By: Jay Winger
Note: This is set a couple of weeks after "Storm Warning: Build Up." To recap: after losing his singles match with The Rock, the Storm focused back on his Tag Team titles with Chris Benoit. They successfully defended their titles against the Dudleys (even putting Buh-Buh Ray through a table), then against Mr. Buchanan and the Goodfather of Right to Censor (and giving Steven Richards a Southern Lightning after winning). Edge & Christian went to Mick Foley to ask for a title shot, so he booked them against the Hardys for number-one contendership. During the match, however, Benoit and the Storm ran down to the ring and cleaned house, and the Storm put Christian through a table. Fed up with the champions' disregard for his authority, Foley booked all three teams in a TLC Match at Wrestlemania, and stipulated that if any of the three teams interfered in any of the other teams' matches, they would lose their title shot (and if the champs broke the rule, they'd lose their titles). The Storm and Benoit looked furious with this decision, but seemed willing to comply with Foley's demands for the moment.
THURSDAY: Smackdown!, Mar. 25
The Strom groaned a bit as he flopped down in the couch in the dressing room. It had been a long two weeks since Mick Foley had booked the TLC Match. So far, neither the Hardys or Edge & Christian had violated Foley's no-interference clause, nor had he or Chris Benoit broken the rule. That did not stop the Dudleys from exacting revenge on them during one of their matches by bringing out a table and giving the Storm a Buh-Buh Ray powerbomb through the wood, or Right to Censor from running out during another match and applying a beat-down. Val Venis had given the Storm a Censorbomb while Benoit was hit with Steven Richards' Censorkick. Then there was Stone Cold, who had come down during one of the Storm's singles matches -- which happened to be against Austin's nemesis Rikishi. Austin had gone after Rikishi, of course, but when he saw the Storm was still in the ring, he'd given him a Stunner, then a Stone Cold salute before stalking off.
So, to sum it all up, the Storm's body ached a bit. Oh, he'd never admit it, of course (he was the "Force of Nature," after all), but those pains were there anyway. It was prior to the show, so the Storm hadn't yet seen the booked matches, but he figured Foley would find some way to shove the Tag Team Champions into a match prior to Wrestlemania on Sunday. The Storm stared up at the ceiling through his sunglasses, then removed them to clean off a speck of dust.
He glanced up as Benoit stuck his head in the room. "Hey, there you are," he said. He came into the room. "Been looking all over for you. I just saw Foley."
The Storm groaned again and rolled his eyes as he slipped his sunglasses back on. "Great. What hoop's the commish got for us to jump through tonight?"
"That's the weird thing," Benoit replied. "He's given us an open card. He says he can make whatever match we want for ourselves -- or we can have the night off if we want."
The Storm blinked. "Well, fancy that," he drawled. "The Commissioner actually making an intelligent decision for once." He scratched his head. "You sure it was Foley who did this for us?"
Benoit shrugged. "It could've been Debra. She seems to have more brains than Foley does."
The Storm smirked. "Yeah, that's not all she's got more of...if you get the picture." They both grinned and laughed, then looked up as two other people appeared in the door.
"Hey, what're you two reekazoids doing in our dressing room?" Christian demanded.
The Storm smiled. "Well, well, if it isn't the Canuckleheads. Hey, I hear they're selling your shirts outside. Why don't you go buy a couple and pose in a mirror for yourselves?"
Edge shoved past his brother. "This is our dressing room!" he protested. "Get out!"
Benoit folded his arms. "Hey, we're the Tag Team Champions, so you get out of our dressing room."
"That's right," the Storm said. "You guys, like, so totally went out of style with eight-track tapes. So make like a dog and piss off."
Christian snarled and stuck his finger in the Storm's face. "Listen, buddy, if Foley hadn't made that stipulation, you would be the victim of so much painosity, man!"
The champions snickered. "And once again the Canuckleheads make up a new word," the Storm remarked. "Listen, boyo, if you think you're so tough, how's about you step in the ring with the Force of Nature?"
Edge and Christian looked at each other, then back at the champions. "What're you talking about?"
"Foley said you guys can't interfere in our matches...but he never said anything about us not having a match against each other." The Storm glanced over at Benoit, who was smirking. "Foley's given me and Benoit an open card for any sort of match we want...so here's what I think -- one of you two posers teams up with one of those jarhead Hardys for a non-title match here tonight. That way, we're all in a match, and Foley can't bring up that stupid no-interference rule of his."
