Tough Love Emery vs. Little Lonnie: The Split View

[Stephen]

Where: The Ryan Center in Kingston, RI
When: 11/26/2016

Backstage, the Elysian Empire watched the show on a wall-mounted monitor. It had been nearly a month since their debut was butchered by the vexing weasel that is Anthony Rother and his mischievous clients, The Usual Suspects. Rother’s faking a heart attack caught the Elysian brothers off guard, but, more importantly, it left Elon with a burning lust for retribution. He couldn’t wait to redeem himself at the Five Year Anniversary Show, but the brothers were left off of the card. It made sense. They were new to FGA, and they weren’t exactly a main attraction just yet. So he waited. Waited for the next Vertigo, but again they were left off of the card. Again they were looked over in favor of more popular wrestlers like Dom Harter, Johnny Karma, Noelle Smith, Dan Herrera, Johnny Cannon, and, to Elon’s chagrin, The Usual Suspects.

And it was The Usual Suspects they watched on the monitor. A contemptuous glare was cast at the monitor by Elon as his fingers bitterly tapped his knee. It was a dynamic juxtaposition to his brother’s reaction to the action on the monitor. Instead of disdain, Emery’s eyes sparkled with childlike admiration and wonder. At the same time, he grinned a grin that Elon knew all too well as one of insatiability. Emery wanted to be out there just as much as Elon, but for completely different reasons. While redemption was Elon’s motive, Emery wanted to be out there just for the sake of being in the ring. The ring was Emery’s home. Always had been. Elon folded his arms and furrowed his brow as he looked from his brother, to the monitor, and back to Emery again. Elon couldn’t understand how Emery didn’t share his annoyance of everything that had happened to them since becoming FGA wrestlers. A gasp of amazement from Emery pulled Elon from his thoughts; at the same time it ticked him off even more. He shot up from his seat which caused the chair to fly backwards, and causing his sister and manager, Effie to momentarily glance up from the screen of her phone.

Elon Elysian: How can you just sit there and watch this, Em?! It’s been almost a month. A month! since our last match. I’m tired of sitting on my hands, and watching other guys get chances! How can you just sit there and watch The Usual Suspects like they’re superheros from your favorite Saturday morning cartoon?

Elon looked down at his older brother, but Emery continued to look at the monitor. Elon hated when Emery did things like that: treat him like the younger brother. They were supposed to be equals now that they were teammates, right? It didn’t matter that Emery had more years than him. Besides, Emery had promised Elon that he wouldn’t treat him like an underling. Emery felt Elon burning a hole through the back of his head, but the action in front of him captivated and entranced. So he did exactly what Elon knew he’d do, he continued to watch. Elon began to move toward his brother.

Emery Elysian: Lonnie, what have I told you?

Elon stopped, but he didn’t dare take his eyes off his brother. Effie shook her head before she gave her attention to her phone. She’d been through the same process with Emery when she tagged with him in the past. It was tough love, and it had worked well for her, but Elon was different. Elon was the baby that had never truly faced adversity. She’d always felt that he’d been coddled by their parents. It didn’t help that she’d stroked his ego growing up, and it came as no surprise to her that he felt he was owed another chance to prove himself. He was pretty much handed everything from birth—from great genetics to never having to struggle financially. As much as she loved him, Elon could be a brat sometimes. Even though she hadn’t always agreed with his methods, she knew it was best to let Emery handle Elon.

Elon Elysian: How are we supposed to pay our dues if we’re not given the opportunity? How do you expect me to watch while cheaters like The Usual Suspects and Anthony Rother are afforded opportunity after opportunity?

Emery Elysian: Because people want to see them lose. No one likes a cheater, Lonnie. No one. You think I’m only watching this out of admiration? I especially want to see them lose after what they pulled on us, but the only way that’ll happen is if I sit here and watch.

Elon was stunned. He’d never heard Emery say that he wanted to see anyone lose.

