Post by Adrien | Adam on Dec 9, 2017 2:14:52 GMT -5
("The Jew Blazer" Joshua Goldstein and Jessica Nitoh contributed and need points, please.)
Date: November 12th, 2017
Cameras: OFF
“It’s SUPER to meet you, Mr. Victor! Would you like the grand tour of the household?”
Adrien Cochrane has a wide grin across his face and shakes his head a little bit as his girlfriend greets the manager of Jessica Nitoh with her usual bubbly and happy-go-lucky manner. After a long night that saw both Adrien and Jessica competing in very tough matches, it was definitely a breath of fresh air to hear the ultra cheerful tones of Stacy Sterling’s voice.
While Victor Mason was being offered a tour of the Cochrane residence from Stacy, Jessica herself had been inside the home previously and did not require one. She once hosted one of her video game charity streams in Adrien’s living room while his spare bedroom was still the home of Jessica’s close friend and Adrien’s protege, Adam Sanders.
Victor: “Hmm… I would like to take the tour, Ms. Sterling. Thank you. I appreciate your hospitality.”
Victor nods respectfully and he follows after Stacy. He takes a quick glance back towards Jessica and she waves to him.
Jessica: “I’ll be fine, Victor. Go ahead.”
He resumes following Adrien’s girlfriend and Jessica sighs softly. After a quick shower and a change of clean clothes at the hotel, she feels relieved to sit down on the couch and cross her legs. Her hands fold over her lap and she leans back against the cushions to feel at ease.
Jessica: “What a horrible night to have a curse…”
The word “curse” catches Adrien’s attention. He takes a seat opposite of Jessica with a pair of raised eyebrows. He’s in standard attire, a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt with the word #Believe on it in light blue letters.
Adrien: “Curse? Mind running that by me again?”
Adrien was genuinely curious as to what Jessica was referring to. Jessica looks at him and chuckles softly. His knowledge of the geek culture only extends so far.
Jessica: “You never played Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, did you?”
She sticks her tongue out and smiles.
Jessica: “In the American version, whenever the sun goes down during gameplay, the game states “What a horrible night to have a curse.” The longer it takes for the player to reach Dracula, the more the curse affects Simon. From this, three endings are available.”
Adrien tries to follow as best he can. This was not one of the video games he played growing up. This leads to a follow up question from the Dropkick King to fully understand the gravity of what is running through his friend’s mind.
Adrien: “So I guess I wonder how does this particular reference reflect your life presently? Or is this a thing you say every evening?”
Chuckling once more, she shakes her head and continues to smile.
Jessica: “Only on special evenings… Or in this case, not-so special. Victor and I wanted to send a message to the entire NGW roster. I wanted to prove my worth and the opportunity was wrongfully ripped away from me. Superheroes never cheat…”
There’s a scowl under her breath as she looks away from him. Her eyes focus on something, anything to calm her emotions. She finds herself looking at a photograph of Adrien, Adam, and Kenzie Rydell, another protege of Adrien’s and Adam’s ex-girlfriend.
Jessica: “...more and more I wonder if it’s all worth fighting for.”
Adrien notices the glance at the photograph. He remembers what it felt like to be in her shoes. Adrien’s had a few run-ins with retirement from the industry, but he somehow found himself back in the ring after a few months. If he hadn’t come out of retirement, he would have never met Kenzie or Adam or become such close friends with Jessica. He would have never even met Stacy and would have gone down as a two-time World Champion, not three. And it all came down to one thing that kept Adrien from staying retired.
Adrien: “So tell me, Jessica. What are you fighting for? What made you decide that you wanted to come back to the ring and continue fighting? Because that is what’s going to determine if it’s worth fighting for. It’s not about whether you win or lose some match with no sort of implications. It’s so much more than that. It’s about having something that you’re working towards or building to become. So I ask, what would that be for you, Jessica?”
His presentation draws her attention and she looks back towards him with soft blue eyes. Her body language displays vulnerability she tries not to show in front of the cameras. In the privacy of his home, however, she presses on.
Jessica: “...Mein Vater.”
She says “my father” in German and her eyes lull halfway. Adrien doesn't know the translation so he lets her continue.
Jessica: “My dad was always my biggest fan. He was so supportive of me and my aspirations to become a professional gamer. For the longest time, he was the only one who believed in my dreams. Knowing my love for Sailor Moon, he said that I have the heart to become a champion of justice. The loneliness and helplessness I felt after I lost him was part of the reason why I asked Jaime Alejandro to train me to become a wrestler. The trigger was my powerlessness and inability to help my friends when they were attacked and hospitalized. I… I no longer wanted to be weak and powerless. I wanted to evolve… to defend those who can’t defend themselves… to be the champion of justice I know I can be.”
Her hands on her lap have slowly clenched into fists and her entire body has grown tense.
