The Muse, the Mobster and the Monster

The Soviet World War II Memorial in London. It wasn't a place RIA had planned to visit on her own, but one that had been recommended by PRIME's Ivan Stanislav. She looked upon the statue. She read the large, grounded plaque settled in front of the stone monument. Unlike the Russian Bear, she had no attachment to it. For him, it was a source of pride, history. For her, it was just a place to get some peace and quiet, a place to think. Despite the lack of connection, she held a rose in her right hand that she placed a top of at least a dozen others at the base of the statue.

RIA turned away, ready to leave. She took her surroundings in; few people, little chatter. Perhaps this place would be best? A 180 on her heels. Her hands found their way to the pockets of the distressed skinny jeans she wore. Her boots trampled down the grass as she slowly traversed to the side of the memorial. She turned and leaned her back against it, the unzipped hoodie that partially covered a Nate Colton shirt helping keep the coldness of the stone at bay. A sorrow filled sigh.

“Dunno if any of you are listening,” she began. “I'm not exactly the type of person currently welcomed in your country. I just wanna vent, with no interruption, no advice, just wanna get this outta my system.”

RIA rolled her shoulders and shifted in place, trying to find comfort against the slab.

“You know, I had such high hopes for Culture Shock. Things started out well enough.” RIA smirked ruefully before shaking her head. “That went to shit real quick.”

She pushed off the monument with her back, now pacing next to it instead, hands free from their temporary denim prison.

“Like, Anna is always gonna have a piece of my heart. I'll always be on her side in some way.” Her ranting was soft, more hurt than anger in her tone. “But I feel like battle lines have been drawn. She's got different goals, new friends… I'm happy she feels included in something, valued, wanted. I dunno, maybe part of me is jealous? Jealous that it's other people making her feel that way. Jealous that I have that in a much smaller scope?”

The Psychoberry closed her eyes, tilting her head towards the sky. Another heavy sigh. Eyes opened, she hung her head.

“That alone could've been enough to make my night shitty. But before that conversation, Mortimer fuckin' Kjedelig showed back up!” Unlike the balance of pain and regret her voice had held, she spewed the last line coated in venom.

“That motherfucker…” Simmering, but rising anger. “I can forgive the Intense Title loss. None of us expected Tony ‘Fuckface’ Gamble to resurface. But that shit with Kohime? The way he hurt her? Fuck no! That won't be forgiven. We'll see how much Coral leaves for me to sweep up.”

Her one woman parade picked up speed and intensity.

“So now I've got two completely charred steaks on my mental plate, but that wasn't it!” A tinge of red had covered RIA's face as she ranted. “Arthur Pleasant. I've never liked that dickhead. Literally never. Well he decides to attack Rose a bit after our match. No surprise from a scumbag like him!”

She finally stopped her frantic movement, eyes settling back on the eye catching statue. Her hands found pockets again, this time in her black hoodie. Her gaze was hard, cold.

“He might be an ally to a few Russians, but I'm planning on smashing that bitch!” RIA growled. “He's a bully, a monster. He wants nothing more than for others to suffer by his hands. There ain't many people I dislike more than him. Poor bastard has no idea how much frustration I'm gonna hit him with!”

She took a deep breath, letting the wind escape her lungs slowly, eyes shut. RIA finally raised her head.

“I'm… afraid. I know what my anger leads to.” She mumbled. “I can still feel her. I know she is still there… I know what that means. I don't want the rage to swallow me. I don't want to give her control, no matter how badly Arthur deserves a bloody beating.”

RIA whipped her head left and right, cracking her neck. It was getting harder and harder to recover from matches as the years went on. Her look softened, her posture relaxing.

“If there's one of you sympathizing with me, just… keep an eye out.” RIA politely pleaded. “Kohime might be a guardian angel, but she's not always around. I could use one who's got a bit more free time, ya know? Maybe spread that around up there? Guess it's kinda weird for an atheist to say that stuff… I'm a weird person.”

