Deadline is Tuesday, September 17th, 11:59 PM EST
No extensions will be given this round.
Deadline is Tuesday, September 17th, 11:59 PM EST
No extensions will be given this round.
The feed on the laptop ends as it is closed shut.Jaxon: Mikey Stormrage has the champ reeling. Tony Sixx in dire straights as the challenger hammers away in the corner with big forearms, forcing the ref to try to step in and enforce the five count. It would be a shame if the young challenger came this far only to get disqualified.
Valentine: If he can't obey the ref, then he deserves it. That's why Tony Sixx is such a great champion, he follows all the rules.
As soon as Lyle Valentine finishes his sentence, Sixx rakes the eyes, unseen by the referee. The crowd of about two hundred and fifty fans boo. Sixx takes back over with a slow methodical pace, working the challenger over with hard shots to the body while he works various holds while using the ropes for leverage. When the ref warns him, the champ slaps his hands together while counting to five, letting the referee know how he feels about it.
When the champ turns around, the challenger springs to life and scoops his opponent up. He lets out a primal roar and the fans yell with him "GAME OVER!"
The champion pulls the hair of the young challenger and frees himself before he delivers an NFL worthy kick to the groin of Stormrage. The challenger falls to the ground and Sixx is already out of the ring, grabbing his title from the timekeeper and walking out to boos. Timekeeper and ring announcer John Mackey makes his way into the ring, his face tells you everything you need to know about the feeling in the Guard Armory.
Mackey: Here is your winner by disqualification, Mikey Stormrage. However, still MWCW Heavyweight Champion, Tony Sixx.
Connor: So your last match ended in a DQ? You didn't even win the title before we came calling?
Cat Connor looked up from her laptop and over at me. I just nodded my head as I waited for the light to turn green.
Connor: So why come back here? Unfinished business? Revenge? Pity?
I was trying to pay attention to the streets. We were so far out that the GPS on our phones didn't give the right directions. It made me wonder how people navigated before this wonderful invention. So I nodded toward the back seat, where my Elite Title was sitting. Cat looked back.
Connor: You can't be serious.
Stormrage: As a heart attack.
I found my turn.
Stormrage: I could never win a title there, so I'm gonna bring my title to them.
Connor: You know there is no way in hell the board of directors will let you do this.
Stormrage: What are they gonna do? Fire me? If they have a problem, they can go Effingham them selves.
We just passed the sign welcoming us to town. Effingham, Illinois. Population just a shade over twelve thousand. Cat snickered a little.
Stormrage: Besides, it isn't an actual defense. It's part of that new WZCW working partnership with regional feds to help scout talent. They have Midwest Championship Wrestling here in the Midwest, obviously. There is that company that operates in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast, I think its Emerge Wrestling. They just partnered with a promotion in the Pacific Northwest, Cascadia Wrestling Alliance. Uhhh, the one that runs out of Georgia, I forget the name but it was kinda racist. Stone Mountain Wrestling or some shit like that. Makes me believe they don't hire black guys. Then there is Anarchy Wrestling in the UK, and my favorite in Mexico. Azteca Wrestling Extreme.
Connor: All I was told was I was going to be traveling with one of the superstars to do promotional work. I had no idea it would be you. No offense.
I smiled at her, a little wickedly. My reputation preceded me.
Stormrage: Then you are in for a wonderful time. After the shows, it was tradition that everyone goes to a local diner. Well that diner is across the street from a pretty great bar. So its going to be absolutely wild Mrs. Connor.
Not many people knew Cat was married. She was kind of private about her, well, private life. I envied that honestly. Like yeah, her face was on camera from time to time and she was at most meet and greets, but she stayed at the edge of the spotlight and it helped her live a mostly normal life. My ugly face was on the cover of damn near everything. I wasn't getting paid anywhere near the other guys who had their faces plastered on the billboards and production trucks, but the fact remained that I could rarely go out in public unnoticed. In fact as we approached high school the show was being run out of, aptly named Effingham High School, I saw my picture on their vinyl banner hanging on the equipment truck. It was the worst photo of me I had ever had taken.
Click for Spoiler:
I pulled into the back parking lot and parked my car.
Stormrage: Wait here.
I jumped out of the car and ran to the front of the building. I tore down the banner and tossed it in the back of my car, it was a crumpled mess.
Connor: Aren't you gonna get in trouble for that?
Stormrage: Me being advertised for this show is gonna draw in more ticket sales that normal. They will have more than enough to cover the cost of a new one. One without the shitty promo pic Vance made me do.
