AKA: BROKEN TIMELINES...

[justme]

Backstage before Kronos: A King's Ransom

Solaris is seen speaking to someone in the shadows:

Solaris:  You DO understand that we cannot lose here tonight, correct?

Disembodied Voice:  You are rapidly threatening to bore me, old man. I know what must be done and I know why, perhaps better than you, so do NOT push your sanctimonious Skev-nark on my shoulders, are we clear?

Solaris: (voice dropping dangerously low) Do not ever... EVER... forget from where you came... you might mistakenly believe that we are somehow on equal footing and even ground here, but i assure you that it is only the way it seems. We have a common goal and enemy, yes. I need your help to make this happen, yes. When this ends, you will have special dispensations that others can only dream of, yes. But we are NOT equals nor partners in this. You are a hired hand, nothing more. (speaking louder to cut off The Voice) A WELL PAID hired hand, gaining rights and freedoms most would give their souls for, but a hired hand nonetheless. Now, can you assure me that the pieces are in place and that the mole has given us accurate information?

Voice: Oh yes, great and wise one... Master of time and dimension... your lowly slug of a servant can assure you that ALL will go according to plan and design... Thank you sooooo much for your great and merciful lovingkindness on one such as I...

Solaris: ENOUGH!! I have no need or patience for your sarcastic drivel. Keep your hurt little feelings to yourself or to someone who cares! If we succeed you will receive all that I have promised and more. You will be revered amongst mortals everywhere and to the unenlightened, you may even be perceived as the "god" your twisted ego has already set you up to be in your own mind. If this fails, I assure you that YOU will share their fate... are we clear and finished here?

Voice: Oh, fear not, old man, unlike you? I am truly a man of my word. No amount of your condescension or self-righteous piety is of any interest to me. But rest assured, if you think to cross me? There are things in this multiverse that even you would cower before! I am assisting you because it behooves me to do so... do not make me question where my loyalties are best laid! We both know how this HAS to end and play out, choose now, the long tumultuous way? Or the way of ease and simplicity that I, and I alone, can bring about?

Solaris: (taking a deep breath) My friend, we need not fight nor threaten. You are correct that I need you to make this happen without great loss of life and damage to the continuum... I am sorry for my frustration and concern, very few know as well as you what is truly at stake here. In only a few hours, this will all be over and we can move forward without concern again. I trust you to do what needs be done tonight, just please do not let me down and fail... (Solaris moves away, heading towards what looks to be the dressing room area)

Voice: (quietly, seemingly to himself) Yessss, just a few short hours and it all moves forward... trust me...

[justme]

Backstage before Kronos: A King's Ransom

The Hood is standing in the dressing room staring at a group of people in front of him: "My friends, both willing and of necessity, tonight, in a few short hours, it all comes to a final set of confrontations. We have no way of knowing who Solaris will call up to the matches. But I can assure you, it will be the greatest challenge we have yet faced. Tonight we find the way to implement Operation: Time Gap... or the split becomes a rift becomes a convergence. If we win, we are able to subvert the damage and repair the multiverse. If we lose (The Hood pauses and looks around the room slowly) you each understand the importance of what must follow. Stay the course and know that it will be worth the fight, no matter tonight's outcome. He has utilized the Transevolver under the foolish advisement of MadCliff and the Dark Menace. He has acquired several travelers to bolster his ranks. He had even attempted to utilize the technology to give unfair advantage to all non-earth based life forms. I have succeeded in preventing that much at least. Please, each of you... you know what must happen. Fight as though our universe depends on it, as it does..."

The Hood sighs deeply and even with no view of his face, the body language speaks of a man who has been hit by the weight of the universe all at once and he sits...

"You have all been here with me on an amazing journey, the things we have seen... done... escaped... fixed... changed... It has been a whirlwind of unlikely allies and unexpected support. Tonight, do the best you are able, I still have 2, and I hope 3, though time is getting short, aces up my sleeves... Tonight, history is either reset as it should be; or we are reset outside of history... I have not explained this before, but the time is now if anyone wishes to leave... When Solaris offered Earth Epsilon as the consequence if we failed, I accepted, because there are still a few things that even he does not comprehend... Val, the box?

The hooded 'V' comes forth carrying the box that Solaris was so concerned about at the press conference and hands it to The Hood. She waits a moment, then lowers her own hood, revealing herself to be So-Cal Val! She embraces the hood and takes her spot at his side, sitting next to him...

