NFW Trauma #171 - 11/16/2024!

The camera opens in a dressing room on Stephanie “Wildcat” Kenyon

Stephanie Kenyon: So,the last time I was on here was against and Lana Corvin and I…

She nods solemnly

Stephanie Kenyon: I can’t deny it didn’t go my way, y’all. Lana got me and I had to learn that lesson again about what happens when you get caught tryin’ to take a turn too fast in a big race.

The wildcat shrugs knowingly to herself

Stephanie Kenyon: Story of my life, it ain’t the first time and it won’t be the last.

She nods, pointing into the camera.

Stephanie Kenyon: You ain’t ended me, Lana. I’m back tonight to show the world that y'all ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
The scene cuts to a shot of some farmland in North Carolina. Some picturesque views of the landscape, showing grazing cows, a few horses, and a giant big farmhouse in the middle of lots of land. A small dust cloud can be seen coming barrelling down a driveway, and as the picture cuts closer we see its a ‘67 Chevy Impala, banging along every pot hole and ditch as it gets closer to the front of the farmhouse. The engine cuts off and a moment later, the door swings open and from the car out steps ‘The Dragon’ Travis Levitt! Levitt’s got a nice warm woollen jacket on, and some jeans, and he closes the door before moving to the front of his car and kneeling down to rub at his bumper.

Travis Levitt: Fricking dirt roads with Baby. I’m sorry, girl. I’ll give you a nice polish when we get home.

Travis stands back up, adjusting the collar of his jacket and then turns towards the front of the big farmhouse. Staring for a long moment, he finally starts to make his way towards the porch. He hasn’t made it to the top step before the oaken front door opens, and then the screen door in front of it. It is Leina Rael-Anderson-Debaillion that awaits him there. Dressed neatly herself in jeans and a band t-shirt, she looks up at Travis.

Leina Rael-Anderson-Debaillion: Pops is inside. Follow me.

She holds the door open for him to step through, then closes it behind them. The house’s interior is, in a word, welcoming. Perhaps too welcoming. To the left is a comfortable-looking living room, and to the right is what could be called a sun room, one with lots of plants both sitting and hanging. It is through here that Travis is led, into the large dining room where, at the head of the table, sits Damon.

He does not look up at first, sifting through several papers and folders with glasses perched on the tip of his nose. But he knows. He knows his guest has arrived.

Damon Cross: Thank you, princess. Please go help your mother in the kitchen?

Leina Rael-Anderson-Debaillion: You got it.

And with a grin, the young teen darts off past Damon and through the swinging door behind him. Meanwhile, the Godkiller looks up and towards Travis before getting to his feet.

Damon Cross: Welcome.

Travis stares at Damon for a moment, before his eys flicker to the door behind Cross. After a moments pause Travis steps forward slowly, eyes glued to Cross and his hands in his pockets as he steps closer.

Travis Levitt: Nice place you got. Good family too. Drive was a bitch, though.

Damon Cross: Maintaining a gravel road is, at best, an exercise in futility.

Travis stops a few feet from Damon, and stares at the Godkiller, waiting a moment more before he clears his throat and then starts turning to look around the room and back at Cross.

Travis Levitt: So. You wanted me here. I’m here. We going to throw down here or what?

Damon Cross: We’re going to talk. There will be no violence here. If things finish and you still want to scrap, there’s a ring in the garage.

So matter-of-fact about it all. Calm. Too calm. Damon gestures to a chair as the musical laughter of two ladies comes wafting out of the kitchen along with some good scents. Perhaps there’s cooking going on.

Damon Cross: There are some things you need to understand before it’s too late. Have a seat.

Damon gestures towards a chair before sitting down himself. Travis glances at the seat and then at Damon, before pulling out a chair and sitting astride it, making sure the chair and himself are still and always facing Cross. Respecting the man inside his own home, while not taking his eyes off him just in case. Travis waits a moment and then shrugs.

Travis Levitt: Too late, huh? Are you about to tell me you got cancer and that's why you’ve been messing with me?

