Post by Jet Somers on Feb 9, 2011 3:49:36 GMT -5
The door to the now familiar common office of the three men we've come to know as the face of the Consortium bursts open. Dexter Vines and Moss Edwards are filing papers away in folders as if just wrapping up some tidying business. Jet Somers, in full tuxedo, strides in, laying the UGWC Championship on the table before him. He places a fist, knuckles down, on either side of the belt and smirks at each man in turn.
"What's with the get up, Somers?" Edwards raises an eyebrow.
"After what happened at the end of Synergy," he explains, "I figure dressing like this is the only way to get my opinion taken seriously. Or should I start talking like a ghetto caricature, to address you proper?"
While two thirds of The Consortium stare dumbfounded at this mixed up logic, Jet chuckles.
"I'm presenting at the Grammy's on Sunday," Jet admits, "I just rented this, and it reminded me that Boss Penguin cost me a little insurance. I thought I'd come by and rectify that with you gentlemen before continuing with my day."
"Are you referring to the unsanctioned attack you almost perpetrated on Travis Pierce this passed Monday?" Vines draws his mouth up, obviously disgusted at Jet's attempted assault.
"The "Piercing Truth" is that this faux reporter named me as his next target after the Global Challenge," Jet shrugs, "I just thought I wouldn't make it easy on him."
"That's assuming you are still the champion after Infinity," Edwards mutters.
Jet's expression turns serious.
"Pierce has a very likely chance to win Lord of the Ring. I want him barred from ringside during the Main Event at Infinity," he intones, "I don't want his lofty aspirations interfering in what I've worked so hard to obtain."
"So it's a business transaction you've come to discuss," Vines brightens, "Let's see; to add a stipulation to a World Title Match at a pay per view is quite costly..."
"Oh cram your purse, Vines," Jet spits. "I could easily go to Ooley with this request. It's clear to anyone who has been paying attention that you two couldn't manage your way out of a paper bag. Ooley has the strategic mind to protect his investment in Pierce, but I'm trying to save you two a little face here. Bar him from ringside, no cost. Or would you rather ruin another potentially great Heavyweight Title match with your insufferable purse?"
Jet scoops up the belt, turning to leave.
"If Travis Pierce shows his face while Deimos and I have our little date with destiny," Jet warns, "He will get hurt."
----------
A close up shot shows an old fashioned bell, the kind that it would hurt to be clobbered over the head with. The shot holds for less than a minute when the clapper starts wailing away, and the camera pans out to reveal the door to a classroom. Within moments, teenagers are filing inside in pairs and threes. As the bell finishes it's ringing, the door opens again, and a cute, petite redhead enters.
She is dressed smartly in a button down white shirt tucked into a black skirt that ends at mid-calf. Her hair is done up in a smart little clip, and trim glasses set off her dark brown eyes. More than one young man in the class watches her march to her desk with appreciation. Behind her, on the whiteboard, is scribbled "Psychology I" in a sloppy cursive.
"Class," she addresses them, "We will be continuing our study of the emotional centers of the brain today. There will be a pop quiz on affection at the end of class..."
This announcement is met with groans before she is able to continue.
"But today, we have a guest speaker," she smiles primly as the majority of the class perks up noticeably, "who will be discussing a common emotion, especially in the wake of pop quizzes."
The door opens again as UGWC Entertainment Professional and World Heavyweight Champion Jet Somers enters, flashing his goofy smile at the teacher as she takes a seat at her desk. He rests his thumbs easily behind the belt he wears around his waist, and he pulls a spare chair to the front, turning it backwards and taking a seat.
"Hey guys!" Jet greets the class, "How many wrestling fans are in the room today?"
One hand in the back goes up, but overall the opinion of professional wrestling isn't favorable. Jet nods, warming to the crowd already.
"Anyone follow mixed martial arts?" he grins as several male hands shoot up, and one female joins them.
"Well, if you followed professional wrestling," Jet explains, "you would know that on Monday I will be defending my championship against Phrixus Deimos, known otherwise as Fear."
