Post by Ampersand on Apr 20, 2022 6:02:58 GMT
It's 7:02, breaking all the rules
Dance the boogie-woogie and let's fire up the booze
'Cause we die to live, we die to live
We know about the law, but that won't get us far
When the rattlesnake is shaking and the gun is on the floor
'Cause we die to live, we die to live
Dance the boogie-woogie and let's fire up the booze
'Cause we die to live, we die to live
We know about the law, but that won't get us far
When the rattlesnake is shaking and the gun is on the floor
'Cause we die to live, we die to live
In the backstage area, Moxie Golightly is frowning as she scrolls through something on her phone in one hand, eyes flicking between it and the notebook she holds in the other. There’s very little to find about Boruk the BoarKnight and it’s needling at her pride as a PI. Who is this guy and why did he come to Ascended? The camera moves around to find BoarKnight, the warrior readying himself for his fight, checking over the fasteners on his mask. He’s starting to make a name for himself here with his wins and he’s not about to stop now. Seated on one of the benches in the locker room, Silvio Leon is in his ring gear and has his feet propped up on the row of lockers in front of him. Resting on them is a sketchbook in which he’s presently working on a tattoo design. A closer look shows him creating a rose, petals scattering, as a planchette-shaped dagger plunges through its center.
We can go all night 'til the morning light
And the mayor will be there too
Call the cops who got all the drugs
And then send them home by noon
Let it burn, let it burn
Oh, well, let it burn, let it burn
And the mayor will be there too
Call the cops who got all the drugs
And then send them home by noon
Let it burn, let it burn
Oh, well, let it burn, let it burn
Roy Valentine, the floral magnate, is discussing something with his manager, Anastasia Keller. The last time he and Silvio were in the ring together, he had LRK at his side. He has no such back up now. The insolent little crow who helped make a fool of him at his own fête is about to learn just how grievous a mistake that was. Thorne casts Valentine a sidelong glance as she walks by, mouth twisting into a frown. By her side is Ivy Thistledown, her manager. This is the biggest match Thorne has had in her short wrestling career so far. This is it - a chance to write her name into Ascended’s history books. She’s not going to let this slip her by. Kyle Beckett is of a similar mindset, the young man in his dressing room standing in front of the mirror with the title draped over one shoulder. It’s a good look - one he earned with blood, sweat, and tears. He’s not about to lose it now.
Rebellious attitude, your mama's got it too
We can't do nothing right when wrong is what we do
'Cause we die to live, we die to live
We ain't got the time for a Christian lullaby
When off goes the alarm and the house is going down
We die to live, we die to live
We can't do nothing right when wrong is what we do
'Cause we die to live, we die to live
We ain't got the time for a Christian lullaby
When off goes the alarm and the house is going down
We die to live, we die to live
At last we come to Sebastian Hawke, the young man standing in the locker room, eyes closed, centering himself. His friend needs him. You don’t have to wear gold to do that, and Sebastian Hawke is not about to let his friend down in his time of need; not after everything they’ve been through together. Win, lose, or draw, he’s going to show Frater Perdurabo what he’s made of. The mammoth of a man who is his opponent is currently lurking in the shadows near gorilla position. This it - his sacrifice on the altar of the powers he serves. His quarry isn’t getting away, his purpose is righteous, and the hum of anticipation he feels fairly rattles his bones.
We can go all night 'til the morning light
And the mayor will be there too
Call the cops who got all the drugs
And then send them home by noon
Let it burn, let it burn
Oh, well, let it burn, let it burn!
Panning across the audience, a few signs stand out to the viewer.And the mayor will be there too
Call the cops who got all the drugs
And then send them home by noon
Let it burn, let it burn
Oh, well, let it burn, let it burn!
THORNE ON THE THRONE!
FLY HIGH HAWKE!
BOARKNIGHT’S ABOUT TO GO HAM!
We come to the commentary table where Artemis Direction, dressed in a vivid orange blouse, black pencil skirt, and turquoise accessories, is flanked by Del Ramos and Hiro Suzuki. Del is dressed in jeans and a deep crimson long-sleeved shirt decorated with black lines that give the impression of blood vessels. Hiro is in a suit of dark forest green and navy blue tie.
Artemis Direction: Good evening, Ascended Army! We’re coming to you live from the Colosseum! I’m Artemis Direction and joining me tonight on commentary are Del Ramos–
Del Ramos: You animals coming back to get your fix of bloody meat, huh? Heh! You came to the right place.
Artemis Direction: –And Hiro Suzuki!
Hiro Suzuki: I guess you could say we’re a rare promotion, huh, Del?
Del Ramos: If you don’t shut up I’ll show you how raw I like my meat when I eat your lungs right out of your chest.
Artemis Direction: Cannibalistic promises aside, our show for you tonight is truly intriguing!
Hiro Suzuki: Intrigue is right! We’re kicking things off with a match between Ascended’s very own PI, Moxie Golightly, and the man of mystery himself, BoarKnight!
Artemis Direction: He really is an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a riddle, darlings.
Del Ramos: I’m looking forward to the second fight on the docket. Valentine versus Leon. Those two have had bad blood brewing for a while, and they’re both taking on a more bloodthirsty outlook lately.
Del cackles.
Del Ramos: Gonna be fun to see those two clash.
Hiro Suzuki: After that, we’re going to be hearing from Mara Lang, who has something to say to Viola Williams following their scuffle at the end of our last edition of Collision!
Artemis Direction: And once that fashy little bitch has had her say, we get to return to Beyond the Bell with Belle Silva and one of our newest signings, Moxie Golightly!
Hiro Suzuki: From there we’re going to get to watch Kyle Beckett defend the Emerald City Championship against Thorne!
Del Ramos: After everything he went through to get this far, you gotta believe Beckett’s gonna be absolutely feral in this fight to defend what’s his.
Artemis Direction: Undoubtedly, darling! But will it be enough? And will we see yet another interference? Some masked assailant seems to have it out for Beckett, stepping in during his last fight to throw a spanner into the works. But so far no one has been able to figure out who the person behind that mask is!
Del Ramos: They better think twice before getting involved in a match with Thorne. That bitch’ll bite their face clean off, mask and all.
Hiro fidgets.
Hiro Suzuki: Which brings us to our main event - Frater Perdurabo versus Sebastian Hawke.
Del smirks.
Del Ramos: This also brings us the reason Leon’s so riled up lately. Perdurabo’s got a hit list with all his friends’ names on it. He’s already taken out the Rat, and now he’s got his sights set on the Hawk.
Artemis Direction: Don’t be so ready to count Sebastian out. He’s a former Emerald City Champion, and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone on the roster with half as much heart as him.
Del Ramos: I think Perdurabo’s going to show us all exactly how much heart that kid’s got in his chest when he cracks it wide open.
Artemis Direction: Let’s not waste any more time, everyone! Take it away, Kevin!
In the ring, Kevin Kim stands at the ready, mic in hand.
Kevin Kim:This opening contest is scheduled for one fall with a twenty minute time limit! Introducing first!
As the emphatic opening brass and percussion of Tank! by Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts blasts from the sound system, the big screen flashes with jagged washes of black, white, and red. The screen divides into white on top and red on the bottom, the thin red line that runs between them pulses and vibrates along with the impatient thrum of the bass, smoke billowing around the entrance like fog rolling in.
I think it's time we blow this scene
Get everybody and the stuff together
Okay, three, two, one, let's jam!
Get everybody and the stuff together
Okay, three, two, one, let's jam!
Kevin Kim: From Spokane, Washington, weighing 150 pounds, she is Girl Detective, MOXIE GOLIGHTLY!
