A New Breed
Chapter 1: A Squandered Return
The arena roof is blown away as the all too familiar and beloved theme song echoes throughout the Air Canada Centre. It was Monday Night and that meant only one thing. Raw was live and business was about to pick up. As the hometown Hall of Famer made her presence felt there was one question that needed to be answered? What was she here for?
As she picked up the new microphone hailing the all new WWE logo, that question would be answered. "Hello." The fellow Canadians erupt into a fit of laughter and cheers. It never took much for the 3 time Babe of The Year to get a huge pop. Seeing how she was making her first in ring appearance in 3 years it's no wonder. The people have been eager to see her.
"So, you all remember little ol' me, right?" She grins ear to ear relishing in the crowd's participation. "Little ol' Master of the Stratusfaction; Trish Stratus?" In unison, they chant that one word syllable that made her come alive.
Trish! Trish! Trish! Trish!
Trish Stratus is a name synonymous with the Golden Era of women's wrestling. She helped an entire locker room of talented ladies to pioneer and transform the word 'diva'. Not only were they beautiful women but they were women who knew how to get the job done. They'd punch you square in the nose all the while not smearing their eyeliner. Talented, smart and sexy were the terms WWE loved to use to describe their female talent and they were spot on. Trish was a woman you'd want to make love to then go ride into battle with. She was a strong gal who wasn't afraid to get down and dirty.
After retiring in 2006 the WWE fans have clamored for any opportunity that arose for a return. She had made one off appearances and a match here or there for the past few years. 2011 saw a return to WWE television for a few months leading into WrestleMania 27. She teamed with John Morrison and Snooki to take on the trio of Dolph Ziggler, Layla, and Michelle McCool. Trish led her team to victory, had a brief feud with Vickie Guerrero and then went back home to Toronto. Fans haven't seen Trish in a ring since. They were dying to see what she had to say tonight.
"Okay, okay. Time to just take a little chill pill folks." She pauses as the crowd finally settles down. "Last week, Stephanie McMahon announced that I would be here to make an announcement. Well, after thinking long and hard about it I've decided to come out here and tell you all that…"
A screeching sound erupts through the speakers interrupting Trish during her moment. A hard guitar and heavy metal music blares down the ramp. No one emerges from the curtain. After a few moments of anticipation and confusion, Trish decides to continue on with her announcement thinking that maybe the production crew hit the music button on mistake.
"O…kay. That's strange. Anyway, moving on. What I was about to say is that I'm officially…" A sturdy blonde woman appears on the stage. No music. No special lights. She just stands there almost in complete darkness staring back at the woman who paved the way for the divas division. She's wearing a piece of black cloth over her eyes and nose. She looks intimidating enough as it is but now she is adding the quality of anonymity.
Trish glances around at the audience. The look in her eyes explains her emotions better than any words could. She was perplexed and rightfully so. In the world of professional wrestling if you wanted to make your presence known music was key. If you don't have an entrance theme you basically won't have an entrance. Judging by the way the muscular woman is standing goes to show that she wants to be seen. But just what was it exactly that she was out here to do?
The announcers at ringside are just as baffled as the legend in the squared circle. "It appears as though someone, or rather, something, has just appeared on the stage seemingly out of nowhere. What business could she possibly have with Trish?" Michael Cole chimes in filling the viewers in at home.
"Um… Hello?" Trish waves with one hand while clutching the mic with her other. She's had her fair share of crazy storylines but nothing like this. "Do you need help?" The arena is silent as everyone waits on the answer from the mysterious woman. "Uh… what's your name? Are you lost?" Trish's questions are left unanswered. The woman doesn't budge an inch. "Well, talk about disturbing." Trish chuckles and the crowd follows suit. The brolick woman on stage had a shaved head, tattoos of flames on either side, a warrior-inspired outfit and tattoos on almost every inch of her flesh.
Trish peeps into the camera breaking the fourth wall and shrugs. "Sometimes the Crazies get through. Anyway, onto my announcement. I've decided to…" A strong, tall black woman slides under the bottom rope and into the ring. She jumps to her feet not wasting any time getting in the former champions face. That black strip of material covers her eyes just like the woman on stage. Trish takes a step back. She has since dropped her microphone but it took no expert to read her lips. She was asking the potential attacker what she wanted. Before the perpetrator could respond a whole slew of women donning the same eyewear rush the ring. They quickly surround Trish letting their intentions be loud and clear.
