Post by Druidess on Aug 11, 2010 19:03:44 GMT -5
"Kane ...when you were a child. The man in the fire. He’s real, Kane. He's real."
"Remember, Kane? Do you remember?” Shadow Warrior stepped to the Big Red Machine, hoping that he would recall any of the things that he was telling him now and was about too.
"You remember, don’t you, Kane? Eight years of hard labor we went through to achieve the things we have today? You just got out of the institution then. You were telling me all about it. I taught you peace of mind along with agility ...and you taught me purity and strength. I haven’t seen you in two years and I have been searching for you ever since then.”
Shadow hesitated.
“Kane ...There’s something that you must know.”
Shadow Warrior moved closer, parting the chosen special few who were also in the room with them. He could see now that all the women were looking straight at the two of them. They were riveted to everything that he had to say. Considering them for only a second, when Shadow looked back and up into the mask of Kane, he saw new tears quivering in the corners of the monsters eyes through the shadowed sockets. Kane HAD to be remembering something.
"Kane” Warrior began again. “Those eight years we thought we were only friends, but we always felt like we were brothers, you and I. We walked alone, but together, like we had been born again and we both became tiddlers of the lightning. You and me, Kane. We knew that somehow we knew each other once before.”
The more he explained, the more than Shadow Warrior shook his head. He clenched his teeth and winced. Even he could not sparsely believe any of it himself, but nothing else made better sense. Widow! There was something about the old Black Widow.
"Kane. I found out recently that your mother is still alive.”
The Big Red Machine’s eyes grew at the declaration. Jerking, he snapped his head back, flipping away the tousled curls that had been, until then, a tangled damp frame around his mask.
“I know where she is." Shadow Warrior said. Kane's eyes opened further.
"And Kane, there is one more thing... Your mother? Well, actually I’m not really even sure and I don’t actually know how, but she might be my mother as well."
Nobody said anything. Nobody tried. Shock was locked upon each and every face there in the room and words were stolen from every tongue. The Big Red Machine tried to absorb it all in. Following his release from the asylum eight years earlier, conditions for his release had mandated his participation in an aftercare program, one that would that would make his transition to society living ‘easier’ –or so they said. He had met the Shadow Warrior there. He was the only one who seemed to understand him at all, seemed to care at all, and now Kane had a plausible good reason why that was: His friend, Shadow could also be a brother? Somehow, maybe? Perhaps? But even more than that possibility was that his mother was actually still living?! Really and honestly alive?! Mama?
The giant shivered a moment then knelt in his place before Shadow Warrior was. He had only just placed a gloved hand upon his shoulder when angry screaming in the background snapped everyone’s head to the left. When the noise grew even closer, it was Nyteshade who immediately looked white--
“Shit! CHYNA!”
Chyna was STILL chasing Mankind! A coffee pot struck the wall across the hall shattering all around them and suddenly Foley slid into the room like a baseball player trying to make home plate. Kane hand was still on the Shadow Warrior’s shoulder when Chyna saw him and all the fans in the room.
Chyna: "Huh? I thought... Wait a minute! Who ARE all these people, Kane? These are wayyyy more people than you planned!"
Mankind: "Oh? So you ‘did’ get his attention. We gotta do something about all the demons crawling around, but I didn't know how to get your attention myself so..."
Chyna: "You're gonna get your ass whipped, Mankind if you don't start talking!"
Kane turned his head to Chyna and pressed his vocalizer into his throat.
Kane: "He--knows-about--Millennia-Corporation --and-their--secret."
Chyna: "Yeah? Nice letting me know about it. We need it to destroy them. Vince would love it if.."
Kane: "Do-not-tell-Vince --unless-you-wish--for-many-to-die ---they-are-all-demons"
Chyna: "Huh?"
Shadow Warrior glanced at each and every person who was there. He saw the looks of surprise on Laruna's face, the disbelief on Nyteshade and Syn, and the looks of blank expectation from Shelara. Chyna was clearly dumbfounded and seeing just how startled she was drew the direct opposite reaction from Mankind. Smiling his toothless grin, the lunatic didn’t appear all that surprised at all.
"Hey, Chyna” Warrior looked at her. “Just ...thank you for taking care of Kane. I’m grateful. He needs someone, you know? Just someone to watch him.”
