... ROMAN EMPIRE ...
-[[ In a scene straight out of a horror movie, the fog obscures your view of the ground beneath your feet.. It is night and the air has a sharp chill that cuts through your clothing and all the way to your bones.. The trees shoot straight up at the sky and when you look up, you can barely make out the tops of them, but the clouds... Even the long, dark clouds can't block your view of the full moon shining down on this ground.... There is a trail and you follow it as well as you can in the darkness, and pretty soon, you find yourself in a clearing... The trees form an almost perfect circle and aside from the trail you're standing on... There is no escape.. ]]-
-[[ From behind you, a man approaches the clearing himself and without so much as one pleasantry, he pushes past you and walks into it.... You can make out the long, wet, black hair.. black leather trousers... And you see him continue to the center of the clearing and stop... He's looking down, but at what.. You can't see...... ]]-
-[[ You move in closer and the fog begins to thin.. Not a lot.. But you see something jutting upward from the ground like a large, white tooth shining in the moonlight... As you draw closer and you see the text engraved on this tooth, you realize what you're staring at..... That's no tooth.. That's a tombstone.. But you can't make out the words just yet.. You look at the man who has come to visit this site and you recognize him... it's One Versus All... the leader of The Roman Empire... The Big Dog, Roman Reigns... You begin to move in on the tombstone, desperately trying to read what's chiseled into its face... And as you squint to see through the fog, you make out the words and they make your blood run cold..... ]]-
The Big Show
February 8th, 1972 - April 10th, 2017
-[[ Roman Reigns stares down at the tombstone that seems to literally glow in the light of the moon.. You can see now clear, definable emotion on the face of The Big Dog.. No ego, no pride.. No mock sadness... He remains completely still.. And without warning, his lips begin to part.. And he begins to speak.. To you? To someone you can't see? As he speaks, you realize he's not talking to either.. He's talking to the tombstone.. He's talking.. to The Big Show... ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] Admit it, big boy..... show's over...
-[[ Roman's voice is cold, wooden.. Almost monotone.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] You're not the giant I knew... The Big Show I grew up watching.. THAT Big Show was a true giant... a MONSTER.... You're not the same... You went soft.. The old Big Show woulda steam rolled through that battle royal last week..... hell, he woulda ran through every man, woman and child that stood in his way of that belt... he woulda shown the WORLD his size, his POWER.. he woulda done what he wanted, when he wanted! .....But now, Show... now...
-[[ Roman shakes his head.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] It's just... talk.
-[[ His view of the tombstone never breaks.. He doesn't even blink.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] You created your legend in this business by being a man that could beat any man.. of any talent.. any size.. You were one of the greats... But as the years went on, Show.. You stopped TAKING your success by showing the WORLD your power... and started demanding it with your name.... reminding everybody week in, and week out, that you're this.. giant.... but you're not anymore, Show... the truth is.. you're an insecure little boy.. trapped in a giant's body..
-[[ Roman smirks.. And now it seems as if he's trying to console The Big Show.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] Don't feel too bad about it, Show... Everybody expires at some point.. every dog has his day, and eventually.. everybody becomes irrelevant... even the big bad show.. and even with boots as big as yours... there comes a time when someone's gotta step in and fill 'em..
-[[ Reigns looks down at the ground between his feet.. Or, actually, the fog that swims around his feet, hiding his legs completely from the knees down.... With his free hand, he rubs his chin as if he's trying to think of what to say next, but clearly, you know he knows exactly what he's going to say... ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] Monday night... I'm lacing up.
-[[ Reigns raises a clenched fist and looks down at it.. turning it in the light.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] That's after I've knocked you clean out of 'em!
-[[ The trash talking ceases for a bit.. Reigns actually seems sincere now. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] But I'm a man of much respect, Show... I'm a man that does recognise greatness... and even though you're a big ol' seven foot shadow of your former self.. licking your wounds and sniveling like a lost little puppy after you let Rikishi snub that belt from under your nose... regardless, you'll go down in this business as one of the greats.. one of the biggest, one of the best... I respect that... and that's why, once I've pinned you clean on your back.... I'm gonna let you leave Monday night on your feet.
-[[ Reigns nods his head, running both his hands through his long, wet, dark hair.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] I'm gonna afford you the chance to bow out gracefully... the way a man should... and walk your big ass out of Rhode Island with your legacy intact.
-[[ Roman barely skips a beat, his voice climbing a little in volume.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] Just know this.... when you come back round, and the little birdies have stopped circling your big ol' head... my knuckles tattoo'd across your chin... and you're sitting up in the middle of the ring, dazed and confused.. the Intercontinental Championship belt sitting tight over my shoulder... just know this, man... show's over..... and you're looking at the NEW big dog... the NEW show... MY show!
-[[ Reigns bends down toward the tombstone with his hands on his thighs, getting real close to drill his point home.. ]]-
[ Roman Reigns ] ...And you can BELIEVE... THAT!
-[[ His words echo through the night, startling birds from the branches above..... and with that, Reigns walks away, past you, and down the trail where he disappears into the darkness... ]]-
-[[ Fade out. ]]-