::No sooner does the show open than does a wide-angle view of the arena appear on television screens around the world.  Robert Jones and Mitchell Summerville at ringside are preparing to start their rundown for the show while out of sight, but before they can even begin, "Personal Jesus" by Marilyn Manson hits the PA system, assaulting the senses of the sold-out crowd in the Chaifetz Arena. The curtains part, and out strolls...Robin Mayfair?::

MS: "Whoa! When did Robin Mayfair get such kick-ass music?"

RJ: "Mitchell?"

MS: "Yeah?" 

RJ: "I've said it before, and I'll say it again.."

MS: "Yeah, yeah. 'You're an idiot, Mitchell'. I know that's really Gryphon's music, Robbie: I just like to expose the fact that you have no sense of humor!" 

RJ: "Look, I've got a sense of humor, but that's not important right now: What is important is why Robin is coming out to Gryphon's music! She's not scheduled to compete here tonight!" 

::Robin bounces around by the curtain area with a big grin, waving to the fans in the packed house as some cheer, some boo; forefingers coming to her lips briefly though her eyes lacked their glitter. With a smirk, she walks slowly down the ramp, dressed in "street" clothes: A black and green, velvet and lace corset, black leather pants and glossy black boots. Tossing her hair, there's a brief glimpse of emerald ink before she quickly mounted the steel stairs and slipped between the ropes into the ring, waving and smiling to the packed house. Demanding a microphone in no uncertain terms, she is soon furnished with one and prepares to speak as the music dies.::

RJ: "Well, all right. Looks like we're going to be getting an earful from Robin to start things off tonight." 

MS: "I'd like to get a handful of---"

RJ: "SILENCE!"

Robin: "I'm sure you're all very surprised to see me tonight..." ::Robin's voice crawls with sarcasm, fingers lifting to shift a viridian strand from her eyes.:: "...I'll bet that you didn't see this one coming. And boy aren't you excited, little Ms. Mayfair is up on stage and is going to start boohooing again, isn't she? The International Standard is going to bawl her little eyes out, throw all her toys out of the pram and start kicking and screaming."

::Laughing, Robin shook her head and began pacing the ring with slow, methodical steps, eyes dancing.::

Robin: "And you know what, you're half right! But F-ACW Forced Censored-k you if you think I'm going to start crying about it! F-ACW Forced Censored-k you if you think I'm going to just sit down and take it! What do we have tonight exactly? A neutered dog and a suit with more money than sense battling it out for the U.S title? For MY title? What is this roster coming to? The real talent has been shoved to one side so the little boys and girls can match up without breaking their nails or messing up their pretty little faces. So suited freaks can BUY their way into a title without having to do so much as lift a finger?"

Robin: "I am telling you now...I will not be forgotten. But it seems you little sheep are already trying your hardest. And so did I, I really, really did. I was nice. Minded my P's and Q's. Polite and respectful I asked them 'hey, I'm working hard and you still haven't found someone who matched my streak: when can I have my shot again?' Soon, I was told...soon. For weeks I've waited, and that 'soon' is beginning to look like a 'never'. I'm told we all have equal chances with that title, but so far I've yet to see proof of this. So what is a girl to do?"

::With a turn, she flung her arms out to either side and shrugged her shoulders, grinning suddenly and dropping her arm as the mike was reintroduced to her lips.::

Robin: "When being nice failed to produce results, I did what any good...American...would do..."

Robin: "I declared war. I brought in the Nightmare! Now it has already begun. Your precious World Title is his and with such little effort...all that remains is to bring the rest of this company to its KNEES! You won't so easily forget the real talent of this company again. You won't so easily make the same mistake while begging for the Messiah to spare you...for me to save you."

 

"Reach out and touch faith!" 

 

::'Personal Jesus' hits the PA system again, and Gryphon shoves the curtain to the side, stepping out to a chorus of boos, but a few cheers are peppered in the overall negative reaction. 'The Great American Nightmare' is in street clothes as well--faded blue denim, black boots, and that long duster and sunglasses.  His hair pulled into a ponytail, Gryphon walks slowly down the aisle, smirking as he looks to his left, and then his right, at the fans who are taunting, jeering, and shouting curses at him.  As he continues down, he snatches a cup of cheap, stale beer from the hands of the trash-talking ticket holder, taking a deep draught of that cheap brew.  Swallowing some, he tosses the cup back at the man, hitting him full-on in the face with the pale ale, laughing as he continued to the ring.::

 

RJ: "Oh my God.  Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize.  Uhh...somebody send that man a fruit basket or something!" 

