Carpe Noctem 2

OCW Presents: Carpe Noctem 2
LIVE! February 26th 2023
FROM ANTARCTICA
INSIDE THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

~The sun rises over the Antarctic horizon. It’s Antarctica. DEEP inside Antarctica. An unforgiving, deadly terrain. Ice and snow extending as far as the eye can see in every direction...farther than any ocean you’ve ever visited. But, there is one object. One giant object which all this frozen, horrid terrain compliments~

THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

~There it stands, in all its glory. The sun rising right behind it, rays barely visible underneath the tip of the Ice Pyramid. Slowly, they brighten. A new day is dawning. A day of reckoning. A day of suffering. A day of eventual celebration~

Voice: This way, champ.

~A voice breaks the peaceful, impressive solitude. It belongs to The Knife Man. He hops off a snowmobile, helping a larger than life figure down and into the knee deep snow. Together, they trudge forward, closer and closer toward THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS~

Voice: Unbelievable.

The Knife Man: Isn’t it?

~The voice is all too familiar. It belongs to the greatest champion in pro wrestling. It belongs to PIC. Standing next to The Knife Man, together, they look up as the sun continues to rise. A giant roar sounds off in the background. Probably belonging to a polar bear. It reminds the two men that their lives are in constant danger~

The Knife Man: Shall we?

PIC: Definitely.

~Together they struggle through the knee deep snow, nearing the impressive structure. As they reach the front, a giant block of ice is in their way~

The Knife Man: I don’t remember this being here yesterday.

~The Knife Man removes his deadly blade and uses it to scratch away, trying to see what’s frozen underneath all this ice. He gasps. PIC leans in~

PIC: Is that…

The Knife Man: I think it is.

12 HOURS EARLIER

Who’Re: NEXT!

~Who’Re sits behind a desk. She’s annoyed. This isn’t the job she signed up for. To her left is a room full of familiar jobbers. All holding a number, hoping against hope it’ll get called~

Voice: Ahahahah!

~Who’Re looks up and sighs a near suicidal lament. She fills out a small form~

Who’Re: Hello, Tony.

~It’s Tony the Spider! He leans back, potbelly sticking out. He reaches inside his fanny pack to grab some cheetos~

Who’Re: Take this. If your number gets called you’ll be allowed to compete.

Tony the Spider: Hahahaha!!!

~Tony takes his number and finds a seat in the crowded waiting room. The phone rings~

Who’Re: This is Who’Re with OCW...what the fuck do you want? Huh? Action what? Xtreme who? Never heard of those places. No, you can’t get in. The match is full. BYE!

~She slams the phone down and reaches for a bottle of Tylenol. A shadow covers her desk. Looking up, she’s nervous...at first. Nerves immediately give way to a short burst of laughter~

Who’Re: OMG

~We switch views to see TOMMY FLAMER standing in front of her~

Tommy Flamer: I WANT IN THE FUCKING MATCH

Who’Re: Okay, Tommy. You need to calm down.

Tommy Flamer: GET ME IN THE MATCH YOU DICK SUCKING WHORE.

Who’Re: What did you just call me?

~Who’Re gets ready to smack him when AKB steps into view, pulling her aside~

AKB: Take a break before you freak this guy out to the point he’ll set himself on fire or, worse, delete his social media page and blame it on us.

~Who’Re acquiesces and bolts. AKB sits down~

AKB: Tommy…

Tommy Flamer: That’s MR. FLAMER to you, cocksmoker.

AKB: Right. I can see we haven’t matured beyond early 00’s insults. So you want in the match, right?

Tommy Flamer: I’m going to win the match.

~His confidence is so strong, one might believe it...if it weren’t for the guffawing sounding out from the room next to him. Tommy spins around~

Tommy Flamer: HEY! WHO’S LAUGHING AT ME?

~He pulls out his lighter, ready to burn the place down. They all silence. AKB hands him his pass~

Tommy Flamer: What’s this?

AKB: If…

~He thinks better about his phrasing~

AKB: WHEN your number is called, we’ll put you in the match.

Tommy Flamer: Okay. Finally...about time I got some damn respect around here.

~Tommy takes a seat in between Tony the Spider and Uber Man. Tony chuckles and eats his cheetos. Uber Man starts to show Flamer pictures of the new cat his aunt got him~

THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS has arrived. The most spectacular match in all of pro wrestling. Once a year the greatest wrestlers in OCW and around the world fight to compete within this grand, treacherous structure. But, only the best of the best are allowed to compete. Only those who are deemed PROUD AND STRONG.

~Flamer tries to remain calm as Uber shows him more cat pictures. He looks around and sees Jack Puffer talking about the case of the ‘white towel’. He sees Zeus and Hades arguing over who has more power. And he sees a janitor sitting in the corner with a broom stick between his legs, slowly running his hand up and down it like he’s jacking off~

Tommy Flamer: OKAY, THAT’S IT. I’M NO FUCKING JOBBER.

~The room gasps. Did he just call them all jobbers? Well, except for Tony, who just laughs~

Tommy Flamer: I’m getting in this match and I’m getting in this match RIGHT NOW...who’s coming with me?

~Nobody moves. Flamer points at Tony~

Tommy Flamer: C’mon, dicksmack. Let’s go.

Tony the Spider: Haha.

Tommy Flamer: Fine. FUCK YOU THEN.

Voice: I WILL COME WITH YOU.

~Flamer turns to see All IC Bro~

Tommy Flamer: I don’t know who you are but I can tell you’re a man who admires silver. Let’s go.

~Together they march out. AKB doesn’t stop them, he’s too busy watching porn~

Those who aren’t prepared for THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS must not attempt to enter its unforgiving chambers. It is a daunting journey that isn’t paved for everyone. A journey that must only be attempted by those PROUD and STRONG enough to handle all its danger.

~Flamer and All IC Bro find a bunch of snowmobiles, all primed for the event. Primed to take the actual competitors to THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS~

All IC Bro: You ready?

Tommy Flamer: NO!

~Flamer screams like a woman. He yells at All IC Bro for hopping on a black snow mobile when there’s a silver one nearby. Flamer hops on it and fires the engine up~

Tommy Flamer: Are you ready?

All IC Bro: So, uh, where are we going again?

~Flamer motions ahead...toward the windy, snowy, dark, deadly terrain that extends forever. All IC Bro is gripped by a case of cold feet~

All IC Bro: Ah, shit...I think I’m gonna pass. This is too much for me.

Tommy Flamer: Pussy.

~Flamer takes off, leaving All IC Bro in his dust...err snow. All IC Bro screams out about how all this is fake internet bullshit anyway. We cut to a shot of Flamer’s silver snowmobile tearing through the snow, fighting through the blizzard and the wind. His silver thong hanging out of the back of his pants~

It won’t be easy. A journey toward history, toward salvation never is. But for those with the strength. Those with the talent. Those with the vision. For those PROUD AND STRONG individuals. If they stay the course. If they don’t fuckin quit after a few setbacks. IF they persevere. They just might reach the top. They just might have what it takes to conquer THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

~After what feels like hours, Flamer reaches the grand structure. He reaches THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. His snow mobile flies toward the structure. He attempts a super cool instant side stop like you’d see in the movies. Instead the snow mobile gets caught up and he flies off, slamming into the giant, black iced door of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. Tommy shakes himself off, looks around to make sure nobody was around to witness the humiliating incident. He then beats on the door~

Tommy Flamer: LET ME INNNNNN!!!!

~Nothing. No response~

Tommy Flamer: Fine. You fuckers are gonna come out here soon enough anyway, I’ll just wait.

~Flamer steps back and takes a seat in front of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS~

While most matches result in a worst case scenario of defeat...in OCW, if you aren’t prepared for what lies ahead, you will suffer a fate far worse. Humiliation. Degradation. Embarrassment. And, in some instances, professional fatality.

~Flamer is seated. We zoom in on his face as time speeds up. Slowly his face is swallowed by ice until he’s totally consumed. And, we’re back to current time with PIC and The Knife Man staring through a thick block of ice at Tommy’s frozen, angry face underneath~

PIC: Sheesh.

The Knife Man: OCW ain’t for everyone.

PIC: Only for the Proud and Strong.

The Knife Man: Damn straight.

~The Knife Man takes a giant key and inserts it into the thick door. With all his might he turns it...a loud mechanism unlocks and the door pulls open. A huge gust of wind hits PIC in the face...THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS howls it’s final warning to who-so-ever seeks entry~

The Knife Man: You ready, champ?

~PIC swallows. He takes in a breath. He looks down at his OCW Championship. He nods~

PIC: I’m ready.

~He bumps fists with The Knife Man and enters into the darkness that is THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS~

The champion, the leader of the PROUD AND STRONG ascends to the top of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. He takes his throne, for the time being. The luxury of allowing twenty other gladiators to tear each other apart before getting a shot at his gold. Like all the others, The Champion does not know what awaits him once he enters. He can only guess. His imagination can only run wild.

~PIC is shown to a chamber that will take him up to the top, directly. He is shown by men wearing the same creepy OWL masks from last year. PIC steps in and prepares to go up. As he does, he notices two square holes on each side of the chamber...three bars within each. He can see into the two chambers immediately around him. He glances inside and gets a look at what appears to be a man wearing a mullet~

Former adversaries? A recent rival? Could he be the one that ascends to the top? Or, is THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS playing mind games with the champion?

~PIC reaches the second tier and he looks around to see if he can spot another figure. The silhouette of a man...a man who appears to be The Standard of what all men aspire. He awaits, patiently for what is to take place beneath him~

While old rivals could very well prowl within the catacombs of this GREAT ILLUMINATUS...fresh blood will likely try their hand at glory. THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is an opportunity for a fresh name, a new face to break through and reach the top of the profession.

~Hitting the third tier, the champion knows he’s in deep at this point. And, the deeper you go the bigger the monsters. Staring through one of the holes he sees a restroom where these wrestlers can alleviate themselves while they await their competition. One such wrestler is doing just that...with the door wide open~

Wrestlers still in their prime. On hiatus. Vacant from the current roster. Don’t be surprised if they select tonight, the greatest night of all nights, to make their triumphant return. Do not be surprised if a former champion doesn’t loom large within THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS in search of the grandest prize of all.

~PIC hits the fourth tier. A tier that holds two beasts. Two leviathans. Two near unbeatable wrestlers. He can’t catch a glimpse of one. But he gets a shot at the other...a giant, hulking, angry, brooding bald man who looks quite comfy inside a cell~

And, of course, legends. OCW Champions who cemented their legacy years ago. Hall of Famers. Icons that paved the way for someone like PIC. Tonight, on the GREATEST night the professional wrestling world has to offer, tonight these legends will return to see if the current roster stacks up to the near impossible standards that helped brand the PROUD AND THE STRONG. Nothing haunts the present quite like the past. Will the past prevail or will the present prove to be too much?

~PIC finally reaches the top tier. His home, for the evening. A home that provides safety and relaxation...for now. A dreadful eventuality hits PIC as he takes a seat atop a throne in the back of the room. Soon someone is going to come knocking. Soon someone is going to come for him. Soon a warrior who has outlasted rivals, prodigies, modern champions, and legends will walk through that door and try to take what is his~

Can PIC survive?

Who will conquer THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

Tonight is a night where only the PROUD AND STRONG survive.

Carpe Noctem is here.

THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS HAS ARRIVED

~One final shot of PIC as he leans back in his throne, slowly looking up, his determined, focused eyes staring deep into the camera~

Long live the king?

~We fade out and into a live feed! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG are going wild~

Smith: Hello again everyone and welcome to Carpe Noctem! Welcome to...THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

Hood: Holy shit, I can’t believe we made it.

Smith: You can’t believe we’ve made it? I was left for DEATH on an island. It’s a miracle I’m here!

Hood: You have really seen some shit, haven’t you?

Smith: I have! Folks...tonight isn’t about a menagerie of matches. It isn’t about a plethora of…

Hood: PLETHORA?

Smith: Figure of speech. Point is...there is no ‘card’ for tonight. Tonight is about one thing and one thing only...THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

Hood: Fuck yes. Twenty-one of the greatest wrestlers in the HISTORY of pro wrestling are inside that fucking pyramid and they are ready to go to fuckin war.

Smith: Last year THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS made its debut and, well, the results were unlike any we’d ever seen. In the end, Plethora defeated TLS and Zybala to reach the final chamber where Outcast sat, waiting. An epic war followed that saw Outcast survive Plethora and walk out OCW Champion.

Hood: Well we know Plethora isn’t in this thing. Pretty sure Zybala won’t be. Outside of that, yea, I could totally see TLS and Outcast back in this bitch.

Smith: Hood. Outcast is dead.

Hood: Shit, I forgot.

Smith: It happens. But, yes, TLS might be in this. Regardless, we expect the combatants in this year’s GREAT ILLUMINATUS to be a much, much different assortment than what we got a year ago. Last year’s event was experimental. This year, it’s verified.

Hood: Names from all over tried to get into this thing.

Smith: And only the elite were selected. Last year we knew who would be competing prior to the match. This year? No idea. It’s all blind.

Hood: Well, we know PIC is in it.

Smith: True. PIC will have a long and lonely and angst filled wait at the top of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. He will have NO idea what’s going on beneath him. All he’ll know is who walks through that door in the final chamber in an attempt to take his title away.

Hood: It could be anyone. It could be Scott Syren. It could be Paul Paras. Hell, it could be some fucker we haven’t ever heard of.

Smith: That’s what makes this event so spectacular. It’s dangerous. It’s brutal. But, it’s also beautiful because in one night someone’s dream can and will come true.

Hood: You got any guesses...like one guess as to who’s gonna be in this fuckin thing?

Smith: Hmm...I’ll go with...well, I’ll go with my girl! Alice Knight!

Hood: Fuck. Forgot she was still around.

Smith: You know you love her.

Hood: If I had a gun I’d shoot you.

Smith: Who’s your pick?

Hood: Iggy Hardy, baby! This just feels like an event tailor-made for that coked up psycho.

Smith: Iggy competed in last year’s GREAT ILLUMINATUS...will he be back? How many from last year will compete in this year’s spectacle? Folks, we’re mere moments away from finding out! Grab your drinks, grab you food…

Hood: Grab your heart meds, BRAD!

Smith: THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS IS IMMINENT

~We cut to the deck where LEO is surrounded by PROUD AND STRONG fans! They’re all SUPER hyped up about THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS! Everyone is bundled up...drinking booze to stay warm. They lean in, trying to get on camera as Leo fights to be heard~

Leo: Yo, this is your boy, LEO! Down here on the deck of the PROUD AND STRONG! And, I just wanna say these fans are LIT, man! FUCKING LIT. They can’t wait to see who is going to walk out OCW Champion.

Fan: WOO!

Leo: You, sir, who’s your pick to walk out OCW Champion?

Fan: Vicky Stone, baby! How bout that ASS?

Leo: Interesting. I don’t even think she’s on the boat. You, ma’am, who do you have?

~We cut to a woman who just chugged a beer~

Female Fan: Brett Daniels! Come and find me, Cowboy!

Leo: Geezus. These picks aren’t great.

~Leo looks for another fan...one that is maybe a little more ‘clued in’ on what’s going on~

Leo: Ah, you, guy wearing the “IWC 4 LIFE” shirt. Who’s your pick for THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

IWC Fan: To predict who will emerge victorious in such a match is almost a statistical impossibility and therefore a fruitless errand.

Leo: Uhh, okay. It was just a fun question, bud.

IWC Fan: But what I’d like to know is when you’re going to face the man himself, Dane Preston.

~Everything goes quiet. The fans all look at Leo...looking at him like he’s just been put on the spot~

Leo: Oh, well, haha, you see the thing is...I’m totally ready to fight that guy. He’s a prick, right? Costing Sahara her Paradigm Title. And he likes to run his mouth on twitter. So, I’m more than happy to shut him up...but, ya know, I think there’s issues with his contract. He has other obligations. There’s a lot of red tape, ya know? Plus, I’m just so busy. But, don’t worry, it’ll happen at…

Voice: WOOOO!!!

~A female having a GREAT time enters from the side. It’s OCW owner Adi Goldblum!~

Leo: Oh, hey boss!

Adi: Leo, MY GUY! You gotta try those everclear jello shots...they might burn a hole down your throat going down but they are DELISH!

~She makes the ‘okay’ hand gesture while ‘clicking’ with her mouth~

Leo: You sure you’re gonna make it to the actual match, boss?

Adi: Oh yea, I’m fine...say, did I just hear you mention Dane Preston?

Leo: Oh, yea, we were just talking about how cool it would be if he showed up inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS and…

Adi: Don’t you guys have like a match, or something?

Leo: Yea, we umm

IWC Fan: Actually, Miss Goldblum. I don’t think the match has been signed yet.

~Leo shoots this dude a death glare~

Adi: WHAT?! Well, let’s fix that.

Leo: Miss Gold...Adi...I think maybe you’re getting a little…

Adi: Next Monday at Massacre LIVE from Key West...Leo will take on Dane Preston!

~The fans go wild. Leo drops his head~

Adi: Alright! Yea, drinks on me!!!

~”Adi! Adi! Adi!” the fans chant, following their fearless and possibly drunk leader to the bar. Leo stares at the camera, sadness in his eyes~

Leo: That...yea, well, that’s just great.

~We cut to Smith and Hood~

Smith: Dane Preston versus LEO! It’s official!

Hood: Wait, can she make decisions when she’s hammered?

Smith: I mean, she just did.

Hood: What the fuck! LEO doesn’t deserve this? He’s the voice of our company! If Dane injures him...who’ll run the account? The fucking Knife Man?

~Both men pause as they can feel THE KNIFE MAN staring them while fingering his blade~

Hood: Ya know what, I’m sure he’d do a fine job.

Smith: Indeed! Folks, we’ve got more segments coming your way!

~The camera cuts to Marcus Welsh sitting in his office, a big smile on his face. It is ILLUMINATUS night, and he is feeling great! "Carpe Noctem" he says to himself, wheeling his chair from his coffee pot to his desk.~

~There is a light knock on the door.~

Welsh: "Come in!"

~The door opens, and Juniper Leavitt, known to the OCW as the body host of SYNN, walks in. She is holding the briefcase with the "OH SHIT" contract in it. She had no facepaint on. Welsh smiles at her warmly.~

Welsh: "Ahh, there's my newest star! Please, come in. Sit down! Do you like coffee?"

~The shy girl doesn't say anything, but sits down and puts the briefcase on the desk. Welsh smiles, taking a sip of his coffee.~

Welsh: "Guess not. So, how can I help you?"

~She has a serious look on her face. She begins to speak quietly.~

Juniper: "You......you need to take this back."

~She pushes the briefcase towards him~

Juniper: "It was a mistake. Give it to someone....anyone....else."

~Marcus cocks an eyebrow. He seems a bit taken aback~

Welsh: "You earned it. It's yours."

~She shakes her head, her face getting a bit flushed.~

Juniper: "You don't understand........"

