TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP

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PIC
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TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 18:57:28 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 18:57:28 GMT -5

MoMo: Haunting entrances there for both Wolf and Penelope, wouldn’t you say Leo?

Leo: You kidding? I remember EVERYTHING.

MoMo: Great. What did you like best about them?

Leo: Uh… Okay, so I lied.

MoMo: You lied?

Leo: Yes. I remember nothing about the intros.

MoMo: Leo. Are you being serious or are you just saying that because you find entrances to be boring and a waste of time?

…

…

Leo: Okay, you got me. I hate entrances.

~As soon as the bell rings, LCP charges at Penelope. She stops him almost immediately, her eyes fixed upon Sarah Wolf, and flings him away as if he was nothing. Undaunted, LCP gets up and runs again, this time right at Wolf. She keeps her gaze on Penelope, but steps aside as LCP flies past her and through the middle rope to the outside of the ring. The two femme fatales lock up, with Penelope gaining the upper hand. She whips Wolf off the ropes and across the ring. Wolf bounces off and is met with a stiff forearm to the face. Wolf quickly bounces up as Penelope leaps up and smashes Wolf in the jaw with a knee strike followed by a quick cover.~

1!

Kickout!!

Leo: Come on, there’s gotta be something illegal about that!

MoMo: Gonna show that Team Welsh favoritism again?

Leo: Up until whatever curse Penelope laid on me kicks in.

MoMo: It’s interesting that neither Penelope nor Sarah Wolf have much interest in LCP at this point.

Leo: Wolf’s out for revenge on Penelope. She doesn’t care about Pinky Lee.

~Penelope gets to her feet as LCP slides back in the ring. He charges at her but she grabs him by the head and throws him over the top rope. This distraction allows Wolf to get up and kick her in the gut. She picks Penelope up and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker across her knee. She holds it, pressing downward on both ends of Penelope’s body trying to get her to break. LCP gets back into the ring, frustrated, and climbs the turnbuckle. He jumps off toward Wolf, who lets go just in time for LCP to come crashing down onto Penelope. Wolf then picks him up and tosses him face first into the corner before trying a pin of her own on Penelope.~

1!

2!! Kickout!!

~The impact from LCP isn’t enough to keep Penelope down. Wolf slides around Penelope and hooks her head from behind, but a huge wave rages over the side of the boat and soaks the ring. Wolf and Penelope both slide across as the ship rocks back and forth. LCP sees an opening and grabs Wolf by the leg, pulling her to the middle of the ring. He drops his elbow across her leg three times, then twists it around and attempts a figure four. He fumbles trying to put it on, giving Wolf a chance to kick him into the corner. She stands and rushes forward, only to be speared from the side by Penelope. LCP then rushes forward at Penelope and hits her with a reverse bulldog and hooks her leg.~

1!

2!!

Kickout!!!

MoMo: LCP coming to life here. He almost had it won there.

Leo: Yeah, but he wouldn’t have even had the chance if it wasn’t for this weather. It’s pretty wild.

MoMo: It’s gotten so much worse as the night has gone on, and there appears to be no end in sight.

Leo: So… pretty wild.

MoMo: Okay, I’ll give you pretty wild.

PIC
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Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:02:47 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:02:47 GMT -5

~Another huge wave rocks the ship even more. LCP runs to the corner and braces himself while yelling something incoherent. The wave subsides but LCP remains tethered to the post much longer than necessary. Very statuesque. While this is going on, Wolf and Penelope get back to their feet. They rush at each other and unleash an onslaught of blow after blow, with Wolf gaining the upper hand. She pushes Penelope into the opposite corner of LCP and starts laying in kicks to her midsection. Penelope doubles over in pain but Wolf is relentless. Penelope finally drops to her butt in the corner. Wolf steps back and delivers a roundhouse kick to Penelope’s jaw. Blood flies across the ring almost immediately, but mixed with the rain and ocean water it washes away from the mat. Wolf tries to pull her from the corner when LCP jumps on her back from behind. He swings haymakers in either direction that come up empty, and Wolf simply walks backwards and slams him back first into the opposite buckle. She then charges at Penelope, leaps into the air… but Penelope moves. Wolf’s entire right leg smashes into the ring post. She screams out in pain as Penelope gets up. She runs at LCP, elbowing him square in the face, then turns to see Wolf holding her leg but now on her knees. Penelope rushes over, springboards off the ropes, and smashes Wolf with a reverse DDT.~

MoMo: Penelope calls that “Sudden Death” and with move like that, Sarah Wolf may just be on the verge of a sudden death herself.

~Penelope rolls her over and makes the cover.~

1!

2!!

3!!!

NO!!!

~LCP dives on top to make the save. He grabs Penelope by the hair and throws her out of the ring. He tries a pin of his own.~

1!

2!! NO!!!

~This time Wolf kicks out. LCP lifts her up and throws her in the corner. He takes a step back then nails her in the face with his “Chronic Kick”, a step-up enziguri. He turns to see Penelope getting to her feet on the outside. He wipes the salt water out of his eyes and begins running the ropes back and forth. When Penelope gets to her feet, he flings his body through the second rope at her for a shoulder tackle but Penelope sidesteps it. LCP flies face first into the side of the ship just as a wave rocks it. His entire body flops over, leaving him dangling by one hand over the expanse between the Atalanta and the S.S. TRIAD.~

MoMo: Good Lord! LCP has taken himself up and out of this match, and maybe this world. He’s hanging on for his literal life at this point.

