Fear & Loathing Vs. The Sin City Scoundrels
All of the sudden, emerging from the crowd, are two massive, cloaked figures. The crowd responds but neither of the teams take notice until they jump the guardrail and slide into the ring!! The referee attempts to back them out, but meeting no response from either, he calls for the no contest bell! Vaka collects Rose and they both back away from the ring, correctly surmising that they aren’t the intended targets. Michael and Lucas stand in the middle of the ring, making rude gestures and yelling at the figures. They both throw their hoods back, revealing CYBER Power Devil and CYBER Superbeast!
Eryk Masters: The Unholy Cyber Army has arrived and the Scoundrels may be in trouble! And listen to that crowd!
Other Guy: They need to move, and fast!
As if they can hear the commentary, amid the crowd noise, Michael and Lucas make a dash for the ropes–But Superbeast moves just as quickly, catching them both by the waist of their tights and pulling them into the ring with a mighty heave! He turns and BLASTS Michael in the face with a rough boot, keeping him down, and then goes for Lucas–who pops to his feet and starts raining down quick punches! He works Superbeast back into the corner, the two men trading blows like Frye v. Takayama!!
Other Guy: He needs to turn around, he needs to turn around!
Eryk Masters: I’d say this is a bit extreme, but they did declare war–and the Cyber Army cut their teeth in Japanese deathmatches!
Power Devil has tossed off his cloak, revealing what it had hidden–a ball bat wrapped in barbed wire! He stares down Michael, taking test swings, as one half of the scoundrels begs off. The massive man finally bellows, and Lucas turns in just enough time to see Power Devil get a running start and BURY the bat into Michael’s chest with a massive underneath swing!! The crowd erupts as Michael pops backwards, doubling over, screaming! Lucas wastes no time, diving away from Superbeast and covering his brother’s body with his own, pleading in two directions for mercy. Superbeast calls for a mic as Power Devil paces around them, idly swinging his bat.
Other Guy: It’s too far, look at that! Lucas is begging!!
Superbeast: You! Cry! For Mercy! Now?!
He leans in so close that he and Lucas are almost touching foreheads.
Superbeast: We gave you every opportunity!! Still you ignore, still you insult, still you act as cowards and curs!! Now you will witness…
“Witness!”
Superbeast: …what happens when you disregard a declaration of war from the Demons of Cyber Roppongi!! Do you accept our challenge of a barbed wire deathmatch at the pay per view, Lucas Sexton?!
Lucas: …Fuck you!
Superbeast backs away, smirking. Power Devil gets a good grip on the bat–rather than take the shot lying down, Lucas pops to his feet!! He looks Power Devil dead in the eyes, his flashing a mixture of fear and pure defiant adrenaline. He raises his head, daring the larger man!! When Power Devil hesitates, he puts his arms behind his back! Chest bared, head held high, absolutely daring him to take the free shot!
Eryk Masters: Not to say I doubted their guts, but this is a level of heart I’ve not seen out of either of the Sextons!
Power Devil takes a moment, and then drops the bat to his side! Lucas smirks, right until he realizes that Power Devil is grinning–Superbeast absolutely DEMOLISHES Lucas from his blind side with an axe bomber lariat right to the side of his neck! Lucas is hit with such force that he actually tumbles through the ropes, landing in a heap against the guardrail!! Both members of the UCA raise their arms in triumph as the crowd cheers!
Other Guy: Philistines! Every one of you!!
Superbeast: What of you, Michael Sexton?! Is the life of a cur one that grows weary?! Speak to me, damn you! Say yes to our challenge!!
Superbeast shoves the mic into Michael’s face, and the still hurt half of the Sin City Scoundrels looks at him with entirely undisguised contempt and rage.
Michael: Suck my dick!
To punctuate this, he spits right in Superbeasts face…to which Superbeast doesn’t even react. Instead, he stands. Emotionless. One shared look and a nod, and Power Devil has turned Michael over and is sitting on his back–and he begins to wrench back with a Camel Clutch using the barbed wire bat as leverage against Michael’s forehead!! His chest was already bleeding, but his forehead begins to rain dark crimson over his face as Power Devil screams and pulls back! Superbeast walks around this for one revolution before leaning down again.
