"Most guys would kill to get to work with guys like Cena so early in!"
"Even guys like AJ Styles and Ted DiBiase have somewhat fallen to the wayside. Be grateful."
"You're making GREAT money!"
Are things the agents told him. Two words instantly sprung to mind. "Fuck" and "that". Everyone in The Shield had the same mentality, including newbie Reigns. They were there to be at the top. "Paying your dues" was an archaic principal. So finding that his first round opponent in the King Of The Ring was Randy Orton wasn't exactly the silver lining he was hoping for. Orton could have very easily been penciled in to win the entire thing. Ultimately, it was out of the young man's control. He didn't have the tenure to or desire to politic. All he had was his god given abilities that he was very confident in. Whether or not the office saw that was not something he couldn't predict. All he could do was continue to try and have the best match on the card and entertain. Keep turning heads and a match with Orton was certainly capable of doing that. But that hunger wasn't going to die down. He had worked much to hard and just a brief taste at the top was not going to suffice.
The scene began with the focus on an almost flesh colored reptile coiling about within a cage. A snake. A reptile to be precise. It's tongue occasionally flicked out of it's mouth while it's long body coiled around a small branch that had been placed inside to replicate it's habitat. It wasn't alone. Joining the cold blooded creature was a white rat that remained huddled up in a corner. It's red tinted eyes would have been completely stricken with fear if it were capable of showing such expression. It knew that it's purpose in life was about to be this snake's lunch. A pair of black gloves rested on either side of the cage and a figure lowered to inspect things a little more closely. It all took place in a locker room which was definitely not the usual stomping grounds for a member of The Shield.
Seth Rollins: When I was a kid I was deathly afraid of snakes. It's a very typical fear for most people: Ophindiophobia. It's actually the most commonly reported phobia. Just the way they move and slither made my skin crawl. The fear of being bit, whether it was venomous or not, was enough to keep me up at night.
The top of the cage was slid open and Rollins slid a hand inside that ventured close enough to the snake that it began to wrap around his arm. He lifted the snake out and this probably gave a great deal of relief to the rodent that was about to become a snack.
Seth Rollins: But then I started to realize that snakes aren't worth being afraid of. For fun I used to smash rocks against their heads just for trying to frighten me.
Rollins held the snake a little higher and stared directly at the creature with a small smile starting to form on his bearded face.
Seth Rollins: They aren't Killers. Or Silent Assassins. Or even Apex Predators. It's only an appearance.
After he gazed into the always open eyes of the snake before lowering it down into a separate cage. The rat was saved.
Seth Rollins: Randy Orton, just like the snakes that he's so often compared to, is exactly the same way. I'm guilty of falling for the image that's been created for him as well. But I as started to observe him more closely I've began to realize that he is nothing to be frightened of. You could even say he's a snake that's shed his skin.
Rollins was conceited in the claims that he had made and the grin on his face proved it.
Seth Rollins: I don't see the man who held the World Title for over one year. That's all been washed away. All I can see, and I can practically smell, is weakness. I know those that word isn't one that goes hand in hand with Randy but my eyes have seen the truth. And this revelation all took place in an incident that I wasn't even involved in. At Death Before Dishonor, Randy Orton and the vast majority of the roster had Dean Ambrose surrounded. There was nowhere he could have gone and the rest of us couldn't have helped him at all. He was completely trapped. They could have torn him apart. But the roster, and Randy Orton, all got on their knee's and bowed at the words Chris Jericho. I have to admit that I was surprised. I had expected that from the rest of those soulless pawns but not from Randy Orton.
There was more than a touch of disbelief in Rollins' voice as he replayed the scene in his own head.
Seth Rollins: The man that would strike down anyone who dared to stand in his path was showing..mercy? Mercy towards someone who he had in the past sworn to cripple. Mercy that the Shield would NOT RETURN if the situation was reversed. That word doesn't exist in our vocabulary.
Rollins chuckled in a low tone.
Seth Rollins: Soft. That's exactly what you are. It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach that I lost those tag team titles to the likes of you. Not because those worthless trophies meant anything to me. But because I let someone with no heart, no drive, and no ambition get the better of me.
The fist of the ROH alumni met with the top of the table that the snake's cage was resting on, rattling it.
Seth Rollins: I try to allow all the wild emotions come from Ambrose but Orton has actually gone and made me very angry. In the depths of his arrogance, does he truly believe he made the right decision? He could have ended all of this but his startling indolence wouldn't allow that to happen. Maybe he's just content to allow all of these "legends" with their hands soaked in blood to try and do the job for him? Or perhaps he's satisfied with hiding behind this parade of corpses that Chris Jericho had assembled to rise to his defense.
