Team Work chapter 251
September 18th, 2020
Shane looks a little distracted by still smiles as he heads down the halls to the office, not as eager to greet people as he normally would be. Whispers spring up behind him but he ignores them as he ventures into the office and looks around, a subdued look in his eye as he faces potentially doing this for the last time ever. "Oh well, let's go out with a bang," he decides, settling in with the laptop and a head full of ideas.
The first match of the night is eight man tag action, pitting Dax Harwood, Chuck, Trent and Cash Wheeler against Damien Priest, Montez Ford, Cesaro, and Ariya Davairi. Although the opposing team barely knows each other, the Best Friends and FTR know each other almost too well by this point, and it leads to unbreakable tension the entire match, none of the four quite trusting each other beyond their own tag partners, and things quickly fall apart. They never quite find their footing against the other four, and it's not much of a surprise when Ariya takes advantage of FTR arguing loudly with Chuck in the middle of the ring after Trent gets taken out, leaps from the top, takes out both Wheeler and Harwood, and hooks Chuck with his lariat, quickly pinning him. As his partners join him to have their arms raised, he can't help but laugh mockingly at the downed men at his feet.
Thunder Rosa partners with Liv and defeats Io Shirai and Kylie Rae. MJF beats Cedric Alexander. The team of Jey Uso and AJ Styles defeats Trey Miguel and Tommaso Ciampa. Fandango beats Hangman Page, and Lashley angers Roman Reigns to the point he gets a very rare DQ victory against the man when the referee can't get through to the man, too focused on beating down the disrespect he sees before him.
Asuka defeats Susie after a lengthy maddening exchange, forcing her to tap to the Asuka lock. David Finlay wins against Willie Mack, and Matt Sydal defeats Madman Fulton. Nikki Cross and Kayden Carter beats Kacy Catanzaro and Ruby Riott.
Kevin Owens takes out Josh Alexander, Tony Nese beats Larry D., and Ace Austin partners with Ethan Page to win against Tyler Breeze and Jake Hager. Angelo Dawkins and Acey Romero defeats Kiera Hogan and Chris Jericho.
In the main event, Seth Rollins leans against the top rope and simply observes Kushida as he waits for the bell to ring and things to begin in earnest. Kushida is a good, crisp competitor, his moves fluid, his ring awareness impeccable. It's just Seth's a little more angry, more thorough in his need to prove himself again and again, and in as many different ways as possible, and even Kushida can't withstand the torment for long, even when he goes for Seth's wrist, twisting back on his vulnerable joints, twisting at his recently broken fingers through his now ever-present glove. Seth doesn't take this lying down, however, and kicks Kushida hard in the knee, looming over him and ruthlessly stomping the same general area again and again, rage in his face, echoing through his voice as he shouts insults down at the struggling man.
The ref eventually intervenes and Seth retreats to a corner, but not for a breather, no. He grits his teeth, runs forward and- curb stomps Kushida's knee, the agony of it white hot and horrible as Kushida writhes away, crying out in pain. Seth sneers, grabs him, and drags him into the middle of the ring, pointedly tugging that leg up as he pins him, smirking when Kushida is frozen under his weight, unable to kick out. Seth immediately pulls away from him and stands tall in the middle of the ring, arms outstretched as he stares into the camera. "This is what you are denying when you refuse to listen to me! To trust in me!" He falls to his knees, arms still stretched out as far as he can manage, eyes deep and dark as he gazes out at a crowd that he cannot see. "But it is ok, I am patient. I will be here when you all are ready to embrace the vision."
Once more back on his feet, he allows his arm to be lifted by the referee before rolling out of the ring and taking his leave, once more staring deeply into the camera as it track him back up the ramp to end the show.