"Fear is a funny emotion," he muses, "and possibly the most basic one we experience as humans. Fear drives our survival as much as it drives us toward our goals. How one deals with Fear defines him. You've all probably heard of the fight, flight, or freeze response that all animals have. When faced with Fear, we all instinctively choose one of these paths. From those basic responses, we can examine exactly how people react to Fear, and what it means for the future of their survival."
Jet stands, pushing the chair aside. He begins to pace around in front of the class, gesturing as he explains his points.
"Take someone like Medos. Medos fears being cemented in mediocrity for the rest of his career," Jet ignores the puzzled stares from the class. "He said himself that he Fears getting close, but never achieving his moment of glory. Many times in the past Medos has faced Fear and come out on top, but when it matters, he freezes. Freezing is the worst response someone can have to Fear, because then you are giving yourself over to become prey to Fear, and it will eat you alive."
"Another frozen victim is The Consortium, or at least Dexter Vines and Moss Edwards. They Fear anyone having power to challenge their own. When someone like me wishes to go forward with a perfectly reasonable and logical course of action, these two Fear that giving me the power to do so on my own will undermine their authority, and therefore they needlessly thwart my plans with designs that do little more than stall the inevitable. Their freezing is more of a slow punishment, you see, for they even Fear a member of their own team gaining too much power, as their distress at the progressive thinking of Robert Ooley shows us. While they ponder the proper response to their Fear, they are eventually passed over as prey not worth being devoured, and the rest of the predators move on while they stagnate."
"When you consider the plight of Donovan Hastings," he continues, "You begin to see an interesting new response to Fear. No longer a member of the food chain at all, the former champion Fears irrelevance. To that Fear, he has infiltrated an established religious order with the intention of enthroning himself as their new lord. It is not unlike how he infiltrated the tournament he had given up when he discovered there was a chance to enthrone himself as the Lord of the Ring. All of this is an interesting side of the threefold response in that it includes flights of fancy with flight. Sadly, despite his best attempts, I Fear the former Lord Donovan Hastings will end his illustrious career as the lord of nothing."
Jet smiles a little self satisfied as he crosses his arms and gauges the response from the class, who are obviously lost. Even the teacher has grown bored with his diatribe and, not wanting to waste the time she has allotted for the speech, has opened a novel. Oblivious to this, the champion continues.
"Not all responses are so tragic, of course," Jet allows. "Take the case of Alex Kiseragi and Tyvola. Alex dealt with the Fear of taking on an unpredictable and violent partner by adapting to a role his partner could identify with. Tyvola, on the other hand, had to deal with the Fear associated with the mysterious stirrings of love. I'm told you have already had the pleasure of discussing how affection works."
Jet tosses a wink at the cute teacher. She ignores him.
"Bear in mind when you take your pop quiz later how Tyvola dealt with his Fear like a man, a gentleman really, by showering the object of his love with thoughtful gifts. Sometimes, you see, fighting Fear means adapting to new things, not simply getting violent."
"Fighting Fear can also be a learning experience," Jet points out, "as we see in JK. JK started out his return to the ring by Fearing he would be too rusty to compete. Shortly after, however, he was able to win the Cross-Hemisphere title. Did he balk at the Fear of fulfilling this much more prestigious version of a title he held once already? No, JK was able to cross hemispheres, so to speak, by reminding us here in LA of the tragic floods in Australia, keeping us up to date on current musical influences from back home, and even getting us all in on a celebration of the founding of his nation. JK was able to fight his Fear with a cultured response, and in my book that makes for a very successful Cross-Hemisphere champion."
At this point, Jet's head bows and he stops his pacing. He no longer seems to be regarding the class as he begins the final point in his speech.
