Post by hawkeye on Mar 10, 2023 0:51:43 GMT
“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall with a thirty minute time limit and it is for the FAWN Tag Team Championships! Introducing first, the challengers. Hailing from Bridgeport, California and Stovington, Vermont respectively and weighing in at combined total of two hundred and forty-four pounds. They are the Neo-Noir Knockout VERONICA TREYMANE and the Girl that Gravity Forgot, LILY BURLINGAME! Together they are COSMIC NOIR!”
The low red glare of the Star Strider's entrance was augmented by a gout of flame sparking from the floor at the bottom of the ramp and burning rapidly up its wick until it reached the pool of darkness at the top. All at once the predicted explosion of noise and pyro went off, a huge KA-BOOM of red bursting loud enough to swallow the introductory riff of 'Comeback Kid’. When the lights came back the music immediately cut to the first verse of ‘Machine Gun Blues’ and those gathered for Heartbroken turned their attention to one of, if not thee most dominant Tag Teams of the last decade.
LILY BURLINGAME:
VERONICA TREYMANE:
“You ready to reclaim some stolen property?” Lily asked her partner over the roar of the crowd.
Veronica nodded immediately, though her tone was far graver than the brunette's. “Yeah. I'm also ready to bloody my knuckles on Becky Clayton's miserable face.”
“Don't forget Celia.” Burlingame answered as the pair exchanged as of yet unbloodied fists. “If there's any single person to blame for all this, it's her. I'm certain of it.”
“Clayton made her choices too, 'Lil.” Treymane replied. “She listened. She went along with whatever Blassenville devised. Tonight she's gonna pay for it. They're both gonna pay.”
Lily looked like she might say something else, but ultimately she just raised the invisible detonator overhead, then brought her thumb down to get an earth-shattering ‘KA-BOOM!’ from the FAWNatics and an explosive line of pyro from Veronica’s barking iron. When it fell silent Treymane and Burlingame blew smoke off the barrel, then started toward the ring with the Roseate Rocket a few steps ahead and the Gorgeous Gangster trailing at her heels.
For tonight's effort to become two time Tag Team Champs, Lily wore her usual midnight blue and starry white halter and bottoms, galaxies swirling and shimmering with her every move. Her knee pads were white on one side and purple on the other, matching her togs perfectly. Behind her, the Gorgeous Gangster wore matching togs, the dark blue replacing charcoal gray in her usual boy-cut pinstripe trunks and bustier. The accompanying suspenders and belt gleamed bright white, as did her pads and wrist-tape, while her boots were a highly-polished black.
They were about halfway to the squared circle when Burlingame raised her right hand and started a silent countdown.
Three.
Two.
One.
Blastoff!
The Girl That Gravity Forgot went flying down the rest of the ramp to leap onto the apron in a single bound. From there she raced along the narrow ledge to the far corner, the top of which she reached just as easily. This display of effortless acrobatics was capped off with a soaring and undeniably gorgeous back-flip which landed her perfectly within the confines of the squared circle. A couple heartbeats passed and Veronica slid in behind her, the Dangerous Dame having doffed her coat and Thompson once the countdown began.
Belts be damned, Burlingame and Treymane claimed center ring like they owned it and offered up a confident pose for their fans, who were just as eager to see them regain the top tandem prize. After several more seconds they headed to the far corner and settled in to offer their pads and boots for the inspection of one Al Carpenter.
PSY OPS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5z63Bi_d1I
The energetic mood raised by the challengers arrival was quashed by slow, plinking piano notes. Delight gave way to disgust as words dripped from the speakers.
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse but there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Everyone was still jeering wholeheartedly when the curtain was brushed aside and the new order of things came into view. Becky Clayton and Celia Blassenville emerged shoulder to shoulder, the longtime enemies now united in a campaign that had claimed the Madhouse in October and disrupted the cosmos in December. The former Howling Commandos greeted their absentee leader with dismay, disgust and disappointment, the cacophony of their collective distress an easy equal to their love for Cosmic Noir.
BECKY CLAYTON:
CELIA BLASSENVILLE:
Becky Clayton didn't give a single damn about what they thought, as evidenced by the 'what're ya gonna do about it?' smirk on her face as she undid the belt around her waist and raised it overhead This resulted in another round of jeers but the occasional cheer and whistle could be heard, the more salacious element among the FAWNatics happy to embrace Clayton now that she'd embraced Celia's unorthodox approach. And you couldn't really blame them, considering her battle gear. For tonight's exercise against the former champs she wore a cold grey, black & blue version of her formerly standard green & brown camouflage two-piece. The tie-sided bottoms were the same as was the ladder / double helix of lycra that ran from the top of her waistband all the way to the southern border of her low-cut sports bra. The look was completed with flat black pads, black boots and a few wraps of matte black wrist-tape. Also worth noting? Clayton's dark blonde locks, which usually hung free or pulled back in a simple ponytail were now drawn back in the snug French Braid Celia had favored for years.
Beside her, the Mistress of Puppets wore a gleaming black lycra one-piece with long ‘sleeves’ that were comprised of a pair of thin ebon bands that wound around her arms, ending just above the wrists. Her ensemble finished with matching knee-pads and gleaming white wrestling boots, while her long copper-colored hair was collected in the aforementioned French Braid. While Clayton hoisted her prize for all to see, Blassenville treated hers as nothing more than an accessory, or perhaps a small but vital piece of equipment in her latest experiment. Indeed she seemed far more interested in Bex's reaction to the crowd (and vice versa) than the women waiting in the ring. After a moment she leaned over to Clayton and murmured something in her ear.
Becky's attention flicked to Diamonds and Pearls and she smiled. “Do what you want with Burlingame, Treymane is mine.” With that she started down the ramp and Celia fell into place a few steps behind.
They were halfway to the squared circle when the Announcer called, “And introducing their opponents. Hailing from Denver, Colorado and New Cannan, Louisiana respectively, weighing in at a combined total of two-hundred and eighty pounds, they are the reigning and defending FAWN Tag Team Champions... BECKY CLAYTON AND CELIA BLASSENVILLE!”
This brought a fresh round of jeers, which only caused Clayton to raise her gold a little higher. Completely ignoring the fans on the aisle, Clayton and Blassenville tromped up the steel steps and slipped through the ropes to lay claim to the center of the ring just while Lily and 'Ronnie stared daggers through them from the opposite corner. Swinging around to face the hard camera, Clayton showed off the gold for all the losers at home while Celia kept her attention on the two white mice who hoped to do the impossible. Neither challenger said a word so Blassenville backed off in silence. Bex on the other hand, she extended her gold in Treymane's direction and sneered, “Come and get it, bitch.” Veronica almost did, but Lily kept her in check with an arm that was stretched tight as a guy wire. Clayton smirked as she began to backpedal to the opposite corner. “Smart. Follow her lead, Treymane. It'll keep you upright a little while longer.”
Celia took point for the champions after minimal conversation with her partner, Burlingame and Treymane on the other hand were in the midst of a spirited debate when the bell CLANGED a start to the match.
“Let me start, 'Ronnie. I can run rings around both of them, make sure they're breathing hard before you even have to make a tag.”
Veronica grimaced. She didn't say no with her words, but the set of her shoulders suggested she really wanted to kick things off for Cosmic Noir. “I know you can, Lily. But I'd rather they be breathing hard before you start running rings around them.”
Lily wasn't having it. “I need this, 'Ronnie. It's my fault we--”
“Sometime today, assholes!” Clayton called from her corner of the squared circle.
Veronica stepped around the Star Strider barked, “Either make the tag and say that from inside the ring or button your lip like a good little BITCH.”
Becky's eyes flashed in time with the 'ooooooohhhhs' of those assembled and no one was really surprised when she reached over and clapped Blassenville on the shoulder. If the Temptress disapproved she kept it to herself and slipped through the strands while Clayton vaulted over 'em.
Lily however was much more open with her irritation. “That's not fair and you know it.”
“I let you down, 'Lil.” Treymane murmured as she started toward the other blonde. “So let me make it up to you.”
The youngest Burlingame sister said nothing though she was the first to start a clapping section for the Dangerous Dame as Veronica closed in on a woman she'd long considered a friend. Such feelings didn't trouble 'Ronnie in the slightest. She certainly respected (heavy on the past tense) her fellow former World Champion and would put both of their singles clashes on her career highlight reel, but she'd never particularly liked Becky Clayton and she hadn't known why. Now she did and it was a relief. Because a turncoat was only dangerous lurking in the dark. Once they were out in the open, they were just another daisy.
Not that the Peacekeeper gave the impression of someone easily plucked, let alone beaten. Indeed she surged forward as Veronica closed ground and brazenly chested up on the Dangerous Dame. “This close enough for you, asshole?” she taunted even as their foreheads ground together. “Because I'm happy to put my boot up your ass if you're still NNNNGGHHH!”
Treymane pulled back just to THWHUNK her forehead into the bridge of Clayton's nose! The Headbutt set Bex staggering, albeit not far enough to keep her out of reach when 'Ronnie caught a big handful of hair and used it to reel her into a Side Headlock. In most circumstances Treymane used the hold to control, tonight she used it to constrict, as evidenced by her biceps and forearms shredding into shadowy relief, not to mention the wild, near electrified flailing of one Becky Clayton.
“I always suspected you were a bitch.” Treymane kept Clayton from tromping toward the ropes or her own corner, though she made no effort to take her to the challenger's side of town because she wanted, perhaps even needed, Becky Clayton all to herself. Lips pulled up in a ferocious smile as the pressure forced Bex to take a knee, 'Ronnie added, “And now that the whole world knows it, I don't have to feel bad about treating you like RGH! RGH! RGH!”
Clayton drilled three hard punches into the challenger's ribs, then wrapped her arms around opposing waist and muscled her off her feet with a Bear Hug that was far tighter than necessary for the purpose of marching the other blonde over to the ropNO! 'Ronnie reached out a foot, braced it against the middle strand and kicked off to spin both Destroyers back to the middle! The shift in balance forced Becky to set Treymane down and the Pinstripe Powerhouse celebrated by grrrrrrinding the knuckles of her free hand against the crown of her foe's skull.
“You're a lot of things, but you're not stronger than me, Daisy.” Veronica explained as she poured it on with the painful noogie. “You better hope you've got some finesse to go along with RRGGGHHH BITCH!”
Six montha ago Becky Clayton would've reapplied the Waistlock and marched Treymane to the ropes a second time, but current Tag Team Champion and Queen of the Madhouse had no time for such egregious wastes of energy so instead of lifting the whole blonde she just snatched a massive handful of her pinstriped waistband and raised those instead! Fuming as the creeping sting and burn of the wedgie forced her to tromp toward the strands despite the snugness of the Headlock, the Gorgeous Gangster decided to repay rudeness with rudeness so she switched from grinding to pulling, 'Ronnie yanking a fistful of hair hard enough to make Clayton's eyes water!
“FUCKING PUNK!” Bex stamped her feet and sawed the wedgie to and fro. “LET GO OF MY HAIR!”
Treymane shook her head 'no'. “Fix my trunks first and I'll think about--” 'Ronnie's demand gave way to a hiss of incredulous fury once Clayton relinquished the wedgie and stuffed that hand between the blonde's thighs instead!
“Really?” the blonde's tone was brittle as she tried to defend against those gouging fingers. “That's how you want to fucking do thiSSEEERRRGGHHH!”
The Peacekeeper finally secured the Claw with enough force to put Treymane up on tiptoes, a slight that caused the challenger to focus the might of her hair-pulling strategy on a patch of Becky's scalp no bigger than a quarter!
Both blondes shrieked like Valkyries yet neither would abandon their holds until Al Carpenter strode up and snapped, “All right, all right! Cut that tacky shit out right now! There's a championship on the line, so freakin' act like it!” Alas this call for order yielded no discernible noticeable results so the official sighed and began to count, “ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!”
Clayton and Treymane released half a whisper before 'FIVE' with the former immediately paint-brushing her clawin' hand back and forth across the latter's mouth! “You're fucking disgusting.” Becky sneered. “Think you could at least get cleaned up when you're losing on pay-per-vieWWRRRGGHHH!”
'Ronnie punched her straight in the mouth, then earned a higher octave of 'OOOOOHHH!' from the crowd when she mashed Bex's cheeks together in a humiliating fish-face! “ I'm gonna break you in half, slut.” she was nose to nose with the fuming champion, Treymane just drinking in the incredulous 'how dare you!' indignation in the eyes of the Camouflage Crusher. “But first I'm going to run you to ground. I'm going to EMBARRASS you in front of the whole HHRRHH!”
Becky punched her in the mouth to break the Dangerous Dame's domineering grip, then she hooked an arm around the back of Treymane's neck and pulled her close so she could thum-thum-thumTHUMP shots into Veronica's belly! Treymane growled and responded in kind, their locked embrace developing into something that looked like an odd slow dance that could only be won by ref's stoppage.
