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The screen is black as the gentle piano of "Run This Town (E.S. Posthumus Remix)" by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and E.S. Posthumus begins to play. The spotlight lights up slowly, the screen monochrome. We see an empty locker room, with an empty chair sitting in the middle of it. The scene is serene. I’m ready. The scene switches to the Epicenter Ring, empty as well. Suddenly, the monochrome screen shakes, the colors flashing in and out. C’mon. The sun is shown in twice the normal speed, racing towards the horizon, hiding from the coming war. Feel it comin’ in the air We look down the entrance ramp of the Epicenter now, down to the ring. Hear the screams from everywhere Slow motion images of the fans cheering their heads off. I’m addicted to the thrill It’s a dangerous love affair An image of someone, the camera distorts just who, screaming back to the fans as they enter the arena. Can’t be scared when it goes down Got a problem, tell me now Donovan King appears, slowly removing the hood that reveals himself to the world as he stands over a fallen foe. Only thing that’s on my mind Is who’s gonna run this town tonight… The music ERUPTS as we see Trey Willett hitting the Dawn of a New Era on an unsuspecting victim. Mark Kendrick: GREAT PATERNO’S GHOST! We are Yeah I said it We are The camera shows Kenji Yamada, Obsidian, and Isaac Entragian standing in the shadows, glaring back at the camera before Elizabeth Gaunt and Flay Rios emerge from the darkness in front of the hulking trio, Flay’s eyes darting left and right while Gaunt grins wildly. This is Roc Nation Pledge your allegiance Get ya black tees on All black everything Black cards, black cars All black everything The camera spins around Adrian Corazon, who stands bathed in the spotlight. His chest is bare and his arms outstretched, the camera settling on Corazon’s massively scarred back. And our girls are blackbirds Ridin’ with they Dillingers Tanya Black strikes at Chance Ryan, connecting with a DDT before the scene shifts to Johnny Napalm holding the Iron Fist Championship high in the air. Just as quickly as that image shows up, Ja Gi Kyung-Moon flying through the air, juxtaposed with Maya Nakashima doing the same. Dutch Harris: I’ve never seen anything like it! I’d get more in depth If you boys really real enough The Bad Ass Brotherhood saunter down to the ring, both men dressed for success before we see Lunatikk Crippler connecting with the Lunatikk Sweet before Sammy Rochester is shown, slamming a victim down into the mat. Mark Kendrick: Come on! This is La Familia I’ll explain later But for now let me get back to this paper Mason Pierce, Malice, and Valentine Lionheart are shown putting the boots to a poor victim ruthlessly before it shifts to ANARCHY standing in the center of the ring, the camera circling them to reveal Loco Martinez behind them, trying unsuccessfully to get them to move out of his way. I’m a couple bands down and I’m tryin’ to get back Solomon Richards is shown, looking up to the spotlight, his eyes filled with hope and his hands are open. Jerry Matthews appears next, preaching to a congregation with great fervor before we see Datura slowly closing a book with a smile on her face. I gave Doug a grip, I lost a flip for five stacks Yeah I’m talkin’ five comma, six zeros, dot zero, Jigga Valentine Lionheart connects with a low blow before the camera catches his knowing grin. It cuts to Cronos Diamante running his hands over his head before it finally cuts to Corey Lazarus slapping his hands together as if to say “CUT”. Mark Kendrick: Let’s get down to it! Back to runnin’ circles ’round niggas Now we squared up Hold up Randall Kash stands in the spotlight, sneering at the camera. It quickly switches to Ripper, running his hands through his hair as his eyes are so wide they threaten to bulge out from his skull. Quickly, the camera switches to Jacob Mephisto, exhausted, holding the Sin City Championship in his clutches, staring down at it as if it was the end of a long road for him. Dutch Harris: He didn’t even FLINCH! We cut back to Datura slowly walking down to the ring before it shifts to Conor Caden doing the same. It cuts to Adrian Corazon connecting with the Act of Inhumanity. We cut to a hapless victim being SPEARED THROUGH BARBED-WIRE by Isaac Entragian! Mark Kendrick: GOODNESS! Jester Smiles is up next, hooking the Last Laugh on someone before we see the SHOOT World Heavyweight Championship held in the hand of Trey Willett, standing tall after a hard fought victory. The camera focuses in on the face plate. Dutch Harris: He gave it everything he can! Mark Kendrick: CAN THAT BE IT?! Suddenly, the camera zooms right back out again, the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship dangling high above the Epicenter as the music dies down. The piano returns…and Rihanna’s voice does as well. Feel it comin’ in the air We come back to Adrian Corazon, his head down, sitting in the corner of the ring. He looks up to the camera, and a confident smirk slides across his face. Then, we see Project:SCAR en masse, the group standing among a mass of followers who keep their heads low, hidden by hoods. Kenji grabs Flay by her hair and pulls her in close while Entragian slides his hand across Gaunt’s midsection. Obsidian remains silent, glaring ahead. Hear the screams from everywhere I’m addicted to the thrill The screen flashes with Maya Nakashima flying in the air, connecting with a splash on someone before it shifts to Cronos Diamante, throwing his arms to either side. 3M slowly raises his head to the camera, his eyes ablaze with fury. It’s a dangerous love affair Donovan King is shown, the Carolina Crossface locked on tightly against Lunatikk Crippler, Crippler’s raven locks swaying effortlessly in slow motion. Victory’s within the mile Pyro rains down as the silhouette of someone standing at the entrance to the Epicenter is shown, clutching the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship in his hand. Almost there, don’t give up now SCAR descends upon Corazon, ready to brand him. Only thing that’s on my mind Trey Willett appears, his head bowed so that his face is bathed in the shadows. Is who’s gonna run this town tonight The music hits its crescendo, we see Corazon lording over a fallen Trey Willett, we see Henry Gordon trading punches with Johnny Napalm. Chance Ryan entering the ring, Cade Sydal screaming for his opponent to come back and fight him, Vermont’s Finest hamming it up in the spotlight, Orion marching to the ring, Loco Martinez attempting a pin on Buck Dresden, cutting finally to Diamond Del Carver, the cherry of his cigar all that’s visible in the darkness. Who’s gonna run this town tonight… The pyro continues to rain down as a silhouette slowly lifts the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship belt up, the images of each and every Soldier is shown as quickly as possible before finally settling one last time…on the World Heavyweight Championship, the music dying down. The pyro continues to rain down as the silhouette slowly lifts the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship belt up, the images of each and every Soldier is shown as quickly as possible before finally settling one last time…on the World Heavyweight Championship, the music dying down.
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Mark Kendrick: SHOOT Nation! This is the LAST stop on the road to ELITE! Welcome to DOMINION! We’ve got another amazing lineup for you tonight as only the SHOOT Project can bring. But first, we’ve got to address a few items. Last night, the SHOOT Nation went into overload with excitement as MAYA NAKASHIMA defeated Jacob Mephisto and earned a spot in the Main Event of ELITE. That’s right folks, the Primus now has EIGHT participants!
Dutch Harris: That’s absoultely true, Mark, and what a match it was last night! Folks, we have another item to address and that is the future of the World Tag Team Championship. SHOOT Project Officials have informed us the the World Tag Team Championship WILL be defended by ANARCHY at ELITE. But, who are the challengers? We are going to find out later tonight!
Mark Kendrick: That’s big news, Dutch. Two SHOOT Project Soldiers are going to be getting a major opportunity there. I can’t WAIT to find out who they are! But, that’s not the only thing in store for tonight! In our Main Event, we are going to see "The Baddest Man Alive" Adrian Corazon answer the challenge and go one on one with Project: SCAR’s Deviant. That match could be very brutal, Dutch.
Dutch Harris: It really could, Mark. We all know Adrian Corazon can be as violent as they come in the ring and Deviant’s new "prophetic" outlook on things have turned him into a Project: SCAR zealot and that can make him very dangerous. Also on the card tonight, we have Henry Gordon going one on one with Solomon Richards as well as Valentine Lionheart clashing with Tanya Black!
Mark Kendrick: We sure do, Dutch! And I’ve got to say I am looking forward to Gordon/Richards. But, Valentine Lionheart is downright creepy and after last night’s despicable actions towards 3M, I don’t envy the Alpha Female. Folks, starting things off tonight we have a Primus preview in what should be a great match between Mason Pierce and Loco Martinez!
Dutch Harris: That should definitely be a good one, Mark. I can’t wait to get things going here tonight!
Mark Kendrick: So, why wait any longer? Let’s get rolling here on Dominion!
Mark Kendrick: Tonight we open with two men who will be part of the second Primus, battling for the SHOOT Project World Championship.
Dutch Harris: Tonight Loco and Mason are battling for some bragging rights, and maybe to soften each other up heading into the biggest match of their SHOOT Project careers.
Mark Kendrick: The question is, will Mason Pierce be alone tonight?
Dutch Harris: We’re about to find out.
The bell rings and Samantha Coil steps into the center of the ring.
Samantha Coil: The following contest is scheduled for one fall…
"TONIGHT WE’RE GOING HAR-HAR-HAR-h-h-h-HARD!"
The Epicenter erupts as Loco Martinez flies out onto the entrance ramp, pogoing like Tigger on coke. He points to a section of the crowd and they roar. He runs to the opposite side of the ramp. Points to a section, and they roared, and then he points to the ring and heads down the ramp. He slaps some hands.
Mark Kendrick: Loco bringing his trademark energy for SHOOT Project’s Faithful here in the Epicenter.
Dutch Harris: We know that even with a huge match on the horizon, Loco Martinez will get in that ring and give us everything he has tonight!
Samantha Coil: Introducing first, from Philadelphia Pennsylvania, weighing in at two hundred and fourteen pounds. LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL-OCO. MMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAARRRRRRR. TIIIIIIII. NEEEEEEEEEZZZZ!!!
Loco jumps up onto the apron, looking out over the Epicenter, and he rolls backwards into the ring, the ring posts explode with pry and glitter. He heads to his corner as the music fades away. He looks focused up the ramp for his opponent.
