It was Tuesday, January 4th, and Ruby had some festivities to catch up on. Christmas and New Year’s Eve had usually always been a family occasion, but sometimes life just got in the way. Still, she’d made sure that today was all about catching up with mom and dad, who were already waving at her from the other side of the window as her Uber pulled up to her parental home in Ottawa.

Her dad was especially quick to run out of the house and greet his daughter. He was wearing the Banana-Lime Super Dear’O Ugly Christmas Sweater, which definitely hadn’t stolen its name. Ruby’s dad hugged her as she put her sleeping bags down and grabbed her by the shoulders.

Nicholas: “Oh my, you’ve grown!”

Ruby: “Dad, you know I haven’t. The only way is down from here. Anyway, Happy New Year, folks! I see you’re wearing my Christmas sweater!”

Olivia: “He wears it the year round, to be honest with you, darling. Now let’s get you inside and fix you a hot cup of cocoa.”

Coming home in Ottawa felt like the equivalent of a warm blanket. As soon as Ruby was sitting in the comfy sofa with a steaming cup of chocolate milk and a platter of mini donuts in front of her on the coffee table, she no longer felt like a vigilante, but a spoiled child. In every good sense of the word. However, her mother was anxious to start talking, and the lady was as sweet as befitting the mother of the Super Dear’O, but she also liked… a bit of gossip.

Olivia: “Sooo…. Where’s the boyfriend, sweetie?”

Ruby tried not to sigh. She knew her mother was gonna ask. Centurion was going through a rough patch, but she knew him well enough by now that trying to pull him out of a bad place would be like enveloping him with a thorn bush. He’d struggle and would end up even worse. The best help she could be was to be ready for him when he asked. And she would be. Always.

Ruby: “He’s fine. He said he was sorry for not being able to make it today. He took a bit of a beating. You know how it can go in the business we call show!”

Olivia: “Oh what a shame. I do love his rants about American politics.”

Nicholas: “And what’s been going on with you, regarding your in-ring thing?”

Ruby: “Well, not too bad! Got some exciting prospects. Anarchy’s back in proper business. Facing this chick called Arcana, who, between you and us, missed her calling as a cosplayer and make-up artist!”

Nicholas: “Wait, did you say… ARCANA??”

Ruby: “Sure did!”

Olivia: “Oh boy, here we go…”

Ruby’s father got up enthusiastically and pointed at his own chest.

Nicholas: “I had a character named ARCANA in my college Dungeons and Dragons group! Have I never told you that story?”

He had told it a thousand times, but Ruby wasn’t about to spoil his fun.

Ruby: “You don’t say!”

Her mother didn’t share that sentiment however.

Olivia: “Nicholas, sit down, you’ve told it a million times.”

Ruby: “Oh come on, mom! He used to tell me these kinds of stories at bedtime after we’d ran out of comic books! Arcana the mighty Warlock, the blue-haired shrew who sought the final Shard of the InfiDoom to plunge the whole world into darkness! To be honest though, dad, I’m surprised you chose to roleplay as a villain!”

Nicholas: “Ah-ha! But did I also not plant the seeds of the mighty heroine who would rise from the humble yellow-green cornfields of Summerdale and cast Arcana and her wicked ways back into the Eternal Shadows of EverDread?”

Ruby: “Wait, is this my origin story??”

Nicholas: “It could be!”

Olivia: “Nicholas, cut out the nonsense! You stuffing fairytales into her head when she’s about to face a dangerous opponent isn’t going to help matters! The second you think you’re invincible is the moment they get you.”

Ruby: “Mom, I’m a pro. I know what I’m up against! All my life I’ve been underestimated. In fact, it’s been one of my greatest blessings. You don’t think I’d be so stupid to pay others such disregard? Arcana is hecka talented. You don’t even get to sign a contract in the XWF if you aren’t. So please, have some faith, and stop worrying.”

Olivia: “I can’t stop worrying, I am your mother. I’d worry about you even if you’d taken that nice teaching job in Vancouver like I told you to.”

Ruby: “Even, you say? Mom, newsflash, but the life of a pro wrestler is a cakewalk compared to that of a high school teacher. Wrestlers inspire and are idolized by the target audience. Teachers take all the crap! In bucket loads! That’s why I try to teach life lessons, rather than English grammar!”

Olivia: “Language, dear! How many times do I have to tell you to watch that mouth of yours??”

Ruby: “But---- I----! Fine! You win! I promise I’ll be careful, but only to the extent to which I will not risk my chances of losing my match against Arcana! I’m the resident daredevil, ma! The Human Dart! The Banana-Lime Blur! If I have to leap off a ladder and dive down head-first to put her away, I will! If I have to add 480 degrees for no apparent reason to make my top-rope splashes more impactful, I shall! I’ll be careful! As long as it doesn’t jeopardize my chances of walking out of Portland with a win in the Banana-Lime bag. Now, who wants a present? My mans gave me his platinum card or something, so I bought a literal flipton. Isn’t he the literal best?”

Nicholas: “I want a present!”

His wife stared daggers at him.

Nicholas: “But erm… As always, of course… Ladies first!”

Ruby: “Chivalry! Classic! Now that’s how I was raised!”

*FIN*