Post by HardcoreCityShinjuku on Jan 24, 2024 21:25:46 GMT -5
On the screen which had a small CWA logo in the corner, a man in battered looking leather jacket was stalking back and forth in a living room in what appeared to be about 2006. The man was chewing on a cigar, ignoring the ashes that fell from it as he cast an angry hate filled glare at woman kneeling nearby. Her children clung to her, weeping hysterically as behind him a big man struggled against the board he was strapped down to. A place of plastic clung to his face, moving in and out as he screamed.
And then a man who looked suspiciously like the Iron Sheik poured water over his face, the man gagging and sputtering as a heavy set silver haired man tried to pull the other away. Donzig stared at all three of them, eyes flicking with disdain and rage.
‘Jeffers get your fucking hands off of him!’
Donzig stalked forward, and he grabbed the board as he jerked it upright. His eyes blazed, and he tore away the water covered plastic before he slapped the man who was David Slam the First across the face. Then his fingers twisted in his hair, and he loomed over him.
‘You fucking stole from me, David! From me! You got in my fucking way! You betrayed me for what? FOR FUCKING WHAT? For Justin Voss? FOR THE GOLDEN BOY?’
Slam’s head smacked against the board, and Donzig looked around wildly. He was in a rage, and he flicked ashes onto the floor before he grabbed another sheet of plastic that he pressed down across Slam’s face. He shoved the Iron Sheik aside, and then grabbed the water as he tilted the board back as the woman screamed.
Her son ran forward, and Donzig whirled to back hand him across the room. The kid came up, grabbing at his arm as it was bent in a weird angle. Donzig grabbed Slam once more, twisting his head as he leaned down to fume in his ear.
‘You did this! You did this! You put your family in danger to steal from me! FROM ME! What did Voss fucking promise you? You think you can walk away from me, you son of a bitch! I will kill you! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! I will destroy your entire goddamned family! The BWA World Heavyweight Title was mine! MINE!’
Donzig leaned closer, teeth bared as he yanked on Slam’s hair again.
‘You’re a shit father! You understand me! This is all your fault!’
And then a man who looked suspiciously like the Iron Sheik poured water over his face, the man gagging and sputtering as a heavy set silver haired man tried to pull the other away. Donzig stared at all three of them, eyes flicking with disdain and rage.
‘Jeffers get your fucking hands off of him!’
Donzig stalked forward, and he grabbed the board as he jerked it upright. His eyes blazed, and he tore away the water covered plastic before he slapped the man who was David Slam the First across the face. Then his fingers twisted in his hair, and he loomed over him.
‘You fucking stole from me, David! From me! You got in my fucking way! You betrayed me for what? FOR FUCKING WHAT? For Justin Voss? FOR THE GOLDEN BOY?’
Slam’s head smacked against the board, and Donzig looked around wildly. He was in a rage, and he flicked ashes onto the floor before he grabbed another sheet of plastic that he pressed down across Slam’s face. He shoved the Iron Sheik aside, and then grabbed the water as he tilted the board back as the woman screamed.
Her son ran forward, and Donzig whirled to back hand him across the room. The kid came up, grabbing at his arm as it was bent in a weird angle. Donzig grabbed Slam once more, twisting his head as he leaned down to fume in his ear.
‘You did this! You did this! You put your family in danger to steal from me! FROM ME! What did Voss fucking promise you? You think you can walk away from me, you son of a bitch! I will kill you! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! I will destroy your entire goddamned family! The BWA World Heavyweight Title was mine! MINE!’
Donzig leaned closer, teeth bared as he yanked on Slam’s hair again.
‘You’re a shit father! You understand me! This is all your fault!’
The scene ended on that enraged face, frozen as Saito leaned back. He rubbed his hands together, and he shrugged as he glanced to the others. Ace Albany shook his head, and he took a long swallow of water before he motioned with the bottle.
‘Listen, we all knew Donzig had some issues.’
‘Issues? He is torturing a man in front of his family! He broke a kid’s arm.’
‘Slam the Second’s arm.’
A shrug, and Saito looked to Captain Anarchy. The masked man tugged at his ginger beard, and he shook his head as he stared at the screen. Then he waved a hand, and looked away before he spoke.