Leo: Eh… one less thing for Sarah to worry about.

~Penelope slides back in the ring just as Wolf is beginning to stir. She picks her up and slams her in the ring. Penelope then retreats to her corner and waits for Wolf to get onto all fours. She rushes forward, attempting a curb stomp but Wolf rolls out of the way. As Penelope turns around, Wolf leaps off the mat with a stunner out of nowhere leaving both women down on the mat.~

MoMo: Penelope has absorbed a lot of punishment early on.

Leo: Wolf made Penelope bleed a few weeks back, so she knew that entire spooky thing Penelope’s got going on was merely a facade, albeit a thick one, that could eventually crack.

MoMo: Yep, that moment inspired confidence, no doubt. Confidence baked alongside vengeance stemming from an unfortunate DQ on Night 2. A controversial moment you played a hand in.

Leo: I’ve grown a lot since then.

~LCP still hangs on for dear life as his feet dangle hundreds of feet above the raging ocean below. The wind subsides for a brief moment, allowing him to grab hold of the ship with his other hand as well. He hoists himself up over the side and onto the deck of the ship. He breathes heavily, but doesn’t waste time rushing the ring when he sees his opponents down. He climbs the top rope, looks at Wolf, then Penelope. He’s confused about who he should go after, so he somehow decides to try to hit both at the same time. He jumps off with his top rope moonsault, the Placentia Raised. His body contorts in midair as he tries to hit Penelope with his knees and Wolf with his elbows. He’s moderately successful, and both women are worse for the ware although he, too, seems shaken up. He pulls himself onto Penelope for a pin attempt.~

1!

2!!

NO!!!

~Penelope raises her left shoulder before the three. Wolf slowly gets to her feet to see LCP narrowly missing a victory. She waits til he gets to his feet, then spins him around and cinches in a Mandible Claw!~

MoMo: The Devil Lock!!

Leo: It’s all over now, baby! Look at that plan go!

PIC
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Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:10:52 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:10:52 GMT -5

~LCP tries to fight, but Wolf pushes him down to the mat as she locks the claw in deeper. Penelope turns just as it appears LCP will pass out. She kicks Wolf in the face, forcing her to release the hold and fall backwards through the ropes. Penelope wastes no time as she rushes at Wolf. She attempts a suicide dive, but Wolf catches her and smashes her back against the ring post. Wolf scoops her up and bodyslams Penelope onto the unforgiving wooden deck of the ship. She picks her up and does it again. Then again!~

MoMo: I’m pretty sure Wolf is looking to send Penelope down into hell or something cause she wasted no time in throwing Penelope out of the ring and slamming her body into the dilapidated, wooden deck of the Ghost Ship.

Leo: Hell would probably be a reprieve for anyone on the receiving end of Wolf’s untamed fury.

~A fourth body slam to the deck, and then Wolf appears to want to take things to another level. She attempts a powerbomb after identifying a portion of the deck that looked the most compromised. But Penelope nails Wolf with a headbutt and saves herself. Both women proceed to trade headbutts at this point. Skull on skull impact. Wolf begins bleeding first, her buzzed hairstyle providing very little protection.~

Leo: I think Penelope’s skull is made out of whatever was in Wolverine’s body. Does she ever bleed?

MoMo: Maybe? There’s a lot of blood on her forehead at the moment, but I don’t know if it’s hers or Sarah Wolf’s.

~Both women seem very unstable after the headbutts. Suddenly a “heeya!” or ‘teeya!’ or something like that, like something out of a Nintendo 64 game as LCP comes flying out of the ring with a double axe handle over his head and down onto both women, taking them out. He comes down with such ferocity that his legs go right through the deck causing him to get stuck at the waist...half below the deck, half above. Penelope gets to her feet and sees LCP’s predicament. Instead of helping, she starts stomping him. When Wolf gets up, she joins in putting the boots to LCP. Wolf stops after a minute while Penelope seems to enjoy it too much. Wolf turns her attention back to Penelope and clotheslines her to the deck. Wolf begins kicking and punching Penelope relentlessly, and any doubt over whether Penelope can bleed is put to rest. Her face is a crimson mask. The rain washes it away but the blood just comes right back.~

Leo: I shouldn’t have been surprised but, I dunno, I guess I haven’t learned anything. Wolf had LCP right there, stuck in the deck but, instead, she went back after Penelope.

MoMo: Oh boy did she ever...she’s beating the soul right out of Penelope. Kicks and punches and head butts and bites and native american sunburns.

Leo: Nice audible there.

MoMo: Thanks.

~Wolf picks Penelope off the deck and rolls her back into the ring where Tony waits. She reaches her fingers inside Penelope’s mouth and hooks in a Devil Lock to her. Penelope fights it with all her might but it seems to be of no use.~

MoMo: Wolf has another Devil Lock, this time on Penelope. This match could be over!

Leo: She’s a braver man than I am...shoving that fist down Penelope’s throat. Penelope is the only person in the Trials I’d place a sizable amount of money on to bite someone’s hand off.

~But Penelope doesn’t bite her hand off, and instead begins to fade. Tony looks to call the match, when LCP slides back into the ring and does a forward somersault, completely missing Wolf except for a wayward elbow. That elbow is just enough for Wolf to release the hold. She seems more agitated than hurt, but her focus on LCP allows Penelope to rise up and roll Wolf up into a small package.~

1!

