~Crème De La Crème~ Feat. Adrian Kytes

It's remarkable what one could accomplish when one was exorbitantly wealthy, had nigh unlimited resources, and possessed a burning desire to get under the skin of a foul-mouthed irritant she delighted in watching squirm. Although Gwen relished in victoriously rattling the nerves of the seemingly unflappable Philadelphia native, Adrian's reactions to watching her sordid past be put on gargantuan display did cause Gwendolyn to harken back to a similar outburst from Haley after she had perhaps taken her snobby gloating a wee bit too far. Therefore she opted to reel it back and attempt to splash some ice water on the heated atmosphere. Partially because tormenting one's adversary becomes much less fun when they take it so personally...and because Gwen wouldn't want this promo segment to devolve to Adrian's prediction of the two of them slugging it out and throwing pastries at one another.

"Ah~...I see the Adrian Kytes of old still lurks somewhere deep beneath all that cheeky bravado and gaming counter culture of yours. But, let us not be too hasty. Once the festivities have concluded, I fully intend on divulging my true intentions behind this evenings gala career celebration~...And just to prove my intentions were not purely malicious, allow me the due honor of introducing our first guest for the evening. May I present a pre-recorded video clip from a contentious, bitter rival turned cherished, thoughtful companion who is an inseparable part of your wrestling past...and thanks to my steadfast camera crew tracking her down, now wishes to air her unbridled thoughts, opinions, and emotions about this momentous day. Ladies and Gentleman...May I present~..." Gwendolyn extravagantly twirled once more in the direction of the Titan-tron with a fanciful wave of her arm as the first guest of the evening appeared on screen...

Spoiler:

Upon the large screen would the face of the current Friction World Champion appear. The blond buxom powerhouse standing there in her normal ring attire, arms folded underneath her generous rack as she stood and looked dead center at the camera. She had practically been ambushed by these camera men and the interviewer hiding behind the lends.

A look of confusion on her face as they had asked a number of different questions so far, what she thought about different wrestlers, who she'd like to face the most. Those sort of things. Now it had come to the point where they were asking about Adrian Kytes.

" What I think about Addy? Hmmm" Cecilia thought for a moment, the champion would then be asked more questions while thinking. How Adrian was in the ring, outside of the ring. What she liked, what she disliked. The questions just kept coming.

" Slow down dammit. Let me answer first." Cecilia barked out, a bit frustrated. " Adrian is one of the most annoying wrestlers to face in the ring. She's skilled, wily and hard to put down. She has a lot of tricks...I'd be lying if I said she wasn't one of the most difficult opponents for me to face, as she clashes heavily with my own style. Which is probably why I haven't beaten her in an official match. Though....that Hardcore Championship match was mine, if Sermis hadn't interrupted."  Cecilia grumbled a bit after, " I'd be happy to face her again, and take her down for real. Until then...let's just say she's still got two over me." The Swede said, a bit pouty at her last few words of that sentence.

" Outside of the ring though, Adrian is probably my closest friend. I hang out with her a lot, we drink, we rough-house, we have fun. We fight. It's one of most real and true friendships I've had." The champion continued, " She can be an annoying runt, but she's able to put up with me so I can't complain. Haha." Cecilia joked a little to ease up the mood.

" She was one hell of a Hardcore champion, almost as good as I was. The belt probably won't be seeing any champions as good as either of us again." The cocky blond boasted, " Like honestly though. I've never seen Adrian as a rival, she's a friend and she's a damn fine wrestler and while there is competition between us, it's just not like that? It's more...just us being buddies or something." Cecilia said as she would bring her hand up to scratch at her head. " I'm not sure what else you want from me? Hmm...probably should have given Adrian a chance to challenge for this belt though." Cecilia said as she would pat the title around her waist. " Oh well, maybe after Summer Splash." The Champion let out with a wide and confident grin. " That it? Anything else you want to kno-" and thusly the feed would end.

