The Greatest Grandest Lethal Lottery: Blood Money

[Lee]

That's right it's time for:

The Greatest Grandest Lethal Lottery: Blood Money


What is the Lethal Lottery? Well it's WZCW's Royal Rumble. But what makes it The Greatest Grandest one of all? Well the World title is on the line and ANYONE is able to join. By anyone I mean most people. Remix and Jam can't. Everyone else can.

If you're interested in joining WZCW you are welcome to post in this thread as long as you give us a brief intro about your character https://steelcageforums.com/showthre...ication-Thread

What if you have more than one character? If you've previously had another character in WZCW you may RP in this thread with that. We reserve the right to not put them in the match and this will be a one off unless you win the title then your other character can go bye bye.

When's the deadline? Why it's Friday 14th June 2019 11:59pm EST. No extensions.

Any questions ask in here https://steelcageforums.com/showthre...5010#post25010. Thanks and good luck!

[Prince Vee]

His hands are used to be bloodstained; so are his clothes. Dirt always finds it place under his finger nails. â??Was he a butcher?â??, wondered quite a few people. Most around him knows him as a professional wrestler. His disdained looks and filthy clothing makes everyone to mistake him for an unsanitary human being. They donâ??t know the truth; they shouldnâ??t want to. He barely had time to clean himself before targeting his next prey, for he is a predator. Is he invincible, though? How often has he wondered? Not more than he should but he did on this long night.

The room was cold and empty; it reflected him. â??Welcomingâ??, or so he thought. He fumbled into his drawer and found a scalpel. He carefully pierced his skin with its sharp edge and levered out a piece of glass from his shoulders. He endured the pain; it wasnâ??t worse than his dislocated finger. With all his might, he pulled it back it its position. He popped in a couple of painkiller and swallowed them down his throat with a glass of water. He laid down on his bed. He waited for the painkillerâ??s effect to kick in. He stared aimlessly at the ceiling.

A few moment had elapsed. He raised his hands up to the ceiling. Blood rolled down his knuckles and accumulated near his wrist. He held his hand up to grab something invisible; few drops of blood fell on his face. The blood was fresh, the pain was new and it wasnâ??t the only thing he thought was new. He felt something between his chest. He pulled his hand down to his chest and rested it over the pectoral muscles. â??Is it the painkillerâ??s effect?â?, he contemplated albeit very shortly. He was sure what he felt between his chest. His heart was pounding faster, for he carried that strange feeling after a very long time. Fear.

The fresh wounds were not from the gruelling Juggalo death match. He walked out of the arena in rage to vent out his frustration on someone. Beating Zhanshi even after the bell wasnâ??t enough. They were still bound to the chains like caged animals. He never can be a caged animal; he is an apex predator. Just like one, he walked out of the arena without bothering about any bystanders and reached a casino five miles. Indeed, he walked eight miles mindlessly on the long windy night. It wasnâ??t the only mindless thing he had done on that night. He walked into the casino which is the regional communication centre for the clan and dragged an assassin out at knifepoint.

Yes, he barraged into a casino run by an assassin, a member of the clan which has a bounty on him, at knifepoint. Once he dragged him down to the alley, he realized his foolish mistake. He was surrounded by four others. Is he invincible? He questioned himself.

The blood rolling down his hands wasnâ??t his. Shattering a jawbone with your bare fist can make your fist bloody, do you know? Is he truly invincible? The bed began to stain as he laid down motionlessly. Apparently, he is not. His blood from the multiple knife stabs he took in that alley was staining the bed. Fortunately, he carried the glue WZCW medical personals use to stop the bleeding; which they used to stop the bleeding from his forehead after his Juggalo death match. He had managed to stop the blood flow using the glue. He still was laying motionlessly. He knew he need medical attention. He wasnâ??t laying motionless willingly. He felt it again between his chest. Fear.

Few days passed. His wounds were healed, most importantly, he felt superior. He still is a predator, even when scavenging eyes of the clan members were around his hotel room. Is he invincible? He believed so but he knew it was a foolish thought. He might end up dead on a night in a dark alley. Who would care? Is he invincible? He thought again. He searched for the feeling which had stained his pride a few nights earlier. He couldnâ??t find it. Fear.

Fear for a near death. Is that why he broke time barriers? Is that made a man to lose all his human contacts and lose his entire mind? Is that why he killed his own father? To fear a certain death? The feeling has found its way back between his chest. No, not the fear of death, but the fear of fear. Is this how a normal human being is supposed to feel? He wasnâ??t amused with himself. He hated his self after a very long time. He wanted it to go away. He wasnâ??t afraid of the clan members albeit he didnâ??t want to pursue them anymore. Not for the time being. The game he loved is not amusing him anymore. When will this stop?

There are two certainties for this to stop: either of them should die, or either of them should become untouchable. If he had chosen death, he wouldâ??ve been dead a very long time ago. Killing all the clan member is an endless game and the police are not fools to spectate someone going on a killing spree. Not even one of them so far he has met, is untouchable. They all crumble in fear and spell out the name of his next prey. They are never and never will be untouchable. Is he untouchable? Is he invincible? Thereâ??s that question again. It is time to face the truth. He is not.

He maybe invincible in the game of death and life, but it doesnâ??t guarantee anything. If death might come inevitably soon, he has to face it. What guarantees you to be invincible? Having someone to care when you face that inevitable death. No one had contacted him in a very long time. His phone never buzzed for a message; never he had any voicemails. He never even had to check them. Incidentally, his phone buzzed. It was an email from the WZCW producer. He had to reply if heâ??s travelling with the rest of the crew to Saudi Arabia.

â??What guarantees you to be invincible?â??, he wondered. Having someone care for you. It is a pity to think that the only people who cared about him is the WZCW personals. They cared to put on a good show, they cared for the money they make from his merchandise sales and they even cared for his health because of their concussion protocols. Would they care enough if heâ??s facing a certain death? Would they care if they come to know about the heinous crimes he has committed? After all theyâ??re going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so they might. It still begs a question: would they care to protect him?

WZCW is bringing the world champion Kagura to Saudi Arabia. Theyâ??re brining the multi-time elite champion Callie Clark. Are these women going to wrestle in front of the Saudi Arabian audiences? Or is Kagura going to join Callie Clark and cosplay as males? What if Matt Tastic tries to steal a kiss from Mikey Stormrage in front of the crowd again? What if Flex Mussels demands the crowd to call him the King or announce him as the true King upon his entrance? Can WZCW afford the backlash? Can they protect their wrestlers?

They definitely will. In WZCW, these are invincible names. Everest, Showtime, Titus, Constantine, Justin Cooper, The Beard, Dr. Zeus, Flex Mussel, Ty Burna, El Califa Dragon, Kagura, Eve Taylor, Matt Tastic, Mikey Stormrage and the list goes on. Where does his name placed on the list? What achievement he had in WZCW to secure his name? Elite Open Champion? Eurasian Champion? Lethal Lottery Winner? King for a Day? One half Tag Champion? Mayhem Champion?

What if he had achieved one of those titles? Does that guarantee his protection from WZCW? Would that enough to be the mighty Everest? Or put in the league of Grandslam Champions like Matt Tastic? Could he achieve what Titus did in his Eurasian era?

He must achieve stardom. He should be a mainstay. He must have a voice in WZCW that should make the management tremble. His name should draw WZCW crowd into the arena. He must be in the Main Event on every show WZCW produce. What he must do for achieving this feat? WZCW is around for so many years. Nothing can be accomplished on a day, but he must accomplish everything WZCW has to offer. It is his time.

He must be the apex predator of WZCW, his den where he is invincible.

[Gazprom]

Randy Studd enters the backstage area. Backstage Bob is present.

