Hollywood vs. Idol: Clash of Celebrities Contract Signing (for CaptainL)

[Pegasus]

Kennedy Lee

First Theme

*radio transition*

Second Theme

After hearing the transition, there would be lots of boos going up into the air. Kennedy would come out dressed in a nice black suit and tie as this was a far cry from her usual Hollywood getup so far. Truth be told, she had just finished shooting for her new spy thriller “Midnight Code” two weeks before this and any promotion to get the word out there is good publicity. This morning, she was featured on a talk show in England about her appearance and the movie and then she flew straight to Japan in order to have this press conference. This would be a contract signing that would concern her upcoming match with pop idol Sanae Saitou at the big LAW show and Kennedy had been pushing for this match for awhile. Kennedy knew how close Sanae was to her first victim with this new gimmick, Alizeh Midori, and Kennedy was beckoning the idol to accept all over social media to get this match. She had her way in convincing management that this match in particular would raise PPV buy rates and to give it a generous spot on the top of the card.

Kennedy just ignored the crowd as she straightened out her tie walking down the ramp. She wasn’t here for them as it was and she wasn’t going to answer to them. Kennedy made it ringside and turned to the steel steps before heading up them as she slipped in between the ropes. The canvas had a bright red touch to it and Misa Otomura would be the host of this contract signing as Kennedy quickly took her seat on a black leather chair as she barked at a ringside worker to fetch her a water bottle and the ringside worker fearfully went backstage to go get her one from a vending machine.

[CaptainL]

Kennedy Lee had a presence to her. That much was obvious - she was a well-accomplished wrestler, and one who loomed larger than life over the competition. But if Kennedy was impressive already, what she had been before was nothing compared to what she'd evolved into, after reinventing herself with a new persona. Gone were the days of Kennedy Lee, the Queen of the Amazon. She had no time for fun and games. Now, she was slick and serious, and it was her image as a Hollywood superstar that would shine through. Her previous defeat of Alizeh Midori had only been the cherry on top of it all. Kennedy didn't just talk the talk, she could walk the walk, if beating one of LAW's most celebrated stars was any indication. And when she strode into the ring, her presence was felt by everyone. Even Misa could feel it - as Kennedy passed by, she stood a little stiffer, on guard for any sudden movements. Just in case. "It's, er...a pleasure to have you here," Misa began, though her voice was stilted - she hung off every word, hoping Kennedy wouldn't find some reason to take offense.

But if Misa was anxious, everyone watching could only imagine how Sanae must have felt. Sanae was a successful idol and a storied wrestler in LAW, but if she had been invited to a contract signing with Kennedy, that could only mean one thing. She was going to face her in a match - and more importantly, Kennedy wanted this done on her terms. Misa, at least, might be able to get away with being an observer. But Sanae didn't have that luxury. She couldn't run away now. Not when all the attention of having two celebrities sharing the ring was on her!

But the threat loomed over her head - Kennedy had beaten Alizeh. Alizeh was Sanae's inspiration and her role model. She had helped bring out the potential in her, inspiring her to reach new heights, and had shaped her into the star she was today. Alizeh was, without a doubt, the strongest woman that Sanae knew. And Kennedy had beaten her. How, then, was she supposed to compare?

Nevertheless, she couldn't keep running. Sucking in a breath, Sanae lifted herself to her feet and turned to face the curtain. It was too late to do anything about it now - she just had to face her fate.

As she stepped out from the curtains and headed down the entrance ramp, Sanae got a few cheers, whether those were from fans of her music career or her previous matches. That did take the edge off a bit, and a smile came to her face as she turned to wave to some of her supporters. But when she came to the ring and looked back at Kennedy, Sanae could feel something drop in the pit of her stomach, and immediately she remembered what she was up against. This, she knew, was her next opponent - and perhaps the most daunting one yet.

"I'm...I'm here, Ms. Lee..."

