Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2022 5:58:33 GMT
The scene opens to a darkened room, an ornate wooden table standing beside a leather chair. On the table were various items; a bottle of dark red wine surrounded by three glasses, and a silk sheet covering a box-shaped object. A light haze of dust shimmered in the solo spotlight illuminating the area. A soft, yet steady, tapping sound broke the silence, as a figure from the shadows stepped closer to the light.
"Power corrupts..."
The figure stepped slowly into the light, allowing it to climb up his body until the wild, crimson hair of Dionysus shimmered in its radiance.
"And absolute power...well, you get the idea."
Dionysus walked over to the chair, taking a seat and began to reach for the bottle. "Let's be honest; as soon as I saw the name of this federation was Absolute Power, I figured I'd have to make some wise crack using that tired quote." He withdrew a corkscrew from his jacket pocket, twisting into the cork. "But then again, what is Absolute Power if not a touch clichéd, am I wrong? A tournament to decide the champion, a management team unable to keep their talent in line, a crop of talent who is looking to cement their legacy in a new environment. My, but it is all chaotic in this place, isn't it?" Dionysus pulled the cork from the bottle and poured as evenly as he could into the three glasses. "The quest for Absolute Power...or this one, anyway, comes to a head at Absolution. In what many may describe as an entirely unexpected result."
"I could go on about what absolute power means to me, how I expect to answer The Avenger's call and to set the record straight with Matt Stone, but isn't that what we've all been talking about up until this point? No, let's focus...on this." Dionysus took hold of one of the now filled glasses, swirling it absent-mindedly as the liquid gently navigated around the sides of the glass. "See, absolute power has the connotation of being at its peak. We cannot shape it; we can only hold it and wield it to our own desires. If we try to force it..." Dionysus clenched his hand around the glass, shattering it in the process. The wine and glass shards spilled onto the floor as Dionysus chuckles to himself. "...we end up overextending ourselves, and destroy what we have built already. On the other hand..." Dionysus reaches for another glass, once again absent-mindedly swirling the contents. "We still need to have a firm grip. Otherwise...well, we'd lose it quite quickly," he continued, loosening his grip and allowing the glass to slip from his hands and shatter on the floor. Dionysus grinned, not allowing himself to turn his focus to the floor. "Don't worry; I'll clean that up. So the one who receives the absolute power in the end will need to be able to confidently control what it is they have received, but also not abuse that power."
Dionysus looked up, pausing in thought, before gently shaking his head. "Perhaps that wasn't the best example," he said, reaching his hand toward the silk cloth. With a deft flick of the wrist, he pulled the fabric with a flourish, revealing...
"Tell me, have you ever thought about how you play Monopoly?"
Dionysus smiles, picking up the remaining wineglass and taking a long sip. "In all of Monopoly, very few can argue against the notion that the most powerful position to be in at the table is that of the banker. Usually this ends up being somebody who knows the game well enough that they can just focus on managing the board as a whole; collecting cards, breaking bills down for other players. Generally, with how the game usually flows, we'll end up utilizing the basic rules of the game and follow those to a T. That said, we all have different house rules and different ways that we play. Avenger, for example, might be the kind of justice-seeking guy that would want to give all the players a chance to come back and win it, so he'd want things like the Free Parking jackpot and doubling your money when you land on Go. The problem is, while it makes Avenger a good player to play with, it also delays the game, sometimes to extreme lengths. Then we have Matt Stone, who might prefer to flex his muscle and have a more oppressive playstyle. Maybe its starting with less money, or not being able to take certain actions while you're in jail. While potentially fun, though likely frustrating, options for people to play with, this would inevitably cause the game to break down, and no doubt could cause tables to be flipped over." Dionysus paused, setting his glass on the table and putting both hands on it. "Not this one; this is my table."
He regained his composure, recovering the glass and once again absent-mindedly stirring. "The same thing can be said of absolute power. Avenger's ideals of truth and justice may be great, and don't get me wrong, I'm not knockin' a guy who has a sense of right and wrong in this industry. I just also believe that when you hold that power, you need to be willing to not hold back when it is necessary. Frankly, I don't see that being a positive checkmark in Avenger's playbook. Matt Stone, on the other hand, is also the kind of person who would beat you over the head with that power, from Mediterranian to Connecticut, from Pacific to Boardwalk, but in the process would also destroy him and those who choose to be around him. In essence, the person best suited to wield absolute power would be the one who understands that yes, you must be firm, but also fair."
Dionysus poked a finger into his chest. "And that's where I come in."
He set the glass down as he leaned closer to the point he was focusing on. "I'm the type of person who, when playing Monopoly, I like to mix up my house rules; give a few options that give players more flexibility, but also at a cost to them. Certainly, you can have the Free Parking jackpot space, but now bail is set to $100 and all that goes to the drawing space. You want to be able to move between railroads you own? Sure, but only to the next immediate space and you're stuck there for another turn. Likewise with absolute power; I am able to determine just what I am dealing with and be able to use its power effectively at the same time. I'm sure this is a revelation a lot of people who have eyes on this match are not expecting. What, this guy who took three shows to finally secure a win? A man who ended up needing the aid of a monster to help shake off the funk? Some random duder who talks about his ass too much? HE'S one of the hopefuls for the top prize?!"
He slams his hand on the table, the noise echoing in the room. "Do you know how many times I've had to silence my own self-doubt in order to address the mob's doubt in me? These guys only want instant gratification and do not appreciate the journey I have taken. And now, where I'm in a prime position to sit at the precipice, the imposter syndrome starts to kick in once more. By some miracle, I have managed to make it this far. Win or lose, I have silenced enough doubt. All that is left is to do what I can to walk out with my desired end result. Avenger's goals are praise-worthy but overly lofty. His demeanor leaves a lot to be desired, acting more of the friendly neighborhood variety than Earth's mightiest. Maybe that's why he ended up near the bottom of that pile in the end. And as for Matt Stone...I mean, what is there really to say? The clock saved him from me beating him once already. No amount of blustering or character assassination is going to take that moment away from him. In his mind, I was this close to becoming a blemish on his otherwise perfect record...one to match my own, now that I think of it. It gnaws away at the mind, allowing for stupid thoughts to creep in, such as 'I don't need to worry about a guy who barely beat me; I'll just focus up here.' Choosing to ignore a threat because of your own hubris is what caused you to get pinned in the end."
Dionysus focuses once more, clasping his hands in front of him while leaning closer toward the focus point. "Ultimately, though, this puffing of my chest is not going to win me any contests. It is what I put into that ring that will decide that. So that's just what I'll do. I will take my chance. I will sit in the free parking of my opponents' minds for a shot at what's in that community chest. No offense to either Avenger or Matt Stone, but at Absolution, the powers that be will unite around me, completing my transformation into the First Class Singularity. And I will stand above all here, holding the world in my hands."
"And you...you will go back to the locker room."
"Go directly to the locker room."
"Do not pass Go."
"Do not collect $200."