Jessica: “When my mother was diagnosed with ALS, I left the wrestling industry. I wanted to live close and take care of her, and for a while, I was able to do this with no hesitation. But she knows me so well. She saw that I wanted to live my dreams and become a champion again. When she brought it up, I tried to tell her that I was more concerned with her wellbeing, but she insisted that I return to the sport I love. She didn’t want to keep me away from my careers… so I abided by her request. Tyberius saw my motivation to return and he presented me with a second chance. He told me about his new wrestling company and I joined without hesitation. But ever since then, I haven’t had the best of luck in becoming a champion again. It’s been over a year since I was the Indy Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion. I see my friends and enemies alike becoming champions and my opportunities are fading away. I’m losing this fight…”
A stray tear falls down on the back of her left hand, the hand that still wears the wedding ring. Adrien, at first, is relatively speechless. And everyone who follows his career knows that the man has the ability to ramble about literally anything at any given moment. He once spent an entire hour with Stacy breaking down the difference between two Green Day albums. Stacy isn’t even that big of a Green Day fan.
But this time, it takes a moment for Adrien to process everything that was just said to him and he just says the first thing that pops to his mind.
Adrien: “We have a lot more common than you think.”
Adrien gives a weak nod as his blue eyes never leave Jessica’s. She’s hesitant to make eye contact with him, the tears in her eyes crystal clear.
Jessica: “What do you mean…?”
Adrien: “The loss of my dad was very hard because he was always the first one to throw support my way when it came to me trying to juggle two careers.”
Jessica had wrestling and gaming. Adrien had wrestling and music.
Adrien: “I look at myself in the mirror and wonder how I can be better than I was the day before. Sure, getting championships is nice and all. I’ve had a handful in my career…”
He looks at the only championship he never lost that hangs on the wall across from him: the THW International Championship.
Adrien: “But it was a long road to get there. And while people like to talk about how prodigious they are, how they have become champions at such young ages. I didn’t have that kind of success early in my career. It took a lot of work to get to where I am today. And I look at you, someone who is miles further than I was when I was your age. I was a failed tag team wrestler at age twenty one. I was wondering if I was cut out to do anything. I was worried I was going to never be anything more than that. In a way, I felt cursed.”
Adrien remembers the struggles as if they were yesterday, not ten years ago.
Adrien: “But I thought to myself that I needed to stop feeling as if there was something supernatural holding me. Is luck involved in everything we do? Certainly. But it’s only a percentage of what happens between those bells. It was up to me to become better. And that’s when I stopped messing around and feeling sorry for myself and became the man that is sitting on this loveseat across from you with gumbo cooking in the next room.”
Adrien attempts a chuckle, but it comes out a bit forced and flat.
Adrien: “Your mother is important. I’m not saying she isn’t. But she doesn’t want you giving up the chance to be something bigger than you could possibly imagine. My dad was like that when he was on his deathbed, last year. The best thing for you to do is to honor your parents with what you do. When you step into that ring, do that for your late father and your sick mother. Are you going to be perfect in the ring? No. No amount of hard work is going to do that. We’re going to lose some and win some. What Joshua did was despicable, and when I spoke to him shortly after the match, believe me, I brought that up. And I think he felt some guilt and remorse over his actions. I hope that possibly in light of what happened in your match, something good could come out of it…”
Adrien hated saying that something good could come from her loss, but he was hoping it would help Jessica not feel so bad about it. She takes a moment to consider his words, raising her right arm to gently wipe the tears away on her long sleeve blouse. There’s no denying that she misses her father and worries about her mother. After her divorce with Gekiryu, loneliness and despair weighed heavily on her shoulders. She tried to carry the weight on her own for so long… Shaking her head, she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.
Jessica: “I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to dishonor my parents and my beloved. I don’t want to throw away the second chance Ty gave me. I don’t want to disappoint Jaime and Ricky.”
She lifts her head up and gazes back into his eyes, tears still welling up in sheer emotion.
Jessica: “I don’t want to let my family and friends down… You’re all too important to me. My heart is still healing. I’m still trying to unlock my abilities and level up my skills. I can’t stop fighting… I won’t.”
Adrien smiles for a moment, which seems like a bad time, but he was distracted by something Jessica said.
Adrien: “Sorry, it’s just been awhile since I heard the name of my old tag team partner and you’ve brought up his name twice now…”
In a way, Adrien hopes that a quick aside will help Jessica get back some of her composure back. Sometimes a tangent or just a topic change in general can help improve the atmosphere of the room. It’s easy for her to comprehend his meaning and she nods.
Jessica: “In the summer of 2014, I met Jaime Alejandro when my brother and I were visiting our friends in the hospital. He saw the passion and fire in my eyes, something that I didn’t know existed at the time, and he offered to train me in the art of wrestling. My brother tried to protest, but Jaime insisted that it was important for me to learn to not only defend myself but defend my cherished ones. For a few days, I stayed with him in Albuquerque, New Mexico and trained to fight. At first, I wasn’t very good and he scared me a little, honest to goodness… But my photographic memory and my will to become stronger kept me going.”
She tilts her head in thought and a tiny smile crosses her face.
Jessica: “Actually, that was around the time I met you… That fateful trip to San Diego. You two were still working in tandem, I believe. Then later on in the year, you introduced me to Adam.”
Her photographic memory has never failed her. She thinks back to everything and her smile widens a little more.
Jessica: “Jaime is more than just my mentor. He’s kind of like a father to me… Much like Adam became your protege, I became Jaime’s. He’s technically retired from wrestling, but when I find the free time, I travel just to train with him.”
Adrien thinks about the two youngsters he took in. He looks back at the photograph that Jessica was looking at a little while earlier. The Paladin looks towards the same image in kind.
