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The fans were on their feet as soon as LEGACY's music was finished. Finally, tonight might be the return of Matt Shanahan. Maybe he wasn't dead. Maybe LEGACY was nothing short of a fraud. Chants of "SHAN-A-HAN" erupted all over the arena before there was even the notion that he'd be making an appearance at all.

Suddenly, a roar of thunder echoed through the arena, sending the spotlights into a shaking fit. Those that truly supported the 'icon' jumped to their feet and screamed in approval just before the second thunderclap shook the arena. A bright flash followed, taking all the lights in the room with it; the lightning had sent the crowd into a sea of darkness.

The familiar guitar notes began to serenade the audience, layered under the sounds of thunder and pouring rain. The only thing that dared illuminate the pitch black arena was the titantron; it gave little assistance, as it only showed dark, churning storm clouds. The message was clear in it all: The Storm was coming.

Short Change Hero - The Heavy

The intro to Matt Shanahan's near-iconic theme song continued to haunt through the room, until it began to draw to a close. The thunder had began to grow silent, as had the rain. With the final pluck of the guitar's strings, the arena fell into a prolonged silence...

BOOM!!!

An abrupt clap of thunder interrupted the count out, signaling that someone was indeed on the way. The referee's count stopped, just in time for the lights to lose all the power they had.

BOOM!!!

A second thunderclap shook the entire arena, as the sound of rain began to drown out of the cries of the rambunctious crowd. A streak of lightning flashed through the air afterwards, crashing down against the top of the stage with an eardrum-shattering crash. All the signs pointed to one thing: The Storm had begun.

Just Like You - Celldweller

The hum of a violin began to resonate over the sound system, certainly a sound that no one recognized. Slow piano notes began to overlap the calm violin, attempting to lull the crowd with a calming tune. Another violin broke in, playing louder than the rest. A tune that could haunt the listener, as if an omen of what may come.

Suddenly, there was a faint crash as a dim light began to emit from a hole the stage. It flickered, as if the only fuel to it was a dying flame. The fog pouring out of the opening made it near impossible to fixate on the fading light, but to those close enough to the source, they saw something begin to rise from the hole. As to what it was?... They only had a guess.

It's the dark of night,
and I'm at the end of the line...
Alone in my head,
and waiting for something divine...
To answer me.

The verse continued on, showing no heed to the confusion of the audience. The object in the dimly lit mists carried through with its ascension from the stage. The light steadily became brighter, just enough to make out the shape of what was within. A dark silhouette, the shape of a tall man. This raised suspicion. Was this another trick? Or was someone finally tired of LEGACY's nonsense?

As the figure rose, something more noticeable occurred. Hands suddenly rose from many directions around it. They gripped and swiped at the rising figure, trying to push him back down into the hole, trying to stop his ascension from the stage. Yet, it carried on. It would not be stopped.

Drowning for silence the internal violence,
I pray...
To make it through.
The Storm winds are growing,
as my dreams are blowing away...
Just.
Like.
You.

A drumbeat broke into the song as the last three syllables rang out; with them, the light from the stage rapidly faded away. The figure disappeared from sight, the grasping hands of the dead along with it...

With the last word, a loud crash rang through everyone's ears. The light from the stage zapped back to life, this time at full blast. A white glow illuminated through the building mists, penetrating through the rain that was falling onto the stage. The loud music vibrated the whole arena, but the fans were heavily focused on the sight before them. A figure in a tattered, blood-stained leather trenchcoat had almost completed its rise from the stage. The grasping hands were gone, extinguished by the light. The violent drumbeat pushed forward, driving the figure to rise up from the mists and step up onto the stage.

You...
You...
YOU...

The single-worded chorus brought with it two bright spotlights. One, landing on the figure that stood on the stage in a damaged coat; the other, on the famed killer of The Storm.

The mystery figure stood on the stage, soaking in the rain that fell upon him. It ran off of his trenchcoat, falling to the steel stage or sneaking in through the various tears in his ruined attire. In his right hand was a damaged and dented wooden baseball bat, the black paint peeled and chipping. As the second verse began, the figure slowly began to shift; despite not moving his legs, the man began to float through the fog on the ramp, beginning an eerily slow descent towards the ring. It was a sight that might make one's blood run cold.

Out at the edge,
the moonlight reflecting from me.
The collapse of the waves echoing eternally,
as I cry out...

