Post by Rowan MacDonnough on May 17, 2017 20:36:58 GMT
Image fades in of Rowan sitting in a chair, hunched over and not looking at the camera, face hidden in shadows. She appears to be sitting in an abandoned burned-out warehouse, the area around her bleak, run down and coated with dust and ash.
"You people must be more foolish than I ever presumed, madder than I could have imagined... or far... far more cruel than I ever gave you credit for. Even now, I am not certain which option rings the most true."
She cracks her neck, still looking at the ground with her face hidden from sight. "The two number-one contenders. The two women destined to stand and fight for championships at Night of the Immortals... tagging together, standing against myself and Charity Crowne - a team born from the Diamond in the Rough Tournament, determined to drag one another into destruction at any cost. Two would-be champions against a serpent intent on devouring itself... because the last time we were booked to fight beside one another ended so very well. Perhaps... this is intended to be a joke?"
The camera shifts with a vertigo-inducing wrench, simultaneously zooming on Rowan's face while revealing more of the scene behind her, revealing three silhouetted figures hanging from the rafters by the neck. "If it is... I'm not laughing."
Finally, Rowan's head snaps up with almost inhuman speed, golden eyes flashing with malice as she stares into the camera. "You must have some gall booking this match, Imperial Wrestling Federation. It is brazen, bold, and tempting pain and failure as surely as though a red flag before a rabid bull. I considered laughing in the face of this match, refusing to grace such a farce with my arrival. I then considered arriving only long enough to drive Charity Crowne through the barricade, snapping her spine and ending her ability to stand on her own power for the rest of her miserable life. I considered arriving only to watch from the sidelines as Charity engaged Pandora Freeman and Shae O'Hara on her own, subjecting her to the same humiliating display that she forced upon me two weeks ago."
She tilts her head to the side. "But then... I changed my mind."
Dean couldn't remember having ever seen Rowan this furious.
They had been together for a few weeks, recently gathering a slowly ground cadre of followers gathered from various places. The EMTs had only been the beginning... or had the beginning been him? It was hard to say for certain, but now there were almost two dozen people gathered around Rowan, performing various tasks at her whim. Dean would have thought it was like a cult, if it had anything to do with religion. There were no prayers, no rituals or proselytizing... there was only Rowan MacDonnough, and appeasing her demands. Even now, Dean wasn't entirely certain that it was wholly natural - at first he had simply thought that there was something about Rowan's personality that was unusually magnetic and compelling, but as time went on there was a part of him that subconsciously almost rebelled against what he saw and felt. The security guards at Charity Crowne's extravagant home had simply stepped aside with a word and a touch, instantly betraying their previous duty in favor of appeasing the Wolf of the Abyss.
Those guards had never left them. They were a part of their number now, unwavering in their devotion. Like Dean and all the others, they had dedicated their lives and resources to making Rowan... well, not happy. The woman never seemed happy. The more accurate term would have been "satisfied".
"Conway tests my patience," Rowan snarled coldly as she gazed out the window of the broken down building where they had set up camp. "Twice I have demanded Charity Crowne, and twice she has instead tried to make us allies rather than enemies. If this persists I will be forced to take matters into my own hands, even if it must be outside the ring."
Dean swallowed hard. "Kathleen Conway is a woman who doesn't respond well to threats..." he offered, keeping his voice gentle and submissive so as not to attract more of Rowan's anger than necessary. "She hasn't accepted your authority as many others have. Perhaps this is her attempt to try to punish you for perceived... slights?"
"She sees the Diamonds Division as her domain, and my demands a threat to her command," Rowan seethed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have no interest in the petty power she would wield. She can play-act as queen of her court as she wills, so long as I am satisfied with demanded blood. She risks more direct action if this persists. A lesson must be taught that I am no mouse to be toyed with."
"What will you do, then?"
Rowan was silent for a long time, but Dean didn't dare interject. It was not his place to intrude or question the thoughts of the Nightmare, but nor did he risk tempting her wrath by leaving before given leave. She gazed out into the urban wasteland beyond the walls of their new home for what felt like several hours before she nodded slowly.
"At night of the Immortals, two warriors go to dethrone long-standing champions. Pandora Freeman against Paige Garcia... and Shae O'Hara against Eternity." The last two names were almost spat from her mouth with disgust. "Night of the Immortals would be a fitting place for these champions to be dethroned. It would look good for the brand, tell a fine story. Conway likely cares little for the names holding the belts, so long as her division remains interesting. Fresh."
