[Christian Underwood]

 Please post your RPs here.

[J2H]

 Darkness, nothing but darkness fills the screen. A wolf is heard howling in the background, yet nothing comes on to the screen. A crash of thunder is heard and a pair of eyes are seen in the middle of the screen. Fast heavy breathing is heard, but only the eyes can be seen. A slither of moonlight crosses the face that the eyes belong to, the man known as James Huntington-Hawkes III.

JHHIII: Where am I?

James mumbles out.

JHHIII: This is not my bed.... Simpson?

Silence fills the room, not a creak, nor whisper of the wind can be heard.

JHHIII: Simpson!

James yells a little louder, but again, greeted with the eerie sound of silence.

JHHIII: What's going on?

A creak of fear runs through the young man's voice. The crash of thunder, and a flash of lightning, sending through blinding light through a cracked window, forces James to turn his head, looking out of the window as his body fires upright. James looks around at his surroundings, an old four poster bed is where he sits, the wooden posts seems damaged by years of decay and the attack of woodworm, feasting on the oak, from which it is made. Red curtains tied back against these posts, move slightly as the wind from the crack in the window allows the slightest breeze to move in to the room. James scrambles to the top of the bed, his back pushed against the wooden carved oak headboard, decorated with an assortment of designs, old tribal looking designs. James' body starts to shake, unable to control the fear that purges through his soul. His young eyes dart around the room, still not understanding what is going on. James moves towards the edge of the bed, looking down on the worn floorboards as he hovers his feet above them, slowly lowering them and forcing a long slow creak to drift in to the night air. James lifts his feet again, stopping the creak from the source, yet the sound still travels through the air.

JHHIII: This is not real, this is not true, this is not happening.

James cowers backwards against the bed once more, a million and one thoughts rushing through his mind about his surroundings, about how he ended up in this unfamiliar territory.

JHHIII: I can't sit here forever. I just can't!

James turns his legs again, his feet above the wooden floorboards once more. He pushes his feet down firmly on the cracking boards and uses his weight to stand, sending a louder creaking to shoot through the room. James moves towards the window, looking through the dusty glass to gather some kind of information on his location. He pulls up a hand, running it across the window pane and across the glass, clearing some of the dust that has formed a thick coat under years of neglect. James narrows his eyes, peering through the darkness.

JHHIII: How did I get here?

James' eye observe a scene never before witnessed by his own two eyes. A desolate land in the distance is masked by trees, hundreds of feet below him. A wirey stream, interlacing around rocks and broken branches below him at the base of the building. The wind blows stronger, forcing a whistle through the broken window pane and in the room. James steps away from the window, slowly moving backward, his lower body crashing in to a small wooden bedside table. James jumps around, his heart racing like never before as he raises his hands. He places a hand on his chest, feeling the alarming rate of his heart pounding hard against his rib cage.

JHHIII: I gotta get out of here.

As fear turns to adrenaline, James makes his way towards the only door he can see, a solid looking door with a brass ring handle. On his way across, James runs his fingers across an old wooden dresser. James lifts his fingers up to his face in the dimly lit abode, blowing the dust from his finger tips and wiping them quickly across his other palm. Another step forward in to the darkness proves fruitless as James stumbles over a wooden chest, his body crashing towards the creaky floorboards. James lands face first at the base of a soot covered fireplace. A voice speaks to him.

Voice: You don't wanna leave here James.

The startling voice forces James to roll over as the impending dread and uncertainty fills the young man's body. James sits up using his feet to push himself backwards, his eyes moving around the room, looking at every inch to find the person with the voice.

JHHIII: Who said that?

Fear leaks out of the young man's voice as his breathing gets heavier, his eyes moving around the room at rapid pace.

JHHIII: I said, who said that?

Silence greets the young man as James looks around once more. Getting on his hands and knees, he slowly crawls towards the door. As he gets to the fireplace, he stops, pulling his leg across the floor, but his lead seemingly trapped under and invisible weight.

Voice: You don't wanna leave here James.

JHHIII: I really do.

Voice: NO! YOU DON'T WANNA LEAVE HERE JAMES!

As the voice booms through the room, bats fly down from the fireplace, firing past James in a whirlwind sea of black. James closes his eyes and throws his arms around, protecting his face and pushing away the blind creatures as they whistle past him. The sound of their chirps die down and James opens one eye, just looking around. Silence and emptiness greets his weary eye. James wiggles his leg, the weight upon it now gone, and he ponders his next move. However the pondering doesn't last long as James quickly springs to his feet and runs toward the door and wraps both hands around the brass ring, pulling on it tightly.

JHHIII: Open, damn it!

James pulls back harder, but the door doesn't move.

JHHIII: Come on.

Leaning back further, James pulls with all his might, budging the door just an inch to start with.

JHHIII: Come ooooooon!

James tugs back, forcing the door open, but sending him backwards, flying in to the post of the four poster bed. James slides down the bed, landing in a heap. James runs his hand to the top of his head, cupping the area of impact and squints his eyes.

Voice: You don't wanna leave this room James.

JHHIII: Why don't I want to leave this room? Have you seen this room? It's disgusting!

Voice: Outside these walls are hidden dangers James. Are you ready to deal with them?

James' face looks confused.

JHHIII: Ummm.

Voice: If  you can face them young man, you can over come any foe, any force of nature, but for your safety James, you shouldn't leave here, but bare in mind James, you will be spending eternity in this new comfort zone.

James' face turns blank as he looks at the door. He blinks his eyes quickly three times before closing them on the forth time, as the options slowly drift through his mind.

JHHIII: Stay in this hell or get out and face unknown dangers.

The words quietly fall from James mouth in a monotone voice as he opens his eyes. James tries to get back to his feet, using his back to balance himself up the beam of the bed as he looks for the door.

JHHIII: Face my fears and I can beat anyone, face my fears and I can beat anyone, face my fears and I can beat anyone.

James' reassuring repetition of the words seem to relax him as he takes a deep breath, raising a shaking finger to point at the opened door.

JHHIII: I gotta take chances if I want to be the best.

James hesitantly walks towards the door, stopping as he reaches the doorway, his hand on the frame.

JHHIII: One more step James.

James takes a deep breath, stepping outside of the room. The door violently slams behind him, causing a huge echoes to rumble through the next area. James swallows hard as he leans against the wall, breathing heavy as his eyes try to adapt to the new surroundings and settings. James looks around as he sees a flaming torch to his right. James reaches over and grabs the torch from its holding and aims it in front of him, the flames dancing with bright orange and yellow tones. James holds it downwards to show that he is standing on the top of a spiral staircase. James slowly starts to walk down the spiral steps, his left hand on the inside wall as he holds the flaming torch with the other hand. James steadily walks down, slowly but surely stepping down the steps for a full minute, but not seeming like the end is in sight.

JHHIII: These stairs are making me dizzy.

James sits down, holding the torch with one hand, wiping beads of swear from his forehead with the back of his hand. A rumble and crash is heard behind him, followed by another, followed by a third, and forth. James looks around to see the steps he walked moments before start to fall away, crashing in to nothing.

JHHIII: Holy Crap!

James springs to his feet and runs down the spiral stairs, much less careful than he was before, as the stairs a few behind him start to fall in to the darkness. James charges on and on, deciding to make the bold move of jumping two or three steps at a time. James drops the touch as he continues to run, the torch also falling in to the great abyss below. Breathing heavier, James reach the bottom, falling through an archway and in to a long hall. James lands palms first but quickly flips himself over, looking through the arch as the final step falls, crashing in to the darkness below. The sounds stop and James looks up, seeing nothing at all. Getting to his feet and dusting himself off, James walks towards the archway, looking at what is now pitch black. No spiral staircase, no wall he used moments before to steady himself on. James tries to put his arm through the archway, but an invisible wall blocks his path, his hands resting flat upon the darkness. James turns around, just sitting on the floor, looking around.

JHHIII: Now what?

James looks around the hall, observing everything in his path. The hall is narrow, yet well lit. Paintings rest on the wall, portraits of many unrecognized people. James stands up as he sees a door ajar at the end of the hallway, and stares down at it. James takes a deep breath and moves towards the door, glancing at the paintings as he passes. Military men in full dress uniform, posing in various ways, women in very old fashion clothing, of eras gone past. James strolls on, but as he does, the eyes of the paintings turn towards him. James pushes the door open to see the night sky in front of him.

JHHIII: Oh thank....

James stops mid sentence and looks down to see a roaring river, ten feet below him, yet only about six feet wide. James scratches his head, looking down at the water roaring back and forth, crashing against small rocks that barely peak above the water's surface. Just past the water is a forest, dense looking with trees with low hanging branches. James look at them and back down at the water. James turns and walks back down the hall, getting halfway down as he looks for other options. A splashing sound is heard, along with a huge rumble and James puts his head up, looking down the hallway to see a torrent of water heading in his direction. James spins around, looking at the open door and glancing quickly back at that water roaring towards him at an outstanding speed. James takes a deep breath and runs towards the open door, looking at the woods in the distance. The water starts to catch up with James, starting to bounce off his ankles as he picks up his speed, getting towards the edge, towards the open door. The water starts to build as James leaps through the open door, the force of the water behind him pushing him further. James crashes down on the grass on the other side of the river as the water from the hallway covers his body. After a few seconds, the water subsides, passing James by. James sits up, spitting water from his mouth, coughing and spluttering loudly, trying to clear the water from his lungs.

JHHIII: Salt water, disgusting.

James looks down at his clothes, now wet, tattered and covered in dirt. James folds his legs, looking at the river running past and flicking the wet droplets from his hair. His eyes hanging low as a tired expression crosses his now not so youthful looking face. James uses the moment of silence to reflect on everything that's happened so far, not quiet understanding any of it.

JHHIII: So my options now. Back in the house.

James looks up at the house he has just managed to get out from, it's bleak exterior a match from the decaying interior.

JHHIII: Or through the woods, where there's probably snakes, bugs and hook man murderers.

James stands back up, looking the house, then towards the trees behind him.

JHHIII: There's gotta be some kind of civilization on the other side that can tell me where I am and what's going on.

James pulls himself to his feet, his tired legs feeling heavier than before, as he turns to face the trees. He takes a slow step, lifting himself up and using the momentum to move forward, towards the first tree and past it, moving slowly in to the unknown. A twig cracks beneath James' foot, causing the youngster to jump and move through the forest at a faster pace, looking behind himself every few seconds as the forest becomes slightly denser, the light of the moon barely making its way through the trees. James trips over a fallen log, landing face first in a pool of mud.

JHHIII: That's it! I give up!

James sits up, wiping the mud out of his eyes and sitting with his arms folded across his chest. A low toned growls is heard in the distance. James eyes open wide as his heart beats faster.

JHHIII: Change of plans. I don't give up!

James springs to his feet and charges through the trees, stumbling over broken trees, and barely keeping his balance. James springs out of the trees, looking behind him to see the trees disappearing in the distance. James trips and falls, landing face first on grass. He looks up to see a cliff just a few feet away.

JHHIII: Now I give up.

Voice: You've exceeded all expectations James.

James rolls over, on to his back and sits up, overlooking the sea below the cliff, his legs and arms folded.

JHHIII: Yeah, whatever.

Voice: You really don't see it, do you?

JHHIII: Well it's dark.

James smiles a little smirk, proud of his sarcastic tone.

Voice: Allow me to inform your ill educated head.

A disgruntled look crosses James face.

JHHIII: Hey!

The voice ignores James and continues to fill the air with it's tone.

Voice: This is your mind talking James. I have taken a lot of your fears. Darkness, uncertainty, drowning, height, fear of the unknown, your own self loathing due to fear of failure and I have put them all in front of you today and you have past them all.

James scratches his head and looks down at his wet, mud covered heavy clothes.

JHHIII: What?

Voice: You were in a tower, yet you walked out in to the uncertainty, did you not?

JHHIII: Might have done.

Voice: You willingly jumped from a height, to not drown and walk in to the forest, by your own free will, correct?

JHHIII: Yep

Voice: You faced your fears head on James, you did that alone. There was no Simpson around you, there was no Giani Di Luca to protect you from your fears, you did this alone. You stood up to them all and faced them on your own.

JHHIII: Your point is?

Voice: My point James, you dirty little cretin, is that you've been sitting there for ages, scared to step up to the likes of Goth and Brother Grimm, because you're scared of them. Because you see them as superior natural beings than yourself. Every fear you faced, you over came. If you face the fear of Grimm and Goth, you can over come them too.

