Jason Johnson: We’re still feeling the fallout from The Hunt, Eryk, but perhaps no one is feeling it more personally or physically than our Heavyweight Champion Laura Seton.

Eryk Masters: Jason, no one involved in the… let’s just call them “events” that took place after the Hunt’s main event have been heard from directly since, but as Abigail and Mary showed us at Ruination, the fans have been buzzing ever since.

Jason Johnson: All I want to hear is how those women can live with herself after-

NO NO… NOTORIOUS. NOTORIOUS.

NO NO… NOTORIOUS!

A rush of dry ice rolls in like fog from the back, rolling onto the entrance platform and down the rampway. The crowd watches in awe as the voice of Simon Le Bon singing “Notorious” by Duran Duran hits the speakers.

On cue, a blue spotlight also clicks on and reveals a smirking Ayumi Seppuku appearing out of the smoke — immediately drawing a chorus of boos from a majority of the fans in attendance, but several hoots and hollers can be heard as well.

Seppuku looks left to right as the song continues as additional spotlights, one by one, bathe the platform in a rainbow of color.

A stark red spotlight crackles to life to the left of Ayumi. Standing under it is a sleek form in a black trenchcoat with burnt, singed sleeves and coattails. The spotlight flashes brightly against her metallic red blouse, a sneering grin with blood red lips, the rest of her face covered with a silver, winged mask, those wings a burning, vibrant red. 

Judy-E “NEMESIS” DeMitri stands in a tall, almost preening pose, her head tilted down at such an angle her mask just barely forms a ‘beak’ in front of her.

RAIKO emerges next, the unmistakable Japanese hardcore icon and former Iron Fist champion, stretching her neck confidently as her jet black hair swooshes from side to side behind a golden demonic fox mask. The kimono she’s wearing, a tapestry of gold, black and white.

Then, finally, Belle Grante arrives in a pink deer mask and white trench coat flowing over a black shirt. Her mask looks cute at first, like one a young child would wear for Halloween, but the plastic looks melted, with strands of black and pink plastic dripping her neck, shoulders and chest. She leans forward and blows a kiss to the audience from behind the mask as the song fades out.

Ayumi turns to look at the women on the rampway with her before looking backward, gesturing. As she does, her fiancée, Zee, arrives, handing Ayumi a blue lion’s mask before moving off to the side, flanking the group that now numbers five as the house lights go back up and a hushed silence falls over the crowd.

Ayumi Seppuku: SHOOT Project, I will keep this short and to the point. I am not sorry for what happened to Laura Seton.

A vicious chorus of boos rise up from the silence  at the bluntness of her remarks.

Ayumi Seppuku: Oh fuck off. She’s not going to sleep with you. She’s off banging Mr. Wizard.

The vitriol from the crowd gets louder as Ayumi looks down at the lion mask and she laughs.

Ayumi Seppuku: I would have expected Laura Seton of all people — for all she says I’ve achieved to raise the profile of female wrestlers in SHOOT and beyond — to understand my grievances, even if she may not agree with them. But to fucking ask me for an apology?

Another round of boos roll through the arena, but this time it’s not clear if they are critiquing Ayumi or are, surprisingly, agreeing with her.

Ayumi Seppuku: Oh Laura… you think you’re hurting now? That’s just the physical pain. That can heal. That will heal. But to feel true emotional pain? The poking and prodding into your personal life? Being told you’re a liability; that you’re a monster? That doesn’t heal so easily Laura. Not for me and not for any of us. And if there is one thing we will not do — we will never do — Is apologize for who we are!

A dull, but legitimate roar of approval overtakes the boos of the crowd as the crowd dynamics begin to change. Ayumi hands her microphone over to Judy-E DeMitri who looks around the arena space with a mix of curiosity and disdain. 

Judy-E:  Ayumi Seppuku is a woman who’s spilt as much of her own blood, her own sweat, her own tears, as any other name in SHOOT Project. Through numerous iterations, numerous CEO’s, she was- she is an exemplary Soldier, more than most that chip that particular accolade out far more brazenly. While on excursion, I followed her closely, at first with joy because hell…there was one of my trainers, retaining her part in the Project. Watching her get pushed aside at the first sign of injury, when so many others were coddled and graced through their time here in this company … it just didn’t sit right.

Judy-E glares through the crowd. It’s hard to tell where her contempt truly lies, but she has plenty for everyone.

Judy-E: I’ve been itching to get back into the action, and Ayumi is the heart of the action that’s revolving in the Project today. I am happy…I am PROUD to be a part of this effort. Ayumi’s spark has roared into a raging, purifying inferno. I can’t wait to see what rises from its ashes.

