By: Jay Winger
Note: This is three weeks after "Storm Warning: Lone Star." To recap: a new faction/team, called Lone Star, had formed following Fully Loaded, consisting of the Acolytes, the Storm, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Chris Benoit, however, was plotting against them, and had two disguised men, refered to as the Black Masks, attack each member of the team with 2x4s following a match. But Benoit saved the most punishment for his former tag-team partner -- getting not only a beating with 2x4s, but a Pedigree from Benoit's ally Triple H, and a few minutes in the Crippler Crossface. While Benoit was unable to force the Storm to scream or tap out to the hold, he did render the Storm unconscious -- a little payback for the Storm doing so to him at Fully Loaded. The following Smackdown!, however, when Benoit and Triple H called out the Black Masks to attack Y2J and Kurt Angle, the men in the masks abruptly walloped Benoit and Triple H. The Storm and Austin had foreseen Benoit's involvement and had attacked the Black Masks backstage and taken their outfits. The real Black Masks -- Test and Just Joe -- were disposed of by the Acolytes. As a result of this building feud, Commissioner Mick Foley booked Test and Joe against the Acolytes (street fight tag match), Triple H against Austin (First Blood match), and Benoit against the Storm in a steel cage match at Summerslam. Both Benoit and the Storm swear they're going to destroy each other.
IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO SUMMERSLAM...
Surprisingly, despite the long time between Foley's announcement of the Summerslam matches and the PPV itself, the Commissioner's no-obedience-no-match stipulation held. Triple H, the Black Masks, and the Radicalz (Benoit included) kept their distance from Lone Star, and Lone Star kept their distance from the heel alliance. Right to Censor continued to try to curb the Texan team's beer-drinking celebrations. The APA office was moved into Stone Cold's dressing room, which served as Lone Star's headquarters. RTC even dared to go into Lone Star's room to "censor" it, leading to a series of matches between the Texans and the censors. The Black Masks -- as Test and Just Joe continued to call themselves, despite not wearing the masks anymore -- challenged the Hardy Boyz for their Tag Team titles, but ultimately lost, even with an ECRI (Edge & Christian Run-In) in their favor. And, yes, with Test's new alliance with Benoit, it appeared that T&A had disbanded. Trish Stratus, for her part, severed ties with Albert and began to look for a new team or person to manage. (She was eyeing Kurt Angle, to that degree.)
But the Summerslam card continued to take shape as feuds developed. Jacqueline continued to thirst for Lita's WWF Women's Championship title, while the New Age Outlaws and Chyna began to tangle with the Radicalz. That feud led to an Intercontinental title match between Benoit and Billy Gunn, which Benoit won. This led Commissioner Foley to make the steel cage match between the Storm and Benoit for the Intercontinental title. Meanwhile, Triple H forced Kurt Angle to put his #1-contender status on the line, and handily defeated him so he could fight Austin for the WWF Championship. This in turn led The Rock to challenge Kurt Angle to a number-one contendership match at Summerslam for Unforgiven.
The Hardy Boyz and the newly-turned heels, the Dudley Boyz, would fight for the Hardys' WWF Tag Team titles, while the rapping K-Kwik got in a feud with rap-hating William Regal. And the smirking Canadian brothers Edge & Christian suffered the humiliation of fighting the curtain-jerker match at Summerslam against Lo Down, of all people. (According to the Brothers Grin, this "totally reeked of heinosity.")
However, with the volatile nature of the Lone Star-Triple H/Radicalz/Black Masks feud, Foley had decreed that there would be no interference in their matches. Doing so would result in severe punishment -- up to and including suspension. In a brief but tense meeting in the ring at one point, the Storm said he didn't need any help to beat Benoit ("I proved that at Fully Loaded"), which led to Benoit promising that no one from the alliance would interfere.
Now all that was left was to wait for the match itself.
