Post by "The Iron Titan" Eli Atlas on Mar 25, 2021 1:08:17 GMT -5
We return to the home of Eli Atlas in Detroit, Michigan, it’s a muted version of the ending of the previous promotional piece he filmed. This time however, the camera entirely is focused on the family portrait. The camera zooms in on the photo as all sound and all visuals fade away. Soon enough all that’s left is the photo. Even more so, the photo starts to fade as eventually, the only two left in view are young Eli Atlas, and the girl, his sister, Erica. The camera lingers on the pair for a few moments before fading to black.
—-
Music blares loudly, tables are banged, and banged harder. The room seems to shake. Of course it’s revealed to be the inside of a packed bar. A large “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!” banner hangs above the main counters. The walls, the windows, the floor and of course the patrons are decked out in the colour green. Everyone seems in a chipper, excitable, not at all sober mood. Some try to sing and hum along to the tune of an Irish drinking song. Not everyone can stay on key, but who really would notice? Other non-singers sway and dance along, often having to keep themselves from falling over. A young woman, looking tired but with a forced chipper attitude to her, dressed accordingly in a sparkly green “Bar None!” company shirt slowly escapes a crowd of drunken parties. She takes a breather against one of the reflective glass walls. Something, or perhaps someone, catches her eye.
In contrast to everyone and everything else. Outside of the window we can see none other than Eli Atlas dressed all in black. The scene darkens again to black.
St. Patrick’s Day! A day for Catholic Ireland to rejoice, and celebrate Ireland, and Catholicism, I guess. I couldn’t really tell you much about St. Patrick, and I’m pretty sure many of you couldn’t either. I might even say its lost its meaning. What do most of us, Irish and non-Irish really associate with this day? Oh! Bring out your green clothes, eat Lucky Charms for breakfast, check on your Irish friends! But most of all? It’s St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s all get trashed!
____
A single beep can be heard followed by an exchange against the blank screen.
Erica, you know that it’s still Thursday, right?
This whole almost in college thing has really sucked the fun out of you, huh? You never used to even hesitate at these things. You were the one who insisted I go out and have a social life in school. I liked my books just fine.
Well, it’ll make you a more well adjusted person, you’ll thank me!
You sure you can’t go? I know that G and Q.T. really wanted you to come too. You’re sure you’re sure?
E- I can’t, I’m tryna do this for all of us. I can’t come. No.
Will you at least try to pick me up later?
Maybe?
K, I’ll meet you here later. Mama says we got a car now, so we better use it.
The scene finally opens as we follow Eli along a sidewalk. It was quiet, peaceful even.
It’s weird how sometimes things can just feel so boring, so routine, so plain. Like how every single inch of this sidewalk just looks so the same. I’ve walked this very same sidewalk, day after day Daniel Horror, Mr. Inaugural Champion, you can threaten the same brutality, day after day. You can claim that you might blaze a trail of fire back to the very top of this division but I promise you, your path, your fire, your moment, your fifteen minutes, they’ve been done and they will be done. You won’t take this title off me, and after Wired Consequences, I’m done with you, for at least awhile.
Eli stops abruptly, reached the end of the sidewalk. A quick pan to the left shows St. Thomas Secondary, which matched a blue “S.T.S.S. Class of 2010” top he wore.
___
Another beep.
Similarly the screen lingers as we can hear a brief conversation.
Look, I don’t like it either but you know, you gotta have better self control, people are gonna say all kinds-a bullshit.
Yeah well you know I ain’t ever been the calm one. I always been the oldest. I oughta be the man of the house now.
You ain’t have to, not really. I know you feel that way but..Still wish you hadn’t punched the guy, even if he said…
Me too aight? But I did. His folks didn’t have to work so hard to get him enrolled here and he kn-Never mind, can’t drive you home though.
Fine, fine…
The scene fades back into a quiet, empty hallway, all except for out main man Atlas. He makes his way down the hallway looking particularly at the lockers. He reaches out with a finger, running it along a set of lockers until he stopped at one. Locker 394.
This wasn’t mine, mine was actually on the other side of the school actually
He chuckles in a momentary pause.