Welsh: "Pretty sure I do."

~She takes a deep breath and exhales. There is some wetness in her eyes~

Juniper: "Synn is a demon, Marcus. She cannot be controlled. If you give her free reign at your champions.....you wont have any champions left! She is a parasite who will eat the flesh of this roster until there is noth----"

~Her face contorts, her jaw goes slack, a pained expression comes over her face. She looks down at the tile floor, twitching~

~Marcus looks concerned. He is about to get up to check on her when the girl lifts her head, staring at him with dark, solid black eyes.~

SYNN: "Foolish girl. Speaking out of turn, once again. Letting her fear get the best of her. You don't need to worry, Marky Mark, because SYNN is here to save the OCW from itself."

~She stands up, taking the cup of coffee from him, and sniffing it.~

SYNN: "Dark Roast. Solid choice." Her words come out as almost a slither.

~She grabs the briefcase and yanks it off the desk.~

SYNN: I'll be watching very closely to who walks out of that pyramid tonight.........a new era is upon us Marcus....can you hear it? Taste it? FEEL IT! The era of FEAR is here..........."

~She looks down at the briefcase then back up at him~

SYNN: "Say your prayers."

~She curls her lip into a smile, her eyes focused and intense as she backs out of his office, clutching the briefcase to her chest~

~Donnie Harris is shown, dressed loosely for the cold, heading towards the gangplank. In a hurry, interviewer Who’Re is seen running behind him, catching him before he walks out into the cold to watch some of the show.~

Who’Re: Donnie! Wait up!

~Donnie turns around and sees Who’Re, looking around confused.~

Harris: I’m sorry, but who are...

Who’Re: Just...

~Donnie looks around.~

Harris: I don’t have a pen...

~Who’Re lifts her microphone as if to signify who she is. Donnie sighs in realization.~

Harris: Right. Got it. You’re Whore.

Who’Re: It’s Who’Re.

Harris: Like... Hoor?

Who’Re: Close enough. Donnie Harris, why are you not competing in the Illuminatus tonight?

Harris: My last few matches have me feeling a little somber. Winning one out of three isn’t the worst thing, but it’s also not great. I fell short to TLS and I let TLS get the better of me in the battle royal. I need to focus up before I feel ready to take PIC on.

Who’Re: You have respect for the champion.

Harris: He’s the champion for a reason, whether it’s going to last or not; it’s the same for Bifford, Nickleman as a former champion, Harmon, Beast and Crash. And SYNN... I wish I lasted long enough to face her last Monday, but I soldier on.

Who’Re: Anything you want to say to PIC or anyone else before you go out to watch your coworkers?

Harris: Yes, and it is simple: PIC, I helped you because I wasn’t going to let Stranger get the last word. He’s obviously a capable competitor, but that’s all he has going for him. His gimmick is bland and his style can be boring. Obviously it wasn’t boring enough, but I got the last word in, and his interference on Monday was proof of this. Next time he won’t be so lucky.

~As Who’Re goes to thank Donnie, he lifts his hand and cuts her off.~

Harris: One. Last. Thing. This Massacre title, being brand new and shiny and all that, is now being held by some Roman wannabe whatever-the-fuck. Augustus, the minute my turn in the line comes, I’m ripping your head off and taking that championship. I don’t care what hoops will be hopped through, because I already know it’s to be expected in the wrestling world. What I carry with me to the ring is purity: pure talent; pure athleticism; pure grit; pure effort. When it’s my turn to spin the wheel, I’ll nail you to it and crucify you while I walk away the next Massacre champion.

~Harris makes his way outside to disembark as Who’Re is left standing there, the segment coming to its close.~

The shot cuts back to one of the large insulated tents dotting the Illuminatus grounds. Within, we see Corey and Harmon. Harmon is holding up a note which reads…

We need to get this settled.

Corey runs a hand through his hair, looking anxious. He casts his glance to the side before meeting Harmon’s intent stare. I know. Okay…okay. You might want to sit down.

Corey and Harmon both sit on adjacent cots as Corey begins to speak.

I’m sorry I’ve been acting so weird around you lately. It’s just that….something happened, okay?

Harmon looks at Corey as if to say “Yeah, and?”

It was something….weird. And I didn’t know how to approach you about it. Hell, I didn’t even want to believe it could even remotely be true. But, here it goes. Corey sighs. A couple weeks ago I was visiting Pan in Neverland, and there was this cave that had a magical ability to reveal truths about people. One of the truths it could reveal is, well, it could tell you how you would die. I know this sounds insane.

Harmon jots out a note. I’m used to experiencing crazy stuff with you.

Hrm, touche. But this is an extra heaping helping of crazy. Harmon, the way the cave said I would die is….Corey winces…it said you’d kill me.

Harmon looks taken aback, a sort of combination of humor, disbelief and maybe even a touch of sadness.

Corey you know I would never.

I know, I know! That’s what makes it so insane! It’s like….”how?” “Why?!”

Harmon holds up a finger and completes a longer note.

I know I’ve been acting weird too. I haven’t been quite right, seeing all these visions. It could be PTSD. Or maybe just going crazy. But I know I would never hurt you. You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had. You believe in me. You don’t judge me.

Corey smiles, but it looks sort of sad. Thank you. That means a lot to me. He pauses. Pan says the cave is never wrong. But I figure there’s a first time for everything.

Are you afraid of me?

The question looks like it cuts Corey to the bone, based on his expression. I think I was. Maybe a little. But I don’t feel that way anymore. I want to continue being your friend. And your manager. But your friend first and foremost. I don’t want to let this…whatever it was….get between us.

I don’t either.

Corey nods. That’s something we both agree on. Corey holds his hand out towards Harmon. Friends again?

Harmon takes Corey’s hand without hesitation and shakes it. Corey looks relieved. Good. This is good. Now we can focus on what’s really important. Like you and your title shot next month.

And that other thing. Harmon shoots a sly look at the camera.

Yeah. Corey chuckles. “The other thing.” I just hope that thing doesn’t end up getting between us either.

We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Yeah. Corey agrees. If we come to it. And that’s a big “if”. Corey gets up. I really need a hot cocoa with a shot of vodka. I hear Welsh is holding over in his tent. I say we go and swipe some.

Harmon smiles and gets up. Corey slaps Harmon on the shoulder as the camera cuts away.

Tampa Bay, Florida.

~Fresh off a jet media gathers to see the newly retired NFL Legend, Tom Brady. Next to him are a few friends and Florida favorite sons. Among the natives are respective sport champions Matthew Stafford, Tony La Russa, and the golden blonde bombshell, former XWF Superstar, Chris Chaos. Tony takes a shot off a reporter's tits to get the party started~

Reporter: "Tom, what would it take for you to comeback?" (Brady grins)

Reporter: "Fair enough- uhh, Matt are you almost back from injury?" (Matt nods)

Reporter: "Tom!! Tom! Are you and your estranged wife on speaking terms?" (Tom laughs)

Reporter: "Chris... what the hell are you doing here? Do you still wrestle?" (chaotic)

~The upper echelon of sports in Tampa Bay hop into a limousine together. Brady jokes with Stafford that he should have intercepted a few of those questions. Stafford chuckles at his own expense. Chaos plays it off, but we slowly and steadily zoom in on his eyes. Something's not there. He is pretending to be happy in the moment... but the passion, the drive, it's... missing? The men reach their hotel. Chaos walks in running his fingers through his hair anxiously. He tells Tom and Matt he will meet them down at the bar, then heads directly there to get started early. A few struggling OCW reporters at the end of the bar joke about who might win the Illuminatus. The former XWF Universal Champion can't help but overhear, as he keeps his finger pointed down in his shot glass, making the bartender work for tips. Chris' sunken eyes reflect poorly in the backsplash mirror behind the register. Chaos stares into his own eyes for a moment, by then the two wrestling reporters have made him. They scurry over asking who he thinks will win OCW's event of icy grandeur. Chaos takes another shot~

Reporter: "Mr.Chaos? Haven't seen you in a while... retirement, ay? Any chance we catch you in the greatest pyramid wrestling event in the game? As a former World and Tag Champion I would assume they called to ask..?"

~Fire ignites in the whites, totally bloodshot. Chris slams his shot glass down, busting it into pieces in his bloody left hand. He grabs the Reporter by the collar. He relents... having a moment of clarity~

The Chaotic One: "Did you say... pyramid wrestling event?"

~Chris puts the Reporter down, apologizing, rightly offering fresh rounds for everyone in the bar to make amends. Fast forwarding hours at once... bar guests around them come and go in fast motion, but the Reporter answers every question Chaos has about the event, and OCW~

~The show cuts to the backstage area, where we see Johnny Beckman standing next to his brother and OCW’s hottest new thing, Natural ICE Beckman. Johnny appears to be looking around for someone as ICE is helping himself to the table of catered food set up for the OCW crew members. Johnny suddenly sees his desired target, and quickly hands his brother a t-shirt.~

Johnny: Put this on.

ICE: What’s the big deal? I’m already wearing a shirt.

Johnny: Just shut up and put it on.

~ICE reluctantly puts on the shirt, while Johnny removes his blazer to reveal a shirt that looks just like the shirt he handed to ICE, both shirts say “Team Adi”. Johnny flashes the trademark Beckman smile as Adi Gold walks into the camera shot. Adi, oblivious to the world around her, is talking into her phone about a very important issue. She seems to have sobered up a bit from when we saw her earlier~

Adi: I didn’t say I needed only Skittles in my dressing room, I said I needed only Green Skittles in my dressing room. And until that travesty is rectified, I am stuck out here among, urgh, the common people. Oh, and after you fix this, you’re fired!

~Adi ends the call, but immediately goes into scrolling mode with her phone.~

Johnny: I love a strong-minded woman. Not you, well, I mean I like you, I mean them, I love- I mean I like strong-minded women, like you. You are strong-minded.

Adi: What is that?

Johnny: I am just saying, when it comes to you and Welsh, we are definitely Team Adi.

Adi: Finally, some actual help. I need my car moved to one of those convenient blue chair guy spots, I need my endangered baby seal coat brought to me because this place is fucking freezing, and finally I need someone to tell me I am beautiful every 30 seconds. But like in a genuinely casual way, I hate fake ass people.

Johnny: We are actually not that-

~Adi finally glances up from her phone. She looks past Johnny and sees the front runner for the next OCW best newcomer award, Natural ICE Beckman.~

Adi: OMG! Mr. ICE! I can’t believe I didn’t see you there. You are going to make me so much money!

ICE: Oh hey.

Johnny: Speaking of money, I am actually very rich.

Adi: I see ICE Beckman comics on calendars, t-shirts, billboards.

ICE: Cool.

Johnny: Funny you should mention that, for I am ICE’s business manager.

Adi: Excuse me, whoever you are.

~Adi pushes Johnny aside, in order to grab ICE by his arm. Adi begins to lead ICE off camera.~

Adi: Your comic about Welsh made me laugh so hard I almost spit out my bubble tea. Not that I ever would thou, how gross, right?

ICE: Welsh sucks. He’s holding me back.

Adi: I know, right? He is the worst.

~ICE and Adi share a laugh at Welsh’s expense as they walk off; meanwhile Johnny is left all alone with the words he meant to say to Adi.~

Johnny: I am actually ICE’s brother, I enjoy the finer side of life, just like you, hence maybe we could go out for a drink sometime soon.

~The Illuminatus show cuts back to Smith and Hood.~

Hood: I am also Team Adi for the record.

Smith: Sounds like you have a contract negotiation coming up soon.

Hood: Just mind your own business.

Smith: Speaking of business, I am Team OCW all day.

Hood: Wow, that might be the nerdiest thing you ever said. And you’ve said so many nerdy things over the years.

~We cut backstage where one of the ‘secret’ suites is seen. A man who looks EXACTLY like Earl only if Earl had a really fake looking nose and giant mustache, is whistling, walking briskly away from a room at the end of the hall~

Smith: Oh look, Hood, it’s Earl.

Hood: That’s not Earl. Earl doesn’t have a mustache, Smith. Earl is a clean shaven man.

Smith: You can BUY a fake mustache and nose, Hood.

Hood: That sounds like some kinda bullshit to me. You practicing the dark arts again?

Smith: They sell them in the gift shop down stairs.

Hood: I’m sorry, but I don’t hang out in public gift shops like some kinda pervert.

Smith: What?

~With the mysteriously recognizable man gone...we zoom in on the door at the end of the hallway to find THE CLUB...a utility created to prevent car theft, locked around the handle. We then zoom through the door and into the actual room to find former Savage Champion, Logan! The fans go wild! He’s stumbling around his room, knocking beer bottles over, tossing bags of drugs out of view, looking for something~

Logan: I need my left wrestling boot!

~Crystal Sharpe appears from the bathroom, disheveled~

Crystal Sharpe: Like I’d know where that is.

Logan: Well, could you help? I’m late. We overslept. I was supposed to be down there half an hour ago!

~Sharpe just ignores him. Finally, Logan is like, ‘fuck it, I’ll wrestle barefoot.’ He heads for the door to leave but can’t get it open~

Logan: What the fuck?!

~Crystal heads his way, frustrated~

Crystal Sharpe: What now?

Logan: The door, it won’t open.

~She rolls her eyes and tries. But, it’s true, the door is sealed shut. She yanks on it. He yanks on it. They both yank on it~

Logan: Seriously, if I can’t get out of here I’m going to miss the match!

Crystal Sharpe: Hold on.

~Crystal runs into the door. BAM! She staggers, falling to the ground. The door is still shut. Logan kicks it with his foot...he yells, he could really use those boots right about now. He slaps his hand on a nearby counter, gathering some white powder on his index finger, rubbing it along his teeth. He then picks Crystal up and positions her like a battering ram~

Crystal Sharpe: Wha...what are you doing?

Logan: Go to your happy place, Crystal.

Crystal Sharpe: Wha...why?

~He rears back and...we cut to the outside of the door. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Repeated bashing from the inside. But nothing...we cut back inside. Logan drops Crystal on the floor...she looks up, head bleeding, a smile across her face~

Crystal Sharpe: That was...amazing.

~Logan has no time for this. He runs to the phone in his room...he tries to use it, but the lines are cut off. He grabs his cell. No reception. He heads out onto the deck...nowhere to go but down, into the ocean. He’s fucked~

Logan: I’m going to miss the match. I’m going to miss THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

~He runs across the room, throwing his body as hard as he can into the door. It does not give, at all. He slides down, next to Crystal~

Logan: Somebody fucked me, Crystal.

~She reaches over, grabbing at his leg~

Logan: Somebody locked me in here. They didn’t want me in the match.

~Crystal grabs at his body. He’s not paying her any attention~

Logan: I’m gonna find out who did this and make them pay for taking MY OCW Title shot away from me. Massacre. Next Monday. Key West. The search is on.

~Crystal jumps him. He responds by making out with her...it’s wild, aggressive, and, well, all a bit much. We cut back to Smith and Hood~

Smith: Logan is back! And, apparently, he was scheduled to compete in THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS but somebody locked him in his room.

Hood: Damn so we’re already one competitor down.

Smith: Not the worst strategy, really. One less person to face inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

Hood: True. He’s pissed, though...rightfully so, he could’ve won the OCW Title tonight.

Smith: Indeed. All 21 entrants have a shot at winning the OCW Title tonight inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!

~We fade back into the live feed! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG are going wild~

Smith: And we're back everyone and let me officially welcome you all to Carpe Noctem! To...THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

Hood: Holy shit, I can’t believe we made it.

Smith: You can’t believe we’ve made it? I was left for DEATH on an island. It’s a miracle I’m here!

Hood: You have really seen some shit, haven’t you?

Smith: I have! Folks...tonight isn’t about a menagerie of matches. It isn’t about a plethora of…

Hood: PLETHORA?

Smith: Figure of speech. Point is...there is no ‘card’ for tonight. Tonight is about one thing and one thing only...THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

Hood: Fuck yes. Twenty-one of the greatest wrestlers in the HISTORY of pro wrestling are inside that fucking pyramid and they are ready to go to fuckin war.

Hood: Well we know Plethora isn’t in this thing. Pretty sure Zybala won’t be. Outside of that, yea, I could totally see TLS and Outcast back in this bitch.

Smith: Hood. Outcast is dead.

Hood: Shit, I forgot.

Hood: Names from all over tried to get into this thing.

Smith: And only the elite were selected. Last year we knew who would be competing prior to the match. This year? No idea. It’s all blind.

Hood: Well, we know PIC is in it.

Hood: It could be anyone. It could be Scott Syren. It could be Paul Paras. Hell, it could be some fucker we haven’t ever heard of.

Smith: That’s what makes this event so spectacular. It’s dangerous. It’s brutal. But, it’s also beautiful because in one night someone’s dream can and will come true.

Hood: You got any guesses...like one guess as to who’s gonna be in this fuckin thing?

Smith: Hmm...I’ll go with...well, I’ll go with my girl! Alice Knight!

Hood: Fuck. Forgot she was still around.

Smith: You know you love her.

Hood: If I had a gun I’d shoot you.

Smith: Who’s your pick?

Hood: Iggy Hardy, baby! This just feels like an event tailor-made for that coked up psycho.

Hood: Grab your heart meds, BRAD!

Smith: THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS IS IMMINENT

one

~An ominous cut from all the fun and frivolity taking place aboard the PROUD AND STRONG. Instantly, THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is upon us like a beast leaping through the wild onto its prey. It stands, the sun beating down on it. The harsh, white terrain surrounding it. Inside this beast, 21 wrestlers await. And, well, they’ve waited long enough~

Belvedere: Ladies and Gentlemen...it is now time for THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!!!!

~All the wrestling fans in the world go wild!! The earth shifts on its axis. It’s a scene, man~

Smith: I can’t hear myself think!

Hood: Every woman aboard this ship just got pregnant.

Smith: Wow...gonna be an OCW BOOM in about 9 months!

Hood: I guess...there’s only like six of them on here.

~BOOM! We cut straight into the belly of the beast. Chamber #1. It’s empty – for now. One of the creepy OWL people stand by. In the center of the ring is OCW veteran ref, Scruff~

Smith: Oh my

Hood: Oh shit oh shit oh shit

Smith: We’re about to find out who the FIRST entrant inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is!

Belvedere: And now...the first entrant inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

~Silence. Everyone is on the edge of their seat. And then, the creepy owl person points toward one of the doors. Slowly, concrete sliding atop concrete...the thick, heavy door opens to reveal a massive, hulking, muscular figure~

Smith: And who is this going to be?

Hood: Man, that figure looks familiar. Dude’s jacked.

Smith: He looks marvelous.

Belvedere: Entering first inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS...he is a second generation OCW wrestler. Please welcome the son of two time OCW Hall of Famer...Mose Maurako!!!

~The fans go wild!~

two

Smith: It’s Mario’s son, Mose!

Hood: I guess you can rule Mario out, right?