She lightly chuckled before moving forward, placing her right hand on the cold rock structure. She bowed her head slightly.

“Thank you for listening. I'm sorry for the losses your families had to endure. Don't exactly have a high opinion of Stalin, but soldiers don't always have a choice in things. Rest. Thank you for your sacrifice.”

Walking away, RIA turned just enough to take in the front of the memorial one last time. The roses she placed hers on top of… Were they from Ivan? Others of Russian heritage? A shrug. Something to reflect on later. She slowly trotted away, the hurricane of issues in her brain still going strong.

Asda Superstore. The British equivalent of Walmart. Why was the Psychoberry here? Why was now the right time to call long time friend Janelle Loper? Why the hell go with a name like Asda? All questions to be answered.

“So what the hell are you doing there?” Janelle grilled her friend. A valid question, for sure.

“Party supplies.” RIA answered plainly. Indeed, she was in the middle of perusing the aisle containing things like party hats, colorful disposable dining sets, balloons and a litany of other such items. Pieces began finding their way haphazardly into RIA's cart.

“Party, huh? How trashed you plan to get?” Janelle playfully questioned. RIA shook her head on the other end, despite the fact that her friend couldn't see the action.

“Not that kind of party, babe.” The Psychoberry answered. Satisfied with the haul from this section, RIA pushed her cart away. The wonky wheel on the front right side caused it to pull slightly, forcing her to occasionally course correct as she moved through the store. Fun fact about RIA? She somehow always gets the busted cart. Literally always.

“Well if it's not the ‘Let's get fucking stupid’ kind of party, what kind is it then?” Loper asked. RIA’s eyes scanned the store for her next stop, her cart acting like a vehicle in traffic. Stop. Slowly inch forward. Stop.

“It's kinda more like a banquet.” The former Lockhart responded. “Ya know, I kinda know the layout of Walmart. But this shit is confusing me.”

“Make sure you drive your cart on the left side of the lane.” Janelle offered.

“Bitch, you're not helpful.” RIA playfully spat back in response. Finally, her gaze settled on what she had been seeking; three plastic folding tables found their way to the underside of her shopping cart. A huff of exertion flowed from the pink and blue haired woman.

“So hey, you're facing Arthur Pleasant, right? I didn't know that asshole was still a thing.” Janelle quipped.

“He's a thing for now.” RIA grumbled.

“Didn't you have some kinda problem with his dad or something?” Janelle dug into the past with that comment.

X-Calibur. Before you ask which one, Eryk Van Warren in this case. Once upon a time, EVW had taken a slight interest in one Ria Lockhart. Back then, he was a well liked, respected member of the SHOOT Project roster. Because of that, Lockhart was both flattered and excited about the possibility of sitting under his learning tree. It was not to be.

Once both found themselves visible parts of the roster once again, X-Calibur had little interest in helping the younger generation… outside of his revealed son, Arthur Pleasant. Maybe it was jealousy, maybe it was disgust from aligning with a malcontent in Pleasant, but Ria harbored a grudge against Eryk. One that she decided would be paid by his spawn.

“Yeah, something like that.” RIA had little interest in opening that can of worms at the moment. “Funny thing, though. Ol’ Arty and I faced off in SHOOT Project once.”

“Wait, when?!” This was new information for Loper.

“Remember when I wanted time off to kinda get my shit together? That was one of the matches I did take part in during that period.” RIA answered.

“How'd that go?” The woman on the other end asked.

“We ended up getting counted out cuz we were too busy brawling on the outside. I don't even really remember that, so it's kinda weird seeing video of it.” The memory problems from RIA's overdose still plagued her. That match was one such black spot in her brain. “It's gonna be different this time. Not gonna stand for a draw. Either he can put me down or I crush his stupid ass!”

“You don't really care for him, do you?” Loper knew what she was doing. Over two decades of friendship made it so she knew what buttons to push with RIA. Even if this was a different shade of that person, Janelle still knew.