Speaking of refs, Al Carpenter let each lady throw less than half a dozen punches before he waded in and prized the Destroyers apart in an act of foolish courage that was roundly jeered by the FAWNatics. Patently ignoring the chant of 'LET THEM FIGHT!', the zebra kept a hand on each fluttering tummy as he glanced between his charges. “Clean it up. Right now.” he ordered. “Or I swear to God I will. You're better than this. So wrestle like it.”
“Rebecca. A word.”
Bex snarled, continued to glare daggers at Treymane as she backpedaled to the champions' corner. Distance caused her to relax the tiniest bit so Veronica spared a glance to Burlingame. No surprise there, Lily looked concerned. “I can do this.” she called over the din.
“Lemme take over if you need to cool off.”
“I'm fine.” the Magnificent Moll insisted even as she plucked her distended togs back into place. “I just need a clean shot at that sneaky meathe--”
A boo from the crowd returned her attention to the opposite corner where Clayton was exiting to the apron and Blassenville was taking her spot in the squared circle. Treymane almost called out after the BFG but chose to hold her tongue when she realized Celia was closing in fast. “You'll have to forgive Rebecca, Ms. Treymane.” the redhead murmured as they began to circle. “She's come a long way in learning how to best express herself, but she still lets her emotions take over from time to time. She's told me you have an 'extremely punchable face' on more than one occasion, though that's strictly anecdotal evidence and has no real bearing on--”
“Shut up and fight, Celia.” 'Ronnie interrupted. “I don't give a shit how calm, cool, and collected you sound, you're still responsible for all of this. I just happen to hate you a little less than I hate her.”
Blassenville tilted her head slightly, one eyebrow arching at the revelation. “Thank you for sharing, Veronica. Shall we, then?”
Treymane didn't need to be asked twice, she simply surged forward and met Celia in a Collar & Elbow Tie-Up strong enough to force both wrestlers up on their tiptoes. Forward momentum allowed 'Ronnie to walk Blassenville back a couple of steps, but that was as far as she got before the redhead planted a heel and ground to a halt. “You're not going to bully me around this ring, Ms. Treymane.” Celia shifted a hand to the blonde's chin and pressed forward to stretch her neck at an awkward angle. “If you want to regain those precious accessories you value so highly you'll have to FFHHH!”
The Pinstripe Powerhouse hit Blassenville with a Kneelift and would've drawn her down into the same Side Headlock that'd ground Bex's ears if the Mistress of Puppets hadn't answered with a Kneelift of her own! Celia added a second for good measure, then slipped around behind the blonde and earned some murmured concern from those assembled when she stuffed Treymane's chin into the slope of her own cleavage courtesy a stern Full Nelson! It wasn't a flashy hold by any means, but that didn't stop the FAWNatics from rumbling like it was something far more complicated.
Also lending credence to the seriousness, Al Carpenter stayed quite close to his warring charges. He didn't expect the Dangerous Dame to start singing like a canary anytime soon, yet he'd seen strong wrestlers taken to the brink of unconsciousness by a Blassenville Full Nelson and 'Ronnie Treymane was caught deep, no question about it. None of this mattered to the Crimson Cagliostro, she simply tightened her clasp and wrenched the hold back and forth while Veronica continuously flexed her fingers to keep circulation flowing.
Over in the challengers' corner, Lily Burlingame tightened her grip on the tag rope and used her free hand to slap the top turnbuckle. Another slap followed by a stop produced a reasonable facsimile of the 'We Will Rock You' baseline and another two sets had the whole crowd following along to lend their support to the trapped blonde.
Celia rolled her eyes, the powerful redhead clearly unimpressed by the echoing beat. “Jock jams, really? That's the best Lily can muster in this situa--” Treymane curled both hands into fists and brought her arms down in a slow motion effort that began to part Blassenville's fingers! Scowling at the blonde's progress, Celia shifted slightly so she could yoke up on the Nels--“NNNGHHH!” Veronica snapped her head back to catch the other wrestler on the point of the chin! The Temptress' teeth clacked together as her grip came apart, the evaporating pressure all the motivation she needed to charge toward the rop-- Celia lunged after her, grabbed hold of the challenger's waistband and yanked her backward into a Forearm Smash that THWHAPPED across the base of her neck!
The Gorgeous Gangster sagged on the spot so Blassenville dipped her head beneath Treymane's left bicep and looped an arm across her lower back. Boosting Veronica into the air as soon as she put a hand to her buns, Celia stretched her prey out at chest level, then dropped to one knee to THWHUMP 'Ronnie down spine-first atop the plank of her thigh! The Backbreaker jolted Treymane from stem to stern, however her arm remained draped over the champ's shoulders which in turn allowed Blassenville to regain her feet with her rival still in tow. Another effortless lift hoisted Veronica skyward but rather than repeat the chiropractic cruelty Blassenville pushed onto tiptoe on her left foot and swung around so she could drop to her knees and THWHUMP Treymane against the deck with a full-body Faceplant! Veronica bounced and flopped over onto her back so Celia slithered into a Crossbody that let her keep a stern eye on Lily even as she hooked the far leg for...
BACKBREAKER & BACKDROP FACEPLANT:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1scf_YI908Q
ONE...
TWO...
Stern or not, Burlingame vaulted onto the top rope and would've flown in for the interception if 'Ronnie hadn't shot a shoulder off the mat just after 'TWO!'
“Mind yourself, Ms. Burlingame.” Celia warned the Maroon Meteor before she plunged her hands into Treymane's hair and scraped her off the mat. Careful to keep her eyes on Lily as she wrenched Veronica's neck with a painful Inverted Facelock, Blassenville cinched her right arm around the challenger's right bicep and-- cheers from those assembled when the Gorgeous Gangster brought her free hand up and around for an awkward, albeit effective slap that CRACKED off the side of Celia's face! The Temptress staggered, tightened her hooks and caught three more slaps for her troubles, each blow taking her a step or two closer to the anxiously reaching Becky Clayton.
Yet for all her efforts Treymane was still trapped and Blassenville kept cranking up on the painful hold. “I do so love it when the white mice batter themselves senseless against the walls of the maze.” On that ominous note she dipped her knees and-- Veronica twisted out of the redhead's grasp like smoke, came out the far side and hopped into the air to catch Celia's noggin in a Three Quarters Facelock that let her THAWHAM the startled Destroyer's face against the canvas with ring-shivering force!
ACE CRUSHER @ 1:09
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1XzYMQkXDU
Erupting alongside the rest of the FAWNatics as her best friend planted Blassenville with her big sister's weapon of choice, Lily hopped onto the bottom rope and leeeeeeeeeeeeeeaned as close as physics would allow. “HIT HER AGAIN, 'RONNIE!” she called over the exultant din. “Show that monster what mind games'll get her!”
Galvanized by the surprise counter, Veronica scrambled to boot-leather and would've done exactly that if she hadn't had to duck a Clothesline thrown by Becky Clayton! “Cowardly bitch!” the Peacekeeper snarled as she hit the brakes and rounded on the challenger. “Why can't you just stand and fightNNGGHH!”
The Magnificent Moll didn't often throw closed fists so it spoke volumes as to her feelings on the Camouflage Crusher when she damned near spun Clayton's head around with a huge Haymaker to the jaw! That single shot was enough to send Bex reeling back to the champions' corner which was good enough for Al Carpenter but not nearly enough for 'Ronnie Treymane. Storming in on the woman who'd done nothing but blindside her from the start, Veronica grabbed hold of Becky's mug and smooshed it into another galling fish face before throwing on a few hard Bitch Slaps for good measure! “You want me to stand and fight, Daisy?” Treymane climbed onto the second rope, snatched a handful of hair and wrenched Becky's head back so the thrashing, fuming powerhouse was looking up into the overhead lights. “Then why didn't you just say so?”
“Gonna knock your ass out.” Clayton rasped. “I swear I'm gonna knock your whiny ass ouNGH!”
Veronica scraped her knuckles off the other blonde's forehead once, twice, three times, the pace of her rhythm more than enough to get the crowd counting along. 'FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NI--'
“ON YOUR SIX, 'RONNIE!” Lily shouted from the other side of the ring as Celia Blassenville got to her feet and tromped toward the challenger. Not bothering to waste time with a glance over her shoulder, Treymane choose evasion over offense by putting one foot on the top rope and pushing off in a gorgeous back-flip that looked more like something from her partner's playbook! Though her effort didn't fly quite as high or reach quite as far as that of her lightweight bestie, Veronica's flip still had more than enough to get her out of the Temptress' way before Blassenville could do any damage.
Disgusted by the casual thwarting of her efforts, Celia turned on a dime and pounced on the Pinstripe Powerhou--“OOOFFFFFHHH!” Treymane halted the encroachment with a quick Toe Kick, then wedged Celia's head between her thighs and strapped a Waistlock around her midsection. What she'd originally planned as a Piledriver became something else when she saw Carpenter trying to help a punch-drunk Clayton out of the corner. “Be careful, Sheamus!” she called out as she dipped her knees ever so slightly. “The action's headed your way!”
Al didn't much like the sound of that so he put an egg in his shoe and beat it as the Gorgeous Gangster muscled Blassenville into a Powerbomb stall and loped toward the champs' corner! Simply tossing the the Mistress of Puppets into the One Woman Army would've been quite effective, yet Treymane wasn't ready to relinquish her possession of the former so instead she THWHUMPED Celia's backside against Becky's face in what was essentially an elevated Hip Check!
If an unexpected taste of tempting cake wasn't bad enough, Bex suffered another indignity when Veronica rammed a single Kneelift between her thighs! Clambering away from the scene of the crime as soon as Clayton collapsed to a seat, Treymane turned around and stomped her way into the center of the ri-- tired of waiting for an invitation (or a tag for that matter) the Star Strider vaulted onto the top rope and leapt out into the void with her knees raised to chest-level. Driving them between Blassenville's shoulders earned a grunt from the redhead but the real damage occurred when Veronica slung her burden forward and down to skewer Celia atop those bony daggers with a fusion of Powerbomb and Lungblower! Massive cheers from the FAWNatics as Celia bounced up and hit the deck in an agonized, twitching sprawl, it might've been an illegal double team but karma was a very real thing in the squared circle and the crowd had no trouble lauding its surprise arrival. As for Lily, she quickly tumbled beneath the bottom rope to ensure there was nothing to distract Al when Veronica stuffed her shoulders into the pits of Celia's knees and folded her in half for a celebratory...
POWERBOMB & LUNGBLOWER @ 00:39
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNlKj7r87NM
ONE...
TWO...
THRNOOOO!
Double teamed or not, Celia Blassenville was still one of the most formidable Destroyers on the roster and she proved it by kicking free of the Matchbook with half a second to spare! The fans might've been demoralized but Veronica was not, indeed she looked more confident than ever as she scraped the Crimson Cagliostro off the mat. “This confusion you're feeling, this concern running up and down your spine right now?” Treymane helped herself to a Wristlock and pointed the woozy redhead at Noir's corner. “That's what happens when the white mice turn the tables, doc.”
“Yuuuuhhhh... you've accomplished noth--” Veronica didn't need to hear any of that sass so she stepped back, dropped a hip and sent Blassenville on her way with a massive Irish Whip. Woozy though she was, Celia still clocked the presence of Lily Burlingame on the apron and rather than try to slow down she actually picked up speed and tried to smash the Lightweight into the fourth row with a Haymaker aimed at NO! Lily dipped low to avoid the blow, then hopped onto the bottom rope just to jump up and THUNK a Kneelift into the base of her attacker's skull!
Celia's head snapped forward and her knees turned to water but she didn't cede verticality because the Maroon Meteor reached over the ropes and grabbed a huge handful of that coppery braid. Reeling Blassenville in until she was smudged against the rubber-coated steel, Burlingame shifted both hands to the Temptress' and wrenched her head backward over the top rope. “This is what you get, you evil little sneak!” Lily could've simply stepped off the apron so it spoke volumes when she leapt off, the former Lightweight Champion making a point to get some air en route to punishing her foe with an Inverted Hot Shot. The resultant TWANG was so loud in Celia's ears that it blotted out the 'oooooohhhhh' of the crowd and the heavy patter of boots headed her way.
Missing the former meant little in the grand scheme of things, ignorance of the latter however proved quite disastrous as it meant Blassenville didn't get a chance to brace for impact when Veronica Treymane roared in and THWHACKED her across the chest with a massive Lariat! Celia went down in a heap and the Dangerous Dame settled down beside her to hook the far leg up beside Blassenville's chin while Carpenter's counted off...
LARIAT:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeLPjCM5xFc
ONE...
TWO...
THRNOOOO!
The Mistress of Puppets kicked loose and now she did hear the disappointed jeers. The cacophony raised a smile on her lips but it didn't last long as a vengeful Treymane promptly pumped a trio of left hands into the champ's tummy. “On your feet, Daisy.” 'Ronnie huffed as she tugged Blassenville to boot-leather in a series of fits and starts. “You've still got plenty to learn about what happens when your experiments go—HEY! Get your ass back to the corner, Clayton!”
