Post by Zane on Jun 30, 2018 16:51:57 GMT -5
Friday Afternoon
Poughkeepsie, NY
“I don’t understand, Zane.” Grey says, clearly confused. “Why this...and why now?”
Zane pauses and stands silently for a moment before he looks over his shoulder at the confounded reporter.
“Because, Coppi.” He replies calmly. “Sometimes the worst person taking up space in your own head is you.”
Grey’s brow furrows, betraying a deepened sense of confusion. Zane turns half way towards him. His expression is calm, but a bit tired.
“This eviction is long overdue.”
Without another word, Zane turns back around and places his hands in the pockets of his jeans before he strolls away, whistling happily to himself. The sun stands high in the sky and throws his shadow out long in front of him. Grey stands in befuddled silence before Zane’s meaning finally dawns on him and he smiles too, then walks away into the afternoon sun. The view sits focused on Grey as he disappears into the crowd before it slowly swings up to show a small metal sign on the aged brick. Its letters are finely engraved in the shining surface, but none the less easy to read.
“Mid Hudson Valley Office of Outpatient Services"
Ubi omne posse est audiumento
Monday Night
UGWC Arena
After Synergy
Donovan sits in his throne with his Captain’s hat pushed back on his head. Zane sits across from him in one of the leather chairs. Larry sits in the third chair. Zane and Donovan appear to be in conversation, with Larry listening. Owen doesn’t appear to be anywhere in sight. Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony unobtrusively fills the air as Bruce the Piano Playing Donkey does his thing over in the corner.
The view swings back to Zane, Donovan and Larry. Donovan is in mid statement.
“...I had to add a few to the tournament who have been...conspicuous...by their absence as of late.” He says, clearly irked by this. “Not to mention a certain former teacher, ally and foe of mine who you recently...set straight.”
Zane smiles in response and chuckles. Larry nods in agreement, although he still looks worried. Zane casts a quick look at Larry before he raises a reassuring hand.
“Don’t worry.” He says to his overprotective assistant. “I won’t have to deal with him much...at least not for the foreseeable future. I’m sure that he’ll get another wild hair up his ass about me eventually, but I think for now that I’ve satisfied the bitter masochist in him.”
Donovan smiles at Zane’s reply. Larry seems less mollified by his answer.
“I don’t know.” He replies dubiously. “Mr. Creepy-Face never seems to really give up on anything.”
“Except winning Championships.” Donovan interjects.
Larry looks over at him pleadingly.
“You know that if he hears about that comment that he’ll just go after Mr. Zane again, if only to spite you.” He replies worriedly.
Donovan flashes a quick and toothy smile in response while Zane laughs and rolls his eyes.
“Relax, Larry.” He replies. “For the time being, Deimos has moved on. If he hears what Donovan said just now, it might anger him a little and he could go after me at Wrestlestock, but I donn’t see myself being his primary focus. I think we’re past that for the time being.”
Larry nods, but he doesn’t look convinced by Zane’s explanation. He opens his mouth to say something else when he’s cut off by a knock at the door. Zane looks over his shoulder at the door as Donovan gestures for Larry to get it. When he doesn’t move, Donovan levels a more pointed expression at him.
“You want me to get the door?” He asks. “But it’s already open.”
Donovan’s eyes momentarily widen in a rare show of annoyance before his crooked smile returns and he adjusts his hat.
“It wouldn’t be polite to leave our guest standing in the hall.” He explains calmly.
Larry turns and looks over his shoulder, then appears to take an almost comically deep breath.
“IT’S OPEN!!!” He bellows.
He barely manages to dodge the Skittle that flies at him from Donovan’s desk. Zane casts Donovan an amused look for the gesture.
“Was that really necessary, Donovan?” He asks.
Donovan replies with a shrug as the door slowly opens.
“I was going to throw the ‘Magic 8 Ball’ at him.” Donovan replies with a calm shrug.
Zane rolls his eyes again.
“Well in that case, I applaud and thank you for your forbearance”. He replies.
Donovan tips his hat and smiles in reply as Larry straightens in his chair.
“Don’t mention it.” He answers before he looks at Larry. “Do be a good boy and fetch that.”
Larry answers him with an incredulously raised eyebrow.
“Me?!” He asks. “Why should I get it?”
“Because I’m the Captain and I said so.” Donovan replies bluntly, as if the answer should be self evident.
Larry opens his mouth to retort when Zane waves him off.
“Just go get it.” He says flatly. “We’re going to need your chair in a moment anyway.”
Larry sticks his tongue out at Zane, but pops out of his chair and goes to fetch the famous child’s toy. Zane and Donovan both look up at the door at the figure who’s shrouded by an aura of white light and smoke that obscures who it is. The two sit silently and look at the obscured figure for a few moments of awkward moments before the figure finally steps through.
It’s “Vain” Alan Wallace.
“Hell of an entrance.” Donovan says with an approving nod.
“Alan always had a flair for the dramatic.” Zane replies with a grin.
“Vain” steps through the door, which causes the smoke or mist to dance around him before it dissipates. He strides into the office and walks up to the two men before he stops a couple of steps from Zane’s chair. His angelic face has been cleaned of the results of his recent battle and the subsequent assault of Eden Morgan.
