ZEN: In The Court Of Karrg

[Pteroid]

Oh yes, honestly your reaction was the exact one I was hoping for in some respects. I wanted Karrg to stay threatening while still operating within the world of ZEN in a...not realistic but fitting way? Karrg is a much different animal to the top heels I've written in ZEN in the past. I've written Knight as a goofy wannabe supervillain accidentally creating his own downfall and ZERO as a sort of sorcerer overlord holding onto power to bully those below him. Karrg is cunning and intimidating, with room to be funny in that space but usually in service of whiplashing into a display of viciousness. The thing is, I've hinted at what his endgame is but I've yet to really say it out loud. But that's going to take center stage very soon, and it'll very much be what the diary hinges on going forward once I do that.

[alpha2117]

29 minutes ago, Pteroid said:

Oh yes, honestly your reaction was the exact one I was hoping for in some respects. I wanted Karrg to stay threatening while still operating within the world of ZEN in a...not realistic but fitting way? Karrg is a much different animal to the top heels I've written in ZEN in the past. I've written Knight as a goofy wannabe supervillain accidentally creating his own downfall and ZERO as a sort of sorcerer overlord holding onto power to bully those below him. Karrg is cunning and intimidating, with room to be funny in that space but usually in service of whiplashing into a display of viciousness. The thing is, I've hinted at what his endgame is but I've yet to really say it out loud. But that's going to take center stage very soon, and it'll very much be what the diary hinges on going forward once I do that.

I have seen the foreshadowing at times and tried to anticipate where you were going with it but failed spectacularly.  Anyone who has seen my posts knows I love to fail spectacularly. The fact I have a sense of whas might be happening but not really know how and when is fantastic. 

[Tiberious]

Fantastic show! Very bold decision making with such clear Rudo victories across the card, sprinkled in with just enough hope spots for the heroes that it didn't feel entirely hopeless. I was dead wrong on my predictions for the most part since I was thinking the season finale would be wins for the good guys for most of the cards, but I'm very happy to be wrong. The way you've built things up it didn't feel right for ZEN's old reliable stars like Halloween Knight, Pumpkin Jack, and Devilfish to be the ones to sort of unseat the Armada, so it makes sense that it's building to newer/less proven stars like Woodchuck, Hez, Cherish, Sky's the LImit, etc... to sort of be the ones to take up the reigns and somehow find a way to achieve victory where others failed; though I didn't expect so many of the good guys to be taken out the way they were.

Suffice to say I'm very much looking forward to what's coming next in season two.

Edited September 11 by Tiberious

[Pteroid]

ZEN NEWSWIRE

ARMADA TRANSMISSION

 GREETINGS ZENIZENS AND WELCOME TO THE FIRST ARMADA TRANSMISSION UNDER THE GLORIOUS REIGN OF KARRG THE ETERNAL

MIGHTY KARRG DECLARES BANISHMENT OF OUTLAWS

AS RULER AND MASTER OF THE REALM OF ZEN, KARRG THE ETERNAL HAS DECREED THE FOLLOWING ZEN PERSONNEL TO BE OUTLAWS AND SCOUNDRELS, THEIR PRESENCE ON FUTURE ZEN SHOWS WILL BE MET WITH SUMMARY IMPRISONMENT:

HALLOWARPED

HEZ JENDELL

VORTEX

CYANIDE

GURU VISHNI

ZEN COUNCIL MEMBER: THE LIAR

FURTHER THE CAPTURE OF ANY OF THESE FIVE INDIVIDUALS WILL ALLOW THE RECIPIENT STATUS AS BEING FAVORED BY KARRG, DECADENT WILL BE THEIR LIVES, BOUNDLESS WILL BE THEIR FREEDOM.

WRESTLEWORLD TO HOST 'KARRG-O-VISION' BROADCASTS TO HIGHLIGHT NEW REGIME

WRESTLEWORLD HAS AGREED TO THE DEMANDS OF MIGHTY KARRG TO HOST A FREE VIDEO SERIES TO SHOW THE GLORIES OF LIFE UNDER THE WELCOMING BOSOM ON KARRG. THESE VIDEOS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE UPON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA AND VIDEO PLATFORMS WHERE ZEN HAS A PRESENCE. THE FIRST, 'KNOW YOUR PLACE: A GUIDE TO HIERARCHY UNDER KARRG' WILL BE UPLOADED SHORTLY AFTER THIS TRANSMISSION. VIEWING IS MANDATORY.

FILTHSOME CREATURES IN OUR VENTS!? MORE LIKELY THAN YOU THINK!

AN UNSIGHTLY BEAST HAS BEEN SEEN CAVORTING ABOUT THE RELIQUARY OF SCALE, CHEWING ON EQUIPMENT CABLES, SNATCHING SNACKS FROM CATERING, AND STEALING MERCHANDISE PRESUMABLY TO LINE ITS NEST. SUBJECTS ARE ADVISED TO NOT APPROACH THE BEAST AS IT IS FERAL AND POSSIBLY REPRODUCES THROUGH INFECTION. YOU WILL KNOW IT BY ITS SMALL STATURE, POINTED HAT, AND 'TWEE' MANNER OF SPEECH. AVOID AT ALL COSTS AND CONTACT YOUR NEAREST KARRG TROOPER. REMEMBER IF THEY HIT YOU WITH THE BACK OF THEIR HAND IT MEANS YOU DID A GOOD JOB.

GLADATORIAL COMBAT SET FOR WAY OF THE LIAR

IN THE NAME OF BREAD AND CIRCUSES, KARRG HAS DECREED THE CLOWNS OF THIS PATHETIC REALM WILL FIGHT FOR HIS AMUSEMENT. MANY WARRIORS WILL CLASH, MANY MORE SHALL FALL. THE MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING WILL SEE THE APPOINTED END OF THE REBEL KNOWN AS PINK SPIDER AND THE RETURN OF OUR CONCEPTUAL TITLE. THE QUESTION IS WHICH GLORIOUS MEMBER OF THE ARMADA SHALL HOLD THIS HONOR!? MIGHTY BEETLE!? WISE MALOTHIAN!? ...THE FLY ONE!? WHO CAN SAY! MIGHTY KARRG CAN! BUT HE KEEPS SILENT TO KEEP YOU GUESSING!

(graphic design is our passion)

ZEN: WAY OF THE LIAR

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

GLORY TO KARRG, GLORY TO THE ARMADA

[alpha2117]

All Hail Kaarg!!!

[Teasenitryn]

Spider

Booster boy and crew (the crew being the ones doing the carrying)

Snark

Lone Shark

Sky's the Limit

Shaolin

 

It feels like it is too soon to take the Harmony titles, the Conceptual...I can't see how Spider keeps it and I could well see the Armada taking it early but while there are outlaws out there, the titles  in the hands of one who was aligned with F.E.A.R. represents hope, invisible hope, imaginary hope, 'but hope nonetheless.

As long as one light is lit, darkness will not prevail

Um...yeah, Karrg, whatever

Edited September 12 by Teasenitryn

[Martel123]

whoever made an alien have a Pinocchio nose is an enemy of the armada and must be executed immediately 

 

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

clearly Malothian is a big player, and might have 15 brainwashed lackies up his sleeve. 

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

Raider teams up with clowns 1 time and now he is considered an enemy of the state and must be taken out. 

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

Woodchuck gonna do some shenanigans.

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

Devilfish gotta be the stupidest wrestler of all time. Dudes name is Lone Shark. Like come on. 

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

Some guys have to win against the Armanda

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

Is there any cannon reason why none of the wrestlers stay home? Like what is Karrg gonna do, kidnap them?

[daddy_shelton]

Okay, let me jump into the predictions fray.

PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

I have no reason to expect a fair fight here with Beetle, Malothian, AND Toady here, but I have a gut feeling that all three of them going after the title may render them all ineffective enough for Spider to sneak a win.

AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

Booster's gonna screw this up, he ALWAYS screws things up.

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

Poor Bucky. I hope Kalliope can save him.

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

Lone Shark is a gutless coward. Unfortunately he's a gutless coward who's really good at winning wrestling matches.

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

Remember kids, V is for VICTORY!

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

I swear if Zero's gonna end up joining the Armada...

[alpha2117]

ZEN: WAY OF THE LIAR

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

The only thing that makes sense to me is for the Armada to largely dominate until the end and then maybe have either a tease of the Rebel Scum (Hallowarped, Hez, Vortex, Cyanide w Guru Vishni) returning or perhaps a straight out taking out of The Malothian post it's win and saving Pinky before the Armada can destroy him. I've kind of given up guessing where this is going next though and expect to be wrong.    

 

[AboardTheArk]

ZEN: WAY OF THE LIAR

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

Spider keeps the belt but someone gets arrested for it.

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

GLORY TO KARRG, GLORY TO THE ARMADA

 

A heat check of a card- I expect plenty of segments. 

[KyTeran]

ZEN: WAY OF THE LIAR

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

[Pteroid]

SHUT YOUR FACES AND AFFIX YOUR EYES TO THE SCREEN

IT IS TIME FOR

"Hello and good evening, I'm Bud Guyman, host of the WrestleWorld's only MANDATORY web show: Karrg-O-Vision! Today we're gonna have a sit down chat with all of you in the audience with something of an open forum on the frequently asked questions about the new regime here in ZEN and why you have no escape and no one is coming to help you. It's a little segment we like to call:

The camera cuts back to Bud sat in a backwards folding chair, arms over the back with a smirk on his face.

Bud:
"Now I know regime change like this can seem a bit scary, and it is, Karrg is a terrifying space warlord and you will do well to fear his wrath. Luckily for your-I mean our tiny human brains our glorious overlord has provided for us a handy dandy hierarchy pyramid so we can understand where we stand in this brave new world, let's look at it now!"

