RJ: “But before we get to the introductions, we have a guest with us at the table tonight.  Former ACW Women’s Champion, Aurelei Phoenix.  Welcome to the table, Aurelei.”

 

Aurelei: “Pleasure goes all around, Robert.  Even to you, Mitchell, so long as you behave.”

 

::Shifting to mid-ring, the camera focused on Heather Lee who began introductions for the next match.::

 

HL: “The following match is scheduled for one fall.  Introducing first, the special guest referee…she is the ACW Women’s Champion, Aurora Jansen!”

 

::There came a soft hiss of static and then the opening notes of Cold by Static-X came up, a soft voice that the crowd would recognize as belonging to the ACW Women's Champion Aurora Jansen spoke out in a whispering wave.::

 

"We are..."

 

::The moment the lyrics rolled out "Cold we're so cold, we are..."  Aurora appeared at the top of the ramp, her expression set, though she would pause for a moment to let the fans look at her.  She wore a modified zebra shirt, nearly backless and the neckline had been altered as well, the material clinging to her torso in the front.  Her skirt was leather and semi-pleated so it would move with her and was just long enough to hit the tops of her thighs.  Her boots were short and flat heeled, and her dark curls were up on her head in a top-knot.  A black cropped jacket completed the look and she grinned as she launched herself down the ramp in her usual sprint to ringside.  Once there though she would sweep the jacket off to reveal her back and bared arms, whirling it to leave it by the timekeepers table and she waved to the announcers before springing up to the apron and entering the ring.:: 

 

MS: “That…uh…is that shirt, er…regulation, Robbie?”

RJ: “…sorry, what?”

 

MS: “Never mind…I’ll just enjoy the show.”

 

HL: “And now the competitors.  Now on her way to the ring…”

 

::The lights begin to fade, going practically to nothing. The song 'Down with the Sickness' by disturbed hit over the PA system. The instruments pounded away behind the band’s typically intense lyrics.  They continued as Kelsia Vector came from behind the black curtain to look out at the now-booing fans. Like she had promised, there was no Tony and Adrean by her side. Standing there in her ring attire which consisted of black flare pants and a white fitted shirr, her hair was pulled back tightly so not to get torn out by her opponent, she kept an evil smile on her face and made her way down the ramp as the lyrics kept screaming through the PA system.::

 

::Reaching the apron, she made a flat-footed leap onto it at the center of the ropes, turning her back so that she was now facing the stage once more.  Her hands came out on either side, locking with the ropes before she looked left, then right once more.  She flipped back into the ring, landing on her feet as the music began to fade.  Making her way to the far corner, she took a seat atop the turnbuckle, waiting on her opponent.::

 

HL: “…from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, standing five-foot-six and weighing in at 130 pounds, she is the number-one contender to the ACW Women’s Championship…ladies and gentlemen, Kelsia Vector!”

 

RJ: “She doesn’t look as bad off as she did after Snake finished with her last week, but I sense a loss of intensity in there somewhere.”

MS: “She’s going soft, I think…but then, Snake’s beatings can wake a person up.  And where are her boys?  Word has it she hasn’t gotten in touch with them all week.”

 

RJ: “She’d best not worry about that.  Her opponent tonight is no slouch.”

 

Aurelei: “No, she’s not…and those two are useless anyway…dead weight.  She’ll have all she can handle with Alexa tonight.”

 

HL: “And her opponent…”

 

::As Heather announced Alexa Rose to come out. The arena went black, with images of Alexa and her previous matches hit the screen. Strobes started as a familiar tune played along the PA system. Quick chords of an electric guitar and taps on the symbols started “Brackish” by Kittie. It was not the prerecorded version of old, though. It was a recording, true, but it was a live version. Alexa popped out from the curtain, as the lead singer Morgan’s voice growled out. She lifted her hands into the air, jumping for a moment, starting to rock out:

:The under-growling voice of the lead singer started the chorus as Alexa made her way down the ramp. She went to the fans on each side giving high fives and hugged the occasional child fan. Before she got to the ring, she bolted toward the roped off square. Sliding in under the bottom rope, she came to sit on her knees before getting up to her feet, climbing the to the middle rope as the lights came onto the arena. Moving to each post of the ring, she clapped her hands and pointing out to her fans, saying ‘this is for you!’ Cheering them on as the fans throughout the arena cheered her. Jumping down from the last turnbuckle, she went to the middle of the ring. Loosening up her body, she readied for her match, awaiting the ring of the bell.::

 

HL: “…from Danbury, Connecticut, standing five-foot-nine and weighing in at 160 pounds…she is one-half of Obsession…this is Alexa Rose!”

