After Shock Preview for Future Shock 45

[Adam Grant]

A lightning bolt strikes the screen, leaving the Future Shock logo. Then we see a familiar studio for the web show with a giant curved video wall behind the host, Jake Chandler. He’s sat on the now trademark purple sofa with Gary the Goldfish in a bowl decked out with rockstar decorations. Jake’s sprinkling a couple flakes into Gary’s fishbowl before he addresses the camera.

Jake: Hello there, everyone! This is After Shock, where we cover all things Future Shock related. We are fresh off Future Shock Wipeout in O-town, Orlando for those unaware. Today, I get to welcome back one of my favorite people….IN THE COSMOOOOOOOOS… for two reasons. One, she’s on the next show. And two, because I got to pick my guest this week. Welcome back to After Shock, Andi Takata!

Right on cue, our Space Princess appears on the scene, waving to the camera before flopping herself down on the couch next to Jake.

Andi: Hi, Jake! Hi, Gary! Hi, Starlights! Your favorite host’s favorite people has returned! A bright spot for Future Shock for me, instead of how I ended up at Wipeout. But we’ll get to that eventually, i’m sure.

Jake: Of course, you’re really going to like what you’re doing next show. But we gotta quickly cover Wipeout, which is still available on replay on Pay Per View. It was mostly a good night for fans who hate life. Valerie McKinley is still your Future Shock Champion, though I think we can safely give an assist to Lacey.

Andi: Multiple assists. Maybe she should become a point guard instead of ruining championship matches. You think she has a jumpshot, Jake?

Jake: Maybe, but I’m not sure the WNBA is quite as lucrative. One upshot from the show was seeing Harley Shannon do something next to no one has done! You know what I’m talking about!

Andi: I do. And I admit I’m a touch jealous it wasn’t me who did it first. It’s hard enough to take down Isis sometimes, to actually get her to tap out on such a huge show, that’s another level entirely. What a way to win over someone that much bigger and more powerful, coming out on the other side looking as dominant as ever. And talk about sending a message to the Privileged Circle.

Jake: Considering she’s challenging for the title in Sydney, I’d say she’s looking as on form as she could possibly look before facing Valerie McKinley. I know it may be a sore spot, but would you like to talk about your match from Wipeout? I saw something in the back that might be useful.

Andi: Was it a handcuff key? I feel like that might have been useful. Again. Maybe I should just start bringing my own… But… I don’t know who it was that won that match. I know I didn’t because of that damned trap. I know for SURE it wasn’t Tara Cortez. So maybe you can enlighten me as to ho was in the ring when the bell was run because there was no way at all that it was Tara!

Jake: Well I was watching a monitor and after she handcuffed you, she ran past me while the other woman was on the screen getting her hand raised...at the same time. I was going to follow her, but I think she spotted me and ran into No Man’s Land. I didn’t think I should go investigate the girls’ restroom.

Andi: It doesn’t take a whole investigation to figure out what she’s full of, so I hope she flushed herself down well enough. Or THEY. Flush them all and give Christian a swirlie for giving this to us.

Jake: At least she can’t get away in Sydney. Announced already for that show will be you two in a strap match. Wherever she tries to go then, she’ll have to take you with her.

Andi: She’ll go where I tell her to go, she’s not taking me, I’m taking her, and I’m going to take her from Sydney into the deepest recesses of the Cosmos. She’s gonna pay for trying to make a fool of me, Jake.

Jake: I believe you, and I’m looking forward to the match. Let’s talk about a bright point, like the fact there’s a new Prospect as the Aspire Ring bearer….even if she doesn’t physically have possession of it.

Andi: The bright point is that we know who the rightful owner is, and good for Lydia. I’m not really sure that if I’m Cassandra I want to make her any more of an enemy than necessary, because she will let you know what her name is whether you want to know it or not. Steen doesn’t, but that’s not going to matter as long as she’s got the ring that belongs on Charisma’s finger.

Jake: Overall, it was a great night for the Gold Standard. Stacey Sky defeated Nora Harris, and Elizabeth Lannister put Celeste out briefly with an injury. iN both cases, Cassandra Steen was pretty integral to those matches. Also Mara Werth won the go-kart race and got herself an Aspire Ring shot! Any of those you want to talk about before we look ahead?

Andi: I still think Basic Brigade is more fitting. It’s almost a way of life for some, but that’s usually how it goes when you keep certain company. It’s always something, some grand plan, and eventually it’s going to come down to having someone who’s able to execute their plan better. As for the kart race, I’m a little bit disappointed that Mars didn’t pull it out, but as someone who’s finished second before, maybe I’m still a little bit bitter.  But Mara Werth got to the line first and that’s just how it goes. The finish was really close too so maybe next time for everyone else. I’m sure she’ll make the most of her Aspire Ring opportunity no matter who she ends up fighting for it.

Jake: Me too! Let’s turn our attention now to the next show as Future Shock heads back to Boston. And this may be out of order, but the first thing I want us to discuss is this guy.

Jake looks back to the video wall behind him as one image fills each of the screens.
https://gameshows.wikia.com/wiki/File:Whammy.gif

Jake: We’re gonna have a challenge on the next Future Shock, the Press Your Luck challenge! And this…..this is the Whammy!