Bud:
"Isn't that help, everyone? Isn't it lovely to know where you're at in the world? So comfortab-KZZZT-the warm loving boo-KZZT-ur alien over-KZZZZZZZZZZZZT!"

We cut suddenly away from the presentation to instead a vision of a rather ostentatious throne room either somewhere in the Reliquary or within a heretofore unseen part of Karrg's UFO. Slouching upon a throne with the Master title across his lap is...

KARRG THE ETERNAL

With the Malothian on one side of him and Pumpkin Jack on the other Karrg leers across the room and claps his hands.

Karrg:
"Bring forth our guests."

Standing at the double doors to the room, Deathwatch Beetle and Laguna the Loyal nod and open them to allow two people to step purposefully into the room:

REKHA AND LERONE SLIM

The two members of Skullduggery glare at the aliens as they pass, doubly so at Lone Shark who is in deep discussion with Man O'War to the side. Eventually they reach the throne and address the ZEN Master.

Lerone:
"Alright, Klaatu, we're here, what'd you want?"

Malothian gestures and Buckminster Snark shambles from behind the throne, tilting his head.

"It is CUSTOMARY to KNEEL before a RULER."

Karrg:
"Now now, Malothian, these are guests not mere subjects. Lerone, Rekha, I trust you're finding the changes I've made to your liking?"

Rekha snorts, Lerone shrugs.

Lerone:
"You took down just about everybody that mattered, I respect that, I don't get why we get first shot at the shiny belts when you went to all that trouble taking Skullduggery apart though."

Karrg:
"I have beheaded the snake, no need to desecrate the body. As for the title shots I like to reward...ambition, viciousness, and power. You two have those in spades I would say. I'll be frank, I need those Harmony titles and for now my Armada is distracted with other matters."

Lerone:
"You want us to join you?"

Karrg:
"Not at all, I merely ask that should you take the shot you've earned and parlay it to a title reign then you could repay a favor with a favor. Simply...assist me in a matter when the time comes and I will see to it you are handsomely rewarded."

Lerone and Rekha look at each other, mercenaries at heart they smirk at each other before looking back to Karrg.

Lerone:
"Think that can be arranged, long as you keep your hands to yourself in the meantime."

Karrg:
"Naturally, naturally...and speaking of rewards, have either of you seen your beloved mentor about?  I would settle for the man who betrayed you as well."

Lerone:
"Nah man, can't help ya, ain't heard from Cyanide since-heh-since your troopers kept us in our locker room while he and Kalliope scrapped."

Rekha:
"Couldn't squeal if we wanted. And we don't."

Snarklothian:
"Watch your tongue, mercenary."

Rekha:
"Or what ya gonna puppet Kalli's boytoy on over here to slapfight for ya? You ain't nothin' ya faceless-"

Karrg:
"Enough! I remind you both that I am placing my faith in you, and that goodwill has boundaries, argue not with my lieutenant again. Now begone and prepare yourselves for your title match, I will be watching with interest."

Rekha and Lerone step away and back through the door, Karrg scratches his chin and looks sidelong at the Malothian.

Karrg:
"I'm glad you brought your little pet to bare, I've been meaning to speak with you of this."

The Malothian tilts his head in confusion.

Karrg:
"It's time we gave our dear Bucky his mind back."

Heads snap towards Karrg at this pronouncement, The Malothian however looks to Buckminster first before turning back to Karrg.

Karrg:
"Are you questioning me?"

Only the Malothian remains looking at Karrg after that, the Malothian gesticulates to Snark then to Karrg.

Karrg:
"I know how fond you are of your talking pet but we are at war, this one will be of great use to us in it."

Malothian:
"..."

Karrg:
"I do recall what's at stake with him and that is why we shall unleash him. I believe the carrot may work better than the stick in this case. Now do as I say!"

Karrg slams his fist on one of the arms of the throne and Malothian bows obediently. He turns to Buckminster and -with the Armada looking on- presses the three middle fingers on one hand to his forehead. In an instant Buckminster falls to his knees and screams in agony before rising up and pouncing at Malothian, reigning now punches.

Buckminster:
"YOU MONSTER! YOU BLOODY MONSTER, IT FELT LIKE YEARS IN THERE, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?"

Karrg:
"That's quite enough of that, grab him please!"

A pair of Karrg troopers grab Buckminster by the arms and drag him off Malothian who groggily pulls himself away back towards the throne. Jack stirs a bit but doesn't budge, Bucky recoils in horror at the sight of him.

Buckminster:
"Good lord you got him too!? And-and is that Devilfish's old partner!? AND BOOSTER!? YOU MINDCONTROLLED BOOSTER!? ...why?"

"HEY!"

Buckminster:
"Oh. You're not mind-controlled, just a coward. Yeah that tracks."

Booster:
"Bite me, Snark!"

Bucky:
"I have! Many times and I'll do it again!"

Karrg:
"ENOUGH!"

Bucky's eyes snap around to Karrg and he grits his teeth, glaring at the alien overlord, then he notices the Master title.

Bucky:
"Not even Pinks could put you down, huh? I missed way too much in there..."

Karrg:
"I have crushed all foes in my way, young Snark, and would you guess who is in my way now?"

Bucky:
"Kalliope..."

Karrg:
"Yes, how tragic. Your lady love has thoughtlessly put herself in harm's way in order to-"

Bucky:
"You're screwed, mate."

Karrg:
"Beg pardon?"

Bucky:
"Heheh, I fought Kalli for a year straight before we went steady, if anyone's keen to put an end to your poncy Palpatine schtick, it's her."

Bucky gives Karrg a smug grin and the overlord sneers back at him.

Karrg:
"If she will stop me is irrelevant, I need her out of my way so I may enact my plans for this 'Realm of ZEN'."

Bucky;
"Well good luck with that, guess I'll be popping back in Billy No-Faces' brain 'til she gets me outta this mess."

Karrg:
"No my dear boy, you are going to be the one who keeps the Woodchuck from my door."

Bucky:
"How do ya figure that? I'm not exactly keen to help the interstellar freak who locked me up in a mind-prison for...how long's it been?"

Booster:
"At this point? Close to a year."

Bucky:
"Thanks."

Booster:
"No problem."

Bucky:
"Also die in a fire."

Karrg:
"Ohhhh my dear little Buckminster, I think you will be helping me...because I have something you want."

Before Bucky can fire off another quip, Karrg digs something out of a pocket and tosses it on the ground at Snark's feet. Snark snorts and looks down...

And his expression immediately flips from one of smug confidence to one of horror. He falls to his knees and holds the object in his hands. It is a patch, tattered and worn from the years, there is a hint of a name at the bottom but Snark clutches it tight before looking up at Karrg.

Bucky:
"Why do you have this!?"

Karrg:
"Ohhhh...I think you know why I have it, how I got it, and who it belonged to."

Karrg smirks, leaning in.

Karrg:
"Keep her busy, she need not be hurt, let alone taken out of commission. Lead her on a merry chase, you are the best bait I can think of after all."

Bucky:
"How...how do I know you won't renege? How do I know...he's still..."

Karrg:
"Foolish boy, do I look like someone who throws out that which could still be useful to me?"

Karrg steeples his fingers.

Karrg:
"Woodchuck."

Bucky:
"...it won't work, you know. She'll find a way to stop you regardless, her and whoever else is still fighting against you."

Karrg:
"You'd best hope not. Otherwise...well, I hear freezer burn can really ruin meat. I've never had that problem, but...guess that just means I'm due, no? Kya-ha-ha...KYAAAAAAAA-HAK-HAK-HAK-HAK! You! Show our dear Bucky to his quarters, chop chop!"

The Karrg troopers escort Bucky away. The Malothian straightens his posture stiffly.

Karrg:
"Relax yourself, Malothian, I have seen the desperation that shone in those eyes many times before. He will do as bade. Further...I believe you've earned yourself a reward for letting him go so freely."

Karrg rummages around and produces as small device looking like a mix between some sort of copper tubing and a rebreather. Malothian tilts his head regarding it.

Karrg:
"An invention of our dear Boosted Boy, a complete Thought-To-Speech interface. You needn't slum it in the minds of inferior beings again to let them know how much you loathe them."

Karrg offers the device to Malothian, who shrinks back and moves to apply it in the shadows. After a few moments a voice rings out, modulated deep but a bit similar to toothpaste advert actor Mark Lee of all people...

"Thank you, master."

Karrg:
"Don't thank me yet, you've barely taken it out for a spin. Tell you what..."

Karrg smirks.

Karrg:
"I think it's high time those two twits who speak over everything we do had a bit...editorial oversight. Until your title match, why not visit them on the broadcast table and make things more...fair and balanced, hm?"

Malothian:
"As you command, my lord."

Booster:
"You're welcome, by the way!"

Malothian and Karrg glare on Booster until the self-professed genius returns to angrily taking the batteries out of the tracking device Celestina snuck onto his person at Way of the Warrior.

-KZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT-

Bud:
"-and soon thereafter will marry! Well, wasn't that informative, everyone? I cannot wait to see what other wonders of our glorious regime I can share with you all for our next episode. But look at the time, you need to get up bright an early for your gently-coaxed labor routines! Until next time, dear viewer. Glory to Karrg. Glory to the Armada."

[Teasenitryn]

Good pet, give master the steak and he will give you a squeaky toy!

(In all seriousness I can't wait to see what you do with Malothian on commentary lol)

[Pteroid]

Oh right in case anyone was wondering what that last bit meant mechanically speaking.

I hired Spin Doctor to be Malothian's 'Manager'.

So now among the many firsts for ZEN in the pro wrestling world we can add 'First to hire a dedicated Voice Actor for a character' to the list.

