Family Roots

Chapter 3

There was one benefit to Rhea clearing the locker room for you: No one wanted to press their luck if she returned.

Ava Raine admired herself in her locker's mirror. Backstage at the NXT Performance Center buzzed with electricity. Dominik Mysterio was challenging for Wes Lee's North American Championship tonight, and the world would be watching. She would be as well, from afar, of course.

Ava smiled to herself as she smoothed her pleated skirt. Baby blue in a plaid configuration. She didn't return home to her apartment until very late last week. She and Dominik did some very...interesting...things to each other. Things she really enjoyed.

Like what Dominik did with the seat belt....

It also took Ava the better part of the week to learn how to cover all those lovely marks up. A task which sent her into the deep corners of the internet some advice. Also led her to the very interesting world of fiction. Reading fics like A New Judgment and AfterShine helped her understand Dominik a bit more, oddly enough.

Ava shook herself. She had things to do.

Closing her locker, she strode to the locker room door and stepped outside. Immediately figures dressed in black and wearing Schism masks filed into either side of her, awaiting instructions. In the last few weeks, Schism recruitment exploded, and she had plenty of new recruits to show the ropes. Ava loved the power she felt being trusted by Gacy to show the new tree roots the Schism way. She wouldn't relinquish his trust and this power so easily.

Ava tilted her head and began walking. The masked figures followed silently behind her. She still needed to figure out a way to ensure Wes Lee showed up for his match against Dominik. While she knew Shawn Michaels wouldn't let Wes out of the match, he still was the champion, and could make things very difficult for Dominik.

Maybe if she appealed to the side of Wes Lee that never turned down a challenge? Or maybe she could stir up that stubborn nature of his?

Or maybe....

"Ava."

Snapped out of her thoughts, Ava stopped in her tracks. The masked figures immediately surrounded her, to protect her from a threat. Rhea Ripley, the Eradicator of the Judgment Day, stood before her with her championship belt draped over her shoulder.

Her heart skipped a beat. Not out of fear this time. Strange. She wasn't terrified of the Eradicator anymore, even though she was cheating with Dominik. Maybe she was more terrified of the potential consequences? But even then, Rhea's presence, while intimidating, didn't have her shaking in her boots.

But the current feeling she was experiencing toward the Judgment Day member was...odd.

"Do you have a moment?" Rhea asked, pointedly looking at the masked figures surrounding Ava.

"Of course." Ava nodded to one figure." Go on. I'll be fine."

The masked figure gave Ava a small nod before moving away. The others followed suit, leaving her and Rhea alone. Rhea chuckled.

"It's nice to see someone be able to keep their guys in line."

"...Trouble?"

"Not that I enjoy airing Judgement Day business, but yes. Male egos in the forms of a demented leprechaun and a vampire don't want to play nicely with each other. It's a pain."

Ava didn't know if Rhea was joking or being serious. "I see."

"But I didn't come to talk about that."

"Oh?"

Rhea took a quick look around before reaching out with her hand to grasp Avas cheek. Ava knew what she was doing and allowed Rhea to tilt her head to the side before releasing her.