grabs Roxy’s foot, twists it, sending her down on her stomach while standing and crossing the brunette’s legs around her right leg and locking on the sharpshooter.
Rachel- Submit now. You’ve proven yourself, but if you don’t submit, I have no problem holding on until you do.
Roxy- We’ll see about that!!
Roxy uses her leg muscles and starts to flex them, attempting to break the hold. Only one person has been able to break the Rachel Apache sharpshooter and that person is Glory. Rachel is surprised by Roxy’s strength as she feels Roxy’s legs starting to break her grip, but Rachel tightens the grip, gritting her teeth as Roxy grits her own teeth and pushes even harder.
Roxy- Ah’m gonna break that hold, an’ then, Ah’m gonna break you!!
Rachel- It takes more muscles to talk than it does to shut up, little girl.
Roxy- Ah’m gonna make you pay for calling me that.
Angelo- Time!
Rachel and Roxy- What?
Angelo- That’s it. Let her go, Rachel.
Rachel- But I don’t want to. I want to finish this.
Roxy- Give me another minute, an’ she’d be my sparrin’ partner!
Angelo- Rachel… let her go.
With a sigh, Rachel releases Roxy and the two women go toe-to-toe before Angelo steps between them. Rachel folds her arms and looks at Angelo while Roxy is still angrily poking her bottom lip out at Rachel.
Angelo- I’m so happy you two are bonding. You’ll have plenty of time to do that, since Roxy is moving in with us for the duration of training.
Rachel- What?
Roxy- Ah make a great omelet. Ah hope y’all don’t have jus’ deer meat, ‘cause ah like grits, eggs, and bacon, and ah like country fried steaks. Ah want some real food.
Rachel- If this is your surprise, Angelo, then--
Angelo- Come on, sweetheart, don’t be like that.
Roxy- She’s jus’ mad ‘cause ah beat her up. Ah’m used to it. But she’s gonna have to get used to it.
Rachel gives Angelo a look, and then, she sees a silhouette out of the corner of her eyes and turns to see the 5’10” 170 lb Serena Williams look a like, the former OPW World Champion, former OPW Television Champion, 2006 Queen of the Ring, and a woman who has never been cleanly beaten in the ring… Serenity with her long dark brown hair in a ponytail and dressed in a white jacket, a white fancy wind suit and white boots.
Serenity- I put my luggage in the guest room I picked out.
Rachel stares at Angelo and her face turns red. The last time Rachel and Serenity laid eyes on each other, they had a fight. Rachel and Serenity have known each other for thirteen years and the relationship has been on and off. Back in 1998, Angelo had brought Serenity, who was just starting as a professional, in to train and spar with Rachel and the story goes that Rachel beat Serenity easily in her basement gym, but Serenity beat Rachel a few minutes later and dominated the rest of the sparring session, thoroughly outwrestling Rachel while Angelo had gone to lunch and beating her again right in front of his eyes. Rachel and Serenity gain each other’s respect and Serenity learned a lot from Rachel, who openly admitted that Serenity, when she’s not injured, is the best fighter in OPW not named Rachel Apache. While Rachel would take a hiatus from fighting, Serenity would become the second biggest star in the company behind Glory, who Serenity repeatedly challenged, but Glory never accepted because, as she put it she was “too busy fighting bigger names with smaller mouths.” When Rachel returned, ultimately Serenity turned heel, joining Christina Munoz’s stable and hitting Rachel with a chair. The two would meet in the parking lot a few months later, have a yelling match, then a fight and even though Serenity would leave Christina’s stable and is a fan favorite, her relationship with Rachel is strained.
Rachel- Have you gone mad, Angelo?
Angelo- I ran into Serenity in Los Angeles a few weeks ago and she told me she was still rehabbing her knee. I asked her to come out here to train with you and we’d help her with her knee.
Rachel- (shaking her head and folding her arms, but whispering) I don’t want her here. You didn’t check with me about any of this; I am so disappointed in you. How could you?
