Post by Jack Ryan on Jun 14, 2008 7:33:21 GMT -6
-We fade in on a street.. anywhere USA. Suburban America.. each house as different and distinct as the one next door. A plethora of neatly trimmed lawns lined with childrens toys, and other assorted outdoor goodies. The faint odor of cooking meat comes from somewhere off, reminding us all that spring is here and here to stay for at least three months. Talon is walking down the street, in shorts and a t-shirt, with Alexis dutifully following behind, her in shorts and a halter top. The kind of outfit that makes the construction workers whistle. Talon seems to be focused on finding something, she seems just confused as to why they would be wandering around nowhere.-
Umm.. sir.. not that I second guess you or anything... but where are we?
I'm looking for someone. Don't worry, we'll find him.
Who?
You'll see...
Alright..
-Talon looks over at the camera. He sighs, shaking his head, without putting a stop to his walking.-
You know what guys.. There really isn't a point in me going into a long winded speech about either of you. I've said what I've needed to say. Didn't really make a difference... since neither one of you bothered to listen. Rob is mindlessly convinced that his brother in law is evil and needs to be destroyed. Maniac is just pissed off at everything and is deciding to take it out on Angel. I wasn't all that surprised when Maniac told me I was worthless. I mean it wasn't like the first time he said it. But just think.. I was still there.. I was still a member of the Social Enemies. I didn't spend weeks on my knees begging to be let in like Robert Johnson did. I was asked. He picked me out of an entire locker room full of other douches who would easily have done more for far less. Yeah, they sent me out to get coffee and cigarettes. And I did it. Because that's what I thought the concept of friendship was. Turns out I only really had one friend in the Social Enemies. I'm over it by now, but it did anger me to no end for quite a while. That's the whole reason why I stopped wrestling for a while. I wanted no more to do with fake people like Maniac.
-They pass a van parked on the street in front of a white tudor house. Talon stops to look into the drivers side window. The owner of the house, and possibly the van, walks towards them manipulating his keys in his hands to find the one to unlock the door. He stops, noticing Talon, looking confused. Talon, satisified with what he sees inside the van, salutes the guy, then walks away. Again speaking to the camera.-
Maniac would like you to believe that he controls me. He'd like you to believe that he controls Falcon as well. And that he also controlled both Faith and Fixxer. He'd like you to believe that we followed him out of some fascination about where we could go under his guidance. He'd like you to believe that he didn't need us at all, that he was just as capable of doing everything we had done by himself. He'd like you to believe that.. but you're smarter than that aren't you? You, the audience, knows better. You see through his hollow words and his heartless insults. Truth is.. Maniac is a broken man. Losing to Tyrant.. broke him like no loss to Adultman could. Maniac finally met the legend he'd been dying to defeat for so long, and it turned out that the legend was true. Tyrant just was that good, and Maniac was left soundly defeated and humbled. But his ego wouldn't let him admit it. Till finally one day he just snapped and went flat out berserk. He was then locked up in an institution for the mentally unstable. I don't exactly know how long he was there, and when exactly he got out. Or how for that matter. But he's out now, and he's out for vengeance. He knows he can't get to Tyrant again to try and settle the score, so now he's taking out all that pain on us. The very people who stood by him when he needed us. He didn't have to reture from wrestling all together.. just PWW. We could have gone somewhere else and rolled there... but he was broken. He wanted nothing more than a shot at Tyrant again, and his every waking moment was consumed by getting it. When that didn't happen.. he was a lost cause. Why do I have the feeling that if Tyrant showed up right here and now, Maniac would start sounding exactly like Angel did back in January. He might not even deny this, because he knows it's true. All he wants is Tyrant. He looked at the way I was dealing with Rob, and all he thought he saw was the way Tyrant tortured Falcon for weeks. Then he had to forsake his ideals to deal with what isn't actually real. We're all just tools in his ploy for vengeance.. nothing more. That's what he'd like you to believe.
