The Tunder Rolls

[Billy]

The video started on a pure black screen. A red light slowly flickered across the screen as the sound of thunder cracked in the background. Aiden English’s villainous laughter echoed in the darkness. The laughter built to a cacophony of hysteria, like a dozen Aidens all laughing over one another. Again red lightning flashed across the screen accompanied by the same canned thunder sound. This time Aiden’s wicked smile was visible in the flashing red lights. The screen went dark again. The laughter ended abruptly with Aiden taking a deep breath. Slowly a red light filled the screen, illuminating Aiden as he lifted his hands to his sides. The Gateway Championship and Aiden’s crown reflected the bright red light as if glowing themselves. Aiden closed his eyes and took another deep breath, the sinister smile faded from his face.

Aiden English: And I saw as the lamb opened one of the seals. And I heard as, like a great sound of thunder, one of the beasts spoke. The beast he said,

Aiden tilted his head back and laughed. Not the evil chuckle this time but a deep bellowing laughter. He dropped his head and sucked in another deep breath. His eyes shot open.

Aiden English: Come and see! And then I beheld as a white horse galloped by and he that sat upon the horse had a bow. On his head he wore a crown of silver and he went forth as a conqueror, conquering the land!

Aiden lifted his clenched fist, palm up, to chest level. Slowly he began to open his hand. As he did, the red light in the scene continued to grow brighter and brighter. Suddenly Aiden snapped his fist closed and the red light went out completely. Once again his laughter rang out in the darkness.

Aiden English: I have had a revelation. For in the darkness my vision has become crystal clear. I see the inner workings, the comings and goings of the EBWF Universe. I understand the failings of everyone surrounding me in this world. That clarity has offered me the knowledge that in this industry, as in all life, history is cyclical. Perhaps it is not a particularly revolutionary revelation that history is like a revolving door which repeats patterns in perpetuity.

A narrow beam of white light lit up Aiden’s face. He glared at the camera.

Aiden English: In fact, I’m certain that every freshman history major to ever breathe has written those words in his first term paper. However, the idea is particularly illuminating in light of recent events and those that are yet to transpire. I thought time was on my side. That I would dismantle the Miz’s support structure at MY leisure. That I would act at the discretion OWED to a King. Alas, it is not so. Time is of its own mind and Wes Ikeda has decided that Miz’s structure, as well as my court, is banned from ringside. No need to attack Alex Riley and DiBiase Junior. No reason to concern myself with their abilities and skills. Sad. Additionaly the boss has decided that AJ Styles deserves another chance at the EBWF World Title for his constant beatings at the hands of Miz and crew.

The light expanded to show more of Aiden. As it grew it revealed that Aiden was now sitting on the same throne that was in the ring weeks ago on Warfare. Aiden leaned forward in the throne, supporting his weight on his forearms.

Aiden Eglish: History. Let’s circle back. This main event is all about history. It’s a match about ancient history and recent history in equal measure. It’s about all the tiny little historical connections and how they bind Miz to the moment of his downfall. It’s about the history and how it has prepared AJ Styles for another failure at the highest level. This history that has lead the EBWF Universe to the point that it is finally prepared to welcome the DRAMA KING as its new World Champion! Styles and Miz. Ancient history that should be long dead and buried! I’m not sure what possessed the Miz to drag it up from the depths but he did and now it’s a detriment to his future! It’s a chain, binding him. History between AJ and myself because it is by my grace that he finds himself with a second undeserved title shot in as many months.

Aiden made a sour face and shifted uneasily from side to side. He finally came to rest leaning to his left with his hand on his chin. He sighed.

Aiden English: Lastly! It is about the history between the Miz and myself. History that includes ups and downs. Downs like Wrestlemania, where he beat me to retain his title. There’s all the little interactions on television leading up to that match. Perhaps most importantly, there’s also a five on five elimination match that saw Team EBWF collapse against the members of Legion. Never have Miz and I called each other friends but at that time we were uneasy allies. While it wasn’t the INSEPARABLE bond of Trilogy it did give me a chance to understand the man behind the masquerade of Awesome!

The sour look faded and once again Aiden pressed forward on his forearms. As his sinister smile returned to his face, the red glow slightly returned in unison with the white light. It was only enough to tint him red but the red reflected from his eyes making him look that much more wicked.

