- Candle in the Wind -
No Respect
�You aren�t anything but a tag team wrestler.�
�You aren�t anything but a mid carder at best.�
�You lack the height and weight to be in this business.�
�Stick to the independents, dude.�
That�s not even the tip of the iceberg of the criticism Cody Carmichael has heard over the years. He hasn�t really made a splash in singles competition since his early years jobbing in a San Francisco based indy federation. Tag Teaming with his good friend, Tomorrow Man, has always been his specialty; but over the years he has carefully studied what it takes to make it these days. He has purposely surrounded himself around some of the greats and learned technique after technique from them, hoping one day he would get the nod to show the world what he really is capable of. He packs a small 5�9�, 180 pound frame but he still tangles with the likes of big men like Big Poppa, and World Champions such as Nova. He brings heart, smarts, and determination to the stage every day but it still isn�t enough in the eyes of most. Well soon he will open the eyes of the many. And this week is the first step.
-[ Cody is busy today working out at The Butcher�s Clinic, getting ready for his next match-up against Alexander Realms and Julianna Guiliano. All though the match may seem a long time away, early preparation is what will help him win while his opponents are out partying and living it up like they�re celebrities. Sure, there is always time for fun and games, but get some work done before you spoil yourself. ]-
-[ He is busy doing some pull-ups on a steel bar that hangs from the wall, toning his upper body with each repetition. As �Guilty� by Gravity Kills plays throughout the building, Cody focuses on how important this match is. Winning cleanly next week will set the tone for the upcoming rumble match at Crossfire. It is there where he will prove he can beat the best in Advantage Wrestling. But first, he MUST win next week. ]-
-[ He finishes his last pull-up repetition and quickly moves onto the next drill. He has 4 orange cones spread out in the middle of the floor, forming a �T� shape. He begins at the bottom of the �T� and runs towards the center. Once there, he makes sure his shoulders are parallel and gallops to the left in a squatting position and with his arms outstretched before him. Once he reaches the cone on the left, he makes his way back to the center in the same position. Once he�s at the center, he transitions into a new formation. This time he stands up straight, arms stretched out for balancing, and he quickly swivels his hips as he steps foot over foot. Once he reaches the cone on the right, he makes his way back towards the center. As he makes his way to the center, he swiftly turns and runs back towards the bottom of the �T�. ]-
-[ He repeats the drill a few times. Most wrestlers would sit there and laugh at him, calling that drill �gay� or something but they don�t understand the premise. It is for strengthening the legs and good balancing. It is for increasing agilities. Cody prefers this over simple squat thrusts with weights on his back that other pro wrestlers do for hours a day. Muscle and brute strength are great, but if your balancing is off, it is pointless in his eyes. Besides, he knows someone like Mike Thump could never pull off the drill. ]-
-[ While Cody focuses on his drill, his music abruptly comes to a halt in the middle of the song. He turns around and looks back at his CD player. There he finds Tomorrow Man, who just entered the facility, with his left arm in a sling and heavily bandaged all the way up to his shoulder. Cody stops for a minute to take a breather while his tag team partner makes his way towards him. ]-
Cody: I didn�t even hear you come in.
Tomorrow Man: Well that�s what happens when you�re blasting that crap.
Cody: Hey!
-[ They both walk over towards Cody�s duffle bag where he has a bottle of water waiting for him. He offers Tomorrow Man his second bottle but Tomorrow Man rejects it with a wince of pain in his face. ]-
Cody: What did the doc say?
Tomorrow Man: It�s getting worse. He wants me in surgery as soon as possible.
Cody: Damn.
Tomorrow Man: Yeah, �Phace and Casey whipped me pretty good.
Cody: Naw, you put a number on them that they�ll never recover from.
-[ Cody smiles along with Tomorrow Man as they re-call their win over Skarrphace and Sean Casey on Tuesday�s Rage. The win sent their former employer and former friend packing and long gone from Advantage Wrestling. The loss surely has to make Skarrphace regret coming out of retirement and it may have killed off Sean Casey�s legacy as a former GFWA World Champion. ]-
Cody: So what are you going to do?