Definitely gonna be one of their more obscure accolades.

[alpha2117]

We are getting a Princess Aura and Prince Barin style betrayal aren't we?  Kaarg like Ming doesn't understand emotions like love, pity or empathy and that's going to cost him long term.  At some point someone close to him is going to turn.

[Tiberious]

Glad to see Snark getting his mind back since aside from The Malothian speaking through him one time he hadn't gotten to do much up to now. I'm interested in the tease of someone Snark's close to that Kaarg has captive.
 

ZEN: WAY OF THE LIAR

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

The Malothian has been a centerpiece of this Dynasty so it makes sense for him to get a belt.

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

I'm probably foolish to pick Raider here, but Booster's inventions seem to often backfire on him and Laguna seems to be the least competent of the Armada so I think we get an upset here. I also wonder just how loyal Karrg's vassals are since sure "The Spy" claimed that the last council member remaining at large was "The Liar", but what if he was in fact the Liar and the real Spy was never captured because he had already infiltraited the Armada.

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

Snark's got some newfound motivation to win here.

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

Lone Shark! Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal!

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

Kaarg playing the long game by keeping potential threats busy fighting and weakening one another while the Armada sorts out other matters.

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

I'm not sure where ZERO fits in going forward, but at the same time Shaolin has mostly been a supporting player and I don't think he's on the level to beat a former zen master.

[Eugh]

ZEN: WAY OF THE LIAR

ZEN CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS DEATHWATCH BEETLE VS THE MALOTHIAN VS TOADY

 New look for Toady, think he might end up with the title somehow, potential for seeding a Malothian/Karrg power struggle.

A SECOND COMPLETELY FAIR FOUR-WAY MATCH WHO PUT THOSE COMMAS THERE!?
AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, LAGUNA THE LOYAL, & MAN O'WAR

Two lopsided matches, wrestling logic is that one should go the tecnicos way. However, given the booking so far, I could see more rain before the sun.

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

ZERO VS SHAOLIN

[Pteroid]

ZEN KARRG THE ETERNAL PRESENTS: WAY OF THE LIAR
LIVE ON WRESTLEWORLD FROM: THE RELIQUARY OF SCALE
ATTENDANCE: 866 (cheapskates)

The sight as we enter the Reliquary of Scale is a far cry from what we had before, most notably is the fact that opposite hardcam is a raised dais upon which sits:

KARRG THE ETERNAL

Flanked on one side by Pumpkin Jack, the ZEN Master champion sneers down at the booing masses around him as he stands to address the crowd:

Karrg:
"BEHOLD, ZENIZENS, THE AGE OF KARRG IS UPON YOU! I HAVE DONE AWAY WITH YOUR PRECIOUS ZEN COUNCIL! I HAVE ENTHRALLED YOUR GREATEST HERO! AND YOUR FOUNDER..."

Karrg gestures and Deathwatch Beetle and Laguna march out a chained up Halloween Knight, forcing him to stand at the side of the conqueror of ZEN. The Godfather of Ghouls looks away, shamed by his failure to defeat the alien forces.

Karrg:
"IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF! TONIGHT I MAKE MERRY! TONIGHT I RECLAIM WHAT BELONGS TO ME! TONIGHT THE CONCEP-"

KZZZZZT!

"-L TITLE W-"

KZZZZZZZZZT!

We cut abruptly to a locker room that has been haphazardly fashioned into a crude dungeon cell. Devilfish paces back and forth like a caged animal, arms folded as the enclosed space clashes with his high energy nature.

"Gotta be a way outta here, just gotta be."

From the shadows of the room a morose voice answers.

"There isn't any, Dev, they've got us locked up tight and those troopers refuse to let anyone in except..."

Devilfish:
"Except that big bully that ripped your mask all up to taunt ya with it. Yeah I noticed. Uggggggggggghhhhhh! How did I not see that coming!? Lone Shark's been a Lone Schmuck in my books for years! I shouldn't-a answered him when he offered to back me up! Quicksilver's always been more dependable! When I get outta here...oooooooohhhhhh!"

The shadowed figure, presumably Pink Spider unmasked gives a rueful chuckle.

Spider:
"You weren't to know, Dev. Me on the other hand...I should've come into that match ready for war, and I paid the price."

Dev grimaces and looks away.

Devilfish:
"Ain't right what the guy did to ya, ain't right at all."

Spider:
"Yes well...I thank you for resisting the urge to take a peek all the same."

Devilfish:
"Don't mention it...rrrrrgh! COME ON YA COWARDS LET US OUT! YA WANT A FIGHT WE'LL GIVE IT TO YA!"

Devilfish kicks the door to the room and goes back to pacing.

-KZZZZZT-

If Karrg noticed the broadcast interrupt it doesn't seem to show as he's been going on ranting all this time. In fact we come back to him mid-evil laugh.

Karrg:
"-AAAAAAAAA-HAK-HAK-HAK! Now then...on to our first combat of the evening, bring out our gladiators!"

Karrg lounges on his throne between both his defeated enemies, smirking as the night commences.

"Welcome everyone to ZEN: Way of the Liar, currently under...new management. I'm Sparky Sparks here with my broadcast colleague Dustin Thane-"

"Can we please switch seats?"

Sparky:
"And...regrettably, a special guest from the Alien Armada: The Malothian is now on commentary with us tonight."

Dustin:
"Sparky don't ignore me I'm very scared right now."

"Greetings, pathetic humans."

Sparky:
"You talk now!?"

Dustin:
"He talks now!"

Malothian:
"I talk now. Furthermore, I commentate. Furthermore than that, I supervise the commentary of others."

Dustin:
"What are you a commentary commissar!?"

Malothian:
"Call it what you will, just know that I am watching and I am listening."

Sparky:
"Never thought I'd have a broadcast partner more difficult than The Alex Arturro Experience but here we are."

SHAOLIN VS ZERO

The first match of this Karrg-ran ZEN featured a matchup of men who'd faced each other many a time back in the day, both coming off victories at Way of the Warrior. New Zealand's favorite Mall Ninja in Shaolin put up a valiant early effort, bringing to bear his Kiwi Karate on the Dangerous Darwinist who was kept off balance just long enough to counter an attempt at the Crane Kick with a picture perfect leg sweep that would make Cobra Kai proud (the movie one not the show one). From there ZERO dissected his fellow veteran with a vicious flurry of acrobatic strikes focusing in on Shaolin's back before locking in the Holding Out For A ZERO for the submission victory.

Post match, ZERO acknowledged the current ZEN Master, bowing low in respect and getting a nod in return as Knight looked on disgusted. ZERO then promptly stepped upon Shaolin on his way out of the ring, very much keen to show dominance in this new regime.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: ZERO

Sparky:
"An impressive victory followed by a disgusting lack of sportsmanship, something of the norm with ZERO these days.

Malothian:
"You speak of sportsmanship as some halcyon ideal, Sparking One, yet is this not combat? To treat your lessers like equals is to give them a pathetic false hope. Make their flaws known to all and they will move to address them."

Dustin:
"...oddly poignant coming from you."

Malothian:
"Alternatively you can just steal their mind and make them your personal thrall, I shall not judge."

Dustin:
"Theeeere it is."

Sparky:
"Well fans up-kzzt-xt. Oh not AGAIN with -KZZT- s! Hey Malo-KZZT-n how about you guys -KZZZZT- the wiring!?"

KZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!

"heeheehoho~"

KZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!

We cut from the announce booth to the bowels of the Reliquary, within its basement three figures walk with a flashlight illuminating their way.

"Think this is the right place...Cyanide said we could use this place as a safehouse if-well if Woodchuck ever went postal and came for us with more than a roundhouse kick and a determined disposition."

"Glad to know your torture of that poor woman is paying dividends for us."

Vortex:
"Cram it, Hez, I didn't know we were working for Karrg and the money was good."

"You were keeping her from attacking Karrg...and you didn't know you were working for him?"

Vortex:
" 'nide's a sadistic old codger and keeping her away from Karrg seemed like us doing her a favor in the long run, there were a lot of ways to look at it."

Hez scoffs and shakes her head as the trio wander deeper into the dark basement, passing sci-fi props from events gone by. A Haemogoblin standee here, a poster for The Amazing Aspman there...

Trevor Feather with a bottle of hair spray-wait, what?

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Trevor tries to spray at all three of them, but Vortex ducks and allows Hez and Warped to superkick him back into a replica of the Chair of Doom from The Chair of Doom which topples over and sends him tumbling into a sit at the feet of-

"Ah. Young Vortex, glad to see that even in betrayal you find your way to us."

"Trevor you're the worst lookout ever."

Guru Vishni and a bandaged up Cyanide are sat at a small table, glaring up at the newly formed tecnico trio with their arms folded.

Warped:
"Guru."

Vishni:
"Ahhhh, my dear HalloWarped, good to see you made it out. Seems a theme with people who have betrayed me-well, not all of course. Poor Toady."

Cyanide:
"What do you little cretins want?"

Vortex:
"We were hoping to rest up here before planning our next move."

Cyanide:
"Well too bad, this is our patch, screw off."

Hez:
"Karrg has triumphed over your gang and the forces of F.E.A.R, would you truly cling to factionalism even now?"

Cyanide:
"I ain't clingin' to factionalism, there ain't a faction anymore to cling to. Lerone and Rekha are probably being watched so we can't link up, Vortex here has chosen where his loyalties lie so that leaves me with Guru and the posterboy for 'Can't get the job done'."

Trevor:
"Words hurt..."

Cyanide:
"So do superkicks and you were fine taking those just now."

Vishni:
"Cyanide speaks the truth, young extraterrestrial, Skullduggery has been scattered to the winds just as F.E.A.R was. Karrg seeks the heads of everyone in this room, so would it not be wise for us to keep ourselves difficult to be captured all at once?"