"Do you still work here?" says one of them, nobody was really listening.

"Yes" says the other.

"Surprising" Replied the first

"Ok, well it was nice to see you again"

"Yeah"

"Yeah"

"Ok bye."

[Lee]

Deadline has been extended 48 hours. If you have posted an rp you can repost it.

[Kermit]

The scene begins with a drawing in a childrenâ??s book. A laughing squirrel is holding an armful of acorns while a sad bunny looks down next to the squirrel. The narration is being read by a familiar voice.

???: Sammy the Squirrel laughed about all the acorns he had, but Richy the Rabbit had none...

The page turns to a shot of Richy the Rabbit asking Sammy the Squirrel for some acorns.

???: Oh, Sammy the Squirrel, can I please have ONE acorn? But Sammy the Squirrel just kept laughing. So, Richy the Rabbit kicked Sammy the Squirrel in the gut and positioned him for a tombstone piledriver for being so selfis-

???: Thatâ??s not how it goes, Daddy!

The shot comes into full perspective. Chris K.O. is sitting on small bed reading a bedtime story to his young daughter, Riley. Chris smiles as Riley is upset about the incorrect storytelling.

CHRIS: Oh, and how does it go?

Riley grabs the book as Chris positions himself next to her. Riley reads through the story as Chris admires her.

RILEY: Sammy began to real - realize that Richy was sad. Sammy was be - being selfish.

Chris kisses the top of Rileyâ??s head and smiles as the scene fades out.

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

Chris enters his living room where his wife Astrid is sitting on their sectional couch with a glass of wine. Chris plops down next to her.

CHRIS: She can almost read better than I can.

Astrid smirks.

ASTRID: Pre-K has really helped her with that.

CHRIS: Oh, and do I get any credit for my nightly bedtime stories?

ASTRID: Maybe for teaching her annunciation, but not for story continuation.

Astrid playfully grabs Chris by his shirt collar.

ASTRID: Recently, I feel like every woodland creature is getting hit with a steel chair!

The two kiss and playfully smile at each other. Chris gets up to pour himself a glass of wine in the kitchen. Astrid watches him as she contemplates asking him a question.

ASTRID: These increasingly violent bedtime tales wouldnâ??t have anything to do with the recent calls you have been getting, would they?

Chris doesnâ??t respond. Astrid prods some more.

ASTRID: For what itâ??s worth, I just want you to be happy.

Chris stops pouring his glass midway through. He turns to Astrid.

CHRIS: The reason Iâ??m not answering those calls or responding to their emails is exactly that. I am happy.

Chris finishes pouring his glass and returns next to Astrid.

CHRIS: Youâ??ve given me everything I need.

Chris takes a sip of his glass as Astrid rests her head on her hand. She softly retorts.

ASTRID: But what about everything you want?

Chris pauses for a moment, but then puts his glass down. He leans in and embraces his wife with a loving kiss as the scene fades out.

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

We see a bell ring as a cafe door opens. Chris enters a morning cafe filled with several elderly patrons reading newspapers and drinking coffee. Steam hovers above each freshly-brewed cup. Chris approaches a round table of older gentlemen as they begin heckling him.

OLD MAN #1: Hey Chris, what is this article in this weekâ??s paper? â??Best Shoes to Avoid Blisters?â?

OLD MAN #2: Whaddya my doctor?

OLD MAN #3: Sounds more like my wife.

CHRIS: Come on now, Sal. You know your wife wouldnâ??t get anywhere close to your stinky feet.

All the men at the table chuckle, except for Sal of course. A waitress comes by and Chris orders a coffee while taking an open seat.

CHRIS: I mean, what do you expect? Iâ??m a sports journalist. If there are no sports, there is no journal. Itâ??s just a buffer piece.

OLD MAN #1: You could write about the Thunder.

The rest of the old men groan at the idea.

CHRIS: Oh, you just wait Jerry. Weâ??re gonna have a lot of stories to tell if Toronto pulls this series off. Letâ??s talk about how before Westbrook, Jeremy Lin and Ibaka will-

The scene switches its focus as long-standing WZCW announcer, Jack Cohen enters the cafe. This catches Chrisâ?? eye as his table carries on in conversation. Chris excuses himself for a second.

Cohen positions himself in a booth as Chris approaches him.

COHEN: Ah, Chris! I was hoping you would see me when I came in. Take a seat.

Cohen gestures across the booth as Chris tries to unravel whether or not he is upset or bewildered at the presence of Cohen. As Chris takes a seat, a waitress comes by and Cohen orders a coffee. Cohen observes the cafe as Chris hesitates to speak.

COHEN: Oh, god. This is just a tier above a Waffle House. You really come here everyday?

CHRIS: Why are you here, Jack?

Cohen puts on a more serious face.

COHEN: I told them you wouldnâ??t want to talk bullshit. I told them you wouldnâ??t even-

CHRIS: Why are you HERE, Jack?

Cohen seems perturbed at being cut off.

COHEN: Iâ??m here because your not answering your damn phone or responding to damn emails. Iâ??m HERE because of WZCW.

CHRIS: Donâ??t you think there is a reason Iâ??m not answering those calls.

COHEN: Yeah, but Iâ??m coming onâ?¦ letâ??s call it more of a â??personal visit.â? Thereâ??s been a development. A big event is coming up. Itâ??s going to be called the Greatest Grandest Lethal Lott-. No wait, itâ??s not called Lottery. Itâ??s because- You know, itâ??s just not called that.

Cohen can tell that Chris is waiting for him to get to the point. Cohen pulls a folded paper out of his pocket and slides to Chris. Chris looks at it with a little bit of disbelief.

COHEN: Thatâ??s the kind of money we are talking about per wrestler. Itâ??s a big pay-

CHRIS: I donâ??t need money, Jack, if thatâ??s your pitch.

COHEN: Oh, so you do just fine writing sports columns for the local Sunday paper?

CHRIS: I also do a local sports talk show every Thursday and do sports radio for high school football during the seasons. Thank you very much.

Cohen rolls his eyes and takes back the paper. His coffee arrives as well. He takes a drink and seems surprised at the good quality.

COHEN: Listen, you have pride. I get it. You like what you do here. I get it. But let me tell you why I volunteered for this trip. Thatâ??s right, I volunteered. You can say you donâ??t need the money. You can say your done with WZCW. But what you canâ??t deny is that YOU had something.

Cohen puts his coffee down.

COHEN: I remember those crowds, whether they loved you or hated you. Which, they mostly hated you by the way. BUT! You had something.

CHRIS: Maybe, Jack. But I have something now too. I have a daughter, wife, and a life here that quite frankly I enjoy. Despite your condensing nature about the class of this town.

Cohen smirks and shakes his head in disappointment. He then looks up at Chris and unpacks his thoughts.

COHEN: Iâ??m happy for you Chris. I really am. And you may really have everything you need right now, but here is the reality. One day that daughter of yours is going to grow up and go on the internet. She is going to find YouTube videos and online searches about how her daddy was nailed to a chaos symbol or parading around like a selfish white knight prick. So, maybe you have what you need right now, but is that what you want in the future? Think about it.

Cohen pulls out some money and leaves it on the table. He gets up to leave.

COHEN: Tell her the coffee was delicious. Take care, Chris.

Chris stares at the empty porcelain cup on the table as the scene fades out.

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

Chris walks into his living room again. Astrid is reading a book on the sectional as she enjoys another glass of wine. She looks up at Chris.

ASTRID: So, did Timmy the Turtle get clotheslined this time?

Chris grins as he sits next to Astrid.

CHRIS: Noâ?¦ I think itâ??s time that I take that stuff out of our bedtime stories and back into the ring.

Astrid is caught off-guard. She puts her book and wine down and holds Chrisâ?? hands.

