"Destiny Drive"

[OrochiGeese]

"Destiny Drive"

*It's a few hours after LAWLiday 2011 and we see Alicia Gordon leaving the LAWLitorium with her gym bag and her head down. Some of the fans from the show are still gathered outside and begin booing when they see Alicia. She turns her head and tries to walk around them but they continue hurling insults at her. Choice quotes being: "Leave LAWL plz, k, thx bye", "You make children cry!" and this narrator's favorite: "Why the hell would you reach under the ring a split second before the ring out clock? FPR wrestlers aren't supposed to do that! What's next? Getting disqualified holding a weapon?" Whoa, people, where did that come from?*

[Alicia:] "Leave me alone."

*The mercilAWLess heckling continues when a limousine pulls up with its fog lights aimed at the crowd. About ten or so Gauntlet Security members come out and begin to 'assist' the crowd in dispersing. Next out of the limousine emerges the smiling OG-Joshi World Champion, Ruby Moreno. She holds her hands out in a peace offering in response to Alicia seeing her and assuming a fighting stance.*

[Ruby:] "Settle down. I'm not here to start trouble, Miss Gordon."

[Alicia:] "First time for everything, I guess."

*Ruby smirks but Alicia looks impatient.*

[Alicia:] "So what do you want?"

[Ruby:] "The very world. But tonight, I'd like to make you an offer."

[Alicia:] "I'm listening."

[Ruby:] "Let's take a ride so that we may discuss business more discreetly. I can drop you off where ever you need to go afterward."

[Alicia:] "My car is here so that would be a waste of gas."

[Ruby:] "I think I can afford it."

[Alicia:] "Fine."

*Ruby's eyes open in surprise.*

[Ruby:] "I did not expect you to accept so easily."

[Alicia:] "You've got about ten guys around me. I could probably eliminate five, maybe six of them, but I'm not an idiot. If you wanted to harm me, you'd have done it already. Instead, you say you have an offer? Well, after the last few weeks, let's just say I'm listening."

[Ruby:] "Ahh strange bedfellows."

*Suddenly Alicia looks offended.*

[Alicia:] "Hey, I'm not accepting any more of those types of offers."

*Ruby looks genuinely confused at this reaction.*

[Ruby:] "Ex...excuse me?"

[Alicia:] "Oh, nothing. Never mind."

*Ruby shrugs her shoulders and goes into the limousine after Alicia does. It pulls out of the parking lot and we'll pick this up in Part 2.*

[OrochiGeese]

*Ruby stretches her arms and relaxes in her seat and Alicia fidgets as one of the Gauntlet Security members begins pouring champagne for the two of them. Alicia shakes her head no and pushes the glass away.*

[Alicia:] "I don't trust you that much."

[Ruby:] "Would it really make sense for me to drug you? After I allowed you the chance to leave on your own volition."

[Alicia:] "There isn't much that makes sense these days."

[Ruby:] "I suppose for you that a mere glance in the mirror would confirm that."

[Alicia:] "Excuse me?"

[Ruby:] "I won't pretend that you had the match won tonight but why get yourself counted out at such a crucial juncture?"

[Alicia:] "If your offer was a lecture, I think our discussion is over. Driver-"

[Ruby:] "The lecture was merely a brief rhetorical question. And we both know that your uncontrollable anger is the answer. That was further amplified by your past with Jenny. But that's between you two as I could not care less about your personal rivalries-"

[Alicia:] "Yet you seem to know a lot about me."

[Ruby:] "Everyone knows you are unhinged, Alicia. It's cute in OG-Joshi: especially your reaction to your halfwit 'Coach'. But in LAWL, we're aiming for a much higher degree of professionalism. We wish to inspire the world through our class and competition. And quite frankly, Destiny was mortified by your shameful performance tonight. You made a mockery out of the OMG Title by choosing violence over victory. We can't allow that to ever happen again and possess ways to ensure that it doesn't."

[Alicia:] "Just who the hell do you think you are? You don't own LAWL. Neither does Destiny!"

[Ruby:] "Ownership is such an outdated concept. Only selfish fossils like Geese cling to it. What truly matters in this world is influence. Destiny has influence over LAWL through the power of our vision...and our wallet. But if we are to continue funding it, we have to make sure everything is to our liking. And you, Alicia Gordon, are no longer to our liking. We wish you to make a prompt exit."

[Alicia:] "I'm missing the part where you make me an offer."

[Ruby:] "I am quite aware that if you leave LAWL, you have nowhere else to go."

[Alicia:] "You were at Ragnarok, you know what happened."

[Ruby:] "That is correct. And I made particular note of your situation. As a result, my foresight and influence has allowed me to pave your way out of this situation and onto the next path of your career. You see, I expected you to lose tonight, even though the extent of your temper tantrum was somewhat unforeseen. However, I have been paying enough attention to know that LAWL is no longer the right fit for you."

[Alicia:] "Then what are you gonna do about it?"

*Ruby stretches her arms with an arrogant look on her face.*

[Ruby:] "As 'destiny' would have it, Carter recently offered me a deal regarding a personal concern of hers. I need only face some ruffian to uphold my end of the contract. In turn, I had her agree to lift your suspension. But all that remains conditional on your choice right now."

*Alicia looks amazed at what Ruby has just told her.*

[Alicia:] "So...if I leave LAWL you'll get me back into OG-Joshi?"

[Ruby:] "Precisely."

[Alicia:] "I understand what's in it for me. And really, I have nothing left to do in LAWL besides watch Marie's back."

