Chapter 8: Ascend/Descend
By: Jay Winger
Note: this is set the Sunday after "Chapter 7: One Step Closer."
To recap: With the tournament set and ready to go, at Raw, Shane McMahon arrives with Billy Rose and 'Team ECK' in a limousine. Rose is worried that the Storm will try to attack him again after Rose put Rain in the Deadly Blossom on Thursday, and his fears are justified when the Storm drives into the garage and rams the limo with his car. After his match with Haku to advance in the KOTR tourney, the Storm pulled out a sledgehammer from under the ring and headed to the VIP room where Rose was. Rather than run, however, Rose had a different idea. When the Storm busted into the room, he was attacked by the others, and then Rose called in a squad of policemen, who arrested the Storm for vehicular assault. Later, after winning his match against Eddie Guerrero with his unique cross powerbomb ("the Thorn"), Rose was again confronted by Rain, who kneed him in the balls. Rose was set to give Rain the Thorn powerbomb as well, but Austin came out to stop him. As he was leaving with Shane and Team ECK, however, Rose was stopped by the police. The Storm showed up and revealed that he'd gotten Rain to post bail and have Rose picked up for assault. The Storm told Shane and the others that his rage had gone from hot to cold, and that he'd be seeing Rose in the tournament at King of the Ring.
Teaser: The tournament arrives. Someone will be crowned and get the glory. Someone will be destroyed and sink into madness. At King of the Ring, one will rise and one will fall.
Rating: R - for violence and profanity
Disclaimer: All things WWF are property of Titan Sports. The characters of Matthew "the Storm" Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, and Billy Rose are completely fictional. I do incorporate a few traits from existing WWF wrestlers, but for the most part, they're my creations.
SUNDAY: King of the Ring, 25 June
The quarterfinals had been set in stone now. The qualifying rounds were over:
- The Storm had forced Haku to tap out to the Necksnapper.
- Rikishi had beaten Buh-Buh Ray Dudley with a Banzai Drop, despite the presence of D-Von Dudley at ringside.
- Steve Blackman got the better of Hardcore Holly when the self-styled "big shot" missed a dropkick and got hit with the killer martial arts kick.
- Chris Benoit had made Venom's Cobra tap out to the Crippler Crossface.
- Big Show once again won his match, this time hitting Viper with the Showstopper chokeslam.
- Al Snow got the better of Albert with a hard back suplex and a top-rope splash.
- Test beat Chris Jericho with a pumphandle slam.
- Billy Rose slammed Eddie Guerrero with the Thorn powerbomb.
So now the quarterfinals had been booked:
- The Storm v. Rikishi
- Steve Blackman v. Chris Benoit
- Big Show v. Al Snow
- Test v. Billy Rose
* * *
Stone Cold Steve Austin pulled up into the garage in his pickup truck and climbed out, then turned to see a black Honda Civic pulling in as well. Two people he knew very well climbed out and faced him. The Storm's eyes, hidden as usual behind his sunglasses, narrowed imperceptibly as he looked at the Rattlesnake. He turned to Rain, who climbed out the passenger's side. "Rain, you go on ahead, I gotta talk to Steve for a minute."
"Sure," she replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading off.
The Storm nodded, then turned to Austin, who looked at him. He shut the door to his car and strode over to Austin and looked him in the eyes from behind his shades. Neither said anything for a long moment, and then the Storm broke the silence. "What's up with you and her?"
"What d'you mean?" Stone Cold asked.
"What I mean is twice in the last two weeks you've come out and saved her ass from Billy Fuckin' Rose," the Storm said. "While she and I both appreciate that, I just wanted to make sure you're not gettin' any funny ideas."
"And just in the hell do you mean by that?" Austin demanded.
The Storm shoved him back against his truck and snarled. "What I mean is if I find out you're gettin' any funny ideas about you and Rain, I don't care how tough a son of a bitch you are, I'll whup your ass." He leaned in farther. "Only it won't be Texas-style, Steve, it'll be Japanese-style." He stepped back and poked Austin in the chest. "So you just watch yourself, man. You stay away from my girl." He stepped back, glowered, then grabbed his duffel out of his car and headed into the arena. Austin stared after him like he was crazy.
* * *
In the gorilla position, the Storm tightened his fingerless gloves and looked over as Rain walked up. "You stay back here," he told her. "I don't want you getting hurt out there."
"I'm not going to get hurt," Rain replied. "What did you want to talk to Steve about?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," he said. "Right now, I got some considerable ass to kick."
