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GRAND RAMPAGE PROMO #1

Too many.

Too many times have I witnessed my own lofty, constructed expectations fall before me under my own whim that at this point….it’s just numb. A numb feeling rests upon my chest, not good nor bad, just….numb. I look around this place and all I can do is exert envy, hatred, and despair with every move and breath I take. I look around the street and I see men and women with happy lives, happy families, believing that they have everything figured out for them while I sit here as nothing more than some sad sack of shit. I see actors, entertainers, even fellow professional wrestlers or even my own fucking brother and do you know what they all have in common? A smile on their face. Joy. Happiness. Contentment with what they have because they know fully well in their hearts that they have everything they could have ever wanted. Too many times have I made those promises that I couldn't keep. Too many times have I felt the sore, the aching pain after every misstep and failed battle. Too many times have I bore witness to having a man make me eat my own words because I was too stubborn to see or believe in anything else. Too many….too much of everything and there’s always going to be that bug within me that keeps me from breaking the glass ceiling, the piece of shit resting in my gut that will always drag me back to the bottom no matter how hard I may try to escape it. A year and half has passed, passing by just like the names I see littered across this match, all men who come into this battle with conviction and belief, drive and a fiery passion. Younglings, prospects, fledglings. Veterans and the old guard have remained mostly silent with the exception of Rosso while I hear the whispers and cries of the youngbloods echoing throughout the halls. Yes, I hear them - Daryl Kinkade. Shane Gates. Maddox Ayres. Amari Steele. Ryan fucking Wilson. I hear them, listening to the words of not that just the fact that they’re nervous about their first Grand Rampage, but also their hunger. Belching, growling as they hunger and lust for the win in this match. It’s astonishing, really, to see how hungry and driven you can be at the beginning just like I was. Talks of prevailing and overthrowing twenty-nine other man in order to shock the world and call yourself the winner of this spectacle - it’s admirable from all of you, really. But like I’ve said before, I’ve seen too many of my own words working as builders, constructing those expectations to be as tall as a mountain before the final piece of added. Only for that final piece to be the plank that you fall from. It’s a pain, a hurt that becomes numb after it happens to you for a while, like me. You get used to it, but all of you? These talks of being underdogs, being the ones who will break through that proverbial glass ceiling so early in your career and be the ones to shock the world as young, aspiring superstars…..nah. That doesn’t cut around here. That’s a feat only so, so few have managed to accomplish but if there’s anything we’ve seen from EAW’s New Breed, it’s that there’s potential. There’s fire. There’s always going to be the hunger that drives them forward but hunger isn’t all that gets you the victory, no - you need to have abilities. You need to have the skills. You need to learn how to physically and psychologically break your opponent down to their very core before they are left as nothing more than shells of their former shelves, wondering just how in the hell they managed to lose - like I did. I’m speaking from experience, kiddos, so if I were you I wouldn’t be too harsh, much like I was the first time around. It’s not some terrifying experience that you were eliminated from this match early and taken out of the equation, because all in all - you’re just like everyone else. Each of you. All I ask from the underdogs….is a reason. A reason why they’re going to take it all. Why, when they look at the competition in this match, why do they still wholeheartedly believe that they’ll do it. Give me something compelling. Something of note or of worth to make me at least ponder on the prospect of one of you winning, because right now? All of you are bullshitters, spitting bullshit. You're all stepping into a minefield, unprepared and unprotected for what awaits.

So don’t cry when it all blows over for you.

But I can’t complain, I was just like one them before. Young, naive, foolish. Thinking that the world and my enemies would fall on their knees before me while I had the reign of destruction, but nah. No, no - but I do hark back to those old days because I know how pivotal they were for me. Without it, where would I be? Where would I go? Who would I be? WHAT would I be? Unanswered questions that are best left that way, making me more and more sure that the decision I made was the right one…..because as I look on the past, I see too many of these beliefs, the grandeur I had in my head. I see too many….but I don’t regret any of it. I see so much and yet not a single one of them would I go back into a time machine for to change it. If all I held in my heart was nothing but bitterness, contemptment, hatred and rage at myself then what’s the fucking point? I would end up with a career six feet under, living under some wack-ass shed with nothing to hold onto, a forgotten name in this world. If that was all I ever held then I wouldn’t have moved on from Brooklyn Heights to see this Grand Rampage….as it. This Grand Rampage as the opportunity to finally set things straight. THIS moment, this event, right here and right now as the chance to start a clean slate, dust off the wings of The Raven and look towards this sky and do it all over again. And it doesn’t matter who it is, who they are and what they have against me - whether it’s a man who’s driven but will never be able to even get on the precipice of success, whether it’s a man who turns serious issues into nothing more than jokes for the people to laugh at for his own amusement, or even a man who I once stood alongside with, called my brother; because really, out of all of these men? Out of each and every one of you twenty-nine individuals, only one name stands out, and it’s you….Theron. Theron Nikolas. Do you remember? Do you remember all those nights back, back to those days when nobody knew who the hell you were, as we stood alongside together, hired to protect a man who never had an ounce of integrity in the fiber of his being? Times when it was all so much simpler. I preached Tiberius’ name and glorified it like there was no tomorrow, and only now in retrospect do I see how much of a Goddamn sheep I was, but you? You were always one step ahead. You knew that the King’s Guard was a mere launching pad for your success, a way to get you on the map, and I sat back as I saw the rest of that group take their victories at Pain for Pride while I came empty-handed. It’s not like it amounted to anything or meant a damn thing to be in that group, looking back. It never served me any favors, because I see now that I shouldn't have relied on his name to bring me success. I should have done what you did, Theron. Work hard enough. Be driven enough and passionate in order to overcome whatever obstacle the world threw at you….but I didn’t. And now, in this moment we can see the clear differences between us. Both of us can quickly make those comparisons - you with your success, your accolades to your name and me as a man with nothing except his own drive and passion for this business that he built from scratch. You’re an exceptional talent, Theron, there’s no denying that. You broke down barriers and ceilings since the day you stepped foot, and you’re expected to do it again in this match, but under my watch? No...I’m not going to let history write this chapter. You’re bitter, anti-establishment, wanting to tear everything that this place ever built so you can remake it all in your own image as the new king, with the crown jewel being this victory…..yawn. Bitterness. Pettiness. Words that this company makes the people it wants to succeed, succeed…..how petty, coming from you. People may look towards us and see that there are clear differences but the way I see it? There’s only one thing that keeps us from being confused as the same person: We both had opportunities, you just got the ones with names attached to them. In the end, there isn’t a damn difference between us and you know that. We’re both men who have had opportunities only to squander them all, who have chased the gold only to fall flat on our faces, and now? We find ourselves at a standstill. From brothers in arms chasing our own individual success to standing across from each other in that ring, now enemies by circumstance.

Makes for one hell of a story.

But it’s not a story where the King stands tall at the end.

No - it’s the story of redemption. Again. I say again because I acknowledge defeat when I feel it, I know when it’s happened and I can’t wish for anything better, because wishing? Wishing doesn’t get you anywhere - winning does. So, in that case, I find it very hard to believe that you, Carlos...that this is your birthright. That this is what is owed to you. That this is what you need and feel required to have. Why is that, Carlos? Is it because you’re a veteran? Is it because you were once in a great tag team with Dynamite Rain while now you’re barely managing to make by with your ragtag group of rats and vermin? Why, Carlos….WHY do you think that this is what you so rightfully deserve? Did someone hurt you? Did you hit your head one too many times as a child? That’s the thing with people like you, Carlos - you make these claims. You say all this shit, you bring yourself up but the one thing that you’re never able to give is a compelling reason to make me care. Why, after all this time, should I give a damn about a man who is so obsessed with me to the point that he believes that I’m his sworn enemy? Why should I give a single care about a man running a group of fallen men, claiming to be Ichiban without a reason or evidence as to why? “ICHIBAN! CARLOS ROSSO! SOUTHERN LARIATO!” You scream from the top of the mountain to everyone you know, hoping to drive it into their head that you’re the absolute best but in the end we know it will never work. You know that, don’t you? You know so well that people will defy your ideology and your belief that you are the absolute best, so you go after them, ridiculing and defaming anyone who dare try to bring dirt to your name. Spending time to argue with the rookies and the newbies who call you old, retarded, delusional - it makes your head spin with rage. Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised with the way you’re handling this, Rosso - you’re an old man, so obviously you still have that belief that whacking a child’s head a hundred times is going to make them disciplined. Why spend time feeding the insecure, the foolish, the naive? Why take time to address their folly when you know that they’ll never be able to understand the gravity of this all until they experience first-hand a loss at the Grand Rampage? Once you get to a certain point, Carlos - a point that you haven’t reached yet despite a decade of performing - you’ll block those noises out and see who the true enemies are, the true targets are. It’s all white noise, and yet you still give in to them….because you’re insecure. You’re insecure but you don’t know it. You can’t stand the fact that others defy who you are and what you stand for. You can’t stand the fact that nobody sees you as the winner of this match, the fact that people will never take your Southern arm seriously or whenever you scream out Ichiban to all of us. I mean, fuck - I’ve barely shared a ring with you this entire year, with maybe one or two matches and yet somehow I’M a bitter enemy of yours? No….if I was your sworn, bitter enemy, then that would mean going down to your depths and seeing you on the same level as me and that’d be too much pain for my head to handle. Simply put, all that defines the name Carlos Rosso: Mediocrity. Weakness. Insecurity. A man who will blame others for his own failures, run away from his own battles and somehow stand there, wondering why the entire world laughs at him. A man who will never, NEVER see just how folly everything he’s built and everything he’s tried up until this moment truly is.

The ball is in your court, Carlos.

Drop it like you’ve have done before.

Drop it like you always will.

Makes no difference to me whether or not you take your words and make them solid. Either way, the only chance, the slither of opportunity that you have in this match is crushed the moment I step in. Twenty-nine other men with belief that they will win. Twenty-nine other men rush in to try and take this from me. So...silent. All of them. A week has gone by, it’s only a day before the big event and yet all of you are so quiet, so still. You’ve let these underdogs run amok and men like Carlos to try and sell his fraudulent brand, and people like Theron who isn’t any different from who I am. It’s almost as if you can smell the death in the air - the death of individuals who actually give a shit. Either way? Leaves more room for The Raven to swoop down and take you out - one by one. Fuck words. Fuck truths. Fuck promises, they’re cheap. Because tomorrow night? I don’t carry with me a promise - I carry an inevitability. I carry the inevitability of The Raven King approaching the territory of many men who wish death upon it, before burning up the mistakes of made by the Manifestation of Destruction and taking flight.

Too many times have I witnessed my own failures take hold of me, enveloping me and keeping me from seeing the truth.

No more.

“Who am I? Not your father, not your brother

Not your reason, not your future

Not your comfort, not your reverence, not your glory

Not your heaven, not your angel, not your spirit

Not your message, not your freedom

Not your people, not your neighbor

Not your baby, not your equal

Not the title y'all want me under

All hail King -”

LARS. GRIER.

Grand Rampage #1

“When the Hurt is Over, The Sky Will Cry”

Pasadena, California.
Arcadia Blues Club.
Afternoon

(Stephanie “Cloud” Matsuda sits alone in the back of the venue, nursing a glass of bourbon whiskey. Her eyes are lost in thought as live blues music fills her ears, courtesy of her father, accomplished musician Kenji Matsuda. The club is empty, filled with nobody else except for Kenji’s band, a bartender, the Zaibatsu, and Azumi Goto. The Unbreakable Joshi is pointing at her laptop as she’s trying to explain business plans regarding their promotion, Joshi Extreme Takeover, aka JET. Kenji is playing a cover of Gary B.B. Coleman’s “The Sky is Crying”)

Azumi: Cloud-senpai, we still need to book the card for JET’s Alliance event with LAW! Now I’m thinking Haruna and Mizuki could defend their tag titles against - are you even paying attention!?

Stephanie: (takes a sip) Yeah.

(Azumi sighs and shakes her head.)

Azumi: Senpai, I know when you’re lying! If you don’t want me or anyone else to eliminate you in the Specialist Rampage, you better get out this funk you’re in! I know she was your best friend-

Stephanie: Is.

Azumi: Huh?

(Stephanie glares at Azumi)

Stephanie: She is still my best friend.

Azumi: That may be, but the best way to avenge her is getting back at the Crowe’s Nest!

Stephanie: Maybe. Then again, she doesn’t want to come back.

Azumi: What!? Why not!?? She needs to get her title back!

(Stephanie simply sighs and takes a sip from her drink)

Azumi: Well, I can see you’re still drowning in your self-pity. We’ll resume this conversation when GR is over.

(Azumi stands up)

Azumi: You need to stop blaming yourself. It’s not your fault, Cloud-senpai.

(Azumi leaves the bar. Cloud takes another sip, and sighs. The Wild Boys are taking turns with the pinball machine, Keelan is flirting with the bartender, and Carlos is sitting by the stage, enjoying the elder Matsuda’s music. Mao is sitting next to him, looking at her phone. Monica walks out from the restroom and sits next to Cloud.)

Monica: Hey babe, are you okay?

(Cloud closes her eyes and sigh)

Stephanie: I don’t know, sweets. I’m just tired, ya know? Sure I’m the Iconic Cup holder - but the woman I wanted to fight isn’t here. Winning that title won’t mean anything if I don’t take it from her.

(Monica nods)

Monica: But isn’t the goal of the Zaibatsu is to achieve prosperity through acquiring accolades and resources? Being champ means more opportunities for the family.

Stephanie: That is our goal and I plan on making due on that. It just...been a stressful season.

Monica: I understand, mi amor. I’m sure you’ll make the right choice. I believe in you…

(Monica kisses Cloud and walks away. The Iconic War Queen sighs and takes another sip. She sets her phone to record and leans back before speaking her mind…)

----

“There’s no question that EAW’s Season 11 has been a strange one. Every month there’s been controversy - from losing our brightest star, to the fall of two world title reigns.
This week won’t be any different; it’s the Road to Pain for Pride, starting with the Grand Rampage. Empire and Dynasty doesn’t have a champion to represent their respective brands, and everyone’s making a mad dash to be the face of that runs the place. I’m concerned less about that, and more about why the three harlots who ended The Queen’s career wasn’t properly punished? Wait, it’s EAW - the bad guys always win. It’s why I went into business for myself and formed the Zaibatsu - which is doing just fine by the way. April Song gets a title shot for being a coward, for an opportunity she knows she wouldn’t have a chance to obtain if it was Aria or myself standing on the other side of that ring. All she’s good for is those Twitter fingers of hers and she knows it. The only thing she can make tap is her career.

I’m in my second Specialist Rampage as one of two women who won an all female version of one of these. Unlike before I’ll be coming in at number two, which will make this a much harder feat to accomplish than before. There’s already several established alliances going into this thing and there’s no question that I’m a marked woman. That’s alright - always had the odds against me, nothing new. People thought Haruna was going to eliminate me back in the first Specialist Rampage - but we all know how that’s going to end, huh? Honestly Zakkii that’s all I really need to say about you. I have several other names I need to attend to.

Chelsea. You certainly enjoy beating me to the punch in everything that I say. The only thing you didn’t stay ahead of was when I made you tap. You never saw that coming, and probably never will I’m more talented than you sweets, just like I’m a better lover than your dear lil Braxton. Unfortunately for you, I’m no longer into blondes - especially those who dye their hair red. For now, I think I’ll stick to Latinas. That aside, let’s talk about these close calls of yours, sweets. We can’t ignore the fact that you couldn’t get the job done. I understand what that must be like for you - I was you not too long ago. So you decided to get yourself some backup and dethrone The Queen herself. The sad thing is that neither of you got anything out of it. The title is vacant, and April’s not guaranteed to beat Consuela. Song took a title from her once; it could happen again. Provided something else doesn’t happen of course. But, regardless of who wins this damn rampage, I’m only concerned about one thing:

I’m going to fucking kill, you Chelsea Crowe. I’m going to kill you, break Jael into tiny pieces, and give April Song the worst kind of pain. I don’t need my faction to help me either - I’m going after you heifers on my own. Stephanie Matsuda has officially declared war on the Crowe’s Nest…

Know It. Understand it. Believe it.

I’m going to invade your safe spaces like Rico Strong invading them guts. Jael’s going to Cloud 9, April’s going to witness a Blasian Sunrise...and I’m taking you on a one-way ticket to Cloud City. If my best friend had a weakness it would be that she a severe case of tunnel vision. She should’ve saw the clapback coming - but she didn’t. She underestimated April’s level of petty. From the moment I laid eyes on that chinky-eyed Buzz Lightyear I knew she couldn’t be trusted. She walked around like some kind of American hero but in reality she’s just a disgrace to her current profession...and her previous one.”

(Cloud stands up)

Cloud: Everyone out. I’m about to go off in here. You too dad.

(Everyone nods and stops what they’re doing)

Carlos: get ‘em Cloudy…

(Cloud pauses until everyone leaves. As Billy Wilde walks by a jukebox, he puts on a song…)

“As I was saying, April can go eat a dick. I know she’s not my opponent, but one simple action can flip that script. Honestly, I can care less about those other hoes - sorry Azumi. Half of roster quit because they couldn’t get their way, lost to me, or both. Let’s see:

I ended Cailin Dillon’s career
I debunked the Sheridan Muller myth
I sent Tarah Nova packing
I made Chelsea Crowe my bitch
I retired Cleopatra
I put the Sanatorium behind bars

What’s to be learned from this? If you fuck with Cloudy, I. Will. Fuck. Back; You can come at me sideways, from behind, face to face, it doesn’t matter. In the end I’ll get my due justice. It’s almost sad because I almost predicted Aria’s fate. I warned her about the rogues gallery that stood between us - but did she listen!? Nope! That hard headed little twit didn’t pay attention to SHIT I’ve said! Fuck!”

(Cloud kicks a chair across the room)

“You’re probably wondering if I’m mad at my own best friend. You damn right I’m mad at her - and Casper. How DARE they leave me here to hold the legacy of this brand on my own!? It’s funny - so many women came and went. They all claimed how they would rule the Vixens Division/Empire and where are they? Nowhere to be found.

Cailin? Nowhere to be found.
Alexis? Nowhere to be found.
Maddie? Superkicked back into oblivion.
HBG? Ran to Showdown.
Cam? See the above.
Kendra? Poof.

Don’t get me started on the Eris LeCavas, La Divas, Raven Lees, and Ariana Lopezes of the world who would have you FOOLED that they were the next big thing. Where are you!? Huh!? HUH!?