Dean nodded. "That... makes sense."
"So if that is what she wants, that is what I will deny her."
Dean frowned. "How? Are you going to interfere in their matches at Night of the Immortals?"
Rowan chuckled threateningly, and Dean felt the hair on the back of his neck stand rigid. "No. I don't need to. Charity Crowne's involvement notwithstanding, Conway has seen fit to send her challengers into an arena against me. I am unleashed upon them... and I will do what I do best."
"So you'll try to beat them there to take away their momentum?"
Rowan shook her head as though irritated. "Win... lose... it does not matter. All that matters is that no matter the result of the match, when I am through with those two pretenders to their respective thrones, I don't intend to leave either of them in a state where they'll be of much threat to the queens in their castles. Inflict enough lasting pain, and it will sap their strength enough to cost them the fights that matter most to them, and the fights that matter most to Conway. Even if I lose the battle, as long as I hurt them enough I still win the war."
"I am no Charity Crowne, running from battle like a Craven pup in the face of fire. As insignificant as this fight may be in the face of my war against the Diamond in the Rough, I will not turn from the chance to stand against the two would-be conquerors of the Diamonds Division titles... especially not when I have unfinished business with one of their number.
Oh, Shae. I have not forgotten you, or what you did to me two weeks ago. I have not forgotten your grip upon me, how you tormented my nerves and put my body to its limit before it slipped into the grasp of unconsciousness. Since then you have been climbing to the top of the world, fighting through the woman who made that victory against my possible and earning your chance at revenge against the woman who broke you. You think that you have a chance against me because you brought me down in that ring once before... because you are the only woman in the Diamonds Division who has ever managed to get the better of me, even if you weren't strong enough to pin me to the mat or potent enough to break my will and make me surrender.
You are wrong, and a fool if you think this. You forced me into unconsciousness once after your partner wore me down, but do not forget what happened when the two of us started in the ring together. When we stood toe to toe, fresh and unbent, I tore you apart as a wolf would to a slab of meat. You only escaped by the grace of my being distracted by my fury at Pride's betrayal. This time, Shae, I walk into the arena with open eyes, expecting to be standing against you and your partner alone, likely abandoned again by Crowne's cowardice.
I'll state it plainly, Shae. You have already been broken once. It will please me greatly to do so again. I wonder how long it will take for you to recover from your arm being rent asunder a second time? Will Emma be able to piece you back together a second time, or will she abaondon you at the wayside as yet another failed experiment?
But perhaps, Shae, you draw hope from the alliance of your partner, Pandora Freeman. You should. History has shown that you cannot stand against me on your own.
Pandora. We've never met, have we? But you've been on a bit of a tear lately. Your victory at the Iron Maiden, unbeaten since, leading up to a shot at the Diamonds Championship in just a few short days... only one match stands between now and your big chance to fail before the largest audience of your life.
I've known your type, Pandora. You think you're unique, special, unlike anything the Diamonds Division has ever known... and perhaps here, you're right. Perhaps you are something new to this place, but not to me. I see through you, all the smiles and the gimmicks, all the posturing and showboating... and see that you are little more than an insecure child desperate for the attention and love of your betters. Your dedication to the so-called God of Steel showcases this more than anything. Tell me, Pandora - what is it that you think you will get from Spike Kane? Is it, perhaps, hope to replace the child he lost and have an erzatz father to finally look upon you with pride? Or do you hope to earn his favor by giving him a new child altogether by slipping into his bed?"
Her eyes flash with sadistic pleasure as she shakes her head with a dismissive chuckle. "Presumption. You will never be either, and in the end he will abandon you once you prove that you are too weak to take the gold. You might have been strong enough to best other creatures in the ring before this match, Pandora Freeman... but I do not see in you a heart strong enough to endure a match like the one I will inflict upon you.
You are both pathetic. Neither of you have what it takes to claim your championships at Night of the Immortals, and you are both doomed to failure on that tremendous stage. Those who rally behind you place false hope in tainted idols, and I look forward to showing your little fans the error of their ways on Sacrifice, when I make you both scream in pain!"
At her last word, two of the silhouettes behind her burst into flames, the light from the fire revealing that they look exactly like Pandora and Shae, but with their features oddly exaggerated like three-dimensional caricatures.
"And Charity Crowne? Assuming you even bother to arrive... stay the hell out of my way, if you know what's good for you."