-This time they come across a grey minivan. Talon stops to check it, like he did the last one, then he just shakes his head and moves along.-
You know Rob. The whole Gambit thing was just me trying to say things in a way you would understand. If I used a metaphor in a way you'd understand, you would get the gist of what I was trying to say. The only memories I have of Gambit was from the t.v. show in the nineties, when he was a member of the X-men. He seemed cool to me. He was charasmatic, had wicked cool looking powers and had a hot chick on his arm. That was all I needed to see to use him as a metaphor. The whole card thing just kinda fell into place as an added bonus. I know little about comics.. shows like Star Trek.. Stargate.. hell the only show like those I've come close to watching was Heroes.. because it seemed like the X-Men.. only smaller. I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about. About the Marauders.. or pretty much anything else along those lines. Believe me Rob.. all I ever wanted to do was show you the world you were getting yourself into. Wrestling apparently runs in your family.. but the way you carried on.. nobody missed the fact that you are incredibly naive. I already learned that lesson. It was all I could do to try to teach it to someone else who has the talent, the drive, the sheer potential to go very far.. not only here, but anywhere he chooses. But no, you chose to listen to Spike Kane.. who would only tell you that you "deserved" better. That you shouldn't have to work for it like everyone else. You forget, he paid his dues to.. for far longer than you'd likely believe. He should know that you don't just jump to the top overnight. But, go ahead and listen to him, listen to him tell you what you should just be handed. I went through the same wrestling school you did, I know how hard you can be pushed there. I know everything you were told a million times. And that's that hard work pays off far more than any favor you could be done by anyone. It's just a pity than you'd rather believe the words of some random guy you just met than someone who spent months whipping you into the man you are today. I guess the sweeter the words, the easier they are to swallow. But I'm done Rob.. after this, I'll have nothing left to give you. Win or lose, I'm not going to try and convince you anymore of what you don't want to hear. I'll just go back to being me.. a lame cutout movie extra with corny poker references and mediocre talent at anything.
-He spots a white van with an antenna perched atop it. He walks over to it slowly, easing around to look at the markings. Yes, this is the one.-
Jackpot..
-He bangs loudly on the back door. Minutes pass in confused silence. Finally, a voice comes from inside. Not just any voice... "The Voice"-
What the hell do you want?
It's me Clarence.. come out here so I can talk to you..
Jack...?
Yeah..
Umm.. I can't. I umm.. have a cold.
Look, I'm not mad. I just want to know why someone who I went out for a beer with LAST WEEK would talk all that **** about me just because Maniac said so.
Because Maniac said so.
You're not coming out, are you?
Not on your life Talon.
-Sigh- Fine. You disapoint me Clarence.
How so?
Look at what you said yourself. You tell me I haven't changed. In the time since you've known me, I've gained fifteen pounds of muscle, can now do a ****ing flipping piledriver, and became a *** damned actor.. and I haven't changed. Maniac comes out, does the same angry **** he's done for years, with or without a mask.. and he's grown. Please Clarence, get off Maniacs sack for more than two minutes and smell the roses you overgrown tub of lard.
I'm sorry...
No, you're not. If you were sorry you wouldn't have said all that ****. You know what I'm going to have to do now don't you?
No... what..?
Rip this door open and whoop your ass right here in the middle of happy happy fun neighborhood. Then maybe I'll run you down with an ice cream truck.. how does that sound?
No, Jack.. please.. don't...
Then come the **** out here..
-The door opens slowly. A fat redneck in a dirty wifebeater and jeans sticks his head out the door, looking a bit on the worried side, to put it mildly.-
....ok.. I'm out..
Out here you assclown..
-He exits, staring at the pavement of the street. Talon just looks at him like he can't believe the sad sight before him.-
And you tell me I haven't changed? What have you been doing all this time..? Training with a feed bag for the World Series of Competitive Eating?
...No..
Look Clarence.. you know me.. you know Kyle.. You know for a fact that we're none of the things you said we are. So why would you say it?
Because Maniac told me to.
Glad you can finally admit that. Now apologize and maybe I'll invite you over the next time those french maids come over to play strip poker.
I'm sorry Jack..
Louder..
I'M SORRY JACK.
Thank you, you're dismissed.
-Clarence climbs back into the truck, the only place he seems to have a spine, and shuts the door. Talon looks satisifed, Alexis just looks confused.. still.-
That is why we came out here, sir?
Yes, sorry darlin.. but that needed to be done.
Understood, sir.
-Talon turns back to the camera, for a parting shot.-
My name is Jonathan Patrick Ryan. Yes, like the famous Tom Clancy character. And like the character, I've been Jack my whole life. Up until a couple months ago, I thought I had three people I could call on when I needed something. I was then shown it was really only two. I don't like being lied to Maniac. And as Angel would have said back in the day, you've just committed a cardinal sin. I don't expect you to be frightened or intimidated. I don't expect you to care either. I won't ask you to admit what you refuse to see about me. I won't ask you to admit that you were pleased with having me around as your lap dog. What I want from you.. is a promise. A promise that you'll destroy me like you tell people you will. I want you staring me in the eyes as I bleed out into unconciousness. If you owe me anything, it's that much.
-He pauses briefly, his eyes glancing to the side for a minute, before looking back at the camera, forelorn.-
As for you Rob, all I wish for you is the best. I'm glad that you have a big brother to look out for your well being. God knows very few people do. But there's only so long you can hide behind someone. I know you'll deny it, you'll tell me that you're your own man and nobody makes decisions for you, but you. I want you to beat me this week, for you, not for Social Distortion. That's all anyone could really ask from another man after all.
