Title: Hubris Syndrome
Featuring: High Flyer
Date: Somedate
Location: Sometime

INT. GREEN ROOM

A large "PRIME" flag sways gently in the background.

In the foreground, former PRIME 5-Star and Tag Team Champion
High Flyer sits deep in the midst of a lengthy pause. His
shoulders tense, his eyes bloodshot, he can barely remain
upright.

HIGH FLYER
Cause you never quite know just how
long you have left in this game.

Flyer leans back, rubbing his eyes and letting out a sigh.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
I'm gonna cherish every minute
left.



INT. ODESSA'S TRAINING DUNGEON - NIGHT

The dim overhead lights flicker, with every other fluorescent
bulb hanging overhead broken. The stench of human sweat is
overpowering. A class of eight students surround a makeshift
rickety ring, years worse for the wear. A large "O" decals
the center of the ring, in the shape of a target.

It would be a quiet scene if not for former PRIME Tag Team
Champion Tony Davis, shortened buzzed hair and an old school
"VIAGRA" Jacket DJing. Well, his idea of DJing is simply
playing the latest Girl Talk album and calling it his own.

Two students outside one side of the ring are currently
working on collar and elbow tie up routines. The usual, arm
wringer, reverse into a hammerlock, switch go behind, break,
repeat. The smaller of the duo has a poor blonde dye job, his
black roots showing. He stands with a cocky smirk and wears
professionally made golden tights. He is Derek Edwards, or
better known to the wrestling world as Ed, one half of ACW's
Pop Culture Phenoms. He releases from the go behind and rolls
his shoulders to the larger commanding student before him.

ED
Good Jackson. Again.

Ed charges and locks another collar and elbow on Jackson,
who's loose fitting shirts appear to be getting in the way.

On the opposite side of ringside, three students are
currently weight lifting. Trey acts as a spotter for the
other two, as he is easily the strongest of the three.

In the far corner of the gymnasium, former PRIME star Mary
Lynn Mayweather, cute as ever, red as ever, discusses
something with another young blonde woman. This blonde woman,
Emma, is at least 5'7" and towers over our petite Mayfly.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
You've got the size most women
dream for in this business.

Mayweather stiffens her shoulders and stands tall.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER (CONT'D)
Don't be ashamed of it.

Emma smiles as Mayweather as Mayweather laughs nervously.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER (CONT'D)
Pro Wrestling is more about
confidence than anything else.
Believe you can do it, and then the
fans believe it too.

Inside the ring, wearing the singlet he wore for his very
first matchup was High Flyer. It was adorned with lighting
bolts and strange nonsensical symbols. It was also dark
maroon with white stripes. He spars with one of the students
who was further than his peers. A six foot two red headed man
by the name of Stan Meyers.

Stan charges toward Flyer and takes an arm drag. Both men
recover and Flyer throws another one, but Steve's foot caught
across Flyer's skull. Stan lands stiffly on his shoulders as
Flyer clutches his eye socket. Stan rolls to his feet and
braces his collarbone.

HIGH FLYER
Alright?

Flyer walks over and leans down.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
That's why you never curl your body
on an arm drag.

Stan rises to his feet and delivers an eye rake. Flyer sells
it and stumbles backward. He turns and smiles.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
Nice ploy.

Flyer turns toward Tony Davis, who is spinning imaginary
records whenever the musical beats of Girl Talk "screech" or
switches tracks.
Flyer shouts toward Tony, but Davis is directly in between
the two large speakers used to broadcast the music.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
TONY! TONY!

Flyer continues to shout, using his thumb across his neck to
signify cutting the music. Tony is however, too deeply
invested in the musical track, holding headphones to one ear
as if he were a professional.

Mary-Lynn Mayweather walks over and smacks him in the back of
his head. His headphones drop onto the table as Tony looks at
her quizzically. She points to the ring, where Flyer
continues telling Tony to cut the music. He finally listens.

This cutting of the music brings attention to the ring better
than any ringing bell could. The students surrounding
ringside drop what they're doing and take places around the
outside of the ring. Even Mary-Lynn and Tony walk up to a
neutral corner. Stan rests in the corner, holding himself up
by the middle rope and sitting on the bottom turnbuckle pad
in an awkward fashion.

Flyer turns to face his students and grabs a bluetooth
headset from a corner turnbuckle. His voice booms over the PA
speakers Tony had just used to play his music.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
This sport is improv.

Flyer begins to pace around the ring.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
I'm a student of comedy and
wrestling, and they share a lot in
common. They both require complete
trust in your partner. They require
the ability to adapt when
situations go haywire.

Flyer cracks his neck from side to side.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
The first rule of improvisational
comedy is of the utmost importance
when we speak of professional
wrestling. It's the concept of
"Yes, And?"

Flyer surveys his students.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
I see a lot of confused faces out
there. But it's a very simple
concept. In improv, when someone
brings up a concept, such as their
grandmother in the hospital, you as
the partner do not deny his claim
and ask how his dead grandmother is
in the hospital. You agree that his
grandmother is sick, and you ADD to
the scene, by say, asking if it's
because she ate an abnormally large
amount of peanuts her entire life.

Flyer shrugs.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
It's the exact same in professional
wrestling. When someone does
something to you in this ring, you
commit to it. You never say no, no,
that didn't happen, I'm way too
awesome for a back rake to hurt. I
don't care what the Undertaker or
Hulk Hogan does, or Tatanka did for
whatever reason. You aren't
Hulkamania. You aren't undead. You
aren't a supernatural Native
American. You sell, everything.
ESPECIALLY the unexpected. Roll
with the punches.

Flyer smiles.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
Good advice for life in general.



