By: Jay Winger
Note: This is set a few months after "Storm Warning: Tables and Ladders and Chairs (Oh My)." To recap: following the booking of the Wrestlemania TLC match, the Storm and Chris Benoit found themselves the victims of run-ins by the Dudleys and Right to Censor, who gave the Storm powerbombs. (The Storm, while fighting Rikishi, also made the mistake of sticking around during a Stone Cold run-in and got a Stunner.) A weary Storm then learned Mick Foley had given he and Benoit the option of an open card or a night off. When Edge & Christian bumped into them, the Storm told them to get one of the Hardys to fight with one of the Canadian brothers for a non-title tag match. During the match, the Storm intentionally dislocated Christian's shoulder as Edge and Jeff Hardy were fighting amongst themselves. The champions disqualified themselves by clobbering Edge and the Hardys with chairs, even giving Edge a con-chair-to. At Wrestlemania, the three teams gave it their all, but the Storm was on the receiving end of some major punishment, getting busted wide open with ladders and chairs until finally the Hardys claimed the titles. After the match, the Storm was attacked by a furious Benoit, who hit him with a chair, knocking him off the ladders and through two tables. As the EMTs took him away, the Storm told Foley that Benoit can't keep down a Force of Nature -- "I'll be back."
MONDAY: RAW is WAR, Jun. 29
Wrestlemania had come and gone. It saw two title changes -- Eddie Guerrero lost his Intercontinental title to Billy Gunn during a tag-team match with Perry Saturn against the New Age Outlaws, and Chris Benoit and the Storm lost their Tag Team titles to the Hardy Boyz in a TLC Match that also included Edge and Christian. But following the match, a weak and bloody Storm was the victim of Benoit's ire and got knocked off a ladder by a steel chair and fell through two tables.
The Rock had earned a title shot against Stone Cold Steve Austin at Backlash, and despite the fact that both were faces, they pulled off a hell of a match, but Austin ultimately retained. The month of April saw Triple H return to his heelish ways by linking back up with Rikishi and targeting The Rock and Austin, while Kurt Angle mixed it up with the reunited D-Generation X, now consisting of the New Age Outlaws, Chyna, and an X-Pac-less Tori. Judgment Day saw Austin lose his title to The Rock in a no-DQ match, in which a returning Shane McMahon tried to get in The Rock's good graces by nailing Austin with a steel chair, only to get a Rock Bottom, People's Elbow and a few minutes in the Sharpshooter for his trouble. After the match, Austin's anger was somewhat assuaged with a few beers, courtesy of The Rock, and he managed to get a couple Stunners in on the hapless Shane when he got back up.
Now the King of the Ring tournament had gone by. The Rock faced a relentless Kane for his title while Austin targeted Rikishi and Triple H again, being helped by the Undertaker. Chris Benoit had re-entered the Intercontinental title race with his WWF title shot lost, and as a result re-teamed with his Radicalz buddies against DX and Billy Gunn. (This didn't stop Benoit from making a few timely run-ins in The Rock and Austin's matches to screw them over.) During the tournament, Angle had once again entered himself, but lost to Road Dogg in the quarterfinals, much to Angle's dismay. In the finals, Benoit faced down Val Venis of Right to Censor, and kicked out of the Censorbomb to lock Val in the Crippler Crossface for the win, making the Rabid Wolverine the new King of the Ring, or "King Crippler" as J.R. and Jerry Lawler called him.
In the week since KOTR, Triple H had started to go after Kurt Angle again when the Olympian began making romantic overtures to his wife, leaving Rikishi to team up with Benoit for a brief period time. The two had interfered in both The Rock's and Austin's matches at RAW and Smackdown!, leading Mick Foley to book a series of matches for the current show.
