Emma stood backstage that night, watching on the monitors as Eric and Immortal took over the ring. She couldn't help but roll her eyes as they clapped themselves on the back and threw their weight around by assigning near impossible matches for the other wrestlers.
Eric grinned, the very picture of arrogance, as he went on, "And you, Stinger. You coward."
The smile left him, instead being replaced with a sneer, "You no good son-of-a-bitch. How dare you barge into my office and make demands! How dare you try and tell me what to do with my own company! That's right, Stinger. My company. And it will always be my company! And another thing-"
Whatever else Eric was about to say was cut off as the lights in the Impact Zone suddenly went out. The fans began to cheer, some of them chanting Sting's name.
Emma leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she tried to see anything on the monitor. It was impossible. There was nothing but darkness. Giving up, she stepped back.
And backed into someone.
She quickly turned around and gasped slightly.
Sting looked down at her and grinned, "It's Showtime!"
And with that he took off down for the ring.
Emma focused her attention back on the monitor, apprehension welling up inside her as she waited. Whatever was going to happen, it was not going to be good.
Suddenly the lights came back and on there was Sting in the middle of the ring with his trademark baseball bat.
Before Immortal could do anything about it Sting started hitting them left and right. Bam! There went Bully Ray. Bam! Gunner was sent flying out of the ring. Bam! Scott Steiner fell to his knees. Bam! Jeff Jarrett went down like a sack of potatoes.
Sting turned around to find Eric cowering behind Karen Jarrett. She had her hands raised and offered a weak smile, begging for Sting to leave her alone. Sting took hold of Karen's arm and moved her out of the way. Now there was nobody standing between him and Eric.
Eric continued to cower in the corner, hands raised in surrender. He was stammering something but Emma couldn't hear him over the cheers of the crowd.
Sting took hold of Eric's hair and brought him out to the center of the ring. He straightened the smaller man and patted him on the back, grinning and saying something inaudible.
Eric looked up at him in worry, no quite sure what to think. But Sting made no move towards him. He just continued to pat the other man on the back. Eric's body started to relax as he began to let his guard down.
And it was at that moment that Sting punched in him the stomach. Before Bischoff could go down, though, Sting had him turned around and he gave him the Scorpion Death Drop right in the center of the ring.
Unexpectedly the lights went out again.
Emma watched with wide eyes, her hand to her mouth. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. And she couldn't help the tiny feeling of joy that came over her at seeing Eric get his.
The lights came back on and there laid Eric and Immortal, still dazed. Gunner climbed back into the ring as the rest of the faction staggered to their feet.
"Hey, Bishoff! Hey, Eric! Over here!" Sting's voice called out over the arena.
Immortal turned to the large monitor positioned over the ramp. There was Sting, laughing down at them.
"I don't know about you," he leaned in close to the camera, his eyes growing, "But I feel like painting the town red. Whaddya say?"
Instantly red paint descended from the ceiling to cover Bischoff and the rest of Immortal. The force of it was so great that it actually sent Eric to the canvas. The rest of Immortal tried to get out of the ring but they only ended up slipping and falling. Jeff crashed into Karen and both husband and wife fell onto their butts, Karen screaming like a banshee and trying in vain to get the red paint off of her.
Emma found herself smiling, thinking that it couldn't have happened to a nicer group of people.
She looked over her shoulder and saw a few of the wrestlers and crew watching the monitors and roaring with laughter.
She turned back to the screen and her smile immediately died. Eric had staggered to his feet, a dark look in his eyes. He was beyond enraged.
Seeing his expression instantly caused Emma to sober, dread beginning to tighten her chest. She knew Eric was going to take this out on someone. She just didn't know who.
"Boy is his face red." Sting's face suddenly appeared on her shoulder. He looked over at the monitor and laughed maniacally, "Actually so are his arms, his legs, his-'
Emma ducked away, spinning around to face him. She crossed her arms and glared up at him, shaking her head.
"Why did you have to provoke him?" she accused, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Sting pretended to think about it, rubbing his chin in feint deep thought.
"It was stupid." Emma argued, unimpressed with his childlike antics, "You've embarrassed him and now he's going to take it out on someone. Maybe even you. But you didn't you didn't think about that, did you?"
She threw up her hands in disgust and scoffed, "But what do you care so long as you get to play your idiotic jokes, right?"
"Sting! Sting, you freak!" Eric's voice screamed out from the monitor.
The pair turned to see that Bischoff had managed to get to his feet and was gripping the microphone tightly in his hand. He was furious.
"You've got a two-on-one match tonight with Bully Ray and Gunner!" Eric snarled, "I hope they tear you apart, you son-of-a-bitch!"
Surprisingly Sting appeared unafraid.
He turned back to Emma and smirked, "Guess the guy just can't take a joke, huh?"
And with that he actually bounded away, completely unaffected by Eric's announcement.
Emma could only shake her head. He was certifiable. Absolutely insane.
Eric and Immortal came storming backstage, red faced by more than just the paint. Bischoff spied AJ Styles and Matt Morgan snickering to one another. They spotted him but appeared unapologetic.
