40 Person Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal

[SnowQueenSCW]

OOC: Sorry for not having the graphics or anything for this one. As mentioned earlier, my computer died the other week so I've had to write my roleplays using my phone. Best of luck to everyone!

Send In the Clown

Chapter 1: Opening Curtain...

I said nothing as I walked through the pathways in the dark. There wasn't anyone to talk to really. It wasn't like I brought people down here with me. The tunnels and pathways that ran underneath Toronto, Ontario, old, discarded paths of the P.A.T.H that were useless to anyone leaving above on the surface, were certainly not meant for anyone that didn't know their way.

But you know? You live down here long enough, and no matter how long you're away from it, you always know the routes.

That's my case. It's why I could travel down here with no fear. No hesitation. I knew how to lose followers and stalkers down here, in the realm of the Underground. In the old home of the Kings of Shadows.

Yeah, I said that, I said 'old home'.

In case you haven't figured it out, yet - and shame on you if you haven't after reading the DAMN TITLE - it's Shilo Valiant narrating here. I know It's been awhile since I did a full-fledged story, hasn't it. It's a bit harder for me to do that these days. Promoting? That's no problem. I can always talk about wrestling and opponents. I can also throw barbs and insults and whatever. Change my promo style to new things and ideas. But what do you talk about - what story to you share with your audience craving entertainment - when you've done it all?

Let me give you a bit of a reminder, since it's been a few years. You're listening to a guy that fought a series of corrupt cops named the Links, saved his world - the Kings of Shadows - from an invading madman in Ian Ryper, a former merchant like me, saved his land again from another invader, this time my father-in-law, aka The Sovereign, and in-between all of that, somehow also defeated robbers and serial killers like Eclipse and Brother Grimm.

Add my life's story of being a father, soulmate with my darling Marina, and what else was there to tell? What else was there for me to share with all of you in my life's story? I'm not Syren. I'm not Selena Frost. There's not much 'exciting' about me cooking pasta or, in Syren's case, finding life partners and scandals all in one go. Sorry, not my thing.

So, I walked away from SCW. I walked away because I felt that I didn't have anything more to add to the entertainment. Still, as the years went by, I felt that itching again. That itching to get back in the ring and end things on my terms. End my career, my Hall of Fame-winning career, on a far more 'entertaining note' than bowing out of some Adrenaline tournament and knocking Ace Marshall silly.

Maybe that's why I was excited about Taking Hold of the Flame. It seemed too perfect this year. Aaron Blackbourne possibly being the world champion?

Let me make this clear to you now: I like the kid. I think he's a good guy. And I think he's very talented. That being said, by the time you're done seeing all of this, including the promo, you're gonna understand why I have fun pulling his chain and riding him along. It certainly is a barrel of laughs. Hardy har har.

But I digress, I kept walking through the tunnels of Toronto, taking stock of my old stomping grounds. The only sounds that filled my ears was the trickling of sewer water through the pipes and the sounds of my black running shoes as I walked through the tunnels. It's spring, alright? Not like I need to wear boots when I know where to walk. Just jeans and a black t-shirt with a comedy/tragedy mask in gothic design on it. You know... Casual.

It didn't take me long to reach the central hub of the Kings of Shadows, the old fountain still standing there, despite no water flowing from it. Across from that, in case you don't remember what it looks like, were the build-in rooms and houses for the residents, where people would live, taking shelter from the outside world that had either abandoned them or forsaken them.

I couldn't help but smile at that. Despite everything, the place was still very much like home to me. And like anyone going back to their old home, the feeling of nostalgia was there. It was achingly similiar to returning to SCW suddenly to challenge Blackbourne.

No, you heard me right. Coming back to the God of Wrestling Tournament was something I did because that idiot, Allocco, wouldn't stop bothering me about it. He kept begging me to come back because I won the last damn tournament. And the more I said no, the more he upped his offer until I'd be far dumber than a drunk man driving his car and crashing it into a cop car to say no. Yes, I've actually seen that happen in Toronto, so don't be surprised by the analogy.

