You're fading into a dimly lit, seemingly makeshift gym. It takes a minute for you to adjust, but you eventually realize its more of a basement. Weight-lifting equipment is scattered, there's a few wrestling mats laid out on the ground.

He's had a lot more free time lately. Nothing to focus on but his work... maybe that's not true. Maybe he wants it to be.

Wearing black wind-breaker pants a white wife beater, you find him gulping down a bottle of spring water. You'd be nowhere if you weren't caught in that piercing gaze. But he finds you. He always has, and always will.

"It never ceases to amaze me how many people in this industry will pour hours of their heart and soul for just one clever metaphor. A "glorified coat rack" am I? Fascinating. Truly inspiring to hear from the newest member of the "Fatal Charms". There's no denying your prowess as a technician, Tommy, but when you've listened to your words as much as we have, you really have to realize..."

"You're fucking boring."

"I halted your impending retribution from NoA with nothing but words. You're a hopelessly predictable human being who has had every chance to raise his game for years. Fucking years, Tommy."

"You realize that there's a happily vacant AOWF World title that's waiting for a community champion? The highest honor anyone in this community can receive, and you're fixated on the fourth tier prize that you've pointlessly held for four fucking years? Do you ever stop to wonder why people call you the "eternal mid-carder"? Because any chance you have to elevate, you prefer stagnation. You want to stay in familiar waters, never once taking a risk or a leap of faith to get any higher."

"There's the difference between you and me. I'm just a few months back into this, and I've already taken bounding leaps into the unknown. I push boundaries and shatter them any opportunity I have, and that doesn't mean I just throw caution to the wind. That means I'm willing to take the hits and keep moving. You've been here long enough for three cuts and we already hear the same thing we've always heard. Its a tired song that hasn't been inspiring for at least half a decade now. You say our band has but one tune, the thing is, your dumb ass keeps falling for it every time. I'll save my innovation for the righteous. You buy stale, you get stale."

"That's what you are. Still claiming to be "all that fucking matters", but that's more than just repetitive at this point, Tommy. Its just not fucking true. You've come and gone how many times over the years? When did this community ever once falter, ever once slow down? You made your showings, but your existence has never had a lasting effect that pulled people in. You come, you go, but not one man or woman has ever taken the time to notice. You'll fade again, long before you ever get another shot at my belt."

He rests in the folding chair beside him, and begins taping up his wrists. Pulled tight with just enough room to breathe.

"Which makes this match even more curious to me. A seemingly major-caliber main event without much press or hype for this federation's top gold, and even Riley barely gave a second glance at that title. Which isn't obviously surprising in itself, but let's take a second and realize that my three opponents have spent more time in the last two months lusting after my belt than any of them have for the Libery's finest."

"Its fascinating that for all the people who want to dissuade you from my accomplishments, I'm far more a champion than anyone else in this community right now. No one has even thrown out a challenge, or made an offer to bill some hype. You can make a solid fucking guess whether or not our esteemed federation "champion" would be defending her title this week at all if it weren't mandated from above. Is there such a thing as stirring the pot with training wheels on? I dare to wonder..."

"Which brings me to the only one in this match really worth half of a damn, and that's Aarya Ranvir. A damn shame he's still playing by "their" rules, the unknown soldier to a patriarch of more hype than I could ever dream of selling. Just think about this for a second Ranvir... how can you possibly hope to be something when your employer considers himself to be everything?"

"You can wait your turn like Lee, or you can stand up and step up. Fight the current with me and stop playing by their rules. If for just one week, show me an interview that doesn't endorse or hype your superiors, and I'll give you a title shot right here and now. Fuck Seldon's meaningless piece of tin, bow out of this match and with me and we'll draw up our own main event. You versus me for the AOWF Television Title."

"Think hard about this, you have a choice to make right now that's going to affect your entire career. As a puppet and plaything waiting his turn, or as a fucking athlete whose going to make something of himself. You can see where the former gets people like Riley, and if that's all you want then you can fuck off all the same."

He takes another swig from the half empty bottle, and nearly finishes it off. He tilts his head to one side, stretching out a tenser muscle in his neck.

"I heard a voice this week threaten me in a not-so-subtle way. But I get the impression Angelica Lee wants to follow through with her promises of trumped-up vengeance. So I say fine, whatever you want. Sell as much of the drama as you think you have to in order to get back over with the people who've forgotten your name. I've shown the world your idiocy, what will you do to me? Pain? Suffering? Like I said, whatever you have to do to get it out of your system and think you're "one up", just don't pussy out like our boy Riley. Whatever you throw at me, I'll take and spin into a highlight of my career. Whatever you do, I matter to you now, Frost. You're no longer here "just to be", and that's more satisfaction than I ever needed to take away from this."

"Let the band play on."

He finds you again. You can either run or face up to something more. Right now, you're fading away.