Smith: I don’t know, Hood. Maybe we get our first ever father/son match? Either way, Mose is an amateur wrestling prodigy...which should come as no surprise. He’s been somewhat lost on what to do with his life and, well, his family is pushing him into ‘the business’.

Hood: He’s big and talented, sure. But he needs to have his head screwed on straight if he wants to survive longer than five minutes in THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

~Mose leaps over the top rope into the ring. The guy is impressive. Athletic. Strong. He’s got it all. The definition of a blue chip prospect. And...BOOM...we instantly cut into Chamber #2~

Smith: Oh, okay!

Hood: So this is how it’s going to be. Fine...I guess we gotta wait to see who the actual opponents are.

Smith: Draw out the suspense, Hood. Keep the people on their toes.

Hood: WEAK ASS BOOKING

Belvedere: And now, the second competitor entering inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

~Inside Chamber 2 we see Gruff. He leans in the corner, hoping this might be the only tier he has to work...but knowing that’s probably not the case. Another creepy owl person points toward a thick, cement door...it slowly starts to slide open. The dark, icy chamber is lit only by torches positioned around the room giving it a very cold, dangerous, medieval vibe~

Smith: And who is behind that door?

Hood: Asking me like I know...fuck off-putt

~The door opens and out steps...CLAUDIA FROST! The fans go wild~

Belvedere: She is one half of The Influence. Ladies and Gentlemen...Claudia Frost!!!

three

Smith: It’s one half of The Influence!

Hood: Ah, FROSTING

Smith: She doesn’t like that name anymore...plus, she’s in great shape.

Hood: And she looks a little weird.

Smith: Delia Black won a Craze Title shot at Decadence. Now it’s Claudia’s turn. Can she one-up her partner and walk out OCW Champion?

Hood: That’d be a hell of a shock. But, well, stranger things have happened. I mean we’re holding an event inside a giant ice pyramid in Antarctica.

Smith: That we are.

~Frost steps into the ring and looks around...it’s unlike anything she’s ever experienced. It’s cold but not TOO cold...the proper amount of heat being given off by those torches. She feels around the ropes...everything seems to be fine. Seems to be normal. She leans in a corner, doing her best to remain calm...to not let what lies ahead overwhelm her~

Smith: It’s a lot to ask a full time tag team competitor to compete in something like this. She looks anxious and rightfully so.

Hood: She needs to read more of that special book...get some of that demon back in her.

Smith: SHE DOES NOT

~We zoom in on Claudia...right into her anxious, yet determined eyes and BAM! We suddenly view the third chamber. OCW referee PUFF is limbering up, getting his fat body ready to rumble. He takes his job very seriously, after all. He looks over at the creepy owl person and tries to shake its hand...but it doesn’t flinch. Puff is like, “Okay, cool deal, man.” He then leans back in a corner. The owl person slowly points toward the cement door and it drags open~

Belvedere: And now, the third person entering THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

Smith: We’ve got a second generation talent. We’ve got one half of one of the best tag teams in all of wrestling. Who will step into this third chamber?

Hood: I mean, given what we’ve seen...could literally be anyone.

~The door completely opens and into the light steps...NATURAL ICE BECKMAN. The fans go wild!! A bunch of Natty ICE cans are cracked open and chugged in his honor~

Belvedere: He is the front runner for OCW Newcomer of the Month. He is Natural ICE Beckman!!!

Smith: It’s Natural ICE Beckman! The front runner for Newcomer of the Month!

Hood: Awww shit. Here we go. This is my guy.

Smith: He’s veteran enough. Tough enough. Grizzled enough to win this thing, Hood.

Hood: Won’t get any argument from me.

~Beckman paces the ring, drinking his beer. He looks down and notices that the ring is flush with ice cold, concrete flooring. Once the apron ends the harsh, cold concrete begins. There’s about six feet of it, too...which means things could get nasty. He leans back against the wall, kicking his foot up on the side and continuing to enjoy his beverage while he awaits his opponent~

Smith: Unlike Claudia, ICE appears right at home.

Hood: He’s been through the wars, Smith. There’s nothing that can shock and surprise this guy. His blood runs as cold as the beer in that can.

~We zoom in on Beckman as he brings the can to his mouth...all the way into the can until darkness...and BAM! We’re in the fourth chamber. OCW ref TUFF is busy doing cardio...jumping jacks and, well, tumbling for some reason. Behind him, the creepy owl person stares at the wall...and, slowly, he points toward the door as it begins to grind open~

Smith: Fourth person about to enter.

Hood: You think we’ll get any main eventers on this tier?

Smith: I don’t know. I mean, maybe...if we do, that’s just a testament to how deep this field is.

Belvedere: And now, the person entering THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS at #4!

~The door slides all the way open and...and...a female steps out! The fans go wild!~

Smith: We haven’t seen her in months!

Hood: She’s back. She must be off the drugs.

Belvedere: Entering at #4...she was the longest lasting participant at Rumble in the Bronx. Please, welcome back to OCW...Tearra Skye!!!

five

Smith: It’s Tearra! YES!

Hood: Hey, she’s talented. I’ll give her that...but can she stick around?

Smith: That is the question. Although, tonight, if she’s focused...she may win it all, Hood.

~Tearra looks around...the expression on her face is like, ‘Oh boy, what did I get myself into.’ Tuff holds the ropes open for her...she smiles and daintily enters the ring. But, don’t let that fool you...this woman is double tough. She continues to survey the scene until she spots the door across from her...putting two and two together, she knows something horrible waits on the other end...something sent to tear her apart. Instantly, he mood shifts from wonder to focus...we zoom in on her fixated, focused eyes...all the way until...BAM! Instant cut into the fifth and final chamber on Tier 1. Very, very, rarely used OCW ref Ruff is handling the officiating duties in this one. And, well, he looks it...a real hard boiled son of a bitch. He cracks his knuckles and winks at the camera~

Smith: Yea, there’s Ruff.

Hood: Never heard of him.

Smith: I honestly think we just made him up tonight because we only had four refs and needed five.

Hood: CLASSIC OCW, BABY!

Belvedere: And now...let’s all find out who the fifth competitor entering inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is…

~The creepy owl person in this chamber points toward the door and it scratches itself open until a figure emerges...~

Smith: Another returning star!

Hood: Well I’ll be...thought this guy died or something.

Belvedere: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back to OCW….Axis!!!

six

~Indeed, it’s Axis. A once promising rookie who vanished into thin air. But, word of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS wafted his way and, well, he couldn’t turn it down~

Smith: Is this the night Axis makes good on all that potential? Is this the night Axis becomes a star?

Hood: It could be...dude’s got all the potential. But, like Tearra, he needs to stay the course.

Smith: Indeed.

~Axis walks around the ring...he takes in the cement flooring. He feels the ring posts. The ring ropes. He’s making sure everything is the way it should be...only, well, surrounded by something unlike anything he’s ever experienced. His back is to the wall opposite of where he entered...and then, he’s startled as the door behind him starts to open. The fans all yell out, ‘OH SHIT!!!’ Axis turns around~

Smith: We’re going to find out who Axis is facing! Our first confirmed match of the event!

Hood: Shit, guy got like ZERO time to acclimate.

Belvedere: And now, the participant who is entering sixth inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!!!

~The door opens. Axis brings his fists up, ready to fight...and out steps...~

Smith: I can’t believe it!

Hood: First tier? Shit, Welsh is really fucking these dudes over.

Belvedere: He is a former two time OCW Tag Team Champion and the leader of the most dominant force in professional wrestling...he is...Thunder Knuckles!!!

~The fans chant ‘HOLY SHIT!’ TK enters and looks around...it’s almost like he remembers what it’s like to compete inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS~

seven

Smith: This is Thunder Knuckles second venture inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

Hood: What? No it isn’t! That was El Knuckle who competed last year!

Smith: They’re the same guy!

Hood: Uh, no they aren’t...one wears a shitty mask and the other has amazing hair.

~Axis is ready to fight! But, TK puts his hands up~

TK: Hold on, man. Hold on.

~TK calls the Ruff over~

Smith: What’s going on?

Hood: I...I have no idea.

~We overhear what TK is saying~

TK: Listen, Welsh is obviously fucking me over here by putting me in on the first tier. I belong much higher...but, whatever. I’m sure he’s got like three assassins waiting for me if I get past this guy...so, my question is...what do I get if I opt out right now.

Smith: Huh? Did I hear that correctly?

Hood: He wants to opt out RIGHT NOW?

~Ruff gets on his ear piece and listens closely~

Ruff: Alright, here’s the fuckin deal, boyo. If you wanna opt out of this here match right here, right now then you’ll be given an envelope of cash.

TK: How much?

~Ruff leans in and whispers the amount. TK nods and smiles~

TK: Yep. I am OUT.

~He throws his hand in the air and waves bye. He re-enters his waiting room and the door slowly grinds shut, concealing him. Axis stands around like ‘what the fuck?’~

Smith: And, yes, I’m told it’s official! Thunder Knuckles has taken the ‘bribe’ and he has opted out of the match!

Hood: Hey, we all know he’s likes those BUX

Smith: Kinda disappointing, if you ask me. But, hey, that’s an automatic win and advance for Axis.

Hood: Luck of the draw...he gets to sit in there and chill while these others are gonna try and murder each other...it’s already looking good for Axis!

~Axis enters the ring...he’s kinda disappointed but...he also knows that he’s been granted a very, very fortunate hand. He drops to the ring and sits down, awaiting the end of round one. Ruff pulls out some playing cards and tosses one at Axis...it hits him in the chest and lands on the mat. The Joker...Wild. We zoom in and BAM we’re back into chamber 4~

Smith: Tearra is waiting. She looks ready.

Hood: Maybe we’ll get a fuckin match in this chamber...fuckin Welsh screwing TK over on the draw knowing he’d opt out and take the money. Just trying to keep B.O.B. down!

~Tearra is ready...she sways back and forth, nervous energy coursing through her veins. The door opposite her starts to open...she’s about to meet her opponent~

Belvedere: And now, the person entering seventh inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!!!

Smith: And who will Tearra face?

Hood: I...I don’t know, man! Stop asking!

~The door opens and...nothing. Tearra steps forward...it’s dark. It’s black...but then she starts to see a white object stepping forward...a white face...Tearra’s eyes widen. She tries to step back...but she’s too close...the figure flies from its chamber...it leaps up onto the top rope and springboards off, taking Tearra down with a Thesz Press!! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild~

Smith: IT’S SYNN! IT’S SYNN!

Hood: OH SHIT

Belvedere: Ladies and Gentlemen...she is a former #1 contender to the Craze Title...she is unpredictable...she is uncontrollable...she is...SYNN!!!

eight

~Tearra tries to fight SYNN off...but the maniacal competitor is all over her!! We quickly zoom over them, into the wall and through the other side into Chamber #3 where Beckman can hear the commotion from Chamber 4. He laughs, taking a sip of beer~

ICE Beckman: Sounds fun.

~And then the door to his chamber starts to open. Beckman turns, finishing off his beer and crushing the can before tossing it against the wall~

Belvedere: And now, the eighth competitor inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!!

Smith: Who will ICE Beckman have to face?

Hood: I don’t know, but he’s focused...so focused he downed the rest of that beer in record time!

~The door slowly opens and out steps...out steps...~

Smith: And look who it is!

Hood: You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. This guy? Seriously?!

Belvedere: And, introducing eight...he is a loyal supporter of Ball Ball. He was once known as Goon 83….but tonight and moving forward he will be known as...Chris Grayson!!!

Smith: The former Goon 83! I’d heard he was going to step into the ring in Ball Ball’s stead...but, wow, this is a lot to ask a former Goon.

Hood: Don’t say former like he’s suddenly a person. He’s a GOON and he’ll ALWAYS be a GOON! Kick his ass, ICE!

~Grayson slowly enters THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. ICE Beckman sees the timidity within his opponent and laughs...this is going to be easy. The door shuts behind Grayson, causing him to jump a bit...the man looks like a frat boy who wound up on the wrong side of town. ICE sits on the middle rope and invites Chris into the ring...Chris stares at the friendly yet intimidating act as we zoom past them and through the wall into Chamber #2. Claudia Frost remains in her corner, keeping to herself...unsure of what awaits~

Smith: Well, Frost’s fears and anxieties are about to be laid to rest or verified.

Hood: What if it’s Delia?

Smith: Now that’d be just cruel.

Hood: Well, this IS OCW.

Smith: Yea, true.

~The door starts to crawl open. Claudia tries to remain calm but it’s clear she’s a mess inside. The door is open and, silence~

Belvedere: And now, entering THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS at #9…

Voice: HOOOOOOOOOT!!!!

~The fans go wild!

Smith: YES!!!!

Hood: SON OF A FUCK!

Belvedere: She is a former OCW Champion. She is in the OCW Hall of Fame...ladies and gentlemen, she is one half of the current OCW Tag Team Champions...she is...Alice Knight!!!!

~Alice comes strutting out, flapping her wings and hooting like crazy! Gruff looks on like, “aw shit, they got me working with this girl.” Alice struts around the ring, Claudia looks on waiting for Alice to make a move...to step inside. But Alice is too busy strutting and hooting~

Smith: Look at her go! Ahahaha! She’s the best!

Hood: This is so fucking embarrassing. She’s making a girl nicknamed after the shit you put on cake look like the most menacing mother fucker in the business.

ten

~We cut to a shot of Alice heading our way...her eyes crazed and maniacal. She flaps her wings and HOOTS right in the lens, right in our face as BAM! We cut back to Chamber #1. Mose stands, confidently...arrogantly(?) awaiting his fate~

Smith: And we’re back where it all began...Chamber #1...who will the prodigious Mose Maurako face to kick things off?

Hood: You think Paras has a kid?

Smith: That would...be interesting.

~The door starts to open, begrudgingly. We all get the sense something big is on the other end. Mose, however, jogs in place. He has a smile plastered across his face. The dude has NO idea what he’s signed up for~

Belvedere: And now, the final participant for Tier 1 inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

Smith: Who’s it gonna be?

Hood: Not sure...but Mose doesn’t give a fuck, haha. Look at him...he’s acting like he’s about to wrestle some drunk jabroni at the waffle house.

~The door is opened. Mose stops moving. A man steps out from the shadows~

Smith: OH SHIT

Hood: OH SHIT

Fans: OHHHH SHIT

Belvedere: He is a former OCW Savage Champion. He is a former OCW Paradigm Champion. He is a former OCW Champion. Please welcome back to OCW….Xavier Lux!!!!

eleven

Fans: HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!!!!

~Lux slowly steps into the ring. He approaches Mose with a confident smirk on his face. Mose’s confidence seems to have ran away. Lux gets right up in his face~

Smith: I can’t believe this! Two men who were thought would NEVER, EVER return to OCW...one of them is back!

Hood: Lux! Geezus. Mose...bro, you have NO IDEA what this man can do.

Smith: One second generational wrestler against another...both fathers in the OCW Hall of Fame!

Hood: Man, you know Mario is eating those heart meds like Brad. The stakes just got raised through the fuckin ROOF.

~Lux says, “You know who I am?” Mose huffs, “No clue.” Lux looks him up and down, “Yea you do.” Mose gets annoyed and shoves Lux back. Lux laughs as though that’s the very thing he wanted...and he unleashes a right hand into Maurako’s face!!! Mose staggers back into the ropes. He holds his face, looking up at Lux. He appears shocked at the power behind that one punch~

Smith: Buckle up, kid. You’re in the big leagues now.

Hood: Yea, this ain’t no amateur bullshit. Lux will rip your fuckin throat out.

~Mose finds more anger and motivation than he’s had since stepping foot inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS and he lunges at Lux! The two men lock up and the fans roar with approval! Mose gets the upper hand, using his superior strength to bully Lux back into a corner~

Smith: Lux was a star in OCW in 2021 and then the Purge happened.

Hood: Yep and management didn’t give Lux the time he needed to process everything...so, he left.

Smith: A major blunder by management, for sure. Those close to Lux...sources, anyway, say he would have stayed if he’d just been given some time.

Hood: Ah well.

Smith: Instead, Lux left. OCW fell on hard times and so did Lux. It would seem maybe these two need each other to thrive.

Hood: Yea, maybe...but who knows if he’s even hear beyond one night, unless he wins the whole thing...he might run back to Unnecessarily Convoluted Wrestling Federation where nobody wins and everybody loses.

~Mose has Lux backed into a corner. But, he doesn’t really know what to do with him...Mose is an amateur wrestler, not a professional one. So, Lux takes advantage of Maurako’s confusion by lifting a knee into his abdomen. Mose coughs and stumbles back...he rises up and starts to argue about what Lux did only to get run over by a huge lariat from Xavier! Maurako hits the mat hard, holding his midsection in pain, rolling around. Lux stands over him...the PROUD AND STRONG chant “LUX! LUX! LUX!” As they chant for the returning champion we cut into Chamber #2. Alice pauses, hearing all the commotion~

Smith: Word travels fast inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

Hood: Yep, she knows someone...a big name from the past has arrived.

Smith: Indeed

~Alice puts her ear to the wall, trying to hear more inside Chamber #1...but all she does is give Claudia a window! Claudia hits the ropes...she bounces off and she dives through the ropes!! Alice turns around only to get SPEARED into the wall!! She hits hard and falls to the ground, holding the back of her head in pain. Frost gets up, stumbling around, holding her forehead~

Smith: What a move! Vicious right off the bat from one half of The Influence!

Hood: That’ll shake those nerves right out!

Smith: Yea, all that nervous energy MIGHT have given her a little too much oomph. She seems to have hit her head on the wall while delivering that spear.

Hood: Quick, get her some frosting!

~Claudia tries to shake it off. She grabs Alice and slings her back into the ring...Alice tumbles through the ropes, onto the mat. Frost gets to the ring but has to take a knee, holding her head. As we look in on the struggling Claudia...we rotate around and then fly through the wall into Chamber #3 where ICE continues to invite Goon...err...Chris Grayson into the ring~

Smith: Don’t trust him, Chris!

Hood: Oh come on, you can trust ICE. Look at him!

Smith: I’d never trust a man who looks like that.

Hood: Wow, talk about profiling!

~Grayson gives in and steps through the ropes, thanking ICE as he’s halfway into the ring. ICE laughs and gets off the ropes before Chris gets in...the middle rope crotches Grayson!!! He falls to the mat, holding his balls in pain, curled up. ICE looks down, laughing...he then proceeds to put the boots to Chris, stomping on the poor, naive kid~

Smith: They said graduating from Goon to person with a name was a reward.

Hood: Yea, they also said fucking Katy Rice would be a reward...but all I got were these deadly crabs.

Smith: Wow, too much information, Hood!

Hood: Here, give me your hand.

Smith: I WILL NOT

~Grayson crawls up into the corner to try and find some relief but all he gets is ICE’s big boot into his throat!! Chris is choking, he reaches around frantically with his hands...but there is no relief...not inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. His eyes widen as if to say, “I’ve made a HUGE mistake.” We zoom into his frightened expression and BAM! We’re back inside Chamber #4. SYNN continues to maul Tearra~

Smith: SYNN wasted no time in getting things started.

