Unity in Arms [May 24, 2020]

[Dave D-Flipz]

"This match demands efficient execution. The team must work together harmoniously."

(Align Right)"Now where’s the fun in that? Nobody has such control to completely set aside the misdeeds done to them in the past!"

"I must have such control. It would be detrimental to have a split personality emerge and screw up the mission before it is complete!"

"Such concerns are for the foolish mortals. We can rise above that and be like a God! Don’t you see what power we have?"

"Such as the power to burn down two of our home bases? How do arson and a cult benefit a wrestler?"

(Align Right)"Everybody knows that you need to be sneaky, like smothering someone with a pillow or pulling life support!"

"On camera …"

(Align Right)"It doesn’t work unless people see how badass we are!!!!"

"The worst spies are the ones well known!"

"Foolish fool, you should just foolishly obey the foolish voices in your foolish head! How else will you become a world champion? Nobody becomes a God without listening to the voices in their head."

*There is silence on the zoom call for a brief moment, then raucous laughter.*

DT: "… So do you think Jack knows he speaks out loud when he talks to himself? Hyperion too. Like do you think they are aware the camera catches them doing this stuff? It doesn’t make them look strong or interesting, it just says they belong in an institution."

Chaos: "Y’all have some weirdos in this federation of yours."

MD: "I suppose it is possible they think that the voices in their head are the only ones who can come up with a worthy strategy. Either way insanity is not a good look for a team event where you have to rely on each other to … you know … not try to behead, ignite, or smother your teammates."

Chaos: "Wait when did we take smothering off the table?"

*Mistress Discipline makes a throaty interrupting noise … like Dolores Umbridge in Order of the Phoneix. You know.*

DT: "It’s a valid point though. We are one of the few teams that have a true uniting mission. It is on us to operate like a real team. It’s why we are having that team zoom call later in the day."

Chaos: "Because those always work the way you want them to, right?"

*DT and MD both reach towards their screens at the same time and a muting sound is heard, Chaos just mopes on her camera for a second before undoing it again.*

MD: "Many of these other squads are just thrown together because they all feel they are ‘the best wrestler ever oh em gee’ and some even include people who actively wish to kill each other. There is no true unifying force behind many of them."

Chaos: "Well except for those large strapping lads who wish to impregnate the owner of the network. For the record he did not appreciate his gift. I don’t understand. It had a big pink bow and everything."

MD: "How did the meeting go anyhow?"

Chaos: "I was escorted out almost immediately by some secretary he keeps around. She looked jealous."

DT: "That’s also the global event ring announcer. Her and Mongo have been …together? … I think? … since like the BDDWF days if I recall. But yes the teams are not really built to work together. Their styles don’t meld, they just all went for beef and attitude. Well mostly. At least Team Fuck Mongo has an active tag team on their lineup. Even if Dylan has hated every team he’s ever been on and Hype and Jack have either tried to or successfully did murder people that were supposed to be their allies. Of course, it’s Rat Fucking Bastard, he is GOING to feed poor Steve to the wolves. There hasn’t been a team yet that Rat won’t milk for his own gain and then cast aside like garbage as soon as he gets what he wants. Just ask Scorpion…"

Chaos: "I’m sorry are we even supposed to know who these people are?"

DT: "Yes. It’s research … and also I lived it out. Rat is an old XHF legend back for another go. And I realize the best way to handle that is not to talk about age. All everyone wants to bring up is how Rat and Zoran and I, and I suppose now Kanyon and Scorps and Rob Arnold, are all one foot in the grave and we don’t have the talent any more. But let’s face it if we COULD have kept going while our home was gone we would have. It’s clear to anyone watching that ALL of us are still better than a good chunk of this new breed. But I digress. It’s not about age, it’s about teamwork."

MD: "Yes and I find it interesting that coming out of the rumble where Rat Bastard and Steve Awesome were at each other’s throats they decided to team up. They do play off each other well from what I have seen in AWF but how long will it last?"

Chaos: "How long did the deposit on the little people buy them?"

