Post by Thespian on May 26, 2022 6:15:49 GMT -5
Theo's hands fold into themselves in the masked man’s lap as he addresses the camera politely.
“Thank you, Nathan, for the opportunities that you have given me after that match. I’ll lightly graze over the fact that, at the end of the day, the Thespian holds a technical win over the Rabid Dog, but it is more so what happened AFTER the fact that is important.
"You shelved Arjen with your brand of psychosis… because you *cared* about his future. You put me on the path to take what was rightfully mine; to scrape up his fallen gold. And with that gold, I’ve torn through the competition around here. Sparks. Fox. Sanderson. Felix. Jabroni. Love. It may have taken a cheap flask to put me down, but I don’t care. You know why? Because at the end of the day, that trail of carnage has led me back to where I belong… to you, Nathan, and everyone else here. So, thank you.
Thank you all… for becoming my catharsis.”
He pauses and lets that statement hang in the air for a moment.
“Fate has led us, led ME, to this match. It is almost everything I could have ever asked for in a match. Two multi-time World and Network Champions to run the gauntlet against. Two people who have surpassed me in ranking for NO good reason at all!
"AND NATHAN! FUCKING! CAGE!”
His head whips back as he lets out a crazed cackle that echoes off the walls.
“I’m going to enjoy breaking every single last one of you, regardless of all your vendettas going into this match! Spike wants to brutalize Fox, who I'm sure wants to murder Seth, whereas everyone, regardless of BB Gunn's agenda and incentives, wants a piece of the Rabid Dog himself. I may not be a Deadman Walking, or the Psychotic Mutt, but I’ll do you all one better."
He takes in a deep breath to calm himself down. As he exhales, his head tilts forward... and begins to wrench side-to-side. Crack after disturbing crack sound off before he addresses his audience again.
"I am a functional, calculating sociopath. Life may not have broken me as much as you, Cage, but it sure did enough.
"Years of my life have been spent wasting away, chasing dream after dream only to be screwed over every which turn. My career originally ended with a man snapping my ankle in two. I nearly lost my voice when an inmate cut through my throat and left me for dead on the floor of the prison. Everyone has taken their turns walking over me and I've had enough. I will have what is mine. I will have my glory. I will have my catharsis. I will have it all, even if it means that I'm about to send all five of you to the morgue.
"But at least you'll be right at home again, won't you, Spike?
"BB Gunn may have made this match to see to it that Nathan Cage's reign of terror comes to an end, but he's only unleashed a new monster to his playhouse. You will all come to see what *my* Hostile Intent is. When that bell rings, you will see a side of this actor you'll wish you hadn't; both my competitors and all those watching from the safety of the chamber itself.
"Because what do you think you can physically do to something who has suffered it all by now? Tendons snapped. Muscles sliced. Flesh pierced, burned, bruised. I HAVE SUFFERED IT ALL, AND I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
"Seth and Fox; do yourselves the favor of eliminating yourselves early. Live to deal with your issues another day, because I will make damn sure you don't find resolution in that cell.
"Keahi, you'd better follow them out, too, because I will not be held accountable if you do not surrender. I can and will have you replaced; because clearly you aren't deserving of the spot in the first place.
"I joked before but I'll say it again in case it didn't get through your skull the first time, Spike. You'd better break me before I break you... else one of, arguably, XHF's Greatest X*Crown Champions is going to have a closed-casket funeral.
"And lastly... Nathaniel."
A pause. Theo takes one more deep breath before reaching into his coat's inner pockets. From there, he simply pulls out an object that glistens in the moonlight.
A screwdriver, with blood dried at the tip of it.
"... This one's going to be for Lazarus Arjen. You'll be given the same exit he was; unceremonious and forgotten. You know why? Because you won't make me say die. None of you will."
Theo points the tip outward for a moment... before turning the Phillips head tool towards his own throat.
"I came into this company unable to speak for myself..."
The sounds of a crumbling rooftop could be heard.
"... and I don't need my voice to win this match, neither."