Sanae Saitou

Misa Otomura

[Pegasus]

Kennedy turned her chair around and saw the sparkling lights and cutesy J-Pop theme song that Sanae came out to. Her devoted fan base gave her a resounding cheer and Kennedy had to scoff at that. Fans were really only a piggy bank to her to come see her perform and throw dollar bills either to ogle her muscles and other features or to see her get her ass kicked only to end in disappointment. Why any self-respecting person is devoted to a certain someone is beyond her, but Sanae looked like a timid schoolgirl that just got sent to the principal’s office. Even when she entered the ring and got on the other side of the table, she was looking like a kid who accidentally broke their mother’s favorite vase. Kennedy snatched the mic from Misa as she looked at Sanae directly in the eyes.

“I’m suppose to believe this is a confident wrestling idol. The supposed woman who qualified for the Openweight Championship? The one who Alizeh likes to hang around with and almost loses to? Where’s the spunk and flair? You should be chewing me out for embarrassing Alizeh. Where’s the drama, kid?” Kennedy asked in a confused tone.

[CaptainL]

Sanae was definitely more than a little anxious coming up to face Kennedy. And really, could anyone blame her? She might have put on some breathtaking matches and shown the world what she was truly capable of, but Kennedy easily outweighed her, and she had demonstrated just how ruthless she could be now that she had embraced this new side of her. Going into this contract signing, she couldn't say for sure that Kennedy wasn't going to launch a sneak attack on her; if anything, she wouldn't be surprised if she did. As she seated herself across from Kennedy, the green-haired girl was fidgeting anxiously, her thumbs twiddling and her gaze flitting from one side to the other but never setting on Kennedy for long. However, when Kennedy called her out on it, that was all Sanae needed to reignite the true fire within her!

"W-What..? Hey-!" Sanae clenched her teeth, and she sat back up straighter, her body going stiff as she jerked into place. Her eyes narrowed on a glare, focused in on Kennedy. Kennedy had just reminded Sanae of who she really was - who she'd shown to the world. She was right - she was better than this! She had come to LAW seeking to kickstart her path into stardom, and she had exceeded her own expectations, becoming a big name on the stage and in the ring. After all, it was her who had beaten Toshimi Minami herself to enter contention for the World Openweight Championship! Sanae had a legacy of pride behind her, and she couldn't let that down. What was she doing running away? She had to be stronger - she had to show Kennedy she could be stronger!

"If you called me here," she said, "I can only assume you want a match. If you really want to see what I can do in that ring...well, you'll get it! What I don't get is, why do you need to make such a spectacle of it? There has to be something in this pitch worthy of such a big production, right?"

[Pegasus]

Kennedy heard Sanae’s anger start to boil over when she called her out and when Sanae accepted to have a match with her, her fan base got the memo to cheer their hearts out for her. Kennedy herself was very impressed that Sanae took her words to heart and decided to amp it up a little bit. She propped her feet up on the contract table before going further on the microphone.

“That’s so much better! But I gotta be blunt here, if I was hiring you for a role, lower-tier character. Get some acting classes, kid, and get back to me,” Kennedy stated as the crowd booed her heavily for her insults.
“Regardless of all that, the answer to your questions is simple, dear. We are bigger than most people in this company. Our statuses say it all. I’m a rising movie star and you’re a…..mediocre singer, but that’s all besides the point. The point being….putting us together is a clash of stardom. I don’t want to walk in there with just an ordinary match. I want this to be special. Special is what they deserve!”

Kennedy motioned her left arm towards the audience before putting the mic down and getting the pen to sign her name on the dotted line in perfect cursive. She set it down before bringing up her mic again.

“If you truly want to be original and stand out, you can’t settle for less, Sanae. You’re dating a fortune teller, you should see your bright future through Lyra’s eyes!” Kennedy declared.

[CaptainL]

Finding herself face to face with a dominant presence like Kennedy was a harrowing experience for Sanae. She wanted to lock up; she wanted to run away. But when she stopped and listened to what Kennedy was saying, she realized that wasn't an option. Her fans were here, counting on her. What message was it going to say if she admitted she didn't feel she had it in her? She had to be strong. She had to stand up for herself, like they all wanted her to. And indeed, when Sanae raised her voice in defiance, her supporters rang out with a cheer! She was out to take back control, and she wasn't going to let Kennedy push her around any longer!

