((The screen engulfs in fire burning quickly and leaving behind the burn remains of the blue HWC logo followed by the word "Brutality" being spray painted over it. The image fades as the voice of Fred Durst is heard saying, "If only we could fly!" Shots of Panthro, and Jericho, and Kidd are seen as My Generation starts to play followed by a shot of BloodLust Slayerz delivering the Slayerz Spear to Ace. As the song gets hard so does the images, such as The Tiger nailing Autumn, Panthro, Sarafan, and Jarred with a chair followed by the beat down of The Tiger at the hands of Bad News. The song slows showing The Creeper and Blood Dragon staring each other down just before they go blow to blow with the song speeding up again. The shot changes to that of Celtic standing in the ring with his fist raised and another of him delivering a big boot to Vivian. Before the song ends shots of Jericho getting brutal with a cane, and B.D. beating away on Lucien are seen. As the song fades the images fade to black as a small spot light pans over a tattered broken blood covered belt, then back to black.))

Eddie: Welcome, everyone, to Saturday Slaughter! I'm Eddie Daniels, and with me, as always...

Travis: Travis Best!

Eddie: What a night we have lined up for you tonight, folks! A grudge match between Jericho Dylan and Beowulf that came about after Beowulf thought Natassja was a pre-show fling!

Travis: I tell you one thing, Eddie. Whatever happens in that match, I hope Beowulf gets his ass kicked. You don't touch another man's wife!

Eddie: Especially when the man in question has the ability to tear you in half?

Travis: Exactly.

Eddie: Be that as it may, we still have a whole night of action lined up for you! And we're going to start it off with Lucien Merriuci squaring off against Bull!

Travis: Please! Spare me!

Standard Match
Lucien Merriuci vs Bull

Eddie: Well, after an odd ending to last week’s Hardcore match, we’re going to see the object of the Hardcore Champion’s younger brother’s wrath, Lucien Meriucci, go head to head with Bull.

Travis: Bull might as well bring an actual bull to the ring. I don’t think he has a chance against Lucien.

Eddie: As much as I hate to do this, I have to admit you’re probably right. Lucien has a number of problems with B.D., and despite B.D.’s lack of sanity in the ring, he is a very effective athlete in the ring. You’d think that Lucien’s past with B.D. would make him tougher.

Jean Fortello: The following match is set for one fall. Introducing first, from Prague, in the Czech Republic, weighing in at 275 lbs. . . LUCIEN MERIUCCI!!!

((The arena goes pitch black as "The Call of Ktulu” starts. Lucien slowly, methodically, walks to the ring as the lights come up to a dim. Lucien stands on the outside piercing a hole through his opponent with his eyes. The lights return to normal as Lucien steps into the ring.))

Eddie: Lucien’s getting more and more intense lately.

Travis: Another byproduct of fighting B.D.

Jean Fortello: And his opponent, from Bendigo, Australia, weighing in at 300 lbs, being accompanied to the ring by Natasha. . . BULL!!!

((Hero of the day hits over the Pa system and the lights go out as strobe lights hit all over the arena and then Bull walks out a point to the sky and smiles when he looks back to the floor and begins to walk towards the ring and jumps up onto the ring apron and leap frogs over the top rope and lands in the ring where he steps and walks over to the top rope and points at the sky again. Before either man can make a move, however, Bull’s music cuts off abruptly, replaced by the sound of an odd undulating sound.))

Eddie: What the hell is this?! Who’s music is this?!

Travis: No idea. But what’s with the shitty music?

((The arena falls black, the HWC tron lighting up with a distinguished looking gentleman.. All eyes look to the large screen, in confusion. The man speaks “Look, I know the supernatural is something that isn’t supposed to happen, but it does happen.”, the screen falling black again as music picks up again, a heavy metal tune, smoke filling the entranceway. On the screen, red spatters against the black background, like blood, and begins running down the screen, forming into four distinctive characters. B.D.))

Eddie: B.D.’s here!

Travis: But where is he?! I can’t see him in the entranceway.

((The lights come back up, smoke emptying from the ring, revealing Lucien and Bull in the ring, both unconscious, bleeding profusely, B.D. sitting in a corner, the referee unconscious in the ring as well, likewise bleeding. Despite his norm, however, B.D. is not smiling, simply watching Lucien like a hawk. A referee comes from the back, looking cautiously at B.D., who doesn’t even acknowledge the new referee’s presence. The referee slides into the ring, making the count, his back to B.D., missing B.D. sliding outside the ring. 1. . . 2. . . thr-))

Eddie: What the hell?!

Travis: B.D. just leveled the new referee!

Eddie: What. . . someone stop him!

((B.D., in the ring, has hauled the referee to his feet, hooking the referee’s arms over his head, in the standing reverse full nelson that is the setup for the Plague, the referee’s face right above the chair. From behind, Natasha cracks B.D. with another chair, B.D. dropping the referee to the mat, and turning to look at her. Natasha cracks B.D. in the head, again, only to have B.D. tilt his head to the side, laugh softly, and smile viciously, kicking her in the stomach, wrapping his hand around her throat, and moving her to the turnbuckle. Even at this distance, B.D.’s shouted words can be heard.))

B.D.: Scream for me!

((The look of horror on Natasha’s face is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. Firing a shot to Natasha’s stomach again, B.D. steps back, moving the chair slightly, picking Natasha up, onto the top turnbuckle, and following her up, looking out over the crowd once on the top turnbuckle. Several referees and officials rush to the ring, attempting to talk B.D. out of whatever he has planned. B.D. looks at the referees, smiles, and shrugs.))

