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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:20:15 GMT
Originally posted by Tommy. Overcoming the Truth The scene in Tommy’s locker room following his loss to Kleo De Santos was not a good one. His losing streak had continued, and when confounded with his personal issues, it was a recipe for disaster. Rocco hadn’t escorted him to the ring, dealing with some other FWA business backstage instead. By the time he made it to Tommy’s locker room, things were a disaster.
He had destroyed the small refrigerator that sat in the corner. The built in cabinet-shelf combo that held his clothes had largely been caved in. He had smashed a mirror in the bathroom, and had thrown anything he could get his hands on across the room. Rocco walked in and was stunned.“Kid, what the hell are you doing?!”
“I’m fucking sick of this, Rocco. I haven’t won a match in over a month. My career is in the shitter. I went from the one of the hottest names in FWA to a guy who can’t get a win to save his fucking life. Things are shit at home. I’m tired of all of it.”
“She still not willing to marry you?”Tommy shot Rocco a look that spoke volumes. Randi’s pregnancy was moving along, and while she had been sure to include Tommy as much as she could, she had made it clear that she wasn’t rushing down the aisle with him. After all, she had seen her mother go through failed marriage after failed marriage. She wasn’t going to do the same.
Tommy wanted to hate her for her lack of interest in nuptials, but as he looked around the shattered remains of his locker room, it was hard to blame her.“Rocco, I think you need to book me some time off.”
“You just came back. They’re not just gonna hand you another hiatus.”
“And what happens if I just stop showing up? What happens if I don’t go to the next show?”
“You’re already booked for the next show. Fallout is in Washington D.C. and you’ve got Cyrus Truth.”
“Truth?! Seriously?”Tommy’s self-esteem was spiraling and facing Cyrus Truth seemed like a fate worse than death in the moment.“I’m not going. What are they gonna do, tie me up and haul me to D.C.?”
“You’ll be in breach of contract, you moron.”
“You think I give two squirts of duck shit about a contract?”
“No, I know you don’t. But I know you care about your career. You have to be in D.C.”Tommy was annoyed. Couldn’t Rocco pull some strings and get him some sort of a match against a jobber? Tommy needed to assault someone, something other than the shit in his locker room, and instead, he gets another match with Cyrus Truth.”“Listen, kid. I’m gonna make some phone calls. I want you to talk to somebody. You’re so deep in your own head when you get out to the ring that there’s no way you’re going to win.”
“Talk to somebody? What, you think I need some kind of shrink?"
“That’s exactly what I think you need. Listen, I know this woman well. I’ve known her for years, and she’s good. She does a lot of work with athletes, especially those who are slumping.”
“Slumping. That’s what we’re calling this?”
“You’re in a slump. Baseball players go through them and end up in the Hall of Fame. Quarterbacks do it and then end up winning a Super Bowl. Boxers do it and then end up being a champion. You’re in a slump kid, but that doesn’t mean that things are over. I’m calling her in the morning, and you’re gonna go see her Monday morning before Fallout.”Tommy wanted to put up a fight, but hell, he’d probably lose that fight, too.“I’ll go, but so help me God, if I end up laying on a couch, looking at ink blots, or any of that shit, I’m out the door. You understand?”
“I gotcha. I’ll have the appointment set up for Monday. I think it'd do you some good to not go running back to Sweetwater the minute you're free. You’ll fly back to New York with me, spend the week there, and then we will head to D.C.”Tommy grabbed his bags and walked out of the locker room that he had destroyed. He hated everything and everyone. He hated himself for losing another match, he hated The Coven, he hated Rocco for not being in his corner like he should’ve been, and he was starting to hate Randi.
Rocco contacted someone over the facility and let them know that he would be sending them a check to cover the cost of the damaged locker room.
A few minutes later, Tommy stormed into his hotel room, still seething with anger. He walked over to the minibar by the window and started cracking open every type of alcohol that they had on hand. A seasoned drinker, it took Tommy several drinks to start feeling the impact of the alcohol.
With every drink, he thought about his career that he truly believed was circling the drain. He thought about his mother who he hadn’t spoken to in months, and he thought about Randi along with the unborn son that he had on the way. What would she say if she could see him drinking so much? Hell, what did it matter? It’s not like she was willing to commit to him anyway. Was it her fault? Was it his? What did it matter? Tommy was going to drink until he couldn’t hold his head up. He would deal with it all tomorrow, if there was to be one.[ATTACH type="full"]40711[/ATTACH] Tommy nervously sat in the waiting room at Dr. Bloom’s office. He stuck out like a turd in a punchbowl. On one side of him, there was a man in an expensive suit who was barking orders about stock trades into a cellphone. On the other side, there was a woman who was obviously trying to navigate the troubled water of drug addiction. Smack in the middle of them sat what seemed to be a giant of a man, Tommy Bedlam. His ballcap pulled down low over his eyes, as much Skoal as he could possibly fit in his bottom lip, and the taste of last night’s drinking binge still fresh in his mouth.“Tommy?”The older woman who appeared in the doorway knew that he was her next patient. For a moment, Tommy thought about leaving, but his respect for Rocco prompted him to stay. In a time where it seemed like everyone was distancing themselves from him, Rocco, even if he wasn’t at ringside, was always in Tommy’s corner.
He got up and followed her to the office at the end of the hallway. As he walked in, his eyes immediately went to the couch that sat against the far wall. He had told Rocco that he wasn’t laying on any couches.“You can grab a seat wherever you’d like.”Tommy walked over to a chair and sat down.“Not sure if I’m supposed to lay down on your couch or not…”
“No, you can sit anywhere you’d like. I meant what I said. You’ll find that I always do.”
“So what do we do here, Doc? Do I look at some ink blots and tell you what I see? Do I draw you a picture and then you tell me what my problems are? What’s the next step?”Doctor Bloom chuckled a bit.“No, we don’t need to do any of that. I’m sure you’ve seen stuff in TV and movies, but that’s not what I’m here for. I want to talk about what’s going on with you.”
“Where do we start?”
“Wherever you’d like.”
“My career is falling apart. Seems like a good place to start.”
“Rocco mentioned that you’d lost a few matches recently.”A few? Tommy had lost all his matches recently. Rocco clearly tried to soften the blow.“Yea, can’t buy a win.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“You’re the doctor. How bout you tell me why that is?”
“I’ll admit, I don’t watch a lot of professional wrestling. I used to, but I guess I kind of lost interest over the years. But, it’s been my experience when dealing with combat athletes that losing streaks typically stem from distractions. What has been distracting you as of late?”
“I feel like Rocco has probably already told you that.”
“He mentioned that you’re expecting your first child. Are you so excited about that that you’re struggling to focus on your career? If so, that’s completely normal.”
“I’m….I’m really not sure.”
“Let’s take a different approach to this. I’ve found that if we can confront the truth, it makes it much easier for us to deal with what’s holding us back.”
“The truth?”
“Yes. What’s the truth about your career. You mentioned your career first, so that’s obviously the most important thing to you. What’s the truth about your career.”
“I’ve lost about five matches in a row.”Honestly, the losses had been piling up so much since the mid-way point of the F1 Climaxxx Tournament, Tommy had quit counting. “And what does that mean for your future?”
“When you lose a bunch of matches in wrestling, you move down the card. Instead of top billing, you’re suddenly just another guy on the card. No title shots, which means less money, less fame, less notoriety. Losing streaks like this one have ended careers.”
“And that scares you?”Tommy didn’t like the idea of saying that he was scared of anything. Men didn’t show fear. They beat the shit out of whatever was scaring them, established their dominance, and moved on to the next foe. There was no room for fear. He didn’t respond.
Doctor Bloom stood up and walked over to a large wipe off board that hung on the wall. She picked up a marker and wrote the word “TRUTH” along the top of the board. Underneath it, she wrote “Scared of Losing.” The words were brutal to read, but dammit, that was the truth. Tommy was terrified of losing another match.
For a moment, the two of them sat there in silence.“When was your most recent loss?”
“Last weekend on Fallout.”
“Who did you lose to?”
“Kleo De Santos.”
“Does your loss to Kleo De Santos have anything to do with your next match?”
“Well, no.”
“Ok, who is your next match against?”
“Cyrus Truth.”
“Cyrus Truth? Isn’t that a funny coincidence?”Tommy didn’t find the humor in it.“We’ve established that you have a son on the way. Isn’t that something to be happy about?”Tommy stared out the window. He didn’t respond, as he didn’t really want to talk about it. He was OK with talking about the losing streak. He had grown to accept the fact that he was going to have to confront the fact that he had gone from the most talked-about return of the year to a guy who was struggling to get through a match, but he didn’t want to talk about things between him and Randi.“Are you scared of being a father?”Tommy glared at the doctor. If she was a man, he would hit her with a Buckshot and walk out of the office. Apparently the look on his face answered the question.“Why are you scared of fatherhood?”
“I guess I’ve never seen a good father, so I have no clue what the fuck I’m doing.”
“So you’re afraid of being the same kind of father that you had?”Tommy chuckled a bit. The odds of him being half the piece of shit that Sammy was were slim. If he showed up at a single Little League game, he’d be a better dad than he had. Even if he and Randi wound up splitting custody, he was almost a lock to be a better father than Sammy Bedlam had ever dreamt of being.“I’m scared of not getting the chance to be a better one.”The doctor nodded her head, a look of compassion in her eyes. She walked over to the board and wrote “Scared of Missing Out on Your Child” on the board under the first note. Those words made Tommy a bit sicker than the first note.“Why would you not get the chance?”
“Things aren’t really the way I would like for them to be between me and his mother.”
“Why is that?”Tommy wanted to blame her. He started to talk a couple times, but he couldn’t really get anything out. He was looking for an opportunity to blame Randi for it all, but he knew deep down that it was mostly his fault.“Truth, Tommy. Give me the truth.”
“I’m not exactly the most marriable guy, Doc. I’m on the road or in the air for most of the year. I’m on a show in Europe, then I’m on a plane heading back for a show in the states.”
“How bout the drinking?”
“Rocco tell you I have a drinking problem?”
“He didn’t have to. Your breath smells like you brushed your teeth with tequila this morning.”
“I’m not an alcoholic.”
“I never said you were. I’m asking if your drinking could be part of the reason that she isn’t picking out a wedding dress.”
“I guess it could be.”The doctor walked over to the board and wrote “Drinks Too Much” on the list. Tommy secretly wished she would write something good about him, but he also realized that there wasn’t much good to say.“So, you want to marry this woman?”
“Absolutely.”
“Why?”
“Because I lo….because she’s having my kid.”
“Tommy, you know that pregnancy is not a valid reason for marriage. This isn’t 1950, and nobody is forcing you two to the altar.”
“I love her, OK? I love that woman. When I’m on the road, I’m thinking about getting back to Texas. When I climb out of the ring after a match, win or lose, I wanna get back to the locker room and see if she’s texted me.”
“Does she always text you after matches?”
“She used to.”
“When did she stop?”
“A few weeks back.”
“After a loss?”
“Well, there sure as hell ain’t been any wins.”
“Do you think that she only wants to text you when you’re winning?”
“No.”
“Are you afraid that she won’t love you back if you lose?”Silence. Of course, Tommy was afraid of that. But he also knew that Randi wasn't so shallow that she was going to pick a husband based on his Win-Loss record. The first match that Randi had attended in person was a match Tommy had won. In fact, it was one of the last ones that he had won. He had tried his hardest to impress her that night, knowing that she was in the front row. “I guess.”The doctor walked over to the board and wrote “Afraid She Won’t Love Me” on the board. Even though the words were written in the same size, they seemed larger.
The doctor sat down across from Tommy, closed the legal pad that she had been scribbling in, and took her glasses off.“So, what’s the deal? I’m crazy or something?”
“You’re not crazy, Tommy. You see, every one of us is forced to deal with two versions of ourselves. We have our ‘True Selves” and our ‘False Selves.’ Unfortunately, we often allow our false selves to dictate our truth. I think that’s what you’re doing.”
“Well, how do I stop it?”
“You just have to beat Truth.”“Beat Truth.” The doctor obviously meant something much deeper, but the words weren’t lost on Tommy.
"Before you go, I'd like for you to do something. Go over to the board, pick up the eraser, and wipe out everything that I just wrote about you. I want you to overcome what you thought was truth when you walked into my office today." Initially, Tommy thought the exercise was a bit dorky, but he also didn't want his last memory of this visit to be the things that they had discussed. He picked up the eraser, and started at the bottom of the list, wiping the words on the board. When the only word left on the baord was "TRUTH," Tommy put the eraser down. He pulled back a massive hand and punched through the board, obliterating that word. He reached into his wallet, pulled out a $100 bill, and tossed it down on the doctor's desk. "Sorry about that. That should cover the price of a new board." Shockingly, the doctor was smiling.
"I think that will more than cover it, Tommy." The two of them shook hands. Tommy walked out of the office with the words “Beat Truth” ringing in his ears. He climbed in his rental car, started the engine, and put it in reverse. Suddenly, he put it back in park, pulled out his phone, and dialed Randi’s number. To his surprise, she answered.“Hey, Cowboy.”
“What’s up?”
“Not much? Just puking my guts out. This kid of yours is trying to kill me.” She chuckled. “So, I’d really like to talk. I know it’s kind of random, but is there anyway that you’d be willing to fly to D.C. for the show?”Randi was silent for a moment. Tommy expected her to decline the offer.“I think I can make that work.”
“Great. I’d really like to talk about some stuff. I have one more question.”
“Tommy, I really don’t wanna talk about marriage.”
“No, not marriage. I was wondering if you’d be willing to be in my corner?”
“You know I’m always in your corner.”
“Randi, no. I mean…like, walk to the ring with me.”
“You mean like a manager? What about Rocco?”
“Rocco stopped going to ringside. Said he prefers dealing with the business side of things. I want you to be my manager.”
“You know what, let me fly out to D.C. We can figure all that out when I get there. Who do you have next?”
“Cyrus Truth.”
“Think you’ve got a good chance?”
“Actually, I do. If you had asked me this morning, I would’ve said no. But I’ve been talking to someone, and I really think it’s time for me to Beat Truth.”
“I’ll book my ticket and be in D.C. on Thursday.”
“I’ll pick you up at the airport.”Tommy smiled, perhaps the first real smile that he had experienced in weeks. Randi was coming to the show, and Tommy was going to overcome the truth in more ways than one. |
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:20:29 GMT
Originally posted by Blaine.
SOMETIME IN LATE 2022
A scraggly bearded man sat on a couch, his face buried in his hands. The couch was housed in a generic, manufactured home, one of a person with more time on their hands than many assume. On the bland, beige colored wall featured a poster of what seems to be a wrestler, labled with the tag "Asshole from Atlanta" and the words "Jayson Douglas" coated along the bottom of the poster. A table rested under the poster, holding what appears to be a title belt. Sawyer's eyes would dimly glance at the belt from the corner of them, before he moved his hands away from his face.
His mug was unshaven, like it was owned by someone with no care in the world. Someone who desired to disappear amongst the emptiness and never resurface. A broken soul. Sawyer would lean forward slightly in the couch, sitting the bleak silence of the home. It was a safe haven of some sorts. Jayson wasn't a drinker, so he wouldn't get lured into his trap.
Oh, Jayson. The unheard of friend from Sawyer's past. Sawyer went to high school with two professional wrestlers, his lifelong friend Hank Malphis and ... Jayson Douglas. Jayson decided to go to Japan for his career, so they never really crossed paths. It was fine though, not everyone's paths are meant to diverge. Yet, somehow, he ended up going to the person who split from the trio instead of the old friend. It was a weird decision, one he's not really coped with yet.
Jayson was an odd roommate. He was well-off, kept his house tidy, but you have never met a man more bipolar than him. Within mere minutes, he can go from caring to sarcastic to physically violent. That's how he played his persona in the ring, yet Sawyer never really figured out whether reality met fiction or not. Sawyer would grab a half-empty water bottle off the table, taking a sip of it before turning back to the memorabilia. Jayson's proud of himself, something he envies. Sawyer struggles to be proud of himself, every little mistake pushing him closer to insanity and the inescapable spiral of darkness.
Is this why he moved in with Jayson? Maybe being around someone who gave a shit about themselves would drag up his self-image. It's an odd mindset, but at this point he's desperate. He's desperate for self-validation, to even remotely have some sort of pride in his work. Yet, if he's yet another guy in this world, what's the purpose?
Sawyer fell back onto the couch, blinking his eyes emptily as we fade away from the past.
AFTER THE SHOW
He lost ... yet why does he feel satisfied? It's odd. Only a year ago, a loss like this would be heartbreaking for him. Hell, after his match with Vampyra, he just left the arena and went to the closest bar. But, it feels like he succeeded. After that brutal bump, he laid on the mat as Nova celebrated his victory his heart burned with anger, with regret, with absolute rage. Yet, he succeeded at one thing, doing what he loves.
The ovation he got after walking to the back sure helped him, as the pure passion he's lusted to have for years was reignited. For the first time in years, he's actually excited with a loss. Sawyer's back would be killing him as he carried his bags out of the arena, his body drenched in sweat. His mind was cluttered with many ideas, interrupted by a honking of a car.
???: What the hell are you doing Sawyer? Hurry up and put your shit in the car.
There's Jayson for you. Sawyer looked at the rented car parked near the frontside of the backstage area, as the look of a snarky man stared at Sawyer's drenched body.
Jayson Douglas: Jesus fuck Sawyer, have a little decency for the car ... or not. I really don't care, the dick who gave me this car wanted to charge me extra just because "I'm the greatest wrestler in the world" or some bullshit. Which, is true, but I'm not gonna pay some limp-dicked bald-headed 50 year old man named Earl more than 400 bucks for this washed-down piece of shit car.
Sawyer Xavier: Yknow, Jayson, you don't have to be so pissy-faced every single time you need to pick me up. You know my van's falling out of shape. Besides, didn't you have a show tonight?
Jayson Douglas: Yeah. Kicked the kids ass. Tried to stiff me, yknow. But, it's just another part of being the best in the world. So, put your shit in the car and let's get something to eat.
Sawyer would sigh slightly, placing his bags in the trunk of the car. Xavier slid into the passenger seat, as Jayson would go to turn on the radio. Instead of that, Sawyer would slap the wrist of Jayson, preventing the radio from blaring.
Sawyer Xavier: Not right now Jayson, please. Just, I can't do music at the moment.
Sawyer sighed, pulling some ibuprofen out of a bottle and taking it. Jayson would back out of the parking lot, as the two hit the freeway. For the first few minutes, the only enjoyable company was silence.
Jayson Douglas: I just wanted to say ... I saw your match. Now, I may be the biggest piece of shit in the world, but damn it I was rooting for you.
That slight compliment made Sawyer smile a small bit.
Sawyer Xavier: Thanks Jay. I should be disappointed with myself. You know how I get when I fail. I'm all sad and mopey and just .... yknow, but I'm proud actually. I came so close to victory, and I feel achieved-
Jayson Douglas: Then some crazy psycho-lady kissed you and you lost.
Sawyer Xavier: I wasn't expecting her to KISS me. But, it was a loss I felt happy about. Because damn it, I've been fighting for YEARS to try and prove myself. This, Jayson, was the first time a loss hasn't shocked me to my core, rippled through my brain, tore at my VERY NERVES. This time, I finally feel like happy I lost. I mean sure, a win would be nice but I came in and showed off.
Jayson Douglas: That's grrreat man .... you feel like eating some Cookout?
Sawyer Xavier: Yeah .... Sure.
Jayson and Sawyer would proceed to sit in silence for the rest of the ride. It didn't feel like a hostile silence, more of a needed break silence. Sawyer would glance over at Jayson, before smirking slightly.
TODAY
The King Of The Deathmatch was approaching. An opportunity of a lifetime for the lucky individual who's body was willing enough to survive the torturous experience of Deathmatch warfare. Aka, new grounds for Sawyer. If you noted a past interview with Gabrielle, he's competed in only one deathmatch. Despite that, when the conversation backstage shifted to this tournament and the X Title, Sawyer was willing to take the chance of a lifetime.
Sawyer Xavier: Back in 2020, I defeated Alexandra Marie. That was the first time life was looking up for me. Hell, I faced her and another dude who's name isn't even relevant enough to cross my head and still BEAT them both, I felt I had a chance at the big leagues. Then ... next week Uncle J snapped my fingers and embarassed me. It all came crashing down there.
Sawyer Xavier: For months on end, I would achieve no success. I would stare at the lights, every single night and yet, something in me pushed me forward. I don't know what it was keeping me in the FWA through countless losses and total irrelevancy. Hell, when the draft came I was one of the final people picked. I was bottom of the barrel scum. I was shocked the men upstairs even bothered to keep me around.
Sawyer Xavier: Then, Cyrus came in. When Meltdown invaded Fallout, Cyrus saw me as a head honcho for him. At the anniversary show, Cyrus Truth wanted me to represent Meltdown. I had turned my back on that brand, I had done absolutely NOTHING to prove I deserved to be showcased. I was on a team with two absolute, bonafied legends and ... Cyrus let me pick up the win.
Sawyer Xavier: I was on top of the world man. However, ever since I was a child, something changed. I just ... stopped caring. Shawn Summers beat me then Vampyra injured my neck and ... I gave up. For the months I was gone, missing, I fell into a deep spiral. I went to ... alcohol. That was ... my coping mechanism for years. back in 2014, Hank and I went solo and I got a lil homesick. So, I drank my worries away. In 2017, I stopped taking bookings for an entire summer to go to rehab. The bottle has been a tainted force on me for years.
Sawyer Xavier: I didn't know what to expect when I moved in with Jayson back in December. At that point, I hadn't spoken to him since High School. But, he welcomed me with open arms. Well, not exactly open, he was carrying his huge ass ego. But, still, Jayson gave me something ... a place to stay. For years, I have lived on the road. That van was my 17th birthday present, but I never had a home. I just went where I was needed. I didn't have friends, I didn't have a partner. I had myself and my van. Jayson gave me a home.
Sawyer Xavier: So, now I stand here. A chance to stand side-by-side with two people I've never really talked to. Trixie and XYZ. I don't know much about either. Two zany ass characters, I suppose. Trixie came in while I went off the grid and XYZ ... he's XYZ. Even after sharing a locker room with him for a few months, I still didn't comprehend who exactly XYZ was. But, hell, it's a new story for Sawyer Xavier. It's a new chance for allies.
Sawyer Xavier: Speaking of allies, let's go to enemies. Logan Darwin. I don't know what the hell it is. He justs irks me. Is it the way he's carried himself, or is it how I cannot list one notable thing he's done in his long-ass career. I mean, jeez, I've seen 70 year old jobbers have more important runs than Logan. But, Logan's the only man I truly dislike. Madison reminds me of an early ... me. I've said it before, she's young, she's dumb, but damn it she's got heart. I respect the hell out of Madison Gray, which is why I won't hold back. I wouldn't expect anyone I respect to hold back on me, so Maddy, good luck. Finally ... Darius Wight. I wish I could say more. I haven't had the honor of truly watching him perform. But, if he's anything like I've heard about him, I wouldn't expect anything less than a fight. So, cmon Wight, give me your best shot man.
Sawyer Xavier: I won't even lie, I'm not the most confident in myself. I don't know if I have what it takes to even win this match. But that's alright with me. My biggest flaw has been exactly that, confidence. I get too confident, I get too cocky, and the blimp of my ego pops. Yet, I don't feel anything negative. I'm craving this fight. I'm craving this opportunity at being the King of the Deathmatch, I'm craving the chance to show everyone I belong. To prove why the FWA thought I was good enough for a contract, to prove to everyone that Cyrus made the right choice in working with me.
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:20:48 GMT
Originally posted by Sully. The Stock Photo Conundrum[ATTACH type="full" width="502px" alt="1677470062859.png"]40715[/ATTACH]Blair Ravenwood cackles as she stands over the cauldron. Since Back in Town, Kleio De Santos has been the assertive leader of The Coven. That hasn't changed, as Blair won't dare test her authority again. Not now at least, since she's discovered how powerful Kleio can be. But, for this week's match, Kleio has actually left Blair and Celestia to their own devices. "I have King of The Deathmatch to prepare for...you two are on your own". It gave Blair joy to be in charge of something again. Her ambition has no bounds, and Celestia won't dare do anything but submit to it. But now, it would appear that Blair may have once again gone too far as the effects of her cauldron have spilled out. Celestia stares at Blair in shock at what she's done. Celestia: Blair, you've turned yourself into a Stock Photo! Blair cackles evily. Blair: It's the perfect plan Celestia! As Stock Photos, we will have all of the power. Celestia appears uneasy at the plan, but sure enough she goes ahead with it anyway. Blair: Now it's your turn sister! With a zap, Celestia herself turns into a stock photo, of Blair's choosing of course. [ATTACH type="full" width="240px"]40716[/ATTACH] Celestia: What the hell Blair? Why am I that one? It looks nothing like me!Blair giggles at what she's done. Blair: You always complain! Fine...[ATTACH type="full" width="271px"]40717[/ATTACH] Blair: There, she sort of like you!
Celestia: She's cute! So what is the plan now sister?
Blair: We're not the only ones who are going to become stock photos, sister. But the rest of our opponents will be as well! Blair waves her hands in the air and the next stock photo appears before Celestia. [ATTACH type="full" width="412px"]40718[/ATTACH][ATTACH type="full" width="413px"]40719[/ATTACH] Celestia begins to giggle. Celestia: Those don't look like Dan and Doug!
Blair: Exactly sister! The whole idea of them being turned into stock photos, is because they are weaker. You see, we can never become weak. As Stock Photos, are magic grows even stronger. But as you see, the big strong Dan and Doug become weak little pathetic hipster Lumberjacks. Look at that hipster. He doesn't even look like he knows how to cut wood. This stock photo is perfect because it's a stock photo of a hipster poser. And you know what Celestia? I think that's exactly what Doug and Dan La Poon are. They're a bunch of posers. Have we even ever see them cut wood? Do they even know how?
Celestia: I don't think so sister. Honestly I don't even think we needed to turn them into Stock Photos in order to win against them. I agree with you they are absolutely posers! I can't laugh enough at silly tag teams like them sister. Duos that need to be some sort of character in order to make themselves seem more interesting. Lumberjacks, Pirates, Cowboys...it's not Halloween, it's Wrestling!
Blair: I'm glad we're not like them sister.
Celestia: No, definitely. Who's next? Blair then snaps her fingers to show the next stock photo. [ATTACH type="full" width="391px"]40720[/ATTACH] Blair and Celestia both laugh at the sight. Celestia: Now that's finally a good look for Chris Peacock.
Blair: It's what he deserves sister. Not only did Disco die in the 80s, but Chris Peacock's Disco gimmick died itself. Right after he debuted. Sure, those sheep fans may disagree, but the truth is it's stale! And the fact that he just won the World Championship with it means nothing to me, because I know exactly what I'm talking about. Let me tell you sister, Chris Peacock will never know when he needs to evolve.
Celestia: He will be that disco dancing baffoon in the stock photo long after everyone is done being interested in him. What about his partner?
Blair: Oh I've got something good in mind for him sister...first of all, we've got to get that mask off. Let's see what's hiding underneath all the masked toughness....[ATTACH type="full" width="315px"]40721[/ATTACH] Celestia: A MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE FAN?
Blair: That's right sister! Did you not know that Alyster Black is the biggest My Chemical Romance fan there is? If you ever hang out in the guerrilla position before one of his matches, you can spot him warming up to his iPod playlist. Spoiler alert, every song is...
[MEDIA=youtube]v_uncMEJkBc:5[/MEDIA]
Celestia: Smart thinking sister. This is an important one too, we have an opportunity to do some real damage to Alyster before King of The Deathmatch. We want Kleio to have any sort of advantage that she can. Best case scenario is we beat him, and weaken him before King of the Deathmatch!
Blair: Exactly. And look at that pathetic excuse of a wrestler. With his mask off, his true vulnerabilities are all in the open. That persona of toughness is gone. You can see it...the meltdown that's occurring. I mean think about it sister. We are actually watching his fall from grace in real time. He was on top of the world when he won the World title. But then Devin Golden knocked him back down to Earth. He lost the World Title to one of his biggest enemies!
And now? Now he has to get through the biggest hurdle he can possibly get through in order to retain the X Championship and break the record for longest reign. How can anyone possibly be focused on winning this match when he's got so much coming up? He can't. He's vulnerable, and he's getting weaker.
Now onto the next one! [ATTACH type="full" width="435px"]40723[/ATTACH] Celestia: Who the hell are they?
Blair: The Buddy System!
Celestia: I don't get it, is that Amanda Bynes?
Blair: No I don't think so. I think she's just a stock photo actor.
Celestia: So why them?
Blair: Honestly I just googled "Buddy Stock Photos" and they came up. I think it's fitting for them?
Celestia: Blair, I think you're underestimating The Buddy System. Out of everyone in this match, I think they might be our biggest concern. Did do you see what they did to Krash? They're Necromancers! That is some dark magic Blair. Blair looks away, trying to conceal her envy. Blair: I've always wanted to explore Necromancy. Fine then, how about a Necromancer Stock Photo? [ATTACH type="full" width="450px"]40725[/ATTACH] Celestia: Wow, he's spoopy.
Blair: Spoopy indeed. Just Like The Buddy System. Those two like to pretend like they're some sort of friendy super nice duo. But we know the truth, don't we Celestia.
Celestia: Necromancy is a dark type of magic. Only the most evil of witches and wizards can use it.
Blair: Someday I hope to achieve that type of accolade.
Celestia: Some day, Blair...someday.
Blair: The real question is, how did they do it? How did those two twerps unlock a type of magic that I've been seeking out for years? And why would they use it on KRASH of all people?
Celestia: I know right! Think of all the people they could've used it on.
Blair: Like Vlad The Impaler!
Celestia: Or Betty White!
Blair: Or Cassius!
Celestia: Robin Williams!
Blair: They could have brought back Lord Voldermort!
Celestia: Or even Santa Claus!
Blair: But instead those fools waste it on an overrated mustachioed prima donna. This is what we should be focusing on right now. Not Kleio's match, and not this tag team match...but getting that power!
Celestia: But Blair, Kleio said...
Blair: I don't CARE what Kleio said! Blair instantly regrets saying this as she then looks over her shoulder. And then she repeats it again, much quieter this time. Blair: I don't care what Kleio said. This is important Celestia. At the very least, we can do some scouting...for Kleio...then when she's ready to pursue this, we can go all in.
Celestia: Okay, scouting. That can work! But in the mean time, I have an idea for our next couple! [ATTACH type="full" width="262px"]40726[/ATTACH][ATTACH type="full" width="247px"]40727[/ATTACH] Blair: Ooh, sister you're catching on!
Celestia: Two little babies in the FWA. Now they look like it! Seriously, these two think they can come into our fed, and start winning matches and bossing people around? They think they can be scary? Nobody is scared of you little girls.
Blair: Nobody is scared at all! Just like the Hipster Lumberjacks, they are posers. Do you think Keres even has magic?
Celestia: Who would pretend to have magic? It's not something to play make believe about. But that's what these two do. Make believe...pretending to be princeses and evil darkness people.
Blair: Pathetic! Halloween is over!
Celestia: Again, I'm glad we're not like that Blair.
Blair: Definitely. Now onto the last ones....[ATTACH type="full" width="395px"]40728[/ATTACH] Blair: The Poni Boys get to be Poni's!
Celestia: Ground Zero Season 3 losers, eh Blair?
Blair: It's like a class reunion, this match. And of course we're surrounded by the loser Lumberjacks and the loser Poni Boys. Now they get to be Pony Boys instead! Try singing all that K-Pop in Neighs!
Celestia: Well that's it, right sister? We've got this match in the bag.
Blair: It's clear to me this match is filled with posers. A bunch of fools playing Halloween. The fact that we have made them all so easily into stock photos proves how generic and flat they really are. But not us, sister...not us. We're different stock photos! We're exciting! We're talented! We're pretty.
And we're going to win!With that, a single poof and all the stock photos are gone. Whether this magic will work during the match is yet to be discovered. But Blair and Celestia are yet again flirting with a magic that may be too much for them to control. |
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:21:06 GMT
Originally posted by Death Walker. Playing With Strangers (Part 1)
The scene opens right in the same dark room where the ritual was conducted, the same room where Darius Wright tried to attack a camera person. But this time, the evil entity formerly known as Darius Wright wasn't in sight. Some approaching footsteps clatter from within the shadows. And a voice begins speaking…
The Dark Guardian: “My Lord? My Lord, where are you?! I don't know how you're feeling after such a close victory… I completely understand if you wanna head back to HELL. I've made arrangements so we can leave at your earliest and you know I can talk to your Father directly. My Lord?!... Well… just find me when you're ready to leave…”
The cloaked individual goes to walk away when from above, Death Walker drops onto the floor and effortlessly lands on his feet. With a growl coming from behind the demon mask, Death Walker stares right at The Dark Guardian. The camera captures the perfect shot from over the advisor’s left shoulder as Death is hyperventilating. But what did this mean? Was this a good thing? A need for concern? Or just something terrible for everyone else? Without ever turning around to set eyes on his mentee, the advisor speaks again…
TDG: “Very well… This way, My Lord.”
And as the two walk off the left side of the screen, the lights are turned on. We see that we’ve been inside the large bunker that these dark members had made home. The camera rotates to the left and spots a smiling Dark Guardian sitting on a few stacked weapon cases as Death Walker stands in front of a table.
TDG: “Ohhhh you were expecting us to run off, were you? Tsk tsk tsk… I guess there's bound to be some fools amongst the smart bunch. No… we are not heading right back to HELL after that loss. In fact, the last time that Darius Wright went to HELL, it was a necessary and predetermined journey. So for those who love to use that as one of my monster’s selling points… please be sure to get your facts straight.”
The Dark Guardian gives a little laugh while Death Walker stands in a strong assertive stance but has his head down. He seems to be looking at something or some things… that are on the short length table before him.
TDG: “So to our fans and our new family members, we bring you all in for more unpredictable madness. For now, we'll just refer to you as… our Terrors of Darkness, the very twisted and dark souls that float amongst the living aimlessly looking to feed off of anarchy. And the subjects… to your Dark Traveler, the one and only Death Walker…”
With an overhead shot, The Dark Traveler is shown caressing an assault rifle along with a few pistols. He raises his head and from over his right shoulder, we can see some dummy targets positioned about 50 feet away. Death picks up the rifle, slaps a full magazine into it, racks back the bolt and aims down range at the targets. Getting into proper shooting form by bringing his elbows in and controlling his breathing, the hellraiser prepared to shoot…
TDG: “So… how are you feeling today, My Lord?”
The Dark Guardian turns to Death Walker and he groans as his response to the bland question.
TDG: “Yeah I suppose you're right… we'll make sure to keep our eyes on that one. Something tells me that we're gonna be in touch again down the line.”
And with that sentiment, Death Walker shoots some rounds at the desired targets. He fires off with 3 round bursts while aiming for center masses and headshots.
TDG: “Moving along to our next mission… there's a certain tournament… one that may be up your alley, I mean it practically calls out to your name… King of the Deathmatch.”
Death Walker quickly turns his head to his informative advisor before looking down the iron sights of his M4 Carbine rifle again.
TDG: “I thought that might peak your interest so I've taken the liberty to add you into the mix. So the company has decided to have a “preview” as they're calling it, of your handiwork… However… there's a catch… you’ll be teaming up once again, My Lord.”
The demon just continues to fire back to back as he roars in either anger… joy… or confusion.
TDG: “Yes I know the feeling… you and the other 5-”
Death puts the rifle on safety and quite loudly lays it on the table then stares down at the guns like previously. And now turns his head to the left again to look into the eyes of The Dark Guardian.
TDG: “Yes… a 3 vs 3 match, with your teammates being Madison Gray “The Young Lioness”...and Logan Darwin “The Reaper”.”
Death groans once more but in a curious type of tone as he stares into the soul of whomever locks eyes with him.
TDG: “Yeah I know, I thought you might take a liking to someone with that nickname. And trust me when I tell you, he can be a real nasty piece of business when it comes to fighting in a ring. Which doesn't take away from the fresh faced vixen… she's making sure to sharpen those teeth as she bites into this industry and never lets up.”
The Dark Guardian slides over a pair of manila folders with a distinct headshot photo in each. Death takes a glance at the folders on the table then goes back to giving eye contact with his arms folded, leaning against the table’s edge. The Dark Guardian proceeds with his chat as our dark Lord listens respectfully…
TDG: “Which brings us to our 3 opponents… the first one, Trixie Bordeaux who is another new face to the biz. I think since we have a young lady on our team as well, that they might wanna get more acquainted with one another for the most part. But when the opportunity arrives to dish out your wrath, I know you will not… spare the rod. And then we have Sawyer Xavier, who holds an impressive acrobatic background but with an unfortunate, less than stellar track record. Remember… never judge a book by its cover, just plan accordingly. And last but not least… hmmm… well I'll be damned, we get another encounter with the mysterious… XYZ.”
