AfterBurn for Flashpoint 1.6

[FGA Office]

Catch up with your favorite FGA grapplers on AfterBurn! Get their thoughts on the latest, their opponents, and other backstage happenings right here, only on AxxessNet!

[Owen Gonsalves]

The booming voice of Mark Bisley bellows throughout the hallways of the Sun National Bank Center as he speaks in the ring, following the night’s first Dynamic Duos Quarter Final featuring the hungry Neal Durden and Lowri Moss and perhaps the wildcards of the tournament, Shootcamp. The voice of Bisley is simply an echo though as two bodies fill the shot that sets this exclusive segment. There’s heavy breathing and both men seemingly are battered and bruised after what was an absolute war against Durden and Moss. The sweat from both men are literally dripping off of them as Watson’s beard is soaked and Gonsalves himself is on the floor, leaning against the wall. He loosens the laces on his wrestling boots, the boots that have stepped in many rings and kicked many heads.

Owen Gonsalves: We told you, we said that when it comes down to it, we’re just too fucking hungry. We want this too fucking bad…

Gonsalves positions himself so his back is flat against the wall as he stretches his tired legs out. He glances up at Watson who is seemingly working to regain some breath and some composure after the battle he was just in.

Owen Gonsalves: 7 years I’ve known this motherfucker, we’ve wrestled each other dozens of times, we’ve set up I don’t know how many rings together, we’ve worked our asses off for moments like the one we just had out there tonight. We worked our asses off for matches like the one we just had against Lowri Moss, who was on one fucking leg, and Neal Durden who wrestled three quarters of that match on his own.

There’s a momentary pause as Gonsalves takes a breath and swallows some saliva. Gonsalves suddenly slaps his hand against the wall.

Owen Gonsalves: AND THEY STILL NEARLY FUCKING BEAT US!

He runs a hand through his soaking wet hair, chuckling to himself at the thought of Durden and Moss kicking out of everything that they threw at them.

Owen Gonsalves: But you see, that...that’s what makes that win so special. There’s this weird fucking stigma, this weird stereotype in wrestling where the disadvantaged seemingly overcome the odds and the wrestlers with the advantage are seen as choke artists. The moment Durden wanted to wrestle the match on his own, I looked to this man who I’ve known for 7 fucking years, I looked to this man who I sat next to in locker rooms watching men and women who were at the top of our craft go out there and do what we have strived to do...I looked at him and told him that this wasn’t us, this wasn’t how we were going to fucking do it. I wasn’t going to go down in Dynamic Duos 2017 as the choke artists, the team that should’ve fucking won but didn’t. So…

Gonsalves coughs and holds the back of his neck, wincing in agony having taken quite a few head and neck related moves towards the end of the match.

Owen Gonsalves: So...we put the pressure back on ourselves, we made this match even more must win than it already was. Lowri Moss was on one leg and Neal Durden was on his own for most of the match, on paper that should be a win but we knew deep down, we had to fucking make sure of that. Those two are not your average wrestlers, those two are the special talents who overcome those disadvantages I spoke about, and they nearly did but at the end of the day, it was our night to overcome.

Watson had stood listening the whole time, regaining his breath and trying to cool down from the adrenaline rush that match had given him, and most likely his tag partner too. Watson looks to Bisley and chuckles softly.

Ace Watson: He talks a lot, doesn't he? Bastard left me with nothing to say.

Ace laughs and nudges Owen with his elbow. Gonsalves half smirks, almost too tired to give a full reaction to his tag partner’s humour.

Ace Watson: But yeah, Moss and Durden are tough as hell, I hope they know that. I'll tell ‘em if they don't. They deserve a lot of credit for their performance tonight. Seriously.

Watson was very clearly still impressed by his opponents’ showing.

Ace Watson: But I guess now we need to look onto the semi-finals…

Ace looks to Owen, and nudges him again, this time more to get his attention than to joke with him. Gonsalves’ tired eyes wander up to his tag team partner.

Ace Watson: Mate, we’re in the semi-finals…

The British member of Shootcamp shook his head, almost in disbelief.

Ace Watson: We’ll be watching Upper Echelon and Danse Macabre later tonight, closely… Whoever we end up facing out of the two of them, they will have seen what we can do, they've seen our matches in this tournament so far… We came into this thing as underdogs but I think we've shown we’re not to be taken lightly.