‘You know, man. Slam did betray him. Everyone then and everyone now knows that you don’t cross him.’
‘That is the Scourge, this is just normal Donzig.’
The masked form of the diminutive alien prince stepped forward, and he stared at the screen. He tugged on his gloves, fingers flexing before he leaned back with a shrug. He muttered a single word, and Saito grunted.
‘Are they the same?’
The screen moved to a menu, and he clicked a few times.
The display read AWA, and Donzig appeared on the screen. He was quite a bit older, but still not the Scourge it seemed as he raked back his hair. He stared down at the crawling form of a silver haired man on the outside of a ring. The man was bleeding, blood running through his hair as he started to rise.
Donzig brutally drove a knee into his face, and the man wheezed struggling to rise. He was wheezing for breath, body shaking before Donzig laughed at him. The fans booed, and jeered as Donzig flung him across the announce table. He pushed aside a man clad in emo gear, and what looked like Crazy Bill to grab David Slam the First once more. He cracked a mic into his face, and then lifted it as Slam fell against the barricade as he grabbed for his chest.
‘I told you years ago to stay the fuck out of my way, Slam! And tonight, I take the father, and the Affliction! My Affliction will take the fucking son! That AWA title leaves here tonight around the waist of Joel Frost! Do you hear me? The Slam Legacy dies tonight! It dies at my fucking hands!’
Donzig threw the mic into the fans, and he spat before he yanked the wheezing and panting Slam to his feet. The man tried to speak, shaking his head before Donzig threw him into the ring stairs that exploded around him. The fans were on their feet, jeering as Donzig grabbed the stairs to drive them down on the chest of the panicked looking Slam. He lifted them again, then stared as a pregnant pretty brunette ran in front of him.
She was yelling, screaming as he stared at her. And he flung the stairs aside, and started to stepback. But the woman ran at him, grabbing his arm to whirl him around. Donzig grabbed her with surprising speed, and lifted her over his head before he delivered a powerbomb onto the stairs!
The wind went out of the arena, and Donzig stared down at the pair as security and EMTs flooded the ring. He stepped back, looking surprised before he shook his head. His face seemed to twist, racing through several emotions before it went blank.
And he started to laugh, though the laugh broke in the middle starting to sound like a horrible rasping cackle. A wheezing mechanical laugh that was like nothing human, and he wiped a hand across his face before he stalked to the back.
Donzig brutally drove a knee into his face, and the man wheezed struggling to rise. He was wheezing for breath, body shaking before Donzig laughed at him. The fans booed, and jeered as Donzig flung him across the announce table. He pushed aside a man clad in emo gear, and what looked like Crazy Bill to grab David Slam the First once more. He cracked a mic into his face, and then lifted it as Slam fell against the barricade as he grabbed for his chest.
‘I told you years ago to stay the fuck out of my way, Slam! And tonight, I take the father, and the Affliction! My Affliction will take the fucking son! That AWA title leaves here tonight around the waist of Joel Frost! Do you hear me? The Slam Legacy dies tonight! It dies at my fucking hands!’
Donzig threw the mic into the fans, and he spat before he yanked the wheezing and panting Slam to his feet. The man tried to speak, shaking his head before Donzig threw him into the ring stairs that exploded around him. The fans were on their feet, jeering as Donzig grabbed the stairs to drive them down on the chest of the panicked looking Slam. He lifted them again, then stared as a pregnant pretty brunette ran in front of him.
She was yelling, screaming as he stared at her. And he flung the stairs aside, and started to stepback. But the woman ran at him, grabbing his arm to whirl him around. Donzig grabbed her with surprising speed, and lifted her over his head before he delivered a powerbomb onto the stairs!
The wind went out of the arena, and Donzig stared down at the pair as security and EMTs flooded the ring. He stepped back, looking surprised before he shook his head. His face seemed to twist, racing through several emotions before it went blank.
And he started to laugh, though the laugh broke in the middle starting to sound like a horrible rasping cackle. A wheezing mechanical laugh that was like nothing human, and he wiped a hand across his face before he stalked to the back.
‘That was him.’
