Shu

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“That’s what I like to hear.”

“How is tonight’s main event looking, Mister McKinney?” Kendra asked Gordon.

“Well…” Gordon began, holding up his iPhone and furrowing one bushy brow as he looked over the NMW Live app. The right side of his mouth twisted up, one meaty thumb hovering over the screen. Fiona and Kendra waited in silence. After about a minute he lowered the phone to his side, his eyes moving to Fiona.

“Raven Veyn holds the advantage currently, but Isabella was dominating for most of the opening.”

“Who seems to be the fan favorite?” Kendra asked with a touch of caution.

“It’s a close one,” Gordon said with a smirk. “Isabella Cadiz was the face of No Mercy Women’s Wrestling, and she had a following before then. Raven Veyn was the undefeated champion back at Crash Syndicate Wrestling, but… between you two and me, Isabella Cadiz is probably the toughest opponent that Raven has ever faced. Well… except for one other…”

Kendra started to ask who the “other” was, but Gordon’s phone pinged with a text. He glanced at it then quickly excused himself.

“Fiona, I’ll call you tomorrow with details about next week,” Gordon said as he stepped through the doorway, not looking back. “Go on back to the hotel and get some rest. You’ve earned it!”

Kendra smiled and crossed her arms, turning to Fiona.

“So, who would you rather face between those two?”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“Well…” Kendra smirked, stepping back. “We already know that—”

“There she is!”

Kendra flinched at the sudden outburst and turned toward the doorway. Gordon McKinney stood just inside the infirmary, his face set in that familiar, practiced grin. Unlike most of the senior staff, the assistant producer had not embraced the tournament’s flashier theme, remaining in his usual charcoal-gray suit with a button-up underneath. He stepped forward, arms spreading slightly as he leaned to look past Kendra. She quickly moved aside, Gordon giving her a brief nod of acknowledgment before shifting his full attention to Fiona.

“I’d be lying,” he began, closing the distance between them, “if I said I expected you to win tonight.”

He folded his arms across his chest, a look of approval on his face. “But I’m not lying when I say I’m glad you did, Fiona.”

“Fiona’s been on the grind all week, Mr. McKinney,” Kendra added. “She came in tonight with a plan.”

Gordon nodded. “And that’s the difference versus Tanya who came in with a head full of steam. As she always does. You?” He gestured lightly toward Fiona. “Frankly… you’re a lot easier to work with. So again, I’m glad you got the win.”

He paused, letting the moment settle before continuing. “Now you move on to the next round; a triple-threat cage match. A shot at a title match. The first in this brand’s short history!” His grin sharpened as he looked Fiona up and down. “How are ya’ feeling?”

“I mean about what I just said as well as… how’s the head?”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

INFIRMARY

“That was awesome!”

As the doctor exited the infirmary, Kendra rushed in, eyes sparkling with excitement. Fiona had emerged from the extreme rules match without major injuries, but the medical staff had still wanted to check her over and apply ice and bandages as needed. After confirming there were no signs of concussion, fractures, or severe bruising, the doctor gave Fiona the “all-clear”. Kendra had been waiting outside since shortly after the match, eager to congratulate Fiona on such an important win. Fiona was still seated on the examination table wearing her sweat-soaked wrestling gear which bore small tears from the table splinters.

“Girl,” Kendra exclaimed, stepping closer. She considered hugging Fiona but quickly decided against it, mindful of her partner’s battered state. For now, Kendra stuck to flattery.

“That match was a real ‘seat-leaner,’ as my grandpa used to say.” Kendra handed Fiona a bottle of ice-cold water she had bought from a machine out in the hall.

“When Tanya landed that falcon arrow,” Kendra paused for a second, eyes wide, “I thought it was over. But then she went for the table, you recovered, and turned the whole thing around on her! I mean… that move on the ropes…”

Kendra stopped to catch her breath, her grin widening to reveal pearly whites usually hidden by her humble demeanor. The glowing pearlescent-white room smelled strongly of latex and disinfectant and the overhead light was bright enough to cause a headache, but Kendra barely noticed. She tilted her head, studying Fiona’s expression before giving a slow, approving nod. How proud she was for her friend’s success tonight was written all over her face.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Tanya’s left arm and shoulder weakly raised up.

