Hera vs. Gem Queen - Palace of Pain!

The squeaky clean halls echoed. The pathway leading to where the ring would lead was clear. The janitors just finished up, as they looked up.

One of the support staff moving some crates and cargo looked up, their eyes widening.

A couple of security looked up, at the figures striding in through the halls.

They all knew. They all knew what was coming. Today's main event was coming. And someone had willingly asked for this.

A medical team preparing their stretcher and stuff looked up at the figures walking in, and gulped.

The Unrelenting Gladiator, Hera, and her manager, Hermes, were marching through the halls, their shoes squeaking and echoing on the halls as dead silent as a graveyard, all eyes looking on Hera. They were the eyes of question, shock, awe, terror, wondering

was she going to get through this one in one piece?

On the outside, to everyone who saw the gladiator passing by, she seemed as stoic as ever. Stoned-faced, determined glint in her eyes, fists clenched tightly- It seemed like she was treating this as any other match, a chance to show the world her might and prowess within the squared circle.

On the inside, Hera was... Conflicted.

There was a pit in her stomach as she walked, a feeling of... Nooot fear, exactly? She wasn't scared of who she was about to face, she knew signing up for SRW she was to face all matter of foe- big, small, skinny, fat, weak-willed, indomitable. It came with the territory, and Hera was dead set on giving it her all no matter who she faced.

But... What she heard about her opponent... Certainly weighed heavy on her mind, to say the least.

She takes a long, deep breath- As she and her manager Hermes walk, too tense to say anything to each other, her mind couldn't help but wonder back to the moment she signed up for this- A fateful meeting with the Head Warden herself...

Hera felt her sharp teeth graze her bottom lip, a habit of hers whenever she's agitated- Her blood boiled as she thought back to that meeting with Eros. Which is ironic, considering how she remembered both her and Hermes blood running cold when facing her. The way she lorded over the two, implicitly insulting Hermes to his face, treating Hera as nothing more than some meathead to serve a lesson- Or as a piece of meat to be ravaged by a bloodthirsty fighter, whichever got more ratings- All of served to prickle at the Gladiator's nerves. Ohhhhh, if she could have a few minutes alone with that devious little--

Hera stopped herself short- There was more important things to focus on. Even if she wasn't a fan of the circumstances, this was a major opportunity for her. A big break she desperately craved- It just remained to be seen if the break was figurative or literal...

"... Hera? Hera, you're biting on your lip again, talk to me baby."

"Hm--?" Hermes's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, her brows raising as she glanced over to her manager- Who had his own brow quirked.

"You're not nervous, are ya? Cause you got nothing to be nervous about- This is just another day at the office."

"... No. No, I'm not nervous." She shook her head, facing forward again as the two walked. "Just thinking about what Eros said..."

"What, about the Jewel Queen? Oh pssh..." Hermes waved his hand dismissively, before shoving his hands back in his trouser pockets as he sauntered casually. "Don't put too much stock into what she says, Hera. Y'know how these wrestling types are, gotta big up their guys no matter what- Kayfabe and all that bullshit."

That comment earned him a dirty look from Hera. "Hermes."

"Riiiight riiight, sorry, don't speak ill of kayfabe... Look--" Hermes put his hand on Hera's wrist to stop her just before the entrance, craning his neck up to look at her- Lord he's probably gonna need a chiropractor later in life...

"The point is, it doesn't matter who you face- Because you're Hera. You're the Unrelenting Gladiator- And gods save anyone who gets in your way. Right?"

".   .   ."

Hera inhaled through her nose, and nodded with a smirk as she faced forward- Hermes always knew how to hype her up. "Right."

"Aaaaatta girl." He patted her massive arm with a wide, shark-toothed grin, pointing to the entrance stage. "Now let's go kick some royal ass."

And so, without further delay, the both of them stepped out into the arena.

Heras music was blaring aloud, as the energetic announcer sang, "AND NNNOOOW LAADDDDDIIESSSS ANDDDDD GENTLEMEEEEEN! CHILLLDREN OF ALLLL AGES! This is our MAAAAAIN EVENT CAN I GET A HEELLLLL YEEAH?!?!"

The crowds cheers peaked in excitement as they watched the stage ramp, ready to see today's battle.

Or execution.

"The challenger, the warrior, the gladiator, the unrelenting, and today's biggest question of "IS SHE GONNA KICK IT OR NOT?!", RAISE YOUR WAR CRIES FOOOOOOOOR, HEEERRAAAAA!"

The crowd cheers exploded as many rose to their seats, their eyes glued to the stage to see their challenger approach.

"Tch..." Hera couldn't help but scoff and roll her eyes at the announcer's little 'kick it' comment, but shrugged it off as she strided onto the stage- Raising her muscular arms to the side in a dominant pose, inviting applause. Hermes for his part stood to the side, clapping with the smuggest of smug smirks on his face- As far as the crowd knew, he didn't have any other expression.

After plenty of grandstanding, the pair make their way down to the ring- Some might notice a tad slower than usual, with Hera's face in particular have a bit of a pensive touch to it. Things are understandable weighing heavy on her mind... But even still she climbs the apron and slips through the ropes, moving to the center to strike another pose for the benefit of those with flash photography- And turned to the stage. Waitng. Her body tense with anticipation...

The crowd cheers died down, anticipation running high. A sort of quiet tension flowed in.....and the tension rose as the lights started to dim.

Some stage lights popped on, and focused down on the stage. And through the entryway......a figure strode in.