Gonsalves coughs once more and sits forward, before pushing himself up. Watson helps his partner to his feet as Owen staggers back against the wall, wincing in pain again.

Owen Gonsalves: You’re damn right we won’t be taken lightly, you see I’m familiar with a representative from both those teams. I’ve faced Artemis Kaiser before and I recently just had a war with Serpiente in my hometown. They both know what I can do at my very best, but man...they don’t know what I can do when I have someone else depending on my very best. They don’t know what Ace Watson can do when he’s at his very best and when I’m depending on him to be at his very best…

Gonsalves smirks confidently and holds the back of his head for a moment.

Owen Gonsalves: Jinzai...Emilio...Artemis...Salem, they’re all bonafide superstars, they’re all at the top of their careers right now. They’ve been there, done that and could probably write books about it. They don’t need this, not the way Ace and myself do...Sure we both have held championships before but we’ve still got plenty to prove in the top promotions in the world. We need this more than ever, after all the fucking shit he’s been through he needs this Dynamic Duos win more than ever. After all the doubters in my career, I need this more than ever. So he’s right, we’ll be watching closely.

Gonsalves rolls his head and cracks his neck a little, loosening it up after the punishment it took in the match,

Owen Gonsalves: UE or Danse Macabre, it won’t matter to us. We’re going to Washington to prove that we’re THE Dyanmic Duo. We’re going to Patriot Games to prove that we will not be destroyed. #Shootcamp, motherfucker.

Despite the agony he’s in, he manages a quick smirk and wink before walking off camera leaving Ace to walk right up to the lens.

Ace Watson: Buy the shirt.

He chuckles and walks off behind Owen as well as the scene fades to black.

[Fujiko Mine]

Backstage at the Sun National Bank Center, Amanda Johnson is standing at the FGA Interviewing area. She smiles innocently at the camera.

Amanda Johnson: Ladies and Gentlemen, my guest at this time...Fujiko Mine.

The camera shot expands until Fujiko is standing next to Amanda. She is mostly in her ring gear, but the top is covered by a yellow “Karmic Lion” t-shirt she wore earlier in the night. Behind her, the imposing Xena creeps into the shot, wearing Fujiko’s new FGA exclusive tee. Amanda shoots a nervous glance at Xena, then returns to Fujiko.

Amanda Johnson: Fujiko, you and the team of Flavia Rocha and El Stravito just beat The New Murder earlier in the night, with you pinning Molly Reid in the middle of the ring. What are you thoughts after this victory?

Fujiko lets a smile creep over her lips.

Fujiko Mine: Honestly Amanda, it feels great. I stood in front of those fans, and shut her down verbally. I followed that up with pinning her clean in the middle of the ring. I have no problems admitting that she gave me a heck of a fight. She had a counter for what I was trying to do. She’s a great wrestler. Boring, but a great wrestler. But in the end, I hit her with one of the most satisfying Lucky Shots I’ve ever given, and now I own a victory over nearly everyone in The New Murder.

She raises a finger.

Fujiko Mine: But I cannot take sole credit. Obviously, Flavia and El Stravito helped carry the load. They gave everything they could to make sure that we were able to hang with The New Murder, and without them being as awesome as they are; we’d have lost for sure.

Amanda Johnson: Fujiko, with your victory tonight; you face Molly Reid next week in a one on one matchup. Do you have anything to say-

Fujiko raises an eyebrow, then puts her hand up to stop Amanda.

Fujiko Mine: Amanda, thank you. I know you're just doing your job...but I’ll focus on that shortly. Think about what was said tonight. Molly told everyone that I didn't deserve the cheers. I didn't deserve the accolades that are under my name. They can talk, but what they can't do is make me back down. Molly Reid can make excuses; The whole New Murder can make excuses and try to tell you that I am not one of the best...but I’ve done what I said I was going to do. Tell me I can’t do something, and I’ll prove you wrong. Simple as that.

Fujiko winks at the camera, and then both she and Xena exit.

[Lou]

Voice: Are you really that surprised?

Nate Bristow and Tully Barnes step into the picture sporting devilish grins and feeling rather proud of themselves after their victory in the eight-person tag match earlier in the evening. As the camera pans back, they are revealed to be standing by with FGA interviewer Spencer Burke.

Nate Bristow: You put us in that ring against Elysian Empire and those other two dweebs, and what do we do?

Tully Barnes: We deliver!

The tag partners chum it up, bumping fists, much to the annoyance of Spencer.

