A series of numbers flashes on the titantron. 4. 13. 23. 30. 4. 13. 23. 30. 4. 13. 23. 30. Over and over this sequence repeats as a big, black owl creature flies closer and closer, reaching out with its talons and SCREECHING.
Fireworks explode-
Shamoon: AAAAHHH!!!!
- and an intense guitar solo plays, equal parts fast tempo, night-riding and haunting. Athiambo, clad in all black but without her feathered coat and sunglasses, makes her way down to the ring, her uncannily owl-like face and large eyes visible for all to see.
Briar Lane: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 10-minute time limit. Introducing first, from Mombasa Island off the coast of Kenya, standing 5 feet 10 and weighing in at 165 pounds, The Dark Talon, ATHIAMBO!
A.B.: In the past 3 weeks, this woman, Athiambo, has been quietly proving to be one of the most dangerous inmates in the Madhouse.
Dominga: That's right, Alf. She's 3-0 so far, and last week's match with Kalavina Leota was the closest she came to really struggling and, well, you can just take a look at that neck brace Leota's wearing backstage to see how that ended.
Athiambo climbs the steps and walks along the apron.
Shamoon: Yeah, Athiambo's scary and maybe a little sadistic, but she is a certified badass. I mean, can you believe she's in black leather with this hot weather? I mean, at least she's not wearing the feathers, or I'd think she's not altogether.
A.B.: ...
Dominga: Did you just rap?
Shamoon: Yeah, I was working on it just in case-
Dominga: Never do that again.
A.B.: Please.
Shamoon: You guys are no fun.
Athiambo climbs the turnbuckle and perches on it, staring at the tunnel.
A.B.: She also had a brief staredown with the Thunderweight Champion, El Demonio de las Heladas, immediately following the Leota match, but as we found out this past Friday, Danys Vités of the Fight Pit will be challenging for that belt at the Valentine's Brawl.
Shamoon: She's been denied a title shot, and she's no longer targeting Leota or her students. So the question is, what's next?
Dominga: I think you mean WHO'S next?
High-Pitched Woman's Voice: DORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAADAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
Some energetic Latin music plays as a woman clad in gold from head to toe, literally, runs out of the tunnel, arms spread with tassels flowing from her forearms to her armpits.
A.B.: Dominga, are you-
Dominga: ¡QUÉ DESCARO TIENE ESTA PERRA! How dare she show her face here?!
Shamoon: I mean, she's wearing mask-
Dominga: SHUT UP, SHAMOON!
Briar Lane: And the opponent, from Mexico City, Mexico, standing 5 feet 4 and weighing in at 125 pounds, CHICA DORADA!
A.B.: I know the two of you had quite a fierce rivalry when you were La Pimienta Fantasma, but-
Dominga: Rivalry, nothing! She was a constant pain in my ass. Always stealing my spotlight and getting in my way! I hope Athiambo cripples her!
Shamoon: You're crazy.
Dominga: The word is "Psycho". We're at work. Respect the brand.
Dorada runs around the ring, taking the opportunity to flip the bird at Dominga as she does.
Dominga (standing up from her seat and nearly lunging over the table): ¿Ah, sí? ¡Tú también, perra! Vuelve aquí y hazlo de nuevo. ¡Hazlo de nuevo y verás lo que pasa! Te reto a que lo hagas otra vez. ¡TE RETO!
A.B. (grabbing her): Dammit, calm down! CALM DOWN!
Dorada slides into the ring and throws her hands in the air, while bouncing on her feet to loud claps from the audience. It is at this moment that Athiambo hops down from the turnbuckle and onto the mat, the sound of which draws the luchadora's attention.
Referee Atoye Bonds immediately stands between them, arms outstretched to keep them apart. Dorada pulls off her tassled sleeves while Athiambo stares at her unblinkingly. Bonds brings her hands together, calling for the bell.
A.B.: And there's the bell. Match-up underway.
Athiambo stands in the centre of the ring. Dorada circles, trying to find an opening.
Shamoon: Oh man, we saw this with "Lucky" Lei D in Episode 1. Athiambo deliberately leaves herself open; the whole time she's watching your every move. It's creepy.
Dominga: Yeah, and Lei D got squashed. Here's hoping Dorada gets bludgeoned.
Shamoon: What is wrong with you?
A.B.: Look at this. Dorada initiated a collar-and-elbow tie-up here.
Shamoon: Why would she do that? Athiambo has 6 inches and 40 pounds on her
Dominga: She's always been stupid. I always told everyone she was stupid.
A.B.: Athiambo backing Dorada into the corner. Bonds there immediately with the sepearation-
*SMACK*
Shamoon: Ouch!
A.B.: Athiambo with a chop to the chest! A cheap shot.