Hood: She’s psycho, man. I mean, at least Tearra only goes off her rocker when she’s lit the fuck up. SYNN? That’s just status quo.

Smith: She certainly has a wild side, no doubt about that.

~Tearra is already in trouble. SYNN’s got a full mount and is clawing and punching away nearly unimpeded. Tearra finally manages to flip over, giving SYNN her back. SYNN immediately locks in a sleeper, wrapping her legs around Tearra’s body~

Smith: This might be it for Skye!

Hood: Talk about a let down...if she’s out this fast...fuck...all the drug dealers in Antarctica better get their phones ready.

Smith: Will you lay off the drug talk?

Hood: Why? I mean that’s her character, isn’t it?

Smith: She’s more than drugs, Hood. She’s a warrior!

~Tearra gets to the ropes...but, like Grayson earlier, she finds no relief. SYNN clamps down, trying to choke her out...as she does, we pull back, getting an overhead view of Tuff keeping a close watch in case he needs to call the match. We then float away, through the wall and back into Chamber #5 where Axis is playing Go Fish with Ruff~

Smith: Well, okay.

Hood: Hey, we gotta stay updated on these guys...or this guy. Not his fault Welsh screwed TK.

twelve

~Because ratings matter and people want action we immediately float back over to Chamber #4 where Tearra looks like she’s just about out. Tuff grabs her arm and he raises it...he lets it go...but NO! She won’t let it drop...not even once!! She starts to fire up, shaking the ropes! SYNN looks around, anxious...she’s losing control. Skye fights to her feet and she barrels a couple of elbows into SYNN’s midsection!!! SYNN breaks the hold and stumbles back...Tearra rushes forward and takes SYNN down with a clothesline! SYNN hurries back to her feet only to get dropped with a HUGE knife edged chop!! SYNN rushes back to her feet again, but this time Skye boots her in the gut, brings her in and tosses her over with a Snap Suplex!! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild chanting “SKYE! SKYE! SKYE!” It’s like she can hear them, firing up before faltering into a corner...catching her breath~

Smith: Now THERE’s the Tearra we all know and adore!

Hood: I wonder if Tuff snuck her a quick blast of coke while she was in the ropes.

Smith: STOP IT

Hood: I’M JUST SAYING...she went from zero to hero REAL fuckin fast.

~Soaring over the action inside Chamber #4 we float back into Chamber #3 where Grayson looks nearly choked out. Puff leans in to check on him. He grabs Grayson’s arm but ICE pushes him aside and snatches Grayson by the neck, yanking the rookie out of the corner...he’s not gonna give the dude three SUPER LONG PRO WRESTLING SECONDS to recover. Grayson is up but unsteady...ICE slugs him in the head! Chris leans into the ropes. ICE measures him up but Chris suddenly fires up and slings his body forward with a clothesline!! ICE stumbles!! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild!! Chris looks at ICE before falling to one knee...ICE recovers and kicks Chris right in the face, sending him to the mat. The grizzled vet puts the boots to Grayson, keeping him down~

Smith: The former Goon 83 managed to get a clothesline in but, well, that was all he could muster.

Hood: He’s in over his head, man. We need our real hero. We need...Ball Ball.

Smith: Yea, well I think Ball Ball is running his soup kitchen right now with his new sidekick...Goon 38!

Hood: I refuse to acknowledge such foolishness.

~ICE pulls Grayson off the mat with two hands and throws him, like a child, into the nearest corner Grayson hits HARD. ICE charges in with a big clothesline!! He then steps back and starts to chop away at Grayson’s chest. CHOP! CHOP! CHOP! CHOP! Even Puff is like, ‘bro, yikes!’ As Grayson’s chest gets sliced and diced by ICE we zoom through the chops and then into the wall, coming out on the other side where Claudia Frost is re-entering the ring to deal with a wounded bird. Alice Knight stumbles around...she lets out a weak hoot before turning toward Claudia...Claudia rushes forward with a big BOOT to the face of HOOT! Alice hits the mat, hard! The fans BOOOOO~

Smith: These proud and strong fans aren’t happy!

Hood: Go Frost, go! I’m gonna buy that woman so much cake if she eliminates THE BEAST.

Smith: Just don’t give it to her mid-match. She might get a side cramp.

Hood: Yea, like I’m gonna walk into that fuckin CHAMBER OF DEATH. I’m cool right here, bar twenty feet away.

~Frost reaches down, grabbing Alice by the neck and waistline of her pants...aggressively, she gets Alice up and slings her into a corner. Alice manages to turn around, her back absorbing the impact. Claudia marches toward the Hall of Famer with increasing confidence. Frost hammers Alice with a forearm uppercut...she then grabs Alice by the arm and whips her across the ring...but Alice reverses!! Frost charges into the opposite corner, hitting hard. Alice runs in and flaps her wings, HOOTING! She spins around and delivers an owl wing elbow to Claudia’s chin!!! The fans go wild!! Frost is dazed. Alice then licks the side of her hand, rears back and fires off a knife edged chop...but Frost catches it in her mouth! Alice looks at her like, ‘wtf!’ Claudia’s eyes are dark and black...for a moment, before returning to their usual disposition...she, too, is like, ‘wtf’ and she spits the hand out~

Smith: Well, that was weird.

Hood: She’s possessed!

Smith: Yea, Claudia might have a bit of that demonic possession thing going on.

Hood: I was talking about Alice.

Smith: YOU LEAVE HER ALONE! She is a QUEEN

~Frost is the first to snap out of the moment of confusion, reaching out and grabbing Alice by the hair...but Alice breaks Frost’s grip and jumps up, placing her feet in Claudia’s gut. Alice yells out, “OH BOY HERE WE GO!!” And she falls back, tossing Claudia over with an OWL FLIP!!! Claudia flips over and lands on her back, HARD! The PROUD AND STRONG jump up and down, rocking the massive cruise ship! Alice returns to her feet...she slowly starts to strut, flapping her wings as the fans chant, “HOOT! HOOT! HOOT!”~

Smith: Ahahaha! WHAT A MOMENT!

Hood: Bartender! Bottle of whiskey and a funnel...NOW

~With Alice strutting and hooting we instantly CUT back into Chamber #1. Lux stalks Maurako, who has crawled back into the ropes. Mose pops to his feet, quickly and extends his arm to keep Lux at bay while arguing with Scruff...but Lux grabs Mose’s arm and takes him over with an armdrag!! He holds onto the arm, stretching and bending it into an armbar. Mose stares at the mat, frustrated and feeling the pain. Lux has his knee dug into Mose’s back~

Smith: Mose has got to WAKE up. There are no rules in this thing. It’s a battle. It’s a WAR.

Hood: Yea, I don’t think Mario or Martino really gave him any specific instruction. They just dropped him into the jungle and told him to survive.

Smith: It’s brutal but effective. The only way he’ll advance at this point is if his talent far exceeds his opponent’s and, well, considering his opponent is Xavier Lux...I’m going to say that isn’t very likely.

Hood: True but, if there’s one thing we’ve all learned throughout the history of this fucking place...never count a Maurako out.

Smith: Indeed.

~Somehow, via core strength and youthful belligerence, Mose manages to reach up and grab Xavier’s head...he flips Lux over with a snapmare! Lux hits the mat, hard...he gets to his feet, wincing. Mose is back on his, rotating his shoulder. Lux turns around to face Mose...but Mose rushes him into the ropes...he then whips Lux off the ropes. Lux sprints across the ring, bounces off the ropes and Mose dives into him with a shoulder tackle!!! Lux hits the mat! He’s down! Mose gets back to his feet...for the first time, the young man is in control. He looks around...still thrown by this entire concept~

Smith: Stay after him, Mose!

Hood: Kid! For fuck’s sake! Stay focused! That’s a killer in the ring with you!

~Mose flashbacks to some of his father’s old wrestling matches. He drops to the mat and goes for an awkward looking pin. But Xavier flips over and grabs onto Mose! Xavier fights to his feet with Mose over his shoulders! He’s got the Maurako prodigy locked in a Fireman’s Carry!! The fans are on their feet! Xavier gets in place and tosses Mose over for a Death Valley Driver!! But Mose lands on his feet!!! He spins around...Lux turns to face him...Mose grabs onto Lux, spins his hips and tosses Mose over his head with an overhead belly-to-belly throw!!! Lux flips over and damn near lands on his head! He SLAMS into the mat, reaching for his head out of instinct, feeling how close he was to a terrible injury! Mose sits up, looking around, wide eyed and a bit awe struck~

Smith: There ya go, kid! Stay at it!

Hood: Freakish strength...just like his dad!

~Lux sits up...Mose scurries over, showing some urgency for the first time in the match...he secures Lux in a chinlock, keeping the former OCW Champion down while he tries to figure out his next move. With Lux wincing and fighting off the hold, we pull back and float over, through the walls and back into Chamber 2. Alice is done HOOTING and FLAPPING. She stands, waiting for Frost...Frost gets to her feet and Alice pounces, kicking Claudia in the gut and looking to hook her and hit her with THE APACHE! But Claudia lifts Alice up in into the air and throws her back with a Northern Lights Suplex!!!! Frost bridges into a pin! Gruff drops down for the count~

Kick Out!!!

Smith: Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! OHMYGOSH! That was too close.

Hood: Shit. Count faster, old man Gruff!

Smith: Get up, Alice! Don’t let that voodoo consumed with keep you from returning to the top of OCW!

Hood: If Alice wins this thing I’m going to take a long walk off a steep cliff.

~Claudia flips onto all fours...as does Alice...Alice tries crawling away from Frost. Frost gets to her feet and snatches Alice around the waist. Alice frantically reaches for the ropes...but Frost pulls her back...she lifts Alice up. Alice yells out, “OH NO!” Frost tosses Alice over with a Release German Suplex! But Alice lands on her feet! Alice hits the ropes, Claudia turns around and Alice jumps up, wrapping her legs around Claudia’s head...she spins her around, trying to take her over with a Owlicanrana!!! But Claudia is too strong...she pulls Alice up for a powerbomb...but Alice ‘HOOTS’ in her face, throwing Frost off her game enough for Alice to climb over her, slide down, pull her over and pin her with a sunset flip! Gruff drops in with the count~

KICK OUT!

Smith: Dang it! C’mon, QUEEN! You got this!

Hood: Stop calling her queen ya fuckin nerd.

Smith: I can’t deny what she is, Hood.

~Alice rolls backward. She crawls into a corner and takes a seat against the bottom buckle. Frost rolls over and looks at her...Alice is signaling for a Time Out. As she signals for the Time Out, we pull back and fade over, through the wall and into Chamber 3. Grayson’s chest is red and bleeding. ICE keeps chopping...the more painful it looks the more he seems to enjoy the act. Finally, he stops...Chris nearly collapses to the mat. ICE picks him up and tosses the former GOON over his shoulder...he carries him across the mat, toward the opposite corner for Snake Eyes. But Grayson wiggles free and falls to the mat behind ICE. ICE turns around and finds Grayson on his knees. Chris looks up, blood running down his chest from all the chops~

Smith: This is turning into a nightmare for young Chris.

Hood: ICE might need to trim those finger nails, man. He sliced that dude’s chest UP.

Smith: It looks painful.

Hood: Then again, maybe those fingernails allow for him to crack open a can of beer with ease. So, on second thought, don’t fuck with your game, ICE!

~ICE slaps Grayson across the face. Grayson nearly falls to the mat, but remains on his knees. ICE bends over to grab him...but Grayson crawls through his legs. ICE laughs and shakes his head at the foolishness of the rookie. He turns around...as he does, he sees Grayson on the middle buckle! Grayson’s back is to him...Grayson leaps off, turns around and he takes ICE down with a reverse crossbody!! The proud and strong go wild! Ball Ball, somewhere, is on his feet cheering! Grayson rolls away, under the bottom rope onto the apron. ICE staggers to his feet, confused~

Smith: Let’s go, Chris! You’ve got a chance!

Hood: This fuckin GOON. Get him, ICE!

Smith: You’re in there for a reason, Grayson! Ball Ball believed in you...YOU, over all the other goons!

Hood: Like that’s saying much, ha! King of the goons is like being the king of the Alice Knight fan club. It’s an indictment more than anything else.

Smith: As Head of the Parliament I RESENT that remark, sir!

~Grayson pulls himself up, feeling the adrenaline that comes with seizing momentum. He leaps up onto the top rope and springboards off taking ICE down with a flying clothesline!!! The fans go wild!!! ICE is down!!! Grayson rolls out of the ring, back onto the apron. He sits up, running his hand along his minced, bloody chest. He slings the blood off his hand, against the cold wall of the ILLUMINATUS. He pops back to his feet. ICE is on all fours, trying to recover. Chris leaps up, he springboards off once again...ICE reaches his feet, he turns around and BAM! He’s hit with a flying forearm smash!!! ICE is down!!! Chris makes the cover!! Puff flops down with the count~

3...NO!

Smith: ICE with the shoulder up!

Hood: Holy shit. The fuckin GOON nearly took out a pro wrestling vet.

Smith: He’s catching on, Hood. We’re seeing why Ball Ball put him in this match.

~Chris gets up on his knees and throws his head back, frustrated he didn’t end it. ICE rolls over, toward Chris. The sense of urgency all great wrestlers need is within Chris...he grabs onto ICE and returns to his feet, fighting through the sting of a nearfall. He pulls ICE up and looks ready to go to work...but ICE rakes Chris across the face!! Chris turns around, holding his face in pain. ICE takes a moment to rotate his neck and shoulders...he pursues the former Goon. Chris leans into the top buckle, holding his face. ICE clobbers Chris in the back with a double axe handle. Chris stumbles out of the corner, toward the center of the ring...he turns to face ICE...ICE throws a haymaker!!! But Chris ducks!! Chris hits the ropes! So does ICE! ICE greets Chris in the center of the ring with a CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!! Chris is turned inside out, landing on his back, center of the ring~

Smith: Oh my gosh! Chris’ neck might be injured after that!

Hood: Put the Goon down! Enough of this foolishness!

Smith: ICE might have done just that, Hood. The grizzled, wily vet nearly decapitated the young, wide eyed upstart.

Hood: This ain’t no place to grow up, man.

~ICE returns to his feet and he stands over Grayson. He spits a giant loogie down onto Chris as we pull away, floating over and back into Chamber 4. Skye leans in a corner, still trying to catch up with all the action SYNN threw her way from the outset. SYNN returns to her feet and heads after Skye...SYNN reaches out to get her hands on Skye...but Skye kicks SYNN in the knee! SYNN stumbles back...that right knee. The knee Egan injured one month ago...it remains tender. Skye sees SYNN’s KNEE JERK REACTION (ha ha). It registers. She’s found a soft spot. Skye dives at the knee...but SYNN spins around, keeping her knee out of reach. Skye hits the mat...SYNN runs into the ropes...she bounces off and SMACK! She kicks Skye in the face, sending her flipping onto her back, holding her nose in pain~

Smith: Vicious strike by SYNN.

Hood: Yea well Skye went after he leg. If SYNN wants any chance of winning this whole thing she’s got to protect that leg.

Smith: Indeed.

~SYNN grabs Skye and pulls her up...Skye is bent over, still holding her face. SYNN pummels her in the side of the head, both sides, with forearm shots. Skye’s head bounces around...her body stumbles. She turns her back to SYNN to get away but SYNN reaches out, snatching a handful of hair and pulling Skye backwards. SYNN hooks Tearra’s head for an inverted DDT...but Tearra kicks her leg up, smacking SYNN in the face! SYNN stumbles back. Tearra turns around and charges at SYNN...but SYNN falls to the mat and take Skye down with a drop toe hold! Tearra’s face slams into the bottom buckle!!! SYNN pops back to her feet. He rushes toward the corner to the left of Skye...she climbs to the top, faces Skye and she leaps off with a missile drop kick across the ring into the back of Skye’s head!!! The crowd aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild at the impressive athleticism! SYNN drags Skye out of the corner, flips her over and makes the cover! Tuff tumbles in with the count~

3!!

NO!

Smith: Skye with the shoulder up!

Hood: She’s hanging in there!

Smith: Yea, but she’s been playing from behind this entire match. She’s got to do something to keep SYNN at bay.

~SYNN grabs the arm Skye used to shoulder out of the pin and she slams it into the mat repeatedly...she looks crazed, unhinged, frenzied! Skye finally rolls over, ripping her arm away to protect it. SYNN returns to her feet. She grabs two handfuls of Skye’s hair, pulling her back up. SYNN bends over, getting Skye up onto her shoulders for a Fireman’s Carry...but Skye immediately shifts her body around and she takes SYNN over with a Hurricanrana!! She holds on for the pin!!! Tuff tumbles in with the count~

3...NO!

Smith: She kicked out! Wow! Tearra Skye nearly STOLE this one from SYNN!

Hood: Man, all that nearfall is gonna do is piss SYNN off.

Smith: Skye had better stay alert. Stay strong.

~Skye remains on her knees. SYNN is quick to her feet, furious. She goes after Skye...Skye, however, leans in and drives her skull into SYNN’s right knee!!! SYNN stumbles back. She shakes it off and goes back after Skye...but once more Skye headbutts SYNN’s knee!! SYNN winces, reaching for her knee. Skye grabs onto SYNN’s leg and she repeatedly throws her head into SYNN’s knee!! Over and over and over again until SYNN collapses, holding her knee!! Skye remains on her knees...she looks into camera, smiling...some blood leaking down her forehead before she collapses...the trauma to her head finally taking her over. The fans are going crazy. Both women are down as we float over into Chamber 5. Axis wins a pretty big hand in Go Fish and orders Ruff to pay up~

Smith: Wow, fascinating.

Hood: That’s a big hand there, Smith. Not sure a hard boiled man like Ruff is going to stand for that kind of defeat.

~Ruff hands Axis a two dollar bill. A real tough looking, two dollar bill. Axis looks at it and nods. They continue to play. We drift back over into Chamber 4~

Smith: A two dollar bill. Okay.

Hood: Hard boiled.

thirteen

~SYNN sits up, nursing her knee. She sees the cracked skull of Tearra laying next to her, eyes shut. SYNN smiles and licks her lips...the pain in her knee a small victory for Skye’s current state of forced sleep. SYNN crawls over, snaring Skye by the head...she gets to one knee, her left knee and she proceeds to deliver calculating, measured strikes into Tearra’s head. One after the other after the other. The blood starts to flow back into Skye’s bright blonde hair~

Smith: SYNN sees blood...she smells it...that vicious nature is being unleashed.

Hood: Yea, I don’t know why Tearra felt the need to bash her skull in like that...but, hey, she also shoots heroin into her eyeball, so not the best decision maker.

Smith: There is no evidence she’s ever done that!

