There's a raw and abrasive element to the SAnitY, NXT's newly emerging faction, that's impossible to miss -- and in many ways, it's made the group unique to anything else in professional wrestling.
From the flashing lights, to the opening crash of its theme song, "Controlled Chaos," which mixes police scanner calls with music that appears to recreate the sound of a grand piano crashing down a staircase, SAnitY's entrance transforms the NXT arena at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, into what feels like a working crime scene.
Take one look at the group's members, from grizzled leader Eric Young to roughneck henchmen Alexander Wolfe and new addition Killian Dain (along with the injured Sawyer Fulton), and it's easy to imagine which side of the law SAnitY would find itself on in real life.
With 19 years of experience in the business, including a high-profile dozen spent with TNA Impact Wrestling, Young is unquestionably the heart and soul of the unit, setting the tone for his teammates both in character and behind the scenes. But it's fair to question whether SAnitY would've had the same impact without its attention-grabbing fourth member.
Nikki Cross, the diminutive spitfire from Glasgow, Scotland, just might be the most convincing member of SAnitY, if we're talking in terms of conveying the insane and rabid persona that has come to define the heel collective.
A veteran of nearly 10 years on the European independent scene, Cross, 27, whose real name is Nicola Glencross, pointed to the group's combined experience when asked what separates SAnitY from other factions in pro wrestling. But the true difference, she says, is easy: "We have a girl!"
"We have a little tiny, psychotic, crazy, 5-foot girl," Cross told ESPN.com. "I think the 'Suicide Squad' with Harley Quinn, the new 'Resident Evil' movie that is coming out -- these are strong female roles. People love women. Having a woman in the group gives it that unpredictability, that edge."
For as despicable and deranged as Cross' on-screen character is with NXT, she presents herself as quite the polar opposite outside of it. She speaks at a rapid-fire pace, with a level of charisma and passion that's intoxicating.
There's a transformation that takes place each time Cross prepares to step through the curtain to become a character she defines as being crazy.
"Basically I just think about stuff that would make me that angry at the world and things that make me distressed," Cross said. "It's basically thinking about every bad thing that ever happened to me or a family member and you just bring it to the surface. The whole world is against you.
"This is so competitive that it's easy for me to get into that mindset because it's like, 'No, this is mine.' With SAnitY, our mindset is, 'We're taking it. We're taking this industry and we are going to change this industry.' We are going to make everyone rethink the way this industry is. That's an easy mindset to get into because that's the way we feel."
It's a good time to be Nikki Cross at the moment. Along with the instant success of the group since its NXT debut at the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament in October, Cross has rapidly climbed the ladder in the women's division.
Her true coming out moment as a singles competitor came over the weekend at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, when she stole the show in a Fatal 4-Way match for the NXT women's championship. Although undefeated champion Asuka was able to retain her crown, as both she and cross fought off constant double-team attacks from Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, Cross drew the loudest pops of the night from the Freeman Coliseum crowd thanks to a series of daredevil aerial moves.
"I definitely feel blessed and grateful. I've been in NXT less than a year," Cross said, before the start of Saturday's TakeOver card. "But at the same time it's like, this is where I always wanted to be and I've always had the confidence in what I do. I've always felt confident in the connection I could make with people."
Despite her impassioned confidence, Cross admitted to getting goosebumps while sitting on the NXT bus, en route to the arena. She watched a video on her phone from the WWE's Twitter page, looking back at the buildup to Saturday's title match, and instantly had a flashback to being 10 years' old in Glasgow, watching similar videos ahead of WWE pay-per-views.
One thing that has helped Cross' character stand out in such a meaningful way has been her physicality, which has included believably aggressive attacks on both male and female NXT superstars. It's a style she credits to her upbringing.
"Being that physical has been the way I was trained since Day 1 in Glasgow, Scotland," Cross said. "Generally, my upbringing was quite rough in the East End of Glasgow, so I always had to defend myself and be ready for everything. So the type of physicality for this role is not that much of a departure. It's fun getting to dropkick guys from the top rope. I like that."
For as much of an impact as Cross has had with SAnitY, her addition to the group was an eleventh-hour move. Just a few months removed from joining NXT, Cross watched the group's initial vignettes, which played during the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn card last August during SummerSlam weekend and thought to herself, "Well that looks really cool and stuff."
One day before the group's October debut, Cross was approached by NXT creative head Paul "Triple H" Levesque, who asked how she would feel about joining the group. Not knowing if the offer was a definite, Cross took no chances and rushed out to purchase "a distressed denim jacket and whatever I thought SAnitY would wear."
The next day, one hour before SAnitY's debut at the NXT television tapings, Cross' position within the group was confirmed. Initially disguised under a hood and mask, Cross made arguably the biggest impact of the group when she attacked an already beaten Tye Dillinger after the match before revealing her identity.
Cross playfully describes her character as being "a slice short of a loaf of bread" and credits the decorated experience of Young -- whom she calls SAnitY's "guide and guardian angel" -- with helping the group adapt to working in front of TV cameras. Young's vision for the group, she says, has rubbed off on all four of its members.
"We are vicious and we are here to take," Cross said. "We want to reinvent this industry. We want to change the way that people look at groups and stables. We want to do so much more than has been done before."
In order to reach their goals, Cross says the group needs to continue to be fresh and unique, which is how she describes herself as a performer.
"At the end of the day, there is no one else in the world like me, so my wrestling style isn't going to be like anyone else either," Cross said. "Human beings aren't the same so wrestlers aren't the same. I'm me and there is no one else like me. I'm going to keep doing that because it's me."