* * *
In the ring, The Rock, WWF title belt on his shoulder, stood beside comrade and sometime-partner Stone Cold Steve Austin as Mick Foley addressed the grudge situation as well as the title situation. Rikishi stood at the top of the ramp, wearing some of his 'Rikishi Phat-Wear' attire. The commish spoke. "Now, I can understand that The Rock and Stone Cold want nothing more than to get their hands on you, Rikishi, and Chris Benoit, but unfortunately, I cannot book that match tonight, right here in San Antonio, Texas!" As always, this got Foley a cheap pop from the audience. He held up his hand to hold off The Rock's angry reply, then said, "No, Rock, tonight, you have to defend your WWF title in a one-on-one match with the Undertaker, in this very ring." Foley turned to Austin, "Now, Steve, I know you want to get your hands on Rikishi, so what I'm gonna do, is I'm gonna book you in a match with--" He was cut off as the lights flashed blue and Chris Benoit's music started to play.
The Crippler walked out, wearing new gold-on-black tights. Unlike his predecessor, Benoit did not tout his King of the Ring status except to get himself in matches. He walked out, nodded at Rikishi, then addressed Foley, mic in hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mick. You wanna book Austin in a singles match with Rikishi? Is that what you're talking aboot?"
Foley nodded. "That's right, Chris, you see--"
"Whoa, whoa, Mick, I wasn't finished, see." Benoit gestured at Rikishi. "See, we want to get our hands on both of those two so-called 'wrestlers' in the ring, and if we don't get what we want, then you are going to suffer the consequences. We've both shown you that we are willing to take brutality to a whole `nother level, and unless you want us to prove it, you will book Austin in a match against both myself and Rikishi."
Foley frowned a bit and looked back and forth between Austin and the two heels at the top of the ramp. "You want to face Austin in a Handicap Match?"
Benoit shrugged. "Frankly, it doesn't matter what sort of match you put him in with us. Because whoever his partner is cannot stand up against Rikishi and the greatest technical wrestler the world has ever seen, and I dare you to prove me wrong!"
Austin spoke to Foley, who held up a hand as he thought quickly. He lowered his mic and spoke back to Austin, who raised his eyebrows a bit, then smirked and nodded. Foley turned back to Benoit and Rikishi and raised his microphone. "Well, Chris, you make an interesting point. Now, I just spoke with Steve, and he has agreed to be put in a tag-team match against both you and Rikishi...but to keep things a little interesting, I'm not gonna tell you who his partner is. But I can tell you this much -- with the man Stone Cold has as his partner, I can guarantee that the main event match, right here in San Antonio--" Cheap pop, "--is gonna be a slobberknocker!" He held up his hand to try to silence the cheering fans as he backed out of the ring. "I'm the commissioner, and that is my final decision!"
Benoit and Rikishi both scowled a bit before leaving backstage as Austin and The Rock left the ring a few minutes after Foley left.
Backstage, Foley bumped into Benoit, who stared a hole in the commissioner. "Foley, who have you booked with Austin?" King Crippler asked.
Foley smiled. "Hey, I told you, Chris, I can't tell you that. But I can tell you this -- you know the guy, and he isn't too happy with you. So," he looked around and said in a low tone, "if you don't mind taking my advice, I'd advise you to seek shelter. Have a nice day." He left Benoit in the hall as the King of the Ring stared after him, puzzled.
* * *
Benoit linked back up with Rikishi and started back to the dressing room they were sharing, and stopped as they found a scrap of newspaper taped to the door. Benoit pulled it loose and looked at it. "What is it?" Rikishi asked him.
Benoit read it over and frowned. "It's the weather section...but this isn't today's paper. It's old." He handed it to Rikishi, saying, "It's predicting rain, and it's been clear skies all day."
Rikishi frowned as well. "It's not predicting rain...it's predicting thunderstorms." He turned it over and looked at the back, then blinked and looked up. "Chris, you might wanna look at the back." He handed it over.
