Wrestling Universe

iMPACT 13

I do not own any of the characters, people, or events involved that are associated with either ROH, WWE, TNA, and independent rights. This series is a writing exercise for myself and posted for those that wish to read.

The show opened with Orton's music blasting into the ears of the attending audience. Accompanied by the gold wearing tag-team champions of Legacy, Orton descended the steel mesh ramp toward the ring. He stepped in slowly, his gait was slow and tense.

A viper that could strike at any moment and at anyone.

Once inside, Orton stood at the center with a microphone, waiting, listening to the crowds jeers of dissatisfaction and contempt. They didn't want Orton there, they didn't Orton as the champion. They just plain didn't want Orton.

He broke through the low rumbling boos, saying, "as hard as it may be to accept; I am the champion." He looked across the arena into eyes of his fans and detractors. He said, "I accomplished what I set out to do when I reformed Legacy in the Wrestling Universe. I am the World Heavyweight Champion and Legacy is the most dominating entity on iMPACT."

Orton turned toward the stage with Legacy as he heard the theme that was followed by the presence of the former champion; Sting. He and the rest of the Main Event Mafia with the new member -- Kevin Nash -- stood together in line and glared down across the arena at Orton and Legacy.

Sting looked visibly agitated by the site of seeing the cocky viper with his title, but he had one thing in mind that he knew Orton would not have thought of.

"Orton, I hope you're enjoying your little moment of glory, because when I come down to that ring and kick your ass in my granted title shot later tonight, I'm going to wipe that smug grin right off your face." Sting threatened, "I've got a rematch clause, and I've already ran it by the General Manager. John Cena may be a smug scum-bag like you, but no one tells the Main Event Mafia what to do. Tonight, I'm taking that title back."

"You're taking this back? Is that what you're telling me, old man?" Orton moved to the ropes, holding up his title belt.

"Yeah, unless you want a beat down right now?" Sting started for the ring.

"Hold on!" Orton backed away a few steps. "I'll wait until tonight, but how about your washed up has beens face off against the Universal Tag Title Champions Cody Rhodes and Brian Christopher?"

"That's fine by me." Nash intercepted, responding to Orton's suggestion.

"Let's do this!" Booker T motioned to Nash to follow him toward the ring and soon the match was to begin as Sting and Batista watched from the stage and Orton slid out to remain ringside, trapped by the Main Event Mafia and the angry crowds around him. The viper as always, remained calm under the pressure of his rivals surrounding him, he was sure of the abilities of his lackeys.

After a short break, the show returned with Booker T dominating Cody Rhodes in the ring with a diving somersault leg drop executed on the fallen Legacy member. He then wrapped the arm of his opponent between his and dragged him into an arm lock. Rhodes was quick to exit the hold, but he was not out of the woods, yet.

Booker T pulled Rhodes head up straight and then smacked him hard across the chest. The sound echoed the arena as loudly as the "woo" that followed after it. After a few more strikes, he ended the combo assault with a russian leg-sweep, bringing Rhodes back down to the canvas.

Brian Christopher leaned out for his partner, but Rhodes was too far and in the grasp of the Main Event Mafia. Orton watched from below, his eyes scanning across the white ring over toward Sting who also walked down toward ringside to view the match. Their eyes met in a heated glare of hatred. Orton despised the legends of this industry and Sting despised those that disrespected them.

Inside the ring, Booker dragged the exhausted Rhodes into his team corner to tag in Kevin Nash for a combined mud-stomp. Burying Rhodes further between the ropes and turnbuckles before pulling back and following up the assault.
Rhodes poked Nash in the eyes!

The sudden revolt liberated him. He whipped Nash toward Legacy's corner, but Nash reversed it. Blinded by the dirty maneuver, he failed to realize he had just allowed Legacy to make the tag.

When Nash could finally see clearly, identifying the sharpening blur as Brian Christopher, he lifted up his big leg and stretched it out to knock down the smaller wrestler like a giant crushing a miniscule human.

He pulled up Brian and positioned him for a powerbomb, but Rhodes refused to let any such maneuver occur. He raced in, and caught his own partner crashing down onto him whilst Nash and Booker gave themselves a chuckle at Legacy's expense.