ASTRID: Oh?

CHRIS: I thought about what you said the other night. About what I want. I want Riley to be proud of me. I want you to be proud of me. I donâ??t want my tenure in WZCW from the past to be this glaring smudge on who I was.

ASTRID: Honey, we are already proud of you. Riley thinks the world of you. I think the world of you. None of that stuff matters. You donâ??t have to go back to make us proud of you.

CHRIS: I know... which is why itâ??s this last thing that made my decision. Iâ?¦ want to be proud of myself. I may go back and tear my achilles in my first match, but I want to be proud that I tried. I donâ??t know where this leads, but you asked me what I wanted... This is what I want to do, and I want to return to WZCW.

Astrid, misty-eyed, smiles at Chris.

ASTRID: I love youâ?¦ but if you show up on WZCW television with armor you are not allowed back in this house.

Chris and Astrid playfully embrace as the scene fades out on a light-hearted note.

[Bucky Barnes]

DIRK BUCHANAN




and thus spoke buchanan...

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life . . . and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. "

I read this in a book once, though can not quite recall when and where. It may have to do with my education and upbringing which to say the least was unconventional. Growing up isolated from the real world on a compound full of religious hysteria was never easy. Though my sister and I managed to have some fun together under such dire circumstances, including the times I would stare at the painting of a boat and imagined that I was somehow inside the painting of a boat. "Ahoy," I said, nautically.

I was shaped a certain way, and it wasn't until I reached my 18th birthday that I began to find out who I was. That was because two important things happened that year: "The Church of the Inner Light" was shut down by a series of large police raids. Finally being free of the religiouos clutches of a cult, I went out to discover what the earth had to offer. It was beautiful. Along the way, I forged a new path for myself as a philosopher, and most importantly, a professional wrestler.

However, as time went on, I lost my way. Fixated on my new life in the professional world, I forgot about the very essence that defined me, the natural world. At the age of 36, I vanished from WZCW and left for the mountains. I had hoped to enjoy my spirit and solitude, and never grow weary of it. After several months, a different experience came to me.



Day 1: I arrived at my desired location, it was a cabin located right in front of the pond. Although it was late at night, I still went ahead and did a check up on the survival supplies I had stashed here. I noticed that my machete was getting dull and this canned corned beef is about to expire. Iâ??m starting to think Y2K isnâ??t going to happen...

Day 3: Not much has happened these last few days, which was why I came out here in the first place. A nice quiet place to reflect on my life and where it is going. I have done my best to stay in shape, as my return to the WZCW can happen any day. Each morning I wake up I go for a walk through the woods towards the pond, which quite a way to relax. Walking around in the woods barefoot has always been one of my favourite past times Sometimes on my daily walks you can catch me breathing on trees. I know our relationship is reciprocal, they need me as much as I need them.

Day 4: I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. Solitude is the only time you can reflect on who you are without the distractions.

Day 5: Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth. With that being said, I am Feeing a bit hungrier than usual. Going to go look for berries in the woods....

Day 7: I really shouldnt have eaten those berries. At this point I can feel death approaching. If I die tonight, my biggest regrets would be never winning the WZCW heavyweight title and never making power play in my quilting circle. If this is goodbye, I want to apologize for my failures and to let you know that I love you all. Oh God, I am going to die alone here arent I? Why did I think this would be a good idea.


Day 8: I can barely move. As I lay in my bed, I slowly open my eyes and realize that I am color blind. I fall asleep thinking of all of the old black and white films I have enjoyed--and will watch again. Rain begins to fall as I fall into a slumber.

Day 11: Spoiler alert. I didn't die. But I am severly dehydrated and also very hungry. All I find are berries in my pocket...


After several days of darkness I awoke. It was quite similiar to the one that I had been staying in, though there was a scent of feminity in the air. With my body still sore, I found the entrance to the cabin and walked outside. The sunight was harsh on me eyes, as if I was a newborn using them for the first time. Crawling out from the cave, I was reaquainted with the world. I bent over and touched the soil. I grabbed a hand full of grass and tasted it. It was a delight.


Voice: Oh my, you are awake!

I turned around to find a woman standing there.

Voice: I came across your cabin and found you nearly dead. I stuck around making sure you would make it through the night. One night turned into many nights. I'm Dani by the way.

Dirk: Lola, I thank you for saving my life. Can you tell me the date?

Lola: Well, uhm.. the 15 of June.

Dirk: My god, I have been out that long? And you were by my side to nurse me back to health? Something tells me this was more than just luck. This is the universe aligning itself for me. Come Lola, you well accompany me to Lethal Lottery! You will be there as I am crowned the new champion. I have been reborn Dani, and you helped usher me into this new world.

Lola: Are you crazy? You were half dead only a few weeks ago? Are you sure you can wrestle?

Dirk: My dear Lola, All signs of superhuman nature appear in man as illness or insanity. Come with me, we are about to write our own Gospel; Live our own myth. The gods have stocked the Lethal Lottery odds in our favor! I may not know who will step into the ring with me, but I do know who they will step into the ring with, and that is me! The will stare at me, and in doing so, they will stare into the abyss. It will consume them, because I am not just any man. I am Dirk Buchanan. Now I ask one more time, will you join me?

Lola: Somebody has to make sure you don't die.

TBC

[Lee]

Would it be cliché to start at Unscripted 2019? Would it be strange not to? Either way the man who held the EurAsian title for 951 days lost the World Heavyweight Championship on his first defense. A former World Champion for the third time.

Would it have been different if it was a Pure rules match? Probably not. His head has not been in the game for a while. Yet there's more than Titus and the WZCW Universe who rely on him, there's his assistant Rosie Danvers and agent James Montana. How did they take the news?

The scene cuts to the office of James Montana. He's sat with a beer in hand, smoking and watching TV. His phone rings.

Montana: Not during the flipping match Karen. This is a big money deal if he defends. An extra $1million for him so 100 G's for me.

He hangs the phone up.

Montana: What the actual hell is a Tokyo death match? It'll be all those weebs phoning in from their phones their mothers pay for. It's better than buying XXXXL T-Shirts though.

The scene is shortened to show Montana's reaction to the match. He goes through the full emotional spectrum. On the TV you can hear Kagura getting the pin.

Montana: So we have the pin but how the heck is she going to keep him down for 10? Who the hell is that? Look at the size of him. He has a Kagura pillow? There's no getting over from that.

Before the 10 count has started he picks up the phone. It rings, but there is no answer.

Montana: Goddamit Rosie pick the hell up.

He shoots out a text â??Make sure he's ok JMâ?

The scene cuts to backstage. A TV monitor is at a weird angle and Rosie Danvers is stood watching the match unfold on TV. We're not sure she can make much out with the angle the screen is it but it's the way things are done now. We catch the screen as it just announces the Tokyo Deathmatch.

Rosie: That's fine, he's never lost one of those before. Nor had one before. Be positive Danvers.

The same sort of shots as Montana are shown. Rosie reacts to various spots in the match. Lazy to do it that way? Maybe but it works. The scene cuts to Titus being pinned and the fat weeb leaving the crowd.

Rosie: Oh crap.

The crowd boo's so loud you can't hear Rosie's phone calling.

Rosie: I better give James a call. I thought he had it.

She picks up her phone to reveal a missed call and a text message â??Make sure he's ok JMâ?.

The scene cuts again. This time it's a week later. Both Rosie and Montana are at an undisclosed airport.

Montana: Look it's not about the money, though the money helps a lot. I'm genuinely worried about the guy.

Rosie: Then we need to motivate him.

Both look at each other then shout the answer at the same time.

Montana: Musical Theatre!

Rosie: An old opponent that will give him fire!

Montana: No, I'm right!