"Thank you, Val, you have been amongst my most stalwart and faithful companions, I hope your faith is soon to be rewarded... Now for the rest of you, If we succeed, you know the plan, we reestablish Kronos as it was meant to be, eliminating the "good and bad" side of the coin, we correct the breaking of the Galaxian Code and reset the path the universe was designed for. The hardest hit place will be my own home planet of Earth Phi and every incarnation of Aethra. We have contingencies in place for these difficulties and even if some of those fail, the amount of time it will set back the violence will give this Multiverse perhaps another 35-50 thousand years before it implodes. These are numbers worth fighting for!

Now, IF we fail... (He holds the box gingerly, almost lovingly) If we fail... My friends, if we fail, our banishment will actually be the only hope for the survival of all of existence... (Tumultuous and confused murmuring and questions from the group... Val puts her hand on the Hood's shoulder and nods) Please, PLEASE LISTEN! (His voice cuts through the tumult and silences the group) You ALL knew this was vital... you ALL know what this box contains, for i have kept no secrets from you except for this, because we needed to be focussed on getting HERE, TODAY... Succeed or fail, we carry the responsibility for the lives and existence of Trillions! Tonight we fight like never before, let the fates decide the outcome. Now, if any are unprepared for what sacrifices may be yet to come, please, leave now with my blessing and friendship..."

(Several minutes pass in silence, then one by one, the assembled crowd raises to their feet and put their hands to their heart and extend their fists forward. The Hood and Val return the action)

"Thank you my friends... I know not what this night brings, but it will be my honor to stand at your side... (He slowly raises his hands and lowers his Hood)... Not as a faceless embodiment, hiding in the shadows, for the time of hiding has come and gone... I stand at your side as the man who is proud call you my friends and allies... I stand as weirdjerod once again

[justme]

KRONOS: A KING'S RANSOM-PART 1

(KAYFABE NOTE: For this card, to ensure the fairness, both sides had a predetermined roster of available people to choose from, the coin tosses were legit, the "winner of the toss" would choose, then i had my son or daughter (depending who was available) choose for the other side... there was a way of moving forward regardless of who wins, so sit back and enjoy, and watch it unfold like i did, lol)


Johnny Rocket welcomes the crowd to "the most important wrestling card in the history of the universe!!" He explains that tonights card will be a battle to determine how Kronos and wrestling in general moves forward into the future (and past)... Both teams, one headed by Solaris, the other by the mysterious hooded figure, who has been revealed to be weirdjerod, have selected their wrestlers, and each side is allowed 2 unnamed participants. There will be a total of 12 bouts, broken into 4 sets of 3 matches with intermissions between each set, each set consisting of a male single, female single and a tag team match, with the potential for a tiebreaker if needed. Before each bout, a coin toss will determine which side announces their participant or participants, the other side then being allowed to determine who they send against them. He then sends it to ringside to begin the evening.

1. coin toss: weirjerod... He announces Fabulous Moolah for his first participant... Solaris counters with Rhea... Moolah, put up a game battle, but seemed to have no real answer to the Giantess. A brief flurry of offense at the start was ended after a missed turnbuckle charge. A turnbuckle shocker followed by 2 Serpent's Catapults (to her credit Moolah kicked out after the first) spelled the end. Winner:Rhea Solaris: 1, weridjerod: 0

2. coin toss: weirdjerod... He announces the tag team of John Silver and Alex Reynolds, the Beaver Boys... Solaris counters with Hawk and Animal, The Road Warriors... John Silver never even got in the match, the Road Warriors started strong and isolated Reynolds, pummeling him for several minutes until landing the Dommsday Device for the win. Winner: The Road Warriors Solaris: 2, weirdjerod: 0

3. coin toss: weirdjerod... he announces Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine... Solaris counters with Infinity... In what will go down as one of the all time greatest upsets in LOW, GWF or Kronos history, the mighty Infinity fell to the Hammer! Despite a dominant performance by Infinity, Valentine appeared absolutely unwilling to stay down. Surviving 2 Stability Plexes and (barely) 1 Infinity Grip, the Hammer kept coming, wearing down Infinity in small spurts... Infinity missed a turnbuckle charge and Valentine locked on the Figure Four and in a moment that silenced the entire arena, Infinity tapped out! Solaris was beside himself screaming at Infinity after the match. Infinity simply smiled, pie-faced Solaris and shoved him to the floor before offering his hand to Valentine. Winner: Greg Valentine Solaris: 2, weirdjerod: 1

Intermission

[justme]

KRONOS: A KING'S RANSOM-PART 2

Johnny Rocket welcomes everyone back from the intermission and explains that Solaris has filed an official complaint demanding ding the outcome of the Infinity - Valentine match be overturned and that the "powers that be" are in process of reviewing and have stated an official statement would be made by the end of the next intermission...