Adrien: “Well, Kenzie is the protege who has likened me to a father figure. Adam still has his dad around.”
Another chuckle from the Dropkick King leads to Adrien talking a bit more about Jaime.
Adrien: “He was the one who encouraged me to go ahead and take on some youngsters to try to pass down my legacy. I mean…”
Adrien shrugs his shoulders, the chuckle evolving into full-fledged laughter.
Adrien: “...I’d say I’m still in my prime at age thirty-one, but that’s just me.”
Adrien can tell Jessica wants to laugh as well. And she does with a smile that’s finally bright like her.
Adrien: “But I learned a lot from Jaime as well. Maybe not so much as a trainer or a mentor. But he exposed me to a whole different side of things. I hope he had learned from me as well. Honestly, it was his leadership skills I admired most. Sure, he had unbelievable power and there was no way someone who weighs a buck ninety was ever going to get that in his arsenal. But it was that work ethic of his. It was the way he wanted to make sure that people like you were prepared to carry the torch. And while my torch isn’t ready to go out anytime soon, I’ve planted the seeds of the future with Kenzie and Adam.”
She nods in agreement to everything he says and regards the photograph once more. Her eyes study Kenzie in the image and a weak smile forms across her face.
Jessica: “Kenzie’s come a long way. Her progress surpasses people’s expectations. She has proven herself in the wrestling industry.”
Looking at Adam’s image in the photo, she actually rises up from the couch and approaches it. She picks up the framed photo in her hands and lightly brushes her finger over him. Her eyes look down the hallway in the direction of Adam’s former bedroom and she breathes in. She tries to whisper softly to herself while she speaks of him.
Jessica: “You and I aren’t so different… I evolved, Adam, and I know you will too.”
While Adrien doesn’t hear her whisper, he can see how emotional she began to look after looking at the picture.
Adrien: “That was taken when they were still together. Can’t really get them to take a picture with me anymore unless the other one is in another location. But you know, I gotta do what I gotta do…”
She shakes her head before she sets the framed photo back. Jessica’s eyes shimmer and her facial expression becomes determined.
Jessica: “I’ll look after him…”
There’s a brief pause before she exhales slowly.
Jessica: “...to help you. Of course.”
Adrien was caught off guard by the offer.
Adrien: “You mean Adam? I mean, Eddie has looked after him quite a lot lately. It’s funny, Adam is the only client who doesn’t pay him, but he spends a lot of time with him. It helps he has another client on that roster too, but still. It’s good he has people who care about him. I know I do, and Eddie does as well. Deep down inside, I think there’s a part of Kenzie that still does. But I’m sure Adam would appreciate you being there for him as well.”
She nods her head with a gentle smile and runs her fingers through her hair.
Jessica: “I can be there for him. I can be there for you too. You’re fighting a war, and you’re outnumbered. In this scenario, the numbers game makes a difference.”
Adrien squints his eyes a little bit at Jessica.
Adrien: “Are you offering what I think you’re offering, Jessica?”
Jessica: “You’re not the Avengers, but you’re the Guardians.”
Dramatic pause.
Jessica: “...of the Galaxy.”
She flashes a huge grin and crosses her arms across her chest.
Jessica: “I’m sure the Paladin of Vengeance with the Captain America Shield can help you win the Infinity War.”
Adrien raises his eyebrows once more.
Adrien: “Lots of Marvel references. We are down a person with Alechs disappearing. And you are a person I trust one hundred percent. Granted, I’d need to talk to Honey and Jazmyn about this. But yeah...I’d be glad to have you on!”
With a nod and a confident smile, Jessica makes her way back to the couch and takes a seat.
Jessica: “What can I say? I’m a Marvel fan. Should Honey and Jazmyn accept me, I’ll be more than happy to protect and serve. Now, if you don’t mind… the wonderful aroma of gumbo is making me REALLY hungry!”
Date: November 24th, 2017
Cameras: OFF
“I can’t believe all that turkey is gone already!”
Adrien Cochrane shakes his head a little bit as he pours the entire pot of noodles into a strainer that was sitting in his kitchen sink. He turns around and removes the lid to the other pot on his cooktop. It was hard to believe that Adrien was having to cook yet another meal the day after Thanksgiving, but between Adrien, his girlfriend Stacy Sterling, his mother, and both of Stacy’s parents...not to mention a later visit from the Walker family, the entire fifteen pound turkey that was baked was already eaten. So Adrien finds himself cooking a big pot of spaghetti and meat sauce, hopefully enough to last him and his girlfriend a couple of days.
While his girlfriend was helping her parents get back to Nashville, Adrien had the house to himself, a rarity in recent months. Sure, he had to fly out to Atlanta tomorrow, but it felt quite...empty. Almost like it did when he first got divorced and had literally no one else living in the four bedroom house. It actually delighted Adrien a little bit when he heard the buzzer at his gate, even if he wasn’t exactly expecting company today.
Adrien: “Who the heck could that be?”
He pulls out his phone and sees a car he does not recognize. It looks like it might actually be a DeLorean, which surprises the thirty-one-year-old who did grow up watching Back to the Future. He can’t quite make out the driver of the vehicle as well, but with how empty and lonely the day has been, he decides to open the gate for this mysterious visitor. It was only about thirty seconds later that the doorbell began to chime throughout the entire Cochrane residence. Cochrane opens the door and is a bit surprised at the person standing in his doorway.