“Fuck him!” Mission accomplished. “He's a piece of shit that just wants to hurt people. What he did to Rose… That's coward shit right there. Let's see how he does when someone is ready for him. He can say his attack was revenge, retribution, but he fucking started the whole mess! Rose might ultimately be his executioner, but I'll be the judge that sends his ass to the guillotine!”

A chuckle from the other end. She was so easy. But this wasn't just playful harassment. Sure, Janelle had been a bit of a troll towards her friend when they were growing up, occasionally enjoying the overblown reactions from Lockhart. This was deliberate. She wanted her friend to be fired up. Focused on the destruction of her opponent. A bit more fuel to an already raging fire.

“Well shit, sounds like he better be ready for you.” Loper offered. Another targeted comment. Boost the confidence to compliment the anger.

“He won't be. He can't comprehend what this match means to me. He wants to hurt me cuz that's what he does.” RIA sneered. “He doesn't like me, so he wants to thrash me. But what he did to Rose? What he did to Kohime? The shit between his dad and I? I don't give a fuck if their relationship is broken now, I'm gonna try to break him!”

Another layer. Arthur Pleasant was the last match Kohime Mori had taken part in for PRIME. Arthur took great delight in harming and humiliating the overwhelmed girl. Another sin to be paid for. As far as RIA was concerned, this wasn't just a match… This was a reckoning, a chance to return the pain this man had caused others back onto him. She couldn't fail. She couldn't let this pass by with a loss.

“Go get it, girl.” Janelle offered her support. The two hadn't spoken in awhile. She knew there'd be the usual questions coming soon; how's Loper’s mother, how's her sister, the mundane small talk that occurred between long time friends. This issue preceded that in importance. She didn't believe RIA needed the encouragement, but it wasn't going to hurt to do so regardless. On the other end, RIA once again gave a determined nod that Janelle was oblivious to.

“Don't need to tell me twice. His ass belongs to me!” The Psychoberry snarled. Back to shopping she went as the two friends went about the banter warned of earlier.

Everything was set up. Tables covered by rainbow tablecloths, a delectable selection of catering placed on top. Banners, balloons, streamers… Work and care had been put into presentation, despite how rushed the process had been. Thanks in a big part to the help from PRIME, both in the way of funds and manpower, this banquet hall had been transformed into a place of acceptance and tolerance.

You see, RIA had taken it upon herself to hold this nonprofit gathering. It was meant as a positive beacon, one to offer advice and kindness towards LGBTQA+ people and their families. Being that this is RIA, the event was brought up to PRIME officials out of nowhere, with almost zero planning or forethought. Yet it was happening.

This was as much for her as it was for them. The negativity she'd been feeling was weighing heavily on her mind; a ten pound weight crushing down on her brain. Maybe this would relieve that pressure, put RIA back into a positive place, a welcomed balance.

She cheerfully greeted those that came in. Even with the slightly selfish motivation for doing this, there was still good that could come from it. She not only knew that, but wanted such an outcome. RIA did like helping people. It hadn't been working out well for her lately. This was a chance to fix that. After a few short speeches from prominent allies located in London, RIA gave her own, stepping up to the situated podium.

“Thank you to everyone who showed up. I'd also like to thank PRIME and all the other organizations that stepped up to make this possible. Without all of them working together, this doesn't happen.”

She took a deep breath and looked out to the crowd. It was maybe one hundred people; she had spoken in front of crowds far bigger than this. Yet, her nerves were flaring. The intimacy, what this meant to those here, there were factors that made this heavier than talking about battering an opponent.

“I know this was a last minute thing, so I'm grateful to those that are here. I want us to have fun, talk, play games, just make this an overall positive experience. Myself and others will be around, mingling with everyone. Anyway, let's get things going and I hope everyone enjoys themselves!”