Eddie: Thank god. They managed to talk B.D. out of whatever he had planned, here.

Travis: Almost like they talked. . . GET OUT OF THERE!

Eddie: You’re overreacting, I think.

Travis: Eddie, think about it. Do you honestly think they actually talked sense into B.D.?!

Eddie: Good point.

((B.D. laughs again, and, in a matter of seconds, has driven Natasha from the top turnbuckle facefirst into the chair with a Plague. Meanwhile, Lucien has gotten to his feet groggily, and, wiping the blood from his face, wades through the referees and officials, grabs B.D., turns him around, and hits B.D. with an Unmaking into the chair, now free of Natasha’s body, the referee’s having moved her from the spot instantly. Lucien walks over to Bull, pinning him easily, a stray referee sliding into position quickly. 1. . .2. . . 3!!!))

Eddie: Well, Lucien’s won the match, but B.D.’s already up!

Travis: Lucien hit him in the head. You can’t hurt an insane man with a blow to the head.

((B.D. hauls Lucien to his feet, putting Lucien on the top turnbuckle, and following him up again, hooking Lucien in a front facelock, and pulling Lucien to a standing position on the turnbuckle.))

Eddie: He’s going to DDT him from the top turnbuckle! After all Lucien’s been through in this match, most of it B.D.’s doing, B.D.’s going to drop Lucien into the mat with a DDT.

Travis: Hey, be thankful he’s not going to hit a Plague to him.

((B.D. smiles, points to the ceiling, then outside the ring, instantly hopping into the air slightly, swinging his legs up, and toward the ring area, causing Lucien to spin as B.D. drops, B.D. hitting the predicted DDT, but to the outside of the ring, B.D. refusing to let go, picking Lucien up again, setting Lucien up for a Plague onto the steel rampway. The lights go out for a split second, and, when they come back on, Lucien’s laying outside the ring, B.D. nowhere in sight.))

Eddie: You have to wonder who saved Lucien, there.

Travis: Screw that! Ever since Mr. Smalls was taken out last week, the HWC has fallen apart. Someone fix those lights!

Eddie: Kissing up while the boss isn’t here?

Travis: Hey, there’s no bank I can put this in. I have to keep it fresh every week.

Standard Match
Harley Quinn vs Zac K.

Eddie: What a night! Blood Dragon against Sephiroth... Jericho Dylan double-booked on the same card...

Travis: And my favorite Diva in the whole HWC! Harley Quinn!

Eddie: She'd skin you alive, you know. She's gotten more ruthless. And when you consider what Zac K has been saying about her...

Travis: She's downright deadly!

Eddie: Like she isn't already. But that's beside the point.

Jean Fortello: The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from the Black Light Section of the Jersey Shore, being accompanied by the Mafioso... HARLEY QUINN!

((The lights go down as a single spotlight goes over the crowd and then rests at the back of the stage, as "Took It Like A Woman" begins to play. The HWC-Tron comes to life with scenes from Harley's matches, with the Mafioso, her gaining the World Title, and her sitting by herself in her office looking out the window over the water. Harley, and Johnny, Reno and Rude walk out, and make their way down to the ring. Harley's face is stern, as are the guys as they make their way to the ring. Once they reach the ring, Johnny helps her in, and helps her out of her suit jacket and kisses her before hopping out. Harley stands in the middle of the ring, watching and waiting for her opponent to make their appearance.))

Eddie: The fans solidly behind the Jersey Devil Diva here tonight, Travis.

Travis: Why wouldn't they be? We haven't seen her in a while!

Eddie: That's true, Travis... But she's back now and I, for one, am glad.

Travis: You and me both!

Jean Fortello: And her opponent, hailing from Binghamton, New York, being accompanied by his wife Karen... ZAC K!

((Zac K walks out from behind the curtains and stands at the top of the ramp and his fists shoot out of his sides like a crucifix position, (Tommy Dreamer's pose when he has the singapore cane). While he's standing there his wife/manager Karen Walks out and up to his baack and wraps her arms around him and after she does that she lets go and they both walk down the ramp and Zac slides into the ring and Karen stays on the outside. Zac walks over to the ring rope and Karen climbs up onto the apron and givs Zac a kiss and then she hops down. The fans boo Zac with all they have, not liking the way he bad-mouthed their Jersey Devil Diva. Harley hits him with a dropkick and sends him back against the ropes. He shakes it off and charges, snarling like a wild animal. She coolly clocks him in the chops with an open right hand. It sends him backwards again, Karen screaming on the outside.))

Eddie: Karen needs to watch what she's saying about Harley... Johnny is right across the ring from her.

Travis: For once, I won't say anything. Karen and Zac have done nothing to endear themselves to the fans here so far. He reminds me of a poor copy of Jericho Dylan. He's all mouth!

Eddie: Whereas Jericho is all action.

Travis: Jericho isn't all action! He talks too!

Eddie: That he does. But he prefers to let his actions speak for themselves.

Travis: That's true. Boy oh boy, he's got his work cut out for him tonight...

Eddie: Who, Zac?

Travis: Yeah, he does. But Jericho does too. Double booked! And against three of the biggest men in the fed!

Eddie: Travis. Jericho's held his own against three at once. He's even beaten The Tiger.

Travis: There is that... Why do I keep forgetting he beat Tiger?

Eddie: It's easy to forget things done in the past. But Jericho holds a high honor indeed... He beat Blood Dragon. There aren't that many people who can say they've done that.

Travis: True again. I... WHOA!

