Solace Tatum
Full Member
First Class General Manager
"Don't Take It Personal..."
Posts: 117
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Post by Solace Tatum on Dec 11, 2021 14:35:36 GMT
RP RULES:
3 Roleplay MAX, 5K Word Limit per RP.
(5001 words = Disqualification)
FIRST NIGHT (December 26th, 2021)
Soft Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, December 19th, 2021.
-Must RP or will only get 1 RP Total
-Must be cold open (No response to opponent's First RP)
-Failure to post Cold Open/RP before Soft Deadline results in 1 RP max.
Hard Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, December 25th, 2021.
-If you RPed a cold open before soft deadline, you can now post a 2nd and 3rd at any time before hard deadline.
-Remember, if you go over 1 word, your RP will be discounted.
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Post by Screem on Dec 19, 2021 15:13:56 GMT
"This guy has no business in a wrestling ring," Rush Williams scoffed. The other three coaches lining the back wall of Rebelscum Wrestling School agreed loudly. You could easily hear them all the way to the center of the large gym where the wrestling ring was. Their mocking drew Wilhelm Screem's attention away from his sparring opponent, a young luchadore calling himself Arachnido. Wilhelm looked at them innocently, doe-eyed, and confused, squinting his eyes out into the relative blackness beyond the ring ropes trying to decipher where their voices were coming from.
"Buddy, the match is over there," Bas Garvy laughed. Arachnido was fast, grasping his ankles to either side of Wilhelm's neck and easily turning him over onto his back with a headscissor. Wilhelm bounced across the mat like a skipped stone before coming to a skidding stop. Arachnido was on him in seconds, hooking his leg and watching the ref bang out the three count. Then the loud ding of the timekeeper's bell.
Around the ring, a small assembly of students flocked towards the locker room, chatting amongst themselves. In the ring, Arachnido offered a hand to Wilhelm. Wilhelm breathed heavily and stared at the hand but didn't take it. The luchadore shrugged and left him there, sliding out of the ring and running to catch up with the others.
And there lay Wilhelm, staring up at the ring lights like he were looking at shapes in clouds on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
"So you're saying," Rush started, shaking his head with disbelief, "that IIW wants this guy in this Ice Crown tournament thing?"
"It would appear so. They want him ready for night one, December 26th." Bas said pushing off the wall.
Rush blew dismay through his lips. It wasn't unusual for little gyms like this one to play one-time bootcamp for developmental talent for top-flight companies like IIW. They'd seen a few pass through the doors, put on on a clinic and show everyone why they'd been signed and move on. At one time in his 32 years on this earth, Rush Williams had been one such talent.
"Who's he facing?" Rush said, running down in his mind a list of people he thought he knew from IIW. Bas chuckled softly.
"Does it matter?" Rush looked downward and drilled his gaze down into the floor hoping for some way to turn coal into a diamond.
"There's just no way," Rush said, looking Bas in the eye as the other two coaches filtered off to their offices. "Has this guy even wrestled before?"
"Probably not." Bas was the senior coach, he looked into the ring at Wilhelm and shook his head, lowering his gaze to the floor. "But that's the contract. He's ours till the 26th."
"Let me guess," Rush felt his neck muscles tightening. "He's mine?"
Bas smiled and clapped Rush on the shoulder.
"Yep. Make sure he's ready." He glanced wearily into the ring with one foot already turning towards his office, "have fun." Bas was off, making a beeline away from this obligation the IIW had saddled them with.
Rush blinked, feeling a vague twitch of his upper lip at the thought. There was, typically anyway, a signing off process that took place. IIW would send someone by to make sure their money was being spent justifiably. There needed to be evidence they were putting someone in the ring who could at least pretend to perform.
Rush remembered when he failed to get that approval. At one point Rush was the name they all wanted. At 6'4, blonde hair, built like a god, the companies were lining up to sign him until his star blew up before it hit critical mass. He didn't like the drugs, but they liked him, went the assessment. Well, he liked a few of them. The rest was forgotten history to everyone but him. A never-was trying to start again from the bottom, hoping he might catch another eye.
"Those who can't, teach." He said with a long, loud sigh, his eyes on the prone form of Wilhelm before slumping his shoulders and beginning the sorry trek toward his new unpromising charge.
"Wakey wakey," He called, slowly stomping up the ring steps like his legs were trying to get him to turn around and run away.
Wilhelm barely stirred. By now he'd bent one knee up with his bare foot on the canvas and rested one arm behind his head like a pillow. Rush could hear him muttering but he couldn't make out the words.
"Ridiculous," Rush scowled, eyeing this unwanted responsibility Wilhelm was barefoot, with what looked like burlap loose-fitting pants, and were those fur wrist bracers? Was he wearing shoulder pauldrons?
"Okay, Skyrim boy, it's time to get to work. No more fooling." He leaned his wrists across the ring ropes while standing on the apron not feeling particularly keen on getting anywhere near Wilhelm's space.
Wilhelm kept muttering. Rush felt his fists tightening as he glared down at him, cocking his head to maybe catch an ear of what was so goddamn worth jibbering about. It sounded like he was talking to someone, like there was someone laying beside him on the canvas, both looking up at the overhead lights.
Rush sighed again before stooping through the ropes.
"Playtimes over, 'Wilhelm'. I don't know how they do shit where you're from, but you're on my time now. Get up." Rush towered over Wilhelm, being sure to block out the ring light and cast an intimidating shadow onto him before kicking Wilhelm's foot to boot him into action.
Wilhelm stopped talking to himself and shielded his eyes to look up at the figure. Rush awaited a response that didn't come. He couldn't believe IIW was wasting its time, even worse they were wasting his.
"You've got about--"
"Are you the one who summoned me here?" Wilhelm asked, his voice deep and authoritative with a hint of an accent Rush couldn't place. Rush was surprised. Slowly a smirk crept back on his face.
"Summoned you?" It was worth a chuckle, Rush thought. "Yeah, I summoned you. Stand the hell up. Show me what you got."
Wilhelm stared up at Rush good and long, breathing in and out purposefully before slowly leaning up and rising to his feet. Rush got a good look at him. Ropey muscles with minimal body fat. It was obvious he was in shape. It was possible he just wasn't putting in much effort against the other trainees, Rush thought. When Wilhelm reached his full height, Rush put up his fists and silently invited the match to begin.
Wilhelm stood and stared at him. It made Rush blink.
"Is that your fighting stance?" It just kept rattling about in his brain the question of what IIW saw in this guy. Stupid money is still money, but what kind of show could a guy like Wilhelm put on. He just stood there watching Rush who began to slowly circle him.
"I have no reason to fight you, keeper of the cage." Wilhelm said. Rush contained his smirk, continuing to circle.
"That's what we do here. That's what you're supposed to be here to do, mate. Ice Crown? Remember? If you're not into it, I'll take your place." He said it with words bathed in sarcasm. It should be him. He was clean, and had been for 2 years. Okay a year and a half, it didn't matter. Wilhelm stood there looking less and less inclined to even lift his fists.
"I have no cause to fight for these people," Wilhelm said softly. "You may fight in my place. I am needed elsewhere." He turned to leave. Rush felt wounded, slighted whether intentionally or not by the most aloof greenhorn he'd ever met.
"Alright. Fine. Whatever." Rush growled, his patience had worn out quickly as it came. He threw a haymaker that sent Wilhelm spinning into the corner looking dazed. Rush towered over him.
"If you're not here to work, son, I got news for you: you're under contract. You either work, or... that's it. Now fight back." With as much anger as he had, Rush lunged in at Wilhelm and unloaded. Some blows got past Wilhelm's makeshift guard, others deflected off, but Rush didn't care. First night in his gym acting like some prima donna? Rush was going to make sure Wilhelm Screem limped to his hotel or needed to be carried back.
Wilhelm panted, but continued not to return any blows. Rush threw so many hard punches he felt himself tiring out, but best not show any of that to his rookie. He leaned in and glared.
"I've got you for a week, son. I am going to eat you alive." It took a moment, but some spark visibly ignited in Wilhelm's eyes shortly before they narrowed in on him like a magical target were on Rush all of a sudden.
"There he is." Rush's smirk returned, raising his fists just in time for Wilhelm to charge him and unleash a fury of unfocused punches and knees that backed Rush up towards center ring.
"Whoa whoa--" Rush spoke up, not expecting the ferocity Wilhelm was hitting him with. Before he could adjust Wilhelm had tripped him up and sent him sprawling face-first into the canvas. He felt Wilhelm's knee slam into his back, a firm hand grip Rush's hair and pull his head up and suddenly the sharp end of a pointy wooden stake was pressed tightly into Rush's chest.
"Holy fu--" Wilhelm pulled Rush's head back hard and looked deeply into his eyes.
"Bereite dich auf den Tod vor, abscheuliche Kreatur."
Rush gasped in air, grunting loudly, startled and taken aback by the onslaught, even moreso that he could feel the sharp wooden stake ready to plunge into him.
"What are you Demon? Lycan? Tell me where your nest is and I will make this quick."
Wilhelm leaned in and looked into Rush's mouth while Rush struggled to comprehend how this sparring match had gone this far south.
"Your incisors." Wilhelm scanned Rush's teeth as his heart thudded dully in his chest.
"W-wha-what about them?" Rush quivered.
"They're not fangs."
"W-why would they be?" Rush's breathing grew hoarser.
"What are you?" With a laser-focused glare, Wilhelm looked closely into Rush's eyes. Rush blinked and winced as Wilhelm kept his spine bent at a painful angle. "Tell me now."
"I-I'm a wrestler." The answer seemed to send Wilhelm's expression into a frown. His eyes searching confusedly. Rush blinked hard once more, vaguely recollecting what he'd said to try to incite Wilhelm. It had, evidently, worked. Wilhelm spun the stake in his fingers and concealed it swiftly into his trousers and let go of Rush.
"Apologies, friend, I thought you were a vampire."
Lifting off him, Wilhelm offered Rush a hand.
"Shouldn't joke about a thing like that," Wilhelm said. Rush wondered if that were a joke, but every word was said with complete sincerity. His back aching, Rush took Wilhelm's hand with dismay and found himself shakily back on his feet.
"When I'm wrong I admit it. I once killed and skinned a Yule Cat that turned out be anything but." At that he snickered. Rush found himself snickering awkwardly too, more out of concern and fear than seeing any humour in whatever the hell a Yule Cat was.
"Poor thing must've been half starved." He clasped Rush on the shoulder with a loud chuckle.
Another awkward chuckle from Rush.
"I think that's enough training for today. Let's go get a drink."
"Now you're talking," Wilhelm said, picking a heavy shaggy fur jacket and swinging it onto himself, heading for the door. Rush clutched his back, and grimaced to himself. Rush slid into the Tib Street Tavern's booth and felt like his body was set to collapse. Wilhelm slid into the other side and looked uncomfortable. They'd walked here through the nighttime streets of Manchester from the gym with Wilhelm keeping a watchful eye around him at all times.
"They like the nighttime," Wilhelm said cryptically, and made Rush walk a little quicker even though he didn't know what Wilhelm meant.
As they sat there, Rush felt like he were seeing the man in a new light, apart from the pub lightning. Wilhelm seemed so lost and confused up till the point he thought Rush might be a vampire, then it was like a fuse had been lit that wouldn't be extinguished until one of them were dead. It made Rush look thoughtfully down into the wood of the table.
When the beers arrived, Rush downed his in one gulp and ordered another while Wilhelm gingerly sipped from his.
"So you say you've never wrestled in your life?" Rush asked, happy to feel the buzz starting in his belly.
"I do say that," Wilhelm replied, "but I suppose it depends on your definition of 'wrestling'. You mean with a ring, and lights, and crowds, and rules."
"And you don't mean that at all," Rush added, looking into his second pint and downing it as fast as the other. He looked at the remnant suds of the beer dragging slowly down the interior wall of the glass and blinked steadily and contemplatively.
"Then why the hell are you in this tournament?"
"I don't know," Wilhelm said. "I was summoned here. And that can only mean one thing." Wilhelm glanced ominously skyward, searching the stucco tiled ceiling. Rush followed his gaze, and felt the hair stand up on the back of his head, a faint chill running down his spine. He shifted again in his seat, the leather backing giving thankful squeaks that broke the invisible tension.
"Well, so long as you perform, I guess that's all that matters." Rush said with a dismal shake of his head. Wilhelm looked seriously at him.
"I've no interest in your male ballet, understand? I kill monsters. I don't care about anything else." Even as he said it, Rush detected a lie somewhere in there. He frowned, watching Wilhelm's fingers slide softly along a ruddy gold chain linked around his neck.
This man is a psycho, Rush thought and stared sombrely and wide-eyed down into his empty glass before waving to the barkeep to get him another.
"Well, then I hope there's plenty of monsters in this tournament, fella, cause you're in it whether you like it or not."
As he said it, Rush had a feeling like he were being watched, and glanced up from his empty glass to see a woman looking his way from across the bar.