Angelo- I know what I’m doing. Why should you spar with people you like? Why not spar with the best talent available?
Serenity- (entering the cage and walking right up to Rachel) You don’t look too happy to see me, Rachel, but the feeling is mutual. It was hard to come to grips with what I did to you, but I was angry and I let that get the best of me. I’m… sorry.
Rachel and Serenity stare at each other.
Rachel- You of all people know that I prefer to train alone. Sparring is one thing, but training is more personal to me. I also do not feel comfortable training with someone who is going to eventually challenge me for my title.
Serenity- But that’s the business. I heard you were going to retire after this one anyway.
Rachel- Who told you that? Angelo…
Angelo- One fight at a time, ladies. One fight at a time.
Roxy- (looking at Rachel) If you ask me, you got a long way to go, girlie. And don’t think ah’m gonna go easy on you, ‘cause ah’m NOT. This isn’t jus’ to help you; it’s about helping me too.
Rachel- (rolling her eyes) This girl…
Angelo- And that’s not all; Love will be joining us to help as well. And Gemma Rox will be coming to visit and train with us too.
Rachel- (flatly) Great. I guess if I want to be a referee in my next career, I’ll get lots of practice breaking those two up. Have you heard from Sage? She hasn’t been returning my calls.
Angelo- I spoke to her and she’s still angry about what you did in New Orleans.
At that moment, Sage walks up. Sage is the youngest sister of Rachel and Jasmine. She is 5’7” 130 lbs and looks like Jessica Alba from “Dark Angel” with her long black hair, blue eyes, and honey brown skin, but has grown into a body that is more like Kim Kardashian’s. She is dressed in a royal blue sweater with white pants, royal blue boots, and a white winter vest.
Sage- I’m really developing a sixth sense for people talking about me.
Rachel- I want to speak to you in private.
Sage- You can speak to me in public.
Rachel- I said private, Sage.
Sage- You didn’t have a problem knocking me across the ring publicly, so you can say whatever it is you want to say to me publicly too.
Serenity- I think this is a conversation that isn’t any of my business. I’m going to go work on the bike.
Roxy- Yeah, ah think I hear the pool calling my name.
Rachel- You really are developing a disrespect for my wishes, aren’t you?
Sage- I do respect you and I do love you, but you can’t keep bossing me around.
Rachel- (sighing) Fair enough. I only do it because I care. And that is why I’m going to do this. Sage… I’m sorry I attacked you; it was the heat of the moment; I didn’t know it was you and I reacted.
Sage- You don’t sound like you really mean that.
Rachel- I mean it enough. Next time, trying talking to me before you grab me from behind.
Sage- Next time, trying not losing your temper and not waiting this long to apologize to me.
Rachel- I tried to call you. Your niece wanted to talk to you. You blew me off.
Sage- I was on tour; that’s what fighters who work a nearly full schedule do, Rachel.
Rachel- You wanted it. (sighing but with sincerity in her voice) This is going nowhere. I have apologized to you; take it or leave it, but know that I love you just as much as I love my husband and my daughter and I wish I could go back and change things. But I also hope you’ve learned a lesson in this. I’m going to go and wake Roselyn up. It is time for her snack.
Rachel sighs deeply and leaves Sage and Angelo in the cage, heading for the elevator with a disappointed look on her face.
Angelo- You guys are going to have to make up.
Sage- The only way she’s going to accept the fact that I’m a fighter and will be a fighter is if I beat it into her.
Angelo- Don’t say that, Sage.
Sage- Look at the way she treats me. I won all those tournaments; I won the Queen of the Ring. I’m a fighter. But it’s always, “oh you wrestled Marie in a miniskirt and pantyhose and lost” or “you let go against Gemma Rox and lost” or “you underestimated Samantha and lost”… she always brings up the little things I did wrong, but never the mountain of things I’ve done right.
Angelo- She just doesn’t want you to get hurt and she doesn’t want you fighting.
Sage- Well, she’s going to have to get over that.