DT: "It’s too soon for that plan of Rat’s to have worked so needless to say at least those two will be on the same page. The Saga is actually one complete team. But if any of them were actually a threat I’d be more concerned. None of the five of them has shown any ability to be all that successful. The J-ROK team is just thrown together and from what I know of the fed, is actually comprised of members of the many dueling factions. And again the one team on their lineup has one member who is moping and defeatist, not the best mindset to have going against a team of unknown quantities. SWAT also seemed to not work out the competitive balance of their team. They have a tag team … and the guy who they just eliminated in their tag tourney, and then two guys who hate each other. Though let’s be real if Timeless is there they also have the amazing tag team of Roxy’s … accoutrements … so maybe they are trying to play the distraction game."

Chaos: "Pretty sure those things are considered foreign objects in wrestling yes?"

MD: "Mammaries aside Chaos, the point DT is trying to make is that we are working together as a five person unit instead of a collection of teams or individuals all out to make themselves look better to the detriment of their own teams. Remember if we win, no matter how many of us are remaining, all five of us receive the prize. So it is important for us to be on the same page. And that is how we constructed our team. After the successful cooperation in the rumble produced results that put me on the map, we formed our tag team."

DT: "It’s honestly a good use of my talents. I have always wanted to give back to the industry and so few people would want to be trained by someone who has a bit of a narcissistic personality. But her use of submissions is something I can enhance with some training. I am the foremost submission expert in the XHF right now and one of the tops ever. And knowing how well our styles and attitudes work, it was a no brainer. I might get a tag title run out of it and in the process I can build Mistress here into the next coming of the submission machine. And after our match in the Gold Rush I can confirm her knees are also lethal weapons *he rubs his cheek* So since then we’ve been working on endurance."

Chaos: "So … you’ve been working long nights? Building that stamina? Showering her with your … expertise?"

*Mistress is about to shout at her but DT looks oblivious and smiles*

DT: "Naturally!"

*Mistress’s face droops in defeat as Chaos mutes herself to laugh maniacally.*

MD: "Yes, we have been working on strategy and improving my move repertoire so I may get better success against the superior talent of MCCW, as I do when competing with the inferior foes from the other feds. We put a lot of effort into helping Aleister construct a winning team with top stars who were capable of getting on the same page!"

DT: "While I would have loved to get Raiden involved, he hasn’t been keen on the global stage lately. When looking at our strengths we turned to the world champ of course. His laid back attitude and ability to keep his cool will be essential. And his knowledge of mat wrestling and mixed martial arts will complement our desires to weaken their limbs and make them tap out. He is also a submission machine and all three of us work choke submissions. The interplay between our styles will cause the most damage while also setting the other teams up for all three of our respective finishers. Naturally after that Justice suggested we add some high impact offense to our team and that’s where the others come in. Yamaguchi isn’t as bad without that bitch of a mouthpiece and his dedication to winning is impressive. And nobody who has seen MCCW can argue he isn’t equipped to take some people out quickly. And while it isn’t the best for ratings in MCCW, in an elimination format a quick KO would be a HUGE advantage. And he also employs mixed martial arts strikes and holds to set up his explosive finishes."

Chaos: "*unmuting herself* And you are ok working with him? You are rather outspoken about your dislike of him."

DT: "I got my submission win, far as I’m concerned we’re square. I try not to hold grudges … unless your name is Mongo the Destroyer … or Zoran Sainovic. And once Eichi had agreed to come out of hiding we had to find someone else who is a master at counters and quick offense. The Gladiator has been on the biggest roll of anyone in MCCW for a few months now and he has the kind of out of nowhere moves to get eliminations before the teams can interrupt the pins. It really all came together for us when discussing our research of our own fed."

Chaos: "Ooooh was that the night you wore those silky pajamas with the lasagna design on them and tucked Mistress in for a good night???"

DT: "What? All I did was toss the blanket off of me when I woke up cuz I had to piss. I fell asleep quite suddenly. …How … did you know about my pajamas, I don’t wear those to meetings."

Chaos: "Um OH NO I LEFT THE KETTLE ON! BREWING UP SOME SWEET TEA I’LL TALK TO Y’ALL LATER!!!"

