Disclaimer: You've heard it before.
Heya people! Well here we are counting down to Bound for Glory and we've seen Jason get granted an X Division title shot, fall out with one of his friends, earn himself a stalker in AJ and get jumped from behind about fifty times. What's gonna happen this time? Let's find out!
Here We Go!
Rebirth-Chapter Twenty Seven-Returning the Favour
Jason calmly pulled his elbow pad up his arm and secured it in place, he glanced around the empty locker room then started pulling on his other pad. He'd arrived at the arena early so he could be there when Chris showed up, the two hadn't spoken since the showdown last week although it wasn't for a lack of trying from Chris, Jason's phone had at least ten messages from Chris ranging from "Hey kid, look, sorry about what happened out there, I guess we both just lost it huh? Anyway call me back so we can sort this out kay?" Jason hadn't replied to that or any of the others as Chris got steadily angrier over the week, he pulled out his phone and played the last message to himself again.
"Hey kid, it's me, you know, your old buddy Chris? The least you could do is return my calls even if you don't wanna sort this mess out. But if you wanna act like an asshole then I'm gonna treat you like one".
Just as the message finished playing Jason heard the unmistakeable laugh of Sonjay as he approached the door, the teen stood up and finished securing his pad in place. The door opened and in walked Sonjay, followed by Jay and finally Chris, the grins on the faces of all three vanished when they saw Jason standing there.
"Hey guys".
Jay and Sonjay muttered their greetings and went to sit down, Chris just stared at Jason unsure of what the teen was going to do.
"I'd put my bag down if I were you Chris".
"Why's that? You plannin' on jumping me kid?"
"No, I'm planning on finding out what you meant when you said you were gonna treat me like an asshole."
Chris slowly put his bag down on one of the benches. "OK, but it's gonna be tough explaining to Cornette why me and my partner were fighting in the locker room."
"What do you mean, partner?"
"Not checked the card yet? You and me against Team Canada, so it's your choice, kick my ass or be professional."
Jason frowned. "Why should I team with you anyway? You don't trust me."
"I do trust you actually, my only problem is you threw a hissy fit just cause you never got the pin last week."
"And you clotheslined me."
"Aiming for Styles."
"Who had just helped me."
"That's right, defend your new buddy..." Before Chris could say anymore Jason had him pinned against the wall, Jay and Sonjay dived in and tried to pull the teen off.
"Listen to me Chris, I don't know what AJ's deal is, I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him, but if you want answers, I'll go get them."
With that he let go of Chris and stormed out of the room towards the arena, the pyro's for the show hadn't even finished going off as he marched down the ramp and grabbed the mic off the ring announcer and got in the ring.
"I think you can tell I'm not in a good mood, now I know the tradition around here is for Jeff Jarrett to come out here and talk for half the show but he's gonna have to take a number and wait his turn cause I have something to say. AJ Styles, from the day I set foot in this company you tried to send me right back out the door. For five months we've jumped each other, hit each other with chairs and fought matches that could qualify as wars. But now all of a sudden you've been running in and helping me out like you're my new best buddy or something, so I want answers, what's your deal? What are you getting out of this? I'm sick of people saying I'm planning something with you. Now get out here and give me an answer."
Jason dropped the mic and waited but AJ didn't come out, Jason sighed and picked it back up. "AJ, just because you've been helping me out lately doesn't mean we're cool, so if you don't come out here and give me an answer I'll have no problem going back there and beating one out of you!"
At that AJ's music hit and the X Division champion came out to the ring, he grabbed a mic and went to speak but Chris ran in and jumped him! He hammered away on AJ while Jason just looked on in confusion, after a few seconds he stepped forward and pulled Chris off.
"What are you doing?" He yelled, Chris just pushed past him and tried to get at AJ again, Jason stepped in the way. "What's with you? I thought you wanted an answer?"
"Nah, I'd rather kick his ass" replied Chris trying to step round him, Jason pulled him back. "Let go of me kid."
Before Jason could do anything Petey Williams and Eric Young from Team Canada hit the ring and jumped the two of them, Eric beat Chris down in a corner while Williams stomped away at Jason, AJ was on the outside recovering from Chris's attack when Maverick Matt came running out and jumped him from behind and threw him in the ring before stomping him down as well. Eric and Williams grabbed Jason and whipped him, they went for a double elbow but Jason ducked and took both of them down with a clothesline! He looked at Matt stomping away at AJ and went to turn away then spun back round and clocked Matt! He knocked him to the outside then turned to Team Canada and sent both of them to the outside, he taunted them as Chris tried to get up but AJ came over and set him up for the Styles Clash! Jason turned round just in time to see AJ lift Chris up but did nothing as AJ dropped Chris to the mat! After AJ hit it he stared down Jason then grinned and slipped out of the ring with his belt, Jason looked down at Chris then shrugged and left the ring.
