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Post by supinesnake on May 29, 2024 8:43:46 GMT
Originally posted by Man. 
The throne room was entirely obliterated due to the protrusion of Octillian the Dread from underneath it and Christopher watched, sword drawn, as the ground broke beneath the corpse of Johan Sommer and the deceased tyrant’s body fell into the depths below. There was no doubt in Christopher’s mind that Sommer’s soul arrived in hell as soon as he drew his final breath after Christopher slayed him.
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 90%
As he looked at Octillian, Christopher thought to himself that this was as good an opportunity as ever to ensure that his mortal foe joined Sommer and he could take as many of his underlings with him as he could.
Octillian cackled with joy as his charges swarmed upon Christopher’s position and Christopher awaited them with his golden sword drawn. Christopher first struck down the twins, one red of fire and the other blue of ice and then drove his sword through the chest of the group’s navigator who did not seem to actually want to fight Christopher. Despite his neutrality, his mere presence meant that he was fair game.
Christopher continued to swing his sword at all manner of beings under Octillian’s influence; no matter how many times he had waged war with this group they always found a way back into his sights. Even after Christopher defeated The Bandit Queen, who had been backed by this collective, he was not free of them. He would never be free of them. The pawns all fell to Christopher, and with a bit of breathing room and many clones of the same man piled at his feet, deceased, Christopher called up to Octillian.
“OCTILLIAN! How many times must we do this? These pawns mean nothing to me. I know what we are building up to so why wait? It is high time that I end this once and for all!”
Despite their allies being slaughtered in copious amounts, Octillian and what remained of his forces began laughing heartily. The sound of the laughter caused Christopher great pain, with a shooting sensation firing through his upper chest and left shoulder. He opened his shirt and looked at the scar across this area, obtained in a battle with Octillian the Dread almost two years prior. He winced as he waited for the laughter to stop. “I will kill every last one of you if that is what it takes!”
“Oh, that’s enough, Christopher. You’re taking all of the fun out of this for me. How predictable are you? Does the fact that a lot of people say this about you not make you want to change things up a bit? You bite off more than you can chew, get humbled, build your confidence back up and then you repeat the same cycle over and over again.
I already know that is what has happened here; Daniel the Great made the great champion look bad and you had to go after Johan Sommer to make yourself feel better about yourself. Please, stop me if I am not making sense.” Octillian put a couple of his tentacles in front of him and held them up in a ‘backing away’ gesture.
“If you know all of this, why are you here, Octillian? What brings you to my door once again?” Christopher asked, full of determination as he felt the grip of his hand on his blade tighten.
Octillian laughed once more and Christopher felt another shooting pain in his scar. “This is not about me, Christopher of Lynbrook. Others have failed in the past by enforcing too much focus on myself. No, this is about them!”
Motioning with one of his tentacles behind Christopher, Octillian caused Fantasia’s champion to turn around and there he saw her. The Bandit Queen. Despite his recent triumph over her, the sight of her caused all of the worries and anxiety that had dominated his preparation for the infamous battle between the two of them and The Watcher, had returned.
CHRISTOPHER OF LYNBROOK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 8%
Defeating The Bandit Queen once was an impressive feat in itself; however conquering over her twice was almost unheard of. Christopher slowly raised his sword, despite how intimidated he felt. Regardless of how small the odds were, he was going to fight and never back down from anyone. Being the champion meant that he would have to be ready for all comers, and if he was going to die, it was going to be on his terms.
Surprisingly, The Bandit Queen did not go in for the kill on Christopher, who had just been through two very arduous fights against ninety-nine versions of Johan Sommer and then Octillian’s forces. Christopher stared at her closely, trying to read her, but his eyes were drawn to her own golden accessory. Her necklace. It was an interesting piece, being half of an eight-tentacled beast, like Octillian.
It was at this moment that Christopher recalled Octillian’s precise wording.
“Them?”
Christopher turned around and then felt a feeling like he had not before as the knife was driven into his chest, straight into his heart. His eyes widened and then they tracked from the blade in his chest to the hand holding it and up the arm and eventually to the face of his attacker. The Bandit Queen was a strong adversary at the best of times, but she was even stronger when she was with her partner.
“I didn’t want it to end this way, Christopher.” There was almost a hint of regret in the voice of The Bandit Prince, but he then dug the dagger in further and twisted it for good measure. “This had to be done, though.”
Christopher found himself choking slightly as blood rushed upwards into his throat and he sputtered some out and saw as some of his blood landed on The Bandit Prince’s golden necklace; the other half of the one worn by his partner. Christopher feebly reached out in front of him with his free hand but clawed at nothing but air before dropping down to his knees and then falling flat on his face. He knew that he was dying.
CHRISTOPHER OF LYNBROOK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 0%The last moments in the realm of the living of Christopher of Lynbrook were spent listening to the triumphant cheers of his mortal enemies. The group that he had fought so many times and in the back of his mind knew would bring an end to him one day because of how ferociously he would pursue them. That day had finally arrived. He drew his final breath - a death rattle - and then succumbed to the wound to his heart.
Octillian and his army rejoiced. After endless skirmishes and battles against Christopher and his own allies, they had won. Most gathered around The Bandit Prince, who looked conflicted about his role in Christopher’s death, but The Bandit Queen was primarily focused on the sword in Christopher’s hand. She slowly walked over to his corpse and prised his hand from the hilt and attempted to pick it up but as soon as her skin made contact with it the sword turned white hot and scalded her immediately.
She gasped and examined the burn on her hand and then furrowed her brow; she knew that she did not deserve to hold the sword that was bound to the champion of Fantasia. The Bandit Queen pondered for a moment whether her partner would, but she instead opted to leave this thought where it lay and joined the rest of her allies. Octillian lead the group away after they decided to simply leave Christopher’s body where it lay. One final show of disrespect towards him to not even afford him a true burial.
Just as Octillian had departed, another lifeform entered what was left of the throne room. Apri was horrified by the sheer number of corpses around the room. As he flew around his worst fear was confirmed when he saw Christopher among the dead. “CHRISTOPHER! NO!”
Whilst trapped in the body of a small blue tit, Apri knew that he could do nothing about this situation, but there was one that he knew that may be able to help. One that would care enough about Christopher to help in this situation and also possess the powers required to make all of this right.
**********
Dark storm clouds rumbled in the sky above the Black Tower, as they always did, regardless of the time of day. A lightning bolt struck one of the few remaining pieces of shrubbery in the courtyard of the tower, disintegrating it immediately. This flash of light momentarily caught the eye of the sole occupant of the Black Tower, the newly-recluse necromancer Alyster Black.
Alyster chose not to bear much mind to the weather or the destruction of his garden by the weather despite not having anything better to do. He shuffled around the tower most days doing nothing in particular as the contents of his laboratory at the top of the Black Tower collected dust as well as water. He did not feel the need to fix the leak in the ceiling which allowed rain to enter in various places.
The reasoning for this inaction was because of the outcomes of his last few experiments. Each had resulted in failure. Despite all of the success that Alyster had experienced in Fantasia, as well regarded as he was by those who knew his name, it was these failures that he had allowed himself to become defined by. They had made him bitter. They had made him push away those that would otherwise believe in him and as a result he decided that it was for the best that he shielded himself from the public eye in Fantasia as much as he could.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 1%
Despite everything that the world could offer him, Alyster was content to leave it all behind, ostensibly. What he desired was to be the person recognised as the greatest champion in all of the land. However, that title was currently held by the man he would consider his closest friend in the entire world and despite his own desires for that recognition, Alyster could not bring himself to change that situation. Of course he was capable of being the one to take down Christopher of Lynbrook, Christopher himself knew this. Alyster suspected that Christopher even feared that happening if the necromancer obtained a golden opportunity to usurp him from his position.
So, with any attempts to make himself stronger faltering and being left without any way to get what he wanted, Alyster decided that he would step away. The world was not going to do him any favours, so why should he it? Instead, his main quarrels were restricted to the rodents which occupied the Black Tower, with Alyster aware that if he left them to their own devices for long enough that they would surely devour him in his sleep.
This particular night would be different, though. Alyster’s solitude found itself disrupted by another daring to approach the Black Tower. This was why Alyster paid such little attention to the combustion of his bush, as he found himself more focused on the silhouette revealed in the sky as the lightning flashed. It was small, but grew in size with each lightning strike as it drew closer to the tower.
Alyster squinted to get the best view of this intruder as he possibly could through his mask and when they were close enough, Alyster noted that it was a small bird. Recognising it, he shook his head in a disappointed manner and opened a window and waited with his arms crossed against the back wall of the room until Apri reached and settled on the ledge of the window.
The bird took a moment to catch his breath, seemingly still with the stamina of the pudgy and unathletic middle-aged man that he once was before his unconsented transformation. Alyster did not want any sort of visitor, especially those that were about to vomit seeds and whatever else birds ate on his floor. “State your business, bird.”
“It’s me, Alyster. It’s Apri.” Of course Alyster knew this, but like many others, he did not care much for Apri despite how close both were with Christopher. “I didn’t know where else to go. It’s Christopher… he’s dead.”
Just like that, Alyster felt his heart sink. His back slid down against the wall and he buried his head in his hands and an equally distraught Apri flapped down and stood on the floor next to Alyster as the necromancer sniffed and tried to stave off the incoming panic attack. “Octillian attacked, and I think it was her. She finally got him, Alyster. It was the Bandit Queen.”
That confirmation made it even worse for Alyster. He knew how fearful Christopher was of her and how he had panicked so often at the mere prospect of facing her. Christopher had confided in Alyster that it was only a matter of time before she would be back for him and it would seem to Alyster that time had come and now his friend was dead. He was truly alone in the world, and he batted Apri’s wing away after an attempt at compassion.
“Alyster, I think you know why I am here. You are the only one that can bring him back, aren’t you? I don’t know any other necromancers and you… legend says that you have evaded death’s clutches more than once yourself. You cannot allow this to be the end of him, please.”
The desperation in Apri’s voice caused the pressure inside Alyster’s head to grow to the point where he feared it would burst. He did not know if there was a way that Christopher could be saved. But he owed it to himself, and to his friend, to at least try. He composed himself as much as he could and then stood up and headed towards the staircase in the tower which would lead up to his laboratory. “I can perform an autopsy, but I’ll need to transfer his body here to do that and then… if I can figure out how she killed him, I might be able to reverse it and bring him back… I hope.”
Alyster was unsure of his own words and he paused for a moment at the door to his lab before pushing it open and grimacing at what he saw in front of him as his tools and other craftware was in no state for proper use due to the neglect. Apri fluttered down onto the back of a chair and watched as Alyster cleared the large workbench in the middle of the room and then stood next to it and cleared his throat before clearly speaking, “MORTUI ONERARIUM!”
A flash of light filled the room and when it returned back to normal, Christopher was on the stone bench and in the same position as he had been left on the floor of Johan Sommer’s throne room. Next to him was the golden sword belonging to the champion of Fantasia, a title which Alyster realised was for the taking after Christopher had fallen short. Despite this, Alyster focused on the task at hand. He flipped Christopher over and ripped his shirt open to reveal the large gash in his chest where his heart is.
“Can you fix this?” Apri asked in a concerned manner. “Can you mend his broken heart?”
Alyster looked down into Christopher’s eyes, the same eyes he had looked to in the heat of battle many times before when back to back with the odds stacked against him. Eyes that had once been full of life and offered reassurance, that now were blank and cold.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 0.5%
“I will do everything in my power to save him.”
Immediately, Alyster turned around and began to rummage around in his cabinets and drawers for remedies and other items which he thought might be able to revive his friend. As he did so, Apri hopped up next to Christopher’s face and looked at it.
“I wonder if he’s in the afterlife yet.”
“It is not a question of ‘if’, but ‘where’?”
**********
With a loud gasp, Christopher woke up and he immediately grabbed at his chest and expected to feel the warmth of his own blood on his hand but was confused when he did not. He sat up and looked down at his chest to see that there was no blood at all. He opened his shirt and his chest was in fact completely bereft of stab wounds altogether, but he noted that the scar he wore from his previous battles with Octillian was still intact. Christopher was unsure why he felt compelled to check his chest.
It was at this moment that Christopher opted to take in his surroundings. He was on a path in the middle of what appeared to be a meadow of some sort. Unclear which direction he needed to travel in, Christopher scanned as much of the vicinity as he could and his eyes settled on what appeared to be a fork in the road a couple of hundred metres in front of him so he decided to jog towards it and as he got closer he saw a signpost in the grass.
Before he had a chance to read it, he heard some footsteps behind him. “A funny thing, isn’t it? Death.”
Christopher was confused and he turned around to see a cloaked figure in front of him, their face entirely obscured. “Wait… I am dead?”
Desperately, Christopher checked his entire body once again and saw that there were no visible fatal injuries to be found. The cloaked figure did not offer a response to the question. “Many believe that our choices in the mortal world decide where we go once we enter the afterlife, but that is not true.”
“Please, save the crypticism for a moment… am I dead?”
As Christopher grew more impatient as to where he was and why he was there, the cloaked figure instead motioned behind Christopher to the two paths leading from the fork in the road. “Two paths leading to two destinations. The higher path takes those deserving to the enlightened lands to spend the rest of their existence in peace and tranquillity, whilst the lower descends to the fiery depths of what those alive would call ‘hell’. Which path do you believe that you deserve to walk, Christopher of Lynbrook?”
Christopher let out an exasperated sigh and then dropped to his knees. “So I’m dead. Great! I had so much more I wanted to do…”
Whilst Christopher was left to wonder about all of the things that could have been; the regrets and missed opportunities in his life, the cloaked figure cleared their throat and spoke again in a much more gruff tone, “Which path will you walk, Christopher?”
The existential crisis that Christopher was going through meant that he was not in a position to think about paths or any other choices that needed to be made, but after slowing his breathing down and wiping a tear from his eye, he stood back up and looked at the cloaked figure. “Did you say… peace?”
The cloaked figure nodded. Suddenly, Christopher felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he stood up even straighter. After months and years of clawing to ascend to the top of the proverbial mountain and gain recognition as the greatest warrior in all of Fantasia and then the constant looking over his shoulder for threats once he had attained that status, peace was what he sought more than anything else in the world.
CHRISTOPHER OF LYNBROOK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 90%For all of the decisions that he had made in his life and on his journey, all of the battles that he had chosen to take upon himself, all of the disdain he stored within himself for his enemies and the torrid vengeful streak that ran through him, he had come to realise that what he actually wanted was nothing more than a chance to rest on his laurels. Only a fool with a death wish would choose battles with the likes of Daniel the Great, Johan Sommer and The Bandit Queen, and Christopher realised that this is perhaps what he wanted all along. It was the Bandit Prince of all people that gave him it.
Whilst Apri was a constant and faithful companion, Christopher felt as if he could no longer carry the burden on his own without proper support. The support he had come to rely on in the shape of his friend, Alyster Black. Alyster had returned to the shadows and his Black Tower, seemingly never to return. Christopher realised that there was not much reason for him to lament no longer being a member of the living. History would tell stories of how he reigned as the champion of Fantasia.
After some further thought, Christopher nodded his head in affirmation and then looked at the cloaked figure with a determined look on his face. “I choose the higher path.”
“Very well. You may proceed.” As Christopher began to walk towards the path on the left which followed a steep hill towards the sky of this realm in between realms, the figure placed a hand on his shoulder, “Remember, only those deserving will be able to successfully journey through the higher path. You will find out whether you are worthy soon enough, Christopher of Lynbrook.”
Christopher nodded, taking in the information and he then set out towards the higher path which promised peace and tranquillity. The cloaked figure watched him leave and then slowly shook his head. “Humph.”
**********
The necromancer screamed in frustration as he tossed a bloodied instrument across his lab. His work thus far had resulted in failure and he was growing ever more frustrated as the hours passed.
Alyster wiped the blood from his hands over the smock that covered his torso before throwing his hands behind his head and exhaling sharply. He needed a moment to think. He needed to calm down, Christopher’s life was on the line.
He was running out of time. Soon Christopher’s body would begin to atrophy and rot, making any life restoring miracle even more difficult to perform. If too much time passed it would become impossible to bring Christopher back.
This prospect filled Alyster with dread. The very notion of losing a friend as valuable and close to him as Christopher was unthinkable. Not after he’d already experienced the pain of loss in regards to his former ally, the man who had been his closest confidant before Christopher. The moustachioed rogue known simply as Krash.
Alyster’s heart sank as he remembered his former ally, he and Krash were as close as two friends could possibly be. Until that fateful day where Krash had thrown his life away in the pettiest of ways imaginable. He had sacrificed himself to destroy an enemy that would threaten their empire. One that would never quit. One that no matter how many times he was defeated, would always find a way to return and wreak havoc over Alyster and Krash’s domain.
Krash sacrificed his life to protect this tower and its inhabitants. And Alyster was powerless to bring him back. It’s why he’d taken up necromancy. It was a selfish pursuit, he simply wasn’t strong enough to let go.
But time had passed and Krash was doomed, Alyster had failed utterly. Restoring his former best friend’s life was impossible.
And it was happening again.
Alyster looked over Christopher’s lifeless body as tears began to well up in his eyes. They resembled one another, especially in this state, to the point where sometimes it hurt Alyster to even look at Christopher. But their friendship was genuine, it wasn’t an attempt by Alyster to recapture something lost, it was different. He and Christopher were more alike, their goals were aligned, and they wanted nothing more than to help each other achieve their wildest dreams. Even at their own expense. At least that’s how Alyster felt.
They’d promised one another that they would sit atop the mountain together, overlooking all of Fantasia as kings. Proven to each be the best, one day knowing that in the end they would have to settle amongst themselves which of them actually was solely.
But for now, he was failing Christopher and running short on time to make good on his promise. His friend laid dead and every application of his craft had proven fruitless. Every incantation had fallen on deaf ears. Every sparkling, life-giving spell had fizzled out. The autopsy had been a bust.
Alyster had reached into the chest of his fallen comrade and touched his heart, it was cold and bereft of life, broken and more than likely unable to be saved. But this had not deterred him from trying. Alyster could still feel Christopher’s presence in this realm, the feeling was weak but it was still there. The man from Lynbrook still had a connection to this mortal plane of existence. But he was torn between this life and the one beyond. His connection was quickly slipping.
But that was hours ago. The presence of Christopher’s soul in this realm had weakened, he had almost completely crossed over to the afterlife and while it was not impossible to pluck a soul from the next world and return it to this one, it would not be possible to do so with a cadaver whose heart had been damaged in the way Christopher’s had.
“All hope is gone.” Alyster quietly whispered to himself as he’d finally resigned himself to Christopher’s fate. His friend was gone and there was nothing he could do to bring him back. It happened again. He had failed. He failed Krash, he failed Christopher, and he’d failed himself.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 0%
The necromancer was snapped from his intense train of thought by the sound of yawning. Apri the bird had been resting on the windowsill and he just stirred from his slumber. “What time is it?” The bird pondered before remembering exactly where he was. “Oh! How goes the resurrection?” His wings fluttered as he leapt into the lab, landing on Alyster’s shoulder. The necromancer was quick to bat him away, sending him scuttering to a shelf high above, safe from Alyster’s wrath.
“Hey! What was that for?”
Alyster snapped, spitting vile filled words at the cursed bird. “Do not presume to use my shoulder as a perch you filthy creature.”
“Come on Alyster, we’re on the same team here.”
“No we are not. Christopher and I are on the same team, and you and he are on another.”
Apri simply shrugged, looking away from the masked necromancer sheepishly before reiterating his prior question. “I take it that things aren’t going well with the resurrection then.”
Alyster sighed, “No, they’re not.”
The necromancer clenched his fists and teeth. He had only ever felt as powerless as he did now when he had attempted to bring back Krash and failed. This endeavour was proving to be as impossible and experience had taught Alyster that hope was pointless.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to help?”
“You can cease your thoughtless prattling and say your final goodbyes to Christopher whilst his soul is still close enough to this realm to hear them.”
Apri shrieked, it was to be expected from a creature as extravagant and boisterous as him, but this shriek was terrifying. Filled with pain, the pain of loss. Apri was a victim of loss, feeling the same pain that Alyster was right now. But powerless to do anything to change his fate, while Alyster wasn’t so powerless, and so Apri begged the masked man to continue trying.
“No, please Alyster there has to be something more that you can do! Anything please. Use whatever resource you need, take whatever you need. Ta-take my life and give it to Christopher! Just don’t give up, keep trying.”
Alyster was filled with shame. He had judged the bird too harshly. That Apri would make such a selfless request. To take his life and use it to restore Chrstopher’s? The necromancer had never considered Apri as anything more than a parasite sucking on Christopher’s blood. But this detestable man had never left Christopher’s side. He was there for him at all times, through the highs and the lows. In the heat of battle and during celebrations. Who was Alyster Black to judge Apri?
Alyster Black was a necromancer, his business was death and his goal was to conquer it.
“Apri!” Alyster called to the sobbing bird. “Apri stop crying. I’ll keep trying, and you can rest easy, your life will not have to be sacrificed.”
Alyster didn’t have the heart to tell Apri that his lifeforce wasn’t strong enough to sustain Christopher, or that further attempts to save him were only token. But he would continue to try, there was no harm in that.
**********
Christopher looked back in the direction that he had walked from, further down the slope and noticed that the beginning of the path where he encountered the cloaked figure was no longer visible and likely had not been for some time. He was unsure how long he had been walking the higher path towards his ultimate resting place and state. The walk had been tough and taxing, but he believed it to be worth it. “It makes sense, one final challenge for the ultimate reward. It shouldn’t be easy, it would be wrong if it was. Never… take the easy way out, Christopher. You never have…”
His thoughts trailed off as he realised perhaps opting for the afterlife of bliss that was promised to him for walking this path could be considered an easy choice, but given it was the last decision that he would ever have to make he decided that he could afford to do it just this once. After challenging himself constantly and making things much harder than they needed to be for his entire life, he was owed one. One easy choice. It did not seem too unreasonable to him.
The further up the path he walked, the heavier the air felt and this made it harder for him to walk at times as the terrain also became more hazardous, too. The path had devolved from paved bricks to scattered stones and then into nothing more than a ledge alongside a steep incline which seemed impossible to scale without any equipment. Christopher kept his back firmly against the cliff behind him and then caught a look down below and saw nothing but mist and what looked to be a bottomless pit underneath him. He could not afford to fall.
Slowly sidestepping across the ledge, Christopher followed it around a corner where he saw that it stopped against the walled side of the cliff. He looked around but saw that there was no way to traverse the gap between this and the opposite-facing ledge that appeared to lead to a much nicer-looking path which led into a cloud. “That has to be the end.”
There was no chance that Christopher was going to turn back, so he knew that he had to jump. The gap appeared to be no more than six feet, something which he was confident he could manage. Christopher took a deep breath and then jumped, but he quickly realised that the pressure in the air made it harder for him to go as far as he would normally expect to. The weight caused him to fall quicker than he thought he was going to…
He did not make the jump, but instead managed to get one hand on the ledge he was initially aiming to get both feet on. He looked down and could not see what was pulling him down and away from his goal…
Christopher began to feel frustrated, and this frustration quickly evolved into anger which surged through his body and made him feel like his head was going to explode. He was frustrated and angry that he could not get his hands on what he desired most and he was not in control of it… he was angrier that he was here in the first place.
Friendship. Family. Love. These are what Christopher fought for when he was alive, what really mattered to him and what made him want to be the best version of himself. Hanging from his ledge, it angered him that it was not enough. The road to hell was paved in good intentions and for all of those good intentions, Christopher failed to truly follow through on them. What benefit was it to his friends and family to follow grudges and become motivated by hatred and fear?
Christopher truly despised Octillian and all of his followers with every fibre of his being. He had even fought someone to the death once over who hated them more. It sickened him that it was one of them that had finally got him and that it was The Bandit Prince of all people to do it. For so long, many had written The Bandit Prince off as nothing more than an underling to The Bandit Queen, but what they had all failed to realise was that whilst his primary success had come alongside her, he was formidable in his own right. Add in the connection he shared with The Bandit Queen and her own skill set - the very same skill set that caused Christopher to descend into a quivering mess whenever he thought about facing her - they were unstoppable together.
Christopher realised that he was a fool for trying to take on Octillian’s army on his own. It had never worked in his favour before and he realised that Octillian was right about him. He had been hoisted by his own petard and bitten off more than he could chew under the high of victory. It was the anger and hatred he held within him which caused him to take on such a futile fight and it was these same feelings preventing him from completing the higher path. How he had chosen to live his life whilst living was preventing him from getting what he truly wanted.
CHRISTOPHER OF LYNBROOK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 0%Christopher let go of the ledge and closed his eyes. After a few seconds he landed on the ground with a thud, but did not feel any pain despite falling from such a great height. He sat up and opened his eyes once more and saw that he was back at the fork in the road, and the cloaked figure was also seated underneath the sign.
“Through deduction, you must now know which path you are truly destined to walk, Christopher of Lynbrook. Now, take the lower path to your true final destination…”
Without saying a word, Christopher stood up and staunchly accepted his fate. His true prize for allowing himself to be motivated by incorrect emotions.
**********
Alyster’s further efforts were failing. Previously he had tried every conventional method he could to save Christopher. This time he had tried every other method. Deals with demons, wishes made to djinns, even harnessing the power of lightning from the skies above. He’d even toyed with the prospect of bringing Christopher back as a zombie. But none of these methods had succeeded.
Apri had been kicked out of the tower and told to nest elsewhere. His presence had become too distracting. The tipping point being an incident where Apri was questioning all of Alyster’s actions, resulting in the necromancer throwing a beaker full of acid at the bird.
A kick out of frustration shook the table that Christopher’s body laid on and the swearing that followed suggested that Alyster had hurt his foot. The masked man hopped toward an adjacent brick wall and slunk down, sitting and staring up at the table.
“You bastard.” Alyster hissed under his breath. “You absolute bastard. You made me begin to care again.”
Alyster shook his head, shaking away a few errant tears. “You made me open my heart to people again. You made me feel the warmth of friendship. Only to take it all away. I’ll never forgive you for this Christopher. I’ll never forgive you for dying on me. How dare you.”
“You knew how hurt I was when I lost Krash. You assured me that the same fate wouldn’t befall you. And I was stupid enough to believe you. I was stupid enough to ignore the realities of this cruel world and I opened my heart again.”
The necromancer slowly rose to his feet, he hobbled over to the table and stood over his fallen comrade. “Look at you. You’re dead, and there’s nothing I can do to bring you back. Just like Krash. And what did you die for? A silly vendetta, this never-ending feud with that band of miscreants, nitwits, and psychopaths. You were finally fallen by the Bandit Queen and her lackeys. Just as you always feared. But at least you went out on top, you get to die holding that golden sword. You get to die before I had a chance to take it from you.”
Alyster reaches toward the sword, touching the hilt, feeling it beginning to burn his hand. Not everyone can carry the sword, only those who prove themselves. Such is its nature. “This was mine too, once upon a time. And now I am not worthy of holding it. The Golden One stole it from me and you defeated him before I was given a chance to. You ended him, you saved us all from the pestilence that was his reign.”
Finally Alyster recoiled, pulling his palm off of the sword. His hand was bright red, warm and slightly burnt. A wound that would heal quickly. “Just look at you now, you were convinced that you were the best, that you were capable of cheating death. Well the truth is that no one does. Not Krash, not Golden, not you.”
“Well…that’s not entirely true. One of us standing in this room has cheated death countless times. But that is not an ability I can share.”
His fist clenched as he lamented the fact. Alyster had been mortally wounded many times before. He’d fallen in great battles but was gifted, or rather cursed, with ever-lasting life. The fruits of his own efforts to save his fallen best friend Krash. This power was a living nightmare for a man who wished to die honourably in battle. This in part is what led to his disappearance and solitary lifestyle of late.
Alyster gumbled and returned to his study, leaving Christopher’s cadaver alone momentarily. He slumped down at his desk and slammed his head on the table. His hands spread across the length of the desk, grabbing it by either side as his head slowly rose. “Would that this desk were a time desk, so that I could correct my past mistakes.”
His fingers clutched the wood, turning white in the process as images of the night when Krash sacrificed his life flashed through his mind. As countless days were spent attempting to bring him back. So much time gone, so much time wasted, so much pain and suffering. A loss too tremendous for any person to withstand, so powerful that Alyster was driven to reverse it at all costs, even at the most personal of costs.
He’d have given anything to bring Krash back, and he would give the same to bring back Christopher.
“Alyster?”
That blasted bird had returned and was calling for him from the other room.
“Damn you bird, must you continue to squawk relentlessly. Have I not earned a monicrom of peace?”
Silence. The bird did not respond.
Alyster sprung to his feet and stomped back to the laboratory. The bird was nowhere to be seen.
“Come on, you’re not going to give up are you?”
It was not the voice of the bird calling to him. It was the dead body laid out before him.
“You’re dead, please remain silent. I’ve lost too much today, I’d prefer not to lose my mind too.”
“Yeah, I understand. I’ve lost everything as well.”
Alyster grumbled. He looked over at his friend, reaching out and touching his cheek, staring into those cold, dead brown eyes. Christopher didn’t move but the voice still echoed.
“So that’s it then? All hope is truly lost?”
“I’m afraid so. There’s nothing else I can do.”
“I understand. I’m sure you did everything you could. Thank you.”
Alyster’s eyes trailed over Christopher’s body, taking in the sight of the battle scars, focusing on the large one left in the wake of his most famous battle with Octillian. Alyster Black had a similar scar on his chest left behind by a deranged foe much like Octillian.
“Damn it!”
He and Christopher were so alike. Both hardened warriors, both victims of brutality. But they shared more than that. They shared a sense of humour, and a sense of belonging. They were peers, on each other’s level. Sharing an understanding that no one else except for warriors of their nature were capable of.
Christopher had spent hours helping Alyster achieve his goals, and Alyster in turn had invested hours into Christopher’s crusade. He wasn’t ready to let go. He needed this friendship. He needed to see this partnership through to the bitter end.
Alyster Black and Christopher of Lynbrook were fated to be together.
As brothers-in-arms.
As friends.
As a team.
Life wasn’t worth living with the loss of a friend, and so acting on a wild theory Alyster went to work on his final gambit.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 90%
The clouds above the tower darkened. Torrential rain began to fall, followed by the sound of thunder. Apri was caught in the storm, but shelter within the tower was reachable. In a desperate flutter he flew to the windowsill of the lab and watched in horror as Alyster Black stood on the table above Christopher. His palms carved open, blood pouring down over his fallen friend, chanting an incantation that Apri couldn’t even begin to decipher.
The storm outside began to worsen, lightning struck the grounds below. The tower shook from the force. Apri squealed in fear. “Alyster!” He called out. “What are you doing?”
His cries fell on deaf ears. Alyster continued to chant as if he was possessed. Lightning struck the tower, hitting the tip of the spire. Energy was collected and the lightning bolt directed down into the laboratory where it struck Alyster and the cadaver.
Apri was blinded by the light, his hearing deafened by the ringing sound of tinnitus. Slowly but surely he began to recover, his vision returning as well as his hearing. Alyster Black laid down on the hard cobblestone floor, staring up at the ceiling, lifeless. Christopher laid down on the table, also without life.
The bird flew down from his perch to the table and checked on Christopher. He was still as he had left him. Apri then peaked down from the edge of the table at Alyster, who stared at the ceiling, his eyes glazed over and cloudy, dead.
“Oh no…” Apri began to wallow. “What have you done you masked fool?”
Alyster’s body stirred, he coughed and Apri shrieked in horror. Startled, the bird flew backwards as Alyster Black sat up. “I’m mortal.” The necromancer spoke with a hoarse voice. “I wasn’t sure that would work but I know it did. I’m mortal.” He held his still bleeding hands up to the light, examining them for a brief moment, feeling the pain and dizziness of blood loss before quickly wrapping them up tightly.
“You…you weren’t mortal?”
“I wasn’t entirely immortal, but I had the ability to cheat death. Now it’s gone.”
“Did you give that power to Christopher?”
“It wasn’t an ability that could be transferred, but it was something just powerful enough to seal Christopher from death’s embrace. I hope.”
As the seconds passed by Alyster’s hopefulness began to dwindle.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 80% and falling **********
The cloaked figure stood up and watched as Christopher took the lower path towards eternal damnation as a price paid for his choices whilst occupying the land of the living. He pulled back his hood and revealed himself to be none other than The Watcher.
