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The screen goes black, revealing once again the SHOOT Project Helmet, looming ominously over the skyline of Las Vegas, Nevada. "Miracle" by Nonpoint begins to play as the camera flies down onto the SHOOT Project Epicenter. WHOOOOOOOOOA You better blow the whistle, ring the bell The sound of a bell is heard, revealing the empty ring in the center of the SHOOT Project Epicenter Arena. Train a little harder than you can or ever will The opening shot is of the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship being held high in the air by the World Champion X-Calibur, followed closely by him locking Trey Willett in the Bite of the Basilisk. You need to think fast Tanya Black and Cade Sydal are shown sauntering down to the ring quickly intercut with Maya Nakashima defeating Mason Pierce to become Rule of Surrender Champion. Jonas Coleman standing toe to toe with Kenji Yamada is shown next. This is our first but I guarantee it’ll be your last! The Bad Ass Brotherhood are shown with the World Tag Team Championship belts around their waists before we see Isaac Entragian wrapping his arms around the hooker he paid to help destroy Diamond Del Carver. Got news if you think you bad Diamond Del Carver going for the Diamond Cutter on Donovan King is shown quickly intercut with Azrael Goeren going face to face with Patrick Kidd. Briefly, we see Crazy Boy staring at the camera, a grin on his face. All your other battles make me laugh El Asso Wipo is shown breaking some fool’s back before we see Corey Lazarus mugging for the camera, holding the lens directly at his face. You need to start runnin’… The Gunslingers are shown double teaming Goeren before we get to see Dan Stein flying off the ropes with a springboard before we see Jean-Gerard Baptiste with Anarchy behind him. You’re standin’ on the tracks and the train is comin’! Laura Seton standing with Jaime Alejandro, who is quickly shown hitting Crazy Boy in the face before we see Johnny Napalm locking up with Lunatikk Crippler before it cuts to Crippler holding the Sin City Championship high in the air. NOWHERE TO GO We see Maya tying his bandanna across his nose before we see Thomas Manchester Black punching a punching bag, sweating pouring down his face. Quickly, we see Danny Corsair slapping hands with the fans as he comes down to the ring. You need a miracle! Diamond Del Carver tagging out to Patrick Kidd is shown before we see Donovan King stalking the fallen 3M’s bloody body. Without warning, we get to see Obsidian pulling his hood over his head, his beady eyes penetrating deep into whatever heart the viewer has. Nothing’s gonna save you Azrael Goeren’s arrival is shown followed by Jun Kenshin hitting the Heaven’s Blade on Corazon. And I’ll scream it from the top of the world! Donovan King is shown catching Dan Stein with the Dealbreaker. Whatcha gonna do when it’s just me and you! The Hierarchy is shown en mass during the Redemption Rumble, having torn through the people in the ring with them. Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do! Mason Pierce looking over the fans with Piper Fury in tow is shown. Whatcha gonna do when it’s just me and you! Project:SCAR is shown, the four of them preparing for war, shrouded in darkness. Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do! X-Calibur leaning over a podium during a press conference, grinning his evil grin for all to see. Whatcha gonna do when it’s just me and you! We see Tony Lorenzo hold the World Heavyweight Championship to the camera for all to see. Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do! The empty SHOOT Project ring. Whatcha gonna do when it’s just me and you! REVOLUTION. Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do!
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Samantha Coil: The following tag team contest is scheduled for one fall with a thirty minute time limit!
I can almost taste it…
The lights drop and the fans begin to boo loudly.
Other Guy: What a way to kick off the action on Revolution!
It makes no sense to me…
What does it all mean?!
A spotlight slowly comes to a stop on the top of the ramp.
Eryk Masters: I couldn’t agree more, OG!
I can almost taste it…
I can almost see it!
It makes no sense to me…
What does it all mean?!
I can almost taste it…
Other Guy: Really? Usually you bitch every time this music comes on…
I just wanna be famous!
You dream of trading places
I have been changing faces
You can not fill these shoes
There is too much to lose
I wake up behind these trenches
You run around defenseless
There is too much to lose
You cannot fill these shoes
Eryk Masters: I’m just excited to watch Cade get his ass kicked tonight, OG! I’ve got a good feeling about this!
I just wanna be famous but…
Be careful what you wish for…
As “Almost Famous” by Eminem (featuring Lisa Rodriguez) continues Cade Sydal steps through the curtain, with Cassi Ryan hand-in-hand. The couple walk to the top of the ramp and stand there for a moment, a microphone in Cassi’s hand while Cade stares out at the sea of booing fans with a small smirk on his face. Cade steps toward Cassi, hedging her in that direction, as the couple move their arms toward the entry way, where Tanya Black steps out behind them, wearing her own domineering smirk. The Epicenter boos even louder.
Cassi Ryan: Listen up, scumbags and street walkers! Because I’m going to introduce to you, first the Future World Tag Team Champions of the SHOOT Project!
Eryk Masters: Well she sure doesn’t lack confidence…
Other Guy: Shhhh! You’re being rude!
The trio begins to make their way down the ramp, while Cassi continues to work her magic.
Cassi Ryan: First, from Boston, Massachusetts, though currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, she is the SHOOT Project Spitfire! The Queen of Mean! Professional Wrestling’s ONLY TRUE Alpha Female! TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA BLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!
Tanya spreads her arms out wide, welcoming the boos thrown her way, as they continue on.
Cassi Ryan: And her partner, hailing from Southport, North Carolina but also choosing to live right here, in Las Vegas, Nevada! He is the Cock of the Walk! The Lion of The Squared Jungle! He is God’s Favorite Wrestler! CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADE SYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
As they reach the bottom of the ramp, Cade ignores the jeers thrown at him and whispers something in Cassi’s ear. Something she seems all too happy to repeat, perhaps in her own words.
Cassi Ryan: Together, they have founded the most fearsome faction SHOOT has ever seen, and they have set their sights on dominating and winning gold. They are the SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSYNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE!
The three of them make it to the ringside area before Cade kisses Cassi on the cheek, patting her on the ass he directs her to wait outside as he and Tanya both make their ways into the ring as the music fades out, and the camera shifts its focus back to the entrance ramp, just as “Gimme Back My Bullets” by Lynyrd Skynyrd hits!
Samantha Coil: And introducing their opponents! First, join me in welcoming to the ring the latest addition to the active rster! HENNNNNNNNNNNNNRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY GORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
On cue, just as his name is said, Henry Gordon steps through from the back, pumping his arms excitedly, to barely any reaction at all. A small smattering of cheers break out, as does an ever-so-slightly larger chant of “Who Are You?”
Other Guy: Haha, our fans are the best!
Eryk Masters: I’m sure after he gets his hands on Tanya and Cade they’ll find out exactly who he is!
Henry starts making his way down the ramp, but stops at the bottom as he looks into the ring at the two former champions staring eagerly back at him. His music slowly fades out, but is soon replaced by “Crucify Me” by Bring Me The Horizon, and the Epicenter breaks out into a mixed reaction as they do recognize the music this time!
Samantha Coil: And his partner! CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Crazy Boy steps out and onto the ramp, throwing his arms out wide, as it sounds as if half of the crowd have bought into his change of heart, while the other half is still unsure. Regardless, he runs down the ramp, and when he gets next to Henry he starts running as well, until both of them slide under the bottom rope and into the ring as the Syndicate backs up to allow them their space as the music slowly fades out.
Crazy Boy signals to Henry Gordon that he’ll start the match, and immediately Cade Sydal and Tanya Black exchange a knowing glance before Tanya steps out of the ring as well. Cade smirks across the ring at Crazy Boy as he rolls his wrists and neck, Crazy Boy just shakes his head in response to the blatant arrogance as Austin Linam calls for the bell. Instantly Cade pops out of his corner, circling toward Crazy Boy like a shark, who begins to circle away.
Eryk Masters: Both men here sizing each other up, it’s been years since they’ve been in the same ring.
Other Guy: Crazy Boy looks a little more reluctant, almost as if he was hoping it was Tanya he was facing instead of Cade.
Cade suddenly lunges at Crazy Boy with a collar and elbow tie up, snapping Crazy Boy quickly into a side headlock, Cade grins out at the fans before Crazy Boy pushes Cade into the ropes and off of his head, but Cade rebounds back with a shoulder tackle. Cade looks down at Crazy Boy and tsks at him while waggling his finger mockingly.
Other Guy: Haha, Cade’s clearly not having that same reluctance. He’s having fun in there!
Eryk Masters: He really shouldn’t take Crazy Boy so lightly…
Cade suddenly runs to the ropes, and Crazy Boy floats over with a trip attempt, but Cade expertly leaps over the drop down and keeps sprinting to the opposite ropes. Crazy Boy scrambles to his feet and leaps into the air to leap frog over the charging Sydal. Cade grins as he continues to run to the opposite ropes and as he rebounds back Crazy Boy suddenly runs toward him and catches his left arm, snapping him over with a lightning quick arm drag!
Eryk Masters: Because just like that Crazy Boy can find an opening!
Other Guy: It’s just an arm drag, E, chill out.
Crazy Boy releases the arm and both men scramble to their feet, with Cade turning right into a headlock from Crazy Boy now! Cade sends a hard forearm into Crazy Boy’s ribs to loosen the grip before pushing Crazy Boy off and into the ropes. Cade dives low for his own drop down trip attempt, forcing Crazy Boy to tuck into a somersault over him to avoid getting caught!
Eryk Masters: Whoa!
Crazy Boy rolls right through to his feet and continues running to the ropes just as Cade gets to his feet as well. Cade leaps into the air for his own leap frog attempt, but Crazy Boy slides down to a knee under Cade, letting Cade deliver an Atomic Drop to himself!
Other Guy: Now that’s not fair, c’mon!
Cassi appears to agree with OG on the outside as she slaps the ring apron and yells at Austin Linam for not doing his job. Meanwhile, Cade hops off Crazy Boy’s knee clutching his groin and turns a full circle only to get caught by a hard right cross that drops him! Cade scrambles back to his feet and swings a wild clothesline at Crazy Boy, who ducks under it only to turn and catch Cade with a fierce dropkick right under the chin as he turns around himself!
Eryk Masters: Looks pretty fair to me!
Other Guy: It looks like Crazy Boy has lost some of that reluctance and is giving it his all!
Crazy Boy catches Cade as he starts to scramble to his feet with a front facelock, backing up into his own corner he tells Henry to tag in. Henry complies and Crazy Boy immediately moves Cade to the middle of the ropes and sends him off the ropes. Henry steps into the ring, running full force at Cade, who rebounds off the ropes and runs right into a nasty clothesline that sends Cade flipping head over heels and onto his belly!
Other Guy: Holy shit!
Eryk Masters: Now that’s how you make an impact, young man!
Crazy Boy hits the ropes to Cade’s side and slides into a quick leg drop across the back of Cade’s head, further punctuating the impact, before Austin Linam is in his face ordering him out of the ring. Cade rolls over onto his back, clutching his neck, and Henry takes advantage by hitting the ropes himself and leaping into the air before flattening out, landing with his back across Cade’s chest with a stiff Senton splash!
Eryk Masters: And that helps, too!
Other Guy: Where did they find this kid?
Henry turns over into a lateral press, and the official slides into position for the count!
ONE!
TWO!
T–!
Cade kicks out, waving his right index finger in the air before Henry grabs him by the head and starts pulling him to his feet. Cade quickly wraps his own hands around the back of Henry’s head and steps in a little closer before dropping to a knee and delivering a jawbreaker! Henry straightens up, clutching his mouth, as Cade hits the ropes to build up some more momentum but Henry takes two steps forward and ducks down at the last second, launching Cade into the air as he rebounds off the ropes with a HUGE back body drop!
Other Guy: He just threw Cade to the rafters!
Eryk Masters: Henry Gordon is out to show the world that he belongs here, there’s no doubt in that!
Henry yells out to the crowd, who cheers in response, as Cade is slow to push back to his feet. Cade turns into Henry, who scoops him up onto his shoulder! But Cade slides down his back and pushes him forward with a hard shove! Henry stumbles toward the ropes, where Tanya Black is waiting with eager arms! She grabs the back of his head and quickly drops down to the ground, snapping Henry’s throat across the top rope in the process!
Eryk Masters: That bitch!
Other Guy: Whoa! E!
Henry stumbles back and turns around, just as Cade leaps into the air and turns his body with a Malenko style calf kick that plants Henry on the canvas! Cade grabs Henry’s ankle and turns his body a little before tagging in Tanya into the ring. Cade quickly turns Henry over onto his belly and locks in a quick STF! Tanya hops into the ring and hits the ropes right away, diving back as she rebounds with a baseball slide right into Henry’s captured face!
Other Guy: See, now that’s team work!
Eryk Masters: Henry Gordon might want to check for some missing teeth when he gets to the back, holy Hell!
Cade rolls out of the ring, as Tanya starts stomping down at Henry, yelling at him to pay his dues and learn his place while she drives no less than seven stomps into his back, ribs, and even his head to keep him down. Tanya shoves Henry over onto his back and hooks both legs for a cover.
ONE!
TWO!
Henry kicks out, pushing off of Tanya’s face to force her away for just a second before she scrambles back to her feet and swings into a well-placed elbow drop across his chest! She gets to her feet and hooks Henry’s legs, turning him over to his belly again, she expertly locks in an Indian Deathlock, slapping Cade’s hand before she falls back to bridge!
Eryk Masters: The Syndicate is wisely cutting the ring off, and what do they have in store now?
Cade springs over the ropes and hits the canvas with both feet running for the ropes, he rebounds off and slides right into the side of Henry’s head with a sudden knee!
OHHHHH!
Other Guy: More awesome team work! I’m telling you now E, we’re watching the future Tag Team Champions of the World in there!
Tanya releases the hold and rolls out of the ring, as Cade turns back to Crazy Boy with a smirk on his face he spits at Crazy Boy! Crazy Boy steps through the ropes, visibly angered, but Austin Linam quickly moves between Crazy Boy and Cade, allowing Cade to turn his devious attention back to Henry, and he does so by dropping to one hand while the other grabs Henry’s throat, choking him mercilessly until the official turns back around, where he quickly moves his hand down and hooks a leg, looking for a cover.
ONE!
TWO!
T–!
Henry kicks out!
Other Guy: This kid’s got some fight, huh?
Eryk Masters: He’s not just going to go away, he’s not going to make it easy for them!
Cade shakes his head as he grabs Henry by his hair and pulls him to his feet, scolding him for kicking out and making it harder on himself. Cade cocks his right hand back to slap Henry, but suddenly the young man breaks Cade’s left hand off his hair and steps into him, grabbing him up Henry throws Cade overhead with a big belly-to-belly suplex! Cade bounces off the canvas clutching his back and quickly tags Tanya back into the match! Tanya steps through the ropes and lunges at Henry’s back as he starts his crawl toward his own corner, driving both arms across the back of his head and putting him back down on his face!
