Post by Eli Goode on Apr 10, 2022 1:36:15 GMT -5
I’m a champion. Well, I’m not a singles champion. I have a partner. I have someone to help me carry the load. It’s been a while since I’ve had that. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to trust someone to help me with something like that. Maybe this is the start of something? I don’t know. I know that we’re going to need to continue to work on our partnership, but this is a good start. It’s funny really… I never thought that I’d be willing to have a partner ever again. That last time I won a team championship was with Amber Ryan. She was like a sister to me, but she, probably, didn’t think of me in the same way. I can’t really remember. All I remember is that we were a strong team, and she was always able to help me when I was emotionally defeated. I haven’t gotten back in contact with her since we both left Carnage Wrestling. She went her own way, and I came to LevelUp. I saw her at the beginning of The Last of Us gauntlet match, but I never interacted with her backstage. Maybe I should call her? No, I don’t want to piss Mac off. Plus, she’s busy in Sin City Wrestling. I don’t want to be a distraction. I don’t want her to start thinking I want to be back in her life, full-time. However, I have yet to make amends with her. I don’t know. I honestly don’t know anymore. There is one person I wish I could make amends with… JC. He’s always been someone, since I joined Carnage, I’ve never been able to agree with. Hell, I can almost guarantee that he still hates my guts. He’s someone that I wish to make amends with. That’s the thing with pro wrestling. It’s rare to have friends. You make so many enemies that you lose sight of making allies… I’ve made too many enemies. I wish I could make more friends. Maybe Brody is the start of that. Maybe I can make amends with JC and Matthew Knox. Maybe I should reach out to Amber and Mac. I don’t know. I don’t know what my future could possibly hold with them. All I do know is that my future is starting to look brighter because of Brody and Katie. My life is finally headed in the right direction. Everything is finally looking up, and that’s all that anybody could ever ask for.
Off-Camera - Part One
Eli Goode lays on his back in a park looking up at the clear sky. He releases a soft sigh and smiles to himself. He feels at home. He feels safe. He feels… a hand gently rub across his chest. Katie moves close to him and rests her head on his arm. He wraps his arm around her body and keeps her close to him. A weight lifts off his shoulder with her near him. He finds peace when she is near him. He does not truly understand how that is possible, but she brings out a side of him that he never thought existed. He feels calm. Eli gently kisses her on her head, and Katie snuggles close to him. Eli closes his eyes and smiles to himself.
“I really don’t want to go to Indiana tomorrow.”
“You could always call in sick. I think your boss would understand. Maybe tell him that you caught a contagious bug. They’d never want you back.”
He chuckles and slightly looks down at her. She looks up and smiles.
“I don’t think they’d believe that. Plus, I’d be letting Brody down. He’s been becoming a friend to me, and I can’t let him down. It’s funny, I started out antagonistic towards him, but suddenly, I don’t know, something’s changed within me. Something is not the same…”
“Ok, you are not about to start quoting Wicked to me. Nope, I’ve heard that song too many times.”
She pushes on his chest and sits up, chuckling at Eli’s quotation. Eli laughs as he gets up as well. The two stare at each other for a few moments. Katie smiles and covers her face with her hair.
“What? Do I have something on my face?”
“No, it’s just… You’ve done something to me. I thought it was something else, but it’s been you. You’ve helped me open up to people. I just… I just don’t know how you did it.”
“You could say I opened your eyes to another side in people, or I just helped you forgive yourself. When was the last time you thought about talking to your ‘Other Half?’”
“It’s been a while actually. I’ve been able to stay on my medication, finally. I’ve kept up a good training regimen. I’m not extending myself too thin. I just… I just feel whole.”
Eli’s smile slightly fades away as he looks away from Katie. She tilts her head and moves closer to him.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
She rubs her hand against his back. He spins his thumbs in a circle looking away from her. He slightly looks at her but keeps his face away from her.
“Though Brody is starting to become a friend, I feel as though I’m ignoring some old friends. Friends that I haven’t talked to in a while. People that helped me in the past.”
“Why don’t you call them?”
“They’ve probably changed their phone numbers by now. Hell, they’ve probably deleted me from their phones. I wouldn’t want to talk to someone from my past either. Especially when that person was really just a business partner and not truly a friend. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just making it all up.”