She was short, to say the least. Standing at 4'10, anyone could tell she was short. But that did not diminish the fact she was wearing a heavy looking cloak with gold embroidery and metallic spikes embedded into the ends of the cape and a hood to hide her face. As she walked along the stage, the spikes dragged along the floor, making a scratching sound. The audience was dead silent with the occasional murmurs. This wasn't a debut. These people knew her. This was them giving their fear and awe.

"And the OPPONENT.....the monarchy of nowhere, the leader of oblivion, and yet no less dazzlingly dangerous, BOW DOWN...TO GEEEEM QUEEEEEEN!" The crowd exploded into boos. Feared or not, Gem Queen was a major heel. People feared and respected her, some had a crush on her ferocity, but most were hard pressed to really like such a villainous fighter.

As the name was announced, Gem Queen threw off her hood, revealing her rather pudgy, soft and curvy face, and her grey hair, greyed from age. Her lips seemed somewhat fat, and on her forehead was a brilliant looking tiara, made of gold, and with many gems inlaid into it as it opened into a fan like shape. But it has no extensions. It just...seemed stuck to her head. How come...? And that's not counting various gems that were embedded into her cheeks and her neck.

As she approached the ring, Gem Queen took off her cloak, revealing her short but rather curvy stature. She did look old and pudgy, but there was some fat that gave her an oddly strong look. And her outfit was a one piece with colouring to make it look like a two piece, the top being black while the lower part being peach colored. more gems of various colours were embedded here and there on her; wrists, elbows, and the top of her palms. Her brilliant red shoes had more gems embedded in them. Throwing the cape aside, as the metal and gold clanged on the floor, she jumped up to the middle rope, caught it, and heaved, the elasticity of the rope swinging up and allowing her to front flip and land on her two feet, as she straightened herself. Hera would notice her hair hid her eyes, but she was clearly looking right at her. The cacophony of boos did not reside, the crowds displeasure at her clear.

Gem Queen smirked. There was no happiness or goodwill in it. It was a rather cruel smirk, as Gem Queen slowly pulled the tiara off her head.

A sickening sound of sliding flesh came as the tiara came off, and Hera and Hermes would see the Concerningly long spike attached to its back side. The spike was covered in blood, and a small ooze of sticky blood seemed to cling to it, before coming off and flying back into Gem Queen's bushel of hair and disappearing, not a blood drop or stain falling off it or on her.

Was that thing nailed to her head?

Gem Queen lifted her chin, and said, in an aged but deep and imperious accent, "Hera. The... UNRELENTING.... Gladiator. No?"

Hera...

Was confused as she saw the cloaked figure making her way down to the ring. She knows better than anyone you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but... It was hard to see what all the commotion was about, over someone who was hardly taller than her knees. But still, the crowd knows more than she does, furiously booing her opponent as she makes her way down, while Hera simply watches with her arms crossed and her brow furrowed...

Even when the Gem Queen finally discarded her robe and revealed her true self, Hera didn't quite get it. Short yet shapely, with full lips and greyed hair that covered her eyes... She even wore a little tiara. In all honesty, Hera just saw her as... Cute. Like a sweet old lady. Even with that snide smirk on her face.

Then she took off the tiara.

The sound alone made Hera want to puke, but she couldn't look away- Her eyes bulged out, absolutely stupefied at what she was seeing. She desperately wanted to avert her gaze, turn around until the Queen was done, but she had to sit still and stare- Partly because she couldn't show weakness, but mostly because the sight froze her muscles in place, too stunned to even twitch.

The moment only last a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to Hera, who bit down on her lip again- This time threatening to leave marks in her skin. It wasn't until the Gem Queen said her name that she snapped out of her horrified trance.

"Th-- That's right. And you're the... Gem Queen..." Hera spoke clearly, cautiously, still in awe of what she just witnessed...

The Gem Queen rubbed her chin, looking Hera up and down.

"Not bad, not bad. Gladiator...." her smirk turned into a sneer, as she said, "Well, consider yourself blessed, child. A TRUE aspirant champion is a rare sight, a rare breed," she said as she slowly walked to her corner, her head turned sideways while she looked at Hera with her hidden eyes, as she gently handed the tiara to the referee, who...tried not to touch the gorey end of it, "and many who claim to be such are little more than steam blowing children, or beasts pretending to be people."

As she turned around, she concluded, "They disappoint me often, and I don't like being disappointed. You..." she said, the sneer turning into a judgemental smile, "seem different..... impatient, I can tell, if you wished to fight me so soon in your career, gladiator , but I can imagine today is going to be different. Or not....I'll let you decide that with your skills...." she said the final part with a crack of her neck, and her knuckles.

"Now, impress this queen, gladiator."

The announcer made their quick remarks, "The proceeding contest is a SUBMISSION MATCH! First one to pass out, tap out, or bleed out, is gonna be the winnnneeerrr!"

The cheering and boos were greatly mixed, but there was a difference this time. The audience this time was entirely behind Hera. All cheers for her, all boos for Queen. Gem looked about at the audience, her smile shrinking into a curt smile.

Just the way she liked it. Feared.

The referee looked at both fighters to check if they're ready.

Say whatever you will about the Gem Queen, she certainly commanded respect- Hera found she couldn't take her eyes off the alleged monarch, leaning against her own corner as her opponent confided that she was greatly intrigued by the Gladiator...

It was only when the announcer's voice rang out that Hera managed to advert her gaze- And her lips pursed slightly at what he had to say. A submission match? She didn't remember Eros saying anything about that- And she wasn't particularly fond of 'bleed out' being tacked on as a win condition. But oh well, no point of complaining about the heat when she's in the fire.

She glanced back to the Queen, her gaze laser-focused now- This was it. Either win here now, or die trying- Hopefully figuratively, as unlikely as that is.

"Consider yourself impressed, 'Your Highness'."