((Back in the ring, Harley's just sent Zac out of the ring with a vicious clothesline. Karen helps him to his feet and makes sure he's okay before helping him back into the ring. Harley sneers at Karen as she hits a standing dropkick. Zac reels backward, then charges forward and turns Harley inside out with a thunderous clothesline. The crowd boos loudly as he smirks and flexes before going for a nonchalant cover. 1... 2... Harley kicks out with authority!))

Eddie: Harley isn't going to be stopped that easily...

Travis: Nope. He needs to knock her senseless. And I don't think he can do it!

Eddie: You finally bet on Harley, didn't you?

Travis: I always bet on Harley! Why mess with a sure thing?

Eddie: Ah. Wise idea. But you said he needed to knock her senseless. If he wants to be the next Jericho Dylan, that's what he's going to have to do.

Travis: I don't know if anyone can be the next Jericho Dylan. But if anyone's going to do it, I swear it will NOT be this guy! He's too cocky!

Eddie: Another good point. At least Jericho has the skill to back it up. All that training he and his brothers are doing is really paying off.

Travis: I don't know about this Darkness business, but I can tell you this much. Jarred and Jericho are NOT a couple of guys you want to piss off! Believe me, I know! I've done both!

Eddie: Probably a good thing you didn't get them both mad at you at the same time.

Travis: It is. I heard about the last guy who did that... He wound up taking a bath wearing cement slippers.

((Harley's back on her feet and she's snarling as she turns the anger that's building up inside on Zac. Five open right hands, then a forearm across the throat. Zac tumbles out of the ring, Harley hot on his heels. She tears after him as he runs around the ring, running headlong into Karen's foot. Reno takes three steps and Karen backs away, cowering in fear. Rude helps Harley to her feet, brushing the dirt off her back. Harley rolls into the ring to regain her bearings. Zac's on the other side of it, doing the same thing. A moment of wisdom in an otherwise grueling match. Harley gets going first, grabbing Zac by the neck. She smirks and hits an amazing DDT, sending him over onto his back. She goes for the count. 1... 2... Karen puts his foot on the ropes. Harley does a modified baseball slide, sending Karen back into the barricade.))

Eddie: Smart move by Harley there... Get Karen away from the ring.

Travis: How did Karen fall for a guy like Zac anyway?

Eddie: That's one of the world's greatest mysteries, Travis. We may never know.

Travis: Hey, come on! Now that's not fair!

((What Travis is complaining about is Karen pulling Harley out of the ring to start kicking her. Zac manages to keep the Mafioso from interfering, but it's all academic in the end. A slender figure races down to ringside and takes Karen out with a flying tackle. The shadowy figure rolls Harley into the ring and shoves Karen backward. Harley staggers to her feet and shakes out the cobwebs. When she sees who saved her bacon, she throws her head back and laughs. Then the crowd sees who it is...))

Eddie: Dear God! It's...

Travis: SARAFAN! Sarafan just saved Harley!

((Sarafan crouches near the ring, keeping Karen at bay. Harley shouts outside the ring to Sarafan, then turns to Zac. Johnny throws him inside the ring, but he's fine. They didn't touch him. He staggers to his feet and walks right into...))

Eddie: THE PUNCHLINE!

Travis: This match is over!

((Indeed it is, Travis... Indeed it is. 1... 2... 3! The bell rings and the referee lifts Harley's hand in victory.))

Jean Fortello: Here is your winner... HARLEY QUINN!

((Harley rolls out of the ring and goes over to the Mafioso. They lift her up onto their shoulders and cheer, then set her down. They go to leave, then Harley looks over her shoulder at Sarafan. A nod, then they leave. Sarafan lets Karen go, watching her scramble into the ring to see to her husband. What she doesn't see is Sarafan following her in. A tap on her shoulder, then...))

Eddie: My God!

Travis: Sarafan just hit Karen with Total Enlightenment!

((Sarafan looks down, eyes glittering eerily, not seeming to care that she just laid out a non-wrestler. Then she rolls out of the ring, leaving the referee staring after her in shock. He isn't the only one... As she goes backstage, several people stop to watch her. She nods to Harley on the way by, then goes out the back door. Sarafan has left the arena.))

Eddie: Did you see what I just saw?

Travis: If you saw Sarafan acting totally unlike herself, then I saw it too.

Eddie: Folks, we'll be back after this.

Travis: Don't touch that dial.

(Two men are standing in a locker room.)

First man: Are you sure we should be doing this?

Second man: Of course. What could possibly go wrong?

First man: I don't know. This isn't what I had in mind.

(The door opens and Autumn Lewis sticks her head in.)

Autumn: You boys ready?

(They nod.)

Autumn: Come and get em girls!

(She throws the door open and Tiger and Harley charge into the room grabbing the men and are seen applying various painful wrestling holds on them. The men grunt and groan and Autumn and Martin Smalls are standing in the doorway laughing and drinking Mountain Dew Code Reds.)

Announcer: No cheap dates. Mountain Dew Code Red. Live by the code.

(Cut to a shot of Tiger with the Crossface on one of the men and him tapping out on the floor.)

Announcer: Now for a limited time, on specially marked bottles of Mountain Dew Code Red, you could instantly win tickets to a free HWC event and meet your favorite wrestler. Check the cap to see if you're an instant winner, or win hundreds of other prizes including HWC merchandise.

No DQ
Jericho Dylan vs Beowulf

Eddie: Next up, a match between Jericho Dylan and Beowulf. You have to feel for Jericho. He’s got two matches tonight.

Travis: I don’t have to feel for anyone I don’t want to!