Elon Elysian: That’s…That’s not like you, Em.

Effie had once again torn herself from her phone to look at Emery. It wasn’t like Emery at all to wish someone defeat. Not once when she had tagged with him had he ever wished any ill on an opponent, no matter how much they deserved it. In fact, he was the one that had taught her everything she knew about sportsmanship. So why the sudden change of attitude?

The Elysians were all quiet, the sound of the in-ring action now the only noise in the room. The younger Elysians were waiting. Waiting for Emery to say something. Anything at all, but his focus remained ahead. Elon finally acquiesced and broke the silence as he picked up his chair. He plopped back into the chair and folded his arms. Effie looked to her younger brother as he pouted. She had to fight back the instinct to comfort him. She was confident that there was a lesson to the madness. Well, mostly confident.

Emery Elysian: Ha!

Both of the younger Elysians sat up straight in their seats, though Effie quickly regained her somewhat nonchalant composure. Emery clapped his hands and raised his fists into the air.

Emery Elysian: They lost! Hot damn! They lost!

Elon and Effie shared a concerned look. Who was this man in front of them cheering the fact that someone had lost a match. What happened to the man they’d always known for his gamesmanship? They couldn’t understand it. They were afraid to understand it. Had the pressure of knowing that his career as a wrestler was in a state of flux finally gotten to their older brother?

Emery Elysian: Did you guys see that? What a match!

Emery stood up and turned around, a satisfied grin on his face. Elon shook his head in disbelief.

Elon Elysian: Who are you?! What the hell is going on, Emery?

Emery’s expression changed to one of shock. He looked from Elon to Effie who was shaking her head as well. At this point, her confidence in Emery had waned thin. Maybe he’d finally cracked after all these years. Emery began to cackle. Yup. He’d definitely cracked.

Emery Elysian: I thought you wanted The Usual Suspects to get some comeuppance, Lonnie.

Elon Elysian: Yeah...But I wanted to be the one to do it.

Emery Elysian: Why? What the hell makes you so special?

Effie Elysian: Emery…

Elon Elysian: What the hell did you say to me?

Elon shot up from his chair, again sending it flying back. He swiftly approached Emery, getting in his face.

Emery Elysian: What the hell makes you so special? Huh?! Who cares that Little Lonnie Elysian wants to get his revenge? We’ve already seen what he’s capable of. It was good enough to hang with The Usual Suspects for a little while, but it just wasn’t enough. Now let’s see who else there is that might be able to do what he couldn’t. That’s how it goes, Elon. You don’t just get a rematch the very next week. No one wants to see someone that just lost get beat by the same person over and over again. Sometimes no one wants to see you in a match at all! Newsflash! You gave it your best already, and you couldn’t finish the job. You had Tryon right where we wanted him and you let yourself get tricked. Maybe that’s my fault for not preparing you for that, but you should have known better. The ref doesn’t stop the match for an injury to someone not in the match, so why should you stop wrestling?

Elon Elysian: Because it was the right thing to do! You’re seriously telling me that you wouldn’t have done the same thing?

Emery Elysian: No because, unfortunately, they don’t handout spots on the card or championships to wrestlers that can’t finish a match. There’s no moral merit system in this business. Success sells, and you have to win, and we didn’t. It’s high time you get over your personal vendetta, and start preparing for whenever they decide to call our number again; next time you need to be better than your last best effort. If you’re not prepared, then it will only result in another almost. Get your head out of your ass and realize that you have to put in the work! That means training, watching tape, and mentally preparing for the unexpected. We’re blessed with a golden opportunity to view how our opponents operate live, and all you want to do is complain about how they’re out there instead of you. You should be thanking God that you’re not out there because you aren’t prepared! You’re not ready to face them again.

Effie sighed. Tough Love Emery had struck again. Elon remained in his brother’s face, his breathing rapid and his nostrils flared. The brothers continued to stare each other down. Elon lowers his gaze to the floor.

