Post by Press1269 on Feb 20, 2020 17:09:35 GMT
PERCY: Alright folks, we're back, and it's time for our Main Event.
CAT: I'm so excited I might pee myself!
RICHARD ANDERSON: The following contest is a grudge match scheduled for one fall or submission, and is your MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING....
The lights dim low, and red strobes flash around the arena as 'Stranglehold' by Ted Nugent blares over the PA System. When the song reaches the main chords, Press steps through the curtain out onto the stage to a huge ovation. He's wearing a #TheAmbulanceBrokeHisFall BombTrax T-shirt, black leather pants, and black boots. The PAW Heavyweight Championship is slung over his shoulder as he takes in the capacity crowd that is on their feet.
RICHARD ANDERSON: Introducing first, weighting in at 365 pounds, and hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, Representing the BombTrax, he is the current PAW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION....PRESS!!!
Press allows a smirk at the mention of his name, and he starts his methodical walk down to the ring. He doesn't reach out and slap hands, but he doesn't try to prevent any of them from reaching out and patting him on his shoulder. Once he reaches ringside, he hops up onto the ring apron, and then swings one leg over the top rope, followed by the other. Once inside he comes to one side of the ropes and throws one fist into the air and roars. The fans roar back in kind, applauding him as he takes the PAW Championship from his shoulder and hands it over to the ring tech.
PERCY: The PAW Champion looks to be ready for combat here tonight, Cat, and I've got the feeling that combat is the appropriate term for this match.
CAT: Maybe so, Percy, but I don't see how given what The BombTrax did to his opponent last episode.
The arena goes dark. The synth strikes of “Child of the West” by Roni Size featuring B-Real kicks onto the speaker system while timed strobes of red light streak out into the crowd along with the music.
RICHARD ANDERSON: And… introducing from Parts Unknown…
With the pulses happening, it’s easy to see there’s no one standing at the top of the ramp. This goes on into the chorus of the song, when suddenly the lights come back to full, and reveal Deus and Press locked in a death grip in the center of the ring. The buzz from the crowd is electric as Sharon Orbach, the Senior Official, quickly calls for the bell.
PERCY: Alright folks, this match is underway, and already these two are trying to kill each other!
CAT: How is Deus out here? It doesn't make any sense.
PERCY: You heard what Press said last week, Cat. Deus is legion. Anyone can put that mask on and become Deus, but the real question is who's under it now?
CAT: Maybe if Press makes good on his promises from earlier this week, we'll find out.
The two gladiators grapple with each other in the center of the ring, Deus reaching for Press' throat and being held back by the big man's iron grasp around his wrist, while Press tries for Deus with his other hand, and Deus keeps it at bay much the same way. Finally, in a hulking burst of strength, Press pulls Deus forwards, and then shoves back the opposite direction, flinging the masked phenom to the canvas. The Engima rolls up to his/her feet, and thunders back at the big man, who answers with a high knee lift to the midsection. Deus doubles over, and Press immediately follows that up by driving the point of his elbow right down into the back of the enigma's head. Deus drops down to one knee, and Press completes the process with a football like punt straight to the face that sends Deus crashing the rest of the way to the mat.
PERCY: Press doesn't appear to be playing around here, as he reaches down and pulls Deus up and shoves him/her back into the closest corner.
CAT: Let's just save time on the him/her bullshit, and call Deus 'it'.
PERCY: Fine by my book.
Press jams the back of his elbow into Deus skull several times, and then drives more knee lifts into his trapped opponent, just crushing him into the corner. Finally, Press takes Deus by the wrist, and whips 'it' hard to the opposite side. Deus strikes the turnbuckles with authority and stumbles out, and Press barrels in from across the ring to swing a meaty clothesline. Deus ducks, however, sending Press to crash chest first into the turnbuckle. The big man spins around just in time for Deus to come running back in to nail him with a spear right into the corner. Press buckles for a minute, but maintains his stance, and reigns forearms down into Deus' back at the same time the masked phenom drives shoulder after shoulder into his midsection. Eventually Press stops putting up a fight, more concerned with getting out of the corner than doing more damage.
PERCY: Press just grabbed Deus, and shoved the enigma away, but Deus is already back on the attack, now driving hard rights into the Champion, forcing him back into the corner.
CAT: Deus appears to be relentless. We already know that this entity will risk life and limb to do damage to its opponents. It's almost like Deus doesn't care whether it wins or loses, so long as it does damage.
PERCY: Deus is an agent of calculated chaos, who navigates through the maelstrom it creates to achieve its goals.
CAT: And it looks like the enigma's goal here tonight is to end Press once and for all.
Deus steps up onto the middle turnbuckle, forces Press' head back by a fistful of hair, and then peppers right hands straight down into the man's skull. The crowd reacts by counting down the blows, but when they reach six, Press brings one massive hand up to Deus' chest, and sends the enigma flying backwards. Deus once again accepts the impact, rolling up to its feet, and then charges forwards once again on the attack. Unfortunately for Deus, all it meets this time is an upturned boot that catches it right in the face. Deus recoils back out to the center of the ring holding it's jaw, and when it turns back around to face Press, the enigma doesn't have time to react to the locomotive like clothesline. Deus is hit with such force that it cuts a complete back flip, landing on its stomach in the center of the ring.