Hez:
"..."

Vishni:
"Call me coward as you wish but you know no the consequences should Karrg get what he seeks."

Vishni's hand wanders to his tome, Trevor gives him a sidelong glance.

Warped:
"Fine, we'll figure out our own way forward. I think Knight still had a few haunts in town we can use..."

Cyanide:
"Goody, get goin'. And if you see Woodchuck anywhere...tell her I said I'm not in the mood to owe favors."

Vortex:
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled. C'mon, Hez."

Vortex moves to lead the trio away-

Vishni:
"Warped."

HalloWarped turns back to look at his former manager.

Vishni:
"Your move, this Warp Factor 5, it has felled that monstrosity before. Work on it, hone it as a blade to a razor's edge. When the time comes, do not hesitate, end that monster. Parting wisdom from an old man."

Warped grunts and nods then follows Vortex and Hez, leaving the remnants of Skullduggery behind as the camera lingers on them.

Cyanide:
"Kids are gonna get themselves killed, or worse end up like Whacko Jacko."

Trevor:
"Well...when people got a price on their heads they do crazy things, I guess."

Cyanide:
"Yeah-wait a minute you don't have a price on your head, Karrg doesn't care a bit about you!"

Trevor:
"Yeah..."

Trevor's hand reaches for something leaned against the wall...

Trevor:
"Funny how that happens."

Vishni:
"CYANIDE LOOK OUT-!"

CRACK!

Cyanide collapses to the side, laid out by the kendo stick shot that Trevor gave him. Vishni scrambles for his tome but Trevor places the tip of the kendo stick under his chin, forcing him to stand.

Vishni:
"Nngh...Trevor...think about this, my son..."

Trevor:
"Ohhh I've been thinking, and I've been reading too. Reception down here is dog water but I was able to get what they did to the newswire just fine. Gotta tell ya, a life of decadence and luxury sounds a lot better to me than hiding out down here subsisting on leftover popcorn and stale M&M's."

Vishni:
"Please...he cannot be allowed to...look within my tome!"

Trevor:
"I was wondering why the heck you were on his most wanted list, I'd figured it was just guilt by association. Now I know the truth, he wants your magical book of nonsense! So here's what's gonna happen: I'm gonna lead you to where Karrg is with your book, if you try to run away or attack me, I'm gonna lay you out and just give him the book. Up to you."

Vishni:
"You are...truly so much more underhanded than Cyanide gave you credit for. I'd compliment your ruthlessness if I wasn't being the victim of it."

Trevor:
"March. Now. I'm banking on that life of decadence involving more hair spray, I just used my last bottle you see."

With a last look at Cyanide's slumped over form, Vishni sighs and stands, marching in the opposite direction of where the three tecnicos left...

-KZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT-

Malothian:
"-and furthermore, we have attempted to contact these so-called Ghost Hunters but their line appears disconnected. A pity for-"

Dustin:
"We're back!"

Malothian:
"So we are, glory to Karrg for this development."

Sparky:
"Glory to the WrestleWorld techs morelike. Though speaking of the Ghost Hunters the two men that ended up banishing them thanks to Karrg's stipulations are up next. Tell me, Malothian, how do you feel about Sky's The Limit?"

Malothian:
"I hate them and wish they would die."

Sparky:
"What, not a fan of higher education? Isn't a more educated brain a more juicy meal for you?"

Malothian:
"I do not eat brains I am not a zombie. Also my quarrel is with the scum who wears the visage of...him..."

Dustin:
"Stratos? Oh right...Vertigo got rid of Karrg the first time."

Malothian:
"You know nothing, frail geek. I would prefer that two of our own reclaimed the titles of Harmony but if we must rely upon mercenaries to get the job done I will trust Mighty Karrg as I do in all things."

Sparky:
"Do you have a nose under that suit?"

Malothian:
"...yes, why?"

Sparky:
"How brown is it?"

Malothian:
"Color is irrelevant, let us commence the match."

HARMONY TITLE MATCH


SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS CASUAL VIOLENCE

A first time matchup between these two teams saw the lighter members of either tandem starting off with Stratos and Lerone Slim engaging in some technical chain wrestling. Slim initially got the better of the exchange by planting Stratos with a vertical Slimplex before kipping up and taunting the downed ex-Killer B with SubUrban Legend's signature 'Legendary Strut' to get in his head. Undaunted, Stratos kipped up as well and proceeded to school the less experienced grappler with a series of arm drags before springboarding off the ropes from an irish whip into a headscissors whip that sent Lerone rolling from the ring before Stratos hit the strut himself for a pop. As Slim and Rekha moved to regroup on the outside, Brain Buster slipped into the ring and served as a launch pad for Stratos to leap off of and over the top rope to perform a picture perfect plancha onto the rudos on the outside!

Stratos took a moment to celebrate with the fans on the outside before moving to grab Lerone and toss him back into the ring, not noticing the swiftly recovering Rekha who waylaid him with a shoulder tackle while Herbie H. Reedman was forcing Brain Buster back into the tecnico corner. Further laying into Stratos by tossing him up against the ropes on the apron and smashing an elbow into his face on the rebound, Rekha would toss the high flyer back into the ring as Lerone fully recovered enough to isolate the wouldbe Sky King into the rudo corner and commence a series of rough double teams that threatened multiple nearfalls culminating in a Super Slimplex (Slimperplex?) off the top followed by a big elbow drop from Rekha that only Brain Buster's intervention managed to stop from making a 3 Count. Eager to end the bout and STL's title reign, Rekha went for her signature Sit-Out Powerbomb but Stratos would use the momentum to slip free and catch Rekha in a sunset flip for a surprise two count that kept her off her rhythm enough for Stratos to tag in Brain Buster as she brought in Lerone!

Time for math with Brain Buster!

1 Hot Tag
x Two Big Mean Rudos
Around a dozen or so fists applied directly to the jaws!

With Casual Violence getting rocked, Brain Buster lifted Lerone up for a delayed vertical suplex only for Rekha to boot Buster in the belly and make him drop her partner! With the numbers advantage back in play, the two rudos moved for a double suplex on ZEN's resident Sports Edutainer but Stratos cut them off and got in position to turn it into a struggle for power between both teams! After quite possibly the most nailbiting fifteen or so seconds of two teams attempting to lift each other, Casual Violence managed to hoist their opponents up-only for Stratos and Brain Buster to slip free and land behind them! Rekha and Lerone turned to face their opponents only to eat a superkick and a haymaker respectively, Rekha stumbling out onto the apron as Lerone got flattened. As Rekha moved to get up, she found herself the victim to a triangle dropkick from Stratos, causing her to fall to the outside as Buster hauled Lerone off the mat. From there it was a simple matter of the tecnicos hitting the ABC 123 for the pin and the second defense of their titles!

WINNERS VIA PIFNALL AND STILL HARMONY CHAMPIONS: SKY'S THE LIMIT
(TITLE DEFENSE #2)

Post-match, Sky's the Limit celebrate in the ring joined by Molly Cuddle, holding up the Harmony belts pointedly at Karrg who sneers down at them.

Malothian:
"The disrespect, they should bow before Karrg!"

Sparky:
"What's the matter, not as much of a fan when it's someone you don't like leaving with their head held high?"

Malothian:
"Heads held high have a tendency to be cleaved from their shoulders, something you'd do well to remember."

Dustin:
"Not to butt in on this riveting conversation but what the heck is going on with Stratos?"

Indeed, in the ring the chest piece of Stratos' bodysuit has begun to blinked and pulse with light, leaving him and Buster confused as to what's going on. Molly quickly grabs him by the wrist and leads him towards the back, sparing a frightened glance back at Karrg, who watches them go with interest...

Dustin:
"I don't wanna be crass and call that a wardrobe malfunction but that's about the only term I can think of for it."

Malothian:
"How is this crass, explain yourself."

"PARTY PEOPLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!!!"

Sparky:
"Hey look something to end that conversation!"

Strutting out from the back, Urban Fox and Super Coolio make their way to the ring for their two matches. Sadly the boombox doesn't seem to have survived their encounter with ZERO at Way of the Warrior, or perhaps it got confiscated by Karrg Troopers...

Dustin:
"Thank goodness those two are still in high spirits."

Malothian:
"I had pushed for their banishment but Mighty Karrg finds them amusing gladiatorial fodder for his loyal vassals."

Dustin:
"Or he just appreciates a cool dude."

Malothian:
"He does no such thing and both of them are distinctly room temperature."

URBAN FOX VS LONE SHARK

Sporting a new look courtesy of Karrg according to Malothian, Lone Shark took to his new rudo stylings with gusto as he laid a beatdown on Urban Fox over the course of a few minutes. Fox would valiantly try to fight back multiple times with the help of the fans who were rallied by Super Coolio...existing at ringside, but each of his attempts at a high energy comeback were cut off by his far more experienced foe who probably hat not spent the past few weeks stuck in a makeshift prison in the Reliquary. Ultimately a new spinning fisherman buster dubbed 'The Feeding Frenzy' would spell the end of Fox's hopes and another victory for an Armada adjacent rudo.

WINNER VIA PINFALL: LONE SHARK

Post-match as Super Coolio attended to Urban Fox (read: obliviously stood next to him), Lone Shark called for a mic, planting free arm across his chest he bowed to Karrg and got a nod in response before going into his promo.

Shark:
"Lemme start off with an apology...an apology to myself for even TRYING to pretend I gave a krill's left antenna about what you 'ZEN Faithful' thought!"

The fans rain down boos on the rudo, who flicks them off in response.

