Inside The Mind Of Quartz: June 11, 2002

[Quartz]

The inside of what appears to be a large showing room of a movie theater is revealed. It is very large and very clean. There is not a drop on the walls or floors. The ground is a light black concrete, sparkling from the condition.

 

The camera continues to zoom, showing more of the completely empty theater. The walls and seats are decorated in a soft red cloth like material. Seen is a large white canvas where the movie is likely to be screened. A sudden flicker sounds and a beam of light shines bright on the canvas.

 

No advertisements, no trailers... Just a beam of light. The sounds of the camera fades and the sounds of grunts and a impacts are heard.

 

Once more, the camera slides over to see the once empty theater now occupied by one man, seated in the center of the theater. He's blinking slowly with his arms crossed and his boots kicked up on the seat in front of him. Each blink draws the view closer and closer until his face is shown clearly.

 

Squinted eyes, as if in deep thought. Motionless lips. Unkempt, short beard. White camouflage pants. His right eye almost glowing with the scarlet red seen before in an OCW ring.

 

Inness Quartz.

 

The scene immediately cuts to the picture being played on the movie screen.

 

???: Hmph!

 

A large black punching bag is struck by a thin, white taped hand. It's struck over and over. The sounds of impact increasing each time. The camera zooms out to see a much younger Quartz, with long, flowing blue hair. He continues to strike the bag before he is shouted at.

 

Man: Isaiah?

 

Quartz, pretending not to notice, continues to punch away.

 

Man: Isaiah.

 

The man becomes incessant.

 

Man: ISAIAH!

 

Quartz slams his hand one last time into the bag before the man grabs him by the shoulder. Quartz, who appears noticeably thinner and less tone than his present self, stops punching and holds his hand in the same position, clinched into a fist.

 

Man: You shouldn't be here, you know. You shouldn't be training.

 

Quartz: ...

 

Man: and? You went and dyed your hair? I like the look, buddy but that's not...

 

Quartz turns around slowly and looks down at the older man, who seems to be somewhere in his 50's.

 

Man: You look terrible kid. I'm real sorry.

 

Quartz lowers his brow, seeming befuddled.

 

Man: He wouldn't want you in here right now. You should be at home with Aunt Mar'.

 

Man: ... I can't imagine how you must feel right now, but you know I'm as hurt as you. He was my brother.

 

Quartz ears perk slightly when he hears "He", and he smirks with an inquisitive look on his face.

 

WOOSH

 

The image suddenly freezes in time and zooms back out to the movie theater to see Inness Quartz, whose focus is broken by the sound of loud crunching and erratic footsteps.

 

Walking in with a comedically over-sized bucket of popcorn is OCW Tag Team Champion - present day Ijitu Quartz as we know him, sporting his PRISTINE SUNGLASSES and TTT branded jacket.

 

Quartz plops down next to Inness and lets out a hearty belch before grinning up at the picture. He continues to chew with his mouth open before asking Inness a question.

 

Ijitu Quartz: Whatcha watchin'?

 

Inness Quartz: ....

 

Ijitu Quartz: OH! I LOVE this one. Aha!

 

Ijitu lifts his off hand and pretends to press a button on an imaginary remote control.

 

WOOSH

 

The sounds of his crunching arrogance melt away as the memory being shown on the big screen once again takes focus. The freeze frame of younger Quartz resumes as he asks the old man a question.

 

Quartz: He?

 

Man: Your dad. My brother. Don't be like this, please... Just go home and rest.

 

Quartz leans in and squints before smiling at his uncle.

 

Uncle Nik: Isaiah...

 

Quartz: Ahhh Ah. No, no, no.

 

Uncle Nik sighs at his nephew with tears in his eyes and grabs him in a hug. Quartz smile fades and a look of confusion and disgust takes it's place.

 

Uncle Nik: I know... He didn't do this to you, buddy. He loved you.

 

Quartz holds his hands in front of him, suspended in mid-air as the view zooms out, revealing others within the training area looking empathetic at the two men hugging.

 

WOOSH

 

The frame freezes once more, flashing back to the theater... which has now grown old and dark. The red on the walls and seats is faded and stained. Ijitu Quartz is nearly barreled over in his chair with laughter, he's since dropped the bucket of popcorn on the ground. Inness sits with a deeply saddened look beside him.

 

Ijitu Quartz: Hahahahahah!!! You know what comes next don't you!! This is my favorite part!

 

Inness Quartz: ...Don't you have somewhere to be?

 

Ijitu, still laughing, holds up his empty hand. The OCW Tag Team championship fades in from top to bottom, eventually hanging down into Inness' seat.

 

Ijitu Quartz: Where would that be!? Hahahaha! I've got what I came for, and Rusty wasn't half-useless this time around!

 

Inness Quartz: Rustin has been by your side since before he met me. You shouldn't treat him like that.

 

Ijitu Quartz wipes a tear from his eye sarcastically and looks in a more serious, directed manner towards Inness.

 

Ijitu Quartz: Actually, you baboon. LAST time, I let my stupid self care about what happened to that French idiot and then you stormed in uninvited as always.

 

Ijitu relents...

 

Ijitu Quartz: Ehh, but you know what. TTT took me in and now we're running things around here. I think you need not concern yourself with my friendships. After all, your only friend is this guy.

 

Quartz awkwardly points beside him to a suddenly present Intell Quartz, who is silently reading a large book.

 

Inness Quartz: It's been 17 years now. You still can't see past your own ignorance.

 

Ijitu Quartz: Oh well. I can see gold. That's all I need to see. Now shut the hell up. This is the best part.

 

WOOSH

 

The memory continues to play back from where it last left off. Quartz hands are still hanging by the side of his tearful Uncle, who still has him embraced in a hug.

 

Quartz: Will you get the hell off of me? I'm trying to WORK here.

 

As Quartz shouts the word 'work' he shoves his Uncle aggressively back, who looks devastated. Quartz ties his blue hair back and turns his back, scoffing and looking completely unimpressed by the display of emotion.

 

Uncle Nik: ...You can't blame yourself for this Isaiah.

 

Quartz: Sigh. Say that again, dude. Please.

 

Uncle Nik: Isaiah, ple--

 

Uncle Nik attempts to grab Quartz once more... Quartz snaps around, punching his Uncle directly in the face, which drops him to the floor. He looks up at his nephew who shrugs at him.

 

Quartz: I warned you, gah' dammit!

 

Quartz begins stomping his Uncle on the ground repeatedly before onlookers rush over to pull him off. Quartz is pulled all the way back to a door and frees himself from the crowd. People inside the gym tend to Quartz beaten Uncle.

 

Quartz: Isaiah is GONE! It's YOUR FAULT and it's your BROTHERS FAULT! GET OVER IT, BUB'! I'm taking care of him now. All of you did a shit job. I'm out.

 

Quartz angrily grabs a black bag and removes a pair of sunglasses before flipping them onto his face and storming out of the front door... As he walks down the stairs, it's the same gym Inness and Ijitu observed a very young Quartz run inside in a previous memory.

 

WOOSH

 

Ijitu Quartz stands and stretches before attempting to walk out.

 

Ijitu Quartz: Well, it was fun. You always do pick the funniest ones to trek back through. I'm out. I got better places to be.

 

Inness Quartz looks down, never moving his head towards Ijitu Quartz. Ijitu walks towards the doors, but fades out into dust before reaching it. Inness deeply inhales and stands up...

 

As he stands, the entire theater fades into dust in a similar fashion. He looks around the black abyss. Around the Mind of Quartz he's surrounded by and the view fades out entirely.

[B-17]

Words, bruh!