Kingdom Come VI: Pre-Show Battle Royale [Winner Enters Super Ladder Melee]

[Viola Moonlight]

"One final chance"

For those WZCW Superstars who have yet to find themselves on the biggest stage of them all, they will receive an opportunity on the Kingdom Come pre-show to enter the Super Ladder Match Melee for the WZCW Eurasian Championship by fighting it out in a traditional Battle Royale. Who will rise to the occasion and become the wildcard in an already wild match? Could it be Kagura Ohzora or Bruce Irwin? Jonathan Hyada? Or maybe one of the newest additions to the roster, Dorian Slaughter or Veejay? We'll have to wait and see!

RP deadline is Friday the 7th of November at 23:59.​

 

[Bagpipes]

Fade in as a man on his knees has a burlap hood swiftly removed from his head, revealing his likeness.

He is familiar, Leon Kensworth, his eyes wide with distress as he struggles to gain sight of his captor, merely sensing the presence of the man standing over him, holding the hood, peering down coldly at his captive.

ONE HOUR PRIOR

The small crowd gathered outside the Tokyo Dome for the Kingdom Come kickoff event gasped in unison, as Leon Kensworth turned around once again, hoping this time to receive an answer to his question, rather than another finger pointing exhibition from Veejay and Dilip Rajput.

A hooded man now stood in the area previously occupied by Veejay. In a swift motion, the man thrust a burlap sack over Kensworth’s head and wrapped one arm around the interviewer’s torso, the other over his hooded face.

As security struggled to access the stage through the distraught crowd, the man holding Kensworth abruptly lowered his shoulder and busted through the stage’s backdrop, sending pole lights and electrical equipment crashing to the ground.

As the camera panned quickly back and forth, trying to locate Kensworth and his captor within the chaotic scene, a shrill noise came over what remained of the PA system, followed by several grunts and the whinny of a horse.

Cut to black.

SEVERAL MOMENTS LATER

A voice overtakes the black screen amidst sounds of hooves thumping in a steady pace over solid ground.

Dorian Slaughter: And I heard as it were, the noise of thunder.

One of the beasts saying “come and see.”

And I saw.

And behold, a white horse.

The picture slowly fades in depicting Leon Kensworth slung haphazardly on the hind quarter of a white horse in a half gallop, being carried through a wooded area.

It was near dusk as beams of sunlight intermittently illuminated and then darkened the scene through the dense treetops.

Kensworth’s captor, now revealed as Dorian Slaughter, sat atop the horse’s back, guiding the beast through the forest.

Grasping at Slaughter’s waist as his body bounced around, Kensworth called out to his captor.

Kensworth: Seriously… where are… you… taking me?

Slaughter: Patience, Leon.

Kensworth: If… you.. wanted… an interview… you… could… have… just… asked.

Slaughter: My terms, Leon.

Kensworth: Good… God… what is… that… smell?

Slaughter: Smells like home.

As the horse approached a grassy knoll in the distance, it slowed to a steady trot. Kensworth repositioned his body and flailed at the sack over his head, attempting to gain sight.

The horse crested the knoll, the camera repositioned to overlook an active landfill below. Slaughter dismounted and helped Kensworth down off of the beast. The former bound the latter’s hands with a zip tie.

Slaughter: Kneel. Here.

Kensworth: Listen man, I was just doing my job.

Slaughter: This has nothing to do with your job. Yet, everything to do with your life.

Kensworth: Yeah, alright. I’d ask you to get this hood off of my face, but I’m not sure I want to breathe in anymore of that putrid stench. What is this place?

PRESENT TENSE

Kensworth: What… the?

The camera shifts focus upwards, illuminating the scene in front of Kensworth. As Slaughter walks away from him, the camera follows, revealing what has stunned Kensworth.

Kensworth: Hey, hey, can you hear me?

The camera pans to reveal what appear to be more people at the scene. Kneeling in a similar position to Kensworth's, aligned in rows, four by two, a total of eight figures are evident, each wearing full length black robes, their heads hooded and bowed toward the ground.

Between the rows, a quite large hole has been excavated, decaying trash lining all sides of its depth.

Alongside each figure are dirty artifacts, seemingly collected from the trash. Included among them are: a white kimono; a plastic toy crocodile; a shield, seemingly from a child's Halloween costume; a silver studded leather jacket; a fluorescent green shirt, the sleeves torn, forming tassles; a toy rocket ship; a large foam sword; and a headbanded pair of ANTennas.

Slaughter takes position at the far end of the scene, his arms extended to either side of his body.

