You're fading in just as he puts the receiver down into the cradle. He looks down at the telephone for just a moment, then catches you with his icy stare all the same. Only he immediately smiles a half a grin, and looks off to the side again. Shaking his head, he walks over to the glass doors overlooking his back yard. The sun is out, and the snow and ice are slowly fading away.

They'll be back eventually. His back is turned towards you.

"'What have I done?" That single question is the one constant I hear every week, from opponents that can't back themselves up. What have I done to deserve this title? To talk the game that I do? Its a question that's going to get you killed. Anyone who's so caught up in what I haven't done, who doesn't once take the chance to realize what I'm capable of."

"Ask yourself... what am I going to do?"

"This week, or next week. At Vertigo or at a Farewell to Arms later on. I have the power and the means to elevate to a level beyond the gods, and you're concerned with what I've done so far? Fine. Let me tell you."

"Every opportunity I've been given, I've stolen the show. Whether it was putting my brothers' arm in a sling, out-maneuvering the other half of the locker room for AOWF gold, challenging to the only match that made any sense at NoA, earning a World title shot within weeks at CWA, earning the same status in even less time here at Liberty, constantly staying one step ahead of everyone, making allegiances that turn heads, forcing others to make allegiances just to keep up, force-feeding my opponents every fucking word they speak, and becoming the de facto headliner of this community in less time than anyone else here right now."

"And being oblivious to any of that doesn't make you smarter, or faster, or wittier, or able to prove me wrong. It makes you a fucking idiot."

He turns to face you once again, much harsher this time.

"But you're at peace with who you are, Tommy? Then why defend yourself at all? Great, you're content with being a boring idiot. You want me to argue with you?"

"But just because you don't have the charisma to get that World title shot, you think you can cop a holier than thou attitude? You're a good wrestler. Check back, I said that in my last cut. But I'm an exceptional wrestler, and on top of that, I have the intelligence and the attitude to attain a level you've never once been able to reach. That makes me better than you, no matter how righteous you think you are letting yourself get jumped. You aren't a martyr just because you lack any kind of modern-day tactical knowledge of how to defend yourself from an attack. That's no excuse."

"And that fall from grace you headlined? Happened four years ago. You're not allowed to use that as your one instance of fame anymore, because you've failed to live up to the standard."

"Coming off that win, you could have done anything. Become a Liberty champion in version two. Demand a shot at a higher AOWF title. Live, breathe, anything you wanted. Instead the most impressive thing you went on to do was ignite West Indiez' career. So go back and remind us of what you used to be capable of. I'll continue to point out how little it matters now. You either maintain, you elevate, or you fade away, or you burn out. You're going to burn out, Tommy. You could have gone out on the highest note, instead you're investing in career suicide. It doesn't matter if you never win another match ever again? Did you really just say that?"

"You're been throwing around that pointless tag-line for far too long if you believe we're going to cater to you here in this new community. There's new blood coming in. The Expert, Surge, Kellie Taminson. They don't give two shits about you, and they shouldn't. Your former status will mean nothing since you refuse to back it up now. You don't stand a chance in this era, you don't even come close. But you're fine with that? Fine, then. So am I."

Its so obvious to you now, isn't it? That's the look in his eyes. Icy and cold hard truth beating you down.

"I've never broken you arm, Lisa. What I did was castrate your ego, and you've spent the last month trying to sew it back on."

"So much did I wound you, you keep exaggerating on the facts. I beat you for the AOWF Television Title. You doctor it, you dress it up and give us your hyperbole version every week to try and make it stick. It hasn't, and it won't. Because I won't let it."

"You're defending your title this week because someone else made it happen. You want to be a champion, now? Almost three weeks after winning the belt you think you deserve the opportunity? You had two weeks to hype this match, and you're just getting around to it now? I know, you must have been busy tending to your husband's ego, after I pinned him for the second time in my career. And still searching for his manhood. The thing about the both of you, is you want to be the main event when its convenient for you. You think the world revolves around you before you prove you're worth it, but that's not how it works."

"I'm not going to tell you when to defend that belt. You want to put it up against me? Fine. I'll take your belt. But who cares?"

"I'll demean you as a champion, because as I already stated, nobody in this match - fuck that - nobody in this federation is looking at you. Ranvir hasn't bothered to give a shit about this match at all. Riley didn't give your belt a second glance. And I still contend that you want my title more than I want yours, based on the fact you can't stop bitching about it. Has anyone here made a bid for your championship? Has anyone outside of your current week's opposition even uttered your name?"

"Then look at me. The new blood in this federation take notice of me before they realize that you exist. I'm turning the heads of everyone, young and old, and I've become the face of this new community. Because I stand out. Because I take risks and I take what I want without a second guess. My presence exerts itself almost effortlessly. Everyone in this federation wants a piece of me, they want to take away what I have. My pride, my ego, my championship. I have the fourth tier belt of the community in my hands, and I hold it over the heads of November, Protean and anyone else. They fade into obscurity, but I'm out front."

"You're only important to yourself, Lisa, and that doesn't translate to renown. That makes you a self-righteous fraud."

"You reign begins this Friday? Tell me this... why didn't it begin on February second? I'll tell you what Friday is. Its the end of the beginning of my career. The grace period is over, I've given you all plenty of time to adjust. Your past accomplishments hold no weight against me. Your world title pales in comparison to my television gold. I will expose you and leave you naked on the air, I'll leave you broken and helpless in the ring."

"I heard that whispering voice again. Angelica, your idiocy holds more renown than Lisa's title. Either I matter to you, or I don't. Either you're here just to be, or you're not. I'm a clone of a clone? That's original, I'm sure."

"Follow through with your goals, if you want to. I've already done my job by exposing your hypocrisy and leaving you beaten. Any one of you out there who want to play dumb? I won't tell you not to. But I will decimate you in the two seconds it takes you to under-estimate me."

"And I will be your World champion. Just as soon as I want to be. 'Cause I've got all the time in the world."

Dress it up any way you like. That's the look on his face, and it stays with you, as you softly fade away.