World Title: Ryleigh Mathis vs. SHIDO (c)

There was no Paradise to be had, only Hell awaited Ryleigh Mathis in the title match she had so proudly won. Inside of his locker room, SHIDO sat, nursing the injuries given to him by the Uprising. Each of them had their turn hurting him before they put him down for the first, embarrassing time. It was said that that was the first time anyone has seen SHIDO that vulnerable. Not even when he shed his Godly visage for the human being it all did SHIDO look vulnerable. He looked feral then like a mask was taken off a mad beast. It could give way to the belief that SHIDO’s egocentric mannerisms were merely a farce. Yet, in the opening shot, an argument against the thought came forward. SHIDO’s white hair covered a portion of his face, leaving only a dead frown to be seen.

Absently, he picked at some dead skin on his finger. More focused on that than anything else, but he let out a long breath. It was labored, found in his frustration over the Uprising situation. When his eyes drifted up to meet the camera lens. The glare of the Elysium World Champion was intense, piercing through any dimension to reach its intended target. If it were a sword, it could cut through diamond. Worst of all, it bore a latent fury, spawned from an unwavering misanthropy towards every breathing person.

“I take it that you’re proud of yourself, Ryleigh. You crafted a master plan to make me look silly?”

There was no humor in SHIDO’s voice. The hollowness of his stare came even more into view. His face was statuesque at this point, unlike anything seen with the egoist.

“Congratulations, Ryleigh, you managed to do that. You’re celebrating, aren’t you? Do you know now what I have to do in retaliation? I have to do the same to you, but twice as bad. On top of that, I have to hurt you worse than I did in our previous match because you’re threatening my reign.”

“Ryleigh, you have collected every possible reason for me to hurt you. Each time I’ve counted your transgressions against me, I thought up a way to punish you. By the end of this deliberation, I found the perfect way. It might surprise you, Ryleigh,” SHIDO said, finally breaking the horrible glare he maintained. His finger was now bleeding from how hard and persistently he picked at the minor break, “oh, look what you made me do.”

“I could make you bleed. I could end your career by breaking some major in your body. I could make it so that the Uprising has to watch you suffer until they’re forced to save you, and then I’ll get them too. But I’ve decided on a fate worse than execution. It’s the mere humiliation that you made me felt done back to you,” SHIDO took some of the blood up and rubbed it between his fingers, minorly intrigued. “That’s the worst kind of pain one can deal to someone.”

“When I got up from the beatdown you all gave to me, I didn’t feel any physical pain. I felt powerless for a moment, where I couldn’t defend myself from what you three did to me. I saw the mystified eyes of the audience who saw a momentary pause in my immortal status. For that, I found myself pacing, thinking about how I would return the humiliation. As you said, ‘I have a plan,” SHIDO explained, finally stopping himself from playing with his blood.

“Usually, I would try to find a way to brutalize you into submission, leave you a bloodied shell of yourself. I could try to go about things like I did with Holland, but I realized that it would make a monster out of me. I wouldn’t be the beautiful God anymore; I’d be like you. I’d be like the dregs of the world trying to scratch at Heaven. I would stoop down lower than I ever had to make you physically unable to do anything.”

“So, I need to remind everyone who the best wrestler in Elysium is. I’m the World Champion not because of the barbaric things that I had to do to beat Holland once and for all."

“That’s how I’m going to emasculate you, Ryleigh. Since you believed you were so close to beating me last time, I need to make you realize the distance between our skills is.”

A beat.

“Honey, you’re busy kissing the ground I used to walk on, while I’m marching through Heaven’s doors.”

SHIDO’s absent tone fell for a taste of his egocentric mentality.

“Ryleigh Mathis, you’ve dethroned Elina Cartel. I have to take you seriously. That’s why you understand the cruel methodology I have to take with you. You attacked me and left me to be the laughingstock while you prepared for the biggest match of your life,” SHIDO said, raising his bloodied hand again. This time, he seemed to notice the damage in the way one should.

“It’s my job not only to defend my championship, but I need to make you wonder if you ever had a chance to begin with. I need to dissect this egotism you have. I need you to think twice from now on about setting up a plan or even pushing yourself to come after what’s mine. Especially since you were so excited about your plan.”

SHIDO shook his head, before lapping up some of the blood on his tongue. Afterward, he leaned his head back in wonder, never once cracking a remnant of a smile.

“So my question is simple, Ryleigh.”

SHIDO brought his head down to stare intently at the camera. He didn't blink once the whole time he gazed.

“What good is a plan when you’re getting knocked the hell out?”