Message #21090

[Adam Grant]

Future Shock returns from the commercial break, and immediately heads back to ringside with Gaby front and center in the ring.

Gaby: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is a triple threat match for a shot at the Aspire Ring!

Zack: One of three matches on tonight’s show that revolve around the Aspire Ring, and this one has the likelihood of potentially being the most chaotic of the three.

Erica: I’d argue it’ll be the Aspire Ring match itself. After all, we were talking earlier about Lacey and Celeste having had issues for over six months. That said, there is certainly more than a little potential for this to go nuts.

I'm only human
I'm only—I'm only—
I'm only human, human

“Human” by Rag’n’Bone Man starts to play over the soundsystem as the video screen shows a jail cell door sliding backwards and a pair of black ring boots with legs going all the way up to a simple blue skirt step out onto the landing only to suddenly stumble as if given a push in the small of the back from the man who appeared behind her in shiny black shoes and black pants.

Maybe I'm foolish,
Maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this
And see what's behind
Got no way to prove it
So maybe I'm lying

As the pair pass by, the camera gets a shot from behind before it cuts to more grainy CCTV footage that shows the guard escorting the raven haired prisoner across a prison yard of patchy grass and into another building. There’s another cut as we see a shot of exposed midriff on the other side of a counter that has a pack of gum, some loose change on it and a hair bobble on it. A hand reaches forward, picking up a pen and signs a name quickly before scooping up the possessions as she stiffly pushed to move onwards.

But I'm only human after all,
I'm only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Don't put your blame on me

There’s another cut; this time to show the back of the black haired woman as she reaches up to tie her long loose hair back with the bobble while still walking forward, coming to a stop in front of a large closed door. The camera cuts to the opposite side of the door and low door, watching as it swung open and the woman stepped out; only for the blazing sun to obscure her face and body; the video screens becoming a blazing yellow-white sun glare with a spotlight shining bright as the same woman has appeared at the top of the entrance ramp. The spotlight dims to reveal Mara Werth standing there in her black boots, blue skirt and white vest top.

Take a look in the mirror
And what do you see?
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe?

Gaby: Ladies and gentlemen please welcome from Tuscaloosa, Alabama… MARA WERTH!!!

'Cause I'm only human after all,
You're only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put your blame on me

With a smile on her face she begins to head down the ramp….until Lilliana blindsides her from behind with a baseball bat to the back. The music stops as she starts wailing away with the bat across her back, an enraged look on her face.

Zack: I wondered why Lilliana wasn’t already in the ring, and now we know! She’s furious over her loss to Mara, and she’s trying to take her out of this match before it even starts!

Erica: ...Huh. Well at least she’s got the temper like every other hothead on this roster, I suppose! Gotta pardon me, I always get the urge to go number two when she’s about.

Referee Malcolm Parks heads out of the ring before he gets shoved back until Lilliana starts choking Mara out with the bat. Parks manages to pull her off before she stomps the back of Mara’s head into the floor. Leucrotta heads for the ring with her bat in hand, and starts swinging it. Gaby barely avoids getting hit as the referee tries to get the bat away from her.

Gaby: And in this corner, from South Bend, Indiana... weighing one hundred sixty-five pounds... Lilliana Leucrotta!

Zack: Lilliana still has that bat in the ring, Mara’s down on the outside. And boy, did that prediction about this match being chaotic ever come true! Get the bat away from her!

Erica: Apparently I stand corrected! Liliana apparently trying to make this match the singles match that it was meant to be. Which is a shame, really. Mara is the infinitely better wrestler.

The Indiana resident spat at a few ringside fans as she shoved the referee backwards, the bat still in her hand as she waved Lydia to come out. She got into a batter’s squat, telling her to come out.

Zack: She’s telling them to bring out Lydia! Mara’s still down on the ramp!

The trainers went to check on Mara as Lilliana continued to swing the bat like she was warming up in the bullpen. She continued to shout for Lydia to come down to the ring.

Erica: So….no one is going to remove the bat from wrestling hothead number one million and five then?

Zack: I don’t know if Mara’s gonna be able to compete in this match, and Leucrotta….IS ABOUT TO GET HER WISH!

“Charisma” by W.A.S.P. fills the arena as up near the top of the ramp a fine smoke begins to pour out from both sides. Fragments of code begin running on the ground, but they slowly transform into... Music notes. The notes of green and purple begin to appear on the ground of the ramp towards the ring.

