“IN THE BEGINNING”
Click.
Static covers the screen as a Play ► symbol appears in the bottom right-hand corner.
“Maybe he wasn’t always a monster.”
The raspy voice of Nurse Frightengale speaks over the image of a brightly-clad Mariachi walking through Arcadia.
La Mariachi Vida. Frightengale as she once was. Beautiful, full of vigor.
“He had a gift, you know? No one could do what he did.”
She comes upon the Clinic, as it was years ago, with a queue wrapped around the block. Walking in, she sees people with various ailments, all waiting to see the doctor.
Dr. Death.
Just a faceless shadow, he works to fix his patients, taking credits from them in exchange for his medical skills.
“I thought I could break the cycle. No longer would the Mariachi of Life walk around healing those who tickled their fancy. I could make a difference standing by a good Doctor.”
The image changes, showing the queue fading to nil, only fancily dressed members of the upper-echelons of Arcadia walking through the door, handing massive sums of credits to the now-masked Dr. Death.
“But he became consumed by the love of credits. He no longer helped the downtrodden, those who I’d sworn to help. Instead, he served the elite, taking credits he believed should have been his to begin with. How many died because they didn’t have enough credits to pay him?”
A patient lays dying on his table.
“I never used my gift to help him, I just handed him tools and served as a Nurse. I knew that one day that would change, but I could never fathom what it would mean to me.”
Dr. Death no where to be seen, La Mariachi Vida pulls out her guitar to play a song for this dying man.
“The day he learned what the Mariachi were was the beginning of my doom.”
A shocked Vida stands in front of Dr. Death, who had been watching from afar.
The image fades as we see Nurse Frightengale standing beside El Mariachi Muerte, eating some food off of a cart in Anthesteria. She seems broken now, not the evil creature we once saw.
All it takes is some additional context to redefine what we thought was true.
Muerte opens his mouth to say something to his old friend, but a sound cuts across the courtyard.
“No!”
Hearing a commotion in the normally placid Anthesteria, EMM rushes through the throng to come upon the source.
Grimskull stands opposite some of his former followers.
“What’s going on here?” Muerte asks, recognizing the Preacher immediately.
“Stay out of this, Mariachi.” Grimskull growls. “It’s not your business.”
“I’m afraid you’ve made it my business when you stepped into Anthesteria.” He retorts.
Frightengale catches up, seeing Muerte and Grimskull squaring off.
“Last chance,” EMM offers.
The only response from Grimskull is a right hand to the jaw.
This fight is on!
The onlookers disperse as these two stare one another down! Grimskull looks furious as he eyes Muerte from across the street!
Grimskull barrels down on Muerte immediately! He clobbers the mariachi with a massive headbutt! EMM is dazed but doesn’t go down quite so easily! He retaliates with a wild right hook that forces Grimskull back before hitting him with a kitchen sink knee to the midsection! Grimskull tries to fight back but Singing Death grabs the spikes on Grimskull’s head and slams him face first into the wall!
Muerte grinds the Preacher’s face into that wall over and over before slamming him to the cobblestone with a back suplex! The Mariachi peels Grimskull back up and goes to whip him away!
SHATTER!
GRIMSKULL JUST GLASSED MUERTE WITH A CANDLE FROM A NEARBY ALTAR!
The Watcher forces the glass shards deeper into EMM’s face, grinding them into his skin before slapping him with impunity! Blood and glass cover Muerte’s face as he drops to a knee!
AND RIGHT INTO A LESSON FROM GRIMSKULL! SUPERKICK TO THE SIDE OF THE SKULL!
The Mariachi is down and Grimskull looks to capitalize as he lays into him with a plethora of stomps and kicks! Muerte tries to crawl away and Grimskull is on him immediately!
MUERTE WHIPS AROUND AND THROWS A HANDFUL OF DUST INTO GRIMSKULL’S EYES! THE PREACHER IS BLINDED!
EMM leaps up and nails a nasty hurricanrana that flings him across the street! Grimskull rubs his eyes fruitlessly before leaping to his feet! Muerte slams into him with a painful spinning elbow that knocks Grimskull backwards! The Mariachi rushes forward!
CLOTHESLINE!
NOPE! GRIMSKULL DUCKED THE BLOW AND SPINS MUERTE AROUND!
The Preacher lashes out with a terrifying headbutt to the nose that causes Muerte’s nose to practically explode with blood! Singing Death holds his face in agony!
AND GETS NAILED WITH A SPEAR! BOTH MEN CAREEN INTO A WOODEN ALTAR AND ABSOLUTELY DEMOLISH IT!
Wood splinters cover both men but Grimskull isn’t deterred! He grabs the remnants of the guitar and puts the string around Muerte’s throat! He starts to pull and blood pools beneath the wire from Muerte’s neck! Grimskull’s trying to kill El Mariachi Muerte!
MUERTE GRABS A PIECE OF BROKEN WOOD AND STABS IT INTO GRIMSKULL’S SIDE! THE PREACHER IS FORCED TO ROLL AWAY!
Grimskull grasps at the wood sticking out of his side and rips it out in an instant! He turns to face Muerte who leaps with a frankenstiener! But no! Grimskull catches it and forces him up before powerbombing him onto the cobblestone with a thud! Muerte’s head smacks the ground with a sickening crack and he looks dazed! Grimskull forces him up to his feet and whips him right into a nearby wall!
ANOTHER LESSON- NO! MUERTE CATCHES THE FOOT AND PULLS HIM IN!
WHISKEY LULLABY! BELLY-TO-BELLY TOSS THROWS GRIMSKULL RIGHT INTO THE WALL!
The Watcher lands head first onto the ground and Muerte looks to the building with ill-intent as he begins to scale up the side! He knows he needs something huge to put Grimskull down! However The Preacher is already hot on his trail! Both men reach the roof of the building! Grimskull grabs hold of Muerte and nails him with a series of lefts and rights! He whips him to the edge!
But Muerte drops into an arm drag! Grimskull rolls to his feet and both men trade blows on the rooftop! Shingles give way as both men threaten to slip to the streets below!
LAST CARNIVALE! LEAPING LUNGBLOWER!?
NO!
Grimskull refuses to fall back! Muerte unloads on him with a plethora of rights that makes him stumble back to the edge!
MUERTE WRAPS BOTH ARMS AROUND GRIMSKULL’S WAIST!
HE CAN’T BE DOING THIS!?
CAN HE?
GERMAN SUPLEX! GERMAN GOD DAMNED SUPLEX FROM THE TOP OF THE FUCKING BUILDING TO THE STREET BELOW!
The titans land with a sickening thud onto the street below! Grimskull’s head bends forwards unnaturally on his neck from the impact and Muerte is only barely stirring! Singing Death rolls away from Grimskull in a daze and uses a nearby altar to pull himself to his feet! He turns back and peels Grimskull off of the cobblestone!
DEATH TO THE HELLIONS! DROP TOE HOLD FROM GRIMSKULL SENDS MUERTE FACE FIRST INTO THAT ALTAR!
He callously grabs Muerte and throws him backwards onto the ground before scaling to the top of the altar! He raises his hands up in prayer before leaping!
FLYING HEADBUTT! THE PRAYER LANDS FLUSH AS MUERTE’S HEAD GETS SAMMWHICHED BETWEEN GRIMSKULL AND THE GROUND! HE’S OUT! HE’S KNOCKED OUT!
The Preacher somehow, after all of this, stands up tall over the unconscious Mariachi.
WINNER: GRIMSKULL
“WHEN THE HUNT COMES TO YOU”
The Groves.
Deep in the groves sits a cabin. It’s not just any ordinary cabin. This one belongs to the Hunter himself, Luther Grim.
Luther sits at a wooden table on a wooden chair, holding an old framed photograph in his hand.
The picture is of his family. He stands front and centre, his thumb over someone on the right hand side of the frame.
“They’re getting closer,” he says with a sigh. “They’ll know what we did sooner rather than later.”