Tomorrow Man: I have to keep going, bro. I can�t quit. We�re the Tag Team Champions and as long as we hold those titles, I have to go out there and keep kicking ass as long as I can. Even if it hurts like Hell.
Cody: Do you know how long you�d be out for?
Tomorrow Man: Depends on the damage done and how quickly I get back on my feet. It could put me out for a month or longer.
-[ Cody puts his water bottle by his mouth and chugs what�s left. ]-
Cody: Well how ever long it takes, I�ll stick around and make people remember what we�re all about.
Tomorrow Man: Good man. So what about next week?
Cody: What about it?
Tomorrow Man: You�re in a match against Alexander Realms and Julianna Guiliano.
Cody: Your point?
-[ Tomorrow Man backs off a bit with a grin. He�s surprised at something. ]-
Tomorrow Man: Oh, you haven�t heard!
-[ Cody looks at Tomorrow Man with a perplexed look. ]-
Cody: I haven�t heard what?
Tomorrow Man: Alexander Realms is favored to win!
Cody: What?
Tomorrow Man: Oh yeah! I mean, people really don�t think you have what it takes without me by your side.
-[ Tomorrow Man smiles once more because he knows he�s getting under Cody�s skin a bit. ]-
Cody: You�re crazy.
Tomorrow Man: Hey, I�m just the messenger.
-[ Cody laughs. ]-
Cody: That�s a cruel joke, T-Man. Good, but cruel.
Tomorrow Man: I�m serious.
-[ Cody stops laughing. ]-
Cody: You are?
Tomorrow Man: Yeah. Alexander Realms is favored to win the match against you and Julianna Guiliano.
Cody: Why?
Tomorrow Man: Cause you can�t cut it in singles supposedly.
Cody: That�s bullshit! I haven�t lost in 9 matches. Sure, some of them were tag team matches but there were singles matches in there too.
-[ Tomorrow Man shrugs with his one good shoulder. ]-
Tomorrow Man: Well apparently that isn�t good enough. People are real high on Alexander Realms and his future in Advantage Wrestling.
Cody: What about MY future, T-Man? I plan on making a statement while you�re out getting better.
Tomorrow Man: Is that so?
Cody: Damn right! And at Rage I�m going to start making that statement by stopping Realms in his tracks. People may be high on the man but he better get in line. I�m sick of this crap that I can�t make it in AW, T-Man. Look back at the history. Who were the last two guys standing in the last Tag Team Rumble match? Me and Big Poppa. Who gave Big Poppa, the franchise player, a run for his money that night? Me. I�m not getting selfish here, T-Man, but I feel my time is coming now. Whenever you have to go out and have surgery, I know that will be my chance to step up.
Tomorrow Man: I understand. You�ve worked hard for years and you deserve a chance to make a name for yourself beyond what the two of us have accomplished.
-[ Cody picks up the other bottle of water that he offered Tomorrow Man, and opens it. He takes a sip and nods his head, agreeing with what Tomorrow Man said. ]-
Cody: And I sure as Hell am not going to take the back seat to Alexander Realms, Julianna Guiliano, or any other person that people are �high� on. I�ll give Realms and Guiliano credit. They made their way into Advantage Wrestling and they may have a bright future; but they haven�t paid their dues here yet. Me, I get no respect when it comes down to naming the top 10 wrestlers in the federation. Well guess what?
Tomorrow Man: What�s that?
Cody: Rage is where it all starts. I WILL win come Tuesday and I WILL begin to earn some respect when I start throwing AW�s �Top 10� over the ropes in the rumble at Crossfire. It�s time I become that young gun that people had hopes for 5 years ago.
Tomorrow Man: I can see that.
Cody: So can I, T-Man. So can I.
-[ With that, Cody goes back to his work out as Tomorrow Man watches. Cody has laid out his intentions, firing the first shots towards Alexander Realms and Julianna Guiliano and putting the rest of the federation on notice. He may only be 5�9�, 180 pounds but he has drawn a line in the sand. He WILL win this Tuesday and he WILL have a great showing at Crossfire, if not winning it all at the rumble. He has set his goal, now let�s see how it turns out. Stay tuned. ]-
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*** Logos credited to wonderful RomanBoston. I would be logoless without him.