Strength in numbers- Gail and Mariza!

[SubtleRoar]

"Where is she..." *The verdant hurricane muttered under her breath, boots furiously tapping against the cement pavement beneath her as her presence was heard throughout the backstage corridor. Only a handful of days had passed since her degrading defeat at the hands of her woefully inferior opponent, Mariza. However, her ire had dissipated into genuine frustration towards herself. Judging by her countenance though, it seemed as if she was attempting to hunt the plain jane down to strangle her with her bare hands, but it was quite the contrary to what she had in store for her.*

"Hmm..." *Searching room to room, Gail had finally discovered a lone stall with the name "M. Servelli" hanging above it.* "This must be her." *The ornery whirlwind stated, going out to grab a folding chair and sitting her posterior against the cushiony seat. Despite her short fuse between the ropes, Gail had a remarkably strong degree of patience when it came to important matters, and this was paramount in her mind; not just for her wrestling career, but for that of the apple of her eye as well.*

[CaptainL]

Marzia looked in the mirror, shaking out her hair as she brushed the last few strands back out of her eyes, and shook her arms out. After her last match had been unremarkable, all she really wanted to do was to get back to her apartment and move on. Although the Italian always strived to do her best and give it her all in the ring, she often came away from her matches feeling disappointed, wishing that she could go a step beyond. Her poor performance, despite all the work she put into it, was discouraging, and she often wondered why she even tried. Sighing, Marzia, having changed back into her everyday attire, slung her jacket over her shoulders and picked up her bags before turning to the doors. On to the parking lot it was, then.

However, when Marzia opened the door to her dressing room, she was greeted by a sight she wasn't anticipating - as a familiar face was seated before her. Gail had proved to be a come-from-behind victory from Marzia, which both excited the crowd to see the more hesitant girl overcome all odds and bolstered Marzia's confidence in herself. She thought it a rare victory for her, an island of glory in a sea of disappointment.

However, it seemed that Gail wasn't content with that, and now, Marzia feared, all that excitement was about to be taken away from her. Gail, being the ruthless heel she was, had to have tracked her down in the name of revenge! Why else would she be out here - and, as Marzia's eyes lowered to see that she had brought with her a folding chair, the oldest trick in the book for dirty wrestler tactics, she could only feel the butterflies in her stomach rising, her suspicions, as far as she was concerned, confirmed. Marzia took a step back, wide-eyed and tight-lipped, as she retreated into the doorway.

"W-What do you want..!?"

Spoiler

[SubtleRoar]

*Gail wasn't naive- She knew that, upon first glance, her entire appearance screamed terror and could easily horrify any jobber backstage with just a passing glance alone. Regardless of barely scraping the five foot mark, the emerald maelstrom carried an uncanny presence with her that could drop someone twice her size to their knees, begging for mercy that would never be granted. However, today would not be one of those days, much to the chagrin of the rockstar; rather, she wanted to pick Mariza's brain for a moment. Fishing around in her jacket pocket, Gail pulled out a square box filled with cigarettes, offering it to the reticent rookie before replying.*

"You are certainly not an easy one to track down, Mrs. Servelli~" *Maintaining her previous position atop the chair, Gail simply folded her right leg across the bridge of her left and rolled out her neck, trying to diffuse the palpable tension that was steadily building between them.* "But I assure you, there's no need to act so afraid. Even if I wanted to, you have proven that fighting against you isn't the smartest choice I could make." *Seemingly acceptant of her loss against the milquetoast grappler, Gail continued onwards.*

"You're better than this, Mariza. I know it, you know it, but evidently, THEY don't know it..not yet, anyway." *She gestured towards the crowd with her opposite hand, referring to those who view her matches on a nightly basis.* "It's one thing to give it your all for the fans, but to never be rewarded? To always have to lose those important fights? That has to be soul crushing for you." *She ruminated for a moment before continuing, plucking her next words out of thin air.* "How did it feel to beat me, Mariza? To conquer someone who, just being honest, could have crushed you in an instant? I bet that felt indescribable, didn't it?"

[CaptainL]

Having expected a more hostile reception from Gail, Marzia was surprised when the green-haired woman didn't attack her right away. That did not mean, however, that she wasn't on edge; Marzia stood on her guard as she analyzed Gail's every motion, fearing that even the slightest of gestures could hide a sneak attack. When she pulled out a box of cigarettes, Marzia shuddered, fearing that she was about to rub one out on her forehead. Her teeth clenched, and her fingers gripped the frame of the doorway she was hanging on.