2!!

NO!!!

~Damn near a three count. Both women hurry back to their feet only for Wolf to greet Penelope with a high knee, knocking her back to the mat.~

MoMo: How did LCP get free from the hole in the deck?

Leo: No idea. I thought Sarah had the win but LCP managed to get free and re-enter the ring.

~Wolf kicks Penelope off of her and rolls backward to her feet. LCP rushes her but she spits black mist all in his face. She expects him to react, but he doesn’t. Instead, he reaches for his neckline and peels a pair of pantyhose off of his head. Let’s not speculate where he got them, but they did the job. He jumps up and takes Wolf over with a ‘modified’ Frankensteiner. He goes for the cover.~

1!

2!!

3!!!

NO!!!

~LCP rolls off of Wolf, holding his neck. During that “Frankensteiner” he ended up causing more damage to himself than Wolf. He nearly broke his neck, but the adrenaline carried him over long enough to try the pin. He slowly makes his way to his feet and turns around only to be hit with more black mist… this time from Penelope! She knocks him down and goes for a quick pin.~

1!

2!! Kickout!!!

~LCP staggers to his feet, feels around, finds someone and takes them down. He performs ‘Big Brother’...the move where he takes his opponent’s hands and uses them to hit the opponent in their face while saying ‘stop hitting yourself.’ An incredibly awesome move except he did the move on… Tony the Spider!!~

MoMo: Blinded by the goo, LCP just made a terrible mistake and took out our ref.

Leo: It looks like he’s gotten enough goo out of his eyes to realize his error but it’s too late.

~LCP gets back to his feet only for Penelope to nearly decapitate him with a spinning heel kick. She mounts him and unleashes a barrage of hits to his face. He tries to cover up but doesn’t block very many of the blows. She rolls him over and gets him in the Scissor Arm Crossface. LCP screams out and says he quits, but there’s no referee. Wolf comes to her senses and sees the ref is down. She slides out of the ring and snares a giant piece of wood from the deck. With Penelope and LCP both on the mat, Wolf stands behind them both with the wood in hand. Penelope releases the hold and stands only for Wolf to split the wood, and Penelope’s skull in one swing. Penelope’s body flies out of the ring as Wolf stands smiling before tossing the wood to the side. She turns to see a fired-up LCP. He hits her with Placentia Born, then jumps up top for another Placentia Raised. Out of desperation, Wolf grabs part of the wood and throws it at LCP, hitting him in the head. It looks as if a splinter has gotten into his eye. As he tries to remove it, he slips and falls to the mat, landing with some of the weirdest impact ever. He landed on all fours, almost frozen from the head trauma. Tony the Spider is back on his feet. Wolf runs at LCP and hits an Oklahoma roll, holding on for the pin.~

1!

2!!

3!!!

DING DING DING

Belvedere: Here is your winner… SARAH WOLF!!!!!

Leo: Simple as that!

MoMo: Sarah Wolf with the win! She may not have gotten her full revenge on Penelope, but a win is a win.

Leo: You’re damn right it is. She finished this thing as the strongest wrestler in the Trials. In my eyes, she’s the true winner… and another HUGE win for the Triumvirate.

MoMo: You’re just saying that cause she’s bald and bald women scare you.

Leo: Hey. We all have our phobias.

MoMo: True enough. Folks, that win by Sarah Wolf secures that Team Welsh is moving onto The Great Illuminatus. Two-thirds of the Triumvirate have already emerged victorious this evening, as have their apparent protege in Alexander Raven. With one final match to go, can Vhodka Black do the unthinkable and secure ultimate victory for this group in the Bravery Trials?

Leo: I’m all for this Triumvirate thing, I think. But I’d be cool to see Thad take the finals to give Team Welsh a clean sweep tonight.

MoMo: He’s certainly up to the task, but I have a feeling Catalina Cortes will have something to say about it as well. Our main event is next!

PIC
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Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:17:07 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:17:07 GMT -5

Ominous music plays. This isn’t your average wrestling match entrance. This is it… the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Some have been waiting for months, some for years… and for some, a lifetime or more has come and gone without so much as a whisper of the majestic TRIAD.

Now we stand on the precipice of destiny, and for three brave souls, the chance to hold a piece of the greatest artifact the world has ever seen is mere moments away.

The wind and waves have now reached hurricane levels, the HMS Atalanta feverishly swaying back and forth in a violent swirl. History lies in the hands of the brave. Tonight, history begins now!

MoMo: Folks, it’s time for the main event! This match is for all the marbles, the Bravery piece of the TRIAD is at stake, nestled somewhere in the bowels of the dreaded Ghost Ship. The winner of this match is the brave soul who not only retrieves the TRIAD piece, but is able to successfully flea the HMS Atalanta with it in their possession. There is no referee. There are no rules. To the victor goes the spoils!

Leo: I have no idea what is about to happen, but someone’s about to become the luckiest man in history. And for the other two, well maybe they’ll make it out alive. Maybe.

MoMo: It’s the craziest match in the craziest place for the craziest prize in the history of professional wrestling, and dare I say, the world! Let’s go to Belvedere and get this thing started!