”Three!…”

But it was too late. The bell dinged and Fiona Chevalier’s fans instantaneously unleashed a tsunami of praise as Tanya’s were left stunned silent or loudly lamenting amongst themselves.

“Fiona is the winner!” A bug-eyed Dan Rich shouted, his fists clenched against his sides. Beside him Rhonda smiled jubilantly and began applauding along with Fiona’s fans. Fiona had made the cover and won by pinfall, the match now over as Tanya was eliminated and her opponent set to progress on in the tournament. The air in the TD Garden at first felt surreal and then, as the reality of the moment set in, overwhelmingly electric. Thick with both the rising sensation of victory over the odds and the feeling of stinging defeat. - Depending on which wrestler one was rooting for.

“Tanya Redd almost broke the pin count but she was a fraction of a second too slow and was beat by the bell. Fiona Chevalier has won and will be moving on in the Rubicon Gauntlet!”

“This… was a close one,” Brent said, visibly taken aback, “the momentum of this match was back and forth and while Fiona took the most punishment she seemed to do the most damage at the same time. Tanya Redd just… could not stay with her tonight.”

“Here is your winner… Fiona… Chevalier!”
The referee helped Fiona up to a careful stand as her name was drawled out and her theme music began playing, the ring announcer needing to strain their voice to be heard over the crowd.

“Both women were at their limit,” Dan Rich stated as the three commentators slowly sat back down, “and it was Fiona Chevalier that had that little bit of extra ‘umph’ that pushed her along to reach for the finish line.”

“Fiona also had something to prove tonight, and she got it done,” Rhonda added, “not to mention she has paid Tanya Redd back for the past when Tanya beat her both times they faced off.”

“This was not just a necessary win, Rhonda,” Dan Rich nodded, “but it was a personal one as well. And it comes with a nice cherry on top!”

“And I am looking forward to seeing her next week in the next round. What about you Brent?” Rhonda asked smugly.

“Hey,” Brent held up one hand, “Fiona won and I recognize that. Even if it was by the skin of her teeth.”

Rhonda rolled her eyes and shook her head as Dan Rich smirked and said, “Well, we’ll see if Fiona pulls through next week when she is in a triple threat cage match against two other opponents. For now, let her have her well-earned moment!”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“And here we go,” Rhonda said. “Fiona is stepping outside of her usual wheelhouse and setting Tanya up for a suplex off the turnbuckle right through the table!”

Fiona secured her hold on Tanya with no resistance. The energy in the arena crackled like a live wire as thousands of fans screamed in anticipation of the high-risk move. Chants broke out in waves, urging Fiona to take the leap and seize her spot in the next round of the tournament in spectacular fashion. Cameras flashed ringside as reporters scurried about to get the best shots of the pivotal moment. Posters and banners waved overhead. Every eye was locked on the pair atop the turnbuckle.

“This is it!” Rhonda said, raising both arms high.

“Wait - look!” Dan Rich yelled, pointing furiously as Tanya suddenly stirred. Her free arm whipped around, grabbing the back of Fiona’s top. At first Tanya twisted and jerked from side to side, trying to break free, then suddenly stopped. - Having clearly decided on a better course of action. With a savage bellow, Tanya pitched her whole body forward, throwing Fiona off balance and sending both women tumbling down onto the table. “Oh, my God!” Dan Rich and Rhonda shouted in unison, jumping up from their seats along with Brent. The impact was like the crack of a gun, the table splintering beneath Fiona and Tanya as shards of wood burst and metal pieces flew in every direction like shrapnel. Most of the fans leapt to their feet, many clutching their heads in disbelief. Fiona and Tanya now lay side by side amid the wreckage, the remains of the table scattered all around them. Tanya was near motionless, her face drawled up in pain, and Fiona looked little better.

“And this time it was Fiona who took the backfire in the face!” Dan Rich yelled as the official trotted across the ring. “Tanya threw her off-kilter at the last second, and both were driven straight through the table!”

