A/N: I don't know what I was thinking writing this maybe it's the fucking heat wave that's getting to me or something. Hopefully it isn't too bad. –Rei
There's something cold and blank behind a smile- Coma White by Marilyn Manson
"You can't honestly think you're going out there looking like that". Behind her mask Abeebah raised an eyebrow and looked down at what she was wearing. Instead of her much beloved steel gray gi the darkest horseman now for the black and white strips of a WWF referee. The shirt which was hastily given to her by the senior official Earl Hebner was slightly too large but Abeebah hadn't bother to tuck it in. It hung loosely against her curvy frame yet didn't swallow her whole. It wasn't fashion friendly but it was presentable enough for what Abeebah was about to do.
"You got a better idea", she drawled lazily as Delia looked at her new 'ring gear' with a measure of distain that only she was capable of. She smirked, "yeah, burn it". Abeebah snorted with a wry shake of her head. Thinking for a moment she took off the shirt revealing the dark purple camisole underneath. There was a gasp all around as the stagehands caught glimpse of Abeebah's scared shoulders. She ignored them in favor of ripping off the sleeves of the shirt and then the collar. Now satisfied Abeebah slipped the article of clothing back on.
Cocking her head the darkest horseman stared at her sister. "Better", the younger horseman agreed. The eldest Johns nodded to the audio technician signaling for her music. Delia stalked a few paces behind her even as the haunting melody flooded the PA system. "And here she comes everybody, Morte, the first lady of the horsemen and one of the bravest women I've ever known". JR was singing Abeebah's praises tonight and King was smiling like an idiot, high off the thought of Kane beating his big brother into a bloody pulp.
"Do you honestly think either Undertaker or Kane of that matter are going to listen to her Ross"? The old cowboy sighed, "I hope so King, they seemed to listen eariler if that's any indicator". Abeebah slid into the ring while her sister went around the ring to sit with the announcers. "Whoa folks, its Viluppo what's the most vicious diva ever to step in the ring doing out here when her sister is officiating", King exclaimed. Delia gave him a toothy smile as she sat next to JR. "Just watching a good match between two very gorgeous men", the caramel skinned woman said as soon as she had placed a head set on.
The former wrestler looked so incredulous he didn't even notice the pyros going off. "You think that French fried freak is attractive". Delia fought back a severe frown, "more attractive than you, that's for sure". JR laughed even as Lawler sputtered in indignity. Inside the ring Abeebah was staring down the younger of her two bond mates. 'You shouldn't have agreed to this'. The gold eyed woman didn't back down an inch even as the seven foot monster got into her personal space. 'Oh I don't disagree with you', she replied only half listening out for the older of her two lovers', 'but backing down wasn't an option, McMahon is searching for blood'.
Cocking his head slightly Kane backed away as the lights suddenly went out plunging the arena in darkness. Furious chills raised hidden goose bumps along the two bond mates' arms. 'you should've finished em' off', Taker's mind voice joined their' conversation even as he made his entrance. Abeebah sighed in half felt relief when she sensed the calm in him. There was still a chilly fury still lurking under the surface of that stoic visage but at least he calm enough to think straight. 'Still not arguing, though being put in jail for the rest of my natural life would defeat the very purpose wouldn't it?' She was only half teasing.
He didn't answer as he stared directly at his brother and Kane was staring back at him. Abeebah felt more then saw Kane move toward Taker as he raised his hands signaling the lights back on. She put a restraining hand on his wrist knowing that would be more than able to break her hold but no giving a damn if he tried. 'Don't', she hissed moving to stand between him and Mark who had just stepped between the ropes and stepped inside the squared circle. His dead stare didn't waver nor did the livid glare Kane shoot him in return.
Abeebah fought the urge to rub her temples. 'This is ridiculous', she decided as Taker stepped right up to his younger sibling and effectively sandwiching her between them. Outside the ring Delia did her best not to laugh at her sister's predicament. The irony of Abeebah's current position was as funny as it was scary. Kane and Undertaker dwarfed her sister between their' combined balk yet in Abeebah's eyes Delia could see nothing but annoyance. "That young lady's gonna have her hands full with this one King". "I don't know how she's still in there JR any sane woman would have gotten out of there".