Mark Kendrick: Now our questions will be answered…
Samantha Coil: And his opponent…
The Orion Logo is thrown up on the JumboTron. The crowd immediately begins to boo as "Set the World On Fire" begins to play.
Dutch Harris: Looks and sounds like Mason Pierce will NOT be coming alone.
The hate from the Epicenter only grows as Mason Pierce steps out onto the ramp, but is quickly followed by Leona, Malice, Morgana, and Valentine Lionheart. The groups stands on the stage shoulder to shoulder staring at Loco, who smirks and shakes his head mouthing "I knew it". He begins bouncing in the ring preparing himself for the battle he knows is at hand.
Mark Kendrick: We saw what this group did to Mirage at Revolution. We know exactly what is in their collective minds and what they’re capable of.
Loco glares at the collective as they make their way to the ring. The crowd booing mercilessly as they all walk up the steps and enter the ring. Now all five members of Orion stand in the ring across from Loco Martinez who’s eyes dance nervously wondering just WHO might launch the first attack. But suddenly there is a roar from the crowd. Loco looks up and smiles at what he sees. Orion turns to see what the commotion is about.
Dutch Harris: Is… that?
We see T.Rex and Arch Angel tearing down the ramp. The two men quickly slide in and stand side by side with Loco Martinez the Epicenter roaring their approval.
Samantha Coil: From Manchester England, and weighing in at two hundred thirty pounds, "The Fixer", MMMMAAAAAAAAA.SON. PIIIIIIEEEEEEEERCE!!!
More boos, as Orion stares down Loco Martinez and ANARCHY and vice versa. The music fades, the tension is palpable. Willie Dean looks at this potential pier six chaos situation, but no one is budging out of the ring.
Mark Kendrick: We heard earlier this week that the boys of ANARCHY! would be near by. I’m guessing after what happened at Revolution they made SURE they wouldn’t watch their friend fall to a similar violent end.
Dutch Harris: Looks like Willie Dean has his hands FULL here tonight.
Willie Dean looks at non competitors and gestures for them to get out of the ring. T.Rex defiantly looks at Orion, and mouths "Them first". No one is budging and finally Willie Dean has had it. He points at ANARCHY, and does the "YOU’RE OUT OF HERE" motion, and the crowd boos mightily.
Mark Kendrick: I can’t believe he just threw out ANARCHY! They’re just looking out for their friend.
The crowd begins to chant "Bullshit", T.Rex and Arch Angel look outraged, but Willie Dean isn’t done. He turns to Orion. Points to Malice, Morgana, and Valentine and gives THEM the toss too. The crowd ROARS This decision. Now its Orion’s turn to be outraged. Begrudgingly the parties not involved get out of the ring, never taking their eyes off one another. Orion heads up the ramp, but stops at the top of the ramp to watch the action. T.Rex and Arch Angel see this and also stop on the other side of the ramp keeping an eye on the members of Orion.
Mark Kendrick: This is a powder keg, Dutch.
Dutch Harris: Well we’re finally down to the the two participants, and Leona who is allowed to stay ringside as she always is with Mason.
Willie Dean calls for the bell, and Loco and Mason begin circling. They go to lock up, but Loco ducks through and goes underneath and gets behind grabbing Mason in a tightwaist. He runs him chest first into the ropes and then rolls back with a roll up. Loco throws his head and arms back onto the mat adding pressure with a bridge.
One…
Two…
Thr-NO! Mason gets a shoulder up.
Mark Kendrick: Loco almost surprised Pierce, there.
Loco is up and as Mason goes to get up, Loco swings his shin towards Mason’s head, but Pierce ducks, and sweeps a leg and quickly gets into a side control position, locking a side headlock onto Loco. He then begins pistoning left hands into Loco’s forehead. Loco rolls and pushes Mason off. Both men scramble back to their feet. Mason drives a boot to Loco’s gut. Winds up and chops Loco in the chest. He grabs Loco in a Muay Thai clinch and begins driving knees up into Loco’s chest. He drives Loco back into the ropes. The referee begins his five count, but Pierce ignores it, continuing to drive knees into Loco.
Three… Four… Pierce breaks right before five. Loco slumps down to a sitting position. Pierce winds up and delivers a vicious kick to Loco’s chest. Winds up, another stomp. Winds up, one more stomp. The referee keeps telling him to get it off the ropes. Pierce just casts a dismissive glare Willie Dean’s way.
Mark Kendrick: Pierce really looking to wear down Loco, here. Just working those ribs.
Dutch Harris: Taking away the ability to breath, and knowing if Loco wants to hit one of his patented high impact high risk moves, that it’ll be at the expense of those ribs Pierce is softening up.
Mason violently drags Loco to his feet, scoops him up and drives him down with a body slam. He drags Loco back to his feet. With all his might he irish whips Loco hard into the corner! The force of the whip nearly sends Loco spilling out f the ring. Mason charges in and nails a clothesline. He then drives his shoulder into Loco’s midsection. He takes a step back, keeping his hands on the middle rope and drives another shoulder into Loco’s gut. Steps back, one more shoulder doubling over Loco Martinez.
Pierce smiles evilly as Loco gasps for breath in the corner. The Epicenter begins a "Lets go LOCO" chant. Mason brings Loco out and nails a snap suplex. He floats over for a lateral cover.
One…
Two…
TH-NO!
He goes right back to a lateral cover.
One…
Two..NO! Loco kicks out again, but Pierce just smiles as he makes another lateral cover.
One…
Two…
TH-NO! Loco shoulders out one more time. Pierce gets to his feet and quickly drops a knee into Loco’s ribs.
Mark Kendrick: Pierce wasn’t even hooking a leg there. What’s his strategy there?
Dutch Harris: He’s just making him work, Mark. Make everything a struggle. He’s right now methodically wearing Loco Martinez down.
Pierce brings Loco up, scoops him up and drops across his knee in a back breaker, but he keeps Loco laying across that knee. He pushes Loco’s head back while leaning his arm across Loco’s leg, bending him backwards in that backbreaker position. He pushes back on Loco even more who lets out a pained growl. The referee checks on Loco to see if he wants to quit. Loco shakes his head no. The Epicenter begins clapping trying to urge Loco on. Mason really leans into Loco bending him backwards. Loco brings his right elbow up and drives it down into Mason’s quad. Winds up, and does it again, and Mason loosens his grip, and Loco brings his right knee up into Mason’s temple. Another elbow to the quad. Another knee to the temple. The Epicenter getting into the rally. Another elbow and Loco gets up. He runs off the ropes, but ends up LEVELED by a clothesline from Mason Pierce.
Mark Kendrick: He almost had the tide turned.
Pierce brings Loco up, he whips Loco off the ropes. Swings with a clothesline, but Loco ducks, hits the far ropes. Pierce looks for another clothesline, Loco baseball slides under it, and pops up and levels Mason with an enzuguiri. Pierce drops to his knees and tries to shake the cobwebs out, but Loco is on the offensive. Hits the ropes and drives a low dropkick into Mason’s forehead. He scrambles to make a lateral cover.
One…
Two..NO! Pierce kicks out. Loco circles Mason, pumping his fists with a surge of adrenaline.
Mark Kendrick: Loco is back in it!
Pierce gets to feet and Loco snaps off a leg kick. He follows that up with a knife edge chop. Another leg kick. Another knife edge chop. Loco snaps off another leg kick but instead of following up with a knife edge he steps in and grabs Mason and launches back with a Northern Lights Suplex. Bridges.
One…
Two…
Thre-NO! Pierce is able to shoulder out. Loco is up he waits for Mason to get up, and he takes off and nails a leg lariat. He pops up and nails a standing moonsault. We see Loco wincing at the impact to his ribs. He stays on top for the cover.
One…
Two…
THRE-NO!
Mark Kendrick: He almost had him.
Dutch Harris: The pace has quickened, and now Loco is on the front foot.
Mark Kendrick: But those high impact moves took an impact on Loco, too.
Mason gets up and and backs up into the ropes looking to slow things down and keep Loco at bay for a few moments. Loco quickly heads towards Pierce, who quickly drops down and grabs the waist band of Loco’s wrestling pants and throws him out of the ring between the top and middle rope. Loco lands outside with a sickening thud. The crowd "oooh’s". Pierce smiles as he takes a few more moments. Leona circles the outside and stands over Loco who is slow to get up. Pierce gets in Willie Dean’s face and Leona strikes with a vicious stomp to Loco’s chest. She then leaps up and double stomps onto Loco’s chest driving her high heels into his flesh. She jumps a few more times while Willie Dean is distracted.
Mark Kendrick: This is ridiculous! Turn around Willie!
She hops off and we see a few little dots of blood forming on Loco’s chest from where the heels were dug in. Pierce quickly slides out of the ring. He brings Loco up and whips Loco hard into barrier. Referee WIllie Dean begins his ten count. Pierce charges in looking to nail a running knee to Loco’s midsection, but Loco quickly sidesteps, Pierce’s knee driven into the barricade. Loco quickly drops down and drives Mason spine first into the ring post. He follows that up with a European Uppercut. He rolls Pierce under the bottom rope. He slingshots himself onto the top rope and then jumps down driving a vicious double stomp into Mason’s torso. HE quickly drops down and hooks a leg.
One…
Two…
TH-NO! Mason puts a foot on the bottom rope.
Mark Kendrick: Loco almost had him!
Loco gets up, and quickly goes to the top rope, sizing Mason up.
Mark Kendrick: Loco might be looking for the Zombie Kill of the Week!
Dutch Harris: If he hits this, its over!
Mason gets up slowly, clutching his ribs.
Loco launches driving his knee into Mason Pierce’s temple.
Mark Kendrick: HE GOT ALL OF IT!
Loco lays his back across Mason Pierce’s chest and pulls a leg up desperately, leaning with all his might. Leona looks on, shocked.
One…
Two…
THREE!!!
The bell rings and Loco slowly gets off Mason Pierce and quickly rolls out of the ring, as ANARCHY meet him both to congratulate him as well as keep him from any potential beat downs.
Samantha Coil: The winner of this match at thirteen minutes and forty four seconds, LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOCO. MMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAR. TI. NNNNNNNNEEEZZZZZ!!!!
