"Many Happy Returns"

[OrochiGeese]

*It's an hour after Geese's "funeral" and we are backstage in Sergeant Drake Yoshida's office. Inside the office we see Orochi Geese, Drake Yoshida, Celes, Mr. Clyde, and Mr. Figaro standing around talking and looking generally upbeat.*

[Geese:] "So what became of Mr. Ward?"

[Drake:] "Marauder and Goro literally threw him out of the Arena."

[Geese:] "His reaction?"

[Drake:] "Unhappy."

*Geese laughs*

[Geese:] "Drake, there are two very different types of 'unhappy' in professional wrestling. There is the "I'm going to brood and actually think things though" unhappy like Kyle displayed tonight. And then there is hte "I will wait until you're vulnerable so I can try to kill you" unhappy like Kyle displayed earlier this year. Can you guess which one is more favorable to us?"

*Drake gulps*

[Geese:] "Right. So which one are we actually dealing with here?"

[Drake:] "The latter."

*Geese nods his head in the direction of Mr. Clyde.*

[Clyde:] "As I thought."

[Drake:] "But how? *Drake looks confused* You just got here like two days ago!"

*Figaro laughs and throws his arm around Drake.*

[Figaro:] "Yoshi, didn't we tell Geese we figured this all out before we left last year?"

[Geese:] "And I should have listened. Once again I'm sorry-"

[Celes:] "Enough. We've already successfully dealt with that unhappy chapter of our lives. Clyde, follow Ward. I don't know what he'll be up to but Kyle hasn't seen the light yet. We should still consider them a concern with James now being the corrupting influence."

[Clyde:] "You got it."

*Clyde opens the door but suddenly stumbles backward. Everyone is alarmed only to realize that the 'assault' Clyde just suffered was...

A hug.

[MJC:] "CLYDE!"

*Jean Carter has her best bearhug on Clyde and then applies the same maneuver to Figaro (who utilizes ukemi) and then Celes.*

[MJC:] "YOU'RE BACK!! OMG YOU'RE ALL BACK!"

*Jean is half laughing and half crying as she hugs Celes and holds on for dear life.*

[Celes:] "Now now...everything is going to be ok."

[Drake:] "Jean has apparently been mastering the hug of a hero..."

*Jean laughs but still doesn't let go of Celes.*

[Geese:] "Miss Carter?"

[MJC:] "Yes, Mr. Geese?"

[Geese:] "Your enthusiasm is as enchanting as ever but I think Celes would like her circulation back."

*Jean looks embarrassed and lets go, as color reappears on Celes' face*

[MJC:] "Oh sorry...sorry."

[Celes:] "It's quite all right. I'm very glad to see you too. In fact, Jean, it was you that I missed most of all."

*MJC can't contain herself and gives Celes another huge hug but not quite as tight.*

[Geese:] "Is Mr. Kisiera around?"

[MJC:] "Yeah, he's outside in the hallway."

[Celes:] "What is he doing there?"

[MJC:] "Making sure Clyde doesn't escape so that I can hug him again!"

*Clyde makes a break for the door but Luke surprisingly catches him and MJC hugs him again.*

[Celes:] "On such a serious night, it is a relief to witness such levity."

*Luke walks in and shakes hands with Clyde, Figaro, and Celes.*

[Figaro:] "Luke! I heard you've won a few matches recently. Looks like those cup stacking lessons Clyde and I gave you came in handy!"

*Luke shudders as a repressed memory is released but then laughs.*

[MJC:] "So, uh...where's...uh, you know-"

[Celes:] "Robin?"

[MJC:] "Yeah."

[Celes:] "She's with her brother. They needed some time to talk and I'm hoping it works to all our advantages."

[MJC:] "Right, yeah. Geese, I'm really glad she's ok."

[Geese:] "Thank you, Jean, I appreciate that."

