The show heads back to the ring with Katherine Grayson standing in the center with her microphone in hand and a smile on her face.
Kat: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is part of the Global Wars series!
Zack: We got two countries needing some points about to meet right here, and I’ll be joined by the manager of Valerie, Vincent Belmont.
The lights in the arena dip, almost going out. Rather than going out entirely however, they are replaced by red, white and gold.
And who are you, the proud Lord said,
That I must bow so low?
Only a cat of a different coat,
That’s all the truth I know!
In a coat of gold, or a coat of red,
A lion still has claws.
And mine are long, and sharp my Lord,
As long as sharp as yours!
The metal version of one of the most famous songs from Game of Thrones thunders from the speakers, which brings a chorus of jeering from the crowd. From the back walks Valerie Lamb, which only heightens the jeering. A step behind her is Vincent Belmont. She stops just before the ramp, where she widens her stance and looks around her as Vincent joins her. Suddenly, she claps her hands above her head, which sends a stream of coloured pyro across the stage.
And so he spoke, and so he spoke,
That Lord of Castamere.
But now the rains weep o’er his home,
With no one left to hear.
Yes, now the rains weep o’er his home,
With not a soul to hear.
The redheaded wrestler undoes her long coat, showing off the scarlet coloured ring gear she wears. A smirk on her face, she looks to her manager, they nod to each other and start off down the ramp. Despite the pace of the song, their walk is not slow, but certainly methodical.
Kat: Introducing first, from Edinburgh, Scotland, weighing 150 pounds, this is VALERIE LAMB!
Kat’s announcement comes as the pair are about halfway down the ramp. As a momentary solo is played, the pair reach the bottom of the ramp, where Vincent takes her coat from her and hands it to an attendant.
And who are you, the proud Lord said,
That I must bow so low?
Only a cat of a different coat,
That’s all the truth I know!
A coat of gold, or a coat of red,
A lion still has claws.
And mine are long and sharp, my Lord,
As long as sharp as yours!
Valerie enters the ring, and walks to the centre, where she stops dead for a moment, a solitary white spotlight shining on her. She spins in a circle, almost in a pirouette and as she comes full rotation, drops down to one knee and leaning forward to face the mat. A camera closes in on her face, where she looks into it and tells us that on their knees is where her opponents belong. Standing up, she walks to her corner, where Vincent awaits her. The pair speak between themselves as the music dies, and the lights return to normal. Vincent then heads for the broadcast booth with Zack.
Zack: Vincent, welcome to the booth tonight. It’s not often you join me, and it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
Vincent: Thank you, Mr. Hudson. I am most gratified to be here, especially as I doubt I need to worry about Miss Silver’s manager.
“Hands To Myself” by Selena Gomez starts to play through the speakers around the arena.
Can't keep my hands to myself
No matter how hard I'm trying to
I want you all to myself
You're metaphorical gin and juice
So come on give me a taste
Of what it’s like to be next to you
Won't let one drop go to waste
You're metaphorical gin and juice
As the opening verse ends and the tempo starts to increase Scarlett Silver walks through the curtain onto the stage with her manager, Christian Kincaid. The lights dip for a moment before she steps forward and a red spotlight shines down on her.
Cause all of the downs and the uppers
Keep making love to each other
And I'm trying, trying, I'm trying, trying
All of the downs and the uppers
Keep making love to each other
And I'm trying, trying, I'm trying, but I
Can't keep my hands to myself
My hands to myself
Can't keep my hands to myself
My hands to myself
Scarlett struts down the ramp acknowledging the crowd with a smile, with Christian following a few steps behind. Pausing halfway down she sways her hips in rhythm with the music and slowly blows a kiss out to the crowd.
Kat: Introducing at this time… Hailing from Los Angeles, California….Scarlett Silver!
Scarlett reaches the ring and slides under the bottom rope before jumping to her feet and climbing onto the turnbuckle facing the stage. She raises her arms up high then jumps down to join Christian in her corner, for a last minute, pre-match discussion.
Zack: Scarlett Silver has already made history in her short tenure in FFW by being the first woman to hold the Fast Track Championship on three separate occasions.
Vincent: Miss Silver is quite talented. But in my own estimation, she costs herself more often than she helps herself due to her fixation on her physical appearance.