 

MS: "Look at this, Robert:  This is excellence personified!  Ladies and gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure the ACW presents to you two of the greatest athletes in the world today!  And if this is how the show is beginning, Jonesy, just imagine how we're gonna close it down!" 

 

::Gryphon continues his slow walk toward that ring, moving to one side.  He stops, looking around at the fans with a devilish grin before climbing the stairs.  Stepping between the ropes, he grins and mounts the turnbuckles, throwing his arms out wide and dropping his head in that 'martyr'-like pose.  Hopping down, he repeats the gesture on the opposite side of the ring while Robin smiles, applauding him.  The music stops, and Gryphon reaches out to take the microphone that Robin hands over.::

 

RJ: "I wonder what this man has to say?  Actually, I'm afraid to hear what this man's going to say.  Our legal team is probably already defecating bricks." 

 

MS: "Ah, yeah.  Take it away, Champ; tell us all about it!" 

 

::Gryphon slowly opens the duster, displaying the World Heavyweight Title.  He only smirks, looking down at Robin and then out into the arena at the mass of booing fans.  The coat is removed slowly, before he tosses it aside.::

 

Gryphon: "They say 'heavy is the head that wears the crown.'  I say that's all bull-ACW forced censored!-.  Unlike the ACW, and unlike all of you, 'The Messiah of Violence' keeps every promise he makes.  I promised to remove Snake from the ACW, and I did.  I also promised to rip this World Heavyweight title from the hands of the unworthy..." 

 

::The fans eat it up as Gryphon reaches back, unhooking the belt from his waist and lifting it high into the air.  He smirks, and continues his speech::

 

Gryphon:  "...and I did." 

 

RJ: "My God, I think I'm going to be sick.  Could this guy be any more full of himself?" 

 

::Gryphon chuckles and hoists that title over his shoulder.::

 

Gryphon: "I've fulfilled what I set out to do from the very beginning in this company, and despite the politicking.  Despite the back-stabbing, the double-dealing and the injustice that's run rampant in this company for the past year, I've managed to overcome.  I've adapted, I've outsmarted, and I've out-wrestled my competition.  Ladies and gentlemen, let me assure you that 'survival of the fittest' is a concept that does, in fact, exist." 

 

Gryphon: "You see, when I first came to the ACW, I suffered the exact same way Robin did.  I had to fight the injustice in the front office.  I tried to be nice; I tried to be patient; I tried to be a good little poster boy.  I tried to sit on my hands and smile, no matter how much -ACW Forced Censored!- they tried to force down my throat.  And I waited.  And I waited, and I waited some more, and still got nothing.  I had to sit by and watch Roric, Lucien and the rest of the 'Dudley Do-Rights' be catered to, while the most talented man in the locker room was jerking the curtain.  While the most talented man they had in the locker room was jerking the curtain.  They laughed, and they pushed me to the side...well, Mr. Demetrius, who's laughing now?" 

 

::Gryphon jerked off those sunglasses and stared hard into the camera a moment after engaging the Board member who terminated his contract initially.::

 

Gryphon: "So when Robin called me up, I told her exactly how to handle this situation.  When you get pushed, you push back.  Don't 'turn the other cheek'.  That's an outdated concept that's never worked, ever.  I told Robin to go out, take this company by the throat and squeeze it until it becomes more...cooperative." 

 

 Gryphon: "American Championship Wrestling:  Take notice.  What you see before you is the dawning of a new Age in this company.  Things are changing.  You can accept it, and survive, or you can stand in my way and meet the same fate that David Matthews did at Revolutions.  Believe the Hype, ladies and gentlemen...because the Black Dawn is rising."

 

::No sooner did Gryphon's sentence end, Disturbed's 'Down With the Sickness' came over the PA system. Kelsia Vector was heading down the ramp in her ring gear and ready to fight. Quick steps brought her around to the announce table where she grabbed a microphone before sliding into the ring.  She looked between the two of them deciding who to deal with first.  Her steps brought her closer to Robin, and Gryphon happened to step closer as well, to Robin that is.::

 

Kelsia: "Hold on a minute. I have a few things to say. You both have come out here and said plenty. These fans could care less about it too. Now...it’s my turn to speak and they will not like what I have to say either."

