Title: The ARK Angels of DX in Monster Ink
Author: Kaykyaka
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE and TNA characters used within this fictional story. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made by this work of fiction.
Ratings: K+
Characters: Shawn, Cameron and Cheyenne Michaels, Amy 'Lita' Dumas Michaels, Hunter Hurst Helmsley, LC Helmsley, Aurora Rose Helmsley, Chyna, Trish and Randy Orton, Melina and Johnny Hennigan, Batista, CM Punk, The Beautiful People, Edge, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Stephanie and Chris Jericho, The McCools
Summary: An evil spirit takes possession of Batista and CM Punk and chaos ensues for the RAW locker room. DX discover that the problem is tattooed on the two Superstars but can Shawn and Hunter help them and protect their family at the same-time?
Chapter Seventeen - Too Close for Comfort
The Sandbox, 1pm:
Joanie sat with the ARK Angels under the juniper tree at lunch time while Shawn stayed at home with Amy and Hunter tied up some loose ends over the fire in Orlando at DX lnc in Stamford. He called Joanie to say he would be back soon and that he was going to take everyone out for dinner. Joanie thought that was a great idea, with everything that was going on with Jericho and the McMahons it would be nice for the whole family to spend some-time together alone for a change.
"What's up LC?" Joanie asked her daughter noticing that her cheeks were still red.
"Did Mrs. Guttenheimer have to make such a big deal about my performance in music class?" LC said her rosy cheeks glowing prominently in her otherwise annoyed face.
"All she said was that you had vastly improved," Joanie said.
"She didn't have go on-and-on about what a beautiful voice I had, now I'm singing in the choir for crying out loud!" LC said irritated.
"And playing in the school band," Joanie said proudly.
"Yeah you had to bring up the fact that Cheyenne played the harp," LC said to her mom who shrugged not understanding what the problem was.
"You should be proud of your future sister-in-law, she plays a mean harp," Joanie said.
"Yeah but now I have to sing while she plays at the concert on Friday," LC said, "I suggested Peace Sells by Megadeth but no I have to sing Ave Maria by some Schubert guy,"
Cameron choked on his sandwich as he laughed at LC's protestations; the idea of her singing Ave Maria was the equivalent of Big Show fitting into a size 6 - it wasn't a good fit at all.
"What do you think Cameron, don't you think LC will do us all proud on Friday?" Joanie asked Cameron. The truth was that LC did have a beautiful voice and with Cheyenne it was bound to be a marvelous performance that would no doubt bring tears to all the parents' eyes.
"Sometimes it's when we're moved out of our comfort zones that we realize the potential we had all along," Cameron said and LC frowned at her boyfriend.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
"It means you're gonna do great quit whining and eat your peanut butter and jelly sandwich," Cameron said and LC pouted pushing one of her sandwiches up to her mouth and taking a resentful bite out of it.
"Uh-oh here comes trouble," Cheyenne said standing on her head and looking at Chris Jericho who was heading their way.
"Stay here kids I'll be right back," Joanie said getting to her feet and immediately she went up to Chris Jericho and blocked his path so he didn't come one step closer.
"Hey Joanie, you're looking well," Jericho said pleasantly but Joanie wasn't having any of it.
"I was fine until you showed up Jericho, what do you want?" Joanie asked defensively.
"I want to talk to my daughter, is that such a crime?" Jericho said innocently.
"It is when you take her out of school without asking!" Joanie said annoyed, "Do you know how easy it is just to pick up a phone and say "Would it be alright if I took the ARK Angels for some ice cream after school?""
"What chance did I have of that happening?" Jericho said.
"Is that why you didn't ask Charlotte and Dan before you told us about Carla coming to Waterside? They're her parents Jericho, you can't just step over people to get what you want, that's not how it works," Joanie said and Jericho put his hands up pleadingly.
"I just want to talk to my daughter," he said gently and Joanie sighed.