This locker belonged to a guy named Trevor Walsh. I remember that because I chased him all the way back here from the school cafeteria. See, I wasn’t always the cool, calm, collected level-headed gentleman fighter you know today. In fact, it was pretty damn easy to get to me. The skinny kid just had to say one or two things against my father rest his soul and my hard-working, saint of a mother and I…
He balled up his fist and tapped the lockers to either side of 394.
I bashed his head into here, and here. Then right in the middle for good measure. Of course, obviously I got caught and the rest...well we’ll get there in a second. Zack Tyler, you’re also going to be in the match at Consequences, though, I don’t even know why. Apparently, your “consequences” for losing are well MORE losing. If I were you, I’d be annoyed. I might be frustrated, I might be angry. You get in that ring and you try to show the world how good you are. Sometimes, even before the show.
Eli winks with a cocky smirk.
Even then, you couldn’t get it done. You can’t win, even in matches without any rules. So at Wired, be angry, be reckless, don’t care. I know from experience, fighting angry leads you nowhere. If anything, it ends to a lot of pain. For me, this lesson was taught to me in a much more personal way. To you? Maybe not as much, but it’ll be in public, in the eyes of thousands watching in the stands and at home. Try not to quit on us after you lose again. World has enough sore losers.
He tilts his head in thought as he catches a glimpse of an “AP” classroom. He shakes it off as the screen fades to black.
Beep.
_______
S-she what?
We hear the busy noise of traffic and impatient cars as the camera pans up to reveal we are at intersection. In this portion, the sounds are drowned out as Eli makes use a P:H paycheck to do some voiceover.
I still go over it, every now and then. What if I had agreed to that party? What if I told Erica not to go at all? Would she have been safe at home? What would she doing now? What if I didn’t get detention? What if I hadn’t chosen violence that day? I would’ve at least been able to say goodbye one last time, right? I wouldn’t have gotten in trouble when I got home, so I could’ve picked her up. I could have kept her safe.
Crash, of course that was what you go by. Erases all the mystery of what happened later. Life is full of crossroads, full of choices and chances. You were there for the very start of my reign as Ascension Champion. You, and Daniel I-don't-know-I-kinda-feel-bad-he-shares-a-name-with-Horror the Cow. I know I would have won regardless, but I know some people might say you had a hand in the title change. You even came out to even the odds against some sore losers last Fallout. I respect what it is that you are able to do in that ring. You have guts, bruh. Some people might even say you’ve been a guardian angel for me. Who knows what have happened if you hadn’t run in, twice. I say again, I know I would’ve won both times, you just happened to be along for the ride. This is your first big shot under the bright lights and YOU come to your crossroads. What will you do? Will you show up or go belly up? What’s to stop you from crashing and burning? Are you ready for this? I like you, Rodriguez but I'd be careful before we call you Icarus Rodriguez. Weeks ago, you fought the beef’s battle, at Wired you fight your own. You best believe you’re gonna have to make ALL the right choices to even have a shot at being champion. If you run straight in, you will slip up. Even if you make all the right moves, I’ve made the one that counts. I’ve made the choice not to let anyone beat me, not Horror, not ZT, not Kasey, not you. Whatever the match, you signed the contract, you lose. You chose to dishonour yourself, to dishonour your cow. You signed the contract, you deal with the consequences.
The screen fades with another beep.
______
We can hear three slow but loud beeps. On the third, it prolongs, the sound of a flatline.
The scene reopens as the Ascension Champion walks into an empty classroom. It was clear that it wasn’t new, or at least the stuff hadn’t been repainted in awhile. Atlas leaned up against the chalkboard and took in the room again with older eyes.
I served detention in here, the absolute worst on St. Patrick’s Day 2010. Not that it was actual torture. It was boring as ever, didn’t even think much of it at the time.
He repeats a familiar line, alongside the voice of his sister, they both repeat it.
...you gotta have better self control, people are gonna say all kinds-a bullshit.
Eli stops writing and takes a step back. On the board, written in chalk are lines such as “Fluke”, “No REAL challengers”, and “0-2, 0-3”. Eli however seems to focus on one in particular. “Keeping it warm for da Winterborn!”