The third silhouette - this one with Charity's likeness - ignites as well as Rowan turns her back on the camera, walking towards the burning effigies as the camera fades to black.
"You people must be more foolish than I ever presumed, madder than I could have imagined... or far... far more cruel than I ever gave you credit for. Even now, I am not certain which option rings the most true."
She cracks her neck, still looking at the ground with her face hidden from sight. "The two number-one contenders. The two women destined to stand and fight for championships at Night of the Immortals... tagging together, standing against myself and Charity Crowne - a team born from the Diamond in the Rough Tournament, determined to drag one another into destruction at any cost. Two would-be champions against a serpent intent on devouring itself... because the last time we were booked to fight beside one another ended so very well. Perhaps... this is intended to be a joke?"
The camera shifts with a vertigo-inducing wrench, simultaneously zooming on Rowan's face while revealing more of the scene behind her, revealing three silhouetted figures hanging from the rafters by the neck. "If it is... I'm not laughing."
Finally, Rowan's head snaps up with almost inhuman speed, golden eyes flashing with malice as she stares into the camera. "You must have some gall booking this match, Imperial Wrestling Federation. It is brazen, bold, and tempting pain and failure as surely as though a red flag before a rabid bull. I considered laughing in the face of this match, refusing to grace such a farce with my arrival. I then considered arriving only long enough to drive Charity Crowne through the barricade, snapping her spine and ending her ability to stand on her own power for the rest of her miserable life. I considered arriving only to watch from the sidelines as Charity engaged Pandora Freeman and Shae O'Hara on her own, subjecting her to the same humiliating display that she forced upon me two weeks ago."
She tilts her head to the side. "But then... I changed my mind."
Dean couldn't remember having ever seen Rowan this furious.
They had been together for a few weeks, recently gathering a slowly ground cadre of followers gathered from various places. The EMTs had only been the beginning... or had the beginning been him? It was hard to say for certain, but now there were almost two dozen people gathered around Rowan, performing various tasks at her whim. Dean would have thought it was like a cult, if it had anything to do with religion. There were no prayers, no rituals or proselytizing... there was only Rowan MacDonnough, and appeasing her demands. Even now, Dean wasn't entirely certain that it was wholly natural - at first he had simply thought that there was something about Rowan's personality that was unusually magnetic and compelling, but as time went on there was a part of him that subconsciously almost rebelled against what he saw and felt. The security guards at Charity Crowne's extravagant home had simply stepped aside with a word and a touch, instantly betraying their previous duty in favor of appeasing the Wolf of the Abyss.
Those guards had never left them. They were a part of their number now, unwavering in their devotion. Like Dean and all the others, they had dedicated their lives and resources to making Rowan... well, not happy. The woman never seemed happy. The more accurate term would have been "satisfied".
"Conway tests my patience," Rowan snarled coldly as she gazed out the window of the broken down building where they had set up camp. "Twice I have demanded Charity Crowne, and twice she has instead tried to make us allies rather than enemies. If this persists I will be forced to take matters into my own hands, even if it must be outside the ring."
Dean swallowed hard. "Kathleen Conway is a woman who doesn't respond well to threats..." he offered, keeping his voice gentle and submissive so as not to attract more of Rowan's anger than necessary. "She hasn't accepted your authority as many others have. Perhaps this is her attempt to try to punish you for perceived... slights?"
"She sees the Diamonds Division as her domain, and my demands a threat to her command," Rowan seethed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have no interest in the petty power she would wield. She can play-act as queen of her court as she wills, so long as I am satisfied with demanded blood. She risks more direct action if this persists. A lesson must be taught that I am no mouse to be toyed with."
"What will you do, then?"
Rowan was silent for a long time, but Dean didn't dare interject. It was not his place to intrude or question the thoughts of the Nightmare, but nor did he risk tempting her wrath by leaving before given leave. She gazed out into the urban wasteland beyond the walls of their new home for what felt like several hours before she nodded slowly.
"At night of the Immortals, two warriors go to dethrone long-standing champions. Pandora Freeman against Paige Garcia... and Shae O'Hara against Eternity." The last two names were almost spat from her mouth with disgust. "Night of the Immortals would be a fitting place for these champions to be dethroned. It would look good for the brand, tell a fine story. Conway likely cares little for the names holding the belts, so long as her division remains interesting. Fresh."
Dean nodded. "That... makes sense."
"So if that is what she wants, that is what I will deny her."