Dominga: Nothing cheap about it.
A.B.: Bonds doesn't seem to think so, and she's letting Athiambo hear it.
Dominga: Isn't this the same ref that got fooled by Festa and that Brazilian tap nonsense two weeks ago?
A.B.: Dorada with a head of steam now, ducks under a roundhouse, bouncing off the ropes-TILT-A-WHIRL HEADSCISSORS! Athiambo sent flying across the ring! And now a running dropkick, sending the Dark Talon to the outside!
Dorada throws up her hands and starts bouncing to claps and cheers.
Shamoon: Dorada's on fire!
Dominga: She hit two moves, and she's jumping like a dumbass.
Athiambo gets back on her feet while shaking her head. Dorada starts running the ropes and attempts a Baseball Slide Dropkick. Athiambo quickly sidesteps, and Dorada slides all the way out of the ring, landing on her feet and eating a big boot to the face.
Bonds: Come on, ladies, back in the ring! 1... 2... 3...
Dominga: See what I mean? DUMBASS!
A.B.: Athiambo back in control- Oh no. Full Nelson applied. She might be going for the Dragon Suplex!
Shamoon: On the grass? She'll kill her.
Bonds: 4... 5... 6...
A.B.: Full Nelson Slam! Dorada dropped spine-first into the apron! And now back in the ring.
Shamoon: Nasty!
Dominga: Listen to her scream!
A.B.: There's the cover.
Bonds: 1! 2!
A.B.: Kick out by Dorada!
Athiambo flips Dorada onto her stomach and drops a knee on her back, at the exact spot that hit the apron. Then goes for another cover. Dorada kicks out yet again, so Athiambo hits two more knees and then goes for yet another cover. Three more knees now. Another kickout.
Athiambo then forces Dorada to a seated position and elbows her in the side of the face, before picking her up and putting her head between her legs.
A.B.: Athiambo with the arms hooked. Looking to finish this!
Shamoon: Owl Wing Driver coming up!
Dominga: Haha! It's over!
Athiambo lifts the luchadora up for her signature Butterfly Kneeling Piledriver. However-
A.B.: DORADA WITH THE HURRICANRANA!
Shamoon: Athiambo got spiked!
A.B.: Chica Dorada with the desperate counter and the cover.
Bonds: One! Two! Th-
A.B.: Athiambo kicks out!
Shamoon: That was close.
Dominga: TOO CLOSE!
Dorada quickly gets up and runs to the ropes. She leaps and bounces off for a Springboard Back Elbow.
A.B.: TORNADO KICK BY ATHIAMBO! RIGHT TO THE SPINE!
The crowd comes unglued
Shamoon: She kicked her out of the air, I've never seen anything like it!
Dominga: That's got to be whiplash. Or a broken back. I hope it's a broken back!
Athiambo once again picks Dorada up, placing her head between her legs, hooking her arms and lifting her up.
A.B.: And now, this time for sure, there it is, the Owl Wing Driver!
Dominga: Go for the Final Nail!
Shamoon: That would be overkill!
Dominga: Exactly!
Athiambo hooks the leg, and Bonds slides in.
Bonds: 1! 2! 3! Ring the bell!
A.B.: It's over!
Briar Lane: Here is your winner... ATHIAMBO!
Athiambo stands up as her theme blasts through the speakers once again. Bonds attempts to raise her hand and gets a wide-eyed glare, so instead goes to check on Dorada. Athiambo looks down at Dorada, tilting her head in study, and then turns away to leave the ring.
A.B.: And just like that, the Dark Talon remains undefeated on Monday Nights.
Dominga: You expected anything different?
A.B.: For a moment? Yes. Hats off to Dorada; she had a couple moments of brilliance.
Dominga: My hat will never come off for Puta Dorada!
A.B.: Seriously, let it go.
Dominga: NEVER!
Shamoon: I still can't get over that kick. I've never seen someone spin that fast. How do you even begin to move like that?
A.B.: Years of brutal training and honing of killer instinct. Amazing.
Shamoon: "Lucky" Lei D, Maya Lethbriedge, Kalavina Leota and now Chica Dorada. Who, guys? Who can stop the Dark Talon?
Dominga: Nobody!
As Athiambo's feet touchdown on the turf, her music is superseded by a Taarab track.
Dominga: What is this?
A.B.: That's... That's Firyali's music.
Dominga: Who?
Shamoon: What do you mean, who? She debuted last week with a win over Paloma Vargas!
Dominga: Oh, yeah. She was the one with that weird promo at the end.
Firyali (o.s.): People... of... Apia!
The crowd pops.
Firyali: Firyali... is in. The. (comes out of the tunnel, mic in hand) HOUSE!
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