He removes his thumb, revealing a familiar face.
Zeus.
The Baron stands in the photo.
Knock Knock!
There’s a sudden and abrupt knock at the door that stuns Grim. No-one knocks on his cabin door. No-one. He places the photograph back inside the wooden unit beside the table and stands up to cautiously go answer the door.
When he does, to his surprise, a face he doesn’t expect stands before him.
Drewitt.
“I’m done bein’ the hunted for mother fuckers like you and Tombstone,” he growls, stepping aside and back out into the wilderness.
Luther follows, standing opposite him.
“If you want the impossible hunt, come fuckin’ get it.”
The Explorer waves him on.
Luther Grim grins.
To be continued…
“ILLUMINATION”
Somewhere in The Groves.
Hidden away in the forest of Arcadia there’s a little house, well illuminated but obscure from the trodden path.
A sign outside reads Illumination Antiques.
We go inside what appears to be a store, heading down into the basement where a man in a sharp light blue suit rummages through items.
He turns to look at us with piercing blue eyes.
“Oh, why hello there,” he says in surprise. “I’m not sure you’re supposed to be down here.”
The man surveys the room.
“This is my stock room. I conduct business on the floor above ground,” he reminds us with an eyebrow raised. “How rude of me, shouldn’t I introduce myself? My name is Albert Lamplight and this is my store, Illumination Antiques.”
Albert wisely closes a box of items he doesn’t want us to see.
Meanwhile, he picks up something placed on the table before him.
“What’s this?” Albert asks, opening the envelope and taking a read of the item therein. “An invitation?”
He muses over it.
“You are cordially invited on behalf of Zeus to join the fighting roster of Old School Wrestling on floor: Olympus. You have been identified as an ideal candidate.”
His eyes widen with excitement.
“Oh goody, new customers!”
Albert folds the invitation up and slips it into his top pocket.
“I suppose I may soon be illuminating you… with my needful things.”
We close in on his toothy smile and daring blue eyes.
“I’ll be seeing you shortly. In the meantime, please do feel free to have a look around my store; I have something everybody needs.”
Cut.
Perseus came to the Hive looking for answers to TECs shocking explosion. It’s a quest that’s brought him directly into the path of Jinx. What started as a quest for answers is going to end as a fight. Only one of these two champions are walking out of the Hive today.
Jinx smirks, riling up Perseus, who moves towards her quickly, ruthless intent in his eyes. Jackson Cade comes right at her leaping towards her with his patented kick.
HOSTILE DOWN! THE LEAPING SUPERKICK!
NO!
JINX WAS READY AND LEAPT OUT OF THE WAY!
PERSEUS LANDS IN A TANGLE OF CABLES, COMPUTERS AND PIECES OF PAPER!
Jinx looks down upon her foe, dragging him free only to fling him across the room. He crashes into a tower of servers, bouncing off them and staggering back across the Hive.
DDOS! THE DISCUS ELBOW CATCHES JACKSON CADE IN THE BACK OF THE SKULL!
HE GOES DOWN HARD, COMING TO REST UNDER THE COMPUTER DESK!
Jinx grabs him by the foot, pulling him free of the desk. She reaches down to pick him up again.
SMASH!
JACKSON CADE HAS HIS HANDS ON A LIGHT TUBE FROM UNDER JINX’S DESK, AND SMASHES IT OVER HER HEAD!
SHE STAGGERS BACK, BUT IS STILL ON HER FEET… HER HANDS INSTINCTIVELY COME UP TO HER HEAD TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE!
JACKSON CADE SWEEPS HIS FEET AND TRIPS HER, TAKING JINX DOWN!
It’s now a scramble to his feet and Jackson Cade reaches his vertical base in the flash of an eye. Before Jinx can react to the change in momentum, Cade has her by the back of the neck. His other hand grabs the back of her belt and he hoists her into the air.
JACKSON CADE TOSSES JINX ACROSS THE HIVE!
SHE SLAMS BACK FIRST INTO A BAR FRIDGE PLACED NEXT TO THE DESK!
DISCARDED CANS OF SODA AND ASSORTED OTHER SNACKS FLY INTO THE AIR AND COME RAINING DOWN ON JINX!
Angered, she uses the now broken fridge to pull herself to her feet. Fatal Error charges at Cade once more, looking to unleash an elbow strike, but CADE KICKS HER IN THE GUTS AND STOPS HER IN HER TRACKS!
CADE GRABS HER AROUND THE WAIST AND HOISTS HER UP ONTO HIS SHOULDERS!
HE LINES HER UP!
…
…
AND PERSEUS POWERBOMBS JINX RIGHT INTO THE DESK!
…
…
HOLY SHIT!
THERE’S CARNAGE EVERYWHERE!
Screens that once displayed all sorts of data now lie shattered and black. The desk is broken, Jinx lying amongst the wreckage. Cade dusts himself off as he surveys the wreckage. Surely, that is enough to keep her down.
But, out of the wreckage, Jinx stirs. First a hand sticks up into the air, reaching for nothing in particular. Then a second. She rolls out of the damaged desk and claws her way to her knees using broken screens, servers and anything else she can grab.
BUT CADE ISN’T GOING TO LET HER UP THAT EASY!
HE GRABS HER, PULLING HER INTO A SHOULDER LOCK!
BUT JINX KNEES HIM IN THE ABDOMEN, JUST ENOUGH TO BREAK THE HOLD!
DESPERATION. INSTINCT. THE BLACK HAT HAS THE OPENING SHE NEEDS!
Cade staggers back ever so slightly, but it is enough for Jinx. She grabs a can of coke from inside the fridge, the door now hanging off. Cade comes back towards, her.
AND SHE SMASHES THE CAN OF COKE INTO HIS SKULL!
AGAIN!
AGAIN!
THE COKE CAN IS SPRAYING FIZZ EVERYWHERE AND CADE IS BACKED INTO THE WALL OF SERVERS!
Tossing the can aside, she grabs Cade and pulls him away from the servers and into her clutches.
ENCRYPTION KEY! THE KI KRUSHER!
CADE HITS THE GROUND HARD, LANDING ON A REEM OF PAPER!
But Jackson Cade isn’t out, he stirs and begins pulling himself back to his feet. Grabbing at Jinx, he uses her to help himself stand, but she kicks out at his knee and he collapses back to a three-point stance. Jackson uses the position to push, driving his shoulder into her sternum and pushing her across the room until she slams back first into the opposite wall, knocking bits of paper off a pinboard in the process.
JINX RESPONDS BY GRABBING CADE AROUND THE SCRUFF OF THE NECK!
SHE MARCHES HIM ACROSS THE ROOM!
…
…
JINX RUNS JACKSON CADE FACE FIRST INTO THE WALL OF SERVERS!
…
…
SPARKS FLY AS THE RACK OF SERVERS COMES CRASHING DOWN ON TOP OF JACKSON CADE!
Jinx surveys the carnage around the Hive, thousands of credits worth. But surely, that is enough to keep Cade down. Yet, as she takes a moment to recuperate, she hears a groaning from under the rubble.
PERSEUS RISES!
THE PAIR LOCK HORNS!
BUT JINX SLAMS CADE’S HEAD INTO THE WALL!
Cade staggers back, as Jinx rips a pair of light tubes from the ceiling above her, cords and all. She comes at Cade swinging…
SMASH!
LIGHTTUBE TO THE SKULL!
CADE TOOK IT ALL AND COLLAPSES TO HIS KNEES!
Jinx comes at Jackson Cade with the second light tube. She swings it at his skull once more, looking to finish him off.
SMASH!
THE LIGHT TUBE EXPLODES INTO A MILLION SHARDS!
LEAPING SUPERKICK! HOSTILE DOWN!
RIGHT THROUGH THE LIGHTTUBE AND INTO JINX’S SKULL!
JINX COLLAPSES IN A HEAP AND IS NO LONGER MOVING!
SHE’S OUT COLD!
