Hey You! Pssst! Yea you! Its the King of the Ring!

It was late afternoon in the market district of South City and there was a buzz in the air. Telzhud blended into the mass of people that filled the sidewalk as the android moved up the block with intention. The android felt as if it knew where it was going but there was no true destination in mind, just what it could compute was a feeling. Ceremonial banners covered the buildings and flyers littered the street to a point that Telzhud’s feet were pushing that paper in the most literal of ways.

The android stopped walking to inspect one of the dozen fliers that bunched around his boots and in doing so he caused a huge blockage on the sidewalk. People spilled into the street in bunches. Telzhud was a pretty large individual and because of that most of those who slammed into its back didn’t bring up much of a fuss. Telzhud’s eyes scanned the flier.

Come one! Come all! Try your luck at the best South City has to offer in the squared circle!

Never have you seen feats of strength and athleticism like this anywhere like this!

Staring: Fro Sure, The Faboulous Ferggiancito, Los Mondongos, The Brothers Swole & many, many more!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GENERAL, LEE DANGEROUS HIMSELF!”

A very large photo of The General fronted the flier with the wrestlers depicted much farther in the background of the ad.

“The General…”
Telzhud recognized The General from when he first crashed on earth. The General would say he rescued Telzhud from the flaming wreckage and the gang of underpaid wrestlers, but in actuality The General did provide a place for Telzhud to heal and recharge, so the android was grateful to that degree.

“I’m here… It feels like I’ve… been here before. Everything is so… what is the word.. familiar.”
Telzhud looked up and down to the entrance to the courtyard to its right.

The old rusted gate had vines of ivy and a mess of large banners displaying the “King of the Ring” name. Telzhud pushed through the gate that was ajar and ducked his bandaged head under some of the low hanging banners. A rush of memories flooded Telzhud’s processors as it stepped into the large courtyard and it remembered everything about this place.

There were wrestlers and fighters almost every few feet grappling and sparring with one another despite the ground being mostly concrete slabs and a single dirt walkway. Telzhud spotted a few faces from the flier, some were sparring but a few were posted along the walls in their own groups.

Telzhud could make out Fro Sure by his super large afro hairstyle and thick black shades. He sat amongst a few larger men at a table off to the side. A big gold championship belt lay on the card table in front of him only adding to Fro Sure’s swag. Everyone in the courtyard was colorful to say the least, all of their attire had been carefully chosen to represent their national flags, their neighborhoods, gangs, factions, crews or sponsors.

“ALRIGHT LISTEN UP EVERYBODY! THE EVENT WILL BE STARTING SOON!”
The General Lee shouted from the top of his lungs.

The General stood on a literal soap box that was beside Fro Sure’s bodyguards as he continued his announcements. Telzhud spotted his old friend and began to walk his way.

“ALL POTENTIAL COMPETITORS THAT WISH TO ENTER THE TOURNEY! YEA YOU LOT!”
The General pointed to a group of younger wrestlers.

“This is the annual tournament of South City, the King of the Ring. I’ve been here before… Yamada has been here before… but why come here now?”

“ER’YONE THAT'S TRYNA SIGN UP FOLLOW ME INSIDE TO THE REGISTRATION BOOTH! AND DON’T FORGET! AUTOGRAPHS WITH THE CHAMP WILL COME AFTER THE SHOW! BE SURE TO PICK UP YOUR MEET-AND-GREET TICKETS AFTER YOU REGISTER! And don't forget that the price is subject to change at any moment so once you sign up it might cost more than you thought- OK!”
The General mumbled most of the last bit of his announcement under his breath.

A few onlookers scratched their heads but followed him inside the brick building without much hesitation. Telzhud stepped to the back of the line that formed and marched inside with the rest of the potential signups. The android was motivated again by no process that it could determine, Telzhud was beginning to understand that it was the Yamada Protocol inside of The Program that had drove him to this point.

The General could see Telzhud standing in the back of the line as he looked up from the registration table. The android was hard to miss with its nearly 7 foot frame covered in bandages and large coat. A few more individuals began to line up behind Telzhud.

The General left his post and walked down the line with his arms at his back, his head face down as he walked so as to not lock eyes with any of the applicants. He approached Telzhud and stood beside him, The General’s eyes remained closed.

“Lee.”

“Yamada?”

“No. The Yamada protocol has been suppressed for now.”

“Ah so then who do we have the pleasure of speaking with today, Zaibatsu man?”

“Zaibatsu..? The Program T.E.L.Z.H.U.D. is my main reference.”

“Your name kid your name… when you get to the front you’ll need something a lil catchier you feel me? Lets go with…”
As The General was speaking he was cut off by feedback from a nearby microphone.

“Now listen. My name is Fro Sure. AND I CAME TO PARTY BABY! YEA”
A majority of the line burst into applause and cheers.

“As your South City champion I’ve come a long way. Hitting the road these last few weeks I’ve seen towns with talent unlike any I’ve ever faced, and let me tell you guys the competition is fierce out there… but NOTHING COMPARES TO THE HEART OF A SOUTH CITY CHAMPION!”
The crowd roared again.

“Now I see a lot of yall are Fro Sure fans..”
The crowd cheers again.

“Thank you, thank you, but for sure the heart of a champion comes from living in these streets, fighting these fights and putting on the best shows here in south city. That’s why I know each and every one of you signing up to compete tonight is going to bring your all and show why this city breeds nothing but the S-Rank wrestlers!”
Fro Sure looked into the crowd prompting them to cheer and they did.

“SO WHEN YOU’RE IN THAT RING TONIGHT, DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN! BRING YOUR ALL! AND FOR SURE SHOW ME WHY YOU DESERVE A SHOT AT THE CHAMP!”
The crowd roars in cheers and applause as Fro Sure walks off towards his private dressing room.

“Hmm, you see kid, thats my top star right now. Remember when I found you and said you could have that spot? Yea well ya snooze ya loose huh kid?”

“I don’t sleep Kid.”

“Yea, yea. Well listen, good to see you, and look I know what you’re capable of, don’t kill anyone here, wait why are you even here?”

“I feel like I am supposed to be here. Remnants of the Yamada Protocol brought me here and so I think this is what you call, instinct.”

“Instincts huh. Well just so you know there's a few different steps to the tournament. First you are grouped in a battle royal. Pretty much all the signups are entered into an over the top rope battle, to weed out the weaklings ya know? Then, the final 6 that remain will be entered into 3 v 3 trios matchups. From there The final winning team will face off in a triple threat match to then go on to face Fro Sure in a South City Championship Match! Of course the card is subject to change so pretty much all of that I just said could get flipped upside down at the last moment but hey, that's where we’re at now… just make sure to pay your entrance fee and spell your name right Telzhud. See ya at the finals!”
The General tipped his military brim and walked back towards the front of the line.

“Championships…”


Telzhud’s eyes were focused on The General as he walked away, there was so much more to this round old man, much of it locked within the Yamada Protocol. Telzhud’s creator and The General had a past together that the android knew very little of but it was determined to find out.

Telzhud felt at home.


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