Josh: “Oh uh… Hi.”
That is all Joshua Goldstein manages to say as he stands in the doorway in his hoodie and torn jeans.
Josh: “Uhm, Eddie gave me the address. I hope that’s cool…”
Adrien nods his head as he motions for Joshua to enter the house. He closes the door behind Joshua.
Adrien: “Yeah, bud. It’s fine. Here, take a seat.”
Adrien leads Joshua into the living room. He turns off the television that is mounted on the wall and was just playing NFL Network all day and shows Joshua to the couch.
Adrien: “I’m surprised to see you here, I must admit.”
Josh goes to the couch but remains standing. Josh wasn't much of a sitter. He moved around too much.
Josh: “I’ve… well I've been doing a lot of thinking… I… don't know if you heard but I had a talk with Jessica and Jazmyn.”
Adrien: “I actually was wondering what was going on up there. Jazmyn seemed to be happy about making amends with someone in a text message with me. And there was that tweet that Jessica...okay, all of that makes a whole lot more sense now.”
Josh may not be sitting, but Adrien decided to take a quick seat on the loveseat opposite the sofa. Adrien was smiling, not just at the update, but for having pleasant company over. Adrien would not have fought so hard for Joshua if he didn’t think he was worth investing his time into reaching out to. The fact that he was making amends with everyone was a great sign.
There is a moment of silence.
Josh: “I don't...quite know how to put this but… well, I stopped being a Hero at exactly the time people really needed one. Making up with Jazmyn and Jessica...that was for me. That was for my mental health but there are a lot of people I owe something to now. One of those people is you...and I think I know a way I can make it up to you that will also help me make it up to the fans I let down.”
Josh takes a moment to breathe. Letting what he said linger for a moment. Adrien takes a bit of a deep breath before he finally breaks the silence.
Adrien: “Josh, you don’t owe me anything. And I know you feel like you have to go through some sort of...no pun intended...redemption story. But I’m so impressed that you made amends with Jazmyn and you made amends with Jessica. To me, that’s amazing. That shows me that I was absolutely right about you. I knew that the Joshua Goldstein I knew was still in there, and I was right. So, thank you, Josh. Thank you.”
Adrien grabs his mug and takes a sip of his tea before looking back at Josh.
Adrien: “Need anything to drink? I’ve got sodas, water, Gatorade, tea…”
Josh: “Uh, a Gatorade would be great please.”
Josh tries to think of a casual way to bring this up.
Josh: “So. I hear you're short a guy.”
“Smoothe,” Josh thinks to himself. Adrien chuckles a bit as he stands back up and motions Joshua to follow him into the kitchen.
Adrien: “Funny you mention that, actually. A bit less than two weeks ago, Jessica sat in that very sofa I had offered you moments ago and agreed to join the Guardians so I’m actually back up to four once again. Though you have me curious, why do you mention this?”
Adrien opens the built-in refrigerator and grabs a Gatorade out of it. He hands him the Gatorade before lifting the lid to check on the status of his meat sauce. The smell hits Josh’s nose and his stomach audibly gurgles.
Josh: “Because I want to help. I've been wallowing in self-pity for long enough. There’s good to be done and I want a piece.”
Adrien begins stirring the pot a little bit before turning back to Goldstein.
Adrien: “I have no problem with a fifth Guardian. You’re making amends with the other members, so I am going to assume they don’t have a problem with you joining. I’d probably get Honey’s opinion as well, but if there are no issues there, then I’m going to say yes. If you really want in, I hereby name you a tentative member of the Guardians, pending approval from the others.”
Adrien smiles as he shakes the colander to try to remove a little bit of the remaining water in the spaghetti he just finished cooking.
Josh: “Oh… wow that was WAY easier than Johnny implied it would be.”
Josh shrugs.
Josh: “So… Spaghetti huh?”
Adrien: “Spaghetti. Meat sauce. I usually go meatballs but I felt like shaking things up a little bit. I had a lot of people over yesterday for Thanksgiving so the turkey I made is already gone. So I’m hoping that this meal right here will give me something to eat for a couple of days. Have you eaten? Are you hungry?”
Josh: “I mean… I could eat.”
Adrien doesn’t think twice before grabbing two plates from the cabinet.
Adrien: “Get as much as you want, partner.”
An hour later passes after Adrien began serving dinner. The Dropkick King looks back at the Jew Blazer in complete utter shock.
Adrien: “...HOW?!”
Josh: “How what?”
Josh wipes his mouth after clearing a sixth plate of spaghetti. Adrien still had a bite remaining on his first plate.
Adrien: “Is there anymore left or…”
He looks down into the pot. It’s completely empty.
Adrien: “Where does it all go exactly? Well, crap...now I’m going to have to cook something else tomorrow…”
The newest member of the Guardians, as of a few minutes ago when everyone gave unanimous approval via text message, shrugs his shoulders.
Stand on up and take a bow
There's something there and it's showing
There's no need to look around
You're the best we got going
Shout out to the dreams you'll chase
Shout out to the hearts you'll break
Nothing's gonna stop you now
I guess you better be going
Date: November 12th, 2017
Cameras: OFF
“It’s SUPER to meet you, Mr. Victor! Would you like the grand tour of the household?”