~SYNN grabs Tearra by her top, holding her upper body off the mat. Skye’s head leans back, her hair laying on the mat, the blonde darkening into a strawberry mix. SYNN rises, bringing Skye along, rag dolling her every step of the way. SYNN flings Skye into the nearest corner. Tearra hits hard. Skye leans forward, her arms draped over the top rope...her head hanging. SYNN charges in with a big boot!!! But Skye ducks!! Skye darts through the top and middle rope! SYNN’s leg gets caught over the top rope...Skye grabs it and falls to the apron, yanking SYNN’s knee over the top rope!! SYNN falls back, holding her knee in pain~

Smith: Tearra fighting back! My gosh! What grit!

Hood: She knows there’s more money waiting for her if she wins. Might even be enough to land a score.

Smith: Lay off it, will ya?

Hood: Lay off what? I just said score...I didn’t specify what type.

Smith: Drugs, you’re talking about drugs.

Hood: Well, look at your mind, all in the gutter.

~Skye takes a beat, her head rocked. SYNN nurses her knee...we crawl away from the two injured women before eking out way through the wall and back into Chamber 3. Grayson sits up, wiping the loogie from his eyes. ICE knees him in the chest, sending him back to the mat. He grabs Grayson by the leg and hooks them under his arms...he spins and spins and spins...Chris’ body gets spun around with ease until ICE lets go and sends Chris flying through the ropes, over the apron where he lands HARD on the concrete slab!! THUD! He arches his back, gasping for air. ICE laughs, making his way toward the ropes to stay after the young competitor~

Smith: Well, that didn’t look fun.

Hood: For Grayson. I’m sure ICE had a blast. Maybe even...a Ball?...Ball.

Smith: Yes, I got it the first time. Referencing Ball Ball, Chris’ mentor.

Hood: Okay, just making sure because I think that joke was way better than the reaction you gave it.

Smith: No it wasn’t, Hood. No it was not.

~ICE steps out onto the concrete...he can feel the cool radiating from the ‘skin’ of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. It fills him with a rush of energy. ICE pulls Chris up to his feet...he slings him face first into the side of the ILLUMINATUS!! But Grayson gets his foot up, blocking the potential match ending blow! He elbows ICE in the gut!! ICE staggers back onto the apron, leaning against the ropes. Grayson leans back against the wall of the ILLUMINATUS...the cold, concrete slab sends shivers and energy into his body. He marches for ICE. ICE throws a punch but Chris blocks it and slugs ICE across the face!!! ICE is staggered! Chris delivers a body blow, right into the ribs!! ICE leans forward, into Chris~

Smith: Grayson showing some striking skills!

Hood: C’mon, ICE! Put this fuckin Goon away!

Smith: The former goon just won’t quit, Hood! The longer he hangs around, the better chance he has of pulling the upset and advancing!

~Grayson knees ICE in the gut...he then hooks him for a suplex!! He hoists ICE up!! Tremendous strength!! He’s got ICE vertical…he walks ICE over...they’re standing atop the concrete. The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG rise!! ICE’s feet are near one of the lit torches lining the freezing walls~

Smith: Oh no...not a brainbuster ON the concrete?

Hood: Dude is going to send ICE into early retirement!

~ICE feels the heat on his feet. His awareness kicks in and he knees Grayson in the head!! The former goon staggers back towards the ring!! He’s starting to lose his grip…ICE leans forward...he leans backward...teetering on the edge of a terrible fall. Grayson starts to lose his grip...he loses his balance and he falls over!!! ICE tumbles down, over the ropes and back into the ring...he holds onto Grayson, sending the former goon flipping back into the ring over the top rope!! The two men crash, recklessly! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild!!! ICE is down! Grayson is down~

Smith: Chris went for a knockout blow but wound up hesitating and losing a huge hand!

Hood: Yea, ICE knew the curtains were about to get drawn so he did the only thing he could do. It hurt, but not nearly as bad as getting dropped on his head...ON the frozen concrete.

~With both men down...we pan over, through the wall and back into Chamber 2. Frost’s eyes once again get consumed with darkness. Alice has the ‘time out’ sign up...but she sees the look in Claudia’s eyes and knows all too well what that means...I mean, she teams with Bifford. Frost charges at Alice and throws her hip into the corner!! Alice ducks and rolls out of the ring!! Claudia’s hip SLAMS into the middle buckle...but she doesn’t sell it...at least facially. There is a bit of a limp as she turns and head for the ropes. Alice pops to her feet outside the ring and she cracks Claudia in the head with a step up enziguri!!! Frost stumbles back, shaking it off rather quickly. Alice looks at her...looking at a different Claudia~

Smith: It’s like she’s possessed...again!

Hood: What kinda frosting is Wrigley feeding these women?

Smith: I don’t think it’s coming from him, Hood.

Hood: Wow, the phrasing of this line of commentary. CLASSIC OCW, BABY

~Alice leaps up and springboards off the top rope...she brings her knees together, looking for an OWLBREAKER!! But Claudia catches her and runs into a corner, powerbombing Alice into the top buckle!!! Alice stumbles forward, flapping her arms with a very weak ‘hoot’...Claudia catches her, spins around and DRIVES Alice into the mat with a bodyslam! Alice is down with Frost popping up to one knee, staring the OCW legend down. We pull back and float over back into Chamber 1~

Smith: Yes, please, cut away...I can’t take any more of that!

Hood: Frost looking like a BEAST

~Lux fights to his feet. Mose cranks that chinlock, trying to bring the former OCW Champion back to the mat. Realizing Lux isn’t going back down, Mose pushes him toward a corner, front first. Lux, a wily vet compared to Mose, kicks his legs up and pushes off the second buckle!!! He falls back on top of Mose!! He’s got Mose covered! Scruff slides in with the count~

KICK OUT!

Smith: Wow!! Mose nearly learned a very, very harsh lesson.

Hood: This kid is so green, man. Like you don’t just let your opponent have access to the corner like that. Geez.

Smith: I figured he assumed since he had the lock he was in control...which, was not the case.

~Lux rolls backward, onto one knee. Mose rolls over, onto all fours and Lux instantly snatches him in a front face lock. Mose grunts and he yells, pissed. Lux, for the first time, looks around surprised and a bit taken back by the strength within the young Maurako. He powers up and picks Lux off the ground, charging into a corner and slamming Lux into it!! Lux releases the hold, reaching for his back. Mose brings both hands together and down onto Lux’s head with a double axe handle!!! He backs up...Lux stumbles forward and Mose ducks, tossing Lux HIGH into the air and down with a back body drop!! Lux hits the mat, arching his back in pain as Mose stands tall...he turns to the camera, smiles and flexes his bicep~

Smith: Yea, that’s great, kid. But stay focused!

Hood: No shit. Ha she learned NOTHING?

~With Mose showing off we float back over into Chamber 2. Frost grips Alice by the neck...she still has that ‘look’ about her. Yanking Alice off the mat with ease she slings her into a corner and begins to driver her shoulder into Alice’s midsection...over and over and over. Alice doubles over, leaning across Claudia’s back. Claudia grabs her and hoists her up, turning around and SLAMMING Alice into the mat with an Alabama Slam!!! The back of Alice’s head hits hard. Frost makes a cover, hooking both legs. Gruff drops down, making the count~

SHOULDER UP!

Smith: Oh dear...c’mon, Alice! Break the spell that’s taken over that woman!

Hood: Kill her, Frost! Kill her and send her back to where she came from...THE SEVENTH CIRCLE OF HELL.

Smith: Can somebody turn his mic off?

Hood: You will not silence my hatred for Alice

~Frost, showing no emotion, returns to her feet and picks Alice up. She tosses Alice up and onto her shoulders...she starts to pull down and rack Alice’s body...it’s a torture rack! She bounces Alice up and down, trying to break her ribs...her back...incapacitate her for good! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG look on with angst. Alice can feel bones on the brink of destruction...so she reaches down and she scratches Frost’s eyes!!! Frost drops her and stumbles forward! The fans go WILD!~

Smith: Woohoo! What a maneuver!

Hood: You kidding me? Talk about fuckin cheap!

Smith: That a girl! You go, Queen! YOU GO

~Frost is down...her eyes returning to their normal state...the soul of Frost visible once again. Alice is down, rolling around...her body wrecked. We pull back and hover through the wall into Chamber 3. ICE and Grayson both remain down. ICE rolls onto his front and pushes up to his knees. Grayson crawls into a corner, holding his neck. ICE gets to his feet, stumbling around. He sees Grayson sitting against the bottom buckle and he charges in with a boot...but Grayson tumbles forward, avoiding the kick! ICE’s foot kicks the bottom buckle. He turns around, frustrated. Grayson struggles to his feet...ICE heads his way and jumps up with a dropkick!! But Grayson blocks the kick and he grabs ICE’s legs!! ICE is on the mat, staring up at Grayson...Grayson has both his legs~

Smith: Sharpshooter! He’s going for a sharpshooter!

Hood: And how the hell do you know that?

Smith: Well, for starters, I’ve called wrestling for over twenty years. But, also, it says that’s his finisher on his bio.

Hood: Oh, I forgot. You actually read those.

~Grayson steps in. He locks the legs. All he’s got to do is turn ICE over...but ICE reaches up and he drags Grayson down and rolls him up for a pin!!!! Puff flops down for the count! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG hold their breath~

3!!

NO!!!

Smith: Wow!! Grayson BARELY kicked out of that one!

Hood: Fuckin goon. Seriously. We have a GOON in there.

Smith: He’s competing!

~Chris quickly gets to his feet. ICE remains down. Chris reaches back after ICE’s legs...but ICE sweeps Grayson’s legs out from under him! Chris hits the mat, hard! ICE pops to his feet...he grabs onto Grayson’s leg...he spins around and he leans back, sitting down and hooking The Booze Hound Burden!!!! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG are frenzied...some are yelling for Chris to tap. Others are urging him to stay in it...not like he can hear them~

Smith: ICE has that locked in! This could be the end of the GOON!

Hood: Tap, you bitch! TAP!

~With Grayson in bad shape...we pull out and drift over into Chamber 4. Skye pulls herself up on the apron and stumbles back against the cold wall. Her body recoils...I mean, it’s COLD. She shimmers and wakes up, a bit. He looks at SYNN, curled up, holding her knee. Skye wipes some of the blood from her eyes...she feels around her head, it’s tender...but nothing she can do about it now. She marches back into the ring. She reaches for SYNN’s bad leg..but SYNN kicks at her with her good leg~

Smith: Skye going for the kill. Stick after that knee and victory is all but assured.

Hood: SYNN really needs to think about taking a few weeks off. Let that shit heal, man.

Smith: Not in her DNA, Hood. She’s a fighter...for better or worse.

~Skye finally gets a decent grip on SYNN’s bad leg and she drops an elbow across the knee! SYNN yells out in pain. Skye then hooks the knee, staying on the mat, wrenching it...pulling on it, twisting it. SYNN leans her head back and she laughs. Skye looks around like ‘wtf’. SYNN then takes her left leg and she wraps it around Skye’s head. Skye tries to fight it off, in doing so, she lets go of SYNN’s bad leg...SYNN, with both legs free, wraps them around Skye’s neck!! She’s trying to choke her out with her thighs!! Skye’s head is locked between both of SYNN’s thighs!! She stares at the ropes, trying to reach them with SYNN behind her, licking her lips...and laughing, between winces as the knee is still bothering her~

Smith: SYNN putting that knee to the test while using both legs to try and choke Tearra Skye out.

Hood: Tearra’s head has traveled where no man has traveled before.

Smith: HOOD!

Hood: I’m just sayin! I don’t think male suitors get very far with SYNN.

~Skye is going out. Her movements are slowing. The blood from her wound is barely trickling down her face. Tuff looks in, seeing if she’s out. SYNN yells out, leaning back, tightening her legs as hard as she can~

Smith: Skye might be out!

Hood: Quick...anybody got some cocaine? ANYBODY? Hell, even meth will do!

Smith: Stop!

~With SYNN on the brink of victory we quickly pan over into Chamber 5. Axis is handing the two dollar bill back over to Ruff~

Smith: Ruff making a Go Fish comeback.

Hood: Terrific. Thrilling.

fourteen

~I’m with Hood. Let’s get back to Chamber 4. CUT! We’re back in Chamber 4. Tuff grabs Skye’s arm...he holds it up and lets it fall. ONE!! He grabs it again...he lets it fall...TWO! He grabs the arm a third time~

Smith: If it falls, she’s out!

Hood: So much for that sober comeback.

~Tuff drops the arm...but Skye keeps it up!!! The fans GO WILD!! SYNN looks around, shocked! Skye yells out...she fires up...she leans back into SYNN...she then KIPS UP!!! The PROUD AND STRONG are on their feet, jumping up and down, rocking the boat. She immediately spins around, holding onto SYNN’s legs, breaking free...she falls back, catapulting SYNN over and INTO the corner!!! SYNN hits hard...she stumbles back and Skye DIVES into the back of her right knee!!! SYNN falls the mat, hard!! Skye scrambles forward, locking SYNN’s leg up and twisting that knee once again. Tuff drops down, asking SYNN if she wants to quit~

Smith: SYNN’s in trouble!

Hood: She quit last month against Egan...so, I mean, she’s probably gonna quit again.

Smith: Win or lose, both of these women are going to have linger effects heading into Tier 2. Whoever is lucky enough to survive.

~With SYNN in tortuous amounts of pain we zoom in on Tuff asking her if she wants to quit...she shakes her head ‘no’. We zoom into her determined, pain filled eyes before zooming out and seeing the face of Chris Grayson...he, too, is fighting through extreme amounts of pain as a very confident ICE leans back, trying to get the former GOON to submit~

Smith: It looks like the end is near for Ball Ball’s protege.

Hood: Thank the fuckin deity’s that rule over that deadly fuckin pyramid.

~We get a quick cut to Ball Ball’s SOUPER KITCHEN. Ball Ball sees Goon 83 in trouble and he rises...he raises his arms in the air and all the GOONS behind him chant “83! 83! 83!” We cut back to Grayson...a determination overcomes him. He digs his hands into the mat and he starts crawling for the corner. ICE looks around...he can feel the momentum shifting...he has no idea why~

Smith: The Goons are rallying behind one of their own!

Hood: Give me a FUCKING break.

~Grayson reaches the corner...he grabs onto the bottom ropes...he then reaches up, grabbing onto the middle ropes and he pulls himself forward with all his might! His body falls through the middle and top rope in the corner...the momentum brings ICE stumbling back, his head hitting the top buckle!!! He stumbles forward, knocked loopy. Grayson reaches for his knee, wincing in pain...but the POWER OF THE GOONS propels him to fight through it. Grayson climbs to the top rope~

Smith: What’s he doing?

Hood: Committing suicide, I hope.

Smith: HOOD

~Grayson waits for ICE to turn around...ICE does and Grayson leaps off with a flying knee! But ICE dodges it!!! Grayson stumbles forward, reaching for his bad leg. ICE hits the ropes...Grayson turns around...ICE throws the CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!! But Chris ducks it. ICE spins around...Grayson throws a Scissor Kick!!! But ICE ducks that and he knees Grayson in the gut. He hooks him for a Rock Bottom~

Smith: ICE is going to drop Grayson with The Drunk Tank!

Hood: Do it, ICE. DO IT NOW!!

~ICE tries to life Chris up...but Chris drives and elbow into ICE’s ear once, twice, three times...he then hoists ICE up onto his shoulders and throws him over and onto the mat with BALL BALL’S REVENGE (Attitude Adjustment)!!!!! ICE is down!!! Chris dives on top for the cover...Puff flops down for the pin~

3!!!!!

~The PROUD AND STRONG GO WILD~

Smith: He did it!! Grayson did it!

Hood: What a FUCKING joke!

~ICE is vanquished. He rolls out of the ring, still dazed...trying to figure out what’s happened. Grayson crawls into a corner for refuge. Several of the creepy owl people emerge from a room...they surround ICE. Together, they grab him and they carry him out of the GREAT ILLUMINATUS...into that dark chamber where the door slides shut. Grayson looks on with wide eyes~

Smith: Yep, Chris. If you lose...not only do you lose but you get manhandled by worshipers of the owl goddess.

Hood: Creepy AF.

Belvedere: And, advancing into Tier 2...the former Goon 83...Chris Grayson!!!!

~Grayson pulls himself up. We cut to the SOUPER KITCHEN!! Ball Ball is throwing SOUP into the air, celebrating. The GOONS go wild! Grayson steps into the middle of the ring...he looks around...he then begins to perform the CRIP WALK!! The goons all yell out ‘YURRRRR!!!!!’ as Ball Ball crip walks along the giant screen that’s airing the match~

Smith: What a moment! What a scene!

Hood: Somehow this might...MIGHT be worse than Alice.

fifteen

~As Grayson continues to celebrate...we pull back and float back over into Chamber 2. Frost gets to her feet, almost like she’s trying to remember where she’s at, what she’s doing. Alice uses the ropes to get her tortured body back on its feet. Claudia turns around and sees Alice...Alice winces. But Claudia hesitates...Alice notices the change in demeanor...and, instantly, her confidence picks up. She’s got a window of opportunity...she slings her leg out, kicking Claudia in the gut! Frost doubles over. Alice lunges forward, hooking her for THE APACHE! But Frost shoves Alice off...Alice hits the ropes. Claudia throws a big boot...but Alice ducks and takes Claudia over with a roll up...Frost, however, rolls through, getting to her knees...Alice is back on her feet, she leaps up and kicks her legs out smacking Frost in the face with a sitout dropkick! Frost falls to the mat, holding her face in pain. ‘HOOT! HOOT! HOOT!’ THE PROUD AND STRONG ship hoots and hollers, cheering the legend on~

Smith: Alright, here we go! It’s time for the PARLIAMENT TO UNITE

Hood: The fuck does that even mean.

~Smith puts on some wings and an owl nose~

Hood: Don’t you fuckin dare!

Smith: HOOT! LET’S GO!

~Alice returns to her feet...she bypasses any hooting. This is SERIOUS BUSINESS, now. She grabs Claudia by the hair, pulling her back up and, once again, trying to hit THE APACHE. But, once again, Frost fights it off, shoving Alice into the ropes. Alice hits the ropes, bounces off...Frost ducks and Alice leaps over her, trying to take her down...but Frost sits out! Alice moves! Frost lands on her ass. Alice is back on her feet, behind Frost...she rushes forward and jumps, grabbing Frost’s head and bringing it down by flipping over with a Neck Snap!! Frost’s body jerks back, holding her neck in pain. Alice tumbles to one knee, looking around, feeling the PARLIAMENT behind her~

Smith: HOOT! HOOT! Say it with me!