*Chaos rapidly logs off as Mistress hides her shocked expression and covers for herself with a cough*

DT: "She hung up. Well anyway the meeting was good anyway. I think you and I are on the same page. This will be the first public run for Top of the Class. And I’m not going to lie, even if I beat Zoran and earn a shot at Caff, it’ll be good for MCCW as a whole to win this whole thing. Nobody would doubt us ever again."

MD: "I must admit the idea of getting an automatic entry to earn a shot at that loud mouth Caffrey makes me quite happy. I still owe him more for trying to injure you at the Rumble! I would also like to again mention how thankful I am that you offered to team up and mentor me after our successful team up in the Rumble. It will do wonders for my career to have you show me the ropes. I think this Call to Arms show will go a long way to improving the outlook on MCCW and our team up in the eyes of the XHF Network. After all they do not see the amazing teamwork we possess. And the Network needs a better look at what we offer. Oh and how is the batch of grandma Carloni’s famous Italian anisette cookies coming along?"

DT: "… When did I tell you I was making those? It was going to be a surprise for the team at the event. I swear it’s like you have cameras in my house how often you know what I’m thinking! HAHAHAHAA."

MD: "HA HA HA YES THAT IS A SILLY THOUGHT I MUST BE OFF, ROAST IN THE OVEN YOU SEE! BYE!!"

*She logs off quick and DT completely misses the context.*

DT: "Was it … something I said?"

---

*We open in a dark room. Sitting on a bed is Death Trap. He has his head in his hands and he is deep in thought. He slides his hands ever so slightly so we can see his eyes in between his fingers. He lowers his hands and closes his eyes.*

DT: "Eight months. For eight months now I have once again been sitting in the spotlight of the XHF Network. Eight months of being on the top of the MCCW ladder, on the global stage, main eventing shows all over the world. For eight months I have been one of the best wrestlers in MCCW, in XHF, … in the world. And yet the lack of respect I get is appalling. I outlasted Eichi Yamaguchi to win the MCCW World title in a cage. I defeated four stars in four weeks to win the End of Days tournament. I main evented countless episodes of Voltage. I main evented Supremacy. I was top six in the rumble, the most eliminations, the longest time in the match. For eight months I reached the pinnacle and have sat there. I may not have yet … YET … claimed the X*Crown but I damn sure am still the best contender for it. For … eight … months … I have proved that age is just a number, that this is no one last run even if I thought it was, that this is not a ‘I still have some in the tank’ one time flash in the pan. I have been on the top for longer than anyone thought possible. Name me one competitor who has been at the forefront for as long as I have without slowing down! I’ll wait."

*He taps his foot on the floor and then looks at his wrist*

DT: "Yeah. Sure … Caffrey was at the top for a year in AXW … but nothing came of it. He is X*Crown champ now … but that’s from the rumble. Seth Dillinger has been AWF Champ for quite a while. If there was anyone who could claim to be at my level of dominance for as long as I have, it’s them … Caff then and Seth now. But the global stage, the people considered top contenders for the X*Crown, has been in flux. Caff is there now … Zoran jumped into it for Supremacy and has already slipped. Mav was there for a hot second. Bobby keeps coming back in spurts and then fading away, same can be said for Jack Diamond. Kanyon, Rob Arnold, Subject #42 … all came up out of nowhere, dominated, then fell away. But I stay. I remain. I endure. And that is the name of my game isn’t it? Endurance. Stamina. Longevity. How ironic that since I came back to XHF I have been one of the most stable, enduring forces. I charged right to the top of MCCW in the original gold rush and nobody has been able to get rid of me since."