He was no stranger to it, the eyes of an attractive woman. Even though his career prospects had significantly dimmed, he still had the look that made them flock. He didn't need a career for a one-night fling, anyway. He smirked happily to himself as she approached, wading artfully across the room through the small pockets of people lingering in the pub before she came to stand beside their table. "Hi," She said. Rush liked her voice immediately. "Hello there, missy." He winked at Wilhelm who regarded her suspiciously. "Care to sit down? I'll buy you a drink." He smiled and scooted over, clearing a way for her to sit down. Wilhelm glared coldly at him as she sat in the booth next to Rush. "I'm actually here for Mr. Screem." That lilting, sing-song-y quality to her voice suddenly felt sharp to Rush's ears. What the hell does he have that I don't have, Rush thought. Wilhelm seemed neither swayed nor impressed at her presence. "What are you?" He asked, matter-of-factly. It made Rush cringe. She stared back at him with a softly growing smirk on her lips. "I'm the reason you're here, Wilhelm. I'm Alicia Prince. I'm the one who signed you into the Ice Crown tournament." By then the waitress had brought Rush another beer, which he'd swallowed as quickly as the other two. What a night, he thought, and softly asked for another. "Why the hell would you want a guy like him in a tournament like this?" Rush blurted grumpily, his envy and blood-alcohol content mixing for Wilhelm and Alicia to easily see. "You know I'm an actual wrestler, right?" Rush looked ready to cry. The alcohol helping his memory recollect his failures and pool them into the bubbles in his beer. "What are you, a monster? A succubus--or is succubi?" He looked at Wilhelm for guidance. Was he using the words right? Was that even a thing? Wilhelm looked calmly from Rush to Alicia. "No, I'm a wrestling promoter." Rush blinked wearily. "Huh," he said confusedly. "My lady," Wilhelm said, "I'm not a gymnast like these other 'fighters'. Why me?" "Have you ever heard of the Hysminae?" She looked at him evenly, watching his reaction. Wilhelm's expression darkened and he sat quietly and thoughtfully at the mention. Rush scratched his face. "W-what? A His... min... eye?" "Ancient." Wilhelm said after a moment, eyeing Rush with a sobering look of seriousness. "Creatures of lust and vanity. Demons who drink from those who would fight in single combat." "Very good, Mr. Screem. But not just any combat. They feed off combat sports and those who would participate." "They're a myth." Wilhelm said to her. "Like any of the beings you've faced." She answered with a lifted eyebrow and a smirk. Wilhelm brought a hand up to his chin and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "How do you know they're here?" He asked. "All the signs are there. Pro Wrestling. MMA. Arena sports. Today's gladiators fight in rings and octagons. Think of all the careers cut too soon due to ambition and greed, What would make a human being so reckless, and others so thirsty to see more of it? The Hysminae are no myth, Mr. Screem. They've been very active, and feeding on the careers and bloodlust of the last twenty years." Alicia said softly tapping her finger down on the table to make a point. Rush looked harder into his glass as he listened, wondering if-- no. Impossible. "It's human nature to be reckless and stupid," Wilhelm spat, "not the work of demons." "Are you so sure?" She asked. Wilhelm looked away, his brow furled. Alicia reached into her purse and brought out pictures of each competitor of the Ice Crown Tournament. Wilhelm looked at them all with scrutiny. "It could be one of them," she said conspiratorially, "or all of them. We don't know how many Hysminae there are, only that there is a limited number, and they need to feed to survive. They are here for the Ice Crown Tournament, Wilhelm. And we need you to find them, and kill them." The moment hung between those three seated at the table before Rush Williams took another hard chug of his beer, winced at his ever-growing intoxication and spoke up a little too loud for comfort. "Wait, wait, wait. These are regular people. Wrestlers. I think I know them. How are they demons?" Alicia placed a finger over her mouth and relied On Rush's hard-on to follow her silent instruction. "They hide in plain sight. They're either in disguise, living as these people, or they whisper silently in their ear. Pushing them to compete ever harder." Wilhelm remained silent, contemplating the pictures in front of him of ordinary-looking men and women who'd all been brought together to compete for something seemingly meaningless and innocuous. Rush scratched his chin again. "You mean Wilhelm has to kill them there right in the ring?" He asked. "Maybe." Alicia shot him a serious look that made Rush finish his beer. "But the event is televised." Rush said, looking at a picture of Ada Pierce. "That one's kinda hot." Alicia nodded gently at Rush, like she could see right through him before reaching into her bag once more and revealing another photograph. "That's actually how we know the Hysminae are here. This was taken at an IIW Monday Night Mayhem show." The picture lay flat on the table between the three of them like a period on the end of a sentence. Rush looked, and looked hard at the picture before scoffing.
"It's fake." He said. Alicia stared at him before he slowly and timidly looked away. "Well at least we know it's not IN Anthony Phoenix, right?"
"Do we?" Alicia asked, again Rush looked away. "Images of them are rare. Intel even rarer. They are at the Ice Crown tournament, Wilhelm. Find them. Eliminate them."
Wilhelm held Rush steady as they entered the gym well past midnight. Wilhelm had been quiet ever since the meeting with Alicia Prince. Rush had seemingly forgotten about what she'd told them thanks to several more beer.
"You have to cut a promo, duder." He slurred as Wilhelm eased him down onto a ratty old couch.
"A what?"
"A promo! You gotta cut a promo. Everyone loves promos. You'll love it." He stumbled up to his feet and noisily waded into the equipment room. Wilhelm watched with distracted concern as Rush made a mess of gym mats and dumbbells, scattering them across the floor. The Hysminae haunted his vision every time he closed his eyes, and it, or they, were here.
Rush came out several moments later wearing a gaudy green feather boa around his neck and a DSLR camera which he set up in front of Wilhelm.
"What is that?" Wilhelm asked.
"Haven't you ever seen a camera before?" He chided. "Don't worry about it. Talk to this like it's Ada Pierce. I'll edit it all together." He drunkenly clicked record and looked at Wilhelm. "You talk about what you're gonna do to Ada Pierce or something."
Wilhelm frowned at him.
"'do' to her?"
"Yeah, like you're gonna rip her guts out. Stuff like that. It's graps talk. All hype, baby." Rush wobbled and looked at Wilhelm like he was seeing twelve of him.
Wilhelm breathed heavily and sighed, his fingers once more slid smoothly along the links of the ruddy green chain around his neck. In spite of his lack of coherence, Rush noticed.
"What's with the chain?"
Wilhelm stared at him, then down at the chain he rested in his upturned palm.
"It is the last thing I own of my wife."
Rush blinked and felt sober all of a sudden as Wilhelm contemplated the chain in his hand. Rush hovered his finger over the record button, about to stop it before Wilhelm's steady voice pierced the silence.
"Does Ada Pierce know what love is beyond that which she has for herself?"
Rush went back to wobbling. Wilhelm glared at the chain before clenching his fist around it, his voice beginning to tremble.
"Monsters. This world is full of them. Gods that live and die every day worshipping only themselves and demanding the devotion of misguided followers. Unthinking masses who crave nothing but your blood, your sweat, and your tears until they're done with you."
"I'll tell you what I see when I look at you, Ada Pierce. I see what you really are." Wilhelm nodded resolutely to himself.
"Yes, you may fool every eye that sees you, but not mine. You have entered into a very dangerous situation. Everything you care about means nothing to me. The only thing that matters is that I stop you from leaving that ring once you've climbed inside it to face me."
Rush blinked, stupefied and looking up at the various spots and haze surrounding the overhead lights.
"Dude, are you actually going to kill her?"
"If she is what I think she is, then either I kill her, or she kills me. That's the only way out of this for us."
"You only gotta pin her for like 3 seconds." Rush pretended to slap his hand on an imaginary mat. Wilhelm considered it.
"If you are what I think you are, Ada Pierce. Then I won't be able to pin you to anything for 3 seconds." Rush blinked again, considering the logic of it.
"If you are human, then 3 seconds is all it will take, Ada Pierce. When Wilhelm Screem is tasked with a quest he completes that quest, or dies. In my lifetime I have completed countless quests, and I am not yet dead. Fear me, Ada Pierce, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful."
He looked at Rush.
"I have nothing further to say to this camera. Turn it off before it summons Lemodac." Wilhelm stepped off camera and looked downward with a deep frown set on his face. Again, Rush blinked incredulously amidst his drunkeness.
"Lem--lemowhat? Are you saying there's monsters in the camera?" He shut it off abruptly.
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Post by Ada Pierce on Dec 19, 2021 23:48:43 GMT
Noreaster: Aftermath - December 12th, 2021
After defeating Mercedes-Jane Debonair in a hard-fought battle, Ada Pierce stumbles down the backstage hallway, her vision in a haze as she desperately fights to prevent her legs from giving out. Leading up to the match, Ada was driven by nothing other than adrenaline and anger, and with the Mercedes chapter seemingly coming to an end, every bit of strength, every bit of willpower has dissipated, leaving Ada feeling weaker than ever. Fortunately for Pierce, her Sensei, along with his daughter and Ada’s best friend, Vickie, rush to the scene, calling out for the battered Karateka. Feeling a sense of safety, Ada finally collapses to the ground as her adoptive family quickly run in to pick her back up. “Ada!” yells the Sensei as he wastes no time kneeling down, picking his pupil’s head off the ground as Vickie wells up, fearing for her friend’s safety. “You’re okay, kid. You’re okay.” he repeats, attempting to comfort Ada, whose face tells the entire story behind her grueling fight against the woman that has mentally tortured her for months. Vickie angrily yells at a nearby backstage crew member, “can we please get some goddamned medical attention?!”, her concern acting as the fuel to the fire that is her anger. “No!”, yells out the defiant Ada. “I’m… not… I’m not going back to a doctor’s offi- office… I’m… not…” she continues before fading out, losing consciousness. Alarmed, the Sensei picks his student up before rushing her to the IIW medical room.
Bryant Park, NY - Two hours later…
Having been taken to IIW’s medical team and cleared to leave, Ada Pierce is taken to the nearby Bryant Park, a wise choice made by Sensei Sam Burke and his daughter. Laying on the grass, Ada enjoys her time away from the brutality of the ring, simply focusing on her breathing as she stares at the Empire State Building. Vickie, sitting next to her, takes in the atmosphere as Sensei Sam is too busy staring a hole through the Bryant Park Grill. “God, I’m hungry…” he mutters to himself, eliciting a very annoyed response from Vickie. “Could you just go eat, Dad?” she sternly yells as Sam instantly snaps out of it.
“I’m not gonna eat without you two.” he responds, crossing his arms as Ada can’t help but giggle at the father-daughter banter she’s grown to love. “Dad. We’re not hungry. Ada here just got done getting the shit kicked out of her so I don’t think she’s really in the mood for steak.” continues Vickie as Ada sits up, furrowing her brows. “Hey! I did the shit-kicking tonight!” she boldly states as Vickie leans back away from her, raising her eyebrow. “Yeah? I’m pretty sure Mercedes was cackling away in some dark room backstage, sounding like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin while you were too busy losing consciousness on your way to the locker room. So don’t you lecture me on the art of kickin’ shit, understand?” Vickie concludes, dropping the proverbial mic as all Ada can do is pout. Vickie turns to her father for affirmation, asking “Ain’t that right, Da-” only to realize that he’s already halfway to the restaurant. “Goddammit.” she mumbles, the vein on her forehead growing more visible the longer she watches her father leaving them behind to stuff his face. Not wanting her forehead to explode, she turns back to face Ada with a stern expression on her face. “So what the hell happened back at Madison Square Garden? Aside from your leg, I didn’t catch anything that justified your collapse when you made it to the back. What’s going on, A?” questions Vickie, a visibly concerned expression forming on her face as she grills her best friend. Ada looks up at the stars as she takes a deep breath, putting the words together in her head. Ready to speak, Ada licks her bottom lip, letting out a quick exhale.
“I dunno, Vicks. I dunno… I’ve just… I’ve just been so… bloody angry, so vengeful against Mercedes… now that I’ve actually gone ahead and beaten her… I don’t know what to feel… but what I do know is that I feel so… weak…” Ada unknowingly sheds a few tears as a breeze passes her by, alarming her to the cold sensation of the waterworks streaming down her rosy cheeks. She immediately buries her face in her hands as Vickie’s heart is torn apart to see a person she idolizes in this dark mental space.
“A… I don’t know what to say… You had to have known you couldn’t just magically turn someone like her into a happy-go-lucky superheroine by kicking her head in. People like her are on a different plane of existence, dude.” Vickie places her hand on her best friend’s shoulder, giving her a few pats as Ada wipes her tears off her cheeks.
“I just need to control my anger. I wanted nothing more than to kick her head in, and I was so warped up in that fantasy. When fantasy turned to reality, I just felt all that pent up frustration, all that anger, it all just left my head, my body… and I was left with nothing…” Ada’s voice cracks as Vickie smiles at her. Ada finally said something that Vickie can use to prove how wrong her best friend is. “Left with nothing? Goddammit, Ada. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. You just need to stop pushing yourself past the limits. The stuff you do to yourself would break any human being, no matter how strong they are. Any other person would’ve been long done, but you persevere. You keep on truckin’ because your heart is unbreakable. No matter what happens to you, you’ll never break. And I’m not blowing smoke up your ass. I mean it.” concludes Vickie, her smile growing wider as Ada smiles back at her.
“Bloody hell, you always know what to say, don’t you?” responds Ada before laughing as Vickie pats her on the head. “It’s our dynamic. You do some crazy shit, somehow find a way to downplay your achievements, I get pissed and encourage you.” The life-long friends laugh as they take in the beautiful view of New York’s skyscrapers. After a few seconds of nothing but peaceful bliss, Ada spots a decorative snowman in the park, causing her mind to instantly think of the upcoming Ice Crown Tournament. The smile slowly fades from her face as she’s reminded of the newly-posted list of competitor biographies designed to bring IIW newcomers up to speed. Her opponent, Wilhelm Screem, may just be the perfect fit for her. Described as a bare-knuckle cage fighter, Wilhelm sounds exactly like the kind of competitor Ada needs to move onto after dealing with the constant distractions, interferences and mind games from Mercedes-Jane Debonair. But it’s her opponent’s primal description that sticks out to her. A man with no traditional wrestling finishing maneuver, instead hyped up as the kind of fighter who’s looking to permanently end his opponent’s career. Or rather, opponents whom he reportedly views as a “monsters”. Ada’s mind races. Does she exploit this man’s unusual mentality? Go back to the playbook she used against Denise DiMarco, playing into the reality TV, social media influencer role in hopes of bringing the absolute best out of her? Where would she even begin with a man as mysterious as Wilhelm? What could she do to send him into the same frenzy Denise ended up in? Right on cue, almost as if she could read Ada’s mind, Vickie brings up the tournament. “So you signed yourself up for that Ice Crown Tournament, huh?”
Ada snaps out of it, turning to face her best friend once more. She’s unsure if she’s about to be scolded for not allowing herself the time to heal from the war she survived against Mercedes-Jane Debonair. “What made you do that?”
Ada attempts to figure out the answer to that question as Vickie, visibly concerned yet trying to avoid adding more pressure on Pierce, simply looks at her.