SUNDAY: Summerslam, Aug. 23
Edge & Christian did well in the curtain-jerker, despite the indignity of being in the match in the first place and the indignity of having to face Lo Down. Chaz fell victim to the Unprettyer while D'Lo suffered an Edge-o-matic. (Still, the Canadian brothers did treat the fans to a five-second pose prior to the match.) Jacqueline surprised everyone by not only withstanding Lita's top-rope huracanrana and kicking out of the top-rope moonsault and then pinning Lita, but after the match she stood up with the belt and crowed "Don't mess with Texas!" (This led Michael Cole to go backstage to the Lone Star dressing room to inquire, where Austin and the Storm said they'd be glad to welcome Jackie aboard.)
The Radicalz (consisting of Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn, and Eddie Guerrero) defeated the New Age Outlaws and Chyna. Billy Gunn had hit Malenko with a Fame-Asser and Eddie with his sleeper uranage, but Saturn was able to hit Billy with a top-rope elbow while Chyna and Road Dogg were distracted outside with Malenko and Terri. Saturn then turned Billy over and dragged Eddie on top of him while Saturn held down Billy's legs from outside the ring.
In the European Title Match, K-Kwik hit all his high-flying moves on William Regal, but Regal was able to put the Regal Stretch on K-Kwik and force him to submit.
Next, the Acolytes faced the Black Masks in their street fight match. Test put up a valiant effort with Just Joe -- who had become much more assertive since being booked in this match. He did manage to knock Bradshaw down at one point with a glass candy jar to the head, but Faarooq paid him back with one of the Black Masks' 2x4s. Bradshaw got back up and flattened Test with a Clothesline from Hell lariat, while Faarooq covered Joe for the pin.
The Hardys successfully defended their Tag Team titles against the Dudley Boyz, and even managed to avoid taking a ride through the wood when D-Von got the tables for Buh-Buh Ray. The presence of the table, however, brought out Right to Censor, who tried to take it away. That led to the Hardys and Dudleys cleaning house and then causing Steven Richards to get wood. The Rock took Kurt Angle down, despite Trish Stratus' appearance at ringside. She tried to hit The Rock with her boot at one point, but he dodged and gave her a spinebuster for her trouble. Angle then got a Rock Bottom and the Sharpshooter, forcing the Olympian to tap out.
Now the steel cage was set up around the ring. Sirens blared and the lightning bolt/exclamation point symbol of the Storm flashed on the screen. The noise stopped as his voice growled, "Seek shelter...the Storm...has...ARRIVED!" Lightning shot from the ceiling and set off his pyro as he walked through the smoke. He carried his ugly-stick and wore a Lone Star T-shirt and sunglasses. "The following match is a Cage Match, and is for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship. Introducing first, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 239 pounds...he is a member of Lone Star...THE STORM!"
The Storm stepped into the cage and looked around at it. He went to one of the corners near the entrance aisle and rapped his bat against the mesh. He set the bat down in the corner and crouched in wait as his Metallica instrumental music ("Ride the Lightning") wound down. The lights flashed blue as Benoit's music played. The Crippler King walked out in yellow-on-black tights. "And his opponent, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, weighing in at 220 pounds...he is the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion...CHRIS BENOIT!"
Benoit stepped into the cage and glowered at the Storm, who glowered right back. They circled for a while, and then locked up. The Storm used his slightly larger size to his advantage, forcing Benoit back against the cage and driving his head into the mesh. Grabbing Benoit's arm, the Storm snarled loudly as he threw Benoit across the ring. The Wolverine hit the cage and staggered from the impact. The Storm leered at him and beckoned him forward. Benoit gathered his senses and charged again, but the Storm hit a drop-toe hold and floated over to put on a half-nelson.
The Storm pulled Benoit up in this hold, then hit a modified tomakaze on him. The Storm adjusted his grip, then rolled down Benoit's back and pulled Benoit forward, bending his back and stretching his neck in the hold. Benoit grimaced and then jabbed his free elbow into the Storm's kidney, and the hold was broken. The Storm got up, circling around Benoit, who was rotating his shoulder and glaring at the Force of Nature. It was plainly evident that the Storm had beefed up his technical wrestling knowledge since his arrival in the WWF, and that didn't bode well for Benoit.
