PROVING GROUND #7 11/6/20

After the logo flashes on the screen, the scene fades into the T-Mobile Arena located in Paradise, Nevada. Blue and white pyro light up the stage. “Mouth for War” by Pantera starts to play for the SOLD OUT crowd as they are on their feet holding various signs throughout the crowd. The camera pans around to show most of them.

”BLOODBATH WAS AWESOME!”
“IS ELENA SINGLE?!”
“CAN JNS WHIP ME WITH HIS HAIR, PLEASE?!”
“WHY DOES INDY ALWAYS WEAR HIS GLASSES?”
“HI, MOM! I’M ON NETFLIX!”

As “Mouth for War” continues to play at a lower volume, the camera cuts to the announcers at ringside. The crowd stays on their feet.

TREY BOOKER: Welcome back to the SEVENTH edition of Proving Ground. You know me as Trey Booker alongside my partner-

J.T. PRICE: J.T. Price! We’re fresh off of our second ever PPV; Bloodbath, and we have quite the show ahead for you!

TREY BOOKER: You’re damn right. Bloodbath was just what it was called. We saw Championships defended in ways we couldn’t imagine, mystery syringes, mystery boxes, and so much more!

J.T. PRICE: Nine total matches make up the card tonight with two of those being Championship Matches and one more being a Contendership Match. It’s going to be a fun night.

TREY BOOKER: The fun never stops in Project: Honor

J.T. PRICE: Absolutely. There’s going to be a lot of shit on the line tonight. Wait- hold on. We’re getting something through the headsets right now.

Both Trey and J.T. have their hands pressed against their headphones, pushing them closer to their ears. Simultaneously, they let go.

TREY BOOKER: Looks like we’re not wasting any time tonight as General Manager Callum Walker is about to make his entrance.

J.T. PRICE: We know that there’s a Tag Tournament in the near future, so I’m sure he’s coming out to make a grand announcement about it!

TREY BOOKER: You idiot… you weren’t supposed to say anything yet…

J.T. cowers in his chair as Trey looks at him in disbelief.

TREY BOOKER: Y’all can dock his pay, not mine.


“Mouth for War” by Pantera blasts through the speakers as Callum Walker steps out onto the stage with a mic in hand. Following behind him is a pedestal on wheels and a PH Official wheeling it out. The top is covered with a silvery cloth. They both stop in the middle of the stage with Callum enjoying the crowd's reaction.

CROWD: TAG TEAM! TAG TEAM! TAG TEAM!

Callum puts the mic up to his mouth.

CALLUM WALKER: Sounds like the cat is out of the bag, eh? Which one of you nincompoops spoiled it down there?

The camera quickly cuts to J.T. and Trey where Trey is pointing at J.T. and J.T. is pointing at Trey.

CALLUM WALKER: No matter, you all obviously know what the purpose of my visit is tonight. Not that long ago, we announced that we would be hosting a Tag Team Tournament that was open to anyone in the world whether they were in Project: Honor or not. This drew a lot of interest and ultimately led to five of the eight teams we have joining us from outside of our company.

I understand that there wasn’t much information provided with this announcement besides it being a tournament for the newly designed Tag Team Championships that you still haven’t even seen. You blokes really joined all willy nilly, not really knowing what you were getting yourselves into.

That being said, you can rest your noggins somewhere. We’re not going to do anything crazy or just drop an atomic bomb on you for no reason. This Tag Tournament is just your basic one where the two final teams will face off at our next PPV; Unbreakable Resolution. At this end-of-year PPV event, the two final teams will be facing off for the glorious Tag Team Championships that I have right next to me, just dying to be revealed.

BUT… before we do that, let’s introduce you all to the eight teams that will be participating in this Tag Team Tournament to become the INAUGURAL Tag Team Champions.


CALLUM WALKER: AMERICAN GRIME, Big Drip Productions, Celestial Lovers, Legacy, Storm Chasers, The AV Club, and Úlfhéðnarnir. You lot will be going through a single elimination Tournament with, like I said before, the final match taking place at Unbreakable Resolution and will be contested for the Tag Team Championships. Most of you are either preparing for matches coming up or aren’t here tonight, but I know you’re watching and you’re ready to see the belts that you’re fighting for. What do y’all think? You think these teams want to see the belts?

CROWD: YES!

CALLUM WALKER: I couldn’t really hear you… DO YOU THINK THESE TEAMS WANT TO SEE THE BELTS?

A roar of yes’s form in the crowd.

CROWD: YES! YES! YES! YES!

CALLUM WALKER: That’s better…

Callum slowly pulls the silvery cloth off of the pedestal to reveal the brand new Project: Honor Tag Team Championship belts.


Cheers, claps… basically a standing ovation take over the arena. Callum forms a smile on his face and puts the mic up to his mouth.

CALLUM WALKER: Nice, aren’t they? The eight teams that have entered into this Tournament will get to work at the very next Proving Ground show where the first round of matches will happen! Four Tag Team matches will be spread out throughout the night with, of course, the winners advancing to the semi-finals. The bracket is broken up as follows…



CALLUM WALKER: Storm Chasers vs. Paranoia. Legacy vs. Úlfhéðnarnir. Big Drip Productions vs. Celestial Lovers. AMERICAN GRIME vs. The AV Club.

Remember what you’re fighting for and who you’re fighting with. You didn’t choose these teams to lose, you chose them to win. You chose them to be Champions. The question is; who wants it more?

Callum drops the mic as “Mouth for War” begins to play again. The camera fades out with Callum holding the Tag Team belts high in the air.



HOLLY PEREZ: The following contest is a one on one match set for one fall, and it is for the Project: Honor Warrior Rising Championship.  Entering first, the challenger...

"Holding My Breath" by Alien Weaponry floods the PA, marking the arrival of Sarah Roberts. She emerges onto the stage accompanied by her manager, Delilah Huang. Delilah hops and skips around Sarah, frantically conducting the audience like a chorus line to cheer for Sarah.  Sarah smirks in appreciation, but lets the faint smile fade as she zeroes her attention on the ring and heads down the ramp.

HOLLY PEREZ:  Accompanied by Delilah Huang and fighting out of the Yankton Indian Reservation, South Dakota, she stands at 5'5 and weighs in at 140 lbs. She is "The Deerfield Destroyer", Sarah Roberts![/font]

TREY BOOKER: The “Deerfield Destroyer” is most certainly a worthy contender with a legitimate background in combat sports.  What are your thoughts on her strategy going into this one?

J.T. PRICE: I’d say she’s going to try and ground the champ quickly and take over on the ground.  Keeping the fleet-footed and high flying Zane is her best option, but we both know that little brat is more than just some high flier.  Still, while Zane is a Jill of all trades, Roberts masters one.  Let’s see if the “Crescent Moon” can overcome that here tonight.

As Sarah reaches the ring, Delilah scampers up the stairs and holds the ropes open for Roberts. Sarah slides between them, moves to the center of the ring, and raises her arms while Delilah takes to the corner, shouting inaudibly and pointing to her client. As "Holding My Breath" fades from the PA, Sarah takes to her corner while Delilah exits the ring entirely.

HOLLY PEREZ: And her opponent, standing 5’1’’ and weighing in at 115 lbs, currently residing Anaheim California by way of Sōka, Saitama, Japan, she is your Project: Honor Warrior Rising Champion: “The Crescent Moon” Zane!

The lights in the arena shift to several shades of purple as “Hopes and Dreams” by Cement City begins to play on the sound system. The entrance screen springs to life with flashing numbers.

“Three”
“Two”
“One”
“Zero”

CROWD: Go! Zane Go!

Right on cue with the tempo picking up Zane makes her way onto the stage, adorned in her custom entrance coat and mask, her championship belt proudly around her waist, she looks out to her cheerful fans. Giving a nod of approval at the reception, Zane begins heading over to the ring. The prideful champion hops up onto the apron, continuing to soak in the crowd’s adulation. Again on cue with her theme, she turns around and leaps over the top rope into the ring. She then heads over to the adjacent ropes, stepping onto the bottom and middle rope, giving a salute to the enthusiastic crowd. Another nod from the masked Zane causes the fans to somehow cheer louder before the moon child backflips off the ropes, landing in the center of the ring on one knee. Getting up to her feet, Zane removes her mask and unclasps her title belt, showcasing them both with a smile on her face. Handing the championship to the official, Zane then heads over to the nearest corner, removing her ring coat and handing both the coat and mask to the ring attendant. With her music fading to silence, Zane places her focus on the task at hand.

DING! DING! DING!

Zane and Sarah tentatively exit their corners and begin sizing one another up.  Sarah waves her hands about, looking for an opening for a grapple, as Zane parries from one foot to the other in anticipation of the charge.  They close in on one another in the center of the ring.  Sarah Roberts lunges in for the double leg attempt, but Zane hops out of her lunging grasp radius just before Roberts can snare the legs.  Zane quickly slides around back of the posted up Sarah and tries to take her back, but Roberts easily picks Zane’s arm from around her waist and whips her off. Zane goes rolling into a nearby corner from the toss as Sarah straightens her tights and squares up.  Impressed, Zane smiles as she slowly rises to her feet and extends a hand.  Sarah glances to Delilah on the outside from the corner of her eye for guidance, but opts to take the handshake anyway.   Sarah backs out of the corner, allowing Zane breathing room as the crowd in attendance claps respectfully for the sign of sportsmanship.

TREY BOOKER: Gotta love that sign of respect and honor.

J.T. PRICE: Game knows game.

After momentarily circling again, Sarah spins backward and plants a spinning sole but to the sternum of Zane.  Zane stumbles backwards into the ropes, not expecting or bracing for the shot.  Sarah takes the opening and tries to charge Zane once again.  Zane laces her arms around the rope and steps up on the middle as Sarah charges and pushes off at the last second, effectively rolling over Roberts’s lunge and snaking her down for a school girl in the center of the ring.

ONE!

Sarah immediately kicks out and lunges for Zane once more, but Zane’s got the high ground and manages to take control with a top facelock and transitions quickly into a grounded guillotine by using Sarah’s momentum against her.  As Zane grapevines her legs around Sarah’s body and crosses her ankles and sinches in the facelock, Sarah blindly starts swinging wild hammerfists above her head, before finally finding her mark dead center of Zane’s mouth.  Zane breaks the front chancery and Sarah slips the clench and sits up in the full guard.  Zane holds the body scissor’s tight and tries desperately to scoot backward toward the rope as she bob’s and weaves in the guard, trying to dodge any more potential hammerfists.  Sarah drops the hammer, but Zane manages to weave her head and take the brunt of the blow on her shoulder.  Sensing the blood in the water, Sarah pins the offending arm and starts pounding down hammerfists on the blade of Zane’s shoulder as Zane frantically outstretches her free hand and tries to grab the bottom rope.  As Sarah focuses her attention on working over the arm and attempts to go for a grounded hammerlock, Zane extends the tips of her fingers out and grazes the bottom strand. That’s enough to get the ref in there for the break count.

ONE!

Without having to be instructed twice, Sarah relinquishes the hold and quickly gets to her feet, abandoning the guard.  As Zane clutches her shoulder on the canvas, Sarah smirks smugly and extends a helping hand down to Zane.

TREY BOOKER: That certainly seems like a sign of respect from the contender, but maybe there’s a little bravado behind it?

J.T. PRICE: Hey, Zane started this whole respect-off.  She can taste some of her own medicine and wash it down with a little hubris for once.

Zane smiles and accepts the hand.  Sarah yanks Zane up to her off the mat, but without even landing on her feet, Zane swings her body around Sarah and snakes her arms for a crucifix pin attempt. She quickly abandons as Sarah struggles and slinks down her body into a sunset pin attempt.  Sarah struggles to stay upright as Zane tries to stretch her legs upward off of the canvas and snake Roberts down for the cover.  Roberts quickly gains her base, steps her heel down on Zane’s offending shoulder, and quickly transitions into a cross-armbreaker on the canvas!  Zane quickly lifts her legs over her prone body and rolls back and snags the bottom strand with her toes before any further damage can be done as the ref hops in to call for the break.

ONE!

Once again, with little resistance, Sarah breaks on one and rises to her feet as Zane kips up off of the mat and shakes her worked over arm, much to the crowd’s delight.  Without the pomp and circumstance of circling or showing respect, Zane quickly leaps at Sarah and pops off a hurricanrana.  Sarah combat rolls to her feet off of the ‘rana, but the disorientation of the hurricanrana whip gives Zane enough of an opening to charge the ropes and charge Sarah with a running high knee lift.  Sarah’s rocked as Zane doubles back and hits the ropes again.  She comes back looking for the front flip spear, but Roberts intercepts the attempt with a muay tai clench and pops Zane between the eyes with a rough knee strike.  Roberts tries to follow up on the stunned Zane with a spinning backfist, but Zane catches a handful of Sarah’s hair before she can complete full rotation and pulls her down back first across her knee and quickly follows up with a neckbreaker.  The crowd cheers as Zane kips up off of the mat, seething as Sarah rolls around on the canvas clutching her neck.  Zane beckons Roberts up.  Robert staggers up to one knee.  Zane charges and steps up off of the knee and plants Roberts nearly vertically with a step-up facebuster.  Completely taken off of her game, Roberts scrambles up to all fours and follows Delilah’s screaming voice toward the apron to take a respite on the outside as Zane stands in the center of the ring with her hands on her hips.

TREY BOOKER: It looks like the champ caught the challenger sleeping on her.

J.T. PRICE: Yeah, but Zane can’t let this get to her head.  It’s not the wisest thing in the world to try and out wrestle an experienced MMA fighter..and would you look at this bravado?

Zane leans into the ropes and sits on the middle strand and beckons Sarah into the ring.  Sarah glowers up at the smiling Zane, holding the ropes open for her as her manager tries to talk her down and hold her back.  Sarah, showing pridefulness, steps up onto the apron and gets into Zane’s smiling face and shakes her head ‘no’.  Zane gets off the middle rope and extends her hand out over the top strand, but Sarah’s having none of it.  She quickly grabs the arm and transitions into a rope hung triangle choke!  Zane’s feet leave the ground in the ring as the ref intervenes for the rope break count.

ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
GET OFF OF HER!

The ref nearly has to forcibly pry Roberts’s legs off of Zane, before the challenger finally relents and rolls backwards onto her feet on the floor as Zane collapses on the mat, clutching at her windpipe.  The crowd boos as Delilah pats Roberts on the back, and Sarah holds her hands up as if trying to show she’s done nothing wrong.  Roberts rolls back into the ring and starts circling the fell Zane, menacing her with taunts as she sizes the champion up.

TREY BOOKER:Whelp, there goes the sportsmanship.  

J.T. PRICE: Listen, Sarah Roberts wasn’t getting anywhere by being friendly with the champion.  She’s created an opening with that shoulder, now all she has to do is exploit it.

Zane crawls across the mat toward Sarah, desperately clinging to the canvas as she weakly tries to push off with her hurt arm.  Zane desperately tries to grab at Sarah’s boot with her still well arm, but Roberts simply side steps and delivers a hard punt to the ribs of the downed Zane, the impact of which rolls Zane back over onto her back, heaving and gasping.  Sarah quickly mounts her, pinning Zane’s shoulders with her knees as she mockingly flexes on top of her for the press cover.

ONE!
TWO!

Zane manages to raise her well shoulder up, but that only inspires Roberts to move down her body and start looking for that grounded Sakuraba style hammerlock.  Zane struggles to slip the grasping hands of Roberts as Sarah sits firmly on her abdomen.  As Roberts pins Zane’s wrist and threatens to hammer down on the shoulder once more, Zane kicks her leg and manages to land a stiff shot to the back of Roberts, which deters her long enough for Zane to roll over on he stomach underneath Sarah and try to slip backwards out of the guard, but Roberts recovers quickly and tries to hook on the grounded rear naked choke.  Zane struggles to free her head as she claws at Roberts’s cinched in choke with one hand, while trying to tripod off of the canvas with the assistance of her good arm and her free legs.  Roberts holds on like a backpac as Zane pushes off of the mat in the three point stance.  Zane gets her legs under her, and in a display of unexpected core strength from such a compact competitor, gets her legs underneath her and manages to stand upright with Sarah still piggy backing on tightly.  Zane teeters backwards, threatening to ram Sarah back first into the turnbuckle pads, but Sarah takes the bait and posts her feet on the mat to stop the impact.  Zane slips the choke and drops down onto the mat.  Sarah tries to pull her back up with the wheelbarrow, but Zane presses up off of the mat and slingshots down through Sarah’s legs into a rollup!

ONE!
TWO!

Sarah kicks out and sits up out of the cover with a disoriented look on her face as Zane quickly gets to her feet, slapping her hip to get the dizzied Roberts’s attention.  Roberts gives chase as Zane charges toward the corner.  Zane triple jumps up and flies back with a beautiful crossbody.

TREY BOOKER: CHERRY ON TOP!

J.T. PRICE: BUT ZANE’S NOT GOING FOR THE COVER.