Angelo- I didn’t even get to tell her about Nikky Smalls.
Sage- What about her?
Angelo- She’s going to be here next week to train with Rachel. I’ve got some strategic ideas that Nikky can help me with.
Sage- Yeah, that would be something she’d want to know, bro.
Angelo- I think I’ll hold off on telling her, heh heh. Let her get adjusted to the way things are going to be done. But the idea is to get people in here who are really going to push Rachel and aren’t going to be intimidated by her. I also think that if she doesn’t like the fighters or has some sort of negative opinion of them, that’s good too. If I could get Kayla in here, I would. Even Samantha or Glory.
Sage- I think there’s a fat chance of any of those three showing up here ha ha.
Angelo- (winking and smiling) Maybe, but you can’t count out my powers of persuasion. I talked you into coming.
Sage- Yeah, but I wonder if you’ll be able to talk me into staying.
Angelo- Once Love gets here, you’ll be fine.
Nikky Smalls is a three time world champion boxer and a three time Olympic gold medalist in boxing, but she is known for being the second person to beat Siena Blaze (the first was Rachel), and the first person to beat Rachel Apache in a sanctioned fight. Nikky held Rachel’s 140 lb boxing title that Rachel had vacated two years earlier and politely challenged Rachel to fight her to silence all the critics who said the belt was still Rachel‘s. Rachel had to lose 14 pounds on short notice to make weight for the fight, was dehydrated and received an IV before the fight, but still managed to knock Nikky down in the sixth round after getting dominated and knocked down twice in the fourth and fifth rounds. But Nikky finished Rachel off early in the seventh. Nikky would go on to lose her title to Allison Payne after winning the first two rounds of the fight before abandoning her strategy of sticking and moving, opting to brawl more with Allison to prove a point that she was just as “street” as her taller, stronger foe, and Nikky’s trainer and father threw in the towel after she was brutally knocked down four times. Nikky is considered the “Sugar” Ray Leonard of women’s boxing because of her million dollar smile and stick and move super defensive style of lightening fast combinations, the dreaded jab to the pit of the stomach with a hard right hand over the top, and that annoyingly difficult to figure out Philly shell defense, but has been training with her good friends Glory and Isis Jones to cross over to mixed martial arts. The only things she does more than train are charity work and motivational speaking… oh, and have fun.
Meanwhile… Allison Payne’s camp is the way it usually goes. They’re set up in the Florida Everglades; Allison is up early rolling giant tires down a dirt road and hitting them with a sledgehammer afterward. She trains in a hot small shack of a gym with missing walls and a swamp surrounding it, and also trains in Jamaica with many onlookers coming to see her. There’s no state of the art technology and nothing unfamiliar to the 5’8” 150 lb Halle Berry looking Allison, with her shoulder length red hair and hazel eyes… just the trainers, the sparring partners, the bags and the radio. Allison’s camp is run by the eccentric but legendary trainer General Cutter, his apprentice and offensive strategist Captain Steve Dunn, the taskmaster and an expert at pointing out flaws and weaknesses, and someone who knows a lot about pressure points and human organs, Corporal Cardiac DeSade (nicknamed “Cardiac” because in his fighting days, several of his opponents suffered heart attacks when fighting him), former two time world mma champion and former opponent of Allison’s, Alexia Paige, the undefeated Siena Blaze protégé Misty “The Perfect” Storm, the undefeated Shakena Sexy, a newcomer with a lot of heart in Tasha (from the story “No Parking On the Dance Floor”) and several aids and male fighters. But today, all the way out in the swamp, Allison and her camp have two visitors as her fellow New Orleanian Yvette Hood and the Chaos from Cardiff and Ultimate Catfighter winner Gemma Rox stroll into the hot gym.
Gemma- Hood, I don’t know about this. Rachel’s husband called me and after I take care of some things, I’m going to be leaving for wherever Rachel is training. These people may identify my arse as being with Team Rachel.
Hood- I don’t think it’s gonna be anything like that, Gemma. Just calm your posh posterior down.
