Chapter 1 – Introductions

Everyone watched as a black-out limousine pulled into the car park and stopped right in front of the entrance door.

"What's this, JR?" Jerry 'The King' Lawler asked as the camera focused on the registration plate.

MC 1.

"I don't know, King, Is Shane McMahon back?"

"He can't be planning another invasion, right? He must be mad...Oh my god!"

"Wait!" Jerry Ross exclaimed. "Mr. McMahon is approaching the limousine. Have he and Shane made up?"

"I guess we'll find out!"

Jeff Hardy pulled his headphones out of his ears and opened the door to dressing room thirteen, the one with the 'Team Extreme' sign on the front. Matt and Amy were still at the hotel when he'd called his brother fifteen minutes ago to see where they were, so he had the place all to himself for half an hour at least.

He chucked his holdall on the table and started unpacking his wrestling gear when he heard Vince McMahon's voice out in the corridor.

"...I'll just get the others and then we can finalise the plans. I told them to be here at half past, I don't know where they are. My office is Suite Two, it's the third door on the right. I'll be along in a minute."

Seconds later, the CEO walked past, not even looking into the dressing room. Then, he could be heard calling back, "By the way...it's nice to have you here. You've grown up so much, Persephone. I can't believe how different you look."

Jeff rolled his eyes as he finished unpacking. Another tart Vince was entertaining by the sounds of it...the next diva of tomorrow, if the previous three were anything to go by.

He felt the strange urge to see what this one looked like, so he poked his head around the door. Sure enough, walking towards Suite Two at the end of the corridor was a slim blonde in black skinny jeans and a red vest. With a smirk he decided she wouldn't last very long...they never did.

"One...two..." she counted as she walked down the hallway. "...three!"

She hesitated, her hand resting on the handle as she couldn't decide whether to go in. Deciding against it, she leaned against the wall and waited for the three guys she was expecting to show up with Vince.

A few moments later she heard footsteps, but no talking so she didn't expect it to be who she was waiting for. Sure enough, a blonde guy came round the corner carrying a navy blue holdall and texting on his mobile phone.

He stopped about ten steps away from her and looked up, sliding his phone into his back pocket as he did so. Holding her gaze for a little longer than she felt comfortable, he flashed a white, toothy smile at her and said simply, "New recruit?"

"Yeah," she replied. It took her one second to decide he had beautiful eyes, and a further two to decide they were deep sky blue. His blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail and his beard, whilst verging a little on the wild side, was somehow quite appealing. "Debuting tonight."

"I thought I'd remember if I'd seen you before. I'm Chris."

"I'm Persephone, Persephone Melody. Everyone calls me Lola though, it's shorter," she replied, shaking the hand he offered her.

"Which name are you wrestling under?"

"Persephone."

"Cool...well I've got to go warm up. Title defence and all that," he added, patting the gold belt she only just noticed was poking out of the holdall.

"Oh right...well good luck with it."

"Yeah, you too. Hope everything goes alright with your debut. Maybe I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, alright."

Persephone smiled to herself as she watched him walk into his locker room, which was coincidentally opposite Suite Two. Her gaze slid down to his ass and she absentmindedly tilted her head slightly to the side. She quickly jerked up, a second too late, when he turned round to close the door and she felt like a schoolgirl when he grinned, having caught her checking him out.

"Are you going to be alright out here or do you want to come in for a bit?" he asked.

She thought for a second, but then she heard Vince's voice and several heavy footsteps down the corridor.

"No, I'm alright thanks, I can hear them coming now."

Chris Jericho won the match against Billy Gunn, retaining the Intercontinental championship. His belt was returned to him and after his theme began and he did his victory stance, he started to leave the ring. He slung one leg through the ropes, and suddenly the lights went out and everything went black.

Confused, Chris stepped back into the ring, unnerved by the silence. He anticipated an attack and tensed his muscles, ready to react. Two lasers appeared by the stage, forming a large green X above the walkway. Along with everyone else, he stared in disbelief, gulping as he hoped that what he thought was about to happen wouldn't.