The crowd shows their appreciation as they cheer for Loco. Loco clutches his ribs, but smiles at his victory. Meanwhile, Orion has regrouped on the outside. Leona and Morgana whisper to Valentine and Malice. The two Orion members slide into the ring and look to attack Loco from behind amidst a sea of booing fans, BUT the boys of ANARCHY turn around and shove Loco out of the way and end up toe to to with Valentine and Malice! The crowd CHEERS as T.Rex an Arch Angel motion for them to bring it.
Mark Kendrick: Oh, boy! ANARCHY is standing up for their long time friend here, Dutch!
Dutch Harris: Absolutley, Mark!
Morgana SCREAMS something to Malice and he charges forward, meeting T.Rex head on, while Arch Angel and Valantine join in battle as well! The fans scream wildly as the Orion members and ANARCHY brawl around the ring, the action spilling to the outside and towards the ramp. Loco gets to his feet and moves to leave the ring and help his friends, BUT HE’S clobbered from behind by a mostly recovered Mason Pierce! The crowd unleashes a string of BOOOOOOS as Mason begins to put the boots to Loco’s ribs! The boys of ANARCHY quickly turn to see what’s going on, but are swiflty waylayed by Malice and Valentine! The Orion members take over, brawling up the ramp with ANARCHY and back behind the curtain.
Mark Kendrick: Oh man, I smell a set up! You’ve got to believe that this is what Mason Pierce wanted all along. He wants to eliminate some Primus competition tonight.
Dutch Harris: No doubt about it, Mark. and he may do just that here. He’s going after Loco’s ribs here.
Mason begins to drop knees to the ribs repeatedly before standing and looking down on Loco. He smirks, turning Loco onto his stomach, pulling him up into a camel clutch and clapping on a cobra clutch.
Dutch Harris: MANCHESTER NECKTIE! Oh come on, that’s ENOUGH! He’s gonna seriously hurt Loco Martinez!
Loco shouts in pain as he tries to fight off the hold. The referee tries to intervene, but can’t pry Mason off Loco. Mason’s eyes are wide with wrath as he wrenches back on the Necktie.
Mark Kendrick: This is low, Dutch. Lower than a Big Ten Team that isn’t Penn State, even! WAITAMINUTE!
The crowd ROARS with cheers as Lunatikk Crippler comes SPRINTING down the aisle and slides into the ring, knocking Mason off Loco. Loco rolls away in pain as Mason gets to his feet and GLARES at Crippler. AND THEN CHARGES him! Loco and Mason begin to trade rights and lefts and the crowd is SCREAMING for Crippler!
Dutch Harris: Lunatikk Crippler has just potentially prevented Loco Martinez from being put on the shelf here, Mark! And this crowd is LOVING it!
Mark Kendrick: He definitely did. And Crippler is taking it to Mason Pierce!
Crippler gains the upper hand, continuing to fire rights and lefts at Mason, who is backed into the corner. He grabs Mason by the wrist, pulls him out of the corner and takes him down to the mat and the crowd lets loose a LOUD cheer!
Mark Kendrick: FEMALE DOGIFIED!
Dutch Harris: It’s ok, Mark, it’s a proper name: BITCHIFIED!
Mark Kendrick: In any event, Crippler’s got it locked in on Mason in the middle of the ring!
Dutch Harris: WHERE THE HELL DID THEY COME FROM?
Jacob Mephisto and Laura Seton have slid into the ring and IMMEDIATELY begun to pound away on Crippler and the crowd id IRATE!
Mark Kendrick: I think they came from the crowd, Dutch. This is getting ugly out here!
Mephisto and Seton pull Crippler to his feet. Seton holds his arms behind his back and Mephisto smirks. He winds up for a big shot, BUT LOCO comes from nowhere and tackles Mephisto! Seton drops Crippler and goes RIGHT after Loco. Mason staggers to his feet to help, but he’s met by Crippler! Mephisto and Seton gain the upper hand on Loco, beating him down to the mat and Mason low blows Crippler, dropping him to his knees. But suddenly the crowd is on its feet AGAIN!
Dutch Harris: HERE COMES THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!
Trey Willett SPRINTS to the ring and slides in under the bottom rope, leaving the World Heavyweight Championship laying on the ring apron. He srings into action, clotheslining Mason to the mat! He turns and ducks a clothesline from Jacob and NAILS him with a spinning heel kick! But he’s caught from behind with a knee to the back by Laura Seton! Loco gets to his feet and spins Laura around and the two begin to brawl! Mason stumbles over to Trey and begins to boot the boots to him! Crippler and Mephisto begin to trade rights and lefts!
Mark Kendrick: Oh man, we’ve got a FIGHT going right now!
The crowd begins to boo again as none other thant Dan Stein is spotted sauntering down to the ring, his eyes on the brawl happening in the ring.
Dutch Harris: Oh man, "The Golden Boy" is gonna skew the odds here.
Stein gets to the ring, pulling himself up onto the arpon. He looks down at the World Heavyweight Championship lying there for a moment before he steps through the ropes. He immediatey moves to help Laura, who’s been backed into the corner by Loco. The fans SCREAM boos down, and Dan actually stops just before reaching Loco. He turns to see Mason pounding away on Trey and narrows his eyes as he advances towards Mason and the crowd lets out a BIG cheer. Stein stops again. He looks to Loco and Seton again. Then to Mephisto and Crippler battling it out. And finally back to Mason and Trey.
Mark Kendrick: I don’t understand what’s happening here, Dutch.
Stein puts his hands on his hips, standing in the center of the ring. He smirks and shakes his head before walking over and stepping backthrough the ropes. The crowd boos as Stein drops off the apron and backs up the ramp, that same smirk on his face as he casually watches the action in the ring.
Dutch Harris: These fans might not agree with it, Mark, but Stein is doing the smartest thing right now. He’s not going to exert himself before the big match at ELITE. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to pick sides.
Stein gets to the top of the ramp and stands there, hands on his hips, watching the mayhem unfold in the ring. In almost a BLUR of speed, someone comes FLYING from the back and SPRINTS to the ring and the crowd LOSES it!
Mark Kendrick: IT’S MAYA! MAYA IS HERE!
Maya Nakashima BOUNDS into the ring and goes right after Mason Pierce. Mason turns and gets NAILED by a step up enziguri! Maya turns and sees and IRATE Jacob Mephisto charging forward, but ducks his attack! He hits the ropes and comes off, nailing an AMAZINGLY timed spinning heel kick! Trey makes it to his feet, as does Crippler! Loco brings a wobbly Laura Seton from the corner and leans her against the ropes before cloteslining her out of the ring over the top! Maya and Crippler bring Jacob to his feet and SLING him out of the ring to the floor! Mason Pierce gets to his feet and sees himself surrounded by Trey Willett, Lunatikk Crippler, Loco Martinez, and Maya Nakashima and the crowd nearly EXPLODES with cheers!
Dutch Harris: Mason Pierce is about to get a taste of his own medicine!
Trey lunges forward, but Mason rolls forward at the same time and bails from the ring, eliciting a LOUD but brief chorus of boos from the SHOOT Nation! Leon comes around the ring and the two of them start to back slowly up the ramp. Trey walks to the ropes, reaches down, and picks up the World Heavyweight Championship, holding it in his left hand.
Mark Kendrick: Oh man! If this is ANYTHING like what the Primus is going to be, I can’t WAIT for ELITE! That match is going to be on for the history books!
Dutch Harris: You better believe it, Mark. These eight Soldiers are going to fight tooth and nail for the World Heavyweight Championship, and you aren’t going to see a better pay-per-view main event anywhere else, but right here in the SHOOT Project!
Dan Stein looks on from the entrance stage. Mason Pierce and Leona slowly continue to back up the ramp, glaring into the ring. Jacob Mephisto gets to his feet on the outside, scowling up at the four men in the ring. Laura Seton stands at the foot of the aisle glaring daggers at Loco Martinez. Inside the ring, Maya looks down at Mephisto with contempt. Crippler eyes Seton with untold animosity. Loco smirks grimly at Stein. And Trey glares out at Mason. Suddenly, Maya, Loco, and Crippler slowly turn their gazes towards Trey, as do all the other Soldiers. Trey looks around from Soldier to Soldier. He looks down at the title in his hands. Trey Willett brings his head back up, a look a defiance on his face and slowly raises the World Heavyweight Championship into the air as Carry On My Wayward Son begins to play and the crowd cheers wildly!
Mark Kendrick: What a way to kick off Dominion!
It’s been said before that moments like this could end any other show on the planet.
But this is SHOOT Project.
And we’re just getting started.
A title card is displayed center-screen (and over the VideoWall for those in the arena), reading "THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN PAID FOR BY COREY LAZARUS." The screen goes blank for a few seconds, but a familiar voice breaks the droning white noise.
Corey Lazarus: Hello. I’m Corey Lazarus.
About half the crowd pops as Corey walks in front of the dull black background, wearing a plain white tee, black acid wash bootcut jeans, black Chucks, and the newest addition to his wardrobe: a patch over his left eye.
Corey Lazarus: It’s been a little while, hasn’t it? Almost a month or so, by my count. Too long, really. I haven’t called, I didn’t write…no, I’ve just been keeping to my own, really. I’ve told my publicists not to issue a press release as to my whereabouts, pulled some strings to keep my name out of the tabloids and off TMZ, and I even had any medical personnel who tended to me about this little guy right here…
He points to his patch, tapping it around his eyebrow.
Corey Lazarus: …sign disclosure agreements. I still do have some pull, after all. That’s besides the point, though. I’m here for one reason and one reason alone.
He smiles, barely forcing it but letting its fraudulence known.
Corey Lazarus: To let Elizabeth Gaunt and the guys in Orion know that they didn’t get the job done.
A slightly bigger pop than before, but still nowhere near a full crowd.
Corey Lazarus: As if 3M didn’t let that be known, right Valentine?
Wink…well, a closing of his right eye and a smirk, anyway.