"Not all responses to Fear are so simple to define," he says quietly. "The obvious way to fight Phrixus Deimos is to discover what it is that he Fears. For nearly a year now I've dealt with this mystery. The man who professes to know so much about what scares every person he encounters proves a tough nut to crack when it comes to what scares him. At one point, I would have said he Fears what an old flame might mean by suddenly returning to his life. I once assumed he Feared the return of a partner who's intentions were not immediately clear. These Fears were soon proven false. I even had a momentary lapse of judgment when I thought he Feared being able to punish Hastings for some unknown past transgression. This Fear was laid to rest when he backed off long enough to let me push Hastings off his pedestal."
"What does Deimos Fear?"
"I look into what little of his past I know, and I see that he has been a genius at executing elaborate schemes to put his opponents at odds with themselves. More than once has he perpetuated plots which ended with him both the physical and mental victor. Deimos delights in picking apart the psyche of his foes, and if that means he gets to play a game with some shadowy and unfathomable outcome, his pleasure is exponential."
"Bearing this in mind, I also notice that he can't seem to put his finger on what Alan Fernandez is playing at recently. Could it be that Fernandez has gotten bored? Nothing so simple will please the strange appetite of Deimos. He has to find some intricate design in his partner's actions that he can't see yet."
"I turn this line of thinking to myself, and I discover something; Deimos feels the same way about me. You all know what happened at Horizons as the show came to an end. And although it was all explained eventually, Deimos isn't satisfied. I am surprised to find he has convinced himself that the attempted assassination is some ongoing contrivance with a yet-to-be-explained windfall. I'd chuckle if it weren't so sad."
"I almost have to feel sorry for Phrixus Deimos. The thing he Fears is conspiracy. The intrigue he has built up around himself over the years doesn't allow him to see anything less in a worthy opponent, and so he has convinced himself that the machinations involving my shooting continue to this day. How beautiful that the one Fear he has is one born of his own making. I guess the only thing Deimos has to Fear is... Fear himself.
With that conclusion, Jet seems to come to the realization that everyone has stopped listening. Glancing over at the teacher, he smirks, snatching the chair off the floor and slinging it in her direction. A few gasps prove that at least some of the class notices as the chair clatters across her desk and into the wall beside her, scattering photos, pens, papers, and various rick rack to bedlam and drawing a startled scream from the instructor.
"I'll give him something new to Fear," Jet announces abruptly before he exits the classroom.
"What's with the get up, Somers?" Edwards raises an eyebrow.
"After what happened at the end of Synergy," he explains, "I figure dressing like this is the only way to get my opinion taken seriously. Or should I start talking like a ghetto caricature, to address you proper?"
While two thirds of The Consortium stare dumbfounded at this mixed up logic, Jet chuckles.
"I'm presenting at the Grammy's on Sunday," Jet admits, "I just rented this, and it reminded me that Boss Penguin cost me a little insurance. I thought I'd come by and rectify that with you gentlemen before continuing with my day."
"Are you referring to the unsanctioned attack you almost perpetrated on Travis Pierce this passed Monday?" Vines draws his mouth up, obviously disgusted at Jet's attempted assault.
"The "Piercing Truth" is that this faux reporter named me as his next target after the Global Challenge," Jet shrugs, "I just thought I wouldn't make it easy on him."
"That's assuming you are still the champion after Infinity," Edwards mutters.
Jet's expression turns serious.
"Pierce has a very likely chance to win Lord of the Ring. I want him barred from ringside during the Main Event at Infinity," he intones, "I don't want his lofty aspirations interfering in what I've worked so hard to obtain."
"So it's a business transaction you've come to discuss," Vines brightens, "Let's see; to add a stipulation to a World Title Match at a pay per view is quite costly..."
"Oh cram your purse, Vines," Jet spits. "I could easily go to Ooley with this request. It's clear to anyone who has been paying attention that you two couldn't manage your way out of a paper bag. Ooley has the strategic mind to protect his investment in Pierce, but I'm trying to save you two a little face here. Bar him from ringside, no cost. Or would you rather ruin another potentially great Heavyweight Title match with your insufferable purse?"
Jet scoops up the belt, turning to leave.
