Chapter 30 (Halloween Special)
*Sam Hamilton vs Black Swan*
This match started on different ends of a large maze made up of hedges. Two wrestlers were on different ends of it. On one side was Sam Hamilton, really sporting her Wicked Witch of the West costume. On the other side was Black Swan, who had on her normal outfit except for her dark-blue skin and fake fangs in her mouth. The one thing both girls had in common is that they were holding lighters with each other's names on them.
Sayuri Rogue made her announcement. "What Halloween event wouldn't be complete without a spooky hedge maze? At the center of this maze, there is a jack-o-lantern. Not like the Trick or Treat pumpkins, which are hidden in the maze. It has a candle inside. The winner is whoever finds the jack-o-lantern and lights it first. However, you can only light it with a lighter with your name on it, which I guarantee your opponent has. If any of you drop the one you're currently carrying, I'll consider it a forfeit and declare your opponent the winner. Is everyone ready? …In that case, let's go!
DING-DING!
Sam and Black Swan made their mad dashes into the maze. They scrambled in random directions in the dead of night. Whenever they hit a dead end, they would turn around and go a different direction, though they wouldn't always remember which way they end up. Climbing up the hedges would be futile since the shrubbery was covering an electric fence that shocked Black Swan when she tried.
Eventually, Black Swan came across a pumpkin in front of her. She didn't know whether or not it was a Trick or a Treat pumpkin, but she took a chance. She opened it up and pulled out a handheld tablet with a peculiar image on the screen. It looked like the hedge maze from above with two different lights in different parts of it. Black Swan smiled as she knew what it meant.
"That's right." Sayuri confirmed. "We've taken the liberty of putting tracking devices into the lighters. Now, Black Swan will be able to navigate her way through the maze and find Sam Hamilton too."
Black Swan grinned and used the tablet to find her way to Sam like a ghost in Pac-Man. Very soon, she hid herself in the corner that Sam Hamilton was about to run past. Right when she arrived, Black Swan delivered a kick to her head. Sam was reeling in from the kick when the masked luchadora stood above her.
"Hand over the lighter, bruha." Black Swan said.
"You first, Tweety." Sam said.
The cosplayer jerked her foot to trip Black Swan over. Sam rolled herself on top of her and tried to take the lighter she had on her. Unfortunately, Black Swan used her aerobatic skills to turn the tables on her. She went for the lighter, but Sam grabbed it first and put it out of her reach. Black Swan snarled and jumped back up to her feet before running around the corner. Sam got up and gave chase.
When Sam got around the corner to where she saw Black Swan run to. Suddenly, she went all Ichabod Crane and got hit in the face with a surprise pumpkin Black Swan found. The pumpkin shattered to pieces while Black Swan continued to run.
When Sam picked herself up, she found something in the middle of the pumpkin bits. She picked up what looked like a black pair of sunglasses.
"Sunglasses?" Sam asked in disbelief. "In the middle of the night? In a dark maze? Well, guess I know the trick now."
Just then, Sam was attacked from behind when Black Swan kicked her. Black Swan swooped in and swiped the lighter with her name on it. Sam gave chase behind her while she followed the directions on the GPS pad.
Just a minute later, Sam and Black Swan made it to the center of the maze, a square clearing with four white pillars surrounding a round table with candles surrounding an unlit jack-o-lantern.
Black Swan was about to pull out her lighter when Sam grabbed her head and pulled it to the ground. She reached down to take her lighter, but Black Swan stopped her with a knee strike to her head. She kicked up and ran to the pillar. She jumped onto it, bounced off with her legs, and hit Sam with an elbow strike. Sam was knocked over backwards near the maze wall, but quickly began to get back up.
Black Swan noticed it and ran to kick her. Unfortunately for her, Sam noticed and dodged out of way. She countered by grabbing Black Swan's arm and throwing her through the shrubbery in the hedge and to the electric fence. Black Swan was jolted back to the ground stunned enough for Sam to take her lighter and head to the jack-o-lantern. She double checked to see her name on the lighter and lit the flame before carefully placing it on the candle inside the pumpkin. It lit up an orange glow on the inside.
