Ding Ding Ding!
*The bell rings through the arena, signalling the end of the main event and final match in the best of seven series between Jack Rogue and Jordan Bull. Rogue is the man standing at top, at long last. He stands at the top of the ladder with the Precision title number one contender's contract briefcase in his hand. Despite his despicable actions over the past number of months, the fans seem to be happy with this result as they cheer both competitors on. Eyes glued on his briefcase, Jack slowly descends from the ladder, body sore after a grueling match and is now the number one contender for the Precision Championship. His opponent, Jordan Bull is left lying on the apron, breathing heavily, exhausted and defeated*
*The number one contender raises his briefcase up high as the fans once again cheer and he looks towards his opponent. He looks at Jordan and the briefcase, his reward for walking out of this strenuous series the victor and looks to be contemplating something. Jack looks down, a far away look crosses his face, he shakes his head violently, and then he moves. Putting his briefcase down on the floor, he walks over to Jordan and extends his hand. Caught off guard, the legendary competitor is unsure whether or not to take the gesture as genuine. He doesn't have time to react, though, as the gesture is interrupted*
*The theme music of the self-proclaimed "Empress of Fear" begins to pound through the arena speakers as the fans' mood sours almost immediately. The lights flash red, with the LED lights of the stage turning off as Ivy Hale, wearing the same clothes as she was earlier in the night, makes her way out, kendo stick in one hand, and microphone in the other. She moves down the ramp to the ring slowly, her knee looking to be close to healed and the attention of both competitors turned to her. Ivy walks past the carnage outside the ring and goes up the ring steps before entering the ring under the middle rope. She twirls the microphone in her hand, thoughtfully. "Other Side" begins to fade away as Ivy takes to the microphone*
Ivy: My, Jack, might I say up until one minute ago I was impressed, in awe even. Finally, you survived the trials of this seven-match series, you caused pain and destruction, and you've conquered your fears. You see, Jack? You see what my guidance has done for you? Look at Jordan, look at him now, he's weak, beaten, the perfect prey. We...no...you did that Jack. You have the capacity to finally bring this place that has caused you pain and agony to its knees! Seven matches, a gauntlet of challenges, with my guidance, you didn't just survive, you let loose your killer instinct and now, you finally have your Empress' approval... in fact...
*Ivy smirks as Jack looks rather confused. She looks towards the briefcase that houses the Precision Championship contract her protege just won and points at it with the kendo stick*
Ivy: You can keep that contract if you wish because maybe we can use that as the key to a coup d'etat over the delusional "King of Precision". The one that caused you all that pain to begin with. And with that, we can take these shaky values that this company lies on and finally get rid of them and raise an empire that lasts forever, an empire of fear. With me as its Empress and you, Jack, as my trusted soldier. We will bring order to the Anarchy, we'll take the bounty on this company, slay the Dragons that stake a claim to it, take its riches for ourselves, be more than amazing and finally build a New order without the corrupt authority... but first...
*Ivy moves the kendo stick in her hand and points it at Jordan Bull who is still struggling to stand against the ropes*
Ivy: Let's take out the trash, shall we?
*She steps towards Jordan in the corner as Jack stands there, frozen almost. She places the microphone down on the mat and twirls the kendo stick in hand with malicious intent. The fans murmur between themselves, worried for a brutal beatdown at the hands of the insane Ivy Hale. She puts both her hands on the kendo stick, much like a bat and just before she can swing it at Bull, something stops her. With sudden courage, Jack Rogue grabs her gently by the wrist and Ivy turns towards him. Her eye almost twitches at the fact her "soldier" is preventing her from doing her will, but she smirks and speaks in an oddly calm tone and she picks up the microphone again*
Ivy: Oh, I see how it is, you want to put the final touches yourself, huh? I'll take great pleasure in watching you finish the job.
*Ivy hands the kendo stick to Jack, almost curtsying while she gives him the weapon. He reluctantly grabs it and Ivy steps back, waiting for Rogue to put his rival away for good. He stands there, visibly shaken as Ivy taps her toe in wait. The fans collectively start shouting "No! No! No!" as Jordan pulls himself up to his feet, trying to go down with dignity, evidently still out of it and clutching his injured arm. Rogue looks at Jordan... then at Ivy... then at the fans, unsure of what to do*
Ivy: What are you waiting for, Jack? Finish him! Don't listen to these puppets, they never cared for you... only I know what you want... only I know what you need... I am the only person you need to listen to and I say: finish him!
*Ivy shouts into the microphone and Jack bows his head, and pauses, before dropping the kendo stick to a great roar of approval from the fans. The Empress of Fear's jaw drops as she is shocked by the deviant behavior and looks to be fuming. Jack Rogue slowly turns around and stands face to face with Hale. He slowly reaches up towards his face then rips off his half-mask, throwing it onto the mat. He immediately storms out of the ring, scooping up his briefcase, leaving an infuriated Ivy Hale in his wake. She yells into the microphone at Jack who heading up the ramp with his briefcase held high in the air*
Ivy: What are you doing Jack!? You can't do that to me! I made you! I'm the Empress of Fear! No, no, no, NO!!! Come back! This is the biggest mistake of your life!