The 5’3” 115 lb Gemma, with her shoulder length brown hair, big beautiful brown eyes, and tattoos and piercings is dressed in black jeans and a black sleeveless shirt with boots and sees the looks on the faces of the others fighters there, stone cold sweaty faces, the faces of warriors, of gladiators, of fighters who seem as though they are willing to die for the glory of the fight, fighters like her. The 5’9” 140 lb Alicia Keys looking Hood, with her long black hair in cornrows is wearing a short tank top, a pair of baggy blue jeans and some silver Nikes. She’s smiling as she looks around and Gemma is sticking close to her as Gemma sees the 5’7” 130 lb black haired blue eyed Misty Storm in a black sports bra and shorts with small wrestling shoes hammering away with punches and kicks at the grappling dummy with Steve Dunn talking to her.
Steve- Work the six points, Misty… the you go. Body, body, body, body.
Allison notices DeSade coming up behind Misty while Dunn is still instructing her and flapping a hard kendo stick a her head, but Misty blindly ducks the stick and hammers the bag with hooks.
DeSade- Not fast enough.
DeSade is sneaking up on the fighters and swinging the stick at random and Gemma takes note of this. His voice echoes through the small gym.
DeSade- You want to be a fighter; you’re no fighters. None of you are fighters. You can’t just punch a bag in this hot gym; you can’t sweat for three hours with only water and conversation; you can’t beat one another up and call yourselves fighters. Fighting isn’t that stuff you see on television; it isn’t that Sylvester Stallone shit. That shit’s bullshit.
Gemma sees DeSade approaching and Hood, who isn’t paying attention, takes a shot to the back of her thigh with the cane, but Gemma is able to duck under it when it comes around.
Hood- Oww! What the hell?
DeSade- You call yourselves fighters? You both have proven to be disappointments. You step in this gym, you are subject to the rules. Rule number six.
He points to a list on the wall. Though it’s dark in that gym, Gemma can see rule number six and sees that it reads, “ALWAYS HOPE FOR THE BEST, BUT BE READY FOR THE WORST.”
Hood- I don’t get what that has to do with him hitting me with a stick.
Gemma- Do you see that over there?
Hood looks and sees several life-sized photographs of Rachel Apache with her arms folded, with her hands on her hips, and in various fighting stances, but all of them facing forward and spread throughout the gym. Then Gemma looks in the ring and sees a fighter in a blue sweatsuit with red headgear on and red boots battering a Rachel Apache replica figure with a black wig on, a purple sports bra, purple shorts, and white shoes. Hood enters the ring and signals for Gemma to follow her and Gemma notices the girl with the headgear on is also wearing headphones. The woman turns, sees Hood enter the ring, and takes off the headphones and headgear and Gemma gets her first real close up look at Allison Payne.
Hood- What up, Alley?
Allison- Yvette, how are you?
Hood- Chilling, baby doll. How’s training?
Allison- Getting myself ready. It won’t be easy, but we don’t ever do easy. You know that. I would hug you, but you look cool and clean in those clothes and I don’t want to get you all sweaty.
Hood- You know that shit don’t phase me, girl.
Hood and Allison hug.
Hood- Oh Lord, forgive my lack of manners haha. Gemma Rox, Allison Payne, Allison Payne, Gemma Rox.
Allison and Gemma shake hands.
Allison- Yeah, I know who you are. Congratulations on winning your tournament.
Gemma- Thanks, I know who you are too. You’re the one who brings the pain.
Allison- So I’ve been told.
General Cutter enters the ring and Gemma jumps when she sees him come around the back of her, noting how quiet his footsteps are. Misty Storm follows. Cutter stands open with a smile on his face; Misty is looking menacingly at Gemma and bouncing up and down like she’s waiting for a bell to ring, and Allison is calm, but looking at the dummy.
Gemma- Listen, I feel compelled to say this before I saw anything else. That stunt you pulled a while back with Rachel’s kid was really fucked up. I don’t want to argue about it or anything, but it was wrong.