“I watched your sit-down with Leana the other day. You said you wanted to know if you could hang with the rest of the IIW locker room, but there’s more to it, isn’t there?” presses Vickie as Ada turns to look at the stars once more. Of course it isn’t that simple…
Burke’s Dojo - December 24th, 2015
Having attended Sensei Sam Burke’s dojo for over a year, Ada Pierce has quickly catapulted herself to the top of her class. Disciplined and well-intentioned, Ada has become known as the star pupil of the dojo at 16 years of age, always willing to help guide her fellow students and training partners down the right path that’s been carved out by Burke’s tutelage. Over the past few weeks, the Sensei has decided he wanted to run a little tournament between his students, challenging them to take on Ada Pierce in free sparring. So far, so good. Ada has come out on top in every single sparring session, earning countless points for her patented spinning heel kick she’d adopt as a finishing move years down the line as a professional wrestler. But on this night, with Vickie Burke in attendance, the next student to volunteer themselves to challenge Ada is none other than Mike Wilson, a boy Ada has run into several times in school and in the arcades. The very same boy to sucker punch Ada when he found himself confronted by her outside of the arcade, he’d seemingly joined the dojo to become a better person. Despite the Sensei giving the boy a second chance, Ada has refused to buy whatever he’s been selling, assuming he’s doing this to mess with her. “Students. It’s time for tonight’s free sparring session between Ada Pierce and Mike Wilson.” the Sensei states in front of his students as he stoically stands in the center of the dojo.
“Despite the personal history between these two students, I am more than confident that they will put on a display that is worth analyzing. Karate, in the end, is a physical art, but it is just as mental as it is spiritual. My hope is for my tutelage, the principles I’ve passed down to each and every single one of you, to be displayed by both Ada and Mike, personal history aside. We all deserve second chances, and despite Mike’s history with Ada and my own daughter, Vickie here, I believe the crucial first-step towards personal betterment and self-actualization cannot come without empathy from our peers.”
Burke turns to look at Ada as she nods at him, agreeing with every single word that’s been said. Despite that, deep down inside, something eats away at Ada. She’d already discussed the idea of allowing Mike Wilson into their dojo with the Sensei, but all she got was a near copy and pasted version of his speech just now. As much as she wants to believe that Mike is no longer the brash, cocky jock of a bully he’s always been, her inner voice is telling her to be careful. Signaled by the Sensei to meet in the middle, the two students do so before Ada bows to her opponent. Mike bows in response, but an ever so slight smirk is visible on his face. “Begin.” orders the Sensei before the students enter their stances. Mike is the first to rush in, throwing out a side kick aimed at Ada’s trunk, allowing her to easily step to the side before quickly grabbing his leg and swiping her hand down on it, causing him to stumble away from her. Allowing her opponent a moment to recover, Ada begins her approach, calculating his weakness before choosing her attack. Testing the waters, Ada dashes in, throwing out a quick flurry of controlled strikes to the torso that are blocked by Mike, but she instantly switches her approach, winding her right leg back before landing a controlled low kick to his shin, securing yet another point.
“Excellent form, Ada.” comments the Sensei, frustrating Mike as he grows visibly angry at his opponent. Beginning to worry, Ada steps away but is caught off guard when Mike recklessly rushes her before throwing out a rising forward kick, a kick she successfully blocks, before eating the full brunt of a high jab to the jaw, knocking her back several steps away from Wilson.
“MIKE! CONTROL YOUR STRIKES!!!” angrily screams the instructor. “I’m so sorry, Sensei! It was an accident.” responds Wilson. “Would you like to continue, Ada?” asks the Sensei before Ada simply nods at him as she wipes her lips, beginning to taste blood. Pierce does everything in her power to prevent herself from kicking Wilson’s head off, but refrains from doing so, opting to act as a positive enforcer of the Sensei’s tutelage as her peers begin to worry. Thinking that it may have been a spur-of-the-moment strike, Ada decides to hold back, going on the defensive to confirm if Mike’s uncontrolled strike was indeed an accident. Mike Wilson appears reluctant to go on the offensive, maintaining his distance from Ada. Happy to concede a few points, Ada decides to test the waters by rushing in before entering a heaven & earth stance, blocking high and low, before attempting a low chop aimed for Mike’s shin. Stepping to the side, Mike punishes Ada’s easily telegraphed attack with a spinning roundhouse kick, completely uncontrolled, his foot crashing against Pierce’s left cheek as she loses her balance, collapsing to the mat.
“THAT IS IT.” screams the Sensei as he prepares to make his way to the center of the mat, only for Ada to yell in defiance. “No! That’ll be his final warning…” proclaims Ada Pierce as she rises to her feet. Vickie, out of respect for the dojo, holds back from unleashing a ten minute long, uninterrupted rant directed at Mike Wilson as her father reluctantly allows the session to continue. Ada smirks as blood begins to trickle down her chin. With a full grin on his face, Mike once again assumes a defensive stance as Vickie looks on in horror, realizing that there is a very high chance of Ada retaliating. Goading him into attacking, Ada dashes in once more, throwing out a mid front kick whilst staying mindful of the spacing as she swiftly backsteps the moment Mike attempts to counter her attack. Off balance, Wilson struggles to return a neutral base as Ada fakes a low right kick before leaping up, spinning in mid-air before landing an uncontrolled spinning heel kick that nearly sends Mike’s head flying out of the dojo as he hits the mats hard, seemingly knocked out cold. “ENOUGH!” yells out the Sensei before rushing over to the barely conscious Mike Wilson as Ada heavily breathes in and out, the cut on her bottom lip continuing to leak. Seeing red, she turns to the students. “And that is how you handle little piece of shit bullies like him.” Ada confidently and emphatically states. Angered, the Sensei is quick to respond. “Watch your mouth, Pierce!” Confused by Burke’s anger being directed towards her, Ada bites her tongue, holding her tears back before tearing her uwagi off before tossing it at him. “You know what, Sensei? I’m done. Have fun with your ‘second chances’. I’m done.”
Heartbroken, Pierce storms out of the dojo as Vickie gives chase, leaving the students speechless as the Sensei cannot help but blame himself for allowing a rotten apple like Mike the chance to directly attack Ada Pierce…
Bryant Park, NY - December 12th, 2021
“Let me guess… you’re thinking about that time you knocked Mike Wilson’s ass out in front of everybody in the dojo, right?”
Taken aback by Vickie’s mind reading, Ada’s eyes widen. “You really need to turn your podcast into a call-in fortune telling show.” “Oh come on, A. Talk to me.” warmly asks Vickie, inviting Ada to open up.
“Alright, fine. Whatever. Yes. I was thinking of that day.” responds Ada before letting out a heavy sigh. “That was basically my first ever ‘tournament’ if you could even call it that and I totally blew up.” continues Ada with an irritated tone as she furrows her brows.
“For god’s sake, Ada! How many times do I have to tell you that you were justified in doing what you did?! That little asshole was still fuming over our confrontation when we stopped him from bullying that poor kid. The whole motivation behind him joining the dojo was to throw you off, make you feel like you were unsafe. And when he pulled that garbage, you made an example out of him.” continues Vickie, her voice hardening the longer she goes on. “Vicks, if I could go back in time to 2015 and relive that night… I wouldn’t change a goddamned thing about what I did to Mike. The only thing I wish I could take back is what I said to your Dad, but even then, I still believed in what I did. I’ve grown wiser since then, but people like Mercedes-Jane proved to me that I have a ways to go when it comes to keeping my emotions in check. The reason I felt like I was dying after my match tonight is because of my bloody heart. So I have to do this. I have to put myself in a situation that'll undoubtedly bring me back to a day I loathe thinking about. And if I can't keep my cool... if I can't control my emotions... maybe I don't deserve to be here. Maybe I don't deserve to face someone like Stephanie LaCroix for the Evolution Championship...” Pierce continues as her voice begins to crack. “Sure, I just secured yet another shot at the Evolution championship, but I need this tournament. I need it to know that even when I’m faced with a bloody ‘Monster Hunter’, I can keep my cool, and when need be, take the figurative gloves off.” Pierce states with conviction as she maintains her eye contact with Vickie. Vickie nods along, hanging on every word to come out of Ada’s mouth… until she realizes what Ada just said. “Hold on… 'Monster Hunter'?” Vickie asks with a blank expression on her face. “Dude, did you not see Wilhelm’s bio on the IIW website?” questions Ada, her eyes widening before Vickie shakes her head, prompting the Karateka to waste no time pulling her phone out. After searching for the page, she scrolls down to Wilhelm’s section before handing her phone over to Vickie. “Tell me that’s not Necalli from Street Fighter V.”
“That is totally Necalli from Street Fighter V.”
“I’m fighting Necalli from Street Fighter V.”
“Dude.”
“Dude.”
“Who the hell is Necalli?”
Ada and Vickie yell out, startled by the Sensei’s sudden re-appearance as he holds a giant ice cream cone in his hand with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. Opting to avoid explaining the character’s lore and with giant grins on their faces, Ada and Vickie’s synchronized fangirling is halted when Vickie takes the time to read Wilhelm’s bio as the more she reads, the more her smile goes away. “Uhh…”
“What?”
“Wilhelm has apparently pursued, fought and KILLED countless monsters across the 9 realms…” stutters Vickie as Ada’s grin grows even wider. “Literally the sickest thing I’ve ever read in my entire life.” excitedly responds the Karateka. Vickie slowly hands Ada’s phone back to her, her smile completely wiped off her face as she reaches out, placing her hand on Pierce’s shoulder. “…Ada, I’m worried.”
“Nonsense!” yells Ada, dismissing Vickie’s concerns. “Ada.”
“Vickie.”
“He’s killed monsters.” Vickie breathlessly responds to Ada, with very visible fear in her eyes. “He’s killed monsters, Vickie.” responds Ada, her grin growing wider. “Killed.” Vickie repeats, her eyes widening. “Actual murder.” Ada excitedly nods. “Monsters.” Continues Vickie, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. “Mons-… what’re you trying to imply? Why do you think he's going to kill me? You calling me a monster?” Ada irritably questions, raising her eyebrow.
“Yeah, you callin’ Ada a monster, Vickie?” adds the Sensei, raising his eyebrow in perfect synchronicity with Ada. “No, I- I didn’t- JUST EAT YOUR FRIGGIN’ ICE CREAM!” screams Vickie, her veins popping out of her forehead once again. “Fine, jeez.” Burke trails off, opting to continue demolishing his ice cream cone. “Ada, you literally just, and I hope to god, JUST ended your rivalry with a witch.”
“And?”
“And now you’re fighting a Monster Hunter from a different timeline who’s fought monsters and skinwalkers across the 9 realms?”
“…well when you put it like that…” Pierce trails off, biting her lip.
“You’re cursed.” responds Vickie, cutting to the chase. “I’m not cursed!” yells Ada, offended that Vickie would even make such a claim. “A witch literally headhunted you for a few months and now you’ve got the head of the Wildlings coming after you all the way from Westeros!”
“HEY, THEY’RE CALLED THE FREE FOLK!” the Karateka angrily yells out, taking exception to Vickie’s Game of Thrones-related bigotry. “WHATEVER!”
“Shut up, the both of you!” yells the Sensei, cutting through the tension like a heated knife going through a stick of butter.
“Listen, Ada… We both know that you haven’t exactly been sticking to your principles. And I’ve been giving it a lot of thought…” the Sensei trails off for a moment as Ada’s eyes widen, unsure of the conclusion Burke has reached.
“Some things you did, enforced based on your beliefs, they may not have had a place in our dojo. But I was wrong in trying to force you out of your own beliefs when it came the wrestling world. The truth is… you were right.” states the Sensei, finally admitting it.
“Hallelujah!” screams Vickie as Ada cannot help but laugh. “Don’t make me take it back!” her father responds angrily before continuing.
“But, yeah. You were right. I’ve been doing my own research on this Wilhelm fellow, and while there isn’t much to go on, I believe that Ada is in for the fight of her life. So you two can joke around about video games all you want, but our training must adapt to this new environment in the tournament. No more walls, no more barriers. And… no more of me trying to force Ada to do things my way.” The waterworks are seconds away as Ada’s face reddens, unable to find the words to describe her appreciation for Sensei Burke.
“Because whether I like it or not, Ada may have crossed some lines I didn’t want to see her cross, but she’s brought results. Justice. And in the end, her resolve, the things that drive her to do what she’s doing is everything I wanted her stand for. So I’m done limiting you, kid. I’m done trying to hold you back. For a man like Wilhelm… we need to be united. We must work together and devise the correct plan, the correct approach for a man like him. And I know where to start.” he concludes in a confident, calm tone. “Care to fill us in?” questions Vickie. “Later. For now, Ada needs her rest. Now let’s head home, it’s getting late.”
The Sensei offers his hand to Ada, his eyes filled with pride and joy for his prized pupil. With a bright smile on her face, Pierce takes his hand, allowing him to pull her up to her feet. Having poured everything out to her best friend, Ada is once again filled with the resolve that’s carried her through the harshest challenges throughout her life. With only four days left until their return to Manchester, Sensei Burke is set to make the most of it with a plan that’s guaranteed to prepare Ada for whatever Wilhelm is set to bring to the table. A plan that is guaranteed to let Wilhelm know that Ada will not go down easily.
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Post by Screem on Dec 24, 2021 19:34:06 GMT
Wilhelm dodged Arachnido's blow and felt it glance off the outside of his shoulder. The clumsy, angry punch left his side open. Ordinarily, Wilhelm would stick a blade into the exposed rib cage and twist. He'd thrust forward with his body and lift the beast, creature, devil, or whatever it was up off whatever it had for feet and use gravity against it to drive it down into the floor.
Wilhelm didn't have a knife inside the Rebelscum Wrestling School training ring as he faced down, once more, with Arachnido, the young luchadore who'd so easily schooled and bested him his first day of 'training', if you could call it that. But he had his fists, and all the momentum he needed to push forward. Wilhelm slammed into Arachnido like a truck, one fist jamming up into his side like he were digging for the young man's lungs. The look in Arachnido's eyes told Wilhelm what the breath knocked out of his lungs could not: bullseye.
