The Winds of Change.
Team Welsh, a legacy built on success. Winners of the previous two Trials.
They stare adversity in the face. Looking way up at the standings, a comeback that seems almost too daunting to be achievable.
What has become of the #1 TRIAD dyansty? What has become of the franchise?
Plethora the Perilous, Mario Maurako, and Corey Black are all legends with more trophies, belts, and awards than the rest of the field combined. Can they turn the tide? Can these three change the course of seeming inevitability?
And what about “(untitled)”? Thrown into the deep end. The biggest unknown of the draft has had trouble finding their footing in spite of two impressive performances. Can they act as the glue that finally brings the aforementioned three together and unify this team as they look to make a late run?
Whenever one goes down, one must rise up. It’s gravity.
Team TLS has been the inverse of Team Welsh. A permanent resident at the bottom of the TRIAD standings. An afterthought by the time the final event rolls around.
But, no longer.
With the aid of a computer, TLS sat down and made Chicago’s native son, Matt Meyhu, it’s #1 pick and they haven’t looked back since. Meyhu stands tall, undefeated thus far in the Trials.
Meanwhile, CYPH3R and Paul Freedom have both notched victories and look to be on the rise.
And then there’s Shawn Warstein. No stranger to success at the highest level. A man who’s ready to break through and join his contemporaries in the win column.
Team TLS has a strong lead and it’s tough, at this stage, finding any conceivable scenario where they give it up.
Stability.
Nothing has been more reliable throughout these Trials than Team PIC. Always there. Always by the winner’s side. Always competitive but never championship level.
Team PIC once again finds itself at the alter but standing at the side of the main attraction.
Led by Kieran King, this team of talented competitors looks, on paper, like they could make a run. But, will they?
The talent is there. Doc, Parker, and Penelope. All headline attractions in any fed within this industry.
But can they overcome the stigma of Team PIC? Can they eviscerate the ‘runner-up’ status quo that has embedded itself within the Team PIC culture?
If so, tonight is the night they need to make a move.
Three teams.
One looking to mount an epic comeback.
One looking to hold on to their impressive lead.
And, one looking to change the narrative.
It’s Night 11 and the event couldn’t loom any larger.
The fate of the TRIAD hangs in the balance.
Harvey Marx and his mysterious building await 12 of the greatest competitors as they, once again, seek to do battle under very unique circumstances.
They must remain focused. They must remain aggressive. And, they must remain connected.
The Trials grow late and the opportunity to flip the script is running short.
Winds of Change surround this Big Ticket Event live from The Windy City.
Let the Trials Begin!
~We open up to a wide shot of Harvey Marx’s building located right in the heart of Chicago! The clouds above it churn as rain pours down onto and around the work of cement art. Each floor is lit up. Multiple tiny, yellow squares beaming bright amid the dreary, thick Chicago air. It’s magnificently ominous. Fans gather the streets surrounding the building, staring up at this impressive structure. A great sense of mystery electrifies the air. ‘TRIAD!’ chants from down below via the ravenous fans braving the elements here tonight. The rain almost seems like an isolated incident. Selecting Harvey’s building and Harvey’s building alone to pelt with corrupted moisture. The voices of our trusty duo of commentators break through the captivating image as a bolt of lightning fires down, striking the top of the tower~
MoMo: Hello again everyone and welcome to Night 11! Welcome back to the Wit Trials! Welcome to The Big Ticket Event!
Hood: And, for once, I’m given the treatment I deserve.
MoMo: Yes, we are coming to you LIVE from a penthouse several blocks away from tonight’s event. We’ll be calling the action as we see it live on TV.
Hood: This is what I’m talking about. Get some room service. Knock back some booze. Maybe put some mild porn on the TV. Let’s do it up, MoMo!
MoMo: I’m down for some of that.
Hood: Ah, right, no alcohol during the broadcast. Got ya.
MoMo: It’s gonna be a long evening.
Hood: You can say that again!
MoMo: Tonight we bring you four amazing matches, like always...but, unlike previous nights, tonight we offer a formula unlike any in TRIAD history.
Hood: Mixing it up. I like it.
MoMo: Each team will compete within Harvey Marx’s building. They will fight to locate pieces to a key through three floors before releasing their teammate. This will go on until the final teammate is released and able to escape.
Hood: So it’s like a really complicated relay race?
MoMo: That it is. The first wrestler to unlock their teammate will earn 2 points. Second will earn 1. Third will earn 0. And, in the final leg, the first wrestler to escape the building gets 2 points. Second will earn 1. Third will earn 0.
Hood: Simple enough.
MoMo: The race starts on floor 12 as Plethora, Doc, and CYPH3R take off in search of key pieces so they can unlock their teammates on floor 9. Plethora, obviously, needs this win for himself and, more importantly, his team.
Hood: Yea but he weights like a thousand pounds and this is a RACE. Not exactly the best situation for the big man to be in.
MoMo: That’s true. If we’re going by physical abilities and agile inclinations it would appear CYPH3R might have the advantage here. He’s fresh off a win in Night 10 and looking to keep the Team TLS momentum strong.
Hood: Not to mention he could just hack the security cameras and locate everything pre-match.
MoMo: That could happen. And then there’s Doc. The biggest jump in improvement from Night 9 to Night 10. He kept Team PIC in this with a big win on Night 10. Can he manipulate his way down the tower and be the first to unlock his teammate?
Hood: I wouldn’t put it past him.
MoMo: The second leg begins as each member of the first leg finishes their objective. Someone is going to get a head start in this leg and, dare I say, “(untitled)” could use it the most.
Hood: Team Welsh needs all the help they can get right now.
MoMo: The mysterious work of living art remains winless thus far in the Trials but they are improving. They are ascending. They are ready to breakthrough.
Hood: Coming off a night when the entire team scored zero points I’d say all four members could use a breakthrough performance.
MoMo: It won’t be easy...nothing in TRIAD ever is. Shawn Warstein has seen decision making cost him the previous two nights. A surprise given the experience he has on these types of big stage events. No doubt his history with Doc played a big role last week.
Hood: Shawn’s done fucking around. I think we’re gonna see him focused and one thing and one thing only, joining the rest of his team in the winner’s circle.
MoMo: Which leaves Kieran King. A favorite, by many, to win these Trials. He nearly toppled TWO of OCW’s most legendary competitors on Night 10. Now he finds himself looking to carry his team to a comeback, closing the gap as we hit the final stretch in the Wit Trials.
