Shu

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Fiona’s gamble paid off as all one hundred and nineteen pounds of her rained down across Ada’s back just as the latter was up onto her hands and knees. Ada was plastered against the floor padding, Fiona rolling off of Ada and down beside her after the collision.

“And Fiona Chevalier with a slingshot right over the top rope and down onto Ada flooring them both!”

“You know Ada wishes now that she hadn’t went for that wild tackle!” Rhonda grinned sideways at Dan Rich.

“And Fiona has a chance now to reclaim the advantage if she can be the first one up.” Dan replied.

”One!…” The referee started a ten count. Both women had ten seconds to get back inside the ring or take a loss or - if neither made it in time - a no contest. Ada’s arms and legs moved about in awkward, random motions against the padding though she did not rise up again. The sudden impact of Fiona’s body weight battering down onto her had flattened Ada and The Neon Diva needed a moment to recover.

”Two!…”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“And The Neon Diva keeping Fiona down for a two count but not getting the win,” Dan Rich said, “it looked like Fiona had the match in hand only for Ada to turn things around with a dodge and a couple of German suplexes.”

Ada approached Fiona slow and careful, the confidence still resonating from her despite the close save for Fiona.

“And I think Ada knew that was not enough to put Fiona away, credit to Fiona,” Brent stated, “that counteroffensive and pin was as much a psychological attack as a physical one. Fiona was riding high with the crowd behind her only for Ada to snatch the momentum back to her side.”

“And we see Ada now preparing to make her next move with Fiona on the ropes.” Dan nodded to the ring.

Ada reached out with her left hand and grabbed a handful of Fiona’s hair, the official rushing forward to interject for the first time in the match, “Off the hair.” Ada ignored him and wound up her right arm and delivered a vicious punch to Fiona’s chin.

“A hard right from Ada!”

Ada held onto Fiona’s dark locks and wound up for another punch, the official once again shouting for her to release Fiona’s hair - Ada once again ignoring him. Ada delivered a second punch, this time to Fiona’s left cheekbone. The resounding smack caused the fans ringside to either recoil or cheer Ada on.

“A second hard right!”

Ada prepared for a third punch only for the official to grab her right arm and pull her back, Fiona now free of Ada’s grasp. Ada snatched her arm away from the official and shouted something at him as he waved his hands in a gesture of final warning.

“And the official breaking it up and warning Ada to stay away from Fiona’s… hair.” Dan Rich snorted.

Ada turned her focus back to Fiona and suddenly rushed forward, intent on tackling Fiona between the ropes and sending them both down onto the floor.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Ada ricocheted off the ropes back towards Fiona, however, just as Fiona swung her forearm The Neon Diva ducked and rolled under the strike attempt. Ada came up and around fast behind her opponent. Before Fiona could react Ada wrapped both arms around her midsection, then lifting Fiona off her feet and falling backward slamming her headfirst onto the mat.

“A dodge by Ada and a German suplex!”

“What did I tell you?” Brent asked rhetorically as Ada’s fans broke into cheers.

Still holding onto Fiona, Ada rolled from under her and then slowly stood - hauling Fiona up with her. Ada re-secured her grapple and then lifted and tossed Fiona backward a second time for another hard slam into the center of the ring.

“A second German suplex!”

“Are we about to see shades of Eddie Guerrero?” Rhonda wondered aloud.

“Doesn’t look like it.” Brent observed as Ada let go of Fiona, sliding from under her and standing up. After a quick intake of breath Ada ran for the north side ropes, bouncing off them and striding right over the downed Fiona. Ada then connected with the southern side ropes and, with momentum built, ended her counter sequence with a running senton straight across Fiona’s torso. With a confident look on her face Ada reached around and took ahold of Fiona’s left leg and raised it as she lay her back across Fiona’s midsection for the count.

“Ada now for a cover!”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Fiona dropped down across Ada with a bang that fired up the crowd. Fiona went for the pin and the official was down in less than two seconds for the count.

“Fiona for the cover!” Dan Rich sat upright in his chair.