Christian made a face. "I don't wanna get in the ring with one of those barfoids."
"Then don't. That's the deal. Take it or leave it. Benoit and I could always just take the night off," the Storm said. He sat back down on the couch and stretched out. "Go on, go talk to the Hardys. Make a decision, then tell Foley. We'll be ready to lay a beat-down on you."
Edge and Christian looked at each other again, then grumbled and walked off. Benoit looked at the Storm. "What're you thinking aboot?" he demanded. "Why get in the ring with them?"
The Storm smiled. "Because those posers will never get along with the Hardys. They'll spend most of the match fighting with each other, and we can just pick up the pieces."
Benoit thought about this, then leered. "You're a shrewd bastard, Storm."
"Thank you. It's nice to be flattered now and then."
* * *
"You think you know me...you think you know me..."
The cocky Canadian duo walked down the ramp, grinning broadly despite their reservations about the match. They'd spoken to the Hardys and agreed to the match, and now they were just ready to give those two so-called champions such a dose of "painosity." They climbed into the ring and posed on the corners as Tony Chimel announced, "The following match is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from Toronto, Canada, being accompanied by Edge, weighing in at 215 pounds...CHRISTIAN!"
They stopped as the lights flashed multiple colors and the words "2 Xtreme" flashed on the screen. The fans started cheering much louder as the brothers from North Carolina appeared, gesturing with their "guns" before heading down to the ring, where they did the same. "And his tag team partner, being accompanied by his brother Matt, from Cameron, North Carolina...JEFF HARDY!"
The Hardy with the multicolored hair posed with his brother on the ropes, where they gave their "guns" pose again, then hopped off and looked across the ring at Christian, who was looking back at him with thinly-veiled distaste. The two approached each other and had a brief stare-down. But then the lights flashed blue as Benoit and the Storm's music played. The champions appeared at the top of the ramp, where they tapped fists and started down toward the ring. "And their opponents, weighing in at a combined weight of 470 pounds...they are the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions...CHRIS BENOIT and THE STORM!"
The champions stopped at the bottom of the ramp and pointed in at Jeff and Christian, then gave their slow throat cut. They removed their belts, passed them to an official (the Storm also passing along his sunglasses), then climbed into the ring, where they immediately charged at the unlikely tag team. The Storm squared off with Christian, one of the "Canuckleheads" as he'd called them, blocking the young blond's swing and firing back with some right hands. Benoit, meanwhile, absorbed Jeff's punches and knocked the daredevil back with a fierce kick to the gut. The Storm grabbed Christian's arm and whipped him into a short-arm clothesline. Still clutching his hand, the Storm stooped and quickly wrapped his legs around Christian's arm for a painful armbar.
The referee looked back and forth between Benoit, who had now gotten Jeff trapped in the corner for some harsh stomps, and the Storm, who had Christian locked in the armbar, and went over to the Storm, telling him to let Christian go. Spitting at the ref, the Force of Nature got up, still holding onto Christian's arm, and whipped him. Instead of letting go of Christian's hand, however, the Storm yanked back, causing the Canadian's arm to dislocate with an audible pop. The fans near enough to hear it gave a loud groan of sympathy, and then booed as the Storm stood Christian back up, then grinned maliciously as he gave a karate chop to the dislocated shoulder. Christian shouted in pain and clutched at his arm, then again as the Storm whipped him over the top rope with said arm. The referee left the ring to check on the injured Christian as Edge joined his brother, allowing the Storm to join Benoit in the corner on a Jeff Hardy beat-down.
Matt tried to intervene on his brother's behalf by turning the Storm around. He aimed a kick to the gut, but the Storm caught his foot, then twisted around, hurling the dark-haired Hardy into the mat in a dragon leg screw. The Storm stood back up, planted his foot atop Matt's ankle, then gave him the Twister. He kept this going for a moment, then released the ankle, picked up the other leg and gave a groin kick. He rolled the now doubled-over Hardy out of the ring as Benoit threw Jeff across the ring. The Storm quickly swept Jeff's legs with a drop toe hold, making Jeff fall face-first on the turnbuckle.
EMTs had come to ringside, where they were helping Christian onto a stretcher. Edge checked on him, then ripped off his trench coat and spoke heatedly with referee Tim White. White nodded to Edge's question, and the other half of the Canadian duo ran into the ring and speared the Storm fiercely as he stepped away from Jeff Hardy, who had been propped up in the corner. Edge began to punch the Storm furiously, only to get his eyes raked as the Force of Nature got back up. The Storm grabbed Edge's arm and whipped him over the top rope as well, then went over to his corner as Benoit suplexed Jeff out of the corner.