James smiles in to nowhere, just happy at his ordeal seemingly over.

Voice: No more fear James, no more fear.

JHHIII: No more fear, no more fear, no more fear.

James repeats the words as the world around him fades away. Simpson's voice is heard speaking in his low, polite and proper tone.

Simpson: Time to wake up master James.

James' eyes open, laying in his own neat and crisp bed, white sheets flow over James as the morning Beverly Hills sunshine breaks through the window.

JHHIII: No more fear Simpson, no more fear.

James' tired tone and mumbling confuses Simpson as James sits up in bed, looking at his surrounding and seeing he's back where he last remembered. His eyes open a little wider as a yawn escapes his lungs. James sits up and looks at Simpson.

Simpson: Indeed sir, no more fear.

James smiles, a rare occurrence for the young man. Simpson moves over to the bedroom balcony curtains, opening them up and letting in more sunshine.

JHHIII: Yep, I can face fear now.

Simpson: Glad to hear it master James, breakfast will be served in the dining hall shortly.

JHHIII: Excellent Simpson.

Confused by James' upbeat tone. Simpson nods and leaves the room, leaving James to get out of bed. James steps out of bed, wearing just boxers. James walks over to the balcony door, grasping the handle and pulling the door open, sliding it across and stepping out in to the warm California air. James looks around at the garden below, glowing green and vibrant. James talks to himself.

JHHIII: That dream was right, I don't have to be scared of those two, they're men in face paint and it's not even Halloween. They're just a pair of guys who like to dress up in make up. They should join up with that Hope dude and become the make up crew or something. There's no such thing as the Boogeyman, there's no such thing as vampires, there's no such thing as the supernatural or the occult. These are just men, men I no longer fear, men I can defeat, men who have those tag team titles and I want them. I make titles look super awesome. I made the roulette title look super awesome and that title looked super awesome on me, but now, I can go one step further. I'm gonna be a tag team champion after Into The Void II, because I'm not scared anymore to be it.

James taps his finger on his chin.

JHHIII: Maybe I wasn't so scared of them, but of being a champion again, but now, I'm not scared of anything. I'm gonna get in that ring, and not be scared of those two, and walk out with the titles, cause me and Giani are unstoppable, we're unbeatable, no one in their right minds will be able to stop us once we get those titles. We're gonna make those titles look so good. Then we're gonna go out and party like champions. because we really will be the champions and Goth and Grimm won't be able to stop me. They won't stand a chance, cause we're not afraid, we'll never be afraid of them, we'll never be scared. They'll title reign will be over soon and our will just be beginning. No one will take me as a joke anymore, no one will hold Giani back anymore, no one at all. Cause we're gonna be the champions and people will look up to us and want what we have, but they'll never get it.

A confident smile crosses James face.

JHHIII: They think they can scare me, they have another thing coming because they can't and when we get in to the ring with them, they're gonna be up close and person to see the best champions ever crowned.

James nods his head and turns to walk inside his home once more.

JHHIII: This is gonna be a good day and the best damn supercard ever!

James smiles as he walks off as the camera fades out.

[Brother Grimm]

 Clan Dalca Journals
Act 1; Scene 4

**translated from Romanian**

"I was loathe to admit it, but indeed the coven was correct."

"The only short coming, or weakness, that the Pale One had was the innocence of children. They were like a shining beacon, calling to him. Candy to the young. Water to the man dying of thirst. He had no interest in adults. Not unless they would somehow impede his goal toward the young target that had caught his particular fancy."

"It was indeed a mystery since the day that it had first plagued mankind and we recognized there was a threat; why the children? Why did he target children and children, only? He took absolutely no interest in the abduction of adults, nor those that were neither adult not child, but in between. It was our babes he wanted, and before I die, I would dearly love to know exactly why?"

"For the briefest of moments, after we had supped together than one fateful evening, I had asked the clan's matriarch what she believed to be the beast's motivation. She was wise, wiser than I, I must admit, and her beliefs were thought provoking."

"She told me she believed the Pale One stole only the young and did God only knows what with them as a means to rob the world of their innocence and vitality. Yes; vitality. The younger the victim, by far the greater potential that innocent soul carries. One snuffed out, it is no more. Another, by far more sinister and fearful theory she laid at my feet chilled me through to the very bones. She told me that this creature could very well consume these poor children, taking that vast vitality unto it's own. Thereby being the ultimate source of his power."

"I know not if either of these beliefs rings true for this monster, whatever he truly is, but if the Fates be on our side, after the `morrow, it will be a threat to this world no more."</color>

____________________

"I do not like this, Nicolai." Andrei said in a calm voice as he stared out of the smokey glass window of his cabin, watching the camp fires that were set in the clearing that his modest home was set in against the woods that surrounded it on all borders. He frowned in silent wonder at how the fires remained lit and the caravan dry, as a modest rain had broke through the gray clouds so high above in the twilight to nourish the land down below. This clan, whomever they truly were, could seemingly work miracles. Perhaps there really was hope now for success against the Enemy. Perhaps they could walk away from this not only victorious, but alive as well. He respected them, their strengths and abilities.

Their methods, however, left a foul taste in his mouth.

He heard the soft exhaling of a sigh from his dear friend and companion from across the room, behind him, and the tell-tale sound of the chair creaking against the floor as someone had stood up from his resting place.

"I know, Andrei." Nicolai whispered as he approached him from behind and took his place at the window so that he might look outside as well. A hand that was gentle in touch but rough with calluses from many years of hard work, both at home as well as on the field of battle, gripped his shoulder. "You have made that abundantly clear."

"I am serious, Nicolai." Andrei stated firmly as he turned around, placing his back to the window so that he might look directly into the eyes of his long time friend and companion.

"I know you are." Nicolai responded, brushing aside the cloth curtains that Andrei's own mother had fashioned so many years ago, so that he might steal a glance at the gypsies on the outside. He then released the drapes to fall back over the majority of the windows, leaving over it a sliver of a glance.

Nicolai turned to face Andrei directly and asked, "What is it? They've made their case, Andrei, and did so quite well." he shook his head and looked grave. "There is little other alternative if we are to lock the danger away."

Andrei glanced down toward the floor and inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a moment longer than normal and then he exhaled through his nose. He answered, "I know." He looked up at Nicolai who was at least four inches taller than he. He said, "It does not mean I have to like it, practical though it may be. There are risks."

"Of course there are risks." Nicolai said, raising his strong hand and resting it around his friend's back and on his left shoulder. "It would be foolish to believe otherwise. We are gathering forces to face Fear itself. Something that has preyed on the young since quite possibly time first began. This could well be our last night on this earth."

"You have a charming way about words." Andrei said with a hard tone, but the dancing laughter behind his eyes displayed his true affection for the man before him and the things he stated.

He then paused and turned his head to glance out through the parted spot in the curtains to the outside. The flames of the camp fires danced against the smokey glass of the cabin, crafting an illusion of flickering lights and dancing warmth. The only light in his own secure surroundings being that of the remaining lit embers in the fire that had once been within the brick chimney. That, and the one thick, pillar candle set on the chimney's mantle.

"Why this child, Nicolai?" Andrei asked absently. "What is it about this particular babe that would make it so valuable to the beast? There are a thousand others, the world over, that this evil would covet. Why then would it target this child specifically?"

Nicolai shook his head absently, knowing only as much on the matter as Andrei himself.

"I do not know." He stated. "I asked madam Nadya that very thing myself but it was a question she would not allow to be breeched. I can only imagine that the child holds some special sway to his heart to make it such an enticing mark."

"Sick." Andrei muttered through pursed lips as he took a step back away from the window and turned aside to take in the main room in all it's familiar glory.

He tucked his hands deeply into his pockets and savored what few meager memories that he could recall. Whispers of the ghosts of the past frolicked in his mind's eye, watching in memory as he, as a child, ran from the outside, trailing the cold snow in after him while the wind whipped outside. His mother scolding him for allowing the door to remain open and the snow being drifted in on wind and feet, ruining a floor she had just in fact, cleaned this very day. His father, a man he worshipped as an undaunting man amongst men, following him inside and dragging the Yule tree in after him.

He felt as if he was experiencing the cold chill all over again, that one night he woke up with those cold, amber eyes hovering over his small bed. How he cried out in alarm and his parents had swarmed in with his mother's four brother's, each armed. How close he came then to oblivion, and what had followed soon afterward.

And now, what was to come...

"Hey." Nicolai's gentle voice caressed his ear as he approached Andrei from behind. Nicolai's hand rested on the small of his back as he approached him from the right. Nicolai had a way of smiling that could warm the coldest of hearts and calm the most frightened and nervous of children. It was no less effective this evening as he spoke in soothing tones.

"I know you are thinking of times past, yet again." Nicolai said. "And I know you well enough to be able to tell that you are worried indeed over these matters yet to come. I am as well. However, I believe it would be within our best interests if we were to indulge our minds in more pleasant ways."

Andrei could only find a smile forming on his lips, a testament to his way with words, as much as the feel of his hand sliding down the small of his back to caress his backside. Andrei turned his head to steal a coy look, but found Nicolai's eyes that much more smoldering.

Andrei asked, "And what, pray tell, did you have in mind?"

Nicolai's hand on his buttocks, he reigned Andrei in close and answered, "If this is indeed to be our final eve on this good earth, then I propose that we aim to live a lifetime within a night."

He had invited the members of the coven to stay within the dry walls of his home, but was politely declined. They preferred their own homes, that being the three colorful wagons that they called their own; homes and travel accommodations together. Each member of the gypsy clan was seated outside, around the fires while they spoke privately to their own.

Andrei wished he knew what they were discussing between them. He imagined it had a great deal to do with the task that had been set before them by fate itself, and a hint to do with he as well. But all that was lost for the moment as he found himself in Nicolai's embrace, and a kiss that would steal the breath away from a Saint.

"Can they be trusted?"

The question came from the older of the men within the camp of the gypsy coven, a man by the name of Tamas. They had been conversing discreetly but not once did their eyes leave the window of the cabin, and they saw the two young men watching out toward them, and the final interaction before the lights inside had been extinguished.

"They can." Nadya said from the soft chair she sat on with all the regal purpose of a mall throne. Her family revered her as was proper for one that had reached such a glorious age. Her place in the encampment one of honor. She continued, "Nicolai has long been an honorary member of our family, as has his own mother and father. Warriors, each of them."

"And the other?" Jaelle, a middle aged woman asked as she relaxed by the fire, staring into the flames and trying to refrain from remembering the threat that they were all to soon fall upon.

"He is young." Tamas stated, matter of factly.

"Not much younger than Nicolai." Nadya said. "A year or two at the most. Nicolai has just seen more threats up close than has his friend."

"Friend." Guaril muttered, shaking his head as he dabbed at the roaring fire with the end of a dead sick. "You do not think their... friendship could pose a threat? Make them weak?"

"Idiot." Guaril's sister, Mirela, scolded. "Lovers of men are not weak, simply because of whom they choose to bed! Or would you call your own son 'weak' and a 'threat'?"

Guaril frowned at his sister for taking him to task before the rest of their family, but despite himself, his face softened as he glanced across the fire at his son, the aforementioned Pesha.

"No." Guaril admitted. "Pesha is strong."

"As is Andrei." Nadya stated. "He has suffered much loss, due to this very beast we hunt. Such loss crafts pain, and that pain will become the strength he will need to help us overcome the Pale One."</color>

____________________

"I have seen it written that fear is an emotion that can threaten to consume the very soul. To cry out when afraid, to scream, is to give vent to that very fear and be as a release against that which would threaten."

"To scream is to ease the source of your fear."</color>

____________________

Sighisoara, Transylvania, Romania

The cemetery was ancient by human standards, merely two hundred or more years since the first grave marker had been erected as a monument to one mourned. Yet for all the years that had passed, an ominous sensation of dread hovered over the entirety of this single place, much like an aura of fear. It was as though the very cemetery was alive with memory and warning against that which was soon to come.

Surrounded by old and withered trees that stretched forth into the darkened heavens over their heads, it took only moments for those who had come here to do battle with an ancient power to understand that it was also a place of power; a power that they could, and would, use against their enemy this evening.

The rain had blessedly stopped but the night sky was yet blotted by clouds of gray to which the stars and moon could only barely be seen by the naked eye. A cold wind blew across the horizon, scattering the dead leaves of the trees across the many acreage that made up this old place that housed the dead. The branches creaked overhead, interweaving the gnarled branches unto each other and crafting sounds that chilled those below, not knowing whether the sounds they heard were of natural causes -- or something else entirely.

