The Devil Himself
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:05 pm
It was Sunday morning, and he had no idea how long he'd been sitting in the most uncomfortable chair he ever sat in. The room was silent, lifeless even. Ronda was asleep in her bed, that's where she had been since the previous night. It'd been a night with no sleep for AJ. This was an unexpected event if anything. Ronda Rousey had been knocked out for the very first time in her mixed martial arts career, and it wasn't pretty. He didn't know how long they had been at this foreign hospital, but the sun was just begging to rise. Ronda's doctor thought it'd be best to keep her over night and even though she didn't want to, AJ had talked her into coming out of concern for her health. She cried silently quite a bit, and from time to time he would turn on the TV. It wouldn't last long due to every available channel covering the UFC event, so he decided to turn it off and keep the remote out of Ronda's reach. She barely moved, and he only moved if she needed anything. They didn't talk. Ronda hadn't said a single word since before the fight. It didn't bother him much as he felt the need to protect her. Her phone vibrated. For at least the hundred time. Why won't they leave her alone? Her phone was on silent so it didn't wake her. He stood from his chair, stretching before moving closer to his girlfriend. He examine bed her for a moment. She had a bruised black eye, minor swelling, and stitches in her lip, but she was no less beautiful to him. He kissed her softly on the forehead before returning to his seat. He reached over to hold her hand as he thought about everything going on with the outside world. There had to be a massive media craze at the moment and AJ could only image the damage that had been done. Curiosity was getting the best of him and he gave into the urge to turn on his phone. After turning on his iPhone he opened up his internet browser and googled her name. Instantly he seen headlines of her defeat along with various memes and awful jokes. He even came across a tweet from his boss Wes Ikeda. It had a ridiculous amount of retweets and read;
@Wes Ikeda: And that ladies and gentleman is what dating AJ Styles will get you.
Son of a bitch. AJ couldn't help but get a little angry. It wasn't his fault this happened. Was it? He continued reading to see where others pointed the finger of blame at him and made jokes about the two. This was extremely embarrassing for both of them. He couldn't help but feel like it was his fault now. Was he a distraction to her? She did slack up a bit on her training to spend time with him. He didn't ask her to do it, but now he had wish she hadn't. He didn't want this for her. Out of all the women he had been with throughout the years, this girl was innocent to all the bullshit that came along with being famous. That was until the news broke that the two were dating. Her stock seemed to drop and she began loosing fans and people who admired her. She had become the butt of every joke and even was denied access to public events she's usually be welcomed to. All because of her affiliation with him. So in a way, this was all his fault. Overcome with guilt and fueled with anger AJ began thinking about the future. He really wanted to get Wes Ikeda in another match at any cost and by the looks of the way EBWF booking was going he would get that chance at this years Survivor Series in a traditional tag team match. That was if they didn't decide to have him win the upcoming number one contenders match and challenge for the World Championship instead. AJ Styles had become one of those guys obsessed with being champion but the idea of kicking the crap out of Ikeda for his rude remarks and constant shit talking would be well worth it to him. Turning off his iPhone and slipping it back into his bag, he turned his attention back to Ronda. He reached out to hold her hand again. This time she noticed and slowly opened her eyes. She gripped his hand and gave him a slight smile before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.
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Their plane touched down on the tarmac and the jolt of impact woke AJ from his sleep. It was dark outside, but in his plush first class seat, it felt like the it was early in the morning. Adjusting in his seat, he really wanted to just sink back into his slumber. In 24 hours he would be competing in one if the most star studded matches in EBWF Warfare history. It would no doubt be grueling but AJ wasn't worried. A lot of things happened over the weekend and after Ronda was released from the hospital they caught the first flight home. The flight was turbulent, or so he heard from a stewardess who had awakened him mid-flight to remind him to buckle his seat belt. That's really all he remember of the flight as he had succumbed to sleep's powerful embrace. Still groggy and half-awake, he began to reflect on the pleasant dream he had while resting. It was one of those really good dreams. It was a moment of love, a moment of passion and when he thought back on it, he could recall only the faintest details. Still, as he closed his eyes briefly, in his mind he relived it all.