Benoit came forward and locked up again, and this time the Storm put on a side headlock. He wrenched it in, squeezing, but then Benoit shoved him off into the cage. As the Storm came off it, Benoit grabbed him and gave him an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Benoit was back up and stomping away on the Storm, who crawled over to a corner. Benoit placed his boot on the Storm's throat and pressed it in, holding the ropes while snarling. The Storm grabbed Benoit's ankle with his hands and tried to pull it away, but was unable. The referee in the ring counted towards five, and Benoit released the foot choke at four. He glowered at the ref and started back for the Storm.
The Storm had pulled himself back up and kicked Benoit in the chest. The Crippler King staggered, then again as the Storm landed another kick. Benoit grabbed his chest a bit, and the Storm hoisted himself to the second rope and jumped out, grabbing Benoit's head and spinning about for a tornado DDT. The Storm got back up and grimaced in pain, rubbing his neck. He went to the cage wall and started to ascend.
Benoit staggered to his feet, looking around for his opponent, then saw the Storm half-way up the cage. He grabbed his ankle and yanked him down, quickly pouncing over to put on the Crossface. The Storm hissed in pain and started to get to his knees, but Benoit leaned on him, trying to force him back down. The Storm, however, would not be stopped. He managed to get to his feet, albeit unsteadily. Benoit snarled, releasing the hold and wrapping his arms around the Storm's waist. Before the Storm could adjust, Benoit heaved him back for a German suplex. Benoit and the Storm got back up, but Benoit still had his grip on, and heaved him back for a second German suplex.
As Benoit started to pull him up for a third, however, the Storm elbowed Benoit in the head a few times, escaping the grip. He turned and gave Benoit a big right hand, then grabbed his arm and gave him a short-arm clothesline. He maintained his grip on the arm, then turned Benoit on his back and straddled his legs around Benoit's shoulder, then pulled on the arm. He held the armbar for a while as Benoit grimaced and growled in pain, then released him. He threw Benoit in the corner, then followed with a chop across the chest. The fans shouted, and the Storm delivered another chop. Grabbing Benoit's arm, he whipped him across the ring and followed with a big clothesline to the face.
The Storm kicked Benoit in the gut repeatedly, knocking him down in the corner, then started to stomp him against the mat. The referee pulled him back at last. The Storm frowned and turned back to Benoit, who was pulling himself to his feet. As soon as Benoit turned to face him, the Force of Nature unloaded a superkick to his face. Benoit went down. The Storm dragged him out of the corner by the feet, then twisted his legs around into a Texas Cloverleaf and locked in the hold. Benoit shouted in pain and reached for the ropes, but the Storm kept him pulled away from them. After a minute, the Storm dropped Benoit and pulled him up for a death suplex.
Benoit, however, flipped out of the move, grabbed the Storm around the waist and gave him a death suplex. Unfortunately, they were too close to the cage wall, and the Storm's head collided with the mesh hard. Benoit staggered away and looked at the fallen Storm, then started to climb up the side of the cage. The Storm still hadn't moved when the Crippler King reached the top and looked down at his prone opponent. A sadistic smile spread across his features, and then Benoit spread his arms to the side, falling off the top in a swandive headbutt toward the Storm.
The fans were screaming as Benoit fell, then popped as the Storm rolled out of the way. Benoit's eyes widened and he tried to bring his arms in to protect his face, but too late as he slammed into the mat. The Storm pulled himself to his feet with the ropes, then grabbed the mesh and started to climb up the cage. Reaching the top, the Storm slumped over and breathed heavily as he rubbed the back of his head, where he'd collided head-first with the cage. He looked down at Benoit, who was slowly stirring. The Force of Nature got to his feet, facing in. He stuck a finger in his mouth, wet it, and raised it in the air. The fans, sensing what was coming, started to cheer.
The Storm crouched on top of the cage, grabbed the mesh, and waited as Benoit staggered to his feet and across the ring as he tried to get his balance. As Benoit turned to face him, the Storm catapulted himself into the ring in a diving crossbody, the fans screaming, "Reap the Windfall!" Benoit got flattened, but the Storm rolled off of Benoit, clutching his midsection. The Windfall hurt the Storm as well, at the height from which he'd done it. The ref watched them carefully as they both struggled to get back up.
