Disclaimer: I own nothing. Cheers to all my reviewers and Sweet-Steffie, I'll try and not hurt Dave TOO much but I can't make no promises LOL :- ) There are references to comic books characters from X-Men, The Avengers, The Punisher and Justice League of America which I don't own but am simply a huge fan of.
ALL KINDS OF WEATHER
"The weather is certainly erratic tonight" Raven said softly, intertwining his hand with one of Beulah's as rain lashed against the wide window behind them "Nothing to do with you Shadows?"
Beulah's powers were relatively untested outside of the gathering. When she joined ECW at the behest of Stevie Richards to help Raven incite rage from Tommy Dreamer, the physicality she became involved with unlocked her powers. Raven was the first to notice how the weather mirrored her moods and after a little gentle persuasion, introduced her to Sting when the gathering first met; strongly believing that Beulah was the next missing piece to their gathering. Sting had agreed, seeing the dark qualities that flowed through her veins. But Beulah had been scared by the movements she saw and the darkness she felt. Soon, she had torn herself away from the gathering, leaving her powers dormant. Until the call to be at Raven's side again was too strong to resist.
"Me? Why would I do something like that?" Beulah replied, her voice all sweet innocence and purity as she comically raised her eyebrows
"Because you can"
"Well there is that......" Beulah smiled wickedly "but don't start calling me Storm"
"Storm? No, you are more of The Black Canary"
"The Black Canary? Hmmmmmm" Beulah pretended to think though secretly she was flattered by such a favourable comparison "yeah I can see that, the chick kicks ass kung-fu style and I get that scream that disables anything or anyone"
She didn't add that by strange coincidence, two men fought over the Black Canary when the Justice League and the Avengers met up; her boyfriend Green Arrow and Hawk-eye. She doubted that this facet of Canary's life story failed to add to Raven's choice for her considering that his feud with Tommy literally started at summer camp over how to treat her.
"So who does that make you if we're talking comic books?" she asked, leaving her thoughts unsaid
"I'm the Walker of the Night a comic book unto himself" Raven shrugged beneath Beulah's expectant gaze "OK, Pyro from the X-Men"
Beulah nodded her agreement. Pyro was hot-headed and was completely sure that his path to victory was the right one, despite the casualties. Pyro was very much Raven in a nutshell. She turned to focus on Sting as he stared at the door now, intent on tracking down their last missing member
"Who would you be Warrior?" she asked quietly, wanting to included him in their light friendly banter
Sting jerked and looked at her questioningly.
"Which comic book character would you be?" Beulah tried again "apparently I'm Black Canary from the Justice League and Raven's Pyro"
"The Punisher" Sting replied shortly
"Fits" replied Beulah thoughtfully "a quest for vengeance through the darkest of times, yes you truly are the Punisher"
The doors slammed open with a force not used before and again, it wasn't by human hands. The figure was tall and intimidating. Slowly he walked into the warehouse, directly towards Sting. Sting held his ground, knowing that the person standing before him was one of the darkest of all of them. He was painted with a tar black soul that would remain unchanged no matter his outside demeanour that seemed to change so often. The one they had been waiting for.
"Desperado" spoke Sting respectfully but firmly "I was hoping that you would answer the call"
"How could I refuse you Dark Warrior?" the voice was deep and gravelly with a hint of mocking sarcasm twisting round the words "since I know that you never use the call for a mere whim but for the purpose of vengeance"
"Then you're ready to help us destroy Bischoff?"
"Whenever you give the word"
The figure stepped forward again to underline his words and The Undertaker smiled in the dim light. He wore all black; leather pants and a singlet with a long leather duster over it all. His hair was covered by a large black hat and his face was an unearthly pale. He was perhaps the darkest of all of them, having crawled through hell several times to achieve rebirth. He may have held unmentionable power but knew that the Dark Warrior held precedence over himself and was content to take a slight backseat in the gathering.
"It's good to see you Desperado" Beulah spoke up in the quiet
Raven simply nodded at the other man who nodded back, his blackened eyes trailing over the couple before realighting on Sting who watched them all out of his ageless eyes. They were all together again, his precious gathering of his own people. Each one imbued with different shades of darkness and slightly differing powers. They were the right ones to be by his side as he tackled Bischoff's rotting soul.