RIA stepped away from the platform to applause. People enjoyed the food (vegan options included), conversed, partook in the games (Cards Against Humanity, Magic: The Gathering and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza being favorites), things seemed to be going well. While enjoying some veggies and dip, RIA was approached by an older couple.

“Sorry to bother you, ma'am. I'm Roger and this is my wife, Sandy.” Roger introduced the couple. RIA politely exchanged handshakes with both before he continued to speak. “I hope it wouldn't be too much trouble to seek your advice?”

RIA finished chewing a dip covered carrot, swallowing it down before placing her plate on a table to her left.

“Nope, by all means! What's up?”

“Well, you see, our son is gay.” Roger began. “We're a bit concerned.”

“Not because of his orientation.” Sandy interjected. “We will love him no matter what. We just aren't sure how to give him the support he needs?”

Roger nodded in agreement with his wife. RIA softly clapped her hands in front of her, breathing in.

“So here's the thing… Listening is a great first step.” RIA offered. “It shows you care. That's what he needs more than anything. I'll warn you, though. Some conversations might be uncomfortable. You might not have the answers. That's okay. The effort matters more than perfection in this case.”

Her hands moved to her hips, face shifting into a more serious expression.

“There might be times where he doesn't wanna share stuff with you guys. It ain't cuz you're doing a bad job. Sometimes, it's embarrassing to talk to your parents about stuff, ya know? I'd look into a therapist, but be careful with how you bring the subject up. Present it for what it is; an outlet when he might not be comfortable sharing stuff with yinz.”

The couple looked at each other.

“What do you think, dear?” Roger asked.

“It seems simple enough.” Sandy responded. Roger turned to face RIA.

“Is that really it? That seems a bit too easy. We figured it would be a lot more complicated.”

The former Lockhart snorted and grinned.

“That's the beauty of it. It doesn't have to be. Support is a big thing. When you feel like people care, it does good things for you mentally. Just be there for him. That's all he really needs. There's plenty of kids, gay straight or otherwise, that don't have that.”

The pair nod. Roger stepped forward, offering a hand to RIA that she took.

“This means a lot to us, and I think it will mean a lot to him as well.” Roger stated while firmly shaking the trans woman's hand. Once the handshake ended, Sandy also moved forward.

“We just want to do our best for him, so thank you for this.” Sandy offered before engaging in a hug with RIA. She watched as the two walked off, chatting as they did. She could feel her heart swell. Would that family's lives improve? There was no way to be sure. But at least there was a chance. That was what mattered. She didn't have much time to dwell on it before a female fan approached her.

“Oh my god, I bloody love you!” The girl held out a picture for RIA to sign. She smiled, taking the photo before examining it. It was from her recent match with Rose.

“This doesn't look like one of our official ones. Did you take this?” RIA asked. The girl enthusiastically nodded.

“I took it myself! I drug my girlfriend to the show with me! She had a good time, even though she's not a wrestling fan!” The girl beamed. RIA nodded, still looking at the photo.

“What's your name?” The Psychoberry asked as the girl offered a sharpie.

“Wendy!” She excitedly responded. RIA took time to write on the picture…

Thanks for the support

Keep your head held high

And your heart open!

-RIA

She handed the picture back to Wendy, who was quick to clutch it to her body.

“Ya know, that's a really good picture. You consider pursuing that as a job?” RIA asked. Wendy's eyes sparkled.

“Oh yes! I love photography! That's what I hope to go to university for!”

RIA smiled softly. There was a shift in the teen’s demeanor, as if there was a subject she wasn't quite sure how to approach.

“Um… Do you get a lot of hate? How do you deal with it?” Wendy asked in a bit of a hushed tone. RIA scoffed.

“Honey, you have no idea. Walk with me, we'll talk.”

RIA scooped up her plate from the table, walking and talking with the young fan while others continued to enjoy the festivities. If one thing was for sure, this event could easily be considered a success; both for those that attended and for the rainbow flavored host.