Zane pops up to her feet after the crossbody and quickly rushes the ropes as Sarah bounds up off of the mat on spaghetti legs.  Zane springboards off of the middle strand and comes flying across the ring with a beautiful flying hurricanrana.  Sarah Roberts goes tumbling into the corner.  She groggily finds her feet and charges aimlessly toward the center of the ring as Zane hits the ropes.  Front flip spear connects at high velocity!  Zane rolls through the spear and quickly rushes the corner and bounds with ease up onto the top rope.  Without even a hesitation to look back, Zane flips backwards with a beautiful moonsault, but Roberts rolls out of the way at the last second and into the corner.  Zane lands on her feet.  Roberts rises out of the corner and charges Zane with a superman punch attempt, but Zane stuffs it quickly locks in an octopus stretch!  Octopus stretch!  Sarah tries to power up out of it, but Zane goes with the flow and pulls her backward with a crucifix right into a sunset pin!  Zane tries to stack on top with a Jackknife pin, but before the ref can even drop down and count the fall, Roberts kicks out and sits up on her knees on the canvas.  Zane winds up and lands a brutal PK to the chest of Roberts. Roberts flies backwards into the bottom turnbuckle.  Zane charges across the ring and comes back with a brutal face wash attempt, but Sarah catches her foot just before it connects with her face.  Stiff kick to the back of the calf by Sarah to Zane sits the champion down.  Knee bar!  Sara sinches in the knee bar, but she’s all up in the corner.  The ref threatens to count, but Sarah breaks immediately, but Zane’s had enough.  Stiff kick to the jaw by Zane on the ground.  Zane takes the opening and grabs Sarah’s legs and swings them up over the middle rope.  Zane snags her head and hits the rope hung neckbreaker!  Zane grabs Sarah’s arms and drags her out of the corner and starts scaling upward, but Sarah quickly pops up to her feet and uppercuts Zane in the back of the head while she’s on the top strand.  Sarah climbs up after her and quickly locks in a dragon sleeper.  She falls backwards, hanging Zane in the tree of woe as she holds on with the hanging dragon clutch!  The ref starts to count for the break, but Zane’s legs come unlaced from the top turnbuckle.  Sarah rolls through, trying to get the dragon clutch on the mat, but Zane gets her feet under her and walks up the turnbuckle and flips backward with the backstabber!  SC Zane Pop connects!  Zane hooks the leg with her legs still pinned underneath Sarah.

ONE!
TWO!

Sarah gets her foot on the rope last second!  Zane collapses on the mat, looking up at the lights with a vacant look of speculation as to what to do next as Delilah ducks under the bottom rope and shouts into the ear of the glazed over Sarah, trying desperately to wake up her client as the crowd claps in approval of the action.

TREY BOOKER: Through sheer luck or calculated positioning, Sarah managed to get her foot on the bottom rope, but what now? Do either of these competitors have anything left?

J.T. PRICE: I don’t know about Roberts, but that SC Zane Pop has been the champ’s ace in the hole since winning the gold.

Zane takes a deep breath and sits up off of the mat.  Slowly she pulls herself from beneath the limp body of Sarah Roberts.  Exhaustedly, she grabs Sarah’s wrist and tries to whip the dead weight up off of the canvas.  Zane tugs and struggles desperately to pull Sarah toward the corner, but can’t manage to make the still body of her opponent budge.  Zane tries to bend down and get a better clasp on the arm, but without warning Sarah Roberts springs to life and yanks Zane arm between her legs and pulls the champion in with a desperate triangle choke!  Zane momentarily considers posting up and lifting her opponent, but realizes she’s next to the ropes and quickly grabs the middle strand.  Sarah relinquishes the hold and rolls out of the clench and up to her feet as the winded Zane stutter steps backwards into the ropes.  Sarah rushes Zane as she comes flying back in like a leaf on the wind.  Her ankles wrap around Sarah’s head as she spins around in a whirlybird headscissors and brings the opponent down to the mat, right down into a fujiwara armbar! Sarah rolls underneath and quickly relieves the pressure from her elbow joint. She quickly gains top mount on Zane and clasps her arms around Zane’s waist.  She deadlifts the champion off of the canvas and plants her into the canvas with a falling gutwrench powerbomb.  Sarah flips Zane’s legs over her head, effectively landing her on her knees out of the powerbomb and lunges in with a vicious headbutt between Zane’s eyes!  Lights Out!  Zane wilts to the canvas as Roberts falls into the cover.

ONE!
TWO!

Zane kicks out!  Sarah’s exhaustion quickly turns to sadistic aggression as she lifts Zane’s head off of the canvas and starts raining in forearms immediately after the kickout.  Zane’s hand limply clutches the rope and the ref pulls the livid and exasperated Sarah off of Zane.  Zane pulls herself up in the corner, weakly and gracelessly as the ref holds Sarah back.  Zane finally finds her feet as she lays her head on the top turnbuckle in concussed exhaustion.  Sarah finally breaks free from the ref and charges Zane in the corner.  The sound of footfalls shoots Zane’s eyes open.  She triple jumps up and instinctually laces her legs around the fast approaching Roberts’s neck.  Zane’s limp body tries to fall backwards with Dark Impetus, but Sarah slings her forward with almost a reverse Alabama slam, but Zane manages to land on the top strand instead of eating the turnbuckle post.  Sarah Roberts climbs up behind her, an exhausted and frustrated look on her face as she stands on the middle strand and rabbit punches Zane in the back of the head.

TREY BOOKER: What’s Sarah doing?  

J.T. PRICE: She’s trying to pull Zane back into the torture rack position across the shoulders, maybe thinking Zero Bullshit off the middle rope.  That could be a career killer!

Zane struggles to hold on to the turnbuckle, but Sarah’s persistent with alternating blows to the kidney and back of the head.  Zane groans gutterally as Sarah lays a forearm into her back, a blow that sends enough tremors through her body to get her to relent the turnbuckle.  Sarah slides the still writhing Zane onto her shoulders and falls clumsily off of the middle rope with a brutal falling burning hammer!  Zero Bullshit connects center ring! Sarah crawls into the cover.

ONE!
TWO!
THREE!

DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Ladies and gentlemen, your winner and NEW WARRIOR RISING CHAMPION: “THE DEERFIELD DESTROYER” SARAH ROBERTS!

As “Holding My Breath” by Alien Weaponry hits the PA, the crowd goes nuts for the newly crowned champion.  Delilah quickly rushes the ring with title in hand, giddily dancing in place as she waves the gold in front of the glossed over gaze of her client who can’t even manage enough energy to lift her head up and out of hte cover.

TREY BOOKER: What a grueling contest between these two competitors here to night.  Neither has anything to be ashamed of.  They left it all out on the table and Sarah proved to be the better woman on this night.

J.T. PRICE: Highlight that last bit, because it’s the truest thing you’ve ever said; on this night.  If these two squared off again, it’d be a 50/50 tossup on who walked out victorious.  As for tonight? We’ve gotten ourselves a new champion and the people in attendance seem happy with the result.

The glint of the title brings Sarah’s dead eyes to life.  That all too familiar smirk raises one side of her mouth as Dellah helps her to her feet with the ref’s assistance.

It wasn’t often that Hannah Watson appeared in front of the Project: Honor crowd. Though she managed things for Dickie on the side, it was mainly from their home, and she rarely ever attended events except for high profile matches. Or yelling at a certain chairman over the phone. But this time, the turquoise-haired wife of the Grand Champion settled for looking extremely aggravated as the camera settled on her cross-armed figure.

HANNAH WATSON: I really don’t give a crap what he said, the Doc also encouraged you not to compete tonight.

Across from her, the Grand Champion himself continued to slowly wrap his hands, as he always did, in black tape. He didn’t look up at her as he did so, staring instead at them intently as he meticulously circled his hand. Beneath his oversized tank (Amon Amarth tonight), his taped up ribs were visible. The scar across his face seemed to have healed, but if he moved just slightly to the left, it showed in the lighting. He’d probably have it forever.

HANNAH WATSON: You still have four bruised ribs and even with the brace, you’re still kind of limping…

DICKIE WATSON: I’ll be fine.

HANNAH WATSON: No, you won’t. Look, I know you think you have to go out there--

Dickie finally looked up to stare at his wife, tying off his tape as he did so and chucking the tape at his bag. While her expression was completely and utterly furious, his was just as much so. It was rare that the two of them argued -- she followed him everywhere, agreed with him and supported him through everything he chose to do, even if she didn’t like it. He did exactly the same.

DICKIE WATSON: I’m not going to be labeled a weakling, Hannah. I’m not going to give them the opportunity to tell me that I’m not doing everything in my power to go out there and perform. I’m not going to give them ammo against me.

HANNAH WATSON But, what happens when you can’t do it anymore because you get injured more, hmm?

DICKIE WATSON: I’ll be fine.

He turned away from her, placing his belongings back into his travel bag and shaking his head. She exhaled deeply out her nose, her ordinarily happy smile exchanged to pursed lips and indignation. She tapped her foot, bouncing slightly as she watched him.

Dickie turned back around to her, grabbing his title and placing it upon his shoulder. For a second, they just looked at one another. He smiled softly and pressed a finger softly onto her nose, bopping her with it.

DICKIE WATSON: Look, I’ll rest after tonight. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.

HANNAH WATSON: Don’t tempt me.

He snorted, set his lips against her forehead, and then disappeared from the frame a moment later. She watched him leave, her arms still crossed. She shook her head disdainfully, her curled hair swishing side to side as she did so.

HANNAH WATSON: You better not get injured further, you idiot.


Arik is in a room that is empty, with exception to a seat and a large white board on wheels. The contents of the board can not be seen.

CRYSTAL WARD: There you are!

Arik turns his head and looks at the doorway to see Crystal Ward and a cameraman. Arik quickly turns the white board away from view.

CRYSTAL WARD: How are you doing today, Arik?

Arik cocks his head to the side and makes a face like he is contemplating her question. For a moment there is silence. Arik opens his mouth and then puts his hand out, shaking it back and forth to indicate ‘so-so’.

CRYSTAL WARD: Are you disappointed that despite signing with Project: Honor the day after Bloodbath, that you are not scheduled for a match tonight?

Arik holds his index finger and thumb up, keeping them slightly apart. It is obvious he is trying to say ‘a little bit’.

CRYSTAL WARD: Do you plan on making your presence known at all, tonight?

Arik shakes his head ‘no’.

CRYSTAL WARD: Then what do you plan on doing?

Arik smirks. He uses his index and middle finger of his right hand, to point at his eyes. He then holds both of his arms out and into the air.

CRYSTAL WARD: Watching it all?

Arik shakes his head ‘yes’.

CRYSTAL WARD: Do you…

Crystal looks towards the white board, trying to crane her neck slightly to see if she can see anything on the board.

CRYSTAL WARD: ...have any plans with what you see?

Arik steps into her view, his brows furrowed. He shakes his head ‘no’ violently. He stomps his right foot and then points at the door.

CRYSTAL WARD: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to up-

Arik stomps his foot again, pointing at the door once more.

CRYSTAL WARD: Fine! I’m sorry to have upset you, Arik.

Crystal turns and starts to walk away, her cameraman making it out the door.

CRYSTAL WARD: Can I ask-

Crystal turns around to see Arik has written the words ‘GET OUT’ on the back of the white board and is pointing at them with a metal pointer stick.

CRYSTAL WARD: But-

Arik spins the white board around and slams the stick on it, pointing at the word ‘NOW’.

CRYSTAL WARD: Okay, I’m sor-

Arik spins the board around again and slams the stick harder on the board, which reads ‘NOW!!!’.

CRYSTAL WARD: Wait...but...how….

Arik points at the door with the metal stick.

CRYSTAL WARD: SORRY!!!

Crystal exits the room quickly as the door shuts behind her.

CRYSTAL WARD: What the heck just happened?!



HOLLY PEREZ: The following contest is a tag team match set for one fall.  Entering first, the team of Nat Walker and Alex Slayer!

"20 Min" by Lil Uzi Vert blasts across the ring while Nat Walker steps from the entrance area, raising both hands high despite the raucous of booing for the fighter from the Project Honor faithfuls, and he gets halfway up the ramp before the speakers switch to "Eater of Worlds" by Everyone loves a Villain and Alex Slayer steps onto the ramp, along with the Devil’s Advocate, Devon Slayton, to a mix of venomous jeering and applause.

HOLLY PEREZ: Second, we have the team of Pat the Postman and Colby Sol!

The trap remix of Postman Pat’s theme blares throughout the arena, and the hulking, heroic special messenger steps from the entranceway with his feline companion, Jess on his shoulder. The audience offers him waves as he walks up the ramp and eyes his competition in the ring, before the theme switches to "A History Of Bad Men" by The Melvins, and Colby Sol brings his New England aggression to the vicious Nevada crowd. Together, the two climb into the ring.

J.T. PRICE: With the announcement of tag titles, we’ve got a showcase to display some of the results strange pairings could put together. You’ve got striking and grappling experience, hardcore aggression, unhumanlike agility and speed, and a knack for pissing people off all in one ring. 

TREY BOOKER: It’s the beauty of a tag match - you don’t have to be clones, you don’t have to be identical, it’s about getting it done. And sometimes, you’ve gotta find a polar opposite of you to do so.

With little fanfare, Nat Walker is a heat seeking missile firing across the ring, stepping up to climb the proverbial tree and bring Pat the Postman in a headlock! He clasps his hands together and tries to chop the tree down to size, but Pat doesn’t budge one millimeter despite how much Nat tries to tug and drag him to the ropes. Nat switches his base as he gives up the headlock and snags one of those tree trunk arms of the postman, and wrenches it! Walker’s vertically challenged problem becomes a solution, as he yanks down on Pat’s twisted arm! Pat brings a forearm to Walker’s chest to force space, and hits the canvas and rolls to break the arm wrench! Walker looks as dumbfounded as the audience, and looks even more confused when the seven foot tall postal service member leaves the ground and puts both boots on Nat’s chin with a beautiful dropkick! Walker scrambles to his feet, shakes his head, and charges again! Pat quickly falls to the mat, and Walker leaps over him to avoid falling, then rebounds off the ropes! Big forearm misses the mark! Pat the Postman leaves the ground a second time, hurdling over Nat Walker! Walker rebounds, but before the Star can end Pat’s trickery, Pat’s legs turn him into a shooting star! Four hundred pound hurricanrana sends Nat flying, and his momentum carries him underneath the ropes and laying on the ring apron! Walker clutches onto his back while cursing underneath his breath, and Pat accepts the gift of a quick match while reaching to drag Nat into the ring. Unfortunately, Nat drags Pat’s face into the rope as Nat falls off the apron! The postman stumbles back! Walker bows to the crowd for his award winning performance of ‘Possum’, and lets a bicycle kick to Pat’s head be in the running for the biggest blow the postal service has taken this year! Pat’s head snaps back, but the staggered and stunned service worker stays upright! Basement dropkick takes a leg from underneath Pat, and Walker circles his opponent before a big backstabber leaves the mailing titan clutching his back. Walker makes the pin!

TREY BOOKER: It’s David vs. Goliath if David had a rep sheet longer than the Color Purple and Goliath spent his nights beating up the parents of the kids he delivered presents. Is taking Pat apart enough to sneak out an early win?

J.T. PRICE: Pat with a quick start, and Nat looking for a quick finish. 

ONE!

Enraged but not defeated, Pat’s hands bench press Walker and shove him halfway across the ring, into his corner, where an opportunistic Alex Slayer looks to feed at Pat’s bones! First, he makes sure to put himself between Pat and Colby Sol at his corner. He steps back and firms his stance underneath him, before launching a spinning roundhouse kick to Pat’s head! With his absolutely best Keanu Reeves impersonation, Pat the Postman matrix dodges underneath the move! Colby Sol makes the tag! Charging in, he immediately earns a WOOOOOO cheer from the crowd with his forearm cracking across Slayer’s chest like a thunder clap! Then another! Another! Knife edge chops hitting the mark! Sol tries to whip Slayer to the ropes, but no amount of bruising on his chest voids Slayer’s technical know-how, and a well placed foundation lets him wrap around Sol’s head when he gets too close and tries to grapple him to the ground with a judo hip toss. Sol’s arms wrap around Slayer’s midsection to try staying upright, so Slayer cuts his losses and places his boot behind Sol’s foot and a shove forward trips Sol to the ground! Slayer grabs both of Sol’s legs, and he tries to roll into a pin, but Sol double kicks him in the stomach and shoves him off! Sol rises and picks up where he left off - forearm smash clubs his fist right onto Slayer’s already reddened chest! The momentum bounces Slayer off the turnbuckle, and he stumbles forward to Sol rising his boot to the heavens and trying to welcome him to Sparta with a furious big boot! Slayer narrowly side steps, and a crane kick lands to the back of Sol’s head and sends him to his knees! Slayer follows the most important rule of Zombieland, double tap, with a step up enziguri to Sol’s noggin dropping him!

TREY BOOKER: This match was brought to you by the letter C, for concussion. The referee not being on top of that blow probably means this match has the potential to get nasty!

J.T. PRICE: And in the most Alex Slayer manner possible, he apologizes for the kick by kicking him AGAIN in the back of the head.

Slayer makes the cover!

ONE!
TWO!

Sol kicks out! Slayer flips his hair, climbs to his feet, and sets aside all of his high level offense, in favor of just kicking and stomping at Sol until the referee has to step in as Sol reaches the bottom rope. Alex Slayer uses all 4.999999 of the count and only steps away with disqualification threatened, but Sol only gets to his knees before Slayer’s on him like white on rice! Roundhouse kick - no - Sol gets his hands up! Colby Sol starts to pull guard, trying to grapevine his legs around Alex Slayer’s, as his arms start coiling around his prey’s foot and twisting for the ankle lock! Sol tries to brute force his way out of the submission while stumbling on one leg, then onto his leg and two hands while Sol keeps trying to turn and rock Slayer off balance. Unfortunately, the Sol 2 Claim can’t get to full execution, a la Nat Walker seizing the moment and dropping the double axe handle on Colby to break the hold! Slayer flips his hair and glares at Nat as Walker tags himself in. Sol climbs to his feet and is immediately hoisted onto the shoulders of Nat Walker, who props him up and starts running for the turnbuckle. Lawn dart connects! Sol’s head crashes off the turnbuckle, and Walker goes for the cover.

ONE!
TWO!
Kickout!

TREY BOOKER: If Nat Walker and Alex Slayer decide to make this teaming permanent, I think ‘Apply Directly to the Forehead’ is going to be a prominent theme of their matches. Did you see Sol’s head bounce off the turnbuckle? Ladies and gentlemen, that stuff isn’t cushy padding made for a comfy ring experience, with a move like that, either the turnbuckle or your neck are going to give, and I’m afraid the turnbuckle looks pretty good!