Belvedere: Ladies and gentlemen… the winner of this final contest will be the man or woman who can successfully locate, retrieve, and extract the Bravery TRIAD from the depths of the HMS Atalanta GHOST SHIP!! Introducing first, from Pasadena, California and representing Team PIC… Catalina Cortes!!!

~The hurricane winds whip across the deck of the aircraft carrier, blanketing it in an unending torrent of rain. Speakers covered in tarps still function in spite of better judgment, blasting "POP/STARS 𝐯𝐬 MEGALOVANIA.” The song is barely audible over the storm, and the deck is otherwise bereft of life, until a red light flashes from deep within an inflatable black tunnel. The flashing continues like a hurricane rave, with a single silhouette in the center.~

Cat Cortes: Evil has consumed me, bitches.

~Cat speaks into a headset, before tearing it off and tossing it to the deck. Her eyes glow red from high-end contacts, the stuff of cosplay spectacle. Her gear is primarily black and gray, with only her kick pads and the C’s emblazoned on her knee pads in red. She raises the hood of her vinyl jacket and faces the storm. Her eyes shut, the red glow vanishing for a moment, and then they snap open as she walks into the rain and wind. She stops at the rope bridge, the final path to the Ghost Ship, bowing her head and squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. Lightning flashes and rain continues to pour. Cat adjusts her hood and takes the first step, and then the next. The Ghost Ship looms, waiting. A large swell smashes hard against the bridge just as she crosses over and steps onto the ship. She looks at the ring and is about to enter it but has a second thought. No rules. No referee. Go into the ship, get the TRIAD, get out. No reason to wait for the others. She passes the ring and heads for the ship’s hull instead.~

Belvedere: And her opponent… from Bent Fork, TN… a Team TLS favorite… Vhodka Black!!!

~Vhodka doesn’t waste any time after seeing what Cortes is doing. She runs out onto the aircraft carrier, conditions be damned. She doesn’t wait for the escort, instead making a beeline for the rope bridge. She moves her legs left and right all along the bridge as it sways as if in a game of hopscotch before making one final leap onto the Atalanta. She sees Catalina nearing the hull and picks up her pace. She jumps up to grab a dangling piece of what once was a flag and uses it to propel her body forwards. She lets go as she nears Cortes and lands on her back, sending her face first to the floor.~

Belvedere: And finally… representing Team Welsh from New York, NY… Thaddeus Duke!!!

~Several seconds into “My Name is Human” by Highly Suspect and no signs of Thaddeus Duke. Thad finally emerges from his area clearly nursing injuries from the attack earlier in the show. He holds his arms in front of his face to attempt to block the salt water from getting into his eyes. The wind once again picks up even more, rain now flying in horizontally as both the ghost ship and the aircraft carrier rock uncontrollably. He reaches the rope bridge which is now continuously being beaten down by waves. It takes a few moments while walking gingerly, but he finally makes it across as one of the sides begins to give way. As soon as Thad’s second foot touches the Atalanta, the other side of the bridge breaks as well, severing any connection between the two vessels. Thad looks distressed at first, then redirects his focus to the two women fighting in the rain a mere hundred feet in front of him. Secure the TRIAD, then worry about how to get back across.~

MoMo: Oh my goodness! There’s no turning back now. All three are on the Ghost Ship, but the rope has been severed. They have no way to get back over here!

Leo: Thad will get it and ride it like a dolphin to get back if necessary.

MoMo: And what about Vhodka and Catalina?

Leo: Who cares? I’ve always been more of a Tequila and Cabo kind of guy.

PIC
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Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:22:38 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:22:38 GMT -5

~Thad catches up to the two women as they trade blows. He rushes forward and double clotheslines both of them to the deck. He tries to step over Vhodka to make his way to the hull of the ship but she reaches up and grabs his ankle. In normal conditions this wouldn’t do much, but with the slippery deck, Thad goes down. Vhodka hold on and cinches in an ankle lock but it’s quickly broken up by Cortes. Cortes picks Vhodka off the deck and slams her back down. Vhodka reaches for the small of her back as she lets out a cry of pain. Cortes quickly drops an elbow across Vhodka’s throat, then keeps it there as she presses deeper into Vhodka’s larynx.~

MoMo: The action is already picking up, and there seems to be a cutthroat approach for all three of the competitors.

Leo: It’s for the Bravery TRIAD, dude. If we’re not carting at least one of these mofos in a body bag we ain’t doing this right.

~Vhodka tries to yell but comes up empty under the crushing of her windpipe. The pressure is almost too much for Vhodka as she looks lightheaded, but a swift knee to the back of the head of Cortes causes her to release the pressure. Vhodka rolls over as she grabs at her throat in a coughing fit. Thad picks Cortes up and bends her over. He knees her over and over in the face. The third knee busts Cortes’ nose as blood begins to mix with the falling rain. After another few knees, Thad grabs her by the hair and positions her head between his legs. He lifts Cortes into the air and sends her back first into one of the ship’s masts. Cortes crumbles to the deck while the mast splinters from the impact. That splinter begins to crack further until the mast is nearly split in two. Thad runs away, fearing it may fall on him, but the crack eventually stops and the mast holds. He turns toward Vhodka who is now up on all fours. He rushes forward and tries to stomp her face first into the deck. She slides out of the way at the last second then gets behind Thad. She jumps up, hitting him with a code breaker. Thad grabs at his back as Vhodka holds on, pressing her knees further into the small of his back while pulling back on his shoulders. She holds the move for a lot longer than she would in a normal match before letting go. She looks around and finds a small piece of driftwood that has been washed on deck by the storm. She mounts Thad and begins smashing him in the face with the wood. After eight or nine blows, she takes the sharp end of the wood and drives it into Thad’s forehead, busting him wide open. A huge wave splashes over onto the Atalanta, knocking Vhodka off of Thad and sending all three competitors rolling across the deck.~

MoMo: First Cortes on Vhodka, now Vhodka on Thad. We’ve been mere seconds from literal death twice already.