PERCY: Good Lord! Press just took the enigma's head off, and I don't know if Deus doesn't have a concussion now.
CAT: That's the dangerous thing about the champion. He can absorb a lot of punishment, but sometimes it only takes one hit from him to turn things completely around.
Press reaches down, and grabs Deus by the back of the skull, yanking the enigma up with one hand. Still cradling the back of the head, he rushes towards the far ropes, and unceremoniously tosses Deus clear up and over the top rope to the unforgiving concrete below. Orbach warns him, but he doesn't pay her any heed, slipping between the ropes to land on the floor beside his prey.
PERCY: Press bringing Deus out to 'No Mans Land', and that is a dangerous place to be for both competitors.
CAT: Well, it's my favorite part of any match, when I'm sure the rules are about to be bent if not broken.
PERCY: To each their own, I suppose.
Deus crawls across the concrete towards the guardrail, so Press decides to help it out, by grabbing the enigma by the seat of the pants and the back of its mask, lifting it partially up, and then sending the masked phenom head long to crash into the steel. Deus slumps down, and Press steps over to place one size 16 boot across the back of the enigmas head, and then step up as if he were climbing up onto a rock. Deus kicks wildly at having the 365 pounds of pressure pressing down onto its skull, and Press finally decides to step back with a smirk to survey the damage. Deus reaches a shaky hand up to the top of the guardrail, and pulls itself up to its feet. The enigma leans heavily against the guardrail when Press comes barreling in for another clothesline. Deus, however, ducks at the last second, catching the oncoming champion with a back body drop that sends him hurtling over into the first three rows of the crowd. Everyone was smart enough to get out of the way, leaving steel folding chairs and hard concrete to break the big man's fall.
PERCY: OH! That was a nasty spill for the Champion, and now Deus stepping over to the nearby time keepers table, and climbing up on top....Double Ax Handle right down onto Press as he was trying to get up, driving him back down into the chaos of steel and concrete!
CAT: Sharon's trying to admonish these guys to get it back in the ring, but she's not going for the count. I wonder if she got some special instructions from Munin on this match, and just how far do those instructions go?
PERCY: Well, we know there is no love lost between Munin and Deus, and it wouldn't be the first time that she allowed The BombTrax to put away a threat to her company.
Deus pulls Press up to his feet by his long stringy hair, and then hurls him back towards the guardrail. At his height he hits the guard rail around waist high, the sudden stop sending him tumbling over the structure into a front flip which finds him impacting off the concrete once more. Deus steps over to the guard rail, and hops over the top, landing with a boot straight down into Press' face. The big man writhes on the floor with his hands up to his nose, and Deus cocks its head to the side in observation before moving in with further stomps down into the side of the man's head.
PERCY: Deus is really putting the boots to Press here, and the Senior Official has yet to administer any count. I think you might've been right, Cat.
CAT: Good! This thing needs to be decided, one way or the other, and I say let them go til there's nothing left.
Deus pulls Press up to his feet, takes him by the wrist and the back of his head, and whips him hard towards one of the steel ring posts. Press crashes into it skull first, the impact sending him into a spin that finds him ultimately back down on the concrete. This time, however, when he looks up to gain his bearings, a crimson mask cascades down his forehead.
PERCY: Press has been busted open!
CAT: First blood goes to Deus!
Deus stalks around the ring post to where the champion lies, and reaches down to help him back to his feet. The Enigma walks Press right over to the announcers table, and Percival and Caitlin are quick to abandon their posts at the first sign of trouble. Deus drives Press' face down into the top of the table several times, and then rolls him up onto it's surface. Deus pauses to look out at the crowd, who in spite of being huge Press supporters, can't contain themselves at the chance of seeing something devastating come out of this turn of events. Deus joins Press up onto the announce table, and pulls at the man to help get him to his feet. The table groans under their combined weight, but Deus doesn't seem to pay it any mind, as it hooks Press around the head, and then begins to spin until finally dropping straight down into a Neck Breaker. Both competitors crash to the reinforced table, and it splinters, but doesn't break, momentarily leaving both of them to lay there in pain.
PERCY: HANGMAN'S NECK BREAKER DOWN ACROSS OUR ANNOUNCE TABLE! My God! That table's reinforced with steel thanks to the antics of The BombTrax since the very beginning of PAW, and now it's just been used to incapacitate one of them!
CAT: Yeah, but that move hurt Deus too.
As soon as it's spoken, Deus begins to stir, mechanically moving up to stand upon the table once more. It reaches down to pull the champion up again, but this time finds more difficulty in the task, as Press appears to be dead weight. Eventually Deus manages it, holding the champion up by sheer strength of will. Just as the enigma moves in to hook the head again, however, Press suddenly comes alive, reaching down and grabbing Deus by the back of its thighs, lifting up, and then driving the masked phenom back down to the table with a massive spine buster. This time the table explodes in under them, sending shards of wood flying every which away. The steel frame is exposed, and is shown to have exploded outwards due to the impact. Both competitors lay motionless in the rubble, Press lying atop of Deus.
PERCY: GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! PRESS MAY HAVE JUST BROKEN DEUS IN HALF!