Slaughter: They hear you, Leon, but they cannot respond. They kneel in a solemn wait, preparing themselves for the oncoming storm. Readying their hearts to welcome Death in.

As Slaughter speaks, Kensworth whispers in the direction of the figure nearest him.

Kensworth: Psst... Irwin? Bruce, is that you?

Slaughter: Now, Leon, about that interview.

Kensworth: I’ve seen some strange stuff, but this… this is just…

Slaughter: Do not overanalyze your predicament, Leon.

Kensworth: Right, well let’s do this, I’ve got more impor…

I have things to do. Kingdom Come, y’know, the biggest event of the year. I actually have obligations to meet…

Slaughter: Continue.

Kensworth: So, your win at the SuperShow, when you teamed with Veejay, your thoughts?

Slaughter scans the motionless scene before him, seemingly pondering an answer to Kensworth’s question. He picks up the leather jacket, brushes away the dust and looks at it for a moment.

Slaughter: This then, is libel, slander, defamation of character. This is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in the face of art.

Kensworth: I’m… I’m not sure I follow.

Slaughter: I’m going to sing for you, a little off key, perhaps, but I will sing. I will sing while you croak. I will dance on your rotting corpse.

Kensworth: Alright Slaughter, do you want this interview or not? Did you just bring me out here to put me in a black robe and have me bow to you on top of this steaming pile of garbage? And what about the others? Why aren't they moving?

Kensworth calls out frantically in the direction of the motionless figures before him.

Kensworth: Mack? Kagura? M? Are you...

Slaughter: Silence!

Kensworth obliges, shaking his head, he looks down to the ground before lifting his eyes toward Slaughter as an uneasy expression overtakes his face.

Slaughter: I brought you here, Leon Kensworth, WZCW lifer, entertainer of the masses, to hear my message. Hear my message and return to the infectious halls of the WZCW and spread the word of hate. I will speak, you will listen.

Kensworth gently nods his head in approval, fixating his eyes upon the foam sword placed at the side of the figure to his immediate left.

Slaughter: I have desires, Leon. But unlike the heralded legends and shiny heroes that the WZCW hold to the highest of standards, my desires do not consist of signing autographs and posing for photos. My desires do not consist of roaring crowds and children screaming in adulation from merely laying eyes upon their idol. No, my desires are rooted much deeper.

Slaughter begins to pace back and forth through the rows of hooded figures in front of Kensworth.

Slaughter: My desire is annihilation.

Annihilation achieved through the unleashing of Hell upon an unsuspecting, yet begging world. A world begging for change, for redemption, renewal, for retribution. For revival. For rebirth.

And what is the predecessor to rebirth, Leon?

Kensworth, unsure of the rhetoric of Slaughter's question, remains silent.

Slaughter: Death.

For I am the enemy. I am the antidote for a diseased world.

When my plague of evisceration rains down from crimson skies, your world shall topple.

The weak shall become strong.

The oppressed, freed.

Captives shall become the captors.

The dead shall become living weapons. Trained to serve in the armies of Hatred.

To end global hunger by feeding half of the world’s starving people to the other half, then allowing the circling vultures to feast on the remains.

To end oppression by uprooting the very standards and values that the plagued communities of this world have been built upon.

To free the enslaved. To persecute the just and excuse the unjust.

To create a world wherein Death is the only mortal.

Kensworth looks on as Slaughter approaches him.

Slaughter: When the cold touch of Death begins to chill your spine, you shall feel the reaper’s presence.

Slaughter looks out upon the bowed figures before them.

Slaughter: Just as they have felt the reaper's presence, soon they will be afforded the opportunity to stand in his midst. Afforded the choice between submitting to Death's beckoning or standing in the light in a vain attempt at staving off His merciless onslaught.

Slaughter runs his finger across Kensworth’s neck, Kensworth trembles slightly.

Slaughter: So go, spread my message to my opposition. Warn of the impending doom of the approaching storm. For when thy kingdom comes…

Slaughter cuts through the zip ties binding Kensworth’s hands and motions for him to stand.

Slaughter: My will shall be done.

A black horse gallops into the scene and comes to rest at Slaughter’s side. Slaughter positions his hands in a hoisting position, inviting Kensworth to step into them and be raised onto the horse.

Slaughter: Zeke will return you to where you were taken.

Kensworth approaches Slaughter cautiously and places one foot in his hands as he is hoisted atop the horse. Holding the horses' reigns, Slaughter turns back toward the hooded figure closest to them. He cocks his boot and delivers a forceful kick to the back of the figure. The mannequin crumbles and topples over onto the small crocodile toy at its side, the hood falling forward from its head, to reveal the plastic structure of the figures’ back.