Hood: He’s manipulative. Tricky. And, IMO, there are no depths he won’t scour to locate an advantage. This match should be right up his sleeve, if you will.
MoMo: That brings us to the new favorite to win the Trials. The Marvel himself, Matt Meyhu. He leads Team TLS. They lead the Trials. He’s back home here in the Windy City and shows no signs of slowing down.
Hood: He’s every bit the wrestler he was when I first saw him back in 2017.
MoMo: Penelope, however, has more on the line than prestige and pride. Penelope NEEDS this. She needs to either win Team PIC or propel Team PIC to the winner’s circle of the Trials if she wants to get into The Great Illuminatus.
Hood: Rough Night 9 for Penelope but she rebounded and got a point last week. I’m not gonna go out on a limb and say she beats Meyhu to the punch in this one...but she won’t go down without a fight.
MoMo: Which brings us to Corey Black. There’s a lot in common between Corey and Meyhu. Both are legends in and out of the ring. Both dominated their previous promotion with relative ease. There’s just one difference...Meyhu has translated that success over into TRIAD. Corey has not been quite as successful.
Hood: He won Night 9. But, yea, he got pinned on Night 10. There’s a bit of familiarity here with Meyhu and not so much with Black. He’s a legend for a reason and I expect to see a stronger performance from him tonight.
MoMo: And that brings us to our final leg of the journey. It all begins with Paul Freedom. A true standout thus far in the Trials and a big reason Team TLS is in the lead. Sitting in a cage throughout most of the match...will he be able to control his energy and focus it on the task at hand or will the task prove to be too daunting?
Hood: That’s a good question. He’s all so new to this and, well, a stipulation like the one we have tonight is foreign for any competitor, especially someone as fresh as Paul Freedom. Could be overwhelming.
MoMo: He’ll have to deal with Sean Parker. Some might call it tough luck. Others might simply say ‘that’s how TRIAD goes’. It’s the toughest field in pro wrestling and nobody knows that better than Sean Parker. He’s put together two amazing performances only to walk away with 1 point each time.
Hood: Parker is like a star about to supernova. A stock about to run to epic highs. If you sell on him now you’re going to regret it. The kid is about to take off.
MoMo: And then there’s Mario Maurako...easily the biggest disappointment of the Trials thus far.
Hood: I know Mario and statements like that he’ll take personally.
MoMo: I hope so. Mario needs to come through for his team tonight. He needs to get on the board. If Mario fails to provide any support for Team Welsh in tonight’s main event then, dare I say, all hope might be lost for the once proud franchise.
Hood: I can’t argue that.
MoMo: Fans we are here LIVE in Chicago for the hottest ticket in town! The Big Ticket Event! It’s the Windy City and change seems to be lurking upon the horizon! Can Team Welsh make up some ground? Can Team TLS hold their lead? Will Team PIC get out of the friend zone? We’re about to find out as Night 11 begins...NOW!
~Inside the Team PIC dressing room, the mood is pensive. Doctor Louis D’Ville adjusts his collar while Sean Parker stretches on a bench. Kieran King leans against the wall with his eyes closed - towing a fine line between meditating and sleeping. PIC himself enters the room and scans the room.~
PIC: Everybody good?
~Doc smiles ominously. When King’s eyes don’t open, Parker gives his chair a little kick. He startles, revealing which side of that meditation-sleep line he had fallen. Parker shakes his head.~
PIC: Has anybody seen Penelope?
Kieran King: Are we still calling her that? Like… does she have some sort of secret name we should be using? Something with far too many consonants?
~On cue, Penelope - or whatever is occupying her body - enters the room, grumbling. The feeling within the room notably takes a downwards dip along with her mood. PIC, Parker, and King each eyeball each other awkwardly. Only Doc has a smile on his face.~
Doctor Louis D’Ville: Hello, my friend!
~Penelope leers in his direction, but he seems relatively unfazed.~
Penelope: Ah, the one who’s meant to heal yet only hurts…
~She jabs a finger in Doc’s direction.~
Doctor Louis D'Ville: That was hurtful, actually.
Penelope: You must follow the lead of the sky killer and bring us the head of the one they call Cyphthreer!
Sean Parker: It’s CYPH3R actually.
Doctor Louis D'Ville: With a "three".
Penelope: That’s what we said sky killer.
Kieran King: Wait, why CYPH3R?
Penelope: He had no business getting involved last week in our battle with the man who’s free and the one with no name!
Sean Parker: He’s actually done that a couple of times now. He got involved in my match on Night 9 too. For a guy who claims not to care about being on a team, he sure likes to shove his nose where it’s not wanted.
Penelope: Exactly! Yes, sky killer! The old ones demand his sacrifice!
~Doc chuckles.~
Doctor Louis D’Ville: Oh I’m sure I can arrange something.
Penelope: Excellent! We look forward to drinking his blood with you. We’re certain he’ll be quite the vintage.
~Doc gently bows his head. Once again, PIC, Parker, and King eyeball one another.~
PIC: Could we maybe do a little less blood rituals?
Kieran King: Seconded. Pretty sure that violates my ‘No Space Wizards’ rule.
Penelope: For the last time, we are not a space wizard! Why must you insist on lumping us in with that stupid boy under the stairs?! We don’t need a piece of wood to ply our trade and if you wish to see space that much it can be arranged.
PIC: But there’s a point here. Team TLS has had each other’s backs. We… haven’t. Not like them.
Doctor Louis D’Ville: Shall we fight fire with fire then, friends?
Penelope: Yes, immolate them all! Leave nothing but ash! Between you and the sky killer there is hope for this team yet!
Doctor Louis D’Ville: I like your style, but I was thinking more about lending each other a hand, perhaps?
Kieran King: You mean a couple of sneaky run-ins?
~Doc shrugs. Kieran reflects a little, then nods. Penelope snaps her fingers, a small ball of blue flame hovering above her palm.~
Penelope: What about hellfire? We’ve seen it first hand…it’s quite excruciating.
Doctor Louis D’Ville: User choice on that front.
PIC: Wait a minute, guys! No burning people alive, please?
~Doc winks at Penelope.~
PIC: I saw that!
~Penelope rolls her eyes and closes her hand extinguishing the fire ball.~
Penelope: You really wish to see us lose don’t you?
