Team Work chapter 225

March 20th, 2020

Since Stephanie's been forced to implement her new plan- no fans, no chairs, nothing but a quiet arena for the competitors to wrestle matches in- she'd come close to shelving this cycle of Team Work at least a dozen times, just cutting the cycle short and declaring the winner out of who has the most points already, but her hatred of doing something like that had festered and nagged at her until she steels her resolve to continue on. There are marks on the floor in catering, dictating how far apart people should stand from each other, and hand sanitizer stands waiting for anyone who may need it. Masks are also offered to anyone who may not have one, and all in all, Stephanie is relieved by how the others are understanding all of her decisions and reccommendations. No serious complaints yet, she thinks. Always a good thing.

Heading to her office to book, Stephania hesitates at the outside of her door and shifts. She hates the silence. But this is just how things have to be from now on, she reminds herself before pushing the door to her office open and shutting it behind her. One way or another, she reminds herself, leaning against the wall. Everything will be fine. "It has to be..."

The show starts off regularly enough, even with all of the changes evident, Alex Shelley and Rey Mysterio fighting long and hard, a steep back and forth until Shelley eakes out a victory, Rey gaping at him in shock at how suddenly it had happened. Alex himself seems amazed as his arm is raised in victory.

The team of Drew Gulak and Mark Briscoe defeat Daga and Jungle Boy, and Keira Hogan wins against Hikaru Shida. Jay Briscoe partners with Jake Hager to defeat Ortiz and Joseph Ryan, the members of the Inner Circle careful to keep from facing each other throughout the match making it more complicated for Briscoe and Jungle Boy, all four of them relieved when the match is over.

Fenix wins in triple threat action against Ethan Page and Luchasaurus, and Isaiah Swerve Scott works alongside Pentagon Jr to defeat Joshua Alexander and RVD. Jay Lethal takes down Jonathan Gresham.

In the main event, Daniel Bryan and Chris Bey face down Danny Burch and Santana. It's a hard hitting match, all four men fighting their hardest despite there being no crowd to urge them on. Daniel's attempts at Yes Kicks are thwarted when Burch swipes out and kicks his leg out from under him, sending him toppling to the mat and immediately twisted into a submission, Daniel writhing and struggling to free himself, trying his hardest not to tap out, finally getting his feet under him and rolling right into the ropes, clinging to them with his legs and hooking his jaw over them as the referee lectures Burch and eventually gets him to break it before the five count. Chris Bey gets in and manages a couple of kicks that look fluid and so quick that it's hard for even Daniel to keep track of all of his movements but Santana tags in and takes him out almost as soon as he's through the ropes, so Daniel has little choice but to reenter the ring against the smug man, beginning the fight anew.

He does a little better against Santana, gaining speed and eventually sending him crashing to the mat off of a dropkick that rattles through both of them upon landing. Daniel scrambles, gripping Santana's arms and twisting him up into a dragon sleeper, wrenching back with everything within him. It's a good mood, solid in its own right, but he knows he won't win with it so he's about to release it and move on to something else to hopefully wrap this up when he notices Burch out of the corner of his eye, rushing in to help Santana- when there's a blur of red and Bey is there, spinning in midair and crashing down on top of Burch with a kick that leaves Daniel gaping, before he remembers his gameplan and releases Santana, moving quickly before he can regroup and coordinate another attack.

Lunging forward, he lands a running knee to Santana's back, sending him sprawling out across the mat. Seeing an opportunity, Daniel lunges forward and twists him up into the Yes Lock, digging his boots into the mat and wrenching back as brutally as he can. "C'mon," he grunts. "C'mon, tap. You know you want to."

His words are proven correct when, only a few moments later, he feels Santana's arm dig into his leg as he gives up, the referee quickly calling it. Daniel releases him and rolls away, a pleased look on his face as Bey slowly rolls into the ring and the referee raises their hands in victory.

Backstage, Stephanie leans back against the wall and sighs. It hasn't been a perfect show, so few wrestlers competing right now that her show had felt like barebones, but at least it was something. She taps her fingers on her forearms and exhales.

It's not going to be easy, but she can make this work. She has to.