 

RJ: “Your partner hits the ring ready to rumble, Aurelei…any thoughts on her participation in this match?”

Aurelei: “Rest assured I’ll be watching closely.  The two of us have a match at Trial by Honor, though I can’t fathom why.”

MS: “Maybe she thinks she still has something to prove against you, since she’s yet to score a win over you.”

Aurelei: “If that’s the only reason she signed for the match, it’s the wrong reason.”

 

::Aurora brought the two women forward and detailed the rules for them briefly before sending them to their corners and taking a moment to check each one for concealed objects.  Satisfied, she called for the bell and the two women came forward, cautiously locking up.  Alexa’s power let her push Kelsia back briefly, but the smaller woman shoved back with her own strength and went low to take Alexa over with a fireman’s carry, tossing her to the mat.  Grabbing her legs, she flipped over on top of Alexa and earned a quick two-count before Alexa kicked out.  A slight smile curled Kelsia’s lips as she let Alexa rise before rushing into lock up with her again.  Alexa was able to shove her back into the corner this time, but Aurora had good position and was able to break up the hold.  Kelsia reached forward after the break and patted the cheek of her opponent in a condescending manner, prompting Alexa to charge in and land a pair of knees to the stomach of her opponent before grabbing her by the shoulders and slinging her across the ring.  A running kick to the back bowed up Kelsia and prompted a noise of pain as the crowd began to get into the match a little more.::

 

RJ: “Fun and games aren’t what Alexa is after, but she said as much this past week while Kelsia was doing her best to fluster the woman.”

Aurelei: “She’s still rattled.  Focus wouldn’t have allowed her to get pissed just because Kelsia did something cute in there.”

MS: “So you think Alexa is playing into Kelsia’s hands?”

Aurelei: “Match just started…we’ll see.”

 

::Rather than pulling Kelsia up, Alexa backed off and motioned for her to get up, looking to lower the boom on her again.  Sure enough, when Kelsia regained her vertical base Alexa uncoiled and went for a spear.  Thinking fast, Kelsia took to the air and leapfrogged her charging opponent, who managed to come to a stop behind her.  Reaching back with both arms, Kelsia hooked Alexa in for a backslide and pulled her over, earning a surprise two-count.  Both women rose to their feet around the same time, and another rush from Alexa earned her a standing dropkick and another two-count which prompted her to back off a bit as Kelsia rose to her feet again, a near-permanent smile plastered on her face.::

 

Aurelei: “This is borderline embarrassing…”

 

MS: “Am I detecting some strife between you and your goody-goody partner, Aurelei?”

Aurelei: “…don’t you try to stir the pot, Mitchell.”

 

::Yet another lock-up, this one coming down to a side headlock by Kelsia who was immediately backed into the ropes by Alexa.  Shot off to the far strands, she came back into an Alexa shoulderblock before the larger woman hit the adjacent ropes and leaped her face-down opponent, who vaulted over Alexa on her second go-round.  Kelsia went for a hiptoss but was countered when Alexa blocked and went for her own.  Smartly turning it into a swinging neckbreaker, Kelsia drove her opponent down to the mat and dropped a pair of elbows before earning another two-count.  Alexa kicked out with authority, nearly throwing Kelsia into the ropes before getting up to her feet.  Kelsia charged this time and found herself caught in Alexa’s powerful arms and driven to the mat with a double-handed chokeslam.  A scoop slam followed before Alexa whipped Kelsia into the turnbuckles with force, charging after her with a stiff clothesline.  A chop was ducked before Kelsia switched spots with Alexa, throwing chops of her own.  Not ready to be shown up, Alexa weathered the assault and grabbed hold of Kelsia by the head, throwing her back into the corner and putting her boot up against the woman’s throat.  Aurora called for a break, then began her five-count.::

 

Aurelei: “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.  If you get her down, keep her there and don’t let her fight back.”

