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 Thirty Five - Death Blow
Titan Tower, 1pm:
The WWE and TNA wrestling promotions were in shock over the death of Chris Jericho. Although his psychosis had been well discussed among the respective wrestling circles, Jericho was still regarded as one of the greatest workers in the whole industry. No-one believed that more than Vince McMahon who had called an emergency meeting at Titan Tower to discuss the tribute he was going to do for Chris Jericho on Monday Night RAW.
"The funeral is tomorrow I expect you all to be there, as you can imagine my daughter is distraught so all I really have left to say is now you understand why I had to take this company back from the rotten, twisted hands of Degeneration X! They're the reason Chris Jericho is dead, they couldn't stand the fact that he outsmarted them so they killed him!" Vince said angrily, "I swear if DX walked right through that door I'd break their necks!"
"Well here they come why don't you give it a try?" Shelton Benjamin said looking out the window and seeing Shawn, Hunter and Joanie heading up to the top floor of Titan Tower.
The WWE roster got excited as Shawn and Hunter approached and as their always animated faces popped through the door the roster couldn't help but cheer.
"DX! DX! DX! DX!" the roster chanted passionately.
"It sure feels good to be outta that cave," Hunter said as the wrestlers applauded their return.
"SHUT UP!" Vince said to the entire roster, "You murdered Chris Jericho, I don't know how you did it but I know you did!"
"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones Vince, after what you did to us there's no reason why Shawn shouldn't turn you to ashes right now," Hunter said and Vince looked over at HBK whose cheeks were flushed red with rage, "but rather than put Stephanie through two funerals we've decided to give you the opportunity to leave of your own free will,"
"Ha, fat chance Hunter I own the WWE, not you! This is my office and if anyone gets kicked out of it its you!" Vince said and he pressed down on the buzzer and called security, "I want DX out of my office now!"
Three security guys came through the door and they headed towards DX but they didn't touch them, "What are you waiting for get them outta my office!" Vince insisted and one of the security guys turned and gave Vince a familiar smirk, "Hey I know you, you're the Rated R Superstar!" Vince said as Edge took off his ski hat to reveal his trademark locks. "And you, you're the Charismatic Enigma Jeff Hardy!" Vince said recognizing a multi-colored lock of Jeff Hardy's hair.
"In the flesh! I just got back from Hollywood and I'm in the mood for a death-defying stunt would you mind breaking my fall as I Swanton your ass from the top of this building?" Jeff asked Vince who shook nervously then he looked over at the third man and gulped.
"Batista," he said trembling and Batista removed his baseball cap and gave Vince a cold stare.
"Because of you I hurt a lot of people and I didn't even get paid to do it, the way I see it you owe me some back pay," Batista said to Vince menacingly, "But I wouldn't mind settling for some payback,"
"ARGHHH!" Vince yelled as Batista picked him up and laid him out with a Batista Bomb on Vince's desk and the desk broke on impact.
"Dad!" Shane said running into his father's office after hearing all the commotion. "What have you done to my dad?" Shane said getting up in Batista's face but before Big Dave had a chance to execute some revenge on Shane O Mac Jeff Hardy stopped him.
"Please allow me," Jeff said and he hit Shane with a Twist of Fate on top of an already vanquished Vince McMahon.
"And now for the coup de grace," Shawn said thumping through Vince's business papers and pulling out a sheet of headed paper, "I hearby declare all rights to the WWE to be transferred back into the capable hands of Shawn Michaels and Hunter Hurst Helmsley," Shawn wrote with his left hand.
"Now add, "If you're not down with that, we got two words for yah!" Then write SUCK IT in big fllourescent green pen!" Hunter said excitedly and Shawn looked at him like he was crazy.
"We can't do that then the lawyers will know we wrote it," Shawn said.
"Oh yeah, forget what I said," Hunter said putting his fluorescent green pen back in his pocket.
"I already forgot it," Shawn said and he put the letter on top of Vince's To Do tray. Vince and Shane started to stir, "Come on everybody you're free!" Shawn said to the roster and the wrestlers actually ran out of Vince's office waving their hands in the air like slavery was just abolished again.
"Okay Edge do your thing," Hunter said to Edge and he and Shawn watched from outside as Edge waited for Vince to come to. Vince looked at the Rated R Superstar wondering what the Hell he was smiling at.
"You've got two seconds to explain yourself Copeland before I kick your ass!" Vince warned the 3-time World Champion.
"Make it five seconds," Edge said and Vince and Shane frowned at him, "That way I can do this,"
Edge struck a classic E & C five second pose and a bright white light came out of his hand and blinded Vince.
