Veejay and Ramparte are near the entrance. Ramparte is standing, silent as ever, with Veejay hyping them both up for the match. Leon Kensworth interjects, mic in hand.
Leon Kensworth: Hey, guys! Can I get a moment?
Veejay: Of course, Leon! What can we do for you?
Veejay and Ramparte both turn to Leon. Ramparte is clearly focused on the match coming up, but Veejay is visibly sweating, flashing his trademark smile.
Leon Kensworth: I just wanted to get a quick word from each of you on this match you have up next. Veejay, we overheard some inflammatory comments from Tony a few weeks back, involving you, and your wife Saffron. Certainly this match could be a measure of revenge.
Veejay: Oh, it definitely is. I'm not the type to overreact, but there's some places you just don't go, even in this business, and one of them is threatening a man's wife, especially when she's in the hospital. I'm going to make sure the message is sent that I'm not a pushover.
Leon Kensworth: And for you, Ramparte, this confrontation has been brewing a bit longer, as Kagura Joheki took something you, as anyone would, hold dear. Your voice.
Ramparte chuckles to himself, knowing he cannot answer the question, and knowing Leon should know as well. Veejay steps in for him.
Veejay: I'm sure if my partner here could talk, he would tell you that although he has turned a page on his treacherous ways, there is still some coldness in his heart for that woman who took his voice. But, if you ask me, he's doing just fine with Batti Otaku by his side.
Veejay puts his shades on and smiles at Ramparte who can only smile back. Just then, their opponents pass by as the arena begins blaring their music. Glances are exchanged all around.
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[YOUTUBE]JzrDFxIgRLo[/YOUTUBE]
Kagura and Tony enter the arena to a chorus of boos while Selena starts their introduction.
Anderson: This match is a tag team bout scheduled for one fall! Making their way to the ring first, at a combined weight of 435 pounds, the team of KAGURA JOHEKI and TONY MANCINI!
Tony and Gino swat aside the falling flower petals while Kagura bows to the crowd and heads towards the ring without them. Gino rubs Tony's shoulders like a prize fighter as he heads to the ring after his partner. They enter the ring and Tony makes some less than kid-friendly hand motions towards the fans at ringside. Kagura kneels in the corner and places her book under the turnbuckle, before rising and removing her robe. Tony and Gino both admire her beauty.
Connor: Typical scum, these two are. First, they want nothing to do with their partner for the evening, who might I add fared better than Tony in the Gold Rush tournament, and then she removes her robe and their buddy buddy. Makes me sick.
Cohen: I mean, she does have quite the set of...title wins in her past, so they should be happy to have her on their side! This is an odd pairing, if I ever saw one, but they have a mutual goal tonight, to end the personal vendettas they have with their opponents.
Connor: Watch yourself, Jack.
[YOUTUBE]aqXW57WM9TA[/YOUTUBE]
Anderson: And their opponents!
Ramparte and Veejay enter the arena to the polar opposite reaction that their opponents received.
Anderson: Weighing in at a combined 441 pounds, they are the team of RAMPARTE and VEEJAY!
The praise pours down on them as they head to the ring, high-fiving fans and exchanging fist bumps with some kids. They roll under the bottom rope simultaneously, springing to their feet and coming face to face with their counterparts.
Cohen: I'm not sure who these guys think they're intimidating, but I can assure you that Tony and Kagura are not going to back down from this fight. Kagura knew exactly what she was in for, when she borrowed Ramparte's voice, and Tony has been in his share of alleyway brawls. I'd bet on it.
Connor: The difference between those alley fights and a WZCW ring is that this is a fair fight. It's one on one, with no baseball bats and brass knuckles to even the score.
The referee is able to separate the teams, and get them to their respective corners. Ramparte will start for his team, against Tony, representing his.
**DING*DING*DING**
The two circle each other, glaring at their counterpart's partners as they do. Tony strikes first, catching Ramparte off guard with a left hook to the jaw that knocks Ramparte to the turnbuckle. Tony chases in, connecting with a running knee to the gut, and then laying in knife edge chop after knife edge chop to Ramparte's chest. Kagura leans away from the action, letting the referee know all is fair. Tony grabs a handful of hair, leading his man to the middle of the ring, and hitting a snap suplex, and goes for a quick pin!
1...2SHOULDER'S UP!