Kensworth: Unbelievable.

Slaughter releases the horse’s reigns as the beast turns and begins to trot away. Peering backward over his shoulder, Kensworth observes as Slaughter delivers similar punt kicks to the seven remaining mannequins, toppling them over and tossing the scraps into the excavated hole in the center of the area.

Kensworth shifts his focus forward, seemingly curious as to how the horse will return him to the Tokyo Dome.

As the horse slowly breaches the scene’s horizon, a voice once again fills the scene.

Slaughter: And I heard a voice in the midst of the beasts.

And I looked, and behold, a pale horse.

And his name was Death.

And Hell followed with him.

Cut to black.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Deadline has been extended by 24 hours.

 

[CyberPunk]

[FONT=&quot]Keys to the Kingdom[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Act I[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We’re backstage after the SuperShow IV. Leon Kensworth is ready with a mic.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Are we good to go?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Cameraman: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Yes. In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“On Air”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Ladies and gentlemen. My guest at this time, Veejay.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay steps into the camera frame. He has a wide smile on his face.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]So, Vee….[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (interrupting):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What Leon? This is how you’ll introduce me? Come on! You can do better than this. Okay, repeat with me. My guest at this time, from Bollywood, India, Bollywood’s uncrowned king, Bollywood’s victor, Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeejaaaayyy![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Awkward silence.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Come on, say it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Ladies and gentleman, my guest at this time, (looks at Veejay, who has an enthusiastic smile) *hesitatingly* from Bollywood, India, Bollywood’s uncrowned king, Bollywood’s victor, Veejay.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (bemused): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Really? That’s it? Say with me… Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeejaaaayyy![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon (half heartedly): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Veeeejaayy.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Nevermind. You gotta practice more. Anyway, go ahead.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] So Veejay, first of all, congratulations on your win tonight. How do you feel?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]How do I feel? (thinks for a moment) Hungry. Man, winning is hard work. (looks in other direction and shouts) Dilip! Where’s the sandwich I ordered? It was supposed to be here YESTERDAY! (no answer, whispers to himself) Do I have to do everything on my own now? (Back to Leon) A win is a win Leon. I won because I deserved to. Did you see Hyada slapping the mat, tapping out to me? [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yes, we all did. But it could be because your partner Dorian Slaughter was about to deliver his finisher to Lexi outside the ring.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Excuses, excuses! Is that what he told you? (wipes his face) Man it’s getting hot here. Why don’t we conduct this interview on the go? Come with me.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon (confused):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] On the go?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yeah, come walk with me. (To the cameraman) Pick the camera up and walk with us.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Cameraman, a little annoyed, picks the camera up as Leon and Veejay start walking through the backstage area. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] As we move towards the biggest show of the year, what are your thoughts on your match at the pre-show? You have a Battle Royale to go through where winner gets to enter the Super Ladder melee match for the Eurasian Championship later in the night.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] First of all, I think it’s unfair to me that I have to go through 2 matches on the same night. I should’ve been the automatic choice for the 5th spot in the Super Ladder melee match. Instead, I’ll have to win 2 matches to win the Eurasian Championship. I am up for it, but that doesn’t make it fair.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] But it’s not you alone. There are so many others who have to go through the Battle Royale.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] So? But as I said, I am up for it. I’m a born champion. Throw any challenge at me and I’ll accept it. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] So what’s your strategy?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Darwinism.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Come again?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Darwinism. Survival of the fittest. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Care to explain?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay stops, and so does Leon.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You realize what kind of matches these are? These matches are not for winners, these matches are for survivors. One has to survive. So, I have simple strategy. Weather the storm, survive the onslaught, stay out of harm’s way, wait out the enemy and strike at any chance. Take advantage of opportunity. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] But, survival in these kinds of matches, is it going to be that easy?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (annoyed, reaches his pocket and takes out his phone):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You see this? [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] It’s just a phone.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Look at the screen.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon examines the screen closely.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon (surprised):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Candy crush? What does that have to do with this?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] I survived this. If I can survive this, I can survive anything! [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What the…….!!![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Veejay (laughing): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Hahahahaha! Anyway, I have a secret weapon. Don’t worry about it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Secret?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yeah, secret. (pauses) Alright, come with me. Let’s take a tour. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay, Leon and the cameraman exit the backstage area through to the parking lot where Veejay’s limo is waiting. The chauffeur opens the door and lets Leon, Veejay and the cameraman in. Inside, Dilip is already present. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (to Dilip): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Where’s my sandwich? I ordered it long time ago![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Relax! Here’s your sandwich. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Alright, so where are we going?