He could remember her touch, soft, sweet. Her hair fluttering in a breeze. Her beaming face looking at him kindly as she stood on a beach. He held her close. Her skin was supple, perfect. Her curves were amazing and her eyes appeared to seeming to see only him. She smelt like a fresh spring breeze as she pressed her lips agains his, and his arms couldn't seem to hold her close enough. In that moment, he felt a perfection that he had always wished for, the kind of love that's only found in fiction and poetry. The bright light from the compartment hit his eyes and he opened them, squinting to see anything. Wishing for his bed, he force himself to take one deep breath after another. His athletic skills kicked in quickly, and in short order, he was awake and alert. After a few moments, he was feeling pretty good. An overwhelming sense of relaxation flowed through him and it felt good to be back in the United States. It didn't take long before he was up and customs officials and immigration officers barely gave his paperwork a second glance before waving him through to exit the airport. As he made his way through the terminal with Ronda, a sudden realization came over him and a detail from his vivid dream returned. He looked at his girlfriend and got a heart wrenching jolt as his stomach became twisted in a knot. She wasn't the girl in his dream. It was Trish...
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AJ Styles: I'm former World Champion, AJ Styles.
He pulled his messy black hair backwards and away from his face. He looked to be somewhat weary. Almost exhausted.
AJ Styles: This Monday on Warfare I'll be taking part in an six pack challenge with five other former World Champions where the winner will have a shot at regaining that glory...
It wasn't exactly known where he was but it was dark. A small amount of light from the moon illuminated some of the surroundings. Styles scratched lightly at his face which had gone unshaven for days as he walked further into the darkness. Each step he took made a creaking sound.
AJ Styles: And to be honest the odds aren't anywhere in my favor to win this thing. Hell, even Stone Cold Steve Austin himself has to be involved in some capacity. But the way I look at, this thing is gonna come down to who wants it the most. That would be me. I want it more than any other man in this match. I don't need it to glorify my existence like the rest of them. If I don't win, my life will continue, I'll more than likely get another shot at the title down the road. However, I don't want anyone else to win because that might bring them some sense of relevance. Some sense of purpose. It wouldn't be enough to just hurt everyone in this match, it won't even be enough to win. It won't be enough until I beat The Miz within an inch of his miserable life and strip him of not just his pride, but that gold he cherishes more than anything else.
He approached a sign that showed a picture of The Space Needle. That's where he was in Seattle, about six hundred and five feet in the sky, the highest point in the city. So it was only fitting that AJ Styles would be inside. Someone on top of their game at the highest point, literally. Not to mention he smoke a joint before his promo. There he was, standing in front of large, rectangle shaped windows all around him that showed off the entire landscape of the city, along with a sky filled with stars.
AJ Styles: You're probably wondering why exactly am I at a national landmark all by my lonesome? It's not because I wanted a piece of mind and an amazing view, I'll tell you that. It's because I can do whatever I want. I could have a full blown strip show going on in here with chicks who cosplay Velvet Sky, Sasha Bank, and any other diva I've never had.
He gave a slight tug to his newly designed "The Man" t-shirt, which was now available for purchase.
AJ Styles: When I say I'm The Man... It doesn't matter if they hate me or love me, people actually believe me. That's because I have proven myself time and time again agains anything put in front of me. When I first arrived in the EBWF, guys like Chris Jericho said I'd never be better than a mid carder. Rated RKO, Edge and Randy Orton both said I'd only be a Breakout Champion at best and not only did I surpass all their expectations I won the World Championship on three different occasions. Regardless of how I became champion, I did. Just as I plan on becoming champion again. But the only way I am going to be able to do that is if I go through five of the greatest World Champions in EBWF History.
Styles face lost that cocky edge and suddenly became deathly serious.