Shark:
"Mighty Karrg, I thank you, I truly do. The last month has been the best month of my life, APW didn't even compare to what I've been able to experience as a member of the glorious Armada! All I have to say to the Zenizens and the rest of the locker room is this: Stop fighting, it's all over and the only way forward is following the footsteps of a visionary like the great ruler sat on that throne right there! Join the winning team! Join the Armada!"

With another bow to Karrg who waves him off, Shark struts to the back, giving Malothian finger guns on the way out. Coolio moves to aimlessly follow after him but is guided back to the ring by Herbie H. Reedman.

Sparky:
"Well he's enthusiastic if nothing else."

Dustin:
"He's also morally bankrupt."

Malothian:
"The sycophant is tolerated, Karrg does not abide his kind but he fights as well as any."

Sparky:
"I think you're just annoyed somebody else is doing the Mighty Karrg schtick."

Malothian:
"I have evolved past your petty simian emotions like annoyance."

Sparky:
"Cool, then let's get Lone Shark back out here to talk about how much he loves Karrg some more!"

Malothian:
"But I do have a concept of linear time and a refusal to waste what more we have! Behold, Buckminster Snark approaches!"

Indeed, Buckminster Snark makes his way to the ring, far from the mindless husk he's been the past year he looks lucid and determined as he nonchalantly tosses Super Coolio into the ring as he finishes his own entrance.

SUPER COOLIO VS BUCKMINSTER SNARK

The match began.

SNARK BITE.

The match ended.

WINNER VIA PINFALL: BUCKMINSTER SNARK

Sparky:
"Buckminster snark out here with a viciousness that we haven't seen from him in ages. You doing something new to make your mind-slaves more effective, Mal?"

Malothian:
"This-do not call me Mal-this is to be expected, Sparked One. But I shall not explain it myself, I shall allow...this free man to say his piece."

Dustin:
"Wait-WHAT!?"

Indeed, Snark has a microphone and looks around, sparing a glance at Karrg as he exhales and begins talking.

Snark:
"My name...is Buckminster Snark."

A small Bucky chant starts in the crowd but quickly dies out as Snark continues to talk.

Snark:
"Kalliope Woodchuck...you and I have unfinished business! It's...strange how a long time in a mental prison can make you clear your head and I've realized where my priorities lie."

He shoots another look at Karrg, who crosses his arms and smirks.

Snark:
"And Kalliope...I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to meet you at that place on the corner with the good milkshakes, I don't want to meet you anywhere other than this ring. Next month, you come out here and you find me, understand? I won't be anywhere else."

Snark throws down the mic and slips out of the ring, getting boos rained down on him as he steps away, stonefaced.

Sparky:
"He-he's not a puppet anymore?"

Dustin:
"He's not in love with Kalli anymore!?"

Malothian:
"Heheheh."

Sparky:
"You had something to do with this, didn't you?"

Malothian:
"So quick to accuse, is it not the way of you skin-apes to be given over to mercurial flights of emotion? He desires her no more, he despises her in fact. Such is the way of the world."

Dustin:
"You've angered forces beyond your comprehension, you alien monster!"

Malothian:
"What, is some god of love going to show their wrath?"

Dustin:
"Worse...the fangirls."

Malothian:
"...that actually made me shiver, impressive."

Sparky:
"Can't say you aren't sensible then. Well we're rolling right along here tonight with a handicap match-"

Malothian:
"Four way match."

Sparky:
"I'm seeing commas."

Malothian:
"You are seeing lies."

Dustin:
"Yeah sure it just so happens there's only one guy in this match who isn't in the Armada."

Malothian:
"We are numerous, there would obviously be some overlap. Enough of your chatter, the match is nigh!"

AUKLAND RAIDER VS BOOSTER: BOY GENIUS, MAN O'WAR, & LAGUNA THE LOYAL

Pre-match, Booster made a show of letting Raider know he'd taken the victory out of his tracking beacon so that his stolen device could no longer be used, so Raider just smacked him with it. When the bell rang Raider came out with intensity, Laguna and Manny came into it with thinly veiled contempt for their tag partner who kept attempting to keep up the four-way ruse by lightly 'chopping' either of them the entire time they had Raider on the backstep. It became clear that the alien gameplan was to keep Booster as far away from the action as possible as every time he did so Raider would pound him into the mat with his vast array of power moves, even when he'd tag himself in to tag advantage of Raider in a weakened state.

Raider's biggest hope spot came when his helmet turned out to be capable of tanking the Anchor Drop spike tombstone and he got up directly from it for a fiery comeback strike flurry to culminating in a double flying shoulder tackle to Laguna and Manny. However, his tunnel vision on Booster came back to bite him as his attempt to get the self-proclaimed genius back into the ring led to another merry chase around the ring that gave Manny the opening to blindside him with a clothesline as he rounded a corner. Using veteran cunning, Manny rolled Raider back into the ring and twisted his helmet around to blind him; thus leaving him open to the Fleet hitting the finisher of Laguna's previous team, the Anti-Human Device (Legsweep/Spear Combo) to finally overcome the raging runningback (ok he's more a defensive tackle but we like alliteration him).

WINNERS VIA PINFALL: THE ALIEN ARMADA

Post-match Laguna and Manny begin stomping out Raider, shoving away Booster when he attempts to join in.

Sparky:
"Oh come on, is this really necessary!?"

Dustin:
"I swear for two people helping Booster get revenge on Raider, they sure don't like him much."

Malothian:
"Booster? This is not about the Boy-Man, this is because the helmeted hellion dared assist my arch nemeses!"

Sparky:
"...the clowns, you did this because of the clowns!?"

Malothian:
"Yes, this is the wages of his sin and the sin of all who associate with those bulbous-nosed abominations!"

Dustin:
"Speaking of..."

Malothian:
"What?! No!"

Speak of the devil, running out from the back on their big squeaky shoes are-

CELESTINA AND C-W-A!

Wielding a pair of bowling pins, the two allies of Raider slide into the ring and waylay the alien assailants from behind, causing them to stumble away and into Booster. The trio attempt to untangle themselves from each other, but not quick enough to avoid Raider charging into them and sending them tumbling to the outside. Karrg glares down from his throne at the tecnico (and rudo) trio as Celestina grabs a microphone from the announcer and marches around the ring to get the fans riled up.

Celestina:
"Well well well, look who ain't so big when the odds are even, huh!? We got you space cases in disgrace because we're the ones who run the place, Aukland lemme hear ya!"

The fans cheer loud at Cely's request, Raider and C-W-A post up behind her as she points up at Karrg on his throne.

Celestina:
"And don't let me even get started with you, Mr. The Eternal! You and your boys think it's fun to come after Auks just because he's with us? You wanna shack up with the lowest of the low and say that means you run the show!? Your little majordomo wants to put out his bounties, wants to make it a crime to be a clown!?"

Malothian:
"YES! CATEGORICALLY!"

Celestina:
"Well I ain't gonna follow a law from a guy who needs to slurp up brain stems and cook creeps up in a lab to get folks to get on his side! I'm a Trailblazer, and a Trailblazer doesn't need to listen to some tinpot dictator with a tinfoil mask, the outlaw life was always a step away for me so if it's a crime to be who we are, then just call us the Crime Gang!"

C-W-A:
"I told you we aren't calling ourselves the *Honk*in' Crime Ga-"

Celly pull a rolled up cloth out of her pocket and unfurls it over the top rope!

C-W-A:
"WHEN DID YOU MAKE THAT!?"

Raider:
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! CRIME GANG! CRIME GANG! CRIME GANG!"

C-W-A:
"Of course you think it's a good name."

Celly:
"So send your bounty hunters, send your troopers, send your best and they'll drop like the rest! And to all of the people in the back who wanna fight back, come find us! Join the Crime Gang!"

Raider:
"Criiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime GANG!"

C-W-A:
"Yeah, Crime Gang, woo-*honk*in-hoo."

Malothian:
"Enough, Troopers, seize them!"

A cadre of Karrg Troopers run down to ringside and the newly formed 'Crime Gang' beat a hasty retreat through the cheering audience as the forces of Karrg pursue them.

Malothian:
"Get them! Don't let them escape!"

Sparky:
"Evolved beyond annoyance, huh?"

Dustin:
"Sounds more like rage to me."

Malothian:
"I will not take your smug assertions any longer, hold your tongues or so help me-"

Suddenly the projector pointed at the canvas screen set up in place of a tron comes to life and we're shown as a scene from the back. The room acting as Devilfish and Pink Spider's holding cell is. The two Karrg Troopers guarding the door are ushered away by a third, grunting a sound similar to the word 'clowns', causing them to charge offscreen. The camera lingers a few moments before a figure slips around the corner...

"Heh, well the kid knows how to make a distraction...now then..."

Kalliope Woodchuck -sporting a new look (and holding a paper bag for some reason)- digs into her pocket and retrieves a key.

Kalliope:
"Let's see if she's just as good with pickpocketing."

Slipping the key into door, she twists it and-

Click

Kalli:
"Check's in the mail, Cels."

Kalli moves to open the door and is immediately tackled against a wall by an extremely swift form. She grits her teeth and barely gets a look at her assailant before-

"Oh, crap!"

Devilfish steps back, looking apologetic.

Devilfish:
"Sorry Kalli, thought it was one of those guys and-wait, Kalli!? What're ya doing here!?"

Kalli:
"Busting you two out. Where's Pinks ?"

Pink:
"Over here..."

Pink Spider remains in the shadows, his voice morose.

Pink:
"Leave me to my fate, Chucky, I'm a shell of my former self without my mask."

Devilfish:
"He's been inconsolable for weeks, Kalli, I dunno if he's gonna leave this room with his face out like this. Lucha thing, y'know?"

Kalli:
"I know, that's why I brought this."

Kalli tosses the paper bag into the shadows and the figure rummages around with it.

