“There is good inside everything and everyone.”

This simple sentence had been preventing Mr. Darkness from going to sleep for the past two hours. Every time he started to doze off those familiar words replayed through his mind. Sighing rather impatiently he decided to rise from his four pillar bed and don his golden linen robe over his blue silk pyjamas. He heard the familiar snore of the wheelchair bound Roy, despite Roy being a floor below him. Suddenly the Butler burst into the room looking deeply concerned with the bags under his eyes showing his lack of sleep.

“I heard you moving, is there anything I can do for you master? ” asked the ever loyal Butler. Mr. Darkness merely shook his head and waved his servant out of the room. His Butler had a good heart and soul and was perhaps the most loyal servant anyone could ask for, but he cared far too much. It was almost as if the boundaries of the professional relationship and a personal relationship had been blurred and Mr. Darkness was deeply concerned about the situation. But every time he attempted to punish the Butler for it so that no trouble came he found himself unable to.

“There is good inside everything and everyone.”

Mr. Darkness rapped his head with his knuckles, trying to drive the words out of his mind but they were imbedded to deeply. These were not words from a tale inside a storybook, nor a movie or television program, they were words from his mother. Everyday of the short time he had with his mother, she used to utter the words as she tucked him in, they were soothing and hopeful and made the snug and content child which would soon grow to be Mr. Darkness fall into a deep sleep. But why now? Why did they suddenly appear in his mind and torment him, refusing to leave like angry protestors trying to prevent deforestation. But why now?

Weary and exhausted from his hard day of training Mr. Darkness strode over to his mahogany wood desk and examined the single sheet of paper which laid there. It was a fax from the World Wrestling Alliance regarding his next match, an encounter with an enemy of Devils Own, The Muppet Man in the first round of the Embrace The Power tournament. It was a chance for Mr. Darkness to make amends for his Television championship loss and he intended to take advantage of it.

His mission was simple, not only did he need to attain victory but also take the Muppet Man out of wrestling. If he managed to injure the Muppet Man so badly he could no longer compete he would gain the respect of his leader Dave Harley and the respect of Devils Own. But as much as Mr. Darkness prepared to injure the Muppet Man there was something nagging him. As much as he despised the Muppet Man and everything he now stood for he was unable to get in the frame of mood that men need to injure another.

“There is good inside everything and everyone.”

The tormenting sentence came once again and this time it timed it’s arrival to perfection. After all, the Muppet Man was one of the most hated men on the WWA roster, he lived nothing but evil, breathed nothing but darkness but he changed. It is true that he was tricked into turning against the Devils Own but he never stood down. He continued to stand in their way and fight, fight for the good side. He proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was good inside even the most evil of people.

But how did he find it?

Mr. Darkness was faced with an ultimatum, not only did he have to contemplate the match that lay ahead but also the situation with Jack Griffiths. It had been a good few months since Rocky Adams, the self proclaimed Saviour of the WWA had challenged Mr. Darkness into finding the good inside of him. And for a handful of days it appeared that Mr. Darkness had done just that. But it could not last as he famously turned against Rocky and bloodied him in a most disturbing display. But is it not strange that two people believed there was good inside of Mr. Darkness? Here he was, a rich evil man that embellished the darkness yet two of the greatest and most loveable men in the world who had nothing but love believed that this person that contrasted them so greatly could be just like them. But surely, a man that had done so much evil, that had hurt so many people could not have an ounce of good in the blood that pumped around his body.

“There is good inside everything and everyone.”

Is there? Is there really good inside everyone? Mr. Darkness looked at his hands, the same hands which burnt down his own home, the same hands that he used to beat down other living human beings, could they really belong to someone who had good inside of him? No, they couldn’t, it’s impossible right?

And then the memories of his mother came flooding back, the way her hair smelled in the morning, the way she made everything seem better, the love she showed to her friends, neighbours and family and more importantly the way everything she said was true. Everything.

And then it clicked, the reason why Mr. Darkness could not get into the right frame of mind to destroy the Muppet Man. It was all so simple. Deep down, somewhere inside of him, he respected the Muppet Man. Not a lot, but a small amount of respect was there somewhere at the bottom of his cold black heart. It was almost like the first flower breaking out from the ground at the beginning of spring. The first sign of there being good in the most evil of places.

“NO! I WILL NOT! I CANNOT! I WILL NOT BECOME GOOD!” The yells seemed unsure and frightened, here was a man that had been evil for so long that the thought of being good frightened him. The Butler returned once again, fear on his face, and even Roy found himself wheeling into the room out of curiosity.

“wHaT iS GoINg oN?” asks the long time hostage and former sidekick of Rocky Adams, the Butler merely shrugs his shoulders as he tries to confront his master. Mr. Darkness’ face is screwed up and he shivers with sweat pouring down his pale waxy white face.

“Help me,” whispers Mr. Darkness as he looks into the eyes of his faithful servant. The Butler helps Mr. Darkness onto his black leather chair and tries to console him.

“HELP ME!” bellows Mr. Darkness like an animal trapped and in pain. The breathing rate suddenly increases musch to the concern of the Butler.

“How can we help you master?” the Butler asks in a shaken voice as he clasps his master’s hand in an attempt to comfort him. He had never seen his master like this in all the long years he had been serving him for.

“Drive the good out of me!” pleads Mr. Darkness. Roy and the Butler look on in confusion.

“n0!” The short abrupt yell comes from the voice box of Roy. Mr. Darkness drops down to his knees and finds himself at the same eye level as his wheelchair bound hostage. “dIdN’T yOuR mUMmy eVeR tElL yOu fAiRy tAlES?” Mr. Darkness nods his head.

“She also told me something else…” Mr. Darkness pauses.

“wHaT?” asks the curious and unnaturally sounding voice box.

“There is good inside everything and everyone,” Mr. Darkness relays the message onto his servant and Roy.

“tHeRe iS,” declares Roy without even moving his lips…

“You just have to hunt for it, and when you find it you have to embrace the power that it gives you,” surprisingly the Butler speaks up. Mr. Darkness turns to look at his servant shocked that the Butler had the courage to declare it.

Could he?

Could Mr. Darkness hunt for the god inside of him?

Could he find the good inside of him?

Not only did Mr. Darkness have to win an important match on the upcoming Meltdown, but he might also have to embrace the power of good.

There is good inside everything and everyone.

But does that include evil?

The Butler that had served an evil master for many, many years believed so.

The wheelchair bound man who had also lost his friend and was being held hostage by a man that epitomised evil believed so.

And many moons ago a little boy that was fast asleep after being told by his mother that there was good inside everything and everyone would certainly have believed so.