Post by Bryan Williams on Jun 15, 2020 17:58:01 GMT -5
I saw it clearly, before.
You were there with me.
In fact, you were the one who told me about it. The whole idea, how it could all play out.
I didn’t know it then, but I was glad that you had come up with it. I was floundering, if I’m being honest. I just didn’t know which path to take.
You’ve stepped up, and I thank you for that.
Our dreams have come true, everything we wanted and more. Could you believe it, we got a whole lot more out of this.
And now, I’ve been thinking about it. I know you have too, ever since she stepped inside.
We need more. We should take it from her.
I gave her a chance, I should be the one to snatch it away, it’s only fair.
You know, all this reminds me of a story I heard when I was younger.
From what I recall it went a little bit like this. A scorpion, which cannot swim, asks a nearby frog to carry it on its back. The frog is hesitant to do so, afraid of being stung by the scorpion. The scorpion argues that if it did that, they would both drown and suffer the same fate. The frog thinks it over, and ultimately decides to help the scorpion out. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway. Its stinger sinks into the frog, the scorpion knowing that they will both perish now. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it bit the frog despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies:
"I couldn't help it. It's in my nature.”
Sometimes I wake up, and I’m not sure who’s in charge anymore. Is it you, or is it me? Has it always been you? I think about that a lot sometimes. Who came first, the chicken or the egg? That kinda thing.
It doesn’t matter anyway, the cracks were always forming. The foundation was rotten, but we both knew that.
I think she knows.
She probably always knew it. She knew it from the beginning on what would happen. Does that make it any better for her?
She came into his place, into our place, and I allowed it.
I let her in.
Was it a way to cope with what was happening to me, to us? I couldn’t prevent it, I never had control in the first place. I think her arrival had really changed things, for the worse.
But that’s okay, because we had a plan for this. We knew what would come next, this wouldn’t fault us in the end. We would use this to our advantage.
I saw you, I saw that look in your eyes.
I know you want this power.
He saw it too.
Oh Indi, you have a lot of explaining to do.
Out of the black comes static, a familiar sight for us all but one that leads to uneasy feelings. The old television flickers on, spurring its way to life as we see the snow on it. Static fills the screen. The sound kicks in, just another way to disillusion us from our current reality.
It’s always so startling, hearing the noises before the picture can fully form itself.
The static finally gives way, leading us to an image we’ve seen before. We were here before recently, it seems.
With Indi and Bryan, that same familiar void.
It seems to grow, and intensify, the longer we look at it. There are no sounds, nothing that comes out of the television to let us know what’s happening at the moment.
Instead we’re greeted with Bryan himself.
WILLIAMS: "Indi."
Bryan stands there, his voice cutting through the silence quickly. There’s nothing else that follows him, no glitches or apparitions that find their way into the film.’
Bryan is alone now.
He stands there, slowly spreading his arms wide open. He looks around the void, the empty room, as if everything is now crossing into his spot.
WILLIAMS: "All paths have led us here. Just you and I now, and I think I like it better that way."
He says, smiling.
WILLIAMS: "We’ve finally converged, after a few detours, and now we’ve begun the motions that will put us into the ring together. It has taken us quite a while to get here, but I’m sure it will all be worth it in the end. Because hanging up there is a chance at validation. It’s a chance at being greater than the sum of our parts."
A spotlight turns on, out of nowhere, as it shines down on the Union Battleground Championship hanging high above Bryan.
On cue, Bryan looks over as another spotlight reveals a ladder next to him.
WILLIAMS: "It’s a chance to climb the ladder, and reach for the stars. To take immortality in your hands, and seize it forever. This is what finally waits for us both. I must tell you, it is rather breathtaking to think about.”
Another smile from Bryan.
He pauses for a moment, thinking to himself.
WILLIAMS: "Indi, I’m here to give you your chance."
He looks up at the Union Battleground Championship.
WILLIAMS: "I’m here to give you a shot to reach for the stars."