Andrei slowly walked around an old bush that had more dead leaves and branches than live ones, a testament not only to where they stood, but what they were about to do. As he approached the side of Nicolai, both young men's eyes were locked ahead, hardened in heart and steel, as they watched the gypsy Mirela carry the child toward the center of the chosen spot. Andrei could only shake his head in pity for the young babe, who could not be more than a mere two or three years of age. In finally seeing the child up close and personal, he then knew why he was to be such a coveted prize by the target.

The child was thrice afflicted. Not only was he born blind, but deaf as well as mute. Cursed, but loved yet no less by his parents, the child had all the probability of feeling terror as anyone, yet with no voice, could not express that very fear nor give vent to it by crying out as any other child might.

"I had no idea." Nicolai whispered into the night, heard only by his companion as they watched Mirela set the young boy down on his own two feet.

The child made a croaking noise in his throat and reached up again toward her, but Mirela turned away and swiftly retreated into the night's shadows. Andrei's heart swelled with a pity he could not name at the sight of the blind child stumbling against the night, tears streaking from his eyes as the mucus did his nose. This poor child, who wanted nothing more than the comfort of an adults reassurance, was not being used as bait to spring a trap.

"If I had known..." Andrei hissed in a furor at the sight of the child being left stranded in this darkness, a terrible far swelling within his breast. "I would have..."

"Done nothing." The old voice of Nadya spoke from their side, startling both men. They had not even heard the old matriarch approach. "The child is safe."

"Safe?" Nicolai whispered with disbelieving tones. "He is out there, alone, while we stand back and watch and wait. How is that...?"

"The child is safe." Nadya repeated, this time with iron in her voice that ended their verbal joust. She turned her hardened eyes to the two men and said, "The child is protected by the Key of Solomon. There is no demon or beast that could harm any who stand within it's protective circle."

"And if he leaves the circle?" Andrei asked. Nadya frowned at the notion but before she could deign to answer his querie, a sharp scream cut across the night air. A scream of pain and terror.

Jaelle was risen higher into the air from her designated spot, the white hand grasping her by the throat. her eyes were swollen with a stark terror she had not expected to be stricken with as she stared down at the horror that had approached silently through the very shadows surrounding them. Her screams were then cut off as the powerful arm gave her a violent shake, and there was the snap of vertebrae and she screamed no more...

"It has begun..." Nadya whispered ominously.

____________________

Jaelle's death was but the first.

"We can not spring the trap!" Nadya pleaded, the grip of her old hands against Nicolai's sleeve surprisingly strong for one of her advanced years. "Not until the babe is removed from the circle!"

"We may have no choice!" Guaril shouted amidst the chaos as more screams from their family was heard as they did battle within the night against this single entity. "If we let him out, this will all be for naught!"

"No!" Nadya commanded with authority. "If the trap is sprung, the babe will be caught within it as well! I will not allow that!"

The body of Yoska flew through the air, a savage blow to his skull sending him hurling against a tree with such force that the breaking of the spine was but an inevitable end. Yoska felt no pain, as his body was paralyzed and the nerve endings virtually dead, but he remained just coherent enough to sense the shadow standing over him and his eyes widened with stark fear, more so than he had ever known; a receptacle of what it meant to be within such close proximity to this fell one.

The bare foot, pale as ivory, extended toward his face and nudged him. Toying, teasingly adding insult to injury as it bore into the gypsy's mind that this threat was far greater than any had anticipated.

The toes then pulled back and turned away from the fallen hunter, and it started to take steps past the bushes and rows of trees that seemed to die in wither and decay from his presence alone. Pale hands parted the thorned bushes in his path as the sight of the child came into it's view. A child that could provide such a meal as it had never known.

A rustle of limbs and it's head turned quickly and moved aside, into the shadows that the moon against the trees provided as a cover. Drina and her younger cousin Pesha moved into the vicinity, each armed with daggers etched with markings to be used against the darkness. Both were afraid. that much was obvious and could not be denied. The screams of their family as they sacrificed their very lives to combat the beast and lure it to where Nadya herself needed it to be were ones that would haunt them to the end of their days -- which was much closer than any expected.

The two cousins turned back to back, so that they could keep a closer watch from both directions. Yet neither thought to look 'up'. Nobody ever does. The pale form glistened in the sparkle of the moon's light as it descended the largest tree at their side, upside down like some fell creature stalking them -- and it was. It was but a foot above their heads and their increasing sense of dread gave Drina herself the cause to look up and her throat was paralyzed in fright as the two pale hands darted down and yanked her off of her feet and upwards! Pesha spun around, and he looked up but there was nothing there! No Drina... nothing.

"Drina!" He cried, his voice quaking in the fear that threatened to consume him. The shadows parted from behind him and 'it' emerged and yet another sharp cry was heard by those few who remained.

"My God..." Andrei whispered as the pale specter was finally seen by his own eyes, emerging from the forest's dead growth and into the clearing, only mere yards away from the child.

"We can not allow it to pass!" Guaril growled and he rushed from the bushes to intercede the ghost's progress toward the child. The Pale One turned casually towards the oncoming gypsy and Guaril swung his arm, attempting to use other means, ones mystic and misunderstood by nature, to attack but the being merely flinched and was nudged back a step at most. Guaril's actions were ineffective as any of the others. What power he and his bloodline wielded a pale comparison to this most ancient of forms. The nails of this 'demon' extended into claws and with a wild swing, Guaril fell to the ground, his jugular shredded open and his eyes seeing no more.

It then turned again toward the child.

"The baby...! What..!?"

Andrei turned but Nicolai had already sprung into action, shouting to Nadya, the final remaining member of her clan...

"Do it! Now!"

Andrei turned his head sharply toward the matriarch and cried out, "No!"

But she had already brought her hand up and clasped her hand shut in a tight grasp, and whatever misunderstood power she and her kind wielded did it's job. Holy oil, invisible to the naked eye and unable to be detected by scent had been used liberally earlier in the night by her children's children to draw the most potent of symbols in this clearing, large enough to cover the entire perimeter. The moment the beast stepped into the clearing, the spark was ignited and the flames had started to burn in succession.

Andrei shook his head and dug down deep, by passing all fear he held and he also ran forth as quickly as he could, and ran right past Nicolai and into the emerging flaming circle! Andrei scooped the babe up into his arms and ran as fast as his legs could carry him and he jumped through the growing flames to the safety of the outside! He had saved the child but he turned and saw the enemy walking toward the flames, the symbol's burning not yet in completion.

This is where Nicolai's true heart and bravery showed as he ran up from behind and he tackled the creature's bended knee, taking it to the ground! The creature cursed in an unknown tongue as Nicolai wrestled with it, somehow his own strength magnified by the growing potency of the trap against the fell being! The circle surrounded the two as they fought their way to their feet and a dark shadow was suddenly torn from the host body of the creature, and held tightly within Nicolai's arms.

The voice called out to each of them, no source could be seen but their ears all heard, "You think to entrap me!? By a mere symbol of the God Jehovah! I who have been around since before this Godling was even a mere thought to the masses!"

"Not forever, creature." Nadya stated, stepping closer as the symbol's growth finally was completed.



"No Christian trap can contain one such as you." Nadya continued. "But the Light, that is however a different story. A prison of never ending light to contain the shadows of your blasphemous soul. That is your fate."

She closed her eyes and held up a charm that dangled from a silver chain. The beast's struggles intensified when Nicolai growled through clenched teeth... "You have preyed on your last child!"

Nadya begun to chant, "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus
omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio
infernalis adversarii, omnis legio,
omnis congregatio et secta diabolica..."

The flames grew hotter ... higher ... brighter. The light was growing painful to the eyes but Andrei could not bear to tear his gaze away as he held the child protectively in his arms. He refused to look away from the same eyes that looked into his own as the prison trap was sprung.

Nicolai's.</color>

____________________

"It did not go as expected. We were indeed successful against the beast, but with many casualties and much sacrifice. More than I do care to remember. Perhaps that is why the memories are so vague of that dark night. To keep the pain of my own fresh loss at bay. All I could do from then on was to remember with love those that I had lost, and look to the future with one whom I hoped to grow to love as well."</color>

____________________

Within the witch's hut, there was but a shard of mirror hung over the mantle of her fireplace. The visage of Brother Grimm turned to look into it and he smiled as he looked into the reflection of Nicolai's former image. A cold smile crossed his blackened lips.

"If he only knew, he would be rolling over in his grave."</color>

____________________

"How amusing. It would seem as if a memory, a piece of my own glorious history is set due to repeat itself in just a manner of days. Oh I admit that I revel in looking back unto the past and thinking of those souls lost before me, but it would seem this one I am remembered to take a particular delight in."

"The man child known within the circles of the ring as the proverbial Brat Prince, James Huntington-Hawkes III. Oh my young friend, how I have kept a close eye on you. As has my benefactress. Oh yes she has taken as much an interest in you as I, if not more so. I understand you recently went for a short stroll within the recesses of the mind, through the Black woods she calls home. A true shame you did not venture just a bit further in. You might have come upon a delightful cottage of sweets and gingerbread and paid her a visit. Oh she would have appreciated that. These days she gets so little company, yet that is neither here nor there. We have met before, young one, and now you are doomed to meet me once again, with far more on the line. Do I refer to the meaningless gold that is worn around the waist and coveted by so many of your peers? No, I do not. Oh that is perhaps the reason for your own joint venture with your partner into the annals of threat, but it is not my own. For you see, I knew that as time went on, these golden belts would act as a beacon for the souls that I might find ... a treasure. I saw you and knew immediately I had to have you for my own. A young man that has yet to mature from the mediocrity of childhood. You who believe that his heart's desires should be handed to him without so much as a struggle, simply because you have more than most others. An amusing belief, but one that will hold no weight once the time comes where we meet in combat. You are young, inexperienced, whereas I have been fighting such duels for an untold millennia. Your soul will be claimed for my own trophy, whereas that tender flesh of yours will be given to my Hostess for her stew pot. You will prove quite the meal for us both."

"But I see this time you will not be alone. You bring the larger, more mature combatant, Giani Di Luca to be both your partner as well as your protector. It is of little importance. He will be no more able to protect you from your fallen destiny than he will prove successful at defeating Goth and myself in our formal duel. Giani Di Luca. A strong man. A proud man. But like all men who have met me before in times such as these, that pride will do you little good. I will haunt you until your spirit breaks, Giani. And once your spirit has been broken, the body is but a mere formality. You can not fight the darkness that threatens to swallow you whole. Others have tried. Others have discovered the light is ineffectual. For even when there is light, somewhere, somehow, a shadow survives."</color>

[Christian Underwood]

 The first deadline has passed. We are now into the second RP period.

[Giani Di Luca]

 {Everyday I’m Shufflin’}

“Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO plays in the background, but fades out just a bit as we move on.  The screen starts off in an ominous black until a faint light shines through.  It casts a silhouette upon a figure sitting in a lonely directors chair.  The light flashes by slowly until it reveals a quick glance at a face.  A pale face, accented by a labret stud, an eye brow ring on the right eyebrow, and a devious smile surrounded by a dark scruff comes into view.  The light flashes across the animalistic eyes of Spike Staggs before moving behind him to cast the silhouette once more.

Spike:  When I first saw “The Italian Stallion” Giani Di Luca, I saw raw talent.  I saw someone destined for greatness in this business.  When I watched him perform in B*censored*, I saw the future…

We fade into a clip of Giani Di Luca, his body glistening as he jumps around the ring, pumping his fist in the air after a victory over his first fallen opponent, a red-haired freak.  He climbs a turnbuckle and shouts out at the audience who has immediately fallen in love with him.  He beats on his chest and then points out to the audience with the brightest smile we have ever seen on him.  As the scene continues, Spike’s voice over begins again.

Spike:  I knew from the moment his name travelled across the N*censored* circuit that I wanted him in the New X-Tremes.  His charisma alone was enough to pack any venue B*censored* or Sin City Wrestling could book.  When you added in his confidence, and his power, and his skill, he was almost the perfect performer…

We fade into another clip of Giani training with Spike Staggs in Staggs Dungeon.  He is sparring with another unknown student.  He hits a vicious shoulder butt that levels his opponent.  He raises his arms into the air, shrugging it off.  We go into slow motion as we watch Spike clapping in the background.  Giani picks his opponent up and flings him into the ropes, measuring him up for the picture perfect hip toss.  Once the opponent lands on the ground, we return to normal speed as Giani lets out a shout of joy.