The Dark Traveler immediately slams his fist onto the table, rattling the resting weapons and causing the notes as well as photos to slip out of their folders.
TDG: “And I know you have plenty in mind for that face off… BUT… but this isn’t a no DQ situation so you'll have to do things uhhhh… the legal way. Whatever else will have to wait for another time, My Lord.”
Death Walker gives a nod to acknowledge the advice given by his guardian. The Dark Guardian shoves 3 more folders along the table with the others and continues to talk about possible types of offense, strategies, defense, etc. However this seems to go unnoticed as our demon begins daydreaming and the whole scene fades out slowly…
*************************************************
The scene fades back in with another overhead view above a group of teenagers who are huddled up in a circle with one holding a football.
[MEDIA=youtube]lQjZSBiNLPs[/MEDIA]
The young men keep their eyes on one another as one explains the game plan.
???: “Ok so everybody knows what they're doing, right?”???: “Nah, where I’m ‘pose to be?!”???: “Eric, you dumbass! Just follow my lead, gawddamn!”Eric: “Ay fuck you, Tay! You got a muthafuckin’ problem with me?!. Whut’s good, dawg?”Tay: “I know you ain't bossin’ up all of a sudden-”
It doesn't take long for the assumed one in charge to settle things down.
???: “AY BOTH OF YALL SHUT THE FUCK UP ‘FORE I FUCK YALL UP… Now is anybody else confused on what to do before we run this play?”Darius: “I think we all straight now, Mac. Let's run it.”Mac: “...aiight D, let's run this shit. 3, 2, 1!”All: “BREAK!!”
They all break apart the huddle and walk out of the alley together. They turn to their right where there's a corner store and two of these boys enter it. The others stand outside as lookouts… at least for the time being. The first two boys go down different aisles, surveying items as they have a normal conversation.
T: “So you ever gonna call Nicole or you just gonna keep staring at her phone number?”E: “Muthafucka, I’mma call! Stay outta my biz, shit.”T: “All I’m saying is… hop on that or move yo bitch ass aside. Shit, I'm trying to see what she's about.”E: “Uh uh, not wit yo dirty ass-”
Suddenly, Mac and the fifth… but quiet boy enters with the football as Darius is now the only lookout. These two join the other two in conversation as they pretend to be meeting here by coincidence.
M: “Ay E? T? What y'all doin’ up in here?”
The quiet one doesn't say anything but gives dap as he greets his friends.
E: “Shiiiiiiit, not much. Just shopping a bit. What's goin’ on?”T: “Yeah we just talkin’ bout fraidy cat over here NOT hooking up with Nicole.”
In the midst of their loud conversation, the store owner keeps his eyes on them as this scenario seems a bit suspicious. One of them starts to pick up chips, cookies, sodas and whatever else next to them as the others decide to play catch inside this small shop. In an attempt to keep the store clerk preoccupied with their shenanigans, Tay quickly loads up his backpack with the snacks. And just when this plan looks to fall apart, Darius enters and becomes an additional distraction as the owner is shouting at the boys to stop tossing the ball all over.
Owner: “CAN YOU PLEASE. STOP. TOSSING THAT DAMN BALL AROUND??... Hey you, stop it! No, you stop too! CUT IT OUT!!!”
Then right as the owner figures out what Tay has been doing, the football soars into the cigarette and liquor display that's behind the owner/clerk. This knocks over a bunch of stuff as bottles shatter along the floor. The kids crack up laughing as the annoyed and pissed off store owner bends down to clean up the mess.
O: “You stupid ass punks! Just you wait until-”M: “Until what, you old bastard? Until you catch a heartache? Until you’ve fallen and can't get up?”
The boys laugh once more at the immature and disrespectful remarks (even the ‘quiet’ one) as the owner mutters a reply…
O: “But I’m only 28, you little shits…”
Meanwhile the other boys snatch up more stuff and fill up their backpacks, all except Darius who remains looking out the glass door.
DW: "ALRIGHT TIME TO GO!!! LET’S GO, LET’S GO, LET’S GO!!"
The boys make a dash out the door of the corner store and continue running down the block. They get about 3 blocks away and turn into the nearest alley. A boy checks from both sides of their entrance to the alley then they gather around in the shadows.
M: “Are we clear? Are we clear?!”E: “Yeah, we're clear.”
All of them begin to pull out their haul from the store as they decide how to split everything up.
T: “AYYYYY THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN’ BOUT! WE HIT THE MOTHERLODE!”E: “AAAAAWWWW YEEEEAAAHHHH!!! That was easier than I thought it would be.”M: “Yeah, we didn't do too bad at all. Let’s put it all together in a bunch and evenly divvy it up.”DW: “I can't wait to take my cut and head back to my spot.”
Just after Darius spoke up, the other boys give Mac this suspicious look and…
M: “Hey D, come have a talk with me.”
Darius raises an eyebrow as he looks over at Mac then walks over with his empty backpack. And the two of them step away from the group to have a private conversation.
DW: “Hey what's up Mac? Everything’s alright?”M: “Yeah, everything's cool… just… well you did lookout for us all but…”DW: “But what?!”M: “Ok so like I said, you did lookout for us but you really didn't put in your work-”DW: “WHAT THE FUCK?!? I DIDN’T??”M: “I mean you did your small part but we snatched our own shit so you don't exactly deserve a share.”DW: “Man, fuck you and your ‘small part’! I earned my keep and I expect to be rewarded accordingly… right fuckin’ now!”M: “Oh is that so?! Listen here, little buddy… this here, ain't about you. So what you need to know is… we taking what's ours and that doesn't include what the fuck you want.”
Darius looks down at his now tight right fist, clenching his teeth and rolls his eyes as his anger level shoots up. Then he lifts his head up and makes eye contact again with Mac as well as keeping an eye on the other guys.
DW: “So that's how it's gonna be huh? That's what we doin’ huh?!”
Everyone looks over at Darius but no one utters a word at this particular moment. So an angry Darius walks over into the face of each of his betrayers with the first being Tay.
DW: “Tay… I helped your ass when you used to get punked out by the Northside boys. BEFORE you knew a Mac, an Eric and this quiet fucker over here.”
Leaving barely an inch away between himself and Tay, he stares deep into the eyes of the soul… without even blinking. Then Darius makes his way to the next person as the rest stand in shock and fear.
DW: “Eric… when you were feeling all alone with no friends and nobody to hang out with, who took you under his wing? Who invited you to hang with this… this… this sorry excuse for a circle of friends?! Who told you that you were worth being someone important, someone of value if you only believed in yourself? If you didn't allow anyone to just push you around without pushing back. Who told you that?... ME! THAT’S WHO!”
Darius steps over to the quiet guy in their clique and gives him some choice words as well.
DW: “And you… I can't even stand your smug ass, yeah always looking at us all with those judgemental eyes and that carefree expression that you always. But let me guess, you have nothing to say… hmm? Nothing?! Nothing at all? Yeah well fuck you too, you obnoxious asshole!”
Darius walks back over to Mac but doesn't have much to say specifically to him but…
DW: “You know what… fuck all y'all and fuck this stupid ass clique this was supposed to be… I’m done with ya’ll, fools.”
Holding his backpack behind him as he walks backwards and gives them the middle finger as a final farewell. As he gets to the exit/entrance to this alley, he slips on the backpack. And once he gets out of view, Darius dashes like he's got a ferocious pitbull chasing him down the block. The boys eventually snap out of the trance that they were just in… when they notice… that their bags are real light, practically empty. They hold up their bags and there appears to be a 2 to 3 inch slit at the bottom of each (well with the exception of Mac’s since he didn't have anything in his after contributing). They try to run after Darius but with no sign of him or where he was headed, they soon accept defeat.
However somewhere in his neck of the woods, our mischievous hoodlum smirks as he yields a reliable pocket knife and a backpack of stolen junk food. Then he stops walking, puts away the knife, sets the backpack at his feet, opens it… looking over the goods he took from those who decided to take his cut. Darius reaches into the pockets of his pants and fills his backpack up some more… Apparently, he had already taken some things from the store like the others. So all he wanted in return was to be treated with the appropriate respect… even if he resorted to getting what he felt was his in the first place.
**************************************************
A fluttering transition like eyes trying to adjust, happen right after a simple fade out ends Darius’s past experience. Returned right back to The Dark Guardian running his mouth as Dar-... Death Walker listens to the words of wisdom.
TDG: “...So I know that you've had some issues with teaming up with people or trusting them for that matter. But… can we make it work for the objectives ahead and THEN… maybe… we can take things into our own hands. Maybe… we can get the respect that we've earned.”
Death takes a stroll over to a fleet of brand new, black Ford F-150 trucks and he caresses the hood of the closest one. He seems to be pondering about something and The Dark Guardian might know exactly what…
TDG: “Hey, you know what? How about we go back to Los Angeles soon, clean up whatever mess that your previous self left behind, catch up over lost time… and then… you can take back the streets that belong to you… My Lord.”
Giving the usual groan, Death Walker looks over at his dark guardian and stares off into the zooming lens of a TV camera as it fades to black.  |
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:21:33 GMT
Originally posted by rawr. Alyster Black and Chris Peacock in…
FULL GOLDEN JACKET
Act I: Chris Peacock’s Apartment
Feeling weightless was not an experience that Chris Peacock could say that he was accustomed to. However, as he glided through the golden field, he could barely feel his feet touching the ground. He brushed his hand over the top of the grain stalks to his right as he moved through the makeshift path directly through the field. Chris felt like a child being able to explore the expansive area with his own free will; without repercussion or responsibility.
He looked over his shoulder and noticed a grey cloud in the otherwise clear sky. The cloud seemed to be creeping up on him at first, but very quickly, it began pursuing him. As he looked up, he saw the sky quickly turning a darker shade of blue and he felt the grey hovering over him as it swept above him. His movements became more noticeable; his feet were pounding on the ground beneath him as he tried to escape the incoming storm.
Chris tripped, but was unsure exactly what on. It didn’t matter though, because from the ground he looked up to see that the storm had caught up to him. Trapped, unable to escape, he let out a scream.
This same scream woke Chris up from his restless sleep, sweating in his bed. He looked up at the ceiling, breathless and felt his chest tightening. “She’s coming. She’s coming…” He glanced at the FWA World Championship which was resting on the pillow next to his sweat-soaked one. The thing which brought him some calm, and happiness, was the same thing that she was coming for, and he wasn’t ready to let it go.
Chris rose out of bed and threw on a pair of white briefs that he found at his feet; underwear was once again comfortable to wear after he had treated his ailments with traditional methods as opposed to those of a crazed Ukrainian doctor. He put his hand on the handle to his bedroom door, but paused before opening it as he remembered what was waiting on the other side of it. More aptly, who was on the other side of it.
Allowing Alyster Black to stay with him in his apartment whilst both were in New York for Meltdown seemed like a good idea at first; but the plan was hatched whilst Alyster was the owner of the championship belt on Chris’s pillow, which he picked up and put over his shoulder. Before Devin Golden and more importantly, before Back in Town. Chris was as disgusted as everyone else to see what happened to Krash at the hands of Jeremy Best and Bryan Baxter, despite having no real affinity to Krash whatsoever.
The horrendous act perpetrated by the Buddy System was not Chris’s cause for concern when it came to Alyster; it was his perceived ‘role’ in the events that unfolded. Alyster was with Chris, rushing to him as soon as his match against Best was settled. Alyster could have prevented Krash’s suffering and been reunited with a friend he had thought lost, but instead, he was helping Chris get mentally ready to defeat Devin Golden.
Whilst Chris would normally chalk such thoughts up to paranoia, Alyster’s coldness towards him since they left Denver together suggested otherwise. Chris’s panic attacks created the perfect scenario for Alyster to be absent whilst Jeremy and Bryan went about their business. Everyone knew that’s where Alyster was going. Chris was the distraction and he worried that his tag team partner thought he was in on it. He knew that some people did.
It was for this reason that Chris decided to think ahead. If he could get into Alyster’s good graces, he could remove any doubts present in Alyster’s mind. Before exiting his bedroom, he reached into the open wardrobe and pulled out a large bag which was hanging up on the rail. Chris rolled his shoulder to ensure the championship did not fall from it and then confidently opened the door, doing his best to mask all of his concerns.
===============
Alyster sat inside the living room staring straight ahead. The television was off, the coffee table was covered in fast food wrappers. His mind was blank except for thoughts of Krash in desperate need of his aide. Aide which he was not able to render due to commitments he’d made to Chris.
The masked man, sans mask, had been sitting alone in silence for hours. Dead-eyes staring at his reflection in the television screen that sat across from him. Chris had been dead asleep all morning and well into the early afternoon, leaving Alyster all alone in his New York apartment. All the masked man wanted to do was return home to California and be alone. But Chris had just become the World Champion, there was a celebration to be had. Even with Krash in the clutches of those evil fucks in the Buddy System, even with how desperately he wanted to save his former partner, he had to be here for Chris.
Besides, Meltdown was being hosted in the Big Apple and on Meltdown he and Chris would come face to face with the Buddy System. Alyster had an opportunity to save Krash.
And FTN had a chance to become number one contenders to the FWA World Tag Team Championships. It was everything he and Chris wanted. To take over the whole of the FWA, to take a shot at the Nephews… He had to save Krash though. That was the number one priority.
Alyster’s fingers dug into the sofa cushion, his knuckles turning white. His stomach flipped as the pressure of this coming Meltdown came crashing down on him. It was too much, the steaks were too high. They’d been too high for too long. He’d been in the game for too long, he wasn’t mentally equipped for this. How was a man supposed to watch as his best friend died live on pay-per-view, then watch him come back from the dead almost a year later?
It was enough to drive even the most mentally stable of men crazy. For Alyster Black this was just another log thrown into the fire that was his mind.
The World Championship, the X Championship, the Tag Team Championship. Alyster had been a part of all three divisions and had enjoyed success in all of them over the past three years. All at the same time. He’d been chasing the World Championship since day 1 of his tenure in the FWA, he’d been Fallout’s MVP and X Champion, and he had been a part of the three teams that elevated the Tag Team division to new heights.
He’d done this with Krash by his side.
He had to save Krash at all costs.
Not all costs. He had an obligation to Chris Peacock that he couldn’t ignore but…
Chris hadn’t offered to help with the Krash situation had he? Not only had he not but he’d been quick to go after the World Championship the moment Alyster had lost it. The World Championship, Alyster’s World Championship. And to make matters worse Chris was using him to get Tag Team gold. Was Chris just pretending to be his friend in order to become a triple crown winner?
That was ridiculous, of course he wasn’t.
Alyster wasn’t sure.
His mind was racing, his heart was thumping a million miles a minute. He could hear it thump inside his head. THUMP THUMP THUMP like the banging of a gong, driving him mad.
The sound of Chris screaming snapped Alyster out of his stupor. It was not an unfamiliar occurrence when sharing a domicile with Chris. His panic attacks, anxiety and general ability to invite pain upon himself had numbed Alyster to the sounds of his screams. The scream was unaccompanied by the sound of any crashing or thud, it was safe to assume that Chris was safe, merely a victim of another nightmare rather than having come to bodily harm.
But it meant that Chris would soon be joining him. Alyster quickly reached for the remote and turned the television on. He panicked for a brief moment, he was covered in sweat and breathing sharply. He didn’t want Chris to see him like this. Alas, he spotted his salvation on the coffee table, his mask, the security blanket that did a tremendous job of hiding one’s intentions.
Comfort is what he felt when he fastened the mask over his face. Pure comfort. Sitting on the sofa was no longer a man riddled with anxiety and paranoia who had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Instead a warrior sat by, one who was ready to be a friend.
At least that’s what Alyster told himself.
===============
Chris found Alyster sitting on the sofa fully dressed and with his mask on. An odd occurrence as Alyster had taken to hanging out with him unmasked over the past month. His mind immediately began to question Alyster’s motivation. Had he become uncomfortable with Chris’ presence? Has their relationship taken a step back? Was all of his paranoia proven correct by something so mundane?
He sighed deeply before taking a deep breath, he had to brush these thoughts aside for the sake of their partnership.
Chris’ eyes glanced around the room. He noted that Alyster had neatly folded his bedding and placed it on the armchair. His bag was open on the floor in front of him, and Chris also caught a glimpse of the X Championship poking out of Alyster’s suitcase. A championship belt he was all too familiar with.
“Afternoon.” Alyster’s voice rang out from behind the mask, snapping Chris’ attention from the gold inside his bag.
“Huh? Afternoon?” Chris repeated. He was initially confused as Alyster greeted him without breaking his gaze at the television.
“Yeah, you slept in again. Woke me up at five this morning when you came in.” Alyster spoke in a monotone voice as Chris exhaled deeply.
Peacock’s stomach dropped as his gaze moved over to the clock hanging on the wall, his eyes widened as he saw that time was fast approaching three o’clock in the afternoon. “Shit, I’ve got to start getting ready. I had no idea that was the time…”
“I was about to wake you up,” Alyster lied, the truth was that he had completely lost track of the time. But he had wanted to wake Chris up for tonight’s festivities. “But then I heard you scream and figured I didn’t need to bother.” His voice trailed off as he finished speaking, showing complete disinterest in discussing the mundane.
“I’m sorry, man. Chris apologised. He’d picked up on Alyster’s complete lack of interest in discussing his sleeping habits and quickly dropped the subject, but then he remembered the bag he held in his hand by the hanger. “Oh! I’ve got something for you! Stand up, you’re going to love this!”
Chris set down the World Championship on the dining table and then laid the bag over the back of one of the chairs as a big smile formed on his face. Alyster was sceptical and frustrated as he rose from his seat, he cursed to himself under his breath as Chris struggled with the zipper at the top of the bag. After some cursing of Chris’s own, he pulled the zip down to the base of the bag and opened it up, pulling out its contents and holding it up.
“Huh?” There was a moment of silence between the two as Alyster stared at the object in Chris’s hand. Chris motioned towards it with his eyebrows. “What do you think?”
“It’s a jacket.” Alyster replied in a monotone voice.
It was a jacket. It was black. Very unremarkable as far as jackets go. It lacked the frills and frays that most wrestling attire does. To the untrained eye it wasn’t worth the material it was made from. But Chris knew better, and he knew Alyster knew better. He just had to remind him.
“It’s THE JACKET! You know? The one Devin Golden wore to Back in Town before I beat him and sent him packing, never to be heard from again. You love this jacket, Alyster.”
Who the fuck was Chris Peacock to tell Alyster Black what he loved?
“I’ve never seen this fucking thing before in my life Chris.” Alyster shook his head as he plopped back down on the sofa with his arm stretched over the top, eyes fixated on the flashing images of whatever daytime crap was playing on the television.
Though he didn't care enough about Chris’ reaction to look up and gauge how he felt, he could tell from the following silence that Chris was disappointed. After everything that has happened to Alyster recently, being gifted a second hand jacket belonging to the asshole who had dethroned him as World Champion wasn’t going to make anything better.
The silence was unsettling, Alyster felt himself becoming restless. His fingers were unconsciously tapping on the top of the sofa repeatedly. He grit his teeth for a moment but couldn’t hold back, “Why? Why do you think I’d want his jacket, man? I’ve already got a pretty permanent reminder of that fucker whenever I take my shirt off, which does nothing to help with me wanting to forget he ever existed. Why the fuck would you hand me a jacket that he wore after just having beat me for the World Championship!”
Chris did his best to hide how much Alyster’s rejection of the gift upset him. He slowly began to place the jacket back into the bag. “I just wanted to show my appreciation for what you’ve done for me. I know you were busy with me when… you know… what happened with…” He couldn’t bare to even say Krash’s name in Alyster’s presence, “happened, but I wouldn’t have been ready for the match if it wasn’t for you and I definitely wouldn’t have won. I owe this to you. So yeah, just wanted to say thanks, I guess…”
Alyster did not respond immediately; part of him felt bad about being so quick to shoot Chris down, but it was just all too raw for him still. Despite that, he could see that there was a genuine sentiment behind Chris’s actions and words. Before he could say anything though, there was a knock at the door of Chris’s apartment. “Who could that be?”
“It’s probably Violet.” Alyster said, without looking away from the television. “Can you please let her in?”
After setting the bag back down on the chair without fully zipping it up, Chris walked towards Alyster on the sofa as opposed to the door, where the person waiting outside (‘probably Violet’) knocked for a second time. “Why is she here?”
“I invited her.” He replied as if this was the most obvious reason in the world for him inviting a total stranger to Chris Peacock, into his home.
“Yeah, but why is she here?” Chris repeated in an exasperated voice.
“Come on man, with what’s going on tonight I’m going to need someone to hang out with and talk to. She’s been in my corner for the last year, I’m not about to abandon her for your sake.” Alyster stood up and brushed past Chris, moving to the front door on which the person standing outside was banging repeatedly. Alyster opened it and as predicted there stood Violet Dreyer.
Violet walked in, her eyes fixated on her phone that she held in front of her face and she did not even bristle when Chris walked past her in just his underwear to close the door that she had rudely left open. “Hello, Violet.” Chris greeted her with less than an enthusiastic tone.
“Hey.” She replied curtly, not even glancing up from the screen in front of her as she casually threw herself down on the couch beside Alyster.
Chris looked to his tag team partner for guidance and was met with a shoulder shrug. He shook his head and strolled past Violet to pick up the FWA World Heavyweight Championship from the coffee table and return to his room. “So… I’m going to have a shower. You guys have fu-”
He was interrupted by the sound of Violet’s voice snapping at him. “Why are you taking that with you? It isn’t yours.” Violet said this, despite still looking down at her phone.
Chris was confused and nervously chuckled. “I… uh… think you’ll find that it is, Violet.”
“No. It’s his.” She motioned towards Alyster and a bewildered Chris could only again look to his partner to clear the confusion. He cleared his throat loudly.
“No, it's his now.” Alyster interjected.
Violet diverted her gaze to Alyster, whilst pointing at Chris. “You let him beat you?!”
“I am right here.” Chris said, matter-of-factly. “And I didn’t beat Alyster, I beat Devin Golden for it.”
“What the fuck? When did you lose the World Championship to Devin Golden?”
“Like…two months ago?”
“Fuck sake dude, you’re no better than the moustache fuck who drowned in that lake. Losing your belt to that Golden prick just like Krashy, what is wrong with you?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t been watching the shows.”
“You were winning all the time, they were starting to get boring! Fuck, well at least you won that Climaxxx thing right so you’ll be taking the belt back off of Moustache Fuck #2 right?”
There was a brief and awkward pause which Chris used as a chance to escape into the solitude and safety of his bedroom.
Alyster had noticed that Chris was gone, the sound of the shower running confirmed this. He gulped as Violet continued to berate him. She obviously had no knowledge of what had transpired at Back in Town and Alyster was in no mood to tell her. He opted to keep it a secret, at least for now. In the meantime, Chris was gone and Alyster had a few things to get off his chest that Violet was the perfect sounding board to hear.
“Violet, just knock it off for a second. I need to talk to you, seriously.”
“What’s up chump?”
“What do you think about Chris and me teaming together?”
A normal person in this situation would be able to hold their tongue and not express exactly what was on their mind. Violet Dreyer had no such filters in place and was even eager to express herself.
“That guy skeeves me and I think you’re trying to replace Krash with him. Newsflash dickhead, Krash was one in a million, you can’t replace him with any fuck sporting a moustache.”
Alyster sighed and nodded his head, he did feel deep down that this team was just him trying to replace Krash, and with Krash back in the picture, what did that mean for FTN?
“I’m starting to think that teaming with him might have been a mistake.”
“I could have told you that. But just for argument’s sake, why do you feel that way?”
“The dude is the world champion. As far as I’m concerned, that’s my belt.”
“How can you team with a guy you’re gunning to take down? Seriously, how are you supposed to trust him and how is he supposed to trust you?”
“Well, the matter of trust and fighting each other over the world championship is something we already settled, isn't it? He held the Golden Op while I held the World Title, we knew we were going to fight each other eventually. But that’s off the table now. All we have going for us is a mutual understanding of each other’s anxiety and a hunt for the tag titles.”
“Jeez, you really are trying to replace Krash with this guy.” She leans over and places a hand on Alyster’s shoulder before speaking in a completely matter-of-fact tone of voice, “Listen dickhead, you can’t replace Krash with this guy. He tried to take the X title from you, he was going to try and take the World title from you. He is not Krash, he’s nothing like Krash. You hate yourself right? Well that guy is too much like you for the two of you to get along, you’re going to end up imploding.” Violet was oddly insightful today. “You should be teaming with someone more Krash-like, someone like that Jeremy Best shithead, at least he liked Krash too.”
Alyster’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of that insane bastard’s name. His knuckles turned white with how tight a fight he made. All he wanted to do was tear Jeremy limb from limb. But Violet didn’t know yet and he was too weak to tell her.
Taking his silence as a sign that she’s forced him to make a breakthrough, Violet stood up and made way for the door. “Listen dude, I’m in no mood to play psychologist for you, it’s boring. You clearly need some alone time to think about things so I’m gonna take a walk. See you at the restaurant later.” She casually waved back at him from over her shoulder as she exited the apartment, again leaving the door wide open.
Alyster furrowed his brow and thought about things for a few brief moments before getting up and walking over to the door. His mind was fixated on Jeremy Best and all he wanted was blood.
He slammed the door with such force that the entire apartment shook. Prompting a still wet, towel wrapped Chris Peacock to pop his head out from his bedroom door.
“What was that?”
“Violet slammed the door on her way out.”
“Ah right. You just told her about him then?”
Alyster sighed deeply, “Not yet.”
“Dude, how can you not have told her that Krash is still alive?”
The masked man was in no mood to discuss this further, especially after hearing Chris utter Krash’s name for the first time since Back in Town. He looked back at Chris from over his shoulder, “I’ll meet you at the restaurant.” He said before exiting the apartment and leaving Chris alone to get ready for the festivities.
===============
Act II: Dazzling Dave’s Restaurant
It was early in the evening when the festivities were set to begin. Chris stepped through the doors of the world famous Dazzling Dave’s restaurant - its fame having grown even more due to him now holding the most prestigious prize in the world - where family and friends were waiting. The restaurant had been closed for the evening’s festivities, in celebration of Chris’ World Championship victory. Everyone who mattered to Chris was there, with the exception of Allen Price who had prior commitments, having told Chris that he was busy preparing the other “celebrations”.
A large banner was hung up over the back wall reading “CONGRATULATIONS CHAMP!” and the disco ball that hung in the middle of the restaurant had been painted gold in tribute to Chris’ title win.
“OH!” Yelled Drew Peacock at the sight of his brother stepping through the doors. “Congratulations!”
Drew’s sentiments were followed by a host of others as Chris was swarmed by everyone in the restaurant; his nephew Max, both of the Diamond Dogs, former dancing rival turned friend Ron Starman and his father’s old friend Stewart to name but a few. All showering him with praise and well-wishes. He noticed that Alyster and Violet were absent. Of course they were late. They were probably lost somewhere in the city. He shouldn’t have let them go off on their own.
As Chris did his best to enjoy the party that was being thrown in his honour, he glanced at the door occasionally. Waiting for Alyster, and frustratingly, Violet too, to arrive. However, as the pornstar Martinis began to flow and the party atmosphere developed further, Chris quickly forgot about the two missing attendees. He stole the show on the dance floor in the middle of the restaurant, which was no easy feat given the crowd that were in attendance. However, what Chris failed to realise was that after the initial showing of adoration upon his arrival, the enthusiasm for his show-stealing antics waned quickly.
Whilst Chris was preoccupied with taking as much attention as he could at the party, Alyster arrived. The first thing he noticed was Chris in the middle of the room dancing whilst trying to hold onto his drink, but he was accidentally spilling it all around him as he disrupted its equilibrium. Violet shuffled through the door behind Alyster before he closed it shut.
Chris’ heart sank at the sight of Violet Dreyer. She was wearing the jacket. The one he’d just given to Alyster that very afternoon. The gift that he thought was the perfect symbol of their friendship. He swallowed his pain and continued to dance his heart out, these people were here for him and he wasn’t about to let them down.
A quick glance at the goings on of the party made Violet grimace. “Well, this is going just as I predicted it would. I’m going to get a drink.” She muttered before sauntering off toward the bar.
Alyster merely grunted in response as his gaze followed Violet through the crowd but it then ventured towards a solitary table in the corner of the restaurant, almost completely hidden from view due to the lighting arrangement. It was perfect. Alyster skirted through the room, keeping as close as he could to the walls whilst navigating himself around tables that had been strewn across the outskirts of the room. The last thing he wanted right now was for any of Chris’s acquaintances to come and talk to him; he was in no mood to make small talk with a distant relative or family friend. It was in situations such as this that he’d be better off without his mask, when no one could recognise him.
Impressively though, Alyster made it to his destination without the unwanted interruption of any of the other attendees, who were either stuck watching Chris dancing or helping themselves to the admittedly impressive looking buffet that was on offer. Alyster did not feel like eating, though. It was okay for everyone else there to enjoy themselves, because none of them were carrying the weight Alyster was carrying. He knew where he had to be at this moment in time, and it wasn’t sitting in the corner of an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn.
“Holy shit, it’s Alyster Black!” These were words that Alyster was dreading hearing as soon as he agreed to attend the party in Chris’s honour. What made things worse was that they came from the mouth of Santino Dongarelli, who stood over Alyster with a drink in his hand after sneaking up on him whilst Black was lost in his thoughts. Rick Vance approached Sonny from behind and rubbed his shoulders for a couple of seconds, before he too noticed Alyster and did a cool guy upwards nod at him. “How come you’re here? I’d have thought seeing Chris with that title would have made you feel like shit, man.”
It infuriated Alyster to no end that this Diamond Dog was almost on the mark, perhaps as a fellow wrestler he understood Alyster’s conundrum. Hell, as a tag team wrestler maybe he would be able to fathom the issue with Krash.
Alyster tapped his knuckle on the table a couple of times, almost as if he was summoning the strength to even attempt to engage with these two morons. Why did he come to this party? Chris was his partner, duh.
“Same reason as you, I imagine.” Alyster mused, “Although I could ask you both the same question. Weren’t you two and Chris on the outs? Something to do with him abandoning you during the middle of a drug induced freakout.”
“Nah, we don’t mind any of that stuff now. We’re here to have a good time and hey, if there was anything we could celebrate and give us a reason to get down, it was going to be this, right?”
It was not a surprise that the masked man was unable to coax any sort of riveting conversation out of the heavily intoxicated men who had approached him.
“It also isn’t often we get to do stuff with this crowd and Allen isn’t here. Don’t get me wrong, he definitely grows on you, but… hey, where are you going?”
Unsurprisingly, Alyster had grown impatient with speaking to the Diamond Dogs. “I’ve got to go…some place else. Yes, that will do.” He muttered from over his shoulder to excuse himself.
It was astounding to him just how easily the Diamond Dogs were able to give up on past grievances. Throw a party and everything is cool? This concept was hard to grasp but it did make Alyster think. Perhaps he was being too harsh toward Chris. It wasn’t his fault that Krash was in the position he was in now. It wasn’t his fault that Devin Golden had unseated Alyster as the World Champion. But Chris was all too ready to pounce on the opportunity to challenge Devin Golden.
It was as Alyster made his way towards the bathroom that Chris noticed that his tag team partner was actually in attendance at the party, and he had no way of knowing how long Alyster had been there because Alyster didn’t seek him out whenever he did arrive. Chris stopped dancing and failed to notice the silent collective sigh of relief as people realised they did not have to pay attention to him anymore. As he looked to pursue Alyster, he also failed to notice someone walking in his path, and he bowled into them, causing the majority of their drink to spill onto the floor. “Oh shit, sorry-”
“Watch where you’re fucking going, dickhead.” Violet huffed as she brushed some of the spillage off of her leg. She sternly shook her head at him and turned around to get a refill, but Chris grabbed her by the sleeve of the jacket and spun her back around. She quickly shook him off, breaking through Chris’s strong grip and snapping at him. “Touch me again and I will actually fuck you up.”
“I just wanted to talk to you, Violet. About Alyster.” Chris waited for Violet to respond but she just let out a pained sigh instead, which he took as an invitation to continue. “I think he’s angry with me, and I think I know why, but I-”
Violet interrupted, “Yeah, no shit.”
Chris went to respond, but then realised that Alyster must have told Violet about Krash after their last conversation, before the party. “So he told you then?”
“Of course he told me! You’ve got his fucking title, dickhead, and he wants it back. I don’t know what game you think you’re trying to play, but he’s starting to see through it all.” Violet sipped on what was left of her drink. “If someone had something I wanted and tried to keep me close to protect themselves, I’d be pretty annoyed, too.”
“This is about me being champion? I don’t understand why this is what he’d choose to be pissed off about at the moment…” Chris looked at the floor as he thought and then he had another realisation that Alyster had definitely not told Violet about Krash being alive. “I’m trying to help him. I want to help him become a tag champion again and I’d happily face him for the world title. I thought he was annoyed because… of something else.”
“Look, I think you’re full of shit, personally. I can’t tell that masked dipshit who he can and can’t hang around with, but I know he can do a lot better than you.” She scoffed, “As if you were supposed to measure up to Krash.”
Chris was annoyed. “Maybe he should go and be friends with Jeremy Best, then…
Obviously, he knew that Violet would not understand the sarcasm behind those words and Chris then walked with Violet over to the bar area to get himself a new drink and replace hers.
Alyster re-emerged from the wash room, shaking the water from his hands as he looked around the party, but he turned to his left and saw Chris standing in front of him. Or at least, someone who looked exactly like him, minus the signature moustache. “I saw you talking to the Diamond Dogs before…”
“If you can call that a conversation.” Alyster replied, coldly. “It’s scary how much you look like your brother mate.”
Drew smiled and offered Alyster a handshake, the masked man was not so rude as to refuse the offer.
“So what’s going on mate?”
“Nothing much, I was just wondering how you manage to put up with my brother, that’s all. I know better than anyone how grating he can be. I mean, did you see all of that garbage with the Nephews? As if it wasn’t bad enough that he instigated that war, he had to drag me into it too.” Drew stared off into space before realising the mood had grown awkward and cleared his throat. “No one would really blame you if you just dropped him, you know?”
Alyster was taken aback by the coldness Drew showed for his brother, “Is that a fact? You know you’re not the first person to tell me that today.”
“I doubt I’ll be the last.”
“He’s not that bad. Focused and goal oriented to a fault maybe but he’s not a bad person and he’s a good laugh too.”
Drew couldn’t help but to nod in agreement.
“I mean, if you’ve got such a problem with him then why throw together this shindig for him?”
“He’s my brother. I love him. And he achieved something big man, something dad dreamed of, something I once dreamed of. This is special.” He paused, taking a sip from his cocktail. “It’s a shame it came at your expense though.”
Alyster agreed, “Yeah, damn shame that.”
“Anyone else in your position would be pissed off beyond belief.”
“It’s not that…I’m stoked for him. It’s just hard to feel happy when someone’s parading around with something that used to belong to you.” He turned his head to meet Drew’s stare, “I’m not going to abandon him for something so petty though.”
Drew smiled and slapped Alyster on the shoulder, “Atta boy Alyster. You and Chris are going to do great things together. All you have to do is put up with some bullshit.”
He was used to putting up with bullshit. That’s what being a part of the FWA was really about right? Putting up with bullshit.
As if on queue more bullshit arose. The sound of shouting echoed through the room, emanating from the bar.
“Now what’s going on?”
Alyster could just see through the crowd what was happening, Chris and Violet were fronting up to each other and shouting. Alyster sighed as he began to push his way through the crowded dance floor toward them.
“All I’m saying is that you seemed pretty fucking happy that he lost the belt! You didn’t have to give up this make-believe team to win that World Championship. We all remember how eager you were to cash in that title shot on him anyway!”
“You’ve got it completely wrong.”
“You’re a snake!”
“Would you shut up for two seconds?”
“You were just using him to get the title!”
Chris had had enough of this. He slammed his fist down on the bar and screamed back into Violet’s face. “Oh yeah, well if Alyster’s so fucking innocent then why hasn’t he told you that Krash is back?”
A silence filled the room. Violet was stunned.
“Yeah that’s right. Your buddy, your mentor, your hero. He’s back. He came back at the pay-per-view. He came back after Alyster’s fucking match. And you know wha-”
Chris was interrupted by a hand grabbing him by the shoulder. It was Alyster “Chris stop, please.” He pleaded but the damage was done.
Violet was mortified to find out that Krash was back, doubly so that Alyster hadn’t told her. She took one look at the masked man and threw her drink in his face.
“You didn’t tell me. You lying snake fuck.”
“Violet, I can explain please.”
