A pinkish hue settles over The Epicenter, and the Las Vegas crowd responds with a hugely favorable reaction. "Whatever Gets You Through Today" by The Radio begins to blare out of the arena speakers, and it’s not long before the reigning Sin City Champion steps out from behind the curtains to gaze out at the crowd.
Another wave of adulation travels through the arena, prompting Laura to nod her head and favor the SHOOT fanbase with a warm smile. The young woman is wearing a replica basketball uniform; complete with a white and pink jersey, baggy basketball style shorts, and white boots trimmed with pink.
Seton’s hair is tied back into a ponytail, and as she spins in a circle to see all sides of the crowd, we notice that the words "PG PRINCESS" are printed on the back of her jersey. Laura offers the crowd another smile, and then she slaps a hand against the Sin City Championship that she has draped over one shoulder.
Eryk Masters: SHOOT Project’s lioness, OG. This young woman is one of the most promising athletes we have on the roster, and if you don’t believe me, just take a look at that Sin City gold.
Other Guy: She’s talented as hell, that’s for damn sure. If you want agility and quickness, then this is your girl. And as we’ve seen in the past, this kitty has claws…
Eryk Masters: There’s no shortage of love for Laura Seton in The Epicenter tonight. She’s one of the most popular wrestlers to ever compete in the company…the fans practically fry our headsets whenever they get even a glimpse of her!
The PG Princess starts to make her way down the ramp, pausing at intervals to slap hands with as many fans as she possibly can. She finally reaches the ring apron, stopping for a moment to hand off the Sin City belt to an official before entering the ring.
Laura begins to stretch while awaiting her opponent, using the top rope as a base to stretch out her leg muscles and warm them up.
The pink lighting fades away, only to be replaced by the total absence of light. The darkness reigns for a few moments, and then a blindingly white spotlight falls at the top of the ramp. "Sympathy For The Devil" by Tiamat starts to play over the loudspeakers, and The Epicenter responds with a raucous negative reaction.
Isaac Entragian bursts out from behind the curtains in all of his seven foot glory, standing beneath the spotlight with a murderous grin playing across his lips. He’s bare-chested, his massive arms and upper body decorated in a variety of black ink tattoos and crisscrossed scar tissue. Serpents tattoos twine down his arms, looping together at his wrists. A pair of leering skulls can be found inked into both pectoral muscles, and between them is a jagged scar that trails all the way down to Isaac’s belly button.
His white hair is swept back from his head, a wild mane of ivory locks. The blood-stained Iron Fist Championship is locked around his waist, gleaming in the harsh illumination provided by the spotlight.
Eryk Masters: Ladies and gentlemen, behold your Iron Fist Champion. Three hundred plus pounds of dementia and scorching rage. If you want my opinion, when it comes to SHOOT Project’s bad apples…it gets no worse than this man.
Other Guy: I figured I’d be used to seeing him by now, but I still get chills every time this guy walks into The Epicenter.
Entragian starts to stalk down the ramp, pausing every few moments to bark obscenities at fans. Isaac reaches the ring apron, but then he notices a small boy in the crowd waving a sign drawn up in bright crayon colors. It reads "MILK & COOKIES" along with a crudely drawn basketball hoop.
Isaac snatches this sign out of the little lad’s hand, and he crumples it up into a ball. The albino backs up a step, and then he throws the paper ball upwards…and gravity brings it down to smack against the little boy’s sweaty face, forcing out a surprised squeal.
Entragian: He shoots…..he SCORES!
Eryk Masters: Just…vile. He has no respect for the fans…he has no respect for anyone but himself.
Other Guy: I’m sure that kid will have nightmares tonight.
Isaac chuckles, looking back at Seton in the ring, seeing a look of stark disapproval on her face. The Ivory Terror climbs up onto the apron, and he steps over the top rope to enter the ring.
He makes a beeline to the closest turnbuckle, proceeding to climb up to the second rope. Isaac unsnaps the Iron Fist title from around his waist, and he swings it up into the air with one pallid hand for all the world to see.
Entragian then hops down from the buckles, turning to face his adversary for the night. Laura remains in her corner for the moment, staring daggers into the albino.
Samantha Coil steps to the center of the ring while bringing a microphone up to her lips.
Samantha Coil: Ladies and gentlemen, the following match will be contested for THE IRON FIST CHAMPIONSHIP! The only way to win is to incapacitate your opponent for a TEN COUNT!
Samantha turns to Laura’s corner before continuing.
Samantha Coil: Introducing first, she is the SIN CITY CHAMPION, hailing from Oshkosh, Wisconsin…she weighs in at 175lbs, THE PG PRINCESS….LAURA SETON!!!
A wave of cheering travels through the crowd, and Laura nods while shaking out her arms and warming up.
Samantha Coil: Introducing second, he is the reigning IRON FIST CHAMPION, hailing from Mideon, Nebraska…he weighs in at 320lbs, representing PROJECT: SCAR….THE IVORY TERROR, ISAAC ENTRAGIAN!!!
With the fans showering Isaac in jeers, he takes the Iron Fist title in both hands and raises it high over his head, his poisonous eyes glowering at Laura the entire time. Isaac then hands the title over to an official, backing up into his own corner and preparing to start things off.
Before the match can begin though, "E. T" by Katy Perry starts to play overhead, and Dan Stein appears at the top of the ramp. Stein saunters down to the ring without a care in the world, pausing at the apron to offer Laura a quick wink.
The Lights then makes his way over to the commentary table, hunkering down next to Other Guy and Eryk Masters while adjusting a headset overtop his ears.
Eryk Masters: Well it seems we’ve been joined here on commentary by Dan Stein, ladies and gents. Any particular reason you’re out here, Dan?
Stein kicks his feet up onto the commentary table and leans back with his arms crossed behind his head before answering.
Dan Stein: A bit of scouting, Masters. You should feel privileged that the "Sexiest in SHOOT" is sitting in close proximity to yourself.
Other Guy: Keeping a close eye on Laura, are you Dan?
Dan Stein: That’s the idea. The plan is to get comfortable and watch this big pale freak stomp the Cookies and sour the Milk. Wouldn’t miss that for the world…
With both competitors ready to go, the bell rings with a loud clang, signally that we are OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY!
Isaac moves in first, but Laura doesn’t shy away from meeting him…she goes directly up to The Ivory Terror and begins to light him up with knife-edge chops across the chest. Slowly but surely, Isaac gets driven back to the ropes as Laura continues with the tenacious assault.
Milk & Cookies manages to force Isaac’s back up against the ropes, and from there she attempts an irish whip, but Isaac reverses it in the very center of the ring. Laura bounces off the ropes, and Entragian looks to take her head off with a clothesline, but she ducks underneath at the last moment. Entragian spins back around to try a different tactic, but Laura is right there, and she leaps skyward and sends a textbook dropkick right into the fanged maw of the Iron Fist Champion.
Isaac is thrown to the canvas from the impact, and he holds a hand against his mouth while looking up at Laura with disbelief. Laura just nods while the crowd roars in support of her.
Other Guy: Laura Seton starting this match off like a bolt of lightning streaking through the sky. Quick, nimble, and devastating…
Eryk Masters: Laura is going with what brought her to the dance, and as you can see, it’s working for her. The expression on Isaac’s face says it all….he knows not to underestimate her…
Dan Stein: She’s just delaying the inevitable…
Laura moves in to continue the assault, but Isaac rises up from his knees and literally jacks her jaw with a bone-crunching uppercut. Laura staggers backwards, and Isaac follows her in, proceeding to slam hard lefts and rights into Laura’s abdomen. She begins to cough, and the official jumps in and has to actually pull Entragian away from the turnbuckle….but not before Isaac leaps back into the fray and sends a MASSIVE kick right into Laura’s crotch.
Laura’s eyes bulge, his mouth pulling down into a pained rictus, and she cringes back against the turnbuckles with both hands on her lower belly. Isaac finally backs off. Laura stares at him, eyes wide with anguish. Now it’s Isaac’s turn to nod and grin.
Eryk Masters: And that…is what brought Isaac Entragian to the dance. Raw power mingled with blood-thirsty viciousness. If you want one word to describe this man, that word would be "lethal."
Other Guy: Very unorthodox kick from Isaac. Seems to have caught Laura totally off guard. And it’s all legal too…
Dan Stein: I believe that’s what they call a "cunt punt."
Laura finally recovers, coming away from the buckles while raising her hands up for a grapple, and Isaac humors her by locking up with her. Entragian starts to bull her across the ring towards the ropes, but Laura quickly shoots around him and locks her arms around his waist. She pulls backwards while grimacing, but Isaac is firmly planted and he’s not going anywhere, and he pauses only to pump an elbow into Laura’s face.
She’s knocked back a step, but when Entragian goes for a big right hand, Laura drops down to a split against the canvas and sends a surprising right cross into Isaac’s jaw. Entragian stumbles back into the ropes, and Laura pops right back up to her feet.
Other Guy: The Splits!
Eryk Masters: This young woman is so athletic; it’s hard to not be impressed with her.
Dan Stein: Actually, I find it’s super easy to not be impressed with her…
Entragian snarls, momentarily enraged, and he runs towards Laura and goes for another clothesline, but Laura flips herself backwards in a matrix-like maneuver and avoids the contact entirely. She flips right back up and spins around, but Isaac bounces off the ropes and LEAPS, sending a MONSTER bicycle kick into Laura’s upturned face.
Her body flies backwards and rolls following the impact, and as the cameras zoom in we see that first blood has been drawn, a small trickle running down from Laura’s bottom lip.
Eryk Masters: Isaac connects with Mark Of The Beast. It’s painful just to watch him hit someone with that kick…
Laura lies there against the canvas, momentarily stunned, and Isaac takes that moment to roll out of the ring. He digs under the apron, and when he remerges, he’s holding a basketball.
Eryk Masters: Now what in the hell in this?
Entragian rolls back into the ring, and he dribbles the basketball against the canvas a few times. Laura starts to stir, pushing up to her hands and knees while turning to look at Entragian.
Entragian: Wanna play a quick game of H.O.R.S.E? You got the face for it, babe!
Entragian then hauls off and THROWS the basketball at Laura’s face as hard as he possibly can. She tries to get her hands up in time, but the surprise tactic wins out and the basketball smashes directly into Laura’s nose. She’s knocked right back down, and we see blood starting to drip down from her nostrils now.
Dan Stein: HAH!
Eryk Masters: Can you make a note of how much I hate Isaac Entragian, OG?
Other Guy: Sure thing. Last time I checked he was right between X-Calibur and Corazon on your hate list.
Eryk Masters: Move him up one spot, please.
Entragian falls down to the canvas and embraces Laura, proceeding to snatch her up by the head and grapevine his huge legs around her. The Iron Fist Champion then falls back to the canvas while constricting Laura’s body like a burmese python, and immediately her arms begin to pinwheel with desperation.
Other Guy: Guillotine choke. Interesting to see Isaac use this maneuver…there are no submission victories in an Iron Fist title match.
Eryk Masters: Dan, you’re a 2-time Iron Fist Champion. How smart is this strategy Isaac is using?
Dan Stein: It’s definitely one way to get the job done. If he chokes her out, then she’s not going to be able to answer a ten count, and that spells the end for the PG Princess.
Laura struggles against Isaac’s weight, her face taking on a dark, unhealthy shade. Her hands scratch against the canvas, and Isaac just grinds his arm deeper under Laura’s throat, his bicep like a carved piece of moonstone.
After a few more moments of struggle, Laura’s body becomes still in Isaac’s arms. Entragian maintains the choke a bit longer just to be sure, and then he disentangles himself from Laura’s motionless body and rises up to his feet.
He looks over at the official, and he points to Laura’s prone form. Willie Dean starts in with the count.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
Laura rolls onto her back, her eyelids starting to flutter.
SIX!
Realizing she’s in trouble, Laura grabs the middle rope and pulls herself up to her feet. Entragian grimaces, and surprisingly Laura walks right up to him and bumps her chest into his.
Isaac stares down into her face, smirking, and Laura mouths the words "hit me." Entragian shrugs, then he rears back and sends a hook punch into the side of Laura’s face. She reels back, one hand going up to the corner of her mouth. She nods, then steps right back up gets into his face once more, mouthing "hit me again!"
Eryk Masters: Brave girl. That lion heart must be pumping some hot blood through her veins…
Entragian snarls, and this time he RAMS an uppercut into the shelf of Laura’s jaw with all of the force he can muster. Laura staggers back, seems about to steady herself, and then she falls with a dull thud, her body unmoving.
Entragian chuckles, nodding his head at the official, and he starts the count again.
Other Guy: This may turn out to be the shortest Iron Fist title match in history…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Laura starts to get up, shaking her head from side to side to drive the cobwebs away.
Isaac goes in to renew his assault, but Seton hops up to her feet and starts to blast european uppercuts into Isaac’s throat and jaw. This knocks the big man off balance for a moment, and Laura takes that opening to grab Isaac by the head and drop down to the canvas while extending both legs outward with a modified jawbreaker.
Entragian stumbles backwards, doubled over with both hands wrapped around the bottom of his face…and Laura pops right back up and locks an arm around Issac’s thick neck and PLANTS him against the canvas with a reverse DDT.
Eryk Masters: And the earth shook with his fall! The champion is DOWN. Beautiful succession of moves from Laura, and she capped it off with her Gold Medal DDT.
Dan Stein: Do all of her moves have boring names? *yawn*
Laura bounces over to a turnbuckle, and she motions for Willie Dean to administer the ten count.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
Entragian climbs dutifully back up to his feet, his filed fangs gritted together as he stares holes through the PG Princess.
Other Guy: It’s gonna take a whole lot more than that, Laura. This is Entragian we’re talking about…
Dan Stein: A tactical nuke might do it….or maybe Laura should try making him a sandwich as a peace offering. That’s all she’s good for anyways…
Laura runs forward and leaps at Isaac, but she’s CAUGHT, and Entragian spins her around in midair and smashes the Sin City champ into the canvas with a 360 degree side slam. Laura lands hard, rolling to her side while coughing.
Eryk Masters: Fangbanger!
Other Guy: Laura looks like she’s struggling not to puke up her milk and cookies right about now…
Isaac pushes back up the canvas, and from there he just starts to stomp the shit out of Laura. He focuses his stomps on her torso, then her arms, and finally he sends his last brutal stomp right down into her face. The blood from Laura’s nose starts to flow yet again, and this time it oozes out even faster than before.
Entragian then reaches down, cradles Laura’s head, and helps her up to her feet. The moment she’s vertical, Isaac hits the ropes and SLAMS a high knee into Laura’s upper chest. The impact spins Laura back down to her knees, and Isaac responds by wrapping Laura’s neck up in one big arm, and then he dead lifts her body high up into the air.
He pauses in the center of the ring, supporting the weight of the PG Princess and allowing the blood to rush to her head. Blood from her nose drips out to fall against Isaac’s white hair, but he doesn’t even notice. After a moment’s hesitation, he falls backwards and CRUSHES Seton’s frame against the mat.