"ARGHHH MY EYES I CAN'T SEE SHANE I CAN'T SEE!" Vince said moving around hysterically and Shane chased Edge out of the office.
"You better run Copeland and here's a McMahon announcement - YOU'RE FIRED!" Shane said just like his old man.
"Not bad - CALL AN AMBULANCE GET ME TO THE HOSPITAL!" Vince roared feeling around for his cell-phone, "Linda, I'm blind I can't see a thing!" he yelled down his cell-phone - well at least that's what he thought it was.
"Dad you're talking into the stapler," Shane said and Vince threw the stapler angrily at the door only it actually hit the window on the other side of the room.
"That damn DX, they put Edge up to this, they've turned the entire roster against us, what are we going to do Shane?" Vince asked in distress.
"Well first we're going to the hospital, then we'll take care of DX once and for all!" Shane said.
"Okay-okay but first let me finish off this paperwork," Vince said feeling around for his chair when he found it he drew up to his desk and felt around for his To Do tray and Shane rolled his eyes.
"Dad can you please forget about work for one second and get your coat on we have to go now!" Shane said with exasperation.
"Let me just sign these documents its not hard all I have to do is sign right here at the bottom of the page," Vince said and he signed the letter that DX had drawn up granting them ownership of the WWE once again.
"Thank you!" Hunter said bursting through the office and snatching the letter out of Vince's hand.
"Is that sonofabitch still here?" Vince said recognizing Hunter's voice.
"Yes and so am I and I'm gonna make you feel better Vince let me just rub some of this balm over your eyes," Shawn said slapping the balm over Vince's eyes and a few seconds later the wrestling mogul had his vision back.
Shane looked at Shawn surprised, "You cured me father, you really are a man of God," Shane said pleasantly surprised until Shawn super-kicked the smile of his smug face.
"Yeah I am but I really just wanted Vince to see what he just signed off on so there wouldn't be any questions when Hunter and I kicked you both out of our building, after you come to," Shawn said patting the unconscious Shane on the face and he showed Vince the letter he had signed giving him and Hunter full control of the WWE. Shane looked at it too and went almost as red as his father with rage.
"You won't get away with this DX, mark my words you rotten bastards. The McMahons will have the last laugh!" Vince declared.
"That's really getting old Vince but we'll entertain you then you'll have five seconds to get out of here before security throws you out," Hunter said and Edge, Jeff Hardy and Batista came back through the door.
"We'll see you at the funeral," Vince said trying to play down his anger so Batista didn't power bomb him through anymore furniture.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Hunter said malevolently and Vince and Shane growled at DX before leaving the building they had failed to take back from the Degenerates.
"Very well done," Chyna said applauding Shawn and Hunter, "You didn't need Jeff and Batista though, I would have been more than willing to take out Vince and Shane," Chyna said rolling her shoulders.
"What are you two gonna do about those imposters that have been badmouthing you to the WWE fans?" Jeff Hardy said.
"Brie's gonna de-hypnotize them after she's woken up Charlotte and Dan in New York," Shawn said and Chyna, Edge and Batista looked down.
"I can't believe we have to have a tribute for Chris Jericho on Monday," Batista said and Hunter laughed.
"We're not having a tribute for Chris Jericho, we're going to have a 3 hour celebration a live Supershow with all three brands to show the fans that DX are back in the saddle again and The McMahons' week of tyranny has come to an end," Hunter said.
"And that's not all!" Shawn said.
"After Cyber Sunday we're gonna throw a DX Blow Out party at the Sandbox for the whole roster as a thank you for supporting us during all this madness," Hunter said.
"I like the sound of that," Batista said but Edge didn't.
"I know Jericho lost it in more ways than one but he still did a lot for guys in this business who needed to get over, Shelton Benjamin and John Cena for example," Edge said, "Shouldn't we at least honor his wrestling career with a five minute video package or something?"
"No," Hunter said.
"Come on you're being ridiculous," Edge said in defense of Jericho.
"He tried to kill me and take away my daughter Edge we're not paying tribute to him end of story!" Hunter snapped and Edge fell silent.
"Okay I better go, I'll see you guys at the funeral," Edge said and he turned to leave and Shawn went after him while Batista and Jeff tried to calm the Cerebral Assassin down.
"Edge wait up," Shawn called to the Smackdown Superstar and Edge turned to face him before he got in the elevator, "There's no doubt that Chris was an awesome wrestler but it would be hypocritical of us to pay homage to a man who tried to kill us,"
"I get that Shawn but -"
"But what?" Shawn asked wanting to know what was eating Edge then he realized what it was, "This is about Chris Benoit isn't it?" Shawn said, "The other Chris,"
Edge nodded, "Yes the other Chris who just so happens to be Canadian and also one of the greatest workers of all time who also just happened to totally lose it all over family," Edge said passionately, "I respect both of them for what they've done for this business, are you and Hunter just gonna write Jericho out of history too?"
