A/N: This is the first of a four part mini-series kinda thing branching off of my story "Combating Feud And Fairytale" and so I'm not going to reveal a lot because I haven't updated the other story, because nobody is reviewing. So I introduce some OC's in here in the other characters places... anyways Happy Holidays and I hope that at least SOMEBODY does enjoy it
When Chris Jericho was very young, a baby, even before he was born, his father was a professional hockey player in America. There he played on many teams and made many friends in the business of sports and even some in entertainment. Little did he know that the one and only friend who would become a powerful enemy would come back to haunt him in the future, as he would have a son of his own that would also desire to become a professional wrestler at the same time and age of Chris Jericho. Not much may be known of the past confrontation which would lead to a powerful rivalry, not much yet anyway…
Prior events…
"Oh no, the jewel on your ring…" Kari Ketchum was a gasp as she looked with disbelief at Chris's personally prized ring.
"WHAT did you say…!?" Chris's angry roar was still echoing through Kari's mind that night as she lay wide awake in bed.
"I feel terrible." She sighed sadly, closing her eyes. The events lately in her life should've been a dream come true and yet the man she idolized, and secretly even loved, hated her because of a stupid accident. "I mean, I did fix it…" But that was beyond the point, the ring was a precious treasure from Chris's one time flame Stephanie McMahon, daughter of the company they worked for. "They loved each other but something happened to break the other's heart… if Chris hated her, then why does he still carry the ring?" She turned to her side and tried to snuggle into sleep. "Perhaps we may never know what sentimental value or purpose it serves, but…" And in her thoughts she drifted asleep.
That next day…
Chris Jericho was still grumbling and fumbling about the ring from the other day, he attached it to the chain he wore around his neck. He sighed and lifted it from under his shirt, studying it as the pinkish gem gleamed in the light from the ceiling. He was just barely starting to feel a little bit bad for lashing out on the girl, after all, she didn't know, she didn't understand, in fact nobody did. She was just trying to help, maybe she was worth a second chance…?
"Hey."
"Hmm?" Chris looked up from his thoughts, his eyes focusing from the ring in hand to the face standing before him.
Kari grinned innocently, trying to be as sweet as possible towards him, "Morning."
"Oh." Chris half gasped and quickly hid the ring back under his shirt before turning away. "Hi…"
"Aw, come on." Kari moved to the side to get back in his vision range. "Cheer up? It's breakfast, maybe some food will help you feel better."
Chris just sighed, a bit angry and stood up, "Fine, whatever…" He walked off. Kari giggled and followed behind him. But at breakfast, he ate slowly and quietly.
Kari chewed and looked at the plate of meager portions and swallowed, "Is that it?"
"What?" Chris looked up absentmindedly.
"Oh come on, this is NOT the Chris Jericho that I know."
"Feh." Chris scoffed. "That you know…" He took a drink of milk.
Kari growled with frustration and puffed out her cheeks, "Must it always go on like this…?" Getting no response, Kari just sighed in defeat and returned to her meal.
Present day…
Things had changed over time as weeks turned to months in the time they spent together as she grew in the company and also grew in relationship on Chris. Throughout their adventures and matches, trials and tribulations they even acquired a few close friends that traveled with them. First there was Ash, a young boy who was orphaned in New Jersey, Linda McMahon took him in and he continues to stay with Chris and Kari, since they found and saved him from a criminal gang. Then was Christian, Chris's best friend, and a bit of a womanizer who had just returned from an injury not too long after Kari had joined. A bit after that, they came across Trish Stratus, who had a troubled past in relations to the company and its once owner Vince McMahon who had gone missing after a near death accident made him ill, and thus the story had begun. Trish's life had been the most hurt, her father had been the president of the branch in Toronto but things happened there, and more recently her engagement to company son Shane McMahon had turned to worse as he was hospitalized and a freak accident led to an error in medications and he has been completely brainwashed and amnesiac. To make matters even worse, he vanished and Trish hadn't seen him since then. But all of their adventures are a whole nother story all together… Presently, Kari had just returned from a quick trip back home, where things had already long since been patched up with her family problems, and she brought some goodies for the gang.
"Presents!" Kari cried as she burst into the large hotel room.
"Oh yay!" Ash jumped up off the bed and raced over. "Kari's back!"
"Yup, and I brought a little something for everyone."
"Always so kind hearted Kari, thank you." Trish smiled.
"For you." Kari handed a magazine to Christian.
"Ah, a sneak peak at the new issue! Many thanks."
"And here's something for you Trish." Kari pulled out a book.
"Oh, this hasn't even hit the shelves yet." Trish was in shock and she gasped. "Ah, it's a first edition!"
"And for the kitten." Kari gave some treats to Trish's longtime kitty cat, who Kari adored more than anything.
"And this is yours." Kari turned around to see Ash digging through the bags and she pulled out a game. "Here."
"Wow, thanks!" Ash grabbed it and happily began to explore his new treasure.
"Ah, and Chris…" Kari looked up and eyed the room. "Hey, I thought it was quiet, where is he?"
"Probably still at lunch, knowing him." Christian spoke up as he read the magazine.
"Hmm…." Kari walked off out of the room. Kari lived in Los Angeles, where she had easy access to special things, and special people who could provide them. Sure enough Kari reached the dining area and there was the bottomless pit. "Yoh!"
"Hmm?" Chris looked up and swallowed the mouthful of food and smiled. "Hey!"
"Little piggy." Kari giggled as she sat down and handed him a napkin. "Here."
"Oh." Chris took it. "So back already huh?"
"Yup. And here, I brought you something."