Infinity comes down, interrupting Rocket and stating "Solaris, we have been friends for a VERY long time, longer than most can understand the concept of... I am a fierce, yet honorable competitor... You KNOW how that works for me, and your response to my loss and to my show of sportsmanship, leaves me questioning who YOU have become and what is truly going on in your mind... You accuse me of throwing... THROWING an athletic competition?!?! Solaris, something has changed in you, something I have suspected and feared, yet for the eons we have known each other I turned a blind eye and hoped against hope that i was wrong or my own instincts were lying to me... They are not... And I will not abide further outbursts by you, effective immediately, I will be watching over the rest of this night and then taking my leave of Kronos.
Something has felt "off" with this whole hero vs villain thing since day one. Kronos has ALWAYS been meant to be a place of competition outside of the normal realms, yet more and more you have turned it into an extension of the conflicts and problems that have existed... be warned Solaris, regardless of the outcome here tonight, you have a day of reckoning coming and, if I am correct, more to explain than most are even aware..."

Infinity walks off the stage and a somewhat shaken Rocket sends it down to ringside for the next block of action...

4. coin toss: Solaris... he announces Category 5... weirjerod counters with Buzz Sawyer... This may have been one of the bloodiest hardcore exhibitions that Kronos has born witness to. Sawyer jumped Cat 5 before the bell even had a chance to ring, busting him open with his chain. A sustained offense by Sawyer left Cat 5 with a couple of near falls. A quick reversal left Sawyer fighting from behind, including being busted open by his own chain. These 2 maniacs would go back and forth for quite some time, accumulating an impressive 13 (THIRTEEN!!) combined tokens!! Finally, Buzz managed to hit a 3rd powerslam to hold the angry Aethran's shoulders down for a 3 count. Both men needed assistance to leave the ring. Winner: Buzz Sawyer   Solaris: 2, weirdjerod: 2

5. coin toss: weirdjerod... he announces June Byers... Solaris counters with Scorn... An amazing exhibition between 2 dominant female performers. Both ladies proved they were here for the win, escaping each other's finisher attempts on multiple occasions. A controversial ending gave the win to June Byers as she hit Pendulum Backbreaker on Scorn, although it seemed Scorns shoulder may have come up right before the 3rd count. The referee stood by his call despite the protests of Solaris and Scorn. Winner: June Byers  Solaris: 2, weirdjerod: 3

6. coin toss: Solaris... he announces The Greek Gods... weirdjerod counters with The Gladiators... (kayfabe note, this particular pick was my daughter's and she was debating between the Gladiators and Team Sea Stars... lol, I am proud of her choice, and can honestly say I offered no prompting)... A timeless classic's latest chapter was every bit as good as it always has been! A combined 21 tokens (Actagon:6, Proteus:6, Massacre:5, Brute:4) were needed for the Gladiators to finally put down Action for the 3 count following a 3rd Brute Decapitator. Winner: The Gladiators  Solaris: 2, weirdjerod: 4

Intermission

[justme]

KRONOS: A KING'S RANSOM-PART 3

Johnny Rocket goes to welcome everyone back from the intermission, but Solaris grabs the mic from him and shoves him aside...

Solaris: "Infinity! weirdjerod! even the referees themselves are conspiring to try and upset the flow and beauty of Kronos, but I assure you it will not work! It doesn't matter how many minds you corrupt, how many souls you blacken with your filth and lies... this platform will stand as a testament to all that has been accomplished and all that has happened to pave the way to these halls. Good vs Evil is simply a natural progression of how the universal ebb and flow must be, always has and always will!! I have dedicated millennium to maintaining that balance and ensuring that neither side is able to tip that scale!! And now you want to destroy all that we have worked for, all that we have accomplished on half baked theories and conspiracies?!? I assure you this is not over, and though I usually have little to no vested interest in how things resolve as long as balance is maintained, I will be waiting to personally see you banished to Earth Epsilon, with no hope for escape or redemption!! Now, let the fans see that there is no imbalance, there is no "universal tumult" that is going to send us into destruction!! There is Kronos!! A haven of combat and glory that has finally evolved to its rightful place as the grandest stage for the battle between good and evil!!"