Benoit worked over Jeff for a bit, until the Hardy with the multicolored hair came back with a leg sweep. He got up, groggily leaning on the ropes for a moment as he got his wind back, then charged and hit Benoit with a clothesline. He backed toward his corner to spring off in a second-rope cross-body, but Edge made a blind tag and stepped into the ring, going after Benoit. Jeff stared at him, then grabbed his arm and yanked him back. He slapped him in the chest, making White clap his hands in indication of another tag, then went after Benoit again. Edge blinked, pulled Jeff back and slapped him in the forehead (another clap from Tim White), and started out again, but Jeff stopped him and started to shout at him.
By now, Benoit had gotten back up, but had gone back to his corner, where he smirked with the Storm. The Storm leaned on the ropes and spread his hands, as if to say, "What'd I tell you?" Edge and Jeff had now gotten into a shoving match, but Matt was on the ring apron to separate the two. He shouted at them both, then pointed at the tag team across the ring. Edge and Jeff looked at each other, then at Matt, then at Benoit and the Storm. They nodded, then started across the ring. Benoit charged out and attacked Jeff again as Edge closed on the Storm. The Force of Nature, however, had jumped up on the post and leapt out in a Windfall. This took Edge down, but not for very long. He was back up and whipping the Storm into the ropes, then hurling him in a back body drop. The Storm grimaced in pain and clutched at his back, which was still bruised from the various powerbombs he'd suffered over the previous weeks. Edge saw this and took advantage by hitting the rising Storm with a double axe-handle to his spine. The Storm flopped down as Edge stomped on him.
Jeff, meanwhile, had been unable to overcome the abuse he'd taken earlier in the match as Benoit hit him with a double suplex, but did manage to elbow out of a third. Benoit, however, kept hold on Jeff's right arm and managed to force him to the mat, where he locked on the Crippler Crossface. Edge looked up from the Storm, saw this and remembered that Jeff was currently the legal man. He ran over and kicked Benoit in the head, releasing Jeff from the Crossface. He continued to kick at Benoit, preventing him from getting back up long enough for Jeff to get to his feet. Edge shouted at Jeff, who nodded and went over toward the post. The Canadian stood Benoit on his feet, then grabbed his head from behind and twisted him around for the Unprettier, which was normally Christian's finisher, but since his brother wasn't here... Benoit flopped over onto his back from the move, leaving him open for Jeff, who had climbed up to the top. The Hardy flashed the "guns" then flipped off in the Swanton Bomb.
Edge looked up as he heard a metallic smack sound. He turned around to see the Storm standing over Matt Hardy with a steel chair. The referee looked over as well, missing Jeff lie across Benoit for the pin. Edge went over toward the Storm, but got smacked in the face with the chair for his trouble. Tim White shouted and shook his fist at the timekeeper, who rang the bell. Tony Chimel caught on and announced, "And the winners of this match as the result of a disqualification, JEFF HARDY and EDGE!"
The Storm grabbed a second steel chair and slid it into the ring as he climbed inside. Jeff Hardy charged at him, but the Storm clobbered him. Benoit got back up, and picked up the other steel chair. Edge had gotten back to his feet by now, but he stumbled back between Benoit and the Storm, who wound up and swung their chairs in unison. Edge jerked as he was hit with his team's own "con-chair-to" manuever, then flopped to the mat. The Storm threw aside his chair and gave Edge and Jeff the two-fingered salute, then left the ring with Benoit, gathering their belts on the way out. The Storm stopped at the bottom of the ramp and shouted back, "Who's the master of the con-chair-to now?!" before leaving.