Anyway, the God of Wrestling tournament was nice, but it wasn't where my heart was. My heart wasn't in it as much as the others had like David Helms and Selena Frost and the newbies that wanted to make a career. But it was partly Aaron Blackbourne and his abilities that made me want to come back. To test the skills of this new 'artist' against my own. He reminded me a lot of myself-

Okay... Full cards on the table here while I'm talking about my journey through the Underground? I don't want to lose the Royale. Yeah, I get the odds. No one's ever won the Royale twice in the history of SCW. No wrestler, no manager, no handler, no stable, nobody has ever been part of the 'winning team' more than once when it came to that Royale and the main-event at Rise to Greatness.

And if I just had myself to worry about, I wouldn't be so driven. I wouldn't be so determined for it - I probably wouldn't even care if I lost it.

But again, it comes back to Aaron. The kid was trying like hell to become World Champion and face me! Yeah, it was for him, but I think, on some level, he wanted to goad me out. And I can't really blame him. I mean, how entertaining would that be? Aaron Blackbourne beating Shilo Valiant and retaining the SCW World championship at the main-event at Rise to Greatness after months of months of building that feud? The kid's career would be made if he could get past Bree, and, if I egged him on enough, I think he'd have a real chance.

But the pressure was more on me than him. He could do it. I knew he could, especially with me goading him. But for me to win the Royale? To do the impossible that hadn't been done in over fifteen years of SCW's existence? And what if I failed? What would happen? Aaron and I face at Apocalypse as a consolation prize? How much would that fucking suck?

No, I had to have faith that Aaron would pull through and I had to clear my head to see if I could survive against some of the biggest names in SCW - past and present.

So, I had left my house in Guelph (yeah, I moved) and drove all the way here. Marina was worried but I-

Oh, didn't I talk about her yet? Yeah, Marina and I are still together. Go figure. And no, you won't be seeing her yet. She stayed home with our son, Memphis, who's easily the loudest person in the family, and that's coming from someone that use to scream "NECRO!" Until he was hoarse in the throat. It wasn't easy to leave everything behind, but in the end, Marina didn't want to be the Sovereign like her father, or the Empress, anymore than I wanted to The Merchant of Rule anymore. It was time to say goodbye to that. To leave it in the hands of those that we were sure would take care of it.

Retirement was both good and bad for her and I. Not in terms of wrestling, that was harder for me to say goodbye than it was for her. Being pregnant was quite the decision-maker in her case. Anyway, it was good for us in that we could spend more time together, just as we had when it was just us in SCW. It was bad for us because we soon ran out of things to do after the first few months. Don't get me wrong, Memphis is still a handful, but the kid's seven and making friends in school. I mean, the hard part's over, I think.

Actually, little story here - I know, I'm full of them, but I'm trying to help you guys catch up. But he was another reason I started getting that itch.

Okay, let me explain: you guys know I'm a Hall of Fame guy, right? And you know that I'm part of the 'legend' thing - which makes me feel a hell of a lot older than I actually am. And don't check my bio page on the SCW forums! I still have to update that. People still think my theme song is "Sin with a Grin" - yes, that's my bad, but I've been busy and with a lot on my mind. Anyway, Marina and I were at Wal-Mart with Memphis (I know you're wondering things but be patient, I'll get to it all) when Memphis noticed something. The boy is always running around to the toys section or the electronics section. He's actually really well behaved, but he likes to walk the aisles and touch the cool stuff. But I'll tell you his favourite thing. In the teen section of toys is a good section of SCW figurines. They're mostly kept up to date, mind you, with the more recent superstars like Giovanni Aries, Alistaire Allocco, Datura - really, this display was the biggest reason I knew all the new people's names. Really helped out when I inevitably made my return.

But, on that particular day months ago, right at the front, under the SCW "Legends" set, was me. I mean really, it was me. Picture on the side, name on the bottom, figurine on full display with removable masks packed in as well. Really, I've got to give credit to the manufacturers. They did an incredible job with the likeness. But Memphis noticed it and took it off the shelf. He spent a solid five minutes looking at it and looking at me, as if he couldn't reconcile what he was seeing and what was standing before him. Marina thought it was the cutest thing. Finally, after what felt like an hour, he looked at me and showed me the figurine.

