THE RED LIGHT INVESTIGATION
Click.
Static covers the screen as a Play ► symbol appears in the bottom right-hand corner.
Death has a distinctive smell.
But destruction, that hits different.
In the chaos of The Red Light District, there is rubble where the establishments and homes used to be. The Pussycat Club, The Shark Tank, Eden and The Bloodrunners Compound have all been utterly decimated.
As Ares and his men pick over the carnage, checking for survivors and undertaking structural analysis of their home – after all, nothing like this has ever happened in Arcadia, Jackson Cade and Colt Ramsey are shown assisting.
“I… I can’t believe it,” Jackson stammers, utterly crestfallen. “TEC was my friend and partner. There’s no way he’d willingly hurt people like this.”
Colt thinks about it for a moment.
“We don’t know what’s happened yet,” he admits – not entirely telling the truth. After all, he’d been in TEC’s mechanical system only hours before.
“I need to find out,” Jackson says, stopping. He pushes one last piece of rubble away, revealing the corpse of Aarman Fidel, crushed.
Both Colt and Jackson look at each other as if to say ‘fuuuucccck’.
“We found Fidel,” Cade shouts out to Ares, who walks over immediately.
“Fuck!” He says what we’re all thinking. “Take a break boys. You’ve got an important title match tonight. The OSW World Championship is on the line.”
They both nod and begin walking away, stopping short of their exit.
“Look, I know a few things but I’m not willing to share them yet. Accusations like this could topple an already fragile Arcadia. With Zeus missing and the Uprising underway, I must investigate first,” Colt says calmly.
Jackson nods.
“I’m not gonna stand aside and pass the buck,” he proudly confirms. “I want to know what happened here. I owe something to TEC and to Arcadia. I haven’t been the best version of myself recently and that’s gotta change. Where should I start?”
The Reporter thinks on it for a moment.
“The Hive,” he says knowingly. “Find Jinx at the Hive and start there.”
The officer nods.
“You realize that one of us becoming World Champion tonight is important, yeah?” Jackson asks.
“How so?” Colt enquires.
“The World Champion of OSW carries weight, inside and outside of Olympus,” he says earnestly, tapping his chest. “And when I become Champion, it’ll be a badge I use to get answers.”
The Reporter tilts his head.
“Ditto.”
Cut.
Will Nobody end Tombstone’s prolific reign as Rewind Champion?
The bell rings and Attano runs right at Tombstone, ducking under a big right hand from the Ferryman. Attano throws a vicious forearm at Tombstone’s back, with the thud echoing through Olympus! Tombstone slowly, and angrily, turns around and Nobody gulps. GOOZLE! Tombstone’s staring deep into his soul…
But Tombstone suddenly looks as if he’s seen a ghost— ATTANO KICKED HIM RIGHT IN THE DICK! Tombstone is frozen, having released the goozle, and Attano bolts for the ropes and drills Tombstone with a shotgun dropkick to the leg that drops him to his knees— KNEE CAP!!
Attano tees off on the kneeling Tombstone with a flurry of martial arts kicks and chops before finishing off with a standing side kick to the head that finally drops Tombstone to the mat! Attano covers— ONE! …TOMBSTONE THROWS ATTANO OFF HIM! And now Attano looks like he’s seen a ghost as Tombstone abruptly sits up straight!
HEADSHOT!! SUPERKICK TO THE SITTING TOMBSTONE!! Attano hits the ropes behind Tombstone, jetting back at him with a hidden blade— SILENCED— NO!!! GOOZLE!!! Tombstone rises to his feet, shaking his head, and lifts Attano up high… FALLING CHOKESLAM!!! FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS!!! Cover— ONE! …TWO!! … THREE!!!
Will anybody end Tombstone’s reign as Rewind Champion!?
WINNER AND STILL REWIND CHAMPION: TOMBSTONE
THREE DECLARATIONS
With the match over, Tombstone gets back to his feet and demands a microphone.
The crowd cheer him on.
“When I came to Olympus and Old School Wrestling to fight, it was to do something for me. I’ve spent longer than I wish to state ferrying the souls of the deceased to their final destination and coming here was supposed to be different.”
He starts pacing.
“And now I find myself as the Ring King – your King.”
The crowd cheers.
“That granted me a private meeting with Zeus, or Ares, as it turned out to be. He told me that I was entitled to three declarations as your King. These three declarations are mine and mine alone; they cannot be tampered with or changed without my permission.”
Looking at the camera, he stands emotionless, holding up the Rewind Championship that he just successfully defended for the 6th time.
