The Name of the Game

[D.J]

A ghost, that is what Triple H essentially had been in the EBWF for the past several years. Gone, seemingly to never return only to appear on EBWF televison for long enough to challenge CM Punk for the EBWF Title. Was he successful? No. But what that match did was reopen the possibility of one final run in the company he helped built. After the loss, Helmsley was out of the public eye once again, until he made his presence felt at EBWF's latest PPV Death Before Dishonor, taking a stand along with Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart against the dominance that has been the Shield. The return was again timely as Triple H would be once again returning to ring action, this time in the annual King of the Ring tournament, vs. Alberto Del Rio. We know Triple H can still get in there and mix it up, that much was clear in his challenging of Punk, but would he be able to earn himself another victory after all this time away, that was still to be determined.

::START GAME::

The scene opened up in a very nice upscale home. It was a living room that had high ceilings, expensive furniture and exquisite floors. The place was immaculate to say the least. Sitting in the forefront of the shot, were two very familiar faces to EBWF programming. On the viewers left was EBWF commentator Jim Ross, to the viewers right was The Game, the King of Kings, The Cerebral Assassin, Triple H. Ross was dressed in his normal black EBWF long sleeve button up. While the Game Donned a "Time to Play The Game" Black T-Shirt with Green Letters and denim jeans. He had a water bottle next to him, and he took a quick sip, before Jim Ross broke the silence and began the segment.

Jim Ross: Hello ladies and gentleman, I'm Jim Ross, and today we come to you live from the home of the man to my left, The Game, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Triple H. Hunter how are you today.

Triple H cooly and succinctly as was his way, responded.

Triple H: I'm fine, Jim.

Jim Ross: Well I think it'd be best if we just got right down to the point. Hunter, Monday night you will return to in ring action once again, just a couple of months removed from your defeat at the hands of then World Champion, CM Punk. Do you feel any differently going into this match then you did the match with Punk?

Triple H almost sneered at the mention of his defeat to Punk. He took a quick swig of water and then began his retort.

Triple H: Jim, I've been around this business a long damn time. I've bled for this business, I've dropped every ounce of sweat in my god damn body for this business. Hell, I've BEEN this business. So at this point in time in my professional wrestling career, I don't feel a hell of a lot different entering one match to the next. Did I expect to lose to CM Punk? Of course I didn't. Why? Because I don't expect to lose any time I step into the ring. Anybody who's worth a damn in this company would say the same thing. What that match did though Jim, was revitalize me. It opened my eyes to the fact that that fire, that passion, that desire that I've become synonymous with over the course of my career, STILL EXISTS. The fact that I eat, sleep, and breathe, wrestling, and competing HAS NOT CHANGED. So I figured what better way to make my mark, then to enter myself in the King of the Ring tournament.

Jim Ross: Correct, you will go one on one with Alberto Del Rio, what do you have to say about that?

Triple H: Simply put, that's too damn bad, for Alberto Del Rio. You see Jim, there couldn't be a more glaring example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Del Rio may think he has a long extensive future in front of him in this company, but I can promise him, for as sure as I'm sitting here, that if he tries to get in the way of the inevitable, I will make sure of it that as of Monday Night he will be someone of the past. Jim, over my time in this business I've developed of a lot of habits. I've developed the habit, of outsmarting every adversary I've come across, I've developed the habit of destroying anyone and everyone whose tried to stand in my way of success, but the one thing that I have NEVER grown accustomed to, is being beaten. I returned a few months back to challenge CM Punk for the EBWF Championship, and I lost... but I'll be DAMNED, if I'm going to step BACK in that ring, and come away with anything less than my issuing a dominant, brtual, convincing beating of Alberto Del Rio. My first victory of many en route, to my becoming the King of the Ring, and earning my shot at that same title, I let slip through my fingers a couple of months back.

Jim Ross: Alberto Del Rio, is not the easiest of adversaries though.

Triple H smirked at Jim's implication.

Triple H: Jim, you know as well as I do that it doesn't damn well matter who it is this Monday Night. The fact is I'm back, and I'm badder than I've ever been. I took my loss, I tasted my own blood, but Monday Night will be the return of that Shark in the Water that everyone who's ever paid a shred of attention to the EBWF will remember all too well. Alberto Del Rio, can come out here in his little expensive cars, with his little dopey ring announcer, and act as confident as can be, and for all I know.. he probably will. But whatever he does end up saying, I hope he chooses his words awfully careful, because they just may be his last. I appreciate pride and confidence as much as the next guy, and HELL I wouldn't be the man I am today if I didn't possess a hell of a lot of both of those things, but there's a difference between being confident and proud and having nothing but false bravado. Alberto Del Rio knows just like you know Jim, and just like I know.. that he has NO CHANCE IN HELL of beating me this Monday Night. No matter how bad he or that fat chalupa sidekick of his tries to convince him of otherwise, he is out-manned, over-matched, OUT OF HIS LEAGUE. So as much as it's all well and good that words of confidence may leave his lips in the nights leading up to our match with each other, that false bravado isn't going to hype him up, it isn't going to lead to a stunning victory in the first round of the King of the Ring, what it IS going to do, is get Alberto Del Rio, absolutely annihilated, at the hands of the Game.

Jim Ross: Well if that were to happen, he certainly would not be the first.

