Fate & Irony (Alexis)

[Tiffany Masterson]

Inside of the Athens Olymipica Arena, the XWA's international fanbase watch on as the Only The Strong PPV unfolds. Tiffany's theme song begins to play and as is the usual case, her entourage of men in black flank the privileged princess as she makes her way to the ring with a grin from ear to ear. Her personal assistant Mr. Wolfe holds the ropes for the winner of the Solstice gauntlet while she steps into the ring.

"Fate as they say..." she begins to speak from the microphone that was granted to her, "...is not without a certain sense of irony. I stand here in this hallowed hall, on the fertile crescent of Greece where wrestling was born, one of a chosen few, or should I say chosen two. With a victory over Chloe Lockheart in Las Vegas, I now join Marisol Cardinale in the final match of the season at XGAMES 2 with a chance to become the Diamond Champion."

"The irony of that is that I of course am more than familiar with you Ms. Cardinale. It seems appropriate that our paths will cross once more in the near future...because I haven't forgotten our last encounter," she adds, pacing the ring. "That night, in that Ironwoman match, we took each other to our limits, but you came out on top. That doesn't mean that you are the superior though, not by the slightest. It only means that you were the better on that night."

"There is another woman who fits into that category as well, and her name is Alexis Valentine. A few short weeks ago, she managed somehow to defeat me. Her next match at Solstice was one of the most lop-sided affairs my eyes have ever witnessed. I was truly rooting for you Alexis, so that I could gain retribution much like I plan to gain against Marisol, but that was not to be."

"Not only did you lose to Chloe, but you did it in a way that makes me wonder how in the world did you manage to defeat me? To be beaten so soundly by a woman who pails in comparison to me in every conceivable way...something about that seems a little awkward to me."

She now stood again in the center of the ring.

"That is why tonight, I challenge you to a rematch. I will set things straight once and for all and show you that your beginner's luck has officially ran out. I hope that you're now accustomed to losing, because that's going to be what will happen tonight and any night from this point on that you stand on the other side of this ring to face Tiffany Masterson. Now I know that you're here, come out and accept my challenge!"

[alexis]

Alexis steps out to the stage and rolls her eyes. It might not have been the best night of her life at Solstice, this is true, but she was going to be damned if she heard Tiffany gloat and boast in her usual manner at the expense of it.

You're right Tiff, I am here. And you're right again when you say that I got beat pretty bad at Solstice. I'm not going to sugar coat it or anything, because sometimes you just have bad nights, and that was one for me right there. It hasn't been the first time and it sure won't be the last.

What you don't understand though is that that right there is the nature of what we do here each and every week. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Sometimes you put everything into it and sometimes you fall flat. I was a little flat in Las Vegas, but that's not going to break my stride. As long as the fans have my back that's reason enough to keep on going, no matter if I win or not.

You ought to know a little something about bad days, because that's what you ended up having the last time you stood out here and underestimated me, but it looks like you might not have learned your lesson then. So you want retribution tonight, Tiffany? I'll give you the chance to get it alright. You and me right now might be going in two different directions-you with your boarding pass to the XGAMES main event and me still climbing the ladder of success, but tonight I'll be happy to give you a reminder that no matter how good you think you are, sometimes you might not be good enough.

[Marisol Cardinale]

Suddenly, Marisol's voice could be heard from the backstage area as well.

So, this is about retribution for you Tiffany?

She appears on the stage with a mic in hand as well, standing a few feet away from Alexis.

You want to make amends for your losses this season, is that right? Pardon me for interrupting this, but I just had to congratulate you first off for becoming the second girl to make it to the XGAMES Main Event. That means that like you said, it will be you and I along with one more girl and the Diamond Champion at the end of the year.

But who says that we need to wait until then to step into the ring again, hmm?

The fans pop instantly.

If it's alright with you Alexis, let's give Ms. Masterson the chance to kill two birds with one stone. You've done pretty well in Triple Threat matches, how about we see if you can do it again? Tiffany Masterson Vs. Alexis Valentine Vs. Marisol Cardinale, in that ring tonight!

[Tiffany Masterson]

"Well, isn't this an unexpected surprise?" Tiffany asked with a look of curiosity. "I would have been content simply with handling Alexis alone, but now you show yourself as well Marisol! Passing up this opportunity would be a foolish move."

Tiffany inched closer to the edge of the ring that faced the entrance where Mari and Alexis stood.

"You say it sarcastically me killing two birds with one stone Marisol, but I think that you by now should know better than that. I am every bit capable of leaving the both of you with the bitter taste of defeat. I'm all for it. Alexis, what say you?"

[alexis]

Looking out to the crowd, their answer was clear to what it was that they had wanted to see. Off of the mic she asks, "do you want it?" and the reaction was a big "YES!" Alexis shrugs her shoulders and makes the final decision.

Well, it seems like it was only a few weeks ago that it was Hayley Jonas in the place of Marisol here, but you know me. I'll never say no to a challenge, so your both on!

This'll be another chance for me to step into the ring and show the world what I can do against the best competitors, but it isn't going to be a case of history repeating tonight Tiffany, you can bank on that!

Marisol, it'll be a pleasure stepping into the ring with you, but it won't be nearly as much of a pleasure as showing YOU Tiffany, one more time, that I can be the better woman on any night, and tonight will be no different.

[Tiffany Masterson]

"You can", Tiffany replied, "but the question is...can you? Do you really think that you're ready to reach the next level as they say? Well, I guess that we will see for ourselves tonight then, won't we?

I feel quite confident that we won't, in either of your cases. I've become something far better than what the two of you have encountered in the past. This is not the same game anymore, but I do intend on winning it regardless. That's just how it was meant to be."