The screen fades from black to our announcer, Gordon Solie III.
GORDON: Ladies and gentlemen, I must tell you... strange things have been occurring here in Phoenix Fire Wrestling. Mysterious appearances of a masked woman... peering from the back of the crowd. Well, she made her in-ring debut on last week's program, but after her rather... brutal victory, left without saying a word, leaving her opponent in the ring with what may very well be a separated shoulder or maybe even a broken arm. We've not had any chance to speak with her, but we here, another masked individual has stepped up to address the situation. You may have seen him on other stations, and what he's doing here... well, let's find out.Red EnforcerThe lights dim and the beginning of Simon Says by Pharoahe Monch start blaring from the speakers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ABS3lQxOeE Highlights specifically chosen by me appear on the screen, selectively edited, but showing previous encounters I've had with Rowan Chance. All showing her succumbing to me one way or the other. I grin, adjust my mask and step out onto the stage, to a cascade of boos from this partisan, pro Rowan crowd. I stride to the ring, pausing only to wipe my boots on the apron as I slide my 5'11 190lbs body into the ring. I'm tense, pumped and ready to go to take on this so called new masked woman. I know it's Rowan, hence the video reel. What I don't know is why she's going with the mask. My plan is to beat it out of her. I adjust my black trunks which have 'Enforcer' in red on them. I'm wearing matching black boots and kneepads and I yell at the crowd as I await my opponent.
RowanThe lights go out. Complete blackness. A gentle, almost mystical orchestral keyboard part echoes in the distant corners of the hall. Then, a high, angelic voice sings.
"Sparkling angel... I believed... you were my savior... in my time of need..." White and golden spotlights swirl around the audience. The music begins to build.
"I see the angels... I'll lead them to your door... there's no escape now... no mercy no more... No remorse 'cause... I still remember...""I still remember... THE SMILE WHEN YOU TORE ME APART."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK9qfVQ4Z04The stage explodes in light and fire and a figure clad all in white silk and feathers, hooded in a silver halo. Wide wings on her back. She stands looking down at the stage, her hands crossed in front of her. The crowd goes insane, chanting a name you haven't heard before.
"Aika! Aika! Aika!"Then, she slowly raises her head and her hands... spread apart. Then, suddenly, she grabs the robe/cloak and tears it away, revealing an all black spandex suit, tinted with blood red. A mask on her face, black with red webbing. The audience erupts again as she spits what Gordon would call "a suspicious red fluid" from her lips. She looks down at the stage... looking at you. The song's bridge builds again.
"I still remember..."And the lights go out again.
Then, they come back on, and she's in the ring, in the opposite corner. Smiling at you, her lips dripping crimson, like bloody tears.
Red EnforcerI chuckle as the crowd loses their mind with your theatrics. I just look over and give you a grin and a slow golf clap.
I look over at the ref "Hurry up and ring the bell, I gotta be back in a real city soon."
I wipe my hands on my trunks and I feel that familiar rush. The rush of knowing combat is about to begin. I have to admit, you really do have a new look and you're not even standing the same way you usually do. Your body language has changed. You're really into this character. Time for me to stomp you like a bug tho. I start running towards your corner as soon as I see the ref raise his hand to call for the bell. By the time the sound hits the arena, I'm halfway to you, looking to ram my shoulder hard into your body and trap you in the corner.
RowanYou charge toward me and I drop into a full splits, ducking down, bending forward, my chest and hands touching the mat. You run right passed me into the corner, slamming harmlessly into the turnbuckles. But then, my legs and body twist with an effortless speed, and like a ghost, I'm standing behind you... waiting for you to turn... waiting for you to see what's waiting behind my eyes...
Red EnforcerI miss you of course, but not the way I expected. You moved more fluidly, more gracefully than I remember. I turn around expecting you to be on the mat still, but no, you're up on your feet like some Japanese schoolgirl ghost from one of those horror movies. I'm shocked you didn't follow up, but then I see you staring at me. Deep fire in your eyes as you will me to see. It's not Rowan. Whoever you are is someone...something completely different. And you're pissed.
"ohfuck" I say before reaching out on reflex and getting my hands on your shoulders for an attempted collar and elbow tie up, just looking for something normal to hold onto in light of what I've seen behind that mask.
RowanYou reach out to me and I sidestep, grabbing one arm and twisting it. One leg reaching up high -- high -- stretching up above your head, the fabric on my skin tight suit stretching with me. Now, that leg is between you, me and your arm, wrapped around your neck. You see that grin--ever present, like a doll's grin--and my eyes shine as my other leg sweeps both of us forward, trying to pull you face first toward the mat, your arm leveraged between my grip and my leg.