Spike:  The only things Giani needed to learn was discipline and ambition.  I was going to teach him those things, but he was so stubborn.  I knew then that is was going to take a very long time to teach him anything.

The light behind Spike fades out and the screen returns to black.  The sound of a record scratching abruptly ends the music playing before.  The electronic buzz of “Wrecked” by Killbot takes over as a clip of Giani Di Luca is shown where he first invaded Sin City Wrestling to fight with Jamie Staggs.  Giani is seen wiping down the catering table backstage with Jamie before flinging him into a locker room door.  He tangles his fingers in Jamie Staggs’ hair and drags him to the shower where Bombshell Kittie is showering.  She fleas quickly, shouting, but Giani pays her no mind as he bashes Jamie’s face into the wall, busting him open.  A sinister look spreads over his face, but only long enough for us to pause on it.  We return back to the black screen again, as the light slowly wanders over Erik Staggs’ face.  It highlights the scar on his right cheek, before resting on the eyes that are just as animalistic as Spike’s.  After a moment, it fades behind him.

Erik:  When I saw Giani for the first time, I saw an under-utilized powerhouse.  I couldn’t stand watching him blindly following my nephew.  If Mr. Di Luca didn’t do great things in his career on my watch, I would have failed as a member of the SCW staff.  Sadly, he was being held back by Spike and the rest of the New X-Tremes…

A clip of Giani walking onto the cruise ship at SCW’s Summer XXXTreme in 2012 begins playing.  After having mended his problems with Jamie Staggs, joined together by Aleksei Koji, they interrupt Spike Staggs on the mic as the audience looks completely shocked.  The three men get in the faces of the NXT group.  Spike reaches in for the first strike… only to rip off Aleksei’s Party Horde hoodie to reveal an NXT shirt.  Jamie and Giani pull their hoodies off to reveal the same shirt.  We focus in on Giani who is proudly displaying his NXT shirt as Erik’s voiceover begins again.

Erik:  As much as I pushed for him, they would never give him a fair shot because of his alliance with the next Heavyweight Championship contender.  He was too big to compete for the Roulette title apparently, so where else was he supposed to go but the back of the line?  We all know my opinion on the matter, that if you didn’t kiss someone’s ass, you would get nowhere.  Sound familiar? I guess SCW did learn something from it’s time with the NeWA… Haha, you couldn’t censor that one quick enough, could you?

The final clip is a vignette of Giani, starting off with his defending of Spike Staggs once Casey Williams turned his back on NXT, only to turn around and attack him with the Jersey Turnpike, leaving him out cold on the mat.  We move on to his involvement with former SCW Bombshell Faith, refusing to tag in to save his partner before stepping off of the mat.  The next altercation with her is when he nearly Jersey Turnpikes her, only to have Erik stop him.  We fade through his powerful shoulderbutts to various opponents, leaving them all on the mat as he flips his fingers under his chin at them.  We return to the green room where Erik Staggs sits in full lighting.  The Sin City Wrestling logo is represented behind him.  He folds his hands together on his lap as he flashes a half smirk at his work with transforming Giani.

Erik:  Giani always had the keys to success.  He just needed to be presented with a door to open instead of being met with red tape.  When I first approached him after his SCW contract signing, he wanted nothing to do with me because he had his loyalties.  Every time I brought up the possibilities, he continued to refute them.  It wasn’t until his good friend Casey saw what a bunch of horse shit the New X-Tremes really was that Giani started to open his eyes.  He saw all of the hypocrisy surrounding him.  All of the bullshit beaurocracy that held him back was just the motivation he needed to see things my way.

Erik stares deep into the camera, showing his own intensity and his pride in what he has done.  The screen fades to black as we fade into an empty green room once again.  This time, the directors chair has been replaced by Giani’s maroon and white gold throne.  On one of the arms is a bottle of Smart Water, glistening under the spotlight.  Seconds later, Dean Lombardo walks into the room, rolling out what looks to be a short red carpet.  Giani follows behind closely, wearing his maroon and white fur garb over his shoulders, and a crown that matches his throne exactly.  He takes a seat on his throne before kicking his feet up ninety degrees from the ground.  Dean quickly moves a maroon ottoman under them, and then moves behind the throne, popping open the Smart Water before moving half way off screen.  Giani lifts the bottle of water to his lips before looking directly at the camera.  His New Jersey accent really contrasts with what he is about to say, but it doesn’t stop him.

Giani:  Hello all of my faithful Subjects of Sin, yaknowhatimsayin’?  It’s good to be here in front of ya with all ya attentions and whatnot.  I wanted to give everyone a glimpse of my humble beginnin’s.  I started out as a jester of the court.  I was nothin’ but a f*ckin’ joke to you all.  Yet ya loved me for it.  Ya loved watchin’ me bang a bunch of commoner whores.  Ya loved seein’ me dance provocatively, makin’ ya panties and briefs a little wet, right?  Ya loved watchin’ me pop tags and down booze like water.  Ya loved watchin’ my life spin outta control, and never havin’ enough of the party.  Love me or hate me, you watched me cause you liked watchin’ me commit any and every sin.  Short of murderin’ someone and bitchslappin’ my mom and dad, I did every single one of them in the book, and ya couldn’t get enough of it!

Giani raises his arms into the air as if he were celebrating this fact.  He takes a deep breath as he slowly brings his arms out to his side, then back down to the arm rests.  He looks back at the camera, his deep brown eyes focusing in on the lens, and you could almost swear they flashed red for a brief second as his smile grows.

Giani:  Don’t worry… I’m here to drink, fight, lie, cheat, steal, and fuck to my hearts content.  But I’m gonna win championships, and I will do so in a way that only ya King can do it.  Inside of that ring, I’m gonna be as noble as I can, earnin’ titles and victories, just to prove my greatness to all the haters, er… doubters?  Nah, I like “haters” better…  Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.  I’m on a war path, and I’m gonna destroy anythin’ and anyone in my way, dawg…

Giani stares at the lens with an intensity burning in his eyes.  He reaches his hand back toward Dean while never taking his eyes off of the camera.  Dean hands him a cell phone.  Giani looks at the vibrating device and then kicks the ottoman out of his way.  He stands up and walks toward the door, answering the phone as his voice slowly trails off.

Giani:  Hi, Necra…?  Yeah, I need that thin’ we was talkin’ about there the other day…

Dean’s sunglasses cover his eyes, but his slow head turn lets us know that he is keeping a close eye on Giani.  Once Giani is out of the room, Dean presses a button on the wall and the screen scrambles…

{End Cut Scene}


{Nightmare!!!}

Giani comes crashing through his hotel room door, a drunken stupor.  He has a bag in his hand, but he just giggles to himself.  He looks around at the white walls that spin around him.  He closes his eyes briefly, then he opens them ever so slightly, straining his eyelids as he attempts to get a hold of himself and his surroundings.  He wobbles on his feet, stumbling forward a few steps.  He finds himself in a rare predicament where he has come home from the clubs alone, so there is no one there to help him to the bed where he would usually cast his spell on a random female.  He hears a tribal sort of music playing in his mind as he walks across what might be a luxury studio apartment to most.  The bed seems like it is a mile away, and the more Giani walks toward it, the further away it appears.  He flings his crown to the floor, hoping that the weight difference might make his journey a little bit easier.  He sheds the fur garb to the ground as he clutches the bag tightly to his chest.  The music seems to haunt him desperately as he makes his way closer to the reverie of the bed.  Once he finally makes it there, he collapses face first, his arms sprawled out above him.  He releases the bag from his grasp as he groans.  He might have had one too many drinks, but he is a soldier, and he will fight through it.  Everything would be alright with his gift from Necra Octavian Kaine.  He pulls out seven candles from the bag, and then he tugs on a brown leather strip.  He stops and groans, finally lifting his head up from the red and gold plush comforter.  He studies the piece as he slowly removes it from the bag.  The tribal chant becomes louder as a female voice bellows out an enchanting harmony.  Giani’s vision focuses in for the slightest of seconds to see an interesting take on a dream catcher.  The web is lined with what appears to be chicken bones, smeared with blood.  The beads dangling from the circular piece appear to be human molars.  Below the “beads” are large black crow feathers.  Giani grimaces at the piece and then shakes his head.

Giani:  The fuck is this?!? If I wasn’t gonna havum nightmares before, sure as fuck am now…

He readies himself to toss it on the ground, but then he remembers the story James had told him about nearly a week ago, and he did not want to be bothered by such things so close to a major title match, especially one that could very well define his career.  He hangs it over the bed post on the right side on the bed.  He places three candles on the nightstand to the left, lighting them with a match that he doesn’t even remember lighting.  He shrugs his shoulders and then crawls across the California King Bed and goes to light the other four, only to see they are already lit.  He sits there, confused for a moment.  As the enchanting music continues, he blinks to find the book of matches burning his fingertips.  He winces and quickly waves them out.  He sets the burned book down on the nightstand, next to a few crystals arranged in a very specific order.  He watches the light of the candles reflect from them as if they were absorbing the light.  Giani blinks once more and his clothes are on the floor next to his bed.  He looks down to see himself completely undressed and he gasps.  He blinks once more and his head is firmly planted on the pillow and he is on his side.  The hands of the clock on the wall spin around quickly.  The windows flash as the sun and the moon rapidly and repeatedly switch places.  The stars turn to fluffy clouds, then back.  A child-like laughter is heard, and Giani just clinches his eyes together.

Giani:  Lesson of the… night folks… Mansinthe equals… bad…

Giani’s breaths pick up rapidly as the laughter gets louder and echoes more.  He shakes his head from side to side slowly until the laughter finally stops.  He slowly opens his eyes to see a woman with blonde dreadlocks and a white skull design painted over her face.  Her bright blue-green eyes sparkle in the candles light as she hovers over him, practically nose to nose.  He lets out a scream and she disappears.  Giani pants heavily as he is covered in sweat.  His eyes dart all over the room, taking his time with inspecting things.  Once he is finally pleased with the result, he lies down on his back.  His vision blurs again as he tries to blink it back to normal.  He goes to take a deep breath when he notices a white rag going over his face.  He sees a figure in a black butchers outfit standing above him, his face shrouded by a mask.  Giani goes to scream as he sees the dream catcher is no longer on the bedpost.  A soft chiming noise fills his head as his body loses all control and everything fades to black.

”Whe-where am I?”

Giani’s eyes slowly open as he hears a chainsaw starting up and a maniacal laugh.  What makes it worse is the wicked guitar riff and heavy drums that mimic the beating of his heart.  His eyes shoot open as he looks around him.  A dark, damp, stone dungeon has him contained.  He sees a door to his left as the butcher is busy setting a wicked tone for his prisoner.  Giani tries to pull himself from the cold steel table, but he is held tightly in place by lots of sturdy plastic wrap.  He rolls his eyes at the irony that he had just mentioned his enthusiasm about the new season of Dexter starting in a week.  He tries as hard as he can to rip himself free, but it is to no avail.  He shouts out in a mixture of panic and frustration.

Giani:  Wha-what the fuck is goin’ on here, bro!?

Of course the answer was pretty obvious to him, but in case it wasn’t, the loud screeching voice of the song blaring within the chamber lets him know exactly what is going on…

NIGGGGGHHHHHHHHTMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRE!!!

Giani groans at the added irony, and his pulse slows down.  He stops struggling and just stares over at his side with a big smile on his face.  The butcher runs a piece of flint over the blade of a hunting knife.  Once he is satisfied, he sets it down and picks up a machete.  He runs the flint over the blade as he turns around.  The smoke from the chainsaw slowly wafts over to Giani, making him cough a little.  The butcher walks over to Giani and as he reaches Giani’s feet, he begins softly dragging the blade of the machete up Giani’s leg.  He stops at Giani’s pelvis and grips the machete tightly.  He raises it up and goes to slice Giani’s biggest pride and joy, but he stops, causing Giani to laugh loudly.

Giani:  Look, dawg… I already know you can’t hurt me.  It’s a nightmare.  It’s just some kinda voodoo magic trick by Bother Grimm to throw me off my game.  Hate to break it to ya, but it ain’t gonna work…

Butcher:  You should have known the price of evil, Giani…

The voice is oddly soothing in its low, raspy monotone.  It was almost like a book on tape.  Giani sticks his tongue out to tease the butcher so he can goad him into getting the first painless stab done and over with.  Instead, he is only given a faint chuckle before he begins dragging the blade of the machete across his chiseled stomach.

Butcher:  And it hurts to know that you belong here, right on my table… yeah? I mean… It’s your fucking nightmare.