"If Travis Pierce shows his face while Deimos and I have our little date with destiny," Jet warns, "He will get hurt."
----------
A close up shot shows an old fashioned bell, the kind that it would hurt to be clobbered over the head with. The shot holds for less than a minute when the clapper starts wailing away, and the camera pans out to reveal the door to a classroom. Within moments, teenagers are filing inside in pairs and threes. As the bell finishes it's ringing, the door opens again, and a cute, petite redhead enters.
She is dressed smartly in a button down white shirt tucked into a black skirt that ends at mid-calf. Her hair is done up in a smart little clip, and trim glasses set off her dark brown eyes. More than one young man in the class watches her march to her desk with appreciation. Behind her, on the whiteboard, is scribbled "Psychology I" in a sloppy cursive.
"Class," she addresses them, "We will be continuing our study of the emotional centers of the brain today. There will be a pop quiz on affection at the end of class..."
This announcement is met with groans before she is able to continue.
"But today, we have a guest speaker," she smiles primly as the majority of the class perks up noticeably, "who will be discussing a common emotion, especially in the wake of pop quizzes."
The door opens again as UGWC Entertainment Professional and World Heavyweight Champion Jet Somers enters, flashing his goofy smile at the teacher as she takes a seat at her desk. He rests his thumbs easily behind the belt he wears around his waist, and he pulls a spare chair to the front, turning it backwards and taking a seat.
"Hey guys!" Jet greets the class, "How many wrestling fans are in the room today?"
One hand in the back goes up, but overall the opinion of professional wrestling isn't favorable. Jet nods, warming to the crowd already.
"Anyone follow mixed martial arts?" he grins as several male hands shoot up, and one female joins them.
"Well, if you followed professional wrestling," Jet explains, "you would know that on Monday I will be defending my championship against Phrixus Deimos, known otherwise as Fear."
"Fear is a funny emotion," he muses, "and possibly the most basic one we experience as humans. Fear drives our survival as much as it drives us toward our goals. How one deals with Fear defines him. You've all probably heard of the fight, flight, or freeze response that all animals have. When faced with Fear, we all instinctively choose one of these paths. From those basic responses, we can examine exactly how people react to Fear, and what it means for the future of their survival."
Jet stands, pushing the chair aside. He begins to pace around in front of the class, gesturing as he explains his points.
"Take someone like Medos. Medos fears being cemented in mediocrity for the rest of his career," Jet ignores the puzzled stares from the class. "He said himself that he Fears getting close, but never achieving his moment of glory. Many times in the past Medos has faced Fear and come out on top, but when it matters, he freezes. Freezing is the worst response someone can have to Fear, because then you are giving yourself over to become prey to Fear, and it will eat you alive."
"Another frozen victim is The Consortium, or at least Dexter Vines and Moss Edwards. They Fear anyone having power to challenge their own. When someone like me wishes to go forward with a perfectly reasonable and logical course of action, these two Fear that giving me the power to do so on my own will undermine their authority, and therefore they needlessly thwart my plans with designs that do little more than stall the inevitable. Their freezing is more of a slow punishment, you see, for they even Fear a member of their own team gaining too much power, as their distress at the progressive thinking of Robert Ooley shows us. While they ponder the proper response to their Fear, they are eventually passed over as prey not worth being devoured, and the rest of the predators move on while they stagnate."
"When you consider the plight of Donovan Hastings," he continues, "You begin to see an interesting new response to Fear. No longer a member of the food chain at all, the former champion Fears irrelevance. To that Fear, he has infiltrated an established religious order with the intention of enthroning himself as their new lord. It is not unlike how he infiltrated the tournament he had given up when he discovered there was a chance to enthrone himself as the Lord of the Ring. All of this is an interesting side of the threefold response in that it includes flights of fancy with flight. Sadly, despite his best attempts, I Fear the former Lord Donovan Hastings will end his illustrious career as the lord of nothing."