Sean Parker: I’m not sure about this either…
Kieran King: Dude, you said it yourself, CYPH3R’s been getting all up in our shit. And each time, it’s led to Team TLS getting the W. We should fight back.
Sean Parker: But that would just be lowering ourselves to his level, and that’s a level that I really don’t want to sink to.
Kieran King: Would you prefer he gets away with his bullshit?
~That’s enough to at least get Parker to contemplate the matter a little bit further. King, Penelope, and Doc all wait for an answer from him. Parker turns to PIC.~
Sean Parker: What do you think?
~PIC thinks a moment longer before responding.~
PIC: I think… I think you’re all perfectly capable of winning by yourself.
~Parker thinks PIC is done, but just as he’s about to shoot down his less than virtuous teammates’ suggestions, PIC pipes up again.~
PIC: …But an uneven playing field will make that hard.
Doctor Louis D’Ville: Then we even it!
Sean Parker: This just doesn’t seem right…
Kieran King: What if we don’t start the fire?
~Penelope perks up again at the mention of ‘fire’. PIC tries to gesture to her to settle down.~
Kieran King: What if we just put it out when someone else starts it?
Sean Parker: Wait for them to make the first move?
Kieran King: But be ready to counter it.
~There’s a moment of silence from Parker as he contemplates the proposition. Penelope huffs as she listens to Sean’s counterpoints.~
Sean Parker: I can live with that but only as a last resort. We trust each other’s abilities until the moment anyone from Team TLS or Welsh sticks their noses in our business.
Penelope: It’s simple sky killer…Do. You. Want. To. Win? If yes, then we suggest that perhaps you put away your scouting book for young boys and grow a pair! And by pair we mean the dangly bits that hang between your legs! Why you’ve evolved to have such a tactical liability with such ease of access we’ll never know. Regardless, we shall not lose access to the Great Illuminatus because you don’t wish to play with the team!
~Doc notices Penelope’s rising anger towards Sean’s uneasiness in their plan. He claps his hands together, grabbing her attention as he stands.~
Doctor Louis D’Ville: Wonderful! This will be a lovely team bonding experience. I look forward to seeing you all in there if anybody tries any funny business!
Penelope: You can still end this by bringing us Cyphthreer’s head…
Doctor Louis D’Ville: Why not both?
~Doc cracks his knuckles and with the full support of Team PIC behind him, he heads for the door, ready for the first leg of the night's event.~
EARLIER THIS WEEK
~Pedestrians scurry to and fro on the downtown streets of Chicago, bundled tightly with temperatures dipping into the upper 30s. Millennium Park is unusually quiet, and the streets are relatively calm for what many would consider rush hour. Around the corner Matt Meyhu stands outside the Phoenix Fitness Center on N. State Street. Noah Mendoza stands a few feet away, camera in hand, as Meyhu strikes several poses in an attempt to get the best shot possible.~
Meyhu: This is it, Noah Mendoza. This is where the man became the Marvel.
~Noah Mendoza nods and mumbles something about already having the shot he needs, but Meyhu continues to pose a few more times just to make sure. The two make their way into the private gym and are greeted by a lovely young lady at the front desk, likely in her mid-20s. Her tight physique and other desirable qualities quickly catch both men’s attention. Meyhu stares a few uncomfortable seconds at her… name tag, before speaking.~
Meyhu: Hello there, Katie. I’m ‘The Marvel’ Matt Meyhu, but you already knew that.
Noah: And I’m—
~Meyhu cuts Noah Mendoza off.~
Meyhu: Let’s not bore the beautiful lady with details, Noah Mendoza.
Katie: Wait! THE Noah Mendoza? The documentary you did on that kid who was trapped in a well for 23 days was the best thing I’ve ever seen!
~Katie shifts in Noah Mendoza’s direction, but Meyhu slides between the two.~
Meyhu: Yes, this is Noah Mendoza. World class documentarian who has been given the greatest of all muses for his next masterpiece: me, ‘The Marvel’ Matt Meyhu!
~Katie seems uninterested.~
Katie: I’m sorry, who?
Meyhu: Chicago’s golden child? The Marvel? Lime Time? None of it? You’ve never heard of Matt Meyhu? Is it April 1st already?
~Katie thinks for a moment as she furrows her brow. Meyhu chuckles to himself in disbelief.~
Katie: Now that I think of it… I do know who you are!
~Meyhu smiles and punches Noah Mendoza in the shoulder.~
Meyhu: See, Noah Mendoza. I told you I’m famous around here.
~Katie pulls a large book from under the desk and begins flipping through the pages. She eventually stops and runs her finger down the page like they do in the movies.~
Katie: Here it is! Matt Meyhu! You owe $3,500 in unpaid gym membership fees.
~Meyhu’s face reddens. He looks at Noah Mendoza, perhaps noticing for the first time that he’s been filming the entire exchange.~
Meyhu: I, uh… let’s go ahead and turn that camera off, Noah Mendoza. We don’t want poor Katie’s complexion getting washed out in this terrible lighting.
~Reluctant, Noah Mendoza obliges and turns the camera off. Meyhu, still flushed, turns back to Katie.~
Meyhu: There must be some mistake. Perhaps the Meyhu you’re looking for is my father. My parents are out of town this week, which is unfortunate, because they’re about to miss the latest, greatest victory of my illustrious wrestling career! You know what, send the bill to Megan Meyhu. M-e-g-
Katie: You’re a wrestler?
~Meyhu scoffs.~
Meyhu: I’m not a wrestler, Katie. I'm THE wrestler! That’s why Noah Mendoza wants to film a documentary about my life. To showcase the single greatest career the game has ever seen! You think this guy makes a documentary about any old wrestler?
~Katie catches Noah Mendoza rolling his eyes behind Meyhu.~
Katie: Whatever. I guess I’m just surprised to see so many wrestlers coming through here today. It’s kind of unusual.
Meyhu: There’s another wrestler here? Who?
~Katie shrugs, but points to the corner of the large open room where weights are clanking together. Meyhu begins walking toward the noise, unaware of Katie subtly slipping Noah Mendoza her number on a slip of paper. As Meyhu closes in on the noise, he sees a familiar face on the bench press, now struggling to push up his last few reps. Meyhu smirks as he circles behind the bench.~
Meyhu: Need a spot?
