Rainbow Edge
A/N: So this chapter will cover the Super Showdown and the following Raw. Might I just say how bad-ass our boys looked coming down the stairs with those black masks? Especially Dean…good Lord I was fanning myself like a mini tornado lol. That man could make a paper sack look sexy I swear. Also…fair warning…there be much drama ahead lol.
Vampirezdarkgurl: Agreed. I love all three of my Shield boys, heel or face, together or apart. They were a great heel stable and I miss them being the badasses they were meant to be, especially Dean.
Brookeworm3: I'm quite the opposite and have no desire to have children and yet I've been told I'm very fertile so I'm just like…looking at the doctor like other people watch horror films lol.
DarkDragonessFlies: Finn and Dean are ties as my second favorite all-time wrestlers…Taker has top spot though and always will. To me those three are heels, yes, but I can't imagine that seeing a woman pass out from a panic attack would be something any of them could just ignore lol. I've been watching bits and pieces of the challenge but not the whole thing. Some of it's been pretty darn funny though. WWE needs to just toss out the strict scripting and let the wrestlers do what they do best, especially those who came up from the Indy circuit because they rock the mics.
Peace486: I can't wait either lol. I'm as clueless as you guys as to what happens next b/c I literally just go with the flow like Dean does in the ring lol. I'm loving Dean and Iris so much…I think she may be one of my favorite OC creations so far.
Chapter 10 – Unity and Love or More Cracks?
"Alright boys…what's the plan for tonight?"
"The plan is we go out there, we kick their asses, and then we go celebrate Darlin."
Iris face-palmed at Dean's response and looked at Seth, hoping he had a better plan than that…sadly he did not. Seth just shrugged at her like he was agreeing with Dean's plan.
"Right then…what happens if they isolate one of you from the other two?"
"We'll figure it out as we go Sweetheart…it's not like we haven't beaten worse odds before."
Dean could tell Iris was starting to get a little too upset in her worry so he pulled her into a toe-curling kiss to distract her…which, of course, worked like a charm and had Seth snickering at her dazed expression. They decided to make a little film, just like they used to, and have some recent match clips added into it with little film glitches and they did it in a darkened hallway to add to the effect.
"Ambrose."
"Iris."
"Rollins."
"Reigns…and we're still here."
Dean spoke next saying, "We are…the four workhorses…of Monday Night Raw."
Roman added on, "Our Yard."
Then Seth said, "We are…unbreakable."
Dean's next addition was, "We…are one."
Iris added her own two cents in saying, "We…are a family."
Roman finished it out by adding, "We…are the Shield. Believe that."
They watched the promo air and felt very satisfied with how well it had turned out, and Iris mentioned that they all looked pretty badass. The four of them moved as one to their entrance spot when it was time, the boys ignoring the fans as they got their heads into the game but Iris had to stop and hug each of the kids they passed by. Her love of the fans was one of the main reasons they all loved her back so much.
"Whatever happens Darlin…be careful alright?"
"You too Dean. All of you…please be careful out there?"
"We will Sweetheart."
"Of course Babygirl."
"I'm always careful Darlin."
Dean received three identical looks of disbelief over that statement and he just shrugged with a chuckle because they all knew that was a lie. When their music hits the Shield enters down the stairs in their usual gear with the addition of solid black masks on their faces and Dean has a hood up, eerily similar to another entrance many years ago. Iris keeps getting distracted by the sight of Dean in that mask and hood, looking all dangerous and bad-ass, and she's positive he's smirking at her from underneath the mask because she can see the smug glint in his eyes.
The boys climb onto the apron of the ring, surrounding the three men inside, and remove their masks while Iris goes to stand close to the announcer's table for safety reasons. They climb into the ring and all hell breaks loose as Roman goes after Braun and Seth knocks Dolph out of the ring before going to help Dean with Drew. Soon enough Drew is outside the ring as well and the Shield gangs up on Braun. They get Braun outside the ring and Dean clears off the announcer's table, preparing for a Triple Power-bomb that doesn't happen because Dolph and Drew get involved.
Dolph gets Seth back into the ring and starts beating on him as the official rings the bell, then tags in Drew after he and Braun are done beating down Roman and Dean. The three men keep Seth in their corner and make frequent tags in and out to take turns beating him down. Dean is bouncing and seething in the Shield's corner after getting back up onto the apron while Roman is glaring and wanting desperately to save Seth. Iris is standing by Dean's feet, watching and worrying over Seth's well-being as he takes one nasty hit after another.
At one point Drew stretches Seth's arm out in the middle of the ring, taunting Dean and Roman with being unable to make the tag and help him but stops when he sees the tears forming in Iris's eyes and realizes she's getting upset over it. Later on Braun knocks Dean and Roman off the corner to prevent Seth from tagging either of them and Seth is once again isolated in the center of the ring. Drew drives Roman into the steel steps while Dolph drives Dean into the barricade until the ref catches onto them and starts giving them warnings to get back to their side of the ring. Iris kneels at Dean's side to try and get him back on his feet to be available for Seth to tag if he gets the chance and realizes that the attack has brought Mox out to the front and he's seething in anger.
Braun actually climbs up onto the top of the turnbuckle and jumps, while Iris stares in open-mouthed shock at seeing a man that big try to pull a high-flyer's move, aiming to land on poor Seth but Seth is barely able to roll out of the way in time. This gives Seth the time he needs to get to the corner where Mox has finally gotten back up, with Iris's help, and is able to make the tag just as Dolph tags in as well.