INT. DOCTOR'S WAITING ROOM - LATER

High Flyer and Mary-Lynn Mayweather sit side by side in a
doctor's waiting room. Flyer wrings his hands in an attempt
to stay warm. Mayweather is bundled in a large parka, reading
TIME Magazine.

HIGH FLYER
You think a doctor's office would
pay for a heater so their patients
didn't die of pneumonia.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
Nah. It's a racket. You come in for
your check up, get pneumonia,
return three days later.
It's actually ingenious in a
morally bankrupt way.

A nurse steps out of a side door. She holds a clipboard.

NURSE
Jack Harmen?

Flyer stands to his feet and nods to Mary, who smiles and
waves.



INT. ODESSA'S TRAINING DUNGEON

Continuous from earlier, Flyer turns and looks at Mayweather.

HIGH FLYER
So Mary. Would you like to be my
dance partner for this training
session?

Mary walks up the metallic stair case with no hesitation. On
the apron, she smiles.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
Thought you'd never ask.

Mayweather uses the bottom rope to spring up and over the top
and land on her feet inside the ring. The two lock up collar
and elbow, as Flyer locks in an arm wrench. He repeats the
motion to wring her elbow. Mayweather flips forward and up to
her feet, before going behind for a hammerlock. Mayweather
puts pressure before Flyer reaches behind and hooks
Mayweather in a side headlock.

HIGH FLYER
See we've done this a while. We
know each other's secondary
signals. She squeezed my index
finger and I hooked her exposed
head for a side. I feel her
squeezing my thumb so I'm gonna
follow her as she backs me into the
ropes and...

Flyer follows Mayweather and as Mayweather tries to shoot him
off, Flyer wrenches the hold in further.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
Now you may think I just said no to
her shoot, but I'm just delaying
the inevitable. Sometimes a delay
is a good thing.

Mayweather pushes Flyer back and this time successfully
shoves Flyer off. Flyer jogs at a brisk pace.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
Now it's her job to telegraph
subtly whether she's going low or
high.

Mayweather looks down, as Flyer jumps over. Back off the
other side, Mayweather looks up as she leap frogs. She
smiles, hair tossing in the wind as she seems to be
thoroughly enjoying her time in the ring. She twirls like a
dancer, awaiting Flyer as he bounces off the other side.

POV, Flyer bounces off the ropes and sees Mayweather spin.
Suddenly, the lights in the arena glow and shimmer around
her, shining brighter than possible.

Mayweather watches Flyer stumble off the ropes and fall to
his knees. He clenches his eyes as he stares at Mayweather.

Flyer's body goes limp as he collapses directly on the center
of the ring. His head sprawled dead center of the decal logo
"O" target.



INT. DOCTOR'S WAITING ROOM - LATER

Ms. Mayweather dutifully waits to become a chauffeur once
more. She reads TIME magazine, swinging her legs underneath
her chair.

The side door opens and out walks Flyer, who quickly walks
past Mayweather and out the front door. In a shock,
Mayweather tosses the TIME magazine to the side and hurries
to catch up.



EXT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Mayweather exits and catches up to a quickly striding Flyer.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
Fly, what's up?

Flyer doesn't respond, instead continuing to his car. He
unlocks the passenger side and climbs in. Mayweather takes it
as her cue and enters the driver's side. She starts the car.



INT. JACK HARMEN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS

As Mayweather releases the parking brake and begins to drive
off, she turns to Flyer.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
Listen, you can't keep me in
suspense.

HIGH FLYER
What, it's just a concussion.
Nothing to be too worried about.
They want me to do some bloodwork
and stay off of my feet for a day
or so.

Mayweather frowns.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
So, you're going to decline the
invitation to the Jewel tournament
then, right?

Flyer looks away. After a lengthy pause, Mayweather
continues.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER (CONT'D)
I mean, you aren't in peak physical
condition.

HIGH FLYER
I'm a pro wrestler. When am I ever?

Flyer reaches into his pockets and takes out a smoke. He
lights it and rolls down the passenger window a crack.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
I'm not gonna let another little
concussion stop me Mary. I mean,
I'm almost 35. Pro wrestlers like
me have a life span of an NFL
Running back. I'm lucky to still be
in this business.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
Sure, I understand.

HIGH FLYER
No, you don't. You haven't had the
level of success I've had. To know
that you may have already reached
your pinnacle? To think you'll
never be on top of the wrestling
world again? You can't fathom how
it feels to know your best days are
behind you.

Mayweather screeches the car to a halt off to the side of the
road.

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
So you're willing to get yourself
almost killed in EPW's King of the
Cage, and then repeat the process
not even a month later in PRIME?
You know the doctors won't let you
compete without a clean bill of
health.

HIGH FLYER
Only if they know about it.

Mayweather gasps.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
You know how many concussions I've
had?

MARY-LYNN MAYWEATHER
No, but I bet you don't either,
because of the amount of
concussions you've had.

HIGH FLYER
Very smart. I know what I'm doing.
I know what I want. And I'm going
to take it. If I lose in the Jewel,
at least I know I gave it my all.
And I can wait till next year, or
try my hand at GTT again. Who
knows. All I know is that I want
that last moment in the sun.

Flyer leans forward, staring directly at Mayweather.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
And I'm gonna do everything I can
to have it.

He pulls the side lever and leans back in his seat, pushing
the cushion all the way down onto the backseat, forcing the
Lunatic out of frame. He groans.

HIGH FLYER (CONT'D)
Just drive.



EXT. STREETS - CONTINUOUS

Pulling out overhead, the camera cranes skyward as Mayweather
puts the car back into drive and shoves off.
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