“Eli, like I’ve told you before, you’ll never know until you try. Brody was someone you would never consider a friend. Now, look at you two. I wouldn’t say you’d fall on a grenade for him, but you’d at least help him on a food run.”
Eli laughs and gently caresses Katie’s hand. She places her other hand on his hand.
“All you have to do is pick up your phone and call them. If they hang up, they’ll hang up. There’s nothing else you can do about it. If they answer, maybe it’s their way of saying they want to keep your friendship. Again, the only thing you can do is try.”
Eli smiles and looks over at her. He nods keeping her hand in his.
“Yeah, you’re right. You’re always right.”
“I know. That’s why I’m the brains of this relationship.”
“Whoa, you’re the brains?”
“Yeah, I’m the brains, and you’re the looks.”
The two laugh together and kiss each other. They lay back on the ground and release the kiss. The two stare at each other feeling something that they had never felt before. An emotion that would be risky to say out loud. They keep it inside, waiting for the right moment to say those scary three words.
-----
Off-Camera - Part Two
As Eli Goode and Brody Adams get their gear on, Eli looks over at his phone and releases a deep breath. He pats Brody on the arm.
“Hey, give me a minute. I just gotta make a quick phone call. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Don’t take too long, man. I don’t think I’ll be able to handle myself alone out there.”
“Dude, I’m not leaving you alone. I’m just gonna be a few seconds. That’s all. I’ll be there. I promise.”
Brody looks down at Eli and nods. Brody jumps up and down, the anxious energy coursing through his body, and walks out of the locker room. Eli walks over to his bag and grabs his phone. He opens up the contacts and scrolls through a few names: Jack Michaels, Johnny Chaos, Jeff Payne, and others pop up. He finally reaches the name he was looking for… Amber Ryan. He stares at his phone and thinks about what he could say. Maybe he could simply say “Hi” to her. No, that is too standard. She is currently in Greece for a Sin City Wrestling show. Maybe he could say “Geia.” Wait, he does not know Greek.
He takes in a deep breath, tapes on her name, and presses call. He holds it up to his ear and hears it ring. He pulls it away from his ear and presses the red phone to end the call. He looks at it and taps the side of the phone. He rolls his eyes and calls her again. He hears it ring once. He hears it ring twice. He hangs up the phone and groans in annoyance.
“C’mon Eli, what’s so hard about calling someone? What’s gonna happen? She’s not gonna answer? What’s wrong with that? She’s a busy woman. She’s busy winning matches and being successful. She doesn’t have time to talk to you.”
He starts to put his phone back in his bag, but he holds it back up to stare at it.
“But what if she wants to talk to you? What if she wants to catch up? I mean, you were partners with each other. Sure, it was a business thing, but you were close with each other. You were like brother and sister, almost. She’d probably love to answer the phone. Yeah, she’ll answer. Go ahead call her.”
He calls her again, but once the phone rings, he hangs up again. He groans in annoyance and stares at the phone.
“But she probably hates your guts. She doesn’t wanna talk to you anymore. This is so frustrating. Why is it so hard to call someone? Why does she have to be so difficult? Why can’t I just call her?”
He sits down and looks at the phone. He exhales and scoffs at himself.
“Because that was a bridge that was burnt. She doesn’t care about you anymore, Eli. You’re just someone she passed by from her past. Hell, she wasn’t even focused on you at The Last of Us II. You were just a whisper in the wind to her stardom. She’s a Bombshell now. And you, you’re still trying to climb the ladder of glory. It’s ok though. Maybe, you’ll be able to reach her level. ‘Wrestler of the Year?’ Yeah, that’s not you anymore. It’ll always be her though.”
He stares at the phone and chuckles at it. He starts to put it in his bag again but keeps his hand over his bag. He exhales and smiles to himself.
“Fuck it.”