I got to the locker room, which was an actual locker room attached to the gym and not just some random room they walled off to meet athletic commission standards. I shook hands with everyone, didn't wanna piss off the wrestling police. I recognized some of the guys. Most where guys who viewed wrestling as more of a weekend hobby. They still had my respect. Anyone who steps into that ring has balls, man or woman.
Then there was Tyler Knight. The Cavalier Profiteer he called himself. His look always held him back, as he was barely six foot on a good day and had a beer belly, but he was one of the best I ever met. It was a begrudging respect with Knight, he was a massive dick to everyone, but he knew his way around the ring. He had a real old school style. He loved to test a guy head to toe and pick up on the first sign of weakness and latch onto it like a python. He and I went to war many times and each time he pulled out something new. I'll never admit it to anyone, but he was the inspiration behind my adding a moonsault to my repertoire. We were in a last man standing match, and had beaten the absolute hell out of each other. I was bleeding, he had welts on his head and arms. We broke three tables, a chair, a crutch, and for some reason there were cookie sheets under the ring so we beat the hell out of each other with them too. I had just hit him with a superplex, but somehow he ended up on his feet. He ran up the turnbuckle and launched himself off at me. You'd swear he sprouted wings with how perfectly he rotated. He Fell on my leg, dislocated my knee and I literally could not stand on it. I'll never know if his intention was to land on my knee or not, but he did and stole the W that night.
The other guy who stood out was Willie Wood. I'm not sure why his parents hated him so much to chose that name for him, but you better believe I made every dick joke I could. Despite the name, he was the absolute best wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots in MWCW. It was a cliche tragic story that kept him from being the big name his talent deserved. Drugs and a broken home life will mess anyone up, and it did with Willie. He was fired in the middle of a tag team title reign for getting arrested and missing a show. He worked and overcame his demons though, and now he works as the head trainer on top of his in ring work. We shook hands and I introduced him to Cat. The commentary team that called the shows for MWCW weren't bad. Lyle Valentine was a big a personality as our own Jack Cohen, but few things compare to the work that our team put in. Many considered it an honor that Cat Connor would be calling their match with Lyle that night.
I then made my way to Chris Jaxon, who had just transitioned to the commentary team a few weeks before I came in. He was never anything special as far as in skills went, but he could make people laugh and he was a walking wrestling encyclopedia. He knew Black Dragon's real name, though he refused to share. He had just formed a tag team, the Sexy Tough Dudes, when tragedy struck. Jaxon had suffered a major elbow injury that forced him out of the ring, but he never gave up. About two months ago, the owner of the fed promoted him to general manager. I truly believe if he had never blown out his elbow, he would have managed to carve out a respectable career on the national stage, his drive was just too much to keep him down.
Jaxon: Mikey Stormrage, its been too long man. You never return my calls. You too big time for us now?
He laughed, I laughed, Cat laughed.
Stormrage: That doesn't stop you from hitting me up on social media for free tickets each time we are in the area.
Jaxon: After the favor you two are doing me, I won't ask for any of those comped tickets for a while.
Since his promotion, the commentary booth had a noticeable void. They had rotated some local radio DJs and high school football commentators, but no one really stuck. Word was they had some new names lined up with actual experience, but tonight they needed a fill in. Cat was more than up for the challenge.
Stormrage: So I've got some catching up to do, wanna see how that old ring feels. I think Cat wanted to go over some notes with you.
I shook his hand again and he and Cat walked over to the production area as I made my way to the ring. Having spent so much time in WZCW, you kind of forget some of the luxuries. We had padded barricades, which still hurt, but nowhere near as bad as the metal rails MWCW used. Then there was the lack of padding around the ring. If you had someone on the outside, you could really kick their ass with just a slam or two. But if you were on the wrong end of those slams, you were gonna be sleeping on your stomach for a couple days. I once did a Stormrage Splash to the outside and missed. That was the first time my back ever gave me any issues. It would only get worse over time. I heard Chris yelling from across the gym and saw him make a belt motion and then waved his camera around. I had some more promo shots to take.
LATER THAT EVENING
Valentine: We have had a hell of a night tonight, and we still have one more match to go. I wanna take moment to thank our guest, Cat Connor, for helping call the action with me tonight. Just make sure when you get back to the big time that you put in a word for me.
Connor: It has been my pleasure Lyle. I have to say, you aren't too much of a departure from my normal colleague Jack Cohen. Hopefully the main event will be as entertaining as the rest of the show has.
I could hear Hero by Skillet playing as I warmed up. Why did every indie wrestler use that awful fucking song? I knew the music, it was that of Ray Willis. The guy flew around the ring at a hundred miles an hour and never stopped. He didn't have the best stamina though, heavy drinking and chain smoking while the rest of us tore down the ring were common. Most of his matches only lasted five or six minutes. I've heard rumors he lasted ten minutes once, but that is likely just an urban legend.
