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The scene fades into a production truck. Three men are busy working at a series of consoles and monitors; we get closer and closer to a slightly tubby gentleman in a beanie and a hoodie. His fist resting against his cheek as he stares at a monitor and clears his throat.


"Can we get another angle of the prison? Like, one that shows off the set on the roof."


He speaks into a mic and the image on the monitor switches angles, a voice comes through his headset.


"That look good, Todd?"


"Yeah that's good! Okay, Randy!"


A man in a white shirt turn to Todd, placing down a clipboard.


"We need to make sure pyrotechnics are ready, can you head over and make sure everything is in place?"


"Sure thing, you get the Thunder Knuckles promo by the way?"


"Yeah, it's all done now. Thank you."


Randy gives a smirk and a nod and goes to exit only to be hit by the door and knocked back, Todd spins around to check the commotion, and his face drops as soon as he lays eyes on the masked man decked in red holding his arms out wide, a large smile forming under his mask as his eyes meet with Todds.


"Todd!"


Gator strolls over as Todd panics scrambling away.


"No, no, no NO!"


Gator chuckles grabbing Todd's hood and dragging him off the chair and sliding him across the floor, Todd struggles for a moment before giving up, his face seemingly aging and getting chunkier as he gives up and lets Gator take him outside. Some time passes, Gator cheerily whistles a tune as he looks around at the old prison in the bright daylight. Todd stares blankly at his feet, sulking as he is dragged across the gravel.


"This place is nice! Think they do weddings here?"


Gator looks back to Todd who remains silent.


"Not getting married but just curious y'know. Be cool to get hitched in the same place Al Capone went mad because syphilis infected his brain. Speaking of syphilis are you ill or something? You lost so much weight mate! Feels like I'm dragging a mini-fridge instead of an actual fridge."


Todd stays quiet, crossing his arms as his body jolts to the bumps heading down the path.


"Congrats on the promotion too! Head of production! *whistles* Pretty snazzy dude!"


A sigh leaves Todd's mouth, Gator rolls his eyes.


"Wish I brought your papoose, make this a lot easier. Think I left it at that park in Dallas 3 years ago though. You remember that? You had a great time, catching the frisbee, playing on the slides, we had to leave early though because that kid pushed you off the swings and then you started crying. Remember that buddy?"


Todd digs his heels into the ground and Gator slows as Todd stands to his feet dusting himself off. Gator stops and watches as the chubby Canadian digs his hands into his pockets and walks in front of Gator, the Brit laughs as he walks alongside him.


"Where are we going?"


"See the sights, mate! I dunno, I'm back on the grind. Sadly can't just sit in my hotel room and wank off anymore, XWF needs pretty pictures of me being a non-haggard cunt to promote mine and Doc's match."


"That's it?"


Todd gives a shrug as Gator searches his pockets for a cigarette.


"That's it. Look, I'm not here to go through the same bullshit I did last time. I'm not gonna jump through hoops and be another generic has-been that makes his 'comeback' seem like it's the biggest fucking deal known to man."


Gator pulls a crumpled cigarette from a barely noticeable chest pocket and straightens it out. Todd halts his pace.


"So no, hey, I've missed you, let's catch-up. Just straight back to the same old shit."


"It's not the same old shit, this time is different."


Gator rolls up his mask to expose his mouth.


"How?"


Gator pulls a match and strikes it against his boot to spark his cigarette. He tosses the match and inhales the smoke staring at Todd before exhaling and pacing.


"I'm more self-aware about the bullshit this time."


Todd gives an exhausted laugh pinching the bridge of his nose.


"Jesus, it never stops with you! I saw your last promo y'know."


Gator gives a smirk.


"Yeah I would head of production would."


"Y- ... You said you didn't want to go through the rigamarole that every else did and now what are you doing? Bringing along me to go on some wacky adventure where I get made fun of and you get to make some stupid jokes. You haven't changed in 6 years, Jake. I have. I'm fucking over this."


Gator scratches his chin as Todd turns away.


"I'm dying, Todd."


Todd stops and lifts his head up with a short, scratchy breath. He slowly looks to Gator.


"R-Really?"


