There's that word again

[Masao Akiyama]

Destiny.

There’s that word again, there’s that anticipation, and the build-up of nervous and niggling of excitement pushes at you and drives you forwards.

It also eats at you, crushing and weighing you down, holding you back.

Goddamn Destiny.

Suddenly all the words of loud mouthed trainers makes sense, they look at you in the face as you work on the basics, the fundamentals, the things you NEED to know whispers of confidence, building on blocks and skills to give you all the tools you’ll need for when it eventually goes wrong, and all the while your hear the word.
Hang around the people enough , show enough promise and the whisper becomes a murmur, becomes take and the next thing you know they’re saying you’re next, saying you’ll be one of them, maybe even a legend, The tale builds and you start to believe in it yourself, you have to, anything else would be lying to yourself.

Invictus.

It’s easy to be alone in a sea of teams and alliances it would seem, friendships either last a lifetime or last just long enough to meet a common goal, before spiraling out, Eli found the idea depressing that he could count his friendships mostly in the people he didn’t work with right now those he did? The competitive spirit was too high and the sense a dagger was lurking for your back and more importantly your spot was never an easy one to reconcile.

So what now?

The usual plucky grit was not enough anymore, Terella had absolutely manhandled him last time and he got the win through grit and hope.

The question was of course, could he do it again?

Everything hurt, not for the first time but this time he was examining himself in the mirror in the dull Texas sunlight.
He grunted a bit as he half imagined just what Portia and Stephen were getting up to at that moment and decided to switch his mental image to another channel as he was examining a small handicam, looking at his phone gazing past the horizon towards an uncertain future

It was a funny life, being a wrestler, but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

---

“So, Deja Vu all over again. Beat him once I just gotta do it again fo’ sho right?”

We fade in on that suited Eli, leaning back on an actual chair dressed in a dark suit professional almost business looking, stroking his own chin as he sighs leaning forwards as footage of the belt and Terella’s various defenses of it playing into vision as we slowly focus once again on Eli’s voice.

“Man if it were so easy, right? ‘cause I gotta say Terella you put the pain to me last time. People are just saying, hey it’s OK man you beat him once, you just gotta do it again. This time when he’s -mad- at you! This time is when he really has something to prove and this time is when it matters.”

A soft sigh as Eli leans forwards in his seat and chuckles as if listening to some private joke.

“Like, cue the ‘you never got it done when it matters before’ argument, cue that trite and cute line ‘bout not bein’ picked for something’. Very nice Portia, way to lean into that same old I get to hear whenever I start spittin’ truths ya’ll don’t like. I made my simple request and you took it as some kinda offense and you proved my damn point doin’ it. It was like I was Steph Curry droppin’ a 3 with a slack guard.”

Eli makes the shooting motion with his hands and smirks.

“Splaaaaaash.”

He shook his head just a bit and licked his lips breathing as his thoughts settled on the upcoming fight.

“But now what? You’re gonna sit there and talk about how you’ll break me down, how you’ll hurt me how it’ll never be the same, Bro It’s same thing , we do this over and over again. We say the same words in different ways, I’ll win, you win..Try to get in each other’s heads.”

Another chuckle, a sly grin slowly spreading across his face as he leaned forwards.

“I’m already there, rent free bro, been living there now since you hard three slaps on the mat, gonna be living there for a while now ..You’ll stand stall and tough but I’m in there nibbling at the rocks that make your Monuments in whatever your mind’s eye has carved, making whatever floor boards you have suddenly lacquered and sheen, the sound of basketball in each heart beat and let’s face it Terella? You know you like the sound o’ that.”

He shook his head. Straightening his form upwards hands adjusting the cuffs on that suit he wore.

“So are we gonnna change it up? Or are will we go back to plan A? Plan a Is always fun but change is a necessity in this business and everyone in the back is asking...Is this when Eli finally steps up? Earns his stripes?”

He sighs in an exasperated tone , as the area he’s in seems to focus with a singular bright spotlight just on him, over him the faint cheer of a crowd as he stands in that suit and rubs just under his nose and looks into the camera.

“But gold, Champion? That’s not really something I’ve done...Least not in this industry I’ve held plenty of trophies in my time, but all been a team effort. Surrounded by your peers, People who lift you up, hold you apart and to a standard, This whole business is a much more solitary deal, you’re by yourself and the only thing that drives you is you ...and the crowd., and your opponent."

Elijah nods a bit rubbing at his face before speaking.

“That’s right Terella, You’re part of this mess and we got so much in common and so much we don’t, You seem to think I’m the end of all things wrestling the ever present argument of what makes the business, that i’m a little too fond of the sky to be one of the ‘boys’ and to that I say...You ain’t been paying attention, ‘I’m just not –afraid- to reach for the stars on my way to the three, and does it backfire? Oh hell yeah but you gotta Keep. Getting. Up."

He nods and smiles taking a few steps fords as if stood behind a lectern the suit more notably in the Imperial Wrestling colours.

“Finally come Odyssey I get to highlight jut what it is I bring to the game and make that first step, but here comes the first of the hard parts, Taking that Strap form around your waist Terella, I men you’ve held it, You’ve done better than most and you are by no doubts a secure king in your castle you hold the advantage, you hold the cards and I just gotta be the one both lucky an and good enough to squirm past your metaphorical walls again brother.”

He nods. a slight cocky smile playing over his features as he dusts some imaginary lint from a shoulder.

“And inscribe the name Elite on the walls of record forever.”

He takes a long, slow breath at the thought even as he titled his head and glares deep into the camera.

“I ain’t a fluke, This ...all of this isn’t some Dream, it’s opportunity I might be bruised I might be battered hell This might not even end or start with a bell and You know what? Bring it big man... You do you I’ll do me and whoever walks away walks away, It doesn’t make anything less of either of us. If I lose or win it’ll be pure, No Grand standin’ no facin ‘each other down trying to worm into each other’s heads no stupid car wrecks or personal attacks..Just two dudes throwing’ down with everything they have.”

A sly chuckle at that as he rubs his chin.

“So Come Texas, come odyssey? There’s no need for more words is there Terella? it’s just me, you Portia and the belt, No amount of cawin’ at the sky is gonna change that... The saying is you win...or you learn....I don’t see you doin’ any learning from last time and I sure as hell don’t see you winning...See you at the fight...Brother.”

He straightens his tie and nods walking back out of the light whistling a jaunty tune as we slowly.

Fade to black.