Eddie: Fine, don’t. And- I’m being informed that this match has already begun in the back.

((The camera cuts to the backstage area, where Jericho is already taking it to Beowulf. Jericho slings Beowulf into a door, the door bursting open. As Beowulf stands, a singular scream from the room makes it relatively easy to figure out whose locker room it is. Before Beowulf can move, however, a chair, swung by someone off-camera, is seen, crashing into Beowulf’s head, Beowulf stumbling forward, Jericho slinging Beowulf into the brick wall, then stepping away, the man with the chair revealing himself to be none other than Palemon.))

Eddie: Those two, I would guess, are no longer partners.

Travis: After a shot like that? Probably not.

((Palemon steps from the room, followed by the HWC Women’s champion, Vivian, sliding her shoes on. Palemon lifts the chair again, only to have Beowulf rip it from his hands, clock Palemon with it, then spin, and floor Jericho with the chair. Taking advantage of the moment, Beowulf puts the chair on a nearby concessions table, grabbing Palemon by his throat, and chokeslamming Palemon through the chair, on the table, leaving him in the wreckage, then pulling the chair from the broken table, putting it on another table, kicking Jericho in the stomach, and powerbombing him through the chair on the table, then turning to Vivian, grabbing her by the throat, and pinning her against the wall, appearing fully to be ready to rape Vivian on camera, up until another chair crashes into Beowulf’s back. Beowulf turns around, finding B.D. standing there, chair in hand.))

Eddie: B.D.’s here, again?!?

Travis: B.D. likes putting his nose in everything.

Eddie: You going to complain about that to him?

Travis: Uh, no. He might beat me with that chair he seems to carry around.

((Beowulf lunges forward, with a clothesline, B.D. ducking under the clothesline, and putting the chair on the top of his head, waiting for Beowulf to turn around again.))

Eddie: We’ve seen this before. I don’t know what B.D. calls this move, but I think a suitable name would be Severe Head Trauma.

Travis: B.D. doesn’t really feel it.

Eddie: Not B.D., you dolt.

((As Beowulf turns around, B.D. jumps forward, into him, sandwiching the chair between B.D. and Beowulf’s heads, with the same sickeningly dull thud, B.D. not letting up, as Beowulf falls back, to land against the brick wall, B.D. hitting Beowulf with the same lunging headbutt with the chair, sandwiching Beowulf’s head between the chair, supported by B.D.’s head, and the brick wall, Beowulf sagging against the wall, sliding down to a seated position. B.D. drops the chair, picking Beowulf up, setting him up for a Plague into the chair, only to have the lights quickly cut off, then back on, B.D. and Vivian nowhere in sight.))

Eddie: Where’d he go?!

Travis: Who knows? And I think that you won’t hear Beowulf complain.

((Jericho gets to his feet, slowly, checking on Palemon, then moving to Beowulf. Both Jericho and Palemon having missed the incident with B.D., neither seems to understand why Beowulf is out cold. Jericho hauls Beowulf to his feet, dragging him down the rampway, sliding him into the ring, then following, sending Beowulf off the far ropes, hitting a high powerslam, then getting to his feet and hitting the Mardi Gras Kickoff, having no energy to do anything other than simply lay over Beowulf. The referee moves into position quickly. 1. . . 2. . . 3!!!))

Eddie: It’s over!

Travis: Look at Palemon!

((Palemon, having come out to the ring with Jericho as Jericho moved back toward the ring, walked backward up the ramp, laughing and pointing at Beowulf. From behind him, however, a figure detaches from the shadows, rushing up behind Palemon, and leveling him with a chairshot to the back of his head, then sliding into the ring, waiting for Jericho to get to his feet.))

Eddie: What is Tiger doing out here?!

Travis: Getting her some of the champion.

((Tiger simply waits, as Jericho gets to his feet. Jericho finally does, then turns around, coming face to face with Tiger, the two of them staring holes into the other. Behind Tiger, a fairly long piece of fabric drifts softly down to the ground outside the ring. As it hits the ground, it surges upward. When the cloth is fairly high off the ground, it slides down, and to the left, revealing The Creeper, who slides into the ring, standing behind Tiger. Tiger shoves Jericho back, moving to swing the chair, only to have The Creeper grab the chair. As Tiger turns, The Creeper snaps off a hard kick to her midsection.))

Eddie: Holy crap! The Creeper just hit that Death Rattle to Tiger, into the chair!

Travis: That’ll hurt in the morning.

((The Creeper turns his back on Tiger, the latter now writhing in pain on the mat. Almost as an afterthought, The Creeper extends his right hand toward Jericho, nowhere near touching him, Jericho shuddering, then staggering forward. Meanwhile, The Creeper has already left the ring, and, tossing the cloak into the air, disappears underneath it, the cloak seeming to seep into the ground, and disappear itself, as Jericho walks from the ring, seeming not even the slightest bit injured.))

(Scene opens on a pay phone. A man walks up and picks up the reciver and dials zero.)

Voice: What the hell do you think you're doing?

(The man turns to see Kidd Rock walk up to him.)

Man: Making a collect call.

Kidd: By dialing zero? What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you know about 1-800-COLLECT?

Man: 1-800-COLLECT?

Kidd: Yeah. The easy way to make collect calls. Plus you'll save the people you call a buck or two. Just put 1-800 in front of collect.

Man: That's so easy, why didn't I think of that?

Kidd: Well, you'll remember for next time right?

Man: Sure.

Kidd: Cause if you don't I'll send them to your house.

(Kidd points and the man sees the entire HWC roster looking at him with their arms crossed and a few tapping their feet or pounding their fists into their hands.)