I’ve heard it all since the announcement. Hell, from people and from me. Most of the fans, most of those folks on the roster have made up their mind. I know Christian has his champion in mind. Kasey Winterborn, the uncrowned! The hottest prospect in this company! The soon-to-be Ascension Champion! Plus, it’s not on one, the champ doesn’t like that. It’s wrapped up! Done and dusted!
The champion claps his hands together, both hands meeting in the middle as one hand goes up and the other down. Then again, the other way.
I can’t disagree with facts, I can’t undo what’s happened. I couldn’t un-lose Erica, I can’t help it that every year, while the world celebrates… drinking for the sake of drinking, it’s one of the worst days of my year because of what one guy who had way too much to drink did. I am helpless to all that. When that all happened I had just a few months left in senior year. The door was open for me to quit. Even my family expected me to fold. I was barely holding it together. Everyone and everything counted me out. I blamed myself for that last day I had with her. I let them have their assumptions and I held myself together long enough to pull it off. But honestly, it’s all a blur. I really only remember being sad over losing her. I’m not properly over her, don’t think I will be until I can drink on March 17ths.
Erica was my younger sister but she taught me some real mature shit.
Eli took another long, hard look at the remarks on the board, again finding himself focusing on that one particular line.
Kasey, straight up, I’m a fan, I’ve been dying to get in that ring with you. I think that you have all the talent in the world. You were hand-picked to help elevate this division as its new leader. Everyone is waiting for your coronation. It’s just a matter of time. This might be one of those rare times when there’s more pressure on the challenger than on the champion. It’s you who everyone bet on. It’s you who everyone is looking for. You may have been brought in to help elevate this division but it’ll only be by participating in my defining victory. Your moment? Despite all your ability, and despite all the confidence in yourself ON TOP of the hopes of all your fans and GM, you’ll fall short. I’m sure you’ll have other moments, but the one at Wired Consequences ends in a loss. I’ve accepted that people may have written an obituary for my reign but I am ready to shock the world. I refused to fold then, and I refuse to fold now. I won’t let you, or anyone just take the Ascension Championship from me. This version of me, the one who’s already been called beat, is the most unpredictable, dangerous one you will ever see.
Eli begins to erase the board until it’s blank again
For everyone who thinks I’ve already lost, be prepared for the consequences.
The scene ends for a final time.
—-
March 17, 2021
Music blares loudly, tables are banged, and banged harder. The room seems to shake. Of course it’s revealed to be the inside of a packed bar. A large “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!” banner hangs above the main counters. The walls, the windows, the floor and of course the patrons are decked out in the colour green. Everyone seems in a chipper, excitable, not at all sober mood. Some try to sing and hum along to the tune of an Irish drinking song. Not everyone can stay on key, but who really would notice? Other non-singers sway and dance along, often having to keep themselves from falling over. A young woman, looking tired but with a forced chipper attitude to her, dressed accordingly in a sparkly green “Bar None!” company shirt slowly escapes a crowd of drunken parties. She takes a breather against one of the reflective glass walls. Something, or perhaps someone, catches her eye.
In contrast to everyone and everything else. Outside of the window we can see none other than Eli Atlas dressed all in black. The scene darkens again to black.
St. Patrick’s Day! A day for Catholic Ireland to rejoice, and celebrate Ireland, and Catholicism, I guess. I couldn’t really tell you much about St. Patrick, and I’m pretty sure many of you couldn’t either. I might even say its lost its meaning. What do most of us, Irish and non-Irish really associate with this day? Oh! Bring out your green clothes, eat Lucky Charms for breakfast, check on your Irish friends! But most of all? It’s St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s all get trashed!
____
A single beep can be heard followed by an exchange against the blank screen.
Erica, you know that it’s still Thursday, right?
This whole almost in college thing has really sucked the fun out of you, huh? You never used to even hesitate at these things. You were the one who insisted I go out and have a social life in school. I liked my books just fine.
Well, it’ll make you a more well adjusted person, you’ll thank me!
You sure you can’t go? I know that G and Q.T. really wanted you to come too. You’re sure you’re sure?
E- I can’t, I’m tryna do this for all of us. I can’t come. No.
Will you at least try to pick me up later?
