"This is stupid."


Ezra stated dryly, rolling his eyes as he stood inside of a wrestling ring, located within the gym where Raphael was currently employed. While Donovan was an accountant/financial consultant and Ezra was a computer programmer, software engineer/analyst and graphic designer, Raphael earned a living by working in a gym. Running the front desk, tending to the place and aiding individuals when they required a trainer. At the moment, the gym was closed or rather, Raph locked the doors and put a "closed" sign in the window. All for the sake of helping his brother, Ezra prepare for an upcoming match on Saturday Night Savage.


"Awww... c'mon Ezra, don't be like that."


Donovan was simply there to observe and add colorful commentary or at least, that's how he would later attest to it.


"Raphael is only trying to help."


"Yeah, man. I'm just trying to get you ready for your big day."


Supplied Raphael, his attention fully directed at Ezra.


"I really don't think this is necessary. I mean, I've wrestled before, pretty sure I get the idea of how it's done."


"Right and you've also accumulated a larger collection of losses over wins."


"I've only been in a total of four matches."


"And you lost three of those four fights."


"Fine. Point taken. I could have done better."


"Exactly. Tell me, how does someone get better at something?"


"With practice."


"Yeah! Now you got it. Which is why we're here, to help you get ready for your opponent."


"Alright. I suppose that makes sense. Except why do we have to do that here, instead of at the Citadel, where there's an actual training area?"


"Wylie is running diagnostics. Apparently there's an error or some sort of glitch that he discovered in the mainframe. That's why."


Barely raising his eyes from his phone, Donovan replied.


"There you have it. No biggie. This whole place is a training facility. I literally train folks. In this very ring. Everyday. Besides this is more authentic. More like the real thing."


"Okay. One more question. Why is he here again?"


"He's talking about me, isn't he?"


"Seems that way, Van."


"Unbelievable. How could you ask that? You know why I'm here."


A grin flashed across Donovan's face as he switched his focus from phone to Ezra.


"I'm here for moral support. Obviously."


"Really? Is that so? I think you just want to see me get knocked on my ass a few times."


"Yeah... okay, I'm here for that too."


The eye roll to end all eye rolls. Ezra sighed and shook his head, passing a quick hand through his hair.


"What? I can multitask."


"Whatever. Lets just get this over with."


"That's the spirit, Ezra. You remember to take that attitude to the ring on Saturday, I'm sure it'll do wonders for you."


"Hey, Ezra. Ignore him. Focus on me. That's it. Okay?"


"Yeah... okay."


Raphael threw a series of rights and lefts, each blow swiftly countered and blocked by Ezra. Until Raph decided to mix things up, with a knee lift to Ezra's ribs, followed by a short arm clothesline. Knocked to the canvas, Ezra quickly countered with a leg sweep, causing Raphael to lose his balance. Yet Raphael barely spent even a second on the mat before he pushed himself up and went for a spear. Eyes wide, Ezra instantly transformed into electricity and zapped to the other side of the ring. Not missing a beat, Raph caught himself and spun around, locking eyes with Ezra as he shook his head and smirked. Within a mere matter of seconds, Raphael transitioned from flesh to steel. Then with a dip of his shoulder, he tried for another spear. Only for Ezra to zap to the other side of the ring. Again.


"So this is your plan?"


Laughing, Raphael turned to face Ezra.


"Seems to be working so..."


Out of nowhere, Ezra crashed, face forward onto the canvas. On the outside of the ring, Donovan's laughter came long and loud. Echoing throughout the empty gym.


"You gotta remember. Bobby Roode will have three other shitheads with him. Never know what those idiots might try."


"Aren't you guys also going to be there?"


Ezra replied, shoving himself up to his feet. His sights briefly directed at Donovan.


"We will be. You never know what might happen though. Hey but don't place all your attention on me, brother. Don't forget. Your training partner is still in the ring."


Before Ezra had a chance to react, Raphael grabbed him from behind, promptly delivering a belly to back suplex. A move that saw Ezra crashing against the canvas; however, Raphael wasn't finished. No, he yanked Ezra up to his feet by his hair and proceeded to lift him up in the air, then sent him back down to the mat with a gorilla press slam. Ezra's body thundered against the canvas, the wind knocked right out of him. Gasping for air, he clutched his ribs and winced, gingerly rolling to the side. From there, he grasped onto the ropes and pulled himself up to a standing position, only to be greeted by the sight of an oncoming freight train. Raphael was going for another spear. This time Ezra looked down at his fist as he clenched it tight. As he did this, a blue hue radiated around his hand and when Raphael neared, Ezra caught him with an uppercut. An uppercut infused with electricity. The blow mixed with the intense blast of electricity, sent Raphael flying up in the air and the impact afterwards, was enough to create a crater in the dead center of the ring. Forcing Ezra to streak like lightening and direct his current to the outside of the ring, where he returned to his normal form. All four ring posts, hung down into the newly created crater, tethered by the ropes and from below the wreckage of the squared circle, Raphael groaned.


"Okay... I think he's ready."


"Damn straight."






"Bobby Roode."


"It seems that you and your manager believe that you both have some sort of privileged insight."


"You two have convinced yourselves that you know me and have some sort of deep understanding, pertaining to the choices that I make concerning my career in the XWF."


"Wow. Well I am certainly glad you both are here, to fill me in and let me know what's going on."


"Here I thought I was partaking in a wrestling match because I enjoy doing that from time to time."


"Silly me! Turns out, I was jealous of my brothers, all along."


"That's why I decided to take up wrestling part-time and choose to accompany them; each and every time, they walk out to the ring. For spite. Not because I'm only interested in occasionally wrestling and enjoy showing my siblings support. Nope. In reality, I'm vengeful and jealous, and can only demonstrate that in a super passive aggressive way that is so subtle, it eludes even me. Good thing Bobby Roode and Paul Heyman were able to shed some light on that for me. I might have lived my entire life, without knowing that's what I was doing. Thanks guys."


"Haha! What a load of crap! I'm not jealous of my brothers. That couldn't be further from the truth. I'm happy for their success and encourage them, like they stand by and support me, when I sporadically decide to wrestle. We joined the federation at the same time to showcase that we're a united front. That hasn't somehow changed due to titles or ring time. There isn't any inner animosity or hidden grudges. The bond we share is strong and it would never be shattered by such petty reasons. The fact that sort of nonsense is even suggested, showcases that my opponent doesn't have the slightest idea of who he's dealing with. Although that should have been painfully obvious when his manager called me the weak link."


"Newsflash: There aren't any weak links."


"Bobby Roode is going to learn that very soon. When he climbs into the ring and takes on a guy that can transform into pure electricity. You ever get shocked with ten or twenty thousand volts, Bobby? Been hit by lightening? Gotten drunk and accidentally pissed on the third rail? After Saturday night, you'll definitely know those feelings and so much more. When I send a concentrated current of electricity, straight into your body and you're literally fried, in the center of the ring. Past the point of your hair standing on end. Till you can smell the scent of charred flesh and cooked organ meat as your blood boils. Did you know that being electrocuted can cause the body to swell so much, that your eyeballs could pop right out of your head. The sudden extreme temperature in the body can also cause your eyes to melt. I sure hope you've enjoyed having your sight while it lasted. Assuming your heart doesn't give out and you die. Right then and there in the ring, electric chair style... minus the chair. Then you won't have to worry about much of anything. Least of all being blind."