Cutter- That’s your opinion. I just thought I’d stop in a say hello to you two. Sorry about the conditions in here, but people have been fighting long before technology took over. Gemma Rox, it’s a pleasure to meet you.
Cutter takes Gemma’s hand in his and bows; Gemma’s eyes widen in surprise at the gesture from a man she feels quite negatively about.
Cutter- And I hope you enjoy your experience working with Rachel and Angelo and whoever else they’ve got up there with them. I’m sure you’re going to learn a lot.
Gemma- How did you know about me going to train with them?
Misty- There are no secrets in the fighting world, Gemma. You’d know that if you spent more time learning the business as much as you do getting pounded by it.
Gemma- Hey Misty! That’s not fucking necessary and you--
Cutter- Let’s keep it professional, ladies. I don’t mind spitting and cursing, but Gemma comes in peace and we should treat our guests with peace.
Gemma- (looking at Allison) So, you don’t have a problem with me being here if though I’m going to be helping Rachel for her fight with you?
Allison- It’s a free country.
Cutter- Look around you, Gemma. A lot of these people are walk-ins who wanted to come and train with us today. We get even more people watching us and training with us when we’re in New Orleans or in Jamaica. Any of these people could be spying on us and reporting back to our opponents, so we don’t worry about it. We’re going to also be doing public workouts with the media invited like we always do. There are certain training methods that are private, but we do those in a private setting. Alley, why don’t you let Gemma hear what you’re listening to?
Allison hands Gemma the headphones and Gemma puts one to her ear. She hears Rachel’s voice ripping Allison in the long rant from Louisiana Slamma. She hears exerts from Rachel’s past interviews and promos where she’s talking about another opponent, but the soundbites can be applied to Allison. She hears Rachel’s voice saying “I made you” or “You will never beat me; you are not even close to what I am” or “You are a pale imitation of me; if you are what I inspired, then I’ve failed as an inspiration” or “I don’t care what you thought I was; I will show you no mercy” and a constant flow of repeated “I’m the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be” running in the background of everything else. She hears Allison’s own voice saying things like “You have to remember where you come from” or “I had to fight to survive” and she hears music from female jazz legend Billie Holliday, but the smooth beautiful song is cut off by Rachel’s new theme music, “You Know My Name” by Chris Cornell. There are even exerts from news coverage of Hurricane Katrina.
Gemma- My goodness.
DeSade- (walking nearby and yelling at Allison) You are NO Rachel Apache. Rachel is PERFECT. Can you shatter that perfection, Allison? Can you break what is unbreakable? She said you weren’t on her radar; she isn’t afraid of you… she said you’re not worth her time!! Your mentor, your idol, this perfect woman who you looked up to said you are shit!!! When you look at her, she is everything that you will never be!!
Gemma watches as Allison hammers the lower abdomen of the Rachel replica and marvels at Allison’s force in breaking the replica’s ribs with her knees.
Cutter- (standing near Allison) Muhammad Ali said “champions aren’t made in the gyms; champions are made from something they have deep inside of them, a desire, a dream, a vision.” What is your dream? What is your vision? Dr. Martin Luther King said, “if a man hasn’t found something worth dying for, then he isn’t fit to live.” And this is certainly applicable to you ladies in here. What is worth dying for? Is this worth dying for, Allison? Is this worth dying for, Misty? Is this worth dying for, Yvette? Is this worth dying for, Gemma? Because to do this, you have to be willing to die, but to get out of bed in the morning, to live, to breathe, you have to be willing to die because in the end, die you will. So why fear death if death is inevitable? People fear life, living in truth and taking on challenging and living every single day for something greater than themselves and their own pathetic opinions and bombastic achievements. You have to reach within, deep within your thoughts, pull out your dreams, and wrap them in plans and realistic goals so that they can become a reality.
DeSade- Your dream, Allison, is to be like Rachel. But Rachel says that you’ll never be her because you’re not worthy. She said you’re nothing but a coward who hides behind us.
