Joshua Tucker is in his dressing room preparing for a match when a knocking at the door interrupts to which he sarcastically replies...
Tucker: Who is it?
???: Your most favorite and most favorited tag team partner in OCW!
Tucker Sighs.
Tucker: Just come in. I don’t have time for stupid guessing games.
Maxx Edwards enters the room and strikes a pose.
Maxx: It's me silly.
Maxx: And I come bearing a gift.
Maxx opens his hand and presents to Tucker a customized pair of Star Shades, complete with a tiger and the words “Let’s Go” on the side.
Tucker takes the shades in his hands and takes a second before commenting.
Tucker: Wow, custom shades. I don’t know what to say, Thanks...
Tucker snaps the cheap gift.
Tucker: For Nothing. Are we done here?
Maxx raises open hands in an attempt to calm Tucker.
Maxx: Look, I know we’ve had our differences in the past but tonight we need to get on the same page and work as a team.
Tucker: I don’t need to do a damn thing, especially be all friendly with you.
Maxx: Well tonight, WE need to take care of Asher and Mantis.
Tucker rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
Tucker: I learned not so long ago that I don’t NEED anybody for a damn thing. So make sure to not get in my way tonight. Cool?
Maxx backs up and heads towards the door.
Maxx: Welp, can’t make no promises.
Maxx exits into a hallway, and sees Jim Black talking to his cameraman at the opposite end of the corridor.
Maxx: I TRIED, JIM!
Maxx: I TRIED!
Jim Black looks over in confusion and watches Maxx turn the corner before resuming his conversation.
We find ourselves backstage, specifically the warm up area. Thomas Archer can be found using resistance bands to prepare for his match with Leo Grimm to crown a new number one contender to Shepherds PRIDE championship.
Archer: What’s the game plan here Elijah?
Sanders pipes up.
Sanders: He’s a big man, so…
Sanders looks at his notes.
Sanders: Avoid his reach, let him attempt to engage a few times whilst keeping a safe distance, then engage when you’ve worked him out.
Archer breaks out the skipping ropes.
Archer: Correct. Although I’m glad you didn’t immediately so go for the legs.
Sanders: I thought it was a given with you.
Archer: Eventually, but first I’ll soften up his mid-section, work down his engine so that he can’t move around without being winded, then I’ll chop the red wood down.
Archers skipping intensifies, picking up the pace until he’s breathing hard, he finishes by slamming the ropes into the ground with a whip crack.
Archer: Make sure to take notes, this is the level you’ll need to compete at in order to get yourself up further in the pecking order… Did more mail come to the combat centre for me this morning?
Sanders nods.
Sanders: Something from Nevada and a box of fake money that I handed to production for your entrance.
Archer grins.
Archer: Perfect, perfect. It’s all falling into place. Win tonight, beat Shepherd and then try to negotiate a match with whoever the world champion is. Oh, yes… How could I forget.
Archer claps a hand on Elijahs shoulder.
Archer: Help you achieve what you were born to do.
The scene fades out as the pair chat idly.
CHAOS COUNTS ANYWHERE
TORNADO TAG JOSHUA TUCKER & MAXX EDWARDS vs.
ALEX ASHER & THE MANTIS
Backstage on her phone, Debbie lifts it to take a picture of herself. She flashes her usual exaggerated smile, but after snapping the pic, she contorts her face in a very uncertain manner.
Approaching her backstage is OCW Interviewer Jim Black. She puts on her confidence and steps forward into the light.
Jim Black: Excuse me, Debbie? Tonight, you take on 3 of OCW’s most dangerous female competitors in a fatal four way for the #1 contendership. With you having just 1 win in your professional career so far…
Debbie stops him and carries on herself…
Debbie: You’re as cute as you are right, Jimmy! I have lost a lot of matches.
Debbie’s air of confidence once again shakes a bit as she looks down at the floor, but she still manages a smirk.
Debbie: Jimmy, babe. You know, I know that you know that I know that I’m the queen of instagram, you know?
The question confuses Jim Black, who is stuck between uncomfortability and being flattered.
Debbie: and when I got that call from Sensation, my first instinct was to post the news on the ‘gram for all of my followers. My first thought wasn’t to get into OCW shape and prepare for some of what these fine women are capable of.
Debbie: I don’t think it was ‘til I saw the card for this week that I saw that I should really be taking this more seriously.
A tense moment as Debbie trails off, Jim tries to bring the mic back to ask a follow up, but the Gramazon perks back up and throws her arm around the shorter Jim Black.
Debbie: But don’t get it all wrong, Jimmy babe, Debbie will always be here to entertain her followers and her fans…
Debbie leans in close to get a selfie with Jim Black. As she snaps it, she concludes…
Debbie: So I’ll enjoy this for right now, because once I get into the ring, it’s about to be all business. Now let’s make us Insta-fficial, Jimmy!