“Thank you, Nathan, for the opportunities that you have given me after that match. I’ll lightly graze over the fact that, at the end of the day, the Thespian holds a technical win over the Rabid Dog, but it is more so what happened AFTER the fact that is important.
"You shelved Arjen with your brand of psychosis… because you *cared* about his future. You put me on the path to take what was rightfully mine; to scrape up his fallen gold. And with that gold, I’ve torn through the competition around here. Sparks. Fox. Sanderson. Felix. Jabroni. Love. It may have taken a cheap flask to put me down, but I don’t care. You know why? Because at the end of the day, that trail of carnage has led me back to where I belong… to you, Nathan, and everyone else here. So, thank you.
Thank you all… for becoming my catharsis.”
He pauses and lets that statement hang in the air for a moment.
“Fate has led us, led ME, to this match. It is almost everything I could have ever asked for in a match. Two multi-time World and Network Champions to run the gauntlet against. Two people who have surpassed me in ranking for NO good reason at all!
"AND NATHAN! FUCKING! CAGE!”
His head whips back as he lets out a crazed cackle that echoes off the walls.
“I’m going to enjoy breaking every single last one of you, regardless of all your vendettas going into this match! Spike wants to brutalize Fox, who I'm sure wants to murder Seth, whereas everyone, regardless of BB Gunn's agenda and incentives, wants a piece of the Rabid Dog himself. I may not be a Deadman Walking, or the Psychotic Mutt, but I’ll do you all one better."
He takes in a deep breath to calm himself down. As he exhales, his head tilts forward... and begins to wrench side-to-side. Crack after disturbing crack sound off before he addresses his audience again.
"I am a functional, calculating sociopath. Life may not have broken me as much as you, Cage, but it sure did enough.
"Years of my life have been spent wasting away, chasing dream after dream only to be screwed over every which turn. My career originally ended with a man snapping my ankle in two. I nearly lost my voice when an inmate cut through my throat and left me for dead on the floor of the prison. Everyone has taken their turns walking over me and I've had enough. I will have what is mine. I will have my glory. I will have my catharsis. I will have it all, even if it means that I'm about to send all five of you to the morgue.
"But at least you'll be right at home again, won't you, Spike?
"BB Gunn may have made this match to see to it that Nathan Cage's reign of terror comes to an end, but he's only unleashed a new monster to his playhouse. You will all come to see what *my* Hostile Intent is. When that bell rings, you will see a side of this actor you'll wish you hadn't; both my competitors and all those watching from the safety of the chamber itself.
"Because what do you think you can physically do to something who has suffered it all by now? Tendons snapped. Muscles sliced. Flesh pierced, burned, bruised. I HAVE SUFFERED IT ALL, AND I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
"Seth and Fox; do yourselves the favor of eliminating yourselves early. Live to deal with your issues another day, because I will make damn sure you don't find resolution in that cell.
"Keahi, you'd better follow them out, too, because I will not be held accountable if you do not surrender. I can and will have you replaced; because clearly you aren't deserving of the spot in the first place.
"I joked before but I'll say it again in case it didn't get through your skull the first time, Spike. You'd better break me before I break you... else one of, arguably, XHF's Greatest X*Crown Champions is going to have a closed-casket funeral.
"And lastly... Nathaniel."
A pause. Theo takes one more deep breath before reaching into his coat's inner pockets. From there, he simply pulls out an object that glistens in the moonlight.
A screwdriver, with blood dried at the tip of it.
"... This one's going to be for Lazarus Arjen. You'll be given the same exit he was; unceremonious and forgotten. You know why? Because you won't make me say die. None of you will."
Theo points the tip outward for a moment... before turning the Phillips head tool towards his own throat.
"I came into this company unable to speak for myself..."
The sounds of a crumbling rooftop could be heard.
"... and I don't need my voice to win this match, neither."
He swings the screwdriver towards himself... just as the roof caves in over his camera. Everything goes black.
...as all that's left are the vague sounds of coughing... gurgling... choking...