Leo: Another big wave like that and we’ll be headed back to Miami empty handed. They better get their hands on that TRIAD quick or there won’t be anything left of any of them.

MoMo: I agree. This storm is getting out of control. If there were sanctions on this match, we’d pull the plug in a heartbeat.

~Each of the competitors finds something on the ship to hold onto as the wave continues to rush over the ship. Huge swells of water and gusts of wind from all directions are making it nearly impossible for them to stand. Thad is the closest to the entrance to the hull of the ship. He sees Vhodka and Cortes fighting to stand and realizes this could be his chance. He dives toward the port just as another huge wave hits. He reaches out and manages to catch the handle with his left hand. He holds on for dear life until the wave subsides, then pulls himself to his feet once more. He rips the door open and finally makes his way inside the ship and out of the elements, closing the door behind him to keep the water out. Back outside, the waves finally relent long enough for both Vhodka and Cortes to let go and head toward the door. Vhodka reaches it first. She opens the door but Cortes pushes it forward, slamming it on Vhodka’s right hand. She curses as she waves her hand in the air in pain. Cortes then grabs her face and slams it into the side of the hull. She then puts Vhodka on her shoulder and throws her toward the hull like a lawn dart. Vhodka’s entire body smashes through the rotten wood and tumbles down a set of stairs. She lands at the foot of the staircase where Thad has just reached. He looks up through the hole to see Cortes seething, staring him down. He kicks Vhodka out of the way and runs down the hallway. Cortes steps through the hole and rushes down the stairs after him.~

Leo: Vhodka is being used as a human rag doll at this point and I’m here for it.

MoMo: All of our competitors have now made it inside the ship, and while that would normally mean we’d have to stop broadcasting, thanks to the magic of efedding, we still get to see the action.

Leo: Magic of efedding?

MoMo: Yes. Would it have been more plausible to say Penelope concocted some sort of spell that lets us see through the walls of the ship?

Leo: Couldn’t hurt.

MoMo: Okay, we’ll go with that.

PIC
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Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:27:59 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:27:59 GMT -5

~Cortes is hot on Thad’s heels as he runs down a long corridor with several doors to his left and right. He reaches out to each knob in an effort to open the doors, but most remain locked. He strikes pay dirt on the fourth door on his right. He runs inside and slams the door behind him. Cortes catches up and bangs on the door, but Thad locks it from the inside. He takes a moment to catch his breath as he wipes the sweat, rain, and ocean water from his hair. He surveys his surroundings in the room. It takes a minute for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but as they do he begins to see the outline of the room. Cortes beats on the door a few more times before she’s tackled from behind by Vhodka. Vhodka smashes Cortes’ face into the wall, then stands up and begins to kick her over and over. Back in the room, Thad sees a box in the left corner. He walks over to the box and attempts to open the lid. It’s sealed shut. He spots a crowbar in the opposite corner and grabs it. As he pries the box open, he hears the thuds of the fighting going on in the hallway. He knows his time is short. The lid of the box splinters open and he drops the crowbar to the floor. Dust billows out of the box causing him to cough. He wipes it out of his site and peers into the box. There’s something in there. Something shiny. Something of great significance. He reaches his hand in and grabs the item, bringing it closer to his face for a closer look. Thad’s excitement turns to disappointment as he recognizes the item as a gold bar, one as ordinary to him as the hundreds of others he has locked in a vault back in New York. Discouraged, he throws the bar across the room. It smashes through the wall, nearly decapitating Vhodka. She peers through the hole to see Thad, kicks Cortes once more for good measure, then reaches her hand through the hole to unlock the door. Thad quickly picks up the crowbar and prepares for attack. He throws the crowbar at the door as it swings open, smashing Cortes in the face. Cat’s limp body drops to the floor as blood spews from her forehead, and there, standing behind her, is a pissed off Vhodka Black.~

MoMo: These three brave souls just don’t know the meaning of the word quit. Vhodka is back with a vengeance after being thrown down the stairs by Cortes. Now Cat is in a world of pain and Vhodka’s got Thad square in her sights.

Leo: Still a lot of match left, and remember, beating each other down is all well and good, but the winner of this match is the one who retrieves the TRIAD. All the other stuff is meaningless.