Nowhere. To. Be. Fucking. Found.

Enter Stephanie Matsuda: The Last Girl of Summer. The final girl in a collection of sign-ups who were said to have the potential to change women’s wrestling forever. We kicked out the Vixen from our names and founded a brand of our own. We went on to deliver 5-star matches and even stole the show on occasion during several Big Five FPVs. We had the whole world in our hands…

And you hoes threw it away. For what!? For nothing. I wouldn’t be surprised if half the roster leaves when I’m holding both the Specialist and Women’s World Championships above my head at the end of Grand Rampage.”

(Spits)

“Fucking cowards, the lot of you. As an Empire original I reserve the right to judge whoever I want. And unlike the other brands I don’t allow surprise returns. This is MY Empire now - and no it’ll never EVER be Aria Jaxon’s. Nor Tarah Nova’s. It definitely won’t be Sheridan or Cailin’s…

Stephanie Matsuda is the face of Empire. Know it, understand it, believe it. It’s like I’m running this shit from my computer on some cheeto-dust Efed shit.

Y-you hear that? I think the fourth wall just broke.

Revy can be as witty as she wants. Jael can be the Michelle to Chelsea’s Beyonce, the Chilli to her Left Eye, I don’t care. Andrea can dye her hair blue and buy Kanye shades, Azumi can fall and try again for the 100th time, Zakkii can stay non-existent, Consuela can clean the shit from my shoes, it doesn’t matter. Daisy can retweet whatever SJW hashtag she wants, Di Consentes can keep hiding from me, and April can eat a dick.

You hear me April!? EAT. A. FUCKING. DICK. Next time we cross paths, I’m going to curb stomp you into the ground. Maybe I’ll steal Casper’s finisher and give you a Rude Awakening.

Fourth wall intensifies, fuck it.

In case you hoes are still confused Flannery announced that Megan Raine was #1, I’m #2, and Daisy’s #20. The Storm’s going to turn into a drizzle before the third woman makes herself known. I might just kick you in the cunt before the bell rings and throw you out and flick my clit before the next victim makes herself known. By the way I know I’m getting bleeped or fined for my cursing but I just made a killing off new C9 merch so whatever.

#GetchaMerch

Which reminds me, just heard Laura Winslow won a title in Mexico. Good shit short stuff”.

(takes a sip)

“By know you’re probably thinking ‘damn Cloud sounds bitter.’ That’s because I am bitter. I’m a creature of competition, but I’m also a believer in getting back on your two feet when someone knocks you down. I have to give credit to Azumi - she’s an Empire original hanging in there. #CloudBetter, but it never hurts to try...right? I mean you could be as delusional as Nicolette and or as blindly positive as Sakuya and sail away from all logic, but whatevs (sighs).

Before the season is over, I will own Empire. Zaibatsu will control Empire AND Voltage. You wanted the cheer the hometown girl, you wanted to cheer the good girl, you wanted to cheer the poster girl, the girl the company tried to brainwash you into cheering! And yet the person you least expected, the Aquaman you all underestimated, by her own power, by the grace of GOD is the one that’s actually running this shit.

Who’s the tryhard now Claudia?

You’re wondering why am I attacking every woman on the EAW roster? Because they failed this brand. They failed women’s wrestling as a whole. The irony is that some of these women think they’re going to make their mark somewhere else. Heh, good luck doing that. Empire has and always will be the cream of the crop. While the rest of you run away to find a new home, I’ll be on my throne - WITH BOTH TITLES - running this shit. Don’t like it? I don’t care! Am I making you angry!? DIE MAD! Go find a corner of the world and crawl under the rock of obscurity. The big time isn’t for the weak - it’s for those who’s willing to put in THE WORK! Don’t want to do the work? You don’t want to hone your craft!? Go to Japan, go out west, go down south - it doesn’t matter. Be it the European scene or Lucha Libre only ONE fact will remain…

I’ll be the best female wrestler in the world. Any legacy any of you hoes will try to create will fail in comparison to the trail I’m blazing for myself. For those of you who remain you can form groups of two, three, who whole five man power ranger squad - IT. DOESN’T MATTER. The Iconic War Queen takes on all challengers with the fist of god. I’m Yamata no Orochi - the eight-headed serpent of Zaibatsu. I’m the Last Girl of Summer - the last of my generation.”

(Cloud closes her eyes)

“I’m saying these things because if things go a certain way, not the way I want it to go if the Crowe’s Nest makes me another victim, this might be the last thing I’ll ever say active in this business. Right now, the Empire I once knew is teetering on the edge of oblivion. None of you may see it, and for that we had it coming. If this keeps up, hope for a future of women’s wrestling is a stillborn dream. I’m not going to sit there and watch you leave this kingdom half-built. Our story - MY story isn’t over yet. With my own hands, I’ll mold this place in my image, into its Land of Elite, separate from the other three brands. Because quite honestly? We’re better than them. We’ve shown time and time again we can go the distance - but none of you believe it. All you care about is this falsehood you’ve conjured. If Crowe’s Nest cared about women’s wrestling, then April would have fought Aria like a grown ass woman. Instead, she did it like the snake she is. At least Megan has some cojones coming in as number one in the Specialist Rampage. Don’t hang on that compliment for too long though - I still think she’s a corporate shill.”

(Cloud opens her eyes, they’re stone cold, reminiscent of her Sword of Sanatorium days)

I’m going to cut through the entire Specialist division and take my rightful place as Women’s World Champion. There’s nothing anyone of you can do about it. This is war, and the Iconic War Queen just declared checkmate.

Time to fly.

Carlos Rosso

Grand Rampage ~~Public Exercise~~ Press Conference #2

“No More Mr. Nice Ichiban”

{In a small but very crowded ballroom there was a demonstration set up for Carlos Rosso to show his readiness and engage in feats of strength to impress the wrestling journalists on hand. Instead we get an angry, annoyed Carlos dressed in an all-black Armani suit taking a seat at a table instead, the expression of pure annoyance wretched on his face.}

For my entire career, I have given proper respect to people who I feel deserve it and all I ask is that I'm given proper respect in return. That’s all I ask, right? I’m not an egomaniac that you the media and many wrestling fans put me out to be, alright? But, for fuck’s sake…. HOW MUCH MORE CAN I TAKE?! If it’s not people rehashing the same shit repeatedly, it’s these bland dickheads with absolutely nothing to say that are just pissing me off. For example, what is this kid’s name….

Wo…wo…woogieman? WHAT THE FUCK IS A WOOGIE MAN!? And who wears shirts like this moron does in 2018? I thought silk shirts with no undershirt went out of style in 2000. AND WHAT THE HELL IS THE BIG BHRIS...BHRAMPINONSHIP? I don’t understand. Really, I don’t. People made fun of me brining a title from a proper, legitimate federation to EAW. People made fun of Maxwell Dachs, I think it was, for being the Intergalactic Championship? At least MY belt was at least at one point a real thing, not some made up title that meatheads with no brain power to speak of to fight over. At least Maxwell was entertaining. This is just rubbish. Did you hear this man talk?

“The Grand Rampage is one of the most popular events in EAW. I will give my all to win the Grand Rampage”

I’m just fucking sick of it at this point. Woogie, you’re a great athlete and one day you will be a fine champion, and no that plastic garbage you’re holding as the Big Bhris Bhrampion doesn’t count! But you’re not built for this, young buck. Not yet.
And Daryl Kinkade I think his name is……like…. what is up with that stance he does up on the stage, standing with his arms behind his back and his legs spread? It’s like he’s doing some sort of weird military stance thing to stand at attention. I don’t know. He’s got momentum, but guess what, who fucking cares who has momentum?

THIS IS GRAND RAMPAGE!
THIRTY MEN!
ONE WINNER!

You can have all the momentum in the world, but it doesn’t mean diddly shit. All you have to do is go over that top rope, your feet touch the floor, you’re finished. There is no mulligan, no second chance, you’re done. I’ve been in there, I’ve lived it. You are not built for this. Hell, you got your knee busted up by that Maddox dude, who I’m sure must be an Abercrombie and Fitch model on the side. Seriously, have you all seen that guy? But in any event, take it from me, there is only one strategy that matters in a Grand Rampage: Don’t get fucking eliminated. That’s all you have to concern yourself about. I appreciate the fact that you’re ready to take initiative and all and I know you want to give winning a title the old college try, but in the end, you’re not going to have what it takes to stand in there at the end. People give me crap for thinking of myself a bit too highly, but no one in this company can deny the eye I have for talent. I knew Stephanie Matsuda would be a big deal as soon as I faced her in the ring. I trained Alex Anderson, yeah, he’s a little bitch but I trained em. I saw Chris Elite, Jamie O’Hara, Pizza Boy, even that weird guy who got himself fired a few months ago. I saw them all, I know talent when I see it and I know that you’re not where you need to be to survive in a match like this.

Yet.

And while you may want to assert yourself in this match, don’t get in my way, or you will catch an all-expense first class flight out of the ring courtesy of the Lariat fucking Airways, NO SEAT BELTS, LOTS OF TURBULENCE FOR THAT ASS!

Arselex. First, that name. What ARE you? A shitty brand of athletic wear? The state of your name. And you’re big. So, fucking what? People a lot bigger and stronger than you have had their dreams crushed in the Grand Rampage. What’s going to make you so different, huh? Plus, no disrespect dude but you look a bit chubby there. What’s a fatass like you going to do if you draw #1 or something like that? All a smart person would have to do is run away from you for a minute, get some back up in with the next entrant and push your tubby-tubby ass over the ropes and onto the floor while praying your fat ass doesn’t trigger The Big One. And I haven’t seen anything like you before? Uh, YEAH, I have. Dark Emperor, Hades the Hell Raiser, Terry Chambers…. wait…. you’re right. All those guys have better physiques than you. Okay, so maybe I haven’t seen anything exactly like you, but I’ve seen enough similar shit to know that in the end you won’t be sticking around for too long in a match like this. You keep on building up that hype train buddy, I’m sure it’s gonna work out just fine.

Shane Gates.

What is it with EAW these days? The people with half a personality either turn out to be criminals or fucking leave and then people come in looking like idiots like this guy. “THIS IS MY FUCKING TIME TO SHINE! YEAH! GONNA WIN IT ALL!”

No, it’s not, and no you ain’t.

You’ve trained hard for this match and honestly, I’m happy for you. This your first foray into the spotlight, your first taste of the main event, the first opportunity you have to be great. But guess what, you’re going to get your ass tossed over the ropes to. And while you’re down there, contemplate how you’re going to be less of an annoying, boring chore of a watch on television. I mean, you have decent moves and all that but there is nothing there else to care about. Nothing.

Mstislav, you were once a great champion. I remember a couple of Pain for Prides ago you were on top of the world, clean shaven, not looking like some bum from Europe, with a pretty ass girl on your arm after you nearly ended my career and took the one Championship belt that really meant something to me from me. It was a sickening feeling. You sit around talking about how prepared you are to make your mark and all this other generic nonsense that I’m used to hearing from you. I’m just trying to figure out where the fire is. One of the last matches I cared to watch of your career was when you were going against TLA, whoops, silly me mentioning someone who got fired. But you begged him to spare your life, you QUIT. You said that you didn’t have the heart for this anymore. You come back, and you say that you’re here to do whatever but all I see is a shell of a man that I lost to before. And before you talk about what you did to me at Pain for Pride, remember that moment. I knew what was about to happen…and I fucking DARED you to do it anyway. I’m a man, not some emo bitch who likes to sit Indian style in the ring and rant. I always have had fighting spirit, and if you get in my way, you’re gonna get another taste of it. You remember how our encounters have gone…there is no gulf there. You know we’re on level playing fields.

And then…there’s the gay guy. The man who turned DDD out and brought him back to Voltage as a spokesperson for homosexuality. The man who beat Jacob Senn into retirement. Am I fucking supposed to be impressed Armani? Or was it Amani? Whatever. I think you took what I said a little bit too personal. You run around throwing out these insults and this talk about who is going to do what and how I’m not your superior. That’s fine. I never claimed to be your superior. I know I probably am, but that’s not the point of the Grand Rampage. The Grand Rampage is designed to see who is the luckiest and the most resilient motherfucker on the roster at a given time. That’s it. Winning it doesn’t make you the best wrestler, but it speaks to how tough and or lucky you are.

And you want to compare me to some college student who can’t write? Fine, but English isn’t my major. Whooping niggas asses in these EAW streets is my Major, and I do it well. You not impressed with the resume? Go fuck yourself. I don’t need to repeat it to you, go look that shit up on Wikipedia and compare it to what you’ve done. All you’ve done is fuck Ryan Adams up the ass and retire Jacob Senn, who I already beat like 400 times. Playing that shit on some highlight like that’s supposed to intimidate or impress anybody. I’ve beaten more people in the EAW Hall of Fame than matches you’ve had in your whole career you fucking bum.

It’s funny that people like you think they can walk into a company that I helped make what it is today and say that I’m a glorified midcarder. GO READ A WRESTLING MAGAZINE YOU BUM! YOU KNOW WHO THEY HAVE AS THE FAVORITE TO WIN THIS SHIT!? ME! BECAUSE I’M GOOD ENOUGH TO DO IT AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT ONE LARIAT FROM ME ENDS ANY CHANCE OF DOING SHIT! You want a diatribe, you want long-winded? I’m gonna be talking a lot while me and Keelan are stomping the shit out of you, keeping you around until you’re one of the last 3 or 4 people left. You’re gonna be able to tell Dedede’s adopted child from Guatemala that “Daddy #2 Got tossed out of the Grand Rampage in 2018 by Carlos Rosso! It was a wonderful moment and so many people were around to see him fail, but you should be proud of him anyway!” DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!? YOU SEE THIS ARM!? IM GOING TO TEACH YOU MANNERS WITH THIS ARM, YOU JACKED UP LITTLE SHIT! AND YOU ARE GOING TO WISH YOU NEVER HAD A CROSS WORD WITH ME!

There are other people to talk about, but they aren’t worthy of mention right now, I just wanted to talk about the stupid motherfuckers who are either too generic, too stupid, or too fucking annoying to keep my mouth shut about. That’s fucking all.

Oh.

CARLOS ROSSO….
ICHIBAN!

And by the way, Revenant, you can go fuck yourself too! Do you think I’m scared of any idle threats you throw out there, or how determined you are to stop me and my friend, my good brother, MI HERMANO Keelan from emerging victorious? After having been in the ring with you, I know that you’re just an easy mark waiting to get picked off. That’s it. You have no ring skills at all. You can’t brawl, you can’t trade strikes with someone like me, you can’t wrestle on the mat, you can’t even do kicky flippy lucha shit like me. I CAN DO A MOONSAULT! WHAT THE FUCK CAN YOU DO! I’m amazed that you can even lace up your boots properly to compete. You’re not going to win the match, I know it, you know it, everyone in the field knows it, these fuckheads at the press conference know it, the people across the wrestling landscape know it.

But, I’m going to give you the greatest consolation prize a loser like you could hope for. I will give you the most honorable way to exit this Grand Rampage. You may not be the first, you may not be the last, but you will definitely feel the full force of the Strongest Arm In EAW.

SOUTHERN
FUCKING
LARIATO!

Grand Rampage Promo #1

All week long all I have been hearing is that I am down right crazy, that is what everybody is telling me, because according to my peers and all the fans, me winning the Specialist Rampage match and becoming Specialist Champion is like Hilary Clinton ever becoming President of the United States. It is as unrealistic as unrealistic gets, and just out of the question like no chance in hell that it will happen. But you see you are all mistaken because unlike Hilary Clinton I actually have a game plan. I am not walking into this thing blind like she did, I don't plan on winning the election because I am a woman. I plan on winning the Grand Rampage because unlike all my other competitors I have the heart of a lyon and my drive is like no other. Nineteen other women stand in my way, just nineteen of them that I will chuck over the top rope. The main girl that I am headed for as are many in this match, is someone who called me out and said some harsh words in regards to me, yet she is exactly like me in every way possible. Other than that fact that I am far better at anything and everything, than she will ever be in life. Megan Raine, the Specialist Champion herself. She is ever so confident she will walk out still as Specialist Champion. She said the only reason I am here is because of daddies money that I just love to spend no you little hoe I have my own money I can spend, and yeah maybe money did get me here, not saying it is true but whatever if I have to have that reputation I guess it is what is, I mean after all you know a lot about reputations, I guess that reputation is better than the reputation of just fucking everyone to get further your career along you know kind of like that rep you have. From Keelan helping you get into EAW, all that way to Mr. Dedede you will just screw anything who can help you advance your career won't you? Little known fact about little Miss Megan Raine we used to be friends, pretty good friends at that, we met modeling and she has held a grudge because I made more money than her. She has held a grudge against me all these years because I was the number one model at Victoria's Secret, where she ranked number two, yes I was indeed over her and she has always been jealous of me. You see Megan, I am going to personally make sure that you don't walk out as Champion, because I don't like you anymore, because I have suddenly realized that you are one of the most fake bitches I have ever met. You can belittle me all you want, and yeah I know your the champion so you do in fact have bragging rights, but don't act like I am just some underling to you, no honey it is the other way around. You are an underling to me, all 18 other women in this match are underlings to me as well.

Hmm, who else, who else stands in my way that I need to address personally? Well for one we have Jael Arcana-Rosario the very women I debuted with who has a chip on her shoulder about me because well I have left her in the dust I have risen my stock so high and hers well it has fallen into the deep pits of hell, we also have Zakkii who I made look like a straight up fool so you know she wants to eliminate me but when it comes to her I am not threatened not even one little bit. Oh shit how could I forget one of the favorites Stephanie Matsuda she maybe the favorite but the favorites in wrestling usually never win in matches such as these and she will be no different I can see it now, she will sink under the pressure and of course you have your countless women with no chance at winning like Savannah Sunshine and Daisy Thrash who let's face it are only in this match to make people like me look better. But the fact of the matter is it doesn't matter who is in the match, because I am going to win the whole damn thing. This is going to be my shinning moment, the moment everybody looks back on and says, that is the moment Nicolette Lyons arrived. And when I am Specialist Champion, I will hold that title with honor, after the disgrace stank that was left from Megan Raine. I shall bring legitimacy and prestige to that poor championship, that had to be around the wastes of some pathetic individuals who have no class, no loyalty and major egos that they can't back up. I shall take on all comers and fight like a champion. Many of you will be shocked but if it was up to me, I would want to enter number one, because not only am I the number one wrestler on Empire, but I want to shock the world when I make it all the way and eliminate every single person in this match. You all expected me to say I want to come out last, but no I mean if it happens it happens better luck for me. I am not here for shortcuts though. I want to be the very best that I possibly can be. I want my name across billboards around the world as EAW greatest wrestler today, I want my name mentioned in debates about who is the greatest of all time. It's going to happen, I just know it because I am Nicolette Lyons, and I never fail at anything. Whatever I say always the truth. There are still dozens of none believers about me, from my fellow competitors all the way to the smart ass fans who believe they know everything. But slowly but surely I will make everyone a believer. The era of Nicolette Lyons may not be upon us just yet. But it is coming faster than you think.