“I've a breath in minds of men with the lies I breathe!
No man's ever ruled the world not knowing the curse of me!
I'm some of the seven sins, vanity in the lust of men!
I'm the Alpha-Omega man, I'll show you who I am!
Ohhhhhh, hypnotic charm, mesmerizing face, my soul has a dark embrace!
A magic tongue, I'll seduce you all ‘till I'm your king, ‘till ya know my...!
 
CCHHHHAARRRIIIZZZMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!! DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!?
I’M THE GOD THAT YOU PRAISE, WHEN YOU WORSHIP MY NAME!
CCHHHHAARRRIIIZZZMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!! ARE YOU IDOLIZING ME!?
I’M A DANGEROUS THING, AND YOUR NEW MESSIAH’S ME!”
 
Walking backwards through the smoke is Lydia Charisma with her back to the crowd. She raises her hands up over her head and turns around, her eyes immediately falling on Lilliana in the ring.
 
Gaby: From Sin City... Weighing in at 202 pounds... She is THE RAWK OF AGES, THE JUKEBOX POWERHOUSE, THE ONE WOMAN NIELSEN RATING... This is “THE SIX STRING SINNER”... LLLYYYDDDIIIAAA! CCCHHHHAAARRRIIISSSSMMMMAAAAA!!
 
“I'm a liar blinding your vision, vatican man!
Preachin' fear and using religion, with the Bible and Koran!
I wrap myself in the American flag, and tell people I'm for which it stands,
I'm comin' back till you know I'm God, ‘till you believe, till you know my...!
 
CCHHHHAARRRIIIZZZMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!! DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!?
I’M THE GOD THAT YOU PRAISE, WHEN YOU WORSHIP MY NAME!
CCHHHHAARRRIIIZZZMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!! ARE YOU IDOLIZING ME!?
I’M A DANGEROUS THING, AND YOUR NEW MESSIAH’S ME!”
 
Charisma leans down, checking on Mara along with the trainers before she hops up onto the ring apron. Meanwhile, Lilliana is inviting her in. Charisma cautiously steps through the ropes as Lilliana got right for her with the bat, but Lydia catches it under one arm and starts firing right hands into Lilliana’s head. The crowd roars in approval as Charisma boots her backwards, and throws the bat out of the ring. Leucrotta gets her bearings before immediately catching more right hands from Lydia.

Zack: Lilliana wanted Lydia out here, and she got her wish! I’m not sure if this is still a triple threat, but I don’t think this crowd minds who gets their hands on Lilliana at this moment!

Erica: I’m not sure being as unpolished as she apparently is, and then doing that, was a good idea. Maybe it’s just a whole other branch of idiocy? I mean, you don’t predictably chase people like Lydia Charisma with a bat.

Parks immediately called for the bell as Lydia unloaded with right hands a’plenty! Each shot staggered Leucrotta backwards before Charisma whipped her across to the far side. Lydia bounced off the near side with a lariat that flipped Lilliana inside out. The crowd started chanting her name as Lydia headed towards her opponent. Leucrotta began to slide backwards on her butt towards the corner, and caught a running kick in the chest from Lydia when she tried to get up. She shoved her back into the corner, and climbed to the middle rope to rain ten straight right hands onto her head. When she hopped down, Lilliana walked out three steps and faceplanted on the mat.

Erica: You know what’s interesting here? Glasgow is a city that loves a good brawl, and a good brawler by extension, but they’re right into Lydia right now. Saying that though, one third of the match was taken out by sneak attack, so there’s that to consider too.

Zack: The trainers are still working with Mara on the outside. I don’t know if she’ll be able to compete, but either way, Lydia certainly is ready!

As Lilliana was getting to her feet, Lydia sent her into the ropes again with an Irish whip. As soon as she rebounded, she got planted with a sidewalk slam. The powerhouse got back to her feet, pulling her to her feet and then lifting her overhead into a gorilla press slam over the top rope to the floor. She stepped through to the outside as Lilliana was starting to crawl away from her. When Charisma went to grab her though, Leucrotta grabbed the bat and drove it into her abdomen. It doubled the powerhouse over before Lilliana got to her feet, and struck the bat against her back repeatedly as she had with Mara earlier. Leucrotta pulled her up, and rolled her back inside before sliding in after her.

Zack: Lydia threw her out, but it was on the side of the ring where that bat was laying! And now, Lilliana’s gotten control here.

Erica: I would call that a bad move, but I’m not entirely sure that Lydia actually knew where the bat was. In any case, it wasn’t the greatest idea and now she’s paying for it. And now I remember why I get that urge.