His fears were confirmed when those three words boomed out from the speakers under the screen, followed by two beats.

ARE

YOU

READY

The crowd began to scream as they realised what was happening.

YOU THINK YOU CAN TELL US WHAT TO DO?

YOU THINK YOU CAN TELL US WHAT TO WEAR?

YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE BETTER?

WELL, YOU'D BETTER GET READY TO BOW TO THE MASTERS...

BREAK IT DOWN!

As the music started playing, Triple H and X-Pac emerged with microphones in hand, and they stood one on each side of the stage. However they didn't say anything; instead they turned back to the entrance they just come through and watched as Road Dogg Jesse James appeared, to even more applause from the audience, followed closely by Persephone. The three men were dressed in traditional DX attire, with t-shirts, hats and in X-Pac's case Lycra, and Persephone had opted from an acid green strapless cropped top with black leather leggings and platformed ankle boots.

By this point, Billy had escaped the ring and made his way to the top of the stage and the five stood there, waiting for the crowd to die down.

She stood next to Triple H and Road Dogg high-fived Billy Gunn. The five started walking back down the ramp towards the ring, Triple H leading them. He pulled the middle rope up so she could slip through, and then they all performed their first group DX sign. The crowd roared once again and Persephone looked at them, feeling the fire of adrenaline surging through her blood. She turned to her new "brothers," as Jesse had called them whilst in the meeting with Vince. She froze as her eyes rested on Chris, and the horror of realisation hit her as it dawned on her that he was Enemy Number One; the guy her new family had spoken of earlier with disdain and hatred, fuelled by their passion to destroy him.

The music finally stopped and all five of them stared at the Intercontinental Champion as he was handed a microphone from the announce table. Triple H raised his microphone and began to talk about the reformation of D Generation X, and how Chris had to pay for what he had done, "stealing" the belt from X-Pac.

X-Pac began talking then, demanding a re-match and attempting to bait Chris. However he cut him off with a scoff.

"Look jerky," he said with a sneer. "You've already had a re-match, and a second. You need to have words with your little buddy Billy there about interfering, him being the reason you got DQ'd and all. Perhaps you should focus on something a little more suitable...maybe the Light Heavyweight belt?"

There was mixed reaction from the crowd; the majority were Jerichoholics but also DX fans and they were unsure where their loyalties lay. More than anything they were more interested in the newest member of the group and Chris' interest didn't go unnoticed by anyone, the male DX members included.

"Oh," Triple H began. "And Jericho, let me introduce you to your newest rival. The newest member of DX, Persephone. She's been granted a shot at the title at Backlash, so if you're still the champion you'll be fighting her. And man, can she wrestle. I think you'll find her quite a handful."

Chris just laughed and as he looked her over he said, "I will still be the champ, Trip, and I'm looking forward to handling her."

Triple H lunged forward to punch Chris but Billy and Jesse held him back.

Chris laughed at the display, but it only calmed down when Persephone said, "Hunter, don't." She could feel Chris looking her over, but she didn't meet his gaze. His eyes travelled over her body, from her slim legs, up past her toned stomach and appealing cleavage, to her pretty face. He hesitated, feeling a pang of desire. That was all he needed right there and then: an erection.

Thinking stomach-turning thoughts, he played up on Triple H's loss of self-control and said, "Come on Trip, if you want a piece of me let's go. You don't need your pretty boys to hold you back."

After a minute, Triple H snarled and said, "Actually, I'll let Persephone do it. It'll be satisfying to see you get your ass kicked good and proper by a woman. Jericho, you'll weep like a pathetic little girl when she takes your title. And she will, mark my words. Your days as Intercontinental Champion are running out fast."

With that, he dropped the microphone and the DX music started playing again.

"What's going on here, JR?" the King finally spoke, with a frantic tone.

"I'm not sure, King, but I think it's safe to say that one of the greatest factions the WWF has ever seen are back. And it seems Chris Jericho is Enemy Number One."

"Whatever JR, look at the girl. Look at the girl! What's her name? Penelope?"

"Persephone, Triple H said."

"Well, look at her! Look at the puppies!"