Referee Emi Yamamoto asks both women if they are carrying any foreign objects instead of checking for them. As soon as they both say no, she calls for the bell to start the match. The American crowd immediately begins a chant for Team USA, which Scarlett tries to egg on a little bit more before she and Valerie meet in the center. The Scot looks none too impressed with the crowd, and asks Scarlett if she’s proud of them. When she looks out to the crowd, Valerie surprises her with a headbutt to her face. Four right hands to the jaw follow that before she whips her across into the far corner. Silver hits the corner and steps out as Valerie catches her with a running forearm to the mouth that puts her back against the turnbuckles. The Hall of Famer turns towards Emi, and then fires a back elbow into Scarlett’s jaw. Two more connect before a snapmare takes her out of the corner to the mat.
Vincent: These fans should hopefully know that their patriotism isn’t going to deter Valerie in the slightest here. She’s looking to give Scotland more points, nothing more and nothing less.
Zack: She’s also looking to detach Scarlett’s head from her body with some of these shots. I agree with you, because I don’t think the fan response matters at all to her. It hasn’t for months.
Scarlett tries to get up, and Valerie stops her cold with a clubbing ax handle blow across her back. A pair of well-placed kicks into her spine slows her down even more before she pulls the brunette to her feet into a front carry. She drops her across her knee twice before bending her backwards over it, and pushing her head back into a bow and arrow. Emi focuses on what’s going on, and asks Scarlett if she wants to stop. She gets a no as the brunette’s face grimaces in pain. Valerie tries to create more pressure after Scarlett refuses to quit.
Zack: There you see our newest member of the referee staff, Emi Yamamoto. She’s starting her refereeing career here tonight, and you can tell she’s watching closely.
Vincent: That is to her credit. I have always found Miss Yamamoto to be a delightful young lady, though I question letting her first assignment be a match of this importance.
Valerie tries to add even more pressure, but the brunette is still adamant about not quitting. Christian watches intently from ringside before Scarlett finds an opening, albeit an unfair one when she reaches up with her hand and rakes Valerie’s eyes with her fingers. She immediately lets go to hold her face, and Scarlett rolls off her knee to the mat. The brunette rubs her lower back before she starts to get up. Meanwhile, Valerie is already back up and heading for her when Scarlett catches her coming forward with a kick in the gut. It only stops her for a second before Valerie reaches to grab her again. But Scarlett surprises her by grabbing her wrist and yanking her forward into a short arm clothesline. That also doesn’t keep the redhead down long before she starts to rise once more, and catches a kneelift in the face that drops her to a seat on the canvas.
Zack: Scarlett’s having a hard time finding a way to keep Valerie off her, but a kneelift to the face will do it every time! Valerie got her running lights dimmed.
Vincent: Valerie is a very tenacious and relentless competitor. She will keep coming forward, this is only a temporary setback.
Scarlett rubs her back for a second as Valerie starts to get back to her feet. The brunette wastes no time as she grabs her head into a bulldog, and drives it into the middle turnbuckle. She quickly pulls Valerie’s head towards her, and then unloads with knee strikes to her face almost like she were bouncing a soccer ball off her knees and then plants her with a DDT. Scarlett rolls her onto her back, and hooks the outside leg for the cover…..only Emi is waving to some of the fans who are waving at her. She finally turns around, and slides into position!
Zack: Emi may need a little more seasoning as a referee, but here we go! There’s the count!
ONE!!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
NOPE!!
Valerie kicked out at two, and Scarlett slid out under the bottom rope. She dragged Valerie with her, leaving her head hanging over the apron. Silver climbed back into the apron and used a guillotine leg drop to the back of her head. The former Fast Track Champion rolled back under the bottom rope, as Emi forgot to count to ten while she was outside.
Vincent: Miss Silver is showing some fine efficiency here, but the refereeing is somewhat lax, to say the very least.
Valerie was dragged back into the ring before Scarlett sat her up near the turnbuckles. She took off for the far side, and came back with a running knee strike that crushed her head against the middle turnbuckle. She then climbed up onto the second rope from the inside for a corner dropkick into her chest. Valerie was pulled by her legs out of the corner before the brunette headed up top, and fell backwards into an elbow across her chest and into a cover as Christian pointed it out to Emi before she slid into position to count.
Zack: You don’t see a back elbow drop too often, but there it is! Scarlett’s looking to close the show and pile on some points for Team USA!
ONE!!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
TH-NOOOPE!!
Valerie’s shoulder came up after the two struck. Silver rolled off the cover, and Valerie rolled away from her quickly. The redhead used the corner to help her get back to her feet before she slumped against it facing the crowd. Scarlett took off for the far side, and went for an avalanche splash...that Lamb sidestepped. The former Fast Track Champion hit the corner hard as Valerie slid down the rope a couple feet.