“Where the fuck is he? Why isn’t he here with you?”
Alyster fell silent, he didn’t even know where to begin. Chris Peacock on the other hand, fuelled by a cavalcade of alcoholic mixtures was quick to offer an explanation.
“He’s in the clutches of that evil fuck Jeremy Best. He’s kidnapped the dude and is trying to brainwash him. And Alyster was too busy helping me to do anything about it!”
Violet’s jaw dropped. Her gaze moved from Chris’ face to Alyster’s and back again. Eventually she just shrugged her shoulders, turned around and made for the exit.
“Violet wait!” Alyster called out.
“Fuck you!” She shouted back. “You goddamn coward, someone has to go save that moustache fuck!”
Alyster takes a few steps forward but doesn’t pursue. He places his hands on the back of his head and swears quietly under his breath.
“Good fucking riddance, she was ruining my party.”
“What the fuck Chris?” Alyster turned to face his partner. “Why did you tell her about all of that?”
“She deserves to know what happened. Why the hell didn’t you tell her? Why the hell aren’t you out there right now looking for Krash? We all know you were just waiting for him to come back so you could abandon me.”
“What?” Alyster was taken aback by these accusations. “I’ve never, ever, said anything like that.”
“You don’t have to say it! I know what’s going on. You’re bitter that I won the World Title and you’re just counting the days until you can turn on me and try to take it back for yourself!”
“You’re paranoid.”
“I’m paranoid am I? Why was she wearing the jacket then Aly? Why did you give her the fucking jacket!”
“It’s cold out man, she had nothing to wear. Better I let her wear it then burn it like I was planning to.”
“Why would you burn that jacket! It’s the jacket! I got that jacket for you by beating Devin Golden and you spit in my face by rejecting it like it wasn’t worth a damn.” Chris got into Alyster’s face, grabbing him by his shirt collar, “Guess you’ve shown your true colours, you’re just like the rest of them, ready to turn on me at the drop of a dime.”
Alyster slapped Chris’ hands away from his shirt. “You’re going crazy. You’re fucking losing it Chris. When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep? You keep dreaming about Michelle coming after you, you keep waking up in a sweat and screaming. You’re scared of her and you’re projecting that fear onto me.”
“Scared? Like fucking hell I’m scared. I’m not scared of Michelle and I sure as fuck aren’t afraid of you. You jealous fuck. All you care about is taking my world championship from me.”
Alyster doesn’t respond. Chris continues, “Why can’t you be happy for me? This is my party, to celebrate me winning the World Championship and you’ve been a total jerk about it all night.”
He had a point.
“I’m sorry…it’s just hard to be happy when you’ve lost what I have.”
“I’m right, you are jealous! You resent me for winning this title. Well fuck, I suppose it’s time to drop me then isn’t it? Especially now that Krash is back you just can’t wait to abandon me. And right when we were on the cusp of getting those tag titles.”
Alyster shakes his head, he’s had enough and turns around to leave. As he takes the first few steps toward the exit Chris calls out to him. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Walk out on me just like everyone else. You’re no better than Randy Ramon!”
This causes Alyster to stop dead in his tracks. “The fuck did you just say?”
“You heard me.”
Alyster turns around and steps right up to Chris, going nose to nose. “Say it again I dare you.”
“You wanna fucking go, right now? Fine.” Chris steps backward, shuffling to the dance floor. His body moves rhythmically before stopping to strike a disco pose, pointing at the jukebox. On cue the jukebox comes alive with the music of the Bee Gees.
“I said you’re no better than Randy Ramon, now let’s dance!” The dance off begins with Chris spinning on the spot and comes to a quick end with Alyster smashing a beer bottle over his head.
Screams are heard as people scramble and panic. An ambulance is called and the party comes to an abrupt end.
==========
Act III: This is the End for You My Friend
Chris hissed as Drew was finishing up with pulling each shard of glass from his brother’s open gash. The restaurant was now closed, the guests had been shuffled out. All that was left was Chris, his brother Drew and nephew Max. All sitting together inside the kitchen, all administering aid to the FWA World Champion.
“He got you good, this is definitely going to need stitches.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time, or the last. You’ve still got the kit right?”
“Yeah, one sec. Max, come here. Put pressure on this towel for Uncle Chris.”
Max quickly walks over and presses his hand down on the towel against Chris’ open wound.
“Thanks Max.” Chris gives his nephew a big smile and thumbs up as Drew goes to retrieve the suture kit.
Whilst Drew is gone the back door to the kitchen swings open and in pops Alyster Black. “Hey fellas. Do you all mind if I come in?” The masked man is ashamed of his actions, and doesn’t dare step foot into the kitchen without permission.
Drew places the suture kit down besides Chris and gives him a look. Chris simply nods in affirmation and Drew waves Alyster inside.
“Thanks guys. How bad is it?” He steps in, walking right over to the scene. Max lifts the towel off of Chris’ forehead for a brief moment.
“Damn, I got you good.”
“Should have saved it for Meltdown.”
Alyster sighs and turns to Drew, “I can take over. I’ve received enough stitches to know what I’m doing. Can you guys give us a minute?”
Again Drew turns to his brother who again gives him the go-ahead. “Alright, but this is a restaurant, not an alley. If you guys want to keep fighting then take it outside. Come on Max.” Drew motions for Max to follow him and as the youngest Peacock gets up to follow he pauses and stares down Alyster.
“If you try anything funny then you’re gonna have to fight me, you got that bozo.” Max teases, raising both fists up at Alyster.
“I wouldn’t dream of raising your ire, little Peacock. I’ll be on my best behaviour.”
With the other Peacock’s gone Alyster tends to Chris. Opening the structure kit and getting right to work.
“I am so sorry about this. I never should have hit you.”
“I was being insensitive toward you.”
“Nah, you’re right. I’ve been a jerk to you all day. You didn’t deserve it. I should have been happy for you. You shouldn’t have called me Randy though, that was going way too far.”
“That’s fair. I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up about you and Krash though. I’m not trying to take his place, you know that right?”
“Pfft, don’t pay any attention to what comes out of Violet Dreyer’s mouth.”
“I’m just so used to pushing people out, and I don’t know. I feel guilty that you’re here and not out there scouring the globe trying to find him. I know how special your relationship with him is, I just don’t understand what you’re doing.”
“I’m committed to this. FTN, that’s my priority right now. I want to win those tag team titles with you. What’s going on with Krash, that’s complicated, and scouring the globe trying to find him won’t do any good. We know that Jeremy and Bryan are going to be on Meltdown, that’s where we’ll start our investigation.”
Alyster works the thread and needle, closing up the wound, being as careful as possible. Chris, no stranger to receiving stitches remains still and ignores the pain. His phone vibrates with a new notification. He checks the screen and sees he has received a text message from “RW”. He quickly turns his phone over, hoping Alyster didn’t see it.
“I just…I’m having a hard time with this. Everyone turns on me. You and I said some heinous shit to each other, but here you are. I don’t get it?”
“What’s to get Chrissy? We’re kindred spirits mate and we’ve got a job to do. I’m not about to abandon you over petty squabbles.”
A smile forms over Peacock’s face. “Right, all for one and one for all and all that then?”
“Team Anxiety forever and ever. You and I, we’re going places. We’ve got tag team gold to win and our journey starts on Meltdown.”
“Right, big ol clusterfuck against all the mooks in the tag division.”
“Not one of them want it as much as we do.”
“None of them deserve it as much as us.”
“You’re the goddamn World Champion.”
“And you’re the greatest X Champion of all time. We’re going to eat everyone in that scramble alive.”
“Especially those bastards in the Buddy System.”
“Especially them.”
Alyster gives the finishing touches to the patch job on Chris’ forehead. The duo rise to their feet and Chris claps Alyster on the back.
“Now how about we grab a drink and talk about our opponents one by one in a sort of list?”
“Sounds boring. Let’s do it!”
The two shared a raucous round of laughter before going on a tirade, talking shit about the Lumberjacks, then the Coven, followed by Eternal, PONI BOI, and the dastardly Buddy System. |
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:21:51 GMT
Originally posted by Gip. [HEADING=1]
Times of Change
[/HEADING]
Reagan lets out an exhausted breath. He hoped he was done in one go. But the wave of nausea rolls over him one more time and again he throws up in the toilet bowl. Thought he would get used to it by now but turns out it takes Reagan a couple of years to actually get a hold of it. Groaning and sweating as he wipes bits of puke from his mouth with toilet paper when he heard a knock on his cabin door.
Reagan: "Give me a sec!”
Reagan just managed to choke out.
???: "Don't worry. We all felt that way before our first match. Welcome to the club,"
The strange voice from outside said encouragingly, Reagan immediately recognised the voice as the promoter of the gig, Owen Hickman. Then it dawned on Cole that it wasn't his first match, it wasn’t his first match for Owen! What an impression you’ve made, Reagan. Ughhh.Then the voice continues while Cole leans his head against the cabin wall.
Owen: "Well, of course not every newbie is immediately thrown together with a legend like me. But hey, you can do it!"
Suddenly the ground seemed to move and Reagan vomited again into the toilet. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Owen was also Reagan’s opponent tonight as he was facing both Owen and someone called Nero Kousaki in a tag match. As for who Reagan's tag partner is…well. The voice behind the door laughed softly. Still undecided whether it was in a mean way or not. Just take the toilet paper. Catch your breath. Wipe puke off. Breathe again. Flush.
Owen: "Here!"
Reagan turned around in the cabin with an effort. A plastic cup of water was held under the cabin door.
Reagan: "Th-thanks.”
The inexperienced British Apprentice said surprised, took the cup and greedily drank the cool liquid to make the acidic taste of bile go away. He wanted to stay to be honest. He wasn't really sure enough on his feet to go outside yet. Reagan looks through the tiny gap between the door and the cabin wall. There stood the man who was talking to him. He had his back turned to him. He was wearing sneakers, blue sweatpants, and a white t-shirt. His long brown hair was tied together on the top of his head, underneath, not a terrible undercut I guess. But there was another person in the background that Reagan couldn't make out, weird. Think he's playing with some kind of rubix cube. Alright. Alright. Reagan makes sure the last of his puke is gone before opening the door to the loud noise of
Owen: “Ayyyy there's the battle torn soldier! Just in time, here’s your tag partner for the evening!”
BK: “Hey-O!”
Woah! Okay, that explains who the mystery person is as he bellows at Reagan with a massive wave of the hand to go with it. The man, who we find out to be British Kid, stands there proudly in a t-shirt showcasing the Beatles with his tights and mask both completely painted with the Union Jack logo all over. Reagan knew he was staring. But he couldn't help it. This guy looked like he was an obsessive tourist. So here they were. Standing in this cramped room for what would be known as the first meeting of the United Kingdom. And was it just Reagan or did the walls seem to be merging inexorably, like in the Death Star's scrap press. Yeah this is going great. Owen leans towards Reagan.
Owen: "You stare."
Reagan blinked.
Reagan: "I know,"
Reagan turns left to Owen, knowing full well that his counterpart would hear it too. Reagan looked at the man standing across from him. He could not believe it. It was utterly and without a doubt impossible what was happening to him. He’s supposed to be teaming with this guy? British Kid just smiles as he goes back to his rubix cube.
Owen: "You're still staring, to be honest I'm starting to be a little offended you didn't have this reaction with me."
Owen stuck out his bottom lip in a mock pout as Reagan tries to grab the right words for this situation.
Reagan: “Listen, Owen, I’m just not sure I’m a comedy guy like him, I’m a fighter an-“
BK: “HEY NOW-O! Just because I’m a luchado who fights for the Queen-Os, Olly Murs-O and all of the people in-o this country doesn’t mean-o, I’m not a fighter-o!”
Reagan: “…And why are you ending words in O, exactly?”
BK: “It comes with the mask-o!”
I forgot BK came with this many O’s early on, he chilled out after a while but..yeah. Reagan narrows his eyes and faces the man to the right of him as he still tries to comprehend the situation before him.
Owen: “Listen, the kid is…Hm.”
BK: “I am right-o here!”
Owen: “And i don’t know how you do things but I wrestling, you don’t really pick your partners and Kid has been here for a year already so he actually knows the ropes and stuff, much better than you do so either you team up and work or me, Nero and Kid can do a triple threat? Which one you want?”
Well shit, when they put it like that. Looks like they would soon be working together. It was just difficult to comprehend. I mean, Owen already can’t remember Reagan, how can Reagan make the impression he wants to make with this..lunatic there? Atleast this was a match against Owen so Cole could make Owen remember but how, oh boy. I’m repeating myself. Reagan takes his eyes back to Kid, fearing saying or doing something very stupid or inappropriate. He hoped British Kid wouldn't embarrass Cole. Or himself. Or the company. Or Owen, I guess. It’s at this moment before Reagan can say anything, British Kid jumps up like Super Mario and puts a arm around his future tag team championship winning partner.
BK: “You’re in good hand-os, friend-o! This is just the start-o!”
Reagan: “Of what exactly?”
BK: “That-o is for the London Eye-o to decide!”
And The London Eye…o decided well. Yeah they ended up losing the match but it was clear from that moment on that there was definitely chemistry between the two and the team gelled so Owen started booking them on more and more matches. And you know the rest. And it’s weird how Reagan initially hated the weird optimism, the glaring smile and even the over use of the letter “O”.
When now that’s all he really wants back.
As soon as the pair had placed their seatbelts on TYLER started the car's engine before pulling onto the road to the town. The engine needed a second due to the very old rental, they were using. Silence settled between the duo but the unease never did. So many questions Reagan has and he has a dooming sense that some of them, hell most of them won’t be answered. But he has to atleast try right? But what’s the first question to ask?
Reagan: “….Why did you do it, Kid?”
TYLER: “I told you already, it’s TYLER. And you damn know why.”
Reagan: “No I don’t, you know I tried to get multiple opportunities for you in FWA.”
TYLER: “And somehow you still failed to get me in there. Like every other time you failed to give someone else the spotlight.”
Reagan: “You think I didn’t want you standing beside me? Fighting your own battles, making a star for yourself! I never wanted you to be a shadow.”
TYLER: “And yet I was anyway. Ever think about that? You talk all these crap about how you give opportunities! You’re so generous that you helped Aka win the tag belts. That was definitely the only motive, not you just wanting to win gold that you didn’t have to share with me, that’s real funny.”
Reagan: “And that was worth ddting her into steel, kid??”
TYLER: “TYLER. Can’t even get basic instructions right. I sacrificed myself for you. And you repaid me by just dragging a past failure in the picture that you already let down before.”
Reagan: “Oh so after this it’s just jealousy is it?”
TYLER: “No, this is about you finally paying for your sins.”
Reagan: “Mhm.”
TYLER: “Out of curiosity, how many opportunities have you squandered for other people? There could have been a opportunity to bring back Nova-.”
Reagan: “Hey.”
TYLER: “What? What do you wan-“
A horn suddenly interrupts both of the characters blaring at them as TYLER has to barely swerve out of the way of a oncoming taxi. Bastard. And not Shawn Summers. The duo go silent. The friendship that was formerly unbreakable has a massive freaking slash through it now.
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:22:39 GMT
Promo reviews. Originally posted by Rosie. Attempting some promo feedback for @heisenblaine and his second promo back for Sawyer Xavier. Welcome back bt'dubbs. First, a small thing I noticed as I was reading you said: "After that brutal bump, he laid on the mat as Nova celebrated his victory" Her name is Princess Nova. She/Her, silly. Just a minor error unless you are trying to frame it as "She took your victory" which, if so, could have been framed a touch clearer. Then again, take it from the trans person to notice pronoun usage. But overall, I think you've done some things right. I do like the usage of telling a story from the past, the night of the match, and the future. It shows the change of the character before and after. I also appreciate the idea of using a side character. If you have seen Vampyra's promos in the time you've been gone. First, sorrz for the injury. But in her defense, she did not expect you to go face first into the ring post. But she does have a collection of side characters, most of which are actually developed. I think if you use them as a way to add to your character without detracting attention, it can be of use, especially since I tend to rotate them depending on the time and place. It can allow your character to have people to bounce off ideas, vent to, or show their change to. But I think if there is something to touch up on, look towards your final section of the promo. The first thing is the use of the phrase "jobber," which might just be a personal pet peeve so take it with a grain of salt. Generally, I am against insider terms being used in promos, even if that is probably one of the more minor things. But I think an issue I have with the final part is there is nothing to REALLY break it up. It is just: Speech Speech Speech You've done it earlier in the promo, but you should try to break up those blocks of text with narration. It helps the flow, but most importantly it adds emotion to your text. Because there is very little to show how Sawyer is feeling during this and it feels like a basic rant. Even if it is a rant or a monologue. I feel emotion and character are two things which help it stand out. I think you can look at my Nova promo from BIT. I had little things to show her character. Her joyful giggling. Her sudden switch to her darker side. Little things to show what she is doing as she is talking and WHO SHE IS. So, that are my thoughts on your promo. A couple of things which are good steps forward which can set up more in the future. You trying to tell a story of your character in a promo, introducing a side character to help round your character out. But for sure room to grow. And I'd ask a few more things, but my class is starting. So if you want some more feedback, feel free to shoot me a DM  Here's something for @welshyboi First of all, something you have continually done is trying to portray Trixie's character as extremely emotionally insecure, immature, and I think her being overly critical of a loss and threatening to quit until she'll realize she'll let her "friends" down is good development. Shows that she may be a touch over attached, but if you show her kindness, she'll jump through a window Ralph Wiggums style for them. That and you have continually done well when it comes to setting scenes and narration. But I think if you are stuck trying to "improve," then I think things will just come once you get storylines developed fully for Trixie and try to step out of your comfort zone with creativity. It isn't easy, especially since you kind of need inspiration for something, but I think as you get some specific matches and storylines, you can play more off of your character and your opponents when not in a multiman. |
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:23:08 GMT
XXVI: “HOMECOMING: NYC.”
Live from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, New York, USA.
Thursday 2nd Match, 2023.
There is a short video package which details the major events of the recent ‘Back in Town’ Pay-Per-View which took place in Denver, Colorado and the main points featured include Shawn Summers recapturing the Television Championship, Michelle von Horrowitz cheating Cyrus Truth out of the F1 Climaxxx final with the assistance of the Nephews, Chris Peacock becoming the FWA World Champion after defeating Devin Golden and then the horrendous circumstances which surrounded Krash’s return to the FWA and life in general.
Once that has finished, we go straight into the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, where the crowd full of Chris Peacock’s fellow New Yorkers are near rabid as they wait for the show to begin. There are plenty in the crowd who are wearing fake black moustaches and matching sideburns and plenty of children have replica FWA World Championship belts over their shoulders and around their waists. As for the ring itself, there are balloon towers erected from each turnbuckle and a purple carpet has been placed over the ring mat. There are tables with pictures of Peacock’s victory at Back in Town and him celebrating with his newly-won championship.
Rod Sterling: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Meltdown! We’re here tonight in a place we always love coming to, New York, baby! We’re ten days removed from an absolutely historic Back in Town event that was full of shocks and surprises, but before we unpack a lot of what happened in Denver, we’ve got ourselves a celebration!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Some may argue that what happened in Back in Town’s main event was overshadowed by events earlier on in the night, but these fans here tonight are not going to let us forget what happened in the slightest. Their hometown boy, Chris Peacock, ascended to the top of the FWA mountain when he defeated Devin Golden, concluding the ferocious rivalry between the two of them and likely ‘The Rotten Gold’s career at the same time.”
A large banner displaying a message of congratulations hangs above the ring, and underneath it with all of the decorations are a number of individuals; a man who looks exactly like Chris Peacock but sans moustache (his twin brother, Drew), Drew’s son and Chris’s Nephew, Max, both of the Diamond Dogs - Ricardo Vance and Santino Dongarelli - and in the middle of them all, holding a microphone, is Fallout commentator and re-anointed close friend of the new FWA World Champion, Allen Price.
Price is beaming from ear to ear, as he certainly is not used to hearing a positive reception when at the centre of everyone’s attention. However, he finds himself unable to get his words out due to the sheer volume of the crowd surrounding him inside the intimate venue.
“WE WANT PEACOCK!
WE WANT PEACOCK!
WE WANT PEACOCK!
WE WANT PEACOCK!”
The individuals in the ring are all very happy to hear the chanting and young Max throws his hands up into the air, getting the crowd revved up even more and they whip themselves into another loud frenzy of cheers.
Allen Price: “He’s coming everyone, don’t worry. There’s no way he’d be missing something like this. Before we bring him out though, and we hear what he has to say, I was hoping you’ll all indulge me and allow me to talk a little bit about the man that we’re all here to see tonight.”
In a surprising turn of events, the crowd are actually amenable to this and Allen smiles once again, as Drew Peacock pats him on the back.
Allen Price: “Thank you, everyone. Obviously, the reason the ring is set up like it is and us being here is to celebrate the greatest accomplishment of a man who a couple of us share blood with, but all consider to be family. Of course, I am talking about the man who we can now all proudly call the FWA World Champion and someone from right here in New York City… CHRIS PEACOCK!”
There is another thunderous cheer from the crowd and they begin to start chanting Peacock’s name once again and Price nods along with them.
Allen Price: “Yeah! PEACOCK! PEACOCK!”
The chanting along by the man with the microphone only causes the crowd to go along louder with it all and Price gives off a goofy grin. He waits for them to calm down slightly before going to talk once again, though.
Allen Price: “It isn’t a secret that in the last few months, things hadn’t been great between myself and Chris Peacock. I think it is fair to say that Chris… was feeling the pressure of holding that Golden Opportunity briefcase and well, I’ll admit that I didn’t do a very good job of helping him cope with that pressure.
However, and I am sure the two gentlemen here will not mind me slightly impinging on them, but you know what happens when you apply pressure to a piece of coal? You get a diamond!”
The fans cheer and Price looks very proud of himself for that comment.
Allen Price: “And our diamond? Our diamond has some gold! He weathered the storm and came out the other side, even though he himself will admit that Devin Golden kicked his ass along the way. So, before we bring him out, there’s one thing that I want to say on behalf of everyone in this ring, and Alyster Black too, wherever he is…”
Allen looks around at the men in the ring with him, and checks whether Alyster Black is there or not, but he isn’t.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Where is Alyster Black? You’d have thought that he’d be here, especially as he and Chris Peacock will be vying for a chance to become the number one contenders for the FWA World Tag Team Championships later on tonight!”
Realising that Alyster is not there, Price shrugs. He quickly reverts back to his happy and grinning self, though.
Allen Price: “So, I think it is about time we brought the man of the moment out, huh? New York City, please put your hands together to welcome the man who is your NEW FWA WORLD CHAMPION OF THE WORLD… ‘DISCO’S LAST WARRIOR’... CHRIS PEACOCK!”
{NEPHEWS // PORRIDGE RADIO}[MEDIA=youtube]E47KQIL6ILk[/MEDIA]
The audience is ready to pop, but the reaction is only one of confusion…
Rod Sterling: “I don’t think I need to tell you, but that is not the theme music of Chris Peacock…”
A moment later, the cheers turn to boos as Uncle J.J. JAY! saunters out onto the stage, a smile on his face and a microphone in his hand. Behind him come a long and steady line of Nephews: Gerald Grayson, Thomas West, Harry the Sane Wizard, Quiet, the Maid of Death, NOE-I, Kha’rina, Alphonse the Swiss Sherpa, Prince Cthu’lhu’u, Sting Ray, both Marcus and Micah McClain, a few McClones, and at the rear Mechalodon Man.
Rod Sterling: “... of course.”
The music lowers as Uncle brings the microphone to his lips, stood at the base of the ramp. Those in the ring look on in confusion, and - given the sheer quantity of Nephews that have just appeared - most of them are in the process of climbing out of the room.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “You can stay, if you’d prefer, Nephews! No need to scarper from us. We’re friendly, and only a small proportion of us bite…”
Regardless of JAY!’s offer for them to stay, Peacock’s entourage continue to exit the ring. Uncle shrugs before climbing up onto the apron and through the ropes.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “It is wonderful that Baby or Russnow or whoever it is that’s in charge nowadays have pulled out all of the stops for this celebration! I requested this time so that we could pay our respects to a person who has worked so hard and climbed so high over these past few years. Somebody that, less than two weeks ago at Back in Town, capped off several months of toil by besting an old rival…”
The crowd are still cheering for PEA-COCK!, but if Uncle can hear this (which he surely can) he doesn’t let it show. Instead, he has a serene and slightly unsettling smile on his face, despite the crowd changing course slightly.
“FUCK THE NEPHEWS!
FUCK THE NEPHEWS!
FUCK THE NEPHEWS!
FUCK THE NEPHEWS!”
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “I am talking, of course, about one half of your current and greatest ever FWA World Tag Team Champions… about the Forever X Champion who, I’m sorry Alyster, was never defeated for that belt and is still the lineal champion of that division… about the only female triple crown champion in this company’s history, a feat that not even Shannon O’Neill, Gabrielle Montgomery, or Bell Connelly could match… Tag Warz winner, F1 Climaxxx winner, and the only person in the history of wrestling to win both the Carnal Contendership and the Wrestle Royale… I’m talking about the TWO-TIME TWO-TIME, soon to be THREE-TIME THREE-TIME THREE-TIME, FWA Champion of this World... ladies and gentlemen and wrestling fans, please put your hands together for ‘Meltdown von Horrowitz’... for ‘Dreamer’... for ‘THE ONE IN NINE AND ONE’... for ‘Cyrus Truth’s Favourite Wrestler’... Cthulhu’s Nephews very own… MICHELLE… VON… HORROWITZ!!!”
The crowd’s booing has generally been getting louder and louder and louder throughout Uncle’s introduction, and it reaches fever pitch just in time for…
{IN DREAMS // ROY ORBISON}[MEDIA=youtube]MVRunwyoTMA[/MEDIA]
Michelle walks out onto the stage with her F1 trophy in one hand and her FWA World Tag Team Championship belt in the other. The audience rains down the boos on her as she takes a deep bow before walking down the ramp. We cut to the Nephews in the ring, who are giving Michelle a round of applause with beaming smiles on their faces. We also see Peacock’s crew on the outside, looking nonplussed and impatient in the face of this prolonged interruption.
Rod Sterling: “Well, as much as it pains me to say it, everything that Uncle J.J. JAY! just said is true… she has the trophy, and she’s been declared the winner of the F1 Climaxxx tournament. Regardless of the methods she used to get there, Michelle von Horrowitz is number one contender to Chris Peacock’s FWA World Championship.”
Dreamer has entered the ring and looks up at the banner reading ‘CONGRATULATIONS!’ approving. She sets her F1 Climaxxx trophy down, her FWA Tag Team Championship on her shoulder, and gives everyone in the ring their own individual greeting. Grayson and Uncle both get warm embraces, Michelle’s music playing on into the second chorus as she’s finally handed the microphone by Uncle.
“WE WANT PEACOCK!
WE WANT PEACOCK!
WE WANT PEACOCK!
WE WANT PEACOCK!”
MvH: "I'm glad, tulips, to have taken a break from what I'm sure you can imagine are long and arduous preparations for Nate and Jackson on Saturday…"
Here, we see Gerald rolling his eyes in the background, suggesting that maybe this hasn't been the case (against his wishes).
MvH: "All of this… for me?! You shouldn't have. But the hard work is done. The F1 is over, even if it didn't turn out to be exactly the tournament I expected. So many flakes. The handsome man, with whom my dance has been so often delayed that it now means less to me than it once did. The world's oldest prodigy, with whom - some may have forgotten - my record in one-on-one competition remains one apiece. And Boogie Baby."
A slight pause. Another resounding cry from the crowd.
“FUCK YOU DREAMER!
FUCK YOU DREAMER!
FUCK YOU DREAMER!
FUCK YOU DREAMER!”
Michelle shakes her head.
MvH: "It shouldn't surprise me that Chris Peacock should choose to take the easy road. Men often show themselves to be craven. Twice, now, a chance to wrestle and potentially end Devin Golden at the Grand March, and to take the FWA World Championship away from his, has been denied to me by cowards invoking their golden opportunities. You have heard my opinions on this match before. Any match whose entry is dependent on losing another is not worthy of praise or honour or anything at all, really. The Golden Opportunity match is an overly literal representation of failing upwards, and I refuse to buy into this charade. Whether you cash-in by surprise, like Nova, or up front, like Peacock, is irrelevant. I don’t accept the premise.”
The crowd disagrees. Or would if it was really listening. A booooooooring chant has broken out, and is now evenly matched with the PEA-COCK! one as the audience attempts to drown Michelle out with noise.
MvH: “But, for a second time, fate has smiled upon me. Because this time last year, I was awarded the chance to show Nova Diamond up for what he is in his very first defense… and this year, I get to do precisely the same thing to Chris Peacock. Maybe Boogie Baby will decide to call it a day, too. He can spend his days moping around Nova, Danny, and Ryan, trying to get an invite to their retirement island. Or he can spend more time at Randy’s grave. These choices belong to Chris. But…”
Another pause for effect. She gives Gerald and Uncle a smile, but only the latter reciprocates it…
MvH: “I don’t know what it is, tulips… perhaps it’s the extent of my confidence going into this match with Peacock… or maybe it’s these incessant murmurs I keep hearing… or it could be that Cthulhu’s Nephews are just generous people. Because I’m willing to do for Chris Peacock what all of you people have been begging me to do. I’m going to beat Chris Peacock… on my own. You see, the actions over the last few months of the friends that you see standing behind me was not born out of necessity. No. Something else entirely, tulips. But the trogs will believe what the trogs will believe, and it’s about time I put this nasty little rumour - that perhaps Michelle von Horrowitz can’t go on her own anymore - to bed. So, at our team meeting this morning, we decided that, between now and the moment that I lift the FWA World Championship at the Grand March, no Nephew will lay a finger, claw, or tentacle on our current champion.”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
The Nephews are all smiles for the proclamation. Either they don’t think Peacock will be much of a challenge for Michelle, or they don’t intend to stick to the pledge.
MvH: “Because, you see, when Chris Peacock and I are standing across the ring from one another on April 9th, that is when we’ll find out –”
{THE SOUND OF TRUTH || AS I LAY DYING}[MEDIA=youtube]K91qwxCWmrs[/MEDIA]
“The Sound of Truth” blares as the crowd erupts. It isn’t Chris Peacock, but it is good enough at the moment. The Nephews look a bit frantic as Michelle’s smile turns into a sneer, just for a second. From the curtain, Cyrus Truth emerges, dressed in his ring gear despite not being scheduled to compete on Meltdown.
Cyrus’s eyes are dark and sunken. Despite that, there’s a sharpness to The Exile’s gaze as he looks out to the festivities occurring in the middle of the ring. He slings a very familiar steel chair over his shoulder, he grits his teeth and starts to make his way down the ramp.
Rod Sterling: “Oh…well, I alluded to it earlier, but Michelle von Horrowitz utilized an underhanded tactic to win the F1 Climaxxx…although ‘win’ might be a bit subjective. Michelle would use that steel chair and a ruse to get The Exile disqualified. Given that…and the fact that Cyrus made Michelle tap while the referee was down? It’s easy to see why The Wayward Warrior is looking for blood.”
The Nephews are bracing themselves as Michelle whispers something to them, seemingly telling them to give some space as Cyrus slides in under the bottom rope and gets to his feet. The gaggle of misfits flank Michelle as she stands there, arms crossed with a strange, confident look on her face.
She walks up as she starts to speak.
MvH: “Tulip, it’s so good of you to come and…”
SMACK!
Cyrus, without flinching and with no hesitation, slaps the microphone out of Michelle’s hands. THAT startles Michelle as the Nephews immediately swarm around her, putting themselves between her and The Exile. Cyrus, eerily calm despite the obvious simmering rage bubbling beneath the facade, grabs the fallen microphone and, keeping the steel chair firmly in his other hand, brings the mic up to his lips and says in a low, harsh tone.
Cyrus Truth: “Shut. Up. No more talking. No more of having to listen to your self-congratulatory bullshit. I’m not going to stand here and reiterate what happened at Back in Town. Everybody in the world except for that scrub of a referee saw you scream and tap as if your life depended on it.”
Cyrus looks confused, as one of the Nephews steps closer to him and leans into the microphone.
Alphonse the Swiss Sherpa: “Now, hold on a second there, Nephew Truth! I know that…”
WHACK!
Cyrus, like a flash of lightning, drives the steel chair into the gut of Alphonse, causing him to double-over in pain. Then, without a second’s hesitation, he brings the chair down on his back. As Alphonse collapses, the remaining Nephews move as if to swarm Cyrus, but The Exile glares at them…and especially at Michelle von Horrowitz as he says:
Cyrus Truth: “If you think this story ends with you making it to the Grand March whole, healthy, and in one piece? You clearly haven’t been paying attention. And you certainly haven’t learned a damn thing.”
Cyrus tosses the microphone. He’s 100% DONE talking. It’s one Exile standing against every Nephew, all standing between him and the woman who robbed him of victory in the most duplicitous of manners. And while it seems obvious that Cyrus has no chance whatsoever of breaking through all of them to get to the one who wronged him, it’s clear as day that The Exile is fully prepared to go through with it regardless.
However…
{HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER || SISTER SLEDGE}[MEDIA=youtube]TDwutKpVyas[/MEDIA]
Rod Sterling: “These people have had to wait longer than they expected, but they need not wait any longer because Chris Peacock is here!”
The music playing generated an extremely loud pop from the crowd, but this only escalated when the new FWA World Champion Chris Peacock walked through the curtain! Despite everything happening in the ring, Peacock takes a moment to look around at the arena full of his fellow New Yorkers and he seems completely taken aback by the reception that he is receiving. His eyes are bright and he pushes his hair out of his face before resting his hand on the championship around his waist.
Peacock’s friends and family move around the ring to the bottom of the ramp, where he greets them and reassures them that everything is okay, before he walks towards the steps and climbs up into the ring through the ropes, grabbing a microphone of his own as he does so. The Nephews back away from Cyrus Truth and back in front of MvH as Peacock exchanges a brief look with ‘The Exile’ before he cranes his head over the crowd in front of him, looking for someone.
Chris Peacock: “Hey Michelle, I can’t quite see you back there… it’s funny that you’re saying that I took the easy road when you’re the one cowering behind a bunch of assholes!”
The crowd cheers loudly and a chunk of the Nephews take exception to that comment. Peacock looks across to Truth, but there is no sign of amusement on Cyrus’s face.
Chris Peacock: “That’s not to mention the shit you pulled at Back in Town to screw Cyrus over here. So, how about the big bad Michelle von Horrowitz drags her ass to the front here so I can talk to her properly?”
Despite Peacock’s request, MvH stays where she is behind her fellow Nephews, noting that Cyrus Truth is still angry and still in possession of a steel chair. Peacock’s enthusiasm appears to dip slightly when he realises that he’s not fully in control of the situation like he thought he was.
Chris Peacock: “Okay… that’s fine, I guess. There’s something that I have to say, but first, I want to send a message to you, Michelle and the rest of you pricks. I was fully aware that when I challenged Devin Golden, that it could have come to this. Chris Peacock fighting against the Nephews again… it was always going to happen at some point.
Yeah, you’ve ruined my celebration, so what? You’re probably going to beat me up a couple of times and hey, when we get to The Grand March, you may even take this from me. But guess what? That’s okay.
You know why it’s okay? Because it doesn’t matter why, when or how and it doesn’t matter what you judge to be worthy, Michelle… I did it. I AM THE CHAMPION!”
The crowd cheers loudly, breaking into another “PEA-COCK!” chant. Chris takes a moment and closes his eyes.
Chris Peacock: “I am the champion of this company, and there’s nothing you, Michelle, or any of these other dickheads can do to change the fact that it happened. You can’t take that away from me, no matter how hard you try.”
Peacock pauses for a moment and he looks through the gap in the collective in front of him so he can just about see ‘Dreamer’. He points to the F1 Climaxxx trophy.
Chris Peacock: “Just like I can’t do anything about the fact that you cheated this man out of that trophy and robbed him of the chance to face me at The Grand March. I can’t go back and change what has already been done. There is something else I can do, though.”
There is some confusion in the Nephews, a few of them asking Peacock “What?” off-mic. Peacock walks over to Cyrus Truth and places a hand on ‘The Exile’s shoulder, however a glare from Cyrus makes him realise that was not the smartest thing to do.
Chris Peacock: “Fair enough, but trust me, Cyrus, you’ll want to hear this. So, Michelle, I can’t take away what you ‘won’ at Back in Town, but I can give it to someone else that has actually earned it.”
Cyrus Truth’s eyebrow cocks up as Peacock raises the microphone up to his mouth once again slowly. Michelle von Horrowitz uses this time to shuffle her way through the Nephews in front of her, wanting to hear this news as close up as she can. She slowly shakes her head as a smirk forms on Peacock’s face this time.