“His spirit has been broken again. However, this will not be the same as the times which have come before. This time he cannot possibly hope to rebound back to a position of moral assuredness as he has no place else to go. The path he has been forced to take does not end, regardless of how long he walks it.
Christopher of Lynbrook will never know death until I choose to deal it to him. His only true path; the only one which will give him some sort of advancement is the one which brings him back to me. Where I will not fail again.”
The exiled Watcher afforded himself a small smile, seemingly knowing this intermediary realm well and understanding its mechanisms. He took a seat on the ground once more, cross-legged, and simply waited. In comparison to how long he had waited to get to this point, to finally have Christopher where he wanted him, however long it would take Christopher to realise his true fate was nothing.
“AARGH! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?”
The Watcher’s brief moment of peace was swiftly interrupted by Christopher’s shouting from not too far down the lower path to ‘hell’. He quickly rose to his feet and ran in the direction that Christopher had disappeared to and saw the champion of Fantasia lying on the floor, clutching his chest.
“AH! AHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”
As Christopher screamed, a beam of light shot out from his upper chest, right next to his shoulder and the brightness caused The Watcher to recoil and left him unable to watch what was happening. After several seconds, the light disappeared and the screaming had stopped. The Watcher rubbed his eyes and then looked on the ground to see that Christopher was no longer there. Desperately, he searched the immediate vicinity but found no trace of Christopher, and he shut his eyes closed in anger.
“One way or another, your path leads to me, Christopher of Lynbrook. It is only a matter of time.”
**********
“Is something supposed to happen?”
Alyster ignored Apri’s question and instead maintained his focus on Christopher’s face. He did not want to accept that he had now tried everything he could. Even if he wanted to try something else, he felt physically unable to after performing such a draining ritual. With his new fully mortal form, he was not even sure if he could repeat most of the methods he had tried before without losing his own life.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 1%
“I don’t know. I… I… I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t save him.” Defeated, Alyster dropped down to his knees next to the bench and put his bandaged hand over Christopher’s chest. His fingertips encroached slightly on the scar which ran across Christopher’s chest and unbeknownst to Alyster, a faint glow appeared from Christopher’s chest as he did so.
It was noticed by Apri. “Alyster!”
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 5%
The excited squawking from Apri caused Alyster to pay closer attention to what he was doing and he pressed his hand down on the scar again, and this caused the light to become stronger from within Christopher’s sewn together chest.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 50%
“Keep doing it!”
Alyster roared as he pushed down on Christopher’s chest with full force, and he noticed his own chest glowing as he did so. Soon, the light from both of their chests became too bright for anyone to withstand, even Alyster through his mask.
Lightning lashed down on the illuminated Black Tower once more, causing such a surge of energy that the cracks in the ceiling of the laboratory caused the roof to cave in. Apri swooped out of danger through the open window but Alyster refused to leave Christopher’s side as he willed his friend to return to him once more.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!”
The rubble which had fallen around Alyster and Christopher was fired from the top of the tower and landed in the courtyard below away from them. Alyster had exerted all of his energy after hours of trying to revive his friend. He could not hold on any longer and he slumped next to Christopher on the bench and looked up at the dark clouds above his head and being truly spent, realised that he was about to be reunited with Christopher after all, albeit not in this realm…
Alyster Black, the necromancer who had cheated death countless times, was finally ready to accept his own fate. He was content that he had given his life trying to save the person he held closest to him…
With his final moments, Alyster reached up and pulled his mask off of his face. He did not want to hide anymore. He allowed himself to smile at the end.
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 99%
“Don’t you even think about dying on me.”
Alyster willed himself to turn his head to the right and he saw Christopher looking back at him, with his eyes half open. Together, the two weary and beaten brothers-in-arms started to laugh weakly. Even in such dire circumstances, they were able to enjoy a joke. Christopher pulled himself up and helped Alyster sit up too. “I have so many questions, Alyster.”
“You don’t need to question it, Christopher… just be as happy as I am that it happened. You’re back. That’s all that matters to me.”
ALYSTER BLACK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 100%
Alyster found his eyes welling up and he pulled himself closer to Christopher and gave him a tight hug. “Don’t ever do anything like that to me again. I’ll kill you myself if you do.”
“There’s no danger of that, friend.” Christopher said as he hugged Alyster back. “I’m beginning to think that you had the right idea with this stepping back phase you had going on.
I was chasing things I didn’t need to, for reasons that I shouldn’t have used. All of this with Octillian and the others could have just been avoided if I decided to be the bigger person. I don’t need to carry that hate around with me anymore. It holds me back, Alyster. I was so scared of The Bandit Queen because of how much I hate them; being defeated by her would be so much worse than losing to anyone else because she is one of them.”
Alyster shook his head. “Well, that’s why we’ve got to take her down, Christopher. To give you nothing to be afraid of anymore, especially after she killed you… and then we take down Octillian once and for all-”
“It wasn’t her that killed me, Alyster. It was The Bandit Prince.”
“Him?”
“He’s stronger than we give him credit for, Alyster. When he’s with her, it is like he is someone else. Those necklaces they have… that connection between them. It makes them both stronger. I couldn’t beat them…”
“You want to talk about a connection, Christopher? You think that I’d have gone through everything I did to bring you back for anyone else?
I didn’t bring Krash back… I barely tried. You’re different, Christopher. I don’t feel like you’re the one that everyone looks to as ‘the better one’ when they look at us. They don’t say that about me, either. We’re equals. We’re a partnership. No matter what we might think about those two, no matter how good The Bandit Prince actually is, that’s all people are going to say about those two. It’s her show and he’s just along for the ride.
They know that’s what everyone says. You don’t think that pisses him off every time he looks at her? Everyone ignores his own achievements and focuses on her and everything she’s done? The things she couldn’t have done without him being there to support her? He might not ever be brave enough to admit that he resents her because of it, but he will. Especially when she’s been oh so willing to risk everything they have worked together for. Because if they did lose that, what has he got left?
All of his efforts put into their partnership would have been for nothing. Lost because she could not resist wanting to increase the size of her own star. So all of those people out there that will say that he doesn’t pull his weight and she does all the work, they’re just plain wrong. If anything, it is the other way around.
We don’t have that. I don’t have anything to prove when it comes to you. Sure, I’ve been lucky enough to witness you become the champion of the world, but you didn’t do it because of me. You did that all on your own. I know you don’t take me for granted like she does for him, even though I just dragged you out of one hell of a hole.”
“What are you trying to say, Alyster?”
“That whatever you experienced wherever you were was a bunch of shit, Christopher. You think acting on fear is a bad thing? No. That makes you brave. Acting on fear means that you can do things that you never thought possible.
You’re so scared of her… you’ve already beaten her once! I brought you back because I was terrified of living in a world that you weren’t a part of!”
“You brought me back. I was about to accept my fate and face the consequences of my actions. I’ve rushed into so many things without thinking before and I have paid for it every time. This though? I don’t think I’ve ever been so sure about anything in my life.
Alyster, we’ve already done so many great things together. The Golden One is gone because of us. I still feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface, though. You walked away and I thought that was going to be it... but you came back for me. No one would have blamed you if you chose not to, but you did it anyway.
I think you’re right. We have that connection that’s so important and ours is different to theirs. There’s no disparity between us, perceived or otherwise. If we took those necklaces from them and solidified this extremely special bond… I think we’d be invincible.”
“Are we going to do it, then?”
“We’re going to do it.”
CHRISTOPHER OF LYNBROOK
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 100%
Christopher extended his hand and Alyster accepted the handshake and they pulled each other in for another hug. They stood up and looked at the destroyed laboratory and then heard a high-pitched shriek from in the air behind them.
“CHRISTOPHER!”
Apri zoomed straight into Christopher’s chest and spread his wings across it, not caring that Christopher was covered in both his and Alyster’s blood. Christopher patted his body with one of his hands and Apri then wiped a tear from his eye and flapped in front of Alyster’s face after leaving Christopher’s embrace. “Thank you, Alyster.”
“Thank you, Apri.”
After a couple of seconds, Alyster motioned to his shoulder and Apri floated over onto it and comfortably took a perch, which brought a smile to Christopher’s face. Christopher then picked up Alyster’s mask from the desk and passed it over to his partner, who placed it back on his head to cover his face. They looked at each other proudly as smiles formed on their faces. The lights in their chests shone once more.
FTN
OPTIMISM LEVEL: 100%
**********
Buttons were mashed as Chris and Alyster controlled their likenesses in the game and battled against swathes of Nephews as they fought towards the characters based on Michelle and Gerald in an attempt to obtain their golden necklaces.
Without a word to each other, they looked towards Chris’s championship belts and looked at his half of the FWA World Tag Team Championships that they had won in the match which inspired this level in the game. Christopher was terrified at the prospect of facing Michelle von Horrowitz again, even after besting her at The Grand March 2023. His worries only increased when he considered the increased strength that MvH and Grayson had as a team.
Under the urging of Allen Price, Alyster Black went back on his own word to walk away from the FWA to be there for his best friend and support him through his struggles, bringing him back to a mental state where he could realign with his goals. It was a decision that he did not regret at all as it also gave ‘Black Jesus’ renewed purpose.
The championships that they had won together and the matching ‘FTN’ tattoos on their chests over their respective scars were permanent reminders of the power of their own connection.
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Post by supinesnake on May 29, 2024 8:44:18 GMT
Originally posted by SupineSnake. “a short quiet adventure to fill in the gaps.”
vs. “Paul” [Fallout 030].
It had been a wild handful of days, but there was nothing quite like midnight mass to calm her nerves. Church always had that effect. Margarita wasn't exactly sure what it was about the idols that comforted her. She associated these gaudy golden artefacts with the vague concepts of love and judgement. Mostly, she enjoyed the serenity of thought that came only with giving yourself up entirely to another. This was safest with God, and inside the church.
She glanced back at the golden domes of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. It looked timeless, and she struggled with the idea that it was only a few years older than she was. Until the early nineties it had been a swimming pool. She wondered if, had she been born only a few decades before, she would've acquired the same satisfaction from lengths of breast stroke as she did from midnight mass. She doubted it.
There it was again. Doubt. She'd only been outside of the security of the cathedral's walls for a few minutes and already it was creeping back into her psyche. The further she was from this holy building, both in terms of time and in terms of place, the greater these doubts grew. She was a sinful and spiteful being, for whom every hour was a struggle.
She walked to Arbatskaya to avoid having to change trains and regretted the choice immediately. Most of the other stations would be deserted by now, but this one still hosted a few dozen revellers who were just getting started with their nights of debauchery. Margarita felt her anxieties return, carried on the back of her vanity and her lust. She retreated into a quiet corner of the platform, sat on a bench, and read her Bible.
She fought the distraction of the surrounding voices, but couldn't do the same when confronted by a strange - but ultimately unmistakable - aberration from the norm on the rails. Propped up against the tracks, staring at her with an unblinking gaze and a peculiarly kind smile, was a severed human head.
Margarita lowered her Bible and prepared to scream out. Before she could, her vision was stolen from her, as though a black, leather blindfold was placed over her eyes.
Then, she felt this blindfold begin to shift. Not quite struggle: more manoeuvre itself so that it sat more snuggly upon her face. With silent horror she realised that this appendage was fastening itself to her. Finally, as the process was completed, eye holes opened up in the appropriate position. Through them she could see the platform, the tracks, and the smiling face of the severed head.
She was the same but different. Her fears and doubts remained, as did her lusts and her vanities. But she felt less at conflict with them. Her lack of resistance emboldened her.
"... .. …," she said. It was her voice and someone else's. Agency was a more difficult concept now than ever, but she didn't have time to consider it properly. Her attention was elsewhere.
M.rgarita watched a train arrive at the station. Doors open. Passengers board. Train leaves. She remained on the platform until it had left and the next set of revellers began to straggle in. Then, she left the station and returned to the city.
***
M.rg.rit. arrived outside the tall, squat building in Lubyanka and glanced up at it freely, unburdened of the hesitation and fear that usually accompanied a visit to this location. She knew this building's reputation: it was the home of the FSB and the KGB before that, and there were no records of the uncounted souls who disappeared through its doors for interrogation and never returned. It was the home of terror, and - like most of the other twelve million people who crawled around the city - M.rg.rit. usually afforded it the respect it deserved. This meant hurrying past it with her gaze averted, as if looking at it would be to acknowledge its existence, and the existence of its history. This felt unpatriotic. M.rg.r.t., at least until her strange experience in the metro station the preceding evening, had always considered herself a patriot. At least outwardly.
Not today, though. Today she beheld the yellow-brick, neo-baroque style building in all of its ugly, brutalistic barbarism. It was as angular and uninspiring as every other structure in this grotesque city. Still, she needn't have to worry about that for long.
Her body ached from the hedonistic pursuits of the night before, but M..g…t. didn't want to miss the show.
The fireworks started. Three dozen charges that she'd spent the pre-dawn hours in the city sewers laying ignited spontaneously, ripping the building apart from beneath. A violent burst of orange flame engulfed the structure and most of Lubyanka Square. The lower half of it burst outwards as its upper floors toppled, the roof caving in on walls unable to support its weight. Smoke billowed from the wreckage, which continued to cascade into the surrounding roads.
FSB agents began to flood out of the building, a half-dozen of them attempting to apprehend her on approach to the entrance. They were left staring at the sunrise with broken necks. Her actions were mere instinct, which she followed along a corridor, up two flights of stairs, and to a long line of doors. The air was cold here.
She was close. She didn't know what she was looking for but she was close.
Inside the last room, a body without a head was laid on a slab. Somehow she recognised the shell. She felt a kinship with it, with him, that she wasn't quite able to pinpoint, and certainly not explain. She felt both pity and envy. Not only because of the apparent butchery that led to his demise. In his end she saw her own and it terrified her.
Next to the slab, in a small, metallic chest, was what she was looking for. A tracksuit and a long, pleather trench coat, both bright pink in colour. She held the fabric between her fingers and smiled.
After changing, M……t. barely felt like herself at all.
***
……… meandered across the cobbles of Red Square, the building she had come to visit rearing up in front of her like a stallion on its hind legs. It was one of a large number of impressive structures within the Kremlin walls and, seemingly, was less immediately noteworthy than the others, at least to the large number of Moscovians and small number of tourists assembled in the square. Some were more taken by the colourful domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, others by their own morbid curiosity and Lenin’s mausoleum. There were those only here for the expensive shopping mall adjacent to the square, and those that were beguiled by the tanks and cannons outside the armoury, and those that walked across the high, surrounding walls. Nobody was interested in the plain and unremarkable office building at the top of the hill. Nobody other than ………, that is.
At the door were four men who looked identical and dressed identically, and then a fifth standing a few metres away who was holding an AK-47. They looked her down from head to toe: the black, mouthless mask, the long trench coat, the hot pink tracksuit, and the pair of black ballet shoes. The last of these items was all that was left of Margarita. ……… was smiling but the five agents in her vicinity didn’t know it.
“Вы не можете быть здесь,” the first guard said. He had the correct job for his commanding tone.
“Есть знаки,” the second added. “Разве вы не видели знаки?”
“Ты говоришь на русском языке?” asked a third. ……… continued to smile.
“.’. ….. .. .. …… …,” she said, simply and quietly.
“Да,” the first guard, the one with the commanding speaking voice, agreed. He sounded far more acquiescant now. “Вы знаете, как?”
“. …. … …,” she answered. She turned to face the guard with the gun. “.... .. …. ..-...”
Without a word, the armed man handed over his AK-47 and was no longer armed. Now he was just a man.
“..... …, ………,” ……… said, courteously. The guards stood to one side and allowed her to enter.
She tried to count the number of agents who attempted to stop her from reaching her target at around twelve. There were a handful more after that, including a bottleneck at the bottom of the stairs where she’d repainted the walls red. She considered the arduous task of climbing over this mound of dead men on her way back to the entrance. Perhaps she’d look for an alternative route.
Inside the office upon the top floor, she found the man she was looking for. To pass him on the street he would’ve been unremarkable: old and bald and sturdy, with soft, blue eyes and a subtle, snide smile.
“........,” she said. She gripped the AK-47 gripped tightly in both hands.
“What have you come for?” Vlad asked, with fear upon him. “Are you here to kill me?”
“.’. …. .. …. … .. …. ….,” Quiet said, earnestly. “..... …..”
Vlad laughed. Shook his head. Closed his eyes.
“The whole world has heard me,” he replied, resolute and unwavering. “I am in this, now. There’s no turning back. This will be the end of me, just like I promised.”
“.... . .. …. .. …. …,” she said.
Four minutes and twenty seconds later, Quiet walked back across Red Square in the direction of the Moscow River, the office building bursting into concrete splinters and flame behind her. The plaza became a storm of chaos and paranoia. She stood in its eye and breathed it in. |
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Post by supinesnake on May 29, 2024 8:47:01 GMT
Promos posted by PDF (or external link). |
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Post by supinesnake on May 29, 2024 8:49:55 GMT
Promo reviews. Originally posted by Rosie. I'll look through both @welshyboi and grim 's work today before I do some writing of my own since they both asked for thoughts on promos. First, Welshy's since it was the latest posted one, and it was the first one I clicked. I was surprised but actually pleased you seemingly did a follow-up on a previous promo with the Diary. And that is where the promo shines I think. The diary being this sort of magic connection to a lost ancestor is really interesting and while you were concerned with the overlap of "guardians" with the Dark Guardian for Death Walker and Katsu's own Guardian, this is done with a different presentation and I think works interesting (THOUGH NOT EVERY FOREIGN LANGUAGE IS 'VAMPRIE!' NOT ONE OF THEM IS VAMPIRE! *ahem* Sorry.) But the entire conversation you had with her was engaging with Trixie's naivety providing some humour without taking away from the tone, and her having some genuine anxiety over the big Deathmatch. YW for the graphic btw. Good job. grimNow just you. Genuinely, I find the presentation of the promo and the narrative style is unique and really makes the promo engaging. It's an exploration of Aka and Keiko's relationship, her emotions, and contrasting and comparing them while leading to them deciding to get a house together. (How gay? Happy pride, ya'll). You touch on some of the opponents, but the story and dynamic is what drives the promo throughout. The narration really stands out too. As for the use of footnotes. First of all, you did not use proper Chicago style, so I need to dock some marks on your final paper. Sorry, I don't write the rules. Jokes aside, I think not all of them were REALLY needed. I think it is just you stepping in trying to explain your promo rather than letting us read it for ourselves and come to our own conclusions or let the writing speak for itself. Though I don't really consider it a big slight on the content itself as it is good. That and Cali Hayama is not a Joshi technically. She's Japanese-Canadian, born and raised in Kelowna, BC. Sillyhead  --- Originally posted by Man. Writing reviews for those that I am grading, but I will do my best to come back around and hit up the rest. Can’t promise anything though. Katsu: @princess Rosé I think the dynamic between the YDS trio is very good and as a result of their interplay and how their relationship works, I am looking forward to seeing that get explored further with their entry in the Trios Battle Royal at BIB and how they as a group measure up. I can only assume that the internal struggles within MAYHEM are being established now to move that forward when the time comes for that match. I always think forward planning in promos is a good thing to do as it does help build the world around Katsu some more. Katus’s internal struggles of wondering where she fits in everything being brought out into the open was a good way to flesh these out some more. It is clear that she believes herself capable of success but is also afraid of failure so is getting overwhelmed. I do kind of think that some of the references towards Al were slightly contrived and perhaps Cali did go a bit too hard into him at points. Katsu acknowledging that Al is someone else at a bit of a moral crossroads and unsure where to go could have been something to explore a bit more, but I think you did well to drive home the point that it is in her best interests to focus on one thing at a time, so it makes sense that when she was unconscious she pictured herself within a storm and it was her friends supporting her that brought her back around. I think this was a very good entry for Katsu and another important story beat as she continues on her journey of self-discovery. Nice work. Not sure it was ever explicitly stated anywhere but the pandemic was just not a thing in the FWA universe; there was no point bringing something like that into existence here when it was already ruining so much outside of the fed! Not anything that majorly affects the promo, but just thought it would be worth noting. Al Blizzard: @blizzard Boi This promo was a great follow up to the segment which we saw on Meltdown XXIX with Al and the introduction of Jason Quinn to the FWA audience. Through that and this promo here, you’ve already created a memorable villain in Quinn and you’ve done well to paint Al in a sympathetic light. I liked the flashback segments with their father and then how we can see elements of their father in both Jason and Al’s actions. I think what was lacking with this promo was some light being shed on your opponent, as I think there are some parallels to be drawn between Al Blizzard and Katsu with what both are experiencing at the moment. This was a strong character piece for sure and I am invested in everything going on with Al at the moment as he finds his footing in the FWA properly. I can tell that you’re enjoying working on this Al/Jason storyline through your writing and I look forward to seeing where it goes next. Tommy Bedlam & Bryan Baxter: tommy Bedlam @dubble J The concept of this promo was very good and I think that the gritty feel of this seedy world was captured extremely well in the opening sections where the scene was set. Both of the characterisations of Bedlam and Baxter were consistent with what we would expect from them both and I liked how they were not adapted to fit in with any existing story or media that the promo is based on (although from the aesthetic I am assuming Sin City?). Speaking of how the promo looks, I think the layout was very clean and easy to read and the pictures were good additions to break up some of the text. The font looked different in places, being slightly different shades. Not a massive gripe, but was something I noticed. The motivations for both of these guys to become allies (whether temporarily or longer term - for Bedlam’s sake I hope not because Baxter is bad news) made sense and I definitely got a feeling of them both wanting to make the best out of the hand they have been dealt by being put into this position. I think there was a potentially missed opportunity with the approach and really exploring the dynamic between Parr and Summers and how hard it is going to be for them to put their issues aside, but that isn’t to say that there was anything wrong with how you guys did choose to approach this. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, so well done lads. Jason Randall: @jimmy King I like the journal format used here, although with the Nephew association I think a meta-comment about it being similar to how Gerald Grayson is written was a bit of a missed opportunity. Given Randall’s history, the bounty hunting makes sense and it is interesting to see that things aren’t going his way in that respect and I like that he’s not just giving up despite it. The restraint shown to not be more forceful with his bounty and make him come with him was an interesting choice too. It shows Randall is thinking about things more which for me is good character development. The ending wrapped things around well in terms of the current tension brewing between the trio of Randall, XYZ and Death Walker and I think it was good that Randall acknowledged XYZ’s potential usefulness as an ally against a common enemy. It is usually easy to slate an opponent but I always think a promo can be boosted by also acknowledging their strengths as well. I really liked the line about Randall questioning what he’s even doing associating himself with the Nephews and whether it is something that he actually needs. I think the rest of us know the answer and hopefully Jason will click on soon too! XYZ: @the Golden One The integration of Christian into this group and his evolving story taking centre stage here is a good parallel to what is happening to Jason Randall at the moment with the Nephews. Not sure if that was an intentional similarity to draw out here but I liked it anyway. XYZ allowing some personal doubts to creep in to dampen his optimism somewhat but then not seemingly sharing these worries with his friends is intriguing. None of them can take the spot that Big Al seemingly filled it would seem and perhaps Christian can become that person? You’ve definitely got something cooking here and as we draw nearer to Back in Business I wonder what exactly it could be and how Death Walker and Randall will play into it. Another enjoyable entry here in XYZ’s journey! Mike Parr & Shawn Summers: theprodigy @comeback Kid I really enjoyed the central theme to this promo and how the past and learning to accept it and overcome it were central themes. With the history between these characters, it would have been awfully remiss to ignore all of it and not use it, so you guys did the simple but smart thing and tapped into the history between Parr and Summers. The portrayals of both characters was very strong, and I really enjoyed the subtle things like the dye in Shawn’s hair starting to grow out. Combining that with the confrontation with his father really showed some growth in him and fleshed the character out some more. But even so he did not become truly sympathetic because he drugged a guy. I think the format could have been changed up a bit, in terms of maybe the individual sections could have been broken up a bit to help the flow, so we get a piece of Parr and then a piece of Summers before both arrive at their realisations at the same time and then reunite at the end to bring it home. Nothing wrong at all with how you guys did choose to do it though. Both following similar journeys by confronting their pasts and what they believed was holding them back was strong stuff and does set both up well for where they go next. Both Parr and Summers are FWA World Champions in waiting and this promo showcased why, because it was just very good. Wouldn’t mind seeing a few more fences mended and a run in the tag division either if this is anything to go by. |
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Post by supinesnake on May 29, 2024 8:50:37 GMT
XXX: “UNEASY ALLIANCES”
Live from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, USA.
Thursday 8th June, 2023.
The show begins with sweeping shots of the excited El Paso crowd in attendance inside the Don Haskins Center, with the Texans appreciating the fact that three consecutive FWA shows are being hosted in their home state. Most of the fan signage is geared towards the main event of the night and is pro-Tommy Bedlam and anti-Shawn Summers, with Bryan Baxter and Mike Parr both getting dragged into the rhetoric through association.
Rod Sterling: “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Meltdown XXX! Some of you may be deterred by the name of the show tonight, but I assure you that the only pounding you will see tonight is of the traditional sense in the great matches we have lined up for you. I’m Rod Sterling and as always I am joined by Anzu Kurosawa.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m not sure about that first part, Rod. With Ratin Mikichin lurking about somewhere assuredly, we might end up having to change the rating of the show. That mankini is going to slip off at some point… but onto what really matters and yes, we have an absolutely blockbuster main event tag team match tonight with the most uneasiest of alliances comprising of deathly enemies Mike Parr and Shawn Summers teaming up to take on Big Bryan Baxter and Texas’s own, Tommy Bedlam.”
Rod Sterling: “Three different championships will be represented in that match and our opening contest tonight is another champion versus champion affair… and it is a big one as for the first time ever, Michelle von Horrowitz and Chris Peacock will be facing off one-on-one! Let’s turn it over to Katie Lynn Goldsmith for the introductions!”
In the ring, KLG is waiting with the microphone in her hand and she flashes a smile to the camera and waits for the music to fade out before speaking.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following is your opening contest of Meltdown XXX!”
{HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER || SISTER SLEDGE}[MEDIA=youtube]TDwutKpVyas[/MEDIA]
There’s a strong reaction from the crowd as the first person to make their entrance tonight on Meltdown is the current reigning FWA World Champion, Chris Peacock. Peacock struts out from the back, dressed to compete in a very similar outfit to that he wore at The Grand March, which was the last time he shared a ring with his opponent tonight. Behind Chris is Allen Price, dressed in a garish pastel blue suit, and he rests a hand on Peacock’s shoulder and looks out towards the fans proudly.
Peacock pats the championship wrapped around his waist and then raises the Singapore Cane in his hand above his head and a burst of pyrotechnics shoot out from the stage around him.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Introducing first… accompanied by Allen Price… he is the FWA World Champion… CHRISSSSSSSSSSSSS PEEAAAAAACCCOOOOOOCCCCKKKK!!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “As we walk down the path to Back in Business, Chris Peacock’s showdown with Cyrus Truth for the FWA World Championship grows closer and closer. I won’t lie to you, Rod, but we’ve had more heated build ups between champion and challenger for Back in Business main events before.”
Rod Sterling: “I’m not particularly sure why neither Cyrus Truth or Chris Peacock have spoken all that much about their match. They know its coming up but both seem to be focused on going out there and building up in-ring momentum as opposed to exchanging cross words. Is it because there are none?”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I don’t think that’s true. There’s no love lost between the two of them, but they’re focusing on themselves as opposed to each other. Peacock got a big win over Shawn Summers on Meltdown XXIX and Cyrus Truth defeated Noriko Kaitomi on Fallout 029. Peacock has MvH tonight and Cyrus faces Death Walker on Saturday… not easy matches for either of them.”
The FWA World Champion enters the ring and does a small shimmy to some cheers from the crowd who seem to enjoy his dancing prowess, and Price continues to be nothing more than an applause machine.
{AS THE SUN SETS || SORRY}[MEDIA=youtube]LvFHa9MnQsU[/MEDIA]
Despite being in singles action tonight, Michelle von Horrowitz is notably making her entrance to the music which she shares with her fellow FWA World Tag Team Champion, Gerald Grayson. The crowd make their feelings known towards MvH as her partner Grayson joins her on the stage and both Bill Scorpane and Uncle J.J. JAY! file out from the back as well. Chris Peacock is shown smirking at the reinforcements that his opponent has brought with him.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “His opponent… she is one half of the FWA World Tag Team Champions… MICHELLE VON HOOORRRROOOOWWWIIITZZZZZ!!!”
Rod Sterling: “A rare singles appearance tonight for Michelle von Horrowitz after her focus recently has been on defending the FWA World Tag Team Championships alongside Gerald Grayson and with her career being on the line at Back in Business… this could be one of the last times we see her compete.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “This is one that ‘Dreamer’ will be desperate to win as well, Rod. I think we know how much it would have bothered her to have lost to Chris Peacock at The Grand March, when Peacock showed that he is not scared to bend the rules in his favour either, as MvH has done herself so many times in recent months.”
Rod Sterling: “Well, Peacock is not unbeatable. We saw Danny Toner get one over on him on Fallout 028; Michelle can position herself nicely for another chance at the FWA World Championship after Back in Business with a win tonight… assuming that she will still be a part of the FWA roster.”
Michelle is the first in the ring and is then joined by Grayson, Uncle and Scorpane. Peacock and Price are prevented from doing anything by referee Larry Stevens, which seems to anger Peacock somewhat. There is a collective groan from the crowd as Uncle has taken control of Katie-Lynn’s microphone.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “Cut the music… I’d like to say something to Boogie Baby, here. We have a proposition if you will, Christopher…”
Peacock is shown screwing his face up and he shakes his head albeit is seemingly willing to entertain whatever it is that Uncle has to say.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “Your history with the Nephews is complicated, Boogie Baby, and we still do take some of the credit for the man you are today. You wouldn’t be the FWA World Champion if it wasn’t for all of your friends in the Nephews! You’re welcome, by the way!”
The insincerity is not lost on Peacock or the fans, who all boo Uncle, but he and the others in his entourage ignore it.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “I must admit that we were surprised when we found out that you wanted a match with Michelle von Horrowitz, especially after we know how daunting you were finding the prospect before The Grand March. You don’t appear to have the same worries about Cyrus Truth though, interestingly enough.”
Peacock is shown looking at Uncle blankly, almost bored even.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “We’re not complaining, obviously, because Michelle here has been very keen to get her hands on you after you CHEATED her out of the FWA World Championship at The Grand March!”
The crowd boos at the irony of that statement and MvH is shown to be staring straight at Peacock and not even blinking.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “In fact, all of the Nephews wouldn’t mind teaching you a lesson, but tonight we are offering you the opportunity to just have two of them to contend with…”
Uncle stands in between MvH and Grayson and then grins at Peacock from under his mask.
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “The Connection have dominated the tag team division ever since they picked up this gold and they’ve beaten pretty much everyone there is to offer here in the FWA… but there’s one team that Michelle and Gerald want to face, Boogie Baby. One team in particular… who had the gall to get together for the sole purpose of taking them down. It is time, Boogie Baby.
So our proposition is this… you get that partner of yours down here and Gerald and Michelle have agreed to put their FWA World Tag Team Championships on the line against you and your partner… BUT if you fall at their feet like every team before you, then your little team… is done. What do you say?”
Peacock retrieves a microphone of his own and looks slightly concerned about the offer. The crowd are willing him to accept it, but he looks around cautiously.
Chris Peacock: “Uhh…”
Uncle J.J. JAY!: “OH! I just remembered! Your little friend took his ball and went home, didn’t he? I-”
{SONNE || RAMMSTEIN}[MEDIA=youtube]YtEWoavDlcM[/MEDIA]
The crowd reacts VERY LOUDLY as the music of Chris Peacock’s tag team partner plays and after a few seconds ALYSTER BLACK EMERGES FROM THE BACK! Chris Peacock is shown to be beaming from ear to ear and whilst Uncle and Scorpane seem slightly concerned, both Grayson and MvH are pleased by the appearance of ‘Black Jesus’.
Rod Sterling: “Alyster Black walked out! He said that he was done with the FWA, but he’s here tonight in El Paso! What’s going on, Anzu?”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I don’t think Black was prepared to let Peacock take on MvH and her goons on his own! Are FTN going to accept the challenge?”
Black walks around the ring and then enters next to Peacock and the two members of FTN share a nod before Peacock defiantly looks back at the Nephews in front of him.
Chris Peacock: “I think everyone here in El Paso knows what FTN stands for, right? Tell them!”
Peacock raises the microphone and a booming shout of “FUCK THE NEPHEWS!” fills the arena and Peacock cracks a smirk.