It was time to do the damn thing. I exploded out from behind the curtain. I saw a sign earlier in the night that said the max capacity of the gym was five hundred and fifty. They were packed in like sardines so I'd estimate there were at least six hundred in attendance. The Fire Marshal would not be happy. I slapped hands with as many fans as I could as I make my way around the ring. It felt different. Smaller crowds had always been more intimate, and I missed them in some ways. Then some guy tried to grab my Elite Title. I didn't miss them that much.
I rolled into the ring and held my title high. I handed it off to John Mackey before he got into the ring to make the introductions.
Mackey: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall and is for the WZCW Elite Championship! Introducing first, from Madisonville, Kentucky, weighing in tonight at 178lbs, Ray Willis!
Willis got some cheers, as he usually did. His style was very fan friendly.
Mackey: And his opponent. He is a WZCW Hall of Famer and the WZCW Elite Champion. He got his start right here in MWCW, Mikey Stormraaaaaaaaage!
I motioned for Mackey to give me the mic before he left.
Stormrage: I wanna say, it feels great to get this sort of reaction. I know I have traveled the world thanks to my pro wrestling career, but I will never forget where that career started, right here in Midwest Championship Wrestling! Before I was crisscrossing the globe, I was crisscrossing the Midwest. I'd wrestle in Great Bend, Kansas on a Friday, then drive overnight to wrestle in South Bend, Indiana the next day. Rent a hotel room, rest, then drive to Lima, Ohio for a Tuesday night show, then set off for a Thursday show in Beulah, North Dakota. All that travel ruined my first car, and I loved every minute of it! That's why I begged and pleaded with Vance Bateman and the rest of the board to let me come here tonight and defend this Elite Title. After all I am a fighting champion. Now sadly when I beat Ray tonight it won't count on my official defense record since he isn't a WZCW employee but that isn't gonna stop me from giving you a show and then setting off to Peru tomorrow and beating Alice Adams, someone I've already beaten in a title match, on the next episode of Ascension!
The fans cheered me more. I could have got in that ring and punted a baby seal and they would have cheered. I didn't have the heart to tell them that even if Ray pulled off a miracle that it wasn't a real title match as no contract had been signed. They kept going until referee Devon Richardson called for the bell. Willis immediately charged at me and backed me into the corner with a flurry of blows. Everyone knew Devon was too passive of a referee to get involved much, so Willis took full liberties. Off the break I shoved him out of the corner, but he grabbed a handful of my beard and rolled me with a snapmare. He followed it up with a quick low dropkick to my upper back and made a cover but I was able to kick out before the ref got in position. Willis hammered away as I got to my feet but I was able to shrug off most of the blows. I grabbed him and tossed him into the corner and shook out a bit to deal with the blows, but Willis came running at me with a full force shotgun dropkick. It knocked me off my feet. I rolled out of the ring to catch my breath, I didn't expect him to come at me this fast. Ray didn't care, he launched himself at me with a suicide dive and knocked me into the railing. Yeah, it really did hurt more. With the ref taking his sweet time, Willis pulled a dirty trick and raked my eyes before posting me. He wasn't normally a dirty fighter, but the occasion must have gotten to him. He rolled me into the ring and climbed up the top. I'm not sure what his plan was, but damn it I was hurting.
The crowd was shocked and everyone, including Ray, turned their attention to the entry way. It wasn't Flex who walked out of the curtain. It wasn't anyone at all. Next thing I knew, a chair came down across my stomach. I then watched Ray get the same chair to the face and fall off the turnbuckle to the floor. I recovered enough to see a man in a mask, but his body gave him away. It was Wasabi Toyota. He peeled off his mask.
Toyota: This entire town is pathetic to cheer a man like you.
Told you it was him.
Toyota: But I know these hick towns don't have much to cheer for, so I can't say I blame you and I am truly sorry that I came out here and ruined it for you all. Truth is though, this is all a sham. No contract was signed, the title is a formality. Even if meth mouth over there had won, he isn't a WZCW employee and can't legally win the title.
I had no idea why he had to come out here and ruin it with the truth. Except that part about Ray having meth mouth, that much was true. He had like seven total teeth. Toyota pulled something from his pocket.
Toyota: This however, is a contract for an Elite Title match. That I, an official WZCW employee, signed. It also states his match will be no holds barred. Kiss that title goodbye. Don't worry, I will give you a front row seat to Ascension when I beat that stripper that Flex keeps around for some reason.
