((A bit of a preface here. I apologize for the lateness of this first part. I've been incredibly preoccupied these last few days with a series of unfortunate events. First and foremost, there was a rather large personal issue which has since been remedied by a most beautiful soul.

But then there are things which cannot be remedied.

Sunday evening, I received some unpleasant medical news. As some of you might know, I suffer from an inherited autoimmune disorder, which causes my body's natural defenses to become confused between "good body stuff" and "bad body stuff." For the most part, this usually manifested itself as muscle pains and a susceptibility to infection and illness. But over my Winter break from school, these pains and infections had become more prevalent and frequent, so I had some tests and bloodwork done. Sunday night, I received the results via phone call from my physician, a close family friend: my immune system, combined with a series of unfortunate infections, has begun to attack my central nervous system.

As of right now, we're not sure what this might mean, but I've been told I may begin to experience bouts of skeletal or muscular numbness or temporary paralysis. Though I'm unsure of what it all means for me right now, or if this is even appropriate to place as a preface to the results, but I wanted to say that I've really enjoyed being a part of this site, and I hope that these medical issues won't affect my ability to participate in all the fun and joy I find in this site, and in all of you.

I ask only for your patience in these results, which may be rather sporadic or delayed. If anyone feels that their match was rather short, I apologize in advance. I thank you all -- for being you.

That being said, enjoy the show, my friends.))

---

Date: January 27, 2014
Arena: Air Canada Center
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

---

This is odd…



There is no opening pyro. No “Sound of Madness.” No opening crane shot of the crowd or Joey Styles and Donnie Gross at the announcer’s table.



There is only the flash of the XWF logo, followed by a screen of static.







The static remains on screen for an uncomfortably long time. Then, there are some short, almost unperceivable flashes of still images: a dead fox, a close up of wriggling maggots, blood splattered against a wood-paneled wall…



And finally, a quick flash of Eli James IV’s smiling face, which fades into…







A steaming cup of tea appears on screen. The camera lingers on it for a moment, until a pale hand reaches into frame and grips the handle.



The camera pans out to reveal the owner of the hand: Mystica. The shot is widened further, to reveal that Mystica is seated next to Amos James Jr on one side of General Manager Morgan Eldred’s desk. The GM, opposite the pair, sits fully upright, his spine as straight as a board. Before the three men sit cups of tea, still steaming hot. Mystica calmly sips from his cup, a slight sense of jovial freedom in his movements. Amos James Jr. simply stares down at his cup and snorts before glaring across the desk at Eldred, who has his eyes locked on Mystica and his hands laid flat on the desk in front of him.



ELDRED: “You…are not David Martin.”



Mystica swallows his gulp of tea and calmly places the cup back in its place on the saucer. A slight melody escapes from behind his lips before he responds.



MYSTICA: “No, I’m not the boy you used to know back in grad school. Not anymore, at least I dropped that boy in favor of a more…lucrative body. David was dead weight, you know? Kind of like your former boss, no?”



ELDRED: “The Administrator was an astounding leader—“



MYSTICA: “An astounding leader who lost the war. See, Morgan…You are now under the employ of the brilliant strategist known as Eli James the Fourth.”



Beside Mystica, Amos smirks before snorting again and hocking a loogie into Eldred’s nearby waste bin. Eldred shoots Amos a disgusted look, but Mystica regains his attention by snapping his fingers at Eldred, as though the man were a distracted Labrador retriever.



MYSTICA: “So, as Eli’s oldest compatriot, I have been personally sent by him to come take a look around your horrific little show and ensure everything is up to Eli’s standards.”



AMOS: “Come on, boy.”


Mystica gives a bit of a friendly smile at Amos, as though he were joking around.



MYSTICA: “Right, and I brought along another of The Congregation – perhaps the strongest competitor in our trust, aside from Eli, of course: Amos James Jr. Might I remind you that he is your European Champion, Morgan?”



Eldred gives a heavy sigh of exasperation before responding sarcastically.



ELDRED: “Yes, thank you, not-David. Being the moron I am, I had forgotten to check who was currently in possession of my show’s top title.”