Mox unloads on Dolph, still angry for all of the mind games Dolph had tried to pull on him recently, and face plants him into the mat but Dolph kicks out of the pin attempt. At one point the two collide in mid-air while attempting the cross body move on each other, making Iris wince in sympathy and try to assess the damage done from outside the ring…all the while Drew watches her for signs of stress or panic. Dolph manages to tag in Drew who tries to keep Mox from getting to Roman, but he finally gets Drew down long enough to tag Roman into the match.
Roman seems to dominate drew but Drew does manage to get a boot to Roman's face. Roman counters that by trying to Superman Punch Drew but Drew moves and Roman punches Mox instead, knocking him off the apron and into the barricade while Iris starts to panic a bit. Roman power-bombs Drew and goes for the pin but Dolph breaks it, then Seth gets back into the mix by taking out Dolph and then all hell breaks loose with Seth and Roman taking the other team out momentarily. Iris is fussing over Mox who eventually manages to get his head back in the game and gives her a sweet kiss to reassure her that he's fine.
As Roman and Seth get back to their feet Braun, Drew, and Dolph surround them on the ring apron just like the Shield has always done to their enemies. Mox climbs up onto the fourth side, looking around at the enemy and his brothers with Iris standing by his feet looking up at him with a concerned and slightly panicky expression. Roman and Seth look nervous for a moment as Mox just looks around rubbing his beard, but then he charges through the ring to take out Braun. Again all hell breaks loose with the Shield dominating the other men in the ring until Drew is surrounded by them. When they get Drew up for the Triple Power-Bomb Braun spears all three of them at once and takes them all out.
Braun knocks Seth out of the ring, then knocks Roman to the outside, leaving Mox on his own as Dolph and Drew slide in like a pair of snakes. Braun leaves the ring and runs full-speed into Roman, then does the same to poor Seth, nearly flipping him a full 360 degrees. Dolph tries to pin Mox but he's still aware enough to kick out, making Iris cheer for a moment until Braun screamed at Dolph loud enough for the in-ring microphones to hear him loud and clear.
"Throw him out on the floor, I'll run his ass over!"
"NO!"
Dolph does exactly that, ignoring the loud scream from Iris as he tosses Mox through the ropes and out onto the floor at ringside. As Mox uses the steel steps to get himself up Braun charges at him, Iris watching in horror while Drew prepares to grab her if he needs to, but Roman comes flying out of nowhere with a massive spear to Braun that takes them both through the barricade. Iris runs to check on Roman as Dolph hits Mox with a super kick and then he and Drew roll him back into the ring. Once Iris is sure Roman is just winded, and probably a bit bruised, but not broken she turns back to the ring to see Drew and Dolph getting ready to do their combination move of Claymore kick and Zig Zag on Mox. Thankfully Seth kicks Drew out over the ropes but then Dolph super kicks Seth. Iris moves to check on Seth, who is pretty dazed, when Dolph turns around right into a Dirty Deeds by Mox who pins him for the win. As he gets up Mox's shoulder rolls and dean takes over again so Mox can go calm himself back down a bit.
Seth manages to use the ropes to pull himself into a seated position on the apron while Iris fusses over him for a moment. Dean makes his way past them while Seth smirks and laughs as he hugs Iris and kisses her forehead in a brotherly gesture. Dean goes over to Roman help him stand up, slinging one of Roman's arms over his own shoulders to take some of his weight while Seth comes to the other side of Roman and does the same. When they reach the ring Seth grabs his and Roman's title belts and then Roman leans himself against the ring for a breather. Seth hops up to sit on the apron next to Roman and Dean comes over to wrap his arms around Seth's head and plant a kiss to Seth's hair, which gets him a happy grin from Seth. Dean wraps an arm around Iris, pulling her into his side so he can lean down to kiss her softly. Roman and Seth put their fists out and Dean points to his own fist before joining it with theirs, and the three men then look at Iris with identical raised eyebrows which makes her giggle happily before adding her own small fist to the mix.
They help each other backstage and back to the hotel where they all collapse onto the sofa in Iris and Dean's room for a bit while she tends to their various injuries. Aside from a lot of bruising they seem to be unharmed which makes her breathe a sigh of relief. At this point Jon take over and pulls Iris onto his lap, nuzzling into her neck and planting tiny little kisses to the skin under his lips.
"Dean…"
"Not Dean, Baby."
"Jon…You ok?"
"We're all good Baby. Mox is still a little riled up but he'll settle down in a bit."
"Oh…maybe I can help him with that?"
Roman and Seth shared a look, Seth's eyes widening as Mox came out with a wicked little smirk playing on his lips.
"Nope…oh no you don't. We're still in the room guys."
"You can leave Seth…door's right over there."
"Really man? You can't keep it in your pants for a little while so we can all relax?"
"Nope. Not when I've got this gorgeous creature offering herself up to me…and just where do ya think you're goin Princess?"
Iris had left Mox's lap and fished something out of one of her bags before darting into the bathroom, leaving Mox to stare longingly at the door while Roman and Seth laughed at him.
"You've got it bad Uce."
"I know…wouldn't change it for the world though."