Chris Peacock: “Yeah, you’re getting it. I’ve already spoken to Russnow… at The Grand March… Chris Peacock… Michelle von Horrowitz… AND Cyrus Truth… it will be a Three… Way… Dance!”
There is a HUGE cheer from the crowd as Michelle’s face drops before being fully overcome with rage. The Nephews are beside themselves, all shouting in Peacock’s direction and hurling insults towards him. The camera focuses on Cyrus Truth as MvH casts a look towards him and a very rare smile creeps onto the face of ‘The Exile’.
Rod Sterling: “Wow! Cyrus Truth… he’s going to The Grand March! It is going to be a Three Way Dance!”
Peacock looks back at Truth, expecting some sort of gratitude which does not come, and instead, Truth backs away towards the ropes, exiting the ring, satisfied with what he has gotten. The FWA World Champion turns back to MvH, who is still beside herself with rage, and she speaks to Peacock, with the microphone in his hand picking up her words.
MvH: “You IDIOT! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Chris Peacock: “I know exactly what I’m doing, Michelle. I’m not taking the easy way out. Now, this has been really fun, but I’ve got a pretty big match tonight. You know, when I win that… I’ll be taking your title, isn’t that groovy?”
Michelle shakes her head, and even Gerald Grayson is shown reacting to that in the same way. MvH smirks and then looks outside the ring at Peacock’s entourage.
MvH: “I don’t see your friend, anywhere. Is he too busy crying over his actual tag team partner?”
Chris Peacock: “Good one. You don’t need to worry about where he is, because even if he wasn’t there, I’d still be booking our date at Carnal Contendership to take those titles from you and little Gerald over there.
I don’t have one partner tonight, I have lots of partners and they’re all inside this arena. I’m FTN, and so are they. After all, we all know what FTN stands for, right?”
“FUCK THE NEPHEWS!”
Peacock lowers his microphone and his music begins to play, and he maintains eye contact with one of his TWO challengers at The Grand March next month and for once, the Nephews have been left with nothing to say. Michelle watches Peacock intently as the rest of the group have worried talks among themselves and Peacock turns his back on the ring, putting his arm around his nephew, and the entire Peacock crew back up the ramp whilst giving the group in the ring the same unified middle finger.
Rod Sterling: “Shifting gears from what just went down between our world champion Chris Peacock, Cyrus Truth, and Michelle von Horrowitz and her Nephews cohorts, we’ll be kicking into action with our first match of the night. It’ll be Reagan Cole taking on Mike Parr, both of whom are coming off victories at Back in Town.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “That’s right, Rod. Cole and Parr both had a successful night at Back in Town, and surely they’ll both be riding a wave of momentum coming into tonight’s match, but as we all know, only one can continue to ride that wave”
{WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN || DOWNSTAIT}[MEDIA=youtube]q2XuOvlzVHI[/MEDIA]
The song begins to play and as soon as it kicks into high gear, The Prodigy appears on stage to a nice ovation from the sold out Hammerstein ballroom. As usual, Parr doesn’t dilly dally about and he quickly walks down to the ring.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Tonight’s opening contest is scheduled for one fall with a twenty-minute-time-limit! Introducing first…from Toronto, Canada…weighing in at 240 lb…he is The Prodigy…Mike Parr!”
Rod Sterling: “Parr looks to be in the zone and for good reason, because he gained a measure of revenge at Back in Town when he defeated his former Executive Excellence stablemate Kayden Knox.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “With Knox in the rearview mirror, Parr can refocus back on climbing through the ranks and hopefully regaining some gold.”
{ALONE || JONATHAN YOUNG & LEE ALBRECHT}[MEDIA=youtube]PZdWLDKISp8[/MEDIA]
A mixed ovation from the fans as Reagan Cole steps out on stage. Cole looks out at the sea of fans and then walks down to the ring without taking his gaze off of Parr.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “His opponent…from Essex, England…weighing in at 215 lb…he is The British Apprentice…Reagan Cole!”
Rod Sterling: “Cole defeated Bellatrix Bordeaux at Back in Town, but some would call it a tainted victory.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “You’d be right, Rod, and it would be due to the assistance of Jeffry Mason and TYLER. Both of whom have been a thorn in the side of Cole and have been plaguing him for a number of months now.”
On his way to the ring, Reagan notices Mason and TYLER sitting in the front row. Reagan looks at them with disdain before sliding into the ring.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Speak of the devil, Mason and TYLER are out here and I’m sure whatever tricks they have up their sleeves, can’t be good for The Prodigy.”
Reagan tosses away his jacket and makes his way to his corner where he stands across from Parr…
DING! DING! DING!
The bell sounds and right away the two competitors lock horns with a collar and elbow tie up, but Parr shoves Cole back before anything can happen. Reagan glares at his opponent before looking over Mason and TYLER in the front row, and this brief lack of focus by Reagan comes back to bite him as Parr slaps the taste out of his mouth! Cole is knocked back and Parr drills a few more forearm shots to Cole that has Cole reeling on the ropes, and Parr looks to send Reagan across the ring into the opposite set of ropes but Cole counters and sends Parr to the opposite set….
Parr hangs and catches an incoming Reagan with a flip over to the apron where Cole successfully lands on his feet. Parr spins around only to be met with a forearm to the jaw, and Cole tries to take advantage of this by taking Parr over the ropes to the outside with a suplex but Parr has the wherewithal to block the attempt and instead lifts Cole up off of the apron yet Cole flips out behind Parr and he drills Parr in the back of the head with another forearm. Cole then takes Parr in a rear waistlock before dropping him on the back of his head with a german suplex! Parr clutches the back of his head and he starts to stir as he rises up, but he’s knocked back down with a running knee to the face from Reagan! Cole instantly jumps down for the pin…
One…TWO-NO!
Cole immediately applies a rear chin lock in order to keep Parr grounded, but Parr shows that he still has some fight left in him and as he rises up, he drives a few elbows into Reagan’s midsection! Reagan is forced to release the hold and Parr sends Cole into the ropes where Reagan hangs on but he pays for that as Parr sends him toppling to the outside with a clothesline! Reagan quickly shakes that off but he’s not ready for Parr launching himself through the middle rope with a suicide dive! Cole is knocked back into the barricade and Parr wastes no time by tossing Cole back into the ring and The Prodigy finds his mark with a slingshot senton into a pin…
One…TWO-NO!
Anzu Kurosawa: “The Prodigy is firing on all cylinders right now, which could spell disaster for Cole if he keeps it up!”
Rod Sterling: “Parr’s skills are so unmatched but at the same time I can’t take anything from Cole, who has held his own thus far.”
Parr has Reagan in a front facelock but Reagan counters with a headbutt that knocks Parr for a loop…and Reagan continues his onslaught of headbutts much to the dismay of Parr…
Anzu Kurosawa: “Cole with his keen striking skills on full display but he may be doing just as much damage to himself as he has done to The Prodigy with those headbutts…”
Cole looks a bit worse for wear after delivering so many headbutts, but he shakes it off and he has Parr set up for a suplex, but Parr flips out behind Reagan as he was lifted up and Parr counters with a belly to back suplex! Parr reaches over and hooks the far leg for another pin…
One…two…THREE-NO!
Parr begins to climb to the top as it appears he’s looking to end this with X Marks the Spot, but Cole is able to stop him mid-way on the second rope and from there Cole brings Parr back inside the rope with a ring rattling suplex! That took a bit out of Cole, but he shakes it off and he takes Parr up…bridging northern lights suplex!
One…two…THREE-NO!
Parr stays in it and Cole immediately applies a single leg lion tamer submission to Parr. Cole is wrenching back while Parr is trying his best to fight through it. Cole glances over at Mason and TYLER at ringside, and both of them urging Cole to snap Parr’s leg whilst in the hold. Cole’s lack of focus causes his grip to loosen, and that allows Parr to break the hold with a rope grab. Cole seems extremely frustrated, not only with himself but also with Mason and TYLER….
Rod Sterling: “Reagan needs to get his head back in the game if he wants to win…”
Anzu Kurosawa: “That’s easier said than done in his case, Rod, with Mason and TYLER goading him on and causing even more of a distraction…”
Cole says some things to Mason and TYLER that the cameras don’t pick up, but suddenly he’s taken by surprise with a roll-up from Parr!
One…two…THREE-NO!
Cole kicks out and rolls through but he’s met with a stiff kick to the face….and Parr follows that up with a shining wizard for good measure! Parr then proceeds to make his way to the top…X MARKS THE SPOT! Parr finds all of it and he hooks the leg…
One…two…THREE
{RESULT}Winner: Mike Parr by pin at 11:47.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The winner of the match…The Prodigy…Mike Parr!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Another win for Parr, this time over a game Reagan Cole.”
Rod Sterling: “I’m certain that if Cole hadn’t allowed himself to be so distracted we could’ve seen a different outcome for him, but it’s back to the drawing board for him…”
Parr relishes in his victory as he makes his exit while Cole is at ringside now near Mason and TYLER, both of whom look disappointed in Reagan as the show rolls on…
While one of the opening segments seemed to be a highly polished, professionally made video package made by the fine folks at the FWA editing teams, this camera is kind of shaky and tilted to the side and, in fact, seems to be moving, it's hard to tell exactly what's going on for the first few moments. Eventually we are able to make out the shape of a run-down street. The type of place your parents would tell you to stay away from. The kind of street that seemed to be slowly being eroded by time as various rough-looking people shuffled by, until eventually the seemingly hand-held camera settled on several brick walls stained with graffiti but not like the graffiti you'd expect. It's artfully done, rich in detail and substance, less like graffiti and more like murals, and the subjects? Like a make-shift hall of fame of Brooklyn's finest; Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, The Notorious B.I.G. People that have walked these same streets and made them famous; the camera slowly pans across this makeshift hall of fame until it settles on one person, facing out of the wall is the smiling face of Lizzie Rose.
...And eventually, the camera swings back around to reveal Lizzie Rose sitting on the curb, wearing a snap-back cap and Brooklyn net's hoodie.
Lizzie Rose: "I know you guys are probably sick of the sight of me...but I just had to share it with you guys...That...That mural? That means more to me than any title, any championship, any accomplishment. That I will ever achieve because titles and gold will come and go, but when you make it on these streets? That'll last forever."
She takes a moment to stare at the mural for a few moments, marvelling at the sight of it, before standing up on the curb as the camera follows her vlogger style.
Lizzie Rose: "This week hasn't been the best, not just because I lost that title match, but because I wasn't medically cleared to come to the arena tonight...the first time we've been in Brooklyn for a year, and honestly? That breaks my heart. Because I think anyone who knows me knows. I love these streets. I love this city; this is my home. These are my people. My family."
Lizzie breaks off as someone off camera seems to recognize her and stops for a fist bump and a kind word.
Lizzie Rose: "...and I don't mean that in the same way that everyone says it. Because everyone loves their home city, right? But I truly believe this place is unique; think about it. It's not exactly a rich part of New York, and it's not exactly a big city....but if you ask anyone to name a place in New York, one of the first places to come to mind is Brooklyn....We're a different breed here. When this tiny little part of the world speaks? The World listens and I'm proud that I get to represent these streets."
Again, Lizzie has to break off because someone has stopped to say hello; what can I say? She's absurdly popular on these streets.
Lizzie Rose: "And I-"
Lizzie suddenly breaks off abruptly, looking over her shoulder but turns back to the camera frowning.
Lizzie Rose: "Sorry, thought I saw....."
She trails off once again, staring off into the distance, before shaking her head and focusing up her attention on her words.
Lizzie Rose: "Right, sorry, back on point- As I said, this isn't a rich arena, speaking personally. I grew up in a crappy little third-story apartment in one of the poorest areas here, and there's a reason for that, my family was always dirt poor. Don't get me wrong, I grew up with a great mom that gave me everything I could possibly want...Love, food on the table, an education...Everything but money..."
Lizzie's mood seems to take a more somber tone as she takes a beat to collect herself.
Lizzie Rose: "...And I don't say that for you guys to be like "Boo hoo, poor Lizzie" If anything, It's something to be ashamed of, because while my mom was racking up debt and taking up job after job to support the family, I was chasing this insane dream, living her to take on the burden by herself, that's honestly something I truly do regret. The Rose family has always been in the red, and the fact I didn't help when I could..."
Lizzie sighs to herself, her head down, clearly not able to finish that statement.
Lizzie Rose: "...but that all changes today because I've just had the best year of my career, by a country mile, I'm making good money, money that can make a HUGE difference and today?”
With a smile, she motions for the camera to turn around to show exactly where she's been walking to.
The local bank.
Lizzie Rose: "I get to pay off the family debt."
The scene cuts momentarily to the inside of the bank building; Lizzie enters into the building -Almost bumping into someone who's in the middle of leaving via the same door, almost losing her balance in typical clumsy Lizzie Rose style, but regains her balance-looking slightly more proud of herself for doing so, then she should before moving past several security guards, approached the counter and spoke up towards the clerk hoping to be heard over the chatter.
Female Bank Teller: “Hello, miss! Welcome to Greengrove national bank; how may I help you today?”
Lizzie Rose: “Heya, I'd like to make a deposit in the Rose family bank account. It has a few debts that I'd like to clear.”
Female Bank Teller: “Sure thing! Just let me pull up the account, and I’ll gladly assist you.”
The lady behind the counter taps away on her keyboard. As Lizzie seems to get more nervous each time her fingers press on a key the feeling of weight on her shoulders begins to get heavier. As if each button adds on a few pounds. She seems a little embarrassed that this woman is going to see how much her family is in debt; her thoughts are interrupted soon however.
Female Bank Teller: “Ma’am?”
Lizzie Rose: “Huh? Oh, sorry! Yeah, what’s up?”
Female Bank Teller: “There appears to be no debt in our system. It looks like it was paid off this morning.”
Lizzie Rose: "Um. I'm sorry, what? No. No. No...Maybe you should check that again, you must have the wrong account.”
Female Bank Teller: “It also looks like there was… $10,000 transferred to your account from… let’s see here… they’re just listed as ‘an acquaintance’ in the notes. Looks like someone really cares about you, ma’am! Is there anything else I can help you with today?”
Lizzie didn't respond, all she did was stare blankly at the teller as if she was waiting for her to drop some kind of punch line, or she'd start laughing at any moment, but no punchline came, forcing herself to move back, and seems to walk out of the bank in some kind of daze, looking...honestly a little confused. Should she be happy her family's debt was cleared? Disappointed that her moment of catharsis has been denied? Freaked out that some stranger had just given her family an absurd amount of money? Eventually, she reaches into her pocket, punches in some numbers and puts it to her ear
Lizzie Rose: “Mom?
....
Why didn’t you call me?!
....
.... No, I didn’t know about it; where’d you get the money?
....
...IN FULL?! THE WHOLE THING?!...WHO?!
....
...What do you mean they LEFT ME SOMETHING?!
...NO, DON’T OPEN IT; I’M ON MY WAY!”
We see the blind panic in Lizzie's eyes as she puts down the phone. She rushes to the nearest subway; after all, this is her city. She knows this city like the back of her hand, you could leave her blindfolded in the town square, and she'd still manage to find her way through town. We see her pushing her way through the subway. We see her in a crowded train, staring around at her surroundings, her head twitching behind her a few times as if expecting someone to be staring at her.
Like she was being watched
Once she finally gets to her house, she climbs the stairs to her family's apartment like a woman possessed, and it wasn't long before she was pounding her fist against the door, to which a slightly older-looking woman with similar dark red hair answers looking bemused.
Lizzie’s Mom: "Christ, Elizabeth, does that door owe you money or something? You'll wake up the whole block..."
Lizzie Rose: ”Mom! Are you ok?!”
Lizzie's mom: "...Um, well, I have kind of a headache after all of that banging, but besides that, I'm good."
Lizzie Rose: "What the hell happened? You said someone brought a gift for me?"
Lizzie's Mom: "Oh yeah, this chick came by; kinda looked like they were doing some weird Disney cosplay stuff, hey I don't judge. And they left me something to give you. It's on the sofa."
Without saying another word, Lizzie pushes past and makes a beeline for this "Gift" being left for her
Lizzie's mom: "What the hell has gotten into you? You're acting like the devil is on your back; we should be celebrating the fact you got the best friends in the world! Seriously, why did you never tell me you knew so many rich people?”
Lizzie ignores her as she beholds "The gift."
Flowers.
Very familiar flowers. In fact, they seemed to be the exact same flowers she got from Princess Nova and Keres at Back In Town; blinking rapidly, she leaned forward to example the flowers more closely. Finally, realizing just who might be behind this
Lizzie’s Mom: "What's the problem?"
Lizzie Rose: "They left me…flowers again...but.....I think...they got me flowers before...and I threw them out...but I'm pretty sure these are the same ones. Like...The exact same ones, but that's crazy right? How could they get here? How are they still perfect? I- what’s this?"
Lizzie discovers that under the flowers is a piece of folded cardstock paper. Around the cardstock is a pink ribbon to keep it closed, with a raven pin that keeps the ribbon in place. Carelessly Lizzie tears the ribbon as she opens the folded cardstock paper and begins to read
Lizzie Rose:
"From acquaintances to friends.
A debt starts, a debt ends.
A new start, a dead-end.
Choices to be made,
Voices to be heard.
A dress and a crown,
A flower and a bird.
This invitation is open,
We rave for your response.
Now that your burden is broken,
We wait beneath sconce.”
Lizzie doesn't say anything, merely reading and rereading the note over and over again as if multiple readings would somehow make the clearly cryptic message held within more obvious.
Lizzie’s Mom: "....This isn't like a stalker situation is it? This isn't like some kind of weird fan thing right? Should I be worried?"
Lizzie Rose: "..No..I mean-I don't think so? Yeah no. This is weird, but...I'll...figure...something out"
Her mind clearly preoccupied, she absent-mindedly kisses her mother on the cheek before making her leave, still staring at the note as she quickly walked back to the subway station and vanishes down into the entrance as we fade to black.
{INVASION || JIM JOHNSTON}[MEDIA=youtube]wPcyW3eKL20[/MEDIA]
Following on from the video package, things move backstage where we are shown a shot of a door which swings open. Initially, nothing is there but a seemingly empty locker room, but the camera pans down and reveals Joe Burr! The fans inside the Hammerstein Ballroom can be heard cheering loudly as Burr marches down the corridor, a determined look on his face. Their chanting can be heard; they are loud and in unison.
“JOOOOOOEEEEEE BURRRRRRRRRR!
JOOOOOOEEEEEE BURRRRRRRRRR!
JOOOOOOEEEEEE BURRRRRRRRRR!
JOOOOOOEEEEEE BURRRRRRRRRR!”
Rod Sterling: “Well, Anzu, this can only mean one thing; it is time for out second of three matches tonight and this one is a championship match! The FWA Television Championship is going to be on the line and it is going to be another of New York City’s sons challenging ‘Der Basterd’ Shawn Summers - it’s Joe Burr!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “We’ve already seen tonight how much this crowd is supporting their fellow New Yorkers and I think if Joe Burr can cut short this second reign with the FWA Television Championship, the roof might blow off of this place!”
The curtain in the arena is swept open and Burr walks out through it and he pauses in front of the opening for a moment, raising his arms in the air to another loud cheer from the crowd. Burr walks towards the ring, holding his hands out for the fans to touch him. He rolls into the ring and climbs onto the bottom rope in one of the corners, raising his arms in the air once again.
{COLA || LANA DEL REYhttps://youtu.be/1QKgMdY4wbg}
The reaction inside the Hammerstein Ballroom flips completely on its head as Burr’s music fades out and it is replaced by that belonging to the new, and only two-time FWA Television Champion. Shawn Summers walks out from the back, holding the championship belt down next to him. The venue means that a lot of his usual entrance routine has to be pared back, but ‘Der Bastard’ does not seem bothered in the slightest about this. He merely looks around at the vicious response he is receiving and smirks before looking down at the floor.
Once Lana sings “Come on baby, let’s ride”, Summers starts walking forwards with purpose towards the ring, but he allows the Television Championship to be scraped along the floor as he walks, showing no care to the belt whatsoever.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Like him or not, at Back in Town, Shawn Summers became the first person to capture the FWA Television Championship for the second time when he overcame Vampyra, Jason Randall and the Death Walker in a very eventful four way match. However, from looking at his face and how he is treating that championship, he doesn’t seem too happy about it.”
Rod Sterling: “I don’t think he is! I can’t even comprehend how the mind of someone like Shawn Summers works, but you’d think he’d be happy about being a champion again!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, he might not be for long if Joe Burr and this crowd have their way! Summers is an accomplished competitor, but we know what Joe Burr is capable of and he has an upset in him. They don’t call him ‘The Giant Killer’ for nothing!”
Summers gets into the ring and throws the Television Championship up into the air, allowing it to fall to the mat, folded and twisted. After disposing of the title, he walks towards the corner and stands with his arms by his side, smiling as a fresh barrage of boos is directed towards him. The referee for the match, DJ Franchise, retrieves the title from the middle of the ring as it is required for the introductions ahead of the championship match. Although once Summers’s music has faded out, KLG is prevented from beginning her announcements due to the loud and rude chanting of the crowd.
“FUCK YOU SUMMERS!
FUCK YOU SUMMERS!
FUCK YOU SUMMERS!
FUCK YOU SUMMERS!”
‘Der Bastard’ laughs at the response and the challenger clearly enjoys it too, with Burr encouraging them to continue. Katie decides to crack on and talk over the loud shouting.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a sixty minute time limit… and it is for the FWA Television Championship!”
The belt is held up by the referee, with only Burr having eyes for it. The raucous crowd continues their chanting.
“JOE IS GONNA KILL YOU!
JOE IS GONNA KILL YOU!
JOE IS GONNA KILL YOU!
JOE IS GONNA KILL YOU!”
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Introducing first, the challenger… from New York City… weighing in at one-hundred and seventeen pounds… he is ‘The Giant Killer’... JOOOOOOEEEEEE BBBUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRR!!”
There is a very loud cheer from the fans as Burr climbs up onto the turnbuckle in the corner he is occupying, getting them riled up even more. However, as the attention shifts to the champion, the New York crowd begins booing loudly.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “His opponent, from Laguna Beach, California and weighing in at two-hundred and twenty-five pounds… he is the current reigning and defending FWA Television Champion… ‘Der Basterd’ SHAWN SUMMMMMMEEERRRRRRRSSSSS!!”
The crowd revert back to their negativity towards the amused champion, and he watches on as Katie leaves the ring with the championship in her possession. Summers does a couple more stretches with the assistance of the top rope, before DJ Franchise, satisfied both competitors are ready, calls for the bell!
The crowd cheers and makes their voices heard in support of the challenger as both men approach the centre of the ring. Summers seems slightly cautious at first, but Burr leans in, looking for some sort of lock up, and Summers decides to oblige. Both men tussle for a moment, until Summers easily pushes Burr away and onto his back. This does not stop ‘The Giant Killer’, who gets straight back up and charges at Summers, but Summers avoids any sort of contact and sends Burr forwards towards the ropes. Burr charges in and jumps into the air onto Summers’ shoulders and then falls down behind, BRINGING SUMMERS DOWN INTO A ROLL UP!!
ONE!
…
TWO!!
…
THREE-NO!!!
Summers kicks out of it at the last second! The fans cheer loudly as ‘Der Basterd’ looks stunned momentarily after almost getting caught out. Burr rises back to his feet and paces around in the ring, looking proud of himself.
“YOU’RE GONNA GET YOUR FUCKING SHOULDERS PINNED!”
*CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP*
“YOU’RE GONNA GET YOUR FUCKING SHOULDERS PINNED!”
*CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP*
Rod Sterling: “That roll up is one of the most dangerous moves in the FWA, and Burr has managed to pull off some surprising victories with it, and he almost added Shawn Summers to his list!”
Summers gets back to his feet from a knee and backs into the corner, where he turns around and starts fiddling with the top turnbuckle. There is some confusion as to what he is doing, but when the padding drops to the mat, the referee quickly puts two and two together and heads over to the corner to affix it back onto the now uncovered turnbuckle. Franchise scalds Summers as he passes him, but the Television Champion takes no notice.
Instead, Summers turns his attention back to his challenger and Burr looks to be about to try and initiate another lock up with Summers… BUT SUMMERS KICKS HIM IN BETWEEN THE LEGS!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Ouch! Even I felt that and I’m missing a pair of those!”
Despite it being a blatant low blow, the referee did not see due to being so concerned with replacing the turnbuckle padding. Burr lands on his side on the mat, after the force of the kick actually took him off of his feet and the crowd begin to shout abuse at Summers, but he drops down to a knee over Joe’s body and begins laying into him with strikes directed at the head and face. Summers rains Blitzkreig down onto Burr with punches and elbow strikes and only stops when the official comes over and forces a break, the turnbuckle finally repaired.
The referee checks Burr over, who can be shown now with a bloody nose, but Summers prevents him from doing so when he drags Burr towards the corner and slumps his opponent’s small body against the bottom turnbuckle. Summers gets himself in position across the ring from Burr and he charges forwards… and crashes into Burr with the Bee’s Knees!! Burr is absolutely motionless in the corner and Summers pulls him up by his arm once again and he places Burr’s head in between his legs and looks around at the rabid crowd.
Summers nods his head to their objections and then hooks Burr up… and drops him on his head with MIDSOMMAR!! Burr crumples on the mat and Summers pushes him down onto his back before applying a deep cover.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Count to one hundred, this is done…”
ONE… TWO… THREE!!!
{RESULT}Winner: Shawn Summers by pin fall at 3:35.
‘Cola’ plays once again and Summers rises to his knees from the pin with a broad grin on his face; clearly having taken enjoyment from unnecessarily cheating against a lesser opponent and embarrassing him in his hometown. DJ Franchise returns with the Television Championship and attempts to place it in Shawn’s hands, but Summers just allows it to fall on the mat again and then has his arm raised.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here is your winner and STILL the FWA Television Champion… SHAWN SUMMERS!!”
Rod Sterling: “Shawn Summers retains. I think it is an outcome many predicted but as you can hear from this crowd here, it is not one that they are happy with. Regardless, Shawn Summers continues this phenomenal run he is on in singles competition; undefeated in singles competition since Lights Out back in October. That’s pretty impressive, you’ve got to admit, Anzu.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, I hope that his future opponents are able to provide him a bit more of a challenge, though. Who knows, whoever ends up facing him for that championship next might be someone able to put up a decent fight? We might find out at The Grand March! Oh, I think Summers wants to say something…”
Summers demands a microphone from ringside and he uses his boot to shuffle Joe Burr out of the ring, ignoring the loud negative response he is receiving from the fans inside the Hammerstein Ballroom.
As the referee calls for the bell Shawn rolls off Burr and lays on his back staring up at the lights of the arena. He motions for the referee to come over and demands that they give him a microphone. The referee hands Shawn a microphone and he waves his hand at them as a way of saying 'go away"'.
Shawn Summers: "I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep. And find that I'm number one. Top of the list. Head of the heap. King of the hill."
The fans boo incessantly and chant "shut the fuck up" as Summers laughs to himself before pulling the microphone back to his lips and continuing to croon his song.
Shawn Summers: "These little town blues They've all melted away I'm gonna make a brand new start of it In old New York."
A fan throws a water bottle into the ring, almost hitting Summers. He leans up halfway, points at the fan, and then points toward the exit. Within seconds a tall and muscular member of security makes their way over to the fan and escorts them out of the building as they continue to shout obscenities at the television champion.
Shawn Summers: "And If I can make it there I'll make it practically anywhere It's up to you New York, New York New York."
Anzu Kurosawa: What the hell was that?
Rod Sterling: A classic, that's what it was, Anzu.
Shawn Summers: "Frank Sinatra - a rare highlight in this otherwise shitty city known as New York."
The boos intensify as Summers slowly rises to his feet with a shit-eating grin emblazoned across his face. He jaws back and forth with a couple of fans at ringside, holding down the middle ring rope as an invitation for them to get in the ring. They try to hop the barricade but security is on them immediately, refraining them from entering the ringside area and escorting them out of the arena as the fans continue to vocally show their displeasure.
Shawn Summers: "Aww, shut the fuck up. Everyone likes to talk about how tough New Yorkers are and how vocal they are, but you see how y'all shut the fuck up when I beat this bitch's ass?"
Shawn points down at Joe Burr who is being tended to by the referee.
Shawn Summers: "Joseph, buddy, how did we get here, man? Oh, wait, I know - you were one of the people that couldn't keep my name out of your dry ass mouth. Yeah, that seems to be a trend around here - mention Shawn Summers' name, get a match with him, and get your bitch ass humbled. New York, you'll have to just deal with my language here tonight because I'm in a fucking mood."
Anzu Kurosawa: "When isn't this guy in a mood?"
Rod Sterling: "You have to admit, he's a little more vulgar than he normally is. We're used to -"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Him complaining about a loss that he claims doesn't count? Saying the most ridiculous stuff that only he can believe? We're used to Shawn Summers being an all around dick, Rod."
Shawn Summers: "Joe, I don't want you to feel bad about losing to me here tonight. The list of men and women who I've had to remind that Shawn Summers isn't someone to fuck with has gotten long since Back in Business. You see, unlike the Yankees and the Mets, I know how to bounce back from a soul-crushing defeat."
The fans continue to chant "fuck you, Summers" at an almost deafening volume. Shawn attempts to speak but the fans continue to drown him out with their chants and boos. He looks around the venue and can't help but laugh as they continue to pelt him with obscenities.
Rod Sterling:" These fans need to just let Summers talk. That's all he's asking for - a moment to talk."
Anzu Kurosawa: "I hate it, but I agree. The quicker they let him say what he has to say the quicker we can get him the hell out of here."
Shawn Summers: "When I suffer defeat I bounce back by winning championships. When I suffer defeat I bounce back by reminding gatekeepers that that's all they'll ever be. I bounce back by reminding people that they can make all the right choices and still end up on the wrong end of a Shawn Summers ass-kicking. I bounce back by beating the shit out of wannabe joshi and sending their crybaby asses back to Japan."
A small but noticeable "Vampyra" chant resonates throughout the venue much to the annoyance of Summers.
Anzu Kurosawa: "It looks like these fans have finally gotten to him. Look at his face. He's pissed. This is supposed to be his moment and they're chanting for Vampyra. That has to eat him up inside."
Shawn Summers: "That's where she wanted to go, right? She couldn't handle the embarrassment of losing not only the F1 but also this piece of shit title so she went 'back home' to Japan."
Rod Sterling: "Wow..."
Anzu Kurosawa: "That's low. Low even for him."
There is a loud disgusted groan from the fans followed by the boos that have been almost nonstop since Summers made his way out here. He laughs to himself and can be heard saying, "oh, come on" as he continues to laugh at the dark humor that was lost on the crowd.
Shawn Summers: "I'm a good guy. I'm a leader like George W. Bush or the greatest mayor this shithole ever had - Rudy Giuliani. Just like those two great men I belive in giving opportunities. I'm willing to give the same opportunity that I gave to young Joseph here. I'm issuing an open challenge for this here piece of shit AND the opportunity to add Shawn Summers' name to list of people you've lost to. That's a big fucking deal."
Anzu Kurosawa: "Has he not checked his own win-loss record? The amount of people that have beaten him is a lot longer than the amount of people that he has defeated."
Rod Sterling: "Yeah, but he still headlined Back in Business."
Anzu Kurosawa: "And he lost."
Shawn Summers: "This challenge is open to anyone..."
Rod Sterling:" A man of the people. See Anzu?"
Shawn Summers: "Who I haven't already defeated. You get a shot at the television championship but more importantly, you get a shot at Shawn Summers. The challenge is first come first served so be quick about things."
Summers tosses the microphone as Cola begins to play. It's almost impossible to hear it as the fans continue to boo and try to grab at Shawn as he makes his way towards the back and the screen fades to black.
Black combat boots meeting pavement as someone walks. This is what is seen as the sound of an urban metropolis paints a picture around us. They come to a halt in front of a pair of rounded black flats with laces neatly tied in a little bow. Panning up, two female figures stand face to face covered in hooded cloaks as to maintain an air of anonymity.
???: “Was the gift delivered, Princess?”
A cold voice asks in a poignant tone.
???: “Of course, sister! You should not have any doubts, hehe.”
Her voice is light and whimsical. It is clear from the tones that it is the “sisters” of Eternal, Keres and Princess Nova.
Keres: “Perfect. Everything is as it should be”,
Keres moves to stand side by side with Nova, as they now stare far across the street from them.
Keres: “Nova, what do you make of that mural? The figures on it seem to almost be depicted in a godlike nature, do they not?”
Princess Nova hums and skips around Keres as she stares across the street
Princess Nova: “It’s quite interesting to see them depict these… false heroes. From terrible baseball players, to cannibalistic ear biters, to a man who was not ready to die. “
Keres: “Men who, despite their notoriety, all fell short in some way in their lives. Their potentials never truly amounting to what they should be. And on the end of that wall, that face is our new interest. Odd that she would be there as well.”
Princess Nova: “I sincerely hope that she surpasses them. I would not want to be lumped in with those people.”
The TORN Angel has a devious giggle. She skips in place.
Princess Nova: “Oh, I can’t wait for that to happen. Speaking of, I think I see her…”
On the curb across the street there is another female figure. She is sitting on the curb, admiring the mural as a camera films her. Lizzie Rose, wearing a snapback hat and Nets jersey. Keres and Nova move slightly behind a car, so that they can observe without being seen.
Princess Nova: “She seems to be in a bright mood.”
She practically hums as she speaks.
Keres: “For the moment. Let’s see how she welcomes our generous gesture.”
Keres turns and begins walking past Nova, who then follows obediently.
Lizzie Rose looks over her shoulder in the distance, brushing off whatever she might have been feeling.
They walk for some time, melding into the people of the city around them as Lizzie Rose films herself ahead of them along the same path. Keres and Princess Nova observe as their new “friend” makes her way into a bank labeled “Greengrove National Bank”, bumping into an exiting patron on the way in. Still several feet behind, Keres and Princess Nova make their way to a bench just out of sight of the entrance of the bank, but close enough to hear those outside of it.
Keres: “In but a few moments, our dear Elizabeth is going to exit that bank. My assumption, that shall be proven true, is that she will be a bit… out of sorts. Of course, the… shock of our good deed may be too much for her to handle.”
Keres hangs her head, letting the hood of the cloak completely block her face, but a glimmer of a smirk is seen by Nova.
Princess Nova matches her with a wide grin of her own as she opens up a newspaper, and folds her legs.
Princess Nova: “I am glad you gave me the idea. Really, I could buy any dress I’d want, even for $10,000. She needs the money more than me, and maybe she’ll realize she is indebted to us…”
Keres: “The family resources, and that monetary bonus you skillfully acquired, are sure to have the intended effect on Elizabeth. After all, it’s lifting perhaps her greatest burden. A barrier we shatter for her as a… peace offering… yes.”
A devilish infliction of her voice accompanies the yes.
Nova turns to Keres, keeping a warm grin.
Princess Nova: “You know me, I am always in your service. I am just glad the ladder match proved meaningful.”
She opens her mouth, pointing at her tongue.
Princess Nova: “Ick, I have still been using mouthwash since having to kiss Xavier…”
The doors of the bank open and out comes their prey, Lizzie Rose. Seemingly confused and in a daze, she stumbles a bit before taking her cell phone out and calling someone.
A shaky voice uttering the word “Mom?” is music to the ears of the Daughter of Demise. Keres and Princess Nova listen as the panic of the conversation grows and the confusion reaches a fever pitch. Once quick footsteps are heard, Keres finally lifts her hanging head and turns to Nova.
Keres: “And now… we observe how a wounded knight attempts to pull the sword from themselves. Please, Princess, hold your arm above your head and ball your hand… and close your eyes.”
Nova follows what her sister tells her. She holds her hand up, balling it, and closes her eyes, trusting Keres. She hears a quick
Snap!
And she opens her eyes and both her and Keres are on a subway car. Despite their appearance sticking out normally, nobody seems to notice as her hand grips the railing above her head. She smiles.
Princess Nova: “It is always amazing how you do that, hehe.”
Keres: “Despite the anomalous nature of our TORN Universe… it shall always amaze me how… unnoticed one can be in plain sight in New York.”
Princess Nova: “I have been here many times before. In fact, this was the place where I chose to change my life for the better. Barclay’s. I finally listened to my heart to accept the role as your caretaker and here we are years later, I am standing by your side.”
Keres: “As it should be, Princess. The hands of fate move in a complete circle. Now, on the other end of this… filthy can and sea of meaningless lives, you see our friend, yes?”
Nova nods.
Princess Nova: “I see Elizabeth. She has a fountain of emotions. I understand. When you see change coming, you are left conflicted, used to what you know, especially when you don’t have control over it. But once you accept some things are beyond your reach, your pain is released… and peace comes.”