Saito frowned, and Captain Anarchy shook his head as he leaned forward. He pressed his fingers together under his chin, tapping them against his chin. Saito shook his head, and he rose to pace back and forth.
‘Saito, again this is old news.’
‘He killed Slam the Second’s father! He took out his pregnant wife! She lost the baby!’
‘He made sure Slam lost the belt too.’
‘No shit!’
Saito roared at Ace Albany, and he dropped down in a chair.
‘And this is when Drake and Frost turned on him?’
‘They said he was making them into monsters.’
Saito growled.
‘No shit.’
The screen flickered again, and:
Blood hissed, and he flailed as Donzig stared at him.
'I am doing it for me. WUK is mine, and no one else's. Now you and your little guards can leave.'
Blood was dropped to the floor, and Donzig stepped back as a hand lifted to drag across the mouth of his mask. Then he lifted a hand, waving it absently as Donzig-gun stepped back in unison from the still panicked looking security. Blood rubbed at his neck, loosening his tie as he slowly pushed himself up the wall before he spat.
'You'll pay for this.'
Donzig shrugged.
'People keep saying that today, but I have already paid with Blood and Hunger.'
Blood seemed confused by that as he scurried for the door, his men filing out behind him. Then a voice spoke from the door unseen.
'Donzig. I think you and I share a problem, a Bastards problem.'
If a mask could look surprised, it would have. Donzig turned slowly, and saw Spike Kane standing in the doorway.
'I am doing it for me. WUK is mine, and no one else's. Now you and your little guards can leave.'
Blood was dropped to the floor, and Donzig stepped back as a hand lifted to drag across the mouth of his mask. Then he lifted a hand, waving it absently as Donzig-gun stepped back in unison from the still panicked looking security. Blood rubbed at his neck, loosening his tie as he slowly pushed himself up the wall before he spat.
'You'll pay for this.'
Donzig shrugged.
'People keep saying that today, but I have already paid with Blood and Hunger.'
Blood seemed confused by that as he scurried for the door, his men filing out behind him. Then a voice spoke from the door unseen.
'Donzig. I think you and I share a problem, a Bastards problem.'
If a mask could look surprised, it would have. Donzig turned slowly, and saw Spike Kane standing in the doorway.
Katie Moss: This is Katie Moss, live with breaking news from San Francisco! We have obtained exclusive footage of an incident involving XHF icon, Spike Kane!
Cut to the Footage:
Spike Kane is seen stepping from a street corner, near what appears to be a large metropolitan hotel with his bag. Behind him walks one of the Oblivion Death Squad, carrying more bags as he watches the crowd warily. And then as Spike steps from the corner, and starts across the street a massive gleaming black truck with tinted windows barrels around the corner.
It slams into Spike hard, and he rolls across the hood before smacking across the windshield. Then he falls to the ground in a heap as the truck spends off as a crowd gathers. Moloch runs forward, checking on Spike as someone calls for an ambulance.
Katie Moss looks stunned, and she frowns before turning to see the ODS and Sinclair staring at her. Katie looks confused, and turns as she lifts the mic.
Katie Moss: Mormo, what were you doing with Spike Kane? What is going on?
Donzig: I will answer that question.
Katie turns, and Donzig hisses from behind his mask as he glares around. Then a hand lifts, and he points at the camera before he speaks with a slow shake of his head.
Donzig: I knew something like this would happen! I knew Spike Kane would be in danger, and so I sacrificed my own safety to send Moloch to watch his back. But I had never imagined this! This crime! And I know exactly, exactly who was behind it!
Katie Moss blinked, and she looked between the four before turning back to Donzig.
Katie Moss: You do?
Donzig grunted.
Donzig: The Bastards! It was the Bastards! They knew damned well that Spike and I were planning on teaming up against them in the Tag Gauntlet! And they knew, they knew they could not stand against the Gods of Xtreme! And so they did this, they did this!
Donzig shook his head, and he snarled as he waved a hand.
Donzig: But you still have a God of Extreme to contend with don’t you! Don’t you! The New God of Extreme!
Katie almost rolled her eyes but caught the Baroness staring at her.
Katie Moss: So you have no actual proof?