[MJC:] "Really really glad. And it was wrong of Furis to hurt her just to get revenge for me. I'd never ask for that or support it. It really upset me when I heard that. You could ask Luke, I was crying for a half hour when I realized what happened."

[Geese:] "I have no doubt."

[MJC:] "But I also have to ask...is Jakob going to be ok too?"

[Celes:] "Absolutely. I was able to work with Dr. Schassberg on a new medication and treatment plan to help Jakob deal with his past in a healthy, honest, and non-violent way. The sedative used tonight was just to calm him down but he will recover fully in the future and be able to properly reintegrate into society. I think his professional wrestling career is over though."

[MJC:] "I'm just happy to hear he's gonna be ok. *MJC breathes a sigh of relief as she looks around the room.* Where did Mr. Clyde go?"

[Celes:] "He needed to take care of something. Meanwhile, I think both Geese and I have something important to say to you."


(Continued in next part later this week)

[OrochiGeese]

*Jean sulks and sits down in the chair as if she's awaiting a lecture.*

[MJC:] "I...didn't do so good, did I?"

*Celes looks shocked.*

[Celes:] "On the contrary! You performed exquisitely under duress. Since Geese was injured and unable to keep away outside threats like Ruby Moreno, you were operating without a safety net that even I enjoyed as General. And yet, you excelled under pressure. You refused to let OG-Joshi's integrity suffer by giving into Ruby. You never let anger get the best of you. And you stayed true to your principles more then I ever did here. In my opinion, you were the best leader of OG-Joshi ever.

Jean, I couldn't be more proud of you. ."

*Celes hugs Jean who has tears streaming down her face.*

[Geese:] "Everything that Celes said is absolutely true. You handled every threat through poise and with OG-Joshi's best interests in mind. Even if I had been around, Ruby would have still stolen the Title. But it was your reaction and treatment of the situation that made the Title still mean something. You never cracked under pressure and we're all proud of you. To think you started out as an interviewer and then went onto manage OG-Joshi like an experienced executive is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. Robin's meteoric rise to Champion wrestler from her humble beginnings was inspiring but what you did here was legendary."

[MJC:] "But...it's all gone now."

[Geese:] "Not gone, Jean, transformed. OG-Joshi was turned into a bargaining chip for a greater good. It had value for Ruby and Destiny because of how you kept it running. And that value allowed me to sell it for a high price to help people. If you had let OG-Joshi fold and given Ruby what she wanted without your spirited resistance, she never would have paid top dollar to me to buy it. You have no idea how indebted i am to you, Jean. It was your wise management that kept us afloat and allowed me to help Robin and Jeff Monroe."

*MJC looks overwhelmed and sits down with a blank look on her face. Luke goes over to massage her shoulders and speaks softly to her.*

[Luke:] "See, hun, I told you. Every time you asked me what I thought Celes would do during a dilemma, I said that she trusted you to make that decision. No matter how difficult and confusing things seemed, Ruby never really controlled OG-Joshi. You did."

[MJC:] "Rose Moreno helped too. She spooked Ruby."

[Geese:] "That is true. I regret the fact that had I known Rose was on the roster, I would have thrown her out. She proved not just helpful for my cause, but a fine person overall. And it was your decision to trust her that allowed all this to happen."

[MJC:] "But it was my decision to hire Rose that brought Ruby here to begin with!"

[Celes:] "Through no fault of your own, that statement is not accurate. Ruby was planning on invading OG-Joshi within the year by her own volition, independent of Rose. Although Ruby had no love for Jinchuu, she was patiently waiting for them to fully destabilize UBL. Alicia Gordon and an ally of hers was contracted to do the same to OG-Joshi. Once both promotions were weak enough, Ruby was going to invade with the full force of Destiny's might. Clyde and Thunder Strike gathered that intelligence and I have no reason to doubt it."

[Geese:] "Nor have I."

