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V.O. Jeffy Andrews: So just to make things clear – you do not work for The Unforgiven II, and you are not a part of The Unforgiven II. You work for me. [Huh?] [Fade up.] [Jeffy Andrews is now dressed in his ring attire, the silver trunks and hooded black T-shirt, hood currently down. His left profile is to the camera, and he stands just in front of an open doorway.] V.O. ???: Right. We’ve been through that already. Andrews: Yeah, well, I’m not taking any chances. Give people an inch and they take a mile… I’m tired of shit blowing up in my face, and I’m making sure this won’t be one of those occasions. ???: I see. [The voice – it’s familiar to enough fans that it creates a buzz out in the arena – comes from the far side of the door, out of sight.] Andrews: That’s all? I thought you’d be a little more grateful. After all, you’ve been waiting for this how long? Two years? ???: Three. Andrews: Wow. [Andrews throws his head back in a mock whistle.] Andrews: Now, just so we’re clear – we’re not getting involved in this match directly. As much as I’d like to see Heidi get burned, I’m not much fonder of Gemma. The fewer wins anyone on that tandem gets, the better. ???: You have a lot of enemies. Andrews: I’m not paying you to be a psychologist. I’m paying you to watch my back. And your payment is getting your hands on that bitch. Are we clear? ???: Crystal. Andrews: Radical. [Andrews pulls the hood of his T-shirt up before stepping through the door, slamming it behind him.] Heidi vs Gemma Lockhart Styles: Woah… dude. What was that all about? Conarri: I’m not sure. Fans, we just saw Jeffy Andrews talking to… someone, about this upcoming match. The match in question is, of course, Heidi’s sixth match in her trial series. And her opponent, arguably her most hated enemy in the business, Gemma Lockhart. Styles: I’ll say. Look, you know I don’t usually take this job seriously. But I’ve watch Heidi and Gemma wrestle each other three times. Stanton: That’s all? Styles: If I’m watching my hi-res DVD of the match in slow motion, that doesn’t count as watching it. Stanton: Dammit, Styles! Styles: Let me finish! In all seriousness, I’ve seen both the Heidi/Gemma matches from IWA. One had Max Bryant as a guest referee, and the other was the infamous Ultimate Submission match at Evolution II. Heidi has always been an amazingly talented wrestler, but she reaches a whole new level of intensity when she fights Gemma. And Gemma, even when she lost at Evo II, moved so far up the card from that, that she was considered a top contender for the CAL World Title. Conarri: So why do you think these girls have this effect on each other, Styles? Styles: Well, I see it like this. Gemma and Heidi are like, the yin and yang. Generally speaking, Heidi’s the good side and Gemma’s the evil side. But aside from that, they’re so similar. They have the same wrestling style, they face the same kind of adversity being girls in a man’s world and succeeding at hanging, unlike some other women we’ve seen in the game. To them, it’s like watching some kind of bizarro version of themselves when they meet up. Stanton: Yeah. And besides, back a couple years ago, when some magazine did a 100 Sexiest Athletes poll, Heidi won third place. Gemma won second. Conarri: …oh yeah. Heidi wasn’t very happy about that. Styles: Who won first? Conarri: For some reason, Direwolf. Stanton: I thought it was a good call, myself. Styles: Ugh. Conarri: Anyway. Heidi and Gemma are no strangers to fighting each other, although it’s been a while. This promises to be an emotionally and physically intense matchup, and that’s even if Jeffy Andrews, Gemma’s Angels and The Unforgiven II stay out of it. Styles: They’ll stay out of it. A run-in during a Heidi/Gemma match? Smarks would go Stark Zarkawi on us and suicide bomb in the ring. Stanton: And now that you’ve probably offended our entire fanbase with that, let’s go to the ring! [The soft, psychedelic notes of an organ have begun to play, and the fans have already risen to their feet.] Styles: Old school music in the hizzity-dizzle! Ferraro: The following contest is set for one fall, with a 30 minute time limit, and it is the sixth match in Heidi’s 10 match trial series! Introducing first…! # Dream on… Dream on baby, let it go # Ferraro: Hailing from Baton Rogue, Louisiana, and weighing in at 156 lbs! She is a former IWA Heavyweight Champion and a former CAL World Champion! THIS… IS… HEIIIIIIIDDDIIIII!!!! # When the revelation comes # # YEAH! # [Heidi walks out of the back. She’s wearing her ‘big match’ white attire, and she raises one finger in the air as she walks, glancing quickly around the arena.] Conarri: There’s Heidi, and she’s got that doe-eyed look. Fans, I don’t know exactly why this is – but when Heidi’s angry, she looks angry. When she’s furious, she looks placid. I have NEVER seen her look like that, without there being trouble later. Stanton: It’s like Heidi said. She has enough on her plate without old feuds coming back to bite her. Styles: Especially if they’re old feuds that she inconclusively lost. The last time those two were in the ring together, they were on the same team, and Gemma made Heidi lose to Llewelyn Yr Penaig by hitting her with her own CAL World Title. # You wanna ride with me now, you wanna fly so high # # You want the druids to take you in their magic hands # [Heidi walks straight down the ramp. No pyros, no special lighting effects. It’s not her style. She extends her hand