Sometime before the flight…

We open to Marf putting away some small tools and a pail of murky, dirty water at Lycana’s house. It took him a smidge longer than expected but he got the tiles in the bathroom shower fixed up. Not that it mattered, he’s been the only one to use that shower in the last week anyway. Marf heads back upstairs and pokes his head into Reika’s room to check on her. She sits quietly at her little desk working on some kind of art masterpiece. She even has her special 64 pack of crayons out. Marf steps into the room for a moment and watches her with pride and sorrow.

Can’t wait to see your picture when you finish…is Kraft dinner cool tonight?

It will transcend all past pictures…and sure, we have not had macaroni in over a week so I’m okay with this choice for dinner. Even though…Swiss Chalet would be waaaaay better…

Marf crosses his arms firmly across his broad chest and smirks at Reika.

We had Swiss Chalet twice this week. Twice Dude!

Reika finally stops her rabid colouring for a moment and turns to give him a playful pout.

Fiiiiiiine! Kraft dinner is issssss!

Marf smiles warmly as Reika gives him a cheeky grin and turns back to her drawing. She scribbles furiously as Marf turns to leave.

Where is Damien?

He told me he had some work to do. Sooo I’m pretty sure he went on a Tinder date…uhh, don’t tell him I told you that please!

Reika giggles for a moment and then stops everything and sits still. She doesn’t want to but can’t stop herself from asking.

…and where is Lycana?

Marf stops in his tracks right at the doorway. His head slumps down for a moment before he clears his throat.

Well she is a bit busy with Aunt Betsy I think, or Aunt Arcana…

Reika purposely snorts loudly.

They are NOT my real Aunts. I don’t want to deal with them Marfy!

Marf let’s out a long sigh and then slowly exits the room.

That’s life kiddo, dealing with a lot of…stuff…you don’t want to…dinner in thirty.

You got it duuude!

Marf quietly heads down the stairs and into the kitchen to start dinner. He paces around for a moment, thinking to himself. Always a dangerous pastime.

A fucking week. An entire fucking week. I had watched in horror as hours turned into days and then the days became a fucking week. A week since I had seen you. A week since I had heard that sweet but also quietly sinister voice. A week since I’d inhaled your beautiful scent. A week since I’d had any real form of communication with you. A week of lying to Reika every god damn night about where you are. As if I actually had a fucking clue. I may have to ask some familiar faces…

Only thing becoming clear in all this is the message being sent. You no longer want anything to do with me, with this life we have built. With these living…things, that create our supposed big family. For whatever reason, Lycana has chosen to show me her truest colours. It is so harsh it is damn near blinding. The time is quickly approaching where I need to accept she’s no longer a part of my life. And sadly that may include some that I’ve grown fond of. Fuck I really don’t want to kill little Reika…

Later that night outside an unknown residence…

The storm was surprisingly not expected but the rain came down with a fury in spite of weather predictions. Marf stood out front of a dumpy looking house in a somehow even dumpier neighborhood. The lightning would flash and illuminate the wet, dead grass of the front yard. Even with the large, brown overcoat Marf was getting soaked. He seemed unfazed as he stared carefully at the darkened abode. Marf trudges up the cracked walkway and makes his way to the front door.

The awning is practically falling apart and doesn’t do much to prevent the rain from continuing its assault on Marf. He ignores it and begins to bang on the scratched up front door. The thunder booms and bellows across the dark night so Marf hastily knocks on the door once more. A small light flickers to life to the left of the door and someone unlocks it. Marf wipes the rain out of his eyes and watches the door open and a young woman appears. Marf nods at Arcana as she looks at him in disbelief.

Talk about a sight for sore eyes…the hell you doing here?

Is she with you guys?

Arcana leans against the door frame, enjoying the view of Marf being rained upon so violently. She smirks and shakes her head.

Ly? Nahhh, she ain’t here with Jimmy and me. Why? She getting into threesomes or something? Awwww big guy, are you jealous!?

Fuck off…

Marf turns and begins to leave while Arcana rolls her eyes and then calls out to him.

She mostly likely is with the time chick! Cheer up buttercup!

Marf trudges along, his steel toed boots turning black from all the water. Arcana closes the door as Marf goes to the end of the driveway and looks up into the sky. Despite the heavy rain his body feels on fire with the rage burning inside. If he was any angrier there would be steam coming off his skin. Marf lowers his head and slowly nods, accepting what fate has bestowed upon him. We fade out as Marf pulls out a cell to call an Uber.

Back at the house…

Marf quietly steps inside, water dripping off his overcoat and head. Marf kicks off his boots and draped the soaking coat on the hanger beside the door. Marf makes his way to the stares when Damien pops up, almost startling him.

