“Peter Vaughn wants to call me naïve, as if I’ve never heard that before.”


A mop goes into a bucket full of water and soap, and then to the dusty tile floor, the chemical combination of both elements doing its intended work - dust disappearing.

“Well then! It seems that I shall have to wipe that notion off his mind, like dust off this floor!”


Again the mop goes to the floor, wiping out all dust in its path, as Raion Kido, dressed in an unassuming blue overall, deftly pushes it across the tiles of the El Paso school hall. The school’s headmaster, a middle-aged woman, looks at him with a smile.

“It’s very nice of you to do this, sir! The children will love having you here, but you didn’t need to do janitor work!”

Raion, smiling back, gives her a thumbs up sign.

“I was a student once, Madam. While janitors exist in Japan, it’s a custom that children help clean their environment. It’s a learning experience in many ways!”

“Oh? That sounds interesting - what are they expected to learn?”

“Well, the most important thing is that it’s better not to make a mess if we’re the ones that have to clean it up! Also, it’s a way to interact between the students. There are many only children in Japan, so schools have older students help younger ones as a way of bonding.

But In the end, what matters is that the children learn not just to be clean, but also the life skills that will allow them to support themselves in the future. A way of self-reliance, if you will… which brings me to this week’s match.”

“That’s right - Mr. Vaughn has also done janitorial work!”

“Yes, Madam, but it seems that all this I told you is not something he has learned despite all he has done. So it’s about time someone teaches him.”

“What do you mean?”

A sly smile appears on the Saint of Athena’s face.

“Well Madam, he seems to be under the impression that I am what I am because of Theo Pryce. Not only was I something before Theo took notice of me, as was the Leap of Faith briefcase, but that sounds a bit disingenuous from the man that had Chris Page at ringside for the duration of his Universal Title reign.

Not to mention, he seems to think that the rest of the SAGA is involved in this match, when in fact, it really comes down to him and I. See what I mean? I may be a member of the SAGA, but unlike him, I am self-reliant. I never needed anyone at ringside, and this match for me is personal. This is my tournament, to make up for my failure.

But if he is so proud of his Enterprise, then I will bury that pride with its remains.”

*SPLASH!*

The mop goes to the bucket once more, and then to the floor, as the Lion cleans yet another section of the hall.

“So I would say it’s about time I cleaned up the mess he has made...”


Unfortunately, the sound of something crashing against the floor brings the Lion back to Earth.

“Oooowww.. that really hurt my tailbone!”

“Cashe, did you happen to see the CAUTION: Wet Floor sign that you’re now wearing as a hat?”

The DioGEE, in a janitor suit just like Raion's, makes it to his feet gingerly.

“Sorry, I was on my way to clean up the toilets. Wooooo weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

"No leaving upper deckers, Cashe."

"Geez, Kido, you're no fun..”

As Cashe limps away, the Lion shakes his head.

“Upper… decker?”

"You really do not want to know.”

Moments later, the Lion is mopping the school’s auditorium, a spacious room with a large window pane - which Ryleigh Dixon is cleaning, having climbed upon a table. Upon noticing Raion there, she bends her slender frame forward pretending to scrub the window - leaving the very short maid skirt she wears to ride up her waist.

“Well, my Lion? Do I clean up nicely?”

"GULP-!”

The Lion’s cheeks go a bright red, but even the headmaster fails pretty badly to stifle her laughter.

“Not the most appropriate place for this, but I can’t deny it’s funny! Don’t leave her waiting, Raion!”

Raion approaches Ryleigh, and takes her hand.

"You clean up the most nicely I have seen anyone, love.”

“Aaaaawwww…”

Ryleigh climbs down and plants a kiss on the Lion’s cheek.

“There will be more cleaning later…”

With a wink, she sashays away, leaving him flabbergasted before he slaps himself back to reality.

“This has all been great, Raion, and thank you and your friends for having come here. I also hope you are successful this weekend!”

"No problem, Madam. It’s tiresome work, but it’s something worthwhile for the rest of the world.”

The Lion now smiles, and lifts up the mop once more.

“Just like I’m going to do at Weekend Warfare.”

And that gesture meant, of course, that the cosmos had to burn.



“There is a certain feeling of anticipation about this match; something that Mr. Vaughn has rightly acknowledged. He’s even gone so far as stating this is the very finals for him and I, disregarding the rest of the brackets in the process, and even making his whole address an entire monologue about me, just like Sarah Lacklan did.

Maybe this tells you, ladies and gentlemen, how important this is. Maybe it tells you that Peter Vaughn is the last member of CCPE remaining in the tournament, and that maybe there’s something else about Raion Kido than just the mere presence of talent.

