---May 5th, 2019 | 6:43 PM---

The scene begins in a small room, the picture showing a computer on a wooden desk. Seated in a fairly nice gaming chair is Ethan. On the wall behind him are several XWF posters, hung plainly in view, slight marks of wear and tear on them.


He sighs in a frustrated manner, placing a palm to his forehead.



The scene cuts to various clips of Ned answering inquiries from a variety of fans while traveling. Ethan's voice is narrating the clips as they play.

"I felt like he was really starting to come to terms with it all. Really beginning to bounce back from the past few years."

"So, how long have you wrestled?"

"Well, seven years, but it was a pain getting into it. For a lot of wrestlers, they're born with the body for it and the education part of it is a little secondary, but I was in the opposite circumstance. My mind was forged, but I had to push my body. I still do everyday."

----------------

"Were you popular in school? A real hit with the ladies?"

"Heh, not really. I got my ass handed to me pretty often. See, you're physically stronger than others that's cool for a lot of kids, but mental strength is viewed as cowardice. I got picked on for being a dork and wanted to challenge my intellect and work that muscle out. I can't tell you how many comics I lost to shit heads trying to intimidate me."

----------------

"What kind of stuff are you into?"

"Obviously, I love what I do for work, but I still enjoy the odd comic here and there. Music definitely, too."

"Do you have a favorite superhero, then?"

"Adam Warlock."

"Who?"

Ned chuckles, nodding and smiling somewhat.

"That's the usual response."

----------------

"So, Ned, how do the fangirls treat you? Lotta women throwing themselves at ya?"

"No."

"No to which?"

"Both. I don't take advantage of people. Perhaps we can discuss something else."

----------------

"Do you make a lot of money?"

"Compared to what I used to? Absolutely, but it's merely cash. It's more important to spend it on giving back or on family and friends. You can't take it with you, you know?"

----------------

"Do you mind living in that crusty old gym?"

"Not really. However, I don't plan on living there too long."

"Already selling it? A good choice in my bo-"

"No, no, no. Nothing like that. I wanna open it to the public. Run it for cheap. Gym memberships can get pricey and I know a lot of my neighbors could use a more affordable place to get in shape."

----------------

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"...No."

Ned clutches the ring at his chest.

"Somethin' happen?"


"I'd... rather not discuss it."

----------------

A replay of the events at Anarchy fills the picture, showing Ned getting beaten by John Black with a chair after winning his match. Ned is visibly bloody after the assault.



The scene changes to Ned sitting on a stretcher in the backstage of May 2nd's Anarchy. Ethan stands to his left as the doctor finishes cleaning Ned's wounds, Kaye wincing slightly.

"That was far from ideal, but I'm proud of you, Ned! You're really coming into your own!"

"You think so?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely! I know you're nervous still, but they love you, man!"

Ned smiles somewhat absently, gazing off into empty space.

"Will they still love me if I don't win against Robert?"

Ethan hesitates, words initially caught in his throat.

"...I'm sure they will. Besides, you know you know you have loyal fans who are right there beside you. Hell, you got me."

Ned stares at his feet, placing his hands together.

"It'd be a lot easier of she was still here..."

"I know. I miss her, too."

"Hey, Ethan?"

"Yeah, man?

"Thanks for sticking around."

"No problem."

"...You ready to start heading back home?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my things first."

"It was that first drive back where the problems really began, though."

In a somewhat compact car, the hitchhiking men sit, their driver navigating an old, unkempt road. The only light that can be seen are the headlights of the car and the soft glow pf a portable DVD player resting on Ned's lap. The screen isn't clearly in view, but it appears to be a woman. Silence engulfs the car for an extended period before Ned twists his head up.

"I think we should slow down."

"Huh? Wh-"

"Watch out!"

Ned grabs the wheel from the passager's seat, steering them off the road, the car shaking and nearly leaping on the unsteady dirt. The driver slams on the brakes, unbuckling and almost getting out of the car once they've come to a complete stop.