DING-DING!
Sayuri walked from the shadows clapping to Sam's victory. "Congratulations to Sam Hamilton for completing the challenge! Though Black Swan gained the advantage with her GPS pad, the cosplayer lit the pumpkin up in the end! Now, onto the next match!"
*N-Bomb vs Clover*
The next contest took place in the inside of a two-story log cabin. In the living room of the decorated cabin, the two competitors looked at each other with ferocity. One of them was N-Bomb who had on an orange bodysuit with a jack-o-lantern smile across her large belly. She looked like a walking jack-o-lantern. The other was Clover who wore a leopard-skin loincloth, green body paint, and devil horns on her head. She was dressed as an orc.
"This contest is a last woman standing match!" Sayuri announced through the intercom. "The goal of this match is to render your opponent unable to get up before the count of ten! Since a cabin in the woods is a common setting for any horror story, you can use anything in this cabin as a weapon, especially what you can find in your Trick or Treat pumpkins! Are you girls ready?"
"Ready to squash Princess Fiona." N-Bomb taunted.
"Oh, please." Clover replied. "All I gotta do is push you onto your back. You'll be unable to pick yourself up after that."
"Sounds like a yes to me." Sayuri said. "Fight!"
DING-DING!
Clover attempted to tackle N-Bomb, but the fat wrestler stood her ground and countered by thrusting her belly and pushing her back. N-Bomb returned with a quick clothesline that knocked her onto her back. N-Bomb stood right above her and dropped her body right on top of her. Clover gasped as N-Bomb got back up and the count began on the intercom.
1… 2… 3… 4…
No one expected the first fall to be the one she'd lose to. It was no surprise when Clover got back up on her feet. N-Bomb ran at her, but Clover easily sidestepped and extended her foot tripping her face first onto the floor.
Clover looked around because despite what she said earlier, she knew N-Bomb could pick herself up. She ran to the wall and pulled out an electronic singing fish. She held it up behind N-Bomb and bashed it on top of her head right when she got up.
1… 2… 3…
N-Bomb got back up. Clover then grabbed a railroad sign hung on the wall and swung it to N-Bomb's head, but unlike before, N-Bomb caught it in her grip before it hit her. She forced the sign out of Clover's grip before knocking her down in a shoulder tackle.
"How's about a massage?" she asked before planting both her hands on Clover's stomach. She got a firm grip on Clover's abdomen and squeezed harshly. Clover gasped as she struggled to breathe. This lasted for a minute before N-Bomb decided to let go. "If you know what's good for you, you stay down."
N-Bomb already knew Clover wouldn't let herself lose, so she went to the staircase and carefully walked up without breaking the steps. When the count reached six, Clover got back up and saw N-Bomb already upstairs heading into the hallway. Clover went to the stairs to follow.
Once N-Bomb went into the hallway, she came across a dead end with two doors on different walls. She went into one, and at the center of an empty room, a light shone right on a jack-o-lantern.
"A pumpkin." N-Bomb recognized. "But is this a Trick or a Treat?" She noticed Clover getting up to the same floor as her. "Caution to the wind, then. If it's a Trick, the least Rogue would give me is a Snicker's bar."
N-Bomb closed the door behind her before Clover could come close. She went into the pumpkin and reached her hand inside. She felt her hand was soaked in something, so she pulled it out gasping at the red dripping from it.
Outside of the match, Ryuji looked at Sayuri nervously. Sayuri shrugged.
"What? That's not real blood. It's just corn syrup and artificial coloring, the same they used for pig's blood in Carrie. It's meant as a Trick pumpkin, but knowing N-Bomb…"
Back in the match, Clover burst into the room. N-Bomb acted on instinct and swung her hand in front of her letting the fake blood get thrown to her face. When Clover took a step back to wipe her face, N-Bomb took her chance and tackled her across the hallway. The two of them crashed right through the next door and fell into the other room with a pumpkin in the center.
N-Bomb noticed the pumpkin and punched Clover in the face to give herself enough time. Clover got back up and looked into the pumpkin that was there. She reached inside and pulled out a medium-sized rope. N-Bomb gave a wicked smile knowing what to do with it.
