(Just a note, I'm not putting any action sequences in for the next two chapters, so if you are waiting for the big match you will have to wait until Chapter 14. Right now I'm hoping to get the plot development going well. Thanks for the reviews thus far! Keep it up!)
Chapter 12 - Prelude to War
Monday Night, Raw is War, a night where the crowds would get together to watch the Top WWF Superstars fight each other for wrestling supremacy, to see who was the best. The arena was filled with people that night, with fans from all around the world getting together to watch the spectacle that is modern sports entertainment.
With the sound of a car wreck, the show began to start as commissioner Mick Foley began to come down to the ring. The crowd began to cheer wildly for the commissioner, who had a rather grim expression on his face. After all, last week, one of his top superstars, Kane, had come close to committing murder. The parents groups were on him, but luckily the camera's had managed to move away before too much blood had been spilt. The Road Dogg was officially released from contract the next night, as was X-Pac, after finding out about what they did to Tori. Tori herself began to get violently ill as she remembered those events which she had blocked off in her head. So now Mick Foley had 2 less wrestlers on his roster.
Entering the ring and waving to the fans, he picked up a microphone and began to say what was neccessary. "After the events of last weeks Raw, I came to realize that things had begun to get a bit out of control between the competitors for the World Wrestling Federation championship. So I have two announcements to make tonight, and hopefully that will solve everything. I am ordering all of the Superstars involved in the main event not to lay a hand on each other until the main event at No Mercy. There will be no fighting, and there will be none of these kind of brutal attacks anymore. It all ends NOW! If you attack each other, you will be fired from the World Wrestling Federation immedietly. No suspension, and no chance of ever getting a job here ever again."
"The second announcement, is that I am going to include Shawn Michaels in the main event tonight...on one condition. Shawn Michaels will have to prove himself tonight in a match against The Rock!" The crowd popped loudly for this one. It would be a pay per view worthy matchup.
"And you all have Smackdown off, so after tonight, you may go home and rest up. The Japanese Death Match will take a lot of time to prepare for physically."
"As for tonight..."
That was as far as Foley got, as 'The Game' by Motorhead began to play, and Triple H began to walk towards the ring, accompanied by Stephanie McMahon Helmsley. He entered the ring, taking his own microphone. He stared Foley right in the eyes, and Foley just stared right back. The hatred between the two had not subsided for years.
The game then turned around, and began to speak to the masses. "I came down here, simply to congratulate Foley on making the smart decision. It is best to put Shawn Michaels in the main Event at No Mercy, and I think it's great that we have this chance to prepare for No Mercy."
"Last week, Kane destroyed my friend, the Road Dogg. His career is now permanently over, and I would just like to apologize to Kane now...because I honestly had no idea that the Road Dogg and X-Pac would do that to tori. I just wanted to play some mind games, but those two eggheads screwed it up, like they always do. Maybe the Road Dogg smoked a bit too much crack before going to X-Pac's...I don't really know. All I want to say, is that I had nothing to do with it." He looked around at the audience as they chanted bullshit. Really, Triple H had just wanted them to mess with Kane's head, not to rape Tori. However, it didn't work out that way.
"I also would like to make a statement to Kane. Kane, just because you snapped on the Road Dogg does not mean I will go easy on you at No Mercy. You put my father in law in the hospiatal, and I will never forgive you for that. Austin and the Rock, Jericho and Michaels, they can go at each other all fine and good. But this match is going to come down to you and I, and we both know it. This match is an elimination style matchup, one after another will fall. And you and I both know it will come down to us. But do you think I'm intimidated Kane? Do you think I'm scared of you? Unlike the rest of the locker room, I don't piss my pants whenever you come into the room. I know how to beat you Kane...you are good, but you are not that damn good! I am..."
And then the fire came, exploding from the titantron as Kane walked down to the ring, only he looked much darker. The shades of red on his costume were much darker, and his mask was darker, with blood red marks on it. Kane just ran down towards the ring as Triple H stayed in there, hoping Knae would attack him so he would get fired. Foley tried to stop Kane but Kane simply pushed him out of the way.