Superbeast: Accept!
Michael: No!
Superbeast: Accept, dog!!
Michael: Fuck off!
From behind this we hear, loud enough to be crystal clear above the crowd noise, a voice scream.
“WE ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE!!”
Lucas is standing on the apron, using the ropes and the ring post to steady himself. Superbeast locks eyes with him and stalks over.
Superbeast: Deathmatch. For our belts. This is acceptable?!
Lucas: Yes! Now leave my brother alone!! Leave us alone! Just fuck off, will you?!
With that, Superbeast drops the mic, and Power Devil releases Michael, who curls into a ball. As the Cyber Army begin to leave the ring, Power Devil turns. Giving Lucas a genuine smile, he hands him the wire bat and nods before rolling out to the floor, where they both back away, screaming and clubbing one another in celebration.
Kayden Paulton Vs. RAIKO
The camera cuts to the backstage area where the former Two-Time Shut Up and FIGHT Champion, Courtney Hatchett, is seated against a wall in the production area. Adorned in a black and white pair of Under Armour shorts, a purple, white and black Ruination tank top, a pair of baby-blue Beats Solo 3’s fitted over her head, and her hair tied back in a ponytail, SHOOT Project’s very own Goddess of Shut Up and FIGHT sits stoically, if not somewhat wistfully, listening to a playlist she put together on Spotify.
Just as Maria Brink is about to scream in part of the song “Big Bad Wolf”, someone walks up to her. Looking up, Courtney scoffs as the camera widens, revealing it to be Judy-E DeMitri. Courtney lowers the left side of the headphones so she could hear and converse with her.
Courtney Hatchett: Hey.
Judy-E waves a lil, dusting herself off. Wearing a simple black tank-top with an indecipherable black metal band name scrawled along in its dirty white print, and a pair of blue denim shorts, with almost-too-big looking combat boots. She runs her hand through her platinum undercut.
Judy-E DeMitri: You doin’ okay? I know it’s been…rough, the last couple of weeks. For both of us, honestly.
Courtney heaves a half-hearted chuckle before answering.
Courtney Hatchett: I guess. Sorry if I seem standoffish at all. I’m just… I don’t know what’s going on with me right now. I’ve lost the title before under worse circumstances, so it shouldn’t bother me so much that NC-17 pulled it off against me. But, if I’m being honest? It really does.
She sighs, while lowering the volume on her iPhone. Leaning forward with her forearms resting on her knees, Courtney pulls a cold, wet towel that she has resting on her exposed knee up onto her shoulders. The cool sensation of the sopping wet towel sends goosebumps up her arms.
Courtney Hatchett: Maybe I’m just a sore loser? Then again, I look around SHOOT and see a lot of these boys acting like fools and it puts the whole “sore loser” thing into perspective. Anyway. I’m rambling about my own problems. I know you’ve had some tough losses as well.
Just for a second, Judy-E lets a scowl cross her face, thinking about her championship match with Nate. She shakes her head.
Judy-E DeMitri: Call me a sore loser, call me angry, irrational. I don’t care. I have an opportunity to push out of my fathers shadow, and I have an opportunity to beat one of the most dangerous SHOOT Project Heavyweight Champions of all time. Just because he caught me one time…doesn’t mean he…I…hell you’re right. This stuff’s gotten so much into my own head that sometimes I have a hard time seeing all of the nonsense going on around me. I’m sick of being the humble young talent. I want us to stand out.
Courtney’s eyes tell the story of a woman who is thinking long and hard about the state of things.
Courtney Hatchett: I hear ya, for sure. Nate is beatable, though. He just caught us, is all. I know you’ll see those holes in his game the next time you face him. Same can be said for me. Same as anyone who is as good as we are and suffers a loss to someone we know can be beaten.
Courtney pauses for a moment, chuckling. Her mind races in every direction.
Courtney Hatchett: Gosh. You know, I always knew I wanted to end up here when I pursued my dreams of becoming a pro-wrestler. I always knew the competition would be rough, too. But… this rough? I don’t know. I guess I needed a little humbling to “mind my surroundings”. One thing I do know, one-hundred percent, is that I need to find a way out of this funk.
