Chapter Twenty-One: Unforgiven Approaches

Raw was live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the six man tag match had just ended. Machetti and Maria were sitting backstage together, Machetti was already dressed and had his pipe, just incase one of the McMahons tried something, when none other than Shane McMahon showed up.

"Machetti, Maria," said Shane to each of them.

"What do you want now?" asked Machetti.

"Watch your tone," said Shane as he got in Machetti's face, "it's people like you, who show no respect for authority, that end up getting their asses kicked. You'd do well to respect your betters."

"I do show respect to my betters," said Machetti, who wasn't giving an inch, "but they're not here right now, it's just you."

"You know what," said Shane, "I think it's time you were taught a lesson."

"Haven't you and your daddy been trying to teach me a lesson for like, two months now?" asked Machetti as he started to get angry, "I mean I thought that was the point of having me face Umaga last week, and Viscera with my hands behind my back the week before."

"Well we're going to make sure we get the message across this time," said Shane as he glared at Machetti, "so tonight you are going to face Shelton Benjamin. And that pipe of yours will not be allowed out there."

"Is that it?" asked Machetti.

"Actually no," said Shane, "your match is up next. Now get out there."

"Fine, this'll be easier than I thought," said Machetti as he smirked at Shane, then turned to Maria and handed her his pipe, "watch this for me, and stay safe."

"Good luck," said Maria as she quickly gave Machetti a kiss on the cheek.

In the arena Machetti's music hit, it was time for his match. Machetti appeared on the entrance ramp then ran down to the ring and slid under the ropes. Machetti then ran across the ring to a turnbuckle and jumped onto the middle rope. Machetti then raised both of his arms in the air and did a back-flip and landed on his feet, then turned around and waited for his opponent. Shelton Benjamin's music then hit as he made his way down to the ring ready to compete. The bell sounded and the two men faced off in the center of the ring.

Shelton started to talk smack to Machetti, and apparently he pushed the right buttons because Machetti slapped him hard across the face. Shelton stumbled backwards but did not fall to the ground, then while rubbing his face walked back up to Machetti and faced off again. This time Shelton struck first and hit Machetti in the stomach with a hard kick. Machetti stumbled backwards but came back with a kick of his own. Shelton then went for a spin kick but Machetti ducked under Shelton's leg as it came around then nailed him with a series of forearm strikes and kicks, causing Shelton to back up against the ropes.

Shelton quickly countered by shooting his leg out at Machetti and went for a side kick, but Machetti caught Shelton's leg and swung it around and out of the way. But Shelton expected that and used the added momentum to swing his leg around and went for the dragon whip. However, Machetti had the move scouted and ducked down as Shelton's leg came around. Then while Shelton was off balance Machetti jumped in the air and hit Shelton in the face with a spinning wheel kick and knocked him down.

Shelton quickly got up but Machetti was already starting something and had run across the ring. Machetti then jumped onto the second rope, spring-boarded off of it and came back and caught Shelton with DDT. Machetti then got to his feet ran to the ropes on the other side of the ring, then came back and connected with a split legged summersault. Machetti then rolled Shelton onto his back and went for a pin, but Shelton kicked out before Machetti could get the pin.

Machetti then got to his feet and ran across the ring, while Shelton got on his stomach and then pushed himself up to his hands and knees. Machetti bounced off of the ropes and came back with a dropkick to Shelton's face and knocked him back on his back. Machetti then lifted Shelton up to his feet and whipped him across the ring into the ropes. As Shelton bounced off of the ropes and came back Machetti jumped into the air and nailed Shelton with a corkscrew dropkick. Shelton hit the mat hard, and Machetti quickly went for a pin.

But Shelton kicked out at two and Machetti got off of him. While Shelton pulled himself to his feet, Machetti ran to a corner and climbed up onto the top rope. As Shelton turned around and faced Machetti, Machetti lunged at him catching Shelton hard in the stomach with a missile dropkick. Shelton fell to the ground and rolled onto his stomach as Machetti got out of the ring and onto the ring apron. Machetti then hoisted himself onto the top rope, and spring-boarded across the ring while extending his leg and nailed Shelton with a springboard leg drop to the back of the head.

Machetti then got back up to his feet and went to the turnbuckle and climbed to the top rope. Meanwhile Shelton had rolled onto this back and was looking blankly up in the air. Machetti lunged across the ring at Shelton and was looking for a diving head-butt. But at the very last second, Shelton rolled out of the way, and caused Machetti to crash and burn on the mat. Shelton crawled back over to Machetti and went for a quick pin but Machetti kicked out before the three.

Shelton then moved Machetti into a sitting position and applied a chin lock by hooking one of his arms under Machetti's chin, while using the other to pull back on his other arm and increase the pressure. Shelton worked over Machetti with the chin lock and viciously pulled back on Machetti's head and tried inflicting as much pain as possible. Shelton then laid down on his side and pulled Machetti down to the mat with him, while continuing to apply pressure with the chin lock.

