...It was in his battered home, with weapons and dummys. He digs into his memory for a moment, trying to remember his half-brother, but to no avail. He knows his mother was human, but he never saw his father, and saw a glimpse of his paternal half-brother, and... he wasnt very human. He thought to himself: "Grr... I don't have time for a deep memory thrust...". Still, he used the time he had and temporarily controlled his deep, blood-controlled urge to destroy things.

In his memory, his mother said: "Don't touch him! He is very deadly, but he's sleeping, so he wont harm you now.". To which he responded with a grunt and an angerly growl, but brought himself to say "What was my father?!". His mother remained silent. A flash of light trickled, revealing a inhuman face. His mother thought: "Good thing his father returned to his home, wherever it is, but I know its not on this world." His mother went to sleep, and he turned the light on. From this moment, his memory is blank, until massive footsteps leaving his former home. Apperently whatever that was, it didn't want Drako to know. He tryed as hard as he could to remember, but to very little avail. He couldn't focus his pain causing desires, and he knew he had very little time, so he broke a dummy in half and tryed even harder... but then he heard that time was running out so he waited until the night was over...

...In Drakos room, he trys again, this time even harder, to remember his half-brother, causing severe damage to all the dummys to focus himself... He comes across a draconic image in the memory gap... He's getting close to unlocking the hidden image in his memory...

...Delving further, he comes across a pure draconic image, resembling a dragon... And his half-brother supernaturally clouding his memory. He finds another, cloudier image, of his father. This could answer his question of what was his father... He remembers a titanic creature dissappear, but he couldn't remember what it was, his thoughts were: "Probably the same reason why I have trouble remembering my paternal half-brother, but this one is much, much cloudier..." He sees a image similar to his half-brothers, but this one is titanically larger, and very, very, very old. Still trying harder, he remembers a human figure with reddish skin, but he knows this is part of his memory trying to steer him from the truth... Trying again, he remembers a titanic, old looking, dragon in his memory. He thinks: "That must be why I'm immune to fire... Human mother... Dragon father...", and: "...Half-human... Half-dragon... and the dissappearance must be it returning from the world from whence it came..."

// User comment: This occurs after Havoc, thank you.

The building was made of black stone, the seats were black stone except for a metallic black throne and the tables were black stone blocks, and the outside archetexture was completly black and had towers at the top, a large gate of black metal, and torchs at the gate making it seem like an old castle with a gloomy feel. The only entrance/exit was the gate, and the interior very much looked like a castle, with a throne room and the like. The only thing that killed the notion and mood of a dark lord's ancient castle was the modernized kitchen, modernized dishes and a computer in the palace area.

Seated on the throne was Ivan, who had, despite the incredible castle, had become rather bored, and so he met with Telsar and asked him what Telsar thought was a good place to target, though Telsar had remained speechless thus suggesting he had found something suitable yet. He walked outside, revealing the nothingness the the castle existed in: apperantly he had somehow removed from corporealization and stashed it in a private area from which only Ivan's force know how to get in or out.

Drako was extremely tempted both ways. He could make someone he dosen't like angry or he could, maybe, find something to work with that suits him and maybe even help him to a degree. He thinks:

"Tough choice... but this may be an good chance..."

He proceeds to call Ivan, and says:

"I ain't telling anything to you over here. You have to prove you can really brawl in a fight. If you win, I join. If you lose, I don't."

Ivan, unnervingly gleeful and cheery, says:

"I'll meet you outside."

Drako thinks:

"What am I walking into....?"

Ivan emerges from a recent portal. He sets up a new portal, drags Drako through it and jumps through it himself, and they show up in a ring with no-one around. They engage immediatly. Drako and Ivan are on equal grounds, but Drako hits a low blow and then hits a Powerpin. A machine counts:

1...

Dosen't reach a 2 count.

Ivan recovers immediatly, and after bouncing against the ropes expecting to be either dodged or successful, gets dodged, pulled by his arm into a jumping DDT, and then pinned:

1..

Not even a full 1 count.

Drako signals for the Sweet Dreams, trying to and this one early, but gets ducked and hit with his own finisher! Ivan goes for the pin:

1...

2...

