She couldn't believe she was doing what she was doing. At least a dozen eyes were on her, and she felt entirely self-conscience. She did think about it for a long time, and at least she made sure she really wanted to do it.
"What's up, Mrs. McMahon?" Justin spoke up first as she tried to calm her nerves down.
"I called you all here today for a reason." she began, then paused. She noted she had all of their attention. "I've been thinking awhile about ECW's role in the Alliance..and I didn't like what I saw."
"What do you mean?" Lance suddenly asked. Good, they were curious.
"Well, Lance, I've been working with my brother and Heyman for quite a bit now. Though both pretend, like Austin, to care, they don't. Neither of them do." she shook her head sadly. "And especially about us. Tell me, you guys, how many ECW members have a title, or even got a chance to get one?"
"RVD has the hardcore title.." Raven pointed out. "..For now.." he mumbled under his breath.
"Storm had the Intercontinental title for a little bit." Tazz shrugged.
"Anything else?" Stephanie asked. The silence was the answer. "Now, look at WCW. Booker T had the WCW title. Kidman had the Cruiserweight. That idiot Kanyon was basically HANDED the US Title. DDP was even tag team champs with him! Now tell me, how fair is it? Sure, hardcore is our thing, but I think each of you deserve a chance to show your talents.
"So what are you trying to say, boss?" She smiled toward RVD, who looked a bit confused as the others were.
"Perhaps we should show WCW how much they need to appreciate us." she suggested. "I'm not sure if it's possible, but perhaps the WWF would use the talents much more then WCW and Shane ever will." She watched as they all talked among each other at the prospect.
"But we left because they didn't use us." Rhyno pointed out.
"That's Heyman talking for you." Stephanie shook her head. "Raven, Rhyno, you were the best Hardcore champs in WWF history. Hell, Rhyno, you were almost King of the Ring! Oh, by the way, who SCREWED you out of that chance?"
"Shane.." he mumbled, sighing.
"Tazz, you were well respected as a commentator. God knows how boring Cole was without you." she pointed out. "Justin, you were apart of a team that was quickly rising to the top with you. Bubba, D-Von, you two were one of the best and most used tag teams in the federation!"
"But he won't take us back." Tazz interjected.
"It's worth a try." she shrugged. "But I'll only do it if you want me too." She watched them huddle together, then Tommy Dreamer stood up.
"We'll do it." he spoke for the group. "But you better know what you're doing boss."
She smiled at them. "You won't regret it. I promise."
****
"Have you noticed Chris seems..um..depressed?" Lita questioned. Jeff looked at her, putting the magazine he was reading to the side.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed." he replied.
"He was definitely drinking something away last night." Matt said, walking into the room, drying his hair.
"Shane says Stephanie hasn't seemed jolly either." Lita added.
"Oh god, Lita, now you're thinking like Jeff too?" Matt groaned.
"Why else would Chris be upset? I bet they're pretending not to like each other." Jeff rationalized.
"Jeff, they don't like each other." Matt smirked.
"I don't know, Matt, he does seem a bit upset about something." Lita spoke up. "For no reason, too."
"Well, I still can't believe it." Matt shook his head. "It's more likely that aliens took over his body."
"ET phone home.." Jeff chuckled. "But see? Even Lita thinks so."
"That's because you probably both have gotten hit in the head too much." Matt smirked.
"Speaking of Stephanie, an interesting rumor is going around." Lita spoke up.
"What sort of rumor?" Jeff questioned.
"Well, Essa said he saw all of the ECW stars going into Steph's room." Lita nodded.
"And that's important because..?" Matt inquired.
"Matt, normal meetings are done with the WCW side too. She's up to something." she explained.
"Probably going to kick Chris's ass." Matt mused.
"Or ours." Jeff added. Matt winced.
"That's true." he sighed. "Oh well, we had it coming."
"I don't know," Lita shrugged. "I don't have a bad feeling for once."
"What's up, Mrs. McMahon?" Justin spoke up first as she tried to calm her nerves down.
"I called you all here today for a reason." she began, then paused. She noted she had all of their attention. "I've been thinking awhile about ECW's role in the Alliance..and I didn't like what I saw."
"What do you mean?" Lance suddenly asked. Good, they were curious.
"Well, Lance, I've been working with my brother and Heyman for quite a bit now. Though both pretend, like Austin, to care, they don't. Neither of them do." she shook her head sadly. "And especially about us. Tell me, you guys, how many ECW members have a title, or even got a chance to get one?"
"RVD has the hardcore title.." Raven pointed out. "..For now.." he mumbled under his breath.
"Storm had the Intercontinental title for a little bit." Tazz shrugged.
"Anything else?" Stephanie asked. The silence was the answer. "Now, look at WCW. Booker T had the WCW title. Kidman had the Cruiserweight. That idiot Kanyon was basically HANDED the US Title. DDP was even tag team champs with him! Now tell me, how fair is it? Sure, hardcore is our thing, but I think each of you deserve a chance to show your talents.
"So what are you trying to say, boss?" She smiled toward RVD, who looked a bit confused as the others were.
"Perhaps we should show WCW how much they need to appreciate us." she suggested. "I'm not sure if it's possible, but perhaps the WWF would use the talents much more then WCW and Shane ever will." She watched as they all talked among each other at the prospect.
"But we left because they didn't use us." Rhyno pointed out.
"That's Heyman talking for you." Stephanie shook her head. "Raven, Rhyno, you were the best Hardcore champs in WWF history. Hell, Rhyno, you were almost King of the Ring! Oh, by the way, who SCREWED you out of that chance?"
"Shane.." he mumbled, sighing.
"Tazz, you were well respected as a commentator. God knows how boring Cole was without you." she pointed out. "Justin, you were apart of a team that was quickly rising to the top with you. Bubba, D-Von, you two were one of the best and most used tag teams in the federation!"
"But he won't take us back." Tazz interjected.
"It's worth a try." she shrugged. "But I'll only do it if you want me too." She watched them huddle together, then Tommy Dreamer stood up.
"We'll do it." he spoke for the group. "But you better know what you're doing boss."
She smiled at them. "You won't regret it. I promise."
****
"Have you noticed Chris seems..um..depressed?" Lita questioned. Jeff looked at her, putting the magazine he was reading to the side.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed." he replied.
"He was definitely drinking something away last night." Matt said, walking into the room, drying his hair.
"Shane says Stephanie hasn't seemed jolly either." Lita added.
"Oh god, Lita, now you're thinking like Jeff too?" Matt groaned.
"Why else would Chris be upset? I bet they're pretending not to like each other." Jeff rationalized.
"Jeff, they don't like each other." Matt smirked.
"I don't know, Matt, he does seem a bit upset about something." Lita spoke up. "For no reason, too."
"Well, I still can't believe it." Matt shook his head. "It's more likely that aliens took over his body."
"ET phone home.." Jeff chuckled. "But see? Even Lita thinks so."
"That's because you probably both have gotten hit in the head too much." Matt smirked.
"Speaking of Stephanie, an interesting rumor is going around." Lita spoke up.
"What sort of rumor?" Jeff questioned.
"Well, Essa said he saw all of the ECW stars going into Steph's room." Lita nodded.
"And that's important because..?" Matt inquired.
"Matt, normal meetings are done with the WCW side too. She's up to something." she explained.
"Probably going to kick Chris's ass." Matt mused.
"Or ours." Jeff added. Matt winced.
"That's true." he sighed. "Oh well, we had it coming."
"I don't know," Lita shrugged. "I don't have a bad feeling for once."