While on the mat Shelton started to work over Machetti's exposed back by driving his knees into Machetti's spine. Each knee inflicted a lot of pain on Machetti's back, which on top of the chin lock he was still in was excruciating. Shelton then wrapped his legs tightly around Machetti's waist for a body-scissors, while still holding in the chin lock Shelton applied as much pressure as he could to both holds, and in turn inflicted as much pain as he could on Machetti.

Machetti was getting close to his breaking point and Shelton wasn't letting up, he couldn't take this kind of pain much longer. But suddenly Maria appeared on the entrance ramp and ran down to ring side. From her position at ringside, she cheered for Machetti, urging him to get out of the hold. Maria then started clapping her hands, slowly at first, in an attempt to get Machetti to fight back.

Then slowly but surely the fans joined in as well, the clap was slowly picking up as Machetti relentlessly drove his elbows into Shelton's legs, finally managing to break the leg scissors around his waist. As the clapping started to pick up, Machetti managed to struggle his way back into a sitting position, so now he was only in a rear chin lock. The clapping was getting faster as Machetti started to drive his elbow into Shelton's stomach and eventually fought his was to his feet, but Shelton still desperately held onto the chin lock. Maria and the fans were now clapping really fast as Machetti frantically elbowed Shelton in the stomach, then dug deep and threw Shelton off of him and across the ring.

Shelton reached the ropes and bounced off of them, and when he came back Machetti grabbed Shelton's arm and flipped Shelton over his hip for an arm-drag. Machetti then ran across the ring to the ropes, jumped up onto the second on and spring-boarded off of it for a spring-board moonsault, then hooked Shelton's leg and went for a pin. But Shelton just managed to kick out.

But Machetti was only just getting warmed up. As Shelton got to his feet Machetti ran to the ropes, jumped onto the middle one and spring-boarded off of it, then when he reached Shelton, Machetti wrapped his legs around Shelton's head and sent him flying with a hurricurana. Machetti then ran across the ring to a turnbuckle and with one leap jumped up onto the top rope, the lunged backwards across the ring, and caught Shelton as he was getting up, with a reverse diving clothesline.

Machetti then got up and lifted Shelton to his feet, then whipped Shelton across the ring, but Shelton held onto the ropes and kept himself from running back towards Machetti. But Machetti was still ready and ran at Shelton and then hit him with a corkscrew dropkick and knocked him out of the ring and out onto the ringside floor. Machetti smiled as Shelton crawled over to the barricade and started to pull himself to his feet.

Machetti then ran across the ring, bounced off of the ropes on the other side, and ran at full speed across the ring, then dove through the ropes on the other side and speared Shelton into the barricade. Both men were down and the referee started to count for the ring out. But Maria quickly ran around the ring and helped Machetti to his feet. Seeing that Machetti was back on his feet Maria turned to leave and get out of the way, but Machetti grabbed her before she could go and planted a tender kiss on her lips.

When they broke apart Machetti had a huge smile on his face and gave Maria a quick hug before turning back to the match that was still going on. Machetti quickly climbed up onto the ring apron and got in the ring as the referee was counting to seven. As Machetti looked outside the ring Shelton was just struggling to his feet, and from the looks of it wouldn't make it in. Machetti then pulled himself up and over the top rope and landed on top of Shelton on the outside for a suicide plancha.

Seeing how Machetti had gone inside then gotten out of the ring the referee had to started the ring out count over again at one. But Machetti was already on his feet and had climbed back up onto the ring apron, then jumped up onto the second rope and did a springboard moonsault onto Shelton on the outside of the ring. After the impact Machetti rolled off of Shelton and struggled to his feet, then turned around and lifted Shelton to his feet and rolled him into the ring.

Once back inside the ring Machetti whipped Shelton into a turnbuckle then ran at him. But Shelton thought quickly and moved out of the way and stepped behind Machetti. But Machetti quickly jumped up onto the middle rope instead of colliding with the turnbuckle then in one motion back-flipped off of the middle rope and drove Shelton's head down to the mat. Machetti then went for a pin but Shelton just kicked out before the three count.

Machetti then got up and ran across the ring, then bounced off of the ropes and came back at Shelton at full speed. But quick as a cat, Shelton got back up to his feet and hoisted Machetti onto his shoulders, then fell backwards for a Samoan Drop and drove Machetti hard into the mat. Shelton crawled over to Machetti and draped an arm over him for a pin but Machetti just managed to get his shoulder up before the three.