CAT: Well, there goes our table. I knew if they really put their mind to it, they could overcome a little thing like steel reinforcement.
PERCY: This is serious, Cat! What are we going to do if these guys can't continue?
Sharon Orbach shares Percival's concern, and she looks around the area for any sins of life. Seeing none, she shakes her head, and then begins a ten count.
1...
2...
3...
PERCY: I wasn't sure what to expect out here tonight, but I certainly didn't expect this.
4...
5...
CAT: Sure you did, Percy. We all did. Deus came back with the intention of destroying PAW, and what better way to do that than to take out one of the men who contributed to the enigma's demise way back when.
6....
7....
PERCY: Yeah, but to what end? If there is no PAW, there is no point. I understand having a blood feud for the man, even a need for revenge, but this isn't a wrestling match. It's a blood bath. WAIT! Press is moving!
8....
Press claws his way out of the rubble, getting up to his feet only to stumble down to his knees to hang from the ring apron.
9....
He pulls himself up with everything he has, blood pouring from the gash in his forehead. Just as Sharon is about to count ten, he hoists himself partially into the ring, and then rolls back out, breaking the count, and essentially causing her to start from the beginning. Looking worse for ware, he stumbles over to the wreckage and steadies himself in an attempt to reach down and pull Deus up to its feet. Once he has the enigma vertical, he half drags Deus over to the ring apron, where he tosses it under the bottom rope, and into the ring. Press rolls in after the masked phenom, and comes to rest with his arm lazily draped over Deus' chest.
1...
2...
THREe-Deus' arm shoots skyward at the last second, lifting the enigmas shoulder off the mat just enough to cause Sharon to have to fall forwards to keep from striking the mat a third time. Press doesn't even looked shocked, just exhausted and injured, as he lays there for a moment trying to gain some recovery.
PERCY: I can't believe it! We still have a match going on here.
CAT: That means that your fears are realized, Percy. It can get worse.
Press crawls over towards the ropes, and uses them to help steady himself on his way to his feet. He wipes his forearm across his forehead to try and clear some of the blood out of his eyes, and then turns to watch as Deus pulls its self up as well. He shakes his head in disbelief, and is surprised when Deus wheels around on him, and shakily sprints right for him. Surprised, but not without his own tricks, as Press turns to the side, catches Deus with a tilt-a-whirl that ends with the enigma on his shoulder, and then throws the masked phenom high into the air to come crashing down face first across the top turnbuckle of the closest corner.
PERCY: SNAKE EYES! And Deus dropped to its knees, but popped right back up only to turn RIGHT INTO PRESS WHO SCOOPS HIM UP FROM THE SIDE, AND DROPS STRAIGHT DOWN WITH A SIDEWALK SLAM! He's still on top, hooking the leg for a cover!
1...
2...
THRE-KICK OUT! Deus' shoulder shoots off the mat, and Press' expression turns to frustration and anger as he pushes up to his feet, bringing the enigma up with him. He looks out at the crowd for affirmation, and they all cheer as he pulls Deus' head between his legs, and then hooks the enigma around the waist, and pulls it up into a sitting position up onto his chest. Deus indistinctly comes alive once up in the air, however, driving right hands down into the big mans injured forehead. The blows manage to reopen the wound, and Deus takes this opportunity to jam a thumb into the open gash, pulling it apart to make it that much more grotesque. Finally, Deus shoves off of Press' head and comes to land on its feet right in front of him. A series of right hands drive Press back into the ropes, and a whip attempts to send Press to the opposite side. Press reverses the act, sending Deus instead to rebound off the ropes. Deus returns only to duck a clothesline from the big man, continuing through to hit off the ropes one more time. Press takes another swing, and this time Deus hooks the man around the arm, spinning around to end up behind him. The enigma leaps up onto his back, hooking him out of nowhere with a sleeper hold.
PERCY: Are you seeing this, Cat! Deus was all but finished, and now the enigma is riding the champion like it's a rodeo!
CAT: Effective strategy in my opinion. Press has lost a lot of blood from that wound in his head, and after opening it back up, a sleeper hold could do a lot of damage.
PERCY: Indeed, Press appears to be fading as we speak. Dropping down to one knee...no, down to both, and Deus just fell back and wrapped both legs around his midsection. This one might be over!
The Senior Official is down with the competitors, asking Press if he want's to give, but the big man is unable to answer as he slowly begins to fade away. His struggles become less and less, and finally, Sharon decides to check his responses for the victory. She lifts his right arm into the air, and lets loose, watching it, along with everyone else, as it falls limply to his side. She holds up one finger, and then makes to repeat the process. Again, the arm falls limply to his side. Two fingers. She moves for the third and final check, and just as the arm appears to be on a trajectory to do the same thing, it comes to halt to hover over the canvas. Suddenly both arms shoot up into the air, and in a burst of energy and strength Press rolls over onto his stomach and gets his arms and knees in under him. He pushes off the canvas to his feet, stumbling around with Deus still riding his back with the sleeper applied. Finally, he lurches towards the corner, where he turns abruptly and falls straight back into the turnbuckles. Deus releases the hold in what must have been agony after being crushed by the big man, and Press stumbles out of the corner coughing and choking to take his next breath.