Gator rubs his upper lip before sniffing up.


"No, not really."


Todd sneers and continues to walk away, Gator jogs in front of his and places a palm against his chest.


"But imagine if I was! How bad would you feel? C'mon man, I've missed you, really! You're my best friend and THE best cameraman I have ever had."


"I'm the only cameraman you've had."


"That's not true! Remember Rodd? I gave him to Sane as a Christmas present after he lost the Cameraman Olympics."


Todd laughs shaking his head, he knocks the back of his hand against Gator's shoulder.


"That's what I don't want! You treated me like a joke. You made me run through made-up games, you abused me, drugged me, and named your dog 'Better Todd' just to spite me."


"Ah, Better Todd. He was such a good boy."


Gator looks in the middle distance to reminisce.


"You only care about yourself, I don't have time for it."


"Todd!"


Gator wraps both his hands on Todd's shoulders and lowers himself to eye level.


"It was just banter, cunt."


"Are you fucking kidding me?"


"But look how strong it made you! Standing up for yourself, with a great job and being the one that gets to tell other people what to do. I molded you from the little doughy bitch you were into the Pillsbury Doughboy!"


Gator jabs a finger into Todd's gut who gives a little giggle.


"I need you, bro. Gator and Todd! You were always the draw to my promos anyway! I was just the asshole who punched dickheads."


"So... In a way you could say you were jealous of me?"


Gator hesitates and bites his tongue. He releases Todd's shoulders and stands up striaght, towering over him as he continues the cigarette.


"Sure man, I was jealous. People loved you, Azrael wanted to marry you, people cared about you, they felt for you... You were the perfect sidekick because you are human! You're the element that makes me appear functional. If everyone had a Todd, they'd be happy and look like real boys and girls instead of the joyless marionettes everyone has seemed to turn into."


Todd rolls his neck before looking up to Gator and giving a nod.


"Okay, okay. Let's get so see the sights or whatever."


Gator claps his hands together with a laugh, he flicks the cigarette away from him as he and Todd walk down the path. Gator throws an arm over Todd's shoulder and squeezes tightly.


"Look at us! The boys back in the saddle!"


"It is pretty exciting to have you back. Even if you are a huge asshole."


"Oh Todd I am the Goatsy of mankind. There's no denying that, buddy. You remember how much I relied on you when we cut promos? You always had the scoop on wrestlers, always paid attention such a dedicated fan and worker."


"Well, yeah, it was part of the job."


"Of course! So... Any news on D'Ville? He sent a promo across that needs your eye?"


"Wait."


Todd stops again, giving a crooked look to Gator.


"You didn't find me just to get the edge on Doc, did you?"


Gator gasps, placing a hand on his heart.


"Todd! I am shocked, sir! I would never!"


"It really seems like you're using me here."


"C'mon mate, why would I? Me and Doc have so much history, I don't need you help to remind me what a vapid cunt he is."


Todd looks Gator up and down before continuing his walk.


"Okay... Couldn't help you anyway, Doc's stuff just... Appears."


Gator tuts looking away and mumbles.


"Of course it fucking does."


He looks back to Todd with a smile.


"No matter. Got a plan on how to beat the prick anyway."


"Punch him a bunch until he falls down? That was your old strat."


"Well, Todd, I too have grown. Using my nogging this time."


"... You're gonna headbutt him?"


"No, dickhead! Well, maybe BUT what I'm going to do is surprise him. Doc is one of, if not the biggest threats the XWF has ever seen, there's no denying that. But he's old and predictable, he always starts off with the smug bullshit before exploding into rage, fire and brimstone. He always looks for a way to twist the blade the moment his bony hand reaches onto your shoulder. More recently however it's obvious how much of a let down he's become, his one good eye is too big for his stomach and he bites off more than he can chew. Recent(ish) losses, a sit-down with Lane before launching immediately into the devil in disguise bullshit he's been farming for five fucking years. He's not doing this for himself, no, he's doing this to remind people what he was. To try and fool people into believing he's the same man that dominated the XWF years ago. And that's when I jump in."


Todd raises an eyebrow as they near to the shore.


"I'm lost."