Eryk Masters: Henry Gordon almost found an opening!
Other Guy: But the Sinister Syndicate wisely put a stop to that nonsense.
Tanya grabs two handfuls of Henry’s hair, lifting his head off the canvas and forcing him to his hands and knees before she drives a nasty right kick into his face that flops Henry down onto his back, both hands moving to his nose and mouth as the former Sin City Champion quickly moves into a lateral press.
ONE!
TWO!
TH–!
Henry kicks out! Tanya pushes to her feet and quickly stomps her left foot down on top of his face, keeping him on the canvas, before spotting Cade with his hand out and tags him in. Cade gets in the ring and delivers a stomp of his own into Henry’s sternum, knocking the wind out of the young man. With a grin, Cade hits the ropes and rebounds, jumping over Henry on his way back he continues to hit the opposite ropes, building up momentum before leaping into the air with a running Shooting Star Press!
Other Guy: People’s Shooting Star Press! It’s over!
Cade thrusts his hips with Austin Linam’s count!
ONE!
TWO!
Eryk Masters: That’s just vulgar!
THR–!
Henry kicks out, shoving Cade off of his body!
Eryk Masters: And Henry Gordon isn’t going to take it!
Cade scrambles to his feet as Henry turns over to his belly and starts pushing up to his knees until Cade kicks his right shin into Henry’s chest, dropping him back to the canvas on his belly, clutching his ribs and desperately trying to breathe!
Other Guy: He might not have a choice after long, E!
Cade grabs Henry by his hair, dragging him toward the Syndicate corner, before tagging Tanya back into the ring. Together they both whip Henry off the ropes and both duck their bodies for a double back body drop, but Henry kicks his right foot up into Cade’s chest! The fans cheer loudly as Cade reels back holding his chest, and Tanya lunges at Henry with a clothesline, but the young man ducks her swinging arm and clotheslines Cade over the ropes instead, sending him out of the ring and to the floor!
Eryk Masters: He is if he keeps fighting back!
Henry roars out, feeling the support from the fans in the Epicenter as they cheer him on! He turns around, however, right into Tanya who leaps up and catches him with her legs around his neck, snapping him over with a hurricanrana! She rolls through to land on top of his chest and starts raining hard forearm shots down on his face!
Other Guy: Tanya Black’s going to take all of that fight out of Henry Gordon!
Tanya reaches her left arm back and captures one of Henry’s legs, pulling up on it she maintains a mount, pressing his shoulders to the mat in the process.
ONE!
TWO!
TH–!
Henry kicks out, pushing Tanya’s body off of his, and she’s quickly back to her feet, stalking him as he starts to push to his hands and knees, she decides to help him up, grabbing his head and forcing him to his feet before she delivers a stiff slap across the face with her right hand! Henry’s head snaps to the side, and Tanya follows up quickly with a slap form her left hand, and then a back chop from her right, back chop from the left!
Other Guy: Tanya is just relentless with her assault!
Henry staggers on his feet, and Tanya turns to hit the ropes, using them to build up more speed. She comes rebounding back, but suddenly Henry catches her under her arms and launches her into the air, catching her on his shoulders as gravity comes into effect and he falls with a big Samoan drop!
Eryk Masters: But Henry Gordon, somehow, digs deep and he desperately needs to tag in Crazy Boy, like now!
Crazy Boy starts slapping the top turnbuckle pad, leading the crowd in clapping their hands, rallying behind the rookie as he starts inching his way to his corner! Tanya starts crawling toward her own corner, but Cade’s still picking himself up on the floor from the clothesline over the top earlier!
Other Guy: And even if Tanya can tag, Cade’s still reeling from that spill moments ago!
Henry inches closer and closer, as Cade slowly pulls himself up onto the apron! Tanya gets closer, as Crazy Boy shouts at Henry to tag him!
Eryk Masters: C’mon, Henry!
Tanya tags Cade’s hand! Cade springs into the ring and grabs Henry’s left ankle, pulling him away from Crazy Boy, but only for a moment as Henry turns over onto his back and uses his right leg to shove Cade off of him!
Other Guy: No!
Eryk Masters: Now’s your chance!
Henry turns over and dives for Crazy Boy’s hand!
Eryk Masters: That son of a bitch!
But it isn’t there, as Crazy Boy suddenly drops off of the ring apron and glares, hatefully now, into Henry Gordon’s eyes from outside the ring!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The fans jeer Crazy Boy relentlessly, as Henry pulls himself to his feet, using the ropes, looking at Crazy Boy with a questioning gaze.
Other Guy: Henry, you better turn around, kid!
Cade runs up behind Henry, rolling him up with a schoolboy, but pushes his back to force Henry to roll all the way through back to his knees. Immediately Cade gets back to his own feet and lunges into Henry with a stiff super kick to the chin! Just as Tanya Black delivers a super kick of her own into the back of Henry’s head, collapsing him to the canvas!
Other Guy: LEARN YOUR PLACE!
Eryk Masters: They might have just broke Henry’s neck with those kicks!
Tanya turns Henry over, hooking both of his legs, as Austin Linam is forced to make the count, while Cade stares curiously out at Crazy Boy.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
The fans boo, as Cassi Ryan stops Samantha Coil from making her announcement.
Cassi Ryan: Here are your winners! The Messiahs of Tag Team Wrestling! Tanya Black and Cade Sydal, the SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSINISSSSSSSSSTERRRRRRRRRRRRRR YNNNNNNNNNNNNNDICATTTTTTTTTTTTTTE!
As she lowers her microphone and Cade and Tanya raise their hands in the air, grinning out at the sea of jeering fans, Crazy Boy slides back into the ring and immediately starts stomping down at Henry Gordon’s lifeless body!
Eryk Masters: Oh come on! When is enough going to be enough?!
Other Guy: I guess Crazy Boy hasn’t finished sending his message, E.
Tanya and Cade exchange a brief glance, before Cade suddenly lashes out and joins in with Crazy Boy, driving the sole of his boot into Henry Gordon’s skull! Tanya follows with a stomp of her own, right into the side of Henry’s neck! Crazy Boy with a soccer kick into Henry’s ribs, making him wheeze and gag! The bell sounds again and again as Austin Linam tries to stop the blatant assault, to no avail! The fans boo loudly as the three work in unison, at least temporarily where it concerns Crazy Boy, to punish Henry Gordon!
Other Guy: Maybe Crazy Boy agrees with the Syndicate, agrees that Henry Gordon should earn his way from the ground up?
Eryk Masters: Even if that has anything to do with this, there’s no call for an outright mugging on that young man! This has gone on long enough an–hey, wait!
Suddenly the fans begin cheering as the SHOOT Project World Tag Team Champions come sprinting down the ramp! Charles Brandon Magnus and Buck Dresden slide into the ring simultaneously just as Tanya alerts the other two to their presence, Cade and Tanya wisely sliding out the other side of the ring, while Crazy Boy turns into the pair, his jaw dropping ever-so-slightly.
Eryk Masters: The Bad Ass Brotherhood are fighting back! They’re not going to put up with the shenanigans of the Syndicate any more!
Other Guy: And by the looks of it they’re going to make an example out of Crazy Boy right now!
Crazy Boy starts trying to say something to the two of them, before both members of the Bad Ass Brotherhood explode into Crazy Boy, with Magnus ducking down and spearing Crazy Boy while Dresden damn near takes Crazy Boy’s head off with a lariat!
Eryk Masters: Indoctrination!
As soon as they hit their double team move on Crazy Boy, forcing him to roll out of the ring, clutching his ribs and neck, Cade starts to slide into the ring, only to be grabbed at the wrist by Tanya Black! Cade looks at her long enough to exchange knowing nods, and the two instead begin to back up toward Cassi and make their way up the ramp. The Bad Ass Brotherhood and the Sinister Syndicate staring each other down, with Cade pointing threateningly and both Magnus and Dresden welcoming him to come on down.
As I walk down the street, people pass me by. They don’t know who I am. They don’t know what I can do. They are ignorant. They don’t know who they crossed paths with. I continue on my way in the busy and dangerous down town sector. Crackheads and alcoholics are among my people. I used to be homeless, but no longer. I am wearing a maroon hoodie, I have brown hair and green eyes. I look at the camera and speak.
Reed Brown: SHOOT Project, you want to see a real competitor, you want a real fighter. Well you’ve got one. I am coming to SHOOT Project next show, and I will be victorious! If you face Brown, you’re going down.
[The scene fades out.]
The chunky opening riff of Adrenaline Mob’s "Undaunted" roars from the speakers and the crowd begins to boo, knowing full well who’s about to come through the curtain. Sure enough, almost as if on cue, Leona emerges from the back, her long dark hair tied back in a ponytail and sunglasses covering her eyes. The denim-and-leather ensemble she’s chosen accentuates her physique as she smirks while taking in the jeers. Piper Fury soon emerges from the back, Precious resting on her shoulder. The duo make their way to the ring, where Leona grabs a pair of microphones, handing one to Piper.
Eryk Masters: Someone’s looking awfully smug tonight. Let me guess- she’s probably here to gloat about what she did to Sakura at the last Revolution. Or should I say what she and Piper Fury did. That was completely and totally uncalled for.
Other Guy: Yeah, but you gotta admit- she made a statement. And then some.
Piper follows Leona into the ring and stands beside her. Leona pushes the sunglasses up onto her head and looks out at the crowd, waiting a moment before bringing the microphone to her lips.
Leona: Daaaamn. Wow. After all this time, I finally get it. I finally understand. I realize now why some people in SHOOT- guys like the Hierarchy, the freakshow that calls itself SCAR.. I know now why they take things to the extremes they do. I never really understood the thrill of putting someone in the emergency room until I finally got the chance to experience it firsthand. And damn, did it feel fucking GRRREAT.
Her smile widens as the boos intensify.
Leona: Oh, come on. Give me a break. Don’t pretend like you weren’t loving the punishment I was dishing out. Seriously, what the hell did you EXPECT? Do I look like a wrestler? Did I for one second tell the world that I was going to out-wrestle that little bitch Sakura? HELL NO. I said I was going to hurt her. I was going to make her pay for putting her hands on me. I did exactly what I said I was going to do. I came out and I backed up my words. And you want to bitch at me and boo me because I told you all the truth. I knew right from the start she was the better wrestler. I mean, think about it for a second. She trained for years in Japan. I got what- a week, two tops training with Piper? Not exactly balanced, you know. So yeah, I had to compensate. I got down, I got dirty, and I GOT THE FUCKING JOB DONE. Did I have help? Well, DUH! Did you think for one second that we didn’t have this planned right from the get-go? We knew exactly what we were doing. We had a plan, and we executed it PERFECTLY. And as for that douchebag Napalm, well…
Leona looks at Piper, who’s patting Precious and smirking.
Leona: Nice job. Something tells me we’re not going to be seeing him again for a while- not the way you- or should I say Precious- scrambled his eggs.
This draws even louder boos from the crowd. Piper takes the microphone.
Piper Fury: Amazing what this little baby can do to a person’s melon when used properly. For a big man, he’s sure one hell of a bleeder. Would he have come to the ring if I hadn’t busted him up? Maybe, maybe not. But I wasn’t about to take that chance. So I did what I had to do. Pre-emptive strike. Something tells me we’re not going to be seeing those two around here for a while. Napalm’s probably still trying to figure out what his name is, and I don’t think ol’ Limpy Lee is going to be in any shape to show up here anytime soon- especially not without her boy-toy in tow. If she does, we can always give her another little tap to that hammy.
And almost as if on cue, "Love,Hate,Sex,Pain" kicks in. The crowd cheers as Sakura Lee comes through the curtain, a walking cast on her right leg and a crutch supporting her. She has a piece of paper in the hand holding the crutch, a microphone in the other.
Sakura: CUT THE FUCKING MUSIC!!!
The crowd roars and in the ring, Piper and Leona look at each other, eyebrows raised and smirks on their faces.
Piper Fury: Wait.. did she just drop the F-bomb? Dainty little Sakura, the dutiful girlfriend? If I didn’t know better I’d say we’ve gone and corrupted that head of hers. I thought we wrecked her leg, not her noggin.
Sakura: SHUT UP!
In the ring, Piper and Leona are laughing.
Sakura: Go ahead. Laugh while you can. Because I have something to say and a message to bring to you, and I can PROMISE that you won’t be laughing when it’s all said and done. You really think you’re clever, do you? Nearly cripple me in the ring knowing full well that just before, you’d gone and beaten Johnny into a near-coma.
Leona: Uh.. yeah. I’d say so, wouldn’t you, Piper?
Piper nods and gives a thumbs-up.
Sakura: I should have known the two of you were behind it all. That grin on your face when you poked your head into the infirmary said it all. I certainly hope you’re happy. Three days it took the doctors to get him stable. Almost a full week in Intensive Care. But I do have some good news. He’s out of the woods and slowly regaining his memory. He’s starting to remember just what happened to him in that dressing room. In fact, he asked me to convey a message to you. One that you are NOT going to like.
Piper Fury: Wow.. he knows what we will and won’t like? Has he been stalking us on Facebook or something?
Sakura opens the sheet of paper and begins to read.
Piper Fury: Hey, Leona.. did you know she could read?
Leona: Apparently so, according to the information. This should be entertaining- at least for a few seconds.
Sakura: Piper Fury, I hope you’re happy. I hope you enjoyed that little display of brutality.
Piper Fury: Immensely. I had fun.
Sakura scowls at the interruption, staring at the two women in the ring who seem to be having a blast with this.
Leona: I hope there’s more to it than that.
Sakura: It’s been a long time since anyone has been able to put me out of action like this. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, you have had it in for me ever since your German puppetmaster Goeren put you on my trail. But you couldn’t just leave well enough alone. Corsair wasn’t enough. You had to come after me as well. And so you did. But in doing so, you made one mistake.
Leona: Besides leaving him breathing? Geez, you should be thanking her for that, not bitching her out for it. You’re welcome.
Sakura: If you don’t MIND…
Piper Fury: Nope. Don’t mind a bit. By all means. Continue. We could use a good chuckle.. or two.
Sakura: You made the mistake of messing with the wrong person.
Piper Fury: Oh, crap. I whacked the wrong guy? Sakura, Sakura.. are you banging someone else in the locker room that I didn’t know about?
Leona: Niiiice. Oh, wait.. there’s more? Please continue.
Sakura: You messed with someone who has plenty of friends in the locker room. Some of who will undoubtedly want to get some payback for your actions. But they won’t. They won’t because I want you for myself.
Piper Fury: Awww…. that’s so sweet.
Sakura: Make no mistake, there will be a reckoning. You will be held accountable. You are not getting away with this. Not by any means. I AM coming back, and when I do, I will not rest, I will not stop until I have paid you back in full for what you have done to me. Enjoy your little victory while you can, Piper. Because it is not going to last for very much longer. You and I will meet again, and I can promise you that the next time is going to be MUCH different. If you want to play dirty, fine. We’ll play dirty. But I will not stop until you are gone from SHOOT Project forever.