Judy-E nods empathetically, thinking back to her own recent couple of matches a moment.
Judy-E DeMitri: Humbling is overrated, we need to kick a little ass.. Coming up just short in a few title matches myself, I know what it’s like to be frustrated here. Plus, you have a bunch of assholes running around here like it’s a villain-of-the-hour free-for-all. That definitely can’t be helping your vibes right now.
Thumbing through her playlist, Courtney puffs her cheeks out and nods, slowly letting the air out of them.
Courtney Hatchett: You could say that again, Judy. Y’know, it’s true what they say: chivalry IS dead. At least, in SHOOT it is. As long as guys like the Proper Villainz, The Unholy Breedlove Empire, and whatever the hell other nastiness that’s in the pipeline ready to surface here are running around unchecked? Then the measure of respect and valor this place once held everyone else to has become utterly lost. Plain and simple.
Courtney sighs, lamenting over what once was. She goes to look down when suddenly Judy-E’s eyes light up like a light bulb just went off in her head.
Judy-E DeMitri: Courtney! You just… oh my God! That’s perfect.
Courtney throws a look of confusion at Judy-E.
Courtney Hatchett: Say what?
Judy-E DeMitri: VALOR. I… really think you’re onto something here. Come on. You need to be a part of this. There aren’t many souls on this roster who command the kind of out and out respect that you do.
Courtney smiles, clearly touched from the kind words.
Courtney Hatchett: That’s probably the sweetest, nicest, most badass thing anyone has ever said to me in SHOOT.
The Goddess of Shut Up and FIGHT crosses her feet in front of her and rises up to a standing position. The towel on her neck nearly falls but she catches it with catlike reflexes only to toss it into the community laundry receptacle next to her. Lowering her noise canceling headphones down so that they cradle her neck, Courtney nods.
Courtney Hatchett: Alright. Ya sold me, Judy. It’s time I got out of this funk I’ve been in and did something about my future here.
Judy-E raises her eyebrows.
Judy-E DeMitri: You mean..?
Courtney nods with a smile.
Courtney Hatchett: I’m in. VALOR sounds like a concept SHOOT has been long in need of. Time to show these punks running amuck here a thing or two about it.
Judy-E slaps Courtney on the back jovially, smiling brightly before reaching behind her, and slowly donning her black and silver mask, her hands smoothing over the bright red mohawk atop it. Her smile turns to a grin and her eyes grow steely.
NEMESIS: A fitting sentiment. You and I are more on the same page than you know, Courtney. VALOR is going to be EXACTLY what SHOOT Project needs!
Other Guy: It was an interesting move from production to replay this from last night…
Eryk Masters: Smells like something’s on the horizon, OG!
Teddy Palmer Vs. Kitsune Vs. PRIMAL Vs. Ultimo Muerte Vs. Daiichi Vs. Brogun Vs. Teresa Ames Vs. Ayumi Seppuku
Suddenly, Teddy Palmer is thrown out from the ring and Joshua Breedlove is beating him down like crazy! Palmer’s already bloodied from the battle royal, and he is nearly defenseless at the hands of the Emperor of the Holy Breedlove Empire! Breedlove is walking Palmer down, headlocked, and continuing to punch him in the face as blood continues to pour. He gets to the bottom of the ramp and hits his russian legsweep facebuster, the One Percenter, on the ground! He stands over Palmer and lets out a scream, but is cut off as someone else blasts out from the back!
Eryk Masters: Wait a minute! Here she is! Lindsay Troy is running like a speeding train down to the ring to get her hands on Breedlove.
Other Guy: There’s no doubt that when Breedlove went after Teddy he was also going after Lindsay Troy with as close as these two superstars are and-
The crowd roars as two other figures follow immediately behind Lindsay Troy, a step or two behind.
Eryk Masters: WAIT! That’s Teresa Ames! And Ayumi Seppuku! What are they doing getting involved here?
As Lindsay slides into the ring, Ayumi and Teresa instinctively flank to the sides, pulling themselves up to they’re standing on opposite turnbuckles.