Had she not known that the brothers wouldn't hurt her eldest sibling Delia might have been inclined to agree with the jerk. But she did know better so the third of the horsemen thought it well within her right to glare the self proclaimed ladies man. Placidity raising his hands in surrender the announcer cringed. "She's still in there", Delia informed them, "Because she had to deal with three younger siblings, which is far worse than this".
She looked in the ring watching as Abeebah pushed the brothers away from each other while swinging her masked face back and forth between them. Whatever the darkest horseman said caused them to back off if only slight enough to allow Abeebah to get out of their' way."Ok you two, since ya going to go at it regardless just keep it in the ring and anything and everything short of killing each other goes". Abeebah spoke aloud no longer wanting to use her 'mind voice' since she was sure that Taker wasn't going to answer.
They both looked down at her before stepping away, remembering almost vividly the kick to the groin of Paul Bearer. To say the least neither of them wanted to be on the receiving end of that particular show of temper. Besides she said that if they keep it in the ring then she'd let them be so who where they to complain. Rolling her eyes Abeebah signaled to the bell keep to do his job. And not a second after the sound went of Kane and Undertaker were at each others' throats, wailing away with heavy hands and even heavier hearts.
Abeebah nearly swayed with all of the supercharged rage coursing through the link. She barely moved out of the way when Taker all but threw Kane into the corner she claimed as her own just moments before. Kane wasn't even trying to block the shots to his masked face. He could barely feel them over the adrenaline coursing a burning path through his blood stream. However Abeebah could feel each hit as if it were her being punched. It was almost impossible to concentrate on moving out the two big men's way when Abeebah could hardly breathe, because Kane decided to choke his brother.
Dead man retaliated by lashing out with his feet. It took a few shots to get Kane off but it worked, but the younger Calloway was back on him the moment he made to kick him again. Taker was knocked painfully to his knees by a shot to his back followed by a kick to his ribs. Abeebah had to move As Taker took Kane's feet from right underneath him. The ring shook in protest of the added weight. The eldest horseman only vaguely heard the screaming of blood lusting fans. Again the older Calloway dived atop the big red machine again going for his brother's masked face. And as hard as she tried, Abeebah could not hold back the gasp that tore from her throat.
Despite what Delia told King and JR, she wasn't watching Kane and Undertaker. She was watching her sister. 'Babysitting her is more like it', Delia though wryly. Out of all of them their eldest sibling attracted the most trouble and this was no different. So while Brandon and Evan scourged up whatever information they could about whatever half baked plan McMahon had come up with this time Delia stuck with Abeebah. 'Make sure she doesn't loose it and offs somebody's sorry ass, he tells me', the light skinned woman groused, 'never mind the fact that no one would be able to stop her if she really wanted to cook a fool'.
So Delia ignored the bi-play between the two announcers when she could as she observed Abeebah's 'officiating'. But all the eldest horseman was really doing was watching as the brothers beat each other to a bloody pulp, moving out the way every few seconds to avoid being squished. Or at least that's what everyone else saw. Though Delia would be the first to say that she and her sister were anything but close but the adrenaline junky still established that 'something' was off. Anyone else but Abeebah's siblings wouldn't have noticed it but Delia figured it out. Abeebah was almost sluggish as she moved around the ring.
Delia could use many nouns to describe her sister, and even more less than flattering adjectives but one thing that Abeebah was not and that wasn't remotely sluggish. 'Shit', furiously Delia's mind went on autopilot trying to think of a way of getting her sister out of the ring before something went horribly and terribly wrong. She gripped at her ridiculously short skirt, praying that the match would end soon. No one noticed the nervous gesture save JR who had momentarily turned his attention to the young lady to get her opinion on the match so far. He had caught one glimpse of the second youngest horseman fisting at her skirt before promptly turning his attention back to the match. Viluppo was worried which didn't bode well for anyone.