“Yeah, but that didn’t do Tanya any good either. Now the official has to start the ten count until someone moves,” Brent observed. “We may actually need paramedics in here, because that shook the whole damn ring.”

“And the count is on!” Rhonda shouted, her voice trembling with adrenaline as the referee’s hands went up for the first time.

“One!…”

The capacity crowd in TD Garden was in a frenzy. The fans on both sides of the matchup were , screaming themselves hoarse for their favorite to get up. The arena vibrated under the duel of chants, each side desperate to will their fighter back to her feet before the count reached ten.

“Two!…”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Agh!” Tanya’s hoarse cry of pain rose above the crowd.

“Look at this!” Dan Rich pointed. “Tanya’s now trapped beneath the table and—”

“Fiona has Tanya’s leg wedged against the underside of the table and is using her own body weight to apply added pressure!” Rhonda finished, her eyes wide.

“Well, this is perfectly legal,” Brent acknowledged. “Fiona could actually make Tanya tap here!”

Tanya’s shrill moans came in short bursts as she twisted beneath the table trapping her. Fiona’s fans yelled at her to not let up and force Tanya to submit, Tanya’s fans meanwhile shouted for her to escape and take the fight back to Fiona. Eyes full of determination and desperation, Tanya clawed with her left arm toward the ropes to her left. The table - and, of course, Fiona - rocking on top of her only added to the sapping pain and discomfort.

“Tanya is fighting to reach the bottom rope, but this is an extreme rules match.” Dan Rich shook his head. “Grabbing the ropes will not force a break.”

“I think she’s just reaching for some leverage to help her get free of this submission attempt,” Rhonda replied.

“Every second Tanya spends in this punishing position the match is slipping further away - it may already be too late,” Brent said.

After several failed grabs Tanya finally caught a hold of the bottom rope. With a secure grip, she used every ounce of strength she had to drag herself along against the mat - fighting against the pain. Every muscle in Tanya’s arm strained under the effort. With a final laborious pull, Tanya freed her leg from Fiona’s grasp, her boot slipping under the table, a loud gasp of relief tearing from between Tanya’s lips despite herself.

“And Tanya got her leg free, she escaped a forced tapout!”

“Yeah, but I think that may be it for Tanya,” Rhonda commented.

“You know her leg is throbbing right now after enduring that. I doubt she can even stand.”

Tanya flopped to her side in a heap, her body draped awkwardly with her lower half still caught beneath the table. Her expression was contorted in unmistakable agony, her jaw clenched tight and her face soaked in sweat. Anyone could see that Fiona may have just secured this match with her table trick. Tanya’s attempt at a match-ending show of brutality had backfired on her horribly.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

There was a loud, menacing scrape followed by an uproar of realization from the crowd as Tanya rose and stepped back from the apron - dragging a heavy wooden folding table out from under the ring.

“And here it is,” Brent said in a striking tone, “the finishing touch on what is about to be Tanya Redd’s win.”

Tanya hefted the table sideways, then turned and shoved it with ease under the bottom rope across the mat. Sliding in next to it Tanya rose to her feet, radiating pure confidence as she reached down and lifted the table once more.

“If there was a time for Fiona to come back and turn the tide it’s now,” Brent added, “but I think it may be a done deal.”

“Fiona still looks wobbly,” Dan Rich admitted. “She may have mere seconds left to salvage this match.”

Tanya carried the table to the southwest corner, turning it so the underside faced the ring - the sharp edges of the folded legs and bracers exposed. She leaned the table upright against the turnbuckle, taking a moment to make sure it was secure, then turned and strode toward Fiona. Teeth gritted, Tanya pounded her right fist against her chest three times as she approached her downed opponent, taking in the cheers from her fans.

“The table is in the corner now. What are we about to see?”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Tanya’s instinct spared her yet again. The kendo stick whiffed through the air, Tanya having pivoted to the right in time to avoid a painful smack to the skull.

“And a miss by Fiona! She was aiming for the face!”