* * *
"The following is a Quarterfinal King of the Ring match!" Finkel announced. Pyros exploded from the ceiling and the Storm walked down the entry way, face looking less feral than it had in previous weeks. "Introducing first, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 239 pounds... THE STORM!" The Storm climbed up the steps and into the ring, where he climbed on the second rope and raised his fist in the air, then pointed around in a quarter-circle to the big screen, where his video was winding down.
"I'm a bad man. Bad man. Aaaaah, I'm a bad man, givin' bad men bad thoughts..." Drums played a rap beat as the Samoan behemoth plodded out, wearing red attire over his ring outfit. "And his opponent, from the Samoan Islands, weighing in at 425 pounds... RIKISHI!" The Storm removed his shades and passed them out to a stagehand as Rikishi slowly stepped into the ring, then removed his shirt and robe. Rikishi crouched and beckoned with both hands.
The Storm circled him for a moment, considering his options, then lunged in to lock up. Moving quickly to take advantage of his faster speed before Rikishi could throw his weight around, the Storm locked him in a side headlock and ground it in. Rikishi planted his feet and shoved the Storm off into the ropes. He came back and was knocked down by a big shoulder block from Rikishi, who shot off the ropes and jumped for a big leg drop. The Storm quickly rolled aside and sprang to his feet, then started hammering on Rikishi with right hands as he staggered to get up.
Rikishi managed to block one of the Storm's swings and lashed out with his own right hand, knocking him back long enough for the fat man to get fully to his feet. The Storm grunted as Rikishi drove him back into the corner, where he pounded on him with right hands. He grabbed the Storm's arm and whipped him hard across the ring, slapping his hands onto his considerable rear end, then started to charge. The Storm, however, lunged out of the corner with a flying lariat that took the big man down. The Force of Nature rolled to his feet and dropped an elbow on Rikishi's sternum, then tried a cover. 1-- and Rikishi threw him off.
The Storm looked down at Rikishi, scowled, then ran at the ropes, shot off them, and came back, aiming a clothesline. Rikishi ducked, then shot a foot out and caught the Storm on the chin with a nasty superkick as he came off the other ropes. The Storm went down, seeing stars, and Rikishi gave a sadistic little grin to the fans as he positioned himself over the Storm's chest, and squatted in preparation for a big vertical splash. The Storm lay there for a moment, and as Rikishi began his downward momentum, the Storm pulled himself out from underneath. Rikishi shouted in pain as he landed hard on his tailbone.
The Storm wound up and landed a hard kick to the base of Rikishi's spine, then squatted, put his knee at the base of his neck and pulled back on his jaw. Rikishi grimaced in pain as the Storm held the hold on for a minute, then released him as he showed signs of getting to his feet. He stepped back as Rikishi got to his feet and then shot off the ropes, looking for a Lou Thesz press, but Rikishi caught him and dropped him back in a Samoan drop. The Storm bounced a bit from the impact, holding his stomach, as Rikishi's weight had driven the wind out of his lungs. Rikishi hooked up a leg. 1... 2-- and the Storm got a shoulder up.
Rikishi stood up and stomped a big foot on him a few times, then went to bounce off the ropes and brought one massive leg down on the Storm's sternum. The Storm shouted in pain again and clutched his chest as Rikishi pulled him to his feet and whipped him into the corner. Rikishi backed up, smirking at the audience and slapping his cheeks again, then started charging. At the same moment Rikishi swung his ass to bear, the Storm lunged aside, causing the Phat Man to collide hard with the turnbuckle. As he stepped out, wincing, the Storm came off the ropes from the side, grabbed Rikishi's head and swung around before planting him with a jumping Tornado DDT. Rikishi lay on the mat in a daze as the Storm stood up, one arm holding his ribs. The Storm looked out at the fans, then wetted his finger and raised it in the air. The fans started clamoring.
The Storm ascended to the top rope and leaned back, holding the ropes for balance, then catapulted himself forward in a diving cross-body at Rikishi, who had climbed to his feet and turned to face him. The fans screamed, "Reap the Windfall!" as the Storm collided and took the Bad Man down. The Storm grabbed Rikishi's kneepad and pulled his leg up, nodding his head along with the referee's count. 1... 2... 3! The ref called for the bell as the Storm stood up, raising his hand in the air. "Damage, Inc." played over the speakers as Howard Finkel announced, "Here is your winner, THE STORM!"
The Storm started to head for the ropes, but then Rikishi got back up and nailed him with another superkick, sending him to the mat. Rikishi grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the corner, where Rikishi ascended to the second rope. The fans were booing like crazy as Rikishi bounced himself on the ropes a few times before dropping his entire 424-pound body on the Storm's chest. The Storm groaned and doubled over as Rikishi pulled himself up and left, "Bad Man" playing as he did so.