It was clear to Orton that Cody Rhodes and Brian Christopher may very well lose the match against the veterans. It wasn't just that Nash and Booker knew the industry well, but they were part of a large clique that even included his rivals: Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Batista. They really were like a mob and Orton felt himself shrink in the presence of that entity.

It made him hate them even more.

Orton slid into the ring!

The referee called for the bell after the ravenous viper flattened Kevin Nash like a pancake with a spontaneous RKO. He had another in way, special made just for Booker T. This left Sting, outside of the ring and out numbered.

Sting looked behind Legacy; Batista was looking back at him and gave Sting a nod. Sting slid into the ring, diverting the attention of Legacy so that they would not notice Batista's entrance.

Orton stomped away at the legend with his lackeys pecking away like vultures to a kill. Little did they know that Batista was at an arms length, then they got the surprise of a lifetime.

POW!

Batista popped Rhodes in the mouth with a big boot and then dropped Christopher with a heft spinebuster. Orton was left, cornered and outnumbered. Nash and Booker were rising up to their feet to join their allies.

Orton fled.

Legacy fled.

The Main Event Mafia gathered in the ring to watch the cowards flee for their lives. Sting knew then that Orton would lose the title in their rematch, barring a cheat, but perhaps the General Manager would see their ways into fixing that. The show went to break.

Upon return, Cena was nursing the bandage on his head. A temporary mark where Undertaker dropped him down onto the canvas with the Tombstone Piledriver. Next to him, inside the light blue office, decorated with posters of the General Manager, was the owner of the Wrestling Universe: Nathan Black.

"You really outdid yourself at Night of Hell, Cena." Nathan showered Cena with compliments, a smirk coming from his often frowning face, until it was drowned out by a glare, "but you failed on Raw."

"I know, sir, I'm going to make sure D-X and Undertaker get what they deserve next Raw, but I think we should focus on iMPACT; the show with most respect for the most dominating champion in sports entertainment."

"I'm giving an entire month to you while I'm still deciding how things will be run here, so whatever happens is on you -- good or bad."

As Cena was about to respond, to tell that he would take care of business the best way he could, destroying D-X and any other rebels come to knock the management down with there degenerate behavior, a knock came at the door, but the man behind refused to wait for an answer.

The man was Edge, and he said as he burst through, rushing before his match, "I was screwed out of my match at the fatal four way by Orton! I want another championship, and I want it tonight."

The owner noted that Cena didn't even acknowledge his presence in the face of opportunity to change the future of two superstars. Cena stood up and took Edge by the shoulder, saying, "You did well in the match, but Orton is a snake, man. Yo, I know. He can't see me, be he isn't one to mess with." He wiped the invisible sweat from his chin as he pondered the options. "You still have your match with Christian tonight, but if you win, I'll give you the National Championship Title match at Ascension of Dissension?"

"Sounds fine to me," Edge grinned and nodded his head. He could picture the title around his waist and then he exited the room, rushing to catch his match in time.

"Well played." Nathan nodded and waved Edge to leave the room. He then turned to Cena, a curious expression painted across his face as he asked, "you dodged that Steel Cage match at Raw. How come?"

"Yo, man, I didn't want to get trapped between D-X and steel; between Undertaker and steel; and above all, no help incase something happened." Cena replied, receiving a nod from the owner.

"So what will you do?"

"I decided I'd put Kane and Undertaker in the steel cage match, next Raw."

"That will be good match." The owner grinned, thinking of the match in his mind. "Very good match."

"Yo, I got this! They can't see me, I'm the champ and I'm the best damn general manager. Ever."

Inside the arena, Christian was first to the stage. He descended with Jericho accompanying him to the side and the crowds jeering the two heels.

Once inside the ring, Christian was parted from Jericho. It wasn't Chris' battle, but he wished to cause as much carnage on the returning star for his betrayal as he believed Christian did, and would tonight.

They then watched as Edge bolted onto the stage during his entrance, the fog rising up and the pyro shooting off with him. It all ended, though, after a vicious strike from behind.

Cody Rhodes hammered away on Edge whilst the two at the ring watched the assault. By the time Rhodes manages to push Edge into the ring, he wasn't in much condition to hold his own against a fresh and ready wrestler like Christian.

Christian looked down at the wreck of his former friend. Instead of pinning the man there, where the three-count would come easier than money to a bar, he exited the ring and shuffled over toward the bell carrier.

The chair was stolen!

