DAY 2. 2
As the first match got underway, the Gorilla Position grew even busier.
Day 1 had drawn massive praise for Charlotte and Charina’s match as well as the bout featuring Steven Bogus and Metal McCool, but Tashani and Anne’s match had been torn apart with every curse imaginable.
That was why, for Day 2, Paul had carved out foul-free time to personally check the rehearsals, and he felt somewhat at ease.
“Paul! The TPA kids are eating popcorn!”
Paul, who had been watching the match scenes with razor-sharp focus, checked another monitor at PD Bae’s words.
Wherever they had gotten it, they were all holding and devouring popcorn that wasn’t even sold at the United Center.
“The judges are eating it too. Looks like the TPA kids brought it over.”
Mick Foley was a given, of course, but even Jack Cena, who was sensitive about his diet, and the solemn Deadman were munching popcorn while watching the matches.
“John! Is this your scenario? Or Jane’s?”
“No! Where would we find the time to get involved in something like that?”
“Not me either.”
After hearing their answers, Paul scrubbed his face dry and gave instructions to Baron.
“Get the cameras on the TPA kids. Sweep them all once! And tell the commentators to mention them. Have them say the TPA kids are watching like they came to the theater for a casual night out.”
“Got it.”
After Baron answered, he alternated between monitors and, like a director weaving the flow of a match, radioed scene cuts with his fingers.
Overall director Bron let out an admiring remark.
“Wow! Whoever thought of this, they pulled the aggro perfectly. Good idea!”
“Right? I’ll have to ask later whose idea it was.”
Bron nodded at Paul’s words.
“Might be good to tell the Law guys to put on some angry faces when they see that.”
“They’ll get angry without being told. They’re going to feel like they’re being mocked.”
Then, after Law’s Chicago Night powerbombed NEXT’s Ethan Page with force, he glared fiercely toward the seats where TPA was sitting.
The TPA wrestlers pointed at him and laughed.
“Paul! This could turn into a real fight if we’re not careful…”
Paul stroked his chin in thought, then called over the general managers of Law and TPA.
“Pierce! TPA’s provocation wasn’t in the original scenario, but tell the Law guys I ordered it from the start. No need for anything else—just keep them angry and aware of the crowd.”
After speaking to the Law GM, Paul turned to TPA’s.
“GM Overdia. Have your side keep provoking Law as well. No—have them openly cheer for NEXT. Like they’re watching an NFL game!”
“Understood.”
The instructions didn’t end there.
“Third match! Send the Heritage guys to ringside for the men’s tag team bout.”
“An interference?”
“No.”
Paul shook his head and continued.
“That match is one Law loses anyway. Let’s pin the cause of the loss on TPA. Have them get under their skin as much as possible, but no interference or involvement.”
At Paul’s words, Karl Overdia offered a different opinion.
“When it comes to mocking and clowning around, the Inquisitors are far better than Heritage. The kids are young and a bit immature in real life too! Plus, Paulo Hackman is already at the Visions’ ringside as a foul, so I’d like to take one more person along.”
“Who?”
“Anyone you designate.”
Overdia’s suggestion to switch them out, and the idea of sending someone else to deal with Paulo Hackman, both sounded fine.
“All right. Switch to the Inquisitors. And Paulo Hackman already knows Charina. I’ll speak to Paulo myself, so take Charina along too.”
“Charina’s already gotten too much of the spotlight for that.”
“Have her hit him once and come in. Knock Paulo out cold right away.”
“Understood.”
Paul sent them off and looked at John.
John looked far too busy discussing camera work with the PD.
So Paul approached Jane instead.
“Any way to pour more fuel on this?”
Jane answered without hesitation.
“There is. Of course. And you already know it.”
“I know the material. The method’s the problem.”
“It was originally a pretty ridiculous story, but the TPA kids pulled the aggro perfectly. Since it’s a war, go ahead and light a real fire.”
Jane explained with a faint smile, and Paul nodded with a satisfied look before summoning all the general managers.
At the same time, instructions reached the TPA contingent in the stands.
“More! Provoke them harder. Cheer for NEXT like maniacs.”
The general manager suddenly appeared in the stands and briefly gathered us.
Then he ordered us to cheer and provoke even more intensely.
“Chicago Night looks pretty pissed.”
“Everything about you eating popcorn today was under Paul’s orders. Know that and just provoke harder. And Inquisitors! Charina! You three follow me.”
“Yes, sir.”
Alf, James, and I followed the GM for now.
“Inquisitors. You two go to ringside for match three and mess with the Visions. No interference—just get under their skin from outside.”