Bryan nods his head, as he looks up towards the title.
WILLIAMS: "After everything that’s happened between us, it’s the least I could do."
Quick cuts of Light Outs, Indi and Bryan working together. Fighting together in the ring, side by side. There’s a minor glitch in the video, but don’t worry about it. Nothing to be concerned about.
WILLIAMS: "Because I know in that moment, when you reach up for the Union Battleground Championship I will be there watching..."
Bryan, still looking up, his face slowly begins to tear away at his smile. Replacing it with anger and contempt.
WILLIAMS: "And I will be the one to crush your dreams."
He looks into the camera, a quick chuckle escapes from his throat as he quickly tries to reel it back in.
WILLIAMS: "How foolish of you, after everything that’s happened you’re taking this chance without a single question? You KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT, INDI.”
Bryan’s voice reverberates, almost shaking the screen, as it echoes throughout the room.
WILLIAMS: "You put me on your back, despite knowing what the outcome would be if you did so. You came into my world, stepped on MY soil and you knew the consequences of your actions. You saw what would be coming next."
Bryan can’t help but laugh now, he has no control over it. He has no control over the glitches on the screen either, I can’t edit those out.
WILLIAMS: "And you still went through with it! Despite everything you already knew you decided to go for it. I can’t tell if you’re stupid, or if you have that little respect for what I am."
Bryan feigns confusion, mimicking his mind being blown apart by his hands.
WILLIAMS: "You understand, I hope. You understand why we’re getting to this point. You know why I’m going to do this to you, right?"
He looks into the camera, asking a question that he won’t receive an answer for any time soon.
WILLIAMS: "You’re supposed to be all knowing, your eyes are everywhere Indi and you still allowed yourself to be here with me. You allowed yourself to be put in this position. You’re going to allow yourself to have your heart ripped straight out of your chest. What, all because I said some words about giving you a fair chance. A ladder match, that’s all it really took for you to keep your guard down?
Indi you know who I am, and what I can do. You saw us both, and you still went for it. I am amazed, quite frankly. The fact that you have the balls to try and go through with this only fuels my passion more. I’m going to go out of my way to take your dreams, Indi. You’re a frog that’s about to willingly carry a scorpion on its back, for a chance at glory."
Bryan sighs, shaking his head.
WILLIAMS: "What I said before doesn’t matter because the result is still the same. You carry me across the river, and I lash out at you. I am going to sting you, Indi."
He looks into the camera, hoping his words aren’t being left on deaf ears.
Somehow he’s getting closer.
WILLIAMS: "I am a scorpion."
Bryan pauses.
WILLIAMS: "Indi, I need you to know that your actions are the cause of this whole thing. From the moment you bashed your helmet into my face, I knew that I needed to do this."
Intercut are clips of Guerrilla Warfare, the flying headbutt with the space helmet. It’s all enough to make Bryan sick all over again.
The scene glitches, and we see the mask.
WILLIAMS: "I needed to make you suffer, for the way you made us suffer."
The mask is definitely there now. He stands behind Bryan, and slowly he places a hand down on his shoulder. The scene glitches again when he makes contact.
WILLIAMS: "You took from me, you took away my chance at redemption and I can never forget it. I could never forgive it, which is why we’re here now. Hate runs deep, and I can’t describe the amount of hate that I have for you right now.
You think of yourself as another savior, another way for Union to be cleansed from it’s problems. Indi, when you saw the power that I possessed did you stop to think what would happen in the end? Did you wonder what it would be like to have two saviors in this company? The actions you’ve created have set forth your demise."
Bryan looks to the ladder again.
WILLIAMS: "This doesn’t lead to an escape, or even to the stars. This leads right to me grabbing my title, and keeping my hands on the Union Battleground Championship. I won’t let your past actions on me to go unnoticed anymore, any champion worth their salt wouldn’t allow it. If I am truly going to be Union’s savior I need to make this known."