Ramparte rolls a shoulder and Tony gets in the ref's face, calling for a faster count. Gino applauds from the outside, while Ramparte gets to a knee. Tony lines up a straight right, but it's countered by a forearm to the gut! And another as Ramparte regains a vertical base! Ramparte connects with a right of his own, and whips Tony off the ropes, catching him coming back with a flapjack! Tony bounces to his knees, covering his face, and checking for blood as Ramparte gets to his feet, waiting for him. Tony turns around, his face contorted with rage. He charges his opponent, looking to hit a clothesline, but Ramparte surprises him with a drop toehold! Tony is again on his knees, checking his lip for blood. He rushes Ramparte again, and Ramparte retreats to the corner, and leaps over the top rope, causing Tony to crash chest first against the turnbuckle! Before he regain his composure, Ramparte hooks on the Tarantula! Tony screams out as the ref gives Recluse the five count to break in the ropes!
1! 2! 3! 4!
Ramparte crawls down the apron, breaking the hold! As Tony falls to a knee, stretching his arm, Kagura runs the length of the apron, and levels him with a leaping leg lariat! Ramparte crashes to the floor, and Kagura races back to her corner without the referee noticing! Tony dives and makes the tag as the referee begins counting out Ramparte!
1! 2! 3! 4!
Ramparte gets to his feet, and turns to see Kagura in the ring! He dives back in immediately, and is met by Kagura's boot as she begins stomping him down! Tony, from the apron, begins laying in boots of his own, drawing in Veejay! The referee rushes to get Veejay back to the apron, allowing Tony and Kagura to double-team the Recluse further! Kagura pulls him to his feet, where Tony grabs his arms, letting Kagura set for the
Fifth Dance Of The Amaterasu Omikami! Ramparte ducks the heart punch, and Kagura sends Tony flying off the apron!
Gino rushes to his friend's aid, as Ramparte blasts Kagura with the Black Ink Mist with the referee's back turned! Kagura falls to her knees, where her opponent levels her with a springboard leg lariat! Veejay points out the lateral press to the ref as Ramparte shoots the half, and goes for the pin!
1...2.FOOT ON THE ROPES!
Cohen: Very smart of Kagura to get her foot on the ropes there! Great ring awareness! I hope Tony's okay, because if he can't get back in this fight, it may be an uphill climb for Miss Joheki!
Connor: You're right, Jack, and I hate to admit that. Tony is vital to their team's chances. Ramparte needs to take advantage of the confusion, and tag in the fresh man!
Ramparte attempts just that, rushing across the ring, but as he dives for his partner's outstretched hand, Kagura grabs his foot, slamming him face first into the canvas! Veejay tries to hype the crowd, but Ramparte is down, clutching his face! Kagura drops an elbow to the back of his neck, before sitting him up and applying a reverse chinlock. The referee checks Ramparte for a submission, but the Recluse shakes his head violently. Kagura pulls Ramparte to his feet by his neck, and shoves him off, but maintains the attack with a flurry of elbow strikes! Ramparte is chased backward to the ropes, but Kagura pulls him in with a keylock armbar, and using the leverage to force Ramparte to his back!
The ref checks again for a submission, but Ramparte shakes a finger no. Kagura looks down on her voiceless opponent, laughing, as Ramparte surveys the land, looking for a rope to break the hold. On the outside, Tony is on his feet, pacing. He sees Ramparte in the submission hold, and crawls under the bottom rope, again drawing in Veejay, but the referee cuts off Ramparte's partner! Tony places his boot on Ramparte's forehead, and stomps down, raising a red welt instantly as the Recluse attempts to cry out! Kagura breaks the hold, and tells her opponent to leave the ring!
Connor: It seems Kagura has had enough of Tony's antics, and wants to win this fight fair and square!
Cohen: I'd say it's her being smart enough to know not to raise the ire of the Recluse any further than she has. She knows the war between them is far from over, no matter the result tonight.
Connor: If I'm hearing this correctly, Tony is telling Kagura to tag him in! He must want all the valor for himself!
Kagura reluctantly leaves her opponent, and tags in the guido from Little Italy. Tony climbs through the ropes, and kicks Ramparte in the side, before rolling him across the ring, and leaving him at the feet of his partner. Veejay and Tony are eye to eye, and Tony motions for him to tag in!
Veejay enters through the ropes, tagging his partner in the process. Before he can get upright, Tony barrels through his knee, taking him down! He pulls him to his feet, and connects with an inverted atomic drop, shoving Veejay into the corner as he covers up the injured parts. Tony gives Veejay a hard smack in the face!
Tony Mancini: You're gonna learn respect! You hear me you little Indian bastard?
