The story has elements of both Dark War storyline and DemonxBunny's Masters of the Multiverse, so all credit goes to both Impact Wrestling and DemonxBunny. I do not own the characters, only the OCs. The story is entirely fictional.
Characters may look and act different than they do in real life. This was done intentionally, and things will change over time in this story, so please be patient.
Rating: M, for violence, coarse language, and mature themes/events that will appear throughout this story. Remember, this is Femslash, so if that's not your thing, you may not like this story.
Pairings: Allie/Rosemary (DemonxBunny), others over time.
Aftermath of the Dark War Chapter 39: A Difficult Solution to An Even Greater Problem by Jurassicfatt
*Flashback, 3 Days Ago, Night*
Rosemary's Pov, Mindscape, The Shadow Realm
Having arrived, I find myself in the Shadow's throne room. I 'feel' him all around, the headaches returning mere moments after I opened my eyes. I see a large orb in the air, images flashing within it. It shows the outside, beasts and demons slaughtering one another. Then, it swiftly changes, this time to something familiar.
A bunch of assassins and their professors, including Professor Park, standing in front of a robed figure. A sorcerer, alongside a younger me. I watch myself walk up to a large circular torch-vase, in the middle of the room. My naming ceremony. "Step forward." the robed demon tells me, motioning with his pale blue hands. Professor Park grabs my shoulder, before leaving the room with the others. I see the younger me go towards the torch-vase, then bow before the sorcerer. I hear him order me to sit on my knees in the middle of a pentagram. I watch myself do just that, as he continues to give instructions. "Place your hands on your knees, then close your eyes and repeat after me." He says a particular incantation, and I hear her repeat it word for word. My first-time doing Meditation of the Dark Arts. "Now, peer into the darkness. Focus on it." I see the flames of the torch climb higher and higher, sparks flying up into the sky. I focus on my breathing, searching for something, reliving this moment. "Now, listen." The fire goes higher, spilling over the sides of the torch. It shifts to purple for a second, and I see myself take a deep breath. It slowly dissipates. The sorcerer moves his hands to calm the flames. "Open your eyes." Younger me does so, and looks directly at the sorcerer. "The name that the darkness uttered to you. It is yours. Claim it." I take another deep breath, before speaking. "Rosemary." The orb disappears, as the Shadow begins to speak.
"Hello, assassin."
"Ah!" I clutch my heart. "You could give a girl some warning! Why did you show me this?" I ask, dumbfounded.
"All that is needed will be revealed to you." I hate how cryptic this creep is. "Have you come to grace us with your presence or incite us again, assassin?"
Biting my tongue, I respond. "I still have some questions I need answered."
"Very well. Go to the throne." I walk over to the throne chair. Once I'm directly in front of it, the Shadow speaks again. "You may ask us your queries." I look around, ignoring the mild headache and wishing I could talk to a 'physical form'. Taking a breath, I pick up where our last meeting left off.
"Why did you contact me? The last time we spoke, you said you could have sent this message to any other person, but you chose me. You never got to explain why, since we were-"
"Rudely interrupted by circumstances beyond your control?" he asks.
"Hey, I needed to make sure Allie was alright!"
"Yes, assassin. The menial mortal athletics competition your Bunny competed in. Our sources informed us. Now, to answer your question…" he pauses, before continuing a moment later. "Do you see this throne chair?" I eye the chair, the famous backwards RMR symbol still prominent on the arm rests and top. I nod my head. "This is the seat of power. Our seat of power, gifted to us by the dark lord, Satan himself." A gust of wind pushes me closer to it. "Sit here."
"What? Why?"
"It was not a request, assassin. Sit here." the Shadow states, this time with more authority. Shaking my head, I go closer and turn myself around, so my back faces the chair's front. Still a bit hesitant, I slowly sit down. The bottom is quite comfortable, for a chair made of bones.
"What now?" I ask. The amulet levitates just off my chest, the familiar blue light radiating off it.
"This amulet was crafted by our Hivelings. We instructed them of the proper charms and spells needed. This item was forged with the intention of having its wielder be able to contact us. The reason for this is simple: as Certrius and Mitchell have grown more powerful, our influence over the Undead Realm has waned further and further. We were wrong to believe that after their defeat at Tartiricia, they would simply die off. And now, they have the Jade Jewel, the very item that can destroy the Multiverse as we know it." The amulet then falls back into place. "Tell me assassin, what do you know about Realm walking?"