"Okay," she said and let him pass keeping her eye on him as he made his way over to the juniper tree and sat underneath it with the ARK Angels.
"Hey guys what's going on?" Jericho said to the ARK Angels warmly.
"Nuthin," LC replied still showing signs of embarrassment from her music class while Cameron didn't say anything, he just watched Jericho cautiously from the other side of the tree.
"Yes there is something," Cheyenne said still standing on her head.
"What is it?" Jericho asked intrigued.
"I don't want to talk about it okay?" LC said and Jericho smiled at how red his daughter's cheeks were, now he really wanted to know what was going on.
"Okay so we'll talk about something else, how's the guitar playing going?" he asked changing the subject, or at least he thought he was.
"I don't want to talk about anything to do with music," LC said firmly and Jericho frowned.
"Why not, you have a natural talent that most kids your age would love to have," Jericho said.
"So is that why Mrs. Guttenheimer asked me to sing Ave Maria in front of the whole school on Friday night?" LC said bewildered by her music teacher's actions and Jericho's eyes lit up in a way that Chyna hadn't seen before.
"You're singing in a concert?" he asked excitedly and LC noticed that this was good news to Chris Jericho's ears.
"At least you're happy about it," she said taking another bite of her sandwich but she didn't get to chew it because Jericho wrapped his arms around her and gave her a big hug.
"Are you kidding I'm ecstatic! What time is the concert?" Jericho asked eagerly and Chyna gasped.
"What? Oh no, you're not coming to the concert I don't want you and Hunter getting into anything in front of the whole school," Chyna said.
"But mom dad's not even going to be able to come he's got a house show on Friday remember?" LC said and Joanie looked at her in shock, "It starts at 6:30,"
"Well then its settled, I'll be there to cheer you on and I'll bring Carla and the McCools as-well they're gonna be so excited to see you in your first concert!" Jericho said and he turned to Cameron and Cheyenne, "Are you two in the concert?" he asked them.
Cameron shook his head but Cheyenne nodded enthusiastically finally getting upright, "I'm gonna play my harp!" she said excitedly.
"You play the harp?" Jericho asked her.
"Daddy says I play like an angel," she replied.
"Well I'm sure Shawn is gonna be bummed about having to work on the night you play with LC, I wouldn't miss it for the world," Jericho said smiling at LC proudly and she looked away a little embarrassed.
"Lunch is almost over, we better go inside," she said getting up and dusting the breadcrumbs off her skirt, "See you at the concert I guess," she said to Jericho who was smiling at her from ear-to-ear.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said stroking LC's face proudly and he smiled at Cameron, Cheyenne and Chyna before leaving the school premises.
Chyna gave LC a look, she wanted some answers, "What was that all about?" she asked her daughter in shock over what she just saw, "You being civil to Chris Jericho is something I'd never thought I'd see in a million years!"
LC shrugged, "What's the big deal? So he wants to come to the concert, he should come hear me sing after all if it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't be singing at all," she said and Chyna held her head trying to access the situation.
"Let me get this straight, you actually want Chris Jericho to come to the concert?" she asked.
"Well its not like dad's gonna be there," LC said.
"That's not the point and when your father finds out about this you bet your bottom dollar that he will be there on Friday," Joanie said knowing the chances of Hunter being cool with Jericho going to see LC at the concert was slim and none.
"Well why do you have to tell him?" LC said and Chyna was blown away.
"LC honey listen to me, Jericho cannot be trusted. You can't allow yourself to get attached to him he'll just end up breaking your heart, remember the whole paranoid android incident? It nearly tore our family apart!" Chyna said and LC got defensive.
"Who said I'm getting attached? It's just a concert mom and there's no harm in him coming. He's proud of me and what's wrong with that?" LC asked, "We better go or we'll be late for class, come on guys," LC said to Cameron and Cheyenne and she kissed Joanie on the cheek, "bye mom," she said before heading into the school and Joanie watched her wearily.