“Gentlemen.” he says with a nod.
“‘Vain’” Donovan says with a nod.
“Alan.” Zane replies.
Donovan gestures towards the empty chair.
“Please, do take a seat.” He says.
“Vain” holds up his right hand and politely begs off.
“No, thank you.” He replies with a shake of his head. “The Excellence of Sexicution’ does not intend to take up much of your valuable time. ‘Mr. Ego’ just wishes to be sure that he heard your announcement correctly a short while ago.”
Donovan nods.
“You did.” He replies.
“Sorry to disappoint you, Alan.” Zane states “I know that you wanted a one-on-one shot at Eden and not a co-op match.”
“The Sexiest Man Who Ever Lived” holds up a dismissive hand.
“No apology necessary, Mr. Scott.” He replies. “As long as ‘Arrogance Personified’ gets his perfectly manicured hands around the skinny throat of Miss Morgan, all will be well.”
Zane smiles in reply.
“I wouldn’t dream of keeping you from that.” He answers. “Besides, if anyone gets wanting to choke the shit out of Eden, it’s me.”
“The Intellectual Adonis” smiles and nods in reply.
“Too true.” He replies. “The issues between you and Miss Morgan are legendary, as are the incredible heights of violence that you took to each other with as a result of it.”
Zane nods his head and absentmindedly runs his thumb and forefinger down the bridge of his nose. Both Donovan and Wallace catch the gesture and smiles. Zane notices “Vain” grinning at him and angles his head curiously.
“What?” He asks.
“Nothing.” “Mr. Personality” responds with a sideways grin of his own.
“Ok...” Zane replies as his hand drops to the arm of his chair. “Anyway, I won’t get in your way. Besides, Jet has been running his pissflaps about me for months. I think it’s about time that I keep them busy with my fist.”
“The Weapon on Mass Seduction” nods and smiles darkly.
“The Money Maker’ could not agree more.” He replies. “Mr. Somers is owed a rather large receipt from you, especially after the Melee.”
Zane looks down, then flexes and loosens his right leg. “The Prognosticator of the Bro Hug” looks down at it over Zane’s shoulder and a momentary look of genuine concern comes over his face.
“How is it?” He asks.
Zane stops flexing it and turns to smile back at “The Vain Lord”.
“It’s a little sore, which is the norm.” He replies. “It’s fine for ‘Wrestlestock’.”
"The 2014 Blessed One Invitational Yahtzee Champion" nods his head and claps Zane on the shoulder.
“I am pleased to hear that.” He answers with a smile. “And I look forward to standing side by side with you to knock Miss Morgan and her favorite crony down a peg or two.”
Zane smirks.
“You’re mostly right about that.” He answers.
“Oh?” “The Maestro of Miami” replies quizzically.
“Yes.” Zane replies with a smirk.”I think that Jet has lost his spot as Eden’s ‘Bestie’ to Baal.”
“The Viscount of Virility” shakes his head in apparent agreement.
“It does seem that way.” He replies. “Be that as it may, ‘The Clit Whisperer’ must take his leave, but be rest assured that ‘The Once and Future Blessed One Yahtzee Invitational King’ will be ready to take Princess Eden and ‘The Artist Formerly Known as Jet Somers’ to task for their recent behavior and it shall be a pleasure to team with ‘The Personification of Pain’ again.”
“Vain” nods his head and takes a step back before he pauses.
“The 2015 Blessed One Invitational Yahtzee Champion’ wishes you both a good night.” He states.
Without another word he turns and strides from Donovan’s office. The two men sit in silence for a few moments before they finally turn towards Larry, who returns looking as if he’s just lost a fight with a wild animal. He stands tiredly panting for a few moments before he holds up the “Magic 8 Ball” and smiles triumphantly.
“Found it!” He says with a proud smile. “Boy it sure is dusty over there.”
Donovan reaches into his desk and pulls something out, then calmly lobs it at Larry. He barely manages to catch it and nearly drops the “Magic 8 Ball” on his right foot in the process. Donovan looks at him and smiles.
“Have fun.” He says.
Larry looks down at the “Swiffer” duster that’s now in his right hand and sights loudly.
“Fiddlesticks.” He says as his shoulders slump.
Friday Morning
Mid Hudson Valley Office of Outpatient Services.
Office of Dr. DiGiordanni
“We could have done this as a teleconference.” Doctor DiGiordani says. “That way you wouldn’t have flown half way across the country for it, just to fly back to Chicago on the same day.”
Zane waves a dismissing hand.
“If I’d had a problem with it, I wouldn’t have done it.” He replies. “This is important to me.”
“Very well.” The Doctor replies. “Returning to our previous conversation, you’d mentioned feelings of self-doubt and how much they’ve defined you.”
Zane nods his head and Doctor DiGiordanni continues.
“Why do you suppose that is, Zane.” The Doctor asks. “And do you think that that’s been the source of most of your problems?”
Zane leans back in his chair and laces his fingers together in his lap. He considers the questions for a moment before he replies.
