Nothing to nuisance (the Banks thing)

[Lessien Melwasul]

~Just how does one go from being absolutely nothing to being a complete nuisance in one easy step? Why, just ask Ms. Banks of course. She does it in her sleep. Betty lounges in the waiting chair, legs a fucking kimbo. Alice, half asleep and bored out of her mind.~

We have better things to do.

Gold around my waist and in my hair.

~One hour, her clock.~

Not mine.

[Lessien Melwasul]

~And waits, and waits, and waits. What else would she do in a waiting chair? Hmm? A whole nother story I'm sure.~

[rr]

The looming and odorous scent of Nicotine smoke seeps through the cracks around the door. Radimir Romanov, being the closest to the door, is ever so fortunate of picking up on this scent. As quickly as it had wafted past the nose of the Iron Bison, his eyes dart toward the door... and out he goes, with the door closing...

With a scowl present upon his face, his nose has never failed him yet... for it directs him swiftly toward the responsible party. Despicable, is the smell that brings back memories of times past.

Standing in front of the door that leads to the Lady of the hour, his eyes never waver from the visiting cigar wench. They both knew why she was here. The door is reopened, the perfect indication that her slouching nature had been interrupted at this time.

[Lessien Melwasul]

~Betty takes one more, long, drag. Pretending not to notice him at all until the last of the smoke escapes her lips and nose. Some of it disappearing behind her ever present sun glasses. No, she wasn't a vampire and neither was Alice. They were just

sensitive.

Sensitive to bright lights and disjointed sounds. How cruel of a twist was that for some one of her general nature? She lowers her boots back to the floor.~

You make a delightful doorstop, Lover.

~Betty steps around his equally scowling and oppressive fore to step inside the Banks world, stuffing the cigarette out in the soil of a standard issue, office house plant. She stretches her arms above her head.~

Mmm, glad you called

and a thousand other lies.

[Lessien Melwasul]

~Third one to answer the call now ignored for a second time? This was getting beyond ridiculous and she was starting to get beyond annoyed.~

[sil]

Lessien Melwasul, I presume?

She had turned after admiring herself in her compact's mirror and smelling the lingering trace of ash that fills the room. With one eyebrow cocked, she examines the woman from head to toe. Aww... someone seems to be in a bad mood, today?

What ever is the matter, my dear? It seems like you've just woken up. We can surely make this quick for you, if that's the case? So please...

Silvia looks away, only to set her sights on the X where all of this is to "go down". She then takes her seat, a smile forges upon the corners of her lips...

[Lessien Melwasul]

We can do it anyway you like, Lover. So long as we actually do it.

~Betty tapped another Lucky Strike free from her crumpled pack, but didn't light it just yet.~

Though I shouldn't be surprised I suppose. Number one on your trashy little video was "Beautiful" after all.

~Alice flicked the lighter to flame and Betty took a

long

hard

drag.~

Am I beautiful?

Please,

~She rolled her eyes behind their safe lenses.~

I'm surprised you invited me in at all.

[sil]

How charming and unexpected...

You know, Miss Styles told me that you are quite the complex creature... yet I find it shockingly disappointing that you're so one dimensional in the concept of beauty, Miss Melwasul. I'm flattered that you think I am, but my beauty transcends the physical. Not only that, you shouldn't be surprised by the doings of a person you obviously haven't taken the time to get to know. Misconceptions are a dangerous point of view, I've heard.

She gives her a quick glance before continuing further...

Back to my point though, Miss Melwasul. The beauty I envision our first Debutante Champion to have... doesn't end at your shallowed perception of the beauty you read in magazines... watch on TV. No, it goes beyond that. Yet, I'll be brief. If you act a certain way... carry yourself in a certain way, you'll be ultimately accepted to be just that. Example? I carry myself to be the professional I've always wanted to be. And that I am, my position within this very company that employs us BOTH serves merit, I'm sure.

And how does this involve you? I sense a hint of low self-esteem from your person, or if I may be blunt, PERSONS. Sadly, if you don't have the confidence to call yourself a beauty, which ranges from the highest forms... like moi... to the truly facially disfigured...

Silvia would express an example... yet that would be very rude.

The ugliest thing in this world to me is a woman that lacks confidence in all facets of life, Miss Melwasul. That however is something you would have to work with... IF you wish to become GCW's first TOP Debutante by Absolution's end.

She looks over to the camera, that has yet to be switched on.