Other Guy: Now THAT is how you perform a stalling vertical suplex, right there. Isaac is seven feet tall, so poor Laura must have felt like she was strapped into some kind of horrible carnival ride during that move…
Dan Stein: It was pretty good. I could do it way better though…
Eryk Masters: Well why don’t you climb up into the ring and give Isaac a few pointers then, Mr. Expert?
Dan Stein: And forsake this comfy leather chair? Not likely…
Entragian calls to Willie Dean, and the referee starts in with his ten count.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
Laura starts to push up to her hands and knees, but then she collapses right back down.
SIX!
SEVEN!
She tries again, and this time she’s successful in getting her legs underneath her, and she struggles back up to her feet.
Isaac moves in, but in a burst of speed, Laura jumps up onto the middle rope and springboards onto Entragian’s shoulders, and then she wraps her legs around his neck and flips herself backwards…tossing Entragian clear out of the ring through the middle rope!
Eryk Masters: HURRICANRANA ALL THE WAY TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING!!
Other Guy: Holy crap….did you hear that splat??
Isaac lands awkward as hell, right on the side of his neck, and he doesn’t move an inch on the outside. Laura leans over the top rope, resting for a moment. She nods towards the referee.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
Eryk Masters: Isaac is not moving. Better get ready to crown the very first Fist City champ!
Dan Stein: Gross.
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
Isaac’s body snaps into a sitting position just after eight, and he forces his way up to a vertical base. A pale hand begins to dig under the apron as he kneels down…
Laura leans over the top rope, frustrated, and she snatches a handful of Isaac’s white hair, attempting to drag him back into the ring. Entragian grits his teeth, but when his hand appears from beneath the apron he’s holding a steel chair. Entragian rears back and SLAMS the edge of the steel into Laura’s throat, and she falls to a sitting position in the ring while gagging and holding her neck.
Dan Stein: Look guys! Laura’s gagging. Isaac taught the virgin a new trick…
Eryk Masters: No laughing matter there…she could have a busted trachea after that…
Entragian rolls back into the ring under the bottom rope, and he just begins to circle Laura with steel in hand. He picks his spot, and then he CRACKS the hell out of Laura’s back with the steel chair. She falls to her face, gasping….and Isaac pulls the chair back and crushes it down with all his might right against the PG Princess’s ass, steel meeting tailbone with a horrible crunch sound.
Dan Stein: I guess The Ivory Terror’s into anal…no real surprise there.>
Other Guy: Laura’s getting worn out by that steel. This is the last place she wants to be.
Eryk Masters: This is where Entragian excels. And we know for a fact that Laura has vowed not to pick up a weapon in this match, so already that gives Entragian an unfair advantage against her…
Entragian lifts the chair up over his head for a final blow, but shockingly Laura bounds up to her feet while holding her lower back, and she SNAPS off a superkick directed into the chair, blasting it right back into Isaac’s own face!
Isaac crumples to the side while losing his grip on the chair, and Laura collapses back down as well from pain and exhaustion. She starts to crawl towards the turnbuckles, and once there, she slowly and laboriously pulls herself up to a standing position while rubbing a hand against her lower back and pelvis region.
She mouths "count" to Willie Dean.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
The cameras zoom in, and we see that Isaac’s forehead has been opened up after slamming up against the steel chair. A slow trickle of blood drips down into his hairline from the cut.
Laura screams at him from across the ring, her voice screechy and furious.
Laura: STAY DOWN, YOU OATMEAL CREAM PIE!
Other Guy: HAHA!
Eryk Masters: Laura Seton. Brought to you in part by Little Debbie Snacks.
SIX!
SEVEN!
Entragian starts to stir, and one hand shoots out and grips the top rope. He uses this to bear most of his weight and pull himself back up.
Seton unleashes a lion-like battle cry, and she races across the ring and PLOWS into Isaac with a lou thesz press, knocking him back to the canvas. Laura then starts to hammer down on Isaac with right hands, but Entragian quickly rolls her over and just latches his hands around her throat, choking the life from her body.
Laura struggles and trembles beneath Isaac, her face reddening as he applies more and more pressure to her windpipe, but in an act of desperation Laura reaches up and rakes Isaac’s eyes with her fingernails.
Entragian rolls off of her while growling in pain, and Laura pushes up to her feet. She attempts to send a kick into Isaac’s ribs, but Isaac catches her foot, and then he twists his way up to his knees and wraps his arm around Laura’s ankle, grinding and grinding with his eyes bulging out of his head in scornful rage.
The PG Princess literally SCREAMS, her ball-up fists beating against the canvas as terrible pain shoots all the way up through her leg, sweat pouring down her face to mix with the blood that’s smeared against her nose and mouth.
Eryk Masters: Isaac’s got the ankle lock! Brittle Be Thy Bones! If this keeps up, we’ll be hearing bone snap in a million different places any minute now!
Dan Stein: There’s nothing sadder than a one-legged virgin….BREAK THE ANKLE, ISAAC!
Isaac begins to grin, digging his talons as deeply into Laura’s ankle as humanly possible. Laura tries to dig and claw against the canvas in an attempt to get out of the submission hold, but it’s no use, Isaac is just too damn strong.
Finally, when it seems like Laura is about to pass out from the pain, Isaac releases the ankle lock himself….ONLY TO JUMP INTO THE AIR AND SMASH AN ELBOW DROP INTO LAURA’S ANKLE!!
Laura screams again, pulling her wounded ankle up towards her stomach and curling into a fetal position, but Isaac forces her leg out again, and he just starts to drop elbow after elbow down against Laura’s leg, dropping his three hundred pound weight down on her time and time again.
When Entragian finally ends the elbow drop barrage, Laura is practically shivering from excruciation, her vocal cords so worn out from screaming that all she can do is gasp and moan against the canvas.
Entragian stands back up, utterly proud of himself, favoring the crowd with demented little bow.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Stein actually rises up from his seat at the announce table and claps his hands together a few times.
Other Guy: That was hard to watch. I don’t see how Laura’s going to be able to even stand at this point…
Eryk Masters: Will you sit the hell down, Stein?
Dan Stein: Gotta give props where props are due…
Entragian goes over to Laura, seeing her still drawn up into the fetal position and cradling her ankle. He simply lords over her for a moment, savoring every moment of this.
Entragian: Still think you’re built for Iron, lil’ bitch?
Isaac rears back and sends a hard kick into Laura’s ribs, forcing her to wretch against the canvas.
Entragian: You’re pathetic. Isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to make your PG rated comeback?? Come on. Show me. Gimme an ending fit for a motherfucking DISNEY movie!
Entragian falls down to both knees on the canvas, and he grabs hold of Laura’s hair, and from there he just starts to pepper her face with straight right hands, each one harder than the last. Laura’s face is caked with blood at this point, every breath she takes in through her nose snuffled through drying plasma…
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Eryk Masters: Take a good, long look at this man. See him for what he truly is. A vile…piece of…SHIT. You know what I’d like to see happen at RISE, OG?
Other Guy: What’s that?
Eryk Masters: I’d like to see Jaime Alejandro rip this man’s arms from his sockets and beat him to death with them. Entragian is THAT much of a bastard. I hope he has a brain aneurysm in his sleep tonight…
Dan Stein: Aw, come on. He grew up in a cornfield. His daddy used to beat on him. Typical man becomes monster sob story….but still, where’s your sympathy, Masters?
Eryk Masters: When it comes to Isaac Entragian….I have no sympathy. He might have suffered through a bad childhood, but that’s no excuse for what he turned out to be. He revels in this. He ENJOYS this. He is cruel for the sake of being cruel, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise…
Entragian climbs back up to his feet, and he looks to be about to drop another elbow onto Laura’s leg…but suddenly Laura pushes herself halfway up from the canvas and sends a MULE KICK directly into Isaac’s groin!
The Ivory Terror’s face seems to shrink like a rotting apple, his eyes growing wide with horrible pain. He stumbles back into the ropes, both hands plastered across his crotch.
Eryk Masters: YES YES YES!! Laura isn’t out of this fight yet!
Other Guy: I think Laura just crushed the cream-filled Little Debbie snacks that Isaac keeps in his tights!
Dan Stein: No freakin’ way…
Laura is forcing herself up to her feet, much to the delight of The Epicenter crowd. She limps slightly on her bad ankle, but she finds that it still supports her weight. Once vertical, Laura gets up a head of steam and she BARRELS into Entragian with a leaping clothesline, sending the monster over the top rope to crash down against the outside.
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!
Laura nods to Willie Dean, and he drops down and starts the ten count on Isaac.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
Entragian’s pale hands appear, his claws digging into the cloth of the apron. Using this as leverage, he pulls himself up to his feet, one hand still held against his aching nether regions.
Laura watches him for a moment, and then she hits the ropes and runs across the ring, proceeding to DIVE THROUGH THE ROPES AND SMASH INTO ENTRAGIAN ON THE OUTSIDE, BOTH COMPETIORS LANDING IN A HEAP!
Eryk Masters: Buzzer Beater!! Laura only busts out that suicide dive when she’s preparing to finish an opponent off. Could be endgame here, folks…
Willie Dean has no choice but to begin a double ten count for both Seton & Entragian.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
Laura starts to stir, shaking her elbow from side to side.
SEVEN!
Laura manages to use the announce table to pull herself up, and meanwhile Entragian is still flat out on his back.
EIGHT!
Isaac sits up, pain and rage etched into his expression, and he uses the announce table to pull himself up too.
Other Guy: They’re getting a little too close for comfort here…
Entragian stumbles forward, and he latches a hand around Laura’s throat, spinning her around in a chokeslam attempt….but even Laura’s neck is bloody at this point, so she manages to slip out of his grasp….and she promptly SNAPS another superkick into her opponent, this one catching Isaac square in the chest.
Entragian flies back and lands on top of the announce table, splayed out with his legs and arms dangling.
Dan Stein: Wow, Isaac is even whiter than I’d thought he’d be up close.
Laura seems to think for a moment, and then she limps her way over to the closest turnbuckle, starting the slow and careful climb up to the top. Once there, she stands tall, seeming to consider her next move…
Eryk Masters: Guys…we might wanna step back here…
Other Guy: What in the world is Laura thinking??
With flashbulbs going off all around The Epicenter….LAURA LEAPS FROM THE BUCKLES AND HITS A FLYING LEG DROP RIGHT ACROSS ISAAC’S THROAT!!
The announce table collapses from the impact, bits of wood and monitors flying all over the place with both Laura & Entragian laid out in the wreckage.
HOLY SHIT!
HOLY SHIT!
HOLY SHIT!
Eryk Masters: Oh my GOD. Our announce table is demolished here…can you hear me, OG?
Other Guy: Yeah, I still hear ya! That was….that was insane! Isaac is laid out at my feet, and he looks like he belongs in a morgue right now!
Miraculously, the PG Princess starts to move, crawling her way through the wreckage towards the ring. She reaches the apron, and she manages to slide her way under the bottom rope while cradling her lower back and limping without putting any pressure on her ankle. She leans herself against the buckles and then points down at Isaac.
Willie Dean hops out of the ring and starts the ten count.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
Isaac isn’t moving at all.
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
Laura starts to count along with the referee, and the crowd gets behind her.
NINE!
At the very last SECOND, Entragian grabs the security barrier and HAULS his body up to a spaghetti leg stance, using the security railing to lean on and keep his feet.
Eryk Masters: DAMN! I thought this was over…
Other Guy: Now THIS is what I call an Iron Fist Championship match! Drink it in, fellas. This is a title match fit for a PPV, but we’re getting to see it right here on Revolution!
Dan Stein: Makes me nostalgic about my own IF title reigns.
Laura mops blood from her face with one hand, staring out at Entragian with disbelief in her eyes. Entragian stares right back, and he staggers his way towards the ring, proceeding to pull his way up onto the apron and step in over the top rope.
Laura forces herself away from the buckles, standing with one foot halfway off the canvas. She races towards Entragian, all of her quickness being utilized…
Entragian races forward to meet her, and meet they do, in the very center of the ring….where ENTRAGIAN GORES LAURA HALFWAY ACROSS THE RING WITH ALL OF HIS STRENGTH!
Other Guy: CORRUPTION!!! ISAAC HIT CORRUPTION!!
Laura bounces off Isaac’s shoulder and crashes down in a heap, but Entragian is RIGHT BACK UP….scraping her off the canvas and placing her across his shoulders.
He spins in the ring, roaring at the crowd with spit flying from his lips, and then he BLASTS Laura into his knee with THE DISEMBOWELER!!
What falls to the canvas after the gutbuster doesn’t even resemble the PG Princess, it’s just a blood-soaked carcass in a red stained basketball uniform, and it is utterly…..motionless.
Dan Stein: That right there, boys….is exactly what it takes to win an Iron Fist Championship match…
Eryk Masters: As much as I’d like to disagree, I just can’t argue that point at all right now…Laura has been…obliterated.
Willie Dean leans down and starts his ten count…but Isaac YANKS the referee back by his collar, kneeling down in front of him.
Entragian: DID I SAY COUNT? YOU COUNT WHEN I TELL YOU TO COUNT.
Willie Dean just stares at Isaac, speechless, and he watches as The Ivory Terror rolls out the ring and SNATCHES the Iron Fist Title up into his hands.
Isaac rolls back into the ring, and he flips Laura over onto her back. Entragian then starts to just BASH Laura in the face with the Iron Fist Championship, first the left side of her face….then the right….then the left again…
Blood is flying across the canvas like water, leaving red pools against the white mat…and Laura doesn’t even appear to be conscious at this point.
Eryk Masters: Are you SERIOUS right now??? This young woman is knocked out! You have the match won! Does this sick bastard even know the meaning of the word sportsmanship?
Dan Stein: I think he knows the meaning of the words "making a statement."
Other Guy: What makes this even worse is the faceplate of that belt is made from actual iron….there’s very little gold forged into it…
Eryk Masters: This is repugnant. This is violence for the sake of violence.
Isaac lifts the Iron Fist title up one last time, and he smashes it down flush against Laura’s face a final time. She never moves. The only sign of life to be seen are the blood bubbles that pop in her nostrils each time that she breathes.
Entragian rises up to a shaky vertical base, his neck turning slowly to side as he looks at Willie Dean.
Entragian: Now you count.
Willie Dean’s mouth is wide open in shock, but he has no choice but to do his job.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE!
TEN!
The bell rings with a hollow clang.
Samantha Coil: Here is your winner, and STILL the Iron Fist Champion….THE IVORY TERROR, ISAAC ENTRAGIAN!!!
Entragian stands there in the ring, lording over the bloodied body of the PG Princess…and when he raises the Iron Fist title high, we see that the faceplate of the title, specifically the iron-wrought emblem of the fist, is dripping with Laura Seton’s blood.
Other Guy: I think I’m gonna remember how this match ended for a long….long time…
Eryk Masters: This just makes me want to see RISE even more. I am counting the days until Jaime humbles this monster…
Entragian goes over to the side of the ring, and he rips a microphone out of a production member’s hand. He then slowly walks back over to Laura, and he digs his hand down into the wet roots of Laura’s hair.
He pulls her up, and he DEAD LIFTS Laura’s body by the hair with one hand, her motionless form dangling in his grasp, the toes of her wrestling boots barely brushing against the canvas. Isaac speaks into the microphone, casting his baleful glance towards the ramp.