~The man on the bench grunts as he pushes up the weight for the last time, his arms shaking and nearly giving out. Just before the bar drops back down, Meyhu grabs it and lifts it easily up and onto the rack. The man immediately grabs at his neck as he curses under his breath. He sits up, and we see our first glimpse of the 1/3 owner of TRIAD and two-time OCW Champion, PIC.~
PIC: Thanks brother.
~PIC turns around to see that his hero is none other than Matt Meyhu. He quickly jumps off the bench and stands in a defensive position, still clutching at the back of his neck. Meyhu doesn’t move at all.~
Meyhu: Always happy to help any old wrestler out, Steve.
~Noah Mendoza, sensing the growing tension between the two OCW icons, pulls the camera back out and begins filming.~
PIC: What are you doing here?
Meyhu: What? You don’t enjoy someone showing up unannounced and disrupting your business?
PIC: If you’re talking about Manhattan, I just wanted to make sure things were even. I know what Bifford is capable of, and I sure as hell know what you’re willing to do to steal a win—
~Meyhu laughs.~
PIC: What?
Meyhu: You’re still upset about that? The Illuminatus was a year ago.
~Whether a product of the struggle he just had with a barbell or Meyhu’s ego, PIC’s face begins turning bright red.~
PIC: You don’t get it, do you? I may not like what you did in that pyramid, but business is business and I can look past that. But what I can’t look past, what I’ll NEVER get past, is you walking away and treating the OCW Title like it meant nothing. The same belt I spent a year pouring every ounce of my blood, sweat, and tears to win. I was there, Matt, week in and week out. I carried that company on my back and you’ll never hear me complain one bit. I’d do it again. But you, you’re just a coward. Why did you even agree to come back to OCW in the first place? And now, why TRIAD?
~Meyhu begins to stew. He didn’t think PIC could strike a nerve like he did, but he’s flustered. He attempts to regain his composure.~
Meyhu: Steve, guys like you will never get it. I’m Matt Meyhu. I'm a prize fighter. All I do is win. I saw your little title reign, and I heard the whispers that you might be on my level. Some even said you might have surpassed ‘The Marvel’. So I showed up at the Illuminatus, beat you, and took your title. And when I realized it was all that easy, well, there wasn’t much reason for me to stick around.
~PIC grits his teeth, trying not to come across the weight bench that forms a makeshift barrier between the two.~
PIC: OCW meant that little to you? Welsh disappeared and the first thing you did was bounce, leaving the company without its champion. The company ended up folding because of you.
Meyhu: You don’t know anything about me, or about what OCW means to me. I won that title twice before you made your little comeback. I put that place on the map. For years, I was OCW. Wrestlers flocked from every corner of the business for a shot at me. I hated to see it go under, so much so that when Jock Reasoning came calling about ‘OCW Survivor’, Lime Time signed on the dotted line!
~Noah Mendoza zooms in on the look of shock etched on PIC’s face. Meyhu is all smiles as he seems to have caught PIC off guard.~
Meyhu: That’s right. Not only will I be winning the Wit Trials, then heading on to my SECOND win inside of the Great Illuminatus, becoming the only man on earth worthy of uniting the TRIAD, but I’ll end the year cementing my legacy as the greatest wrestler of all time… Not that there was really any question to begin with.
~With that, Meyhu walks past PIC, smacking him on the shoulder. PIC seizes up as he winces in pain.~
Meyhu: See ya at Harvey’s place.
~Noah Mendoza shuts off his camera and follows after Meyhu. Matt gives a finger gun to Katie as he exits the building. Katie does the ‘call me’ gesture to Mendoza as he follows suit. Meanwhile PIC sits down on the bench, dropping his head into his hands. He’s tired; physically and emotionally. The toll of being forced to retire and the realization he may never again do the only job he ever truly loved weighs heavy on his chest. After a moment to himself, he lets out a large exhale, reaching for his phone. He scrolls through his contacts, clicks on a name, and brings the phone to his ear.~
PIC: Jock Reasoning… it’s PIC. I’ve changed my mind.
MoMo: I can’t believe it!
Hood: Survivor just became must see MUST SEE TV!
MoMo: The potential rematch we’ve been wanting to see for 13 months now...Meyhu and PIC on that island together!
Hood: Two of the greatest wrestlers in history...heading back to the island with the OCW Title on the line.
MoMo: HUGE news. This summer is going to be LIT!
Hood: Okay, calm down. You’ve gone too far.
MoMo: Excuse me if I’m excited to see PIC become a three time OCW Champion.
Hood: Bold of you to assume he’ll out fox Meyhu out on that island.
MoMo: Bold of you to assume he won’t.
Hood: Ya know what? I don’t know why we’re acting like it’s a two person race. We all know what’s REALLY gonna happen. Zybala is gonna wind up with the title.
MoMo: …
Hood: …
MoMo: Let’s change the subject. Night 11, folks! We’re here LIVE in Chicago and it sounds like Team PIC is ready for whatever is thrown their way.
Hood: Not if Team Meyhu has anything to say.
MoMo: Team TLS!
Hood: Ha, yea right. Survivor, baby.
MoMo: Folks...The Big Ticket Event has arrived! I’m not sure what we’re gonna get but no doubt it’ll be a night to remember! Special thanks to Harvey Marx for offering tonight’s venue.
Hood: Harvey is good people. Good people in loud suits.
MoMo: We’re on the cusp of March Madness so let’s not waste any time.
Hood: Please, the sooner we get to this the sooner we get the hell out of Chicago.
MoMo: It’s time for The Big Ticket Event!
~And so The Big Ticket Event begins. The entire exterior of the building is transformed into one giant big screen illuminating everyone within eyesight. Fans look up in awe. Cars driving by hit the brakes, passengers leaning out the window to see what the commotion is all about. Neighboring buildings light up as residents, inhabitants rush toward their windows for a closer look. This is the biggest ticket in town and the entire of Chicago city is being made aware of that fact. We’re shown the interior of Leonora’s Penthouse. It’s as extravagant as you’d believe. The voice of Belvedere fills the Chicago sky~
Belvedere: Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Night 11 of the Wit Trials! Welcome to Chicago! Welcome to TRIAD!
~Huge ovation from the people of Chicago~
Belvedere: Tonight the minds at TRIAD and Harvey Marx himself bring you a very special event. Tonight you’ve all been given front row seats to The Big Ticket Event! So, without further ado...LET THE TRIALS BEGIN!!