Piper Fury: Ooooh…. I’m getting all tingly.
Leona: Hey there… Limpy… I was meaning to ask you- how’s the leg? Now I’m no doctor, but even I know that HAD to hurt. They must have got you on some serious painkillers to have you coming out here and going all nasty and vengeful on us like that. Wow.. didn’t know you had it in you. I guess it’s true that Vicodin can make people do stupid things. Or did they give you something more powerful? You can never tell with these Vegas quacks.
Piper whispers something to her and Leona nods. Piper smirks and adjusts Precious on her shoulder as she stares right at Sakura.
Piper Fury: Well, well. The little bimbo grows a set. Congratulations. And to think- all it took was for us to practically gimp you to do it. Take a good look at us, Sakura. Do we LOOK SCARED TO YOU? Seriously? You come out here and read from a piece of paper and we’re supposed to be shaking in our boots? Give… me…a.. BREAK. Damn, Lee, maybe you’re right. Vicodin- or whatever they’re prescribing for wrecked hammies these days- really does make one stupid. Now as for that braindead monkey you call a boyfriend- yeah, you know. The one I busted open like an ugly-ass pinata.. take a message back to him, seeing as how you’re probably gonna run- oops, I meant limp- back to him when you’re all done here. You tell him that if he wants a piece of me, I’m a real easy one to find. I don’t hide, I don’t run. If he wants some, he knows where to come and get some. I hope his memory- or at least what passes for a memory- does come back. I want him to remember what I did to him. I WANT him to come after me so I can finish the job once and for all. In fact, I’m going to go one better and throw down right here and right now. RISE is coming. He wants to dance? Let’s do it there. Make these people actually shell out some good cash to watch me beat that doofus Napalm into oblivion and right out of the SHOOT Project and onto the disabled list.
Leona: You were right about one thing, girl. You said we wouldn’t like what you had to say. And we don’t like it. We… LOVE… IT. We did exactly what we wanted to do. What we intended to do. Now run along.. oops, I meant hop along- and go tell your boy-toy what you just heard. And I’d suggest you get to hauling ass, because in about twenty seconds, if you’re still standing there, we might just have to work that other leg as well. Screw the walking cast, you’ll be watching your boy get pounded into pemmican from the comfort of a wheelchair. Nineteen…. eighteen…
Sakura drops the microphone, yells something at the pair in the ring and slowly makes her way through the curtain as Leona and Piper are waving goodbye from the ring. They high-five each other and exit the ring, getting ready to head up the ramp- but Piper holds Leona back, pointing at her wrist and shaking her head. Leona nods and stands at the ramp, a smirk on her face as she whistles down the final seconds. She nods to Piper and the two of them start heading up the ramp to the backstage area.
"Whatever Gets You Through The Day" by The Radio cuts on, and the fans begin to cheer, as Laura Seton makes her way down to the ring, and the Sin City Title Match is moments away!
Samantha Coil: The next match is for the SHOOT Project’s Sin City Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, weighing in at 175 pounds, she is a former Sin City Champion, Laura Seton!
Eryk Masters: Laura Seton is looking to become a two time Sin City champ here tonight, and she may have a good chance at doing so!
Other Guy: Tell that to the current champion, E. I don’t expect Laura to be able to walk in here and just take the gold.
Eryk Masters: Absolutely not, and I don’t think Laura expects to either. I’m sure she’s looking forward to the competition that Dan Stein is going to bring her way tonight.
Laura slaps a few hands on the way to the ring, before rolling underneath the bottom rope. She pulls on the ropes, continuing to get loosened up, as she awaits her opponent for this evening.
And sure enough, Seton’s music is replaced with "New Years Eve" by Aurasing. The cheers immediately turn to jeers as the Sin City Champion himself, Dan "The Lights" Stein makes his presence felt, Sin City title strapped around his waist.
Samantha Coil: And the champion, weiging in at 215 pounds, he is the current Sin City Champion, Dan "The Lights" Stein!
Eryk Masters: Don’t mistake the look on Stein’s face for overconfidence. He always looks like that.
Other Guy: He has a reason to be confident! He’s the Sin City Champion! He beat Lunatikk Crippler for that belt, and no one has held it longer than The Crippler!
Eryk Masters: Yet. Stein is looking to break that record, no doubt about it, and to do that, he’s gonna have to get through Laura Seton.
Stein ignores the crowd, shutting out the boos and insults they throw his way as he gets to the ring. He walks up the stairs and steps through the ropes, handing the Sin City Title down to Molly the Assistant, who holds onto it.
Eryk Masters: Stein refusing to let go of the Sin City title, that’s gonna have to go to the time keeper’s table.
Other Guy: I think he just knows that it’s not going anywhere.
Sure enough, Mark Kendrick, the timekeeper, takes possession of the championship, laying it on his table before he rings the bell, signifying the start of the match.
Stein and Seton circle each other, before meeting in the center of the ring, locking up. Stein uses his strength advantage, throwing Seton to the ground. Laura goes head over feet, before using the momentum which she was thrown to roll to her knees. She stares at the champion, who flexes for the crowd.
Eryk Masters: Dan Stein, ladies and gentlemen, proud of his bullying tactics.
Other Guy: Bully? You see that all the time when one person is stronger than the other. He’s not being a bully! He’s being a star!
The fans could care less about Stein’s antics. Seton gets back to her feet, and the two lock up in the center of the ring again, and once again, Stein throws Seton off her feet. The fans boo loudly as Stein does anothe flexing pose, this time kissing his right bicep, then his left.
Eryk Masters: Here’s an idea: how about you WRESTLE?
Other Guy: Here’s an idea: how about you cut the man some slack? It’s tough being Dan Stein!
Seton slaps the mat in frustration, but gets back to her feet. She locks up with Stein a third time, and Stein goes to throw Seton down again, but Seton is too fast for him. She locks Stein’s arm up, and uses his own momentum to throw him down with an arm drag.
Eryk Masters: Turnabout is fair play! Stein finds himself on the ground!
Stein is visibly angry, and he gets to his feet and charges Seton. She sidesteps him, taking him down with a drop toe hold! Stein hits the mat, and he’s even madder now! He gets to his feet, but Laura doesn’t give him a chance to get his bearings before nailing a standing dropkick, sending Stein through the ropes and to the floor! Stein slaps the ring apron in frustration and tries to get back into the ring, but Molly holds him back.
Other Guy: Smart move by Molly the Assistant. Stein doesn’t need to go into this match frustrated, or else he’ll be at the disadvantage!
Eryk Masters: I have to agree, but Stein is wasting time!
Molly leads Stein through some breathing exercises to try and calm him down. He eventually gets his stuff together and climbs back into the ring. The moment he’s through the ropes, Seton plants him with another dropkick, sending him right back to the floor! The crowd is loving this, Stein is not! He gets back to his feet, and he is livid! He slides into the ring, and charges Seton, who ducks a clothesline, and then grabs Stein on the rebound, with a deep armdrag, sending Stein crashing to the mat! Seton bounces off the ropes as Stein gets back to his feet. Stein sees her coming and lowers his head for a back drop, but Seton kicks him in the chest! Stein rights himself, standing up straight, then Seton grabs his head and flips him over her shoulder.
Eryk Masters: That’s a snapmare, ladies and gents! Done to perfection!
Other Guy: My cat can do a snapmare, you know.
Stein gets up, and Seton takes him down with a second snapmare, and follows that up with a kick that sends bolts of electricity up Stein’s spine! The impact of that kick causes Stein to grimace in pain and Seton follows up with a second kick, even louder than the first. The fans must have felt that, because they groaned in unison. That’s nothing compared to the look of pain on Stein’s face. Stein gets out of that painful position and gets to his feet, still feeling the effects of those kicks, when Seton rushes him. He tries to move out of the way, but Laura leaps up and snares his head with her legs, spinning in midair, and twisting him around, sending Stein over the top rope and to the floor!
Eryk Masters: First Class by Laura Seton! Stein is in trouble now!
Other Guy: Yeah, well, Laura needs to get Stein back into the ring, or else she’s not gonna win the title! You can’t win the Sin City Championship by count out!
Referee Dennis Heflin backs Seton up and begins his count on Stein outside of the ring.
ONE!
TWO!!
THREE! Stein begins trying to get to his feet after the nasty landing.
FOUR!!
FIVE! Stein gets to his knees, leaning against the ring apron.
SIX!! Stein is to his feet, staring straight ahead at Laura Seton.
SEVEN!
EIGHT!! Stein waves at Laura Seton, walking backwards from the ring!
NINE!
TE-Seton stops Heflin before the ten count can be made! She’s arguing with the ref, probably stating the obvious: Stein is trying to get himself intentionally counted out.
Dan Stein: TEN! SAY TEN, DAMMIT!!
Stein is unhappy that the count has been stopped, and begins moving towards the ring. Laura notices, and runs against the opposite ropes and bounces off them. She dives through the ropes at Stein! Buzzer Beater!
Eryk Masters: Ouch, dammit! Stein sidesteps the attack by Laura Seton, and she lands flat on the ground! She’s gotta be hurt!
Other Guy: Hey, she could have had the victory, if she weren’t so greedy! Stein was giving up!
Eryk Masters: Greedy? This is a Sin City Championship match, and Stein was intentionally getting counted out! He’s the one who was greedy, by not trying to even DEFEND the championship!
Dennis Heflin is yelling at Stein, telling him to get in the ring. Stein raises his hands in the air, as if he did nothing wrong. He grabs a handful of Seton’s hair and drags her to her feet. He rolls her into the ring, and it seems that this match is going to continue, but Seton’s definately hurt, clutching at her ribs after that crash landing. Stein slides into the ring after her, and begins to take advantage, putting boot after boot to Seton’s midsection, doing further damage to the ribs of Miss Milk and Cookies.
Other Guy: You have to admire the brains of Stein, tricking Seton into making a mistake!
Eryk Masters: He was trying to get counted out so he wouldn’t lose the Sin City title!
Other Guy: That’s what I said. Brains.
Stein lifts Seton to her feet, and whips her into the ropes. She bounces back toward the champion, and he drives his knee into her gut, stopping her short. He stops her from falling to the ground by lifting her up with ease, and driving her down across his knee. He holds her there, pushing down on her head and knees, driving the point of his knee into the small of her back, causing more pain.
Eryk Masters: Stein with a backbreaker that would make El Asso Wipo jealous, now turns it into a submission move! He’s stretching Seton out across his knee.
Other Guy: As dirty as that can sound, you’re right. I don’t think Seton can hold out much longer like this!
The crowd is trying to will Seton on, clapping in unison. Seton can hear them, but there’s not a lot she can do at the time, as Stein pushes harder on her head, digging his elbow now into her collarbone. Seton is being bent in half before our very eyes, and Stein is loving it! He grins out at the crowd that is cheering for Seton. Then, he drops her on the ground. With the hold released, Stein continues the assault. He grabs the legs of Seton, and flips her onto her stomach, bending her back with a Boston Crab!
Eryk Masters: Another submission from Stein. He’s trying to break her in half!
Laura is struggling from beneath Stein, trying to find some sort of escape. He keeps wrenching back on her, trying to force her into submission. Seton is trying claw her way out of it, trying to pull herself to the ropes, which isn’t easy, considering that Stein is bigger than she is. She’s having a little success, as she scoots an inch closer to the ropes, and she extends her arm as far as she can….
But Stein releases the hold and drags her to the center of the ring! He then goes to reapply the hold, but Laura is thinks fast, and uses her legs to wrap Stein up in a pinning combination!
ONE!
TWO!
Stein kicks out! Stein cannot belive he nearly lost, and he gets to his feet to take it out on Laura. Laura struggles up as well, and sees Stein coming. Laura blocks a right hand from Stein, and fires one of her own that rocks "The Lights" back! Stein keeps coming and Laura blocks another right hand and returns the favor by landing a right hand of her own! The fans are completely behind Laura Seton as she fires off a third right hand, and a fourth, finally sending Stein down to the mat!
Eryk Masters: Laura is battling back, and she’s turned the tables on the champion!
Other Guy: Where does she get this from? It’s unbelieveable!
Stein gets back to his feet, and Seton jacks his jaw again, this time with a European uppercut. Stein staggers a bit, and Seton drops down in the splits, and smacks him upside his head with another uppercut the sends Stein sprawling to the ground. Seton drags Stein away from the ropes and goes for another pin!
One!!
Two!!
T-Stein gets his shoulder up, saving his title! Seton looks a little frustrated, which is a danger sign. She brings Stein to his feet again, and irish whips him into the ropes. Stein ducks a clothesline on the way back, and bounces off the ropes behind Laura. She turns and sees Stein coming, doing a Matrix bend backwards to avoid a clothesline attempt from Stein. She loses the bridge, however, and clutches at her ribs. Stein grabs the ropes to stop his momentum, and sees Seton in pain. He gets a grin on his face like he’s already won, and moves towards the challenger, who surprises Stein with a jawbreaker! Stein hits the mat, and Laura crawls into the cover!
One!!
Two!!
Thr-Stein gets out of it!
Other Guy: Dirty tactics by Laura Seton, faking an injury!
Eryk Masters: She’s not faking, she just got the better of Stein on that exchange!
Laura bring Stein back to his feet and goes for the full nelson! Here comes the Cookie Cutter! But Stein rolls out of it, breaking the nelson, and sending Laura to her back, grasping at her ribs. Laura gets back to her feet as Stein charges, and both were thinking the same thing, as both go for clotheslines and collapse to the mat!
Eryk Masters: Double clothesline! Both are down, but who’s gonna get up first?
Surprising enough, Stein wastes little time using the ropes to get to his feet. Seton is crawling towards an opposite corner, and Stein is trying to shake the cobwebs loose.
Stein gets his bearings and goes after Seton. He picks her up by the hair against the ropes and drives his knee into her side, causing her to slump to one knee in pain. He picks her back up and leaps up, extending his knees.
Other Guy: Here it comes! The Lights, baby!
Seton grips the top rope, so Stein crashes down to the mat on his back, and Seton is able to stay on her feet! The crowd cheers like mad, and Stein is shocked. He gets to his feet with his back to Seton, and she strikes.
Eryk Masters: The Cookie Cutter! She nailed it!!
Laura rolls Stein to his back and hooks both legs!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREE!!!
The bell rings and the fans go crazy!
Samantha Coil: Here is your winner….and the NEWWWWWW Sin City Champion….Lauuuurraaaaa Seeetooooooon!
Other Guy: I can’t believe it! After all the punishment she took, Laura Seton is now a TWO TIME Sin City Champion!
Eryk Masters: Stein tried to take the cheap way out, and he should have kept walking! Laura is Sin City Champion once again!
We open in the center of a heavily padded room. A single light bulb casts a murky glow over the room and its sole occupant.
There’s the sound of a distinctly female voice humming the notes of “Don’t Fear The Reaper.”