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (taking the sandwich out of its wrapper): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Just wait and see. [/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Act II[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The limo drives through the busy streets of Winnipeg. There is almost an awkward silence inside the limo. While Dilip messes around with his phone (seemingly annoyed), Veejay finishes up his sandwich. Leon sees around.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]This is nice. But where is your security? As a movie star, don’t you feel you need some kind of security cover?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (wiping his mouth and hands): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Look at me. Do you think I need any kind of security cover? [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Alright. Your wish. But at least can you tell us where we are going?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] We’re about to reach, (to Dilip) right?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yep, almost there.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The limo screeches and stops at an open lot. The place seems pretty remote and outside the city. The chauffeur opens the door as Dilip, Leon, the cameraman and Veejay step out of the limo. Veejay takes a deep breath and stretches his arms wide.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (exhaling): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Ahh!! Let’s start, shall we?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As they walk into the lot, they see a host of people standing there. There are people of all sizes, gender and age. They now see Veejay and company walking towards them. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 1 (pointing towards Veejay):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Are you the man who called all of us here?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay walks up to that man, scans him top to bottom and in a swift action, roundhouse kicks the man. He falls down hard, seemingly knocked out.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Show me some damn respect, you piece of shit! (to Leon and co) Come closer. Leon, tell your guy to cover this.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Everyone seems a bit scared and confused. Veejay walks right in the middle of everyone. He has a sick smile on his face. Leon signals his cameraman to keep rolling.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (looking around him):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Ladies and gentlemen. I welcome you all tonight. And what a beautiful night it is! [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 2 (in a scared voice): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Why have you called us all here?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot] I am coming to that. (Takes a brief pause and clears his throat). I want all of you to pay attention here. Tonight, we all have gathered here for a very special contest. The winner of this contest will win $100,000. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]All the people, including Leon and co, are surprised to hear this. They start talking to each other.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 3:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What’s the contest?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You all have to fight.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Everyone is taken aback. They look at each other. Whispers echo through the lot.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 4:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] We have to fight you?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Naah, you have to fight each other. Everyone will fight each other at the same time.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 5:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What if we don’t want to fight?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (takes out a gun):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Then I’ll shoot you. (Everyone is stunned). Look, all of you have been carefully chosen. All of you are either struggling to make ends meet, or can’t pay off the mortgage, or are under debt and so on and so forth. Here I am, offering you a chance to win $100,000 and change your life. And you don’t even have to kill anyone. Everyone’s happy![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 2:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What do you get out of this?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] I? I am a philanthropist. But, I just don’t want to throw my money away. I want to have fun with it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Lady 1:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] So how do you propose we do this? We all fight each other at the same time? We’re upwards of 20 people.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yes! Let me explain how this goes. (to Dilip) Bring the good stuff.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip drags a huge bag. He opens it up and empties it at the side. Everyone looks on. There is a pile of weapons: Hockey sticks, cricket bat, iron rod, stumps, baseball bat etc.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Now, the rules are very simple. Everyone will fight everyone. You can pick up any weapon you want, if you can pick one during the fight. Your objective is to knock your opponent down where he or she can’t get up anymore. The last person standing wins.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Person 2: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]You are sick![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (with a menacing smile):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] As I said, I am a philanthropist. Alright people, (steps away from the middle) FIGHT![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Everyone reluctantly looks at each other. They are still confused. Meanwhile, Veejay goes to the limo and brings out a briefcase full of cash. He opens it up on the side and puts there on display. Everyone, while still looking at the money, is still hesitant.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (sighing):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Okay, looks like I have to show it to you.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay picks up a hockey stick, goes to a man, and hands it to him. While the man hesitantly holds up the hockey stick, Veejay delivers a swift punch to his face followed by a big boot. The man falls on the ground, writhing with pain.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] See? It’s not that difficult. Now start![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]A lady suddenly jumps another man from behind and slaps him across the face, while a boy gets a bat and attacks another boy. Soon, each person is at each other’s throat. There is utter chaos everyone. People start beating each other senseless. Veejay retreats from the scene and goes back where Dilip, Leon and Cameraman are. Cameraman is shooting the whole scene while Leon is seemingly disgusted.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]What kind of sick game is this!?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Come on. Relax. Have a beer. (He opens up a can of beer and offers it to Leon, who refuses). Your wish. (Veejay start sipping from the can)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]A lot of people have been knocked down so far. There are lot of broken bones and knocked out bodies there. Some blood can also be seen at the sight. Finally one large man is standing when a boy knocks him down with an iron rod from behind. The boy has seemingly won as everyone else is down.