Chris Peacock: “WE ACCEPT.”
There’s a big cheer from the crowd as both MvH and Grayson unclip their championships and pass them to the referee who lifts them up into the air. Stevens then gets to work of clearing the ring of Uncle, Scorpane and Price and then getting both teams into their respective corners.
Rod Sterling: “This is quite a surprise, Anzu! We’ve got ourselves another tag team championship match!”<< 0:00 >>
The crowd in the Don Haskins Center are still very excited as the match kicks off once the bell rings and ironically enough, it is the two participants in the match as originally advertised that get things going with Michelle von Horrowitz and Chris Peacock kicking things off. MvH is stoic as she approaches the centre of the ring, and the FWA World Champion also drops the goofy smile he was wearing to take this very serious match much moreso. Both Peacock and MvH are about to lock up, but Bill Scorpane jumps up onto the apron!
Peacock remonstrates with the official, but as Stevens walks over, Michelle takes advantage and catches Peacock with a European Uppercut to the jaw! It knocks Peacock back and MvH follows up with a few chops to the chest and even one to the face of the FWA World Champion which knocks him to the mat. On the outside, Allen Price storms around the ring to confront Scorpane, but he is overtaken by Alyster Black who starts pursuing Scorpane, who books it around the ring to get away from ‘Black Jesus’.
Rod Sterling: “Alyster Black will not have forgotten Bill Scorpane’s role in the Buddy System’s abduction of his former tag team partner Krash. Maybe Bill will think again about getting involved in this match.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “The important thing is though that Scorpane’s small intervention allowed Michelle to get one over on Chris Peacock and she is really letting him have it here as this match has gotten underway.”
Indeed, MvH has Peacock by the hair with both hands and she slams his face into the middle turnbuckle several times. She allows Peacock to drop to the mat and then hunches over said turnbuckle and rips the padding straight off! Larry Stevens comes across and scalds MvH for doing so and she backs away, but this allows Uncle J.J. JAY! to hop up onto the apron in the opposite neutral corner and remove the second turnbuckle padding from this one. Alyster Black comes across to scare Uncle away, but not before he managed to take the protective padding away.
Chris Peacock rises to his feet and after checking his nose, he sees Michelle waiting for him across the ring and against Alyster’s shouts for the opposite, Peacock charges across the ring and Michelle catches him with a Drop Toe Hold - and PEACOCK LANDS FACE FIRST ONTO THE EXPOSED TURNBUCKLE!!
Rod Sterling: “That was a nasty landing for ‘Disco’s Last Warrior’! The FWA World Tag Team Champions are in control of this one in the early going, Anzu.”
As Peacock slouches against the turnbuckle, blood trickling from his nose, Michelle quickly steps back across the ring and tags in Gerald Grayson, who jumps over the top rope to enter the match.
<< 3:21 >>
Grayson connects with several forearms in the corner to Chris Peacock, who has got minimal offence into this match thus far and not been able to get a tag out to Alyster Black, who is already growing concerned. Once ten forearms have been achieved, Grayson looks to Irish Whip Peacock across the ring, but Peacock turns it around and sends Grayson for the ride instead.
Following Grayson in, Peacock can only watch as ‘The Daredevil’ floats over him and lands on his feet behind him and Grayson grabs Peacock from behind - FIGHT FEVER! The crowd responds well as Peacock gets his first offensive move of the match in and connects with the back fist to Grayson’s face. Peacock turns around and charges at Grayson… but Grayson catches him with a Snap Powerslam! Gerald then hooks a leg;
ONE… TWO-NO!!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Peacock had the chance to tag out there to Alyster Black, but he went back in for more and it cost him. The Connection have done a good job of isolating him early on.”
Smartly keeping hold of Peacock, Grayson tags Michelle von Horrowitz back into the match and ‘Dreamer’ measures a strike on Peacock as Grayson holds him and stings his chest with another chop. As Grayson leaves the ring, MvH looks to shoot Peacock across the ring but again he reverses and sends his opponent across the ring. Michelle clearly anticipates it though and jumps onto the middle rope and looks to come back with a Springboard Crossbody - but Peacock rolls through…
Michelle is on her knees as Peacock stands in front of her and he thinks quickly and runs through her with THE STRUT!!! The crowd cheers as Peacock then falls on top of MvH after catching her out out of nowhere!
ONE… NO!
Rod Sterling: “SHE KICKED OUT AT ONE!”
Instantly, Michelle rises to her feet and stands over Peacock, who is suddenly acutely aware of how angry ‘Dreamer’ is… and he backs into his corner and allows Alyster Black to tag himself in!
The crowd comes alive as Black enters the ring and immediately begins exchanging chops with Michelle! It is clear that the El Paso fans are in FTN’s corner as Allen Price checks over Peacock who was in dire need of a break.
<< 7:59 >>
In the middle of the ring, Alyster Black gets Gerald Grayson up onto his shoulders and looks for a Death Valley Driver, but Grayson attempts to navigate his way around the former X Champion and hit a DDT - but Black stands firm! Black slowly deadlifts Grayson up and elevates him high into the air and catches him with a gnarly Headbutt on the way down! Gerald holds his jaw on the mat and scrambles over to the corner, which - unfortunately for him - is the one with the exposed middle turnbuckle.
Alyster is quick to realise this and he grabs Grayson by the hair and starts forcing his face into the exposed metal of the turnbuckle, and Grayson groans loudly as he tries to pry Black’s hands and get away. However, it is only the referee who can enforce a break and he does so by utilising a five count which Alyster makes the most of.
Rod Sterling: “I don’t think Alytser Black has any issue with getting his hands dirty whatsoever - you don’t become the longest reigning X Champion in history if you aren’t - and if The Connection are going to give him a free weapon, he’s going to use it.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “You can see that Michelle von Horrowitz isn’t happy about it, but she had no issue using that exposed turnbuckle to hurt Chris Peacock earlier on.”
Black grabs Grayson out of the corner and drags his face across the top rope and then bounces his head off of the top turnbuckle in the FTN corner, where Black then tags in Chris Peacock. Black holds Grayson in place and Peacock measures him… and connects with a Pimp Slap directly to the cheek! It is abundantly clear that Peacock does not respect the Nephew and he shoves him into the corner and then climbs up onto the second rope and starts laying into Grayson with punches to the head!
Once ten have been achieved, he drops back down and waits for Grayson to stir and walk forwards into his grasp and then scoops him up on his shoulders and begins to spin around with an Airplane Spin!
Rod Sterling: “Chris Peacock could be looking for some DANCE DANCE REVOLUTIONS - COUNTERED INTO A TORNADO DDT BY GRAYSON!!”
Grayson absolutely spikes Peacock on the top of his head and both men are down on the mat after being the ones to have taken the most punishment for their respective teams in the match thus far.
<< 12:23 >>
Alyster Black finds himself struggling in the Sleeper Hold being applied to him by MvH as she tries to slow the match down a bit and wear down ‘Black Jesus’ as both Peacock and Grayson are in the process of taking a much-needed break. Michelle does well to keep her centre of gravity low and keep on top of Alyster to ensure that the submission is applied as tightly as possible. The crowd begin to get behind Black and encourage him to break free of Michelle’s grasp and he seems to feed off of this and he pulls himself up to his feet and QUICKLY SNAPS OFF MICHELLE WITH A SAITO SUPLEX!
There are cheers as Black stays on his knees for a moment and misses his opportunity to follow up on Michelle as she rolls under the bottom rope and drops to a knee at ringside. Both Uncle and Scorpane rush to check on her. Frustrated, Black charges at Gerald Grayson and knocks him from the apron with a Running Forearm Smash! Black looks at both members of The Connection on the outside and then runs the ropes… AND BLACK SOARS OVER THE TOP ROPE AND TAKES GRAYSON OUT WITH AN ELBOW SUICIDA!
The impact of the blow sends Grayson careening back into the barricade at ringside but attention turns back to the ring where Chris Peacock is now waiting and he is eyeing up Michelle von Horrowitz and looks for a SUICIDE DIVE OF HIS OWN - BUT MVH USES HIS MOMENTUM TO THROW HIM WITH AN OVERHEAD BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!! Peacock lands flat on his back on the base of the ramp and screams out in pain upon landing.
Anzu Kurosawa: “That was crazy, Rod! I don’t think Peacock had ever gone for one of those before and he won’t be in a hurry to do it again after that!”
On the outside, Alyster Black gets up after taking Grayson out and sees Peacock wheezing on the ramp and then sets about following up on MvH, but Uncle stands in his way! Black brushes past him but the momentary distraction is enough for Michelle to catch him with a kick to the midsection, and she then sends him into the ring steps! Michelle picks Black up and then rolls him into the ring and climbs up onto the apron.
As Black pulls himself up from the mat, holding his shoulder, von Horrowitz notices Grayson also back up on the apron and the FWA World Tag Team Champions share a nod… and then pull themselves up and hit Black with STEREO SPRINGBOARD DROPKICKS!!
Rod Sterling: “EVERYTHING SPRINGBOARD! Black goes down and here’s Michelle, who is legal, and she goes for the cover!”
ONE… TWO… NO!!!
Black kicks out but holds the back of his head as replays show that Grayson’s boot caught him flush on the top of his neck. Michelle holds him in place as she considers her next move.
Anzu Kurosawa: “The Connection getting on top of Alyster Black here was largely due to the involvement of Uncle on the outside. During the F1 Climaxxx, Black was the only opponent that Michelle did not truly bend the rules against or use the Nephews to gain an advantage. That seems to have gone out of the window tonight. Perhaps a decrease in respect for Black after who he has since chosen to align himself with?”
<< 17:20 >>
Once again, Alyster Black has been isolated by The Connection, both of whom have done well to wear down both of their challengers, with Peacock only very recently taking his place on the apron back after MvH hurt him on the outside. Michelle walks across the ring and tags in Grayson, who waits in position as she sends Black his way and Grayson connects with a Dropkick directly to his face that takes him down.
Grayson drags Black towards the corner and puts him against the bottom one and begins to start face washing him with the underside of his boot; Alyster’s mask being an extra layer smushed against his facial features. Grayson then backs into the adjacent corner and charges in looking for a running Face Wash, but Black moves out of the way! Grayson collides with the corner and MvH then tags herself back into the match.
As Alyster Black drops to his knees to get across to Peacock who is desperately waiting for a tag back into the match, MvH takes him out from behind at the knee! The crowd boos and Peacock looks over disappointedly and a smirk forms on Michelle’s face.
Rod Sterling: “Alyster Black desperately needs a tag into Chris Peacock and he thought he’d got it, and MvH is revelling in the fact that she denied FTN. Wait, what is Price doing?”
In the same manner that Bill Scorpane had done earlier in the match, Allen Price jumps up onto the apron and this draws the attention of Larry Stevens. With the referee’s back turned still, MvH gets closer to Peacock to taunt him about cutting him off from his partner… AND PEACOCK REACHES BACK AND THEN CRACKS MICHELLE ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD WITH HIS SINGAPORE CANE!!!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Peacock isn’t afraid to bend the rules either! Maybe he’s more like these Nephews than he’s willing to admit!”
There are raucous cheers from the crowd as Michelle falls to her knees after the unexpected shot and then stumbles backwards towards her own corner where an outraged Gerald Grayson is waiting. Scorpane pulls Price down from the apron and the most pathetic shoving match in history begins between the two managers! Stevens prevents Grayson from entering the ring illegally and then turns around to see that Alyster Black is back to his feet and Black dives forward and tags Chris Peacock into the match!
Peacock gets into the ring and runs past Michelle and rocks Grayson with a bunch which does not knock him from the apron and the noise levels of the crowd rise as he then runs the ropes underneath the weak attempt at a strike from MvH and comes back… SPEAR!!! Peacock rises to his feet and beats his chest and waits for MvH to rise to her feet and THEN PEACOCK CHARGES HER INTO THE CONNECTION CORNER AND DRIVES HER INTO THE MAT WITH A SPINEBUSTER! ROLLER DISCO!!!
Stacking MvH up, Peacock closes his eyes and waits for the count… but it doesn't come! Peacock rises to his feet and holds his arms up in exclamation to Larry Stevens, but the reason for the count not coming was the fact that Gerald Grayson blindly tagged himself into the match when Peacock charged MvH into the corner as part of the Roller Disco combination!
This realisation comes too late for the FWA World Champion as he turns around and GRAYSON FLATTENS PEACOCK WITH THE EXTREME IMPACT!!! The Clothesline almost takes Peacock’s head off and the crowd are shocked as Grayson falls on top of Peacock for a cover of his own!
…
ONE!
…
TWO!!
…
THREE-NO!!!
ALYSTER BLACK BREAKS UP THE PIN ATTEMPT!!!
Anzu Kurosawa: “I thought that was it, Rod and The Connection had done it again!”
A late dive from Black saves the match for FTN as well as their status as a tag team and all four competitors are down on the mat and the crowd bursts into applause due to the effort that each have put into the match thus far.
<< 23:45 >>
Alyster Black and Gerald Grayson are the legal competitors in the match and it is the fatigue of both that has allowed Grayson to be able to meet Black punch for punch in the middle of the ring as they exchange blows with the crowd firmly on the side of ‘Black Jesus’. Both Chris Peacock and Michelle von Horrowitz are equally exhausted as they watch from the apron, willing their partners on. Black manages to get the better of Grayson and the crowd cheers as he lands a few strikes in a row and this forces Grayson back into the corner and Black resumes his assault, with it turning into a full blown VIOLENCE PARTY!
The crowd cheers as Black lays into Grayson with everything that he’s got, but MvH has seen enough and she enters the ring and cracks Black in the back of the head with a forearm strike that takes him by surprise and knocks him down. Unsurprisingly, this draws the ire of Chris Peacock and he enters the ring to confront Michelle, but she catches him with a European Uppercut in a very similar manner to the one that she got on him at the beginning of the match.
Peacock is stunned and Stevens appeared to have given up trying to control the match and MvH begins to beat Peacock down, letting out all of her anger towards him.
Rod Sterling: “Peacock doesn’t have anything for this, Anzu. Michelle von Horrowitz is just kicking the tar out of him right now!”
The attacks from MvH cause Peacock’s nose to bleed again after it had sealed following the initial injury and she knees him in the face and backs into the corner where she lines Peacock up. Uncle and Scorpane seem pleased as Michelle has Peacock in her sights; if she hits this then the FWA World Champion is all but taken out of the match. MVH CHARGES FORWARD AND LOOKS TO TAKE PEACOCK DOWN WITH THE BUSAIKU KNEE - BUT ALYSTER BLACK SHOVES HIM OUT OF THE WAY AND TAKES THE MOVE INSTEAD!
Michelle is shocked and Black crumples down to the mat and she turns to see Peacock on the ground again and SHE CHARGES IN AT PEACOCK ONE MORE TIME - BUSAIKU KNEE AGAIN - BUT PEACOCK CATCHES HER LEG AND APPLIES THE COMMENTATOR’S CURSE!!!
The Kneebar is locked in and as neither Peacock or MvH are legal in the match there is nothing compelling Peacock to break the hold whatsoever. He screams and shouts that he’s going to snap her leg and Michelle finds it hard to break Peacock’s grip. Peacock screams loudly and pulls back as hard as he can on Michelle’s leg, doing everything in his power to contort it until he hears the familiar snap.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Peacock has broken people’s legs before with this move; Christian Quinn walks with a cane because of it. Michelle von Horrowitz may not even be able to make it to Back in Business and Jon Snowmantashi at this rate!”
Stuck in the hold, Michelle senses that it won’t be long before her leg gives way to the Peacock’s grip. Gerald Grayson rises to his feet and sees that Alyster Black is down on the mat and he can probably win the match right now but in doing so he would allow Peacock to break Michelle’s leg.
Grayson makes his decision and he runs and jumps over Peacock and Michelle… AND HE LANDS ON TOP OF PEACOCK WITH THE SKY HIGH MOONSAULT!!
It is enough to break the hold Peacock has over Michelle and she instantly grabs her knee after being released and she rolls towards the edge of the ring where Uncle and Scorpane rush over to check on her. Grayson gets up and throws Peacock out of the way and walks back towards the apron where he waits for Alyster Black to pick himself up.
Rod Sterling: “Grayson saved the career and livelihood of his partner, but he’s still got this match to see out and he may have to do it on his own!”
As Black slowly picks himself up, Grayson waits and then slingshots himself forward… EXTREME IMPACT - BUT BLACK DUCKS IT! Alyster runs the ropes and GERALD TURNS AROUND STRAIGHT INTO A ONE SHOT KILL!!! Black’s own Clothesline floors Grayson and Alyster drops down into a cover!!
…
ONE!
…
TWO!!
…
MICHELLE TRIES TO THROW HERSELF TOWARDS THE PIN ON ONE LEG…
…
BUT AN EQUALLY BEATEN PEACOCK CUTS HER OFF!!!
…
…
THREE!!!
{RESULT}Winners: FTN by pin fall at 26:12
The crowd EXPLODE as Larry Stevens calls for the bell and ‘Try a Little Tenderness’ begins to play over the speakers and Alyster Black rises to his knees and raises his arms in the air. Chris Peacock lets go of MvH and tackles Alyster down to the mat and the two partners hug in ecstasy. Not only do they not have to end their team, but they are now the FWA World Tag Team Champions.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here are your winners AND NEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW FWA World Tag Team Champions… Alyster Black and Chris Peacock… FFFFFFFFF… TTTTTTT… NNNNNNNNNNNN!!!”
Allen Price snatches the tag titles away from a devastated Bill Scorpane who stands next to a speechless Uncle J.J. JAY! and Price enters the ring with the belts and hands one to Peacock and the other two Black and they pull him down into their embrace too.
Rod Sterling: “I’m not sure anyone saw this coming, but Meltdown XX has kicked off with new FWA World Tag Team Champions! The Connection’s reign is over! They’ve been champions for almost eight months and now it is over!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Alyster Black is now a two-time FWA World Tag Team Champion and Chris Peacock is now a double champion… and a Triple Crown winner!”
Michelle von Horrowitz is shown to be more concerned with her partner’s wellbeing and she shuffles across the ring towards Grayson whilst also holding her knee which seems to be in not the best way after being trapped in Peacock’s submission. She rouses Grayson and helps him to his feet and together they exit the ring and regroup with Uncle and Scorpane on the outside.
Rod Sterling: “The Connection are going to be hurt by this loss, but I think it is undeniable that they were phenomenal tag team champions, Anzu.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Whether or not you agree with their methods. They came out here week after week and took on the best teams that the FWA could offer and they beat most of them. Look at what it took in the end to dethrone them; one current and one former FWA World Champion. If Michelle makes it past Snowmantashi, don’t be surprised to see them coming back for these titles after Back in Business.”
Despite the meaning behind their name, there is no gloating or mocking on the part of FTN from inside the ring as the former champions slowly walk up the ramp. Chris and Alyster are more concerned with enjoying their moment and the solidifying of the most unlikely of alliances, along with Allen Price. Alyster is pleased to share the moment with Price and FTN then mount opposite turnbuckles and raise their championships, Peacock with both of his.
Rod Sterling: “There’s going to be some serious celebrations in the FTN camp tonight I think! Wait… what’s this?”
The camera cuts to the stage and the Nephews watch on as someone walks out from the back… It’s WEASELPERSON!
Rod Sterling: “weaselperson?! I thought they were taking an extended leave of absence?”
Anzu Kurosawa: “We know weaselperson seemed to show an interest in Alyster Black over the last few weeks after Carnal Contendership and ahead of Golden Opportunity, we had the whole dragonperson thing as well… but they’re back! Why?”
FTN are still celebrating and are totally unaware of weaselperson’s presence as they climb up the steps and into the ring. weaselperson is solely focused on Alyster Black, and after getting down from the turnbuckle, Black sees that they are in the ring and the two look at each other, wordless, for a few seconds.
Rod Sterling: “What is this all about?”
Alyster takes a step closer to weaselperson and even drops his championship belt to the mat as he does so, ready to fight even after such a long match. Peacock and Price now notice weaselperson as well and Peacock looks down at the dropped tag title on the mat and passes his one to Price to hold. He looks down at the FWA World Championship in his hand…
It seems that things are about to get physical between Black and weaselperson, the animosity about to spill over… BUT THEN CHRIS PEACOCK BLASTS WEASELPERSON IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH THE FWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Peacock from behind! weaselperson is knocked out, I think!”
There’s a mixed reaction from the fans as Alyster Black looks down in shock at weaselperson down on the mat and then up at his tag team partner and Peacock nods his head and mouths off a bit, angry about something. Black puts a hand on Peacock’s shoulder and reassures him that it is okay with Price offering additional support. FTN then leave the ring together, after Black takes one final look at weaselperson unconscious in the ring.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, Rod, if you ask me… I think Chris Peacock wasn’t happy that weaselperson came out here to confront Alyster Black during their moment. I can kind of see where he’s coming from… but I expected better from the FWA World Champion.
Rod Sterling: “There’s definitely some unresolved issues here between Black and weaselperson, but Peacock may have just thrown a wrench in those plans. The headline here though is that FTN are your new FWA World Tag Team Champions!”
Black and Peacock walk up the ramp with Allen Price following them, and Peacock offers his hand to some of the fans in the front row but noticeably only a few of them accept it.
The previous match for Meltdown has just wrapped up and the cameras find their way backstage, more specifically in the hallway leading towards Jon Russnow’s office. In front of the camera you can see Todd Salum rushing down the hallway. As the camera makes its way closer towards Russnow’s office it then spots, presumably, the reason Salum is in a rush. That reason being Johnny “The Legend '' Johnson making his way down the hallway, just reaching the door of Russnow’s office. Todd just makes it in time before Johnny has a chance to even grab the door knob.
Todd Salum: ”Johnny, Johnny! Hold up! Let me get a word with you!”
Johnny turns towards Todd, who is definitely a little out of breath. If looks could kill the look that Johnny gives Todd would put him six feet under.
Johnny Johnson: ”Todd Salum, you do see who’s door I’m currently trying to enter at this point in time? Or are you so dense that your little brain can’t figure out that I would rather stick my head in a wood chipper than actually speak with you.”
Todd takes a glance at the nameplate on the door, and then back at Johnny. Todd then has a look of confusion on his face as his eyes keep glancing back and forth between Johnny and the nameplate on the door. Johnny then pats him on the head and lets out a big sigh. Then begins to talk to Todd like he’s a three year old child.
Johnny Johnson: ”Alright, Toddy boy, I can see there is a huge “Vacancy” sign flashing super bright on your forehead. Which, I can only assume means that the space between those bat wings on the side of your head is completely empty. So I’ll tell you this, let me walk inside of the big guy’s office and have myself a little chat with him. And then after that, if the rocks inside of your head finally heat up I’ll tell you why I’m here tonight.”
Johnny reaches for the door knob once again, but then pauses for a second and looks back at Todd.
Johnny Johnson: ”Oh, also you malignant tumor on the balls of humankind. Never call me Johnny again. If you do, I'll make sure you’re taking your food through a straw for many years to come. To a pissant like you, I’m The Legend!”
Johnny then reaches for the door knob, opens the door and makes his way inside of Russnow’s office.
Lucy LuPone dragged herself up the stairs with a zombie's weary trudge to her college apartment carrying her books up on his back, although certainly, the three-block walk with a long climb up a snow-choked wooden staircase wasn't a great end to a long day, but after spending seven hours researching a senior thesis that only seemed to get denser and more impenetrable the longer she spent in the stacks of reading medieval French poetry, her brain felt sludgy and her spirit drained. She was looking forward to vegging out to something dumb and trashy, maybe a horror movie of the very American and very 80s variety, but those plans almost instantly died when she opened the door and saw who was inside.
Doug LuPone: "Hello, Lucy."
Dan LuPone: "We need to talk."
Lucy froze in abject horror and terror as she stared at the massive bulking size of her twin brothers for a moment...before she threw her book bag at Doug and sprinted towards her desk, and held out a desk light like it was a hammer.
Lucy LuPone: "STAY BACK. I WILL LAMP YOU....WITH A LAMP. SO HELP ME GOD, I WILL LAMP YOU WITH A LAMP"
Doug LuPone: "Careful, Dan, that's a hot bulb!"
Doug stepped forward, his arms out, hoping to cause things to calm down.
Dan LuPone: "Easy little sis. We just want to talk."
Doug LuPone: "How did you find me?! How! I was able to hide from you for months."
Dan LuPone: "We just spent all week breaking into dorm rooms, hoping that you'd be behind one."
Doug LuPone: "We've been doing this for a good seven hours, it's a slow process, but it works."
Lucy LuPone: "Oh....That's problematic."
Dan LuPone: "We prefer to think of it as a solution."
Doug LuPone: "Yeah, we're the problem solvers; you're the problem. It's not our fault, you're our little sister, and we all lived in a small wood cabin in the Yukon raised by wild animals with an ever-loving hatred of trees until, a few months ago where you ran away to go to school."
Dan LuPone: "Doug, you're doing it again."
Doug LuPone: "What?"
Dan LuPone: "Speaking in an overly descriptive manner. Why are you telling us all this like we don't know it?
Doug LuPone: "I don't know; it's good to recap."
Lucy LuPone: "But we all literally all know this. It's our life story."
Doug LuPone: "Anyway, Lucy, you have to come with us; Back In Business is coming up, and we have a shot at winning the trios titles, and we need a partner-"
Lucy LuPone: :"Why don't you just get Avril to do it?"
Doug LuPone: "They said no!"
Lucy LuPone: "What?! That's insane!"
Dan LuPone: "I know, right?!"
Doug LuPone: "You're the only one who can help us, Lucy; You got the lumber blood in you."
Lucy stared down at the ground, shaking her head
Lucy LuPone: "Guys, why can't you understand? I gave up that lumber life. I wanted to see what else is out there; the world is so much bigger; there's more out there than just chopping down trees."
Dan LuPone: "YOU TAKE THAT BACK-!"
Dan suddenly lunges forward as Doug holds him back.
Doug: "SHE DOESN'T MEAN IT DAN. SHE DOESN'T MEAN IT!"
Dan calms down momentarily, taking some deep breaths as he does
Dan LuPone: "I don't buy that for a second! You can't just walk away from the lumber life; your heart beats with those bastard trees; this is no kind of life for you, Lucy, living here in your fancy dorm, with lamps and chairs you didn't even make yourself and...whatever those things are-"
Lucy LuPone: "Pens?"
Doug LuPone: "Whatever-! You don't need pens! Just a branch and some tree sap, and you're ready to go."
Lucy sighs, clearly conflicted.
Lucy LuPone: "I'm sorry guys, I left that life behind; I'm going to have to ask you to leave-"
Before she can finish the sentence, both of her brothers suddenly rush forward and rips the sleeves off her jacket to reveal...
Doug LuPone: "We knew it!"
Dan LuPone: "FLANNEL!"
And so it was, underneath her normal clothes, it was clear Lucy was wearing a flannel shirt; upon the realization that she had been caught, she hung her head in clear shame.
Lucy LuPone: "I tried to give up, but the shirts are so darn comfortable..."
Dan LuPone: "We know, and incredibly fashionable."
Lucy LuPone: "You're right; I can't hide it anymore. I miss it, But I don't know if I'm that person anymore; I can't be a Lumberjack any more."
The brothers share a look before they both clasp their hands on the shoulders of their sister.
Doug LuPone: "Don't worry, sis. We'll make you a lumberjack again."
Lucy LuPone: "How?"
Doug LuPone: "By leaving you in the middle of a forest with nothing but an axe for a week and hoping you'll survive."
Lucy LuPone: "Yeah, that seems like the only rational option."
{NOBODY || AVENGED SEVENFOLD}[MEDIA=youtube]CQ8sYoYUypM[/MEDIA]
There is a good cheer in the arena as Al Blizzard walks out from the back and it is clear that since the last time that he was seen, he has been weighed down by the events of Meltdown XXIX. The big man acknowledges the positive response with a small nod out to the fans but his focus is on the ring and a chance to let off some of the pent up anger that has hounded him for the last couple of weeks.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a twenty minute time limit! Introducing first, from London, United Kingdom and weighing in at two-hundred and forty-six pounds… ‘The Perfect Storm’... AAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL BLIZZZZZZZZZZARD!”
Rod Sterling: “Welcome back to Meltdown XXX ladies and gentlemen, and we’re still reeling here from the shock of the opening match tonight when Chris Peacock and Alyster Black dethroned The Connection to become the FWA World Tag Team Champions. We move on though and we’ve got Al Blizzard in action in tonight’s second match.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “This is the first time that we have really been able to see Al Blizzard compete in singles competition, but he passed up on a challenge from his brother Jason Quinn for a match at Back in Business even after Quinn taunted and goaded him during their confrontation two weeks ago.”
Rod Sterling: “He brought up Al’s family! We still don’t know too much of the history there but whatever issue exists between Al and his brother they are definitely unresolved.”
Al enters the ring and performs a couple of stretches as he awaits his opponent, competition on his mind tonight despite everything else that has been happening to him lately.
{MEGITSUNE || BABYMETAL}[MEDIA=youtube]cK3NMZAUKGw[/MEDIA]
The lights of the arena flash a light red as cherry petals fall on the big screen. The camera zooms in towards the entrance area as some smoke builds. After about thirteen seconds Katsu makes her way out, her cape flowing behind her, showing her Kitsune inspired mask. She basks in the red spotlight as fire shoots up from the side of the stage, her arms crossed in front of her with an “X,” hands doing the “wolf-head” gesture. The Huntress spins around and does a throat slashing gesture with her pointer finger as the flames shoot higher before making her way down the ramp.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Introducing First/Their opponent, representing YOKAI Death Squad, from Osaka, Japan, she is the Kitsune Warrior, KAAATSUUUU!!!"
Moving down the ramp at a somewhat quick pace, Katsu removes her entrance mask to show her regular one and she gives a small head tilt while holding it next to her head. Going around the ring, she hands her mask to a younger fan before sliding onto the apron. One hand on the ropes, she opens up her cape and closes her eyes, keeping a calm aura to her. She quickly drops down into the splits then slides into the ring.
Rod Sterling: “Much like Al Blizzard, Katsu is also the target for someone she shares a history with, that being El Vengador, the luchador she coached to victory in Ground Zero Season Four. They’ve both agreed to a match at Back in Business, though!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Al Blizzard will pose a similar test to that of El Vengador at Back in Business… they’re both big and they’re both dangerous. Katsu is out here on her own with the rest of the YOKAI Death Squad, so we’ll see just how well she measures up.”
Heading to the nearest corner turnbuckles, Katsu climbs up them and puts one foot on the top rope. She does another throat slash before holding her finger down in an “M” formation. Heading down, she leans down in a superhero-like pose, holding her arms in an “X” in front of her chest. Katsu’s hands again have the wolf gesture before she spins around and heads to her corner. << 00:00 >>
Surprisingly it is Al Blizzard who kicks things off with a fast-paced piece of offence as he rushes towards Katsu and catches her with a Running Knee Strike to the midsection! Katsu doubles over and Al sledges her in the back to knock her down to the mat. It is clear that Al is in no mood for games after Jason came back into his life and he plucks Katsu from the mat and places her in a seated position on the top turnbuckle in the corner.
Al looks to strike her with a forearm, but Katsu blocks it with her left boot and then kicks Al in the face with the underside of her right. This creates separation and allows Katsu to leap from the second rope and she gets her legs around Al’s head and looks to snap him off with a Diving Hurricanrana, but Al stand strong and prevents her from doing so. Katsu sits up on Al’s shoulders and lays into him with some elbow strikes and this causes her to fall down on top of Al in a Seated Senton and the two drop down to the mat.
Rod Sterling: “Neither competitor is wasting any time here, Anzu! Both have points to prove and it shows with how they’re approaching this match.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Being hounded by a figure from your past is enough to make anyone get worked up, so I think a lot of this is these two trying to work out some of that frustration they’re feeling with current rivals.”
Both Al and Katsu get to their feet at the same time and Katsu looks to catch Al with a Roundhouse Kick to the ribs, but Al catches her foot and traps it and he then lifts her up into the air and places her back on his shoulders in a seated position and drives her into the mat with a Sit Out Powerbomb! Al opts to not go for a cover and instead checks his mouth for any signs of blood after the strikes to the face he received from Katsu, and then he picks her up from the mat and places her in the corner again in order to follow up.
<< 3:16 >>
Al Blizzard has maintained his control of the match from the opening exchanges after the Powerbomb and he is seen driving Katsu into the mat with a Samoan Drop! Al presses her shoulders down onto the mat and the referee - Gracelynn Guerrero - makes the count!