~Chicago goes crazy! Somewhere the statue of Michael Jordan tosses us a wink. This city is about to rock in a way it never has before~
MoMo: The Big Ticket Event is ready to get underway!
Hood: Let’s fucking go!
MoMo: I can hear the wind outside picking up as fate hangs in the balance. How will the standings shake out after tonight’s event? Let’s head inside Leonora’s Penthouse to find out!
~We are shown a great view of the lit up building...we then zoom in to the 12th floor. Leonora’s Penthouse. The bedroom is heavily guarded. The living area and bar are open. The front door is guarded. Other backrooms are guarded. A door to the bathroom is open. Wood floors. Stainless steel appliances. Stone coffee table. A giant leather couch facing a tv that is an entire wall. A ‘ding’ sounds as elevator doors open. Behind them emerges Doc D’Ville. Cautiously he enters the penthouse. The exit to his left. The living area to his right. In front of him a glass wall with an extensive wine collection behind it. Slowly he steps forward, inspecting what’s available~
MoMo: Doc is the first to arrive. Looks like he might enjoy a nice wine before the rest show up.
Hood: A bottle of…
MoMo: Let’s not go there.
Hood: Alright.
~Doc slides the glass door open, making the wine accessible. He looks toward the guard to his left, standing vigilant near the front door, the exit. The guard doesn’t move. Doc reaches in to grab a bottle of wine. The floor shakes. He pauses. The floor shakes again. He stares at the bottles of wine watching the quivering liquid within. Shake. Shake. Rumble. Rumble. Doc’s eyes rise to meet our gaze as realization hits~
MoMo: Plethora.
~BOOM!!! Plethora comes crashing through a wall near the elevator! Doc spins around, facing the massive pro wrestling star. Plethora brushes some of the drywall and other constructive elements staining his pitch black robe. He then turns his cold, gray gaze down onto the good doctor. D’Ville braces himself...but Plethora turns around, reaching through the crater in the wall...he seeks his MIGHTY SCYTHE~
MoMo: Of course he didn’t take the elevator.
Hood: Or...maybe the elevator wouldn’t take him.
MoMo: Entirely plausible.
~Doc sees Plethora turning his back to him, giving a large portion of real estate up and he makes his move. Doc lurches forward and reaches in with his hands, attempting to grasp the liver of Plethora. He digs and twists and grips but it has no effect. Plethora finally rises out of the hole with his MIGHTY SCYTHE. He looks down at Doc as if to ask ‘what the hell are you doing?’ Doc releases his grip and slowly backs away as Plethora stalks him, MIGHTY SCYTHE in hand~
MoMo: Doc went back to a well that yielded fruit on Night 10.
Hood: Only to find an empty basket here with Plethora.
MoMo: He didn’t account for the fact there is a massive layer of fat protecting all of Plethora’s vital organs.
Hood: Yep.
~Doc backs up against the opened wall of wine bottles. Plethora takes a swing with his MIGHTY SCYTHE! Doc ducks and the MIGHTY SCYTHE slices through the necks of several bottles, spilling wine all over the floor. Plethora slips atop the wet surface, Doc maintains his balance and grabs an unmolested bottle of wine...he raises it high and smashes it down over the back of Plethora’s head. Plethora falls to one knee and drops his MIGHTY SCYTHE. Doc kicks it away...it slides atop the wet floor toward the front door. Doc then grabs Plethora by the head and falls back, hitting a DDT onto the floor! A wet smack sounds as Plethora’s skull hits hardwood. Doc carefully reaches his feet and adroitly walks out of the front hall and into the living room, leaving red footprints behind. He sees the couch and heads for it, ripping the cushions away, looking for his piece of the key~
MoMo: It’s as much a treasure hunt as it is a fight.
Hood: Yep. You can’t leave this floor until you find the piece of your key. TLS keys are white. Welsh keys are blue. PIC keys are pink.
~Doc looks like a broke college student digging into and between the couch. He pauses, hearing an small electric motor. His eyes look up and he finds cameras in various locations. They move, surveying the area. Doc feels a pair of eyes on him. He looks over his shoulder and spots CYPH3R on the big screen. Doc turns and grabs a section of the couch, lifting it up. CYPH3R smiles at him and then the lights go out. Pitch black~
MoMo: We’ve lost our feed!
Hood: No we haven’t...CYPH3R just turned out all the lights in Leonora’s Penthouse!
MoMo: Just as Doc was about to throw that furniture at the screen!
Hood: CYPH3R has control of that room just like he had control of that Supreme Court Justice’s home!
MoMo: I’ve never heard of that Justice, ever.
Hood: It’s the secret Justice. The one that works directly for the Illuminati.
~Doc hears a loud ‘thunk’ and feels the portion of the couch he’s holding thrust toward his face. The lights return and Plethora has his MIGHTY SCYTHE sunk into the couch that Doc is holding over his head. Doc might feel close to death but he isn’t ready to die...he hurls the couch to the side. It takes the MIGHTY SCYTHE with it, slamming into a window that overlooks the streets of Chicago. Plethora boots Doc in the gut and hooks him around the waist...he hoists him up with a Gut Wrench and throws him into the rest of the couch with a Gut Wrench Powerbomb!! Doc lands about as hard as one can land on a couch. Plethora spins around and sees CYPH3R on the big screen. CYPH3R’s eyes are watching something else. Plethora reaches up, feeling around the screen, trying to grab hold of CYPH3R~
MoMo: He’s not there, Plethora!
Hood: Hey, look, Plethora lives in West Virginia. He can’t be expected to understand stuff like giant TVs and security cameras.
MoMo: I think you underestimate West Virginia.
Hood: I think you overestimate Plethora.
~While Plethora tries to reach out and touch CYPH3R like this is Poltergeist or some shit, Doc, unfazed by the Gut Wrench Powerbomb into the couch, dives forward and clips Plethora in the back of the knee. He then drives Plethora’s face into the giant screen. It cracks the screen a bit, causing it to glitch. Plethora’s hand hits the floor, slamming atop the TV remote...as it does, the screen changes and it shows something that draws Doc’s attention. Alternative security footage from earlier in the day. Doc observes one of the security guards receiving a piece to a key~
MoMo: It looks like CYPH3R’s hacking caused the security footage to be available on other channels!