Vincent: Did you see how Valerie suckered Miss Silver in there, Zack? Most wrestlers just need the ropes when they want support getting up. If they go to the corner, they usually have a plan.
Zack: Very wise strategy from the Hall of Famer. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, because Scarlett was giving Valerie all she wanted.
Valerie doubled back towards Scarlett, and scooped her up to sit on the top turnbuckle facing the crowd. She followed her up, and rained forearms across the back of her head and neck. She then scooped her up after wrapping her own legs around the top rope for a fallaway slam that plummeted Scarlett to the canvas but allowed Valerie to stay up top. The brunette crashed hard on the canvas before Valerie came to a perch on the top turnbuckle. She glanced between her legs to see where Scarlett was, and launched into a moonsault! Scarlett nearly folded up on impact as Valerie hooked the leg for a cover! Emi was so impressed by the move that it took her a half second to remember she had to count.
Vincent: I say again this was not the best match for Miss Yamamoto have to been assigned! Valerie, however, still looks like she has this won!
ONE!!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
THR-NOOOOOOOOOPE!!!
Scarlett popped her shoulder off the mat as Valerie stared at Emi, sharing a few pointed words with her as she got back to her feet.
Zack: That moonsault was a thing of beauty for Valerie, but it still wasn’t enough to keep Scarlett down for three.
The FFW Hall of Famer looks down at Scarlett after getting back to her feet, and leans over to tell her just who the hell she was facing tonight. Scarlett replied with a boot to the top of her head that stunned her. Lamb staggered back a couple steps as Scarlett struggled to get back to her feet. She made it, but Valerie came in from behind with a rear waistlock into a German suplex. She rolled on through with them all the way up to four before letting her go. The redhead went to get her as Scarlett was trying to get up to her hands and knees. Lamb took off for the far side, and came back with a leap into the air to drive her body down into Scarlett’s back. But…..the brunette rolled onto her back and brought her knees up. Lamb straddled them instead, causing her to freeze in pain for obvious reasons.
Zack: Valerie was looking to drive whatever air there was left OUT of Scarlett, but boy was she in for a surprise! Two knees as far south as they can go!
Vincent: One could make the case for a disqualification there, because that was clearly a low blow. But since Miss Silver merely brought her knees up, that won’t be the case tonight.
Scarlett crawled out from under her as Valerie was doubled over in pain.. The brunette took off for the ropes, rolled over Valerie’s back when she passed her and hit the far side ropes. Lamb rose up and turned to face her as Scarlett used the middle rope for a springboard into a disaster kick to the head! Valerie collapsed to the mat as Scarlett dove into a cover with a hook of the legs.
Zack: Scarlett’s picked up some new offense, and that disaster kick is well named for what it’s gonna mean for Team Scotland!
ONE!!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NOPE!!
Valerie barely gets her shoulder up in time before the three, and Scarlett rolls away to get back to her feet. The USA chants from the crowd begin all over again as Scarlett pumps her arm to get them to go louder as she measures the redhead.
Vincent: Is it just me, Mr. Hudson, or does Miss Yamamoto seem much more efficient in her counting when Miss Silver is in control?
Valerie begins to get back to her feet, but only gets halfway before Scarlett blazes past her with a twisting neckbreaker that puts her right back on the mat. She quickly heads for the corner, and comes off the top rope with a knee drop and follows it up with one more while the crowd gets louder still.
Zack: That’s the BOOM BOOM, and I’m not sure Valerie is aware of where she is right now! Scarlett is building up momentum here!
Vincent: I cannot argue that, Mr. Hudson. Perhaps I should have stayed at ringside for this match instead of replacing Miss Hotaru.
Valerie struggled to get to her feet. When she did though, Scarlett went for her thumb to the throat. But the Hall of Famer deflected it, causing Scarlett to thumb her in the eye with the other hand. Lamb leaned over holding her head before Scarlett executed her inverted overdrive! She quickly dropped on top of her with a hook of both legs before Emi slid into position to count.
Zack: SEEING STARS!!
ONE!!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Silver rolled off the cover as Emi called for the bell. The brunette got to her feet before Emi raised her hand in victory, and smiled about doing it.
Vincent: Miss Silver was certainly a bit more cunning on this occasion, but I would also add Valerie challenged her more than many of her recent opponents has.
Kat: Here’s your winner by pinfall…….’THE STAR DISTRACTION’ SCARLETT SILVER!!
Christian joined her in the ring as they looked up to see three more points added for Team USA on the scoreboard, which drew more enthusiasm from the crowd.
Zack: Team USA is picking up steam, and they are very well capable of winning Global Wars if they can keep this up all the way to Los Angeles!
