Post by gvb on May 7, 2020 16:25:57 GMT -6
The office of Grace van Beek inside the Enterprise Arena was a hymn to luxury. A majestic high gloss and highly figured macassar ebony desk with white soft italian leather top and sides dominated the room. Sitting behind it, right under a oil on canvas painting of the Diamond Princess herself hanging on the wall perfectly set in a gilded frame was the owner of MWE. Wearing a formal yet elegant black suit blazer, the young South African looked impatient as she was waiting for her guests, the Cloud Gate champion Anastasia Starling and her challenger Gavin Grimes.
The announcement of this meeting took both wrestlers off guard, provoking different reactions from the two of them. If Anastasia refused to comment, Gavin instead tried to check out but, under the not so veiled threat of getting released, he eventually accepted. And here they came, escorted in by two members of Grace’s personal security. Right behind them is Ryen RIekert, the head of her personal detail.
“Good afternoon, and thanks for coming with such short notice.” Standing up from her white leather armchair. Grace welcomed the two rivals. Her polite ways and the quiet tone perhaps were hiding a certain irony, as everyone in the room was perfectly aware that she left them no other choice but to come here. “Please, have a seat.”
Gavin and Anastasia shared a quick glance, before taking their place in the comfortable chairs.
“I promise you this meeting will be short and concise. As I told Mr Grimes, I do not like to waste my time in pointless arguments. I shall say what I have to say, then you will have your chance to comment on my decision. Which, I shall inform you, is imperative.” Grace stated in a cold tone, setting the record straight from the start.
“I am disappointed.” Her icy blue eyes moved from Ana to Gavin, then back to the Songbird. “Miss McCarthy was clear with her request that your associates would stay out of the Enterprise Arena for your upcoming match at the Dark Web II pay-per-view. One simple and polite demand to grant the correct course of your match and, most importantly to ensure your own safety. You know better than me how these third parties have a history of getting physically involved, let us not pretend they are innocent as they claim to be.” Even without naming names, the owner of MWE didn’t mince words.
“And while I have been informed of the willingness to cooperate shown by Miss Starling…” She casted her eyes upon Gavin now. “The same level of collaboration unfortunately wasn’t granted by you and your wife, Mr. Grimes.” The Chosen One arrogantly shrugged his shoulders, but before he could speak, Grace took word again. “Or by your friends, Miss Starling.”
Grace laid back on her chair, pondering her next words for some moments. “They threatened legal actions, they threatened to break into a building they have been asked to stay out from… Not to mention the bold, defiant and quite frankly clumsy attempt to overrule Miss McCarthy’s and MY authority and try to earn access to the Enterprise Arena by asking its owner, Mr. Matthews. I am sure that, if you were in my position, you would find all of this rather annoying.”
“Therefore, I decided that, with effect from Friday night at 9:00 sharp, you both will be locked in an adequately arranged room until the start of your match with no contact with the outside, no food, no water nor light for twenty-four hours.” Shocked, both Anastasia and Gavin looked at the young South African. “I have been informed that one of the words used to describe this particular stipulation bothers Miss Starling, hence why I will not use it. But this is, unfortunately, what we have come down to. And before any of you…” Her eyes moved to Grimes. “Tries to play the 'this is not what I signed up for' card, I shall remind you that the waiver you signed prior to this event clearly states that you accepted any stipulation decided by the fans or management.”
“Now…” Grace broke the silence that fell in the room following her announcement. “Does any of you have anything to say?”
“Please…” came the voice of Anastasia, who had seemed out of shorts since she had entered the meeting, like something had been on her mind and far from the confident competitor had been gracing MWE screens in recent months. “Not this… N-not…” She was white as a ghost, her fingers quivering somewhat as she lost herself in a stare, blank and horrified as she locked eyes with Grace.
Gavin couldn’t help but look at Anastasia and laugh before glancing back at Grace and shaking his head. “You really brought me here for this? I could’ve told you yes from home.” He laughed again before looking at Anastasia. “I’ve been through this before. It really takes a toll on you and your body but guess what? I know what it takes. You don’t. You’re fucked.” Grimes stood up and looked at Grace now. “We done here?”
“No. Sit down.” Not at all impressed by Gavin’s attitude the young South African spoke with her authoritative tone, maintaining her composure and calm. As Gavin refused to do as asked, Grace nodded at Ryen who lightly pushed the Captain back on the chair. “You will leave when I say that you can leave.” And after putting Grimes back in his place, literally, she looked back at Anastasia.
“A-anything but this…” she had tears in her heterochromia afflicted eyes, those greens and blues creating waterfalls down her angelic face, more resembling a terrified little girl the more she crept back into her shell. “Any s-stipulation. Anything. A-anything you could add. Guards at ringside, fire us if anyone tries anything… Anything. P-please,” she was almost begging, broken and desperate in her words. “Please Grace… M-miss Van Beek… Not this. I ca--” She remained seated, her right hand now covering her mouth as her eyes closed, unable to remain composed as she started to lose control of her often volatile emotions.
Grace watched her in silence, her expression remaining unchanged almost as Ana’s breakdown wasn’t affecting her at all. “I made my decision, Miss Starling, and I will not change it.” Ana sighed at those words. “My hand was forced. I would have prefered a different solution but at this point, there is no turning back. I suggest you two spend this time with your dearest ones. Those will be the longest twenty-four hours of your lives.”
She looked at the two wrestlers in front of her, studying their opposite reactions. Gavin was confident as always, Ana instead showing all her frailty.
“Before you go…” Grace added again. “There is one last detail regarding your match. All sort of weapons will be available in the ring. Whatever the issue between you two is, for what concerns me and MWE, it will end at Dark Web II.”
