Recruitment (Open Thread)

[Pegasus]

The crowd was ballistic for the night ahead as the cameras were rolling and the signs for their favorite wrestlers went high, but just as the broadcast got under way, the titantron just started fizzing out with static as the crowd perked up. Murmurs started going rampant as the titantron went to full black and then the lights completely shut off encasing the arena in a pitch black dome. Gasps and phone lights emerged from the darkness as a sinister voice could be heard over an open mic: “London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London bridge is falling down.”

The lights dimmed a single spotlight down on Jonathan as he wore new street clothes in the ring consisting of a black blazer, a grey, white buttoned-up dress shirt, black slacks, and brown dress shoes. He held the mic firmly in his left hand as the camera got a good shot of his red contact lenses substituting his usual turquoise eyes. The crowd went into silence as Jonathan put the mic near his mouth again finishing the nursery rhyme.

“My fair lady.”

Jonathan would then walk around the ring as a single snicker left his lips and he brought the mic back up to his mouth.

“What’s a guy to do other than make his intentions clear? As you all may have known, I have a little demon sleeping within my mind. Forged from eternal darkness and increased anger. And that darkness is spread all across LAW. Too many sinners getting away without receiving justice. But the ones who are suppose to deliver that justice are cowards hiding away in the corners of their offices without a second thought or even a single damn in the world! They rather you all suffer through bullshit so they won’t have to do anything! Am I wrong? Heels attacking fans, controversy spreading across this promotion, and this ring stained with sins! Too many innocent people left behind to rot like lifeless carcasses. That’s where he comes in. The Anomaly. A beacon of hope in this time of abysmal failure by the higher ups. He’s not your enemy. He’s not your nightmare. He’s your new savior. All you have to do is…open…your….mind.”

The crowd would slowly nod their heads as Jonathan wasn’t exactly telling lies and even some had to admit he was speaking facts, but the aura of fear of the unknown took over majorly as many fans sunk back in their chairs scared for their lives.

“The Anomaly wants to put the bad people away. He wants to make them finally suffer for what they have done. But….I was foolish enough to disregard his warnings. He made me see the joy of creation….what we both can do to correct things. The Anomaly wants to build a selection of disciples. That will help lay the ground work for his rise. He can’t do it alone. I can’t do it alone. So, if there is anyone back there that feels they are not being taken seriously, that others left them behind to further their own agendas, or they feel used by all others, come down here and I will show you his ways. He will show you to follow him, ” Jonathan explained as he extended his right arm towards the entrance ramp looking for those interested in The Anomaly’s cause.

Author’s Note

So, this thread is open to any user who has characters that aren’t really doing much or you think would be interested in joining a new horror cult faction called The Selection. You’ve seen The Anomaly in the No Holds Barred Match thread I am doing with @CaptainL at the current moment. He will be apart of this huge storyline where The Anomaly builds a selection of disciples to help him “cleanse” LAW of sinners, but little does everyone know, he has his own plans to look after. Once again, if you are interested, feel free to respond to this prompt and hit me or Cap up on Discord for any questions you have.

[CaptainL]

With Jonathan making his announcements, the arena had fallen into a stunned silence. They had seen what the Anomaly was capable of, and even if there were a fair few who were sure his tricks were all smoke and mirrors, when they saw him now, in front of them, speaking with such conviction, no one wanted to say anything that might draw his attention - just in case, on the off chance, his powers were real. It was clear that he had big plans for the future of LAW - plans that nobody wanted to get in the way of. If they did, they were sure there would be hell to pay.

Those reservations, however, did not extend to everyone in LAW. Jonathan had made an offer for anyone to step forward - and not everyone was going to do that with the intention of taking him up on his offer.

"WHOAH WHOAH WHOAH, HEY, NOW-!"

Kyoko Kobashi

Misako Enjoji

Suddenly, the fans turned to the entrance ramp, where a new arrival was heading on the scene. Two new arrivals, in fact - it was none other than Kyoko Kobashi and Misako Enjoji, two-thirds of the Heartbreakers, and the same team that had faced the Anomaly for his in-ring debut - a match that had ended in disaster for the delinquents when they found themselves unable to keep up with his almost superhuman endurance, and where the fans had seen their defiance and willpower drain away from them before their eyes. It took a special kind of opponent to beat the Heartbreakers, and the Anomaly had not only beaten them, but dominated them.

But something wasn't right. That match had ended with the two girls passing out in the clutches of the Anomaly and his henchman, and with him seemingly bending their minds to his will, making them obey his whims like puppets. Yet, here they were, storming the ring and talking back to him, like nothing had happened! Did they even remember the match at all?

