A False Rising

[Joe Everyman]

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark
And so it all began

So many are making such a big deal about this week, and I guess... I just don't see it. I went into the Heir to the Gold tournament and had to fight some amazing competitors. Cable Arcane though... I just never saw the champion spirit from him. I came into that match and looked forward to who I would have to fight in the finals. Not once did I worry about having to fight Arcane. Not once did I even wince at the fact of fighting him first.

I know that this will piss off Cable something fierce, but I don't really care. You see, there is only one man that is on my mind this week, and that's Roberto Verona. I know that Cable isn't a complete pushover, and I know that nobody cared about him until he put the mask on, but I don't need to focus on him as much as people would like me to.

You see, I have my own agenda. I have the things I like to do, the people I want to see. I don't need or want to spend my days thinking about just some little scrub like Cable Arcane. My fight against him is because HE has a bad taste in his mouth when I beat him. My fight against him is because HE was picked by Verona, not me. My fight against him is because HE wants revenge against me, when I don't care at all for revenge on him. This match is not on my terms, this match is not on my radar, this match will mean nothing to me.

That being said though, I'm still in it to win this match. I know I'm going to have to fight bullshit match after bullshit match until Verona finally decides he isn't a pussy enough to finally fight me. I don't know when that will actually happen, so until then, I'll fight through his hand picked tub of Lego figures until I get the man I want. Sooner or later, he will have to fight me. And until then, I'm going to show him every single week of why I was the first Imperial Champion, and of why he is so damn jealous of me.

And... I know that I said I don't care about Cable, but there was some stuff that he said that kind of irked me. For starters, the whole almost being killed thing must have messed up your brain something fierce. When have I EVER said that I fight for myself? I mean, jesus fucking christ, man. Take your head out of your ass for a few seconds to see the light. I know that you were molded by the darkness or some bullshit, but take a look at the facts.

When have I ever asked for a raise... like... ever? I always fight for what I believe in and fight for those that I love. If you actually paid attention, I rarely take my own money and put it towards me. I always put it towards my family to make sure they are taken care of. And anything that I did want was all paid for by me. My college tuition, my money. My house, my money. My car, my money. Anything I've ever wanted was all worked for and paid for by me. Can you say the same for yourself, Cable?

I know you are trying to be all dark and ominous now due to putting on the mask, and I'm sure if I took the mask off, it would be extremely painful... for me... but now, I see that you are just hiding behind this mask. You say these blatant and utter lies about me, because you feel those same things upon yourself. Or, maybe you said them because you're just a douche. I'm leaning towards the latter, but sometimes I'm not sure.

All I know is that I'm going to make sure to beat you extra good for the lies you said about me. And then, hopefully I'm be one step closer to the hypocritical, power hungry, corporate big wig Roberto Verona. Bobby, I'm coming for you, whether you like it or not. And I won't need to hide behind a mask to take you down.

The scene slowly opens up inside of a church. There are several tables with food on them with a ring of chairs in the middle of the room. One man sits in a chair with a clipboard in front of him. The camera slowly pans around to see Joe standing behind one of the tables with a water bottle in his hands. He looks surprisingly nervous. After a few moments, another person pops up behind him and taps him on the shoulder.

Man: Hey stranger, you new here?

Joe Everyman: Uh... yeah, I've never been to one of these before.

Man: An AA meeting?

Joe Everyman: That, and a, uh... church.

Man: Oh, you'll be fine! By the way, my name is Roger.

Joe Everyman: Hi, Roger. Joe here.

Roger: Pleasure to meet you, Joe! What do you do for a living?

Joe Everyman: I'm a, uh... professional wrestler.

Roger: I thought so! You looked awfully familiar. I've seen you air your stuff on that show you're on, seems like heavy stuff.

Joe Everyman: I had a feeling some people would recognize me... but, if you'll excuse me...

Joe manages to slink away from the conversation and takes his seat as far away from the man with the clipboard as he can. After he sits down, the various other people around the room start sitting down as well. The man with the clipboard sits up a little and looks around the room.

AA Leader: Welcome everybody to out meeting this evening. I wanted to welcome out new members tonight.

He looks across the circle and sees Joe not wearing a nametag. He looks at him and smile genuinely.

AA Leader: You there, our new member. Why are you here tonight?

Joe Everyman: I, uh...

He looks around at everybody in the room, all staring back at him.

Joe Everyman: I'm, um...

Suddenly, I'm Gonna Be by the Proclaimers can be heard playing from Joe's pocket. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cellphone and sees that Melanie is calling him.

Joe Everyman: Oh thank god... I need to take this.

Joe quickly stands up and exits the circle of chairs as the leader continues the meeting. Joe accepts the call and raises it up to his head.

Joe Everyman: Hey baby, what's up?

Melanie Brooks: Hey hunny... I was checking out bank account statements and I noticed something rather troubling.

Joe's expression sinks faster than the Titanic.

Joe Everyman: What, uh... what does it say?

Melanie Brooks: Well... exactly fifty thousand dollars was moved to another account, but I can't get any information for the account that it was moved to. That's a lot of money to just go missing. Do you have any idea why?

Joe swallows for a moment before looking around.

Joe Everyman: I- I- I have no idea... but I'll look into it as soon as I get home, ok? And I'll call the bank as soon as I can. I'm kind of busy right now, but I-

Melanie Brooks: I know that you're busy. I saw the flyer you brought home, and... we're very proud of you. We know this isn't easy on you.

Joe Everyman: Well... thank you, then.

Melanie Brooks: I'll see you when you get home, ok? I love you.

Joe Everyman: Ok, I love you too.

Joe pulls the phone away from his head and ends the call. He looks down at it for a long moment while the meeting continues behind him.

Joe Everyman: Fuck...

The camera then slowly pans out and slowly fades to black, focusing on Joe's worried expression.

Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in again
The need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Are you ready?
I'm finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance
That whole defense