MYSTICA: “Well, at least you admit it. See, Amos is here as a guarantee of protection. I know what your precious bodyguard--”



The camera suddenly shifts away from the conversation between the two Englishmen and the southern brute over to two others present in the room, standing before the door. The first, Mystica’s apprentice Annie, stands lazily with Mystica’s US title draped over her shoulders. Her head is tilted up at a needed, alarming angle, in order to behold the half-masked face of Morgan Eldred’s personal bodyguard, Cato the Elder, who stares back down at her with his arms crossed in front of his massive chest.



ANNIE: “Why do you wear that mask?”



CATO: “Face.”



ANNIE: “What’s wrong with your face?”



CATO: “Burnt.”



ANNIE: “How’d it get burnt?”



CATO: “Fire. Gasoline. Last question.”



ANNIE: “M’kay…how the fCENSORED did you get so big?”



Cato stares down at her with a steely, black-eyed gaze before answering.



CATO: “…genetics.”



The camera pans back over to the more important conversation at hand, catching Mystica mid-sentence.



MYSTICA: “—fore, it seems to me that we are here as Eli’s…personal iron fist. You’re all-too-familiar with tyrannical displays of power, aren’t you, Morgan?”



Eldred’s eyes shoot open in surprise, and he glances over at Cato the Elder, who has shifted his gaze from Annie to Eldred upon hearing Mystica’s sentence. For an awkward moment, the two share this uncomfortable glare before Cato slowly looks away and back down at Annie, who is busy poking at Cato’s innumerable abdominal muscles in curiosity. Eldred looks back to Mystica, who has since drained his cup of tea.



ELDRED: “My past is irrelevant to your presence in my territory. Rest assured, not-David, this show’s standards of cleanliness, talent compensation, and workplace environment are all to protocol.”



MYSTICA: “Mmmm...perhaps according to the Administration’s code, but to Eli’s? We’ll have to see. Come, Amos. We have an entire building to scour. Annie, be a dear and fetch me a take-out menu. We may be here for a while.”



With that, Mystica and Amos rise from their chairs. Mystica offers his hand to Eldred for a handshake, but the stone-cold General Manager does not reciprocate. He merely tosses Mystica a hateful look. The Sleeping God can only shrug in return as he turns to the door.



Amos, however, offers a different type of parting to Eldred by tipping an imaginary hat to him.



AMOS: “Even if ya are a sinnin’ basterd, it was nice doin’ business with ya.”



Amos joins Mystica, and the two proceed to the door. Cato hesitantly steps aside, allowing Annie to open the door for The Congregation members before following them out herself and slamming the door in an inappropriately brash fashion.



Eldred sighs and looks to Cato, who shows no sign of emotion.

---

The scene shifts out to the announcer’s table at ringside, where we find Joey Styles and Donnie Gross, both looking rather disturbed.



JOEY STYLES: “Um, welcome, everyone, to Monday Night Madness. Just this weekend, we bore witness to a night that shall not soon be forgotten. The most astounding power shift I’ve bore witness to in my many years in this business.”



DON GROSS: “Also the most shocking I’ve bore witness to in my entire…er, week in this business.”



JOEY STYLES: “We come to you LIVE from Toronto, Canada. Let me just say, Donnie, these Canucks look ready for the first show under the new ownership of Eli James the Fourth.”



DON GROSS: “They’re only this excited because it’s -4 degrees Fahrenheit outside and we have central heating.”



JOEY STYLES: “All jokes aside, let’s get to our opening contest. A triple threat match.”

“I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred plays.

Levi's music hits and all the lights in the arena go out. A spot light illuminates the top of the entrance ramp as Levi walks out. Lights from the crowd start flashing and Levi removes his shirt and poses for the crowd. He makes his way down to the ring as the lights slowly come up. He enters the ring and stands in the corner, flexing, before removing his pants and thereby revealing his speedo. He shows off for the crowd as he flexes some more.

“Circus for a Psycho” by Skillet plays.

The lights go out and the crowd gets quiet. The Tron then lights up as we see a fire burning then "Circus for a Psycho" begins. The fire turns into her enterance video starts. Then the lights flash and Christine appears on the stage. She bend over to touch the ground and then back up whipping her hair as she moves. She cocks her head and then poses for the crowd. She then walks down the ramp as the crowd has a mixed reaction. Some boo and some cheer.

“First Single” by The Format plays.

The lights die out momentarily, before a turquoise/tealish light shines down on the ring, with another, smaller spotlight focusing its attention on the entranceway. However, when the crowd focuses their attention on this second light, Lazarus appears in the middle of it! No, not to say he magically appeared in the light, more of people just not noticing he was there already. He looks around the arena momentarily, adjusting his mask before departing down the ramp and climbing into the ring.