In her defense, Bex was minding her own business in the champions' corner, but the sternness of Treymane's rebuke drew Al's attention in her direction and the blonde was forced to protest her innocence. “Don't give me any shit, Carpenter! You can see I'm right here holding the tag-- oh you fucking bitch, I'm going to--”
Across the ring Treymane slung Celia into the buckles where Lily promptly hooked the redhead's arms so Veronica could throw undefended punches into her midsection! Not about to let those smarmy shits double team her partner, Becky slipped through the ropes without thinking about it and was immediately confronted by the zebra. “What the hell, Becky?! Get back to the apron, you can't be in here!”
“They're mugging her over there, goddammit!” Clayton protested as she worked to get around the encroaching official. “Just turn around and pay atten--” A loud SLAP from the other side of the ring caused the FAWNatics to cheer while Becky redoubled her efforts. “Bitch didn't tag!” she shouted at Carpenter. “Just clapped her hands! Get the hell over there, would ya?”
“Get hold of the tag rope and I will!” Al spared a look over his shoulder and caught sight of Treymane boosting Blassenville into a Fireman's Carry while the Star Strider sprang into a perch on the top turnbuckle. Beside him, Clayton hissed in disgust, then threw up both hands and retreated back to the apron so the official could hustle closer to the action. Al's timing proved most fortuitous as he arrived a heartbeat before Burlingame sprang out into the void and drew both knees up to chest level to STOMP on the back of Celia's skull. The shudder that passed through the redhead acted like a starter pistol for Treymane who went up on tiptoes and laid out on her right side to THWHUNK Blassenville's noggin against the deck with a massive Death Valley Bomb! With the Destroyer reduced to so much incoherent sludge, Lily pounced into a seat atop Blassenville's chest and hooked her right leg in a Half Matchbook good for the...
ONE...
TWO...
THRE--“NNNNNGGGHHH!”
No need to fake it this time, Becky Clayton rushed in from across the squared circle and drove a Soccer Kick between Burlingame's shoulders to break the cover! Lily groaned and tumbled off her mount, leaving an exultant Peacekeeper to sneer, “You're not winning like that, short stufFFFUUGGGHHH!”
Veronica had only just rolled to the floor when Clayton interfered which explained the rapidity with how she reentered and took the other blonde to the mat with a huge tackle! Make no mistake about it, Lily Burlingame was wrestling like a woman who'd lost a title and wanted it back and Celia Blassenville was wrestling just as hard to maintain ownership of that same prize. But Veronica Treymane and Becky Clayton? They weren't wrestling, they were fighting. And the sheer volume of punches thrown every time they got to within striking distance suggested the fight was extremely personal.
Cursing audibly as he once again found himself in the center of a whirlwind fracas, Al Carpenter glanced back and forth between the pairs and eventually settled on trying to prize apart the illegal members of each team. “C'mon you two!” he hunkered down beside the action and tapped 'Ronnie on one shoulder to absolutely no reaction. Resigned to what came next, the ref muttered, “I need a goddamned raise.” then slipped both arms around Treymane's midsection and started pulling with all his might.
Not far from Carpenter's unenviable task, Lily and Celia rolled to one knee to deal with the aftermath of their respective aches. “Once again we find ourselves alone, Ms. Burlingame.” Blassenville murmured. “Surely the circumstances haven't changed enough for you to entertain thoughts of a different outco--”
The Crimson Comet bounced to verticality and lashed out with a sawed off Super Kick that would've caved in Celia's chin if the Temptress hadn't caught hold of her ankle at the last possible second! A single sharp wrench had Burlingame yelping and hopping on her plant foot as Blassenville rose to her full height. “You've never used your size as an excuse to hold you back, that's quite admirable.” Celia noted even as she tried to twist the brunette's foot clean off her ankle. “But refusing to acknowledge your own limits doesn't make them go away, I'm afraid. Doing so only makes it more jarring when you finally run up against th--”
Lily sprang into the air and lashed out with an Enzugiri that the Mistress of Puppets dipped with a casual grace that the crowd didn't much appreciate. Straightening up again as Burlingame landed on her palms, Celia wrenched that captured ankle again and remarked, “Do you understand what I'm telling you, LilNNNGGGHHH!” Lily dropped down 'til her chest was almost on the canvas only to push off full force and THWHUMP a single-leg Mule Kick into the champ's chest!
“You want to talk limits, doc?” Burlingame snapped as she scrambled upright and a grimacing Celia caught her balance. “Need I remind you that it took you AND your latest mind control experiment to put me do--” Apparently Celia didn't need or want to be reminded because she interrupted with a Pump Kick that the heiress avoided with a neat little forward roll. On her feet as Blassenville turned to find her, Lily took a chance and planted on her tweaked ankle to lash out with a Roundhouse aimed at Celia's temp-- the redhead ducked, straightened up and got THWHACKED by the Enzugiri she threw as follow up!
ROUNDHOUSE EVASION TO ENZUGIRI:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Svr4S5aO4
The Temptress went down in a heap so Burlingame scurried after her in search of a cover only to slow down once she realized Carpenter was still occupied with the furious blondes. Brow crinkling as she considered the problem, Lily ultimately helped herself to Celia's left ankle and stood up just long enough to hook her right leg around the exposed limb. From there she dropped to her knees (which captured Blassenville's calf in the vise of her thigh and calf while simultaneously wrenching her ankles between the Lightweight's thighs) and leaned forward, Burlingame twisting her torso at an angle that allowed her to reach around the right side of the champ's head with her left hand and vice versa.
“I can't pin you when the ref's not looking,” Lily admitted while clasping her fingers across Celia's chin. “So maybe you can tap loud enough to get his attention.”
“You're even more delusional than your sister if you think you can suEERRRGGGHH!” Celia's roar of pain was no match for the FAWNatics' bellow of delight as the Star Strider reminded the world of her submission bona fides by wrenching the taller wrestler's head back at an agonizing angle!
HANGMAN'S CLUTCH:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-MzvIQU-Uc
Planted awkwardly on her left shoulder and hip, Blassenville could only rely on her right hand to paw at Burlingame's locked hands, a task that grew more and more difficult as Lily tried to bend her into an awful 'C' shape. Credit the awareness of both women, Lily made no attempt to ask for a submission and Celia would've refused even if a demand was made. Neither wasted precious energy on trash talk or threats, Burlingame was only concerned with inflicting as much punishment as possible while the Temptress was understandably focused on freeing herself from the trap. Unfortunately for the champion she was having a helluva time breaking Lily's grip and after several failed efforts she slapped her free hand against the mat and began to draaaaaaaaaaag their combined weight toward the ropes. Lily might've been on top but Celia still had thirty-five pounds on her so it wasn't surprising to see the grounded redhead making steady progress.
“I'm not going to let you go, Celia.” Lily warned as she watched the strands grow closer and closer. “Not unless Al makes me... or if you want to tap out when he's watching.”
“I admire your persistence.” Blassenville huffed as she closed in on the corner as of yet unglimpsed by the official. “But you have to know there's no way you can hhhhrrrrggghhhhh!”
Burlingame craaaaaaaaaaaaaanked back on the redhead's captured chin, Lily clearly willing to burn a great deal of energy if it meant subduing the dangerous powerhouse. “I don't need your admiration, Celia.” the Star Strider noted. “All I need are those titles you stole from NNGGGHHH!”
The Temptress finally grabbed hold of the bottom rope, but rather than call for a break she let loose and shifted her grip lower so she was clutching at the edge of the ring apron. Pulling with everything she had, Blassenville managed to slide almost halfway out of the squared circle and in so doing cleverly TWANGED her attacker's face into the second strand! Lily cried out and abandoned the submission to better paw at her stinging eyes while Celia slipped all the way onto the narrow ledge and clambered to one knee. She was still catching her breath when a cheer from the crowd drew her attention and a loud curse one right after the other. Al Carpenter had finally succeeded in separating Clayton and Treymane which would've been fine if the champ wasn't hanging out in Cosmic Noir's corner with the Dangerous Dame storming around the far corner in her direction!
Loathing the necessity of an impulsive decision, Celia scrambled to boot-leather and made her way to the top turnbuckle without taking her eyes off Veronica. Indeed the Crimson Cagliostro extended a beckoning finger to 'Ronnie, out and out daring her to venture into the blast radius of whatever high risk nastiness Blassenville had in mind. Treymane saw this challenge and welcomed it, going so far as to spread her arms wide while also increasing her pace. “You want some too, doc? Bring your ass down here and we can--” Celia leapt from the high rent district, alas she did so not onto the Magnificent Moll but the Crimson Comet, Celia THWHUNKING Burlingame's forehead with a heavy Double Axehandle the moment she regained her feet!
DOUBLE AXEHANDLE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Wf01acYSk
'Ronnie snarled and sprang onto the apron as Lily crumpled to the deck, but both friend and foe were maddeningly out of range. “You really should learn to control your temper, Ms. Treymane.” Celia was back to her usual icy politeness now that the situation was well in hand. “Failure to do so has put Lily in a dangerous position more than once.”
“Why don't you let her make the tag, then you and I can talk all about my temper, doc.” Blassenville smiled even though it didn't reach her eyes. “I'm afraid my session with Ms. Burlingame is not quite over yet. Fear not, I'll tend to you soon enough.”
On that note she buried a hand in Lily's hair, peeled her off the canvas and into a Front Facelock. Pointedly turning her back on the fuming blonde, Blassenville slung Burlingame's near arm across her shoulders, then snagged a handful of waistband and muscled the heiress into place overhead like she weighed little more than nothing. With Lily thoroughly trussed up and a path clear to the champions' corner for the first time in what seemed like forever, the Temptress earned some murmurs from the crowd when she broke into a run that took her three quarters of the way home before she dropped backward and THWHAMMED Burlingame's hundred and ten pounds onto the canvas!
RUNNING SUPLEX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTq_-o_sEDE
The heiress jolted upright while Celia popped to full verticality, the redhead wasting no time in tagging in an exceptionally eager Becky Clayton. “Go to the top.” Blassenville suggested in the midst of scraping Lily off the mat. “It's time this rambunctious little moppet understands just how unpleasant it is when someone jumps on you from a great height.”
The Peacekeeper thought that was an excellent idea so she did as bade while the Temptress switched over to a Wristlock and slung Burlingame into the straNO! Celia tightened her grip and yanked the brunette back the way she'd came only to whip 'round behind and snatch a Waistlock while also jamming her head beneath Burlingame's left arm. Hoisting Lily skyward with the same effortless power she'd demonstrated moments ago, the Mistress of Puppets held Lily in place across her right shoulder and spun through three full rotations before she THAWHAMMED the challenger down on the back of her head and shoulders!
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChSgSirBiYc
Such enthusiastic exposure to Learned Helplessness was never a good thing, yet Lily's plight grew that much more intolerable when a crouched Becky took to the sky and came down with every bit of her weight channeled into the point of her right elbow which she in turn SPIKED into the heiress' sternum! Burlingame shuddered all over, in fact she was still shuddering when Clayton wriggled into a Lateral Press and hooked the far leg for...
DIVING ELBOW DROP:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYHG1Fh6U04
ONE...
TWO...
THRENOOOOOOOO!
Celia had posted up at mid-ring to prevent any interference from Treymane but 'Ronnie didn't have to lift a finger because the Star Strider inched a shoulder off the mat with half a whisper to spare! “All right Celia, get back to the corner.” Carpenter told the redhead after Burlingame's narrow escape. “And you,” he pointed a wary finger at Veronica, “stay right there unless there's a tag, understood?”
Neither Blassenville or Treymane bothered to respond, as the former was already striding back to her corner and the latter only had eyes for Becky Clayton. Don't think the BFG didn't notice the attention and relish it, indeed she was all smiles as she snatched a huge handful of Lily's hair and sccccrrrrrruuuuuuuubbed one side of her face against the unforgiving canvas! “You want to give it up, tiny?” she asked. “Everyone in this building knows you're the weak link, I don't know why you're wasting everyone's ti--”
Burlingame twisted onto her back and lashed out with viper speed to CRACK a hard slap across Clayton's cheek. “That the best trash talk you got, Bex?” the Roseate Rocket grunted. “Guess all brain-washing scrubbed away your sass game too. Good thing Celia's too polite to tell you you sucKRRRGGHHH!”
The Camouflage Crusher drew back and THUMPED a heavy right hand into the pit of her opponent's stomach! “Telling lies is going to get you hurt, little sister.” Becky growled as she filled her hands with the heiress' hair and hauled her upright. “No one brainwashed me, I finally woke up and saw things for how they--”
“Blink twice if you need help.” Lily interrupted with a pained little giggle. “Tell me something and I can get a deprogrammer out here in two hoHHRRRGGHHHH!”
Clayton wrapped both hands around the smaller wrestler's throat and began to squeeeeeeeeeeeze! “THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!” she bellowed over the jeers of the crowd. “If I had to be rid of ANYTHING it was all the complacent loser bullshit foisted on me by all those idiots out there! I was goddamned soldier, a weapon! Pandering to them is the ONLY reason I'm not holding the World Championship right fucking nOWWEERRGGHH!”
