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It's not like it's a big deal. So there will be another King. So be it. The XWF is a machine that runs 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. There's bound to be some changes from time to time. Doc made it clear, though, that he's not on board focusing so much on a tournament that has nothing to do with them. It was the same way he became KING, unlike his fellows, but his own desires are beginning to change into something he hates. Something that could even be holding him back. There's a thousand things running through his mind at the moment and the KINGS™ defending the Tag Team Titles at the pay-per-view hardly scratches the surface. He lacks the leverage today to make any real demands, Lane was right, he had his shot at High Stakes. If he would have just beaten Raven, he would've never been in this position to begin with. It could have already been done with. Needless to say, the longevity of his wait has taken a hit to his patience, and perhaps his confidence, and most definitely, his persistence. Doc looks within to find what fight he has left

Doc opens his eyes and everything around him is pure white. The sky, the floor, there appears to be no walls, everything white. A thick fog carries itself slowly past him about waist high and seems to go on around him forever. He looks around to see no structures, no hills, no landmarks at all, and starts to walk.

After a couple of steps he is tripped up by something hooked around his leg. It was a chain hooked to a large metal ball that probably weighed around 80 pounds. Doc sighs as he waves the heavy fog away to find his troubles, then picks up the ball and marches on.

It feels like hard concrete as he crosses it, but it cracks and crumbles away with every step. It's tiresome and he's growing quite tired of it, but continues to place one foot slightly in front of the other enough to make progress through this foggy wasteland.

HEY DOC!

A shout echoes through the wasteland and bounces back like they were in a cave. Doc turns about and all around and sees no one in sight.

Doc!

It sounds like miles away, but, at the same time, right beside him. He turns around and Unknown Soldier and standing next to him carrying an even bigger ball connected to a chain.

Hold this.

Soldier tosses the other big black ball and Doc catches it. He's knees wobble and staggers back a couple of steps right into Theo Pryce.

Hey, Doc.

Doc spins around mid-step and bobbles around as Theo approaches him.

Here Doc, we'll help.

John Madison and John Samuels stand behind Theo carrying their own balls as well. The three of them take the big ball from Doc, but then hand him all three of theirs. Doc struggles to juggle the three of them, which somehow are now chained to his leg too.

Doc looks to Theo with a sneer.

Thanks!

Dawk!

Cadryn Tiberius in his full Jester™ attire *poofs* into Doc's arms on top of the burden he already carries. Doc bobbles everything around, keeps his balance, but the ground below him begins to crack.

Now you did it.

The ground crumbles below Doc's feet and he falls into the abyss below. He falls and falls and falls until he falls flat in the middle of a wrestling ring, the balls attached to his ankle falling one by one around him in sequence. Like snakes, two of them unravel around his ankles and slither around his wrists, restraining him and holding him to the mat.

The crowd cheers explodes with cheers as someone falls on top of him and hols his shoulders to the mat, not like they would've had to.....


ONE!!!





TWO!!!









THREE!!!!!














And your winner..... AND STILL........... XWF............ UNIVERSAL.....

Doc opens his eyes and sees himself standing over him holding the XWF UNIVERSAL Championship in his hand. He cocks a brow and was about to ask before his other self leans in and holds the title close to his face.

Come and get it.

Other Doc then slams the title in Doc's face knocking him silly once more. His head smacks off the mat and he's so dizzy now he can barely move.

Loud music plays then and the lights turn bright red. A figure appears behind Other Doc holding a briefcase. When Doc turns around, the figure drops the briefcase and unzips his zipper. As Doc swings at his opposition the figure dodges Matrix-style and grabs the briefcase again. When they open it, it shines something back in Doc's face blinding him. The figure reaches out and, like Pac-Man, bites Other Doc's head clean off. Other Doc's lifeless body falls to the mat and he's wrapped up in a pin.


ONE!!









TWO!!!!!



























THREE!!!!!!!!



























The winner.... And NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWW!!!!!! XWF UNIVERSAL CHAMPION..................................

What. The. Fuck.

UNKNOWN SOLDIER!!!!!!

Soldier grabs the UNIVERSAL Title off the ground and approaches Doc who is still frozen on the ground. He leans in just as Other Doc just did....

Yeah, what HE said. Come and get it.

