E.A B In: The House That EAB built

The scene opens to something you may have seen before: a view of a large, skybox corporate office, straight out of the corporate mastermind villain’s base from a movie. This is no movie though, this is the reality, the environment to which the star of today’s scene, E.A. Blizzard is accustomed. The room is beautifully adorned with rare art pieces, a huge oak desk behind which sits the aforementioned man; the large city skyline through the huge windows behind him is not even enough to detract from the aura of the huge, imposing man sitting front and center. A woman, apparently a secretary, scurries out of shot with a sharp hand wave from the man, no words needed, a command of all around him. A command of you watching, as his steely eyes meet the camera, and he begins to talk; dominance and power integrated to every syllable of his speech.



EAB:
Good day, I know most of you saw what took place at Combat Evolved and while I am sure it was something that did shock a lot of the people watching as well as those in attendance, however I did state it clear enough going into the match that what happens will not be my fault, that none of that would be on me. I did not take any enjoyment or joy from what I did to poor Wendy House, such an innocent child did not deserve the fate she got, nor did she deserve to be put in a match against a man like me. However what comes as a surprise to no one I am sure is the fact that I did win that match. It is a fact, I am not proud of it nor am I here to boast about it, what happened, happened and those are the facts. Wendy, when and if you are able to see this I hope you understand that what happened to you was not your fault either, you got into the ring with someone you had never truly faced before and I don’t think someone in your age, with your innocence should be exposed to the type of match you had to go through at Combat Evolved, I am sorry for what happened to you, so very sorry. I could sit here and claim that you should have known better, that you should have just stayed down, but how could you? You are a child Wendy, a young lady who just didn’t know any better. You did what you thought would work out alright, these videogames and their fantasy narrative have gotten to your head and I think you assumed that it would be just like that in real life too, and if you ever realized how it was going to end, by then it was already too late for you to back down, You fought, bravely and valiantly for your age but young lady, you should have stopped for your own benefit, for the benefit of those watching..



We see something in his cold eyes: was it genuine concern for the wellbeing of his previous opponent, over his own actions or uncertainty on how he would be seen going forward. Whatever it was it only stayed for a fleeting moment as he went on.



EAB:
Now my upcoming opponent in EXP 7 is something completely different to my previous opponent: Mr. Don Tirri. A man who spoke in great lengths about having no regrets, about wins and losses, mine and his both and I do applaud him for not hiding what his true feelings towards me and my presence in this company is, however I do doubt some of his logic. Mr. Tirri, sir. You seem to care a great deal about who beat who and who lost to who. You are eager to point out how you are not like my previous opponents, admitting freely that you won’t be strong-armed and manhandled as easily as others before you. Message received good sir, however I do have to question your narrative a tad bit. You want to paint yourself out as the more successful out of the two of us in LEVEL UP, which in some eyes you probably are. My in ring career for what it has been has not been stellar if you look at the score, Ws and Ls that is. What you seem to fail in grasping though is the grander scale of things, my influence, my presence in any of these divisions I set my foot in. I don’t go in and fail, bow out and move on to the next as some sort of a failed last ditch effort, what I do is meticulous work, surgeon precise at times, I lost to Sidroy Covington 4.0 as you pointed out, indeed I did but after that “loss” of mine, that boy has been on fire, being better than he ever was before and look where is now? A champion, something neither of you and me have managed to secure here yet. My grand plan, my vision for this company is far more than going in and booting people in the face and talking down to them. You plan on treating someone like me as your stepping stone for bigger and better things, well Tirri, my friend, as big as you are and as big as your boots are. I am not sure you fully understand just how much work it will truly take to accomplish what you have set out to do against me, not really. Not if you can get past the mere “wins” and “losses” look a bit further than that, imagination, creativity, determination and dedication to decimate all of the obstacles from the way of a better future for this place, it is beyond my personal “record”.



He puts his elbows down on the desk leaning forward just a bit.



EAB:
You talk good about the wins and losses in the ring Mr. Tirri. Real good, must be something you have done for years, decades even to make it sound so convincing. However what happens if we look past that, if we go out of the ring, out of the presence of the crowd, the shows and all that. I have a loving wife, a great healthy marriage. No debt in my name, good steady income, nice house, nice car. Good comfortable position in power, respected by my peers, looked up by those who work below me, for me. What is it that you have outside that ring Mr. Tirri? You are the living embodiment of a failure, a man clearly in astonishing physical shape considering all of your trials and tribulations you have gone through in your life, or putting on a hell of an act if you are not. However, where is your family? Your steady income and livelihood, your job security, insurances and support system. What is it that you have left when the lights go out Mr. Tirri? You keep chasing those championships here, there and everywhere shot after shot, probably betting on the law of averages that if you keep trying you have to win at some point. Like an addict who puts all of their money into slot machines, one more spin, one more throw of the dice, one more hand of cards, it could change it all, right? Just because it hasn’t happened yet does not mean that it couldn’t next time, right? Right? You cling to this career of yours inside that ring like a drowning man on a life preserve because in reality that is the only thing you truly have. Without it, no one would even look twice at you when they pass you on the street. In that ring, in front of that crowd you are a somebody out there, in the real world, beyond video games, live streams you are a nobody. This must not be news to you Mr. Tirri, you can’t be that stupid. All the drinks and whatever you have consumed over your life, with the bumps, bruises, scars and fractures could not have rattled your brain into a shape where you wouldn’t understand the reality of things. Maybe you just assume you are different, be it genetics, pure luck or whatever but you seem to see yourself as something special, something better than others and I understand that more than you will know because let’s be honest Mr. Tirri if you didn’t think of yourself as something that damn good, who the hell would? You are the quintessential lone wolf in the exact sense that you don’t even have your own pack to follow you.