Hood: Doc’s learning some valuable info.
MoMo: This could backfire on the Superior Design!
~Doc stomps on the back of Plethora’s head, slamming his face into the floor. He then heads to the security guard at the front door and demands a piece of the key. But the guard refuses to act. Doc reaches for the guard’s pocket...but the guard removes his gun, pointing it at Doc. Doc backs away. He heads for the guard standing vigilant in front of Leonora’s bedroom. He demands a piece of his key...the guard looks Doc up and down...he then reaches into his pocket and removes a pink piece! Doc takes it and connects it to the key bar he has...one down! He then turns to make his way to the 11th floor...but CYPH3R is behind him and smacks him with Cutscene (Shining Wizard)!!! Doc’s body slams into the hallway wall as he slinks down to the ground. CYPH3R kicks the guard standing watch over Leonora’s bedroom in the groin and reaches for his gun...it can’t be removed, so he snatches a nightstick, instead...he wields that as he walks past the living area and Plethora’s struggling body. CYPH3R heads down a hallway leading into a guest room...it’s guarded~
MoMo: CYPH3R matching with a purpose. He knows who holds his key piece.
Hood: He might know where every key piece is...who knows how long he was surveying footage.
MoMo: Good point. This building has security cameras all over it. The Big Ticket is always on top of what’s going on under his nose.
~CYPH3R jabs the guard in the chest with the end of his nightstick. The guard calmly reaches into his pocket and hands over the white piece to CYPH3R’s key. CYPH3R attaches it and turns to exit...only he finds his way blocked by Plethora. “Shit” CYPH3R emits under his breath. He twirls the nightstick in his hand and rushes at Plethora, taking a wild swing. But Plethora ducks and hoists CYPH3R up!! Plethora spins around and drills CYPH3R into the wood floor with a HUGE spinebuster!!! The entire floor shakes! The floor cracks a bit. Plethora stays on top of CYPH3R...his hands reach up, yanking the nightstick free. He presses it against CYPH3R’s throat and starts to choke the Superior Design. Doc staggers around the hallway and he sees Plethora trying to kill CYPH3R. That’s A-Okay with him...he stumbles for the front door and shows his key to the guard...the guard steps aside and let’s Doc out~
MoMo: Doc is heading down to the 11th floor.
Hood: He’s got an early lead. I’m not sure how aware Plethora is of what’s taking place.
MoMo: Plethora is only aware of one thing.
Hood: Turning CYPH3R into a sandwich.
~CYPH3R’s in trouble. He uses his slight frame to wiggle around and he gets his legs up and in front of the nightstick!! He then grabs the back of Plethora’s head and begins choking him with a Triangle Choke using the nightstick to press against Plethora’s windpipe!!! Plethora’s arms wave around as he tries to get free. He reaches forward, trying to gouge CYPH3R in the eyes...but CYPH3R avoids his massive thumbs. Plethora roars...fighting to all fours and then to his feet! CYPH3R applies as much pressure as he can, bracing for an incredible amount of pain...but Plethora drops to one knee!! CYPH3R’s got him! He chokes and chokes and chokes and Plethora finally collapses to the ground! The fans outside the tower go wild!! CYPH3R lets go and crawls, frantically, away from Plethora. He reaches the front door and is permitted exit~
MoMo: CYPH3R is heading to the 11th floor!
Hood: And that leaves Plethora way behind. He’s got a lot of ground to make up.
MoMo: He’s gotta wake up, first.
~We cut to a shot of the Taco Hut. It’s a colorfully themed tex-mex eatery. If you’re familiar with a Taco Cabana, this might be confused for one. If not, just think Taco Bell only slight more upscale and with a lot more pink thrown into the marketing. Doc enters. An upbeat Tejano tune plays over the speakers as Doc sees a dining area. There’s a toppings bar. A soda fountain. A bathroom for, obvious reasons, and a main counter for ordering. An eager employee stands behind the register. Doc steps up and shows his key. The Taco Hut employee named “Marvey” replies, “I’m sorry sir. But you’ll have to select from our menu. Select wisely.” Doc snarls and looks up at the menu~
MoMo: Does this floor’s key piece come with a certain order?
Hood: I don’t know. But if I were ordering I’d probably go with the nachos and some of that liquid cheese.
MoMo: I don’t think I’d order anything from the Taco Hut.
Hood: Don’t be afraid to live, man.
~Doc sees something called the ‘Brochachos’. His eyes narrow. The idea of uttering that word is loathsome to the good doctor. A chime sounds and Marvey yells, “Welcome to Taco Hut.” Doc turns and sees CYPH3R. CYPH3R heads for Doc...he grabs a nearby chair. Doc reaches for something and winds up grabbing a napkin dispenser. He hurls it at CYPH3R...CYPH3R swats the metal container away and swings the chair at Doc. Doc ducks and the chair SMASHES Marvey. Marvey flies out of view. CYPH3R and Doc both look at each other and then over the counter at Marvel...he’s unconscious and bleeding. They look back at each other...CYPH3R throws the chair at Doc. Doc dodges it. CYPH3R dives over the counter to get to the food but Doc grabs onto his legs and pulls him back over. The two men start to brawl as the fans outside go wild~
MoMo: Marvey is down but CYPH3R and Doc are doing battle!
Hood: You just know CYPH3R has a beat on where that key piece is.
MoMo: No doubt it was on the surveillance.
~CYPH3R’s precise strikes seem to be gaining him an advantage, but Doc throws a quick thumb into the eyes. CYPH3R is staggered. Doc reaches over and grabs a plastic tray, smacking CYHP3R over the head. He then picks CYPH3R up, spins him around and slams him on top of the order counter! CYPH3R’s back hits hard! He arches his back, wincing in pain...his feet kick as a reaction, knocking the register off the counter. Doc leans over and wraps his hands around CYPH3R’s throat, trying to choke him out~
MoMo: CYPH3R’s in bad shape.
Hood: If he spent a little more time in places like the Taco Hut and less time starving in Alcatraz he might not be so easy to toss around.
MoMo: The Taco Hut does add the pounds.
Hood: Amazing how a place can both make you fat and make you shit uncontrollably.