* * *
The Storm met Rain back at the gorilla position, and she helped him back to the Lone Star room. The Storm grinned weakly to the Acolytes, who looked at him from the card table, where they were playing poker with Jacqueline. Rain looked around as she got the Storm's duffel and got out some tape. "Where's Steve?"
"Who gives a shit?" the Storm grunted. "Come on, help me tape up my ribs."
The Storm pulled off his I am a Force of Nature shirt while Rain got the tape ready. For the first time, Bradshaw, Faarooq, and Jackie saw the scars crisscrossing the Storm's body. A nasty-looking burn scar patched his left shoulder and part of his chest. As he turned around, they could see a long scar across his back, just below his ribs. Rain helped him wrap the tape around his ribs, then secure it in place. Wincing a bit, the Storm sat back down and put the t-shirt back on over it.
"Where'd you get all those, man?" Faarooq asked.
"CIW," the Storm said. "A few in Japan."
"Damn," Bradshaw said. "And all the ones from CIW, you got them from Rose?"
"Nah, a few I got from this other guy, uh, Brick. Brick Dickerson," the Storm said. "He's an okay guy, but strong as all hell. Whacked me across the back with a 2x4 and broke a couple ribs and laid open four inches of my back."
"Ow," Bradshaw commented.
"Yeah, I think I said that at the time," the Storm said. "Now, I gotta rest up. Whoever I'll be facing is going to take advantage of my ribs, so I want them to be as healed as they can be." He started to lean back in his seat, but then the door to the locker room burst open and Stone Cold barged in.
"Storm, Billy Rose just showed up -- and he's trashin' your car!"
* * *
The Storm and the rest of Lone Star ran out to the garage to see Billy Rose using the very same sledgehammer he'd had a week before on the Storm's black Honda. The Storm snarled and ran at him, but Rose saw him coming and turned to face him. "What? What?" the Californian shouted. "What're you gonna do, huh?"
"First I was thinkin' of pounding your fucking skull in," the Storm remarked, moving forward.
"One more step! That's it! One more step!" Rose screamed, hefting the hammer. "Put one more foot forward and I'll bash your fucking brains out!"
Rain quickly stepped forward and grabbed the Storm's arm. "No, Storm!"
"That's right, Skinner," Rose sneered. "Listen to your little bitch-girl. She knows I'll do it."
The Storm shook Rain off and stepped closer to Rose, who swung the hammer down. Rain gasped and the rest of Lone Star jumped in surprise, but the Storm sidestepped and grabbed the hammer's handle, staring Rose straight in the eyes. Rose scowled and shoved him back, then screamed, "Come on, you son of a bitch, hit me!"
"And give you another fucking excuse to have me arrested?" the Storm said. "No fuckin' way. I'm going to see you in the ring tonight, and I'm going to save all the hits you got coming for ya till then."
Rose scowled. "What makes you think we'll be meeting in the ring tonight?"
"`Cuz you're going to win every single match you have," the Storm said. "I know this, because as much as you fear getting in the ring with me, you want WWF glory and gold more -- and that's going to drive you to win. I know you too well, Billy."
The Californian scowled for a moment, then his face twisted into a leer. "Well, then, if I'm going to get a beating at your hands, I may as well make it worth it." He released the sledge and turned to face Rain. She had exactly one second to blink in surprise before his fist collided with her face.
The Storm's eyes widened, and then he threw Rose against the side of his car and slammed him against it a few times before cocking back a fist to punch his lights out. Bradshaw, however, stepped up and stopped the swing, pulling him back. "It ain't worth it, Storm, much as the som'bitch deserves it."
"Yeah, save it for the ring, okay?" Faarooq advised.
Rose sneered. "Yeah, listen to the big galoots, Storm," he chuckled. "You're too gutless to hit me."
The Storm scowled. "Much as you deserve it, Billy," he growled, "I ain't gonna hit ya."
Another sneer. "Coward."
"Then it takes one to know one, Billy," the Storm said. "I'm going to do what you would do in this situation."
"Really?" Rose didn't seem impressed. "What's that?"
"Have someone else beat your ass," the Storm said, stepping back as the Acolytes moved forward. Rose's eyes widened and he feinted to the side, then ran in the other direction, slipping past one of Faarooq's arms. Austin gave chase for a moment, then stopped as Rose ducked down a hall. He turned back to see the Storm glowering after the slippery Californian. "Son - of a - bitch," he said slowly, eyes burning. He then turned to Rain, who was holding her face. "Rain, you okay?"
"I'm fine," she said, slowly taking her hand away from her left eye. A nasty bruise was already forming. She winced a bit. "Aside from the black eye..."
