Rumble Roses III
Chapter I
Newcomers
Susan Stone sat at her desk like usual but instead of watching a match from today's lineup, she was focusing on the collected information of her new wrestlers in their beige folders. As she went back and forth between each girl, she watched YouTube videos and scanned through social media to gather whatever info she could. Though at this point she felt she had seen everything available. Currently she was watching a video of one of the new wrestlers, a girl named Sonia Stryker, who was performing in some sort of backyard styled match. She watched the young woman, probably 20 at the time of this older match, recklessly throw herself on some poor sap splayed out on a table. Then a knock was heard on her door.
"Yes?" Susan asked as she looked at another paper in Sonia's folder.
"Morgan just let me know that she's arrived with the last two wrestlers: Ms. Hart and Ms. Suzuki," Lauren Evermore said as she stepped into the office and closed the door. She cocked her head at the audible sound of a metal chair slapping against flesh.
"It's Ms. Stryker in one of her earliest matches. I'm just gathering some last minute information on our acquisitions."
Lauren sat down in one of the two chairs set on her side of the desk and adjusted the black skirt she wore.
"So is there anything new since you told me that last time Susan?"
The shorter woman shook her head, the short and light brown hair jostling slightly.
"At this point I'm just getting a read on them. Had I gone for a psychology major instead of a business one I could do this easier"
"And?" Lauren inquired, seeing a younger Sonia Stryker get powerbombed on top of a table with light tubes strapped to it. "It doesn't take a psyche degree to think of a few things about this particular wrestler. Besides you have a knack for reading people so what can you tell me about them?"
Susan paused the video, noticing the frozen image was that of the wrestler laughing instead of grimacing in pain. She adjusted her files in a preferred order before opening the top one.
"Let's start from the beginning. First is Carrietta Hart. She's got some experience under her belt since she's been wrestling for about 9 years. Solid athlete, balanced all around style, but seems like she's trying to prove herself with how much she puts into her matches."
Lauren pushed some of her blonde bangs back as she looked onto the file, "That's normally what you want in a wrestler though. Hold on a minute: 5'11?"
"Correct. But what should have the trainer worried is how suicidal her aerial maneuvers are. Ms. Hart goes all the way like every match could be her last. I'm honestly surprised she hasn't been injured in her entire career. The only recorded one is two jammed thumbs from catching dodgeballs in a high school tournament. I don't want to pass on an athlete like her though: I feel she can go punch for punch with Dixie and we need another person who can. Similar heights, weights, and builds. Next."
Susan opened the next folder and the first image Lauren saw was a Japanese girl (as far as she could personally tell) on a stage in a flashy outfit singing.
"Yuri Matsumoto. One of our non-athetically focused girls. She was an Idol, whatever that is, back in Japan up until a few years ago. I had been assuming it meant she was some kind of singer?"
"Something like that I think. That isn't a particular field I would be knowledgeable in. Why did you choose her?" Lauren crossed one leg over the other and leaned back into the chair.
"Star power, stage presence, and a generous helping of curiosity. Every roster needs a wild card or two and I think she might be a good bet. She has some self-defence training and pro-wrestling training from past promotions in her career. Along with a possible ego, she does come with some baggage."
"Oh?"
Susan took a drink from a cup of tea before continuing, "A friend who left that idol life with her when she split from the label and said friend's younger sister. They didn't have any family who could watch her and Yuri's friend is more or less her DJ as she was trying to find work here in the states."
"Something must have caught your eye if you choose her over the other applicants."
"A gut feeling I guess. What fun would the business world be without a little bit of risk? She might surprise everyone. Next is Cassidy Clairemont."
The blonde's eyebrow raised upon hearing the last name, "Clairemont? The well known and esteemed martial artist family Clairemont? Isn't that the one Odette is from?"
"Mmm hmm. Cassidy is her younger sister and is apparently one of the top competitors in her weight class in Muay Thai and Capoiera. She's a Clairemont through and through on her skill level alone. Apparently she has crippling stage fright though."
"And the Susan Stone red flags weren't raised at this because?"