Jackson Cade entered the Hive with vengeance in his mind and tore the place apart to get it. But Jinx is down and the OSW Champion has his retribution served on a cold dish for TECs demise.
WINNER: JACKSON CADE
“THE RIGHT DIRECTION”
With that intense match over, the VHS and World Champions sit themselves up in either corner of the room, surveying the carnage they’ve left in their wake.
The Hive may need some repairs.
“I didn’t blow up The Red Light District,” Jinx says wincing in pain. “That isn’t on me. I’d never hurt innocent people; ever.”
“Then what did you do to TEC!?” Cade demands to know.
Jinx looks off to the side in shame.
“My brother was murdered,” she blurts out, tears welling in her eyes. “All I’ve ever known is that Luther Grim had something to do with it.”
“Why didn’t you come to the APD?” The World Champion questions. He truly believes they’d have investigated it.
Jinx snaps her head back at him.
“I did,” she grunts. “But Sheriff Gordon dismissed me and the next thing I know, I’m invited to OSW. There’s a cover up that I’m trying to get to the bottom of. Narcissa offered me a trade – I help her, she helps me.”
Narcissa, huh?
That piques Cade’s interest.
“She came to me recently and asked me who I wanted to be. I should’ve known that she had something to do with this.”
Jinx shrugs.
“I hacked TEC so that Narcissa could control him. That’s all I did,” she admits honestly. “I didn’t put a bomb in there. I didn’t explode him. I had nothing to do with any of that. If you want answers, you’re gonna have to go see her.”
The beat cop gets back to his feet and dusts himself off, grabbing his OSW World Championship.
“We have a responsibility,” he says, motioning to his title. “Not just to OSW but to the people of Arcadia. You need to remember that Jinx. I’m going to find Narcissa and get to the bottom of this and if I learn anything about your brother, I’ll let you know.”
With that, the officer exits The Hive, leaving the VHS Champion to stare at her title and think about who she wants to be in OSW.
Cut.
In the grove sits a cabin long abandoned until Luther Grim and Drewitt found it and that’s when the brawl began.
The fight starts with both The Explorer and The Hunter exchanging rights and lefts. Dewitt’s powerful blows look like they’re taking a greater toll until Luther grabs the jacket of Drewitt and pulls it over his head as The Beast of Prey starts laying into the gut of Drewitt punching him over, and over again before…
*CRASH!*
LUTHER GRIM USES THE JACKET TO SLING DREWITT INTO A RUNDOWN CURIO CABINET CAUSING GLASS AND WOOD TO RAIN DOWN ON THE WANDERER!
Grim steps back waiting as The Pilgrim staggers to his feet before rushing in…
BLOOD SPORT!
BROGUE KICK!
DUCKED AND DODGED BY DREWITT!
CAUSING GRIM TO SLIP AND LAND ON THE GLASS AND WOOD WITH A SICKENING *CRUNCH*!
Drewitt picks The Hunter up before driving him face-first into the mantle of a nearby fireplace before lifting him up…
SNAKE EYES ONTO STONE FUCKING MANTLE!
STAGGERS THE HUNTER TO HIS KNEES!
THE PILGRIM BACKS AWAY!
LUTHER STAGGERS BACK TO HIS FEET!
RUNNING BIG BOOT…
NO!
LUTHER CATCHES THE PILGRIM AND WITH ALL THE MIGHT HE CAN MUSTER…
HITS AN OVERHEAD DROP THROWING DREWITT DIRECTLY INTO THE GODDAMN FIREPLACE!
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CAUSING DREWITT TO SLIDE DOWN THE STONE AND LANDING ON THE BACK OF HIS FRIGGIN’ NECK!
The Hunter, exhausted, starts to crawl towards an axe in the corner next to the fireplace as he starts to push himself to his feet, we see a shadow cast over him.
Drewitt is up and appears to be on autopilot as he ignores Luther, grabbing the axe for himself.
Luther now sensing the impending danger he’s in with a Pilgrim powered purely on purpose proceeding after him with a splitting maul in his hands, The Hunter immediately reverses direction falling on his ass and quickly scooting away.
DREWITT SWINGS!
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*WHOOSH!*
BARELY MISSING THE GUT OF THE BEAST WHO MAY SOON BECOME PREY!
SECOND SWIPE!
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*SWISH!*
THE HUNTER HAS TO DODGE AS A TUFT OF BLONDE HAIR IS THROWN INTO THE WIND!
THIRD TIME’S A CHARM?
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…
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NO! GRIM SEES AN OPENING AND KICKS THE EXPLORER TURNED ATTEMPTED AXE MURDERER IN THE PETELLA!
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CAUSING HIM TO SEND THE AXE PLUMMETTING…
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TO THE GROUND…
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TOWARD LUTHER…
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DISMEMBERMENT BY ACCIDENT?
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IS THE HUNT OVER FOR GRIM BY HIS OWN DOING?
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TIME IS STANDING STILL…
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*THUNK!*
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THE AXE LANDS BLADE FIRST…
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IN THE GROUND BETWEEN THE BEAST’S LEGS SPLITTING HIS LOINCLOTH IN HALF! BUT IT’S THE ONLY THING OF GRIM’S THAT’S DAMAGED AS HE SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET DRIVEN BY PANIC, HIS OWN DOSE OF ADRENALINE KICKING IN CAUSED BY THE THOUGHT NEAR CIRCUMSCISION BY AXE!
Luther assesses the situation, quickly able to see now the vacant expression on The Pilgrim, the lights are on but no one’s home. Grim hits a right hand staggering his bigger opponent. Following it up with Discus Clothesline still not able to take the monster down. Then…
BLOOD SPORT!
THE BROGUE KICK LANDS FLUSH! IT’S KNOCKED HIM OUTSIDE OF THE CABIN, STRAIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR!
AND STILL DOESN’T TAKE DREWITT OFF HIS FEET!
In fact, it only served to knock the cobwebs and bring Drewitt back to his senses. The explorer snaps his gaze on Luther, grabbing The Hunter by his remaining hair spiking The Beast of Prey’s face off the door frame before waist-locking him from behind and lifting…
LUTHER INTO THE DAMNED AIR…
GERMAN SUPLEXING THE HUNTER…
*SHATTER*
THROUGH A DAMNED WINDOW AND BACK INTO THE CABIN!
….
…
…
…
Momentum carries Grim ass over tea kettle though and he comes up staggering blood weeping out of his back as…
AIR DREWITT COMES FLYING THROUGH THE WINDOW WITH A SUICIDE DIVE CONNECTING AND LEVELING GRIM!
Both men now lay in a heap, Drewitt on top of Luther, but there is no count, no reprieve, and both men are still conscious. Drewitt takes a deep breath, rolls over, and sits up in the middle of The Cabin, a look of annoyance on his masked face as he knows he has to return to work.
The Explorer snags up The Hunter slapping him across the face to bring him to before lifting Luther onto his shoulders and taking him back outside…
TRAVLER’S GAMBIT!
THE BURNING HAMMER ON THE SOLID DIRT!
NO!
GRIM COUNTERS LANDING ON HIS FEET!
Staggering back toward a tree, The Hunter is able to retrieve his Spear and sends it flying toward Drewitt who sidesteps it before…
GRIM RUSHES IN BEHIND IT!
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SHOULDER TO THE GUT LIFTING DREWITT INTO THE AIR!
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* CA-RASH!*
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THE GREAT HUNT IS ON SENDING BOTH MEN THROUGH THE OTHER WINDOW WITH A SPEAR!
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LUTHER PULLS HIMSELF UP AND SURVEYS THE CARNAGE AS HE LEANS AGAINST THE WALL HIS BREATHING LABORED!
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BUT THE EXPLORER BEGINS TO SIT UP!
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INSTICTIVELY THE HUNTER PREPARES TO GO BACK TO THE FIGHT BUT DREWITT SLUMPS BACK OVER AND LUTHER GRIM IS THE LAST MAN STANDING!