"What is it?" Chris cleaned his hand and took the small box and opened it. "Oh my God…! Kari, I… I've been looking everywhere for this, for a very long time." He was in shock at the trading cards of his father which were set in a collector plastic array.
"Like it much?"
"Very! I love it! Thanks!"
"Nothin to it." Kari held up two fingers happily, she loved giving gifts and seeing the joy in other people. She was still very young, she had only been 18 for a few months so was legally able to participate in promos and compete in the ring. Currently, she and Chris were having a feud with Chyna and The Kat. She was living her ultimate dream and it made her happier beyond compare. "Well if you're just about finished, we should get back to the others soon."
"Yeah, yeah…" Chris rolled his eyes and stood up, dropping a few bucks for tip and they went back up into the room where the other three were talking.
"Oh, Chris." Trish looked up from Chris's cell phone.
"Huh, what is it?"
"There's a new wrestler in the company." Christian turned around to face him.
"Yeah?"
"Vince wants you to work with him."
"Huh?" Chris blinked. "I wonder why."
"Yeah, I mean no offense, but you're still young in the company, perhaps somebody else should train him, like Shawn Michaels or something."
Chris growled and cleared his throat, punching Christian in the arm, "Anyway… I guess I'd better go to the office to meet him." Christian rubbed his arm.
"Well he's not at the office." Trish spoke up.
"He's not?"
"No, he's at the local gym here down the street."
Chris lowered his eyes, "That's odd…"
"Something's funny around here Chris, it smells fishy." Kari frowned. "And I don't mean the cat treats."
"I agree, come on Kari." Chris looked up. "You guys stay here, we'll call you." They rushed off.
"Good luck…" Ash frowned sadly, always hating when things went awry.
Chris and Kari walked down the street, it was a street in Stamford they had gone down many times before and it had quite a history to them in such a short while.
"Here it is." Kari looked up at the Rocky style setup and they went inside.
Chris looked around, "Hello, is anybody here?"
"Whose that, somebody there?" An older voice was heard as a man came from around the back.
"Hi there." Kari spoke up. "We were told a wrestler was here waiting for us?"
"Oh, afraid not, if it's the guy that was here earlier, he was called off and left." The man thought. "I didn't talk to him much, he seemed off in his own thoughts, maybe nervous or something, I have no idea."
"Hmm…" Chris began to think, something was wrong here.
"I went out of the room so he must've left when I wasn't looking, sorry I can't say where he was going or even who he was."
"Well, thank you anyway." Kari nodded and they left.
"That was a little odd."
"Yeah, I'll say." Chris grumbled.
From around a corner, a figure hid in the shadows and smirked, "So that is them huh." He looked down at a small box he had been given, it had a picture of the group and also along with it was a vile containing what looked to be ordinary water. "I like to be in control, and this is my ticket to controlling my destiny in this company. Yes, if I do as told things will work out perfectly. And I know just who my guinea pig is going to be." He chuckled to himself, focusing on Kari.
Walking back from the gym, Kari was a bit confused and Chris was almost disappointed. It was later as they walked back down the same street, passing the corporate headquarters where on the corner across the street was the bar where Chris and Kari had first met.
"Oh how nostalgic." Chris groaned as they stopped and looked up.
"Come on, let's go inside." Kari smiled, thirsty from the trip. She went up to the bar to get them something. Now for an 18 year old you'd think a bartender would laugh at the thought of serving her some drinks, but they were professional wrestlers and known there and plus Chris had a history there as a customer. Chris was looking off in the corner at the same spot where Stephanie had betrayed him and he had banished himself in an alcoholic pool of his own self pity. "Thanks." Kari paid the man and walked over with the two drinks. "Here… Hey, hello? Chris!"
"Huh, what?" Chris looked down at the drink in her hand. "Oh, thanks." He took it and drank.
Kari sighed and followed his gaze, "So, back to the same first spot where we met."
"Yeah…" Chris was not in conversation mode, too lost in his thoughts.
Kari understood but she perked up and noticed something, "Oh, hey what's that." She got up and walked towards the wall, she felt a crack in it. "Ouch!"
"Hmm?" Chris looked up, snapped out.
"Ow." Kari looked at the cut on her finger as the splinter wound started to bleed slowly.
"Here, let me see." Chris pulled her hand and looked at the spot of blood on her finger.
"It's just a paper cut." Kari tried to get him to stop but he put the finger in his mouth and she gasped, frozen in shock at what he just did. Chris reached into her pocket and pulled out a read cloth, tearing it slightly. She gasped, "Ah! Hey! That was my grandpa's! Why did you do that!?"
He wrapped it around her finger, "There, homemade band aid."
"Oh." Kari was shocked and looked apologetic. "Thanks, and, sorry."
"Sure thing." Chris smiled and looked down at his drink. "Well, we're done here, let's get going."
"Oh." Kari drank hers quickly and smiled. "Right."
That afternoon, Kari staid at the hotel with Trish's cat while the others went out for lunch. They were nearby a toy store, so Chris had taken Ash inside to look for Sonic the Hedgehog figures (yay Tails, my fave woohoo, I bought that for my cousin's son because his birthday and Christmas are less than a week apart) and left Trish and Christian alone. Kari, and even Ash, believed that the two had strong feelings for each other but because of Trish's past with the estranged Shane, and because Christian was such a flirty pervert, nothing ever happened, and may never. Chris, oblivious, of course didn't believe them and figured Ash was just a dumb kid, and Kari, well, was just a dumb kid. It was true though, both Trish and Christian did have strong feelings growing for each other, but neither acted on them, so idle chat wasn't that easy to start up.
"Uh…" They both looked up at the same time, and they both turned away.