As the rest of the band kicks in, ‘MOXIE’ appears in black letters in the white division of the screen, ‘GOLIGHTLY’ in white text in the black division. Moxie strides out onto the ramp, emerging from the fog in a film noir detective style overcoat and fedora. The images on the big screen shift to ones of a steamy Seattle right out of a Raymond Chandler novel - all sharp silver angles awash in neon rain. Moxie watches the ring as she approaches as if trying to replay the scene of some mystery she's trying to solve, mounting the stairs and hanging her hat and jacket on the turnbuckle to reveal a bodysuit done in Art Deco style lines of black and white with red highlights, fishnet stockings, knee pads, and kick pads. She paces a circle around the ring as if examining a crime scene before standing in the ring's center and raising a fist to the sky.
Kevin Kim: And her opponent!
A dramatic timpani strike and roll swells, ushering in bold, commanding low brass.
Kevin Kim: From frontiers unknown, weighing in at 105 pounds, the Pint-Sized Powerhouse—BOARKNIGHT!
A broad-shouldered figure all in black, complete with a black boar’s mask, appears at the top of the ramp. He takes a moment to survey the crowd, then begins his descent, striding down the ramp with all the confidence of a well-seasoned fighter. He continues to look over the crowd as he goes, but as he reaches the floor he only has eyes for the ring—and his opponent within.
He hauls himself up onto the apron and rolls under the bottom rope. The crowd roars its encouragement, eager to see more from this masked powerhouse!
DING DING!
The two approach each other, meeting in the middle of the ring. Moxie extends a hand that BoarKnight shakes, the crowd cheering in response!
Artemis Direction: Both competitors put a high priority on fairness.
Del Ramos: We’ll see if they can stick to it in the heat of things. Moxie needs to start finding her feet in the ring, and BoarKnight has the opportunity to keep his win streak rolling.
The two begin circling each other, each fighter sizing their opponent up. Moxie makes the first move, going for a standing leg drop that sends BoarKnight collapsing to the mat! Not giving Moxie the opportunity for a pin, Boruk manages to keep his wits about him and catches Golightly in a figure-four arm lock! Moxie yelps in pain, referee Jill Kincaid sliding in to check with her, the gumshoe shaking her head vehemently as she crawls to the nearest rope and catches hold of it! BoarKnight is forced to release Moxie, each fighter getting to their feet. Golightly rushes BoarKnight, twisting to make herself level with his height, going for a discus lariat! Thinking quickly, BoarKnight grabs her arm - that one he was working with that armlock - causing Moxie to cry out before he spins her around to send her into the ropes! She manages to hook her good arm around the top rope, preventing herself from coming back at Boruk, but that just opens her up for a Cactus Clothesline from BoarKnight that sends them both toppling over the ropes, spilling onto the mats below!
Hiro Suzuki: BoarKnight just keeps showing us week after week that his size doesn’t make a lick of difference when it comes to his effectiveness as a fighter!
Del Ramos: He’s making the most of the height differences in his fights. Moxie’s shorter than his previous opponent, Montana Jack, but she’s still a foot taller than Boruk. That has pros and cons for each fighter involved here.
Hiro Suzuki: As a detective, Moxie has to love that BoarKnight is her opponent.
Artemis Direction: What makes you say that, dear heart?
Hiro Suzuki: Everybody knows pigs love to squeal!
Both fighters are dazed, though Moxie comes around first! She begins to get up only for her opponent to find his wits and follow! Taking advantage, Moxie hits BoarKnight with a few forearm strikes, laying him out again on the mats. Dragging out a chair from under the ring, Moxie sets it up and takes a few steps back, looking to get some extra elevation for a missile drop kick. As she comes charging at it, though, BoarKnight manages to clamber up onto the chair seat, ready to come at Moxie with a double ax handle! Shifting her momentum and center of gravity mid sprint, Golightly spins to knock Boruk off the chair with a Dry Gulch!
Artemis Direction: Golightly’s adaptation is remarkable! Though I must say that the quick recovery from BoarKnight was impressive!
The crowd is on its feet as Kincaid calls for the pair to get back into the ring! Golightly obliges, grabbing BoarKnight by the shoulder and pulling him back under with her. The pair are getting vertical, albeit each with a little less pep than earlier in the fight. BoarKnight becomes mobile first, quickly taking advantage of his opponent’s slower recovery time to hit the ropes and slam Moxie into the mat with a springboard DDT!
Hiro Suzuki: If you’ve ever concluded a promise with, ‘when pigs fly,’ looks like you’d better be ready to make good on it!
BoarKnight goes for the cover!
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out from Golightly!
Artemis Direction: Moxie is not ready for this to end just yet!
Golightly doesn’t give BoarKnight the opportunity to get to his feet, instead seizing his arm while they’re both still on the mat and wrenching it back in a Fujiwara arm bar! Boruk grunts in pain, Moxie utilizing a rare height and weight advantage against the other competitor! And yet, that seems to be just the thing BoarKnight takes advantage of, shifting to kick at Moxie until she relinquishes her grip! The pair roll apart, and as Moxie recovers from the kicks, getting to her knees, Boruk hits the ropes behind him and launches himself at his opponent with a Shining Wizard that sends them both back to the canvas! He’s slow to get up, though, the surge of adrenaline fading and the punishment from that Fujiwara arm bar coming back to haunt him! Moxie herself is struggling to overcome the impact of that Shining Wizard, though the cobwebs seem to be clearing! As she gets upright, BoarKnight comes at her with a battering ram, though - as much as by instinct and luck as by skill - Moxie manages to move enough to catch her opponent in a lightning fast DDT, using his momentum to slam him onto the mat headfirst with authority! Golightly goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
TH–
Kick out from BoarKnight!
Hiro Suzuki: Neither competitor is giving in!
Del Ramos: COME ON YOU PAIN MONGERS! BASH EACH OTHER’S HEADS IN!
The Ascended Army is on its feet! Moxie doesn’t argue with Jill, instead gritting her teeth and getting up again! BoarKnight does the same, although each competitor is looking worse for wear. Moxie lets out a war cry and launches herself at Boruk!
Snapped into full alertness from his opponent’s outburst, BoarKnight tries to dive between her legs, but Moxie promptly folds over him, catches hold of him by the waist and lays him out with The Big Sleep! Golightly goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army, your winner via pinfall, MOXIE GOLIGHTLY!
Both fighters start to stir, Moxie getting to her feet first before turning and offering a hand to BoarKnight. Boruk takes it, getting to his feet as the crowd cheers on the show of sportsmanship.
Artemis Direction: Truly inspiring to see our fighters going at this for the love of the sport!
Del Ramos: Can’t say the same of our next competitors. Silvio Leon and Roy Valentine have both taken it up a notch in their levels of brutality in their most recent matches.
Hiro Suzuki: It also doesn’t help that they seem to have some bad blood with each other. And Roy’s insinuation that Viola somehow seduced Silvio?
Hiro lets out a low whistle.
Hiro Suzuki: Going after Leon directly doesn’t always get to him, but attacking his friends and loved ones? That’ll do it every time.
Artemis Direction: After Silvio was denied an immediate match with Frater Perdurabo following Conquest, he wasn’t shy about letting everyone know how angry he was.
Del Ramos: And now he’s tearing through Afsah’s toy box until he gets to Perdurabo. Heh! Didn’t know the kid had that kind of vindictive streak in him.
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army, the following contest is set for one fall with a thirty minute time limit! Introducing first!