"That son of a bitch! He coulda killed us!"

"What the hell happened?"

Ned raises a hand, prompting the driver to stop.

"I'll handle this. Just stay put."

"What happened?"

"Some jackass walked in front of us."

Kaye gets out of the car, yelling at a figure now in view, hidden by the darkness.

"What in the hell was that?! What is wrong with you?"

With a guttural laugh, the man responds.

"For a rookie, you're hard as hell to get a hold of, boy!"

Although only his back can be seen, Ned's demeanor changes heavily.

"Oh my God... you're-"

"Yes, soak it in, kiddo."

The two men talk at a softer volume, ensuring little is picked up by the microphone.

"Do we have room in the car for one more?"

The driver rolls down his window.

"I-I guess, but why-"

"Ned, who is it?"

"It's... it's Dexter Bright. The Engineer."

Once more, silence fills the air surrounding them.

"...holy shit."

---May 3rd, 2019 | 1:02 AM---

Later, the same night, they're all in the car. A wave of tension reverberates through the car, though no words are yet spoken. The cameraman sits in the backseat, cramped in-between Ethan and Engy. Ned stares at The Engineer from the passenger's seat, portable DVD thankfully safe and still functional at Kaye's feet.

"Why are you here?"

Dexter eyes over the car, running his hands over the only belonging he brought with him, a stick with a bandana tied to one end, holding something inside of it.

"Jesus Christ, lighten the fuck up, boys. Not everything is so goddamn serious."

"You didn't answer me."

Engy rolls his eyes, chuckling.

"I'm here because we agree on something. That Bobby needs a good ol' fashioned kick in the pants. I wanna teach you my ways because right now, you're looking like any old dipshit that Rob devours. But Robby couldn't- nah, nah, wait- he CAN'T beat me."

"Why me? Why now?"

"Fucking hell? Are you my psychiatrist? You're the one fighting him! Do I need another reason? You got some skillz, but you're not using 'em, dumb dumb! I didn't beat Bobby by "wow"ing chucklefucks at Barnes and Noble, I did it by instinct."

Ned shoots a glare at Ethan, his expression completely stonefaced.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, man. Engy did beat Robert a couple of times, but he lost the last time."

"...Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

Engy gets a big grin.

"Tellllll himmmmm."

"Do you remember the last match they had, Ethan?"

"Uh... kinda, I just know Main came out on top."

"No."

"No?"

"They had a regular title match that night and Engineer won. Main cashed in a 24/7 briefcase immediately afterwards and beat him with a steel chair, then pinned him for the belt. 20 chair shots if I remember correctly."

"You mean, Robert Main, the man who holds that belt as a sign of his complete dominance-"

"He couldn't even win it. Not without being a cheeky lil' shit."

"Now, if you wanna learn how to beat him, you gotta listen! FIRST LESSON: Ear chewing!"

He unties the bandana to reveal a fake head made out of some translucent gel and filled with fake blood.

"Wh-where did you get that..?"

"Ah, from the show with the man in the french hat and they disprove movies."

Engy wags his finger to seem like he knows what he's talking about.

"Mythbusters?"

"Yeah, yeah! That one!"

"It hasn't been on in years."

Dexter looks confused.

"So?"

"Wait, was that the only thing you took hitchhiking with you?"

"Yep!"

"What did you eat?"

"What I could find!"

The car goes quiet.

---May 3rd, 2019 | 5:43 AM---

In an XWF Training Center, Ned and Ethan walk side by side, dragging their suitcases behind them. The rising sun can be seen through some of the windows they pass, showing the facility to be scarcely filled at this hour.

"So, he's already there?"

"To my knowledge, yes."

"Are you sure about this?"

"What choice do I have? He knows Robert better than just about anyone, even if he shows it in an untraditional fashion."

"Ned, he's crazy! What if he does something? What if I'm left alone around him?"

"...I downloaded a GPS app on your phone before we left. It'll help you find me if you're in serious danger."