“One!… T-…” Ada bolted upright breaking the pin, the official rising to his knees and holding one finger high before standing back up.

“And Fiona Chevalier for the first pin of the match, Ada freeing herself after a one count,” Dan stated, “Fiona has taken control now on a routing - an elbow, followed by a cartwheel strike in the corner, followed by a double stomp to the chest, and then a splash across a downed Ada!”

“Ada isn’t done yet,” Brent said next to Dan, “Fiona better keep up this stride and end the match quick. All that pin attempt has done is motivate Ada and she is going to try to turn this around.”

Ada wobbled up onto her knees, arms dangling awkwardly in front of her. She was in a vulnerable state and Fiona’s fans were urging her to keep up the offense.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Fiona’s prediction was on point. Ada had closed in on a downed Fiona and when she saw the second sweep attempt she jumped straight up - this time opting out of a flip - and came down gut-first onto the bottom of Fiona’s boots. Ada was then kicked back onto her rump, the crowd reacting with a collective “Ooh”.

“And Ada is thrown onto her backside by a hard double kick from Fiona as Ada tried to capitalize on a hurricanrana!”

Ada got up onto her feet again, this time in a slow, steady rise instead of an instant pop-up. She rubbed at her gut with a short grimace as she sized up Fiona. Ada was undeterred and intent on taking early control of this match and what better way than to keep up the constant pressure? Ada leapt backward, bouncing off the ropes for the third time in less than two minutes and raced toward Fiona aiming to drive a low dropkick right into Fiona’s knees.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Fiona’s clothesline connected, catching Ada just under her throat across the top of her chest. Ada had not gotten her feet under her in ample time coming up from her dropkick and was flattened on her back sending a quiver across the mat.

“And a clothesline from Fiona in response to a dropkick from Ada!”

“This match is going to be intense,” Rhonda finally chimed in, “both of these women want the win and are not going to be backed down easily.”

Ada kipped up and instead of turning to face Fiona she made a second dash for the ropes, flying off the opposite side like a rock from a slingshot right at her opponent. This time Ada looked to execute a hurricanrana tossing Fiona into the center of the ring.

“And here comes Ada off the ropes a second time…” Dan Rich’s tone raised in anticipation.

FORGOTTEN REALMS - Gambit of Scoundrels

“Well,” Iliskra said as she pulled her notes free from the depths of her bag, then tying it back, “these are hardly plans for seizing a city. And as for the defenses of Jadarl’s estate… I admit that the place was… well… easy.”

“Perhaps this Jadarl does not consider the Talons a threat anymore.” Ibdur said, “If Breck and his men, outsiders to the goings on in this city, learned that the Talons were gasping their final breaths surely Jadarl knows that they are. What I mean… is perhaps he thought there was no need for elaborate defense against thieves.” The dwarf immediately frowned and looked down at the floor, clearly not believing his own poor theory.

Something was definitely out of place with all that had happened earlier. Elthel’s sudden disappearance, the admittedly lackluster defenses - even considering the golem and the guards - the trick safe… Was it bait? Iliskra wondered as she ruffled the parchment in her hands. A trap that did not work out as it was meant to? She doubted this. Jadarl was supposedly in the close employ of the elusive Shagarm who was set on taking over Scardale Town. A clumsily laid trap meant for the likes of the Ashaba Talons did not fit the image of this would-be conqueror or any “right hand” of theirs.

Iliskra’s eyes wandered over the parchment in her hands. “Well,” Ibdur demanded, his burly arms crossed, “what do you have there?”

Iliskra blinked and stammered for a moment, “Uhm… m-most of what was in the letters was… logistical.”

“Logistical?”

“A report about a rise in recruit numbers… weapon shipments due in coming days… reports on Red Wizard encroachments… but…”

“But what?” Ibdur asked.

It was clear that Iliskra was distracted. The half-elf’s eyes shifting about as she looked up from the papers in her hand. “But they are sparse in detail. As if rushed or…” Iliskra trailed off again and the annoyance on Ibdur’s face was becoming more apparent. Elthel disappearing… the mediocre defenses… the safe… and now the vague letters… and that ring…

“Tempus damned it, elf,” Ibdur barked, spreading his arms in impatience, “if you have something brewing in that skull of yours then spit it out!”