“First, the Rewind Championship is officially retired.”
The fans oooh in shock.
“I’m the last to hold it.”
He finally smiles, but there’s an intensity in his eyes.
“Second, I’m coming for you, Dr. Death!”
That causes the entire crowd to roar in applause.
“At Hail to the King, I’ll be facing you or whoever the OSW World Champion is in the Main Event for that title. I didn’t become Ring King to end Drewitt; I became Ring King because I intend to reign in Old School Wrestling. I need to be more than a Ferryman. That starts with you, Luchadoc. Finally-”
Suddenly, he abruptly stops.
Because the ring, once empty, is now surrounded by ghostly apparitions of the deceased. His head turns from left to eye, meeting each one as he circles inside the ring.
“Finally,” he musters the courage to continue. “Third, you’ll find out soon enough.”
Tombstone tosses the microphone aside, looking at the ghosts in which surround the ring.
Flutter.
And he’s gone.
KING DOOM
The sound of someone playing a recorder badly echoes awkwardly.
There’s a red carpet rolled out in which henchmen line either side of it, hands behind their back and heads lowered.
Doom approaches the carpet, a soft growl emanating from beneath the mask. He slowly walks over it, stopping before what looks to be a desk chair on wheels with a dark green sheet over the back.
The recorder abruptly stops, revealing Felix Foley to have been the one playing it.
“How’s this then buddy?” He eagerly asks, enthusiastically waving a hand across the room. “A Kingdom fit for a King.”
Doom doesn’t say a word.
Felix raises his eyebrows excitedly.
“Address me by my proper title, maggot,” he gruffly demands.
That pulls Foley up.
“I’m sorry King Doom, it won’t happen again,” he promises.
Doom shrugs his shoulders, clicking them as he does.
“As your rightful Ring King, I declare that today is Doom Day,” he mutters.
“Actually, it’s Wrestling Gold,” Foley interrupts.
The Scientist snaps his head towards him.
“We’re defending our Tag Team Championships, big guy. You can’t name your own day on top of another day. That’s just silly.”
“How about we call it Felix Foley Dies Day?” He says abruptly standing up in anger.
Foley laughs him off.
“Or Christmas? If we’re being silly, let’s just call it Christmas.”
“After last weeks performance at Ring King, you don’t get a Christmas – not even a lump of coal!”
That makes Felix sad. He immediately lowers his head, kicking around his feet.
“Not even some eggnog?” He asks sombrely.
Doom approaches, pushing his face right into Foley’s head.
“Not even eggnog. No presents, no advent calendar, no coal, no flashing lights or Christmas trees. Christmas has been cancelled for all of Arcadia, do you understand me, your King?”
The Puppetmaster turns his head away and nods sadly.
Suddenly, he hears something muffled.
Something feint.
With a surprised look on his face, he walks over to a door and tries the handle only to find it locked.
“Can you hear that?” He asks, placing his ear to the door. “It’s coming from inside here.”
Doom panics somewhat and rushes over, ushering Foley away.
“Don’t go spoiling my surprise,” he quickly covers up. “I was just joking about Christmas. Your present for Red Snow is behind those doors. That’s what you heard, you silly billy.”
Foley’s smile comes back.
“Oh yay!”
Doom ushers him away towards his henchmen, nodding as they escort Felix away. He walks back to the door and puts his hand on it.
“And what a present you’ll be.”
Cut.
Scandium Sulpher defend their tag team titles here but one of their opponents Grimskull is nowhere to be seen. Can V1sion win the titles all on his own or will he suffer a brutal beatdown all on his own?
The bell sounds as Foley starts out for his team, Felix enthusiastically shaking a confused V1sion’s hand before beginning to exchange lefts and rights. Felix gets the better of that exchange, sending V1sion into the ropes with a hard right haymaker but an attempt at the running Boot is ducked underneath before V1sion makes Foley pay with an IRON STRIKE Back Elbow! Foley is dazed as V1sion quickly scrambles up to the top, diving off.
EYES IN THE BACK…NO! Doom pulls Foley out of the way as V1sion eats nothing but canvas. V1sion staggers to his feet into a biel toss into the corner, landing hard on the steel but he’s not up on his feet for long before Foley grabs the ropes and begins showing him why it’s FELIX FOLEY’S CORNER as he stomps a mudhole dry. Foley backs up, looking to follow up with his Funhouse but Doom blind tags in and makes V1sion KNEEL BEFORE DOOM with a sickening delayed basement dropkick.