Benoit did so and blinked. Scribbled on the back in blue ink was a stylized exclamation point flanked by two lightning bolts. That was it. There wasn't any message, just the symbol. Benoit turned the paper back over and looked at the forecast again. Thunderstorms. Benoit checked the symbol again, then the forecast. I have a bad feeling..., he thought to himself, but rather than show Rikishi, he tore up the paper and tossed it in a trash bin. "It's nothing. Some joker trying to get to us. Probably Austin."
* * *
Later that night, Just Joe cautiously stuck his head in the door to Benoit and Rikishi's dressing room. Being around King Crippler still made the rumormonger nervous, and as a result he didn't try to piss him off again. Benoit looked up and scowled a bit as he saw him. "What is it, Joe?"
"Uh, your rental car is the black Toyota Avalon, right?" Joe asked.
Benoit stood, eyes narrow. "Yeah. What about it?"
"Well, uh, I just thought you might like to know, that, uh, I saw someone around your car...I think they were planning to vandalize it or something." Joe squeaked a bit in fear as Benoit rushed forward and pinned him against the wall. "Hey, I'm just the messenger!"
"Don't gimme that!" Benoit snapped. "If I find out that you were fooling around with my car, I'll kick your ass right back into the hospital!"
"I-it wasn't me!" Joe protested. "Ask Kevin Kelly! He was there, he saw it too!"
Snarling, Benoit dragged Joe out of the room as Rikishi got up to follow. After some searching, they tracked down hapless interviewer Kevin Kelly and confronted him. Benoit thrust Just Joe at Rikishi, then pointed at him. "Joe tells me you two saw someone screwing around with my rental car?"
Kelly, despite being the whipping boy of much of the WWF upper roster (notably The Rock), still cowered in the faces of some of these people. Benoit was one of them. Striving to keep control of his bladder, Kelly nodded. "That's right. We were coming back from the truck when we saw someone in black hanging around your car. They had something in their hand. I-I didn't stick around to see what happened."
Benoit squinted at Kelly, then at Just Joe, and indicated Rikishi could let the rumormonger go. The Phat Man did so, and Just Joe immediately dashed away. Benoit looked back at Kelly, then snarled and turned away, stomping for the parking lot. Kelly looked after him, then down at himself, and sighed with relief as he saw no warm wet spot on his pants.
* * *
As they neared the parking lot, Benoit and Rikishi heard glass shatter, then the piercing wail of a car alarm going off. Benoit jerked, then sprinted the rest of the way, hearing something clatter on the ground as someone else's footsteps echoed -- the culprit running off. Benoit burst into the area, looked around wildly, and saw a scattered pile of broken glass. He looked up and saw his rental car.
The rear windshield had been shattered, a large jagged hole of broken glass. The tail-lights were smashed in, the rear fender dented badly, as was the trunk, the roof, and even the hood of his car. The front windshield was a spiderweb of broken glass, and looking down, Benoit saw that whoever had trashed his car had also slashed his tires. Rikishi looked at the car, then headed a bit further down the lot, spotting something on the ground.
Benoit clenched his fists in rage, seriously wanting to kill someone at that moment. Rikishi came back. "I think I found what they used to wreck your car." He held it up. Benoit jerked in surprise. It was a wooden black baseball bat, but lettered on the side in white were the letters 'U G L Y.'
An ugly-stick, Benoit thought to himself. He scowled. "When I get my hands on the guy who's doing this--" Something else occurred to him. "Our dressing room!" He abruptly turned on his heel and dashed like mad back for their dressing room as Rikishi rushed to keep up, dropping the bat in his haste.
* * *
Benoit came back to the dressing room to find the door open and the room trashed. Benoit's duffle bag had been slashed open and much of his clothing ripped, teared, and cut to pieces. Rikishi came up behind him and saw similar damage to his belongings. The mirror had been cracked by a chair, which lay on its side in front of it, and one of the overhead lights was flickering, its plastic covering cracked.