The butcher lets out some sort of almost sultry “ooooh” as he turns the blade sideways against Giani’s left nipple.  He digs it in, but barely nicks it.  Giani winces as he feels every bit of unnerving pain.  He watches the smallest trickle of blood dripping down his side.  He lets out a slight yelp as he drugs the blade up his chest, leaving a painful crimson trail in the process.

Butcher:  And now your nightmare comes to life, “my king”.  You can’t wake up in sweat, because it ain’t over yet!  You are still dancing with your demons because you are now a victim of your own creation.

Giani:  How FUCKING original, bro!  You are just repeating what the screaming shithead in the song is singing.

The butcher buries the machete into Giani’s side, causing him to howl out in horrible pain.  The butcher hovers over Giani, slamming his hands against the steel table.  He gets face to face with Giani… well, with a tinted plastic facial barrier between them.  Giani quickly tilts his head back, allowing his chin to knock the face guard back.  He sees Spike Staggs staring back at him.  Those diamond eyes are shooting daggers of ice at Giani with every second that they stay locked.  Giani tries to close his eyes, but Spike doesn’t allow it.  He digs his gloved fingers into his eye sockets, stopping the lids from closing.

Giani:  But… but I don’t feel guilty for what I did to you!  And I sure as hell didn’t stab you in ya FUCKIN’ side!

Spike:  Yeah, you planted the knife right in my back, gweed.  Right through my once kind heart.  But that is only a fraction of what you are here for.  Somewhere deep down, you do feel guilty for what you’ve done.  You believe that your evils will go unpunished because you are young, dumb, and full of… shit!  Your guilt drives you to overcompensate by trash talking me on social networking sites and trying to steal my sloppy seconds.  You desire to be me more than anything.  You are just too blind to see it.

Giani:  FUCK YOU!

Spike:  Fuck me?  Fuck you, BOY!

Spike retracts the machete from Giani’s side and runs the bloody blade against Giani’s lips, painting them the wicked crimson shade.  He leans down and runs his serpent tongue over Giani’s lips, causing him to sputter in disgust as he groans in pain.

Spike:  Now that I’m gone, what excuse do you have for not doing a damned thing?  I supposedly held you back, but ever since you turned on me, you have done nothing more than you did when you were on my side.

Giani:  That’s not true!  I been booked and defeated all kinds of people.  I’m risin’ to the top, bro.  You’re just jealous that it didn’t take me a decade to get famous.

Spike drags the blade across Giani’s face, slicing at the God-like exterior.  Giani whimpers as he tries to turn his head to the side to avoid it.  Instead, he gets a sloppier cut that goes deeper than was intended.

Spike:  Oooooh… that is going to scar goooood!  Thanks.  I mean, I wasn’t ready to go that far yet, but now your perfect face will have an imperfection, a stigmata for all of the sins you have committed to myself and others.  How fitting, hmm?

Giani:  I’m still good lookin’.  I still caught more tail than you ever did, Spike.  I’m gonna be bigger than your sorry ass coulda ever hoped to be.  Ya worthless, and all you can ever do is haunt me with ya pathetic ghost.

Spike:  But I’m not dead. I’m very real, and so is the pain I have planned for you.  And the best part is that you are so deep in sleep that we have about six and a half more hours of fun before you can even try to wake up.  I really should thank Brother Grimm for this opportunity…  Do you think a card could say enough thanks?

Spike walks over to his table of “toys” and sets the bloody machete down.  He runs his fingers over a variety of torturous tools until he goes with a blow torch.  He grins as he turns back to Giani.  Giani is almost in tears as he whimpers.  Once he sees the blue flame, he lets out an almost blood curdling shout.

Giani:  No! NOOO!  I’m SORRY!

Spike:  You don’t even know how sorry you are yet, Giani.

Spike brings the scolding hot torch down to Giani’s chest.  The smell of burning flesh makes Giani vomit in between painful screeches.  Spike uses the fire to forge the characters “NXT 4 LIFE” down his chest and stomach.  Picks up a bucket of ice and dumps it over Giani’s blistered skin, causing a lot of it to melt upon contact.  Spike brings the flame toward Giani’s face when a hand reaches out of nowhere and stops him.  Spike turns around with a look of anger on his face.  He sees no one.  As Giani looks at the butcher, wondering why he hasn’t made a move yet, he sees the face of Jamie Staggs there instead.  He seems almost as confused as he is in agony.

Jamie:  Sup scro?  You didn’t think I forgot you, did you?  I mean, I got a kid and all, but I am not so stupid that I forgot all about our past.  I forgave you cause I thought you changed.  I thought you were cool, but you were always that same selfish jackass, weren’t you?

Giani:  My problem wasn’t with you, Jamie.  My problem was with your brother.  You was just the idiot who stuck around and let him use you.  You were too stupid to realize it.

Jamie:  Nope.  I had loyalty to my brother.  Sure we had our problems, but who doesn’t?  I wanted to help my brother cause he is blood.  I wanted to help you cause you were a friend.  Not no more.  You are nothing but a cheating, lying Eggs Benedict.

Giani:  Benedict Arnold?

Jamie:  WHATEVER!  For that, you get the peens!

Giani furls his eyebrows, looking up at Jamie as if he had expected anything more from his former dimwitted friend.  Jamie gets a twisted smile on his face.  Before Giani can even ask what “peens” was, Jamie brings the blow torch down to his cheek.  Giani shouts out in the ultimate pain as Jamie firmly holds his head in place.

Jamie:  Sit still scro!  You’re gonna make me mess up my art work!

Giani jerks, trying his hardest to escape the pain, but Jamie’s grip is way too tight.  Jamie sticks his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrates.  Jamie narrows his eyes until he finishes the last little detail.  He reaches into the bucket of ice and grabs a handful.  He smears it over Giani’s scarred face.  As the ice falls away, the child-like rendition of male genitalia is permanently etched on Giani’s face, with the very tip touching the corner of Giani’s lips.  Giani grunts from the intense pain he is in as Jamie giggles.  He puts his arms out at his side and flies around the room in an airplane-like motion.  He suddenly stops and brings the flame to Giani’s forehead.  He writes “KKUS I” in backward letters with an arrow pointing down to the blistered drawing of male genitalia.  He giggles and then drops the blow torch as someone invisible flings him against the wall, sending him through it.  The bricks pull themselves back in place after Jamie’s exit.  However, a new butcher is standing by with a pair of scissors.  This one is none other than Jericho Hill.  He looks down at the helpless, whimpering Giani and he smiles sweetly.

Jericho:  It is okay, brother.  I am here to save you.  I’m here to take away your pain.  You can wake up now.

He brings the scissors to the very edge of the plastic that is binding him to the table.  He cuts away at it, just short of his genitalia, and then he stops.  Jericho curiously inspects the blistered script on his torso.  He looks up to Giani’s face, and he takes a deep breath, gasping on it as his eyes widen.

Jericho:  You’re a liar.  You’re a LIAR!  There is nothing noble about you.  You are no king, you are just some sorry piece of trash who wishes they were good enough to be in my presence.  You are a scared little boy running around acting like you are ten times better than you are.

Jericho raises the scissors in the air, letting them gleam in the light before bringing them down through his right arm.  Giani howls out in pain, almost unable to speak from the sheer agony he is feeling.

Giani:  I am… I-I… I am the best in the world!

Jericho:  What exactly makes you the best?  Is it your perfect body?  No, it can’t be  that because you are mutilated and you have a COCK on your face!  Is it all of your powerful friends? No, because you stab them all in the back.  Is it your skill…?

Giani:  YES!  It’s my skill!  I’m a freakin’ beast in the ring.  That’s why you should take the scissors outta my arm right now!

Jericho thinks it over for a second.  He lightly taps his chin, leaving a bloody print on it.  Finally, he shrugs his shoulders and jerks the scissors out of Giani’s arm.  As blood squirts out everywhere, Jericho frees up the left arm.  He holds onto Giani’s hand, patting it as Giani comes to terms with the pain he is feeling.  His shallow breaths are the only true sign of his pain.  Jericho tenderly rubs his friend’s hand, paying close attention to his fingers.

Jericho:  Let me tell you a nursery rhyme to calm you down, friend. This little piggy went to the market…

Jericho quickly snips off Giani’s thumb, causing him to scream out in pain once more.  He grabs onto Giani’s index finger and holds it out straight as he stares into Giani’s eyes.

Jericho:  … and THIS little piggy stayed home…

He snips off the index finger and Giani whimpers loudly.  He groans and tries to mutter out some sort of plea for Jericho to stop, but this God-like person shows no mercy as he moves over to the ring finger.  He wiggles it around gently.

Jericho:  This little piggy had roast beef…

Jericho snips it off quickly and then presses the blade of the scissors against Giani’s pinky finger, pressing down just hard enough for Giani to feel the blade digging into his skin.  His blood pours out as he silently pleas with Jericho through his tears.

Jericho:  … and this little piggy had none… Do you know what the last little piggy did?

Giani:  HE WENT “WEE WEE WEE” ALL THE WAY HOME!

Jericho gasps sarcastically as he claps his hands together for Giani.  Giani takes short breaths, trying to mentally force the pain from his mind.  Jericho kneels down at Giani’s side.

Jericho:  Very good, Gi…

Jericho walks over to the table and picks up the chainsaw, causing Giani to start his pleas once more.

Giani:  Nuh, nuh, no, no, no, NO, NOOOO!

Jericho:  He went wee…

Jericho slices Giani’s arm off quickly and precisely.  He walks around the table and raises it up into the air.

Jericho: … wee…

He slices off Giani’s other arm, eliciting a strange mutter gargling in response.  “… wee… all the way home…”  With each word comes another slash that incapacitates Giani.  Nothing but a bloody mess is left in his place, and a painful murmur echoing off of the walls.  From behind Jericho comes Misty, wearing a black veil with drops of blood dripping from it.  Accompanying her is James Huntington-Hawkes the third, wearing a black dress suit with a black rose in his hand.

JHHIII:  He was a great tag team partner.  So much talent has gone to waste.

Misty:  He was as good a tag team partner as he was a friend…  By that, I mean not very…  Other than that cheese grater of a stomach and an ass you could bounce quarters off of, he was a useless loudmouth… Too bad I never got to give him a proper go…

JHHIII:  Yeah… I mean the tag titles.  We woulda been unstoppable.  It is so disappointing.  Even if he was a selfish prick, he sure could fight…

Misty and James both set their black roses down on the bloody mess on the table, staring down at it.  Misty looks over to James and she begins running her fingers tenderly up and down his arm.

Misty:  I had high hope for him myself, as my king.  I was going to ride him into the sunset like my name was Annie Oakley.  But, a Prince wouldn’t be so bad, I guess…

James thinks it over carefully, studying her pale skin with a grimace.  He looks down to her chest and then he doesn’t mind it so much.

JHHIII:  So… you mean I get to grab your boob?

Misty:  You can grab anything you like as long as you…

Misty leans in and whispers something into his ear.  James nearly faints from excitement.  He lets out a loud “OKAY!” as Misty leads him toward the door.  Jericho leans his head back and cackles loudly.

Just then, Giani’s eyes shoot open to see he is back in his hotel room.  He throws the blanket down to his waist, seeing his perfect body completely intact.  He grabs onto a mirror and sees a little note attached.  He rips it off of the mirror and sees the following written in neat cursive.

”Greed, pride, and all selfish desire
Will send you to burn deep down in the fire
I will tell you, but only if I must
Betrayal, envy, and your own distrust
A bath in your own blood and you may be clean
But upon your face, there will always be peen…

You have just been D*CK’D!
XOXO Jamie Staggs”

Sure enough, Giani sees the male genitalia marked upon his face in black ink, down to the infantile squigglies on the half circles on his cheek.  He lets out a growl and sets the mirror back on his night stand before shouting at the top of his lungs ”DEAN!!! GET YA USELESS ASS IN HERE RIGHT NOW AND SCRUB THIS PENIS OFF MY FACE!!!”  He pulls on a pair of gym shorts and slides some Nike sandals over his feet as he stomps around angrily, but still in a bit of shock from his horrific dream.