Iliskra’s head snapped up, her eyes instantly locking with Ibdur’s causing the dwarf to recoil slightly as the notes she had taken all suddenly slipped from her grasp and scattered across the floor. Iliskra then looked and Leon and said without hesitation, “We need to leave here right now. And discard everything we took from that mansion.”

“Hold… what?” Ibdur demanded, raising both hands up indicating he wanted an explanation from Iliskra.

Iliskra stood up from Leon’s bed and scurried past him and Ibdur over to the door, as she reached for the knob she looked over her shoulder at Leon - her eyes filled with intent. “Leon, that ring was meant to be found. It was too easy to break in and make off the way we did! The safe with the stone of alarm was probably even just a ruse to sell the trap! Leave everything you took here in your room and meet me in the hall. Then we must leave.”
Iliskra hoped Leon understood her implication, stepping out into the hallway and shutting the door to his and Ibdur’s room without another word or a second look.

“What in the nine Hells is she raving about?” Ibdur asked Leon, eyes wide.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Ada was ready however and when The Neon Diva saw the sweep attack coming she immediately went aerial, performing a standing backflip with a flawless upright landing that was as much a statement as a dodge. A low wave of ovations for Ada and jeers at Fiona rose up from the stands. While it could have been a worse result for Fiona a miss like that with a performative counter by the opposition was an embarrassing spot to be in.

“And we are starting off with an impressive dodge by Ada after a botched takedown attempt by Fiona!” Dan Rich stated.

Ada surged forward, not to attack Fiona but instead going over her in a high stride as she made for the ropes on the announcers’ side of the ring. Ada came off the ropes fast and went for a dropkick on Fiona wherever she could connect.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

There was a lull in the arena as Fiona’s theme ended and the noise level dropped notably compared to moments before. A deafening cacophony of cheers, whistles, stomping feet, and the applause of thousands of wrestling fans was replaced by stray adorations and individual shouts as Fiona stood in the ring ready for her opponent . This did not last for long though as the lights dropped darkening the arena and a rhythmic thumping began echoing all around. The fans stirred again as electro music poured from the speakers and the overhead lights, LED banisters, and titantron flashed a brilliant shade of pink. The music began to build, quickly culminating in an intense frequency as a man’s voice counted down.

“Three… Two… One…”

When the count reached “one” the lights all stopped flashing, turning solid as a shrill whistle, a chain of explosions, and a flurry of sparks came from the stage. The crowd went berserk as the unmistakable figure of Ada Eberhard appeared from within the pyrotechnics, standing in an statuesque pose with her arms spread at her sides. Clad in her signature pink and dark purple sleeveless bodysuit, Ada also wore a pair of purple tinted sunglasses with pink trim and a pair of solid pink Air Jordan sneakers. Her pink and purple dyed hair completed her look in full bringing to life The Neon Diva.

“And her opponent, from Augusta, Maine… Ada “The Neon Diva” Eberhard!”

Ada slowly raised her arms up in a basking pose as another round of explosions erupted behind her, then lowering them back down after a moment and without further delay began her descent down the ramp from the stage. Ada strutted along, bopping her head and pumping her right fist high in sync with her still playing theme. As she neared the bottom of the ramp Ada spun around on her heels and moonwalked flawlessly across the floor coming to a stop near the ring apron.

“The energy in Madison Square Garden is palpable right now!” Brent Christi shouted over the fans. “The Neon Diva is in the house!”

