A REAL PRETTY CASKET
From the ring, we head backstage where we see Kaz Troy walking down a hallway. Since his scuffle with Daytona Diamonds earlier, he’s been hanging out with the Vae Victis gang, scouting the rest of the competition for the Almasy and cheering on Kerry Kuroyama as he took on Scott Hunter. Now, Kaz is on his way to the Boss’s office to watch the Main Event before heading out for the night.
He notices the cameraman and gives the viewing audience a quick wink and a grin.
Kaz Troy: St. Louis, you’ve been great, and it’s just about main event time. Between you and me, I’ve got my fingers crossed for a Nate Colton win.
He holds up his hand with his middle finger up and over his index to accentuate the point.
Kaz Troy: No membr of my family has ever rooted for Jiles, and I’m not gonna star–
VOICE: (off-screen) HEY BOY!
There’s a flash of movement from behind the Heir Apparent. Kaz turns to look and, before he can react, he’s blindsided by a haymaker right across his jaw. He falls to the floor with a loud THUD, his sunglasses skittering across the tile… and there’s Daytona Diamonds standing over him, a chain wrapped around his right fist and a smile on his face like he just cured Cancer. Daytona looks down on Kaz with absolute contempt before he starts kicking him. He drives his boots into the younger man’s abdomen, relentless and bloodthirsty, before he takes the chain from around his fist and wraps it around Kaz’s neck instead.
Daytona Diamonds: C’mere, you sonuvabitch! Get up! C’mon, you got two good legs, ain’tcha?! Can’tcha take a punch?! Get the fuck up, boy!
Daytona hoists Kaz up with the chain, bringing him to a kneeling position. Kaz reaches up, grasping at the metal wrapped tight around his throat, coughing and sputtering. Daytona gets a few more punches in, the rings on his fingers carving into Kaz’s forehead, blood already starting to trickle down from his forehead and across his face. Daytona positions himself behind Kaz, both of them looking into the camera lens, that sick smile never leaving The Rhinestone Cowboy’s face.
Daytona Diamonds: Hey! Hey Lindsay Troy! How you doin’ out there, honey?! This here’s your boy, ain’t it?! Shit fire, he ain’t lookin’ so hot! Hey! How about you do me and him both a big ol’ favor, huh? You look him in the god dang eyes and you tell him to just stay home! Tell him there ain’t no match worth what he stands to lose if he gets in the ring with me, comprende?! Hell, tell him you love him! Tell him you’ll still be proud of him! Tell him there ain’t no shame in takin’ the coward’s way out, even if you gotta lie through your fuckin’ teeth! Then you get to rest easy knowin’ his blood ain’t on your god dang hands. Sounds like a pretty good bargain, don’t it? And hell, if y’all can’t do that and you decide to get all high and mighty…?
Daytona looks down at Kaz, nearly choked out at his point, and gives him a quick pat on the top of the head.
Daytona Diamonds: …well, I reckon you can use all that fuckin’ money you been finin’ me to buy him a real pretty casket, can’tcha?
And just like that, the chain is released. Kaz Troy goes tumbling to the ground, gasping for air as Daytona Diamonds stands over him, proud of himself, proud of his handiwork, proud of the damage he’s done. One more kick, just for good measure, before Daytona looks into the camera one last time and winks before walking away, leaving Kaz in a heap, the camera focusing in on the chain laying beside him before fading to our final commercial.