Kickout. Drako again trys a big move, this time a Forward Headbuster, and all the force goes in Ivans arms when he slams his arms into his feet, causing damage. Drako, still a little staggered, gets hit with the Cyclone of Fire, and pinned:

1...

2...

Kickout. Drako gets up, and bounces off the ropes, and runs into a chokeslam! Ivan picks up a groggy Drako, and hits a Death Valley Driver-one of his signature moves-against Drako. He gets pinned:

1..

2...

Thre--

As the machine was saying it, Drako, obviously accidental judging by his status, stretchs his shoulders in the air, getting a kickout. Ivan asks the machine the count and gets confronted with a 2.

Drako, obviously groggy, gets punched in the face and woken from his obviously forced sleep. Drako backs away from a punch, signals for the Sweet Dreams and misses again but this time he confronts the miss with a kick backward to the gut and hits the Bulldozer. He trys to pin Ivan but Ivan rolls out of the ring, and the machine informs them that this is normal rules match.

1...

2...

Obviously returned to normal, Ivan gets up at the 2 count.

3...

4...

Ivan slides into the ring. Drako attempts another Bulldozer but as the kick comes he gets cought, brought down, kicked with a low blow that wasn't seen, then hits a Figure-Four style leg lock in the center of the ring. The hold however, is designed for length, not pressure. Drako eventually gets out but not without agony in his legs. He gets his face almost flattened by 2 very well placed stomps. He picks up Drako and hits a Cyclone of Fire, followed by another Figure-Four, this time designed to knock out Drako. Drako trys to hang on but is knocked out.

1...

2...

...

...

...

Thre---

It gets cut off when suddenly Drako starts flailing his torso around. Ivan lets the hold go, then removes turnbuckle padding. He hits the Cyclone of Fire into the exposed turnbuckle! He pins...

1...

2...

3!

Drako wakes up and is confronted by the machine with a three count and a replay of his demise, to which Drako lets slide. Drako says:

"All right, I join the Dark Alliance."

Drako still dosen't know a symbol to pick. After much deliberation between Ivan and Drako, Drako finally settles on a crimson sword.

The large man streaks down the ice, weaving between players as he handles the puck. He slams into a defensemen, continuing on his path to the goal. He winds up, and slaps the puck into the top corner of the net. The coach's whistle blows and The large man skates over to the bench, tossing his helmet over the boards. He walks to the bench, where he begins to untie his skates. A man with a microphone and a cameraman walks over.

"Sergei Salkov, I'm Max Kaplan, host of Fox's newest TV show TCW Boot Camp. Would you, as a former teen star, be interested in becoming the fourth and final man to join the cast?"

Salkov's manager steps up to him, and whispers in his ear. Salkov's eyes open wide, and he looks bag up at Kaplan.

"Da, I'll do it. When do we starting?" Salkov stated, as the camera continued to roll.

"Soon Mr. Salkov, very soon......."

******************************
A dark, gloomy warehouse is shown, and four men are walking side by side thru a long hallyway. A voice over announcer spoke as each man is shown individually.

Mike Presley, formed star of the NBC hit Buddies, which spawned the failed sequel Randall. He has been working as a convenience store worker since 2000.

Bob Williams, star of the early 90's show Dr. Sophomore, the show featuring a young high school student as an MD. Since the show, he has worked at a peanut butter farm since 1999.

Ryan Gabriel, star of the Lex's Cove, which lasted 5 seasons on the WB. Gabriel has made his living at conventions and private parties since the show was cancelled in 1997.

And finally, the man most figure to be the favorite in this competition, he starred as the Linebacker Chris Wychex in Thursday Night Lights, Sergei Salkov. Salkov has been playing minor league hockey since Thursday Night Lights was cancelled in 2002.

These four men will compete in a series of challenges and matches, with the winner receiving $250,000 and a contract to wrestle for TCW. Tonight's challenge is one of the most important, because the men will pick their trainers tonight, but the selection order will be determined in a way these men do not expect.

The men all walk into a large room, where Max Kaplan stands under a single spotlight.

Kaplan:Gentlemen, welcome to TCW Boot Camp. Tonight, you all will participate in a challenge, where the winner will get to make the first pick as to who will train them to be a professional wrestler. Now for the challenge.