He brings the phone back to him and calls Amber one final time. He keeps the phone to his ear and hears it ring once, twice, thrice…
-----
On-Camera
“How sweet it is to be a champ-ee-on. Yeah, James Taylor understood a good message. For all the young people, the actual song goes, ‘How sweet it is to be loved by you.’ I just wanted to change the lyrics a bit, but hey, here we are again. Except for this time, I’ve got a gauntlet on my hand. This time, I get to call myself one-half of the Multiplayer Champions. Brody is a man that I never expected to be a champion with. In fact, if you would’ve asked me this time last year that Brody Adams would be my multiplayer partner, and that we’d be Multiplayer Champions. I would’ve asked you, ‘Who’s Brody Adams?’ That’s how crazy this is. Ever since our multiplayer match, Brody and I have been working together to strengthen our bond. We’ve been making sure that we could work better as a team, and I’m proud to say that we are a stronger team than when we started. I’m proud to say that our anxieties are at an all-time low.
Now, there are a few things that Brody needs to work on, but overall, he’s a main-event-level talent. I know, you didn’t think I’d say those words a few weeks ago, but I’m willing to say them now. I’m willing to say that I’m proud to have Brody as my partner. He’s one of the only people I can trust in our matches. Again, weird to say, but it needs to be said. Plus, there’s no one else I would trust to have in my corner when I have to go up against Larry Tact and EA Blizzard.
You know, it’s so annoying having to face them again. Look, I’m willing to admit when someone has had my number. Tact is one of those people. He’s always had my number. Even when I thought I had him, he always made sure to have my number. However, his partner, on the other hand, is a different story. EAB has only had my number a few times, and the match that could’ve solidified it proved to be a detriment to him. Yes, the briefcase on a pole match. I remember that match so fondly. You were on your way to a Final Boss title match, and you had all the momentum in the world. Unfortunately, I was the one that had to cut that momentum off. In fact, I think a lot of people had you pegged to win that match against me. Oopsie, I cost you more than just the match against me, but also the Final Boss Championship match. It’s that just depressing.
EAB, you and I have been dancing with each other for a long time. Hell, when I heard you teamed up with Tact to create The Game Changers, I thought it was hilarious. My personal rivals in LevelUp teaming up to form a faction? How can that not be funny to me? EAB, in our past, you had the upper hand a lot, but that was when I was alone. I’m not alone anymore. I have Brody by my side. I have a partner I can trust. Are you sure that you can trust Tact? Are you sure that Tact is someone that has your best interest at heart? Let’s say, hypothetically, you both keep your titles up til TriForce Heroes: Can you trust him to help you out, or will you lay down for him? I hate thinking about what might happen if you two still have the belts til then. Don’t expect to keep the Courage Title, EAB. I’m not saying I’m going to be the one to take it off of you. Hell, you might lose the belt to either Kat Jones or Chelsea Skye at EXP 24. All I’m saying is don’t trust Tact. He’s a backstabber, and you know it.
Speaking of Mr. Tact, Larry, it’s so good to see you finally grow up for once. Look, you made a few good points at EXP 22, but I need to ask you a very important question: How’s your jaw feeling? I mean, I have a pretty strong knee, and I hope I didn’t break anything. Wait, no, I do wish I broke something. Tact, you and I have done multiple dances together. But don’t forget about when you first faced me. You had to cheat to win. Sure, you’ve improved since then, but don’t forget that I took a break in December. I wonder what would’ve happened if I didn’t. Would you be the Power Champion? Would you have started The Game Changers? Or, would I have stopped you before any of this came to pass?
You’re fickle, Larry. Victoria wasn’t able to win the Wisdom Championship, and you kicked her out. You say you care about your team, but they’re just a means to an end. I’m shocked you didn’t kick Drake and ISAAC out. They didn’t win the Multiplayer Championships. Brody and I did that. Larry, you aren’t as powerful as you say you are. You’re just a man hiding behind people. You don’t want to truly get your hands dirty. The only reason you accepted this match was that I forced you to. Hell, the only reason you’re doing anything to me is that I called you out. I know if I didn’t do that, you’d just be hiding in the back waiting for The Developer to give you something to do. No, I’m giving it to you right now.
Larry, you’re nothing. You’re truly nothing, and I can’t wait to kick your ass in our match. Brody is going to be by my side taking EAB out, but you’re going to have to keep your attention on me. Is winning your title my end goal? No, it’s not. If Ziggy Morgan or Donny Mason beat you for the title, will I leave you alone? No, I won’t. I’ll only leave you alone once I make a lesson of you. For too long, you’ve been causing people damage to LevelUp, and I’m tired of it. You think that The Game Changers is going to change the world, but you’re sadly mistaken. At EXP 23, I’m going to make sure you understand what it’s like to feel fear. You can have your little wand nearby, but I’m going to have my crowbar. The thing about a crowbar is it can pull things apart. I hope you’re not attached to your wand.