It couldn't be out of worry for her sister because the first lady was doing just fine. Did she have a relationship with the brothers of the night? Morte most certainly was a friend or as close a friend to the Undertaker that anyone could ever claim. Then there was the fact that even Kane listened to Morte. For whatever reason, the young woman seemed to inspire respect out of the volatile and seemingly always hostile men. Yet that still didn't explain the third eldest horseman's reaction even though it was slight.
JR could slightly conceive the thought that Viluppo might have some feeling for the phenom but to his or anyone else's knowledge she had no contact with the big red machine. It was a mystery that the announcer would probably enjoy puzzling over later but right now he had a job to do. Undertaker had knocked his slightly bigger sibling down and was going for the cover. "Here we go first cover of this match up folks, one, two, and-, No! Kane kicks out".
Inside the ring Kane shrugged off his brother's attacks with ease of long ago learned practice. And launched an assault of his own taking Taker's feet right from under him, the big red machine then proceeded to blatantly choke him. The older Calloway rolled over turning the tables on his 'little' brother as he tried to pin his shoulders down once again. This time Kane powered out knocking Undertaker back a few paces and hard into the ropes. And it was then that the crimson demon felt it, a throbbing pain nearly stealing the breath right from his lungs. Unable to stop himself, Kane's eyes landed on Abeebah even as he 'spoke' to his brother.
'We're hurting her', Undertaker's eyes immediately swiveled from Kane to their' bride too in shock to do anything else but follow the unsaid command to look at her. Abeebah had backed herself into a corner. The demon of Death Valley didn't think any but them noticed that the eldest horseman had a death grip on the second rope. Thinking with blinding speed deadman attacked his brother once more. They had to keep up the rouse to avoid suspicion. Kane met him half way instantly reading what his brother had in mind.
In his 'office' Vince watched the match he had arranged with a smug smile pleased with the figures that one of his assistants was dictating to him. A lot of people were watching this match both live and on television. He had dared Morte's wrath for ratings but in the end it was well worth it for the money that would soon follow. And if the young woman just so happened to annoy the two freaks in the ring enough to do her bodily harms that would be a bonus. However even as the match progressed, the darkest horseman did nothing to provoke either of the Calloway brothers.
In fact she did a better job than most referees in staying well enough away from the two giants set on beating the living hell out of each other. Another genius engineered plot on his part coming into fruition. When Paul had come to him telling him about the deadman's brother Vince was skeptical, anyone ballsy enough to lie to the Undertaker of all people would have an easy time lying to him. Imagine his surprise when in fact the fat man had a meeting with him in a mental ward in Madrid, Spain.
That was where Vince first saw Kane. Behind the bars of an eight by five cell surrounded by orderlies even sitting down the monster was a sight to behold. Dark brown hair pooled around the giant's face and down his waist in a river of snared curls. And then the millionaire had caught sight of the big man's face. The resemblance was unmistakable, even with the mismatched eyes and light patches of scars. It didn't take long for Vince to break a deal with Bearer afterward and thus leading to the family feud that was currently making him millions.
However as he watched the match progress the McMahon patriarch noticed something was off. The match had somehow slowed down considerably, though the brothers were still going at it they weren't going for the more devastating hay makers. In fact if Vince didn't know better Kane and Undertaker seemed to be getting tired. Furrowing his thick brows the businessman ordered that he be wheeled back out to the arena. He was going to make sure that his costumers got their' moneys worth even if he had to go out there himself.
Inside the ring the brothers had come to a decision about their' little problem. It was a questionable solution but neither of them could come up with something better without hurting Abeebah anymore than they already had. So they decided to throw the fight. Many would question them on it; probably no one would believe that they simply got tired. Yet, in the end their' bond mate meant more to them than the trouble that would surely follow.