Corey Lazarus: Now, sure, I bled quite a bit at Dominion 12. Hell, my left eye got a nice shard of glass stuck in it that fucked it right up, as a matter of fact! And now I’ve got to look like some sort of ironic Beverly Hills pirate until mid-October or so, just in time for the huge Halloween Party we’re planning at LV-138, and that means that, well, I’m at something of a disadvantage. My field of vision’s been cut in half, my Ray Bans don’t quite fit right, and I’m sick and tired of people asking me if I’m Sagat, or the Hassellhoff Nick Fury, or if I’m about to make them swab the poopdeck.
For the record? I swab my own poopdeck, but I digress.
Here’s the part where I’m supposed to tell those responsible that they’re going to pay, and as much as I loathe the tea bag enthusiasts of Orion and blame Mason for the introduction of those thumbtacks and that broken glass into our little soiree last month, I can’t really hold them accountable for this. I mean, after all…
His voice escalates in intensity as his face tightens, the cool demeanor from the start quickly fading away.
Corey Lazarus: …it’s not like they’re even of mental capacity to make their own decisions, dig? Nah. For that? They needed a little conductor named Elizabeth Gaunt. THAT is the little twat that I hold responsible for this. Forget about Malice, you can throw Morgana out the window for all I care, because the person who actually did this, who drove the heels of her little clearance sale boots into the back of my fucking head and slammed the glass into my eye, is the same screamo cunt that fucked up my knee.
He takes a deep breath, forcing another smile, and then clears his throat.
Corey Lazarus: I’m going to apologize for my language here, really, because losing a few more sponsorship deals over the past month has really taught me something, even if the ones that dropped me for the words that come out of my mouth are hypocritical shit companies that were nothing before my endorsement, and I’ll just cut right to the chase before I start to lose my cool again.
Liz…ELITE’s coming up, and…well, I want you. One on one. No SCAR, no Orion, no 3M…nobody but the two of us. I want you to stand in your corner and admire your handiwork. I want you to gloat and laugh about how you’ve taken my blood, you’ve taken my knee, and now you’ve taken my eye. I want you to mock me with every strike you land, every little tumble away from me that you’ll do, and each hold you manage to lock on me. I want to hear you in sadistic ecstasy, cackling like the harrowing wretch of a human being that you delight yourself in being, and I want it in front of thousands of people’s faces, broadcasted all over the world, and recorded so that it could be etched into history, and I want it like that because I want to show the world just what you look like when you’re begging for forgiveness and mercy as I keep charging in, beckoning for more and more punishment, and keep rising back to my feet to look you in those soulless and frightened little eyes of yours and say "is that all you’ve got?"!
He breathes in with fury, sucking it in through clenched teeth, and then runs a hand through his hair, forcing out a chuckle as he exhales before looking back into the camera…into Gaunt.
Corey Lazarus: At least that’s what I would’ve said a few years ago. Hell, I probably would have even said it a few months ago, actually, but I digress. See, things in life have a way of…well…they have a way of altering your perception, you know? When you’re young and naive, the world is your oyster, as the saying goes, and all you want is to snatch the biggest pearl you can as often as possible. Then you get older, friends come and go, some of the people you love decide they don’t love you, you start having thoughts about…
He barely eeks out the next words, looking off-screen and taking a deep breath beforehand.
Corey Lazarus: …family…children…heh…
He clears his throat and scratches just above his eye patch,
Corey Lazarus: …and it puts everything into perspective. If you have everything you could want outside the ring, then everything you could get from within it…championship gold, the admiration of millions, the respect of your peers…it doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot, and I had that. I had some great friends, I had a wife, a son…now? All I have is this sport. And you? Heh…you tried to take that away from me.
Trademark. Devilish. Grin.
Corey Lazarus: So I actually want to thank you, Liz. I need to thank you, to be perfectly honest, because my priorities haven’t exactly been in focus since…well, since I dropped TMB on his head, really, and I’ll do anything it takes to show you just how thankful I am.
If you really want my career, babe, then fine. The opportunity is yours. ELITE. Think it over. I’ll be around, just a-rockin’ and a-rollin’, like I do.
He blows her a kiss and then walks off-screen, letting the scene cut to…
Dutch Harris: Up next folks, we have an eagerly awaited contest between Henry Gordon and Solomon Richards. Knowing these two men Mark, we are in for a treat.
Mark Kendrick: Given that this is our final stop before Elite, I expect nothing but their best here tonight.
Dutch Harris is about to retort when a sharp crackling electronic sound fills the epicentre, the fans and announcers alike are drawn to the vision of static on the Jumbo-Tron as the arena lights cut out to utter darkness.
Mark Kendrick: Looks like we are having some technical difficulties.
The screen flickers for a few seconds before coming into focus on a lone seated figure cloaked in darkness, silhouetted by a dim backlight and grasping a fabric object in his hands. His hair hangs heavy over his face, obscuring it from view.
Dutch Harris: What is going on here?
Mark Kendrick: I don’t know, Dutch. But I think we are about to find out.
The lone figure on the screen runs his hands through his hair, brushing it over his shoulders before looking straight through the screen to a resounding chorus of boos and jeers.
Mark Kendrick: Valentine Lionheart…I’m not sure anyone wants to hear what this guy has to say after the actions of Orion last night.
Valentine glares into the camera, his piercing blue eyes, wild and intense like a man possessed. He looks down to his hand and then raises the recognisable mask of his nemesis 3M for all to see.
Dutch Harris: Valentine ripped the mask off of 3M last night.
Mark Kendrick: Looks like he kept it as a memento.
Valentine: Many say that I awoke something in you Marcus. They say that when I made this personal, when I threatened your wife; that I provoked both the demon and the saviour that slept inside your heart…That 3M ascended from my pestilential touch…This, this is true.
He fumbles with the mask, playing it through his fingers and gazing into the soulless eyes.
Valentine: That was my goal, my plan, to bring 3M back from the dead so that I could vanquish him in that very ring. But while I was down there, while I was tearing your soul apart, 3M was not the only thing I found…For I found something far darker in that abyss, something remorseless and vile to the core. A demon without a saviour, Yin without Yang…
Dutch Harris: This guy is certifiable. Where in hell do we find these lunatics?
Mark Kendrick: Where in hell? I think you answered your own question there, Dutch.
Valentine: What I found in the darkness, Marcus…Was…MYSELF!
A low hum of questions and shock cascades across the arena as Valentine once again runs his fingers through his hair.
Dutch Harris: He found himself? What the…What does he mean he found himself?
Valentine: As I sit here looking at your mask; thinking back to torturing your wife, thinking back to draining the blood from your neck…With the image of you hanging from a cable before me fresh in my mind; I can’t help but think about the next step in my evolution, my metamorphosis…I want and crave more, I want and crave your blood.
Mark Kendrick: I’m not sure if Valentine has answered your questions or given you more to ponder there, Dutch.
Dutch Harris: Worst thing is, Valentine still has to wrestle tonight…In this mind-set; I wouldn’t want to be Tanya Black right now.
Valentine: Come Elite, I am going to feed my addiction…Which is why I am challenging you and your Sin City Championship to a match of my own devise… “The Dark Saviour” 3M verses “The Omega Messiah” Valentine Lionheart for the Sin City Championship…IN A BLOODLETTING MATCH!
Dutch Harris: A what!?
A mix of confusion and cheers erupt within the Epicentre as Valentine stands and turns placing the mask down on the stool behind him and disappears into the darkness. The camera zooms in to the mask before the lights and screen suddenly return to normal.
Dutch Harris: What on earth is a bloodletting match!?
Mark Kendrick: I’ve been doing some research on Valentine’s career before SHOOT Project. And I can tell you that there has only ever been ONE other Bloodletting match in history.
Dutch Harris: What is it?
Mark Kendrick:b It’s brutal, is what it is. The rules are simple…Bloody your opponent until the referee has to call stoppage. Think last man standing rules, but instead for knocking your opponent out you literally exhaust them until they cannot stand.
Dutch Harris: Is that even legal…Surely SHOOT officials are not going to allow this to happen?
Mark Kendrick: Stranger things have happened my friend…
Dutch Harris: Don’t remind me.
Mark Kendrick: I am being told we are going to a quick commercial break and then we will be right back with Solomon Richards facing off against Henry Gordon.
We fade back from commercial at ringside with Mark Kendrick and Dutch Harris.
Mark Kendrick: Welcome back, folks. Now, we advertised a match between Solomon Richards and Henry Gordon tonight, but during the commerical break, we’ve been informed that neither man was able to make it to the Epicenter this evening. We don’t have any details on the reason, but we sincerely apologize to those of you who were looking forward to that match.
Dutch Harris: Abolsutely, folks. As you all know, SHOOT Project prides itself on bringing the best quality matches and shows to you, the SHOOT Nation. BUT, now is as good a time as any to make a couple announcements!
Mark Kendrick: Yes it is, Dutch. Ladies and gentlemen, earlier this evening, we promised you news on the World Tag Team Championships. Well, it has been officially released that at ELITE, ANARCHY will defend the SHOOT Project World Tag Team Championship against Project: SCAR’s Kenji Yamada… and Obsidian.
Dutch Harris: You know, that is just going to be a brutal, brutal match, Mark. Kenji has shown his fighting spirit against ANARCHY recently. And with Obsidian as his partner, Project: SCAR could very well take away those titles.
Mark Kendrick: It’s defnitely true, Dutch. But, that’s not all, folks! Because also at ELITE, we are going to determine a number one contender for the Iron Fist Championship. "The Evangelist" Jerry Matthews, who secured a victory over Thomas Manchester Black last night on Revolution, will face two bran new faces to SHOOT in Rellik and "The Sin City Saint" Brock Steele in a triple threat match.
Dutch Harris: That is HUGE. Matthews is really starting to find his niche here and it’s an AMAZING opportunity for these new Soldiers.
Mark Kendrick: ELITE is shaping up to be one heck of a card, Dutch! Don’t go anywhere folks, we’ve still got a ton of action for you tonight. Next up, Valentine Lionheart takes on Tanya Black!
The fans in the Epicentre are on their feet and excited to be here on the “go home” show before the highly anticipated Pay Per View event; Elite. SHOOT announcer Samantha Coil stands in the centre of the ring and is ready to get this one underway.