Keres: “And beyond that. Do you sense her dread? Her almost catatonic mind. Her suffering at the realization that we are inevitable. The pain in her heart from knowing that what she wanted most was taken from her, that being the sweet release of helping her family. The feeling of failure that she will have to fight. The worry she must constantly deal with because her mother… is also within our reach. All of that… brewed together with the sense of relief she must feel at the fact of us being… generous… and solving such a critical dilemma for her. That, my Princess, is now the conflict within her soul.”
The next stop is kzzzrrtt
The automated PA on the train, as barely understandable as it always is, announces the next stop. Lizzie’s stop. Keres watches her get off the train and then turns to Nova.
Keres: “Princess, please, hold my hand and close your eyes.”
Princess Nova: “Of course.”
She follows what Keres says, holding her sister’s hand and closing her eyes.
Much like before
Snap!
And Princess Nova feels a consistent light breeze around her body. She opens her eyes to see that they now stand on a roof across from a place that she herself had visited earlier in the day.
Princess Nova: “Oh, there’s Ms. Rose’s apartment!”
Nova shouts excitedly.
Princess Nova: “She was such a nice lady. She even complimented my dress, saying it was disney-like. How magical?”
Keres: “How sweet. A shame it would be if circumstances were to change and the cold winds of fate were to blow in her direction. Has Miss Elizabeth taken our... gift… in hand yet?”
Taking a look at the apartment, she can see Lizzie Rose get inside and head towards where the gift was left for her.
Princess Nova: “She is now.”
Keres closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath. She seems incredibly focused. Her hands move in a manner reminiscent of a tearing motion. She then appears to flick something away and mimic opening a card. She stares down at the… nothing in her hands. Her mouth moves in a rhythmic manner yet no sound is coming from her body. Keres has an aura of schadenfreude about her as she appears to be in another world entirely. Her eyes burst open and she stares down off the roof and at the entrance door to Lizzie’s Mom’s apartment building.
Keres: “She has the message. Now… we wait and let fate take its course. Elizabeth’s path has been laid before her. She must walk it. What say you, Nova?”
Princess Nova turns to Keres.
Princess Nova: “I think she will learn more about herself than she ever knew. But we do have a match for tonight. Though that is secondary, I believe it would do us no favors being late for it.”
Keres: “Yes, that. Let us make our leave. But first…”
Keres raises her right hand and snaps her finger. Down below on the street, Lizzie Rose can be seen as she quickly walks back to the subway station and vanishes down into the entrance.
Keres: “She will do no good being absent of mind, so now she may think. Now we walk… we won’t be late.”
Keres raises her finger and begins to walk off the roof, likely not fearing how late they would be for their match. Princess Nova follows without question, trailing behind her sister. From above, a black bird swoops down and perches itself on the edge of the roof where they once stood. At first guess, it may be a crow, but it is much larger. A raven.
The segment fades away.
Backstage, Jeremy Best and Bryan Baxter are preparing to make their way down to the ring for the main event tag team scramble match, the camera catches up to them in mid conversation.
Jeremy Best: “Are you sure he’s okay?”
Best words seem to express some paranoia as Baxter places his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
Bryan Baxter: “Yeah, Mr. Scorpane is keeping an eye on him… as much as I know he loves that we put him on watch duty… but it’s for the best.”
Jeremy breathes a sigh of relief but they are interrupted as Todd Salum comes into the shot with microphone in hand.
Todd Salum: “Jeremy Best… if I can just get a moment…”
Jeremy’s eyes light up and he gives a friendly smile and wave to Todd.
Jeremy Best: “Hiya, Todd! Nice to see you! Of course, I always have time for you.”
Bryan stares a whole through Todd, clearly not as happy to see him as Jeremy is.
Todd Salum: ”I just wanted to talk about what happened at Back in Town… that attack on…”
Jeremy Best: “Attack? Oh, Todd, I didn’t…”
Bryan stops Jeremy as he puts his hand up.
Bryan Baxter: “Look, Todd… I know everyone has a lot of questions for Jeremy… but tonight ain’t the time for it, alright? We’ve got more important things to worry about and a tag title shot that we’ve deserved for a LONG ASS time… like how the fuck are a couple of jokes like Fenix and Savage getting MULTIPLE tag shots after we beat their ass at Back in Business but we’ve yet to get one… okay, nevermind, that’s neither here nor there… the point is… Jeremy will talk about it when he wants to.”
Jeremy Best: “Sorry, Todd… Bryan’s right. We’re focused on the match at hand… but I tell ya what, if people want me to talk about it… I have no problem doing that! How about I come out on Fallout and I’ll tell ya’ll all about how I’m gonna help get Krash back into FWA shape! See ya’ll then!”
Jeremy gives another friendly wave to Todd as he walks off. Bryan is not quite as nice as he bumps shoulders with Todd as he walks off the shot.
We return back inside the main area of the Hammerstein Ballroom and Katie-Lynn Goldsmith is standing by with her microphone in hand.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is your main event of the evening and it is a Tag Team Elimination Scramble Match, where the winners will go on to face The Connection or The Undisputed Alliance at the Carnal Contendership event for the FWA World Tag Team Championships!
Introducing first, already in the ring; midnight MUSTANG and sunrise STALLION… they are PONI BOI!”
There is not much of a reaction from the crowd towards the two K-pop stars, who pose next to each other back to back with their arms folded.
{RAGE BENEATH THE MOUNTAINS COVER || LINDSEY STIRLING}[MEDIA=youtube]hU0Zbpf0OS8[/MEDIA]
The lights of the arena dim as the lights near the stage flash purple and gold in tune with the strings of the music. All video screens are off apart from the one showing the main entrance video. The music builds for eight seconds then Princess Nova makes her way out first. Her long skirt flowing behind her with her arms out near her hips. She spins and does a curtsy near the stage as her tag partner and “little sister,” Keres is carried out by two followers. Meeting Princess Nova on the stage, she lightly taps Nova’s head before the two make their way down the ramp, Princess Nova walking, and Keres being carried.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Introducing their opponents… First, from The Residence, the TORN Angel, Princess Nova, the Daughter of Demise, Keres, they… are… ETERRRRNNNAALLLL”
Rod Sterling: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am being told to announce that it is time for the main event and the much-anticipated tag team debut of Eternal here in the FWA. We’ve gotten to know these two ladies a bit more in the last few weeks and they seem to have taken an interest in one Lizzie Rose…”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Lizzie needs to be careful around these two, because they may have some not-so-nice designs for her.”
On her way down the ramp, Princess Nova has a wide, almost disturbing grin, giggling as she does a “Princess wave” to some of the fans. Keres remains unflinching, being carried by her followers. At ringside, Princess Nova turns to the steps and goes up them. Wiping off her boots, she enters the ring between the middle and bottom rope as Keres is gently placed on the apron, her feet not touching the ground. Nova raises the middle rope so her sister may enter.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Nice of Nova to help her sister enter the ring, there. What wasn’t so nice was how she launched Sawyer Xavier from the top of a ladder, through another one at Back in Town on her way to winning that ladder match!”
Rod Sterling: “Well, she brought ten thousand dollars back to The Residence; what do you think they spent it on?”
Keres stands in the middle of the ring, still as Princess Nova circles around her, spinning her skirt before she stands next to Keres and does a long curtsy to her sister. Keres turns to Nova and gently removes the tiara from her head. The two TORN sisters head to their corner as Princess Nova unclips her skirt as their theme music fades away.
{THE LUMBERJACK || JACKYL}[MEDIA=youtube]A52p9jc-gOo[/MEDIA]
There is a good cheer for the next tag team to enter the fray, with both Dan and Doug LuPone walk out together and walk in time with each other towards the ring as their theme music revs away behind them. There appears to be some avid Lumberjacks fans in attendance as some children are shown revving imaginary chainsaws in accompaniment to the music.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Next, from the Yukon in Canada… at a combined weight six-hundred and twenty-five pounds… Dan and Doug LuPone, the LUMMMMMBEERRRRR-JAAAAACCKKKKKSSSS!!”
Rod Sterling: “If size was an indicator of likelihood to win matches, then The Lumberjacks would be sure-fire favourites to win this one. A combined weight of over six-hundred pounds and a combined height of over seventeen feet, these two are larger than life and could pose a real problem to the other five teams competing in there.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m surprised you didn’t make a joke about them cutting down the competition, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: “Damn it. Well, they can. Some of their offense might not be pretty, but it sure is effective and it may take some of their opponents teaming up to get both of these behemoths out of there. Remember, for a team to be eliminated, both members have to be either pinned or submitted.”
The boys from the Yukon both enter the ring by stepping over the top rope from the apron and they tower over their opponents who are already in the ring and pose for the crowd before taking up a spot in one of the corners.
{TAKE ME TO CHURCH || MILCK}[MEDIA=youtube]f4UhdgBVtVc[/MEDIA]
There is a more negative response to the next team out from the back, as both Blair and Celestia Ravenwood walk out from the back and stand together on the ramp. Kleio De Santos follows her fellow sisters of the Coven out and she places a hand on each of their shoulders before motioning for them to advance towards the ring. KDS examines their progress for a moment before disappearing back through the curtain. The Ravenwood sisters both smirk at the competition presenting itself in the ring.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Next, from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania… Blair and Celestia Ravenwood, the COOOOOOOOOOOOVVEEENNNNNNNNNN!!”
Rod Sterling: “I’ll tell you something, Anzu, I am very interested in seeing how the Sisters of the Coven and Eternal interact in this match. Were it not for a tag title shot being on the line, I could see this group of young ladies really getting on quite well!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Are you sure, Rod? I think with the powers and personalities you’d be bringing together there it would be a total recipe for disaster! We saw Kleio De Santos there, the appointed leader of The Coven, allowing her girls to go out there and get things done on their own.”
Rod Sterling: “With a short rivalry with Tommy Bedlam behind them ending in De Santos getting a big win at Back in Town, The Coven have turned their attention back to the FWA World Tag Team Championships, titles which they have been in the hunt for pretty much since first arriving here in the FWA.”
Blair and Celestia enter the ring together through the bottom and middle ropes and they then pose on the ropes to a mixed reaction from the crowd, leaning towards jeers. As their music fades out though, the crowd levels rise and suspecting who is coming next, they boo very loudly.
{YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME || L’ORCHESTRA CINEMATIQUE}[MEDIA=youtube]vQ6uu6wH6Uw[/MEDIA]
Instantly, the crowd lets out some of the loudest jeers and boos in the entire history of the FWA. First out from the back is Big Bryan Baxter, who wears the North American Championship over his shoulder and he scowls at the reception being received by the Buddy System, alas he is used to it. Unlike his partner, Jeremy Best, although one would be forgiven for thinking that Best is completely unaware of the vitriol being thrown towards them as they walk towards the ring together. Best waves enthusiastically out towards the fans, almost as if they’re unaware of the events of the last two weeks. A younger fan recoils when Jeremy goes to hug them as he usually would, but Best does not react to it at all.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Next, at a combined weight of four-hundred and ninety-two pounds… the team of Jeremy Best and the FWA North American Champion Bryan Baxter… The Buddy System.”
Rod Sterling: “You can hear the disgust in the voice of Katie-Lynn Goldsmith, and I don’t blame her for not giving these two a proper introduction. What the Buddy System did at Back in Town was absolutely disgusting and despicable. We thought Krash was gone, but in fact he was being held against his will by Bryan Baxter and Bill Scorpane and Jeremy Best was probably in on it the entire time!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I consider myself as someone with an iron stomach, but I felt sick when I saw what was happening to Krash at the hands of Bryan Baxter in Denver. Bill Scorpane isn’t here… presumably to keep an eye on their prisoner.”
Rod Sterling: “Just look at Jeremy Best! He’s prancing around here and acting like nothing has happened! I honestly cannot believe this! He’s fooled us all for months, he’s a monster!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, we know who the fans here inside the Hammerstein Ballroom will be cheering for tonight, and to be honest, I think that they would take anyone but the Buddy System.”
Even the other competitors in the match seem to completely disapprove of the Buddy System’s actions in recent days as a wide berth forms away from Best and Baxter, none of the others wanting to be near them. This seems to upset Best slightly, but Baxter reassures him that it is okay.
{HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER || SISTER SLEDGE}[MEDIA=youtube]TDwutKpVyas[/MEDIA]
Just like they did earlier on tonight, the crowd goes absolutely ballistic for their hometown hero, Chris Peacock. The FWA World Champion has his championship around his waist as he did earlier on and he walks towards the ring with a purpose, but most notably, alone.
Rod Sterling: “Tonight has not been the homecoming that Chris Peacock would have been expecting, but he knows now that he will be defending the FWA World Championship against Michelle von Horrowitz and Cyrus Truth at The Grand March in a Three Way Dance, but that can wait because right now is all about earning a shot at the FWA Tag Team Championships with his partner, the X Champion Alyster Black.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Alyster Black… the best friend of Krash and someone who we know will want to get his hands on Best and Baxter above almost everything else right now.”
Rod Sterling: “We heard Michelle von Horrowitz comment on it earlier on, Alyster Black is not here… no one has seen him tonight. Chris Peacock might have to do this and represent FTN on his own…”
Peacock stops at the bottom of the entranceway and looks up at the ten individuals in the ring all with their eyes on him and he slowly takes a step towards the ring, looking somewhat nervous about the proposition ahead of him… until a smile forms on his face.
{SONNE || RAMMSTEIN}[MEDIA=youtube]YtEWoavDlcM[/MEDIA]
Peacock’s grin is well-placed as the crowd all stay on their feet as ALYSTER BLACK WALKS OUT FROM THE BACK! With the X Championship slung over his shoulder, Black makes his way towards the ring and Peacock… AND THE TWO OF THEM SLIDE IN TOGETHER… AND THE BELL RINGS!!
Rod Sterling: “ALYSTER BLACK IS HERE AND HE AND PEACOCK ARE READY TO FIGHT!”
The bell rings and all eyes are on World Champion Chris Peacock and X Champion Alyster Black, now in the center of the ring and surrounded by the other competitors in the match, save The Buddy System, who quickly dive out to ringside when Alyster Black made his way down to the ring. Jeremy Best and Bryan Baxter watch from the outside as PONI BOI becomes the first to strike. midnight MUSTANG and sunrise STALLION rush towards Peacock and Black respectively, only to immediately get laid out with a pair of right hands from both men!
Blair and Celestia Ravenwood charge at Black and Peacock, each greeting a sister with a clothesline as Eternal watches on from their corner. Doug and Dan LuPone are next to try their luck with the high powered FTN duo, their size and power allowing them to withstand a flurry of from both men - Peacock unloading some punches while Black chops away at his lumberjack, Dan. Both getting their lumberjack up against the ropes and its synchronized clothesline to send the big men up and over the top rope to the floor!
Black and Peacock turn around just in time to see Keres and Princess Nova charging in… and its a pair of BACKDROPS over the top rope to send Eternal out of the ring as well!
Anzu Kurosawa: “What a hot start for Chris Peacock and Alyster Black! They clearly came into this match with targets on their back due to their high profile… and what a stand they just made to open things up!”
Rod Sterling: “That they have… but I think both Peacock and Black want to get their hands on the one team that wasn’t involved in that mele! And they’re looking right at them now!”
Chris Peacock and Alyster Black lean against the ropes, challenging Jeremy Best and Bryan Baxter to get into the ring and fight them… but Jeremy and Bryan both seem more than willing to stand idly by… as PONI BOI have recovered and attack Peacock and Black from behind! They wail away on the pair of champions, but their attack is no sold! FTN both turn to face the K pop duo, who immediately look like they regret their choices in life. Black lights up MUSTANG with a series of chops while Peacock rocks STALLION with a series of jabs… before following it up with a kick to the midsection..
DISCO THRILLER to STALLION as Peacock drops down into a split with the stunner and Black FLIPS MUSTANG HEAD OVER HEELS with the ONE SHOT KILL!
Peacock pins STALLION while Black drops down and covers MUSTANG.
One! One! Two! Two! Three! Three!
{Elimination #1}sunrise STALLION by Chris Peacock at 1:10
{Elimination #2}midnight MUSTANG by Alyster Black at 1:10
[/b][/SPOILER][/span][/div]
Anzu Kurosawa: “Thanks for coming PONI BOI!”
While Peacock and Black finish disposing of PON BOI, outside the ring The Coven and Eternal seem to have struck up a bit of “dark alliance” at ringside as the four girls have teamed up to take on the bigger lumberjacks. But while they work together to work The Lumberjacks up against the guard rail, Alyster Black decides to go after all of them as he runs to the ropes and dives over the top rope with a Fosbury Flop onto all six competitors at ringside!
Chris Peacock seems pleased in the ring, standing tall… but is ROLLED UP OUT OF NOWHERE by Jeremy Best!
One! Two! Thre - NO! Kickout by Peacock!
Rod Sterling: “Jeremy Best almost stole one there from the FWA World Champion! Sometimes you just never see that guy coming!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Yeah, none of us saw what happened at Back in Business coming, that’s for sure!’
Peacock gets back up to his feet as Jeremy tries to grab him from behind, but Peacock responds with the Fight Fever backfist to break free and then it’s a Pimp Slap to Jeremy, drawing a big pop from the crowd… until Bryan Baxter comes in out of nowhere to clobber Peacock from behind with a running forearm to his upperback!
Seeing his partner in trouble as Jeremy and Bryan begin to double team Peacock in the ring, Alyster climbs up onto the apron to re-enter the ring, but his feet are grabbed by Celestia and Nova at ringside, preventing him from entering the ring! But Black breaks free with a pair of kicks to each lady, but he doesn’t spot Dan LuPone climbing the apron and Dan charges in with a BIG BOOT to Black on the apron, sending Alyster falling back to ringside where Blair and Keres double team Black, sending him crashing into the ring steps.
Meanwhile, Dan climbs into the ring as Baxter takes Peacock down to the mat with a spinning back suplex followed by an elbow drop from Jeremy… and Dan rushes over with a double clothesline to both Jeremy and Baxter! Dan then lifts Jeremy Best up into his arms in a Gorilla Press, walks with him… AND TOSSES JEREMY over the top rope onto The Coven, Eternal, and Black at ringside!
With Dan wiping everyone out back at ringside, Dan turns his attention to Bryan Baxter, whipping the North American Champion into the turnbuckles before rushing in with a Body Avalanche in the corner! Baxter stumbles out of the corner into a SCOOP and a SLAM to Baxter! Dan hypes up the crowd as Baxter staggers back up to his feet… for a SECOND SCOOP SLAM! Dan tosses his arms up in the air, more fired up than ever as he waits for Baxter to get back up again…
But in comes Peacock… who rushes over and he instead gets SCOOPED UP BY DAN FOR A THIRD SCOOP SLAM IN A ROW to finish off the series! Having taken down the FWA champion, Dan is more hyped than ever!
Rod Sterling: “What a series by Dan LuPone, now standing tall alone in the ring!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Not so fast, he’s about to be have some company!”
Blair Ravenwood and Keres re-enter the ring as Dan is playing to the ground, Blair striking with a low drop kick to Dan’s knee while Keres strikes with a Brazilian Kick! Keres continues to strike with a variety of kicks, managing to rock the Lumberjack back into a big European Uppercut from Blair! Keres bounces off the ropes and charges in with a Superwoman Punch to Dan!
SHINING WITCH from Blair!
Realtà Contorta" from Keres!
Dan falls over to the mat.
Anzu Kurosawa: “TIIIIIIMMMMBEEER! Down goes the Lumberjack Dan LuPone!”
Out of nowhere, Celestia comes in off the rope rope with the Hex Bomb onto Dan LuPone and Blaire makes the cover!
One! Two! Three!
{Elimination #3}Dan LuPone by Blair Ravenwood at 6:41
Excited by the elimination, the Coven sisters get to their feet and embrace with a hug, before looking over to Keres and inviting her over to join them, but Keres stares blankly at the two witches. Blair and Celestia release their hug and question Keres, as Princess Nova comes in from the apron with a springboard crossbody onto both of the sisters!
Anzu Kurosawa: “So much for that unholy alliance!”
Rod Sterling: “It’s every team for themselves here, Anzu! Princess Nova saw her opportunity and struck. Can’t blame her at all.”
Celestia rolls to her feet first but its Nova bouncing to the ropes and hitting the Elevate and ReNovate springboard cutter to Celestia! Nova makes the cover!
One! Two! Thre….Keres cuts off Blair from making the save… THREE!
{Elimination #4}Celestia Ravenwood by Princess Nova at 7:19
While a frustrated Celestia rolls out of the ring, her sister Blair immediately gets in Princess Nova’s face, clearly upset about their alliance already breaking down. The two shove one another and things look to get heated, but it’s broken up as Doug LuPone charges over and takes BOTH WOMEN DOWN with a running double lariat!
Keres rushes going for a Superwoman Punch to the bigger man, but Doug sidesteps the attack and grabs Keres from behind in a waistlock into a big Release German Suplex to take Keres down to the mat!
As Doug takes control of things in the ring, Alyster Black has his hands on Jeremy Best at ringside… but ONLY BRIEFLY as Bryan Baxter comes to his friend’s aid, grabbing a chair from ringside and cracking it down across Black’s back! The New York faithful really letting Bryan have it, no doubt not happy with the way they treated their hero Lizzie Rose.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Leave it to Bryan Baxter to introduce a foreign object into the match!”
Rod Sterling: “The difference here, Anzu, is this match is anything goes! Nothing illegal about that chair shot this time.”
Baxter lifts the chair up a second time, bringing it down across Alyster once again… and then he goes for a third one… but Peacock is there to snatch the chair away from Baxter! Peacock then drives the chair into Baxter’s massive midsection to double over the North American champion…
SCISSOR KICK FAMOUSER TO THE FLOOR ON THE OUTSIDE to Baxter to a big pop from the fans.
As Peacock gets back up to his feet, Jeremy Best charges in, springboard off the back of a recovering Alyster Black to hit a springboard DIVING DDT to the floor on Peacock!
Back in the ring, Doug LuPone is showing off his strength as he has both Keres and Nova on one of his shoulders.. He runs with them looking for a double running powerslam… but both Keres and Nova slide down off his back! Doug turns around into a spinning heel kick to his gut from Nova followed by a knee lift from Keres and then a dropkick from Nova with an assist trip from Keres!
Doug begins to try and pull himself up as Nova leapfrogs over Keres for an Assisted Shattered Mind leg drop bulldog! The pair roll the big man over onto his back so that Keres can make the cover!
ONE! TWO! THREE! NO! Doug kicks out!
Kere sits up on her knees, showing no emotion despite the nearfall… but its BLAIR OUT OF NOWHERE with the SHINING WITCH to Keres, taking her down to the canvas!
Blair is unable to make the cover as Nova is immediately there to strike Blair with a superkick! Blair drops to a knee as Jeremy Best rolls back into the ring and comes in to take out Nova with a shotgun dropkick! With Blair on her knees… Jeremy unleashes his FRIENDLY FIRE kick combinations to the chest of the Ravenwood sister while the crowd responds with loud boos.
Anzu Kurosawa: “I have to say, it’s nothing but surreal to hear this crowd reaction as Jeremy gives that Friendly Fire to Blair Ravenwood… it’s typically the exact opposite!”
Finishing off the combination with a spinkick to Blair’s head, Jeremy stands tall and waves to the crowd with a smile on his face as Doug LuPone pulls himself up to his feet. Jeremy sees his friend Bryan continuing a brawl with Alyster Black at ringside, Black ramming Baxter into the guard rail back first. Jeremy looks to go help, but he runs into the massive Doug.
Jeremy looks up, giving a nervous smile to the Lumberjack… extending his hand for a friendly handshake to the Canadian. Doug examines Jeremy’s extended arm, the crowd letting it be known they don’t think Doug should accept the handshake, but being the Canadian he is, Doug can’t turn it down and shakes Jeremy’s hand…
AND JEREMY PULLS DOUG IN FOR A BEAR HUG!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Never trust a handshake from Jeremy Best… but I don’t think Doug seems to phased by this bear hug attempt by Jeremy!”
Rod Sterling: “No, this seems like a misstep by Jeremy. His arms barely wrap around Doug’s massive frame!”
In fact, Doug just laughs at Jeremy’s attempt of a bear hug, and delivers a headbutt to Jeremy before hitting a BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX to lay out Best in the middle of the ring!
Back outside the ring, Alyster Black has Baxter down on the ground, pulling a table out from underneath the ring, and sets it up before returning to Baxter, driving an elbow down across the top of his head. Black attempts to slam Baxter head first into the table, but Baxter blocks it! He fires a back elbow into the sternum of Black Jesus and then slams Alyster head first into the table not once or twice, but thrice, before rolling Black onto the table!
Bryan Baxter climbs up onto the apron and charges in looking for a Cannonball Senton onto Black, but PEACOCK PULLS ALYSTER out of the way and Black goes crashing through the table instead!
Meanwhile, inside the ring, Bryan’s partner Jeremy is also in trouble as Doug LuPone lifts him up onto his shoulders, looking for the Maple Bomb, but Keres interrupts it with a Brazilian Kick! LuPone drops Jeremy to the mat as Nova comes over as well, giving Keres a lift up into a TORNADO DDT to Doug!
Keres makes the cover!
One! Two! Thre - - KICKOUT!
Doug begins to get to his feet as this time it’s Keres giving a lift to Nova for an Assisted Hurricanrana… But Doug reverses it into a POWERBOMB to Nova! Keres rushes in but Doug shows off his impressive agility with a cartwheel into a LARIAT to Keres! After hitting the mat, Keres staggers back to her feet where Doug lifts her up into a Fireman’s Carry… into the MAPLE BOMB! He hooks the leg!
ONE! TWO! THREE!
{Elimination #5}Keres by Doug LuPone at 14:28
Rod Sterling: “With that, Eternal, Coven, and Lumberjacks are each down to just one competitor left while Buddy System and FTN are both still at full strength! And of course, PONI BOI was eliminated a long time ago.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I forgot they were even in the match…”
Alyster Black and Chris Peacock are back in the ring as Doug pulls himself up, the Lumberjack coming face to face with the FWA World Champion and X Champion. A right hand is blocked by Peacock who then unloads a combination of three punches before Peacock does some disco groovin’ before hitting a final punch, sending LuPone staggering into Black who lights up LuPone with a series of knife-edge chops before Peacock grabs LuPone and lifts him up onto his shoulders, the crowd impressed with Peacock’s strength to hold up the big Canadian…and he begins to spin… Dance Dance Revolution, dropping him down with a Samoan Drop!
As Peacock has his attention on LuPone, Alyster Black spots Jeremy Best trying to pull himself up in the corner, Black walking over and grabbing Jeremy by his hair to pull him back up in the corner.
Rod Sterling: “Here we go, Anzu! This is what we’ve been wanting to see all match! Alyster Black has Jeremy Best right where he wants him!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Parents, hide your kids because this won’t be pretty! I think Jeremy Best is about to find himself in a VIOLENCE PARTY!”
The crowd is fired up and ready to see Black dish out the punishment to Jeremy with the Violence Party… but Blair Ravenwood interrupts it, attacking Black from behind with some stiff kicks to the leg! Black turns to face Blair as the Ravenwood sister gets into boxing stance, hitting Black with a series of jabs followed by a big uppercut… but its Jeremy Best charging out of the corner to hit a running bulldog onto both Black and Ravenwood!
Jeremy pops back up to his feet, the crowd greeting him with boos as Peacock notices Jeremy standing tall, and aims to change that as he charges in with a SPEAR to Jeremy to take him down! Driving Best into the mat, the champ unleashes a series of punches to Best on the mat much to the delight of the fans. But as Peacock begins to get to his feet, it’s Princess Nova comes in with a springboard hurricanrana to Peacock! Chris rolls to his knees and begins to get up as Nova measures up Disco’s Last Warrior, adjusting her satin glove… and moving in to lock in the Queen’s Hand to Peacock! Peacock drops back down to his knees but in comes a recovered Doug LuPone comes charging in… Nova notices him charging in and steps out of the way as Doug goes for a running dropkick, allowing it to connect with Peacock!
As Peacock drops to the mat, Nova charges in with a running forearm smash, but LuPone catches her by the throat! He lifts Nova up for a CHOKESLAM…
BUT NOVA SHOVES that satin glove into LuPone’s mouth! THE QUEEN’S HAND to the Lumberjack! The hold has him releasing his grip on Nova, bringing her back down to the mat… then down to his knees, Nova continuing to apply the pressure… the big man begins to fade… dropping down to the mat… and she shoves him over to the ground, still applying the Queen’s Hand as LuPone’s shoulders hit the mat…
ONE! TWO! THREE!
{Elimination #6}Doug LuPone by Princess Nova at 17:33
Rod Sterling: “Princess Nova scores some retribution for Keres as she eliminates Doug LuPone and that takes the Lumberjacks out of the match!”
Nova releases Doug as he begins to roll out of the ring, and is caught by a recovered Blair Ravenwood who locks in a sleeper hold from behind to Nova! The princess struggles against the grips of the witch, but it’s Bryan Baxter rolling into the ring and grabbing Blair from behind… lifting BOTH GIRLS OFF THE MAT with a GERMAN SUPLEX to Blair and Nova down to the mat!
Baxter is joined by Jeremy now and the pair turn their attention to Alyster Black, hooking him for a double suplex… but BLACK BATTLES BACK! He separates himself with some elbows to both Baxter and Jeremy’s midsection! Black then hits a knife edge chop to Jeremy! Then one to Baxter! But Baxter and Jeremy come back with double knees to Black’s midsection to double him back over…
But here comes Peacock to even the odds! He comes over with a pair of forearms to both Baxter and Jeremy and it’s a standoff in the middle of the ring between The Buddy System and FTN! Baxter rocks Black with a big elbow to the face, but Black staggers backwards and comes back wiht a rolling elbow to Baxter while Peacock rocks Best with a series of punches before Best fires back with some kicks to Peacock’s midsection in return, until Peacock blocks once but Jeremy leaps up for an enziguri… but Peacock ducks it! Jeremy spins back around into a kick to the midsection…
DISCO THRILLER to Jeremy!
Meanwhile, Black begins to get the upperhand on Baxter but Baxter evens the score with a LOW BLOW TO BLACK! Black drops down to his knees as Peacock comes to his partner’s aid, spinning Baxter around with a boot to the midsection…
DISCO THRILLER to Baxter now!
Anzu Kurosawa: “It’s split after split for Peacock as he’s just thrilling everyone right now!”
Peacock spins around and catches an incoming Blair Ravenwood with another DISCO THRILLER for her as well! And now Nova is back up and stumbles in, a kick to the midsection for the princess and he looks to complete the series with a Thriller for her as well…
But Nova shoves Peacock off and into the ropes! Peacock ducks a clothesline from Nova as Nova runs to the opposite ropes, both come back off the ropes and it’s a running sleeper slam from Nova to Peacock to send the champion down to the mat! Peacock immediately begins to get back to his feet, but Nova is ready and whips him into the turnbuckles. Nova charges in with a running dropkick that sends Peacock slouching down to the floor. With a twisted grin on her face, Nova begins to choke Peacock in the corner with her foot, giggling while doing so!
While Nova continues to violently choke Peacock in the corner with a boot, Bryan Baxter is back up and charges in with a running CORNER SPLASH that squashes Nova into the turnbuckles chest first! Baxter pulls Nova out of the corner and lays her out on the mat with a Pumphandle Slam. He then backs up and spots the cornered Peacock, still resting his head on the bottom turnbuckle… and charges in with a big running hip attack, bouncing the back of Peacock’s head across the bottom turnbuckle!
The crowd boos the North American champion as he stands tall in the ring, now eyeing Nova once again and she struggles to her feet… he grabs Nova by the head and lifts her up in the air… going for the Baxter driver…
CRACK!
CHAIRSHOT TO THE BACK!
Anzu Kurosawa: “BLACK JESUS IS BACK AND HE’S ARMED!”
Rod Sterling: “And that’s bad news for everyone in that ring right now!”
Baxter drops Nova down to the mat as Alyster cracks the chair down across his back once more, sending Baxter down to all fours on the mat and delivers a THIRD chairshot down across Baxter’s back sending him down all the way to the mat. Princess Nova begins to get up, but Black gives her a chairshot too just for good measure to send the remaining Eternal member back down to the mat! Black drops the chair down to the mat as he stands over Baxter, grabs both of his arms and yanks them back… CURB STOMP TO BAXTER!
Now it’s Alyster Black standing tall in the ring, bodies scattered about but there’s one body he’s interested in. Much like Peacock in the adjacent corner, Jeremy Best is slouched over, struggling to try and get to his feet using the turnbuckle ropes. Alyster Black reaches back down and picks the chair back up off the mat, lifting it up to the fans for some a ruckus reaction as Black moves in… Jeremy slowly getting to his feet… Black loads up for a massive chairshot to Best…
BUT BLAIR RAVENWOOD SNATCHES THE CHAIR from Black’s arms from behind! The crowd greets Blair with another round of boos as Black turns around…
BLAIR SWINGS THE CHAIR AT BLACK!
BLACK DUCKS!
CHAIRSHOT TO JEREMY!
Best drops to the mat as Black takes out Blair with the ONE SHOT KILL! Black drops down for the cover!
ONE! TWO! THREE!
{Elimination #7}Blair Ravenwood by Alyster Black at 24:18
Rod Sterling: “After an onslaught by Alyster Black, the Coven is now gone from the match! That leaves Princess Nova all alone in the ring against two full teams!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “And I think FTN is in the driver seat right now… both Bryan Baxter and Jeremy Best are looking worse for wear after those chair shots!”
Chris Peacock comes over to Black as they dump Blair Ravenwood out of the ring and turn their attention back to Jeremy Best. Peacock pulls Jeremy up to his feet, telling Black that this is his chance. Peacock holds Jeremy in place as Black loads up another one…
ONE SHOT KILL!
BUT JEREMY DUCKS AND BLACK NAILS PEACOCK!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Oh no! That’s a completely different kind of friendly fire right there!”
Rod Sterling: “Some unfortunate miscommunication for FTN which could be a repercussion of this just being the second time these two have teamed together.”
Black doesn’t waste much time on his partner, and goes after Jeremy, but Jeremy quickly exits to ringside to avoid the wrath of Black once again! Black starts to try to leave the ring, but it’s Princess Nova from behind with a BACKSTABBER TO BLACK!
Nova looks to take advantage of Peacock being down from the One Shot Kill and makes the cover on the FWA Champion!
ONE! TWO! THREE - NO!
Peacock gets his shoulder up!
Nova gets back to her feet and measures up the recovering Alyster Black… she reaches to her elbow and slides off her elbow pad, tossing it aside and then blowing a kiss towards Black… she charges in - EXECUTION ELBOW TO BLACK!
Princess Nova makes the cover on Black!
ONE! TWO! THREE!
NO! PEACOCK BREAKS IT UP!
Rod Sterling: “Princess Nova was so close to getting a pin on both the X Champ and the World Champ there!”
Nova gets back up to her feet as Peacock tries to grapple with her, but Nova executes a go-behind and locks Peacock from behind, but Chris responds with the Fight Fever backfist to Nova! Nova stumbles backwards, down to a knee as Peacock shakes away the cobwebs. Peacock grabs Nova and whips her hard into the turnbuckles! Nova ricochets off the turnbuckles and back towards Peacock…
ROLLER DISCO spinebuster to Nova!
Big pop from the crowd as Peacock is slow to respond himself, but he pulls himself up and begins to measure up Nova as she begins to stir…
Anzu Kurosawa: “Here comes THE STRUT! The Eternal’s time in this scramble could be coming to a close…”
Peacock charges in for the Strut to a kneeling Nova..
BUT IN COMES BRYAN BAXTER WITH A RIGHT HAND!
Peacock drops to the mat like a sack of potatoes! Baxter makes the cover!
ONE! TWO! THREE!
What the Hell?!
{Elimination #8}Chris Peacock by Bryan Baxter at 30:39
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Baxter sits up on the canvas, lifting up his right hand and sliding a pair of brass knuckles off his fist with a smile on his face as the crowd rained down the boos on BBB.
Anzu Kurosawa: “It was those brass knuckles!”
Rod Sterling: “That explains how hard Peacock went down! He uses Whatever It Takes to take out the FWA Champion and Baxter now has not one but TWO pinfalls on Peacock in recent weeks, going back to the F1 Tournament!”
Baxter rolls Peacock out of the ring, satisfied with his own handiwork as Jeremy Best slides back into the ring to join him. The pair hug as they now find themselves as the only remaining full team up against Alyster Black and Princess Nova.
Jeremy pairs up with the Nova while Baxter goes after Black, working over Black Jesus in the corner while Jeremy sits Nova up on the top turnbuckle. Best hooks Nova for a superplex, but Nova grabs the top rope to block it! Nova begins to battle back on the turnbuckles with some forearm and elbow strikes to rock Jeremy and then shoves him off the turnbuckles down to the mat! Jeremy lands on his back and Nova comes off the top with a swanton bomb that connects!