Carlos Rosso

Grand Rampage Public Exercise #1

[In a small, private gymnasium on the outskirts of Pasadena, Carlos Rosso is shown in a wrestling ring, preparing for the Grand Rampage by facing multiple local challengers at the same time. Each one tries to get offense in on the former Interwire Champion but eventually is thrown over the top rope, succumbing to a devastating lariat that sends them onto the thin crashmats surrounding the ring. Press from around the world document the preparations for the Grand Ramage as Mao looks on in the ring, shouting instructions and clapping each “elimination”. In total, fifteen men are eventually scattered over the gym floor, Carlos clapping his hands in the ring, barely having broken a sweat.]

As you can see, my Lariat is as strong as ever. It can take on 15 men without a sweat being broken. Tomorrow, I will prepare with even more men, training against thirty, even forty men if necessary. I will make sure that my conditioning is on par. Keelan, my Zaibatsu brethren, is also in this match. We have devised a plan to make sure that we are the last two standing, and while I appreciate the noble sacrifice that Keelan has vowed to make on my behalf, I encourage him to fight at the end. This match is now for something much bigger than the traditional main event spot for Pain for Pride. This match is for the Answers World Championship! This match is for gold. I have participated in five Grand Rampages previous, but this may be the Greatest, most significant one of all. This match can single-handedly change a career, change a legacy. And I am prepared for it. WE, Keelan and myself, are prepared for it. And there is no one on the roster, no surprise guest, no alliance of ragtag misfits who will stop us and our ultimate goals.

Carlos, you’ve had a chance to look over the field of participants, at least announced ones. How do you assess the field of competitors and what do you make of some of your most bitter enemies such as Jamie O’Hara, Lars Grier, and Mstislav being involved?

This field is one of the greatest in the history of Grand Rampage…if you look at the top 10-15 entrants or so. After that, it gets pathetic. Woogieman? What the fuck does that even mean? Who calls themselves that in the Year of Our Lord 2018? Shaker Jones? Please. I’ve fought the Revenant and Nobi and I was not impressed at all. Nathan Fiora is a Champion, but he is not a Champion of Life like myself. We had a riveting match on Voltage, one of the greatest in-ring performances of all time cut short by a stupid referee, but I know that in the end, I will crush him. As for the other participants, the ones that matter, I look at it like this: a unique opportunity. All these people, in some shape or form, have denied me in the past. Jamie stole a glorious moment at Pain for Pride. Mstislav did the same. I have an opportunity to extract true revenge. How glorious would it be to triumph over so many enemies, so many wrestlers that I absolutely detest, WIN a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP for the first time in EAW, and deny all of them that dream of going to Pain for Pride as a World Champion. That is why I am training so hard now. That is why I am preparing.

Your rivalry with Nasir Escobar, then Nasir Moore, was well documented when you were the General Manager of Voltage. How do you feel about his departure and having to forfeit the Answers World Championship?

Fuck him. He got what he deserved, and it should have been worse, frankly. Next?

How do you feel about Theron Nikolas being involved in the Grand Rampage? As King of Elite, he did have a bit of a monkey wrench thrown into his plans to cash in when another match was made for EAW Champion Heart Break Gal. Also, he had some very harsh comments for you and your old tag team of Dynamite Rain.

I know, I know. Theron is mad because he didn’t get his way. And honestly, if I were in his shoes, I would be rather pissed off myself. Honestly, I don’t have any dislike for Theron. I’m not sure what he was thinking saying all those mean-spirited things about Voltage and my tag team partner in old times. I get it, he’s putting over The High Rollerz, they’re a fine team, but why insult a legacy that my team built, huh? We carried the division when no one else would and without us there would be no High Rollerz because the tag team belts would have been sitting in someone’s trophy cases collecting dust because they’d no longer be defended. As for the Grand Rampage though, I have no qualms about confronting him and I have no fear of facing him. If he wants, he can eat a Southern Lariat just like these 15 brave men who stood against me in this ring just a few moments ago. He may be a King, but as of now he is not a CHAMPION. In fact, regardless of what fake news EAW is spreading, I am the ONLY Champion involved in this match. Do you think Nobi or Nathan Fiora have any realistic chance of victory? Do you even think that those men with their pretend titles are even legitimate? You shouldn’t. So, to answer your question, I will have no problem facing the King of Elite or anyone else.

Carlos, Mr. Dedede made some strong allegations about your stay in the dojos in Japan, alleging sexual abuse and things like that and-

Negative. NEGATIVE. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NEGATIVE. DDD, being the behind the times, backward, money-grubbing degenerate he is, is using fake news to distract you. Yes, some of the things mentioned about students in Japanese being mentored in Dojos were accurate. But none of them happened to me. You see, by the time I arrived in the Dojo system, the bygone era of blatant sexual, physical and emotional abuse was finished. Were the dojo headmen hard on you? Of course. Did you have to do a lot of chores and whatnot for your sempai? Yes. But all this talk of sexual abuse is just degenerate nonsense on his part. I jokingly referred to him as the “Sherriff of Cockingham” and he’s suddenly offended, but he talks about taking dick in his ass regularly now and brags about it? Why was what I said so mean that he tried to spread fake news about longstanding traditions in Japan? I am a proud, unabashed straight male but one of my greatest proteges and closest friends is a bisexual woman with a penchant for fucking supermodels. Who am I to judge sexual preferences? Who am I to stand in the way of people loving people.

[Carlos is show wiping away tears as he continues.]

To think that someone would allege that I am being homophobic makes me sad. And…. you know what’s going to make me happy again? THROWING HIM OUT OF THE GRAND RAMPAGE! AND HIS BOYFRIEND TOO! Both have such cute stories about it being their time and doing this and that for the gay community or whatever DDD rambled on about. Guess what? I’m in this match for the Carlos Rosso community, and I will beat them both within an inch of their life if necessary to capture the gold that has eluded me all these years.

You last two ventures into the Grand Rampage were long and noteworthy, but without a victory. Why will this time be different? Also, do you trust Keelan completely? There was a Grand Rampage where you were betrayed by a man that you trusted….GI Styles.

It will be different because of Keelan. I don’t know if you all remember, but he and I will be entering the Grand Rampage consecutively. All he has to do is hang in there for the interval between entries, and I will be there. Or is it the other way around? Either way, it’s irrelevant because once we are in that ring TOGETHER, we will dispatch all EAW’s good ole boys and flavors of the month one at a time. DDD, easy pickings? Nobi? Far too easy. Theron Nikolas or whatever his name is, not even a question. And…. HOW DARE YOU PEOPLE. HOW DO YOU DARE TO ASSUME THAT SOMETHING WOULD COME BETWEEN KEELAN AND MYSELF! DO YOU KNOW HOW GOOD OF A FRIENDSHIP WE HAVE NOW! HE TAUGHT ME AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL! AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL! And I showed him what a good beer is besides that Australian shit he tried to give me. We are a unit. We are the Zaibatsu’s representatives and we are the best that Voltage has to offer. One of us is going to have a new home soon and a new belt but guess what, regardless of who wins the Zaibatsu will STILL be there to back him up. There is the answer to your question. And remember…. Always remember. That the Zaibatsu is number one. Notice I didn’t say what I usually say because this week is about one man standing tall at the end, one man holding the Answers World Championship.

And that man will be me.

CARLOS ROSSO.
ICHIIIBANNNNNNNN!

Grand Rampage #1

“Alive a life”

“You know, I’ve never stopped. I’ve never stopped trying to get better, I’ve never given into the concept of being second place to anyone. Because every day is a day to reach my peak and overcome it. Whether it be through intense physical training, or endurance or anything like that. It’s been all about getting better inside the ring more than anything else.”

---------------------------------------------

I did what I said I would do. I overcame the one person that I’ve never seem to have beaten properly. I finally put down the one person who stood in my way for all this time.

To be honest with all of you, I’m not really talented at anything. I sucked in school with mediocre grades, I was average when it comes to sports, even at my own family business I was bad at it. Even though all that, I pushed on. When I got to see professional wrestling for the first time, I was in awe. Fast forward to years from now and here I stand, competing in the ring doing what the women who aspired me when I was younger. Even with many setbacks here I stand, I guess I just really want to be at the top. Regardless of how things are turning out for me, I’m pushing through this Rampage match with sort of a focused goal in mind. No matter what the result ends up being, I’m gonna fight on with nothing left because that’s how I have to treat every match has to be at this point to be a must win. No matter how it is I’m facing, no matter is in the way or anything at all. In this kind of situation, every single opponent is a threat because you don’t know when you’ll be thrown out. When that aspiring dream to be Specialist Champion you have, will come crashing down. I was in the first Specialist Rampage and know what it takes to compete in that match, with hopes to surpass everything and everyone. If I look at these past twelve months, I can see the path of mine change. I’ve gone from something and someone I now hate to where who I am right now, standing as The Unbreakable. If anyone has ever wanted to watch a journey that truly feels like a long road, then look no further at mine. Setbacks, major losses, and anything else you can think of at this point.

I’m the story of the century, people! The unknown who soon soared above everyone else and rose to the top. Clawing at the top with nothing stopping me, even when losses reset my position in EAW, I’m still clawing to get back to the top. I overcome challenges that I have been put through, I fight on even when fallen. I’m willing to get up when everyone else would have quit! Can any of you say that about yourself?! No because of you are me, none of you are Unbreakable!

I want to be where I was last year, in the big matches, the constant spotlight to showcase I am The Ace, the Unbreakable, the best when I’m in this right when it comes to my craft. Right now, this road… my road to pain For Pride 11 is gonna revolve around getting the Specialist Title, you know since after wanting to be the champ for a while now. I guess that’s the reason behind all this. To finally claim that one thing that’s eluded me in my tenure.And at this point, if I do fail then I know only one thing now… to get up and fight on like nothing else matters.

I look through everyone in this match and there are many I’ve faced in this ring one-on-one and there those I want to go up in this ring against. Haruna is will forever be someone I want to face that ring properly one-on-one with no Blondie getting in our way. You know better than anyone in this company, how I stubborn I will be to get to the top of Empire. Even if it means beating you without care for what our past has been like, every single moment from when we faced the world together. I’ll throw it all away if it means to get the Specialist Championship. I promise you this, Haruna… if you and I cross paths in that ring during this match, I’m not gonna take it easy on you at all. Same goes for you, Sakuya. I showed you back when we faced that even with every minor injury, I’m still going to fight through all this. Same goes everyone else in this match, whether you be Chelsea, Andrea, Jael, Daisy or anyone else in this match. I’m going to stand tall against every single one of you. It’s not because I’m confident, no it’s because I need this win. To continue my road to Pain For Pride 11.

The only I will let this match end is with me being the last one standing, none of you stopping me as this match won’t end with a storm ending but it’s going to end with an Ace finally holding up the accolade that has been missing and with the all the spotlight of Elite Answers Wrestling shining down on me.

And now to anyone who stands in my way, I won’t be hesitant to eliminate you. To anyone who wants to fire shots about my past failures, then go right for it because some people in this world, I accept my losses and failures and use them as fuel for my drive to reach the top.

Just note this is my moment, I’m not letting anyone of you take it away from me!

Empire Promo #1

(Nicolette sighs) Ugh really you again? I have to face this walking loser. You must really think you are hot shit Zakki, you got your lucky little victory over me a few weeks back in my debut match, but a lot has changed since then and for you, well nothing hasn't changed. You are still a loser with no future. You see Zakki with every match I am learning, I am like a sponge just retaining information and getting better match by match, week by by week. You have already reached your peak, you are what you are and there is no getting better. So it sucks for you, it really does but no matter what you do, you can change your name all you want, you can change your appearance until the cows come home but at the end of the day you will always have the stench of Haruna following you that same stench that you are so desperately trying to get away from but you just simply cannot. This stench that you have is similar to a skunk spaying you, you just can't wash it off with soap and water, it's not that easy. The way to rid of this stench will take hard work and dedication that you just can't handle, and I know I must sound like a broken record and I also know you can't stand to hear this because it is the truth and it hurts, but everybody knows you are a joke. You have all this hype surrounding you and for what? Every single time you get an opportunity people stop and think, maybe just maybe this will be the time Haruna takes that ball and runs with it, all the way into the end zone. But then reality sets in and you fall flat on your face and lose that ball, you fumble it because that is just you a born loser. You are a talented wrestler but in the land of EAW you just weren't meant to pull away from the pack. You see Zakki, you and I couldn't be anymore polar opposite from each other, I strive for greatness, whereas you just are content at being mediocre. You just stand in the background waiting for your chance to break through, but for a pissant like you life just doesn't work that way. People like you need guidance, you need direction, you need somebody holding you hand every step of the way. You are lost Zakki, and you have no map, you are walking around in a circle going completely no where. But you see me right now? I am completely aware of what I am doing, I am in complete control. I don't need someone to tell me what to do, I already know what to do. That is why I am the fastest rising EAW superstar today. I carry my self like a champion, you carry yourself like a person who should be scrubbing my floors and that is the difference between us.

The difference between us are so stark its not even funny, but be that as it may, you own a victory over me so yeah, I still am looking for redemption from you, I lost to you in my debut match, and I haven't forgot that, the sting of losing to such a pleb like you. Like I said a lot has changed since my debut match though, I have been in higher profile matches and I have more experience under my belt. There is just no way that you are going to beat me for a second time, that will be the day a little peasant like you defeats me twice. The sooner you realize that I am just better than you in every single way possible in life, the sooner you will be happier in your life. I can see it already, you are very disgruntled. Your career hasn't gone the way you would have hoped and that is understandable, considering all the hype you can in with. You can go back to being happy, but the first step is to be honest with yourself, and you have to realize you just aren't as good as you may think you are. Redemption is what I am going out for, because I know I am better than that woman you defeated a month ago. I have to redeem myself and prove to everybody including myself that I am indeed better than you. So if I were you Zakki, I wouldn't be getting too cocky over that victory, because I will be giving it my all and then some, I am looking for blood from you. I want to embarrass you in the middle of the ring. Quite frankly I want to use you as a stepping stone into bigger and better things, if I make an example out of you everybody who watches Empire will take me for real once and for all. You see I was so close to defeating Andrea Valentine, and unlike Andrea I would have defeat Megan Raine for the Specialist Championship there is no doubt in my mind. I was so close to championship I could taste it and I love that taste, and I want more. I am like a fat kid with a tray of brownies, the tray just wasn't enough, i want more and more. So if making Haruna cry and making her bleed is all that it takes to get me another chance, then so be it. Nobody will care anyway its not like anyone is a fan of yours, and why should they, they have only been let down time and time again. I can't wait to step inside the ring with you on Empire this Thursday because I am going to do what I should have done in my debut and that is beat you like the reject you are. No more mr. nice guy, it is time to get serious and it is time to kick you fucking ass once and for all Zakki!

Empire #1

“I’ve been told so many times that I’m really stubborn for my own good sometimes. I think that’s supposed to be good in some way.”

-------------------------------------------------

(We start inside the JET dojo as Azumi is in the middle of the ring looking around her surroundings.)

It feels weird that only a couple years ago, I was training here, honing my craft and now I’m co-owner of this whole promotion. I’m in charge of the next generations of Joshi wrestlers and while still trying to prove to so many people that I’m still gonna fight hard. Because like I have said time and time again, this is all I have at the moment. I guess the old metaphor of life truly shines through on my career more than anything else. When one door closes, another one opens. With the chance of being the holder of the Iconic Cup gone, the opportunity to become Specialist Champion once again is here. The specialist rampage, I’m not sure if I’m in this match or not but regardless I will bust through everything for this one chance. Is there more to prove that I deserve the chance I have earned? I proved against Shimoda that I can still go. I proved my resilience against Sakuya. I willing to defeat my own sister to get another win. While others will crumble under pressure, I will still push on. I’ve said this time and time again, with every defeat or victory I get closer and closer to breaking the so-called glass ceiling.

(A deep breath is let out by The Unbreakable, as she looks up towards the camera.)

So this is what’s next for me? Well, it’s a match against the one person I’ve got so much history with, my entire life before EAW, it always had Stephanie Matsuda in some way, either as a rival, a friend or an enemy. It’s like every time we meet in the ring in some capacity, we’re both on the opposite sides of a coin. It’s either you’re the fan favorite and I’m the villain or vice-versa. It’s always been that way, probably because we’ve been on our own path. Both different in many ways. Right from the very beginning since. You, the natural talent, the hand-picked one vs. me, the hard worker, the Unbreakable. It’s been like that since the very beginning, the moment she and I both became understudies of Manami. Right from the very start! It was always going to be one of us to overtake the other soon, either you or me. And at this point, it seems like you’re the way to do that with me to fall from grace. But every time, Stephanie. Every single time! Whenever I’ve fallen nobody has stopped me from getting back up. For many, they would agree that you’re the better one out of the two of us when it comes being in that ring but something I will forever have over you. The will to get up back and charge towards the wall to break it. You or anyone else in this company will break me down. The fucking heart and soul. You’re still high off your big win, the chance to cash in and become Women’s Champion whenever you feel like seems like a great chance for you to break through the gates towards the golden castle.

Meanwhile, I’m here doing it the old school way, I’m just gonna keep swinging for the fences whenever I’m on the plate. It’s the only thing I can do at this point, it’s big match win or bust. Every week, every time. It’s the life of Azumi Goto at this point, its make or breaks right now for me. And The Unbreakable isn’t going to fall here, especially since you’re my opponent. If there’s something in this world I can’t do, its lose to you. Heading into this, it’s not going to be about which one of us is the true successor or anything like that. It’s about proving myself as not just an equal but better than you in any single way in that ring. Where your natural talent won’t overcome my heart, the unbreakable fighting spirit inside me. It’s all I have right now I guess.