~Alice slowly flaps her wings...the entire PROUD AND STRONG boat starts to HOOT along. Claudia remains down, in bad shape. We slowly float away and back into Chamber 1. Mose continues to flex. Lux is down in the background...he’s on all fours. We catch Lux sneaking a look at Mose via his peripheral. Mose doesn’t notice. Mose finishes flexing and yells out, “THIS IS TOO EASY!” He turns around to stay after the former OCW Champion. He grabs Lux by the head and neck, pulling him up but Lux drills Mose in the gut with a side kick!! Mose stumbles back! Lux boots him in the face! Mose straights up and stumbles into a corner! Lux fires up and charges in, leaping up and SMACK! Knee right to the face of Mose!!! Mose is ROCKED! He stumbles forward...Lux SMACKS him with a spinning heel kick!! Mose drops to his knees and Lux takes him to the mat with an Enziguri!!! Mose is down! Lux makes the cover on the young, inexperienced prodigy...he hooks the leg...Scruff slides in~

KICK OUT!

Smith: Well, at least Mose knows how to kick out.

Hood: Fuckin kid. Stop flexing and keep fighting!

Smith: Xavier is turning it up now, Hood. We’ve seen this before. He’s gearing up to try and put Mose away.

Hood: I’m sorry but I can’t take you seriously with all that owl shit on your face.

Smith: Speaking of…

~As if Smith is in control of the camera work...we leave Lux and Mose, drifting back over into Chamber 2. Alice flaps away...she jumps up and drives both feet into Claudia’s midsection! She HOOTS afterward. She spins around...she flaps her wings, jumps up and AGAIN drives both legs into Claudia’s midsection. HOOT!!! Smith is up, flapping his wings, getting the fans to do the same...THE PARLIAMENT is in full force! Alice pulls Claudia to her feet and whips her into a corner...she hits hard. Alice flaps, charges in and delivers a flying OWL WING (forearm uppercut) into Claudia’s head and neck, sending her head flying backward. Frost immediately turns her back to Alice, trying to protect her neck~

Smith: HOOT! Alice targeting the neck so she can put Frost down with The Apache! HOOT!

Hood: I’m going to throw you off this fuckin boat.

~Alice grabs Frost’s head and brings it down, locking it under her WING. She then drops Frost to the mat with an inverted DDT!!! Claudia is down, holding her neck. Alice sits on her ass, flapping her wings, HOOTING along with the rest of the PROUD AND STRONG. We float away and back over into Chamber 3 where Chris Grayson is resting, holding his injured chest...we then float back over into Chamber 4. SYNN’s knee is still locked up by Skye. Tuff lets her know that she can end it any time she wants...but SYNN is refusing to give up~

Smith: SYNN’s got to do something or she won’t be able to continue.

Hood: THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is no venue for a person with a bad knee...or back...or, well, drug habit.

Smith: Stahhhp

~The time is now to act. SYNN reaches forward and claws at the blunt force wound in Tearra’s head! Skye screams out, letting go...SYNN pulls her knee free. She spins her body around, getting on all fours and facing Skye’s back. Skye turns around and SYNN instantly locks her into a front face lock, dragging the talented upstart to her feet. SYNN tries to secure Skye for Beautiful Diasster! But she’s having trouble lifting Skye high enough due to the damage done to her knee~

Smith: Uh oh. SYNN might need to call an audible.

Hood: She’s got a flat tire and she’s trying to go like a 100mph on the freeway.

~Skye starts to fight free! She raises up and shoves SYNN into a corner. She kicks SYNN’s knee out from under her...SYNN falls to the mat! Skye backs up...she points at SYNN...she yells out and charges in...she dives forward with a somersault senton into the corner!!! But SYNN moves!!! Skye’s body SLAMS into the buckles...she hangs upside down for a moment before landing front first on the mat. SYNN holds her knee, staring at Skye’s body...she continues to smile, a deranged look in her eyes...she drags her wounded knee behind her as she crawls toward Tearra~

Smith: Tearra went for a big move and she fell, hard.

Hood: You gotta hand it to SYNN. She’s been beat worse than a hooker who returns from her shift a few dollars short but she keeps fighting.

Smith: The grit and determination it takes to be a champion.

~SYNN crawls on top of Tearra and grabs her by the head...she fish hooks both sides of Skye’s mouth and pulls back. She gets Tearra to her knees...SYNN rests on her good knee. She rises, bringing Tearra to her feet...Skye’s face is wrecked with pain, the fingers of SYNN pulling her mouth to the brink of tearing wide open. Skye throws a mule kick...she hits SYNN in the knee! SYNN staggers...she loses her grip...Skye breaks free. Skye hustles for the corner, she runs up the buckles, standing on the top rope...SYNN throws her entire body into the corner, causing Tearra to lose her balance and get crotched on the top~

Smith: Ouch!

Hood: I hope Tearra wasn’t trying to smuggle any drugs in her, ya know, natural pouch. Cause, if so, they’d be damaged goods right about now.

Smith: That’s a really disgusting assessment to make about a wonderful young woman who is in there fighting her heart out!

Hood: Nobody cares about her heart. Trust me.

~SYNN’s moment is NOW! She gingerly climbs to the top...putting all the pressure on her left leg. She stands at the top and pulls Tearra up, turning her around~

Smith: She can’t muster the strength to hit Beautiful Disaster from the mat so she’s gonna do it from the top!

Hood: Fuck...smart. Let gravity do the work!

Smith: If she hits this, the night will come to an abrupt end for young Tearra!

~SYNN starts to hook Tearra for Beautiful Disaster! But Tearra punches away on SYNN’s knee...punch, punch, punch...SYNN weakens. Her grip looses. Tearra breaks free, stands tall, she screams out and headbutts the shit out of SYNN!!! CRACK!!! SYNN’s body goes stiff and she falls from the top landing HARD on the mat! The fans are going wild on the PROUD AND STRONG! Skye stand all alone...she looks around the ILLUMINATUS chamber...bends her knees and she jumps off, landing on top of SYNN with G.D.J. (Swanton Bomb)!!!! The ring shakes from impact!!! The flames from the lit torches tremble! Skye hooks the leg! Tuff flips in for the count~

3!!!!

~Fans go wild!!! Skye rolls off of SYNN, holding her face, laying down on the mat! Tuff fires to his feet, pointing at something, hyped over the fall~

Belvedere: And, advancing to the second tier...Tearra Skye!!!

Smith: She did it! Tearra returned and survived the first tier of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS

Hood: Massive win. I mean, she’s still got, like 5 tiers to go...but a win over SYNN? That’s no joke.

Smith: SYNN is a future main event player in OCW. She’s just got to remain focused and get that knee healed up.

~The creepy owl people emerge from the shadows. The grab SYNN and drag her body out of the ring and into the darkness, removing her from the GREAT ILLUMINATUS. Skye continues to lay on the mat, face down...we’re unable to tell if she’s crying or just gasping for air...either way, it’s clear she gave IT ALL in an effort to survive this very first tier...to survive SYNN~

Smith: Proud of her, I really am. Stay the course, young lady. You’ve got too much talent to moonlight here and there. You’re a star.

Hood: Yea and next time, bring me some drugs so I can deal with this moron next to me.

Smith: Ugh

Hood: Okay, so that’s three...two more, right?

Smith: Indeed

sixteen

~We pull away from the recovering Tearra Skye and float back into Chamber 3 where Grayson remains seated, recovering, gearing up for Tier 2. We then float into Chamber 2. Alice does the patented OWL Strut (Flair walk, but with flapping wings and hooting). Claudia rolls around, holding her neck. Frost gets to all fours, reaching for her neck...Alice waves her hands in the air like an inflatable tube person, yelling out, “HOOOOOOOOT” before snatching Claudia by the head and bringing her in for THE APACHE. Frost blocks the move. Alice tries it again, but Frost blocks it one more time. Alice HOOTS and begins beating on Frost with her hands, trying to weaken the woman’s resolve~

Smith: She just can’t hit it, Hood. She can’t hit The Apache!

Hood: I can’t take you seriously with all that owl crap on. Be a good whore and take all that shit off like a professional.

Smith: I will not! HOOT!

~Frost drops to one knee. Alice HOOTS and reestablishes her grip...but Frost fires up and picks Alice up!! Frost charges towards a corner, trying to smash Alice into the buckles...but Alice manages to avoid the corner by lifting up and taking a seat on the top buckle. She hooks Frost’s head and punches her in the back. Frost grabs onto the ropes, trying to keep Alice from being able to move her around~

Smith: Both women are in a tough spot! Alice is trying to hit The Apache...Claudia is trying to do everything she can to avoid it!

Hood: You’ve got physical strength versus psycho strength. What will prevail?

~They continue their battle as we drift away, through the wall, and back into Chamber 1. Lux has Mose in a corner, he’s putting the boots to the young Maurako. Kick into the midsection, kick into the midsection...kick into the midsection! Mose gasps for air. Lux takes a step back before delivering a roundhouse kick right into Mose’s face!! Mose stumbles into Lux. Lux holds him back before leaping up and BLASTING Mose with a picture perfect standing dropkick! Maurako’s body SLAMS into the corner before falling front first onto the mat. Lux pops back to his feet...he looks strong, he looks confident...he looks in control~

Smith: The former OCW Champion looks about as good as I remember.

Hood: He’s teaching young Maurako a valuable lesson tonight.

Smith: That he is.

~Lux reaches down to pull Mose back up...but we drift back over, through the wall into Chamber 2. Frost holds onto the ropes for dear life. Alice punches and punches...she then grabs at Claudia’s ears and pulls them out! Frost lets go of the ropes! Alice grabs her by the head...she kicks off the buckles and spins around dropping Frost with a spinning version of THE APACHE!!! The fans go wild! PROUD AND STRONG hooting like crazy!!! Alice pops to her feet...she struts and hoots~

Smith: Look at her go! HOOT!!!

Hood: Oh, Smith...SMITH...haha

Smith: What? OH MY GOSH

~Behind Alice, we see Claudia sit up. Her eyes consumed by darkness. Alice hasn’t noticed. The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG scream and yell at Alice to turn around...but she can’t hear them. Frost pops to her feet. Alice, her back to Claudia, lets out one final HOOT before turning around to finish the job...only she gets met with a boot to the gut!! Alice doubles over!~

Smith: NO!

Hood: YES!

~Frost hooks Alice and drops her with OFF WITH HER HEAD!!!! Alice’s body goes limp! The entire PROUD AND STRONG contingent are silenced. Frost flips Alice over and makes the cover...Gruff drops down with the count~

3!!!!

Smith: NOOOOOOOO

Hood: Fuck yes. FUCK YES! Shots for everybody!

Belvedere: Ladies and Gentlemen...advancing into Tier 2...she is one half of The Influence...Claudia Frost!!!

~Alice is out. Frost sits up...her eyes returning to normal. She hears Belvedere’s voice and she looks over at Gruff. She can’t believe it! She jumps to her feet, celebrating...but after a few seconds, she reaches for her neck, staggering into a corner and taking a seat. As she does, the creepy owl people slip into the ring...they drag Alice out...they hoist her up and carry her out like a fallen angel. A moment of silence consumes THE PROUD AND STRONG~

Smith: I need a moment.

Hood: Take two. Hell, take two hundred. As Zeus is my witness, this is the greatest moment of my life!

~Smith sadly removes owl costume, returning to his usual self. He sits, quietly as Alice vanishes into the darkness, leaving THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. Frost remains, holding her neck...showing the ill effects of Alice’s attack. We then slowly creep away, through the wall and back into Chamber 1~

Hood: While this moron next to me relocates his balls...I’ll call the action. It’s this chamber and this chamber only for the remainder of the first tier, folks. Maurako or Lux? Let’s goooooo

seventeen

~Lux has Mose up...but Mose fights back!! He shoves Lux off and throws a heavy handed right fist...but Lux ducks it. Mose turns around, thrown off balance….Lux leaps up and wraps both legs around Maurako’s head...he spins around with a hurricanrana, throwing Maurako through the ropes!!! Mose’s body flies through the ropes, tumbling onto the apron and comes to rest on the freezing concrete. He sits up, rubbing his arms and back...it’s fucking cold. He’s still a little unaware, dazed. Lux hits the ropes. Mose rises to his feet...Lux sprints toward him...Lux leaps up, balances on the top rope and springboards forward, diving onto Mose!!! The impact sends both men CRASHING into the unforgiving, ice cold cement wall! THUD!!! Mose’s body hits first with Lux right behind! They land, HARD! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG chant “HOLY SHIT!”~

Hood: Lux...man, that dude is fired UP. Smith, you okay, pal?

Smith: I think I’ll be fine.

Hood: Trust me, her elimination was for the greater good of the promotion.

Smith: Can we just not talk about it, please?

Hood: Fine by me...got two badass second generation wrestlers going at it...let’s talk about them.

Smith: That I can do.

~Lux comes to...he sees Mose’s heavy body near him...he rolls it onto its back and he makes the cover!! Scruff flies through the ropes to the outside and slaps the concrete with the count~

SHOULDER UP!

Smith: Mose survives...for now

Hood: I know Xavier has had a rough year inside the ring. You think some doubt might start to creep in?

Smith: It could. He sounded...far less confident in his promo for THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS than he did when he was here previously.

Hood: Hanging around with idiots will do that to you.

~Lux is frustrated...but he remains focused. He gets to his feet and pulls Mose up to his. He slings Mose into the side of the GREAT ILLUMINATUS. Mose hits hard. He stumbles forward...but, again, Lux leaps up and dropkicks Mose right on the chin, sending Mose CRASHING back into the side of the GREAT ILLUMINATUS. Lux, on his knees, pops up and he takes Mose over with a SMALL PACKAGE!!! Scruff slides in with the count~

3!!!

NO!

Smith: He kicked out! Mose kicked out!

Hood: Damn, Lux stealing TLS’ move!

Smith: That was the finisher of the year for 2022!

~Lux sits up, shocked that Mose kicked out. He looks over at the younger, stronger prodigy. A young man with all the confidence in the world...the same type of confidence Lux once had. Is there doubt creeping into Lux? If there is, he tries not to show it. He goes back to work, pulling Mose to his feet and tossing him back into the ring. Mose flies through the ropes, tumbling across the mat. Lux hops onto the top rope...he stands, tremendous balance...Mose gets to his feet...Lux leaps off...but Mose ducks!! Lux lands on his feet. Both men turn around and Lux picks Mose up and hits a BLUE THUNDER BOMB!!! He holds on for the pin~

NO!

Smith: Another kickout! Look at Mose go!

Hood: Kid’s got the heart of his father...ya know, back when it actually worked.

~Lux leans back...he can’t believe this kid. Mose sits up and crawls into a corner. Lux drags himself up to his feet. Mose stands in the corner...Lux sprints forward and dives in with a splash...but Mose moves!! Lux, however, manages to stick the landing on the middle buckle. He then jumps up to the top buckle. Mose turns around...Lux leaps off with a beautiful moonsault!!! But Mose catches him!!! Mose then DRIVES Lux into the mat with a powerslam!!! Lux arches his back in pain. Mose remains on his knees, leaning forward, gasping for air~

Smith: What a reversal by Mose! What power!

Hood: He’s got it, Smith! He’s got the instinct and the talent...he’s putting it all together right before our very eyes!

Smith: I think the young Maurako has learned more tonight against Lux than he has doing anything over the past several years. A tortuous right of passage, if you will.

~Lux rolls onto all fours. Mose reaches for him...but Lux’s trap is sprung! He tries to get Mose onto his shoulders...Mose, however, overpowers Lux! He wraps Lux’s hands behind his head and brings him to his feet in a Full Nelson! Mose ragdolls Lux...the sheer power and strength shown by the prodigious Maurako is incredible. He lifts Lux high in the air and BAM!!! Plants him right into the mat!! Lux isn’t moving! Mose makes the cover, hooking the leg!~

3!!!

NO!

Smith: Lux with the shoulder up!

Hood: Fuckin hell. He looked just like his dad there, didn’t he?

Smith: Not gonna lie. For a minute I THOUGHT I was watching Mario.

~Lux tries to crawl away, heading for the ropes. He hugs the bottom rope. Mose grabs him by the legs. The look on Lux’s face is anything but confident...it’s clear the struggles he’s faced has him doubting whether or not he can finish the job. Mose tosses Lux over with a wheelbarrow suplex! Lux lands HARD!! He crawls back into a corner, holding his head. Mose charges forward, stomping on Lux. Over and over...until Lux appears out. Mose grabs Lux by the neck with both hands and DEADLIFTS the man out of the corner, high into the air...he spins around and drops Lux with a double handed sitout powerbomb!!! He holds on for the pin! Scruff slides in~

3...NO!

Smith: So close! What a match!

Hood: No shit. Standalone shit right here.

~We cut to Chamber 2 as Claudia can hear the action through the wall...she’s still catching her breath. We cut to Chamber 3...Grayson feels the ILLUMINATUS shake with each impact, he, too, looks around, wondering what is going on and who is battling who. Chamber 4 shows us Tearra holding her head, listening to all the reverberations coming from Chamber 1...and, finally, we see Chamber 5 where Axis and Ruff have ceased their card game, listening intently to what they can pick up from all the way across the bottom of the ILLUMINATUS~

Smith: Everybody is dialed in. We’re one fall away from ascending to the next tier.

Hood: All eyes are on Lux and Maurako right now.

~Mose is back on his feet. Lux is face down on the mat...he looks up. He appears concerned, lost. Did he really turn back and head to OCW so he could lose AGAIN? Is it all over for the wrestler many once considered the best in the world? Maurako yanks Lux to his feet...Lux tries to fight him off but Mose punches Lux into another dimension. He then hoists Lux up in a Gorilla Press!! Mose stares into the hard camera...the torches all lit behind him...he presses and presses and presses, “I CAN DO THIS ALL DAY” he brags~

Smith: Freakish strength. A natural.

Hood: Yea, but enough with the Captain America impersonation.

~Mose lets his guard down, bragging about his temporary dominance. Lux rakes him across the eyes!! Mose loses his balance and his grip. Lux swivels his hips around and he drops Mose with a TORNADO DDT!!!! Mose hits his head on the mat….but he pops to the mat!! He walks around like he’s drunk on his feet. Lux kips up!!! The fans are going wild! Mose turns around...Lux picks him up and drops him with THE CURE!!!!! Mose is down!!! Lux hooks both legs!!! Scruff slides in~

3!!!!!!

Smith: He did it! Xavier Lux survived!

Hood: Holy shit. I need 7 cigarettes...one for each Deadly Sin.

Belvedere: And the final wrestler advancing into Tier 2...he is a former OCW Champion...Xavier Lux!!!!

~Mose remains down. Like all the others, the creepy owl people enter and drag him out of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. Lux watches, shaking his head, “Only in OCW” he says. He leans back against the ropes, gasping for air~

Smith: A triumphant return for Xavier Lux...welcome back, champ!

Hood: Yes and the big, amazing reward he gets for that effort...is an immediate match against someone totally fresh.

Smith: Indeed. THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS bends for no man...or woman.

