Tear-Down

"Pleasure isn't a crime"
Tear-Down
Player: @Belah Nain
Origin:	Magic
Archetype:	Scrapper
Security Level:	'
Personal Data
Real Name:	Terrie Kelly
Known Aliases:	Ruin's Hammer
Species:	Human
Age:	36
Height:	7'0"
Weight:	585 lbs
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Variable
Biographical Data
Nationality:	Rogue Isles Citizen
Occupation:	Adventurer, Wanderer, Enforcer, Demolitionist
Place of Birth:	Saint Martial, Rogue Isles
Base of Operations:	Paragon City, Rhode Island
Marital Status:	Multiple Partners
Known Relatives:	None
Known Powers
Healing Factor, Increased Durability, Super Strength, Magical Enhancement, Destruction Aura
Known Abilities
Competent hand-to-hand combatant, dancer, and cook
Equipment
Impervium hammer known as the "Decadent Ruin"
Known to be polyamorous. Also nonbinary; prefers they/them pronouns.

"Do you have any idea how much stuff you can get away with destroying if you call it an 'art project'?"

Afraid of Themselves

"It's hard to describe. It's just... it's fun, okay? And I like it. It feels good, and nothing lasts forever, right? If it's all going to end up in the trash anyway, I might as well have as much fun as I can first."

Terrie had always felt... different.

They liked breaking their toys. Not because they were violent or angry, but because they liked feeling strong, and they loved leaving a mark on things. Something permanent. Something indelible. Of course, they were always careful when they did so, so they wouldn't get caught. They'd often explain the missing toys as given away, or lost, or otherwise innocuous explanations for why they so often disappeared. As they got older, the urge never left. If anything, the pull only felt stronger.

But so did the guilt.

If budding monsters were often picked out at an early age because of dangerous, destructive behaviors... what about them? Were they some kind of monster in waiting? Were they going to turn into some kind of violent sociopath? What about all the videos and pictures they had in that secret folder on their computer? The burning paintings, the cars being crushed. Destruction, demolition, and gleeful vandalism. Guilty pleasures. Their heroes were Wrecking-Belle, Crush Hour, and at the top of that wanton pantheon... Belah Nain. Of course, their fear and anxiety kept them from getting close to the Succubus of Smash. What if Belah sensed something wrong in them? Picked them out as a monster, a threat to friends and loved ones? They adored Belah, but couldn't bring themselves to attend any of her shows.

As time went on, the fears faded somewhat. Therapy. Friends. Introspection. They couldn't find what was wrong with them, because there had never been anything wrong with them. It wasn't about power over others. It wasn't about domination, (though that had some fun associations and implications too...) it was about priorities. It was saying "I don't care about things. I won't be tied down by them."

It was freeing. It was something they treasured about themselves. A million bucks or a friend in trouble?

Terrie would burn that money if it would do the most good for a friend.

But they still couldn't bring themselves to go to Demolition Divas, not on their own. It was irrational. It wasn't even a major fear. But it had stuck with them from day one. It had inertia. And they couldn't muster the courage to make that final push.

Meeting Your Heroes

"I'm going to kill you for this."
"Oh, come on Terr. It'll be fun, and you're always talking about how you want to go."
"Why are we friends again? I'm having a lot of trouble remembering."
"Because I'm charming. And persuasive. And REALLY curious about what happens next."

Sometimes your best friends are the best worst influences.

Take their closest friend, confidant, and occasional partner in crime for example: Someone who might have teased, but always with a smile. A friend who occasionally encouraged Terrie's habit without judgement, without regret, and with her own degree of curiosity for this particular pleasure.

And like all the best friends and worst influences, sometimes she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

So when she piled Terrie into her crappy little car and the two of them shuttled off to the Demolition Divas club for "just a few drinks and taking in the sights", they couldn't protest too terribly much. The sounds, the sights, the sheer, unabashed, unashamed spectacle of cutting loose and wrecking... well, anything you wanted for the fun of it... it was intoxicating. Seductive. Inviting.

This was where they belonged.

And when their friend's car ended up on the stage, ready to be destroyed by Belah Nain herself? They felt that hunger come up from somewhere deeper than it ever had before. Their friend was cheering, screaming for Belah to smash it into junk. And Terrie was right alongside.