The camera pans down further, and we view a woman from the back. She’s sitting indian style on the floor. Medium, choppy black hair hangs wildly about her head. Her upper torso is bound in the confines of a straightjacket, and slight movements underneath suggest that her arms are restlessly struggling against it.
The wall she faces is covered with photographs. Most are glossy photos cut from magazines, and some are full size posters. Isaac Entragian is featured in every single one of the photos and posters. Some of the pictures have hearts drawn all over Isaac’s pallid face withred lipstick.
The humming stops. Her body grows still.
She starts to giggle, and nestled between her laughter is a jagged poem.
“Pale of skin, black of heart. Eyes so green, teeth so sharp. I’m your angel, hear my harp. Time to reap, my wolf among sheep. Don’t worry about the where or the how or the when…just know, darling…it is time to begin again.”
The giggles take over now, and the video cuts into static.
Snow falls over the woods as the camera pans to focus on a classic stave church. A priest closes the door, and the scene cuts to the inside of the church, as the priest walks around putting out candles. He hums to himself a classic polka song, adjusting some of the pews. He continues tidying up, blowing out more candles, and then pulls the curtains over the highest window. Suddenly…
!!CRASH!!
The priest looks up, shocked, and finds all of the stained glass windows being smashed in. He screams and runs to one, and the screen goes black as a fist clad in a black leather glove swings towards the priest’s face. The screen goes black save for white Olde English text in the center of it.
THE BLACK CIRCLE
Jeremy Renner is seated in a folding chair, the poster for The Black Circle on full display behind him. He is wearing a plain white v-neck, gold chain around his neck, and a pair of beige slacks.
Jeremy Renner: Working with Corey was, like, a dream come true for me. I remember seeing On the Downside when it came out and just being like…wow! Just completely blown away by his performance.
A few clips from the earlier trailer of The Black Circle play: Corey and Jeremy running down the snow-covered streets of Oslo, Norway wearing the traditional black and white corpsepaint of ancient vikings and black metal musicians worldwide; the two of them having a fist fight inside of a burning church, Jeremy throwing Corey over one of the pews; Corey and Rooney Mara passionately kissing in the cold winter forest at night, their breath visible. Cut back to Jeremy.
Jeremy Renner: The thing that amazed me the most was that he was just so familiar with a lot of the source material, so familiar with all of the church burnings in Norway in the early 90’s and the black metal scene and everything, and he’d be correcting everybody on the real motive behind it all and what bands they’d all be listening to and why.
Cut to Rooney Mara, seated in her own chair with a poster for The Black Circle in the background. She is wearing a red blouse, her hair in a ponytail, and a black mini-skirt revealing black nylons and knee-high stiletto heel boots.
Rooney Mara: He just had this primal understanding of everything the role required, everything that had to be done to make it as authentic as possible…he’s definitely one of the most professional people I’ve ever worked with.
Guy Pearce. Same style of interview. Sky blue collared shirt with the top three buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, smoke gray slacks.
Guy Pearce: He did all of his own stunts, he choreographed half of the fight scenes…
More clips from the film roll in the background as Pearce continues talking: Guy Pearce and Jeremy Renner having a face-off in the charred remains of a stave church, pistols drawn at one another; Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Corey Lazarus tapping glasses filled with beer together, Gordon-Levitt’s face bruised and Corey’s bloodied; Guy Pearce and Rooney Mara chained to a 10-foot statue of Jesus Christ as a circle of fire ignites around them.
Guy Pearce (V.O.): …he helped all of us really, really get into our characters. Whenever we had a question…
Back to Guy in his chair.
Guy Pearce: …we went to Corey.
One final slow-motion clip of Corey standing in a dimly lit room full of people, everybody dressed in all black and faces covered in corpsepaint.
Corey Lazarus: HAIL SATAN!
Crowd: HAIL SATAN!!
Cut to an all black background as white Olde English text appears in the center.
THE BLACK CIRCLE
A pentagram quickly bursts into flames behind the title. Beneath it bleeds the words "NOW PLAYING." The scene fades…
…and then opens up with Eryk and OG at their table, both looking up at the camera.
Eryk Masters: SHOOT Soldier Corey Lazarus stars in The Black Circle, and it is in theaters across the world now.
Other Guy: Now, I already saw it, Eryk, have you?
Eryk Masters: I was actually planning on going this week. I’m not a big fan of the crowded theaters and this is definitely one where the theater is packed. I’ll be taking in a matinee on Tuesday or so.
Voice: Hold on, hold on…
Both Eryk and OG turn to face the entrance ramp, perplexed.
Eryk Masters: What is going on now?
Other Guy: Hey, that sounds like Thomas Manchester Black.
OG’s right. TMB walks down to the ring with a mic. He rolls under the ropes and stands up in the middle of the ring. TMB has a huge smile on his face as he clears his thoat.
TMB: Heh, listen…on this night of nights I got a DVD from one of the local bootleggers that was so amazing that I had to come out here and share it with you great fans. And this…this marvel on film is another great production that stars our resident would-be Oscar winner…
Corey Lazarus.
Eryk Masters: See even after a hard lost, TMB can appreciate what a movie star that Corey is.
Other Guy: I don’t know, Eryk, something does sit right with this.
TMB chuckles at that statement for a moment before continuing.
TMB: Let me first say that I like the title of this…but really, Corey, lets try to be a little more original next time around shall we. But let me not take anymore time away from your moment. Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you Corey Lazarus in…
PITCH BLACK!!!!
TMB points to the video wall as it once again comes to life.
The footage is from the interior of Corey’s own Club Xanax, the picture quality comparable to a cell phone. A half a dozen random people surge into the front entrance, stopped by security, and all screaming unintelligible things. Corey himself comes up behind security, wondering what the hell is going on.
Corey Lazarus: Hey, hey, HEY!! What the fuck are you all doing here?! Get out of here before I call the cops! Jesus…go get jobs! I mean, we don’t even open for another four hour-!!!!
He’s cut off. Somebody’s made it inside, past security. A tall man wearing a hoodie, to be precise. The tall man’s fists go flying into the side of Corey’s head, prompting security to turn, but the crowd at the front entrance hold security back. The man continues his assault on Corey, slamming his head into the floor and the wall over and over, ending with a beautiful high roundhouse kick that knocks Corey down. The man takes off his hood, revealing himself to be, of course, THOMAS MANCHESTER BLACK. TMB hooks Corey’s legs up and turns him over, grabbing his arms.
TMB: You should’ve been a little more respectful, Corey.
QUEEN. CITY. STOMP. TMB dusts his hands off as Corey lies there on the floor, knocked out cold. He runs past security and whistles, causing the crowd to release the Xanax security and then scatter as they run away.
The video cuts off and TMB is in the middle of the ring laughing.
Eryk Masters: What a jackass.
Other Guy: It seems that losing to Corey Lazarus didn’t go over well with TMB.
TMB: Oh yeah…this one is gonna be a big hit, Corey.
Then suddenly, Black gets very serious. He looks directly into the camera, his eyes focused and unblinking.
TMB: I’m nobody’s stepping stone, Corey. You, of all people, should know that. But it seems that you have forgotten that, superstar. but seeing as that you are a "family" friend…I’ll afford you this reminder to help you with your memory.
Heh…roll the "end credits."
TMB drops the mic and rolls out of the ring and heads to the back as the crowd boos him for his actions.
The lights in the arena black out COMPLETELY. The fans are instantly abuzz as they normally are.
Samantha Coil: The following contest is scheduled for ONE FALL with a thirty minute time limit!
ALL OF THE LIGHTS!
“All Of The Lights” by Kanye West blares over the speakers as out from the back emerges DONOVAN KING. The fans pop HUGE as the green and gold spotlight flashes down on him. The lights EXPLODE to life with a HUGE BOOM! He marches down the ramp, no entrance gear, completely ready for battle. He slaps a few hands here and there as he ascends the steps to the ring.
Turn up the lights in here, baby
Extra bright, I want y’all to see this
Turn up the lights in here, baby
You know what I need
Want you to see everything
Want you to see ALL OF THE LIGHTS
Samantha Coil: Introducing first…hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina…weighing in at 245 pounds…DONOVAN…KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!
King pops his neck as he shakes the referee’s hand, listening to his music as he paces his corner. “The Fire” by John Legend and The Roots hits the speakers as Jun Kenshin comes sprinting out from the back. He is dressed in white with green trim, a white Muay Thai style robe with the words “The Shield” written in gold on the back. He wastes no time getting in the ring as he does his usual wiping his feet before coming in.
Samantha Coil: And his opponent…hailing from San Diego, California. He weighs in tonight at 204 pounds. He is THE SHIELD JUN KENSHIN!
Applause comes from the audience as Kenshin puts one clasped fist into the air to motion the crowd. Kenshin pumps himself up by hitting the clasped fist into his chest and slapping himself in the jaw to prepare for the match.
Eryk Masters: Kenshin looks ready and he wasted no time getting in that ring. He wants to get it on with Donovan King!
Other Guy: This is a FIRST TIME EVER match. It’s got all the making of a classic. Hope y’all got your popcorn at home because we’re in for a HELLA of a show!
King and Kenshin are standing toe to toe at the center of the ring. The referee calls for the bell and we are under way! The fans INSTANTLY erupt with excitement! King pops his neck to the side. King starts smirking and nodding his head while Kenshin starts talking to him. Rage builds up in their faces as they take a step back from one another and both extend their hands towards each other, slapping them in a sign of respect.
Eryk Masters: The fans are loving this rare showing of mutual respect here tonight.
Other Guy: On a show where we’ve got Family Values locking horns with the sociopathic Azrael Goeren and the psychopathic Isaac Entragian, this is DEFINITELY a rarity!
The taller and heavier King is standing his ground while the eager Kenshin rushes in for a collar and elbow tie up. Both men struggle for positioning but eventually, both men break up in a stale mate. Both men have cold looks on their faces knowing the magnitude of this match. They circle the ring eyeing each other up. Collar and elbow tie up, King quickly transitions into a fireman’s carry elbow but Kenshin as soon as he goes down on the mat uses both legs to wrap around the throat of King and put him down on the mat. King though uses his leg power to do a sort of “kip up” to get out of it and we’re right back to where we started.
Eryk Masters: I’m getting that big fight feel, OG.
Other Guy: I do too. Both guys mentioned that this was a pay per view caliber match.
King and Kenshin are standing toe to toe, both guys reaching out with their arms as the two heroes grasp hands and are engaged in a test of strength. Donovan seems to be getting the upper hand as Kenshin is being forced down but Jun shows off his core and neck strength by bridging back while King has both arms clasped in a show of strength. The fans are clapping and stomping their feet as Kenshin slowly bridges UP and now Kenshin has King on the defense now as King is bridging back with the back of his head touching the mat and he’s inches away from going down but King BRIDGES up and we’re back to where we started. The fans politely clap as the two rub their hands together and crank their necks.
Eryk Masters: That was a draw there. Neither man had an advantage.
Other Guy: It’s real technical so far. I wonder who’ll throw the first punch.
Kenshin transitions into a standing head lock, King pushes Kenshin to the ropes. King does a leapfrog and transitions to a drop down as he awaits Kenshin to come back. Kenshin comes into the awaiting King who goes for a hip toss but Kenshin blocks the hip toss. Kenshin transitions it into a hooking back slide pin. King angrily kicks out at one as the referee barely got to do a count.
Eryk Masters: Don’t think a hip toss is gonna do the job.
Other Guy: I got a feeling we need to dig in for a while. We might be in for a classic!
Kenshin grabs King and transitions into a go behind. Kenshin does an amateur style take down while maintaining his position behind King with both hands clasped around Donovan’s waist. Kenshin spins toward the head of King and playfully rubs his hand on the head of King as the crowd goes “Oooh.” Kenshin lets him back up as King immediately pops his head up, a small smirk on his face. He adjusts the elbow and knee pads momentarily.
Other Guy: Kenshin shows off his wrestling base there.
Kenshin fires a flash kick to the quadriceps of King who absorbs the blow and shoves Kenshin away. Kenshin fakes a kick as King blocks it leavening an opening on his head as Kenshin hooks a standing face lock and goes for a suplex but King grapevines the near leg of Kenshin and uses his weight for a slick single leg take down using his strength and leverage to his advantage. The former World Champion grabs the neck of Kenshin and applies a head lock as he tries to hook the legs onto the ribs of Kenshin. Kenshin uses his forearm to block the left leg of Donovan and Kenshin is quick to get to the ropes to necessitate a break.
Eryk Masters: King wants no part of those kicks, Kenshin is well versed in the art of Muay Thai.
Other Guy: Even though King has arguably one of the finest pedigrees in professional wrestling, I don’t think a lot of people give him the credit he deserves as a grappler. Keeping himself in close and away from Kenshin’s lethal feet may be his best option tonight.
Kenshin rolls to the outside apron now. King puts his arms up but Kenshin doesn’t stop the action though. Kenshin grabs the head of the Carolina native and hot shots him throat first on the top rope! Some fans boo at the tactics of Jun but Jun stands over King. Kenshin hits the near side of the ropes and drops the point of his elbow to the throat of King. Kenshin picks Donovan back up and applies a standing arm bar as Donovan winces in pain. Kenshin now walks King to the ropes as Kenshin hops onto the ropes and transitions the arm bar into a flowing beautiful Lucha Libre style throw!
Eryk Masters: Kenshin is just showing off now.
Other Guy: But look, King is back to his feet!
King lands on his hip absorbing the blow as best as he can! Kenshin rushes in but King is right back up to the surprise of Kenshin. King pops his left shoulder into the chest of Kenshin who is toppled with the blow. King grabs the ankle of Kenshin and drops the elbow into the ankle of Kenshin. King seems to have pin pointed the ankle of The Shield now. King props Kenshin’s leg high up and then snaps the leg in the opposite way in lightning fast fashion. King grabs the same leg of Kenshin but Kenshin grabs the head and shoulder of King and rolls him up in a small package pin!
One!
Two!
Eryk Masters: I thought King had Kenshin there but he managed to turn it around.
Other Guy: Can’t lose your concentration on Kenshin.
King kicks out as he gets to a vertical base and boots Kenshin right in the chin putting him down again. King grabs the leg of Kenshin who squirms away trying to get up. King fires an elbow to the ribs followed by a stomp to the leg as Kenshin fires back with a blistering knife edge chop! King with a punch! Kenshin with a chop! The two are going back and forth as neither man is giving an inch!
Eryk Masters: Punch! Chop! Punch! Chop!
Other Guy: Man! This is intense!
King fakes a punch and then does a deliberate shot to the leg of Kenshin who doubles over in pain. King grabs Jun and places him in a vertical stalling suplex. After a couple of seconds, King drops Kenshin with a suplex and transitions for a pin!
One!
Two!
Kenshin kicks out.
Eryk Masters: Text book stalling vertical suplex there by King.
Other Guy: That was reminiscent of the late great Davey Boy Smith.