Maybe?
K, I’ll meet you here later. Mama says we got a car now, so we better use it.
March 18, 2021
The scene finally opens as we follow Eli along a sidewalk. It was quiet, peaceful even.
It’s weird how sometimes things can just feel so boring, so routine, so plain. Like how every single inch of this sidewalk just looks so the same. I’ve walked this very same sidewalk, day after day Daniel Horror, Mr. Inaugural Champion, you can threaten the same brutality, day after day. You can claim that you might blaze a trail of fire back to the very top of this division but I promise you, your path, your fire, your moment, your fifteen minutes, they’ve been done and they will be done. You won’t take this title off me, and after Wired Consequences, I’m done with you, for at least awhile.
Eli stops abruptly, reached the end of the sidewalk. A quick pan to the left shows St. Thomas Secondary, which matched a blue “S.T.S.S. Class of 2010” top he wore.
___
Another beep.
Similarly the screen lingers as we can hear a brief conversation.
Look, I don’t like it either but you know, you gotta have better self control, people are gonna say all kinds-a bullshit.
Yeah well you know I ain’t ever been the calm one. I always been the oldest. I oughta be the man of the house now.
You ain’t have to, not really. I know you feel that way but..Still wish you hadn’t punched the guy, even if he said…
Me too aight? But I did. His folks didn’t have to work so hard to get him enrolled here and he kn-Never mind, can’t drive you home though.
Fine, fine…
The scene fades back into a quiet, empty hallway, all except for out main man Atlas. He makes his way down the hallway looking particularly at the lockers. He reaches out with a finger, running it along a set of lockers until he stopped at one. Locker 394.
This wasn’t mine, mine was actually on the other side of the school actually
He chuckles in a momentary pause.
This locker belonged to a guy named Trevor Walsh. I remember that because I chased him all the way back here from the school cafeteria. See, I wasn’t always the cool, calm, collected level-headed gentleman fighter you know today. In fact, it was pretty damn easy to get to me. The skinny kid just had to say one or two things against my father rest his soul and my hard-working, saint of a mother and I…
He balled up his fist and tapped the lockers to either side of 394.
I bashed his head into here, and here. Then right in the middle for good measure. Of course, obviously I got caught and the rest...well we’ll get there in a second. Zack Tyler, you’re also going to be in the match at Consequences, though, I don’t even know why. Apparently, your “consequences” for losing are well MORE losing. If I were you, I’d be annoyed. I might be frustrated, I might be angry. You get in that ring and you try to show the world how good you are. Sometimes, even before the show.
Eli winks with a cocky smirk.
Even then, you couldn’t get it done. You can’t win, even in matches without any rules. So at Wired, be angry, be reckless, don’t care. I know from experience, fighting angry leads you nowhere. If anything, it ends to a lot of pain. For me, this lesson was taught to me in a much more personal way. To you? Maybe not as much, but it’ll be in public, in the eyes of thousands watching in the stands and at home. Try not to quit on us after you lose again. World has enough sore losers.
He tilts his head in thought as he catches a glimpse of an “AP” classroom. He shakes it off as the screen fades to black.
Beep.
_______
S-she what?
We hear the busy noise of traffic and impatient cars as the camera pans up to reveal we are at intersection. In this portion, the sounds are drowned out as Eli makes use a P:H paycheck to do some voiceover.
I still go over it, every now and then. What if I had agreed to that party? What if I told Erica not to go at all? Would she have been safe at home? What would she doing now? What if I didn’t get detention? What if I hadn’t chosen violence that day? I would’ve at least been able to say goodbye one last time, right? I wouldn’t have gotten in trouble when I got home, so I could’ve picked her up. I could have kept her safe.