SUNDAY: Wrestlemania, Mar. 29
A series of matches had been lined up for the "crown jewel of sports entertainment." The Dudleys and the Acolytes teamed up once again to face the male members of Right to Censor in an eight-man table match. (It saw the boys from Dudleyville and the APA win after putting all four censors through tables, even putting Steven Richards through the wood twice.) Steve Blackman was put in another Hardcore Invitational, which saw him soundly defeat Kaientai, Crash, Tazz, and Raven. Lita was put in a Four-Corners Match for her Women's title against Jacqueline, Trish Stratus, and Ivory, but she came out victorious when Ivory began to berate a semi-conscious Trish over her ring attire, allowing Lita to hit a moonsault on Jacqueline for the win. William Regal faced Al Snow for the European title, and won after putting the Regal Stretch on Snow twice. T&A took on Lo Down in a physical match up, and D'Lo and Chaz picked up the win with a superplex/frog splash combo on Albert. Eddie Guerrero and Perry Saturn faced the New Age Outlaws in a match for Eddie's Intercontinental title, and Billy Gunn got the title after pinning Saturn following the Fame-Asser. (Eddie was irate after the match.) Dean Malenko took on both members of Too Cool for his Light Heavyweight title, but was victorious, kicking out of the Worm and avoiding the Hip Hop Drop to put on the Texas Cloverleaf on Scotty.
Still to come was Stone Cold Steve Austin's WWF title match against Kurt Angle. The Rock had lost his Wrestlemania number-one contendership spot due to Stephanie's interference, so he was set to take on Kane for Backlash number-one contendership. But prior to both of those, there was the highly-anticipated Tag Team Title TLC Match between Chris Benoit & the Storm, the Hardys, and Edge & Christian.
J.R. was calling the matches alongside his long-time colleague Jerry "the King" Lawler from ringside. "Now we're set for what should be a classic slobberknocker, the WWF's second-ever Tables-Ladders-and-Chairs--"
"Oh my!" Lawler quipped.
"--Match for the Tag Team Championships. Two of the teams involved have seen this sort of match before, King."
"Yeah," the King said, "but I guarantee you they thought they'd never have to do another match like this again. The Hardys and Edge & Christian put their heart and souls in the last TLC Match at Summerslam, and I question whether any of them are ready to face Benoit and Storm tonight."
"Yes, for those of you at home, let's show you a clip from last Thursday on Smackdown!, where the Tag Team Champions challenged Jeff Hardy and Christian to a non-title match. The Storm took it to Christian and wound up intentionally dislocating Christian's shoulder to eliminate him from the match."
"But," the King added, "Edge spoke with referee Tim White and got himself added to the match to even the score."
J.R. went on, "Despite their common opponents, however, Edge and Jeff got in a fight in the middle of the match over which one was going to tag in. Matt Hardy got them back on track, allowing Edge to hit Christian's finisher on that rabid wolverine, Chris Benoit, and Jeff followed up with a Swanton Bomb."
"But then, that sadistic Storm hit the Hardys and Edge with a steel chair, disqualifying his team. And then, he and Benoit set up Edge for the con-chair-to!"
"Everyone here is wondering if any of the challengers are physically ready for this match," J.R. said, "but Benoit and Storm are ready to pick up whatever's left. The Tag Team title belts are currently suspended 15 feet above the ring, and the winners must climb up a ladder to pull them down in order to win the titles. Anything goes in this sort of match, King."
Lawler was about to reply, but the pulse-pounding music of the Hardy Boyz filled the arena as the brothers from North Carolina ran out. They jumped into the ring, posed on the ropes, flashed the "guns," then pointed up at the title belts and gestured at their waists. "The following match is a Tables-Ladders-and-Chairs Match and is for the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship. Introducing first, from Cameron, North Carolina...Matt and Jeff, THE HARDY BOYZ!" Jeff was wearing a yellow-green shirt and had dyed his hair red-and-gold for the match. Matt was wearing the Hardys' 'Xtreme is not a mood, it's a lifestyle!" shirt. They ran to the other corners and flashed the "guns" again, then looked up as a tone sounded.
"You think you know me...you think you know me..." Decent cheers followed the cocky Canadian brothers as they walked down to the ring. Edge wore a grin despite having a wicked-looking bruise on the side of his head from the con-chair-to he'd suffered. They both gestured at their waists as well as they entered the ring, posed with big smiles on the ropes, then faced their rivals. "And from Toronto, Canada, weighing in at a combined weight of 455 pounds...EDGE & CHRISTIAN!" Edge looked at them as Christian took the microphone for a moment.
Christian rolled his shoulders for a moment, wincing a bit at his right arm, which was still feeling the effects of the dislocation. Then he raised his hand and said, "Greetings to all of our fans in Houston!" He laughed and grinned at his brother, then at the Hardys, who looked at them blankly. "Now, ordinarily, my brother and I would come out here and make a totally mocking display about our opponents or whatever stinkhole city we happen to be in--" Brief booing from the fans. "--but tonight, we're not going to do that." He glanced at his brother, who had been talking with the Hardys for a moment, then got a thumbs-up from Edge and passed him the microphone.