King grabs the leg of Kenshin again but Kenshin uses his free leg for a MMA style up kick that stuns King! Kenshin gets back up now as he does a double handed chop in the vein of Ricky Steamboat to the chest of King who goes down on the first shot! King quickly gets back up as Kenshin uses his right hand to sweep King down using his own leverage against him. Kenshin grabs the arm of King and applies an arm scissors using both of his legs to squeeze the arm of King.
Eryk Masters: I like this move by Kenshin. He can rest the leg but also punish King while he’s on the mat!
Other Guy: Smart move by the man King has reminded us was called The Perfector.
Kenshin has King in the middle of the ring with nowhere to go as King tries to break the grip of Kenshin’s legs to relieve the pressure on his triceps and biceps region. Kenshin now keeps a hold of the arm of King and gets back up while keeping King down looking like King is being arrested with his face to the canvas. Kenshin drops the knee several times driving his good knee to the arm of King. King fights to get to his knee as he fires his free arm in a stiff ass elbow to the chest of Kenshin. The first shot stuns Kenshin and the second shot breaks his arm free. Kenshin is doubled over and King fires with a knee trembler shot! Kenshin is down clutching his head while Donovan rubs his arm trying to get the blood flow.
Eryk Masters: Kenshin is targeting that arm and King wants no part of that!
King goes over to the fallen Kenshin who shoves King away but the bigger King is resilient as he grabs Kenshin and scoops him up and puts him down in a body slam. King measures his target as he leaps high into the air and crashing down onto the throat of Kenshin in a big leg drop. King gets Kenshin up and whips him to the ropes and greets him with a punch to the bread basket followed by King bouncing the ropes and executing a spinning neck breaker. King looks to do another move here as he grabs Kenshin back up in a front face lock going for a suplex. Kenshin squirms away as Kenshin fights with elbows to the temple of King stunning the Last Scion. Kenshin kicks his legs toward the arm pits of King and rolling him up with an O’ Connor Roll!
One!
Two!
King angrily kicks out as he clubs Kenshin several times in the back. Each club is delivered with more intensity as King towers Kenshin and applies a neck crank twisting Kenshin who is in a sit up position. The referee asks Kenshin if he’ll give it up and Kenshin replies no. King with deliberate elbows to the head of Kenshin stunning him. King picks Kenshin up as he clasps his hands on the waist of Kenshin as Donovan pops his hips but Kenshin in midair counters the German Suplex into a rolling victory roll pin but Kenshin doesn’t go for the pin instead opting to roll forward by grabbing the legs of Donovan and applying the Sharp Shooter!
Eryk Masters: What a counter and a transition by Kenshin!
Other Guy: But King is struggling, that Sharpshooter isn’t locked in quite yet!
Kenshin has his left leg in position to wrap up the time tested hold but King has one arm free and desperately trying to break free! King trips up Kenshin but Kenshin continues to grab the leg of King and from the mat, Kenshin skillfully gets back up and applies the SHARPSHOOTER!
Eryk Masters: He’s got it locked in!
AAAARGHH! The tortured screams of King ring out in the Epicenter as Kenshin has the Sharpshooter excellently executed!
Other Guy: King is in some serious agony, Eryk!
King pushes his hands up off the mat to relieve the pressure on his back as King uses his upper body strength as Kenshin bends his head back to further apply pressure on the small of King’s back. King balls up his fists in anger, swears loudly and BRIDGES up and makes his way to the bottom rope. Kenshin curses loudly in frustration as King is slow to get up. Kenshin grabs King but King in one act of desperation, grabs Kenshin and hoists him up and SLAMS him down with a KINGFALL PART TWO!
Eryk Masters: That’s King’s version of the Rock Bottom and he planted Kenshin with it!
Other Guy: You could tell that hurt King too. He had his back worked on and both guys are down!
After a couple of seconds on the mat, King crawls over for the cover!
ONE!
TWO!
Kenshin kicks out.
King grabs Kenshin by his waist pops the hips and just LAUNCHES Kenshin with a release German Suplex! The slow motion High Definition Replay shows King with a beautiful German Release Suplex as Kenshin lands flush on his back. King clutches his back in pain as he anticipates Kenshin to get up. King grabs the reeling Kenshin in a ¾ facelock!
Eryk Masters: DEALBREAKER!
Other Guy: NO!
Kenshin fights out of it and he delivers a sweet step up enzugiri stunning Donovan King! King is knocked woozy as he grabs King up in a front face lock and lifts him up and drops him back first in a “Falcon Arrow” while dropping to his butt. EXEMPLIFIER! Kenshin doesn’t go for a pin, instead he falls back on his back to catch his breath! Both athletes are breathing hard as the crowd is clapping, stomping their feet.
Eryk Masters: These guys are leaving it all out there tonight! This is fantastic!
King slowly rolls his head over and sees Kenshin, who is staring him down. After a beat, Kenshin rolls to a kneeling position, and King does the same. Both men stare at one another, saying nothing. The smirks are gone. The smiles are gone. All that is left in both of their faces is intensity. Both men get up to their feet and quickly lock up, but Kenshin gets the better of it, going for a go behind, but King elbows Kenshin in the head! Kenshin kicks King in the midsection, he hooks him up…DIE!! KENSHIN HITS THE DIE! KING ROLLS AND KEEPS ROLLING, STOPPING AT THE RING APRON!
Other Guy: If Kenshin can get him in the center of the ring, he can call this one good!
Eryk Masters: C’mon, Kenshin! You wanna show the world you’re still here, kicking ass and taking names?! PIN DONOVAN KING!!
Kenshin slowly crawls over to King’s body and reaches out to grab him. He slowly drags King to his feet and hooks him BACK up in a DIE! He stands there, trying to catch his breath. He looks over the fans and plants his feet…HE HOISTS KING OVER…KING TWISTS HIS BODY OUT…DEALBREAKER!!! KING HITS THE DEALBREAKER OUT OF THE DIE! BOTH MEN ARE DOWN!!!
Eryk Masters: OH! MY! GOD!
Other Guy: If your heart is peeing, my soul has just shit itself!
The referee has no choice but to begin the count!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
King is slowly stirring.
FOUR!
Kenshin is trying, instinctively, to kick out!
FIVE!
SIX!
Eryk Masters: C’MON!
Other Guy: King’s almost up!
SEVEN!
King rolls to his stomach and slowly drags his hands to his side!
EIGHT!
King pushes up off of the mat and glares at Kenshin, who now has the wherewithal to grasp at his neck from the Dealbreaker!
NINE!
King’s body trembles…and he COLLAPSES to the mat!
TEN!
The referee calls for the bell and the fans instantly begin to voice their displeasure!
Samantha Coil: As a result of a DOUBLE KNOCK OUT…this match has been declared…A DRAW!
The fans boo LOUDLY as Kenshin slowly rolls to his side as EMTs start rushing to the ring to check on both men, who have been hit with some of their move severe finishing maneuvers. Running out to a giant POP is TREY WILLETT, who slides into the ring and begins checking on Kenshin and then slides over to King.
Eryk Masters: Trey Willett’s out here. Even after a war of words with King and a hard fought contest against Kenshin not long ago, Trey is still showing that he respects both of these men immensely.
Trey helps King up, and King SHOVES Trey back, almost out of instinct! Trey throws his arms out, yelling HEY to him. King looks him up and down and grits his teeth.
Donovan King: THE FUCK YOU DOIN’ OUT HERE?!
Trey Willett: SERIOUSLY?!
Donovan King: THIS RIGHT HERE A PLACE FOR CHAMPIONS, BITCH, STEP ASIDE!
Trey marches over to get in King’s face and King quickly piefaces him, shoving him on his ass! The fans start getting abuzz as King staggers against the ropes before he walks past Trey to check on Kenshin, who is now up in his corner. Trey stands up, his body visibly shaking with fury as he looks at King…AND TREY CHARGES THE CORNER AND SPLASHES ONTO KING, ATTACKING HIM WITH PUNCHES! The EMTs are suddenly turned into a security force, trying to pull the two of them apart.
Eryk Masters: Uh oh!
Other Guy: No more words need be said, it looks like Trey’s had enough of King’s disrespect!
King NAILS Trey in the face with a HARD right and Trey falls back on his ass, King sprawling over him with rights and lefts!
Eryk Masters: And King is sick and tired of Trey…PERIOD!
The EMTs finally get them separated as various road agents and Kenshin separate them from one another.
Donovan King: YOU WANNA GO, MOTHER FUCKER?! YOU WANNA SUCKER PUNCH ME FROM BEHIND?!
Trey Willett: COME ON! LET’S GET THIS OVER WITH!
Donovan King: FUCK THAT, YOU FINNA LEARN RESPECT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!
King LEAPS over two of the EMTs and lands on a third and fourth, swatting violently at Trey before finally the EMTs get Trey OUT of the ring! Trey shrugs off the EMTs and shakes his head, extremely and obviously upset at what has transpired.
Eryk Masters: Trey was only out there to check on two of the Soldiers he respects so strongly, and look what it got him!
Other Guy: This isn’t even remotely over, Eryk! These guys are gonna settle this!
Eryk Masters: You’re right! Ladies and gentlemen, I was just told over my headphones that Jason Johnson is sick of the dissention! He wants these two to settle their differences and it looks like that’s what we’re gonna see NEXT WEEK!
Other Guy: You don’t mean…!
Eryk Masters: NEXT WEEK AT REVOLUTION 95…WE WILL FINALLY GET TO SEE DONOVAN KING VERSUS TREY WILLETT…TWO!
Kenshin is in King’s face, talking to him, trying to calm him down in the ring as Trey glares King down from the entrance.
The scene fades in. We are in a locker room, and the camera is low quality. Clearly this is a store bought handheld camera, and not a professional TV camera. There is something very familiar about this camera, though. The small smiley face at the bottom right hand camera tells a few die hard SHOOT fans exactly what this is. When, the camera turns around, it reveals Jester Smiles’ face, which should give away exactly what this is.
Jester Smiles: Oh, hey guys. Look what I found. Remember this? Remember all the fun we used to have with this camera. Playing pranks, blowing bullhorns, doing interviews, all that good stuff. It was…fun, right? We all had a good time, everyone had a laugh, and wow, was I over because of this thing. Well, you know, being the ‘bad guy’ has sorta hurt my abilities to sell t-shirts, and I have to feed the Mrs. Smiles and all the little baby Smiles, so I’ve decided to make you all love me again. We are going to be bringing back…
SMILES CAM!
Jester gives the biggest, fakest grin you’ve ever seen.
Jester Smiles: But who should our special guest be? Who shall we be interviewing? I thought about getting Maya Nakashima, but I’m pretty sure he is getting really, REALLY raped by that group of freaks in Project: SCAR. I thought about interviewing someone in Project: SCAR, but, again, they are busy really, REALLY raping Maya Nakashima.
I could interview ‘legends’ like Jun Kenshin, but…meh, are you as bored with that idea as me? Of course you are. If I have to see another dead legend rise from the graves of LEGACY, OPW, TTW, or any of those other shitholes, I may just start stabbing people in the throat.
So, who could I interview? Who do YOU, the fans, really want to see? And I thought, wait, give them something they haven’t seen on camera before. Give them something different, something they aren’t used to!
The camera turns around. There is a young woman seated on a bench. She has been crying, and she looks terrified. Her clothes are a little ruffled, showing a bit of struggle, but she appears otherwise unharmed.
Jester Smiles: Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Miko West! You may not know who she is, but you are about to. She is the loving, devoted wife of one William West. Don’t recognize that name? Of course you don’t. Maybe you know him as THE LUNATIKK CRIPPLER!
Miko flinches a little at the mention of her husband. The camera fumbles around for a minute before Jester appears on the frame, clearly having been mounted to a tripod, and takes a seat next to Miko. Miko is clearly trying not to cry, trying not to look scared.
Jester Smiles: Shhhh, shhh, don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I used to beat up women quite a bit around here, but now, meh, I’m kinda over it. We are just gonna have ourselves a little talk. You, uhhh, you love your husband, right?
Miko keeps looking down at the ground.
Jester Smiles: RIGHT!?
Miko flinches, still not looking at Jester.
Miko West: Yes. I love my husband.
Jester pats Miko very lightly on the head.
Jester Smiles: Of course you do. And I think he probably loves you. But, then again, why would he bring you here? Why would your husband drag you to the SHOOT Project arena, know full well what kind of vile people call this place home. I mean, you should consider yourself lucky. I’m not going to hurt you one bit. But what if Project: SCAR had gotten a hold of you? What about the Hierarchy? I’m pretty sure Dan Stein would at least drug you and date rape you. Tanya Black might do the same. There are bad, bad people here. Crazy people. I mean, people who make me look downright sane, and believe me, I’m not exactly sane.
Why would he put you through this, Miko? Why would he do that?
Jester looks away from Miko and looks at the camera.
Jester Smiles: You hid her pretty well for a long time, didn’t you Will? Or do you want me to call you Bill? Either way, you hid this beautiful woman away from the world, away from the cameras for so long, and you decide to fuck it up now? Don’t you get it, Bill? Don’t you see how stupid that is? I mean, I know we are bitter enemies, but I’m legitimately trying to help you right now.
The smile on Jester’s face says otherwise.
Jester Smiles: Keep your loved ones away from here, Billy. Seriously, keep them as far from SHOOT Project as possible. Ask Kenji Yamada want happens when the people you love get involved in this work. Ask Patrick Kidd. Ask Donovan King. This is a dangerous world, Bill. It’s not a good place for loved ones.
Miko is crying now, but softly, trying not to regain Jester’s attention. Jester just stands up and walks off frame, leaving only the image of Crippler’s wife, crying. The sound of chains rustling can be heard, followed by the sound of chains hitting the ground. A small ray of light shines in, signifying a door has been opened. We hear Jester speak from off camera.
Jester Smiles: You can go.
Miko looks up, confused, not fully sure what he means.
Jester Smiles: GET THE FUCK OUT!
Miko flinches, yet again, and jumps up, running off camera and, we assume, out the door. The light goes away and Jester walks back into the frame, leaning down in front of the camera.
Jester Smiles: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed Smiles Cam. I didn’t. I think we are done with this thing. Smiles Cam just doesn’t feel right anymore.
Jester picks up the camera. All we see is the floor, which suddenly starts coming in closer and closer until.
Static.
Walking around backstage, Tanya Black looks dressed to kill as she is wearing a red blouse and a black knee-length skirt along with high heels and stockings, her hair pulled up into a tight bun and her briefcase of money held tightly in her left hand. Stopping to drink some bottled water, Tanya turns around and sees Buck Dresden walking up to her. Staying calm she waits to see what he is going to do.
Buck Dresden: Miss Black, what the hell?
She looks at him, clearly confused at his introductory words.
Buck Dresden: You an’ me get together, have a great match…even if it was kinda…weird…an’ then what? What’s goin’ on?