ONE… TWO-NO!!
Rod Sterling: “Some impressive resilience from Katsu there, Anzu. Al Blizzard knows how to pack a punch and she has got to make sure she can get back into this one before it is too late and Al picks up a victory over a former FWA Television Champion.”
It seems that ‘The Perfect Storm’ is content with the damage performed to Katsu as he hooks Katsu’s arms up and looks for VERTIGO - BUT KATSU DOES COUNTER THIS ONE INTO A HURRICANRANA! After escaping the Tiger Driver, Katsu sees that Blizzard has been snapped off towards the ropes and he kneels over the second rope, so she quickly runs the opposite ropes and connects with THE SAKURA KICK!
There’s a big response from the crowd as Blizzard slumps down onto his back away from the ropes and Katsu wastes no time at all in running along the apron and up onto the top rope where she stands with her back facing the ring, but she pauses just before she takes flight as someone has walked out onto the stage!
Anzu Kurosawa: “There’s El Vengador! He’s out here to scout his Back in Business opponent, most likely, but I think his appearance is not at a great time for Katsu…”
Katsu points at El Vengador who stands on the stage and makes no advances towards the ring and she motions for him to leave, and this proves costly for her as she fails to notice that Al Blizzard is back to his feet and he shoves her from the top rope and she falls down to the floor, taking a nasty bump on the ring apron as she does so! El Vengador seems mildly amused by this as Blizzard goes to follow up…
<< 5:48 >>
After getting the better of Blizzard after being thrown around at ringside and bumped off of a lot of the environment, Katsu seems to have moved past the initial appearance of El Vengador as she has Blizzard where she wants him, which is on his knees in the middle of the ring and she knocks him flat down onto the mat with a Roundhouse Kick! Katsu falls down on top of her opponent and lifts one of his legs up for a pin attempt;
ONE… TWO… NO!!!
Blizzard powerfully kicks out and Katsu is sent a couple of feet away due to how hard she was pushed away by Blizzard. Both get to their feet and Katsu charges at Blizzard and gets caught with a Big Boot right to the face which sends her crumbling down to the mat, to El Vengador’s applause.
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m not sure Al Blizzard was setting out to impress El Vengador, but he’s done it anyway with that move!”
There is an air of anticipation in the Don Haskins Center as the big man Blizzard heads towards the corner and dips through the ropes to climb up onto the turnbuckle himself. The sight of a 6’6 giant standing up there is daunting enough but even worse for Katsu as Blizzard takes flight and takes Katsu down with a Diving Clothesline from the top rope! The big man rolls through and gets back to his feet and then makes a spinning motion with his hand!
Rod Sterling: “I think that this could be the beginning of the end for Katsu; El Vengador’s presence may have piled on the pressure a bit too much!”
Blizzard easily plucks his smaller opponent from the mat and he hoists her up onto his shoulders effortlessly and looks like he is about to hit Katsu with the AL CUTTER - but he stops…
Al Blizzard freezes in place as someone else walks out onto the stage and stands on the opposite side to it than El Vengador and to no one’s surprise, it is Jason Quinn. Al drops Katsu to the mat and then walks over to the ropes and shouts for his brother to get out of there. Without saying anything in return, Quinn pulls out a large placard and raises it up in the air. It is a picture of two parents holding a child, with the father’s face scratched out.
Rod Sterling: “Oh no… that’s Al Blizzard’s family! His wife and son… Jason scratched Al’s face out of the family picture…”
Unsurprisingly, Al is incensed by this and he goes to exit the ring to pursue Quinn… but KATSU STRIKES WITH ANOTHER SAKURA KICK! It catches Al in the midsection, and Katsu then slingshots herself over the top rope onto Al’s shoulders and transitions into a Triangle Choke! THE SPIRIT DRAIN IS LOCKED IN! Al struggles in the hold for a few seconds, but then has no choice but to tap out!
{RESULT}Winner: Katsu by submission at 7:56
Tapping out as quickly as he did allows Al to still have enough awareness to leave the ring as soon as Katsu released him and he storms up the ramp in pursuit of Jason Quinn! Quinn senses the danger and drops the picture and runs towards the back.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Here is your winner… KATSUUUUUU!!"
In the ring, Katsu slowly nods her head and has her arm raised in victory. She then looks up at the stage and sees El Vengador, who offers no response before he turns his back on her and leaves the stage also, just as Al Blizzard arrives on it and picks up the photo dropped by Quinn.
Rod Sterling: “An important win for Katsu on the path to Back in Business, Anzu, and I wonder what El Vengador will make of that one?”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Definitely a step in the right direction for Katsu, but I do feel for Al Blizzard… Jason Quinn brought his family into this. Obviously I’m sure he will be disappointed about the result tonight, but some things are more important than wins or losses.”
Blizzard is shown looking down at the photo, mainly his removed face, with anger in his eyes and he scrunches it up before heading to the back to follow Quinn. Katsu is up on the middle turnbuckle holding the back of her head and then pumping her fist.
The camera is backstage once again, placed right in the same spot right in front of Jon Russnow’s office. Todd Salum is also still standing in the same place that Johnny left him at when he walked into the office. Just then we see Johnny Johnson open the door and emerge from Russnow’s office. As he opens the door he is shocked to see Todd and the camera still in the same place they were when he went into the office. He looks at Todd with a little concern on his face.
Johnny Johnson: ”You really waited out here this entire time and didn’t move didn’t you?”
Todd then looks at Johnny with a little confusion on his face.
Todd Salum: ”Of course, why would I leave when I can scoop like why you are here and talking to Jon Russnow?”
Johnny then thinks about it for a second and then shakes his head.
Johnny Johnson: ”Fair enough. I can see why me being here is probably the biggest news scoop you had since probably the debut of The Legend. So, what now? I’m going to assume you want me to spill the beans and tell you why exactly I’m here today?”
Todd then gets an excited grin on his face as he can only assume that Johnny is about to give him what he so patiently waited for, standing outside of the door to Jon Russnow’s office.
Todd: Oh, absolutely. If I could just get even a small snippet on why exactly The Legend has entered the halls of FWA it would be awesome.
Johnny Johnson: ”Alright chump, listen up. Time is money, and I don’t have the urge to waste either. I’m sure you saw me and came running to me to see just who The Legend is going to challenge at Back in Business. Is that a safe assumption?
Todd just nods his head in agreement.
JohnnyJohnson: ”The fact is though, I’m a businessman, slappy. My days of wrestling in a FWA ring are over. I have zero interest in putting my body through pain and suffering for any of these FWA fans that are beneath me. Let alone put myself through the hell that was the absolute torture that Russnow put The Legend through, only to make sure to show case every other loser above me. To put it in simple terms, my wrestling contract isn’t with FWA now, and never will be in the future. My fans know where I’m at, and NGW has my in-ring talents locked down tighter than Fort Knox.”
Todd Salum: ”Then….I just don’t understand.”
Johnny just lets out a chuckle at Todd’s response.
Johnny Johnson: ” I’m not surprised by that reaction. But you see Todd, like I said I’m a businessman. The little time I spent in FWA I saw things that needed to be changed. I saw how things were run. I saw how simple it was for someone to stick their nose straight up Russnow’s ass and earn themselves a title shot. The time has come for all of that to change. The idiotic fans might not like the fact that The Legend has returned. They might decide that the best thing for them to do is to boo me. The reality is though, I’ve returned to FWA for them. If they were intelligent enough they’d realize I’m somewhat of a savior for them.”
“Todd, the time has come for all of the wasteful talent in this company to be swept out to see, and it is going to happen. Soon enough, there will be a great tide that comes and washes away all of these useful twats who should be mopping piss up in the bathroom of an elementary school instead of getting to take up a spot on this roster.”
Fade out.
It's a familiar shot of people crowding around various landmarks, people in crowds, taxis, stopping in blurs that go on down the streets...and goes down....and down.... what seems to be quite a gloomy and grimy alleyways deep in the middle of the night, a cold, dark place, a desolate, barren street that couldn't be any more different from the glitz and glamour of the London high streets the camera zooms down the alley and focuses on a sign.
WELCOME TO WHITE CHAPEL.
Realizing we're here in the most infamous streets in the world as if waiting for a cue, a shrill-pitched scream joining the choir of them from centuries past as if looking for the source, the camera zooms forward into the dark void as the sound gets louder and louder until the camera stops seemingly having located where the screams were coming from.
An old, dilapidated barber shop
But this time, the segment doesn't end; this time, the doors of the barber shop creek open with the groan of rusty springs; as the camera zooms into the inky dark of the barber shop, what follows looks like some kind of horror show, people in mouldy chairs screaming as a figure in the distance hack and slice their hair, ruining their locks and turning them into something that looks like they belong in an 80s punk rock music video.
The camera scans the old grimy walls of the barber shop to reveal various headshots of FWA Wrestlers Chris Peacock. Krash. Joe Burr. Each and every one of them has a big X slashed into them clearly by scissors.
"Ya, just in time..."
The camera twists around to reveal two dark and gothic-looking girls staring at the camera, both clearly twins, wearing the same dark outfits, their hair styled the same, and both wearing matching evil grins.
"...Your appointment is coming up."
A video package plays and the camera is shown to be following a figure walking in slow-motion in the backstage area on a black and white scene. A guitar slowly lowers into the shot being held by the man. Suddenly, one word is shouted loudly and appears on the screen…
“RISE!”
Rise by Sixx: A.M. begins to play over the top of footage of ‘Rockstar’ Randy Ramon as clips of him making various entrances throughout his FWA career are shown interspersed with him playing his guitar in promotional videos and backstage.
Narrator: “Randy Ramon is recognised as one of the greatest tag team competitors in the history of the FWA. A five-time FWA World Tag Team Champion, once with bitter rival Danny Toner, another with fellow FWA Hall of Famer Ayla El and three times with ‘The Golden One’ Devin Golden as part of Golden Rock.”
Ramon, alongside Devin Golden, is seen winning the Division Tag Team Classic tournament in 2020 and then entering feuds with the likes of TxR and The Gang Stars. The infamous Osos Locos reveal at Mile High 2021 is also shown.
Rod Sterling: “I don’t think that the tag team division in the FWA would be what it is today without Golden Rock. The amount of teams who were inspired by them and the competition that they helped create… Randy Ramon has to take a lot of credit for that.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Randy Ramon was a big pick for Fallout in the draft in 2021, and we didn’t mind that we weren’t getting Devin Golden as well, because we knew what Ramon on his own was capable of.”
Narrator: “Whilst his success as part of Golden Rock will go down in history, it is important to remember that he was able to enjoy considerable success in his own right; becoming the FWA World Champion by defeating both Chris Kennedy and Danny Toner on Fallout 007 in 2021.”
Ramon is seen winning the championship in that same match and celebrating, before shots of him with his allies and nemeses through the years are shown; Devin Golden, Danny Toner, Ayla El and Chris Peacock.
Chris Peacock: “Like it or not, I wouldn’t be here or achieved anything I have without Randy Ramon. He was the one that saw in me what I’d always seen in myself as a part of Ground Zero. Things weren’t always great between us, but I owe him that much.”
Danny Toner: “I have spent my entire career looking over my shoulder for Randy Ramon, and I probably always will. Always when you least expected it, that’s when that piece of shit would hit you with one of those Remixes.”
A quick collection of Remix Superkicks are shown with Ramon flooring countless opponents with his devastating finishing move.
“REEEEEEMMIIXXXXXXXXX!”
Narrator: “Therefore, please all rise for the newest inductee into the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.”
The video package ends with Ramon standing tall as the FWA World Champion in 2021 and then pumping his fist into the air.
‘ROCKSTAR’ RANDY RAMON
FWA HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2023
We return to Fallout to find two of the competitors for this match already in the ring, Jimmy Boom Boom and Kung-Fu Karl. They are warming up for the upcoming match as Karl performs some kicks to the held out arms of Jimmy Boom Boom.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is a tag team match scheduled for one fall with a twenty minute time limit. Introducing first, already in the ring, the tag team of Jimmy Boom Boom and Kung-Fu Karl… KUNG-FU BOOOOOOOM!”
Karl and Jimmy stop their warm ups to toss their arms in the air to a mild reaction from the fans.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I think we are about to be in for a real treat, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: “I’m really not sure we could go that far. But this match came about after our last episode of Meltdown’s Sesame Street Fight as both Kung-Fu Karl and… “Krash”... came to the aid of Jackson Fenix and Jeremy Best respectively.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”It would appear that Jackson Fenix’s associates are looking for a matter of revenge for their friend here tonight.”
{LIFE IS A HAPPY SONG|| THE MUPPETS}[MEDIA=youtube]AEWJxRP5z7g[/MEDIA]
The boos intensify in the Don Haskins Center as Jeremy Best walks out from the best, hand in hand with a man who is most certainly not Krash. At least not the Krash that FWA fans know and love. This man in a white mask featuring a prominent moustache drawn on the front skips out from the back, holding hands with Jeremy as they emerge.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “And their opponents… “Your New Best Friend” Jeremy Best… and…….. “Krash”....., they are… THE FRIENDSHIP WRESTLING ALLIANCE!”
Rod Sterling: “Everytime I see Jeremy Best, the more disgusted I feel. I get these chills down my spine. And the addition of this masked… “Krash”... only makes it worse.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I mean, how certain are we that it’s not Krash under there? Have you seen this masked man and Krash in the same place at the same time?”
Rod Sterling: “I don’t think anyone needs to dignify that with a response. We’ve seen Krash and last time we saw him, he was in no shape to wrestle!”
Jeremy and “Krash” make their way down the aisle, with a slight frolick to their step. The smile on Jeremy’s face beams from ear to ear, as he appears to be about as happy as we’ve ever seen him. A smile that almost feels too big. Especially knowing the twisted truth about his happiness.
The duo climb into the ring and look ready for the challenge that awaited them. << 00:00 >>
The match gets underway with Jeremy Best agreeing with “Krash” that he should start things off. The masked moustache seemed to whole-heartedly agree and Jeremy quickly got things going with Kung-Fu Karl by asking for a handshake. Karl looks back at Jimmy Boom Boom, who simply shrugs and Karl accepts the handshake, and is quickly taken down by an enziguri from Jeremy!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I can’t believe Jackson Fenix didn’t warn him about that!”
Karl rolls back to his feet but immediately gets his by a shotgun dropkick sending him backwards into his own corner where Jimmy decides to tag himself in! Jimmy charges in into an arm drag take down from Jeremy! Jimmy gets right back to his feet only to have Jeremy hit him with a spinkick to the midsection before Best rushes to the ropes and comes back with a tiltawhirl DDT to lay out Boom Boom!
Jeremy kips up to his feet and plays to the crowd, though they are loudly booing him before he points to Krash. “Are ya’ll ready for this?!”
The crowd simply boos more.
“Come on Krashy! It’s time!”
Jeremy walks over and tags in “Krash!”
Rod Sterling: “I think the lights are on but no one is home for Jeremy Best. He truly thinks these people love him and are buying this farce.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Shh, Rod - we’re witnessing Krash back in the ring for the first time in nearly a year!”
The masked man steps into the ring, appearing quite nervous as he does. He looks up to Jeremy, who offers him some reassurance. Best steps out of the ring as “Krash” grabs Jimmy Boom Boom and begins to pull him up…
SMALL PACKAGE FROM JIMMY!
ONE! TWO! THREE!
NO! Jeremy breaks it up!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Wow! That was nearly a huge upset! Jimmy Boom Boom almost picked up the pin on Krash!”
Jeremy swiftly lays Jimmy back out with a superkick and then turns to “Krash” and once again seems to be offering him some reassurance. Jeremy steps back out of the ring as “Krash” puts some weak boots to the back of Jimmy as he struggles to try and make his way to get the tag to Karl. The imposter intercepts the tag attempt, pulling Jimmy up and locks in a waistlock to Boom Boom.
The masked man seems to be attempting a German Suplex, but he’s unable to lift Jimmy up and Boom Boom manages to break free with a trio of back elbows. Jimmy then takes “Krash” by the arm and sends him into the ropes, running to the opposite ropes himself…
DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE! Both “Krash” and Boom Boom are down!
Rod Sterling: “I feel like we should apologize to the fans for this… it’s bad enough they are subjected to Ratin and Steve every week…”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I’m sure it’s just some ring rust for Krash here… give him some time, Rod.”
Jimmy and “Krash” both make the long crawl over and each grab the tag to their respective partners! Kung-Fu Karl rushes in and tries a roundhouse kick, but Jeremy ducks it and responds with a standing hurricanrana to take Karl down! Karl sits back up on his knees and Jeremy unleashes Friendly Fire to Karl!
Jimmy Boom Boom rushes in to help his friend, but Jeremy lifts him up onto his shoulders…
BFF!
Jeremy then pulls Karl back up to his feet…
BFF to Karl as well!
Jeremy walks back to the corner and tags “Krash” back in, instructing him to finish them off! The masked man nods before he very awkwardly climbs the turnbuckles, with Jeremy holding his arm to help him keep his balance on the way up…
DAYBREAKER DIVING ELBOW DROP to Karl!
“Krash” with the pin!
One! Two! Three!
{RESULT}Winner: The Friendship Wrestling Alliance by pinfall at 4:22
An excited Jeremy helps his masked friend to his feet and embraces him with a big hug.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Here are your winners… The Friendship Wrestling Alliance!”
Jeremy jumps up and down with excitement, and is quickly joined by “Krash” who also shows his own elation as he also joins hands with Jeremy, jumping up and down as the disgusted Texas crowd boos.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”What a debut for the Friendship Wrestling Alliance!”
Rod Sterling: “You’d think these two just won the Tag Team Titles with this type of celebration.
Jeremy stops the in-ring prancing to walk over to Katie-Lynn and asks politely for the microphone which she does hand to him, much to the disdain of the fans.
Jeremy Best: ”Oh my goodness, what a match! What a night! That was so amazing! Thank you all so much! If Krash wasn’t still getting over his anxiety that his mask is definitely helping out a lot with, he’d definitely want to thank you all so much for coming out tonight to support his big return to the ring!”
The masked “Krash” nods his head in affirmation.
Jeremy Best: ”And this… this is only the beginning for the Friendship Wrestling Alliance! Me and my best friend Krash… together… we are… UNSTOPPABLE! We’ve already taken out one formidable team within the great FWA tag team division… and we ain’t stopping here!”
Rod Sterling: “Formidable?”
Jeremy Best: ”We’re issuing an OPEN CHALLENGE to ANY TEAM.. ANY TEAM that thinks they have a closer bond than me and my pal Krash… at BACK IN BUSINESS! We’ll take them on! What team go together better than Krash and Jeremy? Certainly not Jackson and Nate. Certainly not Michelle and Gerald. Certainly not Reagan and Jeffry.”
Krash’s enthusiastic nodding slowed down with the mention of some of the other teams in FWA.
Jeremy Best: ”Heck! Why wait til Back in Business? We’ll do it next Meltdown too! Another open challenge! TO ANY team at all! Whattaya say? Let’s make next Meltdown not just a great day… the BEST DAY!”
Jeremy pulls “Krash” in for another celebratory hug before handing the microphone back to Katie-Lynn. The two leave together as “Life is a Happy Song” plays once again.
Rod Sterling: “Well the challenge has been laid down… for both next Meltdown and apparently also at Back in Business… I’m sure there’s a few names out there that might be signing up for this…”
YOU WANT BLENDERS? WELL, WE GOT ‘EM!
After the blender commercial, the Friendship Wrestling Alliance of Jeremy Best and “Krash” are shown walking down the hallway after their match, with Jeremy excitedly recounting their match against Kung Fu Boom.
Jeremy Best: “Krash, you were amazing out there! Who would have thought it had been so long since you last competed? That Daybreaker was one of your Best! Get it?”
Jeremy continues to smile and look at “Krash”, but “Krash” stops in his tracks as he sees something further down the corridor. Jeremy is unaware of this and turns around to check why “Krash” has stopped.
Jeremy Best: “What is it, buddy? You didn’t like the joke? I said it was your ‘BEST’ Daybreaker… you know, because of my name? Ah, it was kind of silly I suppose!”
???: “I personally found that hilarious.”
Jeremy jumps as he hears a voice behind him and turns around to see that it belonged to Chris Peacock, who has both of his championships over both shoulders. Jeremy then almost jumps out of his skin when Alyster Black also arrives on the scene with his newly-won FWA World Tag Team Championship over his left shoulder.
Chris Peacock: “What about you, Aly?”
Alyster Black: “Hi, Jeremy… “Krash”. It’s been a while.”
“Krash” does not move or give off any sort of response, and Jeremy awkwardly laughs.
Jeremy Best: “Hey there, fellas! W-what brings you here to see us? Oh, congratulations on your big win earlier tonight! Who knows, maybe my good friend Krash and I will be challenging you for those titles before too long!”
Alyster Black: “That’s what we’ve come to see you about actually, Jeremy. You laid out that challenge for the next Meltdown… and we want to take you up on it! What do you say?”
There is a moment where Jeremy’s face drops, but he quickly picks it up but as he goes to respond, Peacock cuts in.
Chris Peacock: “We will even put the FWA World Tag Team Championships up. That’s got to sweeten the deal, surely? Who’d pass up on THAT?”
Peacock and Black look at each other and laugh to themselves and Jeremy starts laughing as well. “Krash” even affords himself a little chuckle.
Jeremy Best: “Well, that’s mighty generous of you both and OF COURSE me and Krash would be happy to accept your challenge! We better get to starting our preparations because we’re gonna hit you with our best shot! Maybe afterwards, people will say that I’m Krash’s greatest tag team partner! Come along, buddy!”
Jeremy brushes past Black and Peacock with an excited look on his face and “Krash” awkwardly waddles after him. Alyster Black unclenches his fist, with that last comment annoying him.
Alyster Black: “I appreciate you doing this for me, Chrissy.”
Chris Peacock: “Didn’t even need to ask. Same as earlier on.”
Alyster Black: “You’re probably going to have to fight him now, you know?”
Chris Peacock: “Well, if I do, I do. It’ll be pop goes the-”
Alyster Black: “Don’t say it… don’t fucking say it.”
Peacock bows his head and FTN bump fists before walking away from the scene, with celebrations in order.
Staying backstage, there is a group huddle taking place between the down on their luck trio of Steve the Techno Vampire, Ratin Mikichin and Greg, with the camera underneath them all looking up at their faces.
Steve the Techno Vampire: “Vhy are we standing like this?”
Greg wipes a tear from his eye and loudly snorts, trying to hide the fact that he is crying.
Greg: “I’m Greg, and I’m feeling emotional tonight. You two didn’t even get booked this week and the Back in Business main event… isn’t going to happen.”
Steve and Ratin look at each other with pensive looks on their faces. It seems that deep down they both knew that it was a pipe dream, but are still disappointed nonetheless. They break the huddle and Steve puts an arm around Greg’s shoulders.
Steve the Techno Vampire: “You tried your best for us, Greg. There vas only so much you could have done. Hopefully ve vill still get on the card and get the match we have vorked so hard for.”
Ratin Mikichin: “There is something that Ratin wants to know. It has been bothering me for a while, actually…”
Breaking away from Greg and Steve, Ratin turns around and looks at the other person in the store cupboard that the group have taken to be their personal locker room; The Higher Power. The robed figure stands in the corner, hood down, simply watching.
Ratin Mikichin: “Mr. Higher Power, we have heard so much about your vision, but know so little about what it actually is. Why don’t you help Ratin and Steve get our match?”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “You know vhat? He’s right. Ve’re supposed to believe every vord you say but vhat have you actually done to help us?”
There is a clear air of frustration from the two enemies-turned-sort-of-allies and together they approach The Higher Power, who does not move an inch from their position.
Greg: “Guys, you shouldn’t question-”
The Higher Power: “It’s okay, Greg. I understand the clear air of frustration from these two enemies-turned-sort-of-allies and why they have approached me. I am not above the question.
Why have I not helped? It is because I believed the three of you to be capable enough to see out my vision. To assist me in my quest for what I - what we all - truly desire. Now I see that I must have a more direct hand as perhaps I made an error in judgement.
So, I will take it upon myself to get you both your match, Ratin Mikichin and Steve the Techno Vampire. Then, you will have no reasons left to doubt me.”
With that, The Higher Power makes a parting motion with their hands and they walk through the gap left by Ratin and Steve and leave the store cupboard locker room. Both Ratin and Steve look at each other again and seem unsure of the situation they find themselves in.
Backstage correspondent Katie Baxter has managed to catch up with Jackson Fenix and Nate Savage of The Undisputed Alliance. Jackson and Nate are walking out of the medical area when Katie approaches them.
Katie Baxter: ”Jackson, Nate, is there an update on the condition of Kung-Fu Karl and Jimmy Boom Boom after what the Friendship Wrestling Alliance did to them?”
Nate Savage: ”You know, I’ll be grateful when we don’t have to worry about what that delusional freak does. I thought all of this was over after the Sesame Street fight, but I guess I thought wrong.”
Nate is clearly aggravated and Jackson does his best to calm his friend down.
Jackson Fenix: ”What Nate means is that Karl and Jimmy will be okay. They should be good to go in no time. As for Jeremy, well, I would like to think that it’s all behind me…behind us…but it’s not. I know that the Sesame Street fight did not go my way, and I would’ve liked nothing more than to have put an end to it but even if I had won, I don’t think it would be over. Jeremy and I will meet again in the ring, possibly with our respective tag partners at our side, I can’t tell you when but I know it’ll happen because this isn’t over. This will never be over…”
Katie Baxter: ”Well, there was some good to come out of the Sesame Street fight. I hear that things between you and your former arch-nemesis Big Bird have smoothed over, is that correct?”
Jackson Fenix: ”Heh, that’s right, Katie. You know usually the mention of that name would strike fear in me, but now, not so much. Big Bird and I have patched things up, and we’re on good terms now. I know he took a bad spill at the hands of Jeremy, but I want everyone to know that he’s okay. He was more hurt by the fact of what Jeremy did to him and what Jeremy has become…”
Nate Savage: ”Jack, can we please stop giving that guy the time of day? Please, just this once can we not talk about that jerk or his fat idiot friend. The only good person with the last name Baxter is Katie.”
Katie seems flattered by the compliment.
Katie Baxter: ”Well, thank you Nate.”
Jackson Fenix: ”Sorry Nate, I’ll do my best to put that behind us for now. I have to do that.”
Just then a stagehand walks up to Nate and Jackson and hands them an envelope. The stagehand quickly scampers off while Nate and Jackson examine the envelope. All that is on the bright pink envelope is their names, and they rip open the envelope to find a flamboyant looking letter, very stylish and extravagant. Nate Savage: ”Experience ecstasy? What is this?”
Jackson Fenix: ”I don’t think that’s how you pronounce it.”
Nate Savage: ”What do you mean? I’m saying it correctly!”
Jackson Fenix: ”It’s Xperienx Xtacee, and I think this is an invite to his talk show.”
Nate Savage: ”Why would he invite us though?”
Jackson Fenix: ”I don’t know, but it could be fun.”
Nate Savage: ”We clearly have a different definition when it comes to fun.”
Jackson Fenix: ”I don’t know man, it doesn’t sound so bad. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Jackson begins to walk away with the letter and Nate shakes his head before chasing after his friend.
{COLA || LANA DEL REY}[MEDIA=youtube]lBakG7KtVZE[/MEDIA]
The lights in the arena dim as a roar of boos begin to roll in through the crowd at the opening of the theme song. Smoke fills the stage as Shawn Summers slowl rises up through the stage with his head down and his eyes closed. The lights strobe between white and red to the drums of the song as the fog rises beneath him. As he reaches the top of the stage, he tilts his head up, his face void of emotions as the camera pans around him. The boos almost overpower the music but eventually the chorus kicks in and Shawn begins to walk down the ramp, mouthing the words of the song as he walks.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is our MAIN EVENT and is scheduled for one fall with a thirty minute time limit! Introducing first, from Laguna Beach, California… he is the FWA Television Champion AND the FWA X Champion… “DER BASTERD”.... SSSSSSSHHHHHAWWWWNNNN SSSSUMMMMEERRRSSS!”
Rod Sterling: “I have to say Anzu, there’s a lot of combustible elements in this main event. You have this man, Shawn Summers, who is perhaps one of the hottest wrestlers in FWA right now having picked up not one but two championships during this run… but tonight he’s teaming up with a man that he shares no love loss with. After the run to last year’s Back in Business, I’m not sure I’d ever see the day where Shawn Summers would be teaming up with Mike Parr.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I can’t argue with that. It’s the age-old question in wrestling… CAN THEY COEXIST?!”
Rod Sterling: “I know you say that in somewhat of a jest, but it’s a fair point. It’s certainly asking a lot for ANYONE to put their trust in Shawn Summers, but it rings especially true for Mike Parr.”
Summers continues to walk down the aisle, climbing into the ring and ascending the near turnbuckle. He takes a moment to close his eyes and tilt his head high, fully soaking in the loud boos from the crowd.. He finally hops down off the turnbuckle and heads to the corner, crouching down as he awaits his partner.
{WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN || DOWNSTAIT}[MEDIA=youtube]q2XuOvlzVHI[/MEDIA]
The music hits and “The Prodigy” Mike Parr trots out from the back, tossing his hands up in the air to the crowd who greets him with a more positive reaction, though slightly mixed for Summers’ partner. Parr stops at the top of the ramp, scopes out the fans before locking his eyes to the ring. His face shows some still growing uncertainty about teaming up with his long time rival.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “And his partner, from Toronto, Canada… he is “THE PRODIGY”.... MMMMMMMMMMMMIKE PPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!”
Rod Sterling: “I can’t sit here and talk about the hot streak of Shawn Summers without bringing up that of Mike Parr because since his return he has yet to suffer a loss!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”And it’s that hot streak that’s earned him a shot at the FWA North American Championship at Back in Business… and this match is going to be giving us a preview of that match.”
Rod Sterling: “As Parr makes his way down to the ring, the look on his face certainly says it all, Anzu. This team with Summers has formed by a bit of necessity for the pair… but to me it seems like it’s just a matter of time before this uneasy alliance explodes right before us.”
Mike Parr climbs up the ring steps, entering the ring, Summers gives a knowing smile, seeming to take joy in teaming up with his former rival here tonight. The pair exchange some words in the corner, but all appears civil between the pair.
{ANIMALS || NICKELBACK}[MEDIA=youtube]q2XuOvlzVHI[/MEDIA]
Back to the boos as the FWA North American Champion, Big Bryan Baxter, slowly walks out from the back, his championship belt strapped around his large waist, tucked behind the glossy red “Buddy System” jacket he wears overtop his black trunks. The look on Baxter’s face brims confidence as he bobs his head along to the Nickelback tunes while ignoring the jeers from the Texas crowd.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “And their opponents… introducing first, the reigning FWA North American Champion… representing…. The Friendship Wrestling Alliance… and… The Buddy System… from Hickory, North Carolina… BIG BRYAN BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBAXTER!”
Rod Sterling: “This match really does feature two of the most hated men in FWA…”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”The Jeremy Best match was earlier tonight, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: “Okay, fair enough… but Jeremy’s associate Bryan has certainly not endeared himself by his actions over the last few months, including his current six month reign as North American Champion, and being associated with Best certainly doesn’t help his cause.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Six… long… months. But hopefully that all is coming to an end at Back in Business because I’m not sure there’s anyone hungrier than Mike Parr to take that title off of him!”
Baxter makes his way down the aisle, stopping at the bottom of the aisle at ringside, electing not to get in the ring yet. He unstraps the title from around his waist and holds it up in the air, looking straight as his BiB opponent as Parr’s hungry eyes are locked in on Baxter and that North American Championship.
{WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE || BON JOVI}[MEDIA=youtube]8SiS9ZWaCLY[/MEDIA]
The opening notes of Bon Jovi’s Dead or Alive bring the Texas fans to their feet in anticipation of their home state hero. Tommy decides to drive the anticipation, the music continuing to play as Bon Jovi’s voice begins to get start out Verse 1… the crowd beginning to sing along as they wait, and then as it hits the chorus…
“I’m a cowboy…
on a steel horse I ride…
I’m wanted… dead or alive…
Wanted…
DEAD OR ALIVE”
Finally Tommy Bedlam emerges from the stage to a massive reaction from the fans. The cowboy is all fired up to see his fans, running onto the stage, waving his cowboy hat in his hand, only to further elicit a somehow even louder reaction. He runs back and forth to either side of the stage, taking in the love from the adoring fans.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “And his tag team partner… being accompanied to the ring by Randi… from the GREAT STATE OF TEXAS… TTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBEEEEEDDDDDLLLLLLAAAAMM!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Would you listen to these fans, Rod? I think they kinda like Tommy Bedlam in Texas.”