Red EnforcerI can't believe the speed you're moving at. Before I know it I have your leg around my head (and not in the fun way) and my arm trapped. I have just enough time to register that I'm in trouble and that your outfit is so tight, it leaves nothing to the imagination when I'm driven forward. I get my free arm out to do my best and cushion the blow, but I still hit pretty hard and I lie on the mat, with your leg still on me and still holding my arm. I can't do much, but I do try and pull away in my dazed state which doesn't amount to too much. The crowd is eating it up as they've never seen me this overwhelmed this quickly.
RowanYou feel my body scuttle across your back like a spider across her web, moving toward the trapped fly. With you flat on your stomach, you feel me on your back, the fabric of my costume moving across your skin like slick velvet. My legs wrap around your arm, my fingers tighten on your wrist.
And then, pushing down against your back, I suddenly
PULL on your wrist, my legs squeezing tight. You heard Gordon talk about what happened last week. This isn't a submission move. This is me leveraging your shoulder in the exact wrong way it's supposed to go... and the audience is suddenly quiet... waiting to hear the
SNAP.
Red EnforcerI feel you moving on me, your firm bottom sliding on my back as you move to sit near my left shoulder. That suit really doesn't hide much as I can feel the warmth of your flesh leaving a trail on me even as I try and gather my wits. Your legs go around my arm and I feel it nestling between your thighs. Normally I don't mind that, but my arm is positioned incorrectly for this to be pleasurable.
I feel your fingers wrapping around my wrist like one half of a pair of handcuffs. "ohfuck ohfuck ohfuck" It's clear what you intend to do and this is going to hurt like a bitch. For the second time in less than a month, except with the other arm, I feel my shoulder pop right out of joint with an audible noise.
"OHHHHFUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!"
The pain wakes me up rather quickly and I stomp on the mat with percussion kicks and try to turn towards you to relieve the pressure. My free arm is rather useless, but I do try and push up and pull my arm free.
"GAWD DAMN YOU BITCH!"
RowanThe ref kneels down, visibly shaken. "R-Red?" He asks. "D-do you want to go on?"
Red Enforcer"Aw fuck..." is all I can manage to say. i do get my right shoulder under me so I'm on my side facing you. I work my right hand up near my head and start clawing and grabbing and jerking at your right hip, trying to pull you some way that gives my left arm less pressure. I think about punching you, but that'd just cause my arm to shake more and I might pass out if that happens. I try and move my right hand some more, hoping that even though you're mentally not rowan, you might have one of her weaknesses. I get my hand between your cheeks and try and push my fingers up and forward. Hoping at least it'll shock you into easing up.
RowanI feel what you are trying to do with your fingers and that smile flashes down at you. I say nothing, but it's almost as if you can hear the words in your mind.
"Wrong girl."
With your shoulder popped out of joint, I move into the classic armbar position. My legs tight around your shoulder, my hands grip tight around your wrist... and TWIST.
Red Enforcer"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!" I scream out about an octave higher than usual as you change positions and get a nasty armbar on my already injured arm. The crowd slowly gets quiet as I wail and my right hand starts slapping at your hip. There should be some celebration of the win, but it was so sudden, so violent the crowd is a bit stunned. The ref calls for the bell and my tapping slows as the pain just gets to be too much and overloads me. My vision gets a bit cloudy, but I swear somehow I could see that nasty smile of yours right before everything goes... black...
RowanAs soon as your hand taps my thigh, you hear a dark laughter coil out from my throat. Everything is so dim... darkness all around you... but you hear a sound... music... different than what you heard when I came out. The same voice, singing different words. "Would you mind if I hurt you...? Understand that I need to... Wish that I had choices than to harm the one I love..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEgXDhiayz4You fee me climb on top of you, my knees on either side of your head, the fabric of my costume under your chin. I look down at you, my smile still in place. And you hear me whisper under the thunderous roar of the music.
"You are my message, Red," I whisper. "Tell them I'm coming for them." I lean in close, my lips touching your ear.
"ALL OF THEM." I raise my head up, and you see me looking up into the lights, my gloved fingers touching my throat. A male voice screams out from the song,
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?" And my face bolts back down, that red mist spraying from my lips into your face as all the lights go black. And when they come back on, it's just you in the ring, the music still blaring.