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] And here is our winner! [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]He puts down the can of beer and walks towards the young boy.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Fantastic performance, kid! What’s your name?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Boy (heavily breathing in pain):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Ken.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] How old are you?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Ken:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] 16.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Come with me. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Ken and Veejay walk toward the rest of the crew. Ken is limping and can barely walk. Once there, Veejay picks up the briefcase and locks it up. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Ken, before I present this to you, tell our own Mr. Leon Kensworth, how was the whole experience.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Ken could barely open his mouth. Leon doesn’t want to talk to Ken, but suddenly Veejay superkicks an unsuspecting Ken. Ken hits the ground head first and is completely knocked out. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Sorry Kid! Nighty night! (waves at downed Ken)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon (almost shouting): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]What the hell was that for!!?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (ignoring Leon, to Dilip): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]You know what to do.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip goes in the background and starts talking on his phone.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Leon, what you saw right now is how this world works. Even after everything, this brave little kid couldn’t win, because he was not supposed to. (Leon seems even more disgusted. Veejay continues). You see, Leon, people like these don’t win. People like me win. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon (choking):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What did you get out of this? Why did you do all of this[/FONT][FONT=&quot]? [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]How do you not get this, Leon? I just showed you the truth of this world. This world is run by elites like me. We lead the people. We turn the wheels as we please. You see this carnage? This is true picture of our society. Fear and money are the motivation of everything. They bow before the strongest, not out of respect, but out of fear. They work for someone not because they want to, but because they get paid. (pointing towards the bodies) These people are down because of their own fear, greed and foolishness. I am up because I played them all. I win.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] I don’t understand. You were not even in the fight.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]That’s where you’re wrong, my friend. I was always in the fight. If they had the brains or strength, they could’ve easily overpowered me and got away with this cash. They were more than 20, I was one me. But as I said, they didn’t have it in them.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] But you had a gun![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] This? (laughs and takes out the gun) This is a prop we use in our movies. Do you really think that a man like me would roam around with a real gun? I don’t need guns.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leon:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] How could you live with yourself? How does your conscience…..[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (interrupting, now more serious): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Conscience? What conscience are you talking about? It’s a made up word by the weak who can’t fight. It’s a fallacy. It makes people feel good about themselves. (moves closer to Leon) You know why people boo me when I enter the ring? Not because they hate me. They boo me because they hate themselves. Because they can’t be me. They look at me and see a man they can never be. A man who possesses power, a man who owns everything that they can only dream of. A man who’s born king of this world. A man who lives his life on his own terms. A man who fears no one.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip (after finishing on phone): [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Everything is set. The mess here would be taken care of in no time.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (smiling):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Good work, Dilip. (to Leon) Do you remember you asked me what my thoughts are on the matches? Here are my thoughts. I am going to win. You know why? Because I am the real deal. This world is no fantasy. This world is no playground. This world is harsh and unforgiving. There is no past you can live in, there is no underground lair you can hide. There’s no temple to comfort you in your darkest hour, there’s no parallel universe, there’s no magic and there’s, most certainly, no grim reaper. There is only one truth. The strong survives, the weak perishes. And the gold always goes to the strong. (Looks at the camera) Is it still recording?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Cameraman:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yes.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (looking into the camera):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] WZCW, I have one message for you. Keep the Eurasian title well polished and ready. It’s about time it came to its rightful wearer. (looking away) And it’s a wrap. Well done everyone involved (clapping) well done.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The limo’s ready. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay (to Leon):[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Get in the Limo and wait for us. We’ll join you shortly. You can make yourself comfortable, have beer, watch movies. FYI, all the movies inside feature me.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The chauffeur opens the door as Leon and the cameraman hop in. Veejay and Dilip walk away from the limo.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You’re one sick man. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] What? I just wanted to celebrate my win tonight. Anyway, what’s the update?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The ambulance would be here anytime. I’ve already transferred the money in these people’s account. Also, as you said, I’ve sent the $100,000 to this boy’s home. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Good, good. Tomorrow, we leave for Tokyo. Dilip, mark my words. At Kingdom Come, a new King will be crowned the Eurasian Champion. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dilip: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Yeah, yeah. I just don’t get it though. Why do all this if you wanted to pay all of them anyway?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Veejay:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Why shouldn’t I? They served a purpose. Alright, let’s move.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Both of them start walking towards the limo. Their figures start fading into darkness as Veejay talks to Dilip, “While we are at it, have you updated Candy Crush to its latest version?” Veejay’s sound fades away as both enter the limo….[/FONT]

