"Now, I know you're all wondering about what happened last week. I know that you all want to know just who the hell that was that came out and... yes, I'll admit it, saved my ass from the two big ugly giants backstage." The crowd laughed and booed at Hunter Hearst Helmsley, who was standing in the ring, flanked not by the Tag Team Champions (who were still recovering from their beating) but by the Outsiders, who had their individual belts slung over their shoulders. "And I want to know too. Whoever you were, get out here and name your price."
The champ and his henchmen stood facing the TitanTron, looking up at the giant screen and waiting for some sort of action. The crowd, who up 'til now had been silent, began to murmur among themselves as to who would even dare to try and show up the nWo. Hall and Nash exchanged glances, then both looked at their leader, who was almost getting annoyed. "Come out he--"
"Twenty-five, seventeen..."
No-one had ever heard this music before. The crowd were silent once more, looking up at the video screen for some sort of information as to who this person was while his music played around the arena. Back in the ring the nWo men were just as bewildered as the crowd, changing their footing for whatever came down that ramp. Who knew, maybe he'd just wanted Haitch to win so that he could take the titles off him?
"Well, well, well, well, WELL!" The music faded as a man's voice come out over the speakers, apparently from somewhere backstage. "You instantly expect me to have a price, do you Hunter? You don't even know who I am, and you're willing to do a deal with me, even if it involves yourself?" Hunter nodded, knowing that even though he couldn't see the other half of the conversation he was on camera, and therefore could be seen all around backstage if necessary. "Well then. I guess I better get myself into the ring, shouldn't I?"
The crowd leaned forward over the guardrails, trying to catch a glimpse of the newcomer. After five seconds the lights went blue and a man walked out, only his coated form visible. The silhouette posed in the entryway then slowly made his way down the ramp, taking off his sunglasses and throwing them into the crowd somewhere before he slid into the ring. "Cut the lights and get this place back to normal!" Obediently the floodlights turned back to their normal colour and the ring was its normal self once again, except with everyone staring at the stranger.
At least six and a half feet tall, he had the frame that could make you believe that he could take anyone on and win, even Batista. Even though his long dark hair covered most of his face, they could tell that he wasn't exactly at the extremes of either age. "There. Now, my price, my price... I know my price. You want to know my price, don't you?" The crowd cheered and yelled, and the other three men in the ring nodded and looked expectantly at their companion. "Well then... I figure that for saving you from the Brothers and saving your belts, you owe me pretty big... And I can't think of anything bigger than this." The crowd was suddenly silenced – he was really going for the belts? Seriously? "I want in the New World Order."
The crowd was back on its feet, yelling out their favourite chant of "HOLY SHIT!" while Hall and Nash stared at the stranger and Hunter just stood and thought. "Well, then... I guess we could fit you in somewhere..." Hunter said, leaving the crowd to shut up once again and wonder if the leader of the nWo was having them on. "On one condition."
Ah. There it was. There was always a catch somewhere. The man didn't seem perturbed, however, and just stood in the ring and nodded. "Only one? Sure. What is it?" The stranger shrugged, tucking his hair back behind his ear while he waited for Hunter's response.
"You have to tell us your name." Hunter grinned, chewing his gum smugly. It wasn't much of a condition, sure, but it was a start. The crowd cheered shortly before silencing and waiting for the fourth man's response, eager to learn the name of this newcomer who had so readily made his intentions clear.
The stranger grinned as well, shrugging and then nodding as if to say 'alright, fair cop'. He took his time, however, stroking his chin and looking around at the crowd to stir them up. The noise was slowly building, a tiny snowball that grew and grew until it was a roar of "Asshole! Asshole!" aimed at the stationary man. "Hey, hey, hey, SHUT THE HELL UP!" The man looked around at the crowd angrily, glaring at each and every one of them. "I'll tell you my goddamn name... Ezekiel."
Haitch snorted, looking from side to side at his cronies, smiling smugly, before turning back to Ezekiel. "Alright then... Ezekiel. I guess you're in, but there's always another condition." The crowd cheered by booing – it was about time that Hunter acted like himself. Ezekiel, meanwhile, just nodded. Of course it was coming. It wasn't like he didn't know anything about the nWo. "That condition is a match. Against... Well, against Benoit."
Ezekiel laughed out loud, nodding. Benoit, the Canadian Crippler, was possibly one of the best wrestlers in the business. HBK was one of the greatest entertainers, HHH was one of the best heels, the Undertaker was one of the best fights... But wrestling was one of the hardest things to attain greatness at. "Right. So that's it? I have to win a match against Toothless Aggression? I'll do it later on tonight, if you want me to." The crowd was taken aback for about five seconds before they started cheering, anticipating a great match.
Hunter grinned, nodding as if he appreciated Ezekiel's attitude towards the whole idea. "Yeah, that's it. All we have to do is get Ben---"
Benoit's music, like so many other wrestlers', started with a bang of guitar. It was that guitar that interrupted Hunter halfway through his speech, and it was the person whose name he was trying to say that walked out through the entryway. Benoit was one of the least emotional men on the rosters of either show, and he wasn't about to show it now. "Hunter, you think you can just come out here and set up a match between me and this new guy, without even asking me? You think that you can just order me around like your little butt-lickers on either side of you?"
Hall and Nash looked at each other angrily while Hunter laughed at their expense. "Yeah? D'you have a problem with facing Ezekiel? It's not like you have anything to be afraid of – you've never seen him wrestle!"
"Yeah, but I've seen what he did on RAW, and that's enough to tell me that the man's got balls." Benoit replied, nodding towards Ezekiel, who was simply standing there while two men had a conversation about him. Ezekiel just nodded back and grinned, taking the compliment. "But I'm not scared. I'll take the man on, tonight. End of the night – me versus Ezekiel. If he wins, he gets in the nWo... but if I win, what do I get?"
Hunter laughed, shrugging his shoulders that rather coincidentally held his dual titles. "I don't know. I'm sure we can work something out..." The crowd cheered, raising and waving signs like "A WOLVERINE WITHOUT TEETH?" and "NWO 4 LIFE!". It would be a good match if Benoit won and went on to take on Hunter, that was for sure. If Ezekiel won, then... It would be worth it just to have a new member of the nWo.
Benoit grinned for once, the gap in his front teeth showing through his lips. Ezekiel laughed, looking between Hunter and Benoit as they discussed a match that he was involved in. Hall and Nash just stood there, not really taking in anything, just getting rather bored with being made to stand out there for so long. "So if he wins, you guys get him... If I win, I end up trying to get those..." He pointed at the dual titles on Hunter's shoulders. "So I guess I should probably watch my back tonight, then."
Hunter laughed, shaking his head, which left Hall and Nash looking rather surprised. "No, no, Chris. The match tonight will be totally on the level – well, whether it's totally on the level or not is up to you two, but my boys won't touch either of you for the duration of the match." The crowd cheered; the match coming up ahead of them was getting better by the second. Ezekiel, however, had something to say.
"Well, then... I guess I may as well just go ahead and enjoy the ride then, hey lads?" He grinned, then turned around and faced Hall and Nash. "Hey, thanks for not leaving me without a rib or two." With a nod towards the Outsiders, Ezekiel walked slowly out of the ring and climbed out, dropping down onto ringside and looking up at Benoit, who simply nodded and walked through the entryway in front of Ezekiel.
The nWo stood in the ring while Ezekiel's music played, grinning and nodding.
This was shaping up to be a fun night.