I don’t have an Iconic cup, so my journey to the top will be a long one. It was like that as well back in JET, I had to fight my way through everything. Earn my colors to be who am I on my way to the top of that world. I guess the cycle repeats again, with me now in this company for two years. The harshest journey to the top, filled with hardships, heartbreak and anything else you can think of at this point. You see Matsuda, every time I fail. Something drives me to get back up and fight through it all, regardless of pain, regardless of how much inside me, I want to give up. I will fight like no one else. I simply can’t fall at this point. I can’t fall to any kind of injury or anything like that at all. I have to push harder than anyone on Empire right now. I will show you thee real side of the Unbreakable, the Woman who is known as the Ace of Empire.

Time to showcase that I am the better half of Manami’s Legacy.And I’ll show everything that I have learned, everything I have to beat you. I have to beat you so that my road to Pain For Pride to truly begin.

“In the criminal justice system, Championship-based defenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated Detectives who investigate these felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories…”

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Topics tagged under 1 on Elite Answers Wrestling DxXhsbR

7:14 A.M.

稗 A police siren can be heard in the background of a chilly New York City back alley as the black boots of a man are shown walking along it. The camera gradually rises - showing the man’s black tights, black jacket, and various other black attire - revealing Drake Jaeger as he looks on with a thousand yard stare and a cigarette in hand, making his way through a taped off area and to other disgusted-looking police officers. 稗

Drake: Looks like we’ve got quite a mess on our hands.

稗 One of the nearby Officers rushes off to vomit as Drake shakes his head. 稗

Drake: Don’t worry, rookie, you’ll get used to it. Well, that’s a lie. You don’t get used to it, but you do at least feel numb looking at shit like this. It never ceases to amaze me how sadistic people can be. How old was the victim?

稗 Drake looks to a nearby Officer surveying the scene. 稗

Officer: Looks to be about… I’d say at least 9 or 10 years old.

稗 Drake shakes his head again and takes a deep puff of his cigarette, looking up at the sky briefly before looking back down at the victim. 稗

Drake: Poor thing. If I had to guess, it’s had its share of abuse since it was first born. Probably been passed around by dozens of people. I like to believe that even up until death it was still optimistic and clinging to some kind of hope that… I don’t know, that there’s some good in this World. We got to him just too late, but even then, we’ll make sure to bring whoever did this to justice. I swear on it.

稗 Drake squats down next to the victim as the camera pans down to reveal a replica of the EAW National Elite Championship on the ground, with a chalk outline around it. Drake shakes his head, visibly trying to hold back tears. 稗

Drake: Goddamn it… Get ahold of yourself, Detective.

稗 Drake slaps himself, regaining his composure. He stands back up, looking at the National Elite Championship on the ground. 稗

Drake: You can just tell how stained it was by the time it all finally ended. Who knows how many people used and abused it. Not a single one cared about it. Yet, in a way… It almost looks peaceful.

稗 A loud growling can be heard as Drake looks over at something off-screen, raising an eyebrow. 稗

Drake: What’s that, Blue? Did you find something?

稗 A large, blue, computer-generated dog similar to a direwolf walks into view of the camera, growling and baring its teeth as it walks over to the National Elite Championship and sniffs around. One of the Officers attempts to step in, looking annoyed. 稗

Officer: Hey, someone get this damn mutt!

稗 Drake stops the Officer from stepping forward. 稗

Drake: You’d be smart to back off, kid. That so-called “mutt” is the best Goddamn officer on the force if you ask me. Hold on a second… What’s that?

稗 Drake points over to where Blue is sniffing as the camera cuts to a pair of jean shorts laying on the ground with a large blue paw print on them. Drake looks at the skeptical Officer with a smug look. 稗

Drake: Looks like that “mutt” just gave us our first clue and our first step to solving this murder.

稗 The camera cuts to Drake and Blue entering the Police Station as Drake carries the pair of jorts with him, handing them off to a nearby Officer. A different Officer rushes in, carrying what looks to be an envelope. 稗

Officer: DETECTIVE JAEGER! DETECTIVE JAEGER! THIS CAME IN FOR YOU!

稗 Drake looks at the Officer with a quizzical expression. 稗

Drake: Huh?

Officer: WE JUST GOT A LETTER!

Drake: We just got a letter?

Officer: WE JUST GOT A LETTER!

Drake: I wonder who it’s from.

稗 Drake takes the letter, immediately opening it up and reading it. 稗

Drake: … My God.

Officer: What is it, Detective Jaeger?!

Drake: It’s from the organization only known as… N.O.B.I.

Officer: OH GOD! OH JESUS CHRIST! OH SWEET MOTHER OF GOD WE’RE GOING TO DIE!

Drake: You know who they are?

Officer: No!

Drake: They’re a terrorist organization bent known for their unusual tactics of being overly nice to trick their victims into a false sense of security. That pair of jorts we found at the crime scene is their calling card. I should have known. It’s clear that their plan all along was to capture, rape, and kill the National Elite Championship.

Officer: Oh no!

Drake: Oh yes. If I had to guess, I’d say they don’t intend to stop there either. More than likely their targeting the other Championships in EAW next.

Officer: Brilliant! You’ve done it again, Detective Jaeger! EVERYONE, THREE CHEERS FOR DETECTIVE JAEGER! HIP HIP HOORAY! HIP HIP--

稗 Drake backhands the Officer. 稗

Drake: Fool! This isn’t over by a longshot! There’s bound to be more bloodshed if N.O.B.I. isn’t stopped soon! Now get me my Handy Dandy Notebook, I need to write this down!

稗 Drake storms off to his office with Blue following behind. 稗

Drake: Now Blue…

稗 The camera cuts to Drake just outside the door to his office, talking to a poorly-drawn stick figure of Blue as the growling noises continue. 稗

Drake: I need you to be a good boy and stay here.

稗 Drake opens the door to his office, revealing it’s been ransacked. 稗

Drake: HEY WHAT THE FUCK!

稗 The other Officers rush over to see the destroyed office. 稗

Random Officer: WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS?!

Drake: N.O.B.I.! IT HAD TO BE! LOOK!

稗 Drake grabs a nearby note on the floor, reading it. 稗

Drake: THOSE SICK SONS A BITCHES LEFT A NOTE APOLOGIZING FOR MAKING A MESS!

Random Officer: DETECTIVE JAEGER! YOUR CHAIR!

稗 A panicked Drake looks around. 稗

Drake: MY CHAIR! WHERE’S MY CHAIR!

稗 Drake flips everything over in the Office, looking for his chair. 稗

Drake: I NEED IT! HOW AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO THINK WITHOUT MY THINKING CHAIR?! I NEED IT! I NEED TO SIT DOWN IN MY THINKING CHAIR AND THINK! THINK! THIIINNKKKKKK!!!!

稗 The Officer from earlier rushes in, looking panicked. 稗

Officer: I CAN’T FIND YOUR HANDY DANDY NOTEPAD EITHER, I’M SORRY! I THINK I LOST IT!

Drake: NO! THAT WAS CLEARLY N.O.B.I.’S WORK TOO!

Officer: OH OKAY! LET’S GO WITH THAT THEN!

稗 Drake drops to his knees, looking at the sky as the camera shows above him. 稗

Drake: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO--

稗 The scene suddenly pauses. The camera cuts a large conference room filled with men in suits, looking on in confusion as Drake’s voice can be heard. 稗

Drake: --OOOOOOBBBIIIIIIIIIII!!!!

稗 The camera pans over to Drake on his knees looking up at the sky just like in the paused video on the television next to him as he realizes it’s been paused. 稗

Drake: Hey, what gives? That was my big scene!

稗 The various men in suits look at one another before looking back at Drake. 稗

Executive #1: Mr. Jaeger… This is the second time you’ve decided to pitch something for us now and, again, we have genuinely no idea what we’ve just watched.

Drake: Oh, was it a little tough to follow? I was trying my best to get all the good stuff into, ya know, a short kind of video for this pitch. I had to work with what I had. If you have any questions--

Executive #2: Yeah, I have many, many questions. First of all… What was that?

Drake: The video? It said at the beginning.. It’s obviously a gritty reboot of Blues Clues.

Executive #2: Nobody wants to see something like that.

Drake: You got something against Blues Clues?

Executive #2: I HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST A GRITTY REBOOT! WHY--

稗 A third Executive stops the second one. 稗

Executive #3: Mr. Jaeger, what my colleague here means is… Why exactly have you made this?

稗 Drake remains on his knees, visibly confused by the question. 稗

Drake: Uhh… Isn’t it obvious? Who doesn’t love Blues Clues? Who doesn’t love Law & Order? Do you think anyone questioned why someone would put peanut butter in chocolate and chocolate in peanut butter when the World witnessed Reeses Peanut Butter Cups? I highly doubt it. Look, I’ve recently become an extremely humble, caring, loving man. I care about the children, alright? I’m all about that shit. They’re the future. Kids will run the World and they do some really goofy shit when they’re small, and you know, just lots of stuff like that. Point is, what better way to SHOW how much I care about the children than by bringing them a show they can enjoy AND their parents can enjoy too?

Executive #2: And what was with Blue?! Why was it CG? Why did it suddenly become a terrible-looking doodle at the end?!

Drake: Blue obviously needed a makeover, I mean, come on… He looked badass. Kids will eat that shit up. You think they were gonna be rushing out to the stores to buy toys of that little rorschach-test looking thing Blue used to look like? I highly doubt it. They want something badass. It’s like Nobi compared to me. He’s a great guy, sure. He’s loveable, no doubt. He could even be considered an icon of wholesomeness, but you know what? All that bullshit doesn’t put money in anyone’s wallets! It’s like HE’S the original Blue and I’m the new and improved one, get it? I’m sure he’s a wonderful guy and all, but there comes a time when you’ve gotta realize you’ve become obsolete. It’s time for the new guard to step up and bring in a new era of wholesomeness - a new, badass era that both kids and adults can enjoy. Listen to me… We have to accept that what you’re looking at right now is the new face of friendliness, alright? It’s just how it is now. Nobi had a good run. Hell, he had a GREAT run even. I couldn’t be more proud of him and, you know, whatever he’s done in EAW. I’m sure it was very notable and worth mentioning if I had paid attention to any of it, but I digress. Also Blue looked like that because we ran out of budget.

稗 The Television Executives look at one another in confusion once more before looking back at Drake. 稗

Executive #2: … WHO? Who the Hell even is Nobi?

Drake: Exactly. You don’t know him, but you DO know me, because I have more mainstream appeal.

Executive #2: What? No! We know YOU because you’ve been constantly harassing us about doing your ridiculous projects! And by the way, Blue was a girl!

Drake: You’re fucking with me, right? No way. Blue was way too badass to be a girl. I spent like my whole childhood and half of my adulthood watching that show and looking up to Blue, so you’re not about to get inside my head with those lies.

稗 Executive #2 rubs his temples, too frustrated to reply as #3 steps in again. 稗

Executive #3: Look, it just doesn’t look like this is gonna happen. The tone of it… The cursing… The budget and the overacting and the--

Drake: Okay, with all due respect, fuck you, buddy. Anyone else? Any of you other guys want to invest in this?

Executive #1: This isn’t Shark Tank, Mr. Jaeger. When one of us says no, it means we all say no.

稗 Drake remains on his knees, looking down in disappointment. 稗

Executive #1: … Alright, look, maybe if you fix it up and just turn it into something more kid friendly, then maybe we’d be more inclined to give it a shot. But--

Drake: But nothing! You think I’m gonna compromise everything just for your sake?! I am an ARTIST! I very humble artist! A man that’s given up his wicked ways to come before you with nothing but the amazing clothes on his back and the best in-ring skills you’ve ever witnessed, and pouring out his heart to you! And you! You just go and rip it out of my chest and stomp on it like I were someone that wasn’t me! I’m a good man, damn it! I’ve paid my dues! I’ve given my leftover trash to the homeless! I’ve paid so much to the Drake Jaeger Vague Charity Foundation! I’ve sold so much merch! So much fucking merch to promote how good I am! I will not rest until you people accept me and my ways, and my ways summed up right there in that video you all deem “less than great”! You know what? It’s clear what I gotta do. I HAVE to beat Nobi tomorrow, and I HAVE to become the National Elite Champion, because it’s become abundantly clear to me that a piece of gold around my waist is all that’s stopping you greedy pieces of trash from listening to me! I get it! I see it in your eyes! You see someone on their knees in your little conference room and can’t comprehend that they’re not collectively blowing you right now! Well zip it back up because Drake Jaeger isn’t gonna play ball nor is he going to play with balls!

稗 Drake slowly crawls on his knees over to the television and ejects his VHS tape from it. 稗

Drake: I don’t need you people nor will I ever! I’m an enlightened man! I’m better than each and every single one of you in every way and you’ll all see that soon enough when I come here waltzing in with a Championship around my waist and you’re literally throwing cash at me to stay and hit you in the face with more of my awesome ideas! You people are no different than Nobi! You put on your little fucking guises of being nice and polite when really deep down you’re as vile and corrupted as they come! You get off on humiliating guys like me, and you know what? You know what? That’s fine, you go ahead and do what makes you happy, because I’m a nice guy and would never think of doing something like assaulting you when I could easily get up right now and make a human centipede shish kebab with my foot up each and every single one of your asses, but I won’t! I’m not gonna do that! I’m gonna remain calm and I’m gonna let it slide, because I know you’re all still doing your best! Nobi, however… Well, our dear Nobi, I’m afraid, gets the shit end of the stick here, because he officially represents ALL of you! As of right now, Nobi has just become public enemy number one in Drake Jaeger Land! I hope you all tune in tomorrow and see what I do to him, as I strip him of his Championship! I strip him of his stupid jorts, in a non-homosexual way! And I strip him of his dignity, again, in a non-homosexual manner! I will strip him until he’s left naked and alone and abused in that ring by me! And I’m gonna enjoy every single second of it! Nothing would bring me more pleasure!

稗 Drake begins to crawl away on his knees before briefly turning back. 稗

Drake: Seriously, in a non-gay way! Have a nice day!

稗 Drake continues to crawl away on his knees with his VHS in hand, struggling to close the door behind him with his feet in the way before finally giving up as he leaves. The baffled Executives look on as the camera fades to black. 稗

Sydney versus the world Issue # 17

Topics tagged under 1 on Elite Answers Wrestling Tumblr_p3hgxzkDrc1ujimkpo2_540

"The Thrill Seeker" Sydney St. Clair

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CLICK! After about 30 minutes of scanning the EAW website, you find a recently added video in the sidebar that must have been uploaded between the transitioning of pages. You click on the video, perhaps out of boredom, and after a few seconds of buffering, the EAW Exclusive screen takes priority on your monitor. As we are brought into our scene today, we are given the visual of Madam Vega's Wrestling School for Girls. We can hear a quick one, two impact that seemed slightly muffled. Then would hear that impact a second time as the camera approaches the venue. We could hear a grunt along with the impact as someone seemed to be trying to put a little more force into it. The visuals would transition to the inside of the facility. The camera is positioned in the corner on Sydney St. Clair. Her orange hair is tied back in a ponytail. A pair of big boxing gloves consumes her hands. She stands across from a punching bag, her fists raised in the air. Again she would strike with a one-two combination into the bag. Sweat was dripping down her face as she punched a few more times. It doesn't take much longer before Cori Simmons, dressed in a business casual attire for the taping, enters the screen with a microphone in hand as she approaches the training Sydney, who has seemingly taken no notice of her guest, though must know she is there for this whole deal to take place. Cori raises the microphone as she faces the camera to start her segment as Sydney continues to punch the bag behind her.

"Welcome everyone to this EAWrestling.com exclusive interview, I am standing inside Madam Vegas Wrestling School for Girls in Detroit, Michigan this week, a facility that brought the wrestling world a vast number of promising female talents such as now former Empire mainstay, now Dynasty Elitist Tarah Nova and, standing behind me as you see, the #1 Contender for the EAW Openweight Championship, Ms. Sydney St. Clair." Upon being name-checked by Cori, Sydney takes a break from drilling her fists into the punching bag as she uses the towel that draped her shoulder to wipe away the sweat that dawned her face. She would fling the towel back over one shoulder before standing aside her interviewer while slightly panting at the intensity of her work out. She would playfully give a soft punch to the shoulder of Cori, bringing a slight smile to her face, even prompting her to say something completely out of usual interviewer conduct. "You seem a lot happier to be interviewed this time around." Sydney and Cori have a colorful history of interviews; the first taking place on her debut night for Empire, the rest being in her downward spiral in the months that followed, becoming less and less cheerful each time. This time around feels similar to the first. Sydney speaks up before Cori could continue, her voice not being properly picked up until Cori raises the microphone to her guest near-mid sentence. "Feeling born anew, Cori, feeling born anew." Still panting a bit, Cori gives Sydney time to catch her breath with her first question. "You have picked up a handful of victories as of late, the latest being at the Iconic Cup event where you defeated Jael Arcana-Rosario to, as we learned last week, earn the right to challenge current Openweight Champion, Cameron Ella Ava. The path to this shot has been long and hard for you, so tell me, how are you feeling knowing that is what is next for you?" With a quick grunt in an attempt to remove any hoarseness of her voice, Sydney answers. "Firstly, I must admit begrudgingly that Jael was a lot tougher than I originally gave her credit for. She did a good number on me -- made me really work for the victory that night. I would say that I respect her for the fight, but I don't think I could ever respect a member of the Crowes Nest with how they carry themselves. Be that as it may, I like to think we did the Iconic one proud with our performance. Honestly, the victory was all I needed that night to get back on track and keep fighting on through Empire. I didn't know what this "unique opportunity" was at the time, frankly, it wasn't a concern until I had already won it. Thought it would have been a shot at the Specialist Championship again, or perhaps a chance to throw a few fists with Aria. Or maybe it's whatever announcement Flannery has planned for tomorrow night. Saw it on her clipboard for a brief second but couldn't make it out with all the clutter on her desk. Whatever it is, I bet it's nice. But what it turned out to be even took me by surprise. A match against one of the best female athletes in EAW today, for the Openweight Championship no less. Safe to say, I am stoked to have that kind of chance to prove myself. Hence why I am here, training as hard as I can to prepare to share a ring with one of the best." Cori returns the microphone to herself. "With that match just a little over two weeks away, how are you planning to show Cameron that you're ready to face her?" Sydney nods her head as she contemplates her answer as the microphone is moved closer to her. "Well, I have seen how Cameron carries herself. She's not an easy one to impress; a very imposing figure. There are only two ways I can think of really, and the first is to take my challenge to her front door. But I can't go into too much detail about that, can I? Nah, why spoil the fun? The second is to just keep the forward momentum going. Have a few exhibition matches to get myself all psyched up and ready for a big fight. And, this week, I face Rachelle Savetta. A quiet one, isn't she? Been a bit of a silent figure in the locker room for a couple weeks now, sometimes I forget she's even there at all. Don't mean to talk down to her, because honestly, I am just coming off being the brand pariah myself. But what has she been doing these past couple weeks? A whole lotta nothing. And I am sure she is all riled up about that. I have no reason to think she won't give me a bit of a fight, hell, I know she will if she's serious about sticking around and making a name for herself. But seeing as she has held her tongue since late January, I don't think I will be hearing anything back from her. If I do, I will be pleasantly surprised. But I am determined to walk out of Empire this week with another win under my belt and some more forward momentum pushing me towards my match with Cameron. Until then? I have some more training to do. So, if you could excuse me..." With this and a curl of her upper lip, Sydney would cock her head back and drink a fair portion of the remaining water from the bottle she picked up from the floor. She would nod to the cameraman and to Cori as she gets back into her fighting stance after turning back to the punching bag, the one, two rhythms of impacts return as Cori would watch on as Sydney puts some real fire behind her punches. And it is here that our segment fades to black...