Trish mouths the words 'oh shit' before being jumped by the six bigger and stronger women. The first woman slowly makes her way down the ramp as the other women swarm on Trish like feral dogs on a piece of meat. The black woman and snow white haired woman hoist Trish onto the shoulders of the red haired vixen and a light brown-haired woman. The Asian woman climbs onto the top turnbuckle and stands up. The black woman and white haired women grab Trish by the arms as the other attackers hold onto her legs. Trish is spread out midair with the woman on the turnbuckle making her intentions clear.
She leaps through the air connecting with Trish in the abdomen with the point of her elbow. The other four women drive Trish to the mat at the same time adding the momentum of the air attack and their collective strength for maximum damage. The last woman sporting a colorful Mohawk grabs Trish by the hair lifting her limp body from the mat. She wraps both hands around Trish's neck and proceeds to strangle her. Trish desperately tries to fight back. The mohawked woman raises her arms lifting Trish off the mat as she continues to squeeze every last ounce of oxygen from her lungs. Trish fades away as she stops struggling. Her attacker slams Trish hard to the ground with a move consisting of a combination between a double-handed choke slam and power bomb.
The evident leader climbs into the ring picking up the microphone Trish had dropped prior to the attack. The all-female clan looks pleased with their destruction to the pioneer. In unison, they raise their arms in a show of power and dominance. The heavy metal music echoes throughout the rafters as the warriors leave the ring unannounced, unwelcomed, and shrouded in mystery.
With so many questions unanswered, fans and fellow divas alike have to wonder, what do they want? And what's with those names? Why the crazy warrior-like getups? And the masks? The unique look? Beth Phoenix comes to mind for recent memory of muscular divas but these women could dwarf the Glamazon.
Backstage, Trish is being helped to the trainers room by referees and medics. Stephanie McMahon approaches Trish with worry and guilt throughout her face. "Oh my God, Trish, I'm sorry. I had no idea who those women were or how they got in here. Look, it was never my intention for you to come here tonight and get viciously assaulted like that. How are you feeling?" The Billion Dollar Queen's blue eyes peer into Trish's hazel eyes like a worried parent.
Stratus winces a bit as she grips the back of her neck. She takes a step forward and away from the men catering to her. "I'm fine, Steph. Thanks." Standing on her own two feet proved more difficult than she thought. Trish stumbles forward before being caught by a referee. "Look, don't think that this little incident has deterred me. I'm here for one reason and one reason only."
"Trish, don't be ridiculous. I mean, you're 38. This isn't 2005. You're not in your prime anymore. I know we had this deal set out and you were excited to be back but you have to think this through. You're retired. You own a business. You have a kid. You don't need to come back and prove anything to these people. The fans love and respect you. I'll understand if you want to back out of this return.."
Trish rolls her eyes at Stephanie's advice. "I can still do this. I don't give a damn who these wanna-be Amazons think they are. I'm Trish Stratus. I'm not going to run back to Toronto because a bunch of masked cowards jumped me. I'm back, and I'm going to win the Diva's Championship if it's the last thing I do." The Canadian audience erupts into wall shattering cheers. Trish Stratus may have been knocked down but she is back up and determined to be better than ever.
Commotion down the hallway catches Trish and Stephanie's attention. Women's yells and screams are echoing down the corridor like someone being murdered. Trish and Stephanie rush down to find out what was going on. Alicia Fox is sprawled out unconscious on the floor of the women's locker room. Blood rushes down the side of her head and onto the concrete floor. The medic team quickly comes to her aid.
On a bench lie a Trish Stratus action figure with the head and limbs ripped off with a small black mask covering the eyes and nose. Goosebumps crawl all over the former blonde's skin. This was the work of those psycho assassins. They are sending her a warning. They've already beat her senseless and now they are attacking innocent women to send a message.
Alicia Fox is strapped to a stretcher and prepped for a trip to the local hospital. "I'm gonna get these bitches, Fox. Don't you worry." Alicia is sent off with good faith. Trish was determined to get to these mercenaries one way or another. It was one thing to attack her but it was something entirely different to come after someone not even involved in their hatred. Trish didn't know why they were after her and she didn't care. All she cared about was revenge. Next week, she was gunning for those lunatics.
"Trish, you can't possibly be thinking of coming back next week and…" Trish cuts her former boss off mid-sentence.
"I'm not thinking anything. I'm planning on it. They started this battle but I'm going to win this war." Trish storms out of the locker room leaving her dismantled symbolic action figure on the floor. This wasn't the kind of return she envisioned but she was not about to back down from a fight. Quite frankly, she didn't care if she had to fight it alone. She wasn't going to turn her back on the fans. It was going to be a rough next few months Trish was sure but she was ready for the fight of her life.