All humans possess a universal trait – the ability to beg. This characteristic is observable from infancy, as babies articulate their need to be cradled or fed. Adolescents, too, beseech, particularly when they yearn for something unattainable. Even animals display this conduct, seeking care or nourishment through their calls.
However, the act of pleading only leaves you vulnerable to others’ whims. Isn’t that correct, Burned Man? Consider Jinx’s case. She entered Old School Wrestling intending to prove herself a formidable adversary. She dared to target me, challenge me – an indication of her robust, tenacious spirit. But within just a week’s time, she seems to have lost that very spirit, her pride and dignity stripped away.
And how did this transpire? Through her incessant pleading. She is desperate to uncover the truth about her brother’s fate and is aware that I hold the missing pieces to her puzzle. Initially, she sought revenge, wanting me to experience her brother’s plight. But now? She does not possess that same fervor – that same toughness and gall. I could see as much just last week. It seems that her desire for retribution has morphed into a craving for answers, for which she is prepared to beg.
In this aspect, Burned Man, you and Jinx share common ground. In that, you are willing to succumb to my control in the hope of gaining the answers you seek. It is no secret that you are a man who has had his back against the wall for quite some time now, and that the only thing on your mind is survival. Yet, until recently, if I were to mention the name Faith, you would drop to your knees and beg for any bit of information about him – just as if I were to mention the name Thomas, Jinx would abandon her desire to harm me and beseech me for assistance.
So, you see, Burned Man, your fate has already been sealed. You have tasted the bitter reality of despair, the torment of uncertainty. You have begged and pleaded for help, only to be met with silence or, worse, ridicule. Yet here you are, still upright, still battling. Only, you are just as desperate now as you have ever been, and that, Burned Man, is your greatest weakness.
So, as we step into the ring, with the fire nipping at our heels, understand that your desperation, your pleas, they won’t be your salvation. They will not elicit compassion or leniency. You have made your bed by inviting the flames, and now, you are going to lie in it. You are going to feel the heat, the pain, and the fear that comes with knowing that you are at my mercy. Once the smoke clears, and you are left with nothing but the ashes of your hopes and dreams, perhaps then you will comprehend the cost of pleading.
But until then, keep begging, Burned Man. It only stokes the flames.