"People like the shy, mousy types," Susan responded with a shrug. "And she has a beautiful spinning back kick. I wanted to see where this goes and if I need to hire a hypnotist for her I will. Next wrestler is Aoi Susuki. She is something of a…costume player?"
"I think there is a slang term for the word but I take it that is what the multiple Halloween costumes she is wearing are,"
"Looks that way. She likes to dress as these different pop culture characters as her ring gear and her favorite seems to be one of few I recognize: the Predator. Pragmatic, stubborn, and wily but she got me with her apparent competitive streak. Most people hate loosing but she seems to REALLY hate it. Gives her a sense of purpose."
"Now that I think of it, I'm sure I've heard of at least one other wrestler who plays dress up with their ring gear." Lauren tapped her chin with her finger in contemplation before waving away the thought. "Who's next?"
"Diana Steele. Pureblooded Texan and from a prominent family. This one being pro-wrestlers and ranchers from San Antonio. If my assumptions are correct, she will be a good addition to our heavy hitters next to Ms. Hart and can give Dixie a little…push. I've noticed a decline in Ms. Clement's performance and an old rival since Aisha is leaving may be be just the thing she needs.
Lauren skimmed through the collected information as she recalled some information she remembered about the Steele family. Mostly that the majority of them had bad attitudes despite their incredible business acumen. She focused back in as Susan read another name, wondering what the history between this stranger and Dixie Clements was.
"Alixandra Lafayette. That's a name pretty well known in the wide, wide world of combat sports," Susan reported. She straightened the folders and the mousepad her computer mouse was sitting on.
The taller woman nodded approvingly, "That is a name I know I've heard. 'The French Prizefighter' and a widely regarded people's champion of sorts. She's a hell of a combatant Susan; I'm surprised she was interested in joining the likes of the Rumble Roses."
"Stipulated Lauren," the Rumble Roses' owner agreed as she looked again at a picture taken from some type of Mixed Martial Arts fight. A blonde woman was in a full mount position and could be seen raining jabs down on another foe. "Her foot likes to make her mouth its home from the interviews I've seen. Despite that I didn't hesitate to choose her for the organization."
"Hopefully she doesn't loose track of that ego. I've seen enough in my lifetime to know I can't stand people who think they're big shots when they aren't. Who's next?"
A smirk curled across the owner's lips, "A couple of people with unchecked egos who think they're big shots." A sigh escaped Susan's friend's mouth as she continued. "Mackenzie Sinclair and Christina Mendoza. A group who remind me of the Revival: old school brawlers and grapplers. They seem like a piece of work and won't mesh well with the crowd but not everyone needs to be cheered."
"If they get to lippy with me, you'll need to find a new-…" Lauren began warning as she crossed her arms.
"Ha, ha! I'm well aware of that. And I know you wouldn't quit on me too. We've been through a lot together but don't worry Lauren: I'll make sure they know their place like all the others."
"Heh, good then. I didn't retire because of an inability to perform," the blonde chuckled. "I'll show them a thing or two if they get smarmy."
"Lastly was Sonia and I think we got all we needed on the 'Lucha Goth' from this!"
Susan clicked the play button after waking up the computer and a jolly, if slightly demented laugh came out of the bloody, black lipstick coated lips. Susan could handle just about everything but Lauren was aware of how much of handful this one could be if any of her immediate fears would be proven true.
"Well Ms. Stone," she said while standing up. Would you like to greet your new acquisitions and inform them of their schedule tomorrow?"
"I suppose I can. I spent enough time combing through applications and staring at a computer monitor, I guess I can see the fruits of my labor," she replied standing up and reaching for her white business coat.
As the two exited out of the office door and proceeded to enter a locker room full of the recent additions to the Rumble Roses roster after strolling down a hall, Lauren nudged the arm of her friend, "You still have a way with dissecting people. From what I saw of the newcomers I think you might be spot on."
9 pairs of eyes looked in the direction of the two as the door closed shut behind them.
"They certainly are colorful. At least I can see I'm accurate in that assumption. I hope they're ready for whatever comes their way," Susan told her friend before addressing the nine new wrestlers. "Ladies...I am Susan Stone but you may address me as Miss Stone. This is Lauren Evermore and we both would like to welcome you to the Rumble Roses!"