<i>(We fade in on a lone television set, sitting atop a TV stand in what is otherwise an unlit room. On the screen is Anarky and Aaron Jones vs. Stalker and Steven Shane from Aggression 56, though the volume is so low that the match emits no more than a faint, inaudible drone. The camera rotates around until it is facing the same direction as the TV screen. Illuminated in a chair a few feet away from the screen is Aaron Jones, his eyes fixed on the TV. A second or two after the camera stops its movement and settles into place, Jones looks up into it)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> It is a sad, but wholly expected, commentary on the thought processes of EPW’s competitors that there seems to be so much uncertainty over what His role will be at Aggression 59.
Yes, the match that will take place at Aggression 59 is billed the same as the match that took place at Aggression 56. And yes, He chose not to directly participate in that match. This has given rise to the notion that He may do the same at Aggression 59.
But anyone who has paid any attention to the critically important mission He has set for Himself would question what He would have to gain by repeating His actions from Aggression 56.
At Aggression 56, Anarky was the newly-minted EPW World Heavyweight Champion. And with the First’s shameful departure and Sean Stevens’ utter destruction at His hands, Anarky was undisputably EPW’s standard-bearer. He knew then that He needed to know precisely what kind of champion – and what kind of man – Anarky would be, and whether his title reign would help heal this diseased business or move it ever closer to a flatline.
He did not actively participate in that match because He needed to see how Anarky would react. And in the weeks since then, He has continued to study Anarky’s decisions – whether from a distance or from inside the very same ring. Aggression 59 is another opportunity for Him to measure Anarky’s worth, to learn Anarky’s values and intentions. And He would learn nothing by doing precisely what He did three cards ago.
Anarky himself can be forgiven for wondering whether He will show up at Aggression 59. Though Anarky should – and may – know better than to think He is more interested in hurting him than in pursuing His stated mission, it is understandable that Anarky would want to consider all the possibilities going into this match, including the possibility that he would have to go it alone, even if there’s no good reason why He would do it. Besides, Anarky has not trusted Him for many years – and may, perhaps, realize that the penchant for betrayal Anarky displayed in the past could be something He harbors now.
But Steven Shane should know better than to expect Aggression 59 to be the same as Aggression 56. And Stalker should know better than to think He would conduct the same study twice.
Stalker, one would think that you, of all people, would understand the importance of doing thorough research before enacting a plan. But that’s not really what you do, is it?
You talk about a grand, overarching plan, but you don’t really have one. You just use the fiction of a plan to explain everything beyond your control – good luck and bad. You say He stands no chance of becoming EPW World Heavyweight Champion, then one sentence later acknowledge that Anarky was never supposed to be champion either, according to your plan.
It’s all part of the grand illusion you have created for yourself – that everyone should continue to pay attention to you despite your waning relevance. And your continued pursuit of that illusion is steering you down the wrong path.
Like so many members of this current, self-absorbed generation, you have fixated on your own glory, convincing yourself that nothing else matters. And in so doing, you are only harming this already beleaguered industry. You are more concerned with your own image than with the damage you might do.
He has a certain amount of respect for your methods. But your goals are repulsive to Him. He does not yet know for certain whether Anarky is helping or harming the business, but He does know that, as things stand now, you are wantonly damaging this business. He will not abide by this.
Fortunately, Stalker, He is willing to help you overcome your destructive obsession.
At Aggression 59, you need not concern yourself with your own relevance. You need not concern yourself with inching closer to the EPW World Heavyweight Title, or with causing grievous bodily harm to your opponents, or with justifying any failures you might experience as part of an amorphous master plan.
You need only concern yourself with the damage He will wreak upon you if you continue to hurt this business in the interest of your own glory.
You are not an easy man to wound, Stalker. He understands this well. He has seen the harm you have visited upon yourself over the years, and He knows that you will not be an easy man to break. But neither was Sean Stevens – the white knight of EPW. Dan Ryan brought Sean Stevens forward to stop Him from saving this business, and He broke Sean Stevens – physically, mentally, emotionally.
At Aggression 59, He will continue to study Anarky’s fitness as EPW’s standard-bearer. He will observe Steven Shane and see whether he does more harm or good for the business. And He will – by any means necessary – stop Stalker from doing further harm to this industry.
Know this, Stalker: You, too, can be broken. You may claim that any such efforts would be futile, that you were broken many years ago by the cruelty of this world, or some such cliché – but know that it is within His power to do worse to you than you thought possible.
See what He sees, Stalker. See what He sees – before he must force the light into your eyes.
<i>(Aaron stares at the camera for a few more seconds, before letting his gaze drift back to the TV set. A moment later, Copycat appears behind Aaron, moving out of the darkness and looking over his shoulder toward the TV. After that, we cut to black)</i>