Samantha Coil: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall…
Your fear it moves me.
Your weakness I taste.
I breathe you, I hate you.
You course through my veins.
And now.
And now.
The lights dim down for a moment and an explosion of pyro signals the entrance of Tanya Black who stands on the stage looking mesmerized for a moment as she soaks in the mixed reaction from the fans.
Dutch Harris: Tanya has a tough match ahead of her tonight, as she faces off against Orion’s very own nihilist.
Mark Kendrick: Not to mention, the mysterious women that has been gunning for her as of late.
You want me. You love me.
And I hate myself.
I need you, but I hate you.
‘Cause I want nothing else.
And I bleed you since I’ve healed you.
Your pain escapes through me.
‘Cause I breathe you, but I hate you.
‘Cause they say we could never be.
They can’t see.
As Die For You continues to play the arena watches as Tanya Black begins walking to the ring, every step seeming to awaken her more and more, her look going from vacant to determination. Sliding into the ring Tanya Black moves to the middle and holds her arms out to the sides as she leans her head back
Mark Kendrick: She looks more than ready to fight tonight, Dutch.
Dutch Harris: That’s what we do here in SHOOT Project, we fight!
It seems the pain’s been traded,
Since I pulled you through.
And now my mind’s been so jaded.
And I would kill myself for you.
I’d die for you.
Samantha Coil: Weighing in first at One-Hundred and Sixty-Five pounds and hailing from Boston Massachusetts…She is the Alpha Female…TANYA BLAAAAAAACK!
The arena lights slowly fade into a dark low blue as the ominous opening tones of “Salt on Everything” by Sole eerily play out across the Epicentre as a lone figure makes his way onto the stage. In his hand he clutches the mask of 3M, carrying it around like some kind of trophy as the music kicks into to heavy drum beats and tones.
Mark Kendrick: That right there ladies and gentlemen is one of the coldest, darkest and heartless human beings I have ever laid my eyes upon.
Dutch Harris: And those are his good qualities.
Slowly; Valentine Lionheart begins to make his way down the ramp as the fans, many of whom witnessed his attack on 3M first hand begin to shower him with hate along with their empty cartons and packets; a move that only serves to increase the hateful sneer on Lionheart’s face.
Dutch Harris: I am not sure that pissing this guy off any more than he normally is, is such a wise idea?
Valentine makes his way up the steps, his eyes locking onto Tanya who stands ready to defend herself against this vile animal of a man. Once inside the ring, Valentine places the mask of 3M over the nearest corner post so that its eyes are looking into the ring.
Samantha Coil: And her opponent, representing Orion, weighing in at Two-Hundred and Sixty-Five pounds and hailing from London, England…He is The Omega Messiah…VALENTINE LIONHEAAAAAAART!
Dutch Harris: Valentine outweighs Tanya by One Hundred pounds and is over a foot taller than her. That has to be intimidating.
Mark Kendrick: It can be. But Tanya needs to stay focused, use her speed, striking ability and most importantly stay out of his reach. If she pulls out the Concussion Kick, this big guy is going down fast.
Dutch Harris: I think you are selling Valentine short there Mark; we are talking about a Master of the Mat finalist, who does cross country triathlons as a part of his training regime. His overall level of fitness is second to none.
Mark Kendrick: Without a doubt. But if he underestimates Tanya he will be in for a rude awakening.
The lights return to normal and you can clearly see the bruising on Valentine’s back as he stares daggers through Tanya. Referee Dennis Heflin calls them to the centre of the ring and quickly goes over the rules before calling for the bell.
As soon as the bell rings Lionheart steams into Tanya who backs away keeping her guard up as Valentine fires off some rights and lefts backing her towards the corner; she does her best to block the punches but soon finds herself backed against the turnbuckle.
With a sickening smile Valentine lunges in with a knee that smashes square into her stomach, before Tanya can fall to her knees Lionheart pushes himself up against her, keeping her in the corner and then yanks back hard on her hair so that she is forced to look up at him.
Mark Kendrick: As I said, she needs to keep her distance, once Valentine has you cornered or with nowhere to run he will pull out his Mixed Martial Arts strikes.
Heflin is quick to interject where he berates Valentine for the hair pulling and orders him to get back to his corner, the fans shower the Orion member with as Heflin asks a winded Tanya if she is okay. She nods and then charges at Valentine throwing a wild kick to his knee, followed by a kick to the thigh and then another kick to the knee area.
Mark Kendrick: That’s it Tanya, slow him down and use those strikes to wear him down.
She throws another kick, this time high. But Valentine catches her leg under his arm and yanks her towards him where he grasp her throat and lifts her up into the air before turning and slamming her down with a Chokeslam variation.
Dutch Harris: That looked like it hurt. What would you even call that slam, Mark?
Mark Kendrick: It was a mix between a Sambo Suplex and a Chokeslam. I’d simply call it a Sambo Chokeslam.
Valentine is quick to get into full-mount on top of Tanya, but instead of raining down blows he runs his hand through her hair and then across her cheek, a gesture that provokes anger from the fans as well as the referee.
Mark Kendrick: I can’t watch this macabre display.
Dutch Harris: Valentine vowed to abuse Tanya in every way possible. I thought it was just mind games, but the looking his face right now is sickening.
Just as Heflin is about to charge in and stop Valentine from continuing, Tanya throws a quick, sharp forearm that slams into the throat of “The Omega Messiah” she then pulls her legs out from underneath him and then plants both feet firmly into his chest and kicks hard pushing him away.
Valentine falls back into a seated position as Tanya kips up and throws a heavy kick Valentine does his best to block but the kick still cracks him in the neck, he slumps to the side and Tanya steps in with a punch to the face, followed by a second one.
Mark Kendrick: Tanya, using her speed and her strikes here.
Dutch Harris: She’s really taking the fight to him.
Black grabs Valentine by the head and brings him onto his knees, with two more punches she locks his head and rocks back looking for a DDT; Valentine blocks when he grabs both of her legs pulling them around either side of his waist, she attempts to turn the DDT into a Guillotine Choke but Lionheart powers up lifting Tanya and with one huge push he tosses her up into the air, as she free falls smashes her with an almighty European uppercut that sends her crashing to the mat.
Dutch Harris: Holy Sh…
Before Dutch can finish his sentence the fans cut him off by chanting the very thing he was about to say, Tanya lays dormant as Valentine begins perversely lick his lips.
Mark Kendrick: What an uppercut, he almost took her head off with that shot.
Valentine doesn’t stop to ponder for too long as he quickly pulls the limp body of Tanya Black to her feet, holding her by the throat “The Omega Messiah” slaps her straight across the face as hard as he can, the slap echoes throughout the arena as the fans let out an “Ooh.” After the slap he pulls her in and drops her with a two-step Belly to Belly Suplex…Lionheart holds on and rolls, making his way back to his feet where he slams Tanya for a second time with an Exploder Suplex…Again he floats out and pulls Tanya back up; this time he wraps her legs around his waist as if she is straddling him while holding her in a bearhug like grip.
Dutch Harris: Looks like Valentine is ready to set up yet another Overhead Suplex variation.
Mark Kendrick: This is too much; now Valentine has hold of her he is going to keep her locked in and beat her to a pulp.
Lionheart looks around the crowd; the smirk on his face elicits a resounding boo form the SHOOT-Faithful, some even chant “You Sick Fuck!” Valentine licks his lips and gazes upon her almost unconscious face when suddenly “The Alpha Female” springs to life and slams a combination of, forearms, elbows and punches to Valentine’s face.
The fans erupt with cheers as Tanya hits a flurry with both hands, striking away from her clutched position like a women possessed. Valentine drops the hold and Tanya darts away from him hitting the ropes and then fires straight back with a dropkick, Lionheart flies straight into the corner and Tanya keeps on the pressure by running at him full speed and cracks him in the mid-section with a knee.
Mark Kendrick: Look at that, Lionheart is slumped in the corner.
Dutch Harris: looks like she busted his lip on that exchange.
Tanya again rushes to the opposing ropes, this time as she fires back she slams both of her knees right into Valentine’s face, he slumps to the ground and she makes the cover.
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Tanya rocks back onto her knees as Heflin motions for the two-count; she doesn’t wait long and quickly throws down some forearms to the face of the Orion member before taking a fist full of his long dark hair and lifting him to his knees.
Mark Kendrick: As I said from the off, Tanya needs to keep on him, forget trying to slam or lift the guy just kick his ass.
She pulls Lionheart up and whips him to the ropes, on the return she jumps forward with a knee, but Lionheart somehow catches the knee and lifts her up and over with a Perfect-Plex, Tanya bounces off the mat and rolls to the ring ropes as Lionheart reaches up to his lip and then looks at the blood on the tips of his fingers…
Dutch Harris: Oh no; the last time Valentine saw his own blood he went into a rage.
Mark Kendrick: That he did, and I feel it was that rage that won him the match.
Instead of a rage Valentine smiles and shakes his head shouting the words “I knew you liked it rough” before stalking the dormant Tanya Black. Lionheart grabs Tanya by her hair again and pulls her onto her knees where he drives the point of his elbow straight down into her face, not once, not twice but three times, the end result? Blood pouring from her lip. Valentine then runs his hand across her mouth, covering his fingers in her blood and then proceeds to lick to off of his fingers as the fans go absolutely mental with deafening boos.
Dutch Harris: What a despicable human being he is.
Referee Heflin blows a gasket at the vile display, grabbing Valentine by the shoulder and getting into his face and poking him in the chest while threatening to call of the match…When…WHAM! Tanya cracks Valentine from behind with a low blow which doubles him over to the applause of the crowd.
Mark Kendrick: Heflin was too busy shouting at Lionheart that he missed the low blow.
“The Alpha Female” pulls herself up with the ropes and quickly spins Valentine round, locking his head under her arm and slamming a knee into his chest and then finally dropping the larger opponent with a jumping DDT! The fans again cheer wildly as Tanya goes for a cover.
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Mark Kendrick: What does she have to do to keep him down?
Dutch Harris: Knock him out, Just ask Loco Martinez.