Other Guy: A true sign of respect, Eryk, is what this is – for Lindsay and for Teddy. The fact that he was the one who came out on top in their fight doesn’t matter as much as helping a friend when they’re down.
Breedlove has stepped away from the fallen, bloodied Teddy Palmer but doesn’t have time to think as Lindsay Troy rushes at him. Breedlove instinctively dodges out of the way, right into the hands of Ayumi Seppuku!
The crowd cheers but Breedlove uses his leverage and Ayumi’s awkward positioning to slip through her hands and pull away, but not before Teresa Ames has climbed her way to the turnbuckle and launches herself off planting Breedlove square in the chest and knocking him to the mat.
Eryk Masters: OHHH. That stings.
Breedlove gasps for air but quickly rolls away through the bottom rope, clutching his chest. He runs to the side where Teresa had just lept from and tries to make a dash for the rampway. Meanwhile, Lindsay is kneeled over Teddy with the referee, trying to talk him back to consciousness.
As Ayumi and Teresa step out after Breedlove, he scrambles towards the ramp as two more figures step out from backstage, arms crossed and eyes focused on Breedlove.
NEMESIS. Courtney Hatchett.
The crowd goes absolutely rabid as Breedlove’s eyes go wide, holding up his hands to stave off what may be coming next.
Other Guy: Okay, NOW I don’t know what’s going on! Lindsay Troy, Teresa Ames, Ayumi Seppuku, Judy-E, and Courtney Hatchett are all out here but are they targeting Breedlove or just trying to help Teddy Palmer?
Eryk Masters: Six of one, half-dozen of another, Guy!
Breedlove looks wildly around and decides his only exit is sideways! He leaps up and launches himself into the crowd, knocking over spectators in the process as security scrambles to try and clear a path for the exiting king of the Holy Breedlove Empire.
Lindsay doesn’t wait for permission and leaps after Breedlove, chasing after him as the crowd goes wild. He gets about halfway up the stands before a spotlight swings over and standing in front of his path are Kayden Paulton and Pat Cassidy. Cassidy shakes his head “NO” while Kayden Paulton smiles warmly.
Kayden Paulton: Hey man! How are you doing?
Paulton is genuine and the fans continue to take their excitement up several octaves.
Breedlove: YOU’VE GOT TO BE SHITTING ME!
Even without a microphone, the frustration is audible throughout the area.
Breedlove vaults himself down several rows, ignoring the security and making a mad dash over fans who now create their own path so they don’t get steamrolled. With a path cleared, Breedlove makes it to an emergency exit and kicks the door open and slips through to the outside.
As he does, Lindsay Troy fights against the crowd but has far too much concern for the fans to steamroll over them as Breedlove had done. With a scream of frustration she turns to look and sees Ayumi and Teresa propping Teddy up on their shoulders. She shakes her head and rushes back down to the ring to join her friend.
She’s followed by Kayden Paulton and Pat Cassidy who help open the ring ropes for Teddy to slide through with Ayumi, Teresa, and Lindsay’s help. As the group makes their way up the ramp with the injured Teddy Palmer, NEMESIS and Courtney Hatchett wave their hands towards the back for doctors to get over to help.
As Lindsay helps Teddy onto a stretcher a camera catches a thumbs up being raised from Teddy before he’s wheeled toward the back. The crowd cheers as they see the positive sign of life from Teddy and cheer turns into a roar as Lindsay steps back to get a look at everyone standing at the top of the entrance ramp and then extends her hand, which is balled into a fist – followed by Teresa Ames, and Ayumi Seppuku, and NEMESIS, and Courtney Hatchett, and Kayden Paulton and Pat Cassidy – each of them with their arms extended toward the other in a sign of solidarity.
Eryk Masters: I don’t know what it was we just witnessed here tonight, Guy, but I wouldn’t want to be anyone in the Holy Breedlove Empire tonight. It looks like a tide is rising to push back on the rash of senseless and violent attacks we’ve seen recently.
Other Guy: Whatever comes next, Eryk, I think we can say one thing. SHOOT Project is going to look a LOT different after tonight.