Entragian: LOOK AT HER, JAIME. This is on you, muchacho. Her blood…is on your conscience.
Isaac drops the mic, and then he drops Laura, her body falling with a dull thud. The pallid monster hugs his Iron Fist Championship close to his chest, and he exits the ring and begins making his way up the ramp.
Dan Stein: Looks like she’s fallen and she can’t get up, fellas. Someone should help the PG Princess up. Someone has to be the gentleman here…
Stein rises up from his commentary chair with a sigh, and he removes the headset from his ears.
Eryk Masters: Where are you going, Dan? What the hell do you think you’re doing?
Stein saunters away from the announce table, and he casually picks up Laura’s Sin City Championship and enters the ring with it. He drops the title next to Laura, and then he starts to help her up to her feet, supporting Laura’s dead weight against his own body.
He steadies her with both hands….takes a step back…AND THEN SMASHES HER IN THE FACE WITH THE LIGHTS v2 CODEBREAKER!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Laura’s broken, blood-soaked body folds like an accordion against the canvas, and Stein stands back up while brushing blood off of his designer jeans.
Stein then leans down and picks up the Sin City Championship, and he hoists it high in the air with one hand. He mouths the words "I’m coming for what’s mine" to Laura’s prone carcass.
Other Guy: And we thought Isaac was vile…
Eryk Masters: This is just….tragic. Laura Seton just put on the valiant performance of a lifetime….she went through HELL with that monster Entragian….only for this scavenger Stein to skulk in and pick her bones clean. This young woman deserves better than that…
Stein continues to pose with the Sin City Title, and the feed cuts out on his cocky smirk.
Mary Kelly is standing by in the parking lot. She is next to a parked car, the headlights shutting off. Stepping out from said parked car? The World Tag Team Champions THE BAD ASS BROTHERHOOD. Neither man looks to have shaven or even brought their gear with them.
Mary Kelly: Guys! Guys! SHOOT wanted me to get a word with you on what’s been going on with the two of you lately!
Buck stops her.
Buck Dresden: The two of us?
Mary Kelly: With everything that’s been going on with the Sinister Syndicate, with the RISE main event and Jonas Coleman’s apparent kidnapping and assault…
Magnus gets in her face.
Charles Brandon Magnus: You want to know what’s on our minds? How we’re feeling? OUR BEST FRIEND GOT KIDNAPPED, YOU IGNORANT LITTLE TROLLOP!
Buck stops Magnus and pushes him back.
Buck Dresden: Ain’t no need fer that kinda name callin’ with Miss Kelly here.
Buck takes her hand and kisses it gently, prompting a swooning grin on Mary’s face.
Buck Dresden: Through thick ‘n’ thin, full or flush, we’ve been partners, friends, brothers. Jonas has always been a bit of a wild lil’ card, and tonight we’re here with alotta anger in our hearts an’ fire in our bellies. Fact is, darlin’, we know good ‘n’ damn well who did this. We wanna get our hands on ’em an’ just…flat out hurt ’em. But, see, we’re under strict orders from Jason Johnson says we can’t administer no "vigilante justice" on ’em. So me an’ Charlie, we’re here tonight because both members of the Sinister Syndicate that we’re gonna be facin’ at RISE are in action later. We need to get our minds off some things, we need to focus our heads right…relax an’ treat tonight like business as usual.
Magnus steps back into frame, his eyes closed and sighing.
Charles Brandon Magnus: Apologies, Miss Kelly. Not my intention, I assure you, to insult you knowing you’re simply doing what your occupation entails that you do. As Buck said, tonight we’re here to watch former World Heavyweight Champion Cade Sydal and former Sin City Champion Tanya Black in action, as they are our opponents for RISE.
Mary Kelly: Do you have any plans for retribution in regards to the Syndicate constantly managing to play the numbers game on you? Or Tanya Black’s smear campaign?
Charles Brandon Magnus: Tanya Black is and always will be a phenomenal competitor. She is, you see, a parasite. Trust me, I don’t mean that in a negative fashion…
Buck Dresden: Yeah, you do.
Charles Brandon Magnus: Yes, I do. She is a parasite. She latches onto her prey and doggedly drains them. Like a tick with Lyme’s disease, she bites down and sucks the life from her opponents all the while trying to sicken them and make them weaker. She latches onto the notion of marketing or what she believes a true champion should do because that is her way. Most of the time it gets her nowhere because most of the time she is swatted away. This time, however, she has managed to latch herself onto a pair of opponents who are not so willing to let her go about her business.
He sneers.
Buck Dresden: It ain’t personal, not to me, an’ if Cade was partnered up with anybody else, honestly I don’t think I’d even give a damn about the match at RISE. Tanya’s got a lot in her I respect. That I…want…to respect.
Charles Brandon Magnus: Whereas I don’t respect the little tramp.
Buck Dresden: But the way she’s acted ever since she became Cade Sydal’s underling is disgusting, demeaning, an’ truly…just fuckin’ stupid. So if she wants to disrespect us the way she’s doin’, act like we ain’t the longest runnin’ champs in SHOOT history, or any other bullshit she’s been doin’…then my respect fer her’s gotta stop. It’s gonna stop.
Buck’s demeanor shifts before he tips his hat to Mary Kelly.
Buck Dresden: Ma’am.
Magnus gives a fleeting smile to her as he leaves.
Mary Kelly: Ah…well! There you have it! The Bad Ass Brotherhood are in the building! Back to you guys!
"Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked" by Cage the Elephant kicks in and the fans rise to their feet as Thomas Manchester Black is about to arrive.
Samantha Coil: And introducing, weighing in tonight at 245 pounds…
TMB comes out from behind the curtains wearing Black and White MMA shorts and boots. He tops that off by wearing a Grey North Carolina Tar Heels Hoodie with a towel over his head & his forearms and fists taped up. On his fist and forearm tape you see the words "Dark Sinner". Black hardly looks out from the hoodie as he walks toward the ring. He stops and cracks his knuckles before raising his hands in the air.
Samatha Coil: From Tokyo, Japan, by way of his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina…
TMB continues to make his way down the ramp way, soaking up the reaction from the crowd that are tossed his way. TMB makes his way up the steel steps and steps over the top rope and doesn’t even look at the ref as he makes his way to the middle of the ring. He folds his arms as Carolina Blue and White streamers flood the ring, Japanese style. TMB bows to the fans and goes to the corner as Ring Hands start to clean the streamers from the ring.
Samantha Coil: He is the Queen City Hitman…this is Thomas…MANCHESTERRRRRR….BLAAAAAACK!
Once the ref is finished, TMB takes off his hoodie and tosses it to a ring hand, before slinking down into a sitting position in the corner. As the cameras focuses in, TMB is shown to be wearing a "Corey Lazarus/Viktor Stone : Controlled Violence" t-shirt, pointing at it with a smug look of disdain on his face.
Eryk Masters: Some mind games from the Queen City Hitman, directing them directly towards the man that he’s focusing all of his torment on right now.
"Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked" dies down, replaced by "Kick It in the Sticks" by Brantley Gilbert. Indifference be the name of the crowd’s reaction as "Red" Luke Davis makes his way out from behind the curtain, brushing his reddish blonde hair out of his face before turning around, proudly displaying the words "Country By The Grace of God" airbrushed in yellow on the back of his black leather vest.
Samantha Coil: Next, he weighs in tonight at 260 pounds and stands at 6 feet, 3 inches tall…
Davis jogs down the ramp, reaching out to slap a few high-fives from the crowd before jumping onto the ring apron and stepping between the ropes.
Samantha Coil: Hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and making his SHOOT Project debut…"Red"…LUKE…DAAAAVISSSS!!!!
Davis holds his fists up into the air and turns to face each part of the crowd before hopping onto the middle turnbuckle. Referee Austin Linam pats TMB down as Davis hands his vest off to a ringside attendant, "Kick It in the Sticks" dies, and "Almost Famous" by Eminem and Lisa Rodriguez cues up, bringing forth almost deafening boos.
Other Guy: It’s still amazing how such a fantastic wrestler like Cade Sydal is hated on so much by the SHOOT Project faithful.
Eryk Masters: He’s a bit of an asshole.
Samantha Coil: Introducing next, being accompanied to the ring by Chance Ryan, Sam Gideon, and Cassi…
Cade steps out from behind the curtain, Cassi’s arm in his, with Gideon and Ryan standing behind the two, both bodyguards sporting Sinister Syndicate shirts. The quartet make their way down towards the ring, with Ryan and Gideon flanking Cassi and Sydal to prevent any fans from reaching over the guardrail and touching them.
Samantha Coil: He weighs in tonight at 180 pounds and stands at 5 feet, 9 inches tall…
Other Guy: You just know that the Bad Ass Brotherhood has to be stuck in Cade’s mind tonight.
Gideon and Ryan spread out as Cassi jumps onto the apron, holding open the ropes for Cade as he walks up the stairs before stepping through them and into the ring.
Samantha Coil: He hails from Southport, North Carolina…
Cade removes the Sinister Syndicate t-shirt from himself, tossing it off into the crowd…which promptly tosses it onto the ringside floor. He looks in disgust as Linam pats Davis down in his corner, briefly making eye contact with both of his opponents for the evening.
Samantha Coil: …CAAADE SYYYYDALLLLLLL!!!!!!
"Almost Famous" dies out as Austin Linam moves on from Luke Davis over to the former SHOOT Project World champion, patting him down quick.
**DING DING DING**
Immediately, TMB rushes at Cade, taking him down with a stiff lariat, before turning to send right hand after right hand into Luke’s face. Davis rocks back into the corner as Cade immediately slides out onto the apron, holding his jaw. TMB whips Luke into the ropes and looks for a back elbow but misses as Davis ducks underneath it, surprising him with a back suplex and a quick, but very tight, jackknife pin.
1!
2!!
Eryk Masters: Black kicks out with authority!
Other Guy: That was a mighty impressive turn by SHOOT newcomer Luke Davis.
Davis measures TMB as he gets to his feet and charges, looking for a lariat of his own, but TMB ducks, allowing Cade Sydal to catch Davis with a springboard spinning wheel kick that sends the rookie down. Sydal rolls through on the landing and leaps to his feet, immediately charging into TMB, who has hit the perpendicular ropes himself, and connecting with a forearm. A pair of roundhouse kicks to the chest are followed by a back elbow to the jaw, a snapmare, and then Cade hits the ropes, looking to plant a basement dropkick into TMB’s face.
Eryk Masters: Black ducks it, both men up, roundhouse kick by Cade NO!!! Blocked by TMB…he’s caught him…he’s…!
TMB quickly sends an elbow into Cade’s kneecap and then a knife-edge to the chest…
Fans: WOOOO!!!
…before spinning behind him, keeping his leg hooked, and dropping him with a vicious swinging cradle belly-to-back suplex.
Other Guy: The Tarheel Suplex!
1!
2!!
Other Guy: …but Davis breaks it up!
Luke brings TMB up to his feet, plants a pair of forearm smashes into his jaw, and then snapmares him down to the mat before backing up and charging, launching forward and snapping TMB’s neck.
Eryk Masters: "Red" Luke on the offensive, showing what kind of talent SHOOT looks for in rookies that it hires…
Black sits up, cradling his neck, and Davis doesn’t relent, nailing a dropkick to his jaw that sends him back down, scurrying back up to his feet, and then planting four knuckles directly into TMB’s cheek with a fistdrop.
Other Guy: He’s wasting an awful lot of time, though, by not quickly following that flurry up with anything.
Davis rises to his knees, catching his wind, and then casually leans forward, hooking TMB’s leg.
1!
Cade nails a soccer kick to Luke’s face, breaking up the pinfall (and possibly Luke’s nose) before bringing Davis up and sending him into the corner. A quick leg drop to TMB, and then Cade kips back up to his feet, staring up at the ramp.
Other Guy: Now what do you think has Cade so paranoid?
Sydal looks out at Chance and Gideon quick before charging into the corner with Davis in it, connecting with a Stinger Splash.
Eryk Masters: It seems like the Brotherhood definitely has some control over Cade’s mind right now.
Other Guy: But he has Gideon and Ryan, the best bodyguards money can buy!
Sydal goes to whip Davis into the opposite corner, but Luke stops, pivots, and pulls Cade in, locking the arms of the former World champion under his own with a double overhook before throwing him back, slamming back-first to the canvas.
Eryk Masters: DEVASTATING Overhook Suplex by the newcomer Luke Davis!
Cade rolls out of the ring and onto the apron, where Cassi quickly comes to his aid. Davis stalks towards him, reaching over the ropes, and brings Cade up to his feet on the apron, sending Cassi scurrying back.
Other Guy: BIG clubbing forearm to the chest of Cade Sydal!
Sydal drops to a knee, trying to catch his wind, but Davis brings him back up, delivering another BIG forearm to the chest. He goes for a third, but Sydal has enough wherewithal to quickly reach up, hook Luke’s head, and drop down with a guillotine over the top rope that sends Davis scrambling back. Cade quickly recovers, rubbing his chest, and looks for a springboard…
Other Guy: Cade goes airborn…NO!!
…but TMB drills him with a picture-perfect Yakuza Kick to the side of his head, sending Cade flying to the floor (and, as luck would have it, into both Sam and Ryan).
Eryk Masters: Thomas Manchester Black, taking full advantage of Cade’s work now…
TMB hits the ropes and looks for a lariat on Luke, but Davis ducks underneath it, turns TMB around, and starts peppering right hand after right hand into TMB’s jaw. 5, 6, 7, 8…he goes for a ninth but Black ducks it and plants "Red" face-first into the canvas with a textbook drop toehold.
Eryk Masters: Davis showing his lack of experience tonight, even if he’s been mighty impressive thus far.
Black rubs his jaw, squinting his eyes, before stomping on Luke’s back. Outside, Gideon and Ryan help Cade to his feet as Cassi fetches a bottle of water, handing it to him.
Eryk Masters: He’s got his own personal fight team!
Other Guy: Bodyguards, hired guns, potential tag partners, sparring aides…you name it? The Syndicate has it.
TMB brings Davis to his feet and…
Fans: WOOO!!!
…DRILLLLLLLS him with a knife-edge chop. Davis reels back and fires off a forearm, but TMB shrugs it off, nailing ANOTHER vicious knife-edge.
Fans: WOOO!!!
TMB sends Davis into the corner, follows in with a Stinger Splash, and then plants him face-first to the canvas with a Reverse STO.
1!
2!!
3…
Other Guy: CADE PULLED AUSTIN LINAM OUT OF THE RING!!
Cade quickly rolls back in before Linam can see who pulled him out, jumping up and hitting a double stomp on the back of TMB’s head. Linam looks around quickly before he turns back to the ring, noticing Cade bringing Black up to his feet, and slides back in.
Eryk Masters: Back elbow by Sydal, off the ropes…HIGH CALF KICK!!
The impact sends TMB out of the ring, causing a commotion in the front row as he rolls into the barrier. Cade instinctively turns around wide-eyed, but then turns back to Luke when he realizes it’s just for TMB being near the fans. Sydal brings Davis to his feet and drills him with a rolling sole butt to the ribs, hits the ropes, and then fires off a running dropkick that sends Davis into the corner. The impact forces Luke out and into the waiting arms of the former World champion, who takes him down with a Northern Lights suplex.
