Message #19956

[Adam Grant]

The show heads back to the ring, and there we find Gaby stepping through the ropes with a smile on her face. There’s also a microphone in her hand.

Zack: What we are about to see here is class warfare at its finest. You got  a hard working blue collar girl like Gillie Barnes, and an elitist who considers herself a blue blood in Valerie McKinley. Joining me is the reigning FFW Champion Jo McFarlane. Welcome to Resistance!

Jo: Thanks, Zack! I’m looking forward to this one! Though I might be slightly biased, Gillie is one of my favourite prospects.

Gaby: The following contest is scheduled for one fall!

“Let's take you back to the concrete streets!
Original beats with real live mc's!
Playground tactics!
No rabbit in a hat tricks!”

Gaby: Introducing first from Sheerness, England... “OLD SCHOOL” GILLIE BARNES!!

Gillie comes out to no music behind her, but that’s because she comes with an old school looking boombox i.e. ghetto blaster on her left shoulder as well as her ring gear and a large piece of cardboard in her right hand. The boombox plays a loud rendition of “Concrete Schoolyard” by Jurassic 5 as she continues walking down the ramp. Gillie puts down the cardboard and the boombox before doing a backspin dance move on the cardboard. With a grin she kips up and rolls into the ring to the cold reaction of the crowd. She hangs on the ropes as she waves before doing some last moment stretches.

Zack: Gillie is one of our most popular Prospects, but she’s getting a pretty chilled reaction here tonight at Resistance. And that’s because her opponent….I expect...is going to get a much warmer reception.

Jo: In all honesty, I can’t say that I’m completely shocked that this is the case. She is facing the hometown girl, and...well, we saw the support that the Unity Champs got a week ago in Rio against another massively popular team. I don’t think Gillie seems to mind that she’s getting this reaction too much though.

The lights in the arena sharply cut off, leaving everything in complete darkness. The chiming of a clock is heard echoing in the darkness, followed by a chipper, circus like chime tone. As the tone chimes on, a vibrant gold spotlight shines down on the top of the stage. The circus chimes are soon replaced by the opening chorus of “Villain” by Wild Fire.

"Tic tic toc, the time bomb clock
Ticks grinning ear to ear here baby
Tic Tic Toc, the time bomb clock
ticks counting down...
tic, tic stop!"

At the exact moment “stop” is sung, the song kicks into full gear, setting off a series of shimmering gold strobe lights going off on either side of the ramp. A few seconds pass before the controversial redhead, Valerie McKinley makes her way out from behind the curtain and stands in the immediate center of the stage, standing in the gold spotlight. Coming out behind her and standing next to her was her manager, one Kyle Kilmeade.

"You know I speak in riddles,
And I’m plotting to destroy
Villain as I always was
Crazy is as crazy does"

Clad in a mid-thigh length leather jacket worn open over her gear, Valerie looks around at the crowd showering her with a roar of the crowd. She looks over at Kyle and the pair simply smile at one another. The strobe lights begin to lessen in intensity as the pair makes their way down the aisle, her arms at her side and a focused look on her face. As she makes her way to the ring, the fans on either side of the aisle getting very loud at her appearance rather noticeable, which Valerie simply acknowledges with a smile.

"My sanity's in short supply
Mad as a hatter, hey surprise!
T-T-T-Ticking bomb on the inside
Livin' with the villain pacing in my mind."

Gaby: Ladies and gentlemen, making her way down to the ring, being accompanied by Kyle Kilmeade…..from right here in Providence, Rhode Island…….Valerie McKinley!!

The cheers grow louder as Kyle hops up onto the apron and climbs into the ring. Valerie hops up onto the apron and spins around so her back is resting on the ropes. With her head bowed, she lifts both arms up towards her head and has her pointer finger and thumb on both hands close to her head. She lifts her head up and extends her arms out, her fingers pointing out at the crowd like pistols. She then makes a motion like she was firing her finger guns at the crowd before turning around to see Kyle already holding the ropes open for her. She steps through the open ropes and into the ring.

"I'm blowing up the mystery
And all the pretty things you see
Light flame to fuse
And Sparks will fly
You said goodnight
Now say goodbye."

Once in the ring, she walks around with her arms extended outward, reveling in the adoration from the crowd. She walks over to the corner and peels off her jacket, letting it drop to the apron as the lights return to normal and her music fades out. She rests her back against the turnbuckles and brushes a few stray strands of hair out of her face, awaiting the start of the action.

Zack: Valerie McKinley is getting a reception unlike we’ve ever heard, they love her! Even Kilmeade’s getting cheers, mostly by association! She’s eating this up!