And Belah looked right at them. And smiled.

Something passed between them in that moment, and Terrie felt something surge inside of them. A thrill. A wave of euphoria and joy and belonging that drove every other emotion they were feeling to even greater heights. All the fear they'd ever had about Belah seeing into them melted away, and the feeling of relief, of the weight lifted off their shoulders, was almost overwhelming. There had never been anything to fear.

Belah motioned for them to join her on stage. She was holding out a hammer, but to Terrie it looked impossibly heavy. More like an anvil on a stick than a hammer. There was no possible way they could even lift that, let alone swing it... right?

Belah grinned and motioned again, offering her hand and helping Terrie clamber onto the stage.

"Go ahead. Give it a try."

The hammer was surprisingly light. It was still an effort to lift, definitely an effort to swing, but it was doable, and they could swear it was feeling lighter and lighter the longer they held it.

"Oh... she likes you." Belah's voice was a seductive purr in their ear, a final tease before she stepped back, yielding the stage to Terrie.

A deep breath. A swing. An explosion of glass...

And then there was only pleasure.

Embracing Themselves

"What am I now?"
"Ruin."
"What can I do now?"
"Ruin."

Belah's power leapt through them like lightning, igniting powers and strength they'd never known before. Their friend's car practically disintegrated under repeated blows from the hammer they held. All the fun times they'd shared in it. The road trips. The stupid adventures... the sentimental value wasn't holding them back. It was making this destruction all the more satisfying. All the sweeter. It wasn't going to last forever anyway... why not one final, ruinous sendoff? Finish it off memorably, on their own terms? Every crunch and smash was a beautiful sound; pushing them harder and harder, encouraging them more and more with each crashing blow.

Terrie didn't stop until there was nothing left but a pile of crumpled, broken scrap metal. Flipping the sweat out of their hair, returning to their senses, they realized they'd climaxed. Several times in fact.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Terrie realized that somehow, at some point during their time on stage, the entire staff of Demolition Divas had joined in to cheer them on. Artbreaker was giving an approving whistle, while Crush Hour blew them a kiss. Wrecking-Belle herself came up on stage, looking over the wreckage with an approving eye before giving Terrie a massive hug that would have certainly crushed them only a few minutes... minutes? ago.

That's when Terrie noticed their watch.

Barely twenty minutes had passed.

They'd completely demolished a car. A car! Frame and all! In twenty minutes! On their own! And they weren't even tired!

They wanted more!

Belah came on stage to a renewed wave of cheers, raising her hands and holding Terrie's up in her own.

"Hello my dutiful destroyers!" Another cheer. Another wave of encouragement.

"Every once in a while... we see a spark. A spark just dying to ignite and show the world just how bright they can be. And tonight... we found a spark that I can only call... brilliant." She looked at the crowd, gaze wandering over all the Divas, powered or otherwise. Empowered by her or otherwise.

"I've shared my power with so many of you. Artbreaker... you have such a wonderful way with so many beautiful things. So much prettier after you've had your turn with them. Candi... You've always known the life. You could have fallen to brutality and malice and petty cruelty. But no. You chose a different way. Joyful and enthusiastic and always willing to go over or through anything in your way, with anything you want, to make a better life for people through beautiful ruin. Belle... oh Belle... you have such a gift for spectacle... and creative funishments." She laughed along with the rest of the crowd, as Wrecking-Belle gave a flex to show off.

"And Crush. Kind, cruel, loving Crush. You've had so much taken away. You've found, you've lost, you've found again... and you keep going. You've seen the tyranny of people up close, and the tyranny of things, and you've fought back so passionately to protect and shield and free others from those chains."

Belah paused, blinking back tears as she felt the waves of emotion wash over her.

"Welcome our newest destroyer. Imbued with my power, but wholly because of who they are. Who they have always been. Someone that has loved the sounds of destruction. The sights. The feelings. Divas, welcome our newest destroyer. Our newest wrecker. Someone who has always known the chaotic joy... the primal rush... of breaking shit for fun!"

The crowd exploded.

Belah turned to Terrie, grinning as the two rode the rush.

"What's your name?"

"I... I'm Terr..." They stopped, taking a deep breath before grinning and holding their hammer up high.

"Hi. I'm... Tear-Down."