N-Bomb got behind Clover as she was getting back up and wrapped the rope around her neck. Clover choked and gasped trying to catch a breath. She tried to elbow N-Bomb, but her stomach was too thick to feel pain.
"Not to worry, Shrek. I'm not going to kill you." N-Bomb whispered. "I'm just gonna knock you out."
Clover didn't like that. Instead, she forced herself onto her feet and turned herself around to face N-Bomb. The spin was enough to force the rope out of her hands. N-Bomb growled as she swung a punch. Clover dodged it letting N-Bomb stagger behind her. Clover found the perfect time to hit her opponent with her double-fisted uppercut that sent her flying. Unfortunately, that was poorly timed. When N-Bomb hit the ground again, the floor gave way and a hole opened up letting them both drop into the kitchen beneath them.
Clover and N-Bomb were both hurt, but they still managed to get back up to their feet before the announcer could count to ten. They gazed at each other clearly frustrated at each other for getting back up.
N-Bomb made the offensive by grabbing Clover in a bearhug and squeezing tightly. Clover winced from the crushing. She tried to squeeze back, but she couldn't get her arms all the way around her opponent's shoulders.
Then, Clover realized the sink in arm's length of her. She reached out and grabbed a shower hose used for dishwashing. She held it to N-Bomb's face and pulled the nozzle. A strong blast of water burst from it hitting N-Bomb in the face nearly drowning her. N-Bomb was forced to let go to wipe the water from her face.
Clover took a breath to regain her composure. She looked back up to her opponent and balled up her fist. With one strong strike, N-Bomb was sent to the ground. N-Bomb was already starting to get back up, but Clover found a way. She found the rope N-Bomb used earlier and used it to bind up the fat wrestler's ankles together. That made things much harder for N-Bomb considering she couldn't reach to remove the ropes.
1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8… 9… 10!
DING-DING!
Clover was finally able to sit at the wall while Sayuri Rogue made her announcement.
"After that brutal match, Clover is the winner! N-Bomb may have gained the advantage, but Clover was resourceful enough in the end to deny N-Bomb the chance to get back up! And now, to the final match of the night!"
*Queen Bee vs Scarlette*
Queen Bee and Scarlette were standing in the middle of the dark forest with only the moonlight helping them see. Queen Bee had on her usual wrestling attire, but her stripes were black and white instead of black and yellow. Her skin was painted white and she had scraggly hair like Beetlejuice. Like Azraella from before, Scarlette had a devil-like costume. She had on red horns and a red outfit on. Sayuri's voice echoed through the trees.
"The following contest is one of my own design that I call Psycho Hunt. It's a triple threat match with a special twist. Queen Bee, Scarlette, you two are free to fight each other, but your main target is a mystery someone on the Xtrema roster. She will play a psychotic killer that's on the hunt for you two in this very forest. Whoever unmasks her will be the winner. However, this mystery someone has a rubber knife coated with a paralyzing poison. If she tags you with it, you're out of the game. If she gets you both, then the mystery someone will be the winner and eligible for the final spot on the MVP lineup."
"So take out one woman?" Queen Bee asked. "That's doable."
"If both wrestlers are ready, we'll begin!" Sayuri announced.
DING-DING!
"Hey, Bee." Scarlette said. "Maybe it'll be a good idea for us to double-team this killer. Two against one would be good odds." She held up her hand.
"Hmm." Queen Bee said. She then decided to take hold of Scarlette's hand. "I'd be open to that… IN HELL!" Queen Bee quickly pulled Scarlette for a knee to her gut before letting her fall. "Hate to break it to you, red, but I don't need help beating one woman from the roster. Whoever it is, I'll pound them, take their mask, and go home as the MVP."
Queen Bee ran out into the dark woods while Scarlette stood back up. "Not if I unmask her first."
Queen Bee continued running until she came across a small river that goes up to her knees. She looked around for any sign of movement. Her eyes then locked onto a pumpkin that stood there. She widened her eyes and went for it. She removed its top and pulled out what she hoped was a Treat.
It was. Queen Bee held up a green, rubber knife with a red fluid along its edge.