Heavy symphonic guitar blares through the stadium. The screen follows a trail of twisting, thorny vines as they wind over a pitch-black floor towards the foot of a marble throne. As the thorns begin to engulf the stone, the camera rises to reveal Roy Valentine lying sideways across his marble seat, legs pitched over its arm. The plants trace a deferential space around Valentine, but utterly consume every inch of bare throne. When the vines finally stop twisting, Valentine snaps his fingers, and the all-encompassing wall of green bursts into bloom, red and gold roses spelling out the name, “ROY VALENTINE”.
Kevin Kim: Hailing from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, weighing 219 pounds, he is ROY VALENTINE!
Valentine then makes his entrance in the flesh, accompanied by his ever-steely assistant Anastasia Keller. Tonight, no shower of petals greets them. There is neither fanfare nor grandstanding. Standing stone-faced in a sable suit of cashmere with accompanying crimson tie, Valentine soaks in the spiteful crowd. Behind Valentine, Keller unclasps a hidden seam in the suit. Both jacket and shirt split and shed off smooth. Valentine dismisses Keller with a snap of his fingers, then struts to the ring, sneering at jeering fans, brushing their hatred away with a wave of his hand. His body language speaks of leashed ferocity, all slow breaths and quick motions between pauses, as he takes his corner of the mat.
Kevin Kim: And his opponent!
The lights in the Colosseum go out, the big screen displaying a black and white image of a Ouija board lit by candles and surrounded by scattered tarot cards and raw crystals. A planchette's point moves of its own volition across the name, ‘Silvio Leon’ written in the classic Ouija font as the opening solo of ”Superstition,” by Kyle Primus goes careening around the arena. The entrance is bathed in blacklight, a figure moving through it to stand at the top of the ramp, lifting their hands in front of their face to create the shape of a planchette.
Kevin Kim: Now entering the ring from Seattle, Washington, weighing in at 195 pounds; he is your Ascended Wrestling World Champion, your ‘Mystifying Oracle’, SILVIO LEON!
At the top of the ramp, Silvio throws down his hands, a pair of white pyros going off on either side of him as the house lights come back up. As he makes his way down the ramp, his stride is purposeful, eyes hard and bright as gems. He doesn’t interact with the audience as much as he typically does, focused instead on the man in the ring, World Title strapped around his waist. As he enters the ring, he hands the belt off to the official, mounting one of the turnbuckles and spreading his arms, back arching as he lets the crowd’s reaction wash over him. Looking over his shoulder at Roy, he gives him the smallest smirk as if to say, ‘You’ll never know what that feels like.’
Hopping down from the turnbuckle, he rolls his shoulders, that smirk never leaving his face as he approaches the center of the ring to meet his opponent. Roy’s gaze is absolutely icy as he steps up to Silvio who gives him a wink.
Silvio Leon: You get all twitterpated when you found out we’d be dancing again, posey?
Roy Valentine: Everyone deserves a second chance. Perhaps, tonight, you will prove a more proficient follow than lead.
DING DING!
Roy is immediately in motion, laying into Silvio with backhand chop after backhand chop across his chest!
Del Ramos: Who needs skin, right?
Hiro Suzuki: Both Valentine and Leon have taken on a harder edge in this past show.
Del Ramos: Right now Valentine’s showing Leon the edge of his fucking hand.
Seizing Silvio’s arm, Valentine Irish whips him into the ropes, possibly looking to get Leon in an atomic drop! As he catches the champ, however, Silvio twists his body until he has his legs locked around Roy’s neck, taking Valentine down in a Miskatonic Twist! Leon goes for the pin, Godric Smith sliding in for the count!
ONE!
Kick out from Valentine!
As Roy rises to his feet, his laser focused gaze radiates pure homicidal intent at the presumptuous little crow before him.
Artemis Direction: Leon laying in with a little shade trying to end things there so quickly!
Hiro Suzuki: The last time these two were in the ring together was during a tag team fight where Team Hellbent - Silvio and LRK - went up against a team of Roy Valentine and Sebastian Hawke, the latter working as the masked Insensate at the time.
Artemis Direction: Just so, darling! And whether or not I like to admit it, Valentine was solidly in control of Silvio during the first portion of that fight.
The pair immediately tie up in the middle of the ring, exchanging holds! Silvio’s quickness is dangerous and it’s something Roy wants to neutralize, taking advantage of his greater strength to shift behind Leon and lock his opponent into a sleeper hold!
Del Ramos: Smart move from Valentine. Flyboy there isn’t going to be using any of his fancy tricks if you keep him on the mat.
Rather than struggle with Roy’s arms, Silvio lifts one foot and stamps it down as hard as he can onto Valentine’s! Roy snarls but stays upright, although a bit less steadily. Gritting his teeth, his own vertical base beginning to wobble, Silvio lifts one leg, then swings it back down to slam into Roy’s knee! Valentine yowls, releasing Leon! The champ goes for a lariat, but Valentine grabs his arm, swinging him around to Irish whip him into the ropes! As Silvio comes flying back toward his opponent, Roy catches him and hurls Leon with authority onto the mat with the Empty Chalice! The champ practically folded in half, Valentine going for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out from Leon!
Del Ramos: Leon is the World Champ, but Valentine has held gold, too. He might be the Ponciest Princeling in all of Pretension, but he knows how to fight.
Hiro Suzuki: Hey, what did one psychic say to another when they met for coffee?
Artemis Direction: I don’t know, hunty, what?
Hiro Suzuki: ”You’re fine, how am I?”
Valentine shoots referee Godric Smith a withering look as he gets to his feet, grabbing a fistful of Leon’s hair and dragging him upright, too. Silvio cringes in pain, glaring with teeth grit as Valentine brings him eye-level. Roy reels back for a slap, releasing Silvio only when he’s about to let loose, but Leon’s hand moves viper-quick, catching Valentine’s wrist and wrenching it back behind him in a hammerlock! Leon’s eyes are burning as he shoves Roy into the nearest turnbuckle, not releasing his grip, leveraging all of his weight against the botanical baron to help neutralize his strength, hooking one ankle around Valentine’s to prevent him from getting a solid footing. Roy’s eyes light up with malice, the older man’s rapid breathing through bared teeth is the only indication he’ll allow of the pain he’s feeling. After some thrashing, he finally manages to twist free from Silvio’s hold. He turns to meet his opponent only to have Leon go for a spinning heel kick! Valentine catches his foot, but Silvio just turns it into an enzuigiri that rattles Roy against the turnbuckle! Backing up, Leon beckons his opponent forward, taunting him.
Artemis Direction: We saw Silvio get a bit more… vicious in the ring last Collision with his match against SKUP9. It looks like he’s continuing that trend here.
Del Ramos: Isn’t it the fuckin’ best?
Valentine is quick to answer, moving to the center of the ring where Silvio connects with a back elbow! Roy reels, slamming against the mat and laying still, one hand splayed across his chest. With his opponent prone, Silvio points to the nearest turnbuckle, the audience roaring in anticipation!
Hiro Suzuki: Looks like Leon’s going for the Color Out of Space! Heck of a way to press some flowers if you ask me!
As Leon turns his back on his opponent, going to mount the turnbuckle, Valentine springs upward, having feigned his injury, and catches the champ with a reverse suplex! Silvio slams hard into the mat, dazed and blinking as a sneering Roy gets to his feet and approaches the ropes. As soon as Leon has gotten vertical again, Valentine makes his move, hitting Silvio with the Weight of the Empire! His opponent collapsing to the canvas, Roy goes for a pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THR–
Kick out from Leon!
Artemis Direction: Valentine pulling out the dirty tricks for this fight!
Hiro Suzuki: Hey, what did the flower say after it told a joke?
Artemis Direction: I don’t know, dear, what?
Hiro Suzuki: “I was just pollen your leg!”