Tact, EAB, The Game Changers are finally going to understand what it's like to be on the defense. You’ve been terrorizing LevelUp since Final Fantasy, and it’s finally time to clean up all of your messes. The terrorizing will end by my hand, even if I have to do it alone. Fortunately, I won’t be alone, not anymore. My partner, Brody Adams, will be by my side, and this will only be the beginning of the end of The Game Changers. He’s going to tear you both apart, limb from limb. I can see the end of the match now. Me pinning EAB while staring you down Larry. I hope you’re ready to lose at EXP 24.
The Wayward Sons are going to come out as the winners of this match for one simple reason. It’s because we’re both simply… That Damn Goode.”
Off-Camera - Part One
Eli Goode lays on his back in a park looking up at the clear sky. He releases a soft sigh and smiles to himself. He feels at home. He feels safe. He feels… a hand gently rub across his chest. Katie moves close to him and rests her head on his arm. He wraps his arm around her body and keeps her close to him. A weight lifts off his shoulder with her near him. He finds peace when she is near him. He does not truly understand how that is possible, but she brings out a side of him that he never thought existed. He feels calm. Eli gently kisses her on her head, and Katie snuggles close to him. Eli closes his eyes and smiles to himself.
“I really don’t want to go to Indiana tomorrow.”
“You could always call in sick. I think your boss would understand. Maybe tell him that you caught a contagious bug. They’d never want you back.”
He chuckles and slightly looks down at her. She looks up and smiles.
“I don’t think they’d believe that. Plus, I’d be letting Brody down. He’s been becoming a friend to me, and I can’t let him down. It’s funny, I started out antagonistic towards him, but suddenly, I don’t know, something’s changed within me. Something is not the same…”
“Ok, you are not about to start quoting Wicked to me. Nope, I’ve heard that song too many times.”
She pushes on his chest and sits up, chuckling at Eli’s quotation. Eli laughs as he gets up as well. The two stare at each other for a few moments. Katie smiles and covers her face with her hair.
“What? Do I have something on my face?”
“No, it’s just… You’ve done something to me. I thought it was something else, but it’s been you. You’ve helped me open up to people. I just… I just don’t know how you did it.”
“You could say I opened your eyes to another side in people, or I just helped you forgive yourself. When was the last time you thought about talking to your ‘Other Half?’”
“It’s been a while actually. I’ve been able to stay on my medication, finally. I’ve kept up a good training regimen. I’m not extending myself too thin. I just… I just feel whole.”
Eli’s smile slightly fades away as he looks away from Katie. She tilts her head and moves closer to him.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
She rubs her hand against his back. He spins his thumbs in a circle looking away from her. He slightly looks at her but keeps his face away from her.
“Though Brody is starting to become a friend, I feel as though I’m ignoring some old friends. Friends that I haven’t talked to in a while. People that helped me in the past.”
“Why don’t you call them?”
“They’ve probably changed their phone numbers by now. Hell, they’ve probably deleted me from their phones. I wouldn’t want to talk to someone from my past either. Especially when that person was really just a business partner and not truly a friend. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just making it all up.”
“Eli, like I’ve told you before, you’ll never know until you try. Brody was someone you would never consider a friend. Now, look at you two. I wouldn’t say you’d fall on a grenade for him, but you’d at least help him on a food run.”
Eli laughs and gently caresses Katie’s hand. She places her other hand on his hand.
“All you have to do is pick up your phone and call them. If they hang up, they’ll hang up. There’s nothing else you can do about it. If they answer, maybe it’s their way of saying they want to keep your friendship. Again, the only thing you can do is try.”
Eli smiles and looks over at her. He nods keeping her hand in his.
“Yeah, you’re right. You’re always right.”
“I know. That’s why I’m the brains of this relationship.”
“Whoa, you’re the brains?”
“Yeah, I’m the brains, and you’re the looks.”
The two laugh together and kiss each other. They lay back on the ground and release the kiss. The two stare at each other feeling something that they had never felt before. An emotion that would be risky to say out loud. They keep it inside, waiting for the right moment to say those scary three words.