-Talon sticks a Jack of Spades on the camera lens. It focuses on it for a minute, before fading out.-
Umm.. sir.. not that I second guess you or anything... but where are we?
I'm looking for someone. Don't worry, we'll find him.
Who?
You'll see...
Alright..
-Talon looks over at the camera. He sighs, shaking his head, without putting a stop to his walking.-
You know what guys.. There really isn't a point in me going into a long winded speech about either of you. I've said what I've needed to say. Didn't really make a difference... since neither one of you bothered to listen. Rob is mindlessly convinced that his brother in law is evil and needs to be destroyed. Maniac is just pissed off at everything and is deciding to take it out on Angel. I wasn't all that surprised when Maniac told me I was worthless. I mean it wasn't like the first time he said it. But just think.. I was still there.. I was still a member of the Social Enemies. I didn't spend weeks on my knees begging to be let in like Robert Johnson did. I was asked. He picked me out of an entire locker room full of other douches who would easily have done more for far less. Yeah, they sent me out to get coffee and cigarettes. And I did it. Because that's what I thought the concept of friendship was. Turns out I only really had one friend in the Social Enemies. I'm over it by now, but it did anger me to no end for quite a while. That's the whole reason why I stopped wrestling for a while. I wanted no more to do with fake people like Maniac.
-They pass a van parked on the street in front of a white tudor house. Talon stops to look into the drivers side window. The owner of the house, and possibly the van, walks towards them manipulating his keys in his hands to find the one to unlock the door. He stops, noticing Talon, looking confused. Talon, satisified with what he sees inside the van, salutes the guy, then walks away. Again speaking to the camera.-
Maniac would like you to believe that he controls me. He'd like you to believe that he controls Falcon as well. And that he also controlled both Faith and Fixxer. He'd like you to believe that we followed him out of some fascination about where we could go under his guidance. He'd like you to believe that he didn't need us at all, that he was just as capable of doing everything we had done by himself. He'd like you to believe that.. but you're smarter than that aren't you? You, the audience, knows better. You see through his hollow words and his heartless insults. Truth is.. Maniac is a broken man. Losing to Tyrant.. broke him like no loss to Adultman could. Maniac finally met the legend he'd been dying to defeat for so long, and it turned out that the legend was true. Tyrant just was that good, and Maniac was left soundly defeated and humbled. But his ego wouldn't let him admit it. Till finally one day he just snapped and went flat out berserk. He was then locked up in an institution for the mentally unstable. I don't exactly know how long he was there, and when exactly he got out. Or how for that matter. But he's out now, and he's out for vengeance. He knows he can't get to Tyrant again to try and settle the score, so now he's taking out all that pain on us. The very people who stood by him when he needed us. He didn't have to reture from wrestling all together.. just PWW. We could have gone somewhere else and rolled there... but he was broken. He wanted nothing more than a shot at Tyrant again, and his every waking moment was consumed by getting it. When that didn't happen.. he was a lost cause. Why do I have the feeling that if Tyrant showed up right here and now, Maniac would start sounding exactly like Angel did back in January. He might not even deny this, because he knows it's true. All he wants is Tyrant. He looked at the way I was dealing with Rob, and all he thought he saw was the way Tyrant tortured Falcon for weeks. Then he had to forsake his ideals to deal with what isn't actually real. We're all just tools in his ploy for vengeance.. nothing more. That's what he'd like you to believe.
-This time they come across a grey minivan. Talon stops to check it, like he did the last one, then he just shakes his head and moves along.-
You know Rob. The whole Gambit thing was just me trying to say things in a way you would understand. If I used a metaphor in a way you'd understand, you would get the gist of what I was trying to say. The only memories I have of Gambit was from the t.v. show in the nineties, when he was a member of the X-men. He seemed cool to me. He was charasmatic, had wicked cool looking powers and had a hot chick on his arm. That was all I needed to see to use him as a metaphor. The whole card thing just kinda fell into place as an added bonus. I know little about comics.. shows like Star Trek.. Stargate.. hell the only show like those I've come close to watching was Heroes.. because it seemed like the X-Men.. only smaller. I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about. About the Marauders.. or pretty much anything else along those lines. Believe me Rob.. all I ever wanted to do was show you the world you were getting yourself into. Wrestling apparently runs in your family.. but the way you carried on.. nobody missed the fact that you are incredibly naive. I already learned that lesson. It was all I could do to try to teach it to someone else who has the talent, the drive, the sheer potential to go very far.. not only here, but anywhere he chooses. But no, you chose to listen to Spike Kane.. who would only tell you that you "deserved" better. That you shouldn't have to work for it like everyone else. You forget, he paid his dues to.. for far longer than you'd likely believe. He should know that you don't just jump to the top overnight. But, go ahead and listen to him, listen to him tell you what you should just be handed. I went through the same wrestling school you did, I know how hard you can be pushed there. I know everything you were told a million times. And that's that hard work pays off far more than any favor you could be done by anyone. It's just a pity than you'd rather believe the words of some random guy you just met than someone who spent months whipping you into the man you are today. I guess the sweeter the words, the easier they are to swallow. But I'm done Rob.. after this, I'll have nothing left to give you. Win or lose, I'm not going to try and convince you anymore of what you don't want to hear. I'll just go back to being me.. a lame cutout movie extra with corny poker references and mediocre talent at anything.