Doc tries pulling himself up, but the balls he's chained to have sunk down into the mat and he's having a troubled time lifting a limb up to support himself. Doc can only stare at the face of his former partner as the mat begins to take him in like quicksand. Before long, Doc is sucked into more nothingness. He floats through darkness until a floor meets his feet and he gently finds his footing again. I single light bulb hangs from above. It's screwed into a socket and simply hangs from a ceiling, wherever it is.

Footsteps can be heard, echoing, and presenting the only sound in this nothingness. Unknown Soldier emerges from the darkness and the two former teammates stand face to face in the dimly light diameter. Soldier carrying his two briefcases, sets them down, and stands tall in front of Doc, who appears weak and beaten. His clothes tattered from the falling and from the restraints he still bares to his wrists and ankles.

Let me give you a hand there.


Soldier points his crotch at each limb and a laser beam shoots out breaking the chains. Doc rubs around his wrists and stares at Soldier.

What do you want?

Pffft.

Soldier is now levitating, sitting his his legs crossed, over the two briefcases stacked on one each other.

It's not about what I want, Doc.

He continues to bob up and down, his eyes closed like he was meditating.

What the fuck do YOU want?

Doc reaches for his pocket cigar, but doesn't seem to have any.

A smoke would be great. Other than that, I'm not so sure anymore.

You know I hated those shitty things. Want some meth?

I'll pass on the meth.

Pussy.

Soldier pulls a meth pipe from his pocket and and rails it like a champ. He opens his eyes and they're completely dilated and fill his eye socket. He's feet plant onto the ground and he lets out a banshee shriek that would shatter your mind. Doc stands there and holds onto the top of his hat as it's nearly blown from his head.

You sure?

Doc adjusts his suit and steps towards Unknown Soldier.

Ah, ahhh...

Soldier tsk tsk's Doc and steps closer towards the darkness.

I know how bad you want a kiss, but now's not the time.

What are you doing here?

Soldier steps back into the light as Doc looks on like a confused doggy.

Can we skip the obvious here? We don't have all the time in the world like you're accustomed to.

Soldier snaps his fingers and knocks Doc from the trance.

I've beaten everyone. I've defended the Tag Team Titles against anyone who opposed. I topped Mister Heyman's stupid Power Rankings for weeks. His opinion means shit, but it's something. I've done everything and I'm still hanging here in limbo like someone without a plan nor agenda.

Soldier leans in.

You didn't beat Raven.

Doc rolls his eyes and nearly falls down in agony.

I'm aware of that. The High Stakes Battle Royal... The Number One Contendership... It can all be what it is, but these mother fuckers will NOT leave me in the dust.

So do something.

Are you deaf? What more is there to do? I've won, and won, and won. As I'm stuck with this burden you've left me, I'm committed to defending them at King of the Ring instead of bashing Chaos's or Robbie Bourbon's or both's face in and becoming the true #1 contender since that's what it apparently takes.

Don't be such a sour-puss, Doc. You need to lighten up.

Lighten up, you say? You should know that I do NOT like to just sit around and wait for my turn. James Raven, Robbie Bourbon, Chris Chaos, and Brucette Blingsteen cannot stand next to me. I know how much of a fanbase Mister Raven brought back with him. It shows everyday. Robbie Bourbon may deserve his place fighting for the UNIVERSE, but it's a long fall, my friend. If I have to, since you've failed to live-up to your recent threats and attacks and actually make it through that stupid tournament to face us, I'd be happy to show you first hand some other time. I've dropped bigger men on their heads before. That leaves Chris Chaos, who is probably the worst candidate out of everyone. He gets knocked from the King of the Ring Tournament by a scrub, then gets placed in a #1 Contenders Match for the UNIVERSAL Title? I think there's more going on in Lane's vape pen that what it seems.

Maybe Lane's trying to fuck you over. It's not like you guys have the greatest history. You've had a history anyway.

Doc ponders on that for a moment.

I have confronted the snake in the grass recently.

Just keep winnin' and diggin', Doc. If he is fucking with you, just kill him.

Doc snickers, but Soldier does not.

I can't kill hi--

Why not?

Don't be ridiculous, my friend. You know I can't---

Doc pauses.

Doc.

Can I?

Dawk.

Doc looks away as Soldier voice begins to echo throughout the world and change.

Dawwk....

The voice sings...

The light above Doc and Soldier's head burns out and Doc suddenly feels sick to his stomach. A gut-wrenching pain takes over and he takes to his knees before he finds himself on his back looking up to a ceiling and Cadryn Tiberius screaming out to him and leaning down to give him mouth-to-mouth.