"Sorry." Trish blushed.
"No, no, please you go ahead first." Christian shook his head, hiding behind his drink.
"Oh, uh, well it was nothing, just…" Trish decided to come up with a different topic than her original. "What do you think about that strange wrestler guy that didn't show up at the gym."
"I don't know, I also don't understand why they would have him travel with Chris."
"Who knows, a push?" Christian shrugged.
"I doubt it." Trish made a face, no offense to Chris.
"Guys, guys!" Ash came bursting out of the store with a bag.
"Huh?" The two looked up, from the urgency in his voice it seemed like he wanted to show them his new toy.
"What is it?" Trish asked.
"Something wrong?" Christian spoke up.
"Take a look at this text." Chris showed him his cell phone. "It says, 'two more, twin girls.'."
"What?" Christian blinked.
"That's odd, who is it from?" Trish wanted to know.
Chris frowned, "It's from Kari."
"Huh?" They both gasped.
"And she's not answering either her cell or the hotel phone!" Ash cried.
"I think something is wrong." Chris growled.
"Well let's go, we have to go and see what's going on!" Christian stood up.
"I can't, I got a call from Linda, she sounded strange, but I'm needed back at the office."
"Well tell her the situation, you can't go, there's an emergency." Trish protested.
"I can't, she said it's mandatory and urgent, no matter the situation on hand. From how her voice sounded, it might not be good." Chris was very upset. "She probably thinks it's nothing, or that Kari can handle herself. But you two go to the hotel room and look for clues, see if she's still there. Something has happened to her, and I want to know what." He looked down at Ash, "Come on kid, let's go."
"Alright." He nodded, determined and they rushed off.
"Let's go too." Trish stood up.
"Right." Christian followed in suit.
They ran back to the hotel room…
"Hello?" Trish opened the door to find a dark and empty room.
"Nobody is here."
"Wait." Trish froze with fear. "Where's the cat?"
"Somebody took your cat, and Kari?" Christian looked around. "I can't find anything, her stuff is still here, it's like they were the only things touched." He began to think. "But why, and by who, and where did they go?"
"Christian." Trish was firm in her voice as Christian came over. "Look, it's a calling card."
Christian picked up the note with instructions, specified exactly for the two of them, "You know what, I think this has something to do with that wrestler guy they missed at the gym."
"Something is going on, should we tell Chris?"
"No, he'll have enough to worry about already back at the office, already worrying about Kari. Let's go check it out, we can call him later." He walked off.
"Alright." Trish nodded and followed, worried and missing her kitty.
Over at the corporate HQ…
"What do you mean Linda is not here!?" Chris was barking at the receptionist.
"S-she is at a meeting, I I'm sorry." The young lady stammered, nearly dropping her files. Chris could be very foreboding.
"But she called Chris." Ash was propping himself up on the table with his arms.
"I, I'm sorry I don't know anything about it." She straightened her glasses as she stood up, frowning with a little bit of concern. "In fact, she hasn't even been here since this morning."
"What!?" Chris gasped, that didn't explain the messages. He began to grow nervous, "Something is really wrong. Come on kid, we need to get back to the hotel and fast." He ran off.
"Hey, wait for me!" Ash chased after him.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
Kari sat unconscious tied to a chair in the basement underground, Trish's cat growling as she sat on her lap. Two young ladies, who looked to be in their mid 20's smirked victoriously as they stared down at her.
"Good job Cher, Reno." A young man's voice was heard, he stepped out into the light, looking buff and in his early 30's. "This is Chris Jericho's little pet girl, and the little pet as well." The cat hissed at the remark. "The bait has been set, surely Trish and Christian will come and once they do, we will get what we want from Christian and then the plan will be ready."
"Can we beat her up yet?" One of the twins picked up Kari's chin, wearing a sinister grin.
"No, she is the key pawn, we need her, yes, we need her to destroy Chris Jericho. He will fall at HER hands!" He chuckled to himself, his hands behind his back holding the clear vile.
'Oh, my head…' Kari groaned in her sleep, she had been ambushed and knocked out, she had no idea what happened or even where she was. 'Chris, Chris… where are you?'
BOOM! BAM!
"Ah, so they're here." The man turned around with a pleased smile to see Trish and Christian making their way down the stairwell. "So, you've come and found us, ohhh nooo, heh!"
"What is the meaning of this!" Christian roared.
"What's going on, you let them go!" Trish demanded and gasped when she saw her cat, the cat saw her and wagged her tail.
"Cher, Reno!" The man called. "The guinea pig, oh sorry, guinea CAT!"
"WHAT!?" Trish screamed as they picked up the cat as it tried to wriggle free, crying and meowing out for Trish. "What are you doing, let my kitty cat go NOW!" She growled, even more fierce looking than her pet.
"Don't worry, we won't hurt her, we just want to show you what's in store for you and your friends." Cher smirked.
"Here kitty, kitty." Reno picked up the vile and splashed a few drops on the cat's face, causing her to lick the water like substance. "Good kitty."
"What is that?" Trish shook as the cat suddenly stopped struggling and looked like it were no more than a stuffed toy. "What did you do to her!"
"She doesn't even know you anymore, feh, sound familiar?" Reno snickered as the cat cooed and rubbed her head against Reno and Cher's hand as she pet her.
"No!" Trish froze, remembering Shane for a moment.
"You fiends!" Christian gasped. "And you have the same fate in store for Kari!?"
"Smart man." Cher approached him sexily, starting to disrobe to distract his weakness. She embraced his right arm, "So, how bout it, blonde?"
"Uh…" Christian blushed and his left hand automatically embraced her. "Ma Cher-ie amore."