 

::That was obvious even before it was said as the fans had been booing from the moment she walked through the curtain.::

 

Kelsia: "Robin…last week we went one on one. I know you…more then anyone knows what it is like to want a win. Not even that...but to keep a streak going. There are times in this business when you have to do what needs to be done to get everything going in your favor. Last week was one of those times for me. You were my first actual defeat in this business. I was not going to let that happen again. I am sure you can understand that."

 

::She turned her attention from the Argent Dawn over to the new ACW World Heavyweight Champion, the Nightmare. Another step was taken closer as she stared at him hard.::

 

Kelsia: "I have been racking through my head since last week. You attacked me once more and then... when in the locker room you had a few things to say... Everything that you said makes sense now. And...I know what I want to do..."

 

::Tossing the microphone aside she stepped closer to the two of them. Looking from one to the other she then smiled before taking their hands and raising them in the air to the swarm of boos that was filling the arena. Tony and Adrean had been watching the whole thing in the back and came running down the ramp quickly. Tony grabbed Kelsia and tossed her aside getting in her face asking her what her deal was with Robin and Gryphon. Adrean was at his side looking at Gryphon and Robin making sure that they were keeping their distance before calming Tony down as he told Kelsia to get out of the ring and head to the back::


::Gryphon looks at Robin and smirks, before he picks the microphone back up to his lips and speaks::

 

Gryphon: "I think we have a...small misunderstanding.  You're interrupting my interview time Tony; Adrean.  I'll allow you to leave my ring on your own two feet, but Kelsia Vector...stays." 

 

::The microphone is dropped to the mat as Gryphon holds his arms to the side as if to say, "What do you want to do?"  To the two bodyguards.  Tony turns around and gives Gryphon a response via sign language that we all can understand, telling him to 'piss off', which despite the absence of a microphone, can be heard quite clearly.::

 

RJ: "Uh oh!  Not smart, Tony!" 

 

MS: "I'll say.  Looks like Kelsia's going to have two openings for her goon squad!" 

 

::Gryphon smirks and removes his sunglasses, tossing them to the side of the ring.  He turns his head back and glares at the two men, Tony specifically.  Dropping the World Title to the mat, he storms across the ring and grabs the bigger man by his shirt.  Spinning him around, he boots him in the gut roughly once, twice, and then motions to Robin.  The 'Argent Dawn' smiles and nods, and Gryphon fires Tony off into the ropes.  As he comes back, Robin intercepts him from a 90 degree angle.  Leaping up into the air, she catches him firmly, latching both hands around the back of his skull and driving both knees into his face as she falls back, impacting with the mat, and giving Tony the Last Kiss Goodnight.  Tony rebounds off of her knees, falling to the mat in a motionless heap.::

 

MS: "Ahahaha!  Speaking of 'Nightmares', Robbie:  You think they're living one right now?" 

 

RJ: "I do not want to be those two men right now." 

 

MS: "Yeah?  Well neither do they.  Get 'em, champ!"

 

::Gryphon turns to Adrean, who puts his hands up defensively.  He tries to beg off, but Gryphon fires a boot to the midsection, much like he did earlier.  Backing up a few steps, Gryphon charges in, connecting with a hard straight kick to the man's face.  After Adrean goes down, he motions to Robin again, this time gesturing for her to go to the top rope.  As she does so, Gryphon hauls Adrean's limp form up and powers him into a powerbomb position.  With a show of strength, Gryphon smirks and turns his back to Robin who leaps off into a somersault.  Catching Adrean around the neck, the trio fall as one:  Gryphon with the powerbomb, Robin with that somersault neckbreaker, and poor Adrean sandwiched in-between.::

 

MS: "Crown of Thorns!  Holy crap, Jonesy:  I think Adrean's going into shock!" 

 

::The fans eat it up:  Some cheering, most booing, as Kelsia looks on with a little smirk.  Gryphon retrieves his title, and his microphone, and after giving Robin a smirk, bends down to look at the two unconscious men.:: 

 

Gryphon:  "Gentlemen...your services are no longer required." 

 

::"Personal Jesus" hits the PA system as the trio--Kelsia, Robin and Gryphon--begin to depart the ring.::

 

RJ: “What a start to the show, Mitchell!  Whatever Gryphon talked to Kelsia about last week, it’s apparently come to a head here.”

MS: “Brilliant deduction there, Columbo.  And here we thought those two were sneaking off for quality time…silly us.”