1!
2!!
3…
Eryk Masters: DAVIS KICKS OUT!!
Other Guy: BUT CADE TURNS IT INTO A KIMURA!!
Sydal wrenches the Kimura in, making sure that Luke’s facing away from the nearest ropes. Davis struggles to overpower Cade, but Sydal switches his legs around, locking Luke’s trapped arm between them, and then reaches forward with a crossface.
Eryk Masters: LeBell Lock!! Cade turned it into the LeBell Lock!!
Outside, TMB pulls himself to his feet, limping over to the ring and leaning against the apron. Inside, Davis desperately tries to fight out of the LeBell Lock, finding no escape, but a commotion from the crowd – starting from the top of the ramp and getting louder towards the ring – causes Cade to break his hold and swing to face the ramp as Gideon and Ryan rush over to meet the man walking down it.
Other Guy: Oh, come on, what the hell is HE doing out here?!
Cade’s look of agitated fear subsides as he lets out a breath, realizing that COREY LAZARUS has been halted at the bottom of the ramp by the Syndicate’s bodyguards.
Eryk Masters: I don’t think Laz is all too interested in Cade Sydal, if you ask me.
Regardless, Gideon and Ryan refuse to let Laz pass them as Cade locks a front facelock on Davis, positioning himself in total control of the greenhorn. TMB turns, sees Corey, and stands up straight, laughing as he holds the back of his head.
Other Guy: Well, both Cade AND Black must be extremely happy that Gideon and Chance are doing their jobs, then.
Eryk Masters: A little known fact, fans, but Gideon’s first exposure to the world of professional wrestling as a member of Hollywood Security for none other than Corey Lazarus himself.
Corey and Gideon trade words that the camera doesn’t pick up. Lazarus then digs into the pocker of his jeans, produces a fat money clip, and peels off a few Benjamins, handing them to Sam. Gideon looks at Chance, back at Cade, and then back to Corey before pocketing the hundreds of dollars, stepping away and pulling Chance with him.
Other Guy: What…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, SAM?!?!
Corey shakes Gideon’s hand, gives Chance a polite wave, and then rushes over to TMB, attacking him with a blinding flurry of fists and elbows that rocks him back to the barrier.
Eryk Masters: We may need security out here pronto.
Cade breaks his hold of Davis and looks out at TMB and Corey brawling on the floor before turning back to Sam and Chance.
Cade Sydal: What the FUCK are you doing?!
Chance motions to Gideon, who just points to Corey and TMB, shaking his head.
Sam Gideon: Don’t worry about it, boss.
SHOOT Security rushes down to the ring just as Lazarus slides TMB in. Corey goes to get in but is grabbed around the waist by a pair of security guards. He desperately begins throwing wild punches and kicks to break free, but the other trio of guards grab hold of him as well, carrying him back up the ramp. Sydal shrugs and drills Black with a swift reverse roundhouse to his head as he pulls himself to his feet, sending him reeling back through the ropes and onto the apron.
Eryk Masters: LUKE DAVIS IS BACK ON HIS FEET!!
Davis fires off fist after fist after fist to Cade, the impact of the last one turning him around to expose his back, before hooking him in a Crossface Chickenwing.
Other Guy: What’s he…!? OH MY GOD!!!
Without hesitation, Davis plants Cade on the top of his head with a Crossface Chickenwing Suplex, collapsing to his side before he can even muster an attempt at a pinfall. Davis then shoves himself to his feet and screams as he falls against the ropes, shoving himself off and circling the center of the ring.
Eryk Masters: That’s a hell of an effort from Luke Davis! What’s…WHAT THE HELL IS CASSI DOING ON THE APRON?!
Cade pulls himself to his feet in the corner as Davis stalks him, but Cassi slides into the ring, standing between Luke and Sydal. She mouths off to Davis a bit and slaps him across the face, but good ol’ "Red" shoves her aside, opening him up for the NINJAGUIRI!!!
Other Guy: NINJAGUIRI!! NINJAGUIRI!! IT’S GOTTA BE DONE!!
Cade jumps to his feet, almost in brief disbelief of his own instincts, and drops to his knees for a second to mock the young and inexperienced Luke Davis. He stands back up, taking a bow, and never sees Thomas Manchester Black crawl back into the ring and rush up behind him, hooking him with a school boy.
1!
2!!
3!!!
**DING DING DING**
TMB rolls out of the ring and drops to a knee on the apron, followed quickly by Austin Linam. Gideon and Ryan slide in next to Cade as the former World champion stands up in complete shock as to the turn of events.
Samantha Coil: The winner of the match…THOMAS…MANNNNCHESSSTERRRRRRRR…BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!
"Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked." TMB rises to his feet and stumbles backwards up the ramp as the Syndicate exits the ring, Sydal throwing the ring steps across the floor in rage.
His head lightly bandaged and his fists clenched, Henry Gordon is swiftly walking around backstage. Moving with a purpose, he keeps his head on a swivel as he actively is seeking out the guy who unceremoniously beat him down after his match at the previous show. Turning a corner, he makes his way down a new hallway, but instead of finding Crazy Boy, he finds himself face to face with Thomas Manchester Black, following Black’s win against Cade Sydal and "Red" Luke Davis. Though at first he chooses to continue on his primary objective, Henry has his adrenaline pumping so hard that he can’t resist the verbal confrontation.
Henry Gordon: Black, right? Remember me? I’m the guy whose match you interrupted last week?
TMB: You mean the guy who, for whatever reason, decided to stick his nose in my business.
Henry Gordon: YOUR business? It was MY match…
TMB: Heh, listen, this isn’t the time for you to want to be a billy badass. Especially since you and me…ain’t really on good terms at the moment.
Henry Gordon: Yeah, well, AT THE MOMENT, I got my heart set on splittin’ Crazy Boy’s skull right down the middle, but sometime, me and you… we’re gonna meet in the middle of that ring and I can guarantee you that this ragin’ elephant ain’t gonna forget how you stuck your nose into my business.
While the duo of TMB and Henry Gordon are talking, Tyrone "Crazy Boy" Smith comes into the picture.
TMB: Henry, you don’t want my attention. Your career would last a lot longer if you stayed out of my path.
Crazy Boy stares at the two superstars, not saying a word, arms folded across his chest. A sly smile appears on his face as he stares at TMB, then Henry Gordon.
CB: Oh don’t mind me. I’m just listening to you two girl scouts bicker back and forth. It’s so fucking cute.
Before either one can get another word in, Crazy Boy lunges forward and knocks Henry Gordon to the ground. Henry puts his arms up in a defensive position and tries to kick back before he can get up, but Tyrone sends a couple of good kicks in the side. Henry clutches his side as Crazy Boy just shakes his head.
CB: Face it kid, you are not in my fucking league.
Crazy Boy backs up a step and measures his target for another shot.
TMB: See…was it worth it, punk?
Tyrone tries to kick him one more in the side for good measure, but suddenly Corey Lazarus rushes in and knocks him aside. TMB sees Laz and the two get set to brawl, but before more than a few punches are exchanged, SHOOT officials rush in and pull them apart, separating TMB & Crazy Boy from Corey Lazarus and the fallen Henry Gordon.
Samantha Coil: The following contest…..is the Sin City Street Fight!
The fans give a small pop in anticipation, as the carnage is about to begin. "Warriors of the World United" by Manowar kicks in, and the fans react. Some negative, but there is a vocal pocket in the Epicenter tonight that are cheering for the duo coming through the curtain, Piper Fury and "The Predator" Kevin Stone. Piper turns Precious over in her left hand, as both have come dressed to fight.
Samantha Coil: Introducing first, weighing in at a total combined weight of 535 pounds, the team of Kevin Stone and Piper Fuuuuuuury!
Eryk Masters: A vocal part of the crowd here tonight have come to see the return of "The Predator" Kevin Stone here tonight. Apparently, he was pretty big in Las Vegas back in the day.
Other Guy: Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. He’s sure gonna be tested tonight, facing two men who have made their bones in Hardcore wrestling with absolutely no rules!
Eryk Masters: These two look ready for anything, there’s no doubt about that. Fury and Stone are ready for chaos.
The duo make it to the ring, and Fury slides underneath the ropes, while Stone pulls himself up to the apron and steps over the top rope. Stone has a smirk on his face, while Fury has Precious at the ready, seemingly smelling the blood that’s about to be spilled.
Then, the music changes. "Been to Hell" by the Hollywood Undead picks up, and so do the cheers. Johnny Napalm steps out from behind the curtain, and he too, is not coming out empty handed. The crowd roars in anticipation as he holds up a normal metal garbage can, filled to the brim with hardcore goodies!
Samantha Coil: And their opponents! First, from Deep Ellum, Texas, weighing in at 290 pounds, Johnny Naaaaaaapaaaaalm!
Other Guy: Napalm is out to hurt Piper Fury tonight. They took his girlfriend, Sakura, and nearly ended his career. You KNOW he wants revenge!
Eryk Masters: Napalm throws his basket of goodies into the ring, and he’s looking to show Fury and Stone why they called him "God of Violence".
Napalm slides under the ropes, and Fury drops Precious as she and Stone rush Napalm and begin laying him out with boots to the body.
Other Guy: Fury and Stone trying to get the advantage early, double teaming Napalm!
Eryk Masters: They are laying into him with the savagery of lions! He needs some help in there!
And help has arrived. "I Wupped Batman’s Ass" hits the PA, and the fans explode! Lunatikk Crippler wastes little time getting down to the ring, and slides in under the top rope. The bell rings once he gets to his feet, and he rips Stone off Napalm, and drops Fury with a big right hand that causes the crowd to pop.
Eryk Masters: Crippler may be the odd man out in this story, but the SHOOT Project faithful are happy as hell to see him!
Stone regains his composure, and shoves Crippler back into the ropes. Crippler rebounds, and lays a flying forearm into the face of The Predator. Stone stumbles back, but keeps his footing. Crippler bounces off the ropes, and hits Stone again in the face with his forearm. Crippler goes to the well again, but Stone lifts his foot and nearly takes Crippler’s head off with it. Crippler spins and hits the mat, Fury getting back up and slamming Crippler’s head repeatedly off the mat.
Other Guy: Piper Fury is enraged! Crippler interrupted their fun, but the odds are even now.
Napalm has gotten back to his feet, and he moves toward Fury, but is cutoff by Kevin Stone. Stone fires a right hand, and Napalm responds. The slugfest ensues, and meanwhile, Fury is wailing away at Crippler, who is fighting to his feet.
Eryk Masters: Fury gears up for a big clothesline, and Crippler stops her!
Crippler now hooks under Fury’s arms and deposits her over the top rope to the floor with a huge Belly to Belly suplex! Stone has won the slugfest, and has Napalm backed into a corner, a foot in his throat, while Crippler sets Napalm’s trash can of goodies upright, and pulls out something very familar to him.
Other Guy: Crippler’s got a hold of a Singapore Cane! Things are about to get a whole lot more painful!
Crippler digs in like he’s stepping into the batter’s box. He taps the cane against the mat, and holds in position to swing. Stone hears the tapping and turns around, and ducks a home run swing from The Crippler! Crippler will not be denied however, as he turns, swinging downward, and catches a turning Stone right between the eyes with a shot from that Cane!
Eryk Masters: Stone staggers on his feet after that blistering shot!
Crippler winds up and lets loose with a second shot, connecting again with the skull of The Predator. Stone drops to a knee, and Crippler bounds off the ropes, and flies at the bigger man, connecting with a Singapore Clothesline, taking Stone to his back! The crowd roars in its approval, and Crippler raises the cane high in the air in appreciation. Napalm, however, has regained his bearings and has slipped out of the ring, stalking Piper Fury, who is getting to her feet on the outside.
Other Guy: Napalm is measuring Fury up, and she gets blasted with a running double ax handle to the back of the head!
Fury falls, nearly missing the steel ring stairs with her face as she does. Napalm begins to stomp at Fury, and then pulls her up by the hair. In the ring, Crippler is trying to lift Stone to his feet, but Stone buries a knee right into Crippler’s gut. Kevin Stone bounces off the ropes with surprising speed, and drops Crippler on the mat with a running DDT!
Eryk Masters: Crippler gets spiked onto the canvas, but I think everyone’s paying attention to the outside!
Napalm has Piper Fury by the throat with both hands, and is shaking her violently. He’s got her backed up near the ring post, and is shouting at her about the whereabouts of Sakura. He doesn’t notice Stone has taken control of the Singapore Cane, and has rolled to the outside. Napalm’s focus is completely on Fury, until the can shot rocks him between the shoulder blades. He releases Fury and falls to his knees, and Stone’s second shot destroys the Cane, shattering it on the skull of Napalm.
Other Guy: We’ve barely started this match, and already there is debris flying everywhere! Stone keeps this up, the next debris will be Johnny Napalm’s dome!
Piper tries to catch her breath, while Stone takes over on Napalm. Stone pulls Johnny to his feet, and whips him into the steel barricade! Before Napalm can fall to the ground, Stone is there, charging forward with a huge avalanche, that nearly takes both big men over the guardrail. Stone keeps his balance, however, and grabs hold of Napalm, and whips him back towards the steel stairs.
Eryk Masters: Napalm running, and there’s Piper Fury! A leaping straight knee, right to the face of Napalm!
Other Guy: He’ll be feeling that one, for sure. You have to remember, Fury took Napalm out a while back, focusing on the head of Napalm. He can’t be one hundred percent, and we see where the focus is going to be.
Piper and Stone gather around the fallen body of Napalm, and then look up just a moment too late! Crippler springboards off the top rope, and dives onto the duo, sending all three to the ground! The fans are in an uproar with all this action, and Crippler gets to his feet first, pumping his fist in the air, eliciting another reaction from the audience.
Eryk Masters: Crippler takes to the air, taking down both his opponents! What’s going to happen next?
The answer comes quickly. Crippler picks up a stirring Piper Fury and rolls her into the ring. He goes to climb in after her, but he’s pulled off the apron by Kevin Stone. Stone bearhugs Crippler, and then rams him into the apron. Crippler falls to his knees, grimacing in pain, as Johnny Napalm is beginning to stir. Stone continues to work over Crippler, burying a couple of stiff shots to his stomach, doubling him over, while Napalm slithers into rhe ring. Fury sees this, and lays a dropkick down right to the side of Johnny’s head. Napalm clutches his hurting cranium, and we see Crippler being rolled into the ring by Stone, who slides in after him, but he’s not empty handed.
Other Guy: Kevin Stone has got a steel chain in his hands. That think looks heavy, and will probably be pretty painful.
Eryk Masters: Why don’t you go ask him how it feels?
Other Guy: And have him show me the hard way? No thanks.
Crippler is on his hands and knees, trying to get to his feet, when Stone swings the chain like a hammer, lashing it across the back of Lunatikk Crippler. Crippler writhes in pain, clutching at his back, which can’t be feeling too good at the moment. Napalm tastes the chain as well, as he gets a lash for his troubles.