He laid a hand on the giant’s shoulder as he spoke. Shadow was not afraid to admit he missed his brother. Kane was never one to speak. It was Shadow who had always been the obvious speaking half of the two, but Kane's actions spoke louder. Shadow Warrior knew Kane had missed him as well and now they were finally back together.
"It's time for all those things that we taught each other to finally pay off. This time, I'm not letting us part unless it's together."
Chyna: "You do know that sniffing formaldehyde is considered hazardous to your health, right?"
Kane: "He--speaks-the-truth..."
Chyna: "Yeah, Kane, and so do I... the Corporation is gonna face the Ministry in ohhhh about-- " Checking the clock. "--Less than 20 minutes! Vince is gonna wonder what the hell is up here."
Mankind: "Hmm... where is the rest of the Corporation?"
Chyna: "Why the f**k should I tell you?"
Mankind: "Well, let's put it this way... if you know about the demons then you must also know that the Undertaker is one of the only people that can stop them. It's more than likely that Millennia and Occult won't be sitting on their asses the entire time neither. This is going to get VERY ugly."
Chyna: "And I should care because... ?"
At that Kane turned completely to her and tilted his head sadly. Chyna put her hands on her hips and returned his pitiful look.
Chyna: "I know you're like a brother to me, but I have to keep this job or we're BOTH fired ...and they'll take you to the looney bin, Kane! How am I going to face myself if I can't make it in life?!"
Kane: "How-will-you-face-yourself---AFTER life?"
Chyna: "Rrrrright, a bitch like me is going to go to heaven?"
Kane tilted his head to the other side. Chyna gave a rare smile and looked away.
Chyna: "Okay, okay. I'll see what I can do to stall the match."
Mankind: "What about the rest? I'm not sure they should get in the middle of this--"
"Sorry Mick," The Shadow Warrior stood straighter. "But Kane is my brother and I am already involved. It's too late for me now. If Chyna has been so good to Kane, well then ..I am partially in debt to her. I don't agree with her being in the Corporation--” He looked over the strong female wrestler. “--but, I do agree with her intention of helping Kane. As for the others, well, I don’t know. It should be up to them whether they should join or not, but as far as I am concerned, I’m not leaving Kane’s side."
Shadow Warrior looked at the closed dressing room door. He could sense the energy and only now noticed that the Big Red Machine had his head trained in the same direction.
"Kane, we’re sensing the same thing, aren't we? It is ...stronger?"
Kane just nodded.
"I thought so." Shadow Warrior nodded. He knew what it was although it was clear that Kane wasn’t so sure. The Widow. It must be the Widow, and she was here at the arena. No doubt she hadn’t come alone. Paul Bearer and Reivyn Poe had to have come also, and if Kandle was also with her?! For just a moment, Shadow wondered for his own safety.
3
Laruna stood beside the other girls in the corner. She had watched the reunion of the two, possible brothers with tears streaming and a new lump in her throat. She thought about the question of help from Shadow Warrior. It would be hard and dangerous ---Hell, in truth she scarcely understood any of it, but..
"I’m already involved as well, Mankind.” Laruna moved to join the warrior’s side in agreement. “Afterall, Kane brought me from another part of the world to help him and well, dammit! I am not about to let him or any of the rest of you down now by walking out." She smiled up at the tall red & black suited monster with pride; looking deeply into his eyes to read all of the pain he had suffered and kept behind the leather mask that he wore, including a new emotion that was just beginning ...one of belonging.
Nyteshade watching as Laruna cried and said she would help sighed and looked at Kane. "I guess this is what I'm supposed to do. I was called too. I'll help in anyway that I can."
"Me too" Syn was quick to added. "Why not? ‘hasta be entertaining."
She rolled her eyes. "Though sometimes I wonder just how I get myself into these situations. It's my butt, I tell you. It goes numb, makes me uncomfortable, and forces me to get up and do something on purpose! It WANTS me to get into trouble! It's not my fault! See?! SEE?! It's my BUTT'S fault! HA! I DIDN'T DO IT! HA! HAAAAA!!"
Nyteshade jutted her hard in the gut.
“Er... Sorry. Sometimes those darn voices,” Syn threw up her hands. “Well, they just start taking control of the mouth motor. Ha. Ha, ha."