Rosie: No, I'm right!

Montana: Bet's on as to who can motivate him the most. The bet starts when we arrive.

Rosie: Fine! I better put my disguise on first.

Rosie puts on a wig, giant glasses and a fake beard. Let's ignore the logistics for the TSA and assume it's all fine. It's a joke about our next destination. Even if I won't be the first, or last, to use that joke or the next song:

Both go on their way to start their adventure. Montana's is pretty boring but basically it's cast Titus in a play in Jeddah. We jump to that play.

The world's greatest actor, Titus Avison, five time Oscar winner is about to drop some sick beats. He has a teatowel on his head and the whole thing is borderline racist.

Titus: Here's a story I have for you, the kingdom was founded in 1932.
With a fight, how could we stay alive? We found oil in the fields in 1935.
That very same year, a hero was born. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud with glory worn!

There's more to us than the last few years. It's why we're better than all our peers!
Going back to Aladdin and the cave he went in.
He found the Genie and what did he see? A cave of wonders led to some blunders.
Fortunately the carpet of magic stopped the tale from being tragic!

He became a Prince and met Jasmine. His party and Elephant the Sultan let in.
Jafar didn't like it but rather than bike it he spoilt it all for Prince Ali!
His secret was out but that was not all, the two had an epic bout and Jafar ended up 20 feet tall.
In a lamp he was cast, for the crimes of his past.

Scheherazade is better than lemonade.
He wrote the Arabian Nights to stop the fights.
One thousand and one and there's only one who won!
Saudia Arabia is there maybe a better country then us? No there's not! It's why women need to take the bus.

The dynasty started in 1744, another other country founded that centure we can't adore.
Death to America is what we say but the bombs they sell us keep them at bay.
Israel and the you know who's are the ones that keep us in the news.

So let's pay our respects to King Salman, just remember not to eat any ham.
2030 our future will be, full of love and harmony.
Until then let's keep our hatred up. Women, Gays, Foreigners and people who say â??Yupâ?
The best country that there ever was. No guns, violence of major wars!

So welcome all from WZCW, but be behaved so you don't become a POW.
The Greatest Grandest Lethal : Blood Money, a long title but it's not funny.
Will they let in Stormrage or would you rather see Nicholas Cage?
What about Callie and the rest of the girls? If it keeps out Reqonic that's good as she makes us hurl.

The lights go off. An announcement in Arabic comes on. I'm going to badly google translate it.

يرجى الانضمام إلينا بعد الفاصل الزمني. احصل على بعض الوجبات الخفيفة الرائعة من التنازلات. لا تنس أن تطلب إذن زوجك.

Titus walks backstage and is greated by James Montana.

Montana: Wow you look like you're having fun out there. The Saudi version of Hamilton, I bet they're paying you a pretty penny. Surely that motivates you?

Titus: This is hell. I can only win the Lethal Lottery if there's something that I can finally put to rest. Not the title but more than that. I don't know say...

Just then a man with a fake beard, wig and hat appears. It's Rosie Danvers as a male. She's out of breath as she's just ran all the way up.

Rosie: We've got it!

Montana: Constantine?

Titus: Ty?

Rosie: Just let me...

Montana: Showtime?

Titus: Big Dave?

Rosie: Guy's it's...

Montana: Carmen Bratchny?

Titus: Big Will?

Rosie: Chris

Montana: Chris Jones?

Titus: Chris Beckford?

Rosie: SHUT UP!

Silence.

Rosie: It's Chris K.O! He will be in the Lottery.

Montana: Damn that will be a good chance to make amends for the past. What do you think man?

The camera pans to Titus' Teatowel and cloak in a pile. He's running in the distance in his wrestling attire.

Titus: I've got some work to do! See you both Sunday.

Titus leaves the room and the camera cuts to him.

Titus:

Click for Spoiler:

I hate Chris fucking K.O.

Fade to black.

[FunKay]

At first there was nothing but silence and darkness. Their presence a necessary precursor and contrast to the emergence of colour and living matter that burst forth. In this plain we find ourselves plunged into, they rule, total and absolute. There is not one iota of life, and we linger in this darkened abyss until suddenly, deliberately, powerfully, there is the sound of hard metal striking stone. Once, twice, thrice and thenâ?¦

BOOM!

A spotlight bursts into life! All below its majesty are blurred and warped, such is its power. However, slowly things come into focus. A mighty throne is seen. It is cast against a void, a backdrop of nothingness. This throne is ornate, encrusted with the treasures of a thousand journeys round the globe and the glories and travesties that come with that. It is firmly rooted in a base of granite, the slab of stone contrasting harshly with the gold and red themed seat.

Atop it all sits a suited man. His proper posture gives him an air of regality and his curtained hair hangs long over his face. Powerful hands grip the arms of the throne. One holds a cane, wooden with metal ends. It hangs ominously above the stone floor, a weapon with which to strike it. The man lifts his head, bringing his features into the light; a strong jaw, piercing blue eyes, a sneer, wrinkled and worn to a degree. This is a man of experience. This is a man who has seen much and done even more. This is Steven Holmes, and he is back atop his throneâ?¦

Holmes: Youâ??ve heard stories of men, of legends, told through the annals of history. These are stories of bodies being flung in a sea of chaos, mystery and violence. These are stories of valiant victories and terrible triumphs. These are stories of heroes and villains alike, both reigning supreme before the horde, a horde who at their most base level are baying for blood. And even though history has come and gone, still they bay for that blood, still they relish it. Still they bathe in it and howl at the moon for more. And so it has been given to them.

A vile smirk creeps upon the face of Holmes. He lifts his head up, the beaming light casting shadows across his face in macabre and sinister ways. He is almost demonic as he continues, his voice echoing in this void.

Holmes: These insatiable appetites are being tempered further. A new ingredient added to this dish; the Worldâ??s Heavyweight Championship. A title passed through the ages to those fit enough to carry its burden, its weight, its majesty. Countless have fallen to the wayside in pursuit of its glory. A select few have been privileged enough to capture its magnificence. Before you sits one such individual, â??The Eliteâ?, Steven Holmes â?¦

An air of arrogance and a cocky swagger creep through Holmes, gesturing toward himself simply, but in a manner that suggests vainglory.

Holmes: Long before others borrowed and brandied this name in a manner that has lost all meaning, it was I who set the standard by which all others are judged. My legacy? One of malevolence and monstrous ambition. Hall of Famers, kings, champions. Warriors, peasants and paupers. All have fallen, all in pursuit of the glory that is the Worldâ??s Heavyweight Championship. I did unspeakable things, pushed my body, my spirit, my very essence to a breaking point. And ultimately, I was victorious.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown though. The pursuit of the grandeur burned me. I was the proverbial Icarus. I seized the sun, entranced by its beauty and power. But I failed to understand its dangers, both in pursuit of it and in the holding of it. A target formed on my worn and weary body. I held it only a paltry amount of time. And with it, I lost my health. My career stalled, it stopped. There were other victories in other realms of course, but never was it the same.

A contemplative silence. Holmes casts his gaze away to his right, pausing, clearly distressed by these memories that linger.

Holmes: Always within me burned the passion, burned the desire, burned my want and need to perform, to seize the glory I had once personally handled. I needed it, I longed for it. But my bodyâ?¦ my body failed me. My spirit was wanting, but the flesh was not willing, nor able. Avatars and ciphers filled the role at my behest, but seeing their mixed successes did not fill me with the same ecstasy that I had previously.