"Realm walking? Not much. Cal mentioned it was in the pages you wanted me to read in the Book of Zarash. Warlords and some sorcerers are the only ones in the Realm that can do it."
"Very good. But wrong."
"What?"
"You are wrong. Given the right conditions, anyone can walk between the Realms. Surviving is a different story. The amount of energy that is expensed by passing from one Realm to another is enormous. Enough to warrant our attention." I feel the wind push past the chair. "Unfortunately, there are some who have learned and even mastered mitigation of the effect. Mitchell is playing with fire by giving his location to one who has learned this ability."
"Wait, who did he help bring to the Undead Realm?"
"Cherry Bomb." I feel my rage build at the name. That's the girl that hurt Allie. The one who changed her features by shocking her with electricity. "Yes, the very same. It was Mitchell who gave her the power to do so. She is a threat to the Multiverse. Constantly fixating herself on her desires. It was our pleasure to scare her wits about her." he says with a an almost cheerful tone.
"Hold on. What does this have to do with you contacting me?"
"This has everything to do with us contacting you."
"What do you mean?" A large orb forms right at my feet. Images quickly flash within it, too fast for me to make out. Then suddenly, a still image comes into focus. A gray street with a yellow line down the middle. Large metallic cars and bikes go down it. Realmers walk on the sidewalks with small square-circular objects in their hands. They press their fingers to the devices, put them to their ear, or in some cases, have large ear covers emitting sound on their heads.
"This is from another Universe under our thrall. Just watch." the Shadow asserts. The image shows a building with a sign I can't make out. It changes again, and this time I can't believe what I'm seeing. The image is a picture of Allie! Although, she looks a lot different. Her hair is still blonde, but she wears jeans, a black leather jacket and a shirt with a cherry on it, the stem lit up like a matchstick. She holds a white cross-shaped stake in her hands and stares right at me. "This is Cherry Bomb. A self-entitled, controlling, manipulative, aggressive and downright insulting mortal from an Earth in the multiverse. She is a great fighter, with many skills, but far too much hubris for her own sake." The images change to her fighting in a squared-ring, much like the ones you'd see in a cage-fighting match. They show Cherry Bomb fighting many women, before I see her smiling while holding a title belt. "A professional fighter, her goal was to prove her superiority to the other contenders. Many tried to defeat her, but failed to secure the victory. For a time, there was no one strong enough to best her… Until one woman arrived to change everything."
The image shifts to another woman dropkicking Cherry on the floor. It then shows the woman putting her in a submission hold. The woman wears a red top, red trunks, black boots and black arm/knee pads. Her hair is dark brown, and her skin is white. Her face comes into view, with red lipstick and black mascara. My mouth drops. I shoot up from the throne onto my feet to get a better look. It… It can't be.
"The one woman who bested Cherry. The one who spat in the face of her insolence. The one who would become OUR Greatest Servant… was Courtney Rush." I stare helplessly at the sight. It's me. I'm holding Cherry in the maneuver, my mouth open in a yell as I pull her legs deeper into the hold.
"How-"
"We told you, assassin. Some universes are parallels or alternates. Earth 3666 and Earth 74201 are parallels of this Realm. In fact, Allie and Cherry are doppelgangers of one another. Different versions of the same person." I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, letting this all sink in. When my eyes open, I frown in confusion.
"Doppelgangers?" I ask. The Shadow hums in approval. "So, this other Courtney Rush and I, are we doppelgangers too?"
"That is somewhat true. Let us finish explaining." The image changes to… Courtney Rush and Cherry Bomb fighting everywhere. Rings. Stage areas. Streets. "Rush was gifted. A fighter. An inventor. A *breath* heroic savior to the masses, who finally wished to end Cherry's reign. No matter the terrain, the two fought in hatred. Besting one another. True rivals, they were. But Cherry was cunning and got the best of her. She was able not only to defeat, but also humiliate Rush." The orb shows Cherry hold a prone Rush's head up, as she cuts her hair with a scissor. "After that day, Rush was never the same. Humiliated, depressed and despondent, she wandered, looking for purpose. Everyone told her to move on. To get past the minor setback. To forget what had transpired. But us? We incited her. We contacted her, urging her to find Cherry Bomb and inflict punishment upon her."