PERCY: Press somehow got out of the hold, but the damage appears to be done. Deus is coming out of the corner now, rushes at Press, OH MY GOD! SUDDEN STOP FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! DEUS IS DOWN ON THE CANVAS, and Press just fell to land on top for the cover!
1...
2...
THREe-KICK OUT! Once again Deus' arm shoots off the canvas, and once again Sharon Orbach is forced to lurch forward to keep from making that final count. Press just lays there, breathing shallowly, not believing any of this.
PERCY: These two have been in an all out war here tonight, and I'm not sure even if one of them gets the pin fall that you can count this as a victory. These are the types of matches that change your career forever.
CAT: Definitely shave a few years off the ole' lifeline.
Press lurches around on the canvas for a few minutes until finally finding his footing, and pushes up to a vertical base, wiping at his bloodstained forehead one more time. Amazingly, Deus flips over onto its stomach as well, and starts a slow crawl towards the ropes for assistance. When Press notices this, a flood of emotions pass through him from panic and uncertainty, to outright rage. Finally, he wrings out his hands to get his own blood off of them, and stalks over to where Deus is trying to get to its feet. He grips Deus from behind by the mask, yanking backwards, and pulling the neck in an awkward position. His lips part in a snarl as he worms his fingers beneath the mask, and begins to peel it backwards. Deus struggles like a madman, jerking and trying to get out of the iron like grip, but to no avail. Press continues to yank at the mask until finally it rips free from Deus' skull, revealing a tuft of short brown hair. The enigma's hands shoot up to its face to hide the features that are now exposed, and stumbles over to the to hide against the turnbuckles while Press stands there in shock and dismay with the Deus mask in his grasp.
PERCY: Press is staring at that mask like he never imagined he'd actually get it off, but now he has it, but Deus is covering up over in the corner. I still can't get a good look, but it does appear to be a male.
CAT: I can't believe this. Could this be the real deal. I mean, it would have to be wouldn't it, to put on this caliber of performance against the PAW Heavyweight Champion?
Press looks from the mask to the huddled person in the corner, and then back to the mask again. He smirks, and tosses the mask out into the front row of fans who fight and claw to take home the memento. He then stalks towards the corner, but comes to a stop as Deus lifts up off the ground to face him. The man, and it is a man, has his hands and arms still up in front of his face to hid his appearance, but he slowly steps out of the corner to come to stand in front of Press. When he reaches the big man, he slowly turns his head up along with his arms, and then drops them abruptly at his side. Press' eyes bulge nearly out of his head in shock, as he takes a step back shaking his head.
PERCY: OH...
CAT: My....
PERCY: GOD!!! That's.....That's....
CAT: THAT'S STEVIE FUCKING HARRIS!!!
The skeletal collection of almost blinding white teeth beam at the PAW Heavyweight Champion, who still shakes his head in disbelief, as Stevie Harris throws his hands out at his side with a wild laugh. Then, out of nowhere, his boot flashes up and catches Press square in the groin, doubling the big man over in more surprise and agony. Stevie tucks the champions head between his legs, grabs a handful of waistband, and falls straight back, pulling Press down into a vicious pile driver.
PERCY: FEAST OF CROWS!! I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M SEEING!
CAT: Stevie Harris is back, and just pulled off the biggest surprise of the century!
PERCY: And there's still a match going on! Stevie's got the cover!
1...
2...
3!!!
PERCY: Oh My God! Stevie Harris just defeated the PAW Heavyweight Champion!
CAT: Bigger than that, Stevie Harris was Deus!
RICHARD ANDERSON: Here is your winner by pinfall, uh....De...
Stevie steps over and runs his finger across his neck, and shakes his head no at Richard Anderson, pointing at his face and issuing him to continue with the other hand.
RICHARD ANDERSON: Um....here is your winner, Stevie Harris?
Stevie turns and beams that skeletal grin out at the audience, nodding his head and making signs around his waist that he wants the championship. The fans, having now caught up with what they had just witnessed, reign boos down on the madman. He took it all in with arms outstretched, head held back, that grin beaming up at heaven. He looks more like a man prepared for the rapture than a man who had just won a wrestling match, and despite the heavy boos, there are those in the crowd who are raising their voices in praise of the returned prophet. Suddenly police officers appear at the top of the stage, and the sudden change in the atmosphere draws Stevie's attention their way. He makes a final bow to the PAW audience, right over Press' body, which hasn't moved, and then bails out of the ring on the announce table side. He bounds right past Percival and Caitlin, and sails over the guardrail where the fans part for him like the red sea. Just as the officers arrive, they fall in behind him, crossing their arms over their chest so that they can not pursue.
PERCY: This is insane! Stevie Harris is back, and he just beat Press right in the center of the ring, and he was Deus! Good God!
CAT: You forgot 'fugitive', Percy.
PERCY: Yeah, and there's that too! This....this just can't be! What does this mean going forward? How will this reshape the landscape here in PAW, or will it? I mean, if Stevie's been here the entire time as one of the Deus Legion, then it stands to reason that PAW has been harboring a fugitive! Are...ARE WE GOING TO JAIL!
CAT: Jesus, Percy, calm down. I'm sure everything will work itself out in the end. It always does. Anyways folks, while my partner continues to have a meltdown, I am Caitlin Casey, and he is Percivail Banion Chord, and we bid you good night!