Rod Sterling: “Understatement of the year, Anzu! I think we know exactly which team the crowd will be rooting for here in our main event. And that’s even with Bryan Baxter on his side!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”We talked about how Mike Parr would be able to trust Shawn Summers but you might be able to say the same thing about Bedlam with Baxter here. Baxter hasn’t exactly proven himself to be a trustworthy competitor.”
Rod Sterling: “You might be right, Anzu, but at the same time, Baxter has shown himself to be pretty loyal to people he considers his friends… and I guess to the point we have no reason to think there’s any type of animosity between Bedlam and Baxter.”
Tommy’s fiance, the lovely and pregnant Randi, makes her way out to join Tommy on the stage as he finally walks to the ramp. He takes his fiance by the hand and the pair make their way down the aisle, Bedlam now locking eyes with Summers in the ring as the pair make their way down.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Yeah, I’m not sure Tommy cares who he is teaming tonight… all he wants to do is get his hands on Shawn Summers again.”
Rod Sterling: ”That’s right. He seemed like he was on his way to winning the Television Championship at The Grand March, but a disqualification helped Summers retain that title and since then Bedlam has been eager for another shot. And I think I speak for a lot of people when I say we hope we see that, perhaps at Back in Business.”
As Bedlam stops and joins Baxter at the bottom of the aisle, the fans are still loudly and proudly singing the Bon Jovi tunes…
'Cause I'm a cowboy
On a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (WWWAANNNNTTTEEEED), dead or alive
'Cause I'm a cowboy
I got the night on my side
And I'm wanted (wanted), dead or alive
And I ride (AND I RIDE), dead or alive
I still drive (I STILL DRIVE), dead or alive
Dead or alive
As the music begins to come to a close, Baxter and Bedlam give each other a knowing look… before running and sliding into the ring together, both men charging straight at their respective rival! << 00:00 >>
The bell rang as Bryan Baxter charges in with Mike Parr charging in as well, the pair beginning to slug it out with one another while Bedlam charges towards Summers, but Summers ducks out of the ring to a chorus of boos from the fans! But Summers is having none of that as he heads to ringside and goes after Summers, much to the delight of the fans. Summers tries to get away, but he’s intercepted as Randi stands in his way.
“OUT OF MY WAY WOMAN!” Summers demands, but Randi shows no fear as she doesn’t back down! Summers grabs her by the shoulders and moves her aside himself, but he’s spun around by an incoming Tommy! Tommy has his hands on Shawn and punches Summers right between the eyes with a hard right hand! Summers is sent rocking backwards as Tommy stops to give Randi a thank you kiss right on the lips before going back and striking Shawn with another right hand!
The double champion staggers back from another punch from Bedlam before Tommy grabs him by the head and slams him head first into the apron, while in the ring, Mike Parr finds himself in the corner after Baxter got the upperhand in the initial brawl, but Parr side steps a charging Baxter into the corner, allowing Bryan to crash into the turnbuckles!
Rod Sterling: ”It’s chaos inside and outside the ring to start the match! The referee is struggling to get this one under control from the get go!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I would’ve expected nothing less from these four involved!”
With the tables turned in the ring, Parr begins to unload some boxing jabs to the large midsection of Baxter. The combination of lefts and rights have the North American Champion in trouble in the corner while Bedlam rolls Summers back into the ring as Tommy follows him in. Summers crawls across the canvas, pulling himself up to his knees, asking for a time out as Bedlam approaches, but Tommy shows no mercy as he drives a knee right into Shawn’s face!
Tommy grabs Shawn by the head and pulls him up, he’s hooking him for the Bullseye…
Rod Sterling: ”Tommy Bedlam is wasting no time trying to put away Shawn Summers already!”
Just as it looks like Bedlam is going to plant Summers with his finisher, the move is broken up by an incoming Parr with a shining wizard to Bedlam!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”The Prodigy makes the save for Der Basterd!”
Rod Sterling: ”A combination of words I never thought I would hear spoken in the FWA!”
The save from Parr actually earns him a healthy round of boos from the crowd. Tommy gets taken down but quickly is back up, staggering back to the ropes as Parr charges in and takes both men over the top rope with a clothesline.
<< 3:22 >>
The match stabilises from here with Baxter and Summers becoming the legal men. Baxter finds himself in an unusual position of actually getting some cheers from the crowd as he works over Summers in the corner with a series of knee lifts before he pulls Summers out of the corner and gives him another knee to the midsection before lifting Summers up and tossing him into the top turnbuckle with a BUCKLE BOMB!
Summers falls down to the mat, his head resting on the bottom turnbuckle as Baxter heads over and tags in Tommy Bedlam, drawing another massive reaction from the crowd as the cowboy steps into the ring. Baxter charges in at Summers, delivering a thunderous hip attack to the cornered Summers before he stepped out back onto the apron.
Bedlam paced the ring and stared down the downed Summers, licking his lips with anticipation.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Here we go, Rod! This is what Tommy has been waiting for right here!”
After measuring up Summers, Tommy charges in with a running boot to the cornered TV & X Champion! The fired up Tommy then reaches down and grabs Summers by the hair, pulling him out of the corner. He pushes Shawn back into the turnbuckles where Tommy begins to repeatedly thrust his shoulder into Shawn’s midsection.
Bedlam continues to unleash a flurry of furious offense to Summers in the corner before backing up and he charges in with a running clothesline, but this time it's Shawn who is able to get out of the way and avoid the attack, leaping out and getting the tag to Mike Parr!
<< 6:41 >>
After some back and forth exchanges from Parr and Bedlam, Baxter would grab the blind tag after Parr had sent the cowboy into the ropes with an Irish Whip. Off the ropes, Parr caught Bedlam with a belly to belly overhead suplex, but he doesn’t see the new legal man charging in and Baxter hits a massive lariat right to the back of Parr’s head.
Rod Sterling: ”I’m surprised we’ve made it this far and both teams continue to work relatively cohesively.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”It’s still early, Rod. Like you said, this feels like a ticking timebomb.”
Baxter continues on the attack, sending Parr stumbling back with a big headbutt before lifting him up and slamming him down to the mat with a pumphandle into a sitout facebuster. Baxter went for the pin..
One! Two! Th - No!
BBB sits up and gives a stare to the official before pulling himself up and he drops a falling headbutt down on the recovering Parr. He then runs to the ropes, looking perhaps for a running high impact shoulder block, but instead he gets hit with a knee to the back from Summers on the apron! This stops Baxter in his tracks, but he turns around and goes after Summers, who jumps down off the apron to avoid a wild right hand from the NA Champion.
But when Baxter runs back toward the ring and his opponent, Parr is back up and strikes with a running knee to the face! Baxter falls into the ropes as Parr grabs him by the head, leaps onto the turnbuckles and drives Baxter into the canvas with a Tornado DDT!
Parr makes the cover!
One! Two! Thre… Bedlam makes the save!
Tommy returns to the corner, while Parr pulls Baxter’s massive frame over to his corner and makes the tag to Summers.
<< 9:04 >>
Summers and Parr continue to show an amazing amount of cohesiveness despite their past differences as they pick apart the bigger Baxter. They take turns working him over in their corner, keeping Baxter cut off from the opposite side of the ring while all Tommy can do is watch, itching to get the tag.
With Baxter now down in the corner, Summers charges in with the Bee’s Knees charging double knee strike before reaching out and tagging Parr! Summers steps back out onto the apron as Parr backs up and charges in with a running knee of his own to the downed Baxter! And he immediately tags Summers back in and… they both back up and charge in.. DOUBLE KNEE STRIKE TO BAXTER!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I feel like I’ve woken up in some kind of alternate dimension. My eyes have to be deceiving me by what we’re seeing tonight.”
Rod Sterling: ”Believe it or not, Anzu, it’s all real. This is no dream. We’re watching Mike Parr and Shawn Summers team together… and they’re actually working together and are currently in the driver’s seat! Bryan Baxter is in a world of trouble right now and quite frankly, I’m not sure we’ve seen Baxter in this position before!”
With Parr returning to the corner, Summers pulls Baxter out of the corner by his legs and locks him in the Ankle Lock! FWA Official Larry Stevens is there to check on Baxter, who shakes his head and doesn’t look ready to submit, but Summers adds more pressure as he applies a grapevine to the move! As Summers looks to break Baxter’s ankle, the NA Champ summons some of the power of his to muscle his way over and grabs the bottom rope to break the submission.
Summers, of course, doesn’t let go until he has the full count but finally does… and then proceeds to give a cheap stomp right to that same ankle before he tags Parr back in. Summers hold out Baxter’s leg, allowing Parr to drive his knee down into Baxter’s ankle as well.
<< 12:12 >>
Parr picks up where Summers left off, trying to pick apart Baxter and soon has his BiB opponent strapped into his Inverted Sharpshooter, once again trying to make Baxter submit but also applying more pain to Bryan’s leg and ankle!
Once again, Larry Stevens is in position and Baxter is shaking off the pain! Baxter pulls himself up on his arms and makes his way over… grabbing the bottom ropes once again! Parr releases the hold but wastes no time kicking Baxter’s arm off the ropes and then transitions into a rear naked choke, laying across Baxter’s back!
From the apron, Tommy Bedlam is trying to get the tag and is getting the crowd into it… the crowd actually solidly rallying behind the North American champion, wanting him to get back into this so he could get the tag to Bedlam! Baxter begins to battle his way back up… he gets up to his feet, with Parr draped across his back, still applying the submission…
BAXTER RUNS BACKWARDS AND SANDWICHES PARR INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!
Rod Sterling: ”This could be the opening Baxter needs! He needs to get that tag to Bedlam!”
Baxter drops to his knees, unable to immediately take advantage from the desperation manoeuvre due to the damage he had been withstanding for the last several minutes. But with Parr down in the corner as well, Baxter is able to crawl over…
He reaches out..
HE GETS THE TAG!
Bedlam charges into the ring, but is immediately cut off by Larry Stevens, eliciting some deafening boos from the crowd!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”No! Larry Stevens didn’t see the tag! Shawn Summers was distracting him from the apron!”
Sure enough, despite the protesting from Bedlam and the reaction from the fans, Larry Stevens sends him back out to the apron… while Summers hits a cheap CHOP BLOCK to Baxter from behind, taking him back down to the mat!
<< 15:58 >>
Baxter once again finds himself at the mercy of being caught in the Summers/Parr corner as a legal Summers shows off his own strength as he muscles Baxter up from a rear waistlock into a release German Suplex. Summers can’t hold the bridge, but he does roll over and tag in Parr, telling him, “finish this fat fuck off!”
Parr climbs to the top turnbuckle, looking back to measure the distance of Baxter before coming off the top rope..
X MARKS THE SPOT!
BAXTER GETS HIS KNEES UP!
Both men are down and the crowd is on their feet, wanting that hot tag so badly. Baxter begins to show signs of life as he rolls to his chest and begins to crawl… but Parr recovers and grabs him by the leg just as it looks like he was close enough to make the tag! Parr pulls Baxter away from the corner..
BUT BAXTER MANAGES TO KICK PARR IN THE FACE from his back, sending Parr falling backwards into another tag to Summers!
Baxter goes for the tag to Bedlam! HE’S…
NO! SUMMERS TAKES HIM BACK DOWN WITH ANOTHER CHOP BLOCK!
And Summers pulls him to the middle of the ring and locks in CHARLOTTE’S WEB! Right in the center of the ring! Baxter has nowhere to go!
Rod Sterling: ”I don’t think Bryan Baxter can take much more punishment! Parr and Summers have picked apart that leg… this could be it…”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I’m not sure he’s going to tap here… but he’s fading fast!”
Larry Stevens is checking in on Baxter, who tries to fight through the pain and turn the hold over, but slowly his shoulders begin to relax as he succumbs… and his shoulders go down!
ONE! TWO! THRE…
Baxter lifts a shoulder back up! The crowd pops for a Bryan Baxter shoulder up!
There is still life left in the big man as he once again begins trying to fight through te pain of the submission… both he and Summers lean forward in the submission… and begin to trade blows! Baxter with a right… Summers with a right… back and forth… but Summers gets the upper hand and after five successive blows, Baxter drops back down onto his back… and…
He begins to fade again…
The shoulders slump back to the mat.
ONE! TWO!
FLYING ELBOW DROP!
Rod Sterling: ”Tommy Bedlam just came in off the top rope with a flying elbow drop of all things! That’s not something we typically see out of the Bedlam arsenal, but he clearly has had enough waiting on the sidelines!”
That breaks up the submission to a roaring ovation from the crowd but in comes Mike Parr, coming after Bedlam! Parr attacks Bedlam from behind to a round of boos before hooking him for a DDT, but Bedlam reverses it into a Northern Lights Suplex! Both men roll back to their feet and Bedlam takes Parr down with THE BUCKSHOT!
Parr drops to the mat and rolls out of the ring as Bedlam heads back onto the apron, awaiting the incoming Baxter who once again makes the crawl while Summers scrambles, trying to get back to his own feet…
BAXTER GETS THE TAG
The electric crowd is on their feet, not a single butt in their seat as Tommy Bedlam steps into the ring, once again finding himself face to face with Shawn Summers… and Bedlam wastes no time as he runs in and tackles Summers with a Lou Thesz Press, unloading a flurry of punches to Der Basterd, much to the delight of the El Paso faithful.
Eventually, Bedlam rolls off of Summers, tossing his hands up in the air to further fire up the crowd as a groggy Summers begins to stumble to his feet..
SPEAR FROM BEDLAM takes Summers right back down!
Bedlam pulls Summers up by his hair… he hooks him by the head…
BULLSEYE!
Bedlam makes the cover!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
NO! MIKE PARR MAKES THE SAVE!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”I thought that was it! Tommy Bedlam had Shawn Summers pinned but once again it's PRODIGY WITH THE SAVE FOR SUMMERS. How are these words that are coming out of my mouth?!”
The fans really let Parr have it for yet another save, but in comes Baxter! Baxter goes after Parr as things begin to break down. Parr and Baxter quickly spill out to ringside. Baxter seems to have the upperhand until Parr hits a kick to that weakened leg of Baxter and then tosses Baxter into the ring steps!
Back in the ring, Bedlam pulls Summers up as Larry Stevens has his attention on Baxter and Bedlam at ringside… SUMMERS HITS A LOW BLOW!
Tommy drops to a knee as the camera quickly grabs a concerned look on Randi’s face as a smirking Der Basterd pulls himself back up slowly. He then takes Tommy by the hair and pulls him in, setting him up for…
THE MIDSOMMAR..
BUT TOMMY BACKDROPS OUT OF IT!
Both men pull themselves back up but Tommy strikes first with the BUCKSHOT… Summers falls backwards into the ropes… and stumbles right back into the waiting arms of Tommy who lifts him up…
ROUGH RIDE… but ITS COUNTERED BY SUMMERS with an eye rake! Summers lands on his feet and hits a desperation discuss elbow strike that sends Tommy to the mat..
Parr is reaching out, he is ready for the fresh tag as Summers…
BUT BAXTER PULLS HIM DOWN OFF THE APRON. And he’s armed with a pair of brass knux which he LAYS OUT PARR WITH!
Summers makes it to his corner but with Parr laid out, there is no one to tag! And it’s Bedlam from nowhere from behind, tackling Summers into the turnbuckles and then ROLLING HIM UP!
ONE! TWO! THREE!
{RESULT}Winner: Tommy Bedlam & Bryan Baxter by pinfall at 19:03
The crowd ERUPTS as Tommy Bedlam gets the pinfall on the TV and X Champion! Bedlam rolls off of the high stack roll up, his eyes wide as he himself is just realising what had happened!
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Here are your winners… Bryan Baxer… aaannndddd TOMMY BEDLAM!”
Once again it’s another huge reaction from Bedlam as he has his hand lifted up in victory by referee Larry Stevens. An elated Randi also joins Tommy in the ring, greeting her man with a big hug and the excited Tommy wastes no time also planting a big kiss on her once again.
Rod Sterling: ”What a night for the hometown hero! Tommy Bedlam picks up a huge win here tonight!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Between what happened at The Grand March and tonight… I think there’s no denying Tommy deserves another shot… ONE ON ONE… with Shawn Summers!”
While Tommy celebrates in the ring, Bryan Baxter climbs in, watching Summers as he rolls out of the ring, almost as if he was providing back up against any possible attempts at Shawn Summers to retaliate post-match.
Instead, Summers rolls out of the ring, clearly disgusted with the outcome of the match while Mike Parr also pulls himself up on the opposite side if the ring. Parr rubs his chin where Baxter had clocked him with the brass knuckles…
Rod Sterling: ”And for those two men, Bryan Baxter and Mike Parr… this feels like just the beginning of their own battle… one that is starting to heat up now after that shot Baxter took to keep Parr from being able to make the save for Summers at the conclusion of the match.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Something tells me this is only going to add fuel to the fire of Prodigy’s quest to gain back the North American Championship.”
While Parr and Summers exit El Paso with the taste of defeat, Bryan Baxter and Tommy Bedlam soak up the win in the ring. Well, Tommy especially does while Baxter nonchalantly leans over the ropes, just watching on.
After being handed his North American title, Baxter slings it over his shoulder and walks over to Tommy and Randi. Not sure what Baxter is planning, Tommy steps in front of Randi as Baxter comes in close. He gets eye to eye with Tommy… and extends his hand!
Tommy chuckles and thinks for a second before shaking Baxter’s hand. Baxter lifts up Tommy’s hand, the crowd continuing to pour in the love for the native Texan.
Rod Sterling: ”A rare moment of sportsmanship from Baxter, perhaps? Not something we see every day. But for one night… one moment… these two fought together and perhaps earned a semblance of respect here on this night in El Paso!”
With that, Baxter hobbles away, favoring the leg that had been so viciously targeted during the match by Parr and Summers, and leaves the ring. Leaving Tommy alone with Randi in the ring to continue celebrating with the fans as Meltdown came to a close.
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Post by supinesnake on May 29, 2024 8:51:09 GMT
030: “SOUTH OF THE BORDER.”
Live from Estadio Olímpico Benito Juárez in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Saturday 10th June, 2023.
{GO TO SLEEP || EMINEM FEAT DMX & OBIE TRICE}[MEDIA=youtube]r2GEb4MrkvU[/MEDIA]
Jason Randall marches out on stage and there’s a heavy mixed reaction for the veteran. As usual, Randall doesn’t seem to notice or care about the reaction and he doesn’t waste any time making his way down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”Fallout’s opening contest is scheduled for one fall with a twenty-minute-time-limit! Introducing first, from San Diego, California and weighing in at 234 lb…he is The Wildcard…Jason Randall!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Hello wrestling fans! We’re jumping right into the action here on Fallout 030, and as the title suggests we are South of the Border in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico for tonight’s show!”
Allen Price: ”The crowd is a rowdy one tonight, Jean-Luc!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”With good reason, Price. We have an action packed show in store for this evening, and it’s kicking off with Jason Randall in action against XYZ. Randall is getting shown some respect here from some of the fans and I suppose that makes sense since he’s not that far away from his home in San Diego.”
Randall is in the ring now and he has removed his vest. He begins to pace around the ring with an air of impatience…
{ONE HEADLIGHT || THE WALLFLOWERS}[MEDIA=youtube]Zzyfcys1aLM[/MEDIA]
XYZ steps out to a nice, positive ovation and he shows his appreciation with a pose on the stage before briskly making his way down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”And his opponent, from Sitka, Alaska and weighing in at 180 lb…he is X..Y..Z!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”XYZ is coming off of a losing effort on the last edition of Fallout when he teamed up with Randall and Death Walker. XYZ has had his issues with Death Walker as of late and now he’s found himself caught in the middle of the renewal of the rivalry between Death Walker and Randall.”
Allen Price: ”Death Walker and Randall came to blows when they were supposed to be partners with XYZ, and they ended up leaving him high and dry as they fought into the audience!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”A rather unfortunate turn of events for XYZ, I’m afraid, but tonight is a new night and he’ll be looking for some payback against Randall.”
XYZ is in the ring now and he has removed his cape and handed it off to the ringside attendant. He begins to loosen up and starts to get in a fighting stance but his opponent isn’t ready to start the match yet. Randall has taken the microphone from Natalie Rosenberg and he looks over at XYZ with an unusual expression.
Jason Randall: ”Hey, you can relax for a minute, okay? You don’t need to be in your fighting stance yet. Listen, I know that you and I we’re not necessarily friends. We’re not pals, we’re not buddies. You won’t find us hanging out in a bar after a show and throwing back a few drinks.”
XYZ looks confused and the crowd seems confused by this too but Randall motions that it’s okay.
Jason Randall: ”I also know that you and I share a common enemy, Death Walker. Yeah, you know the guy, right? I mean, of course you know him. He’s been beating your ass any chance he gets. Hell, he’s been beating my ass too, he’s the reason why I have to wear this knee brace now!”
“Anyway, I digress. What I’m trying to get at is that since we both have issues with Death Walker, I was thinking that maybe you and I work together. Hear me out, we team up and we take him down. We work together and we can solve our Death Walker problem, what do you think?”
Randall holds the microphone close to XYZ so he can give an answer, but XYZ doesn’t seem eager to give a response.
Jason Randall: ”What? What are you giving me that look for, huh? Come on, it’s not a bad idea, think about it!”
XYZ looks out at the fans for an answer and there’s a mixed response with some wanting him to join forces with Randall, while others are urging him not to do it. XYZ doesn’t give an answer and he gently pushes the microphone back toward Randall.
Jason Randall: ”I guess that’s a no, huh? Okay, well I thought it wasn’t a bad idea, but what do I know?”
Randall looks out at the crowd and gives off a shrug before he turns around and he clocks XYZ in the head with the microphone! The impact causes a loud thump that echoes through the building and Randall begins to stomp away on XYZ until referee Matthew Dean breaks it up.
Allen Price: ”Well, that wasn’t the answer Randall was looking for and XYZ is paying for it!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”I must admit that it wasn’t a bad idea for Randall to suggest an alliance, but this is an overreaction by Randall.”
Dean keeps Randall at bay and checks on XYZ, who is good to go, so Dean calls for the bell.DING! DING! DING!
<< 0:00 >>
XYZ has managed to get back on his feet but he doesn’t get time for reprieve as he’s bombarded by Randall, who takes him off his feet with a stiff running clothesline! XYZ is back up but he’s on the receiving end of a barrage of forearm smashes from Randall and The Wildcard has XYZ backed into the corner now. Randall goes to town with a couple of stiff knife edge chops and then he follows up with a stiff backhand chop! Randall then unloads on XYZ with stomps to the corner until XYZ is slumped down in the corner, and Randall backs away a few steps before charging back in at full speed with a knee to the face!
Allen Price: ”XYZ might be regretting turning down Randall’s offer right about now!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”I think it’s safe to assume that the offer is off of the table now.”
Randall takes XYZ up by the wrist and he connects with a saito suplex from out of the corner! Randall drops down for the cover and hooks the leg…
ONE…NO!
Randall quickly applies a headlock to XYZ but with Randall it’s no ordinary headlock as he soon transitions into an arm-trap and starts driving down elbows to the head! XYZ is getting rocked with each elbow finding its mark on his head. Randall then reapplies the headlock and he does his best to keep XYZ grounded for the time being. The crowd does start to get behind XYZ and the rallying does work as XYZ starts to feed off of the energy and he rises up while Randall still has the headlock applied.
XYZ has managed to power out of the hold after repeated back elbows to the stomach that causes Randall to release the hold, and XYZ goes to work with his vicious kicks to the thighs and shins repeatedly for about 20 seconds. Then with a leg sweep, Randall is back first on the mat and XYZ connects with a leaping elbow drop into a pin attempt!
ONE…NO!
<< 03:56 >>
XYZ pops up to his feet after the kick out and he goes for a springboard moonsault, but it’s a fake out after he lands on his feet instead. XYZ is about to go for a standing senton but Randall pops back up and quickly drives a knee into XYZ’s midsection! Then Randall takes XYZ over with a snapmare and starts delivering shoot kicks to XYZ, who is in a kneeled position now. Randall then takes XYZ’s head and starts driving repeated knees into his head before throwing him down to the mat.
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”It looked like XYZ had gained a measure of momentum, but Randall was quick to turn that around and now he’s back in the driver’s seat.”
Allen Price: ”XYZ is in a tough spot here, Jean-Luc. The Wildcard is not taking it easy on him.”
Randall brings XYZ up after grabbing him by the back of his tights and he launches XYZ across the ring with a release german suplex! Randall seems to be enjoying dishing out as much punishment as possible to his opponent. Randall takes this time to have some words with the crowd before he brings XYZ up, but XYZ counters back with a standing dropkick straight to the chest! Randall is knocked backward and he bounces off the ropes and XYZ takes him down with a drop toe hold and he follows up with a quick jumping elbow drop to the spine! XYZ isn’t done yet though as he hits the springboard moonsault and gets all of it and then goes for the pin…
ONE…TWO… NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”XYZ has found that much needed second wind he was looking for and he’s back in this fight!”
<< 07:30 >>
XYZ makes an ascent to the top and waits as Randall gets up…diving double knees to the chest! XYZ is feeling it now as he runs the ropes and just as Randall is getting back up, XYZ takes him down with a hurricanrana into a pin!
ONE…TWO… NO!
XYZ has Randall in his sights and goes for his signature headscissors takedown, but his spinning is cut short as Randall counters that into a powerbomb lungblower! Randall then drops down for the pin this time…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Randall brings XYZ up and XYZ tries for another standing dropkick to the chest but Randall blocks it this time and counters with a ripcord lariat! Randall hits another ripcord lariat for good measure and then lies in wait for XYZ…The Hail Mary! Randall with a cutter on XYZ and he goes into the pin!
ONE… TWO… THR - - NO!
Randall starts to argue with the referee because he thought that was three but Dean assures him it was a two count. Dean isn’t a referee to back down and Randall knows that having Dean be the officiant with almost all of his recent matches. Randall turns back to XYZ and leans down to pick him up when XYZ catches him with a small package!
ONE… TWO… THR - - NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”XYZ nearly closed in on a victory there but it was not meant to be just yet!”
<< 09:22 >>
Both men are on their feet now and XYZ connects with a standing dropkick to the chest that knocks Randall back, and XYZ runs the ropes and this time he connects with his signature headscissors takedown! XYZ takes a brief reprieve and catches his breath. He begins to feed off the energy of the crowd again and he starts to feel it….
Randall is on his knees and XYZ goes to work with kick after kick to Randall’s chest! The crowd cheers along with each kick as it makes contact and XYZ finishes off Randall with one last kick…
XYZ slowly begins his ascent to the top and he starts to signal for the end before he starts his tightrope walk…but Randall pops up and hits the ropes and causes XYZ to crotch himself on the ropes and then he drops to the mat in a heap…
Allen Price: ”I’m afraid he won’t be able to have any kids after that!”
The crowd is booing this turn of events as Randall stumbles to his feet and waits for XYZ…boot to the gut…SNAKE EYES! Randall drops down for the pin…
ONE… TWO… THREE!
{RESULT} Winner: Jason Randall via pinfall at 10:07
And after a hard fought match, the house lights begin to flicker for a bit then they stop. With a slight hesitation, the referee, ring announcer and commentators resume their duties as they try to not pay much attention to the minor electricity issue.
Allen Price: “Uhhh something tells me that that wasn't a coincidence.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Well, you can never truly be sure in FWA. I mean we have experienced our share of strange phenomenons.”
The ring announcer gets on the microphone and proceeds to announce the winner while the referee raises that winner's arm.
Natalie Rosenberg: “Here is your winner of the match-”
But before she can say the name, all of the power cuts out and leaves everyone in a state of confusion. Then a few seconds later, the lights are back on with some special guests front and center in the ring.
Allen Price: “And we should have known that these two would show up out of nowhere.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Sometimes when your name is brought up, you gotta pop up unannounced and set things straight, Price. Oh hell, but this doesn't look good for X or Randall.”
With a steel chair in hand, The Dark Guardian stares down a worn out XYZ as he sits in one of the corners. That's when Death Walker lifts a weakened Jason Randall over his shoulder and quickly hits him with… DARK CLOUD! However, The Death Walker isn't done yet as he picks up the lifeless body of The Wildcard and again hits another Dark Cloud in the middle of the ring. The boos from the fans become deafening as Walker and his guardian stand tall. The Dark Guardian puts his hand outside the ropes to be handed a microphone. Eventually one is handed to him and he taps on it to make sure that it's working already.
The Dark Guardian: “I see you had a little chat earlier with this miscreant that lays at our feet. So let me make things much easier on you. A message from both My Lord, Death Walker and myself… it would be wise to decline that offer and carry on about your own well being.”
X just looks at both men draped in black cloaks while Death keeps his eyes on Randall.
The Dark Guardian: “I mean… unless you’d, maybe join forces with Death Walker and assist him in decimating the unsavory Mr. Randall. I know, I know. You and The Dark Traveler haven't seen eye to eye either but here's a chance to make the BEST choice. Because I can promise you right now if you do not join us then you will remain as a target for him to go after. And I don't have to explain to you what he will do to you. Do you really believe you can trust Jason Randall any more than Death Walker?”
Just then, Jason begins to get to his feet before The Dark Traveler who anticipates to dish out more punishment. The masked demon unhooks his cloak and tosses it aside right before latching in a sleeper hold. Death turns around with Jason struggling to escape and stares at a shock XYZ. But then XYZ attempts to charge forward at Walker but is immediately stopped by The Dark Guardian ready to strike with the steel chair in his other hand.
The Dark Guardian: “I don't think you're that crazy to put your own safety at risk… for this guy, are you? Someone who would stab you in your back at a blink of an eye? That's who you want to defend? I’ll ask again…”
As The Wildcard is drained of energy and even oxygen, he goes limp within the arms of the monster. Then he gets suplexed to complete a disgusting Bedtime Story by Death Walker. Once again, Death makes sure to stand over Jason Randall and waits for an appropriate response from XYZ or to deliver more of this brutal assault. Everyone in attendance as well as the other three men in the ring wait on X’s response. Security and staffers run out from the back and carefully surround the ring but neither Death or the advisor pay them much attention as they prepare to use Jason as their hostage.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Oh thank goodness, they're finally out here to take care of these two nutjobs. I hope they get a hold of them both and stop this beating before it gets carried away.”
Allen Price: “I would say that we're past the point of getting carried away. It's Death Walker and his freakish friend, for fuck sake! It can only get worse before it gets better from here, JL.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Well all I know is if I were XYZ, I’d accept the temporary alliance and steer clear of these lunatics. How much clearer of a message does he want?”
The Dark Guardian: “X… Y… Z, please take this chair that I possess and bash it against Mr. Randall right here, right now… and put him down for good.”
There's some hesitation as the security and staffers attempt to pull Jason Randal out of harm's way. However, Death spots this and stomps on the lower back of Randall and keeps his foot there. So instead, they climb up on the apron around the ring with the idea to rush these guys. This makes both The Dark Guardian and The Dark Traveler stand back to back to keep eyes on them all including highly favored XYZ.
The Dark Guardian: “Well… what will it be? No? Yes?”
X looks around the arena for confirmation from the fans before giving any sign of a response. The Dark Guardian slowly hands the chair to Death who grabs it and raises it high above their heads. The staff with referees shout at Walker to stop while preparing to step between the ropes. XYZ starts to shake his head and shout no to being a part of this mayhem. And the dark hooded speaker makes one last statement…
The Dark Guardian: “It seems to be that you were right, My Lord. This one isn't capable of making such the easiest choice.”
Within an instant, Death Walker takes his foot off of Jason's back and strikes it hard with the steel chair. XYZ, security and the staff storm into the ring as Randall rolls around in pain and everyone else gasps in awe of this display. The lights quickly blink and cut off before Walker and his advisor are captured. Then they cut back on after some seconds later but the two menaces are nowhere to be found, just the smoke they left in and around the ring.
Allen Price: “JL, this is utterly ridiculous, why do those maniacs believe this is the method to gain what they want around here?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “That's a rhetorical question, right? Do you not know where we are and what we’ve witnessed in this company, Price? I asked how much clearer does X needs a message. Sure, he doesn't want to choose either side in this odd feud but he's still involved one way or another. He was given a simple choice and he chose not to take it. Honorable but dangerous for him if Death Walker comes after him again.”