"Christian!" Trish cried.
"Huh?" Christian snapped out of it and looked up only in time for Cher to use a wrestling move to incapacitate his right, and formerly injured, arm. "AH!" He drew back in pain, holding it.
"Christian!" Trish gasped as he stepped back, holding his arm. "Are you hurt bad?"
"No, it will be fine." He caught his breath. "What do you want from us?"
"Yeah, and who are you."
"Well little lady, you've met the twins, Reno and Cher, and my name is…" He smirked. "Not important."
"Bwah!" Trish and Christian nearly fainted.
"Seeing as you won't be around to tell anyone about it anyway." He raised his hand. "I will give Chris your regards."
'Chris…' Kari's eyes twitched in her unconscious state.
"Sisters, they're all yours!" He snapped and pointed a finger, the twins gave a battle cry and charged.
Christian dodged Cher, "Hey, these guys are no ordinary civilians, they know wrestling moves!"
Trish jumped back as Reno tried to advance, "Then does that mean this burly guy is the one who stood Chris up at the gym?"
"Smart girl, you both are observant but perhaps too clever." The man snickered.
"Oh yeah, how's this…!" Trish went to attack but Reno held up the cat. "Uh…!" Trish froze as the cat hissed at her. "No, don't… don't you recognize me?" Her eyes shook with sorrow, reliving her encounter with Shane all over again.
"They know our weaknesses! Kari is Chris's, your cat is yours, and mine is… AH!" Christian was cut off as Cher twisted his already injured arm.
"Your arm." She smiled slyly.
Christian panted, "She's a woman too, I can't hurt her."
"And I can't hurt her as long as she has my amnesiac cat as ransom." Trish lowered her arms.
"So, you are smart after all, fools." The man approached them, standing next to Kari. "Once Kari forgets Chris, she will be a killing machine I program to take him out. Then the spot in the McMahon enterprise will be mine."
"Wait, now answer me this." Christian looked up. "You were sending the messages, Linda has no idea who you are or that you even exist. You impersonated her!"
"Yeah, our brother is a great improviser." Reno smirked and Cher giggled.
"That is true, as I say you are too clever." The man folded his arms. "Chris is perhaps the only one out of you all that may know me, though it was our fathers more specifically."
"Your what?" Trish blinked.
"Your fathers?" Christian repeated.
"Because of his dad, our dad lost his job and eventually lost his life. I swore revenge, and seeing as I dreamed to wrestle just like Chris, my target should be Chris himself, and not his father. I want his father to know the pain I suffered, the pain of my father." The man frowned, serious now. "You wanted to know my name, so I shall grant that request. My name, is Ralph."
"Ralph...?"
"Though it does you no good in hearing it, so now I bid you, ADEIU!" The man raised a fist, Trish and Christian whimpered and cringed, closing their eyes as they stood anticipating the worst.
"Stop it, NOW!"
"Huh?" Ralph turned to see Kari conscious.
"Don't you move, you leave them alone!" She growled, struggling to get her arms free.
Ralph turned to her with a smile, "Tough luck for you, but since our lab rat is awake…" He went to approach her.
Kari drew back with a slight whimper but then scowled, "What do you want with me? Don't try anything funny with me, I'm warning you…!"
Ralph put a hand over her mouth, "Silence bitch." He pulled out the vile. "Drink this and the truth shall be revealed to you all."
"No way, you're not getting me to swallow that." Kari barked back behind his hand.
"I'd like to wager differently." He took his hand off of her face, she shut her mouth tightly. "Such a child…" He closed her nose so she couldn't breathe. She gasped and her face started to change color, "You're mine now."
"No!" Christian cried out.
"Kari!" Trish went to rush over and help but it was too late, Kari gasped her mouth open for air.
"Gotcha!" He forced the liquid down her throat and she cried out. With a laugh, he shoved her down and the chair broke.
"Ow…" Kari groaned, lifting her arms as the ropes gave slack.
"Kari!" Christian ran over to help her up.
"Ugh, I'm sorry… are you alright?" She looked up, looking pale.
"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine, what about you?" Christian said, favoring his sore arm.
"I… ugh…" She fainted.
"Kari!" Trish gasped and turned back to the assailant trio, her cat hissing at her. "No, there's nothing I can do now…" Her eyes began to tear and she turned to Kari and Christian. "Let's go, let's get back to Chris now!"
"Right." Christian nodded and hoisted Kari over his good shoulder and the duo ran off.
Ralph laughed, "Reno, Cher, the cat is in the bag!" He looked down at the cat, "And I don't mean this kitty, no, the kid, Kari."
"And hopefully she doesn't have nine lives." Reno snickered.
"Well even if she does, they all belong to us now." Cher smirked.
"Darn straight." Ralph chuckled. "They have no idea what is in store. Chris, now you will pay."
Late that afternoon…
Linda had finally come back to the office and found a message Chris had left for her to call him immediately. Trish and Christian had retreated back to the hotel room where Chris had returned and was waiting. Linda called Chris and he told her to meet them quickly, when she arrived she saw Kari on a bed unconscious. She had not risen since and was running a terribly high fever in reaction to the liquid Ralph had slipped her. Trish had taken off Kari's clothing so she was in her in ring attire, which she had been wearing underneath the clothes. Trish and Christian had already explained everything in every single detail to both Chris and Linda. Though they could somewhat understand, there were still some things they didn't get yet. Ash was lying next to Kari on the bed.
Chris wore a decimated expression as he spoke quietly, "I should've been there, I could've done something, I could've helped her, maybe it would've made a difference."