Doom peels V1sion out of the corner, wrapping both hands around his throat as he shows him the HANDS OF DOOM but Foley isn’t happy about his best buddy cheating as he breaks up the illegal choke. Doom looks incensed as he stares daggers at Foley, but that allows V1sion to get to his feet, grabbing Doom from behind, BLINDSIDE! SIDE SAITO SUPLEX DUMPS DOOM ON HIS HEAD!
Both men are down as they begin to crawl to their corner, Doom managing to tag in Foley as V1sion has nobody thanks to Grimskull abandoning him. V1sion slowly rising up to his feet into a brutal clothesline that turns him nearly inside out. Scandium looking for the end as Foley whips V1sion across the ring right into the poison toxin that stuns V1sion for the mammoth Big Boot from Foley. CHEMICAL CUT! That has to be it as Foley covers V1sion for the one…two…three!!!
Scandium Sulpher retain their titles here in handicap style, V1sion tried his best but the champs were too much for him tonight.
WINNERS AND STILL TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: SCANDIUM SULFUR
SOMEWHERE ELSE TO BE
The long, winding stairs of Arcadia stretch upwards, each step worn from untold amounts of passage.
Grimskull, a cloak pulled tightly over his head, ascends with a determined pace. Ahead of him, another cloaked figure moves swiftly, before they stop in their tracks, tracing their hands along a well-hidden door. Pushing through it, they enter.
Grimskull quickly follows suit, his purple eyes flinching as he pushes through onto a level he’s never been to before.
Anthesteria.
The streets are alive with vibrant colors, and brightly painted skulls grin from every corner.
Candlelit altars dedicated to the departed are everywhere, with photographs, trinkets, and offerings. Music, a fusion of mournful and upbeat, fills the air, along with the aroma of incense and food.
Grimskull’s eyes narrow as he searches for his quarry amidst the festivities. The streets wind and turn, leading him deeper into the heart of Anthesteria.
Suddenly, he spots the cloak of the follower buying food at a cart. Lurching forward, he is waiting as they turn to leave.
“Why have you led me here?”
The man, one of Grimskull’s followers, seems torn between shock and sudden anger.
“This is where we remember those we’ve lost, those you couldn’t save.”
Out of the crowds step others, many of whom we’ve seen standing at the stage the Preacher plies his wares from.
Grimskull eyes each of them.
“Traitors.” He spits. “Do you think I don’t care about those who follow me? Every loss weighs on me. Every single one.”
The followers face Grimskull, speaking individually but speaking the hearts of all his lost.
“But do you truly remember them, or are they just casualties in your endless battles?”
The Preacher points to the nearest person.
“Come back with me.” He gestures to the rest. “All of you. You lack the patience and conviction to know my plan. But you will learn.”
They stand firm.
“No.” The lead yells.
The confrontation has created a bit of a commotion in the normally festive level, and many onlookers have formed, the music around them ceasing to see what has agitated their placid land.
“What’s going on here?”
Stepping out of the shadows, the form of El Mariachi Muerte appears.
To be continued…
Two girls, a guy, and a VHS Championship: who will emerge with the gold from this triple threat match?
The bell rings and Jinx and Narcissa nod at one another before running at The Burned Man— DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE— BROKEN THROUGH BY TBM! He continues is momentum into the ropes, rebounding back at the girls— DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE DROPS BOTH GIRLS TO THE MAT! Jinx rolls to the outside…
TBM peels the dazed Narcissa off the mat and applied a crossface chicken wing— ETERNAL BURNING!! But Narcissa stomps her stiletto heel into TBM’s foot… HE HOLDS ON FIRMLY! TBM FEELS NO PAIN! Narcissa struggles but changes course and high kicks TBM in the face, showing off her flexibility and breaking the submission!
TBM attempts a lariat that Narcissa ducks under, and she runs the ropes, rebounding right at TBM and she jumps, spinning in mid air— JUMPING SPIN KICK CONNECTS!! SHE SHOWED TBM SOME HIGH FASHION!! Narcissa knees TBM in the gut to bend him over before applying a pump handle…
IS THE THIRD DEGREE THE LATEST TREND??? NO!!! SHE CAN’T LIFT TBM UP!!! TBM pivots and back body drops Narcissa over the ropes to the outside, and as she lands TBM turns right around into a Kinshasa— SCRAMBLE THE SIGNAL!!! Down goes TBM and Jinx quickly covers— ONE! …TWO!! …THREE!!!
The crafty little vixen stole one here tonight, but what’s not a glitch is that the VHS title sits around her waist!
WINNER AND NEW VHS CHAMPION: JINX
FELIX FUNHOUSE MEMORIES
“Home sweet home!”