to a small group of fans in the front row without taking her focus off the ring.] # Oh Yeah! # # Alright ! # Shine On! # Conarri: In her trial series so far, Heidi is 4 and 1, her only loss being to a man who outweighed her by well over 100 lbs, in the former Mid Atlantic Champion, Big D. Stanton: That loss had to hurt, especially because she’s beaten D before. But she’s also beaten Danny Vicious, Daeriq Damien, Brad Andrews, and Paco Losantio. Losantio being the EAWC World Champion before he was fired from that organization, that means Heidi scored a pinfall win over Japan’s top wrestler, which is braggable. Styles: I wanna see her wrestle Yoshikazu YAZ. He calls it a shotei, I calls it a bitchslap! # I am the sun that will shine forever in your heart # [Heidi rolls into the ring as the driving guitars of Shine fade.] Ferraro: AND HER OPPONENT! BBBBBBOOOOOOOOraaaaaaahhhhOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! [The killer guitar riff, interspersed with power chords, that makes the awesome intro of “Poison” by Alice Cooper hits and begins to fill the arena.] Ferraro: Hailing from New York, New York, and weighing in at approximately 120 lbs! This is GEMMA… LOOOOCCCKKKKHHHAAAAARRRTTT!!!! # Your cruel device # [Dressed in black, and not very much of it, Gemma Lockhart saunters out from behind the curtains and saunters into the lights, with a dangerous smirk playing on her lips. She ignores the fans as she walks to the end of the stage, just where it meets the ramp, and poses, looking towards the ring from behind her dark sunglasses.] Conarri: And there we see Heidi’s most hated enemy, and the person some people consider the most likely to derail this winning streak Heidi’s been on. Styles: Don’t forget, dude, Gemma’s beaten Heidi before. And I’ll tell you why. Stanton: Well, I can tell you why too. # I want to love you but I better not touch (Don't touch) # # You're poison running through my veins # [Laughing at the negative reaction she's getting from the fans, Gemma shakes her head, and stalks down towards the ring.] Stanton: Because, as talented as Heidi is, she’s just not as mean as Gemma. I’ve seen her play bad guy, she has that bo staff she hit people with. But it’s not instinct to her. It is to Gemma, and in the heat of battle, Gemma’s going to be the one more likely to find a weak point and exploit it. # Your mouth, so hot # Styles: Yeah. Remember at Evo II? Gemma nearly done crippled Heidi during that match. Also: Huzzah for inadvertent lesbian subtext within theme song lyrics. [Halfway down, she stops, briefly, now game face apparent, and removes her sunglasses, revealing dark heavily make-up eyes.] # I hear you calling and it's needles and pins (And pins) # # You're poison running through my veins # Conarri: Gemma’s got a bit of a darker look to her here, and I wonder if it’s the influence of Brad Andrews. BA, if you’ll remember, probably came closer to beating Heidi than her other opponents. Big D beat her, but he had a significant assist. Stanton: The whole Gemma/Daeriq Damien/Brad Andrews thing fascinates and disturbs me at the same time – but it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and if Gemma’s her same old self in the ring, or whether she’s learned anything. [Gemma proceeds to climb up the steel steps – then ducks underneath one of the ropes into the ring.] # One look could kill # [Gemma steps onto the apron. Ducking under the bottom rope, she snarls something at Heidi. Referee Sean O’Meara promptly gets between the two women as Gemma finishes entering the ring.] # I want to love you but I better not touch (Don't touch) # # You're poison running through my veins # [The music fades out. Gemma grudgingly allows Sean O’Meara to check her boots, but swings a foot at him when he goes for her knee pads.] DING! DING! DING! [As the bell rings, instead of charging each other, Heidi and Gemma go into a staredown. There is something interesting to note here.] Conarri: Over her time off from the ring, Heidi added a few pounds of muscle to her frame. If anything that’s helped her so far – but look at this. Gemma has not done that, and this looks like a cruiserweight vs heavyweight matchup. [It’s true – this time around, Heidi seems significantly bigger than Gemma. Styles: So these girls – they’re bitching at each other, I can’t hear what they’re saying – these girls are used to fighting each other, but it’s a little different now. The question here is, will Heidi be able to make use of her strength advantage? And how much of a corresponding speed advantage does Gemma have now OHHHHH!!! [Styles shouted, because Gemma just slapped Heidi’s head off. And now it’s on.] RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! [The fans are cheering, not because of Gemma’s pot shot, but because this is a very anticipated matchup.] [Heidi returns the favor with a slap, Gemma ducks. Side headlock, Heidi sends Gemma to the ropes, Gemma sidesteps on the rebound, hooks the arm and arm drags Heidi over. Heidi rolls to her feet, arm wrenches Gemma and flips her onto her back. Gemma kicks her legs up, sending Heidi to the mat. Both girls roll to their feet at the same time. Without stopping, they both attack, and end up in a Greco roman knuckle lock. Gemma jumps, so that she’s kneeling on Heidi’s shoulders while Heidi stands. Rolling backwards, Gemma maintains the knuckle lock and flips Heidi, judo style, over her back and to the mat. Still maintaining the knuckle lock, Gemma rolls over and into a lateral press.]
ONE…!