*He stands up and paces back and forth. He tries to coalesce his thoughts into something worth saying.*

DT: "This Call to Arms is just another stage for the Main Attraction to command. I’ve had to hear all these guys crawling out of the wood work trying to tell me that I am over, that I am worthless, or that I’m not even worth mentioning. I’ve had to sit through these supposed redemption stories. But I’ve always been here. I’ve never let up. I’ve had my foot on the gas from the word go and nobody has been able to keep up. Nobody has been able to stop me. And it’s all leading to me holding that X*Crown title. I won’t stop until I have lapped everyone else, till I have outlasted every contender. Because that’s what I do. I survive, I last, I endure. Who else but me could inspire what I have in my tag team partner? Who else could drag Eichi out of his exile for a non MCCW show? Who else could convince a sheltered man like Andrew Daniels to showcase his talents? Who else could get Jason Justice to decide this event was worth his time and care? I may not be the captain of the team … but I am its driving heart. I am its pulse. I am its willpower. Because when others quit, when others fade away, when others collapse and fall by the way side … Death Trap … endures. DT survives. DT … wins."

*He lets out a laugh and turns to the camera and grabs something from the desk at his side. He begins to toss the legos up into the air and catch them in his right hand over and over.*

DT: "Lesser men might break. Like Maverick. He got his hands on the belt and eased up on the clutch. And he got complacent. He thought he was superior. He disrespected me and cost me thousands in dental work. I’d be furious if he wasn’t such a sad case. He lost it all in one big match. He choked harder than I EVER could have imagined. And believe me, old DT in the original XHF knew his fair share of choking. Some of it by yours truly. Maverick goes and gets angry, forgets his basics, his essentials, and gets his neck broken. Been there bro. Sucks. But then I’ve also come back from several neck injuries. And let me tell you something man. They don’t … get better … that fast. You can feel perfect, on top of the world. But all it takes is one … bad … bump."

*He pushes a Lego structure off his dresser which shatters into many pieces.*

DT: "… So you get cautious, you get fearful. You change your style. You forget what got you to the top, and you forget how you got laid low. And it happens again. Because you make a foolish mistake. Face it Mav, you may be young and have such untapped potential. But in this fight you are a liability. To your team and yourself. And we all know what Rob Arnold and Bobby Barratt do to liabilities. Face it, Kanyon and Scorpion may be insane, but at least they have been wrestling so long it’s ingrained in their very atomic structure. You are still new. You are still green. And you won’t know how to adjust to a targeted attack. Would be a shame if you were to fall … into a trap … and have no way out."

*He tosses the legos onto the dresser and uses his boot to sweep the remains of the structure under the bed to avoid misery later.*

DT: "Zoran. The man who stole the title from me. The man who I will be facing just after this event at SWAT Battleground for a shot at Caffrey’s title. Zoran has not changed one bit. Stabbing a man in the hand with a blade, sending an army of minions to fight his battles, crooked booking his way into easy defenses and chances to retain what was his once and now isn’t anymore. Zoran still hiring others to do all the legwork. Leading into the rumble Caffrey and I were talking you up for being the most resourceful man in wrestling. And that is very true. But as it turns out your tactics can only carry you so far. When push comes to shove you can’t just outwrestle a man like me. You aren’t good enough. There’s a reason I am a legend and you are just a crooked authority figure. And you can bet I will be taking you deadly serious. If we should meet up in the finals you can be sure I will be making sure YOU are the first one to go down. Because I know I can put you out and I will not let you play your games with my team. You surround yourselves with monsters. But you are the weak link. It’s a shame you don’t do your research as well as you think. Four of your five monster men are all smoke and mirrors."

*He sits on the bed and points to a still image from the rumble of Tarrasque and Subject going at it on his computer*

DT: "You yourself are all schemes and underhanded tactics. Once you know what to look out for you don’t mean much in the long run. So you bet on these two meat sacks. I’ve watched these two, I do my research. These are gentle giants. Yes they are big and strong and can dish out a lot of pain. But they aren’t monsters in here."

*He points to his heart*

DT: "Tarrasque is a child. He just wants to know who he is and where his family is. He’s not evil. And Subject is the same thing. Some creature shunned by society but who just wants to belong. I mean yes he mutilated a space tiger … which is not an achievement I thought I’d ever attribute to a wrestler … but he is just lost. And you convinced them you could be that family or give it to them. I know you better than that. After all you and your other friend Brad Swann have a lot in common. Getting others to do the dirty work to support your own mean streak and desire for blood and guts and glory. The difference is shockingly that you are actually better at succeeding than ol’ Swann is. If there was ever a bigger choke artist than Maverick it’s Bradley boy. Brad has failed to win anything of value, barring the DW world title but he beat a Galloway and we in MCCW know how pathetic those guys are."

