Confrontation, Betrayal, Control

By @lightningman11/22/2025ultimatewrestling

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In the distant past...

Lightning: OSWALD!!

Lightning Man walked up a small flight of stairs, holding his electric taser gun while himself was giving off steam from a battle he just concluded in a main hall, fighting and defeating several of Oswald Knight's goon's.

Suddenly a next scene with Lightning knocking down another associate of Oswald's, named Victor, as Knight's own words are heard, yet distant

Oswald:... You see the difference between you and me, Is I hide nothing, I’m honest…. But you…. Can you claim the same?

Lightning: I’m not here to talk about what's different... If anyone's a coward in this room, it is you!... Do you even care for the life of your employees?...

An electric charge is heard, and Lightning shoot's Victor in the head with his charge gun, while Oswald's face brightens with brief light over his face, yet remain cold and collected. Then the Hero raises his gun pointed at Knight

Lightning: Now. I have a question, and you will answer!

Oswald: Speak your question "Hero", you are starting to bore me.

Lightning kept his gun pointed for a moment before lowering it, showing mercy upon a formidable rival

Lightning: There is a man, he frequents your club, they call him the “Yellowjacket”. I need a name, who is he?

Another brief flashback to Lightning Man's personal life, as Clifford Zelmore, remembering his late sister, and in the distance a man whose face is not scene, and obscured

Oswald: “Yellowjacket… I’ve heard of him. We’ve done business together. He’s a valuable asset, a specialist in his field. I did uncover his name….. His civilian identity once upon a time. He goes by the name Bishop. Just Bishop. Bishop. Bishop...

The name Bishop is echoed for several moments, as Lightning leaves Knight alone, and the time forwards to a new night, where Lightning was stalking the man named Bishop. The watch, turned to a high speed chase in Tokyo where Lightning was riding his motorcycle getting close, but suddenly a massive explosion happened behind him, and following his heroic duties, gives up his chase against Bishop and turned around to help anyone who might be hurt.

Lightning: I was so close, I could've had him... I could've followed him forever. But I had to help people. I had to help that Rourke fellow... It is my duty to save people. To save people... Even those, who can't be saved.

The Ronin Rumble...

*Oswald Knight was being interviewed, but Lightning Man interrupts it, hoping to secure an alliance, as the hero was beaten, battered, bruised. All from the previous night's encounter where Lightning Man and Takuma Sato outlasted the North Koreans Avengers

Hiroshi Nakamura: Lightning Man… you requested to join this interview. What drove you to make such a request?

Lightning: Indeed, I did. I’m here because tonight is bigger than you or me. You and I, we don’t like each other—I know that, you know that.

Lightning extended his right arm toward Oswald, tapping his own chest before extending his hand.

Lightning: I am willing to put aside my principles if you are willing to put aside your ways. Not for me. Not for personal gain. But for the greater good of Ultimate Wrestling.

The air remained tense with Lightning's hand ready and waiting for Oswald's answer, who longed proved to be cold and resistant to Lightning's greater than thou stance

Oswald's mouth moves but to the heroic man, his words are muted and dulled, as in his mind he felt that Oswald would see sense but without the handshake, the words are meaningless. However as Oswald put his hands behind his back, Lightning paid attention again

Oswald: ... what do you truly offer me? What makes this deal worth my time? Because if all you bring is noble speeches and blind faith, I’m afraid you’ll find me quite… unmoved.

Lightning breathed a deep breath of air, being firm of himself

Lightning: No one stays neutral, Oswald. Everyone picks a side... What I can guarantee is this—I will watch your back tonight.

Then, Oswald's cold to the bone hand grasped Lightning's warm, comforting hand and a hue of blue breeze surrounded "Mr. Penguin" while a bright hot light surrounded "The Hero". On this night of the Ronin Rumble, the two foe's would fight together for the good of Ultimate Wrestling

Lightning: But it was not to be...

During the midst of the Ronin Rumble, Lightning Man did indeed save Oswald Knight, as he said he would. But after he did so, Knight betrayed the Hero, and eliminated Lightning Man from the Rumble. The Hero was bruised to his very core. Where one's word was found, untrustworthy. To him, if even one's word was not enough to prove trust, what good could there be to Oswald Knight?

Lightning: The answer... Is that there is no good to him.

Present Day

Lightning Man, the Caped Crusader of Tokyo, the Gold Bolt, The Speed of Tri-Attack's trio of heroes, stood on a rooftop looking at the Tokyo Dome

Lightning: The truth to Mr. Penguin is that he is a dark, self-serving, untrustful, coward. Has he ever spoken the truth that didn't involve himself? Did he ever tell me the truth when it came to that Yellowjacket? I don't believe so... But what I do know, is that I must bring Knight to me.

Thunder rumbles in the distance

Lightning: To bring Knight to me, I must take what he values. That Youngblood championship. In my mental absence of Ultimate Wrestling, a lot has changed. But what hasn't is that the company needs a hero. It needs someone like me. And I will answer it's call. I promise that I will retain control of my destiny. I will correct the wrongs that have plagued this place!

Lightning takes a step on the ledge of the rooftop and when a lightning strike hits a nearby rooftop, Lightning leaps from the building to the ground below

Lightning: And Mr. Penguin will pay for his lies!

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