Outside of the match, Ryuji turned his head to his boss. "Is that a poisoned rubber knife?"
"Yes, but it's not the same one the killer has. This just makes removing her mask easier."
"All right. I see." Ryuji nodded. "By the way, you never told me who you set up to be the killer."
Sayuri chuckled. "You'll see. Let's just say those two have quite a fight ahead of them."
Back in the woods, Queen Bee grinned as she gripped the blade's handle. She turned around to continue her search when, much to her fright, a new figure stood right there. She had on a worn-out, dirty prisoner jumpsuit. She also had on a metal mask that looked like a combination of Jason Vorhees' hockey mask and Hannibal Lecter's restraint mask.
The mystery woman took advantage of the jump scare and sent a spin kick to Queen Bee's stomach launching her backwards into the river water.
Queen Bee regained her composure and held up her knife to the attacker. She launched it toward her, but the killer dodged it and shot her knee up to Queen Bee's wrist making her let go. She then lifted her up by her chin with her arm and slammed her back into the river.
At the same moment, Scarlette found the two and kicked the masked woman from behind. The killer fell into the dirt while Scarlette prepared for another kick. Unfortunately for her, Queen Bee got back up and pushed her away.
"Back of, red eye!" she threatened. "This is my win!"
"She's obviously stronger than you!" Scarlette argued.
While the two were arguing, the masked woman quickly rose back up and turned to the two. She charged forward and hit them both with a double clothesline. The two of them fell backwards while the killer pulled out her own rubber knife.
The killer made a stabbing motion to Scarlette, but the latter rolled out of the way at the last second. She countered by wrapping her legs around her head and pulling her down while gripping her wrist. Scarlette went to reach forward to the back of the killer's mask, but the masked woman broke her arm free and swung it to Scarlette making her let go.
It was Queen Bee's turn now. Right when the killer was on a kneeling position, the Xtrema ace stood above her and gripped her hands on her chin in a stretch muffler. She moved one of her hands to the back of the killer's head. Suddenly, Scarlette sent a dropkick that hit both the killer and Queen Bee making the latter let go.
"Are you kidding me?" Queen Bee asked.
"Consider that payback." Scarlette said.
Queen Bee sighed. "You know what? All right. We'll try it your way. We'll incapacitate her until she's unable to fight, and then we'll sort it out together."
"All right." The two of them looked as the killer stood back up on her feet. "You go low, I'll go high."
Queen Bee nodded and jumped to the killer's legs. She held them both catching the killer by surprise. She was then hit with a high kick from Scarlette. Queen Bee let go and let her fall back.
"Think she had enough?" Scarlette asked.
"I don't think so." Queen Bee said. "When she gets back up, we'll kick her together."
"Right." Scarlette said.
They waited until the killer began to move again. She pushed herself back up with her hands. That's when Queen Bee and Scarlette sent their kicks at once knocking the killer back.
"Great." Queen Bee said. "Now, let's find that knife for extra measure. I think she threw the one I found over there."
"Of course." Scarlette said as she turned to look. "After that, we'll…"
Queen Bee interrupted Scarlette by grabbing the back of her head and launching her back onto her knee. Scarlette gasped as she fell back to the ground.
"Sorry, but tonight, Queen Beetlejuice rains supreme!" Queen Bee declared.
She moved to the killer in an attempt to unmask her. But right then, the killer grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into Queen Bee's eyes. She threw her off and pulled out her knife again. She went to Scarlette who was about to get back up and swung the blade right at her back. Scarlette felt her whole body stiffen in an instant before it fell back into the dirt.
The killer turned back to Queen Bee who tackled her so hard, the knife fell out of her hands. Queen Bee positioned herself to put the killer in a schoolgirl pin.
"I don't know who you are yet, but it doesn't matter!" Queen Bee shouted as she reached her hand to the back of the killer's mask. "I'm about to unmask you like a Scooby Doo villain!"
Suddenly, Queen Bee felt a tingle across her body as well. She felt how it was possible. The killer had ahold of the rubber knife Queen Bee had before and stabbed it onto her back. Queen Bee fell to the side completely stiff.