CAT: I'm so excited I might pee myself!
RICHARD ANDERSON: The following contest is a grudge match scheduled for one fall or submission, and is your MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING....
The lights dim low, and red strobes flash around the arena as 'Stranglehold' by Ted Nugent blares over the PA System. When the song reaches the main chords, Press steps through the curtain out onto the stage to a huge ovation. He's wearing a #TheAmbulanceBrokeHisFall BombTrax T-shirt, black leather pants, and black boots. The PAW Heavyweight Championship is slung over his shoulder as he takes in the capacity crowd that is on their feet.
RICHARD ANDERSON: Introducing first, weighting in at 365 pounds, and hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, Representing the BombTrax, he is the current PAW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION....PRESS!!!
Press allows a smirk at the mention of his name, and he starts his methodical walk down to the ring. He doesn't reach out and slap hands, but he doesn't try to prevent any of them from reaching out and patting him on his shoulder. Once he reaches ringside, he hops up onto the ring apron, and then swings one leg over the top rope, followed by the other. Once inside he comes to one side of the ropes and throws one fist into the air and roars. The fans roar back in kind, applauding him as he takes the PAW Championship from his shoulder and hands it over to the ring tech.
PERCY: The PAW Champion looks to be ready for combat here tonight, Cat, and I've got the feeling that combat is the appropriate term for this match.
CAT: Maybe so, Percy, but I don't see how given what The BombTrax did to his opponent last episode.
The arena goes dark. The synth strikes of “Child of the West” by Roni Size featuring B-Real kicks onto the speaker system while timed strobes of red light streak out into the crowd along with the music.
RICHARD ANDERSON: And… introducing from Parts Unknown…
With the pulses happening, it’s easy to see there’s no one standing at the top of the ramp. This goes on into the chorus of the song, when suddenly the lights come back to full, and reveal Deus and Press locked in a death grip in the center of the ring. The buzz from the crowd is electric as Sharon Orbach, the Senior Official, quickly calls for the bell.
PERCY: Alright folks, this match is underway, and already these two are trying to kill each other!
CAT: How is Deus out here? It doesn't make any sense.
PERCY: You heard what Press said last week, Cat. Deus is legion. Anyone can put that mask on and become Deus, but the real question is who's under it now?
CAT: Maybe if Press makes good on his promises from earlier this week, we'll find out.
The two gladiators grapple with each other in the center of the ring, Deus reaching for Press' throat and being held back by the big man's iron grasp around his wrist, while Press tries for Deus with his other hand, and Deus keeps it at bay much the same way. Finally, in a hulking burst of strength, Press pulls Deus forwards, and then shoves back the opposite direction, flinging the masked phenom to the canvas. The Engima rolls up to his/her feet, and thunders back at the big man, who answers with a high knee lift to the midsection. Deus doubles over, and Press immediately follows that up by driving the point of his elbow right down into the back of the enigma's head. Deus drops down to one knee, and Press completes the process with a football like punt straight to the face that sends Deus crashing the rest of the way to the mat.
PERCY: Press doesn't appear to be playing around here, as he reaches down and pulls Deus up and shoves him/her back into the closest corner.
CAT: Let's just save time on the him/her bullshit, and call Deus 'it'.
PERCY: Fine by my book.
Press jams the back of his elbow into Deus skull several times, and then drives more knee lifts into his trapped opponent, just crushing him into the corner. Finally, Press takes Deus by the wrist, and whips 'it' hard to the opposite side. Deus strikes the turnbuckles with authority and stumbles out, and Press barrels in from across the ring to swing a meaty clothesline. Deus ducks, however, sending Press to crash chest first into the turnbuckle. The big man spins around just in time for Deus to come running back in to nail him with a spear right into the corner. Press buckles for a minute, but maintains his stance, and reigns forearms down into Deus' back at the same time the masked phenom drives shoulder after shoulder into his midsection. Eventually Press stops putting up a fight, more concerned with getting out of the corner than doing more damage.
PERCY: Press just grabbed Deus, and shoved the enigma away, but Deus is already back on the attack, now driving hard rights into the Champion, forcing him back into the corner.
CAT: Deus appears to be relentless. We already know that this entity will risk life and limb to do damage to its opponents. It's almost like Deus doesn't care whether it wins or loses, so long as it does damage.
PERCY: Deus is an agent of calculated chaos, who navigates through the maelstrom it creates to achieve its goals.
CAT: And it looks like the enigma's goal here tonight is to end Press once and for all.
Deus steps up onto the middle turnbuckle, forces Press' head back by a fistful of hair, and then peppers right hands straight down into the man's skull. The crowd reacts by counting down the blows, but when they reach six, Press brings one massive hand up to Deus' chest, and sends the enigma flying backwards. Deus once again accepts the impact, rolling up to its feet, and then charges forwards once again on the attack. Unfortunately for Deus, all it meets this time is an upturned boot that catches it right in the face. Deus recoils back out to the center of the ring holding it's jaw, and when it turns back around to face Press, the enigma doesn't have time to react to the locomotive like clothesline. Deus is hit with such force that it cuts a complete back flip, landing on its stomach in the center of the ring.