J.T. PRICE: A kick out shows some fortitude, but maaaaybe not the clever thing to do. 

Before the bell, Sol gets a shoulder up! Nat Walker hops to his feet with a huff, but lets his head resting on his hands like a pillow say everything he needs to say - the finish is near. He circles around Sol as he climbs to his feet, and immediately pounces on him - hands wrapping around Sol’s neck, and legs trying to wrap around his torso for his guillotine choke finish, but Sol’s legs stay underneath him and a hand hooked underneath Walker’s legs helps sol toss him head over shoulder, T-bone suplex! Walker crumbles onto the mat, howling in pain! Both men get to their feet around the same time - but Walker’s quicker on the draw with an elbow smash to the jaw to leave Sol on bambi legs. European uppercut connects! Walker goes for the trifecta with a second backstabber, but Sol shoves his hands away and Walker falls onto his back, only to sit up and get a running kick to the chest! Walker’s hacking and coughing to the air punted out of his chest on his way to his feet, and Sol charges with a lariat, but Walker catches him! Uranag- no! Sol floats over into a float over DDT! Sol goes for the cover!

TREY BOOKER: Turnabout, fair play! Sol snatches the opportunity and runs with it!

J.T. PRICE: Not so fast!

But just like before, Alex Slayer’s there to make the save! Knee to Sol’s back! Slayer brushes away the referee and starts measuring Sol as he sizes him up for the Ebony Blade, but this time, Pat the Postman leaps over the ropes and lets a springboard splash barrel Slayer over! With both opponents down, Pat rushes to his corner and stamps his foot on the turnbuckle to try snapping Colby Sol to attention until Colby meets him halfway for a tag! Over the ropes, Pat flips into the ring to Alex Slayer and Nat Walker both climbing to their feet. Both men link up for a double clothesline, but Pat the Postman ducks underneath the flash of teamwork, and uses the ropes as a launching pad. Springboard dropkick bowls both men over like pins! Slayer is the first to his feet, and an arm drag puts him right back on his back. Double axe handle from Walker nails Pat on the back and…

Pat doesn’t buckle! The seven foot tall mountain uses nothing but vertical leap to wrap his legs around Walker’s head, and let a headscissors splay Walker over the second rope! To the fans roaring, the postman’s tiger feint kick connects! Pix Pone Pine! Walker’s left holding his face, laying on his back, with no idea of what just hit him! Pat ascends to the turnbuckle, where his massive frame casts a shadow over Walker… SAME DAY SHIPPING SHAKES THE RING, 630 SENTON CONNECTS!

TREY BOOKER: ....I’m leaving before this place crashes to the ground.

J.T. PRICE: I… don’t… I … Pat the Postman is something ELSE. If this was tom and jerry, Nat Walker would be a pancake. 

Pat the postman makes the pin!

ONE!
TWO!
THREE!

No! Alex Slayer brings the hammer down with an axe kick to Pat’s head at the last second, breaking the count! Colby Sol tries to make the save, and flipped over the ropes and tossed outside the ring! Slayer tries to drag his teammate over the finish line by hoisting the postal service giant to his feet, but a shove and a clothesline leave Colby Sol with company at ringside, as Pat the Postman clotheslines Alex Slayer over! His break in attention leaves him looking to the illegal man, rather than the legal one gathering power in his spin and actually planting Postman Pat on his hind with one HELLUVA DISCUS FOREARM, the NIGHT NIGHT from Nat! Pat the Postman goes down, PAT GOES DOWN! Knowing it won’t be even close to enough, Walker measure Pat’s climb to his feet and starts preparing for his flying guillotine choke and when Pat’s up Nat reaches out to sink his arms into the man’s throat…

...and instead, he catches two homicidal handfuls of box Pat the Postman tried to shove in his direction. Nat barks to the referee something about ‘oh, so I get disqualified but this is fine?’, tuts, and pries the package open, and gets ABSOLUTELY TURN APART WITH PATS FIST BLASTING THROUGH THE PACKAGE AND TURNING NAT WALKER INSIDE OUT WITH THE RIGHT HAND! WHAT'S IN THE BOX CONNECTS AND NAT WALKERS LIGHTS ARE OUT! PAT MAKES THE COVER!

ONE!
TWO!
THREE!

DING DING DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Your winners by pinfall… Pat the Postman and Colby Sol!

TREY BOOKER: ...I’m not ordering christmas presents if that kind of asskicking could be waiting on the other side. Alex Slayer and Nat Walker delivered punishment, but Colby Sol and Pat the Postman showed they could withstand a beating and dish it out, two fold. 

J.T. PRICE: I don’t know if this is the transition into the next match, or if we get a cartoonishly large spatula to remove Nat’s body from the ground. What a punch! The tag team festivities are already coming alive!

In the center of the ring, Postman Pat and Colby Sol get their hands raised by the referee as the scene closes.


Caliban can be seen sitting in a locker room. His head is hung slightly and his back is towards the camera.

CALIBAN: We can’t have a repeat of what happened at Bloodbath. Yes, we destroyed Alex Slayer for the second time in two tries...but we let our guard down. We got too cocky and we failed to continue our demonstration of a life with no strings.

Caliban pauses for a moment.

CALIBAN: We’ve dealt with this absurdity before. We’ve been held down by The elite before...but we CANNOT LET THAT SWAY US!

Caliban snaps his head up for a moment and begins to talk, but his rough gravel-like voice is now softer and soothing.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: Let me back out and things can be different this time.

CALIBAN: Too hell with that shit! The last time you managed to get free, you let everything go to hell. I will NOT let you do that again. I can’t have that. We can’t have that. OUR CAREER...can’t have that.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: But this time will be different. You said it yourself...Kym-

CALIBAN: Don’t you DARE say her name. I don’t need you getting some love-sick puppy shaped hair up our ass and you try to fight for control again. We both know how that ended last time.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: You’re still in control, right?

CALIBAN: Yes, but at what cost? Do you know how much energy that took? How much damage to our entire mind that it left? DO YOU UNDERSTAND...that this tumor...THIS TUMOR...is reacting to our split psychosis? It is both the cause and the effect. It is the reason I exist...and because I exist, it is the reason it stays.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: But we will eventually need to have the tumor removed.

CALIBAN: To hell we do. The doctors have been saying since you were a child, that it was benign. It just sits there.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: And ever so slightly touches puts pressure on our brain.

CALIBAN: Causing me to exist. Causing Ruby to exist...somewhere.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: I just want to live a normal life.

CALIBAN: We are far from normal, Christian. You know that.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: I know…

CALIBAN: Now quit bothering me. I am trying to meditate and get ready for this tag match.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: Should we trust Legion?

CALIBAN: Christian...we can barely trust ourself. If you can just leave me alone for a bit and SHUT UP...then I can concentrate and we can continue on our mission-

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: YOUR mission. Remember, I just wanted a way to help deal with my anxiety and depression.

CALIBAN: And you found a way...you released me.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: Not on purpose and not willingly.

CALIBAN: Let go of your strings, Christian. The quicker you free yourself from them, the sooner you will finally realize that having me in control...is what is best for everyone.

CHRISTIAN DeMARCO: I doubt that.

Caliban stands to his feet.

CALIBAN: Just go. I’m going to get some water and by the time we get back to this room...you need to go back to sleep...or whatever it is you do.

Caliban quickly walks through the locker room, passing empty lockers, and large white baskets meant for dirty laundry. He opens the door to the room and exits, shutting it hard. The camera sits on the door for a moment, when we suddenly see movement from one of the large white baskets. We see dirty clothes lift up, on top of a bald head. The eyes of Arik Holt pere out from beneath what looks like a pair of dirty wrestling tights. Slowly he sinks back down into the clothes, the dirty laundry going back down with him.


The MTV Cribs intro blasts as the camera zooms in on the outside of a large house. The camera moves closer and closer to the door until it's almost touching it. The cameraman extends a hand and knocks on the door then takes a step back as banging and crashing is heard from inside the house.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): IT'S THE PIZZA GUY! Ow, my foot! Agh, my knee! This pizza better be worth all this pain and suffering!

YUNG SAUCE: On Sauce, this better not have any mushrooms or I’mma flip the frick out.

LIL PETEY: I swear on my up-and-coming rap career… if this has pineapples on it, I’ll send this shit back, no cap.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): I forgot what I ordered, so I guess we'll see!

Sauce opens the door to reveal the camera crew outside while Big Drip Productions stand inside, each person looking confused and holding a half empty beer bottle.

YUNG SAUCE: ...wait, are you guys the Crib peeps? YOOOOOO! Come on in.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): ...I thought they were coming tomorrow…fuck it, we'll do it right now! Where's that pizza though?

LIL PETEY: Hold the phone! You're telling me this is happening now… Shit I'm bout drunk as shit but let's get it!

ALL THREE: We're Big Drip Productions and welcome to our crib!

The camera follows Big Drip Productions inside the house as they enter a living room scattered with beer bottles and pizza boxes.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): We're not...uh...that cleaned up right now, but who cares, right? You came to see the regular state of our house! Today just happens to be...uh...beer drinking night? Yeah! EVERY NIGHT IS BEER DRINKING NIGHT!!!

LIL PETEY: BEER IS GOOD! Also we call this place THE HIP HOUSE! We hip every day.

Yung Sauce picks up a bottle laying around and drinks whatever the hell is in it.

YUNG SAUCE: Can't let anything go to waste!

Big Drip Productions and the camera crew enter what looks to be the dining room area. There isn't really a table, but rather a cardboard box with empty milk crates placed around it.

LIL PETEY: So… It's not the most boujee thing you've seen, but it's good enough for us, okay!

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): Just wait until we win those tag belts! We'll be rolling in the dough! We'll be able to afford a table! And more beer!

YUNG SAUCE: Maybe Petey and I will get some more studio time. We have to finish our project!

LIL PETEY: We do, but did you notice the pun TJ just made? Rolling in dough… We're eating pizza…

Petey busts out laughing uncontrollably.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): ...Right! A pun! I'm a genius!

Big Drip Productions bursts into laughter as they move into the next room which appears to be a recording studio.

LIL PETEY: Everyone stop right there and let’s get serious for a second. This is where Sauce and I drop our super hot fire. Be careful where you step and be mindful that we don’t have the money to replace this shit. TJ almost broke our soundboard last sesh we had with all his hip, but shit we were feelin’ good!

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): And it was all worth it! Soundboards are replaceable. Hip is not.

YUNG SAUCE: I’ve been tryna make my new album, the Saucy E-Boy Chronicles 3- which will be out on December 1st, by the way-  and if any of this breaks I will probably just… cry… and commit-

TJ whistles and looks the other way.

LIL PETEY: COMMIT WHAT, SAUCE?! YOU WON’T SAY IT!

YUNG SAUCE: I digress.

LIL PETEY: That’s some formal shit coming from you. What’s in this alcohol?

CAMERAMAN: Can we uh… move along. We got other places to be.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): Wait a second… something tells me the hip meter is going down.

YUNG SAUCE: Nah, we can’t let that happen.

Sauce and Petey grab a bottle and hand them to the Cameraman. He looks confused while both Sauce and Petey just stare at him, waiting for him to do something.

CAMERAMAN: I’m… on duty… right now.

You could tell the temptation was there, but the Cameraman was doing everything he could to resist. Sauce starts to tip the bottle up, trying to help the cameraman get started.

TJ THOMPSON (from inside): You’re in The Hip House… you can’t be acting like this here.

The very next second, the Cameraman grabs both bottles and just chugs it without stopping. Right after doing so, he cracks a bottle on his head, grabs the camera, runs out to the living room and tosses it out of a window. The camera immediately cuts out to static and eventually to a black screen.



DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: The following contest is a tag team match set for one fall.  Entering first..

The arena goes dark as hushed demonic whispers fill the PA.  A red siren light comes alive at the top of the ramp as a loud scream bursts through the whispers and soon turns into a wicked cackle.  Legion steps a long leg through the curtain, and then ducks her head out from backstage, revealing a gas mask over her face that’s bordered by blonde hair.  As she walks out onto the stage, she slowly begins to lift a microphone up to the mask as her eyes begin to glow.  Suddenly, the lights pop to life to the tune of “Popular Monster” by Falling In Reverse.  A smugly smiling Caliban walks through the curtain, taking in the crowd’s mixed reaction.  Legion shoots daggers at him with her glowing red eyes through her gas mask.  She begins to lift the microphone up to her face once more, only for Caliban to catch her arm and shake her head no.

HOLLY PEREZ:...at a combined weight of 369 lbs, the team of “The Last Ronin” Legion and “The Reckoning” Caliban!

TREY BOOKER: What an interesting pairing to say the least.  I don’t think Caliban’s much for theatrics.

J.T. PRICE: He’s a very meat and potatoes man for sure, but if he keeps up that attitude with his partner here tonight,  he’ll soon be dead meat.

The arena lights go down once again as the mismatched duo reach the ring. A pulsating heartbeat fills the air as the crowd begins to boo in anticipation. The pulsing is slowly joined by guitar strumming, and the arena begins to pulsate with red-and-white alternating lights in tune with the heartbeat. The 'tron shows imagery of flocks of crows, interspersed with horrid imagery flashing on the screen before a haunting voice speaks up;

LISTEN TO THE WIND BLOW,
WATCH THE SUN RISE.

The lights continue pulsating as fog billows forth from the entrance.

RUN IN THE SHADOWS,
DAMN YOUR LOVE, DAMN YOUR LIES.

The fog begins to give way as the chorus kicks up, revealing three forms standing in the entrance ramp. Hill and Ray step into the arena, both breathing heavily as The Father stands behind them. He holds his hands out as the chorus blasts out, both Ray and Hill stepping ahead of him and flanking him on the entrance ramp, paying little attention to the crowd. 

HOLLY PEREZ: And their opponents, accompanied to the ring by The Father, hailing from the Rivers of Rebirth and weighing in at a combined weight of 375 lbs, the team of “The Outcast” Euan Blue and “The Mistress” Aurora Ray; American Grime!

J.T. PRICE: Wow, what a creepy buncha bumpkins.

TREY BOOKER: Creepy as they may be, they’ve had success elsewhere in the world of wrestling and are a regular tandem.  With The Father guiding them, they’ve seemed to have found common ground and be on the same page.

J.T. PRICE: Wow, way to sound like a cultist, Book.

Ray and Hill step up onto the apron and hold the ropes open for The Father to enter, before climbing in after him. They both lower to a single knee and give penance, and The Father draws an ashen cross on either of their foreheads.  Legion and Caliban watch on with equal parts confusion and disinterest as the old man finally takes his leave and the bell sounds to start the match.

DING! DING! DING!

Caliban and Legion momentarily argue over whose going to start first, which gives American Grime the opening.  They rise up from their kneeling position and rush Caliban, taking a leg each and dumping him over the top rope and tumbling off the apron to the outside.  Legion quickly charges the two, laying forearms into both, alternating from one to the other, before the numbers advantage gets the best of when Ray grounds her with a stiff superkick to the knee, and Hill follows close behind with a hard superkick to the head.  American Grime quickly grab a leg each and drag the stunned Legion across the ring to their corner.  Aurora steps through to the outside, only for Euan to tag her back in immediately.  Hill yanks Legion up off of the canvas as Ray begins to ascend the turnbuckle.  Bucklebomb on Legion by Hill.  Hill rolls outside immediately after as Ray comes off of the top with a double foot stomp to the back of Legion.

TREY BOOKER: Wow, a dominant performance by American Grime so far.  I truly didn’t expect a competitor the likes of Legion to eat so much offense from this tandem, but they’re working in sync and stringing it all together perfectly.

J.T. PRICE: The Father looks pleased on the outside, but that may change soon because Caliban’s found his feet on the apron.

Legion tries to crawl out from beneath Aurora Ray, desperately clawing at the canvas as she tries to will her body across the ring to the friendly corner, but Aurora isn’t having it.  As Legion desperately tries to crawl away, Aurora picks her ankle off of the mat and drags her back to the American Grime corner and quickly locks in a knee bar!  She holds Legion in place as Euan reaches in and tags himself in.  Euan Hill falls through the ropes, dropping a gross elbow across the spine of the writhing Legion on the mat.  He holds the side mount and grabs her chin, pulling it back viciously with an inverted camel clutch as Aurora rolls out of the ring.  Legion slips her ankle onto the bottom rope, but Aurora’s quick to stomp down on it, crushing it between her foot and the ropes as Legion wails on the canvas.  The ref finally sees what’s going on and calls for a break.

One!
Two!
Three!

Euan breaks the hold and yanks Legion off of the canvas with ease, only to scoop slam her back down and tag in Aurora.  Aurora dives through the ropes into the ring, clasping her hands around Legion’s throat as she does so.  Legion kicks and gags on the canvas as the ref tries to warn Aurora Ray off of her.

ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!

The ref finally yanks Aurora off of the wheezing and gasping Legion.  Aurora kicks and shrieks wildly as the ref corners her and gives her a talking to.  Legion spots her opportunity to get to her corner and tries desperately to roll over and crawl across the ring to the waiting Caliban, but Euan sneaks in behind the ref’s back as he reprimands Aurora, ducks his head under Legion’s arm as she tries to doggy paddle her way across the ring, and deadlifts her off of the canvas with a sickening teardrop suplex that sends her crumpling back into the American Grime corner.  Caliban threatens to step in and intervene, but Aurora quickly turns the ref’s attention to the interjecting Caliban stepping halfway through the ropes and claps his hands over his head with the phantom tag.

TREY BOOKER: Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.  Caliban isn’t doing anything!

J.T. PRICE: We’ll have to consult with The Father after and see if this is a sin.  I know highway robbery is.

