Seth Rollins: Forged in Fire

Chapter 9: Declaration of the Future

It's been a month. Rollins has been healing as well as possible and is cleared to compete once more. Dean Ambrose fought Bray Wyatt in a war at TLC. Ambrose was dragged away by Bray to an unknown location.

It's January, and Seth is brewing with anger. He hasn't heard from Sting since the hospital a month ago, and Roman is planned to come back the Raw after Royal Rumble.

It was Monday, and Seth was ready for war.

Cm Punk's new theme blared into Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York. How fitting the song was 'Best In The World' by Set The Charge.

The crowd had a mix of cheers and boos.

He got into the ring. He took a microphone into his hands. He waited as Brooklyn filled the arena with cheers and boos, curses and praises.

He raised the mic to his mouth, right before -

(Play music)

Rollins decided on a remix of his Second Coming. The other one belonged to the Authority. He had entered a new age. Not the S.H.I.E.L.D., but not the Authority.
Rollins walked out onto the stage. He had mic already in his hand. Brooklyn mostly cheered for him. Mostly. Some people thought it was just another trick. That sooner or later, Seth would just hit Dean Ambrose with a chair again.

(Stop music)

"What do you think you're doing Punk?!", Seth yelled. "First, you attack me in a hotel, then you purposely give me internal bleeding, and then you give me a concussion and finally send me to the hospital. I wanted to get out that building and kick your behind so bad. But I didn't. And you're lucky, because only Dean Ambrose is that crazy."

Brooklyn cheered for the Lunatic Fringe. The commentators were thinking of the fact that Rollins said 'attack me in a hotel'.

"You pull my friend into this, you help Bray Wyatt dismantle him, and then you help Bray Wyatt pull Ambrose away to Hell. What's gotten into you Punk?! Last time I checked you were on the Authority's list of 'Most Wanted Dead'."

"Alot's changed since last years Royal Rumble, Seth", Cm Punk began to reply. "I may have hated the Authority, I may still hate the Authority. I may be glad that they're gone, I may be glad that Sting helped get rid of them, but there is one thing I hate more than that. It's when people's eyes aren't on me. When I fought the Authority, it wasn't CM Punk and Daniel Bryan fighting the Authority, it was Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.
Everybody was on the Goat-Face bandwagon. Everybody was following Daniel Bryan. And I was tired of it. I fought just as hard as Bryan, but I wasn't in World title picture. Everybody just forgot little old, Chicago-Made Punk. I did this for my career. For my life. To get these people's attention, but after I fought Lesnar, no one's been paying attention to me!! Well world, do I have your attention now?!!!? Do I?!?"

"C'mon Brooklyn", Rollins told everyone. "Let him have your attention!! Don't look at me look at him!!" Brooklyn booed. They booed louder the more Seth encouraged it.

"You happy Punk? You happy now?"

"I didn't just come for these people's attention. I came for you."

"Well that's obvious. A four year old could pick that up."

"Triple H said you're the future. I wanna see if that's really true. You are the future Rollins, but not while I'm still around. Also... You've got something I want. And I'm not patient, so I don't wanna wait till the next Money In The Bank, I wanna straight up take it from you. And Vince already made that arrangement, so you don't have a choice. At the Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View, you're gonna be fighting me, and that contract of yours, is gonna be on the line."

Brooklyn gave a lot of 'oooohs'. Rollins was even more furious.
He dropped his mic. "You're on!! You're on!!", shouted Rollins.

"But you know what, pal", Punk continued. In case you can't wait for it like me, I'm just sitting right here."

Rollins dropped his briefcase and ran down the ramp. Punk slid out the ring to meet him. They met each other in a flurry of fists. Rollins tossed Punk into the steel post. He grabbed Punk by his hair. Punk hit Rollins between the legs. He threw Rollins into the barricade behind him. He grabbed Rollins and tossed him into the steel steps.
He landed kick after into Seth's chest. Security and officials came out to grab Punk away. They turned him away. Punk smiled. He turned around to see Rollins fly off the top rope onto everyone. Seth threw Punk into the ring.

Punk was on one knee. Seth sprang off the ropes for the Curb Stomp, but Punk rolled out the ring. Rollins yelled at Punk to get back in and fight.

(Play music)

Punk began shouting, "see you at the Rumble, Seth!! See you there!!"

Rollins hit his chest in pride, as the City That Never Sleeps cheered on.