Tanya Black: It wasn’t weird. It felt quite right to me until the end there. As for tonight well I just had some business with some people here. So much attention is being focused on other people and gangs, I have to be a little pro-active in order to keep our momentum going. So what can I do for you Mr. Dresden?
Buck Dresden: We were…I mean…I reckon I shoulda planned this out a bit more’n this. But, I mean, Miss Black, c’mon now. What the hell is with you an’ Cade ‘n’ ’em?
Tanya Black: Heh Cade ‘n ’em. Cute. Well I have to give you credit. Coming up here to me, without your buddy Magnus, not knowing if I have any of my buddies waiting around the corner to ambush you.
Buck Dresden: You think that matters to me? I can take a beatin’, but you gotta see just what the hell we had in that ring.
She ignores him.
Tanya Black: More importantly you are being honest with me. I respect honesty Buck, even if you hate me you know I always speak my mind.
She pauses.
Tanya Black: Here’s the thing Buck. We can be cool outside of the ring, we can go out on the Strip and play with the tourists. Last week, in the ring, we had a great match. I loved it. But this is the SHOOT Project Epicenter. This is Revolution, Buck. That means this is business and when it comes down to Business, there is still some unsettled business between The Sinister Syndicate and The Bad Ass Brotherhood. When it’s settled and there are new tag team champions, then you can be friendly with me in the arena if you are still up for it.
Buck Dresden: So yer all fer throwin’ out good competition in favor of a skinny little drug addict what don’t care about how far above him you are?
Tanya Black: I’m all for taking what I can get, because I need a partner to win tag team gold with, not to mention watch my back in general. Some of us were never given a fair chance to earn trust and friendship here in SHOOT. Don’t forget I started off willing to do things the "BAB Way" and it did no good.
Tanya stops and indicates the briefcase she is holding.
Tanya Black: On the other hand, I destroy careers though like a bad little girl and I always get rewarded. But because I’m not totally bitter and angsty, I’ll tell you this Buck. When it comes to the rest of the gang, I can keep them off your back as far as in-ring assaults and cheap victories for a little while. Eventually you two need to give Cade and I a shot at the belts. The sooner we do this, the better it will be for all of us. Just go talk to the office. They will do it if you ask for it. Ball is in your court, buddy.
Buck Dresden: Sneak attacks an’ rampant bullshit doth not a title shot make, honey.
He looks her up and down.
Buck Dresden: Yer better’n them. You might get on a lotta nerves…but yer better’n them. Don’t you worry, you lay hands on the Brotherhood, we lay hands back. I can’t promise your little sidekicks no title shots…
He sighs, his eyes contorting into an angry stare.
Buck Dresden: …but I can promise a grade A ass whippin’.
With that, Tanya Black nods slowly, looking down in what is obviously feigned disappointment. She shrugs her shoulders and walks off leaving Buck Dresden with a lot on his mind as the camera catches a smirk that Buck Dresden can’t see as she heads for the Syndicate locker room.
The arena goes black for all of a minute, until we see a face on the SHOOTron. The face of Jaime Alejandro… A face that looks like it’s been through hell and laughed at it all.
Jaime Alejandro: Hello, albino. Two shows ago, you wanted a lion to come out of the shadow of the lambs. When you’re done congratulating yourself over all the hookers who you have traumatized along with that German goosestepping sack of shit… Pay attention, because I’m going to say this just once, for your little degenerate brain to hear.
He looks down on the arena floor and smirks.
Jaime Alejandro: I. FOUND. MIDEON.
As the arena listens on, Jaime brings up the name of a town long dead to him, and to the world.
Jaime Alejandro: They’re a godly sort of degenerate fucking town, aren’t they? But you see, Issac. I understand it all now. I’ve seen the heart of madness. It really shat you out along with a mother who was just as much as a blasphemous whore as your father was a sanctimonious son of a bitch.
He cranes his head out and he smiles once again.
Jaime Alejandro: I met Zeke… He wasn’t wrong about you. You’re just as much a degenerate as your own dad. The man you hated so much that you wished he was dead on command. He almost was, Issac… He almost was.
He pauses for a brief moment, and then continues.
Jaime Alejandro: The Closet of Mirrors. Nice touch from a sick fuck. Your brother’s grave. Your little slow brother who didn’t have a chance in a town that he was smarter than. Your mother, who threw herself off Cutter’s Bridge. Mideon created you, and it needs to be blown off the map along with Iran. You see, Issac…
Jaime Alejandro holds up a picture of Issac and Saul.
Jaime Alejandro: I know what makes you tick… And I know how to kill the monster. At RISE, I’m going to kill the monster. You want to kill me, Entragian. Nut up, you fucking freak. We end this. We end this, or we end each other. Either one is fine by me. Fuck one more disposable whore, like little Val. Fuck her nice and deep. It’s time for you to experience a WALKING. FUCKING. RIOT.
-Static-
Other Guy: Jaime sounds angrier than ever. He found Mideon? What does that mean?
Eryk Masters: He found where the Pale Rider was from, OG. And he brought proof.
Other Guy: And hatred… Lots of hatred for one man.
Eryk Masters: Will Issac accept Jaime’s challenge, OG? What will his mind frame be like, since he’s in the very next match!?
Other Guy: I don’t know, Eryk. I really don’t.
Eryk Masters: Well ladies and gents, our main event tonight stands out for many reasons. When Patrick Kidd challenged Azrael Goeren to a tag match a few weeks ago, we just assumed that Goeren would team with a fellow Hierarchy member – be it X-Calibur, Baptiste, or even Yuri. But instead what we got was a match made in hell… as he made a pact with the devil himself, deciding upon the Iron Fist Champion, Isaac Entragian, to be his partner.
Other Guy: Which makes things even MORE interesting who Kidd’s partner is. Kidd has held one half of the tag team championships about half a dozen times with about half a dozen different partners. He has forged some classic teams with literally dozens of people over the years, but there is ONE partner out of them all that stands out the most. A man that some have said before we would never see compete in a SHOOT Project ring again. And yet, a man that surprised us ALL when he returned at Revolution 92. That man… is Greyson Blade.
Eryk Masters: It’s a well known fact that Greyson Blade and Patrick Kidd are much like brothers – hence the name Family Values – and with how personal this feud has become between Kidd and Goeren over the custody of Lil’ Mikey, you KNOW Blade would just love to take out some of his aggression on Azrael Goeren.
Other Guy: Not to mention that Greyson has a long and storied history with both Isaac AND Goeren. These four men are very familiar, and through out history one thing has been taught to us time and time again; familiarity breeds classic matches. And when we’re talking about classic matches between THESE four men? We’re also talking about unparalleled levels of violence and destruction.
The crowd goes silent as the Epicenter goes dark and a small cheer breaks out. The opening words of a song can be heard rising through the atmosphere that hasn’t been heard in at least a couple years.
Some call me a loser,
Some call me a cheater,
Some say I’m a selfish
Untalented dreamer
Cause all I try to do
Is keep my dreams alive
Is that so hard to do?
When you’re workin’ nine to five,
I’ve never been born afraid to die,
But I’m afraid to leave behind
The precious life that grows through the sands of time
"Friends & Family" by Trik Turner continues to play and the cheers grow louder and louder until the fans EXPLODE into a crescendo of joy as “The Outlaw” Greyson Blade and Patrick "Crimson" Kidd step out from behind the curtain.
Samantha Coil: The following contest is scheduled for one fall… making their way out to the ring first… weighing in at a combined weight of 520lbs… they are “THE OUTLAW” GREYSON BLADE…. PATRICK “CRIMSON” KIDD… FAMILY VALUES!
Greyson is wearing an old Family Values t-shirt, which he then tosses out into the audience, nearly starting a riot as rabid fans dive for it. Kidd is wearing his usual "The Spirit Never Dies" shirt, handing it to a young fan as he reaches the end of the ramp-way. He then slowly makes his way down the ramp, as both of them look out into the crowd. The two men get into the ring and seem to be discussing some last minute strategy as they await their opponents.
Eryk Masters: I was concerned Greyson might have some ring rust, but if his look right now is any indication, he looks just as built as he was while wrestling in LEGACY. Maybe MORE so.
Other Guy: We’re about to find out if he still has what it takes as here comes their opponents.
Tiamat’s “Sympathy For The Devil” starts to play, and a video begins to broadcast on the SHOOT Video Wall.
Project: SCAR’s Pale Rider emerges from the curtains, wearing a pure white hooded cloak with his head hanging low. The fans bellow out their displeasure as loud as they possibly can.
Samantha Coil: And their opponents… introducing first, from Mideon, Nebraska, weighing in at 320lbs…representing Project: SCAR…he is the current reigning SHOOT PROJECT IRON FIST CHAMPION… THE ALBINO ABOMINATION…ISAAC ENTRAGIAN!
Slowly making his way down the ring, his entrance music is cut off shorter than it normally is as "Sieben" by Subway to Sally cuts through the airwaves like a hot knife through butter. Isaac stops in his tracks and turns to look towards the curtains as the Megastar, his tag team partner for this contest, bursts through them.
Samantha Coil: And his tag team partner… making his way down the ring… from Eberswalde, Germany… weighing in at 215lbs… representing The Hierarchy… THE MEGASTAR… AZRAEL GOEREN!
Azrael approaches the ring apron and holds his arms out wide, playing in to the fans’ absolute hatred for him. Isaac seems amused by Azrael’s mannerisms, but chooses to turn his attention back onto their opponents standing in the ring. Azrael closes his eyes and lifts his head up to the rafters, basking in the Epicenter’s collective loathing. Moments later, he opens his eyes and heads up the steel steps, making his way across the ring apron as Isaac simply lifts a leg up onto the apron and pulls himself up by pulling on the top rope. Once Azrael climbs to the second turnbuckle, he looks back at Isaac standing on the ring apron. Together, they share an awkward glare at one another.
Eryk Masters: I’m reeeeeeeeeeeally curious to see how this plays out. Over/under three minutes before they implode and we’re scraping puddles of Azrael Goeren up off the mat.
Other Guy: Over. WAY the hell over. You underestimate Isaac and Azrael’s coping mechanisms, Eryk. Simply put, if they weren’t the types of competitors to “adapt or die”, they wouldn’t be main eventers in the SHOOT Project.
Eryk Masters: You would think so, but with the Hierarchy and Project: SCAR being the self-serving, egotistical, megalomaniacal bastards that they all are… anything’s possible. There’s just too many wild cards right now to see things conventionally in this match.
Hopping down into the ring, Azrael takes a few steps toward Family Values, while Isaac simply makes his way over to “Project: Hierarchy”’s corner. The moment the bell sounds, Patrick Kidd wastes ZERO time starting things off by charging towards Azrael Goeren, taking him down to the mat with a football tackle! Greyson Blade and Isaac Entragian, however, both step through the ropes and eye one another up from across the ring.
Eryk Masters: Damn! Kidd starting things off in a hurry!
Other Guy But, but… what if Greyson wanted to be first?!
Eryk Masters: Haha. You know, I really don’t think it matters much. They know, as well as everyone else knows, that their time to re-visit their violent past will come in this match.
The fans EXPLODE as Kidd unleashes a flurry of lefts and rights on Goeren; whose only defense is covering up with his forearms. After a good dozen and a half shots, Kidd quickly gets to his feet, roughly dragging Goeren to his. Running to the turnbuckle, Kidd RAMS Goeren face first into the turnbuckle!
And then AGAIN!
Eryk Masters: Listen to this place!
The Epicenter catches on quickly.
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE…
….. WwwwhhhhooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAA – TEN!
Dazing Goeren into an absolute stupor, Kidd grabs him by the sides of his head and whips him around into the turnbuckles! Climbing the ropes, Kidd looks out at the audience with his fist clenched tightly. Seconds later, he starts laying in the fists! Naturally, the raucous crowd counts along…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE…
Kidd winds up the last fist like his last name was Von Erich…
….. WwwwhhhhooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAA – TEN!
Other Guy Holy HELL this crowd is amped!
Eryk Masters: These guys have been at war with one another, both physically and emotionally for MONTHS. They’re ready for Kidd to smack a bitch silly… and to be frank, so am I!
Other Guy Hey! That’s not very nice! Calling Mikey a bitch…
Eryk Masters: Heh… I see what you did there.
With Isaac cursing the crowd and Greyson encouraging Kidd, Kidd holds onto the back of Goeren’s shoulder blades, steps on his knees… and falls back! The rotation of Goeren’s flip sends his jib MASHING flush into the mat!
Eryk Masters: Damn! Absolutely NASTY landing in that monkey flip to Goeren!
Other Guy Jesus, Kidd, give this guy some reprieve, would ya?!
Eryk Masters: You think Goeren would show Kidd any reprieve if it was the other way around? I don’t think so.
Hopping to the middle rope, Patrick Kidd motions for Goeren to get up, and moments later, he does. As Goeren turns around, he looks up at Kidd and immediately calls a time-out.
Eryk Masters: Oh come on already…
Other Guy: You know, Jason Johnson should look into implementing time-outs in wr-
Eryk Masters: Stop.
Ignoring his paltry plea for a break, Kidd flips forward off the turnbuckle with somewhat surprising grace and catches Goeren’s neck with a perfectly timed flipping neckbreaker!
Eryk Masters: Kidd with a blockbuster! Considering Kidd’s history of knee problems, I’m surprised he attempted such a risky move. Then again, considering the emotion running through him in this match, I’m not that surprised at all. Goeren looks to be in trouble here!
Other Guy Look at Isaac, though!
Stepping through the ropes, Isaac stalks his way towards Kidd… who dropkicks Isaac right in the knee! Goeren rolls out of the ring to regroup, and when he does, Isaac falls to one knee, clutching the spot where Kidd dropkicked it. Running into the ropes behind Isaac, Kidd leaps forward off the recoil, clutches Isaac’s head on the way down and BULLDOGS Isaac’s face into his own knee!
Eryk Masters: And the Ghastly Giant goes down!
KIDD….KIDD…KIDD…KIDD…
Other Guy I never thought in a million years I’d see Patrick Kidd taking out Azrael Goeren AND Isaac Entragian… in back to back moves!
Eryk Masters: And yet? Here we are. The crowd loves every bit of it, too.
Much like Goeren did, Isaac rolls out of the ring and the audience continues chanting for Kidd. Goeren and Isaac both meet up with one another on the ramp side of the ring, where they look up into the ring at Patrick Kidd. After conspiring with one another for a moment, they both nod… but out of NOWHERE, each grab one of them grabs an arm from Greyson and PULL him off the edge of the ring apron in a sickening SPLAT!
Eryk Masters: What the HELL?!
Other Guy They just BLINDSIDED The Outlaw!
Holding the back of his neck and back, writhing in pain, Greyson Blade groans as Goeren and Isaac taunt and laugh at the legendary Outlaw. Realizing he needed to do something, Kidd runs into the ring ropes, gains momentum, and FLIES through the ropes towards Goeren and Isaac with a suicide dive…
Other Guy Suicide d- NO!