He didn't care anymore, all he could think about was breaking Triple H's neck. Kane was about to grab Triple h by the throat, who stood there smirking to himself. But Stephanie McMahon began to pull on Kane's hair, paniking in fear for her husband. Kane just simply turned towards her and approached her slowly...and Triple H left the ring. He watched helplessly as Kane grabbed Stephanie by the throat, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"HELP ME HUNTER! PLEASE!!!" Yelled Steph, but HHH just walked back, knowing he couldn't attack Kane. His job was more important than Steph ever would be.
Kane grinned cruelly under his mask as he choked Stephanie, watching her cry, beg for mercy. He lifted her high above his head, and he laughed, looking into her eyes.
But once he looked into her eyes, he seemed to stop. His breathing began to slow down as he watched her cry, and he slowly let her down. He eased his grip on her throat and set her down.
Stephanie crumpled down into a heap on the ground, crying. She was in pain, but the pain was more emotional. Triple H had refused to save her.
Kane simply stood there, looking at his hand that held Stephanie's throat a few moments ago. He had been prepared to kill her, a defenceless woman.
What kind of man had he become?
Slowly, Kane exited the ring, and then looked to Foley for a few moments, then he put his head down, and walked towards the back.
*********
Entering the locker room, Kane shut off the lights and just sat in a dark corner, staring down at the floor. Then he looked back into the mirror.
Glaring, hating himself for what he had allowed himself to become. The Undertaker was right about the path he had taken. It was a path of self-destruction, but more emotionally than for the soul. Kane finally understood why the Undertaker had stopped his ride on the darkside so long ago.
It was because of the loss of your own humanity. Through all of what Kane had gone through, he had set himself limits after his battles with his brother. He would only go after those who deserved it, only after those who hurt him.
And now he has almost killed a defencless woman. And he had enjoyed it when he had his hand at her throat, watching her beg for mercy.
He now knew how the Undertaker felt while he was the Lord of Darkness. Only 'Taker had taken it a step further, and dived into the darkside after a long period of flirting with it, using it himself. After a long time, he became a slave to his own hate, letting the darkness and his hate and greed movitate him instead of his brain, and his heart. And now Kane was starting to become just like him.
Who was he anyway? Was he just ment to be some mindless monster, moving around, continuously taking his vengence on people? What would happen after he destroyed Triple H? Would he stop? Would he be able to? It was true that those he placed his anger upon deserved it, but at what price?
These questions haunted him throught the day, as he sat there in the dark corner, contemplating his life. Taking off his mask, he looked at himself in the mirror, looking at the burns and the scars on his face. He could have gotten plastic surgery a long time ago. He was horrendus, and truly a monster on the inside. "Is this me? Am I you?" He said simply, then he put his mask on, and then left.
**********
Triple H sat in his locker room, drinking a bottle of water, watching a highlight video he had made of Kane, Michaels, Austin, the Rock, and Jericho. He studied them, perfectly focused on the match when he heard the door open, and his wife came in, crying her eyes out.
"Why didn't you help me?" Yelled Stephanie as she collapsed on to a chair, her head buried in her hands. Triple H looked at her and rolled his eyes.
"Do you mind? I'm preparing for No Mercy!" He yelled, watching the tape.
"Preparing for No Mercy? You should have come in there and stopped Kane! You should have helped me, I wanted to help you!"
Triple H just looked at her, shaking his head. "No, you just cost me the opportunity to get Kane out of my way forever! If he hit me, he would have been fired. But you had to stop him!"
Stephanie looked at him just like a person looks after they have been stabbed in the heart by the one they loved. "But...I tried to save you."
Hunter looked back to the screen, avoiding eye contact with her. "You are usless. Get out of here."
"But I love you Hunter!" She said, not understanding.
He looked at her and growled. "But you are nothing to me! GET THE FUCK OUT!"
Stephanie ran out of her locker room, crying her eyes out. Triple H just snorted and locked the door, going back to the video.
"Bitch."
************
the Rock stood in his locker room, looking at the cameara as Michael Cole talked to him about the upcoming match. The Rock could hear the chants in the arena, and it made all of his doubts about No Mercy disappear. This was why the Rock did this. Sure he could have a great career in hollywood. Right now he could do anything he wanted. But he need to thank some certain peolpe for giving him a reason to stay in wrestling.
