The scene opens inside a fine dining restaurant in Brisbane, Australia. Sitting at the back of the establishment, away from everyone else, is Justin Cooper and Vladimir. While Cooper is focused on a heavy stack of paperwork in front of him, Vladimir has no such distraction as he chops down on a large bowl of freshly cooked pasta. Each thread of golden pasta is sucked between Vladimir’s lips to a loud slurp that echoes around the room. For the surrounding customers the noise is annoying but for Cooper the noise is much more. Visibly frustrated from the past events Cooper is not in the mood for childlike behaviour from anyone. Cooper is visibly throwing daggers at Vladimir as he takes another slurp which makes another loud sound.
Cooper: Taste good?
Before Vladimir can answer he has to clean some left over pasta sauce from his upper lip which acted as a moustache. Somewhat of an embarrassing experience for the former Mayhem Champion.
Vladimir: Very tasty indeed. Never really had pasta as a kid at a restaurant as nice as this.
Cooper: Never would have guessed that Vladimir. In fact I thought you were a regular guest of the Queen by the way you eat. Never have I seen such grace executed when eating pasta. If eating pasta was in the Olympics I’m sure you would be involved somehow.
Cooper shakes his head repeatedly before going back to his paperwork. This conservation isn’t over yet as Vladimir puts down his fork and turns his body around so he is eye to eye with Justin.
Vladimir: What’s up man? Something has been wrong with you since Lethal Lottery and I want to know what is up. Did you really take the loss that hard? Its competition Justin, people lose all the time. You can’t keep doing this every single time you don’t get the victory. It isn’t healthy.
Cooper: Just shut up will you!
Wow. Vladimir looks stunned, he can’t believe it.
Vladimir: Shut up? Listen, I’m trying to help you Justin. I’m trying to talk about this and not let you keep it bottled up inside until you snap. I’ve seen it happen before Justin, the same thing happened last year after Kingdom Come. You get so caught up in this wrestling business that you don’t comprehend what is happening in your mind. You need to shape up and get over this. You lost you title, you didn’t win, it’s time to move on. Stop sitting here in a puddle of pity and lets think about what your next move is going to be.
Cooper: What do you know? Huh? What the hell makes you an expert Vladimir? This may seem meaningless to you but this is my life. I’ve been doing this for years and just days ago I lost my first ever title. I lost something I had been working years to gain. I’m sorry if I’m taking this a little too hard for you but I can’t help it. I lost the most important thing in my life on Sunday and now I don’t even a reason to be on the card for Kingdom Come IV. I had a golden ticket but because of Ace Stevens my cheque just bounced. I’m no longer the best in my division because I no longer hold the linear championship.
Vladimir: Do you really think they’ll leave you off the card Justin? You’ve been helping the Mayhem division gain recognition since your return and now people are interested again. People were talking about Ace’s victory and it’s because of you. While he may get the press for the victory, you need to understand he would have not gotten it if it wasn’t for you. You’re the guy that started the rebirth of this division, it was you Justin. Not since the days of Killjoy has the Mayhem division been this powerful. The division is in a great state at the moment and it would not have gotten to this point had you never returned. You took the title off that joke Armando Paradyse and you crushed Sean Cruz on Aftershock to put him on the shelf. Whatever way the Mayhem division has taken is because you decided it to take that way. You’ve made the changes around here and you need to see it. Stop sulking and step up and fight for what is rightfully yours.
The two friends stare at the other, wondering what is next. Cooper makes a final stroke with his pen before folding up all the paperwork in front of him. The leader of the High Society leans back in his chair whilst brushing his hand through his short curly hair. Something deep inside of Justin begins to click over or so it would seem from his body language. Justin, whilst at the beginning was very agitated, now relaxes and enters a place of peace. He lowers his head in shame, refusing to look at Vladimir. For years these two men have been together and for the first time they have come to blows. This has never happened before causing during their friendship and now the cracks in the High Society are bigger than ever. It’s leader is knocked down and unable or unwilling to fight back. After losing what he holds dear to his heart Justin Cooper now finds himself with a purpose. He has no will to continue in the fight for the title and not even his best friend can get through with a reality check.
After a long drawn out silence Cooper finally looks back up at Vladimir. H doesn’t say anything at first, instead he just stares. Both men look into the others eyes sending a message to one another. Bit by bit Cooper begins to nod his head up and down. He looks around the room once and then back at Vladimir who never stopped looking directly at Cooper.
Cooper: You know… absolutely nothing. Do this, do that, go here, go there, why don’t you just shut up? Please just be quite for a moment instead of stuffing your mouth with pasta every five minutes. I’m sick of it Vladimir, I’m sick of you and…
Suddenly Justin jumps up onto his feet and points around the room.
Cooper: THEM!
Cooper raises his voice and bangs his hand down on the table shocking Vladimir.
Cooper: I’m sick of all of ‘em. All these people have been staring at me all night thinking I’m a loser. None of you have a right to judge me. You people group me with the likes of Ace Stevens and Johnny Scumm and that is disrespectful to me. I’ve done more for WZCW than anyone else on the roster but I’m still counted as a loser. You all don’t deserve me, I don’t need you. I’m better than all of you. Does nobody understand that I’m being forced to face some masked idiot this week? This isn’t some comic book this is WZCW.
Vladimir: Sit down Justin, please? Nobody is judging you; they had no idea we were going to be here tonight. Just sit down and stop acting like this.
Cooper: Don’t you dare tell me what to do Vladimir. If it wasn’t for me you’d be in some ditch begging for money. I saved you and not a day goes by when I question my actions that day. You are never going to be a leader, you will never be me and most importantly you will never be the master of the High Society. You’re too weak, you’re too fat and you’re too stupid.
The look on Vladimir’s face is one of disgusted. He is shattered by the words of his “best friend”. After all this time together Vladimir has learnt the truth and what Justin really thinks of him. With that Justin Cooper picks up his things and exits the booth. He stops just as he is about to exit and turns back to Vladimir who sits at the table.
Cooper: I want you to understand this… I hate you… I have always hated you. We aren’t friends and we never were. I got what I needed from you and now it’s time for me to move on. You’re no longer welcome in our society Vladimir. I don’t want to see you or hear from you again. Take this as a warning; if you ever come back I’ll have you arrested. Just like Ace Stevens you’re not half the man I am. No matter what happens this week I’ll send a message to all of WZCW and to you.
After finishing his final passage Cooper pushes the door open and he steps to the outside. He leaves as Vladimir sits at the table staring down at a piece of paper left by Cooper. On the paper it has a simple message which reads “change is upon us”. Slowly a small tear runs down the face of Vladimir as we fade to black … …