… in mid-dive, Isaac throws a savage boot up and SMASHES the sole of it right into Kidd’s vulnerable façade!
Eryk Masters: NO! OH… MY GOD! KIDD IS DEAD! KIDD IS FREAKIN’ DEAD!
Other Guy WOW… the way his face not only slammed into Isaac’s boot… but the outside mat as well? Kidd could be in a bad way here.
HO-LEE-SHIT!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
Eryk Masters: His whole body took a jarring bump on the outside mat, too… considering his documented back issues, that CAN’T be good. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a ruptured disc – on TOP of his broken face – after that one.
Satisfied with their cohesive efforts already, Isaac motions for Goeren to go ahead and finish it. Picking Kidd up by the back of his head, he notices his busted lip. Seizing him by his torn lip, Goeren rolls Kidd into the ring and wipes the blood off onto the ring skirt. Hopping up onto the edge of the ring apron; not before peering back in nauseating fashion to the capacity crowd; Goeren climbs through the ropes and into the ring. As Kidd gets up, Goeren sneaks up behind him and sets him up for a Russian Leg-Sweep. Snapping back to the canvas, Goeren does a backward rolling hop to his feet right after the impact in one fluid motion.
Almost setting a bulls-eye on Kidd’s back, Goeren lifts Kidd up into a sitting position and SLAMS a boot directly into the middle of it with a surgically precise, thunderous, and very much TORTUROUS kick! The screams of Patrick Kidd echo through the Epicenter, and Goeren senses an opportunity looming on the very near horizon.
Eryk Masters: Kidd could be seriously injured right now, and that Goeren… he just doesn’t give a damn! What the hell is WRONG with this dude?!
Other Guy Nope. And he never has. Charming quality, no?
Goeren kneels on Kidd’s back with both knees, hooking his head with one arm and Kidd’s legs with the other. Rolling onto his back, Goeren suspends Kidd up on his knees in some kind of makeshift pain-ridden pedestal. Pulling down with both arms while pushing up with the knees, Goeren racks Kidd in a beautifully executed bow and arrow submission!
Eryk Masters: He’s gonna break him in half!
Other Guy Look at the way he’s bending him! That’ll loosen Kidd up better than any analgesic cream could!
Trying to break Kidd across his knees, Goeren SCREAMS for Kidd to quit. Lorenzo checks to see if he wants to submit, and Kidd yells back a resounding “NO!”. Tiring quickly of holding Kidd’s weight up, Goeren strategically shifts Kidd’s weight so that he slips down to the mat, shoulders first. Rolling to his left and on top of Kidd, Goeren grabs a handful of Kidd’s tights! Unfortunately for Lorenzo, he doesn’t see the illicit shenanigans happening!
ONE!
TWO!
THR- Kidd thrashes his legs out like a wild animal, refusing to stay down!
Transitioning into a grounded crucifix position, Goeren wraps his legs in between Kidd’s arms and shoulder blades while his feet flail in the air like an upside down cross. Once again, Lorenzo initiates the pin…
ONE!
TWO!
THR- Kidd shoulders out, but Goeren pulls him back down, trying desperately to end it in speedy fashion!
ONE!
TWO!
THWACK!
Eryk Masters: Greyson breaks it up with a powerful stomp to the back!
Having enough of watching Goeren’s petty attempts to end it, Blade motions towards Isaac as if to say, “Not like that.”. Stepping back outside, Greyson starts clapping his hands together, and soon the crowd rallies behind him!
Sitting up on the mat, Goeren curses under his breath as he rubs the spot where Greyson stomped him, and before long, he’s walking over to Isaac for the tag!
Eryk Masters: Oh God… Isaac is in.
Just as Goeren tags out, Kidd crawls over to Greyson and makes a tag of his own!
Other Guy So is Greyson!
The crowd stands in UNISON as Greyson steps through the ropes! Isaac is ready with a lariat… but Greyson ducks! As soon as Isaac turns around, Greyson peppers him in the face with BIG rights! Rocking Isaac back, he follows it up with even BIGGER lefts! Leaning into the ropes, Greyson grabs Isaac’s arm and attempts to whip him to the other side, but Isaac simply overpowers Greyson and reverses the whip, sending Greyson into the ropes. On the rebound, Greyson SOARS across the ring with a flying shoulder block that nearly folds The Ivory Terror inside out!
Eryk Masters: Just like that, Isaac goes down!
Other Guy Greyson looks PUMPED!
Greyson is up to his feet. Measuring Isaac up as he gets to his, Greyson sidles up next to Isaac, wraps both of his arms around the cadaverous brute and lifts him into the air, slamming him back against the canvas with a CRUSHING Morishima inspired backdrop suplex!
Eryk Masters: Holy MOTHER! Backdrop Suplex! Isaac’s full weight came down on his own neck! He’s got him!
Other Guy I think he knows he has him, too! Look at that smile!
Rolling Isaac over, Greyson hooks a leg in DEEP!
ONE!
TWO!
THR- ISAAC GETS A SHOULDER UP!
Sensing the momentum shifting in Family Values’ favor, Greyson begins pulling Isaac back up to his feet… but Azrael Goeren sneaks in behind him and kicks his leg out from under him!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
As Greyson’s leg buckles, he clutches the back of his knee with a distinct grimace. Isaac is back to his feet now…
Eryk Masters: GOOZLE!
Lifting Greyson up into the air as high as he can in an amazing display of strength, Isaac slams him back down onto the canvas with a chokeslam from the deepest, darkest pits of hell! His forked tongue licking his lips, Isaac wastes no time making the lateral press on his old adversary. Lorenzo is right there…
Eryk Masters: This is it right here…
Other Guy
ONE!
TWO!
THR- GREYSON KICKS OUT!
Looking incredulously at Lorenzo, Isaac cusses under his breath. Still showing signs of affliction from that backdrop suplex, Isaac clutches the back of his head as he brings Greyson up to his feet. SLAPPING Greyson directly in the face, the Four-Story Horror Story grins a nasty, vile grin as he lifts The Outlaw up into a fireman’s carry position.
Eryk Masters: Could Isaac be looking for the Disembowler here.
Other Guy Look at Kidd!
Just as Goeren had done to Isaac, Kidd hops through the ropes and kicks Isaac’s leg out from under him! Isaac loses his grip on Greyson and falls to one knee, allowing Greyson to land safely to his. Then in one amazing feat of strength, Greyson MILITARY PRESSES ISAAC ENTRAGIAN UP INTO THE AIR!!!!
Eryk Masters: HOLY SHIT!!!
Other Guy HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!!
Holding him up for an extended amount of time, the audience, as well as Azrael Goeren, look on STUNNED as Greyson releases Isaac, and in mid-fall catches him into a high-angle front falling power-slam!
Eryk Masters: DEAD MAN’S HAND! WOW!
Other Guy Scary strength right there, folks.
Greyson hooks a leg while letting out a primal war cry, and Lorenzo makes the count as the crowd counts along in unison!
ONE!!!!!
TWO!!!!!
THREE!!!!! NO!!! ISAAC KICKED OUT!!!!!
Eryk Masters: HOW THE HELL DID ISAAC KICK OUT OF THAT?!!!
Other Guy Good GOD… these guys are living, breathing, beasts!!!
Clutching his back, Greyson falls to his knees after trying to get up from the failed pin attempt. Shaking his head, as if he knew he made a mistake, Greyson laughs to himself.
Other Guy Big mistake by Blade right there. It’s his first match back in how long and he’s holding 320lbs men up in the air like they were cruiserweights?!
Eryk Masters: Well, he certainly didn’t have a problem getting him up!
Other Guy No, but it’s obvious that he strained his back trying to KEEP him up.
Eryk Masters: True. Greyson looks pretty hurt right now.
With the Iron Fist Champion rolling onto all fours on dream street, Greyson uses the ropes to help himself up. Holding his lower back, Greyson shakes his head, almost embarrassed that he didn’t think to play it a little smarter against such a mammoth of man like Isaac Entragian. Leaning back in the corner, Greyson shrugs and motions something to the crowd… before hunkering down with a vicious smile on his face.
Eryk Masters: Is he going for the Killshot already?!
Other Guy He hits this and it’s all over. Guaranteed.
Knowing full-well what’s coming, Goeren steps through the ropes and hurries to Isaac’s side, trying to warn him about Greyson’s impending signature move. Bouncing up and down in the turnbuckles with an almost fanatical expression on his face, Greyson Blade prepares to maul a bitch dead. As soon as he gets up to his feet, Isaac rolls away as Greyson CHARGES out of the corner like a runaway freight train…
… unfortunately for Azrael Goeren though, he didn’t roll away and takes the FULL BRUNT OF THE KILLSHOT SPEAR!!!!
Eryk Masters: KILLSHOT!!!! KILLSHOT!!! KILLSHOT!!!
Other Guy AZRAEL IS DEAD!!!! AND THE EPICENTER JUST COLLECTIVELY PISSED ITS PANTS!!!!!
Realizing that he didn’t connect with his intended target, Greyson re-focuses on Isaac Entragian, WHO CHARGES IN AND CONNECTS WITH A NASTY BICYCLE KICK TO THE FACE!!!!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Eryk Masters: BERSERKER KICK!!!!
Other Guy GREYSON IS OUT!!!!
Eryk Masters: WHAT ARE YOU DOING, KIDD?!
Realizing the match would be possibly OVER if Isaac made the pin attempt, Patrick Kidd shows an incredible amount of determination by coming into the ring and throwing stiff punches and kicks at Isaac! Barely feeling the effects of them, Isaac pie-faces Kidd away from him and into the ropes. As soon as Kidd returns…. ISAAC CATCHES HIM WITH A SPEAR OF HIS OWN!!!
Eryk Masters: CORRUPTION TO KIDD!!! SWEET ROMAN OSTRICHES, THIS ONE IS OUT OF HAND!!!!
With Goeren, Blade, and Kidd all down and seemingly out of it, Isaac stands tall to a round of heavy boos. Ignoring their disgruntled reaction to his unhinged carnage, Isaac drops down and hooks a leg!!
ONE!!!!
TWO!!!!!!
THREE!!!!!!! NO!!!!!! GREYSON KICKS OUT AT THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND!!!!!
Eryk Masters: I’m not gonna have a damn VOICE tonight!!! Jesus Christ that was close!!!
Other Guy Looks like Kidd bought Greyson enough time to kick out of the Berserker Kick. But in the process, he ate that Corruption spear of his. Little more than he probably bargained for, I think.
THIS IS AWE-SOME!!!
Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.
THIS IS AWE-SOME!!!
Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.
Frustrated that he wasn’t able to keep Greyson down long enough, Isaac gets to his feet and starts measuring Greyson up the same way Greyson had measured him up moments ago. Back to the turnbuckle, Isaac mocks Greyson’s Killshot mannerisms from earlier and bounces up and down in the corner with malicious intent.
Eryk Masters: Man, this is turning into a game of “I can do it better than you.”.
Other Guy And I’d say it’s dead even right now.
Slowly getting to his feet, Greyson turns towards Isaac, who begins lunging out of the corner. But before he can lower his shoulder for the spear, Greyson actually shows some impressive agility and leap frogs over Isaac… unintentionally allowing Isaac to plow ahead with full contact right into Tony Lorenzo.
Eryk Masters: Oh no…. Isaac just… just speared the bejesus out of Tony Lorenzo.
The impact of the spear from the seven-foot Mastodon flips Lorenzo completely over, causing him to awkwardly land on his neck. The concerned look of Greyson is obvious, and for a moment even Isaac seems troubled by decimating Lorenzo so badly. However, Isaac’s concern is short-lived as he sets his sights back on Greyson. Isaac motions for Greyson to try and spear him again, but Greyson shakes his head, thinking better of the situation.
THWAAAAACK!
Before Blade even realized it, Goeren sneaks up behind him with a chair and SMASHES him right in the thick of his back. Sending Blade down to one knee, Goeren winds up the chair again and hammers it down into the Outlaw’s spine!
Eryk Masters: That damn Goeren! Of COURSE he’s going to take advantage of that disgusting spear to Lorenzo!
Looking proud of himself, Goeren motions at Isaac to finish the job… but Isaac simply points behind Goeren, who immediately freezes in place.
Other Guy LOOK AT KIDD!
Unbeknownst to Goeren, Kidd sneaks around to his side of the ring and hops up onto the ring apron! Before Goeren can even do anything after the warning from Isaac, Kidd latches on a sleeper hold!!
Eryk Masters: Hahaha! YES! A friggin’ SLEEPER!
Other Guy Great Poseidon’s trident! Patrick Kidd goin’ all OLD SCHOOL OUTLAW right now!
Goeren’s arms absolutely flail, causing him to immediately drop the steel chair! Reaching for the ropes, Goeren calls out for someone to help him, but no one is in the vicinity as Isaac is getting Greyson to his feet. Latching onto the ropes, Goeren screams for Kidd to let go… but he refuses!
Other Guy One, two, three, four, five, six, se- c’mon Kidd! Break the hold already! You should be DQ’d!
Eryk Masters: No ref! No breaky breaky!
Finally having enough of watching the Hierarchy member suffer through the sleeper hold, Isaac takes his attention away from the hurting Greyson Blade, and sets his sights on Kidd. Reaching over Goeren, Isaac swings a massive right fist right into Kidd’s cranium and sends him flying through the middle rope… but Kidd’s refusal to let go of the hold brings Goeren tumbling out with him!
As Isaac peers down at the chaos below, Greyson shakes the cobwebs and sets his sights on the distracted Isaac. The moment Isaac turns around, Greyson lunges forward with a clothesline, sending his massive frame over the top rope and to the outside, landing on Goeren and Kidd!
Finally letting go of the sleeper hold after Isaac crash lands into both he and Goeren, Kidd stands up from the mess and reaches into the ring, grabbing the steel chair. Looking up at Greyson, Kidd motions for him to do something. Nodding at Kidd, he watches Kidd hold the steel chair in front of Goeren’s face. Leaning back into the ropes, Blade propels himself forward, gaining just enough momentum to allow himself to slide under the bottom rope with a HUGE baseball slide, SMASHING right into the metal seating of the steel chair and crushing Goeren’s face in the process!
Eryk Masters: OHHHHHHHH!!!!
Other Guy CHAIR ASSISTED BASEBALL SLIDE RIGHT INTO GOREN’S MUG!
Looking out at the crowd, Patrick Kidd motions something to them and moments later he starts searching underneath the ring. Soon… he withdraws a huge table and the crowd LOSES IT.
Other Guy What the hell is he thinking here?! This isn’t a hardcore match! Where’s another ref already?! These guys are gonna kill themselves out here!
Eryk Masters: Lorenzo hasn’t MOVE since that spear.