Grim has captured his trophy as Drewitt lies unconscious before him.
WINNER: LUTHER GRIM
“CONQUEST I”
Back at the Slums, Grimskull stands, weary from his efforts of late, in the small compound behind his stage. In order that he is not seen to be living a much more luxurious life compared to his people, the compound is not a building in the traditional sense, instead it is has been carved into the earth, with a small tunnel from his stage leading him here.
He is alone in the central room, aside from one of his trusted right hand men, who he now confides in.
“I’ve been planning this for so long, I have lost all sense of how this could be taken by my followers,” The Preacher starts. “I have told these people that what I am planning is all for their benefit, but the truth is I don’t think it is right for any of them.”
He turns to face the trustee face on. Next to them is a table with some sort of ornamental replica of Grimskull’s head in the centre.
“But it is right for me, and right now, it is what is right for me that is important.”
Clang.
There’s a noise, and instantly Grimskull shoots over to where it came from, to see a man cowering in the tunnel from the stage. Grimskull lifts him up and pats him down, kindly.
“Hey, hey, no need to be scared,” he says. “Don’t I know you?”
Sure enough, it’s the man who stood up to him at Ring King, telling him how the people were really feeling. He nods.
“Yes, I remember you from the night of Ring King. Tell me my child, what is your name?”
The man seems to relax a little.
“My name is Aaron, sir. Aaron West.”
Grimskull brings him over to the table in the middle of the room.
“Well, Aaron, I just want you to know one thing…” he drawls.
“What’s th-“
Before Aaron can even finish his sentence, Grimskull grabs him by the back of the head and slams him face first on to the ornamental skull on the table, the spikes of which impale Aaron. The force that Grimskull exerted has sent those spikes straight through his skull and into the brain, and the poor man slumps to the ground, dead.
“I really didn’t want to have to do that.” Grimskull sighs, but his face is darker somehow, and there is a trace of a bloodlusting grin flittering across it now.
“But needs must,” he ends, matter-of-factly, kicking Aaron’s body out of the way and dusting his hands together as he leaves the room. His trustee picks up Aaron’s feet and drags him away in the opposite direction.
Cut.
Felix is still trying to convince Attano to calm down, but Harold makes it apparent he’s not leaving as he punts a puppet across the stage!
Foley rushes down Attano and grabs at him to try and remove him from the stage! But Mr. Nobody is still seething with rage as he nails Foley with a headbutt! He grabs Felix and whips him into the giant cow on the stage! Attano follows up with a clothesline to the back of the skull that stuns the show host! He grabs him by the hair!
AND SLAMS HIM FACE FIRST INTO THE COW!
WHAM!
WHAM!
WHAM!
THE WHITE COW IS NOW STAINED IN THE RED FROM FELIX’S BUSTED FOREHEAD! SKIN HAS ALREADY BEEN TORN!
The Puppetmaster tries to defend himself but Harold’s unstoppable! He forces the show host back and lays into him with vicious rights and lefts that ragdoll poor Felix all around the stage! Harold grabs hold of a nearby crab shaped doll and smashes it across Felix’s skull! Felix drops to a knee and Harold reels back!
SILENCED! HIDDEN BLADE ELBOW!
NO!?
THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR BOOTIN’! GIANT BIG BOOT FROM FOLEY DROPS HAROLD TO THE GROUND!
Friendly Felix is trying to get his bearings when he sees the blood covering his poor puppets! His upper lip quivers before he puts his fists up in defiance! He forces Harold back up to his feet and slams into him with a harsh headbutt! He nails a nasty right hand that rocks Attano before hauling him up!
FOR THE FALL GUY! FALL AWAY SLAM! HAROLD LANDS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STAGE!
Foley looks at Harold then up to the balcony above it! He trudges up the stairs and right to the balcony! He stands atop it, building up his courage before he leaps!
FLYING ELBOW DROP FROM THE BALCONY ALL THE WAY TO THE STAGE BELOW! IT LANDS FLUSH AND BOTH MEN ARE LEFT BROKEN FROM THE FALL!
Neither man moves for a moment as the dust clears, but Foley slowly gets to his feet! He begins to walk away, checking on his precious puppets when Harold rises behind him! He leaps onto Foley and nails him with a German Suplex! Foley rolls across the stage and Mr. Nobody grabs a stage light! He rushes forwards and swings!
SMASH!
SPARKS!
FOLEY CAUGHT ALL OF THAT LIGHT TO THE DOME!
Attano raises the light overhead and slams it down onto Foley over and over as the poor Puppeteer throws his hands up to defend himself! The metal shreds the skin on his arms as Harold refuses to give up his brutal assault! He throws the light down on Foley one last time before trying to force him up by his hair!
HAYMAKER BY FELIX!
NO! VENOM! HAROLD DODGES AND NAILS A SCORPION KICK TO THE FACE OF FOLEY!
The Puppetmaster is stunned and Harold follows up with a leg sweep to knock him to the ground! Foley is in dire straights as Harold looks around the stage for a new weapon! The hitman grabs for a chair!
BUT FELIX LEAPS ON HIM FROM BEHIND! HE WRAPS AN EXTENSION CORD AROUND HAROLD’S THROAT!
Foley lets out a stream of ‘Sorry!’ over and over as he begins to choke the life out of Harold! Attano is fading as he tries to fight back with all of his might! He pushes into Felix who drags him back to the edge of the stage as he tries his best to knock Harold out! But Mr. Nobody is a man possessed! Why won’t he stay down!?
EYE GOUGE FROM HAROLD!
Felix shouts in pain as he lets go of the cord and stumbles back! He’s T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-teetering at the edge of the stage!
AND HAROLD FLIES FORWARDS!
SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAR!
SPEAR OFF OF THE EDGE OF THE STAGE! BOTH MEN GO CRASHING THROUGH A PILE OF WOODEN CHAIRS!
All that’s left of the men are broken bodies as neither looks to move amongst the carnage! The entirety of the Funhouse goes silent for a moment, a silence only broken by the sound of wood being moved out of the way! Harold looks to be the first one to his feet and he grabs a piece of a chair!
HE CRACKS IT ACROSS THE BACK OF FOLEY! THE PUPPETMASTER CAN’T EVEN STAND UP!
Harold begs Foley to get back to his feet! But Felix is exhausted and can only rise to his knees! Harold holds the broken piece of chair across his arm as he runs full sprint forwards!
CUT THE STRINGS!
FOLEY CAUGHT HIM! MASSIVE DOUBLE ARM DDT ONTO THE PILE OF CHAIRS! ATTANO IS KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT!
Felix all but collapses amongst the pile of chairs, huffing and puffing as this brutal bout finally, mercifully, comes to an end.
WINNER: FELIX FOLEY
“CAN'T KILL ME”
Weeks Ago
“Help! Help!”
Screaming voices echo throughout the cells as Prophet’s men carry him in a hurry towards the main cell block. People rush from cells to see what’s going on as Jasper Redgrave and CJ Thorpe appear.
“Haywire stabbed him,” one of the men shouts. “Help him. Fuckin’ help him, nigga!”
Jasper steps forward as they lay Prophet down.
“Get me pillowcases, rags, whatever you’ve got,” he demands, bending down to apply pressure to the wound. “I need a needle and some thread”
“How’d you know what to do?” Thorpe queries.
Jasper smirks.
“In my line of work, you need to know what to do to keep people alive too,” he admits with a smile.
Prophet’s men rush over with everything Redgrave needs, dropping it at him.
As the Serial Killer goes to work on saving a life, Max Meadows appears.
“Patch him up best you can,” he demands of Jasper. “I want a little practice match before our Death Chamber.”
“Are you fucking kidding?” Thorpe roars, pushing through men who hold him back. “He could die!”
“He’d better not!” Meadows threatens. “Max Meadows and Prophet, it’s booked. If he dies, you die.”
Gulp.