Nova makes the cover!
ONE! TWO! THRE…broken up by Baxter!
Baxter grabs a handful of Nova’s hair to pull her up off his partner, delivering a vicious headbutt before dropping her to the mat with a Reverse STO. He then grabbed Nova, once again by her hair, and pulled her back to her feet…
Lifting her up for the Baxter Driver…
CONNECTS!
Baxter sits on the mat after delivering the move and pulls both of Nova’s legs up to make the cover.
ONE! TWO! THREE!
NO! IT’S ALYSTER BLACK BREAKING IT UP with a running forearm smash to the seated Baxter!
Baxter rolls to the mat as a furious Black unleashes a flurry of stomps to the Baxter’s back and the back of his head as Baxter tries to fight through the attacks, making his way back to his feet, but Black lifts BBB up into a fireman’s carry and then drops him down with a Death Valley Driver!
With Baxter down and Princess Nova still reeling from the Baxter Driver… Alyster Black once again turns his attention to Jeremy Best, who is pulling himself back up to his feet. Black walks right over to Jeremy and just delivers a STIFF HEADBUTT to a big pop from the crowd.
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard such a reaction for a headbutt! The crowd wants Jeremy to get what’s coming to him here!”
Jeremy drops to a knee as Alyster grabs him and pulls him back up to a vertical base… Best staggering. ONE SHOT KILL - NO! Jeremy Ducks! STEP UP ENZIGURI to Black! Black falls into the ropes and comes back towards Jeremy who lifts Black up onto his shoulders, looking for the BFF..
But Black fights it off and escapes down Jeremy’s back - DRAGON SUPLEX to Jeremy!
Black pulls himself up and begins to measure up Jeremy, once again drawing the anticipation from the crowd, as Best begins to slowly pull himself up… and once Jeremy is up to his feet…
He charges in…
ONE SHOT KILL!
BAXTER SHOVES JEREMY OUT OF THE WAY AND TAKES THE IMPACT!
Rod Sterling: “Bryan Baxter takes the proverbial bullet for Jeremy Best!”
The North American champion hits the mat and Black doesn’t waste any time going for the pin on him anyway.
ONE! TWO! THREE!
{Elimination #9}Bryan Baxter by Alyster Black at 35:12
Rod Sterling: “No full teams remain and we’re down to the final three! One of these three will earn a tag title shot for their teams at Carnal Contendership!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “And how about the newcomer Princess Nova? She won herself a signing bonus at Back in Town and she’s moments away now from earning a tag team title shot!”
Black sits up from the successful pin and is caught by surprise by a SUPERKICK from Princess Nova! Nova drops to a knee, showing the signs of exhaustion from the wear and tear of the match while Black also dropped down to a knee… Nova gets back up and grabs Black by the head and springboards off the rope into a Tornado DDT to lay Black out on the canvas!
Nova pops back up to her feet… and is surprised from behind with a SCHOOL BOY from Jeremy!
ONE! TWO! THRE - KICKOUT!
Jeremy is back up first as Nova is getting up, he leaps over her into a Sunset Flip attempt… but Nova sits down on it!
ONE! TWO! Reversed by Jeremy into a roll up of his own!
ONE! TWO! Reversed back by Nova into another pinning combination!
ONE! TWO! Jeremy kicks out!
Both get back to their feet and Jeremy scoops Nova up onto his shoulders, looking for the BFF.. but Nova reverses it into Crucifix Bomb! Nova hooks Jeremy’s arms back, locking in the Queen’s Web submission!
Rod Sterling: “Jeremy Best is in trouble here! He’s trapped in that submission with nowhere to go!”
Referee Larry Davis is there to check on Best as Nova has her gloved hand cinched in tightly… it looks like… Jeremy… is going to…
CRACK!
ALYSTER BLACK BREAKS IT UP WITH A CHAIR TO NOVA’S BACK!
Black tosses the chair aside as he pulls Nova off of Jeremy, “he’s mine!” he declares as he grabs her by the head…
SATAN’S SPIKE!
Black makes the cover on Nova.
ONE! TWO THREE!
{Elimination #10}Princess Nova by Alyster Black at 39:04
Rod Sterling: “A valiant effort by Princess Nova in this one but the Eternal are now eliminated! It’s all down to FTN and the Buddy System… Alyster Black and the man he’s been after this whole match… Jeremy Best!”
Alyster Black sits up on his knee as Jeremy Best once again pulls himself up… looking across the ring and realizing he’s all by himself now… staring down the tag partner and best friend of the man he abducted at Back in Town. Black stands up, staring down Best, cracking his knuckles as he begins to move in.
“FUCK HIM UP! FUCK HIM UP! FUCK HIM UP!” the crowd clearly eager to see Black do just that.
Jeremy holds his hands out, pleading with Alyster. “Wait! Wait! I get it! I do…”
Black doesn’t seem interested in hearing Jeremy’s pleas, as he picks the chair back up off the mat and slowly walks towards Jeremy, who is back pedaling towards the corner. “I’m just trying to help! But if it makes you feel better…”
Jeremy holds his arms up in the air, slowly turning his back to Black.
Anzu Kurosawa: “What the Hell is he doing? He’s going to let Black do what he wants here?!”
Rod Sterling: “I’m not sure, Anzu. It doesn’t make sense but I think it’s pretty clear there’s more than a couple screws loose in Jeremy Best’s head.”
Black seems just as confused as everyone else, but shrugs his shoulders and lifts the chair up…
CRACK!
Jeremy winces… but he’s still standing.
Alyster Black hits the canvas as Bryan Baxter stands over him holding the North American championship.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Dammit! BRYAN BAXTER! WHO LET HIM BACK OUT THERE?!”
Baxter quickly dives back out of the ring as Jeremy turns around and finds Black laid out…
Jeremy doesn’t ask any questions as he rushes over… he pulls Black back up to his feet and onto his shoulders…
BFF!
Jeremy makes the cover..
ONE! TWO! THREE!
{RESULT}Winner: The Buddy System by pinfall at 42:18.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The crowd let Jeremy Best hear it as he sits up, holding both hands on the top of his head in shock as Bryan Baxter rushes back into the ring to embrace his partner as the dark, slower tempo version of Jeremy’s theme begins to play.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here are your winners… The Buddy System…”
Rod Sterling: “Bryan Baxter continues to have Jeremy Best’s back no matter what… and whether you like it or not… The Buddy System have a date with the tag team champions at Carnal Contendership!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I don’t like it, Rod. I don’t like it at all!”
Bryan Baxter helps Jeremy up to his feet, lifting up Jeremy’s arm in victory as Best is all smiles through the exhaustion while the crowd continues to boo former fan favorite.
Rod Sterling: “So many questions that we hope to answer on Fallout as we’ve heard we’ll hear from Jeremy… maybe we’ll get some answers about the attack on Krash from Back in Town… and then we’ll also find out if it will be Buddy System vs. Connection, or will we get another chapter in their rivalry with Undisputed Alliance!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m not sure how I feel about living in a world where I’d rather see Undisputed Alliance as tag champs than The Buddy System, but here we are.”
Bryan turns his attention to Alyster Black, the X Champion starting to stir… so Bryan Baxter picks the chair back up off the mat. Baxter turns to his friend, “you may not want to watch this,” Baxter tells him as Jeremy nods and turns his back once again.
Anzu Kurosawa: “What now?? Come on!”
Rod Sterling: “This is one of the strangest dynamics I’ve ever seen… Jeremy Best doesn’t seem like he wants to watch… something he didn’t seem to enjoy when Baxter was dismantling Krash… but he sure as Hell isn’t doing anything to stop it either!”
Baxter lifts the chair over his head….
The boos turn to massive cheers as CHRIS PEACOCK rushes back out armed with a singapore cane! Bryan sees Chris charging out from the back and decides to drop the chair. He grabs Jeremy and the pair quickly rushes from the ring as Peacock slides in. Peacock takes a swing just as the duo are exiting.
Rod Sterling: “The Boogie Man makes the save for his partner, and not a moment too soon… and as they head for the hills, clearly wanting nothing to do with FTN right now… it’s still the Buddy System walking out of Meltdown as winners!”
The show comes to a close as Peacock begins to help Alyster Black to his feet, both members of FTN staring down The Buddy System as they back pedal their way up the ramp.
…
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Post by supinesnake on May 28, 2024 20:24:10 GMT
026: “CAPITOL HILL.”
Live from the Washington Mall in Washington D.C., USA.
Saturday 4th Match, 2023.
The cameras open up on the Washington Mall, with an aerial tracking shot as a helicopter loops around the Washington Monument, which looms over the traditional Fallout set that has been set up in its shadow. A long ramp runs down the Mall in the direction of the Capitol building. Behind the stage, we can see the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, and the whitehouse is positioned so that Biden could get a decent view of the ring from the upstairs windows.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Welcome, wrestling fans, to the twenty sixth edition of FWA Fallout, live from the Washington Mall here in the District of Columbia! We’ve got four matches coming up tonight, including a championship bout in the tag team division, where Michelle von Horrowitz and Gerald Grayson of the Connection will defend their championships against Jackson Fenix and Nate Savage of the Undisputed Alliance.”
Allen Price: “We’ve seen the rest of Cthulhu’s Nephews helping MvH to her recent wins, and that has sometimes spilled over into her tag team matches alongside Grayson… but such shenanigans would be all legal here, with that main event match being a Washington Street Fight! I’m not sure that’s as good news for the challengers as it usually would be, against a team with a significant amount of back-up.”
The camera settles on the announcers, sat behind their desk and addressing the camera with welcoming smiles.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I don’t even want to think about that, Price. I’d rather think about the other matches we’ve got ahead of us here on Fallout…”
Allen Price: “... like Ratin and Steve?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “...”
Allen Price: “... maybe not. There’s also our King of the Deathmatch warm-up match, as Logan Darwin, Madison Gray, and Darius Wright prepare for trios action against XYZ, Trixie Bordeaux, and Sawyer Xavier. That bloody and brutal deathmatch tournament is now just a little more than a month away, and we’ll get to see six of the sixteen competitors lining up in the starter’s blocks right here in D.C.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “And in singles action, Cyrus Truth will look to bounce back from the heartache of Back in Town, where he was duped out of the F1 Climaxxx final by Michelle von Horrowitz. He goes up against Tommy Bedlam, who also seeks to recover following a loss in Denver, in his case to Kleio De Santos.”
Allen Price: “Have the Exile and the Cowboy ever met before? I can’t quite remember…”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Only in tag team competition as part of Meltdown’s Tag Warz tournament. Tonight will be a first time ever one-on-one match-up, Price! I think it’s about time we got down to the action!”
We cut to the stage, in time for…
{YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME || L’ORCHESTRA CINEMATIQUE}[MEDIA=youtube]vQ6uu6wH6Uw[/MEDIA]
Immediately the crowd is on their feet and booing loudly as “Your New Best Friend” Jeremy Best kicks off the show, walking out with a big smile on his face, waving to the Washington D.C. fans. The camera pans around the crowd, zooming in on some signs such as “Jeremy Worst,” “Jeremy Least,” “We Want Krash,” and “More Like Jeremy Jerk, Am I Right?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Well I guess we are kicking things off on a sour note tonight because here comes Jeremy Best, who really showed his true colors at Back in Town, just when we thought we were witnessing the return of Krash to FWA.”
Allen Price: “Disgusting. Disgusting is the only word that came to mind then and it still comes to mind now seeing him walk out here now.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “It’s sickening to see Jeremy all smiles after what happened at Back in Town, and he’s probably also all smiles because on Meltdown, The Buddy System survived a grueling Scramble match to win a tag team title shot.”
Allen Price: “Why do good things keep happening to bad people?”
Jeremy remains oblivious to the ire of the crowd as he makes his way down the aisle, grabs a microphone, and rolls into the ring.
Jeremy Best: “Hiya Besties!”
BOOOOOOOOO! Despite Jeremy’s own delusions, the crowd does not appreciate Jeremy’s welcome.
Allen Price: “I may be wrong…”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “...More often than not…”
Allen Price: “...but I don’t think any of these people here in the Washington Mall are Besties.”
Jeremy Best: “Oh, cut it out. You guys are just too much. I love each and every one of you so very much… and it feels so good to be back out here on Fallout. I feel like I haven’t been around much. I feel like the last few months have been rough ones for ol’ Jeremy… but at Back in Town… things finally started to turn around!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “That’s certainly one way to paint that picture…”
Jeremy Best: “And so… here’s the thing… I know there’s something on EVERYONE’S MINDS… and I know this because ever since Back in Town, it is literally the only thing people have asked me. Everywhere I go, it’s the same question…”
Allen Price: “We do! We want to know! Why Jeremy, why?!”
Jeremy Best: “....And you know me Besties, I don’t like to keep you guys out of the loop. So I’ll finally answer that question…how is Krash doing?”
Jeremy smiles to the camera and the crowd, which respond with loud boos.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I mean… I guess that’s kind of the question… but also not the full question.”
Jeremy Best: “And I get it… really, I do! You all want to know about the whereabouts of Krash. You want to know how he’s doing. You want to know how to send him some well wishes or maybe some get well cards. Because as we learned at Back in Town… Krash is sick. He was missing for so very long… and God knows what kind of things he dealt with over those three months. Sure, on the outside it looked like Krash… but on the inside… he’s not well. He was in dire need of someone who can take care of him. And thankfully Bryan brought him to me just in time. Because during the Krash Crusades, I thought Krash needed me then. He was out there and I wanted to find him. But little did I know that “finding him” wasn’t the end of the Crusades. Because Krash is still lost. And it’s up to me to really FIND him. Right now… Krash needs ME more than ever.”
Allen Price: “What the Hell is he talking about?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “These are the words of a man who has lost all grips on reality, I’m afraid.”
Jeremy Best: “And it’s for that reason… I’m afraid I can’t disclose the location of Krash at this moment. It’s for his own good. It’s for his safety. There are people out there who might want to stop me from doing this. Stop me from bringing the real Krash back. People that don’t have his best interest in mind. SELFISH people. People who did NOTHING TO HELP KRASH WHEN HE NEEDED HIM. PEOPLE WHO WERE NEVER REALLY KRASH’S FRIEND TO BEGIN WITH….”
Not typically one to raise his voice, the tone of Jeremy’s voice is unsettling and causes the crowd to become disturbingly quiet. Jeremy pauses… his breathing heavier but starting to calm down.
Jeremy Best: “...And those are people I can assure you that Krash would not want anything to do with anymore. But I assure you, Besties, Krash is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. He has me now. He has his… BEST… FRIEND.”
{SONNE || RAMMSTEIN}[MEDIA=youtube]YtEWoavDlcM[/MEDIA]
The music brings about a huge pop from the Washington D.C. crowd as they are back on their feet, while Jeremy’s eyes grow wide, knowing what it meant.
Allen Price: “Heeerreee we go!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I think those words may have not sit well with a certain someone, Price. And I’d hate to be in Jeremy Best’s shoes right now…”
Alyster Black races out from the back, wasting no time as he rushes down the aisle and darts towards the ring. The sight of Alyster Black is intimidating enough on any normal occasion inside the wrestling ring, but knowing that Black wants to kick your ass more than anything in the world… that’s a different level of scary. So one might not blame Jeremy Best from dropping the microphone and high tailing it out of the ring just as Black is sliding in. Black shakes the ropes in frustration as Jeremy runs back up the aisle, much to the dismay of both Black and the fans.
But Alyster reaches down and picks up the microphone.
Alyster Black: “Keep running… keep trying to hide… but it’s only a matter of time before I get my hands on you, Jeremy! You haven’t been around long enough to see everything I’m capable of… but for the sake of your personal wellbeing, for the sake of your buddy Bryan… I suggest you stop playing these games… tell me where to find my best friend Krash, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you and that bastard mate of yours off the hook.”
Jeremy watches on from the aisle as the fans begin an “ALY’S GONNA KILL YOU” chant.
Alyster Black: “And since I know you live in your own little fantasy world and think you’re some type of friendship savior… I’ll offer up a second option. And honestly, I’m kinda hoping you choose this option… because in a few weeks… there’s this thing called the King of the Death Match. I've already entered. And that’s REAL bad news for everyone else involved because I’m in a REAL bad mood… and if you think you’re trying to ‘save Krash’ from me or whatever that bullshit your spewing out of your mouth is… then how about you put the BS where your mouth is… I think I heard there’s a couple spots still left in the tournament… throw your name in the hat… get your hands a little dirty for once! And let me fucking kill you like a man!”
Big pop from the crowd at the thought of Jeremy having to step into the ring with Alyser Black under deathmatch rules.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I think the crowd approves, but I’m not sure Jeremy Best agrees..”
Alyster holds his arms out, hoping for a response from Jeremy, but instead he remains silent, and without an answer he turns around, disappearing to the back. Alyster Black tosses the microphone down in frustration, before shaking his head and climbing out of the ring as Sonne plays once again.
There’s an advert for a new FWA-manufactured blender, titled The Undisputed Appliance.
{THE DEMON’S CAROL || BLACQOUT}[MEDIA=youtube]kHYdLveMYxc[/MEDIA]
There’s a hush on the mall, with some audible jeers, as the masked man walks out onto the stage…
Natalie Rosenberg: "Ladies and gentlemen, the following ‘King of the Deathmatch’ preview contest is a trios match, scheduled for one-fall with a twenty minute time limit! Introducing first, from the depths of Hell… weighing in at two hundred and forty three pounds… this… is… DEATH WALKER!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Death Walker, who we previously knew as Darius Wright, may have come up short in his quest to claim the FWA Television Championship at Back in Business, but he’s certainly impressed here since his debut."
Allen Price: "That’s right, J-L: back-to-back wins, first over Jason Randall and then teaming with the Wildcard against Shawn Summers and Vampyra, marked Wright - now Death Walker, as you mentioned - as one to watch. He’ll be hoping to get some of that momentum back in this trios match tonight…"
Wright has climbed into the ring, when the lights finally come up and his music fades out. It’s replaced by an AFI intro before settling into…
{GOD’S GONNA CUT YOU DOWN || JOHNNY CASH}[MEDIA=youtube]6BBFQUh6Dko[/MEDIA]
The jeers are louder as the Reaper appears on the stage, but Logan Darwin pays the crowd reaction no mind. He begins marching down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: "And his partners, first… from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and weighing in at two hundred and thirty pounds… ‘The Reaper’... LOGAN DARWIN!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Logan Darwin made his big return to the FWA at Back in Town, where he came up short in attempting to win that four-way ladder match… a match that also featured one of his opponents and one of his teammates."
Allen Price: "Darwin proved in that match and in his previous run with the company that he’s a dangerous competitor. Imagine that amplified at King of the Deathmatch, where everything is legal…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "That’s not the case tonight, though. Traditional rules in this trios match, though one questions how the official is going to keep control with six combustible elements…"
Darwin climbs into the ring and gives Death Walker a sideways look. DW is smiling in return, though the meaning behind this is inscrutable. Logan’s music fades out, and next we hear…
{YOUR LOVE || FIRST TO ELEVEN}[MEDIA=youtube]VbTnsPL_e24[/MEDIA]
There’s a mixed reaction for Madison Gray, who walks out onto the stage with a blank expression on her face. She ignores the audience completely, eyes only for her teammates as she strides down the ramp.
Natalie Rosenberg: "And, from Portsmouth, England… weighing in at one hundred and twenty five pounds… ‘The Young Lioness’... MADISON GRAY!"
Allen Price: "Here is one of those opponents that you mentioned. Gray was also involved in that ladder match at Back in Town, which was eventually won by Princess Nova of Eternal. Given the violent nature of that match, and the barbaric spectacle of King of the Deathmatch to come, can we expect Gray and Darwin to be able to coexist here?"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "I guess we’ll find out together, Price!"
Madison slides into the ring and then loosens up using the ropes. She keeps a watchful eye on her teammates in the corner, though no words are expressed between the three of them. Gray’s music fades out, and next we hear…
{FIREFLIES || OWL CITY}[MEDIA=youtube]QBgl4rVz3Ks[/MEDIA]
A good cheer is heard for Trixie as she appears on the stage. There’s a nervous smile on her face as she offers the audience a wave before beginning down the ramp.
Natalie Rosenberg: "Introducing their opponents… first, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana… she weighs in at one hundred and twenty pounds… BELLATRIX… BORDEAUX!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Here comes a competitor who has had better look in tag team contests than in singles match so far in her young FWA career… Bordeaux’s only win thus far, came in the ten-person contest at ‘Fight Night: The Final Four’. Singles defeats to Shawn Summers and Reagan Cole bookend that victory, and she’ll be hoping that good fortune in tag team competition continues here in New York."
Trixie, perhaps wisely, decides to wait outside of the ring. She looks up at her opponents, her hands on her hips, as her music fades out. Then…
{SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT || NIRVANA}[MEDIA=youtube]hTWKbfoikeg[/MEDIA]
There’s a decent pop for Sawyer Xavier as he emerges onto the stage. He looks around at the crowd with an appreciative nod, and then begins his walk down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: "And her partners, first… from Savannah, Georgia and weighing in at one hundred and seventy six pounds… SAWYER XAVIER!"
Allen Price: "Another returning star, and another of Madison Gray and Logan Darwin’s opponents in Back in Town’s ladder match…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Yes, Sawyer Xavier hadn’t been seen in the FWA since the culmination of Fallout and Meltdown’s temporary split, and will be hoping to make an impact at the King of the Deathmatch. He’s alluded to the spotlight that came his way following his starring role in Meltdown’s win in Jailhouse Blues, and will hope April’s tournament will put him back in it."
Xavier waits with Bordeaux at the bottom of the ramp as the sixth and final entrance theme is played…
{ONE HEADLIGHT || THE WALLFLOWERS}[MEDIA=youtube]Zzyfcys1aLM[/MEDIA]
XYZ appears to a huge pop from the Hammerstein crowd. He has a peculiar, focussed look on his face as he struts down the ramp.
Natalie Rosenberg: "And finally… from Sitka, Alaska… he weighs in tonight at one hundred and eighty pounds… this is… X… Y… Z!!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Here comes a man who didn’t compete at The Grand March, but… oh, here we go!"
XYZ strides past his teammates and slides into the ring. Trixie and Sawyer follow him in… and straight into battle with their opponents! The six throw hands in the ring as the crowd gets behind the high-energy start and the official calls for the bell…
It is indeed a chaotic start to the match, with action soon spilling onto the outside and the referee struggling to organise things. To begin with, Sawyer Xavier and Logan Darwin trade hands in the ring, with Darwin getting the upper hand with a rake to the eyes, before attempting a short-arm clothesline. Xavier ducks beneath it… hammerlock… and a hammerlock DDT! Jean-Luc comments on the smoothness of Sawyer’s transition as we cut to the outside, just in time to see XYZ thrown hard into the barricade by Death Walker with an Irish whip! And then we cut to Madison Gray, who is attempting a piledriver on the outside to Trixie, only for Bordeaux to reverse with a back body drop!
During these fast-paced opening skirmishes, we cut to an area of backstage, where a man wearing a black mask watches the match on a television screen. He is alone, and upon his shoulder is the FWA X Championship. He watches the screen straight on, his back to the camera as he observes six of his fifteen challengers (or forty per cent) duking it out in or around the ring.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "There we see the FWA X Champion, Alyster Black, watching proceedings in the back. A scouting mission for Black Jesus, it seems…"
Allen Price: "No doubt. Alyster Black, after suffering defeat in the Tag Team Scramble match on Meltdown XXVI, will now centre his focus on keeping that X Championship beyond the King of the Deathmatch tournament."
The chaos continues around the ring, with positions swapping a little soon after so that Darwin and XYZ are trading hands on the outside. Darwin seems to be betting the better of it, until XYZ distracts him by pointing up the ramp and then kicking his shins! XYZ hops up onto the apron and attempts a jumping hurricanrana, but Darwin catches him! Logan first throws him onto the barricade and then onto the floor with a pair of vicious powerbombs! Meanwhile, on the other side of the ring, Death Walker is wearing Trixie down with a sleeper hold… and then, when Bordeaux is almost out, DW takes her up and overhead with a sleeper suplex!! Sawyer Xavier is inside the ring with Madison Gray, and has the Young Lioness backed up to the corner with a series of chops and kicks, before he connects with a roundhouse and an enziguri! And then a fisherman’s suplex! Sawyer bridges for the cover…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Kickout from Gray!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "I don’t think we ever really established legal competitors at the start of this one, with nobody on the apron when the bell was rung… apparently, we’re going for Madison and Sawyer…"
Allen Price: "Just go with it, J-L! Expect more carnage at the King of the Deathmatch…"
Soon afterwards, outside the ring, we have Death Walker and XYZ involved in an exchange of strikes. DW connects with uppercuts, jabs, and hooks… whilst X returns with unconventional kicks to the legs and the side of Death Walker. It even seems like XYZ is succeeding in backing Death Walker up a little with his unconventional offense… until DW fires into him with a left hook, right jab, uppercut combo, staggering X back. And then Death Walker follows up with a huge headbutt!! XYZ seems almost out on his feet, as DW collects him and plants him on the outside with a spike DDT!
Meanwhile, nearby, Logan Darwin is taking some punches, slaps, and even the occasional eye rake from Trixie, and when Bordeaux sees Death Walker hit his headbutt on XYZ she decides to go for one of her own… only for Darwin to stop her with a hand on her forehead! Darwin keeps her at bay as Trixie windmills, trying to strike him, but he’s out of reach! Logan then pulls her in close and connects with a cobra clutch slam! Darwin and DW have succeeded in grounding X and Trixie on the outside, and share a nod before facing the ring…
Also meanwhile, as DW and X traded strikes on the outside, Madison Gray has Sawyer Xavier in an Octopus hold in the middle of the ring. The official, still counting these two as the official competitors, is asking Xavier if he wants to give in. Sawyer refuses, and inches closer and closer to the ropes, eventually hooking his arm onto them. The referee enforces the break and Madison releases the hold to back away from Sawyer… and then charges back at him, looking for a clothesline over the ropes. Sawyer ducks it, though, and then hoists Gray up and over the top herself! She’s caught by her teammates, Darwin and Death Walker, on the outside, who set her down carefully and then turn to face the ring…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "… TOPE CON HILO FROM SAWYER XAVIER!!"
Allen Price: "He takes ALL THREE of his opponents out on the outside!!"
The crowd pops for the aerial display from Sawyer, who throws Gray under the bottom rope. He waits for her to get up to her knees before charging in from behind…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Sawyer Xavier connects with a vicious knee strike to the back of the head! I think he calls that the Brain Squasher..."
Allen Price: "This could be it, J-L! His brain’s been squashed!"
Xavier hooks the far leg…
ONE… TWO… TH – NO!
It’s broken up by Death Walker!
Once more we cut to the back, where Alyster watches on, nodding approvingly at the brutality of Sawyer’s signature move. In the arena, DW hoists Sawyer up and connects with a vicious uppercut, rocking him back towards the ropes. Xavier attempts to propel himself back at DW with a discus lariat, but Death Walker ducks beneath it, and then connects with a backdrop suplex! By now, Logan Darwin is back in the ring, too, and it’s his turn to pick up Xavier. He throws him towards Death Walker, who connects with another headbutt, and then a capture suplex! And Logan follows up with a jumping knee drop onto the back of Sawyer’s head!
Allen Price: "Come on, now! It’s meant to be one person in the ring at a time!"
The referee is having a torrid time trying to remind Logan and Death Walker of this, but they do eventually acquiesce and head for the apron, but not before dragging Gray into their corner. Darwin tags himself in, and what follows is a lengthy period of dominance for his trio, who cut the ring in half (with XYZ and Trixie, eventually, climbing onto the apron on their side of it) and keep Sawyer Xavier isolated on their side of it for the bulk of the ensuing contest. They even display some moments of collaboration: mostly moves delivered in combination, like knee strike from Darwin followed by a discus elbow smash from Gray, or later on a a roundhouse kick from Madison followed up by a German from Death Walker, both combinations leading to two-counts. Their most fluid bit of teamwork comes when Saywer is sundered in the corner. Death Walker first Irish whips Gray at him, with Madison connecting with a cornered European uppercut. Then, Death Walker Irish whips Darwin at him, who hits his trademark cornered spinning elbow. Finally, DW himself charges at Xavier, hitting a flying forearm smash that drops Xavier, allowing him - the legal competitor - to get a two following the flurry of charging corner strikes.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "It’s difficult to believe that these three have never teamed before. Quite surprisingly, we’re seeing Logan Darwin, Madison Gray, and Death Walker working well together as a team."
Allen Price: "Momentum is important, J-L. Darwin, Gray, and Death Walker know what a win could do for them, and a loss for their opponents, as we speed towards the King of the Deathmatch tournament."
The three also work through a lot of their singles offense during this stretch, too. Logan Darwin earns a pair of two-counts for a snap powerslam and a hotshot suplex, whilst Madison Gray wears Xavier down for lengthy periods in an elevated wristlock and later on a guillotine clutch. On both occasions, Xavier is finally able to get to the ropes, but considerable damage is done to him by the submissions. Death Walker is perhaps most impactful and impressive, earning near-falls with a northern lights suplex and, late in the match, with a bucklebomb followed by a sit-out powerbomb combination, XYZ having to enter the match to break the count following that one. Death Walker also punctuates his power moves with an impressive array of strikes: both punches and kicks are used, working away at Sawyer’s body and later his head as the match wears on.
Late in the match, Madison Gray has Sawyer Xavier sundered in the middle of the ring with a kimura lock, and once more it looks like the young man might have to tap out. The official is in close, asking Xavier if he wants to continue, which Sawyer resolutely does. The fans are on his side as he creeps towards the ropes, reaching out for the bottom one with an outstretched boot… but Madison rolls him back into the middle of the ring!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Madison Gray is wrenching on her well-applied kimura lock, here! Sawyer Xavier has to think about the long-term! The King of the Deathmatch is in just over a month’s time!"
Allen Price: "He looks as defiant as ever!"
Indeed, with a grunt of exertion, Sawyer is able to roll Gray onto her shoulders…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Gray kicks out, but is forced to relinquish the hold. Xavier gets up gingerly, clutching his arm from the lengthy spell in the kimura, but he’s able to duck beneath an attempted discuss elbow from Gray! And then he connects with a roundhouse kick! Gray is staggered…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "LAY IN WASTE!! Pumphandle spinebuster from Sawyer Xavier!!"
Allen Price: "But he can’t make a cover…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "He needs to at least make a tag…"
Both competitors crawl towards their corner, with Madison Gray managing to tag in Death Walker… just as Sawyer Xavier tags out to XYZ!! X comes into a huge pop and ducks beneath DW’s clothesline attempt, before taking him down with a thrust kick!! X spots Logan Darwin charging at him… a leg lariat takes the Reaper down! In comes Gray, still shrugging off the spinebuster, but XYZ meets her with a headscissors takedown, spinning 360 degrees with his legs around her neck! X focuses on the legal man, hoisting Death Walker up and hits some vicious kicks to the thighs and shins, the crowd cheering along with each strike… and then he takes Death Walker up and over with a gut-wrench suplex!
We cut to the back briefly, Alyster Black watching on with great interest as XYZ heads to the corner to begin an ascent of the turnbuckles…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "XYZ is climbing up to the top rope… but watch out for Gray!"
Madison is on the apron, and he prepares to charge at X on the top rope… but Trixie is in the ring! She charges across it…
Allen Price: "SPEAR!! Trixie goes through the ropes, taking Darwin off the apron!!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "But the distraction is enough for Death Walker, he’s back to his feet… and he knocks XYZ off balance with a right hook!"
Death Walker stops X from falling off the top, and then drags him away from the corner, in position for a sitout inverted front powerslam…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Death Walker is going for Dark Cloud… but here comes Xavier!! He drags XYZ from Walker’s clutches… he hits the ropes, springboards… cutter to Death Walker!!"
The official finally tries to get some semblance of control, insisting Sawyer get out of the ring. Both legal competitors are off their feet and turn towards their corners, and both are able to get the tag! Logan Darwin charges in at Trixie Bordeaux, who ducks beneath Darwin’s attempted clothesline… and then hits a back rake! Darwin turns around, and Trixie pokes him in the eye!! Logan is stumbling around, and Trixie sees from the corner of her eye that Death Walker is back in the ring. He charges at her, but Bordeaux back-pedals to the ropes, dropping down to pull the top one with her, sending Death Walker tumbling onto the outside! Darwin has shrugged off the eyepoke, and goes for a right hand on Trixie, but she ducks it and then hits a sitout jawbreaker!! Darwin stumbles into the corner… where Sawyer is waiting for him with an enziguri to the back of the head from the apron! Darwin falls into a seated position as Xavier spies Madison Gray getting to her feet on the outside…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Springboard moonsault from Sawyer Xavier!! Gray is taken out again on the outside!"
Allen Price: "And Trixie sizes Logan Darwin up in the corner…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "That’s the ‘Bundle of Joy’!! Trixie connects with the cannonball!!"
Darwin rolls into the middle of the ring as Trixie ascends to the top rope, her back to him. She takes a leap of faith, throwing herself from the top turnbuckle….
Jean-Luc Watkins: "WHISTLING TRIXIE! Trixie Bordeaux gets ALL of it!!"
Allen Price: "And now the cover…"
ONE… TWO… THREE!
{RESULT}Winner: Trixie Bordeaux, Sawyer Xavier, and XYZ by pinfall at 12:31
Natalie Rosenberg: "Here are your winners… Trixie Bordeaux, Sawyer Xavier, and XYZ!!"
Inside the ring, we see the official lifting the hand of Trixie. She is soon joined in the ring by her fellow vectors. XYZ stands on the other side of the referee to get his hand raised, whilst Sawyer Xavier is a little removed from the other two. He leans against the ropes, clutching his ribs after the landing of his springboard moonsault at the end of the match…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "XYZ and Trixie Bordeaux seem happy to share in this victory together, but Sawyer Xavier remains aloof. He knows that the King of the Deathmatch is coming up soon, where all allegiances will be put on hold."
Outside the ring, we see a defeated Logan Darwin, who has rolled out of the ring to lick his wounds. Madison Gray is on the other side of the ring, seated against the barricade with a look of frustration on her face. Death Walker stands at the base of the ramp, shaking his head at his defeated teammates and at the winners.
Allen Price: "The same is true of the losing side here, J-L. No comradery on display between Logan Darwin, Madison Gray, and Death Walker…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Gray and Darwin leave the arena in frustration, whilst Death Walker spends a moment taking stock of the loss.”
As Death stares up at the winners in the ring with an inscrutable look on his face, we cut to the back, where Alyster Black still pays close attention to the screen…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "And it would be interesting to know what Alyster Black makes of that match, the result, and the six challengers who will all be vying for that FWA X Championship in April…"
Before JLW can continue, though, focus is suddenly drawn from their musings… as Alyster is nailed with a clubbing blow to the back of the head! The elbow strike sends him forward into the television screen, and he turns to face his waiting assailant, who puts Black in a front facelock…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "This is why you never watch the screens in the back straight on! They tell you that on your first day!"
Allen Price: "Hold up … that’s …"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "… wait a second …"
Allen Price: "… am I seeing double?!"
The camera has pulled back a little, to show our current FWA X Champion being held in position by… Alyster Black! This body double, wearing the same ring gear as the champion, as well as the same black mask but for blue detailing around the eyes, hoists Black Jesus off the ground and drops him down onto the concrete with a Satan’s Spike!!
Allen Price: "What the hell is going on?!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "I think our champion has just been attacked by an imposter… an imposter in the guise of Alyster Black himself!"
This ‘imposter’ stands above the felled champion and looks down at the belt at his side. We can’t read his expression behind the mask, but he eventually averts his gaze from the gold in order to turn Alyster over. He wraps his own legs around Black’s, and then collects his arms by the wrists… before delivering a devastating curbstomp!!
Allen Price: "Can we get some help back there?! This is sick!"
Some paramedics do eventually arrive on the scene, but not until after the ‘imposter’ Alyster Black has removed himself from the situation. He saunters away from the downed champion, the ‘real’ Alyster Black, who is then surrounded by medical staff. He sits up and pushes them off, massaging the back of his head and looking past the camera.
We return back to ringside, where most of the competitors from the trios match have left the arena, except for Death Walker and XYZ, who are still at ringside.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “A shocking situation in the back, there, but we’ve still got plenty of action to come here in Washington D.C…. but before we can get to that, it seems Death Walker isn’t quite ready to leave the arena…”
As things wrap up after a wild trios match, Death Walker makes his way over to XYZ and takes a random swing at him. But he misses as XYZ is able to dodge with his cunning reflexes…
Allen Price “Woah there! We’ve just had one assault backstage, and now Death Walker is trying to throw hands at one of his partners!”
