Off camera

Maniac and his alternate self have just left the George Bush Center for Intelligence in Langley, Virginia through a portal created by alternate Maniac and are now standing inside his home. Maniac stands in shock and awe as he looks around at the familiar surroundings of his own home before he blew it up, everything was exactly the same down to where everything was placed. Alternate Maniac catches the look on Maniac’s face and smirks as he turns to him, reading his thoughts.

Alternate Maniac: You like? I have to admit it’s one thing we have in common, this place I mean…and almost everything is the same as yours was.

Maniac still stands there for a moment in shock before alternate Maniac walks over to a door off to the left and opens it, revealing Maniac’s favorite room in the mansion…the Zen room.

Alternate Maniac: Shall we?

Alternate Maniac motions for Maniac to step inside which he happily obliged and the two relaxed for a bit before the task at hand. After their “chill session” was over the two Maniacs headed to the basement where Maniac saw a big difference between this mansion and his, instead of this basement being a training room it was what Maniac could only describe as a ritual room…from candles all over the place to the strange symbol drawn on the ground. Once again reading Maniac’s thoughts alternate Maniac turns and places a reassuring hand on Maniac’s shoulder.

Alternate Maniac: Don’t worry only good rituals happen here, like the one we’re going to do to prepare you to trap the demon inside you. Now bring out the spear of destiny and lets begin.

Maniac retrieves the spear from his back waistband and holds it in front of himself.

Alternate Maniac: Good, now close your eyes and picture in your mind what a cage would look like and what it’d need to hold the demon. Use the spear of destiny to manifest it and it shall come to be.

Maniac takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, picturing the proper cage to permanently hold DreamMaster and while he does that alternate Maniac walks up and gently puts his hands on either side of Maniac’s head and closes his own eyes. Soon, the two Maniacs are reunited inside Maniac’s mind as the cage slowly but surely manifests itself.

Alternate Maniac: Good, and don’t rush the process. Rushing will only weaken the cage and if the demon breaks out that means you can be repossessed.

Maniac nods, fully understanding the risks and consequences and just stands there and watches the cages construction. What seems like and eternity later the cage is complete and both Maniacs seem satisfied with the outcome, they each look at one another and nod.

Alternate Maniac: Very good Maniac, now that’s complete you have some training to do don’t you?

Maniac: Yeah, don’t worry I’m not about to underestimate Jeremy. He’s got something up his sleeve and I’ll be ready.

Alternate Maniac: Only one way to be sure…

Alternate Maniac folds his arms across his chest and looks at Maniac who somehow gets the message because he gets a shocked look on his face and drops to his knees, begging alternate Maniac for mercy.

Maniac: Please no, not that. Anything but that I beg of you, PLEASE!!!!!!

Alternate Maniac doesn’t budge and after a few minutes of begging and groveling Maniac gives up, grumbling as he gets to his feet.

Maniac: Fine, fuk I thought I’d never say this but…

Maniac looks over at his alternate self.

Maniac: Your universe or mine?

Alternate Maniac: Yours.

Maniac moans as he throws his head back.

Maniac: Fine…roll the training montage.

Maniac says it as he walks away, shaking his head and making a rolling gesture with his hand. Alternate Maniac smiles and snaps his fingers, temporarily bringing the camera to a fade.
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On camera (taken from HWA training facility cameras)

The scene re-opens and we’re at the HWA training facility, Maniac is sitting on a leg stretching machine and alternate Maniac stands next to him with a clipboard in hand. To avoid hysteria alternate Maniac changed his appearance to look like a personal trainer to everyone but to Maniac he still looks the same, alternate Maniac grabs the whistle and blows it two times to signal beginning of training and in the background you can hear “I’m So Excited” by the Pointer Sisters begin to play.

Tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen

Tonight we'll put all other things aside

Give in this time and show me some affection

We're goin' for those pleasures in the night

Alternate Maniac: This machine tests leg flexibility by counting how many repetitions you can do, are you ready?

I want to love you, feel you

Wrap myself around you

I want to squeeze you, please you

I just can't get enough

Before Maniac can answer alternate Maniac pushes a button and the machine automatically stretches out Maniac’s legs, causing him to howl in discomfort.

And if you move real slow, I'll let it go

Maniac: Ahhhh!!! One….

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it

Alternate Maniac shakes his head, knowing Maniac can’t do anymore he marks “fail” on this part of the workout.

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know I want you

We shouldn't even think about tomorrow

Sweet memories will last a long, long time

We switch cameras and now Maniac is standing on a tennis court, decked out in complete tennis attire from the stupid sweatband on the head all the way down to those goofy socks. He holds a tennis racket in his hand as he bounces on the balls of his feet, ready to go.

Alternate Maniac: This next exercise will test your reflexes and your hand-eye coordination, see how many tennis balls you can hit before the ball machine runs out. Are you ready?

We'll have a good time, baby, don't you worry

And if we're still playin' around, boy, that's just fine

Let's get excited, we just can't hide it

Alternate Maniac hits a button on the remote control and the ball machine shoots a ball at Maniac who swings and misses.

Maniac: Another, sweat was in my eye.

Alternate Maniac hits the button again and another ball shoots out at Maniac who swings and not only misses but the tennis racket slips out of his hand and goes flying off camera, eventually causing a crashing noise as it hits something.

