All Bark...

(In a dark locker room, we see a wild and reckless masked man thrashing around, trying to get a pair of handcuffs off his wrists while an official lies on the ground, clutching his groin and writhing occasionally. Clearly the masked man is exhausted and covered in sweat, but he thrashes all the same. Flexing his arms every so often, before he finally gives up even as we see that the metal has cut into his wrists slightly. Just enough for a trickle of plasma to run ominously down his fingers. Every so often he mutters, talking almost to himself. Does he know that there's a camera here? Is he intending to talk to an audience? It's impossible to tell.)

"Congratulations, MYOJIN. You found a clever trick, and lived to fight another day. We discovered what kind of a man you are when all is said and done, beneath the pageantry and the stylish exterior. Yes, we have a man who's willing to use every trick at his disposal to run away from the real test. To avoid that dreadful looking glass we call 'the arena'."

(More wild and savage struggling, El Macabre ramming his shoulder into the wall and flexing his biceps while we see the chain links stretch and give...before the masked man has to give up and let them return to normal. Taking a few breaths, he looks over his shoulder at us, and we see those eyes gleaming dangerously.)

"I'm no stranger to what you've done to me. I'm no stranger to fear and restraint but then that's just the difference between us. You want everyone to know your name, you want everyone to see your soul in those lights. Me, I know the truth, boy."

(More thrashing, and this time we hear a high-pitched metallic 'snap' as those cuffs are now snapped, El Macabre bringing his hands around to look at them for the first time. He examines his wrists, sees the blood, and when he next looks at us, beneath the mask those eyes are narrowed just slightly.)

"I know we'll always be strangers to them."

----------------------------

(Time has passed between that promo and this one, this time the Merry Music Man is sitting atop one of the walls of Wrestleworld Castle. It looks to be an area that's hard to get to, which is how none of the guards have wrestled him away yet. From where he is sitting, one wrong move could turn him into a splat upon the rocks below, and one can tell there is quite a strong breeze that could easily knock him off balance. But he doesn't seem disturbed, simply leaning back with his legs dangling off the edge, his guitar in his hands as he plays a few idle chords.

As he plays we see his wrists are bandaged and slightly stained red. Given his mask covers his entire face we don't really know if he's reacting, or if he's in pain. But those creepy eyes of his don't seem to register anything but the task on hand. After a few minutes of strumming a melody, the man finally speaks.)

"The Hound, and The Huntress. The lady and the tramp. I can instantly see why they put you two together, the unpurchased merchandise almost creates itself. Two unsculpted piles of pure potential, eager to prove themselves to the people and everyone else, no doubt eager to put the weirdo with the title shot in his place. After all, you put me down, you put yourselves in the conversation. 'Hey boss, hey Gangstah, look what I can do! Please give me a chance, pretty please!'"

(The masked man looks away, and keeps playing for a bit. The bandages grow a bit more stained, red starting to drip every so often across his otherwise immaculate Mariachi uniform and starting to splash upon the rocks below.)

"You come into this match thinking about your careers, thinking about anything but surviving the next moment, I'll see to it that you don't. You see, you two may be howling at the moon scratching at the hen house, but I've got me a Silver Bullet as a Secret Weapon. A man from New Zealand who can turn that squared circle into his personal circle of Hell. But then would you expect anything less from a man with the name of Dante?

Bring your weapons, bring everything that the two of you have. Whether you've banded together, or whether you're two individuals who think this is your road to stardom, at DOMINION you're going to have to face the music. Either I put you down or you roll over and show your belly for the three count.

After all, neither of you would be the first bitch I've brought to heel."

(The scene fades to black, with Danse still playing along that castle wall.)