"Yeah, you're going to have a hell of a shiner there," the Storm said, gingerly touching it. She winced again. "Damn that fucking Rose..."
"Don't get hot about it, Storm," she said. "It isn't worth it."
"It sure as hell is worth it!" the Storm shouted. He looked at the Acolytes and Jackie. "You guys have seen the scars I have all over my body from Rose and that big-ass galoot of his from CIW. For seven damn years now, I've had to live with what he did to me, knowing I couldn't do shit about it. Now I'm going to get the chance. And it is going to be worth it, damn it."
He turned away from the others and back to Rain. "Come on, let's get some ice for that shiner."
* * *
Rose stalked down the hall to the VIP room, where Kurt, Edge & Christian, and Shane all looked up. Rose shoved Shane out of the way as he grabbed his wrist tape and began to prep himself for his upcoming match. Kurt opened his mouth. "Billy--"
"Don't talk to me," Rose snapped. "That fucking bastard Skinner thinks he can make a fool out of me? I'll show that moron..." He threw on his loose red shirt, then went into the bathroom, ran the faucet over his hands, then slicked his hair back before stomping out of the room.
* * *
"The following is a Quarterfinal King of the Ring match!" the Fink declared. Music began playing: "Test. This is a Test. Test. Test. This is a Test." The six-foot-six former bouncer came down the aisle in a pair of silver pants with his symbol emblazoned on it in black. "Introducing first, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 282 pounds... TEST!"
Test climbed up on the apron, then over the top rope into the ring, where he climbed onto the second rope and raised his arms in the air. He stepped down just as his music was cut off. "How long? How long? -- I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack..." Rose came down the aisle, the few inches that Test had on him readily apparent, but the Californian didn't seem to care. "And his opponent, from Los Angeles, California, weighing in at 245 pounds... BILLY ROSE!"
Rose didn't bother with posing. He threw off his shirt and charged the ring. Test met him with a stiff right hand and took the offensive, driving Rose back into the corner with more right hands, then grabbing his arm and whipping him across the ring into the opposite corner. Test went for a follow-up clothesline, but Rose put his boots up and stopped him cold. Test staggered back, turning around and holding his jaw, allowing Rose time to shift himself onto the top rope and spring out with a missile dropkick to Test's face as he turned back around. The tall Canadian went down.
Rose shot off the ropes and dropped quickly with an elbow to Test's sternum and hooked up a leg. 1-- and Test thrust his shoulder up before grabbing Rose and shoving him away. Rose backed up and charged with a clothesline as Test got to his feet, but got stopped with a shoulder block that drove Rose back into the ropes. Test whipped him across the ring again and aimed a big boot at his head, but Rose slid underneath the kick and came up for a back suplex that dropped Test hard on his neck. Test grimaced in pain and grabbed the back of his neck as Rose ascended the ropes again. He reached the top, stopped and pointed out at Test, then pounced with a Savage elbow. His attack struck, but when he made a lateral press, Test kicked out at two.
Moving quickly before Test could get back up, Rose grabbed his arm and twisted it before dropping and locking his legs around his head and shoulders in the Deadly Blossom. Test started to shout in pain and tried to resist, reaching for the ropes, but his positioning was wrong, and with Rose's weight bearing down on his upper body, he couldn't move that easily. Left with no other choice, Test began to tap the mat with his free hand. The referee called for the bell, and Rose released the hold. "Here is your winner... BILLY ROSE!"
Rose rolled out of the ring and collected his discarded shirt, face still twisted in residual fury from his confrontation with the Storm. He stomped back up the aisle, shrugging on his shirt in the process.
* * *
The Storm watched Rose's match on the monitor in Lone Star's room. "I told you," he remarked to Rain, who was gently pressing an ice pack to her swollen eye. "Rose wants prestige too much to avoid getting in the ring with me. Everyone knows I'm moving up in the WWF, and that I'm a force to be reckoned with, and sooner or later, he's going to have to get in the ring with me."
"I still think you should let this whole thing go," Rain said, indicating her black eye. "You know me -- I can take him on."
"No you can't, Rain," the Storm said tiredly. "I admit you do have the skills, but Rose has more than that. He's a very good study, and he'll hurt you bad if you go against him. I won't allow it."
"Look, Matthew," Rain said seriously, lowering the ice pack and turning to look at him. The Storm blinked and looked at her as well. They both understood that when they started using their real names, it was more personal. Rain continued: "I appreciate your wanting to protect me, but I'm not the green wannabe you met in Dallas. I can hack it by myself."
Matthew Skinner sighed, removing his sunglasses and setting them aside. "Claire," he said wearily, "I know that, and I know how much you've improved since the time we met, and since you came here to the WWF, but listen to me when I tell you, don't get in the ring against Rose. As good as you are, he's better."
