Lux stands across the ring from her tag team partner Arthur Grey. Both are clad in their ring gear, and they begin to circle each other wordlessly, each studying the other, probing for an opening. Lux acts first, going low with a leg sweep. Grey leaps up to avoid it, dashing back into the ropes to give himself some momentum and springing off them with an attempted forearm shot. Lux rolls onto her back and kips up behind Arthur after he's passed. Arthur is able to halt his momentum, but he turns just in time to eat a backfist to the cheek from Lux. The blow is not full force, illustrating the fact that this is likely just a sparring session. However, they both seem to be taking it seriously.

Grey winces and puts some distance between them, going to a corner. Lux follows him in and goes for a roundhouse kick. Grey blocks it and turns it into a deep leg drag that brings Lux to the mat. Grey tries to hold on to Lux's leg, but the smaller competitor is able to kick Grey off, before reverse somersaulting to her feet, bounding up to the middle turnbuckle and leaping off with a flying kick. Grey dodges, and Lux hits the mat and rolls to her feet. Grey seeks to capitalize by swooping in on Lux with a punch, which Lux ducks under. Lux responds by throwing her own shot, but Grey blocks it and parlays that into an arm bar, which he then transitions into a chicken wing style hold.

Lux kicks her legs furiously, grunting and trying to free herself. But Grey keeps it synched in. As Lux grows increasingly frustrated, Grey eventually speaks. You want me to stop?

Lux bites her bottom lip, and the distaste is evident on her face as she nods and pats Grey's arm, indicating a “tap out”. Lux steps away from Arthur working out the pain from the hold and shaking her head. Damn it....

Don't be so hard on yourself. Arthur offers, leaning back against the ropes.

Lux sighs and turns to look at him. It's just so frustrating. I used to be stronger.

And who says you won't get there again?

I admire your optimism. Lux leans against the ropes as well, a few feet from Arthur. Thank you again for doing this.

Arthur removes a wrapping from his left hand, and inspects his knuckles as he responds. No problem. And who knows... He looks again at Lux. Maybe if this tag match goes well we can make this an ongoing thing.

I....would have to give it some thought. No offense, it's just that things are complicated for me. It's not something I want to drag anyone else into.

Ah yes....”the mission”. Arthur notes with a mix of bemusement and interest. You know, I was actually pretty excited to team with you. Mostly because I can't make heads or tails of you. And I like a mystery. I was thinking it might be beneficial, if we're going to be a team, to get to know each other a bit better. Even if it's just one match.

I don't think so.

Arthur looks taken aback. Why not?

Like I said, it's complicated. And everything I would want to divulge I've already divulged.

Arthur nods and chuckles. Yeah, and it's all pretty confusing. The whole two personalities thing....

Lux turns to her tag partner, face dispassionate. For the purposes of a match, I'm Lux. That's all you really need to worry about.

Okay. But what about everything else? The “mission”? Look, I just got done binging Umbrella Academy on Netflix and if you're here from the future because the apocalypse is gonna happen in a few days you'd tell me right? The expression on Arthur's face would seem to indicate he's mostly joking. Mostly. But when Lux gives a protracted pause before responding, he prompts her again. ...right?

It's not going to happen in a few days. Or even a few years.

Well that's a relief!

But the groundwork for it will be laid sooner rather than later. This isn't some “big bang” mass casualty event. Nothing so dramatic. It's more insidious than that. The people who will bring this about don't even know they're players yet.

What's that mean? Arthur pauses. Wait, so are you going to do something to these people before they've even technically done anything wrong?

They're not innocent! Lux mutters something under her breath and looks annoyed. This was a mistake. This conversation is over.

Arthur puts his hands out defensively. Hey, no offense. I don't want to catch the wrong end of your sword. Which, I might add, is pretty cool.

Lux's pinched features eventually soften a bit, and she continues.You're a student of history, right?

I am.

Lux looks at Arthur strangely. Do you think, speaking in your role as a budding historian, that over time humanity has trended more towards good or evil?

Hmmmm. Arthur breathes out a sigh and scratches the back of his head. Did I mention I'm NOT a philosopher? He seems to ponder the question for a bit before answering. If I had to answer, I'd say that humanity, as a whole, has trended more towards improvement. I think the world is a hell of a lot more civilized and better for people as a whole than it any other time in history.

Of course. But do you think the essence of man has changed?