Eryk Masters: Piper’s got a hungry look in her eyes, and Stone is handing her the chain. This can’t be good.
Piper starts swinging the chain like a lasso, as Napalm is struggling to his feet. She lets loose, the chain whipping right into the small of Napalm’s back as he gets to his feet, sending him painfully into the corner. Fury hands one end of the chain to Stone, and wait as Napalm turns, coming out of the corner, and he gets hung up on a clothesline with that chain.
Other Guy: Steel meets flesh, guess who wins?
Eryk Masters: I’m going to have to go with steel, OG.
Other Guy: You’d be correct.
Napalm clutches at his throat after that one, and now Fury slides out of the ring, something sinister on her mind. Stone turns his attentions to The Crippler, who has pulled himself to his feet. Crippler fires with a right hand, rocking the big man backwards. Stone stumbles forward, taking another right, right to the top of the head. Crippler shakes his hand, and winds up for another shot, but Stone quickly wraps the chain around his fist and slams it as hard as he can into the forehead of Lunatikk Crippler, who drops, no pun intended, like a stone. The crowd groans as that shot looked like it hurt them as well as Crippler.
Crippler may be knocked out after that blow, but Stone turns back to Piper and Napalm. Fury slides back into the ring, and she’s got a steel chair in her hands. Napalm is wheezing noticeably as he gets to his feet in the corner, and Piper holds up the steel chair. Stone gets a running start, and drives his boot through the chair, right into the face of Napalm. The fans cringe again.
Eryk Masters: Stone and Fury are looking strong, and Crippler and Napalm are definately going to have fewer brain cells after this one is through.
The camera shows a shot of Lunatikk Crippler, hanging off the apron. A small stream of blood has formed on his head from that chain shot, and is running down.
Other Guy: The Predator draws first blood in this one. Crippler’s looking worse for wear, here.
Fury and Stone keep their attention focused on Napalm for the time being. Stone keeps the chain wrapped around his fist, and Piper goes to the outside and picks up a camera cable, bringing it into the ring with her. She climbs the turnbuckle behind Napalm and wraps the cord around his neck. Napalm grabs at it, unable to remove the cord as it shuts off his oxygen supply, aided and abetted by a solid right hand from Kevin Stone, the chain meeting the ribcage of Johnny Napalm.
Eryk Masters: Napalm is in serious trouble here. Fury may be looking to put him back on the shelf, once and for all!
Fury releases the cord, and Stone buries his chain-covered fist right into the jaw of Napalm. Crippler is moving slowly outside of the ring now, trying to conceal a big, red something from his opponents. Fury sees him and reaches down to take a swipe at him, but he swings the object he’s holding, and she tumbles from the turnbuckle, hung up by her ankle on the outside. Stone turns, but gets a full blast right in his face, as Crippler unleashes the contents of the fire extinguisher in his hands, blinding the Predator.
Other Guy: Crippler’s still gotta be smarting, but he’s doing whatever it takes to bring things around for his team.
Crippler gets back into the ring, and smacks some sense into Napalm, trying to get him to come around. Napalm steps between the ropes and goes to find something under the ring. Fury has recovered, and has gotten her foot loose from the turnbuckle. She dives at the Crippler, who catches her with a reverse atomic drop, right to the clam. He follows up with a spinning neckbreaker, that leaves Fury flat. Stone is flailing his fists around, unable to see clearly, but hitting nothing but air, and Napalm slides a steel chair into the ring, and brings a second in as well. Crippler picks up the first chair, and he and Napalm stand on either side of Fury, waiting for her to get up.
Eryk Masters: Oh no, I think I know what’s coming here.
Before anything else can happen, Stone stumbles into Napalm, and knocks his block off, without even knowing who it was. Crippler moves toward him, and is tripped up by Fury. Crippler kicks at Piper, breaking her grip, but eats a forearm from Stone. The blow propels him into the ropes, where he catches himself before he can bounce back. Stone helps Piper to her feet, and she is not happy. She unleashes a flurry of strikes, ending with a solid knee to the chin of Crippler that would knock a normal man stupid. Crippler is dazed, and Stone takes the opportunity to rubs his eyes furiously. He seems to have some sort of clearer vision, as he makes his way out of the ring, and goes underneath of it again. He pulls out something long, and brown, and it makes the fans in the arena pop loud.
Other Guy: Kevin Stone must have wood, here comes the table!
Stone slides it into the ring, as Napalm is getting to his feet. Stone slides in and rushes him, but is nailed in the head with some sort of object in Napalm’s hands. The camera zooms in and gets a look at Stone’s forehead, which is now bleeding. Then it pans to the thing in Johnny’s grasp.
Eryk Masters: That’s a damn CHEESE GRATER! This match just took a turn for the sick!
Napalm holds the grater up in the air for the world to see, getting a pop from the crowd. A THWACK tells us that Piper Fury is still standing, and she just nailed Napalm in the back with a steel chair. Napalm drops the cheese grater, but is still on his feet. He turns slowly, staring a hole at Piper, who can’t believe Napalm isn’t fazed by that blow. She winds up, and looses a second shot, this time connecting with Napalm’s cranium. That one did it. Napalm looks a bit dazed as he falls to his ass, then slumps over. A small trickle of crimson on his head from that contact.
Eryk Masters: Crippler and Napalm are putting up a helluva fight, but both men have been busted open.
Fury smells the blood of her rival and she charges him in the corner. She peppers the wound on his head over and over with rights and lefts, opening it up even more. Napalm is defenseless, as Fury finishes her onslaught, with a sidekick right to the face, that makes Napalm’s toes curl. Fury looks at her hands, and notices the blood: Napalm’s blood. She smears it on her face, right under her eyes, as if she were on the gridiron.
Other Guy: The sick and twisted side to Piper Fury is coming out. This is not good for Johnny Napalm.
Kevin Stone is back to his feet, the cuts on his head bleeding slowly. He has a livid expression on his face as he snatches up his chain and stomps over to Lunatikk Crippler. Crippler tries to fire off a couple right hands, but they have no effect. Stone grabs Crippler by the throat with his free hand, and WITH ONE HAND, Stone plants Crippler on the mat with a huge chokeslam!
Eryk Masters: So much punishment, and yet, NOBODY has tried to go for the pin!
Other Guy: That’s not what this is about, Eryk! This is war! These four are gonna keep going at it until none of them can continue!
Stone wraps the chain now, but not across his hand. He winds it across the face of Lunatikk Crippler! The chain goes around his nose, and then in his mouth, forcing it open. Stone yanks back on the chain, and Crippler is yoked like a common mule!
Eryk Masters: Crippler is known for his high threshold of pain, but good god, you can hear him screaming on the strip!
Other Guy: It looks like a steel chain muzzle!
Stone continues to yank back, trying to make Crippler pass out, or remove his head, whichever comes first. Meanwhile, Fury has set the table up in the corner of the ring, and is peppering Napalm with quick kicks. She then changes her focus, and dives on him, digging her hands into the open wound on Napalm’s head. Crippler finally is able to grip the bottom rope, but that’s not going to break the hold here.
Other Guy: I just wanted to say that I respect Dennis Heflin’s decision to stay out of harm’s way, since there are no rules here, but both Crippler and Napalm are in a bad way. He may want to think about calling this one.
Stone is standing now, his boot between Crippler’s shoulder blades, pushing down with the foot while pulling up with the chain. Crippler’s trying to get from under Stone’s heel, while Napalm is standing now, with Fury on his back, still working the cut on Johnny’s head. Napalm, from out of nowhere, gets a sudden burst of speed, and charges Stone, hitting a Cactus Clothesline! All three end up going head over feet over the top rope, and Crippler is released from his agony. Fury lands right on her rear while Napalm and Stone are tangled in with one another.
The fans are in a frenzy, and with all the violence that has happened, all four are down, with Crippler being the only one still in the ring.
" HO-LEE SHIT! HO-LEE SHIT! HO-LEE SHIT!"
Eryk Masters: Yes, definately.
Other Guy: I concur.
Crippler is able to pull the chain out of his mouth, but he’s slow to move otherwise. Napalm can’t capitalize after that sudden burst, and he’s still got Fury and Stone on the outside. Crippler is dragging himself to the apron, and then he falls off it, still in pain, but he’s reaching under the ring for something. He pulls out a bag, with a pair of Golden Arches on it.
Eryk Masters: Is this really the time for McDonalds?
Other Guy: I find that I can’t start my day without an Egg McMuffin.
Crippler slowly gets to his feet, in obvious discomfort. He rolls back into the ring, and stands in the center of it. He looks out to the crowd, who is waiting with baited breath. He opens the bag slightly, taking a sniff of it’s contents. He wipes some blood out of his eyes, and then pours the contents of the bag onto the mat.
Other Guy: THUMBTACKS!? Why the hell not?
Crippler spreads the tacks in one corner of the ring, while Kevin Stone is the first to his feet outside. He crawls into the ring, and Crippler meets him, delivering a huge kick to the side of Kevin’s head. Stone feels it, but grits his teeth and gets to his feet. Crippler is peppering him with rights and lefts to the body, all while moving slowly backwards towards the tacks. Stone attempts to fire back, but Crippler ducks and leaps, attempting Lunatikk Sweet, face first into the tacks!
Eryk Masters: Oh god, Stone catches the Crippler! This isn’t going to be good!
Stone throws Crippler off him, but he lands on his feet. Crippler rushes back, slugging away at Stone, as Fury gets back into the ring, closely followed by Napalm. They begin to struggle with one another, standing right in front of the table that Piper set up in the corner. Napalm lands a right hand, and staggers backward, leaving Fury by herself in front of the table, and in a blur of crimson, Crippler charges.
*CRRRAAAAAAACK!*
Eryk Masters: Lunatikk Crippler came from out of nowhere, and Blood Drove Piper Fury through that table! That’s gotta be all for Fury!
The fans are on their feet, not wanting to take their eyes off this match, and Napalm is up all alone with Kevin Stone, who is moving around the thumbtacks. Crippler is trying to pull himself out of the wreckage of the table. Crippler slides out of the ring, and is trying to catch his breath, as a small commotion breaks out in the crowd, moving closer and closer to the ring.
Other Guy: What the hell is going on? What’s so important that it’s taking focus away from the carnage in the ring?
What it is is revealed as the commotion makes it’s wait to the guardrail.
Jester Smiles has arrived.
Eryk Masters: What the hell? Don’t tell me…
Smiles hops the guardrail, and Crippler hasn’t seen him yet. Smiles picks up a steel chair from earlier, and waits. Crippler slowly turns around at the request from some of the fans ringside, and sees a smiling Jester. His face takes an ugly twist, contorting in rage, and he charges, but Jester throws the chair at him! Crippler catches it, but that’s what Jester wanted all along. The chair crashes against the skull of Lunatikk Crippler, as Smiles hit’s the Punchline! Crippler crumples in a heap, combined with the damage inflicted on him during the match itself, he seems finished.
Other Guy: Jester exacts his revenge from the last time these two were in the ring! Crippler left Jester laying, and now he returns the favor!
Eryk Masters: This is crap! Jester’s got no business out here!
Jester must agree with that. He waves goodbye to an unconscious Crippler, and goes back out the way he came.
Napalm takes a charging Stone down with a huge spinebuster, and now Napalm is the only man standing. He drops down and rolls out of the ring, looking for something in particular. When he finds it, he lifts it in the air, grinning maniacally. The fans let out a collective gasp, some cheering.
Other Guy: Johnny Napalm going for an end game: the barbed wire baseball bat!
Napalm slides back into the ring as Stone struggles to his feet. Napalm is ready to take aim, but something catches his eye. The Tron springs to life, showing one thing dead center of the screen.
Sakura Lee, gagged, bound to a chair. Napalm forgets about everything else, and stares at the screen, unable to do much else.
Eryk Masters: I’ve got a pretty good idea who’s behind this. Distracting Johnny Napalm when it seems that victory is in hand? I wondered why Leona wasn’t out here with Piper tonight. She’s gotta be the one feeding the video to the wall!
The feed dies, the screen going black, and Napalm is incensed. He throws down the bat and turns around, and there’s Piper Fury! She drives Precious right into the bloody face of Napalm! He staggers to a knee, turning from the impact. Kevin Stone is right there, hooking Napalm up for a vertical suplex. Stone strains due to the abuse he’s taken here tonight, but he gets Napalm up, holding him straight up in the air, before bringing him down forward, right onto his back.
Other Guy: Stonewall! Right onto the thumbtacks!! That’s lights out!
Stone rolls off the limp form of Johnny Napalm, allowing Piper Fury to crawl on top of him, hooking the far leg. Dennis Heflin finally has something to do, as he slides into the ring.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
The bell rings, and "Warriors of the World United" kicks in, as Stone raises his arms in victory.
Samantha Coil: Here are your winners, Kevin Stone and Piper Fury!!
Eryk Masters: That was a brutal, bloody affair, and Piper Fury pins Johnny Napalm!
Other Guy: You have to give it up for all four combatants. That was just vicious!
Eryk Masters: Jester Smiles took out Lunatikk Crippler, and that left Napalm helpless to the 2 on 1 disadvantage. And now Piper Fury gets to select the stipulation for her match with Napalm at RISE!
Jaime goes into the locker room, and sees Laura in her condition after her match. The medics are wrapping up Laura’s wounds. She has a worried look on her face, as she sees Jaime.
Jaime: Princess…
She’s too damaged to even speak to him as she puts her hands into his.
Jaime: I’m sorry, Laura… I’m going to make this right. You’ll see…
She sees the glint in his eyes, but also notices the pure fury hiding behind those black orbs of his eyes. He kisses her on the cheek and turns around to walk out. As he does, Laura tries to get up to stop him. But the medics keep her down.
Jaime: …because when I’m done with him, he’s gonna be eating dinner through a god damn straw.
He picks up the leather belt and starts walking down the hallway. The various agents see him coming with belt in hand. They try to stop him.
Agent: Jaime… Don’t do it, brother! It’s not worth it!
Jaime: WHERE THE FUCK IS ENTRAGIAN! I’M GONNA BEAT HIM WORSE THAN HIS FUCKING DRUNK OF A FATHER!
He shoves the staff out of the way, and looks around the hallway. He bellows out.
Jaime: ANYONE ELSE WANT TO BE A FUCKING HERO?!!
All of a sudden, he sees his mark… Isaac is turned around, and doesn’t notice the commotion. He’s still covered in Laura’s blood, the Iron Fist title draped over one shoulder. He doesn’t feel the sting about to come his way.
Jaime: The essential rule, Isaac…
He whips the belt in his hands. As he does, Issac turns around and glares at it. Entragian seems to freeze up at the very sight of the belt, his eyes growing strangely wide. It’s a deer in the headlights look….it’s the one emotion you’d never think to see on the face of The Ivory Terror.
It’s doubt. It’s hesitation. It’s….fear.
Jaime: You hurt one of mine, I put yours in the morgue. I figured…
He brings the belt down hard on Isaac’s white flesh.
Jaime: I’ll go straight to the damn source!