RJ: “It’s still breaking the rules, Aurelei…and Alexa’s going to have to break off sooner or later.”

MS: “She has a point, though.  Kelsia’s all about stamina and if you rob her of that she’s much less difficult to deal with.”

Aurelei: “I’ll be damned, Mitchell…you actually made some sense.”

 

::Stepping in to pull them apart at four, she forced Alexa back with Kelsia against the ropes.  Alexa actually releases Kelsia and dances back grinning.  Aurora has one hand up to fend off Alexa's threatening advance before Kelsia can get free, and then Kelsia puts her hand on Aurora's shoulder and leans in and says something to her.  Whatever it is apparently stuns Aurora, and Kelsia rushes past her to grapple with Alexa while Aurora blinks and takes a moment or two to recover.  While she stands there Kelsia grabs Alexa by the hair to drag her towards the middle of the ring and it takes Aurora a few beats to make the call, though her warning isn't as viciously worded as the previous ones she'd had to give out.::

 

MS: “What’d she just say to Aurora?  Looks like the ghost saw a ghost!”

Aurelei: “It’s been proven lately that it isn’t hard to get into the so-called champion’s head, and Kelsia played her card well.”

 

::Still with a hold of Alexa’s hair, Kelsia turned her around and used her grip to execute a reverse neckbreaker, though her pin only earned a two.  Unperturbed, Kelsia grabbed her opponent by the head and began firing off right hands before Aurora made her break, allowing Alexa to get back and up to her feet.  Kelsia was the one to rush Alexa into the corner this time, though, wrapping her arms around the taller woman’s waist and taking her off her feet before driving her spine-first into the pads.  Shaken, Alexa didn’t offer much resistance to the pair of front kicks leveled by her opponent, nor the backflip kick that saw Kelsia land on her feet after jacking Alexa’s jaw with the surprising move.  It got a pop from the crowd for sure, but the momentum was halted a bit as Aurora stepped in to check Alexa, making sure nothing was broken.  Alexa brushed past her, though, and went right for Kelsia, blocking a chop before hitting an inverted atomic drop followed by her trademark fall-away slam.  The crowd was heating up once again as Alexa started to feed off the energy, stalking Kelsia for another spear while the woman was near the ropes.  Kelsia vaulted over the top strand and onto the apron when Alexa rushed in, but the taller woman stopped herself before launching between the strands and to the floor.  Kelsia took full advantage of the pause between stopping and moving away, however, and delivered a nasty boot to the side of Alexa’s head that drove her back into the ring.  Vaulting over the top strand again, she landed another elbow drop and earned a long two-count.::

 

RJ: “Kelsia has Alexa well-scouted tonight…there’s no other way to put it.  And she seems to be in the referee’s head as well.”

Aurelei: “This is a borderline travesty.  Two past wins aside, Alexa should have no issues dealing with a half-beaten woman like Kelsia.”

 

MS: “Maybe the change that’s come over her lately is for the better, though I can’t imagine how.”

 

::Alexa had rolled the shoulder rather than actually kicking out, showing that the match was wearing on her a bit.  She still fought back when Kelsia picked her up, though, to which Kelsia retaliated with another front kick.  This time Alexa caught the blow and made her opponent pay with a leg-trap chokeslam.  Aurora made the count and would have reached three were it not for Kelsia getting her foot on the ropes.  Alexa thought it should have been three, but Aurora assured her it was two and pointed out the foot on the ropes.  Understanding but irritated, Alexa sent Kelsia into the ropes but was dropped with a back elbow upon her return.  Getting up first, a still-shaky Kelsia hit the ropes herself but missed a clothesline.  Alexa stepped in behind her and locked in a cobra clutch, cinching it in tight for several seconds before heaving Kelsia up and down with a modified slam.::

 

MS: “Stiff shot by Alexa.  Another couple of those and Kelsia will be calling it a night.”