Syn was smiling at first. Blush, like fire, burned hot and cherry across her face. Immediately she put her hands down, bowed her head and coughed. But she had barely shrank behind Nyteshade and Laruna when a jiggling from the dressing room door caused each and every single head in the room to leave the embarrassed girl in unison in the direction of the entry. Instinctively, Shadow Warrior’s hand floated to the blade tucked away in his waist, just in case.
But there wasn’t any need. As the door slowly opened, Widow appeared. Her hand was grasped a hold of Paul Bearer’s in a tight, vise grip as she started inside the dressing room with him. The first person she saw was Shadow and with a sigh of relief she called to him
---then she saw HIM!
"K-kan–!" Widow didn't even finish saying her youngest son’s name before the rush in her head caused her knees buckle. No doubt, she would have been in a heap on the floor if Paul hadn’t brought his other hand under her arm in order to catch her just before she hit.
Shadow's jaw was dropped open, his head tossed in every direction and to everyone who was now dead silent and staring wide. Widow’s presence confirmed the feeling he and Kane both sensed earlier, but even so, he did not actually expect it. He looked at the Big Red Machine, his gloved hand curled around a steel chair in the room as the core of the giant wrestler’s focus fixed upon his father. When Kane went to lift it, Shadow Warrior leaped in front of him.
“No, Kane! Stop!” Shadow pushed the chair back down. He hesitated for only a second. “This woman is your mother!" he said. “Your mother, Kane.”
+++CHAPTER 9+++
The Ministry of Darkness...
The Lord of Darkness, the Undertaker prepared himself for the coming battle with a moment of thought. His dark eyes skirting his assembled followers, he realized something.
"Where is Mideon?"
Gangrel shrugged. He didn’t rightfully care. “The boogeyman took him?"
"I am not in the mood for humor."
“Mideon has been punished.” The supplied answer came from the floor level above. As the Brood and Viscera tipped their heads to see, the Father Aristedt favored a menacing shadow in the gathered dark from the top of the staircase until he stepped down towards them. Members of the Ministry crashed to their knees just as the demon, Falcy slithered from out behind the higher power’s right leg.
"Mideon was punished." Aristedt repeated, smiling thinly. One step down the stairway, he was serious.
"Hopefully it will serve to educate the rest of you that I will not become an emblem to any failures tonight because I --” Eyebrows arched like gables over ebony eyes. “--do NOT fail!”
He turned to find a bowing Undertaker.
"I’m certain that if anyone here understands it would be you, my Undertaker. You understand how costly failure is."
Undertaker tipped his head "Yes, my master."
"Very well then ---Falcy!” The dark father’s eyes swung to the right and landed on the beaked creature beside him. “You are to serve here in Mideon's place if you are needed ...otherwise, you know your mission."
“Yes, Sir-rrr-hahahaha.”
Father Aristedt didn’t walk out of the room. With a grin of milky teeth, the demon-god simply evaporated into a trace of shadow and a curl of smoke right where he was standing. Gone! Just gone like that. The Undertaker stood at the witness of his Master and Gangrel tilted his head grinning his fanged teeth.
Gangrel: “Haha ...awesome.”
Edge: "So THAT'S the Higher power? I have felt him, yet not seen him before.”
Christian: “It appears to be the case.”
Undertaker: "You all understood your orders. I reiterate the master’s expectations that failure is NOT an option for us this evening. This will be the final hour for the Corporation and the WWF will be ours."
Falcy: "Heheheheheheheeeeee... maybe I get a few cuties, yesssssss?"
The Undertaker looked at his new ally. He was... very different than when he was with Paul Bearer’s Occult.
Undertaker: "Perhaps.”
With that he motioned for the rest to join him. Gangrel kept in the back with his Brood.
Gangrel: "Something is very wrong here."
Christian: "Sir?"
Edge: “What? But you just said he was awesome only a second ago.”
Gangrel: "It’s the Undertaker. The power I first sensed that drew me to him is being replaced. I have felt this 'Higher Power' as familiar before ...What I don’t know is where from or why.”
Christian: "Odd."
1
Meanwhile....
