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[JoJo Rush]

Scotland
Week before Stranglemania
Mid-Day

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Asks a concerned Alastor Gray towards a rather delighted JoJo Rush. The two-belt champion stands in front of the stones and feels along the surface of the weathered granite.

“Ah need to do this– it’s the only way Ah can commune with The Beast.”

JoJo feels the iron rings, his hands gripping around them to give a light tug to get a feel for the stones.

“Ah need their strength for the Triple-Threat Lumberjack match for my International Title at Stranglemania against El Pablo and Stitches. Especially after Ah successfully defend my Hardcore Title earlier in the night against Anderson. The injuries from the earlier match are Pablo & Stitches’ greatest trump card against me– Ah need to be powerful enough to weather the storm.”

“The one at Wembley Stadium?”

“The very same.”

“Oh.”

Alastor clearly has reservations, but entertains his client and backs away.

“Very well, I won’t question your judgment.”

Alastor says judgmentally. Regardless, Alastor backs away from our view. We focus on JoJo while he thinks aloud.

“Two stones, two different weights– but Ah can carry this weight.”

JoJo chuckles and shakes his head.

“Haven’t Ah already proven that already?”

Rush turns his attention from the Dinnie Stones and towards us and says with a smile. The former Blackhat’s voice trailed off as his attention turned to the cool Scottish breeze blowing through. JoJo went in search of that power. Don’t forget to breathe, Tori's voice reverberts from the back of JoJo’s mind. Rush takes a deep inhale, and slowly but surely, the Texan hoists both stones from the ground and gets them high enough to straighten out his body completely. Alastor and a Scottish timekeeper observe from afar. While lifting the stones is an impressive feat, it is another to hold them for time. This was a measure of JoJo’s constitution, not just his stamina but his stamina to perform an incredible feat of strength over time! (knock knock)

Rush closes his eyes and begins to focus on his breathing, slowly, JoJo enters a type of trance, one where he could commune with the spirit world. A practice taught to JoJo from his Grandfather. In this trance, imagine an astral projection of sorts leaving JoJo’s body, which at the current moment was focused on holding onto the Dinnie Stones. In this plane, time moved significantly slower. To the point where each second felt more and more like agony. Every muscle tenses up, with even a vein appearing across JoJo’s brow.

Can you hear me, spirit?

Rush says to the spiritual void.

I do not have patience for games.

The thunderous voice of The Beast shook the world itself. Before JoJo, a pillar of fire erupts and within the flames is a visage of a horned animal.

You will be called upon soon. Ah need your strength to defeat two monsters. Jason Anderson is going to attempt to hurt me– he might even succeed. But Ah need you to help me ignore that pain, and defeat these two men in the biggest show in the history of England.

Rush says unflinchingly in the face of this tornado of fire. The tornado got hotter and hotter, so hot it singed the hairs on JoJo’s broad chest.

You might have trapped me in your body, but I am NOT your weapon to use indiscriminately. If I am to fight your battles, it must be against worthy opponents!

Both El Pablo and Stitches are more than worthy of your thunder, Spirit. The two men are clowns. One literally, the other more figuratively. That’s probably why those two never seem to get along. Otherwise, they’re both men that want the same thing, they just go ‘bout in two different ways. But there’s plenty of bad blood between the three of us. Maybe they realize that Ah’m the biggest threat they need to take out, maybe the scars are too deep for them to ever get along against a common enemy– but Ah ain’t plannin’ for any of this to be easy. Ah’ve never taken the easy road in anything in my life, especially not for my quest to heal this world of backbiters and weak men that think they can get away with striking the people Ah hold most dear.

Both mortals appear to be quite competent warriors.

What in Tarnation, how do you know that?

When you forced me inside of your spirit, I gained access to your every memory. I see them through your eyes. Pablo is the one you hold the most hate in your heart for. But would he be a worthy foe in this Lumberjack match?

JoJo shakes his head. The pillar of fire settles and lowers to a simmer. The visage of the Horned Toad now appears within the smoke that came from the fire. It’s anger temporarily at bay as it appeared intrigued at his potential combatants. Rush’s hands grip tightly at the mere mention of Pablo.