Empire #1

Sometimes you love something too much that you want to succeed at it, I guess you that’s what professional wrestling has become for me.

(As the voice clip ends. The camera begins to roll in a normal looking studio, with just one black background as Azumi is sitting on a chair. Wearing normal clothing, just a normal top and jeans.)

So what's the story of Azumi Goto? Well, it’s about a young girl. Who was very respectful, never bothered her parents with much and with huge aspirations to be like the women she grew up watching on TV. Someone who worked very hard to hone her craft, but really wasn't talented at anything other than wrestling. There wasn't anything left for her to do but keep pushing towards being a professional wrestler. During that time, the younger me would get a young and even more adorable Sakuya into the world of wrestling, by either showing her magazines or just making her watch the Joshi wrestling that was on TV back then. Over the years, I went from being a rainbow-haired looking young girl to what am I now. Some sort that looks a lot normal if you ask me.

Even though so many setbacks have come my way, I'm still pushing through everything. So even after that quick 5-second win against Hinata last week, I still want to push even harder.And this is what it's all come down to, having to face my own blood, my own little sister in the ring. But I guess that's what has to be done right now. I'm willing to fight Sakuya if it means to get to the top of Empire. Little Sis, I'm willing to throw away anything of my life to move up towards the top, family, relationship, or even friendships. It's the necessary sacrifice I have to make, Sakuya for everything. For my career, my goals, and my legacy. This is all I have left! Professional Wrestling is all I have at this point! Nothing else, I'm gonna push on through with that in my mind. If anything I have to look at every match as a must win now, that's the mentality. It doesn't who that turns out being even it's my own blood, my little sister.

And Sakuya, I'm proud when you made your comeback. I was proud that my little sister was back to her old self. The cheerful pirate had returned. After seeing what had happened to you back then with my own eyes, I knew that one day you would return. Part of me doesn't want this. Being in this whole match with you, I'm actually happy that I get to face you but yet at the same time. I'm not sure how I feel about you thinking that. This isn't your older sister right now. This is someone who's on the brink of being dubbed as a failure! Taking any kind of break is going to help my body recover but nothing else, I can't let anyone else get ahead of me. I guess even if it means I have to include you. You're being childish, Sakuya. Even you know on my worst day when I'm in absolute pain, I can beat you. I'm not going to hold anything back at this point. I have to showcase to those people people that believe in me that with their fate, Azumi Goto will rise to the top and to those that believe that I'm set to fail that they are wrong.

It’s that kind of point in my life, Sakuya. To be honest with you, little sis. I’m kind of in need to rebuild the self-confidence in my own abilities. There’s so many I let down by losing at Iconic Cup. Mom, Dad, Manami-sensei, Yoshida-sensei, all the JET girls, the people who cheered me on and even more to be honest. I can’t really call myself The Ace anymore after failing once again, right? But here I am, holding onto to that. I’m pushing myself harder than ever because I let those people down. You think I’m in pain, I’m a professional wrestler! At this point, I’ll tape up my body and move on it!

Even on my worst days, Sakuya. You’re not going to beat me. Regardless of broken my body, regardless of how much I need to rest or recover. THIS IS IT FOR ME! If I don’t fight through all the pain in the world, all the setbacks then I don’t deserve to be here! I don’t deserve call myself “The Ace” or “Unbreakable” or anything. I simply can’t call myself a daughter of Daisuke and Aika Goto!

I know that you care about my health and safety but at this moment I don’t care about that. I will force myself to wrestle, I will force until I can’t and even then your older sister is going to push herself. Because like you said that’s just the family trait of being stubborn and pushing ourselves way past our limits. As much as that Goto Family blood flows through you, it flows just as much through me. And I’m going to show it but not as your older sister but as “Unbreakable” Azumi Goto.

(Azumi gets up and walks away from the camera leaving the seat empty as the camera fades to black.)

Stephanie Matsuda wrote:: 1. Who is your favorite show writer and why is it me?
2. Who is your favorite match writer and why is it Cam?
3. Who is it your favorite promoer and why is it you?
4. What was your favorite moment on Empire so far?
5. Will Aren and Aria go after the tag titles?

1. It's you because I can always trust you to do my character justice. Everyone from Oasis to DDD to Carlos to anyone else who's written me, they always hit the nail on the head, but you just take it to another level. Every segment and match is carefully planned out and woven into this fantastic story that sometimes makes me think you know my character better than I do.

2. Cam honestly should've been writing matches on a consistent basis waaaaaay before now. She was a hidden gem, tbh. My match at The Iconic Cup was a damn barnburner and she should be proud of herself. She's my new fave bc she can do whatever the occasion calls for and nail it. Blow-off weekly match with bits of comedy? She can do that. Big ticket supershow world title match? She can handle that, too.

3. Am I AMONG my favorite promoers? Yeah. I mean, if you don't like your work, then nobody else will, but I also don't think I'm my own #1. I have so many favorites that I'd be here all day if I tried to list them all.

4. On like the weekly editions of the show? Oh there have been a bunch. The contract signing for my match against Cailin at KOE 2017 was wonderfully written and accurately captured our feud up to that point. Nas did a great job writing it and it was fun as hell to read. Main eventing the premiere episode with Cam will always feel special to me. Throwing hands with Chelsea at the press conference a few weeks back is a new favorite. My first title defense against Maddie back in July. Our ladder match last February. I have a lot of options.

5. Maybe! Never say never.

Voltage Promo #1

"Yamata no Orochi."

You have my undivided attention, Mr. Wilson.

What does this mean for you? I'm going to make you famous, Fakepool. You'll be known for being on the receiving end of the worst ass whooping in the history of Voltage. I don't have time to exchange pleasantries with you so I'll get straight to the point - you're in deep waters. You thought the best course of action was to aim at the head of the snake? Let me school you on how this is going to go. You're going to put on the best show of your life only to fall at my feet. You don’t have the firepower for this war, son. You see, I do not doubt your ability - you defeated my boys after all. But as a famous philosopher once said: “your arms are just too short to box with God.”

In the case of you versus I, you won’t have any arms to touch me, to begin with, because I’m not just any snake sweets. I’m Yamata no Orochi - the eight-headed bitch of your existence. Be prepared to add a fifth loss to that record of yours that even the best bug spray won’t fix. If you merely won your match on Sunday, your attitude wouldn’t have bothered me. I get it - you’re some kid who never got enough attention in life, so you hide behind a mask to cope with your maladaptive tendencies. I used to do evaluation papers on people like you back in college. You use comedy as a way to confront the fear in your heart. So you use the corporate world as a metaphor for moving up in the world - or in this case the wrestling ladder. In your feud with my people, you figure ‘hey aim for the top dog, right?’ Well, I got news for you sweets. In the business world, the peons RARELY get an audience with the CEO. Hell, some never even shared the same room - hell even the SAME FLOOR as the person who writes their checks. I like to think that’s our sweets - for the first time in your life you’re about to step into the ring with an actual boss bitch. Someone who made others tap took on the best of the best and made three women fall on the same night to climb that trophy that’s sitting behind me as I speak. You get an audience with "the centerpiece" herself, “The Iconic War Queen” Stephanie Matsuda. Heh, my friends call me Cloud.

We’re not friends though.

But, Carlos Rosso is a friend, hell he’s family. He and I got off to a rocky start - back then I was some little punk who wanted to make a name for herself. In fact, I was a lot like you! Know what happened Ryan? I got crapped on by so-called friends, walked over by my rivals, and sworn into a shady ass group I had no business aligning myself. All because nobody would take me seriously. Nobody could take me seriously because I wouldn’t take myself seriously. I see that with you Ryan. You refuse to take you or your career seriously. You think of this as some game, just having a little bit of fun while passing the time, right? Maybe you win a title, perhaps not.

Fuck your fun time, Ryan.

I take this shit seriously! This career is my life’s work, Ryan Wilson! Carlos takes this seriously, as do Keelan! Jimmy and Billy got a long way to go, but they’re in it for the long haul! I call Carlos senpai because he tweaked out the weakness in my fighting style. He showed me that no matter how dark the skies you keep on flying! There were moments in my career where I wanted to give up on this and walk away from it all. Did I? Hell fucking no. I kept going, I kept fighting, giving it my all until my heart gave up and now I have the EAW universe by the balls! You can continue making quips about my sexuality and my relationships with others but - and you know I couldn’t continue without mentioning this - you do not, and I mean DO NOT THREATEN THE LADY IN MY LIFE!

(stands up from her chair and kicks it to the side)

I get it! You want to poke the bear and open up straight shooter style like this is the OK Corral or some shit, but I WILL SHOOT YOU WHERE YOU FREAKING STAND IF YOU THINK YOU CAN COME AT ME! Come on Wilson! I dare you, I double motherfucking dare you, repeat something about Monica! I dare you! COME ON! DO IT! I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL CUT YOU WHERE YOU STAND!

(Knocks everything off the table)

You already heard Carlos say I’m better than him in my current state. I wouldn’t be surprised if Keelan felt the same way. Carlos might be a sore loser, but he’s one of the most real cats I’ve ever met. His anger may get the best of him…

But it’s nothing compared to my wrath.

Keep poking the bear Ryan - I will maul your ass all over that ring. I will devour you before your loved ones and pay the hospital bill so that I can get you back into the ring and do it all over again! Trust me when I say this - I want your head bruh. Don’t worry about whether or not Carlos and The Wild Boys will drag me down! I don’t need your encouragement or any faux pas, peace offering, kumbaya shit you’re trying to sell me. The Zaibatsu isn’t some Friendship is Magic stable (see: Di Consentes). Zaibatsu is about acquiring equity and resources through winning the big matches, obtaining significant endorsements, and looking out for each other on the way up. It’s about family - having each other’s back in this cutthroat world. My so-called best friend has shown me she rather stab me than lift me up - I know what it’s like to feel that kind of pain. This organization is about carving a legacy - one that will last for the ages. Maybe one of my students take over and keep it going? Who knows. Thing is Ryan - I refuse to be one of the ones left behind. I think you’re a lot more familiar with that fear than you would like to admit to yourself.

You’re not going to win tonight Ryan.

I need you to know, understand, and believe this. I need you to have it etched inside your freaking skull that compared to where I am in my ability and where you are you will never be able to defeat me. Not in this universe kid! You say you want the War Queen!? I’ll give you something better: The Iconic War Queen. A woman who knows that on any given day she will become a World Champion. This is who you will be fighting Ryan Wilson. I’m the Queen of New York, the Yamata no Orochi who will devour you eight times over. I’m sure you have some comedic quip for that, but the Comedy Cellar is closed for the evening.

Welcome to your Nightmare Fakepool.

(We start this promo off with David arriving backstage at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Just look at him. Look at that suit he’s wearing. The thread count must be high as fuck. What a sharp dressed man David is. He looks like a billion bucks and he feels like it too. So here is the 3x Unified Tag Team Champion, rolling his luggage behind him, just minding his own business until Showdown’s security shows up. The same dudes that escorted The High Rollerz out of the building last week. David just keeps walking towards them until they form a wall. David, sporting that usual smug ass look on his face is forced to stop in his tracks, as he scans left to right, looking into the eyes of each and every security guard there.)

Security Douche #1: David, we aren’t here to cause you any harm. Nor are we here to kick you out of the arena. Well, not now at least. This is just a warning towards you and your partner. No funny business this week, alright? If you try to pull anything, you are outta here.

(David, takes a few steps and gets right in the security guard’s face, causing him to take a nervous gulp. David let’s out a huge sigh, knowing he doesn’t want to waste any of his time or energy on this.)

David: …I’ll be on my best behavior. Pinky promise.

Security Douche #8: We mean it, David. Don’t try anything cute.

David: Can you guys like, oh I don’t know, quietly fuck off or something? I literally just got here. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m just here to get settled in and then I’ll be out of your hair. Sound good? Good. But before I go, I must know, is Robert here by any chance?

Security Douche #-4: Not until tomorrow. Why?!

David: Just curious. Well gentlemen it’s been a pleasure.

(David grabs his luggage again and rolls it right over one of the guard’s foot, causing him wince in pain. We fast forward a bit to where David is sitting in his locker room, just collecting his thoughts. Being on his best behavior like he promised. Obviously there is a camera in his face, which means he’s most likely going to talk about his upcoming match. That or the camera is there to capture him doing nothing. It could go either way at this point. Oh, what’s he doing? David reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. He clears his voice before speaking.)

David: Before I get started, I just wanted to take this time to say something to a very special someone. Wherever he is, I’m sure he’s listening to this, so here it goes. You were my friend then, now almost a stranger! Our friendship appeared once glorious, what happened meantime gives me great anger. Our friendship no longer remains serious, fool you were to be misled by others, who drove a giant wedge ‘midst our friendship. Cut off is our friendship, which me bothers, a nadir has come in our relationship. What years of our happiness have been lost? You’ve been foolish, very much on your part. Our friendship today is just but a ghost, won’t your eyes see the true love in my heart? Dear friend however, you can’t be my foe, I hope that our friendship, blossoms once more. That was for you, Theron, my great friend. I worked really hard on that poem. Blood, sweat, tears … all of which I squeezed into those heartfelt words. Words that I spent a lot of time on. So obviously I didn’t google it. All me. All from the noggin. No need to search it to double check. See, my goal in all of this was to show you that we aren’t giving up on you, Theron. We would never say to hell with it, you aren’t worthy enough to be our ally anyways. Actually, the more I think about it, it’s true. We don’t just view you as an ally that we can later use as a meat shield. We aren’t going to use you, period. So what are you to us? I’ll gladly answer. After giving it some much needed thought, like all of five seconds, you aren’t even our friend. No, that’s an insult to you. That’s an insult to the connection the three of us have! What you are is more than that. You, Theron Nikolas, are our brother. And since you are our brother, we’ll always have your back. So with that said, I ask you once more to join us! Join us in our crusade. Shhhh, don’t even speak! I’m not looking for a yes or no. Just close your eyes and visualize what we could accomplish together. Imagine the chaos we would create. The havoc we would wreak. The bodies we would stack. Think of all the titles we would reap! All the merch we would sell, adding even more money to our overstuffed pockets. Theron, we would rule this brand with an iron fist. Nobody would come close to stopping such a well oiled machine. Not even the iceberg that is Robbie V. But you know what? I’m not here to put you on the spot with some “desperate” pitch. This isn’t some silly attempt to recruit you. I’m not Mike Krzyzewski or John Calipari or Nick Saban. So I’ll leave it there. Besides, I know at the end of the day, when the timing is right, you will make the right decision. This is an opportunity that you can’t afford to pass up and deep down, you know that. Don’t add another regret to your life. That’s all I ask.

So switching gears, lets talk about what awaits me this week. In case you didn’t know, I once again have a singles match on Showdown. Yep, that’s how the most clueless GM of all time, Robbie V books the greatest tag team that EAW has ever seen … in singles action. Makes sense. But I get it. I get what he’s doing. He’s teasing us. Making us face Di Consentes again, only this time individually, while they hold our titles, knowing we can’t do anything about it since Robbie thought it was in HIS … or as he would say, the brand’s “best interest”, to rip our rematch clause to shreds. Great going! No seriously, well done. Because of your stubbornness, and you just overall being caught up in your feelings, we have the current tag team champions facing teams like The Dragon Slayers! If that doesn’t put asses in seats then I don’t know what will! Move over Black Panther, Di Consentes vs The Dragon Slayers is the true global box office draw! Yes, that’s sarcasm. I felt like I had to point that out since so many of you are incapable of connecting the dots. Or better yet, because you’ve never had an actual conversation with another person before so you don’t know when someone is being sarcastic, all because the sun and human interaction scares you, but I digress. So with all that said, allow me to step up on this soap box here and proclaim how this is bullshit. All of it. All of this bullshit. No matter how you dice it, or what perspective you try to bring … it’s bullshit. It’s like the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Cameron and Claudia? They are living proof of that. Speaking of which, I don’t want to face you, Cameron. Not this week. It’s not because I’m afraid of you or because I think you’re better than me, oh no. It’s because I have a lot on my plate. Bigger fish to fry, you know? Yeah you know because it seems to be the story of your career. Being second fiddle. You aren’t even the most important thing to your partner. At best, you’re number three behind her husband and her world title. Same goes for your soon to be husband. It’s obvious he values his world title more than you. Wipe the eye crust away and open your eyes! It’s obv— oh how could I forget, he lost his championship to Elite of all people last weekend. Aka the guy that was a part of the Iconomy, seeing as how you randomly brought them up. But wow, such an anticlimactic end to such a storied and historic reign. He must feel bad. Probably crying rivers right now and stuffing his face with pastries, all just to help him cope. And when he needs you the most, here you are, wasting your breath on me. Shouldn’t you be there for him or something? Shouldn’t you lend your shoulder for him to cry on? Or to offer a hand to hold? To cook him up some chicken noodle soup and read him a bedtime story? Meh, it is what it is. I’m sure the dozens of groupies that wait outside his hotel room every weekend are offering a helping hand. Nothing to worry about. He’ll be fine. But do you know who isn’t fine? Me! Yep, gonna make this about me again because why the hell not?