A little bit a go...

The KINGS™ and Jester™ just escaped an altercation on the highway while trying to figure out what to do with an injured John Madison. He was shot after conducting a "social experiment" and is in pretty bad shape by the time they reach a warehouse owned by Theo Pryce Inc. Meeting them at the warehouse was none other than Luca Arzegotti to perform the off some off the record medical work.

Luca! Thanks again, sorry for the short notice.

Doc, Theo, Cadryn, and Samuels all stand around John as Luca Arzegotti preps already begins looking over Madison's wound.

No thang, meng. You know I like doing some medial work on the side.

On the side?

Madison looks up to Theo confused.

You'll be fine, John. Let Luca work his magic.

Doc has already made his way away from the group and is looking around the warehouse. It's dark, the only light provided is a few kerosene lanterns hung on different posts displaced throughout. The warehouse wasn't huge, so the few lanterns did enough to where they weren't standing in the dark and kept things discreet, as well. Luca's grabbed a couple and placed them closer to the table to light up where he would be working. Theo notices Doc pacing around and approaches him.

So what is so important Doc? You know we could be in a lot worse shit right now, right?

Doc turns and faces his partner.

Could we? Or could he?

Doc points across the room while Madison bitches in agony as Samuels and Cadryn hold him down while Luca cleans his wound.

These problems and situations that have been popping up are very distracting, you know. Madison simply appears, costs me matches, and side-tracks us.

Theo sighs and puts his hands up.

Now, wait a minute. Are you still fucked off about High Stakes?

Doc stares back at Theo.

Look, Doc, seriously. There are only a handful of guys around even close to competing for the title. What's your hurry anyway? Let Raven get his shot out of the way and I'm sure you'll be next in line. Besides Bourbon or Chaos, but who gives a fuck about them?

Doc still says nothing.

Listen, you're the one that wanted to talk, Doc. Now's not the time to have a hissy fit.

Doc responds by hissing at Theo like a snake or cat or something.

There's a conspiracy going on, my friend. A conspiracy like no other.

Not this shit again. You've confronted Lane about it. Raven won the shot fair and--- Yeah... Well. He won.

You know if you two are done jerking each other off, we could use a hand over here!

Samuels yells from across the way over to Theo and Doc. He and Cadryn are struggling to hold a frantic John Madison down so Luca can work on his wound. He's squealing like a stuck pig and bouncing around like a maniac. Doc and Theo look to one another, as if to say, we'll continue this later, and run over to assist them.

Theo grabs an ankle and motions for Doc to do the same to the other. Maddy freaks out more after his one leg is restrained and kicks out with his free one. He lands one massive, lucky kick to the side of Doc's head and knocking him to the ground out-cold. All of them, including Maddy, all stare down at the unconscious Doc.

DAAAAAAAWWWWWKK!!!!!!

Cadryn screams aloud and rushes over to him. He kneels down and grabs Doc by the wrist and checks for a pulse.

HE DOESN'T HAVE A PULSE!!!!

He rips open Doc's shirt and starts performing CPR on him.

DAWK!!!

DAWWWWWWK!!!

Cadryn then plugs Doc's nose.

Okay, plug the nose....

Cadryn....

He then tilts Doc's head back.

Tilt at the neck...

Cadryn leans down with his mouth open ready to perform mouth-to-mouth.....























Doc reaches up and grabs Cadryn by the throat and throws him across the warehouse and lands safely on a stack of old wooden crates that bust open. Doc rises up like Frankenstein and walks over to Maddy who stands with a "Cat who at the canary" look on his face before taking a fist that seemed five-times bigger than it should have been. Maddy flies off the table he was sitting and falls to the floor out-cold. Doc's hand deflates back to normal and looks around to his fellow KINGS™ and over to Cadryn who is dusting himself off and joining the party again.

Dawk! You had me worried sick!

Doc ignores him and looks to his partner.

I have a plan. We'll get his match at King of the Ring out of the way, then I know how I'm going to get what I want...

Doc has a sinister look on his face.

Well, I like your tone a little bit better now. Maybe a kick to the face is all you needed?

Perhaps.

Doc motions to Samuels for a cigar, who gives one up no problem. The doctor lights it up and fills the air with a large cloud of smoke. Luca and Cadryn have the unconscious Maddy back up and began working on him again.