 

[Bernkastel]

The plane ride had been long. Eleven hours of sitting in a seat would be enough to drive most people crazy. Not her though, because she was finally getting to visit her homeland. Kagura Ohzora stared out the window into the vast blackness of space, the clouds hindering her view of the ocean. The plane had left Winnipeg earlier that morning, with a stop in New York City. Her manager Sasuke Gozaburo had been with her, but had remained uncharacteristically silent once they had left the States. She opted not to make small talk with the man. Even though he had been born in Japan like her, he did not share the same viewpoints. Not like it mattered to her at the moment, because she finally had the opportunity to see her ailing grandfather again.

It was late into the night once the plane had landed at the Narita airport. Sasuke had fallen asleep, but Kagura had been awake the entire time. She was excited. She couldn’t sleep. Most of the WZCW superstars were going to be staying within the greater Tokyo area for the Kingdom Come pay per view. But not Kagura, she was going to visit Ise in the morning. The hotel where she and the rest of her peers were staying had been quite elaborate with spacious rooms. She assumed it was due to the extravagance of the show that even someone like her – having been booked on the pre show – was able to experience something of what she considered the “high life.”

Sleep hadn’t come easy that night, so she took it upon herself to meditate. Sasuke was out, probably getting drunk by her guess. He had been very distant from her the last month. He left her on her own while WZCW was finishing their tour of Europe and she didn’t see him again until they arrived in Canada. She wasn’t capable of adapting to that type of change so quickly, and with her English skills barely passable at best, she was basically on her own. Following an argument they had reconciled, but Sasuke just wasn’t the same since, and coming back to Japan probably made things worse.

She prepared the small ceremonial fire outside in a portable fireplace she brought on the balcony that would allow her to contact any wandering spirits. This was her birthright, and only a few miko in the world were taught this art. She knelt beside the hearth as the fire began to glow, the smoke rising up as to draw in and ensnare souls. Over the course of her life she had seen many visions through the art of fire reading. Thus she prayed; her thoughts becoming empty. And soon she saw a picture of a middle aged Japanese man with his beautiful wife and their daughter.

The man’s face was blurry but the girl looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. The family seemed so happy, until immediately a sharp pain racked her brain as she cringed. It was like a sudden migraine. The scene changed and now she was staring at a grave stone, with the middle aged man beside it looking despondent. She didn’t know what the vision meant. Perhaps the wayward soul of the grieving man had come to express his sadness. Maybe this had been an important day for him. Her grandfather knew purification rituals that could ease the souls and cleanse them so that the dead could rest, but that was beyond her knowledge of expertise.

She turned to look at the clock in her room through the balcony window; it was 2:00 am. She needed sleep. As she finished meditating she heard the door open. She left the fire going outside and stepped back inside. It was Sasuke. He had returned from a night of drinking to the room they were sharing, but to her mild surprise he was maybe only buzzed. She expected him to be fully hammered to the point of falling over. He took off his coat and dumped it on the bed.

“You’re still awake Kagura?”

He asked in their native tongue. She nodded.

“I wasn’t able to sleep.”

“I’ve noticed that you tend to do that when you are excited. I don’t blame you. Tomorrow is a huge day. The Tokyo Dome is sold out.”

Kagura smiled. “Yes. I am looking forward to competing, even if it is on the preshow.”

Sasuke went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer that had been placed in there earlier on in the night. He opened it and took a drink. His eyes wandered over to the girl, but she refused to make eye contact. She was being way too quiet on a night like this one.

“So what have you been up to?”

“I was meditating and then I had a vision. I assumed it was a local spirit.”

“Some poor sap probably died here and his spirit can’t let go of whatever was eating away at him.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I didn’t feel any negativity coming from the building. The kami here seem to be at peace. I was more...”

She drifted off in mid sentence. She began to describe what she saw. A family: a man, woman, and their child. Sasuke raised an eyebrow but thought nothing of it. He opened the sliding door and walked out onto the balcony and lit up a cigarette.

“So what do you think Gozaburo-san, of being back here in Japan after all this time?”

He responded by staring out into the night sky. The cloud cover made it difficult to see much, but through patches both of them could see the stars.

“It’s been fifteen years since I last visited here. I cut all my ties when I moved to America. And I settled down and raised a family. I don’t hate our homeland or the Japanese people, Kagura. I just always saw myself as being “me.” I wanted to live my life the way I wanted, and with as much freedom as I desired. I never saw myself as truly being free here.”