Rain -- Claire Whittaker to her family -- blinked in shock. "Now just what do you mean by that?" she demanded. "You've told me you think I'm as good as you are."
"Yeah," Skinner said with a sigh, "but that was before I knew Rose was here."
Claire's nostrils flared for a moment, and then she grabbed her bag and threw her belongings into it. He blinked. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm leaving," she said abruptly. "I'll see you back at the hotel," she added in a cold tone.
"For what?" he said. "For calling it as I see it?"
"No, Matthew," Claire said, turning back. "For not trusting me enough to handle this by myself. You're letting your obsession with Billy Rose get in the way of our relationship. I'm going, and don't you try to stop me." She put on her own sunglasses and headed out the door, Skinner on her heels.
"Rain! Claire!" he shouted after her. "Goddammit, don't you walk away from me!"
Rain, however, kept walking until she came to the sidewalk outside. She hailed a taxicab and climbed into the back, directing the driver to the hotel. The Storm stood in front of the car, stopped it, then went around to the window. "Claire, please, just listen to me!"
"Re-evaluate your priorities in life, Matthew," she said through the window, not looking at him, "and then we'll talk. Drive," she told the driver, and the cab sped off.
Matthew Skinner stood in the street for a moment longer, then swore and kicked the fender of the nearest parked car. Heedless of the alarm that went off, he stalked back inside, eyes dark with frustration.
* * *
During the other quarterfinal matches, Chris Benoit had met Steve Blackman head-on and snared him with the Crippler Crossface, which the Lethal Weapon was forced to submit to. Benoit would therefore go on to once again face his former tag-team partner, the Storm, in the semifinals. Al Snow, meanwhile, had gone up against the Big Show, and the 500-pound monster easily defeated him with a one-armed chokeslam. This meant Big Show would face Billy Rose in the semifinals.
* * *
"The following contest is a Semifinal King of the Ring match!" The lightning pyros went off again, and Metallica rocked the arena as the Storm appeared, his face appearing a bit distracted as he went to the ring. "Making his way to the ring, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 239 pounds... THE STORM!" He didn't bother doing his pose as he passed his sunglasses out to the timekeeper, then paced around the ring.
The Storm's thoughts were snapped back to the present when he heard the ominous music of his opponent, the lights flashing blue. A scowl curled his lips. While his dislike for Benoit paled in comparison for the raw, seething hatred he had for Rose, it was enough to get him focused again. Chris Benoit came out in his yellow-on-black tights, a scowl set on his lips as well as he faced his opponent. "And his opponent, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, weighing in at 220 pounds... CHRIS BENOIT!"
Benoit took his time getting into the ring, and when he did, he walked right up to the Storm and glared at him straight in the eyes. The Storm glared back, and then lashed out with a right hand, knocking Benoit back a bit, then grunting as Benoit returned the favor. They traded punches for a moment, and then the Storm staggered back as Benoit raked his hands across his face. Benoit pushed him back in the corner, where he kicked, then stomped away at the Storm's ribs. Pain shot into the Storm with each breath he took as the Crippler took full advantage of the injured ribs he'd suffered at the hands (or rather, ass) of Rikishi.
Referee Mike Chioda finally pulled Benoit back long enough for the Storm to pull himself to his feet. When he turned back to the Force of Nature, he was caught by a flying clothesline that took him down. Benoit was back to his feet in an instant, but the Storm rolled back up and caught Benoit beneath the ribs with a spear and carried him back into the corner. There, the Storm grabbed the ropes to the sides and began pistoning his shoulder in and out of Benoit's gut, quickly driving all the air out of his lungs. While Benoit gasped for breath, the Storm hoisted him up onto the top of the post, where he hooked him up and then dragged him backwards in a superplex.
The Storm got back up, leaned against the ropes for a minute to catch his breath, holding his ribs with one arm. Benoit was slowly recovering from the shoulder thrusts and the superplex. As Benoit rolled onto his hands and knees, the Storm quickly dropkicked him in the head, sending him rolling out of the ring. The Storm followed and swung at Benoit as he got up, but the Wolverine blocked his swing, then grabbed his head and bashed it against the barricade. The Storm winced, then grabbed Benoit's head and did the same. Benoit staggered, then got another blow to the head as the Storm pounded on him before whipping him toward the steel stairs. Benoit, however, managed to reverse the momentum and swung the Storm chest-first into the stairs.
