Bad Moon Rising

[Lady Munin]

The sound of laughter can be heard like thunder in the silence of the empty promo room. Its source is none other than Munin bruised but obviously unbroken, and rather more amused than she should be at the moment.

Her hair that usually so perfectly tucked up in a perfect french twist, hangs around her like a black halo. A colorful bruise has already begun to paints along her jaw, and her eyes shine with the light of those that intimately know the line between genius and insanity. Eyes that sparkle with a dark promise of things to come, and in this moment she shines.

A simple GZW banner hangs in the background, and this alone is slightly unsettling considering the typical intricately designed promo that Munin is known for.

"What now hero?"

Tilting her head to the side slightly Munin's smile belies her barely restrained mirth.

"Really Marcus, I think this past show was some of your best work yet. I mean have you watched the footage yet? I have, I especially like when you get that...well ugly snarly face near the end."

She scoots forward in her seat with a nearly eager expression on her face.

"So much rage Kolic, so much violence...I blame the rap music."

Adopting a mockingly serious demeanor, and her voice lowers to an equally mocking stern tone.

"Have you listened to much of it lately? Is that why you're such an angry...hero?"

A smile blossoms across Munin's painted red lips on the last word.

"I think that was more rage than you've shown anyone since your little quote unquote turn. Why is that do you think? Is it my so called questionable morals, or the fact that so far I am still the only person in this company that hasn't lied to you or broken a promise to you, and you hate that. Maybe you're so pissed because even now everything I say to you is true? So tell me, is it my so called questionable morals or the truth that makes you so furious?"

Tapping a finger against her lips she hums to herself, as if contemplating her own question.

"No wait, I have an even better question. Who are you now Marcus? Are you the hero martyring himself as a villain for the greater good? Tragically admiring his once upon a time friends and allies, even as he works against them."

Munin straightens in her chair, and pulls out a pair of fake spectacles. Perching them on her nose with care.

"Maybe you are just the self righteous asshole that used portray himself as a hero, and now even though he has shown his true colors he is psychologically incapable of accepting the fact that he isn't a hero. He is just another asshole looking for an excuse to do whatever he wants with a clear conscience."

The look she gives the camera clearly says sit down on my couch and tell me how screwed up you are.

"Or maybe in truth you have no idea who you are."

"Whatever the answer may be it was almost worth losing to see you really let loose. I mean there was no Mayhem involved in that fight, just you on your lonesome...getting your hands dirty."

With a smirk she slowly stands, and slips her glasses from her eyes.

"Yes I think this was worth the loss, this is going to be so much more fun."

"I hope you weren't foolish enough to think that would be the end of it? No no no, we are just beginning."

Tossing the glasses over her shoulder, she pulls from her pocket a pair of fingerless black gloves.

"So let's start this off right shall we?"

Slipping on each glove she cracks her knuckles, and her smile turns feral. Beckoning for the camera man to follow her, she leaves the promo room and enters the gym with a confident stride that says she knows exactly where she is going.

["Tampa Tornado"Amanda Reynolds]

Dressed in black yoga pants and a white sports bra wrapping white tape around her wrists is the young Amanda Reynolds. Her long blond hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she appeared to not be paying much attention to her surroundings. She tore the last of the tape roll off and patted the tape down before punching her hand to make sure it was on firmly.


"I've got to get my head on right. James is right I need to focus on Piper and only Piper right now."


Amanda turned back towards the radio behind her as it played "Bad Moon Rising" by CCR. She shook her head from side to side.


"Who was here before I was? This song is like nails on a chalk board."


"And yet ironically appropriate."


Those few words are all the warning Amanda receives before her head is bashed into the locker, and her legs kicked out from under her.
 Munin stares down at her with calculating cold eyes. She seems patient enough to allow Amanda to process what had just happened to her. In fact she intently reads the reactions that show transparently across Amanda's face with something close amusement.
 Amanda shook the cobwebs from her head before hitting Munin with a leg sweep that put her on the floor right next to her. The young woman quickly scurried to her feet and backed away from her attacker never taking her eyes off her.