And I'm glad you're thinking about the match this weekend... Let's put a tag on future plans here and defend these titles.

Oh, I never once forgot about my Tag Team Championship, Mister Pryce.

Samuels and Theo look at each other and just roll their eyes and shrug.

... And I have never once worried about losing them. This division has been a joke long before Doctor SATAN! won the titles nearly a year ago. Since I first walked through the doors back in 2014, these titles have been passed around, neglected, forfeited, and not worth the gold and leather they are made of. It took ME to bring the prestige back into the XWF Tag Team Titles.

Just like my UNIVERSAL Title reign, there is NOT opposition capable of taking these belts away from me. Not a single entity powerful enough, keen enough, quick enough even exists in the UNIVERSE! It took the bane of my persistence at the moment, Vincent Lane, to end my reign before. To bring light to the darkness. He may be postponing my next one, but he can do NOTHING about my current reign as Tag Team Champion.

He THOUGHT he had me backed into a corner. When Unknown Soldier became the lifeless title holder, I had no choice but to find someone NEW to carry his side of the burden. It's not like I would've had a hard time finding a friend to fill his spot. There are still scratches at my door from some little doggies begging for a chance to partner themselves with the good doctor and continue the reign along his side.

BUT.

Lane knew it wouldn't have been the same. He knew that once the most dominating combination of talent had a fallout, it wouldn't last much longer. How wrong was he? He forgot that my connections stretch as far as his do and he also forgot the lengths I would take, the ties I would break, and the extended handshakes that I would make in order to succeed. Shame on you, Mister Lane. You may as well sign the termination papers for Mister Lincoln now and save him the suspense, because you should have every right to be disappointed in the outcome of that tournament. If you want rid of the KINGS™, my friend, you should do it yourself.

Doc gives Theo and Samuels a double-point with his index fingers. They chuckle to themselves and watch as Luca tends to the wound of their fallen comrade.

Oh wait, you've tried that. You let your own stupid vendetta against my friends get in the way and you screwed everything up. If I were you, what ever strings your pulling to screw with my advances up the mountain that I set the bar for, I'd let go of them. I'd let go of them now before I do something drastic Mister Lane.

This Saturday, I'll the world how serious I am by not only defeating Scully and Guppy Parsh and retaining my Tag Team Titles, but completely dismantle them. The KINGS™ have waited a long time to find what the best had to bring, and obviously, it isn't much. Guppy thinks the path that they've left behind them proves something. He thinks it means that they've earned their spot standing across the ring from the KINGS™. Well, maybe they have EARNED it, but that old dusty road doesn't seem as threatening from way up here. Yes, the Mother Fuckers failed. Yes, the resident Ken and Barbie failed. Yes, the Purebred Killers failed, among a few others not even worth my breath. Former champs and current contenders all taken down by Team 2.0. Amazing.

Mister Parsh, I can understand why maybe you don't see the swinging ax inching closer and closer to your melon. or not, I believe it is quite obvious. And I would think, or not, that your partner would at least recall my capabilities and perhaps enlighten you that when you step into the ring with the good doctor, you're not in Gotham anymore. Chris Chaos spent the first month he was here sniffing my farts, then he managed to pull a fast one on the Doc which projected his career so high that the fall back down still has him limping. Robbie Bourbon has been peaking around the corner waiting for me to look at him for years. I've recently beaten John Cain. Jenny Myst was trained by Chris Chaos so there's that. McBride gets lost on his way to the ring and Peter Gilmour was helping him with directions.

Every single person here, given enough time, has gained a few accolades in their time. There's only so much to go around here and sometimes things happen and those unworthy, or even incapable *cough* SCULLY *cough* are in a position they have no business being. You want to take jabs at the KINGS™? You want to shrug off how a few of us have EARNED these titles? Feel free, Gupps, but facts are facts. Aren't you a detective or something? That's funny since these few simple facts are flying over your head like the little birdies you two are going to be seeing after I drop you on your head. Tell me, if it wasn't Gator walking out during the tournament. If it wasn't the good doctor defeating the #44 rank on the XWF All Time 50, Tony Santos. And if it wasn't me embarrassing my pet in the finals... Then what would deem ME, Doctor Louis D'Ville the title, the recognition, the honor, the RESPECT as KING of the XWF?