~Doc leans in to talk to CYPH3R as he’s choking him...and then the ceiling shakes. Doc pauses. The ceiling shakes again...debris crumbles. Doc looks up with his piercing blue eyes as the roof trembles. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Doc let’s CYPH3R go and he darts out of the way as Plethora comes crashing through the roof!!! CYPH3R’s eyes widen as he rolls off the counter and Plethora’s massive body smashes through the counter, destroying it! A cloud of dust covers everything as the fans outside chant ‘HOLY SHIT!’ Plethora’s massive body slowly rises...he waves some of the dust away and we see his key bar holding the blue piece from above. Plethora then bends over, snaring CYPH3R by the throat and hoisting him in the air. CYPH3R’s legs kick rapidly as he struggles to breathe and tries to break free...but Plethora is too strong. Plethora points him toward the food and seems to demand CYPH3R tell him where his blue key piece is hidden~
MoMo: Plethora knows CYPH3R knows where that piece is located.
Hood: I hope Leonora is okay with a massive hole being in the middle of her penthouse living room.
MoMo: If she had any reservations as to the condition of her abode after the conclusion of tonight’s events then she wouldn’t have offered it as a venue.
Hood: That’s too many words, man.
~CYPH3R tries to answer but the lack of air making its way through his air passage makes it impossible to communicate. Plethora doesn’t need it, though. He sees a container of heated chicken pieces and tosses CYPH3R aside. CYPH3R’s body slams into a wall. Plethora moves forward, digging his hands into the chicken~
MoMo: Okay, that makes sense.
Hood: You can’t have a proper treasure hunt without clues. That’d just be mean.
MoMo: Let’s just hope that’s chicken chicken and not...Bifford chicken.
~Plethora gets tired of wedging his hand into the tiny, squared opening and just dumps the chicken everywhere. A blue piece stands out...he drops down and snares it. He quickly locks it into his key...he then looks up and gets slammed in the face with the cash register!!! Plethora staggers back into the wall. Doc, holding the register, throws it at Plethora...it hammers him in the face, sending Plethora down to the ground...receipt papers and cash fall to the ground. Doc turns his attention to the meat. Before he can do anything, he feels a sharp pain in his knee...CYPH3R kicks him in the knee from the ground! Doc stumbles...CYPH3R hurries to his feet and he jumps up with a spinning back kick, smacking Doc in the chest!! Doc stumbles into the kitchen, knocking over a rack of taco shells. CYPH3R grabs the warm container of ‘vegan’ meat and throws it at Doc!! It hits Doc in the face, the meat spilling all over the floor. CYPH3R turns his his attention to what’s left...but something catches his eye...a blue spec amid all the vegan meat. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he bemoans~
MoMo: They put CYPH3R’s key piece in the Vegan Meat!
Hood: Is CYPH3R a vegan?
MoMo: Marx’s team seems to think so...at least given his stature.
Hood: I can’t even imagine being so dedicated to the vegan cause that you get vegan meat at a tex mex fast food establishment.
~Doc steps on the key piece and his piercing blew eyes slowly rise to meet CYPH3R’s. CYPH3R flashes a smile as he grabs the warm container of beef and heads off with it. Instantly Doc knows what he’s up to and gives chase. CYPH3R kicks the bathroom door open and, thankfully, finds a clean bathroom. He dumps the meat into a toilet and reaches to flush...but Doc grabs his hand. Inside the toilet we see the beef floating and a pink key piece sinking to the bottom, dangerously close to being flushed away. CYPH3R tries to break his arm free but Doc’s grip is too strong. CYPH3R leans in with a headbutt, stunning Doc. He reaches for the handle but Doc knees CYPH3R in the gut and slams the back of his head against the bathroom stall wall. The fans outside cheer the action. As they do, the floor of the Taco Hut shakes, giving Doc pause. CYPH3R take advantage with a forearm uppercut that sends Doc’s body into the stall wall~
MoMo: CYPH3R is trying to flush Doc’s hopes of freeing his teammate down the drain!
Hood: I didn’t know fajita meat floated like that.
MoMo: Might speak to the quality of meat they have for sale in the Taco Hut.
~Back out in the main area Plethora is stomping on the floor, trying to break through. The floor starts to crack. He jumps up. The entire floor shakes. Back in the bathroom, CYPH3R shoves his hand in Doc’s face as he reaches to flush the key piece down the drain...Doc reaches out, grabbing CYPH3R by the face...it’s a battle of will here. CYPH3R extends, his fingers grazing the lever as Doc’s fingers crawl up CYPH3R’s face, heading for his eye. CYPH3R feels the fingers nearing his eye socket so he knees Doc in the groin! Doc doubles over but throws his body atop the toilet tank...CYPH3R hears a loud CRASH! He turns, eyes wide...he decides to leave Doc and head to put his key together. He enters the main area and sees a massive hole. Plethora has made it to floor 10. CYPH3R dives into the food area and digs into the vegan meat, locating his key piece. He connects it. He’s missing just one now. He crawls out of the mess and toward the hole…he leans forward to get a look...but Plethora’s hand reaches up, it grabs CYPH3R and it yanks him through the hole and DOWN onto the 10th floor surface with a loud THUD! CYPH3R arches his back in pain, eyes wide, pain all over his face. Plethora stands over him...he takes in the scene~
MoMo: Plethora broke through the floor again and now he brought CYPH3R along.
Hood: Meanwhile Doc is hugging the toilet reminiscent of how he most likely spent his 21st birthday.
MoMo: I can’t begin to conceive Doc being 21.
Hood: Maybe he wasn’t. Maybe he was just born old.
~The entire floor has been remade to resemble the interior of the HMS Atalanta. The boat lost at sea within the Bermuda Triangle. Where the piece of the Bravery piece of the TRIAD was located. It’s far from an exact replica, however as several ‘memorials’ from those Trials are visible throughout the floor. The Coliseum Ruins. An aircraft carrier. Fort St Catherine. Plethora sees something out of his peripheral and he turns...it disappears. Was that a ghost? He looks down and sees his feet in sand...the entire floor is sand. Something else catches his attention...he turns and it vanishes. Plethora seems confused...maybe even a little thrown off his game...he’s then hit in the groin from behind by CYPH3R!!! Plethora’s knees turn in as he drops to all fours. CYPH3R staggers, catching his breath...his back covered with sand. He runs forward and kicks Plethora in the head, knocking him down, face first to the ground. CYPH3R brushes himself off and squints...the room is dark. It almost seems to rock back and forth. Portholes are on the walls giving him what appears to be a view of a tumultuous sea on the outside. He tries to remember what he saw on the cameras...where they stowed away his final key piece~
MoMo: This takes me back to last summer.