Lily stamped on the blonde's left foot and when that didn't free her from the Goozle she her laced her hands behind Clayton's head and wedged the crown of her skull under Bex's chin before dropping to her knees to THUNK the champ with a quick Jawbreaker! Becky grunted and stumbled back, one hand flying to her aching chin. As for the Crimson Comet, she caught her balance and... held her ground?
'Ronnie and the FAWNatics were urging Burlingame to race to the Cosmic Noir corner for a tag, but unlike her Destroyer class partner, the youngest Burlingame sister hadn't given up on her old friend. “That's right, Bex.” she rasped. “You were a damned good soldier, still are in fact. Which makes me wonder why the hell you sound like a million other Karen's right now? Actually, I don't wonder. I know. You hit a rough stretch and let Celia into your head. Now she's fucked you up so royally you can't see--”
Becky pounced with a Lariat that would've turned Lily inside out if the brunette hadn't thrown herself into a forward roll! Coming out of the evasion at a flat sprint, Burlingame raced toward 'Ronnie's outstretched hand and-- Clayton caught hold of the challenger's waistband and yanked her back into an Enzu Lariat that THWHACKED across the base of Lily's neck!
The Maroon Meteor went down like she'd been walloped with a baseball bat, the concerned 'oooooohhhhh' of the crowd a grim exclamation point for the sick, ashen look on Veronica's face. Paying no attention to the Magnificent Moll now, Becky leaned down, grabbed Lily by the scruff of the neck and hauled her upright.
“Cuuuuuhhhhh... can't you see?” Burlingame mumbled as she found her feet. “Adelaide wrecked... wrecked your confidence. Celia taught Adelaide everything she knows. You're not her friend, Bex. You're just another lab raNGH!”
The Peacekeeper interrupted with a nasty Headbutt to the bridge of the nose! “You're right, 'Lil. Celia taught Adelaide. Now she's teaching me so I can teach the rest of you fucking sheep.” Lily had no response to that, not that Clayton would've listened anyway. Rather she slipped an arm between the Lightweight's thighs and scooped her up onto one shoulder like a sack of mail. Very deliberately turning to face Veronica Treymane, Becky stared holes through the Dangerous Dame as she shifted each hand to Lily's biceps and muscled her into a head-first Crucifix LifNOOOO!
Becky must've put a little too much stank on her preparation for the SNAFU because suddenly Burlingame went from dishrag limp to sitting astride the champ's shoulders in a tottering Electric Chair! Understandably surprised by this abrupt shift in momentum, Clayton took a step back and sealed her doom when Lily wrenched backward and tore the Camouflage Crusher from her moorings with Poison 'Rana that THWHUNKED her down on the back of her head and shoulders!
POISON RANA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKpDWzW5aRc
Of everyone in the building that night, Veronica Treymane was the only individual (save Sue, of course) that should have grown inured to the Crimson's Comet's acrobatic abilities and yet the former World Champion roared as loud as everyone else when Lily left Clayton blinking up at the lights in a awkward, loose-limbed sprawl. “C'MON LILY!” the Dangerous Dame shouted to her partner while Burlingame powered to all fours. “I know there's still some gas left in that tank, so get over here and I'll take--” 'Ronnie was about to say 'over' but she didn't need to because the heiress tucked herself into a little forward roll that ended with her popping up and diving forward to CLAP Treymane's straining palm!
The cheers were immediate and overwhelming, yet they might as well have been static on a distant radio for all the attention Veronica paid them. Vaulting her way to the top turnbuckle in a single effortless bound, the blonde realized Clayton hadn't started to rise so rather than waste any time she leapt out and balanced the ledger for Burlingame by DRIVING the point of her elbow into Becky's chest!
That got Clayton moving well enough, indeed it flopped the other blonde onto her stomach and up to all fours in a matter of heartbeats. All of this was still too slow for Treymane's liking so she buried her hands in Becky's long locks and hauled her to boot-leather without so much as a by-your-leave. This shabby treatment continued with a violent shaking of the champ's noggin, 'Ronnie just whipping Clayton's head back and forth until Al hurried over and demanded she knock it off. Treymane did, though this brought no peace for the BFG as Treymane promptly skewered her with a Kneelift that landed too high to qualify as a Low Blow even if it was delivered in the same spirit.
“Hey, did that knock any of the brainwashing loose?” Veronica murmured in her rival's ear as Bex sagged against her in a loose clench.
“Fuuuuhhh... fucking bitch.” Clayton rasped. “I told you I'm not brainwashNNNGGGHHHH!”
Another pointed Kneelift to the belly made Bex a penitent or would have if Treymane hadn't guided her down into a Standing Headscissors. “Gotcha.” 'Ronnie 'smacked' Clayton's buns with both hands, much to the approval of the crowd. “Not brainwashed, you're just a gutless cowa--”
Becky gathered her strength and straightened up fast in hope of dumping 'Ronnie with a Back Body Drop, unfortunately the Magnificent Moll was the tiniest bit quicker on the draw and she thwarted Clayton's plans by catching hold of her waistband and pulling as hard as she could! “BITCH!” she wailed as the camouflage vanished like it was actually invisible. “I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU FOR NNNGGGHH!”
Veronica clouted Becky across the lower back with a huge Overhand Forearm Smash, then cinched a Waistlock around the blonde's waist and swung her into a seat astride her shoulder for a-- Treymane went up on tiptoes and THWHAMMED Becky down with a spiteful Powerbomb that made the ring shiver! The maneuver left Clayton stacked on her shoulders so Carpenter swooped in to make a count but 'Ronnie only used the Waistlock to flip Clayton over onto her knees. Stepping back from the vulnerable Destroyer, Treymane extended both hands for a flagrantly disrespectful double bird that meant the stands were a cacophony even before Veronica lunged forward and THWHONKED her right knee between the champ's eyes!
POWERBOMB & GROUNDED KNEE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkypAdISe9g
Becky's head snapped back but she didn't collapse to the deck because the Pinstripe Powerhouse snatched her hair once again. This was followed by another Standing Headscissors / Waistlock combination, but rather than repeat the Powerbomb Treymane flipped her upside and down and dropped to a seat to THWHONK Clayton's skull with a Snap Piledriver! Becky bounced over onto her side and was immediately collected at shoulder and hip so 'Ronnie could stretch her out and take a seat on her chest for a gaudy one-legged Reverse Matchbook that provided an excellent view of Clayton's buns even as the ref counted off...
SNAP PILEDRIVER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGHjpIE6CWg
ONE...
TWO...
THRENOOOOOOOO!
Celia sprinted in and STOMPED on the pit of Treymane's stomach to break the count within an ace of 'THREE!'
Grimacing but hardly gutted by the interference, Veronica scrambled to verticality and welcomed Blassenville back to the squared circle with a fusillade of fists that the redhead absorbed before returning her own. Not about to let three of his four charges in the squared circle at such a pivotal juncture, Al Carpenter waded into the fray in a valiant effort to pull 'Ronnie and Celia apart. “That's enough! Enough I say! Celia, get back to your corner or I swear I'll call it right now!”
“No!” Treymane raised her hands and stepped away. “Don't even think about it, Al! That's just what this headcase wantSERRRGGHH!”
Blassenville used the opening to pop 'Ronnie right in the nose, then snatch hold of one wrist so the watery-eyed blonde couldn't retreat. Making some space with a single giant step back, Celia dropped her hips and sent Treymane into the strands on Cosmic Noir's side of the NO! Impaired vision be damned, 'Veronica reversed the momentum of the Whip to offer the Temptress in her place. This didn't seem to bother Blassenville in the slightest, as long as Clayton was dealing with her she wasn't dealing with Rebecca. Her mindset changed, or rather, was changed for her, a heartbeat after she bounced into the ropes. That's when a righteously pissed Lily Burlingame took hold of the top rope and leapt up parallel to it to THWHACK an Enzugiri of sorts against the back of Celia's skull!
The redhead sagged without going down, indeed she fixed the heiress with an incensed look and snarled, “That's your last mistake you sniveling little meddNNNNNNGGGHHHH!” In honing in on Burlingame, Blassenville had temporarily forgotten Veronica Treymane and this cost her dearly when the big blonde roared in and not so gently stroked her cheek with a big ol' bolt of Chicago Lightning!
CHICAGO LIGHTNING:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=baeFEcKPndg
Blown off her feet by the power of the strike, Celia tumbled over the top rope and should've landed in a heap on the floor, yet somehow the redhead kept her feet even if she did backpedal into the barricade to keep herself upright. “I'll handle her.” Lily was already on the top turnbuckle facing out. “You take care of Bex.”
Without waiting for an answer the Star Strider straightened up and leapt into the lights, Lily twisting a full ninety degrees as she reached the apex to ensure she was stretched out full length when she THWHUMPED against Blassenville's chest! Give Celia credit, she tried to pluck the Lightweight out of the air but she was still woozy from the fall and so both wrestlers tumbled over the barricade into the first row of FAWNatics!
Veronica didn't actually witness this live, much as she wanted. She'd already returned her attention to Clayton, who'd made it to one knee in the recent chaos. “Get up.” Treymane demanded as she closed in. “You can at least finish this on your feet if you're half the bad-ass you claim to--” The Peacekeeper lashed out with a vile Uppercut that would've caught the center of Treymane's trunks if the blonde hadn't anticipated just such a response. Throwing her hips back just enough for Becky's shot to come up short, Veronica caught hold of that wrist and yanked the champ forward while simultaneously THWHONKING a Kneelift into the bridge of her nose!
Clayton's head snapped back and she crumpled to a seat but didn't stay there long because Treymane used the Wristlock to haul her to verticality. “Lily thinks you're Celia's newest puppet.” the Gorgeous Gangster murmured when they were nose to nose. “Not me though. I think she just brought out the real you for the whole world to AAAAARRRGGHHH!”
Bex pursed her lips and spat in Treymane's eye! 'Ronnie scrambled back with one hand scrubbing at her face while the other remained outstretched in a presumed show of defense. This proved just the opposite as Clayton caught hold of her wrist and jerked her forward to drive home a Kneelift into the juncture of her opponent's thighs!
“HEY!” Al barked amidst the boos from the crowd, “Watch the trunks, Bex!” “Either disqualify me, or shut the fuck up.” Becky snapped. No response from the official so she turned around and claimed Treymane's noggin in a Three Quarters Facelock she used to Snapmare the blinded beauty onto her butt. Presently the last woman standing, Bex backpedaled into the corner to Treymane's left and quickly removed the pad from her right elbow. Just like that she charged forward, shot in low and SMASHED the bony dagger into Veronica's left cheek! The challenger's head snapped to one side and the rest of her soon followed, Treymane slopping to the canvas in a discombobulated heap.
MOAB:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gFYUl1n_js
Above her, Becky Clayton stood up and made a show of brushing some invisible grime off her elbow before she helped herself to 'Ronnie's hair. Dragging the other blonde to her feet in stages, the BFG went behind her rival, then grabbed hold of her left wrist and forced it Between Treymane's thighs so she could secure it in her right hand. From there she leaned over Veronica's back and threaded her left arm under Treymane's right bicep and yanked it back in a Pumphandle strong enough to flip the Magnificent Moll onto her left shoulder. Just like that she laid out to THAWHAM Treymane down on the back of her head and shoulders with sickening force!
ALPHA CHARLIE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHdvJI9ByYY
Left in the bottom of a crater by the strength of Alpha Charlie, Veronica did no more than whimper when Clayton swung a leg over and sat down on a Reverse Face Sit that fully blotted out the challenger's upturned features! Clayton didn't bother to matchbook the legs, nor did she plant hands on Treymane's tummy or chest, instead she only slapped her own buns and sneered, “Camouflage beats pinstripes, bitch. Think about that while you're eating my ass.” The tawdry demand was still fresh in the air when Nick Castle dove in beside the action to count...
ONE...
TWO...
THREE!
Over on the other side of the guardrail, Lily Burlingame clambered to verticality sporting an exhausted smile only to crumple in disappointment when she saw Becky in her seat and heard the Announcer confirm, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winners via pin-fall and STILL the FAWN Tag Team Champions... CELIA BLASSENVILLE AND BECKY CLAYTON!”
“No one will ever accuse you of a half-hearted performance, Ms. Burlingame.” Celia murmured as she stood up a short distance away. “But some experiments are destined to end in failure, regardless of effort.”
“You're not unbeatable, Celia.” the Star Strider replied warily.
“Indeed I am not.” the redhead agreed. “But how much of yourself... of Veronica, are you willing to give to prove it?” The Temptress didn't wait for an answer, she just climbed over the barrier and trudged across the aisle to roll under the bottom rope.
As for Becky, she'd risen to her full height only to plant a foot on either side of Treymane's waist. Belt draped over one shoulder, she sank into a crouch and sneered, “You don't want any more of this. But if you're stupid enough to think otherwise, I can always find time to kick your prissy little ass!” She punctuated the promise with a rough pie-face, then stood up and planted a boot on Veronica's chest while holding the belt high.