Jo: She has every right to! It’s not often Future Shock girls get to say that they went home for a night, so she might as well! I mean I don’t personally get it, given that she’s also meant to represent the city and state, but there’s the breaks, I guess.

Referee Melinda Davis checks both women before she calls for the bell. The crowd begins chanting for the redhead, bringing a wider smile to Valerie’s face. Gillie looks around at the fans with wide eyes, a little taken aback by the support of which she was getting very little. The two met in the center as Valerie began telling Gillie these were her people. She pointed out to the crowd with that same smile on her face, letting her take ti all in. As Gillie looked about, McKinley caught her with a thumb to the eye….to a pop from the crowd...before she began hammering right hands into her head. It rocked Gillie backwards as Valerie laid those shots in, and worked her back into the ropes before slapping her across the face. The crowd loved it until it fired Gillie up, and she started returning those right hands as well. The shots were going fast before Barnes fired her into the far corner. A running corner clothesline crushed her against the turnbuckles before Gillie used a back body drop to put her on the canvas. The Providence crowd started booing Gillie louder now, clearly distracting her as she looked around at them.

Jo: She didn’t seem to mind the frosty reaction, but now the crowd not being on side is really bothering her! I can’t say I blame her for feeling that way either! I would too!

Zack: It’s one thing to get a cool crowd when you come out. It’s quite another to get booed like you stole something, and Gillie hasn’t done a thing wrong to deserve it.

Gillie’s distraction at the disdain she was getting allowed Valerie time to recuperate. She got back to her feet, and caught Barnes with a palm thrust to the throat that choked her up. She shoved her back into the corner, peppering her with right hands to the head before she climbed up onto the middle turnbuckle, and wrapped the tag rope around her neck to choke her out. Meanwhile, Kyle was asking the referee something, as the choke went on with the crowd loving every second of it!

Zack: McKinley is using that tag rope to choke Gillie out, and this crowd…..they love it! Against any other opponent, they wouldn’t. But Valerie McKinley can do no wrong in Providence!

Jo: She most certainly cannot! This proves an old thing we used to say about FUture Shock fan votes - fans are an odd bunch! Break the rules, we don’t care! We’re here to support you!

McKinley finally let go, and dropped back down to the mat. A quick snapmare sent Gillie over to the mat before Valerie measured a knee drop into her head. The redhead dropped to sit behind her, and applies a headscissors. She quickly rolled onto her stomach, and began to bounce Gillie’s head off the mat with her legs. A grin formed on her face before she rolled her back to a seated position, and used a side headlock to bring her down to the mat. Kyle actually managed to rally the crowd to get them chanting Valerie’s name, which only made the blue blood smile brighter.

Zack: This may be the first time I have ever seen Kilmeade actually get  a crowd behind one of his clients. They booed him out here when Lacey was competing earlier, but Valerie….not even close!

Jo: Different circumstances, Zack. But they’ve every reason to be cheering her, at least at this moment, given that Gillie hasn’t actually had a look in on this match yet.

McKinley used her arm to grind the side headlock in until Gillie started to get back to her feet. She tried to shoot her off into the ropes, but that didn’t seem to be working as Valerie seemed almost glued to where she stood. Instead, the brunette fired a kidney punch into her lower back and scooped her up into a back suplex. That finally broke Valerie’s grip as Gillie started to get back to her hands and knees. As the redhead began to do the same, Gillie scurried across the ring with a headbutt on all fours. It rolled McKinley over to the canvas, only for her to catch another headbutt with Gillie on all fours. She was about to connect with a third before Valerie rolled out of the ring to the floor, causing Kyle to come check on her. Gillie got back to her feet to boos raining down around her, looking out at the crowd with her mouth slightly open at their response.

Jo: I’m...not entirely sure what they’re booing here. Clearly it’s not Valerie, because obviously. But it makes no sense whatsoever that they’d boo someone for getting back on their feet.

Zack: This crowd is as much in the pocket of Valerie McKinley as anyone could be. It doesn’t matter what Gillie does, she gets no love from them at all.

It clearly bothered her for a moment before she took off for the far side, building up some speed before delivering a baseball slide to the outside. It sent Valerie back into the barricade, and Gillie immediately scooped up into a gorilla press and threw her over the bottom rope back into the ring. The boos only got louder as she climbed up onto the apron, once again looking out at the ire of the crowd before she stepped back into the ring. She finally turned her attention back to her opponent as Valerie was starting to get up. She pulled her up the rest of the way, driving forearms across her back before she hoisted her over one shoulder. Barnes took off for the corner with a snake eyes, dropping Valerie face first across the top turnbuckle. When the redhead staggered out, Gillie hopped up onto the second rope from the inside with a clothesline to put her back down.

