Post by Iago [REBEL] on Apr 29, 2007 20:10:13 GMT -5
Click. Snap. Lights on. Ringmaster Iago sits, fingers knit in front of him, looking down over a chessboard. The game has proceeded. Several bold moves have taken place. Several peaces have been captured. Iago looks up at the camera and smiles.
IAGO:[/b] Hello, Bruce.
He leans back a bit and tips his hat.
IAGO: How are things? How are you? How are Tiffany and Bill? I hope they are well. Bill's a gook bloke, and didn't mean ill by telling me where your hotel was. And it's a shame you had to get 'pushy' with the clerk who assisted Miranda, he was just looking to make a quick few bucks. He had no idea he was doing anything untoward.
Iago's smile widens.
IAGO:[/b] But I highly doubt you stopped to think about that. Indeed, I highly doubt you've had much time to stop and think this week. A shame, considering your love of charts and statistics. But, then, I've been too busy doing things to set you off.
Iago chuckles.
IAGO:[/b] You were only half right, when you had your chat with Miranda. I have been doing things I knew would upset you, but not for the reasons you think.
He leans forward.
IAGO:[/b] Since you and your dear friend Kyle Roberts - very accommodating man, may I add - had your falling out, you've been busy striving to find some balance. You've been struggling with your inner demons, trying to come to peace with the various little pieces of yourself. It's been difficult, hasn't it? Trying to be more Bruce, and less Beast?
Iago's smile widens further.
IAGO: And then you saw Caliban. Did he remind you of someone, Bruce? Did he remind you perhaps a little of your own darker side.
Did my monster remind you of your own?
You stepped into the ring with Caliban and attacked him, not because of a sense of justice. Not because you wanted to rescue Joey Malone or Warren. You wanted to fight Caliban because he was the perfect metaphor.
You don't want to defeat Caliban at all. You want to put down the Beast. You want to be free of that darker side. You want that inner peace you've been soul searching for since Sole Survivor.
Iago sits back again.
IAGO:[/b] But I've been needling you haven't I? I intimidated Warren. I had a meeting with your worst enemy. I dared to come close to your manager and your girlfriend. I've been going out of my way, it seems, to make you angry. To unleash that Beast within you.
Understand, Bruce, that REBEL Pro is not the NAPW. The rules are more lax. The competition, more brutal. And you've dared to step into a situation where you must face off against a creature that even makes you seem small.
Bruce, I don't think you can beat Caliban. No, correction, I know that you cannot beat him.
But the Beast? The Beast probably could.
Iago laughs. It starts slowly, but eventually he cannot help but throw back his head. The laugh lingers for a moment, then abates. Iago regards the camera coldly.
IAGO:[/b] I don't want to throw you off your game, Bruce. I want you to be angry. I want you to be filled with rage. I don't want Bruce Richards at the match on Tuesday at all. I want to see the Beast. I want the world to see the Beast. I want Bill Fleming, Tiffany McIntyre, Warren and Stylin' Kyle Roberts to see the Beast.
Because the Beast might - might - be able to beat Caliban.
Iago leans in forward, his expression grows dark, but his smile widens just a little unnaturally.
IAGO:[/b] I've been telling you for the past week that my business is making monsters. Well...
Ask yourself, Bruce. Am I sick enough to sacrifice my monster to make you into one?
I think we both know the answer to that.
Iago picks up his rook and twirls it in his hand.
IAGO: So this Tuesday, you have a choice. Either you can hold it in, retain your humanity, and let Caliban destroy you physically in the ring. Or you can give into the rage, and match his ferocity.
To best Caliban, Bruce, you'll have to sacrifice your inner peace. You'll have to become the Beast you've been trying to tame.
Iago takes his rook, plunks it back on the table with a click, and slides it forward, cornering the white king.
IAGO:[/b] Checkmate.
The camera swings around. His opponent has a black cowboy hat, a long black duster, and stringy black hair that covers his face. It is the Beast.