But between just us girls, the smoking doesn't help that which you seem to hold in highest regard, your physical beauty. It's been medically proven, dear...

A wink follows, before Silvia asks her to assume the position. No, to the sick-minded... she meant the spot with the X...

[Lessien Melwasul]

~It was Betty's turn, and with it she started to laugh out loud.~

Oh, you are simply priceless Banks. Did all the other girls I watch stream in here one after the other after the other after the other.

~Alice gestures to the unending line that came before her, placing a toe on the X as she did.~

Did they actually believe half the words that came out of your mouth? Hmm, I'm sure they did. You have exquisite delivery. You really do, and let's face it. When you are delivering fertilizer at a cup a second? Delivery is everything.

~Alice slides her other toe over to join the first, though surely the camera was already on with the first.~

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is a curse. Beauty is deeper than the sea.

~Alice giggles, she could go one forever with that unending tripe.~

I'm beyond beauty, Lover and I'm equally beyond disappointed you don't seem to know who the fuck I am.

~Betty smirked, taking another long drag from her beauty aide before dropping it down near the X and grinding it out.~

For a self proclaimed professional, you seem to be woefully uninformed. Amanda never told you the endless stories? To amuse you? No?

~Betty shook her head at the travesty.~

How tragic. She was, technically, after all the one who started it all those years ago. Bringing me to Detroit from Ohio. The bar? The blood? The money? The gasoline? Bringing me back from the nothing she created to Chicago again?

~She waved a lazy hand.~

Maybe if she had, you would have saved the arm chair psycho-babble and the "confidence of young girls" speech for some bright eyed virgin blinded by it all.

Some memories are better left untouched.

Those memories are too far gone for me to even try to find them.

Confidence?

~Alice turned, looking squinty eyed over the top of her lenses.~

Another fucking lie for young girls everywhere, rivaled only by 'I Fucking Love You'. I don't need it, because I've already lived the fucking life and been there, Lover. I've been the Queen of the North. I've been the fucking headline. Oh and I've fucking won, lost or draw. Looking down at a puddle of my own blood and wondering who the fuck that belonged to while my music didn't play.

~Betty straightened her head, so her eyes disappeared.~

I trust we are on the same page now, Lover? Shall we continue?

~She smiled, Banks was obviously intelligent, more intelligent than that dead idiot Pyro. There was hope, as soon as she figured out where Lessien was on the fucking map. The city of One Dimensional wasn't fucking listed.~

[sil]

So... there's that fire, the innovation Silvia highlighted in her fabulous video. It had come to life right before her, finally. Surely, it was SECOND to last... but never the least among the several...

I'm sure we are now, Miss Melwasul... though I can't help but feel that you should have warned me of what was to come...

She points her thumb, precisely toward the far wall... the camera idley waiting for the cue.

You robbed your would-be opponents in the running... of all of that. I'm sure they would have loved to hear that... as I did. I'm such the lucky one... born with that silver spoon in my mouth. I've never renounced it... and most likely, never will...

Silvia shoots her a smile, and then another... as she stares down the now ashy gray, red X.

Shall we continue? Pleasantries have already been put to rest I believe. And it's been proven that my field of work surely doesn't transgress toward psychiatry... and those whole self-esteem building workshops I hear the unconfident live their lives attending. Give a girl a second, though? Two things... before you can leave your opponents and, most importantly, the people speechless...

Reaching for her Red Chanel bag, she unzips the bag, pulls out her cherry lip balm, reapplies, places it back inside, zips the bag closed, places said bag where it once was, and finally cues the camera.

Crossing her legs and cupping her hands one over the other as they fall on her knee, Silvia tilts her head to one side and waits for it...

Or does Miss Melwasul need to be asked the questions she surely has heard time and time again... since she's been waiting so long? Silvia feels like it's obviously not SILVIA's fault that this woman lets others cut in line. Elementary, my dear friends... it's elementary school 101...

[Lessien Melwasul]

Oh yes, I know exactly what you want. You want me to prance around and tell you why I should be your Top Debutante. You want me to tell you what I have in store for Veranica and then what kind of match will stack things in my favor.

~Betty smiles, thin walls.~

Unlike most of your little wall flowers. I don't need my hand held, Lover. I'm sure you along with any GCW fan knows exactly where I stand when it comes to V. Styles. I said it before you came out of hiding.

Say it again.

~Alice purred.~

I don't have to.