As soon as Jason walked back into the locker room he was greeted by the angry duo of Jay and Sonjay.
"What the hell was that man? You just let Chris get his ass kicked out there!"
"He jumped AJ Sonjay, not my fault if that pissed him off."
"What happened to looking out for your friends?"
"He said he was going to treat me like an asshole, I just gave him a reason."
Before Jay or Sonjay could reply the door burst open and Chris stormed in and went straight for Jason! Jay and Sonjay dived in between them and held him back.
"What the hell was that huh? Is that how you treat your friends!"
"Shouldn't have jumped him Chris."
Chris continued to try and get at him but Jay pulled him to one side, Sonjay turned to Jason.
"Just get out of here until he chills out."
"Why should I leave?"
"Because you're already dressed, he needs to get ready for the match and you're the one who just left your friend to get taken out!" Replied Sonjay opening the door for him, Jason nodded and left the room while Sonjay helped Jay try to calm Chris down, he walked to a quieter part of the arena and sat down. He hadn't meant for things with Chris to get that out of hand, and he certainly hadn't meant to let him take the Clash, but just as he'd gone to help he remembered the clothesline and decided letting him get dropped was a way of evening things up. In the middle of all this he'd managed to forget that they were supposed to be challenging for the title.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"
Jason looked up then sighed and looked away. "If you guys are here to tell me how to blow my quad then thanks but no thanks."
Nash laughed then feigned that he was hurt by the comment. "Well if that's the thanks we get for trying to help a brother out then we might as well take our business elsewhere, right guys?"
Shelley smirked from behind the camera he was holding, Devine just stood there with a grin on his face, Jason sighed and stood up.
"Like I said, not interested."
"All we're doing is offering advice kid."
"Like what?"
"Advice on how to win Ultimate X" chipped in Shelley. "Kev's a pro when it come to those matches."
"You? A pro at Ultimate X?"
"You'd be surprised" smirked Nash. "I've been in more than my fair share of them, won more than my fair share as well, one in particular that I'd like to tell you about, OPW, that's Ottawa Pro Wrestling, Light Heavyweight title, Kevin Nash versus the Generic Luchadore back in 91, I set a record for the fastest Ultimate X match ever when I reached up and pulled the belt down in five seconds."
"What? No moonsault?"
"I hit one from the cables after the match, just to send the fans home happy."
"Tell me, was this before or after you were calling yourself Oz?"
Nash's grin faltered slightly. "Before, that was the match that got me signed for WCW, a lot of people agree it was the greatest title match ever... until I beat Bob Backlund in eight seconds."
Shelley laughed. "We really gotta organise a rematch one day, think of the payoff!"
"Yeah, anyway kid that's all you gotta do, you're not as tall as me so we may have to give ya a pair of stilts or platform shoes but it'll be worth the..."
"Some advice Kevin, whatever meds you're on just ain't working."
"I told them there was no cure for my looks and talent."
"Riiight, secondly I think it's funny that a guy who couldn't even get over in the New World Order and was the brains behind the 'Fingerpoint of Doom' is giving me advice on how to do what I do best, so take your two boyfriends, get the hell out my sight and find a new guy to use as..." Jason trailed off as the sounds of fighting echoed down the hall, the Paparazzi took off to see what was going on and he followed behind them, he walked round the corner to see Mara beating the hell out of Traci Brooks!
"Mara?" He started forward to pull his girlfriend off Traci but noticed someone coming at him from the corner of his eye, he turned just in time to have something busted over the side of his head! He went down as Matt added a few stomps for good measure then pulled Mara off Traci and threw her to the ground, he held her allowing Traci to get some shots in before beating on Jason again, he went to hit Jason with another weapon when AJ Styles came from out of nowhere and jumped him! They brawled down the corridor as TNA security showed up to get Traci off Mara, they finally managed to restore order as Jason and Mara tried to recover.
"You OK?" She asked crawling over to him.
"I've been better, the side of my head is killing me" he muttered, she put her hand there for a second and when she pulled it away it was covered in blood.
"You're busted pretty bad."