Del Ramos: Alluding to dismemberment when I’m around might not be the best idea for you, Suzuki.
Hiro Suzuki: Looks like Valentine wasn’t too pleased with that call, but referee Godric Smith is telling him to get clover it!
Valentine is snarling something at Godric. As the pair argue, Keller begins to approach the ring, clipboard in hand. As she gets close, however, Silvio’s gaze snaps to her, eyes moving first before his head turns to follow, the haze from that suplex dispersing. Keller freezes like a deer caught in the headlights, and something in Silvio’s look, something in his expression, makes her lean backward. Slowly getting to his feet to loom over Anastasia Keller - the accessory to his friend’s abduction and horrifying re-education - gaze never breaking from hers, Silvio’s message couldn’t be clearer.
Do you think I wouldn’t?
Deciding discretion is the better part of valor, Keller backs away from the fight. Distraction dealt with, Silvio directs his attention back to Valentine, the latter turning when he notices Godric’s gaze shift just over his shoulder. The ref barely has time to move out of the way before Silvio nails Valentine directly in the chest with a standing drop-kick! Roy slams onto the mat, and Leon wastes no time in going for a standing corkscrew moonsault, the Ascended Army letting out a cheer as it connects! Getting to his feet, instead of heading to the turnbuckle for another attempt at the Color Out of Space, Silvio begins to viciously kick the back of that knee he attacked earlier in the fight!
Artemis Direction: Silvio!
Del Ramos: HAHAHA! THAT’S IT, KID! BREAK THE BONES AND SPILL THE BLOOD!
Letting out a strangled sound of pain, Roy tries getting up, but Silvio grabs Valentine’s legs, wrenching them around his own! Valentine lets out a roar equal parts agony and indignation as Silvio sets him up in a figure four leg lock. Waiting until he meets Roy’s eyes before giving Valentine a smirk, Silvio bridges the submission into his Crawling Chaos finisher!
Del Ramos: Heh! Looks like Leon’s sore about Valentine getting the better of him by playing possum earlier. He’s not interested in getting a pinfall now.
Valentine writhes, trying to break free. He looks around for Keller, finding her quailing against the barricade. He seems to be calling for her to do something, but at his request, her eyes dart to the Oracle as if she’s weighing the pros and cons. Before the look of outrage can fully blossom on Roy’s face, it morphs into one of agony as Silvio presses upward to increase the pressure being applied to Valentine’s legs. With nowhere to go, Valentine taps out!
DING DING DING!
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army, your winner via submission, Ascended Wrestling World Champion, SILVIO LEON!
As Roy climbs out of the ring leveling a look at Anastasia Keller that could freeze water in July, Silvio’s arm is raised in victory. He gestures for a mic, which Kevin hands to him.
Silvio Leon: There’s number two, Afsah! I know you don’t give a shit about doing the right thing, but I also know exactly where to hit you where it hurts - your wallet. Go ahead and send some more of your investments after me. I’m happy to break all the other toys in the box until you give me the one I really want to play with.
With that, he drops the mic, rolls out of the ring, and grabs the title, slinging it over one shoulder as he stalks up the entrance ramp.
Artemis shifts uncomfortably in her seat as she watches him go.
Del Ramos: Should be proud of your kid there, Direction.
Artemis Direction: I don’t know that proud is the word I’d use…
Hiro Suzuki: As you may recall, Ascended Army, we had a bit of an altercation at our last edition of Collision involving Mara Lang and Viola Williams.
Del Ramos: I think, ‘unhinged beat down,’ would be a better description. Williams was out of her gourd and it was fan-fucking-tastic.
Artemis Direction: Well, my violent delight, there’s at least one person who doesn’t agree with you, and we’re about to have the displeasure of hearing from her now.
On the big screen we see Mara Lang seated on the edge of her desk, one fiery brow arched above her sharp, green gaze.
Mara Lang: Ms. Williams, have you forgotten who we are and what we’re doing here? Because the last time I checked, we are meant to have our fights in sanctioned matches in the Colosseum; not outside of it. And certainly not utterly unprovoked.
Mara spreads her hands.
Mara Lang: Was anything I said so outrageous that it warranted the sort of attack you inflicted upon me? If you truly felt I had somehow insulted you beyond your ability to cope with, all you needed to do was challenge me to a match. I would have gladly accepted.
She shakes her head.
Mara Lang: But no. Instead, you decided to assault me then and there, making wild accusations that I had ‘done something to you.’ As if I could pry you away from your little gaggle of misfit toys for any sort of treatment. You’re hardly ever here. As I recall, you skip town rather regularly - to the detriment of your co-workers, it should be pointed out.
She snorts with a helpless little smile.
Mara Lang: You aren’t worth the time and resources it would take to give you any sort of treatment, little mouse. But now you’ve rather forced my hand. I’m not going to just allow this insult to go unanswered.
Mara’s smile turns poisonous.
Mara Lang: If you would care to share your presence with us, Ms. Williams, I would love to have a match with you. Underworld rules. Venue of my choice. Take it or leave it. I’m game to go any time. And when I’m done teaching you some manners, you really must tell me…
She lifts a hand.
Mara Lang: …How it makes you feel.
With that, Mara snaps and the screen goes black.
Del Ramos: Hnnn… looks like Lang’s developed an appetite for the more brutal things in life.
Hiro fidgets in his seat.
Hiro Suzuki: I mean, she did talk about how much she wanted to learn about pain. If you want to learn more about that…
Del chuckles darkly.
Del Ramos: …No time or place better than an Underworld match.
Artemis Direction: A great deal of the animosity built up between Mara Lang and Viola Williams seems to be centering around one of the fighters in our next match, Kyle Beckett.
Hiro Suzuki: Kyle recently won the Emerald City Championship from Sebastian Hawke, making him the third person to hold that title.
Artemis Direction: And a hard-earned win it was! Kyle has been here since the beginning, demonstrating in show after show that he is a standard bearer in the company.
Del Ramos: Getting the title’s the easy thing. Keeping it’s another story. Tonight will be Kyle’s first defense. We’re gonna see if he’s the real deal or a flash in the pan.
Artemis Direction: Thorne is quite the firecracker here! She’s partnered with Annie Logan as a tag team before, and I must say they’ve got chemistry. They may not have won in their match against Williams and Golightly, but they didn’t lose, either.
Hiro Suzuki: Thorne is kind of a mystery. We don’t have a lot on her background, or her manager’s for that matter.
Artemis Direction: So many enigmas, darling! How exciting!
Hiro Suzuki: Speaking of enigmas, let’s join Belle Silva in the ring with the latest edition of Beyond the Bell with Ascended’s resident girl detective, Moxie Golightly!
“Gave You Everything” by The Interrupters rings out and the fans pop as Belle Silva makes her way out onto the Ascended stage for the first time in what seemed like forever. She beams out over the crowd and blows a kiss to her fans before strolling down the ramp and getting into the ring to pick up her mic. She stands in the center of the ring as the music dies out and the fans still cheer for her return.
Belle Silva: ASCENDED ARMY, WHAT’S GOING ON?!
The fans once again pop and Belle smiles as she takes control.
Belle Silva:: It’s been a while. For a while there I thought I’d never come back to the wrestling world to do interviews.
The fans boo and Belle smirks.
Belle Silva: Hold on… That was all before… Before we had SO many new signings of interesting personalities and the people here evolving past the point they were at! I just couldn’t stay away. So tonight, I humbly welcome you all back to Beyond the Bell! What do you say we get things kicked off with one of Ascended’s newest recruits?! She is our resident detective, Moxie Golightly, fresh off her win against BoarKnight! Let’s get started, shall we?
She smiles at Moxie and beckons her to join her in the center of the ring.