*He laughs at his own throwing of shade*

DT: "The only smart move you made was going after Dreadvan. The longest reigning XHF European champion, a man for whom ring rust and body shape are not concerns because his whole thing is being a fucking dump truck of a man. And with the attitude to match. Of all the monsters you recruited he is the only one I would even worry about. He is a sadistic motherfucker and while I don’t think he’s a demon, I will certainly be on my guard. But here’s the thing. I fancy myself a bit of a hero. A man of the people. And what guys like me do, is find ways to take guys like you down. Let’s face it I have never had an issue outlasting, outsmarting, and outwrestling monsters. I’ve beaten men the size of Koch Knocker, men the ferocity of Reeshi, men with the cunning of Chris Kanyon. And here’s the simple fact. Monsters … still need to breathe. Monsters still need oxygen. And I will make it a point to deprive them of it, just enough for a three count or a submission if they have half a brain. It’s nothing personal Tarrasque, Van, or Subject. Just blame Zoran for getting you into it."

*He drops to the ground and starts doing push-ups as he looks restless*

DT: "Oh there are quite a few tasty matchups in this show. Team aGw is a bunch of unknowns for us network folks. Who knows what they could bring to the table. It’s exciting. Team J-ROK brings a big mix of styles to the party. Former AXW champion, former head of a fed, and some all around good talent. SWAT stands out to me. They spit in Zoran’s face, which I love, and sent out three work horses with some major upsides. El Combatiente I’m going to watch out for, pretty sure that dude turned out to be Venom last time and he and I … don’t see eye to eye. Well we didn’t. I did have a part in GUNS and I think we put some of that hostility behind us … but still … gonna be on my guard … if there is one guy who had my number it was Venom. Still this Combatiente has some real fire and a good attitude. Buena suerte mi amigo."

*He stops pushups for a second to wink at the camera showing he means it. Since his hands are busy*

DT: "Timeless showed some real talent in the rumble and Syberus got under Caffrey’s skin enough to beat him which is admirable. The other two … I’ll reserve judgment until I see more from them. The Saga are not a threat. Put simply they may be a unit but there’s a difference between five talented top stars working together and five low level talents trying to use numbers to redefine skill."

*He pushes up to his feet and grabs a towel to wipe his head*

DT: "And let’s be realistic, the fans are going to go apeshit over that bottom bracket. Monsters versus Amazons, should be a fun match to watch. Don’t think Lucky Linda won’t have a plan for Zoran … and then there’s that last match. There is more world and x*crown gold in that lineup than I’ve ever seen. And yet it’s a blessing in disguise for the fans and us. See that match is so epic it HAD to happen when both teams were at peak performance and full lineup. Think of what we might see. Jack Diamond fending off his former bosom buddies. Scorpion and Rat Bastard eviscerating each other, Rob Arnold in the same ring as Dylanomoly. The president of the nation and the leader of a cult. He fans will get exactly what they want in that match. Brutality, insanity, blood, sweat, tears, and eliminations. And then the winners fight either a group of surviving monsters or some tired amazons who just overcame a team of monsters. Wars. So while everyone is focusing on that side of the bracket they overlook us. But then that leads me to…"

*He turns on the TV and the XHF Network is broadcasting Clash of the Icons from AWF.*

DT: "AWF. Our first round matchup, the one time we are guaranteed a true 5v5. And it’s against two of the top stars in AWF, a J-Rok nobody, an independent with an identity crisis and a new recruit. I’ll be honest I’m not going to sugarcoat it, you don’t have very good chances. Look Zack the Killer is just some nobody who is all look and no substance. How you got saddled with that is beyond me. And really how you couldn’t manage to get your roster to care enough about the glory the X*Crown would bring you is beyond me. I mean I understand why Seth and Ryan would be too busy killing each other over your top title … and screwing over Fox is basically the one thing Seth and Ryan can commit to. And maybe Chris Card and Michael Storm were too afraid of Caffrey or the possibility of meeting up with Subject 42 or another rendezvous with Jack Diamond and Bobby Barratt. Who also dumped your pathetic team. Hell even Maverick thought himself too good for AWF. But hey you were able to recruit Dallas Houston. Good for you!"