He put his hand on the cut then winced when he saw all the blood. "What the hell did he hit me with?"
"Something made of glass" she answered looking around at the shards on the floor, she went to stand up then winced and dropped back to her knees holding her ribs.
"What's wrong?" Jason was almost immediately back on the ground next to her, she shook her head.
"Nothing, bitch just got some lucky shots in."
Some EMT's ran up to the two teens and went straight for Jason when they saw the blood, despite Jason's protests that he was fine they insited that they put something over the cut before leading the two teens to the trainers room, as they left Shelley cut the camera.
"Almost seems like a bad romance novel doesn't it?"
Nash nodded wiping away fake tears. "Touching tough."
"True... now what?"
"Do you have anymore DVD's of those Madagascar guys? They were cool."
"For the last time, I'm fine!" Screamed Jason at the EMT trying to get him to sit back down, the side of his head was stitched up and bandaged so in his mind he was good to go.
"Jason, please calm down, we just need to check for a concussion."
"I don't have a concussion! Do my eyes look glazed? No, Am I staggering around? No, so the three of you can calm down" the EMT looked confused, Jason smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm just playing, so can I go now?"
The EMT sighed. "Yes."
"Thank you" Jason left the trainers room to find Mara waiting for him. "Fifteen stitches, you?"
Mara smirked and lifted up her shirt to show the bandages. "Bruised ribs."
"I thought you said she got some lucky shots?"
"Lucky shots that bruised my ribs, but I get her in the ring next week."
Jason laughed. "All this and I haven't even had my match yet."
"When is that?"
"I think it's..." Team Canada's music hit in the arena. "... now, you wanna stay back here?"
"Nah, who'd keep an eye on you?"
"You're a lot tougher than you look aren't you?"
"Back at ya."
They arrived at the entrance of the tunnel to find Chris waiting, he and Jason stared each other down then Chris's eyes found the bandages on Jason's head, he raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. His music hit and he walked down the tunnel, Jason followed right behind him not taking his eyes off the back of his head. As they were walking down the ramp Jason saw AJ sitting at the announcers table watching him, Chris shot the Phenominal One a glare but instead hopped up on the apron only for Eric to knock him down to the ground, Jason had been sliding in under the ropes and both Team Canada members began stomping on him to kick off the match while Scott D'Amore yelled encouragement from ringside.
Eric and Williams stomped Jason down to the ground then threw him into a corner, Eric left the ring while Williams opened up on Jason with punches to the side of the head, he went to whip Jason across the ring but the teen reversed it and caught him with a backdrop and dropkick, Eric came in but ran right into another backdrop and dropkick, Williams got up only to be taken down with a suplex, Eric was clotheslined to the outside then Jason grabbed Williams and brought him to the corner then tagged in Chris. They whipped him and Chris caught him with a spinkick to the gut, Jason hit the ropes but Chris was standing in the way, he shoved his partner to one side then kicked Williams right in the face to knock him down. He and Chris stared each other down then they both hit the ropes, Jason hit a senton but Chris put on the brakes and covered for a two-count.
Jason hopped out of the ring as Chris beat on Williams, he hit a series of kicks to the ribs then hit an enziguri for a two-count, suddenly Mara tensed up and began walking towards one of the ramps, Jason turned to see Traci and Matt standing at the top taunting her, he hopped down from the apron and held her back from going after Traci. Meanwhile Chris had brought Williams to the corner but found no-one there to tag.
"Hey jackass! What part of tag match don't you get?"
Jason frowned but made sure Mara wasn't going to go up the ramp before climbing back up onto the apron, while Chris had been yelling at him Williams had slipped away and tagged in Eric, he tried to lock up with Chris but was immediately beaten down, Chris tagged Jason in and threw Eric into a corner, Jason then whipped Chris and he hit a running boot to Eric's head before turning him upside down, he went back to Jason to whip him into Eric but saw Williams coming in, he whipped the teen anyway and Williams cut him off with a huge clothesline! Williams took some extra shots before leaving the ring. Eric came down from the ropes and hit a superkick on Jason and covered him for a two-count, he hauled Jason over to his corner and tagged in Williams.
