Ah yes, an oak table

Oak tables? Alrighty then. I don't mind it. It's not like I'll be the one slammed through the thing, anyway. Hana Nakajima, eh? Poor Lillie Saint. Suffered at the hands of us "associates" for weeks and doesn't even get a chance to get one over us. That's life, I guess. Sucks for her, but not much of a difference for me. And Violet and Reno? I think we all saw this one coming. No surprises there. And so our scene is set. The "associates" consisting of myself, Drago Santiago and Cash Corleone. Against Violet, Reno and Hana. Great. Amazing. No personal vendettas in this one, sadly. Just a job. Something to get out of the way so I can focus on this title shot. But I suppose it's another opportunity to make a name for myself. A pay-per-view win will do nothing but good for my career. Another loss would be unfortunate. It's funny how they called this even Dreamworld. It seems like at the end of the night, most of the competitors will go home with their dreams of winning crushed. Happily extinguished by their opponent. A fitter name would be...dream crushers? Nah, but you get what I mean. Doubt very many dreams will be realized at the end of the day. But we must hope! I know that every single wrestler in this company believes that THEY will be the one to do it! Their dreams will be realized, and they'll join that rare group of winners. Cute to see. It'll also be cute to see them trudge back home after their depressing loss. I have to say, I think we have a good shot at winning this. We've worked together as a unit well so far. But we'll see if we can continue getting along. Cash will probably be fine. He just wants to get at the world's finest. More specifically, Violet. I can respect that. Who doesn't want to put their enemies in their place? I'm happy to leave him to it. And Drago? He's in the same boat as me. We were both promised the same thing, and I have no doubt that he'll keep to our deal. If he still wants that title shot, that is. If not? His loss. But I feel that he wants it. Drago's an interesting case. The intentions are more...complex than the ones of your average wrestler. Not just "hurr durr win belt". I wouldn't mind another alliance with the guy in the future. He'd make an interesting ally if he's down for it. We're more the same than we are different, even if it's not obvious right now. We have the same motivations. I'm sure both of us could get something out of it.

But I'm sure everyone's just waiting for me to talk about what happened when they saw me last. Dominion? Chapter 18? Wherever. I think I had that match with Reno under control. I didn't need some bullshit interference that harms more than it helps. That little run-in? Caused the whole world's finest to get out of their little high chairs and bring their asses over to the ring. You think I need any help winning a match just yet? The thing barely got fucking started and you two already felt the need to get involved. Talk about trust. I had the man bleeding. And sure, he had the upper hand at that exact moment, but I think I trust myself to get back into it. I've come back from worse. And I know the intentions were good. You wanted the upper hand in that stipulation contest. But with that interference, you two cost me the match. I don't like losing. And I know you can call me a hypocrite for what happened at chapter 18. Drago and I did the thing that cost me my match. But it wasn't out of fondness for you, Cash. We needed you ALIVE. You think we're getting title shots with your ass in the hospital? Nah. And you can make the same arguments that I just did about trust, but the match went on long enough. You were alright. But before we stepped in you were getting your ass handed to you. Thumbtacks, chairs, all that shit. Hate to say it, but you weren't winning on your own. Also, it all worked out, which is more than I got, last Thursday. We got Reno and Hana involved too. And you still won. Pinned her clean, too. Without that interference, we wouldn't be fighting with Oak tables, next Sunday. We're all good for now, I suppose. But it could have all been ended at Dominion.

I wonder how our poor opponents feel about this stipulation. It's a tables match, but with a singular table. One made of oak, which I'm sure is much harder to break than your average sawdust wood slab. I'm not the world's finest's greatest fan, but I guess I can respect wanting to get ahead. But getting ahead isn't exactly on the menu. Hell, the reason this shit was made was to rain on the Underworld's picnic. How rude. Personally, I'm more of a live and let live guy. I've coexisted with the bottom of the barrel for a while now. I also doubt that a mutual hatred of a group is healthy for a friendship. Much more for a partnership. Sure they got a victory back at Kingdom Come, but there was a whole lot of dysfunctional shit going on at that event. I hope they don’t see that as a perfect win. But I guess their little group is anything but perfect. Song and Matsuda are going to fight AGAIN. I know. This time for the AD Championship. It’s a miracle that they’ve managed to go this long as faction mates. I would’ve thought they would’ve dragged down the whole World’s Finest with them at this rate. Doubt that straps on the line will do anything but make it worse. And there’s Nobi. Once a happy and promising young man turned into an angry hateful revenge machine. That uses strong language! Do you see him giving any support to Reno Dumont? Or Teddy Mac? I’m sure he has all of theirs. It’s interesting to see how hatred can easily take priority over everything else. Even over the World’s Finest. Who else is there? Alyssa Grace? In the past. Lillie Saint? Feeling left out of the fun. The group is anything but perfect at this point. But you could say the same for the Underworld. It’s nice to compare the two as a somewhat neutral party. Tension is high as Wraith prepares to cash in. Even as they deny it, you can feel the stress in the air. I doubt the result of Maverick vs Wraith changes anything about that briefcase. That shit’s being cashed in eventually. Can’t say I see any...individual resent towards each other. But the vibe of the group is uneasy. They’ve seen better days. But I guess you can't have a stable full of bad guys and expect them to be besties.

