Hello there dear readers. Hopefully you are not all put off by the length. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy reading this. I don't know how this is going to turn out. If you do read, please leave a comment, just so I know someone read it. It can be something totally unrelated to wrestling. I don't even care. Anyway, ENJOY!!!!

This Chapter Features: Hornswoggle, the Burchills, Theodore Long, Matt Hardy (In spirit) and Jack Thwagger ((Haha, LOSER))

He was disappointed, but taking his emotion as 'heartbreak' was an exaggeration. What a cruel fate that "The Man" had bestowed upon him. Weeks after he had put in an application to ECW he was finally here, only now his reason for wanting to join that brand was gone. What a fucking lark.

He was mumbling to himself, still a little irritated that it had taken this long to finally start. Worse, it would probably be another week before he was able to have a match. Maybe lady luck would stop toying with him and toss him a bone.

Nonsensical lyrics blasted from the headphone lodged firmly in his ears. His eyes were drawn, blood shot, and a strange combination of gray and blue. His hair was a mess of red and brown, falling to his broad shoulders. His clothing was tattered, and his eyes were focused ahead at a wall. He played with the piercing in his lip, trying to burn a hole in the cement with his gaze, or otherwise wondering what sort of explosives it would take to do so. He barely batted an eye when people passed through his line of vision, not even when Hornswoggle ran past, pursued by a cream-covered Jack Swagger.

"Oz," a female voice did not capture his attention, so the owner raised her voice and affectionately slapped his cheek. "I just got done talking with Mister Long. He wants to talk to you. Now. In his office. Down the hall."

Her hazel eyes were much the same as Oz's, expression wise. She had the same nose, lips, and if not for a rounder face she could have been passed off for his clone, maybe. Her hair was darker, almost to the point of being black. She looked to be in High School, and seemed terribly out of place against all the cold cement and metal of the backstage area. Her clear face was brilliantly illuminated with a smile, as she watched the grungy man rise.

He looked at her for a second, thoughts racing across his eyes. Then he punched her in the shoulder and walked off with a "Thanks" as a parting gift.

"Ow! That was mean!" She quickly started rubbing her arm, pouting after the one who had harmed her. Oz smiled, without turning at her cry. He stepped around Divas, Superstars, and other personnel as he made the journey to Theodore Long's office. He was thinking of what to address him as. "Teddy? Long?" he wondered. Each name sounded odd to him.

"Yo, sup Boss?" Oz opened the door quickly, and without knocking. As a consequence, he smashed it into someone's face. He was about to apologize when he took it back, smirking to see that it was Jack Swagger. He tried not to laugh, a snort coming from him. Swagger was too busy checking to see if his nose was broken, to notice.

"Sorry man," Oz said. "I didn't see you there."

The blond scowled and opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed his mouth again. "Just watch it NEWBIE, or I'll make you wish you had never cross Jack Swagger. You'll be quicker out of here than . . . than. . ."

"A Bat out of hell?" Swagger stormed past, leaving Oz grinning at how angry the "All American American" was. Well, it was nice that someone was finally putting that person in his place . . . sort of.

Once he was certain he was out of ear shot, he finally let out the laughter that had been building. It was loud and sort, and in another moment he had contained himself, and taken a seat across from the boss himself. "I can't take Jack Thwagger seriously as a champ. How did Matt Hardy ever lose to an ass like him? I don't understand it." Oz let out a sad sigh. "I hope he and Jeff punch each other into sense. He'll come back, right?"

Long shrugged, looking rather doubtful. Oz didn't need a verbal answer. Matt was probably never going to return to ECW. Well, that was good then. Matt had been stealing the show anyway. At least Oz had a decent shot of making something of himself. He wondered if he would ever been half as popular as Matt.

"Do you really think it's wise to go picking fights with Jack Swagger? No one really knows what you're capable of, and I'm not sure if you can handle him. Wouldn't you rather face someone a little less, intimidating?"

"Like who, DJ Gaybriel?" Oz asked, off handedly. "I'm not too worried about Jack Swagger beating me. He's a slipper little demon, but I think I could handle myself against a man with a lisp. I'm more worried about Finley, and Henry than I am of Thwagger."

"If you say so," Long said. "Well I've decided to give you a shot at a match. The next person who walks through the door is going to be your opponent. Sound good?"

"Excellente!" Oz answered. "I like the way you think Long!"

Oz turned his head to watch the door impatiently. He wondered how long it would take for someone to show up and complain. Knowing whiney wrestlers, he was putting his guess in at two minutes. The door began to squeak open and Oz leapt to his feet, only to be disappointed. "Aw man, Lyss? Why'd you have to get my hopes up?!"

"Hopes up about what?" The woman answered. She looked at him curiously, before saying, "Sorry to intrude. I was making sure my brother was behaving himself. I see he hasn't started any fights yet."

"Nope," Oz said. "I've been a good little you-know-what." The woman rolled her eyes. She was suddenly shoved out of the way, by the two other ECW siblings, the Burchills. Katie started ranting about something (Oz couldn't understand a word she was saying). He heard the words "Paul" and "Championship", and then was lost. He was irritated, of course.

"Okay, okay I get what you're saying Katie." Long said. "And concerning that other matter you've got your opponent Oz."

"A girl? Sweet I get to fight a girl," he said dully.

"And her brother," Long said. Katie turned her wild eyes to the new superstar, who was still resting comfortably in one of Long's overstuffed armchairs. "This is going to be a mixed tag match. Oz and Alyssa Brennon against Katie Lee and Paul Burchill."

"Ha," Katie Lee stuck up her nose, and crossed her arms. "So we get to fight a little girl and a homeless bum. This is bound to be wonderful fun. Good luck walking out of the ring tonight. Good luck coming back next week." Katie started out of the office, seemingly content with what Long had suddenly decided. Paul smirked at Oz, before following after his witch of a sister.

Oz and Alyssa looked at each other. A thought crossed both their minds, which they both voice. "Pirates." Oz laughed, looking back at Long. He squinted and eye as her rose, and curled his index finger into a hook. "Argggg matey. Enjoy the match, yahar."

Long chuckled as the pair left his office, to prepare for their coming match. "They've certainly got character. I'm sort of hoping no one has to scrap their bodies off the wall." Then he went back to reading his magazine, like nothing strange or unusual had even occurred. He chuckled to himself slightly, as he turned a page. "Thwagger, ha. He's not going to like that when he finds out."