Piper's nasty attitude wasn't lost on Aurora. Through all of Piper's pacing, her pantomiming and gesturing, and her insolence, Aurora stood firmly and spoke clearly. When Piper asked in a very dismissive tone of the luchadora was done, Aurora would place a hand on her hip on the same side as her blue sash. She cocked her hip to the side and nodded.
"I am."
Sherwood took several strides forward. The two locked eyes. And after clearing her throat, Piper began. Her first word made Aurora's heterochromatic eyes narrow. A sinking feeling grew in the perky lightweight's chest. Somehow Estrella got the feeling that she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear. And sure enough, she did not.
Piper doubled down on the fact the behavior Aurora and everyone else the world over had observed from her wasn't a transformation, but an evolution. She proudly flexed exactly who it was she was. Sherwood proudly declared that she did not become the woman that the crowd say before her. She was always like this, even from a young age! And Piper was bent on keeping it up. If words and manipulation weren't enough to impose her will on others, she'd learn and grow and adapt to find new ways to bully girls like Aurora. The blonde got right up in her face and slowly and emphatically declared that this behavior is all she's ever done, implying that she wasn't changing her ways anytime soon, if not ever.
The Galaxy Cat let out a sigh. She crossed her arms. Estrella had become resigned. Piper was never someone that could be saved. An expression of disappointment formed on the luchadora's face. But still, Piper continued.
The girl pressed her surprisingly buxom chest into Aurora's perky bosom. Where Aurora looked quite finished, Piper was relishing this moment! Piper was confident in her ability to sow discord and get her way with her own brand of charisma- with her words and her ability to manipulate. Those skills were on full display here, of course. Even if the fans didn't like her, none could deny that Piper was a pro at grabbing everyone's attention. As much as Aurora didn't like what she was hearing, she listened to her rival. Piper boasted about how her time with Ayane helped her round out her skill set. How she had improved physically to the point where she was sure of herself that she could defeat the tag team champion!
Aurora's eyebrows raised with curiosity. Curiosity, but not belief.
Piper asserted that things were different now. That the girl Aurora was sharing the ring with now IS the real wrestler. That this "wrestler" was going to make this match happen with petite masked wrestler one way or another, and that she would win it! And with a cold, slow whisper, Sherwood finished, saying that the only alternative to this was Aurora backing out and being labeled a coward by Piper and anyone else that took Piper's side!
Aurora wanted to scoff. But before she could, Piper pecked the tip of the luchadora's nose with her lips! For a second, Aurora would chuckle, not with happiness or any positive emotion, but in sheer disbelief. Piper began to circle her as if she were walking a victory lap, drinking in the innumerable boos that filled the arena after she made her point!
Aurora placed both her hands on her hips and looked down. She was stunned for just a few seconds. She raised her head and quipped back.
"I'm beginning to think that the only reason you're so intent on bullying me is that you're attracted to me, Piper." Aurora spoke in a very frank tone here, making it that much funnier, and turning some of the boos into laughs.
But there was no time to restore order. Piper spoke up once again, this time alluding to the idea that she had more support behind her than just that of Ayane Yamamoto....
"What?" A perplexed Aurora questioned an overly smug Piper. And the Chromatic Cat's question would be answered with the sound of entrance music!
Right on cue, a presence unfamiliar to Aurora and to everyone else watching would begin to fill the arena. After several seconds of music, the moment the beat dropped, the esteemed Assistant General Manager of LAW walked out from the back and appeared at the top of the entrance ramp. Wrestlers and staff had been aware of her presence via an internal company email. Of course, rumors of the email had leaked to the dirt sheets and to fans over time. But this was the first appearance of Angie DeFoe in the flesh during a live LAW show!
The woman stood tall and set her sights on the ring. She smiled as she took her clipboard in her hand and forearm and brought her fingertips to the corner of her glasses to adjust them. With a wink to the cameras, she began to stride down the ramp in her high heels, swiveling her hips as she did.