"This Sunday, the Rock faces perhaps THE BIGGEST challenge in his entire career. This Sunday, No Mercy, Japanese Death Match, it's gonna be the Rock, Kane, the Ragin Flaming Redneck Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, The moron kid Shawn Michaels, and Y2Gay, Chris Jeriblow, fighting it out in what will be -THE- most brutal match of the Rock's career. Barb wire, explosives and C-4, oh my!" He said, and the crowd popped even more. The Rock shuffled his shoulders and changed his stance, grabbbing the microphone from Michael Cole. "But that's all fine with the Rock, because it is a chance, ONE MORE TIME, for the People's Champ to go in there, Number One Contender, and to walk out, ONE MORE TIME, as World Wrestling Federation...Champion!"
The crowd began to cheer even more, and the building began to rumble.
"But Rock..." Michael Cole said, looking at the rock. "Aren't you worried about the brutality of this match?"
The Rock just looked at Michael Cole and yelled back. "What in the blue hell do you think? Anyone would be intimidated going into this kind of match. Yeah the Rock is worried! The Rock is worried about a loto f things. but the thing the Rock is most worried about, is dissapointing the people. Because the Rock doesn't have to go to No Mercy. the Rock doesn't -have- to be part of the World Wrestling Federation. But the rock does it anyway, for the millions....AND MILLIONS of the Rocks fans all around the world! And for them, the Rock is willing to bleed, willing to burn, willing to DIE..." He said, and the crowd began to chant his name. "...for the people. And the Rock cannot guarantee that he will win the World Wrestling Federation Championship, but the Rock is making a garan-damm-te, that the Rock will always remain...the people's champion." He looked into the camera, and raised the people's eyebrow, and then looked up and yelled into the microphone. "IF YOU SMELLLLLLLLLLL....WHAT THE ROCK...IS COOKIN!"
*************
Austin sat in a bar just outside of town, taking a drink, and sitting right next to him, was the old Stone Cold. At least in his head. He had been talking to the old Stone Cold for an hour, but no one else was there.
"What the hell do you know? You are just some fucking voice in my head anyway." Yelled Austin.
'Well you are a voice in mine. You are just my midlife crisis. Well Stone Cold Steve Austin is over it, and he wants back in.'
"No, it's my title! It's mine! I earned it!"
'How, by screwing over the Rock? By becoming Mr. McMahon and Triple H's bitch?'
"SHUT UP!" Austin yelled to his imaginary rival while the crowd at the bar looked on. No one dared speak to him, they just figured they would let him get through with this.
'You know it's true, how the hell can you call yourself a man? Letting other people do your dirty work for you! How the hell do you intend to win that Death Match?'
"BY WHUPPING THEIR ASSES THAT'S WHAT!"
'What?'
"SHUT UP!"
'You are a pathetic version of me, and I don't like you.'
"SHUT UP! My name is Stone Cold Steve Austin and I do not deserve to be lectured!"
'no. You deserve to get your ass kicked!'
Austin stood up and stared at the Old Stone Cold, who stared right back at him. Austin looked scared, and then growled. "I'll kick your ass!"
'Try me!'
Austin swung a punch, but the old Stone Cold Ducked and landed a strong right hand, which was actually the real Austin punching himself in the face, knocking him out cold.
The bartender looked down at the unconscious man who had just beaten himself up after an hour of talking and yelling to himself. He scratched his head and looked down. "I think you've had enough!"
**********
An hour later, Austin entered the arena and walked towards his locker room, where Debra stood, asking someone if they had seen him. Austin just walked towards her and smiled his old smile.
"Steve? Are you okay?" Debra asked, and then Austin just kissed her on the cheek, winking to her.
"Better than I ahve in my whole life." Then he entered the locker room, opening his bag. "I have to go address the crowd." He took out his two vests, and threw one intot he garbage. Then he left and walked towards the ring area.
Debra scratched her head, wondering what got into him. She looked into the garbage can, and she saw the red and black 'bionic redneck' vest.