Paul Bearer nervously scouted the room with his eyes. They froze upon his son Kane and the chair he was holding, but dropped in concern to fainted Black Widow at his feet.
"Wid’a?!" He called to her, tapping her cheek. "Quick! Shadow and close the door. I just had a run in with Bradshaw and it was like hell lying my ass off!" He pat Widow's cheek again, fighting to stir her. "Cathy?!"
The paunchy mortician shifted her in his arm. He stared worrisome at the others.
"I'm afraid we might be in trouble” he said. “Kandle's looking for you, Shadow Warrior. He discovered your dagger on the floor in my grandfather’s tomb. Now he believes that you might have purposely covered up you being Aristedt's son in order to hurt us all. I don't know where he went though. He just stormed outta the crypt."
He rapped the Widow’s cheek again. “Widow? Wid’a?!"
Kane was rather dumbfounded. His mother didn't appear at all like when he last saw her in his youth. As each of the girls spoke he nodded in their direction, but only half paying attention. And then he looked at Paul. He was acting much, much different than before, and Shadow Warrior persuaded him to let go of the steel chair. How come? Kane tipped his head, VERY confused. Chyna, per say, was not as equally amused.
Chyna: "Alright, Bearer! What bullshit are you trying to sell? I *know* how your Occult flunkies wanna trash the Corporation AND Kane. It ain’t gonna happen! Now I'm gonna ask you and your ass to get the hell out of here before I kick it out of here myself!"
Mankind: "Chyna, somehow I think Uncle Paul is--"
Chyna: "And you can stay out of it! I know the ties you had with him! You're probably playing along!"
Kane shook his head, not knowing who to believe. But it was a fact that he and Shadow Warrior did go very far back. If he said this woman was his mother then it had to be the truth.
Kane: "Chyna --they-speak-the--truth ----Shadow-is--my-friend."
Chyna: "How do you even know that's really him? Paul Bearer could have gotten a look-a-like easy!"
Kane: "No. My--fath-er-did-not-know--it."
Chyna: "Yeah, well ...How did he so *suddenly* come around here? This smells like a trap, Kane. Mick just said himself that these guys are demonic. They can be whatever and whoever they want! I'm just worried, okay? And I don't want to see you get hurt!"
Kane bowed his head. That was also true. So who was right? Who was wrong?
Chyna hands fixed on her hips.
“That old bat could be anyone.”
Paul Bearer clamped down on his bottom lip, but it was helpless "Old bat!" His mind screamed her accusation raging into a growing climax. His blue-slate eyes washed black and Paul's palm caught Chyna full, ripe and hard across her cheek.
"Don’t you ever call her that!” he snapped at the female wrestler. “NOT EVER!"
“Paul ...PAUL!” Shadow Warrior's arm shot out to catch the feisty funeral director, but Bearer twisted in his grip, flaring on still as though the young man wasn’t even there.
"Go ahead, Chyna! Go on and kick my ass if it’ll make you feel any better, but I won’t have you talk to her like that! Not when you don't know nothing at all!” Tears swelled and quivered at the corners his eyes. “None of you do!"
When Paul Bearer stopped talking, his momentum draining caused his whole body to shiver. He looked so weak, Shadow Warrior thought. So very fragile. It was different, even alien. Pathetically, Bearer looked at the others standing in quiet shock and took a deep breath.
“You all just think you’ve got it all figured out, don't cha? Defeat the Millennia Corp, beat up the Ministry and everything will be all just peachy. It’s alllll so easy.”
Paul looked disgusted.
“That’s why he’s got you! None of you have even notice that it’s all the workings of one being that you’ve been fighting against. He’s a devil of several identities and forms. I created the Occult ...my Occult so I could hopefully mislead it away from finding out the truth about you so that we could have the time that we needed to find out about him. I had no choice! If not, you'd all be dead!"
The mortician staggered. Chuckling suddenly and puckering his lips in aggravation, he raised an eyebrow and laughed again. "Who in the hell am I kidding? We’re already dead ...All of us." He looked at Shadow now. "Aren't we, Shadow Warrior? We're all just dead bodies?"
Paul Bearer’s focus turned to his son, Kane. Staring hard at the giant in red, a brand new and serious timber took hold of his voice--
"Kane" he started. "The man ...when you were a child.. The man in the fire. He’s real, Kane. He's real."
