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LET IT GO?
'THAT'S HOW THE
HATCHET YOU BURIED
INTO MY BACK FEELS'

( 0 0 1 / do i wanna know? )
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LAST TO FALL by STARSET
roared through the arena, and that's all it took for a thunder to grow in his heart.

While some fans received the fullmetal NXT Superstar with loud cheers, the majority rose when one of her fingers extended to point at  the egomaniacal leader of Undisputed Era.

With a microphone on the other hand, the standing fans grew exhilarated knowing something exciting was about to go down.

It was no secret that Adam Cole and Eddie Armstrong shared mountains of animosity, but having just been taunting Nikki Cross (one of her closest friends), a riot was well on its merry way.

Some would argue that she was a better shit-talker than Adam Cole, and while he had acknowledged that various times before in a place far different than NXT, Eddie's ability to out talk him came with one major flaw. In beating him at his own war games with words of steal, she'd get so lost in talking that her other senses would be off.

This was no exception. Unfortunately for Eddie who was too busy glaring at Adam's smirk, she was completely blind sighted with the ultimate shit-stirrer's secret agenda. Mayhem had arrived, and it had Adam Cole's signature of approval all over it. Or so he had thought.

❝FUCKING HELL.❞ She cursed under her breath, having taken such a vicious forearm to the back of the head that even Bobby Fish found it hard to mask the distaste. ❝Fuck me, mate. I thought you had told her to go easy.❞ He whispered to Cole who rubbed a hand across his face in displeasure.

❝I fucking did.❞ Adam hissed,  angrily watching as Eddie still writhed in pain by the ramp, protecting her head with her arms  as Bianca Belair  viciously stomped on every bit of flesh possible.

Adam stood between his teammates torn— not knowing if to be more pissed off over almost breaking character—or for stupidly thinking he could trust Bianca's betraying ass.

Belair had gone against his specific orders, and as she continued to now plummet her fists onto Eddie's back, Adam had to leave the ring to avoid the camera from picking up the look of uncertainty in his face. His game was impeccable, and to even show an ounce of care for another individual he had publicly sworn to dismantle was just not an option.

❝Bianca!❞ Adam growled, getting as close to her as possible before she stopped the assault and realized Nikki was finally on her knees by the titantron she had previously sent her through.

❝I've got her.❞ Bianca argued, picking Eddie's limp body with the intention of showing her what metal felt like, cold to the spine and like barb wire to the flesh.

❝I'll take care of her.❞ Adam asserted himself, glaring so ominously Bianca knew that If she didn't follow through with his commands now, it would be her on the assault-receiving end instead.

❝Suit yourself.❞ She spat, throwing Eddie into Adam's arms as she then turned around to tackle Cross back down with a brutal spinebuster.

Despite Cross having been cemented to the ramp, she managed to throw herself over Bianca, sitting on her stomach and tirelessly throwing forearms left and right.

The crowd loved a fighter, but Nikki's new found energy surge was short lived when Shayna Bayzler came running down, attacking with a running low-lariat that even took Eddie's breath away as she caught sight of it from just the corner of her eyes.

Realizing that despite Bianca's harsh attack Eddie still somehow held onto the mic, she shoved Cole away from her.

Had it not been for the ring ropes, she would have lost her already wobbly stance. And had it not been for his personal minions, Adam would have fallen flat on his ass too, and yet he still had the audacity to laugh at her.

Eddie took in a deep breath, knowing this was all part of his schemes. Mind games.

Two could play that game.  ❝What was it you said to Bianca, huh?❞ She then directed at him, out of breath with her arm trembling in pain as she had brought the microphone to her face.

For once, Adam stood dead silent in observation—had she caught that flicker of concern in him, and would she expose him for it?

❝That you'd take care of me?❞ She reiterated, not even flinching when Kyle got into her face only to be pulled back seconds later by Bobby who in general didn't like the sight of blood, much less on women since it reminded him of his crazy teenage daughter who was trying to break into the business.

To think that his daughter could sport blood? It pained him deeply, and so when red trickled down her nose from a knick across her right brow it seemed, the gesture to protect Ed felt like a natural instinct he just could not fight off.

❝Come on Adam, take care of business!❞ Eddie now shouted, even taunting him as she pulled her arms back to let him swing a good, clear shot.

The seconds passed, and he could only hold her burning stare that made his look like the tiny sparks of a campfire while she was the entire burning depths of hell he was scared of as a kid.

