M.A.I.D.S. [season 1]

Episode 13: One Candle

Adam jumped again, but this time Monroe rolled away. Adam pressed his advantage, but Monroe countered with a fireman's carry takedown, sending Adam sailing across his broad, black shoulders to land with a THUD! on the floor. Adam was sprawled flat on his back and winded.

Monroe was quick on his feet and leapt into the air, stretching both legs out straight in front of him. He crashed to the mat, his right leg slamming across Adam's chest. Monroe turned and stood, taking a moment to storm around his prone opponent.

Adam turned and slowly crawled to the wall. He put his hands against the wall and began to stand. Monroe balled his fists together and smashed them into Adam's back. Adam was flattened, but he rolled over and put both boots into Monroe's expansive abdomen, shoving him off. Monroe lost his balance and fell; Adam was on him like a cat. He sprung from the floor to land bodily upon Monroe, the weight of his body stunning his larger opponent.

Adam grabbed Monroe by the hair and pulled him to his feet. The dazed grappler simply followed Adam's cues, too out-of-it to resist. Adam kicked Monroe in the gut, causing him to bend over and signaling the beginning of the end. With Monroe doubled-over Adam was in complete control. He grabbed Monroe's big head and put his shoulder on the back of Monroe's neck, then began to turn. This forced Monroe to both stand up and turn away, as well, and in a moment both men were standing back-to-back, with Adam holding Monroe's head tight to his shoulder. Adam hopped into the air and fell to his butt, never releasing Monroe's head, which crashed down on Adam's shoulder. Adam released his hold and quickly rolled over onto his opponent, cradling Monroe's head and leg to trap him. A sensor on the wall chimed once, twice, three times—Adam won.

"That's right! Nobody kicks out of my neckbreaker!" Adam boasted. Monroe slowly got to his feet, holding the back of his head and wincing.

"So that is professional wrestling?" Pandora asked her owner.

"Well, yeah. Of course, the sport stagnated and died out in the 21st century, but I do enjoy watching old vids of it from time to time. There have been small revivals here and there over the years, which is where Monroe and I learned to wrestle. We haven't done it in a while," Adam explained. He rubbed his back where Monroe hit him.

"I thought that sports-entertainment was fake," questioned Pandora with concern. Adam shook his head.

"No, it's staged, not fake. Sure, we weren't trying to injure each other, but it still hurts. It's all a show, though," Adam explained.

"Yup. Although you caught me pretty good with that elbow drop," Monroe complained good-naturedly. Adam laughed at his friend, and the two men high-fived.

"You looked as though you meant each other harm," Pandora stated skeptically, crossing her arms across her bulging chest. The men laughed heartily at that.

"If that's how it looked, Pandora, then we was doing it right," Monroe said. He next turned his attention to Adam. "The only reason I let you win is because I didn't want to embarrass you in front of your Synthia. She'd never let you live it down," though the larger man was joking, Adam shifted uncomfortably at what the joke implied.

"Oh, man, I'm sorry," began Monroe, but Pandora placed a hand on his arm.

"Certainly, Adam would not want to be made to look bad in front of his woman, is what I am sure you meant," Pandora said with warmth in her voice, and Monroe nodded. "I am knowledgeable in all forms of hand-to-hand combat, although I admit I have experience in mostly none of them. Catch-as-catch-can, however, is something I lack a working knowledge of. I know the various maneuvers and how to execute them, but I was created with only a dim awareness of how the entire spectacle is put together. It is...interesting," Pandora said sincerely.