-He spots a white van with an antenna perched atop it. He walks over to it slowly, easing around to look at the markings. Yes, this is the one.-
Jackpot..
-He bangs loudly on the back door. Minutes pass in confused silence. Finally, a voice comes from inside. Not just any voice... "The Voice"-
What the hell do you want?
It's me Clarence.. come out here so I can talk to you..
Jack...?
Yeah..
Umm.. I can't. I umm.. have a cold.
Look, I'm not mad. I just want to know why someone who I went out for a beer with LAST WEEK would talk all that **** about me just because Maniac said so.
Because Maniac said so.
You're not coming out, are you?
Not on your life Talon.
-Sigh- Fine. You disapoint me Clarence.
How so?
Look at what you said yourself. You tell me I haven't changed. In the time since you've known me, I've gained fifteen pounds of muscle, can now do a ****ing flipping piledriver, and became a *** damned actor.. and I haven't changed. Maniac comes out, does the same angry **** he's done for years, with or without a mask.. and he's grown. Please Clarence, get off Maniacs sack for more than two minutes and smell the roses you overgrown tub of lard.
I'm sorry...
No, you're not. If you were sorry you wouldn't have said all that ****. You know what I'm going to have to do now don't you?
No... what..?
Rip this door open and whoop your ass right here in the middle of happy happy fun neighborhood. Then maybe I'll run you down with an ice cream truck.. how does that sound?
No, Jack.. please.. don't...
Then come the **** out here..
-The door opens slowly. A fat redneck in a dirty wifebeater and jeans sticks his head out the door, looking a bit on the worried side, to put it mildly.-
....ok.. I'm out..
Out here you assclown..
-He exits, staring at the pavement of the street. Talon just looks at him like he can't believe the sad sight before him.-
And you tell me I haven't changed? What have you been doing all this time..? Training with a feed bag for the World Series of Competitive Eating?
...No..
Look Clarence.. you know me.. you know Kyle.. You know for a fact that we're none of the things you said we are. So why would you say it?
Because Maniac told me to.
Glad you can finally admit that. Now apologize and maybe I'll invite you over the next time those french maids come over to play strip poker.
I'm sorry Jack..
Louder..
I'M SORRY JACK.
Thank you, you're dismissed.
-Clarence climbs back into the truck, the only place he seems to have a spine, and shuts the door. Talon looks satisifed, Alexis just looks confused.. still.-
That is why we came out here, sir?
Yes, sorry darlin.. but that needed to be done.
Understood, sir.
-Talon turns back to the camera, for a parting shot.-
My name is Jonathan Patrick Ryan. Yes, like the famous Tom Clancy character. And like the character, I've been Jack my whole life. Up until a couple months ago, I thought I had three people I could call on when I needed something. I was then shown it was really only two. I don't like being lied to Maniac. And as Angel would have said back in the day, you've just committed a cardinal sin. I don't expect you to be frightened or intimidated. I don't expect you to care either. I won't ask you to admit what you refuse to see about me. I won't ask you to admit that you were pleased with having me around as your lap dog. What I want from you.. is a promise. A promise that you'll destroy me like you tell people you will. I want you staring me in the eyes as I bleed out into unconciousness. If you owe me anything, it's that much.
-He pauses briefly, his eyes glancing to the side for a minute, before looking back at the camera, forelorn.-
As for you Rob, all I wish for you is the best. I'm glad that you have a big brother to look out for your well being. God knows very few people do. But there's only so long you can hide behind someone. I know you'll deny it, you'll tell me that you're your own man and nobody makes decisions for you, but you. I want you to beat me this week, for you, not for Social Distortion. That's all anyone could really ask from another man after all.
-Talon sticks a Jack of Spades on the camera lens. It focuses on it for a minute, before fading out.-