7. coin toss: Solaris... he selects Cosmos... weirdjerod counters with Omega!! Solaris is beside himself as Omega is announced and walks to the ring, Cosmos seems quite non-plussed and offers Omega his hand before the match. This 5 star classic alone could have been worth the price of admission as these 2 warriors engaged in an epic struggle that could have gone either way. Cosmos gained 4 near falls over Omega, but could not put the great warrior down. Omega gained 3 near falls over Cosmos, but likewise could not put the great warrior down. Finally a mistimed death jump attempt by Cosmos allowed Omega to roll him up for a shocking 3 - count. Cosmos shook the hand of Omega before exiting the ring. Winner: Omega  Solaris: 2, weirdjerod: 5

8. coin toss: weirdjerod... he selects Krakan and King Kong Bundy... Solaris counters with Avalanche and Prodigy... fans that were looking forward to the potential of Avalanche and Bundy facing off were sorely disappointed as Avalanche and Prodigy quickly isolated Krakan and managed to get a questionable victory as the referee (same ref as the questionable Scorn - Byers match) did not see Krakan's foot over the bottom rope after Prodigy hit him with the Superiority Complex. Winner: Rocket's Rebellion  Solaris: 3, weirdjerod: 5

9. coin toss: weirdjerod... he selects Delmi Exo... Solaris counters with Amazonia... perhaps the most one sided affair thus far, Delmi was never able to get out of the starting blocks as Amazonia hit hard and fast and kept up the pressure, eventually winning with a Savage Face Claw. Winner: Amazonia   Solaris: 4, weirdjerod: 5

Intermission

[justme]

KRONOS: A KING'S RANSOM-PART 4

Johnny Rocket meets the crowd and explains that with 3 matches remaining, weridjerod holds a 1 match lead over Solaris... if Solaris's team loses even 1 match, we potentially head into a tie, but if weirdjerod can secure 2 wins, the competition is over and the his side will be declared victorious. Johnny admits to not knowing what the specifics of either team will entail, only that if weirdjerod's team loses, there are banishments to Earth Epsilon, which Rocket doesn't understand how that will affect things as no amount of research or digging he has been able to do has yielded any information at all on Earth Epsilon. Rocket admits to surprise at how well the primarily "Terran-born" team has done as well as surprise over some of the "Galactic superstars" that have sided with weirdjerod. Johnny makes it a point to remind the crowd how important of a contribution his own team has made and that Solaris would be going into this 4th round with almost insurmountable odds if not for him. As we take it back to ringside for the culmination...

10. coin toss: weirdjerod: he announces Cora Livingston... Solaris counters with Mae Young... In a somewhat surprising move, Solaris chooses an earthborn female to meet the challenge of one of histories forgotten gems... These 2 ladies show that perhaps there is a misnomer in the writing of earths wrestling history as to whether or not the women were every bit as good and capable as the men... hold and counter hold, move and counter move, these 2 women had a combined 14 tokens when Cora Livingston was able to land a 3rd Half-Nelson and Crotch to get the 3 count... winner: Cora Livingston Solaris: 4 weirdjerod: 6

Solaris comes down before the next match: "weirdjerod!! I know it seems to you that you have an advantage... I assure you it is a false reality... I am giving you this moment, this chance to take this offer... come shake my hand, accept this compromise... I will give you a secondary branch here at Kronos to do as you will and test your theories, to play God as you like without interference!! This is your chance to avoid exile and banishment... you will have no further offers!!" The silence from the back is the only answer...

11. coin toss: weirdjerod: ha announces Lance At-Las and Great Gama... Solaris counters with Sixth Law (Ultra Clarion and Destructon 4300)... weirdjerod's team was solid and dominant, but the tag team expertise of Sixth Law was the difference maker... after a good back and forth early match, the Law was able to isolate Lance At-Las... Gama made a timely save to keep the match alive, but an odd choice by the referee to get physically tied up and distracted by Gama allowed for Spike to run down and lay out At-Las with a stun rod, ensuring that the Sixth Law team got the uncontested pinfall... Spike held on to Gama's leg to ensure that he would not get back into the ring to break up a 2nd PIN... winner: Sixth Law Solaris: 5 weridjerod: 6