❝That's right. Take a real good look at me because I've been beat worse before, by a lot tougher, and I am not scared of you!❞

Eddie last seethed before taking the microphone and launching it so hard to Adam's face that he immediately rocked back. Having seen that same look of compassion Bobby wore from her mother when she first took to the sport, Eddie knew he wouldn't attack. Instead, she focused on Kyle who came charging at her with a clothesline.

❝Sorry, Bobby.❞ Eddie whispered, knowing her placement well enough to calculate that if she ducked with him behind her, Kyle would accidentally strike his teammate instead.

And that is exactly what had happened. The crowd cheered as Kyle struck Bobby, and Eddie was free to roll out the ring and rush back to the middle of the ramp where she met up with Cross who took a kick to the midsection from Bayzler.

As Shayna caught sight of Kairi Sane with Bianca Belair collapsed beneath her, she attempted a weak escape onto the crowd that Eddie eagerly blocked because a) Kairi had just arrived in time for her sweet vengeance against Bayzler, and b) Shayna had interrupted too many of their matches with volatile ambushes to let her escape now.

❝Where do you think you're going?❞ Eddie snickered, grabbing fistfuls of Shayna'a hair and pulling her back.

❝Nowhere!❞ Kairi shouted, taking hold of Shayna and kicking her all the way to the ring area.

    As Sane made it to the top rope with Shayna barely on her feet outside, Eddie didn't think twice about taking one for NXT's beloved Pirate Princess as Adam stood behind her with every intention of ruining the moment.

   "Think again!" Eddie shouted, clicking minds with Kairi as the two committed to putting their bodies on the line just for a moment of sweet, sweet, justice.

  "CROSSBODIES LEFT &
RIGHT, MAMMA MIA! ALL
HELL HAS BROKEN LOSE!"

    Mauro passionately commentated.

     Watching Kairi flatten Shayna out gave Eddie so much delight that she should have known, fate wouldn't treat her so nicely.

    As misfortune would have it with her, Adam was just a little stronger or less wounded than Bayzler.

    Whichever it was, he still held onto Eddie who took in a deep breath knowing that at least it was worth it.

At the very least, she had seen Kairi knock Shayna out with a beautiful cross body, and that was enough satisfaction to hopefully help herself walk away and not be stretchered out.

   "Oh my god!" Percy Jackson gasped, flinching in disbelief as Adam had fallaway slammed Eddie onto the barricade with such force that it collapsed.

   "This time, Adam Cole has gone too far. Watching this makes me so sick to the stomach, I want to vomit. I will vomit."  Nigel McGuinness uttered.

As the crowd came to a mix of quiet booing and still of concern, Eddie coughed, barely conscious.

The lights felt so bright it was as if she had barely woken up to scroll through her YouTube, wondering if a new Being the Elite episode was up yet.

Despite the sheer pain, she could only think of three incredibly stupid things.

1) How long she'd be put on sidelines for? At this point, it wasn't even a matter of trying to convince Hunter she was okay.
2) How good it would feel to spend the rest of the night watching the last two minutes of the latest BTE episode, watching Christopher Daniels complete his exorcism on Cody while she was wrapped in a warm and fuzzy blanket.

    And 3) Mauro's words.

Earlier on, she had heard him mention that all hell had broken lose, and he was right.

If someone had told Eddie that her back was a portal to hell and that demons were trying to tear her flesh open to escape, she would believe it.

All hell had broke lose and it started with the agonizing pain coursing all through her body.

Despite the throbbing sensation everywhere, his hand resting on her abdomen and the other squeezing her own felt cool to the touch.

     Still, it shouldn't have surprised her because only a cold hearted bastard like him wouldn't be burning up after an intense match.

    Even though Adam had only minimally physically hurt himself when putting Eddie over the barricade, he faked the pain until he was flat on his stomach.

    Once again, it hid himself from the cameras that were magnetic to him.

    Confusion had plagued his mind again. ❝Why are you the way that you are?❞ He thought to himself, reflecting on the sheer rage he had felt when watching Bianca beat Eddie up, yet feel no remorse for what he just did to her.

    Was it because Belair had had the audacity to not follow his instructions? Or that she was yet another conniving woman he thought could be trusted, but ultimately betrayed him just like Eddie once had?

❝ THAT'S HOW THE HATCHET
YOU BURIED DEEP INTO
MY BACK FEELS LIKE.❞

    Adam last growled with his face down. And still, the corner of his eyes couldn't leave her face as her brows furrowed.