Turning the armchair and her attention back to her computer screen, she said. “Thank you for your time. You are now dismissed.”
As Grace went back to her business, Ryen invited the two guests to stand up and accompanied them out.
Cut to black.
The announcement of this meeting took both wrestlers off guard, provoking different reactions from the two of them. If Anastasia refused to comment, Gavin instead tried to check out but, under the not so veiled threat of getting released, he eventually accepted. And here they came, escorted in by two members of Grace’s personal security. Right behind them is Ryen RIekert, the head of her personal detail.
“Good afternoon, and thanks for coming with such short notice.” Standing up from her white leather armchair. Grace welcomed the two rivals. Her polite ways and the quiet tone perhaps were hiding a certain irony, as everyone in the room was perfectly aware that she left them no other choice but to come here. “Please, have a seat.”
Gavin and Anastasia shared a quick glance, before taking their place in the comfortable chairs.
“I promise you this meeting will be short and concise. As I told Mr Grimes, I do not like to waste my time in pointless arguments. I shall say what I have to say, then you will have your chance to comment on my decision. Which, I shall inform you, is imperative.” Grace stated in a cold tone, setting the record straight from the start.
“I am disappointed.” Her icy blue eyes moved from Ana to Gavin, then back to the Songbird. “Miss McCarthy was clear with her request that your associates would stay out of the Enterprise Arena for your upcoming match at the Dark Web II pay-per-view. One simple and polite demand to grant the correct course of your match and, most importantly to ensure your own safety. You know better than me how these third parties have a history of getting physically involved, let us not pretend they are innocent as they claim to be.” Even without naming names, the owner of MWE didn’t mince words.
“And while I have been informed of the willingness to cooperate shown by Miss Starling…” She casted her eyes upon Gavin now. “The same level of collaboration unfortunately wasn’t granted by you and your wife, Mr. Grimes.” The Chosen One arrogantly shrugged his shoulders, but before he could speak, Grace took word again. “Or by your friends, Miss Starling.”
Grace laid back on her chair, pondering her next words for some moments. “They threatened legal actions, they threatened to break into a building they have been asked to stay out from… Not to mention the bold, defiant and quite frankly clumsy attempt to overrule Miss McCarthy’s and MY authority and try to earn access to the Enterprise Arena by asking its owner, Mr. Matthews. I am sure that, if you were in my position, you would find all of this rather annoying.”
“Therefore, I decided that, with effect from Friday night at 9:00 sharp, you both will be locked in an adequately arranged room until the start of your match with no contact with the outside, no food, no water nor light for twenty-four hours.” Shocked, both Anastasia and Gavin looked at the young South African. “I have been informed that one of the words used to describe this particular stipulation bothers Miss Starling, hence why I will not use it. But this is, unfortunately, what we have come down to. And before any of you…” Her eyes moved to Grimes. “Tries to play the 'this is not what I signed up for' card, I shall remind you that the waiver you signed prior to this event clearly states that you accepted any stipulation decided by the fans or management.”
“Now…” Grace broke the silence that fell in the room following her announcement. “Does any of you have anything to say?”
“Please…” came the voice of Anastasia, who had seemed out of shorts since she had entered the meeting, like something had been on her mind and far from the confident competitor had been gracing MWE screens in recent months. “Not this… N-not…” She was white as a ghost, her fingers quivering somewhat as she lost herself in a stare, blank and horrified as she locked eyes with Grace.
Gavin couldn’t help but look at Anastasia and laugh before glancing back at Grace and shaking his head. “You really brought me here for this? I could’ve told you yes from home.” He laughed again before looking at Anastasia. “I’ve been through this before. It really takes a toll on you and your body but guess what? I know what it takes. You don’t. You’re fucked.” Grimes stood up and looked at Grace now. “We done here?”
“No. Sit down.” Not at all impressed by Gavin’s attitude the young South African spoke with her authoritative tone, maintaining her composure and calm. As Gavin refused to do as asked, Grace nodded at Ryen who lightly pushed the Captain back on the chair. “You will leave when I say that you can leave.” And after putting Grimes back in his place, literally, she looked back at Anastasia.
“A-anything but this…” she had tears in her heterochromia afflicted eyes, those greens and blues creating waterfalls down her angelic face, more resembling a terrified little girl the more she crept back into her shell. “Any s-stipulation. Anything. A-anything you could add. Guards at ringside, fire us if anyone tries anything… Anything. P-please,” she was almost begging, broken and desperate in her words. “Please Grace… M-miss Van Beek… Not this. I ca--” She remained seated, her right hand now covering her mouth as her eyes closed, unable to remain composed as she started to lose control of her often volatile emotions.
Grace watched her in silence, her expression remaining unchanged almost as Ana’s breakdown wasn’t affecting her at all. “I made my decision, Miss Starling, and I will not change it.” Ana sighed at those words. “My hand was forced. I would have prefered a different solution but at this point, there is no turning back. I suggest you two spend this time with your dearest ones. Those will be the longest twenty-four hours of your lives.”
She looked at the two wrestlers in front of her, studying their opposite reactions. Gavin was confident as always, Ana instead showing all her frailty.
“Before you go…” Grace added again. “There is one last detail regarding your match. All sort of weapons will be available in the ring. Whatever the issue between you two is, for what concerns me and MWE, it will end at Dark Web II.”
Turning the armchair and her attention back to her computer screen, she said. “Thank you for your time. You are now dismissed.”
As Grace went back to her business, Ryen invited the two guests to stand up and accompanied them out.
Cut to black.