His brothers teased him a bit more until they heard the bathroom open and then none of them were laughing anymore. Roman raised an eyebrow at Iris, standing there completely unashamed in the doorway while Seth turned bright red as his jaw nearly unhinged itself. She had on a tight black lace dress that barely covered her ass and showed off her cleavage, underneath the black lace they could see little hints of the red lace lingerie she wore. Mox damn-near swallowed his tongue before launching himself from the couch and punning her against the wall with a low growl.
"I think you've been a bad influence on her Uce…"
"Roman…I think we need to leave now before clothes start flying…"
Roman looked at Mox's roaming hands and decided Seth was probably right…Mox wasn't going to wait much longer for them to leave and he honestly wouldn't be shocked if Mox tried to have sex right in front of them…she'd probably kick his ass for it after the fact but Mox would not really be bothered. Roman and Seth had barely close the door to their room behind them when they heard her laughing screams as Mox did who knows what to her in there.
"So…what do we do now? We both know sleep ain't gonna happen until Mox is out for the count."
"Movie?"
"Deadpool?"
"Yeah, sure Babyboy…knock yourself out."
Seth cheered and ran for his suitcase but Roman grabbed him around the waist with one arm and hauled him back before pushing him towards the bathroom.
"Shower first…movie after."
Seth pouted at him but a raised eyebrow had him heading to the bathroom, grumbling the entire way. Roman shook his head with a low, rumbling laugh.
"I work with children cleverly disguised as mature adults."
While Seth showered Roman called his wife to check up on her and their daughter and updated her on Iris and the boys. Galina had all-but adopted Iris and loved to mother her, Seth, and Dean whenever possible…though Dean rarely allowed it Seth seemed to blossom and preen like damned peacock under the attention. Iris was usually fine with it but sometimes she seemed to feed off of Dean's mood and let Seth take the full force of the mothering…which, again, Seth adored.
When Seth finally came out of the bathroom with his favorite towel tied around his waist Roman went in to take his turn. Seth travelled with his own towel and washed it whenever he did his laundry because he said hotel towels were always too scratchy for his skin…which usually ended up with Dean teasing him for being such a girl…and that usually led to the two of them brawling on the floor like a couple of kids on a playground until Roman broke them up.
By the time Roman was out of the shower Seth had changed into his pajama pants and was curled up on the sofa with the movie primed and ready to go. Roman huffed softly at him and ruffled his hair before slipping into his own pajama pants and sprawling across the other end of the sofa. By the time the credits were rolling both men were asleep with Roman's head topped back against the back of the sofa and Seth curled up with his head on Roman's thigh.
This was how Iris and Dean found them the next morning and Iris snapped a photo of them because they were just too adorable not to. Dean decided to be a little shit and slammed the door behind him which startled Seth enough that he yelped and ended up on the floor while Dean laughed at him. Roman was pinching the bridge of his nose while Iris patted his shoulder as Dean and Seth rolled around on the floor. Iris finally put a stop to it with two well-worded threats that had both men freezing before releasing each other as though they'd been burned.
"Dean…if you don't stop you're not getting sex for the next forty eight hours and Seth…You will not be allowed to Crossfit in that time frame either."
"Damn Babygirl…where were you the last five years I was putting up with this?"
"In Canada, training to be able to get here. So, any ideas on how tonight will go down?"
"They might leave us alone but I doubt it. Dolph lost the match to dean so the other two might be angry with him for that…or they might attack us…again. No telling how it might go down Sweetheart."
"He's right Darlin…but no matter what we'll protect you. All of us."
"I know that. I'm more worried about you guys getting hurt again…that was torture to watch."
"Come here Darlin…we'll be fine…promise. They can't ever keep us down for long."
The three stayed in their hotel suite until they had to head to the arena for the show. Iris ended up snapping at one of the backstage techs so bad that the guy went wide-eyed and backed away with his hands up while Dean rubbed her arms to calm her back down.
"Sorry about that man…her nerves are still a bit shot from last night and worrying about what'll happen tonight. You ok?"
The tech nodded at Seth and said he understood and everything was fine. Seth and Roman heard something slam into the closed locker room door where dean had taken Iris and decided catering was probably the safer option at that particular moment. They gathered some water and snack for later and by the time they got back Iris was calm again, her head on Dean's lap while his fingers played with her hair.
"You ok now Babygirl?"
"Yeah…sorry…just worried…"
"We get it Sweetheart. Dean's snapped often enough and he's a lot scarier…well…Mox is anyway."
Iris's little giggle made Seth beam with pride as he sat nearby, Roman doing the same, and they turned on the monitor in the room so that whenever they were in the room they could see what was happening in the ring.
The show starts with Hunter and Shawn going out to the ring together and Hunter talks about climbing the mountain and then getting hit by an avalanche at the summit.
A clip of photos is shown from Super Show-Down where Hunter had made his match with the Undertaker a no DQ match…and won. After the match he showed respect to Taker by helping him up and holding his hand in the air but then Kane and Taker turned on Hunter and Shawn leaving them battered and angry. Taker tombstoned Hunter and then choke-slammed Shawn through the announce table before walking up the ramp with Kane.
Hunter then starts ranting about respect and how it's lost its meaning and Shawn then talks about how the flight from Melbourne to Chicago is "A long frickin way" and that it's a long time to think about the last 8 and a half years and all that happened in that time frame. The two men then lay down a challenge for the Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel and announce the return of DX before ripping their shirts off to reveal their new DX shirts. The fans cross their arms in unison with DX as the two men climb onto the turnbuckles and do their signature crotch chops with crossed arms.
