[“Imperial March” reverberates throughout the arena and a video package flies by on the screen.
Lindsay Troy unmasking as Dis, holding the EPW World Title up for all to see.
JA hitting the Karelin Driver on Rocko Daymon.
Troy Douglas ducking a clothesline by Cameron Cruise and then tossing him with a belly to belly suplex.
Felix Red and First, perched on opposite turnbuckles, then diving down onto their opponents.
Fusenshoff, clotheslining Stalker over the top rope.
Larry Tact and Jared Wells stalking to the ring with the EPW World Tag Team Titles around their waists.
“Triple X” Sean Stevens standing victorious on top of a cage, face bloodied, holding the EPW World title up high.
And finally…. A dais with a throne upon it and Lindsay Troy sitting front and center, leaning back and staring right into the camera.
Then…
BOOM!!
The stage is illuminated by a veritable bonanza of booming pyrotechnics as the camera pans over the crowd, cuts to the ring from a wide angle, then concludes its journey with a smash cut to the broadcast team.]
[FADEIN: A wide shot of the crowd as pyro goes off around the EMPIRETron and guitar riffs herald another episode of Aggression. The camera pans around the cheering crowd for a few moments before resting on the announce team.]
DT: Welcome everybody to….AGGRESSION 43….we’re one show out from Wrestleverse III and tonight, we have so much in store it’s hard to keep track of it all.
DM: Apparently we’ve got announcements out the wazoo, as we’ll find out who will face Sean Stevens for the World Title, who will face Cameron Cruise for the Intercontinental Title…and we have a big World Tag Team Title match.
MN: Oh, and don’t forget….
[The words are immediately cut off as a graphical display flickers onto the EmpireTron and lingers for several moments.]
1-----8-----1
5-----3-----1
1-----1-----5
MN: Geez, THAT thing again! I wish somebody would tell me what the hell was up with those damn numbers!
DM: I wish I knew too, Mike. We've seen that display appear several times over the past few months, but... nobody has any idea what any of it means. Is it a code? A timer?
[Before they have the opportunity to discuss it further, the EmpireTron goes to black and a confused buzz fills the arena.]
DT: Well, I'm simply baffled... but regardless, the show must go on.
[MUSIC UP: "Happy Birthday" by The Birthday Massacre EPW Edit goes over the PA and the crowd pops big! The First, wearing a black three piece suit, black pants, black suit jacket, black shirt, white tie, walks onto the entraceway. His hair is jet black and pulled into a tight pony tail, he's wearing black horn rimmed glasses and is unmade up except for black lipstick and a little eye liner.]
DT: Well, we’re underway and what a way to start it off. The First, one half of the World Tag Team Champions and the man who last week took the World Champion Sean Stevens to the very brink!
MN: Get ahold of yourself, that match wasn't even close, Stevens was toying with him the whole time.
DM: Even during the period when The First had him pinned for about 10 seconds with the ref down?
MN: It's called false hope...Just wanted to dash his dreams even more.
[The First enters the ring and soaks in the cheers of the crowd, after a few moments he grabs a mic. The lights go back up and the music fades out.]
FIRST: Thank you...Now I all know you saw last week...I know you saw 'Triple X' Sean Stevens and I burn the house down...And I know a lot of you...Lot of you think I got cheated last week...[Crowd cheers]...That I got screwed [More cheers]...But honestly...[First shrugs his shoulders]...That's not the truth...Truth is in this business, you win or you lose, that's it...There really is no gray area...
But what did happen last week...What Sean Stevens wishes DIDN'T happen last week...Is that HE MADE ME A STAR [crowd pops]...He spent all that time yelling about how I was an easy mark, how I wasn't in his league...He found out otherwise...He found out I can hang with him...He KNOWS I can beat him...[crowd pops]
Wrestleverse three is right around the corner...And yeah I might have my plate full tonight with a tag match...But I'm calling Sean Stevens out! I WANT A REMATCH FOR THE EPW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE!! [Crowd pops big!]
[MUSIC UP: "Killing in the name of" by Rage Against the Machine. Out comes none other than Cameron Cruise, dressed in black jeans, and a black ANTHOLOGY T-shirt, and his trademark Anarchy Shades, carrying the EPW Intercontinental title over his right shoulder]
CC: Let's just back the "Fluke Train" up here a second, First...did you just say what I think you said?? YOU deserve a World Title shot?? You not only can't be serious, but Jesus Christ...have you seen yourself lately?? What I mean is take a look in the Mirror sometime...you look like the type of guy that BEGS to be labeled the Poster Boy for Loneliness. You deserve a World title shot, what...because you had a good match for the first time in what...three years?? Newsflash First, performances like that has to be CONSTANT. If anyone deserves a shot at Sean Stevens and the EPW World Heavyweight Championship, it's ME. After all...I'm the one that put together the HOTTEST COMMODITIES ON THE CIRCUIT...I am the one that challenged Troy Douglas for the Intercontinental title---a title that shouldn't have been taken from me in the first place---and not only defeated him...
[Cruise circles around The First so First's back is to the rampway.]
CC: ....I took him out of action COMPLETELY. If you really think you deserve a title shot over me, you're really kidding yourself. But just to show you how gracious a competitor I really am, despite this "rift" we have between each other and The Fallen....by all means, let the better man deemed worthy enough of a shot win.
[Cruise moves the IC Title belt to his left hand and now reaches out with his right hand for a handshake. The crowd boos, as Cruise gives a big smile and continues to extend his hand...First looks at Cruise for a few moments, then takes off his glasses and puts them in his coat pocket. He looks for a bit longer and slowly begins to extend his hand. The crowd starts screaming and yelling and First spins around just in time to clock Jared Wells who's charged into the ring! First lnads a couple more rights to Wells before Cruise buries the IC Title into the back of The First!]
DT: Cruise just DRILLED The First in the back with that belt and now both Wells and Cruise are stomping away on The First...Wells ripping that suit jacket off The First's back and now choking him with it as Cruise stomps away on the gut of The First. [Crowd chanting "Felix! Felix!"]
MN: Chant all you want for that maniac, he's nowhere in the building, rubes.
DT: Wells now RIPPING THE FIRST'S SHIRT OFF...Now he's choking him with his tie! Cruise yelling at Wells to get The First back up...Wells lifts him to his feet...CRUISE WITH A REALITY CHECK...FIRST LANDED RIGHT ON THAT INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE BELT!
[The crowd booing loud as The First is motionless on the mat. Cruise grabs his belt and he and Wells stand over The First, looking very proud of what they have done...MUSIC UP: "Killing In The Name Of" by Rage Against The Machine, as the crowd boos louder]
DT: Cameron Cruise has sent a big message to The First and to all of EPW, he's tired or being overlooked, he wants respect and he wants his shot at the EPW World Title.
MN: I don't know if he stands a shot against Stevens, but I kinda like this guy...
DT: What's going to happen with the tag title match later this evening, will The First be in any conditon to compete? Will Felix Red show up?! I guess we'll find out, don't go anywhere fans!
NEXT