[Ruby:] "She has her younger sister to do that now, in addition to many others. Plus, you have so much unfinished business in OG-Joshi: Haley Cannon, Jean Carter, an almost endless list of people to eliminate based on their affronts to you and their threat to the 'peace'. And who will dispense proper justice to Robin Walker if she ever returns? Your destiny is clear, Alicia."

[Alicia:] "But what's in it for you?"

[Ruby:] "You are too much of a radical. I have a very strict agenda to implement in LAWL and I do not see you fitting into it."

[Alicia:] "So you're afraid of me."

*Ruby rolls her eyes.*

[Ruby:] "I don't even know fear. It happens to be an emotion I'm incapable of feeling due to my philosophy and resulting mastery of life. But if my 'fear' is what you'd like to believe, I won't waste my time arguing the matter. The fact is that you are no longer part of LAWL's destiny as I will write it whereas your presence in OG-Joshi greatly benefits me."

*Alicia suddenly smirks, a facial expression we rarely see from her. The limousine stops at this point.*

[Alicia:] "Ohhh, I see. You want me to destabilize it, don't you?"

[Ruby:] "Once again I remind you that your interpretation of my intentions don't interest me. Now I do believe we are back in the parking lot. So Alicia, what say you? Reinstatement in OG-Joshi or will you and I meet next on LAWL turf with less stable terms?"


*Continued in Part 3.*

[OrochiGeese]

[Alicia:] "Miss Moreno, you have yourself a deal."

*Ruby raises her eyebrows and nods her head. She takes out a document that has a Destiny.Org letterhead.*

[Alicia:] "No LAWL contract?"

[Ruby:] "This has actual binding power. If you break a LAWL contract, you only have to peel potatoes as your punishment. Plus..."

*Ruby points to one of the lines at the bottom of the document that is already signed. Alicia looks surprised.*

[Alicia:] "Is that Gloria's signature...already?"

[Ruby:] "I took care to ensure that every angle of this agreement was already taken care of before approaching you. And after your display tonight, it did not take much for me to convince Gloria into letting you go. *Ruby smiles* Actually, I just made a rare error. I'm not sure 'convince' was the right word there as the only disagreement seemed to be over which one of us would get to tell you."

*Alicia looks momentarily hurt but then regains her poise and reads through the contract.*

[Alicia:] "And how long is this contract for?"

[Ruby:] "There is no formal concluding date so consider your banishment indefinite. If I want you to return to LAWL, we will discuss it. You are also allowed to contact me to offer terms of renegotiation. I am a reasonable person and have no problem discussing offers you think could be mutually beneficial. But realize this contract is ironclad until the day we actually decide to change it. That means that you are not to participate in LAWL in any way besides paid audience presence. You can not jump the rails, you can not train with wrestlers. You are done-"

[Alicia:] "I get it. How soon can you get me back into OG-Joshi?"

[Ruby:] "Once you sign it, the paperwork will go through tomorrow morning ensuring that your suspension is lifted. I have also included a hidden loophole as a gesture of good will to you from Destiny that I hope you remember as time goes on."

[Alicia:] "Loophole?"

[Ruby:] "Carter is a novice in these contractual affairs and was so impatient to finalize the deal that she failed to have Orochi-O's counsel review the document. Destiny lawyers worded your return clause in such a way that prevents Coach from ever suspending or firing you again. That means you can do anything there to provoke your enemies into getting what you want, just in case Coach refuses to book you."

*Alicia's eyes grow as wide as her smile.*

[Alicia:] "I can be pretty convincing too."

*Alicia signs two contracts and hands them back to Ruby who signs them as well. Then she places one in a sturdy folder and hands it to Alicia.

[Ruby:] "Here is your copy of our agreement. You may clean all your possessions out of your LAWL locker room this week and say goodbye to anyone on the roster who is still talking to you after tonight. As an extra token of my gratitude for making this process so surprisingly efficient, I will provide you with first class airfare to New York City for a flight next week. After all, I'm sure Jean Carter misses you. And if I'm not mistaken, you may want to discuss your new status in OG-Joshi with potential like-minded individuals."

*Alicia looks surprised and a bit annoyed.*

[Alicia:] "Ok, enough, I get it."

[Ruby:] "Yes, I have eyes everywhere now. Influence, Alicia."

[Alicia:] "We're done here. Just stay out of my way in OG-Joshi. Not that I expect you to remain there past this summer anyway."

[Ruby:] "Why, Alicia, whatever do you mean? I am the proud OG-Joshi World Champion!!"

*While Ruby laughs, Alicia picks up her contract folder and steps out of the limousine. It has started raining and so Alicia runs to her car but stops with an almost cartoonish level of screeching halt when she sees someone standing in front of it: Marie Reyes. Marie watches the limo drive off and sees the "DESTINY" license plate then turns to Alicia with a stone faced expression.*

[Marie:] "Ruby's limo? So it looks like we have some talking to do."

*Alicia gets into her car and is unable to make eye contact with Marie.*

[Alicia:] "I gotta go, Marie. I'm not feeling well. I'll...I'll call you tomorrow."

*Alicia quickly pulls out of her spot, not realizing (or caring?) that she has just soaked Marie with the dirty puddle forming on the ground, and then drives off as Marie continues to look devoid of expression. Luckily Marie is wearing her LAWL "plátanos en impermeables" (Bananas in Raincoats) gear (now $15.00 on LAWL's website!) and manages to not get too wet. *