"Not even a full day after The Engineer's appearance, I was already done with being in the presence of the former Universal Champion. It was just a mess, getting worse by the minute. It was obvious the pressure was rubbing off on him, but he should've been smarter. More careful."

After giving each other a concerned stare, they step into the training room, Dexter standing tall as the door opens.

"This is gonna be fun, boys."

"You better know what you're doing, Ned."

"I do."

---May 4th, 2019 | 7:14 AM---

"No, no, no! You're still too slow, boy!"

The Engineer stands in front of them, arms flailing as he shouts. Ned holds his straitjacket, appearing to have just escaped it.

"But that was fifty seconds!"

"And if he gives Bobby that much time, he might as well spit shine the belt for Rob! Try it again!"

Shaking his head, Ethan assists Ned back into the straitjacket.

"Look, just do your best. We don't have too much time left, so I already brought the suitcases down here. You can do it, man."

Ned stays silent. Ethan walks back and begins his timer. As 15 seconds pass, Engy becomes visibly more frustrated and walks off screen.

"You're making good time, Ned, just a little more, alr-"

"ARGHHHH!"

Dexter slams a steel chair into Ned, knocking him down.

"Faster!"

"What's your problem?"

"You're a pile of shit, that's my problem, kid! Faster!"

He strikes Ned again with the chair, making his body convulse.

"Leave him alone, asshole!"

Engy turns to Ethan, smiling.

"Good idea! Maybe this'll light a fire in him!"

He jabs the chair into Ethan's stomach, knocking him into the suitcases. As he collides, a loud ringing sound is heard. Ethan coughs heavily, wincing as his core stings. Engy prepares another strike when Kaye tackles him down, placing a hand around Bright's neck.

"BWAHAHA! THAT'S PERFECT! THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!"

"You need to shut your goddamn mouth!"

"Goddammit, Ned!"

Their heads jolt to see Ethan holding an assortment of liquor bottles, Kaye's suitcase, wide open and contents scattered.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"It-it's not like that, I swe-"

"No! Just shut up, man! I didn't agree to the shit so you could hoard drinks! So you could hang around this fucking lunatic!"

He points at the Engineer, shaking.

"I try my hardest to support you and you don't care! You just feel perfectly alright tossing it all away to make yourself feel good, right?"

"That's not-"

"I don't wanna hear it! Just... just get me an Uber home..."

---May 5th, 2019 | 3:21 PM---

In a tiny car, Ned rests in the passenger's seat, absently staring at the landscape outside of his window.

"So, are you excited for today's lesson, Ned? We're going over eye gouging! Real advanced shit!"

No response.

"We'll even go over more of Rob's fears, boy! I know you're into that crap!"

Ned stays quiet.

"Are you just gonna spend the whole ride back pouting because your little friend got mad at you? Are you a teenage girl or a wrestler?"

Kaye turns back to stare him dead in the eyes.

"Oh, did I hurt your itty bitty feelings?"

"Out."

"'Scuse me?"

Ned motions to the driver.

"Stop the car."

Ned sticks his finger in the direction of The Engineer.

"You need to leave."

"Is that the thanks I get for sharing my skillz to you?"

"No, the thanks is me not putting my absolute focus into kicking your ass. I am not a soldier in your personal crusade. I am not some shit head that you can morph into a tool to enact your vengeance. So, thank you, but kindly fuck off."

With an intense look on his face, Engy exits the car, starring daggers through Ned.

"You know he'll eat you alive if you do this. You don't have to take the loss just because your panties are in a twist."

"Goodbye, Dexter."

With a shrug, The Engineer turns his back and walks away, chuckling slightly.

"Suit yourself."


The scene cuts back to Ethan in his room.

"I hope he figures it out. Somehow."

He picks himself up off of the bed and turns the camera off.

---May 5th, 2019 | 7:24 PM---

"You can just drop me off here. I know the rest of the way."

Ned gets out of the car, thanking the driver and offering the last of his pocket money to him. The car drives off, revealing a sign that reads "The Evergreens Cemetery." Walking in, Ned keeps his head low, seeming to know the path by heart. The camera follows at a distance. After several minutes of walking, Ned approaches the grave of Lilian Cordray.