PERCY: Good Lord! Press just took the enigma's head off, and I don't know if Deus doesn't have a concussion now.
CAT: That's the dangerous thing about the champion. He can absorb a lot of punishment, but sometimes it only takes one hit from him to turn things completely around.
Press reaches down, and grabs Deus by the back of the skull, yanking the enigma up with one hand. Still cradling the back of the head, he rushes towards the far ropes, and unceremoniously tosses Deus clear up and over the top rope to the unforgiving concrete below. Orbach warns him, but he doesn't pay her any heed, slipping between the ropes to land on the floor beside his prey.
PERCY: Press bringing Deus out to 'No Mans Land', and that is a dangerous place to be for both competitors.
CAT: Well, it's my favorite part of any match, when I'm sure the rules are about to be bent if not broken.
PERCY: To each their own, I suppose.
Deus crawls across the concrete towards the guardrail, so Press decides to help it out, by grabbing the enigma by the seat of the pants and the back of its mask, lifting it partially up, and then sending the masked phenom head long to crash into the steel. Deus slumps down, and Press steps over to place one size 16 boot across the back of the enigmas head, and then step up as if he were climbing up onto a rock. Deus kicks wildly at having the 365 pounds of pressure pressing down onto its skull, and Press finally decides to step back with a smirk to survey the damage. Deus reaches a shaky hand up to the top of the guardrail, and pulls itself up to its feet. The enigma leans heavily against the guardrail when Press comes barreling in for another clothesline. Deus, however, ducks at the last second, catching the oncoming champion with a back body drop that sends him hurtling over into the first three rows of the crowd. Everyone was smart enough to get out of the way, leaving steel folding chairs and hard concrete to break the big man's fall.
PERCY: OH! That was a nasty spill for the Champion, and now Deus stepping over to the nearby time keepers table, and climbing up on top....Double Ax Handle right down onto Press as he was trying to get up, driving him back down into the chaos of steel and concrete!
CAT: Sharon's trying to admonish these guys to get it back in the ring, but she's not going for the count. I wonder if she got some special instructions from Munin on this match, and just how far do those instructions go?
PERCY: Well, we know there is no love lost between Munin and Deus, and it wouldn't be the first time that she allowed The BombTrax to put away a threat to her company.
Deus pulls Press up to his feet by his long stringy hair, and then hurls him back towards the guardrail. At his height he hits the guard rail around waist high, the sudden stop sending him tumbling over the structure into a front flip which finds him impacting off the concrete once more. Deus steps over to the guard rail, and hops over the top, landing with a boot straight down into Press' face. The big man writhes on the floor with his hands up to his nose, and Deus cocks its head to the side in observation before moving in with further stomps down into the side of the man's head.
PERCY: Deus is really putting the boots to Press here, and the Senior Official has yet to administer any count. I think you might've been right, Cat.
CAT: Good! This thing needs to be decided, one way or the other, and I say let them go til there's nothing left.
Deus pulls Press up to his feet, takes him by the wrist and the back of his head, and whips him hard towards one of the steel ring posts. Press crashes into it skull first, the impact sending him into a spin that finds him ultimately back down on the concrete. This time, however, when he looks up to gain his bearings, a crimson mask cascades down his forehead.
PERCY: Press has been busted open!
CAT: First blood goes to Deus!
Deus stalks around the ring post to where the champion lies, and reaches down to help him back to his feet. The Enigma walks Press right over to the announcers table, and Percival and Caitlin are quick to abandon their posts at the first sign of trouble. Deus drives Press' face down into the top of the table several times, and then rolls him up onto it's surface. Deus pauses to look out at the crowd, who in spite of being huge Press supporters, can't contain themselves at the chance of seeing something devastating come out of this turn of events. Deus joins Press up onto the announce table, and pulls at the man to help get him to his feet. The table groans under their combined weight, but Deus doesn't seem to pay it any mind, as it hooks Press around the head, and then begins to spin until finally dropping straight down into a Neck Breaker. Both competitors crash to the reinforced table, and it splinters, but doesn't break, momentarily leaving both of them to lay there in pain.
PERCY: HANGMAN'S NECK BREAKER DOWN ACROSS OUR ANNOUNCE TABLE! My God! That table's reinforced with steel thanks to the antics of The BombTrax since the very beginning of PAW, and now it's just been used to incapacitate one of them!
CAT: Yeah, but that move hurt Deus too.
As soon as it's spoken, Deus begins to stir, mechanically moving up to stand upon the table once more. It reaches down to pull the champion up again, but this time finds more difficulty in the task, as Press appears to be dead weight. Eventually Deus manages it, holding the champion up by sheer strength of will. Just as the enigma moves in to hook the head again, however, Press suddenly comes alive, reaching down and grabbing Deus by the back of its thighs, lifting up, and then driving the masked phenom back down to the table with a massive spine buster. This time the table explodes in under them, sending shards of wood flying every which away. The steel frame is exposed, and is shown to have exploded outwards due to the impact. Both competitors lay motionless in the rubble, Press lying atop of Deus.
PERCY: GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! PRESS MAY HAVE JUST BROKEN DEUS IN HALF!
CAT: Well, there goes our table. I knew if they really put their mind to it, they could overcome a little thing like steel reinforcement.