Celia joined her shortly thereafter and though the Mistress of Puppets partook of no posterizing, she did raise her gold alongside the Camouflage Crusher. The new order of things was still asserting itself when the broadcast cut to a package hyping tonight's World Title tilt.
The low red glare of the Star Strider's entrance was augmented by a gout of flame sparking from the floor at the bottom of the ramp and burning rapidly up its wick until it reached the pool of darkness at the top. All at once the predicted explosion of noise and pyro went off, a huge KA-BOOM of red bursting loud enough to swallow the introductory riff of 'Comeback Kid’. When the lights came back the music immediately cut to the first verse of ‘Machine Gun Blues’ and those gathered for Heartbroken turned their attention to one of, if not thee most dominant Tag Teams of the last decade.
LILY BURLINGAME:
VERONICA TREYMANE:
“You ready to reclaim some stolen property?” Lily asked her partner over the roar of the crowd.
Veronica nodded immediately, though her tone was far graver than the brunette's. “Yeah. I'm also ready to bloody my knuckles on Becky Clayton's miserable face.”
“Don't forget Celia.” Burlingame answered as the pair exchanged as of yet unbloodied fists. “If there's any single person to blame for all this, it's her. I'm certain of it.”
“Clayton made her choices too, 'Lil.” Treymane replied. “She listened. She went along with whatever Blassenville devised. Tonight she's gonna pay for it. They're both gonna pay.”
Lily looked like she might say something else, but ultimately she just raised the invisible detonator overhead, then brought her thumb down to get an earth-shattering ‘KA-BOOM!’ from the FAWNatics and an explosive line of pyro from Veronica’s barking iron. When it fell silent Treymane and Burlingame blew smoke off the barrel, then started toward the ring with the Roseate Rocket a few steps ahead and the Gorgeous Gangster trailing at her heels.
For tonight's effort to become two time Tag Team Champs, Lily wore her usual midnight blue and starry white halter and bottoms, galaxies swirling and shimmering with her every move. Her knee pads were white on one side and purple on the other, matching her togs perfectly. Behind her, the Gorgeous Gangster wore matching togs, the dark blue replacing charcoal gray in her usual boy-cut pinstripe trunks and bustier. The accompanying suspenders and belt gleamed bright white, as did her pads and wrist-tape, while her boots were a highly-polished black.
They were about halfway to the squared circle when Burlingame raised her right hand and started a silent countdown.
Three.
Two.
One.
Blastoff!
The Girl That Gravity Forgot went flying down the rest of the ramp to leap onto the apron in a single bound. From there she raced along the narrow ledge to the far corner, the top of which she reached just as easily. This display of effortless acrobatics was capped off with a soaring and undeniably gorgeous back-flip which landed her perfectly within the confines of the squared circle. A couple heartbeats passed and Veronica slid in behind her, the Dangerous Dame having doffed her coat and Thompson once the countdown began.
Belts be damned, Burlingame and Treymane claimed center ring like they owned it and offered up a confident pose for their fans, who were just as eager to see them regain the top tandem prize. After several more seconds they headed to the far corner and settled in to offer their pads and boots for the inspection of one Al Carpenter.
PSY OPS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5z63Bi_d1I
The energetic mood raised by the challengers arrival was quashed by slow, plinking piano notes. Delight gave way to disgust as words dripped from the speakers.
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse but there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Everyone was still jeering wholeheartedly when the curtain was brushed aside and the new order of things came into view. Becky Clayton and Celia Blassenville emerged shoulder to shoulder, the longtime enemies now united in a campaign that had claimed the Madhouse in October and disrupted the cosmos in December. The former Howling Commandos greeted their absentee leader with dismay, disgust and disappointment, the cacophony of their collective distress an easy equal to their love for Cosmic Noir.
BECKY CLAYTON:
CELIA BLASSENVILLE:
Becky Clayton didn't give a single damn about what they thought, as evidenced by the 'what're ya gonna do about it?' smirk on her face as she undid the belt around her waist and raised it overhead This resulted in another round of jeers but the occasional cheer and whistle could be heard, the more salacious element among the FAWNatics happy to embrace Clayton now that she'd embraced Celia's unorthodox approach. And you couldn't really blame them, considering her battle gear. For tonight's exercise against the former champs she wore a cold grey, black & blue version of her formerly standard green & brown camouflage two-piece. The tie-sided bottoms were the same as was the ladder / double helix of lycra that ran from the top of her waistband all the way to the southern border of her low-cut sports bra. The look was completed with flat black pads, black boots and a few wraps of matte black wrist-tape. Also worth noting? Clayton's dark blonde locks, which usually hung free or pulled back in a simple ponytail were now drawn back in the snug French Braid Celia had favored for years.
Beside her, the Mistress of Puppets wore a gleaming black lycra one-piece with long ‘sleeves’ that were comprised of a pair of thin ebon bands that wound around her arms, ending just above the wrists. Her ensemble finished with matching knee-pads and gleaming white wrestling boots, while her long copper-colored hair was collected in the aforementioned French Braid. While Clayton hoisted her prize for all to see, Blassenville treated hers as nothing more than an accessory, or perhaps a small but vital piece of equipment in her latest experiment. Indeed she seemed far more interested in Bex's reaction to the crowd (and vice versa) than the women waiting in the ring. After a moment she leaned over to Clayton and murmured something in her ear.
Becky's attention flicked to Diamonds and Pearls and she smiled. “Do what you want with Burlingame, Treymane is mine.” With that she started down the ramp and Celia fell into place a few steps behind.
They were halfway to the squared circle when the Announcer called, “And introducing their opponents. Hailing from Denver, Colorado and New Cannan, Louisiana respectively, weighing in at a combined total of two-hundred and eighty pounds, they are the reigning and defending FAWN Tag Team Champions... BECKY CLAYTON AND CELIA BLASSENVILLE!”
This brought a fresh round of jeers, which only caused Clayton to raise her gold a little higher. Completely ignoring the fans on the aisle, Clayton and Blassenville tromped up the steel steps and slipped through the ropes to lay claim to the center of the ring just while Lily and 'Ronnie stared daggers through them from the opposite corner. Swinging around to face the hard camera, Clayton showed off the gold for all the losers at home while Celia kept her attention on the two white mice who hoped to do the impossible. Neither challenger said a word so Blassenville backed off in silence. Bex on the other hand, she extended her gold in Treymane's direction and sneered, “Come and get it, bitch.” Veronica almost did, but Lily kept her in check with an arm that was stretched tight as a guy wire. Clayton smirked as she began to backpedal to the opposite corner. “Smart. Follow her lead, Treymane. It'll keep you upright a little while longer.”
Celia took point for the champions after minimal conversation with her partner, Burlingame and Treymane on the other hand were in the midst of a spirited debate when the bell CLANGED a start to the match.
“Let me start, 'Ronnie. I can run rings around both of them, make sure they're breathing hard before you even have to make a tag.”
Veronica grimaced. She didn't say no with her words, but the set of her shoulders suggested she really wanted to kick things off for Cosmic Noir. “I know you can, Lily. But I'd rather they be breathing hard before you start running rings around them.”
Lily wasn't having it. “I need this, 'Ronnie. It's my fault we--”
“Sometime today, assholes!” Clayton called from her corner of the squared circle.
Veronica stepped around the Star Strider barked, “Either make the tag and say that from inside the ring or button your lip like a good little BITCH.”
Becky's eyes flashed in time with the 'ooooooohhhhs' of those assembled and no one was really surprised when she reached over and clapped Blassenville on the shoulder. If the Temptress disapproved she kept it to herself and slipped through the strands while Clayton vaulted over 'em.
Lily however was much more open with her irritation. “That's not fair and you know it.”
“I let you down, 'Lil.” Treymane murmured as she started toward the other blonde. “So let me make it up to you.”
The youngest Burlingame sister said nothing though she was the first to start a clapping section for the Dangerous Dame as Veronica closed in on a woman she'd long considered a friend. Such feelings didn't trouble 'Ronnie in the slightest. She certainly respected (heavy on the past tense) her fellow former World Champion and would put both of their singles clashes on her career highlight reel, but she'd never particularly liked Becky Clayton and she hadn't known why. Now she did and it was a relief. Because a turncoat was only dangerous lurking in the dark. Once they were out in the open, they were just another daisy.
Not that the Peacekeeper gave the impression of someone easily plucked, let alone beaten. Indeed she surged forward as Veronica closed ground and brazenly chested up on the Dangerous Dame. “This close enough for you, asshole?” she taunted even as their foreheads ground together. “Because I'm happy to put my boot up your ass if you're still NNNNGGHHH!”
Treymane pulled back just to THWHUNK her forehead into the bridge of Clayton's nose! The Headbutt set Bex staggering, albeit not far enough to keep her out of reach when 'Ronnie caught a big handful of hair and used it to reel her into a Side Headlock. In most circumstances Treymane used the hold to control, tonight she used it to constrict, as evidenced by her biceps and forearms shredding into shadowy relief, not to mention the wild, near electrified flailing of one Becky Clayton.
“I always suspected you were a bitch.” Treymane kept Clayton from tromping toward the ropes or her own corner, though she made no effort to take her to the challenger's side of town because she wanted, perhaps even needed, Becky Clayton all to herself. Lips pulled up in a ferocious smile as the pressure forced Bex to take a knee, 'Ronnie added, “And now that the whole world knows it, I don't have to feel bad about treating you like RGH! RGH! RGH!”
Clayton drilled three hard punches into the challenger's ribs, then wrapped her arms around opposing waist and muscled her off her feet with a Bear Hug that was far tighter than necessary for the purpose of marching the other blonde over to the ropNO! 'Ronnie reached out a foot, braced it against the middle strand and kicked off to spin both Destroyers back to the middle! The shift in balance forced Becky to set Treymane down and the Pinstripe Powerhouse celebrated by grrrrrrinding the knuckles of her free hand against the crown of her foe's skull.
“You're a lot of things, but you're not stronger than me, Daisy.” Veronica explained as she poured it on with the painful noogie. “You better hope you've got some finesse to go along with RRGGGHHH BITCH!”
Six montha ago Becky Clayton would've reapplied the Waistlock and marched Treymane to the ropes a second time, but current Tag Team Champion and Queen of the Madhouse had no time for such egregious wastes of energy so instead of lifting the whole blonde she just snatched a massive handful of her pinstriped waistband and raised those instead! Fuming as the creeping sting and burn of the wedgie forced her to tromp toward the strands despite the snugness of the Headlock, the Gorgeous Gangster decided to repay rudeness with rudeness so she switched from grinding to pulling, 'Ronnie yanking a fistful of hair hard enough to make Clayton's eyes water!
“FUCKING PUNK!” Bex stamped her feet and sawed the wedgie to and fro. “LET GO OF MY HAIR!”
Treymane shook her head 'no'. “Fix my trunks first and I'll think about--” 'Ronnie's demand gave way to a hiss of incredulous fury once Clayton relinquished the wedgie and stuffed that hand between the blonde's thighs instead!
“Really?” the blonde's tone was brittle as she tried to defend against those gouging fingers. “That's how you want to fucking do thiSSEEERRRGGHHH!”
The Peacekeeper finally secured the Claw with enough force to put Treymane up on tiptoes, a slight that caused the challenger to focus the might of her hair-pulling strategy on a patch of Becky's scalp no bigger than a quarter!
Both blondes shrieked like Valkyries yet neither would abandon their holds until Al Carpenter strode up and snapped, “All right, all right! Cut that tacky shit out right now! There's a championship on the line, so freakin' act like it!” Alas this call for order yielded no discernible noticeable results so the official sighed and began to count, “ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!”
Clayton and Treymane released half a whisper before 'FIVE' with the former immediately paint-brushing her clawin' hand back and forth across the latter's mouth! “You're fucking disgusting.” Becky sneered. “Think you could at least get cleaned up when you're losing on pay-per-vieWWRRRGGHHH!”
'Ronnie punched her straight in the mouth, then earned a higher octave of 'OOOOOHHH!' from the crowd when she mashed Bex's cheeks together in a humiliating fish-face! “ I'm gonna break you in half, slut.” she was nose to nose with the fuming champion, Treymane just drinking in the incredulous 'how dare you!' indignation in the eyes of the Camouflage Crusher. “But first I'm going to run you to ground. I'm going to EMBARRASS you in front of the whole HHRRHH!”
Becky punched her in the mouth to break the Dangerous Dame's domineering grip, then she hooked an arm around the back of Treymane's neck and pulled her close so she could thum-thum-thumTHUMP shots into Veronica's belly! Treymane growled and responded in kind, their locked embrace developing into something that looked like an odd slow dance that could only be won by ref's stoppage.
Speaking of refs, Al Carpenter let each lady throw less than half a dozen punches before he waded in and prized the Destroyers apart in an act of foolish courage that was roundly jeered by the FAWNatics. Patently ignoring the chant of 'LET THEM FIGHT!', the zebra kept a hand on each fluttering tummy as he glanced between his charges. “Clean it up. Right now.” he ordered. “Or I swear to God I will. You're better than this. So wrestle like it.”