Redgrave pulls Thorpe down to his level.
“He’ll be fine, don’t worry about it,” he promises. “He’ll be more than ready to fight.”
Prophet, in and out of consciousness, chuckles.
“He want a fuckin’ fight wit’ me?” He says grinning. “Let the truth set dat nigga free. Ya’ll can’t… kill… me.”
He passes out.
Cut.
Max Meadows looks to enact his rule as Warden of Deathrow, but Prophet stands in defiance!
The two men stand across the ring, Meadows pointing sternly at The Truth, who simply shrugs at the Warden before the two men charge at each other!
They trade lefts and rights, neither man giving way despite Prophet overtaking Meadows, bringing him toward the corner…where he lays into the Warden with some hard right hands!
Meadows manages to shove The Truth away, giving some much-needed space before Prophet charges toward the corner…only no one is home, as Meadows narrowly evades!
This sends Prophet crashing into the corner, an opening that Meadows gladly exploits as he lays in some kicks on the back of The Truth’s knees, dropping him down hard.
The Warden can’t help but smirk as he follows suit with some forearm strikes to the back of Prophet’s head, finally dropping The Truth down the canvas…but Meadows isn’t satisifed.
Max instead leaves the ring, pulling Prophet out in the pursuit of even further damage as he pulls The Truth toward the steel steps…a move that backfires as Prophet turns it around, sending Meadows into the steps instead!
Prophet shouts at the fallen Warden, mocking him as he brings Meadows back to his feet…and sends him into the nearest cell!
Meadows crashes against the steel bars, looking worse for wear as Prophet takes notice of something that makes him smile.
A pile of cinderblocks.
Prophet mocks the Warden some more as he starts setting the cinder blocks up at ringside, eager to speak his truth in a most violent manner.
Except he doesn’t see Meadows getting back up to his feet…before blindsiding The Truth with a clothesline!
Max shouts at Prophet with a sneer as he lays him across the pile before climbing onto the apron…
…LAUNCHING HIMSELF FOR A LEGDROP ONTO PROPHET, DRIVING THE TRUTH THROUGH THE CINDER BLOCKS!
Both men are down and seemingly out…until Meadows starts to stir!
Prophet still hasn’t started moving as the Warden gets to his feet, looking wobbly after that collision…but eventually smirks at the damage he’s caused.
He leans over to confirm that Prophet is out…and receives a haymaker to the temple!
Prophet is struggling, but manages to get to his feet as Meadows steps back in agony from the sucker punch.
This puts a smile on The Truth’s face now as he wallops the Warden with some lefts and rights, wearing him down and driving him further away from the ring.
The pair make their way down the hall, where Meadows manages to escape the grasp of Prophet before shoving him against the wall…and then slams the man’s head against it!
Max gets a couple more shots in before Prophet escapes, making the Warden pay dearly as he grabs Meadows by the head, pounding his face over and over with punches!
THE LORD’S HANDS!
This is a truth that Meadows would rather not hear, looking nearly tattered as he stumbles away…but Prophet is quick to pursue!
He catches up with the Warden pretty quick, slamming him hard into another cell door!
The sound of Max’s head colliding with the steel bars rings out through the hall as Prophet rears back, delivering a right jab that sends Meadows just about flying further down the hall!
Meadows has had enough of this, once again escaping the rampage of Prophet…until they end up in the communal shower, where the Warden immediately realizes there’s nowhere left to run.
Meadows gulps as he turns around…right into a massive left hook by The Truth!
Prophet grabs the Warden, pulling him in close…
…AND HITTING A RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP INTO THE SHOWERS, BOTH MEN GETTING SOAKED BY THE WATER!
Once again, both men are down as the water continues to pour upon them…but now, it’s Prophet who manages to get to his feet, ready to finish what he started.
As for Meadows, well…he may be looking just to survive.
Prophet brings the Warden back to a standing position…only to get caught with a pipe to the skull by Meadows!
He must’ve found it on the ground in the midst of getting sent into the showers!
Max snarls at The Truth as he begins wailing away with pipe shots, over and over!
ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON!
Prophet drops to one knee…and gets caught with another shot to the head by the Warden!
Meadows drops the pipe to the ground, noticing that Prophet still isn’t down…and moves over behind him, locking in a full nelson!
LIFE SENTENCE!
Max has the leverage on his side, cinching the hold in deep and tight to keep Prophet from getting back to his feet to break out!
Prophet tries to reach over, hoping for a solid grip to release the hold…but Max is persistent, pulling The Truth side to side as he starts fading!
Meadows pulls the hold tighter…AND PROPHET IS KNOCKED OUT COLD!
The Warden has managed to silence The Truth as Max Meadows picks up the win!
WINNER: MAX MEADOWS
“UNDERCOVER”
Both men are exhausted from a long night of wars but meet at the Arcadia Police Department, none the less.
Harold Attano and Jackson Cade sit inside a private interrogation room, debating what they know and what Jackson has learned here tonight from Jinx.
“I was going to run in head first but something made me realize that we need to do things differently,” Cade says, showing growth.
“So, let me get this straight,” Harold responds whilst trying to get his ducks in a row. “Narcissa Balenciaga had Jinx hack TEC so that she could control him?”
Cade nods.
“Isn’t that enough for an arrest warrant?” Attano queries.
“No,” Cade stands firm. “If we move too soon, we don’t have enough evidence. I get the sneaky feeling that there’s a lot more moving parts than we’re aware of. We need to know what they are.”
Harold agrees, standing up to meet Cade, who muses with his fingers upon his chin.
“She asked us if we wanted to be more, on the night of the bombing, didn’t she? She wanted to know who we wanted to be,” Cade reiterates. “I don’t think she’ll trust me, Harold. But you?”
Nobody grimaces.
“You’re nobody,” Cade chuckles. “You’re an ex-con. Not only might she trust you, but she might just bring you into whatever this is.”
Harold thinks about it for a moment and nods. He’s in agreement.
“You want me to go undercover?” He asks. “I’ll do it, but what support do I have? Will the Arcadia Police Department have my back?”
Cade shakes his head.
“We don’t know where this leads or who’s involved. We can’t tell anyone we don’t trust,” Jackson confirms. He walks to the door and opens it. “I’m your only backup.”
Harold walks towards the door with him.
“Get in, figure it out and if we need to, take them down,” Nobody agrees.
Both men exit.
Cut.
“SPECIAL DELIVERY”
The Delivery Bay.
Inside Olympus there’s a small section for incoming deliveries. Whenever something arrives that needs to be taken in, checked or stored, it comes here.
A burly security guard mans the entrance as a courier wearing a hoodied top and holding a beard on a stick approaches.
“What you got for me?” He gruffly asks, holding his all so important clipboard in front of his face.
“I have a bunch of mail for different employees of Old School Wrestling. I was told to deliver it directly,” the man replies.
The guard peers over his clipboard.
“No-one gets inside without the appropriate credentials.”
“What about this letter I have for I.P Freely?”
He shakes his head.
“You’re telling me that Mike Hunt won’t get his mail?”
He shakes his head again.
“Look, I’ve got a super important package here for E. Norma Stits and it’ll simply blow if I can’t get it to her,” the courier protests. “E. Norma Stits, man. E. Norma Stits.”
The guard folds his arms.
“What package?” He asks.
The man looks down at this groin and smiles goofily.
“I’ve heard about you,” he snorts. “You’re that douchebag who keeps trying to get signed. The other guards have warned me about you. Isn’t this the fourth time this week?”
“Listen pal, what’s your name?” he says, looking at the man’s security badge. “Seriously?”
The guard nods.
“Listen Ben Dover, E. Norma Stits needs this package. If I don’t put this package in her inbox, I’ll get fired. I have no idea who this Ceyx Sovereign guy is, but he ain’t me.”
“Fuck me you’re stupid,” Ben says with a chuckle. “I never said your name. Get the fuck outta here, will ya?”
SLAM!
Ceyx sighs deeply.
