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Another match and another set of opponents were on the schedule. Rhea reflected on this in a video package. “Lately…Mami’s gotten used to having someone in her corner…” As Rhea spoke, her focus was on the tag team championship belt. She didn’t look at the camera or anyone else. It was as though she were speaking to the belt. In the absence of her most cherished one, the belt would serve as proxy.
In the lead up to the Elimination Chamber qualifying match, she was very keen to impress upon both her opponents and herself that she could handle it alone. She had won the Elimination Chamber before, she could do it again. She was ready to unleash the necessary brutality.
Yet Iyo was never far from her thoughts. Prior to the match, Iyo had been extremely supportive. She wished Rhea good luck before she snuck in a quick kiss and sent Rhea to her bout. Rhea’s music started. For the first time in what felt like eons, when Rhea hit her stomp and presented the belt, Iyo was not there to embrace. The belt would have to do. She kissed it before heading towards the ring.
She sauntered, interacting with fans, letting some of them touch the belt. She was fine sharing Iyo with the crowds, so why would she not share the belt, too? Iyo loved that. She jumped onto the apron and was immediately struck with longing. Iyo wasn’t there to caress her cheek and ear. Instead, she filled that time with gesturing to the crowd before hitting her death drop. Then she kicked the belt away. It was time to focus on the task before her.
When the match began, Ivy Nile wasted no time trying to assert her dominance. After fending off Ivy Nile, Lyra Valkeyria would then press her attack. It was a prime ‘every woman for herself’ opportunity, and Rhea generally thrived in those. Still, it was not easy. It never was these days.
Lyra Valkeryria hit Nightwing. She pinned Ivy Nile. The referee got to a two count before Rhea flew in with a flying knee that knocked Lyra out. Then she lined Lyra up for a Riptide and that was that. She stood victorious on the ring post, gesturing to that Wrestlemania sign and then was seized again with the impulse to kiss the belt again. She did. In Iyo’s absence, it would have to do.
As she made her way backstage she was a little woozy. A headbutt she had given to Ivy was still lingering, but it was much better to have that discomfort after a win. She interacted with fans on the way backstage, even taking a hand drawn picture of herself from one of them. But she didn’t linger much longer. She walked with purpose.
As soon as she got back to the green room her destination was right there. Iyo immediately hugged her tightly upon her arrival. They didn’t speak. They didn’t need words. They just needed this moment, this connection. That hug was centering. She felt grounded. The adrenaline gave way to relaxation and then exhaustion. When Iyo pulled back to look up into her eyes, Rhea gave her a slow smile.
“How’s your head?” Iyo asked, reaching up to caress her cheek, her eyes wide with concern.
“I’m alright, chipmunk. I’m still pretty hardheaded.” Rhea couldn’t resist the opportunity to make that joke.
Iyo smiled and rolled her eyes before taking Rhea’s hand as she went to medical. Iyo dropped her off there as she went in to be seen by the doctor. Once she was cleared, Rhea stepped out into the hallway. Iyo was there with her towel, soap, and change of clothes.
Rhea grinned. “Thanks. I’ll be quick.”
She, then, headed to the showers. As the water cascaded down her head, neck, and shoulders she took a moment to reflect over the last few weeks. It felt like just yesterday they were in Riyadh. Had the Rumble really only been less than two weeks ago? And in the time since they had defended the tag titles against Giulia and Kiana James, only for Lash Legend and Nia Jax to demand a title shot that was coming in a few days time.
It was hard to find time to breathe. It seemed like they were living from match to match. Still, they did have a few days between now and the Smackdown title defense, and Rhea intended to make the most of it. She finished her shower, dried off, and got dressed before stepping out to find Iyo speaking to Adam Pearce. Adam did have a few things to go over with Rhea after her match but was in the midst of a crisis. He gave her some perfunctory feedback before presumably having to explain to Triple H and the higher ups that Punk would be defending his title against Finn at Elimination Chamber. Punk was adamant. Pearce gave them leave to head back to the hotel.
Rhea and Iyo took advantage of that before he had a chance to change his mind. They beelined for the garage and made their way back to the rental car. As soon as they were alone, their hands were on each other. Iyo’s hand was on her knee. Rhea’s hand reached over to caress Iyo’s cheek before she started up the car.
“Who do you think will make it to Elimination Chamber?” Iyo asked, idly looking out the window.
“I know three for sure: Tiffany, me, and you.” Rhea flashed that cocky grin. “And we’ll do what we do once everyone else is eliminated.”