AJ Styles: Before I run down each of my opponents and trash them like only I can, first I'm going to acknowledge their accomplishments and give credit where credit is due. What makes these guys so great huh? Well, first up we have Solomon Crowe. The man who upset the wrestling world when he shut John Cena up and became World Champion. Nobody seen it coming. Sadly this year, that won't happen. Who doesn't love seeing John Cena being shit up? Speaking of guys who did that, there's Edge. Edge won his first EBWF Championship at WrestleMania a few years ago by doing what everyone in the world wanted him to do. Then he proceeded to fade into obscurity for the past five years and not do a damn thing with himself. Speaking of obscurity, there's Jeff Hardy! Probably the luckiest guy in this match. No doubt he was a great champion back when he was going up agains Bret Hart and Triple H but where has he been the last decade? In jail? In a crack house? It's been a long time, Jeff. Speaking of a long time. Randy Orton was World Champion for a long time. The longest time in EBWF history. There hasn't been a man to come close to beating that record yet. Not even Randy. He's one of those guys that are satisfied enough with just that, a record. And last but not least, speaking of records. Chris Jericho, is just one World Championship win away from tying the record with Raven at eight. He's so close to doing it too, all he has to do is win this match and he will have that chance. But in order to do that, Jericho doesn't just have to go through five other men, including myself. He has to be on the lookout for a couple guys I've been doing business with lately. Good luck with that.
That cocky smirk returned as if he was super villain planning a scheme for world domination.
AJ Styles: Do you know what the sad thing is? Jericho and I are a lot alike. Doesn't make any sense? I'll explain. He appreciates a nice, fancy suits. So do I. He's a rockstar, I party like a rockstar. He thinks he is the best in the world at everything he does and well I know I am! But you see we both also share the something very similar. And that's our bond for Wes Ikeda. Where Jericho admires him, I dread him. Where Jericho finds a friend, I find an enemy. And a friend of my enemy, is my enemy. That being said, Chris you asked me a question last month that I never got to answer. You asked did Trent really deserve to be treated the way I treated him. A Styles Clash onto a steel chair, concussing him and taking him out of action. You asked if it gave me a sense of satisfaction. Well to answer that honestly I have to say yes to both. Trent deserved everything that happened to him by associating himself with you and Ohhhhh the satisfaction I felt when his head cracked off the steel chair was almost as good as a night with a busty Brazilian. It felt damn good putting that dork out of action. Just about as good as it felt last week when we gave you that birthday beating you'll never forget. You called me Brian Kendrick Lite. That's cute. I grown to come close to Kendrick over the wars we had throughout the years and one thing I can say is he just wanted to watch the world burn for fun. Whereas I am AJ Styles. The one and only AJ Styles. Sure, I wanna see the world burn. But only to rebuild it in my name. I act as if I'm God's gift to wrestling, because I am. And even though I'm possibly the most hated man in EBWF history. I've gotta say, it feels good. And I could care less if I'm respected. At the end, Chris just cares too much about what people thinks of him. Which is why he won't be winning this match.
He shrugged his shoulders as if that outcome was inevitable.
AJ Styles: While we are still on the subject of no respect, Solomon Crowe hasn't showed me much in the past. Even after I turned his fairytale into a nightmare back in February when I dethroned him inside the Elimination Chamber. He went on a spell about how I'm not a good family man and how I treat women and blah blah blah. Let me tell you something, Crowe. Just in case you haven't gotten the memo, I do what I want.
This was the first time AJ turned to face the window to look at the beauty below. The back of his shirt read "I Do What I Want" and the camera caught a glimpse of it before moving to capture his face as his eyes were on the city.
AJ Styles: What can we expect from a man with no respect nor class in AJ Styles? He's going to have the best match of the night of course but he is probably gonna drink himself into oblivion afterwards and sleep with whichever woman he pleases. That is, while guys like Crowe are accustomed to doing nothing and waking up to nothing. Crowe will come into every match wanting to dismantle his opponent, break them, make sure they leave the ring unable to walk. I think that's brilliant. I really do.
This was something of a break through as Styles rarely ever complimented anyone.
AJ Styles: Unfortunately for him, I often go into matches with the same gameplan, only I have an endgame, and that is winning. Winning at all cost. So he's always going to have to settle for second best when he is in the ring with me. Crowe and I had wars in the past. In fact, our last match was brutal. Not a classic. Thing is? Crowe beat me. He proved he could beat me when I was at my lowest. But I guarantee you there is absolutely no way he is going to be able to beat me again. Like I said, Solomon Crowe is nothing more than the runner up.
Styles turned from the window and approached the camera.
AJ Styles: Lets be blunt and I'm not talking weed. Last year when Solomon Crowe finally did manage to win himself a World Title. It was a well deserved one. Honestly, I was happy to see it and was happy for him because he's an amazing talent. But do you want to know why he was able to hold onto it? Because I wasn't around. When I came back I made sure he was no longer the standard of this company and since then Solomon Crowe has not touched that title. Maybe he will prove me and the world wrong again. Maybe he has improved so much that he actually can finally defeat me when I'm at my best. Maybe he will pull off what was impossible for him inside the Elimination Chamber?