Cutter- You’ll never be Rachel, but you are Allison Payne and who is Allison Payne when she faces Rachel Apache? That is the question; that is what you will answer when the time comes. Rachel Apache says she is the best there is, was, and ever will be, but Rachel Apache does not know that, because to know that, she’d have to be in all places at all times and she‘s not. She can say whatever she wants about you; by her own admission, she doesn’t know you and doesn’t want to. But she will know who you are as long as you know you are. Allison Payne is a fighter; Allison Payne has always been a fighter.
Misty- Too bad you didn’t bring your gear, Gemma. But we have extra clothes if you want to go a few with me.
Hood- Gemma’s just here with me, Misty.
Gemma- Hey, Hood, I want to--
Hood- Girl look, I’m hungry; I need some grub and you’re coming with me.
Cutter- And Gemma, make sure you tell Rachel we said hello.
*****
Predictions
*****
Samantha- I’ve fought them both and Allison is by far the hardest striker and the most intimidating fighter I’ve ever faced, but Rachel Apache really is the greatest fighter I‘ve ever faced. No matter how you feel about her as a person, I can’t deny her accomplishments; you can’t and no one else can. She’s done everything there is to do in the fighting world, and that’s why she’s going to lose. Not only does she have zero interest in fighting Allison Payne, she’s fishing for something to get her motivated for the fight. The Rachel I remember didn’t need to be motivated to fight because she loved fighting too much to need motivation. If you said she was afraid or you said she couldn’t kick your ass, she wanted to prove that she could.
But Rachel’s last two fights weren’t that impressive. She was losing to Kayla and came back and she was losing to Christina and got lucky. I think Rachel is slower than ever and she’s passed her prime; she’s not fighting with confidence and against somebody like Allison, that’s going to be her downfall. I’m not saying she won’t have her moments; I’m saying that when it comes down to it, Rachel isn’t the undefeated nineteen year old fearlessly confident Rachel Apache; she’s the thirty-one year old married Rachel Apache-Thunderhawk with one child, and she will be getting the worst beating of her career. When this is over, people are going to be calling for her to retire.
*****
Justine Credible- Allison Payne is the number one ranked fighter in the world and she has a long list of top fighters she’s defeated. Her record and her reputation are well deserved and she is backed by perhaps, the best coaches and training team in the sport. Allison has so much momentum right now because she will fight anybody and she has never lost. She’s been pushed and pushed and pushed, but we’ve really never seen her in any real danger of being defeated… wait, there was that one time against Glory, but Allison took Glory out with one punch. And we’re talking about Glory. Allison will go down as one of the greatest fighters to ever live, but I don’t think she’s going to win this fight. Rachel Apache has taken out more undefeated fighters than Allison; Rachel has beaten more hall of famers who were in their prime when they faced her than Allison has.
Riptor was running around saying Rachel was afraid of him; the fans were thinking she was ducking him… she beat him. Ricochet was saying Rachel wouldn’t fight her and that Rachel was a spoiled brat… Rachel won. Prophecy went on that run of victories; Death was a force of nature; Alicia Christmas was in a renaissance in her comeback to fighting; Isis Jones was supposed to be a phenom, and the Reaper was indestructible… they all said Rachel was afraid or Rachel was a spoiled brat who didn’t defend her belt against worthy opponents… but Rachel beat all of them. And she didn’t just beat them; she completely outclassed them. I remember the first time I faced Rachel in a match and I really thought I was hot stuff; I got my ass kicked… high flying is my game and she kept me on the mat. That’s why I think she’ll beat Allison; Allison’s trainers think for her, but Rachel thinks for herself. And don’t think she doesn’t want this fight or she doesn’t want to win it. I think she does want to beat the hell out of Allison because Rachel’s ego is too big for her not to want to win and add Allison‘s name to her own list of victims.