Bryan looks down at his hands, they’re covered in blood but gripped tightly is the Union Battleground Championship.
WILLIAMS: "I cannot allow that kind of insult to be left alone, even with how things turned out. You lost to Dakota at Guerrilla Warfare, and I was able to defeat him eventually. Even with that in the history books, I cannot forgive what you did to me.
Hell, you still tried to be that person! Stepping into the cage with James and myself, you tried to become the hero that Union already had!"
He’s upset, naturally. He shakes his head, still looking down at the title.
WILLIAMS: "So now things are different. I am the representation of this company, I wear its gold around my waist. I have been chosen as the savior of Union Battleground. I am inexorable in my march to crush your dreams, Indi."
The title is now gone, as Bryan looks back up to the camera. His hands crawl up the sides of his head, covering his face and hair in blood. Maniacally, he grasps at his hair as he tries to pull open his own head.
WILLIAMS: "Your face is burned, seered, deep within my brain and I need to take you out of it. I need to just crack my head open, and scoop out the bits you’ve infected."
I wish I could do more. I wish I could burn the world with you on it, but for now this will have to settle. I will give you the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, and I will take the rug out from under your feet at the last possible moment." [/color]
He stops.
WILLIAMS: "Even if that means we both drown."
His words grow calm, his voice goes quiet.
WILLIAMS: "It will have been worth it."
WILLIAMS: "To replace your face with the one of realization, that you shouldn’t have put yourself in this spot.
You took me on your back, knowing that I am a scorpion. And as we both sink to the bottom I hope you truly realize the errors of your way. You were better off not coming into my world. You were better off staying away, keeping away from Union."
The scene glitches, and Bryan is back to normal now. His face and hair are clean, and the Union Battleground Championship is on his right shoulder.
WILLIAMS: "Union is mine, I am it’s savior."
The scene glitches again, and now he’s wearing the mask.
WILLIAMS: "So when you look at me, holding the Union Battleground Championship over you and you ask me “why”, just know -"
The scene quickly cuts to black.
You were there with me.
In fact, you were the one who told me about it. The whole idea, how it could all play out.
I didn’t know it then, but I was glad that you had come up with it. I was floundering, if I’m being honest. I just didn’t know which path to take.
You’ve stepped up, and I thank you for that.
Our dreams have come true, everything we wanted and more. Could you believe it, we got a whole lot more out of this.
And now, I’ve been thinking about it. I know you have too, ever since she stepped inside.
We need more. We should take it from her.
I gave her a chance, I should be the one to snatch it away, it’s only fair.
You know, all this reminds me of a story I heard when I was younger.
From what I recall it went a little bit like this. A scorpion, which cannot swim, asks a nearby frog to carry it on its back. The frog is hesitant to do so, afraid of being stung by the scorpion. The scorpion argues that if it did that, they would both drown and suffer the same fate. The frog thinks it over, and ultimately decides to help the scorpion out. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway. Its stinger sinks into the frog, the scorpion knowing that they will both perish now. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it bit the frog despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies:
"I couldn't help it. It's in my nature.”
Sometimes I wake up, and I’m not sure who’s in charge anymore. Is it you, or is it me? Has it always been you? I think about that a lot sometimes. Who came first, the chicken or the egg? That kinda thing.
It doesn’t matter anyway, the cracks were always forming. The foundation was rotten, but we both knew that.
I think she knows.
She probably always knew it. She knew it from the beginning on what would happen. Does that make it any better for her?
She came into his place, into our place, and I allowed it.
I let her in.
Was it a way to cope with what was happening to me, to us? I couldn’t prevent it, I never had control in the first place. I think her arrival had really changed things, for the worse.
But that’s okay, because we had a plan for this. We knew what would come next, this wouldn’t fault us in the end. We would use this to our advantage.
I saw you, I saw that look in your eyes.
I know you want this power.
He saw it too.
Oh Indi, you have a lot of explaining to do.