"Why?"
"In normal circumstances, this would be a trivial matter beyond our realm of concern. However, while mortal, Rush is one of the few epitomes of demonic possession. Her meatsuit, unlike most mortals, is so powerful, it can withstand the most devastating and horrific soul incarnations. All without destroying the host body. She is a Perfect subjugate for our gift." The way he speaks about me, er, her. Us. The way he speaks about this Rush enrages me, and I lash out.
"A perfect subjugate? You didn't contact her because you wanted to help her! You did so because you wanted that perfect servant! Well let me tell you something, 'Shadow'. I'm no one's servant."
"Oh no? Assassin, when your body aches from a long day's hunt, do you not nourish it with food and give it rest? Are you not a servant of your body?" I don't answer. "Or how about the oath you took, when you joined the Hive academy? When you swore to uphold the oath and defend, both demons and Realmers, from the Warlords, were you not pledging allegiance? Is that not devoting yourself to the servitude of others?"
"That… was my choice."
"And this was her choice as well. You see, when we contacted Courtney Rush, we promised her that we would give her the power to destroy Cherry Bomb. And we gave her a taste of that power." The images change to Rush walking in a hallway, seemingly fazing in and out of view. It then shows someone walking up to Rush, her back facing us. When she turns around, her eyes are black and bloods drips from her mouth, a wicked smile painted on her face. "Wanting to get her revenge so badly, she asked us to help her, and let us take control of her meatsuit. And so, we captured some of her essence, mixed it with that of the dark lord Satan, and on that glorious day, the demon assassin Rosemary was spawned." The orb changes and shows Rush, now brandishing face paint and piercing red eyes. This face paint is mostly white, with red and black circles over her eyes, and a double black-red line going from the corners of her eyes down her cheeks and to her neck. I witness 'Rosemary' chase after Cherry. Flail a pair of scissors and try to slash her. Kick her midsection before tackling her to the ground and beating her down. Rubbing Cherry's face against a steel cage as she screams with an expression of hatred. Her brows furrowed. Teeth barred, nostrils flaring and the muscles of her arms flexing with the strength she uses to hold Cherry's head in place. She looks so sadistic!
"Wh-What happened?"
"After this bout, Cherry was defeated. She went berserk and another doppelganger, the first Bunny, Allie, was forged to help deal with the loss. Two entities, identical in form, but distinct in heart and mind."
"And what of Courtney Rush?"
"When we took over Rush's meatsuit, we decided to make copies. Artificially created clones of the Demon, Rosemary. We took complete control of Rush's body. She was no longer the master of her mind; the copies were. We did this to create her into a near perfect servant: A Demonic Soul." My back sticks up, and I feel my anger rising.
"How-how could you do that? She trusted you and you did this to her?!" I scream.
"As we told you, assassin, we are not saints. Courtney Rush is the perfect candidate for demonic possession, and one of the few who could turn into a Demonic Soul." the Shadow asserts.
"What makes a Demonic Soul so special?"
"Assassin, every lord has servants. It is the nature of those with the will to imbue power into mortals. These servants can differ amongst each other. Nikki and The Fiend, for example, were pure possessed servants. They are strong and loyal, despite our need to convince them to become subjugates. But they are NOT Demon Assassins, thus why they failed time and time again. In order to become a TRUE Demon Assassin, one must allow themselves to be possessed, and then allow their soul to be split into SEVEN entities. Each one comprising a new lifeform with a distinct history and knowledge. By splitting the soul into seven, we ensure that more threats can be handled across multiple Earth timelines. They automatically join the Hive Collective and become a Demonic Soul."
"How many Demonic Souls are there?"
"Not many. It is a supremely rare occurrence for a mortal to be capable of becoming a Demonic Soul, which makes Rush incredibly gifted. It is why we tried so hard to recruit her into our ranks. Our last greatest Demonic Soul was Magdera. We knew it may have taken millenia before we discovered another one as powerful as Rush."
"So, you tricked her into giving you control?"
"Yes. But we gave her the choice. In order to become a Demonic Soul, one must accept the transference of souls into their meatsuit. Without that consent, the process will never take place."
"Why?"
"The Hive knows."