“Yes.” He answers. “At least partly.”
“Partly?” He asks. “Please expand on that.”
Zane nods and momentarily looks down at his hands before he looks back up at the Doctor and shrugs.
“Well, Doc.” He replies. “If I’m going to be completely honest with myself, and with you, my entire life has been one long fight for the respect and if possible the friendship of others and that behavior was eventually self- destructive.”
“Mmmhm.” Dr. DiGiordanni replies as he makes a few notes. “Why do you suppose that was?”
Zane smiles.
“Because I defined myself by how others saw me.” He replies. “It took me a long time, and a year on the shelf with a serious knee injury to finally understand that I couldn’t keep living that way.”
The Doctor nods his head again, but never takes his eyes from Zane’s.
“When that realization came to you, how did it feel?” Hea asks.
Zane is quick to answer.
“It felt as if my stomach had both dropped out and been twisted in a vice at the same time.” He explains. “I felt as if my entire world had collapsed in on me at once. It was both terrifying and relieving.”
“Why terrifying?” The Doctor asks.
“Because everything I thought I knew about myself was suddenly rendered meaningless.” Zane replies. “I suddenly felt very small, almost invisible. I felt as if everything I’d ever succeeded at was nothing more than a fluke.”
“Was it?” The Doctor asks. “A fluke, that is?”
Zane emphatically shakes his head “no”.
“No.” He replies flatly. “Not at all. It wasn’t that those things were worthless, it was that I had always allowed someone else to define the value of those accomplishments instead of defining them myself, so in a very real way, they weren’t really my victories.”
“You’d unwittingly fallen into a pattern.” The Doctor replies. “Patterns are self-perpetuating. It makes perfect sense that you’d suddenly feel so disoriented upon having an epiphany of that, especially because you couldn’t quite put a name to it yet.”
Zane sits silently and considers what the Doctor had just told him. When he looks back at the Doctor, he finds the man looking back at him.
“All of those ‘failures’ that you felt, whether real, imagined or created by another person in order to handcuff you all fed into that pattern and deepened the state of cognitive dissonance that you were living in.” He explains. “It’s understandable under those conditions that your victories would ultimately feel hollow, while what you perceived as failures and allowed others to define as failures for you would feel that much deeper and more real, and effect you so much more profoundly.”
“That makes sense.” Zane answers.
“How did you feel when your friend Alan responded to you the way he did about Monday?” The Doctor asks.
Zane chuckles.
“Well, for one thing I’m not sure that Alan considers me a ‘friend’, so much as someone he shares a great deal of mutual respect with.” Zane explains.
“Ok.” The Doctor replies. “Maybe that is the true situation between you two. Is there anything wrong with that?”
“No.” Zane replies.
“Good.” The Doctor answers as he adjusts his narrow glasses over his focused and hawk-like gaze. “Did it bother you when he reacted as he did?”
“No.” Zane replies. “I completely understand his reaction. He wants Eden to himself. Somers and I are just in the way.”
“And you often feel that way.” The Doctor states. “As if you’re in the way.”
Zane runs his hand over his beard.
“Funny you should bring that up... “ Zane replies with an amused smile.
Wednesday Morning
UGWC Arena
The Office of the Director of Creative Pain
“But whyyyyyyyy???” Comes the pleading trill. “I just want to see what it’s like, even if I only do it once.”
“Do you want to end up in traction?” Owen interjects. “Because there’s a good chance of that happening.”
Larry sticks his tongue out at Owen, who replies with a quick smile. Donovan watches them interact without comment or much apparent interest, while Zane observes them with a raised left eyebrow. Larry waits for some kind of further verbal acknowledgement and when he doesn’t get it, his face flushes ever so slightly.
“I don’t think what I’m asking is unfair.” He continues. “Mr. Donovan...you are one of the greatest talents in the history of wrestling. You’re the most accomplished World Champion in UGWC history. Mr. Zane is the only man to ever hold three championships at once. He’s a three-time World Champion and a two-time Global Challenge winner.”
He pauses as his chest heaves up and down. Zane and Donovan look at each other, seemingly impressed by Larry’s passion and effort. They look back at Larry, who has composed himself and is looking at Owen.
“And you, Mr. Owen...” He says. “You’re the Head Official of UGWC. You’re one of, if not the most respected Referee in the history of the company.”
Owen smiles and nods his head.
“Thank you, Larry.” He replies. “I appreciate that.”
Larry’s smile drops.
“Then there’s me.” He says flatly. “What do I do?”
“You fetch coffee and annoy people.” Donovan interjects.
Larry’s face flushes and he thrusts a finger at Donovan.
“SEE!!!!” He squeaks loudly. “I fetch coffee!!!”
“And annoy people.” Donovan chides. “Don’t forget ‘annoy people’. You’re really talented at that.”
“Donovan...” Zane interjects with a chuckle. “Ease up, huh?”
Donovan looks innocently at Zane and shrugs.
“What?” He replies. “He is. It was a compliment!”
Larry turns and faces Donovan, his face screwed up irritably.
“It was not!” He screeches. “Why can’t I be in the WrestleStock?”