Groaning in pain, the Storm toppled to the floor, only to be pulled up by Benoit, who rolled him back into the ring. Inside, the Crippler stomped away on the Storm's chest a few more times, then cut his hands through the air. "That's it!" he hissed as he went to the corner. The fans clamored as he ascended to the top, then spread his arms and leapt out in a Swandive Headbutt. The Storm, however, rolled away, and Benoit smacked into the mat painfully. The Storm pounced, twisting Benoit's arm back into a hammerlock. The Wolverine began to writhe and try to fight out of it, but the Storm pounded him in the back of the head, then pressed his knee against Benoit's wrist and locked his hands under his jaw. He pulled back, snarling and Benoit shouted in pain as the Storm wrenched in the Necksnapper. Benoit began to tap the mat, and the fans cheered. Chioda rang the bell, but the Storm kept the hold locked in until Chioda began a five-count. At four, the Storm released Benoit and rolled out of the ring, collecting his sunglasses and raising a fist in the air as Finkel proclaimed, "Here is your winner... THE STORM!"
The Storm screamed, "You and me, Rose! It'll be you and me!" as he headed back up the entry way.
* * *
Not long after the first semifinal match ended, the next began. A loud male singer's voice roared: "We-ell... well, it's the Big Show!" Pyros exploded from ceiling and floor, and through the smoke came the big, nasty bastard himself. "The following contest is a Semifinal King of the Ring match! Making his way to the ring, from Tampa, Florida, weighing in at 500 pounds... the BIG SHOW!"
The Big Show looked out, counted to three with one hand, then roared and raised his hand in the air, pyros exploding behind him. He snapped the ropes down, then turned to the entry way as his music cut off. "How long? How long? -- I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack..." Rose appeared, throwing off his shirt instantly and running for the ring. Finkel hardly had time to introduce him: "And his opponent, from Los Angeles, California, weighing in at 245 pounds... BILLY ROSE!"
Rose paused briefly at the ring as he looked in at the 500-pound behemoth who beckoned him in. Slowly, Rose climbed up on the apron, and Show charged. Rose grabbed his head as he approached and dropped off the apron, snapping Show back, and allowing Rose to slide into the ring. Rose charged and then slipped between Show's legs as he swung a massive fist downward. Rose cocked his fists back and swung them from the sides, right into the Big Show's kidneys. Show shouted with pain and swung around, his arm swinging, but Rose ducked, then danced back as Show flailed again.
"Hold still, damn it!" Show snarled at him. He reached out and managed to grab Rose's wrist, then snapped him forward and leveled him with a short-arm clothesline. Rose sat back up, blinking his eyes and looking dazed. Show reached down and grabbed Rose by the head, pulling him to his feet. With another shout, Show swung his massive cranium down and drove it into Rose's. Rose fell to the mat again.
The Big Show raised his head and looked around, snarling a bit, then raised his hand into the air and roared. He turned back to Rose, who was slowly pulling himself to his feet, then Show held his hand back, waiting for the moment. Rose got to his feet, staggered a bit, then turned around. Show's hand clamped down on his throat and he hoisted him high in the air. He held it for a moment, roaring, but he held him a second too long. Rose recovered, grabbed Show's arm and wrapped his legs around it, then threw his weight downwards and managed to swing Show off-balance and to the mat in a vicious high-angle armbar takedown. Quickly, Rose went for the Deadly Blossom, but the Big Show threw him off and got up, holding his head.
Rose quickly went off the ropes and threw his body into the back of Show's knees, and managed to take the 500-pound monster down. Rose stood and lifted one of Show's legs to stomp at his knee, then drop an elbow on it and put on a leglock. Show snarled in pain, then reached forward to grab at Rose's head. The Californian nimbly ducked out of the way and shot off the ropes into a dropkick to Show's face. The big man went down, only to get back up to his knees. Show snarled, but Rose dashed in and smashed his fists across Show's face -- a straight right hand, a left hook, and then a vicious uppercut. Show staggered and slumped down to one knee, and with a final side kick from Rose, he fell over. Rose then went over to the corner and ascended. He pointed out at the Big Show, then sprang out in a Savage elbow. He planted it in the Big Show's heart, then pulled on his kneepad to "hook" a leg. 1... 2... 3!
Rose stood and raised a hand in the air. At ringside, J.R. and the King were astonished. "I don't believe it! Billy Rose just beat the Big Show!"
"I knew it! Billy's going to become King of the Ring, J.R., I just know it!"
"Here is your winner... BILLY ROSE!"
"My God, King, do you realize what this means? The finals of the King of the Ring tournament will be Billy Rose against the Storm!"
"Oh my God! The Storm's going to take Rose apart!" Jerry Lawler wailed. "Oh, Billy, why did you have to beat Big Show?"
* * *
The Storm checked his rib tape again, then did some stretches before wincing and stopping. The Acolytes watched him. Bradshaw remarked, "You sure you can handle this, Storm? We heard you talkin' to Rain earlier..."