Adrien Cochrane has a wide grin across his face and shakes his head a little bit as his girlfriend greets the manager of Jessica Nitoh with her usual bubbly and happy-go-lucky manner. After a long night that saw both Adrien and Jessica competing in very tough matches, it was definitely a breath of fresh air to hear the ultra cheerful tones of Stacy Sterling’s voice.
While Victor Mason was being offered a tour of the Cochrane residence from Stacy, Jessica herself had been inside the home previously and did not require one. She once hosted one of her video game charity streams in Adrien’s living room while his spare bedroom was still the home of Jessica’s close friend and Adrien’s protege, Adam Sanders.
Victor: “Hmm… I would like to take the tour, Ms. Sterling. Thank you. I appreciate your hospitality.”
Victor nods respectfully and he follows after Stacy. He takes a quick glance back towards Jessica and she waves to him.
Jessica: “I’ll be fine, Victor. Go ahead.”
He resumes following Adrien’s girlfriend and Jessica sighs softly. After a quick shower and a change of clean clothes at the hotel, she feels relieved to sit down on the couch and cross her legs. Her hands fold over her lap and she leans back against the cushions to feel at ease.
Jessica: “What a horrible night to have a curse…”
The word “curse” catches Adrien’s attention. He takes a seat opposite of Jessica with a pair of raised eyebrows. He’s in standard attire, a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt with the word #Believe on it in light blue letters.
Adrien: “Curse? Mind running that by me again?”
Adrien was genuinely curious as to what Jessica was referring to. Jessica looks at him and chuckles softly. His knowledge of the geek culture only extends so far.
Jessica: “You never played Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, did you?”
She sticks her tongue out and smiles.
Jessica: “In the American version, whenever the sun goes down during gameplay, the game states “What a horrible night to have a curse.” The longer it takes for the player to reach Dracula, the more the curse affects Simon. From this, three endings are available.”
Adrien tries to follow as best he can. This was not one of the video games he played growing up. This leads to a follow up question from the Dropkick King to fully understand the gravity of what is running through his friend’s mind.
Adrien: “So I guess I wonder how does this particular reference reflect your life presently? Or is this a thing you say every evening?”
Chuckling once more, she shakes her head and continues to smile.
Jessica: “Only on special evenings… Or in this case, not-so special. Victor and I wanted to send a message to the entire NGW roster. I wanted to prove my worth and the opportunity was wrongfully ripped away from me. Superheroes never cheat…”
There’s a scowl under her breath as she looks away from him. Her eyes focus on something, anything to calm her emotions. She finds herself looking at a photograph of Adrien, Adam, and Kenzie Rydell, another protege of Adrien’s and Adam’s ex-girlfriend.
Jessica: “...more and more I wonder if it’s all worth fighting for.”
Adrien notices the glance at the photograph. He remembers what it felt like to be in her shoes. Adrien’s had a few run-ins with retirement from the industry, but he somehow found himself back in the ring after a few months. If he hadn’t come out of retirement, he would have never met Kenzie or Adam or become such close friends with Jessica. He would have never even met Stacy and would have gone down as a two-time World Champion, not three. And it all came down to one thing that kept Adrien from staying retired.
Adrien: “So tell me, Jessica. What are you fighting for? What made you decide that you wanted to come back to the ring and continue fighting? Because that is what’s going to determine if it’s worth fighting for. It’s not about whether you win or lose some match with no sort of implications. It’s so much more than that. It’s about having something that you’re working towards or building to become. So I ask, what would that be for you, Jessica?”
His presentation draws her attention and she looks back towards him with soft blue eyes. Her body language displays vulnerability she tries not to show in front of the cameras. In the privacy of his home, however, she presses on.
Jessica: “...Mein Vater.”
She says “my father” in German and her eyes lull halfway. Adrien doesn't know the translation so he lets her continue.
Jessica: “My dad was always my biggest fan. He was so supportive of me and my aspirations to become a professional gamer. For the longest time, he was the only one who believed in my dreams. Knowing my love for Sailor Moon, he said that I have the heart to become a champion of justice. The loneliness and helplessness I felt after I lost him was part of the reason why I asked Jaime Alejandro to train me to become a wrestler. The trigger was my powerlessness and inability to help my friends when they were attacked and hospitalized. I… I no longer wanted to be weak and powerless. I wanted to evolve… to defend those who can’t defend themselves… to be the champion of justice I know I can be.”
Her hands on her lap have slowly clenched into fists and her entire body has grown tense.
Jessica: “When my mother was diagnosed with ALS, I left the wrestling industry. I wanted to live close and take care of her, and for a while, I was able to do this with no hesitation. But she knows me so well. She saw that I wanted to live my dreams and become a champion again. When she brought it up, I tried to tell her that I was more concerned with her wellbeing, but she insisted that I return to the sport I love. She didn’t want to keep me away from my careers… so I abided by her request. Tyberius saw my motivation to return and he presented me with a second chance. He told me about his new wrestling company and I joined without hesitation. But ever since then, I haven’t had the best of luck in becoming a champion again. It’s been over a year since I was the Indy Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion. I see my friends and enemies alike becoming champions and my opportunities are fading away. I’m losing this fight…”
A stray tear falls down on the back of her left hand, the hand that still wears the wedding ring. Adrien, at first, is relatively speechless. And everyone who follows his career knows that the man has the ability to ramble about literally anything at any given moment. He once spent an entire hour with Stacy breaking down the difference between two Green Day albums. Stacy isn’t even that big of a Green Day fan.