Announcer: 1-800-COLLECT. Use it and save a buck or two.

((The backstage camera is still focused on the door Sarafan walked out of. The door rattles, then opens outward, into the parking lot. Into the arena comes a man we've all seen before...))

Eddie: That's Johnny Cho!

Travis: He seems rather upset by what Sarafan did...

Eddie: That seems to sum it up nicely, Travis.

((Johnny looks around, visibly distraught. He's tugging at the queue hanging down his back. A staff member stops and touches his shoulder.))

Staff Member: Can I help you?

Johnny: I'm looking for someone. It is imperative that I speak to them immediately.

Staff Member: Who are you looking for? Maybe I can help.

((Just then, Peter Blankenship comes into view, bringing the fans to their feet. He dismisses the staff member and looks at Johnny.))

Peter: I know who you're looking for. Come on, I'll take you to them.

Johnny: Thank you.

((Peter smiles and leads Johnny to a closed locker room door. He gives two firm knocks, then opens the door a few inches.))

Peter: Johnny Cho to talk to The Creeper!

((He opens the door wide enough for Johnny to go in, then shuts it behind him. He's whistling as he walks down the hallway, meeting up with his daughter Jessie along the way.))

Eddie: I wonder why Johnny wants to talk to The Creeper?

Travis: Who knows? Maybe he can shed some light on what's going on with Sarafan.

Standard Match
Blood Dragon vs Sephiroth

Eddie: Now we come to a match that may have been made in Hell... Both of these men have, quite literally, come back from the dead.

Travis: Odd way to put it, but it's true. These men have defied the odds and come back to us by methods unknown. I don't care to know what those methods are, but they're back. And that's all that matters. The HWC wasn't the same without em.

Eddie: Amen, Travis. A-freaking-men. So how much did you bet on Sephiroth?

Travis: If you MUST know... I bet $5000 on Blood Dragon.

Eddie: That's an awful lot, Travis. He may not even win.

Travis: That's okay.

Jean Fortello: The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, representing Bad News, from Melbourne, Florida, weighing in at 245 lbs... BLOOD DRAGON!

((As Downfall comes over the speakers, the arena pitches into darkness. Two or three blood red spotlights start searching through the crowd bathing all the fans in the deep red light. When they finally come together it is in the center of the ring, where Blood is standing with his arms raised, and his head lowered as if in prayer. Suddenly red pyro shoots off from the four ringposts to meet above Blood's, now raised, head in the shape of a red Dragon. He looks around, startled at the explosion of cheers he gets.))

Eddie: Blood Dragon clearly not expecting this favorable reaction from the fans.

Travis: Well, they missed him! I can't blame em for being excited!

Eddie: I can't either.

Jean Fortello: And his opponent... From Du Lac Manor in New York, weighing in at 246 pounds... Being accompanied by the Sabbat Pack... SEPHIROTH DU LAC!

((The lights go out as a beautiful choir sings in Latin. The screen shows Seph's Symbol (A cross inside an eternal Pentagram) as the voices begin to fade. Finally Lightning effects strike the stage area and blue pyro flames shoot up and the lights flicker on. "Whisper" by Evanescence begins to play as Seph and the Sabbat Pack walk to the ring. Again, the fans erupt in cheers for a man they thought to be dead. Seph looks around, then smiles faintly and slides into the ring. Blood waits until he's ready, then moves forward. Seph turns and sees Blood's hand extended in a gesture of sportsmanship. A small smile curls his lips, then he shakes his opponent's hand. The fans cheer again. Blood circles around him, Seph easily keeping pace.))

Eddie: Neither man showing any signs of ring rust here, Travis... But both men only returned last week. What kind of shape are they going to be in?

Travis: That's a good question. We'll just have to wait and see.

((Blood lashes out and catches Seph with an open hand across the face. The crowd "OOOH!"s and waits for Seph's reaction. His response? A boot to the stomach. Blood doubles over and Seph hits him with a double axe-handle to the back. Blood goes sprawling on the mat. Seph looks down at him and laughs. He reaches down and lifts Blood to his feet, only to hit a short-arm clothesline. Blood lands hard on his back and Seph goes for a pin. 1... Blood throws him backward and rolls to his feet. Seph gets up and applauds mockingly. Blood snarls and charges, catching Seph with a shoulder to the stomach. Seph doubles over and Blood hits him with a surprising move... An Axe Kick! Seph gets floored and Blood crouches near him. But instead of going for a cover, Blood lifts Seph off the ground and into a jackhammer. He slams Seph to the mat and goes for the cover. 1... 2... Seph kicks out with authority. Blood backs off, warily, scouting his opponent.))

Eddie: What a surprising combination of moves we just saw from Blood Dragon! An Axe Kick and a Jackhammer!

Travis: For a big man, he's quite agile. But what surprised me was the boot/axehandle from Seph!

Eddie: That was surprising. This match is more than just a showcase of the big men... It's a contest to see who can recover the fastest and get the upper hand.

Travis: Amen.

((Seph feints to the right and sneaks off to Blood's left, getting in behind him. Blood reaches back and flips Seph over his head onto the mat. The force of the impact rattles the ringposts. The crowd's reaction is to say "Holy shit!" because the ring shook. Seph gets up and snarls as he charges. Bloosd simply ducks out of the way and Seph goes flying over the top rope. Blood looks down and sees Brimstone helping Seph to his feet. With a sneer, he launches himself over the top rope and takes both men down to the mat.))

Eddie: Blood Dragon just took Seph and his associate out!