Donzig sniffed.
Donzig: Oh, I suppose it could have been someone else! Probably one of those HKW trash, we all know that Marty was terrified of facing Spike! It could have been Rage and Cage, it might have even been Crane! Where was Dan Stein!
Katie Moss nodded slowly, and Donzig dragged his hand across the mouth of his mask a he shook his head.
Donzig: Likely, it was probably one of those fucking pieces of shit he calls ‘brother’. Where were the Bang! Bros? Where were the Pillars? Likely one of them was envious of Spike! I know exactly, exactly what those fuckers are like, yeah? What are their alibis?
Katie seemed perplexed by this, and nodded slowly as Donzig leaned closer.
Donzig: Where has Brad been? Where is Brad Kane and his little tribe! I’d like to know very much.
Katie Moss: He’s in Hell I think?
Donzig: This is SAN FRANCISCO! It is HELL!
The Scourge spun, storming away with a jerk of his head. Donzig-gun fell in behind him, and then Katie shrugged. Then she paused, looking down to where Donzig had stood opposite from the rest of them. A frown, and she bent down picking up what appeared to be a set of keys. She looked at them in confusion. She looked up, staring after them before she yelped leaping backwards as Sinclair Godfrey snatched the keys from her hand.
Sinclair: Hush.
Cut to the Footage:
Spike Kane is seen stepping from a street corner, near what appears to be a large metropolitan hotel with his bag. Behind him walks one of the Oblivion Death Squad, carrying more bags as he watches the crowd warily. And then as Spike steps from the corner, and starts across the street a massive gleaming black truck with tinted windows barrels around the corner.
It slams into Spike hard, and he rolls across the hood before smacking across the windshield. Then he falls to the ground in a heap as the truck spends off as a crowd gathers. Moloch runs forward, checking on Spike as someone calls for an ambulance.
Katie Moss looks stunned, and she frowns before turning to see the ODS and Sinclair staring at her. Katie looks confused, and turns as she lifts the mic.
Katie Moss: Mormo, what were you doing with Spike Kane? What is going on?
Donzig: I will answer that question.
Katie turns, and Donzig hisses from behind his mask as he glares around. Then a hand lifts, and he points at the camera before he speaks with a slow shake of his head.
Donzig: I knew something like this would happen! I knew Spike Kane would be in danger, and so I sacrificed my own safety to send Moloch to watch his back. But I had never imagined this! This crime! And I know exactly, exactly who was behind it!
Katie Moss blinked, and she looked between the four before turning back to Donzig.
Katie Moss: You do?
Donzig grunted.
Donzig: The Bastards! It was the Bastards! They knew damned well that Spike and I were planning on teaming up against them in the Tag Gauntlet! And they knew, they knew they could not stand against the Gods of Xtreme! And so they did this, they did this!
Donzig shook his head, and he snarled as he waved a hand.
Donzig: But you still have a God of Extreme to contend with don’t you! Don’t you! The New God of Extreme!
Katie almost rolled her eyes but caught the Baroness staring at her.
Katie Moss: So you have no actual proof?
Donzig sniffed.
Donzig: Oh, I suppose it could have been someone else! Probably one of those HKW trash, we all know that Marty was terrified of facing Spike! It could have been Rage and Cage, it might have even been Crane! Where was Dan Stein!
Katie Moss nodded slowly, and Donzig dragged his hand across the mouth of his mask a he shook his head.
Donzig: Likely, it was probably one of those fucking pieces of shit he calls ‘brother’. Where were the Bang! Bros? Where were the Pillars? Likely one of them was envious of Spike! I know exactly, exactly what those fuckers are like, yeah? What are their alibis?
Katie seemed perplexed by this, and nodded slowly as Donzig leaned closer.
Donzig: Where has Brad been? Where is Brad Kane and his little tribe! I’d like to know very much.
Katie Moss: He’s in Hell I think?
Donzig: This is SAN FRANCISCO! It is HELL!
The Scourge spun, storming away with a jerk of his head. Donzig-gun fell in behind him, and then Katie shrugged. Then she paused, looking down to where Donzig had stood opposite from the rest of them. A frown, and she bent down picking up what appeared to be a set of keys. She looked at them in confusion. She looked up, staring after them before she yelped leaping backwards as Sinclair Godfrey snatched the keys from her hand.