***********
The sound of glass shattering began to fill the arena, and Austin walked towards the ring and then entered. Looking around, he realized he had just gotten into the middle of a Dudley Boyz match against the Hardyz after ambushing them. Austin shrugged and gave D-Von Dudley a quick Stunner. Then he gave Bubba Ray the stunner, knocking him out of the ring.
Austin then grabed a microphone and looked around, smirking to himself. He lifted the microphone and spoke up. "I have a few things I have to get off my chest right now. During the last few months after my recover, I had to look back at a few things. I had to ask myself, what kind of man am I? Here I was coming off of a serious neck injury, and I was going up against the Rock, a man much younger than myself, who was at 100%. I never really reached that point again...until recently anyway."
He paced back and forth in the ring, looking towards the crowd, who didn ot know where that was going. "SO anyways, I guess you could call what I went through a midlife crisis. And I sold out, and I aligned myself with Vince McMahon, and I became a selfish bastard like him. And Rock, I wish it was a fair fight back at Wrestlemania, but that's the closest thing to an apology as you are gonna get from Stone Cold Steve Austin."
Austin then looked around. "Then there was the Undertaker, who I will apologize to. I really shouldn't have needed Steiner or Hunter Hearst Helmsley...but again, I messed up. Well Taker, when you come back, Stone Cold wants a match with you, one on one. I can't do anything right now about what you are going through, but you wouldn't have it any other way anyway."
"But what I really came out here to do tongiht was talk about No Mercy. This Sunday, the Stone Cold of the last few months is not gonna show up. You are gonna get what you want, because guess what?" And the crowd began to yell out the word what, and Austin smirked to himself. "This sunday, you are all gonna have the old Stone Cold Steve Austin on your hands, and that's the bottom line, because Stone Cold said so!" And the crowd cheered so loudly, the building began to litterally shake. People could barely hear themselves think.
Austin then looked towards the titantron. "And right now, I wanna call out Kane because I have some words for him."
He didn't have to wait long, as the pyro's went off and Kane went down to the ring, looking Austin directly in the Kane entered the ring slowly, wondering what this was about. He didn't think Austin would start a fight with him, not now. So what was this about.
Austin looked at Kane. "You know, lots of poeple have said somethings about you, and lots of which are true. You are dangerous Kane! You are a very dangerous angry man! But lots of people are calling you a monster, and you know what? That's not true. Because you reminded Stone Cold Steve Austin what this business really is about, hunger to win, and not taking shit from everybody. You ain't no monster Kane, and you ain't no superhuman. You are just like your brother, and you are just like Stone Cold Steve Austin...one bad mother fucker. And that's all I gotta say about that!" Austin then turned around, giving his first real compliment to anyone in a long time, but it was the truth. Kane had reminded him of the hunger he used to feel. The hunger he ws feeling now.
Kane looked at him, and suddenly it became clearer. He smiled slightly under the mask, looking at Austin. Maybe that's what it was. His hunger to win was human...so maybe he was a normal human being after all.
Austin than spoke into the mike. "So now, if you all want to see Kane start drinking with Stone Cold Steve Austin, give me a HELL YEAH!"
"HELL YEAH!!!" The Crowd yelled, and Austin gestured for the cameara man to throw in some beers, and then Austin handed Kane a few of the beer cans, and Kane nodded.
Kane opened his cans, and then Austin opened hiss, and they both toasted each other, drinking beer in the ring to the crowds delight. Kane had finally come full circle, realizing who and what he was. His purpose. And in finding his purpose, he had helped Austin remember his.
Austin then looked at Kane, nodding. "We have a hell of a fight coming up at No Mercy." He said, and Kane just nodded back.
"Yeah. It's gonna be tough."
Austin smirked. "Well, two stubborn assholes like us wouldn't have it any other way."
*********
Triple H watched the goings on, frowning to himself while he looked at Michaels, who was watching with him.
"This is bad." Michaels said, and Triple H just laughed.
"Let him have his false confidence. When this is all said and done. We'll be laughing."
Triple H smirked, and Michaels had no real idea what Triple H ment.