(The lights flick on in the room, and an obstacle course is revealed)

Kaplan:You will all individually run this obstacle course, and the participant who completes the course fastest will get the first pick of trainers.

Mr. Williams, you are up first. On your mark, get set, go!

(Williams runs across the course, running up and down the seesaw, pushing thru a section of swinging ropes, and dives thru a cross of elastic ropes. He then scales a wall, dropping down into a pool of water, which he swims across before hitting the buzzer.)

Kaplan:Mr. Williams' time is a respectable 41.07 seconds. Mr. Gabriel, you're up. 3,2,1 go!

(Gabriel repeats the course, having less trouble with the elastic then Williams. He does stumble getting out of the pool, wasting valuable seconds before hitting the buzzer.)

Kaplan:Mr. Gabriel scores a 40.84 seconds, meaning he is now in first place. Mr. Presley, you are now up. Ready, set go!

(Presley stumbles out of the start, and falls down on the seesaw, virtually ending his chances of winning. He finishes the course and dejectedly punches the buzzer.)

Kaplan:Presley scores a 45.66, which means Mr. Salkov is up. The time to beat is 40.84 seconds, ready, set go!

(Salkov sprints from the line, running down the seesaw, flipping it as he runs off of it. He pushes thru the ropes and elastic before scaling the wall in a single leap. He drops down into the pool, where he moves quickly thru the water, hitting the buzzer at the end.)

Kaplan:And the final time for Mr. Salkov is 37.04 seconds, meaning he is the winner of tonight's challenge. Now, for the selection process.

(Another series of lights flicks on, revealing three people standing against the wall)

Kaplan:These three men are your potential trainers. Mr. Salkov, since you won the challenge, you may select first.

(Salkov points towards a short, bear of a man standing at one end of the lineup.)

Kaplan: You have chosen the former Ukrainian Olympic wrestling coach Oleg Kozlov. Mr. Gabriel, it is now your pick.

(Gabriel stares at the three remaining people, choosing between the man wearing the gold medal and the other man wearing an expensive looking suit.)

Gabriel:I choose Mr. Suit over there.

Kaplan: Mr. Gabriel, you have selected current TCW superstar William Shamrock. Good choice. Mr. Williams, your pick.

(Williams picks the man wearing the gold medals.)

Kaplan:You have selected the Olympic gymnast Billy Relf.

Now Mr. Presley, as you can see, there is no trainer for you here. Because of your lackluster time in tonight's challenge, you are the first to be eliminated from TCW Boot Camp

(Presley walks back down the long hallway, tossing his shirt into the wall.)

Kaplan:So gentlemen, you know all have your trainers selected. Next week we will see how well your trainers have trained you in the art of wrestling. Until then, Dismissed!

It's a gym, not a fancy gym by any means it's not that big, not that small, not too new, not too old, frankly there is precious little that is spectacu;ar about the gym at all. Considering the individuals inside of it however being unspectacular is in actuality quite spectacular afterall.

THUD THUD THUD


"HiyaAHHH!!!!"

The heavy bag sways to and fro rocking from the powerful kick

"Kyah kyah kyah"

Three more kicks send the old school aparatus spinning in circles.

tapa tapa tapa tapa thud thud thud thud thwack thud

So is this where forgottten dogs go to die?

creak crack creak crack THOOMP!

Dual dragon kicks seperate the heavy bag fro it's chain, the beautiful twins cease their assault long enough to try to reset it so that they can continue their training.

Me forgotten, honestly what is this world coming to. Sure, I've been out of the spotlight but she was all too happy to see me go, even ignoring my messages. I've heard before how proffesional athletes pay little to no regard to teamates sidelined by injury, perhaps it was arrogance on my part but I would never have expected to fall victim to such thinking.

With the heavy bag reset the twins begin again.

Well I can't complain the time away has been good to me financially at least. It's allways nice to sell a country land that they used to own espscially at such a tidy profit. Having my own small country was good for the ego but honestly who wants to live in Mexico?

Ai runs towards the pommel horse and springs over with a crisp triple front flip Yu mimics this move landing and balancing on her sister's hands, Yu leaps from there and grabs the middle of the climbing wall, Ai uses Yu's feet to quickly scale from the middle to the top where she locks her feet bends over and grabs her sister's hands. This all happens in under ten seconds.