He gave a sneer.
Seth Rollins: I think we all know the answer to these questions. To say that I was unimpressed with what Orton and his idiotic partner had to say about us the last time met would be a grave understatement. He claimed that we were fools for trying to take down this monster that we're staring down. And that, maybe, he and Edge would have got the job done a long time ago..but they were too busy. Too busy being rich. Too busy having "hobbies". Too busy with women of the absolute lowest caliber.
Rollins was slowly becoming twisted with anger a trait Ambrose had and one that was beginning to rub off on him.
Seth Rollins: Is that what this stupid bastard thinks this is all about? This isn't about money! This is about principals! This is about writing wrongs that have been going on for more than a decade! For far too long! Orton couldn't have accomplished HALF of what we've managed to do because he doesn't possess even a shred of our desire! He was very proficient at hurting people, I'll give him that, but he never had the intelligence to do something this huge! To have an endgame! He defended a title for over a year but what kind of impression did he leave, exactly? What was the huge, grand payoff during his "reign of terror" alongside Edge? He. Hacked. The website.
He ran a hand through his now very messy, two toned colored hair that had slowly become unraveled.
Seth Rollins: His gifts and abilities are wasted. Completely wasted. There is no brain to match the brawn. The man who proclaimed that if he hadn't taken time off to marry his...demon of a wife, that I as well as Ambrose wouldn't even have jobs here. That any title reign that's taken place since then wouldn't have occurred. A very...curious and completely erroneous thing to say. Since, to my knowledge, Orton hasn't been able to so much as sniff at a World Title opportunity since 2010. I watched him LOSE at last years King of the Ring and I watched him TOSSED at this years Royal Rumble. But I suppose we shouldn't underestimate the depths of his delusions he surrounds himself with. What a sad, pitiful existence. Filled with empty and broken threats. He promised he would end The Shield after his minor victory a few months back.
Rollins pointed a thumb towards his chest.
Seth Rollins: We're still here! He swore if we came near his wife again that we wouldn't see another day again. We did and we're still living and breathing and now he has to tuck her away somewhere nice and safe because he's helpless to protect her from us. His wife who gives to charities, visits homeless shelters..all to keep appearances. You can fool the zombies that choke down every last one of those words but that doesn't cleanse her from her hand in creating this abomination! SHE is guilty! ORTON is guilty! They are ALL guilty!
All the fanatical teachings that Ambrose preached had very clearly filtered their way into Seth Rollins' head as well.
Seth Rollins: I'm not going to try and scare him. No costumes or prosthetics. No digital manipulation or imagery. I'm just going to hurt him. I have been ordered to prevent Orton from ever being able to call himself a "king" and to destroy this entire mockery of a tournament from the inside. I will carry out these orders with great efficiency. I am prepared to throw myself on the gears of this apparatus to make this machine stop. I keep hearing the whispers from cowards that Randy Orton is the last person you want to draw. After Total Recall, after I beat him without any remorse, I'm going to prove that the last person you want to stand across the ring from is SETH ROLLINS.
Rollins usually kept himself very hidden and cryptic but his delivery here was the exact opposite. There was a new fire developing inside of him.
Seth Rollins: You see, since I actually do have some passion, I need to relax. Take my mind off what I have to do.
He turned from the table where the cages sat and pulled the door to his locker room wide open. He was actually in the same arena that Total Recall was taking place. The hallway's were flooded with Shield members and the usual staff were understandably very spooked by this overtaking. Rollins headed out flashed a smile back at the camera.
Seth Rollins: Why should we hide? Chris Jericho and the rest of the roster have already proven that they're too afraid to try and stop us. We can do whatever we want and we're not going to sneak around in the shadows anymore.
As one of the female members of the catering team tried to speed her way past, Rollins snatched her by the wrist.
Seth Rollins: Do you like working here? Do you know what you're a part of? Any...phobia's I should be aware of? Finding out those kind of things my "hobby" you know. Orton was wrong about me, I know how to enjoy myself when I need to.
The woman squirmed and was completely perplexed at why Randy Orton was being brought into this but she wisely kept her mouth closed.
Seth Rollins: Bring us some food back and we'll keep that a secret. How about you bring me whatever Orton eats before his matches? I want to see what sustains someone without a spine.
He released the woman who ran off as fast as her feet would allow. The large collection of men dressed in black were busy making the backstage area their own personal playground as the scene back to a close.