Spencer Burke: It certainly had to help that you had the FGA World Tag Team Champions, PolyChromatic Lion Attack Squad, on your side. And then that little tug of the tights on that roll up…

Bristow & Barnes both scoff at Spencer’s subtle accusation.

Tully Barnes: This is why nobody likes you, Spence. You try to act you’re this consummate professional, but you’re really slithering snake trying to garner some major scoop by any means necessary. To insinuate we needed to cheat to win is insulting to us. We bust our tails every time we step foot inside that ring and earn everything we get. Shame on you for trying to take that away from us!

Bristow yanks the microphone out of Spencer’s hand and pulls him in close so that they’re standing nose to nose.

Nate Bristow: Is it because we beat your precious former tag champs, Spence? Because we told Elysian Empire they had no business staking their claim as the top contenders for Herrera and Peaches, and then went on and backed up our talk with a pinfall victory against them right in the middle of the ring? There are a lot of good tag teams on the roster here, Spence.

Tully Barnes: None of them hold a candle to us.

Bristow shoves Spencer back and out of the picture.

Nate Bristow: We are the best tag team in the world! You may not know it today, but you won’t be able to dispute it for much longer. Elysian Empire got a wake-up call tonight. And when those FGA World Tag Team Championships are finally firmly around our waists where they belong, the entire division will have been met with a rude awakening they should’ve seen coming.

Tully Barnes: Don’t say we didn’t warn you. The apocalypse is here.

Bristow tosses the microphone to Spencer Burke, and the imposing members of Thy Kingdom Come exit the scene. We fade to black.

[Susan Kent]

Amanda Johnson is making her rounds backstage continuing her post show interviews, when she arrives at the dressing room of Susan Kent.

Amanda: Hey Stranger.

Susan turns around.

Susan: Hey Amanda.

Amanda: So great match tonight.

Susan: Yeah, Luke and I almost had them a few times.

Amanda: So you've been keeping busy.

Susan: Yeah.

Amanda: I saw the puma ad congrats.

Susan: Thanks.

Amanda: Anyway I have to be moving along, these interviews don't do themselves.

Susan: Well It was nice seeing you again, if your ever in L.A we'll do lunch and catch up.

Amanda: I'd like that.

Amanda moved along to her interview, and Susan continued to pack her things.

[sasso]

A gaggle of backstage workers are going about their business following Flashpoint going off the air, when they are interrupted by a shrill voice shrieking "ATTENTION!" Seconds later, the former MAL Champion AMIRA comes storming into sight, parting the staffers like the red sea.

AMIRA: Where is an interview servant!? I require a microphone!

She asks, darting her head aroound from side to side. Eventually, she gives up and decides to take matters into her own hands.

AMIRA:Nevermind that! But I will have your attention!

Scampering over to a catering table, she climbs up on it, standing atop a plate of celery and carrot sticks.

AMIRA: Choices ... choices Welshie! We all make choices and you made the wrong one, when you decided to make it your life's mission to steal from me! You stole from me, so I stole from you ten times over!

She takes a few short, sharp breaths.

AMIRA: Not your spot in this little tournament, oh no, that was mere collateral damage that would not have measured up to all you stole from me! What I stole was your dignity, Welshie!

Her eyes narrow.

AMIRA: So headstrong, so foolhardy, but I--AMIRA--proved you to be unable to carry the weight you have taken upon yourselves! When I attacked your knee, I exposed you for what you really are! A weak, common woman, the type whose incompetence reflects poorly on the strong, on the trailblazers like myself. You took it upon yourself to hold the trust of your tag team partner in that tournament, and you COLLAPSED under that pressure as your knee gave out! It gave out as your opposition saw your weakness, they saw you for what you truly are and they put aside all pretense of sporting competition, they exploited it because they saw what I saw in my eyes when I look at you--

She hisses in a low voice.

AMIRA: -- that you ... are ... nothing! And I will continue to remind you that you are nothing until you have been erased from my existence, or punished to my satisfaction, whichever comes first!

Hopping off the table, she exclaims.

AMIRA: I'm not through with you Welshie! I'm not through with you by a long shot! And by the time I am, you'll be wishing you'd met your grisly fate in a volcano match instead!

She starts to bound away, before craning her head back.

AMIRA: You will! Oh yes you will!