Tanya leans back and shouts at the top of her lungs as if to psyche herself up to finish Lionheart, when “The Omega Messiah” wedges his hand straight into her mouth and begins to grip on about her jaw.
Dutch Harris: What on earth is he doing now?
Mark Kendrick: if you look he is forcing his thumb up under her jaw, while more than likely pushing down on her tongue from the inside.
Tanya throws as many punches as she can as Valentine gets back to his knees, but the blows seem to have no effect as the wild eyed Valentine slowly stands. The man once known as Darkside then pulls Tanya jaw first into his crotch and holds the back of her head in place.
Mark Kendrick: OG and Masters had to apologies for this freaks behaviour on Revolution, and now I have to do it here tonight. Maybe someone should tell Valentine to have Not-Safe-For-Work and a Rated R symbol on his attire so that those who don’t want to view his antics get a pre-warning.
Lionheart then yanks Tanya by the mouth to her feet and plants his free hand squarely in her crotch before lifting her up into a Press-Slam position, all the while holding onto her mouth and jaw…He then drops her down onto his shoulders and spins her out with the Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Dutch Harris: V-D-M! It’s all over.
Mark Kendrick! NO! YES! NO!
Tanya swings out of the V-D-M, holding onto Valentine’s head with looking for a spin out DDT! But Valentine pushes her away; Tanya however lands on her feet only to be charged at by Lionheart to hits a lifting tackle-like Spear charging Tanya straight into the corner where 3M’s mask is displayed.
Lionheart takes hold of the mask and then pulls it down over Tanya’s head and back away allowing her room, she staggers forward unable to see and attempting to take the mask off of her face when Valentine charges at her and leaps into the air slamming his patented Tiger Knee right into her face.
Mark Kendrick: By god.
Tanya falls flat onto her back as Valentine slithers over her, almost straddling her and then violently rips the mask off of her face. Lionheart then licks the side of Tanya’s cheek as the fans erupt once again with hellacious boo.
Dutch Harris: Just pin her you sick freak.
Then in one quick succession of moves, Valentine stands and pulls the lip body of Tanya Black up onto his shoulders, he stares out into the crowd who begin to shower him with trash and then spins her out and plants her face first into the mat with the Valentine’s Day Massacre!!!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Samantha Coil: Here is your winner…”The Omega Messiah” VALENTINE LIONHEAAAAAAART!
Mark Kendrick: Hat’s off to Tanya Black. I know Valentine won, but she put up one hell of a fight here tonight.
Valentine rocks back onto his knees and looks down at Tanya Black, he slowly runs his hand across her face, down her neck and onto her chest…When suddenly…
The familiar haunting synthesizer melody we’ve been hearing over the last few weeks echoes throughout the Epicenter once again…and as the JumboTron comes alive with a shot of the backstage area and the manila folder that was seen at Revolution- the one containing the contract that Tanya Black was anxious to get signed-a gravelly voice comes over the speakers.
“Tanya… Tanya… you say you want to play, you talk with such passion about how you want me, but you haven’t even tried to come look for me, have you? You stand in front of the cameras and tell the world how you want to play the game by your rules. You want it done your way. You huff and puff, but you haven’t even tried to blow my house down. You’ve been so consumed with getting what you want that you never even stopped to ask what other name to put on that piece of paper. You’re just like them, Tanya. You look at me and all you care about is what you can do to me, what you want to do to me.
But I’m going to be oh so nice to you, Tanya. I’m going to do your dance. And I’m even going to give you a present before we do.”
The JumboTron goes to static… and the mysterious green-haired woman is standing over Tanya in the ring! She reaches down, brining a VERY woozy Tanya to her feet. The woman kicks her square in the gut, doubling her over… she grabs Tanya’s arms in a double underhook and with a fluid motion, leaps and wraps her legs around Tanya’s torso, squeezing with all her might, her eyes widening as she applies the pressure!
Mark Kendrick: Oh, come on! Tanya just got through a hellacious match with Valentine Lionheart, and now this?
Dutch Harris: Seems to be a recurring theme with this one.
Tanya drops to a knee, her consciousness slipping. The mysterious woman releases the hold and reaches into her back pocket, removing the rolled-up contract in one hand and taking a microphone in the other. She stands over the dazed Tanya.
“My name.. is Angel.. Thorne. Remember it. Burn it into your brain. Now you know I can hurt you. And when we dance, I will hurt you. I will hurt you so badly you’ll think about never coming back.”
She tosses the paper down in front of Tanya, sliding quickly out of the ring, her eyes wide and an evil grin on her face as she takes in the carnage she has created. She waves to Tanya in the ring before hopping over the barricade and once again disappearing into the crowd.
The camera lights up the dimly lit inner bowels of the Epicenter. Far beneath the arena itself. Sitting in the darkness with a single light shining on him akin to a spotlight is none other than Donovan King. The fans cheer as the camera focuses in on him, his hood pulled over his head. He sits quietly, not even moving. Once the cheering dies down, we can hear his breathing until…
Donovan King: These past few weeks been hard.
He slowly lifts his head.
Donovan King: Doctors said they ain’t never seen nobody with a bump on the head like mines or busted up ribs like mines. I’m proof positive that when Sammy Rochester wants to hurt you, he gon’ hurt you.
King grimaces as he leans back to reveal his bare chest. The fans notice and begin to cheer, however, when he reveals no bandages.
Donovan King: The thing about bein’ hurt, though…is that if it ain’t bad enough? You heal.
King smirks.
Donovan King: Lotta folks talkin’ about how this thing with Sammy ain’t sellin’ enough t-shirts. They tell me I gotta be on the shows, I gotta put on fuh SHOOT to make some money off my black ass.
He chuckles.
Donovan King: I tell all them one thing. This thing with Sammy? It ain’t about makin’ money for me. It ain’t about me tryna get famous. This thing with Sammy is real simple. He wants to take me out an’ he wants to take my spot. His boy Jester ain’t even got it in him to stop it. S’fine. I’ll stop it.
King stands up, grimacing for a moment before he inhales to push down the stiffness and what pain is left.
Donovan King: Sammy, I hope you watchin’ me real close. I’m gonna be at the show. I’m finna put hands on you the likes uh which you ain’t never felt before. You finna see what I’m about an’ what I’m about? What I’m about is my business, boy. So when you an’ I meet up? You’ll see why they call Donovan King…
…ELITE.
He bows his head as the fans begin to cheer once again. We fade to black.
Samantha Coil: The following contest is the MAIN EVENT of DOMINION…and it is scheduled for one fall!!!
The Epicenter crowd is absolutely ELECTRIC in anticipation of the main event, fans rising up to their feet on all sides of the stands. The atmosphere of the entire building seems almost to thrum with life, and in the midst of all this dark purple strobe lights start to flash at the head of the ramp.
“War Is My Destiny” by lll Beat feat. Immortal Technique starts to ROAR through the audio system, and this sends another surge of excitement through the capacity crowd.
The crimson curtains get thrown to the side as ADRIAN CORAZON steps out from the back, and the Baddest Man Alive is greeted with an INSANE ovation from the Epicenter faithful. Corazon stands there beneath the purple glow, his face framed by silky black hair…and that trademark smirk tugs at the corner of his lips.
Samantha Coil: Introducing first, hailing from Mexico City, Mexico…he weighs in at 225lbs…he is the BADDEST MAN ALIVE…ADRIAN CORAZON!!!
"They killed my entire family, murdered and tortured, raped and pillaged
I was only five and I was the only surviving witness
My entire village burned to the ground
He wore a serpent in his crown."
"I watched the palaces burn
I’ve seen the ashes of my comrades return to they family in a urn
While a proud child remembers his father that died
The cycle continues with vengeance alive in his mind"
Corazon gaze sweeps from side to side, the fans cheering wildly for the SHOOT Project warrior…and we see a few signs in the crowd reading things like “BAD MET EVIL, BAD WON!” and “ADRIAN CORAZON: SHOOT PROJECT MONSTER SLAYER.”
Mark Kendrick: It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Corazon in a match, but judging by the look on his face tonight…he is primed and ready to EVISCERATE.
Dutch Harris: Say what you will about the man, Mark…but one truth is universal. This is the baddest son of a bitch you will EVER see….and I do not envy his opponent even a little bit tonight.
“WAR IS MY DESTINY!”
With this last lyric resounding through the arena, Corazon starts to slowly stalk his way down to the ring, pausing momentarily at the apron so the cameras can take in a full view of the branded SHOOT Project Helmet etched into the flesh of his back.
Corazon then enters the ring, proceeding to head over to one of the turnbuckles to await his opponent.
A sickly red spotlight falls at the head of the ramp, and SHOOT Video wall alights with a scene of the Mojave Desert. There’s a ruined pulpit out there on the hardpan, and a group of tattered vagabonds stand before it, shivering in rags and staring up at the back of a preacher dressed all in white.
The mad prophet turns around at the pulpit, and we see his open white dress shirt billowing in the wind…and the glossy white of his porcelain Deviant mask. He spreads his arms wide, gesticulating wildly and raving to the heavens…and the clouds above darken as red rain begins to fall from the sky.
The blood rain falls to the floor of the desert, and it spreads through the cracks in the earth…spelling out those two telltale words.
PROJECT: SCAR.
“Passive” by A Perfect Circle starts to play in the Epicenter, and out from the back emerges the duo of Deviant and Elizabeth Gaunt. Deviant wears a pure white tactical vest and his white porcelain mask along with snow-white wrestling tights, and he stands there with his eyes closed and his hands clasped together in prayer.
Gaunt wears her full body black latex suit and a wicked smile on her ruby lips, and both members of SCAR are greeted with BOOMING boos from the Epicenter fans.
Samantha Coil: Introducing second, hailing from Nevada…he weighs in at 230lbs…representing PROJECT: SCAR….”DEVIANT” DANNY EVERS!!!
Dutch Harris: Deviant had better pray…lots of people in the back are saying that he basically signed his own death warrant tonight by requesting this match.