"Instead, tonight, we have a very special treat, for the benefit of those with flash photography!" Edge looked at the Hardys, who were stepping into the center of the ring with the Canadian brothers. "We're going to unveil a brand-new pose, for five seconds only, which we like to call...Team Unity." He tossed the microphone back to Howard Finkel, then removed his trench coat. Underneath, he was wearing the yellow 'Reeking of Awesomeness since 1973' shirt. He looked at the Hardys, who nodded. Edge & Christian raised their hands and flashed the "guns" while Matt and Jeff spread their arms and gave grins almost as big as the ones the Canadian brothers gave. The fans cheered as flashbulbs popped like crazy.
The pose broke up as Edge removed the shirt and his crazy-ass sunglasses. The lights started to flash blue as the champions' music played. The Storm and Chris Benoit emerged at the top of the ramp, where they both held microphones. The Storm gazed at the two teams in the ring for a moment, then slowly raised his hand in the air and gave a single snap of his fingers. The music cut off. He lowered his hand and pointed at the teams in the ring. "I hope you four som'bitches are ready to seek shelter because the Storm...has...arrived!"
Benoit spoke now. "Tonight, we will show that we are the most brutal tag team in the WWF today...by redefining the meaning of pain on your bodies." They both screamed, "Prove us wrong!"
The champions threw down their microphones, then charged the ring. The Hardys double-teamed Benoit while Edge & Christian went after the Storm. Matt and Jeff wailed on the Crippler with punches and clubs to the neck as they forced him back into the corner. The Storm managed to fire back on Christian with a harsh judo chop to his injured arm, then a knee to the gut. He whipped Christian into the ropes, then back dropped him, causing him to shout in pain as his injured shoulder was jarred. Edge hit the Storm with an inverted DDT.
Matt had Benoit down with a few kicks in the corner, allowing Jeff to leave the ring, where he dragged a ladder out from under the ring. The fans went ballistic at the sight of the ladder. He slid it into the ring, where Matt picked it up and drove it into Benoit's head. The Crippler slumped down, where Matt opened the ladder and placed its top between his legs. Jeff jumped back in and the two brothers did a baseball slide dropkick into the feet of the ladder. Benoit's eyes went wide as he grabbed his crotch in pain.
The Storm, meanwhile, was getting punched repeatedly in the head by Edge. Christian got back up, rubbing his shoulder, but helped his brother stand the Force of Nature up and send him into the ropes. The Storm, however, grabbed the top rope and intentionally flipped himself out of the ring. The Storm landed on his feet and checked his nose and mouth for blood, then looked up at the Canadian brothers and gave them an Italian arm chop. Edge charged out at him, but the Storm had gotten his wind back and took down Edge with a superkick. The Storm followed up by whipping him into the steel stairs, then beckoned at Christian. The Suicide Blonde obliged, but the Storm cut him off and hit a vicious arm chop to his injured shoulder. With both Canadians down, the Storm looked up at the audience and raised a finger, pointing straight at one of the pro-Storm signs that a fan had made. It read TABLE ME! The Storm then yelled it: "Table me!!"
The fans popped as the Storm dragged a table out from under the ring. There were already about eight other tables set up around the ring for use, but the Storm ignored them and folded out the legs on his own. He picked Christian up and stood him up on the ring apron and climbed up as well. The blond snapped out of his daze and kicked, but the Storm caught and turned it into a dragon leg screw, which took Christian through the table. The Storm stood on the apron and looked down at Christian's writhing form, then tilted his head to the side as he examined his handiwork.
While this was going on, a groggy Benoit continued to be victimized by the Hardys with their ladder. They laid him on the inside of the open ladder, then slammed the other half of the ladder against his chest and face repeatedly. The Hardys currently had Benoit set up in the corner, the ladder horizontal across his chest, and Matt was crouched over as Jeff backed up for the Poetry in Motion. As Jeff charged, however, the Storm ran into the ring and hit him with a flying clothesline that took him clean out of the ring. Matt was up to attack him, but the Storm fired back with a right hand that knocked Matt down. He turned to Benoit and pulled off the ladder, then set it up in the middle of the ring and started to climb. As he reached for the belts, however, Matt came back and rocked the ladder, throwing the Storm to the mat.