Donovan stares at him blankly, then turns to Zane and points at Larry.
“Is he serious?” He asks.
Zane shrugs.
“He sounds like he is.” He replies.
“I AM!!!” Larry screams. “I’m totally serious! I want to be in the WrestleStock Open!”
Donovan, Zane and Owen all turn and look at Larry at once. For his part, Larry’s face resembles an eggplant and his eyes are nearly bulging out of his head. He’s also shaking, although not quite violently. Donovan looks from Zane to Donovan and back to Larry.
“Larry, you do understand that there are trained wrestlers in the match?” He asks. “Trained...wrestlers. People whose entire lives are built around beating people up for a living.”
Larry turns and and glares at Owen and for once it actually looks like a glare. Owen looks at him and puts his hands up defensively, while both Zane and Donovan put their hands over their mouths to hide their laughter.
“I know there are wrestlers in a wrestling match.” He says slowly. “I’m not stupid.”
Owen raises his hands a little higher as Larry starts to lean forward as he talks.
“I wasn’t trying to insult you.” He says. “I’m just concerned that you’re not properly prepared for the challenge.”
Larry looks at him as the color slowly begins to bleed out of his face. He slowly lowers his hands until they’re at his sides. He drops his head and shoulders in dejectedly.
“I know.” He replies forlornly. “I’m just a worthless little geek.”
Zane replies to Larry’s remark by leaning forward and cuffing him upside the back of the head. The impact nearly causes Larry to tip over, but he catches himself after his third stumbling step. He turns and looks at Zane.
“What was that for?” He asks incredulously.
“You were being an idiot.” He replies. “Nobody was calling you ‘worthless’.”
He casts a quick sidelong glance at Donovan, who holds his hands up defensively.
“I wasn’t going to say anything.” He says with a grin. “Besides, no one gets coffee like Larry does.”
Larry spins and glares at Donovan and his face instantaneously turns a deep shade of red again. This time Donovan jerks backwards so fast that his Captain’s hat nearly falls off of his head and onto the floor. He manages to catch it just in time and places it back into its proper position on his head, then looks back at Larry.
“The Creative Lord’ meant that as a compliment.” He says. “And he seconds the astute words of his long time right-hand, Owen and his enforcer. It is not in your best interest to be in a wrestling match.”
Larry stares at Donovan.
“My self- interest?” he asks incredulously. “When have you ever cared about my self-interest? You make fun of me all the time!”
Donovan nods.
“Yes.” he replies. “But I do that to a lot of people and I actually like you.”
Owen shakes his head.
“He could treat you like he treats Rydell…” He says with a smile.
“Who?” Donovan replies, appearing to be genuinely confused. “Do you mean Red Fusion?”
Zane and Owen both look at Donovan. Zane rolls his eyes while Owen face palms.
“Yes.” Owen replies slowly. “You gave him a World Championship match against Zane when he was Champion.”
“I did?” Donovan replies, clearly befuddled by this seeming revelation. “Why did I do that?”
Zane shakes his head and looks up at the ceiling.
“I wondered the same thing.” He replies in a low tone.
Donovan lowers his head and shakes it, then looks up sorrowfully.
“I’m sorry.” he replies. “I must have been sick.”
“For an entire MONTH?!” Larry explodes.
Donovan looks at him and shrugs, clearly confused.
“Maybe I ate some bad fish.” He replies. “I don’t really remember it that well.”
“Ahem!” Larry says. “If we could get back to my problem?”
Zane looks at Larry, clearly concerned but also a bit frustrated.
“Listen, Larry” He says tiredly. “I appreciate your desire to do something that challenging, but it’s a bad idea. A really, really bad idea.”
“But why?” Larry asks as his bottom lip quivers. “It’s not fair.”
Donovan’s head snaps up as Larry says “It’s not fair”. His face expression is something between incredulity and outright anger. He glares across the desk at Zane’s normally mousy assistant.
“To put it bluntly, you’ll get killed.” He replies quietly. “And it’ll make the entire event look bad. I refuse to do that to WrestleStock.”
Larry reacts as if he’s been slapped across the face, which turns a dark shade of crimson and he clenches his jaw.
“You’re holding me back!” He says as he thrusts an angry finger at Donovan. “You have an entire match that’s centered around kicking a goddamned penguin into the crowd! How am I a fucking embarrassment to that
!!!”Donovan’s eyes narrow and his jaw sets. The two sit there staring at each other for a few moments and Zane and Owen look back and forth from one to the other. He points angrily at Larry and responds in a menacingly low tone.
“If you’re not careful...” He says before he lets the words trail off. “I’m going to pair you with the damned Sandwich.” He says.
The mention of UGWC’s pinnacle of consumable goodness hits Larry as if he’s had a bucket of cold water dumped on his head. He looks at Zane, who shrugs and shakes his head.
“You’re on your own on this one.” He says calmly.
Larry looks at Donovan, who still has irritation burning in his eyes.
“A Sandwich?” Larry says with a loud and apprehensive gulp. “Fiddlesticks.”
Friday Morning
Mid Hudson Valley Office of Outpatient Services.