Damon Cross: I’m teaching you a lesson, Travis, since you’re too thick to get it on your own. It’s the least I can do.

Shaking off the attempt at humor, Damon slides the papers into a folder and puts them aside.

Damon Cross: You want one more match. At WrestleWar. Right?

Travis Levitt: [font color=#f3f3f3Yeah. I do. Way I see it, you and I have some unfinished business. You beat me at Manifest Destiny. I ended your reign in the Pyramid.[/font]

Travis gives a small shrug and leans slightly forward as he watches Cross.

Travis Levitt: Of course, you’ll say I beat a tired version of you. I agree. Next time I beat you, I don’t want there to be any excuses. So go ahead, Godkiller. Tell me what I came to hear. We doing this at WrestleWar or what?

Damon Cross: That depends entirely on you.

At that moment, however, Danielle and Leina exit the kitchen. It seems that lunch is on. Travis seems confused at this, still staring at Damon, who kisses Danni’s cheek as she leans down. She smiles and leaves the gentlemen to it, along with Leina.

Damon Cross: First… lunch. I don’t think well on an empty stomach. I suspect the same is true for you.

Fade out here, continue at a later point after they finish.
“No Less Violent” plays as Adrianna Salvatore watches El Diablo Blanco make his leave from the ring. Only for a moment before she calls for a microphone which cues her music to fade out while she moves to stand in the center of the ring.

Adrianna Salvatore: Stacy Jones…I know you’re back there and I know you’re watching. I want you to watch the replay of what just happened…. I want you to watch it over….and over…and over…until you memorize what I put another human being through tonight…

Lucas Knox: Tried to break his damn arm is what she did!

Miranda Augustino: Shhhh! Lucas, seriously. Don’t let her hear you.

Miranda actually sounds concerned when she tells Lucas this as Adrianna leans against the top rope and stares up towards the back.

Adrianna Salvatore: And I want you to watch what I did to Ashley Kenyon…over…and over…and over…until you get it into your thick skull just exactly who the fuck I am and the things I am willing to do… To see how far I’m willing to go to expose you for what you are…

She pauses, wiping her other hand over her face and back through her hair before she continues.

Adrianna Salvatore: Stacy Jones…isn’t a hero. Stacy Jones…isn’t unbreakable. Stacy Jones…is a liar…and a fake…

The crowd boos this notion and Adrianna cracks a smirk as she turns her head to look at the loudest side of the audience now.

Adrianna Salvatore: And you people…you’re all in denial of that truth… You let Stacy Jones play each of you like a fucking orchestra and you’re too goddamn blind or perhaps just too goddamn stupid to see it. She comes out here…week after week…and she has you eating out of her hand with all her talk of how she has respect for this business. Respect for the competition. Yet let’s look at her track record as of late… She’s had a knack in recent months of trying to ruin the careers of people that pose even a professional threat to the shining light that she likes to shine in everyone’s eyes. You already know what she and her blind loyalists did to me. Let’s not forget another name… The name…of Super Tiger.

She pauses once more, leaving the crowd to murmur in confusion. The corner of her mouth twitches, teasing a smile that never really makes it onto her face.

Adrianna Salvatore: A young, headstrong rookie…trained and introduced, Stacy, by your friend Risa Saito. Someone that you and all of your light bearers tried to snuff out because she didn’t conform to your way of things. A young woman you tried to snuff out, along with her teacher, because you thought she wasn’t deserving enough of the mantle. You put up a wall on her road to success before she even really had a chance to get her momentum going. You vilified her when she found the only people who still believed in her and, as anyone in their right mind would, found her own family to survive in this shit world. A world so full of vile hypocrisy and self entitlement from the scavvers that feed off of it that the real survivors have to struggle to do just that. Survive. Scavvers like you Stacy Jones. You strut around here, acting like the hero for those you claim are wronged but really, you just do it to those who blindly follow you. Because of you? This world stinks. It stinks and it smells like shit and I can’t get that stench out of my nose! You strut around the back and out here, talking about “this is your house.” Bitch, this is MY! FUCKING! WORLD!