Toyota hit me with the chair again and yelled at the referee to get in the ring. Devon was unsure what to do, so Wasabi went to the outside and rolled him into the ring himself and told him to get ready to count the three. Of course, Devon was hesitant. Wasabi put the chair over me and pulled me to the corner and readied for the Banzai drop. As he climbed I grabbed the chair and hit him right in the balls. He fell backward, clutching his....whatever the Japanese word for penis was. Truth was, I could have pinned him right there. You hit a guy square in the balls he is gonna go down and you could pin him a hundred time. This was personal though since he ruined my homecoming. I grabbed him and hoisted him onto my shoulder. I climbed onto the turnbuckle but then my eyes caught the lack of padding. This was gonna hurt. I got Wasabi in position and hit Game Over off the turnbuckle and onto the floor. Holy shit did the lack of padding really hurt. I felt broken but draped an arm over him as Devon rolled out of the ring with more urgency than he had ever showed...One!...Two!...Three! The crowd erupted. I really was happy they sprung to life because I was certain I was going to die after this bullshit stunt.
Mackey: Here is your winner and STILL WZCW Elite Champion, Mikey Stormrage!
I crawled to the steps, which were wooden and somehow harder than traditional steel steps, and used them to stand. I held my title high with one hand and clutched my stomach with the other. Wasabi was still out as I heard Cat and Lyle practically yelling their shock and excitement. I started to walk out with assistance from both Devon and Mackey.
I got backstage and started to cough up blood. Somehow a fan had already posted the video online. Vance Bateman and Chuck Myles had seen it and were not happy. My phone was blowing up. I refused medical attention and gave Chris money to get Cat an Uber to her hotel. There would be no diner, no bar no big welcome home party. Just me, wondering what lengths Flex would go to to screw me over and if I was even going to survive until my defense against Adams.
â??When I was a girl, I remember a certain dream I would always haveâ?¦ Gives me the heebie geebies every time I think about it. I was, I want to say 10 at the timeâ?¦ I would be sitting on the floor in a dark, dark roomâ?¦ With only the moonlight to lazily light where I was sitting. In front of me was an old dollhouseâ?¦ I want to say it looked like a Victorian era type toy; and I distinctly remember always hearing a knocking in the little front door, but every time I reached out to answerâ?¦ Everything went black and I would wake up the next morning always wondering... who was on the other sideâ?¦â?
Alice slowly emerges her head above the warm water the cool air hits like a sucker punch. She inhales sharply, the cool air stinging slightly. Her eyes lazily wander over to the antique clock hanging on the wall.
â?? Ugh, its 11:00... why does it feel so much later? Damn these nerves... Bringing back dreams that needed to be buried.. this is the second night in a row that that stupid dollhouse finds it's way back into my mind.â?
Reluctantly, Alice pulls herself away from her warm bath and out onto the cool tile floor. Quickly, she wraps her towel around her shivering body. Once finished, she walks into her bedroom; the only light was her small stained glass lamp atop of her bedside table, she sits down at the corner of her bed. After applying her night creams and changing into a clean oversized tee, she climbs back into bed and settles in for hopefully the rest of the night. Just as she was about to drift off into dreamland she hears the soft chirp of her cell, she reaches her hand out and fumbles about in the pillows until she feels the cool screen. Her eyes are attacked by the harsh light of the white email screen; a Message From WZCW haunts her screen, as soon as she opens it, however, she wakes up abruptly.
â??Holy shit I did itâ?¦. I actually have a title match. She shivers slightly Oh shitâ?¦ how am I ever going to defeat this walking heart attack? She sighs loudly who am I kidding? I couldnâ??t even bring him down last timeâ?¦ what makes me think this time would be any better? Kole? The only thing that burger jockey is good for is entertainment; â??Kingâ? Mussel? That overjacked protein shaked brain can't even comprehend how an actual business agreement works, plus that Russian Spy of his is probably out there stroking his egoâ?¦ I have no one to really rely on other than myself and I hate it!â?
Alice tosses her phone across the room, a loud thud could be heard as soon as the phone made contact with the wall. She inhales sharply; shutting her eyes in the process. Whispering to herself a silent prayer, she slowly opened her eyes when she heard the light chime of a notification go off; her screen lights up merrily, as if mocking her.
â??Stupid phoneâ?¦ ugh, Iâ??ll check on it tomorrow, I have to get some sort of sleep"
[Unknown Voices]
â??Oh lookâ?¦ she's sleeping, wow, she has grown so much since the last time she was hereâ?¦.â?