He looked at his sledgehammer sitting in the corner, and he laughed to himself. At No Mercy...he would triumph. And one way or another, Kane would be no more.
Chapter 12 - Prelude to War
Monday Night, Raw is War, a night where the crowds would get together to watch the Top WWF Superstars fight each other for wrestling supremacy, to see who was the best. The arena was filled with people that night, with fans from all around the world getting together to watch the spectacle that is modern sports entertainment.
With the sound of a car wreck, the show began to start as commissioner Mick Foley began to come down to the ring. The crowd began to cheer wildly for the commissioner, who had a rather grim expression on his face. After all, last week, one of his top superstars, Kane, had come close to committing murder. The parents groups were on him, but luckily the camera's had managed to move away before too much blood had been spilt. The Road Dogg was officially released from contract the next night, as was X-Pac, after finding out about what they did to Tori. Tori herself began to get violently ill as she remembered those events which she had blocked off in her head. So now Mick Foley had 2 less wrestlers on his roster.
Entering the ring and waving to the fans, he picked up a microphone and began to say what was neccessary. "After the events of last weeks Raw, I came to realize that things had begun to get a bit out of control between the competitors for the World Wrestling Federation championship. So I have two announcements to make tonight, and hopefully that will solve everything. I am ordering all of the Superstars involved in the main event not to lay a hand on each other until the main event at No Mercy. There will be no fighting, and there will be none of these kind of brutal attacks anymore. It all ends NOW! If you attack each other, you will be fired from the World Wrestling Federation immedietly. No suspension, and no chance of ever getting a job here ever again."
"The second announcement, is that I am going to include Shawn Michaels in the main event tonight...on one condition. Shawn Michaels will have to prove himself tonight in a match against The Rock!" The crowd popped loudly for this one. It would be a pay per view worthy matchup.
"And you all have Smackdown off, so after tonight, you may go home and rest up. The Japanese Death Match will take a lot of time to prepare for physically."
"As for tonight..."
That was as far as Foley got, as 'The Game' by Motorhead began to play, and Triple H began to walk towards the ring, accompanied by Stephanie McMahon Helmsley. He entered the ring, taking his own microphone. He stared Foley right in the eyes, and Foley just stared right back. The hatred between the two had not subsided for years.
The game then turned around, and began to speak to the masses. "I came down here, simply to congratulate Foley on making the smart decision. It is best to put Shawn Michaels in the main Event at No Mercy, and I think it's great that we have this chance to prepare for No Mercy."
"Last week, Kane destroyed my friend, the Road Dogg. His career is now permanently over, and I would just like to apologize to Kane now...because I honestly had no idea that the Road Dogg and X-Pac would do that to tori. I just wanted to play some mind games, but those two eggheads screwed it up, like they always do. Maybe the Road Dogg smoked a bit too much crack before going to X-Pac's...I don't really know. All I want to say, is that I had nothing to do with it." He looked around at the audience as they chanted bullshit. Really, Triple H had just wanted them to mess with Kane's head, not to rape Tori. However, it didn't work out that way.
"I also would like to make a statement to Kane. Kane, just because you snapped on the Road Dogg does not mean I will go easy on you at No Mercy. You put my father in law in the hospiatal, and I will never forgive you for that. Austin and the Rock, Jericho and Michaels, they can go at each other all fine and good. But this match is going to come down to you and I, and we both know it. This match is an elimination style matchup, one after another will fall. And you and I both know it will come down to us. But do you think I'm intimidated Kane? Do you think I'm scared of you? Unlike the rest of the locker room, I don't piss my pants whenever you come into the room. I know how to beat you Kane...you are good, but you are not that damn good! I am..."
And then the fire came, exploding from the titantron as Kane walked down to the ring, only he looked much darker. The shades of red on his costume were much darker, and his mask was darker, with blood red marks on it. Kane just ran down towards the ring as Triple H stayed in there, hoping Knae would attack him so he would get fired. Foley tried to stop Kane but Kane simply pushed him out of the way.