Abeebah was too distracted to even notice what they were doing until it was already done. Suddenly they hit at the same time, Kane with a boot to the gut and Taker with a fist to his eyes. They dropped. For a moment Abeebah didn't move, just as disbelieving as the screaming spectators. Then she began the ten count. 'What the hell are you two doing'? Kane cracked open an icy orb, 'we were hurting you'. Abeebah sucked in a hissing breath at the implications of what the two Calloways were willing to do if it meant that she would be better off for it. She didn't even notice that she reached ten until the bell had already rung.
Neither brother got up but the darkest horseman couldn't leave the ring without checking them over. So she did just that, she pretended to check over their various body parts while really taking a look to see if either of them had hurt their' heads. She still couldn't believe that the two juvenile acting brothers of the night would stop their' feuding for her benefit. Yet even as she felt for lumps on either brother's heads there were no sign of damage on either of them. And her searching touches became momentary thankful caresses.
The rusty red tresses and brunette curls slid through her fingers. It was reassuring both to herself and her bond mates. But truthfully Abeebah couldn't describe how she felt right then. Her emotions were a canopy of contradictions flowing into each other with ceaseless ease as if she were born feeling all of it. This was so frighteningly different from barely being able to feel at all. Unable to take it any longer she unthinkingly pulled away and exiting the ring retrieved her sister. Abeebah grabbed Delia hand and all but dragged her backstage, "I need a drink". Delia smirked at her and laced her arms through her sister's, "let's find the boys first".
Vince didn't even notice the two divas slipping passed him and his entourage. The only thing the millionaire eyes were trained on were the two fallen giants in the ring. The crowd and commentators were a whispering mass of confusion. How could this happen? Both Kane and Undertaker had proved on more than one occasion that they could take a bigger beating than the one that they had endured tonight. Neither of them, from what anyone could tell was even bleeding. The fact that Morte left the ring without calling the EMT's was just further proof of this.
Vince sent Patterson and Brisco to the ring to check on his 'investments' when suddenly every light in the arena went out. Excited shouts sounded even as the millionaire's breath caught in his throat. He gripped the armrest of his wheel chair; his mind was locked in the grips of a living breathing nightmare. His throat constricted in the remembered pain of having the ridges of a boot pressed down upon it. Vince could even feel the ghost touch of a pipe tapping against his temple. The salt and pepper haired McMahon flinched. He could practically feel the threat vibrating through his frame. The millionaire all but choked on his own terror only to faint when suddenly the lights turned back on, Kane and Undertaker were gone.
What no one knew was that the Calloway brothers were watching everyone's excited/panicked reaction to their' disappearance from the shadows above the Titantron. Mark held a firm grasp on his younger sibling, thinking nothing of holding Glen's hand in his own as he watched everyone tried to make sense of their' sudden disappearance. The big red machine paid more attention to their' interlaced digits feeling the contented thrumming of their' connection and confused albeit pleased feeling awash from Abeebah.
The thought of pulling away from his untrustworthy murderous older sibling didn't even occur to the big man. It just felt right as it always had when in his brother's chilly presence. The shadows were a comforting blanket that Glen had been without for twenty years. Trying to shake off his nostalgia the brunette forced his eyes to meet Mark's, 'what now'? Green eyes flickered in a quick succession of emotions that Glen didn't bother nor want to decipher. There were so many ways that Taker could interpret his open-ended question but Glen hoped he took it for what it was.
'That's entirely up to you', under his mask Glen couldn't help the blush that rose from his neck all the way to his pale cheeks. It was impossible not to when his brother lapsed into his habit of drawling tone of voice with just a touch of his French quarter accent. Glen mused that his brother had two reactions out of people unless of course they were either too crazy or too stupid to not be affected by his natural tone, either utter terror or arousal. Innuendo thy name is Mark Calloway. Idly Glen wondered if Mark was being deliberately vague out of spite.
Childish, he knew but neither of them had been the model of maturity for months now. Putting aside his bitter thoughts the big red machine allowed the river of curls to cover his masked face. 'I'm going home'. His brother's gripped tightened till had it been anyone else they would have complained. However Kane was beyond the point of caring. For Abeebah, he would try and tolerate his brother, but he was far from forgiving the man who had unintentionally or not, ruined his life. Taker's grip loosened slightly but didn't let go.