Travis: Wow! But look at Chloe... I haven't seen her since she told Seph she was pregnant. She looks as beautiful now as she did then.

Eddie: She certainly does.

((Blood throws Seph back into the ring and rolls in after him. Seph is first to his feet, kicking Blood in the stomach. Chloe is close enough to hear Travis's flattering commentary and smiles faintly. Blood makes it to his feet and stares at Seph. What Seph sees in those eyes makes him back away until he hits the ropes. He has good reason to back away... For Blood Dragon's eyes have turned red. Just like they did back in that Mexican bar.))

Eddie: My God... Look at his eyes!

Travis: Are they RED?!?

Eddie: They are. I'm just as confused as you are, Travis.

((Blood lets out a roar the crowd echoes, then he lifts Seph above his head. He drops Seph across his knee, then grabs him again. Another roar echoed by the crowd, then he shifts Seph around until he's in position and locks in...))

Eddie: DRAGON'S RAGE! DRAGON'S RAGE!

Travis: I don't know if that's going to put Seph down! But it sure looks like it might!

((Seph is getting limper and limper... The referee lifts his arm once and it falls to the mat. 1... He lifts it again and it falls to the mat again. 2... He lifts Seph's arm a third time, but never gets the chance to release it. From behind, Lone Goth charges into the ring and slams his feet into the back of Blood's head. Blood is forced to let go of the move, tumbling to the side. Goth kicks at him undeterred while Moon Raven distracts the referee. Then, from out of nowhere comes a man nobody ever thought they'd see in the ring again...))

Eddie: It's Peter Blankenship!

Travis: What's he doing?

Eddie: It looks like he's restoring order!

((Peter and his daughter Jessie both slide into the ring, Peter going after Lone Goth. Jessie watches him hit Goth with an F-5 and throw him out of the ring, then she tackles Moon Raven, taking her outside the ring. Trent and Brimstone simply watch this mere slip of a girl systematically take Vivian's sister apart. Peter rolls out of the ring after Goth, shouting for Security. Four burly men come down and escort Goth and Moon Raven to the back. Peter and Jessie nod to each other, then walk to the back. A job well done. Seph shakily gets to his feet and turns to see the Blankenships walking backstage. Blood had seen Peter attack Lone Goth... He turns to Seph and shakes his head. Seph nods once, then he goes for a spear. Blood catches him and locks in Dragon's Rage again.))

Eddie: There it is again!

Travis: Twice in one match! Wow!

((This time, there is no interruption. Seph's arm is raised once and it falls limply. 1... The referee lifts Seph's arm again and again, it falls limply. 2... His arm is raised a third time and released a third time. Fans hoping for a miraculous recovery are sorely disappointed. It falls a third time. The bell rings and Blood lets go.))

Jean Fortello: Here is your winner, by submission... BLOOD DRAGON!

Eddie: Seph was unable to find a counter to that deadly maneuver. But he gave it everything he had.

Travis: They both did. They put forth a valiant effort. But, in the end, despite an assault by Lone Goth, Blood Dragon came out the victor.

((The fans echo Travis's sentiments... One group at a time, they stand up and give both men a standing ovation for a match well fought. Blood looks around from his position on the ramp, then does something nobody's ever seen him do. He smiles! Seph, groggy and disoriented in the ring, sees the fans on their feet too. Getting to his feet, using the ropes for leverage, he echoes his opponent's smile. Then he rolls out of the ring and the five of them go up the ramp together. Blood turns off to the right and enters the Bad News locker room, Seph and his cohorts moving on to their own dressing room.))

Eddie: This is amazing!

Travis: I know! I have NEVER seen a standing ovation after a singles match, even with such high-caliber competitors!

Eddie: This is absolutely mind-boggling. But coming up in the main event tonight, we have a Tag Team title match between Jarred and Jericho Dylan and Bad News.

Travis: We'll be right back... Don't touch that dial, or you are REALLY going to hate yourself in the morning!

Eddie: Travis!

Travis: What? It's the simple truth! We don't do replays!

(Jericho Dylan walks into a sports memorabilia store and heads to the wrestling section. Several people stare in awe at him as he starts picking out some items with his image on them. Pictures, posters, action figures, etc. He walks up to the cashier.)

Cashier: A Jericho Dylan fan are we?

(She looks up at him.)

Cashier: Oh.

Jericho: Is it okay if I pay by check?

Cashier: Sure. I just need some ID.

(Jericho looks astounded.)

Jericho: Okay...(pulls out ID)

Cashier: Are you sure this is you? I have to call this in.

(Jericho rolls his eyes and waits drumming his fingers on the counter. The camera cuts to scenes of him nodding off, signing autographs, having his action figure fight with Tiger's, pacing, stretching.)

Jericho: How much longer is this gonna take?

Cashier: Just a minute.

Jericho: You said that two hours ago.

(More scenes of Jericho being bored, fighting a demon, watching HWC on TV.)

Eddie (from TV): And surprisingly Jericho Dylan is not here tonight!

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Cashier: I'm sorry. Do you have another form of ID?

(Jericho looks exhausted and faints.)

Announcer: Next time use the Visa check card. It gets you in, out and on with life.

(The scene cuts to Harley Quinn with a bunch of her wrestling memorabilia.)

Harley: Can I write a check for this?

((The camera is panning around the backstage area, looking for someone to highlight for the fans. What it finds is Lone Goth standing there holding his head and groaning. Someone comes up to him and taps him on the arm.))

Suit: Excuse me, are you Matthew Montey?

Goth: Yes. What can I do for you?