But this time, it takes a moment for Adrien to process everything that was just said to him and he just says the first thing that pops to his mind.
Adrien: “We have a lot more common than you think.”
Adrien gives a weak nod as his blue eyes never leave Jessica’s. She’s hesitant to make eye contact with him, the tears in her eyes crystal clear.
Jessica: “What do you mean…?”
Adrien: “The loss of my dad was very hard because he was always the first one to throw support my way when it came to me trying to juggle two careers.”
Jessica had wrestling and gaming. Adrien had wrestling and music.
Adrien: “I look at myself in the mirror and wonder how I can be better than I was the day before. Sure, getting championships is nice and all. I’ve had a handful in my career…”
He looks at the only championship he never lost that hangs on the wall across from him: the THW International Championship.
Adrien: “But it was a long road to get there. And while people like to talk about how prodigious they are, how they have become champions at such young ages. I didn’t have that kind of success early in my career. It took a lot of work to get to where I am today. And I look at you, someone who is miles further than I was when I was your age. I was a failed tag team wrestler at age twenty one. I was wondering if I was cut out to do anything. I was worried I was going to never be anything more than that. In a way, I felt cursed.”
Adrien remembers the struggles as if they were yesterday, not ten years ago.
Adrien: “But I thought to myself that I needed to stop feeling as if there was something supernatural holding me. Is luck involved in everything we do? Certainly. But it’s only a percentage of what happens between those bells. It was up to me to become better. And that’s when I stopped messing around and feeling sorry for myself and became the man that is sitting on this loveseat across from you with gumbo cooking in the next room.”
Adrien attempts a chuckle, but it comes out a bit forced and flat.
Adrien: “Your mother is important. I’m not saying she isn’t. But she doesn’t want you giving up the chance to be something bigger than you could possibly imagine. My dad was like that when he was on his deathbed, last year. The best thing for you to do is to honor your parents with what you do. When you step into that ring, do that for your late father and your sick mother. Are you going to be perfect in the ring? No. No amount of hard work is going to do that. We’re going to lose some and win some. What Joshua did was despicable, and when I spoke to him shortly after the match, believe me, I brought that up. And I think he felt some guilt and remorse over his actions. I hope that possibly in light of what happened in your match, something good could come out of it…”
Adrien hated saying that something good could come from her loss, but he was hoping it would help Jessica not feel so bad about it. She takes a moment to consider his words, raising her right arm to gently wipe the tears away on her long sleeve blouse. There’s no denying that she misses her father and worries about her mother. After her divorce with Gekiryu, loneliness and despair weighed heavily on her shoulders. She tried to carry the weight on her own for so long… Shaking her head, she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.
Jessica: “I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to dishonor my parents and my beloved. I don’t want to throw away the second chance Ty gave me. I don’t want to disappoint Jaime and Ricky.”
She lifts her head up and gazes back into his eyes, tears still welling up in sheer emotion.
Jessica: “I don’t want to let my family and friends down… You’re all too important to me. My heart is still healing. I’m still trying to unlock my abilities and level up my skills. I can’t stop fighting… I won’t.”
Adrien smiles for a moment, which seems like a bad time, but he was distracted by something Jessica said.
Adrien: “Sorry, it’s just been awhile since I heard the name of my old tag team partner and you’ve brought up his name twice now…”
In a way, Adrien hopes that a quick aside will help Jessica get back some of her composure back. Sometimes a tangent or just a topic change in general can help improve the atmosphere of the room. It’s easy for her to comprehend his meaning and she nods.
Jessica: “In the summer of 2014, I met Jaime Alejandro when my brother and I were visiting our friends in the hospital. He saw the passion and fire in my eyes, something that I didn’t know existed at the time, and he offered to train me in the art of wrestling. My brother tried to protest, but Jaime insisted that it was important for me to learn to not only defend myself but defend my cherished ones. For a few days, I stayed with him in Albuquerque, New Mexico and trained to fight. At first, I wasn’t very good and he scared me a little, honest to goodness… But my photographic memory and my will to become stronger kept me going.”
She tilts her head in thought and a tiny smile crosses her face.
Jessica: “Actually, that was around the time I met you… That fateful trip to San Diego. You two were still working in tandem, I believe. Then later on in the year, you introduced me to Adam.”
Her photographic memory has never failed her. She thinks back to everything and her smile widens a little more.
Jessica: “Jaime is more than just my mentor. He’s kind of like a father to me… Much like Adam became your protege, I became Jaime’s. He’s technically retired from wrestling, but when I find the free time, I travel just to train with him.”
Adrien thinks about the two youngsters he took in. He looks back at the photograph that Jessica was looking at a little while earlier. The Paladin looks towards the same image in kind.
Adrien: “Well, Kenzie is the protege who has likened me to a father figure. Adam still has his dad around.”
Another chuckle from the Dropkick King leads to Adrien talking a bit more about Jaime.