[Celes:] "Furthermore, Ruby wasn't originally planning on only stealing the title, Jean. She was going to take over the entire promotion as the first public victory for Destiny. But you short-circuited her plan. Ruby subordinated the long term plans of Destiny's 'guiding light' to indulge her sibling rivalry. By doing the right thing in hiring Rose, you inadvertently drew Ruby in using the best weapon to fight against her: Rose's threats of going public with Destiny's secrets. This held Ruby off as a threat just long enough for Geese to make the deal. And now, Destiny will not get the satisfaction of forcefully conquering OG-Joshi but merely accepting Geese's deal.

[MJC:] "...wow."

[Celes:] "And far more importantly, Ruby would never have paid Geese for OG-Joshi had she been able to take it over. We needed that money of hers to fully heal Robin and Jeff Monroe. And you made it happen, Jean by doing what you felt was right."

[MJC:] "So...I really helped all those people get better?"

[Celes:] "We needed their money badly, Jean. We got it, thanks to you."

*Jean is on the verge of tears and Luke goes over to hold her. Drake notices Jean being overwhelmed and chimes in.*

[Drake:] "Having a rich and arrogant half-brother didn't hurt you guys, either."

*Geese pats Drake on the back and shakes his hand.*

[Geese:] "Don't think for a second that anything you've accomplished has escaped my notice. It was you who truly ran UBL since I bought it. You kept it successful. If it wasn't for you, there would be no UBL to sell to Arthur. As great a leader as you were back in Japan, you have risen to new heights as Sergeant. I didn't have to bargain with Arthur to get him to keep you. He insisted that you be part of the deal. Thunder Strike and I get a lot of recognition in this promotion. But UBL does not exist without Drake Yoshida."

[MJC:] "Drake, you helped me so much too this last year. You stayed my mentor."

[Geese:] "You minimized the horror of Jinchuu by brilliantly shifting focus onto the Front Lines. Kyle Walker and Jinchuu took on the face of UBL's apparent death but you made Matt Rivers and the Front Lines the face of UBL's life. And the fans responded. The ratings for the Basic Training programs were higher then just about every show in 2011 besides Battle Formation. Arthur Wingate, as a wise businessman, followed the money. He liked the direction you re-focused UBL in and paid top dollar for it all. As much as he respects the wrestlers in the NEXUS Division, his main interest lies in the Basic Training program that you and Matt came up with."

*Drake nods and looks proud of the compliments he has gotten.*

[MJC:] "But uh...is there any money left?"

*Geese looks somewhat surprised and impressed.*

[Geese:] "Miss Carter, have you just added accounting to your repertoire?"

[MJC:] "No, I was just wondering cause...there are still people to help...medically."

*A look of recognition settles on Celes' face. She leans in and whispers to Geese "Dizzy".*

[Geese:] "Jean, one of the first things I did when Celes returned was to try to find Miss Cavuto. Unfortunately, much like Jo Ryder and Twinky McLanahan, Dizzy has disappeared. Jeremiah Jones too. If we can find them, I know Celes can help her."

[MJC:] "I...just had to ask. I really appreciate everything that you all have said. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to look back at this period with total closure if I know Dizzy is still hurt."

*Luke wraps his arms around her as she remains seated.*

[Celes:] "It wouldn't be you if you didn't, Jean."

[Geese:] "You have my word that I will do everything I can to find and help her, Jean. What happened to her was partially my fault-"

*At that very moment, the door opens and Robin 'Walkers' in. She sees Jean, causing both of them to turn pale, and goes to back out of the room. But Robin catches Geese's look which beckons her in. She re-enters and slowly approaches Jean who looks cautiously up in response. Robin takes a deep breath and her face is contorted in an embarrassed expression as she starts to speak. *


(Continued in third and final part later this week)

[OrochiGeese]

*Continued directly from where Part 2 left off*


[Robin:] "You uh...got a second?"

*Jean wills herself to make eye contact with Robin. She slowly nods and with a soft voice...*

[MJC:] "Yeah...uh, hi."