Judy-E  hands the microphone off to RAIKO. There’s a mixed reception, as the last time The Shinigami was in SHOOT Project, it was as a beloved figure. Aligning with Ayumi is certainly drawing out a number of boos as she raises up the microphone, but cheers are also audible.

RAIKO: Būingu o abisete mo kamawanai. Watashi wa jibun no tame ni modottekita. Nakama no tame ni modotta. Kazoku no tame ni modotta. Fan no tame ni modotta n janai.

The jeering gets louder, most likely because the  vast majority of the audience can’t understand her. RAIKO rolls her visible eye. 

RAIKO: I speak English for now. Have point to make. Do not expect often. 

With these words the crowd does actually quiet down, most likely more out of curiosity than respect. 

RAIKO: I come back… to SHOOT Project.. for Ayumi-chan. I come back for Judy-E. I come back for Belle. I come back to make husband and children proud…

RAIKO pauses as Ayumi walks over to place a hand on her shoulder. She and leans in to whisper something to her colleague.

RAIKO:  But for self? For self I come back… for vengeance.

The HEXXX marks become more vocal, a small but audible pop heard through the crowd, while RAIKO continues to speak.

RAIKO: I win Redemption Rumble. But injured before title shot. Never receive. Sound familiar? Deal with casual racism and sexism whole time here. Sound familiar? See Ayumi get unfair treatment because she not do what she “supposed” to. Not who people think she need to be.

RAIKO looks over to Judy-E and Belle and then to Ayumi.

RAIKO: We not ask. We take. We all deserve more than what we get. Time to change. Do not care who try to get in way. Seton. Johnson. TrashCalibur. No one safe. Run. Hide. No escape. NO MORE! 

A pop emanates audibly from the earlier pocket of the area before the boos overtake them. of the arena as RAIKO nods in acknowledgement before handing the microphone to the deer-masked Belle Grant. The former Pop Punks member looks out into the crowd casually and confidently waiving  the microphone back and forth under the protruding snout of her mask.

Bellecose: It’s been a minute SHOOT Project… did you miss me?

Voice: SHOW US YOUR TITS!

The crude remark gets shouted anonymously from somewhere in the crowd nearby as Belle crouches down.

Bellecose: You first, sweetie.

The crowd laughs involuntarily as Belle leans backwards, laying flat on the rampway, looking up toward the ceiling. Her voice is almost like a cat’s purr.

Bellecose: I wish this felt more familiar… me, on my own, rolling off my opponent, sweaty and out of breath — both of us on our backs after a good, long, hard… match.

The crowd laughs even harder, but almost immediately, Belle slams the microphone against the ground with a loud crack, causing many in the crowd to jump in shock. The arena falls silent as she pauses, slowly sitting back up before rising to her feet, microphone in hand.

Bellecose: Don’t go all quiet on me now. I thought we were just getting comfortable… right?

She waits for a response but is met with silence. As she walks the microphone back over to Ayumi, she leans in for one last remark, her voice surprisingly gruff.

Bellecose: Maybe a little later then… when you’re feeling up to it.

Ayumi smirks as she takes the microphone, turning her attention out toward the crowd.

Ayumi Seppuku: Lars von Bremen chose to leave because he thought HEXXX was about me and my personal vendetta. And while, yes, this is deeply personal to me, it has never been about me. It’s been about “we.” It’s not just about us up here, it’s about you.

We live in a world that wants winners and losers. Heroes and villains. But it’s not that simple. We all end up in the same place at the end… so if the world is going to choose to hex us for who we are? Then WE choose to be HEXXXED.

Ayumi looks from side to side one last time as the electricity of the crowd seems ready to explode like a burst of lightning with no lightning rod to guide it.

Ayumi Seppuku: What will you choose?

The lights in the arena go dark as the four spotlights return to shine down on HEXXXED as a different song from before hits the speakers…

Out of the ruins

Out from the wreckage

Can’t make the same mistake this time.

Ghost’s cover of “We Don’t Need Another Hero” plays over the scene as Bellecose raises her fist to the air, followed by RAIKO, then Judy-E…

We are the children

The last generation

We are the ones they left behind

They turn to look at Ayumi, who reaches up and places the lion mask Zee had handed her earlier over her face and then joins in raising a fist to the ceiling in defiance.

And, I wonder when we are ever gonna change, change

Living under the fear, ’til nothing else remains

WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HEEEERO

WE DON’T NEED TO KNOW THE WAAAAAY HOME.

All we want is life…

The song cuts early along with the spotlights, plunging the arena into total darkness as Revolution is set to begin.