"Bye sweetie," she said as the ARK Angels disappeared inside and she took a deep breath then she looked over at the juniper tree and saw that the fruit had dried up. Chyna couldn't help but take that as a sign that the few minutes that Jericho had sat under that tree had done as much damage as after he had spent just a few days with LC. "I should never have let him near you," she said to herself thinking of LC and she thought about what she was gonna tell Hunter when she got home wondering if it was a good idea to tell him at all. "Damn," she cursed as she walked home with a pounding headache.
Happy Cow Restaurant, Greenwich, CT at 6pm:
Hunter had finally come home from sorting out the fire debacle in Orlando and now the whole family was at a restaurant downtown that Hunter thought sounded pretty cool. After all it was called the Happy Cow restaurant and Hunter and the family as a whole loved meat, what Hunter didn't realize until they took their seats was that the cows were happy for a reason, namely because they weren't on the menu: Happy Cow was a vegetarian restaurant and Hunter and co were no vegetarians.
"Oh man!" Hunter complained as he browsed the menu and saw the list of main courses, each dish boldly meat-free and most unappetizing. Everyone around the table found it hilarious and laughed it up real hard before making the unanimous decision to leave.
"Why don't we try that Ginger Man restaurant on Greenwich Avenue?" Amy suggested and Hunter turned his nose up.
"The place where all the waiters have ginger hair?" he asked unimpressed with Amy's suggestion.
"They don't all have ginger hair," Amy replied.
"I walked past there and most of them had short ginger hair it freaked me out, they looked how Undertaker looked when he cut his hair and let the dye grow out," Hunter said shuddering, "now that's scary,"
Shawn laughed putting his arm around Amy and kissing her lovingly on the lips, "Do they cook steak at this Ginger Man place?" he asked her with a smile and suddenly food was the last thing on Amy's mind.
"No but there's a Texas steakhouse on Steamboat Avenue," she said even though the only thing hot from Texas she was interested in right now was her husband.
"Steamboat huh? I'll take that as a good sign let's go," Hunter said moving out of his seat when LC's hand clamped down on his firmly and she looked into his eyes showing him that she had something to say, something different from the usual jab or criticism that came from her mouth.
"Before we go dad there's something I gotta tell you," she said, "and I think it would be best I tell you now before you fill your belly with food and then throw up all over yourself,"
Hunter frowned and Joanie sighed, she hadn't even told Shawn and Amy who had paid the ARK Angels a visit at Waterside today, simply because she didn't want to ruin what had been a great day for them so far.
"What's on your mind sweetie?" Hunter asked LC who took her hand back and sat back in her chair.
"There's a concert at Waterside on Friday and Cheyenne and I are going to do a rendition of Ave Maria," LC said and Hunter grabbed her from across the table and gave her a big kiss.
"That's great baby doll I'm so proud of you, you too Chey!" Hunter said smiling at Cheyenne and she smiled back.
"How come you didn't tell me you had a concert this Friday Chey?" Shawn asked his daughter.
"I can probably explain that Uncle Shawn, you see at first I didn't want you to know because I knew you wouldn't be able to come because you have to work," LC said and Shawn laughed.
"There is no way I'm missing my baby girl's first concert, we'll have to work something out right Hunter?" Shawn asked his best friend who felt just as passionate about the concert as he did.
"Right," Hunter said.
"So you're both coming to the concert?" LC asked wearily and Hunter and Shawn nodded, "Oh boy," she said with a deep sigh, "this just got harder,"
"What are you talking about sweetie, don't you want us to come to the concert?" Hunter asked confused by the nervous look on LC's face.
"I definitely want you to come its just that there'll be someone there who might distract you a little bit," LC said and Hunter and Shawn exchanged confused glances from across the table.
"Who?" they asked at the same-time.