…Quick kickout! Conarri: Gemma, at least, is getting the better of this early on. [The knuckle lock is maintained as Heidi bridges out and back to her feet, but Gemma quickly switches arms, and rises holding Heidi’s arms crossed over each other. Heidi pulls forward, bringing Gemma towards her. Gemma ducks, slides behind Heidi and wraps her into a double armlock. Heidi drops to the mat, ankle scissors Gemma over, and now puts Gemma in the double arm lock. Gemma rolls forward, taking Heidi with her, and ending up lying on top of her. Spinning off her and to the side, Gemma again rolls behind Heidi, and ends up with the arm lock still applied. Gemma plants one foot against the back of Heidi’s head, and pulls back on the arms.] Conarri: Neck submission applied there by Gemma. O’meara’s checking – he says it’s a choke. Gemma ordered to break it. [Gemma drops the hold at the count of 4. Heidi is immediately on her feet.] Styles: I dunno if Heidi’s rusty, or Gemma’s reached that “higher state of athleticness” or what, but this has been pretty much all Gemma so far. Gotta see what happens next. Stanton: Sometimes Heidi takes a while to warm up. Styles: True. But when your selling point is that you’re unbeatable on the mat, and then someone makes you look bad like that, you’re gonna want to kick them. Like, really hard. [Gemma smiles viciously at Heidi, and motions for her to try the knuckle lock again. Heidi stands up, cracks her neck to the side. They lock up. Immediately Heidi swings one leg over and down, breaking half the knuckle lock. Wrenching the other arm…] KA-THWACK! Conarri: Roundhouse to the ribs, and Gemma goes down flat! [Gemma rolls backwards to her feet, and ducks a follow-up roundhouse. But Heidi, apparently, expected her to duck. Following the motion of the kick, Heidi turns her back on Gemma, before bringing the heel of her other foot up under Gemma’s face.] THWACK! Stanton: …Ooooohhh… [Not giving Gemma time to recover, Heidi pulls her up and Irish whips into the near corner, delivering a roundhouse to the small of the back. Following up, Heidi scoops Gemma up and plants her with a pendulum backbreaker. Gemma rolls to the side, holding her back.] Conarri: Heidi lifted Gemma easily for that backbreaker, the strength advantage we talked about earlier. But from that position, she could’ve done plenty more than a backbreaker. [Heidi grabs a full nelson on Gemma and starts to lift her. Gemma rakes the eye. Heidi lets go, clutching her face – and Gemma uses the opening to drive a roundhouse kick of her own right into Heidi’s face!] Stanton: You know, Gemma’s a martial artist of probably equal caliber to Heidi – they study different forms. She never gets credit for how hard she can kick. [Heidi stumbles down to one knee, clutching her face. Gemma grabs that arm, and quickly flips over into a cross armbar. Heidi tries a standing reversal, Gemma, to use the ju-jitsu terminology, bellies out, rolling over on her front to add pressure. The effect is instant as Heidi screams and drops flat to the mat.] Conarri: At least in the early goings, Gemma has opted to work Heidi’s arm, rather than her formerly injured left leg. Stanton: My guess? She’s trying to prove she doesn’t need to exploit an old injury to win. Styles: You think? Well, I’m pretty sure it’s not cos she doesn’t want to see Heidi injured again. [Heidi manages to elevate enough to do a forward roll, and then schoolboys Gemma. Gemma’s out of it before the one count, stops Heidi in her tracks with a knee strike, snap mares her…] THWAAAACK!!! Conarri: Spinal tap! Gemma just… THWACK! THWACK! THWACK THWACK THWACK THWACK THWACK! Conarri: …just roundhouse kicked Heidi all the way across the ring and out to the floor! Styles: That was brutal! [Gemma climbs to the apron, drives a back kick into Heidi, and hops to the second rope.] Conarri: And Gemma with an Asai moonsault! [Gemma lands on her feet. She immediately pulls Heidi up, and throws her into the guardrail. Taking aim, Gemma blasts her in the ribs with a pair of roundhouse kicks, and then a savate kick that sends Heidi tumbling over the guardrail backwards.] Stanton: You know, what I said earlier about Gemma being meaner than Heidi? This is what I meant. Conarri: Les, Heidi did get pretty mean when she fought Ultra Raptor back at Coronation III. [Gemma follows Heidi into the crowd, and snap suplexes her on the concrete.] OOOOHHHH!!!! Styles: That brutal enough? [Gemma stomps Heidi a few times, pulls her up and throws her into a section of empty chairs. Stalking after her, she delivers a front kick that sends the pile sliding backwards, and Heidi spilling to the floor.] Conarri: The first time these girls wrestled was part of what kicked this feud between them off to begin with, and the second time, they wrestled an ultimate submission match, and of course stayed in the ring for it. What we’re seeing here is, shall we say, a natural evolution in the kind of fight they’ve been wanting. [Pulling her opponent up, Gemma pulls Heidi back towards the ringside area. As they reach the guardrail, Gemma sets up an Irish whip – Heidi puts on the breaks, and then pulls her into a belly to belly suplex! Gemma lands so close to the guardrail that her legs hit it rather than the floor. Heidi gets up, looking furious. Grabbing a handful of hair, she throws Gemma over the guardrail, and then slingshots over it herself, landing on Gemma with an elbow drop.] Styles: They’re back at ringside, now, and Heidi needs to get some focused offense going, or Gemma’s going to eat her alive in there. Stanton: Was that a double entendre? Styles: Not intentionally, but now that you mention it… [Heidi hooks Gemma for a vertical suplex, but lays her face down on the ring apron with a modified gourdbuster. Climbing into the ring, Heidi pulls Gemma back in under the ropes.] Conarri: Heidi, pulling Gemma to her feet now – double underhook suplex! Styles: She’s hanging on! Two of ‘em! Stanton: And a third! Conarri: And she rolls over into a cover without releasing the arms!
…ONE…!
……TWO… quick kickout.