Nothing can substitute fighting your own battles. It is an addictive, thick, toxic malaise that sits in the basement of your belly and lingers there and manifests and grows and infects every inch of you until you cannot stand it anymore. And when you cannot exorcise this demon by taking part in combat, it grows fouler and thickerâ?¦

Again Holmes pauses. He brings his hand to his mouth and considers what he has just said and the scathing truth of it. It appears he may even be a tad emotional. He looks off to the right, moisture forming in his eyes, thinking of this, the lowest ebb of his professional wrestling career.

Holmes: No one should return to combat sports after the injuries I had accumulated over my career. Replacements, dislocations, breaks, tears: all of these and so much more. They ruined me. I was told that it would be impossible to return. I was told that the physical toll my body had taken was so great that I would be unable to work inside the confines of a squared circle ever again. But I am not a man who takes kindly to the word â??noâ??. I have acquired much in my time through pig-headedness, through sheer force of will. That remains unbreakable and undeniable.

I approached those at the cutting edge of sports science with an offer â?? a lot of money to return me to my past glories. I sweat, I bled. I cried and cringed and cursed. I hurt myself emotionally and physically in a bid to prove everyone wrong and to exorcise this cancerous monster polluting my spirit. That burning desire to become the return to that moniker I long held myself to; Elite. It took yearsâ?¦

Suddenly, decisively, Holmes drops his cane with an almighty thud as it clatters to the granite below.

Holmes: But it worked!

Holmes stands all on his own. No need for the cane he used to aid him for ever so long. He steps down from his throne, past the cane, at the foot of the pedestal he once sat atop.

Holmes: Time is the servant of no man. It makes fools of us all. But I have flipped the hourglass. True I am not the same athlete of a decade ago. Iâ??ve lost speed and strength. Iâ??m weaker and wearier. But Iâ??m also wiser. My in-ring acumen and intelligence remains second to none and my cunning is elevated. My desperation to be the best is bolstered by the desire inside me to unleash years of burning frustration â?? over my run as the Heavyweight Champion, at the end of my in-ring career and the failure to successfully move on.

Science has given me finite time. Iâ??m not here to go on a victory lap. Iâ??m here to make the difference and quench my thirst for competition and success. That thirst may well be infinite, but it is my goal to try and satisfy it, to recapture some of the old magic, impart wisdom upon a new generation, and who knows, even settle a few scores. The Lethal Lottery offers me the first chance at that. I of course enter to win, to regain that crown of the worldâ??s greatest, but I also enter for fun. I enter to bathe myself like those hordes, in the blood of my enemies, to sacrifice them for a higher purpose in the pursuit of the glory and enjoy a bit of the old ultra-violence at least one more time.

Holmes raises his arms high and smirks boldly, lifting his head. He closes his eyes, the light burning his retinas as he relishes the illumination.

Holmes: I will redefine what it means to be â??Eliteâ?. Regardless of whether you are a living legend, a ruling queen, a shamed hero on the quest for redemption, a darkened half of a once noble warrior, a wary combat veteran or anything moreâ?¦ You will face the measuring stick. You will face the most willing and cunning of foes. And you will remember, now, forevermore and in eternity, that Aristocracy Reigns.

Holmesâ?? head snaps back down, eyes open as he clicks his fingers and we return to darkness, as if life had never been born at all.

[Yaz]

I always imagined that worst part of being a superhero that finally defeats his arch nemesis is boredom.

Think about it. If Batman were to ever well and truly defeat the Joker, he would have way more free time on his hands. I guess Bruce Wayne is technically a playboy billionaire, so maybe he isn't the best guy to make my point.

Okay, thing of Superman and Lex Luther. Wolverine and Sabertooth. Shazam and Black Adam. Thor and Loki. They need each other. Sure, Wolverine would still likely roll with his fellow mutants and Superman would still tangle with Zod, but their lives would be infinitely less interesting.

Hell, look at the 1999 film Mystery Men. Super successful protector of Champion City, Captain Amazing, is so good at his job he effectively made himself obsolete. He got bored of not being able to combat villains, so he used his alter ego, billionaire lawyer Lance Hunt, to set free a notorious villain. In the end Captain Amazing ends up dead and a ragtag team of goofy heroes must save the city, but the point remains. Once you conquer your greatest foe, you get bored.

And so it was for me.

Honestly I never expected to get as far as I did. To be able to say I had an arch nemesis is an achievement in and of itself. To be able to beat him? That was icing on the cake.

I could say as many times as I wanted that I was over Matt Tastic. The truth was, you never get over something like that. Plenty of drugs and alcohol helped ease that pain, along with some therapy, but Tastic was in the past. What new challenges did I face?

I had done almost everything in WZCW. I was a two time World Champion, a three time tag champion, had runs with the Mayhem, EurAsian, and Elite Titles. I had main evented Kingdom Come. I could have ended my career when I was elected to the Hall of Fame. I decided to come back to hear the roar of the crowd again. That twenty by twenty square made me feel more alive than anything else ever had.

For the better part of a decade the fans that packed arenas around the globe would cheer me on and support me no matter what I went through. The death of both of my parents, the loss of multiple relationships, a career threatening back injury. No matter what trial I faced, those fans let me feel it every night. "Mikey! Mikey! Mikey!" it was exhilarating.

It was exhilarating because deep down I knew, I was just a guy who never tried. I was just a stupid fuck with brilliant luck, and sometimes a bright idea. Yet they showered me with a chorus of compliments and verse I didn't deserve. Nothing could compare to that feeling.

There was a knock at my door.

Well, almost nothing could compare.

I opened the door, and through the shining California sunlight was Katherine, the only person who had been there to support me over the past few months. The girl who had captured my heart.

I let her inside and she hugged me before we took a seat.

"Looks like you finally got the new place set up. Looks nice."

"Not as nice as you."

Smooth as fuck as always Michael.

Katherine let out a "pffftt" noise and shoved me away.

I looked around the living room of my apartment. I grew up in a smaller house and I didn't really have a lot of possessions so I never really wanted or needed a large place. I mean for an apartment it was big and four thousand a month in rent it damn well should be big, but it was nice. I had all of my title belts on display, I was proud of my accomplishments. In the middle of a mantel above my TV was my Hall of Fame ring. It was the culmination of the near decade I spent in the company, but as much as I droned on about that in the past I'm sure people got tired of it.

Still though, when I looked at that ring, it was almost as if all of the turmoil and pain I put my body through was worth it. I questioned though, how much longer could it be worth it? Especially considering the decision I had made.

A Few Hours Before Unscripted in San Antonio

I was nervous, I had never done this before. I didn't know how simple or how flashy I should go. How much do I spend? Was it tacky to carry my Elite Title with me to do this?

"Is this the one you want sir?"

A man dressed in a button up shirt and tie with dress pants that said he wasn't paid nearly enough to wear said attire stood across the display case from me. I looked it over and nodded my head. This was the one.

"Let's do this."

A couple of minutes and a card swipe later and I was on my way. I just knew I had some business to take care of tonight first.

Back In The Present Time In Mikey's Apartment

"So when will all of your stuff be moved?"

Katherine pulled out her phone, presumably to check her shipment arrival.

When she said she intended to follow me to California, I knew the decision I made was the right one. I knew she had feelings for me, but even if she tried to frame it as her moving to be able continue her training, I could tell in her eyes she had ulterior motives.

"It should be not long after you get back from Jeddah. Lucky you, you get out of helping me move."

I laughed. She wasn't wrong.

"I was wondering though, about the Matt thing."

I knew she wasn't talking about my feelings but the way Saudi society viewed those of different sexual orientations.

I let out a sigh.

"I'm gonna be honest, its a little worrying. I have contractual obligations to be there though. All active champions are required to be at all official WZCW events at the request of execs, unless they are suspended or have a medical waiver. I tried the waiver route after the Hell in a Cell, but bumps and bruises don't get you a pass."

"Do you worry something will happen?"

