PSW 2030 Draft VII - Marking Territory

A recess in the draft occurs. Catering and concessions open for wrestlers and fans, respectively, the former separated for the different rosters and those undrafted. 

It's in the Madhouse catering area that we find the no.1 pick, Sarah Esposito, alone, eating some potato salad. Suddenly, a crash sound is heard, followed by a shrill scream.

Esposito raises her head to see Seraphina Dubois, blonde, with sharp features and clad in her stark white strapless puffy midi tulle dress, now stained red by wine. A young waiter desperately tries to wipe the wine off the floor with a cloth.

Dubois: Look at what you've done, you twit!

Waiter: I'm so sorry, Miss, I just-

Dubois: You ruined my dress, is what you did! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS COST?! 

Waiter (On his knees, tries to wipe her dress with that same cloth): I'm really sorry. Please, let me just-

Dubois (slaps his hand away): Don't touch me with that filthy rag, crétin! Were you dropped as a baby?

Esposito frowns and sets down her plate before approaching.

Waiter (Bordering on tears): I-I...

Dubois: Why do you even have a job? All the unemployed LOSERS littering the streets out there and your incompetent hide has a JOB!

Esposito (grabbing Dubois' shoulder): HEY! It was clearly an accident. Why don't you take it easy.

Dubois (slaps her hand away): Why don't YOU mind your own business, number 1 DAFT pick?!

This elicits some laughter from the likes of Stewart, Moore, the Madness and the Jabbars twins. The latter have a video camera.

Dubois (pointing at the waiter): The only 'accident' was this imbécile's conception.

Esposito (towering over Dubois and pointing): Alright, that's enough! Either you chill out, or I-

Talon, tall and large, dressed like Napoleon, steps between them with one hand holding a champagne glass and the other grabbing Esposito's hand.

Talon (menacing): Or you weell whaht, outsider? 

Esposito attempts to pull her hand away, but the Frenchman's grip is strong.

Talon: Eet ees plain to see, thaht thees company ees lackeeng from top to bottom. Eef such slow-weetted serfs (looking at the waiter with his nose upturned and his lip curled) can be so eempotent in the face... of royalty (nodding to Dubois) and that someone like you (glaring at Esposito) can be conseedered a top pick.

Sarah (turns to the waiter): Get out of here! (He obeys. She finally, and forcefully, frees her hand from Talon's grip before getting in his face) I didn't ASK to be picked first. Instead of walking around like your shit doesn't stink, why don't both of you ask YOURSELVES why you were picked... what? 17th? 19th? And while you're at it, tough guy, why don't you ask why the other show with all the men and all the titles didn't pick you at all?!

This gets several "OOOOHS!" from the others, namely the Track Queens and the Jabbars, and more laughter from Jessie Moore. Ethan Stewart, another man in the Madhouse, does not find these circumstances, when stated out loud, all that amusing. Neither does Hunapo Henare of the Madness. Lulu Asovale does, however. Kaivao Manu is too engrossed in his giant plate of hot wings to care.

Even Dubois finds it funny, but does her best to hide it. Talon's face becomes as red as Esposito's hair. 

He tosses his champagne glass to the floor, shattering it: How dare you? (starts pulling his glove off) I weell teach you some respect, you-

Zadie Chen, the domino-masked no. 7 pick seemingly appears next to Esposito: I would keep that glove on if I were you.

Talon (looking down at the small woman): Thees does not concern you, rongeur.

Chakir Jabbar (cupping his hands around his mouth): He just called you a rodent in French!

Chelem (holding the camera): Fight! Fight! Fight! 

Chen: I have decided that it does. 

Dubois: Like you decided to cover that ugly face of yours with a mask?

Esposito: Are you still running your mouth?

Brendan Steele and four other guards show up: Oi! Back it up, pick up yer food and git back tae yer seats.

Dubois: This ogress started with me, first!

Esposito: I wouldn't have to if- What the **** did you just call me?