I never thought I'd be out the full year. I was sure that my training, strenght, athleticisim, and will would have let me work through this injury earlier. The herniated disc didn't help matters any, luckily I was able to borrow some research from my old friend Dante to help that situation or else this wheelchair may well be permanent.

Ai is flipped to the balance beam and Yu follows they sprint across ignoring the height and narrow walkway to the other side where two ropes await. Without a moments hesitation the swing over a tank of water to a vertical wall where they scale to the top.

So my empire outside of the ring is taken care of. I don't perform for the money or the love of fans why do I even care about being forgotten? It's ego isn't it? I just can't stand can't accept the slightest possibility that I may be insignificant.

The twins roll down the cargo net and make their way to the third wall which is really just a ledge. Using only their fingers to support their body weight they scale hand over hand to the other side where the heavy bag awaits.

No, I'm not insignificant, I never have been and I never will be. As allways I will bide my tame wait for the perfect moment and strike. For now it's up to the girls though. Speaking of which

"That's enough"

Yu: Awwwww

Ai: Maaaaaster

"No whining."

The masked man moves his chair towards the ring and motions for the ladies to enter.

"Tell me again, why are you going through all of this training?"

The twins continue to pummel the heavybag while talking to Shadow

Yu: We need to get strong

Thwack

Ai: So the next time we fight....

Thwack

Yu & AI: We kick ALL of TCW's .......

THUD!!

"As I was saying, why are you going through all of this when it's quite apperant current managment wants nothing to do with you?"

Ai: You

punch

Yu:....know

elbow

Yu&Ai: ...why

Yu: We are...
Thump
Ai:...too much...
Thump
Yu & Ai: ...like YOU!

Dual high roundhouses

"And just like me you ladies have not had a match in a very long time. Two of the greates assasins the world has ever known left ridig the bench.

Yu: I SWEAR that BITCH can't even dress, did you SEE that hair? I'td be a FAVOR to scalp hermmmmph

covering her sisters mouth

"Calm down sis, but master Yu has a point, why won't you let us convince her we still belong on camera and tolling away in darkmatches and charity events."

"Mainly because your style of negotiation would land us in prison, with a woman like Stern you need to be sure she does not consider you a threat, while presenting a way to keep her ratings and buy rates high, don't forget what I've taught you. Finish up on the heavy bag we have to go and you two need to prepare for your return.

The twins look at each other then Shadow as his chair hovers away then each other again this time with wide smiles. Twin superkicks knock the bag off of it's chain again but they don't care this timeas it drops to the mat with a thud. A thud and a groan. Yu and Ai spring from the top rope to Shadow's chair forcing the masked man to shake his head and cover his face in embarrasment.

Groan

The camera watches the trio exit the gym and pans back to the groaning heavybag. A larges whole has been punched into the old bag but instead of sand a bruised and bloodied man pours out before the camera fades to black a much less black and blue picture of the man is caught smiling

"Franks Gym Might makes Right and WE make MIGHT!

"So tell me why will this time be any different than the last time?"

Valerie Stern slides the contract to Yu and Ai and returns her extrravagant pen to it's place holder. Shadow smiles beneath his mask but it goes unnoticed chances are it would have gone unoticed even if he was without his mask.

Shadow: It was profitable for both of us last time Ms. Stern. I'm not even certain why you would want it tp be different

Valerie turns her chair towards the window showing Shadow the back in an act of disregard. Shadow does not take the slight as an insult, in fact he thinks he would have made sure to be mopre dramatic in the same position. Ms. Stern wasn't even done talking so she had just wasted a perfect opportunity to dramatically end a conversation. Amatures.

VS: The way I see it I held a major pay per view featuring your group, then everything fell apart.

Shadow: But that was one of the highest buyrates of the year.

V.S: Yes, a high buy rate followed almost immediatly by the departure of close to a third of my roster. THAT Mr. Shadow was not profitable at all.

Shadow: I didn't leave I was injured.

V.S: Riiight, oh, and by aNOTHER performer that isn't around anymore. Yes I can see BIG bucks in the revenge match.

SHADOW VS. THE INVISIBLE MAN!

Shadow: They allready had a match like that in Japan, you could allways Youtube it you know.

