PSW Powwow #4 - Firekeepers

It is the 4th of February. The Valentine's Brawl is only 11 days away, and we still have so much to do and address.

"GOOD MORNING, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLLLLLLLE!" says Sara Williams, President of Talent Relations & Head of Creative of Psycho Style Wrestling, as she appears on the Meeting Screen. "How we doing?!"

"I'm fine, Ma'am," says Nalah Shabani, General Manager of the Monday Night Madhouse, without her glasses, revealing the dark rings around her eyes.

"I'm doin' great, Sara!" says Jefferey Campbell, General Manager of the Friday Night Fight Pit, with a nice big smile on his face as he looks out of the window in his hotel room. "You know, they say Port Moresby's a fair dinkum dodgy spot to check out, but bloody hell, she's a ripper of a looker.

Sara bounces in her seat. "I can imagine. It's been a hell of a tour so far, hasn't it?"

"I'm havin' an absolute blast!" Campbell declares, still grinning.

"I personally can't wait for it to end," says Shabani. 

Sara squints, her own grin disappearing. "Right... Elephant in the room time. Jeffers?"

Psycho Extras - Beside

The show is over. The Mount Hagen faithful are packing out. The crew is dismantling the ring and stage. The compound's tents are being torn down, and the shipping containers are getting ready to be carried away. Wrestlers are heading to their hotel rooms or crossing the street to go straight to the airport for a late-night flight to New Caledonia, or at least to book one for the following day.

Everyone has some business to attend to, including Zadie Chen. Only her business is the act of searching within what remains of the compound. Search for what, though? No, not what. Whom. She has a pack of ice in her, so one could hazard a guess.

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - Jessie Moore vs Sarah Esposito

Briar Lane: Your main event of the evening is a number 1 contender's match scheduled for one fall! The winner will go on to challenge for the PSW Jewell's Championship at the Valentine's Brawl!

A bombastic regal theme plays, and the Hagenites rise to their feet and scream. Ngozi strides onto the stage, clad in a purple tracksuit and her signature orange visor sunglasses, with the Jewell's Championship around her waist, a microphone in hand, and her head held higher than her 6-foot frame should allow.

She spreads her arms, taking in the cheers as the camera pans around her and follows her down the ramp.

Briar Lane: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your special guest commentator, the Bearer of the Jewell, Ngozi - Empress of the Squared Circle!

Ngozi gives the fans a royal wave, and they only cheer louder; some even bow.

A.B.: She is a living legend! A fighting champion! The most technically gifted athlete this sport has ever seen, and tonight she will witness the crowning of her next challenger at the Valentine's Brawl!

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - Pressure

As the crew extinguishes the flames and prepares the replacement ring mat out in the Showgrounds, an O.R.D.R.L.I. feed appears on the big screen. It shows the interior of Nalah Shabani's makeshift office within tonight's temporary backstage compound. 

A.B.: What's happening

The GM sits at her desk, currently talking with Zadie Chen, who gets a loud pop, fresh off her one-sided victory over Shay Maharaj. Chen has her hands on her hips and is nodding along while Shabani says... something.

Dominga: Hey, can we get some sound? What the hell?

Shabani: ...o you understand?

Chen: I do. (bows) Thank you for the opportunity.

Shabani (shaking head): Please, don't bow. It makes me uncomfortable.

Chen (straightens): Of course. I'll see you in Nouméa. (turns and leaves)

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - The Tribe and the Harem

A growling female voice yells, “Faavalevale!” and the crowd comes completely unglued. A deep male voice yells, “Porangi!” then an even deeper male voice roars, "Vale!” All three then scream together, "MADNESS!" before deep bass guitar and tribal drums hit. 

Lulu Asovale comes out first, her beaded braids covering her eyes. Hunapo Henare and Kaivao Manu flank her, rolling shoulders and frothing at the mouth, respectively. The trio makes their way down the ramp, each holding a mic. 

A.B.: The Madness are Mount Hagen. Wherever they go, trouble follows.

Shamoon: Actually, I think trouble is usually in front of them, running for its life. 

Dominga: And it's never fast enough.

They enter the ring. Asovale spreads her arms while Henare howls like a wolf and Manu headbangs. 

Shamoon: Maybe it's just the whole Pacific Tour thing, but it's crazy how popular they've been! Listen to this place! I mean, not to get "smarky", but they're heels. They're bad guys.

Dominga: Who decided that?

Shamoon: They're constantly jumping people! They almost jumped Sarah Esposito just now.

Dominga: And it's fun to watch!

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - Rose Reverberations

A.B.: We turn, once again, to Chloe Davis. Chloe? First of all, are you alright?

Davis (o.s): Yeah, Alf, I'm good. Thanks. (chuckles) I do feel a bit silly, though.

Dominga: You should be used to that. 

A.B.: Will you stop? Take us away, Chloe.

