She was not a good person. In this moment of reflection, alone in the darkness of her room, Atara reflected on her own selfishness, on what this match might cost Fuzz. Not just their pairing at March Madness, but as a couple. He had chose her, it was always her. In his own words there was no question. Her and only her, no one else. Guilt had struck her fast and hard, just as fast and sudden as this relationship had manifested between them. From out of no where and almost as unexplainable it hit. Guilt lead her phone to her face, it selected his photo and guilt had nearly persuaded her to begin the message. Just as her fingers had begun their labor the birth of her apology was abruptly halted.

A powerful motivator is guilt. Almost machiavellian in the way it tugs and manipulates the strings of a heart. In someone as impulsive and as lead by desire as Atara that organ, this metaphorical domain of emotion, reigned supreme in the perpetual war of heart and mind. On occasion however, the preferred tool of Odysseus would ply it's trade and silence the beating drum. Tonight a small window was exposed and conscience had it's say.

Through that technological godsend in her hands, Atara could see Shawn's face and with his face she could hear his voice. In her mind played not the words of some Romeo come to fetch her from her balcony but those of a tyrant king desireth of only the lasting of his legacy.

"Nepotism at it's finest..."

Nepotism. Of all the things to say, of all things to emphasize, he made clear his bias before regaling the world with her worth and he only gave a passing moment to do that.

"I picked you because your MY favorite. Let me make up my transgressions and atone by letting you fight me, but physically, we're I stand a better chance. If I win, I can say I gave you the shot. If I lose I can say I gave you the shot. I made you. ME. ME. ME. I'm retiring, I don't have to be berated from now til kingdom on how Atty only won the Xtreme Championship because she fucked the champion. I offered. I'm saving face, forgive me, but first let me ignore you and talk about Has Been one through infinity for the entirety of four promos.

Sell you, tell people why you're deserving? Not my cup of tea sweetie. ME! ME! ME!"

Just as manipulative as the heart, the mind to can play games. From his mouth to her mind, that was the translation Atara recieved. Guilt no longer lingered having tucked tale and ran from the feiry demon of ire that looked from out her eyes to the phone below. With quiet contempt she shut the device off and sat it on her windows ledge. Back up to the sky went her gaze, back into the face of her lunar Guardian, a face that had looked down on Atara with its mellow glow minutes ago now matched it's charge's disposition.

Blood Red was Selene's stare. In synch, moon and mortal, a thought was unknowingly shared. "It's not even Nepotism. It's cronyism."

Slightly irrelevant, it still pissed her off and she hadn't even gotten to the part where he didn't exclude her from statements devoted to the entirety roster, he couldn't even exclude Noah. Hadn't even thought back on those merciless mundane and uninteresting Twitter arguments either.They only mattered when Fuzz's ego needed stroked.

She moved away from the window, out of sight of her skyward companion and moved into the darkness of her room towards the other source of light. To the candle and incense burning for the mini idol of laughter loving Aphrodite.


Stood infront of her vanity, a simple affair of a black desk with rectangular mirror attached, Atara fixed sight and thought on her make shift shrine. Unchanged since high school, her replica sat comfortably beside the plastic storage and drawers where countless cosmetics where stored. As Atara usually does, she took little time in placing her reality into myth recalling how the goddess and had handled Helios after he had revealed her affair with Aries. She pondered retribution and all the reasons why she shouldn't show up for March Madness and the longer she thought the more her anger rose and the more willed her statue to some how respond. To answer and give advice Like the moon, it seemed her emotions where in sync with the world around her.

Brighter and brighter the candle flame became and its smoke combined with that of incense became a thick puff resembling the exhale of smokers chest. Atara wasn't concerned, she utterly mesmerized. Right before her she saw the shape manifesting....


Instantaneously, with no thought she exclaimed his name with a whisper. "The Engineer!"

As soon as she said it Atara's visage disappeared from the smoke and the candle died completely. She stood in pitch black and silence, only the creeping light of moon allowed Atara to see her reflection in the mirror at her front. She had her answer. The X-treme title was her path back to the Engineer. Would give her time and opportunity to prepare. Those months of polish she needed.

The pitter patter of rain was heard outside. A sudden downpour rattling her roof. Odd considering how the sky had just been clear and with the rain came the unnerving racket that was her doorbell...

"Who the hell.." Before the question could be asked a voice had answered. Shawn's voice. Starting for her bedroom door panicked, hearing the pain in his shouting, Atara was stopped just before she could past the threshold by another voice. A female voice seemingly from now where...

"Fuck Hope..."

Atara spun, torn between which voice to heed. Her room was empty. Empty but no longer dark. On her desk an open box glowed.


Too Be Cont....