[Robin:] "Hi. So...all I'm asking is a couple of tries at this if I mess up. I think Celes can vouch for my heart being in the right place to talk to you, but my head isn't totally where it needs to be. So things might not come out perfect."

[Celes:] "Robin, when it comes to recovery and apologies, sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good. Just do your best to express your feelings. You'll find that Jean is an incredibly patient and understanding person."

*Robin takes a deep breath and nods, redirecting her attention back to Jean.*

[Robin:] "So, the thing is, Jean...*Robin stumbles* Miss Carter...uh, can I call you, Jean?"

[MJC:] "Yep, that's my name, don't wear it out!"

*Jean immediately regrets making the joke but Robin actually laughs, which puts both of them at further ease.*

[Robin:] "Jean, I've always been jealous of you. From day 1. You had an optimistic smile that I haven't had on my face since I was a kid. It's not your fault that the smile was taken from me. But truthfully, the first time I saw it, I wanted to slap it off your face."

*Jean recoils a bit and Robin frowns*

[Robin:] "I'm sorry. I really don't mean you harm anymore, I'm just trying to be honest about our past and how I felt back then. I don't want to slap you now, Jean. All I want to do is thank you. I'm just trying to explain the kind of person I was back then. And I realize that I lost any chance of being the best I could be once I started trying to destroy who you and others were. So ever since Ragnarok I've tried to be a better person. And I'd like to think the effort itself counts just a little because, for years, I never tried. I just did what I wanted and what I thought would benefit me. Sometimes those two things weren't even the same. But if it entertained me, I did it. I know I've done some bad stuff to you, to your friends, to a lot of people. And I was close to doing worse stuff to you last year but was stopped, ironically, by Ruby: the woman who tried to make your life hell the last year. The point is, you have every right to hate me."

*Despite Jean's soft voice before, she is more confident now.*

[MJC:] "Hate is a strong word and I don't like it. *Jean looks deep on thought for a second.* But I guess...I can't hate it either."

*Jean laughs uneasily and Robin smirks.*

[Robin:] "That's fair to say. After all, you've proven that you're a strong enough person to not need words like that. You never needed to chain yourself to negative emotions that could blind and ultimately hurt you. I hope that one day I can fully get to that point too. I never thought I could find the happiness you had inside you. But I did find it thanks to Geese's love and the guidance of Celes. And thanks to Mr. Kisiera, you're even happier then you used to be. I know you deserve that. And I regret trying to insult both of you for it."

*Robin looks at Luke too who nods back.*


[Robin:] "I know you'll probably never be able to fully forgive me for some of the stuff I've done. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to either. But that doesn't mean I can't give a girl a compliment when she deserves it. Cause I think you did a really kick ass job the last year and a half in charge of OG-Joshi. And I also think you proved me wrong about calling you a cupcake, or empty calories, or whatever ridiculous food analogy I used. Ultimately, I just want you to know that I don't resent you any more. I never should have, and I realize that. But I don't expect you to want to be friends with me, and I don't even know if I could spend time with you without seeing what I did to a certain someone reflected in your eyes. I don't even have the right to say her name, Jean. I know that. It would be an insult for it to come out of my mouth, even in my attempt at an apology. But I will take a second to honor her."

*Robin pauses and after she is sure Jean is ready, continues.*

[Robin:] "If there's anything you need. Anything ever, you just let me know and I'll make it happen. Geese spent all his money getting me back. I'd spend all my money if it meant fully healing you know who. You have my word on that. And I could sit here apologizing for years but I'd rather just show you that I mean it. I'm in debt to you, Jean Carter. For all the things I did to you."

*Here, Robin gets emotional and has to pause for a second.*

[Robin:] "And because your handling of OG-Joshi pretty much saved my life."