You know what I’m sick of Cameron? No, I’m not talking about Robbie for once, even though yes, he very much annoys me. You, Cameron. I’m sick of you! I’m sick of seeing your face everywhere. I’m sick of watching you get five matches at every fucking EAW free-per-view. But I’m sure you don’t mind. You’re getting more exposure. You’re also getting double the paycheck. So obviously you aren’t going to pass up on these “money fights.” You would be foolish to do so. So I’m by no means knocking the hustle. You’re enjoying the ride with those two titles of yours, I can tell. But I hope you realize that when it comes to the long term, it’s going to be a nightmare for you. Since you’re getting two matches at every single FPV now, that means your body is taking even more of a pounding. There’s a cheap sex joke to be made there, but I will refrain myself. All those bumps and bruises are going to take its toll. Now I’m sure you’ll respond by saying how you’re a big girl, that you can handle it! Yay, girl power! All I’m saying is eventually, you’re going to hate yourself. Your mind is going to hate you for having to listen to multiple opponents each week, as they dish out a bunch of codswallop. It’s going to make you go crazy. And like I said, your body is going to hate you for taking risks that you never had to take in the first place. It’s all good for the time being. You’re still young. You’re in your prime! You don’t have to worry about any of this now. But one day, you’ll wake up. You’ll yawn, you’ll sit up and stretch your arms, then you’ll step out of bed and you’ll immediately fall to the floor. Your body will give out. And you’ll have nobody to blame but yourself.

Which just so happens to be the same exact words you said about me regarding our match at Reasonable Doubt. I’m the one to blame for losing our titles at Reasonable Doubt, as you put it. Yeah, it’s my fault! Pile it all on me! Let’s completely ignore the fact that Brian should have never given you a rematch in the first place. Let’s turn a blind eye at the fact the referee completely fucked us over! That’s right Cam, I pulled him out of the ring in the nick of time. Wish your father had my timing. Then you wouldn’t be here. But the important thing is, the ref never counted to three. His hand fell down all clumsy like because I was dragging him away. Long story short, you shouldn’t be tag team champions right now and deep down, you know it. I mean don’t you remember our talks leading up to that match? I asked you over and over again as to why you never took advantage of Drake’s help the month prior, and you told me you didn’t want any doubt. You didn’t want any sort of controversy surrounding your win. AND NOW LOOK AT YA! You never meant any of that. You were just too busy trying to sound politically correct. It’s pathetic! What a fitting name Reasonable Doubt is because there’s a heaping amount of doubt as to the legitimacy of your title reign. And of course, we won’t get a rematch, which I’m sure brings you pure joy because you know that when we lose those tag titles, we get them right back. In fact they would probably be around our waists right now. But no, the white knight of a GM had to step in to help protect his lover! HAHAHA SO MUCH BIAS IT FUCKING HURTS! That’s why we have a bone to pick with authority, Cameron. I get it, a lot of elitists in the past would try to fabricate some BS story so they could feud with their boss. And the mindless sheep that is the audience would eat it up because they too wish they could throw a punch or two at their boss’ face. No, unlike them we aren’t doing this to be cool. We aren’t looking to be labeled as the rebels who stand up the authority for no real reason like a Diamond Cage. That’s been beat to death since like 2011 or 12. This is legit. This is about our GM, whether it was Brian or now Robbie, trying to deny us from greatness by wrongfully taking opportunities away from us. So no, we aren’t just going to sit in a corner patiently while we twiddle our thumbs and bite our tongues. We are going to take action! But perhaps you’re right, Cam. Yes, you’re right about one single thing. Don’t flatter yourself because even a broken clock is right twice a day. Perhaps giving Robbie the Brian treatment wouldn’t solve anything. Knowing our luck, Lannister would replace him as acting GM. Or better yet, you! Because they sure do love shoving your appearances down our throats. Hurting Robbie physically? Been there, done that. But hurting the one he loves the most in this world …in the worst way possible? Ding, ding, ding.

You can draw your own conclusions there. But like I said to you earlier, Cameron … I’m unable to give you my full undivided attention like I did during Reasonable Doubt week. I know, I’m sure you’re really taken back by all of this. You might need a moment or two to recover from such heartbreaking news. Take all the time you need sweetheart. But I have bigger problems then trying to beat you in singles competition on a random episode of Showdown that will be forgotten about a week or two later. I have a Robbie problem. I have the whole trying to convince Theron to join our side thing. And oh yeah, I have to mentally prepare myself for my match against my best friend next week at whatever that super show is called. So yeah, you’re the least of my worries. But I’ll tell you what, for a minute or two, I can make you feel real special. I’ll give you the attention that your ego desires so it can live on. So let’s get started, shall we? First off, you’re probably expecting me to talk so much shit about you, yeah? Expecting me to attempt to besmirch everything you’ve done within this company. But I’m not going to do it. For instance, I know I have my work cut out for me this week. I’ve told you time and time again, that you’re a gifted singles competitor. Still not buying into Di Consentes as a legit team, with titles and all, but I’ve never once questioned your abilities when it’s just you and you only out there. No matter how hard I try, I can’t argue with results. More times than not, especially as of late, you get the job done. Just look at Reasonable Doubt as a reference. You go through an absolute bloodbath of a match against us, then we beat the shit out of you afterwards and you still manage to beat Keelan later that night. Or look back at Reckless Wiring. You had a nice little match against the Dragon Slayers and then you go on to beat the 300 hundred plus pound behemoth in Scott Oasis that same night. So again, I wish I could talk so much shit about you as I let out a derisive laugh at your misfortunes, but I can’t. You’ve been red hot. And now it’s up to me to knock you the fuck out and drag you back to a place called reality. It’s gonna be easier said than done, sure. After all, I’m still learning as singles wrestler myself. I know I have adjustments to make. For example, towards the end of my match against DC, I got a bit winded and unlike my tag matches, I was unable to tag in a fresh Jack Ripley. So sure, I have to work on my stamina. I have no shame in admitting that, especially since I’m looking to put you away early when the bell rings. So perhaps pizza and beer isn’t the best diet for this business. Just like waking up at 2 PM instead of getting an early morning run in isn’t the wisest decision to make. Oh well, shoot me. No please, shoot me so I never have to see your face or listen to you speak ever again. But while I am still breathing and with you holding our titles, let’s just say that we are going to make your life a living hell, spooky I know … just shaking in your boots. But the same goes for HBG and of course, her husband. Reasonable Doubt wasn't the end and you need to get that through that thick skull of yours. This isn’t some sprint, Cameron. This is a motherfucking marathon! So to think this is the downfall of The High Rollerz? Hahahaha, no you dumb sket, THIS IS THE RISE!

(David smirks, camera fades to black.)

Chapter 109: Stigma / Right place

Topics tagged under 1 on Elite Answers Wrestling 8jGR30C

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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”What is going to carry me on, to ascend to greatness, to maintain it when there is no one left that doubts me? Let's be real; there will always be doubters, and I have grown to accept that.There will always be one person around the locker room that is sceptical of your abilities, and during my time as New Breed Champion, those people were in surplus. Challengers and more established members of the roster alike. Though I have turned a few of those people around by the time my reign came to an end, there are still plenty to ultimately convince that, yeah, Finnegan Wakefield can hang with the best of them, that he is a main event calibre wrestler. In this match alone, there are three people that don't think I have what it takes at the minute for one reason or another. All of which I aim to show, not convince, but show that I can. But let's divulge in hypotheticals. Let's say I clear up that stigma completely, every doubter I once had is completely on the Finnegan Wakefield bandwagon, where will I tap motivation from? Well, I am that kind of guy that, once he has accomplished one goal, he makes another. Once I have established that I belong in the main event spectrum of the hierarchy of this joint, the next step is to claim that prize; the World Heavyweight Championship. After that? Break some records, make some history. Become one of the better champions of the lineage, be it through days held, successful defences or just sheer work rate, if not all of the above, there is plenty to accomplish even with the gold secured to keep a guy like me motivated and going. Even when I eventually succumb to the war of attrition, when I drop the championship to someone else, the goal becomes reclaiming it. Lather, rinse and repeat. In an industry like professional wrestling, there is plenty to keep someone motivated to accomplish more; hence why guys like DEDEDE and Impact stick around despite seemingly having accomplished everything there is to accomplish. Motivation to accomplish more is a bottomless well, plentiful for those who want to ascend to greatness. And to ascend to greatness, I am aware that I won't always have to fight on my time, under my circumstances, under my rules. I was never ignorant to that fact, I knew if I was going to thrive and survive here I was going to have to get my hands dirty outside of my comfort zone of the traditional rules of this sport. Though the technical and traditional style of this sport it is my niche, I signed my name on the dotted line knowing I was going to spill my blood in this company, and I took that in stride. I took it in stride when I fought inside the Steel Cage, took it in stride in a Glass Tables match, took it in stride when I fought in the Blackout match that saw me hospitalized for a short period of time, having shards of metal picked out of my flesh.

This is a canis canem edit business, dog eats dog, the strongest survive. Cheaters can prosper momentarily, but they are weaker for it. Nathan Fiora is weak, despite holding the championship for the moment, he revealed that he is weak. Losing it the way I did, yeah, it broke my heart to have such a weakling take it from me under those circumstances. But I stand taller at the end of the day, knowing that he had to stoop to such lose to get the momentary one-up on me. Looking back at it now, I can only grin knowing eventually those tables will turn. I don't need to stoop to those lows to excel in this company, I am not that weak-willed. This place can be ruthless, and I can be ruthless in return without having to bend rules. I can be the best damn wrestler to ever lock up with another in this ring, pull joints out of sockets, concuss with kicks to the head. If this were still Extreme Answers Wrestling; it's quite simple. That's not the industry I would want to be apart of, I would never have been interested starting. But then it evolved. It began to acknowledge that it harboured truly elite talents, and it changed to accommodate. The extreme roots surface every now and again, and that's perfectly fine, this is where I want to be, this is where I want to make the name Finnegan Wakefield a name synonymous with elite wrestling. I don't shy away from the blood, I have spilt my fair share, plenty more to spare. When I am in that ring, I don't play nice. People can stab me in the back, twist the knife and try and take my spot. Cowards will do what they have to do. But I will always get back up, take back my spot my way. I have faced the cruel reality, it has told me many times my ways won't work and every time, I spit in its face. I would rather perish through my own methods then bend and stoop to the lows of a coward. I don't care if it is or isn't entertaining, I don't care if people agree or disagree with it. It is the path I chose to walk and I am iron-willed enough to stick to my guns. Why am I better than an Ahren Fournier? What will force me over the edge, and take what you want away from you? I won't bore you with those platitudes. Actions will speak much louder than words. I'm sure that's one of those boring answers you said would force you to tap out from, but why should I care what satisfies you, my opposition, another dog looking to eat the weak? One way or another, due to boredom or the immense pressure of a submission hold in my arsenal, it won't matter how you tap. If it comes down to it, you will."

---

"Am I really in the wrong place at the wrong time? See, I don't believe that I am. In fact, I dare say that I think I am right where I need to be. Yeah, I guess you could say that I am that arrogant of a mind to say that I can, in fact, break the bones and tare the muscles in the body of Carlos Rosso. Whether or not he is frightened or intimidated by that kind of threat is of no concern to me. Word to the wise, though, he should probably take it a little more seriously than to brush it off with a mere laugh. If you have both been watching me as closely as you claim, you should both be well aware that I make good on the promises I make, more often than not. And if I say that I can break down Carlos Rosso, twist his arms and dislocate his shoulder from its socket, best believe if push comes to shove, I mean every single word of it. What am I going to do against him in a match with stakes this high? Well, that's pretty much going to push comes to shove. Think you can do the math, even if he can't. Such a statement doesn't come from a place of ignorance. I am not a foolish man, not one to get in over his head. If the situation calls for it, I will go to any extremes. I am well educated on how decorated of an opponent he is, well aware of the sadistic nature that he possesses, well aware of the wars he has both fought in and survived in the past. And he will survive this one too. Though if he will walk away as the victor is a completely different story. No offense to your client there, love, but I could stare your opponent dead in the eye and not feel a flicker of intimidation. I will admit that pattern recognition helps. Knowing the number of these "wars" as you have called them he has walked out of victorious of since returning to Voltage doesn't really strike fear into the hearts of men. Probably why the likes of Ryan Wilson wants to square up to him as much as he does. Hell, even before Keelan dropped his surname and became the scum of the earth, I remember winning one of those wars against him at Territorial Invasion. Back then though, I was not as battle-hardened and experienced as I have grown to be since. Because it's not like my entire stint in the New Breed division has been all against young lions and fledgelings. Four Hall of Famers have stood across the ring from me, Jamie O'Hara even while he was still the champion, and although I won none of those battles, they can tell you I did better than even they thought I could have with the little experience that was under my belt. I have ascended since. And now I want to go to war with the merciless, the sadistic, the best. The guys who think they can chew me up and then spit me out. If Carlos wants to attempt to scar the flesh on my body with his fists like a tattoo, fuck it, pass the message along that I'll even give him the first shot, free of charge. But do me a favor when you do that, sunshine. Add to the bottom of that message "P.S, I will ensure one of two things before the match comes to an end. Either A) A temporary lack of function in one or both of his arms or B) A kick pad induced lazy eye and short-term memory loss. And if he doesn't have the grapefruits to confront me himself instead of his secretary, again, no offense love, that might turn from a multiple choice option to a checklist."

---

"While I am here, a quick fuck you to Revenant too. That is all, for now."

Chapter 108: Aggression

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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”That seems to be the general consensus when it comes to the question "What is Finnegan Wakefield lacking?" They see a clean shaven Englishman that shakes hands and shows ideals that are frowned upon in the current state of this industry such as honor and respect and make it their source of mockery. Nine times out of ten, they will tell me what I lack is an aggression to keep up with the hardest hitters of the company, a killer instinct that will prevent me from being eaten alive, that I was a big fish swimming with sharks... or at least, that is how it use to be. They say that the eyes are the window to a man's soul. If you looked into my eyes a year ago, yeah, you'd probably see just average joe eyes with an average joe soul, a guy who wanted to be in this business because that was all he ever wanted. But now, Carlos, what can you see when you look into my eyes? What do you see in my soul? Do you see my burning ambitions; the fire that I have in my core to achieve everything that I could ever want to achieve? Or do you see the cold, steel-esque eyes of someone who has been tested and slapped in the face one too many times and is out to rip another man's shoulder from its socket and beat him across the head with it? Because that is a coin every opponent of mine flips. They flip that coin to see if they have the fired up and ambitious Finnegan Wakefield, or the cold and calculated bone-cracker Finnegan Wakefield. Revenant got the latter. Ahren sees the first. But what do you see Carlos? Do you see the Finnegan Wakefield that took on every challenger with everything he has? Or do you see the Finnegan Wakefield who put his life on the line against Jon McAdams in a match that very well could have ended both of our careers, if not our lives? You have said so yourself, making a mistake against me will more often than not be a fatal one. Revenants ribs are held together with duck tape and glue after the double foot stomp, and that because he chose to make that fatal mistake and, to this very day, refuses to learn from it. His brash arrogance will see him getting into more trouble than it will into title matches, let alone championship success. He is the key demonstration I use now when people question my aggression. He is the perfect example of someone who just kept on pushing until I flicked that switch and showed him no mercy. I shattered his facade, his ribs and his mind for pushing me that far. You don't doubt my skill, but you doubt my aggression. I may not have blown people up, might not have knee'd someone off of a bridge, but I don't need to do those things to get my aggression across. Flip that coin, see for yourself what I can do when I am pushed past my tolerance levels. To put it in a way you might understand, Carlos; if you doubt my aggressive nature... ¡Os voy a romper a pedazos!"

Chapter 107: Zenith

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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”Many opponents I have faced in the past seem to think it is such an easy thing to accomplish. To take my dreams away, to shatter them under their boot. Yet, not a single one has been able to make it so. They think some mesially, forgotten tomorrow defeat will leave Finnegan Wakefield broken, chasing cars for the rest of his career. Fools, every single one of them, and I proved that to be the case every single time. Revenant thought he could, and in the aftermath, I shattered any credibility he had in gunning for the New Breed Championship, lifted the veil of his self-glorification of a demon and a monster to reveal but another foolish man wearing a skin that isn't his to wear. McQueen was probably the one who was most ambitious to destroy my dreams but look at him now when he hears my name. He wants me nowhere near his Interwire Championship, he knows if I came for it I would take it because I won't play along with his idiotic games and laugh along with his groaner, recycled from anywhere else jokes. And he has every right to feel that way. Because I would. Point being, many tried to intercept my dreams to bring them to a grinding halt, and they have all been kicked out of the way. Nathan Fiora may have won, taken my title, but that won't stop me either. Does the loss still linger in the back of my mind? Absolutely, I believe I will always be annoyed to my core the New Breed Championship was stolen away from me from such a smug piece of shit. But that only puts fuel in my tank to show that one loss only drove me to greater heights. And with the World Heavyweight Championship becoming a possibility on that road, you better believe it only fuels me that much further to make that my destination. But as you said yourself, it's easier said than done. To say I will become the number one contender and making it so are two separate things. But I wouldn't be proclaiming it if I wasn't confident that I could. It's a roll of the dice, I might get snake eyes. Or it could pay off big time. Even if that chance is minuscule, naked to the human eye, I will take it without a second guess. I would have done the same regardless of the championship opportunity that presented itself. Interwire Championship, Openweight Championship, I would have been ready to make those same risks. But it's the zenith, the holy grail, the World Heavyweight Championship that has got my attention. Even if I fall in this Fatal 4-Way, if I don't get the shot at the top prize of the company, I don't believe I would be a loser in the eyes of anyone. And if I am to the select few that never wanted to see me succeed in the first place, there are other plates of gold that I can chase after and claim in the detour. Hell, I'll even put up with Moongoose's clowning around to do it if I have to"

"Ahren, I am ready to make those dreams of mine come true. Even if this isn't the chance that will grant my dreams to come true, it's a shot worth taking in case it does. And with those words, there is a world of expectations that I have to carry on my shoulders, thousands of times heavier than what I was used to as New Breed Champion. And all I have to say is bring it on. I want the weight of the world on my shoulders, because I know I can carry it. Even if this place became your vision, if this place became Planet Fournier, I would carry that as well. Because I too want to wipe away a stigma; a stigma that Finnegan Wakefield will never be world championship material. I have changed some minds around the locker room, but not all of them. Hall of Famers and some of the best this company have to offer, the ones I have faced were whitewashed of that stigma and know that, one day, Finnegan Wakefield will be the World Heavyweight Champion. It is no longer a matter of if, it's a matter of when. With this opportunity that hangs in the balance, it can be as early as the Grand Rampage. If somehow this chance slips through the fingers, there are the odds of the Grand Rampage match itself to make it to even the grandest stage of them all; Pain for Pride. The people I have defeated with the New Breed Championship on my way to this point, yeah, to some people they are meaningless in my list of people I have faced, but I unlocked their best performances, their full potential. Ironico and I made it to the Tag Team Grand Prix finals, something no one thought would ever happen, but it did. I just have that presence, to demand someones best and pull it from them. With you, Ahren, I am going to do the same. I am going to demand your best and will contend it with mine. Because I am not one of those "pussies in tights", as you called them, I am as legit as it gets around here. I have stared the likes of O'Hara, Dubian, HBG, Nova and Ella Ava in the eyes and never for a second felt intimidated, that I could beat them. Some can chalk it up to me being young and dumb and picking fights I could never win in the first place, but they'll never know just how far I am going to push myself to be the guy that beats anyone who steps in the ring with me. And right now, the chance presents itself to topple Chris Elite as quickly as his reign began. Voltage may not have the most talked about main event scene right now, but I guarantee once my name has joined the fray, it'll be the most competitive main event division in EAW as a whole."