Aiden English: Did you think I wouldn’t see through you Miz? That I wouldn’t take one look at Trilogy and realize what it really was? That I wouldn’t see the weaknesses inherent in your new gaggle of lackeys? Not weakness of skill, only someone as foolish as Alex Riley would look at these three men and claim they lacked talent. The weakness doesn’t stem from Trilogy jumping someone three on one to retain a certain title. No, I respect the kind of dedication it takes to hold onto something for dear life like the Miz is trying to do. My problem.. No! THE problem with Trilogy is that history repeats itself. This… Trilogy is a second rate sequel to a failed idea. A flop if you will. And Miz, being the Hollywood A-Lister he so claims to be, knows that you don’t do sequels to failed franchises! He knows that the proper route is to reboot and redesign. I know this because he’s gone far enough to claim that this is a “DIFFERENT” Trilogy. That this time these inferiors respect Miz too much to turn on him like they have in the past.

Aiden laughed.

Aiden English: I’m not sure if they’re the fools or Miz himself is! This thing you have isn’t a reboot. It’s the same tired cast that couldn’t keep things together long enough to make their first attempt at organization a real success. Even worse, this Trilogy stole their plot line from another failed feature. Yeah!

Aiden lifted his hand and waved the camera toward him. It zoomed in tighter on Aiden as he winked into the camera. It wasn’t a knowing wink, it was slow and deliberate bordering on creepy.

Aiden English: You stop me when you know what story I’m telling! The World Champion who used to be the big bad guy is now a damsel in distress and being savagely attacked by some REALLY BAD GUYS! Tears! He has to have help or he’s going to be destroyed and the sanctity of the title and worse, THE COMPANY, will go down with him! GASP! A former rival appears! How could things get any worse for our battered Champion? BUT WAIT! The former enemy is going to offer support to the battered Champion. The former enemy is saving the day! Oh wow, what a feel good moment. Different tears!

Aiden sighed and shook his head.

Aiden English: Still not getting where I’m going? The rival and the Champion form a team to take on those really bad guys. Our new heroes are going to defeat the bad guys and save the company from their evil plans. BUT WAIT! Another twist! The Damsel Champion was with the bad guys the WHOLE time! Shocking! It was all a plot to sucker in the rival so he could be beaten, humiliated and evicted. No? No one? Doesn’t that sound like a certain run up to a big five on five match? One that Miz and I stood on the same side of? The one where Miz played the part of the rival turned saviour? The story of Miz Styles and The Havoc. The same story where with both got the wool pulled over our eyes! Now allow me to shine that dim light to illuminate a few key points while we ruminate on our shared history.

Aiden leaned back on the throne and crossed his right leg over his left. With his right ankle supported by his left knee, he draped his arms over the sides of the throne and took a deep breath. There was a glimmer of teeth as his smile widened.

Aiden English: I remember you talking about how much you hated Havoc. And here you are prancing around in your thinly veiled copycat routine trying to fill his bloody boots. Last Monday you went so far as getting yourself beat by Ikeda, just like Jimmy. This isn’t just history being repeated. It’s the Miz being an unoriginal hack who can’t come up with his own routines to save his life. Illumination. Point one, there’s a major difference between Mikey and Jimmy. Between the past and your second rate sequel. Do you know what that difference is? Havoc had the nerve to let his secret allies rip his flesh open to sell the lie and bait the trap. His blood and tears were that very bait on the hook your took in line and sinker. And, maybe that has to do with how much more gullible your prey was. Perhaps such drastic measures were simply unnecessary to fool Styles, I won’t speak for him. But I’m willing to bet, you just didn’t have the balls to bleed for your performance and Havoc did! Even the Grade A asshole that he is, Havoc wasn’t too afraid of a little pain to put on a real show. Sadly Miz, the same can’t be said about you! Point two, again history is cyclic. Funny how we keep coming back to that huh? If you take a second to think back to the original telling of this story your repeating, what was the outcome of all the lies and deception? How did it turn out for Havoc? The Damsel Champion became the Defeated Champion. History WILL repeat itself at Summerslam when I walk in with the Gateway Title around my waist and walk out with the World Title. There are only two tiny little things standing in my way!

Aiden stood up and started walking. The camera and the light followed him as he walked away from the throne and through the darkness of the room around him.

Aiden English: Let’s have a little chat about the real reason you’re still the World Champion, Miz. We can start with Wrestlemania because I’m sure it’s going to be the first thing off your lips when media starts in on the questions. You beat Aiden English. But, you didn’t beat THIS Aiden English. I had abandoned myself, my ideals and my strengths in order to gain the support of the Universe. Oddly enough we keep coming back to Havoc. Because, it was for Havoc’s benefit that I left the path of darkness to walk in the light. I abandoned my drive to win, regardless of the cost and what that cost me was the match.

