The crowd held its collective breath as the timer ticked down. In the case of some of the audience members, that was easier said then done.

Almost three minutes ago, The Masked Magician had been put into a straightjacket and locked into an enforced glass box filled with water with a large timer counting down from three minutes. When the clock hit zero an electrical current would be pumped into the water, sure to fry anything that was still inside of it.

The whine of electricity charging up filled the air as the cloak started to count down its final ten seconds as the masked man was still making a valiant but seemingly futile attempt to escape, all eyes of the crowd on him as they watched what could very well be the last few seconds of his life.

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The curtain dropped as as the clock ran out, the sound of electrical discharge painfully filling the air.

For a moment, there was no movement or sound beyond the deadly crackling.

Then the curtain parted, a completely fine if somewhat damp Masked Magician stepping out into the light and the applause of the crowd.

......................................

"Thank you for taking the time to do this interview so shortly after you show." The reporter started, a young woman with blond hair as she sat across from the Mask Magician in a dressing room.

The Magician himself was indeed masked and wearing a black bath robe, his still slightly damp clothing barely viable underneath. There was a white towel hanging over the back of his neck as he nodded his head to the reporter. "Not a problem Rebecca. After all I have nothing to hide."

The chuckle that escaped the reporter was subdued by professionalism rather quickly as she got down to the point. "I guess I should start by congratulating you on a show well done. I believe tonight's performance was a charity event to raise money and awareness for aspergers research, correct?"

The Masked Magician nodded his head in return. "Indeed Rebecca. Aspergers has long been something that is close to my heart and I am utterly appalled at how little of it is known by the general community despite how common it is. Maybe if the general public was better educated about what Aspergers actually is then it wouldn't be that big, scary boogeyman that the anti-vacationists use to push their uneducated but grossly harmful views."

"Are you saying that there is a connection between vaccinations and Aspergers?

"Gods no Rebecca. Scientists have known for years that there is no connection between Aspergers and vaccinations and there has been much overlapping research to ensure as such. Sadly it appears that actually study and evidence cannot quite seem to compete with ill educated word of mouth. The real tragedy in all of this is that the people themselves will not be the ones to suffer from the illnesses they are allowing to make a comeback because they themselves were vaccinated as children; Instead it will be their children who suffer the penalty of their parents actions.

Rebecca nodded her head respectfully, a brief empathy with those children flashing over her features before she schooled herself once more. "I hope that tonight proves successful for the fund raiser then. Speaking of future successes, what are your feelings on the up coming title tournament that is coming up? I hear that you are going to be round one against Sexton Love." A shiver seemed to go through Rebecca at the mention of the man, as if she was thinking of picking up a slug with her bare hands.

The Masked Magician lent back in his chair, an amused chuckle escaping him as he brought his hands together in front of him. "Well of course I have plans for going all the way to the final round and the Championship belt Rebecca. And to that end I must admit that I am glad to be starting off against Sexton Love. I've always felt that we were both somewhat alike in the way that we are willing to pursue our desires; Myself for the championship and him in his dream to become a sex symbol. The difference between us I find is that with enough hard work and training I will one day process a championship belt."

Another chuckle escaped Rebecca before she cleared her throat to control herself. "To true. Aside from yourself, who do you suspect is going to make it into the finals?"

The Masked Magician thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. "To early to tell at this time. But ask me again after the first round and I might be able to answer you then after I've had a chance to see what the competition has to offer first. "

"Thank you for your time Masked Magician."

"My pleasure Rebecca. I'll talk to you again after I win Round One. Promise."

The camera is fixed on an attractive young woman with blonde hair. She glances sideways, clearly uncomfortable, her expression showing a combination of confusion and disgust. As the producer behind the camera begins to count down, she readies herself, attempting to wipe the bizarre look off her face. She raises a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time...Sexton Love."

The camera pulls back, revealing a man standing to her right. He is dressed in leopard skin pants with a matching vest, a shark tooth necklace around his neck. His hair is horribly bleached, with the roots beginning to show, and styled in a manner that would make Dog the Bounty Hunter jealous. The hair on his chest is equally repulsive, a tangled mess dripping with sweat. His eyes remain fixated on the woman as he chews a toothpick and slowly strokes his chest with a fine-toothed comb. This is Sexton Love.

"...Mr. Love, you are one of the eight competitors in--"

"Shhhhhhhhh..."

He presses a finger to her lips and proceeds to remove the microphone from her hands.

"Let's be honest Becky...you're not hear to ask me about the World Title Torunament."

"It's Rebecca. And yes it's my job as an interviewer to--"

"Shhhhhhhhh..."

Rebecca looks at the camera, clearly at a loss for words.

"You're hear because I am the SEXCELLENCE OF SEXECUTION, and there is undeniably, undoubtedly, unequivocally, UNQUESTIONABLY a sssssssssexual connection between us."

"Actually I'm hear to get your thoughts on the Masked Magician, your first round--"

"The Masked Magician?"

"Yes. Are you aware of his recent remarks? And how do you respond to--"

"Oh I'm aware of his recent remarks Becky. Make no mistake about it, I've seen EVERY interview that you have ever conducted."

Sexton turns and looks directly into the camera.

"The Masked Magician says that he and I are alike. That he and I are are both pursuing our dreams. His dream to become the World Heavyweight Champion, and my dream to become a sex symbol. But Becky the fact of the matter is that I am ALREADY a sex symbol. I am the Sexiest There Is, Sexiest There Was, and Sexiest There Ever Will Be! You know it, I know it, and fans all around the world KNOW IT! The Masked Magician says that he works harder than me. That he trains harder than me. That he deserves to be called the World Heavyweight Champion. But that could not be farther from the truth because I have worked hard my entire life to get to where I am today. The man that holds the GPW World Heavyweight Title is the face of this organization, and a man that hides behind a mask cannot be the face of anything."

He looks at Rebecca once again, and resumes combing his chest.

"What do you make of the other competitors that you might go up against? This tournament truly has a global feel. The Masked Magician is of course representing his home country of Australia. But then you have the likes of Kintaro, Mitchell Wolf and "The Flying Scotsman" Sammy MacDougal, among others. What are your thoughts on the field overall?"

"Becky, I've been all around the world. I've been to Japan and Iran...Kazakhstan and Pakistan...Albania, Lithuania and Transylvania! You're absolutely right, this tournament does have a global feel. But so does Sexton Love. I am an international superstar. I have fought men and loved women on every continent in the world, including Antarctica. Was it cold? You're damn right it was cold! But I persevered because that's the kind of man I am!"

He stops for a moment, calming himself down before continuing...

"I'm a man on a mission Becky. My mission is to become the GPW World Heavyweight Champion and bring sexy back to Global Pro Wrestling. This company wants me to be Champion...this company NEEDS me to be Champion. They need me because SEX SELLS, it's a fact of life, and NOBODY does it better than SEXTON LOVE!