Steele: A dinnae give a damn who startit it! Ye fight when yer bloody told tae, otherwise-

The booming voice of Sara Williams overrides his: RIGHT NOW!

Everyone responds with "What?"

Steele and his men step back as the President of Talent Relations steps between the two sides, her very presence threatening to swallow them up: The Fight Pit had a number 1 contender's match. It's only fair that the Madhouse gets to have a showcase. So, we're going to have a tag team match. Talon and Seraphina Dubois vs Zadie Chen and the No. 1 overall draft pick, Sarah Esposito. That way, the fans get a show, and we blow off some of the steam up in here. Sound good?

Talon (glaring at Chen and Esposito, while adjusting his jacket): Eet sounds... perfect.

Dubois (holding her ruined dress, and scowling): Absolutely.

Chen (nods): Very well.

Esposito (doing a double-take): N-No!

Sara's eyes widen and bore into Sarah's: No?

Esposito (wilts slightly): I... I didn't... bring my gear.

The whole room goes dead quiet. Once again, the young fighter is on the spot, with a much bigger audience. 

Sara: ... Come again.

Esposito: I didn't bring my gear, Ma'am.

Chakir starts laughing, but Chelem slaps him in the chest and shakes his head.

Sara: Why not?

Esposito (looks around): I didn't... think I'd be... fighting tonight.

Sara (holds out her arms and spins): Except catering zone, I guess. With all these people and furniture and food and-

Esposito: I didn't mean for-

Sara: Chen.

Chen: Yes, Ma'am?

Sara: Do you have gear?

Chen: This is my gear.

Sara: Talon, do you have gear?

Talon (offended by the question): But of courrrse.

Sara: Dubois, do you have your gear?

Dubois (hands on hips): Well, duh! It's called "professional" wrestling.

Esposito: Look, I-

Sara (looking up at the sailing while waving her hands about): Show of hands! Is there anyone else standing in this room without having brought their wrestling gear?

Esposito looks around and finds no hands, only a couple of sympathetic faces. Manu stops chewing on a bone and slowly raises his own, only for it to get slapped down by Asovale.

Sara (gets uncomfortably close to Esposito): Tell me. What exactly was running through your mind when you walked in and saw that big-ass ring out there?

Esposito: I... tried not to think about.

Sara (tilting her head): You tried not to think about it? (starts chuckling) She tried not to think about it.

She suddenly bursts out laughing for the uncomfortable length of 30 seconds. She then stops and turns to look at Dubois and Talon: You've got ten minutes to get ready and get out there. (Looks at Esposito with a frown) And I don't care what you're wearing.

Sarah looks down, clenching her fists as Sara walks past. 

Steele follows her, leaving his men to keep an eye on things.

Dubois (tapping his shoulder): Could you help me out of this dress, Talon?

Talon (smirks while holding out his arm): Thought you'd never ask.

Dubois (grabs it): Oh, you. (turns back to Esposito) See you out there, number 1 daft pick!

Talon laughs as they walk away.

Dubois: Did you see that? I used the same insult twice.

Talon: As brilliant as you are beauteeful, ma cherie.

Esposito just growls to herself as the two of them go. She ends up kicking a chair onto to table while cursing. The chair knocks over a dispenser of boiling water, which spills all over the table and carpet, and knocks several tea mugs off the table, which shatter on impact. 

The guards move in. She glares at them. They stop moving.

Chen: Quite the impression you've been making.

Esposito: I didn't ask for any of this, and I didn't ask for your help.

Chen: The waiter didn't ask for yours.

Esposito: I don't like bullies, and no one else was doing anything, including you.

Chen (steps closer): I was doing two things: Watching and waiting. You should practice these.

Esposito (walks past): Whatever.

Chen: Have you ever wrestled a tag team match before?

Esposito: I'm an "outsider", remember?

Chen: It's a yes or no question.

Esposito (groans): No!

Chen (walks faster): Then we have much to discuss.

Esposito stares after her in increasing annoyance. 

Chen: Are you coming?

Esposito (inhales and exhales with eyes closed): Yeah... (follows Chen).