Pink:
"Well I suppose this isn't my first choice but needs must..."

There are sounds of...scissors? And scribbling. Kaill and Fish look at each other in confusion...

Pink:
"Alright, thank goodness I smuggled some of my makeup tools in here."

Pink emerges from the shadows.

"Let's get going~."

Kalli:
"P...PINKS I PUT A BALACLAVA IN THERE!"

Pink:
"And balaclavas haven't been in vogue since 2015, Chucky, we're eight years out minimum from them being retro~."

Kalli:
"I...am not going to question this, come on let's move."

Kalli turns on her heel and begins walking towards...the entranceway?

Devilfish:
"We're going to the ring?"

Kalli:
"Yep, Karrg wants a main event tonight? I'm gonna give him one."

Devilfish:
"That's bold."

Pink:
"That's Kalliope Woodchuck, my fishy friend~. Come on, you lead I'll follow, Chucky~."

Kalli nods and the trio of tecnicos begin making their way to the entrance way, a PA looks up and scrambles to start playing one of their themes, Kalli holds up a hand.

Kalli:
"No need for that, just hand me a mic."

The assistant nods and hands the microphone over, the projector cuts off and the camera switches to Kalli exiting out the other end to a massive ovation. She looks directly at an enraged Karrg glaring down from his throne.

Kalli:
"Hi there Karrg, been a busy month for you I see."

Karrg:
"You...how DARE you!?"

Kalli:
"Oh I dare a lot more than just getting these two fellas out of the slammer you put them in. I could've run, but here I am and I came to strike a deal with you."

Karrg:
"Deal?! I have no interest in dealing with you in any sense other than the final kind, TROOPERS TO ME!"

Nothing happens.

Kalli:
"Yeah your little goonsquad's a bit busy chasing clowns around Aukland, pal. So before you blow a gasket lemme tell you my terms.  Instead of your little public execution, I want a trios match. We win, Pinks and Devi go free. You win, you get both of them right back where they were, the Conceptual Title, AND me in chains."

Karrg blinks, then glares at Malothian.

Karrg:
"MALOTHIAN! TO THE RING!"

Karrg looks to Jack.

Karrg:
"Fetch Beetle and Toady, we crush this bug tonight."

Kalli:
"Interesting choice of words."

Karrg:
"Silence yourself and prepare to fall before my Armada's might!"

Kalli smirks and nods to Fish and Spider, they walk past the announce desk and a furious Malothian, who waits for a confused duo of Deathwatch Beetle and Toady (one due to the odds no longer being in his favor, the other...ok that thing's emotions are practically inscrutable) before entering the ring as well.

Dustin:
"Kalliope making a huge gamble here, but if it pays off we could have two people free from the clutches of Karrg AND keep the Conceptual title!"

Sparky:
"War requires big swings, that much is true, though it's a long way down if these three fall. What once was a carbon copy of what just happened to Raider is now one of the most high-stakes trios matches we've seen in some time! Three careers and a title hang in the balance, let's get to the action!"

TRIOS MATCH WITH ALL THAT STUFF SPARKY SAID ON THE LINE



KALLIOPE WOODCHUCK, PINK (PAPER?) SPIDER, & DEVILFISH
VS
THE MALOTHIAN, DEATHWATCH BEETLE, & TOADY

The confidence the rudo squad had presumably held when their bout was a glorified handicap match had very much evaporated by belltime and full maid-staff level of house cleaning the tecnicos started the bout with certainly reflected that as an early attempt by the alien squad at jumping their foes saw all three sent to the floor and nail with a trio of synchronized topes by Kalli's alliance! Sparky theorized that Devilfish's natural high energy approach and Spider getting a simulacrum of his mask back had galvanized them past the fatigue being imprisoned had inflicted on them and it certainly showed as both men blitzed Beetle and Toady while Kalli laid a beatdown on the Malothian in the ring. Steven Yale finally managed to get things back under control and both teams were forced back to their corners where Beetle unveiled a trump card:

He still had Pink Spider's mask.

Dangling it out over the ropes, Beetle would enrage Pink into charging into the ring despite not being the legal man and allow Malothian to sneak a dirty throat strike to Devilfish while Yale tried to get the fashionista back in the tecnico corner.  Despite Kalli's attempts to keep him from rising to the bait, every time he caught sight of the mask it was like a bull seeing a red cape and it'd continuously prove a detriment to getting Fish free of the rudos' clutches. Ultimately, however, Beetle would go to the well one too many times and a final attempt to waggle the mask at Pinks while he held Devilfish in place for one of Toady's revolting mists, Fish would slip behind him and leave him to take a face full of...whatever that awful gunk was and roll him up for a nearfall that only Malothian's intervention would protect him from succumbing to! As Beetle writhed around on the mat, Fish would dodge both a Malothian Claw and a scything side kick from Toady to leap over and tag in Kalliope!

Showing agility on par with her fellow tecnico, Kalli would run wild with a flurry of furious flying headscissors on all three rudos while the fans chanted her name. Malothian and Toady were sent tumbling from the ring with Beetle staggering into the middle of the ring to fall victim to a stunning 10 Rotation Flying Headscissors (or 20 if you go by the fans' count, never do that) before putting him in a dizzy heap on the mat! Getting shaken out of her own dizziness by her teammates, Kalliope scaled to the top rope where she noticed-

Malothian had finally managed to summon some Karrg troopers from the back, looking to make this entire business moot through sheer numbers it seemed. Looking back and tagging in Devilfish, Kalliope would sail through the air with a high crossbody to take out both Malothian and the troopers at ringside! Back in the ring, Devilfish hopped in just as Beetle tagged in a recovered Toady and attacked the former Conceptual champion, tossing him out of the ring onto the growing people pile on the floor! Motioning his intention to fly, Fish moved to bounce off the ropes and found himself waylaid by a superkick from Toady and sent out into the crowd by the nefarious mutant-who didn't notice Pink Spider blind-tagging Fish's body as he passed! In the ultimate bit of poetic justice, the Fly would walk right into Pink Spider's Web of Destruction looking for a dive to the outside and tap out in short order! Spider and Fish were free and the Conceptual title was still out of Karrg's hands to his apparent fury!

WINNERS VIA SUBMISSION: PINK SPIDER, DEVILFISH, & KALLIOPE WOODCHUCK

Post match Spider looks around for his mask but can't seem to find it before Kalliope and Devilfish urge him to escape with them before the numbers catch up with them. Look frustrated the Conceptual champ joins them in fleeing ringside, the trio taking a moment to pose for the fans before they make good their escape.

Sparky:
"An impressive victory and quite the blow against Karrg's forces here tonight!"

Dustin:
"I have to agree, Sparky, but still...did Kalliope not hear what was going on with Bucky?"

Sparky:
"I don' think she did, Dustin, if she was focused on breaking out her fellow tecnicos she may not even know Snark is free of Malothian's control, let alone that he's gunning for her. My question is why didn't he come out during the match itself?"

Dustin:
"Good question, well I guess we'll need to come back next month if we want answers!"

Sparky:
"ZEN Faithful, for Dustin Thane and our...heh, indisposed broadcast partner the Malothian, I'm Sparky Spar-"

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT!?"

Sparky is cut off by a roar from the throne and the cameras cut over to here we see Karrg has grabbed the bars of Halloween Knight's cage and is shaking it in a fury.

"Ohhhhh nothing. Nyeeeeeeehhhh-heh-heh-heh!"

Halloween Knight's signature cackle which the ZEN Faithful haven't heard for a long time spills from him in fits and bursts.

Karrg:
"ANSWER YOUR RULER YOU MISERABLE BONE-BAG!"

Knight:
"Ohhhh fine, fine. I suppose I'm laughing at how it's already happening!"

Karrg:
"What. Is?"

Knight:
"Your unraveling, you miserable brute! Oh yes you and your little gang might have won the day last month, you may have swelled your numbers, but ZEN yet lives, ZEN yet fights, ZEN. Yet. Wins. My student and his allies, young Celestina's merry band of weirdos, Kalliope and her friends. And if you think Cyanide is going to take your betrayal lying down you've got another think coming. Before you just had F.E.A.R to worry about, but soon? Ohhhh soon all of ZEN shall array itself against you and I. Can't. Wait."

Karrg reaches through the bars and throttles the founder of ZEN.

Karrg:
"Why wait, old man, why wait to try and take back your company?"

Karrg turns back to the fans and roars out.

Karrg:
"ZENIZENS! STAY IN YOUR SEATS! A FINAL MATCH! A TITLE MATCH! KARRG THE ETERNAL VS HALLOWEEN KNIGHT!"

The crowd goes nuts for the announcement of a surprise title match as the Karrg troopers move to hustle Knight towards the ring, Karrg storming in after him and shoving the belt in the ring announcer's hands before the bell rang for this impromptu bout.

ZEN MASTER TITLE MATCH!?


KARRG THE ETERNAL(c) VS HALLOWEEN KNIGHT

At the sound of the bell, Karrg went for an immediate attempt at a Mafia Kick but Knight dodged it and started off hot with a flurry of palm strikes to the face of the champion before he was shoved away and came back with a dropsault that sent Karrg bouncing off the ropes before being sent face first to the mat with a drop toehold from the ZEN Original! Feeding off the energy of the fans, Knight raised Karrg to his knees and unleashed the might of his Mongolian Chops before eating a headbutt to the gut that forced him off his momentum and left him open to a rising European Uppercut that took him off his feet. With Knight trying to get back up, Karrg bounced off the ropes and smashed a Mafia Kick into his head that sent him flopping to the mat!

Soaking in the boos of the fans, Karrg then set to punishing Knight with a vicious series of knee drops and stomps, shoving away Steven Yale when he tried to intercede with the threat of an excessive punishment disqualification with a roar of:

"NO SUCH THING!"