~Scruff walks up to Lux. Lux looks up...Scruff extends his hand. Lux swallows and closes his eyes...no time to rest. He takes Scruff’s hand and is helped up. An owl person points toward an open passage...Scruff and Lux enter, leaving Chamber 1, Tier 1. We cut to Chamber 2 to find Claudia holding her neck and exiting. Chamber 3 sees Grayon clutching his chest and exiting. Chamber 4 features Tearra Skye holding her battled head as she leaves. And, in Chamber 5, Axis congratulates Ruff on a competitive game of Go Fish as the two men exit...the first Tier is now empty~

Smith: Alright, fans...as our five competitors ascend into Tier 2, let’s take a break to remind everyone what’s up next.

Hood: Yes, remind them.

Smith: Hood?

Hood: Go ahead, remind them.

Smith: You don’t remember, do you?

Hood: It’s not my job to read all the fine fucking print, okay?

Smith: Fine. Our five survivors...Xavier Lux, Claudia Frost, Chris Grayson, Tearra Skye, and Axis will all ascend into Tier 2. In Tier 2 they will each take on a new entrant...a wrestler fresh and ready to go...a wrestler that has been waiting, listening to all the action.

Hood: They also get a chance to opt out, right?

Smith: Indeed. They may opt out at the start of Tier 2 and take the extra win.

Hood: This match is so fuckin hard, man.

Smith: I’m told the survivors have arrived.

eighteen

~We get a five sectioned shot of all five competitors. None of them are taking the ‘bribe’. They are gonna let it ride. We cut back to Chamber 5. Ruff is arguing with him over one of their hands in Go Fish when, suddenly...the ground starts to ache~

Smith: Uh oh...a door is opening.

Hood: And here...we...go…

~Axis stops. He looks into the darkness as the creepy owl person points, motioning for the new competitor to emerge. A small, lithe figure steps out of the darkness and into the light. The more knowledgeable fans gasp and go wild. The diehard, OCW centric fans pause, unsure of who they are looking at~

Hood: WHO IS THAT?

Smith: I’ve heard of her, Hood. She might be small...but she is extremely tough. One of the best wrestlers in the world.

Belvedere: Ladies and Gentlemen, entering THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS...making her return to Professional Wrestling...OCW gives you...PIXIE SLOANE!!!

nineteen

~Pixie steps into view. ‘Holy Shit’ chants pick up aboard the PROUD AND STRONG ship! The smart fans starting it and the diehard OCW fans joining in so they don’t look stupid. Sloane keeps an eye on Axis, who remains in the center of the ring...she paces around ringside as our view lifts overhead...we pan into Chamber 4...but we keep drifting over into Chamber 3. Chris Grayson is looking down at his chest when he, too, hears the clawing of concrete against concrete. Looking up, he sees the owl person pointing toward an opening, inviting the newest competitor to enter the fray~

Smith: Look who it is!

Hood: So glad he’s in this...let’s fuckin go, man! Let’s fuckin go!

Belvedere: Introducing next...he is the January Newcomer of the Month...he is...The Standard!!!

twenty

~Stan steps into the light. He reaches the ropes and leans forward, arms draped over the top rope, eyeing Grayson. Grayson stops messing with his wounded chest...he tries to project an image of toughness rather than vulnerability...we then hover over and float into Chamber 2. Claudia Frost is looking like a normal person at the moment. She’s asking Gruff to look at her neck, wondering if she might get a free pass all the way to the top. But Gruff just says, “Bitch, please.” And then...the concrete scratching synonymous with danger wakes them both the fuck up. Frost turns toward the opened portal and owl person motioning for someone to enter. Out steps an OCW OG...PROUD AND STRONG~

Belvedere: And, introducing next...he is a former Ascension and Tag Team Champion...he is...The Lost Stranger!!!

Smith: TLS is IN THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!

Hood: He’s been so close to the OCW Title all year, man. Donnie Harris screwed up his cash in two weeks ago...is tonight the night he finally takes PIC down and wins the OCW Title?

Smith: It might be. He’s the currently #1 ranked wrestler in the OCW standings.

twentyone

~TLS enters and looks over at Frost. He sneers, “A woman” and laughs...the man has always mocked female wrestlers. Frost scowls...we zoom in to her scowl...all the way in until darkness...before pulling back out and seeing Xavier Lux standing proudly in the center of the ring. He’s got the least obvious wear and tear, despite suffering through the most grueling first match. His pride is starting to return...he might be believing...is this his night? Is 2023 his year? And then, the cement scratches...an owl person drops to one knee and points toward an opening...Lux’s next test has arrived~

Smith: Oh my gosh…

Hood: I figured we’d see his protege...but not him. Is he really going to compete in this?

Smith: He must be. A bonafied legend stepping foot inside an OCW ring for the first time...within...THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS!

Belvedere: And, introducing the next person set to participate within THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS….Corey Smith!!!

~Indeed, it is COREY SMITH...the pro wrestling legend who has been mentoring Harmon Egan all this time. It appears as though he wants to spend one evening getting a taste of all that success. But, it won’t be easy...as the confident, talented Smith steps toward the ring, he finds himself looking directly into the eyes of a former OCW Champion. Xavier Lux...warmed up and ready to go. Corey pauses, looking around, taking in the dangerous surroundings...he slowly lifts a leg to get into the ring...the fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild~

Smith: I just want the fans to know that even though Corey’s last name is SMITH, I will remain impartial.

Hood: Gee, where was this professionalism last Tier?

Smith: I told you I didn’t want to talk about it anymore!

twentytwo

~Before Corey and Lux can come to blows...we float over...through Chamber 2...through Chamber 3...and back to Chamber 4. You thought we forgot about Tearra, right? Nope. She stands...growing increasingly anxious. The wound on her head very obvious~

Smith: We skipped right over poor Tearra.

Hood: Sounds like her opponent wants to be fashionably late. A real drama queen.

~The owl person slowly motions toward the wall…a door slides open. And in the darkness, a thin, striking figure emerges into the light~

Smith: HOLY SMOKES

Hood: NO FUCKING WAY

~The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild!!!~

Belvedere: And, the final entrant in Tier 2 within THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is...a former TransAtlantic Champion...she is...Vhodka Black!!!

Smith: A former TransAtlantic Champion! She beat Mack for the title!

Hood: A name I never thought we’d see back in OCW. Wow. THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS appeals to any and everyone...with the guts to compete inside it.

Smith: Vhodka may be a lot of things, Hood. But she isn’t gutless. She’s one of the proudest, strongest warriors in our sport.

twentythree

~Vhodka enters...Tearra straightens up, taking a moment to digest what’s going on. Like all wrestlers, she knows who Vhodka is...she probably respects, even admires Vhodka. But, tonight, she’s got to try and put Vhodka down. Vhodka reaches the ropes and leans forward, keeping an aloof, yet confident eye on Skye. Tearra swallows, hard. She’s completely aware of what has entered her chamber and the obstacle that awaits. With Vhodka sizing up her opponent and Tearra attempting to grapple with the moment...we float over into Chamber 5. Ruff yells out, ‘LET’S GET IT ON’ slamming his fist into his open hand. Pixie, still outside the ring, grabs onto the nearest corner and pulls herself up to the middle buckle. Axis smiles and motions for her to give him her best shot. Sloane is unimpressed with his posturing. She ascends to the top and stares down at her opponent...Axis is ready. Pixie leaps off...Axis widens his base, bracing for impact...so Sloane hits the mat and tumbles between his legs! Axis spins around, thrown...Pixie is back on her feet and she spins around with a roundhouse kick into Axsi’ face! Axis stumbles back! Sloane throws all her body weight into a few forearm smashes which send Axis into a corner. Pixie proceeds to deliver several lightning quick kicks into Axis’ midsection...Ruff looks on, having trouble keeping up with the speed of her kicks~

Smith: Look at her go...wow! Cerebral with uncanny quickness.

Hood: Well, she weighs about as much as a Cabbage Patch Doll so she’d better be quick.

Smith: Why do you have to compare her to a Cabbage Patch Doll?

Hood: Hey, just in weight. Trust me, she has better hair. Barely.

~Axis is reeling...Pixie takes a few steps back and uses his momentum to toss him over with an armdrag!! He hits the mat...he struggles to his feet...Pixie runs into the corner, springboards off the middle rope and connects with a spinning enziguri right into the side of Axis’ head!! He falls to the mat. Pixie lands on one knee showing early on that she is going to be a force within THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS~

Smith: If this is any indication, good luck to anyone facing Pixie.

Hood: And Axis thought GO FISH was difficult.

Smith: He’s got to be swimming right now.

Hood: Baited by that lure and got snatched.

Smith: Close to being gutted.

Hood: Filleted

Smith: Okay, that’s enough.

~With Pixie in control and Axis wondering what the hell just hit him...we pull up and pan over, through the wall into Chamber 4. Vhodka has enjoyed her moment. She’s taken it all in...the torches, ice cold walls. Fair enough. She enters into the ring. Tearra has quit selling the massive wound in her head. Trying to act like it isn’t there even if the visual says otherwise. Once in the ring, Black circles Tearra like an apex predator stalking its prey. Tearra seems frozen...isolated by the moment. Finally, Vhodka stops...she stands in front of Skye and shrugs...she then reaches out and they lock up! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild! Tearra tries to bully Vhodka back but the former TransAtlantic Champion is stronger than she looks, holding her ground. Tearra drops to the mat with an armdrag...but Black blocks it and wraps her arms around Tearra’s head. She’s almost got a sleeper on...Skye dives forward, tumbling...Vhodka releases her hold and tumbles forward into a corner. She pops to her feet...Skye gets to hers and charges in...but Vhodka moves!!! Skye stops short of hitting the buckles...Vhodka takes her over for a roll up...but Skye rolls through, coming to rest on one knee. Vhodka pops to her feet and she throws a wild kick at Tearra’s head!! Tearra leans back...Vhodka stumbles back...Tearra kips up! Vhodka steps forward...both women are now face to face...the fans continue to cheer and chant for both women, now~

Smith: We’re at a stalemate. Vhodka, arguably the biggest star in this business taking on…

Hood: The drug addict, Tearra!

Smith: If Skye could pull this off...this would put her on the map. It’d be a career defining win.

Hood: We’d have to keep a close watch on her for days. Can you imagine the type of partying she’d seek out if she won? She might literally turn into a puddle of drugs.

~Black nods...fair, fair. This Skye person knows her way around the ring. Vhodka goes for a lock up...but Skye blocks it. Vhodka tries to get a grip on Skye’s arm, but she’s able to avoid it. Vhodka stops...she smiles...she then throws a quick jab into the wound on Skye’s head!!! Skye stumbles back, holding her wound. Vhodka is like, “Well, she left me no options.” She then pursues Skye...she kicks Tearra in the gut. She climbs to the middle rope, balls up her fist and proceeds to bring it down into Skye’s wounded head~

Smith: The gloves are off!

Hood: She was never wearing any gloves. Nobody is. And we’re in an ICE PYRAMID.

Smith: Plenty of torches, Hood. THE TORCHES

Hood: I’m not sure about the physics in all of this, but whatever. CLASSIC OCW, BABY

~The fans continue to cheer Vhodka, despite her ‘alleged’ inclination toward cheating...or, well, cheap shotting the obvious wound in Skye’s head. While Vhodka slams fist after fist into Tearra’s head we pull out and pan back into Chamber 3. The former GOON, Chris Grayson. He stands tall, chest puffed out, doing his best to ‘peacock’ in front of Standard. Stan enters the ring and opens his hand like he’s going to shake it. Grayson looks at the hand and extends his...Stan then reaches back and SLAP!!! He slaps the shit out of Chris’s minced chest with an open hand!!! Chris yells out, falling back into the ropes. Stan uses the open hand a second time, slapping the taste right out of Grayson’s mouth!!! Chris drops to one knee, leaning half out of the ring, over the middle rope. Stan sees the red stain on Chris’ cheek...he then looks at his stained palm. He reaches forward, grabbing a handful of Chris’ hair, whipping him into a corner. Chris hits hard. Stan charges in and delivers a knee into Grayson’s gut...he then rubs the blood off his hand into Grayson’s hair~

Smith: Well, The Standard skipped all the formalities and went right into “I’m going to hurt this kid”

Hood: Grayson thought the guy wanted to shake his hand? Wake the fuck up, Goon!

Smith: It’s his first match, Hood. Or, well, his first match even close to this type of scale, scope, and competition. He’s going to make some rookie mistakes.

Hood: The sooner we get rid of this goon the better. DOWN WITH THE GOON

~Grayson does not like the feeling of being manhandled, treated like a kid. So he shoves Stan off him. Stan shoots him a look...Grayson’s eyes widen. Chris knows he’s got to fight or this dude will hurt him...he throws a right hand, but Stan blocks it and throws Grayson back into the corner. He punches Chris in the head and hooks his arms over the top rope...Grayson’s chest is exposed. Stan shows his hand...slowly he turns it, pointing the edge at Chris. Chris begs him off...but Standard is having NONE of it. He rears back and SMACK!!!! A knife edged chop that echoes throughout the entire ILLUMINATUS. Stan smiles, looking at the crimson’d edge of his hand and the weak, torn chest of Chris Grayson. The fans start to boo. Grayson leans forward, too weak to break free. Stan straightens him up and he rears back...as he does we pull away, floating over into Chamber 2. TLS enters the ring without any fear or trepidation~

Smith: Look at the way he just waltzes into that ring. As if she isn’t a thread.

Hood: Dude, he LITERALLY just stepped between the ropes.

Smith: Dripping with arrogance.

Hood: He stepped over the middle rope and is now inside the ring...that’s ALL he did.

Smith: Embarrassingly haughty.

Hood: Whatever.

~TLS approaches Frost...he towers over the Influence member. She looks up at the OCW veteran...legend. TLS smirks and mimes a kiss...Frost is having none of that, she fires up with a few forearm shots that send TLS staggering into the ropes...she whips him off...but TLS reverses and hooks her for a Belly to Belly...he holds a little longer than usual...she shoves free and is like, ‘What are you doing?!’ TLS laughs at her. She moves forward, throwing a kick at his knee...but he side steps it, spins around and hooks her from behind...again, he holds on a little longer than he should...she tries to get free, but he won’t let her go...so she throws a back kick right into his groin!!! TLS releases his hold and he drops to one knee~

Smith: I can’t blame her. He was making a mockery of her and this match.

Hood: I think that’s just his way of courting a woman. I mean, you saw what happened, Delia ran Claudia’s boyfriend off. The man was a doctor...those aren’t easy to snag, especially when you eat frosting all the time.

Smith: Even if his intentions were...somewhat pure, there’s no way she’d go for a man like TLS.

Hood: Why not? He doesn’t wear face paint anymore. He dresses up a bit. He’s friends with PIC. What’s not to like?

~Frost instinctively grabs TLS by the head for a suplex...but TLS powers through, rising to his feet and tossing Frost across his shoulders...he spins...and spins...and spins...Airplane Spin!!! He then dumps her forward with a Fireman’s Carry Slam!! She hits hard, arching her back and, well, looking a little nauseous. TLS takes a moment to feel around and amend the pain running through his little strangers...as he does, we fade over into Chamber 1. Former OCW Champion, Xavier Lux awaits pro wrestling stalwart, Corey Smith. Smith enters the ring...he heads for Lux. Lux stands his ground...and the two men waste no time, punches start to fly! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild~

Smith: And it’s kicking off! Corey Smith and Xavier Lux trading blows!

Hood: Corey’s achieved the type of success outside OCW that Lux, well, has simply failed to do.

Smith: A fact that probably burns Lux up.

Hood: If Lux can take him out of THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS that might go a long way in getting his mind right.

~Lux seems to be winning the brawl! Until, he rears back for a massive right hook...and Corey ducks! Lux’s momentum spins him around...Corey kicks him in the back of the knee, chopping the former champion to a kneeled position. Corey then kicks him in the back of the head, sending Lux to all fours. Corey pauses, looking into the camera...he flashes that charming smile while rubbing his chin a bit as if to say, “Okay, those punches kinda hurt.” The fans pop. He turns his focus back on the dangerous Lux. He pulls Lux to his feet...but on the way up Lux drives a few elbows into Corey’s midsection. Smith staggers...Lux rises and punches Smith in the head again. He backs him up against the ropes, whips him off...Smith sprints across the ring and hits the ropes...Lux turns and leapfrogs the incoming Smith...but Smith tumbles under a jumping Lux. Lux hits the mat, Smith springs to his feet...he kicks off the middle rope...Lux turns around and Smith wraps his legs around Lux and throws him across the ring with a Hurricanrana!!! The fans go wild!!! Lux’s body is thrown atop the middle rope where he remains, stunned, arms draped outside the ring, over the middle rope. Smith pops back to his feet, looking amazing…chants of “COREY!” echo throughout Antarctica~

Smith: Amazing agility. Amazing quickness. Guy is really something.

Hood: Yea, and he knows it, too. I guess that’s what happens when you hang out with Peter Pan a bunch.

Smith: I wonder if I could get him to introduce me.

Hood: Think you might get the family favor or some shit?

Smith: I mean, he IS a Smith.

Hood: Here we go...biased shit in full force.

twentyfour

~With Lux in trouble we float back over, through the wall and into Chamber 2. Frost gets onto all fours with TLS finally looking as though his lower, lower ‘abdominal’ pain is subsiding. Frost reaches for her neck...but holds off, realizing it’s a tell. TLS doesn’t pick up on it. She gets to the ropes...TLS grabs her by the hair, yanking her to her feet...Frost tries to kick him in the groin but he blocks it with his legs and smacks her across the face, annoyed that she keeps trying to exterminate the family line. Pissed that he straight smacked her, Claudia spits in his face. TLS immediately grabs her and throws her over his head with a T-Bone Suplex!! She hits hard. He pops to his feet and pulls Claudia back up...he hooks her from behind...but no ‘funny’ stuff this time, instead he tosses her over with a German Suplex!! Again, she hits hard, this time reaching for her neck. TLS is focused...in the zone...he doesn’t pick up on her injury. He grabs her by the legs and hooks them under his arms and falls back, slingshotting Claudia into the ropes!! Frost’s midsection hangs across the top rope where she teeters back and forth...TLS then dropkicks her feet, sending her tumbling dangerously over the top rope, onto the apron before her body comes to rest on the cold concrete slab outside. TLS slowly returns to his feet~

Smith: Damn, he turned it up a notch.

Hood: I had no idea TLS knew how to do a suplex, let alone one named after a big chunk of steak.

Smith: He locked in for a second. Believe it or not, the man does know how to wrestle.

Hood: I choose...NOT to believe it.

~TLS steps through the ropes, pursuing Claudia. She sees TLS heading her way and crawls across the concrete surface until she’s backed up against the wall. She winces but refrains from reaching for her neck. TLS reaches down, grabbing her around the head and pulling her to her feet...he reaches back and tries to SLAM the back of her head into the concrete wall...but Frost throws her foot back, kicking the wall to leverage herself against TLS. He struggles overpowering her. He looks down at her, annoyed. She looks up at him, determined~

Smith: I can’t believe he’s trying to bash her head into the wall!

Hood: I think he knows she’s possessed. He’s simply trying to slay the beast, Smith. Kinda like how Claudia slayed THE BEAST in Tier 1.