Aiden arrived at a ring waiting in the darkness. The mat was a very dark grey and the ropes solid black. Aiden took the Gateway title off and laid it on the apron. He glanced at the title and flashed a wicked grin at the camera. Next he took off his crown and sat it next to the title.

Aiden English: For weeks I sat in dark rooms and beat myself down over losing that match. I examined it from every angle, convinced I was living as my best self. After all, it was the Aiden the fans loved that won the Gateway title. It was the Aiden the fans cheered on that beat every other wrestler in the Royal Rumble to earn that match in the first place. It was… Or so I thought!

Aiden ran his hand along the apron, chasing the camera as it backed away from him and around the corner.

Aiden English: This is it by the way. This is the ring from Royal Rumble. This is the ring where I outlasted damn near every man on this roster to EARN my shot at the World Title. This is the ring where I came out a fan favorite but unleashed the monster hiding within. That night I wasn’t the Aiden who followed Havoc blindly into that Legion trap. I wasn’t the man who stood across the ring from you arguing about who had truly turned over a new leaf. I was the beast I was born to be. If I hadn’t been willing to throw caution to the wind and do ANYTHING to win, I wouldn’t have made it to Wrestlemania. If I hadn’t been willing to put my career on the line, that moment never would have come to pass. In reality, this ring was the first step to my reawakening. The first candle lighting the way to my ultimate revelation. This ring is the lamb that tore open the seal and let the beast come streaming out. The beast that heralded the King on the white horse streaming across the sky.

Aiden tilted his head back and let out a raucous laughter. The light above him flickered. In an instant he fell silent and snapped his face back into view of the camera. His eyes were wide open.

Aiden English: That crash of thunder.

Aiden held his hand up and the red lights flashed and thunder sounded.

Aiden English: It heralded the first horseman, a crown resting upon his head. Me. The second crash of thunder heralded the horseman who crashed into the world and stole away peace. Much as I have stolen away your peace of mind by earning ANOTHER shot at your World Title.

Aiden repeated the process of holding out his hand to summon forth the crash of red lightning.

Aiden English: The third horseman rode across the sky, a pair of balances in his hand. He measured the world and set upon it a plague that could not be removed. I am that plague, that you can not be rid of. You may strike me down but I will not stop coming for what is owed to me.

Aiden placed his hand off camera and pulled the Gateway Title into view.

Aiden English: Fitting that I carry around the right to challenge you anytime I feel like it! Because, you simply can’t be rid of me. CRASH!

The thunder cracked and lights flashed at Aiden’s voice this time.

Aiden English: Come and see. A pale horse, and he that rode on him was called DEATH. And I looked as hell followed him. I AM DEATH. The end of your reign as the EBWF World Champion! History. Prophecy. One follows the other and the other follows the first in kind. The wheel of time goes around. Time. You’re running out of time.

Aiden held his hand up and the thunder crashed. This time the white light went out with the flashing red light. The screen was dark.

Aiden English: History.

Aiden laughed.

Aiden English: Recent history. At King of the Ring I earned ANOTHER shot at the World Title and I didn’t care which one of you won that main event. I didn’t care who was going to be the person to hand the belt over to me. I’m surprised though. Surprised that Miz has the title to defend after AJ Styles beat him at King of the Ring. Champion’s advantage strikes again. Miz lost and yet he walks around here like he’s still worthy to call himself a champion. Take credit, be proud, flaunt your failings. Miz, you LOST at King of the Ring with all the odds in your favor. I on the other hand took on two of this companies LEGENDS! TWO! I beat both of those men in one night and I did it by myself, standing on my own two feet. I beat PJ Black, I beat Edge. Miz couldn’t make it through a single match on his own. Cyclic history! I beat two men at King of the Ring and I’ll beat two men at Summerslam to claim my destiny. History will repeat.

Aiden clapped and the red light relit him. The ring was gone and the Gateway title was back around his waist. He held the crown in his hands in front of his chest.