2
Faded memories stir beneath the mask. They twinkle to life in the lone white eye beneath the tangles of damp hair. From the comatose they play a phantom recording of days long gone.
"It's trauma. Plain and simple. Why, with the loss of his mother it’s understandable. So what does he do? I’ll tell you what he does. He creates this illusion of this, this guardian angel, who appears in the midst of the flames--" The doctor chuckled just then to the others around him in the office. "--Completely unscaved, mind you. I'm telling you it's trauma. Brain damage that was most likely induced by the smoke inhalation.”
Another memory flares...
"Enough!! That will be quite enough of this foolishness! Imaginary playmates, indeed. There was NO man in the fire, Kane! No man! The firemen saw no man!” The doctor’s voice became calm. He even patted the boy. “Now this medication will help you forget all those bad dreams of yours, okay? Come on now.”
“We’ll cure all those bad dreams, Kane. All those bad dreams.”
“...bad dreams... bad dreams ...”
The voices trailed away into oblivion until all that remained was his father, the frozen look upon his face and the woman he held that he claimed to be the mother he thought long ago to be dead forever.
3
Chyna stood there listening to Paul Bearer talk. She had forgotten that no matter how bad he treated Kane before, he WAS his father. Normally, she would have kicked his ass right away for smacking her like that, but the more the manager gushed his story, the more she found herself believing him.
"You are telling the truth aren't you? I'm still a little confused, but, you're not the pudgy bastard you were a few months ago."
Mankind was not as calm. His expression was incredulous. “All one person?!” He shouted. “You're kidding, Uncle Paul! Whoa, cow! We got to get to the bottom of this now before WE hit bottom."
The Big Red Machine just stood there, remembering a lot of things ...some so real in his mind, but nothing certain. He DID remember the man in the fire who had saved his life from the flames that raged through his home 22 years earlier, but the doctors at the asylum had punished and degraded him into submission that what he thought was not real.
Laruna stood quiet beside Syn. Her first dim awareness was, ironically, one of comfort, of being warmed by Paul Bearer’s speech and protected by the new ease that she felt in knowing he was being completely honest. But it was that same reality that fluttered her eyes open.
“Kane...” Laruna’s brow furrowed. Her gaze went far away, as if she was trying to fit together the pieces of a mental puzzle. “Kane, you asked us, when we first came, if we were ‘those he sent’. Who is ‘he’? Who did you mean?”
But the wrestler’s body language told her that he wasn’t sure. Kane shook his head. When he did answer, his reply came with question: “It–was-a---voice?”
Kane peered down his weeping father and followed his arms to the Widow folded in his embrace on the dressing room floor.
"Pa--pa” he began. “I--for-give --you."
4
Shadow Warrior looked on as Kane forgave his father, Paul Bearer. It made him wince. Not for them, but that he knew he was never going to be able to forgive his own father’s actions. The same one that caused his mother so much pain ...the same one that had raised him to turn him against his own brother. It would never happen. Not ever. What a shame. He watched silently.
The girls whispered to each other, commenting on what was going on, but not saying much else. Probably because Chyna suddenly looked so frantic. Shadow soon saw why when a sideways glance landed on the only clock in the room. The Parousia Match was going to begin any minute and the Corporation would be wondering where Kane and Chyna were by now! If they caught everyone here in the room like this, something would definitely happen.
“Shit!”
“What?” Syn asked.
“The match is about to start!
Shadow looked at the gathering of fans, Mankind, Paul Bearer and the Widow.
"Kane, you have a match now. They’ll be looking for you and Chyna. I’m going to take the girls with me ringside to be there if anything should happen.”
A look of hope crossed his expression.
“Please take care of yourself. ----Ladies? " He looked over at them. "We must leave, we can't risk being caught in here.”
“Wait!” Paul lifted Widow. He tried to stand her on her feet and found her weak as jelly. He held her in his arms again. “Wait, what about Wid’a? We’ll have to carry her somehow.”
“I know the perfect spot for all of us to go before we head out to the floor. The lunchroom is right nearby here. I suggest we move there ...Hurry! Before we get caught."