~No, that wouldn't be necessary. Betty did so hate to repeat herself. Alice did that more than enough as it was. Besides, Banks had obviously seen what had been happening between Veranica and her. Instead she turned her attention from wherever it had drifted back to Ms. Banks and finally said something she hadn't heard before a million times.~

I don't want to be your Top Debutante, Lover. I don't want to be some fucked up chosen one. Some face of the GCW "women" or some brilliant marketing ad. I want nothing to do with that at all.

Dreams are an illusion.

Oh please, like I said. I've lived it, breathed it, broke it, had it on it's knees begging for fucking more. Top Debutante? Please save it for your -two week superstars- and your "I have faith in myself" cult of desperation.

I believe in me. I know I can.

Fuck that, I've actually done it, and drawn up a map so I could go back whenever I want. And that map? That map stops on the Championship, nowhere else.

~Betty eases back in the chair, enjoying a small stretch of her limbs to her stream of matter-of-facts.~

No, I don't think I'll be your Top Debutante at all Ms. Banks. No, I think I will be the first challenge to anyone you put that name on, because to be the Top Debutante? They are going to have to come get my quote Debutante quote belt. Or as I like to call it, My Championship.

~Alice interlaced her fingers over her knee. Yes, she loved the sound of that as well.~

Edgy, innovative, fierce, personality?

~Betty remembered some of the words, enough to start her next thought.~

You can slap as many words as you want on one of your hopefuls. You'll always remember when you actually met someone who was. Anyways, it's win/win for you. Your Top Debutante takes me out before I can even touch gold for the first time in three years. Or they go through me next month in a ratings windfall full of drama and intrigue which few other will ever be able to deliver as your Top Debutante tries to put it all together and be all you hope she can be.

~Betty took a breath after that one, staying on track and even the entire time. There was only one thing left to cover, and anyone who actually knew Lessien knew the answer to that match question.~

If you want to see that happen? You want to give me an edge? Hell in a Cell is where I earned my fame and respect. Put me in there again to remind them all exactly who I am.

[sil]

You always have to be the odd man... well woman out every time, hmm? I'm not mad at you, Miss Melwasul. To each her own. Only thing I expect from you is everything you've got... or should I say... can you GO...

all

night

long?

Imitation is the highest form of flattery... yet not something that needs to go to her head. Silvia's sure that Lessien has enough going on up there...

Though, you'll have much "'splainin'" to do if you just so happen to go into overdrive and defeat those lined up in front of you. Our next meeting will indeed be an interesting one, if you have some new jewelry to bring along that is. The irony of having a champion who never wished to be the first of its kind here. The one to blame? Again, oddly enough... it will be yourself.

Final words, Lover?

Hmm... that sure is catchy.

[Lessien Melwasul]

~Clever

little

imp.~

I'm already the first of my kind and that's why you should pray and do whatever you can to make it Me vs Drew in the end. She'll be your little Debutante I'm sure, if she wins.

~Betty stood, as Alice smoothed down her coat in all the right places.~

If it happens to be me? I'll simply illustrate what the difference between a real Champion and a Top Debutante is,

~'All night long.' She only mouthed the words, no need to repeat them for her. 'Win, win' she mouthed again. There were two women who held any noticeable history in this tournament. Then there were the others, the fresh starts. Either way she was sure Banks could turn it in to something that would pay, but she was equally sure no one paid like her.~

A pleasure, Banks. Enjoy the rest of your simple interviews. I'm sure you will find something of some value if you dig, polish and close your eyes hard enough. Remember

anything can be beautiful

If you just believe it's true.

~Betty broke out into laughter walking past the human door stop. She just kept laughing, all the way out the door. Oh god, that was hilarious. The little shining light. The beauty of it all. Half way down the hall she started to laugh again.~

[sil]

Did you catch that? The lesson of the day, Radimir...

She's a fast learner, hmm? Who would think that she'd be able to get that much out of one simple meeting with moi? God, I'm fabulous...

She flips her hair and looks over to him...

[rr]

He wasn't the least bit amused by the Cigar Wench's peculiar antics and annoying habits. Radimir treads softly, toward Lady Bankova. On his way, he stops just shy of a house plant that was resonating with that foul smell. His eyes then dart toward the perpetrator, the cigarette bud impeded into the plant's soil. He reaches for it, and cups it in his large hand. His trek continues, finally stopping right beside Lady Bankova. He presents the bud to her.