He should’ve stayed in the hole Ah buried him in. Unfortunately, the new member of Shinijoshi found his fire. Him and Narumi worked together to beat Cosmo in a Triple-Threat match, and while he won’t have that kind of kinship at Strangle? He’s still a dangerous competitor, and after what Tori and Stitches did to Vertigo, Pablo wants to get his revenge in the shape of my International Championship. But my title won’t make Vertigo’s recovery go any faster, nor will it give Pablo the grit he needs to finally win the Undisputed Title that’s eluded him his whole life.

Just because you lack the ability to think of what either man can do in this Lumberjack match does not mean the Luchador won’t be able to fool you and the Clown. But I want to see if this crafty warrior can overcome my raw power. My unstoppable fury will test that man’s reactions in ways he’s never been able to do before.

Ah’ve beaten the man once before.

He’s defeated you more recently. Do not forget that.

The snide comment from the Horned-Toad Spirit cues JoJo to raise a brow and cross his arms defensively.

That Gauntlet humbled me– but it will not define me or my International Title reign. Ah can’t allow this title to change hands without the new champion earning it through blood and grit. It don’t matter how hurt Ah am after my fight with Anderson. Pablo will realize what a thing like revenge demands of a man. It wants more than a haphazard fool that can do flips from the top-rope. No! This Lumberjack Match demands Pablo stand his ground and fight with his fists. He might be the luckiest wrestler in the world, but Ah showed folks that Ah demand more than luck and a need for revenge. It takes power.

Meanwhile in the living world, Alastor shouts “Fifteen seconds!” Time feels like it’s moving at a crawl in this world. The weight of the Dinnie Stones causes JoJo’s nose to spurt with a disgusting display of blood. Yet despite that, Rush continues holding the stones with no intention of releasing them until he gets the record.

There is a price for using my power, Stormbringer– The More I fight these mortals, the stronger I become.

Ah refuse to let Anderson take away what Ah demand of Pablo & Stitches. Both men are going to find whatever injury Jason intends to give me and exploit it. That’s why Ah need your strength.

The pillar of fire erupts high once more, just as a demonstration of how quickly their power can grow, and how easily it can burn the madman using it. The heat was enough to bring JoJo to a sweat. Or maybe it was the near-ton of granite he had in both hands. Could be anything, really.

Is this woman so important to you, you’re willing to risk the destruction of your soul? The more you use my power, Mortal, the more I burn, the more I grow! And the more I grow, the more I burn!

The power of the Beast’s roar forces a gust of wind that affects the living world. JoJo stands firm in both worlds, focused on the task at hand. The astral form looks down at his watch. “Fuck” he mutters, for it had only been seventeen seconds in this world. Rush shakes his head and focuses back onto The Beast

If Ah allow either man to get past me and take my title, they’ll come for Tori and the rest of the House. There ain’t a debt Ah’m not willin’ to pay to protect me and mine.

The Beast huffs, smoke billows from the visage’s nostrils out towards JoJo. Despite being rightfully pissed earlier seems amused with Rush– at least for now.

Very well, we’ll talk about this Stitches the clown. While almost as strong as you, he actually fights with a plan. That’s how he was able to best Pablo all those years ago for the Indy Championship.

The Beast was clearly trying to get a reaction out of JoJo, and it almost worked. JoJo almost lost his cool and fired back, but he kept his composure and his righteousness.

But you already KNOW that, don’t you, mortal? After all, that’s how he was able to beat you before.

The Beast once again prods, but once again, JoJo remains calm. Maybe it helps that physically his body is more focused on holding up a ton of rock than it is on mind games. Meanwhile in the physical world, the former Cowboy nearly loses his grip on the stones but recovers. It shakes JoJo in the spirit world, but he recovers and even laughs before exclaiming.

Wash away the mask Stitches made for himself and you’ll find nothing more than another Xavier Reid. A petulant child that believes that these belts of leather n’ tin are worth dyin’ for. That they’re the only way folks will ever give ‘em them the time of day. Yet when the lights shine brightest it comes time to actually defend this belt, they just can’t do it! That’s because both men see these belts as gifts instead of burdens! They’re far too broken as people to see these things ain’t nothin’ more than leather n’ tin. The darkness that they find themselves lost in is the shadow Ah cast over this sport! It is my duty to save these men, and the only way Ah can save Stitches is by denyin’ the child beneath the paint a burden he is too weak to carry.