“Ben Dover?” He scoffs. “What kind of made up sexual double entendre name is that?”
Cut.
In the Burned Man’s frantic search for his son, he’s done fucked around with Tombstone’s justice and now is about to find out that no matter what his intentions, no one pisses off the Ferryman and avoids the consequences
Tombstone walks into view, the Ferryman trembling with fury as he slowly approaches The Burned Man with burning embers in his eyes. The Burned Man backs up, putting his hands up in a show of peace.
“I have no quarrel with you Ferryman, I’m just looking for my boy.”
Tombstone sneers, continuing to approach the Burned Man as the hero finds himself backed up against a large headstone.
“Your boy isn’t here hero, but the bells…the bells are screaming for you”
RUNNING BIG BOOT! TBM just dodges in time as Tombstone kicks straight through the stone, sending slivers flying through the air. Tombstone turns into a flurry of lefts and rights TBM trying to use his superior speed to float like a butterfly but his strikes feel like bee stings to the Ferryman who swings wild, each blow with the power to knock the Burned Man out cold.
Tombstone swings a wild haymaker that the Soul Survivor leans backwards out of reach before spinning around, BACKDRAFT! Spinning elbow to the point of the jaw rocks Tombstone as TBM tries for another but Tombstone ducks underneath
SKULL SHATTERING HEADBUTT!
One single move and TBM falls to the cold hard ground, nearly knocked out cold, eyes glazed over as he tries to struggle to his feet but is met with a pair of calloused, impossibly strong hands around his throat before he’s tossed clean ten feet in the air with a mammoth choke toss.
The Burned Man crashing hard on the hard dirt with such a thud, any other man would be incapacitated from the sheer pain radiating through but The Burned Man isn’t just anyone. Slowly rising, he cracks his back, spitting out a glob of blood on the dirt and rushes forward.
BUT YOU CAN’T RUN AT THE FERRYMAN! BOSS MAN MOTHER FUCKING SLAM ONTO THE UNFORGIVING CEMETARY DIRT!
The Burned Man’s still fighting, slowly pulling himself up a nearby headstone but Tombstone is immediately on him
THROWING HIM HEADFIRST INTO IT BEFORE WITH ONE MAMMOTH PUNCH, DRIVES THE BURNED MAN’S SKULL THROUGH THE THICK STONE!
Dead nerves or not, Burned Man felt every inch of that power, his eyes glazed over as he feels the true wrath of thwarting Tombstone’s plans here. The Ferryman continues to punch The Burned Man into the dirt and shattered pieces of stone as blood begins to pour through the bandages, making the once grey wraps dark crimson.
Tombstone stops pounding on Maxwell for a moment before lifting him up by the bandages covering his upper chest as he stares deep into his eyes
BLOOD MIST!
The Burned Man spits his blood right into Tombstone’s eyes, the Ferryman drops Burned Man, staggering back as that thick, viscous fluid blinds him for a moment, wiping his eyes seconds before he sees Maxwell rush forward
BURNING BREAKER! The Burned Man taking a page out of his sons book with that running headbutt to the chest, the full force of a 170+ pounds driving into Tombstone’s chest, winding him for a moment before Maxwell leaps upwards,
MATCH STRIKER! A lightning fast STO plants Tombstone into the dirt but the Ferryman’s already up to one knee, The Burned Man not stopping his assault as he grabs him from behind in a full nelson but Tombstone quickly rears his head back, rocking Maxwell backwards before he’s thrown overhead . TBM stumbles up to one knee as Tombstone rushes forward, looking for a skull shattering Big Boot, Maxwell reaching out his hand as we hear something flying in towards them.
TOMBSTONE BOOTING AGAINST STEEL AS THE KINGDOM SHIELD APPEARS IN TBM’S HAND!
The Ferryman staggers back in pain before Burned Man swings upwards, uppercutting Tombstone with the steel as he sends all 250+ pounds of King flying through the air, crashing right in front of a cross shaped headstone. Tombstone tries to get to his feet but TBM swings hard again, nailing him with the shield before placing it down and grabbing him by the legs.
THE BURNED MAN SWINGS TOMBSTONE INTO THE HEADSTONE, NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AS IT’S TOMBSTONE’S TIME TO CRASH THROUGH SOLID STONE!
TBM swings him once more, sending Tombstone flying away before crashing down hard on the ground. Burned Man catching his breath for a moment before sprinting forward
BURNING…MEMORY TAKER! MAMMOTH HAYMAKER RIGHT TO THE SIDE OF THE TEMPLE CRUMPLES BURNED MAN MID-RUN!
Tombstone’s eyes are once again burning furiously as he peels Burned Man off the ground, rocking him with savage knees to the midsection that crack and threaten to break ribs before a skull rattling headbutt rolls Maxwell’s eyes into the back of his skull. The Ferryman is pissed as he wraps one inhumanely powerful hand around TBM’s throat, dragging him towards one of the last standing headstones and looks to finish this once and for all.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS!
THE BURNED MAN IS CHOKESLAMMED RIGHT TO HELL AND THROUGH THE STONE, FINALLY KNOCKING HIM THE FUCK OUT!
Tombstone staggers back, breathing hard as the Ferryman looks spent. He dished out the punishment tonight but he took a lot of his own in the process.
WINNER: TOMBSTONE
“WHERE THERE'S SMOKE”
Tombstone is utterly exhausted. He stumbles away, waiting for The Burned Man to get back to his feet. Slowly but surely, he inevitably does, proving his strength and toughness.
“Your son is alive,” Tombstone growls at him in utter frustration and exhaustion.
The Burned man gasps.
“I haven’t ferried him and he’s not one of the souls haunting me,” he continues. “Leave my home. If you interfere in my matters again, I will reserve a space in the ground for you.”
Gifted with hope, The Burned Man nods stoically and walks away.
Tombstone turns around though to see smoke pluming in the air from The Mortuary. Utterly panicked, he rushes towards the main building, bursting through the front doors and into the living area that is now consumed in flames.
He grabs an extinguisher and quickly begins putting them out, dousing the entire room until finally only charred items remain.
“How? How could this happen?” He demands to know. It then dawns on him and he rushes through the rooms towards Igor, who fortunately lays comatose and unharmed.
With a sigh, he takes a seat, resting for a moment.
Meanwhile, outside the gates of The Cemetery, a man stands watching the remnants of the smoke plume into the air.
Drewitt.
Cut.
We’re live from the People’s Voice news room! Can the Journo give the people what they want, or will Narcissa fashion her designs on burying the lead?
Colt Ramsey, clutching his head that blood is dripping out of, is clearly concussed after Narcissa Balenciaga walloped him over the head with his own AWGA. He pulls himself up with one arm on his news desk. His vision is still too blurry to see Narcissa jump at his head—
FLYING HEADSCISSORS INTO THE HARD CAM!
Colt went flying face-first into it for an impromptu extreme close-up that was captured on video, displaying Colt’s head crash into view, splattering blood all over the lens!
Cut back to a wide view of the studio and Narcissa has perched herself on the table above Colt and is about to take flight—
SHOOTING STAR PRESS ONTO RAMSEY!
Colt’s in a bad way, and Narcissa knows it. As he clutches his abdomen and head she whispers into his ear,
“I’m about to put you out-of-print, Colty…”
Narcissa raises up the AWGA above Colt’s head—
SLAM!
Brass meets linoleum, Colt dodging at the last moment, and pushes Narcissa off him. Her back smashes into the news desk with a thump, and there’s a trail of blood on the linoleum that follows Colt as he rolls up to Narcissa—
B-ROLL!!
ROLLING CUTTER OUT OF NOWHERE!!
Colt’s still woozy, but he finally downed Narcissa and bought himself a moment to breathe. He sees that damn hard cam out of the corner of his eye, rips it from its pedestal, and stalks the rising Narcissa who’s using the news desk to pull herself to her feet. Colt rushes—
SWING—
AND A MISS!