“Rebecca. A word.”
Bex snarled, continued to glare daggers at Treymane as she backpedaled to the champions' corner. Distance caused her to relax the tiniest bit so Veronica spared a glance to Burlingame. No surprise there, Lily looked concerned. “I can do this.” she called over the din.
“Lemme take over if you need to cool off.”
“I'm fine.” the Magnificent Moll insisted even as she plucked her distended togs back into place. “I just need a clean shot at that sneaky meathe--”
A boo from the crowd returned her attention to the opposite corner where Clayton was exiting to the apron and Blassenville was taking her spot in the squared circle. Treymane almost called out after the BFG but chose to hold her tongue when she realized Celia was closing in fast. “You'll have to forgive Rebecca, Ms. Treymane.” the redhead murmured as they began to circle. “She's come a long way in learning how to best express herself, but she still lets her emotions take over from time to time. She's told me you have an 'extremely punchable face' on more than one occasion, though that's strictly anecdotal evidence and has no real bearing on--”
“Shut up and fight, Celia.” 'Ronnie interrupted. “I don't give a shit how calm, cool, and collected you sound, you're still responsible for all of this. I just happen to hate you a little less than I hate her.”
Blassenville tilted her head slightly, one eyebrow arching at the revelation. “Thank you for sharing, Veronica. Shall we, then?”
Treymane didn't need to be asked twice, she simply surged forward and met Celia in a Collar & Elbow Tie-Up strong enough to force both wrestlers up on their tiptoes. Forward momentum allowed 'Ronnie to walk Blassenville back a couple of steps, but that was as far as she got before the redhead planted a heel and ground to a halt. “You're not going to bully me around this ring, Ms. Treymane.” Celia shifted a hand to the blonde's chin and pressed forward to stretch her neck at an awkward angle. “If you want to regain those precious accessories you value so highly you'll have to FFHHH!”
The Pinstripe Powerhouse hit Blassenville with a Kneelift and would've drawn her down into the same Side Headlock that'd ground Bex's ears if the Mistress of Puppets hadn't answered with a Kneelift of her own! Celia added a second for good measure, then slipped around behind the blonde and earned some murmured concern from those assembled when she stuffed Treymane's chin into the slope of her own cleavage courtesy a stern Full Nelson! It wasn't a flashy hold by any means, but that didn't stop the FAWNatics from rumbling like it was something far more complicated.
Also lending credence to the seriousness, Al Carpenter stayed quite close to his warring charges. He didn't expect the Dangerous Dame to start singing like a canary anytime soon, yet he'd seen strong wrestlers taken to the brink of unconsciousness by a Blassenville Full Nelson and 'Ronnie Treymane was caught deep, no question about it. None of this mattered to the Crimson Cagliostro, she simply tightened her clasp and wrenched the hold back and forth while Veronica continuously flexed her fingers to keep circulation flowing.
Over in the challengers' corner, Lily Burlingame tightened her grip on the tag rope and used her free hand to slap the top turnbuckle. Another slap followed by a stop produced a reasonable facsimile of the 'We Will Rock You' baseline and another two sets had the whole crowd following along to lend their support to the trapped blonde.
Celia rolled her eyes, the powerful redhead clearly unimpressed by the echoing beat. “Jock jams, really? That's the best Lily can muster in this situa--” Treymane curled both hands into fists and brought her arms down in a slow motion effort that began to part Blassenville's fingers! Scowling at the blonde's progress, Celia shifted slightly so she could yoke up on the Nels--“NNNGHHH!” Veronica snapped her head back to catch the other wrestler on the point of the chin! The Temptress' teeth clacked together as her grip came apart, the evaporating pressure all the motivation she needed to charge toward the rop-- Celia lunged after her, grabbed hold of the challenger's waistband and yanked her backward into a Forearm Smash that THWHAPPED across the base of her neck!
The Gorgeous Gangster sagged on the spot so Blassenville dipped her head beneath Treymane's left bicep and looped an arm across her lower back. Boosting Veronica into the air as soon as she put a hand to her buns, Celia stretched her prey out at chest level, then dropped to one knee to THWHUMP 'Ronnie down spine-first atop the plank of her thigh! The Backbreaker jolted Treymane from stem to stern, however her arm remained draped over the champ's shoulders which in turn allowed Blassenville to regain her feet with her rival still in tow. Another effortless lift hoisted Veronica skyward but rather than repeat the chiropractic cruelty Blassenville pushed onto tiptoe on her left foot and swung around so she could drop to her knees and THWHUMP Treymane against the deck with a full-body Faceplant! Veronica bounced and flopped over onto her back so Celia slithered into a Crossbody that let her keep a stern eye on Lily even as she hooked the far leg for...
BACKBREAKER & BACKDROP FACEPLANT:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1scf_YI908Q
ONE...
TWO...
Stern or not, Burlingame vaulted onto the top rope and would've flown in for the interception if 'Ronnie hadn't shot a shoulder off the mat just after 'TWO!'
“Mind yourself, Ms. Burlingame.” Celia warned the Maroon Meteor before she plunged her hands into Treymane's hair and scraped her off the mat. Careful to keep her eyes on Lily as she wrenched Veronica's neck with a painful Inverted Facelock, Blassenville cinched her right arm around the challenger's right bicep and-- cheers from those assembled when the Gorgeous Gangster brought her free hand up and around for an awkward, albeit effective slap that CRACKED off the side of Celia's face! The Temptress staggered, tightened her hooks and caught three more slaps for her troubles, each blow taking her a step or two closer to the anxiously reaching Becky Clayton.
Yet for all her efforts Treymane was still trapped and Blassenville kept cranking up on the painful hold. “I do so love it when the white mice batter themselves senseless against the walls of the maze.” On that ominous note she dipped her knees and-- Veronica twisted out of the redhead's grasp like smoke, came out the far side and hopped into the air to catch Celia's noggin in a Three Quarters Facelock that let her THAWHAM the startled Destroyer's face against the canvas with ring-shivering force!
ACE CRUSHER @ 1:09
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1XzYMQkXDU
Erupting alongside the rest of the FAWNatics as her best friend planted Blassenville with her big sister's weapon of choice, Lily hopped onto the bottom rope and leeeeeeeeeeeeeeaned as close as physics would allow. “HIT HER AGAIN, 'RONNIE!” she called over the exultant din. “Show that monster what mind games'll get her!”
Galvanized by the surprise counter, Veronica scrambled to boot-leather and would've done exactly that if she hadn't had to duck a Clothesline thrown by Becky Clayton! “Cowardly bitch!” the Peacekeeper snarled as she hit the brakes and rounded on the challenger. “Why can't you just stand and fightNNGGHH!”
The Magnificent Moll didn't often throw closed fists so it spoke volumes as to her feelings on the Camouflage Crusher when she damned near spun Clayton's head around with a huge Haymaker to the jaw! That single shot was enough to send Bex reeling back to the champions' corner which was good enough for Al Carpenter but not nearly enough for 'Ronnie Treymane. Storming in on the woman who'd done nothing but blindside her from the start, Veronica grabbed hold of Becky's mug and smooshed it into another galling fish face before throwing on a few hard Bitch Slaps for good measure! “You want me to stand and fight, Daisy?” Treymane climbed onto the second rope, snatched a handful of hair and wrenched Becky's head back so the thrashing, fuming powerhouse was looking up into the overhead lights. “Then why didn't you just say so?”
“Gonna knock your ass out.” Clayton rasped. “I swear I'm gonna knock your whiny ass ouNGH!”
Veronica scraped her knuckles off the other blonde's forehead once, twice, three times, the pace of her rhythm more than enough to get the crowd counting along. 'FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NI--'
“ON YOUR SIX, 'RONNIE!” Lily shouted from the other side of the ring as Celia Blassenville got to her feet and tromped toward the challenger. Not bothering to waste time with a glance over her shoulder, Treymane choose evasion over offense by putting one foot on the top rope and pushing off in a gorgeous back-flip that looked more like something from her partner's playbook! Though her effort didn't fly quite as high or reach quite as far as that of her lightweight bestie, Veronica's flip still had more than enough to get her out of the Temptress' way before Blassenville could do any damage.
Disgusted by the casual thwarting of her efforts, Celia turned on a dime and pounced on the Pinstripe Powerhou--“OOOFFFFFHHH!” Treymane halted the encroachment with a quick Toe Kick, then wedged Celia's head between her thighs and strapped a Waistlock around her midsection. What she'd originally planned as a Piledriver became something else when she saw Carpenter trying to help a punch-drunk Clayton out of the corner. “Be careful, Sheamus!” she called out as she dipped her knees ever so slightly. “The action's headed your way!”
Al didn't much like the sound of that so he put an egg in his shoe and beat it as the Gorgeous Gangster muscled Blassenville into a Powerbomb stall and loped toward the champs' corner! Simply tossing the the Mistress of Puppets into the One Woman Army would've been quite effective, yet Treymane wasn't ready to relinquish her possession of the former so instead she THWHUMPED Celia's backside against Becky's face in what was essentially an elevated Hip Check!
If an unexpected taste of tempting cake wasn't bad enough, Bex suffered another indignity when Veronica rammed a single Kneelift between her thighs! Clambering away from the scene of the crime as soon as Clayton collapsed to a seat, Treymane turned around and stomped her way into the center of the ri-- tired of waiting for an invitation (or a tag for that matter) the Star Strider vaulted onto the top rope and leapt out into the void with her knees raised to chest-level. Driving them between Blassenville's shoulders earned a grunt from the redhead but the real damage occurred when Veronica slung her burden forward and down to skewer Celia atop those bony daggers with a fusion of Powerbomb and Lungblower! Massive cheers from the FAWNatics as Celia bounced up and hit the deck in an agonized, twitching sprawl, it might've been an illegal double team but karma was a very real thing in the squared circle and the crowd had no trouble lauding its surprise arrival. As for Lily, she quickly tumbled beneath the bottom rope to ensure there was nothing to distract Al when Veronica stuffed her shoulders into the pits of Celia's knees and folded her in half for a celebratory...
POWERBOMB & LUNGBLOWER @ 00:39
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNlKj7r87NM
ONE...
TWO...
THRNOOOO!
Double teamed or not, Celia Blassenville was still one of the most formidable Destroyers on the roster and she proved it by kicking free of the Matchbook with half a second to spare! The fans might've been demoralized but Veronica was not, indeed she looked more confident than ever as she scraped the Crimson Cagliostro off the mat. “This confusion you're feeling, this concern running up and down your spine right now?” Treymane helped herself to a Wristlock and pointed the woozy redhead at Noir's corner. “That's what happens when the white mice turn the tables, doc.”
“Yuuuuhhhh... you've accomplished noth--” Veronica didn't need to hear any of that sass so she stepped back, dropped a hip and sent Blassenville on her way with a massive Irish Whip. Woozy though she was, Celia still clocked the presence of Lily Burlingame on the apron and rather than try to slow down she actually picked up speed and tried to smash the Lightweight into the fourth row with a Haymaker aimed at NO! Lily dipped low to avoid the blow, then hopped onto the bottom rope just to jump up and THUNK a Kneelift into the base of her attacker's skull!
Celia's head snapped forward and her knees turned to water but she didn't cede verticality because the Maroon Meteor reached over the ropes and grabbed a huge handful of that coppery braid. Reeling Blassenville in until she was smudged against the rubber-coated steel, Burlingame shifted both hands to the Temptress' and wrenched her head backward over the top rope. “This is what you get, you evil little sneak!” Lily could've simply stepped off the apron so it spoke volumes when she leapt off, the former Lightweight Champion making a point to get some air en route to punishing her foe with an Inverted Hot Shot. The resultant TWANG was so loud in Celia's ears that it blotted out the 'oooooohhhhh' of the crowd and the heavy patter of boots headed her way.
Missing the former meant little in the grand scheme of things, ignorance of the latter however proved quite disastrous as it meant Blassenville didn't get a chance to brace for impact when Veronica Treymane roared in and THWHACKED her across the chest with a massive Lariat! Celia went down in a heap and the Dangerous Dame settled down beside her to hook the far leg up beside Blassenville's chin while Carpenter's counted off...
LARIAT:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeLPjCM5xFc
ONE...
TWO...
THRNOOOO!
The Mistress of Puppets kicked loose and now she did hear the disappointed jeers. The cacophony raised a smile on her lips but it didn't last long as a vengeful Treymane promptly pumped a trio of left hands into the champ's tummy. “On your feet, Daisy.” 'Ronnie huffed as she tugged Blassenville to boot-leather in a series of fits and starts. “You've still got plenty to learn about what happens when your experiments go—HEY! Get your ass back to the corner, Clayton!”
In her defense, Bex was minding her own business in the champions' corner, but the sternness of Treymane's rebuke drew Al's attention in her direction and the blonde was forced to protest her innocence. “Don't give me any shit, Carpenter! You can see I'm right here holding the tag-- oh you fucking bitch, I'm going to--”
Across the ring Treymane slung Celia into the buckles where Lily promptly hooked the redhead's arms so Veronica could throw undefended punches into her midsection! Not about to let those smarmy shits double team her partner, Becky slipped through the ropes without thinking about it and was immediately confronted by the zebra. “What the hell, Becky?! Get back to the apron, you can't be in here!”