"Honestly? Not really. When the list of desired superstars was submitted it included names who haven't been in WZCW in years. It also included Mr. Baller, who has been dead at least once in his life, so I don't think they really watch. They probably still think I'm just some fat sidekick in Strikeforce who is doing battle with a Deadpool wannabe and a Blaxploitation star. They seem to be years behind on our product. They have no idea I came out as bi, I'm sure. Plus if they ask, I'll just smooch on you."

I leaned in for a kiss and she shoved me in the face playfully.

"If you aren't worried, then I'll try not to be worried. Still, I hate that you are jetting off halfway around the world so soon after you settled in."

She was right. I spend so much time on the road, I barely had time to myself. Most of the time my apartments and houses over the years sat vacant. My cars, undriven. Food uneaten...mostly. I'd fallen so far behind on gaming that I was still dicking around in Overwatch and occasionally Battlefield V. My entire life was WZCW. I wanted my life to be something else though.

"Well if I manage to win the Lethal Lottery, that will be the last feather in my cap. It's the only thing I haven't done in WZCW. "

"You never won Gold Rush or King For A Day."

She always was quick to playfully knock me down a peg or two.

"Well King For a Day was never on the table for me, plus it was discontinued more than once."

"So was the Mayhem Championship!"

"If you wanna throw that card out, I was the first and only dual champion in WZCW history so I think I got you beat there."

She shrugged, conceding to defeat on this one.

"And both times I was in Gold Rush I lost to the eventual winner, who went on to win the World Title, so I chalk that one up as a push."

"The only push here is you pushing the narrative of you not being a loser."

She wasn't wrong, in more ways than one. I'd spent my entire life trying to dispel the notion, and maybe I was close. Maybe I already had in the minds of everyone else. In my mind though, I was still a loser because I'd hadn't accomplished my goal.

"My goal." I whispered.

"To win the Lottery?"

I looked up confused.

"What?"

"You said your goal. I figured you were talking about winning the Lottery. Winning would cement you as one of the best of all time, even more than your Hall of Fame career already has. It would mean you get to main event Kingdom Come again, something so few can say they have done. And if you win the Lottery, you will be World Champion for the third time. That would tie the record. So like I said, I figred that was what you were referring to."

She was right. About the accolades anyway.

"It would be nice. It would be great to hear the fans chant my name as I stood alone in the ring. But no, that wasn't what I was referring to."

"Oh. Well what goal are you talking about then?"

"If you had told me ten years ago that I would be a pro wrestler, I would have called you a liar. I've reached heights that child me would not and could not have ever dreamed. I've been able to travel the world, see things few will. I've gotten to bring smiles and joy to millions. I'm lucky. Along the way though I lost sight of my lifelong goal. Being a pro wrestling, it was a childhood dream. I think its time to stop living that childish dream and start chasing an adult dream."

I had a few tears in my eyes.

"Winning the Lottery and being World Champion again would be amazing. There is something more amazing though, something more amazing that Mikey Stormrage could ever imagine. Like I said, Mikey Stormrage has been lucky. This isn't Mikey Stormrage speaking though. This is Michael Brown speaking. Katherine King, will you make Michael Brown lucky? Will you marry me?"

I pulled the ring from my pocket but I was tackled to the floor before I could open the box. She had her head buried in my chest, but I could make out her nodding her head yes as her tears of joy stained my shirt.

In that moment, I knew, everything up to this point had been worth it.

[Skairipa]

#CallieClarkRedemptionTourContinues

The Day After Unscripted: A Hospital In San Antonio, Texas

I was sore, I was angry, I was disappointed. Unscripted had come and gone, and while I didn't lose, I didn't win. But if you didn't win, you lost. If you ain't first, you're last. Anything but victory is unacceptable and I will get my win over Stetson one way or another at some point, you can believe that. But right now? I was stuck in some stupid hospital because despite me telling them I was fine, the WZCW doctors are stupid and didn't listen to me, they insisted I go to the hospital and the stupid hospital doctors wanted to keep me overnight to "run some tests". Ugh. I was going stir crazy being stuck here, plus I barely got any sleep and I needed coffee, bad. I was debating making a run for it, when finally a doctor came into the room.

Okay Ms. Clark, it looks like you didn't break anything and don't have anything seriously wrong with you, just some bruises and general soreness. I would recommend not wrestling for at least two weeks to let your body fully heal though.

I laughed, was he crazy? Did he really think there was a chance in hell I wouldn't be entering the Lethal Lottery!?

Yeah okay doc, if you think that's going to happen I think you've been dipping into the drugs for the patients. Lethal Lottery is coming up and I need to be in that.

Well you can, but I would recommend being careful.

I didn't intend to spear a big cowboy bigot off the stage last night, but things happen. If I had to do it again right now I would if it meant winning, winning means everything to me and I don't care what I have to do to win. Even if it means risking injury. If I didn't spear him off the stage, I was getting thrown off, better him than me.

I shrugged, and the look on the doctor's face was amusing. He clearly didn't understand how wrestling works. He looked unsure of what to say next but responded after a minute.

Well I guess that's your decision, but as a doctor I do suggest taking it easy if you can.

Yeah yeah I get it, what's your name anyway?

Dr. Henry Jones.

I laughed, Dr. Henry Jones!?

Okay Indy, look, am I good to get the hell out of here? I have the biggest match of my life coming up and I have a lot to do before it if I'm going to win. And quite frankly, the longer I'm stuck in this hell hole, the more miserable I'm going to be. And trust me, you don't wanna be around me when I'm miserable.

I shot Indiana Jones here a look that could kill, and saw the surprise in his eyes. Boy do I love when I scare people, it just makes my day. He thought for a moment before nodding his head to my question.

Yes um, let me just get those discharge papers and I'll be right back. But just remember to try not to do any stage dives next time you wrestle, okay?

I shrugged.

I make no promises. Now while you're out there, put those nurses to work and have one of them get me a coffee.

Doctor Jones started to leave the room but before he could I had one more thing to say to him.

Oh and Doctor?

He turned around, a smile on his face that looked forced.

Yes?

Watch out for snakes, I know their your biggest fear.

He rolled his eyes and let out a chuckle.

Very funny.

He walked out of the room as I yelled to him not to forget about the coffee, and grabbed my phone, I hadn't checked it in hours, who knows what I could have missed in that time! But what I discovered was shocking and frankly, disgusting news. WZCW was taking Lethal Lottery to the middle of freaking nowhere, a place where I wouldn't even be welcome even if I played nice, Saudi Arabia! UGH! I was annoyed and frustrated, so I decided to poke fun at the news.

@CallieClark
Nobody:

Literally Nobody:

WZCW: We're going to Saudi Arabia for Lethal Lottery!

#WorstDecisionEver #FirstWomanToWinAMatchInSaudi #StillTheNextWorldChamp

The Next Day: A Suite In A San Antonio Hotel

I was taking a personal day to relax and destress after the last 48 hours I went through. Between the war with Stetson at Unscripted and the supes stressful stay at the hospital, I deserved this. Besides if this company thought I was in any hurry to get to that disgusting gross country then they had another thing coming. I'll get there when I feel like getting there, in the meantime I'll enjoy a country where I have rights. I was sitting in a chair outside on the room's deck, enjoying my late breakfast after a Swedish massage in the spa, when I decided to look at my phone, seeing a new text from my friend and favorite costume designer, Kira Cassidy.

OMG that was crazy what you did at Unscripted! How are you walking right now!? I think I'd be dead!

I smirked, it's great getting your ego stroked sometimes, and I left people talking about me. That's the only good thing to come from that match.

It helps I landed on that fatass. But it drives me nuts he was able to walk out of there, guess that just means I have to eliminate him in the lottery. If I can't pin him I need to ruin his hopes of ever being World Champion.