Chapter 106: Goliath

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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”A demon... is that what you are calling yourself now? Oy vay, I didn't know I fractured your fragile ego to that extreme. I didn't know I fractured your ego to the extent where you have to even call yourself such ridiculous things like a demon to mend the cracks. You try a lot to mend those cracks with your delusional nonsense, don't you? Now, your ego wants to take just a little, insignificant piece of credit for my defeat to Fiora, thinking that a war of attrition was my undoing. I was one hundred percent going into that match, and the loss came about due to Fioras desperate cheating to try and rip the gold from my clutches. Do you really wanna know how much you contributed to that? Zilch; nada; nothing. This might come as a shock to you, Michael, but everything that happens in my EAW career doesn't have a direct cause and effect relationship with the Revenant. Never has, never will. Earth shattering revelation, I know. Another shocking revelation that I feel I should fill you in on, is that I am not hiding anything, I have better things to do than lie to you. McAdams, Wolfe, and yes, even Ironico came closer to taking this championship away from me than you did. I was even sweating it, that Ironico was going to be the one to take the title from me. With you, I knew it was a sure thing. Because you didn't have it, you still don't. I never had to "squirm through the cracks" as you put it, with you, it was just a matter of putting you down and keeping you down. First time around, I just outsmarted you. The second, I abolished you. And now for the third, you still try and fire the same boring, delusional potshots, but the result will be the same. Three times, thirty, three hundred, three thousand, it doesn't matter, every time I will counter your delusions with factual results. Because you refuse to grow from your mistakes from the cage, and I don't pity you enough to pull any punches in an attempt to lay those delusions to bed once and for all. But this time, if you refuse to stay down, I will put you down."

"And then, there is you, Carlos. You think I don't have a killer instinct? Clearly, you have been watching my matches as the New Breed Champion with only half of that already abysmal attention span. Did you not see the extremes I was willing to go through just a few weeks ago, when I put the exclamation mark at the end of my victory over that delusional fuckwit Revenant with a diving foot stomp from the very top of a steel cage? Where you not an observer of the fifty-foot plummet I took from the top of the Shock Value set and into the catacombs of the electric pit that burned the flesh on my back and filled it with shards of metal? Because I will tell you this much, sunshine, those weren't acts of a merciful man. Those were the extremes I was willing to go to, the risks I was willing to take for the victories I have obtained. For a title such as the New Breed Championship even. But now let me ask you this. If I was willing to do all of that for a championship that is, depending on who you ask, a mid-card tier championship, what do you think I will put myself through for the top prize? I'd take that plummet ten times over. Sure, I could set my sights on a prize just a little bit smaller and gun for the Openweight and the Interwire, but that isn't what this match presents. It presents the top prize, the World Heavyweight Championship. So why settle for less at this point? Why not go all in on a risk that could leave me with nothing? Why not go balls to the wall to win it all? A believable contender? Probably not. But when have I ever been the kind of guy that meets peoples expectations? When have I shackled myself to the restraints of what people consider believable? I have always surpassed those expectations people had for me, everything they threw my way I knocked out of the park. Everything might be harder now, but you won't see me turning my back on these opportunities, backing down from those tough fights. If the likes of a Carlos Rosso being in the match makes the challenge that much harder, all the better. Anything that can be obtained easily is something that isn't worth fighting for. I possess a killer instinct Carlos, it may take a little bit of a push to rear its head, but I do in fact possess it. And when it does, I don't shy away from breaking bones, laying everything on the line to secure a victory by any means necessary. Against you is no exception. So answer me this, Carlos; why wait for tomorrow when I can make my time come now? And if you are going to be the Goliath that stands between me and the crown, I will be the David that will knock you down to claim it."

Chapter 105: Under your skin

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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Finnegan begins the promo with a loud groan. ”I thought by now, after two attempts to paint me as some sham of a champion, two attempts to make a lasting impact on my career, by now I thought you would have learned a lesson. Yet here you are, still as stubborn as ever. Revenant, how many times are we going to be doing that song and dance? For how many more weeks are you going to go around mouthing off like an idiot? Because ever since I beat you that first time around, all you have ever talked about was me. No matter who you faced, no matter what is on the agenda for the week, you continue to spew the same mindless, attention seeking dribble. You did it to try and paint me as a sham of a New Breed Champion, and how did that turn out? Defeated. And now, who are you trying to convince that you "almost beat me?" Are you trying to convince me? Because you never will. I was in that cage, I was the one that handed you that defeat. Or are you trying to convince everyone else that you were "one-fourth of a second away from becoming New Breed Champion?" Because they saw the same match, and they didn't see me "barely surviving the Revenant", they saw Revenant defeated by Finnegan Wakefield. No, I think the person you are trying to convince is yourself. Because you have left no lasting impact on my career, chances are, if your obsession with me allowed you to not speak about whine and complain about me as much as you do, I would forget you even exist. You never played me like a fiddle, you are not a leech that has crawled under my skin. You're just another opponent, an opponent that lost. Twice. And yet week after week, you try and tell anyone within ears shot that you were so close to dethroning the "prince" of the New Breed. Cute. But cute doesn't make it fact. I think the opposite is the truth. I think I am the one that has gotten under your skin. Because you can never let it go, doomed to bitch about me until the end of time. And that's fine, do that. I just don't wanna be the one to hear it. Because it's pathetic. Be a grown man, and just accept that your own mistake is the reason you NEVER had a chance of dethroning me as the New Breed Champion. You can try and take as much credit as you can that I eventually lost the championship to Fiora, but you had litterally nothing to do with it. I had no nagging injury, I had no wounds unhealed. Fiora beat me of his own accord, albeit by cheap and cowardly methods. I may no longer be the New Breed Champion, but that doesn't mean anything has changed. I have kicked your dumbass twice, and I am shining up my kick pads good for a third. And I am going to kick all your delusional thoughts out of your dumb cunt head.

Chapter 104: Face Value

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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”It is something that is worth bringing into question. You are not the first to ask about it, Ahren, but you will be the first I give a clear answer to. After everything that occurred at Brooklyn Heights, when Nathan Fiora stole that championship away in the cowardly manner he did, you're absolutely right, I was gutted. And since then, with the days that followed, elitist after elitist were asking me what I was going to do next. Was I going to go back and try and get what I feel is rightfully mine from Fiora? No. I have to leave that in my past. I have been a New Breed competitor for over a year now, and in that spectrum, I had a taste of what it is like to be up there with the elites. That taste was only a sample, but it's enough to make me ultimately accept my defeat that night, despite the cowardly actions of Fiora to obtain it, and move on to what is next for Finnegan Wakefield. When I came through the curtains and elitists from all brands were patting me on the back, there were a select few that were curious just where my head was at, a lot like you are now. And you know, I didn't have a clear answer for them, I didn't know. A lot of them suggested that I persue the Interwire Championship, but seeing who holds it right now, I think I'll pass on that for the time being. Not looking forward to having to deal with that headache again; another thing we can agree on it seems. And so for two days, I was kind of lost to myself, wondering myself what was next for me in this business. And then the email came, and it answered my questions. The EAW World Heavyweight Championship. Yeah, it's ambitious, but I am nothing if not an ambitious man. To jump from a run as the New Breed Champion to try and obtain the #1 contenders spot for the World Heavyweight Championship, I am sure there are people who think I am bonkers to try and jump that gap so quickly." Finnegan stabs a determined finger into his chest a few times, right above his heart. ”But as long as this keeps beating, pumping blood through my veins, I am not afraid to make such a leap. So, to answer your question; what kind of mindset am I in? The kind of mindset that is willing to roll the dice on such an opportunity. What do I really have to lose? Nothing. After taking my leave from the New Breed division, I start at square one as an established EAW name. An opportunity presents itself to kickstart my way to the top, to answer your second question, am I able to fight for this? Yeah, yeah I am. Because I had sporadic times in the limelight, the main event slot in several cards now, and I have come to find it is a cozy place to be. Being in that spot, it really gets the blood pumping like nothing else does. But I am not considered a main event player, at least not yet. That's something to be earned, and with one win I can earn that spot in the span of a week from my fall as the New Breed Champion. Everything I did with that championship when I held it, every person I faced when I did, that put prestige into it. But I can put more prestige into it even without the belt around my waist with whatever I do after. And it'll be a nice feather in the cap for my reign as New Breed Champion if I can immediately make that impact into the main event scene, an impact that will push me closer to the top of the mountain, towards the ultimate prize in the World Heavyweight Championship. I am more than ready to make that leap."

"Holding the gold gave me quality opponents. Moongoose McQueen, Jon McAdams, Harvey Yorke, mi amigo El Ironico (to which I better be his best man at his wedding, cause I am sure as hell going to be hosting one hell of a bachelor party), and to a lesser extent Revenant, they all gave me quality championship defences. But holding the championship also gave me opponents higher up the totem pole. Cameron Ella Ava, Heart Break Gal, Jamie O'Hara, Devan Dubian, among the list of names I fought with the title around my waist. Victory in each occasion wasn't in the cards, but all of them can attest that defeating me was no easy task., I had plenty more fight than they took me for at face value. The loss at the supershow closed that chapter in my career, and I know I will deep down have a regret that I didn't do more in it. But I am proud of how that first chapter was written. The next chapter is only just beginning, and I want to make it better than the last. Mentally anguished? Vietnam flashbacks? I can assure you nothing of the sort has afflicted me. And I am not the kind of guy to make mistakes to be capitalized on. I am lazer focused on the task at hand, and that's winning this Fatal 4-Way match. And I know you're the same. I acknowledge that you're talented and that a head to head encounter with you will eventually be in the cards regardless of the result. We both lost high profile matches at the Supershow, both seek to reclaim the credibility we may have lost in the process to go with the title shot. I may be diving head first into the deep end, but I am not afraid of the sink, because I know I can swim with the best of them. You're a legit competitor, and I look forward to testing my mettle against the likes of you. But let it be known, I aim to win. Give me your best, and I will do my best to beat it."

Chapter 103: Greed

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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”Greed; the overwhelming desire to obtain more of something, a selfish desire that is an unquenchable thirst -- something that never truly ends. When I think of Carlos Rosso, greed is the word I would associate to the name. Makes no secrets about it either; completely aware that he is a man driven by his greed to obtain more championship gold. The resume speaks for itself, many different championships from many different companies, EAW being no different. Two stints as Tag Team Champion, two different stints as Interwire Champion. Between all four men in this match, when it comes to gold in the land of elites, Carlos Rosso has seen the most, has the most experience fighting for, has the most experience of obtaining. I wish I could say that has my knees rattling, makes me second guess myself going into this Fatal 4-Way. But it doesn't. With Jamie being uncrowned, the championship picture has received a hard reset; men who never had an opportunity before to state a claim at the title now get their shot. Although I am a patient man, I am also an ambitious one. Chances like this for a guy like me, they come once in a blue moon. So when the chance presents itself, you better believe that I am going to do everything in my power to obtain it. I would be foolish to think you wouldn't do the same; after all, when it comes to the pinnacle, the top prize of this company, it has been the one thing that has asphyxiated you for the longest time. You have claimed championships across the globe, world championships even in other companies, but when it comes to the various world championships under the EAW umbrella, they have always been just that little bit out of your grasp. With a new champion, I am sure that would only feed your desire more knowing that it's not a Jamie O'Hara, that it is a champion only now finding his legs in that position. I can say that same thought crosses my mind when I see Chris Elite standing atop Voltage. I have faced Chris Elite before back on Dynasty early last year, and not once has he ever beaten me. In our one on one encounter back then, I even was able to best him in a match. And we have both grown since then, one of us taking our time in the New Breed division, the other pushing himself to the main event picture, eventually even to World Championship glory. While he has been a star on the rise, I have been slow cooking myself as a competitor, honing his craft, mastering his trade. While you see an untested champion holding what you want most, I see an old rival who has beaten me to the top. Whether or not he is truly the apex of this brand has yet to be put to the test, but I am ecstatic to be the one to try and test it. Also to test whose progression evolved them into the better competitor, something a championship belt can't prove until it is on the line.

Since Territorial Invasion, I have been pushing myself beyond the limits of any New Breed competitor of my class, proving there is a lot of young and untapped potential that comes with me. Although I was thrown around, giving a merciless thrashing from all fronts, I always got back up when people counted me out. And I have become stronger. I have broken my own pain threshold, taken hits that would knock any normal man out and returned it twice as hard. And when they called me nothing special, just another fledgeling that will break away and become an afterthought any month now, I stuck to my guns and fired from all cylinders. And that was all while I was in the New Breed division -- but I am a fledgeling no more. I have put in all the time and effort to make it to this point, and there's no looking back now. Removed from the New Breed Championship, I now yearn for another. And even against the greediest and most experienced of opponents, I will not waver; will not tire; will not falter; and will not fail. Because now more than ever, I am ready to climb that mountain. And if you're going to try and beat my ass Carlos, you better make those shots count. Because I am much stronger than I was in our last encounter, the beatings you gave me back then are child's play to the beatings I have taken since and still walked away from triumphant. And now, I am prepared to hand out the receipts for the beatings of my past. And Carlos, there is one with your name on it."

Oh, my goodness.

It’s absolutely amazing what can happen in three seconds. The entire landscape of a sport can change. The lives of men can change. And the course of history can change. For the last few months, I had prepared myself for the possibility of the greatest fight in wrestling history, Jamie O’Hara vs Carlos Rosso, the longest reigning champion in EAW history against the greatest wrestler in the history of EAW to never have held a world championship in EAW. This fight was going to be something Pain for Pride worthy.

And it’s all gone now.

Not through any fault of my own, mind you. This superclash that the world wanted to see could have taken place at any time, but Kenny Drake continued to play Russian Roulette with challengers to O’Hara until one bullet finally did the job. Chris Elite….the owner of the new Gawd Contract. There are some of you who probably think that I would take this moment to ridicule Chris but those of you who do think that do not understand that I have known Chris for a long, long time. I remember him from his days back in CWF and AWL among other places. I remember seeing him struggle valiantly to pull himself to Championship level and become The Man once before, and although I’m certainly surprised that he dethroned JAMIE FUCKING O’HARA of all people, I’m not surprised that he has ascended as he has.

So….with my fight that would have made myself, Jamie and EAW millions upon millions of Dollars, Euros, Yen, Yuan and every other currency you can think of, what do I do now? I admittedly obsessed over facing Jamie. That was the only match that I was truly interested in having. Now that it’s not taking place anymore, at least in the format and with the story that I envisioned, I need to focus myself on another task, right? Well, it’s simple enough. There is only one objective on my mind and I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to take hold of it:

To become the #1 Contender for the EAW World Heavyweight Championship.

There are some interesting faces around for this four way match that I have to win to get the first crack at the new Champ. One of them is a man that I’ve never had a chance to face before. The Revenant. I have seen him talk about me and my comrades on Social Media, but I don’t know if he knows exactly what he has gotten himself into just yet. There have been many a young aspiring star that has come to EAW who has considered me out of date, an MMA washout (why I get this I don’t know, I have done MMA training of course, but I have no need to fight in a cage for peanuts when I can fight in EAW for millions), and you referred to my good friend Keelan as a Wife Beater! You have no idea how difficult the decision that Keelan made was! He knew that Madison, who I said was a no-good tramp long ago, was holding him back! She DESERVED what she got. It is Karma for all the harm that she has caused my student Erica Ford, and other women on the EAW roster. She’s far from defenseless and I hope that she sits at home forever, clutching the Empress of Elite crown as a ironic reminder that she will never be the vicious beast that she once was after Keelan ripped what little dignity she had left away. As I usually do, I keep a close eye on newcomers. I saw your performances in the past few weeks and I have to say that you very well could have been New Breed Champion yourself. In fact, I think that’s a great goal for you to pursue because you will not get this Top Contender position at my expense. You may not know me, but the other people in this match, the EAW World Heavyweight Champion and so many others on this roster are all familiar with what I bring. I possess the Strongest Arm in EAW, my Southern Lariat strikes down anyone who is stupid enough to get in my way. I look forward to hearing from you, Rev, and even more forward to facing you in the ring for the first time and showing you how steep your climb to the top truly will be.

Then there is Ahren Fournier. I don’t know what the hell he is right now. I’m being serious. I don’t understand him. Not one tiny bit. My memory recalls the name Fournier, but not for anything of merit. Just a ridiculous bit of nonsense that makes Moongoose McQueen look as stoic as Starr Stan or Jaywalker. I don’t care about your trip with Dedede, all I care about is that you are in my way right now. History has proven time and again that being in my way is not a good place for people to be, especially if something I want is on the other side. Maybe you want to continue your attack on the “system” or parade the fact that you are top contender in Dedede’s face, I don’t know and I don’t really care. All I know is that you are going to fall, just like the others.

And finally, the man that I am most familiar with in this match, Finnegan Wakefield. Former New Breed Champion. As a man who has held Championships across the world, I somewhat sympathize with you. Losing a championship that you covet is a frustrating thing. I even once had to sit by and watch a Tag Team championship reign end in EAW because my partner was forced into a handicap match when I was not medically cleared. But there is something about losing a championship that I know very well: departing from one treasure is usually the impetus to look for another. I will be very honest in my assessment of you: at a young age, I could only imagine doing some of the things that you are doing in the ring. This is coming from someone who was holding four belts in four different federations by the age of 25. You have all the skill in the world to be a World Champion in EAW. You will climb that mountain in time. The New Breed Championship’s demanding defenses hardened you and I go into this match with newfound appreciation and respect for you.