The commentary team at ringside explained Angie's background and the
internal company memo. How Angie was a member of The Board and in full and total control of all things LAW whenever DeFranco wasn't on the premises. And how her presence here, especially at Piper's behest, couldn't mean anything good for Aurora. And as they spoke this, Angie passed by the desk and eyed them watchfully before gesturing to be handed a microphone. Slowly, DeFoe would make her way to the steel steps and climb them, her heels clicking against the metal structure with each step.
The Assistant GM would make her way into the ring, ducking between the bottom and middle ropes to join Aurora and Piper in the ring. Angie would be all smiles. It was difficult to decipher the woman's intentions from reading her expression. She genuinely seemed happy to be there at that moment.
"Piper...." Angie began.
"I'm going to choose to.... ignore that comment about me being "older", Ayane and I are separated by more than 20 years but I digress....just....be thankful for my good graces..." Angie's gaze would slowly pass over Piper....and fall on Aurora.
"Greetings, Galaxy Cat! Greetings, everyone! Please! Allow me to introduce, myself!"
Aurora was not feeling any of this. The luchadora raised a single skeptical eyebrow.
"I am the Assistant General Manager of LAW, Head of Talent Relations, and the no. 2 in command after our esteemed Chairman and CEO, Dan DeFranco. I am Angie DeFoe!" The blonde would run her nails through her hair and flick her locs to the side before extending a hand to Aurora, seemingly for a handshake.
Aurora looked up at her with all the annoyance and skepticism in the world. The gears had been turning in her head from the moment she laid eyes on Angie. By now everything had become clear to her. The circumstances of Angie's arrival, the timing, the fact that all of this was so clearly premeditated.
Needless to say, Aurora was not keen on the idea of shaking this woman's hand.
"You're.... apprehensive? Yes, that's understandable." Angie nodded. She rescinded her offer for a handshake. She stood for a moment with a contemplative expression on her face. Angie tugged on the collar of her cashmere sweater. She adjusted her 22-karat gold necklace. Aurora's refusal to shake her hand drew some cheers from the audience. Angie paused for only a moment longer before speaking up again.
"I'm sure none of this looks good to you....or to your many fans out here. Or to the millions we have watching at home." Angie would wink at the cameras before turning her attention back to Aurora.
"It's suspicious, isn't it Aurora? Why is she out here? Why now? Is she in league with Piper? What's in that blasted envelope that your biggest fan over there won't stop flaunting around? Heheh...." DeFoe's tone got less informal by the minute. She began to grow serious. She extended a hand to Piper this time, beckoning the girl for the slip. As Piper handed it over, Aurora would eye them both curiously. A single bead of sweat would drop down The Galaxy Cat's chin as she brought her championship title down from her shoulder and took the gold belt in her hand.
"Champion, let me assure you that I'm not the type of person that you and all of these people suspect me to be." The air of distrust in the arena grew thick. The sound of boos from the crowd grew louder.
"Your fear likely comes from the suspicion that I might threaten you into signing this. You've got all these questions on your mind. I'm a fair businesswoman. I always have been. I'll be transparent with you, Aurora...This..." Angie fiddled with the envelope and opened it. The document it contained looked very official. Even from a glance on camera, it was plain to see that it was notarized. It has the LAW logo at the top. Angie would place the document on her clipboard.
"Is an official contract for a LAW Apex match between yourself and Piper Sherwood....at any time of Piper's choosing......in any place of Piper's choosing....with any stipulations....of... Piper's.... choosing..." Angie spoke slowly and paused plenty for emphasis. Aurora placed a hand on her own chest, on the star-shaped boob window of her leotard. She took a step back. Her mouth was agape with shock! No doubt, Piper was loving this. And while she did, Aurora's eyes would widen in disbelief!
"W-why?! I couldn't..." Aurora scoffed in an incredulous and shocked tone. But Angie would raise her fingers and speak over Aurora to get more words in!
"Ohhhh no, no, no, please don't misunderstand! I know what's going through your mind right now, Galaxy Cat! You are LAW's Galaxy Cat! You are beloved by these people! By your fans! You don't think I would stoop so low, did you? You're probably thinking to yourself "This woman is going to threaten me into this match with my job. She's probably going to fire me if I don't sign that!" Angie feigned distress and brought the back of her hand to her own forehead. Slowly she pretended to regain the composure that she never lost.