Sinclair: Hush.
‘This is insane.’
Anarchy rose, shaking his head as he waved his arms angrily. He pointed at the screen, and jerked on his mask before he looked between the other three. He frowned, and he pointed again.
‘We are defending this guy? Listen, I loved Donzig! But he was a monster! Maybe Slam should be angry! Maybe Slam has every right to be pissed off! Donzig destroyed his life, and he didn’t even bat an eye! And Drake is right He’s a fucking disease, he’s a cancer in the XHF! He said it how many times! How many? He will turn our heroes in nightmares, he will make them like him! Come on, bro!’
Saito frowned, looking to Albany. The small bearded man shrugged, and he looked back to the screen. Saito tugged on his jacket, and he said nothing before he muttered.
‘Spike–’
‘Spike that Donzig offered an alliance with and then hit with a fucking truck? I mean, Spike once again has a point!’
‘That isn’t fair! The Donzig we knew wasn’t that guy.’
Saito leaned forward, and he rolled his shoulders before a hand dragged through his hair. He looked at the other two, and muttered under his breath.
‘Guys! Albany is right, and so are you! That Donzig is not the Donzig we knew, the Donzig we knew was ashamed of what he had done! You heard him! He hated the things he did, he didn’t want to be this guy anymore! He wanted to change, and Spike? Spike didn’t want that to happen because he wanted his revenge on that!’
He jabbed a finger at the screen, at the masked visage of the Scourge mocking them. He turned back to the other three, and he scowled.
‘Spike wanted that back! He wanted a monster! And he took our friend out to make it happen! And we have our chance at Supremacy to make him pay for it! Slam and his family? They aren’t saints, they want to play the victim? But we all know they have blood on their hands! And that goes double for that whine ass Drake.’
The others nodded slowly, and then the door banged open. They all turned, and jerked backwards as the black skull masks of the Oblivion Death Squad stared down on them. The pair filling the room as they towered over them. A cold menace radiated from the pair, and Rurokian stepped forward without a word as he flung aside his cape.
Mormo stared at him, and then lifted a hand to step Moloch from stepping closer. The pair nodding slowly, and then they stepped apart as a third figure swept into the room. The slender form of the Baroness, and she took in the four with a sniff before she gave a slow incline of her head to the masked alien.
Then she walked forward, and a hand lifted to rest on the screen.
Her eyes seemed to grow sad, and then she drew her fingers away.
‘Every day I hear his voice.’
Anarchy started to say something, but Saito elbowed him in the stomach. Sinclair didn’t notice, and she glanced back to them.
‘Do you know what? You’re all right. He is the same. He was sick. He was a monster, and he regretted his past. But the facts are? Donzig was always an anti-hero, he did what he wanted to do! Good? Evil? Right or Wrong?’
Sinclair shrugged, and her eyes moved back to the screen.
‘He was above them. They didn’t matter to him. He was the author of his own story, he was judgment, a force of nature. And the words of–’
Sinclair paused.
‘--Lessers? They didn’t matter to him did they? And so Spike Kane can rant and rave, and Drake can blame Donzig for his problems, and the Slams can play victim all they want! Because Donzig whether the Scourge or not? He would have spat in their faces and told them to do something about it!
Because he was the Wonder and Terror of this Age. He brought suffering to the wicked, be brought fear to the righteous! And whether he was hitting Spike with a truck, or attacking NLW, or gouging out a man’s eyes on top of a hell in a cell! From JROK to HKW to WUK! Everyone whispered the name of the Scourge!’
Saito nodded, and Sinclair stared into his eyes.
‘But what can we–’
A hand lifted.
‘You were touched by Donzig, you will do what you have to do. You will fight.’
Saito grunted, and Anarchy started to speak before he was waved into silence by Albany. And then Sinclair reached down, brushing back her long coat to produce a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. She stared at it for a long minute, and then handed it to him.
‘I don’t want you to just beat the Empire, I want you to kick their ass.’
Then the three swept from the room, the door banged shut behind them.