"Daddy...is this you?" He asked. It made me laugh, and by that I am serious, it actually made me, genuinely, laugh. Memphis didn't know I was a wrestler in SCW. Or if he did, he never told me. I would have imagined the kids at school would have said something, but I guess with them all being his age, no one watched SCW - can't really blame them. It's boring as shit nowadays. No one's swinging from ladders, bringing alligators into the ring, and can we please have a show where Beauty Factory and Infamous DON'T come down to piss and moan?!

"Yes it is me." I told my son. "I use to be a wrestler. So did your mom." I gestured behind me to the brown-eyed beauty as she leaned against me, me throwing my arm around her to hold her close.
"Does mom have an action figure?" Memphis asked, surprising me.
"I...I don't really know." I stated. What? It wasn't like Marina and I went actively hunting for stuff that had our faces on it. Yeah, we had replicas of the titles we won, but come on! That's a bit much, don't you think? To collect your own memorabilia?

"Why don't you wrestle now?" Memphis had asked me.
"Well..." It was a question that, oddly enough, had come up in the past. And I had an answer for it, I just didn't know if it was a good one. I basically told him everything that I've just told all of you. That I had done practically everything I had set out to do. That I had run out of stories to tell and that it was time for someone new to step in and take my place.

Memphis didn't quite get it - again, he's like seven - but somehow, he managed to get that "Daddy was once on T.V." And that was enough for him to look me in the eyes and say "I wish I could see you on TV, daddy."

Yeah. Just like that - BOOM! The itch was back.

By the way, in terms of my travelling here while I'm explaining this story? I walked through the stone house that my father, Jonathan "Spider" Wells, and I once lived in. Further back was the abandoned subway cart, aka my room as a kid. It was empty, like everything else was, but at least the fire hadn't destroyed too much of this section. Moving on - nope, don't ask - I kept walking along the paths towards the end of the Kings of Shadows until I was back in the tunnels.

I always hated this part - the tunnels that lead to the nexus point to the other parts of the Underground. Again, refresher course here, the North was the councilling room for the merchants and where the Mind Merchant lived - Malcore was his name. South was the abandoned, former home of Ryper's gang, The Children of Eden, and the 'Garden'. East and West were different alcoves where people could live, as well as exits to various parts of Toronto.

Guess which way I went when I reached the Nexus?

South. I went south. Yeah, it was a good thing I didn't bring Marina with me. She hated it down there more than I did. Can't really blame her, there was a lot of bad memories down there. Still, travelling was needed. I needed to clear my head, or rather, get myself into the proper mindset.

Alright, let me see if I can explain this part to you: Shilo Valiant, the family man, isn't going to do shit at the Royale. I tried wrestling as that guy and I got my ass handed to me by David Helms in the God of Wrestling tournament. Hell, that Valiant could barely get a promo out because he was so tired. And let me tell you, I realized in the last few months, that you can train and train to get yourself back in top shape (and I did - running treadmill is so damn boring) but if your mind isn't in the right place, you're not going to last in SCW regardless of your fame and accolades. It's called evolution. If you can't change with the times, then you'll just be left behind.

So I had to come back here. I couldn't be Shilo Valiant, the family man. If my son was going to see me wrestle, and I mean, actually, wrestle, not just muck around and play dead in the middle of the ring just to piss off Jay Gold, Datura, and Aaron Blackbourne (though that was kinda fun for me), then I needed to get my mind back to Shilo Valiant, The Necro-Merchant. Not necessarily the same gimmick as that, but definitely in that mindset.

So...I needed to come here. To put myself in the proper frame of mind. And while I didn't bring her, I did tell Marina what I was intending to do. Naturally, she was against it. She was against me going back to wrestling in the first place. I mean, she got it. She understood. She didn't have a desire to have 'one last ride' like I did, but I was way more into wrestling than she was. Hell, sometimes I even helped write her promos, I was that into it, always asking her to let me help. She humoured me and it was fun. Anyway, she was against me going back to SCW because she was afraid I would lose myself or go down a darker path or tarnish my legacy, basically for one good thing - one last hooray - I was risking an awful lot for a family man.

Still, I couldn't get my son's wish out of my head. I wanted him to see me wrestle. I wanted him to be proud. Like my daughter had been when she saw me wrestle years ago.