Narcissa high kicks Colt’s arm, sending the camera flying across the news room, follows up with a jumping spin kick that knocks Colt towards the back corner of the stage—
HIGH FASHION!!
Colt’s sprawled out prone on the floor and Narcissa spryly walks along his spine, digging her heels in with every step in pure delight—
SHE’S WALKING THE CAT!!
She kicks Colt in the face with her bare foot, possibly concussing him again, then drags him over to a rolling chair. She props him upright in it, and begins pushing him towards the wall—
LAUNCHING HIM FACE-FIRST INTO A WALL-MOUNTED MONITOR!
Colt flops onto the floor, but he’s still moving and Narcissa literally digs deep into her Bag of Tricks, which is of course a Louis Vuitton, and pulls out…
A PAIR OF LOUBOUTIN HEELS!
She hucks one the heels right at Colt, which narrowly misses his head, and that’s enough to wake him up to what’s happening.
“Honestly?!” he shouts at her.
But she’s sprinting at him full force, and takes a wild swing with her other heel at his head—
SWING—
STRIKE TWO!!
Colt ducked it again, and it’s one more and she’s out! So she winds up one more time—
SWING—
COLT CAUGHT HER!
HE FRAMED HER ON THE OUTSIDE CORNER!!
CRRRRUNCH!!!
ROCK BOTTOM THROUGH THE NEWS DESK!!!
STEEEEEERIKE THREE—
NARCISSA’S OUTTA HERE!!!
But that was only the eighth inning, and they have one more inning to go. Both of them are grunting and dragging their bodies through the rubble in pain. Colt’s the first to his feet and he looks around for something, anything that he can use to put his intruder down for good. Then he sees it:
His AWGA.
He picks it up, cradling it as if it were his baby, and looks over at the slowly rising Narcissa. The dust all over her makes it look like she powdered herself just a bit too much for her big debut on the news channel. Colt stands above her head, holding the award with two hands over her head. He shakes his head.
“I’m sorry the story has to be written this way, Narcy Doll,” he says with a tear in his eye as Narcissa coughs dust from her lungs below him.
Colt lifts the AWGA up—
…
….
…
….
…
….
…
….
…
….
…
SLAM!
The AWGA drops to the linoleum floor—
LOW BLOW BY NARCISSA!
Colt’s hunched over in agony with a look on his face that Narcissa only wishes she could capture to plaster on the front page, and with that she snatches his camera—
FLASH!
SAY CHEESE, COLT!!
DDT BY NARCISSA ONTO THE LINOLEUM!!
She used his own moves against him, spotting a trend and capitalizing on it like only she could. While Colt attempts to pry himself from the floor, Narcissa spits her wayward Louboutin and secures it to her right foot, and jumps above his head—
RED BOTTOMS!!!
BUT THE CURBSTOMP MISSES!!!
Colt grabs his camera—
FLASH!
Now Colt tosses something at Narcissa’s blinded face—
DUST TO THE EYES FOR GOOD MEASURE!!
Colt grapples her from behind—
FIT TO PRINT!!!
FULL NELSON LEGSWEEP FACEBUSTER ONTO THE LINOLEUM!!!
…
NARCISSA IS KNOCKED OUT!!!
Colt did it: He did it for the people!
WINNER: COLT RAMSEY
“THE UNRAVELLING”
What a brutally hard fought battle between Colt Ramsey and Narcissa Balenciaga.
It’s no surprise to find they’re both down. They’ve both put in one hell of a fight here tonight and they’re feeling it.
“You can’t tell them,” Narcissa hisses, on all fours in exhaustion.
Colt rolls over onto his back, looking up the ceiling.
“Did you blow up the Red Light District?” He demands to know. “Did you kill all those people?”
She laughs.
It’s sadistic, in a way.
“Did you?” She barks back at him between laughter.
Suddenly, it feels as if the ground shakes beneath them. Thunderous footsteps approach quickly. Narcissa and Colt get back to their feet, only Ramsey is scooped up and tossed into the monitors behind them.
As the glass screens shatter and Colt falls to the floor unconscious, we set eyes upon the attacker.
Hercules.
“We need to talk,” he demands of his former stepmother.
“You have no idea,” Narcissa yells at him. “Do you know what you did? Acropolis fell because of you. Ares killed them all.”
Hercules looks shocked. He freezes on the spot, unable to move.
“I didn’t mean…”
“It doesn’t matter what you meant,” she cuts him off. “When you saved him from his execution, you put a death sentence on hundreds of innocent people. For what? A father that never loved you?”
She steps closer to him, pushing him in the chest.
“You’re not fit to be a leader,” she hisses. “You’re not the right leader for Arcadia and you know it!”
Suddenly, footsteps once again thunder, only this time they’re louder. They approach fast, almost storming The People’s Voice. Narcissa dips out of sight, vanishing almost as quickly as they arrive.
It’s Ares and his men. They’re armed and before Hercules can think, he’s surrounded.
“Look at this,” Ares says with a toothy grin. “The outcast son of Zeus himself.
Herc shifts awkwardly as officers of Ares guard approach from behind.
“Rumours have it that you have Zeus in your possession, kid. I want him back and I won’t ask twice.”
The guard grab him, putting him in handcuffs and cable ties.
“I’m not telling you anything,” Herc says defiantly.
“Then you’re of no use to me and will be executed. Take him away, prepare his execution.”
They drag him away, leaving Ares to smile sinisterly.
Only they’re not alone.
Watching from shadows is a man with a face of confusion.
Harold Attano.
What the fuck has he just witnessed?
Cut.
“THE ARCADIAN CENSORSHIP AUTHORITY”
🚫
Arcadian Censorship Authority.
This message has been paid for by the Arcadian Censorship Authority.
🚫
A busy office environment. Men and women in white shirts, black slacks or skirts and red ties rush around a busy office. They’re slapping away at keyboards, receiving messages from couriers and find themselves hard at work.
We travel through that office into a main singular office where a name plaque reads CHAIRMAN.
A throat clears.
The man sitting at the desk looks like a stuffy prick. He’s wearing the same getup as everyone else and is flanked by his assistant, who looks equally as stuffy. If there’s a stick, it’s probably up their collective asses.
“My name is Sebastian Boswick,” he says with an air of authority and self-entitlement. “Welcome to the Arcadian Censorship Authority.”
Suddenly there’s a knock at the door and in walks a woman with a folder.
“Sir, there are reports of fights taking place all over Arcadia. From Anthesteria to the People’s Voice newstation,” she says in a panic.
“Thank you Karen,” his assistant Ms. Valerie Perrywinkle says sternly, prompting her to leave.
“Today has been a sad day in the history of Arcadia,” Sebastian continues. “Aren’t you, the great people of Arcadia, tired of the filth and degeneracy that plagues us?”
He straightens his tie.
“Old School Wrestling has turned our once great Arcadia into a place for morally repugnant men and women; casual lunacy and indecency,” he says, slamming his fist down on the table. “And that stops now.”
His slight aggression surprises even him, as if we weren’t supposed to see it. He coughs slightly, clearing his throat.
“The Arcadian Censorship Authority will be your weapon, your voice, your service to stop the indecency that terrorises Arcadia. We have purchased our invitation to Old School Wrestling and promise to stamp out the disgusting violence and behavior therein. We’re here for your own good. We’re here to protect you, sometimes even from yourselves!”
He smiles.
Then both he and his assistant state loudly, proudly and at the same time.
“For we’re the ACA: For a proud, moral and most of all, Censored Arcadia.”
🚫
Arcadian Censorship Authority.
This message has been paid for by the Arcadian Censorship Authority.
🚫
Two colossal egos and former world champions collide here tonight, as Doom faces off against Death inside the Clinic.
Doom scowls at the cocky Doctor, rushing forward with a running knee but the Luchadoc was ready, flowing through with the move and slapping Doom on the back of the head.