Office of Dr. DiGiordanni
Doctor DiGiordanni leans back in his seat and taps the pen on his notepad. He and Zane sit in relative silence for a few moments before he finally looks at Zane with a crooked smile.
“A sandwich?” He saks. “You lead an interesting life.”
Zane smiles and nods his head.
“You’re telling me.” He replies with a chuckle.
Doctor DiGiordanni makes a few notes on his sheet and looks back at Zane.
“Does he still think that you’re holding him back?” He asks. “Do you feel like you’re being held back?”
The second question brings Zane up short as he’d just opened his mouth to say something. His teeth clack together loudly and he angles his head and looks at Doctor DiGiordanni curiously.
“That was a bit of an ambush.” He replies with a grin.
Doctor DiGiordanni responds with an ever so subtle smile.
“Perhaps.” He replies. “But it wasn’t without reason.”
Zane raises a curious eyebrow.
“I suppose not.” He replies. “But what is that reason?”
“What do you think it is?” He asks.
“I would say that you wanted to see how I’d react to being mentally derailed.” He replies. “But I don’t doubt that it’s also a sincere question.”
Doctor DiGiordanni nods.
“So do you?” He asks.
“Feel like I’m being held back?” He replies. “No. Donovan has given me more than a few opportunities, including the chance to be the only Triple Champion in company history. That opportunity may never come again. If I’m being ‘held back’, I’m the one holding myself back.”
Doctor DiGiordanni replies with an “mmmhmmm” before he makes a few notes on his pad. He looks back up at Zane, his expression calm and even.
“Why do you think that is?”
Zane smiles and runs his hands through his long black hair.
“I’ve spent a lifetime holding myself back.” He replies. “And now have a chance to become a four-time Co-Operative Champion.”
Doctor DiGiordanni tilts his head slightly.
“But...” He replies.
Zane smiles.
“But while I’d love to knock Eden and Jet down a peg by taking the Championships off of them, my long term goal isn’t to be a Co-Operative Champion.”
Doctor DiGiordanni shakes his head and makes a few notes.
“Does that have to do with your prospective partner?” He asks.
Zane shakes his head.
“No.” He replies assertively. “Not at all. Alan is one of the greatest talents in the company and one of the most accomplished Co-Operative Champions in history. I couldn’t ask for a better partner than him, other than Donovan.”
“Donovan is retired, right?” Doctor DiGiovanni asks.
“Yes.” Zane replies.
“How did you feel about that?” Doctor DiGiovanni asks.
Zane inhales noticeably before he lets out a long and loud exhale.
“At first I felt betrayed.” He replies. “I felt that just like Alex and Eden that Donovan had also cast me aside once he had what wanted from our partnership.”
Doctor DiGiordanni replies with a raised eyebrow and makes a few notes.
“And now?” He asks.
“The only partner who actually betrayed me was Eden.” Zane replies. “Alex had personal issues that took him away from our team and did it right when he was paused to claim the World Heavyweight Championship. Alex didn’t want to leave. He was right about to begin a long and deserved run as ‘The Man’ in the company.”
“Did that bother you?” Doctor DiGiordanni asks. “Him having the chance to be World Champion before you could?”
Zane shakes his head emphatically.
“No.” He replies assertively. “Not at all. I was one-hundred percent behind Alex. I would have been the first one to congratulate him when it happened. Regrettably it didn’t. Life got in the way and cut a potentially all-time career short.”
“Hmm.” Doctor DiGiordanni replies. “Interesting. What about Eden?”
Zane takes another deep breath and chuckles.
“There’s a complicated relationship.” He replies. “Eden is a cautionary tale of what happens to an innocent mind when you show it how awful people can be. Myself included. I’m partially responsible for Eden becoming who she is.”
“Are you?” Doctor DiGiordanni inquires with a slight tone of dubiousness in his voice.
“I am.” Zane replies. “Our feuds were violent, vicious and I subjected her to some pretty horrible mental torture.”
“Mental torture?” Doctor DiGiordanni asks. “You played mind games with her?”
“Yes.” He replies. “It got very personal.”
Doctor DiGiordanni shakes his head and makes a few notes. He looks up and angles his head slightly.
“And she did the same to you?” Doctor DiGiordanni asks.
“She’s done similar and worse.” Zane replies. “She seems hell-bent on destroying my career."
He pauses, then looks down at the floor and shrugs, then sighs and looks back up.
"Maybe I deserve it.”
Doctor DiGiordanni looks at Zane with what appears to be an impassive expression. His eyes betray that he doesn't feel impassive, but sympathetic.
“If she did the same to you, why don’t you feel the same way towards her?”
Zane shrugs again.
“Because it’s not worth it to me to be angry all of the time.” He replies. “I wasted a lot of energy on it and to be quite honest, for everything that I’ve done to Eden, she’s revisited it to me a hundred fold.”
“And you don’t want to carry that with you anymore?” Doctor DiGiordanni prods.
“No.” Zane replies. “I don’t want to be like Eden. Eden eventually destroys every relationship that she develops because she can’t fill the emotional abyss that’s consumed her.”
“That’s interesting analysis.” Doctor DiGiordanni replies.