Adrien: “He was the one who encouraged me to go ahead and take on some youngsters to try to pass down my legacy. I mean…”
Adrien shrugs his shoulders, the chuckle evolving into full-fledged laughter.
Adrien: “...I’d say I’m still in my prime at age thirty-one, but that’s just me.”
Adrien can tell Jessica wants to laugh as well. And she does with a smile that’s finally bright like her.
Adrien: “But I learned a lot from Jaime as well. Maybe not so much as a trainer or a mentor. But he exposed me to a whole different side of things. I hope he had learned from me as well. Honestly, it was his leadership skills I admired most. Sure, he had unbelievable power and there was no way someone who weighs a buck ninety was ever going to get that in his arsenal. But it was that work ethic of his. It was the way he wanted to make sure that people like you were prepared to carry the torch. And while my torch isn’t ready to go out anytime soon, I’ve planted the seeds of the future with Kenzie and Adam.”
She nods in agreement to everything he says and regards the photograph once more. Her eyes study Kenzie in the image and a weak smile forms across her face.
Jessica: “Kenzie’s come a long way. Her progress surpasses people’s expectations. She has proven herself in the wrestling industry.”
Looking at Adam’s image in the photo, she actually rises up from the couch and approaches it. She picks up the framed photo in her hands and lightly brushes her finger over him. Her eyes look down the hallway in the direction of Adam’s former bedroom and she breathes in. She tries to whisper softly to herself while she speaks of him.
Jessica: “You and I aren’t so different… I evolved, Adam, and I know you will too.”
While Adrien doesn’t hear her whisper, he can see how emotional she began to look after looking at the picture.
Adrien: “That was taken when they were still together. Can’t really get them to take a picture with me anymore unless the other one is in another location. But you know, I gotta do what I gotta do…”
She shakes her head before she sets the framed photo back. Jessica’s eyes shimmer and her facial expression becomes determined.
Jessica: “I’ll look after him…”
There’s a brief pause before she exhales slowly.
Jessica: “...to help you. Of course.”
Adrien was caught off guard by the offer.
Adrien: “You mean Adam? I mean, Eddie has looked after him quite a lot lately. It’s funny, Adam is the only client who doesn’t pay him, but he spends a lot of time with him. It helps he has another client on that roster too, but still. It’s good he has people who care about him. I know I do, and Eddie does as well. Deep down inside, I think there’s a part of Kenzie that still does. But I’m sure Adam would appreciate you being there for him as well.”
She nods her head with a gentle smile and runs her fingers through her hair.
Jessica: “I can be there for him. I can be there for you too. You’re fighting a war, and you’re outnumbered. In this scenario, the numbers game makes a difference.”
Adrien squints his eyes a little bit at Jessica.
Adrien: “Are you offering what I think you’re offering, Jessica?”
Jessica: “You’re not the Avengers, but you’re the Guardians.”
Dramatic pause.
Jessica: “...of the Galaxy.”
She flashes a huge grin and crosses her arms across her chest.
Jessica: “I’m sure the Paladin of Vengeance with the Captain America Shield can help you win the Infinity War.”
Adrien raises his eyebrows once more.
Adrien: “Lots of Marvel references. We are down a person with Alechs disappearing. And you are a person I trust one hundred percent. Granted, I’d need to talk to Honey and Jazmyn about this. But yeah...I’d be glad to have you on!”
With a nod and a confident smile, Jessica makes her way back to the couch and takes a seat.
Jessica: “What can I say? I’m a Marvel fan. Should Honey and Jazmyn accept me, I’ll be more than happy to protect and serve. Now, if you don’t mind… the wonderful aroma of gumbo is making me REALLY hungry!”
You'll never be far, I'm keeping you near
Inside of my heart, you're here
Go on, it's gotta be time
You're starting to shine
'Cause what you got is
Gold, I know, you're gold
Oh, I know, I know
I don't need the stars in the night, I found my treasure
All I need is you by my side, so shine forever
Gold, I know, you're gold
Oh, I know, you're gold
Date: November 24th, 2017
Cameras: OFF
“I can’t believe all that turkey is gone already!”
Adrien Cochrane shakes his head a little bit as he pours the entire pot of noodles into a strainer that was sitting in his kitchen sink. He turns around and removes the lid to the other pot on his cooktop. It was hard to believe that Adrien was having to cook yet another meal the day after Thanksgiving, but between Adrien, his girlfriend Stacy Sterling, his mother, and both of Stacy’s parents...not to mention a later visit from the Walker family, the entire fifteen pound turkey that was baked was already eaten. So Adrien finds himself cooking a big pot of spaghetti and meat sauce, hopefully enough to last him and his girlfriend a couple of days.
While his girlfriend was helping her parents get back to Nashville, Adrien had the house to himself, a rarity in recent months. Sure, he had to fly out to Atlanta tomorrow, but it felt quite...empty. Almost like it did when he first got divorced and had literally no one else living in the four bedroom house. It actually delighted Adrien a little bit when he heard the buzzer at his gate, even if he wasn’t exactly expecting company today.
Adrien: “Who the heck could that be?”
He pulls out his phone and sees a car he does not recognize. It looks like it might actually be a DeLorean, which surprises the thirty-one-year-old who did grow up watching Back to the Future. He can’t quite make out the driver of the vehicle as well, but with how empty and lonely the day has been, he decides to open the gate for this mysterious visitor. It was only about thirty seconds later that the doorbell began to chime throughout the entire Cochrane residence. Cochrane opens the door and is a bit surprised at the person standing in his doorway.