Still...despite her best efforts, Kennedy still wasn't bothered. She continued to brush Sanae off, and the green-haired girl could only sink back in her seat, her eye twitching anxiously. She wanted to speak up - when Kennedy talked down to her, calling her music mediocre, she had to bite her lip to try and stifle her frustration. But she knew why she was here just as much as Kennedy did. Both of them were public figures with well-established fanbases; fans who had turned out to see them tonight. Whenever she got in the ring, Sanae was all about putting on a good show. She could concede to Kennedy's point there - and it made it all the more important that she not run away now. She nodded her head, reaching for the pen.

But before she could so much as write a single letter with it, the next words out of Kennedy's mouth caused Sanae to freeze. A chill went through her body, and she sat up stiffly as her eyes went wide. Lyra. Yes, she was dating Lyra, and yes, she was trying to make things up to her. But Kennedy's words couldn't help but remind Sanae of her short-sightedness in agreeing to a POW match with Alizeh Midori before the two had even had sex. When Sanae was confronted with the thought of how Lyra saw her, there was still that nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she might have tarnished that image in letting her down. Did Kennedy know?

Nevertheless, Sanae cleared her throat. She couldn't let those feelings keep her down now - not when everyone was counting on her! Her eyes scanned over the contract. She knew better than to sign anything without reading the fine print - especially when the new Kennedy was involved. "Yeah, I get your point. But...what sort of match is this going to be?" Her hand clutched the pen even tighter. Anything, she knew, could happen now.

[Pegasus]

Kennedy was seeing that she was striking nerves with Sanae left and right and that’s the thing about Hollywood. You need to know which buttons to push on an executive or producer or director to get what you want. You’re the one making them richer so they have to do your bidding. Kennedy smirked as Sanae was seeming to be a little more conflicted trying to be better than she was, but still feeling inferior to the Glamorous One. Kennedy was more massive now with the gimmick change and even as the Jungle Queen, Kennedy still would have her height, weight, and strength advantage over Sanae. This was almost too one-sided and if Sanae was questioning and doubting herself, it could be a squash match at We Are LAW.

“What type of match you say? I did almost forget. Us famous people always have to read further beyond the normal terms and conditions. Well, it’s a standard match. Our star power alone will sell the action and make this company bank. However, I did put in a few of my…..own recommendations. This match will be contested under Glamorous Rules. That means there is a certain set of regulations that you and I have to abide by,” Kennedy explained before she flipped through the contract.

“First, you are not allowed to use a finisher in this match. Can’t have you upstaging me. Second, I can’t be counted-out or disqualified while you still can. Third, you must achieve a five-count pin on me while I can still do the normal three on you. I simply must need more time to take a pin more properly. Fourth, no rope breaks for you. I’m sure you’re a big girl enough to fight out of submissions. Fifth, I need to accept submissions from you rather than the referee. I want to have the perfect photo finish for the magazines. Sixth, there is to be no outside interference from either allies we may have. That means Alizeh, Lyra, or Cyber Legacy members can’t interfere or we are forfeiting the match. Seventh, no crowd interactions or that’s an automatic disqualification. Finally, we both must have at least a special entrance for this event. Before you go crying me cheating or rigging this match, I’m under Cyber Legacy certified protections in my contract meaning I have complete control over my matches. Like I always say, cupcake, I make these cows fat stacks of green in their pockets and they damn well know it,” Kennedy explained with a giant smirk.

[CaptainL]

Stay calm, Sanae told herself. Whatever happened, she just needed to stay calm. She could tell that Kennedy's gaze was wandering all up and down her, and every nervous twitch of her eye or fidget of her body felt all too obvious - and she felt all the more vulnerable for it. She couldn't lose hope now. She had faced plenty of daunting foes before, and not even broken a sweat - she'd proven time and time again that she had it in her. Whatever she did, she couldn't leave Kennedy thinking that she was just going to roll over and hand her the win, or this match might as well have already been lost. She took in a deep breath and squeezed her hands together, preparing for the worst.

But she wasn't expecting what she heard next.