“They're mugging her over there, goddammit!” Clayton protested as she worked to get around the encroaching official. “Just turn around and pay atten--” A loud SLAP from the other side of the ring caused the FAWNatics to cheer while Becky redoubled her efforts. “Bitch didn't tag!” she shouted at Carpenter. “Just clapped her hands! Get the hell over there, would ya?”
“Get hold of the tag rope and I will!” Al spared a look over his shoulder and caught sight of Treymane boosting Blassenville into a Fireman's Carry while the Star Strider sprang into a perch on the top turnbuckle. Beside him, Clayton hissed in disgust, then threw up both hands and retreated back to the apron so the official could hustle closer to the action. Al's timing proved most fortuitous as he arrived a heartbeat before Burlingame sprang out into the void and drew both knees up to chest level to STOMP on the back of Celia's skull. The shudder that passed through the redhead acted like a starter pistol for Treymane who went up on tiptoes and laid out on her right side to THWHUNK Blassenville's noggin against the deck with a massive Death Valley Bomb! With the Destroyer reduced to so much incoherent sludge, Lily pounced into a seat atop Blassenville's chest and hooked her right leg in a Half Matchbook good for the...
ONE...
TWO...
THRE--“NNNNNGGGHHH!”
No need to fake it this time, Becky Clayton rushed in from across the squared circle and drove a Soccer Kick between Burlingame's shoulders to break the cover! Lily groaned and tumbled off her mount, leaving an exultant Peacekeeper to sneer, “You're not winning like that, short stufFFFUUGGGHHH!”
Veronica had only just rolled to the floor when Clayton interfered which explained the rapidity with how she reentered and took the other blonde to the mat with a huge tackle! Make no mistake about it, Lily Burlingame was wrestling like a woman who'd lost a title and wanted it back and Celia Blassenville was wrestling just as hard to maintain ownership of that same prize. But Veronica Treymane and Becky Clayton? They weren't wrestling, they were fighting. And the sheer volume of punches thrown every time they got to within striking distance suggested the fight was extremely personal.
Cursing audibly as he once again found himself in the center of a whirlwind fracas, Al Carpenter glanced back and forth between the pairs and eventually settled on trying to prize apart the illegal members of each team. “C'mon you two!” he hunkered down beside the action and tapped 'Ronnie on one shoulder to absolutely no reaction. Resigned to what came next, the ref muttered, “I need a goddamned raise.” then slipped both arms around Treymane's midsection and started pulling with all his might.
Not far from Carpenter's unenviable task, Lily and Celia rolled to one knee to deal with the aftermath of their respective aches. “Once again we find ourselves alone, Ms. Burlingame.” Blassenville murmured. “Surely the circumstances haven't changed enough for you to entertain thoughts of a different outco--”
The Crimson Comet bounced to verticality and lashed out with a sawed off Super Kick that would've caved in Celia's chin if the Temptress hadn't caught hold of her ankle at the last possible second! A single sharp wrench had Burlingame yelping and hopping on her plant foot as Blassenville rose to her full height. “You've never used your size as an excuse to hold you back, that's quite admirable.” Celia noted even as she tried to twist the brunette's foot clean off her ankle. “But refusing to acknowledge your own limits doesn't make them go away, I'm afraid. Doing so only makes it more jarring when you finally run up against th--”
Lily sprang into the air and lashed out with an Enzugiri that the Mistress of Puppets dipped with a casual grace that the crowd didn't much appreciate. Straightening up again as Burlingame landed on her palms, Celia wrenched that captured ankle again and remarked, “Do you understand what I'm telling you, LilNNNGGGHHH!” Lily dropped down 'til her chest was almost on the canvas only to push off full force and THWHUMP a single-leg Mule Kick into the champ's chest!
“You want to talk limits, doc?” Burlingame snapped as she scrambled upright and a grimacing Celia caught her balance. “Need I remind you that it took you AND your latest mind control experiment to put me do--” Apparently Celia didn't need or want to be reminded because she interrupted with a Pump Kick that the heiress avoided with a neat little forward roll. On her feet as Blassenville turned to find her, Lily took a chance and planted on her tweaked ankle to lash out with a Roundhouse aimed at Celia's temp-- the redhead ducked, straightened up and got THWHACKED by the Enzugiri she threw as follow up!
ROUNDHOUSE EVASION TO ENZUGIRI:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Svr4S5aO4
The Temptress went down in a heap so Burlingame scurried after her in search of a cover only to slow down once she realized Carpenter was still occupied with the furious blondes. Brow crinkling as she considered the problem, Lily ultimately helped herself to Celia's left ankle and stood up just long enough to hook her right leg around the exposed limb. From there she dropped to her knees (which captured Blassenville's calf in the vise of her thigh and calf while simultaneously wrenching her ankles between the Lightweight's thighs) and leaned forward, Burlingame twisting her torso at an angle that allowed her to reach around the right side of the champ's head with her left hand and vice versa.
“I can't pin you when the ref's not looking,” Lily admitted while clasping her fingers across Celia's chin. “So maybe you can tap loud enough to get his attention.”
“You're even more delusional than your sister if you think you can suEERRRGGGHH!” Celia's roar of pain was no match for the FAWNatics' bellow of delight as the Star Strider reminded the world of her submission bona fides by wrenching the taller wrestler's head back at an agonizing angle!
HANGMAN'S CLUTCH:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-MzvIQU-Uc
Planted awkwardly on her left shoulder and hip, Blassenville could only rely on her right hand to paw at Burlingame's locked hands, a task that grew more and more difficult as Lily tried to bend her into an awful 'C' shape. Credit the awareness of both women, Lily made no attempt to ask for a submission and Celia would've refused even if a demand was made. Neither wasted precious energy on trash talk or threats, Burlingame was only concerned with inflicting as much punishment as possible while the Temptress was understandably focused on freeing herself from the trap. Unfortunately for the champion she was having a helluva time breaking Lily's grip and after several failed efforts she slapped her free hand against the mat and began to draaaaaaaaaaag their combined weight toward the ropes. Lily might've been on top but Celia still had thirty-five pounds on her so it wasn't surprising to see the grounded redhead making steady progress.
“I'm not going to let you go, Celia.” Lily warned as she watched the strands grow closer and closer. “Not unless Al makes me... or if you want to tap out when he's watching.”
“I admire your persistence.” Blassenville huffed as she closed in on the corner as of yet unglimpsed by the official. “But you have to know there's no way you can hhhhrrrrggghhhhh!”
Burlingame craaaaaaaaaaaaaanked back on the redhead's captured chin, Lily clearly willing to burn a great deal of energy if it meant subduing the dangerous powerhouse. “I don't need your admiration, Celia.” the Star Strider noted. “All I need are those titles you stole from NNGGGHHH!”
The Temptress finally grabbed hold of the bottom rope, but rather than call for a break she let loose and shifted her grip lower so she was clutching at the edge of the ring apron. Pulling with everything she had, Blassenville managed to slide almost halfway out of the squared circle and in so doing cleverly TWANGED her attacker's face into the second strand! Lily cried out and abandoned the submission to better paw at her stinging eyes while Celia slipped all the way onto the narrow ledge and clambered to one knee. She was still catching her breath when a cheer from the crowd drew her attention and a loud curse one right after the other. Al Carpenter had finally succeeded in separating Clayton and Treymane which would've been fine if the champ wasn't hanging out in Cosmic Noir's corner with the Dangerous Dame storming around the far corner in her direction!
Loathing the necessity of an impulsive decision, Celia scrambled to boot-leather and made her way to the top turnbuckle without taking her eyes off Veronica. Indeed the Crimson Cagliostro extended a beckoning finger to 'Ronnie, out and out daring her to venture into the blast radius of whatever high risk nastiness Blassenville had in mind. Treymane saw this challenge and welcomed it, going so far as to spread her arms wide while also increasing her pace. “You want some too, doc? Bring your ass down here and we can--” Celia leapt from the high rent district, alas she did so not onto the Magnificent Moll but the Crimson Comet, Celia THWHUNKING Burlingame's forehead with a heavy Double Axehandle the moment she regained her feet!
DOUBLE AXEHANDLE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Wf01acYSk
'Ronnie snarled and sprang onto the apron as Lily crumpled to the deck, but both friend and foe were maddeningly out of range. “You really should learn to control your temper, Ms. Treymane.” Celia was back to her usual icy politeness now that the situation was well in hand. “Failure to do so has put Lily in a dangerous position more than once.”
“Why don't you let her make the tag, then you and I can talk all about my temper, doc.” Blassenville smiled even though it didn't reach her eyes. “I'm afraid my session with Ms. Burlingame is not quite over yet. Fear not, I'll tend to you soon enough.”
On that note she buried a hand in Lily's hair, peeled her off the canvas and into a Front Facelock. Pointedly turning her back on the fuming blonde, Blassenville slung Burlingame's near arm across her shoulders, then snagged a handful of waistband and muscled the heiress into place overhead like she weighed little more than nothing. With Lily thoroughly trussed up and a path clear to the champions' corner for the first time in what seemed like forever, the Temptress earned some murmurs from the crowd when she broke into a run that took her three quarters of the way home before she dropped backward and THWHAMMED Burlingame's hundred and ten pounds onto the canvas!
RUNNING SUPLEX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTq_-o_sEDE
The heiress jolted upright while Celia popped to full verticality, the redhead wasting no time in tagging in an exceptionally eager Becky Clayton. “Go to the top.” Blassenville suggested in the midst of scraping Lily off the mat. “It's time this rambunctious little moppet understands just how unpleasant it is when someone jumps on you from a great height.”
The Peacekeeper thought that was an excellent idea so she did as bade while the Temptress switched over to a Wristlock and slung Burlingame into the straNO! Celia tightened her grip and yanked the brunette back the way she'd came only to whip 'round behind and snatch a Waistlock while also jamming her head beneath Burlingame's left arm. Hoisting Lily skyward with the same effortless power she'd demonstrated moments ago, the Mistress of Puppets held Lily in place across her right shoulder and spun through three full rotations before she THAWHAMMED the challenger down on the back of her head and shoulders!
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChSgSirBiYc
Such enthusiastic exposure to Learned Helplessness was never a good thing, yet Lily's plight grew that much more intolerable when a crouched Becky took to the sky and came down with every bit of her weight channeled into the point of her right elbow which she in turn SPIKED into the heiress' sternum! Burlingame shuddered all over, in fact she was still shuddering when Clayton wriggled into a Lateral Press and hooked the far leg for...
DIVING ELBOW DROP:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYHG1Fh6U04
ONE...
TWO...
THRENOOOOOOOO!
Celia had posted up at mid-ring to prevent any interference from Treymane but 'Ronnie didn't have to lift a finger because the Star Strider inched a shoulder off the mat with half a whisper to spare! “All right Celia, get back to the corner.” Carpenter told the redhead after Burlingame's narrow escape. “And you,” he pointed a wary finger at Veronica, “stay right there unless there's a tag, understood?”
Neither Blassenville or Treymane bothered to respond, as the former was already striding back to her corner and the latter only had eyes for Becky Clayton. Don't think the BFG didn't notice the attention and relish it, indeed she was all smiles as she snatched a huge handful of Lily's hair and sccccrrrrrruuuuuuuubbed one side of her face against the unforgiving canvas! “You want to give it up, tiny?” she asked. “Everyone in this building knows you're the weak link, I don't know why you're wasting everyone's ti--”
Burlingame twisted onto her back and lashed out with viper speed to CRACK a hard slap across Clayton's cheek. “That the best trash talk you got, Bex?” the Roseate Rocket grunted. “Guess all brain-washing scrubbed away your sass game too. Good thing Celia's too polite to tell you you sucKRRRGGHHH!”
The Camouflage Crusher drew back and THUMPED a heavy right hand into the pit of her opponent's stomach! “Telling lies is going to get you hurt, little sister.” Becky growled as she filled her hands with the heiress' hair and hauled her upright. “No one brainwashed me, I finally woke up and saw things for how they--”
“Blink twice if you need help.” Lily interrupted with a pained little giggle. “Tell me something and I can get a deprogrammer out here in two hoHHRRRGGHHHH!”
Clayton wrapped both hands around the smaller wrestler's throat and began to squeeeeeeeeeeeze! “THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!” she bellowed over the jeers of the crowd. “If I had to be rid of ANYTHING it was all the complacent loser bullshit foisted on me by all those idiots out there! I was goddamned soldier, a weapon! Pandering to them is the ONLY reason I'm not holding the World Championship right fucking nOWWEERRGGHH!”
Lily stamped on the blonde's left foot and when that didn't free her from the Goozle she her laced her hands behind Clayton's head and wedged the crown of her skull under Bex's chin before dropping to her knees to THUNK the champ with a quick Jawbreaker! Becky grunted and stumbled back, one hand flying to her aching chin. As for the Crimson Comet, she caught her balance and... held her ground?