Vincent: If you’ll pardon me, Mr. Hudson, I would like to check on Valerie.
Vincent leaves the booth as Scarlett nods her head to another USA chant from the crowd. We see the updated Global Wars scoreboard once again with Team USA now at 9 points. And on that image, we head elsewhere inside the arena. I Always Play The Race Car MyselfWe pop in backstage at the Talking Stick Resort Arena where...
...The Scarborough Fair is playing Monopoly.
Can’t make this up folks.
The Scarborough Fair is playing Monopoly... And they are joined by interviewer Kendra Barton... Who is also playing. This is more or less the classic version, though with the new tokens. Kendra looks down at her own T-Rex token sitting on St. Charles Place before she buys it up. One would expect the Witch of Wall Street, “The” Stephanie Stefano, longest reigning FFW Evolution champion to be winning this? She’s not. One would suspect one half of the Unity Tag champions in Mickey Scarborough to be winning this? She’s not. The camera pans from a sour faced Stephanie to a grumbling Mickey to... The other half of the Unity tag champs, Raquel Fair quietly counting her hundred dollar Monopoly bills, licking her thumb each time.
Steph: This doesn’t make any fracking sense, Raquel. I have Boardwalk. I have BOARDWALK AND PARK PLACE... HOW ARE YOU WINNING!? HOW!?
Mickey: ...I’ve got all Railroads.. AND THE UTILITIES! TOTES SHOULD NOT BE IN LAST PLACE LIKE THIS!? You’re cheating aren’t you basic bitch!? ADMIT IT!
Raquel continued counting her money nonchalantly.
Raquel: Yeah Steph, you’ve got Boardwalk and Park Place... And one house each on ‘em. Sure Scarborough, you’ve got all the extra stuff. Look at what I’ve got.
The camera pans down all the brown and cerulean spots. The cheap ones... Baltic and Mediterranean. Vermont, Oriental, and Connecticut Avenue, with hotels on each of them.
Steph: So... What. Those are the only properties you have. Me and Mickey have control of most of the rest of the board! Even Kendra has more worthwhile properties than you! She has States Avenue! St. Charles Place!
Raquel: All true Twinkletits... But the slumlord strategy is foolproof. Buy up and trade for the cheapest properties which happen to be right next to Go. Put hotels on each of them because they’re cheaper than anything else... And then let the other players haplessly walk through the minefield you’ve made, losing that $200 and more they totes desperately cling to when they’re in the hole.
Stephanie blinks before staring down at the board.
Steph: ...You bitch.
Pause.
Steph: That’s brilliant.
Kendra: Uh guys, I hate to interrupt our game but I’m kinda on the clock... I just wanted to get some thoughts. Mickey, Raquel, you guys made history as the unified tag champions and now will defend the Unity Tag titles once more against KO/TO at Global Wars. This time in a standard match... Are you worried?
Mickey and Raquel look at each other before glancing back at Kendra and there is not a hint of humor in what they both say.
Mickey & Raquel: Absolutely terrified.
Mickey: Me and Raquel are loving the fact that our names are in history, etched in FFW’s story for like... Basically ever. The ladder lolitas! And Christian was right when he told Claire and ‘Fina on behalf of us that we were ready for a rematch because after all... The ladder match is in our wheelhouse, and that moment will be ours... But Unstoppable is gone.
Raquel: And reality sets in because Claire and Serafina came this close...
Raquel points at Mickey’s current Monopoly funds of $20. The brunette grumbles as her current likelihood of game bankruptcy is coming.
Raquel: That close Kendra... To putting me and Mickey out for the night at a ladder match. It would be an absolute disgrace if we don’t give one of the best tag teams in the world a rematch and with as standard fare as the Fair can do. We’ve been tackling the most legendary teams up and down and down and up. We threw down with Canadian Chainsaw Massacre just recently and that was part in parcel with Steph’s help... My everything still hurts. So this is just another clash of the titans and are we fracking scared? So much so... But that’s part of the thrill.
Mickey: ...Plus you know, I bet this time I can leapfrog Serafina without getting my toned and tight rear handed back to me!
Raquel: My jaw is having flashbacks of Claire honestly, but that’s our stance on it, Kendra! One. More. Time.
Kendra nods before glancing back at Stephanie.
Kendra: Do you have any thoughts or opinions on your upcoming match against Savannah before she heads towards Global Wars with Bianca Salvador for a Last Woman Standing match. Do you also have any consideration of Bianca’s threat that she may or may not come down to the ring.
