By myself

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."

Whoever wrote that Christmas tune was probably never in young Trenton's situation.

"With the kids Jingle Belling..."

Was it bells jingling or the sound of steel screeching in his mind, from the last time he stepped foot into the demonic structure?

"And everyone telling you: Be of good cheer."

Because when they take your tag titles, your girlfriend and your respect... When you are down in the dumps... You gotta be of goof cheer. Right.

"The hap-happiest season of all"

If you are into getting face busted, suplexed and powerbombed on steel... Indeed it is a happy season.

"With those holiday greetings and happy gay meetings."

Nothing happy about meeting up with 4 other hungry wolves inside a 19 ft high steel cage for the tag team titles. Nothing gay about the cold and unforgiving kiss of steel. If there was something to think about the upcoming match was... Vengeance. It was the perfect moment to conquer the structure and the dangerous type of match that would take place inside it. The perfect moment to use this newfound aggression to get the best of Young Trenton.

Zack Ryder would be on his side... As usual, but their relationship has been more strained than ever. As a matter of fact, Trent hadn't heard from Long Island Iced Z for a whole week. Did this mean their partnership was done for? Going past Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, The Miz and AJ Styles was a serious task for BarRyder... Even if Trent was thinking about how he was going to get the titles by himself. He didn't need Zack last time and if he was lucky enough he'd be fine on his own inside the chamber... After all, he had been on his own for several weeks now. 

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The scene opened up in complete darkness. The inside of the EBWF truck which carried every piece of gear needed in house shows and PPVs... Two rows of crates piled up and stored neatly inside the truck creating a narrow hall between them... Night vision mode was on as the camera moved around, as if looking for something. At the end of the hall... Inside one of the pods that would be used on the elimination chamber was someone knelt down, dressed in black, his grungy black hair falling over his face. He hadn't shaved his beard in weeks either... The camera lowered shoot his face... Young Trenton took a deep breath before his eyes looked into the camera lens. He ran a hand along his beard and nodded repeatedly.

Trent Barreta: Eh, I figured I'd be back inside one of these sooner or later...  Less than three months ago I got my first taste of this demonic... Satanic... Unforgiving structure. I was slammed into a ring post, I got my face rubbed against that steel floor... I was knocked out cold with a knee to my face and degraded, humiliated and denied my chance of become World Champion... Then again I was already degraded and humiliated before the bell even rang.

He ran his hands over his hair, dragging it backwards.

Trent Barreta: They say being in one of this matches is career threatening, career shortening and even career ending... My guess is they want me either dead or on the sideline?

He paused for a moment...

Trent Barreta: Nah, I can't be THAT important.

He scoffed a little.

Trent Barreta: So... Elimination Chamber, when someone mouths those two words "Pain" and "Suffering" come to mind. I've been in the chamber before... And I am no longer afraid of the hundreds or thousands of steel chain and all that yadda yadda everyone mentions. It DOES hurt to feel your body crashing against the steel, over and over again... But it doesn't hurt ONE BIT compared to HAVING YOUR BEST FRIEND STEAL THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE AWAY FROM YOU! THAT IS REAL PAIN!

He panted a little, his voice echoed inside the truck. 

Trent Barreta: I am not afraid of the amount of pain being inflicted on my body, I am not afraid that I am going to be locked inside that pod again. I've seen my best friend stab me in the back, I've seen the lack of trust from the only woman I've loved... I've seen the world I've worked so hard to build slowly crumbling over me... I just don't care anymore... It's not as if my body, heart and soul could be any more battered and beat up.

He chuckled, rather mockingly.

Trent Barreta: A few months ago I said I left something inside the Elimination Chamber during my match there... Certain je ne sais quoi... And no, Maryse hasn't been teaching me French. 

He closed his eyes, the smirk not fading away from his face.

Trent Barreta: Well, it seems like I finally... Finally found what I left in the chamber... And not only I know what I left, but I get a chance to get it back. Come Christmas Eve of Destruction I will recover the respect I lost, along with the winning ways... You will see I will be the one to return the Tag Team Title belts back where they belong, around me and Zack Ryder's waist.

He leaned into the camera.

Trent Barreta: Where is Zack do you ask? I don't know... I don't think it is of his best interest to hang out with the dog who cheats on his girlfriend on live TV every week yet no one has ever approached him for an official statement? Eh, Zack is good with kids and all... I'm sure his WWWYKI headbands and all that merch sales would drop if he still hung out with me... 

He paused for a moment, raising his eyebrows.

Trent Barreta: Are we partners? Is our friendship damaged? I... I don't think I should be the one you should be asking that question too... Considering I've stuck my neck on the line for Zack and Curt since we were little kids... You guys know more than anyone how much I value true friendship... However, one has to revalidate the meaning of friendship after the recent turn of events... Me and Zack, we are together in this and I'll watch his back because if he gets pinned I'll be damned and viceversa... Kinda sorta like Curt Hawkins had my back? Remember that? If you ask me... Tonight would be a crucial night for Zack and I... Tonight is the night that dictates the fate of this partnership: Do we still have it? 

He shrugged a little.

Trent Barreta: I'm going to bring my A-game to make sure that happens... So, I'm going to be on the first ever Elimination Chamber Tag Team match... Which means I have high chance of having to work by myself until Zack's pod opens if I am going first... Or if Zack is eliminated before the match has even started... After all, being in an Elimination chamber match for the first time ever can play a clear disadvantage to him. Rollins and Ambrose aren't experienced in Elimination Chamber matches but I am sure they have brawled in warehouses and crackhole alleys a couple of times, this could be a walk in the park for them... Plus, my biggest concern is that they seemed to have finally put their differences aside and cemented their partnership. They look more focused than ever and I wouldn't be surprised if they walked away with the titles... But not without a black eye courtesy of yours truly.

He chuckled.

Trent Barreta: Ambrose, Rollins... If you two managed to solve whatever issues you had, I'm pretty sure the three of us can work out our problems... We got started on the wrong foot guys! But don't  worry... Just stay away from my business, let me do me... I'll let you do you... Rest assured that tonight We'll get you two started on the right foot... Even better... On the Right knee.

He winked a little.

Trent Barreta: And on to a couple of men I've locked horns with in the Chamber three months ago, who suffered the same fate and who might be wanting to return to the winning path as Well... They have apparently patched their friendship up! AJ Styles is a man who I have a lot of respect for, but that isn't going to prevent me from kneeing him right across the face... AJ, AJ, AJ... You and The Miz are one hell of a team! You guys have got it all! The looks, the charisma, the skills! But you know something? At the end of the day it is all about Mike Mizanin... I've seen him... I've been standing by your side for months now and I am sure he will turn his back on you if it means another World Title shot or a shot at a girl you're interested in... Remember Wrestlemania? All that effort you put on winning the rumble! All that strength and speed you displayed... And Mike wanted you to lay for him so his show would go on? What did he do when you said no? He stabbed you in the back. AJ, It is an accident waiting to happen.

Trent ran both hands along his hair.

Trent Barreta: Jericho is a freaking Genius, having come up with such match... He saw straight through us. On one corner you have an apparently "forced" tag team in the form of Ambrose and Rollins... On the next corner you have a team that is an accident waiting to happen... Styles and The Miz! And last but not least Zack and I... Once the top team and the best of pals... Now all that seems like a little spot in the rear view mirror... Take three potentially disfunciontal partnerships and put them inside the gruesome and fearful Elimination Chamber... In the end... I WILL BE THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS.

Trent laughed at what he had just said and looked at the camera as the scene faded to black