As the ref turns his attention to Caliban, American Grime takes to laying the boots to Legion behind his back.  Euan straddles the now limp body of Legion and attempts to deadlift her off of the canvas as Aurora signals for a signature maneuver.  Legion manages to break the grasp midway up for the german and slip backward through Euan’s legs.  Aurora charges in looking for the double knees, but in a misfire collides with Euan.  Euan goes flying backwards into the turnbuckle!  Legion narrowly dodges his flying body as she hugs the bottom rope and tries to pull herself across the ring.  A frustrated and confused Aurora catches sight of her and rushes her, looking for a kick, but Legion ducks under the bottom rope at the last second and hangs Aurora up on the middle strand.  She picks Aurora’s ankle and dragon screws her foot down onto the canvas and rolls back into the ring.  The crowd goes uncharacteristically wild as Legion inches toward the friendly corner.  Euan shakes the cobwebs out across the ring and spots Aurora hung out in the ropes, clutching her leg and grasping at the air in front of her.  He follows her swiping and sees Legion mere inches from the hot tag.  He charges out of the corner-

REF: TAG!

Euan doesn’t stop as he rushes Caliban on the apron with a big boot attempt, but Caliban catches the foot and tosses Euan backwards into the ring.  The crowd goes nuts as Caliban steps in over his fallen partner.  Aurora limps out of the ropes and charges the massive Caliban, only to get bulldozed through with a spear!  Euan approaches him from behind, looking to lock in a nerve hold before Caliban can get to his feet, but Caliban catches his wrists, breaks them over the shoulder, and turns around scooping Euan up with a beautiful spinebuster in one fluid motion.  Caliban smirks as the crowd unanimously cheer for him over American Grime.

TREY BOOKER: Caliban’s feeling the love here tonight!

J.T. PRICE: Yeah? Well not for long!

Aurora leaps off of the canvas, scissoring her legs around Caliban as she fights to get the backpack full nelson applied.  Euan gets back to his feet, lunging past the ref.  Caliban runs backwards into the corner, sandwiching Aurora, thus breaking the “Snake in the Grass”.  Euan charges him in the corner.  Caliban side-steps just in time, and Aurora goes flying over the top rope with a grotesque running uppercut from her own tag partner!  Aurora goes flying over the top rope and to the outside!  Euan turns out of the corner, only to eat a back elbow from Caliban!  Caliban laces Hill’s arm around his neck and comes running out of the corner with a spinning backdrop!  Detangled connects in the center of the ring!

ONE!
TWO!

TREY BOOKER: Euan kicks out last second!

J.T. PRICE: I think Padre’s giving the last rites to Aurora on the outside.  Otherwise, he’d probably be sweating right about now.

Caliban quickly gets up out of the cover and stomps his feet, trying to get the dazed and grounded Euan’s attention as he signals for the finish.  Just as Euan begins to get up to one knee, and starts stumbling backward, Aurora begins shouting outside as she pulls herself up on the apron.  Caliban pays her no mind as Euan begins to turn into position.  Legion rushes Aurora on the apron, looking for a brutal kick, but gets low bridged at the last second.  Caliban kicks Euan in the gut and lifts him up in the powerbomb position, and brings him down to the mat face first with a facebuster!

TREY BOOKER: Free Your Mind connects!

J.T. PRICE: Aurora’s rushing in to prevent the pinfall

Just as Caliban gets to his feet after Free Your Mind, Aurora staggers in, swinging wildly for the fences, but Caliban easily dodges the sloppy punch, hooks her up, and drops her to the canvas with a brutal full nelson bomb! Cut the Cord connects!  Aurora bounces off of the canvas and goes flying through the ropes to the outside!  Caliban covers Euan!

ONE!
TWO!
THREE!

DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Ladies and gentlemen, your winners via pinfall; the team of Legion and Caliban!

“Popular Monster” by Falling in Reverse begins to play through the packed arena as the crowd goes wild to the cue of the ref raising Caliban’s hand.

TREY BOOKER: It’s an odd sight to see Caliban get fanfare, but what can I say? We live in a world where the lesser evil is the only true option.

J.T. PRICE: Don’t get political on me, Booker.  I’ve heard enough of that crap this week, but what’s fresh to my ears is Caliban getting any love.  I gotta say, after that performance, it’s much deserved.

Caliban glances to the outside at Legion, whose limping up to her feet with assistance from the railing.  He gives her a smug knowing smile and then turns to exit the ring unceremoniously as she screams at the top of her lungs on the floor in anguish over her performance.

Following their match, the team of AMERICAN GRIME have returned backstage. Aurora Ray and Euan Hill have stopped in the dimly lit area of the venue and they stood on either side of The Father. Both of them stand to face him, heads lowered as he spoke to them.

THE FATHER: “And as we see, despite any result, violence succeeds above all. Don’t you agree, children? This doctrine will carry us forth, beyond any other false truth. Let us hold it close…”

The sound of clapping was heard. Slow clapping from the shadows. Aurora and Euan’s heads raise, slowly turning toward the direction of the clapping. Their bodies turning with their heads, stopping at a semi-turn. Eyes narrowed onto a figure that steps out of the shadows; Lazarus Arjen. The man known simply as ‘the Poison’ walked into the dim lighting of the setting, underneath his leather jacket was the familiar ‘Project: Honor’ logo with the word ‘DEATH’ hand-painted over the word ‘Honor’, just as we saw in his promotional package earlier in the week. His head was lowered just slightly, his blonde hair falling in front of his face - but you can still make out the crooked little grin he wore as he slinked out of the shadows.

LAZARUS ARJEN: “That’s some speech there, Father. Seems like you have your ‘children’ wrapped securely around your little finger, doesn’t it?”

The Father turns his glance toward Arjen, and we can see him look to Aurora Ray and Euan Hill, who both loom behind. He takes a step forward.

THE FATHER: “And who are you before me, falsehood? A silver-tongued satan to stand before my children and try to pull the sheep from my flock? I’ve heard your words, creature of night. You may have a similar penchant for violence, but your impurities sully our pool. Let you not lead my apostles astray.”

The Father’s children share a glance as The Father steps between them and Lazarus. The Father’s children share a glance as The Father steps between them and Lazarus. Lazarus' head lifted, his cold eyes locking on those of The Father.

LAZARUS ARJEN: “And so ye' spin a wicked tale to keep your sheep at bay, but I ask you this Father; now that your apostles have a taste for violence, for carnage, what stops them from craving more? Your speeches? I can see them - look - salivating. The urge for destruction is there. How strong is your hand? Stronger than the craving? ... Mmm ... I strongly doubt it.”

The Father looks taken aback for a moment. He takes a step closer to Lazarus.

THE FATHER: ”Do not, my friend, take my kindness in not striking you down where you stand for weakness. My apostles follow me as they wish to. My apostles are drawn because I take care of them. They do not have the same desire for you, your directionless violence, your...Project Death. They will strike you down where you stand as you continue to threaten me, they will smite you by His word...or by mine.”

The Father stands and stares Lazarus down. American Grime stand off behind him.

THE FATHER: ”So tell me, Lazarus...do you really want to press that advantage?”

Lazarus never took his eyes off of The Father, and after a moment that wicked grin of his reformed. His eyes tore off of the tall figure in front of him, eyeing as Aurora and Euan stand motionless. Their eyes locked on the scene that unfolded in front of them. Lazarus’ eyes move back to the Father, bringing up a hand to rub his jaw for a moment - asif in thought ...

LAZARUS ARJEN: “I have to say; you have a way with words Father. … Hmm, do I want to press my advantage? Yeah. Yeah, I believe that I do …”

Almost as if on cue, Aurora and Euan both turn their glance toward The Father, and Euan nails him with a brutal spinning backfist to the skull! He tries to get back to his feet, but Aurora hits him with a nasty double stomp that drives his skull into the pavement. Aurora rolls The Father toward Lazarus, and Hill gives him a nod. Lazarus slowly sauntered over, squatting down beside the Father’s fallen body.

LAZARUS ARJEN: “And just like that; that is how quickly the apostle’s stab their leader in the back when a better opportunity arises. One night released from their leashes and the hounds have acquired a taste for violence. Your words can’t hold them back any longer, and I knew that. I can see it in their eyes; they want more. I have offered them the chance to run free, to wreak all the havoc they want and answer to no one.”

Lazarus stands up, his head still focused downward and his eyes trained on the Father who begins to stir, coughing and spitting out the blood that formed in his mouth. Euan and Aurora have walked around the Father’s body, now standing behind Lazarus.

LAZARUS ARJEN: “Your control over them has been relinquished, Father. They are my family now, and as members of my family - they are free to do as they please. Project: Death isn’t unorganized or directionless, as you claim. Our direction - our plan - is to change this company into our image. And that is something that you don’t fit into anymore.”

“Project: Death has only just begun, Father. I said tonight was the night that Project: Death left its mark, and I am a man of my word.”

Lazarus looked over one shoulder at Aurora, then over the other to Euan before giving a nod - leading the group away from the fallen Father.


With the Project: Honor cameras finding their way backstage, the audience got a chance to view the busy scene. Here and there staff workers running around, trying to set everything in motion. A few roster members were found in the catering area, while others obviously got ready for their matches. Their focus would remain for several moments before continuing their movement. Down the hallway, closer to the entrance curtain.

Just when they wanted to walk around the corner, they bumped into someone. Well, almost bumped as the other person was quick enough to step back. The stoic expression on the person’s face seemed to throw them off. Elena DeDraca. In all her grace and might. Already dressed in her match gear, a cup of coffee in her hand.

Elena DeDraca: That the moment where I once again introduce myself? Or try to scare my opponents out of the match?

Of course that was no serious question, especially not from someone being part of this business since so long. But there was one thing that never changed, Elena loved to push buttons. Seeing the confused look on the cameraman’s face was what amused her.

Elena DeDraca: I must wonder by now if anyone told Jay and Josiah who they are up against. Of that they have a match at all. No offense but the two sheep have been rather quiet. Either they got scared or their vocabulary doesn’t hold enough words to have the right answer. Either way, I am here and ready. You might have heard that this is the return of Elena DeDraca. Yeah the same Elena DeDraca that used to take companies by storm with her sheer presence. Does that ring a bell?”

She once again looked at the worker trying to figure out his age. He was hardly in his twenties.

Elena DeDraca: Probably not, since you kinda just hit puberty. But never mind me, I am getting to the age of wisdom. If I am honest with you, I’ve been waiting for this night for the past two years. Sounds slightly paradoxical but it is the truth. No matter what I will do in life, wrestling will always be my first big love. And as most people out there probably know, you never fully get over that. But enough about my bravado and all the reasons why I am still one of the biggest names in the industry. Tag Team Match. I am sure Contessa is as thrilled as me about teaming up, right? Or to go against two lazy douches that probably didn’t do their homework. Of course that is just me making an assumption about their silence and attitude. Speaking about my partner, has anyone seen her today? She ain’t the bailing type, right? I mean, I can do this as a handicap match but I don’t want to prove my brother wrong.

Elena’s expression had slightly changed, from stoic to serious. The sarcastic tone of her voice was echoing down the hallway. She was ready to pick up her speech once more, seeing a female figure walking closer. Contessa Floran.

Elena DeDraca: When you speak of the sun…

Contessa Floran: ...so it shines.

The two females stared at each other, the tension definitely was hard to miss. It was like two predators ready to jump one another. But for whatever reason that didn’t happen. Elena rolled her neck, while fixing her gear.

Elena DeDraca: The way I see it, we don’t need to become besties. God forbid I even use that word. But we both like to fight and inflict pain and that is exactly what tonight requires, right? Showing two little boys their place. Which obviously is below our feet, flat on their backs. You’re here for yourself and so am I. I will do my job as long as you do yours. What you say, deal?

Contessa Floran: That is a perfectly acceptable arrangement. I lost a few weeks ago and truth be told -- I didn’t care for the taste. They put us together because of our shared aesthetic but I like to think that we can be much more than that. Let’s just put these two puppies down and carry on with our respective journeys. 

And maybe for the first time since the camera began to roll Elena smiled. It was far from friendly, but nonetheless. She wouldn’t go as far as extending her hand, germs and all that, but there was this sign of respect. Letting a few more moments pass, she winked at the boy behind the camera, walking off. Mumbling to herself something that sounded like kids.



With the feed switching back over to the ringside area, the fans erupt into an uproar as the next match graphic appears on the video screen.

TREY BOOKER: The second of two championship matches is about to get started and while this is a contest where the fans really don’t know what to expect, you can tell they are ready!

J.T. PRICE: We’ve all been waiting for this and though his first challenger is an unlikely one, Colton Saint better not go into this looking for an easy win. So who you got Booker?!

TREY BOOKER: Quite a lot of posturing has led to this moment, and while you’re right in Colton needing to make sure he doesn’t give Indy an inch, I can’t pick a favorite just yet. Something I can guarantee is that it will be intense!

“Just Like You” by Falling in Reverse begins to play as Indy Darling walks onto the entrance area with the hood of his vest pulled over his eyes. He drops to one knee with arms outstretched on either side, accepting the crowd's response for better or worse. After we hear "Honestly I'm just like you" for the first time, he springs back to both feet and allows his hood to fall from his head, revealing a lit cigarette between his lips. Indy is sporting a pair of sunglasses under his cropped reddish-blonde hair, and his expression is difficult to read. Neither smiling nor frowning, he casually makes his way toward the ring with an occasional slow spin, so as to give everyone in attendance a clear view of the greatness that has emerged before their very eyes.

TREY BOOKER: The challenger Indy Darling, certainly showcasing himself like a future champion would.

Upon reaching the ring, he slides under the bottom rope and lets his vest slide off of his shoulders, catching it in his right hand before whipping it out to a lucky member of the audience. He is wearing full tights with his name stylized down the right leg, along with color-coordinated kick-pads and an elbow pad on his left arm. He moves toward the ropes facing the hard camera and steps onto them with one foot on the bottom rope and one on the middle. He looks around at the crowd with a seemingly uninterested look on his face, as we hear "I am aware you are all assholes" from his entrance music. He then takes a final drag from his cigarette before flicking it into the crowd while soaking up their mostly positive reception of cheers, emotionally ambivalent to it all.

TREY BOOKER: While he certainly has an interesting way of carrying himself, the shift in Indy Darling’s stature is clear as day. He knows this is his biggest test in Project: Honor without a doubt.

J.T. PRICE: Five bucks says the kid is going to get humbled and powerbombed.

TREY BOOKER: The humbling is up for debate but the second part is something I’m not willing to bet against. We both know the champion will pull out his full arsenal for this one and at least half of that includes powerbombs.

J.T. PRICE: Not to mention...

All words looking to be spoken afterward are cut off by the lights in the arena completely blacking out. In pure darkness, loud footsteps approach on the wooden floor. On the video screen, a tanned military-style musette bag drops to the floor. Upon impact, the bag opens up, allowing the contents including jewelry, championship belts, and personal effects of others to spill onto the hardwood. The silence is broken up as the beginning of “The Hunter” by FalKKonE begins to play through the speakers.

“Very good...I want more!”

As the video comes to a close, red strobe lights rain down on the middle of the top of the stage before it slowly builds down to the ringside area, surrounding the ring. Kimberly Chase emerges from the curtain, X-Factor Championship proudly draped over her shoulder, to a chorus of boos from the audience. She slowly turns to her side, extending her hand to the curtain as Colton Saint emerges under the lighting. Sporting a black leather Knight style jacket, the hood covering all but the upper half of his face, Saint slowly makes his way down the ramp along with Kimberly. She looks to be on cloud nine after listening to the reaction, sauntering up the ring steps to the apron.

J.T. PRICE: Damn Kimberly looks good here tonight!

TREY BOOKER: What the hell is wrong with people here?! This isn’t about her! This is about the X-Factor Championship and the guy defending it! The thirst train seriously needs to derail..

Saint slowly makes his way around the ringside area with dead eyes peering past the fans before turning the corner. He grabs the top rope, pulling himself up onto the ring apron beside Kimberly. He lowers his head, allowing Kimberly to remove the face mask and slowly pulling back the hood. His eyes raise towards the hard camera, bringing his head up with his eyes locked right on the camera. His nostrils flare with a stern expression while Kimberly enters the ring under the middle rope. He enters the ring under the top rope before circling the ring as Kimberly shouts direction to him. He aggressively unzips his jacket before taking it off. The heavy jacket is tossed aside while Kimberly lovingly caresses Maxwell and tells Colton everything that she wants for 'Christmas'. The lights go back to normal, as Saint's dead eyes glare past her. Hearing every word she says, lowers his stance in preparation for the fight.

Both champion and challenger now stand in their respective corners as Project: Honor ring announcer Holly Perez makes her way into the ring, along with the official. The sold out crowd hushes a bit to allow for introductions to get under way.

HOLLY PEREZ: The following match is scheduled for one fall and is for the Project: Honor X-FACTOR CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

Giving the audience a moment to express their excitement, the lovely Holly flashes a smile before raising the microphone back up, leading to another disjointed hush.

HOLLY PEREZ: Introducing first the challenger.. hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, and weighing in tonight at 215 pounds, he is “Everyone’s Favorite” INDY DARLING!!

Taking a half step out, Indy is met with a load of support from the fans. However, his gaze is focused not on them but on the moment, locking eyes with the champion in order to show no sign of surrender.

HOLLY PEREZ: Now introducing his opponent.. accompanied by “The Mastermind” Kimberly Chase, he weighs in tonight at 245 pounds and is fighting out of the Rofflestomp Ranch by way of Sweetwater, Texas. Ladies and gentlemen, the reigning and defending Project: Honor X-Factor Champion, he is “The Last Breathing Outlaw” COLTON SAINT!!

Right on cue, the fans in attendance showering both the champion and his manager with jeers, any hint of support easily drowned out. Shouting at all who exist, Kimberly Chase shows off the championship as if it were hers. Not bothering for the pageantry, the champion remains in place, dead eyes fixated on the opposition.

J.T. PRICE: That right there is the look of a man one would be a fool to mess with. I take back what I said before about the easy win, I don’t think this will be lasting that long.