He didn't care anymore, all he could think about was breaking Triple H's neck. Kane was about to grab Triple h by the throat, who stood there smirking to himself. But Stephanie McMahon began to pull on Kane's hair, paniking in fear for her husband. Kane just simply turned towards her and approached her slowly...and Triple H left the ring. He watched helplessly as Kane grabbed Stephanie by the throat, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"HELP ME HUNTER! PLEASE!!!" Yelled Steph, but HHH just walked back, knowing he couldn't attack Kane. His job was more important than Steph ever would be.
Kane grinned cruelly under his mask as he choked Stephanie, watching her cry, beg for mercy. He lifted her high above his head, and he laughed, looking into her eyes.
But once he looked into her eyes, he seemed to stop. His breathing began to slow down as he watched her cry, and he slowly let her down. He eased his grip on her throat and set her down.
Stephanie crumpled down into a heap on the ground, crying. She was in pain, but the pain was more emotional. Triple H had refused to save her.
Kane simply stood there, looking at his hand that held Stephanie's throat a few moments ago. He had been prepared to kill her, a defenceless woman.
What kind of man had he become?
Slowly, Kane exited the ring, and then looked to Foley for a few moments, then he put his head down, and walked towards the back.
*********
Entering the locker room, Kane shut off the lights and just sat in a dark corner, staring down at the floor. Then he looked back into the mirror.
Glaring, hating himself for what he had allowed himself to become. The Undertaker was right about the path he had taken. It was a path of self-destruction, but more emotionally than for the soul. Kane finally understood why the Undertaker had stopped his ride on the darkside so long ago.
It was because of the loss of your own humanity. Through all of what Kane had gone through, he had set himself limits after his battles with his brother. He would only go after those who deserved it, only after those who hurt him.
And now he has almost killed a defencless woman. And he had enjoyed it when he had his hand at her throat, watching her beg for mercy.
He now knew how the Undertaker felt while he was the Lord of Darkness. Only 'Taker had taken it a step further, and dived into the darkside after a long period of flirting with it, using it himself. After a long time, he became a slave to his own hate, letting the darkness and his hate and greed movitate him instead of his brain, and his heart. And now Kane was starting to become just like him.
Who was he anyway? Was he just ment to be some mindless monster, moving around, continuously taking his vengence on people? What would happen after he destroyed Triple H? Would he stop? Would he be able to? It was true that those he placed his anger upon deserved it, but at what price?
These questions haunted him throught the day, as he sat there in the dark corner, contemplating his life. Taking off his mask, he looked at himself in the mirror, looking at the burns and the scars on his face. He could have gotten plastic surgery a long time ago. He was horrendus, and truly a monster on the inside. "Is this me? Am I you?" He said simply, then he put his mask on, and then left.
**********
Triple H sat in his locker room, drinking a bottle of water, watching a highlight video he had made of Kane, Michaels, Austin, the Rock, and Jericho. He studied them, perfectly focused on the match when he heard the door open, and his wife came in, crying her eyes out.
"Why didn't you help me?" Yelled Stephanie as she collapsed on to a chair, her head buried in her hands. Triple H looked at her and rolled his eyes.
"Do you mind? I'm preparing for No Mercy!" He yelled, watching the tape.
"Preparing for No Mercy? You should have come in there and stopped Kane! You should have helped me, I wanted to help you!"
Triple H just looked at her, shaking his head. "No, you just cost me the opportunity to get Kane out of my way forever! If he hit me, he would have been fired. But you had to stop him!"
Stephanie looked at him just like a person looks after they have been stabbed in the heart by the one they loved. "But...I tried to save you."
Hunter looked back to the screen, avoiding eye contact with her. "You are usless. Get out of here."
"But I love you Hunter!" She said, not understanding.
He looked at her and growled. "But you are nothing to me! GET THE FUCK OUT!"
Stephanie ran out of her locker room, crying her eyes out. Triple H just snorted and locked the door, going back to the video.
"Bitch."
************
the Rock stood in his locker room, looking at the cameara as Michael Cole talked to him about the upcoming match. The Rock could hear the chants in the arena, and it made all of his doubts about No Mercy disappear. This was why the Rock did this. Sure he could have a great career in hollywood. Right now he could do anything he wanted. But he need to thank some certain peolpe for giving him a reason to stay in wrestling.