Triple H again smirked at Jim's statement.

Triple H: Again Jim, there's no "if" about it. Now I know you and I have not always seen eye to eye, you haven't always liked me.. but you know damn well that when I say I'm going to do something, there's a pretty good shot it's going to get done.

Jim nodded.

Jim Ross: Well I'd have to agree with that.

Triple H: So Jim, I'm telling you, as a man, that I'm going to destroy Alberto Del Rio on Monday Night. I'm going to make an example of him. He may look at me and say that I'm a shred of the man I once was. That I'm nothing but a shadow of my former self. I WELCOME him to think like that. I WELCOME him to feel that my best days are behind me, because if he does, it only furthers the certainty that I will put not only his best days BUT ALL OF HIS DAYS as a professional wrestler.. BEHIND. HIM.

Jim Ross: Well you two certainly have a lot of differences in style and demeanor to say the least.

Triple H: Jim it's simple really. I don't dance, I don't sing, I don't drive cars to the ring, I don't have a ring announcer that announces my name like someone just scored a goal in a Spanish Soccer Game, what I do do, Jim is I hurt people. I punish people that think success in this business is something they are entitled to. Since day one Alberto Del Rio has walked around like he deserves something he hasn't done a god damn thing to earn. He has an arrogance about him, that quite frankly makes me sick. Jim, when you've been around as long as I have it becomes pretty easy to differentiate between the contenders and the pretenders, and without a shadow of a doubt Alberto Del Rio, is the DEFINITION OF A PRETENDER. He is the definition of a guy that wants you to think he hasn't a care in the world, but don't think for one single second, that deep down Alberto Del Rio isn't scare of of his god damn mind to get into the ring with me. To get into the ring with the KING OF KINGS, to get into the RING with THE GAME.. and you know something Jim.. he should be. I'm not stupid Ross, I know that the fun and excitement, the WOW factor of my return has died down. I know people are waiting to see if I still have what it takes to be a major player around here. So this Monday Night, I plan to make it a point to send them the message loud and clear, that I am still THAT DAMN GOOD, and anyone who makes the mistake of thinking differently, will be in for the longest night of their life.

Jim Ross: Well there you have it folks. Triple H, a man on a mission to regain his spot of dominance here in the EBWF. Hunter, thanks for having me into your home, and best of luck this Monday Night.

Triple H simply nodded as he took a sip of his water. The scene cut out. A caption appeared on the screen that read "ONE DAY LATER." We were then kicked to a second scene. It was a House Show that was being held just days before a jam packed EBWF Warfare. The place was abuzz and that general vibe was intensified when a familiar sound echoed through the arena.

DAHNNNN... TIME TO PLAY THE GAME... DAHNNNN DAHNNNNN.. TIME TO PLAY THE GAMEEEEEEEEE!!! MWAHAHAHA!

Followed by "The Game" by Motorhead was heard, as the lights in the arena quickly shifted to a haze of green and blue as the crowd erupted. Triple H emerged from the back and dumped water on his already soaking wet long hair. He slowly but intensely made his way down the ramp, looking like a man on a mission. As he always did, Hunter took one last swig of water, and tossed the bottle into the crowd, as he stepped up onto the ring apron. After a serious moment of looking out onto the EBWF universe Helmsley extended his arms upward as he sprayed the water from his mouth into a mist. He looked as intense as a man could look as he grabbed the microphone from the time keeper upon entering the ring. The lights in the arena were restored to normal. Triple H brought the microphone to his lips, but before he could even speak a word, a resounding "Triple H" chant broke out. Hunter brought the microphone down allowing the chant to continue, and then conclude to the point where he was able to speak.

Triple H: MY NAME..... IS "THE GAME" TRIPLE H.... but you already know that.

The crowd cheered at the mockery of Triple H's opponent Alberto Del Rio.

Triple H: And this Monday Night at Warfare I will do something I haven't done in an awful long time... I will WIN a wrestling match in the center of this ring.. 1.. 2... 3. That's not a prediction.. it's not a goal.. it's a god DAMN CERTAINTY. I have worked too damn hard and too damn long to go by the wayside. I. AM. BACK. and I refuse to be the old timer who comes back, bumbles around the ring for another couple of months and then disappears. I have NEVER done anything in my career half assed, and I don't plan on starting now.

The crowd cheered once again.

Triple H: Alberto Del Rio may think that he's in demand. That he is in control of what's in store for him this Monday Night. But the only thing that Alberto is "IN" on Monday Night is TROUBLE. On Monday Night, I will stain this ring with Alberto Del Rio's blood, I will take my first step towards becoming the 2013 King of the Ring, and most importantly I will put ANYONE who may doubt the validity of that statement.. on NOTICE.. that if they wanna get in my way.. if they want to try and stop me.. that for them it will QUITE SIMPLY BE..

GAME. OVER.

Triple H dropped the mic, and "The Game" kicked in once again as Triple H made his way back up the ramp in a fiery strut, that brought back nothing but memories of the glory days. Was Helmsley really back better than ever? Time would tell, but he looked, sounded, and appeared to be ready to go for Monday's Night's first round King of the Ring matchup. Triple H raised his arms slowly and powerfully once more at the top of the ramp, as the scene faded to black.

::END GAME::