-----
Off-Camera - Part Two
As Eli Goode and Brody Adams get their gear on, Eli looks over at his phone and releases a deep breath. He pats Brody on the arm.
“Hey, give me a minute. I just gotta make a quick phone call. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Don’t take too long, man. I don’t think I’ll be able to handle myself alone out there.”
“Dude, I’m not leaving you alone. I’m just gonna be a few seconds. That’s all. I’ll be there. I promise.”
Brody looks down at Eli and nods. Brody jumps up and down, the anxious energy coursing through his body, and walks out of the locker room. Eli walks over to his bag and grabs his phone. He opens up the contacts and scrolls through a few names: Jack Michaels, Johnny Chaos, Jeff Payne, and others pop up. He finally reaches the name he was looking for… Amber Ryan. He stares at his phone and thinks about what he could say. Maybe he could simply say “Hi” to her. No, that is too standard. She is currently in Greece for a Sin City Wrestling show. Maybe he could say “Geia.” Wait, he does not know Greek.
He takes in a deep breath, tapes on her name, and presses call. He holds it up to his ear and hears it ring. He pulls it away from his ear and presses the red phone to end the call. He looks at it and taps the side of the phone. He rolls his eyes and calls her again. He hears it ring once. He hears it ring twice. He hangs up the phone and groans in annoyance.
“C’mon Eli, what’s so hard about calling someone? What’s gonna happen? She’s not gonna answer? What’s wrong with that? She’s a busy woman. She’s busy winning matches and being successful. She doesn’t have time to talk to you.”
He starts to put his phone back in his bag, but he holds it back up to stare at it.
“But what if she wants to talk to you? What if she wants to catch up? I mean, you were partners with each other. Sure, it was a business thing, but you were close with each other. You were like brother and sister, almost. She’d probably love to answer the phone. Yeah, she’ll answer. Go ahead call her.”
He calls her again, but once the phone rings, he hangs up again. He groans in annoyance and stares at the phone.
“But she probably hates your guts. She doesn’t wanna talk to you anymore. This is so frustrating. Why is it so hard to call someone? Why does she have to be so difficult? Why can’t I just call her?”
He sits down and looks at the phone. He exhales and scoffs at himself.
“Because that was a bridge that was burnt. She doesn’t care about you anymore, Eli. You’re just someone she passed by from her past. Hell, she wasn’t even focused on you at The Last of Us II. You were just a whisper in the wind to her stardom. She’s a Bombshell now. And you, you’re still trying to climb the ladder of glory. It’s ok though. Maybe, you’ll be able to reach her level. ‘Wrestler of the Year?’ Yeah, that’s not you anymore. It’ll always be her though.”
He stares at the phone and chuckles at it. He starts to put it in his bag again but keeps his hand over his bag. He exhales and smiles to himself.
“Fuck it.”
He brings the phone back to him and calls Amber one final time. He keeps the phone to his ear and hears it ring once, twice, thrice…
-----
On-Camera
“How sweet it is to be a champ-ee-on. Yeah, James Taylor understood a good message. For all the young people, the actual song goes, ‘How sweet it is to be loved by you.’ I just wanted to change the lyrics a bit, but hey, here we are again. Except for this time, I’ve got a gauntlet on my hand. This time, I get to call myself one-half of the Multiplayer Champions. Brody is a man that I never expected to be a champion with. In fact, if you would’ve asked me this time last year that Brody Adams would be my multiplayer partner, and that we’d be Multiplayer Champions. I would’ve asked you, ‘Who’s Brody Adams?’ That’s how crazy this is. Ever since our multiplayer match, Brody and I have been working together to strengthen our bond. We’ve been making sure that we could work better as a team, and I’m proud to say that we are a stronger team than when we started. I’m proud to say that our anxieties are at an all-time low.
Now, there are a few things that Brody needs to work on, but overall, he’s a main-event-level talent. I know, you didn’t think I’d say those words a few weeks ago, but I’m willing to say them now. I’m willing to say that I’m proud to have Brody as my partner. He’s one of the only people I can trust in our matches. Again, weird to say, but it needs to be said. Plus, there’s no one else I would trust to have in my corner when I have to go up against Larry Tact and EA Blizzard.