{I Got My Speakers On Wrecked}


{Meet And Greet at RIMAC}
Saturday June 15th, 2013 2:57pm

The entire University of California San Diego campus was buzzing all week for the arrival of Sin City Wrestling Stars and Bombshells for an exciting meet and greet session.  From 3pm to 6pm, several of the top stars were slated to be ready to get close and personal with their fans.  The crowds had gathered around the annex building to the arena.  The usual window dominated back is now covered by a large SCW promotional graphic strategically placed in each window, depicting Christian Underwood and “Hot Stuff” Mark Ward on one side with Nick Jones and Tom Dudely on the other.  SCW crews were hurrying around the outside to finish preparing the area for the event.  The crowd goes wild when Justin Decent walks out of the door and onto the red carpet dressed in his usual lycra shorts and Chippendale’s neck tie.  He has a microphone in his hand as the crowds draw in closer.

Justin Decent:  Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to one of many events preparing for our biggest show to date… INTO THE VOID TWOOOOO!  We have a chance for you to mingle with many of the top SCW stars such as…

Just then, he is cut off when the speakers blare “Wrecked” by Killbot.  The audience immediately begins booing the music as they know what is to follow.  Camera crews file out of the annex building and out into the common area, making sure they are set up to catch every possible angle of Giani Di Luca’s perfection.  Justin Decent argues with a couple of them, as stage hands come to assist him in his argument.  Giani comes strutting out onto the carpet with his arms out at his side.  He is wearing his usual garb over his back as well as his maroon and white gold crown.  Holding his arms out to his side, he welcomes the “warm” embrace of the audience as he does a slow half turn.  He lifts up his garb to show off his toned backside and gives it a smack.  As he finishes his turn, he takes a couple more swaggering steps forward.  He quickly scans the audience and then he flips his fingers under his chin, exclaiming “FUHGEDDABOUDIT!!!”  This causes them to boo louder.  Justin walks up to Giani personally and begins asking him to return to the back.  He takes hold of Giani’s hand to try reasoning with him, but Giani flings Justin off of him, glaring at him.  Before Giani has a chance to really blow up, his bodyguard Dean walks out.  He gets in Justin’s face and backs him away, handing him a piece of paper, or rather shoving it in his face.  The two full blooded Italian men team up on Justin as he scans the letter.  He rolls his eyes and then looks out toward the audience almost apologetically.

Justin Decent:  Ladies and Gentlemen… please welcome the King of Sin… The Reflection of Perfection… The Italian Stallion… Giani Di Luca…

Giani looks less than pleased with the monotonous introduction.  He paces back and forth for a second, trying to contain himself from throwing a fit, but his boiling blood won’t allow it.  He storms up to Justin and then practically puts his lips against Justin’s right ear and shout at the top of his lungs.

Giani:  NOW SAY IT LIKE YA MEAN IT, BITCH BOY, OR I WILL MAKE SURE YA CANNED!!!

Justin closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as he looks out toward the audience again.  He tries his best to hold a dignified pose, but he is trying a little bit too hard to be convincing.  He raises the microphone to his lips as if he were as bubbly as Michelle Andretti.

Justin Decent:  Ladies and gentlement… please welcome GIANI… DIIIII LUUUUUUCAAAAAA!!!

Giani furls his eyebrows and flares his nostrils out as his eyes widen.  He raises a fist, but Dean holds him back.  He talks a little sense into Giani.  As he recovers, Giani gains the bounce back in his step as he walks out toward the center, holding his arms out again.  He shouts out at the top of his lungs.

Giani:  He ain’t worth it!  He ain’t even worth it!

As the audience boos him further, Giani takes center stage.  He lowers his left arm, but keeps his right one out at his side.  He squeezes his fist together and then loosens it up quickly and rapidly.  Dean looks around to see that no one is in a hurry to get Giani a microphone, so he violently rips the one out of Justin’s hand.  He shakes his head and then spits down on the ground in disgust as he walks it over to Giani.  Giani looks around as his music continues.  He waits for a second, but the music keeps on playing.  Giani shakes his head and scoffs into the microphone.

Giani:  Whoever’s in charge of the music, would ya dumb ass cut it off please and thank ya?

Giani shakes his head as he walks over to the left side of the annex common area, and then paces over to the right, and back again.  On his way, he stops in the middle and looks out to all of the fans who are booing and pointing their thumbs down.  He flashes a cocky grin as he adjusts the crown on his head.  He raises the microphone to his lips, but pauses for a few more seconds as he soaks in the boos.

Giani:  It’s okay, I forgive ya.  After all, it ain’t like we are somewhere that peoples are known for havin’ common sense.  We’re in California… the land of the liberals.  You all are so much for equality, huggin’ trees, and smokin’ on the hasheesh, but ya voted to ban gay marriage like you was some kinda Nazi Regime.  Yeah, that makes a lotta sense… Fuckin’ idiots…  You are the same people that think I’m so unenlightened cause I’m from New Jersey, where we accept any and all people for who the are.  So yeah, I understand that ya know not what ya do, so I’m gonna let ya ignorance go just this once.

Giani nods his head and points out to the audience.  He shrugs his shoulders, clinching his jaw as if to say “Well… it’s the truth…”  He clicks his jaw and waits for the crowd to die down a bit.  He takes a deep breath, sighing into the microphone.

Giani:  The truth hurts, but I’m still here.  Just cause ya a bunch of hypocrites don’t mean that I won’t spread my word to ya.  Short of gettin’ screwed outta the King of the Death Match two years in a row, I have done everythin’ that I said I would do.  I told the world that I would win the BACW Empire State Championship two months into my wrestlin’ career, and I did.  I told the world that I would beat Anthony King when I debuted in Sin City Wrestlin’, and I did.  Now I say me and James is gonna win the SCW Tag Titles, and finally people might see that we ain’t full of shit when we say we are the best.  I always said I didn’t need a title to validate my career, but you idiots wanna keep bringin’ up the fact that I ain’t had one here, so I’m gonna go out and get one.  Not just for myself, but for Team Erik…

Giani looks out into the crowd as an angered fan tries to cross the barrier.  This inspires others, and the SCW security begins to feel overwhelmed.  Dean Lombardo gets a wicked grin on his face as he walks over to the barrier.  He shoves the useless security team aside and lifts his sunglasses from his face.  He looks almost crazed, and a few of the angry fans back down.  One decides to test his luck by throwing one foot over the red rope.  Dean takes a step back as if he is welcoming the man, challenging him to put his other foot over the rope.  As he does, Dean throws a swing that knocks the guy right back to the other side.  He looks out at the audience, shouting “It was self defense!”  Giani laughs into the microphone, shaking his head as he looks up into the air.  He rests his hand on his forehead and then looks back toward the angry audience that is slowly beginning to dissipate.

Giani:  I clearly overestimated ya intelligence levels, dawg.  I thought I could talk some sense into each and every one-a ya, but apparently you are all beyond help.  I really wanted to come out here and save ya.  I wanted to save ya souls, but instead, you rebuke me?  MY TIME is PRECIOUS!  I got better things to do than sign autographs for a bunch of heathens.  I don’t have time to waste speakin’ to the deaf and dumb.  I was gonna give you all a big spoiler before Into The Void II, but you all ain’t even worth it…

Giani listens to them boo and he immediately drops the microphone.  He turns back toward the annex door.  Dean flips his fingers from under his chin at the audience as he scoffs at them.  He soon follows Giani as the fans finally start to cheer.  Erik Staggs is there at the door, trying to talk Giani into staying.  He places his right hand on Giani’s left shoulder, trying to speak calmly with him, but Giani quickly flings it off.  He looks angry, but he quietly refuses before disappearing behind the red curtain.  His cameramen file in around Erik, who shakes his head and begrudgingly walks out to the dropped microphone.

Erik Staggs:  Ladies and gentlemen… As much as I think you don’t deserve to meet the special line up of stars I have to present… I am a fair man.  Put your hands together for the likes of Misty, Nick Jones, Tom Dudely, Necra Octavian Kaine, James Huntington-Hawkes III, Tattooed Goddesses, “Primetime” Matthew Kennedy, Joanne Canelli, Casey Williams, and referee Drew Patton!

The crowd quickly notices a pattern and their boos continue.  Erik rolls his eyes as he waves his hand toward the red curtain where the aforementioned slowly begin to file out.  The fans dissipate a bit more as the term “you favorite superstars and bombshells” seems to be a real stretch of the truth.  James argues with Erik at the curtain and then disappears to follow after his tag team partner.  Erik seems aggravated as we fade out.

{I Got My Speakers On Wrecked}

{Cut Scene}

We come back to the famous green room.  The screen on the back wall shows off the RIMAC Center at night with the SCW promotional banner hanging off of the annex building once more.  Sitting in front of the screen is Giani’s maroon and white gold trimmed throne.  The lights slowly flicker as a wicked laugh is heard coming from the blind spot of the room.  Slowly, a dark figure begins moving into view, looking more like a shadow than a human being.  It soon materializes as it gets closer to the thrown.  Facing the wall is a large person with long white hair flowing down over a black robe.  He slowly turns around to show off a ghostly white face.  Joining him from the door is a man with a long jet black faux hawk, and obnoxious face paint dressed in all black.  He raises his hand into the air which sports a long silver talon-like ring on each finger, making a face that looks much like Richmond from the IT Crowd.  The white haired acquaintance looks over to him with an obnoxious laugh.  Without a doubt, the laughter gives away the obvious identity as Giani Di Luca.  His “goth” friend is identified as Dean by the goatee that is shining through the face paint.  Giani holds up an old, faded leather book for the camera to see before taking a seat on his throne.  He crack the book open on his lap.  He looks at it silently before rolling his eyes.  He looks up to the camera and takes a deep breath.

Giani:  Fairy tales are so overrated.  The bad guys always fall victim to the “good” guys.  There is always some sort of romantic happening that adds an element of joy to a story that is bound to be tragic.  Unfortunately, this is real life.  Team Erik has risen to fight against the hypocrisy and cause we are upsettin’ this balance of the old boys club, we are the bad guys.  Since when is fightin’ for equality a bad thing?  In the fairy tales, these are the good guys.  But I should expect this from our generation.  We blind ourselves with stories that give us a false sense of security.  We use a book written three thousand years ago to justify our own selfish fuckin’ desires.  A book written by man to justify wars and discrimination.  Some fucked up notion of what is right and wrong.  But even when someone points out the illogical way of thin’s, we are told we are wrong cause there is some built in contradiction that invalidates the previous argument.

Giani turns the book over to reveal it is an old version of The Bible.  He pauses there for a moment before tossing it behind his back.  He scoffs at it before rolling his eyes.  He picks up another leather bound book and places it on his lap, keeping it closed.

Giani:  That ain’t what God wants.  I talked to God many times, and he is sick of this hypocrisy.  He is ready for a revolution.  He is ready for a king to lead his cause into new territories.  He wants his TRUE word spread.  But in order for that to happen, I gotta earn some mainstream credibility.  Me and James gotta beat some storybook anti-heroes. The boogeyman and some goblin designed by his own overinflated ego.  We gotta go with ya hypocritical ways by winnin’ a title that is meaningless until it comes around our waists.  But lemme ask ya somethin’, dawg…

Giani leans down, looking directly into the camera.  The white face paint is slowly starting to come off from the spotlight shining right on him and Dean.  He gives the audience an opportunity to get a good look at him.  He brushes the long white hair from his face.

Giani:  We look like idiots, don’t we?  We look retarded sittin’ here like this.  The funny part is that we look nearly identical to Brother Grimm and Goth.  Yet, just cause they wear the SCW tag, you cheer for them.  You ignore the fact that they look freakin’ stupid with their bad English and campfire stories.  I ain’t a story teller, I’m a wrestler.  Instead of spendin’ time thinking of spooky ghost stories and boring everyone with emo poems, I train so that when I step inside of the ring, I kick serious ass.  That’s the truth…

Giani leans back in his chair, lacing his fingers together as he props his feet up on his ottoman.  He taps his fingers against the backs of his hands as he gathers his thoughts.  He pauses for dramatic effect before finally continuing.

Giani:  Brother Grimm, that was a fun experiment, giving me a nightmare.  Congratulations for figurin’ out my fears.  I fear havin’ my perfect body tarnished.  I take great pride in my appearance.  I fear bein’ taken outta the wrestlin’ business, cause it is what I’m best at.  I also fear betrayal by those I call my friends.  But what I fear most of all is bein’ forgotten, not havin’ a chance to leave my mark on this business.  But instead of scarin’ me out of this contest, ya motivated me to face my fears.  Once I beat ya, and become one half of the SCW Tag Team Champions, I will have left my mark on this business, and you won’t be able to control me with my greatest fear.  Me and James will turn YOU into an afterthought.

Giani looks over to Dean, and he can’t help but laugh.  He tries to cut it short to maintain a small amount of integrity.  He shakes his head and closes his eyes to compose himself once more.  Finally he opens them, but a slight smile cracks through his super serious expression.