*He gives a smug smirk and thumbs up.*

DT: "I’m not gonna shit on some new guy out to make a name for himself quick. He made the right move. And hell at least he is an honest fella. Kind of a jerk but hey I can respect the Texan alpha male thing he has going on. Still gonna tap like a chump to the submission onslaught from Team MCCW but hey whatever. But hey, you at least have Cross Recoba and Bloodied Fox. I refuse to take you two lightly or just insult your names. After all you earned my respect in the rumble even if I doubt you could outdo me. Fox you lasted almost as long as me with just as many eliminations … and after going through hell with that ladder match. And you set a record … furthest unassisted flight from a wrestling ring. What WAS it like to be yeeted by a robo-bear anyway? It looked kind of fun not gonna lie."

*He looks deep in thought and then smiles like an idiot as if imagining himself flying.*

DT: "You have done nothing but prove yourself a top star in AWF and yet here you are having to do this match without your former friends and without a full team of 5 from your own home to once again prove yourself worthy of a match for the X*Crown. Seth has had so many shots at that title. Hell so have I. Maybe you are in the wrong spot to fully utilize your talents. After all you are stuck working with a man who gets so high he swings on vines and has a pet chimp who also speaks and does drugs? Oh sorry no he decided to get all serious on us! Kentucky .. Ross … you have had one match in the XHF and already you’re trying to change your face and methodology. When has that tactic EVER worked in this business? SO maybe you are pretty damn strong and with a good background in MMA. Fantastic, get in line. FOUR of the members on our team have at least a passing knowledge of MMA and Jason and Eichi live it. Step in line and earn some respect. Maybe show a little more to your teammate. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Fox was the last one standing for you guys. I’m not going to sell either of you short. But you need to understand what you are up against and you clearly don’t. "

*DT regains that smug composure and tosses the towel onto the bed*

DT: "Or maybe you’re counting on talking us out of our attack plan? Right Cross? Mr. Moneybags, wearing a different suit every day. A fellow Italian. Should be a man after my own heart. But nah. I don’t like the way you play Cross. You have plenty of in ring talent. And unlike these other guys who think of you only in terms of what Chris Card thinks of you, I’m not playing that game. After all you actually nutted up and stepped up to earn a title shot instead of running scared after the rumble. But see you are the scheming type. You and Zoran should talk. With your capital he could probably work miracles in underhanded tactics and screwing people over. Then again you never built a sarlacc pit for a match so who knows."

*DT shrugs*

DT: "If your whole tactic is to pit Jason Justice against me and Mistress then you are in for a rude awakening. Jason is a professional and an all around cool cucumber. It will take more than a few words from some wall street bitch to mess up his temper. Besides, it’s a rumble, everyone else has to go for you to win. Had it come down to me and Mistress you can bet I’d have dumped her out just like Caff let Jack do to Zoran. It’s a unique environment. Jason and I have had some epic battles and like I said in the rumble promo build … we’re on good terms. He’s a great wrestler and our world champ. He took my title, I eliminated him from the rumble, and he is now again our world champ. Hell you would have looked smarter (though still wrong …) if you tried that with Eichi and … well anyone on our team. And it’s funny because next week you will meet a unified front of five bonafide stars out to make a statement, while your team will know you are sitting here wishing they were Chris Card. Newsflash folks: I would not be shocked to see MCCW dominate AWF. After all we are the superior TEAM and the superior FED and the superior WRESTLERS as the case may be this time out. And that Cross, is news you can bank on."