"So are we all agreed?" he asked, slowly locking eyes with each of his comrades
"Take down Bischoff and Evolution" summarised Beulah
"Stop them choking the life out of our business" added Raven
"And split their broken carcasses so that all the evil can travel back to hell" finished off Undertaker, his eyes morbid and soulless
Sting nodded, shouldered his bat and began walking towards the doors. There was no need for words. The others followed the immortal Warrior at a respectful distance. They knew that this was a long slog for him, to go back where everything had ended for him. To be in the hallowed halls of a WWE arena where he never ventured when actively wrestling.
Outside a large black pick-up truck waited. The rain still fell in torrents around them, soaking their clothes and their skin. Sting looked up and smiled, not minding that the rain mercilessly washed off his face paint. He turned and nodded his thanks at Beulah who gave a small bow in return. The rain eased off around the quartet, allowing them to make their way into the pick up truck. Sting slid into the driver's seat, Undertaker rode shotgun and Beulah and Raven slid in snugly behind them. It was cramped but no one complained; space was a luxury they never allowed for themselves. Stealth never allowed it either.
The engine revved and slowly the truck slid out from in front of the warehouse and began its journey.
"There's a map of the area in the glove compartment" Sting said, his eyes glued to the road
Undertaker flicked a hand towards the compartment and it opened with a quiet submissive snap. Carefully he pulled the crumpled folded map out and unfolded it so he could fully tell what was drawn out before him.
"You need to take the next left and keep on straight, its sign-posted from there on in" he atoned before neatly folding the map back into the compartment.
They rode in silence, the rumble of the engine and continual pounding of the rain on the vehicle and the world outside filling the time. It was totally completely comfortable. Sting allowed himself only to look at the road ahead. He had a mission to complete, a prophecy to fulfil. These people, his people, his gathering, team-mates, comrades. They were something and they were his back-up. They cared enough about the state of the business they had all given their lives to at sometime or another and enough about him, their own Dark Warrior, to risk entering a WWE arena full of trigger-happy security and locker rooms full of loyal WWE wrestlers. This was bigger than broken bones and black eyes; this was something that could totally change the business for the better. Bischoff would have to be flushed out like a rat in a hole or if not, then drug out and beaten senseless before taking a one-way trip to the nearest hospital. Either way, there would be some action.
He could feel the four hearts in the truck beating as one. They were all totally different people but they were united to one cause and under one leader, him. There were no authority problems, only obedience and an input of everyone's ideas. So formed from the darkness they were, it was inevitable that they would come together under one banner. The gathering, the Dark Warrior's missionaries.
The arena came into sight, a looming hunk of brick with a flashing sign in neon above it. 'WWE RAW TONIGHT, ALL SOLD OUT!!'. Sting neatly pulled into the nearest available space and turned off the engine. There was silence as all four observed the building in front of them, knowing what was waiting beyond the security guards and the heavy double doors. Sting turned around to Beulah
"Ease off the ran Shadows"
She nodded, a smile on her face at his faded face paint. Slowly the rain began to ease off and then it stopped, nothing but drips from trees and sunlight struggling through the thick cloud cover. Sting turned back and neatly pulled down the visor mirror. In silence and under three watchful pairs of eyes, he reapplied his face paint, white and black with hidden meanings. His signs to the world of his inner struggle. He stared into the mirror when he was finished. A ghoulish pale face stared back at him, eyes so dark that they practically disappeared and didn't exist. His inside turned inside out. The way he was made to be.
Slowly he turned to observe the people sat in the truck with him. The Undertaker, so dark and rich in hell's history that he rarely spoke since his most recent rebirth after his burial at the hands of his demonic half brother. Raven, willing to sacrifice his Messiah-like followings to follow the Dark Warrior himself and help deal out dark justice to those who deserved it most. And Beulah, so strong and fragile at the same time, controlling the very elements at her fingertips with a sweet innocent smile and a dark bitchy heart. Perfect in every single way.