Jim Ross obviously decided not to comment as he fell silent, watching along with everyone else as the five members of DX left the ring, Jericho's eyes never leaving Persephone.

Outside the medical room, Persephone was stood waiting. She was still wearing her debut outfit and her feet were in agony. X-Pac was obviously high in the adrenaline rush from the reformation and had decided it was a good idea to get revenge on Kane for something that had happened in the past. The result had been that X-Pac had been knocked unconscious. Having never met Kane or his alter-ego Glenn Jacobs, she didn't know what he was like, but having seen the damage he'd done to her team-mate, she'd already decided he wasn't a person she wanted to get on the wrong side of.

Sighing, she paced from one end of the corridor to the other, and then back again. Hunter, Jesse and Billy were all in the medical room; X-Pac had needed changing out of his Lycra's and Persephone had decided to give him some privacy. She was just about to go in and see if there was any improvement to his condition when Chris came around the corner. He had changed in his jeans and a blue shirt left unbuttoned, and she could see the outline of his six pack as he came towards her, his build something she'd not failed to notice whilst they were in the ring. Whilst he was now not as visibly shiny as he had been, the baby oil obviously been washed away since their confrontation, he was definitely very appealing.

"There you are," he said, and she just looked at him, unsure why it sounded like he'd been looking for her.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you," he explained. "About earlier –"

Persephone cut him off.

"Chris, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you Hunter has been going on about; I couldn't believe it when I saw you there in the ring."

"Well I was pretty shocked too..."

"I could tell..."

"...Do you have a minute? I want to talk to you in private...I don't want any of the guys to find us and start kicking off."

"Yeah, okay...where can we go?"

"What about your dressing room?"

"No I don't think that's a good idea. The guys should be out any minute."

"Alright..." Chris paused, thinking for a minute. "Come with me."

He led her down the corridor and through a fire-door. Persephone soon found herself following him into the boiler room.

"Sorry, it's a bit extreme," he admitted, looking around. "It's quiet here, I guess."

Persephone nodded, feeling a chill. She suddenly wished she'd grabbed a sweater. Chris saw her shiver and offered her his shirt.

"It's only short-sleeved," he said apologetically, his lop-sided smile making her smile, "but you won't be as cold."

"Thank you. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well..."

All of a sudden, Chris found himself shy. "Well I don't really know what you and your group have got planned for me – "

"Chris..." Persephone interrupted him. "If you've come expecting me to betray us and act like some spy it's not going to happen."

"No, no you misunderstand! What I mean is, it may be that we end up fighting, unless there's some way to get around it. But I was wondering...if maybe you'd like to go for a drink sometime?"

Chris looked at her hopefully, but his smile faded as she started laughing.

"Never mind," he said quickly. "Forget I said anything."

With a smile, Persephone said, "No, it's not that. I'm sorry for laughing, that was rude. I was just surprised. I'd love to, Chris."

"All right then," he said more confidently, a smile illuminating his face.

"Well I can't do tonight 'cause the guys have asked me to go for a meal but we could go another night if you like? I'll give you my number and we can sort it out?"

"Alright."

They exchanged numbers and as they walked back to the door they discussed possible places to go. Chris saw he'd left the door slightly open but just before they reached it, it swung open.

"What the hell's going on?"

"Hunter..."

Persephone stood, unsure what to do, as Chris squared up to Triple H and she thought they were going to finish what they nearly started in the ring earlier that night.

"If you know what's good for you, Jericho, you'll stay away from Persephone."

"You threatening me?"

"Damn right I am."

Chris just scoffed.

Hunter looked to Persephone, then back to Chris, and again to her. Suddenly, he turned and elbowed Chris in the fact, catching him off guard and knocking him to the floor. He jumped on top of him and started punching him, despite Persephone's pleas to stop.

Jesse and Billy had followed Hunter in and between them they managed to pull him away. Persephone knelt over Chris and started to check he was okay when Jesse grabbed her arm.

"Come on baby girl, you'd better come with us."

"I'll call you tonight," she mouthed as she let Jesse and Billy and they shared a secret smile.