Jean-Luc Watkins “There’ll be no partners in the King of the Deathmatch tournament, Price! But it looks like Death has thought better of it, anyway…”
Looking to maintain some peace, XYZ holds his hands out at arms length as he shakes his head. This also provides some distance between himself and Death. So the monster walks away from the ring, kicking the steps hard enough that both pieces shift from the post. He then turns his attention back to XYZ, who has climbed into the ring for the higher ground. Death stares him down for a minute as he strolls on over to the right side of the ring. And the enigmatic sensation that is XYZ, prepares to use his feet and fists to strike. As the referee, ring announcer, and everyone else in attendance watch this display, all of the arena lights turn off for a while…
Allen Price: “Is this a blackout?!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I don’t think it’s a blackout, Price…”
The crowd screams and makes noise under such odd conditions and after 10 seconds of darkness, the lights are brought back on. XYZ gets ready to strike with some type of kick but stops himself as he notices that it's The Dark Guardian standing before him and smirking. Which can only leave one other conclusion… and that happens to be, that his problem is now behind him… and not in the sense of his troubles being over. But instead they are just beginning, for XYZ gives this look of regret to find out what or who is now behind him as he slowly turns his body. And with that bit of hesitation, Death Walker takes this moment to lock in his patented Standing Arm Triangle Choke. Now squeezing and squeezing and squeezing… he begins to separate XYZ’s oxygen from his brain while applying both impenetrable pressure against his neck and arm…
Allen Price: “We need to get some help out here! Death Walker is putting XYZ out!!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I think they’re all busy in the back!”
That's when the referee has seen enough and signals for backstage officials and more to get involved. As for XYZ’s recent teammate, Trixie Bordeaux has charged back down the ramp, slides back into the ring to help free him. However, Death Walker simply backs up with his hostage as he tries to squeeze the life out of XYZ. With the crowd hollering and booking, there's some struggling from XYZ for a few more seconds before - at last - he fades away.
Finally, all of the officials and refs enter the ring to get this madman to stop but Death quickly pulls out a long steel chain, wraps it around his fist and holds a weakened XYZ into position. So everybody rushes The Dark Traveler and tugs on his tightening bicep as he shakes them off vigorously while raising the fist with the weapon. The crowd and staff plead with him once more…
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Jesus Christ! Is Death Walker looking to end XYZ’s career?! I’ve seen a few messages sent in my time but this… think it through!!”
… and he lowers the fist at his side but then raises it again and delivers a powerful punch to XYZ’s ribs. The screams from XYZ and the crowd could shake the arena while the emotionless monster releases a suffering his agonizing victim. Leaving him laying on the mat, the lights cut off again for less than 5 seconds and then cut back on… with only smoke around the ring left behind.
Evening falls on the countryside as a boat floats on the water’s edge, leading to a small and secluded beach. Along the coast, we see a collection of thick and towering red cedar trees. The greenery captures the view of most of the horizon. Below the trees is a collection of smaller flowering trees with a mix of red and white. Hanging from posts are a collection of paper lanterns, lit up to provide visibility as the sun begins to set. Small waves crash onto the beach, covering some footsteps of a woman. The camera only shows her from the elbow down as she wears a stunning kimono dress with a white and purple design, the actual skirt of which only going up to her thighs. Breaking the sight line of the trees is a red torii gate. Its red beams and its iconic shape creates a separation between the mundane and what is sacred. There are wooden stairs which lead up to it and the woman’s wooden sandals clang onto the wood as she steps up. She looks through the gate before taking her first steps, going on a path lined with red lanterns on posts with the path being made of stone and moss.
She speaks in English, having an accent, but we recognise her voice instantly as Vampyra.
Vampyra: “I did not expect to have to make this journey so soon.”
Her voice has a hint of tension under it. She continues on her path.
Vampyra: “Days have turned into weeks, which have become months. Those months have felt like years. Then comes a hard decision. Do you stay and fight? Or give up?”
A shadowy voice whispers in her ear. It is of a woman. It speaks to her in Japanese.
“あきらめる。あなたは選択肢がありません。”
Vampyra: “Is it more honourable to take a stand against a rain of arrows, or let them take you? But in this case, the right thing to do is not to give up… but to escape.”
Along the path, several bushes begin to line the path, showing a mix of vibrant flowers. The sun is continuing to set, so the light from the lanterns become noticeable.
Vampyra: “Escape one battle so you can learn and reflect. So you fight your personal ones.”
“腰抜け”
The voice whispers again. Vampyra stops in her tracks, stung by its words, but she moves onward through the path.
Vampyra: “I entered a new land and experienced everything at once. I survived where countless others who may be older than me or more experienced would fail. I have been praised. But I also have a sinking feeling in my heart. A seed of doubt that others grow and it becomes impossible to ignore.”
She approaches a small bridge over a creek. It has red railings, matching the design of the torri.
Vampyra: “I have to ask myself important questions. What do I want in FWA? How will I go about it…?”
Stepping onto the bridge, she looks down at the water.
Vampyra: “And I need to ask myself again… Who am I? Who is Vampyra?”
“あなたは何もない”
The voice whispers again. A petal from the plant life floats into the wind and onto the water, causing ripples over Vampyra’s reflection. She stands in the middle of the bridge.
Vampyra: "I've been asking these question for years. Before FWA, before wrestling."
She moves off the bridge.
Vampyra: “And now I have more time to think about it. The first decision I have made relates to my recent past. The FWA Television Championship is gone from my possession, and as much as it pains me, it is better for myself to move past it. Past from it and those who harm me-”
“うそつき”
The whisper of the voice cuts through the air like the cold wind. She shudders.
Vampyra: “And towards other opportunities when the time comes. But I have to make some hard choices…”
Towards the end of the path, we see a split. Two conflicting paths. The path on the right has plum trees lining the path. The lanterns on that side are few and far between. The stone path is more cracked. To the left, the path has several cherry blossom trees. Its pink leaves iconic in their imagery. Lanterns hang above, providing a warm comfort.
In front of Vampyra, two signs point in the direction of each path. Its text is written in kanji. To her left…
名誉
To the right.
罪
Vampyra: “And… I will not take them lightly…”
The voice whispers again as the wind picks up.
“がある . . .”
The wind builds and builds, flowers from both paths begin to blow in Vampyra’s direction.
“選択の余地ない”
The wind blows out the lights of the lanterns from both paths as the scene also cuts away.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Vampyra off to do some soul searching it appears, and we must move on from an already chaotic night where we saw an imposter Alyster Black attack the real Alyster and not only that but we also witnessed a heinous assault on XYZ at the hands of Death Walker following their match. We’ll provide medical updates on both Alyster and XYZ as soon as they’re available but again we must move on…”
Allen Price: “Right you are, Jean-Luc, and up next we’ll see Cyrus Truth face off with Tommy Bedlam. Both men came off losses in their respective matches at Back in Town so undoubtedly they’ll be itching for a win here tonight.”
{THE SOUND OF TRUTH || AS I LAY DYING}[MEDIA=youtube]K91qwxCWmrs[/MEDIA]
The familiar theme blares out from the sound system as the Washington Monument overlooks the stage and Cyrus Truth emerges from the back. Truth glances at the monument and then at the crowd before walking down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: “The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a twenty-minute-time-limit! Introducing first…from The Long & Winding Road…and weighing in at 227 lb…he is The Exile…Cyrus Truth!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Truth has been a busy man despite coming off a loss at Back in Town. We found out on Meltdown he’ll be joining Michelle von Horrowitz and champion Chris Peacock in the upcoming world title match at The Grand March.”
Allen Price: “Yeah, that’s all well and good for Truth, but tonight he needs to shift his focus to Tommy Bedlam.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Surely our new world champion, Chris Peacock, will be keeping a keen eye on this match.”
Allen Price: “As well he should but I’m certain he’s more concerned with the condition of Alyster Black after what we saw earlier…”
{WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE || BON JOVI}[MEDIA=youtube]8SiS9ZWaCLY[/MEDIA]
Tommy Bedlam steps out on stage and takes a look at the Washington Monument as well before he averts his focus on Cyrus, and he marches down to the ring while some of the crowd sing along to his theme song.
Natalie Rosenberg: “His opponent…hailing from Sweetwater, Texas…and weighing in at 244 lb…Tommy Bedlam!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Bedlam is coming off a loss to Kleio de Santos at Back in Town, and tonight he hopes to bounce back in what would be a huge win over Cyrus Truth.”
Bedlam enters the ring and removes his black leather vest and hands it off to the ringside attendant. He enters his corner and eagerly waits for the signal of the bell…
DING! DING! DING!
Bedlam and Truth circle each other, trying to find an opening and Bedlam traps Truth in a side headlock but Truth shoves Tommy off into the ropes. Tommy bounces off the ropes and takes down Cyrus with a stiff shoulder tackle! Cyrus shakes that off as he gets back on his feet and the two men lock up again and Cyrus attempts a suplex but it’s blocked by Tommy and Tommy attempts his own suplex on Cyrus. Bedlam gets Truth up but Truth quickly flips over behind Tommy and he catches Tommy with a belly-to-back suplex! Tommy is in the midst of getting back to his feet when he’s brought down to a knee after a stomp to the back of his other knee by Truth…and Cyrus finishes him off with running big boot!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Cyrus took Tommy for a walk on the Broken Path! Cyrus isn’t going for the pin just yet though as he knows he’ll have to inflict more damage than that to keep Bedlam down for the three count.”
Truth has Tommy in a front facelock and he has him near the ropes where he unloads on Tommy with a flurry of knife-edge chops across the chest! Tommy’s chest is beet red after the barrage of chops and Cyrus looks to send Tommy off to the opposite set of ropes, but Tommy counters with his own irish whip to Cyrus and hits the ropes but he hangs on and catches an incoming Tommy with a sharp back elbow! Truth moves Tommy against these ropes now and he waffles Tommy across the chest with an open palm strike! Truth drives a few knees into Bedlam’s gut for good measure. Truth has Tommy up now with a suplex but this time Tommy drops down behind Truth and he hoists Cyrus up and he pushes forward into the ropes and rolls through with an O’connor roll into a german suplex! There’s a brief lull between the two men as Tommy catches his breath while Cyrus recuperates from the german suplex. Cyrus is slow to his feet and he clutches at his head, but he’s taken right back down by a discus lariat by Tommy! Bedlam takes his time, catching his breath again before he makes the lateral press…
One…two…NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Bedlam took too much time to make that pin, which gave Cyrus ample time to find the energy to kick out.”
Allen Price: “Cyrus looks like he had the wind knocked out of him after Tommy leveled him with that discus lariat!”
Tommy curses under his breath but he shakes that off and returns his focus on Cyrus. Truth is trying to regain his composure, but Bedlam isn’t having any of it and Tommy stomps him back down on the mat and drives a few more home for good measure. Tommy then applies a Boston crab submission in the center of the ring…
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Bedlam focused on Truth’s back with those well placed stomps, and now the Boston crab adding even more pressure to Truth.”
Cyrus begins to inch his way toward the ropes, but Tommy does his best to pull Cyrus forward and away from the ropes. Referee Gracelynn Guerrero checks on Truth and Cyrus refuses to quit as she shakes off Guerrero. Cyrus grits his teeth while Tommy is wrenching back and with all the power that he can muster, Cyrus manages to slip out of Tommy’s grasp and Tommy is sent forward and he catches himself before he falls flat on his face. Tommy is sizing up Cyrus now and Cyrus has risen to his feet, and Tommy goes for the Buckshot super kick, but Cyrus instinctively side steps him and spins around behind Tommy and he drops Tommy with a dragon suplex! Cyrus breathes in lungfuls of air as he rises up once more and Tommy is up too and Tommy swings for the fences with another discus lariat but this time Cyrus has an answer for that and he counters with an arm drag takedown into an arm bar submission!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Cyrus now has turned the tide back in his favor, which is unfortunate for Tommy Bedlam, who seemed to be in the driver’s seat prior to his current predicament but Bedlam got a bit overzealous there and paid the price.”
Truth wrenches back on the hold and he drives his knee on the back of Tommy’s neck for good measure. Tommy, to his credit, is able to fight through adversity and he barely clings to the bottom rope to break the hold. Cyrus brings up Tommy by the wrist and Cyrus goes for an irish whip, but Tommy counters and sends Truth into the ropes but Truth comes roaring back with a discus punch that nearly knocks Bedlam off of his feet! This does fire up the Texan and the two of them start trading lefts and rights until Tommy regains the advantage after he drives a knee into the pit of Cyrus’ stomach and he sends Cyrus off the ropes and he catches him with a falling powerslam! Tommy is feeling it now and he begins to feed off the energy from the fans as he brings Cyrus in close and lifts him up…sitout powerbomb into a jackknife pin!
One…two…THREE-NO!
TRUTH KICKS OUT!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Oh, so close, but Truth stays alive! What a match we are witnessing here, wrestling fans!”
Allen Price: “Boy, I thought for sure he had him there!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “You and everyone else here in this sold crowd thought so as well, Price.”
The cameras catch a glimpse of the Washington Monument in the background while Tommy thought he had that one. He confirms with the referee that it was a three count, and this momentary lapse in judgment from Tommy has allowed Cyrus time to recover. Tommy goes to bring Cyrus up and he looks to be going for The Rough Ride, but Truth flips out of it and he catches Tommy in a clawhold before transitioning into a leg sweep STO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Memento Mori from Truth! Truth has Bedlam where he wants him now!”
Truth is in the corner, stalking Tommy as he climbs up to his feet…
Allen Price: ”The Exile is closing in on victory here… but, no! We’ve got some company here at ringside!”
The camera cuts to Uncle J.J. JAY! And Quiet, who have hopped the barricade from the audience in their matching pink tracksuits. They converge at the bottom of the ramp, Truth oblivious to their presence. Suddenly, with Tommy almost on his feet and the crowd booing the interlopers, the two Nephews slide into the ring…
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Here come Uncle and Quiet… but they’re not going for Truth! You’d have thought Cthulhu’s Nephews would be targeting one of MvH’s upcoming opponents at Back in Town, but Uncle charges at Tommy instead… only for Bedlam to duck the attempted clothesline and lift JAY! up and over the top rope!!”
Allen Price: ”Are they trying to get Truth disqualified, here?!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Wouldn’t surprise me…”
Quiet seems ready to charge at the Cowboy, also, but for he can his legs are swiped out from underneath him! Quiet is dragged out of the ring… by none other than Chris Peacock!!
Allen Price: ”IT’S THE WORLD CHAMPION!! Looks like it’s not going to be the Nephews’ day!!”
Peacock takes out Quiet with his cane, whilst inside the ring Bedlam shakes loose the cobwebs and stumbles back towards his opponent. Truth, slightly dumbfounded by the interlude but still alert, manages to telegraph Tommy’s attempt at his superkick. The Exile ducks beneath it… and then hoists Bedlam up onto his shoulders in a fireman’s carry!! The fans know what’s coming next as Truth takes Bedlam in position…JOURNEY’S END! Truth makes the cover…
One…two…THREE!
{RESULT}Winner: Cyrus Truth by pin fall at 16:32.
Natalie Rosenberg: “The winner of the match…The Exile…Cyrus Truth!”
Truth has his hand raised and waits in the ring while Bedlam looks on in frustration after another devastating loss.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “This truly could’ve been anyone’s match, Price. Tommy hung in there with one of the best in the game today in Cyrus Truth… until, of course, the Nephews showed their face and derailed what was a classic contest. I guess the important thing, though, is that the veteran Truth secured the victory.”
Whilst Uncle and Quiet reconvene at the foot of the ramp, retreating up it whilst Tommy eventually follows, cradling his neck, Chris Peacock rolls into the ring. He has his world championship belt over his shoulder, which he adjusts as the Exile’s music blares around the arena.
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”A stand-off here between two of the three competitors in the Grand March’s main event.”
Allen Price: “But maybe even a subtle sign of respect from the champion to one of his challengers?”
Indeed, Peacock offers Cyrus a small nod, perhaps a symbol of his respect for the veteran, as well as an indication of who the champion considers the true enemy. The Exile, though, after releasing a deep breath, shakes his head at Peacock, before climbing out of the ring.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Doesn’t look like Cyrus Truth is having any of it…”
Allen Price: “Rude...”
Truth marches up the ramp as Peacock watches him leave, a slightly indignant look about him after the challenger’s disrespect. We fade out from the scene.
Fallout is continuing on and the camera crew is following Todd Salum backstage as he enters the medical room. In there sitting on the table is a very tired-looking Logan Darwin. The company doctor is shining a light into the eyes of Logan, assumingly checking him for a concussion.
Todd Salum: "Logan, can I just get a few words of what’s on your mind? We haven’t heard a word from you since announcing your return a few weeks ago. You have now been handed two losses since your return."
Logan looks up at Todd, a little bit annoyed.
Logan Darwin: "Todd, if you think this is the first time I’ve lost two matches in a row. You couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been in this game more years than some of the performers in this company. Losing is just a part of it all. Did I come back to lose over and over again? Not by a long shot, to say that I’m worried about these last two appearances would be a lie."
Todd Salum: "What about the King of the Deathmatch Tournament that you’re going to be a part of? Tonight you faced off against a few of the people you will face in that tournament. Some would say momentum is something a person needs in order to make it all the way through a dangerous event like that tournament will be."
Realizing that Todd isn’t going to just let him get checked out by the doctor, Logan pats the doctor on the shoulder to tell him that he’s done. Logan then stands up from the examining table and looks at Todd with a bit of a snarl before he peers into the camera.
Logan Darwin: "Todd, do you want to hear that I’m too old for this? Do you want to hear that my body is running way past its expiration date and that any of these young talents in this tournament will wipe the floor with this old meat suit? Is that what you want to hear, Todd?"
Todd begins to bumble his words a little bit.
Todd Salum: "Well no..that isn’t what I’m saying…"
Logan laughs a bit under his breath before continuing on talking to the camera.
Logan Darwin: "You see Todd I might be walking into King of the Deathmatch looking like I’ve been beaten like a dirty rug but let me say this. I’m going into that tournament knowing it is the quickest way for me to correct the direction that I am finding myself in since my return these past few weeks."
"Above that, there isn’t a single soul in this company, let alone in this tournament that can tell me they’ve been beaten down as much as I have in my life. This body, my mind, has been run into the ground more times than I care to count. But guess what Todd, I’m still here. The heart in my chest still beats as strongly as it did 30 years ago when I first started to get into this business."
"When it comes down to this tournament, momentum be damned Todd. What it takes is heart. And I don’t mean in some philosophical manner either. I mean this line of people in this tournament better be ready to tear the heart from my chest in order to advance past me. Every single one of them needs to know that I might be old, my body might be worn but I know that I don’t have much left. I know every time I step in that ring it is that much closer to my last time. They need to know that with that, I know at the King of the Deathmatch tournament it is the one way to cement Logan Darwin with some of the greats in the FWA. I might have fallen short these past few weeks in these matches but believe me when I say this Todd. The Reaper comes for everyone!"
Logan stares straight into the camera in a demeaning manner as he breathes in and out a little heavier than usual. With that, the camera fades into the next part of Fallout.
{RAT IN MI KITCHEN || UB40}
The bi-weely groan of all present is heard as once again, Ratin Mikichin struts out into view and despite the outdoor setting, he has chosen not to adorn himself with anything other than the mankini in which he is always found; the trusty lime green one being brought out tonight. For some reason, his hair is soaking wet.
Natalie Rosenberg: “Let’s strap in, folks… because the following contest is a Thirty Minute Iron Man Match! Whichever competitor has the most decisions obtained through pin fall, submission, count out or disqualification after thirty minutes will be declared the winner. Introducing first… Ratin Mikichin!”
Allen Price: “J-L, I’ll square it with you on this one. Even I think that we’re going a bit too far with this one.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “As much as I appreciate your showing of solidarity, Price, I fear that we may never escape this horror in which we continually find ourselves. The one solace I can take from this is that surely, after thirty bloody minutes, this thing will be over. It has to be, right?”
Ratin raises the imaginary roof as he bops along the apron before he gets into the ring through the ropes and the cameraman inexplicably gets a back shot as he does so.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Can we fire this sick freak of a cameraman, please? What would possess a human to want to do that?”
{VAMPIRES ARE ALIVE || DJ BOBO}
Whilst Ratin was met with complete disdain to everyone witnessing him, the same cannot be said for his opponent, Steve the Techno Vampire. The Washington crowd seems at least somewhat receptive to Steve, who scurries down the ramp with his cape wrapped tightly around his body.
Natalie Rosenberg: “His opponent… Steve the Techno Vampire!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “It really speaks volumes when this guy is the more favourable of the two, doesn’t it?”
Allen Price: “At least Steve the Techno Vampire has the support of the fans. You never know, that might be enough to carry him through the next thirty minutes.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “What about US, Price?! How will we get through the next half an hour?!”
Steve enters the ring and stands in the centre of it and he waits for another drop in his music before opening his cloak and a large amount of (hopefully) fake bats drop to the mat around his feet. The referee for this one, Richard Davis, sweeps the bats away with his foot and out under the bottom rope, before calling for the bell to get this one under way.
There is minimal response as the match gets underway, and a small graphic appears in the top left corner of the screen which counts down the time remaining in the match. Ratin and Steve approach each other in the centre of the ring and they lock up, and Steve does get the better of it, before putting Ratin in a Side Headlock. They struggle for a moment together, until Steve lets go of Ratin and looks down at his wrist with a look of disgust on his face.
Allen Price: “Oh no, I think he licked him. Yeah, yeah… he did. Well, it is an unorthodox way of escaping a headlock, I suppose.”
Steve wipes the saliva from his arm and Ratin steadies himself again and they prepare to lock up once more, and when they do, Ratin is able to get a go-behind on Steve and applies a waistlock. He tries to lift Steve up, but the Techno Vampire manages to block it by planting his feet on the mat. He grabs Ratin’s wrist and then is able to maneuver out of the waistlock and he wrings Ratin’s arm coming out of it.
Ratin, however, moves back into the waistlock and Steve this time prevents him from taking him over by backing them both into the corner, where once again the cameraman is in prime position to get a view of Ratin from behind.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Can we pay for this cameraman to get some help, please? Also, where has this been this entire time, they’re actually putting on an almost passable wrestling contest.”
Ratin releases his grip on Steve in the corner and Steve turns around and delivers a stomp to the foot of his opponent, which causes Ratin to wail in pain and hold his boot. Steve then picks Ratin up and attempts to place him on the top turnbuckle, but Ratin uses a boot to kick him away.
Ratin then stands up on the second rope and waits for the recoiling Steve to turn around as he adjusts his mankini back into place and then he jumps from the second rope and lands on top of Steve with a Seated Senton! Once again, the cameraman is at the worst-possible angle for the viewing audience, but Ratin this time stays on top of Steve and we have the first cover of the match, almost three minutes in!
ONE… TWO-NO!!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “This guy really puts the ‘ball’ in Glitterball Drop, huh? Did he ask Chris Peacock if he could use that move?”
Allen Price: “Unsurprisingly, he did not. Although, you have to admit that by using a move of the current FWA World Champion, he could be doing a lot worse.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “He executed that move a lot worse than Chris Peacock does.”
Both competitors get up from the mat and tussle once more, and the feed then cuts to backstage momentarily, where Jon Russnow is shown watching the match on a monitor in his office from his desk. Also with him in the office is FWA referee, Joey Ortiz.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “There you see the man responsible for this abomination, Jon Russnow. With him is Joey Ortiz, an FWA official who has really trod the line in recent times; accused of screwing Shawn Summers back at Lights Out and well, a few weeks ago, he attacked both Ratin Mikichin and Steve the Techno Vampire during a match of theirs, whilst refereeing it!”
Allen Price: “We saw how these two in the ring reacted to that, they saw that Shawn Summers got a match with him to take out his frustrations and they wanted the same! They wanted to make Joey Ortiz pay, but Russnow said no.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Yeah, because that would have been taking things too far, right?”
This time it is Mikichin who gets the better of Steve and he manages to take his opponent over with a Headlock Takeover! The hold remains applied on the mat and there is a loud groan heard through one of the headsets.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “We’re just over six minutes into this and this is just pure, unadulterated - and I’d normally shy away from saying things like this - shit. There’s got to be something else we can just show to pass the time, as I can almost hear television sets around the world changing channels. Whilst us here may not be able to escape this, there’s got to be something else we can show instead?”
As Steve manages to fight off Ratin and they both revert back into a lock up in the middle of the ring, neither of them being able to obtain any sort of advantage, and an excited gasp is heard from the same headset as before.
Allen Price: “What is it, J-L? Something happened?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Well, we’ve got something! Ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to come back to this match shortly, but for now let’s hear from one of the individuals who will be vying to become the X Champion when the King of Deathmatch tournament returns next month; Jason Randall, wrestling fans.”
Fallout cameras transition to the backstage area where “The Wildcard” Jason Randall is standing in front of a backdrop with the Fallout logo plastered on it front and center. Randall is not dressed to compete however, instead he’s dressed in his usual casual wear of his own FWA branded t-shirt that simply says “The Wildcard” and underneath there’s a skull and crossbones, and with that t-shirt is his usual black cargo pants that he wears to compete in. Randall still looks a little worse for wear, sporting some wounds from his match at Back in Town.
Jason Randall: “Is the camera rolling? Are we good? Alright, good. Listen, first things first, let’s just get it out of the way right now. Yeah, I lost at Back in Town. Things didn’t go down like I had anticipated. Am I pissed off about that? Yeah, I am. I’m also pissed off that I wasn’t scheduled to compete tonight and instead they have me talking to a camera to talk about the upcoming King of the Deathmatch.”
“Last year they had this King of the Deathmatch tournament but I wasn’t invited to partake due to it being brand exclusive to Fallout, which was bullshit but whatever. I brought back some prestige and honor to that title when it had been lost after being in possession of a piece of shit like Vincent Blackbird, but don’t include me in the tournament because of some brand bullshit.”
“Again, whatever. I digress. The point is that this year there is no brand inclusiveness that’s stopping me from taking part. I get to partake in this year’s festivities, and if you know me you know how happy that makes me. There’s nothing that I love more in this sport than making someone bleed after driving them face first into a pile of thumbtacks, or to send them crashing through a flaming table. I don’t care who I have to go through in this tournament, it doesn’t matter if it’s Darius Wright, Death Walker, or whatever the hell it is that he’s calling himself this week. Hell, it can be the current champion, Alyster Black. I wouldn’t mind tussling with Alyster again, but only this time I’ll be the one coming out on top.”
“Whoever it is that steps in there with me just know that I’m not afraid to bleed.”
Randall shoves the camera away and walks off the scene.
Returning to the ‘action’, we see that the clock has just crept over the ten minute mark and it seems like nothing much has changed and the stalemate is still going on between the two men competing in this match.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Since Jason Randall returned to the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance in the last eighteen months, it is probably fair to say that he’s not been able to achieve everything he was hoping to, and his most recent opportunity at Back in Town for the Television Championship being just another missed chance. It seems like he’s ready and focused going into King of the Deathmatch, though.”
Allen Price: “Hey, Jason Randall is one of the toughest S.O.B.s we have here in this company, and what it says in the win/loss column doesn’t change that. If there was ever a place for him to thrive and do what he does best, it is going to be in that tournament.”
Ratin and Steve break things up again, and even they appear to be getting frustrated about the position that they are finding themselves in on a repeated basis, until Ratin has an idea of sorts. He holds one hand up and encourages Steve to take it, which he does and they interlock their fingers.
Slowly, they both connect their other hand and find themselves in a test of strength! Steve attempts to force Ratin onto the back foot, but their chests collide whilst they struggle and Ratin is then able to turn the tables on Steve using his height advantage and he turns Steve’s wrists back, causing the Techno Vampire some sort of discomfort.
Steve grits his fangs as he is forced down onto his knees by Ratin and the Kazakh nods his head with a crazed look in his eye, but this look begins to shift into one of worry as Steve rallies with the crowd going mild, and Steve fights back up to one knee, and then up to his feet, and he transitions out of the test of strength into a Hip Toss! Ratin bounces around on his backside after the impact, crying out in some pain, and a stomp to the chest by Steve knocks him flat on his back. The camera cuts to Jean-Luc Watkins sitting at the commentary desk with his phone out, messaging someone.
Allen Price: “What have you got going on there, Jean-Luc?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “That Jason Randall thing seemed to work out pretty well, so I’ve got some people backstage trying to find some other stuff going on. Got to be better than this, surely?”
Allen Price: “Hey, come on, that’s not really fair-”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “We’ve got a camera on Chris Peacock.”
Allen Price: “What the hell are we waiting for?!”
The feed shows Chris Peacock walking backstage, with the FWA World Championship around his waist and with his cane slung back over his shoulder. In his other hand, he talks on his cell phone and has a concerned look on his face.
Chris Peacock: “Just keep me updated on how he’s doing, okay? … No, I don’t know who it could have been. Nephews, Buddy System, someone in the tournament… there are plenty of people who would want to hurt Alyster right now… Okay, thanks, doc. Look after him.”
Chris shakes his head as he hangs up the phone and he bristles when a picture on the wall he is walking past depicts Cyrus Truth in a moment of victory. He mutters something under his breath.
Chris Peacock: “Ungrateful piece of shit…”
As Peacock continues down the corridor, he passes a door and he hears what appears to be the sound of someone in distress.
???: “Stop it! Leave me alone!”
???: “Hey, we’re just happy for you! You did great out there tonight.”
Doubling back towards the door, Peacock kicks it open emphatically and arms himself with his cane and notes he is in a locker room and there is a huddle of people in the corner of the room. Having heard a female voice in distress, he seems immediately concerned.
Chris Peacock: “What’s going on in here?”
Two men back out of the corner and turn to face the FWA World Champion; Chris and the viewers recognise them as Jeffry Mason and TYLER. Behind them, Bellatrix Bordeaux is shown backed into the corner, tearful. Mason grins when he sees Peacock, but Chris ignores him.
Chris Peacock: “Trixie? Are you okay?”
Bellatrix Bordeaux: “They’re being mean! All because I lost to him at the Pay-Per-View!”
Trixie points away from Mason and TYLER towards the other corner at the back of the room, where Reagan Cole sits on a steel chair, facing the wall with his head bowed down. Peacock walks over to Cole and grabs him by the shoulder, picking him up and spinning him around.
Chris Peacock: “You’re okay with them doing this?”
There is no answer from Cole, but Mason does step closer to Peacock, although Peacock does not break his disappointed and angry scowl towards Cole, who continues to look into space.
Jeffry Mason: “What he’s comfortable with doesn’t really matter, champ, and to be honest, none of this concerns you. Perhaps you should be more careful, especially as all manner of things are happening to champions tonight.”
Peacock, immediately reminded of Alyster Black, now puts his attention on Mason, who wears a smug grin on his face.
Chris Peacock: “The fuck you just say?”
Jeffry Mason: “I think you heard me. It is a real shame what happened to your buddy - excuse the pun - but if you’re insistent on sticking your nose into my business when you’ve already got enough on your plate, be my guest.”
Peacock moves closer to Mason, who does not show any sign of being intimidated.
Chris Peacock: “Yeah? Well, step, asshole.”
Jeffry Mason: “Oh no, I think you’ve got the wrong impression here, Chris. I think you know who the fighter in this group is and maybe you’ll feel comfortable stepping into the ring with him?”
This statement draws the attention of Reagan Cole, who all of a sudden has a much more vested interest in the conversation and he listens intently as he awaits a response from Peacock. Peacock nods his head slowly and has a smug look on his own face, now.
Chris Peacock: “Let’s get it done.”
Jeffry Mason: “Very good. Well, I think we’ve got everything we needed here. Shall we, boys?”
Mason motions with his hand and leads the way out of the locker room, and Reagan dutifully follows him whilst TYLER hangs back for a moment and gets in Peacock’s face, but Chris looks at him in confusion before TYLER also departs. The camera focuses on the determined look on Peacock’s face until he is taken by surprise by Bordeaux hugging him from the side.
Bellatrix Bordeaux: “Thank you, funny moustache man.”
Chris Peacock: “At least someone around here knows how to say ‘thank you’. Don’t worry about it, Trixie. Good win out there tonight.”
Peacock breaks off the hug and takes a deep breath before leaving the locker room as well and the camera lingers on Trixie for a moment, looking pleased with herself about being on the winning side of things earlier on tonight.
The countdown clock shows that there is now less than thirteen minutes left in the match, meaning that the halfway point was passed whilst the feed was elsewhere. Ratin Mikichin is currently outside of the ring, performing some squats in front of the commentary table and the disgusted faces of Watkins and Price are shown in the background. The camera appears to be mobile and making its way behind Ratin, and Watkins stands up from his seat and points directly to the camera operator.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “DON’T YOU DARE, SON!”
Allen Price: “Things are still tied up here between Ratin Mikichin and Steve the Techno Vampire and whilst we were watching that confrontation between Chris Peacock, Jeffry Mason and Reagan Cole over the treatment of Bellatrix Bordeaux, I think things took a slightly strange turn.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “What is that guy’s problem? Anyway, yeah, stuff out here is pretty messed up, but going back to what we just witnessed; Chris Peacock clearly unhappy about the lack of gratitude being thrown his way by Cyrus Truth and he seemed to talk himself into a match with Reagan Cole after coming to the defence of Bellatrix Bordeaux… and we have received confirmation from Jon Russnow that Reagan Cole will be going one-on-one with the FWA World Champion in the main event of Fallout 027, the final stop for Peacock ahead of his title defence at The Grand March against Cyrus Truth and Michelle von Horrowitz!”
Allen Price: “Reagan Cole will definitely provide a stiff challenge for Peacock, but he is the FWA World Champion for a reason and perhaps he can use that match to give Cyrus and Michelle a reminder of why.”
Steve the Techno Vampire has clearly had enough of the antics of his opponent and he drops down and rolls under the bottom rope to follow up on Ratin himself, and Mikichin abandons the impromptu workout session in order to escape. Ratin runs towards the backstage area and Steve is in hot pursuit! The referee even abandons the count out he had started, realising that if he counted them both out, they’d still be equal. Both Ratin and Steve disappear from view.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Price, we have two options here. We can follow the action backstage, bearing in mind that it was only ten days ago that we saw these two fight through the backstage area of the arena, or… I’ve been told we have another video lined up. I’ll actually let you decide.”
Allen Price: “Does this mean I get a producer credit for the show?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Sure.”
Allen Price: “Roll the tape!”
The screen looks like a wintery mix of white snow mixed with bits of black as we return from the commercial. The signal begins to gain clarity, and the logo of a production company owned and operated by the FWA Television Champion, Shawn Summers, greets viewers.
The logo fades, and our scene comes into focus - the interior of an office furnished as if it were straight out of an episode of Mad Men.
Shawn Summers leans back with his feet propped up on top of his office desk. Under his feet rests the FWA Television Championship title - a few smudges and noticeable scratches on the face plate from the abuse it's suffered since returning to Summers. Shawn wears a white button-down shirt with a silk, black tie carefully tied around his neck. He has rolled the sleeves on the shirt and holds a drink in his right hand that he swirls around as he lets out a deep sigh.
Shawn Summers: "I was generous. Maybe I was too generous when I offered the roster the opportunity of a lifetime. The opportunity to step in the ring with Shawn Summers. The opportunity for the Television Championship."
He pauses and closes his eyes, resting his left hand on his head as he shakes his head in disbelief. Shawn raises the glass to his lips and takes a long sip before continuing.
Shawn Summers: "I had my reservations about making the open challenge because I'm a man that believes one should work for opportunities. But I had hope. My God. I live on it."
He takes another sip from the glass as he again rests his hand on his head in disappointment.
Shawn Summers: "I live on hope but expecting anything of substance from this roster is futile. I regret to inform all of you that the Shawn Summers Television Championship Open Challenge has gone unanswered. Trust me, I am as disappointed as the rest of you. I thought that maybe someone, anyone, would take the opportunity to make a name for themselves against me. Many men have made a name off of me. Alyster Black, Krash, Trevor Ocean, Noah Stocke, and most famously Mike Parr. Look at them - all former champions. That could have been one of you (pointing at the camera), but you all were too much of a(censored by FWA management) to answer the challenge.
“If it were me and I had been graciously given this opportunity I would be walking through that door (points at the door of his office) and delivering a signed contract straight to the (censored by FWA management). "
There is a knock at the door and Shawn looks around in confusion. A voice off-camera is heard saying "that wasn't supposed to happen. Shawn looks visibly shaken but attempts to fix his composure as the door opens. Rocco Sullivan appears in the doorway dressed in an expensive suit. In his hands, there is a large yellow envelope. He doesn’t say a word to Der Basterd, simply putting the envelope on Summers’ desk and walking away.