"Man, whoever's doing this is fast," Rikishi commented as he stepped into the room, surveying the wreckage. Benoit went over to the table in front of the mirror, seeing something there. It was a piece of paper, stuck in the table by a knife. The paper had no message, just the symbol again -- a stylized exclamation point flanked by two lightning bolts. Scowling, he crumpled up the paper and angrily hurled it in the corner.
"Hey, Chris." Benoit turned and looked at Rikishi, who was closing the door. There, spraypainted on the back, was a large blue exclamation point, of the same style as the one on the paper. Benoit fumed, then jumped in surprise as he heard a sudden beep beep. He looked around, then realized it was coming from his bag. He pulled out his pager and looked at it.
Prove me wrong, it read.
"Where's Austin?!" he shouted as he stalked out into the hall and down toward Commissioner Foley's office.
* * *
Mick Foley was looking at his gavel when Benoit (followed by Rikishi) ran into his office. Foley sat up. "What can I do for you boys?"
"Where's Austin?" Benoit demanded. "I wanna tear him to pieces for what he did to our dressing room and to my car!"
Foley frowned. "Austin didn't do any of that stuff. He's been here with me until just now. He went to his dressing room to get changed for your match." He looked up. "Speaking of which, you guys have a match to go get ready for."
Benoit fumed for a moment longer, then stomped out, Rikishi following after giving Foley a long look. Foley just grinned back.
* * *
Out at the ring, Rikishi's music hit as the lights over the ring flashed on and off in a steady pattern, the Samoan walking down to the ring, where he raised his hands in the air. He removed his Samoan flower-print shirt and threw it aside as he leaned back in the corner. "The following tag team contest is scheduled for one fall, introducing first, from the islands of Samoa, weighing in at 400 pounds...RIKISHI!"
The lights flashed blue as Benoit's music hit. King Crippler came out, looking a little angry and a little jumpy as he entered the ring. "And his tag team partner, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, weighing in at 220 pounds...he is the King of the Ring...CHRIS BENOIT!"
Benoit took the microphone from Lillian Garcia and faced the TitanTron. "Stone Cold Steve Austin! You get your ass out here right now so I can kick it for wrecking my car and my dressing room!" He threw the mic back to Lillian as he paced around the ring.
He didn't have to wait very long as the glass shattered and the heavy metal guitars of Disturbed rocked the arena. "And their opponents, first, from Victoria, Texas, weighing in at 252 pounds...STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN!" The fans gave a huge ovation to their Texan Rattlesnake, who came out and paced back and forth on the stage, raising his hands in the air and raising up both middle fingers before stopping and raising a microphone. "Hell, boy, I didn't do any of that, I been sittin' backstage, havin' a couple-a beers and gettin' ready to dish out some home-made knuckle-sammiches and open up a can of Stone Cold Whup-Ass on you and that big fat ass with you in the ring." He paced back and forth a bit, then stopped. "You see, it wasn't me that's been playin' mind games with you, it's been my partner. See, he's been wantin' a shot at you for a long time now, and he came to me, askin' howta play mind games like Stone Cold Steve Austin, and I said, 'Hell, I'd be glad to teach ya howta do that, especially against those som'bitches Benoit and Rikishi!'" He turned to the crowd. "If you wanna see Stone Cold bring on out his partner, and watch them open a Can of Whup-Ass on those jackasses, gimme a Hell Yeah."
"Hell Yeah!!"
"Well, then, son, come on out here and let Benoit know who's been messin' with him!"
There was a pause, and then the red siren lights started spinning as a warning siren blared, the symbol Benoit had seen backstage flashing on the TitanTron. The fans, recognizing it too and remembering who it stands for, began to cheer loudly. Benoit looked stunned as the sirens stopped for a moment. The symbol flashed a moment before a shadowy image of a man standing in the midst of a downpour appeared, the man raising his arms up as a voice shouted, "The Storm...has... ARRIVED!!"