There were no other lights on in the arena. No flashy light show to match the violent drumbeats or violins. Just the two spotlights, focused on LEGACY and the man floating down the ramp.

If I'm living my life,
then why does it feel like my heart,
will break in two?
Failure is calling,
as my dreams are falling apart...

JUST.
LIKE.
YOU.

With the final syllable of the song screaming through the air, the figure's descent ended. The music hit a climax, the violins now furiously playing against the battering war drums. The figure make a sharp turn at the bottom of the ramp, his quiet footsteps taking him over to the steps. The hood of the tattered trenchcoat kept the man's face hidden from view, though he kept his head tilted down as he walked up the stairs. Whoever it was, only a brute could the size of this figure, which was now more obvious as he was standing on the apron before thousands upon thousands of WWF:G fans.

He stepped through the ropes rather slowly, his steps clearly lethargic in nature. The ring was now host to this figure and LEGACY, both standing at the same height of 6 foot 8. The figure kept his head down and made no other movements now that he stood in the corner. The song continued until the final drum hits shook the room. The two spotlights flickered with each one, but before the very last beat could go off, the figure lifted his free hand to his hood, and tossed it back...

... and before LEGACY, stood a "dead man."

Matt Shanahan finally stood in the ring, face to face with LEGACY. The rumors of him being dead came to an abrupt end that very moment. Despite the staples in his forehead and stitches under his right eye, The Storm was very much alive. The bloodstained, ruined trenchcoat made him look like he had just been pulled out from underneath the debris of the titantron mere minutes ago. His bloodcaked black jeans matched the sinister-looking coat in appearance.

The fans lost their minds at the sight of Shanahan, but he had already drowned them out. There was only one other man in this world, as far as Matt was concerned. It was the man who tried to kill The Storm. The man who tried to take his life, and his own legacy. A former student of Saint Joey, soon to be sent to meet the late Hall of Famer as well.

With the music coming to an end, Matt tugged off his trenchcoat and tossed it to the outside, revealing the thick gauze wrapped around his torso and around his shoulder, covering a good majority of his tattoos. It was clear he was still extremely damaged after suffering from the collapse of the titantron. However, he stood firm before LEGACY, his soulless eyes glaring into the eyes of his supposed killer.

For a bit longer, Matt would wait to enact his revenge. He waited for the bell.

In a rare occurrence, Matt did not wait for his opponent to make the first move. He wasn't here for a match, he was here for revenge. As soon as the bell went off, The Storm shot forward like a bolt of lightning, his right arm raised up high for a haymaker right to LEGACY's jaw!

The fans were nearly rioting in response to the first blow, but not to get into the ring this time. They were going ballistic over the sight of Shanahan undoubtedly gaining the upperhand. With Legacy stumbling away, Matt was close behind him. Silent, his eyes trained on his assailant like a beast hunting it's prey. Once Legacy was up against the corner, The Storm grabbed him by the shoulder and attempted to throw his back into the turnbuckles. If he managed to force "The Future" into facing his way, Matt would attempt to fire off another haymaker, followed by a wild rib jab with his left hand!

Legacy began to run to the next turnbuckle, and The Storm was chasing after him. Once he was within arm's reach of Legacy, he attempted to grab the man by his thick black locks and throw him against the turnbuckle! From there, he'd rear back his right fist and attempt to bring it swinging across Legacy's face, hoping to knock some sense out of him, and maybe a few teeth. For the follow-up, he'd yank his arm back after the blow and hope to catch Legacy's head with his elbow!

For the third time, Legacy tried to retreat; surely, he'd learn by now that it wasn't going to work for him. The Storm went after him but this time with a spring to his step. As Legacy collapsed against the turnbuckles, he'd find Matt just a foot away, his arm raised for a clothesline! If he managed to clothesline Legacy against the corner, he'd keep him pressed there with his extended arm, and begin driving his right knee upward in hopes to break a few ribs!

Legacy proved that he could easily compete with Matt in the strength department, as he managed to force The Storm back and away. Shanahan stumbled, but soon shifted the momentum to run at the opposite ropes. On the rebound, he caught Legacy in his sight, going into the final corner of the ring; just as Matt had hoped. With lightning speed, Matt shot off of the ropes and hurtled towards his opponent of the evening, aiming to deliver a vicious big-boot right to the side of his head!