PERCY: This is serious, Cat! What are we going to do if these guys can't continue?
Sharon Orbach shares Percival's concern, and she looks around the area for any sins of life. Seeing none, she shakes her head, and then begins a ten count.
1...
2...
3...
PERCY: I wasn't sure what to expect out here tonight, but I certainly didn't expect this.
4...
5...
CAT: Sure you did, Percy. We all did. Deus came back with the intention of destroying PAW, and what better way to do that than to take out one of the men who contributed to the enigma's demise way back when.
6....
7....
PERCY: Yeah, but to what end? If there is no PAW, there is no point. I understand having a blood feud for the man, even a need for revenge, but this isn't a wrestling match. It's a blood bath. WAIT! Press is moving!
8....
Press claws his way out of the rubble, getting up to his feet only to stumble down to his knees to hang from the ring apron.
9....
He pulls himself up with everything he has, blood pouring from the gash in his forehead. Just as Sharon is about to count ten, he hoists himself partially into the ring, and then rolls back out, breaking the count, and essentially causing her to start from the beginning. Looking worse for ware, he stumbles over to the wreckage and steadies himself in an attempt to reach down and pull Deus up to its feet. Once he has the enigma vertical, he half drags Deus over to the ring apron, where he tosses it under the bottom rope, and into the ring. Press rolls in after the masked phenom, and comes to rest with his arm lazily draped over Deus' chest.
1...
2...
THREe-Deus' arm shoots skyward at the last second, lifting the enigmas shoulder off the mat just enough to cause Sharon to have to fall forwards to keep from striking the mat a third time. Press doesn't even looked shocked, just exhausted and injured, as he lays there for a moment trying to gain some recovery.
PERCY: I can't believe it! We still have a match going on here.
CAT: That means that your fears are realized, Percy. It can get worse.
Press crawls over towards the ropes, and uses them to help steady himself on his way to his feet. He wipes his forearm across his forehead to try and clear some of the blood out of his eyes, and then turns to watch as Deus pulls its self up as well. He shakes his head in disbelief, and is surprised when Deus wheels around on him, and shakily sprints right for him. Surprised, but not without his own tricks, as Press turns to the side, catches Deus with a tilt-a-whirl that ends with the enigma on his shoulder, and then throws the masked phenom high into the air to come crashing down face first across the top turnbuckle of the closest corner.
PERCY: SNAKE EYES! And Deus dropped to its knees, but popped right back up only to turn RIGHT INTO PRESS WHO SCOOPS HIM UP FROM THE SIDE, AND DROPS STRAIGHT DOWN WITH A SIDEWALK SLAM! He's still on top, hooking the leg for a cover!
1...
2...
THRE-KICK OUT! Deus' shoulder shoots off the mat, and Press' expression turns to frustration and anger as he pushes up to his feet, bringing the enigma up with him. He looks out at the crowd for affirmation, and they all cheer as he pulls Deus' head between his legs, and then hooks the enigma around the waist, and pulls it up into a sitting position up onto his chest. Deus indistinctly comes alive once up in the air, however, driving right hands down into the big mans injured forehead. The blows manage to reopen the wound, and Deus takes this opportunity to jam a thumb into the open gash, pulling it apart to make it that much more grotesque. Finally, Deus shoves off of Press' head and comes to land on its feet right in front of him. A series of right hands drive Press back into the ropes, and a whip attempts to send Press to the opposite side. Press reverses the act, sending Deus instead to rebound off the ropes. Deus returns only to duck a clothesline from the big man, continuing through to hit off the ropes one more time. Press takes another swing, and this time Deus hooks the man around the arm, spinning around to end up behind him. The enigma leaps up onto his back, hooking him out of nowhere with a sleeper hold.
PERCY: Are you seeing this, Cat! Deus was all but finished, and now the enigma is riding the champion like it's a rodeo!
CAT: Effective strategy in my opinion. Press has lost a lot of blood from that wound in his head, and after opening it back up, a sleeper hold could do a lot of damage.
PERCY: Indeed, Press appears to be fading as we speak. Dropping down to one knee...no, down to both, and Deus just fell back and wrapped both legs around his midsection. This one might be over!
The Senior Official is down with the competitors, asking Press if he want's to give, but the big man is unable to answer as he slowly begins to fade away. His struggles become less and less, and finally, Sharon decides to check his responses for the victory. She lifts his right arm into the air, and lets loose, watching it, along with everyone else, as it falls limply to his side. She holds up one finger, and then makes to repeat the process. Again, the arm falls limply to his side. Two fingers. She moves for the third and final check, and just as the arm appears to be on a trajectory to do the same thing, it comes to halt to hover over the canvas. Suddenly both arms shoot up into the air, and in a burst of energy and strength Press rolls over onto his stomach and gets his arms and knees in under him. He pushes off the canvas to his feet, stumbling around with Deus still riding his back with the sleeper applied. Finally, he lurches towards the corner, where he turns abruptly and falls straight back into the turnbuckles. Deus releases the hold in what must have been agony after being crushed by the big man, and Press stumbles out of the corner coughing and choking to take his next breath.