"Is that going to be your response every time you can't answer us?"
"Choose not to answer. To explain to you the complexities would be far beyond our level of patience, assassin. What matters is that Courtney Rush accepted our gift, out of her own volition. We created the Demonic Soul Rosemary only after that."
"What does that make me?" I ask.
"The multiverse acts in mysterious ways. When we created Rosemary, many clones were made. Not only of souls, but also meatsuits. Different Courtney Rush bodies were created in an instant. Some of them became a Rosemary. Impact verse, Rise verse, Smash verse, as well as yourself. It just so happens that you are a direct clone of Rush, not Rosemary. Thus, you were never given the power to become our servant."
"Why? Wait. Let me guess? The Hive knows." He hums. I sigh deeply, running a hand through my hair.
"It may have been because of Certrius' growing power and our waning control over Earth 3666. But yes. We were not informed of your existence until after our Hivelings discovered you."
"How long did that take?"
"Too long. Enough for Certrius to find the Jewel. Enough for the Bunny to be in danger. Time works differently in the Undead Realm, after all." A deep gloom suddenly overtakes my chest.
"So, I'm just a clone? A copy of a 'perfectly possessable Realmer' you chose as a servant?" I'm questioning my very existence at this moment. All this time, I thought I got to where I am today because of what I've been through. All the struggles I've overcome. All the hardships I've endured. But no, it's just because I'm a clone of a badass.
"That could not be farther from the truth, assassin. You, Courtney Rush, became the assassin Rosemary without our intervention. In the very place where our power is weakest, you overcame everything that could hold you from your true potential and forged yourself into an impressive killer. While we may imbue great power into you, you impressed us not only because of who you are, but what you have achieved and are capable of. If we believed you to be a failure of a mortal, we would never have bothered to bring you here, regardless of your bloodline or origin." he barks with authority. I can feel some sort of genuineness to the Shadow's comments, despite the fact that he's an immortal entity that possesses people for his own gains. I take a moment to think over his words, before asking another question.
"Can I become a true Demon Assassin?"
"Yes." The orb is struck by two faint purplish energy lines. It separates into seven medium sized orbs, each one showing images. The Shadow tells me to step forward. I do as I'm told, and suddenly the seven orbs spin around me. Within them are moving images of Rosemary, each one looking and acting different than the last. Everything from clothing, to weapons, to face paint, is distinct from one another. The only thing similar is their demeanor. Sometimes playful, other times bloodthirsty. But always exuding evil. And almost always with a big, sadistic smile. "These are the seven souls that currently reside within the original Courtney Rush. These soul Shards, as we call them, have a shared history of creation. Working for their 'father', the dark lord himself and then for us. Each one also possesses a unique set of skills, desires, strengths, and weaknesses. Seven souls. One of them resides directly inside the original Rush; the others have split off to fulfill their own tasks. Alone, one shard is enough to eviscerate dozens of foes. But together, they are terror incarnate."
I stare at them slaughtering demons. Fighting women in rings or on the streets. Destroying robotic beasts in the wild. Seducing fools, before sacrificing them in front of alters.
"Seven souls." I say aloud, struck by the images and the truths that have been revealed to me.
"Technically, one soul split in seven. Impressive, are they not?" I just continue to stare. "Each soul is connected to a particular vice or sin, as the humans call them, and their strengths and weaknesses follow suit. There are the Sister Shards: Wrath and Lust. Greed and Envy. Sloth and Gluttony. And the singular shard of Ego/Hubris, Pride. Each one knows of the others, all belonging to the Hivemind. They can pull memories from the minds of their sisters, and use them to their advantage. Seven lifetimes of experience. A perfect way to increase proficiency in war strategy and tactics without the need for years of practice."
"Do they ever fight amongst each other?"
"Yes. It is a frequent occurrence, especially among the Shards. Some Shards are so obsessed with themselves or their desires, they threaten the makeup of the meatsuit itself. Wrath needs to be partnered with Lust, as both are immediately pulled to their insatiable bloodlusts. Gluttony is so obsessed with collecting souls, we were forced to lock her away in the 13th Realm, in order to calm her appetite. And Pride is so convinced of her inability to fail, she misinterprets and misleads us when making her own decisions. And yet, despite these faults, we give them the creative freedom to carry out whatever tasks are required."