12. coin toss: Solaris: he announces Infinity-Plex... weirdjerod counters with... INFINTY-PLEX (?!)... upon the announcement, Solaris comes unglued, screaming about the timeline and the impossibility of what is being proposed!! Solaris stands at the side of Infinity-Plex and stares at the ramp way, awaiting someone else to come down... Infinity-Plex suddenly drops Solaris with a solid right and puts himself in a claw, holding himself to the mat as a confused referee makes a 3 count!! Infinity-Plex slowly rises to his feet and nods to weridjerod, allowing him to raise his hands in victory... winner: Infinity-Plex (?) Solaris: 5 weirdjerod: 7

weirdjerod and Infinity-Plex quickly head to the back, weridjerod says to stand by for announcements of what this means shortly, stating only that things are changing in ways that have been needed for a very long time! Fans sit in somewhat stunned silence of what they have just witnessed in these last 2 matches as Solaris slowly gets to his feet and is filled in on what has occurred... Solaris looks livid as he storms to the back...

Intermission(?)

[justme]

BACKSTAGE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING KRONOS: A KING'S RANSOM

weirdjerod and Infinity-Plex come rushing into the dressing room surrounded by a tumult of voices...

Val steps to the forefront: "What the hell was that?! All we have worked for and that is the finalization that people will remember and know?!! We could have fed Sky Low Low to you and it would have ended in a tie!! We had a contingency for all things, why do it like this?!"

Several others add their questions and demands to the cacophony of dissonance...

weirdjerod: "Wait... STOP!!! (silence slowly takes over) I must ask you all to breathe and hear me... it was NOT the ending we had looked for, it was not what was planned, it was not the best case scenario, I know and understand everyone's frustration... Infinity-Plex made a choice on the fly, no (and weirdjerod looks directly at Infinity-Plex) i do NOT believe it was the right or best choice, it is NOT how any of this was intended to go down, and it may have changed our own options here, but it is done, it was chosen, acted on and now there is no return from it... We now are faced with the choice to sit and await the final decision and place our fates in the hands of those that don't understand... (He looks at Val) Or, we make our decision, here, now and let the consequences fall where they may... but time is short to make that choice... I have led you and you have followed well... your support and loyalties have been immeasurable in all of this, so in this, I offer the final choice to you all, and I will abide your decision..."

There is murmuring and discussion amongst the group... Infinity has entered the room at this point and is seen speaking with Infinity-Plex... Val finally steps to the front, holding the box that has been the cause of so much conjecture and preponderance... "We trust you, we always have... you are not perfect, but your motivations and goals have always been clear and honor bound... We will follow, even in this... and so let anyone who is not agreeable to this, leave now, for once we open it, there is no return, the die has been cast and the decision is final..."

Cosmos has slipped into the room: "weirdjerod, there are several outside this door that would follow where you all are going... it's not clear to us what is the absolution, but what has become clear is that something here in Kronos is no longer pure... will you allow a few more on your journey??"

weirdjerod: (obviously overcome with emotion) It... would be an honor to have you join us... do you understand that though the galaxy here will continue on and others will step in to fill our places, the reality of who we are will be then from this whole continuum... and a rekindling of things long lost and needing to be found will be where we are... a reality as yet unformed, unsullied, unjaded... good v evil will not exist as long as we do not bring it with us... Competition, sportsmanship, honor... violence without hate... The Galaxian Code, as it was always meant to be... and never has been yet... If that speaks to your hearts and souls, then yes.. join us, but decide now, even now, the USFP is setting up at all exits in this building... we do not leave here tonight of our own free volition... we leave as prisoners... or we reset it all... and if there are those that will not join, exit now... and take your escape... those who will see this through to the end? Our time is now..."

Cosmos has opened the door and allowed several others to enter as weridjerod takes the box from Val and places an ancient looking key to it's top...

And a room sits empty...

Matches from the night begin to haze and fade in ways that should never occur in the confines of Kronos...

Solaris comes barging into the room... and looks suddenly confused and contemplative... he turns to the men and women following him: "I feel as though we are fine now, something here was set as a disturbance, but it fades, as evil tends to when it fails... Tonight has been... confusing at best... announce to the people in attendance that we will begin the card shortly, all the delays and problems seem to have corrected themselves, so there should be no reason to hold off any longer... A King's Crown: Tournament of Eternity will begin shortly..."