The Carolina Lions are exhausted.  Breathing heavily.  They’ve just been through a war and it’s one they never anticipated being as hard as it was.  Once Daiichi and Keiji Tokugawa walk away from the ringside area, ol’ CL Smooth himself, the Carolina Reaper Isaiah Galliard calls for a microphone.  He taps it a few times to get everyone’s attention.

Reaper:  Ahem.

The boos are almost immediate.

Reaper:  And now, folks, it’s time for…who do ya trust?

He motions for someone to hand another mic to him.  He gives one to El Fumar, CL Smoke, Luis de Leon.

Smoke:  Money, money, money…who do ya trust?

The two of them snicker to one another as the boos cascade upon them.

Reaper:  The Carolina Lions?  We’re giving away five star matches.

Smoke:  And WHERE…is Lux Aeterna?

Dutch Harris:  They’re quoting the Tim Burton Batman movie, aren’t they.

Scott Kamura:  …yyyyyyyup!

Reaper:  THEY’RE IN THE BACK!  WASTING OUR TITLES!

The two of them slap hands in the ring, proud of their shitty little back and forth.  The boos continue, but it doesn’t seem to bother the two of them.

Smoke:  Every week since we came to this company.  EVERY.  WEEK.  We’ve been here.  We’ve done the matches.  We’ve put in the work.  We’ve come to save this division from the putrefied mess it’s become.  Face it, fans, nobody cared when the Sisters of Steel beat the Unholy Cyber Army and nobody cared when the Unholy Cyber Army held the titles and nobody cared when they traded them with the only other team in the company at the time in the Scoundrels.

Reaper:  Tragic though it may be, SHOOT Project, it’s time you faced facts.  We’re the number one contenders to the tag team titles.  We can call our shot whenever we like, I imagine.  Those girls?  Pathetic.  Weak.  It’s only a matter of…

A low hum filters through the Epicenter’s speakers, breaking Reaper’s train of thought as it hits his and the SHOOT Project Faithful’s eardrums. The hum gives way to synthesizer chords and a frantic drumbeat before blasting into the instrumental intro to “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd. 

The lights around the SHOOTron pulse in time to the beat of the music as the screen plays the intro video for Lux Aeterna: clips of Lindsay Troy’s and Ayumi Seppuku’s matches in SHOOT, interspersed with clips of them training both separately and together, and preparing for battle backstage. It’s not long before the tag champs walk out from the back, microphones in hand, and the fans erupt into cheers.

The Ronin Wraith is out first, platinum blonde spiked hair with black streaks frame a stony and unamused expression as she looks to the Carolina Lions in the ring. Barely a step behind her is the Queen of the Ring, her trademark smirk out in full force. The women stop center stage and listen to the ovation before Ayumi looks over to her partner and then raises her hand, palm out, before clenching it into a fist – signaling for the music to be cut.

“Blinding Lights” fades out as the Tag Champs, in their first joint public appearance since their victory over Sisters of Steel, staring down the #1 contenders. Lindsay Troy lifts her mic to her lips to address the youngsters for the first time not on a social media platform.

Lindsay Troy: Only a matter of time, right?

The Queen chuckles.

Lindsay Troy: That’s what you were going to say. ‘It’s only a matter of time before we’re crowned the tag team champions.’ I know this because it’s all you two have talked about since you walked in the door. And y’know, I can appreciate that hunger from the both of you. The drive, the determination. 

Troy pauses and tilts her head, letting her smirk grow wider.

Lindsay Troy: It’s just too bad that you two are gonna have to wait to be kings.

Scott Kamura: Did Lindsay Troy just quote the Lion King?

Dutch Harris:  …yyyyyyyup!

Reaper and Smoke look at each other, confused, not quite getting the reference.

Ayumi Seppuku: I think what Lindz is trying to say, boys, is you need to just let it go. Just like Bruno, no one will be talking about the Carolina Lions this time next year. You poor unfortunate souls want to shit talk us? Be our guest. You don’t even have the bare necessities to compete against-

Lindsay puts her hand on Ayumi’s shoulder and shakes her head.  Reaper and Smoke look at one another incredulously before turning their attention back to the two of Tag Team Champions.

Smoke:  Y’all cute.  I like the jokes, really.  Isaiah, can you believe it?  It’s Lux Aeterna!

Reaper begins to clap.  He even calls out a WOOO!!

Smoke:  Ladies, your whole…thing here.  I’m not sure your experience has ever prepared you for somebodies like us.

Reaper:  Yeah, you ain’t never had a tag team like us!

Smoke looks over at Reaper.

Smoke:  Nah, man, nah.  This is simple to the two of us.

He motions to Isaiah Galliard and himself.

Smoke:  You two don’t give a damn about this division and it shows.  You two aren’t a team, you’re only good to have those titles because it pads your already impressive resumes.

Reaper:  Oh my God we get it, you guys are in Halls of Fame and top all these lists or whatnot.  You see, we’re kids, we don’t know no better, right?  See, that’s the thing, ladies.

Galliard leans against the top rope staring at the Tag Team Champions.

Reaper:  You’re liars.  You played up friendships with people like Ria Lockhart and once her partner turned on her, did you guys rush to her side?

Smoke:  No.

Reaper:  Lindsay, come on now, be honest.  You see the tag belts with Ayumi as a consolation prize because you couldn’t get the job done against Breedlove.

Smoke:  Ayumi?  Hell, there’s not much to say about you.  After you dominated the ApeX tournament in your block, you must’ve thought the Rule of Surrender belonged to you, huh?

Reaper:  Nah.

Smoke:  So here you are, consolation participation trophy in hand, trying to pretend you’re a team because you both failed in your missions.  But here’s the thing, ladies, our mission is simple: save our division.  Be the best tag team in the history of the sport.  And two insanely popular and powerful solo wrestlers can’t even lace these rookie shoes, let alone rep our division with pride.  Pride, by the way, is what we Lions are all about.

Reaper slaps hands with Smoke. Ayumi remains unenthused at the Lions’ arrogance. Lindsay, however, gives the boys a little chuckle.

Lindsay Troy: Well, color me surprised because you two managed to get one thing right…you don’t know any better. And that’s OK. It’s fine that you exist in blissful ignorance and don’t know that pride comes before the fall. It’s fine that you’re underestimating two people who’ve spent more time in the ring than you’ve spent years on the planet. I hope you enjoy this time while it lasts, kids, because it’s going to be a real wake-up call when you actually have to stand in that ring across from us at Iron Will and deal with the reckoning that comes from being taken to school and then smacked back down to earth. 

Ayumi Seppuku: You’d do well to listen to Lindsay, boys. Because the thing you may learn some day is that those who talk the loudest and scream the most aren’t the ones people remember. You’re nothing but chaff. Noise screaming into the void. But congratulations on finally getting our attention.

The Lions cross their arms in unison.

Ayumi Seppuku: You wanted to hear from us? OK. Here is goes: Take a step back from your own egos for just a second and realize that all the world sees in the ring right now are two whiny brats who are projecting by saying we feel entitled. No dears… we’re confident. And confidence? True confidence is walking the walk without looking for praise, or adulation, or buying into your own hype. You two? You’re not confident – you’re delusional. 

The crowd roars as Ayumi looks over to her partner.

Ayumi: Seppuku: Don’t worry though, we’ll show you the light soon enough.

Both Lions snarl at Lux Aeterna as “Blinding Lights” cues up again. The cameras linger on the two teams for a couple moments longer before cutting backstage.