5
Shelara stood watching the scene before her in quiet amazement. She couldn’t take her eyes away from the fainted woman that Paul Bearer held in his arms. Kane's real mother? His *actual* mother?! Shadow, Kane's brother?! That also meant ---oh no! She wondered how Undertaker would react if he were to learn of this.
"The time's getting late” she glanced at her watch and then looked at Nyteshade. “Can you believe any of this?"
Shelara was always uncomfortable in situations like this. It was never safe to be in the backstage areas anymore. One always had to watch one's back. Together the creatures of the night were a force to be reckoned with, however, it was clear now that there were far more circumstances than even they actually understood. Her thoughts snapped in half when she overheard Shadow Warrior mention taking her and the other girls to the lunchroom before heading out to the arena floor. She gazed at Kane and smiled. Looking at her friends, she gave a reassuring glance and said, "We'll go with Shadow."
“Agreed” Syn nodded.
“Right.” Laruna added.
Shadow said goodbye to Chyna, nodded at Kane and Mankind and made a move to the door. “Alright then, ladies. Let’s head out."
Paul grinned; his cheeks like thick balls, "I’m not a lady" he chuckled. He had hoisted Widow into a piggy-back, but he set her down again when Shadow Warrior’s hand went for the doorknob.
“Wait, Shadow. Here ...Take Wid’a. The Ministry’s been crawling the floors. I should I go out ahead first and make sure that the coast is clear. This way I can pull away any unnecessary attention while you guys escape."
He laughed.
"Y’all know what a professional liar I can be. Hehee.."
Paul lingered by the door. "By the way, lunch room? You did say *the lunch room*, correct?" Bearer pressed his palms together with glee. "Mmmm..."
Mankind: "I think it's safer if you come with me instead, Uncle Paul. I have an idea, myself. It's gonna take some hocus pocus on your part, though. Don't worry, we'll take care of Kane's mommy while we're at it. So they wanna play with monsters, huh?”
In a single motion, Mick scooped up Widow and hoisted her up over his shoulder and then snatched Paul’s arm with insane, delightfully happy glee, pulling the manger with him in the direction of the boiler room before the mortician could even reply.
“Have a nice day!”
Chyna raised a brow and shrugged. “Um. Well allllllrighty then. Yeah, we'll see you guys later. Stay safe."
+++CHAPTER 10+++
Enter Degeneration X?!...
Shadow Warrior had motioned the girls to follow him with one quick jerk of his head. Kane followed Chyna to the right in the direction of the arena while he lead the creatures off, almost tip-toeing to the left. He could see the door to the lunchroom, almost reached it in fact, when suddenly the door right next to the café opened and the members of Degeneration-X spilled out! Bags of popcorn were also nearby. Apparently there had been eavesdroppers.
X-Pac: "B.A. I told you not to put your face too close to the handle!"
B.A.: "Eh, sue me."
As DX recovered, Hunter Hearst Helmsley looked up and grinned sheepishly over a mouth full of Orville Redenbacher’s.
HHH: "Sorry. We were enjoying the show. Looks like you could use a place to stay so your asses aren't busted by the Corporation. Well, we're not what you would call ‘fans of Kane’, however, after to listening to your-- *Fake sniffing* --so TOUCHING story we'll give you guys a break.”
Road Dog: "I don't know ‘bout that, Triple Ripple. I don't think they wanna get down with the DX!"
Footsteps --and quite a few of them can be heard from the hallway across coming towards the locker area. You can hear Chyna and the Rock arguing about something.
HHH: "Looks like they ain't gotta choice. Come with us! They might look in the lunchroom for you, but they'll least expect finding you in OUR locker."
1
Meanwhile, in the bowels of the arena...
In the depths of the Boiler Room, Mankind laid the Widow down on a pile of insulators to make sure she was safe before beaming a nearly toothless grin at Paul Bearer with the joys of his plan.
"Never fear, Uncle Paul, you're safe down here with your magic book and I need your help to use it right now. The hums and whirs of the machines might distort it enough so that none of the energy can be traced by anyone we don’t want finding us ...Just remember Uncle Paul, I'm a HUGE X-File fan!"
With that, Mankind whipped out Mr. Socko.
"Since you're the good guy now, I want you to give me some of that hocus pocus of yours.” Mick smiled. “Mr. Socko is allergic to steroids so I have to find him some other way to pump him up." He moved the puppet's mouth, "I exercise every day!"