Zack: Gillie’s gotta get this crowd out of her head. I know it’s unnerving, but every time she stops to look at them, it gives McKinley a little longer to get her bearings.

Jo: Exactly. And every time Valerie gets another couple of seconds, it’s more recovery time and recovery time when you’re trying to put someone down is a bad thing. Especially when you’re not completely gassed yourself.

Barnes moved towards the corner, getting into a three point stance as though she were playing football. As soon as Valerie was on her feet, Gillie barreled out of the corner with a running shoulder tackle that sent Valerie to the canvas in a heap. As the redhead tried to get to her feet again, Gillie gave her a big elbow to the top of her head. It rocked her backwards as Gillie delivered a second and third. She rolled her arms, spat in her hand, rubbed her elbow and delivered a bionic elbow that dropped Valerie where she stood…...again to massive boos!

Jo: YES! Go Gillie! She’s needed to get back into this and she’s getting there now! Now...if she can just ignore the people behind the barriers...

Valerie was slow to get up before Gillie hoisted her over her shoulders. She closed her eyes, and began an airplane spin. They spun around and around and around for at least nine revolutions before Gillie lost her balance, and fell on top of her. The referee decided it was a cover, and dove to count.

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Valerie got her shoulder up, and Gillie sat up after that. Her eyes were very wide as she swayed where she sat, trying to get her equilibrium restored after all the spinning.

Jo: Well I can’t blame ref for deciding that was a cover, and it got Gillie a near fall as well! So worth it! She’ll be bloody dizzy after that though.

Zack: She’s not the only one if she is. I’ll never understand the allure of airplane spin, but if she wanted to throw off her opponent’s balance...and her own, mission accomplished!

Gillie finally got her bearings, and went back to her feet. She grabbed Valerie with her, pulling her up as well before planting her head between her legs. With the crowd solidly against her, she hoisted her up for a spinning powerbomb. She got her up onto her shoulders, and was about to spin before Valerie countered into a hurricanrana that bounced Gillie’s head off the canvas instead. The crowd cheered loudly as McKinley crawled towards the ropes to get back to her feet. She was still a bit dizzy after both the airplane spin and then the previous offense from her opponent.

Zack: I can’t blame Valerie for still feeling a little woozy. She must feel like she’s been locked in the dryer. Barnes has never hit that spinning powerbomb once, and tonight won’t be any different.

Jo: More’s the pity, really. Though I think we can attribute that to the aforementioned dizziness.

Valerie began to get her bearings finally as Kyle pointed out Gillie was starting to get up behind her. The Sheerness native started towards her, causing Valerie to catch her with a handspring back elbow to the jaw. It stumbled Barnes backwards before Valerie grabbed her head into a single knee facebreaker! She quickly rolled her over for the cover as the crowd counted with the referee!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

THR-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPE!!!

Barnes got her shoulder up, and Valerie rolled off the cover. She glanced back to Kyle, who gave her some advice as she got back to her feet. Valerie raised her fist to the crowd...with her pinky extended. And the majority of them did the same.

Jo: Valerie’s gearing up I think, and the crowd are perfectly okay with that! Probably far less okay with the fact that wasn’t it though.

McKinley pulled Gillie into position for her finisher, but Gillie shoved her backwards off balance. When the redhead came towards her again, Gillie caught her with a kick to the gut. She planted her head again, but this time, she hoisted her up into a tiger driver and a cover!

Zack: Gillie hit a tiger driver, I’ve never seen her use that! This might be all!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-WHOOPS.

As the referee’s hand was coming down for three, Kyle wrapped Valerie’s hand around the bottom rope. It only hung there for a second before falling back to the mat, but it was long enough for the referee to stop the count.

Fans: THANK YOU KYLE!! THANK YOU KYLE!!

Jo: ...Well, if I never hear Kyle being thanked again, it’ll be too soon! This must be as weird for him as it is for us!

Gillie looked a bit perplexed too at the chant, looking at the crowd with some level of disbelief as she heard them thanking him. Barnes got back to her feet, dragging Valerie away from the ropes so she couldn’t be reached as Jake headed down to the ring. And he didn’t get much of a warm reception either. Gillie scooped and slammed Valerie to the mat before heading to the corner. She climbed up to the top rope, smiling when she saw her friend and roommate, and then came off with a diving headbutt. But Valerie rolled out of the way, and Gillie faceplanted on the mat. Now both women lay on the mat as the referee began a mandatory ten count.

Zack: Valerie showed great ring awareness, and got out of the way of that headbutt. And they are actually booing the presence of Jake Chandler, who only came out because of Kyle’s involvement.