Jaime starts wailing away as fast and hard as he can over the albino skin of his opponent. The Iron Fist title falls from Isaac’s shoulder, and he stumbles backwards and falls to the hard concrete, blood starting to saturate his pale skin as the first of the welts begin to appear.
Jaime: How does it feel, old friend? You wanted to feel up Laura? Wanted to pop that cherry? FUCK YOU FAGGOT!
He keeps whipping Isaac, to paraphrase, like a government mule. Entragian is crawling across the concrete now, his back starting to look like a canvas painted in horrible red lesions.
Jaime: The pain is just beginning, mother fucker! Because at RISE, it’s perfectly legal for me to commit attempted murder on you!
Jaime wraps the belt around one calloused fist now, and he flips Isaac onto his back with his boot. He leans over the fallen monster, and he starts to SLAM belted fists down into Isaac’s hideous face.
First Isaac’s eyebrow splits open, then his nostrils burst with blood, then his eyes begins to swell as tiny blood vessels burst within. Jaime doesn’t stop. That belted fist finds it mark endlessly, and Alejandro seems….lost in the gore, caught up in a storm of emotion.
When Jaime finally stops, Isaac’s face is no longer pale. It’s red and black and swollen, one single green eye staring up at Jaime through the sheen of plasma, but not really seeing him.
Jaime is not finished. He wraps the belt around Isaac’s throat, and he notches it tight. Jaime then starts to DRAG Isaac’s body across the concrete, leaving a trail of smeared gore on the floor as Isaac weakly paws at his own throat, his forked tongue clenched between his teeth as he struggles to take in even the most paltry bit of oxygen.
Alejandro stops at an open door with a padlock on the outside, taking a moment to look inside. It’s a dusty old storeroom, and it’s covered in mirrors. Jaime can’t help but smile…
He kneels down, and he cradles Isaac’s head, forcing him to gaze into that dark room.
Jaime: You see that? It’s kinda like the closet I found in your old farmhouse. The walls covered in mirrors….nothing but mirrors.
Jaime digs his fingers into Isaac’s white hair, holding his head up so that he has no choice but to look. Entragian….starts to shake. He starts to tremble.
Jaime: I heard your daddy used to keep you locked up in that room for HOURS at a time. He wanted you to see the sin inside of yourself. He wanted you to see the evil. He wanted you to see your own reflection…so that you would know how much of a FREAK you are…
Jaime stares down into Isaac’s face, his eyes full of fury.
Jaime: Let’s go inside…
Isaac starts to fight, struggling against Jaime’s grip, scratching and clawing at him desperately…but he’s lost too much blood at this point, and he has almost nothing left. Jaime grabs hold of the belt again, and he starts to drag Isaac by his throat into the storeroom.
Entragian starts to rasp, droplets of blood and mucus oozing down past his bottom lip.
Entragian: NO. NO. You…can’t. You can’t do this…to me. YOU CAN’T FUCKING DO THIS TO ME!!!
Isaac latches himself onto the doorframe, struggling to keep himself out of the room, but Jaime pulls him in with ALL of his might, and one of Isaac’s fingernails literally SNAPS off as he’s forcibly dragged into the room.
Jaime: I CAN. I WILL.
Isaac makes one final made dash for the door, but Jaime slams it in his face, and then he snaps the padlock into place. Entragian bangs and claws against the door, bellowing and roaring like a caged animal.
Jaime walks a few feet away from the door, and he picks up the Iron Fist Championship from the floor. Jaime stares at the title longingly for a moment, and then he slides it underneath the door into the storeroom.
Jaime: Enjoy your stay…"champ."
Alejandro walks out of frame, and we cut back to the commentary table.
Other Guy: Wow. I’m almost at a loss for words. Have we EVER seen Entragian get dominated like that? That was…surreal. I guess I’m used to seeing Entragian do the dominating…
Eryk Masters: You know what, OG? There’s a first time for everything. After what that pale piece of excrement did to Laura Seton tonight, I was THRILLED to see Jaime exact his pound of flesh…
Other Guy: Well I know one thing…the emotions are BOILING in this Iron Fist rivalry…and at RISE…I don’t know if The Epicenter will even be able to contain these two men…
Eryk Masters: To borrow Project: SCAR’s own catchphrase….what we just witnessed? That….was BEAUTIFUL!
Samantha Coil: Ladies and Gentlemen the following contest is scheduled for one fall! Currently in the ring, he is from Plainfield, New Jersey, PESTALANCE!
The fans boo as Full Nelson by Redman plays while Pestalance walks to the ring, ignoring them as he rolls into the ring and paces impatiently. Once the fans calm down, Samantha begins again.
Samantha Coil: And his opponent, from Boston Massachusetts she is a member of the Sinister Syndicate…. And uh… One Half of the Next SHOOT Project Tag Team Champions The Alpha Female Tanya Black!
Eryk Masters: What arrogance! Tanya had to con Samantha Coil into saying that.
Other Guy: Well if she takes out Pestalance that might be less arrogance and more prediction.
She Will Sing, Til Everything Burns While Everyone Screams Burning In Their Lies Burning My Dreams
The lights dim down for a moment and the video wall springs to life showing various images of SHOOT Project competitors each image being burned away in sequence as if someone was burning a stack of photos.
As Everything Burns continues to play the arena explodes into boos as Tanya Black emerges out of the back, her head hanging down solemnly until she gets to the end of the ramp at which point she looks up at the ring and grins like a cat sizing up it’s prey. Standing at ringside Tanya watches as her song dies down the last words echoing through the arena
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I’ll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
Till everything burns
With that Tanya slides into the ring with a surprising burst of speed given her slow walk to the ring catching those in the ring off-guard. Before the referee could ring the bell Tanya walks over and snatches the microphone from the exiting Samantha Coil.
Tanya: I would like to repeat something. I dedicate this destruction to the Bad Ass Brotherhood. Remember: This is what wrestling is about, not being marketable.
Tossing the microphone to Samantha Tanya turns around and snaps at the referee to ring the bell. As the referee signals to the time-keeper Pestalance rushes Tanya and nails her with a clothesline.
Eryk Masters: There’s the bell and we are starting with a bang.
Other Guy: Let’s be honest. Neither one of these two are highly cheered but both are highly skilled and dangerous.
As Pestalance hammers Tanya’s back with blow after blow he ignores the referee’s commands to get Tanya out of the corner until the count begins. At four Pestalance grabs her hair and tosses Tanya across the ring. Laughing Pestalance stalks Tanya who springs up at the last moment and nails a headbutt to the stomach before slapping Pestalance as hard as she can leading to a hard Stunner.
Eryk Masters: This is the part that Tanya wanted the BAB to see.
Other Guy: She rolled with the punches and took her spot. That is what it takes to be a top competitor.
With Pestalance on the ground Tanya takes a moment to sneer before kicking him in the head. As the fans begin to figure out her mindset, Tanya continues the Garvin Stomp, nailing Pestalance all over his prone body. Finishing it off Tanya stands back and waits for Pestalance to get back up before hitting a running lariat to knock Pestalance back down to the ground. Standing behind him, Tanya licks her lips as Pestalance staggers up and Tanya hits the reverse neckbreaker. Lifting Pestalance up to his knees, Tanya runs the ropes and slams her knee into his face causing a groan from the crowd who sympathized with the pain.
Eryk Masters: That is just mean right there. You can shatter someone’s nose doing that.
Other Guy: That’s just how Tanya Black likes it. I mean really likes it.
Looking up at the entrance curtain, Tanya smirks and pantomimes putting a championship belt around her waist causing a new set of boos from the fans. Looking at the downed Pestalance Tanya smiles and runs her hands over her own body before moving over him. Suddenly Pestalance’s fist shoots up and slams into Tanya’s stomach. Forcing his way up Pestalance grabs Tanya and powerslams her. Tanya pops back up and gets another slam for her trouble. Out from the back emerges fellow Syndicate member Sam Gideon, prompting boos from the crowd.
Eryk Masters: It looks like the Syndicate isn’t going to let their teammates get left alone with the Brotherhood somewhere in the building, let alone with Pestalance getting the upper hand on Tanya here.
Grabbing her up Pestalance looks upset and after elbowing Tanya into the back of the neck to stun her, Pestalance lifts Tanya up and powerbombs her out of the ring causing a HOLY SHIT chant as Tanya lands on the outside in a tangled heap, the sick thud echoing over the noise.
Eryk Masters: WOW! Pestalance could have crippled Tanya doing that.
Other Guy: That’s the point. He doesn’t care about Tanya Black. Pestalance wants to shoot up the rankings and he wants to do so now.
With the fans watching carefully, Austin Linam checks on Tanya Black who begins moving and waves off any attempts to end the match. Pestalance smirks and rolls out of the ring, grabbing Tanya up and yelling at her to give up. Grabbing her up Pestalance goes for a piledriver causing the fans to boo a bit. However at the last moment Tanya Black slides out of it into a backcracker laying out Pestalance as she tries to stand up herself. Staggering up the ring steps, Tanya stands on the apron and catches the rising Pestalance with a tornado DDT. Both lay on the mat for a moment before Tanya lifts herself up and rolls into the ring. Gideon stares intently at the events unfolding in front of him, but throws his hands up when Linam admonishes him.
Eryk Masters: What a comeback from Tanya. She may have just saved herself.
Other Guy: That’s an understatement. A piledriver outside the ring might have ended her career.
Eryk Masters: Although Sam Gideon’s right there, and who knows what he’s planning.
Austin Linam begins counting out Pestalance as the fans boo wanting him to get back in the ring instead of a cop-out victory for Tanya who laughs as she watches. Finally at the seven count Pestalance rolls back in. Tanya wastes no time and rushes at him, using her full body weight to knock Pestalance into the corner post as he is off-balance from trying to stand up. Kicking Pestalance in the stomach several times Tanya heckles the fans for a moment before running at Pestalance and hitting the double knees to the face. With Pestalance laid out on the mat, Tanya screamed out "FOUR-SHOT" before hitting the leg drop. Climbing the corner Tanya dropped the leg drop from the bottom rope. Immediately leaping up she keeps going with the middle rope and top rope leg drops each time hitting Pestalance’s rib cage in the same spot as the crowd debates with itself over cheering or booing for her efforts.
Other Guy: That brutal combination hurts me to watch everytime. She’s so precise with it even from the top rope.
Eryk Masters: Unless you’ve had your ribs cracked, you have no idea how hard it can be to breathe and a move like that is perfect for cracking ribs.
Sitting up Tanya Black rubs herself down again as she looks at Pestalance who is clutching his ribs as he tries to shut the pain down. Sizing him up Tanya Black locks on a familiar submission move and the fans blow the roof off in both cheers and boos as Pestalance tries to fight his way out of the move known as Tap Out Bitch. Austin Linam asks Pestalance if he wants to quit but the larger man waves it off. Struggling a bit more as Tanya wretches back harder, Pestalance manages to get his hands set and uses his strength to roll over but Tanya hangs on and rolls him completely over, outsmarting Pestalance. Seeing Pestalance scream in pain he lifts his one arm to tap out only to have Tanya let go shocking everyone. Standing up she drops an elbow right into the back of Pestalance’s skull. Turning Pestalance over Tanya rains fists down onto her opponent’s face until she is threatened with disqualification.
Other Guy: What a freak! She had the match won but let go so she could punish Pestalance more!
Eryk Masters: Tanya promised destruction as a way of warning the Brotherhood to take her and Cade seriously. Her word is good.
Licking her lips Tanya heads to the ropes. Taking a moment to measure herself Tanya jumps up and hits a lionsault driving her whole body into the ribs of Pestalance causing further damage. Forcing Pestalance up Tanya hits a Lariat before skipping around in joy at the damage she is doing to her opponent. Seeing Pestalance rising again and looking pissed she grins and charges but Pestalance manages to hit a spinebuster before falling to the mat with Tanya Black. A moment later Pestalance lifts her by the hair and powerslams Tanya. Yelling at her, Pestalance picks Tanya up and hits a backbreaker. With Tanya laid out Pestalance smiles and drives his boot into her gut. Listening to the fans boo he waves it off before lifting Tanya by her hair and whipping her into the ropes, catching Tanya with a scoop slam that drives her into the mat with no immediate recovery in sight.
Eryk Masters: Pestalance is back in this game and has Tanya Black down and out!
Other Guy: She doesn’t look like she is ready to quit though. I have no doubt she is still capable of kicking out of a pinfall.
Sure enough Tanya Black pops up as soon as Pestalance starts to move in for the attack, causing the fans to pop at the thought of the match continuing. Pestalance goes to lock up only to get a fierce chop across the chest for his efforts. Pestalance looks upset and tries for a surprise clothesline but Tanya ducks and chops Pestalance again before she smiles in pleasure at the marks on his chest.
Other Guy: OUCH. Damn!
Screaming in anger Pestalance grabs Tanya and whips her into the ropes. As Tanya charges back he hits a boot to the head. Lifting Tanya up by her hair he headbutts her to stun the smaller wrestler before hooking her up into a fireman’s carry, yelling out "Holla at ya later bitch!" dropping Tanya with a loud thud her face snapping back across his knee. Laying across her prone body, Pestalance demands a count.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Samantha Coil: Your Winner by pinfall, PESTALANCE!
Eryk Masters: What a match. Both competitors held nothing back, this thing came down to the final moments.
Other Guy: Pestalance got a big win here tonight over a hell of a competitor. You have to…wait a second, look!
Out from the back emerges THE BAD ASS BROTHERHOOD. The fans are cheering LOUDLY as CHARLES BRANDON MAGNUS and BUCK DRESDEN stand at the stage. Neither man wearing their belts, nor are they dressed to compete. They are simply dressed in black shirts and blue jeans and boots. They march to the ring as Gideon rolls into the ring, ready for a fight.
Eryk Masters: Pestalance is just walking past them, but I think everybody knows Rande Johnson doesn’t have to worry about Buck and Magnus!
Other Guy: But I don’t think I’d want to see what these guys have on their minds right now.
Eryk Masters: Well, for now, it’s two on two!
Magnus calls for a microphone as Buck glares Gideon down.
Charles Brandon Magnus: No music, no fun, no games.
Magnus ascends the ring steps as Buck follows him.
Charles Brandon Magnus: Ever since we started this little…thing between your group and the two of us? Hey…hey…talking to you, Sammy.
Gideon glares at Magnus.
Charles Brandon Magnus: I…meh.
Magnus shrugs and NAILS Gideon in the head with the microphone! Gideon staggers backwards just as Buck aims his imaginary shotgun at Gideon and signals for the Buck Shot! He snatches Gideon up and PLANTS him on the mat with the Buck Shot! Magnus kneels down over Tanya Black and he pulls her up to her feet. She is still somewhat dazed from the match with Pestalance as Buck grabs her and holds her up for Magnus.
Charles Brandon Magnus: Welcome to the tag team division, bitch.
With that, Buck QUICKLY hoists her onto his shoulders and Magnus grabs her by the head. Buck drops down for his lungblower while Magnus connects with an Act of Inhumanity and Tanya Black is OUT.
Eryk Masters: THE ELE! Buck and Magnus have hit Tanya Black with the EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT!
Buck takes the microphone and shakes his head as he looks down at her.
Buck Dresden: Sorry, darlin’.