"So, if I become a Demonic Soul, I'd have to let all these, or another similar set of soul Shards, into my body?"
"Precisely."
"Why do you want to give this to me?"
"Because, you have proven yourself worthy to bear the mark of an assassin within this Realm. A war is coming. One brought by the Sorcerer Certrius and Advocate Father James Mitchell. You are strong… but not strong enough. You will need every possible advantage if you wish to defeat them. That is why we have had our Hivelings intercept and replace your sorcerer friend's item with the amulet you now wear. Everyone else has failed us. But you are not just anyone. You are the Demon Assassin Rosemary! One of the greatest servants and generals under our command! The Hive Queen, Heir Apparent to the throne!"
"What?!" I turn to the throne I was just sitting on.
"Come now, assassin. What do you think that symbol above the throne represents?" I take a look at it. RMR. Looking back at the Shards, I see the symbol on their clothing and weapons. "It stands for Rosemary. You are the true heir to the throne Satan bestowed upon us. We offer you this gift because we know what Certrius and Mitchell are capable of. They will not stop until they find and capture the Jewel, and whoever is needed to power the item, before using it to their benefit. The sake of the Multiverse hangs in the balance. But we need your approval before we can give you this power, just as was needed with the original Rush." I look down at my feet, pondering the gift.
"… What am I giving up? I need to know what I lose if I accept your gift." I ask him.
"Until you accept the Shards in their entirety, and connect to them through the Hivemind, you will lose complete control of your body. You will lose your individuality, your personality, and any memory you hold beyond this transformation. This cannot be reversed."
"What? Are you telling me that I have to give up ALL control to them? And that I'll lose my memory? And I won't be able to separate from them once I've accepted the gift, even after I defeat the Warlords?"
"Yes. The Shards will remember some memories, but not all. And they will be in command, until you accept them. That could take months, possibly years."
"Will… will I still feel the same way about my friends, family… and Allie?"
"From our experience with Rush, it takes truly monumental circumstances for the Shards to feel emotions beyond hatred, bloodlust, or anything remotely similar to your mortals 'happiness'. Unless it is directly connected to death and destruction."
"What are you telling me?"
"We are enlightening you on the fact that once the Shards take over, they are in control. There is no reversal. No 'do-over'. No turning back. Courtney Rush will be gone. Forced to sit out in the back of the Hivemind. In her place will be Rosemary, and her Seven Sister Shards. Whatever emotions or sentiments they feel for your companion, or anyone else you frequent, will be their decision and theirs alone. We cannot interfere, only guide them. We have found it is much easier to allow such powerful beings the creative freedom to choose the path, with guidance, than to try and force them. You will not be able to tame them unless you accept them as a part of you. Then, and only then, will they allow you to fully join within their ranks."
"This-This is a big decision. I don't think I can allow myself to do this." I say, before responding in the worst way possible. With anger. "In fact, I can't believe I'm actually convincing myself to consider this!"
"Assassin, be careful. Your ego-"
"My ego?! You convinced an innocent woman who was depressed and humiliated to let you possess her body, just so you could get a perfect slave to do your bidding! Listen, Shadow, you may sound honourable, but you are just as bloodthirsty and arrogant as the Warlords I've met. The last time I fought Certrius, I took his rib. Next time-"
"You will lose. You do not have the power to defeat both Certrius and Mitchell alone. You need-"
"What I need is to get as far away from you as possible! I can handle myself. I'll beat Certrius and Mitchell on my own, and the-Agh!" I suddenly feel a massive headache pass over me. I clutch my head, feeling as if a Warlord is smacking my brain over and over. Images begin to flash within my mind, voices speaking aloud:
Rings of rope and canvas. Bright lights. A darkened area with boxes.
"Oh, oh, oh! Um, hi hi, M-M-M-Ms. Ms. Bunny, Ms. Rosemary, Ms-ssassin, Ms. um, hi!" I hear Allie say. She sits on a box, wearing what appears to be cage-fighting gear. She inches away in fear, as I crawl up to her in a similar black attire and skeletal style face paint. Right eye red, left eye white, and red lines going down from the top of my forehead to the black on my cheeks.
"Hi. Hi, little Bunny. You seem to have quite a knack for getting yourself into danger, don't you?" I hear myself say.