Conarri: It’ll take a little more than that. Heidi pulling Gemma up to a sitting position… THWAACCCK! Conarri: And there’s payback for Gemma’s earlier spinal tap onslaught! [Heidi only does one kick, but it’s enough. Gemma arches her spine, her eyes nearly crossing, before she falls over onto her side.] Stanton: …OUCH. Styles: Look dudes, after Stern Shamrock bitched me out at Line One for not paying enough attention to the match, I decided to focus a li’l more. But right now, I’m feeling a great urge to discuss Heidi’s legs in great detail. Conarri: Save it a bit, Styles. Heidi pulling Gemma up into a full nelson, looking for the dragon suplex… no! [Heidi jumped, and landed on her back, knees up. Gemma landed back first across those knees, and now she writhes in pain and falls to the side.] Styles: Did you see the height she got on that jump? It’s what I was saying. That’s where Heidi’s strength all comes from – those legs that are so nice to look at. And now that she doesn’t have a bad leg anymore, why she’s been kicking such immense amounts of ass since her return. Stanton: Shockingly tastefully put, Styles. Cito, hit him for being inconsistent. Conarri: K. *THUD* Conarri: Heidi sends Gemma off the ropes, and into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! Drops to the mat, transitions into a waist scissor, and she’s trying to lever Gemma’s shoulders to the mat! ONE…! …TWO…! Stanton: Not quite. Conarri: Gemma sits up, breaking the pinfall. Heidi forces her back down, Gemma right back up. Trying to twist out of the hold, Heidi grabs the arm, Gemma’s too fast and escapes! Step over into rolling armbar, and Gemma’s back on the offensive! Styles: Know what’s interesting? Heidi and Gemma usually focus on the neck and the legs respectively, but while Heidi’s chosen to focus on Gemma’s back, Gemma’s opted to work Heidi’s arm. Conarri: With a bad arm, Heidi will have trouble hitting the dragon suplex and won’t be able to apply as much pressure to Beautiful Dreamer. And with a bad back, Gemma won’t be lifting Heidi for the Fast Knife or the belly to belly suplex half of the Paralyzer. Stanton: Heidi’s trying to fight out of the armbar, but Gemma’s got it very well hooked this time around. Heidi doesn’t have any room to roll here. [To add insult to injury, Gemma grabs one of Heidi’s legs and pulls up, twisting the ankle. It’s a very half assed version of the Paralyzer since she’s only using one arm, but it still hurts a bit.] Stanton: And that’s just cruel and unusual. Styles: No, that’s entirely normal for Gemma. Cruel and unusual would be… [Gemma quickly unlocks one leg to kick Heidi in the side of the face, then snaps the hold back on before Heidi can react.] Styles: Something a whole lot like that. [Gemma brings her heel down on Heidi’s forehead, twice. This is not illegal.] Conarri: Gemma has Heidi tied up here, and she’s taking every shot she can. Heidi’s still trying to look for a way out. I’d be looking for a rope break at this point were I her. [Gemma brings her heel down. Heidi does a quick situp, and Gemma’s leg lands behind her. Heidi quickly stands up.] Conarri: Heidi out of the armbar, deadlifts Gemma off the mat, NO! Gemma counters out and right back into the armbar! [As she’s lifted off the mat, Gemma throws her weight to the side, taking Heidi over and back into the armbar.] Styles: You know – back before her return, Heidi wouldn’t have had the strength to do that. But this time she did, but she still couldn’t make it work for her. I think I know what the problem here is… Conarri: Yeah? Styles: Heidi has NO IDEA how to utilize a strength advantage. She’s never had one in her entire career. Gemma’s in familiar territory, she’s grounded wrestlers 3 times Heidi’s size. Heidi doesn’t know what she’s doing. [Heidi yells in pain from the armbar. Gemma, hanging onto the arm, stands up, and sort of squats on the back of Heidi’s neck, while still pulling up on the arm. This move is called strangle hold gamma. It’s in just about every wrestling videogame.] Conarri: Gemma’s now trying to wear down Heidi more than cause her pain. Heidi has to get off the mat and bring her kicks back into play. [With her free arm, Gemma slaps Heidi across the back of the head. The effect is instantaneous. Heidi twists to get her feet under her, and then stands up, Gemma sitting on her shoulders.] Conarri: Gemma, tries a forward roll, Heidi hangs onto the legs… wheelbarrow suplex! RIGHT on the back! BLAAAAM! [Gemma is thrown into the mat HARD.] Conarri: That move, executed right, is like a powerbomb only worse. You’re put through a longer range of motion, and you have the whiplash of the move rather than just someone throwing you down. Stanton: Heidi’s holding her right arm though. Gemma just rolled out of the ring. [Some fans on the other side of the ring start an “I CAN’T SEE SHIT” chant.] Conarri: Gemma looking for a time out, but that won’t stop Heidi once she gets started. Heidi off the far ropes, rebounding… Styles: NO HANDS TOPE CON HILO! HOLY SHIT!!! HOLY SHIT!!! HOLY SHIT!!! HOLY SHIT!!! Styles: Cito, brother, I LOVE that thing. [Heidi completely wipes out Gemma, and lands rolling. Climbing to her feet, she raises a hand to acknowledge the fans, before pulling the shellshocked Gemma up and putting her in a full nelson.] Conarri: Dragon suplex attempt on the outside! [Gemma, desperately, kicks backwards, hitting Heidi on the knee. Heidi drops to one knee, and Gemma hits a spinning enzuigiri.] Styles: Gemma, out of desperation there, turns the tables. And she’s moving away from Heidi… HOLY SHIT she’s going after the ringside mats! [Gemma grabs the edge of the mats, and pulls, exposing the concrete. The fans begin to go batshit.] Conarri: Gemma’s looking to do some real damage here! This match could turn ugly like Heidi/Ultra Raptor did if this stuff starts. Styles: That was insane, man. It’s my understanding both of them were in the hospital, they messed each other up so badly during that. Andrews’ ribs still aren’t normal, and Heidi’s just lucky her scar’s above her hairline. Conarri: Gemma’s got Heidi in a half nelson clinch, running… BULLDOG ONTO THE