In one furious motion the Beast flips the table up into the camera. We see chess pieces fly in ever direction moments before the screen goes dark.
And all that's left is Iago's laughter.
IAGO:[/b] Hello, Bruce.
He leans back a bit and tips his hat.
IAGO: How are things? How are you? How are Tiffany and Bill? I hope they are well. Bill's a gook bloke, and didn't mean ill by telling me where your hotel was. And it's a shame you had to get 'pushy' with the clerk who assisted Miranda, he was just looking to make a quick few bucks. He had no idea he was doing anything untoward.
Iago's smile widens.
IAGO:[/b] But I highly doubt you stopped to think about that. Indeed, I highly doubt you've had much time to stop and think this week. A shame, considering your love of charts and statistics. But, then, I've been too busy doing things to set you off.
Iago chuckles.
IAGO:[/b] You were only half right, when you had your chat with Miranda. I have been doing things I knew would upset you, but not for the reasons you think.
He leans forward.
IAGO:[/b] Since you and your dear friend Kyle Roberts - very accommodating man, may I add - had your falling out, you've been busy striving to find some balance. You've been struggling with your inner demons, trying to come to peace with the various little pieces of yourself. It's been difficult, hasn't it? Trying to be more Bruce, and less Beast?
Iago's smile widens further.
IAGO: And then you saw Caliban. Did he remind you of someone, Bruce? Did he remind you perhaps a little of your own darker side.
Did my monster remind you of your own?
You stepped into the ring with Caliban and attacked him, not because of a sense of justice. Not because you wanted to rescue Joey Malone or Warren. You wanted to fight Caliban because he was the perfect metaphor.
You don't want to defeat Caliban at all. You want to put down the Beast. You want to be free of that darker side. You want that inner peace you've been soul searching for since Sole Survivor.
Iago sits back again.
IAGO:[/b] But I've been needling you haven't I? I intimidated Warren. I had a meeting with your worst enemy. I dared to come close to your manager and your girlfriend. I've been going out of my way, it seems, to make you angry. To unleash that Beast within you.
Understand, Bruce, that REBEL Pro is not the NAPW. The rules are more lax. The competition, more brutal. And you've dared to step into a situation where you must face off against a creature that even makes you seem small.
Bruce, I don't think you can beat Caliban. No, correction, I know that you cannot beat him.
But the Beast? The Beast probably could.
Iago laughs. It starts slowly, but eventually he cannot help but throw back his head. The laugh lingers for a moment, then abates. Iago regards the camera coldly.
IAGO:[/b] I don't want to throw you off your game, Bruce. I want you to be angry. I want you to be filled with rage. I don't want Bruce Richards at the match on Tuesday at all. I want to see the Beast. I want the world to see the Beast. I want Bill Fleming, Tiffany McIntyre, Warren and Stylin' Kyle Roberts to see the Beast.
Because the Beast might - might - be able to beat Caliban.
Iago leans in forward, his expression grows dark, but his smile widens just a little unnaturally.
IAGO:[/b] I've been telling you for the past week that my business is making monsters. Well...
Ask yourself, Bruce. Am I sick enough to sacrifice my monster to make you into one?
I think we both know the answer to that.
Iago picks up his rook and twirls it in his hand.
IAGO: So this Tuesday, you have a choice. Either you can hold it in, retain your humanity, and let Caliban destroy you physically in the ring. Or you can give into the rage, and match his ferocity.
To best Caliban, Bruce, you'll have to sacrifice your inner peace. You'll have to become the Beast you've been trying to tame.
Iago takes his rook, plunks it back on the table with a click, and slides it forward, cornering the white king.
IAGO:[/b] Checkmate.
The camera swings around. His opponent has a black cowboy hat, a long black duster, and stringy black hair that covers his face. It is the Beast.
In one furious motion the Beast flips the table up into the camera. We see chess pieces fly in ever direction moments before the screen goes dark.
And all that's left is Iago's laughter.