Allen Price: “Indeed it is and we will keep you all updated on Jason Randall as the FWA staff tries to help him up and we go to commercial break before the next match.”
{THE THREE COUNT || JIMMY HART & HOWARD HELM}[MEDIA=youtube]gD2nS7PKlqE[/MEDIA]
Fallout returns from a brief ad break to find The Bad Boys Boy Band are singing and dancing on their way to the ring while their theme song plays, much to the dismay of the fans in attendance and those watching at home. In the ring are Big Bam Slam, Spooder-Man and Mr. Goal.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”The contest is trios match set for one fall! Making their to the ring, The Bad Boys Boy Band and their opponents, already in the ring, Big Bam Slam, Mr. Goal, and Spooder-Man!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”We are set for trios actions and unfortunately here comes The Bad Boys Boy Band. It’s bad enough we had to deal with Ratin and Steve before, but now these guys? Lord, give me strength…”
Allen Price: ”These guys are absolute cockroaches… and somehow they managed to pick up a victory in their last match…”
The Bad Boys Boy Band are about to enter the ring when some unfamiliar music plays…
{OUTLANDER || TITAN SLAYER}[MEDIA=youtube]jnviyqrmfAA[/MEDIA]
Allen Price: ”Who is this?! What’s going on?!”
Everyone pauses and the attention turns to the stage. A sense of awe falls over the arena as an absolutely gigantic man strides out from the back and marches down the ramp. Around 6’8 and weighing in the region of around three-hundred and fifty pounds, the man’s face mostly covered by a brown mask that lets his unkempt brown hair flow down to his shoulders.
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Is this… ‘The Great’ Maru? I’ve heard this name before, but aside from that I know nothing about this man.”
Allen Price: ”I know that he is absolutely ginormous!”
‘The Great’ Maru stops at the end of the ramp and diverts his gaze towards The Bad Boys Boy Band, who run around the other side of the ring! Maru then walks to the ring apron and pulls himself up and enters the ring by stepping over the top rope.
Allen Price: ”The Bad Boys Boy Band are wisely keeping their distance while this is going on.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Probably the first smart thing they’ve ever done in their lives.”
The Bad Boys Boy Band watch in awe from the outside as Maru wastes no time in picking up Mr. Goal and slamming him down to the mat with a Two-Handed Chokeslam!
Bravely, Spooder-Man attempts to strike ‘The Great’ Maru, but he catches his punch! Maru examines the masked man for a moment and then drives his knee into his cut and pulls him in for an Over-Shoulder Reverse Piledriver! Spooder-Man is laid out and Big Bam Slam manages to club Maru on his back as he rises to his feet and he gets a couple of shots in, but Maru turns around and stares him down.
Big Bam Slam realises his mistake and the crowd stands in awe as Maru picks BBS up and the massive man eats a Vertical Suplex Side Slam! With the three men in the ring laid out, Maru examines the damage he has dealt and then leaves the ring!
Allen Price: ”What just happened, Jean-Luc?!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Well, ‘The Great’ Maru just arrived in the FWA, and he’s put just about everybody on notice… and what are these clowns doing?”
With Maru clear of the scene, The Bad Boys Boy Band see an opportunity and enter the ring and urge the referee to ring the bell…
Allen Price: ”Can this happen?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”The match had not officially begun, Price.”
The referee calls for the bell… DING! DING! DING!
The Bad Boys Boy Band start to dance around their fallen opponents before deciding on who they’ll pin and then they take their sweet time to set up…THE STAGE DIVE ON SPOODER-MAN! THE PIN IS MADE!
ONE…TWO…THREE!
{RESULT} Winner: The Bad Boys Boy Band via pinfall at 0:20
Natalie Rosenberg: ”The winners of the match, The Bad Boys Boy Band!”
The Bad Boys Boy Band start to celebrate and act like they’ve won a championship with the way they’re celebrating.
Allen Price: ”You'd think they just won the Super Bowl or something with how they’re acting right now!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”In their defense this is probably the biggest win of their career, but they can thank ‘The Great’ Maru, if they dare go near him. Anyways, the show rolls on with more action on the way, stay tuned, wrestling fans!”
The lights in the arena turn off and the crowd mumbles in confusion, wondering what is going on. Their mumbles are slowly drowned out as what sounds like wind chimes begin to play throughout the arena.
???: “Ladies, gentleman, and every beautiful being in between!”
The sultry, Australian-accented, voice of a female echoes from the darkness in the arena.
???: “Are you ready for your knees to be weak? Are you prepared for your mouths to water?
Can you hold back your freakiest fantasies and your hardest thoughts?”
A male voice with a Californian twang to it joins in on the sensual introduction.
???: “Give in to your carnal desires and your yearning for fun! Get under the covers, bring in your lovers, and engage in an oral exhibition with the man, Him, the one!-“
A light high above the ring turns on and illuminates an incredible contraption that dangles from the rafters. A large, furry, pink swing with three seats hangs for all to see. On the left side sits a gorgeous woman with wavy blonde hair and a pink bodysuit that reads “Monica” on the back in rhinestones. On the right side sits a man with shorter, dirty blonde hair and also wearing the same outfit, but his says “Antonio” on the back. They each hold large pink fans made of feathers and cover the middle swing.
Monica: “One like no other, a man so secure and loving that you can even call him Mother!”
Antonio: “Mmm but Daddy might be better, because you know better than anyone that he can make the rain wetter.”
Monica: “Oh Antonio, I don’t know if they’re really feeling this?”
Antonio: “Even after they’ve all been hearing this?”
Both: “Then I guess it’s time to experience!”
Silver confetti explodes from underneath the three-seater swing and rains down upon the ring as Monica and Antonio drop the feathery fans to their sides and music starts to play.
{THE WAY LOVE GOES || JANET JACKSON}[MEDIA=youtube]Khpb4yjL3Eg[/MEDIA]
Sitting on the middle swing is a man that was last seen making his debut during an incredible performance in the Carnal Contendership match, Xperienx Xtacee. He wears a gorgeous green top with a collar that dives deep down his chest and stops just above his belly button. The sleeves blossom out into frills that stop at his knuckles. His bottoms are more of the same and the frills stop just above the laces of some very fancy white shoes. X smiles and blows kisses at the crowd as they cheer this extra-flamboyant display. The lights in the arena turn into a relaxing red color and reveal that the ring has completely transformed into something more appropriate for The Sensual Enigma known as Xperienx Xtacee. The ring mat and apron have been replaced by a fuzzy pink carpet, the ropes have small white lights wrapped around them and, directly in the center of them ring, is a large heart-shaped bed with purple pillows and a red comforter that has “Pillow Talk'' written in the middle of it. There are also two purple loveseats to the right side of the bed and a nightstand to the left of it. The giant swing has slowly made its way down to ring level. Monica and Antonio hop off and crawl onto either side of the bed. They each hold a hand out towards X who promptly jumps from the swing and lands directly between them. X and his lovers smile and giggle as some fans in the audience cheer, while others stare either mesmerized or confused.
Xtacee: “Hello all of you beautiful people, I truly thank you all for the warm welcome. As my two exquisite partners said, the last time you all saw me was during my debut in the Carnal Contendership, but I don’t believe I had the chance to properly introduce myself, so if you’ll allow me, I would like to do just that for you all right now.”
Monica: “X, baby, I think there’s something missing.”
Antonio: “We’re a few people short of a great time, aren’t we?”
Xperienx Xtacee nods his head in agreement and rubs his chin.
Xtacee: “You’re both right as always. I can’t think of a better way to make sure that ‘Pillow Talk’ is The Bee’s Knees than by getting downright Nasty and introducing my first guests. That’s right I said guests, plural, because it’s always more fun when you have more than one. Please turn your attention and give a sensual reception to my esteemed guests…”
Monica, Antonio, and Xperienx Xtacee all turn their heads towards the stage. X points in the direction of the entryway and announces the names of his guests.
Xtacee: “The man from Philly, Nate Savage, and a fellow Las Vegas Resident, Jackson Fenix, they are The Undisputed Alliance.”
[MEDIA=youtube]n2EjeMx4bSg[/MEDIA]
The familiar theme song plays out and there’s a nice ovation for Nate Savage and Jackson Fenix. Fenix walks out first and as usual he’s excited to be there but Nate is showing some hesitancy at first. Jackson has started to walk down to the ring when he realizes Nate is still at the stage, so Jackson jogs back down to check on him. After some discussion it seems like Jackson has convinced Nate to go along, although there’s still some reluctance in Nate’s expression.
Allen Price: “As usual, Nate Savage is the more stubborn of the two in Undisputed Alliance while Jackson has become the more easy-going as of late”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I’m not quite sure what to make of this myself to be honest, Price.”
Jackson and Nate enter the ring and Jackson sits on the love seat next to the bed while Nate opts to stand. Jackson and Nate are handed their own microphones as their music fades out.
Jackson Fenix: “Hey, uh, thanks for the invite! Happy to be here, even though I still don’t know why we got an invite out of everyone else.”
Jackson looks over at Nate standing there awkwardly and he motions for Nate to sit down.
Jackson Fenix: “Dude, you can sit down. Come on, relax!”
Monica and Antonio begin to motion for the friends to join them and X in the bed. Nate immediately shakes his head no, but Jackson seems to be considering the offer.
Jackson Fenix: “That bed does look super comfy, I’m not going to lie. Ah, to hell with it, yolo!”
Jackson hops into bed with X, Monica, and Antonio while Nate watches on even more confused than before. Eventually, Nate takes a seat on the love seat near the bed.
Nate Savage: “Yolo? Really?”
Jackson Fenix: “Yeah, are you sure you don’t want to join us? There's plenty of room.”
Xtacee: “I definitely wouldn’t mind a five-way with someone nicknamed ‘Nasty’.”
Nate looks at X even more confused than ever now. He immediately shakes his head no.
Nate Savage: “Uh, no offense, but I’ll take a pass on that. I’m a happily married man.”
Xtacee: “No offense taken, baby. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable and at ease. Jackson is more of the free-spirit type out of the two of you, I see.”
Jackson Fenix: “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I am a bit of a free-spirit. To be perfectly honest with you, it wouldn’t be my first time in bed with a bunch of people like this.”
Nate Savage: “Jack, they don’t need to hear about your sexual exploits.”
Monica: “Oh we absolutely wouldn’t mind that at all, Mr. Savage. I’m sure Jackson’s experiences would be very… titillating.”
Antonio: “After all, we’re all about getting down to what makes someone’s heart beat the fastest and blood pump the hardest.”
Jackson Fenix: “I’m all about that too, yeah, I’m down with that. Nate on the other hand, not so much. He doesn’t open up much, he’s a bit of a private guy, but that’s what makes us such a great team and a cohesive unit…speaking of unit…I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about me and yes, it’s true…I am packing some serious heat down there…if you know what I mean.”
Jackson winks at everyone in bed with him and overall seems to be enjoying himself while Nate looks like he’d rather be anywhere else.
Xperienx Xtacee puts his hand over his mouth as if saying “oh my god” with his face. Monica and Antonio giggle and poke Jackson Fenix as he looks surprised but he joins in on the giggling.
Xtacee: “Well that is definitely something we’ll need to explore thoroughly at another time in another place. But staying on the topic of units… the two of you do make a grand team as you said. You both boast championship gold together as well as separately, your coordination and stamina are off the charts, you’re both pretty damn attractive and, much like myself, there’s just something about y'all that mesmerizes the people here. So when I was thinking about who I could have as my first guests on Pillow Talk… well I just couldn’t think of two people that would erect more solid of a monument for my show than you two.”
Jackson Fenix: “Heh, you said erect, heh heh!”
Nate shakes his head and is wishing to be anywhere else at the moment. He gathers himself and shifts a little in his seat
Nate Savage: “I think what my partner is trying to say is that we appreciate the sentiments and kind words.”
Jackson Fenix: “Yeah, that’s totally what I meant to say. We’re super glad that you chose us to be guests on the first ever edition of your show.”
Nate Savage: “There’s a catch though, right? There has to be a catch.”
Jackson Fenix: “Dude, I don’t think there’s any catch. He just wanted to invite us here and show us a good time.”
Monica: “Well, actually…”
Antonio: “Monica, you make it sound like something bad is going to happen!”
Monica: “Oh whoopsie! I didn’t mean that at all. Jackson, Nate, we just had a very important thing to bring up.”
Xtacee: “What my two wonderful darlings are alluding to is just that… more is never a bad thing, so to speak. I’m someone that loves other people, loves working with other people, loves collaboration and values chemistry. Jackson… with you laying in this bed right here, I think I sense a lot of chemistry. Nate I see your adorably confused little eyes too, that curiosity is there, but I would never force anyone into a position they didn’t agree with, baby.”
Jackson Fenix: “This wouldn’t have anything to do with that trios thingy coming up, would it?”
Nate Savage: “Trios?”
Jackson Fenix: “Yeah, there’s a trios thing that was announced for Back in Business. The first ever trios champion will be crowned, I think.”
Nate Savage: “Yeah, but there’s only two…oh…I see what you’re getting at now…”
Jackson Fenix: “Yeah, dude, you and I are great together but think about if we added a third like Xtacee here.”
Monica: “Everyone could benefit with a little Xtacee in their lives.”
Xtacee, Monica, and Antonio all wink in unison at Nate Savage.
Nate Savage: “I’m so uncomfortable right now. I can’t even think straight.”
Antonio: “We haven’t heard that word in a while!”
Nate shifts some more in his seat.
Jackson Fenix: “Come on man, it won’t be so bad!”
Jackson playfully hits Nate on the head with a pillow. Nate looks at Jackson with an empty expression and blinks at him.
Nate Savage: “Did you just hit me with a pillow?”
Jackson hits Nate again and this time with some force behind it.
Nate Savage: “Are you going to keep doing this until I agree?”
Jackson responds by trying to hit Nate again but Nate snatches it away from him.
Nate Savage: “If I agree to this will you stop hitting me?”
Jackson Fenix: “I mean, yeah, you took away the pillow.”
Nate looks at Jackson, then at Xtacee, Monica, and Antonio. The crowd is urging Nate to agree and he sighs.
Nate Savage: “Yeah, okay, sure. Let’s do this trios thing.”
Xtacee throws his arms up and kicks his legs in excitement. Monica and Antonio clap, cheer, and blow kisses at Nate Savage.
Xtacee: “I knew you’d come around, baby. Everybody wants to Xperienx Xtacee on their own time. I promise Nate, you’ll never get enough, and you’ll want to come back for more. You two Jackson.”
Xtacee gently rubs Jackson’s arm. Monica and Antonio motion towards Nate, asking him if he wants to reconsider joining them all on the bed.
Nate looks at them and then at the crowd again, who are urging him to join, and he shrugs his shoulders.
Nate Savage: “What the hell? Sure.”
Nate hops into bed with them and starts to cozy up with everyone.
Nate Savage: “This is pretty comfortable, you weren’t kidding, Jack.”
Jackson nods in agreement and wraps his arm Nate.
Xtacee: “For Monica, Antonio, Jackson, Nate, and myself… this has been Pillow Talk with Xperienx Xtacee. See ya on the cool side.”
Xtacee claps his hands and silver confetti shoots out from the turnbuckles as the lights in the arena turn back off while his music plays.
{QUAKE THEME || NINE INCH NAILS}[MEDIA=youtube]Mv5Jvr2Fp48[/MEDIA]
There’s a mixed reaction as Aka Manto walks out onto the stage, Aka dressed in red and Keiko in blue. The two survey the crowd from the stage before beginning on their way down the ramp.
Natalie Rosenberg: "Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one-fall, with a twenty limit time limit, and is a three-way tag team contest. Introducing first, at a combined weight of two hundred and forty six pounds… from Nara Prefecture, Japan, Keiko Hirabayashi, and from Seattle, Washington, Aka Yurei… AKA MANTO!"
The Japanese tandem climb into the ring and loosen up in their corner. Their music fades out, quickly replaced by…
{TAKE ME TO CHURCH || HOZIER}[MEDIA=youtube]f4UhdgBVtVc[/MEDIA]
There’s mostly boos in the arena as the three members of the Coven walk out onto the stage, the Ravenwood sisters accompanied by KDS. Blair and Celestia both seem to be nursing war wounds, most likely the result of their thirty minute war with the Connection at CDW.
Natalie Rosenberg: "And their opponents, accompanied to the ring by Kleio De Santos… at a combined weight of two hundred and twenty pounds… from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania… Blair and Celestia Ravenwood… THE COVEN!!"
The sisters climb into the ring and enter a tense stand-off with Yurei and Hirabayashi of Aka Manto. This only abates when their music fades out, and is replaced by…
{SENPAI NOTICE ME || CAMELIA AND NANAHIRA}[MEDIA=youtube]_bp8NX7BAB0[/MEDIA]
There's a mixed reaction for dayspring/nightbreak as they appear on the stage. It does seem to be mostly comprised of boos, but there is some respect for their efforts two weeks ago in attempting to dethrone the Connection. Makima has a smile on her face as she waves to the crowd and then leads the way down the ramp…
Natalie Rosenberg: "And finally, from Tokyo, Japan and Liverpool, the United Kingdom respectively… at a combined weight of one hundred and sixty kilograms… 'The Last Twinkle in the Sky' Makima Snowmantashi… 'The Platinum One' Zom Gippy… DAYSPRING/NIGHTFALL!!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "We got to know this pairing a lot better last week when they came close to dethroning the Connection for the FWA World Tag Team Championships. The Coven also came close to that same prize just four days ago in the COSMIC! Zone on CDW, losing a hard-fought match-up with von Horrowitz and Grayson after more than half an hour…"
Allen Price: "And then what happened, J-L?!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "I was getting to it, Price. Chris Peacock and Alyster Black may now be the FWA World Tag Team Champions as of Meltdown XXX, but you've got to believe this match - also featuring a former tag champion in Aka Yurei - will have some sway when it comes to the title picture."
The competitors seem to know that too, with all six of them glaring at each other from opposite sides of the ring. The referee, DJ Franchise, conducts his final checks and then calls for the opening bell… << 00:00. >>
Celestia and Blair seem fine with allowing others in the match to kick things off, with this match following a format with two legal competitors and four waiting on the apron. Makima and Aka are to start things for their teams, circling the ring and then bring it together as if about to go for a collar and elbow tie-up… before both wrestlers change tact at the last moment and hit simultaneous kicks with their left boot! Neither budges, and then promptly both follow up with kicks with their right, again striking at the same time!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Both women with precisely the same idea at the start of this one!"
Makima stumbles back with the impact of Yurei's kick, though, with Aka following up with a trio of hard forearm strikes, backing Baby Kaiju into the corner. It's a hard Irish whip across the ring next for Makima, who hits the turnbuckles with impact before bouncing back towards Aka, who knocks her off her feet with a leg lariat! Makima tries to roll back to the corner for a tag with Zom, who is reaching in over the top rope to try and tag, but Yurei hoists Snowmantashi up and hits a snap suplex! Aka goes for a pinfall with a forearm in Makima's face…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Makima gets a shoulder up, and immediately Yurei has her on her feet. She whips her into the ropes - not noticing that Celestia tags herself in when Snowmantashi hits the ropes - and then knocks Baby Kaiju off her feet again with a reverse roundhouse! Aka goes for another cover…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "The referee isn't counting, and Aka seems still unaware that Celestia is now her legal opponent…"
Allen Price: "I think she's about to find out!!"
Indeed, Celestia introduces herself into the match with a diving cross-body from the top rope! She clatters into the unwitting Yurei, and follows up with a cover…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Aka gets the shoulder up…
***
<< 03:42. >>
Blair and Keiko are our legal wrestlers, with Blair backing Hirabayashi into the (empty) corner with a series of hard knife edge chops. Blair attempts a charging forearm in the corner… but Keiko dives out of the way, and then follows up with a rake to the eyes! Blair is momentarily blinded, and doesn't realise that Keiko is already charging off the opposite set of ropes, taking her out at the knees with a low drop kick! Blair rolls beneath the bottom rope to get out of dodge…
Allen Price: "Blair Ravenwood is looking for safety on the outside, but I'm not sure she's going to find it…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Keiko with the top suicida! Between the bottom and middle ropes!!"
On the outside, Keiko gives Blair a helping hand to her feet before rocking her with a headbutt, spinning Ravenwood around so that she's facing Aka… who has, in the meantime, scaled up to the top turnbuckle…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "DIVING HURRICANRANA! To the outside!"
Allen Price: ""Blair Ravenwood is down and seemingly out… and don't Aka Manto look proud of themselves…" [/b][/color] They are perhaps a little too engaged in self-congratulation to notice Makima in position, in the ring behind them. They turn around… Jean-Luc Watkins: "SPRINGBOARD SHOOTING STAR PRESS!! From inside to put! She calls that one Star Killer #4, and both members of Aka Manto go sprawling to the floor!!"As the four on the outside slowly get to their feet, Celestia Ravenwood is doing the same thing on an adjacent turnbuckle, her back faced towards the groggy party… Allen Price: "MOONSAULT!! Celestia ups the ante again!!"The crowd's hype levels increase only further when they see Zom Gippy is in the ring, watching the mass of humanity on the outside slowly gathering themselves together. Gippy hits the ropes, the crowd cheering her exploits despite their general opinion of her… Jean-Luc Watkins: "SUICIDE DIVE!!!"Zom Gippy crashes into all five competitors (including Makima), crashing into them and knocking them over like skittles!! More roars from the crowd for the escalation of aerial attacks! *** << 10:10. >>Whilst Blair and Celestia double-team Zom Gip the ring, official DJ Franchise having lost some control and struggling to get Celestia out of the ring, Aka Manto are doing a similar job on Makima on the outside. Jean-Luc Watkins: "This doesn't look good for dayspring/nightfall! Zom is the victim of a high-low kick combination from the Coven in the ring, whilst Makima gets thrown down face-first into our table! Look out, Price!!"Indeed, Allen and Jean-Luc are forced to get out of the way as Blair follows up by hurling Makima over the desk and into the announcer's chairs. Snowmantashi is sprawled out amongst them and the wires, whilst Aka and Keiko weigh up their next move… and then start tearing the cover and monitors from the announce table!! Allen Price: "I like this decidedly less than the crowd does! That's our table! Where am I meant to put my 7 Up?!"Aka Manto have no such regard for Price's beverage, which gets thrown at Makima along with the monitors. Then, both members of Aka Manto climb up onto the table, dragging Makima up there with them by the hair. They each apply a front facelock, maybe looking for a double suplex… … but here comes Gippy! Having taken down both members of the Coven with a clothesline, she climbs out of the ring and yanks Aka from the desk (and indeed out of the front facelock) by the leg, and then rocks get with a headbutt! Meanwhile, Makima reverses the momentum up on the desk, hitting a snap suplex on Aka, off the desk and onto the floor! And Zom Gippy hurls Aka into the barricade just for good measure! Jean-Luc Watkins: "Makima Snowmantashi seems to be encouraging Zom Gippy to get up onto the table… this doesn't look like a good idea!"
Allen Price: "Especially not for Keiko Hirabayashi, J-L. She gets passed up to Gippy on the desk by Makima…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "SCOOM SLAM PILEDRIVER!!! OH MY GOD!! KEIKO HIRABAYASHI IS DAMN NEAR BROKEN IN HALF!!"Indeed, Zom gets up from the wreckage, surveying the damage alongside Makima, staring down at Keiko amongst the debris. Makima has a wide, beaming smile on her face as she pats Zom on the back. The pair turn around… … and get clocked by synchronised tope suicidas from the Coven!! The crowd applauds the total, non-stop action… *** << 16:00. >>Natalie Rosenberg: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your FOUR MINUTE WARNING!!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Two hundred and forty short seconds to go, and this one has completely broken down!! Nobody is on the apron, with the non-legal competitors instead prioritising battle on the outside! DJ Franchise has got to get some control of this one!"
Allen Price: "There's only so much one official can do! At least we have the two right wrestlers in the ring…"Indeed, Makima and Celestia are those legal participants, with Baby Kaiju shaping up for what looks like a brainbuster attempt. She hoists Ravenwood into the air… but Celestial fights back with knees to the top of the head! Makima is forced to drop Celestia behind her, and then turns around into a big spinning wheel kick! Snowmantashi is rocked, allowing Celestia to follow up with a discus lariat! Makima is down and in position, and Celestia wastes no time in ascending towards the top turnbuckle… Jean-Luc Watkins: "Makima is going for her patented Hex Bomb here…"
Allen Price: "But Makima is still twinkling! She climbs to her feet!"… and then hops up onto the top rope alongside Celestia… Jean-Luc Watkins: "SUPERPLEX!! Makima drapes an arm over Celestia…"ONE… TWO… THR – NO!! Celestia thrusts a shoulder up! Makima does allow her frustrations to show, instead dragging herself up and then climbing to the top turnbuckle herself, facing away from the ring. She looks to be going for a moonsault… but doesn't see Aka Yurei up on the apron! The Ghost charges across and pushes Makima off the top turnbuckle, sending her sprawling to the floor and into the barricade! Aka quickly climbs into the ring, awaiting Celestia's rise before charging at her at pace, looking for a hip attack… but Celestia catches her!!! GERMAN SUPLEX!! Aka is thrown across the ring and lands in a heap, Celestia looking to follow up with a figure 4 leg lock, but Aka kicks her away and - still groggy from the German - staggers up to a vertical base. Celestia ducks her lariat attempt, but Aka evades the spin kick in turn… and hits a spinebuster!! Jean-Luc Watkins: "Aka senses the momentum shifting into her favour… she's stalking Celestia now!"
Allen Price: "And Keiko just clotheslined Zom Gippy over the barricade and into the crowd! Our audience don't look too impressed by this interloper!"In the ring, though, Yurei patiently awaits Celestia's rise, and then when the witch stumbles around towards her… Jean-Luc Watkins: "SOUL CRUSHER!! Aka connects with the double foot stomp!!"
Allen Price: "I think she caved in poor Celestia's chest!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "But watch out! Here comes Makima!"The Last Twinkle bundles Yurei out of the ring with a clothesline over the top rope, and then dives into Celestia with a tight cover, hooking both legs! ONE… Blair tries to slide into the ring… TWO… … but Zom Gippy grabs her legs! The cover is just out of her reach!! THREE!! {RESULT}Winner: dayspring/nightfall via pinfall at 18:53. Makima rolls off Celestia and out of the ring, where Zom collects her and gives her a helping hand towards the ramp. Aka has slid back into the ring, where she stares at the smiling Snowmantashi with a look of frustration on her own face… Natalie Rosenberg: "Here are your winners… Makima Snowmantashi and Zom Gippy… DAYSPRING/NIGHTFALL!"The official has followed them up the ramp so that he can lift their hands in victory. Aka shakes her head in frustration and then rolls beneath the bottom rope to check on Keiko. Blair collects her sister, regrouping with De Santos before heading to the back. Jean-Luc Watkins: "Makima keeps her undefeated status in tact here on Fallout 030, with an impressive win that again puts their name in the tag team title picture…"Makima and Zom Gippy stand on the stage with smiles on their face, and it looks as though they are about to disappear to the back… when Jon Russnow walks through the curtain! He has a microphone in his hand and is clapping the exploits of the match's victors. The music fades out and he lifts the microphone to his lips… Jon Russnow: "Bravo! Another fine performance, Makima, and you're showing your worth too, Zom Gippy, even if it wasn't immediately apparent to me."The two enjoy the compliments (Zom doesn't notice that his was back-handed), but there's still a sense that they're wondering exactly what their boss is doing out here at the culmination of their match. Jon Russnow: "I don't want you to think that your efforts have gone unnoticed. This victory here tonight, as well as the draw against the Connection two weeks ago on Meltdown XXX, have - in my mind - earned you to another shot at the FWA World Tag Team Championships… which you will get in Mexico City, as part of Back in Business weekend!"There's a cheer for the announcement of the match, the general support breaking into an FTN chant quickly. Jon Russnow: "dayspring/nightbreak will face whoever emerges from Meltdown XXX as tag team champions… but they won't be the only ones. In two weeks time, on Fallout 031, the team of Aka Manto will face a pairing from Cthulhu's Nephews. Not the Connection, who have given up their claim to a rematch for the titles in favour of Quiet and Harry the Sane Wizard's spot in this match. Whoever emerges victoriously on 031 will be added to the championship match at Back in Business…"Aka seems pleased with the announcement. She is still supporting her partner's weight, who isn't in any condition to react to Russnow's proclamations. Jon Russnow: "And I consulted the darts of destiny this morning… that three-way tag team championship bout in Mexico City? Let's make it a ladder match!!"The crowd cheers for the announcement, Russnow's own music rather narcissisticly playing as we fade from the scene. {COLA || LANA DEL REY}[MEDIA=youtube]lBakG7KtVZE[/MEDIA] Jean-Luc Watkins: "Almost as if they had been trained for this moment, the fans instinctively boo as they know that this theme song can only mean one thing. We’re about to be graced by the presence of Der Basterd himself - Shawn Summers."Shawn emerges from behind the curtain, accompanied by a hooded individual in a wheelchair. He stands on the stage, observing the crowd's negative reaction, a familiar sight he has faced many times before. Allen Price: "This is an unfamiliar sight for Shawn Summers. We're accustomed to seeing him in professional attire when he's not competing. Something seems different this time."Shawn is dressed in a white t-shirt tucked into blue jeans, along with dark brown leather boots. His once platinum-blonde hair now reveals patches of its natural brown color. He pushes the wheelchair halfway down the ramp before giving it a forceful push, causing the hooded individual to be flung out. Jean-Luc Watkins: "What the hell is this? What the hell is Summers' problem? He can’t be upset over the loss to Bater and Bedlam? This isn’t his first loss and probably won’t be his last."With ease, Shawn grabs the individual by the collar and throws them under the ring ropes. He ascends the ring steps slowly, scanning the faces in the arena. Entering the ring, he seats the individual in a corner. As the lights gradually brighten, the baby-themed decorations scattered around become visible. In the center of the ring, there is a portrait of Tommy Bedlam and Randi. Shawn gazes at the portrait blankly before retrieving a microphone from his back pocket. Shawn Summers: "I didn’t want to do this. It wasn’t supposed to come to this, but I couldn’t just be left alone. That’s all I’ve wanted and asked for out of all of them in the back - leave me alone. Leave me alone while I gather the belts I want. Leave me alone and you won’t have to have some life-altering moment where you change your gimmick, or you take a hiatus to think about what’s next for you, or you agree to team with one of my next targets. I just wanted to be left alone, but that wasn’t possible for you. Right, Thomas?"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Oh, no…"
Allen Price: "This isn’t going to be good for Tommy…"
Shawn Summers: "You just couldn’t leave me alone and now you’ve driven me to this. A true American travesty if I must say so myself, Thomas. Our country truly went downhill the moment we accepted that having bast—I’m sorry—children out of wedlock was okay and something to be celebrated."The fans boo as Shawn takes a moment but doesn’t stop staring at the portrait of Tommy and Randi. He runs his fingers through his hair and shakes his head before raising the microphone to his mouth again and continuing. Shawn Summers: "I normally wouldn’t do this. But, from one bastard to another…I felt like I had no other choice."
Jean-Luc Watkins: "This is low. Calling someone's kid a bastard is low, even for Summers."
Allen Price: "I…I can’t believe he’s doing this."
Shawn Summers: "So, welcome to the official FWA Baby Shower for Thomas Bedlam and Randi Francis! Can we please get the mother and father to be down here for us to celebrate them, please? Come on out Thomas and Randi!"The fans boo loudly as Shawn looks at the entrance ramp awaiting the arrival of the parents-to-be. He doesn’t give them more than 30 seconds before he raises the microphone to his mouth again. Shawn Summers: "I think you two may have confused my demand as a request. An easy mistake for two backwater hicks like you two. So, let me be more clear - Thomas and Randi, get the fuck down to the ring, NOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Something’s not right with Summers."
Allen Price: "That’s an understatement."
Jean-Luc Watkins: "No, I’m being serious. Just look at him out here tonight. The way he’s dressed, his hair is all messed up, and he’s in the ring cursing and shouting. He’s off."