Dean frowned. "How? Are you going to interfere in their matches at Night of the Immortals?"
Rowan chuckled threateningly, and Dean felt the hair on the back of his neck stand rigid. "No. I don't need to. Charity Crowne's involvement notwithstanding, Conway has seen fit to send her challengers into an arena against me. I am unleashed upon them... and I will do what I do best."
"So you'll try to beat them there to take away their momentum?"
Rowan shook her head as though irritated. "Win... lose... it does not matter. All that matters is that no matter the result of the match, when I am through with those two pretenders to their respective thrones, I don't intend to leave either of them in a state where they'll be of much threat to the queens in their castles. Inflict enough lasting pain, and it will sap their strength enough to cost them the fights that matter most to them, and the fights that matter most to Conway. Even if I lose the battle, as long as I hurt them enough I still win the war."
"I am no Charity Crowne, running from battle like a Craven pup in the face of fire. As insignificant as this fight may be in the face of my war against the Diamond in the Rough, I will not turn from the chance to stand against the two would-be conquerors of the Diamonds Division titles... especially not when I have unfinished business with one of their number.
Oh, Shae. I have not forgotten you, or what you did to me two weeks ago. I have not forgotten your grip upon me, how you tormented my nerves and put my body to its limit before it slipped into the grasp of unconsciousness. Since then you have been climbing to the top of the world, fighting through the woman who made that victory against my possible and earning your chance at revenge against the woman who broke you. You think that you have a chance against me because you brought me down in that ring once before... because you are the only woman in the Diamonds Division who has ever managed to get the better of me, even if you weren't strong enough to pin me to the mat or potent enough to break my will and make me surrender.
You are wrong, and a fool if you think this. You forced me into unconsciousness once after your partner wore me down, but do not forget what happened when the two of us started in the ring together. When we stood toe to toe, fresh and unbent, I tore you apart as a wolf would to a slab of meat. You only escaped by the grace of my being distracted by my fury at Pride's betrayal. This time, Shae, I walk into the arena with open eyes, expecting to be standing against you and your partner alone, likely abandoned again by Crowne's cowardice.
I'll state it plainly, Shae. You have already been broken once. It will please me greatly to do so again. I wonder how long it will take for you to recover from your arm being rent asunder a second time? Will Emma be able to piece you back together a second time, or will she abaondon you at the wayside as yet another failed experiment?
But perhaps, Shae, you draw hope from the alliance of your partner, Pandora Freeman. You should. History has shown that you cannot stand against me on your own.
Pandora. We've never met, have we? But you've been on a bit of a tear lately. Your victory at the Iron Maiden, unbeaten since, leading up to a shot at the Diamonds Championship in just a few short days... only one match stands between now and your big chance to fail before the largest audience of your life.
I've known your type, Pandora. You think you're unique, special, unlike anything the Diamonds Division has ever known... and perhaps here, you're right. Perhaps you are something new to this place, but not to me. I see through you, all the smiles and the gimmicks, all the posturing and showboating... and see that you are little more than an insecure child desperate for the attention and love of your betters. Your dedication to the so-called God of Steel showcases this more than anything. Tell me, Pandora - what is it that you think you will get from Spike Kane? Is it, perhaps, hope to replace the child he lost and have an erzatz father to finally look upon you with pride? Or do you hope to earn his favor by giving him a new child altogether by slipping into his bed?"
Her eyes flash with sadistic pleasure as she shakes her head with a dismissive chuckle. "Presumption. You will never be either, and in the end he will abandon you once you prove that you are too weak to take the gold. You might have been strong enough to best other creatures in the ring before this match, Pandora Freeman... but I do not see in you a heart strong enough to endure a match like the one I will inflict upon you.
You are both pathetic. Neither of you have what it takes to claim your championships at Night of the Immortals, and you are both doomed to failure on that tremendous stage. Those who rally behind you place false hope in tainted idols, and I look forward to showing your little fans the error of their ways on Sacrifice, when I make you both scream in pain!"
At her last word, two of the silhouettes behind her burst into flames, the light from the fire revealing that they look exactly like Pandora and Shae, but with their features oddly exaggerated like three-dimensional caricatures.
"And Charity Crowne? Assuming you even bother to arrive... stay the hell out of my way, if you know what's good for you."
The third silhouette - this one with Charity's likeness - ignites as well as Rowan turns her back on the camera, walking towards the burning effigies as the camera fades to black.
Well howdy there pardner.