Setting up the table so that it rests just beside the ring apron opposite the ramp-way, Kidd goes to throw Goeren on it, but a newly standing Isaac grabs Kidd by his neck and GOOZLES him for a choke slam! Lifting him high into the air, Isaac goes to slam him through the table… but Kidd escapes and slips behind Isaac! Grabbing him by his massive waist, Kidd deftly rolls backwards into a backwards rolling old school roll-up, effectively tripping Isaac up and taking him down to the thin outside mats. But as soon as he pops up to his feet, a newly standing, newly busted open Azrael Goeren greets Kidd with a clean chair shot right to the face!
Eryk Masters: SHIT! Kidd just took a damn chair shot from HELL! Ugh, that was SIIIICK……
Other Guy There’s that receipt for the chair assisted baseball slide… and now we have ourselves a good old-fashioned hardcore street fight on our hands!
Looking down at Kidd, who collapsed to his knees before falling face first into the outside mat, Goeren raises the chair and adds another chair shot, this time connecting with Kidd’s back! And then another… and then ANOTHER!
Eryk Masters: Somebody stop this!
Other Guy Look, here comes Willie Dean!
SPRINTING down the ring, Willie Dean makes it to the ring where he then kneels down to check on Lorenzo. Motioning to the back with the “X“ symbol, Lorenzo calls for a medical team.
Eryk Masters: It’s not looking good at all for Tony.
Before Goeren can smash the chair again into Kidd, Blade reaches through the ropes and grabs the chair, RIPPING it out of the Megastar’s hands! Throwing it aside, Blade then grabs Goeren by the sides of his head and pulls him OVER the wooden table Kidd set up, and onto the ring apron. With the ropes situated between them, Greyson clutches Goeren him into a half-nelson. Lifting up, Greyson flips Goeren up and over and back into the ring with a release half-nelson suplex!
Eryk Masters: Goeren brought back into the ring the HARD WAY!
Bringing the bloodied and battered Goeren back to his feet, Greyson throws Goeren into the ropes. On the rebound, Greyson lifts the much lighter Goeren up into a military press slam! But rather than holding him up for any extended period of time, Greyson lets Goeren fall across his shoulders… AND SNAPS TO THE CANVAS WITH A SCINTILLATING SAMOAN DROP!!!
Eryk Masters: OUTLAW DROP!!!!!
Other Guy He just about CRUSHED Goeren with it!!!
Making the cover, Greyson looks at Willie Dean to administer the count…. But Willie Dean waves it off, shaking his head and pointing out at the ring towards Isaac!
Other Guy That’s right! Goeren’s not even the legal man here! Amidst all the chaos that’s happened, I forgot all about who the legal men are!
Eryk Masters: As much as I’d LOVE to see Goeren lose here, Dean made the right call. Kudos to him for keeping a close eye on the monitors back there!
Shaking his head, disappointment etched onto his face, Blade stands back up. Looking outside the ring, he nearly stops in his tracks when he sees Isaac standing back up after searching for something under the ring much like Kidd previously did. In the Albino Abomination’s hands… is a large sack.
Eryk Masters: Oh no…
Other Guy Is that…
Untying the drawstring, Isaac opens the velvet sack and carefully empties hundreds and hundreds of sharp metal thumb tacks onto the wooden table Kidd set up. Carefully combing his hand over them, he spreads them out on the table before whipping the bag down onto Kidd, who hasn’t moved since the sickening chair shot from Goeren.
Eryk Masters: This match is out of control! Chairs? Tables? Tacks?
Other Guy Yes, yes, and YES.
Sliding back into the ring, Isaac stands up, and grabbing Goeren by the end of his boot he slides him away from the center of the ring and into the corner, out of harm’s way. On the outside, Kidd finally stirs… his face a crimson mask as much as Goeren’s is. Crawling towards the steel steps, Kidd forces himself to his feet, gaining a rousing ovation from the Epicenter!
As Kidd stumbles his way over to Family Values’ side of the ring, Isaac looks out at him, shaking his head in disgust. Greyson meanwhile, looks right at Isaac and charges forward, PLOWING Isaac all the way back into the turnbuckles!
He drives a vicious shoulder into Isaac’s abdomen!
And then another!
And then ANOTHER!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE…
….. WwwwhhhhooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAA –
Greyson stops, turns his back on Isaac, walks a few paces towards the center of the ring… and then turns around for one final MASSIVE shoulder charge!
– TEN!
Eryk Masters: Hahaha. I love this crowd!
Other Guy God bless Miami for challenging crowd’s across the country to do better.
Eryk Masters: Amen to that!
Isaac slumps to his ass in the corner, and Greyson Blade retreats to the turnbuckles parallel to the turnbuckle Isaac is slumped on. Measuring up the Ivory Terror, Greyson charges forward, and at the last possible second, he BLASTS a boot across Isaac’s face with a devastating face-washer turnbuckle kick!
Eryk Masters: Holy shit! I just saw a tooth go flying!
Other Guy Yeah, I think Greyson just kicked a tooth right out of Isaac’s head! That’s nasty!
Isaac clutches at his face, groaning audibly as a bit of blood spews out from his mouth. Rolling around the ring, clearly in pain, Isaac reaches out to Azrael Goeren, who has FINALLY made it to his feet on the apron… and slaps him in the nuts!
Other Guy By the sweat of Apollo’s taint… what the hell was that?!
Eryk Masters: HAHAHAHA!! Was that… a tag?!
Willie Dean motions to Greyson that it was indeed a tag. The Epicenter fills with laughter as Goeren doubles over, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head! Falling between the middle and top rope, Goeren tumbles into the ring. But before Greyson can seize him, Kidd nearly topples over the top rope and into the ring reaching out to smack his tag team partner on the back for the impromptu tag!
Eryk Masters: Looks like Kidd DESPERATELY wants some more of Goeren!
Other Guy Not sure that was a smart idea. All Blade needed to do was drop a leg and pin him.
With a bad knee, bad back, bleeding forehead, and an arm clutching at his ribs, Kidd hobbles unstably towards Goeren. And Goeren, with a mask covered in crimson, and a hand on his throbbing privates, gets on his knees and puts his hands up. BEGGING Kidd to stay away.
Azrael Goeren: Don’t… don’t do this…
Patrick Kidd: GET UP AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!
The crowd goes CRAZY for Kidd’s intestinal fortitude… but are quickly quieted when Goeren grabs Kidd by his tights and trips him up throat first on the middle rope!
Eryk Masters: You can’t get too close or underestimate this guy… he’s a MASTER at underhanded tactics.
Other Guy And Kidd just found that out the hard way.
Exhausted, limping, and clearly in all sorts of pain, Goeren reaches down and drags Kidd to the center of the ring. Wrapping Kidd’s feet up into a Rivera styled cloverleaf, the crowd grows into a wild panic, realizing what’s coming next. Blood pouring down his face, Goeren smiles out into the audience upon receiving a deafening chorus of boos. Then, as if savoring this moment, he slowly turns over Kidd over into his trademark submission hold.
Other Guy The Officially Licensed Azrael Goeren Cloverleaf! This baby’s over!!
Eryk Masters: Ugh… if Azrael Goeren gets Patrick Kidd to TAP? I may vomit.
Wrenching the hold back as far as he can, Goeren screams at Kidd to tap while the crowd tries to rally for their stricken hero. Dean checks to see if has had enough, but the Crimson One refuses adamantly with a loud “NO!”. Pulling back as much as he can, Goeren continues taunting Kidd, all-the-while looking out into the sea of screaming fans who are hoping beyond hope that Patrick Kidd can pull out of this painful predicament.
Other Guy This isn’t looking good for Patrick Ki-
Eryk Masters: LOOK!
Digging his fists into the mat with great determination, Kidd Pushes up on the mat… and rises, sending Goeren face first into the mat!
Other Guy HE BROKE THE GOREN CLOVERLEAF! HOW THE HELL DID HE MANAGE TO DO THAT?!
Eryk Masters: WHAT IS BLADE DOING?!
As soon as the hold is broken and both competitors lay there a tangled mess, it is Greyson Blade that decides to take the initiative to enter the ring. Hunkering down, Greyson begins measuring up Isaac, who is slowly getting up to his feet on the edge of the ring apron. Isaac tries shaking away the cobwebs left by that nasty corner face-washing kick, but by the time he finally stands up and looks forward… it is far too late.
Charging at the Albino Abomination… GREYSON CONNECTS WITH A MASSIVE SPEAR THROUGH THE ROPES THAT SENDS ISAAC CRASHING INTO THE THUMB-TACK LITTERED TABLE BELOW!!!
Other Guy KILLSHOT!!!!! KILLSHOT!!! A FUCKING KILLSHOT THROUGH THE TABLE AND THUMB TACKS!!!!
Eryk Masters: OH GOD!!!! THERE’S WOOD AND TACKS EVERYWHERE!!!!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
HO-LEE-SHIT!
Greyson and Isaac lie motionless in the wreckage, writhing in pain from the wood splinters and tacks that pierce multiple parts of their exposed flesh. Patrick Kidd lifts his head up, looking outside at the ruins his tag team partner left behind with that massive Killshot spear.
THIS IS AWE-SOME!!!
Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.
THIS IS AWE-SOME!!!
Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.
From this he draws the motivation to reach down and re-position Goeren’s legs from the Rivera styled cloverleaf, into an STF. But instead of turning around, Kidd bridges his body backward with great agility and locks his hands underneath the chin of the MegaStar!
Eryk Masters: MUTA LOCK!!! KIDD WITH A MUTA STYLED STF HOLD!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Pulling up underneath Goeren’s chin while simultaneously pulling his legs back with the weight of his body, Kidd screams at Goeren to tap!
Patrick Kidd: TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!
Azrael Goeren: AARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!
Patrick Kidd: I SAID TAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!!! TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!!!!
Blood POURS out of Goeren’s face just as much as it pours out of Kidd’s. Both of their faces are bound by blood at their temples, with Kidd’s facing the rafters and Goeren’s facing the mat. Goeren screams in agony as the crimson flows into his own mouth. The more time that passes, the more Kidd applies the pressure in this exquisitely performed submission hold. Both men screaming for very different reasons… Willie Dean kneels down in front of Goeren to ask if he wants to give up. With his tag team partner buried beneath rubble outside the ring, Azrael Goeren reaches his hand out for the ropes… but they’re nowhere in sight!
Patrick Kidd: I. SAID. TAP!!!! TAP, DAMN YOU!!! TAP!!!
Out of nowhere, X-CALIBUR comes waltzing out from the back to a MASSIVE round of boos. SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship draped across his shoulder.
Eryk Masters: No…. NO! What the HELL?! What the HELL is HE doing out here?!
Other Guy Considering the Hierarchy’s involvement in this match, I’m not surprised at ALL to see him out here.
Eryk Masters: This… this could be bad. REALLY bad.
Unbeknownst to X-Calibur appearing at the top of the ramp, Patrick Kidd continues to apply pressure with the Muta Lock. X-Calibur calmly walks down the ramp and around the corner to the side where Azrael Goeren is facing.
As Goeren looks up, he sees X-Calibur staring right back at him with his arms folded. Shaking his head, X simply mouths, “No.”
Goeren fights it as best he can.
“No. Don’t do it..”, he continues to mouth at his Hierarchy comrade.
Screaming… scratching… clawing… nearly breaking his finger nails to try and escape, a whimper escapes Azrael Goeren’s mouth as he becomes resigned to his fate. Slapping the mat repeatedly, Azrael Goeren taps out. The audience ERUPTS as Willie Dean finally calls for the bell, allowing Kidd to collapse an exhausted mess.
Samantha Coil: Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of this match by submission… at a time of 53 Minutes and 24 Seconds… PATRICK KIDD… GREYSON BLADE….. FAMILYYYYYYYYYYYY VAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALUUUUUUUUUUES!!!!
Shaking his head, X-Calibur simply turns around and leaves. Looking up for a moment to see Patrick Kidd having his hand raised… he disappears behind the curtain as quietly as he crept out.
Eryk Masters: What the hell is going on here? What was THAT all about?!
Other Guy I don’t know, but I do know what KIDD is doing!
Having collapsed to the side, Kidd looks down at all the blood stains. As Willie Dean kneels down to raise his hand, Kidd shakes him off. Like a man possessed, Kidd hunkers down into the ear of Goeren…
Patrick Kidd: That’s… not… good enough.
Still hunkered down by Goeren’s ear, Kidd continues yelling.
Patrick Kidd: ADMIT IT, GOEREN!!
Goeren shakes his head as he tries to get up to his knees.
Patrick Kidd: ADMIT IT!!! You don’t DESERVE… to be a Father!!
Goeren takes a lazy swing at Kidd, but Kidd grabs his fist and stops it.
Patrick Kidd: YOU… WILL… ADMIT IT!!!! ADMIT IT!!!! YOU DON’T DESERVE HIM!!!
Pushing Goeren back down, Kidd re-positions Goeren’s legs once again for the inverted STF. Bridging backwards and clutching underneath Goeren’s jaw, Kidd re-applies the Muta Lock! The audience roars like crazy as Kidd wrenches in the hold even tighter than before. SCREAMING at Goeren the entire time!
Patrick Kidd: ADMIT IT!!!! ADMIIIIIIIIIT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!!!
Azrael Goeren: NO!!!! ARRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!! N-N-NEVER!!!
He puts so much torque onto Goeren’s leg that an audible POPPING sound can be heard.
Patrick Kidd: ADMIT IT YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!! YOU DON’T DESERVE HIM!!!!!! MIKEY DESERVES BETTER!!!!!!
Eryk Masters: Oh…. My God. Kidd has…. Kidd has, well, LOST IT.
Other Guy I just heard something snap in there… other than something from Goeren’s anatomy!
Whimpering once again, tears… blood… and the pains of truth all fall from Goeren’s face as he taps the mat and SCREAMS out in complete and utter torture.
Azrael Goeren: I….. I ADMIT IT….. ARGGGGGGGH……… LET GO….. AHHHHHHHHHHH… TAKE HIM!!!!!! TAKE HIM, TAKE HIM, TAAAAAKE HIIIIIIM!!!!!! TAKE MIKEY!!!!! YOU WIN!!!!!
As the fans watch on – some cheering madly while others it in stunned silence – Patrick Kidd immediately lets go of the Muta Lock. Kidd sits on his knees for a moment, before allowing Dean to help him up. FINALLY, Kidd has his hand raised, and the Epicenter becomes unglued once again.
Eryk Masters: I think it’s safe to say that this thing between Azrael Goeren and Patrick Kidd is… well, over. Kidd just took months… YEARS of frustration out on Azrael Goeren.
Other Guy That look on his face as he tried to rip Az’s body apart… chilling, dude. I don’t want to EVER see that look again.
As a medical team comes pouring out from the back to check on Greyson Blade and Isaac Entragian, Kidd closes his eyes with both of his hands raised. A single tear falls down Kidd’s cheek.
When he opens his eyes again, despite the blood pouring out of his face and the pain coursing through his entire body… a smile escapes his lips.
Fade to black.