He forced Kane's eyes to meet his own, 'this is not over baby brother not by a long shot'. Grimly the big red machine smiled behind his mask, 'I didn't expect anything less, from you', he answered with his own brand of country drawl. Reluctantly dead man let the demon in red slip from his grasp riding his own shadows to wherever Kane had in mind. Undertaker knew better than to try and follow, his brother didn't need to be forced and he had no intention to do so. Slipping deeper into his own shadows for sanctuary electric green eyes closed in exasperation, 'soon brother soon you will truly be home', Mark only hoped that he was right.
Elsewhere three of the four Johns siblings were enjoying an outing at a local bar. Earlier the Johns women found their' brothers and had discussed at length about McMahan's latest trick. It seemed that not even his cronies knew what he was up to so there wasn't much they could tell Abeebah. Frustrated the darkest horseman voiced her need of a stiff drink. Ever prepared Evan had told his eldest sibling about a local bar that had a pretty good reputation amongst the other wrestlers. So after going back to the hotel and changing into 'suitable attire' as Delia was fond of calling it, Abeebah, Brandon, and Delia headed off to the bar. Evan opted to remain at the hotel seeing as seeing a kid there would draw all the wrong attention.
So here she was buying her and her siblings a drink, while her wily brother and sister shot a game of pool. The bartender didn't even ask if they were legal which was blessing in disguise seeing as Delia was yet to turn eighteen. 'But then again', Abeebah thought looking over at her sister's attire, 'no one would have ever guessed'. Delia was dressed in black leather pants that looked as if they were painted onto her backside leading all the way down to her spiked heeled boots and hugging her bust was a matching beaded vest that was boarder line indecent.
Her chocolate curls fell about her shoulders framing her heart shaped face. And the black and silver bangles Delia wore jingled along with her every movement. All and all Viluppo looked to be a twenty something rather than a seventeen year old. Abeebah could hear the catcalls coming Delia's way and ignored them as she handed her two siblings their' drinks. A Margarita for Delia, straight up Vodka for Brandon, and a cosmopolitan for herself, Abeebah sat at their' table as she watched them go at it. "People say that you tell the character of someone by what they drink".
Abeebah turned slightly to regard the person who addressed her and was confronted by perhaps the most oddly dressed man she had ever seen in her life. The man had dyed his long hair two colors, blond on top and jet black underneath. He wore a long black fishnet shirt under a blue and white jersey with a pair of kaki pants and a pair of blue and green k-swiss. To say the least whoever he was this guy was bazaar in Abeebah's book. He was tall like Brandon only scraping the six foot mark yet slender and agile if the way he moved was any indication.
Shaking out of her thoughts Abeebah raised the eyebrow that wasn't covered by her hair, "really and do you believe in such a thing-". "Jeff, Jeff Hardy", he said moving closer at her unsaid invitation, "and I think it's more about taste than personality". Amused despite herself Abeebah was intrigued. "Many would argue they are the same thing". He shrugged yet somehow managed to make the move look graceful which earned him brownie points with the young horseman.
If this man was aiming to impress then he was well on his way. The fact that Delia and Jeff were eyeing each other didn't surprise Abeebah in the least. The fact that this boy that could be no older than she was smart enough to try and get her approval before perusing Delia was what had the eldest horseman liking the obviously unique young man. "Tell me then, where do you think my taste run", she asked placing her cosmopolitan on the table. His rainbow head tilted, "classic and always in style".
He was rewarded by the darkest horseman's Mona Lisa smile. "What about Guerra and Viluppo", her drawling lilt was accompanied by a gesture toward her eavesdropping siblings. He smiled, "Vodka supposed to be a tough guy's drink, a bit of a risk taker, rough around the edges". Abeebah made a humming noise in the back of her throat in agreement with his assessment. "And Viluppo"? Jeff was no longer looking at Abeebah rather he was staring Delia in the eye with his Margarita raised in a jaunty salute, "don't cha know Margarita drinkers are most unpredictable lot you'll ever meet".