"Well damn…I did NOT see that one coming boys."
"Were you ever backstage with DX Sweetheart?"
"A few times…it was never boring I can tell you that much…those two used to pull all kinds of shit on Vince and anyone else they found slightly irritating."
"But they got old so they mellowed out or something right Darlin?"
"I wouldn't call them old to their faces Dean…it would be rude."
Dean just shrugged at her, completely unrepentant, as they watched Bobby Lashley apparently make a heel turn by attacking Kevin Owens and trying to injure his knee even though he'd won the match.
The WWE World Cup is announced for Crown Jewel and…surprise surprise…John Cena doesn't have to qualify and is automatically in because he's such an important guy. Iris rolls her eyes and Seth is making faces at the TV which has her leaning into Dean while giggling. The other three men from Raw have to qualify for it and there will also be 4 from Smackdown. It is announced that Corbin will have a Global Battle Royal to pick the first qualifier sometime that night. One of the backstage Interviewers, Kayla, is shown with Bayley and Finn Balor and Iris sits up to pay attention.
"Finn, Bayley…tonight you have a rematch from this past week's Mixed Match Challenge when you face Mahalicia. Now you two have shown great teamwork, but are you worried that with another opportunity Jinder and Alicia may have had the chance to get on the same page?"
Finn "Same page? I don't even think they're on the same planet right now."
Bayley "I mean, individually they're both tough competition but…when they're together…I don't know…they're too worried about whose gonna wear the captain's hat, rather than figuring out how to beat us. Cuz Finn and I are like…two peas in a pod?"
Finn "We're like Peanut Butter and Jelly."
Bayley "We're like Batman and Robin."
Finn "Wait, whose Batman?"
Bayley "We're both Batman."
Finn "I like that."
Iris is laughing at the two and their little exchange until Lio Rush interrupts the interview chanting Lashley's name over and over and then going on about how Lashley should be the one being interviewed instead…even going so far as to say his mouth with Lashley's muscle is "too sweet" and stealing Finn's catch phrase.
"What an asshole…he's the reason Bobby's turned from the sweet guy he was into…that thing."
"Easy Babygirl…little man might be easy for you to take out but he's got big muscles there as backup."
"You don't think I could take Lashley, Roman?"
"Honestly? I think even I might have a tough fight with that one…he could benchpress you…hell…I could benchpress you Babygirl."
"We should test that out next time we're at the gym…"
The three men looked at her funny but Dean shrugged and said it might be entertaining. Elias goes out to do his usual song thing but is interrupted, as usual, by Rhonda Rousey. Elias leaves and the Bellas join Rhonda in the ring then Riott Squad comes out next, having demanded a rematch with them, and they all look pissed off. Brie and Liv start off and Brie goes for the Yes kicks again but Liv explodes like a little fireball and starts beating the hell out of Brie until her partners pull her back.
"Clearly Liv is not about to allow a repeat of the last time she and Brie were in the ring together. Can't say I blame her really."
The boys nodded their agreement to Iris's little comment while Sarah tags herself in as Rhonda does the same for her team. Nikki and Ruby end up facing off next, then Brie tags in and goes for her "Brie Mode" thing but Sarah and Liv pull Ruby out of the ring, then Ruby pulls Brie out and attack her with an STO Takedown before rolling her back into the ring.
Liv tags in and starts unloading kicks on Brie in her team's corner and screams at the ref when he tells her to back off but gets one last big kick in before tagging Sarah. Sarah howls like a wolf before hitting Brie with a running knee but Brie kicks out of the pin attempt. Sarah tags Liv back in and Liv gets a good hard kick to Brie's head but Brie kicks out again so Liv tags in Ruby who kicks Brie in the chest…but she kicks out yet again. Brie tries to drive Ruby into her team's corner but Ruby knocks her down, then knocks Nikki off the apron. Rhonda gets into the ring but the ref gets in her way. Sarah and Liv take advantage of the Ref's distraction to attack Brie but are out on the apron by the time the Ref turns back around.
"Oh…that was a good bit of teamwork right there Darlin…reminds me a bit of us actually."
"They are basically the female version of you three…Sarah is Roman, Ruby us Dean, and Liv is Seth."
They all looked like they wanted to argue the point but honestly…she wasn't really that far off if they really thought about it…but Seth still pouted at being compared to the one with pink hair and a blue tongue. Brie knocks Sarah and Liv off the apron and hits a Missile Drop-kick on Ruby which gives her the chance to tag Rhonda. Rhonda drops Ruby, knocks Liv and Sarah off the apron just as they climb back up, and then kicks out of the roll-up Ruby puts her into. Rhonda starts to position Ruby for the arm bar, Liv and Sarah try to come in and interfere but the Bella's pull them back from either side of the ring. Rhonda locks in the Arm bar and Ruby taps.
The Bellas hug and celebrate with Rhonda and then attack her, leaving Rhonda hurt and confused at the betrayal everyone else saw coming from the start. Rhonda gets mad and starts fighting back but Brie drives her into the ring post and the two on one attack continues. Several Refs come out to try and stop the Bellas but it's not doing much good and they throw Rhonda into the steel steps, then into the barricade. They drag her into the ring by her hair and leave her lying in the center, Nikki putting her foot on Rhonda's back before dropping her title over her back and leaving the ring. Nikki even rips a fan's sign out of her hands and tosses it to the side, showing a complete lack of respect for the people who made her and Brie as popular as they had been.