"This Sunday, the Rock faces perhaps THE BIGGEST challenge in his entire career. This Sunday, No Mercy, Japanese Death Match, it's gonna be the Rock, Kane, the Ragin Flaming Redneck Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, The moron kid Shawn Michaels, and Y2Gay, Chris Jeriblow, fighting it out in what will be -THE- most brutal match of the Rock's career. Barb wire, explosives and C-4, oh my!" He said, and the crowd popped even more. The Rock shuffled his shoulders and changed his stance, grabbbing the microphone from Michael Cole. "But that's all fine with the Rock, because it is a chance, ONE MORE TIME, for the People's Champ to go in there, Number One Contender, and to walk out, ONE MORE TIME, as World Wrestling Federation...Champion!"
The crowd began to cheer even more, and the building began to rumble.
"But Rock..." Michael Cole said, looking at the rock. "Aren't you worried about the brutality of this match?"
The Rock just looked at Michael Cole and yelled back. "What in the blue hell do you think? Anyone would be intimidated going into this kind of match. Yeah the Rock is worried! The Rock is worried about a loto f things. but the thing the Rock is most worried about, is dissapointing the people. Because the Rock doesn't have to go to No Mercy. the Rock doesn't -have- to be part of the World Wrestling Federation. But the rock does it anyway, for the millions....AND MILLIONS of the Rocks fans all around the world! And for them, the Rock is willing to bleed, willing to burn, willing to DIE..." He said, and the crowd began to chant his name. "...for the people. And the Rock cannot guarantee that he will win the World Wrestling Federation Championship, but the Rock is making a garan-damm-te, that the Rock will always remain...the people's champion." He looked into the camera, and raised the people's eyebrow, and then looked up and yelled into the microphone. "IF YOU SMELLLLLLLLLLL....WHAT THE ROCK...IS COOKIN!"
*************
Austin sat in a bar just outside of town, taking a drink, and sitting right next to him, was the old Stone Cold. At least in his head. He had been talking to the old Stone Cold for an hour, but no one else was there.
"What the hell do you know? You are just some fucking voice in my head anyway." Yelled Austin.
'Well you are a voice in mine. You are just my midlife crisis. Well Stone Cold Steve Austin is over it, and he wants back in.'
"No, it's my title! It's mine! I earned it!"
'How, by screwing over the Rock? By becoming Mr. McMahon and Triple H's bitch?'
"SHUT UP!" Austin yelled to his imaginary rival while the crowd at the bar looked on. No one dared speak to him, they just figured they would let him get through with this.
'You know it's true, how the hell can you call yourself a man? Letting other people do your dirty work for you! How the hell do you intend to win that Death Match?'
"BY WHUPPING THEIR ASSES THAT'S WHAT!"
'What?'
"SHUT UP!"
'You are a pathetic version of me, and I don't like you.'
"SHUT UP! My name is Stone Cold Steve Austin and I do not deserve to be lectured!"
'no. You deserve to get your ass kicked!'
Austin stood up and stared at the Old Stone Cold, who stared right back at him. Austin looked scared, and then growled. "I'll kick your ass!"
'Try me!'
Austin swung a punch, but the old Stone Cold Ducked and landed a strong right hand, which was actually the real Austin punching himself in the face, knocking him out cold.
The bartender looked down at the unconscious man who had just beaten himself up after an hour of talking and yelling to himself. He scratched his head and looked down. "I think you've had enough!"
**********
An hour later, Austin entered the arena and walked towards his locker room, where Debra stood, asking someone if they had seen him. Austin just walked towards her and smiled his old smile.
"Steve? Are you okay?" Debra asked, and then Austin just kissed her on the cheek, winking to her.
"Better than I ahve in my whole life." Then he entered the locker room, opening his bag. "I have to go address the crowd." He took out his two vests, and threw one intot he garbage. Then he left and walked towards the ring area.
Debra scratched her head, wondering what got into him. She looked into the garbage can, and she saw the red and black 'bionic redneck' vest.
