"Meanin on up!"

[OrochiGeese]

*It's early evening on Thursday and we see "Mean" Jean Carter skipping and whistling (the tune to Thundercats) down the hallway of the Peter Venkman Memorial Arena. She stops at General Celes' door and gives a very distinctive knock. A male voice calls "come in" from inside the office, eliciting a raised eyebrow from MJC. She resumes her chipper attitude and waltzes in with a smile....which quickly fades when she sees both General Celes and OrochiGeese sitting there with somewhat serious looks on their faces.*

[MJC:]: "Uh...hi. I didn't know you BOTH wanted to talk to me today."

[OG:] "Please take a seat, Miss Carter. General Celes and I have been discussing your role with us."

*MJC gets a bit pale but manages to take a seat opposite from Celes and Geese.*

[MJC:]: "Did I do something wrong? If it's about leaving skittles in the cameraman's bag, it was JUST a rib!"

[Celes:] "Take a deep breath, Miss Carter."

*MJC takes a few. They seem overly-dramatic but are quite genuine*

[Celes:] "Remember what I said on the phone?"

[MJC:]: "Yes, you had good news for me! GOOD news! Nothing like being fired by two authority peoples at once! That wouldn't be good for anyone! Really!!"

[OG:] "It certainly wouldn't be good for us considering the excellent job you have been doing around here."

*MJC immediately perks up. Her face is actually glowing from the praise*

[Celes:] "What we want to do today is discuss with you your bright future in OG-Joshi."

[MJC:]: "Really!? Wow!! So what's this all about?"

[OG:] "General Celes and I don't always see eye to eye...

*OG pauses for a second*

[Celes:] "Just say it."

[OG:] "It's a matter of preparing for the future for OG-Joshi."

[Celes:] "Jean, I doubt Geese is gonna have me around here as General for very long."

*MJC looks more sad then surprised*

[OG:] "Now now, I haven't said anything like that to you-"

[Celes:] "Don't patronize me, I can see through your "CEO-speak" and your actions speak for themselves."

[OG:] "Actions such as doing whatever it has taken to KEEP you on as General in response to every time you have threatened to quit in the last year?"

[Celes:] "Actions such as those that have made me WANT to quit."

[MJC:]: "I HATE IT WHEN YOU TWO FIGHT!"

*OG and Celes both look surprised at her outburst. MJC blushes in response.*

[MJC:]: "Uh I mean, so what does this all have to do with me?"

[Celes:] "OG-Joshi will eventually need a new General. And while Geese and I haven't 'seen eye to eye' on just about everything for the last year, we do agree on our confidence in YOU."

[OG:] "Yes, we both believe you have the qualities and ability to be a future leader. You are the only person besides Mr. Figaro and Mr. Clyde that BOTH Celes and I get along well with. That says a lot."

[MJC:]: "What a coincidink! Mr. Figaro says he wants to get along with me even MORE, too."

*Celes winces and OG shakes his head in disgust*

[OG:] "That's neither here nor there but I'll make sure it doesn't happen."

[MJC:]: "Ok, so, what am I going to do now?"

[Celes:] "Well, we have some bad short term news but some good long term news."

[OG:] "You are getting a promotion. A rather large one with more money."

[MJC:]: "Yea! Everything's coming up Carter!"

*Celes briefly smiles at MJC's reaction but then turns to OG with a scowl*

[Celes:] "Yes, leave me to give the bad news as I expected."

[OG:] "You didn't like my 'CEO-speak,' so give it to her straight then."

[Celes:] "Jean, some of your existing responsibilities will be either cut or given to others. In the case of the latter, we will be looking for new interviewers to take your old role.."

*MJC looks as if she's about to cry. Celes goes over to put her hand on MJC's shoulder*

[Celes:] "I'm afraid it's necessary. The promotion that Geese mentioned is to the position of 'General's Understudy.' You will be kind of like a paid intern on the track to learning just what it is that I do as a General to keep OG-Joshi the dominant Orochi-O's wrestling fed."

*Celes looks at OG for approval of her claim and he grins, not wanting to start up with her*

[MJC:]: "That sounds really amazing!! I mean, WOWZERS! I don't know what else say!"

[OG:] "'Wowzers' was an interesting choice."

[Celes:] "The only downside here is that your new role will be very rigorous and time consuming. So much so that it's simply impossible for us to expect you to continue your previous responsibilities. Because not only will you be observing me and even engaging in some real decision-making with me for OG-Joshi, but I'll be giving you a number of practice management challenges."

[MJC:]: "Like...like scavenger hunts and stuff!?"

*Celes's eyes open a bit wider in surprise but Geese just laughs it off*

[OG:] "Ahh I told you this one has moxy, General. Miss Carter, I'm not quite fully aware what Celes will be having you do for those 'challenges'. But they won't take up ALL of your time."

[MJC:]: "Oh..."

[OG:] "Cause I will be giving you an education as well."