She screams into the mic, jabbing her thumb into her chest as she seethes into the microphone.

Adrianna Salvatore: And you just live in it…for as long as I fucking let you. Well Stacy…your time is up. This is my world and everyone in it has their clock that ticks down to their end of days. With each passing second they all have an end drawing near. And yours? Yours is at the Eleventh Hour. You wanna play the hero of the wasteland, Stacy? You wanna demand a fight with me? There’s that old adage of “be careful what you wish for” because there’s no maybe with me. You will most certainly fucking get it! I’m gonna give you what you asked for Stacy Jones. You and me. Toronto. Wrestle War. One last time. I’m gonna expose you for the fragile piece of shit that you really are. I made your friend, big bad AK-47 Ashley Kenyon do the one thing she saidshe would never do. I made her say I Quit! You? I’m gonna make you scream for mercy. I’m gonna tear you apart limb from limb until you have no choice but to admit the truth. The Unbreakable One…isn’t unbreakable. She can and will break. You will submit to the truth. It’s the only way this fight ends. You’ll either submit…or be torn apart. Clock’s ticking Stacy Jones. Hail…the Apocalypse!

“No Less Violent” hits again as she drops the microphone and steps back to the center of the ring, opening out her arms to the hostile crowd.

Lucas Knox: Some disparaging claims about Stacy Jones from Adrianna Salvatore. This is gonna be a war for the ages, ladies and gentlemen!

Miranda Augustino: I got all the respect in the world for Stacy Jones as an athlete but you can’t really disagree with some of what Adrianna Salvatore just said.

Seth Ernst: Whether you agree or disagree, the challenge has been made and accepted! I’m already getting in my ear that this match is a go. Ladies and gentlemen! Stacy Jones and Adrianna Salvatore will meet at Wrestle War in December!
Backstage of the Vlad Blackheart Colosseum, Dakota Winters is with Vanessa Page and “Diamond Princess” Danielle Page of the Socialites.

Dakota Winters: I’m here with Danielle and Vanessa Page of the Socialites who we haven’t seen on NFW television since Cruel Summer back in August. Welcome back, ladies.

Vanessa Page: I knew you missed us…

Dakota Winters: I didn’t say that…

“Diamond Princess” Danielle Page: We can see it in your eyes, Dakota.

Dakota Winters: If you say so… But tonight you’ll be wrestling the Kerry Family in a Cruel Summer rematch. You know, minus the Tornado Funhouse rules.

“Diamond Princess” Danielle Page: Don’t get me started on those Tornado Funhouse rules but we all know that those rules or lack thereof were put in place for Deedray and Valareigh.

Vanessa Page: Now though ladies, you two have to step into the ring with us once again and attempt to out wrestle us and we know that the two of you can’t possibly do that.

Dakota Winters: But the Kerry Family have beaten any combination of the Socialites if not all three sisters in a standard wrestling match.

Vanessa and Danielle look at Dakota with shocked and annoyed looks on their faces.

Vanessa Page: (In an annoying high pitched voice)But the Kerry Family have beaten you in standard matches too.

“Diamond Princess” Danielle Page: That’s how you sound, Dakota.

Dakota Winters: Rude!

Vanessa Page: But truthful. You like the rest of our haters will be eating crow tonight after Dani and I properly dispose of the Kerry Family.

“Diamond Princess” Danielle Page :Exactly! We will get the Kerry Family size monkey off our backs and you’ll all have to accept everything that we say as gospel because we’ve always spoken the truth.

Vansssa flicks her hair in Dakota’s direction as the Socialites walk off.
Hideo Watanabe was seen in the backstage area preparing for his upcoming match. Currently tightening and securing the special golden wrist gauntlets that he was going to be wearing. He looked up once he noticed he was being recorded.

Hideo Watanabe: Hello, there.