Giani:  And on to you, Goth…  Next to Kain, you are probably the biggest idiot of Team SCW.  Right away, you call Erik Staggs an arrogant prick, whom you refused to work for.  Instead, you gave your loyalty to the biggest ego to ever enter the SCW banner, “Hot Stuff” Mark Ward.  You still don’t see that you are a moron, cause you keep fightin’ against the team who is tryin’ to expose wrestlers like you and me to the spotlight.  Maybe once I beat the fuck outta ya, then you might see the error of ya ways.  Cause after Into The Void II, Team Erik will win the war, and Erik will remember who opposed his righteous war, people like you, and those who supported his cause, people like me.  To make thin’s worse, ya gonna get beat by James Huntington Hawkes III for a second time… Everyone cracks on the kid, but he gets results more often than ya like to admit…

Giani opens up the book in his lap as he laughs.  He shakes his head as he flips through the delicate pages of the book in his lap.  He places it dead center of his lap once he finds the page he is looking for.  He clears his throat as he looks back to the camera.

Giani:  Instead of just tellin’ ya how badly me and James is gonna beat ya, I decided to give the fans a little special treat.  Somethin’ they can understand, and somethin’ Brother Grimm might be able to understand as well.  I created this little nursery rhyme to explain how thin’s is gonna go down this Sunday…  *ahem*

Hush little goth ones, don’t say a thing
Giani and James’ll kick ya asses all over the ring
We’re gonna show ya whole new levels of pains
And if ya lucky, we’ll only concuss ya brains
You can’t compete with Giani and James’ swag
Ya in denial about us havin’ this match in the bag
Goth and Brother Grimm ain’t nothin’ but a joke
When we are done with ya, that ring’s gonna be broke
We’re gonna whoop ya asses in one, two, three
Possession of them belts, ya gonna be free
And after all of the pain that ya felt
SCW’s gonna have champions worthy of them belts

Giani pauses for a second.  Dean looks at Giani with an almost pained expression on his face.  Giani growls at him and shoves him back a few feet.

Giani:  Okay, okay… How about this one…?

I’ll knock, knock, knock ya asses brutally outta the ring
Merrily, merrily, merrily, and so proclaims ya king

Dean chuckles a little and waves his hand from side to side, saying “so-so”.  Giani furls his eyebrows at Dean and then flares his nostrils as he flips to the next page.

Giani:  That was genius, but more importantly it was true.  But not as true as this last one…

Goth and Grimm was losin’ limbs to try to keep their titles
Goth got jacked and broke his back
And Grimm became bitch du jour after.
Up got Goth, and to the outside did drop
As fast as he could elude
He went to bed and bound his head
With dreams of being a champ done screwed

Giani leans forward in his seat, seeming quite proud of himself. He flips the page over and opens his mouth to speak when Dean gently places his hand on Giani’s shoulder.  Giani looks back quickly as Dean slowly shakes his head in the negative.  Giani starts to protest when Dean more firmly suggests something to the contrary.  Giani shrugs his shoulders and then closes the antique leather book.  He tosses it behind his back in the same fashion that he tossed the Bible.  He places his elbows on his knees and uses them to support his chin as he simply stares for a moment.

Giani:  I thought it was genius, but I had a point with alllllll of this, bro.  You probably got some kinda tricky li’l nursery rhyme about how you and Goth are gonna defeat two spoiled brats.  It’s probably as lame as ya faces is.  The truth is that no matter how much people fear ya for what ya can do… James and I are ready.  We are facin’ our fears as a team.  We are goin’ into this as a team.  Probably the most united Tag Team Championship contenders since Sinful Obsession.  Just cause the two of you take make up tips from Alice Cooper and It don’t make the two of you a team.

Giani raises one arm up from his knee.  He points his finger at the ceiling and then slowly lowers it, pointing directly at the camera.  He holds it there silently for a second before a wicked smile spreads over his face.

Giani:  While you was busy figurin’ out my deepest, darkest fears, and how to bitch up some nonsense and braggin’ about catchin’ more tail than me… I figured out the greatest way to get even.  I’m gonna beat the fuck outta the both of ya’s.  James is gonna embarrass the hell outta ya.  Then, I’m gonna Jersey Turnpike one or both of ya through the freakin’ ring, and end ya title reign.  Then every time some idiot wants to point out how we’re worthless cause we ain’t got a title… they’re gonna have to realize that their one hypocritical excuse for denyin’ our greatness don’t apply no more.

Giani finally lowers his hands and he adjusts himself in his chair.  He gets comfortable and his smile fades.  Seriousness fades his cocky smirk as his eyes flare up slightly.

Giani:  Come Sunday at Into The Void II, you both are gonna face the wrath of the King of Sin and the Brat Prince.  Ya gonna beg for our mercy, then ya gonna realize what everyone else realizes when they step in the ring with us is we ain’t got any for ya or anyone.  I hope ya ready for a Royal ass stompin’ bro…  See ya freaks in the ring.

Giani slowly stands up from his chair.  He runs the fingers of his right hand over his throat, letting us know that our king has spoken.  He slowly walks toward the door as Dean opens it for him.  The stone like bodyguard allows Giani to exit gracefully before hitting the button near the door.  The screen fades out.

{End Cut Scene}

{I got my speakers on, speakers on, speakers on… I got my speakers on wrecked}

{fin}

[Goth]

 A dream

Feet can be seen walking up and down a yellow brick road, a little dog is trying to trip the figure

‘Damn you, can’t you find someone else to bother you damn stupid dog???’

The dog looks up, it has a puzzled look upon his face. As if it is used to be treated with kindness and compassion. But this time it is just plain and simple a jerk.

‘Yeah you, do I speak freaking deaking German? I’m asking you to stay away from me. Where am I anyways? One moment I am screwing the lights out of some hot chick and now I’m wearing a pink dress!!!’

The camera pans out to show a guy in its thirties, wearing a pink dress, a white shirt and even a hair band. When he realises the hair band, he immediately grabs it and throws it away.

‘You got to be kidding me, I mean I have heard that dreams can screw your mind. But this is ridiculous!! Oh well, I just have to wait until I wake up.’

Voice: ’You sir, you get to be granted three wishes if you manage to find the true secret of eternal life’

‘Huh??’

Voice: ‘ Yes you sir, come on down and play the wheel of your eternal fortune!!!’

‘Uhm, right… am I on crack??’

Voice: ‘ Just follow the bread crumbs on the side of the yellow brick road sir. Don’t be confused by the yellow dots that the rabbit has thrown there. He is just trying to get you to eat the blue or red pill.’

‘Ok this is freaking me out, first I am in Alice in Wonderland? And now?? The Matrix screwing me over???’

‘ I should have left that bottle of rum when I had the chance, oh man I really going to have a buzkill in the morning for sure.’

The figure stands on the yellow brick road, staring at the bread crumbs, contemplating whether he should just go for it or continue to walk on the road.

Voice: ‘ If you stay on the road, then the Nazgul will find you’

‘ Say what??? Next thing you are saying that behind that tree there will be Spock playing a card game with Data?’

Voice: ‘ Sir, its about your three chances for eternal life, not the meaning of logic. Besides, Spock has been booked for the remainder of the year. You were just a last moment’s replacement.’

‘ Great, now I am not only fucked… I am also not the number one choice to begin with. Oh well, who wants to grow old and die at 90??’

The figure finally decides to follow the bread crumbs. He passes a few bushes where he sees the Easter Bunny swap porn mags with Santa. After climbing a mountain, he sees a figure standing at the wheel of fortune.

‘ I must be dreaming ’

Voice: ‘ That you are kind sir, come on down and who knows you may be the lucky winner of tonights…….. WHEEL OF DESTINY!!!!’

The figure gets to his place, he looks around him and sees the figure. He turns out to be a wizard who clearly has never been outside before.

‘ Wormtongue?? ’

Tongue: ‘ I rather prefer you called me Mr. Tongue, I mean worms never attracted women when I was trying to score when I had King Theoden under my spell.’

The figure scratches his head and raises his shoulders, figuring if he plays along. That he may very well either wake up quickly or enjoy it.

‘ So Worm… err Mr. Tongue. What is this all about me having the opportunity to win the chance of eternal life?’

Tongue: ‘Isn’t that what we all are here for?? The chance to be for eternal young? To be loved and to be the very best that what life has to offer? Oh and also to have the chance to kick whomever asses you have the chance to kick.’

‘ You have had a troubled youth haven’t you??’

Tongue: ‘ Hey, I was the one that did all the dirty work for Saruman and what did it got me? I am stuck inside someone’s brain. Holding three cards with questions that a three year old would know. Hell, it is the fact that after you, I am going to probe myself inside the brain of Liv Tyler. I have heard that she could do a lot more than just whisper lower than Australia.’

The figure scratches his head, when he pulls his fingers back he realises he has pink nail polish as well.

‘Oh great, what more is going to be a surprise for me??’

Tongue: ‘ Just as long as you keep your dress on? Not much, now are you ready to answer your first question???’

‘ Sure’

Wormtongue spins the wheel of destiny, it ends up on the following subject.

Tongue: ‘Ohhh, now isn’t this nice?? ’

‘ What?? Don’t tell me I am going to be doing a sing along or something??’

Wormtongue shakes his head in denial

Tongue: ’No, the first question is going to be on the subject of…. Wizardry!!’

‘What???’

Tongue: ‘ Yes sir, we are going to bring out a master wizard out to ask you a question. I will give you three multiple choice answers. One of them is the correct answer what could bring you closer to your goal.’

‘Waking up??’

Tongue: ‘No,’

‘Getting laid??’

Tongue: ‘ No,’

‘Than what??’

Tongue: ‘ You will be handed down a blue pill.’

‘A blue pill???’

Tongue: ‘ Yes sir, the blue pill. That pill holds the answer to delusional thoughts that has been created around your persona. People somehow do not get you and with that pill, you will be granted to clear their minds!!’

‘Wow, I guess.’

Suddenly music plays and a nerdy boy walks up. He holds a staff in his hands and looks really bored

‘You got to be kidding me? The kid that acts Harry Potter?’

Tongue: ‘ Shh, the last guy that said that ended up on the toilet with that cop. ’

‘ Geo,,,,’

Tongue: ‘ Ok, we do not have all the time to chit chat. Here is your first question asked by Harry Potter.’

Harry walks up next to Wormtongue. He stares at the figure in the dress and rolls his eyes.

Harry: ‘ Right, ok I guess this will be the worst dream I have ever been in.’

‘ You tell me, have you ever smelled that guy??’

The figure points out to Wormtongue, that just happens to pick his nose before realizing that everyone is watching him.

Tongue: ‘What??’

Harry Potter: ‘Ok your question, it is a real simple one. Who is the King of Kings.’

‘What? Is that it? It is me of course… I am the King of Kings… ’

Harry rolls his eyes and looks at Wormtongue, who face palms himself after hearing the answer to the question.

‘ What??? I am not telling you any lies. You ask my woman, she will tell you. I….,’

Harry Potter: ‘Look, I know that you have been quite successful obtaining a title that isn’t yours to begin with. You are big, you are strong. But I’ve been told you have had issues wasching your’

Tongue: ‘ HEY!! Kids are watching!!’

Harry Potter: ‘ Your dishes’

Wormtongue suddenly turns red, realizing he made a big mistake after hearing what has been said.

‘ Hey, do you know who I am???’

Harry Potter: ‘ Yes I do, I just wished I wasn’t in this predicament and to fight the deadliest battle I have ever fought. Boredom, ’

Wormtongue throws away his first card, he looks at the second card and chuckles.

Tongue: ‘ Well that was question number one, but luckily. You have been granted a chance to get two for the price of one. All you have to do is answer this following question.’

‘ Wasn’t I supposed to have a multiple choice option on the first question??’

Tongue: ‘ Yes you were, but you went straight to the anser. You humans need to understand rules before creating your own you know. Besides, this is my game, I can make and change the rules whenever I see fit!!’

The figure scratches his head

Tongue: ‘ Now to the second question, who was the figure that said the infamous words…. Im the King of Kings?? Is it…,’

‘Now I am not sure on what pot of crack you are on, but that’s me!!!’

Wormtongue shakes his head, he looks at the figure in the pink dress and walks over to him. He whispers something into his ear.

Tongue: (whisper)’ Look kid, I like you. But you are killing my inner dream ratings. I mean seriously, even the old farts from Grumpy old men get laid more often than me ok? So whatever you do, don’t try to take whatever is left of my mojo ok??’