"Hey, Lily."

Ned kneels, a pained smile on his face.

"I'm sorry I didn't swing by sooner. I know I've been busy for a while."

He grips the ring on his necklace.

"I know it's a bad habit to come down here, but I just wanted you to know some stuff..."

"I'm gonna be in a big match... A title match. What are the odds, right?"

He gives a weak chuckle before tears start to form.

"I miss you, Lily. And it's so goddamn hard to keep going. And I know that's what you'd want me to do, but it doesn't make it easier. I just... I wish you could've been here to see this."

He wipes the tears from his cheek, breathing heavily.

"I'm gonna win it, Lily. Maybe not on Wednesday, but I'm going to. I want the world to know that I wouldn't be here without you. I want..."

"I wanna do right by you. No matter what."

With a small kiss to the ring in his palm, he stands and starts heading back to his gym.

---May 5th, 2019 | 11:30 PM---

"Notorious Ned Kaye..."

The Notorious One sits in front of his array of televisions, different matches of Robert Main playing, all title defenses. Lined on a table in front of him is the collection of the different alcoholic beverages he had been collecting, all still sealed. At his side is a wine glass.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Kaye's head swivels to look at his door. The knocking continues as he picks himself up and opens the door.

"Hey."

"...Hey. It's pretty late."

"Yeah, but I gotta get up early to get on the flight, right?"

"You sure you wanna go..?"

"Of course. Ned, look-"

Ethan stops himself.

"I get it, alright? I'm sorry I blew up, but I get where you are and I'm sorry, but if you won't let anybody help you, then you're always gonna be stuck drinking. I don't want that for you. You're my friend and I know that wreck took her away, but you're still around. You don't have to die in her memory..."

"Ethan..."

"No, man, listen to me! She was my friend, too! Sure, I wasn't her fiance like you, but Lily was a part of my life, too! And losing her was fucking heartbreaking, but I know for a fact she'd want you to live for yourself."

They share a pause.

"You can honor her memory without mourning forever, Ned."

Holding back tears, Ned hugs Ethan tightly.

"Thank you for sticking around."

"It's what friends do, buddy."

"You wanna help me clean up a bit?"

"Sure."

Ethan smiles, walking through the doorway.


The scene cuts to approximately an hour later, Ethan passed out on a hastily placed couch, Ned still wide awake in his chair. In the background are the liquor bottles all placed into a cardboard box. Rummaging through his suitcase, he pulls out the DVD case and opens it up. Taking a heavy breath, he grabs the disc, leans over, and places it in a DVD player. Lifting up, he watches the image.

On the center screen is a woman with fair skin and messy, slightly reddish blond hair. She's smiling at the camera.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just-uh, capturing some reactions on video. Sue me."

"Uh-huh, right, right..."

She playfully rolls her eyes, grin still apparent on her face.

"So, what am I reacting to exactly?"

In the recording, Ned drums his fingers on the table in front of him to build suspense.

"I got a job interview with a tech company tomorrow! Now, I can get a steadier job and I can be a boyfriend who doesn't get in headlocks every week!"

She frowns.

"But Ned, weren't you gonna get a title shot for one of those local promotions?"

"Yeah, but I want to actually be able to support you, so I turned down the appearance. I don't think I'm really talented enough to make it big anyway, so I need to be more realistic."

"But you love wrestling. And you already have some dedicated followers. They adore you."

"Yeah, well, maybe I can love IT. And they'll just find another guy. I'm nobody special."

"Ned, that's not true."

She shakes her head.

"You can't run from yourself."

"I don't want you to go looking for some office job to support us because I know how miserable you'd be. You're not some Joe Schmoe. You have the drive and talent to be notorious around the world and you're really about to toss it all away. I don't want that, not for a minute. Besides you can still be a pro wrestler AND a person. You don't have to choose."

"...But what if I don't make it as a pro?"

