"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
"Good match," Coach Purrazzo said after getting the three count.
Sonya got up and offered her hand to the opponent she had just 'defeated' in a practice match. On this occasion it was Mandy she had been put in the ring with. Wrestling her girlfriend had felt very odd indeed, but it hadn't been unenjoyable.
Taking Sonya's hand, Mandy accepted the help to her feet and then hugged the victor. "Great job, Sonya."
"You've really got A Bed of Roses down perfectly now," Sonya said, patting her on the back to make sure the hug looked friendly in nature, not affectionate. She and Mandy had been in a relationship for almost a year now, and incredibly neither their fellow trainees nor the coaches who worked with them knew about it. Everyone believed they were close friends and housemates, and they were happy to allow that belief to continue, figuring that their relationship was no one's business but their own.
The end of the practice match had brought that day's training session to a close. Sonya was looking forward to hitting the showers as she turned to leave the ring.
"Right, before you go anywhere, Hunter wants a word with the two of you," Purrazzo said.
Sonya and Mandy stopped in their tracks. The way the words had been spoken hadn't exactly sounded positive. Glancing at Mandy, Sonya saw an expression that showed she was thinking along similar lines. This didn't seem good. Were they in trouble for something?
"What about? Have we done something wrong?" Mandy asked.
Purrazzo shrugged. "Don't ask me, I just work here. I was told to tell you to go and see Hunter after the session. You'll find him in his office." She knew they didn't need to be told where to find it.
"I guess we'd better go," Sonya said to Mandy as they left the ring.
"The coach annoys me sometimes," Mandy said once they were a suitable distance away from Purrazzo, who had gone in the opposite direction towards the locker rooms. "She's so hard to talk to. Like, would it have been so hard for her to find out for us what this is about?"
"She's not here to be our friend," Sonya pointed out. "She's here to train us to wrestle, and she's damn good at it. I feel like I'd rather sit down over a bottle of wine with Paige, but if I wanted wrestling lessons I'd go with Deonna for sure."
"I guess you're right," Mandy admitted. "So, what do you think Hunter wants us for?"
"I don't know," Sonya said, shaking her head. "I can't think of anything we might be in trouble for. Hey, maybe he's going to say it's time for us to move up to TV."
"Wait, do you really think so?" Mandy asked, eyes widening at the thought of that potentially awesome surprise.
"There's nothing else I can imagine it being. Like I said, we can't be about to get the riot act for something. We haven't done anything wrong."
"Unless they think our performances aren't up to scratch," Mandy pondered in a concerned tone.
"Possible, but I doubt it," Sonya said as they reached the door that led from the main hall into reception, which was the quickest way of getting to the offices. "Neither of us have had any major criticism recently for the matches we've worked, and we always give it our best in training. Neither Purrazzo or Paige have been any more critical than usual."
"Yeah, you're right," Mandy said.
It only took them a moment to reach the office door which had a plaque bearing Hunter Helmsley's name fixed to it. Mandy gave it a firm knock.
"Come in!" the boss called from inside.
Mandy opened the door and led Sonya into the office. As she entered, Sonya saw that Mr Helmsley wasn't the only person in the office. Zelina Vega was sitting in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. That came as a big surprise. Zelina had been called up to NXT TV a couple of months earlier, due to the fact that she had entered the training program with more experience than Sonya and Mandy. Why she would be a part of whatever this meeting was about was a mystery.
"Mandy, Sonya," Hunter said, greeting them with a smile.
"Hey, Hunter. Hi, Zelina," Mandy said as Sonya smiled a greeting of her own while closing the door behind her. There was only one seat remaining in front of his desk, so the new arrivals were left to stand.
"Don't look so worried," Hunter said, his smile broadening. "I have good news for you. The reason I called you in here is to let you know that both of you are being called up to the regular NXT roster, starting in two weeks, at the next TV taping. Congratulations."
"Oh my god," Sonya gasped as Mandy squealed in delight. They instinctively hugged each other in the highly emotional moment. They had busted their asses six days a week for almost a year to earn a call up to the NXT roster. Now, out of the blue, here it was. Receiving it was such an enormous achievement that Sonya felt like she couldn't properly take it in. It didn't seem real.
"Son, I can't believe it," Mandy said as they hugged.
"Believe it, because it's real," Hunter said kindly. "You've worked very hard for this. You've earned it. You deserve it."
"Congratulations, guys," Zelina added, flashing them a dazzling smile. She had shifted her chair around slightly so that she could look at them or at Hunter, depending on who was speaking.
"Thank you, both of you," Sonya said, managing to find her voice after she released Mandy from the celebratory embrace.
"Yes, thank you so much," Mandy said.
Hunter leaned back in his chair in a relaxed manner. "You may be wondering why Zelina is sitting in here."
"It did cross my mind," Sonya said, looking from Hunter to Zelina and back again.
"Zelina is going to be your on-screen manager."
"Oh," Sonya said in a tone of pleasant surprise.
"Wait, our manager?" Mandy asked. "As in both of us? You mean Sonya and I are going to be a team, with Zelina managing us?"
Hunter nodded. "That's what I'm saying, yes. We don't often have women's tag team matches on NXT, but you are going to officially be a team, managed by Zelina. More often than not it will involve two of you ringside while one wrestles, but of course you'll be a trio in any kind of promo segment, with Zelina doing the talking."
"Sounds fantastic to me," Sonya said. "Everyone knows Zelina was the best talker in our training group."
"Yeah, Z can cut one hell of a promo," Mandy added.
"Thank you, guys. You're too kind," Zelina said, flashing the brilliant smile again.