"Well Charlotte, Dan, Carla and um . . . Chris Jericho," LC said and Hunter banged his hand down on the table causing Joanie to jump while Shawn shook his head.
"That little weasel, the nerve of that guy inviting himself to the concert," Hunter said annoyed, "He probably called up the school and found out you were performing and decided to come along,"
"Actually dad I invited him," LC said and the table became so quiet you could hear the individual breathing from everyone around it.
"You invited Chris Jericho to the concert?" Hunter asked his voice falling to a sudden whisper, "Why would you do that?"
"I didn't think you'd be able to come," LC said.
"Of course I'm coming LC you're my daughter how could I not come to your first concert?" Hunter said, "Is that why you invited him because you didn't think I was gonna be there?"
"Dad if it wasn't for Jericho I probably wouldn't be doing the concert it's only fair that I invite him. But if you can't handle it I'll un-invite him," LC said and Hunter furrowed his brow.
"Un-invite him?" he said and LC nodded.
"Yeah I'll un-invite him," LC repeated but Hunter shook his head and laughed. "What's so funny dad?"
"Oh that Jericho just cracks me up that's all. Don't worry sweetie I'll be there on Friday and I'll be on my best behavior," Hunter said and LC sunk into her chair with a frown thinking her dad was being sarcastic but he got out of his seat and hoisted her above his head with a smile while Joanie, Shawn and Amy exchanged glances.
"There's no way Hunter's gonna pass up a chance to put Jericho in his place, the fact that it's gonna be at LC's concert is the icing on the cake," Shawn said.
"He'll behave himself won't he?" Joanie asked nervously.
"Oh he'll behave alright, we'll both be on our best behavior. In fact I think Hunter's gonna run for World's Greatest Dad on Friday night," Shawn said mussing up Cameron's hair and the Amazing one fixed it back the way he liked it knowing exactly what is father was thinking. There was no way DX were going to let Jericho show them up, they were determined to reveal Jericho for the two-headed snake that he was and Friday night would be the perfect opportunity to do it.
"What are you smiling about son?" Shawn asked Cameron who was thinking about LC.
"I just find it amusing that on Friday they'll be two men fighting over LC but I'm the only one who doesn't have to," Cameron said confidently and Shawn shook his head at his son's laid back attitude towards his girlfriend.
"We'll its not like Hunter has to, LC loves him with all her heart he's got nothing to prove," Amy said as Shawn helped her out of her seat.
"Amy you should know better than anyone that when it comes to proving a point wrestlers only know one way to settle things," Shawn said and Amy gasped.
"Jericho and Hunter are gonna wrestle?" she said and Shawn revised his statement.
"Okay there are only two ways wrestlers know how to settle things - in the ring and on the mic and I have a feeling the promo Hunter's gonna cut on Jericho is gonna be one for the ages," Shawn said and Amy frowned and turned to Cameron.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked him.
"Don't worry about it ma, I'm not," Cameron replied although that wasn't entirely the truth; God told Cameron that someone was going to get their heart broken on Friday but that it wasn't him, it was someone that cared about LC a lot which only left two people and Cameron hoped it wasn't either of them excluding The McCools.
"Do you think I should bring the Robe of Righteousness to the concert just in case things get out of hand?" Joanie asked Cameron but the Amazing one shook his head.
"The Robe of Righteousness only works when someone is in the wrong, Uncle Hunter is not in the wrong he has every right to be mad at Chris Jericho," Cameron said and Joanie nodded in agreement.
"Why can't I shake the feeling that after this concert Hunter's gonna be even madder at Jericho?" Chyna said.
"He won't be the only one," Cameron replied and Chyna pulled him over to her as they left the restaurant looking up ahead at Hunter and LC Helmsley; they had seemed so invincible until Chris Jericho came back into their lives. Then Cameron remembered that the Bible said that whatever could be shaken would be shaken and while he didn't doubt that his relationship with LC would remain unshaken, he couldn't say the same for everyone else around them.