Shawn looked down then he looked back up at Edge with an idea, "How about this, instead of doing a tribute show to Jericho why don't you pay homage to his in-ring skills by making the Walls of Jericho, the Code Breaker and the Lionsault part of your moves set?" Shawn suggested and Edge smiled.
"I like that idea," Edge said with a big smile, "That's why you're the co-owner of the best wrestling company in the world,"
"And its gonna stay that way as long as we have guys like you on our roster," Shawn said and he shook Edge's hand and waved goodbye to the Rated R Superstar who was feeling much better now. Hunter came out to Shawn a moment later with a disgruntled look on his face.
"What was that about you're not gay for Edge again are you?" Hunter asked Shawn who rolled his eyes but still had a smile on his face.
"I just realized what an amazing company we work for," Shawn said fondly.
"Yeah and we're not even the ones doing all the work anymore, I think we're at the point were the boys can carry on where we left off," Hunter said.
"Let's show that by putting on one of the best RAWs ever this Monday," Shawn said.
"Can I be on it?" Joanie said.
"The three of us could host it, I'm excited about it already come on let's plan it on the way to New York," Shawn said skipping to the elevator and Batista and Jeff Hardy looked on wondering why Shawn was so happy.
"What's with him?" Batista asked, "Is he gay for Edge again?"
"I was never gay for Edge!" Shawn snapped and Batista backed up as Shawn's Righteous Indignation made the floor shake.
"Okay lighten up you'll live longer," Batista said.
"Isn't that what you said to Punk before he got cursed by Brie and Brianna?" Shawn said and Batista remembered back to when that happened.
"You're right - I take it back Shawn be as serious as you always are," Batista said.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa let's not get carried away, next thing Shawn will be dragging the whole roster to church every Sunday," Hunter said and Shawn clapped his hands together excitedly and kissed Hunter on the lips.
"Hunter you're a genius, that's why you're co-owner of the greatest wrestling company in the world!" Shawn said and Hunter frowned wiping off his mouth.
"I agree with the last part but I'm not sure about the first part," Joanie said and Hunter put her in a play headlock and headed to the elevator with Batista and Jeff and an always ever-excited HBK.
Saturday October 27 2007, Chris Jericho's funeral, New York City, New York at 10am:
At the front of the Lower Manhattan church Stephanie removed her oversized sunglasses and looked over at the hundreds of people who had clamored into the church to pay their respects to Chris Jericho, well at least most of them had. With the exception of DX, ATM, The McCools and the ARK Angels of DX most of those in attendance were actually sad that Jericho had died. It bothered Stephanie intensely that her family were among that group of people since they had been responsible for the events leading up to his gruesome death.
"Nobody knew Chris the way I did, the minute we met I knew this man was going to be a part of my life one way or another," she glanced over at Triple H and the rest of the Helmsley clan, "He didn't care that I was in love with you Hunter, he was totally convinced that he was the only man I would ever love and in a way he was right," Stephanie looked down and tried to compose herself, then she removed her sunglasses and continued, "I loved Chris Jericho and I hope you can forgive me if I don't get over this as quickly as you would like me too. I think he was worth falling in love with, my only regret is that he couldn't have loved me enough to stay alive. I love you Christopher," Stephanie said looking up to the Heavens.
"Truth be told she should be looking down when she says that," Randy said and Trish tried not to laugh but her snicker got Stephanie's attention and she was already mad at her for letting her watch the Fozzy performance featuring LC and the other ARK Angels on the day of Jericho's death. Stephanie stepped down from the podium and Vince McMahon was about to step up when LC stormed passed him and took her place at the podium but she couldn't see over it.
"Chey little help," she said to her future sister-in-law and Cheyenne ran over to the front of the church and put LC on her shoulders, "Thanks GPS. I would like to follow up on what Aunt Steph just said about the late Chris Jericho by adding that I'm glad he's dead, he deserved to die and he was a rotten, lying, thieving, sadomasochistic no good sonofabitch," LC said and Hunter got up and applauded while the majority of those in attendance looked at LC in shock especially Stephanie who was livid, "That's all um, Amen. Okay Chey you can let me down," LC said.
"How dare you!" Stephanie said furiously marching over to LC but Cameron got there in time to stop Stephanie from knocking LC senseless, "This man gave you life and that's how you pay your respects!"