The smiling face of Felix Foley could light up a room as he all but skips towards the door to an all too familiar place. Felix’s Funhouse. The puppeteer slowly pushes past the curtain, walking onto The Stage only to stop dead in his tracks as he finds a rather surprising visitor sitting in his chair!
Harold Attano.
Arcadia’s resident hitman holds a picture in his hand, staring intently at it as Felix shyly approaches him from behind. “Hello, sir… May I help you? The Funhouse is for everyone! But, um, you should usually ask permission before walking in.” Foley awkwardly looks on at Attano who doesn’t respond for a few moments before letting out a sigh.
“She really loved your show,” he says, gripping the picture harder. “Hell, she was probably your biggest fan.” Attano glances back towards Felix, allowing him to finally see the photograph in his hand. It’s of his daughter, though when she was much younger, the girl clearly standing in front of the Funhouse stage itself.
“Oh! She was a fan? Is she…?” Foley broaches the subjects lightly, putting up a finger as he moves past Harold and goes to a box of his puppets! He starts digging, a small smile on his face. “You know, I can help with grief! I think I know the perfect guy to talk to.”
As Felix digs, Harold stands up from his chair, looking around himself then back to the picture before sneering, tears welling in his eyes.
CRASH!
HAROLD JUST THREW THE CHAIR OFF STAGE!
Felix whips around, looking on in shock as Harold begins tearing the Stage apart! Ripping down lights, smashing props! Foley runs up to him and grabs him from behind! Attano shoves him away and Foley puts up his hands.
“What are you doing!?” Foley screams, genuine concern in his voice.
“I don’t want to hear your bullshit,” Harold spits at Foley. “I just want her back.”
“Breaking my stage won’t do that! You can’t just destroy something I love, something she loved-“
“DON’T TALK ABOUT HER!“
CRACK!
HAROLD JUST NAILED FELIX WITH A HAYMAKER!
Felix stumbles back and reluctantly puts his fists up! There’s about to be a brawl!
Cut.
THE GREAT ESCAPE
Deathrow.
In the cell block, far away from the prying eyes of those who may wish to see, Aster Grey, Amataga Tuga and Harvey Escher converge.
The tension is palpable. You could cut it with a knife.
Tuga stands in one corner with his arms folded.
Harvey Escher lurks in the other.
Meanwhile Aster stands between them, his arms out stretched, trying to keep some semblance of peace.
“Talk fast Grey. Tell me how we get escape this place,” Tuga demands.
“There’s an Uprising to overthrow Max Meadows,” Grey announces. “Harvey knows all about it. CJ Thorpe, Jasper Redgrave, Nox and Prophet have come together and are formulating plans.”
Tuga scoffs.
“I don’t care about overthrowing Max Meadows,” he gruffly complains.
Escher rolls his eyes.
“Look at the bigger picture,” he demands. “I get close to Meadows and kill him.”
“Yeah, you’re good at that,” Amataga barks back.
Harvey nods.
“You know it,” he says with a sinister smile.
Aster quickly reaffirms his place between them as they attempt to front up.
“What he’s trying to say, by being an asshole, is that if he gets close to Meadows and kills him, there’s no-one in charge of Deathrow,” Aster explains properly.
“If no-one is in charge, we can escape,” Escher continues.
Amataga Tuga nods.
“And why do you need me if this little prick is the one to put Meadows to sleep?” He demands to know.
“For two reasons,” Grey says looking him dead in the eyes. “The first is that if you kill Escher, there is no murder of Max Meadows. The second? The minute Meadows falls, this place turns into chaos. Everyone will make for the exits. Between the three of us, we’ll mow down anyone who stands in our way and ensure our freedom.”
Amataga Tuga looks at Harvey Escher with a growl.
Harvey Escher smiles.
Do they have a deal?
Cut.
We have a rematch here tonight as Nergal faces off against Luther Grim. Can the Goddess of the Underworld put down the Hunter once more or will he regain his title with Gemini in his sights?
BLOOD SPORT! Grim explodes out of the gate with a jaw busting Brouge Kick, nearly knocking Gemini out there and then. Nergal stumbles to her feet into a flurry of lefts and rights, being pushed into the ropes before she’s thrown across the ring, managing to duck underneath a Lariat attempt before leaping off the ropes.
UNLEAS…NO! Grim slips out of the Tornado DDT attempt before nailing Gemini with a hard standing Clothesline. Nergal looks dazed on the mat as Grim tries to pull her up, only for Gemini to be playing possum as she leaps up, locking in SUFFERING! The Kimura is locked in tight as Grim drops to one knee, Gemini ripping and tearing his shoulder with every bit of power she has but it’s not enough as Grim slowly pulls himself back up to his feet.