"You will. I have no doubt about it."

She reaches a hand out to hold his and delivers a warm smile.

"So, is there anything else you want my reaction to?"

"Just one thin-"

Ned pauses the clip. With a deep exhale he turns to the cardboard box.


Some time later, Ethan wakes up.

"Hey, Ned, do you have any milk..?"

He yawns blinking.

"Ned?"

He looks up to see that both Ned and the cardboard box are missing.

"Oh fuck. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-"

"FUCK!"

He leaps up, grabbing his camera and checking his phone's GPS tracker, rushing out the door. After a cut to minimize the time spent running, Ethan sees Kaye in what appears to be a field.

"NED!"

Barely in view, Ned pours the many bottles out, violently throwing others to the ground.

SMASH

"Ned, what's wrong?!"

SMASH

In an instant, Ned lights a match, dropping it to the ground below him, engulfing the area surrounding him in a bright inferno.

"Oh my God..."

As Ethan nearly drops to the ground, a silhouette, unharmed, is seen walking from out of the maelstrom of heat. As the sound of lingering fire fills his ears, he can see Ned clearly as he walks closer, breathing heavily, completely fine.

"Ned... are you okay?"

With a smile, he nods.

"Yeah. For the first time in a long time, I am. Do you mind if I direct a few words at my opponent?"

The shock can be heard in Ethan's voice.

"You want to cut a promo right now?"

"Yes, I do."

Ethan breaks into a short burst of laughter.

"Christ, Ned, sure. Why not?"



Illuminated by the flames shining in the distance, Ned begins to speak. Underneath the sound of his voice is the soft crackling of the fire.

"Who is Ned Kaye?"

"That's a good question. I don't always know the answer myself, but I can always find it. And if you ask the people who have witnessed me on this journey, they'll likely tell you many things. That I'm a recovering alcoholic. A man mourning for lost love. A rookie. A comic book fan. A thinker. A guy who tries to defy the odds and stand up for what he believes is right. A professional wrestler. And a person."

"Who is Robert Main?"

"The more I ask that question, the more the truth dawns on me. That there isn't much of a person behind that belt. That the belt isn't a decoration for you, but vice versa. And it makes sense considering how belt focused your entire career has been. Stopping at no lengths to fill that void in your heart with something. I know that feeling, Robert, but not for a hunk of gold on leather. But for a fellow human being. Someone who still inspires me to care for my fellow man. To show compassion. You don't have that, Main. You never will because unlike other wrestlers that aspire to have a belt for other reasons, for personal validation, you just want it because it's the only thing you know how to desire. Pride for the sake of pride. Never keeping a belt too far away from a public appearance. Wouldn't want us to remember that behind the Universal Championship Belt is just a cowardly animal, obsessed with his own ability to command presence."

"You're addicted to that feeling, Robert? Well, I regret to inform you that this match will be very sobering. And your hubris will be forced to confront certain facts. One of which being: "If you want to intimidate someone, you don't quote the loser of a battle." You will face your past as I utilize my knowledge of you that I've learned from The Engineer. You will face your present as you slobber at the sight of the thing you value most swinging above us. And you will face your future when you see that belt, that thing you sunk to new lows to get your vile claws on, around my waist. And at that moment you'll truly understand our differences. That I don't take an easy route because I want a piece of gold. That you are always so self assured and confident that you can ultimately defeat yourself."

"But the true difference between us? I can walk out of that ring as the loser and still hold pride in my values, my path, and myself. But if you walk out of there without the gold, you're back to the same grisly beast who frothed at the mouth for a belt you hadn't earned. That you couldn't earn. But what's going to really fester within you for years to come is that I don't need to be underhanded or dishonorable to achieve my goals. I just need to be Ned Kaye."

"Count your minutes as they last, Robert."

SPECIAL THANKS TO: -Lux for letting me use Engy -Robert Main for allowing me to do this match. -Gator for not letting me get too slowed down. -AND YOU for reading this huge thing!

"You can't run from yourself."