The small gathering of trainees and coaches of the school slapped their hands on the ring apron, cheering for this surprise sparring match. None of them expected Wilhelm to fare much better than his initial showing suggested of his in-ring ability. Arachnido's back slammed into the mat, shuddering the ring board with Wilhelm landing on top of him. Arachnido kicked his knees up and thrust Wilhelm over onto his back. A narrow escape. Wilhelm was up to a crouch watching as Arachnido breathlessly clamoured back to his feet, favouring his side where a deep red bruise now resided.
Wilhelm felt his heart thumping calmly in his chest as he rose to his feet, eyeing Arachnido down. The kid was scared. For the first time since they'd started fighting he knew Wilhelm meant business. A smirk crept onto his lips as he watched Arachnido feint left, looking for an opening. But there was something in the kid's eyes that caught Wilhelm's attention, something that wasn't there before. At least something he hadn't noticed till now. As Wilhelm breathed in and out steadily, he closed his eyes and listened. And then it was there. The loud din and raucous shouting of the eager observers in the gym was a hissing, demonic whisper.
"Fiiiiight. Fiiiiiiight." A shadow outlined Arachnido's body for just a second even in spite of the bright overhead light. For a brief moment Wilhelm saw a second face hiding behind his opponent's masked human face. Wilhelm's smile faded.
"Abyssal speech," he whispered to himself. "You're a demon." The second face hiding within Arachnido smiled and lunged at Wilhelm.
A Hysminae here, in this gym. The thought reverberated in Wilhelm's mind as it lunged at him. There was no time to question how it had slipped past his notice, though he wondered if every single one of the members of the school were also presently inhabited with demons. He could see shadow like arms reaching out past the limit of Arachnido's fingers as it lunged for him. Wilhelm acted quickly. He sidestepped, praying the damage he'd done to the creature's human form would affect it. As the creature thankfully stumbled, Wilhelm drove a knee into that injured side and forced Arachnido's infested body to curve painfully into the ropes.
Wilhelm gripped the top rope on either side of the monster's neck and forcefully tugged with all his strength till the ropes were wrapped tightly around the inhabited skin. And then he wrenched backward hearing the inhuman but threatened gasping coming from its mouth.
"Begone, Wilhelm growled, digging his knee in harder to the demon's spine as it struggled helplessly.
All at once several sets of strong hands grasped Wilhelm's shoulders and threw him backwards. Before he could sit up he watch as Bas Garvy and the other coaches of Rebelscum hurriedly freed Arachnido from the ropes. The young luchadore, blue in the face, dropped to his knees and clutched his throat, greedily gulping in oxygen.
"The fuck are you doing?" Bas barked down at him. "It's a goddamn wrestling match not a deathmatch, you psycho."
Wilhelm was stunned, watching several of the other trainees heft Arachnido up by the arms and drag him out of the ring. 'Give him some air,' they said, and laid him on his back while another went to call an ambulance.
"He's a demon." Wilhelm growled and stood up, ready to finish what he'd started. Bas, easily 2 times Wilhelm's size towered over him like a silverback gorilla.
"What are you talking about?" Wilhelm stood and stared down this human-shaped obstacle. "It's a human being, you nutcase."
Wilhelm blinked and glanced at Arachnido outside the ring staring back at him in utter, human terror. Wilhelm blinked again and looked.
No demon. Nothing but a scared 20-something struggling to catch his breath.
"You mean you can't--" Wilhelm suddenly wasn't sure if he could see it, or if he ever had.
Bas glared venomously at Wilhelm before easing his muscles and loosening his clenched fists. "Hit the showers. We'll talk later." Then he turned to make sure Arachnido was okay.
Wilhelm panted heavily as he looked at Arachnido being tended to by the entirety of the school. It was there. He'd seen it, hadn't he? While he slid out of the ring and moved toward the gym locker room he watched for some trace or sign of the demon he was sure was hiding within, but nothing came.
Paramedics arrived and took Arachnido to hospital as a precautionary measure. Bas didn't tell them the truth about what happened. He'd caught more than a few angry stares from the other wrestlers, trainees who liked Arachnido more than some upstart newcomer who had tried to kill him in the ring. Bas watched them file out of the gym for the day and wondered if some would come back. It was time to call the IIW and let them know their developmental talent may not be mentally fit for his match on the 26th. Before he could dial the number a figure entered his doorway. He looked up to see Alicia Prince standing there. "Bas Garvy?" She asked. Bas softened immediately at the sound of her voice. Smiling uncertainly. "Yes?" "I'm Alicia Prince. Wilhelm Screem's representative for this IIW tournament." Bas felt relieved. "I was just about to call you." He said. "I was coming to check on Wilhelm's progress." Bas put the phone down and sat down with a heavy sigh, inviting her into his office, and into the seat across from his desk. Alicia Prince smiled politely, folding her arms and stepping inside wearily. "I'll stand, thanks." Bas looked at her. Pretty. But then who in this industry wasn't these days? "So?" She asked, startling Bas who had seemingly lost himself as he examined her features. "Wilhelm tried to kill one of my students today." "But he didn't," Alicia cut in swiftly. Bas rolled his eyes. "No. But he would have. The kid's lucky we were as close to the ring as we were or else he'd be a goner." Alicia looked downward and searched the floor with a frown on her face. Bas wondered why she wasn't more concerned than she seemed to be. "Did you hear me? You put this Screem guy into that tournament and something bad's gonna happen." "Well the kids want entertainment," Alicia said sarcastically. "He's going to hurt someone on live television, lady. Or worse. I cannot clear him to compete." "You have a contract to fulfill, Mr. Garvy," Alicia looked him solidly in the eye. Bas shook his head. "I can't--" "I'll double it." Alicia interrupted. "Triple it," she added. Bas looked to make sure she was serious. She didn't look away. "The man's unstable. Thinks he's fighting demons." "Sounds like an entertaining watch," she said pushing off the wall and examining Bas' assorted wrestling trophies and pictures on the wall of his various exploits and achievements. "Look," she continued, "Wilhelm's a unique guy. A man on a mission. Think about it. He could go far in a tournament like this. A missile that needs only to be directed at a target. The IIW believes Wilhelm could be a star. Like you," she turned to face him. Bas blinked, thinking about it. "Triple?" He asked finally after a long bout of consideration. Alicia smiled. Wilhelm stood under the steaming hot water for 30 minutes. In the wilderness, on his usual hunt, he knew very few comforts like this. In front of the locker room mirror, Wilhelm regarded the face staring back at him with indifference. Just a shell, he thought. His eyes lowered the ruddy, old gold necklace around his neck and felt his expression sadden. "You're worried," came her voice. He looked up into the mirror to see her standing beside him. He smiled, and turned to face her. "Did I, or did I not see a demon of darkness and shadow dwelling within that boy?" He asked with concern, searching his wife's pretty features. "I cannot answer that," came her reply like dissipating steam from the shower spray. Wilhelm felt his head hang. "Are they real? The Hysminae?" "Of course they're real. But seeing them will not be easy. Defeating them less so. They can be anyone. Hide in plain sight, or blend into the background. They're everywhere, Wilhelm. And they're very dangerous. You need to beware." "What if I can't beat them?" He asked. She smiled. "You always find a way." "I want nothing other than to be with you," he said, gulping silently, a tear appearing in the small corner of his eye. Her hand gently grazed his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her palm wanting to fall into her embrace forever. "Wilhelm?" Bas Garvy's deep voice echoed off the locker room walls. Wilhelm glanced over at the doorway where he stood. "Who are you talking to?" Wilhelm looked to his wife, he smiled serenely back at him. Wilhelm lowered his gaze guiltily. "It is no one." He turned to face Bas who walked slowly toward him. "Am I to leave?" "Someone out there is watching over you, fella." Wilhelm watched Bas' features hide in the darkness of the dimly lit locker room and readied his fists. "No. You're here to till the first night of the Ice Crown Tournament. What happens after that, whatever becomes of you isn't up to me." Bas swung his hands in front of him uncomfortably as if trying to clear the air of the awkward sensation hanging over him. Wilhelm nodded, half wishing they'd kick him out. It would be easier, he thought. He was about to turn back towards the his clothes draped over the locker room bench before he glanced at Bas. "What happened to the other man. Rush?" Rush nodded. "That's what I was going to ask you. He never showed up for work today. No answer at his apartment." Wilhelm's heart thudded dully in his chest. "Show me where he lives." Rush Williams lived in a string of low-rent apartments several blocks from Rebelscum gym. Wilhelm walked briskly with Bas who kept his hands folded in his jacket pockets as much to ward off the cold winter night as to hide the fact he was nervous to be walking next to Wilhelm.
"Aren't you cold?" Bas asked, noting Wilhelm's fur jacket, wool trousers and bare feet stepping along the snowy pavement.
"No," Wilhelm stared at Bas as they kept walking. Bas shook his head. Just a few more days and this guy would be gone and hopefully eliminated from the tournament, or even better -- arrested and behind bars.
"This is it," he said stopping in front of the front abbey stoop of Rush's apartment flat. Wilhelm stood off to the side as Bas knocked on the door and waited. After a moment the landlady came to the door holding her bathrobe cinched tight around her.
"Wot ya want then? It's late." She said.
"I work with Rush Williams. Here to check on him, is he home?" She looked him over before spying Wilhelm.
"Who's this then?"
"Another of Rush's friends. Is he alright?"
It took her moment of sizing both Bas and Wilhelm up. She looked like she'd seen more than enough in her life. She slowly pulled back leaving the door open enough for Bas and Wilhelm to enter the front hallway of the ratty old apartment building.
Her apartment was on the first floor, right behind her with the door hanging open and the television blasting. The apartments stretched down the hallway and up the stairs. Wilhelm looked around.
"Is his this one upstairs then?" Bas asked. She nodded and looked squarely at Bas.
"Weird sounds up there today. Like moaning. Sounded like death or something. Then banging. I didn't check because it's not 24 hours yet. Is he into them drugs again?" Bas' expression darkened. Wilhelm leaned in.
"Has anyone been to visit him?" At this she regarded Wilhelm with the first glimmer of worry. She shook her head.
"We're going to up see him." Bas said and moved for the stairs. The landlady spoke up.
"Something. Sounded like something went up the stairs earlier, but never came back down." Bas narrowed his eyes, and looked at Wilhelm.
She cinched the bathrobe tighter around her and she backed carefully into her apartment.
"You go on up then. Let me know if I should call the police." She closed her door. Wilhelm could see her shadow standing at the door, peeking out at them through the peephole.
With nighttime shrouding the hallway, the pair of them stepped softly up the steps towards Rush's apartment. Bas kept looking over his shoulder at Wilhelm who didn't seem as spooked as Bas felt.
Together they came to stand before Rush's apartment door. Bas felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Wilhelm looked down at the crack under the doorway. Nothing but darkness.
Bas looked worried as he readied his hand to knock on the door, feeling like he needed to steel himself. He felt like a teenager at a haunted house. He knocked.
Quiet.
Bas looked at Wilhelm. Something creaked inside the apartment.
"Rush?" Bas called, knocking again. Nothing. Wilhelm gripped the door handle and turned the knob. The door was unlocked.
The pair stepped into Rush's apartment uncertainly.
The first thing they noticed was the living room window was open, breathing freezing cold air in. Light from the street spilled into the apartment. Bas looked at his breath. Wilhelm looked ready.
"They like the cold," He said and walked carefully with his fists up down the hallway toward the bedroom.
"What likes the cold?" Bas asked after him, suddenly feeling very vulnerable alone in Rush's apartment without Wilhelm. "What likes the cold?" He repeated.
Hurriedly, Bas moved after Wilhelm. Down the curiously long hallway Bas could see Wilhelm standing in the open doorway of the bedroom that shone bright light out into the darkness beyond. Bas caught up, and fixed his eyes on what Wilhelm was staring at.
It was Rush Williams dead on his bed.
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Post by Ada Pierce on Dec 25, 2021 3:03:52 GMT
Hell’s Kitchen, NY - Vickie Burke’s Apartment - December 15th, 2021
“You’ve gotta be shittin’ me.”
As Vickie Burke angrily questions her father in the kitchen, a breathless and fatigued Ada Pierce enters the apartment, returning from her jog to hear her childhood friend confronting the Sensei as he holds a piece of paper in his hand, shrugging at his daughter’s questioning. Confused, Ada removes her beanie, tossing it at the couch as she begins her own line of questioning, directing it at both Vickie and Sam.“What? What now?” Ada asks as her frustration is painted all over her reddened visage. With a day left until their return flight, Ada would prefer to avoid any unnecessary drama that could sour their trip to New York City at the very end of it.“It’s… it’s nothing.” responds Vickie as she looks down at the kitchen counter, balling her hand in a fist. The Sensei turns to face Ada with an innocent, almost shocked look on his face, reminiscent of a deer looking directly at a pair of oncoming headlights in the middle of the night.The Karateka’s frustration quickly turns to anger as she follows up on her questioning, this time cutting to the chase with a threat. “I will kick the both of ya. Talk.”Vickie’s chill song playlist playing on the television in the living room serves as a stark contrast to the heated tension Ada’s found herself walking into as ‘All the Jingle Ladies’ by jobii plays. Finally, the Sensei sighs before attempting to explain the situation.“You remember when we were in the park a few days ago? After Noreaster? I mentioned a plan, right?” the Sensei asks, his shaky tone indicating that he may not be completely comfortable with said plan.“What about it?” Ada inquires as she slips out of her black hoodie.“Well… this is it.” Sam answers as he places the piece of paper on the kitchen counter, flattening it with his palm as Ada steps closer to take a look.