So, trapsing through the tunnels again, I kept a bare hand against the metal, feeling the coldness of it against my fingers. I could also see, in the dim light, the details of my dragon-tattoo, the one with the bones drawn inside it. Again, for those of you that don't remember, this was the tattoo that Ryper marked with me after throwing me into that damned prison-torture box he had - the tenebrae.

Geez, how many years has it been since I even spoke about that? What's more freaky? The fact that I can't say it without having a slight shiver. And I'll wager anyone that remembers it would feel that way too. If my wrestling life was something that I wanted my son to know about, you can imagine the opposite feeling in regards to my son knowing about my life and past here in the Underground - as in, no way in hell would I ever want him to know!

The tenebrae was the thing nightmares were made of. Imagine a cell only a few feet tall and a few feet wide. Imagine being crammed inside there so your body is basically in the fetal position, locked in there for weeks, months. And no, you don't want to know how or where the bathroom was. It was all Ryper's progress in trying to brainwash me and make me one of his weapon-disciples against the Kings of Shadows, more specifically my father, Spider. Ryper branded my arm with the tattoo of a dragon, tattoos being all the thing for the Children of Eden, like goth-punks, or so I understand. Luckily, for me, the K.O.S staged an attack and managed to get me out of there.

Actually, something you won't find in my previous stories (even on the old legacy sites)... Is the reason I never got rid of it. It's not like I couldn't afford it and, trust me, it's not because laser-tattoo-removal and the pain that comes with it bothers me. I've taken wrenches to the knee, bulldozed by monsters like Blitzkrieg (anyone remember him?), and has everyone forgotten how I was SET ON FIRE?!

No, the reason why I never got rid of the tattoo, petty as this will sound, is that I never wanted to forget the very cold reality. You guys know I try to entertain all of you. You know that I try and make you all laugh and smile and have a good time on the SCW shows, but the reason I do that is because, honestly, the world is a dark and cruel place. It is filled with so much crap that - okay, maybe it's not as bad as Xander Valentine's 24/7 sob stories that he talks about. "I am broken! I am bully! I am to be feared!" Yeah, yeah, King Kong was feared and all we had to do to beat him was push him off a building. Take a long walk off a tall pier, Xandy.

It's not as dark as that, but it is a rather cruel place. Full of monsters, rapists, murderers, everything you can imagine.

And that tattoo on my arm of the dragon was a reminder, not only of that, but also a reminder of how much I could endure and still survive. I mean, you think winning the Taking Hold of the Flame Royale from start to finish was tough? Yeah it was, but I wouldn't have been to do that, nor would I have been able to survive that pyro attack if I didn't know I could. And with that tattoo, and me being able to look at it, I was always reminded that I could.

I think that was the reason Marina never removed the tattoo of the spider-web and skull spider that Merrick Links had marked her with. Same reason, really. It still looks beautiful on her but I think she keeps it to remind herself to be humble but also to remain strong and survive, no matter what.

I don't know, maybe I'm looking too much into it, but, you know, silver linings. Look at something like your time in the tenebrae or being assaulted and try and draw something positive from it, you know?

Speaking of which, I spotted the entrance to the Garden and, further down, the wall at the side with metal doors, the entrance to the tenebrae. Now, unlike the old walls of my home and the tunnels, I stayed clear of the metal confines of the tenebrae. Why? Well, let me put it this way. I knew, from experience, how little that place was cleaned and, despite my shoddy memory, I was pretty sure someone had been left to die in there at some point... Was it Muskrat when he had betrayed the K.O.S? It wasn't Ryper - I genuinely don't remember.

That's the problem when you've been telling all these stories for over a decade. Unless you have some kind of reference bible or something, little details, like memories start to slip. Again, this was why I wanted to get back to SCW for my son, before it really was too late for me. Before I really couldn't wrestle anymore. It was the final reason why I wanted so badly to win the Royale for a second time. Aaron, SCW/entertainment, and my son - those were the three reasons. Because, as much as I felt great and full of energy and good health, there was no way I could know if this whole 'year of return' was a one and done thing. If anything I said or did would take to this new SCW and I could, maybe, do some awesome things before it was over.

But, if this was my one shot, then for the three reasons I mentioned, I was going to do whatever I had to be ready. Even this...