Jim Black: Uh… I don’t-
She steps away to share her newest image when someone pushes her from behind, knocking her phone from her hand to the floor. The person responsible for this accident is none other than the new Women's Champion Ashley Moore, who walked straight into Debbie D. while staring at her own phone.
She picks up Debbie’s phone and looks up at her.
Ashley Moore: I am sorry, do you want to take a picture with me as compensation? You should at me when you post it and title it with “Best OCW Women’s Champion ever”.
Ashley Moore: Wait a second. I think I have seen you somewhere, but I can’t remember where?
Debbie smirks, thinking Ashley is referring to her popular Instagram account.
Debbie: That’s right, Ashley. I’m the Gramazon and I’m your next chal--
Ashley Moore: Right, you are in the backstage crew. Good job you are doing there.
Ashley gets closer to Debbie so that she can take a selfie.
Ashley Moore: You’re gonna need to lean down here if you want the picture.
Debbie stares down at the women’s champion, but can’t get a word in edgewise as Ashley snaps the pic and tosses Debbie her phone back. The picture sees Ashley posing in the center as Debbie’s head is partially out of the frame.
Ashley Moore: See, I am so charitable! Best OCW Women’s Champion ever! Don’t forget to mention that in your post.
The women’s champion continues walking with her championship across her shoulder, the scene fading as Debbie has a confident scowl run across her face.
#1 CONTENDER PRIDE TITLE THOMAS ARCHER vs. LEO GRIMM
The sounds we hear as the scene comes into view and we see convention center with the Bonanza stage set up in the middle of the conference hall. All of a sudden we see Drago and Mugen materialize out of nowhere from pixelated figures to themselves followed by Bubba and Mac.
Drago: I am Drago
Mugen: I am Mugen
Together: AND WE ARE P3………...AT E3!
The camera pans out again as Mugen and Drago start dancing with Mac and Bubba to the roar of video games.
Drago: We like game. You like game too Mugen?
Mugen: Of course old sport. What we’re presenting tonight, however, is MORE than just a game. Think of it this way: Computer Interactive Sports Entertainment!
Drago: Woooooooow.
Mugen unveils a giant station filled with VR headsets and….a VR go-cart?
Mugen: This is the FUTURE my friend.
P3 and their pets set themselves up on the VR carts. Bubba and Mac are sitting on a larger cart, resembling a golf cart. Mac is in the driver’s seat while Bubba sits happily in the passenger seat.
Mugen: Before we get started……
A van crashes through the set! The back doors swing open to reveal a bunch of dudes in shades, karate gis, and timbs. The presumed leader of this group steps out of the driver’s seat.
Leader: TIMBS!
Timbs (in unison): YEAH RIGHT!
They drag Ryu Matsumoto out of the back doors kicking and screaming.
Spider: HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME? WHAT’S THE NUMBER FOR 911????
They throw him into one of the “carts” (a giant trash can) and toss a VR headset at him. Mugen turns to him with a devilish smile.
Mugen: Oh hai Spider! I want to play a game. You finish first in this race, you’re free! You don’t? Back in the Cube with you!
Spider: Wait...but….what????
Drago: WE START RACE!
The feed transitions to the in-game footage as we see the racers take their place, and the countdown begins.
3.
2.
1.
GO!
Bubba and Mac get off to a blazing fast start….at around 1 MPH in their golf cart. Mugen and Drago dash past them while Spider tips himself over in the trash can and rolls himself over.
Mugen starts muttering to himself while racing very aggressively.
Mugen: Tell me, I’m not safe. I’m always safe. Look at how safe I drive.
Mugen is clearly driving and running the CPU racers off the road.
Mugen: If they die……
Drago: They die…..
We pan over to Drago who is also in the zone and driving insanely responsible yet leading the pack.
We pan over to Spider who has recovered into his “cart” and now actually making his way through the pack of AI racers.
Spider: I’m going to make sure I win tonight and get out of that damn Cube.
We go to Bubba and Mac who are still crawling at 1MPH enjoying their nice stroll through the game’s course. They bark and roar in glee.
We go back to Mugen who is clearly distracted by his inner thoughts about safety and Wrex and not even paying attention to the road anymore.
Mugen: HOW dare they…….me….unsafe. BOOOOO
We see that Drago is still steadily holding steady at 1st but now Spider is seen creeping up trashly and surely. You can see the fire in his eyes as he aims to take out Drago and we see him tensing up as he creeps up insanely close to Drago but out of nowhere Drago lets Spider pass him to the surprise and joy of Spider.
Spider: I’m in first! I’M GOING TO BE FREE.
Without warning we see Mugen who is not even paying attention crash right into Spider taking them both off the course and out of the game