"Yeah, man," Faarooq added, "we heard about how you were goin' on about Rose..."
"Look," the Storm snapped, "I'm going to do this by myself, okay? I can take on Rose by myself. This time, the som'bitch ain't got 'Team ECK' to fall back on, and he ain't got some seven-foot-one galoot to back him up. I'm going to beat him at his first game -- wrestling, and if he doesn't learn his lesson, then I'll beat him at his own game -- and screw him over again and again and again until the slimy asswipe learns not to fuck with the Force of Nature."
* * *
"Ladies and gentlemen," Howard Finkel said, "the following contest is to determine the new King of the Ring!" The fans clamored, then started to cheer as the lightning pyros went off for the third time that night, the Storm striding out through the flashing smoke. "Introducing first, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 239 pounds... THE STORM!"
The Storm had replaced his I am a Force of Nature t-shirt with his GeT SeT To GeT WReCKeD shirt and did his usual pose at the corner. He pointed at the screen just as his video wound down. His "game face" on, he turned to face the aisle. His fists clenched and loosened and a snarl curled his lips as he waited. "And his opponent..."
"How long? How long? -- I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack..." Billy Rose came out, and stopped under the TitanTron to pose and smirk at the jeering crowd. "...from Los Angeles, California, weighing in at 245 pounds... BILLY ROSE!" Rose stopped halfway down the aisle to glare at his nemesis, then slowly made his way to the ring and up the stairs. The Californian removed his shirt and dropped it outside the ring, then vaulted over the ropes. He stood across from the Storm and the two stared each other down.
"Told you I'd see you in the ring tonight," the Storm commented.
"You think you're pretty goddamn funny, don't you?" Rose growled. "A real fucking comedian."
"Turnabout is fair play," the Storm said. "Now, you got some hits comin' to ya, Billy."
And with that, the Storm swung the first punch and caught Billy in the side of the face. Rose staggered and returned the favor. The Storm absorbed it and hammered him again. The blond-haired wrestler was forced back in the corner, where the Storm began to pound on him with fists and kicks. A whip across the ring, and Rose stopped the follow-up clothesline with a back elbow. The Storm staggered back, allowing Rose to hoist himself up for a double axe-handle from the second rope. The blow came down between the Storm's shoulder blades, and he rolled away as he hit the mat, avoiding a stomp.
Rose stalked after him and aimed more kicks at the Storm's ribs, but the Force of Nature came up with a leg-sweep and turned him over for a Boston Crab. Rose kicked free and backhanded the Storm in the side of the head. He staggered into the ropes, where Rose snapped his forearm across his chest in a vicious knife-edge chop. He did it a few more times, then whipped the Storm across the ring, maintaining his grip to plant his knee in the Storm's gut once, then whipping again to do it one more time.
The Storm doubled over and gasped for breath, and Rose took the opportunity to step to the side and grab him for a wrist-clutch suplex. The Storm was dropped nearly on his head and rolled out of the ring to catch his breath. Rose frowned and ran across the ring, shot off the ropes and ran back, flipping over the ropes in a senton that brought him down on top of the Force of Nature.
Rose got up and stepped back, hands balled into fists. "Come on, get up! Get up, you son of a bitch!" As the Storm got to one knee, the Californian bashed him in the head with a punch. He swung again, but this time the Storm blocked it and came up with an open-handed uppercut palm strike that caught Rose in the jaw. Billy staggered back, gagging, and the Storm jumped up and nailed a spinning heel kick that took Rose down. The Storm dragged Rose up and hurled him into the ring, then followed, taking Rose down again with a stiff clothesline.
While Rose struggled to get to his feet, the Storm kicked him in the spine, then stomped on one of his ankles and locked the other in the Twister Anklelock. Rose started to scream in pain, and the Storm wrenched it in. "Quit, dammit! Tap out before I fucking snap it off!" Rose shook his head and tried to drag his other leg free, then lunged to one side and grabbed the ropes. The Storm snarled and dropped the ankle, snapping forward to drop an elbow on Rose's head. Rose got to his feet, then grabbed the Storm's arm and went for the Irish whip. The Storm reversed it, ducked under the clothesline Rose aimed, then caught him on the rebound for a powerslam. He hooked up a leg for the pin. 1... 2-- and Rose got a shoulder up.
The Storm lifted Rose up and scoop slammed him, then bent down to apply a sleeper hold. As Rose choked, the Storm snarled, "You fucked me over time and again, Billy, and you kept playin' games. Guess what, Billy? It's time for you to reap the Windfall!" He shouted these last words, then released the sleeper to stand and wet a fingertip. He went to the corner, ascended and leaned back, holding the ropes. As Rose groggily got to his feet, the Storm pounced. Rose saw him coming in mid-air and tried to duck, but the Storm plowed into him, taking him down. He lay atop him for the pin. 1... 2-- and impossibly, Rose kicked out.