Stetson was one of many people I had my sights on in the Lottery. Eliminating anybody is great but that's a personal one I'd like to get. Just the thought of him thinking he won the war right now makes my blood boil, little does he know he only won the battle when he walked out on his own.

That would be a great way to get the last laugh over him. But I hope you're not just looking for revenge in that match as part of your Redemption Tour thing you were telling me about. I mean revenge is sweet, but it's not gonna get you the win.

She was right, as much as I'd like to get revenge on people like Stetson and Mikey Stormrage, who currently have wronged me and gotten away with it, winning the World Title was MUCH more important. Plus that would be the ultimate revenge. I needed to be completely focused on winning and just hope to eliminate fat and fatter in route to my glorious victory. I nodded in agreement as I took a bite of my toast before texting back.

You're right, and there's sooooo many haters in this company, so many people are totes jealous of my success and will wanna eliminate me. I really need to watch my back. I'll need my wits about me more than ever in this match.

I would need more than my usual game plan to win this match, I was about to be facing the entire roster, some people I've faced, some I haven't, and no doubt there's going to be some big surprises be it debuts or returning stars, and no matter who comes into that ring, my ring, they'll meet the same fate, getting tossed right over that top rope and out to the floor. This wasn't their time, this was my time.

What about making an alliance? I know you don't like anybody else in the company, but you should convince someone to work with you.

Not a bad idea she had there, but who? I don't like anybody, but I don't need to like someone to trust them. But could I possibly trust any of the bozos in this company? Between rising stars looking to steal the spotlight for themselves, legends looking to get one last moment of glory, and rookies that are complete wild cards, nobody came to mind as someone I'd dare put my trust in. Maybe something will change in the heat of the moment, but at the end of the day I can only trust one person, myself.

Maybe, but I don't trust the losers and dopes around here. Any success I've had in wrestling has been on my own, and I don't like sharing the spotlight, so I don't think that'll work. But that's okay, I don't need anybody anyway.

I quickly got a text back before I could even another bite of my eggs and toast.

Well I guess that's technically true, but would you have gotten signed to WZCW if not for being a team with your sister?

I scoffed at this. Kira was a friend, but how DARE she question my ability.

Of course I would have. Everybody knows that I was the real talent and she was just riding my coattails. I think that's proven by the fact she got a career ending injury on her own while I've thrived and won the Elite Championship 3 times and the Mayhem Championship once. And for the record I don't appreciate you doubting me, you know that makes me mad.

I was tempted to ignore the rest of her messages as punishment for her rudeness, and ignored the notification of her text back for a couple minutes while I finished my eggs and toast, but after taking a couple sips of my mimosa, I decided to see what she said back. After all she was providing good conversation before that. Besides, what else did I have to do right now?

I didn't mean it like that, I was just pointing it out. I'm sure you would have gotten signed if not for Gabi, and you have proven to be far more than a basic tag team wrestler. Anyway, tell me about the Lethal Lottery. Why's it so important to you? Just because it's for the World Title? I mean I get that would be awesome, but are titles really everything?

She raised some good questions, are titles everything? And why was the lottery so important? I took a couple minutes to think about it, before responding to her while finishing my mimosa.

Titles aren't everything no, but they are very important. They mean being one of the best in the company, not that I need that to know I am. But it shows everybody else what I already know. But the lottery? That's everything, and not just because of the World Title. If I win the Lethal Lottery it means I beat every single person this company had to offer, I outlasted every single person and I won. It means adding my name to the record books, not many people can say they've been World Champion, and even less people can say they won the Lethal Lottery, I can accomplish both in one night and THAT is something that will never be forgotten. You know I love the spotlight, and there's no bigger spotlight than winning that match and walking into Kingdom Come for the main event with the World Title around my waist. I don't just want this win Kira, I NEED this win, this win is everything and I will do absolutely anything to get it, and I mean anything.

I knew everybody else would also sacrifice everything to get the win, I planned for that, but did they have as much to sacrifice as me? Sure Kagura did, after all it was her belt on the line after all, boy did it eat me alive that she was champion. She screwed me when we teamed that one time, AND she cost me the win in the Goldrush Tournament, I think she might officially be my mortal enemy. But everybody else? Doubtful.

I see, well you know I'll be at home rooting for you. Do you think you'll need one of my costumes for it?

Nah I think I have the perfect one already, but thanks for thinking of me girl. I know all about how things are over there in the desert, and if they're gonna be hostile to me, I might as well piss them off more with my cosplay.

Oh boy, don't get yourself thrown in jail or killed or whatever.

HA! As if they could do that, if they tried I know money talks, and everybody has a price, even people living in backwards times. Anyway I have another massage appointment planned, gotta get back to 100% for the match, I'll talk to you later and next time you see me in your shop, I'll make sure to bring my newly won World Title with me.

Was getting a second massage in such a short amount of time needed? Probably not. Did I care? Absolutely not. But I wanted it, and it would help me feel better, so I was going to get it. I didn't intend to leave the US for a few more days at least still, and I was waiting on a couple costumes to come in from home anyway, so what else was I supposed to? It's not like this city had anything fun worth doing and I don't wanna spend time hanging out with a bunch of rednecks. Before I left for another trip to the hotel spa though I sent another text, this time to my other good friend, Harper.

Heyy girl what do you have going on next week? How would you like a free first class trip?

Six Days Later: Inside A Private Jet Heading For Saudi Arabia

I had just spent six very nice days doing absolutely nothing but relaxing and being pampered, but now it was time for what I was really dreading, making the trip out to Saudi Arabia. It was going to be a long flight, it was going to be hotter than hell there, and it was going to be an all around sucky trip. Thankfully, I was able to convince Harper to drop what she had planned to come with me. She tried to protest but she's never been good at saying no to me, and I took advantage of that. We had boarded the private jet I had rented, and now we had many hours of not much to do. I got comfortable in my seat and kicked my feet up on the table in front of me, as Harper came out of the bathroom and sat down in the seat across from me.

Why exactly did you want me to come with you on this trip? Just to have someone to talk to on the plane?

I shrugged, that was certainly part of the reason, but not the whole reason.

Can't I just enjoy your company?

You can, but I know you always have an ulterior motive to everything you do.

The one down side of having someone be your friend for so long, they know you well enough to know things like that.

Okay fiiiine, I dragged you along because I needed someone that I can tolerate to talk to while I'm stuck in this stupid third world country, and I figured having someone to talk to on the plane would give me a chance to do a little more match prep covering some of my opponents.

That's assuming I don't wanna just take a nap and let you worry about that yourself.

I rolled my eyes, why must she be difficult? Just do what I say, it's not hard! Yeesh, you'd think she would just know how things work around here.

You can either try and take a nap with me talking to myself like a crazy person and making it very difficult to sleep....or you can have this conversation with me and then we can both sleep. I think it's obvious what makes more sense.

I raised my eyebrow waiting for an answer, and after a few moments she sighs and nods in agreement, once again I knew I could get her to do what I wanted. She just had to make things more difficult than they needed to be.

Alright alright you win, who's first?

I brought up a list in my memo pad on my phone of who I considered my biggest threats going into the match, I didn't account for surprise entrants because the internet was crazy with all kinds of rumors and I didn't know which ones to believe, so I wasn't going to try and plan for that. Worry about the devil you know they say right? I skimmed the list quickly and decided to start with the biggest threat, my mortal enemy and the champ herself, Kagura.

Kagura. I've really grown to hate her you know. Winning the World Title after stealing MY moment of winning the Gold Rush after spitting disgusting mist in my face, screwing me out of a win the one time we teamed by being a completely useless partner, and I already didn't like her to begin with. But she's going to fight tooth and nail to keep that championship, and I know she might just be THE biggest threat to win the match. She's also someone I would LOVE to throw out, both for personal reasons and making a statement.