*MJC's eyes open ALMOST as wide as Celes's do*

[Celes:] "You did NOT run that by me."

[OG:] "I decided it right now."

[Celes:] "It's a poor decision. It's gonna be hard enough for her to deal with all the work I have for her as it is. For you to add your own, likely contradictory, lessons is going to confuse the whole process for her."

[OG:] "A true leader can sort out the helpful information from the superfluous."

*Celes's expression and voice suddenly goes unnaturally cold*

[Celes:] "She won't choose your side."

*MJC's eyes are darting back and forth as if she was watching a tennis match. Finally, she raises her hand*

[OG:] "You, in the first row."

[MJC:]: "I'm sorry to interrupt again but... I know I can't be an interviewer anymore but does all this mean I'm going to be too busy to host Amplitude and the UBL Leagues?"

*Celes pauses a bit, allowing MJC to steel herself to her response. She sighs.*

[Celes:] "It can't be helped. You are just going to be too busy. The upcoming Amplitude is your last one. After that, we'll be switching to a new format as well."

*MJC's eyes begin to tear up heavily.*

[OG:] "Listen, we're only doing this because we NEED you ready to be the next General at some point."

[Celes:] "Sooner then later, I assure you."

[OG:] "As for hosting UBL league shows, I'll have to relieve you of your duty there too.

*MJC's eyes continue to flow with tears as Celes hands her a tissue*

[OG:] But Miss Carter, you will still be present AT those shows...*Geese momentarily looks away from Celes' gaze* as you will be spending your time learning under my appointed teacher, Sergeant Drake Yoshida."

*Celes' face turns a deep crimson shade of red*

[Celes:] "You said that YOU would be doing the teaching, not Yoshida!"

[OG:] "HE is part of my lesson plan."

[Celes:] "What kind of remedial student do you take Jean to be!?"

[OG:] "Drake Yoshida is a very capable businessman. He turned the original UBL into a success and has even helped me with ideas in the past for Orochi-O's. He will provide an excellent counter-balance to you."

[Celes:] "Jean, I'm sorry...I didn't know Geese was going to subject you to this."

[MJC:]: "It's ok, Cele- General."

[Celes:] "Call me Celes, we're gonna be working closely now. And in order for me to really pass on my abilities, we have to be fully comfortable with each other."

*MJC smiles a bit, her face still stained with tears*

[MJC:]: "Ok Celes."

[OG:] "Miss Carter, I continue to have high confidence in you. While I will personally miss your presence on our shows, the fact is that you will be on the track to filling a bigger and better role for us."

[MJC:]: "I understand, I want to help Orochi-O's out any way I can!"

[OG:] "That's a good soldier, isn't it, General?"

*OG smiles coyly at Celes who stiffly shakes in anger but manages to remain in control,

[Celes:] "The fact that she thinks for herself makes her a good soldier and future General."

[OG:] "I'll be sure to have Drake give her HIS thoughts on that topic. Now Jean, as we said, you will have one final chance to host Amplitude. But that is not all. As a final show of gratitude for the great job you have done as UBL Host, we will have you conclude that role on our next Battalion show."

*MJC's eyes light up and she literally jumps out of her chair*

[MJC:]: "The moon!? I'M GOING TO THE MOON!? OMG!! 'MEAN JEAN ON THE MOON!' WHAT A SCOOP!!!"

*MJC writes something in her notebook and draws a quick cartoon picture of the moon with her on it.*



*She then runs up to the wall and attaches it to the bulletin board with fun-tac*

[Celes:] "I'll grade it later."

[OG:] "Well now Miss Carter, I think we've covered everything tonight. You may go now and take it all in while Celes and I "fine-tune" some details."

*MJC puts her hand to her head in a saluting motion and...salutes*

[MJC:]: "I will do the best I can in my new role! Thank you for the opportunity!"

*MJC enthusiastically shakes the hands of both Celes and Geese and then exits the room, closing the door behind her. Celes immediately turns her attention to Geese with a scowl.*

[OG:] "Go ahead, just say it."

[Celes:] "I'm done wasting my time discussing things with you when you just go ahead and change the terms at your whim. Subjecting Jean to your lessons are one thing, but Yoshida is a small man in values and spirit. He has no grand vision, he's petty and vengeful. Most of all, he's utterly incompetent. You can at least teach Jean how to get things DONE, even if those things shouldn't even be contemplated. Drake will just mire her in meaningless technicalities and paths that go nowhere. And why? Because he is too worried that she will outshine him. I want to teach her to take over my role - All he'll teach her to do is not question his. You are wasting her time AND my time in having to re-educate her after his nonsense. Ultimately, you are wasting your own time in having your future General be taught by a charlatan."

*Celes leaves Geese somewhat speechless and walks out the door.*

[OG:] "And people say the good General and I never talk anymore."

*Geese grins, rolls his eyes, and casually walks out as well*