Shelton and Machetti both struggled to their feet, but Shelton ended up taking advantage and whipped Machetti across the ring, then ducked down and got ready to send Machetti flying with a back drop when he came back. But Machetti didn't come back, and instead hung onto the ropes, then ran forward and kicked Shelton in the face causing Shelton to stumbled backwards and clutch his face in pain. Machetti then hoisted himself onto the middle rope and spring-boarded off of it and hit Shelton with a springboard dropkick to knock him to the mat.

Both men struggled to their feet, with Machetti managing to get up first. But Shelton struck first and ran at Machetti for a clothesline. But Machetti ducked underneath the clothesline and caught Shelton with an Impaler as he turned around and drove Shelton's head firmly into the mat. Machetti then got up and walked across the ring and onto the ring apron, then hoisted himself onto the top rope and spring-boarded across the ring and hit Shelton with the Spring Board Body Splash, covered and got the three count.

As Machetti's music hit Maria joined him in the ring and the two celebrated Machetti's win together. But then Big Show's theme music hit and the seven foot, five hundred pound giant slowly made his way down to the ring. As Big Show went over the top rope and got in the ring, Machetti stood in front of Maria to protect her from the incoming giant.

Big Show smirked as he walked over to Machetti then went to chop him to the ground, but Machetti ducked under Big Show's tree limb like arm and went behind him. Then when Big Show turned around Machetti went off on the ECW World Champion with a series of forearm strikes, punches, and kicks. But Big Show showed the resiliency that made him champ and never went down and then with one mighty slap knocked Machetti to the ground. Big Show then bent down and lifted Machetti to his feet then raised one of his arms into the air and signaled for a chokeslam.

Big Show brought his hand to Machetti's throat and the lifted him up into the air with ease. Big Show smiled as he held Machetti in midair by his throat. But as Big Show was getting ready to crush Machetti, a look of immense pain suddenly overcame his face. Maria had just snuck up from behind the Big Show and low blowed him. Machetti then took this moment to capitalize and drove Big Show's head down to the mat for a DDT.

Machetti then quickly got to his feet and grabbed Maria then the two of them quickly left the ring and started heading up the ramp. But when they were half way up the ramp Shane McMahon's music hit and the demon seed appeared on the entrance ramp. Then to everyone's surprise Shane started clapping.

"Great job Machetti," said Shane in false praise, "you managed to beat Shelton Benjamin and you escaped the Big Show. But you probably expect me to be upset now, but actually from watching your match I saw something interesting."

Machetti and Maria looked at Shane with puzzled looks on their faces, well Maria was usually puzzled but this time she had a reason.

"You see I thought that since Maria was so eager to get in the ring tonight," said Shane as a sick smile spread across his face, "then she wouldn't mind getting in the ring and teaming up with you. What I'm basically saying is, the two of you will face Viscera and Charlie Haas in a tag team match this Sunday at Unforgiven."

Both Maria and Machetti looked at Shane in shock. Did he just put Maria, a diva, against two male superstars, one of which was five hundred pounds. This wasn't going to be a tag-team match, this was going to be a handicap match, and if Viscera and Haas managed to get Maria in the ring, they'd be legally able to hurt her. This wasn't good.

"Now I'm sure you two have a lot to think about," said Shane, "so I decided to give the two of you the rest of the night off, and just so the two of you find your way out, I've got you an escort."

As Shane said that last word a team of security officers came through the curtain and stood behind Shane and attempted to look threatening. But Machetti quickly grabbed Maria's hand the walked right up to Shane and took the mic from him.

"I know where the door is," snapped Machetti, "now get your goons, and yourself out of our way."

To most people's surprise Shane stepped aside and gestured towards the curtain with a smile on his face. Now that Machetti was out of the picture the McMahons could simply bribe someone and they'd be able to beat on D-X without interference. Machetti wasn't fooled though, and knew what Shane was planning, so he glared at Shane then he and Maria walked passed the security guards and went through the curtain as Raw went to a commercial.

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When Raw came back the camera followed Machetti and Maria, who now had their stuff. Machetti and Maria then walked through the backstage, to the exit, and out of the arena. But before the two of them went into the parking lot Maria stopped walking and looked at Machetti with a scared expression on her face.

"What are we going to do?" asked Maria, "you know I can't wrestle Viscera and Haas."

"I know," said Machetti as he wrapped his arm around Maria and pulled her close to him, "don't worry, I'll handle everything."

"But then the two of them will double team you and hurt you," said Maria as she looked worried for Machetti's safety.

"I'm not really worried about me getting hurt," said Machetti, "it's you that I'm more concerned about. And I promise I wont let anything happen to you. Now let's get outta here."

The two of them then walked out to the parking lot as the camera faded and went back to the arena. Zack and Maria had been given permission to actually leave early that night, so they drove off to the hotel and enjoyed New York City. Then eventually the two returned to the hotel and cuddled together and drifted off to sleep on the bed, both with smiles on their faces.

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Alright that's chapter twenty-one!

Next Chapter: Unforgiven

Peace