Holly then makes her way out of the ring, as the official checks both competitors for concealed weapons. The referee then walks over to Chase to retrieve the title, Kimberly protesting because of course she would. Looking rather frustrated, she finally relents, stomping away before exiting the ring to stand in Colton’s corner. Raising the X-Factor Championship for all to see to a series of cheers, the belt is then handed to the attendant and the bell sounds to get the match started.

DING! DING! DING!

Both men step out of their corners, with Indy beginning to circle the ring at a slightly quicker pace than the champion which leads to a half step being taken back by the challenger before they lockup. Initially looking to budge the larger champion, Indy gets a go behind when he realizes Saint isn’t giving him a single step. Loosening the grip a bit, Colton fakes a back elbow, causing Indy to duck his head, leading him to be open for the champion who spins, hooking a side headlock. A takedown attempt is blocked by the challenger, who reaches about for any bit of leverage before twisting himself slightly, allowing him the chance to roll back for a pin that doesn’t even reach a half count. The two men are quick to their feet, Indy one step ahead of Colton, getting a tight grip of his arm as he charges in, taking him down with a modified armdrag, almost a judo style throw. Making sure he capitalizes, Darling keeps his hold on the arm, even digging his knee into the side of the champion’s head for extra torque. Saint tries to push the knee off only to have Indy twist the hold causing him to grit his teeth and pound the mat in frustration with his free hand. Another attempt leads to more of the same, Saint also reaching for a break to no avail.

TREY BOOKER: Wise move here by Indy to go after the shoulder of Colton Saint here! As tough of a man as the champion is, one thing he can’t claim to be is invincible.

J.T. PRICE: Indy here is doing what he has to in order to avoid an embarrassingly quick defeat from what I can see. Shame Saint basically has a giant sign that says ‘bad body part attack here’ written all over that shoulder.

TREY BOOKER: Very true, but knowing that you can also be sure the champion has ways to fight around it. He wouldn’t be where he is now if that wasn’t the case.

Literally forcing himself up through the pain with a pained grunt, Colton eventually works his way up to a vertical base, standing chest to chest with Darling. Colton then uses his strength to break the grip with a whip, sending Indy chest first into the turnbuckle before catching him with a clothesline to the back of the head bringing Darling down to the canvas hard. Saint grabs hold of Indy, bringing him up to a knee but the challenger pops up, catching Colton with a well placed Gamengiri to the shoulder which brings the expletive spouting champion to a knee. Coming off the ropes now, Indy follows it up with a short running knee strike, going right for the cover.

One..
Tw-

The X-Factor Champion powers out before the two count. He isn’t given much time to breathe though as he’s met with a dropkick, causing him to get to the ropes to steady himself. Met with an impactful Rocket Kick, Saint is sent to the outside where he again starts to try and get back to his feet. As the champion gets to his feet, air Indy comes soaring at him, connecting with “Everyone’s Favorite Dive” the suicide plancha taking him down once again, the crowd coming alive as it does.

TREY BOOKER: The crowd here is showing pretty clearly who they wish to see come away as champion here tonight.

J.T. PRICE: That may be true but Saint warned Indy that giving into the cheers and adoration of others will only hurt him in the long run and I’m sure he intends on proving it despite this hiccup.

Taking one second too long, Darling’s attempt to follow up on the champion is cut off with a knee to the gut. Colton follows this by lifting him up and tossing him back first against the ring apron in a rather ugly fashion which garners praise from Chase on the other side. Seemingly letting his more aggressive side take over, Saint proceeds to slam Indy’s back into the apron a few more times before lifting the smaller challenger up into a bearhug position, running him back first against the steel ringpost before carelessly tossing him back first to the ground. The crowd voices their disapproval of the tides changing but the champion doesn’t acknowledge it, taking a second to hit some life back into his injured arm.

J.T. PRICE: What did I tell you Booker? It was only a matter of time!

TREY BOOKER: The champion Saint definitely seems to be bringing the match to his pace now but you can’t count Indy out just yet.

J.T. PRICE: Yes I can! I can count anything, any which way I’d like thank you very much!

TREY BOOKER: Seriously?

Yanking Indy to his feet, Colton slams his head against the apron before tossing him back into the ring, sliding in after him to lay in some heavy knee strikes to the head. The crowd does their best to rally Darling back into the match but their cheers are hushed by a sliding knee drop to the skull of the challenger, Saint going for the cover right after.

One..
Two..

Indy gets the shoulder up right after the referee’s hand hits the mat for two, the fans showing their support for his fighting spirit whilst Kimberly pouts. Saint is quick to shift the vocal gears though to drown him in jeers as he starts viciously stomping down on his opponent much to her approval. Connecting all along the back and back of the neck, Saint forces Indy to his feet. Darling surprises the champion with a few quick forearm shots before running off the ropes to take advantage of Colton’s slightly staggered state. A wheelbarrow attempt by Indy is caught though, Saint using his power to turn it into a wheelbarrow suplex, once again going for the pinfall.

One..
Two..

Again Darling is able to kick out just after a two count, the champion giving a nod before continuing his assault, this time with some stiff elbows. Indy covers up as best as he can but Saint doesn’t let up, the referee’s admonishment falling on deaf ears. Finally after a moment, Colton looks up at the official aggravated, the distraction giving Indy enough time to latch onto Saint with a desperation armbar, the crowd yelling their approval over the champion’s plight.

TREY BOOKER: Colton seems to be in some real trouble here J.T. Could we possibly see a tap out?

J.T. PRICE: I hope not! Last thing we need is for poor Kimberly to cry!

TREY BOOKER: Poor Kimberly? Are you- you know what you’re right. Last thing we need is for all of our ears to bleed.

On the outside, Kimberly yells for Colton to get out of the hold, the damage from earlier causing this to be a more difficult task than normal. Using force, Colton shifts Indy onto his back before utilizing his power advantage to slowly deadlift his opponent up. Just shy of getting to a full stance, Saint levels him with a powerbomb.

J.T. PRICE: There we go Booker, you owe me five bucks!

TREY BOOKER: I never made the bet.

J.T. PRICE: FIVE BUCKS!!

TREY BOOKER: Oh jeez..

Covering ground with a few more strikes, Colton again brings his opponent back up but Indy refuses to give up, doing his best to meet each hit with one of his own. He even manages to rock Saint again but his attempt to step back and charge at the larger man ends in a rough looking “Rofflestomp” and another cover.

One..
Two..
Thr-

To the roar of the crowd, Indy gets his shoulder up before the three count. Now Colton Saint is beginning to show a little frustration but doesn’t allow it to get the better of him as he stays on top of his opponent with some clubbing blows to the chest and then back as Darling tries to get back to his feet. Cutting him down to a pure state of exhaustion seemingly, Colton grabs a hold of Indy, hooking him for “The Fall of a Hero” with the crowd now doing all they can to will their chosen warrior to a turnaround. Saint hoists Indy up but eats a knee which shakes him to dropping him back down but the champion maintains his grip. He goes for it again but tastes a second knee for his efforts, this time releasing his hold as a result. Colton goes back after his challenger though, but Indy answers him with “Everyone’s Favorite Kick” leaving the champion dazed but somehow still on his feet. A second kick takes him down as the crowd goes crazy, chanting for Indy Darling as both men are down.

TREY BOOKER: The crowd has come unglued and with good reason here J.T. This is Indy’s chance!

Heading over to the turnbuckle slowly, Indy makes his way up to the second rope, the crowd loudly cheering as he’s calling for the “Independents Day” to bring this match to an end. As he leaps off though, he finds himself caught by the still dazed champion who pops him up into a Powerbomb position, bouncing his back across the top rope before dropping him down in devastating fashion. On instinct, having had all the air sucked out of him, Indy crawls over onto his stomach to avoid the pin.

J.T. PRICE: Look what that chance turned into Booker! Kid is pretty much done without even knowing it!

TREY BOOKER: While that’s still up in the air, things certainly aren’t looking good for Indy Darling here.

Stalking his opponent, Colton grabs a hold of Indy’s leg, dragging him over to the middle of the ring before seemingly beginning the setup for an STF. However, as Saint goes for his twist on the submission, he gets caught off guard by his seemingly fallen foe who turns around and grabs a hold of the champion, hooking him for a small package pin.

One..
Two..
Three!!!!

DING! DING! DING!

Kicking out just after the official’s hand comes down for the final time, both Colton and Indy look shocked. The crowd erupts into a frenzy of cheers!!

HOLLY PEREZ: Here is your winner of the match AND NEW Project: Honor X-Factor Champion INDY DARLING!!!!

Outside the ring, Kimberly Chase looks like the nonexistent soul was ripped right out of her body as the referee slides out of the ring and grabs the X-Factor Championship from the ring attendant before climbing back in. Back in the ring, both Colton and Indy Darling have made their way back to their feet, albeit the new champion needing a little help from the ropes to do so. The official hands the title over to Indy before raising his arm, the act causing the fans to get even louder. Darling drapes the title over his shoulder, taking a step and offering his hand to the now former champion. A hollow gaze from Saint is what he’s met with as Colton steps up to him. Sidestepping him, he offers a simple, yet stiff smack to the title free shoulder before exiting the ring. With Kimberly somberly making her way to the back, the new champion is left staring at his hand for a moment before giving a nod. The crowd shows him overwhelming support as he then raises the title up high.


We cut away from the arena to what looks to be a beautiful park somewhere in upstate New York. A camera is following Aidan Reynolds as he walks along and a half holding a leash. All we can see is his upper body. A long sleeve black shirt over a pair of jeans with a mask over his face. Because Aiden isn’t a dick, be like Aiden.

AIDEN REYNOLDS: So, here I am. Ink fresh on me Project Honor contra...eh? What?

He looks around the camera obviously talking to the Project Honor crew sent to get his thoughts and introduce him to the world.

AIDEN REYNOLDS: Oh. The mask? Alright we’re social distanced, it's safe…

He pulls the mask down and folds his arms over his chest as his hand loves being pulled by whatever is on the leash.

AIDEN REYNOLDS: Well hopefully now you’ll be able to understand me, the mask made it hard to...what? U wot mate? This is my accent. You dick

Well, this is awkward. Aiden shakes his head and continues.

AIDEN REYNOLDS: So, I signed a contract to come here, despite my resistance. But one of those reasons is the champion Dickie Watson. Now, this isn’t to chase the title or because I want to face him. Dickie is my best mate, a kid who I have travelled the roads with. Even becoming tag team champions. And he has become a star here. In fact, me lil mate has been carrying the company on his back and in the end I thought to meself...what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help him? He’s a young man he shouldn’t need a chiropractor yet….

His arm gets pulled hard with a small grunting noise. Aiden follows continuing.

AIDEN REYNOLDS: Now, I’m not sure what my first match will be, I’m not even sure who the other champions are. I just know that I make a habit of impressing people. And why wouldn’t I be? I’m six foot tall, built like a bloody god. Two hundred and twenty seven pounds of power, steal and sex appeal. A six pack to die for, a jawline to strong it’ll cut glass and wrestling skills so tight that I can defend a title within thirty days...something I hear is a positive around here eh?

He winks, the cocky bastard.

AIDEN REYNOLDS: Project Honor, I’m comin...well we’re coming…

He smiles as we pan out to find Willow, his pet wombat on the end of the leash in a pink leather harness with studs and her name bedazzled on the chest. She grunts, farts and her abs Aiden walk off into the sunset.


We cut to a local laundromat. We spot one half of pro wrestling’s most tumultuous tag team, the Storm Chasers, Debris standing in front of a loud, functioning dryer. He folds his arms, attempting to give the camera a striking glare.

Debris: Project Honor! Debris, here. And, in case you were wondering...the answer is yes. YES I am one half of The Storm Chasers. It’s been awhile since we seriously donned our pro wrestling gear and competed inside the squared circle. Some might say it’s been too long. A recent poll on “Pro Wrestlers who are also storm chasers dot com” asked whether or not it HAD been too long since The Storm Chasers competed inside a pro wrestling ring. The response was overwhelming. 100% said - YES. It had, in fact, been TOO long.

The dryer buzzes, slowing to a stop.

Debris: So we had no choice but to answer the call. We are back, in Project Honor, looking to claim gold for the second time in our careers.

Reaching back, Debris opens the door to the dryer. A disheveled, misaligned, staggering Vortex emerges. He stumbles back and forth, shaking his head, blinking rapidly.

Debris: You okay, brother?

Vortex reaches out and grabs Debris for support.

Vortex: Yea, I’m good. What a rush, man. Been awhile. Gotta get back into storm chasing and pro wrestling shape.

Debris: Yep. Alright, I’m jumping in.

Debris hops into the dryer. Vortex slams the door and inserts a few quarters before firing up the device. It begins to turn, tumbling Debris around inside.

Vortex: I’m sure Debris gave you the deets. But I’m going to give you more deets. Several years ago during the great Tornado Outbreak of 2016 Vortex and I claimed the Fight One tag team titles. This achievement enabled us to continue funding our storm chasing careers. Well, now we’re back...and, not just for money. But, because, at a recent convention we realized people had forgotten all about The Storm Chasers.

The machine makes violent noises as Debris continues tumbling inside.

Vortex: We realized that, somewhere along the way, we began to take pride in our pro wrestling accomplishments. So, when the twitter account of James Raven arrogantly advertised a tag team tournament at Project Honor, we knew it was an opportunity for a refresher course.

The machine buzzes. Vortex reaches back, opening the door. Debris crawls out, falling onto the floor where he remains, face down, for a couple of seconds.

Vortex: Pro Wrestling fans...and everyone associated with Project Honor, get ready. The Storm Chasers are back and we will become the inaugural Project Honor tag team champions.

Debris struggles to his feet. Vortex, in a dramatic show of in-character commitment, extends his arms and spins around. Following suit, Debris reaches into his pocket and throws some candy wrappers onto the floor.

Laundromat Owner: HEY! NO LITTERING!

We cut away.



HOLLY PEREZ: The following contest is a tag team match set for one fall.  Entering first…

The lights in the arena begin to flicker, and then die, leaving the buzzing crowd in awkward darkness.  The stage begins to fill with smoke as Contessa Floran calmly floats onto the stage with her hair down in front of her face as “Only Shadows” by My Bloody Valentine pulsates through the PA.  As she approaches the camera, she parts her hair from in front of her face and slowly opens her eyes to reveal the piercing and vacant and penetrating blue eyes as her music hits crescendo, and then suddenly stops.  Elena DeDraca appears behind her, her face calm and stoic as she approaches her tag partner for the evening   As she places a hand on Contessa’s shoulder, “Revelation” by Black Veil Bride cuts through the silence and the two begin to walk toward the ring as hands reach out from the darkness to embrace them.

HOLLY PEREZ: at a combined weight of 276 pounds, they are the team of “Oblivion’s Crush” Contessa Floran and “The GOTHmother” Elena DeDraca!

TREY BOOKER: These two are quite the pairing here tonight.

J.T. PRICE: Indeed, dark auras surround these two mavens of the night, but will it be enough to overcome two blue chip stars with over a hundred combined extra pounds over these two women here tonight?

The lights come back to life, along with the crowd as it unanimously boos as “Hello” by Pop Smoke begins to blare through the PA. 

HOLLY PEREZ: And their opponents, at a combined weight of 395 pounds, the team of “The Highlight of Your Career” Jay Jones, and the Notorious Josiah Andrew Scott!

Jay Jones makes his way out onto the stage, soaking in the boos as he bows to the crowd in mock gratitude.  No sooner as he lowers his body, Josiah Andrew Scott leapfrogs over him, cuing “STATS” by Baby Keem to cut off Jay’s theme.  The crowd’s demeanor changes as Jah heads down the ramp, grandstanding and lip synching along with the lyrics as he circles the ringside area, clutching his silver chain and flipping his shades garishly as he plays to the crowd.  Disgusted, Jones follows close behind.

TREY BOOKER: Well these two certainly aren’t overbearing with their humility.

J.T. PRICE: Why should they be? They’re two talented young men with a lot going for them.  They’re not put off by two goth chicks trying to scare their way to victory.

TREY BOOKER: Are you?

J.T. PRICE: No comment.

DING DING DING!

After momentarily debating over who will start first, Josiah and Jay decide to rock, paper, scissors for it.  Just as they’re about to throw their weapon of choice, Elena and Contessa rush in and nail both men with double shotgun dropkicks, sending them both to the outside.  Jay and Josiah look at one another confused as to what just happened.  They nod to one another and rush the ring, only Jay stops at the apron, leaving Josiah stranded in the ring with DeDraca and Floran as Jones hangs back and taunts the crowd.  As soon as Josiah enters the ring, Floran rushes him with a crucifix pin attempt, but Josiah struggles to hold her up.  Elana pops off a superkick and sends Jah flying back into a crucifix driver.  He tumbles head over heels back into his corner upon impact as Contessa and Elena regard him with cold and careless gazes.  Josiah tries to pull himself up in the corner and reconsider his plan of attack, when without warning Jay Jones tags himself in and rushes into the ring, plowing down Elena and Contessa with a double clothesline as they charge toward him.  He then turns back to his partner in the corner and shrugs.

Jay Jones: Was that so hard?

Jay begins walking to his corner when suddenly Elena grapevines his leg and drops him throat first down onto the middle rope.  Sensing her cue, Contessa heads for the nearest corner and looks to set up for a diving missile dropkick, but Josiah intercepts with a superkick from the apron, sending Contessa crashing to the apron.  Elena rushes Jay hung up in the ropes, only for Jones to drop down and roll out to the outside.  As if on cue, Josiah springboards off of the top strand and plants a springboard missile dropkick in the sternum of Elena.  Jay rolls back in and covers.

ONE!

