And the "Thanks" goes to?
FADE IN…
(Nighttime at Leif Erickson State Park… the rose garden. One might presume the air is full of the scent of rose, but cameras really can’t film that sort of thing. A man walks along, his hand out, caressing the buds as he walks by, they not having yet bloomed fully in the cool spring. He dons a dark overcoat, slacks, and a fedora as he walks.)
NEMESIS: Jared… you’re continuing to change your opinion on things. You beating Larry matters, it doesn’t, it does again… which is it? You want a sacrifice, a goddess, a lamb, a worthy and powerful sacrifice…? You’re not proud of the TV title, you are, but you’re not? It’s a red ribbon for you Poe… only second best? That belt only exists to determine the Number One Contender for the GLCW Title? Call me crazy, but something tells me Malec had a little bit more in mind when he was creating the TV title. Yeah yeah, it’s a stepping-stone. You’re proud, eh? You didn’t look too proud when you were calling it second-rate. Just a belt to get the “lower” guys on the card some recognition. However… I think the GLCW Television title is more than just some piece of tin that means… “Jared Poe is almost the best.” After all, it’s not the belt that makes the man Jared… it’s the man. Or, in your case… the “beast.” And yes… as I said in my very first promo, I KNOW you’re “the beast.” For one so bored with talk, reiteration is a practice you never fail to turn to. Of course, you don’t seem to understand me when I speak, so why would you understand yourself? Speaking of understanding you… I’ve rewound the part about you explaining who you learned “psychological warfare” from a thousand times, and I still can’t figure out your dribble… ah well.
(NEMESIS continues on, taking a moment to bend and inhale the scent from a bud. He looks up, almost talking to himself in his head.)
NEMESIS: Speaking of “blooming,” Poe, you understand some things about me. I’m younger than you, smaller than you, and less experienced than you in the sport. You’ve beaten Tact with the belt on the line… and the last time me and Larry squared off, I was bested. So what’s so difficult about you understanding that a win for me would be an upset? That a guy ranked maybe tenth or twentieth on the roster pulling out a win against the number TWO guy would be just a regular match, with a regular outcome? No no no… that’s not how it works, sir. I’ve been around long enough to realize that. My beating you would come to a surprise to many people, you being at the top of that list, Mr. Beast, sir. Your confusing my optimism with blind confidence and cockiness… the latter I do not possess. Confidence, yes… optimism, yes… a realistic point of view that tells anyone with half a brain that I am going to have to pull out something special to beat you at Duluth… yeah, I’ve got that too. Did I ever say you should worry about making it of Duluth in one piece? I certainly didn’t… that funny “understanding” thing again.
I’m not convinced I am going to lose, Jared. In fact, I feel very much the opposite will occur. I am not concerned with losing. I’ve dealt with disappointment before, and it’s not the end of the world. I WILL hold the TV title someday, and while that may not be anything worth holding your head up high for… it IS to me. I could care less what Manson plans to do with a title, but I will certainly hold it in higher esteem then some accessory to admire in a mirror. Holding a belt like the GLCW TV title IS an honor, and it’s that honor that DRIVES the GLCW. Don’t you get it, Poe? You’re just a guy with a hunk of metal and a strap of leather… you’re no champion. You won’t be anywhere near being a “champion” until you get Maelstrom’s championship… and then you’ll need something else to drive you. Something else to prove to yourself or whomever that you are indeed, the “man.” You want to prove YOU’RE a champion? I’m sorry to say, that’s impossible in this match… as you’re not fighting for the GLCW TV Title… now, you’re only fighting to prove me wrong. Unfortunately for you, beating me won’t prove a damn thing to anyone. Certainly won’t prove you’re anything resembling a champion, and that’s just the simple truth.
(The walk continues, a lit-up fountain now appearing ahead, in the distance.)
NEMESIS: The ring is your home is it? A land with few rules, eh? Wow… this match became No DQ all of a sudden? Or is a blatant disregard for rules what you’re speaking of? The same disregard Manson used to beat you. Surely you realize the rules Jared, you’ve followed them pretty well so far, as far as I can tell. The ring has plenty of rules, almost laws in how instilled they’ve become, with tradition and all. You say you’re not over-looking me, that you respect my skill in the ring… and yet you think I want protection in the ring? Bars to prevent me from getting my hands on you? No no no, kind sir… there are no bars, I know. And the rules… they don’t do much protecting, so much as they just keep order.
(NEMESIS stops, and looks up at the sky…)
NEMESIS: Hmmm… what else can I say is “sweet”? Oh well, I’ll leave thinking like that to the professionals.
(NEMESIS grins, and continues to walk towards the fountain, his words getting quieter and his steps more cautious.)
NEMESIS: Thanks for the wish, Jared. I can only imagine what it was… that I’d be a “shy, powerful sacrifice to the beast, beast, beast, sweet beast” or something along those lines. Speaking of “thanks,” I’ve been thanking you all along. Thanking you for the last Wired, thanking you for wanting to make this match SOMETHING more than just you and me with the referee holding up that belt before the ding, ding, ding.
(NEMESIS stops dead in his tracks, about 100 feet from the fountain. He motions for the camera to back up, and the camera follows. NEMESIS crouches behind a rose bush, and quickly rushes up, the camera following close behind him. Now, about 40 feet or so from the fountain, NEMESIS ducks once more, and points towards the fountain. The camera follows his finger, and zooms in on the fountain. There’s a man there, dipping in his hand into the water as he looks about, shifty-eyed. NEMESIS motions for the camera to stay and he runs off around the bushes. He sneaks up behind the man, and taps him on the shoulder. The camera hurries in to catch the action…)
MAN: …I was just… I… I…
NEMESIS: (mockingly) I, I, I see… now, why are you talking coins from a fountain? These are peoples’ wishes. Didn’t you ever see Goonies?
MAN: Sir… I mean… uh… I’m s… so…
NEMESIS: Sorry, you’re sorry?
MAN: Yessir. What’re you doing here?
NEMESIS: Now, if you don’t mind… I’LL ask the questions. Why don’t you put those coins back in the water?
(The man fumbles in his damp jacket pockets, and pulls out a wad of dripping pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters. He tosses two more handfuls back into the water.)
NEMESIS: That all?
MAN: Yessir, ‘s’all I got…
(NEMESIS gives the man’s left jacket pocket, and quickly pulls out a shiny quarter, holding it up.)
NEMESIS: I think I know who this belongs to…
(NEMESIS puts the quarter in his pocket, and grabs the man as he tries to edge himself away from NEMESIS.)
NEMESIS: And where do you think you’re going?
MAN: Sir, aye… I don’t want no trouble.
NEMESIS: So no me calling the cops? Or your bosses, eh?
MAN: No sir, please, please no. My family… my… they need me.
NEMESIS: They don’t need you to be doing this.
(NEMESIS pulls out some green paper from his back pocket, takes the man’s hand, and puts the paper in the man’s hand and closes the hand shut.)
NEMESIS: Here, don’t be stealing from this fountain anymore, ok?
(The man opens his hand, and his eyes grow wide.)
MAN: No sir, no sir. Of course not. Thank you sir… thank you.
(The MAN runs off and NEMESIS just sits beside the fountain. He tosses POE’s quarter back into the water, and then pulls out another coin from his left pocket. Or… it isn’t a coin at all… a large silver semi-circle. The man kisses it, closes his eyes, and throws the object back over his head, into the pool. His eyes stay closed for a moment, he opens them looking up at the sky, and then back at the camera. He smiles, as the shot fades out.)
FADE OUT.