Crash, of course that was what you go by. Erases all the mystery of what happened later. Life is full of crossroads, full of choices and chances. You were there for the very start of my reign as Ascension Champion. You, and Daniel I-don't-know-I-kinda-feel-bad-he-shares-a-name-with-Horror the Cow. I know I would have won regardless, but I know some people might say you had a hand in the title change. You even came out to even the odds against some sore losers last Fallout. I respect what it is that you are able to do in that ring. You have guts, bruh. Some people might even say you’ve been a guardian angel for me. Who knows what have happened if you hadn’t run in, twice. I say again, I know I would’ve won both times, you just happened to be along for the ride. This is your first big shot under the bright lights and YOU come to your crossroads. What will you do? Will you show up or go belly up? What’s to stop you from crashing and burning? Are you ready for this? I like you, Rodriguez but I'd be careful before we call you Icarus Rodriguez. Weeks ago, you fought the beef’s battle, at Wired you fight your own. You best believe you’re gonna have to make ALL the right choices to even have a shot at being champion. If you run straight in, you will slip up. Even if you make all the right moves, I’ve made the one that counts. I’ve made the choice not to let anyone beat me, not Horror, not ZT, not Kasey, not you. Whatever the match, you signed the contract, you lose. You chose to dishonour yourself, to dishonour your cow. You signed the contract, you deal with the consequences.
The screen fades with another beep.
______
We can hear three slow but loud beeps. On the third, it prolongs, the sound of a flatline.
The scene reopens as the Ascension Champion walks into an empty classroom. It was clear that it wasn’t new, or at least the stuff hadn’t been repainted in awhile. Atlas leaned up against the chalkboard and took in the room again with older eyes.
I served detention in here, the absolute worst on St. Patrick’s Day 2010. Not that it was actual torture. It was boring as ever, didn’t even think much of it at the time.
He repeats a familiar line, alongside the voice of his sister, they both repeat it.
...you gotta have better self control, people are gonna say all kinds-a bullshit.
Eli stops writing and takes a step back. On the board, written in chalk are lines such as “Fluke”, “No REAL challengers”, and “0-2, 0-3”. Eli however seems to focus on one in particular. “Keeping it warm for da Winterborn!”
I’ve heard it all since the announcement. Hell, from people and from me. Most of the fans, most of those folks on the roster have made up their mind. I know Christian has his champion in mind. Kasey Winterborn, the uncrowned! The hottest prospect in this company! The soon-to-be Ascension Champion! Plus, it’s not on one, the champ doesn’t like that. It’s wrapped up! Done and dusted!
The champion claps his hands together, both hands meeting in the middle as one hand goes up and the other down. Then again, the other way.
I can’t disagree with facts, I can’t undo what’s happened. I couldn’t un-lose Erica, I can’t help it that every year, while the world celebrates… drinking for the sake of drinking, it’s one of the worst days of my year because of what one guy who had way too much to drink did. I am helpless to all that. When that all happened I had just a few months left in senior year. The door was open for me to quit. Even my family expected me to fold. I was barely holding it together. Everyone and everything counted me out. I blamed myself for that last day I had with her. I let them have their assumptions and I held myself together long enough to pull it off. But honestly, it’s all a blur. I really only remember being sad over losing her. I’m not properly over her, don’t think I will be until I can drink on March 17ths.
Erica was my younger sister but she taught me some real mature shit.
Eli took another long, hard look at the remarks on the board, again finding himself focusing on that one particular line.
Kasey, straight up, I’m a fan, I’ve been dying to get in that ring with you. I think that you have all the talent in the world. You were hand-picked to help elevate this division as its new leader. Everyone is waiting for your coronation. It’s just a matter of time. This might be one of those rare times when there’s more pressure on the challenger than on the champion. It’s you who everyone bet on. It’s you who everyone is looking for. You may have been brought in to help elevate this division but it’ll only be by participating in my defining victory. Your moment? Despite all your ability, and despite all the confidence in yourself ON TOP of the hopes of all your fans and GM, you’ll fall short. I’m sure you’ll have other moments, but the one at Wired Consequences ends in a loss. I’ve accepted that people may have written an obituary for my reign but I am ready to shock the world. I refused to fold then, and I refuse to fold now. I won’t let you, or anyone just take the Ascension Championship from me. This version of me, the one who’s already been called beat, is the most unpredictable, dangerous one you will ever see.
Eli begins to erase the board until it’s blank again
For everyone who thinks I’ve already lost, be prepared for the consequences.
The scene ends for a final time.
________
In memory of Erica Kate Harris
August 11, 1994 - March 17, 2010
________