Smith: Ah! Too soon, Hood. TOO SOON

~The struggle comes to a halt when Frost hits the ground and surprises TLS with a drop toe hold!!! He lunges into the wall...but catches himself with his hands, avoiding a face-on-concrete impact! Frost rises up behind him, she hooks him around the waist...the fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG rise up! Can she do it??? She yanks back, stumbles and, well, she kinda does it! She delivers a sloppy German Suplex on TLS, sending him between the top and middle rope and into the ring!! TLS lands on his head, hard! He rolls around, holding the back of his head in pain. The PROUD AND STRONG fans give Claudia a strong applause for the effort~

Smith: Frost was able to toss her previous opponent…

Hood: ALICE

Smith: ...her previous opponent around with ease. She won’t have the same luxury against TLS.

Hood: True, but sometimes a sloppy suplex hurts more than a perfectly executed one.

~With TLS down and Frost taking her time entering the ring, allowing the pain in her neck to ease up, we float above the two competitors and through the wall, back into Chamber 3. CHOP!!!! Standard’s hand slices across Grayson’s chest once again...we’re not sure how many times he’s chopped the former Goon since we left, only it’s enough to have worsened an already agitated condition. Standard grabs onto the top rope and he lifts is leg up...he proceeds to throw several high kicks in quick succession right into Grayson’s chest. It’s hard to keep count, due to the rapid firing. Once done, Stan steps back and watches as Grayson steps forward before collapsing to the mat~

Smith: The Standard showing zero remorse toward young Chris Grayson.

Hood: It’s THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS. One wrong move and your hopes and dreams are crushed. If you got someone down, step on their throat.

Smith: Something I have no doubt The Standard won’t be bothered by accomplishing.

~Stan reaches down, grabbing Grayson by the hair...he pulls the pain riddled youngster to his feet once more and delivers a vicious forearm uppercut to the chest, creating a blood mist. Grayson stumbles back into the ropes...he staggers forward...Stan throws a roundhouse kick...but Grayson CRIP WALKS underneath it! Stan turns around...Grayson hits the ropes. He bounces off and Stan SLUGS him with a clothesline into the chest...Grayson falls to his knees, holding his chest...Stan then shoves him to the mat. With Grayson down and The Standard towering over him, we float back over into Chamber 4~

Smith: The good news for Grayson is that chest injury isn’t really damaging, per se. Not like a ligament. But it’s going to sting and hurt for the rest of his tenure inside THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS.

Hood: It’s going to make his chest look like a metropolis road map from thousands of feet in the air. Totally ruin his poolside game.

Smith: True.

Hood: Then again, he WAS a goon so he probably has no game.

~Vhodka continues to punch Tearra in her bashed forehead. The fans stop counting along, worried that Tearra might take some permanent damage. Eventually, Skye’s legs give out and she falls to her ass in the corner. Vhodka hops off the middle buckle and looks down at her wounded opponent. She takes her leg and jams her foot into Skye’s throat, choking her...she then slowly moves her foot up Tearra’s face before pressing it into her head! Skye screams and kicks her legs, desperate for a reprieve~

Smith: This is turning into a nightmare for Tearra.

Hood: Worse than any detox she’s ever experienced, I’m sure.

Smith: The excitement of facing a female competitor she probably looks up to...has quickly become a horror show.

Hood: Classic OCW, baby!

~Skye reaches up for the middle rope and uses her strength and leverage to pull up and get her knees into Vhodka’s midsection. She pushes Vhodka back! Vhodka stumbles back, on one leg...she regains her balance and pursues...only this time Skye smacks her in the face with a kick, spinning Black around. Tearra then takes a beat, diving out of the ring onto the apron and crawling across the cold concrete into a dark corner under a lit torch. She needs rest...recovery~

Smith: I don’t know how much rest Tearra can find. There’s not a lot of room in that chamber to hide.

Hood: Plus, I heard she was very bad at hide-and-seek growing up.

Smith: I never heard that.

Hood: Yea, she’d always hide in the medicine cabinet.

Smith: HOOD

~Vhodka shakes the kick off and does a quick survey, locating Tearra. She heads out of the ring, toward her injured opponent. Skye gets up, back against the wall as Vhodka steps closer. Tearra reaches up, grabbing the bottom of the lit torch and pulling herself up...she kicks her legs at Vhodka. Vhodka tries to fight the kicks off...but Tearra manages to wrap her legs around Vhodka’s head!! Vhodka rips Tearra back, tearing her grip off the torch...she now has taken control, holding Tearra up for a powerbomb!! Vhodka prepares to powerbomb Tearra onto the concrete...but Tearra leans in and bites Vhodka on the head! Vhodka staggers back, onto the apron...back even further, against the ring post...Tearra stops biting, grabs Vhodka’s head and SLAMS it into the ring post! She does it again and again until Vhodka lets her go. Tearra drops down in front of a punch drunk Black...she hip tosses her over, Vhodka landing HARD on the apron. Tearra then backs up, hops onto the middle buckle from outside the ring and dives at Vhodka with a splash!! She connects, landing all her weight on Vhodka, pressing her into the apron! The fans go wild, cheering Tearra’s fighting spirit on!~

Smith: Tearra has eschewed her fears and anxieties and she’s competing! Competing against one of the best in the world!

Hood: It’d be a hell of an upset, that’s for sure. If she can pull it off.

Smith: A true shocker! A win that would MAKE the career of someone like Tearra Skye.

~Tearra is down, holding her midsection with her head still throbbing. Vhodka is laid out on the apron...we pull up and way, floating into Chamber 5. Axis crawls into a corner, holding his head. What the hell came out of that hole in the wall? What is he forced to deal with? He gets to his feet and turns around...only to find Pixie charging at him...she throws her entire body into the air, slamming it with reckless abandon into Axis!!! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG pop!! Axis stumbles forward, tripping over Pixie and falling to the mat~

Smith: She’s sort of a kamikaze, Hood. What she lacks in size and strength she makes up for a devil-may-care style that features her body being thrown around as a legitimate weapon.

Hood: Yea, I think Axis was prepped for some locks ups...body slams, suplexes...instead, he gets the human weapon.

Smith: Indeed!

~Pixie doesn’t rest. With Axis face down...she pops to her feet and hops onto the middle rope...she then leaps up, bringing her knees to her chest and her feet down into the back of Axis!!! Axis yells out, kicking his feet, reaching for his spine. Pixie tumbles forward, coming to rest safely on one knee, snaring the middle rope to brace herself. She spins around, watching Axis squirm. She then leans into the ropes, shoots off and slides in with a baseball slide kick to the side of Axis’ face!!! His movements slow, he flips over and Pixie goes for the pin! Ruff slams his fist into his hand and drops down to make the count~

Kick Out!!!

Smith: Axis survives! For now.

Hood: He needs to hit this woman with a clothesline or a straight right hand...something to slow her the fuck up.

Smith: You can’t hit what you can’t see, Hood!

Hood: Wait...is Axis BLIND?

Smith: That’s not what I meant!

~Axis kicks out with oomph, sending Pixie flying...but she lands on her feet. Axis rolls over, getting to all fours, but Pixie is on him, hopping onto his back and wrapping her legs around his waist while grabbing onto the hair in the back of his head...she looks to drive his face into the mat. Axis’ arms flex out as he uses all the strength in his body to prevent this from happening. He yells out, firing up to one knee...Pixie still on his back. Axis gets to his feet...he then runs back into a corner...but Pixie lets go and slides through the ropes at the last second! Axis SLAMS his back into the corner...he stumbles forward. Pixie hops up onto the top rope and waits for Axis to turn around...he does and she leaps off with a crossbody...but Axis jumps forward and he SPEARS her in midair, taking her to the mat!!! The entire ring shakes!!! The flames in the chamber tremble! Pixie is finally down, holding her midsection while Axis remains on the mat, recovering from her early onslaught~

Smith: Great move by Axis...one he had to have if he was going to have any hope of surviving this Tier.

Hood: Yea, that’s the problem with such a size disparity. The smaller wrestler can be in control for 90% of the match and then BOOM...one big move and they’re down.

Smith: The laws of gravity and physics once again rear their ugly head.

~The realization hits Axis. He can’t stay down...if he does, he’ll lose what little momentum he just seized. He struggles to his feet...stumbling around. Pixie is curled up on the mat. Axis grabs her by the hair and yanks her off the mat...but she fights him off! The PROUD AND STRONG cheering her on...she hits him with forearms and kicks, sending him stumbling into the ropes. She whips him off the ropes...but he instantly reverses her into a short arm clothesline!!!! Pixie’s body goes limp...but she doesn’t hit the mat...Axis holds onto her arm, her body hanging from his grip. He then violently pulls her into him and hooks her for a suplex! He hoists her up with ease...he looks over his shoulder, backing up and backing up until he falls back, dropping her dangerously across the top buckle!!! She hits hard!!! Pixie’s legs dangle over the corner while her body hangs inside the ring, upside down. Axis kips up...he’s smiling, he’s shaking off the punishment doled out to him at the outside...he turns around, staring Pixie down~

Smith: And just like that Axis is in full control.

Hood: Pixie might need some dust or whatever to give her the magic power to reverse the tone of this shit.

Smith: Are you referring to Pixie dust?

Hood: Maybe. Hey, don’t look at me like that, I’m no expert in fairies.

Smith: I’m just saying. It’s okay if you are.

~Axis approaches the very prone, vulnerable Pixie. He stomps a boot into her chest. She coughs...her body bounces violently against the corner. Axis kicks her again. Her body bounces violently once more, this time out of the corner, toward Axis...he catches her and tosses her over his shoulder. He looks for something...he eyes the buckles...then the post...then something else. He backs up...charges forward and he throws Pixie like a dart through the air...she flies out of the ring and SMACK! Her body SLAMS into the side of the pyramid!! It SLAPS down against the cold, hard concrete surface. Axis leans forward, against the ropes, staring at her body...barely visible via the torches light sneaking down and into the dark corner of the chamber. Axis flexes his bicep showing that big always fucks small. The PROUD AND STRONG boo him a bit. We pull away from Axis gloating and float back over into Chamber 4~

Smith: I can’t believe he did that to Pixie. He might have seriously injured her.

Hood: Dude, they are fighting inside a DEATH PYRAMID. This isn’t exactly Sunday School.

Smith: Yea but a little common decency would be nice.

Hood: Okay, fine, we’ll see how ‘decent’ Pixie is with his ass if she regains the advantage.

~Vhodka sits up on the apron...her feet under the bottom rope, sticking in the ring. Tearra stands behind Vhodka, stumbling. Vhodka reaches up, grabbing the top rope...she pulls up, jumps up and brings her feet down on the middle rope before springing backward and slamming her ass into Tearra’s head!!! Tearra stumbles back against the wall. Vhodka drops down, staring at Skye...she then spins around with a back elbow...but Tearra catches her!! Tearra hooks Vhodka around the waist and throws her back with a German Suplex...but they’re right up against the wall of the GREAT ILLUMINATUS...so Black’s head HITS the wall without either woman going over...Skye brings her back down, maintaining her waist lock from behind…together, the two women stumble toward the ring. Vhodka reaches out, grabbing the middle rope, her face wearing an expression that can be summed up as ‘immense pain’. Skye pulls back, trying to rip Vhodka away from the ropes~

Smith: It’s a struggle in there right now. Vhodka’s starting to take a fair amount of punishment and it’s leveling things out.

Hood: Both women are gonna have to go into concussion protocol after this one. Haha.

Smith: And why is that funny?

Hood: Oh just the idea that we’d check anyone for a concussion...or, ya know, anything other than MAGICO.

~Skye pulls back with all of her might and she finally RIPS Vhodka away from the ropes...the momentum sends Skye spinning and falling back...as she does, she throws Vhodka over her head with a sloppy but effective German Suplex! Vhodka SLAMS into the ring post!!! Mostly her back, her head narrowly missing a knock out blow...but the impact is still intense, leaving her leaning forward, seated against the post. Tearra lays on the mat, staring up into the dark, dark ceiling, catching her breath~

Smith: Tearra fighting through pain and exhaustion to try and defeat the legendary Vhodka Black.

Hood: I heard Vhodka was dealing with some major personal issues. Kids or some shit. Real Jerry Springer stuff.

Smith: I’m not here to speculate.

Hood: Aww, c’mon. Speculation is fun...like, do you think those kids might be crab people?

Smith: You’re insane.

~With both Tearra and Vhodka down we pull away and float through the wall and back into Chamber 3. Stan grabs Grayson by his thick hair and yanks back on the young man’s head, bending his neck. Stan then takes his hand and forms a ‘claw’...he drives it down into Grayson’s chest, digging his hand and fingers into the fresh wounds. Chris yells out in pain as Puff looks on, waiting to see if the former Goon wants to throw in the towel~

Smith: Violently innovative.

Hood: This might be ‘wrestling’ but THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is simply about survival.

Smith: Indeed.

~Stan stares down into the eyes of Grayson...all Grayson can see looking at him is pain, torture, no mercy. Grayson’s time within THE GREAT ILLUMINATUS is teetering on the edge of elimination. It’s time to fight...he rears back and punches Stan in the ribs. He does it again and again. Stan staggers. Grayson fires up...he gets to one knee and slugs Stan in the midsection! Stan is rattled. Grayson jumps up with a huge uppercut right into Stan’s chin!!! Stan falls back into the ropes, removing his hand from Grayson’s wounds! Grayson is on his feet, his chest leaking blood...but his expression is as fresh as we’ve seen it...he charges forward and clotheslines Standard over the top rope and onto the apron!! Stan hits hard!! The GOONS all around the world go wild!! Grayson heads for the nearest corner~

Smith: Here we go! Grayson fighting back...showing some life!

Hood: About damn time. Standard was about to make Grayson his very own goon.

Smith: The wounds these wrestlers accrue before moving up a tier definitely take their toll. This match is not for the weak.

Hood: Only for the PROUD AND STRONG

~Grayson reaches the top...Stan is on all fours...he crawls back toward the ring, draping his arms over the middle rope for support. Grayson leaps off, into the ring, and he comes down on Stan with a scissor kick!!! BOOM! The impact sends Standard flipping through the ropes and back into the ring!! Grayson pops back to his feet!! He’s got The Standard down...he pulls him up and whips him into a corner...Stan hits hard! Grayson flies in with a big splash!!!! Grayson backs up...Stan stumbles forward and Grayson jumps up with another Scissor Kick...this one to the face!!! Stan’s body stiffens up before collapsing backward onto the mat!!! The fans aboard the PROUD AND STRONG go wild! Grayson starts to crip walk around the ring~

Smith: Stop that celebrating, Chris! It’s premature!

Hood: Don’t blow your load too early, Goon. You gotta impregnate the bitch first.

Smith: I mean, I guess.

Hood: GET THE JOB DONE

~Grayson finishes his Crip Walk and pauses...he then looks up at the sky and flexes letting out a guttural “YURRRRRRRR!!!!” The entire PROUD AND STRONG ship rocks with “YURRRR” being thrown back, in kind, by the fans. Grayson then goes back after Stan...but Stan crawls away, through the ropes and onto the apron. The fans BOOOO. Chris grabs onto the top rope, staring down at Stan...he yells, “SERIOUSLY?” Stan pays him no attention, pulling himself to his feet on the outside...Grayson backs up and nods...he hits the ropes! He sprints forward...he flips over the top rope to the outside and BLASTS Stan with a flipping clothesline...YURRRRRRR!!! Stan’s body flies into the side of the chamber!!! He stumbles forward, collapsing front first...Grayson rolls him over and hooks the leg!!! Puff stumbles down for the count. The fans count along~

3!!

NO!!!

Smith: Shoulder up!! Stan got his shoulder up!

Hood: Fuckin Goon, man. He nearly ruined Standard’s life.

Smith: A bit extreme.

Hood: I dunno, man. It’s one thing to lose...it’s another thing to lose to a GOON.

~With the fans and, more importantly Grayson and Stan reeling over that nearfall we pull up and out, scrolling back over into Chamber 2. TLS is on all fours in the ring, eyes wide...did a WOMAN just toss him around? Claudia steps back into the ring and stomps her foot on his hand. TLS grimaces, looking up at the thick, powerful woman standing over him. Some men might actually enjoy this...but not TLS...he’s always looking for a way to keep the women down. He takes his free hand and punches her in the gut...she leans over...but something comes over her...it’s that look...her eyes change. TLS tries to punch her again...but this time she grabs his hand and brings it to her mouth~

Smith: She’s going to try to eat TLS’ hand!

Hood: Well, I mean, she’s a big boned gal and she’s been in there awhile. Probably famished.

Smith: This is the type of act Delia exhibited that drove Claudia’s future doctor husband away!

Hood: Dude, you’re way too into that shit.

~TLS yanks his hand out from under her boot and uses it to pull his other hand away from her mouth. He gets up, staring at Claudia, incredulously. But, all he gets in return is a dark, cold stare...and then pursuit. Claudia pursues him. The nonplussed, perplexed TLS backs into a corner...he does what any person would do when backed up, he throws a punch...but Claudia blocks it and she unloads on TLS with punch after punch after punch~

Smith: Claudia is beating the daylights out of TLS!

Hood: Oh man, he’s never gonna live this down.

Smith: I think those punches would stagger anyone, Hood. Look at the force behind them!

Hood: Takes her back to the days as a child, beating on that ice cream truck for some cold frosting.

Smith: Stop!

~TLS is staggered. He’s thrown! He shoves Claudia back, just to get her off of him. She takes a few steps back...TLS charges forward with a clothesline...but Claudia blocks it! TLS spins around, Claudia hooks him around the waist for a German Suplex. TLS stands his ground, remembering the previous German and how she barely got him over...but this time Claudia lifts him up with ease, tosses him over and DRIVES his head into the mat! She bridges for the pin!! Gruff drops down with the count~

KICK OUT!

Smith: Wow! TLS had better WAKE UP.

Hood: Dude, it’s like she just ate a bunch of roids. Look how much stronger she is all of a sudden.

Smith: It’s some type of motivation...some type of energy that’s beyond my limits of explanation.

~TLS rolls over, onto his knees, staring in shock at Claudia who slowly returns to her feet, staring back down at him. TLS gets to his feet and he backs into a corner with Claudia pursuing. TLS throws a kick into her groin…maybe just to, check? She shakes it off like a pro. She slugs TLS across the face before delivering a knife edged chop across his chest. TLS leans forward, transitioning from stunned to hurt. Claudia then grabs him and ragdoll tosses the OCW star nearly halfway across the ring! TLS hits the mat hard, wincing in pain. With Claudia heading his way, we pull out and float back over into Chamber 1~

Smith: If Claudia keeps this up then she’s going to have no trouble advancing into the third tier.

Hood: Dude, she might be the first winner of Tier 2.

Smith: TLS has to find some way...some method to break whatever spell has overcome Claudia Frost.

Hood: It isn’t very often TLS is on the wrong side of ‘mystery’

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