Accord

"Emily Clarkson is my niece," Allison said. She paused for a brief moment to collect her thoughts before she continued. "And I will not fight her."

She uncrossed her legs and reached down to her briefcase, opening the top clasps and pulling out a matte gray folder closed with wound red string. "I'm sure you know of Bonnie Gastin. The girl and her brother have been doing everything in their power to fight me, out of some misguided need for revenge for the... show that I put on in our first match." She almost smiled. "I'm prepared to offer you a match between Bonnie Gastin and myself, with some stipulations that might arouse your interest..."

"I see." Lukretia said. She could perhaps understand, but she wondered what might happen if if she forced the issue. However, she set that aside when Allison spoke of her true intentions. "I have seen a bit of it yes. To me, it seems like petty squabbling vhich bears no fruit. Clearly she has ze mouth to bark but not ze teeth to bite." Lukretia said offhandedly.

"A match between ze two of you does not hold much interest for me personally, however, go on..." The German said, raising her head. "I am curious to see if your stipulations vill."

"I could not agree more. My lack of interest in the fight is what has driven the Gastins to be so..."

She searched for the word, but never quite found the right one. She smiled politely at Lukretia. "Well. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you. I was happy to ignore them before, but they've since... complicated the issue. I'm prepared to offer the match they've always wanted. If Bonnie Gastin wins, somehow, she can have my Friction contract and do with it as she pleases. If I win... I get Emily's contract, and I will tear it to bits.

"And I'm sure there are ways to make the match itself more interesting as well... I thought perhaps to forego the referee and the pinfalls, somewhat like the first time, and to fight to a knockout or a submission."

Lukretia let her smile slip away and contemplate Allison's words without any hint on what her opinion might be. The only reason that Allison would offer her own contract would be her supreme confidence in her abilities. Naturally, she would be getting everything she wanted with, seemingly, no risk for herself. It was quite shrewd.

Lukretia turned away from Allison for the moment and looked at her computer screen. She deftly clicked through a few pages and then turned back to Allison. "Hmmm, I think zat perhaps somezing can be arranged, Ms. Vatson. "I vill say for certain zat if I make zis match und Bonnie Gastin does not vin, zen it vill be ze last of ze matter for certain. I vill never book anozer match between you und herno matter vhat und if I hear of any further incident betveen any of you, zen I may just have everyone of you terminated und you can do as you like far, far avay from me."

Lukretia sternly looked at Allison for a moment and then leaned back in her chair. She waved her hand dismissively at Allison. "However, as for ze rest of it, I may need to think a bit on ze details, but as of zis moment, you may consider zis match booked. Details vill be made available to you as they come, und if I have changed meine mind, zen you vill be informed. I hope zis is satisfactory to you, Ms. Vatson." Lukretia said indicating that if it wasn't then that would be too bad for the blonde Brit.

"I'd rather be done with her regardless," Allison replied. "I can't tell you how weary I am of her constant grandstanding. I've already mentioned that the next time she barges into my spa she's leaving in handcuffs. Her and her brother."

Then it took some work to iron out the contempt from her face, not of the Gastins, but of Lukretia. The woman was desperate to clutch whatever sort of power she could, and it was really quite crass. So typical of the Germans. Lukretia just needed Allison to know that she was at the mercy of her every passing whim. Allison didn't relish being in this kitschy office with this over-inflated twat any more than was absolutely necessary.

She gave Lukretia a textbook smile, but didn't stand up quite yet. Her voice was posh and velvety soft. "I hope you don't change your mind," she said pleasantly.

Lukretia raised an eyebrow and smiled. She then nodded. "Ah, yes. How unfortunate vhen people cannot separate one affair from the next. You have made a vise decision in zat regard."

Lukretia then looked back at the screen for a moment, clicking through some things again before she once more turned to Allison. "Vell, I think zat ze match I vill not change meine mind on. It is a good solution for vhat ails all of us." She paused. "However, it is ze details vhere ze devil lays. In zis, I vould like to take meine time." Lukretia paused.

She then lifted her head and looked up at the ceiling briefly as if in thought. "Und ze ozer one?" She asked, looking back at Allison with a pleasant smile of her own, as if she was trying to make conversation. "Fraulein Lu." She paused. " Your relationship is satisfactory? I have seen you two at odds nearly as much as I have seen you vorking togezer. She is providing no issue for you?" Lukretia waved her hand dismissively. "Since ve are taking care of all of your loose ends, I vould hate to miss a stray thread."

Allison allowed a small, calculated pause before answering.

"Lu Jiao is of consequence to me, though I'm sure Bonnie Gastin still craves for revenge for her role. All that's important to me is for Emily Clarkson  to longer be a part of the company, and I'm willing to put my own career on the line in order to make that happen. Do what you will with the rest of it."

Allison looked around at the office, carefully keeping the disdain she felt off of her face. Von Creuzfeldt had the artistic sensibilities of a badger. She wondered briefly what would come out of her, if Allison ever were to have the opportunity to crack her open.

"Tell me, Lukretia... D'you have any wrestling experience yourself?" She asked with seemingly genuine interest.

"I see." Lukretia said, leaning back in her chair as she pondered Allison's words. "I do admire ze lengths you are villing to go." She added. "I vill take all of it into consideration."

She paused at the next question and raised an eyebrow to Allison, her smile forming thinly on her lips. "I have been in ze ring." She said. "But, as a wrestler, technically speaking, it is not meine forte." Lukretia paused again and leaned forward, lifting her head. "However, Ms. Vatson, I have been bred to fight, zat is somezing I can assure you."

"Of course," Allison said with a smile.

Some dogs are bred to fight, as well.

She collected her things and stood up, shouldering her bag as she did. "I will leave the matter in your capable hands. I look forward to the match, and to settling this." She nodded to Lukretia before turning to leave. "Auf Wiedersehen."