Fade

[Deleted]

The scene opens backstage, where Amanda Johnson is standing by with ‘The Tenacious Little Bastard’ Dom Harter and Fenrys. Both men are still dressed as The New Murder members tend to be, in their leather jackets, but with the bandanas already down around their necks so they can speak … or not in Fenrys’ case. Unusually, there’s a television set hanging on the wall behind them.

Amanda Johnson: Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here with The New Murder members, Dom Harter and Fenrys. Guys, there’s a lot to go through tonight so why don’t we start with you, Dom?

Dom Harter: Always a good place to start.

That crooked grin spreads across his face as Harter readies himself to talk.

Amanda Johnson: Earlier tonight we saw Chris Bond declare himself as an opponent of The New Murder, vowing to stand--

Dom Harter: He never was very clever…

Dom looks towards Fenrys, who just shakes his head.

Amanda Johnson: --vowing to stand with Jimmy Page against you and your group of miscreants.

Dom Harter: I know, I’m so scared, Amanda. I just … I don’t know how I’ll be able to sleep tonight.

The sarcasm is palpable as Harter feigns distress, holding his head in his hand as he fakes a sob, before starting to chuckle. Fenrys wipes a tear from his own eye, but Amanda doesn’t appear to be impressed by their antics.

Dom Harter: Nah, this is making me feel like a young man again. First I get to take down Jimmy Page, now I get to break Bondo again?! It’s like 2013! The gangs back together! But, and this is important, boys: it’ll take more than two of you to stop The New Murder. Unfortunately this isn’t Fenrys’ fight, since he has an ungrateful El Stravito to smack down.

Fenrys shakes his head angrily, still angry about the result of the six man tag match earlier tonight. The masked man paces back and forth for a moment as Dom continues.

Dom Harter: Don’t worry, I’ll soften him up for on on Vertigo next week!

That seems to do the trick, and Fenrys nods in agreement.

Dom Harter: But The New Murder won’t run from you, Bond. We won’t hide. Not from you, not from anyone. All I’ve been through, after all I’ve suffered through. And you think your name strikes fear in my heart? You couldn’t do the job last time, Bondo, and this time won’t be any different. We’ll bring the fight to you. We’ll fight on all fronts. And in the end it’ll just be a different girlfriend stitching up your head when I’m done with you.

Dom waves at the camera, mouthing the words ‘Hi Katie’, before clearing his throat, ready to continue.

Dom Harter: As for Jimmy Page? He’s finally managed to make a friend--well, one who likely won’t get fired in a few weeks for punching out a TV executive. Because not even Bondo is that dumb! That’s a Chris Q joke, by the way, because I won’t ever not remind you of when you aligned yourself with the most despised man in FGA history, Jimmy!

Harter shoots the camera a quick thumbs up.

Amanda Johnson: So it’s fair to say you don’t feel threatened by the team of Page and Bond?

Dom Harter: Very observant, Amanda. Maybe I’ll show them next week how this works, because they’re going to have to learn that you don’t cross The New Murder…

Amanda Johnson: Speaking of crossing The New Murder--

She starts as Dom and Fenrys look towards one another, rolling their eyes in unison as Amanda continues.

Amanda Johnson: --Fujiko Mine had some words for you earlier toni--

Before Dom silences her with a wave of the hand. Amanda looks confused as to what’s going on as Harter appears to be walking away.

Dom Harter: I can’t take any more of that dumbassery, Amanda. I’m going to have to tag out here…

A slap of hands can be heard off screen, before Molly Reid walks into the shot with Dom trailing behind. She doesn’t look best pleased with having to broach the subject of Fujiko Mine; she glares at Dom as Amanda starts talking.

Amanda Johnson: Molly, earlier tonight we saw you and Fujiko exchange some harsh words in that ring, before she, El Stravito, and Flavia Rocha defeated The New Murder in a six man tag match.

Molly Reid: Harsh words? No, we heard Fujiko bullshit her way into the crowd’s good books, Amanda. The way she always does. With the same healthy dose of hypocrisy that she usually serves in with too.

Amanda Johnson: I--I don’t follow.

Molly Reid: Because you’re a sheep, Amanda. Because you’re blind to her lies, but it’s ok. We’re here to help. What was it she accused me of doing again?

Dom Harter: Gaslighting.

Molly Reid: That’s right!

It appears as if the lightbulb has gone off over Molly’s head as she palms her own forehead in amazement.