*****
Serenity- Has Rachel ever really lost? Think about that for a second. She “lost” to Nikky Smalls, but she had to lose 14 pounds on short notice due to a stupid stipulation and she was dehydrated. Then, when she “lost” that first fight to Glory, Marie B. had hit her in the head with a chair earlier that night and Rachel had gotten stitches and was still woozy. Then, she “lost” to Jasmine… but that may have had more to do with the stipulations of the best 2 of 3 falls match. Rachel won the first fall, but the second fall was win by submission only. Rachel knocked Jasmine unconscious twice during that fall and Jasmine had to be reawakened; had the stipulations been different, Rachel wouldn’t have lost that fall and there wouldn’t have been a third fall for her to lose because she would’ve already won the match. And then, she “lost” to Samantha, but only after she had a Last Woman Standing match with Glory and Samantha cashed in her “Get a Title Shot” any time clause right after she came down to the ring and hit Rachel in the stomach with a sledgehammer.
So, Rachel hasn’t truly been beaten when she’s at her best. I don’t doubt Allison Payne, but if both fighters come in with no foolishness and at their best, which they probably will, Rachel wins. Rachel has struggled against defensive fighters like Nikky and Samantha; she has issues with the elusive styled fighters… Allison Payne is not that kind of fighter; she’ll be there to hit all night long. As for how she’s been fighting lately, I think Rachel hasn’t felt really challenged as of late. But she’ll be getting up for this fight because it means a lot to her. And people say Rachel has gotten lucky in some of her last few fights… if that’s the case, then Allison got lucky against Glory.
*****
Christina Munoz- The reason why Rachel is going to get her ass kicked is because of her ego. She’s the type of person who thinks she knows everything and doesn’t change with the rest of the world. I’ve fought both of these women and Allison is willing to learn and she gets better with every fight. The Allison that you guys don’t see on television is humble and caring, but she’s also got a mind like a sponge and can make adjustments during the fight and she doesn‘t go against her trainers. Rachel fights the same way and she’s predictable and questions her husband‘s training methods, but I don‘t blame her because he did leave her that first time because he doesn‘t want her fighting anymore. If you need a sports analogy, it’s like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Manning is a robot; he can execute as long as things are as they’re supposed to be, and he can read defenses and figure out what’s going to happen… but if it doesn’t happen, he can’t adjust in the middle of the play and he‘ll fuck up constantly and blame everyone but himself… Tom Brady can adjust; Michael Vick can adjust; Joe Montana could adjust. That’s why Brady is better.
Rachel knocked Nikky down and didn’t think Nikky would get up… and when Nikky got up, Rachel didn’t adjust and she lost. Rachel had Glory in the sharpshooter and when Glory broke free, Rachel couldn‘t adjust and she lost. Rachel thought she would run right through Jasmine, and when Jasmine didn’t submit and got stronger as the fight went on, Rachel couldn’t adjust and she lost. And she thought she would come to my apartment and to my office and beat me up, but when she saw how strong and fast I was, she couldn’t adjust and she lost. Yeah, she beat me this last time; I can admit it, but she doesn’t know how to adjust and she will lose this fight. Look at the adversity Allison has faced in her fights and how she’s adjusted and won. And that’s the difference; Allison has had to adjust to changes in her real life and she’s used to it. Rachel is not because she expects everyone to break under her will. The question won’t be if Rachel will lose; it’ll be how much punishment she takes before her husband throws the towel in on her or she just flat out quits. Personally, I think Angelo wants to train Rachel for this fight so that he can assure Rachel gets beaten so badly, that she won’t want to ever fight again and they can make more babies.
To be continued…. Next Time: Rachel Apache and Allison Payne come face to face for only the second time, as they do appearances in both Allison’s hometown of New Orleans and go to New York City, where Rachel has a humungous fan base. Rachel goes back to Japan to visit and train with her old master, Bushido, to gain insight into what may be her greatest challenge while Allison’s camp goes to Haiti to train and Allison gets a big surprise when Rachel‘s estranged sister Lady Jasmine, visits Allison in Haiti. And the location of the fight is finally settled. Predictions on the fight are welcome.