The sought after prize was on everyone's minds and if they wanted their shot they knew they would have to expect the unexpected. The Georgia born grappler moved his messy hair out his eyes so now they were piercing into the camera.
AJ Styles: Impossible. That would be Jeff Hardy winning this match. I haven't actually seen much of Jeff around lately. And I know for a fact that it's not because the EBWF finds him as an "asset". Jeff Hardy, for reasons that are beyond me, is beloved by the wrestling fans all around the world. Yet sadly, we all know that if he likes to go away from time to time to experiment...
A wag of his finger was directed at Jeff.
AJ Styles: I can't stand people who can't handle their drugs. But all bullshit aside Jeff has had some difficulty regaining his once and former glory. And yes, he did manage to defeat CM Punk last week, but that was only because he had an un-fair advantage. A little insider info. If you're a big Jeff Hardy fan and you were thinking putting your money on him to win, you might not want to crack open your piggy bank just yet. Because I going to to slap that stupid face paint off of him and paint his face with his own damn blood instead!
Styles eyes lit up at the mention of bloodshed.
AJ Styles: When it comes to blood in this company it all comes down to Randy Orton. A man who was bred for this business and has already established himself along with his future in this company. Randy, you have always had a lot of hype surrounding you but I've never understood any of it. All I ever seen was a tough guy pretending to be a bad ass. You're looking at a bad ass! Thank you. But you're the EBWF's Silent Assassin so what do I know? You're a god to a lot of people. You've been on the cover of magazines. You've been in movies. On the cover of games. You've done it all. But do you know what I think? I think you're just a shallow little bitch. Someone that has been mass produced for easy consumption. I think you sold your soul a long, long time ago. You might've been a big deal once upon a time but you just don't have it in the ring anymore. You don't have that drive to compete and win. You might just be the biggest whore in this entire company. But I assume you've gotten so used to the taste of super stardom that your entirely numb to the whole thing, aren't you? Some of the others might be stoked to be in this match for a chance at a title shot but not Randy. He can have a chance at the Championship with a snap of his fingers.
He snapped his fingers to demonstrate how easy it was.
AJ Styles: Randy Orton has proven time and time again that he's easily one of the most unpredictable people on the roster and what he really needs, more than anything is to be underestimated. Well, I'm not. I am ready for Randy and if there is anyone in this company that can beat him, it's me. Anytime I've face Orton I've made him proved he was a top superstar in EBWF and just like this six pack challenge, he is going to have to go through hell in order to win.
Styles returned to that serious face he often wore.
AJ Styles: Speaking of hell... I think Warfare is going to be the ninth layer for Edge when he's in there with me. I can only imagine the look on his face after he discovers that his best isn't enough. And I don't know what he does these days but it's not wrestle. No one has had a faster decent from the top of EBWF mountain than Edge. When is the last time anybody got excited to see him wrestle? Edge went on and on about how Stone Cold Steve Austin, chose twelve men who could qualify for a six pack challenge and actually thought he deserved to be involved. Edge, you questioned Ted's credentials but look at you. You’re Randy's shadow at this point. You’re not even on the same level with Randy. You're beneath him, just like you're beneath me. I am going to decimate you Edge , and I wouldn't give a damn if you have the support of the EBWF Universe, my ex girlfriend, or Jesus Christ himself, it still won't be enough to stop me. There's something very pathetic about guys like you. You says you wants glory, but the truth is you're not willing to do a damn thing for it. You're not willing to make any effort, because you'd rather sleep with ring rats, and cry about women who don't want your tired ass anymore!
His eyes were filled with rage at this point. He approached the camera getting as close as possible.
AJ Styles: All that's left to say is come Monday night... Five guys are going to be trapped in the ring with the devil himself... And more importantly the thing I'm going to be when the night is over...
Styles paused at walked back towards the window.
AJ Styles: The number one contender for the EBWF World Championship.
Styles stretched his arms out, embracing the entire world. It was a powerful image. One he was hoping would repeat when the final bell rang and he was declared the winner.
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