Molly Reid: Intentionally lying and misleading, right? To try and make people doubt their own memories?

Amanda Johnson: Is this the claims that Fujiko built her career on lying and cheating? Because I don’t thin--

Dom Harter: No, you really don’t think, Amanda.

Molly Reid: There’s no claims. There’s only facts. Fujiko lied and cheated her way to her big ‘first female singles championship’ that she likes to brag about. That’s indisputable. And before you pull a Fujiko and scream ‘hurr durr you hypocrite you said you lied’. Yeah, I did lie. But I don’t deny it. My entire point in bringing that up is how hypocritical the FANS are. Because they boo me for admitting I lied, but they cheer Fujiko for lying and cheating! What’s the difference? Why do they hate me but cheer for Fujiko? Do you know why Dom?

Dom Harter: Because of me!

He exclaims whilst punching the air in delight. Nothing better than being hated by FGA fans!

Molly Reid: Damn, what was I thinking? I should’ve just gotten a boob job, cheated my way to a championship, then quit for nine months after losing its. Then when I came back, I’d get all the cheers!

Dom Harter: ...I won’t say no to the boob job.

That one earns Dom a punch on the arm from both Molly and Fenrys as he looks at them both in shock.

Dom Harter: Bygones!

Molly Reid: But anyways, I’m not going to do that. Because I don’t need to cheat to win. Never have and never will. Tonight, I expected Fujiko to just roll over and die. That would’ve been the smart move. The career-extending move. But she decided to keep this going and drag this out. Bad choice Fuji, bad choice.

Amanda intervenes again.

Amanda Johnson: But what does this have to do with gaslighting?

Dom Harter: That’s the million dollar question, Amanda! And I get it, she debuted so long ago. Before you were working here. Before Molly was working here. Before the fans were able to watch FGA on cable television, so maybe only the hardcore fans with the DVD library at home can help here…

Molly Reid: It’s such a shame that FGA doesn’t have a video library…

Dom, Molly, and Fenrys all turn their attention to the television set on the wall behind them as it suddenly turns on with the AxxessNet app already open, and a clip of tonight’s Flashpoint ready to show. Dom chuckles again as Molly throws up her hands in faux shock.

Fujiko Mine: You did say I cheated and lied. You literally said that before I came out here. You can try and gaslight people, but these fans heard you say that I built my career off “cheating and lying”. Basically untrue.

Lowell 1/3/15

Mine picks up Wylde and whips him into the corner. She then runs across the ring and connects with a corner lariat. As Wylde crumbles from out of the corner, Mine steps through the ropes and climbs the turnbuckles. Once Mine reaches the top, she flips off and goes for B.G.D. But Wylde rolls out of the way.

Kris Cruise: She misses!

Stephy Auger: Fujiko’s misses the corkscrew!

Mine tries to get up, but she quickly collapses to the canvas.

Stephy Auger: Oh no! She

Mine can be seen writhing in pain as she holds her back.

Kris Cruise: Fujiko didn’t just fall hard. She may be seriously hurt here.

The ref kneels down next to her and asks her if she’s okay. But Mine shakes her head “no”.

Stephy Auger: The ref may end up stopping this one, Kris. It doesn’t look like she’s in any condition to continue...

As Wylde goes over to pick her up, the ref steps in his way and tells him to hold off. But Wylde isn’t about to hear any of that and moves the ref out of the way.

Kris Cruise: What’s Wylde doing?

Stephy Auger: The woman’s hurt! He can’t see that!?

Kris Cruise: He can. I just don’t think he ca--

As Wylde goes over to pick up Mine, Mine quickly rolls him up with a small package.

Dom Harter: Looks like lying to me…

Molly Reid: You’d know!

Poughkeepsie 1/17/15

Dante drags his opponent back to her feet once again, a handful of hair being his preferred method, before he hooks her in position for and raises her into the air for his patented Cr8 Chaos brainbuster – NO! Fujiko drops down behind him and LOW BLOWS Dante Anglais! The crowd can’t believe what they just saw as Dante is staggered.

Fujiko rolls out of the ring and digs under the ring, grabbing up a steel chair before she slides back in under the bottom rope. Half of the crowd are urging her on, the other half are in shock as Lady Luck rears the chair back, waiting for Anglais to turn around…

Stephy Auger: Wait, the referee is stirring…

Fujiko sees this too; as her opponent turns around she decides to change tactic, so instead of hitting Dante with the chair she slams it down against the mat before tossing it to Dante. Shocked, he catches it as Fujiko slumps to the mat, just as the referee comes to. The official sees an ‘unconscious’ Fujiko and Dante standing over her holding the chair and he calls for the bell!