"I added the sadomasochistic bit it was too much wasn't it?" Hunter said to Stephanie but she ignored him while Cameron brought LC down from the podium and ushered his sister over to sit with Shawn and Amy.
"He gave me life? Oh that's rich, why don't you tell the Truth Aunt Steph? You were scared of Jericho and your marriage was a total disaster!" LC said.
"What are you talking about?" Stephanie said defiantly.
"What am I talking about, I spoke to Uncle Orton Aunt Steph, he told me what would have happened to you if we didn't come down to see you last week, we'd be having more than one funeral - we'd be having one for a whole family!" LC said and Stephanie got nervous and she looked at Randy.
"You showed her the picture?" she said.
"Cheyenne had me in a headlock I couldn't get out of it!" Randy said in his own defense.
"Tell everyone what happened after you got back from Fiji Aunt Steph," LC said but Stephanie shook her head.
"This isn't the time or the place LC so just drop it," Stephanie said.
"No I disagree; I think it's the perfect time. Tell them about your trip to the doctors," LC said.
"What trip to the doctors?" Linda McMahon asked coming over to Stephanie, "That time you went for a check up in the middle of the night?"
"I always go for check ups," Stephanie said.
"At 2am?" LC said and now Hunter was starting to get suspicious.
"What happened after the wedding in Fiji Steph?" he asked his ex-wife and Stephanie scowled at LC.
"I don't want to talk about this right now!" she hissed.
"Chey no Phenomenal hearing now okay?" Cameron said to his baby sister who nodded obediently, "Think of your favorite song and play it in your head I don't want you to hear this,"
"Hear what?" Shawn asked Cameron and the Anointed Couple exchanged confused glances with Melina and Morrison and they all looked at Trish who looked down at her hands which were entwined with Randy's. She had no intention of telling them what was about to come to light in front of the whole congregation.
"You're standing here in front of the people who think they're saying goodbye to a great human being with a few "mental problems" - he f-ing pushed you down the stairs!" LC said and everyone gasped, not just at the harsh language but at what LC had just revealed, even the stern look of disapproval from Charlotte and Dan didn't stop LC from setting the record straight where Jericho was concerned, "If it wasn't for Aurora you would only be giving birth to one twin baby!"
"So that's why you had to go to the doctors," Charlotte said remembering when Stephanie had called her in the middle of the night and told her she needed to get checked out because she was feeling some discomfort, "That sonofabitch pushed you down the stairs?"
"And Aurora encased the twin girl with ice so no damage was done," LC said.
Hunter looked down at Aurora fondly, "She's still protecting you, if I knew I would have protected you too," Hunter said angrily and he shot a dark glance at Chris Jericho's coffin then he looked back at Stephanie with conviction, "It's a good thing he's already dead," he said and Stephanie gulped.
"That's not all, come on Stephanie its time to come clean," LC said and Hunter turned to LC confused.
"There's more?" he asked puzzled.
"Come on Aunt Steph tell daddy what you've been through over the past month!" LC insisted and Stephanie sighed and decided to tell everybody the Truth about her marriage to Chris Jericho.
"When you guys were in the Sonoran Desert, I tried to get help and Chris went ballistic on me. That night Jericho tied me to the bed, he beat me and he raped me. I didn't tell you about it because I knew you would kill him and I didn't want you to go to jail and never see your children again," Stephanie said.
Hunter couldn't believe it, there wasn't a single person in the church who could believe what Jericho did to Stephanie apart from The Ortons, Cameron and LC. Linda McMahon passed out on Vince McMahon who didn't seem surprised either but it was for an entirely different reason.
"Why didn't you say anything Steph?" Shane said angrily shaking his sister back and forth as Vince tried to revive his wife.
"Get your hands off her!" Hunter said pulling Shane away from Stephanie.
"Because you all loved Chris, I didn't want to tell you that once again I had fallen in love with the wrong man. So I stuck by him the best I could, I pretended everything was going well and when he reached out to Carla and LC I thought he really had changed but when I found out what you were all plotting I knew there was no hope for our marriage," Stephanie said and she looked down, "I guess I'm not the marrying type,"
"You got that right," Vince McMahon said and Trish closed her eyes knowing what was about to happen, "You really screwed up this time Stephanie, if you weren't so hell bent on going to that wedding in Fiji Chris would never have had any reason to do what he did,"
Stephanie couldn't believe her ears, once again her father was blaming her for another failed marriage.
"You sonofabitch!" Hunter roared when he saw the look on Stephanie's face and he turned into a lion to the shock of everyone who hadn't seen the Lion of Judah before.