Suit: I'm an attorney, and I was told to give you this.

((He hands Goth an envelope and walks away. Goth, shrugging harmlessly, opens it and takes out a sheaf of papers. He barely glances at them at first, then does an incredulous double take. Reading the papers again, he stares at them in disbelief, then grins and shoves them into his duffel bag. Then he straightens up and walks out of camera range.))

Eddie: Whatever was in that envelope, it can't be good!

Travis: It looks like he's coming this way!

Eddie: What could he have on his mind?

(Blood Dragon is sitting at a Wendy's with Zoe. He's eating one of the new Wendy's salads.)

Zoe: What'cha got?

Blood: A Wendy's salad.

Man at next table (laughing): The big bad wrestler is eating a salad? (Laughs harder.) What a wimp! Only wimps eat salad!

(Suddenly we see the man flying across the Wendy's screaming, followed by a thud as he lands on the floor. Cut back to Zoe brushing her hands off.)

Zoe: No one calls my husband a wimp except me!

Blood: Thanks hon...HEY!

Announcer: Now Wendy's has great salads with under 5 grams of fat. Come to Wendy's. It's better here.

*I'm Back hits the PA. The lights dim down in the arena. Spotlights hit the arena looking for whoever it is. All of a sudden a blast of pyros come shooting up from the stage. The new guy pops out from the stage. Once the pyros die down we see it's.....Lone Goth? He's back? Goth walks down to the ring in a focused manner. He gets in the ring and asks for the mic from Jean. Jean hands it to him.*

Matt-Cut the music. Ok, yeah I am back. Not as Lone Goth. Fuck Lone Goth. That's the past. Leave it there. I am out here to say one thing. The vets. You aint walking over me anymore. It's over. You want a fight. You got one. As for Moon Raven. The bitch is gone. She's out. She divorced me and that was her choice.

*Matt paces around the ring for a few minutes and then looks at the camera with a deadly glare*

Matt-How does it feel to know you aint getting shit from me you ignorant little bitch? Did ya think I didn't know what you were up to? Why else would I have made you sign a pre nup before we got married? I am not dumb. I figured you were false but I gave ya a shot. Ya fucked up. No turning back. You are out of my life. FOR GOOD.

*Matt paces the ring once more for a minute and then looks to the backstage area.*

Matt-Vivian. Your sister is gone. Now whether you still have a problem with me or not is up to you. I hope you wouldn't. The past is the past. Let's leave it there and move on. Kill me if you still want to. It don't matter. Blood Dragon, You and I have some unfinished business if you still want it. Oh man am I ever going to whip your ass.

What's this I hear about the BLS being split up? Looks like the horny little bastard lost his friend and tag partner. What a fool. There is a new era here in the HWC and it starts now. It's called the.. I am going to kick your ass and make you scream like a bitch era because I am sick of being stepped on. Fuck ya. Come and get some if ya have the guts. That goes for anyone. Peace.

*I'm Back hits the PA. The crowd starts to boo and then realize this is a changed Goth. This is not Got at all, but a man who is his own self. The crowd turns the boos into cheers and scattered boos at the same time. Matt disappears behind the curtain and the music cuts off.*

Tag Team Titles
The Dylans(c) vs Bad News

Eddie: Well, next up, a match between Bad News and the Dylans. Bad News were, in many people’s minds, the definitive tag team in the HWC, until their injuries took them out.

Travis: If you think about it, Bad News never truly lost the titles. So, now, they have a chance to regain their titles by beating the champs.

Eddie: That they do, Travis.

Jean Fortello: The following match is a tag team contest, and is for the HWC Tag Team championship. Introducing first, from New Orleans, Louisiana, weighing in at a combined weight of 450 lbs, they are the reigning HWC Tag Team champions, Jericho and Jarred. . . THE DYLANS!!!

((“Never Gonna Stop” plays as both Jericho and Jarred walk to the ring, sliding into the ring, handing the title to the referee, and waiting.))

Eddie: You have to wonder how truly prepared these two are for Bad News.

Travis: They haven’t been in a tag match for a long time.

Jean Fortello: And the challengers, from New York City, and Chicago, Illinois, weighing in at a combined weight of 590 lbs, being accompanied to the ring by Scott Mercer, The Enforcer and Draven Masters, BAD NEWS!!!

((Click Click Boom hits and the song plays all the way up to the chorus. When the line "Click Click Boom" comes up a wall of pyro explodes on the word "Boom" and as it dies down, The Enforcer and Draven are standing there. Scott walks out from behind the curtain and leads his two monstrous charges down to ringside.))

Eddie: Two returning athletes, and the Dylans. This match seems like it’d be a spectacular matchup.

Travis: Seems. But not necessarily “is”.

((Enforcer and Jericho start off in the ring, both men circling each other, before locking up, Jericho turning it into a side headlock, which is immediately turned into a belly to back suplex from Enforcer. Enforcer gets to his feet, picking up Jericho, sending a knee into Jericho’s stomach, then moving to his corner, tagging in Draven, and holding Jericho, Draven kicking Jericho, hard, in the stomach, then hitting a DDT, followed by an elbowdrop.))

Eddie: Bad News is singling out the champion, here.

Travis: Smart move by the former champions.

Eddie: That it is. But we’ve seen Jericho come back from nearly impossible odds. Who knows?