When Yale tried to argue the point, Karrg clocked the ref and sent him stumbling from the ring, turning around into a sudden rising knee to the gut from Knight and a double arm ddt follow up! Not noticing the lack of a referee, Knight moved to the top rope and waited for the Master Champion to stand, launching himself as Karrg turned for a tornillo off the top onto the overlord! Knight hooked a leg for a pin but soon realized what had happened to Steven Yale and moved to rouse him on the outside. This gave Karrg time to rouse himself and slip out of the ring to grasp Knight by the mask and bash his head into a cornerpost! With Knight knocked loopy and the referee out, Karrg ripped the Master title away from the ring announcer and slid it into the ring before tossing Knight in as well. Taking a moment to quite literally rub Knight's face into the title he'd held a record 5 times, Karrg hoisted him up and hit a disgusting Conquest Bomb onto the belt before tossing it from the ring as Herbie H. Reedman found himself getting marched out by Man O'War and Laguna. Karrg pinned Knight and Herbie...took a moment to try and check on Steven Yale before Manny and Laguna shoved him into position to count the pin, a positively vile title defense by the champion and 'Ruler' of ZEN.

WINNER VIA PINFALL AND STILL ZEN MASTER CHAMPION: KARRG THE ETERNAL
(DEFENSE #6)

Post-match Karrg calls for a microphone, holding up the Master title as the fans boo him furiously. Several other members of the Armada come out to join the celebration as Karrg addresses the audience.

Karrg:
"You see how easily hope dies, Zenizens!? Troopers take this fool to a cryogenic chamber, his arrogance has lost him his room-temperature privileges! KYAAAAAAAAA-HAK-HAK-HAK! What just happened to him will happen to every one of the fools who still think they can oppose me! Your remnants of F.E.A.R, your Woodchuck Warriors, your Crime Gangs, they all will fall before me! I-what is it I'm addressing the peons!"

The Malothian has entered the ring and approached Karrg, the cameras pick up a simple message.

"WE HAVE THE GURU!"

Karrg's face breaks out into a wide smile, dropping the microphone and storming to the back, the rest of the Armada following after him (the ones not dragging away Knight anyway). The cameras follow him to the back, catching as he moves through the entrance curtain to find Trevor Feather and a morose Guru Vishni on the other side.

Karrg:
"AHA! YOU BEAUTEOUS PEACOCK I COULD KISS YOU!"

Trevor:
"I will settle for that life of plenty you promised, big boy."

Karrg:
"Oh you will have this and more, does he have it-he does! KYAAAAA-HAK-HAK-HAK!"

Karrg moves to grab at the Guru's tome, Vishni desperately lashes out with a poke to Trevor's eye before trying to run down the hall, only to be tripped by Man O'War, the tome sliding across the floor! Karrg storms over and retrieves the book, stepping on Guru's head as he opens the book.

Karrg:
"Yes...yeeeees, fifteen years I've waited for this moment. So long it took for me to travel across the stars to find this miserable blue marble. But now...I have it..."

Karrg opens the book and rips out a page, tossing the rest aside.

Karrg:
"The Aria of Ascension. The key...to godhood. In my hands at last."

Manny:
"Yarrr...they hid a key to godhood in Vishni's kitschy little book?"

Vishni:
"...you didn't...suspect it..."

Karrg:
"What more could one expect...from the Liar?"

Trevor:
"HE'S THE LIAR TOO!? DO I GET DOUBLE DECADENCE!?"

Karrg:
"Ohhhh you get all that and more, my friend. Yes, hidden in plain sight, known only to his fellow Council Members. Pity for you I gained access to their records when I took the Temple, isn't it?"

Vishni:
"You...will not...win..."

Karrg:
"I already have, little man, I already have."

Karrg begins to read out this 'Aria of Ascension'.

"When Dreamer's Gift
And Master's Mark
Together Harmonize
Open Rift
To Chaos Dark
And Power Catalyze
If Way Of War
Or Way Of Dream
This Rite May Be Recited
But Without All Four
Used As A Team
Your Efforts Will Be Blighted"

Karrg:
"..."

Manny:
"Well! Ain't that a co-inky-dink. We coulda done this way on back in January!"

Karrg:
"..."

Booster:
"Orrrr last night if some people hadn't dropped the ball..."

Manny:
"...I should nay be standin' next to him, should I?"

Karrg:
"Noooo...come closer...SO I CAN STRANGLE YOU!"

Karrg steps off of Vishni and tears at his own mask as Manny cowers behind a Trooper.

Karrg:
"I COULD HAVE DONE THIS TWICE OVER NOW! I COULD HAVE ATTAINED GODHOOD! NOW I HAVE TO GET THOSE TITLES BACK FROM THE BAG-HEADED ARACHNID, THE TRIBUTE ACT TO THAT MEDDLING VIGILANTE, AND AN EDUTAINER BEFORE JANUARY OR IT WILL BE ANOTHER SIX MONTHS DEFENDING THIS BELT! BLAST! DRAT AND BLAST!"

Vishni:
"Good...luck...abomination..."

Karrg:
"Ohhh...I have much more than luck on my side, you bald little insect. You!"

Karrg points at Booster, who jumps.

Booster:
"Me!?"

Karrg:
"Yes you! I commanded you to create a shock collar, yes?"

Booster:
"Oh, yes yeah, I uh finished it just before the show-"

Karrg:
"Fit it to the Guru and give the remote to our new friend."

Trevor:
"Huh?!"

Karrg puts his hand on Trevor's shoulder.

Karrg:
"My friend your every want will be accounted for, your every whim granted for the service you gave me. I ask only one thing in return...keep the Guru in your service, shock him if he ever gets out of line. And never let him out of your sight. Understand?"

Trevor blinks as he's handed a simple remote by Booster, then smirks wide.

Trevor:
"For you, boss? Of course~"

Karrg:
"Excellent. Now the rest of you fall in line."

Karrg begins walking down the halls of the Reliquary.

Karrg:
"We've much to do...and failure will no longer be tolerated."

Edited Tuesday at 05:51 PM by Pteroid
Fixed broken image

[alpha2117]

BWAH HAHAHAHAHA!

[Eugh]

Great storyline beats here, actually more positive than I expected. Really taking shape.

[Pteroid]

ARMADA TRANSMISSION

MIGHTY KARRG ANNOUNCES THREE TITLES MATCHES FOR WAY OF THE SPY

IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM AND UNMATCHED MIGHT, KARRG THE ETERNAL HAS ANNOUNCED A TRIO OF TITLE MATCHES FOR WAY OF THE SPY. THE VILE PINK SPIDER WILL FACE BELOVED MUTANT TOADY WHOM HE CHEATED OUT OF A FAIR AND BALANCED FOUR-WAY TITLE MATCH DUE TO THE MACHINATIONS OF THE VILE KALLIOPE WOODCHUCK. THE PATHETIC SKY'S THE LIMIT WILL DEFEND THEIR ILL-GOTTEN HARMONY BELTS AGAINST THE RIGHTFUL CHAMPIONS IN THE ALIEN FLEET IN A RETURN MATCH FROM THEIR CLASHES EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND IN THE MAIN EVENT KARRG WITH TREAT YOU ALL TO A DEMONSTRATION OF POWER AND MIGHT AS HE SPARS WITH HIS FUTURE MEAT SUIT, PUMPKIN JACK WITH THE MASTER TITLE ON THE LINE. GIVE THANKS TO MIGHTY KARRG.

VASSAL OF THE MONTH AWARD GIVEN TO NON-ARMADA MEMBER

WE HERE AT THE ARMADA TRANSMISSION WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE BELOVED FASHIONMAN TREVOR FEATHER FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE GLORIOUS REGIME BY CAPTURING THE HATED ZEN COUNCILMAN KNOWN AS THE LIAR. POSING AS HUMBLE LOW BLOW PURVEYOR GURU VISHNI, THIS DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL HELD THE SECRET TO MIGHT KARRG'S ASCENSION TO A HIGHER STATE OF BEING WITHIN HIS INFERNAL PICTURE BOOK BUT NO MORE! MR. FEATHER HAS BEEN REWARDED FOR HIS EFFORTS WITH OPULENCE AND LUXURY AS WELL AS A MATCH WITH FORMER STABLEMATE LERONE SLIM AT WAY OF THE SPY WITH REKHA BANNED FROM RINGSIDE.

MISSING REFEREE MYSTERY: HUNT DOWN THE REEDMAN

AFTER RAISING THE HAND OF MIGHTY KARRG IN HIS TITLE MATCH THIS PAST WAY OF THE LIAR, HERBIE H. REEDMAN HAS DISAPPEARED FROM KARRG APPROVED SURVEILLANCE NETWORKS. HIS PRODIGIOUS BULLYABILITY HAS ALLOWED FOR MULTIPLE VICTORIES FOR OUR GREAT LEADER AND HE MUST BE FOUND TO CONTINUE THIS TREND. LOCATE THE ZEBRA-MAN AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A PROPORTIONAL REWARD OF A LIFE OF MILD COMFORT AND FINANCIAL SECURITY.