“What in the ever-loving shit, Dad?” Vickie interjects, angered by whatever Sam’s got planned. Ada raises an eyebrow as she looks at the amateurish poster, but what catches her attention is the date this event is set to take place on: December 20th, 2021. Four days after she and the Sensei were originally meant to fly out of New York and return to Manchester in preparation for the Ice Crown Tournament.“What is this?” Ada asks, causing her Sensei to take a deep breath as he prepares to explain things. “It’s a truckload of shit is what it is.” Vickie interjects once more, forcing a chuckle out of Sam as he turns to her. His daughter, however, doesn’t find any of this funny, shooting daggers at her father, staring a hole through his soul.“This is not a truckload of shit. This, Ada… this is how you prepare for the tournament. This is how you prepare for Wilhelm Screem.” “But it’s on the 20th. We watchin' this when we’re back home? Is it streaming anywhere?” Ada further inquires with a raised eyebrow, doubting this event to be made available on any streaming service, judging it based on its terrible poster.“Oh, he delayed your flight. Yeah. You’re headed back to Manchester AFTER this event.” Vickie explains, furiously nodding with every word that comes out of her mouth as Ada’s eyes widen, not knowing what to make of this. The Sensei, beginning to sweat, decides he needs to dig himself out of the hole and quickly explain the plan.“Here’s the deal. When I left you two in the park to get some food, halfway through, I realized… I wasn’t that hungry…” Sam explains as his shaky cadence is replaced by a much more serious, engaged tone.“Thankfully, they were selling ice cream cones. And so… I purchased a cone. It was vanilla if I recall correc-“ “DAD, I WILL MURDER YOU! GET TO THE POINT!!!” his daughter screeches, causing Ada to finally break, doubling over as she explodes in a fit of laughter while Vickie eyes the nearest kitchen knife.“I’m getting to it!” “Get to it faster!!!”
“Alright! So here I am. Standing outside the restaurant, vanilla cone in my hand, when some young man approaches me and hands me THAT poster. He tells me that I look like the kind of man who would enjoy an underground cage fighting event such as this. Whatever that means.”That final line nearly causes Vickie to break, the mere visual of that encounter in her head making it nearly impossible to avoid laughing, but she grins and bears through the urge to crack as her father, leaning against the kitchen counter, continues to recount the events of the night with a painful amount of detail.“So I smile and nod, accepting the boy’s poster as he explained the ‘Open Fight Night’ concept to me. I wasn’t giving it much thought. But then it dawned on me… as the boy started to walk away, I looked at the poster… and the ice cream… the cage fight… the ice cream…”“I swear I’m gonna kill you.” Vickie interrupts once more, but as she attempts to reach over for the knife, Sam yells at the top of his lungs.“ICE CROWN TOURNAMENT!” the Sensei shouts as emphatically as possible, causing both Vickie and Ada to cover their ears as he raises his arms in triumph.“Ice! Crown! Tournament! It’s PERFECT!” he continues, slamming his hand down on the poster.“So I caught up with him and made him explain the event in detail. This is what you need, Ada. This is what I meant when I said I’d stop forcing my way on you. I’m embracing the path you’ve carved out for yourself. This is exactly what you need.” Sam concludes, having explained the backstory behind how he got the poster, but having left out crucial details, the overwhelmed Ada throws her hands up, taken aback by her Sensei’s out-of-character excitement over an underground fighting event.“Okay, whoah. Hold it. Look, Sensei… I really appreciate the enthusiasm but… you haven’t explained what we’re even doing here. The tournament isn’t too far off, and I can’t believe I’m being the reasonable one here, but shouldn’t we just pack up and head out? Delaying the flight just so we can watch this show? I can’t imagine it’s that valuab-“ suddenly, the Sensei raises his hand, interrupting Ada with a giant grin on his face.“Ah, ah. Not watching. Participating.” “Jesus Christ.” mutters the Sensei’s daughter, facepalming in response to her father’s ridiculous suggestion.“…Participating…?” Ada questions, crossing her arms as she leans against the wall. In response, the Sensei gleefully nods, his grin growing even wider.“I’m so sorry about him, A. I shouldn’t have left half that Red Bull on the counter, he must’ve… Ada…?” To Vickie’s surprise, Ada’s confused and overwhelmed expression has been completely wiped off her face, replaced with a smirk as she nods back at Sam.“…You can’t be serious.” The Sensei and Student turn to face Vickie, now nodding at her in perfect synchronicity. “…Seriously? You two are seriously gonna make me the reasonable one here?!” yells Vickie, slamming her palm on the kitchen counter, baffled by Ada’s reaction.“The ‘Open Fight Night’ deal means this guy here,” the Sensei taps the fighter’s face on the poster with his index finger before continuing, “Anthony Giugliano, the promotion’s top fighter, is putting out an open challenge to local fighters in the area. And I just so happened to tell that kid that I have just the fighter to sign up for it. What better way to prepare for someone as unorthodox as Wilhelm Screem than to accept this man’s challenge?” the Sensei asks, his grin somehow growing even wider as Vickie scoffs at him.“And I keep telling you that this promotion is organized by the scum of Hell’s Kitchen. I live here. I know this joint. It’s complete garbage and I don’t want Ada involved.” concludes Vickie, slamming her hand down on the counter once more as she refuses to take this as lightly as her father.Ada takes exception to Vickie’s refusal to give them her blessing, asking “You don’t think I can take this bloke?” as her smirk is replaced by visible disappointment. Vickie smacks herself on the forehead as that was not what she meant.“Ada, I think you can kick the crap out of every single scumbag in this promotion. I just don’t want you getting involved in this barely legal racket before the goddamned tournament. Who knows what kinda shit they’d pull if you went in there and beat their prized fighter? Like, am I crazy for thinking you should be training your ass off for an opponent which we have no idea what he’s capable of? It’s not like we can just flip on an episode of Mayhem and study him. We don’t know where this friggin’ Wildling came from!” Vickie continues, throwing her arms up in the air as frustration takes hold of her.“…Free Folk.” “WHAT. EVER. Come on, Ada!” With a spectacular failure of an attempt to lighten the mood, Ada nudges herself away from the wall, placing her hand on the counter as she takes a deep breath before exhaling, shutting her eyes as she contemplates Vickie’s words. Before long, she comes to her decision, looking directly into the Sensei’s eyes as she speaks.“Sam… I’m sorry. She’s right. I can’t do this. As much as I want to… I shouldn’t.” Ada places her hand on Sam’s shoulder, her empathetic face softening the blow of disappointment the Sensei has endured. This was an attempt to change up the pace and stray away from his usual strict demeanor regarding Ada’s preparations, but deep down, he knows that Vickie’s right. And a big part of him is proud of Ada for deciding against it, expressing his pride through a bright smile as he pulls Ada in for a quick hug.“Well… I’m still glad we extended the stay. I get to hang out with my kiddo over here for a little while longer.” the Sensei lovingly states as he pulls Vickie in for a group hug. As the three embrace in the kitchen, Ada’s mind begins to race, thinking of the possibilities her involvement in the Open Fight Night could bring, how valuable the experience could prove to be. But then again, is it needed for the tournament? How unhinged could this Wilhelm Screem actually be? Deciding to pass off his backstory on IIW’s website as promotional tactics, a way to get people to tune in, Ada opts to forget about this underground event. Better to stick to what she knows best, what has carried her through the toughest competition First Class has had to offer than to risk suffering an injury before the big tournament…
School Cafeteria - January 19th, 2016
A 16-year-old Ada Pierce sits in the cafeteria next to her best friend, Vickie Burke, passing the time as they plan their outing the second the school day ends. Planning to hit up the arcade, Ada and Vickie are ecstatic over the fact that Street Fighter V’s release is just under a month away. Unfortunately, the two friends’ conversation is brought to a halt when Mike Wilson, the boy who’s been targeting Ada since late 2014 when he was confronted by her, storms his way into the cafeteria. Alerted by his presence, Ada’s nerves go haywire as she prepares for the worst, locking eyes with him, but despite the dirty look he gives to her and Vickie, Mike surprisingly walks past them, making a beeline for another student.“What do you think he wants…?” Vickie whispers to Ada, worried about where this may go as the last time she saw him, he was getting his ass handed to him by Ada for crossing the line in Sensei Burke’s dojo.“Dunno… keep an eye on him.” Ada responds as she pushes the lunch tray away from her, placing her hands on the table.Suddenly and without warning, things go from zero to a million when Mike grabs a smaller boy’s head before slamming it down on his lunch tray.“You been telling people about what Ada did last month?! Huh?!” shouts the bully, silencing the entire cafeteria.“N-No! It wasn’t me, I swear!” the boy pleads, unable to defend himself as the larger Mike Wilson keeps his head pinned down against the table. Having heard enough of this garbage, Ada decides to make her voice heard.“HEY! Why don’t you PISS OFF and leave him alone?!” Pierce shouts at the top of her lungs, causing Mike to chuckle in response.“My business is with this little bastard, not you. Now shut your bloody mouth before I decide to turn my attention to you.” he responds, prompting Ada to instantly leave her seat, slicking her hair back as she stomps her way over to Wilson.“Leave him alone.” Pierce states, clearly and sternly as she balls her hands into fists.Mike scoffs, releasing the poor kid as he turns to face Ada.“Your funeral.” the bully responds before attempting to catch Ada off-guard with a haymaker, only for Ada to step back, ducking underneath the strike before grabbing his arm, twisting it, pressing it against his spine before slamming his head down on the same lunch tray he’d pinned the innocent boy’s skull on.“Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” Pierce taunts as Mike wiggles around, attempting to free himself as he shoots an elbow back with his free arm. Seeing it coming, Ada moves her head out of the way before slamming Mike’s face down on the tray again, again and again.“Here’s what’s gonna happen… you’re gonna apologize to him and make sure that everybody in this cafeteria can clearly hear you say that you’re never gonna bother anybody ever again. Got it, mate?” “Urgh! Let me go, you slag!“ Seeing red, Pierce repeatedly slams Wilson’s head on the tray. Once. Twice. Thrice. Reduced to tears, Mike has no more insults to yell out at Ada or anyone else, prompting her to repeat herself.“Wrong bloody answer, you git! Apologize to him and tell everyone you’re never gonna bother-“ Without warning, a man’s voice echoes throughout the cafeteria, shouting “PIERCE!”.Ada turns her attention to the entrance, realizing the headteacher has just walked in on her beating the crap out of Mike Wilson. Despite the fact that he’d started it, a sense of dread washes over Ada, seemingly forgetting that she still has Wilson restrained.“Unhand Wilson right this instant!” the headteacher barks, alerting Ada to the fact that she still has Mike pinned down. Wasting no time, Ada releases him as the headteacher motions for her to follow him immediately…Mr. Thompson’s Office - Four Minutes Later...
Having been desperately trying to get ahold of Ada’s parents, the headteacher finally gives up, opting to leave a message, realizing that nobody is going to be picking up the phone. He lets out an extended sigh as Ada looks down on the floor, knowing that Mr. Thompson would be wasting his time in attempting to contact her parents.“Mrs. Pierce, it’s Mr. Thompson. If you’re there, please call back as soon as possible. It’s about your daughter.” As he hangs up, Ada raises her head, looking directly at him with a frown on her face.“Nobody’s coming. So you may as well just give me the speech and be done with it.” Taken aback by Ada’s rebellious attitude, Thompson decides to pressure the student.“Ada, do you not realize that you need to show some restraint when you’re here? Do you not realize that it’s not okay for you to assault a fellow student in front of everybody else? Did you not see how uncomfortable you made everyone with your little stunt?” Thompson asks, inadvertently causing Ada to snap.“Do YOU not realize that Mike Wilson is the biggest piece of shit in here and that he constantly harasses other students, including me and Vickie Burke INSIDE and OUTSIDE the school?!” Pierce defiantly shouts back at the headteacher, causing him to raise his voice.“Watch your language, young lady!” “I’ll watch my language and show some bloody restraint when you decide to get over your moronic “boys will be boys” attitude and do something about this! Because when you don’t, you leave other students to take matters into their own hands, and that’s EXACTLY what I DID.” Taken by surprise, Thompson leans away, realizing that there is absolutely no way for him to get through to Ada. Thinking he’s left with no other choice, he responds.“That’s it. Gather your things. You’re suspended until your mum comes in to meet with me.” “So, I’m suspended forever. Nice.” “That’s enough!” With tears in her eyes, Ada leaves her seat, stomping her way to the door. But as she grabs the door handle, Pierce stops in her tracks. As a single tear rolls down her cheek, she turns around, facing Thompson with so much pain written all over her face.“I just wanted you to know that… what I did to Wilson is exactly what he’s been doing to many, many other students. Not just the one I protected earlier. So before you get on your high horse and tell me how to conduct myself, you should take a look at him before you talk to me.” “…Go home, Ada.” With nothing left to say, Ada swings the door wide open before leaving the office, slamming the door behind her…Hell’s Kitchen, NY - Vickie Burke’s Apartment - December 20th, 2021 - 7:32 PM
Having spent the day lazing around, Ada sits on the couch, passing the time by playing on her Switch while Sensei Sam Burke sits on the other end, reading Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” for, most likely, the millionth time. For a reason Ada cannot quite place her finger on, she’s recently been remembering several traumatic events throughout her childhood, all leading back to her school bully and nemesis, Mike Wilson, and with a particularly bad memory coming back to her the previous night, Ada has decided to spend this day unwinding and staying warm in the comfort of Vickie Burke’s apartment. All appears to be going well… until Vickie approaches the couch with an incredibly disturbed expression on her face as she holds her phone. Noticing her, Ada sets her Switch to sleep mode before retreating off the couch, placing her hand on Vickie’s shoulder.“Jesus, you okay, Vicks? You look like you’ve seen a ghost…” “Uhm… did you see the little promo thing Wilhelm released today…?” “…No?” Vickie isn’t quite sure how and where to start. What she watched is… peculiar, to say the least. And for someone who’s only experienced Ada’s toughest foes from a second-hand perspective, it’s understandable for Vickie to be as shaken as she is at this moment. Unable to formulate the words required to explain what she saw, all Vickie can say is…“…I think you guys should extend your stay here until First Class comes back…” Alarmed, Ada furrows her brows while Sam puts his novel away.“What is it, Vickie?” “Do you have it up on your phone?” Vickie, still shaken, nods before handing her phone over to Ada. Rewinding to the beginning of the “promo”, Ada sits back down on the couch before hitting the play button as the Sensei leans over to watch it along with his student.The next few minutes are… alarming. Wilhelm Screem, sitting in what appears to be an old gym with bright lights shining down upon him, begins a monologue questioning everything that Ada Pierce stands for, everything she believes in, everything she presents herself to be. With every passing moment, every mention of “monsters”, otherworldly creatures that Wilhelm is so clearly convinced of their existence, what feels like a hole in the pit of Ada’s stomach grows wider by the second. Outright claiming that “[death] is the only way out”, it’s at this moment that Vickie goes pale, shocked that IIW would even let a man like Wilhelm Screem compete in this tournament. As the “promo” comes to a close with Wilhelm proclaiming that Ada would do well to fear him… the video ends. Ada’s legs are numb as she struggles to make sense of what she just watched while the Sensei leans back on the couch, furrowing his brows as he contemplates the idea that Ada Pierce, a woman he’s grown to love and care for as if she was his own daughter, will end up finding herself in a ring with this maniac. Silence takes hold as Ada, Vickie and Sam are left speechless. All Vickie can do is gulp out of fear while her father finds himself lost in his thoughts, not knowing what to make of what he’d just seen.After nearly a whole minute of silence, Ada slowly returns Vickie’s phone back to her before leaving the couch, balling her hands into fists as she turns and locks eyes with her Sensei.“When is the Open Fight Night?” The Sensei widens his eyes, stuttering his way through his response.“T-Ten. Starts in around two and a half hours…” “You reserved a spot for me, right? Told them I’d accept the challenge?” “…I did.” “Is my gi ready?” “…It is.” “Good. We’re headed there now.” Not giving Sam and Vickie a chance to argue with her, Ada immediately heads off to change and leave the apartment as soon as humanly possible, having seen all she needed to see to know what kind of person she’ll be dealing with come the Ice Crown Tournament. With her blood boiling, appalled by the thinly-veiled threats directed towards her courtesy of Wilhelm, Ada wastes no time changing, grabbing her karate gi and heading to the exit.“I’ll be waiting outside. Don’t take too long.” Leaving Vickie and Sam, the father and daughter immediately follow suit before chasing Ada out of the apartment. With the Open Fight Challenge just over two hours away from starting, Ada, accompanied by Vickie and Sam Burke, heads to the underground arena…
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Post by Screem on Dec 26, 2021 4:40:31 GMT
Bas listened to the police as they questioned Rush's neighbours. Somehow, 'self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head' as Rush's cause of death didn't sit right with him. Rush was in bad shape a year ago. Heavy into drugs, his career prospects dim as ebony, Bas found him drunk and passed out under his father's magnolia tree after calling him and informing Bas that Rush intended to play in traffic. Bas would've believed it then, death by oncoming vehicle, death by overdose, death by anything, then, but not now.