Hood: I’m getting a little seasick.
MoMo: Neither of these men in this match were around to witness what the Bravery Trials participants endured. The haunts. The mystery.
Hood: Yea but CYPH3R did witness where his piece was hidden and that’s all that matters. If he can remember, that is.
~CYPH3R walks up to the replica of the Coliseum Ruins. A much smaller scale, obviously. He runs his hand along the design. We get a flashback of Matt Knox crawling up the ruins and leaping off them. CYPH3R looks down to see painted blood stains near the base of the ruins. His eyes fire off...a memory...he drops down and digs through the sand at the base of the ruins and his eyes spark...he rises up and has a piece of the key! But it’s pink! Not white...he curses and turns around...but he finds the piercing blue eyes of Doc staring up at him! CYPH3R’s blood runs cold as his eyes widen...Doc reaches for the piece as he opens his mouth to bite CYPH3R! CYPH3R staggers back against the ruins, trying to fight Doc off~
MoMo: CYPH3R remembered a piece being placed there but it was Doc’s piece, not his!
Hood: Big mistake. He just gave Doc a huge assist.
MoMo: And Doc is going to thank him for it by biting him on the face, it appears.
Hood: They say prison will traumatize a man...well, so will facing Doc D’Ville.
~Doc rears back and dives forward with a headbutt! But CYPH3R moves and Doc’s head smashes into the ruins!!! His head breaks through, sending the ruins crumbling to the ground! Doc falls to his knees before crashing onto his shoulder in the sand. CYPH3R staggers away...he looks at the Aircraft Carrier and Fort St Catherine. He staggers for the replica fort...his feet struggling through the sand. He reaches the fort and feels around...there’s nothing on the exterior...so he tries to find something to leverage to open up and get to the interior. A massive shadow consumes him...he sees two hands rise above...CYPH3R moves and Plethora sends a double ax handle crashing through the roof of the replica fort. CYPH3R reaches over and snares a big piece of the broken roof and he begins beating Plethora over the head with it. Plethora stumbles back. CYPH3R throws it at Plethora...Plethora catches it and CYPH3R delivers a spinning heel kick, breaking the piece of roof into Plethora’s face!! Plethora crashes against the wall of the room, near a porthole. CYPH3R darts back toward the Fort and looks inside...he finds a piece of key! But it’s blue. He recognizes the color and so does Plethora. CYPH3R tosses it across the room...it lands in the sand. Plethora heads to retrieve it. CYPH3R hurries for the aircraft carrier~
MoMo: CYPH3R is finding every key piece but his own!
Hood: And he saw the footage!
MoMo: Given he was still locked up when these events took place he probably can’t decipher between the three. They’re all sorta similar.
Hood: haha. You said decipher during a CYPH3R match
~CYPH3R finds several miniature jets atop the carrier and he smashes one. He smashes another. He looks over and sees Doc on his feet. Doc’s head is bleeding a bit but he’s got his piece of key. He secures it to the key bar and has a fully formed key! It shines out, emitting a turquoise glow that matches the Bravery Piece of the TRIAD! His eyes light up in wonder at the power that seems to be held within this item. His eyes turn as they spot what appears to be a ghost...a resident from the HMS Atalanta. They motion for Doc to follow them. The Good Doctor does. CYPH3R watches all this...he blinks once or twice to make sure he’s not seeing things. Doc continues following the ghost...but then Plethora charges in, slamming into Doc with a shoulder tackle!!! Doc goes flying into the wall! BOOM! Huge impact! He crumbles to the ground as Plethora attaches his blue key piece...and, like Doc’s, his fully formed key emits a turquoise glow amid the dark ambiance of this room. He turns to face the ghost...but the ghost vanishes into the ether. Plethora then grabs Doc by the back of his neck. CYPH3R scrambles...he keeps breaking replica fighter jets, trying to find his key piece. Plethora drags Doc into the center of the room and he boots him in the gut and brings him in~
MoMo: The Biff End!
Hood: Oh boy
MoMo: Doc was going to follow that ghost to exit the room, I think. But Plethora has his own idea in mind.
Hood: Hey, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it...or something to that effect.
~Plethora has Doc hooked and he jumps up with the Biff End!!! The impact forces all the sand underneath them away, exposing the ground. The entire room shakes. CYPH3R holds onto the aircraft carrier to brace himself. Plethora is back on his feet with Doc hooked again...and again he jumps up...BIFF END!! The room shakes again, the floor cracks. CYPH3R frantically breaks fighter jet after fighter jet after fighter jet. Each one with a different number on the side. Plethora has Doc hooked and is back on his feet...our view lowers through the ceiling down to the 9th floor. A cold, giant steel room with suits lined as far as the eye can see. Three cages. Each containing a TRIAD competitor. Warstein grips the bar, looking up. Untitled sits, cross legged, patiently waiting. King paces, fired up and eager to see what comes crashing down. The roof trembles once more above them as the fans outside chant “BREAK! BREAK! BREAK!”~
MoMo: They’re about to come crashing down into that safe!
Hood: Makes you wonder how safe that safe is if Plethora can just crash through the roof.
MoMo: That’s a fair point.
~Our view slowly pans up toward the ceiling. We get a shot of the ceiling/floor splitting our screen. The second leg participants at the bottom of our screen. Plethora and Doc at the top. Plethora jumps up and hits another BIFF END! The floor breaks!!! They come crashing down into the vault of suits!! The impact is tremendous!! So much so that Plethora breaks through the floor of the vault, vanishing!! The fans outside yell “HOLY SHIT!” Doc remains face down on the floor of the vault, his arms hanging through the hole. Untitled slowly stands. King yells at Doc to get up. Warstein looks around like “Where the fuck is CYPH3R?” We zoom up and CYPH3R has broken so many jets. Still many more left to break. He pauses and spots a jet with the number ‘3’ on the side. He yells out ‘FUCK!’ Of course! He grabs it and smashes it atop the carrier...the final white piece of key reveals itself. He hurries to connect it to his key bar~
MoMo: They’ve crashed through!
Hood: Yea, but Plethora kept crashing!
MoMo: The structural integrity of that vault must be questioned.