Warning: An obnoxious, but somehow beloved, wrestler bites the big one in this. So if some of you are fans of his, take offense. The evil wrestler fan in me thinks he deserves it.
Hunter enjoyed the roar of the crowd right before he did a Pedigree. He especially took pleasure in the fact that this Pedigree was for Kurt Angle. With Kurt's arms in his own, and his head between his legs, Hunter jumped high in the air and came down, planting Kurt's face in the canvas with a resounding BOOM! After turning his limp, unconscious body over, Hunter pinned Kurt with an accepting smile, accepting the highly necessary fact that he was coming closer to attaining the WWF championship once again. Hebner crouched down next to the two and began the count. One! Two! Th… Kurt lifts his shoulders in a sudden twitch before Earl could make the final call! Hunter was shocked! This was the third Pedigree he gave him! In this number one contender match, Hunter threw all he could at Kurt, and he just kept getting up, like some unseen force was driving him, controlling him beyond his physical limits. Earl could see that, too, and something Hunter saw in his eyes told him that he was afraid.
Kurt hardly spoke a word through out the match, didn't show off any of his usual cockiness and bravado. Before his bout began, he came to the ring with a blank expression on his face and immediately went to the corner without a word for the audience. They had nothing for him either. No boos, hisses or death threats, just a confused, wary silence. A brave Triple H fan hurled an empty water bottle and hit him in the head, but with no effect. At ringside, Jim Ross was clutching the cross that was hanging from his neck, frightened and suspicious of what was really going on. And then Hunter's music hit the arena. He just couldn't wait for the match to start, so he eagerly sprinted to the ring. Blow after blow after blow rained down upon Kurt did not seem to phase him, so Hunter ran to the opposite rope, bounced off it, and leapt towards Kurt with his knee extended. That finally knocked him down. A second passed, and something strange happened. Kurt rose just like Kane and the Undertaker would rise after they had been knocked down. " This is going to be a long night", Hunter thought.
And a long night it was. Whatever programs that followed Smackdown were pre-empted, and this didn't bother Vince one bit. His vicious smile held a secret, a living secret that sat next to him on the couch in his office while he was watching the match on his moniter. He turned to it and said, " I think it's time you made your debut, partner". The figure stood and slowly walked out the office towards the entrance to the ring. Vince's heart raced in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Hunter was exhausted, and Earl could see this. " Hunter can you go on?" he said with desperation in his voice. With a scowl on his face, he grabbed a rope, pulled himself up, and said, " As long as that dumb ape is standing, I'm fighting!" Suddenly, without warning, Earl was shoved to the side by Kurt, and he picked up Triple H, giving him an Olympic Slam. " This is the end", Hunter thought, " I'm knocked out , and this idiot is going to get the Championship. Well, I hope the Rock has an easier time with him than I did"…….
A darkness settled in as Hunter awaited restful unconsciousness. That darkness wasn't a blackout, though, but the light dimming, as if someone was about to interfere. Hunter managed to somehow stand up. He heard a light whimpering in the corner where Kurt was standing at the beginning of the match. Hunter limped over there, and made out in the darkness Kurt balled up in a fetal position.
" Kurt, are you all right? What's going on here?" A slow rumble of voices arose from the audience, as if something was about to happen. A slight wind blew. Something was floating in the ring. Feet touched the canvas… and Hunter was cracked in the side of the head by an unseen force. The lights turned on. Hunter lifted his head. There was a tall man, about his height, standing over Kurt. He was wearing no shirt, black pants, and his skin was a frightening pale. His hair was short, spiky, and black. That was all he could see since the man's back was turned to Hunter. And then he spoke. " Stand, dog. Your time here is done." Kurt stood as any good automaton would. The man flicked a wrist, and Kurt moved to the turnbuckle. He climbed to the top and set himself erect in perfect poise and balance. The man joined him and set him up for what looked like a DDT from the top rope. Hooking his right arm under Kurt's neck, he spread his left arm out and burst into a misty laughter. They leapt from the top, into what seemed like forever… when it happened, Hunter could feel the rumbling vibration on the mat. That was the Fall from Grace. He could feel Kurt's skull nearly crack as the man planted him in the canvas. After the man got up, one could see the patch of blood where poor Kurt's head was. He turned over. What Hunter saw saddened him. Tears mixed with blood were trickling down the side of Kurt's head. The man lunged at Kurt and pulled him up. He set him up for what looked like the Undertaker's Last Ride finishing move, but he kept bending back farther and farther, until Kurt's face was nearly touching Hunter's. " Hunter… I'm sorry" This was the 180 Snap Powerbomb. Everyone in the audience could hear the crack of Kurt's neck echoing through the arena. With that, Hunter finally passed out.
He woke up five hours later on the couch in his locker room. Stephanie was in the room. She walked over, bent over Hunter, and kissed him on the head. " Hey honey, how're you feeling?" " Ugh, aching all over. Oh, hey, what happened to Kurt out there? Is he doing ok?" A tear fell from her eye. Something wrong obviously happened. " That new guy laid him out pretty good, Steph. What went on out there after I passed out?" " The powerbomb performed was very fast and hard… Kurt died Hunter. He didn't land on his back, he landed on his n… Oh, hi daddy." Vince was standing in the doorway, ominously watching over Hunter and Stephanie with the smile of a jackal. " Kurt died of a heart attack, Stephanie. Doctors have determined that just a little while ago." He strode over to the couch and sat down next to Hunter. " How are ya tiger? You got pretty bruised up tonight." " Who's the new guy, Vince?" " He's a new recruit who I've known for quite a while now, unbeknownst to you Stephanie. He likes calling himself the Crooked Man, so get used to his being here." As those words were spoken, the Crooked Man was standing in the hallway with a smile on his face and a wave for the three of them. Vince turned and smiled " Hey Harry. Steph, Hunter, allow me to introduce you to Harry Lewis, the Crooked Man, and your new tag team partner." " What?! I don't want to be partnered with that guy! He hurt Kurt!" " People get hurt in this business, Hunter. Besides, that's not what matters right now. You're the number one contender for Rock's belt. You shouldn't let Kurt's death get in the way of that. Get some sleep, buddy, heal up. You've got an important time ahead of you."
Vince and Harry were walking together to his office. " Nice touch with the name, Vince. Harry Lewis? Very clever pairing Lord Harry and Lucifer." " Yes, I do pride myself on my cleverness" " We do need to talk about Hunter, though. His relentless refusal to have me as a partner will be a problem. Why is that?" " Well, you did kill a fellow wrestler of his." " I had to introduce myself to the WWF somehow. Kurt was just another puppet to be used. Nevertheless, Hunter will get over his remorse and join me. And when he does, my plan will be even closer to coming into effect." Nearby the Undertaker was watching. He knew what was going on, and he knew what to do to stop it…