CONCRETE! BBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOrraaaaahhOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! [The minor fan support that Gemma’s had lately doesn’t seem at all bothered by this violence, but the other fans let her know exactly what they think. A smartass in the front row throws a handful of change at Gemma, she leaves Heidi long enough to knock the fan on his ass.] Stanton: Gemma’s playing security here, and Heidi – yep, she’s busted open. Styles: She went face first into the concrete, what do you expect? She’s going to shoot a rainbow out her ass and launch herself into outer space? Stanton: …I don’t think I want to know where THAT one came from. Styles: …goddamn Kenta… Conarri: Gemma’s on the attack again, throwing Heidi into the ring, and making her own way to the top rope. She’s normally conservative with her high flying, but watch this… spinning heel kick from the top! [Heidi drops. Gemma rolls her onto her front, extends her arm all the way to the side, and sits down so her own leg is on top of Heidi’s arm, right in front of the shoulder joint. Wrapping the arm around her leg, she then leans forward. This is called an omo-plata, and it looks like a fancy hammerlock.] Conarri: Now THERE’S a move Heidi’s familiar with. And it just might be enough to get Gemma the win here. [Heidi screams, in pain. Gemma’s gloating as she twists the arm up, putting pressure on the shoulder and elbow joint.] Conarri: Once the omo-plata’s hooked in, it’s very difficult to break. Her best bet is rolling out of it… and that’s what she does, but Gemma rolls with her! Heidi gets her feet into the ropes, Gemma releases the hold, only to kick her in the shoulder. THWAAACK!!! [Gemma’s kicks aren’t as ludicrously powerful as Heidi’s, but they hurt plenty, and they’re possibly even faster. Getting kicked on her bad arm hurt Heidi very much.] Styles: Gemma’s bringing her back up again, hammerlocks the arm… Conarri: Chickenwing suplex! Heidi dropped on the arm and shoulder again, Gemma does not maintain a bridge. Pulls Heidi back to her feet, throws her into the corner, and a flying knee! Styles: Shining a little bit of wizard right thurr! Conarri: Heidi’s out on her feet, Gemma sets her on the top rope – she’s going for another armbar! [Heidi’s a smart wrestler, she knows how Gemma works, and she knows it’s coming. She grabs Gemma by the neck, trying to limit her mobility. Gemma hits her with an elbow, knocking her grip loose, then grabs the right arm.] Conarri: Turnbuckle armbar… NO! [As Gemma jumps, Heidi manages to grab her around the neck with her right hand. It’s not something she’s ever done before, but when in desperation…] Conarri: Heidi with a CHOKE BOMB?! Stanton: A choke bomb from the TOP ROPE! Now THAT’S a counter! And Gemma NEVER saw that one coming! Conarri: I never saw that one coming. It sure was effective, though. Styles: Heidi’s got to get something going here. There aren’t really all that many back submissions, so I’m not sure what Heidi will want to do here. I suggest roundhouse kicks. [Heidi’s really nursing her right arm now, it’s held at her side, and immobile. She uses her left arm to pull Gemma up.] Stanton: Heidi with a handful of hair, and throws Gemma backwards to the mat, over her knee! Conarri: Interesting backbreaker variation there. And now a double stomp to the spine! Heidi’s been on the defensive most of this match, and she needs to do a lot of damage, quickly, or she’ll lose too much ground. Stanton: You’d be surprised at how quickly a really well placed move of the right kind can make up. Conarri: Seriously, I wouldn’t. I’m just saying that both wrestlers have the potential to hit big moves out of nowhere, and a sustained offense is what Heidi needs right now. Styles: Heidi’s using her good arm to pull Gemma to her feet… Gemma shoots for Heidi’s right arm! Conarri: Caught! Heidi hooked Gemma in a reverse headlock before she could do anything, and both girls to the mat! Heidi’s got the beast choker applied! Styles: Daaaaamn. [If Heidi had two good arms, this match might be over right now. But her right arm is basically useless right now, and so she can only apply pressure with the left, and her legs.] Conarri: Gemma HAS to get to the ropes out of this. Fighting out… [Gemma rolls onto her stomach. Heidi quickly grapevines both legs, dropping her flat to the mat.] Styles: Yowza. I promised to commentate the match right, but I really love it when Heidi does that. I just have to mention – I love it. Can we get a replay? Conarri: It’s effective too – Gemma doesn’t have any way to go for the ropes when she’s… [Heidi suddenly screams. There IS a counter out of this hold – and it involves biting. Gemma just took a page out of Loki’s book and chomped Heidi on the arm, hard enough to draw blood.] Styles: Damn. Just call her Miss Tyson. And how bout that replay, huh? [Gemma, furious at the way things have suddenly turned, throws Heidi into the corner and begins driving repeated roundhouse kicks into her, not particularly caring where she’s aiming. Legs, ribs, shoulder, head, whatever. She’s just attacking.] Conarri: Referee Sean O’Meara trying to get Gemma to break it – Gemma won’t! She pushes him backwards, sends Heidi to the corner, Heidi jumps to the middle rope! Gemma hits the turnbuckle, hurracanrana by Heidi! Slightly lopsided, as she couldn’t catch herself with both arms, but only one, but still effective. Stanton: Heidi rolls Gemma over, and she’s going for… something. [Heidi slips her legs under Gemma’s arms, and then behind her head, applying sort of a reverse full nelson with the legs.] Conarri: Not sure the technical name for that one. Heidi grabbing Gemma’s legs, folds one over the other, pulls up… and that looks like it hurts but plenty. [Now, it’s Heidi’s turn to gloat. Hanging onto Gemma’s legs with her good arm, she has enough use of her bad one to slap Gemma across the back of the head.] Styles: Gemma can’t even bite her way out of this one! Can she hang on long enough for Heidi to lose her grip, or for something in general to happen? [Heidi suddenly drops Gemma’s legs, and rolls over, taking Gemma with her, right into a pinning combination!]