“It’s true.” Zane replies. “From a purely wrestling standpoint, Eden is one of the greatest talents ever and at this point is easily the most accomplished female in the history of the company.”
“But?” Doctor DiGiordanni asks.
“But it comes at too high of a cost to be worth it to continually pay it.” Zane replies with a shrug. “She’s built her career on using and discarding everyone and anyone she’s had to in order to get ahead. She did it with Travis Pierce, she did it with Killian King and she’s done it to her own brother. Now she’s slowly but surely destroying her relationship with her long time ‘bestie’, Jet Somers and she’s doing it because she has a more willing and eager lacky in Gabriel Baal.”
Doctor DiGiordanni makes a few more notes on his pad and looks back at Zane. He sits in silence for a few moment before he reaches across to his desk and pulls a bottle of water from it. He uncaps it, takes a drink and places it back on his desk.
“If I was Eden, or Eden and Jet, what would you say to me?” He asks. “Just talk as if I’m one or both of them.”
Zane smiles an almost cruel smile.
“Those are two very different conversations.” He replies.
“Then have them.” Doctor DiGiordanni replies with a sly smile. “I’m paid by the hour.”
A slow smirk pulls at the right edge of Zane’s mouth and he laughs.
“Fair enough.” He replies.
He takes another deep breath and his face takes on an expression that’s equal parts regret and disgust.
“Eden...” He says with exhaustion in his voice. “I’m tired.”
“I’m tired of this seemingly endless tet a tet that we’re locked in.” He explains. “And I don’t mean tired in the physical sense. To be quite honest with you...”
“You bore me.”
“It’s not about your talent.” He explains. “You’re absurdly talented. Quite possibly the most talented female to ever step into a UGWC ring. Hell, you might be the most physically gifted person to ever step foot in the company. As far as the skills of the business are concerned, there aren’t any obvious holes in your game.”
He smiles ever so subtly.
“But there are holes.” He replies. “And they make the Grand Canyon look small.”
“I’ll get to that later.” He continues.
He shakes his head and exhales an almost indifferent sigh.
“You bore me, Eden.” He states. “Ours is a long, complicated and often contrived history. We’ve gone from rivals, to enemies, to allies and seemingly back to enemies. You deride me as being bland. You say that I’m worthless and you fall back on the age old ‘Zane’s a moron’ insult so often that I’m beginning to think that someone should slap you in the back of your head to unstick you.”
“The irony of all of this is that you are who I was three years ago.” He states. “You’re the exact same person you were when you destroyed ‘The Syndicate’ and then killed ‘Sex and Violence’. You’re content to be a deceitful, lying, manipulative, vicious, consciousness, soul-devouring child.”
“Yes.” He practically spits. “I said ‘child’.”
“Because that’s what you are.” He continues. “You’re a spoiled, self- entitled, soulless and self-loathing brat who refuses to ever show weakness or for that matter even the slightest bit of humanity. You don’t care who you have to bury to keep yourself looking perfect.”
He takes a short breath and frowns.
“Let’s look at your history.” He says as he holds up his right hand. “You entered the company and your natural beauty, charisma and your enthusiastic personality caused you to grab the hearts of the UGWC faithful.”
“Then you latched onto Jet and Pierce.” He states. “You bled them dry, specifically Pierce and while I have no love for the ‘Most Boring Man in Sports Entertainment’, the simple fact was that you used him, including romantically until you got what you wanted. Once you were done sucking him dry, you callously discarded him and you took a boring but basically decent man and you turned him into the cold, callous and uninteresting man he is today.”
He says as he lowers his pointer finger and smiles.
“Surprisingly, you kept Jet around.” He grunts derisively. “You clearly weren’t done sucking the life from him until he was nothing more than a dried husk.”
He pauses and smiles snidely.
“More on that later.”
The smile remains affixed on his face as he continues.
“You moved on but kept stringing Jet along.” He snarks. “But why get caught on small details?”
“Might I also add that in the process that you threw the process of thoroughly alienating your family into overdrive.” He says with a smirk. “I almost got a little verklempt.”
He laughs to himself.
“From there we move forward to ‘The Syndicate’, because by then I, along with others had thoroughly corrupted you in the interest of our interests.”
“You, me, Killian and Alan founded ‘The Syndicate’.” He says with a satisfied smile. “We built up the most formidable group in the history of the company and nobody could stand in our way.”
He chuckles to himself.
“Except for us.”
The humor on his face and in his voice suddenly evaporates.
“Except for you.” He says flatly.
“Perhaps I’m being a bit naive here, but I think that we could have survived as a group, even after the World Championship match but you just couldn’t let it go.” He practically hisses. “You had to have it how you always have to have it.”
“Your way.”
“It always has to be done your way.” He growls. “And because it always has to be ‘your way’, the most successful and untouchable group in the history of UGWC was destroyed.”
“And I could forgive that.” He says. “Groups come and go, no matter what. It’s the nature of wrestling.”
“What I can’t forgive is that not only were you not satisfied in destroying ‘The Syndicate’, you had to take it one step further and destroy the incredible friendship and incredible co-op team that was spawned by its demise..’Sex and Violence’.”