Out of the black comes static, a familiar sight for us all but one that leads to uneasy feelings. The old television flickers on, spurring its way to life as we see the snow on it. Static fills the screen. The sound kicks in, just another way to disillusion us from our current reality.
It’s always so startling, hearing the noises before the picture can fully form itself.
The static finally gives way, leading us to an image we’ve seen before. We were here before recently, it seems.
With Indi and Bryan, that same familiar void.
It seems to grow, and intensify, the longer we look at it. There are no sounds, nothing that comes out of the television to let us know what’s happening at the moment.
Instead we’re greeted with Bryan himself.
WILLIAMS: "Indi."
Bryan stands there, his voice cutting through the silence quickly. There’s nothing else that follows him, no glitches or apparitions that find their way into the film.’
Bryan is alone now.
He stands there, slowly spreading his arms wide open. He looks around the void, the empty room, as if everything is now crossing into his spot.
WILLIAMS: "All paths have led us here. Just you and I now, and I think I like it better that way."
He says, smiling.
WILLIAMS: "We’ve finally converged, after a few detours, and now we’ve begun the motions that will put us into the ring together. It has taken us quite a while to get here, but I’m sure it will all be worth it in the end. Because hanging up there is a chance at validation. It’s a chance at being greater than the sum of our parts."
A spotlight turns on, out of nowhere, as it shines down on the Union Battleground Championship hanging high above Bryan.
On cue, Bryan looks over as another spotlight reveals a ladder next to him.
WILLIAMS: "It’s a chance to climb the ladder, and reach for the stars. To take immortality in your hands, and seize it forever. This is what finally waits for us both. I must tell you, it is rather breathtaking to think about.”
Another smile from Bryan.
He pauses for a moment, thinking to himself.
WILLIAMS: "Indi, I’m here to give you your chance."
He looks up at the Union Battleground Championship.
WILLIAMS: "I’m here to give you a shot to reach for the stars."
Bryan nods his head, as he looks up towards the title.
WILLIAMS: "After everything that’s happened between us, it’s the least I could do."
Quick cuts of Light Outs, Indi and Bryan working together. Fighting together in the ring, side by side. There’s a minor glitch in the video, but don’t worry about it. Nothing to be concerned about.
WILLIAMS: "Because I know in that moment, when you reach up for the Union Battleground Championship I will be there watching..."
Bryan, still looking up, his face slowly begins to tear away at his smile. Replacing it with anger and contempt.
WILLIAMS: "And I will be the one to crush your dreams."
He looks into the camera, a quick chuckle escapes from his throat as he quickly tries to reel it back in.
WILLIAMS: "How foolish of you, after everything that’s happened you’re taking this chance without a single question? You KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT, INDI.”
Bryan’s voice reverberates, almost shaking the screen, as it echoes throughout the room.
WILLIAMS: "You put me on your back, despite knowing what the outcome would be if you did so. You came into my world, stepped on MY soil and you knew the consequences of your actions. You saw what would be coming next."
Bryan can’t help but laugh now, he has no control over it. He has no control over the glitches on the screen either, I can’t edit those out.
WILLIAMS: "And you still went through with it! Despite everything you already knew you decided to go for it. I can’t tell if you’re stupid, or if you have that little respect for what I am."
Bryan feigns confusion, mimicking his mind being blown apart by his hands.
WILLIAMS: "You understand, I hope. You understand why we’re getting to this point. You know why I’m going to do this to you, right?"
He looks into the camera, asking a question that he won’t receive an answer for any time soon.
WILLIAMS: "You’re supposed to be all knowing, your eyes are everywhere Indi and you still allowed yourself to be here with me. You allowed yourself to be put in this position. You’re going to allow yourself to have your heart ripped straight out of your chest. What, all because I said some words about giving you a fair chance. A ladder match, that’s all it really took for you to keep your guard down?