Gemini is hanging on for dear life, Kimura still locked in as Luther lifts her up high, TROPHY HUNT! The Falling Powerbomb breaks the hold and nearly plants Nergal through the mat. Grim backs up into the corner, looking to finish off his prey and regain his title as Gemini slowly staggers to her feet, Luther sprinting right into YIN! Codebreaker out of nowhere stuns Grim before Gemini follows up with YANG and the Backstabber putting Grim on the mat.
Nergal’s got that sickening smile etched upon her face as she rushes to the ropes, leaping off for the killing blow. Springboarding off with UNLEASHED! The tornado ddt spikes Grim into the mat as that has to be it, Gemini turning over the unconcious Grim and covering him for the one…two…three!!!
Nergal retains her title here again tonight, proving herself the one prey that the Hunter could not put down
WINNER AND STILL DOUBLE FEATURE CHAMPION: GEMINI
WHAT LIES BENEATH
“Faith?”
A raspy voice fills the air of the Cemetary. We see The Burned Man slowly pacing between the headstones, searching. He looks as though he’s been walking the headstones for hours, searching for his son. The Sole Survivor runs his bandaged hands across the concrete of yet another row as he walks, scanning for any sign of newly dug earth.
But he sees no signs of his son anywhere.
In the silence of the Cemetary, Maxwell collapses to his knees. But in that silence, The Sole Survivor hears a sound. A muffled, faint sound of an indistinguishable human voice crying out. Barely audible, but it’s there. Scrambling in the dirt on all fours, TBM crawls towards the sound.
A freshly moved mound of earth finds the muffled voice crying out from underneath. Something, someone is calling out from underneath the grave.
“Faith?!”
The Sole Survivor claws at the earth, pulling chunks of dirt away. He’s barely making a dent in the ground this way, but spies a shovel resting up against the headstone of the grave he’s started digging into. A headstone that, until now he hadn’t taken any notice of. The words have been partially covered by dirt he had tossed in his haste, but he can make out the last line.
It reads…
Rest. Awaken. Rest.
The Burned Man stops in his tracks for a moment as he reads the headstone. It’s not his son under there, but he cannot stop now. He grabs the handle of the shovel and takes it to the earth. Digging deeper and deeper, the cries become slightly less muffled until a single fist bursts out of the ground beneath him.
Fingers curl open and closed, now free in the open air as The Burned Man tosses the shovel aside. Clawing at the earth again with his bare hands, slowly unearthing the body that has broken through a coffin and is trapped underneath.
A second hand emerges and TBM grabs hold of the wrist, pulling him free and breaking through the wooden coffin itself. He’s covered in dirt, looking worse for wear, but it’s undoubtedly Drewitt that TBM has dug up.
“You saved me…”
Drewitt stammers the sentiment out, looking about the Cemetary wearily.
“I was looking for my son,” The Burned Man replies. “I thought he might be buried here.”
Drewitt coughs a little, panicked. He looks around the cemetary for Tombstone – he knows that he could return at any second.
“Look, I need to go,” he admits. “I’m sorry I can’t stay but know that I owe you for this. Come find me and collect.”
He doesn’t want to hang around to face the inevitable, so with a bit of dusting himself off, Drewitt disappears into the night. No sooner than he had gone, a chill fills the air. Tombstone steps into view and the chill that goes down TBM’s spine is suddenly not from the cold.
“That was a mistake.”
To be continued at Levelmania.
THE IMPOSSIBLE HUNT
And so he goes.
An occasional clanging rings out as Drewitt makes his way up the stairs, stumbling at times out of exhaustion. The Explorer has been through some weary travels before, but this? This is an ordeal that tales are made from.
Some time passes, and Drewitt keeps his eyes focused on the path ahead…until a scraping noise catches his attention. He looks over the edge of the stairs, noticing nothing…or so it seems. Drewitt continues his ascension, giving little thought to the distraction until suddenly, a spear comes flying right by his head!
He narrowly avoids disaster as the spear ends up falling nearby instead…giving Drewitt a chance to see where it came from as he turns around.
And staring right back at him? Luther Grim, a large knife in hand.
“I’ve been watching you, Explorer,” states the Hunter, a silent glare greeting him by his apparent prey. “Tracking you down since you got dug up by The Burned Man, following since you escaped The Cemetary.”
Drewitt responds with a nod and a gruff shout.