PERCY: Press somehow got out of the hold, but the damage appears to be done. Deus is coming out of the corner now, rushes at Press, OH MY GOD! SUDDEN STOP FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! DEUS IS DOWN ON THE CANVAS, and Press just fell to land on top for the cover!
1...
2...
THREe-KICK OUT! Once again Deus' arm shoots off the canvas, and once again Sharon Orbach is forced to lurch forward to keep from making that final count. Press just lays there, breathing shallowly, not believing any of this.
PERCY: These two have been in an all out war here tonight, and I'm not sure even if one of them gets the pin fall that you can count this as a victory. These are the types of matches that change your career forever.
CAT: Definitely shave a few years off the ole' lifeline.
Press lurches around on the canvas for a few minutes until finally finding his footing, and pushes up to a vertical base, wiping at his bloodstained forehead one more time. Amazingly, Deus flips over onto its stomach as well, and starts a slow crawl towards the ropes for assistance. When Press notices this, a flood of emotions pass through him from panic and uncertainty, to outright rage. Finally, he wrings out his hands to get his own blood off of them, and stalks over to where Deus is trying to get to its feet. He grips Deus from behind by the mask, yanking backwards, and pulling the neck in an awkward position. His lips part in a snarl as he worms his fingers beneath the mask, and begins to peel it backwards. Deus struggles like a madman, jerking and trying to get out of the iron like grip, but to no avail. Press continues to yank at the mask until finally it rips free from Deus' skull, revealing a tuft of short brown hair. The enigma's hands shoot up to its face to hide the features that are now exposed, and stumbles over to the to hide against the turnbuckles while Press stands there in shock and dismay with the Deus mask in his grasp.
PERCY: Press is staring at that mask like he never imagined he'd actually get it off, but now he has it, but Deus is covering up over in the corner. I still can't get a good look, but it does appear to be a male.
CAT: I can't believe this. Could this be the real deal. I mean, it would have to be wouldn't it, to put on this caliber of performance against the PAW Heavyweight Champion?
Press looks from the mask to the huddled person in the corner, and then back to the mask again. He smirks, and tosses the mask out into the front row of fans who fight and claw to take home the memento. He then stalks towards the corner, but comes to a stop as Deus lifts up off the ground to face him. The man, and it is a man, has his hands and arms still up in front of his face to hid his appearance, but he slowly steps out of the corner to come to stand in front of Press. When he reaches the big man, he slowly turns his head up along with his arms, and then drops them abruptly at his side. Press' eyes bulge nearly out of his head in shock, as he takes a step back shaking his head.
PERCY: OH...
CAT: My....
PERCY: GOD!!! That's.....That's....
CAT: THAT'S STEVIE FUCKING HARRIS!!!
The skeletal collection of almost blinding white teeth beam at the PAW Heavyweight Champion, who still shakes his head in disbelief, as Stevie Harris throws his hands out at his side with a wild laugh. Then, out of nowhere, his boot flashes up and catches Press square in the groin, doubling the big man over in more surprise and agony. Stevie tucks the champions head between his legs, grabs a handful of waistband, and falls straight back, pulling Press down into a vicious pile driver.
PERCY: FEAST OF CROWS!! I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M SEEING!
CAT: Stevie Harris is back, and just pulled off the biggest surprise of the century!
PERCY: And there's still a match going on! Stevie's got the cover!
1...
2...
3!!!
PERCY: Oh My God! Stevie Harris just defeated the PAW Heavyweight Champion!
CAT: Bigger than that, Stevie Harris was Deus!
RICHARD ANDERSON: Here is your winner by pinfall, uh....De...
Stevie steps over and runs his finger across his neck, and shakes his head no at Richard Anderson, pointing at his face and issuing him to continue with the other hand.
RICHARD ANDERSON: Um....here is your winner, Stevie Harris?
Stevie turns and beams that skeletal grin out at the audience, nodding his head and making signs around his waist that he wants the championship. The fans, having now caught up with what they had just witnessed, reign boos down on the madman. He took it all in with arms outstretched, head held back, that grin beaming up at heaven. He looks more like a man prepared for the rapture than a man who had just won a wrestling match, and despite the heavy boos, there are those in the crowd who are raising their voices in praise of the returned prophet. Suddenly police officers appear at the top of the stage, and the sudden change in the atmosphere draws Stevie's attention their way. He makes a final bow to the PAW audience, right over Press' body, which hasn't moved, and then bails out of the ring on the announce table side. He bounds right past Percival and Caitlin, and sails over the guardrail where the fans part for him like the red sea. Just as the officers arrive, they fall in behind him, crossing their arms over their chest so that they can not pursue.
PERCY: This is insane! Stevie Harris is back, and he just beat Press right in the center of the ring, and he was Deus! Good God!
CAT: You forgot 'fugitive', Percy.
PERCY: Yeah, and there's that too! This....this just can't be! What does this mean going forward? How will this reshape the landscape here in PAW, or will it? I mean, if Stevie's been here the entire time as one of the Deus Legion, then it stands to reason that PAW has been harboring a fugitive! Are...ARE WE GOING TO JAIL!
CAT: Jesus, Percy, calm down. I'm sure everything will work itself out in the end. It always does. Anyways folks, while my partner continues to have a meltdown, I am Caitlin Casey, and he is Percivail Banion Chord, and we bid you good night!