Fenrys scratches his head as he watches the clip.

Molly Reid: A low blow, and getting her opponent falsely disqualified?

Dom Harter: Looks like cheating to me!

White Plains 1/31/15

As the ref argues with Cherry, Fujiko reaches down and feverishly tries to untie her boots. Once her boot is loose, she digs in and pulls out a pair of brass knuckles to cheers from the crowd.

Stephy Auger: Fujiko's once again got a trick up her sleeve!

As Karma slowly turns over and tries to shake out the cobwebs, Fujiko rears back, ready to sock him with the brass knucks.

Kris Cruise: Karma better not turn around or else it's going to be lights out!

When Karma gets up and turns around, Fujiko goes to throw out a punch. But Karma falls flat on his back. Cherry then drops off the apron and frantically points behind the ref. Once the ref turns around, he sees Karma “knocked out” on the canvas, then turns and sees Fujiko with the brass knuckles on her hand. He then looks down at Karma, then back up at Fujiko, who tries to take off the knucks. She shakes her head and pleads tells the ref that this isn’t what it looks like. But the ref has put two and two together and calls for the bell. The crowd boos as Karma lifts his head up, then quickly puts it back down to continue playing dead.

Molly Reid: Going to the well one time too often…

Dom Harter: Nobody ever accused her of being smart. But carrying brass knucks in her boots?

Molly Reid: And the fans cheered that?

Fenrys scratches his head again, unsure of what to make of what he’s watching.

Philadelphia 2/14/15

Sullivan rolls out of the way and Fujiko looks to be hurt from that one. She’s stumbling around as Sullivan scrambles back to her feet; she charges in–INTO DUST! And Mine goes down near the corner as Sullivan pulls herself back up by the ropes. She spots her downed opponent, but heads up to the top rope anyway. Slowly, she steps out onto the apron and ascends to the top rope. A moment to pose for the adoring fans and soon enough Ashley Sullivan flies through the air with a Swanton Bomb…

Straight into Fujiko’s raised knees! And Mine scrambles over, rolling up the tag champ as she places her feet on the ropes for leverage.

Dom Harter: How many of these are there?

Molly Reid: It’s never-ending!

Charlotte 3/14/15

On the other side of the ring, Fujiko sizes up Lawless before leaping up for the Endless Fantasy. But Lawless rolls out of the way, causing Fujiko to crash knees-first onto the canvas. Noelle then runs over, picks up Fujiko and dumps her over the top rope and to the floor.

Kris Cruise: Fujiko's out!

While Biz and Kaour continue to struggle, Lawless runs over, grabs Kaour by the waist from behind and dumps him over the top rope and to the floor.

J.A. Aldridge: Prince Kaour has been eliminated!
Kris Cruise: Kaour's been eliminated by Lawless. But he just got a huge assist from Biz.

Stephy Auger: And now look at Biz...

While Biz stomps away on Kaour on the floor, Noelle tries to come up behind Lawless. But Lawless turns around in time to dip his shoulder and dump her over the top rope…

Stephy Auger: Oh no! Noelle!

… but Noelle lands on the apron. Lawless then tries to attack, but Noelle grabs the top rope, jumps up, wraps her legs around Lawless’ neck and delivers a headscissors takeover, sending Lawless over the top rope and to the floor.

J.A. Aldridge: Seth Lawless has been eliminated!

Stephy Auger: Lawless is gone!

Kris Cruise: We've got a new champion!

Noelle stands on the apron and raises her arms in victory. But just then, Fujiko rolls back into the ring, runs over and delivers a dropkick to the back, knocking her off the apron and to the floor. The ref calls for the bell.

Dom wags his finger, turning to Molly as he says.

Dom Harter: Wait, we haven’t seen the best part of this…

Molly Reid: There’s more, you say!?

Spartanburg 4/4/15

Noelle Smith: I shouldn’t be here, but I wanted to speak to you before our match. I guess I really just want to know why you did it. I mean, you warned me you’d do anything but I thought you’d want to prove more than just you were smarter than the referee. That you were a good wrestler before you were an...opportunist. You’re strong, you’re smart, you didn’t need to do it, Fujiko. I’d have been so happy to have you be my first opponent to the title, too. But now, you have it and you have something that should have been mine. I just want you to know though, I don’t hate you for it. I just have something to prove now, more than I did before - and I want to know why. I want to understand you.