His people
"We find the contact first" Sting spoke, his voice still creaking from unuse "then we plan to take apart Bischoff piece by piece"
Without another word, he threw open the door and strode out into the sunshine.
ALL KINDS OF WEATHER
"The weather is certainly erratic tonight" Raven said softly, intertwining his hand with one of Beulah's as rain lashed against the wide window behind them "Nothing to do with you Shadows?"
Beulah's powers were relatively untested outside of the gathering. When she joined ECW at the behest of Stevie Richards to help Raven incite rage from Tommy Dreamer, the physicality she became involved with unlocked her powers. Raven was the first to notice how the weather mirrored her moods and after a little gentle persuasion, introduced her to Sting when the gathering first met; strongly believing that Beulah was the next missing piece to their gathering. Sting had agreed, seeing the dark qualities that flowed through her veins. But Beulah had been scared by the movements she saw and the darkness she felt. Soon, she had torn herself away from the gathering, leaving her powers dormant. Until the call to be at Raven's side again was too strong to resist.
"Me? Why would I do something like that?" Beulah replied, her voice all sweet innocence and purity as she comically raised her eyebrows
"Because you can"
"Well there is that......" Beulah smiled wickedly "but don't start calling me Storm"
"Storm? No, you are more of The Black Canary"
"The Black Canary? Hmmmmmm" Beulah pretended to think though secretly she was flattered by such a favourable comparison "yeah I can see that, the chick kicks ass kung-fu style and I get that scream that disables anything or anyone"
She didn't add that by strange coincidence, two men fought over the Black Canary when the Justice League and the Avengers met up; her boyfriend Green Arrow and Hawk-eye. She doubted that this facet of Canary's life story failed to add to Raven's choice for her considering that his feud with Tommy literally started at summer camp over how to treat her.
"So who does that make you if we're talking comic books?" she asked, leaving her thoughts unsaid
"I'm the Walker of the Night a comic book unto himself" Raven shrugged beneath Beulah's expectant gaze "OK, Pyro from the X-Men"
Beulah nodded her agreement. Pyro was hot-headed and was completely sure that his path to victory was the right one, despite the casualties. Pyro was very much Raven in a nutshell. She turned to focus on Sting as he stared at the door now, intent on tracking down their last missing member
"Who would you be Warrior?" she asked quietly, wanting to included him in their light friendly banter
Sting jerked and looked at her questioningly.
"Which comic book character would you be?" Beulah tried again "apparently I'm Black Canary from the Justice League and Raven's Pyro"
"The Punisher" Sting replied shortly
"Fits" replied Beulah thoughtfully "a quest for vengeance through the darkest of times, yes you truly are the Punisher"
The doors slammed open with a force not used before and again, it wasn't by human hands. The figure was tall and intimidating. Slowly he walked into the warehouse, directly towards Sting. Sting held his ground, knowing that the person standing before him was one of the darkest of all of them. He was painted with a tar black soul that would remain unchanged no matter his outside demeanour that seemed to change so often. The one they had been waiting for.
"Desperado" spoke Sting respectfully but firmly "I was hoping that you would answer the call"
"How could I refuse you Dark Warrior?" the voice was deep and gravelly with a hint of mocking sarcasm twisting round the words "since I know that you never use the call for a mere whim but for the purpose of vengeance"
"Then you're ready to help us destroy Bischoff?"
"Whenever you give the word"
The figure stepped forward again to underline his words and The Undertaker smiled in the dim light. He wore all black; leather pants and a singlet with a long leather duster over it all. His hair was covered by a large black hat and his face was an unearthly pale. He was perhaps the darkest of all of them, having crawled through hell several times to achieve rebirth. He may have held unmentionable power but knew that the Dark Warrior held precedence over himself and was content to take a slight backseat in the gathering.
"It's good to see you Desperado" Beulah spoke up in the quiet
Raven simply nodded at the other man who nodded back, his blackened eyes trailing over the couple before realighting on Sting who watched them all out of his ageless eyes. They were all together again, his precious gathering of his own people. Each one imbued with different shades of darkness and slightly differing powers. They were the right ones to be by his side as he tackled Bischoff's rotting soul.