"He'd already tried it," Bas insisted to the officers. "He was on the up."
"It's hard to know what's going on in someone's head," came the reply. Bas shook his head angrily.
"He had no reason to." But the evidence said otherwise.
"Powder burns on the finger and head. Position of the body, and blood spatter. We're sorry about your friend."
Bas watched them cart Rush' body out of his apartment in the dead of winter with a towel over his head to keep the neighbours from seeing the carnage the bullet had done to Rush's face at point blank range.
Bas could count the times he'd cried on one hand: the birth of his son, his last championship title win, and the moment his wife had told him she'd cheated on him. This moment, would now be the fourth. He fell against the building, felt his legs give out from under him and crumple to the snowy cement walk and Bas cried like a baby.
As the wind whipped at him, and once the ambulance, the crowd, and the officers had cleared away, Bas gritted his teeth, balled his fists and looked for Wilhelm. In the commotion he must've ducked away.
"Fuckin' figures," he muttered, sniffling and wiping away the rest of the tears.
In his heyday, they called Bas the Flying Dutchman. Big as a mountain gorilla, and as deceptively agile. He would hit dropkicks and sentons onto unsuspecting opponents who didn't do their research. When Bas wanted to he could move as fast as anyone. And right now he wanted to find Wilhelm and find out if Arachnido was the only member of Rebelscum he'd tried to kill in the last two days.
Imagine him, thick as two men, lantern jawed, cauliflowered ears, fists ready to smash, moving down the street at night with a look that told you someone was going to get stomped. A couple walking in his direction immediately crossed the street.
There were only one place he could think Wilhelm would go.
Bas blew into Rebelscum gym like a force of nature and immediately lay eyes on Wilhelm. Legs crossed, Wilhelm sat in the center of the wrestling ring, the only light in the place shining down on him like a beam from heaven or a flying saucer, or something. Bas' eyes narrowed angrily.
"Look who's mister wrestling all of a sudden." His blood was boiling. Ever since he'd been left to them, Wilhelm had struggled to seem at home in a wrestling ring, now here he was seemingly... Bas blinked, trying to collect the scene.
Wilhelm was cross legged, seated within some weird chalk circle design and candles lit around him. The sight made Bas even angrier.
"Get out of there. Now." He stepped toward the ring. Wilhelm remained cross-legged, like Bas had interrupted a prayer or something. That Wilhelm wasn't acknowledging him made him angrier. Bas whipped under the ring ropes into the ring and grabbed Wilhelm by the neck and tossed him out of it.
Wilhelm had barely stood before Bas was gruffly shoving him toward the door of the gym.
"What did you to do to Rush, huh? What did you do?" Wilhelm bared his teeth, but Bas was an unstoppable force.
"I didn't do anything to your friend," Wilhelm said.
"Right," Bas barked, another push and Wilhelm staggered back several more feet.
"Everything was going great. Gym's growing. Rush made a place here. We were family. He was doing better. Then you show up. You and your stinking IIW Ice Crown bullshit." Another hard, forceful shove. Bas felt tears stinging his eyes, but it didn't matter. He was going to throw Wilhelm out of this gym and beat him till he was bloody out on the street and leave him for the cold.
Wilhelm stumbled. Every time he caught his footing, lifted his hands like twin white flags of surrender, Bas shoved him even harder.
"You and your money. What did you say to him. Huh? What did you do, kill him cause he was a demon. Huh? You psycho, tell me what you did!" Just before Bas shoved him again, Wilhelm caught his hands and hooked them under his arms, swiftly headbutting Bas.
"I don't want to FIGHT you." Then he surprise suplexed the larger man up and over onto the hard cement floor, sending him skidding to a stop before the front doors. Bas lay panting, fighting back grief.
"Where--where the hell did you learn a double underhook?" Bas asked. Wilhelm thought a moment.
"I have no idea. I didn't know it had a name." The two lay panting. Then laughter erupted between them. "It just seemed like the best way to get you to stop pushing me." Wilhelm added, slowly climbing up to his haunches to look back at Bas who was doing the same.
But Bas' laughter turned to harried wheezes, then tears.
"He blew his brains out all over his wall. Why? Tell me what you did--what you said?" Bas was struggling to hold himself together. He slid along the floor to rest his back against the wall. Wilhelm panted heavily, feeling Bas' pain in the gulf between them.
"I did nothing to your friend." Wilhelm and Bas stared one another down, before Bas gulped and felt like his insides would spill out of him if he didn't cry. He cupped his hands over his eyes, and Wilhelm solemnly slid in beside him and bowed his head, and listened to Bas cry.
The grief of a powerful man is as heartfelt as a weak one, sometimes even more since it happens so rarely. Wilhelm blinked and nodded softly to himself before he spoke.
"I've fought demons on 4 continents; rushed to save lovers who still tore one another apart by their own hands; I have watched my closest travelling companions get ripped to pieces by gargoyles." He thought about it, like he were watching it happen before his eyes right now. "And I have seen my wife--," at this his voice cracked, "stolen from our bed by the hands of a beast whose name I can't repeat. That did things to her.." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I still cannot imagine the pain you must feel losing what must've felt like a son to the demons that lived within him."
He said it in a whisper, sombrely and sincerely. It made Bas blink away the remaining tears and look at Wilhelm curiously.
"Pardon my saying, but either you are batshit crazy or all of that actually happened." Bas felt a strange awe fall over him s he regarded Wilhelm who looked forward before slowly glancing to him, a smirk creeping onto his lips. Bas felt something similar sliding onto his lips as well.
Bas' eyes focused on the ring, at the candles and beads and whatever else Wilhelm had set up. It took moments of blinking hard and calming down before he could ask.
"What the hell were you doing in here, anyway?" Wilhelm followed his gaze and inhaled whimsically at his own folly.
"I was trying to see if I could contact the spirit world. To see if maybe I could contact Rush's spirit. See if he would tell me what happened."
"You could do that?" Bas asked. Wilhelm frowned.
"I am many things, but I am no spiritualist. The spell does not work for me."
"Oh." Bas said.
"But I think I know someone we can call."
The reason Wilhelm hadn't gone to her first was quite simple.
"You owe me money." She said, blocking the doorway to her tiny, quaint little hole in the wall of a magic shop.
She offered tarot readings, or fortunes read via crystal ball. Blonde, striking, diminutive in size, yet otherworldly in every single way. The last time Wilhelm had crossed paths with her they were in Norway, she'd told him he'd be going on a journey to the UK to fight in what she called, "some sort of snowy, icy contest with sweaty men and women."
Wilhelm had scoffed at the time, and refused to pay her.
Wilhelm winced as she smirked and held out her hand. Wilhelm sighed long and slow.
"I don't, uh--" he glanced to Bas, who up till then was bored out of his mind.
"What?" He asked. Wilhelm shrugged guiltily before Bas caught on and angrily dug out his wallet.
"Thanks." He clasped Bas on the shoulder as they followed Kassandrah back through corridors lined with glass cases containing shrunken heads, ouija boards and other tchotchkes. "I owe you one."
"Yeah, yeah," Bas growled.
"Don't worry," she said, casting her arm out, sweeping hanging beads out of the way of the door as she stepped into the backroom, "I keep the real shit back here."
The backroom didn't look mystical, Bas thought. A table with a long white table cloth over it. Kassandrah sat down and eyed the two of them without much hint of wha she expected them to do next.
"You want to know what happened to your friend."
Bas nodded. Kassandrah measuredly shifted her eyes onto Wilhelm.
"And you want to know if what killed him is the same thing you're hunting in this wrestling tournament."
Wilhelm looked to Bas with a nod.
"What killed him?" Bas asked, half hopefully, with a sudden pang of reservation. Slowly, Kassndrah looked down at a little knurled knob that seemed to fit into something, somewhere, but nothing here. She twirled it in her fingers thoughtfully, like a tremendous, worrisome weight were on her shoulders. She stopped and set it down with a look of concern on her face.
"I can show you his last hour on this planet." She looked to Wilhelm, then Bas. "But you won't like it."
"Show me," Bas said. "I need to know what happened."
Kassandrah's expression looked scared, worried, fearful of showing Bas too much. She looked to Wilhelm who looked calm, if not curiously nervous at what this, the most gifted of seers he ever knew had to show them.
"Sit down." She said to the both of them. And all at once the room grew dark, and cold. She bowed her head, and Bas and Wilhelm could hear whispers, and fingers pulling them up from their seats till they were no longer where they just were.
They were somewhere else.
Two Nights Ago
"Don't you worry, brah," Rush chuckled back into the gym where Wilhelm stood in the doorway. "You can sleep there. The footage is all set. I gotta sleep this off."
He fumbled with his apartment keys and began to stumble off into the direction of his apartment before a thought struck him, and he stopped.
"Hey. Was it true what you s-shaid? About the monsterssh, and shtuff?"
Wilhelm frowned, unsure what Rush meant.
"You know," Rush continued, "that there'ssh monshters everywhere?"
Wilhelm nodded. Rush searched the air for logic.
"That'sh bloody brilliant." He said, and fumbled with his keys again. "I'll s-shee you tomorrow, buddy." He finished, and waved at Wilhelm before walking.
"Rush," Wilhelm called after him, a serious look on his face as Rush stopped and looked back at him. "Be careful. Now that you know about them, they know about you."
At this, Rush blinked, the smile falling from his face for just a second. He waved his keys in the air.
"Not to worry, Wilhelm Wonka. I'm Rush f'n Williamsh. Shee you tomorrow."
Rush felt the wind whip against him that night as he walked. It felt like invisible hands were bearing down on him, trying to keep him from getting home.
His flat wasn't far. Just past a few blocks.
"Rush," came his name carried over the wind. It made him stop and glance behind him. But the Manchester streets were empty. The winter wind whipped against his bare cheeks and he popped his collar and walked faster.
The alcohol was starting to wear off, Rush thought. Graffiti on the walls looked like it was dancing to its own tune, forming into grotesque shapes and figures. He thought he saw a figure with horns, then a man in a hooded robe, then a woman, frail and gaunt.
Rush blinked it off and walked faster, thankful to see his the front door to his apartment stoop in front of him. He fumbled with his keys, but they fell just inches from the door.
"Rush," came the wind. Rush looked around. He could make out strange shapes in the alleys. He looked up and thought he saw bats swirling past the full moon. He thought he heard a giggle of laughter on the wind. He stooped down to pick up his keys and fumbled them into the door lock.
Rush was grateful to be inside, closing the door tight behind him and making double sure he'd locked it. He breathed a sigh of relief, resting his head against the door before turning around to the apartment hallway.
"Sweet mother of god," Rush choked. The figure moved closer, stepping into the moonlight of a nearby window. It was his landlady, Mrs. Wertz. Rush sighed.
"Hello Rush," she said. It didn't sound like her at all. Rush blinked.
"Don't you wish you could compete in the Ice Crown Tournament instead of Wilhelm?"
"W-what?" He stammered and gulped, slamming his eyes closed. "I-I..." He opened them again to see the hallway empty.
Nothing but him and the sudden need to pee straining against his bladder.
Rush bolted up the stairs. This time he had his key ready between his fingers. He slipped it into the lock, turned it and he was inside, thankfully slamming the door shut behind him. He locked it, and felt relieved the urge to piss had left him along with the ridiculous hallucinations.