"Yeah me too, this island is deceptively large. No wonder people couldn't escape."


Gator scans the horizon, hopping away from the set of stone stairs and dropping into the sand.


"I meant with where you're going with Doc."


"Oh right. So, he wants to remind everyone he used to be good and going the same direction he did when he lost to me. The intrigue of his bullshit that he's trying to push instead of what he became when we last left off in his story. When Soldier was searching for him on a beach or some shit, where he was washed-up, literally. Now, he wants to hit the reset and go back to being an enigma instead of the side character in his own life. Going back to the cunt that lost to me, the mother fucker that smoked a cigar in the shadows and waited in his web. Cunt didn't expect the fly to be so hench."


"So that's it? Your plan is to stay the same while he tries to reclaim what he used to be."


Gator stops searching the scarce bushes in the sand to point at Todd with a smile.


"This is why I need you man, you're a great expo dump."


Gator digs into the sand and retrieves a long stretch of rope and begins to pull.


"Like I said, Doc is incredible and I don't think I could beat him when he's motivated. He's the spider and I'm the fly. He's weaving his intrigue and waiting for me to fall into his trap. Just like he did so many years ago. But there's always a way to beat up the bigger kid. Elephants are scared of mice, worms eat through us when we die and bees make a hive in the corpses of lions. The smallest change of wind can wreck sails and crash ships. What makes this time different is that Doc wants to be different. He hasn't grown, he hasn't learned, he hasn't lived. Doc vanished and was placed in a stasis chamber until he needed to wake up and when he did he remembered the time he lost to Lux and what went wrong. He remembered how he used to be and wanted to be that man again. He wanted to be the man that couldn't beat me, he wanted that rush of adrenaline again from when we first ever faced off. He thinks he can win just because he's Doc."


"Forgetting that I'm Gator."


"Forgetting the fact that I used to be one of the best in the company. Forgetting that I gave him the best fights of his fucking life. Forgetting that I am the best TV champ that ever graced XWF... Look how they massacred my boy, Todd! The fuck is going on with that title?"


Todd shrugs.


"Might have to talk with Atticus about that."


Gator shakes his head as he retrieves a small paddle boat and pushes it to the water.


"The biggest change Doc has made is his production value. The cunt's just a husk as of right now and I'd be a dumb fuck not to take advantage of that. He wants to play the big hound chasing my little pussy forgetting I have teeth and claws of my own. I've changed, I learned, I got better and that boiled egg looking, egomaniacal fuck boy flashing his dentures at the camera as spooky Halloween music plays has another fucking thing coming if he thinks he can just come over, calling me a cheater at checkers and just rolling through a pay-per-view cheque just to fucking disappear for another year. Fuck that, someone actually needs to remind the prick that there are people who could hang with him back in the day and can still knock him down now. Get in the boat, Todd."


Gator holds his hands on his hip waiting for Todd to enter who very gingerly does.


"David toppled Goliath when everyone thought he would have no chance. It's odd, history is repeating itself yet manipulating in the same way. D'Ville lost to me when I was on top, I lost to him when he was on top and now... We're both circling the drain. Floating in the void when there's solid ground beneath our feet. No one knows what we're really capable of but everyone thinks Doc will win because he's Doc. And the prune-faced cunt thinks he can go back to being the same Doctor that people believed in just because he's Doc."


Gator pushes the boat out into the water and hops on, grabbing an oar.


"So, here's what I'm gonna do. We're gonna sail to land, get a bagel and catch-up. Then I'm going to drink, go to sleep, wake up and remind D'Ville how it feels to have a size 10 in his colon. Show the new kids how to make origami with barbwire and D'Ville's forehead. Fucking burst into that ring and bitch slap the cunt so fucking hard it causes a ripple in time and his past self feels that shit causing him to lose against me back in 2014. I will drag him from one end of the Rose Bowl to the fucking other I'll win by scoring a touchdown. I'm gonna embarrass the cunt so much he'll pull a Cobain before the crowd leaves for the piss break match after ours."


"That's it?"


"... That's it. Same old bullshit but with a different coat of paint."


Gator rows as the shot pulls away further and further before the scene slowly fades to black.

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