But not one inch of the manager’s expression appeared to share any of the burly wrestler excitement. The lunch room sounded so much ‘nicer’. Paul rolled his eyes and blew the bangs out of his face with one hot breath. Mankind was still smiling with this sock on his hand.
"You know what will happen with me opening that book, don't you? It sends signals you know?"
Mankind grinned.
"Revelations upon us, Mick."
Bigger grin.
‘Behold, a white horse?"
Even bigger grin.
"You just ENJOY danger don't you?" Paul submitted with a puff.
"Ooo, I wanta ride a white horse!" Socko danced on Mankind's hand cheerfully.
Paul looked over at the Widow again. "Oh --Okay, okay! But it's your throat, not mine!"
Paul Bearer eyes glazed --in an instant it seemed. His senses numb and his focus detached, he held out his hand. The lids of his eyes looking heavy, he began to chant in a foreign tongue that Mankind could not make any sense of.
"Patefacio libri quod lego versus ...planto vestri a votum...”
In the manager’s flat palm, the image of a twisted, beaten leather book started to take shape– glowing, pulsating as though it were beating a heart. From somewhere even more forsaken, a deep breath could be heard.
"...Veneficus libri refero NOS!
"Holy shit!" Socko shrieked. Mankind slapped the puppet's mouth.
2
The Higher Power’s goblet dropped mid-chest clutched in the master's hand. Father Aristedt cocked his head. His gaze shifted from left to right , then rounded up towards the ceiling.
"What?" Falcy asked, still perched on the floor beside him. He had been giggling about the silver lance in his hand and what he would do with it. He would get that beast, Kandle! How dare he stopped him, deny him from the ages long climax of enjoying Shadow Warrior’s death just when he had him, had him right where he wanted. But now Falcy knew! He knew all the sweet little secrets and all the skeletons in the closet.
“Undertaker’s going to di-ie. Undertaker’s going to di-ie.”
"Pppppaul.." Father Aristedt stretched on one breath. He sprang to his feet.
"Who?"
Aristedt just chuckled. "Found you.”
“Eh?”
“Falcy, my falcon friend, I do believe that we are being called for."
3
"Alright, Uncle Paul," Mankind snatched the book from his hand. "Where's the index? I gotta get enchanted and stuff. That way Socko's not stuck with me the whole time."
"Huh?... I thought we were friends!"
Mankind stroked Socko, "Now, Socko... there comes a time in every sock's life that they have to leave the foot and go down their own little yellow brick road."
((In other words, bring Socko to life linked to Mankind's mind. That way it will bring more power to the fold and he could help out more. If things do start to get ugly, then Paul could summon his Occulties.))
"Fire up that baby!" Mick whooted, "I'm coming home!"
The Black Widow was beginning to stir on the bed of foam packing. She was whispering her son’s name only to realize that she was no longer in Kane's dressing room. She jumped up and looked around. Kane wasn't there!
“W-what the?” She spotted Paul, Mankind and the Stygian bible --OPEN!
"What the f**k is going on here!"
When they didn’t answer her, Cathy began to talk to herself, "Oh, not good. This is definitely not good! The shit is gonna hit the fan ---Ok, get a grip! Find a weapon! Be prepared!" She looked around and found a metal pipe laying on the floor and picked it up, started to swing it for practice like a baseball bat.
"I guess this will do. Oh well, if anyone comes in now and they are counting on me to save them, hehe ...we're all dead! Jeez! I can't believe I am in the boiler room! I didn't even get a chance to touch my Kane's hand! I didn't get to tell him how much I miss him or tell him how much I always have, and always will love him! Grrrrrr! If some slimy maggot comes through that door I'm gonna bash his head in! No one is going to stop me from seeing my children again!"
Then she chuckled angrily at herself, "Yea, if you can keep from fainting like a damn little pansy again."
Widow was now standing by the entrance boiler room, holding the pipe like it was a Louisville slugger and she was Babe Ruth standing at home plate with bases loaded just waiting for the pitch.
Paul Bearer snatched the book away from Mankind's hands; his face blossoming with shock.
"You want me to WHAT?! Here, gimme that!"