Ada slowly turned to face the ring, reaching up and plucking her sunglasses from her eyes in a casual manner and tossing them into a nearby group of fans who all scrambled to catch them. Ada’s bright blue orbs were shrouded by dark purple eyeshadow and her mouth was accented by a pink glaze of lipstick. Ada climbed up onto the apron and then vaulted over the top rope with ease. She never made eye contact with or in any way acknowledged Fiona when she landed in the ring, instead walking in a full circle around the mat making spiraling motions overhead with her index fingers before coming to a stop in the northwest corner. Ada’s theme slowly faded away and the pink lights were replaced by the NMW red and white lights that illuminated the arena. The company logo, a menacing red-eyed skull, marked the center of the mat between Fiona and Ada.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“You’ve got this, Fiona,” Kendra said with a meaningful nod, “I mean… we owned it in Japan in front of a completely foreign crowd. I promise that you have thousands of fans out there to support you what with NMWW being folded over. The fans follow the product! Or… something like that.”

There was a surge in the energy out in the arena, a low rise of shouts and stray applause from the nearly twenty thousand assembled people. The last match had ended about fifteen minutes ago with a pinfall and the crowd was eager for more. “Hungry” as Gordon had put it. Next on the card was Ada Eberhard versus Fiona Chevalier and everyone was eager to see it.

“Well, I’ll be back here watching the match. The next best thing to being by your side, I suppose.” Kendra smiled, gave Fiona a quick one-armed hug, and headed back down the tunnel leaving Fiona to a few final seconds of solitude before her match.

---

Madison Square Garden was electric this Saturday night, the No Mercy Wrestling opening show proving to be a success. The first match of the night featuring Isabella Cadiz had been one for the books with a climatic finish to a back and forth bout and the guarantee of a bitter rivalry in the future. The second match had been more lopsided with former Crash Syndicate Wrestling heel Silas Dane mercilessly pulverizing a young prospect amid endless boos. After the winning pin Dane helped himself to the mic at ringside, stating that he planned to take the NMW men’s championship in the coming months and that anyone that stood in his way would be “ground into the dirt beneath his feet”. After a few more scathing remarks a smug Dane left a riled crowd in his wake for Ada and Fiona to feed with their performance next.

Sitting at the announcer’s table on the eastern side of the ring were the three commentators for No Mercy Wrestling. Former NMWW commentator Dan Rich, former CSW commentator Brent Christi, and the freshly hired Rhonda Pierce. Each with their own perspective and tendencies to be offered forth during commentary through the night - which was the idea. Dan Rich was a portly man in his fifties easily recognizable by his oversized black suits and always accompanying black cowboy hat. Brent Christi meanwhile was a younger man in his early thirties with slicked back dark brown hair and a handsome face that dimpled up when he smiled. He was known for his brightly colored wardrobe, sporting a grass green three piece suit with a red necktie for tonight. Rhonda Pierce was a shorter woman with auburn hair that was tied in a tight ponytail and unlike her male counterparts kept her choice in wares more modest. In lieu of a flashy appearance she was proving to be one for witty remarks and barbs.

Dan Rich, who sat between Brent and Rhonda, adjusted his headset and cowboy hat as he looked between his two new colleagues. “Let me tell you, that Silas Dane knows how to stir up a crowd, boy just listen to that!”

“That’s Silas for you, Dan,” Brent Christi grinned, “he knows how to get people good and mad!”

“Well, maybe people will be cheered up here soon because next up we have The Neon Diva, Ada Eberhard, facing off against none other than Fiona Chevalier!” Dan Rich said excitedly. “Like with Isabella Cadiz I had the honor of calling for many of this young ladies’ matches back in NMWW! Fiona is an energetic and driven young woman and let me tell you she has a bright future ahead of her if she keeps going at the rate she is.”

“And I will say the same about Ada Eberhard,” Brent interjected, “Ada’s picture is right next to the definitions of the words ‘athlete’ and ‘ambitious’. She went undefeated during her time with Concrete Jungle Pro up until her lost title challenge and she also made an impact at CSW. And after recovering from her injury and getting her feet back in the ring she plans to start strong with this new brand. Quite frankly I’m saying she takes the match tonight.”

“I’m going to disagree with you there Brent,” Rhonda piped up, “I’m saying this match goes to Fiona Chevalier.”

“And I shall remain impartial,” Dan Rich laughed aloud, “and it looks like we are ready to for our next entry.”