❝That was years ago, let it—

    A sneeze prevented her from finishing the statement, and perhaps something larger than life—like destiny—was telling her it was meant to be. There was no need to argue anymore.

   She had dragged that same horse around for years, and it so was exhausting.

   Years ago, he swore to never let it go. Eddie began to realize that it wasn't just the adolescent angst. He signed into a full time job of revenge, and after years, the vendetta to his most wanted list still held her name.

   In that moment, she could have gone on. She could have reminded him that they were both a bunch of idiots, running free with crazy ambitions.

    That neither knew better, but they did.

    They both sold out what was most pure to their lives, and sold into different worlds, it seemed.

     He made a name for himself practically everywhere, and she spent all her time loyally in the United Kingdom.

    All the rage she could feel steaming off him was put away the second she listened to her body and realized, he was holding her hand.

   Fingers fully locked into hers, Eddie could not help but to laugh.

❝What are you laughing about?❞

   Not wasting anymore words on him, a simple action rendered him completely
exposed to her. After all the insults, after swearing to make her life miserable, even after the attack from his part, Adam Cole still cared about Eddie Armstrong, his once, high school sweetheart.

    Eddie squeezed his hand back, knowing she had won. Even though he crawled away within seconds, she laid with her back against the flattened out barricade and stared at Full Sail University's ceiling swearing it was a blanket of stars and that the young fan's tears she saw was rain instead.

Helped up by Fish and O'Reilly, Adam watched as fans peered over Eddie, and it dawned on him if that's why she did it?

Was it that she traded her then world for this new one where she had a whole crowd on her side?

Just when Kyle and Bobby began to pull him away, Shayna and Bianca limped past them. Meanwhile, Kairi Sane hd just helped Cross to take a seat on the ring apron while she then helped Eddie up.

Surprised by Sane's strength, Armstrong stood in front of her completely dizzy, and still, she could make out her smile.

❝C'mon you psychos.❞ Eddie breathed out, trying to convince herself and them that her spirit was still very much alive until she spilled right back down.

This time, when Nikki jumped off the apron, her and Kairi helped Eddie up again.
With their arms over each other's shoulder's, they took slow steps towards the ramp. By this point, they were the only members left out there, and the crowd loudly cheered for the women's efforts.

In between Kairi Sane and Nikki Cross, Eddie couldn't help but to smile as even though Nicola pressed a hand over her abdomen and Kairi limped, they still had her back.

❝What are you laughing about?❞
Kairi then questioned, in pain but amused.

She liked Armstrong a lot, but could never tell if she was halfway crazy, or just very ambitious?

❝This isn't is a bad sandwich to be a part of.❞ Eddie then admitted, making Nikki and Kairi laugh along with her just in time for the cameras to get one lost shot of them by the titantron, smiling as their eyes shown admiration for the NXT Universe that was on their feet, rooting for them.

❝Wow, I love wrestling.❞ Was all Cross could say before they finished soaking up the crowd's energy. That small pocket of time before their bodies completely disappeared from the camera and crowd was cathartic to Eddie.

On one hand, it was her favorite because she could take a moment to just break into the slyest of grins. Not the kind of confident smirk the NXT Universe had seen before, but the kind she couldn't stop and had to conceal.

The one she broke into as a kid. That moment always took her back to her childhood, the one in which no one would believe she was but a shy kid that would sometimes pretend to be her absolute favorites to even muster the courage for small things.

   Eddie Armstrong would never ask for a cookie, but Stone Cold Steve Austin? He'd ask for dozen and a whole damn milk truck.

No one could know that smile because as much as an open book as she tried to be, somethings she just liked to keep to herself—like the purity of her childhood.

On another hand, that exact moment always brought a sense of sadness because it meant the thrill of the match was over. She could try to carry it on, but that fire was usually dampened by someone's worry, and in this case, Regal had met up with them both enraged and concerned.

While Kairi obediantly stopped in front of him with slumped shoulders, Nikki Cross tipped her head back and argued that the three of them were fine. Meanwhile, Eddie shouted an apology as she placed her hand on her back and kept strolling away.

For once, she really didn't have to fake the pain to escape a scolding from Regal. Although successful in dodging William, it seemed to her that she could never outrun him for too long.

Catching her limping, Cole smirked as he took the medical ice pack from his chest and dared close the space between them to lightly press it onto her right side eye.