When both men reached their feet, they started trading punches. Benoit landed a punch that staggered the Storm back into the corner. Benoit started to chop him across the chest viciously, but the Storm managed to shove him away long enough to slump down and grab his ugly-stick, where he'd placed it at the beginning of the match. When Benoit came back at him, the Storm jabbed him in the gut with the baseball bat, then clobbered him in the back of the head. Tossing the bat away, the Storm began to climb again.
As the Storm reached the top, he paused again, wincing as he rubbed his sore chest and head. This pause allowed Benoit the time to start climbing as well. The Force of Nature looked down at him, frowning, standing and waiting for Benoit to reach the top. Benoit came toward him, but the Storm grabbed his arm and twisted Benoit around quickly in a hammerlock. Benoit struggled to reverse it, but the Storm swept his legs out and knelt on his back, bringing his hands up in the camel clutch position. The Storm leaned back, eyes wild. "Let's hear the snap!" he shouted.
Benoit shouted in pain as his back was bent very painfully, his body pressed against the unforgiving steel of the cage, and finally the Storm got off of him. He pulled Benoit up, then gave him an Italian arm chop before kicking him in the chest, knocking him off the top of the cage, down to the mat below. The Storm got down, grabbed the top of the cage and lowered his legs down the outside. The fans cheered as the Storm slowly scaled down the outside of the cage, then dropped to the ground and collapsed against the security barrier. The bell ringed, and the fans cheered as the instrumental of "Ride the Lightning" by Metallica played. The outside referee brought over the Intercontinental title belt and raised the Storm's hand in the air.
"Here is your winner...and NEW World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion...THE STORM!"
The Storm took the belt, staggering up the entrance aisle, then paused and raised the belt in the air. "Don't mess with Texas!" he crowed, then spat in Benoit's direction before giving the two-fingered salute and heading to the back.
* * *
The mood in the Lone Star dressing room was jubilant. The newest member of the team, Jackie, was sharing a Natural Light with the Acolytes, and when the Storm walked in with his new Intercontinental title belt, they toasted him with loud cheers. "The man of the hour!" Bradshaw shouted as he tossed the Storm a beer. "Congrats, man, at getting a title!"
"Yeah," Faarooq said, "and from Benoit, of all people."
"Hey, you guys didn't do so bad yourselves," the Storm said. "Kickin' those yahoos' asses back to Canuck Country."
"Let's save the real celebration, guys," Jackie said. "Let's wait for Steve to beat Helmsley."
The four seated themselves at the Acolytes' poker table, which had been moved into the dressing room with the rest of the APA "office," and watched the monitor. Austin's match against Triple H was next, and it had been made a no-disqualification contest. Both Austin and Helmsley, however, had warned their respective factions not to get involved.
* * *
The two brawled in and out of the ring, both using steel chairs and other weapons to their advantage. Triple H went for his sledgehammer, but Austin stopped him and slammed his head into the turnbuckle no less than ten times. The brawling continued, until the two men stood atop the announce table. Triple H was setting Austin up for a Pedigree, but Austin low-blowed him, gave him a Stone Cold salute, then booted him in the gut and dropped Hunter in a Stone Cold Stunner, which collapsed the announce table.
Hunter was rolled back in the ring, where Austin gave him another Stunner. Despite Triple H's orders not to, the Radicalz (minus Benoit) and the Black Masks started out to help him, but they were cut off by Lone Star, who ran out to beat them away. Austin covered Triple H, and got the pin. 1...2...3.
The fans popped as Austin stood and took his belt, raising it in the air to the music of Disturbed. "Here is your winner...and still World Wrestling Federation Champion...STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN!" Austin was joined in the ring by the rest of Lone Star (the Storm and Jackie each had their title belts), and they all called for beer. The Black Masks pulled Triple H out of the ring and helped him to the back as all five Texans toasted each other in the ring. They turned to the fans, raised their beer, and everyone shouted along with them: "Don't mess with Texas!"
-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. As several people have suggested, Boulder and I will be collaborating on a Storm/Viper crossover fic of sorts. There are a few details we have to work out in order for our fic-series to mesh properly, and once we have those sorted out, we'll start writing our fic.
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=-