Smiling, the feisty young gumshoe strides over to Belle, extending a hand to shake.
Moxie Golightly: Good t’be here, Ms. Silva! Big fan of your work!
Belle smiles as she shakes Moxie’s hand.
Belle Silva:Thank you! The feeling is mutual! Now, starting things off… Why did you choose Ascended as your wrestling home?
Moxie Golightly: Well, let’s be honest, Ms. Silva! When you’re a kid out in the sticks and you get a letter from a place like this to make your dreams come true, how can you say, ‘no’? I’ve seen the kinda fights this place’s roster produces and the opportunity to mix it up with some of these toughs is hard to turn down! I think what really convinced me this was where it was at was the fight with Sebastian Hawke and Roy Valentine at the Bash. Knowin’ I could have a match like that someday here? Ms. Nguyen handed me my contract, I put my John Hancock on it and that was all she wrote!
The fans pop at the mention of Sebastian Hawke versus Roy Valentine and Belle smiles fondly at the memory.
Belle Silva: That was definitely an instant classic match for the record books and based on what I’ve seen, you aren’t far off from having that type of match yourself! Moving on though, what does a detective like you hope to achieve while in Ascended? Are you looking for the glory of being a titleholder, or is there something more that you’re pursuing?
Moxie Golightly: If gold comes my way, I ain’t gonna turn my nose up at it, but I’m more curious about the stories these folks bring to the ring! We got all kinds of persons of interest in this outfit! Look no further than my opponent tonight. We got a masked man of martial prowess who calls himself a knight. Where’d he learn to work with all those fancy weapons? If he’s a knight, who’s he servin’? Who’s he protectin’? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! I tell ya, there’s a case to be cracked with all of these folks, and I’m just the PI to get to the bottom of each and every one!
Belle Silva: You’ve mentioned a couple of names already, but is there anyone on your radar you’d like to deliver a message to?
Moxie Golightly: If Roy Valentine thinks our last match was the end of my investigation, he’s got another thing comin’! I won’t deny he got one over on me, but there’s somethin’ fishy goin’ on with that guy. Dr. Lang’s shown herself to be one shady broad, and don’t think I don’t see her tryin’ to sink her teeth into Beckett like she did Hawke! And what was up with Perdurabo and Leon this past PPV? Like I said - all kinds of characters to figure out!
Belle Silva: What are your thoughts on Ascended so far?
Moxie Golightly: So far, so good! I had a blast workin’ with Ms. Williams, and facing off against Annie Logan and Thorne has been a definite highlight! Wouldn’t mind squarin’ up with them again either as a team or going solo! And the paycheck ain’t nothin’ to sneeze at, either. They took a chance on me, and I’m gonna show ‘em they didn’t make a mistake!
Belle smiles and nods.
Belle Silva: We’re just about out of time, any closing thoughts for the roster and the Ascended Army at large?
Moxie Golightly: Ascended Army, what you’ve seen so far is just the beginning! Whether it’s the lowliest jobber or the World Champ, I’m gonna give every investigation my all! I’m Moxie Golightly, Girl Detective, and I am on the case!
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army the following contest is set for one fall and is for the Ascended Wrestling Emerald City Championship! Introducing first, the challenger! Accompanied by Ivy Thistledown, hailing from Astoria, South Dakota, weighing 130 pounds: She. Is. THORNE!
The wild and unmistakable guitar riff of Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation” thunders through the arena and Tessa Thorne flies out of the entry tunnel onto the stage. Her energy is contagious—she bounces from foot to foot, waving to the fans, riffing air guitar, apparently hungry to get to the action. When her manager Ivy Thistledown finally catches up to her, they bump fists, both exploding their hands backwards, and Thorne rushes down the ramp, clapping hands with as much of the screaming audience as she can in a complete circuit around the ring. After she hops up to the apron and rolls under the ropes, Thorne paces in her corner with a wry smile, eyes pinned to the stage.
Kevin Kim: And her opponent!
“Stick to your Guns” hits and Kyle stands at the top of the entrance ramp, bent slightly forward and arms crossed. He drops the hood of his jacket and throws his arms out wide, letting out an excited roar to the crowd as he reveals the gleaming green and silver belt strapped around his waist. He looks around to take in the arena before striding down the ramp.
Kevin Kim: He is your Ascended Wrestling Emerald City Champion —from Brisbane, Australia, weighing in at 91 kg, he is the Culture Clash, KYLE BECKETT!
Kyle ascends on to the ring apron, looking out to the arena again with a sly grin on his face and climbs to the top of the turnbuckle, unslinging the championship belt from his waist and holding it aloft. He cries out “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” before leaping down to the ring, handing the title off to Kevin Kim, and preparing himself for the match.
DING DING!
The two fighters approach the center of the ring, each with their eyes on the other. Smiling, Thorne extends a hand that Kyle shakes with a focused expression. The step apart and begin circling one another, each fighter looking for that first in; the first chink in the armor. Kyle moves first, taking control of the fight with a roundhouse kick that Thorne ducks to avoid! As she pops back up, however, Beckett is ready with a Reality Check!
Artemis Direction: Beckett wasting no time pulling out the big guns with that single knee facebreaker! Darlings, the Boy from Aus did not come to play!
The crowd is on its feet as Thorne hits the mat, Kyle going for the pin, with referee Jill Kincaid sliding in for the count!
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out from Thorne!
Del Ramos: Beckett’s coming at this like a cannonball.
Hiro Suzuki: Hey, what do you call Napoleon after he’s been hit by a cannonball?
Artemis Direction: I don’t know, darling, what?
Hiro Suzuki: Napoleon Blown Apart!
Both fighters are back on their feet, Thorne taking a bit more time as she tries to clear the cobwebs, but Beckett isn’t looking to let up on the heat! He bounces off the ropes, looking for a European uppercut! Thorne snaps to attention just in time, hitting him with a discus lariat on his way back! Kyle goes ass over teakettle and Thorne hits the mat, going for a Fujiwara armbar! Before she can get a good grip on him, however, Beckett comes to his senses and Thorne soon finds herself entangled with a much livelier target! Showing adaptability and quick thinking worthy of a champ, Kyle twists things around to put Thorne in a chinlock, bending the situation to his advantage!
Del Ramos: There’s a reason the kid’s got the belt. And if you ask me, this is just the beginning for Beckett. I think if he and Williams could get their shit worked out, they could be an effective tag team.
Artemis Direction: I’m certain our young lion, Kyle, wouldn't mind being able to call himself, ‘Beckett Two Belts.’
Struggling and crawling for all she’s worth, Thorne makes it to the ropes and the hold is released!
Hiro Suzuki: Close call there for Thorne.
And Thorne seems to realize it. She finds some spike of adrenaline and rides it up to her feet before her opponent can get completely vertical. Throwing herself against the ropes for some extra momentum, Thorne nails Kyle with her signature Shining Wizard, sending the young champ crashing to the mat! As he lays there dazed, Thorne goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out from Beckett!
Artemis Direction: Thorne digging deep and finding absolute rocket fuel, darlings!
Del Ramos: She better not let it burn up too fast.