"Glamorous...Rules..?" Sanae raised an eyebrow toward Kennedy. Now, she was all but convinced that she was trying to rig this against her - if that hadn't been obvious enough from the start. She was insisting on defining the rules, and she would almost certainly be weaponizing them against Sanae. And if it was a ruleset that she herself had come up with, no one could possibly call her out for stretching their limitations. She couldn't even play to the crowd!? In the music world, Sanae had quickly learned the importance of reading contracts carefully. Because of that, she could recognize it right away - it seemed like Kennedy had mastered the art of writing in loopholes. This would be broad enough for her to cite just about anything Sanae did as a violation, if she felt so inclined! Now, the green-haired girl's teeth clenched, and her face turned from pale to red. Sanae wasn't scared any more - she was outraged! She had to say something about this!

"This is ridiculous!" she shouted, hopping up from her seat. "No referee in their right mind would ever agree to judge something so rigged! Cyber Legacy can't have that much say!" Could they? She hoped they couldn't, at least...

[Pegasus]

Kennedy snickered to herself as Sanae tried to cry foul on this and Kennedy just sat back enjoying the show. She honestly considered fetching someone to get her popcorn if Sanae wanted to make a show of this. The crowd booed her loudly as she straightened out her tie before getting up herself displaying her tall height which should have been the most intimidating thing the pop idol had ever seen. Kennedy raised her mic smirking right at Sanae as she took off her glasses.

“You’re as predictable as ever, Ms. Saitou. Cyber Legacy has certain protections in our contracts that prevent limitations from management. Which means full creative control over whatever we want for our matches. So, whether you want to throw a diva tantrum or not, the match is what it is unless you just walk out of this ring and let down your thousands of loyal fans,” Kennedy stated.

Kennedy smirked as she knew she was in full steer and lead of this contract signing. She twirled the mic in her hands before she decided to poke and prod further.

“And you should be one to talk about abusing celebrity status. It was you who cheated on your girlfriend with Alizeh,” Kennedy added as the crowd went into a full gasp from that statement, but heavy boos still rained down from them mostly directed at Kennedy.

[CaptainL]

Sanae was tense. Her eyes were narrowed in a glare, her teeth were clenched, and she had leaned in closer to Kennedy, her attention laser-focused on the woman who sat before her. She was like a cat with its hackles up, ready to pounce at the first provocation. But the moment Kennedy rose to her full height, everything changed. Suddenly, Sanae could feel the menacing shadow fall over her, and she was reminded instantly of just how small and how vulnerable she seemed in comparison. Even without having the rules rigged in her favor, she realized, Kennedy easily held an edge over her. She was two weight classes ahead of her - right now, she might as well have been twice Sanae's size! She had taken her new persona in stride, and now she projected confidence and power - she had become something truly larger than life. She had become just what Sanae, in this moment, wished she could have been.

Already, Sanae could feel her confidence beginning to melt away. But when Kennedy said that part about her fans, it made her jaw drop in a gasp. Kennedy really knew where to hit Sanae where it hurt. She knew how important it was to the green-haired girl to send her fans home happy and to put on a show worth remembering - to be the person they could believe in. Now, she knew, if she refused the terms, she would be telling all those same fans that she really couldn't beat Kennedy, even with the match rigged against her. That she was nothing more than a disappointment. She wanted to deny it, she wanted to say something - but any words died in her throat when she realized that everything Kennedy said was true. Whether Sanae liked it or not, she had no choice.

That realization had left Sanae breathless, and she was glued to her seat, unable to even bring herself to budge. But Kennedy's next words would once again wring a response out of Sanae, shocking her back to her senses. At once, she jumped back in her seat, as though recoiling from a punch. But the blow that Kennedy had just thrown her way wasn't anything physical - it was a psychological assault, but one just as effective as any blow she could have thrown. Sanae was still struggling with the guilt and shame of having let her girlfriend down. But she thought that was something that was between them - and she thought that she was moving forward. Now, though, Kennedy knew - and she was going to use it to hold a mirror up to all of Sanae's deepest worries and insecurities. The moment Kennedy said those words, Sanae's whole body went cold, as though her blood had turned to ice. She was caught right in the crosshairs!

"W-What..!? No-! No, I didn't-!" she cried, shaking her head. "Y-You're lying..! That didn't happen! It wouldn't happen-!" Tears were streaming down her face. Sanae had all but forgotten about trying to be strong now. How was she supposed to? Now, it seemed nothing was safe from the blonde's attention. If Kennedy knew that...what else did she know?