"Munin I can explain!"


Munin was back on her feet in an instant, a predators smile gracing her red lips. A dry decisive chuckle escapes her as she brushes her hair out of her face idly.


"Oh I'm sure you can, in fact I'm fairly certain that I can explain for you. I'm fairly good a piecing things together. So lets see if I've got this right."


Slowy Munin begins to pace along the benches of the locker room. Absently picking up a half full water bottle and tossing it in hand lightly as she does so.


"You were all broken up by seeing your golden boy kissing the latest thing to crawl out of Trouble Trax, and you were crushed. So crushed that you spilt your heart out to Alex. A man whose heart, as I'm guessing you've figured out, is much better than he or anyone else gives him credit for."


She shoots Amanda a sickly sweet smile over her shoulder as she finishes her sentence. The mere fact that she is willing to turn her back on Amanda shows how little she actually considers her to be a threat.


"He consoled you and in the heat of the moment you got carried away and kissed him...see I'm rather good at this."


The young woman crossed her arms in front of her chest.


"You're not wrong Munin. That's almost dead on what happened."


She turns her gaze away once more leaving Amanda to fidget in place.


"Its truly unfortunate for you that I don't care. I saw your face afterwards dear, you just never know when a sneaky camera will be snooping around just waiting for something to happen."


She doesn't even finish her sentence before whipping around and nailing Amanda with the water bottle.
 She waste no time in utilizing the distraction by crossing the room to slam Amanda into the lockers twice more.


"Your still all emotionally angst about Stephen's kiss, but now you wonder if there could be something with Alex."


Grabbing Amanda by the hair she whips her across the corner into another locker.
 Pacing back to the center of the room she once more waits patiently as Amanda gains her bearings.


"Let me do you a favor by saying there is nothing, and if you have any honor you will not pursue Alex as anything more than a friend."


Tilting her head to the side she watches Amanda shake her head, and try to grip the locker.


"These distractions are not benefiting you in any way. You have become unfocused and sloppy."


"Munin I have no desire to pursue Alex. I know he's with you and I would never try and come between the two of you. It was a mistake and nothing more than that."


Amanda pulled herself up and leaned against one of the lockers before wiping at her mouth.


"I admit I was wrong and don't blame you one bit for this. But I promise if you ever pull this again I won't be so willing to let it slide."


Munin's lips begin to twitch slightly, before an actual bark of laughter escapes.


"How magnanimous of you to "let this slide". Do you think I am scared or intimidated by you? Oh, you have some talent, but you aren't even close to me yet. So let it slide or don't, I could honestly care less. It is nice to see that I wasn't wrong about you though. You may not be quite ready yet, but you are far from being an idiot."


She yanks a folded towel off one of the benches and starts drying off her arms.


"This was a nice talk I don't have many girl talks unless they are with Eva, but this was fun."


She looks up to meet Amanda's eyes with a bright smile and unsettling innocence.


"We should have a different topic next time though, because if its the same one I won't be so nice. I'll leave you in stitches and a body cast. That would be a shame because I almost like you, and I guess that's why I went so easy on you this time."


By this time Munin has made her way to the door while talking, and with a final look at Amanda she tosses the towel to a nearby bench.


"Good bye Amanda, hurry up and prove yourself so we can play."


With a final bright smile that some how promises broken bones and tea at the same time Munin is gone.
 Amanda quickly picked up the towel resting on the bench and wiped the water off her face.

"What the fuck was that shit?! I don't care who you are you don't waltz in here and do something like that. I might of deserved something but it wasn't that!"


She dug into the nearby small brown purse sitting on the bench.


"I wonder if Alex knows about this?"


She pulled out her cellphone and quickly hit a series of numbers before placing the phone to her ear.


"If he didn't he's about to."