Where were you??

Doesn’t matter, I’m going to bed.

Damien grabs Marf by the arm and stops him before he can go.

Hold up, why are you al wet? Bro tell me you didn’t just track wet footprints…

Marf turns and grabs Damien by the throat, lifting him so he is on his tippy toes. Marf leans up close to Damien’s now terrified face. Marf whispers harshly.

I am going to bed…leave me alone or I will fucking kill you without an ounce of regret. Understood?

Y-yes…s-s-sorry!

Marf snarls into Damien’s face before releasing him and turning his back, heading up the stairs. Damien watches him while shaking but doesn’t say another word. Marf goes into his and Lycana’s room. Marf lays across the bed in a heap of self loathing and pain. He checks his cell phone and sees an alert. He pops it up and catches the latest Betsy Granger promo…featuring Lycana…fade out…

Sometime just before the flight out for the Halloween Shove It special.

The deranged smile. The cool blue eyes, swirling with violence and death. The stubbly beard, the ragged hair. Everything you know and god damn love from Marf! He itches his chin and sighs. Tell the good people what is on your mind Marf!

Well this is taking an interesting turn now isn’t it? Betsy comes flying out of the gate with…relationship advice? I mean I suppose it is a step up from another god awful musical number. Yet I find myself cringing equally as hard. Rubbing it in my face you’re working with Lycana and acting like you know all the intricacies of our life together. I should totally just get over myself right? God damn, why didn’t I think of that!? Jesus tap dancing Christ Bets, however did you find such gems of wisdom?

Do you even know what the fuck you’re actually talking about? Clearly not if you actually think Lycana working with your time travelling ass is why there’s any strain. Be a fucking man? Shut your inter dimensional cum stained mouth before I give you a black eye and send you into the kitchen to make me a Black Forest ham sandwich. Stupid fuck, how dare you attempt to turn the Marf show into this Dr Granger bullshit. I am just over reacting that’s all eh? So when James Raven ignores your calls and texts and refuses to see you for over a week you’re just gonna be cool with that? Fuck off Betsy.

I should just ignore the fact that my partner, the person I feel an actual soul bond with, has not spoken with me in several days. It is simply crazy for me to feel like my partner is slipping away from me just because she has suddenly bounced from our life. The cracks appeared before your sudden bestie friendship did Bets. Thanks for trying to take credit while downplaying the whole thing. But honestly, shut the fuck up. You don’t know what the fuck you’re babbling on about, as per fucking usual. Go jerk off another celestial being.

Marf mockingly does a jerk off motion while never breaking his gaze with the camera.

I should not have said that last part, sorry. You’ve spent too much time warping around the universe and beyond, your poor mind must be fried. I mean what the fuck are you suggesting I try working with others when I’ve already fucking done that. Did you miss where I was with Dolly Waters, Charlie Nickles and Rob Main during the lead up to War Games? We all came out of that as what some people refer as friends. Not to mention I used to roll with the Left Hand. I was close with everyone involved until they all turned out to be fucking cowards.

Oh yeah and lest we forget, you’re on a special Shove-It that I myself am hosting Bets. Guess you didn’t notice my co-host is Charlie Nickles. Even if he is a total nut job I’m fucking learning to work with others. So get the fuck outta here with that shit. I’ve been by Lycana’s side through thick and thin, light and dark. I woke up with a dead girl in our bed for fuck sakes. What the fuck do you know about me proving what she means for me? I’ve done nothing but prove it, day in and day out. Yeah, I don’t fucking care for you, you’re kind of a prissy, stuck up little cunt but I wouldn’t stop Ly from working with you.

Her choices are her choices to make. Don’t try to play television psychiatric just because you’re in a television title match. Don’t say another fucking word about who is who’s ride or die. Lycana rode off and left me to fucking die. You kicked this man while he was down more than you realize, Bets. Sooner or later we get to meet in the ring and that’s where I reach up and drag you down to my fucking twisted world. Maybe I’ll just tangle you up in a nasty submission and wait it out until the rats drop onto us. I’m not worried about my face but when they’re done nobody will want you as the face of the division!

Marf can’t help but to laugh at this while patting the Television title held firmly across his shoulder.

Oh, cool death story, bro. Truly, I’ve never known anything so…well, sorry no I’ve heard and seen plenty worse. Run your mouth while you don’t actually know shit about me, that’s fine. But I’ve seen plenty of evil and all types of horrors…fuck you for thinking otherwise. I’ve been with Lycana for a year, you think I haven’t seen her raise the dead or deal with demons before? Get your glittered head out of your hollow ass. What fucking research did you even bother with? So many outlandish claims and arrogant but misguided assumptions. Common theme with you is I always wind up cringing at your bullshit Bets.