V.S.: If I wanted to listen to whiny self indulgent, morons felate themselves I'd hang out in the lockerroom thank you very much. Anyway you aren't even BACK! What good are you to me in your condition?

Shadow shuffle uncofortably in his chair, a tingeof pain shoots through his leg and back, pain is good it means he's still alive and maybe on the road to walking again. Valerie Stern flips her chair back around.

"For that matter Shadow. What good were you to me in the first place?"

Hmmm she CAN do dramatic

"They still hate me Ms. Stern, they still hate mme enough to pay $40 for the pleasure of seeing me defeated, that's $40 yo can make again and again and again seeing how infrequent that occurence is."

V.S: Wer are talking about the same win loss record aren't we? Look even if you're right. YOU CAN'T FIGHT

"A matter of time"

V.S: Right and in that matter of time I'm supposed to use those two.

Yu and Ai smile when Ms. Stern points and looks at them when she turns back to Shadow Yu mouths a rather rude statemnt at her, one Ai elbow stops her before Valerie turns back to them.

Shadow: They are attractive, charismatic, athletic, and talented.

"I'll bet that they're talented Shadow. A masogynist like you wouldn't have it any other way. Even if they are all those things you say they still give me the creeps and that goes for most anyone that crosses their path. Do you really think I can sell that.

Shadow: I know that you can.

"Tell you what Shadow. I'll get back to you."

Ring Ring

"Yes, this is Stern hold on please, you can see yourselves out yes?"

Shadow: Of course, oh here is a present for you.

"Gee thanks."

outside

Yu: You let her speak to US like that!

Ai: You let her speak to YOU like that!

Yu: I said us sis?

Ai: Not YOU Yu Him YOU!

Yu: Our old tutor Himyu?

Ai: NOOO! I was talking to Master about himself.

Yu: Ohhh!! Why didn't you say so that's his favorite subject.

Ai: Anyway Master why?

Shadow: Girls sometimes, it's imprtant to let others belive that they have the upperhand, many cases in fact. Ms. Stern responds to bullying by steeling her resolve.

Yu: She can't afford her own clea.....

Ai: Shhhshhh

Shadow: You see ladies if we make it seem that she somehow needs us or if we threaten her she will never react the way I plan for her too. An important part of manipulation is convincing your mark that everything is on the level depite their having absolutely no reason to trust you save the fact that they belive you could hold no power over them.

Yu: Her box was biger than ours. It's OUR Birthday you don't like her more than us do you.

Shadow lifts a perplexed eybrow.

Ai: Sis was just wondering what you gave her is all.

"Ahh, well you were complaining abuot her wardrobe. I simply gave her an evening gown and reservations to a resteraunt that she's been wanting to try but has never been able to be invited to."

Yu: Invited to....

Ai: ...a resteraunt????

Yu & Ai: That makes no sense.

Shadow: Ladies once you are dealing with the kind of money that we are price ceases to be an issue. You have to find another way to rise above the crowd and that currency is influence.

Yu: So.....

Ai: ....it's

Yu&Ai: A DATE!!!

Yu: Master you bring her home I'm stabbing her period.

Shadow looks at Ai

Ai: What I agree, I'll stab her too.

Shadow: Be calm it isn't a date. Besides I thought we agreed that you'd behave. Behaving means NOT stabbing co worker. Now I want you to promise that you'll be good on this run.

Yu & Ai:..........

Shadow: Ladies.

The twins mumble a promise and pout staring out of the window.

Shadow: What am I going to do with you two.

The twins smile and we fade.

"If Hello, could only drop it's 'O'."

"Because then that would be 'hell', nice."

"Can you two please do something other than talk about lyrics?"

"No."

"Let them talk about whatever they want to bro, we're on their payroll."

The two brothers that are usually dressed in similiar outfits, side bar to the kitchen of the New York apartment.

"Man why did they want us for their bodyguards?"

"Because they are lazy. Sure one of them can still go, but they need nimble and quick guys like us..."

"But bro, we're used to whacky shit these guys seem pretty damn serious about what they want to accomplish here."

"Hey if getting a fat paycheck means being a little serious for once than I am all for it. Come on look at the brightside, we get to kick some ass man!"

"I guess you're right."