Each wrestler gets to their feet, breathing ragged, eyes wary. They both need a breather after their explosive first moves, neither’s attempt at overwhelming the other quite getting the job done. They can match each other pound for pound when it comes to intensity, so now it’s a game of endurance and advantage. After a tense heartbeat of time, Kyle’s in motion, trying to hit Thorne with a spinning back sole kick, only to have his leg caught by his opponent! Thinking fast, he swiftly turns it into The Kick That Defines a Generation, sending him and his opponent to the mat! Beckett tries to capitalize with another chinlock, but Thorne finds her wits before he can lock it in, struggling away from the other fighter! The pair begin to climb back up to their knees, their teeth grit! Reaching out simultaneously, each one seizes the back of their opponent’s hair with one hand, and begins laying into their opponent with the other hand as they get vertical! Now on their feet, the two continue to trade blows until Thorne hits Kyle in the throat again with a crooked-arm lariat! Beckett staggers back, clutching his throat as he gasps, leaving him open to a super kick from Thorne that sends him slamming into the mat with authority! Thorne goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THR–
Kick out from Beckett!
Artemis Direction: Oh, my word, dearies! That was rather close!
Del Ramos: Beckett’s been through Hell and back. It’s gonna take a lot to get that belt away from him.
Thorne slams her palms down onto the mat, firing herself and the crowd up as Kyle rubs his throat. Turning to her opponent, Thorne grabs Kyle by the shoulders, having a bit of difficulty hauling him up with the size difference between the two. Beckett struggles as Thorne tries setting him up for a Russian leg sweep. The champ lets out a growl of effort as he pivots and whips Thorne into the ropes! She has the wherewithal to grab the top rope, halting her momentum, but rather than waiting for her to return, Beckett follows up, nailing Thorne with a drop kick that sends her spilling over the top rope onto the outside mats below! Ivy Thistledown stands a short distance away, calling out encouragement to Thorne, the fighter dazed as she uses the barricade to help pull herself to her feet. She barely has a moment, though, before she’s sent crashing back down courtesy of a tope con hilo from Beckett! The Ascended Army is electric with the energy of the fight!
Artemis Direction: This battle will not be contained in the bounds of the ring!
The crowd is chanting the names of the fighters, urging them on, the pair trying to catch their breath as they’re laid out on the outside. Thorne is worse for wear, Kyle coming around first, slowly getting vertical as the crowd reaches a fever pitch! However, just as he’s about to grab Thorne to haul her to her feet, Kyle is caught from behind by a member of the crowd in a balaclava reaching over the barricade to seize a fistful of his hair!
Del Ramos: OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE!
Hiro Suzuki: Yet another case of interference in a match involving Beckett!
Artemis Direction: We know for sure it isn’t Viola Williams, but who is it? I appreciate a bit of unexpected drama as much as the next queen, but this has gotten out of hand!
It’s a sentiment Tessa Thorne seems to agree with! As the mystery attacker reels back to lay into a snarling Beckett, Thorne’s hand snaps out, catching the masked assailant’s wrist! It’s something the attacker isn’t expecting, their pause indicating shock that Thorne would interfere with them doing something to ostensibly help her, and it’s enough to get him to loosen his grip on Beckett! Twisting free, while the interfering audience member is still caught in Thorne’s grip, Kyle catches hold of the balaclava, yanking it off roughly to reveal a swath of blonde hair and an angular face alight with malice.
Del Ramos: Fucking Valentine?! GET FUCKED YOU, PRICK! DON’T YOU DARE TRY TO DENY ME MY BUFFET OF BRUTALITY!
Hiro Suzuki: You know, there was this girl who was only getting vegetables from the buffet in catering. And I couldn’t help but think I’d seen herbivore!
Del Ramos: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA–
Roy Valentine is glowering at the scene, breaking free of Thorne just in time to avoid a right hook from Beckett who is cursing a blue streak! Valentine vanishes into the crowd, hailed by a chorus of derision from the Ascended Army! Kyle looks ready to follow him before Thorne grabs his shoulder, shaking her head. Beckett meets her eyes and she nods to the ring.
Forget Valentine for now. They’ve got more important things to worry about.
Beckett and Thorne re-enter the ring, the Ascended Army’s jeers turning to cheers!
Artemis Direction: Let’s see this to the end, darlings! Are we going to have a new Emerald City Champion tonight, or does Beckett continue his reign?
The pair make it to the center of the ring, each willing to give each other that courtesy after the interference, but not much more than a second of it! Soon the pair are at it again, exchanging holds! They struggle until Thorne uses Kyle’s grip to swing herself toward the ropes, hurtling into them and twisting around to use them like a slingshot, flying at Kyle with an almost frightening velocity, the banshee screech of her war cry cutting through the din of the crowd as she flattens Beckett with a Superman punch! Thorne goes for the pin!
Hiro Suzuki: This is it!
ONE!
TWO!
THR–
Kick out from Beckett!
The crowd explodes, the commentary table speechless, and Thorne utterly shocked. Kyle has caught some final, fragile, burning thread of energy and will not let go. Reaching up to grab Thorne, hauling her to her feet along with him, the Boy from Aus Irish whips her into the ropes, and the calf kick he hits her with on her way back sends her staggering into a nearby turnbuckle! Gasping, body slick with sweat, Beckett makes his way to the opposite turnbuckle, the audience chanting his name as he pulls off his spectacular Culture Shock finisher! Kyle goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army, your winner and still Emerald City Champion, KYLE BECKETT!
For a moment longer, both competitors are laid out on the canvas left trying to catch their breath. Soon, however, each rises to their feet, Thorne offering a hand that Kyle shakes with a weary smile, the Ascended Army roaring its approval!
Artemis Direction: That was certainly a rollercoaster ride, darlings!
Del Ramos: What the fuck is Valentine doing sticking his nose in Beckett’s business?
Artemis Direction: Time will tell, dear heart! Beckett seems to be attracting all kinds of attention lately. First from Mara, and now evidently from Roy, as well!
Del Ramos: Maybe they’re gonna fight over who gets to make the first incision on the specimen.
Hiro shudders.
Hiro Suzuki: Why do they have to be so creepy?
Del Ramos: I don’t know, why do you have to be?
Hiro Suzuki: …be what?
Del Ramos: I mean, why the fuck do you exist?
Artemis Direction: Before we get too deep into the existentialism, I hear there’s something going on in the back with our World Champ! Let’s go to the cameras!
Silvio Leon has changed out of his ring gear, belt still slung over one shoulder as he watches the show from a set of monitors in the back. He remains tense after his fight, limbs still buzzing with adrenaline and feelings still begging for catharsis. After everything Roy put them all through, after the ball and the match with Davie and the emotional hangover of everyone’s recovery, he feels raw and prickly all over. He needed this.
But he needed more.
?: That was certainly… decisive.
Ivy Thistledown has edged in the doorway, but she holds herself with unusual uncertainty.
Silvio’s gaze flicks to the doorway, trying to rein in some of the nervous energy still buzzing through him.
Silvio Leon: I’d say, ‘thanks,’ but you sound more worried than congratulatory.
She shrugs, delicate and sheepish, and comes in to stand closer.
Ivy Thistledown: I can’t help it—even some of Thorne’s tougher matches still make me nervous. Even given the occasion it seemed… especially keen.
Silvio Leon: Tell me he didn’t deserve it. Especially after that shit he just pulled.
Ivy Thistledown: I'm not eager to lie anyway. It still seems a bother to you, though.
Silvio Leon: This whole situation with Perdurabo?
Ivy Thistledown: That matter’s still up in the air, of course it'd be a bother. No, I mean this match—you’ve got it done and dusted, but it looks like you’re waiting for a part two.
Silvio Leon: I’m not used to going into a fight feeling that intensely; that personally. On top of everything else just… everything Roy put us through… what he did to Davie and Vi…
He shakes his head.
Silvio Leon: I’m still dealing with it; trying to process it.
Ivy Thistledown: That's what I figured.
?: It’s a lot to process.
Davie O’Toole strolls in, and reaches out to offer a fist to Silvio.
David O’Toole: Fair scrap, dude.
Silvio offers Davie a smile and gives him a fist bump.