"Don't beat yourself up, Chris." Trish spoke up, her eyes dull with sorrow.
Christian put an arm on her shoulder, "Don't worry, we can get your cat back."
"But, she doesn't even know who I am!"
"No fluid, no false lies can make anybody forget the truth, human or animal, the bond of love you shared between you should be enough to make her remember you."
"But, if that's true, then…" Trish clenched her fists, hiding back tears. "Then what about Shane…"
"Don't think down and beat yourself up." Linda spoke up. "We have to be positive if we're going to solve this situation. I don't know who this Ralph is, he could be one of the possible hopefuls, we have many of those a day that fail or pass and fail later on, I can have his identity looked into. I don't know how he got Chris's cell phone number, but apparently from your story, he knows him."
"Or rather, our fathers knew each other." Chris corrected, and no sooner did he speak than did his cell phone go off. He gasped and opened it to find another text from Ralph, "It says, I know what you want. You want it, come and get me…"
"What?" Trish perked up, although confused.
"I have the destination, it's not too far from here." He stood up. "Come on, let's go now!"
"I'll stay here with Kari and look after her." Linda spoke. "Please, be careful."
Chris nodded, "We will. Guys?"
"Right." They stood up in unison and followed. Trish sighed sadly, Christian rubbed his arm, Chris growled to himself, and the trio was gone.
"Please be alright Kari…" Ash sighed sadly as Kari struggled to breathe in her sleep.
The trio reached the sight quickly as dusk began to settle, the lights were turning on although you could still see fairly well in the dim sunlight. Fog was rolling in by the ocean, but they were just enough inland to feel a cool breeze. The building they stood before looked old and a bit decrepit by age, but one thing was for sure, it was vacant and empty of all except Ralph and the twins. Christian and Trish were vying for revenge upon Cher and Reno, and Chris was vengeful towards Ralph. Whatever past their fathers had, had nothing to do with Kari, and he would make him pay dearly for that.
"They're in there." Trish frowned.
"Yes, I can sense them." Christian tensed.
"Let's go in." Chris led them inside and they looked around what used to be a small business shop. They stood in the main room and there were a few side doors leading to old bathrooms and closets. "In the back." Chris pointed.
Reno came out first, "Look who decided to come to play."
"Aw goodie!" Cher joined her. "A guy with a bad arm and a girl without her kitty."
Trish growled and Christian spoke back, "Watch it…"
Chris looked around, "I could care less about the twins, where is Ralph?"
"Oh, he grew impatient." Cher winked.
"I think he decided to do a house call and check up on Kari." Reno shook her finger.
"Whoa no!" Chris gasped and dashed off.
Cher and Reno smiled, "And now that we're alone… we can play!" They jumped up and giggled as Trish saw her cat jump out on Reno's shoulder.
"No…" She gulped, "This is going to be a harder battle than any of our matches in the ring."
"Easy for you to say." Christian winced. "I have to fight a girl…!"
Back at the hotel…
"Ugh…" Kari groaned, her eyes twitching.
"Linda!" Ash gasped. "I think she's waking up!"
"Kari, how are you?" Linda approached her bedside. "Are you feeling alright, can I get you anything?"
"Water…" She whispered dryly, feeling very weak, unable to even open her eyes and know where she was.
"Come on Ash." Linda stood up and Ash followed her to the bathroom.
Kari sat up slowly and moaned as she rubbed her head, "Oh my head, I feel really sick." Suddenly she gasped as a sound shot though her head, her eyes snapping open.
'Kill Chris…' It seemed to whistle. 'Down anyone who stands in your way.'
"Where am I…?" Kari looked around, seeing the world around her through new eyes, feeling a newfound strength take control of her body, like her true potential had been unlocked. The body can do anything with no mind to fear or hold it back in weakness.
"Kari?" Linda came over to her with a glass of water but Kari stood up and hit her down. "Ah!"
"Linda!" Ash cried out as the glass shattered, looking up at Kari confused. "What's going on with you, don't you recognize us?" Kari's eyes seemed glazed, almost as if in a trance.
"She, she doesn't even know who SHE is!" Linda gasped, holding her shoulder in pain, the punch was powerful. She looked up at Kari who seemed to have tears in her eyes, "What is wrong with you…?"
'Please, stop… make it stop.' Kari tried telling her body. No, this wasn't the same liquid Shane had been given. Her body wasn't listening to her body, it was almost as if Ralph had it planned out this way to have Kari watch as she did the things her body did. 'No,
no.' Her eyes began to water as her body ran off and she watched helplessly behind her hazel eyes.
"Kari, no come back, don't leave, you'll get hurt!" Ash ran to the door but Kari had become very quick and was already gone.
Outside Kari had burst out of the hotel just as Chris was coming back, "Kari!"
'Chris…' Kari stopped and turned to him. 'Oh no wait, stay away!'
"Oh you're here, you're alright." He smiled with relief. "I was worried Ralph would come after you."
'Don't say that Chris, you don't understand.' Kari tried to say but her mouth wouldn't move. She gasped as she felt her body take control again, her fist raised.
"Huh?" Chris flinched as Kari swung at him, causing him to fall back and stagger in shock. "Kari, what are you… what's going on?"
'Please stop, make it stop.' Her eyes continued to water as her body attacked Chris again and again.
"What are you doing!" Chris was getting annoyed and grabbed her arm. "Huh?" He gasped, noticing her eyes glazed and tearing. His eyes shook, "Something is wrong, isn't it…?"
"Get, away…" Kari's voice was dry and struggled.
"What?"
Kari whimpered as she tried desperately to speak, "Can't, control… body! Ralph, is…"
"I get it." Chris immediately knew the whole story in her few words.