*Robin chokes back a few tears at the same time Jean does. Even Geese looks a bit emotionally overwhelmed at Robin's display.*

[Robin:] "I just have one final thing to say. It was originally my idea to have OG-FPD create a Joshi division. I conceived of it for selfish reasons and had no trouble convincing Geese *laughs* to make it happen. I never knew it would reach the heights that it did. I also never imagined the final Coach would run it with so much integrity that my influence seems absent in comparison. I held that World Title for years, but your choices made the entire roster benefit from it. In doing so, you gave the promotion meaning that I was never able to. You became OG-Joshi because, ironically, you never made it about you. You made it about the wrestlers. It's immortality comes from the efforts of you and Celes. So no matter what you deservingly think of me, I will always respect you, Jean Carter. You saved my life and gave meaning to the promotion I helped create. And I know I'm probably asking too much here but..."

*Robin holds out her hand for a handshake. Jean looks at it and, without hesitation, shakes it and nods. Jean is speechless, fighting back tears. After a good fifteen seconds spent with clasped hands and looking softly into each others eyes, they nod at each other and slowly retract the handshake. Jean goes to hug Luke while Robin looks around the room at the silent tension and smiles.*

[Robin:] "So...we all gonna celebrate a little tonight or just sit around drudging up sad stories?!"

*Geese looks surprised and very upbeat after hearing this.*

[Geese:] "Celebrate? I take it your conversation with Kyle went well then."

*Robin laughs.*

[Robin:] "Not that well. He still wants to kill you. But maybe 1% less then yesterday!"

[Figaro:] "I'll drink to progress!"

[Celes:] "I saw Kyle's stubbornness weaken and his resolve to do right strengthen. If there's one thing I know about a Walker, it just takes a small internal shift to lead to major progress. But I do think that will happen during a match with Geese, and not before it."

[Robin:] "I'll try my best to talk him into doing this non-violently but all I can do right now is be supportive. He still kinda thinks Geese has brainwashed me and so if I advocate too strongly against the match, he won't listen to me at all. It's a balancing act."

[Figaro:] "You know what helps your sense of balance? Cup stacking-"

*Figaro is promptly ignored except for a shudder coming from Luke.*

[Geese:] "Robin, I'm not concerned with Kyle's choice either way."

[Robin:] "Well, great, that makes one of us!"

*Robin punches him in the shoulder.*

[Celes:] "What I think Geese meant to say is that he has total confidence in your brother getting to the right frame of mind. But that Kyle may benefit in the long run by letting out his frustrations once and for all in the ring against Geese."

[Geese:] "Right. You're far more eloquent then I am."

[Figaro:] "Nah, I just think Geese likes it when Robin punches him."

*Everyone laughs as Robin punches Geese again.*

[Geese:] "I never saw so much punching and laughing after a funeral!"

[Robin:] "After yours, no less!"

[MJC:] "Oh, speaking of the funeral. Drake, did you really fire those rapping robots?"

[Drake:] "Yes but not because of what Kyle claimed. Although I'll grant he may have been misinformed for good reason. The Rapbots did come to my office upset that Matt cancelled their match and 'dissed their fl0w'. But when I tried to calm them down, the smaller one started to attempt sexual relations with my computer's CD tray. That is a firable offence."

[MJC:] "I wish I hadn't asked."

[Figaro:] "That's what we call some "Deep Discing."

*Luke looks highly disturbed.*

[Luke:] "That is not the right way to use a computer program module."

[MJC:] "Easy, hun."

[Figaro:] "Easy indeed, come on everyone! Let's start drinking!"

[Drake:] "Arthur gave me some olde English wine for a special occasion."

[Figaro:] "It's gonna be ole Engrish wine by the time we're done!"

[Luke:] "Then Jean and I can finally have a true Pizza Snack night."

*Jean laughs for the first time in what seems like hours as Drake passes out the glasses. The group enjoys the occasion and is having so much fun drinking that only Celes and Geese notice Figaro slipping out after checking his cell phone.*