"You think this is funny?" he accused the two wrestlers. "Huh? You think this is all a big joke?"
AJ smirked as Matt shrugged, "It made me laugh."
"Oh, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it." Eric laughed coldly, "You want to know what I'm going to enjoy? I'm going to enjoy watching you two in a match tonight. Against Scott Steiner. And Abyss. And it's going to be a tables match."
AJ and Matt quickly sobered, glaring at Bischoff.
Eric started to make his way down the hall when he spotted a crew member making their way from the opposite direction.
It was Jack. He was in his late fifties and what with his round belly and snow white hair and beard he had affectionately earned the nickname "Santa". He certainly had the jolly attitude to match.
Eric blocked the man's path and growled, "How long have you been here,, Jack?"
"About seven years." Jack answered evenly. He couldn't stand the egotistical little dictator but he knew to keep his feelings to himself.
"And you've been head of the stage crew for how long?" Eric demanded to know.
"About five years." Jack told him slowly, suspicious of where the line of questions were going.
"So let me ask you this," Bischoff's voice began to gain volume with every word he spoke, "How is it you can be head of the stage crew for five years and not notice when someone puts paint up in the damned rafters!"
Before Jack could even speak Eric cut him off by jabbing his finger into the other man's belly and yelling, "You're fired!"
The backstage had gone silent during the tirade. So silent that everyone was able to hear the few gasps of alarm that came from the others over the horrible news.
Emma was stunned. Eric had just fired Jack of all people? Her surprise quickly gave way to anger as she turned away and shook her head in disgust. Unbelievable! He hadn't done anything wrong!
"Emma!" Bischoff's voice cut through the silence like a whip.
Emma quickly spun around to find Eric glaring over at her. Panic welled up inside her and she began to pray that she wasn't next on the chopping block.
Please, please don't do this, she silently begged, Please.
"Go get some towels and soap and water or paint remover or whatever and get this damned paint off!" Eric snapped.
Emma promptly spun on her heels and hurried off, more angry over what had been done to Jack than Eric's demands.
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It had taken some time, but she had finally finished her task. Immortal, as well as the ring, were now free from red paint.
She made her way out of the back entrance door, a plastic bag full of ruined towels in her hands. She rounded the corner, meaning to throw them away in the nearby dumpster. But she drew to a stop when she caught sight of Sting and Jack up ahead.
Though he was still donning his Insane Icon face paint Sting appeared to be very serious as he spoke to the older man.
"I'm sorry about what happened, Jack." he told him with a frustrated sigh, "I never expected Bischoff to take what I did out on you."
"Hey don't worry about it, Steve." Jack shook his hand and gave him a good natured smile, "It's not your fault Bischoff is a little weasel with a Napoleon complex."
"This isn't over." Sting assured him, vehement, "I promise you, I promise you, that you are going to get your job back. Things are going to change around here. I promise you."
He pulled out a slip of paper and a pen, jotting something down, "If you need anything you give me a call. I mean it. Anything."
Emma's hand found its way to her heart as she watched the scene. She had to admit, she was touched by what Sting was doing for Jack.
Maybe the Clown Prince has a heart and conscious after all, she thought in wonder.
Sting handed Jack the paper and shook his hand again. They told each other goodbye and Jack turned, climbing into his truck which was sitting nearby. It roared to life a few seconds later and Jack pulled out of the parking lot.
Sting waved after him until he was gone from view. Once he was gone his hand dropped and his shoulders slumped slightly. Angrily he kicked at a nearby rock and turned around to head back into the building.
He looked up and came to a stop as he spotted Emma. She had been watching him with a frown, but that frown quickly gave way to something like guilt as she realized that she had been spotted.
The young woman quickly dropped her eyes as she began to fiddle with the plastic bag in her small hands.
Sting began to make his way over to her and Emma noticed that the Insane Icon wasn't present. The man advancing on her was very serious.
At his somber demeanor Emma instantly felt nervous. The Insane Icon she could handle. Well, maybe just barely. But a serious Sting? That was unnerving to her.
Sting stopped before her, again a little too close for her liking. Emma found herself taking a step back and silently cursing herself, and him, for letting him intimidate her.
"Are you going to go running to your boss and tell him what I just told Jack?" he asked quietly.
Yeah, she was definitely nervous now. Yelling and raging she could deal with. But with him quiet like that, all tight control and leashed emotions. No, no that was definitely more frightening to her.
She actually had to take a moment to find her courage before she could speak.
"No." she told him honestly, "Why should I? It's none of mine, or Eric's, business if you tell Jack goodbye."
Sting blinked, a little thrown by that. He was also surprised by the twinge of pride he felt come over him.
Good girl, he thought, Good answer.
He instantly slipped back into joker mode as his expressions and voice became exaggerated, "Well I better go get ready. Got a little match I need to go take care of."
He laughed and began to bound back into the building.
Emma watched after him for a moment before she found herself calling after him, "Sting?"