She kept a decent space between them, not wanting Fujiko to feel that she was trying to crowd or intimidate her, and waited with her hands on her hips for Fujiko to answer. Fujiko takes in a breath, trying to do her best to appear civil. She wasn’t interested in gloating or boasting. She keeps eye contact as best she can.

Fujiko Mine: First of all, thank you for coming to me and talking. I was actually planning on finding you after I finished stretching, but it’s just as well. Why I did it? Noelle, you make it sound so...shady.

She takes her gaze off Noelle for a moment.

Fujiko Mine: I did it because no one told me I was eliminated. The ending of that match wasn’t like what I did to Dante Anglais, or to Jake Wylde, or to anyone else. When you pushed me out, there was no one there to tell me I was officially out. So I did what I was taught to do: Keep going until the bell rings. If they would’ve told me that I lost after the fact, then I’d be content with you being the champion. But that didn’t happen. They gave me this.

She points to the Mid Atlantic Legacy championship fastened across her chest. She keeps her tone neutral as possible to avoid conflict.

Fujiko Mine: I’m sorry if you feel slighted. I was, and am offering you a chance to take this from me. But first, I need to confront Mirage. He is going to want to take this away from me. I can’t let him win. I am going to prove that I deserve to be the champion, and to do that, I’m going to need to beat people like him, and you. So I really wish you luck tonight, Noelle. I hope that you got what you came here for.

Dom Harter: She didn’t know! That was her excuse!

Fenrys can be seen hunched over laughing, slapping his thigh as now it’s Molly turn to scratch her head.

Molly Reid: And she admitted that what she did to Dante and Jake was shady?

Dom Harter: That’s what I heard! But what do I know, we’re just lying to the fans and showing them footage that doesn’t exist of Fujiko building her career on cheating, and lying, and shady tactics. And the fans cheering her on as she did it…

Molly Reid: And they wonder why we’d turn against them?

Dom Harter: Thank God she turned over that new leaf though. Thank God after losing that Mid-Atlantic Legacy title that she was only won because she’s apparently too dumb to know how battle royals work … thank God she apologized to the fans, and said she wanted to do better. Because “sorry” is it all it takes for these fans! But two years ago is such a long time, so it’s not like she’d be judging me for what I did back then, right?

Molly Reid: I’d certainly hope not, that’d be really hypocritical of her ... But I guess it’s all behind her now. It’s not like she’s been hypocritical recently...

Last week

Fujiko Mine: No no no, I know you all know who I mean. Couple of champions...a hall of famer...thought that it would be just fine to run their mouths while they knew I wasn’t coming. They’re all about attacking me when they know I couldn’t defend myself. And that’s cool. That’s how they operate…

Dom can be seen scratching his chin.

Dom Harter: Someone’s going to have to tell me what I said about her though, because I can’t fucking remember…

Earlier Tonight

Fujiko Mine: C’mon Molly. I know you were apologetic and all that, but it’s like you wrote the story on the wall for everyone. Annie Zellor went through that EXACT same nonsense, and we saw where she went. You followed that same formula, and expected us to believe you? We’d seen it before.

Fujiko Mine: You're just being boring. For goodness sake, you make being a billionaire absolutely boring. You’re a good wrestler, there is no doubt about that. But you’re absolutely white bread boring. These fans got tired of watching you just parrot Annie Zellor, Dom Harter, or whomever you were following.

Dom Harter: That’s not her running her mouth about Annie Zellor is it? Who no longer works here and isn’t here to defend herself?

Molly Reid: Not to mention she clearly doesn’t know the definition of the word following. But I think I’ve seen enough, Dom. I can’t watch any more of that. Just let her have these hollow boasts about winning individual matches. Let her brag about winning a six man tag match here, or just edging past Mercy. They’re just battles, but she won’t win the war…

Dom Harter: Like with The New Kings…

He grins after taking the cheap shot, and points to himself as he mouths ‘that was me, I did that.’.

Molly Reid: Next week on Vertigo I’ll make sure Fujiko knows that one-on-one she can’t beat me. She had a chance to just give up and get out of this with her health and dignity. But after what happened tonight, she doesn’t get any easy way outs. She’s going to suffer at my hands and I’m going to draw it out. I’m going to make her regret ever returning to FGA. I’ll make her wish she was still back home grieving her dead mom. She’s going to suffer, and you’re all going to be forced to watch it. So sit back and enjoy the ride.