“Oh, I had a feelin’ as much. I keep my eyes wide open all the time. What is it you’re after?”
Grim can’t quite help himself, smirking as he points at Drewitt.
“That’d be you I’m after, Explorer. You’re the impossible hunt, the finest trophy I can lay my hands on.”
“Well, that’s gonna be easier said than done,” retorts the Pilgrim, grabbing the nearby spear with one swift motion before throwing it at Grim…who deflects the weapon with his knife blade, swatting it out of harm’s way!
The spear crashes beside him, allowing Grim a chance to retrieve it before turning his attention back to Drewitt…who’s made his escape from the stairs, leaving behind a frustrated but eager Hunter in the process.
As for the Explorer? Well, he turns his attention toward Olympus, preparing himself for one more bit of turmoil as he stumbles his way toward the backstage area…and eventually, the ring.
Cut.
Gold Rush concludes in epic fashion tonight as Dr Death defends his championship against three worthy opponents. Will we have a new OSW World Champion or can the Luchadoc retain his title against all odds?
The bell sounds as Drewitt spears the absolute shit out of the world champion, nearly taking Death right out of his boots before mounting him and ferociously ground and pounding him, trying to not only knock him out but break the mask in the process. Colt Ramsey’s attention is taken away by the sudden brutal assault for a moment, allowing Cade to leap high into the air
HOSTILE D….NEGATIVE EXPOSURE! Colt suckers in Cade there, countering his superkick in mid-air with a brutal Pump Kick. Colt taking his chance as he rolls down for the quick cover,
ONE
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TWO
………………………
……………………………..
…………………………………
Drewitt sees the cover just in time, leaping off Death as he dives forward, just breaking the pinfall up.
Cade slowly staggers up to his feet, groggy from that pump kick as he walks right into a goozle. Drewitt lifts him high into the air, not delivering the chokeslam immediately but instead walking over to the ropes.
ARDUOUS JOURNEY OVER THE TOP ROPE TO THE CONCRETE FLOOR! JACKSON CADE IS FUCKING DEAD!
Drewitt cracks his neck, looking down at his handiwork before he gets attacked from behind with the SECOND PRINT! Northern Lariat from Colt barely moves the monstrous Explorer, turning slowly as he stares daggers at the Journo before slowly advancing forward. Colt gulping loudly, trying to back away from Drewitt as he finds himself trapped in the corner.
COMATOSIA! Tornado Kick to the back of the head out of nowhere drops Drewitt to one knee as Death nods at Colt, signaling for him to join in the attack on the biggest threat in the match. Drewitt slowly gets to his feet into a double attack of lefts and rights, fighting off Colt with a hard headbutt but gets staggered with an enziguri to the back of the head by Death.
The good Doctor leaps off the ropes, trying for the Lobotomy but Drewitt powers out of the tornado DDT before rushing forward
RIGHT INTO A DROP TOE HOLD!
Drewitt’s throat snaps over the bottom rope, but he doesn’t get to even move before Colt rushes forward
PICTURE OF PERFECTION! METORA TO THE BACK OF THE NECK SENDING DREWITT’S THROAT FURTHER INTO THE ROPE!
Drewitt slowly staggers to his feet, holding his throat in pain as Death and Colt rush forward,
SUPERKICK/PUMP KICK SANDWICH! Drewitt is out fucking cold, slumping down as he instinctively rolls to the outside. Death and Colt nodding at one another
Before they begin fists a clubbering.
These two resume their classic bout from a few weeks ago, heavy lefts and rights from both men before a snap headbutt stuns Colt, Death rushing to the ropes as he springboards off
NEGATIVE EXPOSURE! Death leaps right into the pump kick, dimming his lights before he’s gripping around the throat and rolled into the canvas with the B-ROLL! Rolling Cutter spikes Death into the mat as Colt tries for the cover,
ONE
……………..
……………………..
TWO
…………………….
……………………
Death rolls the shoulder up!
Colt pulls him to his feet, spinning him around as he looks for that facebuster but Death spins around, trying for By Appointment but Colt traps him in mid-air, catching him for a moment before dropping down with a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER! Colt breaths heavily, dropping down for the cover as the referee slides in
SCREAMING EAGLE!
Colt doesn’t even get a one count, Jackson coming into the match with a beautiful elbow drop breaking the cover. Jackson springs up to his feet, adrenaline flowing through his veins as Colt slowly staggers up, holding his back in pain right into
INCENDIARY BURST! Colt gets double barrels of the elbow smashes, knocking him down as Death slowly stumbles up into a knee to the gut before he’s lifted up high
MASTER KEY! Brainbuster spikes Death into the mat as Cade is the last man standing….