***********
The sound of glass shattering began to fill the arena, and Austin walked towards the ring and then entered. Looking around, he realized he had just gotten into the middle of a Dudley Boyz match against the Hardyz after ambushing them. Austin shrugged and gave D-Von Dudley a quick Stunner. Then he gave Bubba Ray the stunner, knocking him out of the ring.
Austin then grabed a microphone and looked around, smirking to himself. He lifted the microphone and spoke up. "I have a few things I have to get off my chest right now. During the last few months after my recover, I had to look back at a few things. I had to ask myself, what kind of man am I? Here I was coming off of a serious neck injury, and I was going up against the Rock, a man much younger than myself, who was at 100%. I never really reached that point again...until recently anyway."
He paced back and forth in the ring, looking towards the crowd, who didn ot know where that was going. "SO anyways, I guess you could call what I went through a midlife crisis. And I sold out, and I aligned myself with Vince McMahon, and I became a selfish bastard like him. And Rock, I wish it was a fair fight back at Wrestlemania, but that's the closest thing to an apology as you are gonna get from Stone Cold Steve Austin."
Austin then looked around. "Then there was the Undertaker, who I will apologize to. I really shouldn't have needed Steiner or Hunter Hearst Helmsley...but again, I messed up. Well Taker, when you come back, Stone Cold wants a match with you, one on one. I can't do anything right now about what you are going through, but you wouldn't have it any other way anyway."
"But what I really came out here to do tongiht was talk about No Mercy. This Sunday, the Stone Cold of the last few months is not gonna show up. You are gonna get what you want, because guess what?" And the crowd began to yell out the word what, and Austin smirked to himself. "This sunday, you are all gonna have the old Stone Cold Steve Austin on your hands, and that's the bottom line, because Stone Cold said so!" And the crowd cheered so loudly, the building began to litterally shake. People could barely hear themselves think.
Austin then looked towards the titantron. "And right now, I wanna call out Kane because I have some words for him."
He didn't have to wait long, as the pyro's went off and Kane went down to the ring, looking Austin directly in the Kane entered the ring slowly, wondering what this was about. He didn't think Austin would start a fight with him, not now. So what was this about.
Austin looked at Kane. "You know, lots of poeple have said somethings about you, and lots of which are true. You are dangerous Kane! You are a very dangerous angry man! But lots of people are calling you a monster, and you know what? That's not true. Because you reminded Stone Cold Steve Austin what this business really is about, hunger to win, and not taking shit from everybody. You ain't no monster Kane, and you ain't no superhuman. You are just like your brother, and you are just like Stone Cold Steve Austin...one bad mother fucker. And that's all I gotta say about that!" Austin then turned around, giving his first real compliment to anyone in a long time, but it was the truth. Kane had reminded him of the hunger he used to feel. The hunger he ws feeling now.
Kane looked at him, and suddenly it became clearer. He smiled slightly under the mask, looking at Austin. Maybe that's what it was. His hunger to win was human...so maybe he was a normal human being after all.
Austin than spoke into the mike. "So now, if you all want to see Kane start drinking with Stone Cold Steve Austin, give me a HELL YEAH!"
"HELL YEAH!!!" The Crowd yelled, and Austin gestured for the cameara man to throw in some beers, and then Austin handed Kane a few of the beer cans, and Kane nodded.
Kane opened his cans, and then Austin opened hiss, and they both toasted each other, drinking beer in the ring to the crowds delight. Kane had finally come full circle, realizing who and what he was. His purpose. And in finding his purpose, he had helped Austin remember his.
Austin then looked at Kane, nodding. "We have a hell of a fight coming up at No Mercy." He said, and Kane just nodded back.
"Yeah. It's gonna be tough."
Austin smirked. "Well, two stubborn assholes like us wouldn't have it any other way."
*********
Triple H watched the goings on, frowning to himself while he looked at Michaels, who was watching with him.
"This is bad." Michaels said, and Triple H just laughed.
"Let him have his false confidence. When this is all said and done. We'll be laughing."
Triple H smirked, and Michaels had no real idea what Triple H ment.
He looked at his sledgehammer sitting in the corner, and he laughed to himself. At No Mercy...he would triumph. And one way or another, Kane would be no more.