"I AM right. Now come on let's go play some Guitar Hero, you pick the song."

"Sounds good."

Four guys living in one apartment, something is brewing.

Stay tuned for parts II-IV

On TCW.com or whatever the hell the website is called, there is a playable video all the way at the bottom of the front page:

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We're in Times Square, New York. The screens go black, then out of nowhere:

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(Written by Bleeder and I.)

Prior to Road to Glory...

Inferno sat in the darkness of his room. Izumi sat aside him, unafraid of the darkness he kept himself in. He seemed to dislike her precense, and yet, didn't bother to shoo her away. By now, he'd gotten used to her, for the most part.

But he wondered why she was here. Was it a joke? Fate replacing one innocent girl with another? No. She had another motivation. What it was, she would tell him one day, perhaps in a whisper, as his hand reached around her throat. Perhaps not. Whatever else she was, she amused him. "Of course I do..." She whispered with a smile. "Someone has to remind you that your mask isn't even skin deep."

He folded his arms. "And what would you know about it? You don't know anything."

"Because I might get killed? Random violence?" She placed her hand on his. Looked him in the eyes. "You are the random violence you fear. Isn't that enough? You run with the wolves..."

"It has nothing to do with you." He said, pushing her hand away. "It's all about presentation. How else am I supposed to destroy people physically and mentally if my secrets are an open book to be read?"

"But your mask reveals that there is a book to be read. Someone is hiding. It intrigues the hungry."

"There's nothing special underneath," he told her."I'm not a burn victim, or some fucked up cliche like that."

She lifted his hand to her lips, the warmth of her kiss surrounding a finger. Teeth scraped it, just a little pain inside the warmth. "No, you're a pup. A little child..."

"Don't do that!" He withdrew the finger. "You bitch..."

"You poor little...you don't understand any of this, do you?" She rose up, sat on her knees, leaned into his ear. Whispered. "Did you find the demon who did it...?"

He looked at her, close to horrified for once. "What don't I understand...?" Was she reading his mind? Or was she, in fact, the demon again, the one who'd killed...? Had he come to torture him once more? Is that how she knew?

"Shh...I knew even before they found me. I always knew. You were always the innocent one. But now they have found me.." She shivered. Her breath was like ice. Her lips blue. "It hurts...I'm burning up.."

It felt like a nightmare.

History was going to repeat itself in front of him. He wouldn't let that happen. Even if she was an annoying little girl.

"You piece of shit, come out of her right now."

"It's snowing..." She closed her eyes. Held him close. "It's snowing in Hell...." The lights were blinding. Every shadow suddenly cast in razor edges.

"I'm not inside her." Said the voice. It was a man, leaning against the wall, near the door. He was pale as a winter's moonlight, beautiful as an angel. He wore a coat made out of one 69 dying screams, faces leathered, blackened, ripped from their skulls and sewn into a pachwork of Jack O Lantern designs. He studied a cigarette. Smiled, turned to Inferno. "She's inside you, no wonder she's scared. Fancy a ... Oh wait I need to grow up. Nevermind...?"

"I recognize you." He let her stay close, for some reason. He turned to face the new arrival...a legend. "I saw you wrestle Darkness, the same night I won the belt..."

"You forgot to mention Freya. She won the match after all. Let's talk, shall we? We seem to have so much in common, you and I..."

"You know she's a fan of yours?" Inferno said, looking down at Izumi. He didn't know what sort of spell she was under, but her skin wasn't coming off, and no demons were coming out of her, so he supposed she'd be alright. "Explain, what, exactly, we have in common."

"A fan of mine?" The bleeder glanced at her. Eyes of shattered glass at night. "No, she's a fan of the gimmick. She's an enemy of my kind, but you didn't know that did you?"

"She told me a little," he said. "She's part of a peacekeeping...or balance force...or something like that. And she wants me to kill the Antichrist..."

"You are her hope for saving the world." The cigarette in the demon's hand lit itself. Golden ashes fell to the floor. "But it's not that easy, is it?"

"No, it isn't. Have to find them first...and as if I could even kill him."

"Do you want to kill him? It's not hard." The ashes became a fire. The fire grew.

"He's only safe so long as everyone is watching him. Kill a camera man.

Kill a lighting director.

Kill Stern.