Or is he?
Cade can feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he slowly turns to see Drewitt staring pure bloody murder at him through the middle ropes. Cade nods, swallowing hard before rushing forward
SUICIDE DI…DREWITT CATCHES HIM BEFORE SLAMMING HIM DOWN HARD ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR!
Drewitt cracks his neck, rolling into the ring as he looks at the slowly rising Colt and Death and begins to tense both hands, ready for a brutal goozling.
Death slowly staggers up to his feet right into the iron grip around his throat but manages to kick low, breaking it for a moment before rushing to the ropes and springboarding off
INTO A MAMMOTH BIG BOOT!
Colt is up as he begins to forearm Drewitt from behind, an attack that does nothing as Drewitt just slowly turns around, nearly breaking Colt’s skull with a brutal headbutt before pulling him in
AND DELIVERING THE SIGHTSEER DDT, SPIKING THE JOURNALIST INTO THE MAT!
Drewitt is clearly house here as Cade gets back to his feet, rolling into the ring right into a goozle. Drewitt just stares daggers at Cade for a moment before lifting him up high,
ARDUOUS…THREAT CONTAINMENT!
Jackson breaks up the Chokeslam attempt, trying to lock in the Kimura as Drewitt cries out in pain. Cade pulls down with all his weight on the arm, nearly pulling Drewitt down to the mat but the Explorer is just too strong as he manages to power throw Cade away, but the damage has been done as he winces in pain from his bad arm, stumbling
INTO NEGATIVE EXPOSURE! Colt nails Drewitt with another Pump Kick, spinning Drewitt around before wrapping him in the Full Nelson and leaving the Explorer
FIT TO PRINT! The Full Nelson Facebuster hits clean, Colt with glee in his eyes but he’s not able to go for the cover before he’s taken down
WITH THE LETHAL INJECTION! Springboard Cutter nails Colt as both Drewitt and Colt are down, Death could cover but he wants to finish this in style as he quickly scrambles up to the top rope, sizing up both men for a moment before leaping off
CARDIAC ASSAULT! 630 ONTO BOTH MEN! That has to be it as Death drops down for the cover,
ONE
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TWO
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50 FUCKING CALIBER! RUNNING PUNT KICK TO THE FACE OF DEATH!
JACKSON CADE HAS PUT THE WORLD CHAMPION DOWN WITH EXTREME FORCE!
Cade has this in the bag, flopping over onto Death as the referee restarts his count
ONE
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TWO
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THREE!!! WE HAVE A NEW OSW WORLD CHAMPION!
Jackson Cade has done it, overcoming his personal demons and three of the very best to become the new OSW World Champion here tonight.
WINNER AND NEW OSW WORLD CHAMPION: JACKSON CADE
ANOTHER AWGA
Sometime Later.
Colt Ramsey exhaustedly enters The People’s Voice – the newspaper he’s been working at for quite some time. With the World Championship match behind him, it’s back to work on the biggest mystery in Arcadia.
As he approaches his desk, he realizes that something isn’t quite right.
The paperwork and file he had there are gone.
Stood instead, right next to where they should be, is none other than Narcissa Balenciaga.
“You,” he growls.
“We need to talk,” she says, pulling a seat out and sitting down. With her foot, she kicks one over to Ramsey who reluctantly takes it.
“Did you do it?” He demands to know. “Did you send TEC into The Red Light district as a fucking bomb?”
Narcissa doesn’t look shocked by the accusation.
She just shrugs her shoulders.
“It’s funny because I came to ask you the same thing. You know that I had my uses for TEC and that I helped Jinx find out about Luther Grim and her brother. But I’m not the only one who had my fingers inside his head, am I?”
Colt gulps.
“I was helping him,” he says angrily.
“Helping him to explode and kill hundreds of people?” She says with a wry smile. “Mission accomplished. What’s that for, Colt? Are you looking for the next Arcadia Writers Guild Award?”
He flashes over to a look at his desk in which a previous AWGA sits.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Colt says with his voice raised. “But you know as well as I do that blowing up The Red Light District sends a message to Ares and the Pantheon. No-one else knows who you are, Narcissa. Perhaps it’s time I changed that?”
That threat immediately brings her to her feet.
“Ares, he doesn’t know who you are – Zeus’ best friend and protector has no idea that you’ve been fighting him under his nose. What do you think will happen when I write my latest editorial and tell the whole of Arcadia who’s responsible for this?”
