At some point early on the card, before The Cult's matches, Ramona was sitting in the locker room. She was studying the book that she had been given, doing so as secretive as she could. There was a flicker of the lights, and she immediately tried to stuff the book into her gear bag where she had the wrapping paper safely stashed already, hidden underneath a few of her leather vests. She had just gotten it into her bag when the lights went out for a moment. They came back on with a red tinge and she turned to see her brother standing there flanked by two of the cultists. He stood with his arms behind his back, a cruel smirk on his face. He gestured to the hooded figure on his left who moved forward and pulled the book out of the bag. He handed it to Rex who pointed it threateningly at his sister who stood stoic in front of him although she was terrified of what he might do to her.

"Do not forget why you are here. Do not forget your mission tonight, my sister. Do not forget our mission. I will be facing an opponent I do not yet know and you will be facing your new friend. Just remember that while she said that she's your friend. She still rejected your so gracious offer to join you in our family. We offered her help and home and victory and the glorious light of The Serpent and she refused. You were certain that after that loss, she'd welcome the offer whole heartedly. You were wrong."


Rex handed the book to the cultist on his right, who moved to the nearest trash can and dropped the book into it. Rex stepped forward until he was a mere couple inches away from his sister, towering over her and peering at her with angry, violent eyes. The cruel smile was gone. Instead, he wore a sneer. One that she had seen before when she had "disappointed" him by initially refusing to join the family. Rex rested a hand on her shoulder, placing it too close to her throat for comfort. Everything in her told her to cower but she could not show any weakness. Not even to her High Priest so she was as stoic as ever.

"So you will go out there and you will prove yourself to me. You will show Grace the gifts that The Serpent provides. You will use your strength and your agility and your own high-flying ability to make certain that Grace regrets saying no. You will either bring her into the fold or you will let her know all the suffering that The Serpent is capable of inflicting. Suffering you know too well, sister. I would be loathe to make you feel such agony again but I will if I must."


Rex must have seen something. A flash of fear in Ramona's eyes. A twitch. The briefest thought or memory of how he had forcefully brought her into his cult. The smile returned and he moved his hand so that it was resting on her arm rather than near her neck. It was a familial act of comfort. Something that one might consider normal and nice if they didn't know any better. And though some part of her knew that he was still dangerous, the act did its job and settled her mind.

"Do not forget, my sister. She may say that she is your friend. But she is not. I'm your only true friend here. Me and the rest of our family. We will watch out for you no matter what. No one else will. She said she wanted your all but you know that she only gave you that book to buy your leniency. She knows you to be the threat you are. Eyes on the prize, Ramona."


Rex gave her a nod and walked out of the locker room with his minions in tow. The lights went out and came back on in a normal fashion. Ramona waited for a moment before walking to the garbage can and retrieving the book. She dusted the trash from it before moving to her gear and hiding it with the wrapping paper. It was a risk. She would probably be punished for it later. But she knew that she would need a new way to communicate in case her brother ever forsake her. She didn't think that would happen.

But with Rex, you couldn't be certain. When the book was secure and hidden, she put her gear on and hurried to catch up with her brother.