"Please, get away!" She cried and gasped for air, it was getting harder and harder to breathe, almost as if somebody was holding her head underwater. It made it harder for her to try and regain control as the hopeful option slipped further away from her.
"No way, I would never leave you, especially not now, like this!" He grabbed both of her arms tightly.
"Chris…" She continued to cry as her body once again took over, forcing Chris back and against the outside wall of the bar as Kari's body picked up the nearest object. "No… Chris, run!" Her eyes started to glaze over again, she had lost control of her body and was drifting further away.
"Kari…" Chris growled, standing his ground as if to prove a point.
"Chris. No…." Kari's eyes watered profusely as her body hurled the heavy object with great speed right at Chris. "NOOO!!!!" She gasped and tried to shut her eyes.
"Ah!" Chris cried out as the metal trash can hit him right in the chest, forcing him back and head first against the wall, knocking him out as he collapsed in a heap on the ground.
Kari's eyes went wide and she screamed, "CHRIS NOOOOOO!!!!" She lunged forward, the pain in her mind and heart too great for her body to fight back anymore as she ran straight at him, embracing him tightly. "CHRIS! CHRIS! Answer me, please!" She shrieked desperately, hugging and shaking him violently, trying to wake him, but he was seriously injured, and possibly had broken ribs.
Somebody stepped behind them, unknown to Kari as she continued to repeat his name, "He will not answer you."
"What?" Kari whirled around, a bit taken back and angry at the voice to gasp and see Stephanie McMahon.
Stephanie looked up, "The same bar, the same accident, only, this time, a different girl."
"What do you want here?" Kari sniffed back the tears.
"You coming here was an accident, you have to see that. This, this is Chris's fate." She pointed at Chris who lay injured, sad, and unconscious. "He destroyed me, this was his fate. We were tied together and should be forced to bear the same burdens."
"Just because you are sad doesn't mean you should wish the same for Chris!"
"That is irrelevant. You are but a child, you know nothing of Chris and I so don't you dare to lecture me!" Stephanie stepped forward, causing Kari to back up and cross the street as Stephanie continued to lecture her. "You coming here was a mistake, you are just a replacement, but you cannot replace ME!" They had climbed the stairs to the hotel and the door had opened to allow them inside. "You are not wanted her, just GO BACK HOME!" She shoved Kari down.
"Ah!" She landed in front of the elevator that opened.
"Get out, go away. You will only hurt Chris, you aren't wanted, you aren't needed." Stephanie growled as she threw Kari inside and the door shut.
"No wait, let me out!" Kari banged but she was trapped inside.
Stephanie pushed a manual lock button from the outside and walked off, "You don't realize it, but you are only making things worse. For the sake of good, please, just leave us alone."
"She, why did she do that, she pushed me and locked me in here, but why?" Kari was confused. "Chris, I have to be with you." She pulled out her cell phone and texted him. She waited a few moments but got no reply, "Wait, he's unconscious, he's hurt." Her eyes began to water as she looked up at the elevator light, the radio changed from Hinder's 'Lips Of An Angel' to 'How To Save A Life' by The Fray. "I can't get to him, I can't get back to him. What can I do now...? I can't help him here, I have to be with him. What's going to happen?" She sighed and noticed the red torn cloth still on her finger. She remembered and her eyes began to tear up again in confused fear and sorrow. "This is Ralph's plan wasn't it, to destroy Chris emotionally before destroying him physically." She wiped the tears. "I have to make this right, I have to help him. Somehow… But how can I get out of here…?" Kari glanced sadly down at her cell phone, it had only one little bar of reception. With a sigh she picked it up and began to scroll through it, finding her pictures. There was one of all of her friends, one of herself wrestling with her brother, another of her dad and grandma, then below that one she'd taken a long time ago of Chris Jericho. "Chris…" He felt so close, like he was there with her and she could reach out and touch him. She felt the tears come on again and she took the cell phone out of her vision range, "What can I do now, I'm trapped and can't get to you…" She closed her eyes and put a hand on the elevator wall. "I may not be able to reach you physically." She opened her eyes slightly in realization, "But you are probably still unconscious out there, and it's a long shot, but if you're not in your body right now, then maybe I can try something drastic." She shut her eyes and let out a calming breath for concentration as she thought, 'Maybe I can reach you with my mind.' Through the cold darkness it was almost as if she could see Chris and hear his voice echo in the distance. "Chris…!" Her heart called for his.
"Kari, what is it, what's wrong?" She could hear Chris's voice this time, was this for real, it was working! "Where did you run off to anyway, did you get scared and retreat again?"
"What, no!" Kari growled, she could see the scoffing expression on Chris's face. But she felt warm and happy inside, it was like speaking to him in reality. "Chris, I don't know what to do, I can't get back to you."
"So what, you're going to give up? You're not a quitter. Kid, you're one of the toughest people I know, male and female."
"Chris…!"
"You can still help me, you can get out of this. Think about all of our time spent together, all that we've faced together, every single time we've made it out and moved on stronger. And do you know why?" Chris paused but Kari just stared in answer. "Because we were together."
"Chris." Kari's eyes went wide as she gasped. Chris reached out and put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her in and wrapping his arms around her in the warmest most loving embrace Kari had ever known. "Chris…?" Kari was still in shock as she felt Chris's body surrounding hers.
"Don't you realize it yet, can you see now?" Chris stroked her hair. "I need you Kari, I need you…!"
"Chris…" Kari felt her eyes well up again, only this time they were tears of joy. "Thank you. I guess I just really needed to hear that."