And maybe, just maybe, this tells you that our esteemed Mr. Vaughn is running scared.”

The now gleaming tile floors and spotless windows of the school serve as the background for the Lion’s message as he begins - the mop safely inside the bucket at his side.

“You know what gives me this impression? Not only that, just like Sarah Lacklan, he decided to try to mock my entire way of life in an effort to discredit me, but rather that he was stupid enough to make this about the SAGA, when his sole opponent lies squarely in front of him, and has his own reasons to take him down.

Because this goes beyond you, Vaughn. This, for me, is vindication - to finally do what Bobby Bourbon prevented me from doing last year, at a grander scale than it was back then.

Now at Weekend Warfare, I’m coming into this determined to wipe you out, not because of CCPE, but because of my own challenge - and nobody else!”

A clenched fist and a stone face follow Raion’s words.

“But that’s just one of the problems here. At least Sarah Lacklan tried to be anything other than predictable, and you were not even capable of that. Did you not think I would anticipate anything you had to say? Why do you think I mentioned top speed above acceleration, or Mark Flynn, or the safety of your Supercontinental Title? You want to tout yourself as a fast climber when all you’ve proven to be is a flash in the pan.”

The stone face now gives way to the grin of the predator just before he strikes his prey.

“And if you think this is harsh, Vaughn, it’s because it is. Because as if your attempts to make this about the wrong people, as if your utter predictability weren’t enough, you’ve also resorted to falsehood - which is the greatest crime of all.

Not even for you attempting it, but for having the temerity of thinking you had the talent to do so.

You, who are unaware of your own mediocrity!”

The Lion’s mighty roar now rumbles through the spotless halls.

“Tell me about soft fights once you face someone other than Tommy Wish and Centurion, without Chris Page at ringside, and once your Universal Title reign has had a defense! Not only did my reign last longer than yours, at least it had me taking part in a Last Man Standing match in which I defended against Micheal Graves!

And since you spoke about Jim Caedus and ALIAS, at least try to spin a lie that is actually believable! So broken down was ALIAS that he was undefeated, and by the Cannabis Cup, he was the most dominant Champion the XWF had ever seen.

Jim Caedus, however, fell apart before you ever laid your hands on him - just like that same devil with which you signed!”

Raion now points an accusatory finger, a visible snarl on his face.

“Or did you think I would miss that, Mr. Hypocrite? You attack Theo Pryce, but at least he isn’t leaving us out to dry. It wasn’t him that lost the will to defend his Television Title against Jenny Myst, but I suppose the confidence and skill of your Enterprise crumble like the proverbial castle in the sand when a show takes place in which the home field advantage isn't with you.

I mean, how does CCPE look now? You've just admitted to having signed with the head of what is clearly becoming a train wreck. All that remains is Mark Flynn holding the Universal Title - and even that is a matter of time. Because don't forget - the power to end his reign lies solely at my hand, thanks to the briefcase I still hold.

As a matter of fact, I know a certain CCPE member that could not even get that done.”

Yet again comes the mirthless grin, betrayed by the unforgiving glint in the Lion’s eyes.

“I suppose it was a good thing, though, that Veronica Strader did not want to rob you of the WGWF Title, for while at the Denzel Porter Invitational you were so worried about me vs. Corey Black being the highlight of the night, that you let her get the best of you, and I won that match in the very Main Event!

But I know what lies behind this all, Vaughn, I’ve known it since 2022. You know that Raion Kido can not only match you, but surpass you, at everything you do - and that has you worried. That’s what triggered you to target every single member of the SAGA, when the one that comes to face you is squarely in front of you.

You also forgot to mention Ned Kaye, which sends your honorable narrative crashing down like your Universal Title reign, but that’s just a little detail. You speak to me of honor, expecting me to fall for it - maybe it’s me being Japanese too, because Athena forbid we move on from stereotypes -, but while I’m sure you thought it was clever, your heroes and villains speech just happens to be misguided.

You think I fight for honor, but I do so for finality - because as the runner-up from last tournament, there is only one way for me to go forward, and that is to take the crown once and for all. I’ve beaten one of the best in the XWF at the very first round, and now the time comes for you to face your own mortality.

And soon, the rest of CCPE shall follow.”

With a sudden motion, the Lion picks up the mop from the bucket and twirls it in the air, before brandishing it right at the camera as if it were a spear - droplets of water dripping from the strings on its head into the bucket below.

“Because it’s about time I cleaned up the mess you and the rabble you call friends have made, Mr. Vaughn, and the cleansing comes to the Sun Bowl Stadium. So make yourself ready, for at Weekend Warfare…”

The Saint of Athena thrusts the mop forward - the strings on its head now touching the camera lens.

“I’m going to mop you up.”

Fade to black.