First Arena in Elmira was dark and quiet. No one manned the concessions, not a soul prowled the balconies, the seats were empty and a pressing silence was the only thing that surrounded Dragana and Johnny Law as they stood in the middle of the arena.
The former ice rink had been playing host to Professional Bull Riding for the past week and the hosts had graciously allowed for the third stage in OCW Strong-Women Competition to be held here. They had initially wanted to charge guests, but Dragana was firm. No audience.
So here they waited. Blaine was late again, but neither Dragana or Johnny was surprised.
THUMP!
The noise of the door opening alerted them to the arrival of Blaine. She strolled in without so much as a glance at her surroundings. Her Gender Brutal shirt stood out vividly with the bright text and as always the scowl on her face suggested and brewing temper.
Law: He--
Blaine pushes him aside to stand in front of Dragana.
Blaine: Where’s the crowd? Hm. I was looking forward to thousands of people seeing me beat you.
Dragana doesn’t offer an answer.
Blaine: Ah...I get it. Sick of being stared at?
Dragana: …
Dragana lowers her gaze, her nostrils flaring.
Blaine: Too bad.
Blaine pulls out her phone and punches in a number: Bring them in.
Every door in the arena crashes open and thousands of men, women, and children pour in. It takes quite some time for all the seats to fill up.
The lights explode into life.
Dragana: !!!
Blaine: Know the difference between you and me?
Blaine turns around and stretches her arms wide.
Crowd: Boooo!
Blaine looks back at Dragana: I embrace it.
The Women’s Champion clenches her fist, her arms shaking. Johnny steps in between the two women, struggling again to put on a referee shirt.
Johnny: All right, ladies…..We’re here in this bull riding arena for the next stage of the Strong-Women Competition. However, this won’t necessarily be a “bull” riding competition……
He points over to the gate where a growling Bubba is seen clenching the bars that are keeping him inside.
Johnny: It’s a lion riding competition. I figured I’d make things interesting. Here are the rules: The lady to last the most time on the lion wins. The lion does what the lion wants. And to make sure that there’s no collusion, we have placed several people wearing white and black striped shirts to fool him into thinking that they’re zebras. Understood?
Dragana nods while Blaine laughs.
Blaine: You think I’m scared of a domestic p**** like that?
Dragana scrunches up her face in reaction.
Johnny: All right, Blaine. You’re up first.
The gate opens up and Bubba steps up to the center of the arena. Blaine scoffs and hops up onto the lion. Bubba grunts. The arena clears out, leaving only Blaine, Bubba, and the people dressed like zebras. Johnny is on the balcony of the arena with a megaphone and a stopwatch.
Johnny: Ready? Three! Two! One! Go!
A gunshot sound effect plays all around the arena as Bubba jumps all around, chasing after the zebra people with Blaine in tow. Blaine struggles to hold on as the lion chases them down with tenacity. The crowd goes nuts as Blaine is holding on for dear life. Johnny looks at his stopwatch.
Johnny: Twenty seconds…..
Bubba swirls around and does a quick turn around one of the corners. Blaine’s grip slips and she slams into the wall. An air horn sounds as the crowd cheers. Johnny grabs his megaphone.
Johnny: Twenty five seconds!
Dragana steps out onto the arena. She hovers over the recovering Blaine with a slight smirk.
Blaine struggles to her feet: Don’t smile, the crowd is watching, you’re their freak, remember? Don't let them down.
Blaine walks off while Dragana readies up for Bubba. The Silent Queen mounts Bubba and nods to Johnny.
Johnny: Dragana has to beat Blaine’s time of twenty five seconds! Here we go….Three, two, one…..Go!!!!
Another gunshot sound effect goes off as Bubba hunts down the zebra people once again. Dragana squints her eyes and hunkers down.
Johnny: Ten seconds!
Bubba sprints faster than a speeding bullet, but then randomly does a U-Turn, causing Dragana to slip and hang off the edge of the lion’s back, with the only things keeping her on the lion are her legs around his torso.. She looks at the timer up top as it reads “15 seconds”.
Dragana: Aaaahhhh…..
Her arm reaches out as her legs are starting to loosen their grip. Bubba makes another quick turn, and Dragana’s legs give way, but her arm manages to grab Bubba as she’s dragged along the ground.
Blaine: SHE’S OFF. SHE’S TOUCHING THE GROUND! DON’T YOU KNOW HOW BULL RIDING WORKS!
Johnny: Twenty seconds!
Blaine: THIS IS COLLUSION!
Dragana is holding on for dear life with one arm as her body bumps all along the ground. Her grip is loosening as the timer ticks away.
Johnny: Twenty five seconds have passed! She’s done it!
The Women’s Champion tries to reach out with her other arm to maintain control, but she slips and rolls around on the ground.
Johnny: Twenty seven seconds! We have a winner!
Blaine: What is this bullshit! No! She fell off---
The raucous crowd drowns her out.
Dragana finally makes it to her feet. She beams out at the crowd and throws her arms up in celebration.
Blaine stops her with a stiff shove too the back. Dragana turns around ready to fight. But instead Blaine has her hand outstretched.
Dragana takes it and they shake momentarily until Blaine pulls her close.
Blaine: You’re just a caged lion to them, domesticated, behind bars. When they turn on you, when the cheers stop, what will you do?
