Reluctant Return (For HawtHorne)

Lady Lu Zhouyi stood outside the Friction Arena, looking up at the massive structure. Her magma red eyes filled with sorrow. She was back in Japan, after spending what little money she could on a plane ticket, a new apartment and having her things shipped here to it. She had been gone from this place for so long, and being forced to return felt like a slap in the face. She shook her head, bouncing those long black twin tails from side to side as she did so.

It had all happened so fast, she could hardly keep track of the events. Slowly, she walked towards her apartment, carrying a duffel bag of clothes and necessities that she had brought with her. Her job in the museum had been going fairly well. She was on her way to becoming a curator, and had even had the distinguished role of leading tours and discussing the various items the museum had. It was run by an older gentleman, a very conservative man, who she felt had only hired her because he was being pressured to hire a woman. But, that didn't matter much as she had quickly proved she was an effective worker. It wasn't grand work, and there weren't crowds of screaming fans, but she liked it. She also liked not having to get naked in front of all of those people. But then, on an otherwise normal Tuesday, she walked in to the back room to find a number of her coworkers around a television. They were watching [url=http://afwrpg.informe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2384:3pgzlx00]a wrestling match[/url:3pgzlx00]. After moving in for a better look, they cut it off. Her boss was horrified, and her coworkers were grinning at her like hungry wolves.

She was fired on the spot.

And now she was back to where she had started. It was disheartening, but that was the way it was. A quiet elevator ride took her to her floor, to the room she had used last time. It was safe, but nowhere near high end living. A simple studio apartment, with little more than one room with a bed, kitchen, and low table. It was meager, but it she didn't need much, did she? Approaching the door, she found it ajar. Had she been robbed already? Or had the moving men just left it open? "Hello?" her voice broke the silence as she pushed the door open looking inside.

Margaret Sinclair sat inside the apartment of one Lu Zhou Yi. Margaret's work as Lukretia's lawyer and de facto consigliere left her little spare time, but she had always eyed the AFW with interest. Currently under her gaze was Yi, a former, soon to be returning, Friction wrestler. She did not exactly generate much heat with the audience, but she was solid, skilled, and there was something Margaret liked about her temperament. Even moreso that she used to be romantically involved with the protege of Violate's new gal pal, who Violate was relentless in insisting Margaret meet.

To generate Friction, what better reason was there to bring someone like Lu Zhouyi back? Though Yi, Margaret could do so and fulfill a hint of the ambition she had for the sport. Yi would no doubt be pliable... or be made so after this meeting.

She heard the creak of the door opening, "Come in," Margaret called out as she stood up to greet Yi. "Good day, my name is Margaret Roderick Sinclair, chief legal counsel for Lukretia von Cruezfeldt." Margaret nodded politely toward Yi, extending her hand in a handshake she regarded as an obligation more than anything else. "I hope you will understand the intrusion. I absolutely had to discuss a proposal with you as soon as possible." Margaret's lips curled in a knowing smile, "I won't take much of your time. If you will have a seat..." Margaret gestured to the table, on which she had arrayed a couple of folders and an coffee mug unfamiliar to Yi.

Her gaze flitted over the woman and then over the rest of the apartment. If the intruder had unsupervised access, then she might have hidden something, or perhaps there was an accomplice? The scan was over before the intruder's hand was offered, though when it was, Yi delayed by putting her traveling bag down first. She didn't like not knowing who she was looking at, but insulting this woman seemed like a poor choice. Margaret Roderick Sinclair, as it were, knew how to drop a very big name. Zhou Yi did remember Lukretia. "Charmed, I'd introduce myself, but it seems you've taken the time to already know me." Her handshake was tense, an attempt to show off some level of dominance in the situation.

As her hand returned to her side, magma reds fell from the woman to the table, considering the papers. "What are they?" she asked, slowly obliging her guest for now and kneeling at the table so that she could inspect the papers more closely. "I have already re-registered, Councilor Sinclair," she minded as she noted a few familiar forms in the mix.

Yi made no bones about it. Margaret was intruding on her territory and she was on the defensive. Margaret's handshake did not return Yi's show of strength. She barely seemed to even regard it. "Indeed I have, Lu Zhouyi." Margaret called out casually as she knelt down opposite Yi. "That is good to hear. Let me be the first to welcome you back to Friction." Margaret gathered a few of the forms and slid them aside. "That greatly shortens this meeting." Margaret opened another folder, revealing a photograph of Lu Jiao Jocelyn speaking with Allison Watson. "Let's get the basics out of the way first. Do you recognize either of these women?" Margaret knew quite well Yi should know at least one of them.

Her eyes went over the woman. This was not similar to the welcome she recieved last time, not in the slightest. A slight nod was given to the intruder, as though congratulating her on knowing how to say her name. The picture was taken as it hit the table, Zhouyi's stalwart gaze had cracked a little seeing Jocelyn, and now the picture was being used to hopefully obscure her full recognition. "I've fought with this one, Lu Jiao Jocelyn. Correct? What about her?" The picture was discarded back to the table when the former curator felt she composed herself.

Of course, she had done more than just fight Lu Jiao Jocelyn.

Margaret's lips curled in that icy smile again, "Good, good. I know you two had a bit of a ... rivalry going on. Of course, Jocelyn has fallen in with that... other woman there. Nasty sort, but she's helping her get really good at this whole business. Fights like an animal now, Jocelyn does."