The figure looks at himself, he pinches himself on the arm. Trying to wake himself up, butfor some reason he is still in the same place with Wormtongue, who is looking annoyed at him.

Tongue: ‘If you prefer mass self mutilation. Then I would rather have you walk over to the next tree on the left. The one with the Uruk hai massage ok? This is family entertainment. If you cannot take it, then leave!! But then you would never get the chance of gaining the ultimate gift of…’

‘Yeah, yeah… I know, eternal life. Lets go on with it.’

Tongue throws away the second card and looks shocked at the final one.

Tongue: ‘ Your sure you want to go on to this one??’

‘ What’s this all about? What my favourite dish is?? What I like to screw while watching the X-Files reruns? Or the who wants to know who the true King of Kings is??’

Tongue: ‘No, the final question of the show is… what is your colour??’

The figure looks at him amazed, expecting another question on the whole King of Kings scenario. But in the end seems to get a simple question.

Tongue: ‘Answer one, blue. Answer two, red. And answer three, yellow’

‘ Blue??’

Tongue: ‘ You don’t know your favourite colour??’

‘ Yes I do, but its orange.’

Tongue: ‘ No it isn’t, it is yellow. I got it on this card. You didn’t answer any question right. You do know that this costs me my pension right? My hard earned dream pension where I can retire and enjoy free porn. But oh no, they had to sent me some idiot in a pink dress, knowing absolutely nothing and is unable to beat Goth whenever they will meet. How ironic and stupid are you anyways???’

‘GOTH!!!! I knew that he was behind this!!’

Suddenly the shot pans out, we see Kain in a pink dress and nail polish and lipgloss. He is enraged that he is somehow looking like a fool in this dream before we wind up in the real world where Goth is seen smiling in his sleep as he has had a great dream.

•   real world *

The shot opens up in a bar, where a figure is sitting and drinking his bottle of whiskey. He stares at the remaining bit of liquid that is inside the bottle, as if he is watching it vaporize in the process.

Bartender: ‘ It wont go away that way sir, if you do not have the need to finish the drink. I am going to ask you to leave.’

The figure does not respond, he grabs the bottle and puts it to his lips. Trying to lift the bottle upwards a bit, so that the whiskey would roll down his throat.

‘Damn whissskey, a few moments ago it just flew like a river. Now it is jusssst like a ssnail.’

Suddenly we hear a voice.

Voice: ‘ Hey it’s that Goth guy!! You know, the one with that other freak Brother Grimm. They are oh so going to lose against Di Luca and Huntington!!’

Goth does not respond, he is still trying to finish the drink. But he is apparently that drunk, that it is flowing from the side of his mouth and onto the bar.

Bartender: ‘Sir, I am going to ask you to leave. Do you want me to call you a taxi??’

‘taxsi??? I do not need no sssssstinking taxsi… for what?? A few drinkssshh??’

Goth tries to get to his feet, but is unable to do so as he is so waisted. He is holding on to the bar as he tries to get himself back on the seat.

‘Perhapsshh you are a bit right on the alcohol part yeshhh??’

Voice: ‘ See? He is just wasting himself, because he knows that he will get an ass kicking. Losers like him always hide behind alcohol to become numb for the beating.’

This causes him to turn his head and stare into the direction of the figure. He tries to point to his direction, but his arm is shaking wildly.

‘ I am shtil the greatesht wreshtler in the world you know. Who is the champion now huh?? Why don’t you get your ash over here and let me kick it.’

He stumbles over to the figure, but after just two steps he falls down and hits his head hard on the floor. Causing him to fall to unconsciousness. When he gets by, he realises he is back at home as Sapphira is taking care of him.

Present day: at home

Sapphire: ‘You had too much to drink, thank goodness you were brought home safely. Next time, I am going to ask someone to go with you if you want to waste yourself at the booz.’

‘ Man, you sound like my mother.’

Sapphira: ‘ Better looking I hope ’

She chuckles at what she just said before turning her attention away from him and walks off. He is left on the bed, trying to hide his eyes from the light that is shining through the opening of the window. Annoyed his turning around on his stomach, trying to find his sleep again. But this time he gets a rude awakening as Sapphira opens the curtains fully. Allowing the sunlight to shine in bright.

‘ What the?? ’

Sapphira: ‘ It’s about time you get up. Its already noon and shouldn’t you be with your tag team partner? ’

‘ Grimm?? What the fuck? This guy is a beyond human capacity. Hell, he is a freaking abnormal as Ahe. And you remember her? The vampire woman that wanted to suck people dry for blood? Hell, I beat her everytime we faced in a singles confrontation. This guy does not need me to watch out for him, hell. We are a twosome that needs to be reckoned with. Now turn off the lights!!!’

Sapphira: ‘ You want me to turn off the sun?’

A sinister smirk appears as she hears him groan after the comment that she just made towards him.

Sapphira: ‘ Just get yourself ready Goth, you got a long day ahead of you.’

Goth can be heard cursing out beneath his breath as he prepares himself for what he has to do that day.

•   Right now *

Goth can be seen sitting down, having an interview with Pussy Willow of SCW. He is wearing dark sunglasses, hiding the fact that he has a major hangover as she sets up her interview with one half of the tag team champions.

Pussy: ‘ Goth, welcome to this interview for your up and coming match against the challengers of Di Luca and Huntington Hawkes the third’

‘ Yeah, whatever. The pleasure is all mine for sure’

She smiles towards the camera for a few moments before turning her attention back to him.

Pussy: ‘You have faced one of the two men that you are going to be up against this PPV. You were the Roulette champion and lost to James. Does that have any influence in your preparation towards this match or any at all??’

Goth can be seen staring at her motionless through his dark sunglasses, Pussy starts to get uncomfortable by this.

Pussy: ‘Goth?’

‘ Oh I’m sorry, did you ask me an intelligent question? Oh right, lets think. Does that have any bearings on this match. Does that make me be even more angry? Does that make me want to get revenge on that brat prince? You see Willow, I faced that guy twice and lost. That was then and this is now, I am now currently the SCW tag team champion. A price that Staggs wants, too bad that I don’t give a shit what this guy wants. Or whatever anyone thinks out there, I took that title from a team that was on Staggs side. A team that was called unstoppable, a team that was too damn great. A team that Staggs put all of his trust into. Yet they lost, to a team of face painting, senile looking. Blood drinking, wrist cutting idiots like us. And you know why? ’

Pussy: ‘ Because you were better?’

‘ Because me and Grimm wanted it the most, because we knew that this was our night. A night where I knew that I would not get screwed out by ego’s. Something I am well aware off of having myself. Also the fact that I had a quest beyond quests. Making sure that Kain would be still title less in the process. Something I am sure that the big idiot still has not gotten over from.’

Pussy: ‘ So you feel you wanted it the most, but how do you know that you want it the most this time?’

His gaze stares at her silently, his face is as cold as ice. Not showing any sign of emotion before he takes off his sunglasses for the first time.

‘ See these eyes? As long as I look into their eyes and know that they are not as anywhere near as my intensity. Then I know that they are doomed to lose. They need to take away the gold from me and Grimm, while us? We just need to make sure that they wont make another step towards the locker room when we are through. ’

He puts back on his sunglasses as Willow gets her composure back and turns towards her next question.

Pussy: ‘ What about the tag team partner of Hawkes? He and you never met. He has had some strong words and remarks about you and Grimm’s lifestyle’

He grins as he shakes his head.

‘ Again, come on Willow, don’t make it so hard on me. Come on, give me the questions that everyone wants to hear? Do I fear the unknown? Because lets face it, fear has been the main key ingredient throughout these past weeks. Fear, fear of the dark. Fear of the unknown, fear of fear itself. Fear of winning and fear of losing your mind. Fear of having a scratch on your perfect body, fear of accidently eating a Viagra instead of aspirins ’

Pussy: ‘ Uhm,’

‘ Did I tell you to ask me another brilliant question? I don’t think so. You see, even beyond all the bullshit that is going on and the disrespect that has been talked. I am no slouch when it comes down to talking trash. But I know what these two are capable off, I am not taking anything lightly. But I am convinced that me and Grimm will hold on to the tag team titles.’

Pussy: ‘ You have so far been unbeaten in tag team matches, what will be the strategy entering this match?’

Goth grins as he hears the question come out of her mouth and takes a few moments before answering her question.

‘ Finally a sane question, but a good one. You see my pretty, when it comes down to me and Grimm. You got the perfect combination when it comes down to tag team wrestling. One of the two is a man that knows how to break you with power, while the other knows how to execute any aspect of wrestling. I can mix it up with the best, I can brawl and I can go scientific on ya. Hardcore is something I relish. Plus I am not a stranger when it comes down to aerial assult. The question alone is, what will I do to the pretty boy and the brat??’

‘ The world is believing this hype, the hype of that I am doing this for the egos of Mark Ward and Underwood. I could give a fuck whomever I need to get in the ring with, I sold my soul to the highest bidder. And you know why? Only because I wanted Kain, I’m a business man, I am looking at this with a smile upon my face. While others are getting frustrated over who hurt whose girl friends feelings. Perhaps that’s why I am still champion and Kain isn’t.’

Pussy: ‘Final question, is your thirst for Kain and your quest to be the sole King of Kings not going to cost you your match?’

‘Is it? You see my pretty, I am not going to play the what if questions. I want Kain for personal reasons, reasons that is just another example of how the world only will survive when the strongest are on top. I want to have Kain watch me do what I do best. And how do you do that? By beating men like Di Luca and James blah blah the third. Something that people apparently seem to forget that since I took Kain to the limit and he walked away in luck. Become disqualified over a Staggs referee. He realises that finally I have awoken. Awoken from the ashes and stared him in the eyes and smiled. In situations like these I am more focused then I have ever been before. So when I am done with this tag team match, I guess they can all thank Kain for that.’

With that Goth walks out from the interview as he prepares himself for the big time match.

•   final words *

Goth can be seen drinking a bottle of wine with his feet high on a table, relaxing as he sees the camera approaching.

‘ Finally I can be alone and say what I want to say, instead of having questions been thrown my direction.’

His eyes are focused on the camera as he takes a sip from the wine.

‘ It’s entertaining how people are often questioning my sanity, when I look down to their eyes and see how a brat tries to portray himself as a child. But knows more to life itself, than he wishes to let us believe. And then we have Pretty Boy Floyd, something never changes do they? I mean singing a song, flexing a few muscles and smile your smile. The reality of it all is that me and Grimm are more normal than they would ever be…. But then again, they would never admit the reality when it is staring them in the eyes. Now would you boys??’

He is grinning as he is taking another sip from the wine, he lets the wine roll down his lips and savours the taste before swallowing it.

‘ I grant you your ability to entertain the mindless Di Luca, something that apparently people cherish to the point where your own believes do not matter anymore huh? Grabbing a Holy Bible, singing a song and uttering words that makes me wonder whether I am facing a nine year old and Hawkes the fourth….’

Goth can be seen pretending to realise that he should have said the third instead of the fourth.

‘ But ability to entertain is just one aspect in life that does not matter when it comes down to what me and Grimm wish to do to you two. It is something that your brain filled with steroids would not grasp, I am an ego. I am a man that likes to talk for hours and hours, make you want to scream out to kill themselves. You only look from the skin without understanding the concept of what makes me Goth. But a lesson of life is often taught the hard way huh Di Luca.’

‘ It’s respect that grants you a set of balls, allows you to contemplate the words that you have said, or ignoring the low roads that you wish to take. I mean seriously, how long have you all been trying to conquer the SCW? And for what? To obtain championships? To become champions of all divisions? Yet you have managed to do so well, until you confront emotionless minds. Emotions of who is best, of those who deserve the power do not concern me Di Luca. The only thing I care about is the fact that you need to be having your ass kicked and enjoy it.’

‘ How does it feel to be babysit a boy Di Luca? A kid that does not hold the mind of sanity of a ten year old. A kid that evolves when he is drinking through a straw, absorbing nothing more than absolute garbage. Well trust me, I know how the little boy works and you James? You need to understand that what happened then, is only a matter of time before I extract some kind of revenge. Oh yes, I do admit that I want to break you too. But the higher goal in life will be the fact that I will get myself ready for one goal. One goal that is bigger than you, bigger than your tag team partner and bigger than life itself. The goal of becoming once againt he King of Kings… ’

Goth grins as he takes a final sip from the wine as the shot fades to darkness.

[Staggs]

 The second deadline has now passed