Rush lets out a huff.

The belts don’t carry me, Ah. Carry. Them.

Rush steps closer to the flames so he could look the spirit in the eyes.

And Ah refuse to lay down n’ die like a wounded animal for men that ain’t got the stones to carry this responsibility. They won’t find someone that will lay limp in a crowd of lumberjacks. No!-- They will have no choice but to win the title through us. We ain’t trapped in the ring the El Pablo n’ Stitches!--

THEY’RE TRAPPED IN THE RING WITH THE BEAST!

JoJo steps into the burning pillar of fire outright. Letting the flames consume him, yet this time, they do not burn the Double-Champion. The pillar swirls around JoJo so violently, it actually pops JoJo’s ears, but Rush stands in the fire, resolute and with a tone filled with conviction, and oozing with purpose.

Stranglemania, the showcase of immortals is where WE make it clear to the WORLD that Ah’m not a victim of fate, but rather fate falls victim to our righteous fury! Ah will prove myself as the great healer of this world, not because we’ll leave Stranglemania as the Hardcore & International Champion, but because we did so by beatin’ everyone that threatened me and mine. You can do whatever you want to the Clown, but give what remains of Stitches to the Lumberjacks that want a pound of flesh from Stitches. Then we’ll pick up n’ slam Pablo into the canvas until he’s nothin’ more than a rainbow colored Shini-smear on the canvas! AH WILL BE THE FIRST MAN TO DEFEND TWO TITLES AT WRESTLEFEST AND STRANGLEMANIA!

All the color in JoJo’s physical body flushes from his face. Every second holding these stones was agony, JoJo’s knees began to buckle, his arms wobbling, causing the large stones to awkwardly swing.

WE WILL SAVE THE WORLD FROM ITSELF!

WE WILL SAVE THESE WEAK MEN!

AH AM NOT A MAN THAT HIDES BEHIND MASKS.

WE ARE NOT A BEING THAT HIDES BEHIND ANYTHING

Can you believe it had only been 40 seconds? Only 7 more seconds till JoJo holds another record.

Don’t forget to breathe

And so, JoJo did. Rush rocks his head back and takes in a deep breath, every inhale sucked in more and more of the pillar of fire that once spiraled around JoJo.

THERE’S A PRICE TO PAY FOR CHALLENGING' OUR STRENGTH! FOR ATTACKIN’ OUR FAMILY!

AH WILL RIP OUT THE HEARTS OF JASON ANDERSON, EL PABLO, & STITCHES

FOR WE ARE THE MONSTER SLAYER AMONG MONSTERS

WE ARE A FORCE OF NATURE

WE ARE THE HARDCORE AND INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION!

FOREVER! AND ALWAYS!

AH WILL SAVE THIS WORLD FROM ITSELF

WE ARE THE LIGHT!

OF MONDAY NIGHT!

RIP!

AND!

TEAR!

RIP!

AND!

TEAR!

The spirits of JoJo Rush and The Beast slowly become one. A horn slowly protrudes from JoJo’s forehead. Then a second horn. With the fire completely within JoJo’s soul, the Double-Champion opens his eyes and finds himself back among the land of the living.

“Aaaaaand that’s the record!” Shouts to Alastor who is keeping one eye on his stopwatch, and the other on JoJo. Who immediately releases the stones which hit the dirt immediately. JoJo falls to his knees and falls forward. The Champion does try to catch himself with his hands, but after holding onto two big-ass rocks, Rush’s body is too gassed to catch himself, and so he falls face-first into the dirt.

Alastor immediately runs to JoJo’s aid. With Alastor’s help, JoJo sat upright, but he’s still in a daze as his body does its best to get blood circulating back in JoJo’s brain. Everyone involved with record-keeping watch on with concern. Alastor offers his hand out to JoJo to lift him off the ground. Rush takes Alastor hand and climbs up to his feet.

“Are you okay?” Asks a concerned Alastor. A bewildered JoJo Rush finally comes too. With a blink, glossy eyes lost in the sauce turn into a look of resolve. Before we could get the answer however, the scene fades to black. However, in the darkness we can still hear Rush’s answer.

“Ah’m ready to rip. And. Tear.”