Elon Elysian:...You didn’t have to call me Little Lonnie...Asshole.

Emery put his arm around his brother’s shoulder and walked him over to the monitor.

Emery Elysian: Look, Lonnie, you’re not the only one with something to prove, nor are you the first person with a chip on their shoulder. Everyone wants to be in that top spot. Some get there by cheating and undercutting, and others do it with honor and integrity. Some people see it as black and white, but honestly, there’s no wrong way of doing things in this sport. No matter how you go about it, the goal is the same. If it works for The Usual Suspects to rely on nefarious means to win, then so be it. They got the W and they slept soundly that night. But tonight proved that it doesn’t always work. There are an infinite amount of ways to win, it’s all about your preparation, level of skill, and what you’re willing to do to win. I’m proud to see that you have a sense of justice and I appreciate your compassion, but don’t let that cloud your better judgement. Win first. Ask questions later.

Elon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Did Emery really say that he should just have let Rother die just to win a match?

Elon Elysian: Is winning that important to you?

Emery patted his brother on the head.

Emery Elysian: It was that important to Rother. He’d literally die for his clients’ success. He set a precedent for what it takes to win in FGA. We can’t afford to not approach any of our opponents with the same intensity.

Elon Elysian: So you admit he fired the first shot?

Effie Elysian: I think what Emery is saying is, FGA isn’t the amateur leagues. It’s the real deal. Everyone on the roster is the real deal. Just like we have our family’s legacy to live up to, they all are trying to establish their own legacies. We underestimated their resolve, so we only have ourselves to blame for what happened. It won’t happen again, Em. Right, Lonnie?

The older Elysians looked to their younger brother, the fire of their determination burning a hole through him. Elon nodded.

Elon Elysian: Right. I’ll be ready next time.

Emery clapped his hands together.

Emery Elysian: Great! I think we’ve seen enough for tonight. Effie, make sure you get us a copy of this Vertigo within the next couple of days.

Effie nodded and pulled out her phone. Emery grabbed his bag; Elon did the same. The loss was his fault. It wasn’t on Emery for not preparing him. It wasn’t on Effie for not keeping Rother at bay. Hell, it wasn’t even on Rother or The Suspects. It was on him for not finishing off Tryon. He would have to accept it, own it, and do better next time. If there was a next time. No, it wasn’t time to beat himself up. It was time to do what Emery said: prepare for the next opportunity. He had to be better next time. He would be better next time.

---

Elon Elysian: Do you remember what you said to me awhile back, Em? You told me that, if I believed in myself, I could beat anybody. You told me that I was ready for the big time. You weren’t wrong, but you weren’t entirely right either. We went blow for blow with The Usual Suspects, but, as we both know, I wasn’t prepared to finish the job. I just don’t have the killer instinct that you have. Maybe it’s my inexperience. Maybe it’s just who I am, but when the match was on the line I just couldn’t pull the trigger. Do I regret falling for Anthony Rother’s dirty trick? Honestly, no. How could I? How could anyone? But maybe that’s why I’ve been so caught up with getting revenge. I don’t know how I’m supposed to react to something like that. Am I supposed to be angry, or am I supposed to feel like a good person? It’s all kind of confusing.

Emery Elysian: Even though I try all the time, I’m not supposed to tell you how to feel, Elon. I only do it because you’re my brother and I don’t want to see you suffer, but it’s not my place. You have to figure it out for yourself. All I know is that focusing on revenge is not the answer. It was one match.

Elon Elysian: That’s the thing though, Emery. It wasn’t just one match to me. It was my debut! Our debut! You only get one chance to make a first impression, and mine left a lot to be desired. You can shrug it off because this was just another match to you. Sometimes I think that you forget that I’m a rookie. Rother didn’t forget. He used it to their advantage. What’s to stop him from using it to his advantage again? Do you really expect me to, if he fakes a heart attack again, just ignore it? Honestly, I don’t see how you could.