"I told you guys this was going to happen sooner or later. The Bellas have a history of turning on those they call their "friends" and most of us know better than to trust them. I'm kind of surprised Nattie didn't really warn Rhonda…but then again…she is part of their "Total Divas" thing. I wish they would do something shocking and…I don't know…maybe NOT turn into whiny little bitches when someone else is the center of attention besides them.."
The boys wisely kept their mouths shut so as not to aggravate her further as she ranted about the Bellas…clearly not a fan of the Barbie Twins, as Dean called them. That seemed to amuse Iris and she settled into his arms to watch Finn and Bayley take on Mahalicia.
"James Dean cool, John Wayne tough" is how Michael Cole describes Finn Balor on commentary and Iris ends up in a giggle fit over that, resolving to tell Finn about it later on just to watch him blush as Bayley teases him over it.
Bayley enters first and then when Finn comes out he coaxes her into doing his arm raises with him, much to the delight of the screaming fans. They do it again when they get into the ring with Finn sitting on the turnbuckle with Bayley standing in front of him. Mahalicia comes in next and from the look on Alicia's face they are clearly STILL not on the same page as a team. At one point Finn holds Bayley up so she can kick Jinder in the face a couple times then lifts her again so she do a head-scissors take-down that rolls Jinder out of the ring.
"Aww…how adorable is that?"
"Really Darlin?"
"What? He helped her get some air to give some great kicks…it's cute don't argue with me."
Bayley and Alicia go at it and Alicia tries to keep her from tagging Finn so she send her out of the ring…then Alicia comes back at her and Bayley sends her out the other side of the ring before tagging Finn into the match. Finn eventually hits his Coup-de-gras and pins Jinder for the win. Finn and Bayley hug and throw their arms up to Finn's music in celebration.
The two join the Shield backstage in their locker room where Iris hugs them both and congratulates them. She tells Finn what Michael Cole said about him and, just as she'd hoped, Bayley started teasing him and his ears turned red along with his cheeks…which had both girls cooing at him for being adorable while the other three men in the room just laughed at his discomfort.
Braun, Dolph, and drew are shown backstage where Dolph is making excuses for the Super Show-Down loss and starts telling Braun and Drew what they need to do to win and Drew snaps at him, ending by telling him he's sick of him trying to call the shots and that he lost the match, not them, and that he needs to start worrying about pulling his own weight. Braun snaps at both of them and says he's tired of their bickering and that they need to remember they're only there to help him win the Universal Title because that's what's best for all of them and he doesn't want to hear any more excuses from either of them. At this point Bayley and Finn quietly snuck out of the room seeing how agitated the Shield was getting and wanting to be far away from any potential explosions.
Then it was time for Corbin's little Global Battle Royal where the winner gets an immediate entry into the WWE World Cup at Crown Jewel. Corbin comes out and runs his mouth as usual, whining about the fans booing him and then puts himself into the Global Battle Royal match…big surprise…not.
"Now I know all of your probably know every one of their names…but I'm gonna just tell you them to make sure."
As Corbin introduced each of his "competitors" Iris followed it up with her own comments about the guy and a few of them had her boys in stitches.
"Representing Russia…we have Gregor, the sicko, Falcon."
"Slightly intimidating with his blank stare and the crossed arms…doesn't look too smart though."
"From Egypt…The Sultan of Shwarma."
"Aside from the stupid name…what the hell happened to his head? Did he stick his dick in a power outlet?" This one had Seth choking on his laughter.
"Now from Mexico we have…El Hombre sin Nombre."
"The sombrero is a nice touch…mask isn't too bad…and the fans seem to like him."
"From Poland…Stanilaus the Squeezer."
"He's a skinny little thing…doubt he'll be much of a challenge in there."
"From Chille…the cruel…the cunning…Chilean Sea Bass."
"I'm sorry…the what? How in the fuck is a SEA BASS in any way intimidating? What are you gonna do smack someone in the face with your ass like a fish?" This one had Roman on the floor.
"All the way from Antarctica…Doctor Winston von Voorheez."
"I don't buy that for one second…and honestly…Voorheez? Like no one is going to know where he pulled that last name from?"
"Representing Belgium…Franz the Belgian Waffler."
"Oh for the love of…who the hell come up with these ridiculous names? The Belgian Waffler? That's terrifying…really…"
"Spain's greatest Champion…The Conquistador."
"Oh that gold bodysuit is not a good look on you man…I feel so bad for him…Addie wore that outfit once to attack someone…it was funny as all hell but he said the suit was hot and itchy and his skin was red for the next couple of days after and poor Christian wasn't much better off." Dean cracked up laughing at that mental image.
"Now this next guy…I cannot believe he is here…it is amazing. From Luxenburg…he is the master of the Bronze Claw…Thunder Montgomery."
"Oh dear Lord Almighty…someone please just end the torture already…"
"Now, representing the United States…Myself! Baron Corbin!"
"Oh now there's a shocker…honestly he needs to be more creative once in a while…he's getting far too predictable now."