He sighs.
Buck Dresden: You can talk all the shit you want to, but it’s us gonna be walkin’ away at RISE as the champions. Maybe we’ll put it on a shirt fer you.
She clutches her head and stomach as the two tag team champions grab a hold of Sam Gideon and LAUNCH him from the ring, slamming him HARD on the mat outside. The two of them stand there for a moment, looking at the fans who are cheering…but are definitely concerned for their heroes and their behavior as "Back In The Saddle Again" kicks up.
Eryk Masters: Wow.
Other Guy: This stuff with Jonas Coleman has really gotten to the two of them, Eryk. For the first time in their careers…I actually see the two of them as…dangerous.
Eryk Masters: They’ve left Sam Gideon completely unconscious on the outside here…and Tanya Black’s been given a message I’m sure she’ll twist around to suit her mindset like she always does…but I’m worried about Magnus and Buck.
Other Guy: They definitely didn’t seem like themselves, did they? Not a single smile between the two of them. They’re just…so angry. Not even at the Syndicate, really.
Eryk Masters: Yeah, but…taking out your frustrations on an entity like the Sinister Syndicate might feel good in the short run…but this is a group with Cade Sydal and Tanya Black at the helm, they’re not likely to let this go.
Other Guy: Now THERE’S an understatement.
Eryk Masters: I shudder to think of what’s going to happen as we head into RISE, not just for these two teams…but for all of SHOOT Project.
Other Guy: Whatever happens, one thing’s for sure: the tag team titles are gonna be up for grabs in one HELL of a contest! Especially if the Brotherhood stays pissed off and the Syndicate looks for retribution!
Jun Kenshin walks silently along the corridors of the SHOOT Project Epicenter, as the crowd comes alive at the sight of the Perfector. He’s lightly grazing a hand along the cement wall, and mostly musing to himself, when he bumps into Abigail Chase.
Kenshin: Oh, my apologies, Ms. Chase.
Abigail, a bit flustered, re-adjusts herself and looks up at Kenshin with a sheepish smile on her face.
Abigail Chase: No worries, Jun, buuuutttt… since you’re here…
He laughs.
Kenshin: Interview?
She smiles and nods.
Abigail Chase: You got it! Interview!
He laughs again.
Kenshin: Gladly.
Abigail Chase: You’ve been somewhat quiet, recently. Do you have anything on your mind or anything you want to say, regarding the impending main event at RISE?
Yeah… he wants to say… he’s not going to make it.
Abigail shrieks as Kenshin is hit from behind, and as he falls forward, his attacker becomes clear. A loud CLANG is heard as Adrian Corazon grabs Kenshin by the collar, drops the pipe that he just used to hit Kenshin, and makes him stand upright. Kenshin attempts to fight Corazon off, but is still suffering from the previous blow. Corazon doesn’t give Kenshin the opportunity to say anything before he whips Kenshin head first into the wall.
Abigail Chase: OH MY GOD.
Kenshin crumples to the floor in a heap, and a trickle of blood begins to leak out from under the forehead of the Perfector.
Abigail Chase: WHY… WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
Corazon leans down and picks the pipe up, places a boot on Kenshin’s head, and with a look of pure joy and glee, swings the pipe into the side of Kenshin’s torso! Kenshin tries to writhe away, but the combination of the head shot, the pain from the ribs, and Corazon’s well placed boot, he’s unable to move. Instead, he just gasps for air, and eventually… passes out.
Corazon smiles.
Why?
He laughs.
Why, you ask?
He stares at Abigail Chase, and then directly into the camera that just witnessed this event.
Because, Abby. The SHOOT Project is complacent. This man? He is weak. You don’t want him to represent you… us… anyone. So… now he no longer does.
He continues to stare, still smiling.
Jun Kenshin… the false prophet. One of many. The Shield. Pfft… hahahaha.
Corazon rears the pipe back and swings it into Kenshin’s side again, and with a sickening thud, the pipe registers another harsh hit, Abigail Chase falls to the ground over top of the Perfector, clearly horrified.
You see, Ms. Chase… everyone wants to believe that the SHOOT Project is the house that they built… the house that they’ve nurtured… but really… when you get right down to it? Kenshin, and those of his ilk? All they are… parasites. And me?
He looks down at her, cocks his head, and then turns towards the camera.
I’m the one that’s going to burn it to the ground.
Black.
Samantha Coil: Ladies and gentlemen… the following contest is scheduled for one fall… and it is our main event of the evening! Introducing first…
The opening riff of "Cut Out The Disease" booms from the speakers. Mason Pierce and Leona emerge from the back, slightly taken aback by the fact that there actually seem to be some people in the crowd cheering for them. Mason whispers something to Leona and she nods as the two of them make their way to the ringside area. Some of the fans have their hands out, but Mason and Leona are completely ignoring them as they walk the aisle and up the ring stairs.
Samantha Coil: Making his way down the ramp, from Manchester, England… weighing in at 230lbs… accompanied to the ring by Leona… The FIXER… MASOOOOOOOOOON PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIERCE!!!!
Eryk Masters: Well, OG, now we’re going to get to see whether or not Mason Pierce has any sort of ring rust on him. Nobody’s seen him in action since Reckoning Day, and that’s an awfully long time to be out of action- especially after the way his last match went.
Other Guy: Hey- he says he’s ready for this, he’s ready. Somehow I have the feeling he’s going to surprise a lot of people tonight and really give the champ a serious run for his money. The question shouldn’t be whether or not Mason’s ready for X- it should be whether or not X is ready for Mason.
Eryk Masters: This is the guy that X-Calibur handpicked for the Hierarchy. He took him under his wing, opened up to him, and that right there is what could really prove to be the difference-maker. There’s a huge discrepancy between training for a match and training to face someone who knows your weak spots and is more than happy to exploit them- especially this close to RISE when the title is going to be on the line against not just Mason Pierce, but Kenji Yamada, Donovan King-
Other Guy: Who, as we’ve seen, seems to have some sort of a truce with The Fixer.
Eryk Masters: Trey Willett, who has been conspicuous by his absence as of late, Jun Kenshin…
Other Guy: Uh, something tells me we can probably scratch Kenshin. I doubt he’s going to be in much shape to compete after the beating he took at the hands of X and Yuri. And speaking of which.. where is the big guy?
Eryk Masters: Don’t know, don’t care.
Mason and Leona enter the ring. Mason removes his sunglasses and hands them to Leona. He says something to her- the microphone catches something about her going backstage. This doesn’t seem to sit too well with Leona, who is openly resisting, standing her ground. She adamantly tells Mason she’s not going to be leaving ringside for any reason, and Mason relents, realizing that he’s not going to win this battle against the hard-headed Leona.
Eryk Masters: Whoa.. trouble in paradise?
Other Guy: Doubtful. Mason knows full well that Leona’s a target outside the ring, and he just wants her out of the way. She’s not buying it, though, obviously. Maybe she feels safer out here than back there. Her call, right?
Eryk Masters: Oh what the f-
Bryan Harris: THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT’S RIGHT, FELLAS! GUESS WHO’S BACK? BACK AGAIN…
Other Guy: Bryan..
Eryk Masters: He didn’t really just quote Eminem, did he?
The lights in the Epicenter dim considerably when the opening chords to "Change" pulsate throughout Las Vegas. A lone "X" burns through the SHOOTron like a flame through a piece of paper when the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Champion appears at the top of the ramp, title worn snugly around his waist.
Bryan Harris: God. Look at that man. So… iconic. So powerful! So inspirational! Ladies and gentlemen, the HERO of all things in life… Eryk Van W-
Eryk Masters: Would you shut up already!? Good God, man…
Samantha Coil: From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania… weighing in at 247lbs… he is the current reigning SHOOT Project WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION… X…. CAAAAAAAALIBUUUUUUUUR!!!
A grin forms across his face as the people reign a tidal wave of boos down across him. Raising his hands up slowly, he absorbs their hatred like an angsty sponge, and begins making his way down to the ring. Looking back behind him, he shakes his head at the absence of his Russian Assassin.
Eryk Masters: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised Yuri wasn’t out here tonight. Given the Hierarchy’s history in situations like this, I thought for SURE Yuri would be accompanying the Champ to the ring. Care to shed some light on why he’s not here, Bryan?
Bryan Harris: I have no IDEA why he’s not out here tonight, and even if I DID know? I wouldn’t share that information with the likes of YOU.
Other Guy: Now, now Bryan… it was a simple question. Lets try to remain civil out here, okay fellas?
Eryk Masters: As long as he doesn’t act like a complete retard, we’re cool.
Bryan Harris: I don’t know what you’re talking about, OG. I’m ALWAYS civil. In every situation. Eryk Masters is the crybaby.
Eryk Masters: Ugggggh….
Stretching his neck side to side, X bounces on the heels of his boots for a moment, then sprints up the steel steps and onto the ring apron. Adorned in a pair of black trunks with red trim that sport the word "HI" on the crotchel region in a crimson and mauve pattern, and an "X" on the back in similar fashion, X steps through the ropes and unfastens his SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Title. Walking DIRECTLY towards Mason Pierce, X yells obscenities at the former Hierarchy comrade while holding the Championship high in the air.
Without hesitation, Mason DECKS X with a right hand, sending the Champion down to the mat! The audience pops HARD for this, and X-Calibur’s music quickly fades to silence.
"MA-SON! MA-SON! MA-SON!"
Bryan Harris: What the hell was THAT?! Talk about disrespectful!
Eryk Masters: X was the one who got in Mason’s face. He got what he deserved as far as I’m concerned.
Other Guy: Listen to this CROWD! I think it’s clear who the fan favorite is between these two, despite Mason Pierce frankly not caring about them the slightest bit.
Picking himself up off of the mat and grabbing his World Heavyweight Championship before Tony Lorenzo or anybody else could put their hands on it, X kicks the bottom rope while holding his jaw in agony. SCREAMING at the referee to disqualify Mason Pierce for not showing him the proper respect, Lorenzo adamantly refuses.
As the audience continue to chant Mason’s name, and Mason motions for X to come at him again, X-Calibur shakes his head before he exits through the ropes and hops down to the outside. This draws MASSIVE boos from the Epicenter, as X waves off Mason Pierce and turns his back on the match!
Eryk Masters: You’ve GOTTA be kidding me.
Other Guy: Looks like X is walking out on this match! Haha, someone appears to be a little butt-hurt!
Bryan Harris: I don’t blame Eryk one bit. In fact… I APPLAUD him for refusing to wrestle a man… no, a TRAITOR, that shows no respect at all for the World Heavyweight Champion.
Upon saying this, Bryan Harris stands up from the announce booth and begins clapping unwaveringly in X-Calibur’s direction.
Nearly to the top of the ramp already, still clutching his jaw, X shakes his head in disgust at everyone for not showing him the respect he feels he deserves.
Suddenly, Lorenzo exit’s the ring and makes his way over to Samantha. Moments later…
Samantha Coil: Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been informed by Tony Lorenzo that, in accordance to a newly instated mandate passed down by SHOOT Project CEO Jason Johnson, if the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Champion decides to walk out on his opponent and take it upon himself to NOT compete in the scheduled match he was booked in…
The wait with baited breath.
Samantha Coil: … then Tony Lorenzo WILL rule this match a forfeit, and thereby make Mason Pierce the NEW SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Champion!
The fans pop like MANIACS as X-Calibur goes BALLISTIC at the top of the entrance ramp!
Bryan Harris: WHAT?! THAT’S FUCKING BULLSHIT!
Other Guy: Language, Harris!
Eryk Masters: I FUCKING LOVE IT!
Other Guy: Jesus… LANGUAGE, MASTERS!
As X-Calibur screams in a fit of rage at the top of the ramp, Lorenzo wastes NO time administering a ten-count! The audience counts along:
"ONE!"
"TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Bryan Harris: How is this even LEGAL?! It’s a non-title match for Christ sakes!
"FOOOOOOOOOOOOUR!"
"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!"
Walking his way back to the ring, X-Calibur points up at Mason Pierce while mouthing, "You’re DEAD."
"SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIX!"
"SEVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEIGHT!"
"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!"
Right before the count of ten, X-Calibur slides into the ring, shedding the Championship belt on the edge of the ring apron. As he stands, X and Mason CHARGE at one another while Lorenzo finally calls for the bell!
Eryk Masters: Finally!
Other Guy: That MORE than made up for Lorenzo’s crappy call last Revolution where he actually allowed Kenshin to continue against X. What a FANTASTIC call!
Bryan Harris: It’s not right I tell you. NOT RIGHT AT ALL!
Mason begins laying into X-Calibur with stiff haymakers and short kicks to the legs, while X answers with sloppy southpaw lefts and knees to the gut! X-Calibur feels each deliberate shot to their fullest extent though, and soon enough he begins to retreat from his attack, wincing from the scary impact of Mason’s striking power. Connecting a boot to X’s calf, X has no choice but to back away from Mason even further, until his back is in the turnbuckles!
Eryk Masters: Good God!
Other Guy: Mason looks to be poised for an absolute maiming tonight.
Eryk Masters: X-Calibur isn’t one to back down from a fight… well, sometimes… so to see him concede to Mason’s relentless onslaught is a bit surprising.
Other Guy: Disqualify Mason, ref!
As soon as X’s back touches the ropes, Lorenzo stands in between X and Mason, placing both hands on Mason’s sternum to prevent him from striking X. The fans boos this, but realizing things were about to get out of hand pretty quickly, Lorenzo waves a free hand towards the timekeeper while pushing Mason away from X, signaling for the starting bell. Looking indignant that this SHOOT official had the audacity to put his hands on him, Mason rears back in preparation for a nasty haymaker, but X-Calibur seizes the opportunity for a distraction and LAUNCHES himself at Mason with a vicious spear!
Eryk Masters: Wow! A spear! Out of NOWHERE!
Bryan Harris: You know what he calls that?
Other Guy: I’m afraid to even ask.
Bryan Harris: The KillSHOOT.
Eryk Masters & Other Guy: …
Hooking a leg on Mason, X screams at Lorenzo to count!
ONE!
TWO!
Mason kicks out emphatically though, clearly not out of this one just yet.
Pummeling Mason’s surprised face with lefts and rights and a few forearms here and there, X-Calibur quickly dismounts his opposition, pleased with the damage he just doled out. Once Mason gets to his feet, X jumps high into the air and executes a BEAUTIFUL standing dropkick that catches Mason right in the button! As Mason goes down, X hooks a leg!
ONE!
TWO!
Mason kicks out again, and X transitions this into a rear chin-lock, wrenching back tightly against the sore right-side cleft of Mason’s jaw.
Eryk Masters: Despite that rocky beginning and his teasing walking out on all of us, X has shown quite an array of offense here.
Other Guy: Amen to that.
Bryan Harris: And you guys are surprised because..?
Having his bell rung, Mason shakes his head, feeling disoriented from the impact of the strategically placed dropkick. Before he has time to react, X-Calibur is running into the ropes, looking to rebound with something nasty. Mason gets to his feet, but before he can come up with a proper counter, X-Calibur nails Mason’s face with a flying back elbow to the face!