James jumped at that.
“The Visions? If Brooks Reed hits me once, I might get carried out to the hospital.”
Brooks Reed was only about 180 cm tall, but his official weight was 150 kg.
On top of that, people said he was even heavier in reality.
If you took one of his spears wrong without ever having practiced the spots, you had to be ready for one or two broken ribs.
“If the Visions come out of the ring, run—into the crowd, anywhere. They won’t keep chasing you. Plus, NEXT’s Hank Ledger or Tank Walker will help. Can you do it?”
“Haa… I’ll try.”
James answered with a sigh, but Alf was smiling innocently.
“Alf? What about you?”
“GM! Can I do any kind of provocation?”
“What are you planning?”
“Can I dance? Really go for it?”
The GM laughed hollowly at Alf’s answer.
“Heh heh heh. You really are something… Do whatever you want. Just run well.”
“Understood.”
“And Rina!”
Now it was my turn.
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“Can you use a move that knocks Paulo Hackman out cold in one shot?”
I raised my right hand, still in its protective brace.
“As long as it’s not the arm, yes. Should I just take this off and go?”
“Yeah… that might be pushing it.”
“Rina. Didn’t you bring a fake board?”
James must have assumed I’d packed a strike board for impact.
We were flying—why would I bring something I wasn’t planning to use?
“It wasn’t in the plan, so I didn’t bring one.”
“Hmm. Guess we’ll have to switch to another wrestler.”
Well… not doing it felt a little disappointing.
I knew he was a good guy in real life, but his character was so punchable I really wanted to hit him once.
“GM, I’ll figure something out. Let me go see Hexa first.”
“Hexa? Think you can handle it? Have you even met Hexa?”
“I’ve met them. And yes, I can handle it.”
“All right. Hurry. Match two is only ten minutes. We’re short on time.”
“Yes.”
I went looking for Hexa right away.
“Charina! What are you doing here?”
Having met once before at the Gorilla Position helped.
“There’s something I’d like to borrow.”
“What?”
I explained the situation to Hexa.
“Hahaha. That’s fun. I’ll lend you a spare—no, I’ll gift you one. Take it.”
“Thank you. Please make the story that it was stolen.”
“Got it.”
Hexa cheerfully gifted me a spare mask.
I contacted my colleagues and asked around for anyone with a black hoodie or jacket; luckily Elizabeth had a hooded zip-up.
“Just borrowing this for a bit.”
“What for?”
“Beating the hell out of Paulo Hackman! Completely satisfying, right? Right?”
Elizabeth exploded at my words.
“Oh, come on! Why do only you get storylines like that?”
“The stage is too small for you, Dorothy, or Anne to step into. You’re champions. And except for Dorothy, none of you have even met Paulo.”
“Tch! Easy for you to say!”
She pouted and handed over the zip-up.
Once the absorption and merger happened, Anne, Dorothy, Elizabeth, and I would almost certainly be split up.
Torn across four brands.
If it weren’t for that situation, no one would have believed me even if I said I had no ambition for the championship, and I definitely would have drawn envy and jealousy.
Thinking we were about to part ways seemed to have lowered the other wrestlers’ wariness a lot, which actually worked in my favor.
I put on black leggings, the hooded zip-up, and the mask I’d gotten from Hexa.
“Hahaha. Your mask is way too big.”
“I tightened it as much as I could and it’s still like this.”
“Can you see okay?”
“It’s a little uncomfortable.”
“Roll your hair up and tuck it all inside. That should help.”
“I’ll try.”
Doing it Elizabeth’s way made it much better.
“I’ll be back.”
“Be careful.”
Even though I’d hurried, match three had already started.
When I entered the Gorilla Position like that, John burst out laughing.
“Luchadora gimmick? Puhaha. It really doesn’t suit you at all.”
(Author’s note: Luchadora — a masked female wrestler. The male equivalent is luchador.)
“You should have told me about this in advance.”
“Why didn’t you say anything about the popcorn? You should have told us that ahead of time too.”
“Hey, that’s cheap—getting on me just for eating.”
“Then you should have eaten alone.”
As John and I bickered without any distance, everyone stared in surprise—even Paul looked at me strangely.
“Whose top is that? Looks about two sizes too big.”
“Elizabeth’s. It’s just this once, so it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t fit.”
“Ugh. You should have told me earlier. It’s late. Hurry.”
Jane called over one of the staff.
“I’ll give the cues from here, so start when David tells you to go in.”
“Got it.”
I followed him with my head down, heading behind the commentary desk.