Post by Kris on Feb 21, 2022 18:48:01 GMT -5
We cut backstage to BB Gunn’s office. He’s working on some paperwork at his desk when we hear the door open. He looks up, looking initially alarmed, but when he sees who has intruded on him, his face brightens.
BB Gunn: Miss Sparks, what a pleasant surprise. I don’t usually have the honor of your presence when you’re not scheduled.
We see Keahi enter to a mild cheer from the crowd in the arena. She’s dressed in a black leather jacket and pants that either are or are made to appear like they are made of leather also. She is much less excited to see Gunn than he was to see her.
Keahi Sparks: Yeah, that’s why I’m here. Are you protecting me?
All the air comes out of Gunn’s sails as he leans back in his chair, expression melting into the hardened mask of professional courtesy.
BB Gunn: Straight to business today, I see.
Keahi Sparks: I don’t have time for your pseudo-professional bullshit. Do I look like someone who needs six weeks off? Do I look like someone who wants six weeks off?
When BB Gunn doesn’t answer immediately, Keahi leans over the desk at him. She doesn’t raise her voice, but there is a hint of anger. Just a dash.
Keahi Sparks: Let me make something perfectly clear. You don’t have to answer, because I won’t believe you even if you tell me you aren’t. I don’t know what went on in your past, and I don’t know what an AXW is, but it’s gone now, so it doesn’t matter. What matters is that NLW is here, now, and I’m here, now, and while I appreciate that you have a roster that’s a little hard to manage right now, I don’t appreciate the fact that you’ve left me off of two Supershows in a row now.
BB Gunn: But you were--
Keahi Sparks: --at Supremacy, yeah, I remember. It’s not your turn to talk yet. I should have walked into Supremacy with the belt, and if it weren’t for the fact that you booked me in a triple threat so the Goon Squad and the Walking War Crime could save each other from me, I’d have walked out with the belt. As Cage so deftly pointed out, I’ve been unpinned for quite a while, and that’s still true. It’s also true that I have now lost out on three separate title opportunities on the actions of other people and not my own merits, so you can understand why I might feel a little slighted. Both Goon and Cage felt what happened when I punched them out, and in their hearts of hearts, they both know that match was mine. They can deny it all they want, talk about how life isn’t fair or this is how wrestling works and I should just put up with it, or how I should just--
Keahi pauses here and screws her face up to make a bad facial impression of Nathan Cage before whispering, directly into BB Gunn’s eyeballs.
Keahi Sparks: Do something about it.
BB Gunn: I’d really appreciate it if you did not do that.
Keahi just stares down at BB Gunn for an uncomfortably long time.
Long enough for her to reset her facial expression to one approximating stony neutrality, though she is unable to hide the fire burning behind her eyes.
Long enough for her to take a sharp inhale through her nose, and exhale it on to BB Gunn’s face.
(Presumably they both know they’re safe, or Keahi would probably be fired already.)
(Or maybe not.)
After the uncomfortably long silence has grown almost unbearable, Keahi stands up straight again, looking down her nose at Gunn.
Keahi Sparks: And I won’t. Because I’m not like him. I could go out there and fuck over Sanderson, make him angrier than he already is, and set off whatever ticking time bomb is inside Cage’s brain, but I’m not a fool. If I get into a cycle of retributive violence with Cage, I’d be playing his game, and it wouldn’t end until you’d have to create the next Next Level Wrestling, if anybody’s still out of touch enough to give you any money for it, because this one will be a pile of embers and ashes drifting into Lake Pontchartrain.
BB Gunn: Is it my turn to talk yet?
Keahi ignores Gunn and walks over to the door of his office. Pulling a move that looks a lot like when Cage was in here recently, dressing the GM down, she turns back over her shoulder to address him.
Keahi Sparks: I’ll play by your rules for now. God knows you don’t need another problem child when you've already gone one running around, screaming that he’s King Shit of Fuck Mountain, drawing little pictures on himself and showing us all how insecure he actually is. But if I get back to the front of the line, and he’s still got the strap? I’m going to take him up on what he said. If he’s still willing to die in the ring to convince himself he’s worth something?
She turns her back to Gunn, but doesn’t walk away. She says the parting shot loud enough for him to hear, though.
Keahi Sparks: I will deliver him to Hell myself.