Benoit came over and knocked Matt out of the ring, then followed as the Storm started to get up, clutching at his back. The Storm started to get to his feet, but by now, Jeff Hardy was back in the ring. He grabbed the Storm and threw him back in the corner, then grabbed the ladder and threw it into him. The Storm snapped back against the post, clutching his face, then staggered as Jeff pulled the ladder back before throwing it into him again. The Storm rocked back again, then managed to shove Jeff and the ladder away as he felt his face for blood. (None yet.) Jeff replied to this by lifting the ladder up horizontally and ramming the top into the Storm's face. The Storm shouted in pain as Jeff stepped back and clutched at his forehead, where he'd taken the hit, then oofed as Jeff rammed the ladder into his gut. Jeff pulled it back, then turned it around and pinned the Storm against the corner with the ladder perpendicular to his body, arms trapped at his sides. Jeff started to kick at the ladder, causing the Storm to grunt in pain as it pressed against his chest.
Outside the ring, Matt whipped Benoit down the length of the ring and into a spear from Edge, who started to punch him in the face. Matt looked in the ring, then slid in as Jeff backed up. Matt crouched down in front of the Storm as Jeff ran, sprang off his brother's back and slammed his hip into the ladder with a Poetry in Motion. The Storm shouted in pain as the ladder was dislodged and held a hand to his chest as he gasped for breath.
Edge tossed Benoit into the security barrier and dragged another ladder out from under the ring as the Hardys set up theirs in the ring. He slid into the ring with his, set it up, and then quickly climbed after Matt. He grabbed his head for a neckbreaker, then jumped off the ladder, dragging Matt with him. The ring rocked with the impact, and Jeff paused on the ladder as he saw this. That hesitation allowed the Storm to stagger over, step between the two ladders and tilt Jeff's to the side. Jeff's arms flailed as he fell outside the ring, crashing through two tables set up outside.
The Storm shoved away Edge's ladder as he set Jeff's back up. He started to climb up, but Christian had gotten back up from the table, albeit wincing as he climbed back in the ring. He climbed up after the Storm, on the opposite side of the ladder, then gave him a right hand to the face as he reached the top. The Storm rocked back but retaliated, only to get a major shove by Christian, which almost knocked him off the ladder. He caught himself, then placed his hand on Christian's face and shoved. The Canadian fell backwards off the ladder, landing hard near the ropes.
The Storm steadied himself, then reached up for the belts. By now, Edge had been dragged out of the ring by Benoit, who hit him with a suplex on the floor. Matt was also up by now and climbing up the other ladder. He punched the Storm in the face, then grabbed his head. He looked out to the crowd, arm out to the side. He shouted, then twisted around, grabbed the Storm's head with his other arm and dropped off the ladder in a Twist of Fate. The Storm yelled on the way down, managing to bring his arms up and put them on Matt's shoulders, so even as he was dropped in the Twist of Fate, he hit Matt with a modified inverted DDT.
Benoit ducked a steel chair swing from Edge, hitting him with a kick to the kidneys, then took up the chair. He smashed Edge in the head with it, then climbed back into the ring. Jeff was starting to climb back in, but Benoit gave him a chair shot as well. By now, the Storm was starting to recover, albeit very slowly, from the Twist of Fate. He was helped up by Benoit, then staggered back into the ropes and held his head. He shook his head to clear it, then looked at Benoit. The Crippler gestured up at the belts, but the Storm shook his head. He took the chair from his partner, then pointed up in the air. "Table me!" he shouted.
Benoit smirked and went out of the ring to pick up one of the tables that stood off to the side. He passed it in to the Storm, who closed the legs and beckoned Benoit back into the ring. Together, they set the ladders a few feet apart, then climbed, one-handed, up with the table, which they set up at the top, like a scaffolding. The Storm jumped back down and picked up the chair and threw it up to Benoit, then left the ring to get another. Outside, Jeff stumbled around toward the Storm, intending to spear him against the security barrier, but got spotted. The Force of Nature caught Jeff's head and planted him with a DDT. He picked up a chair and slid it into the ring, but Christian had gotten back up, picked up the chair, and waited for the Storm to enter.