And yet...to Marzia's surprise, Gail wasn't attacking her. In fact, she seemed to be...impressed with how the Italian had defeated her in their last meeting. As the tension left her, Marzia began to slacken, and after a moment, she tentatively stepped closer to Gail. She was still watching her for any signs of anything funny - but it seemed like she was safe.

"Wait, you're...really impressed..?" Marzia said, her eyes going wide. The thought of anyone being impressed by her matches, when she all too often couldn't manage to win, came as a surprise, but it was one she was intrigued by. Also, realizing the purpose of the cigarette box now, Marzia held up a hand and shook her head. "Oh, I don't smoke...thanks, though..."

Standing before Gail, Marzia listened to what she had to say. She looked off with a sigh as she related Marzia's lack of luck, and how much it hurt her. Those were feelings Marzia knew all too well. She didn't make eye contact with Gail, not willing to face the facts, but she still nodded quietly. "Yeah...yeah. It really is. I try all I can, but...it doesn't always work out..."

Then, though, Gail issued the question - and that, at last, was what caused her to raise her head. As the Italian girl thought back on their match, she began to smile. Sure enough, beating Gail, an opponen who by all means should have beaten her, gave Marzia a rush. She felt like she had, at last, overcome all odds, by sheer force of will. When her record made victory all too rare, to honestly, genuinely overcome her foe was a sweet relief. No, not just relief. It was empowering. Just thinking back on it made her feel stronger, and more capable. It proved that Marzia could achieve victory if she put her mind to it. Marzia's fists balled at her side, not with anxiety, but with strength, and she lifted her chin. "Yeah, it...it really did. I actually felt like...I was worth something..."

[SubtleRoar]

"Imagine it, Mariza..." *Gail allowed her sentence to trail off before she returned to it, stuffing her rectangular box back inside of her eclipsing jacket.* "Seizing destiny with your own, two hands. Being capable of not only making a name for yourself, but doing so while standing over the bodies of those who dared to oppose you. Anyone and everyone who doubted you, now looking up at the ceiling lights while you hoist the belt high above your head.." *The jade whirlwind had a knack for persuasion, as she needed such a skill to survive on the streets, and it appeared as though this peculiar thought was something that the italian had dwelled upon for years.*

"Listen, I know this might seem pretty far fetched, but what if...you and I joined forces? An alliance, so to speak." *The rockstar began, standing to her feet as she gently marched towards the apprehensive Mariza.* "I know we aren't the closest of pals or anything, but that doesn't mean we aren't vying for the same goal, yeah? With your untapped potential and my unrelenting brutality, we could chase the tag team belts and have them around our waists in no time flat!"

*Extending her right arm forward as a means of sealing the deal, Gail gestured downwards to try and coax Mariza into reciprocating her offering.* "What do you say, Mari? We finally cast aside everyone else's opinions of us and start running this show the way it was meant to be ran; with our knuckles tattooing people left and right on our way to the top."

[CaptainL]

Marzia had to admit, Gail had...a way with words that she wouldn't have expected from someone like her. She stood listening closely, tense but curious, as she hung on her words, wondering where they would go. She didn't know what the green-haired woman had in mind for her - up until she finally made herself clear, with an offer for the two to become a team.

"Join...forces..?" Marzia wouldn't have considered such a thing herself, and yet, the concept of it was...oddly enticing. She felt something stir in her, and she moved closer to Gail. Her erstwhile opponent was certainly right about something - Marzia was disappointed in herself time and time again when she lost her matches, and she wanted to make a change. Gail, it seemed, was willing to help her reach that goal. As she held her hand out, Marzia began to extend her own hand to take it - but then, she stopped, her arm hanging in the air just short of making contact. Her mind was racing, trying to explain what she was seeing, but she simply couldn't make sense of it.

"I mean...why? You mean you really aren't...mad at me?" she said, blinking as her green eyes turned up to look at Gail. Was the Tornado just trying to lure her into a trap? "There's not...a catch here, is there?"

[SubtleRoar]

*Half expecting the tentative italian to completely refute her offer right from the get go, Gail was rather stunned at how willing Mariza appeared to be regarding her alliance proposition.* "Mad? No. Impressed? Now that's the word I was going for. You have unlimited potential, and with the proper support and training at your disposal, you could really take down the competition. I believe I've proven my worth to you from our previous encounter, so that's already established. However~"

*Retracting her arm while simultaneously circling the impressionable rookie, tantamount to a buzzard circling a fresh carcass, Gail began running the edges of her fingertips up and down Mariza's body, as if she were examining her for any tenuous flaw she may possess.* "Your wardrobe is severely lacking. If you and I are really going to do this, we need to look the part just as much as play the part. Kieda and I can take you under our wing and get you looking just as strong as your moveset is. Completely free of charge, of course..." *She deliberately hesitated before finishing.* "That is, if you agree to our little arrangement."

