Brandon and the Beanstalk

[kidnotorious]

December 21st, 2011
Brandon Young's apartment
San Dimas, California

[Most people would look at a month off from work as a pretty nice thing, a chance to spend time catching up on the things you take for granted during the busy 9-5 work week. Read a couple books, play some games, take a road trip or just spend some much needed quality time with the family, all good things that people tend to forgo for the sake of making a living and keeping themselves fed and a roof above their heads. So, when given a chance to focus on the things they want to do instead of the things they NEED to do, most people would jump at that in a heartbeat.

But Brandon Young wasn't most people. When the EUW decided to take a month-long break, give the roster a chance to recover from the biggest pay per view of the year, as well as a chance to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, Brandon originally balked at the idea. Wrestling wasn't just a job to the Young Gun, it was his LIFE. A month not being out there wowing fans world-wide was a pretty boring month in Brandon's head. Unlike most people, Brandon actually enjoyed, nay, loved his job.

But, he mused as he reached into the bedroom closet of his San Dimas apartment to pull out another couple shirts, taking them off the hangers and laying them next to a suitcase on the bed, there was one thing nowadays that he loved just as much, probably more, than his chosen career path. He smiled as he picked up the top shirt on the pile, a white silk button-up -Natalie's favorite- and began folding it before placing it into the suitcase with a bunch of other clothes.]

Brandon: This is gonna be the best Christmas ever.

[His smile grew wider as he thought about what he had planned during that time in order to make his words come true, and then the Persona 4 Intro song blared from cell phone sitting on the nightstand near the bed. He reached over and grabbed the phone, flipping it open and holding it to his ear.]

Brandon: Jello? Yo, Tanner! Yeah it's been a while, how's it goin'?

[He held the phone his shoulder with his head so he could have both hands free, as he continued folding up his laundry, packing it into the suitcase, listening to his best friend talk.]

Brandon: Aww, you lucky bastage! Next time you guys head out to Hawaii you're takin me with right? Well, me and Nat, yeah!

[He chuckled as he moved the phone, into his left hand, heading into the closet and pulling out more stuff, including a couple winter jackets, putting it all on the bed.]

Brandon: Yeah I know. Sorry man, Nat and I have just been...

[He sighed happily, lost in thought for a moment, before continuing.]

Brandon: We've had a whole entire month plus to ourselves and it's just.. been the best time. We really got a chance to know each other and.. yeah..

[He smiles again as he places the coats on the top of the pile in the suitcase. He thought he was going to hate being out of work for a whole month, that if he wasn't out there every chance he could get in front of those fans that it would make him weaker, lesser, but the truth is? All that time off gave him that much more time to spend with Natalie, and they most assuredly did spend as much of it together as they could. And all the little things that used to bother Brandon when he wasn't out working suddenly didn't seem so troublesome anymore, not when he was with her. After a few moments he realized he was daydreaming again and caught himself.]

Brandon: Huh, what? Oh.. Yeah, I do. I really, really do. Heh, thanks man. It's been awesome, and well, it's gonna get better yet.

[He grinned, heading into the other room to grab his bathroom stuff and adding that to the pile of junk on the bed.]

Brandon: Oh I have plans, my friend. I mean, a week in the Poconos, then a week in Vegas... What can be more awesome than that?

[He nodded with a smile as he nearly finished packing the suitcase.]

Brandon: We damn sure do, man! Sometime after New Years, me and you and Nat and Rach need to get together and do somethin'.

[Nodding again, he made one last check to make sure he's got everything before zipping the suitcase up.]

Brandon: Alright, sounds good bro. I gotta jet if I'm gonna pick up Nat in time, talk to ya later.

[He chuckled slightly as he hung up the phone, placing it on the bed before stepping over to the other nightstand. He grabbed a framed picture of him and Natalie bundled up in warm clothes standing in front of a mountain full of snow, glancing between it and the suitcase with another sigh.]

Brandon: Seriously, this is gonna be the best Christmas ever.

[The scene fades as he set the picture back down and grabbed the suitcase, heading out into the world.]

----------------------------------------**ß**----------------------------------------

Present Day.

Brandon: So, that was the best Christmas ever.

[The Young Gun chuckled as he sat on the porch swing on the back porch of the love of his life's house in Durham, watching Samson, her giant Newfoundland dog, fling a soggy tennis ball back and forth around the huge back yard, basically playing fetch with himself. He is wearing black pants and a black silk-screened button up shirt with a little patch stitched on the left breast pocket of a gun with BY in green lettering on the barrel, his hair blowing slightly in the breeze.]

Brandon: Hola EUW, it's been awhile!

[He grins at the camera, giving it a quick wave.]

Brandon: I admit, the last time I was on EUW TV was a... mixed bag of sorts. On the one hand, I lost to our resident trap-making level 37 leet god-moding hunter Care-care..