Silvio Leon: Thanks.
O’Toole glances to Ivy, and without a word he unzips his hoodie and drapes it around her shoulders.
Ivy Thistledown: Oh, you don't have to–
David O’Toole: Yeah I do, ‘cause you looked like you needed, they keep things cold back here.
Ivy Thistledown: That's very kind, thank you.
Davie gives her a nudge, then nods to Silvio, crossing his arms.
David O’Toole: How’re you doing?
Silvio Leon: Coming down. I’m still pretty keyed up but I think I’ve got a handle on it.
Ivy is paying attention to something else—she's inspecting the ring of runes inked around Davie’s arm, just above the elbow.
David O’Toole: You good, Ms. Ivy?
Ivy Thistledown: Oh—yes, I'm fine, I just hadn't gotten a good look at this before. It's simple, but very well-done indeed.
Silvio Leon: Thanks.
Ivy Thistledown: You did that? It’s so fine and dimensional, it's wonderful.
Silvio Leon: Davie was the one who came up with the design. It’s script, right? I can’t read it, but Davie showed me what I needed to do.
Ivy Thistledown: Yeah, it’s superb.
David O’Toole: It’s got ogham threaded through, too—needs different light to see it, but it's the same words.
A curious look comes over Ivy, both puzzlement and revelation. Sticking her hand into the pocket of her skirt she fishes out a tiny notebook, and quickly thumbs through it. When she stops, she holds it out for them to see—a circle of hatches and longer lines.
Ivy Thistledown: Does it look like this?
O’Toole gently lifts the notebook from her hands, peering at it.
David O’Toole: Huh. Yeah. Yeah, I think so.
Silvio raises a brow as he peers over at the notebook. His expression is colored with confusion, the design in the notebook unmistakable for the UV ink drop shadow he created.
Silvio Leon: Where’d you see that?
But Ivy looks to Davie and the notebook as he hands it back to her, and finally to Silvio, her eyes alight with thought.
Silvio looks mildly annoyed.
Ivy Thistledown: Somewhere at the New Year.
Silvio Leon: That’s a when, not a where.
She smiles sweetly.
Ivy Thistledown: You should come over one of the days next week, it’s quite the design.
Silvio gives Ivy a look that’s equally wary and irritated, but nods. Admonishment about ‘sharp edges,’ and now some cryptic bullshit he’s being kept in the dark about.
Again.
Fantastic.
At least Frater was straight forward with him.
"I can help you. I can guide you. There’s much you don’t understand."
Silvio Leon: …Sure. I’m gonna go get some fresh air.
Hefting the belt on his shoulder, Silvio turns and goes through the nearest exit, shaking his head, mouth twisted into a frown.
Hiro Suzuki: Our World Champ seems a bit more nervy lately.
Del Ramos: Can you blame him? He may have just permanently lost a tag partner in Lab Rat King, and now the guy that was responsible for sending that fucking kaiju in a human suit to the hospital has his sights set on Sebastian Hawke.
Artemis frowns.
Artemis Direction: Perdurabo has been determined to burn his way through Silvio’s friends before he’ll allow the World Champion to lay a hand on him in a fight. Unfortunately, Marcus Afsah, Ascended’s president and CEO, seems to think that’ll make good TV, so that’s precisely what he’s allowing to happen.
Hiro Suzuki: Just because Frater’s going to be in fights with these people, it doesn’t mean he’s going to win.
Del Ramos: If you think the point of this is to rack up points in the win column, Suzuki, you’re even dumber than I thought and I’m confident you’ve got an IQ that rivals mayonnaise at best. Frater Perdurabo isn’t here to win matches. He’s here to stomp mud holes.
Artemis Direction: If his competitor gives him the opportunity, my violent delight, and there’s no guarantee there!
Hiro Suzuki: Sebastian Hawke has shown us that he won’t let giants intimidate him. Remember - this is the man who walked away the victor in a fight against SKUP9! Perdurabo’s got another thing coming if he thinks he can just rely on his sheer mass to get this win. And Sebastian was a champion. He earned gold for a reason, and if his recent performances are anything to go by, he isn’t planning on letting anyone forget that!
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army this your main event of the evening is set for one fall! Introducing first!
High tempo, up-beat rock music suddenly fills the Colosseum and the entrance stage is bathed in flat blue lighting, punctuated by high frequency white strobes, timed to synch up to the beat, as The Near Future VII. Time to Fly by I Fight Dragons begins to play.
Kevin Kim: Approaching the ring, from Las Vegas, Nevada, he is, SEBASTIAN HAWKE!
Feeling the energy from his music, Sebastian Hawke bounces out onto the stage and waves to the numerous fans happy to see him. Beaming, Sebastian runs down the ramp to the ring and slides in posing for the crowd!
Kevin Kim: And his opponent!
The unrelenting introduction of "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe" is accompanied by strobes flashing in time with the drums as Frater Perdurabo emerges onto the stage.
Kevin Kim: From Cefalù, Sicily and weighing in at 336 lbs… NECESSE MALUM, FRATER PERDURABO!
Frater wastes no time heading down the ramp and stops once he reaches ringside. He reaches up, takes hold of the ropes, hauls his frame up onto the apron, then climbs over the top rope. Once in the ring, Frater heads to the opposite end and paces back and forth between the corners as the building's lighting returns to normal, eyes never lifting from Sebastian Hawke who stands with a defiant fire written in every angle of his body and burning in his gaze.
DING DING!
Before the echo of the bell even fades, Sebastian Hawke is throwing himself at his opponent! He comes at Frater with a flurry of blows, the big man staggering a few steps back in surprise before Hawke nails him in the stomach with a roundhouse kick, causing Perdurabo to double over!
Hiro Suzuki: Hawke going at it immediately!
Del Ramos: Smart move on his part. With an opponent like Frater, you want to take control of the fight as soon as possible.
Sebastian has made a run at the ropes, using them to propel himself forward with extra momentum for a running calf kick that sends Frater to his knees! As Seb tries to go for a neckbreaker, however, Frater seizes his arm, Hawke grunting in pain as Perdurabo climbs to his feet, eyes alive with a strange, empty intensity. Lip curling back in a sneer, the giant grabs Hawke’s throat with his free hand and lays Seb out with his signature Culling of the Weak! Although Sebastian arches with the motion, he doesn’t seem to feel the pain as acutely as another opponent might, his time with Mara Lang still a dubious blessing! Frater goes for the pin, Godric Smith coming in for the count!
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out from Hawke!
Del Ramos: Seb has more grit than you’d think at first glance. It’d be a serious mistake not to take him deadly serious.
Perdurabo doesn’t even register annoyance at Seb’s kick out, instead just rising to his feet with his arms locked around the smaller man’s waist! Hawke is dazed, blinking to try and clear his head, the crowd chanting his name as if it will bring him back to his senses! Perdurabo hoists Sebastian up for a powerbomb, but Hawke keeps his wits about him, coming around and grabbing onto the back of Perdurabo’s head, laying into him with some sharp elbow strikes! Using all of his weight and momentum, Seb manages to swing around the shoulders of his opponent, bringing him down in a shoulder neckbreaker! The Ascended Army pops and Seb tries going for a figure-four leglock, attempting to sabotage the vertical base of the mountain of a man he’s facing! Before he can get it properly locked in, however, Perdurabo kicks free, surging to his feet again! Seb tries to follow, but Frater promptly hefts him upward, driving him back down into the canvas with a deadlift German suplex! Rather than let himself remain a target, however, Hawke uses the motion to continue tumbling until he’s rolled under the bottom rope and onto the mats outside!
Del Ramos: Hawke trying to give himself some breathing room.