"Not. At. All...Aurora....you are one of the best wrestlers in this company. You're one of the most respected women in the back. DeFranco talks a lot about you and the other SWAT Cats, believe me. I'm not here to drive you away. In fact, I love that you're at LAW. I wouldn't want you anywhere else. The only reason I helped Piper draw up this little contract is that Piper wants you here just as much as I do!"
"I am not here to threaten your employment here! I respect you, Estrella! Which means....I respect your choices."
By now, Aurora was looking so visibly puzzled that she was squinting.
"You said that you have no desire to wrestle Piper again. And I would never choose to cast aside the wishes of top talent. Which is why...you're not going to sign this because you want to. You're not going to sign this because you have to, either. You, Aurora, are going to sign this contract because you owe management a favor." Ears all around the arena would perk up as Angie suggested that management was owed this favor from Aurora.
"Let me get right to the point. Fight The LAW 2. You met with DeFranco on numerous occasions, each time demanding that you let your PPV opponent at the time, Rose Gold, name the stipulations of your match with her. You did this to prove a point. A noble effort to many, I'm sure. But the fact remains that DeFranco and a few others acquiesced in your request."
"Despite being asked many times to reconsider, you had him do a favor for you...So now....I'm calling that favor in..."
Angie spoke in a calm, measured tone. By now, it had finally clicked. A look of terror filled Aurora's expression. Angie would reach down into down her collar, almost comedically plucking a pen she seemed to be hiding amidst her sizable bosom. With a click of the pen, Angie would extend the clipboard and pen to Aurora in one hand while keeping her grip on her microphone with the other.
"So what will be, Estrella? Are you signing as a favor to the many bosses and administrative staff that make what we do her possible...or....are The SWAT Cats not honor-bound to repay their favors and their debts?"
Aurora's demeanor soon shifted from confusion and shock to an emotion she very seldom exhibited: anger. The audience reacted with dismay as Aurora stood there, processing all this. The commentary team was vocal about Angie's attempt to manipulate Aurora here. Piper was no better. Whatever the two of them had arranged, this alliance had already proved to be a dangerous and sinister one. What's worse, who's to say that this alliance stops at just Piper and Angie? Who else was Angie working with?
The bigger questions would have to wait, unfortunately. Right now, Aurora was in Angie's and Piper's sights! The fans in attendance crossed their arms and screamed their disapproval. "No" chants filled the arena as Aurora continued to eye the contract in shock.
"An Apex match.....entirely of Piper's choosing....." Aurora looked away....
"No more, no less. I promise you that I'll be right out of your hair once you sign. You won't see me again unless we have business together." DeFoe answered.
Slowly Aurora lifted her hand. Against the fan's wishes and against her own, her fingers grasped the edge of the clipboard. The luchadora dropped her mic as she reached for the pen and curled her fingers over it.
Aurora took both items in hand. The truth was that she did still have strong feelings about all the circumstances that surrounded Fight The LAW. She did owe Dan. She owed management. But DeFranco would never call that favor in. It wasn't on brand for him to. Worse still, there was nothing stopping Angie from stooping even lower if Aurora refused.
"Fine...." Aurora sighed dismissively.
"I don't know what you two are up to. But whatever it is, if this makes us square, then fine...I'll agree to a future match."
She had beaten Piper before. Surely, this wasn't the worst outcome. Aurora took a deep breath. And after doing so, she signed. And when she did, Angie would bend down and hook an arm over Aurora's shoulder before collecting the clipboard and contract.
"Pleasure doing business..." The Assistant GM would say as she locked eyes with Aurora and, in a very sly motion, curled her index finger toward Piper on the arm that she had hooked over Aurora, keeping this gesture in Estrella's blind spot, and prompting Piper to enact the plan! The plan to blindside Aurora by allowing Piper to attack her and spring this match on her right then and there!