The Beaten Path

[Ryan Blade]

{We open on a shot of a far away shot of Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, Illinois. The water flies high in the air as people snap pictures and generally have fun. We zoom in and find Ryan Blade snapping a picture of his girlfriend posing in front of the fountain. Blade sees an elderly couple standing there and approaches them.}

Ryan Blade: "Excuse me. Can one of you two crazy kids get take a quick picture of me and my girlfriend?"

Elderly Man: "Sure thing sonny."

{Blade hands the man his phone and stands next to his girlfriend, turning and whispering to her.}

Ryan Blade (whispering): "Sure Thing? See. Even this old guy knows who I am."

{Chelsea hugs Ryan around the waist and the pair smile brightly as the old man snaps a picture. Blade walks up to the man and takes back his phone and sticks out his hand for a handshake.}

Ryan Blade: "Thanks old-timer."

{Ryan makes his way back over to Chelsea, pulling her in tight with a one-armed hug.}

Chelsea: "You know you have a camera crew following you around, right? You didn't have to get that old guy to take a picture."

Ryan Blade: "Eh. It gave him a purpose in his advanced age. Instead of telling his grandkids the same old tired stories when he gets home, he can tell him about the nice young couple he took a picture of. This is like... the highlight of his last 10 years."

{He brings his phone up with his free arm and cycles through it to find the picture the old man just took. Instead, he finds a picture the contains half fountain, half old man finger. He holds the picture over for Chelsea to see.}

Ryan Blade: "Great. We've got a picture of the geezer's finger to remember our time in Chicago by."

Chelsea: "It's been great, hasn't it? Seeing Grant Park and the Willis Tower. We watched those two bums fight over a discarded cardboard box. This is what it's like in the big city, isn't it?"

Ryan Blade: "I could get used to it. Maybe not in Chicago though. Chicago's the city of losers. But L.A.? Miami? For sure."

{The two begin to walk around, checking out the scenery of the big city.}

Chelsea: "You know if we were home right now, we'd be wasting the day on the beach. Instead, here we are getting ready for your first ever pay-per-view match. Everyone on Facebook is sooooo jealous."

Ryan Blade: "I know. It's like 'have fun getting skin cancer. I'll be busy making all the little Constantaniacs cry.' Losers."

Chelsea: "It just feels like we're on this great, big adventure and they're all stuck at home with their lame lives. It's fantastic!"

Ryan Blade: "So what do you want to see next? Wrigley Stadium? The Chicago Theatre? The nuclear plant that JackHammer grew up next to?"

{Chelsea stops walking and grabs Blade's hands.}

Chelsea: "I was thinking maybe we could take a break from the site-seeing. I'm pretty tired, and you've got your big title match to worry about."

Ryan Blade: "Worry? When have I ever worried before?"

Chelsea: "Yeah, yeah. I know. But it's still a big deal. You don't want to screw this up and waste this opportunity."

Ryan Blade: "Geez, Chels. I'm not going to take the guy lightly or anything. I know I need to win on Sunday. I look too good NOT to have gold around my waist."

Chelsea: "And just think about that big bonus you'll get if you win the title. You could finally buy a new car!"

{Blade chuckles and starts walking away. Chelsea is close behind.}

Ryan Blade: "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm using my money for something much better than a new car? You have to be patient!"

Chelsea: "Ohhhhhhhhh. What is it? Something for me?"

Ryan Blade: "I said patience, grasshopper."

{Just as he says this, his phone begins to buzz in his jean pocket. He looks at the display and sees the name 'MOM'. He answers it and brings it up to his head.}

Ryan Blade: "Hey mom. What's up?"

{Upon hearing Ryan's mom is checking up on him again, she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. Ryan talks back-and-forth with his mother until a concerned look comes over his face.}

Ryan Blade: "Whoa, whoa. Slow down. What happened?"

{Chelsea leans in closer to try and hear what Ryan's mom is saying as we fade to black.}


________________________________________________________________________________


"It's funny how two entirely different paths can lead two people to the same place. You and I couldn't be any more different if we tried, and yet, here we are as the last two men standing. People fell by the wayside as you and I kept rolling. Well... I rolled. You were kind of just there.

While I come into this match riding as high as physically possible. Every single man I've faced so far has felt that feeling... the feeling of straddling the line of consciousness. They've all been trapped, and they've all been forced to throw in the towel. They've all felt the frightening feeling of knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door. They all stepped up and they all got sent back down.

Every one except for you, Danny.

Somehow you've JUST managed to avoid tapping out every week. You've seen the others fall, and still you live to stand once more. Now there's nowhere left to run, and Sunday, you make your last stand.

Unconscious men don't stand. They go nighty-night.

That's your reality this weekend, Constantine. That's what you're up against. There's nothing left to do but accept the fate that's been thrust upon you. You've fought so far, but I saw into your eyes last week. I saw right into your soul as you watched Joe Everyman tap like his life depended on it. The look in your baby blues wasn't confidence, it wasn't bravado, and it damn sure wasn't faith.

It was resolution.

You've seen into the future for the last two weeks, and what you've seen isn't what you had planned out. You came into IWF expecting to pass down judgment on anyone and everyone who didn't believe what you believe. And after week one... heck... it looked possible.

And then you ran into me. The seemingly unstoppable force... got stopped.

Now your faith is shaken. Now you don't know what to believe. It's not a crisis of faith, Constantine, it's a stage of grief. You can see the end coming, and you're experiencing something called 'bargaining'. You're looking for something... anything that can save you from this certain doom. You look for guidance, you look for advice... you look to god. You turn to your faith to guide you past this seemingly overwhelming obstacle.

But there's nobody there.

Soon comes the acceptance. Soon comes the part where you realize that there's nothing left for you here, and your faith is shattered for good. And that, Daniel, is something you don't come back from. Oh you'll try. You'll come back next week and say the same things you've been saying for the last month of your life. Hell, they may even throw a bone your way and give you another shot at one of the other titles. You can get your career back, but there are two things you'll never get back.

That aura of invincibility.

...and your faith.

Because once you go down for good this weekend, people won't look at you the way they used to, and you won't look at yourself the same way either. You'll look in the mirror, and physically, you'll look the same... but inside your gut, you'll know the truth. You'll know what the rest of the world already knows: that Ryan Blade is better than Daniel Constantine.

It's true. I read it online.

So come on and give me the same spiel you give me every week. I know you're good, Danny. You've got the skills and you obviously have an extensive home library, but when it comes to this Man of Steel Tournament... you're just not good enough. But don't worry dude, nobody is.

Judge me, Daniel. Call me filth. Call me vermin. Call me a sinner. Because if beating you is a sin, I must be a wrestling satan....

...Movie idea: Satan has to wrestle to raise money to save Hell from greedy land developers.

.... What's that? I got sidetracked? Sorry. I just get so bored thinking about you.

But this Sunday is our big date with fate. One man comes out with gold around his waist, and the other man is Daniel Constantine. I'll let you figure out which one is which.

This weekend after Bloody Assizes goes in the books and all our champions are crowned, things will change. The cream will rise to the top, and the pecking order will be established. But the one thing that won't change this week, next week, or five years from now is the fact that Ryan Blade IS the cream. Everyone else has to rise to even get to where I am right now. And tomorrow? I'll be even better.

The reign of Ryan Blade begins at Bloody Assizes. Heaven can wait, but destiny can't."