Jo: Not only are they booing him, but his presence did not help Gillie at all there! If anything it helped Valerie! I appreciate that it wasn’t his fault, but whoops!

Valerie began to stir first obviously, sitting up and then climbing back to her feet. She doubled back for Gillie, who was barely moving at the moment. She jerked her to her feet, only for Gillie to surprise her with a right hand that sent her reeling. Valerie fired back with one of her own that had similar effect as they began trading shows with the crowd shouting either YAY or BOO depending on who connected with their punch. Gillie got the better of the exchange though as she fired Valerie across for the ride. The redhead ducked a clothesline, and popped up behind Gillie to grab her head into position for her finisher.

Zack: McKinley avoided the clothesline, and UH OH!! THAT’S THE SETUP FOR---

As Valerie was going for her finisher, Gillie caught her with a back elbow to the face. It stunned the redhead, and almost caused her to lose her balance. Barnes spun into her with her palm thrust to the face that DID drop her where she stood! She collapsed on top of her for the cover as Davis went to count.

Zack: OLD SCHOOL JAM!!! Boy, this crowd is gonna be pissed!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Davis called for the bell as Jake rolled into the ring. Gillie sat up, trying to get her bearings before Jake helped her to her feet. The referee raised her hand to deafening boos throughout the Dunkin Donuts Center.

Jo: Awwww man, listen to this! You’d think Gillie had just killed someone!

Gaby: Here is your winner by pinfall…………………..’OLD SCHOOL’ GILLIE BARNES!!!

A few pieces of debris were thrown at Gillie and Jake as they stood in the ring. Jake tried to ignore them as he congratulated Gillie.

Zack: Gillie has ended Valerie McKinley’s undefeated streak, and she’s pissed off this crowd in the process! They are actually throwing things at her and Jake, and keep in mind, folks….Gillie didn’t break a single rule at all!

Jo: Nope, she just dared to get in the way of the hometown girl! They’re right to be annoyed of course, but this is seriously a bit much. ...Though in saying that I can think of a few other places that would do that too.

Jake helped her out of the ring, and tried to hurry her towards the back. Kyle helped Valerie to her feet, whom got a roar of approval from the crowd. She raised her fist again with the pink out...and got the same response from her fans.

Zack: Listen to them cheer like she won! She might not have her undefeated streak, but she is still in the Future Shock Cup match in Sydney. And on form, Valerie McKinley is my odds on favorite still to win it!

Jo: All things considered, that’s not a surprise in the least! I’m not giving away my favourite just yet though. But congrats to Gillie!

As Valerie soaked in the crowd response for just a moment longer, the show cuts elsewhere.



Graduate Me

The show cuts to...a commercial? As soon as it begins, we hear the voice of Caitlyn Storm as there’s a picture of her waving in front of an American flag.

Caitlyn: My name is Caitlyn Storm, and I approved this message.

From there, we cut to clips of Sienna Moore as she brutalizes opponents throughout her Future Shock tenure when a man’s voice begins to speak.

Announcer: Do you like people who use toothpicks trying to hurt other people? Do you think attacking innocent people is a good way to do things? Do you like crazy bitches?

The picture of Sienna turns monochrome.

Announcer: Yeah, me either.

Next we see clips from Ji-Hu Myeong as she is competing, along with her manager leering at her body every chance he gets during those matches.

Announcer: Do you like perverts? What about girls who are managed by perverts? What about tag teams managed by perverts? Yeah, me either.

Then Ji-Hu’s picture turns monochrome.

Announcer: When you think of one woman you want to see on the FFW roster, is it either of the two women you just saw? Of course not!

Next, we cut to a picture of Caitlyn playing at a water park. Then she’s sitting on her bed playing with a purple hippo. And then, we see her giving two fans the ‘talk to the hand’ gesture.

Announcer: Very soon, you’ll have the chance to make a very important decision about which Prospect you want to send to the FFW roster. And there’s only one clear choice. And that...is Caitlyn Storm. She’s hard working….

Clip of her training at the Future Shock Center.

Announcer: She’s fun loving….

Clip of her and Mandy at a comic convention in cosplay.

Announcer: And she’s not a crazy bitch, nor does she have a pervert manager! So join Missy…

A shot of Missy pinning a “Caitlyn for Graduation” button on her top.

Announcer: And the rest of us as prepare to send Caitlyn to FFW. It’s the right thing to do!

Next we see Caitlyn looking up at a massive poster of herself with wide eyes, especially it’s bigger than she is. It’s a picture of her with the words “Send Caitlyn to FFW” around her.

Announcer: The following has been paid for by the Missy Campaign to Graduate Caitlyn Storm!

Another close up of the button Missy was shown wearing on “I’m in 3D” shirt before we go back to the live show.