But respect isn’t gonna stop me from beating your ass.

You, of all people should know that I am a very greedy, very merciless man. You said yourself that you were on the end of a beating at my hands, that you understand exactly what you are going against. You saw what happened when I faced Moongoose. I have indeed lost the Championship to him, but it was not without controversy that he has held onto it. I had him DEFEATED in the center of the ring, when Ryan Wilson came to save him. And then, in a six man tag, he pinned one of the Wild Boys, not me. If you go and look at the history of Moongoose and myself, I think he will be the far more relieved of us that our clashing is over. But, just like he has a long memory, so do I. I have not forgotten what he did and how lucky he has been to keep the Interwire Championship. He will pay one way or another.

For now though, my focus is on the task at hand. Someone will eventually deal with Moongoose from the Zaibatsu, and the other interloper will meet his match when Stephanie Matsuda, my good friend, training partner, and the Ace of the Zaibatsu and all of EAW, will CRUSH Ryan Wilson. I have no worries in mind other than beating whoever I have to beat to get my shot at the new Champion. If you think that the Young Lions are shattering the old guard, maybe you are right. Everywhere around me, I see so many new, bright young faces as Champions of the World...except for HBG on Showdown who happens to be a little older than me. Otherwise, there is this YOUTH movement that is underway, a wave of raging hormones and fast recovery times turning EAW on its head. That may be so….but as other “youth movements” have found out in the past, Carlos Rosso is quite difficult to get rid of. The Quintessential Trailblazers tried, Tyler Parker and Chuck Scene tried. Moongoose has tried. Keelan himself tried. Norman Hellion tried…..and all have failed. No one can keep me down. No one can kick me out of this sport forcibly. No one tells me when to go. I will leave when I feel good and ready to leave.

Sadly for you, that’s not this week.

I will do whatever is necessary to hold the World Heavyweight Championship in my grasp. At Territorial Invasion, Finnegan, you only got a sample size taste of what lengths I will go to have this opportunity. In eight years of wrestling in EAW, I have never had a one on one opportunity to capture a World Championship.

That drought will end on Sunday after I have defeated you, Revenant or Ahren. It makes no difference who it is to me, just know that this Old Lion still has plenty of tricks left. And that the Red Storm that has engulfed Voltage for the past half a year is only getting stronger and more dangerous…..

Empire #1

“Tackling Hardships”

(We get a shot of Azumi as she’s sitting cross-legged on the rooftop of her hotel, looking over Greenville, the city for the next episode of Empire. She’s wearing a thin light blue hoodie with JET emblem on it.)

Here we go, Ladies and Gentlemen. It’s time for the road to Pain For Pride 11 to begin. It’s the time of year where everyone has to step up to get on the card. And that one chance I talked about I had is gone. So now it’s one more time the reset button got pressed for me. Right back down the card, I go, but like I've constantly said. Every fucking time I fall, I will rise stronger, better and more driven than ever. That’s the constant here with me, I will fight. I will continue to get up regardless how bad my defeat was but who knows about this time. My neck hurts, shoulders hurt and everything else at this point but it’s not going to stop me. Not even my opponent for this week. To be honest with all of you, I just don’t care about who Hinata Shinoda, she’s in my way. I’m looking towards the bigger picture of myself, a bigger stage to claim as my own. Somewhere right at the stop of EAW. But knowing that this story is involving me, the journey will be long, dangerous, and whatever else can be thrown at my way but I know when we reach PFP, I will be on the grandest stage to claim what’s mine and what has eluded me for so long.

(She gets up, the look on her face changed to something more serious. Her eyes glancing at the sign to hype up that Empire is live from Greenville featuring some of Empire’s top stars on it. A sign that doesn’t feature her on it.)

That. That sign right there is one of the things that’s eluded for so long. Being featured on, having my face on it and not just on the side but right in the middle of it as well. It’s eluded for so long, two years and yet, I’m probably nowhere close.

But first I guess we’re going to need to clear this journey to PFP before anything else. I’m not sure where the journey will take me, maybe through Grand Rampage, maybe my road to PFP doesn’t exist and I’m going to need to carve out own my path. Every bit of body pain I feel doesn’t matter right now, at that point. I have to shake off every bit of it for these next coming months. I just simply can’t let anyone else get ahead of me! I’ve fallen behind of the people who’ve been on Empire for a shorter time. Megan is already a champion, Chelsea already had her world title match, and everyone else is making these huge leaps. Here am I, pretty much falling behind in a way. But no more! I’ve been tackling hardships more than anyone here but no longer. This is it, people! One more gamble, I’m kind of low on chips at this point. My stock on Empire probably dropped hard but here I still am. I’ve said it time and time again, that Azumi Goto is Unbreakable and that continues to biggest thing you all haven’t understood. I will continue to be Unbreakable regardless of what is thrown my way.

I definitely won’t be stopped by Hinata Shinoda. Fellow Japanese and all, I’m winning this. What’s her drive? What’s her motivation? Nothing… There’s no hardship for you to deal with. Nothing at all. So should I take her seriously? No. I’ll probably go into this match, air guitar my way to the ring and win. I truly mean that Shinoda, you just have simply no chance of winning against The Ace. It’s the unfortunate and honest truth about our match. If any other newcomer on Empire, you could possibly win but against me, against the Ace Of The New World, against someone who’s will to win is greater than yours. Your chances of winning are absolutely zero.With barely anything left, this is it. Either I win my matches, take my opportunity and finally reach the top or crumble under the pressure. I guess we’ll see what will happen. This is my road to Pain For Pride, the road is going to long and hard but this is me we’re talking about. I’ll fight through the pain, the world and anything else to make it to Pain For Pride.

It’s either now or never…

(Azumi gets up and walks away from the camera as the lens of its focus on the sign for Empire.)

Chapter 102: Shining Quality

"The Wrestling Artist" Finnegan Wakefield

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Our scene opens with the solemn looking face of Finnegan Wakefield. Hands together in a similar fashion to a prayer, he has his eyes closed as he tries to collect his thoughts. A few seconds pass before he opens his eyes and begins to verbalize his thoughts, moving his hands down to his sides. ”I have come to a stage of my life that I am unfamiliar with. For one hundred and sixty-eight days, I held a championship proudly around my waist, defending it with no less than everything I had to give, fending off challengers one by one. Those challengers ranged from inexperienced to arrogant, from ruthless to persistently stubborn. I thought I had faced the worst of the division, that there was nothing that I wasn't prepared for. At the Brooklyn Heights, I was proven wrong. It was the shameless challenger that usurped me in the end. Nathan Fiora, the challenger who told me he was nothing like any opponent I had faced before and finally backed it up. But did he prove he was better than me that night?" Finnegan shook his head. "No, all he proved is that he possessed no shame -- that he was willing to sacrifice becoming a credible champion who earned his rank to become the champion in name alone. A sacrifice only the most gutless would make. And I won't lie and pretend that having the New Breed Championship snatched away from me in such a way didn't have me fuming. It felt like everything I built with my own two hands came crashing down. Picking the championship out of its status as a joke, giving it prestige and credibility by accepting all challengers of all different skill levels in any and all stipulations -- that was all besmirched, all undone in a single night. Nathan Fiora had to pry that championship from my hands, and he had to go to such cowardly extremes to make that happen. And now he laughs it up, acting like he has earned it. That was what had me fuming most when I came back through the curtain that night; knowing that is who all my work has fallen on the shoulders of, knowing it took only one match for him to completely take away all the credibility I gave that title in my tenure. But as I walked through the hall, as the fellow elitists applauded my efforts as champion, patting me on the back and telling me that I had a bright future ahead of me, I made a promise to myself. A promise that I wouldn't look back in anger, a vow to keep moving forward. And I will. My time waving the New Breed flag has come to an end, no longer among their ranks. The real trial by fire has only begun, and it seems like Kenny Drake is wasting no time in pushing me towards a true test of my worth beyond the New Breed Division. With it, an opportunity to contend for the companies holy grail; the EAW World Heavyweight Championship. In a surprise to everyone, Jamie O'Hara has been dethroned, the championship has a new holder. And with a new holder, comes new challengers. I now find myself among three other hopefuls who want a crack at that championship, and we are going to decide it amongst ourselves who wants it just that little bit more than the rest."

"One of these things, however, is not like the others. Revenant, I have been the subject of your obsession for what feels like months now. And it has grown to become an annoying thing to be a subject of. No matter what my task for the week is, I can't help but notice that Revenant still continues to try and drag my name through the mud, albeit through delusional statements and unfound claims. Even when I beat you in the stipulation you chose, in the match that you wanted, it only continued. Twice now I have bested you in matches, and both times you fell flat on your ass in the fallout, yet you claimed them to be close encounters. No, they were very one-sided affairs, solely because of your mindset. You were ill prepared for the Finnegan Wakefield that stepped inside the cage with you, you were so fixated on your false ideas of who he was and as a result, you were left dumbstruck. And now, you claim that you were one-fourth of a second from beating me that night." With a grin on his face, Finnegan shakes his head. "Fine. You can clutch to that straw till your heart is contempt. At the end of the day, though, you didn't -- no -- you couldn't beat me. And those who refuse to learn from their mistakes are only doomed to repeat them. And I know how stubbornly persistent you are so by all means, keep telling me how much of a phoney I am. Tell me how unbreakable you are, how I can never truly best you. But remember where that mindset has gotten you in the past. Remember that I gave you the tools to beat me, yet you couldn't. And now I stand in a position to perform the hattrick, silence those idiotic claims of yours for good. I have that bit of an impact on your career, perhaps even your life as a whole, to the point where you feel like you have to prove your worth by trying to beat me to continue moving forward. It'll never happen though because the more you sow, the more you will reap. You billed me as a prince, and you have fallen at his feet many times. One more should be your call back to reality. If not, you're doomed to fall down this rabbit hole for a long, long time. Perhaps forever."

"Speaking of opponents from my past; Carlos Rosso. Territorial Invasion in the grand scheme of things feels so long ago now, so long ago that we both had title reigns in that period of time. While I was fighting my heart out as New Breed Champion, you had won, lost and rechallenged for the Interwire Championship. Now, to the next step, what has been evading you for the longest time, something you have been yelling about for as long as I have known you. After months of playing with 'boys', red flags aside, the opportunity has presented itself. But you're not the only one who is seeking that open slot as the #1 contender. Back at Territorial Invasion, you gave me quite a thrashing. But I have evolved since then, I have grown stronger and my tolerance for pain has been heightened. How did I pitch it all those months ago? The Strongest Arm in EAW versus The Strongest Arm Breaker in EAW? I believe that was the jist of it, and it is most certainly the case now. I, more than anyone, know how much of a handful and earful Moongoose McQueen can be. But that was a hill I could get past, but for you, that hasn't been an accomplishable task. Perhaps the younger generation is getting a leg up on the old timers, catching up like young lions to overthrow the old and decrepit. Perhaps the Red Storm is dying down -- The Champion of Life getting closer to its end. Point being, this is a championship opportunity I want to claim, and if the old guard stands in my way, I'll knock it down. People have told me that World Championship glory is in my future, but why not make my future today?"

"And then, there is that X factor; the man I know the least about personally. But I have been an observer, from the sidelines I have seen this grand unveiling of the true nature of Ahren Fournier. The man who called himself the Trill Fairy, the character many were amused by, it was all a facade to prove a point about your stance on the professional wrestling industry, that it is a joke the glorifies silly and ridiculous characters. What may be a surprise to many, to a degree I understand where you come from and agree with the sentiment, hence why I am no gimmick myself. It actually seems you and I are the same in some aspects, but in other aspects, we are complete opposites. While you are trying to corrupt this business from the inside, I am trying to keep it thriving, going strong for years to come. It is an industry I want to become the face of one day, become a figure of history when all is said and done. While you do this for paychecks, I do this for my life ambition. On that, we can not be more different from one another. But I would be foolish if I spoke of you lesser. Since shedding the trill fairy skin, you have challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship, even facing one of the companies most iconic figures in DEDEDE. Despite both attempts at victory being unfruitful, it has only proven that Ahren Fournier is a talented individual. Popularized by a gimmick or not, that has been proven in recent weeks. You are now standing on the level that I want to be at, standing across the ring from the men I want to stand across the ring from, and I am very much a "To be the man, you gotta beat the man" kind of guy. In this match, you stand as the highest in rank. And while you can maintain it, I want to surpass it and, in one match given the right result, I can do that. I don't do this for my paycheck, you can have that for all I care. This is a leap of faith towards my goal, and I am not shying away from taking it, regardless of the obstacles in my way. Yourself included."

"Let's not forget about that one shining quality in Finnegan Wakefield. Despite what people may think of me. Despite what they may feel. Or what you, Revenant, Ahren Fournier or Carlos Rosso may even feel. You cannot deny that Finnegan fights for everything he has. I scratch, kick and punch at everything that's thrown my way. And if you don't believe, I suggest you look at what I have already accomplished at such a young age in such a short amount of time. I have faced Hall of Famers, Main Eventers and not one of them has forgotten just how much fight I bring to the table. All three of you will come to find that the New Breed Championship didn't make up who I was -- I made up what the New Breed Championship was. I pushed it, advocated it to main event events, and that's only an indication of what I can do. This week, this match, it will be an indicator of what I will do. And I will be the first to test just how good our new World Heavyweight Champion is, and won't stop until the nameplate engraving says the name Finnegan bloody Wakefield!"

Empire Promo #1

Wow look at me now I am riding sky high, because I am just so fucking good, I told you all and you all thought I was full of shit. What you saw at the Iconic Cup last week, was no mirage, it was pure talent that just completely took over the match, it was pure greatness that got established right before your very eyes. Not only did I bring home the victory in my Supershow debut not to mention steal the show, steal all headlines, but now I get the chance of a lifetime, a chance to be named number one contender for the Specialist Championship but like always there is someone who is standing in my path to glory and it is up to me to ram her out of my way. Who is it now you may ask, who is the unlucky peon that will have her hopes and dreams crushed by someone who is who is far superior to her in every single way possible in life. Andrea Valentine is the poor soul that will give it her best efforts but will fail, but isn't cute she named herself after a fake hallmark created holiday. I don't know much about Ms. Valentine, but just by looking at her she has fake hair, fake boobs, a fake ass and a fake nose, everything about you is fake so why should I take your wrestling abilities serious, that is probably fake as well. Nothing on me is fake, I am one hundred perfect real. (Nicolette turns around and shows her butt) You see that? That takes hours upon hours to make that booty pop like that, I don't need injections like you sweetheart. It is people like you who make people like me look bad and have a bad reputation, you see just because I am pretty and have an amazing body, amazing hair, and just an all around successful individual they think I didn't work hard for any of it, they think I am fake, because well they see little bitches like you walking around with their fake breasts and untalented ability in the ring and they just get used to it so they just cast those aspersions on every other pretty woman who walks into EAW. It is a common misconception of me that I didn't have to work hard for anything in my life particularly when it comes to getting my spot in EAW, just because I am drop dead gorgeous and while it maybe true, I am stunningly beautiful I know that, I really am, but make no mistake about it, I worked my ass off to learn wrestling just as hard as the next person. I didn't go to Australia for almost two years working my ass off to learn the ins and outs of professional wrestling for nothing. If I was just handed a roster spot as you morons so eloquently put it, do you really think I would have trained at all? No I would have been that bitch like Andrea Valentine who has no business doing what I do. For the most part I believe I have quieted down some of the haters who say I can't wrestle, because if the Iconic Cup was any indication, it just prove I am the fastest up and comer in EAW today. I have snake like reflexes just look how fast I defeated that worthless underling with the courtesy of my Lyons Cutter. I have the heart of a lyon because most people would have gotten down on themselves with that slow start I got off to but not me, I took it as a learning experience, I knew how good I am I didn't panic after a few losses, I stayed calm because well I am Nicolette Lyons and I knew that eventually my talent and personality would drive me into bigger and better things.

Oh Andrea, please don't get it twisted I am not trying to be a bitch at all, I really don't mean to make you look foolish but this is how it is, and these people deserve the truth. Here is some more truth, you choose the name Valentine, because you are lonely I will bet you have spent every single Valentines day alone. You have love issues because you are probably a freak of nature who is into some weird shit, I mean underneath all that botox and implants, underneath all that lays once a naturally beautiful woman. The name Valentine is there to perhaps motivate you into believing that there are better things out there for you instead of that worthless Cinderella lifestyle you have been living, but what you don't realize is that there isn't anything better for you because unlike Cinderella this isn't a fairy tale, this is reality and reality is that there are people who are just naturally better than others, an that is just how it goes for a pissant like you. I mean not everyone can be wealthy and successful there has to be losers and wannabees in the world otherwise life would be boring. Just face the facts Andrea you are just a pathetic human being, I mean you have been in EAW for like a year? What have you accomplished? Oh that is right nothing and I bet in your own head you are dope at wrestling huh? Nah because everybody really knows you are only hear to collect a paycheck I would assume this way you can get all that work done on your ugly face to make you feel better about yourself. I have already accomplished more in my month and a half then you have in your whole career, that is sad...for you anyway. I have barely even scratched the surface and after I defeat you, I will be one step closer to championship gold. The only thing that is standing in my way of receiving a championship match is you. (Nicolette laughs) I will be damned if I let you stand in my way of that. A loser, has been never will be. You seriously make me sick Andrea, just saying your name makes me want to throw up, I mean you are so pathetic just look at you. People say I am a waste of a roster spot, so what does that make you exactly? I guess it makes you a waste of the air that I breathe. The simple fact that you and I share the same air makes me want to vomit all over the floor, because I am someone who strives for perfection, I accept nothing less than the best, whereas you are just fine and dandy standing in the background just waiting for life to throw you a damn bone. You let life just pass you by, you gotta grab life by the horns and make a difference. You don't have to take my advice though, I mean what have I done right? I have only been successful since the very second I was born. I can't wait to get into the ring with you this week on Empire, because not only will I become number one contender for the Specialist Championship but I will make you look silly in every way possible. I will make people look at you like you never wrestled a day in your life because not only am I going to build off my Iconic Cup performance, I am ready to build on the legacy that is Nicolette Lyons.