He blew out through his mouth, and pressed off the door into his flat for the living room.
"It's cold in here," Rush said to nobody in particular, picking up the television remote off the nearby couch and flipping it on. The glow of the screen illuminated the dark apartment.
Boop boop boop boop boop -- The familiar bass pops of Seinfeld sounded through the t.v. speakers. Rush looked with a frown at the screen. IT was Seinfeld... or was it.
"Coming this Winter to Peacock... he's a cat... with problems."
Cut to Jerry, who has the head of a cat, and George, who also has the head of a cat, sitting in the coffee shop.
Voiceover: Jerry Animalcats is a cat... with problems."
"She had dog hands."
"Dog hands?"
"The hands of a dog."
Boop boop boop boop boop - the bass continues to play.
Cut to a scene of Jerry, with the head of a cat, doing stand-up.
"And what's the deal with the kitty litter already? It's not litter... till I've done my business!"
Booop boop boop boop boop.
The television voiceover comes back.
"He's Animalcats. He's a cat in the city... coming this winter to Peacock."
"And what's the deal with the lazer pens? How do they get the lazer.. from the pen... and onto my WALL ALREADY!"
The audience laughs. The theme song continues.
Rush blinks at the screen confusedly.
"I have no idea what the hell is going on with television anymore," Rush chuckled to himself.
Then the cat in the screen looked at him.
"Hey," it said. Rush squinted. "Rush." Rush's smile fell.
"Me?" He asked incredulously.
The cat-headed comedian was staring right at him.
"Yeah. You. You need to get the fuck out of your apartment now, friend. She's right there." Rush followed the cat-headed comic's gaze towards the far side of the couch near the inexplicably open window where cold air spilled in to see the shadowy shape of a figure in his apartment.
"Holy fuck." He gasped and jumped backward. The television screen went blank, like it was never on.
It was gaunt, and old, and it stepped with a loud thump toward him. Stringy black hair clung in thin wisps down from the top of its head. It was shaped like a woman.
"Rush," It said. And that was enough. Rush hid a gun in his nightstand. It was the first thing his mind went to. He ran down the hallway and slammed his door closed, locking it behind him. He quickly found the gun and he lay on his bed to steady himself, checking to make sure it was loaded.
Something thumped down the hall. Then moments later again. It was walking. Slow, and shambling. Rush's heart thudded loudly in his chest.
"Rush." It said. Like a whisper getting louder as it thumped slowly on one foot, then the other, toward his door.
"You think that gun can stop us?"
Thump.
Thump.
It was getting closer.
Rush stammered and shook. In the corner of his room his eyes fell on his mini Christmas tree. He set it up every year, not thinking to himself what sort of creatures may dwell in it, what history there was here, or maybe on the land his apartment was situated. They were everywhere, just like Wilhelm said.
"And then you'll be one of us," the thing said, thumping from one heavy, decaying, rotting leg to the other down his hallway toward his door.
Rush's eyes travelled to his locked door and watched the handle jiggle then suddenly unlock.
"What the hell." He gasped in disbelief, watching the door open slowly. Nothing but darkness and uncertainty.
"You'd make a fine meal in the Ice Crown, Rush. If you weren't such a waste of good skin, you drug-addled junkie. Wilhelm surpasses you already. Imagine him in another day? He won't need you. No one will need you."
Rush closed his eyes as the thumping got louder, and suddenly he could only see one option available to escape....
Wilhelm and Bas blinked in unison.
Kassandrah lifted her head to regard them.
Bas rocked gently where he sat before he had to stand up.
"I need some air."
Wilhelm and Kassandrah watched him storm out, waiting till they heard the door close.
"He went insane?" Wilhelm asked.
"I don't explain it. I just show you what happened." She replied sadly. "I'm sorry I can't offer more." Wilhelm frowned and tried to focus his thoughts.
"How do I kill the Hysminae, Kass?" She looked at him for a long while.
"It's like..." She thought about it before continuing, "you have to kill the vessel. It's weaker when it doesn't have a body."
"'It'," Wilhelm said quickly, "how many are there, Kassandrah."
"Just one." She answered, looking at him like she thought he already knew.
"You're sure?" Wilhelm asked.
"Pretty sure."
"But which one of the tournament competitors is it?" He asked. At this Kassandrah looked the most worried.
"I don't know, Wilhelm."
"Is it Ada Pierce?"
She had to consider it, realizing she could be condemning an innocent young woman to her death.
"I don't know."
Wilhelm looked cross. Kassandrah bit her teeth together fiercely.
"It makes you see what you want to see, Wilhelm. It's manipulative and vain. It hides itself well. I can't see it. That's all I know."
Wilhelm looked thoughtful before slowly rising up out of his chair.
"I have to go. It's almost time for my first match."
"Be careful." She said to his back a he left, unsure if she'd ever see him again.
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Post by Ada Pierce on Dec 26, 2021 4:56:05 GMT
Hell’s Kitchen, NY - Hell’s Kitchen Bloodsport - December 20th, 2021 - 8:02 PM
Prologue
A large man stands guard in front of the underground entrance to the Hell’s Kitchen Bloodsport, standing underneath the roof as rain washes over the streets of the city. Hearing the sound of footsteps drawing ever closer, the security guard turns to see Ada Pierce, Sam and Vickie Burke make their way down the dark and dreary alleyway as the sound of their footsteps are accompanied by the distinct splashing of the puddles on the concrete. While a mere look at this place and its denizens would act as a deterrent to most civilians, Ada Pierce, followed closely by her family, stomps her way over to the underground fight club’s entrance, ignoring the shady men in the alley as they stare at the Karateka. Vickie, meanwhile, is stressed out beyond belief, the faint smell of petrichor overpowered by the stench of cigarettes, almost making her sick. As they approach the alarmed security guard, Sensei Burke takes the lead, handing the poster over. “We’re here for the Open Fight Night.”
The guard takes the poster, staring it down before looking up at the three visitors. Licking his lips, he raises a question. “You observers? Or fresh meat?”
Vickie’s eyes widen, her instincts telling her that she needs to scoop up her family and get the hell out of dodge. As the Sensei contemplates his answer, Ada cuts to the chase. “The latter. I’m here for the fresh meat.”
The guard scoffs, chuckling his way through his response. “Heh, you???” he asks with a shit-eating grin on his face as the stone-faced Karateka prepares herself to shove her fist down his throat. Sensing the menacing energy emanating from her, the guard steps aside, inviting them in. “T’least we get a good show tonight. Your funeral.”
Ignoring the grinning douche, Ada makes her way down the dirty flight of stairs, covered up by the obnoxiously loud red neon lighting. Finding the entrance to the arena down the hall, the three make their way to it, only to be stopped by a woman sat behind the counter to their right, sporting bright green dreads and several piercings. “Hey! Empty ya pockets in that basket on the counter. And you, silver hair girl. Gimme ya bag.”
Noticing the “NO WEAPONS ALLOWED” sign plastered on the wall behind the receptionist, Vickie is baffled. “Do we look like we’re packing heat?”
The receptionist scoffs before barking her orders once more. “Maybe.” she bluntly stated, before adding “Ya pockets. Empty.” “Some bullshit.” Vickie mumbles before taking out her car keys, apartment keycard, her wallet and her iPhone, placing them in the basket. With the receptionist still suspiciously staring at her, squinting her eyes, Vickie pulls her pockets out while fighting the urge to stick her tongue out in defiance. “There. Happy?”
“No. Old man. Pockets.”
Unphased by the snide dig at his age, Sam pulls out his cell phone, wallet, a lighter and a pack of cigarettes before placing them inside in the basket while Ada plants her backpack on the counter. “Smokes? What the hell? Since when did you smoke?”
“I have a feeling I’m gonna need a cigarette after this show.”
The receptionist finds Sam’s remark amusing, giggling as she inspects Ada’s bag while Vickie leans away from her father, judging him with her eyes. Upon finding nothing other than Ada’s karate gi in the bag, the receptionist seemingly zones out for a few moments before cracking half a smile as she places the bag back on the counter. “You Ada Pierce.”
Taken aback, Ada’s eyes widen as she finds herself at a loss for words. “I’m Kayla. Big fan of yours, Karate Girl. Was at that show in Madison Square Garden.”
Ada smiles at Kayla, still taken aback by the fact that she was recognized as it hasn’t happened before. “Appreciate that.”
“It’s cool. So whatcha doin’ here? IIW don’t pay too well?”
Ada chuckles, looking down on the stained floor as she rests her hands on the counter, not knowing where to start in explaining her motivations. “No, they pay well. It’s not about that. Just saw something that put me in a rotten mood and now I’m here to see what this Anthony bloke is capable of.”
Excited, Kayla sets her phone aside before sliding the basket over towards Sam and Vickie. Leaning in closer to Ada, Kayla grins. “You gon’ kick the shit out of him?”
“I’ll try.”
“Nah, you ain’t gon’ try. You’ll kick his ass.”
“Only if he has it coming to him.”
“Giugliano? Hell yeah he got it comin’ to ‘im.”
“Isn’t he your poster boy?”
“Yeah he is. Sadly he is. But that’s only cuz he bring in the eyes and the hype. Dude’s a giant turd. Everybody come here tryna see him get clocked.”
“Has it ever happened?”
“Once. When he first started out, he was just a street kid lookin’ to make a name for hisself. Got laid out flat within a minute. Fast forward to today, though? He’s the one flattenin’ up and comers inside a minute.”
Ada inadvertently licks her lips, grinning back at Kayla as Vickie’s concern skyrockets through the roof. “I saw whatcha did at the Garden. And I could tell you was holdin’ back. Shit, I went back and watched every single match you was in and you always hold back.”
“I don’t like to cross the line for no reason. Only when I’m forced to.”
“Yeah? Well Anthony’s gon’ give you a reason. And you best not hold back against him. I wanna see that dumbass go to sleep.”
With a wink, Ada adds “I’ll try not to disappoint.” before grabbing her bag as Kayla pulls out a clipboard and a pen, placing them on the counter. “Sign this here, Ada. To make it short, this exempts us from havin’ to deal with any injuries sustained during ya fight and that you doin’ this of ya own free will.”
Before Vickie can even think to step, Ada signs her name on the dotted line, sliding the clipboard back over to Kayla. “Dang, you cold. Since you participatin’, I’mma need you to head down over that way.” Kayla continues, pointing at the hall behind her. Turning to look at the visibly worried Vickie and Sam, she points to the entrance. “As for you two, you can head in now. Preliminary fights in about 40 minutes but I’ll have someone hook y’all up with snacks and drinks after you take your seats.”
As Sam and Vickie retrieve their belongings, Ada heads down the hall to the locker rooms. Stopping for a moment, she looks back at her family, smiling brightly at them. “I’ll see you two soon, yeah?”
Smiling back at Ada, the Sensei pumps his fist, encouraging her. “You got this, kid. We’ll be watching.”
“And I’mma let you two into the locker room after the fight, no worries there.”
Despite their rocky start, Vickie nods at Kayla before patting her father on the shoulder. Ada heads off to prepare for the fight while Vickie and Sam make their way to the arena. For now, they go their separate ways.
Part One: Vickie & Sam
Approaching the entrance, Sam pushes the double doors as they enter the small arena, the muffled music becoming crystal clear as ‘One Hundred’ by NF is blasted through the PA system. The arena is as grimy as they could’ve expected, the large mat in the center covered in some bloodstains that most likely could’ve been cleaned off with some effort. With about half of around 300 seats taken, Vickie and Sam spot the next to them, giving them a good view of the ropeless ring. Deciding to break the awkward silence, the Sensei leans towards his daughter. “Well this place is… pleasant.”
Vickie shakes her head, unable to make sense of why her father has gone through with this uncharacteristic plan of his to throw Ada into the deep-end of combat sports. “Dad… what is this all about? Why did you get Ada involved in this shithole?”
Sam hunches over, burying his face into his hands. Deciding to go ahead and explain himself, he sighs before leaning back against his seat. “Ada… Ada’s been changing. I just don’t know if she’s been taking steps forward or taking steps back.”
The indifferent, almost joyous glee on Sam’s face fades away as he opens up about his fears regarding Ada’s recent change in her mentality, replaced by a look of sadness instead.
“I’m afraid that she’s beginning to lose her way the more she deals with these… monstrous opponents. Fueled by nothing more than their need to destroy their opponents. I thought we could move on. Thought that, if Ada were to participate in this tournament, she’d how bloody and unnecessarily violent this combat sports can be. Remind her of her principles. The honourable ways.” Vickie nods, understanding where her father is coming from. But on the flip side, she’s instantly brought back to the countless times Ada was reprimanded for doing what she thought to be the right thing. She was there for it with her during their school days. “The thing about Ada is… she can be very stubborn. If that lady deems someone to be a bully, a person who gets off on bothering others, her instincts always push her to take things as far as she can to do what she thinks is right.”
“And that is precisely what’s been eating away at me since we saw that Wilhelm video.”
A few moments pass before Vickie widens her eyes. Her father’s fear. It’s dawned on her. And it terrifies her as much as it terrifies him. “Now that she’s seen what’s waiting for her in the tournament… I think this cage fight is going to have the opposite effect. All it’s going to do is bring the worst out of Ada…”
“…And she’ll think it’s all in the name of justice.”
The Sensei turns to his daughter, regretfully nodding at her. With Ada’s fight a few hours away, all the Burkes can do is sit and watch the show, nervously awaiting the main event…
Part Two: Ada Pierce
Finding the locker room reserved for up-and-coming hopefuls looking to make a name for themselves by accepting Anthony “Killer” Giugliano’s open challenge, Ada pushes the door, causing it to creak as it swings open. Inside, she finds four young fighters, quickly going quiet as they see Ada entering. Shyly waving at them, Ada places her bag on a bench before taking a seat as a awkward silence fills the air. Before long, one of the fighters speaks. “What’re you doin’ here?”
“Same as all of you, I suppose. I’m here to fight Giugliano.” responds Ada, rubbing her palms together as three of the four fighters scoff in response. “No offense, lady, but you don’t exactly look like the type to last ten seconds in the cage against the Killer.”