Tanya quickly grabbed the shaft of the kendo stick and yanked, jerking it from Fiona’s hands. The kendo stick slipped from Tanya’s grasp however and skittered into the center of the ring. Undeterred, Tanya spun back around and delivered a hard shoulder tackle to Fiona, knocking her into the nearby corner.

“And Tanya has Fiona trapped after disarming her.”

Tanya seized Fiona by the front of her top with her left hand, bracing her against the turnbuckle. Without pause Tanya drove her right fist straight into Fiona’s left cheek, knocking her head back. A second punch followed immediately, just as forceful and straight into Fiona’s mouth. Tanya kept her grip tight and delivered a third punch, then a fourth, then a fifth. The sixth strike came with added windup, snapping Fiona’s head back again as the crowd reacted to the flurry.

“And Tanya is using Fiona like a heavy bag now!”

“Fiona needs to shake free of this fast,” Rhonda warned, “those headshots will add up.”

Tanya’s right arm was like a striking cobra as she jabbed Fiona in the face three more times, the last punch landing across Fiona’s right eye. After stopping to tauntingly shake her right hand at the crowd in mock pain, Tanya then grabbed Fiona by both arms and forcefully tugged her out of the corner. With a swift motion Tanya pulled Fiona in close and slipped her into position, then falling backward, snapping her up and over - driving Fiona back-first into the center of the ring with a fisherman suplex.

“Ha! Gone fishing!” Brent tittered next to Dan.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Tanya’s eyes were ablaze with vengeful anger. The fresh throbbing pain from the smack of the kendo stick only fueling her inner fire. Part of her wanted so badly to immediately charge forward and drive Fiona into the floor with the steel chair. But Tanya was not stupid. Fiona was smaller and faster than her, and Tanya knew that at the first available opening Fiona would go straight for her legs or arms with that kendo stick.

“And now we have a ringside standoff between Tanya and Fiona…”

“Who will blink first?” Rhonda asked eagerly.

Chants poured down from the overarching stands into the center of the arena. Fans of both women egging the other on, wanting to see more brutality. It was Tanya that finally committed, feigning a lunge to try and bait Fiona. When that did not work Tanya took three quick steps back.

“And Tanya trying to draw in Fiona with that chair but Fiona didn’t bite. Now what’s Tanya about to-…”

Dan Rich’s words of wonder were cut short as Tanya wound up and threw the folded chair right at her opponents’ core. A nearby fan shrieked loudly as the metal weapon spun like a discuss right at Fiona.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

As she was forced to her feet, Tanya suddenly wrenched her wrist free from Fiona’s grip and followed up with a sharp elbow strike straight into her throat.

“Oh!” Dan Rich flinched, he and the others still standing. “A cheap shot by Tanya!”

“And the official is not letting it go,” Rhonda added as the referee leaned over the top rope, shouting a warning at Tanya. Another illegal hit like that and he would call the match. Fiona’s fans erupted in boos, thumbs turned down in disapproval as Tanya dismissed the referee with a sneer and a wave of her hand. Circling around behind Fiona, Tanya seized her by the shoulders and shoved her forward, sending her stumbling wildly toward the side of the ring - Fiona narrowly missing the ring post. Tanya was right on Fiona’s heels, grabbing her again just as she came to a stop and viciously flinging her to the floor right in front of the commentary table.

“And now Tanya and Fiona are right here in front of us,” Dan Rich announced, “Tanya throwing Fiona to the floor - and now she’s-…”

With Fiona down and at her mercy - or rather lack thereof - Tanya turned toward the ring and crouched down on one knee, lifting the apron skirt with her left hand. The crowd buzzed in anticipation as she reached underneath, rummaging around for a moment before her eyes lit up. A second later Tanya pulled out a solid black steel chair and stood up, holding it high above her head with both hands, drawing a loud, roaring cheer from the arena. Tanya smiled coldly as she slowly turned her attention back to Fiona, taking deliberate steps toward her rising opponent.

“And Fiona is about to get a real lesson in pain,”
Brent said as Tanya raised the chair for the first strike.