"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to Wrestlemania 42!!! Tonight will be a wild one, for our first event Bray Wyatt vs. Kofi Kingston, will be followed by a forty minute iron woman match between Stephanie the Lady of Darkness, and Aqua Marine the Daughter of Darkness. A bitter family rivalry started several months ago, in fact, an entire year ago. When Stephanie removed the title from Aqua's waist." Cole exploded.
"Stephanie had no right to take that title away from Aqua!" JBL snapped.
"Oh?"
"Aqua worked long and hard hours to get that title--I know, I helped train her, remember?--and just after a few days, it was ripped away, just because her mother was playing favorites."
The argument stopped as Stephanie's music hit. (Welcome To The Queendom, except the lyrics are tweaked to be a bit darker.) The age of the Lady of Darkness did not matter, she was gorgeous. It was an intimidating sight to see Stephanie and the Undertaker walk down to the ring.
"She's aged well." King commented.
"Careful, King. She beat the crap out of you, the last time you said that." Cole answered.
"Yah, yah, but this time she can't hear me. And Undertaker can't either." King replied.
"Be careful! This is being taped for home video too." JBL warned.
"Can't do anything about ol' King." King answered.
"This would be so much better if JR were h--sorry, that slipped." Cole commented.
The announcers were quiet and the Daughters of Darkness made their entrance.
"I-I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER--It's hiding in the dark, his teeth are razor sharp. There's no escape from me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart. No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream, maybe it's inside of me. STOP THIS MONSTER!" Roared through the arena, Aqua and her sisters got a larger pop than the Power Couple had. Maybe it was due to their younger age, or their determination...
* * *
One week prior, Raw.
"You three are nothing but undisciplined brats. You have no right being in this ring, and you have no right being in this arena." Steph snapped, glaring at Aqua the entire time.
Christina and Witch shifted, clearly spoiling for a fight. Aqua just smiled and shook her head.
"Undisciplined brats? No rights being here at all? That's your problem--Mom."
Steph went to slap Aqua, but she ducked. Landing a low kick to the back. Christina and Witch left the ring. Aqua grabbed a hold of Steph's hair, and pulled her up.
"This is our yard now."
* * *
"Ladies and gentlemen, introducing first, the challenger, weighing in at 234 pounds, with the height of five ten, accompanied by the Undertaker, Stephanie the Lady of Darkness!" Lillian Garcia announced.
"And weighing in at 115 pounds, with the height of five six, Accompanied by Christina Black, and Witch Black, Aqua Marine!"
The managers exited the ring, allowing Lillian to leave, and a referee to enter the ring. The rivals kept their distance, painfully aware one must fall, it was either Steph retired from in ring competition, or Aqua moved to NXT (she never debuted in NXT so there would be more pressure, think about it, there was no NXT when Mark and Steph debuted). It was the only option.
The ref called for the bell and the match went underway. Aqua did not waste time, and when Steph charged her, she threw her into the turn buckle. Steph reeled and Aqua used a swift Irish whip, tripping Stephanie in the middle of the ring. She resorting into using a camel clutch, to which the other found the ring ropes to escape--how, Aqua did not know.
Witch demanded Aqua use a finishing move, which one she left up to Aqua, but she demanded it either way. So, Aqua grabbed, Steph, and used Old School. It was humiliating, but it worked. Aqua went for a cover, Steph kicking out at one. Aqua looked a little miffed, but nothing too bad. She tried again and Steph reversed into "Queen's Coil". It was a lying down bear hug, and it did a tad more damage as it cut off blood flow to the brain too.
Aqua rolled to the ring ropes and the ref forced Steph to remove the hold. Steph went for her own finisher, the "Gravesite". It was a powerbomb, similar to the Last Ride, but not quite, Steph would throw you from the 'bomb and put you in a submission. Normally simple one. Aqua yelled as a Boston Crab was applied.
"Just tap out, already!" Steph snapped.