Would it have been me defeating Gator for the UNIVERSAL Title shortly after that? That was a cash-in, poor example. Perhaps when I defeated him when I DEFENDED the UNIVERSAL Title against him? No? Well, you said Mister Loverboy, of all people, earned something. Well, what ever he wants to call himself, he's 1-2 against me. I've defeated nearly everything that this FINE federation has thrown at me and I have not stopped. I will not stop. The Tag Team Titles have been branded by the KINGS™ and are permanently under our guard. We've swallowed up the Trios Titles along with AX3 when we stomped out any fire they tried to start. You want to talk about a task, Guppy? AX3, in their trade deadline bullshit, threw whatever they could pull out of their stupid asses at us. They even hired off the street. You know what all of that consisted of? Three former UNIVERSAL Champions, former Hart Champ, former X-Treme Champ.... You want to talk about the mountains you've climbed, Guppy? You want to brag? Don't brag. Don't be so optimistic. You need to kiss your loved ones and make your peace with SATAN!. Look at the mountain in front of you. You may discredit us and you may disregard our status, but you cannot deny our abilities. You cannot deny our success, whether you find it fluky or not. Coming from you? It means nothing.

Believe it or not, I CAN empathize for you, Mister Parsh. I've had worthless, horrible tag team partners before, as well. See both Lethal Lottery Tournaments I've participated in. So, I can most definitely feel for you. Scully you're about as bad as Guppy when it comes to you giving us a story about your life. You know I was there when Robbie found the titles in a garbage can and selected you to defend them against..... me. You're aware I've had them ever since, right? This may be a different scene, Scully, but the story is the same. You think me swapping in a KING™ and you swapping in a Batman is going to swing things YOUR way? You're not , you're bat shit crazy. You've been around the block enough to know what kind of situation you're in, so please, fill your partner in before he embarrasses himself more. If you didn't hear, I've already warned him about you. You were worthless when you could think straight, I can only imagine what your'e like now. If I could predict what's probably going to happen I'd say you, Scully, are going to be the ultimate downfall of this union.

All will not be lost though, boys. So, fear not. After spending weeks focusing on this tournament and so many teams are surely discouraged, the XWF will have no choice but find ANOTHER #1 contender for the Tag Team Titles. Perhaps another three-month long tournament?! Who KNOWS what teams would spawn from that!

Sigh.

It's so lonely at the top at times, but looking down and seeing everyone scurry around to line up for failure is just something that tickles me.


While Doc was talking, Luca finished doing what he needed to heal Maddy's arm. Meanwhile, Cadryn made his way over to the few crates he crashed into earlier and begins rummaging through them.

It looks like Maddy's all fixed up. We shouldn't stick around here too long.

There's footballs in here! A shit load!

Cad swims through the footballs that filled the crate Cadryn was thrown into. He picks one up to examine it and it has Tom Brady's signature on the side of it. He looks at another and it's the same thing. Another. And another. And another.

I thought you owned it, what's the big deal.

Well, we've been side-tracked.

Theo says as he looks over to Doc.

Hey Theo!!

Theo turns around!

Go long!

Cadryn throws a perfect spiral passed the three KINGS™ and smacks one of the kerosone lamps off it's hook and to the ground where it shatters. Kerosene splashes off the ground and onto a few other crates and instantly catches on fire.

Cadryn's jaw drops through the floor and he *poofs* up into the rafters.

You stupid fuck! What's the matter with you?!

Theo screams looking up at him.

Shouldn't the sprinkler system put it out?

Theo looks over to Samuels.

There's no electricity, you think the sprinkler system is set up?

It would've been smart.

Cadryn begins coughing from the smoke and falls from the rafters towards the ground.

YAHHHHH!!!!!

The three of them look up and see Cadryn falling and Theo jumps into action.

Oh, Jesus Christ...

He catches Cadryn in his arms and falls onto the ground. He pushes Cadryn off of him immediately and gets up off the ground. Cadryn rolls to his knees and slowly gets to his feet. He looks at Theo with Pound Puppy eyes.

MY HERO!! AGAIN!!

Cadryn reaches in for a hug, but is pushed off by Theo. Samuels, Luca, and Doc have already picked up Madison and head for the entrance. The blaze begins spreading throughout the warehouse viscously, giving the men just a few minutes left to make it out before they're in trouble.

TO BE CONTINUED - End Credits - Unknown Soldier Theo Pryce John Samuels John Madison Cadryn Tiberius Luca Arzegotti And Doctor Louis D'Ville