Kill every opponent they feed you, and soon, there will be nobody watching him anymore. Hell will be free to attack him with everything it has..."

"You know who he is, don't you?" Inferno asks, cutting straight to the chase. Then stops. "Wait just a minute. He isn't on your side?! Why would Hell want to..." he trails off...

"Complications. You don't want to know all that backstory, do you?" The demon returned his gaze to Izumi. "You've never questioned anything before..." She opened her eyes, looked at him in terror. "I didn't want to tell him..." The demon took her chin, caressed her tears. "Shhh...it's okay. You were only reading lines from the script I gave you, and I gave you no choice..."

Inferno slapped her lightly. "Wake up, damn you..."

"Izumi...this is your savior? Here I am, the devil, or the closest he's ever seen to him, and he attacks you. He looked for Hell his entire life, but as you've seen, he's carrying it in his heart. He's confused, he's hurt....he's more innocent than you will ever be. Why do you stay?"

"Because he has good in him. I don't know if he's my savior or not...maybe they're wrong, but I don't care. I won't be wasting my time...because even if he's not my savior, maybe I can be his."

Inferno was suddenly no longer the most important character in the scene, and perhaps had never been. He was ignored. She was the reason for the demon's appearance. "There is good in all of us, and yet I have sent you into his Hell, and bound your heart to his. You will feel every emotion he feels. You will never know a moment's peace....now answer one last question?" Inferno felt the anger rising inside, the cold fire that kept him warm, even as it ate him away inside.

"What has the good inside him done, to balance all the lives he's destroyed? He's attacked everyone...except for the wicked. Not a single villian. Not even me."

"He's had matches with heels before. What about Malaki and William Shamrock?" For some reason, she felt compelled to correct him.

"Heels? He's....wrestled....a few bad guys. Not bad." The demon laughed. Gave a nod. "Ask him about the pizza boy."

She didn't have to, she felt it from within him the moment that memory surfaced. She shook his head. "Y-" She didn't get a word off before Inferno finally stood up, and took a swing, straight at the demon's face.

The demon spun to the floor. Shook as blood filled his mouth, he opened his lips and his tongue could be seen, holes torn through it by silver fangs. He licked the wounds to the tips, tore the wounds through the flesh until his tongue seemed to be a split into a symbollic dragon's fire. He seemed to be speaking to himself, and if one listened, they might have heard. "And all it took for you to do that, was an invitation, and a friendly push..."

"All I needed," he said, and delivered a powerful kick, to his stomach. But something seemed...too easy. The mighty Bleeder couldn't be felled so easily, could he? Even if he could beat on him physically, he knew it was the moral victory that had to be won here. Izumi knew that too. Knew that mostly everything the demon had said was true...

"He's acting." Izumi said. She looked to Inferno, seeing in his eyes what she felt inside his heart. She needed that tangible reality. "He's already attacked us, and won..." She felt suddenly unsure of herself, was aware that nothing had prepared her for this. The demon looked through her then, and she felt his sudden anger that she had interfered with the show.

"What are you?" She asked him. But there was no one there. The demon had left. All that remained was silence, and the rage of a man who had been unmasked as easily as if he had entered a confessional...

(Most of this part was written from memory, as we lost this part of the log. Bleeder was able to read this and object to any parts that needed changes. I hope it still works.)

Izumi was in heavier clothing than usual. She could still feel the chill of being inside Inferno's personal, cold Hell. She was sipping a coffee, at a restaurant. Every once in a while, her eyes peered around the room. She knew that she hadn't seen the last of Bleeder. In fact, she was looking for him...

Of course, a coffee shop was the last place you'd see a demon hitman. Perhaps she needed another plan. She just finished her coffee, went out and grabbed the door.

Which was locked.

"Not this old trick," she said. "Alright, come on o-"

Then it opened from the other side. A husband and a wife, and a newborn baby. "You're here already," said the husband. "It'll take some time for the rest of us to arrive."

"Who?" Izumi said. "You were expecting me? You must be...mistaken..."

She peered out the door, and saw several more cars. Opening up, men, women, and a few children all emerged...and headed towards the shop, altogether.

"Must be some kind of mistake."

"No mistake," said a young woman's voice. She seemed slightly familiar to Izumi...distinctly Asian, dark haired. "We haven't met. But I wanted to meet you, just once."