Yep, here it is, the reason I travelled here. The reason why I got up early, got into my car, drove from Guelph to Toronto, parked in an alley, used a manhole covering (thanks to a crowbar) and travelled all the way through my old home.

Oh, before I say this last part to wrap it all up, have any of you figured out the missing element to this chapter? Maybe those of you that know my past work (apparently, on discord, I'm actually rather liked...go figure) may have solved it, but I think I left enough hints for you to put it all together. The Kings of Shadows, the old houses, the tunnels, even the garden here... What's missing?

Well, as I walked the short distance left, past the Garden and into one last tunnel, it became adamantly clear, though I already knew the answer. Because there, in one alcove with only one way to it... Was about a couple dozen or so tombstones, all about the same size and shape, lined up perfectly like a little cemetery. And on each of them were carved, rather roughly, a name and a date. And there, at the front of the lines:

Faith Jekyll
Edward Jekyll
Nomas Altaire
Femora Altaire
Lester Malcore
Rusty Edwards
Mark Edwards
Madison Rivers-Wells
Nights Wells
Rameses Jekyll
Gwynplaine Valiant-Jekyll
Joseph "Spider" Wells

Their birthdates were all different, but the last date on each stone? The day of death? It was all the same. The day it all ended...

The day I killed them all.

So, what do you think? Entertained, yet?

_______________________________________

SHILO'S BIG TOP CIRCUS!!!

Join us in our world of fun!
Cause our adventures have only just begun!
With magical friends and learning too!
We have so much to share with you!

The camera changes to a shot of a single, black chair in the center of the shot. Only a second passes before a shadow is seen approaching the chair, belong to a man that sits down in the chair with a big smile on his face! He wears a crimson red long coat with silver, shiny buckles covering them.

Hello, my little entertainers! Shilo greets with a smile and a big, brown, hard covered book in his hands. You're probably wondering where all our friends are today. Where's Puppy? And Bah-Boomsie? Are they playing 'hide-and-seek'?

Looking down a little guilty, with pursued lips, Shilo takes a moment to look around. Well, you see, my friends, I... I asked Puppy and Bah-Boomsie to give me some time here in the big-top so I could speak with a very special, VERY important person. Now, I know what you all are thinking! "Shilo! You have so many wonderful friends! And so many people that want so badly to be you! Goodness, you're facing thirty-nine of them this weekend! Who could you possibly mean when you say you have a 'special person to talk to'?"

That is a very good question, my little friends. The person I need to speak to is, actually, my most devoted fan. He can't go long without talking about me and he can't do much without thinking about me, it seems. Have you figured out who that special someone is, yet?

No... Well, I'll give you a hint! This person is NOT in the Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royale!

Nothing yet? Shilo hums as he thinks about it. How about one last hint, then? I KNOW this will help you all! This person is NOT Datura.

Stopping for a second, Shilo cups a hand over his ear, the big, heavy book still in his lap. What's that? Did you say Aaron Blackbourne? That's right! You got it! Good for you! Give yourselves a pat on the back! Reaching over his shoulder, Shilo pats himself on the back just as he asked his audience to.

Yes, today's episode is especially for you, Aaron. Because, I figured, with so much happening this weekend, and so much lying going around from you, and Bree, and Datura, and... Well, let's face it... Thirty-nine other delusional wrestlers, I figured someone should be here to speak the truth. And what better way to speak the truth- Shilo suddenly pats the top of the book in his lap. Than with a good-ol' fashioned story!

Carefully, Shilo hoists the book up a little, the cover not really noticeable due to the size and position Shilo holds it. Don't you worry, Aaron. With you and your 'creativity', I know you're hoping there will be pictures. Fortunately for you, this is a picture story!

Clearing his throat, Shilo opens the book the first page, where there is a picture of Aaron Blackbourne, holding up the Television Title. Once upon a time, there was a man that was an artist! He loved to tell people how creative he was! "I am the most creative soul in all the land!" He would proclaim. "I am more creative than the haters of Lizard Kingdoms! More clever than the stables of legends and infamous hall of farmers! More original than the factory that makes beautiful people!"