"I knew it, you were the lion that mauled Jericho!" Vince said and Hunter lunged for Vince but LC blocked him.
"Everyone out, Ro-Ro tear the roof off this church!" LC said to her baby sister and Aurora shook her rattle and blew the roof off the Manhattan church and everyone got blown out, everyone except the WWE roster who were safe from Aurora's powers and used to them by now.
"LC tell Aurora to put the roof back on the church!" Shawn said to his god daughter.
"I was just about to don't worry Uncle Shawn," LC said, "Put the roof back on now Ro-Ro," she said to her little sister and Ro-Ro did just that.
"Cool!" Jeff Hardy said loving Aurora evacuation method; it was very effective, now all the right people were in the church. All the Jerichoholics were checking into rehab now and The McMahons were history.
Stephanie smiled at her baby girl, "Can I hold her, is it okay?" she asked Trish.
"No not really but who am I to come between a mother and her firstborn child?" Trish said rubbing her stomach with tears in her eyes and Amy and Melina looked at her with wide eyes.
"You're pregnant!" they said at the same-time.
"Jinx you owe me a coke!" Trish said as her sisters in Christ embraced her.
"Congratulations Orton," Hunter said to Randy while everyone else congratulated the Legend Killer on doing what they all had thought about doing at one point with Trish.
Stephanie kissed Aurora on the forehead, "Thanks for looking out for me Ro-Ro," Stephanie said and she pressed Aurora to her heart and it started to rain inside the church.
Hunter looked up, "That's not good," he said as the rain come down on everybody.
"This is nothing compared to what's coming," Trish said and the ARK Angels gathered around the distraught widow of Chris Jericho.
"Thank you LC, thank you all for saving my life," Stephanie said and the ARK Angels hugged her hoping to restore some of what was left of her sanity and Aurora expressed her sadness through her supernatural weather power.
"Don't make the same mistake Jericho made Aunt Steph, choose life not death," LC said and Stephanie tried to imagine her life without Chris and she couldn't, she couldn't see anything, everything was black and shapeless like an abyss and she saw herself in the middle of it with no way out.
Philadelphia, PA at 12pm:
CM Punk woke from two days of uninterrupted sleep, his cell-phone was ringing and for the first time in 48 hours he answered it.
"Hello?" CM Punk said loving the voice that answered him back.
"It's me Punk," replied Velvet Sky from Orlando.
"What's up babe?" he said sweetly and he looked at the time, "The funeral's over now, Jericho's dead and buried you can finally sleep in peace," Punk said trying to process everything that had happened over the past month combined with everything he survived in the last few days.
"You won't feel that way after what I'm about to tell you, we just had a meeting in the Impact Zone and Jeff Jarrett said we're gonna have a new co-owner," Velvet Sky said.
"Really who?" CM Punk asked curiously.
"Vince McMahon!" Velvet Sky said and Punk dropped the phone and he laid on his back and stared at the ceiling wondering what was going on. Either his girlfriend was playing a joke on him or he was still asleep but now was not the time to Go to Sleep, now was the time to wake up.
His cell phone rang again and he had a text message from Batista, it read: "Wake up Punk, wake up!" Punk replied that he was awake and Batista text him about a party after Cyber Sunday at the Sandbox. Batista didn't say anything about Vince going to TNA and given that he slept through his birthday on Friday a party seemed like a good way of showing the WWE roster he was back and firing on all cylinders. However if it turned out like the last party he went to with Batista he was in trouble. He told Batista he'd be there and he'd invite Velvet too, she was obviously trying to get back at him for what he put her through over the last few weeks.
"Nice try Velvet I'm glad you had your fun but there's no way Vince McMahon is going to be co-owner of TNA," Punk said after calling Velvet back. Sky turned her cell-phone on record and sent Punk a clip of the Impact meeting and Punk couldn't believe what he saw; there in the same room as Jeff Jarrett, Mick Foley and the Main Event Mafia was Vince, Shane and Linda McMahon.
Batista looked at his cell-phone and saw a text message from CM Punk. It read: "Vince McMahon is the new co-owner of TNA! Tell DX!"
Batista laughed, "That CM Punk's alright, one night with me was all he needed to loosen up," Dave said before boarding his plane back to Washington to do some community work to make up for the damage Dragon Batista caused. He made a note to tell DX that CM Punk was trying to get him into trouble by starting a rumor that if true would shake the foundations of the whole wrestling world. Thanks to the diabolical scheming of Chris Jericho and The McMahons it had been shaken enough already, one more blow and it wouldn't be able to stand.
To be continued in the ARK Angels of DX and the Wrestling World War.