The Storm pulled Rose up by one arm and went for a short-arm clothesline, but Rose ducked, held onto the Storm's hand and quickly took him down in an armbar before wrapping his legs around his neck and shoulders. Rose leaned back and wrenched in the Deadly Blossom as the fans started booing. The Storm growled in pain, eyes clenched and face turning red. Rose wrenched it again. "Come on, Skinner, scream for me!" Wrench, grimace. "One more time for old time's sake!"
The Storm kicked his legs wildly, and the crowd gasped as he arched his back, putting tremendous stress on his trapped shoulder, then kicked his feet off the mat and rolled over on to his stomach. Pushing himself up with one hand, he started to turn to Rose, who hastily released him when he saw the Storm preparing to foil the hold. The Storm booted him in the gut for a DDT, then got up, holding his right shoulder and wincing. He turned to Rose and now he was set back, fists clenched, waiting for Rose to get up.
When the Californian did get up, he ducked the Storm's punch and lashed out with a right straight punch, a left hook, then a hard body blow from his strong right hand. Rose quickly pinned his head between his thighs and held his arms out to the side. Rose went and gut-wrenched the Storm up to the crucifix position, preparing for the Thorn powerbomb, but the Storm dropped out of it. Acting quickly, the Storm swung around, hooked Rose in a full-nelson, then flipped him up into the Downdraft. Rose hit the mat with a terrific slam, and the Storm lay atop him for the pin. 1... 2... 3!
The roar from the crowd was incredible. The Storm rolled to his knees and got up, exhausted, raising a hand in the air as Finkel proclaimed, "Here is your winner... and the new King of the Ring... THE STORM!" The Storm rolled out of the ring, still holding his shoulder, smirking triumphantly at Rose, who was sitting up in the ring. Billy turned and glared out at the Storm, his teeth bared in a snarl, his face quivering with fury.
Partway up the aisle, the Storm was stopped by an official, who presented him with his royal golden cape and crown. The cape was draped over his shoulders and the crown handed to him. The Storm looked down at it, then up at Rose. With another smirk, the Storm raised it overhead, then slowly lowered it onto his head -- his motions exactly like the gestures Rose had been making throughout the tournament. Rose's eyes widened and he lunged at the ropes, only to be stopped by the referee in the ring. The Storm picked up a microphone. "Hey, Billy, I guess the better man won, yeah? Let this be a lesson to you, ya bottle-blond West Coast jackass -- don't mess with Texas, and don't you even conceive of going up against one pissed off Force of Nature!"
Rose appeared to be having a fit in the ring with the way he was pacing around, swearing and snapping at the ropes, a vein throbbing on his forehead. The Storm smirked again, then turned and raised a fist in the air to the crowd, which cheered as he headed back into the back.
* * *
In the VIP room that Shane and Team ECK had claimed for themselves, Rose returned and grabbed the nearest chair, hurling it into a row of lockers. Shane stepped back as Rose grabbed a tray of food the group had been eating from and threw it into the wall, then kicked over the small coffee table. He quivered for a moment, then yelled with fury and punched the drywall, putting a dent in it.
"Rose, Jeezus, calm down!" Shane said, going over and holding back his arm as he reared back to swing another punch. "Relax! I know you're upset `cuz you lost King of the Ring, but--"
"You think I'm mad `cuz I lost that shot?" Rose snapped. "I'm not mad about that, I'm mad about the fact that it was Matthew Fucking Skinner who beat me! The goddamn son of a bitch has been a cramp in my style from the second I met him! I tried to get him to recognize just who the hell I am back in CIW by putting him up against Brick -- and I finally got the sucker to leave. Only then he has to go and get famous on me by doing so goddamn well over in Japan -- and then he goes and does it again by coming here! So I come here, looking for a little glory myself, and the son of a bitch has to hold a fucking grudge!"
He scowled as he pulled on a black t-shirt and sat down on a sofa, rubbing his temples. Slowly, his scowl curled upwards into a vicious grin. "Well, two can play at that game. If Skinner wants to be the Storm, I'll give him a Storm -- a Shit Storm. Oh, yeah, the 'King' is gonna get dethroned."
-more to come-
Next: Factions collide and factions fracture. Rivals square off and step off. And Billy Rose tells the Storm "This Ain't Over."
If you have any ideas for who you think the Storm, Rain, or Billy Rose should
team up with or go up against, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.