❝Don't be so mad.❞ He began, tightening his jaw as Eddie slapped the medical ice pack away from her face. ❝Ya know? Maybe Bianca did you a favor.❞

As her fists formed, Adam was able to get the upper hand and render her paralyzed when he opportunistically crept closer to her face. Just inches apart, he caressed the right side of her face with the back of his middle finger. ❝For tomorrow's show, Chicago might not recognize you so your own hometown might not boo you ... for once.❞

Rolling her eyes and shoving him away, Adam pushed his hair back and laughed. ❝Seriously, don't hide it. Makes you look a little more ho-

There it was. If her fists weren't throbbing before, when they aimed for his face, everything else seemed to make sense.

    Except she didn't get the satisfaction of seeing him stumble to the ground. Instead, he strongly held her balled up hand gloating more than ever now.

❝You just don't think straight when you're angry.❞ He teased, knowing what a lie that was. If anyone worked best under anger, it was her.

❝What is going on here?❞ Regal had questioned, unknowingly helping Eddie sneak a quick attack as she stomped on his left foot hard.

❝Eddie!❞ Both Adam and William exclaimed.

     Caught in a crossfire between further reprimanding Eddie for being more violent than usual, and helping Cole, Regal sighed.

     In the few seconds that he had briefly helped Adam up, she had disappeared.

     Before Eddie even made it to the women's locker room, everyone already knew that she had once again, attacked Adam.

❝I don't get you. Why don't you just get a restraining order?❞ Nicola had suggested as Eddie just rolled her eyes, snatched her luggage bag, and stormed out the room.

    As she rushed out the Performance Center, Eric Young rubbed his chin with deep curiosity. Why was their always so much animosity between her and Cole?

❝I wonder if anything's ever happened between Eddie and Ad—

    Roderick Strong's scoff had him cock his head, astonished. If someone knew of Eddie's entire life inside and outside the ring, it was Roderick.

    He was practically like an older brother to her, having trained her very early on in her career.

    The two watched as Eddie stopped by the entrance doors, phone in hand as she tipped her head back. ❝Mom, there has to be a way of decomposing a body! Remember breaking bad? You can't tell me that's not actual science.❞

    Eric's brows shot up, and that's he knew, that he had to know

Whatever secret lied between them, it had to be monumental because for once, Eddie's courage to walk away with her head held high didn't come with a boisterous promise of making her threats come reality.

There was almost a quiet whisper coming from her that said, ❝I will try again tomorrow❞ as she waved at the two of them before slipping out.

Roderick would probably never air out her dirty laundry or give a skeleton key to all the baggage and secrets she could be stowing away.

   One thing was for certain. He wasn't just interested in getting her to fully join his cult group, he actually cared about Eddie too.

   If anyone could be let known on that, is good ol trust worthy Roddy.

   Knowing Eric was still searching for clues, Roderick first acknowledged Ethan (EC3) with a flat smile before responding to Young. ❝Just, ask her.❞

To that, Ethan crossed his arms and turned to look at Eric thinking that he could perhaps fill him in on why William had sent him to get Eddie.

All the while, Eric clenched his jaw thinking Ethan could be of use.

After all, the two were very close as well. ❝Should I put her over my shoulders and deliver her to Regal, or should I go follow her and make sure she doesn't set out apartment on fire?❞

Ethan asked as Eric breathed in deeply.

❝Yeah, Kairi doesn't deserve to go home to ashes.❞ Was all Young said before Ethan nodded in agreement. As he burst out the entrance doors, Eric rubbed his temples in frustration.

He didn't want to over step his boundaries with Eddie, and digging up her past was a clear over step.

And still, his mind wandered,❝do I wanna know?❞

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i. Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays!
ii. Eddie Armstrong is largely based off Edward Elric, I'll explain why she's known as the FULLMETAL Superstar in the next chapter.
iii. EC3, Kairi Sane, and Eddie living all together? There's a funny story behind that / it's connected to another one of my stories.
iv. There is so much backstory to Adam & Chloe, so I will try my hardest to also mix an actual wrestling storyline into this. So far, I am really looking forward to re-working the whole battle of the sexes storyline with Christian, Lita, Trish, and Jericho / obviously with different wrestlers in this case.
p.s. I know EC3's real name isn't Ethan, but for now, i'll reference him as that in this chapter :-)

P.S.S. If this was messy as I feel it is, allow me to clarify that basically, Adam was taunting Nikki, and it was all a set up since he knew it would lead to Eddie coming out to help Cross / then Bianca went a little more hard than Adam had told her to go and that led to further conflict, okay? xD