DING-DING!
A feminine chuckle came from the killer as she got back up to her feet.
"Good try. And you almost got me. But I win."
The killer reached the back of her head and removed the clasps that held her mask. She slowly removed it from her face and displayed it for everyone to see and gasp at. It was the last woman they expected to see.
It was Sayuri Rogue.
The crowd was in awe and surprise. Even Ryuji was surprised as he turned his head to the masked woman next to him.
"What the… If that's Ms. Rogue, then who are you?"
The masked woman stood up on her feet and slowly removed her demon mask and black wig revealing her blue eyes and blonde hair. The crowd gasped in surprise as they recognized her.
"Jackal Tojo?" Ryuji asked. "But… When…"
"Trick or treat." The world champ said.
When Queen Bee and Scarlette regained their movement, they confronted the woman who was revealed to be their boss.
"What's going on, Rogue?" Queen Bee asked. "You owe us an explanation!"
"And you'll have one." Sayuri said. "You see, I thought of a surprise twist to this year's Halloween special. While I compete in it, the entire event will have a special guest host posing as me: my old rival, Jackal Tojo."
"Isn't that cheating?" Scarlette asked.
"Technically, I am a member of the Xtrema roster, and I had no control over the course of this special. Jackal was in control of everything; the matches, the Trick or Treat pumpkins, even the MVP event in an hour."
"…I am not even mad." Queen Bee said. "Color me impressed."
"What about the Trick pumpkin?" Scarlette asked.
"I already ran into it on the way to find you two." Sayuri said. "Turns out, it was a bunch of rubber snakes that sprung out like a prank can of peanut brittle."
Scarlette sighed. "Oh, well. I guess you got us."
"Better luck next year." Queen Bee said.
"Good." Sayuri said. "By now, Jackal has already begun the voting process, so I better meet up with the other winners."
*MVP*
The crowd surrounded the wrestling ring which was filled with the winners of the earlier events. Those include La Calavera, Eris, Midnight, Diana Diaz, Team Spirit, Willow Powell, Sam Hamilton, Clover, and Sayuri Rogue. Jackal Tojo stood at the center of the ring. Ryuji stepped into the ring and passed a black enveloped to the guest host.
"Well, this was an exciting night! A Halloween I'm sure we'll never forget! Each one of these competitors really gave us a good show! La Calavera, with your speed and experience, you opened up the night with a good win! Eris, you became mistress of the flames after torching your opponent! Midnight, your victory left some audience members petrified in their seats with the assistance of your 'brides'. Next is Diana Diaz. You really gave Azraella Bloodstone a good beating and brought to to rest in that cemetery. Team Spirit, you clearly won a sweet tooth along with that match. Willow Powell, I wish I could say I was surprised on how your match went, but I'd be lying. Sneaky. Sam Hamilton, you crossed several tight turns and predatory swans to light up that jack-o-lantern. Clover, that match of yours was seriously hardcore. I mean, crashing right through the second floor? Awestruck right here. And lastly, my old rival, Sayuri Rogue. You made yourself a real killer tonight. It wouldn't surprise me if they made another Friday the 13th movie and casted you as Pamela Vorhees.
"And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for. You all casted your votes, and now, it's time to select this year's Halloween special MVP!" Jackal opened up the envelope, unfolded the paper she pulled out, and took her time reading it. "In third place… Midnight!" Midnight gave a murderous stare at everyone. "In second place… Clover!" The orc simply shrugged. "And in first place… SAYURI ROGUE! Congratulations! You are this year's Queen of Halloween!"
The cheers from the crowd echoed through the night as Sayuri accepted the honor. She shook Jackal's hand and waited for things to be quiet before talking.
"Thanks for doing this for me. I really wanted to get involved in this special."
"Anything for my favorite rival, Yuri."
"Really? You want to exchange old nicknames, 'Jacky'."
The two chuckled before everyone took a bow underneath the Halloween night sky.
Author's Note: I gotta admit, I did not think I would be done this early in October. Now that I'm done, I can get started on the next chapter of my canon story. Thank you all for the time you spent reading my stories and thank you all for your support.
Any and all comments are welcome.