Stephanie sits in silence before the Witch of Wall Street licks her lips.
Steph: Understand that this main event match between myself and Savannah, I see as something of... A step. A step in one direction or the next for me and for her. It could be a step forwards to something much greater, or a step backwards to biding more time. Out of the respect that I have for Savannah and her prowess in the ring, I am going to throw every backbreaker, every punt, any and all spinebusters and the ounce of strength that I have towards her and this match. Now... If Bianca Salvador gets in the middle of that, or decides that she needs to put herself there, and knowing Savannah as I think I do... What you are going to see me do Kendra is walk backwards into the nearest corner and watch. Because if those two get their hands on each other...
Those emerald eyes of the Witch of Wall Street stared ahead in a foreboding manner.
Steph: I don’t think we’ll have to wait for Global Wars for a Last Woman Standing... But I don’t think we’ll be seeing either woman at Global Wars either. I sincerely believe Kendra... Those two are going to end each other and unlike this board game we’re playing... There’s no coming back from that.
Kendra seems taken aback by Stephanie’s response, slightly horrified.
Kendra: I... Uh... Thank you.
Cut to commercial.
Lacey Days AheadVelocity returns from the commercial break amid quite a lot of booing from the crowd in the arena. Part of that is due to the fact that rose petals are falling from the rafters onto the crowd, and the other part is due to the fact that Kyle Kilmeade and Lacey are standing on the stage. He lifts her hand up to let her turn for the crowd amidst more boos before he begins.
Kyle: A few weeks ago at Sin & Sacrifice, I stood on this stage and introduced to a very uneducated crowd this woman right here. Her name is Lacey, and those of you who watch Future Shock already know her and probably fantasize about her. When I came here to Phoenix, I guess I was expecting you all to show her a little more respect. I thought it all added up.
The crowd continued to boo as Kyle continued.
Kyle: I mean here you are in the middle of the desert...the valley of the sun. So if anyone could appreciate something or someone who was hotter than the sun, I figured it might be people in this city. Clearly, I was wrong. But I’m not surprised by that. People often fear or dislike what they can’t have or don’t understand. Looking out at all of you, none of you qualify. I mean look at the women in this arena. They don’t understand how one woman could outshine all of them together. They don’t understand how their husbands and boyfriends couldn’t tell me their names right now if they tried. They don’t understand why genetics or God or whoever you believe in could be so good to Lacey….and leave you looking the way you do.
The boos don’t get any less loud after that, while Kyle points towards his client with a smile.
Kyle: And the men? Talk about something you can’t have. Every set of eyeballs attached to a man in this crowd are glued to this woman right now. If I were to approach either of you with her anywhere in the vicinity, trust me when I tell you that you wouldn’t have a chance. Look at this moron right here.
He points down to a rather obese male fan along the ramp.
Kyle: If she dated you, she’d starve to death. When’s the last time you saw your toes? I bet it was in pictures. You better give your girlfriend sister there some attention, she looks like she’s sweating Crisco right now.
He turns his attention back to the crowd as a whole.
Kyle: This woman won the Center of Attention award in Future Shock this year, and if that wasn’t the most obvious award ever for someone like Lacey! It wasn’t that long ago that Lacey decided to share her presence...her beauty with all of you during a match between two people most of you probably don’t remember now. I’ll remind you, it was Bianca Reed and Rose Gardner. Now she’s going to be dealing with Bianca at Nemesis on the 20th, but the fact is that just her looks….just her appearance…...can win matches for other people. Look at Rose….you know, if you can stand it. Do you think she’d have won WITHOUT Lacey? Of course not. We’re talking about a woman who can’t be herself for a whole match. And on the other hand, you got women in Future Shock dressing up just to be Lacey! So with that said, I think it’s only appropriate that Rose thank Lacey for giving her that win just merely….by being Lacey. Who else can say that?
Lacey: I can’t think of anyone else who can say that..certainly not Rose. I am one of a kind, and worth more than the majority of the FFW roster and Future Shock roster combined. Why else would I get so much hate from them? It’s pure jealousy, even though they are too proud to admit that. I know that they know I am superior in most every way that I could be.
Kyle: So Rose or whoever you dress up as next time, we look forward to your personal thanks for the gift that was the victory over Bianca. You should always appreciate those who give you things you weren’t expecting that enrich your life and career. As for the rest of you guys here in the audience, you can postpone your game of pocket pool you’re playing right now….because Lacey has left the building.
Even louder boos come from the crowd as Kyle and his client head towards the back. We head back to the ring as Kat rolls her eyes, and is ready to begin.