Shawn Summers: "Okay. Alright. You two think this is a game, right? Okay. It’s a baby shower and everyone knows that a baby shower isn’t complete without a couple of party games so let's play one of my favorites."Shawn approaches the hooded individual that he had left in the corner and yanks them to their feet. He rips off the hood and reveals them to be Rocco Sullivan. Shawn Summers: "Me and Rocco here are going to play one of my favorite party games. For this game, we’re going to see how long Mr. Rocco can stay conscious while I choke the life out of him. Will he stay conscious long enough for Thomas and Randi to decide to attend their baby shower? Let’s find out."In an instant, Shawn drops the microphone and applies a standing rear naked chokehold to Rocco who quickly begins to lose color in his face and flailing his arms about as Shawn applies more pressure - his face is void of any emotion as he does so. Jean-Luc Watkins: "This is insane! Someone needs to get in the ring and help, Rocco. This man isn’t a trained professional wrestler anymore. Someone get in the damn ring before this turns fatal."
Allen Price: "Tommy needs to get in the ring! That’s what Summers wants."Tommy Bedlam rushes out onto the stage in a panic flanked by Randi and the camera switches back to expressionless Shawn Summers who slowly releases the pressure on Rocco. He slowly reaches down and picks up the microphone and cracks a small smirk. Shawn Summers: "Thomas, and Randi, how nice of you two to join us! Look, I’m sorry your boy Rocco had to lose a little oxygen to the brain but you left me no other choice. I knew that if anyone could get you two out here it’d be him. Now, come join me in the ring for your special moment. Oh, and just like the one from a few moments ago - this wasn’t a request it’s an order. Get down to the fucking ring."Tommy looks at Randi, who is obviously in fear and doesn’t want to go to the ring. The two talk for a brief moment. Tommy takes her hand and nods assuringly before the two make their way to the ring. Shawn sits on the middle rope as a way to help them get in the ring but Tommy and Randi go to the opposite side - a smart move. Shawn smirks as the two enter the ring and check on Rocco. Shawn Summers: "He’ll be fine, don’t worry about him. This isn’t about him. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves. When someone tries to make an event all about them when its not. So selfish. But anyways, I want to take this time to apologize to you, Ms. Francis. From the moment that Tommy accepted my open challenge, I’ve put you through so much unnecessary shit. The bumps, the unnecessary stress, this (he gestures around with his hands). You didn’t deserve any of that and I want you to know that it was never my intention. I begged management to keep you away from the ring when I was there or during my match with Tommy. I really did. But, Tommy insisted that you be put in harm's way - really foreshadowing what type of father he’ll be."
Tommy Bedlam: “Don’t fucking talk to her, Shawn. Stop lying. This aint between you and her it’s between you and -”
Shawn Summers: "IT’S NOT YOUR TURN, YET!"
Allen Price: "I think it’s safe to say that Shawn Summers has officially snapped."
Jean-Luc Watkins: "We could’ve said that a long time ago."
Shawn Summers: "I’ll deal with you soon, Thomas. I just wanted to offer my apology for everything WE’VE put the baby and her through and offer her a gift."Shawn reaches down and unwraps one of the presents, pulling out a baby doll much to the displeasure of both Tommy and Randi. Shawn cradles the baby in his arms and plays with it as if it is real before turning his attention back to Randi. Shawn Summers: "Randi, I want you to have this baby doll so that you can see how much goes into being a mother. It’s one of the most realistic baby dolls that you can buy. It cries it poops, it pees, it wakes up in the middle of the night afraid. It’s essentially Thomas in baby form!"Shawn reaches out to hand the baby to Randi who looks at Tommy unsure of what to do. He can be heard telling her to take the baby which she reluctantly reaches out to do. As the transfer of the gift is about to happen Shawn swiftly turns around with the baby doll and punts it into the crowd much to the shock and awe of everyone in attendance. Jean-Luc Watkins: "What the hell is wrong with him?!?!"
Allen Price: "Oh, man…Summers…wow."As the fans in the arena boo and yell obscenities at him, Shawn slowly turns back around toward Randi. Shawn Summers: "Randi, what I’m about to say is the only truthful thing I’ve ever said to you - I don’t give a fuck about you or that bastard in your stomach. I truly mean that. So, consider that your final warning - if you get involved in any of my shit going forward I won’t hesitate to play kickball with your stomach."Tommy looks as though he’s about to charge at Shawn but Summers, still staring at Randi, points at him. Shawn Summers: "You make one wrong move cowboy and I’ll turn this baby shower into a wake. It’s finally your turn anyways."Shawn turns to Tommy who grabs Randi’s hand and pulls her behind him. Shawn Summers: "How bad do you want my television championship, Thomas? Hmmm? Don’t answer that because I’ve got another question for you. How bad do you want my X-Championship? Do you want those belts, those accolades so bad that you’d…kill for them?"Tommy closes his eyes and mutters ‘motherfucker” as Shawn stands with a smirk on his face. Shawn Summers: "You see, Thomas. I’m willing to die to keep both of my titles. I’m willing to give my very last breath to keep both of these belts. But you know that already. You know that. So, that’s why I can’t understand why you want to take the only things that mean something to me away. You had your chance and you blew it but for some reason, you keep fucking with me and wanting to take what’s mine and I can’t understand it."Tommy goes to answer but Shawn waves him off. Shawn Summers: "Shut up, cowboy. You’ll want to hear this. You see, I know how much you like to make deals so I’m going to give you the deal of a lifetime, Thomas! I’m going to give you a chance to take the Television and the X-Championship and whatever else your heart desires at Back in Business!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Well that’s one hell of a deal Shawn is willing to make with Tommy. There has to be a catch, though."
Allen Price: "There’s always a catch with things like this."
Shawn Summers: "It’ll be a Three Stages of Hell Match - similar to the three strikes match from last year but a little different. The first stage will be for the Television title. The second stage will be for the X-Title. But the third stage, now this is my favorite. The third stage will be for whatever you and I want. You can wish that if you win the third stage I leave the FWA forever. I can wish that if I win the third stage I get Randi for a weekend. The third stage can be whatever we so may desire. However, let’s not give away the details just yet on that third stage. Let’s wait until…Meltdown. We’ll announce the third stage prize next week on Meltdown. I’ll see you then, Thomas."Shawn drops the microphone and slowly walks past Tommy to exit the ring. As he walks past Tommy he stops for a moment and smiles at Randi before Tommy gets in front of her and tells Shawn to keep walking. Shawn shakes his head and approaches the ring ropes before forcefully shoving Tommy into Randi. Jean-Luc Watkins: "She’s pregnant dammit! What the hell is wrong with him?"
Allen Price: "Disgusting behaviour, even from Summers."The fans continue to boo as Shawn walks up the ramp his back turned to ward the wring as security scrambles to block the path between the entrance way and the ring. Tommy is furious and attempting to get through but to no avail as the scene fades to black. {THE DEMONS CAROL || BLAQKOUT}[MEDIA=youtube]kHYdLveMYxc[/MEDIA] Natalie Rosenberg: "Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is 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… DEATH WALKER!"Walker comes out to mostly boos and, in typically no-nonsense fashion, begins walking towards the ring. Jean-Luc Watkins: "Here comes Death Walker, who is still embroiled in disagreements with both XYZ and Jason Randall…"
Allen Price: "That's something I expect will roll on into Mexico City, but tonight there's a very different and very real challenge ahead of him. A real test of Death Walker's metal…"Walker climbs into the ring as his music fades out, quickly replaced by…[/FONT] {THE SOUND OF TRUTH || AS I LAY DYING}[MEDIA=youtube]K91qwxCWmrs[/MEDIA] Natalie Rosenberg: "And his opponent… from the long and winding road… weighing in at two hundred and twenty seven pounds… 'the Exile'... CYRUS TRUTH!"
Loud cheers for Truth in Mexico as he walks out onto the stage, surveys the audience, locks eyes with his opponent, and walks to the ring.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Cyrus Truth will no doubt have one eye already on the Back in Business main event, when we know the Carnal Contendership winner will go one on one with the FWA World Champion Chris Peacock… a man noticeably absent from the arena here on Fallout 030."
Allen Price: "A man is entitled to a little celebration after such a momentous win! Cyrus, meanwhile, will need to be fully focused here on the task here tonight, rather than his forthcoming defeat to Peacock. Death Walker has already shown FWA audiences what a dangerous competitor he can be. The Exile can't take him lightly…"
Truth gets into the ring and enters a stand-off with Death, who doesn't back down one inch. The official comes between them and forces them into their own corners. He conducts his final checks and, finally, calls for the bell…[/CENTER] << 03:10. >>
After Cyrus gets the better of the opening exchanges, he backs Death into a corner and unloads on him with an alternating series of knife edge and overhand chops. Truth attempts to Irish whip Walker across the ring, but it's reversed and the Exile hits the opposite turnbuckles and bounces back towards Death. Cyrus goes for a lariat, but Death sees it coming and evades by ducking beneath and then collects Truth from behind. He also looks to be going for a backdrop driver… but Cyrus overrotates and lands on his feet! Death turns and Truth grabs him in a single-handed chokehold…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Memento Mori! Truth with the STO!"
Allen Price: "And he follows with the cover…"
ONE… TWO… NO!
Death gets the shoulder up, and immediately Truth clutches his arm in an attempt to wrench it up into an bar. Death senses his peril, though, and begins to fight his way over to the ropes, clutching the bottom one and forcing a break. Cyrus let's go and gets to his feet, allowing Walker to roll beneath the bottom rope. He reaches beneath the bottom one and grabs Truth by the ankle, yanking him out of the ring, clutching his wrist, and throwing him with a vile Irish whip into the adjacent steel steps!
Allen Price: "Well, that's one way to shift the momentum."
Death Walker continues to take it to Truth on the outside whilst the referee begins a ten count.
***
<< 08:36. >>
After a lengthy period of dominance outside of the ring, during which Death has rolled in and out of it a number of times to break up the count, Walker finally has the Exile in the ring, where he plants him in the middle of it with a snap DDT! Death with the cover…
ONE… TWO… T – NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Truth gets the shoulder up, but this is an impressive stretch of dominance for Death Walker against a multiple time world champion."
Death doesn't let his frustrations show after the kick out, instead hoisting Cyrus up to his feet and throwing him off the ropes. Truth is able to duck the first lariat attempt, but as Truth approached the second time Death Walker goes behind into a…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "SLEEPER HOLD!!"
Allen Price: "Death Walker has it locked in deep!! Truth separately attempts to reach the ropes!!"
Indeed, the Exile is reaching out on all sides, desparate to get his handa on the sanctuary of the ropes, but each time he gets closer to them Walker drags him back into the middle of the ring! And Cyrus is fading!! His motions become less pronounced until, eventually, he has stopped moving at all!
Allen Price: "Truth is down! And still Death doesn't relent! He's going to put him to sleep!!"
Death Walker applies a grapevine whilst Truth is ground, and the official is in to check on Cyrus' arm…
It falls to the mat once…
It falls to the mat twice…
… but not a third time!!! Cyrus clenches his fist and, with the crowd firmly on his side, he fights up to his feet again. Death does his best to hold onto the sleeper, but has to transition into a side headlock…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "BACKDROP DRIVER FROM TRUTH! Death Walker dropped at an ugly angle on the back of his head!"
Allen Price: "But neither man can follow up! They're both lying on the mat, staring up at the lights!"
The official begins a ten count…
***
<< 12:38. >>
Death has the upper hand, where he works away at Cyrus in the corner with straight right hands. He goes for a whip into the opposite corner, but this time it's Cyrus' turn to reverse Death and send him into the opposite set. Walker bounces off the turnbuckles and back towards his opponent, who is waiting for him with a spinning back fist attempt… only for Death to duck beneath it. Walker goes for a German suplex in response, but once more Truth lands on his feet… and then he is able to clock him with a spinning back fist! Death is on one knee, sucking in air, but has no time to recover. Truth hoists him up into an Argentine Rack…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "EXILE'S EDGE!! Cyrus Truth gets all of that neck breaker!"
Allen Price: "No cover, though!"
Indeed, instead spends a moment to look up towards the announce booth. Peacock isn't there this week, but he gives Price a glare that almost makes him get up and run away. Truth then hoists Death up onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry…
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Here it comes!"
After a deep breath, Truth begins to prepare to hit Journey's End… but Death slips down his back!
Jean-Luc Watkins: "SUNSET FLIP ROLL-UP! Death has Truth's shoulders down!"
ONE… TWO… THREE!!
{RESULT} Winner: Death Walker via pinfall at 14:29.
Truth kicks out a moment or two too late, and immediately a look of frustration spreads over the Exile's face as he stares at the official in disbelief. Death, meanwhile, has already rolled out of the ring, backing up the ramp with a look of triumph on his face.
Natalie Rosenberg: "Here is your winner… DEATH WALKER!!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Death with the upset here, catching Cyrus Truth by surprise and picking up the three-count. Probably exactly what Chris Peacock wanted to see here tonight, I imagine."
Allen Price: "…"
Price is still white as a sheet and scared into silence.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Well, okay then. Now: this!"
Toaster advert (swerve!).
{SWORD OF DESTINY || Marcin Przybyłowicz}[MEDIA=youtube]viM0-3PXef0[/MEDIA]
There's a massive pop in the arena for the familiar theme music, and the audience here in Mexico doubles down on that when the man himself walks out onto the stage. The kaiju, CWA legend and longest reigning world champion in the company's history, Jon Snowmantashi. His reputation precedes him, and he appears on the stage with a look of passivity on his face. Glum, almost. He doesn't bother surveying the audience, instead walking down the ramp with a sense of purpose despite the fact that he doesn't have a match tonight.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "We already know that this man will be retiring after Mexico City's Back in Business, after a long and illustrious career in professional wrestling. We haven't seen the kaiju in the ring here in North America since his altercation with Michelle von Horrowitz, and indeed Chris Kennedy, at Mile High 2021, but tonight he's here to address the FWA Cosmos in an exclusive interview with Todd Salum."
Allen Price: "Snowmantashi is indeed retiring, but he might not be going alone. After a tense and somewhat one-sided trade of words at a Genki Puro event in May, Kaiju vs. Dreamer III was made official, with MvH's career on the line too! I only wish there was some way for me to study the history of this rivalry…"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "I'll send you a link."
Snowmantashi climbs into the ring and through the ropes, where Todd Salum is waiting for him in a tuxedo with a microphone in his hand. Salum offers a handshake and the kaiju returns a nod. He takes up a position next to the interviewer, the same aloof and immovable expression upon his face.
As his music fades out, we can hear the crowd's chanting more clearly:
'KAI-JU! KAI-JU! KAI-JU!'
This has no effect on Snowmantashi. The adoration washes over him like rain on a mountain.
Todd Salum: "Jon Snowmantashi, thank you for joining me at this time to look ahead to your Back in Business match against Michelle von Horrowitz, which we already know will be your last within the squared circle. But first, if I may, I'd like to look back as opposed to forward, over a career which stands up against the very best in professional wrestling. When all is said and done, and after the smoke clears in Mexico City, how do you think the kaiju will be remembered?"
Salum extends the microphone towards Snowmantashi. For a moment, all we can hear is him breathing into it and the continued chanting of the crowd.
And then…
{IN DREAMS || ROY ORBISON}[MEDIA=youtube]MVRunwyoTMA[/MEDIA]
There's a mixed reaction for Michelle von Horrowitz amongst the Mexican crowd. Many of them, the FWA die-hards who are most familiar with her work in this company, are quick to launch into a torrent of boos. Others, who remember her run in certain regional independents like PAW before she made it onto CWA screens, are more positive and forgiving. Michelle doesn't pay either subset of the crowd any mind, instead marching directly towards the ring and her Back in Business opponent.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Well, I guess it was only a matter of time…"
Allen Price: "Could've at least let the man speak first…"
Michelle rolls into the ring and springs to her feet. There's an angered glower on her face, one that suggests she is plagued by twinned frustrations: her recent loss of the FWA World Tag Team Championships, and the fact that her oldest, fiercest rival is now occupying an FWA ring.
She snatches the microphone from Todd's hand forcefully. The interviewer throws his hands up and then quickly exits the ring. There's a duelling chant in the audience. Let's go Kai-Ju! probably has the edge, but the calls of M-v-H! that rise to meet or are noticeable.
Michelle stands less than a metre from Snowmantashi as she lifts the microphone to her lips.
But…
{Cornflake || psychedelic porn crumpets}[MEDIA=youtube]f60kHMYRsq8[/MEDIA]
There's a slightly confused cheer amongst the audience as Gerald Grayson's music hits and the Daredevil emerges onto the stage. GG acknowledges the audience before beginning at a swift pace towards the ring, high-fiving the fans on the front row as he goes down the ramp.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Not surprising to see Michelle von Horrowitz interrupting Snowmantashi's interview time, but moreso to find Gerald Grayson out here on Fallout 030."
Allen Price: "We last saw Gerald Grayson alongside Michelle von Horrowitz on Meltdown XXX, losing their FWA World Tag Team Championships to Chris Peacock and Alyster Black. Many online commentators have been saying this could be the end of the Nephews. The fall of the once mighty group. How glorious!"
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Yes, because a three hundred day championship reign being finally ended by a super-team is absolutely a sign of abject failure."
Grayson gets into the ring, still smiling, and now we notice the somewhat perplexed expression on his partner's face. Snowmantashi's visage is the same as ever. It seems he doesn't really recognise Grayson, though it was unclear if he recognised von Horrowitz either.
Grayson holds his hand out to his partner. Still confused by the interloper, she nevertheless places the microphone in his hand. Grayson turns towards Snowmantashi with it.
Gerald Grayson: "As a student of the game, and as a fan of this sport…"
A fan can be heard shouting 'YOU FUCKING MARK' from the third row…
Gerald Grayson: "I of course have nothing but respect for Jon Snowmantashi. Your achievements here and in Japan are unparalleled. Nobody's name invokes more awe and more fear in a professional wrestling locker room than Jon Snowmantashi's. They call you the kaiju... the force of nature... and for good reason. As far as I can see, none of that fame or repute is ill-gotten. Jon Snowmantashi has earned his reputation, even if he doubtlessly thinks little about such trivialities."
Michelle doesn't seem to be enjoying her partner's praise of her opponent, but she affords Grayson time to make his point.
Gerald Grayson: "But, if I've learned anything over these three years of being Michelle's partner… of being her friend... it's that one can't hide from the storm. Especially one that seeks to take something from you that you hold dear. You must face it. Fight it. So in two weeks time, on Fallout 031, I intend to test myself against one of the very best this business has ever seen. Gerald Grayson vs. Jon Snowmantashi, one-on-one, mano y mano."
The crowd likes the proposed match, chanting their approval. Michelle seems almost to scoff at the challenge. Gerald remained fixated on the kaiju, who at least is giving the young man in front of him his attention.
Gerald Grayson: "If you intend to take it all from me, kaiju, you can at least give me this."
After what feels like a substantial pause, Snowmantashi finally takes the microphone from Gerald. The crowd creeps to the edge of their seats collectively, a silence descending as they await the kaiju's first words.
Jon Snowmantashi: "You are right, Gerald Grayson, that one cannot hide from the storm. One must indeed face it. But you can't fight it, either. One can only hope to survive."
Another pause. Michelle watches the scene unfold with curiosity upon her.
Jon Snowmantashi: "Okay. Fallout 031."
With that, the kaiju passes the microphone back to Gerald and leaves the ring. He walks up the ramp without turning back. Gerald turns around to Michelle, smiling at the accepted challenge, but falters in this happiness and hopefulness when he sees Michelle's deathly glare.
Jean-Luc Watkins: "Well, it appears Gerald Grayson got what he wanted in the form of a test against Jon Snowmantashi in two weeks time on Fallout 031, but it remains unclear if that lay in the plans of Dreamer herself."
Allen Price: "Given the stare Grayson is receiving right now, I'd imagine Michelle von Horrowitz imagined this interaction playing out quite differently…"
Gerald hands the microphone back to Michelle, who takes it from him, and then offers her a shrug. He climbs out of the ring and follows the kaiju up the ramp, Dreamer watching him go.
Michelle stands alone in the middle of the ring, the microphone at her side and staring at the mat thoughtfully. After a few seconds of silent head-scratching, she drops the microphone and rolls beneath the bottom rope. We fade to black as she heads towards the curtain.
{GREENBACK BOOGIE || IMA ROBOT}[MEDIA=youtube]Slgj96aXgQk[/MEDIA]
The booing begins as soon as the opening chords to the music hits the sound system, and after a few seconds the self proclaimed Last Draw in the Sky, Danny Toner, makes his way out. Danny relishes in the vitriol being spewed at him and he responds in kind with crude gestures right back at them as he makes his way down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”The next contest is scheduled for one fall with a twenty-minute-time-limit! Making his way to the ring, from New York City and weighing in at 208 lb…he is The Last Draw in the Sky…Danny F’N Toner!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Danny Toner is all smiles tonight after coming off back-to-back wins over weaselperson and our world champion, Chris Peacock, and he looks to continue that streak tonight but he’ll have to get past Lizzie Rose.”
Allen Price: ”Don’t remind me about him beating Chris, I’m still trying to forget that, JL. He’s all smiles now but Lizzie Rose could wipe that smile away if she can pull off a win.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Regardless of how you feel about him, Danny Toner is immensely talented and is more than able to back up everything he says.”
Allen Price: ”Personal feelings aside, I have to agree with you there, JL.”
{THE KEY, THE SECRET || THE URBAN COOKIE COLLECTIVE}[MEDIA=youtube]-PfM2-dlt6M[/MEDIA]
The mood changes and the crowd lights up with positivity for The Rave! Lizzie bops along with the music as she steps out on stage, but then she gets serious as she looks down at the ring and what is waiting for her before she walks down to the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”His opponent, making her way to the ring from Brooklyn, New York and weighing in at 99 lb…she is The Rave…Lizzie Rose!”
Allen Price: ”Lizzie is usually all smiles and more interactive with the fans, but tonight is different for her because she faces what is likely her toughest challenge to date.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Lizzie has had the deck stacked against her before and she usually finds a way to overcome the odds, but given what she’s been dealing with in regards to Eternal and how focused and on point Toner has been upon his return, I’m afraid I don’t like Lizzie’s chances here.”
Allen Price: ”Perhaps you’re right, JL, but I’m holding out a semblance hope for her.”
Lizzie enters the ring and Toner is already mocking her and acting like he’s not the least bit intimidated. Meanwhile, Lizzie is standing her ground and is showing no signs of fear. The referee, Larry Stevens, checks both competitors and then calls for the bell. DING! DING! DING!
<< 0:00 >>
Lizzie slowly approaches the center of the ring while Danny is still laughing it up and playing to the fans. The fans are hurling insults at him in spanish and he throws his own insults back at them. Danny gets close to Lizzie and just about towers over her, and he starts to fling insults at her and he gives her a shove with his palm on her head. Lizzie stumbles backward and Danny points at her and laughs.
“Are you freakin’ kidding me right now?! Fuckin’ amateur hour over here!”
Lizzie walks forward but Danny pushes her back again and this time with more force and Lizzie falls on her backside.
Allen Price: ”This guy is a real piece of work, JL.”
Danny has his back turned now and he plays up to the fans some more. Lizzie senses her opening and she quickly runs up behind Danny and catches him with a schoolboy roll-up!
ONE…NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Danny not taking Lizzie lightly almost came back to bite him right there!”
Danny kicks out with force and he rolls through as Lizzie springs to her feet, and she charges forward and ducks a clothesline from Danny, hits the ropes with a springboard…GIRL MEETS MAT! TORNADO DDT ON TONER AND LIZZIE QUICKLY HOOKS THE LEG FOR THE PIN…
ONE… TW – NO!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Lizzie got all of that tornado DDT but it still wasn’t enough to keep Danny Toner down for the three count!”
Allen Price: ”She caught Danny slipping and now he’s paying for it!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”A costly mistake for sure, Price, but this is Danny Toner we’re talking about here. You know it’ll take a lot more than that to keep him down.”
Danny shakes off the effects of Girl Meets Mat and stumbles back into a corner. Lizzie is in hot pursuit and she starts to fire off lefts and rights but Danny blocks it and out of desperation he catches her with a quick rake of the eyes! Danny trades places with Lizzie and now she’s in the corner and Danny is relentless with his flurry of uppercuts in the corner to Lizzie. He continues this onslaught with some headbutts before he takes her out of the corner by her wrist and launches her out of there with a saito suplex!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Just like that, wrestling fans, Danny Toner has gained control of this match.”
<< 04:55 >>
Lizzie tries to sit up but she’s quickly knocked back down with a running knee to the dome! Danny goes in for the pin…
ONE… TW – NO!
Danny applies a sleeper hold on Lizzie, who is still down, but Lizzie is trying her best to slip free and she does manage to counter with a snapmare and she swings wildly with a kick that Danny ducks and he counters into a roll-up!
ONE… TW – NO!
Lizzie rolls through and she charges forward but Danny stops her in her tracks with a sharp european uppercut! Danny then takes her in and takes her down with a suplex! Lizzie sits up upon landing and this leaves her open for Danny to strike with shoot kicks to her spine! Lizzie cringes in agony and falls to the mat. Danny flips her over and drives down some stomps squarely into the center of her spine! Then Danny drives his foot right into her stomach with a soccer punt-like kick!
Danny drags her away from the ropes and he locks in the boston crab submission in the center of the ring. Danny begins to wrench back on the hold and adds extra pressure to Lizzie’s back…
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Aside from some small spurts, this has been all Danny Toner, wrestling fans. Danny is looking to go 3 and 0 since his return, and he might have his way if he keeps this up.”
Allen Price: ”He’s targeted Lizzie’s back and that boston crab isn’t helping matters for Lizzie. The damage was done but Danny is just sprinkling on more of it because he can.”
Lizzie starts to crawl toward the ropes while Danny is doing his best to prevent that from happening. The crowd is rallying behind Lizzie and she’s using their energy to give her the strength as she continues to fight through the pain and she eventually gets to the bottom rope to break the hold…
Danny is irate now and starts berating the referee and then turns his anger toward the fans. Meanwhile, has mustered up enough power to get to her feet, with the ropes as leverage and she senses Danny marching back toward and she trips him up with a drop toe hold that sends into the second rope! Danny bounces off the rope and into the waiting arms of Lizzie, who strikes with a flapjack!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Somehow, someway, Lizzie Rose has bounced back into this match, wrestling fans!”
<< 08:30 >>
After a few moments, Lizzie springs back to her feet and hops over to the apron where she lies in wait as Danny starts to stir. Danny is slow to his feet and he has back turned on Lizzie, and Lizzie launches herself with a springboard onto Danny’s back before spinning around…ROSEACARANA! Lizzie with the pin…
ONE…TWO… NO!
Allen Price: ”Oh, I thought she had it there!”
Lizzie locks in a rear chinlock on Danny but Danny has the wherewithal to counter that with a snapmare takeover. Lizzie rolls through however and she’s backed into the corner, and Danny charges toward her but she counters with a pendulum kick! Danny stumbles backward as Lizzie sizes him up and goes for the missile dropkick, but Danny swats her out of the way just in time and she hits the mat!
Danny takes a moment to collect himself before he kips up and he takes in and hits her with a back suplex! Danny brings a near lifeless Lizzie to her feet, spins her around and connects with a Regal-plex into a bridge!
ONE…TWO…THR – NO!
Danny starts to laugh at Lizzie’s fight for survival and just as she’s on her knees in a groggy state, Danny connects with another running knee! Lizzie rolls toward the ropes while on the opposite end, Danny plays up to the crowd some more and starts hurling more insults at them…
”All of you ain’t fuckin’ shit! Ya hear me? None of you can touch me and no on in the back can lace my fuckin’ boots, ya hear?! Especially not that little brat over there! I’m schooling her right now and there ain’t a fuckin’ thing no one can do about it!”
Allen Price: ”Classy as always is Toner.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Expect nothing less from him.”
<< 10:40 >>
Danny points at Lizzy and he seems to be setting her up for The Equalizer with Lizzie slowly getting to her feet near the ropes…
BUT SOMEONE WALKS OUT ONTO THE STAGE! The man, dressed from head to toe in black, causes Toner to stop in his tracks!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”It’s that masked attacker! They’ve plagued Toner for weeks now… and they’ve arrived at the most inopportune time for ‘The Last Draw in the Sky’!”
Allen Price: ”Who is it, Jean-Luc!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”I can’t see their face, Price. Same as you.”
The masked individual stays still on the stage and Toner shouts some things at them before waving them off and turning his attention back to Lizzie Rose, still reeling.
Danny charges forward…Lizzie rolls out of the way and Danny gets caught up in the ropes…Lizzie quickly rolls him up…
ONE…TWO…THREE!
{RESULT} Winner: Lizzie Rose via pinfall at 11:01
Danny doesn’t even wait for Natalie Rosenberg to declare the winner of the match, as soon as he’s on his feet after the pin, he hops over the ropes and makes a beeline towards the masked figure on the ramp. The masked figure flips two fingers at Toner and sprints to the back, Danny in hot pursuit.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”The winner of the match…LIZZIE ROSE!”
Lizzie sits up in shock at what she has just done before she leaps to her feet and has her arm raised by the referee. The crowd are very vocal in their support.
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Lizzie Rose has done it, wrestling fans! Lizzie Rose has pinned Danny Toner for the three count!”
Allen Price: ”She pulled a play from the Joe Burr playbook and it paid off!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”The match result couldn’t mean less to Danny Toner right now though, Price. He’s gone!”
Allen Price: ”It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, JL!”
Now on the turnbuckles, Lizzie seems ecstatic to be enjoying her moment…
{"Rage Beneath the Mountains (Cover) || Lindsey Stirling"}[MEDIA=youtube]hU0Zbpf0OS8[/MEDIA]
Lizzie looks up with dread on her voice as the music of Eternal blares out through the speakers of the arena. She doesn’t even want to look, but she knows who is coming.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “...Get out there, NOW Lizzie.”
Allen Price: “Here comes her tormentors…”
Walking through the curtains, we see Keres in her usual school-like black attire, though this time there is no legion of minions carrying her. Behind her is her right hand, Princess Nova, wearing a purple princess dress which goes down to her knees. Tiara on her head, and a long black box held in her glove covered hands.
Finally building up the courage to look, she sees the two “sisters” standing on the stage. Nova gives a warm smile towards her while Keres looks dead ahead. The two walk down the ramp and we can feel the tension in Lizzie’s body. These two women have a grip of her mental psyche for months. She tightens her hands into fists as Princess Nova walks up the steps. She raises the rope for her sister who enters and Nova follows. Lizzie steps forward as Keres and Nova are handed microphones. Their theme music fades as Keres says into the microphone with a chilling tone.
Keres: “Be not afraid…”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “I’d be…”
There’s every bit of her that wishes she could just clock Keres in the head right now. She has done it before in a match. She’s pinned Princess Nova before in a match. But… Lizzie can’t bring herself to do it. Lizzie looks forward and her hands drop…
Princess Nova: “Good. Family shouldn’t hurt family.”
Allen Price: “-Some family you are…”
The crowd in Ciudad Juáre jeer Princess Nova’s response. The TORN Angel covers her mouth, surprised by their reaction. Keres carries on.
Keres: “We give our congratulations on your big win. We mean it when we say that it has LONG been overdue for you.”
Lizzie glances at Keres. She just finds herself wrapped up in her words.
Keres: “You said it yourself. You’re a selfless individual. You have given and given to the world despite your own mountain of struggles, even to people who did not deserve it like your mother-”
And Lizzie immediately steps forward, getting directly in Keres’ face. The fans jeer wildly at the dig at her family.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “That’s low…”
Princess Nova immediately steps in between them, her hand still clutching the box.
Princess Nova: “What my sister is trying to say is… You look past people’s faults and look at their good intentions! She, in the end, is your family and despite her faults, you helped her. We admire that about you. Truly, you are one with a heart of gold here in FWA.”
Giving Nova a side-eyed look, Lizzie does not trust Princess Nova one bit.
Princess Nova: “And we know that you are the type to forgive. So we hope you can look past our history over the past several months and just… See us for the kind souls we are. The friends. The family we can be…”
The crowd gives a mostly negative reaction to it. Nova pouts, not exactly used to negative reactions as you’d think. Keres takes over.
Keres: “Every single step on this journey has been one with intention. Under pressure, one can become a marvelous diamond. You may scoff at our methods, but we have seen glimpses of you that few others have. You, Elizabeth, have a diamond in you… We want to bring it out.”
Nova carries on for her sister.
Princess Nova: “In a world where everyone has taken from you, be with us. Be with two who know how to give. Ones who can return the love you give. I know we have put you through hell, but I went through the same process as you years ago.”
Stepping forward, Princess Nova gently touches Lizzie’s cheek.