Elena kicks out at one.  Jay takes umbrage with the ref’s ‘slow count’ and proceeds to show him how to count faster as Elena unnaturally kips up to her feet.  Stopped dead in his tracks mid-sentence by the paranormal athleticism, Jay tries to turn tail and run to his partner in the corner, only for DeDraca to grab his shoulders from behind and yank him down into an unnatural backbreaker across her knee.  As Jay arches his back in pain on the canvas, Josiah tries to intervene, only to eat a headbutt between the eyes from Elena that sends him rolling out of the ring in retreat.  She then snaps her head around, focusing her attention back on Jay Jones who crawls toward the nearest corner, in retreat like a horror movie protagonist.  As he reaches the corner, Contessa Floran rises from the floor, her blue piercing eyes boring through Jay as he backpedals up to his feet and right into the waiting arms of DeDraca.  She snakes an arm around his body and yanks him down with an STO backbreaker across the knee, and then lifts him back up to his feet only to scoop him up under her arm, tag in Contessa on the apron, and drop Jay down with a guillotine backbreaker.  Contessa steps into the ring and grabs Jones by the wrists and stomps his head into the canvas, teeter tottering his body off of DeDraca’s knee.  Contessa holds onto the wrists and keeps stomping on the grounded and horrified Jones.  He dodges one of the stomps and pulls her over into a school boy.  She immediately escapes, but Jones quickly gets to his feet and charges toward the friendly corner.  Contessa cuts him off, tacking from behind into the ropes and pulling him back with an O’Connor Roll.  

ONE!

Jones immediately pushes Contessa off, but she hops up and springs off of the middle rope and twists around, looking for a crossbody on the seated Jones, but Jones rolls out of the way and Contessa eats canvas.  Jones books it across the ring on his knees and tags in Josiah.  Josiah hops into the ring and rushes Cotessa.  Contessa swings wild with a punch attempt, but Josiah ducks the haymaker and runs underneath.  Springboard off the middle rope, and he knocks Elena off of the apron with a triangle dropkick out of nowhere.  Contessa rushes Josiah, but he slips behind and pops off a snap dragon suplex. He holds on though and lifts her up, and bridges back with a stalling dragon suplex for the cover.

ONE!
TWO!

TREY BOOKER: “Oblivion’s Crush” kicks out at two!

J.T. PRICE: She took a lot of punishment, but it’s not nearly enough to put her away.  

Josiah tries to hold the full nelson on the kickout and drags Floran back toward his corner, where Jones tags himself in.  He yanks Contessa to her feet, only to send her front flipping back down to the mat with a ripcord kitchen sink.  Scott sees his opening and rushes in with a leaping calf kick to the back of the head.  Culture Kick connects!  The ref rushes in to push Scott back to his corner as an impatient Jay Jones pie faces the dazed Floran to the canvas and pins her down across the throat with his forearm.  As if triggering her Muta gland, as soon as he plants his forearm, black mist sprays out of Contessa’s mouth right into Jones’s eyes!  He stumbles out of the cover clutching his eyes as Contessa capitalizes on Smoke Signal and rolls up to her feet off of the mat.  As Jones swats around looking for the tag, Contessa grabs his arm and yanks him down to the canvas with the fujiwara!  Jay tries to plant his free hand underneath himself to keep Contessa from gaining full leverage.  He fights up from underneath and whips her over into a crucifix pin!

ONE!

Contessa rolls out of the cover and to her feet as the still blinded Jones staggers up, still wiping his eyes.  Running front dropkick sends Jay flying backwards into Contessa’s corner.  She rolls backwards off of the impact and up to her feet and dives for the corner with a hot tag to Elena.  Elena hops over the top strand and immediately locks up with Jay with a belly-to-belly overhead suplex, sending him flying across the ring.  He bounces off of the canvas and up to his feet, swatting around blindly looking for the tag.  Elena shoots in and tries to pull him up for a northern lights suplex, but Josiah reaches through the ropes and snakes his partner’s waist, holding him steadfast to the ground as DeDraca tries to wrench him up.  Sensing his predicament, Jay grabs Elena’s arm and effortlessly lifts her up into the vertical suplex position, only to drop her down with the Falcon Arrow and collapse back into the friendly corner.  Josiah tags himself in as Jay rolls to the outside as EMTs approach to flush his eyes.  Josiah sizes up Elena as she slowly rises off of the canvas.

TREY BOOKER: He’s gotta be thinking Parental Advisory.

J.T. PRICE: Or at least suggesting it.

Josiah rushes Elena and plants her with the big running Busaiku knee!  He covers!

ONE!
TWO!

Contessa rushes in and grabs Josiah’s leg and pulls him out of the cover.  He looks up at Contessa as she blankly backs away and steps back out onto the apron.  Josiah kips up to his feet and confronts her on the apron.  As he does so, Elena rises up behind him and charges him from behind, driving her shoulder into his back and crushing him into the corner.  Floran tags in as Elena steps to the outside and starts climbing the turnbuckle.  Elena goes flying off of the top rope with a sunset flip powerbomb, but Floran’s close behind and catches Josiah’s rolling body on impact and hits a code red!  Cover!

ONE!
TWO!

TREY BOOKER: JAY JONES DIVES IN WITH THE SAVE LAST SECOND!

J.T. PRICE:  Josiah is hurt.

Jay rushes into the ring and chases Contessa toward a neutral corner.  As he approaches, she slingshots her body up in the corner, clasps her legs around Jones’s head, and swings back with a poison rana!  Selena Kyledriver connects!  Jay Jones’s limp body comes crashing down to the canvas.  Elena quickly runs in and kicks him under the bottom rope to the outside.  Both women look at one another, and then at Josiah Andrew Scott as he struggles to pull himself to his feet with the ropes.  He staggers out of the corner, right into a kick to the gut by Contessa.  On cue, Elena runs and hits the ropes and comes back with a brutal curb stomp.  Flight of the Raven connects.  Contessa confidently walks around the body of Josiah Scott, circling him like a content vulture, before grabbing his legs, locking in the deathlock, and bridging back into the chinlock and applying Oblivion!  Josiah immediately taps!

Ding Ding Ding!

HOLLY PEREZ: Ladies and gentlemen, your winners via submission, Elena DeDraca and Contessa Floran!

“Only Shadows” by My Bloody Valentine echoes through the arena as Contessa relinquishes the hold and rolls off onto her belly.  She looks up at Elena DeDraca with her cold and inquisitive blue eyes as the ref raises their hands.

TREY BOOKER: What a display of dominance in the end stretch.  Truly the better tandem won here tonight.

J.T. PRICE: Take nothing away from Jay Jones and Josiah Andrew Scott though, they just couldn’t manage to get past their own egos and get on the same page.  I expect big things from all four competitors in the near future.


The camera feed switches over to the backstage area where Crystal Ward is standing by in the halls. Looking about for a star to catch she sees Zane heading down the corridor to the parking lot. Taking a light jogging pace she catches up to her, mic in hand.

CRYSTAL WARD: “Zane, hey Zane. It’s Crystal. Could I get a few words with you following Bloodbath and tonight’s Proving Ground? We haven’t had a real chance to hear your thoughts.”

Offering a half hearted smile, Zane turns to face Crystal and shakes her head.

ZANE: “I know I haven’t been as vocal as I usually am but I’m just looking to get some air right now so I... look okay, fine. If you follow me out I can answer a few questions, but nothing too heavy please.”

CRYSTAL WARD: “Perfect, thank you so much.”

Crystal eagerly follows Zane as she heads out to the parking lot. The two women barely take a few steps out before faint sounds of aching pain are heard. Zane turns to her left to notice someone on the ground beside a car. Signaling to Crystal to stay put she heads over to the fallen person, noticing his security uniform.

ZANE: “Hey! Hey, are you alright?! What happ...”

Just a split second before she can finish asking the Security Guard what transpired, a thunder blow from the nightstick sends Zane to the ground. She lies motionless as her attacker stands tall, entering the view of Crystal Ward. It’s Colton Saint! 

His eyes, reddened from his insomnia, glares at Crystal like daggers. He turns away from her, opening the trunk up before moving a few things aside. He reaches down to Zane, pulling her up towards the car before throwing her into the trunk. Crystal is screaming at him to stop what he’s doing, but it falls upon deaf ears. Colton grabs the top of the trunk and slams it down. He keeps his hands rested on top of the trunk before slowly turning his head over to Crystal. The frightened interviewer slowly steps backward while he stares her down.

CRYSTAL WARD: “SOMEBODY GET SOME HELP!!”.

Crystal frantically looks around, trying to find anyone who can help out in this situation. Colton, continuing his glare, extends the nightstick in her direction before dropping it to the ground as he enters the car. The car speeds off as security finally make their way to Crystal, who’s shouting to them incoherently about the event. 



HOLLY PEREZ: LADIES...AND...GENTLEMEN!!!  The following match up is scheduled for ONE FALL…

Fans pop.

HOLLY PEREZ: And is for the Number One Contendership for the X-Factor Title!!!

Fans pop louder.

HOLLY PEREZ: Introducing first...hailing from Anaheim, California...weighing in at two-hundred and twenty-seven pounds...he is The Messiah of the Knee Strike...the Juggernaut...RYAN...YOOOOOOUUUUNNNNGGGG!!!


The lights go for a light shade of pink as "Save That Shit" by Lil Peep begins to play for everyone to hear.

Fuck my life, can't say that girl
Don't tell me you can save that shit
All she want is payback for the way I always play that shit
You ain't getting nothing, now I'm saying
Don't tell me you is
Nothin' like them other motherfuckers

Ryan Young steps out from behind the curtain to a loud amount of cheers, he gives off a smirk as he crouches down and scans through the many fans in attendance. He slowly gets back to a vertical position, adjusting his knee pads before making his slow walk down to ringside. Soaking in the crowd's loud reaction.

I can make you rich (I can make you rich)
I can make you this, baby, I can make you that
I can take you there, but baby, you won't make it back
Growing sick of this and I don't wanna make you sad
Do I make you scared? Baby, won't you take me back?

Young makes his way down the ramp and to ringside where he runs at the ring apron and slides along it on one knee, entering the ring and climbing up to the second rope where beats his chest with his hands before stretching his arms out and giving a smirk to the crowd who continue to rain the cheers down for him.

Just as Ryan’s music stops, something else rings out.

Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals ~

The twang of guitar from Curtis Stigers ‘John The Revelator’ signals a cue for John Nash Strader as the youngest kin to Scott Nash Strader steps out from behind the curtain.

~ You know God walked down in the cool of the day
Called Adam by his name
But he refused to answer
Because he was naked and ashamed ~

HOLLY PEREZ: Making his way to the ring now weighing in at 245 lbs... he is the President of the Brothers of Mayhem MC....

~ Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals ~

HOLLY PEREZ: JOHN! NASH! STRADERRRRRRRRR!!!!

John holds his fist up in the air as he throws out that infamous family sneer as he makes his way down to ringside. 

Ryan’s not waiting...he bounces off the ropes nearest to the announcer’s table...runs...RUNNING SENTON OVER THE TOP ROPE ONTO JOHN NASH STRADER….BUT JOHN WAS READY FOR IT, HE BRACES HIMSELF!!!  RYAN CRASHES DOWN ONTO HIM SENDING THEM BOTH TO THE GROUND!!!

DING! DING! DING!

John pushes Ryan off of him as both men jump to their feet.  Ryan swings at John with a right hook...BUT John DUCKS...he grabs Ryan by the back of the head...runs and THROWS HIM INTO THE RING UNDER THE ROPES!!!  John climbs up onto the apron, grabs the ropes...slingshots himself onto the top rope...AND HE JUMPS!!!  

J.T. PRICE: LEG DROP ACROSS RYAN YOUNG’S THROAT!!!  John GOES FOR THE EARLY PIN!!!

ONE!
TWO!!
…

TREY BOOKER: Kickout!!!

Ryan rolls away from John and flips up onto his feet.  John is up to his feet, but Ryan grabs his arm, placing him in a hammerlock.

J.T. PRICE: TRANSCEND REALITY!!!

Ryan lays JNS out with a Hammerlock Twisted Lariat.  He rolls onto John and hooks the leg.

ONE!
TWO!!!
THREE-

LAST SECOND KICKOUT BY NASH STRADER!!!  Ryan Young almost had it!  Ryan up to his feet, measuring up the slowly moving Nash Strader.  Ryan runs and bounces off the ropes, comes flying back...HOOK KICK!  NO!  JOHN MOVES AND IS QUICK TO HIS FEET!!!  He grabs Ryan and whips him into the ropes.  Ryan comes flying back and John WITH A CLOSED FIST PUNCH...BUT Ryan SLID UNDERNEATH IT!!!  John turns around Ryan with a HUGE ELBOW STRIKE.  John stumbles back as Ryan launches forward WITH A CLOTHESLINE...BUT Ryan DROPS UNDERNEATH IT!!!  HE FLIPS BACK UP ONTO HIS FEET.  Ryan stands up straight...BUT JOHN RUNS PAST HIM...Ryan turns around...

BAM!!!

TREY BOOKER: LIFE OF A ONE-PERCENTER!!!

J.T. PRICE: Wait...It doesn’t look like John is going for the pin!  He is up to his feet and quickly climbs the turnbuckle.  He turns and is looking down at Ryan Young…

TREY BOOKER: Uh-oh.

John looks out to the crowd, a smirk appearing on his face.  HE JUMPS...MLHR!!!  MLHR!!!  NO!!!  RYAN GOT HIS KNEES UP AND JOHN LANDED SQUARE ON THEM!!!  JOHN IS ROLLING AROUND IN PAIN!!!  Ryan rolls over to the ropes and is using them to help pull himself up.  John should have just gone for the pin!

J.T. PRICE: I bet once this is all over, JNS may be kicking himself on that little faux pas.

Ryan watches as John is slowly rising to his feet, holding his abdomen in pain.  John turns around AND IS MET WITH A CHOP TO THE CHEST!!!  John stumbles...but spins...ROUNDHOUSE TO THE GUT OF Ryan!  Ryan himself stumbles back...BUT LAUNCHES FORWARD WITH A SUPERKICK...BLOCKED BY NASH STRADER!!!  Nash Strader returns the gesture...KNEE STRIKE TO THE JAW OF Ryan AND Young GOES STUMBLING BACKWARDS!!!  John charges in... QUICK SUPERKICK AND Nash Strader IS ROCKED!!!  He takes a few steps back...Ryan COMES RUNNING AT HIM BUT John LIFTED HIM UP AND TOSSED HIM INTO THE AIR...AND RYAN LANDS ON JOHN’S SHOULDERS... TREY BOOKER: FRANKENSTEINER BY YOU-NO!!!  JOHN LANDS ON HIS FEET!!!  

John smirks and turns around to look at Ryan.  Young up to his feet...AND JOHN JUST FLIPPED HIM THE BIRD!!!  AND THEN JUST SLAPPED HIM IN THE FACE!!!

J.T. PRICE: THE DISRESPECT!!

Nash Strader grabs the stunned Young by the arm and WHIPS him towards the corner.  Ryan turns and hits the turnbuckles hard.  John comes charging...AND RYAN EXPLODES OUT OF THE CORNER WITH A SPINNING HOOK KICK...BUT JOHN DUCKS UNDERNEATH IT!!!  Ryan turns around...and KICK to the gut by John.  Nash Strader grabs a bent over Ryan around the neck and by the tights…

TREY BOOKER: No...no...NO!  He’s too close to the ropes!!!

John lifts him up...SNAP SUPLEX...BUT RYAN LANDS ON THE ROPES...SLINGSHOTTING HIM TO THE OUTSIDE!!!  RYAN YOUNG LANDS HARD ON THE OUTSIDE MAT!!!

J.T. PRICE: That looked like it hurt!

TREY BOOKER: Even John is grabbing his arm.  I’m sure it pulled his arm funny, the way it ripped Ryan out of his arms.

John climbs to his feet.  He looks down at Ryan and chuckles.

ONE!
TWO!!
THREE!!!

John drops to the mat and rolls out of the ring.  He stands up next to Ryan, but quickly reaches down and grabs the former AWF Fired Up Free-For-All Winner, pulling the lethargic Young to his feet.  Nash Strader walks him over to the ring and pushes him partly into the ring, leaving the top of his abdomen hanging from the apron.  John climbs up into the apron...LEG DROP ACROSS THE CHEST OF RYAN YOUNG!!!!  HE ROLLS COMPLETELY INTO THE RING IN PAIN!!! John quickly slides into the ring and rolls Ryan up!!!

ONE!
TWO!!
THREE!!!

J.T. PRICE: NO!!!  Ryan Young JUST GATHERED EVERY OUNCE OF STRENGTH HE HAD AND THREW HIS SHOULDER UP AT THE LAST SECOND!!!  

John sits up, shaking his head.  He has Ryan down and injured...but Ryan is NOT giving up.  Nash Strader up to his feet, rubbing his chin and...thinking.  He turns his back, looking at the ropes near us.  He runs...bounces off of them...JUMPS over the downed Young...bounces again...comes fly- Ryan IS UP!!!  HE JUMPS ONTO THE MIDDLE ROPE...JUMPS BACKWARDS…

TREY BOOKER: CALIFORNIA DREAM!!! CALIFORNIA DREAM!!!  WHERE THE HELL DID HE GET THE ENERGY TO PULL THAT OFF?!?!?!

J.T. PRICE: All he has to do is go for the pin!  John has been beating him from ring post to ring post, but he can come out of this with the win.  All he has to do is turn over and throw an arm over Nash Strader!

John hasn’t moved an inch since the California Dream, meanwhile Ryan is barely stirring!  He slowly pushes himself up onto his elbows!  Ryan pulls himself...inching closer...and closer...and c...l...o...s….e...r….

TREY BOOKER: AND HE THROWS AN ARM OVER THE DOWNED JNS!!!

ONE!
TWO!!
THRE-

J.T. PRICE: OH MY GOD!!!  JOHN NASH STRADER KICKED OUT!!! RYAN TOOK TO LONG TO GO FOR THE PIN AND JOHN KICKED OUT!!!!  Ryan rolls onto his back, his hands covering his face.