Lydia held her back as she lay on the mat before Leucrotta bit into her face. Boos rained from the crowd as she sat up, and began driving fists into her face. After getting back to her feet, she followed up with a knee drop into Lydia’s back. A glance around the crowd only got loud boos for her before she executed a double leg drop across her chest before grabbing her leg to make a cover. Parks slid into position to make the count.

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

T-NOPE!!

Zack: A close fall there for Lilliana, and she’s really taking advantage of the fact there’s no disqualifications in a triple threat.

Erica: Let’s be realistic, the no disqualification aspect is the only thing that gives her a chance against someone like Lydia.

Lydia got her shoulder up before her opponent began trying to pull her face apart with her fingers in both corners of Lydia’s mouth. Leucrotta got back to her feet, and put the boots to Lydia. She pulled her head between her legs, and went for a piledriver. But Charisma blocked it, and shoved her backwards into the ropes. Leucrotta bounced off the ropes, and caught Lydia getting up with a kneelift to the face. The powerhouse fell to a knee before Lilliana dragged her bootlaces across her face.

Zack: There’s nothing that Lilliana Leucrotta won’t use if she can get her hands on it. Or in this case, her bootlaces. She’s managed to get Lydia down, and keep her there.

Erica: I can think of a million things that are also legal that would have a better effect than bootlaces. That would be more irritating than effective, to be honest.

She picked up the bat still laying on the mat, her face showing nothing but hatred as she moved around to Lydia’s side. The bat was raised over her head like a guillotine as Lilliana spat on Lydia’s head. The boos were getting louder...until Mara slid into the ring behind her. The former inmate stood right behind her, a thunderous expression on her face.

Zack: Uh oh….she forgot about Mara! Look at her face!

Erica: And then there’s the crowd letting her in on the fact she’s there! Goddamnit guys.

Lilliana went to strike, but Mara pulled the bat down from behind her. As soon as the Indiana resident turned around, Mara fired the bat into her ribs. The referee tried to get her to drop it before Werth put the bat between her legs and lifted her off the mat with it. Leucrotta fell to her knees in pain as Mara threw the bat out of the ring. She pulled her up by the arm, and started firing kicks into her body one after another. Werth took off for the far side, and caught her with a high knee to the head. As she staggered backwards, Mara hit the near side ropes and caught her with a bicycle kick to the mouth. She immediately made the cover and hooked the outside leg in the process. Parks dropped to count the fall.

Erica: Revenge is a dish best served cold! Or in this case, with a pin attempt!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THRE-NOPE!!

Leucrotta got her shoulder up in time, and Mara quickly got back to her feet. She yanked her up by the arm, and sent her across for the ride. Mara caught her on the rebound with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Zack: There has to be so much pain that Mara wants to inflict on Lilliana with how this started. Something tells me she’s glad the match isn’t over yet.

Mara dragged her opponent to her feet, and sent her into the corner. She followed her with a corner clothesline before sitting her on the top rope. Werth climbed up with her, and hooked her head under one arm in position for a superplex. But as she was lifting her up, Lydia popped up between her legs and used a powerbomb at the same time as Mara executed the superplex. Charisma dove on top of Mara for the cover as the crowd came to its feet.

Zack: A tower of doom, and both Mara and Lilliana got PLANTED!! Lydia’s getting a shot at the Aspire Ring!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEE-NOPE!!!

Mara’s shoulder came up as Lydia crawled over to Lilliana, and made another cover with a hook of the leg this time.

Erica: Mara didn’t get Lydia what she wanted, so hopefully Lilliana will!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEE-NOPE!!!

Leucrotta got her shoulder up in time before the three, causing Lydia to get back to her feet. She rubbed her back for a moment, and saw Mara starting to get up first. She immediately grabbed her, and went for her reverse chokeslam facebuster! The crowd roared in approval as Lydia headed to make the cover before Lilliana caught her with a low blow that dropped her to her knees before she made the cover on Mara instead!

Zack: The DEALER’S HAND!! And Lydia---no...Lilliana’s gonna steal it!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NO!!

Werth got her leg across the bottom rope, causing the referee to stop his count. Parks held up two fingers as Lilliana sat up on her knees in agony before giving the referee the middle finger. She got back to her feet, and headed for the ropes as she seemed to be measuring either Mara or Lydia for something.

Erica: D’aww, the witto hothead didn’t get her way so she gonna act like a brat about it. Also...someone fill me in on what she’s planning.

Mara was beginning to get to her hands and knees before Lilliana turned her attention to her. The Indiana resident darted towards her, looking for her curb stomp. She didn’t make it before Lydia intercepted her with a discus punch, still sore from the low blow. She pulled Leucrotta into position, and connected with her spinning double leg facebuster! Charisma quickly went for the cover as the crowd came to its feet!