"Wha?" Izumi said.

"Please, sit down." The woman gave a warm, friendly smile.

"Alright." Izumi felt a sense of uneasyness. All of these people, coming out of nowhere to meet her? Who told she was here?

The two of them sat down at a nearby table. Everyone else settled in. All of them looking at Izumi, and giving her a smile. For some reason, all the eyes locked on her brought a cold shiver down her spine...

"The pizza boy isn't here yet...but anyway," she started. "How is Greg?"

Izumi jumped, her eyes going back to the woman's, then glancing back at the people. They were murmuring amongst themselves now.

"Err...Gr-oh, you mean Inferno..."

"Is that what he calls himself now?" she said, the woman's eyes looking a bit surprised. She laughed. "Let me guess. He wears a mask and tights, and fights for justice - "

"I..." Izumi looked for the words, but the other woman read them in her eyes.

"So he's the demon now..." she said, looking disappointed.

Demon? "Who are you, anyway?"

"Eda."

"Eda...oh! Inferno's..." Izumi's eyes went wide. "But you died. The demo-"

"Yes. I am dead." she said. "After the demon came, I-" She stopped for a moment, her eyes looking blank. Then refocused. "I don't remember. Guess they don't want to spoil it..."

"The surprise?"

"You know, the afterlife." Eda said. "In fact, I can't even remember, where I went..."

"You don't remember which part?" Izumi asked.

"No. When this dream ends, I could wake up in hell. The really scary thing is hearing myself say it, like we're exchanging phone numbers...and you taking this just as calmly. Maybe this is Hell. One of us should be screaming."

"Don't worry. You're a nice enough girl," Izumi said, sipping some coffee. "I'm sure you went to Heaven. Unless of course you made a deal with the devil or something like that. I ran into a-"

The woman was gone. And in it's place, was the man with the screaming trenchcoat, the shattered ice eyes, and the shining, Cheshire switchblade smile...

"She had to go," he said cooly, now sipping Izumi's coffee.

"What the..." Izumi said. "Go where?"

"Someplace a little warmer."

"You don't mean..."

"Remember when you mentioned a deal with the devil?" He waited for her to nod.. "Let me tell you a story. There was once a little girl who was in love with a monster. Or, he thought he was. She wasn't afraid of him. But perhaps he was afraid of her. It doesn't matter. One day, another monster came for her. It was the way of monsters to kill those who don't run away. He said it'd be all over in a second, and then she'd be dead. She begged, pleaded with the monster, to let her live-"

"What happened?"

"He let her live a few seconds longer," he said. "You know the rest of the story."

"That..." Izumi looked horrified, unable to believe it. "That's horrible...that isn't even fair..."

"Hell isn't fair," he said. "Ask anyone here."

Izumi looked at the people in the cafe, who suddenly, horrifically, reached out to her all at once. A scream escaped her lips, as she watched their faces suddenly crack, and burst into flames--

Then they were gone.

"All of t-"

"Let me ask you a question," Bleeder said. "Why bother?"

"With what?"

"Inferno. After you've been inside his heart and soul. You say he's your savior. Yet you root against him in matches. You have to keep him restrained...as if he were an animal. Why do you continue to play this game?"

"Because he has good in him. He's not a monster. He is simply hurt. And he needs someone to fix him. I'm there, and someone has to do something..."

"Can you?"

"I have to. He may be a sinful monster, but everyone has good in them. Even you. Everyone in Hell. You can all be saved, too...and I'll fight to make sure Inferno is."

He offered a small smile to her, before standing up. "The pizza's here."

He vanished. The door to the cafe clicked open, and in walked a young man...

"Who are you?" She asked.

The boy didn't look at her. His left hand was in the air, seeking out something to touch. He had no eyes. He was blind. His other hand held a gun.

"Who are you?" She stepped back, looking at the gun. "Put the gun down. Why would you have that here?"

The sound of the safety being unlocked. Click. The light outside growing brighter.

She stood out of her seat, climbing over towards the next table, a bit afraid. "What are you doing? No, don't do it, if that's what I think you're going to do..."

He raised the gun at her head, and pulled the trigger.

Bang.

Instant darkness.