He leans back surprisingly casual and relaxed in that chair of his, you’d half expect him to put his feet up on the desk but he doesn’t do it when he speaks up.



EAB
Wins and losses, No Regrets, those are great bullet points Tirri, simple and to the point, goes over with the masses like gangbusters as the old business mantra goes keep it simple, stupid! You Can't get more simple than that, there may just be hope for you yet. Do my words anger you Don? Does it lit a fire inside you, an all consuming inferno of hatred and will to rip me limb from limb, to pummel my features to a mush, to stomp the life out of me? I hope it does, because going into this match as much as you have done with this chest beating bravado of yours, talking about just how damn good you are albeit admitting that you have taken some losses in your turn too. To Maggie and Lex, no shame in losing to champions right? Of course not, a very valid point but have you considered the chance, even the possibility of what happens if after all that you come against me and you do lose, how would that make you feel as someone who this career is everything, no, the only thing you have left. Look at it on the positive side Tirri, look what happened to Sidroy Covington 4.0 after he faced me, maybe I am the one powerup you truly need as the kids say, maybe I am just the one you need to be in a fight with before you can finally move on and actually unlock yourself at what it takes to be a champion-level? This match between us may just be the most meaningful and epoch-making moment of your time in LEVELUP and the best thing about it? You don’t need downloadable content or a season pass or premium access to get it. I am offering it to you free of charge, your kinda price range something even someone like you can afford Mr. Tirri, no need to thank me, it’s all in a day’s work for E.A Blizzard, you could even say, it’s in the game. I’ll see you out there bud and afterwards, maybe I’ll even buy you a premium beer instead of the discount domestic dribble you probably drink here in America, you can consider it my contribution to the lifetime achievement fund of Don Tirri.

With that we fade to black on Emmanuel Armitage Blizzard smiling that eerie pearly white smile of his.


E.A. Blizzard was enjoying his morning breakfast in his picturesque little home. Sausages, bacon and eggs, easy over of course, all prepared by the most wonderful wife a man could ask for. Sure enough, in she walked.


Betsy: Morning post is here, darling. Um... only one letter; it appears to have a handwritten envelope? Honestly, the writing is quite shocking, it almost looks as if a child wrote it. I’m amazed the poor postman could decipher where to send it.


How strange, Blizzard thought to himself. Handwritten letters were unusual in this day and age. He took the envelope from his wife and examined the envelope. The address was certainly written in something of a scrawl. Opening it up, there were two pieces of paper inside. The first appeared to be a handwritten letter, as expected. He put on his reading glasses and tried to make out what it said.


“Dear Mr. Blizzard


Me’s hope you no mind me’s witing to you’s at home. It’s me, Wendy House. After what happened on Combat Evolved, what you said, and what you’s did to me in our matchie, Wendy has decided to take you’s advice and go home. Me’s gotta Game Over, if you’s like. Wendy has twied weally hard to be big and stwong, to be da pwotagonist and da star, but me’s come to wealize now dat dis is not da way Wendy is meant to be. Me’s hope you no feel bad about our matchie. Wendy understands why you hurt her, Wendy understands why you went overboard, you did it to pwotect Wendy, to show Wendy it’s time to go home. So gone home me’s has.


Me’s will still we watchin’ LVLUP tho. Good luck against Tiwwi. Me’s will be cheerin’s for you’s.


You’s fwiend

Wendy House”


EAB shuffled the letter back to the other piece of paper. It showed Wendy, banged up after the match with a couple bandages, but a big smile on her face, waving at the camera. EAB put down the papers and found himself letting out a little smile.


The girl would be safe. Another good deed done.


EAB couldn’t help but feel she’d grow up to be a smart, strong woman. If only all of the young would listen to their elders. Interns, geeks at desks. All with their own visions and ideas that got in the way of the bottom line.


This world would be a much better place with more people like Wendy House in it.


He snaps out of his thoughts when Betsy put a hand on his shoulder.


Betsy: Emmanuel, what is that look on your face, is it indigestion, heartburn, want me to run up and get your pills dear?


He just tapped on her hand and smiled.


EAB: No, sit down Bets I want to tell you a story about a little girl called Wendy.


She sits down and smiles.


Betsy: Oh is this another one of your projects, one of them there videogames?


He was about to shake his head but Betsy’s words got to him, he frowned before speaking up.


EAB: You know, it just might, one of these days. I mean it is such a unbelievable story I don’t think any sane person would believe it but these nerds believe anything they can jiggle their joystick at. I bet they would pay a lot of money just to be along for the ride for a story like hers, and a whole lot more to learn just who she is, bonus features, added content trickled with extra charges on each one and them there built in payments too.


She chirps out a little giggle.


Betsy: Oh Emmanuel you sure say the funniest things, more juice?


EAB: Oh yes, please. Remember..


She nodded along.


Betsy: Yes, not all the way to the brim because it will spill on the table cloth, I know. I’m such a clutz, did it one time and you won’t let me forget it.


He gets back to his breakfast.


EAB: That’s because you are my girl Bets, you’ve been mine since our high school days and I would never let anything bad happen to you, now shut up and listen while I tell you the tale of one Wendy House.


The two spent a wonderful sunny morning discussing the happenings and doings of Wendy, in a way the protagonist's lore was already making rounds, even if it was just in the Blizzard family household.

At least for now.

(DISCLAIMER: Wendy House in this rp was written by yours truly with permission from her handler)