Princess Nova: “We have placed a TORN seed in your soul. It will be there forever. You will be linked to us wherever you go. So why not let it grow? I did. I let it blossom me into the woman I am today! It was the greatest feeling in the world… It would be a shame if only I had that feeling of euphoria. You need the right environment to nurture it. That… is where we come in.”
Reaching for the box in her hands. She slowly opens the lid. Lizzie’s eyes open in shock. Inside the case is a beautiful staff. It has intricate designs with a gold and silver handle. Adorned on the end is a red rose.
Allen Price: “Oh… That… That’s a beautiful staff.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Clearly these ladies paid the big bucks for it.”
Lizzie Rose examines the staff. It’s familiar to her. Her dream. It was there. Keres continues on as Nova holds it with a proud look on her face.
Keres: “You know what it is like to oppose us. You know that we are the greatest threat you have ever encountered… aside from the adversities throughout your life. Think about it. Do you want to suffer more? Do you want all of the mental anguish you deal with to continue on any longer? I say we are the greatest threat you have ever encountered, and these are voice words, for I did not say faced. We are not your enemies Elizabeth, we are your allies… your family… and you can be so much greater. You can be the… knight of our kingdom, standing beside our throne. You will be protected, loved, valued…”
Keres puts a small smirk on her face and inserts a little gravel into her tone of speaking.
Keres: “Y̶̨͔̒o̶̲̕ṷ̸̌̈ ̵̳̟͗̌c̵͇̻̄a̵̠͉͋̂ṇ̷̆̎ ̸̖͇̎̄b̷̘͐e̷̼̳͒͒ ̴̠̾p̷̤̦̅̿o̶̤͕̔͠ẘ̷̖̱͝ȩ̶̝͠r̷͕̆f̵̫̳̚͠u̶̬͔̎̕l̶̢̉͜. All those that have stood before you, or pretended to fight beside you, will never be able to hurt you again. The pain and lack of fulfillment you have felt will be experiences of the past. We want you to join our family, become one with The Residence… stand with Eternal and that you shall be. Kill Lizzie Rose, the most bullied FWA wrestler. Give life to Elizabeth Rose, the unyielding force. The strength is in the name.”
Keres motions to the staff in front of Lizzie.
Keres: “All you need to do… Is take it.”
Lizzie looks long at the staff. The words that Keres and Princess Nova said to her. The fans shout continually.
“NO!” “NO!” “NO!”
But, the world around her is blank. It is filtered out. All there is to her is her, Eternal, and their offering. The staff shines under the lights of the arena. Lizzie’s eyes don’t even move from it. Slowly, she raises her hands…
And clutches the staff, taking it out of its case. The fans jeer.
Allen Price: “I can’t believe it…”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “These two ladies have broken Lizzie. They… They have just indoctrinated Lizzie Rose into their ‘TORN’ Universe.”
Holding the staff in her hands, a sense of power falls over Lizzie Rose. Nova reaches in for a huge hug to Lizzie and the fans jeer.
Keres: “Shall we make it official then?”
Princess Nova and Keres stand on either side of Lizzie Rose. The fans jeer as Lizzie looks at her gift from Eternal. A beautiful staff. It is all her's and yet, she can't believe it.
Princess Nova: “I, Princess Nova, hereby decree our newest sister, Elizabeth Rose!”
The fans give a thunderous boo and Nova quickly covers Lizzie’s ears from them. Keres shows a very subtle smirk.
Keres: “I don’t think you fans truly understand. Elizabeth. How about you introduce yourself?”
The Daughter of Demise turns to Lizzie.
Keres: “Repeat after me: ‘I am Eternal…”
Nova hands her microphone to Lizzie Rose. Lizzie is about to speak up, but is met with echoes of jeers from the fans.
Lizzie Rosie: “I-I am…”
BOOOOOO!
The fans jeer wildly and Lizzie Rose is utterly shaken. She has NEVER had the fans be against her.
Keres: “Do you see? You gave so much and yet they turned on you instantly… How about we do something… Simpler. Repeat after me… ‘My name is Elizabeth Rose…’”
Lizzie Rose looks conflicted. She takes a deep breath and raises the microphone to her lips.
Lizzie Rose: “My name is…”
The fans interrupt her again. But… the crowd changes tune. They begin to chant over and over again-
“Lizzie! Lizzie! Lizzie!”
Princess Nova rips the microphone from Lizzie’s hand and shouts.
Princess Nova: “That’s not her name, meanies!”
The fans jeer her and Princess Nova returns the microphone to Lizzie. Keres clears her throat.
Keres: “I’m sorry, where were we? Right, telling everyone your name right here and now. Do it, sister.”
Lizzie Rose looks at the two individuals next to her along with her staff and the microphone. She’s stuck. She raises the microphone again, and the fans continue to chant, even louder.
“Lizzie! Lizzie! Lizzie!”
She inhales. There’s anger beginning to simmer.
Keres: "Go on... SAY IT!"
Keres raises her voice.
“Lizzie! Lizzie! Lizzie!”
She closes her eyes. She knows what to say.
Lizzie Rose: “My name…”
Keres and Nova smile, turning to face the hard camera.
Lizzie Rose: “-Is LIZZIE ROSE!”
The fans erupt in cheers as Lizzie Rose drops her microphone and immediately strikes Princess Nova in the head with the staff! Nova drops as Keres, who is normally cold, and composed… Slowly turns with a look of horror.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “YES! LIZZIE!”
Allen Price: “FINALLY!”
The fans holler in cheers as Lizzie Rose is in the ring with Keres, the mastermind behind everything that she has been put through these past few months, and SHE is the one with a weapon. Keres senses danger and slowly backs out of the ring, not breaking eye contact with Lizzie, as Princess Nova, still dazed after getting her literal crown knocked off her head, goes down to ringside.
Lizzie Rose is fired up after finally breaking through whatever mental spell Eternal has had on her! Keres goes to Princess Nova’s aid, helping her up off the floor.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “After MONTHS of mental and physical torture from Eternal. Taking out her best friend, making her play their ‘games’ in their TORN Universe, everything. Lizzie has FINALLY HAD ENOUGH!”
Looking on the mat, Lizzie Rose picks up Nova’s tiara and throws it at Eternal.
Allen Price: “And Lizzie is out for revenge!”
Picking up the microphone from the ring canvas, Lizzie Rose is breathing heavily from the pure adrenaline she is feeling.
Lizzie Rose: "Is that the best ya got? Huh? HUH!? You thought you could break me down? Do you think you've come at me with anything I haven't seen before? Since the second I stepped into this place, someone got into their head they could break me....Gabby...KDS....Johnny Johnson...Dan Maskel. Time and again, they beat me down, knocked me out, and tried to make me give up, and you two...you come at me with insecurity, self-doubt and angst?!”
Lizzie, full of emotion, closes her eyes, letting everything out. She points to her chest.
Lizzie Rose: “You try to make me doubt who I am. I'm the girl from the cheapest apartments in Brooklyn. I'm the one who knows every beat and every tone from every dance song in the 90s. I'm the one that's the defender of a long-dead form of music. I'm Brooklyn through and through. I'm the Rave. I'm Lizzie Rose! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"
Looking at the staff one more time, Lizzie throws it to the outside, bouncing off the floor at the feet of Keres and Nova.
Lizzie Rose: “...But I think I know who you are; you're the ones that want to make an example of me, right?...costing me Belts and hurting my friends? Messing with my head? You want my soul THAT bad?! Then why don't you come and get it? I’m going for the mad woman who is the root of all this. Keres! You. Me. Back In Business.”
Looking at Nova, Keres motions for someone to hand her a microphone. She continues to check on her sister, who is distraught from what had happened. Finally, Keres is handed the microphone.
Keres: “Root is an almost humorous choice of a word for you to use when speaking of me and my involvement… We shall be getting to the root of it all, Elizabeth. For I accept your challenge-”
The crowd erupt into a frenzied cheer at the thought of Lizzie Rose getting to inflict some form of payback on Keres in an in-ring setting.
Keres: “I accept your challenge with two conditions of my own. The first, for striking Nova, you must go face to face with her next week when an off-guard shot won’t cut it. The second condition… I choose the stipulation that our souls shall battle in at Back in Business. Do you agree to my terms, Elizabeth?”
Keres drops the microphone from her hands and it hits the floor with a loud static sound. A sick smile comes across the face of the Daughter of Demise.
Lizzie Rose: "If that's what it takes? Fine. If there’s one good thing you have done, it’s that I’m ready for whatever games you got now. At Back In Business, I'm going to take all your ‘darkness’ Keres. Chew it up. Spit it out and rave all over it…"
Lizzie Rose, having a little extra vigor in her, throws her microphone down as her theme music begins to play.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “There we have it. Lizzie Rose finally gets her hands on the masterminds of her torture! First, next week, Princess Nova vs Lizzie. Keres and Lizzie Rose at Back in Business, and this has been months in the making!”
Allen Price: “If there is any karma in this world, Keres and Princess Nova would be due for a life-time of pain. But, is Lizzie smart, LETTING Keres pick the match stipulation? That psychotic child of a woman?”
Getting on the turnbuckles, LIzzie Rose shouts at Keres and Nova from above.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “If we thought the games of torture they played in the TORN Universe was bad enough, I’m worried what she’ll be thinking of for a match. But if Lizzie has survived so far, she can survive what she can throw at her one more time.”
Allen Price: “We hope.”
Backstage at Fallout we see backstage reporter Todd Salum in a suit and tie, standing by in an interview area branded with Fallout’s logos and colours. He greets the fans.
Todd Salum: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am backstage here at Fallout and my guest at this time is a former FWA Television Champion coming off a win Thursday night on Meltdown to newcomer, Al Blizzard. She is scheduled for Back in Business against El Vengedor one on one. This is Katsu!”
The camera zooms out to see the masked wrestler standing by.She has a YOKAI Death Squad Hoodie on over a pair of tight blue jeans. Her signature white and red mask rests on her face.
Katsu: “Thank you for having me for this time.”
Todd gives a polite nod to his guest.
Todd Salum: “I imagine you have a lot to address. First of all, since your return from your brief hiatus in Japan, you have had a renewed spirit, with your new identity, qualifying for Golden Opportunity, picking up wins first against a fellow participant in the Golden Opportunity, Jackson Fenix, then again against newcomer Al Blizzard. What’s been your mindset since returning?”
Todd moves the microphone in front of Katsu. She thinks for a moment to find the right words.
Katsu: “In Carnal Contendership, I had… Everything to prove. I needed to. I reset myself back home and short of winning the match, I accomplished almost everything I set out to do there. Since then, I have been taking opportunities as they come. Here and back home.”
Katsu shakes her finger.
Katsu: “But I know there is another gear. I mean no disrespect to Fenix or Al Blizzard, but facing them is not like facing the Peacocks, Truths, Baxters, and more here. There is that other… Level I need to get to for Golden Opportunity. So that I can exit Steel Roulette with a championship match in my future… and that I can ensure a cash-in, as they call it, goes in my favour. I want to get there…”
The Kitsune Warrior stresses.
Katsu: “I NEED to get there. I have little room for error.”
Todd Salum: “I can see that.”
Todd takes back the microphone for a moment.
Todd Salum: “And something that’s on the horizon much sooner is your match-up with your Ground Zero protégé, El Vengedor. Last week, he gave an explanation for laying you out-”
Katsu: “For what?”
Katsu says snidely.
Katsu: “Not liking my coaching? This meaning of Justice he subscribes to?”
Todd continues.
Todd Salum: “-Sure, we’ll go with that. And of course, you responded with a Back in Business challenge which he approved of with FWA management. But on Thursday, we saw him get a close look at your match. With a lot on the horizon, are you worried about him?”
Katsu: “Truth is, yes, he is a dangerous man. He won Season four of Ground Zero for a reason. I remember the feeling of him dropping me on my head... If he hits Justicia in the ring again on me, I may not be up for the three-”
Katsu shakes her head. She emphatically says.
Katsu: “But I am not intimidated by El Vengedor! I trained with him enough to know how he is in the ring. I know mentally how he works. A dark cloud hovers over him and his life and he is but one storm of many I have faced in my life and will face! I will survive him…. But why wait for Back in Business?”
She pauses and faces the camera. She’s directing the message directly to El Vengedor.
Katsu: “Next week is the last set of shows before Back in Business. Either Meltdown or Fallout, take your pick, I want to meet with you face to face again. Last time, I sang your praises. I tried to introduce you as an up and comer. But, you clearly see yourself as an equal, so I will stand face to face as your enemy. No back and forth. No watching from far. I want to feel your words for the weight they have. I want to look in your eyes and through to your very soul and see if what you say is the truth. There is no justice without truth. No injustice is made right without getting to the source of the problem. I will see you next week…”
The Kitsune Warrior gives a cold glare to the camera. The piledriver she received still sits unwell with her. Todd Salum pulls the microphone in front of his face.
Todd Salum: “Strong words from Katsu. But I was told there is one more thing you wish to address. Care to explain?”
Katsu turns her head slightly to the side as the interviewer places the microphone in front of her mouth.
Katsu: “I have gone alone in FWA for some time. But we all know the banners I carry here from home. FWA is a rough landscape. I want to be in the best place to succeed. I want to continue to improve and be champion again. Something else has gotten my attention. Last time I checked, there are two nights of Back in Business…”
???: “And maybe…”
A voice is heard off screen. This is of a woman. She has an accent that clearly tells she is from North America. Walking into frame, first we see a girl of Japanese descent with silver hair. She wears a matching hoodie to Katsu, unzipped, showing a baseball t-shirt with the famous “Triforce” from the Legend of Zelda series on it and shorts. Cali Hayama. Walking behind her is a taller Japanese woman with colourful hair, blonde, dyed with pink and blue. She matches the team’s look of a hoodie, and it is over her own pair of dark jeans. Ririko.
Cali Hayama: “She needs some eyes in the back of her head? Ones she can trust.”
Cali winks to the camera. Todd mutters on the microphone for those viewers unfamiliar.
Todd Salum: “The Current CJW Tag Team Champions, Cali Hayama and Ririko… The other two thirds of MAYHEM’s YOKAI Death Squad.”
Cali nods before extending her hand.
Cali Hayama: “Yep. Thanks Todd. But I think we got things from here, bud.”
Todd obliges, handing the microphone off to the Gaijin-Joshi. She turns to the camera. In the way she talks, there is an extra level of confidence.
Cali Hayama: “We’ve been watching our masked friend here and cheering her on from afar for a long enough time. We’ve also been a bit too far away for when she’s needed us. I think maybe it’s time to change that? Maybe it’s time to shake up the game a bit in FWA? You already know Katsu. But for those who don’t know-”
She points to her side at her fellow CJW Tag Champion.
Cali Hayama: “Ririko. The Crazy Ghost. The wildest bundle of power you’ve ever seen. Don’t let the cute smile fool you, she’s a bad bitch if you piss her off. She’ll drop you on your head, toss you around the ring, and kick your fucking head off and wouldn’t flinch to do it. I've been pretty happy to have on the same team as me.”
Cali shows a smirk, pointing to herself.
Cali Hayama: “Me. Cali Hayama. Cali_X on social media. Twitch streamer by day, badass pro-wrestler by night. When the world got shut down and I needed a chance to shake things up, I got a chance to meet these two ladies and since then they became my best friends, my partners. Every time I’m in the ring with any combination of them, I feel ready to dive head first into any new challenge! Now, I’m ready to dive into another. There’s something that’s been getting some hype but sadly is being watered down by some bad boy band, Gregs, and some aliens with an Octopus obsession.”
Katsu leans over Cali’s shoulder and mutters into the microphone.
Katsu: “And say, how many people do we need for it?”
Cali Hayama: “Three, I think. Hold on, what do we have here?!”
Cali pretends to be oblivious and counts.
Cali Hayama: “One… Two… Three! Well look at that? And hey, haven’t we teamed before, like, a lot?”
Katsu: “At championship level, in fact.”
Katsu clarifies.
Cali Hayama: “So how about you guys see us at Back in Business? We got some titles to win and if we like it here, we’ll be back. Katsu, don’t go to the top rope in a battle royal, again!”
She teases her friend and pats her on the back.
Katsu: “No promises, hehe.”
Ririko taps Cali on the shoulder and she moves the microphone closer to her. Ririko speaks slowly, her accent is thick. She is not fluent in English, but she is able to speak out.
Ririko: “FWA Trios Champions… Y-D-S.”
She winks and all three girls hold down an “M” hand gesture to the camera.
Cali Hayama: “Game on.”
The camera fades as we cut to commentary. Jean-Luc Watkins adjusts his notes and he responds eagerly.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Talk about a one two punch of news from Katsu. Next week, Back in Business opponents meet face to face once again. El Vengedor and Katsu. Then, the trios battle royale at Back in Business gets a bit more interesting… the former COSMIC Joshi Wrestling Trios Champions YOKAI Death Squad are entering the fray.”
Allen Price: “I was wondering if anyone else from MAYHEM would make the jump to FWA with Katsu’s involvement here, and it makes sense her trio has come over in time for the crowning of FWA’s first Trios Champions!”
Jean-Luc Watkins checks his notes.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “And of course, Cali Hayama, from Canada, is no stranger to competing on North American soil in smaller promotions, but I believe Ririko is making her debut outside of Japan! Can they recreate their magic here?”
Allen Price: “We’ll wait and see. The Trios style has a lot of chaos as part of it. In Joshi in particular, it’s quite fast paced and the trio will likely need to adjust their game for an overall larger roster. Then throw in the fact that the Trios Battle Royale is going to be a filled field, anything can happen, but they got a chance.”
{FIREFLIES || OWL CITY}[MEDIA=youtube]QBgl4rVz3Ks[/MEDIA]
The peppy anthem plays out for the fans and after a few seconds, Bellatrix Bordeaux runs out on stage! She waves at the fans with both hands and then she starts to skip down to the ring and slaps hands with several fans along the way.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”The following contest is your Fallout main event and it is a deathmatch scheduled for one fall with a thirty-minute-time-limit! Introducing first, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and weighing in at 125 lb…Bellatrix Bordeaux!”
Allen Price: ”For someone that’s about to enter a deathmatch, Trixie seems to be in a pleasant mood.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: “If you recall, she does hold a victory in one over weaselperson back at the King of the Deathmatch tournament. This won’t be her first experience in a match like this, Price.”
Allen Price: ”That’s a fair point, JL. Plus, you have to imagine that she would like revenge on Reagan Cole after he defeated her at Back in Town, and has been targeted specifically by Jeffry Mason for some reason.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”It’s also important to note that this is not the same Bellatrix Bordeaux that Reagan Cole bested in their first encounter. She’s grown as a competitor and she’s formed some sort of kinship with The Coven since then, so Cole better beware.”
{ALONE || JONATHAN YOUNG & LEE ALBRECHT}[MEDIA=youtube]PZdWLDKISp8[/MEDIA]
There’s a mixture of cheers and boos for Reagan Cole, and it’s something he’s sort of got used to since he’s been keeping company with Jeffry Mason and TYLER (not like he wants to keep company with those two). Cole has walked out dressed ready to fight and he knows what he’s up against as he heads toward the ring.
Natalie Rosenberg: ”Her opponent, making his way down to the ring, from Essex, England and weighing in 215 lb…he is The British Apprentice…Reagan Cole!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Cole is coming off of a tag team loss with his Necessary Evil cohort, TYLER. They lost to Aka Manto and things seemed to have settled on that end with Cole and his former partner, Aka Yurie. Now, he must try to settle another score with Bellatrix Bordeaux.”
Allen Price: ”You know that wherever Reagan is, Mason and TYLER aren’t too far away.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Good thing Trixie has formed a bond with The Coven in the event it comes to that.”
Cole enters the ring and removes his maroon jacket. He looks across at Trixie, who is eager to get this started. Referee Grace-lynn Guerrero checks both competitors and then calls for the bell… DING! DING! DING!
<< 00:00 >>
Cole starts to approach Trixie and tries to reason with her but Trixie is having none of that and kicks Cole right between the legs!
Allen Price: ”She did promise she’d do that, like a lot.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”She’s a woman of her word apparently.”
Cole collapses to the mat in agony and writhes in pain while Trixie retrieves some weapons from underneath the ring. Trixie tosses in some Singapore canes, as well as some chairs. Trixie re-enters the ring and snatches up a cane, and she starts swinging wildly at Cole and each swing finds its mark, much to the dismay of Reagan Cole, who is doing his best to cover up. Trixie manages to snap one of the canes in two across Cole’s back and she holds both of them up in the air that gets a loud cheer from the fans before she throws both pieces at Cole. Trixie grabs another cane and swings again, but Cole blocks the attack and as he rises up he drives a boot straight into Trixie’s midsection. Cole then takes the cane and whacks it across Trixie’s back, and this time Cole dishes out the punishment with Trixie feeling what he felt a mere moments prior.
Cole tosses the cane aside and delivers some stomps to his downed opponent. Cole tosses Trixie out of the ring and throws her shoulder first into the steel steps. Cole then takes Trixie by the hair and whips her into the barricade that separates the fans from the action. Cole unleashes a number of chops on Trixie before he retrieves the cane from earlier and he drives right into Trixie’s stomach! Trixie clutches her stomach and stumbles forward back into the steel steps, and Cole sandwiches Trixie’s fingers between the steel steps and the cane as he smashes the cane on her fingers! Trixie howls out in pain and clutches at her fingers while writhing on the floor…
<< 5:25 >>
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Reagan Cole did try to persuade Trixie to not go through with this but she declined, and now Reagan is forced to channel something dark in him.”
Cole begins to set up a table on the outside before he picks up Trixie and he slams her head against the table for good measure. Cole sets her up on the apron and he climbs up there with her, and he lifts her up in a suplex position but Trixie flips out of it and back into the ring. After she catches her balance, Trixie nails Reagan shoulder first in the midsection through the middle rope and Reagan manages to hang on but he’s in a bad spot and he senses it but before he can do anything…SPEAR TO REAGAN COLE THROUGH THE ROPES AND TO THE OUTSIDE THROUGH THE TABLE! THE CROWD IS EATING THIS ONE UP NOW AS THEY’VE COME ALIVE!
”SANTA MIERDA! SANTA MIERDA! SANTA MIERDA!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Trixie risked life and limb in the name of revenge!”
A replay is shown of the events that just went down and now there’s a live look at the action once more. It takes a few moments before Trixie starts to stir as she slowly rolls off of Cole to the floor. Trixie stumbles a bit before she finds her footing. Reagan starts to stir a little and Trixie keeps him down with a running senton with him still beneath the debris of the table. Trixie then tosses Cole back in the ring, and before she re-enters she retrieves another table from underneath the ring and tosses it inside. Trixie also finds a barbed wire baseball bat and small bag, which are presumably thumbtacks. She slides those in the ring and once she’s back in she grabs the barbed wire baseball bat, and she finds Reagan in the corner where he’s trying to recover. Trixie swings for the fences but misses as Reagan moves, and the barbed wire gets stuck in the turnbuckle padding. Trixie is trying to pull out and isn’t aware that Reagan is behind her and smacks her in the back with a steel chair! Trixie falls limp in the corner against the ropes and releases her grip on the baseball bat. Cole manages to rip the bat out of the turnbuckle and the padding is flung off. Reagan then takes the bat and grinds the barbed wire covered part across Trixie’s forehead and that causes blood to trickle from Trixie’s head. Cole drives the bat directly into her spine and Trixie falls to the mat in a slump, but for good measure, Cole hits her again with the bat as she rolls around, trying to cover up.
<< 9:05 >>
Cole finds a bag tied to one of the corners and inside the bag are some light tubes. He takes one of the light tubes and just as Trixie is getting up, he shatters it across her back! Tiny shards fly everywhere and Trixie is down again. Reagan takes the rest of the tubes and sets them on the mat before he hits her with a bridging northern lights suplex onto the light tubes! More tiny shards fly everywhere and fans in the front row do their best to shield themselves from the debris while referee Guerrero makes the count…
ONE…TWO…NO!
Allen Price: ”This has been brutal, JL. My word, I don’t know what else to say.”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”This is what we’ve come to expect from these types of matches, Price. It’s brutal and barbaric, and as mentioned, before Trixie and Cole are both no strangers to this environment.”
Cole brushes some shards out of his hair as he gets up and he goes to bring Trixie up. He has her by the hair while she’s on her knees and he looks at her bloody face and shakes his head. Trixie has some fight left in her though and nails Reagan with a punch to the groin! Reagan doubles over and Trixie fires off another punch…and another…another…another!
Allen Price: ”Trixie really is keeping true to her word but as a man I feel for Reagan Cole…”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”I think it’s safe to assume that Reagan Cole won’t be having anymore children after tonight.”
Cole is curled up in a ball, clutching at his groin. He tries to crawl away from Trixie to the corner, but Trixie follows in pursuit and sets up a chair on him. Trixie backs away and sizes him up…CANNONBALL SENTON WITH THE CHAIR!
Allen Price: ”That may be called Bundle of Fun but I don’t think Reagan Cole is having much fun at the moment!”
<< 14:49 >>
Trixie drags Cole from out of the corner and makes the cover…
ONE… TWO… THR – NO!
Trixie is pulled out of the ring by Mason and TYLER, and Cole’s cohorts go to work on Trixie as they stomp on her outside of the ring while the crowd boos them.
Allen Price: ”For a guy with an entrance theme called Alone, he’s never really alone, is he?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”This was to be expected, Price, and it’s all perfectly legal.”
TYLER and Mason stomp and kick Trixie while she’s down before they toss her back in the ring. TYLER shakes Cole awake while Mason sets up a chair beneath Trixie’s head and he hands another chair to Cole and urges him to pull the trigger…
Cole seems hesitant at first but he does slowly start to raise the chair…
Allen Price: ”Here comes The Coven to even the odds!”
The crowd comes to life for The Coven, who slide into the ring and Blaire Ravenwood tackles Mason to the ground while Celestia takes down TYLER…Mason and TYLER manage to slip away from their attackers and make a hasty exit through the crowd but The Ravenwoods are in hot pursuit of Necessary Evil…
Meanwhile, back in the ring, Cole has lowered the chair at first but then he raises it back up again and swings…Trixie rolls out of the way though and Cole makes contact with the steel chair on the mat. He drops the chair and shakes off his hands just as Trixie has sprung up and she takes the other chair and charges at Cole with the chair positioned across her small frame and she hits him with a running crossbody with the chair!
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”More innovative offense from Trixie and a steel chair but she hurt herself there in the process.
Trixie holds her stomach but she fights through the pain and drapes her arm across Cole…
ONE…TWO… NO!
Trixie takes a moment to shake off the effects from that crossbody/steel chair combination. She staggers to her feet and proceeds to wipe her blood soaked hair out of her face.
<< 19:55 >>
Trixie sets up the other table that she brought into the ring earlier. Trixie then takes the small bag and empties the contents of the bag on top of the table…
Allen Price: ”Here comes the thumbtacks!”
Trixie drags Cole up and she drags him over in a front facelock, and she looks to slam him face first into the thumbtacks on the table but Cole blocks that and counters with a russian leg sweep! The impact causes some of the thumbtacks to fall to the mat. Cole takes a moment to gather himself before he lifts Trixie up and Trixie starts to beg him not to hurt her…Reagan starts to think about it and he’s about to reconsider what he’s about to do and he apologizes to Trixie for what he’s done to her…
Allen Price: ”Reagan Cole having a change of heart and he’s taking pity on Trixie?”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”You don’t actually buy this do you, Price?”
Suddenly Trixie kicks Reagan right in the junk!
Allen Price: ”I did not see that coming!”
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Unbelievable.”
Trixie takes Reagan and places him on the table on top of the thumbtacks and Reagan winces as thumbtacks start to pierce his skin while Trixie ascends to the top and she looks out at the sea of fans that are cheering her on before she makes the leap…WHISTLING TRIXIE THROUGH THE TABLE OF THUMBTACKS! TRIXIE SLOWLY DRAPES HER ARM OVER REAGAN COLE’S LIFELESS BODY!
ONE… TWO… THREE!
{RESULT} Winner: Bellatrix Bordeaux via pinfall at 23:10
Natalie Rosenberg: ”Here is your winner of the match…Bellatrixxxxx Bordeauuuuuux!”
Allen Price: ”Mercifully it’s over, and Trixie survived the war!”
Replay of various spots throughout the match that concludes on the finish.
Referee Grace-lynn assists a battered and bloodied Trixie to her feet and she raises her hand in victory. Trixie is so overjoyed she starts jumping up and down despite the immense pain she’s in at the moment.
Jean-Luc Watkins: ”Trixie has prevailed and that’s another Fallout in the books, good night from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, wrestling fans!”
The final shot is of Trixie celebrating her hard fought victory at ringside with the fans before the show slowly fades out.
Danny Toner: “THE FUCK IS HE!?”
A flustered Danny Toner boots over a production crate in anger, seemingly failing in his attempt to chase down the masked figure. He roughly grabs a backstage worker and snarls at him.
Danny Toner: “Where did he fuckin’ go?”
The worker opens and closes his mouth a few times before finally pointing toward a closed door at the end of the hallway. Danny tosses him back against the wall and stomps down the corridor. He takes a step back before he boots the door clean off the hinges and charges into the room.
Danny Toner: “I got ya fuckin’ now ya piece of shit!!!”
Danny runs at the masked figure who is sitting facing away from the door. Danny jumps and puts all his might into an absolutely explosive Equalizer, near putting his knee through the back of the man’s head. The masked figure falls to the ground with a strange… thud. Danny looks down and raises his eyebrow at the figure on the ground and notices… plastic.
Danny Toner: “The fuck!?”
Danny stares at the masked mannequin and slowly turns it around to see the mask placed on the mannequin is the one belonging to… Donny Toner. The crowd watching the footage on the large screen pop massively as Danny’s eyes widen, a confused and scared look taking over the usually unbearably confident Toner.
Danny Toner: “Wh-wh-what???”
???: "Keep the eyes, D.”
Danny jumps at the voice and turns around RIGHT INTO AN RKO!!!!
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Oh. My. God.”
The crowd loses their collective shit as the camera pans out to reveal “The Last Star in the Sky” Ryan fucking Rondo standing over a downed Danny Toner. The building is near shaking with the noise being produced by the fans, but Ryan simply swoops down and slaps Danny around the face before saying something inaudible to him. Danny’s eyes focus but Rondo immediately headbutts the downed Danny, breaking the infamously fragile nose of Toner and causing blood to piss from his nostrils. Rondo roughly drags Toner to his feet and then smashes his head against the wall three times in a row. He pulls a battered and groggy Danny by the hair and down the corridor, occasionally slapping him or jutting a knee into his sternum along the way. They turn a corner and the cameraman loses them.
Allen Price: “What’s going on!? Are they coming down here!? This is crazy!”
The crowd rises to their feet and begins cheering as Danny Toner crawls out onto the stage, face covered in blood, and whimpering like a baby. The roof nearly comes off the arena as Rondo strides out behind him, a dangerous look on his face.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Danny thought he put the nail in his former best friend's coffin nearly a year ago when he viciously attacked and hospitalized Rondo on the night Rondo got inducted into the Hall of Fame. It looks like Danny’s past actions have FINALLY caught up with him!”
Allen Price: “Make him pay, Rondo! Look at Toner! LOOK AT HIM JEAN-LUC! He’s begging!!!"
It’s amazingly not hyperbole from Price - Danny is on his knees with his hands held up pleading with Rondo to leave him alone. Rondo looks out at the crowd and holds his arms out as if to gauge their reaction. A small chant grows louder until it encompasses the entire arena.
FUCK HIM UP RONDO, FUCK HIM UP!
FUCK HIM UP RONDO, FUCK HIM UP!
FUCK HIM UP RONDO, FUCK HIM UP!
Rondo turns his back on Danny but winks at the crowd before turning on the spot and sprinting at Danny knocking him out cold with his own Equaliser!!!
Allen Price: “YESSSSSS!!!!”
Rondo isn’t done there though, he pulls Toner to his feet and sticks his head between his legs.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Is he going to…”
Rondo hoists Danny up into the powerbomb position and then CHARGES TO THE EDGE OF THE STAGE POWERBOMBING DANNY OFF IT!!! There’s a massive pop as Danny lies unmoving at the bottom of a pile of production crates. Rondo stares at the destruction he just caused for only a moment before slowly looking up at the Back in Business poster as the crowd begins chanting over and over again.
WELCOME BACK!
WELCOME BACK!
WELCOME BACK!
Finally… Ryan Rondo smiles.
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