 

RJ: “Alexa’s still playing to her power, which is smart.”

 

::She didn’t go for a pin, however, picking up her opponent and landing another hard scoop slam before heading for the turnbuckles.  The crowd obviously approved of her intent as she made her way to the top strand, crouching and measuring her opponent before going airborne.::

MS: “Cannonball senton by Alexa Rose!  She damn near drove Kelsia through the ring!”

 

Aurelei: “Impressive…haven’t seen her uncork that move in a while.”

::The landing certainly did a fair share of damage to Kelsia, but Alexa took her fair share of impact as well, and both women were down for a moment or two before Aurora began making the obligatory ten-count.::

 

RJ: “Whichever one gets up first should have the advantage…but with these two there’s no telling till it happens.  They’re certainly known for surprising us.”

 

::At around the count of five, Kelsia had pulled herself up by the ropes while Alexa rose nearer to seven without the assistance.  She approached to take the fight to Kelsia, landing a few chops before Kelsia drove her back with a kick, going for a spear of her own.  It wasn’t as forceful as Alexa’s attempts, but it took the larger woman down to the mat regardless.  Sitting up after impact, Alexa tried to shake off the cobwebs and barely avoided a shining wizard attempt.  Backing towards the ropes after her own momentum nearly took her down, Kelsia looked up just in time to see Alexa charging her and managed to elevate her over the top rope and to the floor before dropping down to her hands and knees, fighting to regain her breath.::

 

Aurelei: “This is getting old…I’m tired of sitting here and talking about it.  It’s time to make a statement.”

RJ: “What are you talking-“

 

MS: “Hey, where’s she going?!”

 

::Leaving the announcer’s booth, Aurelei went over to Alexa and tried to get her up to her feet.  Aurora came to the ropes to wave Aurelei away, but the former champion ignored her.  Alexa shrugged off the help and made her way back up onto the apron.  Kelsia was waiting at the ropes and drove a shoulder between the strands into Alexa’s stomach before suplexing her into the ring.  Picking Alexa up, Kelsia whipped her into the far ropes, her clothesline attempt ducked as Alexa hit the ropes again, went up for a springboard and came off with a clothesline of her own.  Kelsia’s quick thinking led her to duck the assault, but the blow struck Aurora flush and took her to the mat.  Kelsia seemed to see this as a chance to hit the shining wizard she missed earlier, and backed towards the ropes through which she’d brought Alexa back in.  Aurelei, however, was still there…and the former champion chose just the right moment to grab Kelsia’s ankle, causing her to go face-first to the mat.::

RJ: “Now what the hell is that about?  Kelsia has done worse things in the past, but seriously…Alexa showed that she wanted to do this on her own, didn’t she?”

MS: “She should consider herself thankful that Aurelei still gives enough of a damn to bail her out.”

 

RJ: “How full of it are you?”

 

::Kelsia certainly took umbrage at the interference, though Alexa wasn’t directly aware of it yet as she was checking on Aurora.  Rolling out of the ring, Kelsia confronted Aurelei and lit into her with a few chops that backed up the former champion.::

MS: “See, she’s striking first so whatever Aurelei does now is warranted!”

RJ: “After she yanked on the woman’s leg and forced her to miss a move?  Seriously, take those blinders off, Mitchell!”

::Aurelei stopped the brief assault with a knee before ducking a lariat and coming in from behind with a Phoenix Phlash that drove Kelsia down to the mats hard.::

RJ: “What a shot!  I think the number-one contender is unconscious…and probably concussed again!”

::Picking her up and rolling her back into the ring, Aurelei caught sight of Alexa who was half-glaring at her from inside the ring, wanting to know what was going on apparently.  The camera’s microphones picked up Aurelei’s voice clearly, hearing her command to her partner to ‘take the damn pin’ before she went around to the other side of the ring.  Trying to shake some life into the referee, she ordered the still-groggy but conscious Aurora to make the count.  Not having seen the infractions, Aurora had no choice but to count the fall, making the three-count and calling for the bell before getting up to her feet.::

 

RJ: “Alexa doesn’t look happy with her partner’s ‘help’ here, Mitchell…and what’s Aurelei doing now?!”