Zack: OCEAN’S ELEVEN!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Parks called for the bell to a pop from the crowd, and Lydia struggled back to her feet and had her hand raised in the process.

Erica: And that’s how you snatch victory! The charismatic one is getting a shot at the Ring!

Gaby: Here’s your winner……………………’THE SIX STRING SINNER’ LYDIA CHARISMAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Zack: There’s not a part of her body that isn’t hurting right now, but the Jukebox Powerhouse has gotten herself a shot at the Aspire Ring!

Lydia headed for the corner, climbing up onto the middle turnbuckle and raising her name again. The fans shouted her name, before she shouted back asking them what it was. She headed for the floor, leaning against the barricade as the ringside fans congratulated her.

Zack: Lydia Charisma went through two women and a baseball bat tonight, and she’s earned her shot! Whether it’s Lacey or Celeste, I wouldn’t sleep on the Six String Sinner when she comes calling for her shot!

Erica: Can’t argue with that! Anyone who knows anything about Lydia knows that this is going to be one hell of a match when it happens, and it doesn’t matter who!

Charisma started to head for the back as the show cut elsewhere in the arena.




Angelic Sincerity

Future Shock returns from the commercial break, and we see a quick recap of earlier in the night when Rose Gardner was announced by Adam as the winner of the graduation poll. It then goes elsewhere and finds Angel with her manager in her locker room.

Christian: So I guess congratulations are in order. Rose won the poll, and I doubt anyone was surprised by that. I know I wasn’t. Angel wasn’t either. She won the poll, and she’s on her way to FFW in short order. But see, what stands out to me is that it wasn’t a blow out. And I’m sure a few thought it might be. Rose got 55% of the vote…..55%, which means Angel here was extremely close to getting the nod.

Angel, weirdly, doesn’t actually look too disappointed by the result.

Angel: Indeed, congratulations to Rose. And I say that with sincerity. I’m not much a fan of her, but the reality of it all is that I knew I had a mountain to climb to come as close to a win as I did, much less actually win the poll. I think we all knew that. It is surprising that it wasn’t a washout, but I can, and will, respect the fans for their decision and thank those who saw something. For now, however...let’s just keep causing some mayhem.

Christian: I think there’s a lesson we can learn from this. While there will always be those fans who like the gimmicks of dressing up like pop culture characters, there’s also a subset of fans who appreciate a woman who does what she says she’s gonna do. There’s no flash with Angel. She’s straight-ahead, bare knuckles, and out to do what she does best: leave people laying on the mat. And this poll proves to me that there’s quite a lot of them in the Future Shock audience, otherwise this would have been a landslide.

He looks to her with a smile, patting her on the leg.

Christian: You’ve got some fans. You’ve got some die hard wrestling fans who appreciate what you do, and I think that speaks to the fact that Future Shock fans aren’t just trolls as they have been painted in the past. Some of them like a tough as nails woman who can go, and doesn’t require anything but who she is. For what it’s worth, I’m very proud of you.

Angel: And I appreciate all of that. Thank you.

She gives him a small smile.

Angel: It’s disappointing. Of course it is. But the reality is what it is and I will accept that as I have accepted all other realities...such as the fact that it is Lacey wrestling Celeste with the Ring and not me. That’s the way it goes. So it just remains that we’ll keep going as we have...and make sure that next time it’s not me that’s being left.

Christian rubs his chin for a moment before giving her his attention again.

Christian: I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I promise you that I will get you to FFW. You have my word. I’ll do it one way or another. I know you’re past ready. And before this year is over, I’ll pull every string I need to in order to get you there. Cross my heart.

He added with a grin, and actually did make a cross over his heart. Angel smiled at him again, but shook her head.

Angel: It’s appreciated. Truly, but I think in some cases it would be best if I went up when I am deemed ready by those around us. Can’t have people calling favourites now, can we?

Christian: I manage champions up and down the card in two companies. I think I’m more than qualified to decide if you’re ready. But I see your point. It’ll still be my goal. After all, what kind of a manager would I be otherwise?

Angel: You wouldn’t be, let’s not pretend otherwise. And you’re my friend as much as my manager.

Christian: Damn right. It wasn’t tonight, but it will be soon. And I’m always proud of you. You’ll never have someone who believes in you more than me.

Angel: I;m glad to hear it. Except maybe me, because self belief needs to exist. Still, we were awesome together once, I’m sure we will be again.

Christian: Guaranteed.

He gave her a wink before we head back to ringside.