Lightning shot down from the ceiling and set off pyros in front of Austin, who had moved down the ramp a bit and was watching the screen. An instrumental of Metallica's "Ride the Lightning" started up as a man strode out of the smoke of the pyros. "And his tag team partner, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 239 pounds...THE STORM!" The fans cheered as they saw the man called the Storm. He had lost some weight in the months he'd been gone, and looked as though he'd done some training, as his muscles were more defined. He wore his 'I am a Force of Nature!' shirt and black jeans. He'd grown a goatee and moustache, and his cold gray eyes were hidden behind black sunglasses. He took the microphone from Austin, then raised it, pointing a finger at his former tag partner in the ring.
"Chris Benoit!" he shouted. "This...is your Storm Warning!" The fans shouted the end of the line with him. The Storm started down the ramp, Austin alongside him. "Benoit, you turned your back on me after Wrestlemania...you turned on me...normally, I'd let that slide. But, you see, boyo, I've changed...and you're gonna be gettin' the bad side of it." He turned to the fans and shouted, "If you wanna see me prove him wrong...then make some NOISE!"
The fans responded by screaming themselves hoarse, and that was when Austin and the Storm charged the ring and picked their targets -- Austin at his nemesis Rikishi and the Storm at Benoit. King Crippler was driven back by the sheer ferocity of the Storm's attack, head snapping back and forth from the hard series of right hands he was receiving. Benoit was forced back in the corner, where the Storm continued like a man possessed, kicking away at Benoit's gut and chest. As he slumped down, the Storm yanked him back up and whipped him across the ring with such force that when Benoit turned and hit the turnbuckle, his force caused him to fall over hard.
Austin, meanwhile, was wading into Rikishi with hard punches and kicks of his own, then whipped him into the ropes and gave him his famous Thesz press and started knuckling the Samoan's face. Rikishi managed to shove him off and started to get back up, but Stone Cold wasn't about to give up that easily. He stomped on Rikishi's wide gut a few times before Rikishi managed to haul his considerable ass off the mat and fire back with an uppercut that knocked Austin back.
Meanwhile, the Storm had slid out of the ring while a punch-drunk Benoit slowly came to. The Storm positioned himself behind the post and grabbed Benoit's feet. The Rabid Wolverine raised his head as he realized what was about to happen, then groaned loudly as the Storm yanked him backwards and into the ring post. Benoit was dragged out of the ring by the arm and whipped down the length of the ring into the steel stairs. The Storm spat in his direction, gave him an Italian arm chop, then went to his corner as Austin and Rikishi went at it. The Rattlesnake threw the Phat Man into the ropes again and nailed him with a reverse elbow for more stomping.
Austin dragged Rikishi up and pulled him over to his corner, where he tagged in the Storm. He was already up on top of the post and as soon as Austin was out of the way, Rikishi got a missile dropkick to the face. The Storm pulled him up and shot him off the ropes, then gave him a drop toe hold. Rikishi rolled so he was facing up, but got a kick to the face before he could get back up. The Storm stomped on his ankle and grabbed his leg, then gave him the Twister hold. Referee Earl Hebner was over to get the Storm to release him when Rikishi showed no signs of capitulating, so the Storm released the ankle and grabbed up the second leg. He sneered at the Samoan, then gave him a groin stomp.
The Storm looked up to Benoit taunting him from the corner and ran over to take a swing. Benoit, however, ducked and grabbed the Force of Nature's head as he jumped off the apron. This sent the Storm stumbling back into Rikishi, who gave him a huge Samoan drop. Rikishi hooked up a leg. 1...2...and Austin was in for a major stomp to Rikishi's head. He stood up Rikishi and shot him into the ropes as the Storm got back up. Tandem reverse elbow -- and then the Storm shot off the ropes for a big elbow drop. He paced around the ring, face a mask of intensity, then frowned as Rikishi crawled over to his corner and tagged in Benoit.