~Vhodka looks to rush at Thad, but thinks better of it. Instead, she kicks Cortes into the room, shuts the door behind her, and uses the crowbar to secure both Thad and Cortes inside. Thad runs to the door and tries to open it to no avail. Vhodka smiles on the outside of the room. She sticks her tongue out to lick at the blood on her face, then walks down the corridor checking more rooms. Back inside the room, Thad pulls and pulls at the door but it won’t budge. He reaches through the open hole and tries to reach the crowbar. He gets his fingertips onto it, but it’s too far to grab. Cortes gets to her feet behind him, her face now a crimson mask. She looks down to see the empty wooden box and picks it up, smashing it over the back of Thad’s head. The box shatters as he falls to his knees, his arm now stuck in the hole in the wall. Cortes goes to work on his arm. She pushes it, then pulls it repeatedly as his shoulder is stuck in the hole. His cries only further fuel her rage. She pushes him forward until his arm is moving in separate directions when a huge snap rings out. Thad’s arm immediately drops from the hole as he grabs at his now separated shoulder. Cat smiles as she stands over the one-armed billionaire.~

MoMo: Thaddeus Duke’s arm is dangling from his torso. That’s gotta be a dislocated shoulder or worse!

~Back in the hallway, Vhodka has struck out on all the other doors. The ship continues to rock, perhaps even worse than before. She steadies herself with both hands between the walls when suddenly a voice calls out from the darkness.~

Voice: THE TRIAD THAT YOU SEEK LIES WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP!!!

PIC
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Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:33:06 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:33:06 GMT -5

~The hairs on Vhodka’s… let’s go with back, stand straight up. At first she thinks she’s hearing things, but the voice repeats the phrase. Out of the darkness before her, a small flickering of light emerges, almost as if a candle was just lit. She now can see in front of her enough to see another staircase at the end of the corridor. A normal person may hesitate, but Vhodka’s as brave as they come. She immediately heads toward the light, and in doing so begins to traverse the centuries old wooden staircase to the barracks below. Meanwhile, Cortes stands over the fallen Thaddeus Duke and picks up a long piece of wood from the broken box. She reaches the wood through the hole and is able to knock the crowbar loose with it. The door now unlocked, Cortes steps over Thad and into the hallway. She shuts the door back, replacing the crowbar as well. She darts toward the flickering light and the sound of footsteps creaking on an old wooden staircase. Inside the room, Thad continues to roll on the floor in pain. He grits his teeth as he reaches his good arm across his body. He pulls with all his might at his shoulder until another loud pop is heard. Sudden relief flows down his arm with his shoulder now back in place. He shakes it, and within seconds is back to his feet.~

MoMo: Duke’s shoulder is back in its socket, but he’s still locked in that room. Meanwhile, Cortes is hot on Vhodka’s trail as they go deeper into the belly of the Atalanta. We’ve still not seen a hint of the Bravery TRIAD piece, but… that voice. Did you hear it?

Leo: Yeah, yeah. If you build it, he will come or whatever. These guys just need to hurry up, this storm is getting out of hand.

~Sure enough, the storm rages even wilder than any other point in the evening. So much so, in fact, that the aircraft carrier has had to drift over a hundred feet away from the ship to avoid collision. Inside the ship we see Vhodka reach the bottom of the staircase. She enters a large room lined with bunks on either side. There, a lone candle sits on a table flickering as the air flies by. In front of the candle sits an apparition, a legitimate ghost looking rather translucent and old with a large beard. His eyes are sunken into his face and his British Royal Navy uniform is tattered and worn, but the name patch reads ‘Captain Stirling’.~

Leo: I… i…. Is that a… ghost?!?

MoMo: It appears so. And judging by the patch on his uniform, it’s none other than Francis Sterling, the captain of the HMS Atalanta who is said to have found the Bravery TRIAD in Nepal.

Leo: Like a real ghost?

MoMo: Yes.

Leo: Man… Welsh really has to start paying me. This is too much.

~Vhodka, unphased by the ghost in front of her, inches closer.~

Vhodka: Where is it?

Stirling: You think yourself brave enough to hold this ancient relic? Can you not see what it has done to me? Every year for nearly 150 years my soul has been tormented. I was unworthy of its power. Only the one found worthy can harness its power and escape eternal turmoil.

~Before Vhodka can respond, Cortes hits the bottom of the stairs and walks in on Vhodka talking to a dead looking ghost.~

Cortes: I KNEW this was like Indiana Jones!

~Vhodka thinks of responding, but she’s distracted when Stirling’s ghost points toward a small door at the end of the room.~

Stirling: You will find the Bravery TRIAD in there. Take it if you dare.

~Both women dart at the door at the same time. Cortes jumps onto Vhodka’s back, sending them both to the ground. As they trade shots with each other, Thad reaches the bottom of the staircase and enters the mess hall. The ghost of Francis Stirling simply nods before fading off into nothing. Thad is taken aback for a moment, but sees his two competitors fighting it out with an open door in front of them. He runs toward the door and into another dark room. There, suspended in midair and illuminated by an inner incandescence, is the Bravery TRIAD. Thad stands mesmerized by its beauty as it spins in the air. He reaches out with his good arm to touch it when he’s knocked out of the way by a stiff kick to the head courtesy of Cat Cortes. She stands over Thad and stares at the TRIAD. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a bag of sand. She does that little hand wiggle thing that Indiana Jones does in Raiders and switches out the bag of sand for the TRIAD. She waits a minute, expecting the ship to collapse or some big boulder to chase her down, but nothing other than the continuous rocking from the storm. She takes in the glory of the Bravery TRIAD up close and personal. She can’t believe it. The first human in nearly 150 years to hold this power in their hands. She’s quick to snap out of it though when she realizes it’s only partially over. She must get out of the ship, and even more, off the ship with the TRIAD in hand to secure victory. She runs past Vhodka who she’d left laying seconds before and through the mess hall toward the staircase. Both Thad and Vhodka stir, and look at each other. The instinct to beat each other’s brains in will have to wait. Neither can afford to let Cortes off this ship with that relic. The two rush toward the stairs just as another huge swell rocks the ship into nearly capsizing. On the staircase, Cortes stumbles. The Bravery TRIAD falls from her hands and rolls down the steps. Vhodka reaches down to pick it up, holding it for a quick second before Thad steals it and takes off up the stairs. Looking back to see Vhodka in pursuit, he turns forward just in time to see Cortes’ boot headed straight for his face. A direct hit, Thad flies backwards and lands on Vhodka. The TRIAD flies into the air, where Cortes snatches it. She turns and continues her ascent up the stair case. Vhodka shakes the cobwebs off and pushes Thad aside. He, too, recovers somewhat quickly, and is a few steps behind.~