Paul turned the pages, mumbling to himself: "I know I've been called "Gomez" before, but the last thing I need is a ‘Thing’ to go with it--” Bearer stopped. Widow wasn't where she lay anymore!
"Uh!? Wid’a? Wid ---Oh!" He clutched the bible to his chest in relief when he spotted her and stepped to her, "Cathy? What are you doing?"
"It's alright, Mommy darkside" Mankind stated. "We're safe."
"Oh, yeah?! Well I trust nothing!" A cold eye stung Paul, "I had NO idea you had one of those..those THINGS here! One minute I see my son and the next minute I'm waking up to voodoo." Widow positioned the pipe again. "I heard those give off--”
"--Signals." Mankind danced the sock again. "We heard already ...Uncle Paul, hurry!"
Paul let his hand smooth Widow's shoulder tenderly, then sliding onto his knees, holding the book open, he offered one final inspection of the sock on Mankind’s hand and whistled, "We ready now? ...Here we go."
The chant started again.
Widow shook her head in disbelief at the two of them. Her mouth had dropped at what was taking place. Still holding metal pipe, she chuckled to herself, "Mommy darkside, hehe --Oh dear.” Her eyes sprang open and she looked to the ceiling above.
"Okay, God? I know you have a sense of humor and all, but please don't tell me I have a fourth son that I didn’t know about.”
She flicked a look at Mankind.
“He is kind of cute ...in an insane sort of way. Yeah, he could be related, after all, let me see, I have one, maybe two boys who play with lightning, one who is the Lord of Darkness who is actually really one half of a 300-year old dead undertaker who just happens to be a vampire! Not to mention the father of my youngest just might be the most evil of all creations known to hell or man AND the one who caused this whole mess to begin with! All while the father of my Kane is over there bringing a sock to life! And I am going to protect them from whatever may come through this door, with a pipe! Hehe, yeah. More like I have been smoking a pipe filled with artificial joy."
Black Widow’s thoughts went back to Kane. What a wonderful sight he was. He was so beautiful standing so big and strong. He was everything she always knew he would, could be. If only--
She was snapped back into the reality hearing Paul's chant growing louder. He was shouting now and the book in his hand was so bright that flooded the dark interior of the boiler room like a photon charge. It looked like, it appeared to explode!
Mankind: "C'mon! C'mon!"
Socko: "C'mon! C'mon!"
Mankind was confused. He didn't issue Socko to speak as the sock seemed to meld into his hand and shift a little bit.
Socko: "Wow... This is RETRO!"
Mankind: "Socko?"
The sweatsock slipped from Mick’s hand in a snap and keeled back, now a fierce, yet adorable, cartoon-like snake creature.
Socko: "Sssssomebody STOP ME!"
Mankind: "Socko! You look terrific!"
Socko: "When you got it, floss it, baby!" Socko snickered with his fanged mouth, "Hey, Mickey, I best be getting back to the task ON HAND. The book attracts flies worse than I do."
Widow eyes blinked, circled, widened and then closed, "Oh, oh ...no ...Nope, I didn't see that. I didn’t hear that either. Nope. No way. I ...I ...yoohoo, oh Paul, dear? Could you please step over here and take my temperature? I think I am hallucinating.”
Socko: "Hey, lady! I ain't exactly Peter Pan or Snow White, here! I'm 100% genuine SOCK!"
Mankind: "She's not used to gym socks talking like I am. Try to go easy on her."
Socko: "Feh! ...So what did you expect? Leatherhosen?"
Paul Bearer was dazed. His eyes closed and rocking his head just as the Stygian bible vanished again, he was stammering on incoherently, "Unnnnmmmm. Son, see what happens when you don’t wash your clothes?”
Widow wrinkled one eye and tapped his cheek, "Um, Paul?"
"Zzzzz....Snort, huh? HUH?!" The mortician flung backwards screaming at his first sight of Socko. He flew to his feet hugging Widow tight.
"Holy Jesus!"
"Where?" The sock actually looked.
"AHH!" Paul leapt, turned and buried himself into Widow's shoulder, "It’s time for a refund on the Hanes."
He peeked with one eye and beyond Socko, found Mankind grinning. "Hee Hee Hee."
+++++++
NEXT SCENE: The Parousia Match is starting!