*Returning to her earlier position of facing towards her meek prey, Gail quizzically tilted her head while allowing Mariza ample time to weigh the options presented before her.* "The only catch is how you decide to grab a hold of your destiny- You can spend it wasting your prime years in the minors, or take center stage with the big girls. Your call~"

[CaptainL]

When Gail relayed her reaction to the match, Marzia didn't know what to expect - but "impressed" probably wasn't the sort of reaction she was expecting to get out of her. The Italian gasped, her eyes growing wide as she heard what her opponent - and, perhaps now, her ally - had what to say. "Unlimited-!? You...really don't mean..."

Marzia stood where she was, still tense, but curious all the same, as Gail began to circle her, looking her over. The looks she was giving her was making her nervous, and she bit her lip, not knowing what her intentions were. That went doubly so as she felt Gail's fingers graze her skin, causing her to shudder as a blush came to her face. Thankfully, it seemed Gail wasn't out to do anything truly uncouth. "My...wardrobe? I mean, I go with what works..." Marzia would note that her ring gear was rather revealing, in comparison to her more reserved attitude, but she had gone with a design that would breathe and prevent sweat from getting too uncomfortable. But she would admit, also, that it was a bit basic in comparison to what other wrestlers wore. "But...I guess I'd be willing to go with you..."

What Gail said next, however, was enough to make Marzia stop, as she went staring off blankly into the distance. If she was, as she said, wasting her time where she was, not getting any better no matter how hard she tried...maybe it was time for her to make a change. Slowly, she let her eyes drift back up towards Gail. "...what's...this arrangement you're talking about?"

[SubtleRoar]

"Good. You're willing to cooperate with me." *Gail nodded, approaching Mariza once again with an open attitude and a welcoming smile.* "This will seem a tad extreme, but I'm tempted to give you a complete makeover: A new ensemble that screams empowerment and confidence, shaping that boring personality of yours into something that strikes fear and terror into the hearts of anybody you come across. With me leading the helm, you won't have to worry about suffering another loss ever again~"

*Swinging her arm across Mariza's neck, Gail tugged her in close, intentionally pressing her voluptuous chest against the sheepish italian's face.* "Just think of it; you won't be Mariza anymore...you'll be redesigned as a better version of yourself." *Trying to goad out an elated squeal from her compatriot, the charismatic cyclone continued to conjure up promises of fame and fortune that caused the bright-eyed novice's eyes to sparkle.*

"And all you have to do is agree to be my partner." *Retaining her fierce grip against Mariza's neck, Gail's arm loosened up ever so slightly while waiting for her response.* "This offer won't come across your way again, girly. If this doesn't interest you, you never have to see me again. However, if you agree however, it will unlock so many doors for you~"

[CaptainL]

Marzia blinked, still unsure what Gail's motives with this were. She certainly seemed to have a flair for the dramatic, and she didn't know how she felt about that. Evidently, that was something Gail took pride in. Marzia couldn't say she was happy about having her personality be called 'boring', as she pouted with a cry of "H-Hey..!" at the comment, but nothing she could do was going to slow Gail down. This woman, it seemed, was on a mission.

Gail threw her arm around her neck and brought her closer, bringing her face up aganist her bosom in a gesture that caused Marzia's face to heat up. She struggled a little, but ultimately...she wasn't too opposed to the gesture, either. Her mind was going places she wasn't exactly proud of, and she bit her lip to try and stifle them. "Listen, I...don't really think that my appearance is the problem here, do you? It doesn't seem like it should matter...but..."

As Gail drew back, Marzia looked up to her as she rubbed at her neck somewhat. "If you really would be...willing to help...maybe being your partner wouldn't be so bad." She nodded, her thoughts going through all of the matches she'd given her all in only for the outcome to disappoint her, and wondering how things would be different if she had had someone in her corner. Marzia had trained herself for almost all of her time learning wrestling, and now, perhaps, she was wondering if that was something that might need to change. While Gail was a bit...odd, Marzia had to give it some thought. She couldn't deny that she could see the potential...