"May-may-maybe maybe, a little bit." She responds.
"Terribly much so."
"Um, um, but Ms-assin. Why, um, why did you h-help me?"
"Why? *Chuckling* Silly, silly little Bunny." I say with a cheerful tone. "We may have lost our family, but we still serve the Hive! And it calls out to souls that are crying for help. And it tells us to go and protect them. You need protecting, can't you feel the danger that surrounds you?"
"Maybe, a little bit. Little bit." Allie says weakly. I nod.
"You don't have to fear. We are fear. We are darkness. We are chaos. And We. Will. Protect you." I touch my finger to Allie's nose, before leaving.
The image then changes to another scene. It shows the two of us fighting together, then shows us walking around a building. "Do you ever eat? Or, or do you live on something else, like soul energy?" Allie asks. I watch myself sigh deeply.
More fighting. Undead brides walking in the night. Caskets, fire. Allie crying. Screams of terror. A maniacal laugh.
"I think I can help you." a male voice says. Mitchell's face comes into the light. A contract.
Clothes ripping. More screams.
"You shouldn't be here, Bunny."
"Ah, ah, ah, Rosemary. Allie's not yours to control."
Allie screaming. Pain filling my chest. "Where's the BUNNY?!"
"You want her back? Come to my domain and get her."
Swords clash. Blood. A sacrifice. Followed by the sound of a knife stabbing into flesh.
"ALLIE!"
I fall to my knees, my breath choppy, as the headache slowly dissipates. Tears well in my eyes, threatening to fall, but I blink them away. I shake my head a few times, trying to make sense of what I just witnessed.
"Wh-"
"That is a timeline in which you failed to protect the Bunny from Mitchell. Even with the Shards, victory is not inevitable. But without them, it is impossible." I stand up, still staring at the ground, putting a hand to my head. "We did that not only to frighten you, but to make you realize the kind of dangers you are facing. Certrius and Mitchell care for nothing but themselves. What they believe is right is all that matters, regardless of the consequences fulfilling those desires will inflict upon the masses. You must not tell anyone of what you have learned, until such time as you have chosen to become a true Demon Assassin. Not a pretender, like many from your academies. They say they wish to protect, but worry only for prestige and profit. A true Demon Assassin is loyal to the Hive to the very end. You will be tested. You will be deceived. Trust in us, for the fate of the multiverse itself is at stake. Make the decision you feel is right. We cannot make it for you. We shall let you go to ponder over this decision. The next time we meet, we require an answer to our offer." My eyes close and everything goes dark.
Rosemary's Pov, Omni Sports Tournament, Cal's Tent, Past Midnight
I wake up, still sitting in the middle of the tarp. I put my face in my hands, my mind going in circles over the Shadow's revelations. Is it true? Is he simply trying to convince me, so I'll give myself over to him? Let him possess me and turn me into his slave? Or does he really want to stop Certrius and Mitchell? What am I going to do?
If I choose not to join the Hivemind, I risk Allie's life, my life and the lives of all other beings living in the multiverse. But if I do, I will no longer be myself. I will be the host body for seven new entities, who all look like me, but are not at all the same person.
And what about me and Allie? I can't even tell her what happened here. The very person I want to protect will be nothing but a 'mission' for me. A task. A simple beginning-end story. I can't… I can't do this. Not before letting Allie know how I feel about her. Once I've told her how I feel, then I'll decide whether I should accept the Shadow's gift or not. Pulling myself up, I see a note on the bed.
It reads: Rosemary, I realize this was impromptu, but I will be sleeping in another domicile. If you like, you may rest in my chambers after your contact with the Shadow. Sleep well, assassin. – Cal
Blowing out the near burnt candles and lanterns, I lie down on Cal's bed and stare up at the tent's roof, pondering the Shadow's offer.
Author's Note: Hey everybody. Hope you've been doing well. Newest chapter. So, we have a flashback to the night before the tri-sports event. Rosemary learning of Courtney and Rosemary's origins via the Shadow. What it takes to become a Demonic Soul, and a true Demon Assassin. It will giver her more power, but is she willing to give herself to it? To transform into someone completely different, and to accept the possession by the Sister Shards? And what about her and Allie? Rosemary has a lot to think about. Next chapter, we return to the present after Allie and Rosemary's date.
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