Aqua threw back a retort that shocked Steph, and she was thrown from Aqua's back. Aqua kicked Stephanie's stomach until Steph did not move. The Aqua prepared for her own finisher: "The Mermaid's Dive". It was a splash, no different than what Viscera did in the 90s. But Aqua had a habit of pinning directly after.
Aqua manged to complete her finisher, pinning in the process.
"ONE!" The crowd shouted.
"TWO!"
"THREE!!!"
Aqua's music played, the ref raised her hand, and she looked on victorious. She prepared for another fight, as the Undertaker entered the ring. Suspicious, Christina and Witch returned to the ring for backup, just in case. Instead of a fight, he just looked at Steph's un-moving body for a few seconds, then he held out his hand.
Aqua carefully reached forward, just it case it was pulled into a sucker punch. But it was not so, instead they shook hands. Aqua was clearly shocked, and Undertaker picked up Steph, throwing her over his shoulder. Leaving, while his music played. Aqua was left just staring in surprise. Her sisters were in surprise as well. And the Undertaker disappeared into the mist, with his dark bride, her finale in the ring, similar to her dark debut--Back in 1999.
Long after the Undertaker had left, finally the Daughters of Darkness exited the ring. Aqua's Wrestlemania exclusive theme playing loud and proud. Christina and Witch went into the backstage area, but Aqua paused. She looked at the crowd and mouthed: "Thank you". She raised her right arm in a fashion familiar to the WWE Universe, and the roar was deafening.
She disappeared, her music faded out, and the sorrow of the reminder, that Stephanie and the Undertaker would no longer appear in the ring. It was over for the last remaining Attitude Era superstars, or should I say, it was over for the Last Outlaws? The announcers were not so keen the rest of the night. The conversation always returning to the end of Stephanie's career. The crowd remained quiet. The pops weren't quite as loud, the amazing feats were not as amazing.
Truly the end of an era, it was the time for acceptance. And the time, for the new superstars to shine. It was not the end of the World Wrestling Entertainment. But it was truly the end of the World Wrestling Federation.
* * *
Backstage, Stevie watched the rest of the matches in the dark. She had no serious injuries, her leg ached a little, but the trainer said it was nothing. She was worried about her mother, she had not seen her parents since the match. Lucy and Daryl had gone back to the hotel, (the girls had all shared a room), and Jackson and Patrick walked in.
"How ya doin', Stevie?" Patrick asked.
"Meh, I'm worried about Mom and Dad." Stevie replied.
"Don't worry anymore."
Stevie looked up and the Power Couple stood there. Stevie's two friends disappeared rather quickly.
"Are you OK? I landed too hard on that splash..." Stevie was cut off by a hug.
"I am so proud of you." Steph said.
Stevie noticed her mother was crying, she couldn't help but do the same.
"Mom...I was so worried I'd hurt you." Stevie cried.
"Shh, it's OK. There wasn't much damage, nothing serious, it's OK." Steph said.
A long moment passed, the hug did not stop and finally, Steph was called away. Stevie looked up at her Dad. She didn't know what to say, but just blurted this instead:
"Thank you, for the opportunity, to work for you."
"You're welcome. Tonight, you proved you are not just a under working child." Mark replied.
Stevie grinned. "You always said, I was a pain in the ass and impossible to argue with."
"You still are." Mark answered.
Stevie noticed he was being quieter than usual. He left before Stevie could question it. Stevie watched a match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Stevie flinched as Roman was downed and kept down for a three count. Lesnar picking up a victory. She sighed inwardly and thought about her life. It had been good, so far. Working hard for what you believed in was something Stevie loved doing. The hard work moving her to work harder. She had a nasty habit of blurting things. But that couldn't be solved now. She smiled, and was proud to be the daughter of two wrestling legends.
_________________________________________________________
Thank you, for putting up with my BS for months, part of me wanted to wait to release the end, but no. The end will probably come later tonight. And after that, a long author's note. Just to process what happened these past few months, and to cry over the end of this project.
Remember, the end is just the beginning (and the Daughters of Darkness, will be in other works! Well, except for the fact that Stevie will be just Stevie, and Daryl just Daryl, no Callaways or middle names attached.), and after this adventure, and better one will happen.