Adrian was all ready to jump down Gwendolyn's throat over whatever the heiress had dredged up to get under the former cosplayer's skin but an excerpt from Cecilia was actually a pleasant surprise. While Adrian might have had her ups and downs with blonde it was heartening to see Cecilia hold their friendship in such high regard. "Continue." She said simply, settling back down into her chair with a growing smug smile.

Quelling that bubbling temperament of Adrian's worked out rather swimmingly, if Gwendolyn did think so herself. It was no mere coincidence or act of happenstance that such an encouraging, flattering, ego-feeding clip came immediately after Gwendolyn had just finished unearthing all of the cosplayer's career low-lights. Whilst strategically mapping out tonight's festivities, she had an inkling that right around now would be the time when cakes would fly and punches would be thrown. An...unpleasant, way to conclude tonight's celebrations...and one that has happened all too often whilst hosting her sophisticated soiree's in this wrestling ring.

"Ah, delighted to see you coming around to embracing the spirit of tonight's nostalgic merriment. For how can one truly embrace the future if they refuse to reconcile themselves with their past and present?" Gwendolyn imparted before turning to face the audience with a beaming smile. "Cecilia Northman, ladies and gentleman. A champion who obviously has the good taste and sensibilities to reserve her rare appearances for only the most important of occurrences, namely....MY show. Whom, after having been given my personal blessings and well-wishes, I'm supremely confident will go on to have a long and illustrious title reign." Gwendolyn pompously stated with dramatic flick of her golden drills before spinning back in place to face the titan-tron with a waving gesture of her arm.

"But what's say we continue onward with our star-studded guest lineup by introducing our next esteemed entry. An individual who I myself have had a somewhat infamous history with, but is now a steadfast colleague and daresay...a newfound friend. Someone who sought to rekindle the dwindling spark of her fighting spirit by squaring off with Madam Kytes. Someone who sought validation to continue waging war in this cutthroat business of ours by fighting the best of the best...but since I was horribly preoccupied at the time, she settled and chose Adrian. Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you~..."

JOHNNNNNN CEEEENAAAAAA

er, no, not really.

It was actually:

Spoiler:

The video screen revealed Silver Ace, sitting backstage, half of her face paint sweated off, clearly having just finished some match, Hardcore Title in her lap. She had finished a match alright, and had been recovering backstage when some men with cameras came in and asking her various question, claiming it was for a upcoming highlight release.

"I mean, if I HAD to pick a former opponent, who wasn't Valley, to do a legit hentai match with?...I'd guess I'd say...Taylor Parker. Sure, we never really got along, and she'd probably murder me if she knew I said it, but cmon, have you SEEN her? She was hot! Real rocking body, you know she had to look amazing naked-"

The screen cut then, the monkeys in the production truck having clearly cued up the wrong clip, getting a bit of a laugh from the crowd, as well as a few wolf whistles at the suggestion, before the screen came back on, on the appropriate clip.

"Hmm? Adrian Kytes?  Well, I met her at a birthday party for our mutual friend, Angel. It was a hot tub party. I didn't know that well at the time really, except by reputation. I knew she had a history of being a rather...under-handed fighter at the time, so I wasn't sure what to make of her, but Angel liked her, and she was supposed to be REALLY good in the ring, and she looked pretty cute in a bikini, so I didn't have any issues with her.

She turned a new leaf around that time, I think, or soon after, and I became really impressed with her skills and abilities. I mean, she kicked ass in the ring! We've...I mean, I can't say we've ever been that close, or best of friends, but we've always been on good terms.

When I was dealing with the River Styx situation, I was feeling...rather de-motivated. Wasn't a great time in my career, was wondering if I had made the wrong choice, all that fun stuff. I knew I'd have to challenge Adrian for her belt if I was going to get my hands on Styx, and that match we had...I mean, damn, that's by far one of the top 3 matches of my entire career. She kicked like a damn mule too, couldn't eat right for a week...