ONE…!
…TWO…!
……THRE…!
………EEEE……
…………KICKOUT!
Conarri: Not enough, Gemma to her feet, and a seated dropkick to the forehead! Both girls down! [Gemma, the dropkick having taken her energy, rolls over, clutching her back. Heidi has had her bell rung, she slowly rolls away from her opponent, then up to her feet. She settles into a martial arts crouch…] Stanton: Lethal Roundhouse coming up! She doesn’t need a good arm to hit that – and she might have better luck knocking Gemma out than trying to pin or submit her. Conarri: Gemma’s getting up… [Heidi throws her kick.] Stanton: DUCKED! Conarri: Gemma grabs Heidi for a back suplex – Heidi flips out the back, and lands on her feet! THWAAAACK!!! Styles: REF BUMP! Conarri: Gemma ducked again, but Sean O’Meara didn’t! Gemma with a dropkick to Heidi’s knee, standing headscissor, trying to lift her – can’t get her up! Heidi with a back drop… no, holding on! [With Gemma hanging upside down over Heidi’s back, Heidi cradles her head with her bad arm, before sitting down.] Conarri: Heidi with the schwien! Rolling over into a cover, but O’Meara’s OUT! He’s not getting back up! [Spaz Easton comes wobbling down the ramp. He gets into the ring almost too out of breath to make the cover.]
ONE…!
…TWO…!
……THRE…Kickout! Conarri: Too much time between the impact and the pinfall. And we’ve just seen the effectiveness of Heidi’s decision to work the back here as well. Styles: Heidi’s got a full nelson now, pulling Gemma up… Gemma’s trying to fight out! Conarri: Knee to the back stops the fighting, but Heidi can’t lift Gemma with her bad arm! Styles: Gemma with a jawbreaker! Conarri: Heidi’s stumbling, Gemma throws her into the corner… [Gemma’s roundhouse kicks, as mentioned before, aren’t as hard as Heidi’s, but they’re even faster. Gemma proceeds to absolutely light Heidi up with kicks. Not even caring where they land. Leg, ribs, shoulder, head, whatever. She’s just attacking blindly here.] Conarri: Gemma mounting a wild attack here, working Heidi over in the corner… Styles: …heh. Mounting her and working her over. Hell yes. Conarri: [ignoring Styles] Heidi’s trying to cover up, that’s not helping much with one bad arm. Spaz Easton’s trying to back Gemma off… THWAAACK! Conarri: And Gemma’s kicking Spaz Easton right in the face. Styles: That girl gets more awesome every time she does anything. It’s incredible. Conarri: Gemma sends Heidi across the ring into the turnbuckle, Heidi bounces out – belly to belly suplex! Gemma doesn’t have much weight behind that move, she just snaps you over so quickly it’s like being whiplashed. Stanton: Trying to decide whether to apply the traditional ankle lock, or go for the arm – but it doesn’t matter, because there’s no ref! [Gemma covers Heidi and counts the pin herself. Heidi kicks out at two anyway. Furious, Gemma applies a triangle choke.] Conarri: Gemma decides there’s no reason she can’t hurt Heidi while they wait for a ref, and she’s got that triangle. Pressure applied both to the bad arm, and the neck, of Heidi, Gemma’s trying to choke her out there. [Charlie Strembatel comes running down the ramp to a pretty good reaction, considering he’s a ref.] Stanton: Finally, the good ref’s here. Why don’t they just fire O’Meara and Spaz? Conarri: Maybe because Jeffy Andrews won’t quit hitting Charlie in the head with weapons when he wants to interfere in matches? Stanton: You’re probably right. Gemma’s really torquing that hold. Heidi’s turning red… [Strembatel slides into the ring on his stomach, and stops by the two wrestlers, raising Heidi’s arm.] [It drops.]
ONE…!
Conarri: Gemma could get the win here! [Strembatel raises Heidi’s arm again… …It drops.]
TWO…!