Veejay's face changes, and he explodes from the corner, leveling Tony with a spinebuster, and following up with straight rights to the face! Tony tries crawling backward from the assault, but Veejay won't let up! He jumps to his feet, and begins putting the boots to the Italian! Tony motions for a timeout, but the referee waves him off, reminding him there are none! Tony grabs the bottom ropes, just in time to avoid a stomp directly to the face! Gino collects his charge, and pulls him out of the ring, before realizing he's cradling him, and puts him down. Kagura smiles to herself, watching the spectacle. Tony adjusts his shirt, and cracks his knuckles, as the referee continues his count.
4! 5! 6! 7!
Tony makes his way to the steps, and enters at 9, telling Veejay to let him in the ring. Veejay patiently awaits his opponent, and they circle each other, before initiating a collar and elbow tie up. Neither man can get an advantage, and it breaks. The ref tries to separate them, and Tony surprises Veejay with a right, knocking him down to a knee! Veejay jumps back, retaliating with a right of his own, and the two men hit the mat, rolling to the floor!
The referee cuts off Gino as he tries to intervene, and finally manages to get both men to their feet, just as Kagura and Ramparte leap from opposing corners, connecting with stereo missile dropkicks to the other's partner! The referee is having trouble containing the ensuing melee, and orders the legal men back into the ring!
Tony and Veejay roll under the bottom rope, and are hardly to a knee before they begin exchanging blows again. Veejay muscles Tony into the corner, and doesn't see Kagura tag in! He whips Tony to the other corner, nearest to Ramparte, and charges in with a shoulder to the gut! As he steams out of the corner to set up another, Kagura surprises him with a diving throat thrust from the top rope! Tony has time to roll out of the ring as Kagura goes for the pin!
1...2...KICKOUT!
Veejay barely kicks out, shocking the Shrine Maiden! Kagura whips Veejay into the ropes, but he telegraphs the move and holds on before diving to tag in Ramparte! The Recluse leaps over the ropes, and charges the opposite ropes, taking out Kagura with a Pele kick! Kagura rebounds quickly to her feet, and tries to blind Ramparte with some mist of her own! He ducks, avoiding the red spray, and takes her out with a tornado DDT! She crashes headfirst to the mat, and rolls to her corner, where Tony tags in!
Tony races in to battle and whiffs with a hard-hitting lariat, but turns around and tries to take off Ramparte's head with a pair of brass knucks! Ramparte delivers a kick to the gut!
The Denouement! Tony is out, and Ramparte hooks the leg!
1...2...3! Just as Kagura dives in to try and save her partner!
Anderson: Your winners...RAMPARTE! And VEEJAY!
The winners celebrate as Gino crawls in to collect Tony, helping him out of the ring. Kagura crawls to the corner and frantically opens her book. As she opens her mouth to speak, Ramparte kicks it from her hands, out to the announcer's table! Her face reddens, but he just smiles and wags a finger at her, before rejoining his teammate.
Connor: What a match, Jack! Usually, I'd say it's a tough break for Tony, but he brought it on himself, bringing that foreign object into the ring! Hard-earned win for the team of Veejay and Ramparte. I'd say the book is closed on Tony and Veejay's feud, but who knows what's going to happen between Ramparte and Kagura!
Cohen: Funny you say the book is closed, because we have Kagura's book right here, that she tried to read from again, apparently looking to cast some sort of spell on one of her opponent's, most likely Ramparte, again! This battle is far from over.
Connor: If I were Ramparte, I'd sleep with one eye open! No idea what the shrine maiden has in store for him now!
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The camera opens up on Leon Kensworth and Justin Cooper. They're hanging out outside the locker room, sharing a laugh. The audio fades in.
Justin Cooper: ...and then, yeah, she gave me her number, said she was surprised by the side of me she saw during the interview. I hear the write-up got some good reviews too.
Leon Kensworth: It's amazing what a title win can do for you! Congratulations again, and make sure to pass along the same to your partner. He's missed around here. When you worked a show that Mark Keaton was wrestling on, you knew you were in for a good time.
Justin Cooper: I'll be sure to do that. Thanks. And yeah, he's a good kid. Really opened my eyes to a different way of doing things around here, and I've been really beating myself up. Encouraging him to take that leap? What was I thinking? His career could have been ended.
Leon Kensworth: How's he holding up? Any word on if, or when, we'll see his return?
Justin Cooper: You didn't hear this from me, but he's talking about being back in time to help me defend these titles, before we get stripped for not defending them.
The cameraman knocks over a water bottle, and both men turn to check the source of the noise. The camera quickly snaps to black.