Shawn looks at someone off-screen with a slightly confused look on his face. The camera zooms in on the envelope as he unseals it. Summers slides a piece of paper out of the envelope and lays it on the desk, now with a smirk of his own.
He lays the paper on the desk in front of himself and reads over it. The camera pulls in closer revealing that it’s an official FWA contract for the TV Title match. At the bottom of the sheet, Tommy Bedlam’s name is signed on the dotted line.
Just below that, the words “Cowboy Up, Bitch” are written in bright red.
Shawn Summers: "It looks like we have our next victim."
He gives the camera a smile and a wink as the screen slowly fades to black.
Allen Price: “Hey! That’s pretty huge stuff, right?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Absolutely, Price. Well, I’ve received a couple more confirmations from Jon Russnow and both concern the man we just saw in that video, the FWA Television Champion, Shawn Summers. As we just saw, Tommy Bedlam has answered the open challenge issued by ‘Der Basterd’ on Meltdown and that match will be taking place at The Grand March! Not only that, but in the main event of Meltdown XVII, Shawn Summers will be taking on someone else who Jon Russnow views as a perennial thorn in his side… For the first time ever, it is going to be Shawn Summers versus Michelle von Horrowitz.”
Allen Price: “Wow, another tune up match for one of the competitors competing for the FWA World Championship at The Grand March and both ‘The Bastard’ and ‘The Dreamer’ have their work cut out for them! Oh, I think something is happening here, Jean-Luc!”
One could be forgiven for forgetting that there is currently a match happening, but they would be reminded when Steve and Ratin come running from the back once again, Steve still in hot pursuit of his opponent. Ratin rolls into the ring, and Steve follows him in. Both men stand up and face each other and then have the same idea to go for a Clothesline… and they take each other down! The timer left on the match shows that there is under five minutes left in this one and due to both men being down and no one having any idea which way this one could go, the crowd actually seem to be getting excited for the finish of the match.
Allen Price: “Jean-Luc, I have a question. This whole match was set up so that there could be some sort of resolution to everything that has been going on with these two, right? So what happens if this match ends in a draw, too?”
There is a pause as Jean-Luc is shown going to speak, but then he catches himself and appears to momentarily drift into deep thought.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I… don’t actually know, Price.”
Allen Price: “Because they can’t just end it, right? You think these two would be happy with that and they’d just take that lying down?”
No answer from Watkins as another unfortunate camera angle is shown with Ratin laid down on his back in the ring and the Washington Monument behind him mirroring something else which is taking place. He adjusts his mankini whilst he brings himself up to his feet, exhausted and Steve does the same. In their defence, they have been playing a prolonged game of cat and mouse for over twenty-six minutes and that would wear most people out.
A scream comes out of Ratin’s mouth as he clubs Steve on the chest with a punch-like attack and Steve is knocked back for a moment and then replies with one of his own. The two begin to exchange slow and laboured strikes, with the crowd favouring Steve over Ratin, and this causes Ratin to take the low road and he breaks the chain with a poke to the eyes, and Steve screams out in pain, holding his hands over both eyes, and Ratin ploughs into him with a shoulder tackle, and the Techno Vampire stumbles back and lands in a seated position against the bottom turnbuckle.
A grin forms on Ratin’s face as he points to Steve in the corner before he turns his back to him and then starts doing his ‘raise the roof’ motion again before he hoicks up his mankini, giving himself a wedgie in the process.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Oh no… Someone stop that cameraman!”
It is too late for Watkins to avoid the inevitable as the cameraman is already in prime position, looking over Steve’s shoulder to see Ratin getting ready to back it up in anticipation for the STINKFACE…
Allen Price: “OH NO! NO! PLEASE. NO!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “CUT TO SOMETHING ELSE! ANYTHING!”
Just as Ratin is about to make contact with Steve’s face…
The feed returns to Fallout and a shot of both Watkins and Price with dumbfounded looks on their faces, and the match timer having less than ninety seconds left on it.
Allen Price: “What the f…”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Nope. Not doing it. Nope. This I can just about handle, but no. I can’t do this anymore, Price.”
Watkins is then shown removing his headphones and standing up, and he tosses the headphones down on the table.
Allen Price: “Where are you going?”
A response is just about heard from Watkins, about “ending this once and for all”, and the crowd’s attention piques as the commentator slides under the bottom rope, where Ratin is rejoicing in his successful implementation of the Stinkface on Steve… AND JEAN-LUC WATKINS DROPS RATIN WITH A RIGHT HAND!
The crowd cheers loudly and Richard Davis looks incredulously towards JLW, who swiftly leaves the ring to return to his position, and Davis calls for a fall!
Fall #1 - Ratin Mikichin (1-0) via disqualification at 29:02
Ratin holds his face on the mat, due to not being hit that hard by Steve during the match at any point, and JLW is shown replacing his headphones on his head.
Allen Price: “What was that about?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I needed to take matters into my own hands, Price. This does not represent the image that I want for this company and I’m not going to take it any longer, especially with whatever the hell we just saw coming as well. This is going to end now, and we can all just move on and forget about it.”
Whilst JLW seems to be very happy with his actions, a slight look of relief even forming on his face, someone who is not happy about how events have unfolded is Steve the Techno Vampire, especially when he realises what this means. Steve wipes his face then goes out of the ring, and he walks towards the commentary desk as Watkins has his feet up on the desktop and his eyes closed.
Allen Price: “I don’t think-”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Doesn’t matter, Price… this is all going to be over soon.”
Steve advances towards the unsuspecting Watkins and he bears his fangs, looking like he is going to sink them into the commentator…
Allen Price: “NO YOU DON’T, YOU MONSTER!”
Just as Steve is about to bite Watkins, ALLEN PRICE SHOVES HIM BACK AWAY FROM HIS PARTNER! From in the ring, Richard Davis notes the additional outside interference… and then calls for another fall to be ended… this one going to Steve!
Fall #2 - Steve the Techno Vampire (1-1) via disqualification at 29:48
Immediately, Allen Price realises his mistake. So does Watkins.
Allen Price: “Oh, no.”
As the seconds tick down to zero, the referee calls for the bell! Thirty minutes is up!
{RESULT}Winner: Draw (1-1) at 30:00.
There is a stunned and slightly unenthused silence as everyone realises what this means. Both Steve and Ratin are smarting from their brushes with the commentators but their eyes eventually meet and then roll as they realise too that they’re still at the same deadlock.
Natalie Rosenberg: “Ladies and gentlemen, this match has ended in a draw!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I can’t believe you did that.”
Allen Price: “I was just trying to help you. I really was.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Look, I don’t have it in me to unpack this right now, if I’m being brutally honest. Can we just cut to a break and then come back for the main event… tag titles on the line.”
A video package recapping the events of the Ground Zero Season Four premiere is shown.
We cut back from the commercial break where we see the inside of a locker room, and judging by the cheap disco ball machine on the counter and the poster on the wall of Whigfield...who? Exactly, a singer from the 90s no one has ever heard of; it can only be the e hideout of one Lizzie Rose. She strolls back and forward in her locker room, looking somewhat anxious...at least more so than usual; maybe she should be more upset, given she has lost her shot at the North American Championship under circumstances that can be best described as weird. She's clearly nervous and keeps looking over her shoulder as if expecting to find some danger, like a gazelle looking up sharply from the watering hole.
Lizzie Rose: "It's just then the door opened."
Joe Burr: "Hey Liz I-"
and that's as far as Joe got before he got a face full of pepper spray from Lizzie Rose
Joe Burr: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-!"
Joe flops down to the floor, clawing at his eyes as Lizzie looked down, her mouth open in abject horror at what she had just done
Lizzie Rose: "OH MY GOD! SORRY! SORRY! SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE DON'T BE MAD!"
She shouts in one exhale of breath.
I'll save you the ten minutes of horrible screaming and Lizzie freaking out and skip to the part where Joe is sat up, blinking rapidly with red eyes as Lizzie passes him a cold drink looking somewhat embarrassed by what she's done.
Lizzie Rose: "....sorry...."
Joe Burr: "Yeah, no, that's like the tenth time you've said that..."
Lizzie Rose: "oh...."
Joe Burr: "So, um. Yeah, what the hell?!"
Lizzie Rose: "Sorry, sorry. It's just....things have been super weird lately....have you ever had that feeling that someone is watching you?"
Joe Burr: "Did you seriously pepper spray me because of a vague sense of unease?"
Lizzie Rose: "....Kinda, yeah? Is that crazy? "
Joe Burr: "Absolutely"
Lizzie Rose: "Yeah, no, that's fair."
Lizzie rubbed her eyes, looking somewhat tired after the events of the week.
Lizzie Rose: "It's just; It's been a rough few days for me with what happened at the PPV and then what happened in Brooklyn, That Princess girl and her weird sister. it's...weird, man. It's just been super weird, I have no idea what they want from me...and I don't trust them. I've thought about calling the police, but what I'm I meant to say? Help me; these guys are being uncomfortably friendly?"
Joe Burr: "It's hard to feel bad for you when you just pepper sprayed me."
Lizzie sighs to herself and runs her hands through her flaming red hair.
Lizzie Rose: "I'll try and find some eyes; maybe that'll cool you down."
Somewhat awkwardly, Lizzie shuffles out into the hallway, if nothing else, to get away from her clearly pissed-off friend. and goes down the hallway; it took only a few steps for her to realize something.
The floor was absolutely coated with red rose petals.
Lizzie blinked down at the pedals as if she was expecting the roses to vanish if she just blinked enough time; giving up on that plan fairly quickly, the green eyes of Lizzie Rose scanned the scene seeing the clear trail the petals were leading off into the darkness.
Lizzie Rose: "Oh, cool… So THIS is how I die."
Lizzie bit her lip and looked behind her as if expecting the friendly neighborhood janitor to scream at Lizzie for leaving a mess. After all, who else would leave rose petals scattered everyone, if not Lizzie Rose?
Lizzie Rose: "Ok, Lizzie. You've seen a horror movie. You know how this stuff ends. You know full well this is some kind of trap set by someone with WAY too much time on their hands and a grudge against the cleaning staff. You're NOT going to take the bait. You're too smart for that. You're just going to nope on out of here and live to fight another day..."
There is a moment of silence as Lizzie looks at the roses on the ground. She takes a few breaths before saying, self-aware.
Lizzie Rose: "...And maybe talk to a shrink about how much you talk to yourself. That CAN'T be healthy."
Despite her words to the contrary, she didn't move. She just kept staring at the path in front of her. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds...Time passed until eventually-
Lizzie Rose: ".....This is why you keep getting in trouble Lizzie."
Unable to resist her curiosity and resigned to her fate, she slowly followed the path laid out for her carefully as if instead of rose petals, she was walking through a sea of land mines, and as she walked, the hallway got slowly but surely darker.
Lizzie Rose: "Hello? Anyone here?” Just a word to the wise if this is your way of saying hello. You could have picked a way that seemed less...murdery...Because if there's a murderer here, I'm going to be annoyed!”
Lizzie continues creeping down the hallway, cautiously following the trail of rose petals before her. Her breath becomes increasingly shaky as she surveys her surroundings and peeks around a corner.
Lizzie Rose: “AH HA!- Oh, it’s a door.”
In front of her is a door labeled with a flickering light that reads EXIT.
Lizzie Rose: “Oh come on, this is like how every dummy dies in a B-level horror movie… Ugh, why am I doing this?”
Lizzie pushes against the door hard and powers through, hoping to hit whatever killer might be behind the door, but it just slams into the wall instead.
A plethora of parking spaces, both empty and taken, are spread out before her. Plenty of places for a serial killer to wait for the right moment to strike… However, against that cliche, she sees someone standing at the very end of the parking lot underneath… a lone black sconce that shines a thick yellow.
Lizzie Rose: “Is… is that the weird girl with the tiara? Oh god, not her again.”
Lizzie goes to turn back the way she came only to find that the door is completely locked shut. Against her deepest wishes, she is forced to head towards Princess Nova under the light.
Princess Nova: “Elizabeth! I’m so glad you could visit! How did you like the flowers, dear?”
Lizzie Rose: “OH YOU MEAN THE ONES YOU LEFT AT MY MOM’S APARTMENT?!... Yeah I totally liked them.”
Princess Nova has a soft giggle.
Princess Nova: “I meant the rose petals, silly! I thought about rolling the red carpet for you, but this is more you.”
Lizzie is taken aback by the friendly nature of Princess Nova, considering the situation, and moves in closer to her face, letting her Brooklyn bravado shine a little bit.
Lizzie Rose: “What do you even want from me?! Huh? What is all of this about?”
Going entirely unnoticed by Lizzie, Keres rises from in-between her and Nova, seemingly from thin air. Lizzie yelps and takes a hop back, frightened by Keres’ appearing act.
Keres: “It is not about what we want from you, Elizabeth. It is about what you want from yourself.”
Keres raises her ha-
Lizzie Rose: “NO! Stop it! Don’t you snap, I’ve seen it before, you will NOT snap!”
Keres stares at Lizzie and then slowly lowers her hand back down to her side.
Keres: “As you wish, Elizabeth.”
Keres looks straight up at the black sconce above her and Nova.
Princess Nova: “Bye Elizabeth! We can't wait to see you again soon!”
Nova waves happily.
The lightbulb in the sconce explodes, sending a dust cloud of glass around them all. Lizzie covers her face and shields her eyes to protect herself. When she looks back towards Keres and Nova… they’re gone.
Lizzie Rose: “What… the… fu-”
Beep-beep.
A notification from Lizzie’s phone. She reaches into her pants pocket to pull out her phone. It’s an email notification. The sender is “Clique of Wrestling Forums.” Lizzie Rose raises an eyebrow before opening the email, reading it through. She is seemingly ecstatic.
Lizzie Rose: “NO WAY! THEY’RE OPENING BACK UP! THEY CLOSED IN 2017! I USED TO TALK WRESTLING THERE EVERY DAY!”
Lizzie can hardly contain her excitement as she hops in place, her nostalgia is being fed happily here.
Lizzie Rose: “I seriously hope I’ll see some of the old crew there! Like ScottyBOI, Wiz, TheRipper, and DaMan! I bet they’d be SO shocked I’m actually wrestling now!-”
Taking a glance at her phone. She reads more of the email. Her eyes squint.
Lizzie Rose: “AND THEY HAVE A NEW E-FED!? I haven’t done that in YEARS, well not since I ACTUALLY started wrestling. Maybe I can get back into that? Never know if it can inspire me here-”
She reads the end of the email out loud.
Lizzie Rose: “This e-fed, named FYOG Wrestling, needs an interest check to see if we have enough potential members for it to start. If interested, reply to this email ‘I’m in.’ and we will write you down. Sincerely, Clique of Wrestling Team.”
Peaking over her shoulder, Lizzie Rose types in her phone the sentence “I’m in!!!” before hitting…
Send.
The joy of indulging in her old hobby has made her feel like nothing short of a kid again. The fan she was, and always has been, is extremely excited… until the screen of her phone glitches and all she sees are a jagged mess of multicolored pixels before it briefly flashes purple and shuts off, becoming as black as the fading of the scene.
{BOW DOWN || I PREVAIL}[MEDIA=youtube]n2EjeMx4bSg[/MEDIA]
We return to the Mall to the sound of I Prevail and general booing, although some cheers can be heard for the challengers as they make their way onto the stage. Jackson Fenix and Nate Savage survey the audience, loosening up slightly before making their way down the ramp. Even Jackson, for once, looks focussed.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Our main event this evening is the third time that the Undisputed Alliance have challenged the Connection for the FWA World Tag Team Championships, with this rematch signed following the events of their first two-on-two match with Dreamer and the Daredevil at Back in Town."
Allen Price: "Many say that Savage and Fenix went close enough to dethroning the Connection to warrant this rematch outright, but it was decided conclusively by the ill-tempered brawl between Nate Savage and Michelle von Horrowitz following that match in Denver. Both Nate and MvH demanded this match be made, upping the ante and making it a Washington Street Fight."
Jean-Luc Watkins: "But as I mentioned, this is the third time that the Undisputed Alliance have challenged Michelle and Gerald for these titles, and you’d have to guess it would be the last for a while. The stakes are high for Nate Savage and Jackson Fenix."
The Undisputed Alliance seem to realise the gravitas of the situation. They wait in their corner as their music fades out, replaced by…
{AS THE SUN SETS || SORRY}[MEDIA=youtube]LvFHa9MnQsU[/MEDIA]
There are more boos as Michelle von Horrowitz and Gerald Grayson walk out onto the stage with their championships on their shoulders. They are accompanied by Uncle J.J. JAY! and Thomas West, who allow the pair the spotlight but follow them down to the ring.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Here come the champions, ready to make their fourth defence here in Washington D.C.. The Connection have been in good form recently, particularly von Horrowitz, who will of course challenge Chris Peacock for the FWA World Championship following her F1 victory…"
Allen Price: "But she won’t be doing that alone, Jean-Luc. We now know that match will be a triple threat, with ‘the Exile’ Cyrus Truth involved, too. The shenanigans of Cthulhu’s Nephews have backfired a little, finally…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "And yet here they are again, at ringside…"
Allen Price: "Only two of them, at least."
Uncle and West remain on the outside whilst the Connection climb into the ring. They stand across the ring from their challengers, readying themselves for the battle to come. Natalie Rosenberg and the official stand between them.
Natalie Rosenberg: "Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is your main event, scheduled for one fall…"
ONE-FALL!
Natalie Rosenberg: "… with a sixty minute time limit, and is a Washington Street Fight for the FWA World Tag Team Championships!"
The belts are handed to the official, who holds them up for the crowd and the cameras to see.
Natalie Rosenberg: "Introducing first, the challengers… at a combined weight of four hundred and seventy six pounds… from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Nate Savage… and from Las Vegas, Nevada: Jackson Fenix… they are… THE UNDISPUTED ALLIANCE!"
A mixed reaction for the Undisputed Alliance. It’s mostly boos, but cheers can be heard, mostly due to who they are scheduled to face.
Natalie Rosenberg: "And introducing the current, reigning, defending FWA Tag Team Champions of the World… accompanied to the ring tonight by Uncle J.J. JAY! and Thomas West… representing Cthulhu’s Nephews, at a combined weight of one hundred and fifty two kilograms, or three hundred and thirty five pounds… from Raleigh, North Carolina: ‘the Daredevil’ Gerald Grayson… from Rotterdam in the Netherlands: ‘Dreamer’ Michelle von Horrowitz… THE CONNECTION!"
The Connection don’t react to the reaction, which is almost entirely derisive but for a smattering of cheers for Gerald. They have eyes only for the Undisputed Alliance. Natalie Rosenberg removes herself from the ring as the official issues his final instructions and conducts his last checks. Then, finally, he calls for the bell…
As soon as the match begins, Nate Savage charges across the ring at the Daredevil, looking to send him over the top rope with a clothesline. Gerald, however, ducks beneath it and sends him up and over the top rope with a back body drop! Jackson and Michelle, meanwhile, duke it out in the middle of the ring with alternating with rights (from Fenix) and forearm strikes (from MvH). Gerald looks at Nate on the outside, who is surrounded by Uncle and Thomas, causing enough of a distraction for Gerald to springboard onto the top rope and take Nate down with cross-body on the outside!! Savage sprawls to the outside, with Gerald and the Nephews proceeding to bring a couple of tables into play from the outside. In the ring. Jackson has succeeded in backing Michelle into the corner and attempts to Irish whip her into the opposite set of turnbuckles. Dreamer reverses, though, halting herself and then sending Fenix back towards the corner he started in. She hits Jackson with a drop toe hold, sending him down face first into the second turnbuckle! When Fenix slumps to the mat, Michelle begins to tear at the second turnbuckle cover, exposing the steel ring underneath.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "All legal in this one!"
From the outside, Uncle slides a chair into the ring, which Michelle picks up with a smile on her face.
Allen Price: "Even help from the Nephews assembled on the outside. Legal, but not exactly ethical!"
Meanwhile, on the outside, Thomas West holds Nate Savage up and wills Grayson to hit him. GG shakes his head, though, and after a few words West lets go of the challenger. Gerald knocks him off his feet with a short arm clothesline, and then throws him shoulder first into the steel ring steps! Inside the ring, Michelle waits for Jackson to get to his feet, but when he does Fenix hits a surprise dropkick! The chair is knocked back into Michelle's face, and she falls to the mat! Gerald hops up onto the apron, looking to enter the ring and rescue his partner, but Jackson knocks him off it and onto Uncle with a single-leg dropkick! Fenix turns towards Michelle with the intention of lifting her up… but West is waiting for her! He's slid into the ring and knocks Jackson off his feet with a shoulder block!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Was only a matter of time, I guess…"
The crowd begin to jeer as Thomas West taunts, before hoisting Fenix up and throwing him into the corner. West begins to work the body… but soon the boos begin to break! The reaction is decidedly more mixed, and the camera picks up why… the Buddy System are marching to the ring!!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Bryan Baxter and Jeremy Best have business with the Nephews at Carnal Contendership, but they weren't expected here tonight in D.C.!"
Allen Price: "They won that Tag Team Scramble match on Meltdown, and will face the winner of this match for the tag team belts… maybe they're interested in seeing a fair fight to crown that winner!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Maybe… given Jeremy Best's recent actions, who knows what they want…"
The Buddy System slides into the ring and West turns to face them. The podcast host succeeds in knocking Jeremy off his feet with a clothesline… but then he's FLATTENED by a shoulder block from Big Bryan Baxter!! West rolls under the bottom rope, and the Buddy System follow him out. Michelle has recovered enough to put Jackson in a grounded side headlock, but we watch Baxter following West with stomps. Jeremy slides out of the ring, too… but his leg is grabbed from beneath the apron! He can't follow! He turns to see a pair of arms clutching his leg, and then pulls a certain young wizard out from under the ring!
And Harry unleashes a cloud of pink mist into Jeremy's face!! Best is blinded and recoils, allowing the nearby Uncle to knock him over the barricade and into the crowd with a clothesline! Uncle and Harry are in pursuit of Baxter, who succeeds in putting JAY! on the mat with an uranage slam. But, when he rises to his feet, Harry clocks him with a vicious right hand!!
Allen Price: "Wait a minute… didn't he lose his hand?"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Don't mention that side hustle on the main product, Price."
Either way, we are shown Harry's hand in close-up, and see that a sleek, translucent, black plasma shell covers a new animatronic appendage. The right hand from it is enough to send Big Bryan Baxter down to his knees. Harry, focussed, puts BBB in a single handed chokehold, before planting him down on the outside with a devastating chokeslam!!
Allen Price: "… Jesus Christ!"
Harry heads off to find Jeremy, leaving Thomas with Baxter on the outside. He hoists Bryan up and throws him into the crowd too, before following him in and planting him with a snap suplex! Meanwhile, in the ring (there's a match going on), MvH is forced to relinquish her side headlock - Jackson having already climbed to his feet - to hit Nate with a mule kick, but then she turns around into a big superkick from Jackson Fenix!! The crowd pops for the move as Michelle falls down to a knee. Jackson picks the chair up from earlier and brings it down with a thud over her head!! Jackson intends to celebrate, but doesn't see Grayson up in the apron. GG springboards in, and takes Jackson down with a knee strike!!
GG looks to follow up on Jackson, but before he can he's met with a barrage of right hands from Nate Savage, which barrels him back into the corner. Savage climbs up to the second turnbuckle and reels off ten right hands (a move that Grayson likes to do), before hopping off and hitting a sidewinder suplex. Jackson is up to his feet now, too, and he and Savage apply a front facelock on either side of Grayson. Before they can hit the double suplex, though, Uncle once more hops up onto the apron. Jackson charges at him, but Uncle drops down, pulling the bottom rope down with him, and Fenix tumbles to the outside! Nate is distracted by this and let's go of Grayson, allowing MvH to hit him with a busaiku knee kick!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Seems like every time the Undisputed Alliance gets something going, one of the Nephews is there to turn the tide. I suppose that's exactly the point, but it doesn't make it any easier to watch…"
As Michelle and Gerald shift Nate into position for a double suplex of their own, Uncle lays into Jackson on the outside with stomps. He then collects one of the tables the Nephews brought from beneath the ring earlier and begins to set it up. The crowd are conflicted, some booing the Nephews but others cheering the table. As JAY! folds out the second leg, though, the audience erupts, and the camera turns to the stage to pick up the cause of the disturbance…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "CYRUS TRUTH!! What’s Cyrus Truth doing here?!"
Allen Price: "I think he’s going Nephew hunting, J-L!"
Indeed, Cyrus makes a beeline for Uncle J.J. JAY! on the outside, grabbing him in a single-handed chokehold, and then taking him down with an STO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Memento Mori! Truth nails Memento Mori on Uncle! The Exile has vowed to work his way through the Nephews, and notable is that Truth isn’t going after Michelle inside the ring… perhaps not wanting to stoop to Dreamer’s level and ruin the ending of a championship match…"
The crowd are on Truth’s side as he picks Uncle up and throws him face-first into the steel ring post. He looks out over the audience approvingly… but doesn’t see a masked man standing behind him. This man appeared from the timekeeper’s area, where he had been the whole match (and, judging by Natalie Rosenberg’s facial expression, unbeknownst to those with a reason to be there), and now waits for Truth to turn around….
Allen Price: "Quiet is here! How many more of them are hidden at ringside?!"
Truth turns to face Quiet, who charges at him for a jumping knee strike. Cyrus sidesteps it, though, and puts Quiet in a full nelson before taking him over with a dragon suplex! All of this commotion is enough to distract the Connection on the outside, who are rolled up by the Undisputed Alliance with simultaneous school-boys…
ONE… TWO… TH – NO!!
Allen Price: "Both of the Connection kick out! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful! Double school-boy roll-up!!"
Michelle and Grayson both scramble up to their feet, but Nate and Jackson are waiting for them with a pair of double clotheslines! On the outside, it looks as though Cyrus has the advantage, as he lifts Uncle up onto his shoulders in an Argentinian rack, looking for the Exile’s Edge… but Quiet grabs Uncle’s flailing legs and pulls him out of the rack, and then the pair hit a double clothesline on Truth! They quickly hoist him up and rock him with alternating right hands, Truth staggering down the side of the ramp and the Nephews in hot pursuit…
In the ring, the Undisputed Alliance have used the distraction to their advantage. Jackson Fenix has Michelle von Horrowitz in his patented reverse chinlock whilst Nate Savage works over Gerald Grayson with power moves. First, we see him nail GG with a powerbomb, before he hoists him up and nails him with a pumphandle neckbreaker! Nate goes for the cover…
ONE… TWO… T – NO!
MvH kicks out, Nate placing her in a sleeper hold immediately afterwards whilst Jackson drags GG up. Fenix relinquishes his reverse chin lock, pulls Grayson in, and hits him with a falcon arrow!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Jackson Fenix does the deal, and now he hooks the far leg…"
ONE… TWO… TH – NO!
Grayson with the kickout this time! We cut away from the action in the ring, the cameras picking up the Buddy System along with Thomas West and Harry the Sane Wizard. They’ve fought a long way away from the ring up the mall towards the Lincoln monument, and are followed by a small group of fans as well as tourists that have been added along the way. Baxter and West are engaged in a hoss battle on the very edge of the Reflecting Pool, exchanging straight right hands, both of them teetering after each one but just about managing to stop themselves from falling in. Harry, meanwhile, has incapacitated Jeremy with knife edge chops using his new hand, and then mounts a nearby bench. He leaps off, attempting a cross-body on Best, but Jeremy catches him! Best shifts Harry into a bearhug position before throwing him onto the grass with a belly-to-belly suplex!
Back in the ring, Gerald is stirring again, Jackson having vacated the ring to find weapons. He throws in the second table (the first already set up outside the ring), a garbage can, a road sign (ironically a ‘GO’ sign) and a second steel chair. Nate, who has been wearing Michelle down with a sleeper, takes her down with a sleeper suplex, and then collects the recovering Grayson. He pulls his head into position between his legs and spikes him down onto a steel chair with a piledriver! Savage with the cover…
ONE… TWO… TH – NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Gerald Grayson again able to kick out, but this one is not going the way the Connection would’ve hoped."
Allen Price: "The focus of their help has been diverted too much, it seems…"
We cut back to the outside, where Uncle and Quiet are still having their way with Cyrus. They’ve taken him to the table they set up earlier, and both take their time in applying a single-handed chokehold on the Exile. The crowd boo at their intention, as they get Cyrus into perfect position… but then we hear a huge pop! The crowd goes wild as once more the camera cuts to the stage…
Allen Price: "TOMMY BEDLAM IS HERE!! A man with issues of his own with the Nephews!!"
Uncle and Quiet have let go of Cyrus, and the masked man charges up the ramp… only to be taken out by a Buckshot Superkick from Tommy Bedlam!!!
Allen Price: "The Nephews are responsible for Tommy’s exit from the F1 tournament, remember, alongside their connivance in his match with Cyrus earlier tonight."
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Uncle J.J. JAY! even counted the three in that match between Bedlam and von Horrowitz in the F1 pool stages, remember… I doubt Tommy has forgotten!"
Indeed, Bedlam locks eyes with Uncle, and marches towards him. JAY!, though, has collected a steel chair to guard himself. He lifts it, ready to strike the charging Bedlam… but Truth yanks it out of his hands! Cyrus stands down hard with a stomp on the back of JAY!’s knee, and then Bedlam wipes him out with a big boot!
The two men share a nod, but have no time to really thinking about their next mouth, because suddenly they’re swamped… three hooded figures - in pink tracksuits, no less - have hopped over the barricade! Maid of Death, the Avatar, and Kha’rina descend upon Truth and Black, bowling him over with attacks with kendo sticks that they brought with them!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "They just keep on coming!!"
Allen Price: "Fortunately, they’ve got a lot of enemies, too…."
In the ring, Jackson Fenix has set up his table in the corner whilst Savage works over Grayson in another one. Jackson positions MvH for an exploder suplex through the table, but she fights out with elbows to the side of the head. She connects with a discus forearm strike, rocking Fenix back, but before she can follow up Savage is on her with a vicious headbutt! Michelle is staggered, and Nate and Jackson put her in front facelocks, before sending her through the table in the corner with a double suplex!! Nate drags Michelle out of the wreckage and hooks the leg…
ONE… TWO… THR – NO!
Michelle kicks out!
On the outside of the ring, having succeeded in taking Truth and Bedlam down with their kendo sticks, Maid of Death, NOE-I, and Kha’rina focus on regrouping the Nephews. They help Quiet and Uncle back up to their feet, and then Kha’rina and NOE-I approach the ring whilst the other three continue the attack on Bedlam and the Exile. Inside the ring, Nate has Michelle up for a powerbomb, but he notices the two women hop up onto the apron. Fenix charges over and successfully knocks Kha’rina off with a body check, but NOE-I drops back down to the outside and grabs his feet, pulling Jackson to the outside and then hurling him into the barricade. Inside the ring, Michelle shifts position on Nate’s shoulders, and then rolls him up with a victory roll!
ONE… TWO… TH – NO!!
Nate is quick to his feet to take Michelle down with a shoulder block, but he doesn’t see that the Avatar has slid in. She picks up the garbage can introduced by Fenix and brings it down over his head!! Kha’rina is in the ring now, too. She has the ‘GO’ sign in her hands, which she repeatedly brings crashing down over the grounded Savage…
Allen Price: "Just too many…"
Kha’rina continues the attack inside the ring as Michelle celebrates the handiwork. The Avatar is checking on Gerald in the corner. The crowd are booing freely, letting their feelings be known as the tag team match is persistently derailed in a determined fashion…
…
{HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER || SISTER SLEDGE}[MEDIA=youtube]TDwutKpVyas[/MEDIA]
Once again, the boos give way to cheers, pandemonium breaking loose as Chris Peacock appears on the stage!!
Allen Price: "Business is about to pick up!!"
The Avatar and Kha’rina instantly leave the ring and charge up the ramp, but they are met half way down it by Peacock, who succeeds in first taking NOE-I out with his cane. Kha’rina gets one in the gut with it, doubling her over, and Disco’s Last Warrior puts her in a front facelock… he spikes her onto the ramp with a DDT!
A little further down the ramp, Tommy Bedlam capitalises on the distraction with a second wind, hitting both the Maid and Uncle with a pair of buckshots! Quiet manages to duck beneath his, but Cyrus Truth is waiting with a steel chair! He folds it around the side of Quiet’s head!!
Meanwhile, in the ring, Nate Savage and Michelle von Horrowitz have fought out onto the apron, where they exchange right hands. Fenix, meanwhile, is working over the cornered GG with stomps…
Elsewhere, by the Reflecting Pool, Baxter manages to hoist Thomas West up and throws him down onto a bench… which gives way under the weight!! The bench implodes underneath the podcast host… and then Baxter hits a senton onto the rubble!!
Back on the ramp, Cyrus Truth and Tommy Bedlam come face to face with Chris Peacock. Bedlam and Black hangs back, but Truth and Peacock step closer to one another. They don’t say a word…
A quick cut to the Reflecting Pool, where Best has Harry up in a fireman’s carry on the edge… only for the young wizard to use his left, human hand to rake his eyes!
Allen Price: "Good job he didn’t use the new one! He’d have had his eye out!"
Jeremy, nonetheless, is forced to drop Harry, who lands behind Best. Jeremy turns around and eats a mule kick to the gut. Harry drags him into position between his legs…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "FLIP PILEDRIVER!!! INTO THE REFLECTING POOL!"
And we’re back to ringside… just in time for Chris Peacock to start swinging at Cyrus Truth!! The Exile doesn’t give an inch, immediately returning fire!! Bedlam doesn’t quite know what to make of it, as Truth and Peacock begin to fight back up the ramp…
On the apron, Savage pulls Michelle’s head into position for perhaps a powerbomb, and looks at the adjacent table on the outside… but Dreamer drops to her knees, and delivers a low blow!! Savage is doubled over, and Michelle drags his head into a front facelock. She hoists him up…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "BRAAAAAAAINBUUUUSTAAAAH!!!"
Allen Price: "Off the apron… through the table!!"
We cut to Truth and Peacock, still exchanging hands, now upon the stage, in the shadow of the Washington monument…
And then back to the ring, where Grayson is still cornered and seated. Jackson backs away from him and, after letting out a primal roar, charges across the ring at GG for a double knee strike… but Grayson is pulled out under the bottom rope!! Two more figures hold Grayson up on the outside, and the eagle-eyed amongst us can see the McClain brothers in their pink Nephew tracksuits, helping to support Grayson’s weight.
Jackson, therefore, has collided with the turnbuckles knees first, and in his pain he doesn’t sense MvH in the ring behind him. Eventually he turns around… and Dreamer runs through him with a busaiku knee kick!!
Back up on the stage, Truth and Peacock exchange right hands… until a sea of security team members floods out of the curtain, doing their best to separate the pair…
Back in the ring, Michelle drags Jackson Fenix over to the corner where she exposed the middle turnbuckle ring earlier in the match. She drops Fenix onto it face-first with a drop toe hold, eliciting a small trickle of blood from his forehead. Jackson falls into position on his back, allowing Dreamer to ascend to the top turnbuckle…
She spares one look towards the stage, where Peacock and Truth are being torn apart by security. She allows herself a smirk, before re-focusing on Jackson…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "450 SPLASH!!"
Allen Price: "And she hooks the leg…"
ONE… TWO… THREE!!
{RESULT}Winner: The Connection by pinfall at 17:37.
The camera struggles to keep up with the commotion that follows the ringing of the bell. First, we see Harry and Baxter, who have continued their brawl to the feet of the Lincoln memorial. Harry is on Bryan’s back, raking at his eyes, whilst the big man attempts to drag him off. Truth, meanwhile, breaks free from the half-dozen or so security guards and charges at Peacock. The Exile gets a right hand in before security again swamps him, dragging them apart. Bedlam is already leaving through the curtain, shaking his head at the situation.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Utter carnage…"
Allen Price: "That whole match was madness, J-L! Impossible to keep up with!"
In the ring, Michelle watches the events on the stage unfold with a wry smile. Gerald has rolled back into the ring, the brotherly duo returning to their seats on the front row. He approaches Michelle, sharing terse but inaudible words with her. She shrugs her shoulders, and then they collect their belts from the official.
Natalie Rosenberg: "Here are your winners… and STILL the FWA World Tag Team Champions… the CONNECTION!!!"
The referee lifts the winning team’s hands into the air, but both snatch them back almost immediately. Michelle’s action is out of impatience and impatience. Gerald, on the other hand, perhaps feels a little undeserving of the victory. On the stage, Cyrus has finally decided to leave, disappearing through the curtain and leaving Peacock to decompress the situation.
Allen Price: "That’s it for Fallout 026, but I think there are quite a few strands in this story still in need of wrapping up…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "There are a lot of wronged parties, Price. Sooner or later, the Nephews will have to pay."
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