As soon as he did, Christian clobbered him with it. Benoit saw this and immediately started down a ladder to get payback, but by now Matt Hardy was up. He stood under Benoit and grabbed his legs, then pulled him off the ladder in a powerbomb. Christian raised his chair to bludgeon the Storm again, but Matt ran under the table-scaffolding and smacked Christian in the side of the head. Christian fell to the mat, his chair lying next to him, and Matt threw his chair away as he climbed half-way up a ladder, then faced the Suicide Blonde. He flashed the "guns" then jumped off in a leg drop onto Christian.
Edge stood up (albeit unsteadily) and dragged Matt out of the ring, where he gave him a Northern Lights suplex. Edge helped his brother to his feet, not noticing the Storm slowly dragging himself across the ring to pull himself up. When the Force of Nature raised his head, the fans could see blood covering his forehead. He stumbled over to the ladder and started to climb up, even as Edge got Christian on his feet and handed him the other chair. The two Canadians started up the other sides of the ladders. When they reached the top, they saw the semi-conscious Storm half-kneeling on the table-scaffolding as he reached weakly for the title belts. Edge & Christian raised their chairs and swung them with all the force they could muster, slamming the Storm's head between them in a vicious con-chair-to. The Storm wobbled, then slumped down to his knees. Edge gave him a shove with his foot, sending the Storm falling down, chest-first into the top rope.
Edge & Christian celebrated a moment, raising the chairs in triumph, but then Christian staggered a bit and dropped his chair off the scaffolding. Edge looked at him, setting down his own chair, then started to reach for the titles. Christian stumbled, clutching his head, then fell forward, against his brother, knocking them both off the scaffolding and actually out of the ring, crashing through another set of tables.
Benoit started to get to his feet, but the Hardys, ever-resilient, were back in the ring. Matt grabbed Benoit and whipped him into the corner, then pulled him out for a Twist of Fate. Jeff was back in, and halfway up one of the ladders, where he flashed the "guns" and gave a Swanton Bomb. They left Benoit lying as they moved slowly -- as fast as their battered bodies could allow -- up the ladders to the scaffolding. A severely weak Storm was starting to pull himself upright and to the opposite side of the ladder, moving as fast as the Hardys. Matt and Jeff, however, had the head start and were able to stand up on the table-scaffolding and lay their hands on the title belts. They pulled them loose, and the fans gave a huge ovation as the timekeeper rang the bell. The Storm flopped his body on the scaffolding, face a crimson mask of blood and disbelief as the Hardys quickly went back down the ladders.
Benoit sat up, seeing the Hardys going up the entrance ramp with the titles in hand as their music played. The Crippler scowled and looked up at the Storm, who was sitting on the scaffolding, trying to clear his head. Benoit climbed up to the top, where he faced the Storm. The bloody Force of Nature spread his arms weakly as he got to his feet. Benoit shouted at him, then scooped up the chair that Edge had dropped. He pivoted and smashed the Storm in the chest with it, knocking him off the table-scaffolding and out of the ring. The Storm turned sideways in midair from his intial momentum and as a result crashed through two stacked tables, arm-first.
Benoit's music was playing as the Storm lay unconscious amidst the wreck of the tables, where he was soon surrounded by EMTs and carried out on a stretcher. The fans booed Benoit as he climbed off the ladders and out of the ring, not even stopping to look at Edge & Christian, who were starting to drag themselves out of the tables they'd fallen through.
* * *
Commissioner Mick Foley pushed through the workers clustered around the ambulance and looked at the nearest medic. "How is he?"
The medic looked up. "He seems to have a concussion, a fractured bone in his right arm, several bruised ribs, and blood loss. We're taking him to the hospital right away."
Foley nodded. "Do that. Let me know how he's doing."
The Storm's eye weakly opened a bit, the other swollen from the con-chair-to. He looked at Foley. "Mick..." he croaked.
"What is it, Storm?" As commissioner, he was concerned for all his wrestlers' health, even if he wasn't too fond of them.
"Tell Benoit...he can't stop...the Force...of Nature." He wheezed a bit, then blinked his eye slowly. "I'll be back." Then he sighed and fell back into unconsciousness.
Foley nodded then looked at the EMTs. "Okay, get him out of here."
-more to come-
Disclaimer: All things WWF are property of Titan Sports. The Storm is a completely fictional character. I do incorporate a few traits from existing WWF wrestlers, but for the most part, he's my idea. No, the story's not done yet, just sort of on hiatus. This is the end of the Benoit/Storm team, but the Storm, as he told Foley, isn't through yet. If you have any ideas for who you think the Storm would team up with or go up against, let me know. Drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com
-=Jay 2K Winger=-