Harper nods while listening as a evil grin crossed my face at the thought of being the reason Kagura loses the belt. That would be so sweet, and if it happens, karma's a bitch isn't it? It's what she deserves for being a cheater.

That would be huge if you throw out the defending champ, but considering you two have previous beef she'll probably wanna be the one to throw you out. Maybe don't gun right for the top dog?

I shrugged, go big or go home right? It didn't take me long to shake my head in disagreement.

No no, I want to throw every single big name out of the match. And if I am going to lose, I'll be damned if it's before her.

Harper nodded again, I could tell she could sense this one was a little personal for me, and was ready for me to move onto the next person. Considering I had nothing more to say about her, I was ready to move on as well.

Anyway, onto the next person, another one I have a lot of history with and someone who quite frankly, people are stupid if they don't try to get rid of as soon as he enters the match, Mikey Stormrage.

Oh Mikey, in another universe we would probably be close friends. But in this one, you seem to keep getting in my way and you stole my championship. What a shame...for you.

That's the guy who beat you in the cage match right?

I nodded, what an awful memory that is.

Yeah, luckily for me he's going in damaged after that hell in a cell match. He's going to be hard to eliminate because he's so god damn fat, but one way or another, he's going to be eliminated if I have anything to say about it. This is probably the most personal one for me, he took what meant the most to me, and I want this elimination badly. But I know it'll be hard for me to do alone, I'll have to be crafty about it. But he's a former World Champ, the reigning Elite Champ, AND a hall of famer, if everybody doesn't target him, they deserve to lose. Anybody with his resume needs to be eliminated as soon as possible.

I nodded in agreement with myself, as Harper quickly chimed in.

That does seem like an odds on favorite going in even with being banged up, if I was you that would be who I wanna eliminate the most. Is he the only hall of famer in the match?

I shook my head, without knowing potential surprises, I knew of some others.

No, as far as I know, there's 3 other hall of famers in the match. Matt Tastic, Steven Holmes who announced his return recently, and the guy who just lost the World Title, Titus. All three of them are huge threats and I have history with Tastic and Titus. Both have beaten me before, but Tastic is truly a disgusting human being.

I shook my head in disgust and kept talking.

I mean he spit soda in my face, who does that!? And on top of that he took my Elite Title before too, but thankfully I won it back from him so I'll forgive him for that much, after all if he didn't win it, I wouldn't have been able to make history and become the only person to win it for a third time. He's probably more hurt than Mikey, after all he did crash through the cell,but he still needs to be eliminated as soon as possible. Same goes for Titus. Nobody wants him to be champion again.

What's your history with him?

Not too much, we've only had one singles match and he won, but I won a triple threat match with him so we're even in that regard. But I know he's not happy he lost the title and I know he wants it back, I can't let him stick around in the match because he's going to be more dangerous the longer he lasts in the match. At least Tastic might get sidetracked trying to continue his war with Stormrage, Titus has no enemy really to deal with.

Harper nodded, I don't know how much she understood of what I was saying, or at least fully, but she was sticking with it and trying to contribute. I give her credit.

That's good points about them, even eliminating one hall of famer could be huge for you, but if you even outlast them, that's great. What about Holmes? You haven't talked about him.

Oh he's a worry too, but he's an unknown worry pretty much. I've seen some of his matches sure, and I know what he's done in the ring, but I've never been in the ring with him and I don't know if he still has it, if he's going to fight dirty, or anything else about him. I wanna get him out, but I don't know what to expect.

Maybe the best move is to just try and avoid him if you can?

Yeah maybe, I mean hopefully I'm the last person to enter the match and get to avoid a lot of the field, but I don't know if I'll be that lucky.

We both laughed a little as the flight attendant brought us something to drink. I opted for a bottle of water, Harper opted for soda. I took my feet off the table so we could place our cups down and sat up more in the seat before we continued our conversation.

So who else do you consider the biggest threats? I imagine there's some "dark horse" favorites that you're worried about not just the hall of famers and the world champ.

I thought about it for a minute, certainly there was some people to worry about a good amount besides the "big" names. In fact one name came right to mind due to recent events.

Stetson Hayes. We have unfinished business after Unscripted, and I'll consider that business finished if I eliminate him from the match or I just win. That bigot is probably going to fit right in with the Saudi people, he probably believes the same things they do.

I rolled my eyes.

But as much as I think he's an awful person, I know he's going to be hard to eliminate not just because of his size, but because of the fight in him. I saw first hand he's a tough bastard and he doesn't stay down. He might not be the biggest threat, but he's a big threat and I don't wanna see him at the end of the lottery if I get that far. He's probably the biggest "dark horse" favorite and I can't wait to punch him right in the mouth and kick his ass again.

I was getting fired up and I could feel it building up inside of me. Him and I couldn't be more different, but I can't deny his skill like I tried to before facing him. After taking a minute to calm down and drink some water, another name popped into my mind as someone to worry about, the other reigning champion going into the match.

And then there's one more person I think I need to talk about, Garth Black.

Oh yeah I know him, he's the Eurasian Champion. He looked pretty good against Xander. You haven't faced him before right?

I shook my head quickly, I hadn't stepped into the ring with him before but I felt I knew plenty about him. Former bad person who turned his life around, reigning champion, basic bitch when it comes to moves, and someone who probably thrives in matches like this.

Nope, though I still think I should have been the one facing him not Xander, but you know apparently choke holds suddenly became legal.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance and shook my head.

But he's been around for awhile, and seems to have changed his ways recently from being bad and fun, to a goody too shoes. Considering he doesn't take any risks in the ring he probably has somewhat of an advantage in this match. If he manages to be in this match longer than anybody, I wouldn't be surprised.

I shook my head again before talking again.

But if I can eliminate him, that could line me up for the next shot at his belt and if I can't get the World Title, I'll settle for that one. After all it just wouldn't be right if Kingdom Come came and went without me leaving it as a champion.

I grinned.

His title isn't my concern currently though, getting him over the top rope and out of my way is. But he reminds me of a lot of these guys from the past who feel the need to make returns, time has passed them by and they need to realize it. People like me are the future and it's time for the past to step aside for the future to take the spotlight and shine with it. But since I can't eliminate everybody I'd like to eliminate, I'll just work smarter not harder.

I smirked as Harper raised an eyebrow in confusion as she looked at me.

What do you mean?

I simply shrugged before responding to her.

Why should I bust my ass and fight hard and risk losing, when I can pick my spots and fight smarter? After all, I can't expect to dominate the match with eliminations, it's just not realistic, but I can wait for people to give me an opening and get them out of the ring. And that's the best thing I can do. But the bottom line is, this match is my chance to take the biggest spotlight, the biggest prize, and the become the legend I know I'm meant to be. I need this win because I hear the recent talk, how I keep losing every time I get a big opportunity lately, and I'm sick of the haters running their mouths.

I finished off my bottle of water before speaking again.

So becoming World Champ would shut them all down and give me everything I ever wanted. Plus, I can't think of any better possible end to my redemption tour than winning the lottery and ending the show with the World Title held high over my head. This is my time and my moment, and I'll be damned if anybody takes it from me.

I nodded in a matter of fact way, as Harper looked unsure of what to say. She's a far less intense person than me but I truly did feel this was my time and my moment to get everything I ever wanted. I wasn't sure if I was truly as unstoppable as I felt in this moment, but in the moment I felt untouchable and that nothing could stop me. It was impossible to truly predict what would happen in the lottery, but I liked this feeling and I didn't want it to go away. I always said I was a legend of tomorrow, now it was time to prove it.