As the bell rings the men all surround Corbin but he throws them off and the Conquistador in his gold suit rolls out under the bottom rope and just sits against the ring post looking bored while Corbin starts eliminating everyone else. Iris is laughing at seeing him just sitting there doing nothing while Corbin does all the work.
"That's a smart man right there. Let someone else do all the work while you just relax and take a break."
The Waffler goes over the top rope first, then the Russian, the doctor goes over next, followed shortly by the Mexican, next up is the Sea Bass, then its Egypt, then Poland. The last in the ring with Corbin is Montgomery who tries to put his 'claw' on Corbin's face but he too is sent over the top rope to the floor leaving Corbin standing alone…but the Conquistador was never eliminated.
Corbin starts celebrating and seems confused when the Ref doesn't ring the bell but then realizes the golden guy was still in the match. Goldie wraps his arms around Corbin's middle and starts hitting him with one German Suplex after another, a total of three of them. Iris sits up straight and leans towards the TV as the boys wonder what the heck got her exited all of a sudden.
"Wait a second…I only know one man who pulls off a German Suplex like that…"
"What are you thinkin Darlin?"
He hits Corbin with another Suplex type move and then send him over the top rope to the floor and wins the match. The Conquistador celebrates in the ring by a bit and then stands at the ropes, looking down at Corbin's face full of disbelief as he peels off his mask to reveal Kurt Angle as his music starts playing instead of the fiesta music. Corbin starts screaming No and throwing a tantrum at ringside while Iris starts laughing and cheering. The boys look a tad bewildered and also a bit amused by her excitement. Kurt has a brief interview with Charly, saying he's technically still on vacation, before leaving the arena via a ramp in the back meant for vehicles.
Nia Jax has a match Ember Moon and Ember wins, but the two had become good friends so Nia holds Ember's arm up and the two share a brief friendly hug as they leave the ring with Nia patting Ember's head a bit.
Iris starts cheering when Trish Stratus comes out to a standing, and screaming, ovation from the fans. She talks about the All Women's pay-per-view, Evolution. Starts bad-mouthing her opponent Alexa Bliss who she calls, little miss brat, but Alexa comes out to interrupt her with Mickie James at her side. Trish counters by insulting Alexa's height. Alexa starts off seeming sincere in her praise of Trish and how she grew up watching her then ends it by saying Trish sucked. Trish challenges Alexa to a match right then and there but Mickie stops them saying Chicago doesn't deserve it. Mickie ends up suggesting that she and Alexa both take on Trish who looks exited by the idea of a Tag Match. When Trish points to the stage and Lita comes out to a huge ovation from the crowd Iris growls so loudly that Seth stares at her with wide-eyed fear for a second. Alexa and Mickie try to go after the other two but Trish and Lita turn the tables and dominate them until they leave the ring.
Iris and the boys head to an unused room where a camera is waiting for them, filming the floor as a pair of black boots come into view followed by a second pair. The camera is lifted up to show the Shield and Iris as they start to speak.
Seth "They tried to break us."
Dean "We don't break."
Roman "What you need to understand…is we're not an alliance…we're not a friendship…we're a Brotherhood."
Iris "We're a family."
Dean "Braun, Ziggler, McIntyre…maybe you think…you're vicious…maybe you think…you've done some ruthless things…well make no mistake about it…you are not the bad guys."
Seth "We…are the bad guys."
Iris "And girl…"
Dean "You're not a bad girl Darlin…"
Roman "It doesn't matter if we're in Melbourne…or Chicago. When the three of them go against the three of us the story stays the same."
Seth "We don't bend…we don't crack…we don't stop. We are…the one…true…constant."
Dean "We…are the Hounds of Justice."
Iris "We are…unbreakable and unshakeable."
Roman "We…are the Shield. Believe That."
The camera is thrown to the ground and four sets of black boots are seen leaving the room. As they head back towards their locker room Iris runs into Trish and the one person she'd hoped to never see again…Lita. Lita attempted to speak to Iris but Iris shut her down harshly.
"Iris…sweetie…I've missed you. We should…"
"No. No, no, no Lita. You do NOT get to come strolling back into the WWE thinking you can come anywhere near me after everything you did. You seduced my brother, broke up his marriage…and you know what? I could have forgiven all of that. What I can't forgive is what you did to ME! You tried to turn my own brother against me. You knew he was all I had back then, that he was my whole fucking world…but you just couldn't be satisfied unless you had all of his attention on you all the time. He refused to send me away though so you got desperate…and you got stupid…and you attacked me in the parking lot during a show…but I didn't know it was you because you attacked me from behind like a coward. You beat me so badly that I was unconscious and you just left me lying there in the snow to freeze to death. I got lucky that Taker decided to take a walk later that evening and found me there…otherwise I might not have made it thanks to you. I was already hypothermic and starting to bruise up and Taker didn't even bother waiting for an ambulance. He just loaded me into his rental and drove me to the hospital himself where the doctor said I was lucky to even be alive. When I finally recovered and came back to the arena you acted like you cared and wanted to help me but Skittles found the recording from the parking lot with help from a tech backstage…and he showed it to me…and then to Addie. Didn't you ever wonder why my brother suddenly wanted nothing to do with you off-screen? Why he became so cold towards you? Well, now you know. I will give you one…and only ONE…warning. Stay the hell away from me…stay away from my boys…or I will bury you with everything I have in me. Are we clear?"