Sting stopped and turned back to her, grinning wildly, "Yeeeees?"
"I. . ." Emma glanced down at her hands as she tried to figure out what she wanted to say to him.
She finally looked up at him, sincere, "Be careful."
Sting's grin widened as he promised, "Enjoy the show."
He unexpectedly started making his way back to her. Emma looked up at him in worry, as she was unable to read his face. But she didn't move. She felt frozen on the spot.
"One more thing." he murmured and suddenly reached behind her.
She felt him grab her clip and once more remove it, taking her hair down.
She closed her eyes and sighed in irritation, "I just put my hair back up."
"And I just took it back down." Sting replied, larger-than-life, before handing her the clip, "Ta ta for now."
And with that he was gone.
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Sting ducked under the clothesline Bully Ray almost hit him with. He came off the ropes and nailed the other wrestler with one of his own. Bully hit the canvas, dazed.
Emma watched on one of the monitors from backstage, hand to her throat and her eyes wide with worry.
She started to smile excitedly when Sting went for the pin. But she groaned as Gunner jumped into the ring and hit Sting on the back to break the count.
Sting got to his feet and turned to face the other wrestler, he and Gunner having words as the ref tried to make Gunner go back onto the apron. While that was going on Bully appeared to get his bearings and rise to his feet. He took off for Sting.
"No." Emma gasped, "No, Sting, look out!"
But it was too late. Bully hit Sting in the back, causing the other man to fall to one knee. Bully used that opportunity to pick him up and send him into the ropes. Gunner shoved the ref aside and hurried to Bully's side, the pair meaning to hit Sting as he came back to them.
But as he came running back he ducked under their outstretched arms and hit the ropes on the other side. As he came back Sting grabbed them both by the back of the head and slammed them to the mat.
Bully groaned and rolled away, falling off the apron onto the floor below.
Sting ignored him and turned his attention onto Gunner. Grabbing the man by the back of the head he brought him to his feet. But Gunner had a sudden burst of energy because he kicked Sting in the stomach.
Sting grunted and hunched over, trying to get his breath. Bully Ray slipped back into the ring at that moment, now holding a chair. The ref tried to take the chair away but Bully hit him, causing the smaller man to hit the canvas with a thud.
Gunner straightened and grabbed Sting, turning him around and holding his arms back. He yelled for Bully Ray to hit him with the chair.
Emma's other hand flew to her throat as she watched the monitor with wide eyes. She shook her head, fear coursing through her body.
"Please don't." she whispered, terrified, "Please don't."
Bully began to grin evilly as he raised the chair. His eyes were filled with bloodlust as he started to bring the deadly weapon down.
Suddenly Sting got loose and rolled away. Gunner had no time to move and the chair went crashing onto his head, knocking him out.
Bully quickly raised the weapon, alarmed over what had happened. He was frozen on the spot, unsure of what to do. He began to look up the ramp, as though waiting for something or someone. He turned his attention back to Gunner, calling out to see if he was okay.
Unexpectedly, Sting was back in the ring, his bat in his hand. He came up behind Bully and slammed the bat onto the chair, causing it to fly out of Bully's hands.
Bully's eyes widened in fear and he slowly turned around. But he had no time to react as Sting drove the end of the bat right into the other man's gut.
Bully fell back and rolled out of the ring. Gripping his stomach he hurried up the ramp, making sure to keep an eye on Sting the whole time.
Gunner began to come to and he blinked, looking around in wonder. Sting took notice of him and his expression became exaggerated as he slipped back into joker mode.
He swung the bat around, calling to Gunner. Gunner finally realized what was going on and he quickly rolled out of the ring, staggering away.
Sting's theme music began to play out over the arena as Sting leaned over the ring ropes and motioned for Bully and Gunner to come back into the ring, a maniacal grin on his face.
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Sting made his way through the backstage area shortly after the match, still keyed up from what had just happened.
His blood was racing and his energy was high. Given the chance he would have gone back in there and continued to mix it up with those two.
As he rounded a corner he ran into Emma. He instantly took hold of her arms to steady her and for once he noticed that she didn't pull away.
She looked up at him in concern and asked, "Are you all right? I saw what Bully and Gunner almost did and I. . ."
Her voice trialed off and she briefly glanced down at the floor before looking back up at him, "I hope you're okay."
"Aw, sweetheart!" Sting exclaimed, pulling her closer, "I didn't know you cared!"
Emma's eyes narrowed and she did pull away from him then. She promptly ducked around him and continued on up the corridor, calling over her shoulder in irritation, "I don't know why I even bother."
Sting watched after her, an uncharacteristic frown on his face. He didn't know why he always gave her a hard time.
No, that wasn't completely true. He did know why. He didn't understand why she was working for Bischoff. Nobody needed a job that badly.
He knew she had integrity. He had seen sparks of it time and time again from her. He just didn't get why she didn't use it. It frustrated him.
He ran a hand through his hair, thoughtful. Maybe he was wrong about her. Maybe she was just like Bischoff and the rest of his cronies.
He intended to find out.