"Now, come on back to me. You can do it, I know you can." Chris let her go, their eyes met as he smiled. "I'll get up and move on, but only if you get out here yourself."
"Alright." Kari nodded, smiling through the happy tears. "I'm on my way." Kari opened her eyes and found herself back in the elevator as if it had all been just a dream. She smiled with determination, "Hang on Chris, I'm coming for you."
Meanwhile, in the lobby…
"Kari, Kari where are you?" Ash called.
"Where could she have gone, she could be out there hurt somewhere." Linda was worried, her arm was feeling much better by now.
"Oh no, we have to find her!" Ash was about to turn when he heard a ding and the elevator opened.
"Whoa, it worked…!" Kari panted, shocked that her technique of hitting everything and banging the ceiling of the elevator had restored it to normal working order. "Ash, Linda!"
"Kari!" Ash jumped onto her into a tight hug.
"Aw, sorry to worry you." Kari patted his head and then looked up at Linda, wearing an apologetic face. "Linda, are you alright?"
"Kari, I'm so glad you're back to normal."
"Yeah, you know something, I just had a thought on Ralph and that liquid I swallowed." Kari became serious. "If I could snap out of it, perhaps we can get Trish's cat to do the same. Now, I know it didn't work with Shane, but Shane not only lost control but he lost his memory. I could still remember and see everything that was happening, Ralph was just controlling my body." She put a finger on her chin, "I remember he whispered instructions into my ear and that's when my body sprung into action, when I awoke and remembered them. At the time I was too out of it to even understand what he as saying, but the potency may have been a weaker or even earlier batch of what was used on Shane because I was able to take control and I can still remember."
"We have to get to Trish, as long as Cher and Reno hold her cat, she is powerless to fight." Ash clenched a fist with determination.
"But first…" Kari ran off towards the door.
"Hey wait!" Ash took off after her, Linda following.
"Ah, Kari must still be in here." Chris was indeed now awakened and stood reaching to open the hotel door when WHAM!
"Come on hurry!" Kari jumped out and bounded towards the steps but stopped and looked around. "Hey wait, where is Chris? AH! I'll bet he ran off with Stephanie, ugh, that two timing, two faced, son of a….!"
"Um, Kari…?" Ash cut her off.
"Uh… ow…" Chris groaned as the door closed and he staggered on shaky knees.
"OH, Chris!" Kari gasped. "Ah, I'm so sorry." She helped him stand straight.
"Depth… perceptions… cognitive… dialect… fiberglass… sidings… and… sanity… shattered…" He slurred. "Ugh…"
"Chris…" Kari grimaced, but she was still just too happy to have him back. "Come on, we have to get to Trish and Christian before it's too late!"
"Oh, yeah!" Chris snapped to it. "Alright let's go!" They ran. "So what's going on actually, I mean, what happened?"
"I'll tell you on the way, hurry, you know where they are!" Kari panted between breaths.
"Right." Chris nodded and led the way to the abandoned shop.
At the battle…
"Hah, come on Christian." Cher was laughing and taunting as Christian panted, injuries only minor but he was dodging and evading her because he did not want to hit a girl. But still she had continued to target his arm, and it was getting worse. "How Christian of you to not even fight back against a sweet little girl."
"Innocent my ass…" Christian swore under his breath and looked around to see Trish by the door with Reno.
"Here kitty, kitty." Reno was toying with her as the cat jumped down and ferociously tried to back off Trish.
"Come on girl, please. I could never hurt you." Trish choked, the emotion more painful than the effective blows Reno was landing. "You have to remember me…"
"You're waiting your time!" Reno pointed and the cat jumped on Trish, tooth and claw.
"Ah!" Trish covered herself with her arms and staggered back and out the door. "No, get off please!" Trish shook herself and the cat flipped off, landing gracefully on the ground, hissing back at her. "I have to do something for you, I can't take it!" She shut her eyes, tears forming at the corners. HONK! "Huh?" Trish looked up to see a van plowing down towards them. "Oh no!" She turned to see the cat spitting at her from in the street. "No, look out, get out of the way!" She ran forward just as the cat saw her attack and leaped at her in attack mode. Trish cried out to her, "FIRE FLAME, BOOMERANG!" At that instant she grabbed her in midair and jumped out of the street just a split second before the van wised past them. "Oh wow, that was too close." She panted and then looked down at her hands. "Girl…?" The cat cooed up at her. "Ah, you… you're free, you remember me." Tears fell from her face. The cat purred and rubbed her head on her cheek, drying the relieved tears.
"Trish!" Kari called as they approached running down the street.
"Kari!" Trish turned to her as they arrived. "Oh, you're alright, thank God!"
"No time, let's get in there!" Chris rushed past them and inside, racing to the action.
"Here, I have a plan." Trish turned to Kari.
"Alright, you two stay out here where it's safe." Kari told Ash and Linda.
"Right." Ash nodded and watched the two run to the back of the building.
"We can get the drop on them, literally." Trish led Kari up the back stairs then they got in through a broken window to the attic. It was full of holes in the floor so they could see the action. "There's Chris."
"You hurt?" He asked Christian.
"Just my pride."
"You bitches." Chris growled at Reno and Cher. "I can hit girls, just ask. I have no dignity or self respect."
"Uh, that was a little too far…" Kari sighed to herself.
"Well, then we'll just have to aim for your heart and soul then." Reno balled up a fist, causing Chris to scoff back at her. "Snake eyes roll the dice, there's no time to think twice. Three bars in a game of chance, spin the wheel of fate and now let's dance!"
"Uh…." Chris was very confused.
"Don't make me sing 'I Got You Babe' now…" Cher warned.