The boys and Trish just stared in open-mouthed shock, and in Trish's case horror, at the words that spewed from Iris's mouth like a waterfall of anger and hate that had been held in for far too many years. Lita had dropped her ehad, ashamed of how she'd acted in the past and she offered Iris an apology that may as well have been spoken to a deaf person because Iris had no reaction to it whatsoever. Lita finally relented under Iris's withering and enraged stare and agreed to stay away from her and the Shield, and added that she'd stay away from Edge if he came by the arena while she was there also. Iris gave a sharp nod and stormed past Lita and into the Shield's locker room, Seth was right on her heels but stumbled back out as things started flying.
"Uh…I think she's a bit…pissed off…Dean…you're the only one that can get through to her when she gets like this…"
"I'll take care of her in a sec Seth…let her throw things for a bit. As for you…Lita…you come near her again and she won't be the only one you'll have a problem with…got it?"
Lita nodded sharply and Dean slipped into the room to try and calm his raging girlfriend. Roman and Seth waited outside, leaning against the wall opposite the door until whenever Dean came to tell them she was calm again. Trish dragged Lita away to have a very long talk and Lita was not looking forward to it one bit. When dean finally came out of the room he looked a little battered but he was grinning like his usual lunatic self.
"Babygirl ok now Uce?"
"Yeah…Princess is calm again…think I might be limping to the ring later though."
"The hell happened man?"
"She kneed me in the nads Seth…teach my ass to guard the groin next time…"
Roman and Seth were trying valiantly not to laugh at Mox's pain but Seth lost the battle first with Roman following shortly behind him while Mox flipped them both off and called them assholes. They all settled back into their usual places in front of the TV as a replay of the Bellas betraying Rhonda is shown and it is confirmed that Rhonda will face Nikki for the Women's title at Evolution in a move that shocked nobody, and it is also confirmed that Trish and Lita will face Alexa and Mickie at Evolution. Iris lets out a small growl at seeing Lita's face on the screen but settles back down when Mox's fingers start running through her hair.
The next thing to be shown is a recap of the Super Show-Down match between Taker and Hunter and then a replay of Hunter's Are You Ready speech and the return of DX. Confirmation of the match between DX and the Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel is given and a video package is shown highlighting some of DX's hilarious antics over the years…including when they slimed the Spirit Squad in the ring and yanked the Axel off of Vince's limo. The video package had the boys nearly crying with laughter and Seth made the comment that they were hysterical back in the day. They head to their usual entrance position at the top of the arena and wait for the perfect moment.
Paul Heyman comes out to the stage and runs his mouth saying he's here to watch the fight between the Shield and their enemies. He says he's here to see a fight, to see some legalized thuggery as the Dogs of War and the Shield fight, but he finds it quite ironic that 72 hours ago, Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman beat the high holy living crap out of each other in Australia, and flew 20 hours to get here just to beat the high holy living crap out of each other again, because that's what we do in WWE, seven days a week and twice on Sunday. He says that meanwhile, Brock Lesnar is at home eating a home-cooked meal and training at the gym he designed for the specific purpose of becoming the very first two-sport concurrent champion in UFC and WWE. He says Brock is the only individualist who wants to win the title, because both Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman are parts of a team, whereas Lesnar says "me, me, me", and that's why he's going to win the Universal Championship back in Saudi Arabia.
Iris gives the signal and the Shield's music comes across the speakers as she and the boys hit the stairs, coming down to the ring while Heyman looks like a nervous rabbit on the stage. Iris remains outside the ring and the "Dogs of War" come out next, seemingly united again.
Seth and Drew start off the match, Seth dropping to the mat to avoid one clothesline and then jumping over Drew to avoid a second one. Dean tags in and he goes after Drew but Drew tags in Braun who steamrolls Dean. Dean ends up in a corner with Seth chanting "watch, watch out, watch out" until Dean dodges Braun's run and tags Roman in, causing Iris to breathe a sigh of relief. Braun spears Roman and gets him into his team's corner before tagging in Dolph. The Shield comes in as a unit and sends Dolph and Drew over the top rope before facing down Braun. Braun hops off the apron and starts yelling at his team mates to "Get your crap together" which, despite making Drew look like he's seething, seems to get them all back on the same page. Braun choke slams Roman onto the edge of the apron and takes control of the match before tagging Dolph back in while Iris gets Roman back on his feet. Roman manages to get a good hard uppercut on Dolph who rolls to tag Braun back in.
Braun runs at Roman from the opposite corner but Roman moves so he slams full speed into the turnbuckle. Braun is back in the game before Roman can make a tag but Roman lifts him up for a Samoan drop and tags Seth in just as Braun tags in Dolph. Seth is dominating Dolph while Dean and Iris are on the floor trying to get Roman back up and running again. Seth pulls a Buckle Bomb on Dolph and goes for the pin but Drew breaks it up only to get speared by Dean who starts punching him anywhere he can reach and then hurls him over the top rope while Iris cheers him on.
Braun grabs Dean by the throat and then gets Seth too, but Roman Superman Punches Braun which forces him to let go of them. Dean runs at him and lands both feet into Braun's chest then Seth comes in with a big kick and knocks him down out of the ring. Dean starts bouncing on his feet and then Seth catches on and does the same, looking like a pair of hyperactive rabbits, before they run to the opposite side of the ring and then fly back through the ropes in a Suicide Dive onto Dolph and Drew. Braun grabs Seth and Dean by the backs of their necks but Roman flies over the top rope to take him down, taking his brothers down with him much to Iris's horror. She runs over to check on each of her boys, focusing mostly on Dean of course, until their back on their feet.