“Because for you, that beast of destruction is ever insatiable.” He explains contemptuously. “So not only were you not satisfied with destroying our cash cow, you had to go out of your way to destroy the friendship between Alan and Killian.”
“I can tolerate your selfishness in regard to ‘The Syndicate’ because there’s no point in dwelling on it.” He continues. “But for fucks sake, Eden...you just had to force Killian to choose between you and Alan. You had to destroy one of the greatest co-op pairings ever because you, in your infinite infantilism, you just had to have complete control over Killian. You couldn’t stand the thought of there being any outside influences on him and because Alan saw you then as the blood sucking succubus that you are, you went out of your way to destroy him.”
“Alan will have his revenge on you.” He says with a smile. “You might be too childish and arrogant to see it, because no one does hubris like Eden Morgan does hubris, but Alan will even the tally with you.”
“And I will enjoy every second of it.”
“And now you’ve traded in a loyal Jet for the Gabriel who you tried to end and who tried to end you.” He says with a shake of his head and an eye roll.
“There’s no greater example of how selfish you are than you taking Jet for granted.” He says disgustedly. “Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t some misplaced sense of sympathy for Jet. He’s made his own bed now he gets to be smothered by the pillow that you’ve been slowly pressing down over his face while he’s consistently flashed a thankful smile at you for it.”
“This is about how you always greet loyalty with disloyalty.” He explains. “It’s how you take every single person who tries to treat you like family, including your own family and you feed and you feed and you feed on their emotions until you draw every last ounce of life from them and throw their used up husk away.”
He holds up his hand with his fingers up.
"You did it to Colin and Spyder."
He pushes his pointer finger down.
“You did it to Pierce.”
He pushes his middle finger down.
“You did it to Ryan Hanneman.”
He pushes his ring finger down.
“You did it to Killian..”
He pushes his pinkie finger down.
“You did it to your own brother and your sister in law.”
He pushes his thumb down and lowers his hand.
“And you’re going to do to Jet.”
He shakes his head in disgust and stares expressionlessly into the camera.
“Because that’s what you do.”
“So at WrestleStock I’m going to be one- half of the pairing that knocks you down a peg and ends your current unimpressive run with the Co-Operative Championships because those Championships deserve to be held by two people who see them as having more value than to be treated as a simple prop.”
Zane finishes speaking and leans back in his chair. Doctor DiGiordanni blinks at him and then smiles.
“Feel better?” He asks.
Zane smiles in return.
“Infinitely.”
The Doctor takes a few more notes and looks at Zane with a smile.
“And you haven’t even gotten to Jet.” He says.
Zane smiles in return.
“Jet’s simpler.” He replies.
“Why is that?” Doctor DiGiordanni asks.
“Because there isn’t a long history of personal violence between us.” Zane replies. “Jet is a hypocrite with a big mouth who just parrots the bile that Eden spews. When Jet criticizes me, it’s because I don’t meet whatever his arbitrary standard for me is at that moment. It's not personal with him, he's just an asshole.”
“Does that bother you?” The Doctor asks.
Zane shakes his head in the negative.
“No.” He replies. “At one time it did because in spite of the fact that Jet is nothing more than a willing lapdop for Eden who falls all over himself to make her happy, I’ve never gotten the feeling that anything he’s ever said was personal. Jet just wants me to be a bigger and more powerful version of him. Much like Phrixus Deimos obsessed over me because he was angry that his former student, my friend Donovan, had surpassed him, Jet has problems with me because I don’t conform to his view of the world.”
“What does that mean?”
“Jet has this weird obsession with me always being on my own.” Zane replies. “No matter what happens, I’m not a legitimate wrestler or a legitimate champion unless I win it all on my own.”
“But Jet himself has been friends with Eden for years and has teamed with her for at least the last year, hasn’t she?” Doctor DiGiordanni asks.
“This time, yes.” Zane replies. “But their relationship extends to their time with ‘The Piercing Media Network’ and they also have the connection of Jet being a high ranking member of her brother’s Motorcycle Club.”
“But you said that she’s alienated from her brother.” Doctor DiGiordanni replies.
“Putting it politely.” Zane replies. “Her brother, a man I have no affection for, absolutely detests her for what she’s done to their family. She’s used them for her own ends and she’s driven a wedge between her brother, Cypress and Jet. It makes Jet easier to control because he doesn’t easily have his ‘brothers’ in the gang to fall back on.”
“Control.” The Doctor replies. “Interesting. Why do you think that?”
Zane shrugs.
“I don’t think that Jet is a bad guy deep down.” Zane replies. “He has, or at least has had a strong sense of honor. Loyalty is critically important to him and Eden never allows for divided loyalties. The people with her always have to be absolutely loyal to her and if they’re not, if their loyalties are divided in even the smallest of ways, she destroys those relationships so that she can keep that control. In a way, Jet is a victim.”
Doctor DiGiordanni responds to Zane’s observations with a raised eyebrow. He scribbles a few notes and then looks over at him.
“You say he’s a ‘victim’ in a way, yet you don’t feel sorry for him.” He replies. “Why is that?”
Zane shakes his head.