MS: “She’s taking a seat, apparently!”

::That was one way of putting it.  Aurelei had a chair in her hands and was rolling into the ring, her full attention on Kelsia.  Alexa wasn’t sure what to make of the intentions of her partner and Aurora was still regaining her bearings, staying out of the fracas.  When Kelsia got to her feet, Aurelei slammed the chair on the mat and teed off, swinging for the fences…only to have Kelsia duck the blow and roll out of the ring.  The chair sailed wide and caught Alexa flush in the face.::

RJ: “Kelsia ducked!  Aurelei just nailed her own partner!”

MS: “She hit a home run with that shot, Robbie!  I think Alexa’s out…and Kelsia’s not sticking around to find out!”

 

::Looking down at her fallen partner, Aurelei stunned those in attendance by actually smiling…showing a little pleasure in how she’d laid out Alexa.  Aurora came over and snatched the chair from her, throwing it aside and demanding to know what the hell was going on.  Aurelei responded with a hard kick to the stomach followed by a DDT that bounced Aurora’s head off the mat.  Looking between the two fallen women, Aurelei went to the ropes and called for the microphone.::

RJ: “If she’s looking to explain herself, I don’t think there’s any way she can!”

MS: “Who says she has to explain anything?  I think she’s just had enough of carrying Alexa and seeing Aurora prancing around with her title!”

 

::Snatching the microphone with a glare, Aurelei first walked over to Alexa and stared down at her partner before crouching down in front of the motionless form.::

Aurelei: “You should have been grateful that I even bothered to offer you assistance tonight, Alexa, considering how your distractions caused us to lose last week when the tag titles were in our grasp.  But no…family issues and other nonsense came first.  And sure enough, you were the one pinned.  I can’t even describe how sick that makes me!”

 

MS: “Sad but true…”

 

::Grabbing Alexa’s head by the hair, Aurelei pulled it up so she could stare down into her partner’s far-away eyes.::

Aurelei: “I accept your little challenge for Trial by Honor…because it will give me the best chance to put away your weak attempts at a career in this company for good.  Lord knows you can’t buy a win against me…and tonight proves that you can’t even handle someone else without me at your back!”

 

RJ: “Now that’s just uncalled for!  For how long as she been letting all this bubble up inside?!”

 

::Shoving her head down, Aurelei stood over Alexa again, her face twisted into an expression of snarling anger.::

 

Aurelei: “You can consider Obsession done here and now, Alexa Rose!  It’s about time you learned to fend for yourself around here…if you survive my fire!”

 

::Turning her attention to Aurora, who was not quite as bad off as Alexa, Aurelei came her way and put a heavy foot on the woman’s chest to keep her from rolling away.::

Aurelei: “And you…the only reason I’m letting you stay conscious is because someone else wants their pound of flesh before I get mine.  Shame that they won’t leave me much more than scraps.”

 

::Aurora did attempt to push Aurelei’s foot off but when she did the former champion grinded the sole harder into the chest and throat of her rival.  Leaning down closer, breathing a little heavier at this point, she took the telegram seen earlier out of her pocket and threw it at Aurora with a smirk.::

Aurelei: “You’re going to hell, Aurora…one piece at a time.”

 

RJ: “What’s that supposed to mean?  Is that the same paper she showed Snake earlier tonight?”

MS: “I’d say it was…and I’d give anything to know what it says.  What kind of person would be able back Snake off even a little with just their words?”

 

RJ: “Oh, come on…that’s enough!”

 

::Laying several stomps into the still-prone body of the champion, Aurelei finally backed off after a few moments and rolled out of the ring as “Phoenix” by Vanden Plas hit the speakers.  Wiping the back of her hand across her lips with a predatory smile, she turned from her backwards walk and headed for the back while Aurora went once more to check on Alexa, helping her out of the ring and to the back with that paper still clutched in her hand.::

 

RJ: “I don’t get this woman anymore…she looked all calm and content earlier and now she’s laying out her own partner?  What gives?”

MS: “Again…you just don’t try to understand women.  It’ll give you a headache.