Iyo grinned back. Something about this was so heady to Rhea, and yet it felt fragile. So fragile. That was perhaps why she had started her comments the way she did in the lead up to the match. She knew she was strong. She had proved it over and over. Iyo was also strong, though. And not in the way that Dom had been. His strength was more in his mental cunning than physical prowess. Liv’s strength was also in her mental acuity, her ability to plan and observe. Iyo’s strength was more like her own. Pure physical power, skill, and a little recklessness combined with stubbornness.
Rhea reflected on this as she drove them to the hotel. She and Iyo often got into spats. They weren’t serious, just little lover’s quarrels. Rhea would insist that she needed one more rep when Iyo could tell she needed to rest. Iyo would want to go on ‘just one more’ shopping trip before they left for the next city. They kissed and made up quickly.
When it came to the big things, like how they felt about each other, and how to approach each opponent they were perfectly in sync. They supported each other. They celebrated each other’s successes. Rhea considered all of this as she got them to the hotel and parked the car.
“Can’t wait for Friday”, Rhea said with a satisfied smile.
“Oh? Why?” Iyo asked.
“Because I missed you out there. Plus…” Rhea made sure to look into Iyo’s eyes.
“Yeah…?” Iyo replied, gazing back into Rhea’s eyes.
“It’s always fun to beat up on Nia and Lash.” Rhea grinned and leaned in for a kiss.
Iyo was only too happy to grant it. “We’ll be ready.”
Soon enough, it was Friday. Once again, nothing went to plan. It all began with Tiffany Stratton announcing that it was ‘Tiffy Time’, as per usual. She was interrupted by none other than Nia Jax and Lash Legend. The three of them verbally sparred until Rhea and Iyo made their appearance. Tiffany was smart enough (or had a high enough sense of self preservation) to make herself scarce. She beat a hasty retreat.
Rhea spoke next. “Don’t get ahead of yourselves, ladies. Because neither of you are going to be walking out of the Elimination Chamber, let alone walking out of it with the opportunity to go to Wrestlemania.”
The crowd went into a frenzy as Lash and Nia scowled defiantly at the two of them.
“You know why?” Rhea continued. “Because I’m in there. And, soon, Iyo’s gonna be in there, too. And we’re going to do what we do best, and that is work together until we are the last two standing.”
Iyo nodded confidently and approvingly as they sauntered towards the ring.
“But…let me not get ahead of myself. Because first, we need to beat the living crap out of you two for thinking that you’re going to be walking out of Dallas with our tag team championship.” Rhea then dropped the mic and the match began.
The match ended in absolute chaos, but started out quite well. Nia and Lash were formidable, as per usual, but Iyo and Rhea were in sync and working together swimmingly…until Lash and Nia decided they were done wrestling and simply wanted to fight. Rhea and Iyo were not about to back down from that. It spilled out to ringside.
In the end, Nia and Lash set up a table at ringside. They placed Rhea on it as Lash held her in place. Nia ascended the ropes, prepared to splash onto Rhea. Rhea managed to kick Lash away and escape. In a blink, Iyo catapulted herself across the ring using the ropes to increase her momentum and slammed into Nia. It sent both she and Nia to the table, breaking it in two.
Rhea didn’t even have a chance to react to this before Lash speared her through the timekeeper barricade. They retained the titles, but things had gotten out of control. Officials and medics came to tend to the four of them. They were laid out at ringside as though they had all been in a drunken stupor. Rhea grimaced at both the pain and the amount of fines she would have to pay for this.
They were taken backstage and into the medical bay, kept separated from each other. The doctors checked on everyone individually before clearing them all of the concussion protocol, bandaging them up, and giving them ice for soreness. Rhea had been cleared first, and she paced, waiting anxiously for Iyo.
Iyo slowly emerged from the medical room where she’d been. She looked tired, she looked sore, but she wasn’t seriously injured. Rhea was relieved. If anything had happened to Iyo, if Lash and Nia had really hurt her, Rhea would go on a rampage like the world had never seen before. She went over to hug her.
They hugged each other and then slowly made their way to a spot in the locker room where they could rest a bit and chat. Neither of them were up for moving too much, at the moment. Defending gold was just like this. You got everyone’s ’A’ game, and some people just took it way too far.
Iyo was so upset about what had happened that she was speaking exclusively Japanese. Rhea was grateful to have started picking it up. She was presently ranting about the match and its outcome.