Once they're all back in the ring Braun takes control of Seth while Dean paces on the apron like a caged animal, Iris laying fleeting touches against his leg each time he passes her spot. Braun drives Seth into his corner and tags in Drew who tries to pin Seth but he kicks out, then Seth tries to leap over Drew to get to his team but gets caught in midair, fingertips away from tagging in Dean when Drew drops him hard. Drew tags in Dolph who starts beating on Seth so Seth grabs his legs and hurls him over his own body into the turnbuckle which gives him the break he needs but Seth starts going for the wrong corner and by the time he gets his bearings Dolph has tagged in Drew. After hitting Drew with a hard kick to the head Seth tries to reach his brothers but Braun runs over Seth to knock Roman and Dean off the apron and isolate Seth in the ring.
Braun throws Dean into the barricade and he actually bounces off of it which has Iris screaming at Braun and drawing Drew's attention as well, then he tosses Roman into the steel steps. Braun drags Seth into his team's corner and gets into Dolph's face yelling at him that this is how you get things done and pull your weight and Dolph starts poking Braun in the chest while yelling back. Braun grabs Dolph by the throat but drew yanks him around and gets in his face instead. The two start to go at each other but Seth runs into Drew, knocking him into Braun, and then sends Drew over the top rope to land on Braun after the big guy had rolled out of the ring. Iris was watching all this from Dean's side with wide eyes as she tried to get Dean back on his feet.
Seth finally makes it to his corner and tags in Dean who does a suicide dive out onto Braun and Drew before rolling Drew back into the ring. The two go back and forth until Dolph tries to distract Dean from their corner and dean knocks him off but gets slammed by Drew who covers him only to have Roman break it up. Dolph Super kicks Roman and then Seth goes after Dolph but gets thrown back. Dolph tries to super kick Seth but Dean intercepts the kick and gets himself pushed back so Seth flips Dolph and himself out of the ring over the top rope and then Drew and Dean start trading blows until they clothesline each other hard. Iris winces as the two men collide and hit the mat, both winded from the hit, and she starts slamming her hands on the mat to try and get Dean back to his feet.
Roman tries to Superman Punch Braun outside the ring but gets caught and when Braun lifts him up for a power slam Dean dives through the ropes and gets himself caught instead, earning himself a hard DDT that leaves him curled in a ball. Iris's scream of anger and fear makes everyone in immediate earshot wince as she runs to dean's side. As Braun manages to get back to his feet he takes a spear from Roman and, with Iris's help, Dean manages to get into the ring and beat the Ref's count but Dolph tries to kick him again only to have Seth come in and take Dolph over the top rope with himself once again. Dean turns around into a Claymore kick and gets pinned by Drew for the win. As Drew rolls out of the ring Seth rolls back in, and Drew stops in front of a clearly upset Iris. He gently brushes the back of his hand against hers as if trying to comfort her but she pulls back from him like he'd burned her and he raises his hands, walking away so as not to aggravate her further. Drew gathers up his team and they head up the ramp together while Roman rolls himself into the ring next to Seth, and Iris skirts around to the side of the ring and slides in to check on Dean, gently running her hands over his torso to check for anything major.
Roman and Seth are sitting near the edge of the ring trying to catch their breath and looking up at where their rivals are heading towards the backstage area, meanwhile Dean is still in the middle of the ring in obvious pain while his brothers seen oblivious to it which is really pissing Iris off at that point. Roman and Seth seem to be having a conversation on their knees while Dean hangs over the middle rope looking…well…not happy in the least. When Dean rolls out of the ring, pulling Iris with him, and starts walking towards the ramp Seth finally turns around to watch them and ends up facing the way he'd started. He and Roman watch Dean walk up the ramp, one arm around Iris's shoulders as she supports him and fusses over him, and disappear backstage without even looking back at them once. The two left in the ring share a look of confused disbelief and while they sit there in shock the interviewer, Kayla, catches up to Dean and Iris. She asks him what everyone just saw out there and Dean is clearly struggling with something, his arms are on his head and when they come down he looks…lost and upset.
"I don't get it! I don't get it…maybe I just don't…fit in anywhere anymore."
Iris looks like she's about to start crying for him so Dean pulls her against his chest, kissing her hair and whispering something only she can hear that seems to calm her slightly. Dean and Iris walk away from Kayla, up the same car ramp that Kurt Angle had used earlier that night, vanishing into the darkness of the night. They went back to their hotel room and locked the door that led to Roman and Seth's room before Iris starts tending to Dean's carious injuries. The two spend the night just basking in the comfort of being together, ignoring every phone call and all the pleading from the other side of the joint door until Roman and Seth finally just stop trying to talk to either of them for the time being. The two are hurt and confused, Iris is confused and worried, and Dean is just…no one is really sure what's going on in his head at this point but something has clearly shifted.
A/N: I was going to write more but I felt that this was the prefect stopping point with a dramatic little cliffhanger. They didn't show it on the show but I saw the little clip of Kayla following him and when he made that one little statement…looking so lost…I started crying because I know that feeling all too well. That feeling of not fitting in, of not belonging, of being lost and alone and confused…and it honestly sucks. I just want to hug him and take all that pain away.