Josh: “Oh uh… Hi.”
That is all Joshua Goldstein manages to say as he stands in the doorway in his hoodie and torn jeans.
Josh: “Uhm, Eddie gave me the address. I hope that’s cool…”
Adrien nods his head as he motions for Joshua to enter the house. He closes the door behind Joshua.
Adrien: “Yeah, bud. It’s fine. Here, take a seat.”
Adrien leads Joshua into the living room. He turns off the television that is mounted on the wall and was just playing NFL Network all day and shows Joshua to the couch.
Adrien: “I’m surprised to see you here, I must admit.”
Josh goes to the couch but remains standing. Josh wasn't much of a sitter. He moved around too much.
Josh: “I’ve… well I've been doing a lot of thinking… I… don't know if you heard but I had a talk with Jessica and Jazmyn.”
Adrien: “I actually was wondering what was going on up there. Jazmyn seemed to be happy about making amends with someone in a text message with me. And there was that tweet that Jessica...okay, all of that makes a whole lot more sense now.”
Josh may not be sitting, but Adrien decided to take a quick seat on the loveseat opposite the sofa. Adrien was smiling, not just at the update, but for having pleasant company over. Adrien would not have fought so hard for Joshua if he didn’t think he was worth investing his time into reaching out to. The fact that he was making amends with everyone was a great sign.
There is a moment of silence.
Josh: “I don't...quite know how to put this but… well, I stopped being a Hero at exactly the time people really needed one. Making up with Jazmyn and Jessica...that was for me. That was for my mental health but there are a lot of people I owe something to now. One of those people is you...and I think I know a way I can make it up to you that will also help me make it up to the fans I let down.”
Josh takes a moment to breathe. Letting what he said linger for a moment. Adrien takes a bit of a deep breath before he finally breaks the silence.
Adrien: “Josh, you don’t owe me anything. And I know you feel like you have to go through some sort of...no pun intended...redemption story. But I’m so impressed that you made amends with Jazmyn and you made amends with Jessica. To me, that’s amazing. That shows me that I was absolutely right about you. I knew that the Joshua Goldstein I knew was still in there, and I was right. So, thank you, Josh. Thank you.”
Adrien grabs his mug and takes a sip of his tea before looking back at Josh.
Adrien: “Need anything to drink? I’ve got sodas, water, Gatorade, tea…”
Josh: “Uh, a Gatorade would be great please.”
Josh tries to think of a casual way to bring this up.
Josh: “So. I hear you're short a guy.”
“Smoothe,” Josh thinks to himself. Adrien chuckles a bit as he stands back up and motions Joshua to follow him into the kitchen.
Adrien: “Funny you mention that, actually. A bit less than two weeks ago, Jessica sat in that very sofa I had offered you moments ago and agreed to join the Guardians so I’m actually back up to four once again. Though you have me curious, why do you mention this?”
Adrien opens the built-in refrigerator and grabs a Gatorade out of it. He hands him the Gatorade before lifting the lid to check on the status of his meat sauce. The smell hits Josh’s nose and his stomach audibly gurgles.
Josh: “Because I want to help. I've been wallowing in self-pity for long enough. There’s good to be done and I want a piece.”
Adrien begins stirring the pot a little bit before turning back to Goldstein.
Adrien: “I have no problem with a fifth Guardian. You’re making amends with the other members, so I am going to assume they don’t have a problem with you joining. I’d probably get Honey’s opinion as well, but if there are no issues there, then I’m going to say yes. If you really want in, I hereby name you a tentative member of the Guardians, pending approval from the others.”
Adrien smiles as he shakes the colander to try to remove a little bit of the remaining water in the spaghetti he just finished cooking.
Josh: “Oh… wow that was WAY easier than Johnny implied it would be.”
Josh shrugs.
Josh: “So… Spaghetti huh?”
Adrien: “Spaghetti. Meat sauce. I usually go meatballs but I felt like shaking things up a little bit. I had a lot of people over yesterday for Thanksgiving so the turkey I made is already gone. So I’m hoping that this meal right here will give me something to eat for a couple of days. Have you eaten? Are you hungry?”
Josh: “I mean… I could eat.”
Adrien doesn’t think twice before grabbing two plates from the cabinet.
Adrien: “Get as much as you want, partner.”
An hour later passes after Adrien began serving dinner. The Dropkick King looks back at the Jew Blazer in complete utter shock.
Adrien: “...HOW?!”
Josh: “How what?”
Josh wipes his mouth after clearing a sixth plate of spaghetti. Adrien still had a bite remaining on his first plate.
Adrien: “Is there anymore left or…”
He looks down into the pot. It’s completely empty.
Adrien: “Where does it all go exactly? Well, crap...now I’m going to have to cook something else tomorrow…”
The newest member of the Guardians, as of a few minutes ago when everyone gave unanimous approval via text message, shrugs his shoulders.
It won't take you long to get
When you feel like you're soaring
So write it all and don't forget,
You gotta tell us your story
Shout out to the friends back home
Shout out to the hearts you've known
You gave them nothing but the best, yeah
And you can tell them your story