Like your rat race theory…

Marf stops and shudders.

Kudos to being oh so fucking wise to come up with that analogy for the first time in what, a month or two? And somewhere amongst all that fucking nonsense you have the nerve to state you’re taking the title from me like it is set in stone? You sweaty bitch, just flying by the seat of your pants! You couldn’t pry my title from my cold, dead hands. You damn sure won’t rip it free from me while I’m alive. At least you were able to squeeze in the OCW plug though.

Marf stops and pretends to plug something in. He must have some form of background in drama school with these pantomimes.

Hey surprise surprise I don’t give a fuck about whatever OCW nonsense you brought up Bets. All I know is that if those OCW fucks show up for our match they’ll be eating a fucking boot to the jaw courtesy of yours fucking truly. OCW is nothing but minor league bullshit and bragging about any accomplishments over there is like being told you’re the smartest out of a group of . Hey your IQ has just snuck into the double digits, way to go! If only you were a few more points higher, you would have known better than to poke and prod at this rabid bear.

You want to play your little rat race games, and that’s fine Bets. The Marf bear is about to put his massive paw down and crush not just your body. But your soul. I’m not so naive that I believe I’ll come out of this unscathed. I’m ready for the doses of pain you bring Bets, and I’m prepared to dish out twice as much back to you. But I’m the end, it isn’t just about causing you bodily harm. No, the threat isn’t that I’m just gonna hurt ya Bets, that’s already a foregone fucking conclusion. The threat is that I’m going to do it on top of winning.

No kryptonite bullshit. No more crying about Cinderella or spouting off predictable bullshit about cancelling the most exciting show on Saturday nights. Just a simple revenge and a stuck up fuckwit being brought down a peg or two. Even if you aren’t all that high and mighty in my eyes anyway. Others must’ve seen it by now though. Look at the way you cried about missing your chance with Corey Smith. And what chance was that exactly? To face a guy while he clearly wasn’t one hundred percent?

Poor Corey was a walking concussion at that time and you wanted to take advantage of that for your shot at glory. Good for you Bets, embrace the dark side! Only problem now is that instead of a broken lame ass Corey you get a full strength Marf. Ready to batter your cocky body until every part of you aches in pain. Your era as television champion is going to have to be put on hold Bets. We are currently in the era of the motherfucking Marf show. No amount of crying about what could have been earns you shit around these parts.

Instead, you have to stop hiding behind your big empty threats and face me. A steel cage surrounding us so nobody can interfere. You want to know what fucking tricks I have up my sleeve Bets? You have to actually face me one and one. And once I kick your ditzy ass you won’t have anywhere to go or hide. You will be beaten by me in the middle of that god damn ring and you won’t have any excuses to use. That’s the fuckin’ trick! Christ you’ve been hanging ‘round Ly enough, you should know by now that my determination is unstoppable.

Marf seethes with anger before taking a few deep breathes and calming himself down. He gives a wily smile and continues.

So you want me to truly bring my A game…as if I wouldn’t do that already? I mean did you not see how I won the fucking title? Downplay my victory all you want, I beat a god damn vampire. And instead of pissing on Vita I burnt her to a fucking crisp with a flame thrower. Tell me again I don’t know how to cross lines, bitch. Once you cross that ring to meet me face to face I will show you exactly what happens to guests of the Marf show. They get ripped to fucking shreds for thinking they belong here.

I’m going to smash your travelled body against every square inch of that cage Bets. You think you can handle my style of pain, so let’s fucking prove that. I’m going to help you get up close and personal with the cold, unforgiving metal. I’m going to take you to brand new avenues of pain, Bets. Not because you played shit disturber with my so-called partner. But because you fucking asked for this. I hope you have been paying attention to this Bets, it all ends up with you basically dying in that ring before taking my title. Well, dying again I guess. Hopefully Lycana is around to bring you back again…

Marf raises the Television title high and sneers into the camera.

I will continue to hold onto this belt. And while bippity boppity Betsy tries to figure out her next dance number I will be here week after week defending and reigning supreme on Saturday nights. Welcome to the Marf Show, Betsy. Brace yourself for one of the worst beatings of your career. No more space ships, time warps, shitty practice land OCW, or bragging about stealing friends. No more fucking words other than you begging for mercy. Maybe you can conjure up someone willing to pat you on the back after I walk away with MY Television title. See you soon, Bets.

Marf smiles and blows a kiss as we fade out.