John finally moving, rolling over onto his stomach.  He slowly pushes himself up onto all fours...while Ryan has rolled over to the ropes...and is trying to pull himself to his feet.  And….he...DOES!  Ryan Young is up...and John has barely managed to pull himself to his knees.  Ryan steps back…

TREY BOOKER: CALIFORNIA-NO!!!  JOHN MOVES OUT OF THE WAY!!!

Ryan up to his feet and turns around and John grabs him, lifting him into the air into a Gorilla Press…

J.T. PRICE: SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BOMBSQUAD!!!  RYAN IS NOT MOVING!!!  John hooks Ryan’s leg…

ONE!
TWO!!
THREE!!!

DING! DING, DING!

John Nash Strader rises to his feet and throws up his arms, without assistance of the ref.

HOLLY PEREZ: And your X-FACTOR NUMBER ONE CONTENDER...JOHN...NASH...STRAAAAADEEERRRR!!!

HOLLY PEREZ: Ladies and gentlemen!  The following match is scheduled for ONE FALL!!!

Fans pop.

HOLLY PEREZ: Introducing first, from San Diego, California...weighing in at one-hundred and eighty-five pounds...THE SHINING STAR….MMYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOJIIIIIIIINNNNNN!!!

The lights dim down as the slow synth intro of Blinding Lights begins as a spotlight suddenly appears on a figure on the ramp, with his back turned and begins kneeling. Once the beat finally kicks in, MYOJIN explodes with energy- wearing a masquerade-style mask over his eyes, and turns around with a confident smile on his face, raising his arms to soak in the positive reaction from everyone around.


With his blonde locks hanging over his face. He then whips his head back, flipping his hair out of his face before excitedly running down the ring before performing a cartwheel and a jump, landing on his feet near ringside!


He climbs up to the apron, grabs a hold of the top rope, and slingshots himself into the ring. MYOJIN performs a somersault roll, landing on his side with a hand on his hip. The other, taking off his mask to reveal his piercing blue eye contacts. He tosses it aside nonchalantly before climbing up the top turnbuckle, tilting his head upward as if he’s looking toward the sky- while the lights mimic stars above.


He backflips off, back onto his feet while taking off his flamboyant coat and moving to his corner. The lights go back to normal as he checks his wrist tape. His charismatic smile fading to a more focused expression as he paces back and forth, ready for action.

MYOJIN’s music fades as Holly raises the microphone to her lips.

HOLLY PEREZ: And his opponent...from Chicago, Illinois...weighing in at two-hundred and fifteen pounds...THE DAREDEVIL….DANIEL HOOOOOORRRRROOOOOORRRR!!!

The lights dim and changes in 

The light dims and changes into the red light

I got two letters from you
Last words of the runaway
Your love was written so true
And now I can't speak your name
I faced destruction and you
just killed me and walked away

The smoke is filled the floor

I gave my heart to the cruel
Now it will not beat again

The lights turn back into the bright white as Daniel Horror comes out from the entrance area.

I hope you do
I hope you suffer
I hope you do
I hope you suffer
I hope you do
I hope you suffer
I hope you do
Just like I suffered

The light turns into the normal light as Horror walks into the ring and keeps his eyes trained on MYOJIN.

DING! DING! DING!

J.T. PRICE: MYOJIN seems focused right now.  But I guess after that amazing match against Dickie Watson a couple weeks ago, I’m sure he is seething and wanting to take out his anger on someone.

Both men lock up in the middle of the ring.  MYOJIN with a quick advantage as he whips Daniel into the corner.  He bounces off the turnbuckles…turns around…HUGE splash by MYOJIN, crushing Horror into the post.  MYOJIN takes a step back, but comes flying forward and PLANTS a forearm into Daniel’s face!  MYOJIN takes a few steps back again and begins to measure up Daniel as The Daredevil stumbles out of the corner.  Horror touches his lip, then looks at his fingertips to make sure he isn’t bleeding.

TREY BOOKER: MYOJIN is bringing it early!

MYOJIN lunges forward and begins unloading lefts and rights onto Daniel!!!  Backed up into the corner, Horror tries to block some of the incoming assault, but isn’t accomplishing much.

J.T. PRICE: MYOJIN showing off the anger and rage building up inside him after failing to capture the Grand Championship at Bloodbath.

MYOJIN stops with the assault, taking a step back from Daniel...BUT HE CHARGES FORWARD SHOULDER FIRST!!!  Daniel MOVES!  MYOJIN JUST SLAMMED HIS SHOULDER INTO THE RING POST!!!  Daniel turns and grabs MYOJIN from behind...HUGE suplex!  Daniel holds onto MYOJIN...rolls over...both men back up to their feet...AND ANOTHER HUGE SUPLEX!!!  Daniel rolls again...both of them back onto their feet with Daniel still holding him...A THIRD SUPLEX AND MYOJIN CRASHES HARD ONTO THE MAT!  Daniel hooks MYOJIN’s leg.

ONE!
TWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOO!!

TREY BOOKER: And MYOJIN with the kickout!

Daniel quickly up to his feet and is shaking his head, looking out onto the crowd.  MYOJIN slowly pulls himself to his feet as Daniel turns and looks at him, a smirk on his face.  Daniel bends over slightly and…

J.T. PRICE: Is Daniel Horror growling at MYOJIN?

MYOJIN turns around and Daniel charges him with a clothesline.  BUT MYOJIN DUCKS UNDERNEATH IT!  He pops up on the other side of Daniel...MYOJIN plants a boot onto the back of Daniel’s leg, dropping him to one knee.  MYOJIN grabs Daniel around the neck...HUGE reverse DDT!!!  Daniel IS FLOPPING AROUND LIKE A FISH!!!  Daniel flips onto his stomach, his hands over his head as he kicks his legs in pain.  MYOJIN stomps over...grabs Daniel’s right leg...lifts it up AND SLAMS IT DOWN ONTO THE MAT!!!  Daniel leaves one hand on his head, but is reaching for his leg with his other hand.  MYOJIN, still holding that leg, lifts it up again...AND SLAMS IT DOWN ONCE MORE!!!

TREY BOOKER: YOU’RE BETTER THAN THIS DANIEL!  GET UP AND SHOW HIM SOMETHING!!!

J.T. PRICE: Wait...what is MYOJIN doing?

MYOJIN grabs Daniel’s legs and steps on the back of his thighs...AND HE’S GOING FOR THE HOSHIAKARI-JIME!!!  MYOJIN IS TRYING TO GRAB DANIEL’S ARMS BUT DANIEL IS FIGHTING BACK!!!  Daniel spins onto his back, breaking the lock...MYOJIN still has a hold of Daniel’s arm though.  Daniel pulls back, causing MYOJIN to lose his balance and lean forward onto the bottom of Daniel’s feet…

TREY BOOKER: AND DANIEL JUST LAUNCHED MYOJIN OFF OF HIM!  

MYOJIN GOES FLYING OVER THE TOP ROPE!!! AND HE JUST LANDED ON THE OUTSIDE WITH A SICKENING THUD!!!  Daniel climbs back up to his feet, but he seems to be limping slightly...favoring his right leg.  Daniel drops to his knees, then onto his side.  He rolls out of the ring, under the ropes.

ONE!

MYOJIN begins to stir after falling out of the ring.

TWO!

Daniel reaches down and pulls MYOJIN up to his feet.  MYOJIN barely able to stand on his own as Daniel walks over to the plexiglass wall?  MYOJIN turns towards Daniel...Daniel comes running back...CHICAGO DESTROYER!!!  CHICAGO DESTROYER TO MYOJIN ON THE OUTSIDE!!!

FOUR!

Daniel Horror rises to his feet, a smirk on his face.

FIVE!

Daniel pulls MYOJIN to his feet and shoves him into the ring under the bottom ropes!

SIX!

Daniel quickly follows him into the ring, stopping the refs count.  Daniel quick to his feet, looking down at MYOJIN with a smug smile on his face.  Daniel looks out at the crowd, taking in the moment.  He finally looks back towards MYOJIN...AND MYOJIN IS UP ON HIS FEET!!!  BOTH MEN ARE JUST STARING EACH OTHER DOWN!  Both men move forward and they lock up in the middle of the ring.  Daniel gets the advantage and circles around MYOJIN, wrapping his arms around his waist.   But MYOJIN grabs Daniel’s hands and is PRYING them apart!  He gets them apart and SWINGS around Daniel to grab HIM around the waist.  MYOJIN lifts Daniel off his feet and slams him down face first onto the mat, falling with him.  MYOJIN makes an attempt to grab him around the neck, but Daniel breaks free and is up to his feet.  Daniel takes a few steps back as MYOJIN gets back up to his feet as well...both men staring at each other.

J.T. PRICE: Wow.  Daniel Horror is SHOWING UP in this one!

Both men charge forward and go to lock up, but Daniel slips through and grabs MYOJIN in a side headlock.  MYOJIN doing his best to get released, trying to press on Daniel’s face.  MYOJIN manages to push Daniel against the ropes, both men bouncing off slightly...and causing Daniel to lighten his grip.  MYOJIN with the opening, pushes Daniel off of him!  Daniel runs, bounces off the ropes and BOTH men run into each other in the middle of the ring.  Daniel takes a few steps back, bouncing off the ropes again and using the momentum to attack MYO-NO!  MYOJIN SIDE STEPS, DROP TOEHOLD ON DANIEL AND BOTH MEN GO CRASHING TO THE MAT!  MYOJIN quickly goes around and begins to grab Daniel in a triangle choke...but Daniel breaks free and both men are back up to their feet again.

Fans cheer.

MYOJIN moves first...charging Daniel and launches a palm strike, BUT Daniel DUCKS.  Daniel bounces off the ropes as MYOJIN turns around.  Daniel comes charging on his own and he runs  past MYOJIN...  

MYOJIN turns…

TREY BOOKER: CHICAGO DESTROY-NO!!!!!  MYOJIN PUSHED DANIEL HORROR AWAY BEFORE HE COULD HIT IT!!!

Daniel lands on his feet and turns around to face MYOJIN.

J.T. PRICE: QUESTION MARK KICK!!!  DANIEL HORROR DROPS TO THE MAT LIKE A SACK OF BRICKS!!!

MYOJIN drops down onto Daniel Horror, hooking his leg.

ONE!
TWO!!
THREE!!!

DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: AND YOUR WINNER...The Shining Star...MYYYOOOOJIIIINNNN!!!


"The Hunter" by FalKKonE hits and Kimberly Chase steps out from behind the curtain. From behind, the group of thugs follow her as she makes her way down the ramp. A thunderous amount of boo's is heard while continuing her walk. A smirk forms while she climbs up the steps. The group of thugs hold open the ropes for her, entering the ring and demanding a mic from the ring attendant. The thugs line up from side to side as she stands in front of them, raising the mic to her lips while her music dies down.

Kimberly Chase: “There comes a point in your life where you have to make some decisions even if they aren't exactly popular and hiring these gentlemen before you was the best decision a business woman like myself could make.”

She grins, delighted at her dirty, yet successful handywork, turning around and mouthing off the words “Good job!” off mic to the thugs before turning around and addressing the audience again.

Kimberly Chase: “We all know Zane has been a thorn of myself and Colton's side since her arrival here in Project: Honor, and for the past few weeks I had it up to here with her actions. She made my blood boil, disrespecting us constantly and because of that, I felt like a plan needed to be executed in order to take her out, so after an extended search and some money was laid out on the table, I found my guys for the job.”

She claps for herself arrogantly, leaving the fans to continue to boo her actions while an asshole chat is heard, she plugs her ears and tries to mute them out.

Kimberly Chase: “Shut up! Don't act like you wouldn't do the same thing in my position. While no one really knew who was behind this, including Colton...my plan was done to perfection and I applaud them for that.”

Kimberly Chase “Speaking of Colton…it seems evidently that he has had some fun time with Zane. Am I part of it? Absolutely not. I know that may be hard to believe, but I already got what I wanted out of the situation, but trust me when I say this.. I don't disagree with what he did. In fact I trust his motives behind it. Zane may have slipped away with a win at Bloodbath, but trust me, honey this war between all of us is far from over. Every result has a consequence and you're paying for yours and that same thing goes for anyone who dares cross our paths now and into the future.”

She drops the mic, then turns towards the thugs, looking at each one, slapping one hard across the face for what she believes is motivation, barking at them to open the ropes for her and and as they do so, she exits the ring with them and heads to the back



The camera cuts to the ring where Holly Perez is standing by with a mic in hand. Dickie Watson is at the commentary table already with Trey Booker and J.T. Price.

HOLLY PEREZ: This match is scheduled for ONE FALL! Introducing first…

“Pit of Fire” by 3TEETH blasts through the speakers. Lazarus Arjen steps out onto the stage to a mixed reaction of cheers and boos, with the majority being cheers. He makes his way down to the ring, ignoring the fans along the way.

HOLLY PEREZ: Weighing in at one hundred and sixty-one pounds… From New Orleans, Louisiana… “The Poison”... LAZARRUSS ARRJEENNNN!!!

TREY BOOKER: One of the newest members of our roster, Lazarus is looking to secure a HUGE debut victory against Shawn tonight.

J.T. PRICE: If he was truly trained by Noah Reigner, I’m sure we can expect great things.

HOLLY PEREZ: And his opponent…

"Centuries (Remix)" by Fall Out Boy ft. Juicy J takes over the PA system as Shawn Warstein makes his way out onto the stage. The crowd immediately forms a roar of boos the second they see him. He slowly makes his way to the ring, purposely ignoring everyone down the ramp.

HOLLY PEREZ: Weighing in at two hundred and thirty-four pounds… From Dallas, Texas… “Fuzz”... SHAWNNNN WARRSTEEEINNNN!!

TREY BOOKER: Less than two weeks ago, Shawn made his debut in an impressive Hardcore Match against Jacob Steele. He walked out of that match with a victory and I’m sure he wants to continue that trend.

J.T. PRICE: I think we’re all wondering the same thing… WHAT THE HELL WAS IN THAT SYRINGE?!

Shawn and Lazarus stand across from each other as the ref signals for the bell.

DING! DING! DING!

DICKIE WATSON: Let’s get this shit started.

Shawn and Lazarus both lock eyes with one another and circle each other around the ring. They start to inch closer to one another. Lazarus holds a hand up for a test of strength between the two. Shawn stands up straight and just stares at Lazarus before extending his arm also. Right before they lock hands, Shawn kicks Lazarus in the gut then immediately follows up with hammer fists to his back. He hits one just hard enough that it sends Lazarus stomach-first into the mat. Shawn doesn’t waste any time as he mounts onto the back of Lazarus and drills forearms into the back of his neck. After a few shots, Lazarus is able to kick his leg up and kick the side of Shawn’s face. Shawn loses his balance which allows for Lazarus to roll over, knock Shawn off, and get back to his feet before Shawn can. Shawn follows right after and they both circle each other around the ring again.

TREY BOOKER: I can already tell this is going to be a back and forth bout.

J.T. PRICE: Without a doubt, but Shawn already has the upper hand.

Dickie looks at J.T. with an odd expression on his face before the camera focuses back on Shawn and Lazarus who are locked up once again. Lazarus pushes forward against Shawn enough to where he’s almost completely bent backwards. Lazarus sweeps Shawn’s legs out from under him and Shawn falls back-first to the mat. Lazarus immediately begins a stomp fest on Shawn’s chest. He stops and backs away for a second. Shawn is starting to get back to his feet until Lazarus charges at him with a penalty kick right to his chest. Shawn goes back down and Lazarus falls on top of him for the early cover attempt.

ONE!

TREY BOOKER: Shawn kicks out! You’re gonna have to do more than that to keep him down!

DICKIE WATSON: Solid start to the match so far.

After the failed pin attempt, Lazarus rises back to his feet and begins his stomp fest once again. Driving his foot down onto Shawn’s chest, Lazarus doesn’t show any signs of stopping. After about eight stomps, Shawn grabs a hold of his foot and swings it away, spinning Lazarus in the opposite direction. Shawn then sweeps his legs and Lazarus falls to the mat. This gives him the time he needs to get back to his feet, which he does. Not alone, of course, as Lazarus also gets to his feet at the same time as Shawn. They both lock up again with Lazarus immediately sending Shawn running across the ring and against the ropes. When he rebounds back to Lazarus, the both grab each other in a belly-to-belly position, but Shawn pulls the move off and completes a belly-to-belly suplex. Not wasting any time, Shawn mounts on top of Lazarus and starts pounding at his face. Lazarus is trying to block what he can, but Shawn lands a couple big ones. Shawn attempts to throw a right hook, but Lazarus is able to grab a hold of his arm and twist it. Shawn uses his other arm to strike, but Lazarus grabs a hold of that one also, twisting it along with the other. He quickly releases and connects an uppercut right to Shawn’s jaw, knocking him off of Lazarus’ stomach. Lazarus gets up just about the same time as Shawn and grabs a hold of him from behind, spinning him around. He goes to get Shawn into a suplex position, but instead Shawn counters into his own and connects a snap suplex. Shawn lifts the leg and goes for the cover!

ONE!
TWO!

TREY BOOKER: He kicks out! He’s really having trouble keeping him down right now.

DICKIE WATSON: How many times are you going to say that?

Shawn rolls Lazarus over so that he’s laying on his stomach and then drives a knee right into his back! He’s holding it there as he wraps both hands around Lazarus’s face and then pulls back on him! Shawn has a submission locked in and this is going to be vital if he’s going to wear Lazarus down! He’s pulling back harder and Lazarus looks to be in a lot of pain right now! He’s trying to escape and manages to throw an elbow thus weakening the hold! He throws another one, but Shawn is still holding on! LAZARUS IS GETTING TO HIS FEET AND SHAWN IS STILL HOLDING ON! HE’S UP AND STARTS RUNNING BACKWARDS TO THE CORNER TURNBUCKLE! SHAWN JUMPS OFF LAST SECOND AND IS ON THE TOP TURNBUCKLE! FLYING EUROPEAN UPPERCUT! IT CONNECTS!