But more than that, fighting Adrian brought back my passion and love for this sport, and I've a lot of respect for her. I may not be fond of some of her friends...and too be honest, I think that whole cosplay phase of her was kinda lame, and I think I have the better superkick, but seriously, Adrian is Aces in my book....uh, no pun intended...so uh, are you guys done yet? I've had to pee for like-"

The screen cut again then, no doubt for the best.

Another clip, another batch of compliments. Although some she could have done without, Adrian had not been seen publicly in anything less than a wrestling singlet and boots for seven years and she didn't need Ace putting ideas in peoples heads. "I totally have the better superkick..." she muttered under her breath but still smiling, even if what Ace said was starting to turn slightly sour. Her cosplay may have left the ring but it was not a phase and was not lame, no matter what the Canadian said.

Who could have fathomed that burying the proverbial hatchet with the ever eccentric Silver Ace would have paid off so fortuitously in the future? Gwendolyn and Ace having come to an accord after last year's Summer-Splash during a meeting of sheer happenstance and, as unlikely as it is to occur in this hostile work environment of theirs, actually managed to talk out their differences amidst polite discourse. Of course, what may have enabled such a congenial resolution of differences was that Ace had heaped an exorbitant amount of praise and admiration unto Gwendolyn at the onset of their talk. Gwendolyn, of course, incapable of of starving her ego of such delicious nourishment, and allowed Haley into her good graces. Which made setting up this interview considerably easier...the heiress smirking with a cocked-eyebrow down at Adrian after the clip had ended and overhearing her muttered comment.

"...notasgoodasmineBUT YES!!!~...Another headlining, mainstream competitor of the highest caliber...Haley "Silver Ace" Cote, everyone~..." Gwendolyn muttered that first part under her breath and off-mic before upping the theatrical tempo of her voice and formally requesting a round of applause for the current Hardcore Champion. The heiress' "clapping" being more akin to quietly tapping her gloved hand into her palm with an up-turned nose and being the pinnacle of high-class snooty sophistication. "Another emotionally stirring testimony, made even more special from it being recounted by a faithful follower of mine~...Tis a pity I wasn't invited to this hot tub soiree of yours, but still, although her admission was a tad...colorful, at certain junctures, I wish to offer my personal gratitude towards Haley, and also wish her a long and illustrious title reign." Gwendolyn remarked before turning back to Adrian with a mischievous smirk to show she was about to switch up the mood of the evening.

"However...not everyone from your sordid past has such fawning praise and cherished memories of Adrian Kytes as these past two guests.  I certainly find it implausible for one to achieve your level of stardom and exalted wrestling reputation without making one or two...enemies along the way. Yes, for every blooming flower we plant on our wayward waltz through life, there can be an accompanying weed blemishing the blooming garden of one's career. And that flower metaphor is actually quite appropriate and exceptionally genius if I do so say so myself, especially considering who our next, and final, guest is tonight. Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you~..."

With Gwendolyn's introduction, the screen of the titantron would showcase the entrance of AFW Complex...and a certain French blonde making her way through the entrance with a displeased look on her face.

Spoiler:

As the cameraman and the interviewer approached her, asking for a quick interview, the blonde responded simply:

"No, I am really busy right now, so if you could please catch me at a later ti---"

The interviewer interrupted Navi, telling her that the interview won't take more than 2 minutes.

After a second of consideration, the blonde relented: "Ugh, fine. What do you want?"

A few questions about the blonde's career in her 1.5 years in AFW were asked (during which she expressed being disappointed at barely being booked post Avalanche 2017), before the subject of the interview finally reached the ex-AFW Hardcore Champ:

"Adrian...Kytes...hmmmm...", the blonde's face would change further to the one of displeasure:

"So...supposedly, she was that amazing hardcore champ. From match I've seen at 2016's Avalanche, she was good, even if she lost, would be a fun match to fight against her, I thought."