Mark Kendrick: Also take note of the fact that Gaunt is out here as well…these SCAR jackals rarely fight fair. They love the numbers game…
Deviant & Gaunt start to walk down to the ring, and once near the apron the two share some words…and Deviant cautiously slides into the ring beneath the bottom rope.
Corazon marks him with his gaze from afar, pausing for a moment to take off his shirt for the match to come….BUT DEVIANT BUM RUSHES HIM BEFORE THE SHIRT IS EVEN OFF HIS HEAD!!!
Deviant SMASHES his body into Corazon, driving him into the turnbuckles and proceeding to send snapping toe kicks into Corazon’s midsection…all the while Corazon still struggling to pull the shirt up so that his vision isn’t blocked.
Deviant grabs the shirt and presses it back into Corazon’s face, trying to SMOTHER him with it while simultaneously sending cheap punches into Corazon’s gut OVER and OVER again!
Dutch Harris: What the hell? The bell never even RANG!
Mark Kendrick: Deviant is using every dirty tactic in the book to try and keep Corazon at a disadvantage, and you’re right Dutch…this is not even a match yet!
Corazon finally manages to pull the shirt up and over his head, but Deviant grabs up a handful of Corazon’s hair and RIPS him forward, proceeding to pull him out of the ring beneath the bottom rope before RAKING both hands down Corazon’s back.
Mark Kendrick: This Deviant is just…wild-eyed right now. It’s almost like he’s scared to DEATH about what might happen if Corazon gets on offense, so he’s desperate to try and keep the momentum on his side.
Dutch Harris: I wouldn’t even call him a jackal right now. He’s lower than a jackal with this type of assault. He’s a vulture…a carrion bird pecking at the eyes of a superior predator in hopes of surviving.
Deviant grabs up two more handfuls of Corazon’s hair and he drags him over towards the steel steps…and he lifts Corazon’s face up to SLAM it down into the steps…but CORAZON BLOCKS IT. Those fiery green eyes seem to light up in the face of the Baddest Man Alive…and he stares directly at Deviant.
Deviant actually takes a step back…but Corazon grabs his head and SLAMS him down face-first into the steps, Deviant staggering backwards and holding the front of his mask with chips of porcelain falling from it.
Corazon immediately moves in on him and RAMS his shoulder into Deviant’s stomach, spearing him up against the security railing and sandwiching his body so badly that Deviant starts to wheeze beneath his mask.
Dutch Harris: I think all those early attacks from Deviant just angered the Baddest Man Alive….and Deviant is paying for it right now.
Mark Kendrick: It’s becoming pretty apparent that neither of these guys is really interested in making this an official match…this has devolved into just a tooth and nail FIGHT.
Suddenly Elizabeth Gaunt makes a mad dash at Corazon, looking to nail him with a forearm shot…but Corazon catches her by the back of the head and sends her FLYING into the steel ring post! Gaunt collapses down on her hands and knees, blooding GUSHING from her nostrils.
Deviant sees this and attempts to rally, but the punch he sends at Corazon’s face is blocked and met with a LOUD Act of Reality superkick right to Deviant’s jaw…and the crazed SCAR prophet is flung down to the floor with a resounding crash!
Corazon surveys the scene for a moment, members of SCAR lying broken and bleeding all around him…and that smirk returns to his face.
The fans EXPLODE in response, a contagious Corazon chant picking up at the back of the stands and traveling all around the arena.
LET’S GO CORAZON!!!
LET’S GO CORAZON!!!
LET’S GO CORAZON!!!
Dutch Harris: Corazon is single-handedly fighting off two members of Project: SCAR right now…and he is making it look easy!
Mark Kendrick: He’s not just fighting them off, Dutch…he’s DISMANTLING them…and the fans LOVE it!
Corazon reaches down to scrape up the lifeless Deviant, and he tosses him back into the ring beneath the bottom rope. Corazon then enters the ring himself…but Gaunt staggers forward and GRABS hold of his leg from the outside! Corazon turns around for a second to stomp at her hand…but Deviant crawls forward and CRUSHES a low blow into Corazon’s groin!
Corazon collapses forward to the canvas, and Deviant starts to just SHOWER his back and torso with clubbing blows…no precision to the strikes, just wild and forceful blows that smack against flesh.
Mark Kendrick: Once again…SCAR abusing the numbers game. Gaunt distracting Corazon just long enough for Deviant to get a treacherous opening…
Dutch Harris: Deviant literally looks like he’s fighting for his life right now…he knows what Corazon is capable of…and he is doing EVERYTHING that he can take his former “brother” out…
Deviant finally takes a breather, pausing to brush back his dark hair…and Gaunt yells something to him outside of the ring before sliding a STEEL CHAIR into the ring. Deviant immediately grabs it up…and he stumbles up to his feet and looms over Corazon…even going so far as to tap the steel chair against the canvas to taunt Corazon back up to his feet.
Dutch Harris: This could be bad…Deviant bearing a very unforgiving weapon right now.
Mark Kendrick: And we both know he won’t hesitate to use it…
Corazon manages to pull himself up to his knees using the ropes…and Deviant raises the chair HIGH over his head, a look of derangement in his eyes as he swings the chair downward at Corazon’s head…BUT SOMETHING STOPS THE CHAIRSHOT!!
The cameras take in a new angle, and we see that at the last possible second Corazon withdrew a retractable ASP from the side of his boot…and he BLOCKED the chair with it!
Deviant’s hands tingle painfully as he stares down at Corazon, that ASP holding the chair at bay. Corazon’s eyes seem almost to FLAME…and Deviant feels a bubble of fear growing deep down inside of his guts. Corazon’s eyes never leave Deviant’s own…and Corazon reaches into his other boot to pull out that trademark black-handled screwdriver.
Mark Kendrick: This…just got even worse. Corazon is packing some serious artillery of his own.
Dutch Harris: Deviant looks like a deer in the headlights…he’s almost literally immobile right now.
Deviant stands there still and seemingly frozen, his mouth open wide beneath his mask…and Corazon slowly rises to his feet, and he SNAPS the ASP to the side and connects with Deviant’s wrist…and the steel chair goes FLYING!
Deviant stands there holding his wrist before a fully armed Baddest Man Alive, his nervous eyes flitting to the ASP in Corazon’s right hand and the screwdriver in his left hand…and Deviant takes a very cautious step backwards while raising up both of his hands in a warding off gesture.
The crowd fires up as Corazon advances, reminding Deviant of how dire his predicament is.
YOU FUCKED UP!!!
YOU FUCKED UP!!!
YOU FUCKED UP!!!
Deviant makes a move like he’s about to try to escape…but Corazon WHIPS the ASP down and smashes it into the side of his knee, instantly dropping him down to a kneeling position with a howl of pain escaping SCAR’s twisted prophet.
Gaunt freaks out, both hands digging into her hair…and she slides into the ring and LEAPS towards Corazon’s back…but Corazon SPINS ON HIS HEELS AND CRUSHES THE HANDLE OF THE SCREWDRIVER INTO GAUNT’S TEMPLE!!!
Gaunt FLOPS backwards, her body dead weight from the screwdriver blow…and she collapses backwards through the middle ropes and falls clear out of the ring.
Corazon then turns his attention back to the kneeling Deviant…and he casually spins the screwdriver in his fingers as he walks towards his quarry…each step slow and meticulous, the Baddest Man Alive taking his time with this…seeming almost to SAVOR it.
Dutch Harris: Jesus…did you HEAR that shot to Gaunt? Corazon smashed that screwdriver handle right into her skull…that Hellcat’s brains are RATTLED…and Deviant has no one left to save him.
Mark Kendrick: There’s something in the air tonight, Dutch. Do you feel it? I get the distinct vibe that Corazon is looking to deal out another critical deathblow to Project: SCAR…
Dutch Harris: I feel it too, Mark. This may be the last time we ever see Deviant in a SHOOT Project ring…
Deviant stares up at Corazon, his eyes widening by the second…and suddenly Corazon SWINGS the ASP at his mask, huge chunks of porcelain breaking clear of the Deviant mask and shattering as Deviant’s head is rocked to the side. Corazon connects with a backswing too, Deviant’s head rocking to the other side and a HUGE crack traveling down the porcelain forehead of the mask.
Corazon raises up the screwdriver now…and he SLASHES at the Deviant mask, chunks of porcelain flying as Deviant’s arms pinwheel backwards. Blood starts to seep down from behind the mask…and when Corazon finally stops his assault, Deviant’s head is hanging low with blood dripping from the cracked and shattered porcelain of the mask.
Corazon almost casually leans forward…and he uses the blade of the screwdriver to sever the straps affixing the mask to Deviant’s face. Corazon reaches down and removes the mask…showcasing the bruised and blood-drenched face of Danny Evers.
There are multiple bleeding cuts along his jaw line, purple bruising marks his cheeks and eyes…and a particular nasty gash travels down the length of his forehead. He can barely raise his head up to look at Corazon, trying his best to blink away the blood droplets caught in his eyelashes.
Mark Kendrick: This is becoming really hard to watch…Deviant is in BAD shape.
Dutch Harris: I think the mask absorbed some of the blunt trauma from those shots…but Deviant is still battered and bruised…and now the mask is off and there’s no protection left for him…
Corazon flings the bloody mask to the side…and he slowly lowers the ASP until it’s resting right against Deviant’s temple, much like a baseball bat before that final homerun swing.
Deviant stares up at Corazon, his head lolling…and Corazon leans a bit closer to him.
Corazon: What I do now….I do for the SHOOT Project.
These words wash over Deviant, the very same words that Isaac Entragian heard before he was felled…and Danny Evers can only take in a weak intake of breath through his nostrils, trying his best to steel himself for the anguish to come.
He looks like a man who is trying to accept that fact that he’s about to hang at the gallows…struggling hard to come to terms with the fate that awaits him.
With flashbulbs clicking all over the Epicenter…Corazon raises that ASP up high, his hovering hand blotting out the overhead lights and casting a shadow over Deviant’s face.
Corazon holds that hand high, the ASP ready to fall…but something stops him.
It’s the look in Deviant’s eyes.
Moments previous they looked hopeless…broken…scared.
There’s a different look in Deviant’s eyes now as he stares BEYOND Corazon to the head of the ramp.