You know, it’s so annoying having to face them again. Look, I’m willing to admit when someone has had my number. Tact is one of those people. He’s always had my number. Even when I thought I had him, he always made sure to have my number. However, his partner, on the other hand, is a different story. EAB has only had my number a few times, and the match that could’ve solidified it proved to be a detriment to him. Yes, the briefcase on a pole match. I remember that match so fondly. You were on your way to a Final Boss title match, and you had all the momentum in the world. Unfortunately, I was the one that had to cut that momentum off. In fact, I think a lot of people had you pegged to win that match against me. Oopsie, I cost you more than just the match against me, but also the Final Boss Championship match. It’s that just depressing.
EAB, you and I have been dancing with each other for a long time. Hell, when I heard you teamed up with Tact to create The Game Changers, I thought it was hilarious. My personal rivals in LevelUp teaming up to form a faction? How can that not be funny to me? EAB, in our past, you had the upper hand a lot, but that was when I was alone. I’m not alone anymore. I have Brody by my side. I have a partner I can trust. Are you sure that you can trust Tact? Are you sure that Tact is someone that has your best interest at heart? Let’s say, hypothetically, you both keep your titles up til TriForce Heroes: Can you trust him to help you out, or will you lay down for him? I hate thinking about what might happen if you two still have the belts til then. Don’t expect to keep the Courage Title, EAB. I’m not saying I’m going to be the one to take it off of you. Hell, you might lose the belt to either Kat Jones or Chelsea Skye at EXP 24. All I’m saying is don’t trust Tact. He’s a backstabber, and you know it.
Speaking of Mr. Tact, Larry, it’s so good to see you finally grow up for once. Look, you made a few good points at EXP 22, but I need to ask you a very important question: How’s your jaw feeling? I mean, I have a pretty strong knee, and I hope I didn’t break anything. Wait, no, I do wish I broke something. Tact, you and I have done multiple dances together. But don’t forget about when you first faced me. You had to cheat to win. Sure, you’ve improved since then, but don’t forget that I took a break in December. I wonder what would’ve happened if I didn’t. Would you be the Power Champion? Would you have started The Game Changers? Or, would I have stopped you before any of this came to pass?
You’re fickle, Larry. Victoria wasn’t able to win the Wisdom Championship, and you kicked her out. You say you care about your team, but they’re just a means to an end. I’m shocked you didn’t kick Drake and ISAAC out. They didn’t win the Multiplayer Championships. Brody and I did that. Larry, you aren’t as powerful as you say you are. You’re just a man hiding behind people. You don’t want to truly get your hands dirty. The only reason you accepted this match was that I forced you to. Hell, the only reason you’re doing anything to me is that I called you out. I know if I didn’t do that, you’d just be hiding in the back waiting for The Developer to give you something to do. No, I’m giving it to you right now.
Larry, you’re nothing. You’re truly nothing, and I can’t wait to kick your ass in our match. Brody is going to be by my side taking EAB out, but you’re going to have to keep your attention on me. Is winning your title my end goal? No, it’s not. If Ziggy Morgan or Donny Mason beat you for the title, will I leave you alone? No, I won’t. I’ll only leave you alone once I make a lesson of you. For too long, you’ve been causing people damage to LevelUp, and I’m tired of it. You think that The Game Changers is going to change the world, but you’re sadly mistaken. At EXP 23, I’m going to make sure you understand what it’s like to feel fear. You can have your little wand nearby, but I’m going to have my crowbar. The thing about a crowbar is it can pull things apart. I hope you’re not attached to your wand.
Tact, EAB, The Game Changers are finally going to understand what it's like to be on the defense. You’ve been terrorizing LevelUp since Final Fantasy, and it’s finally time to clean up all of your messes. The terrorizing will end by my hand, even if I have to do it alone. Fortunately, I won’t be alone, not anymore. My partner, Brody Adams, will be by my side, and this will only be the beginning of the end of The Game Changers. He’s going to tear you both apart, limb from limb. I can see the end of the match now. Me pinning EAB while staring you down Larry. I hope you’re ready to lose at EXP 24.
The Wayward Sons are going to come out as the winners of this match for one simple reason. It’s because we’re both simply… That Damn Goode.”