MoMo: This is crazy! Cat Cortes has the Bravery piece of the TRIAD but both Vhodka Black and Thaddeus Duke are hot on her trail. What Cat doesn’t know is the aircraft carrier is over 100 feet away from the ship at this point and there’s no way to get closer with this storm. She may get to the ship’s deck with it, but she’s got no chance of getting over here.

Leo: It was a real ghost, wasn’t it?

MoMo: Yes, Leo. Move on already.

PIC
Administrator

Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:40:23 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:40:23 GMT -5

~Catalina gets to the corridor with Vhodka on her heels and Thad a step behind. As she nears the open room they had entered earlier, Vhodka lunges forward, tripping Cortes up. As she falls forward, she does everything she can to secure the TRIAD, but no sooner than she lands on the floor does Thad step on the backs of both women before grabbing it from her hand. He continues to run down the corridor as the two try to get up. Vhodka shoulder checks Cortes into the the door that has been completely obliterated from the inside.~

MoMo: Look at that door, Leo! Thaddeus must have busted his way out earlier.

~Cat hits her head hard on the floor and sits dazed while Vhodka pursues Thad down the corridor. Thad reaches the end and the second set of stairs. Many of them have been damaged as a result of Vhodka falling down them earlier. Thad has to take his time. A slip of his right foot sends his entire leg through one of the steps. He cries out as his leg turns red with blood. He pulls at it over and over, knowing Vhodka is just a few feet behind. One final tug loosens his leg, though shards of wood stick out in several places. He limps his way up just as Vhodka reaches the base of the staircase. She begins her ascent as Thad tries to kick at her with his recently damaged leg. She blocks it with her forearm, driving one of the shards even further into his shin.~

Leo: Ahhh! Shin splints! Now I get it.

~Thad yelps but continues moving forward with the TRIAD in hand. He reaches the top first but Vhodka is only two steps below. As soon as Thad bursts through and back out onto the ship’s deck, he’s met with the harshest swell yet. The TRIAD goes flying in one direction as Thad’s body goes the other. Vhodka tries to catch the relic in the air, but she too is knocked sideways by the water. Several of the military officers aboard the carrier can be seen preparing for rescue should it come to that. Cortes reaches the top and surveys the landscape. Though barely visible through the storm, she sees Thad hanging onto one of the ring posts for dear life. Vhodka is on the complete other side of the ship, clinging to the mast that was split by her own body earlier. And there, a mere 20 feet away from her, is the TRIAD… seemingly unaffected by the chaos surrounding it. Cortes rips off a piece of her shirt. She ties one end of it to the door frame and wraps the other end around her hand. She turns her body backwards and lays down on the ground. Cortes reaches with her leg toward the TRIAD piece, trying to secure it with the point of her boot. She presses hard against the deck and pulls her leg toward herself with the TRIAD literally in toe (tow). Once she has it secured, she pushes herself up and back inside temporarily to survey her surroundings. She looks to where the rope bridge should be, but it’s gone. She peers out into the vast storm to see the aircraft carrier still a hundred feet away. Through it all she can see people on it frantically working to get the carrier closer to the ship, but the waves have rendered their efforts useless.~

MoMo: At this point Leo, I don’t see how they’re going to survive. PIC, TLS, and now even Welsh have made their way to the deck of the carrier. Everyone is doing what they can just to get these three out of here alive. But this storm refuses to let up.

~A huge bolt of lightning strikes the left side of the ship. The resulting wave causes Cortes to lose her footing, and she, along with Thad and Vhodka, slide all the way across the ship to the other side. The three of them are now mere feet from each other, but unable to stand due to the conditions. A second lightning bolt strikes, this time to the mast that was cracked earlier in the match. That crack now extends all the way to the top, and the mast splits into two pieces. One piece falls to the left. It crashes through the ring and rolls off the ship and into the sea. The other piece falls to the right, heading straight for our three competitors. They brace for assured death, but thankfully the bow of the ship catches the mast a few inches above their heads. The top of the mast slams onto the aircraft carrier, still at least 80 feet away. Titus and his security seize the opportunity and grab several ropes and bungees. They work through the wind and rain and manage to secure the top of the mast on the carrier, creating a makeshift bridge. Cat sees this and stands up, holding the mast for support. Thad and Vhodka each also reach their feet. Cat hops onto the mast with TRIAD in hand. She shimmies out over the ocean, which is still as violent as ever. Thad follows her, with Vhodka a step behind. He pulls at Cat’s hair, then swings, landing a stiff right hand to her ear. She tries to elbow him but the angle is all wrong. He hits her again, causing her to nearly fall off the mast into the ocean.~

MoMo: Someone’s gotta put a stop to this! TRIAD be damned, these three need to be kept alive at all costs!