---

*We open up on DT sitting in his room with the camera on the computer screen as the zoom call is already in session. In the top row left to right on the screen are Eichi Yamaguchi, Andrew Daniels, and Jason Justice on their own computer cameras. On the bottom row are Death Trap and Mistress Discipline. Under the picture of Eichi are captions to translate his Japanese into English for the other four. Assumedly the same in reverse is on his screen but hey this is a DT joint.*

Daniels: "They hardly seem like people we should worry too much about. This AWF crew is sorely lacking the work ethic of the five of us. How often do any of them even have to get into the ring? A show every other week and they aren’t on every show. We fight day in and day out. The disrespect is disturbing."

Eichi: "(And that is why we will show them what our conditioning has brought us. We will put them down one by one, in fluid motion, with great prejudice.)"

DT: "It’s like I said, they aren’t even thinking on the same level. None of them understand what we are bringing to the table. We have a chip on our shoulders and it is going to drive us through them like a hot knife through butter."

Justice: "Right on. Dudes, we have been working out match strategies together for two weeks now. We know how to bounce off each other, we know what pitfalls to look out for."

MD: "As long as we all stick to what we know and keep the tags quick to maintain our stamina we will be fine."

DT: "That’s what I’m saying. Jason and I have the stamina and endurance thing going for us. We can both stay in there a while and take punishment to make sure everyone else stays fresh. We work over heads and necks. The Death Trap, the Detention, the Justice Served, all neck and choke submissions. The Bullet to her Head, the To the Head, the Main Attraction, the Final Bell, the Suplexus Maximus, the SParticussion … all capable of pins and KO’s with effect on the head. Long as we stay on those tags and break up the pins we are golden. The biggest threats are that ripcord cutter Fox seems to pull from any position and that Garibaldi’s Guillotine crab submission."

Eichi: "(As if they would be able to put us down in submission. We do not give up so easily. Compared to the yakuza they are insects waiting to be squished in our grasp.)"

MD: "We cannot get cocky. We have a lot at stake here."

Justice: "Tickets to Overheated, a chance to earn a match with Caffrey and humiliate him."

Eichi: "(Fuck that gaijin, he is the worst offender when it comes to spewing hatred of MCCW.)"

Daniels: "It really is the hatred that gets to me. Most of these guys would never make it in our dojo. Leon Chant, mentee of Rob Arnold, and Jay Carter, mentee of Bobby Barratt, have both found success in MCCW but not to the levels of their mentors in other feds. They are considered top talents by these other supposed top wrestlers and yet they are not just running roughshod over us. When it comes down to it guys like Rob and Bobby would be abject failures when put in the same roster as us."

Justice: "Whoa let’s not try to put targets on our back, let’s just go out there and dominate the way we know we can. We are overlooked but this is our tournament to win dudes."

DT: "To everyone else in this tournament, this is the biggest match of their careers. They all come out and talk about how it’s their ticket to the X*Crown, how it is the culmination of everything. It’s some big stage for them. It’s pressure piled on. For all their talk about how MCCW guys couldn’t hack it in other feds, as if putting words to camera makes you a superstar more than going out and dominating fools in the ring weekly like us makes them somehow superior. But they ALL treat this like a do or die night. For us … it’s just another big show to go out among all the others we put on for these fans. MONTHS of high level shows for the gold rush, a mastery tour of huge shows, the Master Clash … we do this type of thing for like a third of all our televised events. We go out there on a weekly basis and work harder than anyone else in the business. Maverick had one match as X*Crown champ in that month before he lost that title. Bobby Barratt has barely been on TV since returning to AWF. Hell we had more matches in the Gold Rush EACH than Bobby had while part of LGBTKO."

MD: "Yes, this may be a new format and with higher rewards for the winners but the purse is no larger, the crowd is no different, especially in this pandemic. MCCW goes out there for two shows every week, most of us performing every week, and yet people act like we are the ones who are deserving of scorn."

Eichi: "(So we go out there like we do every week, and we dominate. We beat them into submission. We make them understand, we make them take notice. They will never take MCCW as the underlings ever again)"

Justice: "I mean look at the teams out of the other feds. SWAT couldn’t get their top guys together, AWF couldn’t even field a full team. There is no pride among them. They aren’t capable of coming together for the good name and honor of the place they ply their trade. It’s weak bro."