Artemis Direction: I don’t think he’s going to get much, sweetness!
Sure enough, even as Sebastian starts to get to his feet, Frater defies what logic and gravity typically have to say about a man his size, the colossal occultist comes at Hawke with a suicide dive that seems to crush his smaller opponent!
Del Ramos: HOLY SHIT DID WE JUST SEE AN ACTUAL MURDER ON LIVE TELEVISION? HAS CHRISTMAS COME EARLY?!
Hiro Suzuki: Hey, what did the farmer say when he accidentally squashed his prized pumpkin?
Del Ramos: IF YOU DON’T SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE I SWEAR I WILL HOLLOW OUT YOUR HEAD TO MAKE A JACK ‘O LANTERN!
Hiro Suzuki: Oh my gourd!
Frater gets back up, but Seb doesn’t follow, the former Insensate dazed on the mats! Seeming satisfied his opponent isn’t in any state to pose a threat, Frater hauls Sebastian back into the ring! The audience is a chorus of jeers, though Frater doesn’t acknowledge it in the least. Hawke is just starting to come to his senses when Perdurabo locks the younger man’s head between his hands, going for the Mouth of Madness! Sebastian is acutely aware of the peril he’s in, his eyes snapping open as he drives a knee as hard as he can up into Perdurabo’s gut! And again! And again!
Artemis Direction: Hawke determined to break that grip!
Del Ramos: He knows damn well if he lets Frater get started, that’s gonna be the end of this fight.
Frater’s grip doesn’t tighten, but it doesn’t loosen, either, the big man absorbing the blows and holding steady! Changing tactics, Sebastian reaches up to grab both of Frater’s hands! Instead of going for his wrists, Hawke goes for the bases of Perdurabo’s thumbs! Digging his own fingers into the place where Frater’s thumbs and hand meet, the Necessary Evil growls before releasing Hawke, who somersaults away! Landing in a crouch, he springs at Perdurabo, only for Frater to hit him with the Dark Depths, sending him tumbling back to the mat! Frater goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THR–
Kick out from Hawke!
Artemis Direction: What will it take to keep Sebastian Hawke down?!
The crowd is going banana! Scowling, Frater starts to lift Sebastian again with one hand, maybe looking for a chokeslam, but Hawke refuses to go down without a fight. Drumming up energy from some well within him, Sebastian lets out a battle cry, thrashing and pitching all of his weight backward, Frater staggering toward the ropes! Wrapping himself around the bigger man’s arm and shoulders, Sebastian hurls himself over the top rope, still clinging to Frater tenaciously in a savage armbreaker! Frater roars, struggling to free himself, Seb using every ounce of his weight to punish that arm! Finally, Perdurabo manages to break free, though he stumbles and hits the mat, clutching the affected arm. Hawke lands on the outside apron, but doesn’t waste a second as he sees his opponent laid out on the canvas. Knowing Perdurabo won’t stay there long, Hawke ascends to the top turnbuckle and flies through the air, hitting Frater right in the chest with his signature Pinpoint double foot stomp! With the air knocked out of him, eyes bulging at the impact, Frater finds himself in a roll-up pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Kevin Kim: Ascended Army, the winner of this match via pinfall, SEBASTIAN HAWKE!
Before Sebastian can even have his arm raised, however, Frater Perdurabo has risen, looming over the smaller fighter. Seb snaps around only to receive a close-fisted strike from Frater that sends him crashing to the mat! His arm still clearly in agony, Perdurabo seems to decide on the good ‘ol eye for an eye, grabbing one of Seb’s arms and wrenching it hard enough that it almost looks like it’s been torn from the socket! Hawke’s eyes widen more for the sheer sight of it than the pain. No negation of sensation from Sebastian’s training with Lang is going to stop the fact that his arm is hanging at an obscene angle, the audience in chaos as the time keeper frantically rings the bell in a futile attempt to get Frater to stop! Before Perdurabo can capitalize, however, a dark-haired figure comes charging down the entrance ramp, sliding into the ring just as Frater makes a hasty exit. Silvio Leon stands in the ring between Frater and Sebastian, his eyes burning, his entire body tense as a coiled spring as he glares at the bigger man. Before he can do anything, however, he hears Seb, the younger man in shock, breathing growing ragged. Gritting his teeth and growling through them, Leon chooses his friend over going after Perdurabo, turning to help stabilize Seb as the EMTs come down the ramp to see to the injured victor. Sparing Leon one last smirk, Frater steps over the barricade and vanishes into the crowd.
Artemis Direction: …Ascended Army… that brings us to the conclusion of another edition of Collision.
Del Ramos: Heh! Ended in brutal fashion, just how I like it.
Hiro Suzuki refrains from comment, curled over a waste basket. The sight of Sebastian’s dislocated arm had apparently inspired the contents of his stomach to make a daring bid for freedom.
Artemis Direction: As we move closer to our next PPV, what comes next for our fighters? Tune into our next edition of Collision to find out!
The camera follows Roy Valentine stalking the Ascended arena’s back halls, now changed into civilian clothing and nursing an ice pack over his bruises. Beside him, Anastasia Keller’s nails tack against her tablet. As they follow the backstage exit signs, they hug the ductwork, turning a corner–when someone suddenly blindsides Valentine, slamming him against the wall with an elbow pressed against his throat!
Kyle Beckett: I knew it was you, you cheugy cu-
Roy Valentine: Did you? Are you so sure I was working alone?
Kyle pauses for a moment before shaking some sense back into himself.
Kyle Beckett: Nah Yeah. You ain't fucking around with my head anymore you bloody coward. We're doing this right now.
Roy Valentine: Remember the last person to assault me? How did that fare for her? And you, with the weight of the Emerald City Championship to consider! I would not wish to be the man who lost his belt over a suspension.
The Boy from Aus glares daggers into Roy. Eventually he slowly eases his grip. Some things are worth the consequences, but not this. Not him.
Roy Valentine: But–perhaps–we can reach an accord. You want a fight? A fight you shall have… if and only if you manage to defeat me and my chosen partner in a tag team bout.
Kyle Beckett: A partner? You actually got some drongo you haven't burned all bridges with and willing to fight by you? What is this, Bizzaro World?
Roy Valentine: It seems rather hypocritical for you to accuse me of burning bridges, my dear boy. Last I recall, you had somehow managed to disappoint a Legacy beyond your brother’s.
Kyle growls, baring his teeth. Sadly he isn't wrong.
Kyle Beckett: Don't you dare mention Colin!
Valentine raises his hands in mock surrender, offering no resistance. Kyle forces himself to calm his emotion storm.
Kyle Beckett: There's gotta be some low-key catch. You ain't fair dinkum enough to give me two opportunities to publically and profoundly beat the shit out of you.
Roy Valentine: You do realize you must win that first engagement for a chance at the second, yes? I understand the concept of victory is still rather foreign.
Another growl. Kyle punches the wall inches away from Roy's face. Valentine remains unperturbed.
Roy Valentine: Touchy, touchy. Be assured, Mr. Beckett, my offer comes without strings: should you pass the first hurdle, consider round two on the house. In fact–let us parley next Collision. I shall have Anastasia draft a contract outlining my proposal as a show of good faith. Should I renege on my end of the bargain, you will have ample evidence to take me to task.
Kyle Beckett: Think you're so bloody savvy. You're still a wanker. But gucci. You got yourself a deal. And no cap mate, I'm gonna high-key enjoy this.
Credits
Beyond the Bell - Mia & Ampersand
Silvio, Ivy, and Davie Backstage segment - g & Ampersand
Roy and Kyle Backstage segment - Roy & Kyle Beckett
Everything Else - Ampersand