Let's look at Reno Dumont. The walking weapon? Sure sure sure. Everyone in this company feels like a corny nickname these days. An exaggerated representation of who they really are. Sure, impresses someone at first glance, but leads to eventual disappointment. Can't say I expect anything different from these three. Reno got the best of me, last week. I'll admit to that. But he earned his win with some unwanted and unneeded help from my associates here. We spent a very short time facing off one on one. A bit at the beginning. A bit at the end. And the man you faced at the end was far from the man you would've lost to without interference. And you can say I'm making excuses, but I'm really not. All I do is state the obvious. It's what I've always done ever since I've arrived in this company. Don't expect it to change for you. Congratulations on having a tag match without Nobi, by the way. Now you get a taste of what it's like to have a tag match without your noble tag team partner in sight. Our white knight is busy fighting his own war. One where he forgets the existence of all his friends. Ever wonder why the Professional didn't target you when he was taking his little payments? Maybe you think it's because you weren't an easy target. But the truth is that you didn't matter enough. Attacking you wouldn't hurt Nobi enough to waste his time on. Shows how much he really cares about his second favorite tag team partner. But hey, I care. I care enough about you to want to square up again. For some reason I feel the need to prove that I'm not just a statistic in this war. That I can carry my own weight easily and more. It's strange why I want to justify my abilities to the brainless masses, but it is what it is.

And Hana Nakajima? Don't know why she's even here. Guess they thought she would be more valuable than Lillie Saint if they pulled her in for this. But little old Lillie put up more of a fight against us than Hana ever did. Hell, Drago ripped Hana's scrawny ass apart in nine minutes. Easily. And he enjoyed it. Imagine a three on one assault on her. And her factionmates weren't there for HER either? They ran in to help out Reno Dumont. The entire squad did. But when poor Hana gets methodically destroyed, right in front of their eyes...Nothing. It's funny how they can break so many morals without blinking an eye, but can't run in to help a friend. Shows where their priorities really are. Looks like Hana can't catch a break. She's brave alright, but it's just a bad situation for her. First a beatdown by Drago. Then... another beatdown by all three of us at Dreamworld. Maybe even ending with her going through that oak table. Or maybe not. She's pretty light. We'll need to slam her down pretty hard to break that thing. Sounds like a challenge to me. But this whole match is a new challenge. I’ve never been in an Oak Table match before. Seems like a waste of some perfectly good furniture, but we do what we have to do. I have no beef with Hana Nakajima. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone’s going to have to suffer, so why not the smallest and lightest? That’s how it’s done in nature. But I’m sure this company is very different from nature. She’s lasted this long without any major dismemberments or injuries. By the looks of it she’s doing most of the dismembering herself. The enforcer of the World's Finest! Collects all their debts, breaks the bones of their enemies, to no thanks from anyone. But I'll thank her if she just saves us some time and throws her tiny body through that table on her own.

Finally there's the leader of this three person unit. Crazy Violet's spent most of this time antagonizing poor Cash Corleone. Attacking his wife, harming his family, etc. Who's the bad guy here? The poor guy just wants to live his life and you just mercilessly go after everything he holds dear. Looks like you're the villain in this scenario. Pulling two other people into your beef with the man. We've faced off before in a random Dominion tag match. Guess who won? Maybe you should've spent less time seducing interviewers and more time...you know...preparing. I guess you haven't done anything to make me hate you, but you just seem like a person I'd like to punch in the face. Crazy Violet? Crazy is an understatement I guess, more like "belongs in an insane asylum". After the match I'm sure you'll get the help you need after we send you to the hospital. But crazy is just a word to describe someone that doesn't fit in with the rest of the world. I'm sure you'd be seen as normal somewhere in the world. Or on another planet. But maybe it's just a scam. A way to differentiate yourself from the rest of this company. Maybe you're totally sane, but just can't fit in as yourself because you'd be seen as too boring. Too vanilla. Who's gonna cheer for Not-Crazy Violet? I guess you're not good enough to make a name for yourself as...yourself? Nah you're just insane. I'll say that there's some truly insane people in this company, but you're just a special breed. Those people are just delusional. They think that they're above their place. That they're actually threats in that ring. That people fear them. Respect them. Very funny. I'd say the bottom of the barrel is a waste of space and money, but someone has to be the comedy relief. It's just funny that they're so sure of themselves. But you're different. I wouldn't say that you're delusional... you're just plain crazy. Crazy and heartless! I know you know exactly where you stand. You know what you're capable of. But you choose to be something else. Like a thug for the world's finest. I would say that you could be something on your own, but I doubt that. Someone's gotta hold the leash, or else you'd run away, beating wives and mothers along the road. Maybe we'll beat the crazy outta you, but I doubt it. Maybe therapy.

Is that everyone? Anyone I miss? Another member hiding under the ring or something? I wouldn't put it past them. But I'm sure we have some shit under our sleeve as well. It's funny. This little group of "associates" is going to rip the mighty World's Finest apart, and send them through this oak table. Sadly it's just business. If I hated them, I would enjoy it more, but it's not meant to be. Enter...win...leave. Very simple, and I can't see it ending any differently.