“Look, I know. I get it. We’ll get them back, ok?” Rhea tried to soothe her. Iyo looked genuinely crestfallen, but she started to calm down. She put a reassuring hand on Iyo’s shoulder. “But, for right now, you need to worry about your Elimination Chamber qualifying match. Let me worry about Nia and Lash, ok?”
Just as they were about to speak further, they were interrupted by a certain United States Champion and her business advisor. Giulia stormed right up to them, unleashing a tirade in Japanese as Kiana tried unsuccessfully to calm her down. Rhea almost felt bad for Kiana…almost.
Rhea could not resist the urge to rub it in. “Aww…is someone a little sad they didn’t win their Elimination Chamber qualifying match…?”
As Giulia growled in response, Kiana said to Rhea “I suggest you don’t speak to my client that way. Alright?”
Rhea gave her a bemused smirk as Iyo cut in. “Or what? I pinned her before. Maybe I will do it again and take the United States title.”
The only thing stopping Giulia from jumping Iyo right then and there was Kiana being smart enough to know that Giulia would go ballistic and being fast enough to drag her off. Kiana held onto her client as Giulia cursed them in Japanese, screaming with rage. It was like a mother taking her toddler out of a grocery store, mid tantrum.
Rhea and Iyo sarcastically waved her off. Just then, Jade Cargill appeared. She gave both of them an appraising stare and a smug huff as she sauntered to the ring for her title defense. Rhea rolled her eyes and Iyo shrugged and sighed.
When the show ended, they headed back to the hotel and rested. They then traveled to the next city for Monday Night Raw. They didn’t thankfully have a match that night, but they were there for an interview.
Byron Saxton introduced them “I’d like to welcome our Women’s Tag Team Champions, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky.” Rhea and Iyo smiled for the cameras. Iyo did her little emote and Rhea couldn’t help but smile even bigger.
He continued “I believe the both of you have the most difficult road to Wrestlemania out of anyone. We saw the footage on Smackdown of your last title defense with Lash Legend and Nia Jax. Rhea, you qualified for the Elimination Chamber last week and Iyo, you have the same opportunity next week…how in the world are the both of you holding it together?”
Rhea grimaced and shrugged “Look, the road to Wrestlemania is always a battle and this Friday was no exception. Nia and Lash, they thought they could just take our Women’s Tag Team Championships, but they got a little bit carried away and they failed. All they managed to do was to turn up the heat. Now it’s up to us to put them out.”
Iyo replied, first in Japanese and then in English followed up with “We’ll be ready. And, as far as Elimination Chamber—“ A highpitched giggle came from somewhere to their right. None other than Kairi Sane and Asuka sauntered over.
Kairi strode over. “Elimination Chamber is…over. Because, do you know why?” Kairi then used her hands to gesticulate to Asuka. “Because ASUKA is in the Chamber.” She giggled. “And we will make sure that you guys never win.” Asuka at that point gruffly huffed to Kairi. Angrily tapping her shoulder.
Kairi hastily moved to correct herself “N-N-No I…I mean, I mean, I mean…we will make sure that Asuka is champion.”
Asuka did a very pleased pantomime of a title belt around her waist before shoving Kairi out of the way. She then shouted at Iyo and Rhea in Japanese before switching to English. “You’re not ready for the Chamber!” Asuka then laughed a bit hysterically before shoving Kairi out of the way again. Kairi cowered, looking very afraid. Iyo and Rhea exchanged a look.
“…Kairi…?” Iyo asked, concerned.
Before Kairi could respond, Asuka screamed “KAIRI!”
Kairi scurried to her side.
Rhea could now really see why Iyo felt conflicted about what she’d done at the Rumble. Everyone knew about Asuka refusing to let Kairi ride in the golf cart backstage, about how she had dragged Kairi by the hair, yelling at her. It was becoming a running joke in the locker room to see how long Kairi could be alone before Asuka would scream for her.
Iyo looked genuinely upset. Rhea knew that this wasn’t technically her business, but she would follow Iyo’s lead on this. If Iyo needed her to do something, she’d do it. Rhea didn’t fully understand the senpai/kohai relationship and the rigid hierarchy that dominated those sorts of dynamics in Japan, but she knew that she didn’t like seeing Asuka throwing her weight around this way.
It had to stop. Rhea would stop it. She hated seeing this look in Iyo’s eyes. She knew that at night sometimes Iyo woke up with a start, worrying about Kairi. They gazed into each other’s eyes.
They would stop it, together.