'Ronnie and the FAWNatics were urging Burlingame to race to the Cosmic Noir corner for a tag, but unlike her Destroyer class partner, the youngest Burlingame sister hadn't given up on her old friend. “That's right, Bex.” she rasped. “You were a damned good soldier, still are in fact. Which makes me wonder why the hell you sound like a million other Karen's right now? Actually, I don't wonder. I know. You hit a rough stretch and let Celia into your head. Now she's fucked you up so royally you can't see--”
Becky pounced with a Lariat that would've turned Lily inside out if the brunette hadn't thrown herself into a forward roll! Coming out of the evasion at a flat sprint, Burlingame raced toward 'Ronnie's outstretched hand and-- Clayton caught hold of the challenger's waistband and yanked her back into an Enzu Lariat that THWHACKED across the base of Lily's neck!
The Maroon Meteor went down like she'd been walloped with a baseball bat, the concerned 'oooooohhhhh' of the crowd a grim exclamation point for the sick, ashen look on Veronica's face. Paying no attention to the Magnificent Moll now, Becky leaned down, grabbed Lily by the scruff of the neck and hauled her upright.
“Cuuuuuhhhhh... can't you see?” Burlingame mumbled as she found her feet. “Adelaide wrecked... wrecked your confidence. Celia taught Adelaide everything she knows. You're not her friend, Bex. You're just another lab raNGH!”
The Peacekeeper interrupted with a nasty Headbutt to the bridge of the nose! “You're right, 'Lil. Celia taught Adelaide. Now she's teaching me so I can teach the rest of you fucking sheep.” Lily had no response to that, not that Clayton would've listened anyway. Rather she slipped an arm between the Lightweight's thighs and scooped her up onto one shoulder like a sack of mail. Very deliberately turning to face Veronica Treymane, Becky stared holes through the Dangerous Dame as she shifted each hand to Lily's biceps and muscled her into a head-first Crucifix LifNOOOO!
Becky must've put a little too much stank on her preparation for the SNAFU because suddenly Burlingame went from dishrag limp to sitting astride the champ's shoulders in a tottering Electric Chair! Understandably surprised by this abrupt shift in momentum, Clayton took a step back and sealed her doom when Lily wrenched backward and tore the Camouflage Crusher from her moorings with Poison 'Rana that THWHUNKED her down on the back of her head and shoulders!
POISON RANA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKpDWzW5aRc
Of everyone in the building that night, Veronica Treymane was the only individual (save Sue, of course) that should have grown inured to the Crimson's Comet's acrobatic abilities and yet the former World Champion roared as loud as everyone else when Lily left Clayton blinking up at the lights in a awkward, loose-limbed sprawl. “C'MON LILY!” the Dangerous Dame shouted to her partner while Burlingame powered to all fours. “I know there's still some gas left in that tank, so get over here and I'll take--” 'Ronnie was about to say 'over' but she didn't need to because the heiress tucked herself into a little forward roll that ended with her popping up and diving forward to CLAP Treymane's straining palm!
The cheers were immediate and overwhelming, yet they might as well have been static on a distant radio for all the attention Veronica paid them. Vaulting her way to the top turnbuckle in a single effortless bound, the blonde realized Clayton hadn't started to rise so rather than waste any time she leapt out and balanced the ledger for Burlingame by DRIVING the point of her elbow into Becky's chest!
That got Clayton moving well enough, indeed it flopped the other blonde onto her stomach and up to all fours in a matter of heartbeats. All of this was still too slow for Treymane's liking so she buried her hands in Becky's long locks and hauled her to boot-leather without so much as a by-your-leave. This shabby treatment continued with a violent shaking of the champ's noggin, 'Ronnie just whipping Clayton's head back and forth until Al hurried over and demanded she knock it off. Treymane did, though this brought no peace for the BFG as Treymane promptly skewered her with a Kneelift that landed too high to qualify as a Low Blow even if it was delivered in the same spirit.
“Hey, did that knock any of the brainwashing loose?” Veronica murmured in her rival's ear as Bex sagged against her in a loose clench.
“Fuuuuhhh... fucking bitch.” Clayton rasped. “I told you I'm not brainwashNNNGGGHHHH!”
Another pointed Kneelift to the belly made Bex a penitent or would have if Treymane hadn't guided her down into a Standing Headscissors. “Gotcha.” 'Ronnie 'smacked' Clayton's buns with both hands, much to the approval of the crowd. “Not brainwashed, you're just a gutless cowa--”
Becky gathered her strength and straightened up fast in hope of dumping 'Ronnie with a Back Body Drop, unfortunately the Magnificent Moll was the tiniest bit quicker on the draw and she thwarted Clayton's plans by catching hold of her waistband and pulling as hard as she could! “BITCH!” she wailed as the camouflage vanished like it was actually invisible. “I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU FOR NNNGGGHH!”
Veronica clouted Becky across the lower back with a huge Overhand Forearm Smash, then cinched a Waistlock around the blonde's waist and swung her into a seat astride her shoulder for a-- Treymane went up on tiptoes and THWHAMMED Becky down with a spiteful Powerbomb that made the ring shiver! The maneuver left Clayton stacked on her shoulders so Carpenter swooped in to make a count but 'Ronnie only used the Waistlock to flip Clayton over onto her knees. Stepping back from the vulnerable Destroyer, Treymane extended both hands for a flagrantly disrespectful double bird that meant the stands were a cacophony even before Veronica lunged forward and THWHONKED her right knee between the champ's eyes!
POWERBOMB & GROUNDED KNEE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkypAdISe9g
Becky's head snapped back but she didn't collapse to the deck because the Pinstripe Powerhouse snatched her hair once again. This was followed by another Standing Headscissors / Waistlock combination, but rather than repeat the Powerbomb Treymane flipped her upside and down and dropped to a seat to THWHONK Clayton's skull with a Snap Piledriver! Becky bounced over onto her side and was immediately collected at shoulder and hip so 'Ronnie could stretch her out and take a seat on her chest for a gaudy one-legged Reverse Matchbook that provided an excellent view of Clayton's buns even as the ref counted off...
SNAP PILEDRIVER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGHjpIE6CWg
ONE...
TWO...
THRENOOOOOOOO!
Celia sprinted in and STOMPED on the pit of Treymane's stomach to break the count within an ace of 'THREE!'
Grimacing but hardly gutted by the interference, Veronica scrambled to verticality and welcomed Blassenville back to the squared circle with a fusillade of fists that the redhead absorbed before returning her own. Not about to let three of his four charges in the squared circle at such a pivotal juncture, Al Carpenter waded into the fray in a valiant effort to pull 'Ronnie and Celia apart. “That's enough! Enough I say! Celia, get back to your corner or I swear I'll call it right now!”
“No!” Treymane raised her hands and stepped away. “Don't even think about it, Al! That's just what this headcase wantSERRRGGHH!”
Blassenville used the opening to pop 'Ronnie right in the nose, then snatch hold of one wrist so the watery-eyed blonde couldn't retreat. Making some space with a single giant step back, Celia dropped her hips and sent Treymane into the strands on Cosmic Noir's side of the NO! Impaired vision be damned, 'Veronica reversed the momentum of the Whip to offer the Temptress in her place. This didn't seem to bother Blassenville in the slightest, as long as Clayton was dealing with her she wasn't dealing with Rebecca. Her mindset changed, or rather, was changed for her, a heartbeat after she bounced into the ropes. That's when a righteously pissed Lily Burlingame took hold of the top rope and leapt up parallel to it to THWHACK an Enzugiri of sorts against the back of Celia's skull!
The redhead sagged without going down, indeed she fixed the heiress with an incensed look and snarled, “That's your last mistake you sniveling little meddNNNNNNGGGHHHH!” In honing in on Burlingame, Blassenville had temporarily forgotten Veronica Treymane and this cost her dearly when the big blonde roared in and not so gently stroked her cheek with a big ol' bolt of Chicago Lightning!
CHICAGO LIGHTNING:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=baeFEcKPndg
Blown off her feet by the power of the strike, Celia tumbled over the top rope and should've landed in a heap on the floor, yet somehow the redhead kept her feet even if she did backpedal into the barricade to keep herself upright. “I'll handle her.” Lily was already on the top turnbuckle facing out. “You take care of Bex.”
Without waiting for an answer the Star Strider straightened up and leapt into the lights, Lily twisting a full ninety degrees as she reached the apex to ensure she was stretched out full length when she THWHUMPED against Blassenville's chest! Give Celia credit, she tried to pluck the Lightweight out of the air but she was still woozy from the fall and so both wrestlers tumbled over the barricade into the first row of FAWNatics!
Veronica didn't actually witness this live, much as she wanted. She'd already returned her attention to Clayton, who'd made it to one knee in the recent chaos. “Get up.” Treymane demanded as she closed in. “You can at least finish this on your feet if you're half the bad-ass you claim to--” The Peacekeeper lashed out with a vile Uppercut that would've caught the center of Treymane's trunks if the blonde hadn't anticipated just such a response. Throwing her hips back just enough for Becky's shot to come up short, Veronica caught hold of that wrist and yanked the champ forward while simultaneously THWHONKING a Kneelift into the bridge of her nose!
Clayton's head snapped back and she crumpled to a seat but didn't stay there long because Treymane used the Wristlock to haul her to verticality. “Lily thinks you're Celia's newest puppet.” the Gorgeous Gangster murmured when they were nose to nose. “Not me though. I think she just brought out the real you for the whole world to AAAAARRRGGHHH!”
Bex pursed her lips and spat in Treymane's eye! 'Ronnie scrambled back with one hand scrubbing at her face while the other remained outstretched in a presumed show of defense. This proved just the opposite as Clayton caught hold of her wrist and jerked her forward to drive home a Kneelift into the juncture of her opponent's thighs!
“HEY!” Al barked amidst the boos from the crowd, “Watch the trunks, Bex!” “Either disqualify me, or shut the fuck up.” Becky snapped. No response from the official so she turned around and claimed Treymane's noggin in a Three Quarters Facelock she used to Snapmare the blinded beauty onto her butt. Presently the last woman standing, Bex backpedaled into the corner to Treymane's left and quickly removed the pad from her right elbow. Just like that she charged forward, shot in low and SMASHED the bony dagger into Veronica's left cheek! The challenger's head snapped to one side and the rest of her soon followed, Treymane slopping to the canvas in a discombobulated heap.
MOAB:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gFYUl1n_js
Above her, Becky Clayton stood up and made a show of brushing some invisible grime off her elbow before she helped herself to 'Ronnie's hair. Dragging the other blonde to her feet in stages, the BFG went behind her rival, then grabbed hold of her left wrist and forced it Between Treymane's thighs so she could secure it in her right hand. From there she leaned over Veronica's back and threaded her left arm under Treymane's right bicep and yanked it back in a Pumphandle strong enough to flip the Magnificent Moll onto her left shoulder. Just like that she laid out to THAWHAM Treymane down on the back of her head and shoulders with sickening force!
ALPHA CHARLIE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHdvJI9ByYY
Left in the bottom of a crater by the strength of Alpha Charlie, Veronica did no more than whimper when Clayton swung a leg over and sat down on a Reverse Face Sit that fully blotted out the challenger's upturned features! Clayton didn't bother to matchbook the legs, nor did she plant hands on Treymane's tummy or chest, instead she only slapped her own buns and sneered, “Camouflage beats pinstripes, bitch. Think about that while you're eating my ass.” The tawdry demand was still fresh in the air when Nick Castle dove in beside the action to count...
ONE...
TWO...
THREE!
Over on the other side of the guardrail, Lily Burlingame clambered to verticality sporting an exhausted smile only to crumple in disappointment when she saw Becky in her seat and heard the Announcer confirm, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winners via pin-fall and STILL the FAWN Tag Team Champions... CELIA BLASSENVILLE AND BECKY CLAYTON!”
“No one will ever accuse you of a half-hearted performance, Ms. Burlingame.” Celia murmured as she stood up a short distance away. “But some experiments are destined to end in failure, regardless of effort.”
“You're not unbeatable, Celia.” the Star Strider replied warily.
“Indeed I am not.” the redhead agreed. “But how much of yourself... of Veronica, are you willing to give to prove it?” The Temptress didn't wait for an answer, she just climbed over the barrier and trudged across the aisle to roll under the bottom rope.
As for Becky, she'd risen to her full height only to plant a foot on either side of Treymane's waist. Belt draped over one shoulder, she sank into a crouch and sneered, “You don't want any more of this. But if you're stupid enough to think otherwise, I can always find time to kick your prissy little ass!” She punctuated the promise with a rough pie-face, then stood up and planted a boot on Veronica's chest while holding the belt high.
Celia joined her shortly thereafter and though the Mistress of Puppets partook of no posterizing, she did raise her gold alongside the Camouflage Crusher. The new order of things was still asserting itself when the broadcast cut to a package hyping tonight's World Title tilt.