WAY OF THE SPY

ZEN MASTER TITLE MATCH
KARRG THE ETERNAL (c) VS PUMPKIN JACK

ZEN HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS THE ALIEN FLEET

URBAN FOX VS BLACK FLASH

CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS TOADY

REKHA BANNED FROM RINGSIDE
LERONE SLIM VS TREVOR FEATHER

[alpha2117]

ZEN MASTER TITLE MATCH
KARRG THE ETERNAL (c) VS PUMPKIN JACK

ZEN HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS THE ALIEN FLEET

URBAN FOX VS BLACK FLASH

CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS TOADY

REKHA BANNED FROM RINGSIDE
LERONE SLIM VS TREVOR FEATHER

[KyTeran]

ZEN MASTER TITLE MATCH
KARRG THE ETERNAL (c) VS PUMPKIN JACK

ZEN HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS THE ALIEN FLEET

URBAN FOX VS BLACK FLASH

CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS TOADY

REKHA BANNED FROM RINGSIDE
LERONE SLIM VS TREVOR FEATHER

[Tiberious]

ZEN MASTER TITLE MATCH
KARRG THE ETERNAL (c) VS PUMPKIN JACK

Last we saw Jack had fallen under Kaarg's control, so barring outside interference I don't see this result going any differently. Plus I just don't think Jack will be the one to take the title from Karrg.

ZEN HARMONY TITLE MATCH
SKY'S THE LIMIT (c) VS THE ALIEN FLEET

Karrg's still got a few months before he needs all the belts, so I think Sky's the Limit will hold strong for now at least.

URBAN FOX VS BLACK FLASH

I want to like Fox, but for now he kind of feels less interesting than his partner

CONCEPTUAL TITLE MATCH
PINK SPIDER (c) VS TOADY

I like Toady, but I feel like he isn't the one to take the title off of Pink Spider.

REKHA BANNED FROM RINGSIDE
LERONE SLIM VS TREVOR FEATHER

Could go either way, but Lerone Slim rules and Trevor Feather's cockyness has been known to bite him so I think he screws up here.

[Pteroid]

ENGRAVE THIS MOMENT INTO THE WALLS OF YOUR MIND-PALACE

IT IS TIME FOR

"Hello again and welcome to Karrg-O-Vision, the only mandatory web series on the WrestleWorld. I'm Guy Budman here again with a special message to my fellow slaves to the glorious Karrg The Eternal? What's that? No I'm not Bud Guyman, that was never my name, you are just a foolish human. Like me. Guy Budman. Who is a human man and not grown in a tube. Do not delay the inevitable, we must begin today's lesson! It's a triple header tonight as I impart to you the importance of-KZZT-tility-KZZZZZZZZZZZZT-d obe-KZZZZZZZZZZZ

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT

We're no longer in watching Karrg-O-Vision, but we're not playing the peeping tom to the political intrigues of Karrg's Court either. No we're in a backroom of the Reliquary where a trio of do-gooders is do-gooding the best they can at figuring out what's do-badding about one of their number's experimental combat suit.

"It's still blinking."

"I'm well aware, Stratos, thank you."

"Perhaps if we attempted to turn it off and turn it back on?"

Stratos:
"It doesn't 'Turn Off', Buster, its power armor."

Buster:
"Well maybe if you took it off and we had a look at its internals then?"

Stratos:
"Not while we're still here, I don't want to risk an ambush with it not protecting me."

Molly:
"Well we can't very well drive to my flat downtown with this thing blinking out whatever that is, we'll get the cops on us."

Stratos:
"Couldn't Buster talk to them? They're your people."

Buster:
"Sadly no, when I defrocked myself from the path of the enforcer, I lost all rights and privileges it carried with it. You two are my only companions on this lonely road..."

Molly:
"Oof, did not know that part."

Buster:
"Take heart, Ms. Cuddle, I walk it willingly in service of bringing down that tyrant-"

At the sound of the word tyrant, the blinking intensifies, more lights coming online on Stratos' suit before-

The blinking light projects out from Stratos' chest, creating a hologram in the center of the room. A hologram of...

"Huh, well you guys sure accessed me quicker than I thought you would!"

Vertigo stands before the trio, who look shocked at his presence, the man who banished Karrg the first time leans forward and waves his hands a bit.

Vertigo:
"Helloooooo? Earth to Molly and uh...gee I hope it's Killer B under there. Also whoever you are, alphabet superman."

Stratos:
"Uh-ah, yeah hi! It's me, B, under here. Vert is that really you?"

Vertigo:
"Nooooot as such. I'm something of a helper program the real me designed to help whoever was worthy of the Stratos suit. Congrats on being that, by the way. I was made to trigger with sufficient proximity to one of ZEN's belts -well the three corporeal ones anyway- as well as the uttering of a key phrase like that guy there just did."

Buster:
"Aha, vocabulary wins the day again!"

Vertigo:
"I assume from the word 'tyrant' that Karrg has used my absence to renege on his promise not to darken our doorstep again."

Molly:
"That's right...Vert, where did you go?"

Vertigo:
"Sorry Molls, real me didn't divulge that information when he put me in here, otherwise I'd tell ya. In the meantime I have been authorized to give those trusted by this suit's bearer some pretty extensive information, information that may prove useful in gleaning what Karrg's after."

Stratos:
"What about how to stop him?"

Vertigo:
"Well you're already part way there, holding the Harmony belts like you are. Good work, they're vital to making sure the ritual Karrg's trying to use is successful."

Buster:
"Ritual?"

Vertigo:
"Gosh where do I even start. Ok let's start with the basics, how do you spell the word 'Aukland'?"

Buster:
"Easy, A-U-K-L-A-N-D!"

Stratos and Molly nod their heads.

Vertigo:
"Ever meet someone who spelt it differently?"

Buster:
"Uhhh...oh! So apparently I wasn't born a cop but some people who spelt it 'A-U-C-K-L-A-N-D' dropped me off at the doorstep of the Precinct I grew up at!"

Vertigo:
"Not gonna even try to parse any of what you just said other than the spelling thing. Auckland with a C in it, eh? Then you my friend were put there by folk from the Realm of the Scholar."

Molly:
"Realm of the Scholar?"

Vertigo:
"Yes indeedy, you see ours isn't the only world, I mean obviously alien invasion. But beyond even that, there are whole universes out there beyond physical space. Observe."

Vertigo's hologram flickers for a moment and we see visions of worlds beyond ZEN...

Two luchadors, one a wild-haired man in a purple mask and the other in one emblazoned with flames do battle, the former smashing the latter through a flaming table...

A bizarre dead-eyed entity with curly green hair catches a much larger (and older) man in a pinning predicament out of a submission hold...

Another luchador, this one in mariachi garb, prevents a garish Elvis Impersonator from bashing a large man over the head with a guitar...

Then an odd image that seems more like a logo than anything, pixelated to oblivion, wonder what that's all about...

Vertigo:
"Oof, sorry some are harder to give glimpses into than others but you get the gist. Now we of ZEN are part of a collective of twelve such universes arrayed in an orbit around a pocket of primordial chaos, like so."

Molly:
"The emojis are a bit...much but I get it."

Vertigo:
"All you gotta know is that these Realms keep that big bad chaos in check while the Realm of the Dreamer -the one least tethered to reality- siphons it away to make concepts that filter out along the other Realms until they end up in their final crucible: The Realm of the Warrior AKA Here AKA The One MOST tethered to material being. There's only one constant between all twelve Realms: There is always a ZEN in some form or another, and there is always an Aukland, New Zealand. Unless you're in the Realm of the Jester, they switched Aukland and Oakland, California because they thought it was funny."

Buster:
"And Karrg is going to use this to gain more power?"

Vertigo:
"When the Realms were brought into orbit and ours was made the diametric opposite of the Dream Realm's, they gave us a smidge of their power as a sign of trust and friendship. It cannot be seen, only felt, a symbol of its power localized entirely within the mind of the holder."

Stratos:
"The Conceptual Belt!"

Vertigo:
"Precisely! When it and the Master Belt are brought together on the days that either Realm holds most sway over ZEN, in conjunction with the Harmony Belts to balance their powers, a bridge could be built from our Realm into that of the Dream! Pure unfiltered creativity, the stuff dream and thought quite literally are made of! If Karrg can propel himself into that place and take its power for himself, he wouldn't just be a god, but a universal constant filtered out into countless realities, a conquering lord of reality with none to stand in his way! CHAOS! MAYHEM! THAT STUPID LAUGH HE DOES!"

Molly:
"So...I guess it is important we keep these bad boys, huh?"

Vertigo:
"Deathly important, as well as the others."

Buster:
"Hold on a tick though...how did Karrg, an alien from who knows where find out about all this in the first place?"

Vertigo:
"I...Vertigo...fifteen years ago he and-[DATA ACCESS DENIED! HIGHER CLEARANCE REQUIRED!]"

Stratos:
"Seriously!?"

Vertigo:
"I'm sorry, friends, I suppose real me required you to accomplish more before he would divulge that part of his life. Take heart, though. You have your mission and the ability to see it through. Give that big alien brute what for for your old friend Vert!"

Vertigo's hologram abruptly vanishes and the flashing and blinking going on with Stratos' suit ceases.

Stratos:
"Welll...didn't see that one coming when I followed you into that cave, Molls."

Molly:
"I didn't either, why do I feel like we just got involved in something way bigger than we should?"

Buster:
"Fear not, my friends, with the power of Stratos athleticism and my might mind, we shall safeguard this Realm from the clutches of Vile Karrg!"

Buster retrieves his Harmony belt and holds it high.

Buster:
"What say you?!"

Stratos:
"Well alright, let's do this!"

Buster and Stratos clink their belts together and clap Molly on the shuolder, grinning with determination and getting a smile back.

Molly:
"I've got your back, boys, let's show that no-good tyrant what ZEN's all-"

KZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT

Guy:
"-about! And that's how you do your forced labor with minimal chance of a hernia. Oh my, look at the time, you're due for your shifts in the...wood mines or the puppy kicking factory or whatever it is you're supposed to be doing. Don't delay now, KARRG WILL SMITE ALL UNPRODUCTIVES. This has been Guy Budman with Karrg-O-Vision! Have a Karrgy day!"

END TRANSMISSION