Levi Storm - vs - Christine Nash - vs - Lazarus Triple Threat Standard Rules

With all three competitors taking up a corner, the ref signals for the bell.



DING DING DING



And Madness is off to an explosive start as Christine Nash bum-rushes Levi Storm with a pinpoint dropkick to the chest! Levi flies back into his corner, slamming his back into the turnbuckle covers and collapsing to the mat. Christine climbs to her feet after the move, but is met by Lazarus, who delivers an elbow to the small of her back as she rises. She falls onto all fours, and Lazarus bounces off the ropes before kicking upward into Christine’s abdomen with such force that she is knocked up onto her feet!



Woozy, Nash doesn’t see Lazarus coming, as he dropkicks her in the gut. She falls back into the ropes and bounces off, only for Lazarus to use her momentum to DDT her down into the mat like the tent spike my dad once drove through my foot (no, really)!



Lazarus hops up onto his feet as Levi Storm rises in the corner. Lazarus notices the sexy man’s recovery, and rushes the corner with a dropkick! Lazarus runs for the opposite corner, bounces himself off the turnbuckle, and leaps at Levi again!



But Levi catches Lazarus! He’s in a powerbomb position! But Lazarus reverses the compromising situation into a hurricanrana, tossing Levi halfway across the ring!



Seeing that Christine Nash is nearly back on her feet, Lazarus mounts the top turnbuckle. Nash stumbles, and turns just in time to be on the receiving end of a flying clothesline that damn near takes her head off! Landing on his feet, Lazarus strikes a power pose and points to the recovering Levi Storm, who is oblivious to the fact.



The former model finally makes it onto two feet, and Lazarus approaches. Before Levi can ever react, Lazarus delivers a spinning back kick to Levi’s abdomen. And then another! And another! Levi falls onto all fours, his gut utterly aching. Lazarus gives Levi a thumbs down, and bounces off the ropes!



Lazarus flies off on the rebound, and goes for an axe kick down onto Levi’s head (The Lazarus Pit)!



He connects!



Levi’s face smashes into the mat! His body goes stiff, and then rather suddenly falls limp.



JOEY STYLES: “Oh, man. Looks like Levi Storm’s gotten his lights put out!”



DON GROSS: “He should have paid his electric bill. Damn hippies.”



But as Lazarus goes to pin Levi, he notices Christine Nash rising from the mat. Lazarus turns to face her and waits…



Nash reaches her feet, and Lazarus spins her around. He hits it! Lazarus of the Four Days (Regal Cutter)!



With his two opponents downed on the mat before him, Lazarus places his feet on both their chests, thereby pinning them at the same time!



1





…






2







…









3!

WINNER: Lazarus

JOEY STYLES: “Lazarus has made an impressive debut here tonight, managing to pin both of his opponents at once!”



DON GROSS: “It’s every man’s dream to pull that off, am I right?”

---

Greenback Boogie by Iamrobot plays

JOEY STYLES: “Well what do you know, The King has decided to make an appearance despite not being scheduled to even be here.”

DON GROSS: “Well he is the King for a reason, he can do these sort of things.”

JOEY STYLES: “He certainly believes so.”


Theo makes his way down to the ring, without the rest of his Black Circle comrades.


THEO PRYCE: “Eli James get out here. It’s time you and I settle something.


JOEY STYLES: “Interesting. I didn’t quite expect that.”

DON GROSS: “Me either Joey. But I am sure the XWF’s new owner will be glad to oblige the King. If anything this is a great opportunity for Eli to even further put his mark on the company. And I suspect he likes to use a branding iron.”

JOEY STYLES: “I think he did that rather well taking out Shane and the Administrator already.”

DON GROSS: “When you’re right, you’re right, and you, you’re often right. Though I didn’t see any branding iron, Joey.”

Soma Demo by Project 86 plays

JOEY STYLES: “And here comes the new boss, better than the old boss.”

DON GROSS: “A bit early to tell on that last one there Joey, don’t you think?”


Eli James IV walks down to the ring, an aura of confidence exudes from him. He steps in between the top and middle rope, walks up to Theo Pryce and just stares.


ELI JAMES IV: “You ready to hand me that crown now? Or do you want me to beat you down first and then take it?”