The look of shock…awe…rapture.
Feeling like things are suddenly moving in slow motion…Adrian Corazon looks over his shoulder. There’s a cold, white mist creeping out from behind the curtains at the head of the ramp. A dry ice smoke that seems to twist and beckon, swirling and swirling…the very temperature in the arena seeming to drop by the millisecond.
Corazon hears something. It takes him a moment to realize it’s the weak, fading laughter of Danny Evers.
Corazon spins around, glaring down at him. Danny cranes his bleeding face upwards, smiling a blissful smile at his former brother in arms. A whisper flows from the cracked and bleeding lips of Evers…
Deviant: He’s coming for you, Adrian…
For the first time in what seems like ages…Corazon seems slightly unsure of himself. His eyes widen in disbelief…and his grip on the ASP slips for just a moment.
Deviant: You…*cough*…you should run…
Deviant lets his battered body collapse down to the canvas, that dry chuckle floating upwards. Corazon becomes aware of a different sound now.
The sound…of distant hooves clicking against metal.
At this point almost ALL of the raucous cheering from the crowd has died down…the Corazon chants becoming lost in unsteady silence. Many faces stare at that ramp, hearing those hooves…and expressions of dread start to take shape on the faces of so many SHOOT Project fans.
The lights in the Epicenter seem to dim…and that’s when the horse appears at the top of the ramp.
A pure white horse…just standing there and staring down at Corazon with black, lifeless eyes.
A pale horse…to herald his return.
Corazon shakes his head, unwilling to accept what he’s seeing…the screwdriver and ASP now held extra tight in both hands.
Corazon: No…I ENDED you.
The lights dim at the ramp, the horse vanishing into shadow…and suddenly spotlights start to travel through the crowd. Signs are rising up into the air into the crowd…but they’re not normal signs. EACH ONE…is the same. A solid black sign…very large…with white lettering.
They start popping up periodically in the crowd, first ten…then twenty…then over a hundred…all of these signs popping up all around the ring. The people that hold them up don’t look like the typical SHOOT fans either. They look like the scum of society. Junkies with haunted eyes. Homeless people with tattered clothing. Whores with skimpy outfits and make-up smeared faces. Tatted up punks and dead-eyed gangbangers…all of these people seemingly planted in the crowd, ALL of them…holding the same sign.
That sign reads…
“GUESS MY NAME!”
Corazon is spinning in a slow circle in the middle of the ring, holding the ASP and screwdriver out from his body…staring at these signs, his mouth hung open…his eyes refusing to believe what he’s seeing. He ROARS outwards while spinning around and trying to look everywhere at once…
Corazon: WHERE ARE YOU?!?!
With a loud click…all of the lights in the arena go out, plunging the Epicenter into pitch black darkness.
That darkness reigns…the total absence of light…but it is suddenly broken by the all too familiar lyrics of Tiamat’s “Sympathy For The Devil.”
“PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF”
“I’M A MAN OF WEALTH AND TASTE”
“I’VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG YEAR”
“STOLE MANY A MAN’S SOUL AND FAITH”
“PLEASED TO MEET YOU!”
“HOPE YOU GUESS MY NAME…”
Dutch Harris: Mark…PLEASE…tell me this isn’t happening. Tell me I’m not seeing this. Tell me…I’m not HEARING this…
Mark Kendrick: I WISH I could, Dutch…but I’ve got that old familiar chill in my bones. That old familiar fear in my heart. As much as I want to think this is just a ruse…I know better. Something is coming, Dutch. Something evil…
A lone spotlight suddenly shines down DIRECTLY on Adrian Corazon in the middle of the ring. A few beads of sweat shine on the temples of the Baddest Man Alive…and his teeth are gritted together as he searches to find anything to stab at or fight off in the darkness.
That’s when he hears the whisper behind his shoulder…so very close to the ear.
It’s like the whisper of some ancient serpent rising up from a long hibernation…a dry hiss that creeps into Adrian’s ears and makes him want to take a shower to wash off the filth of that voice.
Entragian: Say my name…
Corazon slowly turns around and stares forward…his fists tightening so much on the weapons in his hands that his knuckles have turned white.
He sees a pale, hulking monolith standing just outside of the glow of the spotlight…at home in the blackness…long, silky white hair combed down to completely obscure one side of the figure’s face.
Corazon: Entragian…
Corazon stares up at the deathly still monster…and he gathers up every ounce of courage that he has in his badass heart.
Corazon: I ended you once…I can do it again.
Corazon then ROARS out a battle cry…and he races towards Entragian and SNAPS the ASP into the side of Isaac’s face.
A shockwave travels up through Corazon’s arm…and Isaac’s head rocks very slowly to the side. It’s like hitting solid stone…
The monster doesn’t stumble. He doesn’t fall. His head simply cranes right back around to glare forward at Corazon…almost like he didn’t even FEEL the ASP smacking into his flesh.
Entragian…takes a step forward.
Corazon…cautiously takes a step back.
Corazon lashes out again, SMACKING that ASP into Isaac’s face…and once again the pale beast just absorbs it and takes another step forward.
A look of incredibly rare desperation bleeds into Adrian’s face…and he lashes out AGAIN and AGAIN with that ASP, smacking Isaac’s head from side to side…but The Ivory Terror just keeps stalking forward, he does not stop…he doesn’t even falter or slow down…he just keeps COMING.
Corazon suddenly tosses the ASP to the side and he makes a run at Isaac with the screwdriver…but Entragian ducks the stab attempt, hits the ropes…AND OBLITERATES CORAZON WITH A SPEAR!!!
The screwdriver FLIES through the air…and it lands right in the center of the ring, the blade puncturing into the canvas.
Corazon feels like he was just hit by a CITY BUS…both hands cradling his ribs…ragged, endless coughs flowing from his lips…and he feels pallid hands gripping his head and bringing him right back up to his feet.
Entragian hit the ropes again…and he DESTROYS Corazon with another spear, Corazon’s body bending backwards so painfully that he can actually feel his tendons SCREAMING in protest.
Corazon crawls across the canvas, coughing with red-rimmed eyes…and he actually spits up a stringy mess of saliva and bile while holding his torso as tightly as he possibly can.
Corazon lies there on the canvas, feeling like he’s broken on the inside…and that same hand reaches down again and twists into the hair of his scalp…bringing him RIGHT back up to his feet.
Corazon feels his body being lifted up into the air…he feels weightless…the creature lifting him up so insanely strong that his body seems almost to just FLOAT up towards the lights. He feels himself placed across broad shoulders…and then he feels his body FLYING downward until his stomach CRUSHES into the knee of The Ivory Terror.
The pain…is exquisite. Excruciating. World-ending pain that just NEVER seems to end…twisting around through his gut like questing serpents. He’s felt the Disemboweler before…but this one was somehow worse. The damage from the spears already leaving him in a horrible state…and this just like the final nail in his coffin.
A boot finds his throat…grinding slowly and carefully into the meat of his neck.
Corazon stares up at that pale thing…that flowing white hair completely covering one side of the monster’s face.
The Baddest Man Alive feels the darkness creeping over his vision…but he tries to hang on just a little longer. Entragian is leaning down…and quite suddenly he pushes several locks of white hair behind his ear, exposing the hidden half of his face.
Corazon finds himself looking up at a hideously red and twisted version of the SHOOT Project Helmet, the symbol all burnt scar tissue and deep grooves…and in the middle of it all? One blood red eye…the blood vessels forever burst…the green iris staring out through a red film. Corazon looks up into the scorched eye of Entragian…
And that pale son of a bitch actually winks at him.
Those pale lips stretch up into a grin….and those razor-teeth shine bright beneath the lights.
Corazon hangs onto consciousness JUST long enough to see that Entragian is pointing at something.
He struggles to crane his head up just a bit…that heavy boot grinding into his throat and making breathing seem impossible.
Entragian is pointing…at the ELITE sign hanging in the rafters.
Corazon’s last thought before losing consciousness is that the SHOOT Project Helmet on that sign is almost a perfect match for the scarred Helmet that surrounds Isaac’s charred eye.
The lights in the arena come back on…and the crowd is near dead silent, a state of shock seeming to hang over the entire Epicenter.
Gaunt slides into the ring…staring up at Entragian with disbelief in her eyes, one hand reaching out to touch him just to make sure he’s REAL. The pallid fiend leans down…and he lets his forked tongue slip out to lick the length of Liz’s neck from her earlobe upwards…and she COLLAPSES down to her knees, sobbing happily…wrapping both arms lovingly around one of Isaac’s huge legs. She closes her eyes…her expression one of returning BLISS.
Deviant staggers up to his feet from across the ring…using the ropes to pull himself up. He stares at Entragian for a moment…his eyes just as wide and shocked as Liz’s were…and then he DROPS to his knees before the monster…KNEELING before The Ivory Terror with his bloody hands clasped in prayer.
Deviant preaches and raves to himself in whispers…and a cold pale hand…the hand of his master…touches his forehead, the fingers brushing hair away from his hot, bleeding forehead.
This is the scene that closes out Dominion.
Corazon eviscerated.
Deviant praying reverently…blood-soaked but RAPTUROUS.
Gaunt clinging to the leg of her monster…her face pressed against him, smelling him, loving him…her heart banished of sorrow and FULL of bratty, maniacal joy.
And the IVORY TERROR of Project: SCAR…
Isaac Entragian…standing tall in a SHOOT Project ring.
Risen.
Ravenous.
Returned.
Dutch Harris: This…is one of the darkest nights that will ever mark the SHOOT Project history books. I thought he’d finally been STOPPED, Mark…for one second…I actually believed he’d been STOPPED…
Mark Kendrick: Dutch…after bearing witness to what just happened here…I don’t know that Isaac Entragian CAN be stopped. I just…I don’t even know what to say…
Dutch Harris: There is one thing to say before cut the broadcast. The elephant in the room. Isaac pointed at that sign, Mark…he cast that horrible scarlet eye on Corazon before he passed out…and he pointed at that sign.
The FINAL shot of the Dominion broadcast centers on the sign hanging above the stands.
The sign that reads….ELITE.