Hideo simply looked back down to finish adjusting his ring gear then looked back up again.

Hideo Watanabe: I haven’t spoken here in a while. Some viewers, you’ve never heard me speak at all and this is the first time you’ve even heard my voice at all. Depending where I go, sometimes I will have a friend with me so that I can focus on my favorite part of all of this. But I can’t have everything be the same all the time. I like the challenge of something new. So, I come to NFW on my own to see how I can do with every aspect.

Hideo paused again, seemingly thinking about what he would say next. This was a normal thing for him, he never jumped to anything without plenty of thought taking place first.

Hideo Watanabe: There’s a lot of things that go into any match, something that most minds sometimes can’t keep up with. Thankfully for me, I know that I can handle the mental toll that comes with having this kind of job. Which always circles back around. I truly could’ve been a history teacher or some kind of professor, but instead I chose to do this. But I was able to keep that knowledge and still use what I learned as a wrestler.

Another pause from Watanabe. He looked around the empty room before speaking again.

Hideo Watanabe: The human body is like a puzzle, I guess you can say. There’s so many pieces, and every piece can make or break the entire puzzle. But, enough about that. My focus is completely on the main event which is myself versus Kuali'i Tofilau for the United States championship.


Hideo paused once again, then got up from where he was seated to go grab his entrance jacket from the locker behind him.

Hideo Watanabe: Consider my opinion on you completely neutral. I am not going to be a fan right now, because I’ll be seeing you in that ring at the end of the night. But I can respect everything that you have done for that Championship and keeping it warm for me. I don’t plan on leaving this match empty handed, and you should have the same plan. The only difference between our plans, is mine is a lot more strategic and thought out, versus your clear advantage of strength. I have never claimed to be physically strong, but I’m the strongest person in this locker room mentally. I’ll see you out there, and I’ll be more than happy to tap you out at the end of the night.

Nodding to finish his words, he left the room with the jacket over his shoulder. The cameras soon faded away after that.
Later on, the food has been cleared away and from the looks of it, both Damon and Travis are markedly more relaxed. But there’s still tension in the air. And if there was conversation during the meal… well, the world is not privy to it. Knowing the Godkiller, that’s by design. He leans forward, folding his hands on the table before him.

Damon Cross: You get your match.

Travis leans back in his seat, resting after the good feed. Hearing Damon, he glances across and arches an eyebrow.

Travis Levitt: What’s the catch?

The Godkiller smiles thinly.

Damon Cross: What indeed…

But that smile goes away in a hurry.

Damon Cross: If I defeat you, you never get another shot at the NFW Championship. Ever.

Travis almost gets out of his chair, but Damon holds up a hand and, for some reason, that’s enough to make the Dragon stay put.

Damon Cross: If you defeat me, I will retire from professional wrestling. Forever.

Travis sits half raised in his seat, but slowly sinks back down. Eyes locked on Damon and staring for a moment. After a second he looks down at the ground, and then his hands, staring intently in the silence for a moment before he finally looks back up at Damon.

Travis Levitt: So. I win… you’re gone. No more sneak attacks. No more distractions. I get to be the man that ended the Godkiller’s career. But I lose, and you get to hold it over my head for eternity. The man that took away my chance to ever be NFW Champion. That's a big catch.

Travis waits a moment more, but then smiles and nods.

Travis Levitt: Deal.

Without a word, Damon rises and extends his hand. Travis rises to meet him, taking Damon’s hand in his own and shaking it firmly. Eyes never leaving Cross’ for a moment before he releases the handshake.

Travis Levitt: I’ll see you at WrestleWar, Cross. You have a lovely home. And soon you’ll have plenty more time to spend in it.

Damon Cross: Maybe I will.

With that, The Dragon turns to walk out. Damon looks after him, listening as the car starts up outside, along with the clatter of gravel spewing between tires and earth as Travis leaves. He doesn’t seem to notice Danielle coming up behind him, sliding her arms around his waist and burying her cheek into his back. Damon says nothing, just resting a hand on hers.