With that, the scene comes to an end with a fade to black.

[Deleted]

The scene opens backstage where The Polychromatic Lion Attack Squad are standing by with their FGA World Tag Team titles slung over their shoulders. They’ve long since changed out of their ring attire, and are instead dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts, with beer bottles in hand. Alongside them stands Amanda Johnson, ready to conduct another interview.

Amanda Johnson: Dan, Peaches. Firstly, congratulations on the victory tonight.

Dan Herrera: My head’s still ringing from that DDT at the end, but thank you, Amanda. Not quite the way we’d like to win, but it was a hard fought contest.

Peaches: I ain’t gonna lie, Pedro and Maritza really brought the heat tonight. They showed why they’re one of the top teams here in FGA, an’ we ain’t gonna take nothin’ away from ‘em.

Amanda Johnson: That brings me to my next question…

Amanda cuts in as the tag champs each take a sip of their beers as they wait for the impending question.

Amanda Johnson: Obviously neither of you were involved in the finish to that match. After all that hard work, and the effort you put forward, it was Tully Barnes pinning Elon Elysian for the victory. How do you feel about that?

Dan Herrera: It’s just a shame that Barnes had to hook Elon’s tight to get the win; the fans deserved to see a proper winner to that match, we deserved a proper winner to that match.

Peaches: But we get it, they wanna make a statement. They’ve had people tellin’ ‘em they ain’t that good, an’ they ain’t ever gonna achieve nothin’ here. But by hook or by crook they’ve got a pin over the former tag champs, an’ they’re gonna use that goin’ forward.

Dan Herrera: Not what we’d expect from the best team on the planet, but each to their own. Regardless of that, it’s not just what we think of it that matters: Pedro and Maritza are going to say - and rightfully so - that this match didn’t prove anything about what’s going to happen at Patriot Games. An eight man tag match where none of us were involved in the finish?

Peaches: Ain’t mean a damn thing.

Peaches takes another sip of her Corona before continuing.

Peaches: Ain’t change a damn thing, either. ‘Cause we’ve said it before, an’ we’ll say it again: we ain’t leavin’ Patriot Games without these belts.

Both Dan and Peaches pat the belts on their shoulders.

Dan Herrera: After all we went through to get them, we’re not about to lose them on the first defense. So Pedro and Maritza can get some momentum going over the few weeks, because tonight may not have been their night - but Patriot Games won’t be either.

Amanda Johnson: Well whoever walks out of Patriot Games with those belts will be facing the winners of the Dynamic Duos tournament in a few months time. Did you watch the matches tonight?

Peaches nods, taking another sip of beer before answering.

Peaches: Yeah, we did. Flashpoint tonight was kinda a mixed bag, though, wasn’t it? Some results we loved, some we hated. But congratulations to Upper Echelon an’ Shootcamp for goin’ through.

Dan Herrera: The competition’s only going to get tougher from here though. But we’re always watching, studying possible opponents, seeing what they’re capable of in that ring. And in two weeks time we’ll do the same when Invictus Fight Club and Smart Style face off.

Peaches: An’ The Chaotics versus Chainsaw & Rowe.

Amanda Johnson: Are you going to share who’d you like to see go through?

Peaches: Hell no! Those teams all know what they’re in this tournament for, an’ that’s a shot at these titles. That’s for the honor Dan had last year, an’ winnin’ the Dynamic Duos tournament--

Herrera can be seen nodding proudly at the memory of Status Quo winning last year’s tournament.

Peaches: --we ain’t ‘bout to pour some gasoline on the fire an’ tell ‘em we don’t want ‘em to succeed, or we’d rather their opponents beat ‘em this time. Those six teams can keep guessin’ who we’re bettin’ on winnin’.

Dan Herrera: And when we’ve defended these belts against Pedro Gonzales and Maritza Diaz in a few weeks time, then we’ll let you know what we think about the winners of the Dynamic Duos - whoever that may be.

Amanda Johnson: There we have it, folks, The Polychromatic Lion Attack Squad looking forward to a future with those FGA World Tag Team titles. Who’s going to be able to take them from them? We’ll have to wait and see.

With that, the scene comes to an end with a fade to black.