Compound

Davis: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time, the number 1 draft pick and the woman who will meet the "Outlaw" Jessie Moore in the main event to crown the number 1 contender to the Jewells Championship, the Rose of Ferocity, Sarah Esposito.

The bouffant-haired Michoacánian, in full tiger-striped gear with floral-tatted arms bare, steps into frame to a mixed reaction. 

Esposito: Thanks, Chloe, and for the record, you can call me Sarah. I don't play stupid games like that.

Davis (nods and chuckles): Thanks.

Esposito: And you know what? Just for that, I'll make sure to give Moore a little extra. Lord knows she has it coming.

Dominga: Kiss-ass.

Shamoon: It's called being nice. Try it sometime.

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - Shay Maharaj vs Zadie Chen

Shamoon: I just... What the hell?!

A.B.: I told you. Those Jabbars need help.

Shamoon: Those are not the guys I've been following for years. Those guys were fun-loving, happy-go-lucky. Just a couple of brothers doing something they loved. These guys? The hatred in their eyes, the vitriol coming out of their mouths? I just can't reconcile that. 

Dominga: Personally... I respect it.

A.B.: You've got to be kidding me. 

Shamoon: Of course you do!

Dominga: LISTEN! What they did to Eeva was messed up, and that "Will you be our valentine?" thing gave me the creeps. What I respect is that they stood on business. When you turn to the dark side, that's long-term, and frankly, after taking beating after beating since they got here, a villain arc might be exactly what they need. It's like the old saying, "Cheaters always prosper."

A.B.: That is the literal opposite of the saying.

Dominga: Yeah, well, the old saying was bullcrap. So I changed it.

Shamoon: Speaking of bullcrap. There's no way Shabani's actually going to let that Valentine's Brawl challenge stand, right? Elsa'd be on her own. It'd be two-on-one.

A.B.: I saw the state Elsa was in last week. I really, really hope somebody talks her out of any dangerous ideation. For now, it's time for a palate cleanser.

The arena fills with rapid drum beats and shaking tambourines, backed by steady electric guitar strums and a piano playing D Minor. The crowd boos heavily as the Maharaj walks onto the stage and blows a kiss.

Shamoon: You call this a palate cleanser?

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - Influence

A.B.: And there we see Queen Cobra, the former Jewell's Champion and, of course, the wife of El Demonio de las Heladas, helping her husband to the back.

Dominga: Now that he's back under the lights, just look at him. He's bleeding like a stuck pig! 

Shamoon: Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. 

Dominga: Well, I hope it was worth it, because now the Thunderweight title match at the Valentine's Brawl is in jeopardy and that hothead Vités is going to be in jail for a long time.

Shamoon: Wanna bet?

Dominga: No. I will never bet you anything again.

Cobra has the dazed demon's arm over her shoulder, while holding his belt in her free hand. Lanky as she is, it takes everything she has to support him, yet support him she does.

Shamoon: You know, with how much of a terrorist Cobra's been since day one, it's crazy to see her tender side.

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - A Symphony of Frost and Blaze

A cold wind blows in, the lights go blue and a deep Latin instrumental is overlaid with Aztec chants and an orchestral chorus. The Mount Hagen crowd boos heavily. Those who aren't shivering, of course.

Out walks the Demon, the Thunderweight Championship slung around the waist of his stocky, body-painted frame. He looks out at the crowd with his glowing blue eyes, walking down the ramp with a sheet of ice forming at his feet like the rolling of a red carpet.

Briar Lane: The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Making his way to the ring from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, standing 5 feet 9, and weighing in at 215 pounds, it is He Who Wields Thunder, EL DEMONIO DE LAS HELADAS!!!

A.B.: 36 days ago, at Ascension, this man became the inaugural Thunderweight Champion, and tonight, by order of the GM, he has his first match on the Monday Night Madhouse. Non-title, against a non-Thunderweight. 

Shamoon: That is still such an insane stat. A whole month without actually wrestling with a big title match on the way. 

PSW Madhouse Episode 6 - The Learning Tree

Compound

Chloe Davis stands in a dedicated interview zone within the compound. 

Davis: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the "Outlaw" Jessie Moore. 

The towering and heavyset Salt Laker slowly walks into view, black hat and red bandana on, hands in pockets, to loud cheers and boos.

Davis: Now, Jessie-

Moore: Jessie? Do ah know ya? Ahr we fuh-amiliar? We friends? Who thuh blazes you callin' Jessie?!

Davis (flinches): S-Sorry, Miss Moore-

Moore: Miss? Ah've bee-yn married 11 yars.  Ah done thought ya'd know, bein' a journalist an all, but ah guess thay jus' huhre any ole purty face awff thuh street!

Some in the crowd laugh.

Davis (closes eyes and shakes): R-Right! Mrs Moore-

Moore (slowly leans in, her beady lime green eyes boring into the purple-haired interviewer): Moo-wre is maah maiden nuh-ame.