Indi you know who I am, and what I can do. You saw us both, and you still went for it. I am amazed, quite frankly. The fact that you have the balls to try and go through with this only fuels my passion more. I’m going to go out of my way to take your dreams, Indi. You’re a frog that’s about to willingly carry a scorpion on its back, for a chance at glory."
Bryan sighs, shaking his head.
WILLIAMS: "What I said before doesn’t matter because the result is still the same. You carry me across the river, and I lash out at you. I am going to sting you, Indi."
He looks into the camera, hoping his words aren’t being left on deaf ears.
Somehow he’s getting closer.
WILLIAMS: "I am a scorpion."
Bryan pauses.
WILLIAMS: "Indi, I need you to know that your actions are the cause of this whole thing. From the moment you bashed your helmet into my face, I knew that I needed to do this."
Intercut are clips of Guerrilla Warfare, the flying headbutt with the space helmet. It’s all enough to make Bryan sick all over again.
The scene glitches, and we see the mask.
WILLIAMS: "I needed to make you suffer, for the way you made us suffer."
The mask is definitely there now. He stands behind Bryan, and slowly he places a hand down on his shoulder. The scene glitches again when he makes contact.
WILLIAMS: "You took from me, you took away my chance at redemption and I can never forget it. I could never forgive it, which is why we’re here now. Hate runs deep, and I can’t describe the amount of hate that I have for you right now.
You think of yourself as another savior, another way for Union to be cleansed from it’s problems. Indi, when you saw the power that I possessed did you stop to think what would happen in the end? Did you wonder what it would be like to have two saviors in this company? The actions you’ve created have set forth your demise."
Bryan looks to the ladder again.
WILLIAMS: "This doesn’t lead to an escape, or even to the stars. This leads right to me grabbing my title, and keeping my hands on the Union Battleground Championship. I won’t let your past actions on me to go unnoticed anymore, any champion worth their salt wouldn’t allow it. If I am truly going to be Union’s savior I need to make this known."
Bryan looks down at his hands, they’re covered in blood but gripped tightly is the Union Battleground Championship.
WILLIAMS: "I cannot allow that kind of insult to be left alone, even with how things turned out. You lost to Dakota at Guerrilla Warfare, and I was able to defeat him eventually. Even with that in the history books, I cannot forgive what you did to me.
Hell, you still tried to be that person! Stepping into the cage with James and myself, you tried to become the hero that Union already had!"
He’s upset, naturally. He shakes his head, still looking down at the title.
WILLIAMS: "So now things are different. I am the representation of this company, I wear its gold around my waist. I have been chosen as the savior of Union Battleground. I am inexorable in my march to crush your dreams, Indi."
The title is now gone, as Bryan looks back up to the camera. His hands crawl up the sides of his head, covering his face and hair in blood. Maniacally, he grasps at his hair as he tries to pull open his own head.
WILLIAMS: "Your face is burned, seered, deep within my brain and I need to take you out of it. I need to just crack my head open, and scoop out the bits you’ve infected."
I wish I could do more. I wish I could burn the world with you on it, but for now this will have to settle. I will give you the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, and I will take the rug out from under your feet at the last possible moment." [/color]
He stops.
WILLIAMS: "Even if that means we both drown."
His words grow calm, his voice goes quiet.
WILLIAMS: "It will have been worth it."
WILLIAMS: "To replace your face with the one of realization, that you shouldn’t have put yourself in this spot.
You took me on your back, knowing that I am a scorpion. And as we both sink to the bottom I hope you truly realize the errors of your way. You were better off not coming into my world. You were better off staying away, keeping away from Union."
The scene glitches, and Bryan is back to normal now. His face and hair are clean, and the Union Battleground Championship is on his right shoulder.
WILLIAMS: "Union is mine, I am it’s savior."
The scene glitches again, and now he’s wearing the mask.
WILLIAMS: "So when you look at me, holding the Union Battleground Championship over you and you ask me “why”, just know -"
The scene quickly cuts to black.
"I couldn't help it. It's in my nature.”