Daniels: "There is no weakness in us. There is only pride, honor, and determination."

Eichi: "(We have assembled an all-star team. Who could hold a candle to us? Jason Justice, the world champion. Longest reigning and first with two reigns. A mixed martial arts master and submission machine. One of the few men I respect. You, Daniels and Trap are the only ones to bring the fight to me with such intensity. My missing fingers attest to your skills. The people support you. They see the work you put in and they understand. AWF did not know what they were in possession of when they let you walk away.)"

Justice: "Their first State of Ohio champion bro. History. Nobody taking that away from me. You put in the work you get the results. And Andrew Daniels, the gladiator. One of the hardest workers in the business, all action no talk. Man your offense is explosive, it comes from nowhere."

DT: "Took me by surprise that’s for sure. The two of you can go, no doubt about it. And look what Daniels is doing in the Gold Rush. The people are all anticipating you and Eichi going at it one more time. Honestly you are probably the best pure athlete in that ring. That roundhouse you do is a thing of beauty. And the impact on those suplexes and DDTs is crisp as fuck. Speaking of, Mistress Discipline. One of the biggest surprises and an up and comer. The contortion ability you put into those submissions and to your submission defense is amazing. That knee of yours took down a fucking robot in the rumble. And the teamwork you showed capable of is going to be a driving force for us."

MD: "The sentiment is appreciated. I know I have the most to prove for our little federation. But I intend to deliver like I did in the rumble. And this time I am allowed to tap out the other team. We’ll see how naughty Cross is feeling when he is trapped in Detention."

Daniels: "Yes and your unknown quantity is a help to us. You have been steadily improving over the last few months and training with a champion like DT will be of great help."

DT: "And then there’s Eichi fucking Yamaguchi. Top ranked singles star in MCCW, probably the one among us who has given the rest of us all our toughest matches. What you lack in flashy moves and match psychology you more than make up for with sheer intensity and power. Those strikes of yours are heavy as hell. I can attest to it. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your match times steadily creeping up as you get a better hold on your stamina and how to deal with guys who can actually keep up with that insane offense of yours. Still though might benefit us all to have that old school Eichi just bludgeoning guys like Fox and Tarzan into oblivion in five minutes flat with little fanfare. I want to see you do that bouncing thing you do over their limp bodies. The quicker we win, the easier the next two rounds will be."

Daniels: "The Final Answer indeed."

MD: "And of course there is the Main Attraction. Death Trap. A man who somehow manages to never go down, never give up, always come back to life for more punishment, and still get high rated twenty minute matches. The most accomplished submission star in MCCW. Who have you NOT tapped out? You’ve gotten Justice, myself, and Eichi all to tap out in your clutches. Boundless stamina and endurance, and an arsenal that doesn’t weaken as a match drags on."

Eichi: "(The ring awareness on DT is impressive. And for months you have endeavored to make all of us look better by taking to the global stage and being consistently impressive. If only you could have brought the title home to us.)"

DT: "Legos hurt man. Yes we will all be there to support each other as well. We all excel at multiple attributes. But put together with one goal in mind we will dominate. Aleister is going to need to do a press release celebrating our victory. And you can bet Caffrey and all the rest will never utter another disrespectful word about MCCW ever again. And once we win here I will go take the fight to that bastard Zoran on his home turf and the SWAT crew will learn all about the MCCW top talent we have. Mistress, by the way, how DID you get my car back after Zoran had it towed after that stunt I pulled in England before the rumble? It’s like you knew exactly where it was!"

MD: "OH! THAT! HAHAHA YES I have my ways DT, I am very resourceful. OH WOULD YOU LOOK AT THE TIME I NEED TO GO TAKE THE DOG OUT TO PEE! BYE!!!"

*Mistress abruptly clicks out of the call as Daniels and Yamaguchi hide snickers from DT.*

DT: "Should I take it personally that I’ve been hung up on by her and Chaos three times today?"

Justice: "Haha. Bro? I wouldn’t pay it any mind. No reason to worry. Worrying is for the other teams anyhow."

*Fade out*