Kagura nodded, although she herself disagreed with that outlook, as she loved her homeland.

“The Japanese people have always been like this. They are an ethnocentric bunch, but yet they adopt all sorts of other crap into their culture. When the black ships came we were quick to end our isolationist policies, why? Because the leaders knew the value of making the military strong for the future of the nation, and so they quickly adopted western technologies. They shed their kimonos and robes for business suits and ties. They put down their swords and started picking up books. Even the Shintoist who attends temple may also be a practicing Buddhist or Christian. Tourists can come here and can spend $10,000 dollars to spend the night with a geisha girl, or can go out partying and can have a wild night. Japan has always shown one side of itself to the world, but if you aren’t Japanese and you try to make a living here…”

He paused and took a drag of his cigarette.

“…the society will try and cast you out.”

Kagura nodded. Her country wasn’t perfect. But any country was like that right?

“During the time you spent in America didn’t you notice how diverse it was? All races living together in harmony, and their destinies were completely their own to control. To me that’s was what the “American Dream” signified.”

Okay, maybe Sasuke was a bit more drunk than Kagura had originally thought. She had heard this story before of her mentor coming to the United States to be a pro wrestler because his father wanted him to do something else with his life… but that had been his dream. Sasuke drained the rest of his beer and went to grab another.

“Gozaburo-san, I’m sorry for being so intrusive, but can you tell me what your wife was like?”

Sasuke placed the beer on the railing and lit up another cigarette.

“My wife? She was a Caucasian woman named Elizabeth. We met in St. Louis – the city I visited while you were in Europe. I loved her dearly.”

“I see…”

Kagura began to flash back to the vision she had seen earlier. The woman had been white. The man’s face… she couldn’t see it, but he had been tall and well built. But now..

The fire beside them crackled and burned. The wind was picking up and the clouds in the sky were beginning to shift. She hesitated over what she wanted to ask next.

“Did you go to St. Louis to visit her grave?”

The heavy silence that followed created tension so thick that Kagura immediately regretting opening her mouth. She grimaced as Gozaburo suddenly changed the subject.

“You’ll be fighting for the chance to enter the ladder match to fight for the Eurasian title. I’m sorry I really couldn’t coach you better, but the truth is I know nothing about ladder matches. I think they’re a waste of time to be honest. Those types of matches are disgraces to the way wrestling used to be. A wrestler of your caliber shouldn’t even be bothered with it…”

He paused as Kagura just remained quiet. He wasn’t the type of man to argue with and she had been brought up to respect her elders as much as possible.

“… However that doesn’t matter. You’re in this match, not me. There’s no one in that match you can’t beat. You had one setback against that Chris KO guy, and you’ve faced Theron Daggershield and Daddy Mack before.”

“But I wasn’t able to defeat Theron Daggershield or Daddy Mack.”

Kagura stared at the ground in shame.

Sasuke turned and growled. “Have some confidence in yourself dammit! I’m not going to be there for you every step of the way. Even though we’ve only been together for a few months I feel like I’ve been holding your hand for years now.”

Kagura looked up, puzzled but grateful.

“Thank you Gozaburo-san. I will try my best to win both those matches. They've booked all the rookies on the preshow after all.”

“That shouldn’t matter! When I was a rookie at your age I was already winning regional titles in the States so there’s no reason why you can’t do the same. Dammit, Kagura you should be higher up on the card. What happened, did you just stop trying? Where is your fire, was it even there to begin with? If you aren’t even going to try then why am I bothering trying to mentor you so hard?”

Kagura froze and so did he.

“I’m sorry, that came out wrong. That was the alcohol talking.”

“That’s okay, Gozaburo-san...”

Kagura was on the verge of tears. Sasuke had never spoken to her in that tone before. He had always been so supportive. Was he angry that she had gone on a losing streak?

“No it’s not.”

He turned to light up another cigarette, and paused. He held it in front of his face as the smoke snaked around in the cool night air.

“I wasn’t always a heavy smoker.”

There was another pause and Kagura wanted to break the silence but she couldn’t. She was starting to feel exhausted. Her excitement was beginning to wan.

“Look. When I took you on as a student I did it because you’re Japanese and know little about western culture. But as I got to know you I started to see parts of my past in you.”

Kagura raised an eyebrow.

“I had a daughter named Samantha. When she was growing up she always used to love to watch me wrestle. My wife and I would take her everywhere I toured. She became determined to follow in my footsteps.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She was a gorgeous girl, but instead of wasting her time dating, shopping, and doing other things that teenage girls are supposed to do she was competing in wrestling events in middle school beating up all the boys. By age 14 she had already started training to be a pro wrestler. Her mother and I wanted her to go to college but she was firm in following her own dreams once she was old enough. I couldn’t blame her and I was so proud of her.”