Dragana anxiously looks around at the crowd and then back at Blaine. She shakes her head. Blaine walks off, leaving Dragana stuck in thought as we fade to black.
YSL vs MAXWALE
Belle was watching the attack from the backstage TV. Seeing what Ashley Moore had done to Valkyrie, she decides to go towards her to confront her in the backstage area for her actions.
Belle: Ashley! What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?
Ashley Moore: That is none of your business. It is something between me and her. Now get lost.
Belle: It is of my business, because Valkyrie is my friend and what you did out there was absolutely uncalled-for.
Ashley Moore: You just like her because of the way she presents herself in public, but in reality she is the worst. You should try to avoid her for your own good.
Belle: I like her because she’s kind to others and good-hearted, unlike you! Instead of sticking your nose in other people’s matches you should look for yourself.
Ashley Moore: You are new here, so maybe you are a bit naive. But sooner or later you will understand that in this business everyone for herself.
Ashley Moore: Valkyrie is no exception. Just ask her what happened with her and her last best friend.
Belle: I don’t know what you’re talking about… but I will ask her for sure.
Ashley Moore turns away smiling in the belief she changed Belle’s picture of Valkyrie a tiny bit. But when she is exiting down the hallway, Belle shouts in her direction.
Belle: Maybe I’m new but I’m not stupid, and Valkyrie is not like that at all!
We cut to the OCW doctor’s office, where the aforementioned doc is discussing something with Cort Marshall.
Cort: So, what’s the verdict, doc. Deal or no deal?
Cort leans forward, eager to hear the news about how his injury has been healing.
Doctor: It’s progressing well, but I’d still hold off for a couple weeks yet. You definitely want to avoid re-injuries with this type of fracture.
Cort sighs.
Cort: So you can’t clear me for Clash?
Doctor: I’m afraid not, no.
Cort looks deflated as he sits down. The doctor attempts to comfort him.
Doctor: Like I said, at most it’ll be a couple weeks. How big of deal can it be to miss one Pay-Per-View? I mean, look at AC Cobra. He misses them all the time!
Cort: First of all, don’t compare me to Cobra. Please. Second, this means more than you could know. Everything is riding on this. I need to prove to myself and to everybody else that I’m not just some flash in the pain failure. I… need… this.
The doctor just shakes his head.
Doctor: Facts are facts; I’m a doctor, not a magician. And your career matters more than this one show!
Cort: Fine.
He gets up from his chair.
Cort: I still have an interview to do. Thanks, doc.
A dark night sky is shown. The subtle shine of the stars and sound of crickets fill the increasingly beautiful ambience of the night. The view cuts over to a nearby pond. Frogs and lightning bugs are seen over and around the pond.
The sound of crickets and a light breeze whispers throughout. Cutting once more, the view shifts to a dark structure, which is seen to be dimly lit inside. Several colorfully parked cars are outside the ominous structure.
A hooded figure walks into frame with their head down. The jacket worn obscures any ability to discern physical features. The figure peers back, a shadow covering their face and quickly enters the building. Still seen through the clear windowed door, they slowly vanish into the dim lighting inside.
The view gets closer and closer, but before it enters the building, the sound of coughing and throat clearing is heard. We cut to a very tall man sniffling and walking into view.
#Austin Lee: Hmph. Nothing like a dark night to lift your spirits…
#Austin pulls up his collar and seems to be attempting to hide his face from anyone who might see. Although very difficult to hide a man his size, he makes an effort to do so as he slowly opens the same door.
As he approaches a counter, he peers over to the sides. The interior seems like a sort-of old school diner, with tables and booths alike. The tables are pushed to the side and there are several dark figures laying in the booths and sitting in circles on the floor. Some of the heads turn to #Austin, but he snaps his head around before they see his face.
#Austin: What the hell kinda place is this? Gives me the creeps.
#Austin finally approaches the counter and a man leans into the lighting. He has an unkempt beard, and long balding hair that rests in a ponytail.
Man: Hello, sir. Are you…?
#Austin clears his throat loud, seeming to gesture ‘don’t say it’ to the man behind the counter. He nods his head, affirming that he is The #Notorious one.
Man: I see.
#Austin: I erhm, I was told to meet someone here?
Man: Yes of course… Right this way.
As the man walks away, #Austin hesitates and follows behind, looking very suspicious He begins talking to himself.
#Austin: This isn’t the noble way, Lee… but it has to be done if we want to get better.
The man behind the counter throws open a curtain to the back and the hooded figure we saw from before sits in a back area of the diner at a booth. As #Austin Lee sits down he seems to lower his guard. The hooded figure sits with their head down, still concealing their face.
#Austin: So… what do you have this week?
The figure speaks softly and low, but we can hear it’s a woman’s voice hidden behind all of that baggy clothing.
Hooded woman: Same as last week, Mr. Lee.
#Austin: and this…?
Hooded woman: That’s right, this is definitely going to help you with your… health.
The woman pulls out a parcel, in a medium sized white bagm handing it to the Turmoil tag champion.
#Austin: Thank you for meeting me in a discreet place. I think you understand why I have to do it this way…
A tiny giggle is heard from behind the hood.
Hooded woman: It’s okay, Mr. Lee. I’m just happy to help in any way that I can.
#Austin again pulls up his collar, sticking the parcel in his jacket pocket and walking out of the curtain as the camera fades away.