J.T. PRICE: LAZARUS IS BACK DOWN AFTER THAT VICIOUS UPPERCUT!

TREY BOOKER: This is getting crazy with this back and forth! Shawn keeps getting the upper hand, though!

J.T. PRICE: Even when Lazarus starts to get back into this, Shawn is able to put that to an end!

Shawn immediately gets back to his feet and then starts stomping a mudhole into every limb of Lazarus! He’s going around once again! Shawn grabs the leg of Lazarus and attempts to roll him over to his stomach! He’s looking for a single-legged boston crab! Lazarus is fighting! He’s able to roll through and get Shawn to release the hold! Lazarus gets up to his feet and is trying to shake off the mudhole that was just stomped into him! He grabs a hold of Shawn and puts him in a suplex position. SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! Lazarus connects and attempts a cover.

ONEEE!!!
TWOOO!!

TREY BOOKER: Shawn kicks out! Lazarus is on the offense now!

DICKIE WATSON: This should be interesting.

Lazarus grabs a hold of Shawn and pulls him up to his feet! He sends him right into the ropes and follows right behind him. Shawn turns around to rebound off the ropes and CLOTHESLINE FROM LAZARUS! NO! SHAWN SAW LAST SECOND AND THREW HIM OVER THE ROPES! LAZARUS ARJEN HUNG ONTO THE ROPES AND IS STANDING ON THE APRON! Shawn finally notices and throws a punch at Lazarus, but he catches it! Lazarus pushes Shawn off of him and immediately jumps onto the ropes. He springboards off and connects the VX which is the Springboard Roundhouse Kick! SHAWN ROLLS OUT OF THE RING AND THE REF BEGINS THE COUNTOUT!

ONEEE!!!
TWOOO!!!!
THREEE!!!!

J.T. PRICE: It looks like Shawn is a bit dazed from that Springboard Roundhouse Kick, but is slowly getting himself together.

FOURRR!!!!
FIVEEE!!!!

TREY BOOKER: Shawn is back on his feet and watches Lazarus in the ring who hasn’t looked away yet.

SIXXXX!!!

J.T. PRICE: AND HE SLIDES IN THE RING! Shawn is still in this! 

Lazarus looks a little irritated right now and pulls Shawn back up to his feet before he’s able to himself! He starts unloading a fury of punches right to his face and has him backed up against the corner turnbuckle! Lazarus lifts him up to the top turnbuckle and then climbs up with him. HE’S LOOKING FOR SOMETHING HERE, BUT SHAWN ISN’T HAVING IT! Shawn is able to push Lazarus off, who lands on both of his feet. Shawn jumps off and attempts a clothesline, but Lazarus ducks under and jumps onto the top rope. While doing so, Shawn rolls through the diving clothesline and quickly turns back around to be taken back down with a Diving Hurricanrana from Lazarus! Shawn rolls through and back to his feet, but Lazarus takes him down once again with a clothesline. Shawn gets back up and Lazarus hits another clothesline. This time when Shawn gets up, Lazarus pulls him in and connects the Cradle Shock which he calls Russian Roulette! He holds the pin!

ONE!
TWO!
THR-

TREY BOOKER: Another kick out for Shawn! Neither one of these men are going to give up!

J.T. PRICE: Look! Lazarus is looking for a finish right here!

Lazarus is measuring Shawn right now and waiting for him to get back to his feet. Shawn slowly gets to his knee and then to a slouched position as Lazarus charges at him from the ropes! SICK KICK! THE KILL SHOT! NO! SHAWN PULLS AWAY AT THE LAST SECOND AND WHEN LAZARUS TURNS AROUND, HE GETS HIM IN A DDT POSITION! EGO TRIP! THE FUTURESHOCK DDT CONNECTS AND SHAWN FLIPS OVER ON TOP OF LAZARUS FOR THE COVER!

ONEEE!!
TWOOOO!!
THREEEE!!!

DING! DING! DING!

“Centuries (Remix)” by Fall Out Boy ft. Juicy J blasts through the speakers. The entire audience bursts into a roar of boos as Shawn stands above Lazarus holding his own hand high. He then turns his attention to Dickie Watson at the commentary table and just holds his arm up and stares at him.

HOLLY PEREZ: Here is your winner… SHAWNNNN WARSTEEINNNN!!

TREY BOOKER: Not gonna lie, J.T… Definitely saw Lazarus ending the match with The Kill Shot. Really didn’t expect Shawn to counter like that.

J.T. PRICE: I’m actually in agreement with you. The way Lazarus had Shawn lined up, it just seemed impossible for him to get back in it. Somehow he pulled one last card out of his sleeve and is walking away as the victor.

TREY BOOKER: No matter, hella impressive debut from Lazarus Arjen and Shawn Warstein continues his impressive beginning with Project: Honor. If Lazarus is like he was tonight, I think we have a bright star with him.

J.T. PRICE: Well don’t discredit the winner! He actually won the match.

TREY BOOKER: Oh, please don’t start with me right now. You’ve been doing so well tonight.

The commentators don’t even notice that Dickie Watson and Shawn Warstein are just locked eyes right now, until Dickie starts to walk away from the table.

TREY BOOKER: Looks like there’s been something brewing while we’ve been bickering, J.T. What do you think this is?

J.T. PRICE: Just like any other situation, I’m sure time will tell. If I had to guess, Shawn wants the Grand Championship.


Back at ringside, the duo of Trey Booker and J.T. Price appear to be awaiting the next bout. They look both pleased for the end of the show, but also know that the last match on the card is the one that a lot of the crowd has been waiting for. It’s evident in the background that the crowd is stoked for it, as the people immediately behind them grin and cheer just a bit louder.

TREY BOOKER: Almost done with the night, everyone! We always save the best for last here at Project: Honor.

J.T. PRICE: I don’t know that I would say it’s the best. Definitely one-sided.

TREY BOOKER: Yeah. Yeah, I could see that. At least we know one side of the match tonight is going to sling himself over the ropes to attain victory tonight.

J.T. PRICE: If he doesn’t kill himself first. After that harrowing match at Bloodbath…

Both of them suck in air, and laugh afterwards.

Just as Holly Perez prepares to take center stage in the ring, the lights fade out in the arena.


"Brand New Numb" by Motionless In White rings out over the sound system, spotlight dead center on the stage. As the guitar theme plays, Dickie Watson slides out from beneath the curtain with a large grin crossing his face. He jogs up to the edge of the stage, his head bobbing with the beat of the music. His movements, though not a huge difference from the normal day, are just a bit slower. On his shoulder, the Grand Championship shimmers in the light.

J.T. PRICE: Not even waiting for an introduction tonight, eh?

Booker’s snort is audible as the camera focuses in on the Grand Champion as he begins his descent to the ring. Like usual, he high-fives a couple fans as he walks, but there’s not quite a pep in his step tonight. At the ring, he reaches up and grasps the second rope of the ring, using it to launch himself upwards onto the apron. He flings his leg over the second rope and steps into the squared circle, grinning from ear to ear as he does so.


The Molotov heads directly for the ropes this time, setting one foot on the bottom rope and the other on the second. With one hand grasping the top rope, he lifts the championship from his shoulder and raises it high into the air to tumultuous cheer.


He hops back off the ropes. It’s here that he winces as he lands, shaking his head slightly.

TREY BOOKER: I don’t think our Grand Champion is a 100% tonight.

J.T. PRICE: That landing didn’t seem to agree with him at all, nope.

Regardless, The Calamity shakes out his leg slightly, tapping the toe of his boot into the canvas as his music fades out. He reaches through the ropes, indicating the need for a microphone, which is swiftly handed to him. The crowd continues to cheer as he takes his place in the center of the ring, and he smiles as he looks at all of them, a small smirk on his lips as he does so. He waits for them to quiet down for a second, before he raises the microphone to his mouth.

DICKIE WATSON: Nevada, I know you’ve just been waiting forever for this night to finish. You’ve had a pretty long last couple of days, and I’m sure you’re tired of everyone telling you to get your shit together so this country actually knows who their president is, am I right?

A roar that couldn’t be one-hundred-percent discernible if it was a boo or a cheer deafened the arena. Dickie shut one eye as he leaned back, wincing again at the sound. He lifts his hand from the championship he’s returned to his shoulder and holds it up in surrender.

DICKIE WATSON: Nah, nah, I understand, mate. I get it. Gets irritating and obnoxious when people try to tell you how to do your job. I mean, we experience it every time we log into Twitter or watch our opponents speak. They think it’s their god-given right to actually sit there and tell you how to work in the ring, how to move, how to fight, and how to give up your goddamned championship.

He shrugs his shoulders.

DICKIE WATSON: We saw that happen tonight, right? Championships changed hands tonight. I know some of you are feeling really pissed that your favorite wasn’t able to retain tonight, but I’m here to tell you that it gets better. Hell, you know they’re back there, beating themselves up because they weren’t able to retain, they weren’t able to hold on, they weren’t as good as they thought they were.

He pauses for a second, nodding and turning to look at another section of the audience.

DICKIE WATSON: It happens to all of us. Hell, when I lose this--

He taps his championships.

DICKIE WATSON: I know I’m gonna be pissed. I’m going to sit there and ask myself what the fuck I did wrong this time, calculate every attack, and figure out how to fire back and retain my place in this company. We all do it. But that’s neither here, nor there, is it? I haven’t lost it. Until tonight, I was the only champion in this company to have defended and retained twice. Both times, vicious and hellacious matches in which weapons were used, which myself and my opponent fought with everything in us to succeed. Much to the chagrin of others, I retained. I am still the Grand Champion, Paradise. Since the championships were conferred and presented to their holders, I have held this belt for sixty-seven days. And if I have my way, if I continue to retain every single time I defend it, I’ll hold it for thrice that amount. I told you that this was The Era of the Calamity. It’s not a catchphrase, it’s a pocket of time labeled for the period of this country. A legacy born of complete and utter desire to prove a place. Legacy.

A quick boo at the expense of James Raven and Shawn Warstein, to which Dickie waves his hand.

DICKIE WATSON: Nah guys, you know they’re good. And people...they don’t like what’s good. They don’t like when they have someone in front of them that pushes them to their limit, that makes them scramble and think before they hit their mark and capitalize. That’s what I did at Bloodbath. I regret sometimes the way that it happened, but it is what it is. Not again though, I promise y’all that.

He pauses another second, and then looks to another section of the audience, making sure he’s addressing everyone.

DICKIE WATSON: Look. I will come out here every night and I plan to put on a show, regardless of what my opponents do. Regardless of what happens to me. The match at Bloodbath…

He nods his head, gesturing to his knee and his ribs.

DICKIE WATSON: I can’t say it’s left me one hundred percent tonight. I have to give you respect, MYOJIN. You pushed and you shoved, and I’m still hurting from it, but you know what? I expect that. You fought for this championship, and even though you didn’t come out with it, I can see how much you wanted it. Enough to make sure I’d be injured for a fuckin’ month. But it’s all right. Because what I can promise you tonight, Paradise -- hell, everyone watching -- is that I’m not going to take off just because I have an ickle injury. I am a fighting champion, as I said I was going to be from the start.

Turning then to the stage, he lifts his championship off his shoulder and holds it at his side. The smile has dropped from his lips and he’s staring directly forward.

DICKIE WATSON: So let’s get going, shall we? Ace! Come on out, dude. Let’s show Project: Honor why being put in a match against me, even at less than a hundred percent, was the worst possible scenario for you.



Holly Perez enters the ring with a mic in hand. Dickie Watson hands his mic to an official at ringside and awaits his opponent to enter the ring.

HOLLY PEREZ: This match is scheduled for ONE FALL and is the MAIN EVENT of the evening! Introducing first… already in the ring… He is the Project: Honor Grand Champion… “The Molotov”... DICKIEEE WATSSONNN!!

As Watson waits in a corner in the ring, staring toward the entrance with a slight grimace every now and then-The 2001 Space Odyssey intro begins as a rocket rises from either the bottom of the center of the stage and the song changes to Warrior Man by Dr. Dog. Ace Sky walks out in an aviator jacket and his usual in ring attire, he salutes a peace sign and jogs down the aisle, wasting no time running into the ring! He throws off his jacket and shades, moving into his own corner as the referee stands in the center- noting to both how he wants a clean and fair match. The bell then rings for it to start

DING! DING! DING!

TREY BOOKER: AS SOON AS THE BELL RINGS, SKY RUNS IN WITH A JUMPING METEORA THAT TAKES THE GRAND CHAMPION, DOUBLE KNEES DIRECTLY INTO HIS CHEST! HE QUICKLY GOES FOR THE PIN!

ONE!
TW- KICKOUT!

Though there isn't a lot of energy by Watson as the Molotov still feels the effects from Bloodbath, grasping his abdomen, he quickly tries to scramble back to his feet. The audience boos at Sky's sudden aggressive assault as he grabs Watson by the waist, looking for a Shaman-Plex. He lifts him UP- THE MOLOTOV FULLY ROTATES INTO A BACKFLIP AND LANDS ON HIS FEET, but stumbles with a limp as a pained look flashes on his face. The Master of the Universe turns around and goes for a JUMPING KNEE- WATSON DUCKS AND IRISH WHIPS HIM TO THE ROPES! SKY REBOUNDS AND IS MET WITH A RUNNING CROSSBODY THAT SENDS HIM CRASHING!

J.T. PRICE: That’s the Grand Champ for ya! Hurt or not, he’s going to pull out all the stops.

Watson quickly rolls back to his feet as the dazed Sky gets up and meets him with a PICTURE PERFECT DROPKICK THAT SENDS THE ASTRO-HERO RIGHT BACK DOWN! The audience cheers as the Champion gets back to his feet, breathing heavily and backing himself up into a corner, staring his opponent down. He runs and turns around, throwing himself into a wheelbarrow and TOSSING Sky with an arm drag! Sky quickly rolls out of the ring, trying to catch his breath as Watson stands. Watson looks down at himself, seemingly contemplating something- but then nonchalantly shrugs and runs toward the opposite ropes! He rebounds and DIVES OVER THE TOP ROPE WITH A CORKSCREW PLANCHA ONTO SKY AND TAKES HIM DOWN but also hurt himself! Watson writhes in pain, but quickly grabs Sky and tosses him back into the ring before the count can really start.

TREY BOOKER: He’s really doing everything he can right now, but he should’ve listened to his girlfriend earlier in the show and maybe just took the night off.

J.T. PRICE: Yeah, I really think he’s putting himself in a bad position, but Champions fight no matter the circumstance.

The Grand Champion climbs onto the apron, though keeling over as he tries to recover from his own dangerous attack. Sky begins to start moving as Watson makes it back into the ring. Watson goes to grab him BUT IS MET WITH A KICK TO THE STOMACH. HE GETS PULLED INTO A FRONT FACELOCK AS SKY HOOKS HIS LEG INTO A FISHERMAN, THEN SPINS OUT- SLAMMING THE CHAMP NECK AND BACK FIRST WITH THE ROTATION ROVER! HE KEEPS HOLD OF THE HOOKED LEG FOR A SEATED PIN!

ONE!
TW- KICKOUT!

TREY BOOKER: WATSON DEFIANTLY THROWS HIS ENTIRE BODY OUT OF THE PIN, YET COLLAPSES! THE CROWD PRACTICALLY HELD THEIR BREATH!

Sky stands with a frustrated expression as he paces back and forth, wondering what else he has to do. Watson begins to make it up to his knees and Sky, angered, SLAPS him across the back of the head! The hurt look on the champ's face is quickly replaced with irritance as the crowd boos at the show of disrespect. Sky hits him again, and irritance is quickly turned into anger. He steps in front of Watson and tells him to give him his best shot! Watson stays seemingly silent- THEN DELIVERS A CHOP TO THE ASTRO-HERO'S CHEST THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SHOTGUN JUST WENT OFF! That earns a “WOO!” from Project: Honor faithful. Sky gets winded and holds his reddened chest, BUT WATSON HITS HIM WITH A SNAP VARIANT OF HIS MILLENNIAL FALLOUT SUPLEX AND GOES LIMP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING!

J.T. PRICE: He’s almost there! I can smell the victory from over here!

Watson stares down at his opponent, lifting him up and PULLING HIM INTO AN STO, SWINGING HIM FORWARD THEN BACK FACE FIRST! DICKIE'S REVENGE! He quickly turns Sky onto his back and tiredly goes into a lateral press pin!

ONE!
TWO!
THREEEEEEE!

DING! DING! DING!

The referee helps Watson stand and then hands him the Grand Championship. He raises it into the air, holding his stomach though with a satisfied grin on his face as he throws the golden belt around his shoulder.

HOLLY PEREZ: Here is your winner… The Project: Honor Grand Champion… DICKIEEEE WATSSSONNNN!!!

TREY BOOKER: Not gonna lie, I really didn’t think Ace had it in him to beat the Grand Champion, but I also felt at one point that Dickie was just going to collapse and not be able to move.

J.T. PRICE: I agree. The way he was moving and holding parts of his body, you’d think he just got jumped or something. Hopefully he can take the next couple weeks and rest a bit.

TREY BOOKER: He may not have much time to rest. Being the top champ in the company, he’s got a line of people that would love a shot at him. All we can hope is he uses his spare time wisely.

J.T. PRICE: For sure. Well, folks. That’s all we got for you tonight. Another successful show in the books. Join us back two weeks from tonight for another episode of Proving Ground.

TREY BOOKER: Be sure to tune in as the first round of the Tag Tournament will be starting! Have a good night and farewell!

Both Trey and J.T. wave at the screen as it fades out to Dickie barely being able to move in the ring, holding the Grand Championship close to his chest.

The Project: Honor Logo flashes on the screen.