The artists' bold proclamations reached far and wide! And so many simply believed it because few dared to challenge so wild, talented and unchained man! Shilo turns the page in the big book, showing a picture of a smiling Shilo Valiant with his quarter-mask on. But one day, a wise, old jester arrived onto the land of SCW! He had visited this land many times before, and, hearing the artist's proclamations, he challenged the young man to 'prove his creativity'! Turning the page, a new picture is shown: this one of Shilo and Aaron wrestling in their first match - a Breakdown episode for the TV title.

I remember that night! Shilo exclaims with a smile. Do you remember why I chose to challenge you, Aaron? Because I had watched you. I had watched you wrestle, watch you promo, watch...well, everything, really. And I thought, I truly thought, that, while you were still a bit rough around the edges, a bit unpolished, you had the makings of a great entertainer! I was excited to face you! Turning the page, a picture of Shilo is seen looking into the ring, pointing at Aaron. In fact, the jester was so excited, he praised the young artist, declaring he to be 'someone to watch' in the future! He had given the artist the greatest of compliments, leaving the audience wanting more of both of them!

A sad sigh escapes the reader and host. Sadly, the artist did not see it that way. Rather than see the experienced entertainer as a giving man - a person that had gifted him - the artist grew disrespectful and arrogant. Be that as it may, the jester continued to try and support the young man, until the next time... the page turns and reveals a picture of Aaron Blackbourne being pinned by El Lucho Grande. When the artist failed to live up to the expectations of being a champion, he riled and blamed the jester, who merely had tried to support him... Shilo sighs again. Poor Aaron... You lost your title a mere twelve or so days after winning it, and you blamed me. Why, Aaron? Because you were distracted by my voice and support of you? Did you also blame the thousands of people in the arena that night for 'being too loud'? Tsk tsk tsk... Shilo chastises before turning the page, the image to one of Aaron angry and yelling. "I must have the jester!" The artist proclaimed! "He cost me my title! He is to blame!"

The sad, sad jester reached a very real conclusion... the page changes, as does the picture, to one of Shilo Valiant sitting on a flight of stairs, his head in his hands. He realized that the man he had supported, the artist he had believed in... Was a fraud. That the artist's creativity wasn't 'unchained'... It was simply... Unoriginal. For what was the artist doing but simply imitating the jeter's legacy? Where the jester had used paints and swung from ladders, the artist copied such tactics and claimed to be his own. Where the jester had been unpredictable, the artist was simply falling flat on his face and blaming the jester...

It was at that time that the jester made a decision!

Eagerly, Shilo turns the page, saying This is my favourite part! as he does so. The image shown is of Shilo Valiant, sliding his quarter-mask over his face. The jester realized that, if no one could be the entertainer that he was, than he would return to the ring and remove the fakers and the phonies that polluted the land of SCW! He would snuff out those that were merely copying the entertainment, rather than doing all they could to enhance it!

Stopping for a moment, Shilo raises his head up to the camera, to the 'special person' he knows is watching.

Do you see now, Aaron? For all your abilities, your surprise victories, for a moment, I truly did believe in you. But, sadly, the more I got to know you, the more I saw through your paints and effects for the unoriginal man that you are. You continued to disappoint me on every level, Aaron. Crying that someone else deserved title shots over you on Twitter? Coming up short time and time again when the opportunity presented itself... Why! You had the chance to become World Champion, did you not? How did that go?

You failed.

When I had my first shot at the World title... I didn't fail. The very first show of Riding the Lightning, SCW's first two-night event! I not only won the World title, I made history by becoming the first-ever SCW World and United States dual champion! That's right, Aaron! Even your opponent, Bree Lancaster, is as guilty as you are for copying me and not crediting the original source of the entertainment. Tsk tsk tsk!

But back to you, Aaron. You're probably wondering where that leaves us. I mean, you failed to beat me the last time we were in the ring, and I practically handed myself over to you - for the sake of entertainment, of course. But you see, our story isn't over yet! I know you think that I am here to shun you and belittle you, but no! I am here to tell you that you have everything within your grasp! We are on the cusp of finishing the most entertaining story in the most entertaining fashion!

A bright smile breaks over Shilo's face. For you, my dear follower, can achieve the greatest goal one possible here in SCW. You could undo your past failure and, finally, become the SCW World Champion! Not only that, you could go on to headline Rise to Greatness - a place I know very well. Shilo wiggles his eyebrows knowingly. If you don't choke and actually beat Bree Lancaster, you will become far more than you ever imagined! And I don't just mean World Champion, Aaron! I don't just mean Rise to Greatness main-eventer I mean that you will become something far greater than that! Far greater than you could ever hope to achieve!