Aiden English: Let’s make history of history. Be done with the past because my revolation contains a prophecy. Dark times are upon the EBWF Universe because the King is coming to Summerslam to steal the light away and take that EBWF World Title for himself. Coming to plunge the dagger of defeat deep into Miz’s heart and plunge the Universe into a new era. Miz and AJ can show off to the crowds and make their claims. Miz claiming he never needed Riley and DiBiase to retain the title. AJ claiming that he should have been the Champion all along. Both men claiming their reign is about to begin. THERE IS BUT ONE KING! Make your claims, spin your tales, show the world your perspective. But, come Summerslam you’re going to see the world through a different… LIGHT! You’re going to WISH that AJ Styles had beat you at King of the Ring. Styles is going to WISH Ikeda didn’t hate him enough to put him in this match. You’re both going to wish anyone else had earned this shot. You’re going to wish that I hadn’t spent the last month pouring over matches and learning everything about both of you. You’re going to WISH and WISH and… None of it is going to come true! What lies ahead are dark days for the company and darker days for both of you. Days standing in the shadow of the man who WILL become the World Champion!

Aiden hoisted his crown up over his head and put it back on. He extended his arms out to the side and closed his eyes, tilting his head back.

Aiden English: You know the prophecy I speak of. Kingdom come.

A graphic appeared on the bottom of the screen which read “Drama King”. Aiden looked back into the camera with a new intensity.

Aiden English: My Kingdom has come, my will be done! As the King of the Ring, I DEMAND that both of you bring everything you have to the table when we meet at Summerslam. You know about the past. We’ve discussed all the history. Look to the future with hope and prepare yourselves for the most gruelling contest you’ve ever faced. I DECLARE that you will both be tried and left wanting. MIZ.


The camera zoomed in on Aiden.
Aiden English: Deprived of Alex Riley and Ted DiBiase you are forced to stand on your own two feet. You will be forced to walk alone down the path to darkness. It’s good practice. With no one to blame but yourself when you get beat, I look forward to watching you wallow in the grief that is sure to set in. Practice for your to carry around the burden of your own defeat when you couldn’t measure up to a King. You love to tell us all how awesome you are. And you say it slowly. But say this slowly with me. SUUUUUUMMMMMEEEEERRRRSLAAAAM.

Aiden held his hand up to mock Miz’s pose that he stole from Rock.

Aiden English: We’re counting down to the biggest event of the summer. Your days as the Champion are numbered and with each passing moment those days tick slowly away. Be Awesome. Be as Awesome as you’d like nine, ten days a week and you’ll never be better than the King! Your reign as the champion is at its end and mine has only just begun! Styles.

Aiden ran his hands over his face.

Aiden English: I’m almost at a loss for words. Speechless. It’s not something that can often be said about the Drama King. I’ve seen the footage. I’ve watched the matches. I’ve listened to you prattle on in segments and interviews. I know what you’re thinking, how you’re looking at this situation. You’re dead wrong. You think that this is a second chance. You think that with Riley and DiBiase barred from ringside, you’re home free. You think that Wes was forced to give an opportunity to someone he so clearly hates. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Second chance? You don’t deserve one, you haven’t earned one, you’re not worth one! Like history, I’ll circle back to this one. DiBiase and Riley… Honestly, you should hope they come out to the ring and save you. Save Miz from what I have planned. Hahaha ohhh. This last one is the best one. Wes Ikeda going against his own values to set up a triple threat match. Going against his better judgement to put you in the title picture when he knows you don’t draw and can’t win. Wes Ikeda doing anything that isn’t good for business, BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT, on some altruistic whim? Warfare he laid you out and you still don’t see it.

Aiden pulled the crown off and leaned into the camera with one hand cupped around his mouth as if telling a secret.

Aiden English: This is an execution. Punishment. He enjoyed watching Miz, Alex and Ted beat you into the ground and so he put you in the ring against someone who will go to any length to finish the job that they haven’t been capable of finishing. AJ when I walk out of Summerslam with the title around my waist, you’re going to lay in that ring. You’re going to lay there until someone comes down with a stretcher to carry you off. You’re going to get hauled out of the arena, drug out of the EBWF and put out to pasture. THAT is why Wes Ikeda put you in this match. Because he HATES you and he knows what I will do to you! WES!

Aiden pulled away from the camera and smiled. His eyes darted from side to side.

Aiden English: I’m not done talking about you. You see Wes, no good deed goes unpunished. Wrenches. You’ve thrown them in my best laid plans. You’ve pushed my ship ever so slightly off course and so you must also be punished. Enjoy your time with Punk!

Aiden turned and walked away from the camera, spinning his crown on his finger. The lights flickered red and white. As Aiden walked out of the lit area, the lights stopped. Thunder cracked and Aiden’s laughter rang out in the darkness.