A few cries of "WHAT?" broke through the air, but it didn't seem to stop the Heartbreakers one bit. Misako came to the ring apron and hopped up onto it, jabbing a finger at Jonathan, while Kyoko stayed close behind. "You think you can just storm in here and make this promotion your own? Hell no!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Kyoko cut in. "We did that first! And better!"

"And we don't wanna share the spotlight. Sure, we're a bunch of thugs, and ruffians, and delinquents, and whatever you wanna call us..."

"Rapscallions?"

"Uh, I guess. But the point is...at least we're honest about it! You don't see us putting on airs, standing around and talking about how we're gonna fix LAW, and make society better, and all that!"

"No, we just wanna beat people up!"

"So lemme ask you one thing - what's your motive for throwing around all those big words of yours? You got something you wanna hide? You trying to compensate for the fact that you're too afraid to admit you just wanna stir shit? You think being big, bad, and scary will make people think you have a point?"

"Either way, it won't work on us!"

"But we know one thing for sure - we're not gonna let anyone tell us what to do, or how to feel! We live by our own rules. Not the rules of LAW, not the rules of wrestling, and definitely not by whatever nonsense you're spewing! And if you wanna make us...we're not going down without a fight!" Misako balled a fist and pounded it against her palm, cracking her knuckles for good measure.

[Pegasus]

Jonathan had finished making the offer to take up anyone at his side and obey the will of the Anomaly. However, the first two takers weren’t exactly takers and it seems The Heartbreakers were looking to pay Jonathan back for their first loss as a tag team. They stormed out to the ring as Misako took the lead on explaining how they didn’t want a normal society and just loved beating people up. She then went on to say that Jonathan was just afraid to start trouble and that they weren’t going to be told what to do. These girls were honestly adorable in thinking they had any right to try and talk Jonathan down. He simply didn’t even acknowledge them as he raised his left hand and snapped his fingers.

“Saka, Miza, fall in line,” Jonathan answered into the mic.

[CaptainL]

It didn't seem to make any sense that Kyoko and Misako would still be out to pick fights. They had just suffered a crushing loss against the Anomaly, one that had proven to them that they stood no chance of fighting back. Not only had it been their first loss as a tag team, it was a crushing, humiliating loss that had reminded them there were some foes that not even they could surpass. And it had ended in the two of them held down helplessly in their opponents' clutches, just before the Anomaly seemed to cast a spell over them that caused them to lose consciousness then and there. Yet, not only were they back to their normal rabble-rousing selves, they didn't even seem to have any recollection of the events that had taken place - as though the Anomaly was new to them, and as though they still believed they could stand up to him.

Anxious murmurs went up from the stands as the fans turned to one another, debating as to what exactly was going on. Maybe they'd blocked out the memories, they thought. Maybe this was all some kind of a trick to confuse their opponents, and to lull them into a false sense of security from which they could strike back. Either way, the two delinquents seemed as defiant as ever as they took their places on the apron, shooting the Anomaly a glare. They wanted the world to believe they wouldn't be intimidated, even when the world had already seen the truth.

But as quickly as Jonathan snapped his fingers, everything changed. It was as simple as that - at the sound, the two of them fell limp, their bodies going slack and their eyes blank. Kyoko stumbled against Misako, her head leaned against her shoulder as she fell slack-jawed at her side. But as soon as it had all started, as soon as Jonathan called out his orders, the two girls sprung back to their senses.

At the sound of his voice, they jumped back to their feet, shaking themselves out and stepping through the ropes before standing at attention. Misako - or was it Saka? - took a step forward, nodding her head to Jonathan, her expression flat and unmoving, yet her eyes were narrowed with a glare of pure malice that spoke to her intent. "Apologies, my master," she muttered in a cold and serious tone.

Behind her, Kyoko - or was it Miza? - tiptoed up behind her with a wide and toothy grin across her face, throwing her arms around her partner's shoulders and leaning in over her shoulder as she giggled giddily to herself. "Yeah, yeah. We're gonna be good. And we'll make sure aaaaanybody you don't like gets some big bad boo-boos!"

Now, it was clear what was going on. And the truth was even more chilling. Kyoko and Misako were under the Anomaly's spell, and they didn't even know it. But at any time he chose, he could flip the switch, and they'd be there to answer the call...

[Pegasus]

Jonathan just stood still in the middle of the ring as his newest disciples fell in line with him as he patted Miza’s head with an affectionate rhythm.

“I don’t blame you girls. You just didn’t know what to expect when you were selected. It’s all good. You’ll eventually settle into your new identities soon enough,” Jonathan stated with a friendly smile, but it turned into a angry frown as he looked up at the entrance ramp. “Anybody else got something they want to say?!”