"Whoa no!" Chris snarled and got into a fighting stance. The two girls giggled as they rushed from each side and grabbed an arm. "Hey…!"
"Two on one, it's hard to hit girls isn't it Chris?" Christian sighed with a slight grimace.
"Gotta do something to help…" Kari looked around and saw some sturdy beams. She walked along them like a cat.
"Kari." Trish gasped. "Be careful…!"
"Huh?" Chris looked up to see Kari perched above him and jump down.
"BANZAI!" She roared and fell on top of the girls, as well as Chris.
"Ah…" Chris groaned.
"Sorry…" Kari sat up, shoving the girls off of him and then standing up.
"That was dumb, how did you know I'd catch you?"
"You'd better have caught me!"
"Oh gees…" Trish sighed.
"Trish!"
"Huh?" She looked down to see Christian open his arms.
"Come falling into my arms, don't be afraid!" Christian didn't get anything except a piece of old wood to the head, courtesy of Trish Stratus.
Kari pushed the incapacitated twins aside as Chris stood up, "Come on out Ralph, I know you're here."
"You persistent fool." Ralph appeared from behind a wall.
"You'll pay for what you've done." Kari growled angrily.
"No wait." Chris held out a hand to stop her and stood before her, snarling with rage. "This is my fight, I will get revenge."
"You brought us all in this." Trish was bitter, holding her cat closely as she stood beside Christian.
"Chris, teach him to mind his own business and keep out of our lives." Christian said.
"Gladly." Chris smirked, crouched and poised for attack.
"So it all comes down to this. You, me, and a match." Ralph cracked his knuckles, flexing.
"Bring it on." Chris stepped forward.
Ralph circled Chris, "Now I'll show you why I should be the professional wrestler here…"
They ran into a grapple and the fight began, it wasn't so much a match as it was a battle. The battle was absolutely brutal, like a fight to the death, including slim to no wrestling maneuvers at all. Ash watched and cried out in shock until Linda pulled his face away, horror on her own face. Trish held onto Christian, both expressing grave worry for Chris's safety, especially when foreign objects made their way as weapons of mass destruction into the brawl.
"Come on Chris…" Kari growled, shivering slightly with fear but remaining strong to will Chris on. He was a tough fighter and didn't give up, finally Ralph ran out of steam and Chris took him down. But he didn't stop there, he was taking him out until he couldn't even move from the pain. "Chris, you did it!"
"Alright!" Christian cheered and Trish let out a sigh of relief.
"Yay Chris!" Ash turned back and Linda smiled slightly.
"Chris!" Kari ran over and hugged onto him as they both looked down at Ralph.
"Words cannot express my contempt towards you. You did something so foolish as to involve my friends in some stupid fatherly squabble from the past? Whatever happened, it happened, and I'm sorry. I can understand your pain, but at the same time I resent you for being so weak. Do you think you're the only person in the world who harbors grudges or feels the way you do? Then you're wrong." Chris looked at Kari, putting his right arm around her. "You endangered the lives of my friends, my co workers, and those that I love." He glared back down at Ralph. "And for that I cannot forgive you." He put his other hand on the cell phone in his pocket. "I'm going to turn you in." He let out a sigh, "You are, however, quite a fighter, I will give you that." He chuckled slightly and Ralph opened his eyes a bit. "I'm sorry we couldn't meet on other terms, and in the ring." His small smirk faded, "However, because of your actions, that may never be. Hopefully you can learn from the error of your ways and become a better person, and then, perhaps then, you can join me in the ring."
Ralph was silent for a moment, then choked out a response, "You, you really think that I'm that good…?"
Chris laughed, "Hell, you nearly killed me! You're an awesome fighter."
"People can change, Ralph." Kari cut in quietly. "I can sense things in people, and I don't sense evil in you. Just misunderstanding, misguidance, but the urge to achieve your dream, and the desire that will come from learning your way."
"Kari, thank you, and, I'm sorry."
"I know, it's alright."
Chris scoffed at her, "Feh, you almost let him off kinda easy." Kari just elbowed him.
The police soon came and arrested him, Linda filed a report with the sheriff while Ash enjoyed the lights and sirens. Trish and Christian sat outside on the curb playing with the cat. As everyone began to disburse, night settled in and things returned to normal, Chris and Kari watched almost proudly as the world was righted.
"I do feel a little bad though…" Kari finally broke the silence.
"What. About Ralph?" Chris smirked slightly.
"I mean, well I dunno, what if, right…? I mean there is still so much we don't know, and may never. Like your father's past with his father, and even if 'you know who' was the one who gave him that vile."
"I dunno, but it's done and over with and in the past. So, whatever…" Chris rolled his eyes.
Kari sighed, "And I want to thank you, for earlier."
"What? Oh, don't mention it… if anything I should thank you."
"You, do you really mean, what you said back there...?"
"What I said, where?" Chris blinked.
Kari frowned, "Oh come on, you don't remember?"
"Nope."
"Ugh…" She sighed. "You said that you cared for me and needed me. You wanted to be with me, you even used the, ah 'l' word."
"I said that?" Chris turned away with a blank stare. "Huh, think I'd remember something like that."
"What? I remember what I heard!"
"Are you sure? You could've had a fever and been seeing and hearing things."
"Grr, Chris Jericho…!" Kari growled.
"What?" He turned only to have Kari grab the ring around his neck and use it to throw him down.
"You son of a bitch!" She roared.
"Ow!" He fell onto his knees. "Hey watch it, that smarts…"
Kari growled and stormed off, passing Trish and Christian who looked up at her a bit baffled, but then smiled and chuckled at each other, realizing that indeed, finally, everything had gone back to normal.