Ada cannot help but laugh, shaking her head. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
The awkward silence takes over once more as the boys are unsure of what to say around Ada. Spotting the redheaded fighter in the corner eyeing her and near-awe, the Karateka addresses him. “So what made you accept his challenge?”
“You’re… Ada Pierce…” he quietly mumbles, causing Ada to lean in, motioning at him to repeat whatever he said as she couldn’t make it out. “You’re Ada Pierce.”
“Who?”
The redhead turns to face the confused fighter, quickly grabbing his water bottle before tossing it at him. “You dumbass! You didn’t see this lady’s face plastered outside Madison Square Garden this month?!”
“Ow! No, I didn’t! Weren’t they havin’ a wrestlin’ show?”
“Yeah they were! And SHE was on it! Takin’ on quite possibly the most unpredictable, dangerous opponent on their roster!”
Ada’s face begins to redden as a smile forms on her face, unsure of how to deal with her sudden notoriety. “You know I don’t watch that shit, man.”
The redheaded fighter leaves the corner, approaching Ada before extending his hand. “I’m Joe. Joe O’Reilly. It’s a pleasure, Miss Pierce.”
Ada chuckles as she accepts Joe’s handshake, smiling brightly. “Just call me Ada, heh.”
“I was in the crowd. Wouldn’t miss it. You were amazing, Ada. You’re the reason I’m doing this.”
The smile begins to fade away from Pierce’s face as she’s overwhelmed with that little tidbit. Since stepping foot into this place, she’s gotten bad vibes. Once again, her mind races, voices instilling doubt in her overwhelming her thoughts. “If I may ask… why?”
“Cuz that’s what I wanna do. I wanna wrestle. But throughout my life, I’ve always been told that I’d never be able to make it. That I’m too small… weak…. unconvincing. But you helped me realize that all’a that is bullshit. Real strength comes from within. No matter how many times you were screwed, knocked down, you never gave up. You kept comin’ back. Cheesy as it may sound, you’re my hero.”
Ada’s eyes well up as the smile returns to her face. This time, she’s the one to extend her hand to Joe. “No, Joe. You’re my hero. Thank you.”
Joe takes her hand before taking a page out of her book as he bows to her, causing her to let out a genuine laugh as her face reddens even further. With enough space for the both of them, Ada taps her the bench next to her, inviting Joe to take a seat, which he happily does. Turning her attention back to the other two, Ada starts with the poor kid that ate a bottle to the head for not knowing who she is. “What about you? What’s your name?”
The young fighter leans against the wall, crossing her arms. “I’m Lou. Doin’ this to support my family. Two grand for surviving three minutes in the cage with Giugliano? Easy.”
The fourth fighter finally breaks his silence as he raises his eyebrow at Lou, addressing him. “Give it a break, Lou. Anthony’s gonna chew you up and spit you out in thirty seconds tops.”
Lou uncrosses his arms before entering a fighting stance as he turns to face the skeptical fighter. “Say that shit again!”
“I just did and you heard me, kid.”
Ada laughs again, enjoying the banter between these rookies. She was worried when she walked in, but not anymore. They’re good people, that she knows. “What about you?”
“Tom. Unlike these clowns, I’ve actually been here before. 3-0. Lookin’ to make it 4-0 when I knock out the top dog tonight.”
“Careful you don’t underestimate the guy.”
“Pft, fuck that. I know what I’m capable of. And listen, Miss Bigshot…”, Tom continues, “I figure I may as well apologize to you now, but if I have my shot at Giugliano before you? You ain’t gonna be fighting nobody. Cuz that two grand is as good as mine when I step inside the cage.” he adds, leaning in as he cracks a smile. “Well… we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
“What about you? Why are you here if you’re from some company big enough to book Madison Square Garden?”
As Tom redirects the questioning at Ada, she finds herself at a loss for words. Where to start? Furrowing her brows, Ada formulates the words in her head before speaking, opting to keep it short and simple… “It’s personal.”
Part Three: The Main Event
As ‘Humble’ by Kendrick Lamar plays in the arena, Anthony “Killer” Giugliano pushes Joe O’Reilly against the unforgiving steel before unleashing a flurry of blows directed at the rookie’s head and body as the fans goes wild, the poster boy’s dominance eliciting a mixed reaction from the crowd. “Christ, he’s gonna kill the poor kid!”
With her anxiety flaring up, Vickie Burke nervously bites her nails as she witnesses Giugliano knocking O’Reilly out with a vicious right hand before the bell sounds, signaling the end of the main event’s fourth round. Despite lasting the longest out of the four out of Giugliano’s five challengers, Joe has gone down, barely managing to lay a finger on Hell’s Kitchen Bloodsport’s poster boy. The cage is raised as members of the fight club’s staff pull Joe’s motionless body out of the ring. “Yeah, boo all you want, you pieces of shit! I’M THE BEST!”
As Anthony works the crowd, Ada Pierce prepares to enter the arena, warming up behind the curtains, cracking her neck after seeing how far Giugliano went against Joe O’Reilly despite the fact that he could’ve ended it much, much earlier than he did. “Bring me the fresh meat!” screams Anthony, begging the final fighter to come out. Before long, the lights dim as a spotlight hits the curtains, prompting the backstage crew to pull them open, revealing Ada Pierce in her combat gear. Opting to ditch her uwagi top, Ada begins to make her way down the ramp as she balls her taped hands into firm fists. Meanwhile in the ring, Giugliano points at Ada, laughing before licking his lips in glee. He cannot wait to dissect the final victim of the night. Her eyes deviate away from Giugliano when she sees Joe O’Reilly being taken to the back, leaning in to ask if he’s going to be okay. Thankfully, she’s informed that, while banged up, he’ll recover before the end of the night. But having gotten a close look at Joe’s bloodied visage, Ada turns her attention back to Anthony, furrowing her brows as she quickly jumps inside the ring. It isn’t long before the cage is lowered again, and before it can completely obscure her view of the crowd, Ada quickly scans the crowd, attempting to find Vickie and Sam Burke. Before she does, Giugliano opens his mouth. “Hey! Hey, bitch! Look over here!”
Ada slowly turns her head, seeing nothing but red as Giugliano cackles away at her. “You made a big mistake comin’ here, girl. I wish I could say I’m gonna make this quick, but… I like to give people a show. I like to play with my food. And you look like you’re very, very fun to play with.”
Ada cracks her knuckles before motioning at Anthony to bring it as ‘Opps’ by Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok and Kendrick Lamar plays in the arena. “Lucky for you… I’m the same. Let’s give ‘em a show.”
Appalled by the fact that his dumb trash talk hasn’t phased her, Giugliano sprints with a full head of steam at his opponent, attempting to bash her face in with the same right hand that’s knocked out all four challengers thus far, but Ada easily sidesteps him, throwing her leg out, smashing it against his stomach, causing him to recklessly barrel forward into the cage as the fans let out the loudest pop of the night. “Killer” Giugliano realizes that he’s not up against the usual rookie as he dusts himself off, re-entering his boxer’s stance before slowly attempting to close the distance between him and his opponent. Ada, meanwhile, doesn’t give him the courtesy of showing him enough respect by entering her stance, simply standing in the middle of the ring with her arms down. “Come on, Killer. Is that all you’ve got?!”
Giugliano lets out a bloodcurdling screech as he rushes Ada once more before eating another sidestepped kick to his stomach for his troubles, bringing the fans rising back up their feet as Anthony kneels, nursing his stomach. Ada takes this opportunity to look for Vickie and Sam in the crowd again, this time succeeding in spotting them. Unfortunately, she makes out the visible fear and concern in their faces, destroying any hopes she had of being fed some encouragement by them. To make matters worse, Pierce’s vision suddenly becomes hazy as Giugliano’s knuckles deck her directly in the side of her skull, sending her flying down to the bloodstained mat as the fans let out a collective gasp. “Fuckin’ bitch!” yells out the angered Giugliano before stomping away at the downed Ada, eliciting loud and aggressive boos from the crowd as Vickie flies off her seat. “Stop the fight!!! Stop the goddamned fight!!!”
Suddenly, Ada grabs Anthony’s right ankle, twisting it as she feels and hears it snap, forcing an agonized scream from him as she tackles him to the ground. With blood leaking from her nose, Ada rains uncontrolled, merciless hammerfists down on Giugliano’s skull, his blood splattering across her face as the crowd’s cheers slowly fade before the bell aggressively sounds in unison with the cage being raised. Pierce, however, is deafened by her rage, continuing to blast away at Anthony’s head before a staff member sprints into the ring and tackles Ada to the mat as she angrily yells out several obscenities at her opponent’s motionless form. As the staff member assures her that it’s done, that she’s won, a breathless Ada looks up at Vickie and Sam to see the former covering her mouth with her hand, shocked by what she just saw. Despite knowing that there’s no way for Vickie to hear her, Ada instinctively utters the words… “…I’m sorry.”
Part Four: Aftermath
With the fans filing out of the arena, Kayla escorts Vickie and Sam Burke to the backstage locker room where Ada is. Sam takes the lead upon spotting the door, running to it before pushing the door open to find Ada sitting on a bench with a blank expression on her dried bloodstained face. “Ada… are you… are you okay…?”
The Sensei’s voice causes Ada to snap out of the trance she was in as she slowly raises her head, looking into Sam’s concerned eyes. “Can you do me a favour…?”
“S-Sure…?”
Ada pulls her phone out of her backpack before handing it over to Sam. He looks down at the screen to see the Camera app opened, set to the ‘VIDEO’ setting. “Hit record and point it at me.”
Not knowing where Ada is going with this, Sam reluctantly taps the giant red button as he sits on the floor in front of his student, pointing the camera at her. Ada leans in, cracking her neck before speaking… “Wilhelm Screem… you said some shit the other day, didn’t you?”
Ada stares directly into the camera’s lens, furrowing her brows. “The longer I stick around this wrestling world, the more I’m bewildered by the, frankly, insane motivations that drive my opponents… More often that not, I find myself as the only sane adult in the ring, driven by nothing more than the desire to make people proud of what I stand for. Making sure that if they spend their hard-earned money to see me perform, that they will be proud to wear my shirt, chant my name or cheer me on when I’m vulnerable. That’s what prevents me from succumbing to my weakness. What’s what brings me back up every time.”
Ada leaves the bench, standing on her own two feet as Sam follows her up. “The mere fact that I am not afraid of acknowledging my weaknesses, admitting that I’ve found myself feeling vulnerable in the ring… that simple fact makes me more powerful than you could ever hope to be, Wilhelm. Fearlessness isn’t what makes us strong. It’s the sense of responsibility for our loved ones, the ones who believe in us, never letting them down through defeat or victory, through the ups and the downs. That’s what makes us powerful. That’s what fills us with the strength and courage to keep on fighting, keep on pushing through whatever life may throw at us that imbues us with the fearlessness to take the world on.”
Ada’s face begins to nearly shake in rage as she widens her eyes. “You claimed that you were able to “see what I really am”? That I “fool every eye that sees me”? The only fool around here, Willy… is you. Your eyes are clouded. Refusing to let you see the truth. Because everything that I’ve ever stood for, everything I’ve FOUGHT for in my life, I’ve done with my own two hands…”
While Vickie and Sam worry that Ada may have been pushed past her breaking point, Kayla, observing this, smiles widely. “But then again, everything I care about means nothing to you, right? You couldn’t possibly care less about everything I stand for, because all you care about is preventing me from leaving the ring on Night One. Assuming that to be the cold hard truth and not a feeble attempt at mentally breaking me, I’ll speak clearly and cut to the chase…”
Ada snatches the phone out of Sam’s hands, pointing it at her as the footage becomes noticeably shakier and shakier the longer she goes on… “You’ve got nothin’ to worry about, Wilhelm. Come Night One of the Ice Crown Tournament, when I step inside that ring… I ain’t goin’ anywhere. Not until I stop you. Because this isn’t about me and you anymore. When you’re unhinged enough to claim that the only way out for us is to kill each other in that ring, then that’s all I need to make sure I stomp some sense through your thick skull. Because whether that was a cheap attempt at making me afraid of you, or a promise of how far you’re willing to go in this tournament… all it did was seal your fate. Because being crowned the Ice Queen doesn’t matter to me right now. Not when I’m facing a man threatening to murder his opponents based on his shady definition of what makes them “human”. All that matters to me is making sure you don’t hurt a single person in this tournament. And if I have to bear the brunt of your insanity to do so, then so be it.”
The anger in Ada’s face is temporarily replaced with what may come off as an arrogant grin as she continues. “You claimed that when you are tasked with a quest, that you’ll either complete or die trying. I’ve got some good news and some bad news. We’ll start with the latter. You ain’t completing your quest to end up crowned as the Ice King of IIW. But as for the good news? You’ll be completing the quest I’m tasking you with.
Survive Ada Pierce. Bring your viking-looking ass into the ring and survive what I’ve got in store for you, Willy. You won’t win. But you’ll survive. Because contrary to what you believe, death isn’t the only way out for us in this sport. It isn’t about winning or dying. Your quest, the quest I’m bestowing upon you, is to step inside the ring with me, give me everything you’ve got to give, and after you lose? You dust yourself off, get back on your feet and keep on pushing. Keep on fighting. Because even when you fail to advance past the first round of this tournament, that is how you’ll win in the long run. That is how you make people believe in you. And in the end… that’s all that matters. That’s how you survive. Because surviving… is winning.”
With that… Ada hits the record button, ending the video before tossing her phone back inside the bag. With Vickie and Sam left speechless, Ada grabs her leather jacket, putting it on as Kayla approaches her, extending an envelope to the Karateka. “Your pay…”
Pulling the bag up, Ada removes it off the bench before looking at the envelope with zero interest in her eyes. “Keep it. Merry Christmas.”
With her work done, Ada storms out of the locker room. Vickie quickly follows her while Sam bows to Kayla before following his daughter and student as he’s left to wonder if Ada Pierce has crossed a line she cannot come back from…
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