Narcissa quickly snatches the AGWA from the table and smashes it over Colt’s head, knocking him to the floor. As blood begins to pool, she backs away, demanding that he get back up and fight.
“You think I’m just gonna let you out me, Ramsey?” She growls angrily. “That’s not gonna fucking happen.”
Colt stirs, slowly getting back up and stumbling towards the news studio, adjusting his neck.
Narcissa follows…
To be continued.
Cut.
MY FRIEND, TEC
There’s a constant whirring sound, along with some clicking and clacking. We’re in a room lit with fluorescent tubes, and directly in front of us is a workstation. The desk is L-shaped, and mounted above it are more than a dozen screens, each showing different statistics, figures, or live feeds. Under the desk are multiple computers and servers.
There’s the sound of a door opening and from a corner of the room walks a man we’re very familiar with.
Jackson Cade.
“I knew you’d be here,” he says, matter-of-factly.
From the workstation, the clicking and clacking stops, a chair spins round, and now – no longer hidden by the tall back of the chair – we see his target.
“I should hope so, officer,” drawls Jinx. “I’d be worried if one our esteemed APD colleagues couldn’t figure out that the girl who likes computers might be here in The Hive.”
Jackson bristles at the insult.
“I’m here to ask you some questions, about my friend, TEC,” he says. “I know you’ve been involved with TEC recently.”
Jinx tilts her head, condescendingly.
“I’m sorry officer, I don’t know what you mean. I only faced that great lump of metal in the ring because it was my job to. I have no knowledge of it otherwise.”
“Jinx, we have footage of you two together, outside of the ring. We know that you have b-“
“Are you going to get to the point?”
Cade sighs.
“Last week my friend exploded into millions of charred little pieces, and I just want to know if you had anything to do with it.”
Jinx stands up.
“I’m not going to be answering any of your silly questions, officer Cade, until I’ve spoken to my lawyer. Or are you even an officer any more? You’ve been suspended and demoted so many times recently it’s hard to keep track…”
“This badge still means something,” he says gruffly, pointing to the badge on his chest. He then points to the OSW World Championship that he places down on the side. “And this one? This means just as much.”
“Funny,” she chuckles with a laugh. “I have one of those too.”
She looks to her right where the VHS Championship sits.
“If yours wants answers and mine wants you to go the fuck away, let’s see which one wins, shall we?”
Jinx smirks, riling up Perseus, who moves towards her quickly, ruthless intent in his eyes.
To be continued at Levelmania.
WHAT MAKES A HERO?
The Clinic.
Dr. Death cuts a lonely figure and who can blame him. Last week, his Nurse turned her back on him and left him for El Mariachi Muerte. With his OSW World Championship lost, he leans on the blood stained operating table next to him and sighs deeply.
That is until the door swings open and in walks Doom, trudging along as if he owns the place.
Death stands up abruptly, kicking his chair back. He’s ready for a fight.
“Hold on,” Doom demands, waving his henchmen in from behind. “Bring it.”
The henchmen wheel a large cage into the room. It’s covered in a black sheet so that we can’t see what’s inside.
“In here is a present for the bane of my existence,” he announces proudly. “And I need your help, Doctor.”
Death looks around him to the cage like crate.
“I’m not taking walk-ins right now, Doom.”
Doom laughs.
“There are things you don’t know about me, Doctor. For example, did you know that I myself am a Doctor? Not the kind of quack you are, by any means – I’m a proper Doctor.”
That pisses off the former World Champion, who folds his arms angrily.
“A proper Doctor, you say?” He scoffs. “Just like I was a proper World Champion, I suppose?”
They both stare each other for a moment.
It’s Doom who relents first by laughing slightly.
“I suppose so,” he admits. “I didn’t lose and regain it quite as much as you. If successfully defending it is poor form, then poor form I displayed. Banter aside, let’s get back to brass tacks, shall we? In this cage is a present for Felix Foley. Prior to my own dip in the Odyssey Pool, I planned for something else. It was supposed to my pièce de resistance, but something went wrong. I need to know what makes a hero.”
Doom sighs in frustration.
“Great, why don’t you come on by and be vaguer, Doom? I was just sat there thinking that I need a little more vagueness in my life; you’re just what the Doctor ordered.”
The Luchadoc steps closer, going face to face.
“I’m not fucking helping you,” he sneers. “I don’t care what makes a hero. I do know what makes a fight.”
WHAM!
Right hand by Dr. Death
He clicks his fingers and backs up, waving The Scientist on.
“The Doctor will see you now…”
To be continued.
Cut.