*The scene opens in a crowded room. You see various reporters, all holding their notepads, pens, and microphones. The room is loud, and you can barely hear yourself think. After a few moments of staring at an empty chair, and listening to the bustling reporters, Maniac drunkenly stumbles out into view with an open bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand to the eruption of questions thrown at him. Maniac sits down, seemingly ignoring everybody, and you can tell he is extremely intoxicated. After a moment he pulls the microphone closer to his lips and begins to speak.*

Maniac: You know, I thought long and hard about what I was going to say here today, and honestly I wasn't sure which Maniac you'd see here today, and then it hit me like a bag of bricks. My whole career I've been living a lie on national TV for fans like you. I've been doing what the "powers" backstage want me to do, and I've been acting out the parts they wanted me to act out, and I’m sick of it.

*Maniac’s voice angers slightly, and the crowd grows silent in anticipation for what Maniac's going on about. Maniac takes another drink of Jack Daniels and continues.*

Maniac: You know, I was a young kid wanting to make it big like all my heroes I grew up watching. I wanted to be a pro wrestler, I wanted to be out there in that ring under the spotlight, listening, and watching on as thousands of fans cheered my name!

*Maniac takes a deep breath, and continues*

Maniac: Well that happened, but it wasn't me it happened to, it was a God damned character made up by some jack ass in the back that told me "This is who you're going to be, because let's face it, you just aren't going to get over otherwise" That really bothered me, but I did it, I did what so many had done before me, I went out to the ring "in character" and proceeded to lie to the thousands of fans, and it went on for years. "Maniac the puppet" Maniac the super heel" yeah, that's who I was, and it's also who I never wanted to be. I preached it, and I lived it, but it got me no where. It made me rich, and it also made me SICK! So yeah I’m telling it like it is right here right now and I don’t give a damn about who doesn't like it. This is what the big boys in the back don’t want you all to know about, well guess what? The gimmick is over! From now on I’m ME God Damnit, I’m not some loner that hides out in dark rooms and stalks people from the shadows, I’m not some angry at the world loner who's hell bent on crippling everybody, I’m a guy that wants to go out there and put on the match of my life and entertain the people. But DO NOT mistake, when I step into that ring I’m stepping into that ring to win, and that's what I’m going to do, I’m going to kick ass, and take names and for the first time there's not going to be some silly character behind it! I’m coming to Havoc not as anything you've seen before, but as myself, as Maniac, as a real person. Now, you can ask me a few questions if you'd like!

*The crowd stands there, stunned for several seconds, and then a reporter speaks out.*

Reporter Number One: So Maniac does this mean you've taken a turn for the better so to speak? No more cheating, no more weapons, no more cheap tactics? Can we expect a clean match from you on at Havoc?

Maniac: I said no more gimmicks and I meant it, I also said I wanted to put on the best match of my life, I meant that too, but there's several ways of doing that, and hunny, I’m going out there to win, and I'll do whatever I have to do, just like always, to win. I’m not some holy roller goody two shoes here to make friends. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just sick of the gimmicks, and I’m sick of hiding behind them. I can entertain without them, I can win without them, it's as simple as that. Keep an eye out at Havoc; you'll get more of your answer from the action you see.

*Another reporter quickly raises their hand and speaks*

Reporter Number Two: Maniac you're pretty confusing to say the least, and I’m just barely following you here so I just got to make sure I have this right. You're dropping the gimmick that made you a star, but we can still expect the same in-ring attitude? Wasn’t that just part of the gimmick as well?

*Maniac chuckles*

Maniac: To an extent yeah, it was, like I said, I’m not out to cripple anybody, but I am out to win, and I'll win whether it means a clean victory via The Fatality, smashing a bottle over someone’s head, or a quick chair shot to the head, either way is fine by me. I'd rather win matches than make friends.

*Another reporter rudely begins asking a question even though the previous reporter clearly wasn't finished.*

Reporter Number Three: Maniac, you and Deas are going up against TNT, and from what I know of them, they are somewhat high-flying machines. How are you going to deal with their Ariel assaults, and is it possible you might lose this match?

*Maniac’s expression takes a serious turn, he clears his throat and begins his answer.*

Maniac: It's my third tag match since teaming with Deas again, yeah, no doubt, but that doesn't mean I haven't kept up my training. I've been working hard, and waiting for the right time to team back up with my tag partner Deas, and this is the time, Melbourne, Australia is the place, and TNT are going to take a trip to the learning tree, and get b###h slapped by every branch. Have you seen any of my matches? I mean your question is almost insulting. I'll give you a quick preview of what's going to happen. Imagine this: "The Hardcore Icons steps into the ring; The Hardcore Icons stands idly by and watches as their opponents climb the turnbuckle like fools. They jump, The Hardcore Icons catches them, grabs them, Final Destination, cover, one, two, three, the end." That's how it's going down. To everybody else, sorry, out of time! watch the show, watch The Hardcore Icons dominate in the ring, and watch as TNT get destroyed, just like I've always said, TNT are just stepping stones on The Hardcore Icons path to the HWA Tag Team Championship. That is all for today.

*Maniac gets up from the chair, finishes off his bottle of Jack Daniels, smashes the bottle on the ground, and then walks out of view as the reporters scream and shout more questions his way, the scene closes.*