"Flash forward to Summer 2017. Got a bit of popularity going on my end, and so, I was booked against her, was pretty excited to fight against someone of a bigger caliber. The match goes on, it's a physical affair...almost dislocated my shoulder and gave me a concussion...but, whatever, you fight to win in wrestling...

So here comes the end of the match, both of us are outside of the ring, stretching the ring out count, I smash her face, and try get both of us into the ring to beat the count...

...instead, the bitch pulls on my arm, keeps BOTH of us outside, and the match ends...with a count out draw."

"Now...excuse me...but when you are a former Hardcore champ, do you seriously choose a draw by count out, rather than a fight to a definitive end? And I fucking know I would've beaten that chickenshit coward for sure? Wanna know how? Well...even if it was a draw, for the last year, there was no rematch. What's the matter, Adrian? Afraid to let your already crap reputation plummet even further?!"

Getting heated at the last statement, Navi would just turn away from the interviewer and cameraman, not caring for further questions, as she continued on her way, as the video cut to black...

And there was the other shoe dropping. Navi Floges and Adrian Kytes had got on like the Starks and the Lannisters from day one, even a year after a disputed end to that match Navi was still mad about it. Either way, Adrian tried her best to remain calm in the face of the blonde's tirade. "She's still mad about that after all this time? And you've called me conceited."She said, not even sure if that was the best word to use in this case, but she was using it all the same... probably should have gone with immature.

While admittedly the most peculiar guest on tonight's agenda, the most prevalent thought on Gwendolyn's mind was how someone who dresses like an elven nymph from a Shakespearean sonnet can have so profane a tongue. Navi having verbal skills more akin to a debauched and drunken sailor than a forest deity. The bizarre juxtaposition giving Gwendolyn reason to pause and raise a cocked eyebrow before indifferently shrugging her shoulders and proceeding onward towards the grand finale of tonight's festivities and the revelation as to what Gwen's purpose was with this meticulous stroll down memory lane.

"Indeed...conceited was but one of many terms I so eloquently used to characterize oneself. However, there is still but one title yet I wish to bestow upon you before the night is done." Gwendolyn ominously remarked as she primly sauntered back to her seat, now addressing Adrian from across yonder tea table. "For you see, Madam Kytes...whilst I was perusing the overabundance of AFW video tapes backlogging your career...why, I couldn't help but be taken aback at what I had come to discover. A talented upstart chalking up victory after victory by any means necessary whilst being unjustly vilified by fellow competitors who were clearly envious towards one's own success, though with time, some of those antagonistic rivals would come to be seen as dear friends and compatriots~...does this description of yourself, remind you of anyone else, Madam Kytes? RRRRing any bells, perchance, hmm~...?" Gwendolyn's queried elegantly, a mischievous cheshire smirk hopefully getting the point across so she doesn't have to spell it out...but considering the minuscule I.Q. of the person she was conversing with...she did so anyway.

"Yes, Madam Kytes~...You and I, are one in the same. Two peas in a pod~...Two birds of a feather~...Cut from the same cloth~...and so on and so forth." Gwendolyn twirled her dainty wrist around to emphasize her unwillingness to use every term in the English dictionary to describe their resemblance. "The true purpose behind tonight's dedication to your career was to highlight these similarities between us. And it is because of these similarities, that I believe you'll make the right decision this day. Adrian Kytes...I propose an amicable alliance, as it were. Our contemptuous confrontations up till now were simply a clashing of like-minded individuals, and rather than us walk the path of rivals...let us walk the path, of comrades. A full employment as a representative of Primol corporation is laid before you, with innumerable resources and exorbitant funding at your disposal to further back your career. And all you have to do...is shake my hand...and allow me to refer to you as one more term.......ally." Gwendolyn said softly in her posh voice before extending her silk gloved hand across the table, audience members sounding off with resounding negativity towards this business deal, booing the very notion of Adrian allying herself with Gwendolyn.