â??Goodie goodie! sheâ??s finally here to open the door! HELLOOO?! HEY!! LITTLE ALICE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! ITS TIME STUPID GIRL! TIME TO OPEN THE DOOR.â?
Alice slowly stirs and opens her eyes, she sucks in the warm musty attic air sharply..
â??Wh-where am I? Ow my head is killing me.â?
She lifts her hand to her forehead, a light bead of blood slowly dances itâ??s way down from her hairline.
â??Ow, why am I bleeding? Actually why is it so dark?â?
A little girls giggles can be hears floating around the room, Alice stands and finally looks around to see a Dusty empty room; well almost empty, the only thing that can be seen in the far left corner was an old Dollhouseâ?¦ who's front porch light was curiously on. She walks slowly up to the corner of the room.
â??Why are you hereâ?¦ I thought I finally got rid of youâ?¦â?
â??Oh sweet, sweet Alice. You could never get rid of usâ?¦ we are apart of you, we have been ever since your childhoodâ?¦ you just liked toâ?¦ lock us away, which wasnâ??t very nice by the way.â?
â??Youâ?¦ are me? How? Your my inner interior decorator manifested? Chuckles loudly I donâ??t think so.â?
As soon as she finishes her rude chuckle, the house bright red door starts to shake violently, then the knocking came.
â??Alice, Alice as mad as the hatter, whatâ??s the matter? The jabberwocky has come to say, let me in so we can finally play.â?
The door abruptly stops shaking. Alice entranced in the spell that this nightmare had on her, began to creep closer to the door until a small voice in her head told her not any closer.
â??Come on Alice, open me up, you want to win your match donâ??t you? I can helpâ?¦ I've always been here to help youâ?¦ but you foolishly lock me away. Donâ??t you want it?; the Fame, the attention, the recognition YOU deserve.â?
â??How do you know what I deserve? You donâ??t know me, nor do you know my situationâ?¦â?
â??Silly little flower, of course I know you, well, I know the youâ?¦ You donâ??t even know.â?
â??What is that supposed to mean?!â?
Alice starts to slowly panicâ?¦ tears begin to well up in her eyes, but she quickly wipes them away, frantically she tries to look into all the windows of the dollhouse, half expecting she would really find a physical form to the floating voices.
â??I know you Babydollâ?¦ all of your fearsâ?¦ your insecuritiesâ?¦ yourâ?¦ frustrations. Wasnâ??t it hard? To watch all those nast little creatures get a shot at â??yourâ?? titleâ?¦ having to watch that overweight pile of mush cling onto the glory that is yours? Wouldnâ??t it be easier to justâ?¦ give in? To finally open the door and settle down for a nice long napâ?¦? We know you need it, why, you deserve it. Didnâ??t you just show the world that you could pin the champ? With no help from your supposed King or his jester. You shit them all up, you should be proud of that. But now your running to a crossroad and thatâ??s ok..
Thatâ??s what I am here for, just think of me as your voice of reason; now, do you want to keep pushing at this brick wall of formalities and appearancesâ?¦? Or do you wish for a little moreâ?¦ primal ending? One that you know would guarantee you your precious gold you have been hungering for this whole time?â?
Alice sits back, as if she was just slapped in the face, she stares dumbfounded at the old dollhouse; staring at the dark empty windows, as if one glance away and the non existent body would magically turn up. The front porch light starts to glow brighter, forcing Alice to shield her eyesâ?¦ As soon as her gaze breaks from the house a slow, haunting knock begins to float from the red door.
â??Come on dolly, let me outâ?¦ let me fight for you, letâ??s take this world by stormâ?¦ together. Let's show everyone how much of a fighter u areâ?¦ Lets shut down all the noise Stormrage has set off in that pretty little head of yoursâ?¦ come on my little dollyâ?¦ Letâ?¦ Meâ?¦ Inâ?¦â?
The knocking goes from rhythmic to down right bloody, getting louder with each bang. She inhales deeply closes her eyes and opens the doorâ?¦.â?
The whole room goes black, a low sickly sweet laughter can be heard dancing around in the darknessâ?¦ A bright light starts to sting Aliceâ??s eyes; forcing them to flutter open, she stares up at her ceiling, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, she feltâ?¦ good, shit amazing. The best she has felt in years. Alice swings her legs off of the side of her bed, she gets up and walks towards her phone, which was still on the floor from the night before. She opens the Email from WZCW one last time, rereads it and begins to laugh.
â??Iâ??ve opened the door sweetness, and believe me it feels good, I will not let you beat me, I will win, and when I do, Iâ??ll show you all the real meâ?¦ just you wait and see, I cant wait to see how you look all bloodied and bruised.â?
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