Emery Elysian: I can because, above anything else, I want to win. Also, what can either of us do if he does have a heart attack? Have you suddenly become an EMT over the last month? You are a wrestler, Lonnie. Your job is to wrestle. When we face The Usual Suspects, you won’t be wrestling Anthony Rother. You’ll be wrestling Jason Marx and Chris Tryon. Not only that, but if Marx and Tryon are fine with their manager being at ringside, knowing his condition, then why should we care? It’s their problem.

Elon Elysian: It’s not just their problem. His presence is a problem. If it weren’t for him-

Emery Elysian: Please stop, Elon! Just stop! I’m tired of hearing that excuse. If you’re that concerned about him interfering in our match, then why don’t you just take him out? You clearly want revenge for him ruining your debut more than you want revenge against the Suspects for actually beating us. That’s what this match should be about to you. You have the opportunity you’ve been clamoring for, yet you still aren’t trying to take advantage of it. You can’t pin Rother! Get that through your head! I need you to get your head in the match and quick. We can’t afford to not be on the same page against a team like Jason and Chris. They’re cunning even without Rother in their corner. They’ll have their tricks, and if you’re not ready for them then they’ll just beat us again. We need this win, Elon. We can’t progress if we don’t. That’s the goal, remember: to become champions.

Elon Elysian: I know that. It’s just-

Emery Elysian: No more excuses! It’s time to put up or shut up. That’s what the fans are saying, that’s FGA is saying, and that’s what I’m saying. That’s what this match is. It’s not about revenge, it’s not about good or bad, and it’s most definitely not about Anthony Fucking Rother. It’s about whether or not The Elysian Empire are more than just a name. They hung in there with former champions before, but are they really good enough to beat them? Or are they just going to be bottom feeders for their entire FGA careers? This match is our way out of the lower rung of the division. The Suspects, they don’t want us to make it out of there. They don’t want more obstacles in their path to reclaim the FGA World Tag Team Championships. But I don’t give a good Goddamn about what they do or don’t want. Do you?

Elon Elysian: You know that I don’t. But, and I can’t believe I’m admitting this, they are in my head a little. All three of them really, but that’s what they want, isn’t it? They want me to go into the match unfocused. I’ve been playing their game all along, haven’t I? Damn it!

Emery Elysian: You’re finally starting to get it, huh?

Elon Elysian: It just makes me want to get revenge even more now. I know that this match isn’t supposed to be about revenge, but for me it is. It has to be. Believe me, Em, I care about winning the FGA World Tag Team Championships too, but I can’t just let this go. It’s just too much to let go. When we wrestle them again, there’s no way I can’t make it personal. They ruined my debut, pulled the most despicable trick on me, and they fucked with my head for over a month. I’m sorry, Em, but you’re just going to have to accept the fact that my view of what this match represents is different than yours.

Emery Elysian:...Fine. If you’re sure about what it means to you, then I’ll accept it. I’ll accept it because, if you are sure about it, then that means that you have focus. You have a reason for wanting to beat all of them, not just Rother. But how does that focus spill over to a different opponent, Lonnie? I can accept your motivations for wanting to beat the Suspects, but not every match is some personal vendetta. Where will your will to win come from then? Wouldn’t beating the Suspects give you some closure? And what if we lose? Are you just going to go on some kind of crusade against Tryon, Marx, and Rother? You’re my brother, and ultimately I’ll support whatever decision you make, but, at some point, you have to decide on whether or not winning gold is more important that your personal animosities.

Elon Elysian: And when it comes to that point I will. Now it’s my turn to tell you to focus on what’s in front of us. I know you’re my brother and you’re worried about my well-being, but I don’t need the constant analyzing from you right now. I’ll figure all of that out after we handle business with the Suspects. Okay?

Emery Elysian: Fair enough...Little Lonnie.

Elon Elysian: Please don’t start with that right now...