You will become the supporting player to MY story! Shilo declares with a grin. Oh, I'm sorry... he holds up the big, revealing the title in big bold letters in the cover: The Return of Shilo Valiant! Did you really think this was YOUR story, Aaron? Shilo's tone is a little darker as he chuckles darkly. Did you think that 'fate' was playing its hand in YOUR favour by granting you that number-one contender status for the World title?

No, my poor boy, fate did not do that for you. You are inconsequential in the grand-scheme of things. You failing - choking as you usually do - provides me some entertainment all the same. For you see, should you fail, then the champion would be Bree Lancaster - the bratty copycat that is trying to steal my achievement of being the greatest World and US champion of all time! You see? Fate placed both you and Bree in each other's path, not for your own sakes, but so that, when I win the Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royale, I will have one of you lined up to take down! Either you, the artist... Or rather, the con-artist ... Or the fake double champion. Shilo smile continues to grow.

The pair of you - fakers and cons - you seem to think so highly of yourselves. But you fail to understand, much like Datura actually, but I'll get to her later. You and Bree fail to understand that this is not fate. This is not 'fortune' working for the pair of you. This is destiny. MY destiny.

I came back to SCW, not because I had to, but because SCW was begging me to come back. Begging me to come back and save the entertainment from the false showmen like yourself. From the false champions like Bree. And I, being the greatest showman in SCW history, generously heeded the call. And destiny has rewarded me by practically screaming how it wants me to come back in the most entertaining way...

By returning to MY show. MY main-event... Shilo's head lowers a little, his expression a bit darker. Rise to Greatness.

Yes, Aaron. MY main-event. No one, in the history of SCW has done what I have done on that night. For three years in a row, I headlined that main-event. No one has ever done that. And I did it not with Trios contracts or whining or blaming people that 'distracted me', but by being the SCW World Champion or winning the Battle Royale!

I know what it takes to win this royale, Aaron. That's why destiny trusted me with the harder task of getting to Rise to Greatness while it literally handed you your world title shot against Bree - just like it handed Bree her shot at James Evans before that. Destiny has played the pair of you in order to get me to where I am destined to be - at the Rise to Greatness main-event for the fourth time!

Suddenly, Shilo's expression changes to a happy, smiling jester once more. But don't worry! I'll be happy to let the champion share in my spotlight of the main-event, too! I'm not ungrateful! You, Aaron, can have all you've wanted. I will give it to you if you win! The singles match with me you've desired and, more importantly, a moment in my spotlight as I entertain the fans of SCW as I always have. And Bree can have the same thing if she wins. See how fair and kind I am? I'm giving you both the opportunity, the entertainment, of a lifetime! A match will surely go down as the 'Match of the Year'!

But... as for this... Shilo taps the still open book with a finger. And how this story ends... Well... There was never a Rise to Greatness main-event that I was in where I wasn't holding the SCW world title... he slowly turns the page, showing a crying Bree Lancaster, and an unconscious Aaron Blackbourne. And whether you make Bree cry... Or you pass out from invariably choking, Aaron... he turns the page, revealing a picture of himself, holding the SCW World champion. The ending will not change... There is a flash of images, all of them the four different times Shilo Valiant has held the World title! Just as quickly, the image returns to Shilo, holding the book, now closed in his hands.

This is my story, Aaron. This is my destiny. And Taking Hold of the Flame will take me to my show. All you can do is enjoy the ride, and maybe...just maybe... his tone is suddenly darker, with a bit of a laugh heard behind him. You can be part of it, play your part... And make me laugh!

Shilo's sinister laugh is heard echoing throughout everything though Shilo, himself, merely smiles. Just as quickly, however, he suddenly waves his hand playfully. Bye, guys! That's all for now! Bye Aaron! Good luck! See you this Sunday! Bye! The camera changes to the graphic as the music plays!

That's all for today, our time is through!
But we hope we've made a friend of you!
So goodbye, so long, and farewell!
We'll see you all next time in our carousel!