Jet smiles a little self satisfied as he crosses his arms and gauges the response from the class, who are obviously lost. Even the teacher has grown bored with his diatribe and, not wanting to waste the time she has allotted for the speech, has opened a novel. Oblivious to this, the champion continues.
"Not all responses are so tragic, of course," Jet allows. "Take the case of Alex Kiseragi and Tyvola. Alex dealt with the Fear of taking on an unpredictable and violent partner by adapting to a role his partner could identify with. Tyvola, on the other hand, had to deal with the Fear associated with the mysterious stirrings of love. I'm told you have already had the pleasure of discussing how affection works."
Jet tosses a wink at the cute teacher. She ignores him.
"Bear in mind when you take your pop quiz later how Tyvola dealt with his Fear like a man, a gentleman really, by showering the object of his love with thoughtful gifts. Sometimes, you see, fighting Fear means adapting to new things, not simply getting violent."
"Fighting Fear can also be a learning experience," Jet points out, "as we see in JK. JK started out his return to the ring by Fearing he would be too rusty to compete. Shortly after, however, he was able to win the Cross-Hemisphere title. Did he balk at the Fear of fulfilling this much more prestigious version of a title he held once already? No, JK was able to cross hemispheres, so to speak, by reminding us here in LA of the tragic floods in Australia, keeping us up to date on current musical influences from back home, and even getting us all in on a celebration of the founding of his nation. JK was able to fight his Fear with a cultured response, and in my book that makes for a very successful Cross-Hemisphere champion."
At this point, Jet's head bows and he stops his pacing. He no longer seems to be regarding the class as he begins the final point in his speech.
"Not all responses to Fear are so simple to define," he says quietly. "The obvious way to fight Phrixus Deimos is to discover what it is that he Fears. For nearly a year now I've dealt with this mystery. The man who professes to know so much about what scares every person he encounters proves a tough nut to crack when it comes to what scares him. At one point, I would have said he Fears what an old flame might mean by suddenly returning to his life. I once assumed he Feared the return of a partner who's intentions were not immediately clear. These Fears were soon proven false. I even had a momentary lapse of judgment when I thought he Feared being able to punish Hastings for some unknown past transgression. This Fear was laid to rest when he backed off long enough to let me push Hastings off his pedestal."
"What does Deimos Fear?"
"I look into what little of his past I know, and I see that he has been a genius at executing elaborate schemes to put his opponents at odds with themselves. More than once has he perpetuated plots which ended with him both the physical and mental victor. Deimos delights in picking apart the psyche of his foes, and if that means he gets to play a game with some shadowy and unfathomable outcome, his pleasure is exponential."
"Bearing this in mind, I also notice that he can't seem to put his finger on what Alan Fernandez is playing at recently. Could it be that Fernandez has gotten bored? Nothing so simple will please the strange appetite of Deimos. He has to find some intricate design in his partner's actions that he can't see yet."
"I turn this line of thinking to myself, and I discover something; Deimos feels the same way about me. You all know what happened at Horizons as the show came to an end. And although it was all explained eventually, Deimos isn't satisfied. I am surprised to find he has convinced himself that the attempted assassination is some ongoing contrivance with a yet-to-be-explained windfall. I'd chuckle if it weren't so sad."
"I almost have to feel sorry for Phrixus Deimos. The thing he Fears is conspiracy. The intrigue he has built up around himself over the years doesn't allow him to see anything less in a worthy opponent, and so he has convinced himself that the machinations involving my shooting continue to this day. How beautiful that the one Fear he has is one born of his own making. I guess the only thing Deimos has to Fear is... Fear himself.
With that conclusion, Jet seems to come to the realization that everyone has stopped listening. Glancing over at the teacher, he smirks, snatching the chair off the floor and slinging it in her direction. A few gasps prove that at least some of the class notices as the chair clatters across her desk and into the wall beside her, scattering photos, pens, papers, and various rick rack to bedlam and drawing a startled scream from the instructor.
"I'll give him something new to Fear," Jet announces abruptly before he exits the classroom.
x2