Takata stands up, pointing right at the screens, identifying that which steals the money.

Andi: And screw that guy! What a jerk! All he wants to do is take my money and all I wanna do is punch him in his overly large drawn face.

The image of the whammy begins to bounce around between the screens as different money values start appearing wherever he isn’t.



Jake: In this challenge, you earn turns by answering trivia questions. And then you use those turns to try to land on the money amounts before the whammy lands there. The money adds up, and will be given to the charity of the winner’s choice. But….if you land on the whammy, he takes your money. I’ll show you.

Jake looks back to the video wall watching as the highlighter bounces all over the place before Jake shouts.

Jake: …...STOP!

The highlighter stops on a screen with $1500 on it. This brings a smile to Jake’s face as he lets Andi go next.

Jake: Give it a shot!

Andi claps her hands and rubs them together, clearly hyped up for the opportunity.

Andi: Gotta do it for the kids… big bucks, gimme the big money aaaaaand… STOP!

And the flashing lights stop around a screen with the Whammy, and as the buzzer sounds, and drops to her knees dramatically, completely disappointed in the result.

http://gifimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/whammy-gif-3.gif

Andi: NO! Why are you stealing from the kids?! You’re not even dancing that well! Damn you, Whammy!

Jake: We’ll be playing this game next Future Shock. I’ll be the host as Andi and Mars Whimsey will play against the whammy. They’ll get four questions, which turns into a spin on the board. Whatever total they get for themselves will go to their favorite charity. And well...neither of them want to get the whammy. But I’ll give you both a clue! All my questions will be video game related! What video game, you ask?

Andi: Fester’s Quest? Gradius? Maniac Mansion? SUPER GHOULS AND GHOSTS?! Areemer looks kinda like a whammy!

https://i.gifer.com/3qpw.gif

Jake: My favorite video game franchise of all time, the Blue Bomber himself! It’ll be all based on the original Mega Man series on the NES, Andi!

Andi: Just don’t tell Nintendo or they’ll send lawyers. And then I’d have to send ninja lawyers from Nakamura, and it won’t end well. BUT I should totally be able to od better than Mars on this because I think I’ve played more. Although that would be bad, because she has like a whole list of charities she likes and talks about on her youtube. I’d have to think about mine a bit. Maybe talk to Carson Black, he knows who can get the most out of the money.

Jake: I’ll even give you a test question here, Andi. Show us your Mega Man knowledge,, and tell me the name of Dr. Cossack’s daughter in Mega Man 4?
Andi: Oh… oh… I know this… she’s the little Mika Demidov lookin’ one… agh what was her name… uhhh… Balalaika?

Jake: That would be incorrect, Andi! Her name was Kalinka, and she begged Mega Man to stop attacking her father in an evil claw machine.

Andi: I knew that. I totally knew that. Kinda. It sounds almost the same!

Jake: You’ll have time to study up on your Mega Man trivia by then. Let’s talk about the matches that we’ll be seeing! In a dual debut match, you’ll see Ashley Maldano go up against Katie Keller, who we got to meet at Wipeout. What did you think of Katie?



Andi: It’s hard not to respect someone who comes into Future Shock looking for something to take her career to the next level, because let’s face it, it’s worked for a lot of people so far. If she wants to find herself a rival, for sure there’s a lot of people that will line up to oblige her and do the same thing Katie seems to want to do, and that’s give her career a very nice boost.

Jake: And in our main event, Andi, Gillie Barnes competes in her last match as a Prospect before she heads up to the main roster with you! Valentina and Isis will be throwing her a farewell pounding, I’m sure, when they face her and…..O.E. Ayano!



Andi: Wait… did you say Gillie and O.E. Ayano? On the same team? Again? I thought they had a thing. Like a thing where they were not about that? Maybe O.E.’s time off has given her some perspective on things and Gillie… well, I’m sure she’ll be glad not to be fighting these two alone. But it was inevitable that Gillie would have to come up to the main roster, and I’m glad she’s coming. The Cosmos knows we need more like her and less Valeries, Ji-Hus, and Taras.

Jake: I think it’ll be a fun night on Future Shock, and well needed after the way Wipeout ended up being. Two debuts, a tag main event, and you and Mars trying to avoid the whammy by knowing your Mega Man lore. Someone’s charity is going to get a big donation…..or nothing at all if Mars and Andi can’t avoid the whammy.

Andi: I believe they would just get some lovely parting gifts instead. Which for us would probably be a FFW Shop gift certificate. But we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen and a worthy charity gets a bunch of money. Speaking of which, I’ve already decided it won’t be Casey Atherton’s church. Don’t bother sending the plates.

Jake: You could just send them the whammy.

Andi: Now that’s an idea.

Jake: It’s one last stop before the big Sydney supershow when Future Shock heads home to Boston for what should be a great show! Make sure you join us, and we’ll have a little mini-game on the Future Shock site so you can test your skills against the Whammy by just clicking the stop button. See how much money you could have won before Mars and Andi give it a shot!

Andi: I’ll be practicing on that all week! That whammy’s gonna have to deal with me at my best!

Jake: We’ll see you back in Boston on August 28th!

The video wall resumes blinking with the money and whammy images as the Future Shock logo appears….and gets blown up by the whammy.