((Draven tags in Enforcer, again, Enforcer coming into the ring, and dropping a leg over Jericho’s throat, picking him up, and sending him off of the ropes, ducking his head for a back bodydrop, Jericho rolling over Enforcer’s back. Enforcer turns, only to find Jericho sliding between his legs, grabbing Enforcer’s ankles, and pulling, sending Enforcer crashing, facefirst, into the mat. Jericho pulls Enforcer to his feet, tossing him into the Dylan corner, and following him in with a clothesline. As Enforcer rebounds from the turnbuckle, Jericho shoves Enforcer back into the corner, kicks him in the stomach, then tags in Jarred, who enters the ring with a slingshot legdrop to the back of Enforcer’s head, driving him into the head with a move that appears to be a slingshot Rocker Dropper.))

Eddie: Just like that, the match has swung in favor of the Dylans.

Travis: Yeah, but if they let Enforcer catch his breath, then he could probably take both of the Dylans out.

Eddie: I think that’s the reason they’re not.

((Jarred pulls Enforcer from the ropes, locking him in an STF. Draven shoots into the ring, breaking the move with a shot to Jarred’s kidneys. Jarred slowly gets to his feet, as the referee moves Draven out of the ring. Scott gets onto the apron, yelling at the referee as Jericho sneaks into the ring, firing off a number of right hands to Enforcer, then stepping back, as Jarred jumps off of the top turnbuckle, hitting a dragonrana to Enforcer. Draven breaks up the pinfall attempt before even a 1, Jericho launching himself over the top rope with a springboard dropkick, sending Draven back to a knee, Jericho grabbing Draven, sending him chest first into the ropes, moving to the apron, and leapfrogging the top rope, hitting a hurracanrana to Draven, to the outside of the ring, Jericho then getting onto the apron, as Scott gets down, to check on Draven.))

Eddie: You know, every time I think Bad News is the better team, the Dylans come up with something that most tag teams can’t, or won’t, do.

Travis: Well, most tag teams are measured by how long they’ve been together. How do you beat having your brother as your tag team partner?

((Draven slowly gets to his feet, moving around the ring. Jarred picks up Enforcer, hitting a quick DDT, then a slingshot legdrop, hooking Enforcer’s far leg. 1. . .2. . . kickout. Enforcer gets up, slowly, kicking Jarred hard in the midsection, and following it with the Enforcer faceplant, both men simply lying on the ground.))

Eddie: This match has now come down to whoever can make the tag first. If Enforcer makes the tag, then Bad News would have the upper hand, and vice versa.

Travis: Yeah, but they both seem down and out.

((From the backstage area, B.D. appears, chair in hand, rushing to the ring, and sliding into the ring. As the referee attempts to keep B.D. out of the match, B.D. cracks the referee in the head with the chair, then moves to the rising Enforcer, raising the chair over his head. Enforcer reacts by firing off a shot to B.D.’s midsection, the chair dropping to his side, Enforcer getting to his feet, firing off right hand, then, as B.D. staggers backward, stepping aside, as Draven comes charging into the corner with a spear attempt, B.D. just spinning toward him, cracking Draven in the head with the chair, hard enough to lift Draven up, and drop him back a few feet. Jarred moves to B.D., turning him around by force, only to have B.D. crack him in the head with the chair. As B.D. looks at Jarred, Enforcer shoves B.D. from behind, sending B.D. headfirst into Jericho, the collision sending Jericho out of the ring.))

Eddie: In one fell swoop, B.D.’s eliminated both Jericho and Jarred from this match. You have to think that was an accident.

Travis: If it wasn’t, it won’t sit well with the leader of the Darkside.

((B.D. looks outside the ring, at Jericho, then turns, getting kicked in the midsection for his troubles. Enforcer lifts B.D. into the air, for an Enforcer faceplant, only to have B.D. ‘hop’ over Enforcer’s head, spin over his shoulders, and drop into a neckbreaker. As Enforcer is sent stumbling into the ropes, B.D. picks up the chair, and waits, lifting the chair into the air, resting it against the top of his head. As Enforcer turns around, B.D. launches himself at Enforcer, the thud of Enforcer’s face and the steel chair, braced on B.D.’s head, is loud and sickening, sending Enforcer spilling outside the ring. B.D. follows Enforcer, lifting the chair again, to bring it crashing down into Enforcer’s head. Before the impact, however, the lights flip off, then back on, the lights coming back on the carnage both inside and outside the ring, B.D. nowhere in sight.))

Eddie: That’s the third time B.D. has appeared, only to disappear right before he would have seriously hurt someone, in just one night.

Travis: What is with him lately?

((Another referee walks to the ring, and begins making a count, getting all the way to 10 before any of the people in the match have begun to move. After the bell’s rung, however, Enforcer shakes like being ‘jumpstarted’, and begins moving, the other three doing much the same.))

Eddie: You know that the Dylans are going to have something to say about the untimely intervention of B.D., here.

Travis: What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on that wall.

Eddie: Well, this match has been thrown out, as a draw.

((The camera suddenly cuts back to the locker room area, finding a shadowy figure going into one of the dressing rooms. They come out almost right away, someone slung over their shoulder. They step into the hallway and everything is revealed.))

Eddie: That's Tiger!

Travis: And she has Vivian!

Eddie: What's going on back there?

((Tiger walks past everyone else, ignoring their startled shouts. Vivian is hanging very limply, arms bound with a thick cord. Tiger moves out into the parking lot and slings Vivian into the passenger seat of an idling car. After securing the seat belt, holding Vivian in place, Tiger flips the camera the bird, then gets in and drives off.))

Travis: Oh, my God!

Eddie: Tiger's just kidnapped Vivian!

Travis: Someone call the police!

((The transmission dies and as the scene fades. Copyright 2003, Hardcore Wrestling Corp.))