The two Team Canada members whipped Jason then Eric dropped down and Williams hit a leg-lariat, Jason bounced up and Williams hit a DDT for a two-count, he went out to the apron and when Jason got up vaulted over the ropes and brought Jason's head down on his knees, he tagged in Eric who quickly jumped to the top-rope and came down with an elbow! He covered but Chris broke up the count. Eric pulled Jason up and tagged Williams back in then set the teen up for a powerbomb, Williams climbed to the top-rope and when Eric got Jason up came off with a clothesline! He covered but Jason managed to get a shoulder up. Williams pulled Jason up and quickly sent him back down with a Russian legsweep for a two-count then tagged Eric back in, he stomped Jason a few times then whipped him, Jason ducked an elbow but when he went to hit the ropes D'Amore grabbed his foot, Jason spun round and swung for him allowing Eric to come from behind, Chris hopped down from the apron and began going after D'Amore as Eric went for a suplex only for Jason to slip out and hit a neckbreaker! He crawled to his corner to make the tag but Chris wasn't there.
"Chris! Tag match! Remember?"
Chris ran back to the apron but Williams had been tagged in, he jumped Jason and pulled him away from the corner then hit a neckbreaker, he threw Jason into a corner and hung him upside down, Eric distracted the referee allowing Williams to climb the ropes and stomp down on Jason's groin! He pulled the teen down and whipped him before going for a backdrop but Jason dropped down and punched him in the face then hit an X-Factor! Both began crawling to their corners and Williams got Eric in, he sprinted towards Jason but the teen dived and made the tag to Chris! He jumped to the top-rope and immediately came down with a missile dropkick on Eric! The two bounced up and Chris hit a German suplex for a two-count, Williams came in but Chris knocked him down then hit Eric with a spinout powerbomb! He covered but Williams broke it up, he threw Williams to the outside as D'Amore hopped up on the apron, Eric came over and Chris hit a tornado DDT kicking D'Amore down as he did! Williams tried to come in but Chris took him down with a ura-nage then called for the cradle shock! He lifted Eric up but as he did Jason tagged himself in, Chris dropped Eric and went to make the cover but Jason came off the top-rope with the Showstealer Press! He covered and the referee counted the three!
Chris glared at Jason as the teen got up and let the referee raise his hand, the teen saw the glare and smirked.
"Returning the favour Chris."
Chris said nothing and continued to glare as Jason turned to AJ and made belt motions towards him, AJ replied with a shrug and Jason turned to Chris only for Williams to jump him! Chris watched for a second then left the ring! He started to walk up the ramp then turned as Matt ran in and joined Williams in beating down Jason while Traci and Mara went at it, he went to leave again but froze as Jerry came out pointing to the ring, they stared each other down then Chris spun round and sprinted back down the ramp! Williams and Matt were ready and began stomping down on him as Jason rolled out of the ring to the floor, he slowly got up and went to get back in the ring then stopped and grabbed a chair! He dived in and Matt, Traci and Williams all bailed.
Chris climbed to his feet as Jason stood with his back to him and went to tap him on the shoulder but the teen spun round and swung! Chris ducked but Jason stopped the chair inches away from his face, Chris slapped the chair out of the teens hands and shoved him.
"Is that the thanks I get for helping?"
"You call walking away and letting me get my ass kicked helping?"
Chris shrugged. "Returning the favour kid, you didn't have a problem when I was taking the Styles Clash."
"You didn't have a problem when you clotheslined me last week, and by the way, I managed to avoid hitting you, strange how you couldn't isn't it?"
"You know what? Screw you! Screw you, screw your girlfriend and screw your buddy AJ, I've had it with you!"
"Then you won't mind settling this little problem now then" smirked Jason stepping back slightly and cracking his knuckles, Chris nodded and the two got ready to fight but Sonjay and Jay ran in and stepped between them. Chris reached over them and shoved Jason in the face only for the teen to respond with a huge slap! Chris flipped and tried to go after Jason but Jay and Sonjay held him back as Mara tried to get Jason out of the ring, without taking his eyes off Chris the teen left and began backing up the ramp but Jerry stopped him.
"Kid, just calm down, go back there and talk to..."
"YOU talk to him Jerry! I ain't wasting my breath anymore."
Then he turned his back on the agent and walked up the ramp, when he reached the stage he turned and pointed to Chris who was still being held in the ring, Williams and Matt on the opposite stage and finally AJ at the announce table and gave them all a crotch chop before turning and leaving the arena.
End of Chapter
Well, there ya go, things are really boiling over on the road to Bound for Glory and Ultimate X, will Jason and Chris make up? Will AJ gove everyone answers? Will Williams and Matt up their game? And will Mara beat Traci in her in-ring debut? Find out next time!
R&R
See ya!
HBKJOH