THEO PRYCE: “Not so fast Eli. I heard your drivel, you want the crown, that’s cute. You aren’t getting it but feel free to think otherwise. No, you see I am here to settle something else entirely. You wanted a match with The Black Circle. 5 on 5. Us against you and your Congregation. Shane was reluctant to accept, in retrospect I can see why. He’s gone now. You saw to that yourself. So now I am here, and I am issuing you a challenge. You want The Black Circle, you’ve it. Tonight. The four of us, against you, Sid, Amos and Mystica. It’s time he stops playing both sides of the fence and finally picks a side.

JOEY STYLES: “Holy Shit. Theo Pryce just threw down on the new owner. No way Eli James backs down from that. Not after everything he accomplished on Shove It.”

ELI JAMES IV: “Well look at you, Shane is barely cold and already you are acting like the new leader of The Black Circle. That’s cute. You know what Theo, because I am going to enjoy putting The Black Circle down once and for all, I will accept your challenge. The Black Circle ends tonight. Oh, and ass an added bonus, this will an over the rope style elimination match, oh, and The Congregation will be bringing some weapons with us, you guys on the other hand, well, bring yours fists. None of you will be walking out of here alive tonight. Count on it. ”


Eli James drops the microphone and leaves the ring, heading towards the back, presumably to gather his troops for battle. Theo remains standing in the ring, with a look of shock across his face.

JOEY STYLES: “Well folks it appears that we have a new main event on our hands tonight. Theo wanted a match, he got a match but certainly not with the stipulations he was hoping for. He has just signed his stablemates up for some punishment. “

DON GROSS: “Yeah, I can’t imagine the rest of The Black Circle will be too thrilled with what just happened. I mean, I am, but…”

---

"Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part II" plays and out walks The Linguist, formally dressed in a suit and tie, seeming almost completely oblivious to the fact that he has a match later.

With microphone in hand, he modestly makes his way down to the ring, walks up the ringside stairs, and slips between the ropes. Raising the microphone to his mouth, he doesn't wait to begin speaking.

LINGUINI: "Last night the tides of the XWF shifted. What we knew about our fair company changed in front of our very eyes, as we thought it would. But we did not think it would happen in a way such as it did, with Mr. Eli James now being the official head of the company, and the two men we thought would duke it out to find out the true owner, would instead find their heads rolling across the ring.

"But that is not my focus for tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Instead of talking about how the two 'dictators' had tried (and failed) to duke it out, I would rather talk about how I duked it out with... well... Sebastian Duke."

In reaction to Duke's name being mentioned, the crowd begin a mixed reaction, some are cheering, some are booing, some are just continuing to disinterestingly slurp into their cola cups. The Linguist raises his voice at first in order to be properly heard again.

LINGUINI: "But of course, calling my attack on him 'duking it out' would imply that the contest was at all even. When really, it was not. All it took was a catch... a turn... and an Epilogue to put Duke out for much of the contest.

"But why? Why would I do such a thing? Well, Duke, my plan since coming to the XWF is - and always has been - complete and total domination of this medium. Since arriving here, many have called me a strategist, a tactician, and knowing from the simple act of watching that the Black Circle was the easiest was to exert dominance.

"...Or at least they were, up until last night, and now it seems like attacking you might serve no purpose after all... But then I realised something. Something... interesting.

"Many of you wrestlers like to... display an attitude of dominance, and doing this involves finding a big name in the locker rooms, and doing something to announce your presence to them. And while I'm sure many of you know that I am the number one contender for the European title, I only made it that far by beating a number of worthless jobbers. But I am more.

"And I can beat Sebastian Duke. I am better than Sebastian Duke. I have the intellect and the cunning to prove it, and Black Circle or not, I am willing to fight him, if he feels any less humiliated that a rookie, who is less than a month into professional wrestling as a whole, managed to down him to miss out of one of the biggest matches in XWF history.

"I'm not calling you out, Mr. Duke. These aren't 'fighting words'. These are merely predictions. Sensible, honest predictions. Of course... feel free to prove me right. I enjoy awaiting your response... if you feel so inclined to deliver it."

His theme begins to play once again, as The Linguist puts his hands behind his back and survey the crowd's reactions. With a smile, he takes to the ropes, climbs down the stairs and leaves the arena without so much as another peep.



Madness fades into commercial...

---

The Administration Network's Monday Madness Representative