Kagura noticed the pain in the man’s face as he was obviously talking about a subject that he rarely spoke about. Like a skeleton in the closet.

“But then one night everything changed and nothing was the same anymore…”

The pain in his eyes had reached an apex as he buried his face in his hand. She could tell how hurt and angry he was because she could see the truth through those black onyx orbs. She knew what had happened. Nothing needed to be said. And she now knew where he had gone during that day when he left her in Europe.

“I’m so sorry Gozaburo-san.”

It was all that she could say, and Sasuke accepted the words with gratitude.

“When I watch you perform, I’m reminded of Samantha and what could have been. When you experience success I feel proud because I feel like I’m watching my daughter through you. And when you experience pain and get frustrated and I feel that I have to help you. I didn’t leave you in Europe on a whim, I did it because… I… didn’t know how to feel.”

Kagura could see that his eyes had dried all their tears away years ago. And the truth was that he had spent many years blaming himself for the death of his daughter.

“In some way Kagura I feel as if you’ve inherited Samantha’s will and her dream. The vision that you had wasn’t influenced by some spirit or kami. It was my own negative emotions. And coming back here, to the homeland that I left in order to search for the life that made me so happy must have brought them tangible form."

Kagura’s eyes widened as she recalled the teenage girl in the vision. Slowly hers eyes began to fill with tears as she bore the brunt of his words.

“Thank you for your kind words Gozaburo-san. I will do my best to live up your expectations.”

Looking back she had always been afraid to show her real emotions when it came to competition because she felt it would change the way she meditated and felt the flow of energy she felt through the kami. She was always humble and accepting of losses so that only the good kami would come and visit her. But the truth was that she hated losing and was a very competitive person by heart. And she had always felt a weight on her back driving her on ever since she had met her mentor. It wasn’t her grandfather, or Sasuke, or her own aspirations. And now she knew what that weight was… the will she had inherited from Sasuke’s daughter.

“That’s why I’m going to win at Kingdom Come no matter the cost because when I’m with you Gozaburo-san I feel like my father’s spirit is watching over me too.”

Sasuke smiled the first genuine smile that she had seen since they had met each other. Kagura dried her tears and returned the sentiment with the biggest smile she could muster.

“Shut up, kid. Or you’re going to make me get emotional.”

And then they turned to each other and started laughing, each feeling alive for the first time in ages. Sasuke felt like a part of him returned after so long of feeling empty, while Kagura felt the confidence that she had once held in spades return.

‘ElegAnt, Daddy Mack, M, and Theron Daggershield – I’m not the same person I was when I first got here. I finally know where I stand as a competitor. So all of you better be wary… of me.’

Kagura turned her head and stared up at the sky. The clouds had parted filling the dome with countless stars. In her mind each represented the millions of WZCW fans in the universe.

“When I look at the stars it’s as if each one represents each fan here in Japan and the rest around the world that will be watching me tomorrow. But every star won’t be rooting for me, and because of that they are all segregated into clusters. And within those clusters are constellations.”

She gestured to the far corners of the sky where there weren't many stars...

"Those are the constellations of my opponents in the battle royal."

She points to the left side of the sky where the cluster of stars was tighter…

“Over there is the constellation of M and all his maniacal fans that shine in the sky.”

She points to the right side of the sky..

“Over there is the constellation of Daddy Mack.”

She points above that...

“There’s ElegAnt”

Then below…

“There’s Theron Daggershield.”

And then at the center of the sky, where most of the stars were clustered…

“And there’s my constellation.”

“Imagine it Gozaburo-san, thousands upon thousands of our countrymen screaming their lungs out watching me defend the honor of our homeland. How fitting would it be if I could outlast all the other constellations, steal their stars, and become the champion right under their noses?”

He smirked. “Ohzora does mean cosmos after all… it’s only fitting that your stars shine the brightest of all.”

“And then when I visit my grandfather tomorrow I will no longer be ‘Kagura Watarai - the country miko’ the girl who left her home in pursuit of her dreams, but ‘Kagura Ohzora – WZCW Eurasian champion’ the girl who accomplished her dreams and stole all the stars in the sky.”

She smiled gleefully. “They’ll have to start calling me ‘Kagura Ginga.’”

As the pair shared their heartfelt moment with each other the ceremonial fire continued to burn. Truly the kami of Japan were happy today because their daughter Kagura had returned.