King Crippler faced his one-time tag partner for a moment, then rushed at him. The Storm met him with his own Thesz press and started delivering one-two punches to Benoit, fierce knuckles that served to bust the Canadian wide open. Hebner was over to pull the Storm off of him, but then the Storm stood and gave a slow throat cut. He went over to the neutral corner and climbed up to the top, then leaned back as he held the top ropes. Benoit got back up, woozily, and turned and faced the Storm, who leaped out in the Windfall. He laid across Benoit's chest. 1...2...but then the Storm pulled Benoit up by the hair. He shook his head and scowled down at Benoit. "I ain't through with you yet!!"
He pulled Benoit up, then wrapped his hands around his waist and gave him a German suplex, but maintained his grip and stood up for a second. Benoit managed to elbow out of a third, but the Storm maintained his grip on his arm for a short-arm clothesline. Still maintaining his grip, the Storm looked up at the audience, then smirked and gave a chop to his shoulder before Benoit stood up again. The Storm went to whip him into the ropes, but yanked back on Benoit's arm, almost dislocating it. As Benoit stumbled back, the Storm gave him a knee to the gut and then planted him with a DDT.
Benoit started to get to his feet and stopped the Storm's next attack with a gutshot and a vertical suplex. He got up and gave the Storm a few stomps and then another suplex into the middle of the ring before standing and cutting the air with both hands. "That's it!" he hissed and went to the neutral corner and ascended. He spread his arms wide and jumped out, colliding with the Storm's head in a swandive headbutt. Unfortunately, the collision took out Benoit and both men lay prone in the middle of the ring as Austin and Rikishi reached impatiently for a tag.
The Storm started to come around first, and started to drag himself toward Austin as Benoit crawled toward Rikishi. The Storm made it first, and then Rikishi was tagged in. The two nemeses ran at each other, but Austin's clothesline took Rikishi down with a flip. He turned and waited for Rikishi to get back up, then went for a Stone Cold Stunner. Rikishi shoved Austin away, however and gave him a huge belly-to-belly splash as Austin came off the ropes. He lay atop him for the pin. 1...2...and Austin managed to kick out.
Rikishi stood Austin up and threw him into the corner, then backed up, slapping his butt cheeks as he did so. Rikishi charged forward and went for a Bass-Ackwards splash, but Austin moved out of the way, then gave Rikishi a bulldog as he came off the post. He waited for Rikishi to get back up, flashed him a Stone Cold salute, then gave him a Stone Cold Stunner. The fans cheered as he went for the pin. Benoit rushed in to stop the count, but the Storm cut him off with a spear and more one-two punches to the head, bloodying him further. 1...2...3!
The fans popped as the bell was rung, Austin standing and kicking Rikishi until he rolled out of the ring and stumbled up the ramp. The Rattlesnake watched him for a moment, then turned to see the Storm stand Benoit up and give him a harsh jab to the gut, then throw him up on his shoulder. The Storm paused for a moment, then dropped to one knee, piledriving Benoit's head in the Southern Lightning. Benoit weakly rolled out of the ring and started to escape, the Storm ready to follow to dish out more punishment.
Austin, however, stopped him. The Rattlesnake turned to the timekeeper and raised a hand in the air. Obligingly, two cans of beer were tossed to him. The Storm grinned and raised his own hand. "Beer me!" he shouted. Two were tossed to him as well. They each popped one open, toasted each other, then went to the corners and smashed their cans together before pouring beer into their mouths. They tossed aside empty cans as they passed each other and grabbed more beer from the timekeeper. Another toast in the corner and more beer. This continued until they touched all four corners, and then the Storm grinned at Austin, toasted him again, and shouted, "Don't mess with Texas!" as RAW went off the air.
-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. The Storm is back, and badder than ever. As this installment shows, he will be teaming up with Austin for a bit, but I intend to make him more of a singles competitor now. 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=-