Bryan Harris: Damn! Bone meets cartilage… that had to hurt like hell.
Eryk Masters: That was a gorgeous flying reverse elbow!
Stunning Mason long enough to think forward at his next move, but not nearly long enough to even attempt a pin, X measures Mason up while he picks himself up off the mat. As soon as Mason’s eyes meet his own, X pivots a foot and in an upward thrusting motion, he shoots the bend in his elbow up into the cleft of Mason’s jaw with a SMACKING European uppercut! Once again dropped to the canvas, X follows this up with a jumping knee to the forehead. He hooks a leg again and Lorenzo is right there!
ONE!
TWO!
Mason shoulders out, clearly feeling the disorienting effects of X’s striking power.
Eryk Masters: Surprised that X has switched his game up a little here tonight. Begin the "Technical God" he always claims he is, he’s certainly showing more of a brawler’s tendency here tonight.
Other Guy: That’s the thing about X, though. He’s adaptable. If he can, he will play YOUR game, and more often than not, he succeeds in doing it.
Bryan Harris: That’s the first smart thing you’ve said all night, OG.
Other Guy: Why, thanks, B-Hair!
Mason’s head snaps backwards, and X once again seizes an opportunity. Booting Mason in the gut, X hooks him up with a front chancery as he doubles over, and in one fluid motion he SNAPS Mason’s head down into the canvas with a quick snapping DDT. Hoping to have damaged Mason enough, X hooks a leg. Lorenzo drops down for a count..
Bryan Harris: That was one freakin’ nasty DDT!!
ONE!
TWO!
THR- Mason kicks out just before the three-count, and X snaps at Lorenzo to count faster!
Surprising X, Mason quickly rolls from his back all the way up to his feet in one fluid motion. Running into the ropes, Mason LAUNCHES himself towards X off of the recoil with a flying lariat, knocking the World Heavyweight Champion down to the mat! As X rolls up to his feet, Mason also gets to his, and as X advances towards him, Mason catches X in a standing belly-to-belly slam! Dropping down, Mason hooks a leg this time!
ONE!
TWO!
X kicks out!
Eryk Masters: It’s not often that we see someone out performing X on a technical level and someone out performing Mason on a brawling level.
Bryan Harris: Very astute observation, Eryk. And by astute observation I mean shut up, ass hat.
Other Guy: Come on, Bryan. Stop trying to bait us.
Bryan Harris: I don’t know what you’re talking about… gay-boy?
Mason connects with a kick right in the middle of X’s bread basket. Doubling him over, Mason leans into the ropes nearest to him. Propelling himself forward, Mason flips forward, catching X’s head with a front-flipping neckbreaker! Once again, Mason hooks a leg on the Champ!
Eryk Masters: He caught X in that flipping neck-breaker with some SCARY precision.
Other Guy: This could be it here!
ONE!
TWO!
X shoulders out!
Realizing he had X-Calibur on the rocks with that flipping neckbreaker, Mason brings X to his feet, wraps his arm around X’s head for a reverse DDT and SNAPS him down to the mat in a sit-out position, cradling his leg for the pin attempt!
Eryk Masters: NICE Sit-Out Falling Reverse DDT! Damn these guys are pulling out the moves tonight!
Other Guy: Everything is on the line in this match, even if nothing is on the line.
Bryan Harris: Been reading some Sun Chow, eh OG?
Other Guy: It’s Sun Tzu, and no, I haven’t.
Bryan Harris: Chin chang, ying yang, it’s all pot stickers to me, OG.
Eryk Masters: How you EVER got an announcing gig, I will never understand.
All of a sudden, transitioning from the pin attempt, Mason rolls X over into a Fuijiwara arm-bar!
Bryan Harris: NO!
Eryk Masters: YES!
Other Guy: MAYBE?!
Mason cinches the move in even tighter, and X SCREAMS out in agony. Lorenzo checks on him as Leona yells from the outside for X to "give it up!". Gritting through his teeth, X-Calibur tries to push up from the mat and roll over Mason, but Mason maintains a deadweight position across X’s back as he bends X’s arm in ways it was not meant to be bent.
Eryk Masters: X may have to tap here… if he wants to make it to RISE in one piece, that is.
Reaching out with his free arm, X tries to pull their combined body weight towards the ropes. A few more inches is all X needs, but Mason continues to pour on the pressure. X raises a hand…
Bryan Harris: DON’T DO IT, MR. VAN WARREN!
Just before Mason can tighten the hold any further, X manages to dig deep down into his strength and pull them a little bit closer to the ropes. Reaching out with his hand, he grabs the bottom rope and Lorenzo immediately begins counting Mason for the break!
Eryk Masters: I really thought he had it there..
Other Guy: So did Mason. You can see it in his eyes.
Disappointed he didn’t get X to tap, Mason shakes his head. X, meanwhile, uses the ropes to help himself get to his feet, and when he does, Mason is right there. Grabbing him by his sore arm, Mason whips X into the turnbuckles. Following him in, he nails X n the mid-section with his knee! Grabbing his arm again, Mason whips X into the opposite corner… and AGAIN follows in with a nasty knee shot to the mid-section! With X-Calibur dazed, Mason hits him with a double-axe handle to the back of the head!
Eryk Masters: The A.E.S.! We could be seeing the Manchester Necktie shortly…
As if on cue, Mason rolls X over onto his back and sits down atop X’s back in position for a camel-clutch. Throwing one of X’s arms over his knee, he locks the other arm inside a cobra clutch submission! Arching back, Mason puts an incredible amount of pressure on X-Calibur as he screams at X to "BLOODY TAP ALREADY!".
Other Guy: MANCHESTER NECKT- oh what the HELL………
Out of NOWHERE, the seven-foot Russian Assassin steps over the guard rail amidst a commotion within the crowd. Unbeknownst to Leona, the personal Van Warren gargantuan of a bodyguard sneaks up behind her. However, Mason sees it. His eyes tell a conflicting story as he struggles within to make the decision to let go of the hold or protect Leona from Yuri.
Eryk Masters: Oh. My. God.
Other Guy: RUN, Leona. RUN.
Without even giving Leona the opportunity to turn around, Yuri grabs both of Leona’s arms and lifts her up into the air with a MASSIVE double-chicken wing hold. Continuing to hold X in the patented submission hold, Mason SCREAMS at X to tap the same moment Leona SCREAMS as Yuri slams Leona down onto the outside mat.
Bryan Harris: Hahahaha! Serves the bitch right!
Eryk Masters: My GOD!!! Yuri just about killed Leona!!!
Other Guy: I was WONDERING where Yuri was… I knew there had to be a reason he wasn’t out here tonight with X.
Eryk Masters: Yeah. I’m not surprised at ALL that X and Yuri would concoct a plan to try and sneak attack a woman. Classy, eh?
Cursing loudly, Mason lets go of the Manchester Necktie and peers down at Yuri, SEETHING with rage that the Russian Assassin just put his hands on his woman. Before he can even make an exit from the ring to confront the Russian Assassin, X-Calibur quickly seizes the moment of opportunity and rushes forward, blindsiding Mason with a rogue roll-up.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE- MASON KICKS OUT!
The force in which Mason kicks out of the roll-up sends X shooting through the ropes… right into Yuri’s arms! Holding X there in a fall away slam position, Yuri sets X down on the outside apron. Seeing this, Lorenzo starts yelling at Yuri to get away from the ring. Holding up his hands, Yuri begins walking away.
Other Guy: Yuri almost cost Mason the match!
Once X gets up on the outside apron, Mason Pierce, FUMING over the events that have unfolded, races towards him, grabs him by the hair, and flips him back into the ring! However, as soon as Mason does this, Yuri climbs up onto the ring apron and draws Lorenzo’s attention away from the match. As soon as X-Calibur is up, Mason connects with an overhead belly-to-belly that sends the World Heavyweight Champion down to the mat!
Eryk Masters: MANCHESTER NECKTIE!
Once again, Mason rolls X over into position for the Manchester Necktie, but he immediately sees Yuri on the apron, trying to draw Lorenzo away from officiating. Waltzing over to the big Rusky, Mason NAILS him across the bridge of his nose, the force of which sends him off the edge of the apron and down to the mat below!
Eryk Masters: LOOK OUT!
Seeing Mason AND Lorenzo distracted for the slightest of moments, X extends a foot forward and delivers a NASTY low-blow kick between the Fixer’s legs stops him in his tracks. As Mason begins to fall backwards, cradling his manhood, X rolls him up.
Turning back towards the match, Lorenzo immediately springs into action and administers the count.
ONE!
X grabs the tights.
TWO!
And for added measure, X places both of his feet on the middle rope, unbeknownst to Lorenzo.
THREE!
Eryk Masters: Could he have stolen it anymore blatantly?! Mason HAD this match WON! TWICE!!!
Lorenzo calls for the bell, and X collapses to the mat, an exhausted smile forming across his face.
Motioning for Yuri to come back in the ring… X raises his arms.
Samantha Coil: The winner of this ma-
ALL OF THE LIGHTS
Without warning, "All of the Lights" kicks in the PA system, bringing the fans to their feet.
Eryk Masters: DONOVAN KING!
Racing down the ramp-way full speed ahead, Donovan King makes his way out from the back in a full on sprint. Sliding into the ring so hard that he nearly collides with the opposite ropes, King pops up to his feet and looks dead in the center of the ring at X-Calibur, who is now standing again. Yuri steps up onto the ring apron, clutching his jaw from where Mason rocked him, and stands with a watchful eye as X and King simply lock eyes with one another.
Eryk Masters. Oh. My. God. X-Calibur and Donovan King. How I’ve waited for this for SO long.
King steps forward.
Donovan King: It stops. Right here. Right now.
X motions for Yuri to wait there… and all of a sudden, both X and King begin circling one another in the ring.
X-Calibur: You… really think so?!
Other Guy: I have wanted to see this match-up for so long, now.
Eryk Masters: You and the REST of the SHOOT Project, OG!
Finally stopping in front of one another, it looks like both men are going in for the kill… when X-Calibur drops and rolls out of the ring with an impromptu retreat!
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Picking up the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Title he had dropped on that side of the ring before the match even got started, he slings it over his shoulder as both he and Yuri begin walking to the back. Meanwhile, as the audience showers X in boos with an impressively loathsome intensity, King shakes his head in frustration mixed with disappointment
Playing to the audience and King’s mutual frustration, X begins jumping up and down in a skip up the ramp; as if he just defeated King in an epic match.
Eryk Masters: I feel sick to my stomach right now. When is this guy going to get EVERYTHING that he has coming to him?
As King watches X and Yuri make their way up the ramp, he fails to notice KENJI YAMADA slinking in from behind after having jumped the guard rail during the commotion.
Other Guy: Where the hell did Kenji come from?!
Eryk Masters: This is getting COMPLETELY out of hand!
King stumbles forward after having been kicked in the back of the head with a spinning roundhouse, and Kenji follows this up by setting King up for his modified sit-out cradle piledriver! With Mason still clutching himself in agony, Kenji lifts King up and DRIVES him back down on his head!
Eryk Masters: DEEP SCAR! KENJI JUST HIT THE DEEP SCAR ON DONOVAN KING!
Mason Pierce begins to regain his composure behind him Kenji, and as he does, he only seethes harder over Yuri’s attack on Leona, as well as X’s highway robbery of him in their match. As soon as Kenji gets to his feet after taking out King, Mason grabs Kenji by the shoulder, turns him around, launches him up into the air by pushing upwards on his abdomen and chest, and on the way down catches him with a DEVASTING elevated DDT!
Eryk Masters: Whoa, what the hell was THAT?!
Other Guy: I don’t know, but Kenji Yamada looks to be OUT!
The audience splits between cheers and boos over Kenji and King’s respective demises, all-the-while X-Calibur watches from up the ramp, holding the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Title over his head with a crooked grin plastered across his face.
As Mason Pierce looks on, scowling at the man he just went toe to toe with, he looks out at Leona, who has not MOVED since Yuri put his hands on her and viciously took her out.
But before he can focus his attention on Leona, Yuri goes FLYING to the metal grating as someone connects with a NASTY chair shot right to the back of the Russian Assassin’s head!
Eryk Masters: WHAT THE… TREY WILLETT JUST TOOK OUT THE RUSSIAN ASSASSIN! TREY WILLETT IS BACK!!
Other Guy: Listen to these fans! The Wayward Son of the SHOOT Project is BACK!
Looking at Yuri fall flat on his face, X’s eyes go wide with horror and his arms slowly fall to his sides. Nearly frozen in place, he turns around… slowly… to see Trey Willett standing there with the steel chair. Before he can even react, Trey nails X in the gut with the steel chair in a stabbing thrust, effectively doubling him over. Then, as he reaches to heavens with the chair, he CRASHES it back down against X’s back, delivering an Earth-shattering chair shot that echoes through out the Epicenter!
Eryk Masters: X IS DOWN! X IS DOWN!
X goes down in an awkward heap, twisted in agony as he arches his back from the pain surging through his veins. Throwing the steel chair WILDLY off the side of the ramp, Trey RIPS X back to his feet, boots him in the gut, and begins setting his arms up for his patented double-underhook face buster. As he looks out in the audience for a moment, Trey jumps up and MASHES X’s skull against the steel ramp!
Eryk Masters: DAWN OF A NEW ERA!
Other Guy: That was BRUTAL! X might have a concussion after that one! Right Bryan? Uh, Bryan?
Eryk Masters: Where did he go, anyway?
Other Guy: I’m convinced Bryan Harris died with LEGACY and SHOOT hired his hologram.
As soon as Trey gets up, he looks down at the SHOOT World Heavyweight Title fallen from X’s shoulder… and picks it up. Looking into the face plate, he then looks up at Mason Pierce, who is watching his every move from down in the ring.
Eryk Masters: What is he thinking here?!
Suddenly, without hesitation, Trey Willett SPRINTS down to the ring with the title in hand, and slides underneath the bottom rope. Just as he gets up, Mason Pierce charges forward… but the Fixer is a second too late and EATS an upward rising shot to the jaw with X’s title belt from the hands of Trey Willett!
Other Guy: MASON IS DOWN!
Looking down into the title belt like a man possessed, Trey loses himself in the gold reflection before him. But across the ring from him, Kenji Yamada slowly gets to his feet. And once he does, Trey measures him up and delivers a VICIOUS shot to the face with the belt!
Eryk Masters: KENJI IS DOWN!
Behind Trey, King finally starts to get up. Trey looks ahead on the SHOOTron, witnessing King rising to his feet.
He smiles.
And then he turns around and SMASHES King in the face with the Championship belt.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
Eryk Masters: What the HELL?! Now King is down! Trey just knocked out King with the World Heavyweight Title!
Other Guy: No, Eryk. Trey just knocked out… EVERYONE.
Leona remains down and seemingly hurt on the outside of the ring.
X-Calibur and Yuri are down at the top of the ramp.
Kenji Yamada, Mason Pierce, and Donovan King are flat on their backs, staring up at the rafters in an unconscious heap.
But standing alone with the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship… is Trey Willett.
He looks out into the cameras, and through the stunned crowd he manages to mouth one word to the cameras before they fade to black.
Trey Willett: Mine.