Margaret clasped her hands together, "Now, Yi, I must be frank. The last time you were here, your performances were... well, competent. You had solid fundamentals but..." Margaret sighed, as if reluctantly scolding a child, "You simply did not capture the crowd's imagination. The decision to rehire you was not made lightly, Yi. But the AFW felt you were still a good investment. You had potential to really become A-list talent. I am here to help you with that."

Time for the big proposal, "Yi, I would like to manage you. With my direction, I am sure you will become a staple of Friction in no time." Margaret slid another folder toward Yi. "Please feel free to look over the contract here." Margaret's smile was that of a shark, her eyes piercing into Yi's with mock friendliness. "Now, do not feel pressured to take me up on this offer. If you do not, there are other ways for us to build drama. I believe..." Picking up another folder from the table, Margaret read it herself first, "Yes, this is the one," Margaret knew exactly what she was looking for. "Family drama is always engaging. I believe I have located your father." Yi no doubt did not want her father to know what she was doing with her life. Margaret's smiled aimed to twist the knife. "I believe I can arrange to have some complimentary front row tickets sent to him. I'm sure our viewers would love to see a father-daughter reunion on air, wouldn't they?"

She could feel her jaw tightening as this Margaret continued to talk. What had happened while she was gone? What was this legal counseling intruder suggesting? The woman tried to relax, remove her tension, focus on the facts but it seemed like Margaret was just pacing herself to keep Zhouyi unbalanced. She didn't need this right now. She had only just moved back in!

"My WHAT?" she took the file and began to thumb through it, doing her best to analyze as much of it as possible as fast as possible. "How did... but I..." She wanted to strike, to leap across the table, and smash the white haired woman across the face. But, that same woman currently held all of the cards, and was prepared in a way that Zhouyi was not. And even if she could defeat this woman and destroy this file, it was likely the woman could make the file again. Unless she killed her.

Zhouyi briefly considered murder.

This was the moment Margaret lived for. Checkmate. The panic and defeat of an opponent. The answer was foregone but everyone came to terms with this differently. Some snapped, some raged, some bawled. Margaret's whole body tensed; she had no idea how Yi would react. Maybe it would come to blows.

Yi practically tore the file from Margaret's hand. She could barely stifle the chuckle in delight at Yi's fear. Once again, a solid read. Yi belonged to her now. "Oh, feel free to hold on to that, if you need it." Margaret's pleasant tone was just a thin veneer, "As I said, you have potential. I want to see you at the top of the cards here, with the crowd eating out of the palm of your hand. I want you to be able to name a title and have a shot at it within a week." Margaret leaned in over the table, she would reach out for one of Yi's hands to clasp it in a practiced gesture, "Let me help you. Friction will recoup their investment on you, Yi. One way or another. If you work with me, you will do great things here." Margaret could not come down too hard. Filial shame was a powerful bullet against many Easterners but it was the sort of bullet that could only be fired once. Fortunately, Margaret could feign a sort of ice-water-soaked sincerity when the situation called for it. Still, Margaret regarded Yi as no more than a luxury, a new toy to be collected and used for whatever whimsy took her. Make her great, break her down, Margaret had not decided what she wanted with Yi, yet.

She shook the thoughts of homicide from her head, they were not only too barbaric, but she also lacked a decent alibi and would almost certainly face a conviction. She closed the file after a few more moments of silent reading while Maggie continued. A title belt sounded like a bit of a pipe dream to the woman who had just spent almost a year not training. Though, there were some benefits evident. With Maggie as her manager and able to focus her on a single title, she'd likely be spared the more humiliating bouts, such as Hentai matches. And if it was a title she was going to pursue... A deep breath was drawn to compose herself.

"It's been almost a year. I'll need some time to get back into a fighting fit shape. But if you would prefer me to go after a title, you must already know how a fight," she spoke evenly and softly. Magma red eyes met her new manager's directly. "Might I suggest the Hardcore Title?" Her grappling was poor, which meant she was likely to disqualify herself in such matches. Nor did she exactly consider heself a particularly effective lusty lover, so Hentai was right out, also.

Margaret's eyes widened almost imperceptibly when Yi recommended her title of choice. She had not pegged Yi for such brutality. "Interesting." Margaret reached down to the satchel sitting next to her chair. Flipping it open, she spoke, "You are after the hardcore title? I... just have to warn you. The women after that title are not just drunk barbarians seeking to hit people with weapons..." Thumbing through it, Margaret pulled out another file. 'Northman, C.,' the label read. She set it down on the table for Yi. "There are not many after that belt, but the ones that are tend to be quite... imposing. That woman right there is a good shot for the title..." Margaret pursed her lips, "And I do not have any other files on the hardcore combatants here. Huh." She turned back to Yi with a smile, "You threw me a curve ball. Not many do that." She set the satchel back down. "I just want you to know what you are getting in to. If you want that belt, we will have to get you into shape. I know just the person..."

Margaret slid another folder toward Yi. A pen was hooked around the front. Inside was a contract, "But first, I'll need your commitment. I will be your manager, and you will be MY talent. I will make you a star, and I will provide the resources to do it, but it will be on my terms. I am going to be your boss." Margaret's eyes did not waver as she stared at Yi, seeking to assert her authority, "Give me your signature here, and we will get started."