Styles: She’s just got to hang on! [Again…] [Heidi’s arm drops…most of the way.] [Then she clenches her fist.] RRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! [Shakes it.] RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! [And begins fighting back to her feet.] RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Conarri: Heidi’s fans coming alive for her! Heidi fighting up, Gemma’s trying to hang on… Heidi brings her up and just runs her into the turnbuckle! [Gemma’s grip slacks, but she doesn’t lose it. Heidi lets Gemma slide backwards over the ropes. Gemma’s dangling upside down from her neck, on the far side of the ropes, above the apron.] THWAAAACK!!! Conarri: Heidi with a roundhouse kick to Gemma! Gemma falls to the ringside mats, Heidi following her… and throwing her into the stairs! [Heidi signals to the fans.] Styles: This doesn’t look good for Gemma… [Heidi takes off on a charge…] PPPLOOONNNKKK!!!! Stanton: OH DEAR GOD that was sick! Conarri: Sliding dropkick drives Gemma’s head directly into those stairs – and I do believe Gemma’s cut open from that! [That’s when, as you might expect, the shit hits the fan.] BBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! BBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stanton: DAMMIT ANDREWS! [Jeffy Andrews walks out of the back. Clad in his trunks and a hooded T-shirt, he stands atop the ramp, smiling down it at Heidi. Heidi stares back at him, looking… the best word for it would probably be, feral. She hates Gemma as bad as anything else in the world, she has a lot of conflicting emotions about Jeffy Andrews – and this is not something she feels she needs to deal with right now.] Conarri: Before this match, we saw Jeffy Andrews conversing with someone about getting involved in this match. And now, he’s out here… VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSH!!!!!!! [And without warning, flames ERUPT around the entrance area.] Stanton: What on the earth was… [And then, Alex Constantine walks out.] Styles: GAAAAAAAHHH!!! [The flames die down as the crowd goes silent. "Devil's Own" Alex Constantine steps into the center of the stage to a torrid storm of boo's and shock of the crowd. Jeans and black boots adore his lower half. His green eyes focused squarely on one person in the ring as they burn a path to her. His brown hair cut short and close to his head as it spikes up in places. He tightens his fists and rolls his shoulders back, pushing his muscular upper body against his shirt. The faded black fabric stretches showing the old " The Authority:CSWA! " T-shirt. The crowd now boos loudly as Andrews makes his way to the ring with Alex one step behind him, never once taking his eyes off Heidi.] [Heidi, at ringside, freezes in shock. Her eyes shoot wide open, her lips curl back to expose her teeth.] Styles: Jeffy Andrews was conspiring with ALEX CONSTANTINE?! Conarri: For fans who don’t remember, Heidi faced Alex Constantine back in the Central States Wrestling Alliance, defending her CAL World Title against him. Constantine tried a top rope back suplex, Heidi countered with a DDT… and Constantine ended up with a severe neck injury, and has been out of the business since. [Andrews, still grinning smugly, walks down the ramp, Constantine still in step behind him and staring at Heidi.] Conarri: Constantine and Andrews are approaching the ringside area, Heidi rolls back into the ring to face them from there. If they attack her inside it, the match will end in a DQ win for her. Styles: Yeah. And look – Gemma’s conscious, and she’s doing something, she’s kicking at the stairs… [Andrews glances at Gemma, with a scheming look that, lucky for him, she doesn’t notice. She’s focused on what she’s doing. Heidi, amazingly, has forgotten all about Gemma.] Styles: Gemma’s… holy crap, she’s got the chain! [OLW bolts the ring steps to the ring with a chain. Rather than going for the stairs themselves, Gemma has pulled that chain loose. Grabbing it, she runs to the far side of the ring, and rolls under the bottom rope.] Conarri: Andrews starts towards the ring apron, Heidi swings at him. Gemma from behind… [Gemma loops the chain around Heidi’s neck, and pulls back.] BBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Stanton: She’s trying to throttle her! [Heidi’s face immediately turns red. She grabs the chain with one hand, trying to give herself some breathing room, and looks for a handhold with the other.] Conarri: Heidi, fighting for her life here! Gemma, trying to take her off her feet! Heidi looking for some way, any way, out of this… WHAAAAM!!! Styles: HO-LEE DAAAAAAAMNNN!!! Heidi just done flipped her over! Conarri: Heidi threw Gemma right over her head! And look out, roll up! Bridging Pin!
ONE…!
…TWO…!
……THREE!!!!!! Stanton: SHE GOT IT! SHE PINNED HER! Conarri: Gemma kicks out, but a second too late! And now… [Jeffy Andrews has a microphone.] Andrews: Hey, way to pull defeat from the jaws of victory there, babe. You can take it to the back, Gemma, you suck – and not in the way that interests me. OHHHHH!!!!! [Gemma, already enraged that she lost the match on a flash pinfall, and that yet another match against Heidi ended inconclusively, turns to Andrews. She still has the chain in her hands.] [In the end, it’s probably more the knowledge that she’ll get a clear shot at Jeffy in a tag match in the future – there’s no way her team and his will avoid each other for long – that causes her to not attack him.] [But what matters is that Gemma decides to leave the ring and collect her paycheck, and maybe her stable to plan some revenge.] [In the ring, Heidi continues to watch Andrews and Constantine.] Andrews: What’s wrong, sweetie? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. BBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! [Andrews grins. He’s enjoying this.] Andrews: Or is it a guilty conscience? BBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Andrews: Or… [Alex Constantine walks up, and places one hand on top of the microphone. The two men briefly meet gazes, and then Andrews backs off, surrendering the microphone.] [Constantine takes the microphone from Jeffy as he takes a step towards the ring. Jeffy looks on in anticipation as Alex holds the microphone down. His eyes staring at Heidi as she still comes around from the whirlwind match and amazing win. Seconds seem like hours as he lifts up the microphone, his face expressionless the entire time until this one moment when a sick and sadistic smile crosses his lips.] Constantine: That look on your face tells me that you do remember me Heidi. That look tells me that you remember the moment of our last meeting all too well. The moment where everything I had fought for, bleed for, and sacrificed for was taken from me. To make matters worse was everything that was on the line. Constantine: It wasn't losing the title as much as you thought, Heidi. We had match that was untouchable that night and we showed everyone watching what it was like to put it all on the line. It was laying in those hospitals having doctor after doctor tell me that I would never be able wrestle again. It was being told that I could never do the thing I loved again and step into the ring. It was living in all the pain that coursed through my body. Pain where each step hurt bad enough to make it feel like my last step. It was the way that it was stolen from me. It was the way everything was ripped from my hands and how I was just spit on after everything I had done! [Again Alex takes a step closer as Heidi looks at him. His voice spewing venom from it in each word as he looks at her intently. The crowd rallying behind her as they boo loudly at Alex Constantine in the ring.] Constantine: For two years, I have worked and worked to get cleared medically. Every rehab and following every instructions that the doctors gave me. Even after rehabs and medical clearance, no one would take me. Too much of a risk to invest in. Not even little farm federations where I would sign away everything just to get in the ring again wouldn't have anything to do with me. Everything gone, leaving nothing left. And it all comes back to one moment. One singular moment that has made what is happening right now, Heidi. [Alex pulls the microphone away as he looks at Heidi. Remorse and guilt showing in her tired eyes. The match having spent her and this sending her over the edge. Alex looks down for a moment before pulling the microphone back to his face and speaking back into it through the loud boos of the arena.] Constantine: Amazing how you can do something and not look back even when you hear the consequences of your actions. Sometimes, those consequences will come back to haunt you Heidi. [Without warning, Alex strikes, hitting Heidi in the head with the microphone. She falls to the mat as Alex moves over and begins delivering right hands hard to her head. The crowd is screaming for help as she can barely fight back from the attack after the grueling match with Gemma. Alex stands up and looks at her. His eyes filled with rage and satisfaction as he turns and walks to the ropes. ] [Andrews screams at him and points back at her as Alex stares down at him. Alex shakes his head at first but Andrews screams something back at Alex that causes him to look down, his eyes showing displeasure and unhappiness. Alex turns and walks back to Heidi. He leans down, grabbing the microphone up and pulls it up to speak.] Constantine: You made my life a living Hell these past two years Heidi. Everything was taken and I was put in Hell because of you and now...Now I am going to make your life HELL! The Devil has come to get his due! [Alex reaches down, dropping the mic and grabbing Heidi up, pulling her head into his arm. He grabs her and picks her up as he holds her high up for a suplex before releasing and turning her in the air, dropping her in the Hellblazer, hard in the center of the ring. The crowd is going crazy, boos and jeers coming from them as Andrews smiles wide. Alex gets up and grabs the microphone.] Constantine: By the way, Heidi. There is no more mystery as to who your tenth and last opponent will be and YOU CAN'T FIGHT THIS! [Alex drops the microphone and steps between the ring ropes onto the apron. He jumps down to the floor amidst more and louder boos as the referee runs into the ring, checking on Heidi as she lays there on the mat. Alex walks past Jeffy and makes his way up the ramp to the back.] Stanton: …Oh. My. GOD. Alex Constantine is back for revenge on Heidi? Conarri: For anyone who doesn’t know or remember… when Heidi was the CAL World Champion, she defended against Constantine in CSWA. Constantine put her on the top rope and tried a super back suplex – Heidi tried to counter into a reverse DDT. It didn’t work right… some say it was his fault, some hers, others like me say it’s just the kind of thing that happens in wrestling. Constantine injured his neck severely… Styles: …and he’s been wanting revenge ever since. Stanton: And Jeffy Andrews is his enabler… this is intense. Conarri: We’ve got to go backstage while the medics find out if Heidi’s in condition to leave on her own, or if she’ll need medical assistance. Fans, stick with us… [The sounds of laughter and triumphant screams fill the locker room area where all four members of the Stone and Steel Syndicate are celebrating their OLW Trios Tag Team Title win. Troy Matthews has already gotten out of his standard ring attire and into a more comfortable pair of jeans and long-sleeved shirt, with a T-shirt on top with the one-liner “I'm With Dextard” written on it. Everyone else still seems to be in their ring attire, though Alex can be seen putting on a plain black T-shirt. And sure enough, Duane Eckelbury is on scene, trying to collect some thoughts from the team.] Eckelbury: So guys, you... Matthews: WHOOOOOOOOOOO WE'RE THE CHAMPS, BABY! [Somewhere in the background, the popping of a bottle of champagne can be heard.] Matthews: After two years of languishing in obscurity, of being pigeonholed as being a group of niche wrestlers, of being IGNORED, we've finally done what no one ever though possible, and won the three belts that make it clear that WE are BETTER than any other team in OLW. [Out of nowhere, RYAN steps up to the camera, glass of champagne in hand, grin on his face.] RYAN: I've gotten my revenge on everyone who thought it would be a good idea to hold me back three years ago. Now, I'm at the top of OLW, and I can't think of anyone I would want to rule with than Troy and Alex. [In the background, Alex raises his glass and smiles again, while Saori is pouring her own champagne.] Matthews: And we're going to be on top for a looooooong time, baby, so buckle up, because things are gonna get bumpy from here! [And with a grin and a pat on the back, Troy cartwheels in joy and leaps in the air.] [Cut in. Avarice, "Destroyer of Worlds," sits in his locker room, in his wrestling gear. His head is down, his breathing is intense.] Avarice: Curtis. Tonight. Blood shall beget blood. [He lifts his head and spews red into the lens of the camera, obscuring the shot.] [Fade to black.]
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