"Just do one thing for me," Hunter said to Mandy with a cringing expression on his face.
"What's that?" she asked, wondering what she had done to offend him.
"Never refer to her as Z on television."
All three women laughed.
"It's what we call her in the locker room," Mandy said. "Z or Zel."
"Call her what you want in there. On TV, she's Zelina," Hunter said with a smile that contained humour.
"You got it," Mandy said, laughing again.
"Okay, this team we're creating," Hunter said, getting back on topic. "As I've already said, Zelina is going to be your manager. The name of your team is going to be Golden Gloves. It came up in the brainstorming session we had as a combination of the gold ring attire you always wear, Mandy, and those MMA gloves you use, Sonya. I want you to get yourself some gold ring attire ordered in time for your debut. Let's have you looking like a team."
Sonya nodded. "No problem. I like the name," she added. Although she honestly wasn't totally sold on it, she wanted to sound positive about what they were being given. "What's the concept behind the team?"
"The concept is that Zelina has recruited the two of you to do her bidding. She'll have you attack anyone she sets her sights on, or anyone who is in her view stupid enough to attract her ire. In time, her stated goal will be to have one of you become NXT Women's Champion."
The idea was not going to be awarded many points for originality, but Sonya wasn't going to object to it. In fact she was delighted by what she was hearing. Not only was she going to be on a team with Mandy, which was incredible enough by itself, they were also going to have a manager. She figured that meant Hunter was serious about having them feature regularly on NXT.
"You're going to debut in the battle royal we're having to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship," Hunter continued. "Even though you will of course be eliminated, it will be apparent that Zelina is giving the two of you instructions during that match. That'll probably be it for that taping, but it won't be long before we find a way of formally introducing you."
"This sounds incredible," Mandy said enthusiastically.
They chatted away for a few more minutes before Hunter brought the meeting to a close, telling Sonya and Mandy to continue reporting for their daily training sessions as normal until the date of the next TV tapings. It was as that point where they would move from the trainee schedule they had worked on for the past year to that of the NXT roster members.
"Any questions?" Hunter asked, ready to dismiss them.
"Not from me," Zelina said while Sonya and Mandy shook their heads.
"Okay then, have a good evening," Hunter said with a smile.
It was a cue to leave, so the three women thanked him and headed for the door. First out into the hallway, Sonya stood and waited for Mandy and Zelina.
Zelina was last to come out of the office. She closed the door behind her before saying, "Well, that's not how I expected today to go."
"Welcome to my world," Mandy said, shaking her head in wonder as they started walking, heading in the direction of the locker rooms. "I'm still not sure if I'm dreaming all of this and I'm about to wake up."
"Want me to pinch you?" Sonya asked with a grin. "Trust me, it's real. We're going to team together, and Zelina's going to be our manager. I have to ask how you feel about that, Zel? Because I know you came here to wrestle, not to manage."
"I'm fine with it, really," Zelina insisted. "Working for WWE has been my dream job for so many years, I'm loving every minute of it now that I'm here. Hunter and William Regal have told me I'm one of the best at cutting a promo they've ever had come through the Performance Centre. Naturally, I said that feedback meant a hell of a lot to me when Hunter said it to me, and that's when he floated the idea of making me a manager. I said I was open to it, but I love wrestling. He responded by promising me I would get some time in the ring if I took this manager role on, so, yeah, I agreed to become a manager, and today I learned it would be for you guys."
They had walked through the reception area while she was speaking, and were now heading across the main hall, which was now empty. Zelina was apparently happy to go with Sonya and Mandy to the locker room in order to keep the conversation going.
"And how do you feel about that? It being us, I mean?" Mandy asked.
"Believe me when I say I'm excited about it. I assumed when Hunter asked me to become a manager they were going to put me with one of the guys. I wondered if it might be Andrade Almas, since he doesn't speak English well at all. But I'm delighted to have an opportunity to manage two women, especially ones as talented as both of you undoubtedly are. Plus there's the fact that we already know each other, and have always gotten on well."
"Aww, that's lovely of you," Sonya said warmly. "Personally, I'm delighted to have you as a manager. I think the three of us can achieve a hell of a lot together."
"I agree with that, absolutely," Mandy said, nodding to emphasise her point.
Zelina smiled as they approached the women's locker room. "Thanks, guys. I do have a favour to ask."
"Sure. What is it?" Mandy asked, stopping by the locker room door.
"I was hoping, since we're going to be a team, that I might be able to travel with you guys when we're on the road for live events? I haven't had anyone the past couple of months, and it's pretty lonely, I must admit."
Sonya had no problem with the idea. She had always found Zelina easy to get along with, and it made sense for the trio to be on the road together. It was common practice in WWE when people were teamed together that they travelled together also. Looking at Mandy, Sonya got a nod of approval. "That's fine with us," she said. "We'll work something out regarding expenses and stuff."
"Thanks a lot," Zelina said happily. "Zelina Vega and the Golden Gloves. It sounds like a 1960's band or something, doesn't it?"
"It's not the most original creative I've ever heard of," Sonya admitted. "But that doesn't have to hold us back."
"Absolutely not," Zelina agreed. "Look at what New Day managed to do with the pathetic gimmick they were given to begin with. We can take this idea and make it a great thing for all three of us. Let's stick together, give it our all, and see where it takes us."
"Amen to that," Mandy said. "I can't wait to get started."
A/N: Thank you to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter.
Let me know your thoughts on the team that has been created for Sonya and Mandy. What do you think of the name? How do you like the concept? And what do you think of Zelina managing them? Leave your thoughts in a review!