"So are we all agreed?" he asked, slowly locking eyes with each of his comrades
"Take down Bischoff and Evolution" summarised Beulah
"Stop them choking the life out of our business" added Raven
"And split their broken carcasses so that all the evil can travel back to hell" finished off Undertaker, his eyes morbid and soulless
Sting nodded, shouldered his bat and began walking towards the doors. There was no need for words. The others followed the immortal Warrior at a respectful distance. They knew that this was a long slog for him, to go back where everything had ended for him. To be in the hallowed halls of a WWE arena where he never ventured when actively wrestling.
Outside a large black pick-up truck waited. The rain still fell in torrents around them, soaking their clothes and their skin. Sting looked up and smiled, not minding that the rain mercilessly washed off his face paint. He turned and nodded his thanks at Beulah who gave a small bow in return. The rain eased off around the quartet, allowing them to make their way into the pick up truck. Sting slid into the driver's seat, Undertaker rode shotgun and Beulah and Raven slid in snugly behind them. It was cramped but no one complained; space was a luxury they never allowed for themselves. Stealth never allowed it either.
The engine revved and slowly the truck slid out from in front of the warehouse and began its journey.
"There's a map of the area in the glove compartment" Sting said, his eyes glued to the road
Undertaker flicked a hand towards the compartment and it opened with a quiet submissive snap. Carefully he pulled the crumpled folded map out and unfolded it so he could fully tell what was drawn out before him.
"You need to take the next left and keep on straight, its sign-posted from there on in" he atoned before neatly folding the map back into the compartment.
They rode in silence, the rumble of the engine and continual pounding of the rain on the vehicle and the world outside filling the time. It was totally completely comfortable. Sting allowed himself only to look at the road ahead. He had a mission to complete, a prophecy to fulfil. These people, his people, his gathering, team-mates, comrades. They were something and they were his back-up. They cared enough about the state of the business they had all given their lives to at sometime or another and enough about him, their own Dark Warrior, to risk entering a WWE arena full of trigger-happy security and locker rooms full of loyal WWE wrestlers. This was bigger than broken bones and black eyes; this was something that could totally change the business for the better. Bischoff would have to be flushed out like a rat in a hole or if not, then drug out and beaten senseless before taking a one-way trip to the nearest hospital. Either way, there would be some action.
He could feel the four hearts in the truck beating as one. They were all totally different people but they were united to one cause and under one leader, him. There were no authority problems, only obedience and an input of everyone's ideas. So formed from the darkness they were, it was inevitable that they would come together under one banner. The gathering, the Dark Warrior's missionaries.
The arena came into sight, a looming hunk of brick with a flashing sign in neon above it. 'WWE RAW TONIGHT, ALL SOLD OUT!!'. Sting neatly pulled into the nearest available space and turned off the engine. There was silence as all four observed the building in front of them, knowing what was waiting beyond the security guards and the heavy double doors. Sting turned around to Beulah
"Ease off the ran Shadows"
She nodded, a smile on her face at his faded face paint. Slowly the rain began to ease off and then it stopped, nothing but drips from trees and sunlight struggling through the thick cloud cover. Sting turned back and neatly pulled down the visor mirror. In silence and under three watchful pairs of eyes, he reapplied his face paint, white and black with hidden meanings. His signs to the world of his inner struggle. He stared into the mirror when he was finished. A ghoulish pale face stared back at him, eyes so dark that they practically disappeared and didn't exist. His inside turned inside out. The way he was made to be.
Slowly he turned to observe the people sat in the truck with him. The Undertaker, so dark and rich in hell's history that he rarely spoke since his most recent rebirth after his burial at the hands of his demonic half brother. Raven, willing to sacrifice his Messiah-like followings to follow the Dark Warrior himself and help deal out dark justice to those who deserved it most. And Beulah, so strong and fragile at the same time, controlling the very elements at her fingertips with a sweet innocent smile and a dark bitchy heart. Perfect in every single way.
His people
"We find the contact first" Sting spoke, his voice still creaking from unuse "then we plan to take apart Bischoff piece by piece"
Without another word, he threw open the door and strode out into the sunshine.