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

Now it’s a mini-montage(a montage inside a montage, whoa…) of Maniac swinging and unsuccessfully hitting any tennis balls until the machine is out. Once again alternate Maniac shakes his head as he marks “fail” on this part as well.

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know I want you, I want you

Ooh boy, I want to love you, feel you

Wrap myself around you

I want to squeeze you, please you

The camera switches once again and Maniac is standing in an open part of the training facility holding a jump rope, alternate Maniac is standing off to the side still holding the clipboard.

Alternate Maniac: Ok, a little cardio test. See how many jumps you can do in a minute, are you ready?

I just can't get enough

And if you move real slow, I'll let it go

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it

The camera is still focused on alternate Maniac who looks down for a moment to blow his whistle and when he looks up his expression changes to that of disappointment. He shakes his head as he raises the clipboard up and marks “fail” on this part of the workout, meanwhile Maniac lies on the ground tangled up in the jump rope and is really struggling to get free.

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know I want you, I want you

I'm so excited (look what you do to me)

We transition into another mini-montage, this one of Maniac slowly getting better at each part of the workout which causes some of the students to stop what they’re doing and come watch the champ.

I just can't hide it (you got me burning up)

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it, yeah

I'm so excited (how did you get to me?)

And I can't deny, no, no, no (I've got to give it up)

(Oh, oh, oh, oh) I know, I know that I want you

I'm so excited (look what you do to me)

By now Maniac is nailing each part of the workout, there’s a large group of students surrounding him watching and cheering on the champ as he continues to crush it.

Oh, boy (you got me burning up)

(Oh, oh, oh, oh) Hey, hey I think I like it

I'm so excited (how did you get to me?)

Maniac finishes the workout and stands to an uproar of cheers, he slaps hands with students as he and alternate Maniac makes their way through the crowd and up to the media booths.

You got me (I've got to give it up)

(Oh, oh, oh, oh) Oh, ooh I like it boy

I'm so excited (look what you do to me)

Ooh, you got me burning up (burning up)

Once the two Maniacs reach a media booth alternate Maniac decides to wait outside while Maniac does his thing but before he can go in alternate Maniac stops him.

Alternate Maniac: Hang on champ, you need this…

Alternate Maniac reaches behind his back and when he pulls his hand out from behind his back he’s holding Maniac’s HWA Championship, he smiles and hands Maniac his title who takes it without question and heads inside the booth. Once inside, Maniac gets a camera ready and then sits down on a stool in front of it. He slings the title over his shoulder and hits the button, waiting as the timer counts down to zero.

Maniac: The time is upon us Jeremy, you and me one on one to finally end this feud once and for all. Quite literally, as both our careers are on the line as well as my HWA Championship. You know Jeremy, I wasn’t lying when I said that I pitted you at the Art of War press conference. You’ve let your hate consume you and its lead you down a dark path that culminates at Art of War on a violent match. Does that sound familiar Jeremy? It should because it’s the SAME THING that Matt did last year, the SAME THING that you begged and pleaded for him to stop obsessing over and now your obsessing over it and are about to follow in his footsteps.

Maniac shakes his head as he runs a hand through his hair and then adjusts his title on his shoulder before continuing.

Maniac: Jeremy as much as I hate the fact that I’m going to be ending your career don’t let that have you making the mistake of thinking I’m going to take pity on you, this is MY World title and there’s no way I’m letting it let alone my career go. I’ve fought and clawed to get this title back and you’re not taking it from me Jeremy, not now, not ever.

As he says this, Maniac holds up his HWA Championship for a moment before returning it to his shoulder.

Maniac: It’s really sad when you think about it, two young stars cut in their prime because neither one of them can let go of shyt. Two stars, same pay-per-view, a year apart, both very violent matches. Jeremy I know you think you’re ready for this match but you’re not, not even close. What we’ve been through up until now has been a cakewalk compared what’s to come for you in the room of thumbtacks match, I tried to tell that to Matt last year when he wanted the Asylum match but he didn’t listen either. That’s the problem with today’s generation you think you know it all when you don’t, but at Art of War when I send you packing Jeremy you’ll be the living proof that your generation doesn’t know shyt except how to be whiny little bitches.

Maniac gets to his feet and gets up close to the camera.

Maniac: Come Art of War Jeremy your sweet death is coming, and when it hits you’ll never come back from the dead again.

The last thing you see is Maniac’s smile as he holds up the HWA Championship as the camera cuts off.
___________________________________________________

Off camera

We open to Mandy as she finishes cleaning up the bus, she’d needed something to keep her physically and mentally distracted after watching the video of her sister’s ritualistic murder and this definitely helped(that and a few drinks). After she was done with that she had an important call to make, she decided that she was sticking by Maniac’s side no matter what. And part of that is going back to work, which she had missed and was glad to get back to it even though she was still saddened by her alternate self’s death. Mandy finishes off her gin and tonic before fishing her phone out of her purse and dials a number, when there’s no answer she clears her throat and leaves a voicemail.

Mandy: Hey Butch, Mandy here. I got the scoop you and Wisdom were wanting and I’m coming back to work at Art of War. Can’t wait to be back, ok later.

She hangs up the phone satisfied with her small accomplishment and rewards herself with another drink as the scene fades.