“Because Jet knows all of this and tolerates it.” He replies. “He walks the line of enabling her selfish behavior. He knows full well who she is and what she stands for, but he allows it. He’s seen this behavior over and over again, even as recently as allowing Eden to bring Gabriel Baal into their group only to watch her run off her own lover because she convinced herself that she was friends with the man who had gone as far as to kidnap and imprison her a few months before.”
“Yes.” Zane replies with a nod. “Eden has been committed to a psychological facility against her will before and Jet played a big part in that. His intentions were in the right place, but he turned her over to Baal, who claims to be a psychologist. In the end, his facility ended up being burned down, at least one man died and Eden embraced Baal as a friend.”
Zane pauses.
“Jet took part in all of this.” He continues. “He was partially responsible for her being locked away because he thought it was for her own good. Instead he handed her off to a sociopath and they ended up bonding. I know that Jet isn’t happy about it and he and the Doctor don’t appear to like each other much, but because Eden wants him around he stays around. As I said, Jet is loyal, even when it puts him in a position of weakness.”
“Interesting.” The Doctor responds. “And because of this you feel no sympathy for him?”
“None.” Zane replies. “And he wouldn’t want it if I did. Jet just wants to have the right to do Eden’s dirty work while having the moral authority to tell me how to live my life. He considers me a failure for my short run as Triple Champion and I can’t entirely argue with that. I squandered that opportunity because I allowed my own doubts to get the better of me.”
“But not because he didn’t respect you as Champion?”
Zane responds with a loud, barking laugh.
“No.” He answers. “Once Jet starting to talk out of his ass non-stop, I stopped caring what his opinion was.”
“I see.” The Doctor replies. “So what do you hope to accomplish on Monday?”
Zane smiles.
“As far as Jet is concerned, I plan on showing him one more time that I’m more than his equal.” He explains. “Jet just can’t get over the fact that I’ve been more successful than him dating back to last year and it doubly grinds him that I won the World Championship partially by beating him.”
“Is that what you want in the end?” The Doctor asks. “The World Championship?”
“Yes.” Zane replies. “I didn’t lose it when I lost it. I lost it beause someone else got pinned and that left a lingering bad taste in my mouth. Taking the Co-Op Championships off of he and Eden would just show him one more time that I’m at least as good as he is, if not better. Nothing I accomplished was a fluke, no matter what he or anyone else thinks. I accomplished what I accomplished because I deserved it.”
“And now?” The Doctor asks.
“On Monday I’m going to deserve to beat Jet yet again.” He replies. “And after that I’m going to go to take the World Championship back. I don’t care it I take it from the current Champion, Lucy Wylde, or her challenger, Kem Dynamo.”
“It’s good to have goals.” The Doctor replies. “Keep your focus on that goal, just be careful that you don’t let it consume you.”
“I won’t let it consume me.” Zane replies. “I did that once and it almost destroyed my life. I don’t plan on ever making that mistake again.”
The Doctor looks down at his wrist and then up at Zane.
“My next appointment is due in about ten minutes.” He says. “But I think you’ve made incredible progress, both on your own and here. Feel free to call me to schedule again.”
The two men stand up and shake hands. Once they disengage, they both turn towards the door.
“Thanks, Doc.” Zane says. “Maybe I’ll give you a call after ‘WrestleStock’.”
Doctor DiGiovanni nods and smiles.
“If you wish.” he replies. “In the meantime, good luck on Monday.”
“Thanks, Doc.” Zane says with a nod and a smile.
He steps through the door and out into the hallway. He pauses as the door to the office closes behind him, then opens the outer door, walks down the hall and steps back out into the sun bathed Poughkeepsie street. He pulls his sunglasses out and goes to slide them over his eyes when he notices Grey Coppi standing by the door. He lowers the glasses and looks at Coppi.
“Coppi...” He says. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”
Coppi smiles and looks up at Zane.
“I’d heard that you were coming home before ‘WrestleStock’.” He says. “But I’m confused.”
“By?” Zane inquires.
Grey looks up at the building and gestures towards the sign.
“I don’t understand, Zane.” Grey says, clearly confused. “Why this...and why now?”
Zane pauses and stands silently for a moment before he looks over his shoulder at the confounded reporter.
“Because, Coppi.” He replies calmly. “Sometimes the worst person taking up space in your own head is you.”
Grey’s brow furrows, betraying a deepened sense of confusion. Zane turns half way towards him. His expression is calm, but a bit tired.
“This eviction is long overdue.”
Without another word, Zane turns back around, slides his sunglasses over his eyes and places his hands in the pockets of his jeans before he strolls away, whistling happily to himself. The sun stands high in the sky and throws his shadow out long in front of him. Grey stands in befuddled silence before Zane’s meaning finally dawns on him and he smiles too, then walks away into the afternoon sun. The view sits focused on Grey as he disappears into the crowd before it slowly swings up to show a small metal sign on the aged brick. Its letters are finely engraved in the shining surface, but none the less easy to read.
“Mid Hudson Valley Office of Outpatient Services”
Ubi omne posse est audiumento
2013, '18, '23 
2013 