Keahi then walks out of the office and closes the door behind her. It’s almost unsettling how slowly and gently the door closes.
BB Gunn: Miss Sparks, what a pleasant surprise. I don’t usually have the honor of your presence when you’re not scheduled.
We see Keahi enter to a mild cheer from the crowd in the arena. She’s dressed in a black leather jacket and pants that either are or are made to appear like they are made of leather also. She is much less excited to see Gunn than he was to see her.
Keahi Sparks: Yeah, that’s why I’m here. Are you protecting me?
All the air comes out of Gunn’s sails as he leans back in his chair, expression melting into the hardened mask of professional courtesy.
BB Gunn: Straight to business today, I see.
Keahi Sparks: I don’t have time for your pseudo-professional bullshit. Do I look like someone who needs six weeks off? Do I look like someone who wants six weeks off?
When BB Gunn doesn’t answer immediately, Keahi leans over the desk at him. She doesn’t raise her voice, but there is a hint of anger. Just a dash.
Keahi Sparks: Let me make something perfectly clear. You don’t have to answer, because I won’t believe you even if you tell me you aren’t. I don’t know what went on in your past, and I don’t know what an AXW is, but it’s gone now, so it doesn’t matter. What matters is that NLW is here, now, and I’m here, now, and while I appreciate that you have a roster that’s a little hard to manage right now, I don’t appreciate the fact that you’ve left me off of two Supershows in a row now.
BB Gunn: But you were--
Keahi Sparks: --at Supremacy, yeah, I remember. It’s not your turn to talk yet. I should have walked into Supremacy with the belt, and if it weren’t for the fact that you booked me in a triple threat so the Goon Squad and the Walking War Crime could save each other from me, I’d have walked out with the belt. As Cage so deftly pointed out, I’ve been unpinned for quite a while, and that’s still true. It’s also true that I have now lost out on three separate title opportunities on the actions of other people and not my own merits, so you can understand why I might feel a little slighted. Both Goon and Cage felt what happened when I punched them out, and in their hearts of hearts, they both know that match was mine. They can deny it all they want, talk about how life isn’t fair or this is how wrestling works and I should just put up with it, or how I should just--
Keahi pauses here and screws her face up to make a bad facial impression of Nathan Cage before whispering, directly into BB Gunn’s eyeballs.
Keahi Sparks: Do something about it.
BB Gunn: I’d really appreciate it if you did not do that.
Keahi just stares down at BB Gunn for an uncomfortably long time.
Long enough for her to reset her facial expression to one approximating stony neutrality, though she is unable to hide the fire burning behind her eyes.
Long enough for her to take a sharp inhale through her nose, and exhale it on to BB Gunn’s face.
(Presumably they both know they’re safe, or Keahi would probably be fired already.)
(Or maybe not.)
After the uncomfortably long silence has grown almost unbearable, Keahi stands up straight again, looking down her nose at Gunn.
Keahi Sparks: And I won’t. Because I’m not like him. I could go out there and fuck over Sanderson, make him angrier than he already is, and set off whatever ticking time bomb is inside Cage’s brain, but I’m not a fool. If I get into a cycle of retributive violence with Cage, I’d be playing his game, and it wouldn’t end until you’d have to create the next Next Level Wrestling, if anybody’s still out of touch enough to give you any money for it, because this one will be a pile of embers and ashes drifting into Lake Pontchartrain.
BB Gunn: Is it my turn to talk yet?
Keahi ignores Gunn and walks over to the door of his office. Pulling a move that looks a lot like when Cage was in here recently, dressing the GM down, she turns back over her shoulder to address him.
Keahi Sparks: I’ll play by your rules for now. God knows you don’t need another problem child when you've already gone one running around, screaming that he’s King Shit of Fuck Mountain, drawing little pictures on himself and showing us all how insecure he actually is. But if I get back to the front of the line, and he’s still got the strap? I’m going to take him up on what he said. If he’s still willing to die in the ring to convince himself he’s worth something?
She turns her back to Gunn, but doesn’t walk away. She says the parting shot loud enough for him to hear, though.
Keahi Sparks: I will deliver him to Hell myself.
Keahi then walks out of the office and closes the door behind her. It’s almost unsettling how slowly and gently the door closes.