*As Ivy is yelling, Jordan Bull, who has finally recovered from the hellacious match, picks up the kendo stick and is watching Ivy Hale. When she turns around, she is stopped dead in her tracks as she sees the obviously pissed off Jordan Bull with a weapon. He threatens to hit her with it, and, given his history, she is not willing to take chances. Ivy quickly drops the microphone and rolls out the ring, still favouring her knee a bit as Jordan yells frustrated obscenities at her. The final image is a very infuriated Ivy Hale as Saturday Night Precision goes off the air*
=====================================
*Half an hour after Precision goes off the air, an interview video goes up on Precision's YouTube channel. The video fades in to a backstage shot of interviewer Terra Blaze, microphone in hand, and looking slightly nervous*
Tessa: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time, your new number one contender to the Precision Championship, Jack Rogue!
*Rogue steps into frame without his half-mask, a state in which he hasn't been seen for two months. He has eye bags, as have become constantly noted since he first entered a dark period of his condition after Hell in a Cell in Precision's first season. In addition, though, newly revealed is a large, red area of scarring on nose, that astute fans will link to when he famously bashed his face into a wall and broke his nose after losing his Intercontinental Championship at TLC. He has a thin-smile on his generally tired looking face, and is cradling his contract briefcase to his chest, maybe for the camera's benefit. Blaze looks slightly intimidated, perhaps by a mixture of his appearance and his recent behaviour, but conducts herself professionally*
Terra: Jack, congratulations on your victory in that epic ladder match tonight, you have beaten Jordan Bull in your best of seven series and are now the #1 contender to the Precision Championship. The world, however, seems confused about your sudden change in behaviour, out there tonight compared to your actions in recent weeks. What's changed?
Jack: Everything and more, Terra. Two months back, the week after Backlash, I thought I'd been able to leave...
that part of me behind. I came out and told the world that I'd woken up as if from a dream, found myself surrounded by a crime scene and looked down to see a gun in my hand... something very similar happened tonight. I remember it all but at the same time, I don't. I know exactly all the things that happened, how I wrenched Jordan's arm further and further out of place, ripping muscle and breaking bone, week after week, I remember beating him down with a chair I remember cheating to win every week and beating people down unprovoked. And I remember looking at Ivy Hale and seeing the goddess... the
empress that had the answers to all my problems, past and present, a rock I could lean on. But it's all like I wasn't there. It's like I remember watching a film where those things happened. And
I wasn't there. I've said before that this condition, built by my failings on Sony Storm, escalated by Andersen Vega's emotional torture, and finished by that 20 foot fall from the top of the Cell against Joseph Diamond... it's some kind of dual personality, bipolar-related condition. I don't really know, never got the chance to find out. But in all but physical form, the man who did those things isn't the one standing in front of you... but that doesn't make it any easier. I feel
awful, Terra. I've done unforgivable things that I want to say sorry for, but I know words can't heal those wounds. Suddenly, I'm here and I have this...
*Rogue holds up his briefcase again, the contract inside* ...but I don't know if I'm proud of how I got it. I don't know a lot of things, to be honest. I have to get back to therapy and get my head straight, work out what I need to do so that that inner animal never gets out again. I've got a lot of phone calls to make tonight.
Terra: One way or another, you have that title shot and you will get the match at Bad Blood, one on one with Andersen Vega for the Precision Championship. Do you have any words for the self-proclaimed "King of Precision"?
Jack: Of course it would be Andersen Vega. We've been through ups and downs and been linked to each other like few other pairs in Precision's history. Andersen, I have very few words left for you. I don't hate you anymore because it isn't worth it. I gave you your receipt for your actions when I won my contract back and kicked your skull in to win my contract back from you, so at Bad Blood it's not about you, it's about your hardware. Terra, championship gold, for me - the real me - has always been incredibly important. The symbol of present excellence, of respect and honour for the past, and of leaving a legacy for the future. Gold is the pinnacle, yet few appreciate it, and Vega, among others from his cookie cutter mould, take it for granted. The whole world knows that that's hardly going to be me. I spent over a year at the bottom, and nowhere but at the bottom, and it broke me. Now I'm ready to break the glass ceiling in return. I have nothing on my mind but victory at Bad Blood, and my only real words of importance for Andersen Vega are a warning. Andersen, you need to be afraid. Not because you're going to get angry revenge for everything you did to me, not because I'm off my rocker out of frustration from being the least successful on the roster for months at a time and trying to end careers. No, you need to be scared because at Bad Blood you will be facing the best professional wrestler in the world. I've always had the technical skill to make it big, it's how I got to Sony Storm, but I've spent half my time green as grass, and the other half having a destructive tantrum. Now, for the first time, I'm ready. I will be totally prepared for this match, like never before. I will be in prime condition, I will have an arsenal of killer shots that noone, not even Vega, has
ever seen before, and I will have a tunnel vision focus like noone has ever had on anything in Precision's short history. I've got one thing left to say and it's something I've said before, but now I believe it. Now it's real. Andersen Vega - not because of who you are, but because of what you have... I will kick your head
CLEAN off your shoulders.
Terra: Jack Rogue, thank you so much for joining me. You don't want to miss Bad Blood, everybody.
Jack: Thanks, Terra. I need to get to therapy now, before anything crazy goes on.
Terra: Good luck.
Jack: Thank you.
*The video fades out with Rogue walking away, briefcase in hand, tapping away on his smartphone*
-End of segment-
Mentions:
@Sam?!,
@Welsh-Wizard-97,
@Beavee
OOC: Everything above the line is Beaver's. Big shouts to him once again.