Doom clenches his fist in rage, swinging wildly but Death dodges the wild right, and the next as Doom begins throwing bombs which Death ducks and weaves underneath but he can’t dodge a hand to the throat as Doom throws Death across the room.
Death manages to roll to his feet though, rushing up the nearby wall
LEAPING ROUNDHOUSE TO THE BACK OF DOOM’S SKULL!
Doom staggers backwards, stunned as Death rushes in, laying into the Scientist with heavy lefts and rights before leaping over and planting him into the steel floor with the CODE BLUE! SUNSET POWERBOMB INTO THE UNFORGIVING STEEL!
Death rolls back to his feet, waiting for Doom to get to one knee before he urges Doom on once more. Doom nods, slightly smirking before clicking his fingers
AS DRONES FILL THE CLINIC, THE MAD MONOLOGUE PEPPERING DEATH WITH RUBBER BULLETS AND SMOKE BOMBS!
The Good Doctor swipes away at the mechanical menaces, trying to clear the air as they finally disperse, Death locking eyes with a speeding Doom
WHO NEARLY CUTS DEATH IN HALF WITH THE SPLITTER!
GORE! GORE! GORE!
Doom scowls at the fallen Death, peeling him up by the back of the head before running forward, trying to ram him skull first into the nearby wall but Death slips out of Doom’s grasp, leaping off the walls
LOBOTOMY! LEAPING TORNADO DDT SPIKES DOOM INTO THE STEEL FLOOR AGAIN!
Death rolls to his feet as Doom stumbles up in a daze, gripping the examination chair for balance as Death clocks him with a huge right hand before hoisting him onto the table. Death tees off with lefts and rights, leaving Doom dazed on the chair as Death rushes to the left, leaping up onto a medical table as he sizes up Doom for a moment
BEFORE LEAPING OFF WITH A SWANTON BOMB ON DOOM PUTTING HIM NEARLY THROUGH THE EXAMINATION CHAIR!
Doom rolls off in a heap, Death holding his back in pain but Doom looks half broken from that brutal aerial maneuver. Death smirks to himself, pulling Doom up to his feet as he pummels him with hard knees that threaten to crack that metal exoskeleton before he lifts him up high
SPINAL CONTUSION! BRAINBUSTER ON THE METAL FLOOR DAMN NEAR COULD HAVE BROKEN DOOM’S SKULL!
But Death isn’t done, wanting to finish off the Scientist with style as he once again climbs up the medical table, looking to inject something lethal into Doom as Doom slowly staggers to his feet, but he isn’t hurting.
He’s smiling.
Death leaping off as Doom clicks something in his gloves as the clinic suddenly fills with an earpiercing sonic scream
And Death crashes to the floor clutching the sides of his head in pain.
Death staggers to his feet, swaying back and forth as if he’s punch drunk, Doom now the one easily dodging and weaving strikes before an almighty right nearly breaks Death’s jaw from the sheer force. Doom nails Death not once, not twice, but three times, nearly breaking the mask in the process before lifting Death up high
POWERBOMB! But Doom doesn’t let Death crash, instead lifting him up in a seated position, grabbing him by the wrists
AND FORCING HIM TO KNEEL BEFORE DOOM WITH A JAW SHATTERING KNEE STRIKE!
Doom isn’t done though, slowly stalking Death as he grips onto the nearby unit behind him, trying to remain concious. A fact that Doom disagrees with
As he waits for Death to get to his knees BEFORE KICKING HIS FACE BACK INTO THE METAL UNIT!
Death slumps back down, still somehow on his knees but the lights are out. Doom sneers in triumph, backing up as he looks to properly break the jar of Death for good but as he rushes forward, Death manages to avoid the punt, leaping to his feet as Doom turns around
LETHAL INJECTION! LEAPING CUTTER OUT OF NOWHERE!
Both men are down but not out as they slowly rise up to their feet. Death cracks his neck, urging Doom forward once more as Doom scowls, obliging him as the pair rush forward.
LEFT FROM DEATH
RIGHT FROM DOOM
HIGH KICK FROM DEATH
HEADBUTT FROM DOOM
Doom tries for a massive right but Death ducks underneath, leaping up into the air before nailing Doom with the COMATOSIA! Tornado Roundhouse leaves Doom out on his feet before he grips him around the head, looking to finish off this brutal Appointment but Doom slips out.
POISON TOXIN!
Death takes the full force right in the face, pain wracking through his body that Doom increase as he flips him upside down on his back and shows the good Doctor why
DOOM
IS….
BY
APPOINTMENT!
Death managed to flip out of the Omega Driver attempt, nailing Doom face first into the unforgiving Steel as the Scientist is out cold
Death collapses to the floor, completely spent but the victor of the two Doctor’s here tonight
WINNER: DR. DEATH
“WHAT MAKES A HERO II”
Somehow, someway, Doctor Death managed to pick up a vital win in his search to regain the OSW World Championship – defeating a former World Champion in his own right.
Both men slowly rise back to their feet, exhausted.
Death angrily stumbles across the room towards the cage with a black sheet over it, looking down at it with disgust behind his mask.
“This is what you came for?” He roars at the Scientist, who nods. “Let’s see what’s under the sheet, shall we?”
He violently whips the black sheet off and stumbles back in utter shock at what he sees. Whatever he expected to see under there, it isn’t that.
It’s something else.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Death demands to know.
Doom chuckles.
“I told you that at Ring of Dreams, I began my plans to create the Odyssey Pool. I knew that I’d need a test subject to try it on – a hero, of sorts.”
Death unlocks the cage, reaching inside and pulling someone out.
Dishevelled, dehydrated and almost unconscious.
It’s Destructo Boy.
Doom had been his kidnapper all along.
The Doctor releases him, allowing him to fall to the floor. Doom tilts his head, entirely uncaring.
“Unfortunately, Scissors scuppered my plans. He used me as a test subject for the pool and it worked. My formula was perfect. I put Scissors into the pool and he returned as his stronger self, Felix Foley.”
He sighs.
“The Odyssey Pool is supposed to draw out from within your strongest character traits. The traits within a person that lie dormant or supressed but are strongest within, despite being held back, are the ones that come to the fore.”
“What does any of this have to do with me?” Death demands to know.
“This one is different,” Doom sneers angrily. He’s clearly frustrated. “And I’ve decided that he’s my mission. You see, I want to rule the world. I want everyone bowing at my feet. Those who aide me on my quest will be looked upon favourably once I’m in situ.”
He steps forward.
“I can’t do that unless I destroy the heroes of Arcadia.”
The Doctor’s are face to face again.
“I placed Destructo Boy into the Odyssey Pool and nothing happened,” he says solemnly. “I want to prove to Felix Foley that heroes don’t exist; that they’re frauds and façades. Yet when I dipped the boy, he came back out the same.”
“He didn’t change?” Death enquires with surprise.
“Not at all. Not one single characteristic changed. He went in believing he was a hero and came out believing he was a hero; equally as resistant, equally as frustrating.”
Both men muse over it for a moment.
“Perhaps a little brain surgery is required?” The former World Champion suggests.
Doom nods in agreement.
They both look down towards Destructo Boy – bad intentions in mind.
Only he isn’t there.
He’s gone.
Having took his opportunity to perform the great escape, Destructo Boy has scarpered from his predicament and just in the knick of time. You can’t see it, but you’d know that Doom is angry.
“You see?” He roars with a boom in his voice. “Relentless.”
Dr. Death purses his lips and releases a puff of air, akin to a sigh.
“Colour me intrigued, Doom. Bring him to me and we’ll get to the bottom of it,” he agrees. “In the meantime though, should I need you for something – anything, I expect you to be available.”
The Scientist thinks about it for a moment before offering a handshake that Death accepts.
“That appears… true.”
And with that, a potentially deadly alliance has been formed.
Then, just in the knick of time, Doom’s men drag Destructo Boy kicking and screaming back into the room, dumping him on his knees at the feet of both men.
Both men share a laugh.
Cut.