Christian raced back in, alerting the referee to the new, and illegal, weapon in the ring. With one barely audible strike, Christian was disqualified.

Jericho was flabbergasted by the scene that played out before him. As was Cody Rhodes.

Christian held up the chair, threatening to smash it over Rhodes head as the Legacy member tried to interfere after the bell called the end of the match. Jericho received the same unwelcome gesture when he too tried to enter the ring.

Christian defended his friend in ring until Edge was up on his own two feet. Technically Edge had won the match and that meant he would meet Rhodes at Ascension of Dissension for the National Championship Title.

The show went to break as Jericho and Rhodes backed themselves, perplexed and angered, up the aisle.

Upon return, the second match was set to begin as the newest member of the roster -- Steiner -- entered the arena and walked down to the ring. After him was Kevin Nash, member of the newly formed Main Event Mafia.

"With Steiner now an iMPACT I wo. . ." Jim Ross was interrupted.

"We can expect many things, but my eye is on the main event tonight. Orton defending his World Heavyweight Championship title against the man they call Sting!" Don West said.

In the ring, Scott Steiner stepped out just after the bell signaled for the match to begin.

He was walking away.

Nash watched, amused at the derogative shouts received when it dawned on them that Steiner would return to his place in the faction and not face Nash.

Ending in a count out, Kevin Nash became the victor of the match -- or lack-there-of -- and he too exited the ring to return to the back.

"What a disappointment." Said Jim Ross, "I expected more from such competitors than this."

"That's the game they play, J.R." Don replied.

After the ring was cleared and another break occurred, John Cena stood in the ring in a referee attire. It would be he who called the championship title match.

He waited patiently as each competitor was announced and made their respective entrances to the squared circle.

All eyes on the title. On Sting, Orton, and especially on the weasel of a man: John Cena.

The match began with a head lock. Orton twisted around and morphed the maneuver into a wrist lock that eventually transitioned into a german suplex.

Sting pulled himself up quickly, not letting Orton take control too soon without a fight.

Orton pulled his rival close, letting their muscles do the arguing as each man tried yank the other into some move that would lay them flat against the canvas, but neither would budge. Soon, though, Orton was the one to be sent flying.

He ran forcibly toward the ropes facing the commentary tables and turned to let his back bounce against the thick cords. Sting leapt toward his opponent and topped Orton backward with a cross body splash that transitioned into a quick, but failing cover.

The tables were turning quickly.

Orton rose up before his older rival and then knocked him back down to the canvas with a sharp and cruel boot to the side of the face. Another for good measure, which landed against Sting's ribs.

He looked down at sting with what passed for Orton as a smirk, but it wasn't one of good sportsmanship, it was one of pure evil. He backed away as Sting pushed himself up on all fours.

"Don't do it!" Jim Ross yelled, unable to be heard by anyone but the viewers.

"Sting is about go get punted in the head by the legend killer, where is the Main Event Mafia?" Don wondered, worried for the legend's safety.

Only moments before the legend killer charged, Sting's faction raced out to aid him. Orton managed to fight off Nash, Booker T, Steiner, and even Sting after he had rose up to join the fight, but what had transpired next was something not even a legend killer could have prepared for.

After the initial wave, Steiner and Booker T turned on Kevin Nash. A man, bald and sporting a white shirt and jeans then slid quickly into the ring behind Sting.

Batista ran out!

Kurt Angle slammed Sting down against the canvas!

John Cena just stood in the corner, watching the war play out before him with Orton across the ring doing the same.

The Main Event Mafia was erupting with mutiny. Kurt Angle, Steiner, and the traitor Booker T kept the other members off their feet and soon out of the ring. Kurt turned to Cena to force a count out to begin and so the referee had done so.

Sting tried to enter the ring before the count had ceased, but it was over. Batista and Nash refused to let their leader walk into the dragon's lair unarmed and weak. They would have to regroup and live to fight another day.

Kurt Angle, the only man yet to sign with the new company joined with Cena and Orton and the other members of the Main Event Mafia to celebrate the victory over the legend.

Despite victory, however, the show had ended with an even bigger surprise. An RKO to the olympic gold medalist and Cena hitting his finisher on the two betraying members of the Main Event Mafia just to upstage them as they always had back on the WWE.

The two then stared at one another.

Dead center.

Then the show came to a close.