Arthur shrugs and shakes his head. Like, have we gotten better morally? I.... He pauses again. I'll say this much. I believe we certainly haven't gotten worse. I think people will always have certain bad impulses, but that humanity has generally speaking gotten better at curbing those impulses and being more understanding. Sure, there will always be evil that needs to be dealt with. But I think history trends towards progress, if you look at it on a grand scale. He cants his head at Lux. That answer your question?

Lux breaks her gaze with Arthur for a moment, an inscrutable and insecure tip of the hat. Yeah, it does. And it's good to hear. “Even if it's probably not true”, Lux finished the thought internally.

Arthur smiles and reaches over to clap Lux gently on the shoulder. I'm going to go hit the showers. If you're game for some Chinese afterwards, so am I.

Sure, Arthur. I'm pretty hungry myself.

Arthur nods at Lux and gets out of the ring. Lux watches him go.

So are you gonna follow him?

Lux starts a bit and turns to her side, to see the manifestation of Corey Smith standing where Arthur was just a moment ago.



What are you talking about?

Corey laughs and tips his head back in that youthful devil may care way that Lux has gotten all too familiar with lately. We share the same body. I know when we have certain....physical reactions....

Lux, looking flustered, sputters out a reply. What are you.....?!

When he had you in the hold. Corey smirks and looks at her. I mean, it's weird. I've always been into girls. But different mind's, different preferences I guess. Arthur IS a good looking guy.

Lux waves her hand in the air dismissively and walks away from Corey's image. Shut up, Corey.

She can hear Corey's laughter twinkling in her ear until he disappears into their mental recesses. Lux stepped out of the ring, still grousing as she struggled with the fact that Corey had a point. And that, whether she liked it or not, loneliness had a way of worming it's way into even the most steadfast of hearts.



The word of the day is: perseverance.

Ie. something my competition this week lacks in any measurable capacity.

Look guys, I get it. I beat you both last week. Cadryn, you flew high and I smacked you back down to earth. Natia, I screwed up your big debut and stole the win out from under you. Fine. But this? The silent treatment? This complete lack of caring? It's honestly starting to stick in my craw.

My first match here was a loss to VV. No disrespect whatsoever to her, but a 16 year old wrestling prodigy is typically not the kind of person I lose to in a fight. Nonetheless it happened. And it was humbling as all hell. But most of all, it was a teacher. And that loss ultimately propelled me forward.

Quitting is bullshit. Put that on a poster and sell it. And I just don't understand it. Most people are forced to quit when they're dead, but I've already died once and still I persevere. I endure. You two suffer one loss and it looks like you're throwing your hands in the air and consigning yourself to the shadows.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun and you're just cowards instead, saving your commentary for the last minute so I can't clap back at you because, as Cadryn already discovered, this little weirdo is pretty good at that too. The funny thing is I've never considered myself particularly charismatic. Before I came here I'd never cut a promo in my life. No, I just have strong feelings about being in the fight because it's all I've known. And I've grown up not even having the LUXURY of quitting.

There's a prime fallacy at work here with Caryn and Nadia, this notion that a loss is something damning. I've said it before that a loss is anything but. Victory is not a discrete moment in time, a flash in the pan triumph. No, victory is a process. It's PROGRESS. Victory is born of time, and passion, and patience. It's trial and error. It's inching your way towards a semblance of perfection. Even the greatest warriors and generals throughout history were not unbeatable monoliths. They suffered losses on the path to glory. And even upon attaining that glory, it ended as all things do. Power, vitality, strength and youth are fleeting. And, eventually....hopefully....someone picks up the torch for you anew when you fall. Victory comes by inches. It comes in pints of blood. It's born in the creche of failure.

Cadryn, Natia, do you understand what I'm saying? You haven't truly lost until you stop trying. So....have you stopped trying? I hope not. But if you have, I don't pity you and I have no qualms with bulldozing over you on my path to another victory. And if you haven't? Well...I welcome it. I welcome everything you leave at my doorstep. Bring it all.

Now, at the risk of seeming like I'm looking past this match (even I have to admit the pull to do so is strong), I want to also spend some time discussing the upcoming tournament. I acknowledge that the chance of me winning it are slim. But I have to admit, it's been a while since I've felt an excitement in my blood like this. You know, I'm trying not to lose sight of the big picture. Trying not to lose sight of the fact that everything I do here in the XWF is a means to end, preparation for a greater battle yet to come. But I look at the faces of those who've signed on the dotted line, and I can't deny the thrill. The notion of being able to test myself without having to put my life on the line, and subsequently having to test others without being able to rely on more lethal means, well....it's most intriguing. To say I'm looking forward to it is an understatement.

I'll see you there, VV. And maybe I can even recoup that loss.