~Cortes regains her balance. She continues crawling across the mast but Thad grabs her ankle. She kicks back at him causing him to lose his grip as she continues to crawl, now over halfway across the beam. Vhodka, still on her stomach at the beginning of the mast, is losing ground and fast. She knows she’ll never catch Cat if she just crawls. Through the wind and waves, Vhodka pushes herself up to a crouching position like a surfer. She then stands all the way up and takes a step as if she’s a tightrope walker. Another huge wave swells over the ship behind her, turning it completely on its side. She hurries to get away from it but knows time is short. She somehow keeps her balance as the ship rights itself. It’s now or never. She takes off running. She steps on Thad’s back as she passes him on the beam. He tries to trip her up, but misses. She gains even more ground on Cat, who is now only 15 feet away from the aircraft carrier. She turns to see Vhodka coming and knows she has to stand and fight. Thad, too, realizes that crawling won’t get the job done. PIC, TLS, and Welsh are all standing at the end of the mast cheering on their team members. All three now stand, trying to gain their balance amidst the chaos. Vhodka swings at Cat, but she blocks it and punches Vhodka in the nose. As her head turns, Thad is there with a punch of his own. Catalina hits her again, then Thad one more time. Vhodka is close to losing her footing altogether. Thad steadies himself and nails her in the jaw with a Heat Seeker superkick. Vhodka’s head snaps around. Her limp body propels itself off of the mast but as it does, she grabs the TRIAD piece out of Cat’s hand. Welsh screams “NO!!!” from the carrier. Cat drops down and reaches out after the TRIAD. Instead of gold, she catches Vhodka’s hand at the last possible minute. Thad rushes to help, lending his weight and strength to keep Cat from following her in.~

MoMo: Help! Titus! Somebody!

Leo: I told you someone was gonna die tonight.

PIC
Administrator

Posts: 61

TRIAD PRESENTS: GHOST SHIP Sept 10, 2023 19:50:01 GMT -5

Post by PIC on Sept 10, 2023 19:50:01 GMT -5

~Thad and Cortes both pull with all they have to get Vhodka back onto the plank. Meanwhile both Stephen Stratford and Sarah Wolf push past the three owners and make it to the edge of the mast. Stratford has a rope with a loop tied at the end. He secures it to the edge of the carrier and throws the other end toward Vhodka. Still dazed from the superkick, she doesn’t know what’s happening and the rope falls. Stratford and Wolf yell at Vhodka to snap out of it. Thad and Cat have nearly pulled her back on the plank when she finally comes to. Stratford’s second attempt with the rope is short, but Vhodka reaches her foot out to catch the noose just in time. Stratford pulls and it tightens around her ankle. She looks up at Thad and Cat, holds the TRIAD up to them and smiles.~

Leo: What the f—

~Vhodka lets go of their hands as her body is swallowed up into the waves below. On the other side, Stratford and Wolf begin cranking the rope and within seconds, Vhodka reemerges from the water, TRIAD still in hand, being lifted onto the aircraft carrier by her ankle. Cat and Thad can’t believe it. They each run toward the aircraft carrier, trying all they can to keep Vhodka from reaching it first. The mast snaps behind them with one huge wave. The HMS Atalanta now fully capsizes and begins to break. Both Thad and Cat leap toward the carrier just as the entire structure behind them is washed way. PIC and TLS are there to grab the two and pull them to safety. They catch their breaths on the edge of the carrier just as Wolf and Stratford pull Vhodka up onto the platform for safety.~

MoMo: Vhodka Black has done it! She successfully extracted the TRIAD from the ship and is now our official winner for the Bravery Trials!!!

Leo: I don’t believe what I just saw.

~Stratford, Wolf, and Raven help Vhodka to her feet as TRIAD medical staff rush to all three competitors. The sea dies down almost immediately. The wind and rain cease. A calm comes over the ocean and the moon appears in the distance. PIC and TLS stare at each other in disbelief. Welsh doesn’t know what to think. Both Thaddeus Duke and Catalina Cortes lay on their backs as medics attend to their wounds. Vhodka waves off the medical team and has her friends to prop her up.~

MoMo: With the win, Vhodka has also secured a spot in The Great Illuminatus. She joins all of Team Welsh, who have officially won the Bravery Trials. That means regardless of the next two trials, we will see Thaddeus Duke, Alexander Raven, Sarah Wolf, and Stephen Stratford again.

Leo: So in the end, Vhodka, Wolf, and Stratford got exactly what they wanted. I guess their plan did actually come together.

MoMo: I don’t know what is to come, but I know with those three pulling strings, anything is possible. PIC, TLS, and Welsh have to figure something out. They can’t let this Triumvirate run roughshod over what’s left of this company. They must not be allowed to unite the TRIAD.

~The rest of the Bravery trials roster join their coaches and fellow competitors out on the bridge. Vhodka stands tall, holding the TRIAD high for all to see as our scene slowly fades to black.~

THE STRENGTH TRIALS BEGIN OCTOBER 31

THE WINDOW TO ENLIST CLOSES SEPTEMBER 30

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