[IT'S A TRAP!]

Brandon: ..but on the other... my beautiful Belle walked out the FIRST female Champion in EUW history!

[He smiled proudly at the camera, idly rubbing the fingers on his left hand with his right in his lap.]

Brandon: And while I'm a little annoyed that I didn't pop Care-care's giant ego last show, two things stop me from being as upset about it as I know he more than likely believes I am: One, I'm way too giddy for Nat, and two, I get a chance to rectify my mistakes at Vengeance!

[He smirks a bit, rocking back and forth on the swing slightly.]

Brandon: Vengeance is a fitting name for this show, considerin' that it's what I'm gonna be getting on the sorry son-of-a-bitch that only managed to beat me by the skin of his teeth. What happened to that dominant performance you were crowin' about, Carebear? Because from where I'm sittin', I was more than an anthill. I was more like a fricken MOUNTAIN that you had to climb!

Oh I'm sure YOU won't see it that way, what with those rose-colored glasses firmly placed along the bridge of your nose and your head firmly planted up your ass that's not gonna be surprising in the least. I'm sure you'll crow on and on about another awesome performance under your cap, how you "crushed me," how your "plan" went off without a hitch, but deep down we both know the truth.

[He stops the swing long enough to glare at the camera.]

Brandon: The truth is, you didn't do any of the things you vowed to do other than win the match. Which, bravo you won. Guess what, it's not the first time I've lost and it won't be the last. But in losing, I did just as much damage to you than I would've had I won. Because I had one major goal going into that match -win or lose, I was going to PROVE to the world that you weren't as "great" as you thought you were. That you COULD be taken down, that you COULD be hurt.

And while I'm sure you'll never admit to it.. I DID just that!



Brandon: And this Monday, I'm gonna- ACK!

[He is distracted mid-sentence by Samson barreling up the porch at him, slobbering all over the Young Gun's lap as he drops the tennis ball into it. The giant dog glances up at Brandon's face before nudging him with his nose until Brandon finally hops to his feet with a chuckle, grabbing the ball in his hands.]

Brandon: Okay, okay relax I gotcha!

[He chuckles before winding his arm and tossing the ball back out into the yard. The wood underneath his feet shakes as Samson bounds off after the ball once more. Brandon glances down at the drool on his pants before shaking his head.]

Brandon: Where was I- Oh right. So yeah, Care-care.. while I didn't walk out the victor, I did something just as important. I basically proved everything I said right and everything YOU said wrong. I mean, not that that was HARD, because I had already done that using only my WORDS, but then I went and did it in the ring as well.

Just like I said I would.

And now I'm saying something else that is going to come back and bite you in the ass, Carebear. It's something I told Roman right before I went on to pin him in that three-way match with him and an EUW Hall of Famer.

Beat me once, bravo you earned it.

Beat me twice?



Brandon: HELL to the NO!

[Noticing Brandon still standing, Samson walks back over, dropping the ball at his feet. Brandon reaches down and grabs the ball, rubbing the Newfoundland's head with his hand before turning and chucking the ball to the other side of the yard. Samson scurries off after it again as Brandon turns back to the camera.]

Brandon: See Roman was just like you, Care, lots of hype and all the arrogance in the world, thinking he was god's gift to everything. He acted like I was nothing but a road block for him and in that first match yeah, he beat me. But Roman seemed to forget that ONE MATCH didn't mean a single damn THING to the overall scheme of things, just like YOU seemed to believe that because you beat Dr Whatshisface with ease that you'd beat ME the same way, and when I faced him again I put everything I learned from that previous loss into practice, and I left ol' Roman in the middle of the ring, EATING his words!

[Brandon leans back against the railing, rolling his eyes with a sarcastic smile as he continues.]

Brandon: And I know I know, you're "not Roman Cripate." No, you most certainly are not. But the point I was making before, the point that still stands right here today, is that we must ALWAYS learn from our past. Whether they be mistakes or successes, there is always something to learn, something to use to better ourselves with. And that's exactly what I'm going to do Care, I'm going to use our first encounter as a learning tool, I'm going to turn my weaknesses into strengths and I'm going to turn your weaknesses into... more weaknesses.

[He shrugs as he sits back down on the swing, chuckling lightly.]

Brandon: And trust me, buddy ol' chum, there's PLENTY of weaknesses that I can exploit. You're slower'n two old people fucking in the middle of a puddle of Molasses, for one... and I DON'T just mean physically, either. You're big and you're "bad" but I already proved that I can knock you down. I proved that you are not infallible.

Now, I just gotta do an even better job at it the next time. Fine by me! There's no better way to get real experience than by bein' in the ring with someone, and now I have, now I know what you can do, and I know how best to stay that one step ahead of you that's gonna let me do to you what I did to the last arrogant douchebag who thought his shit didn't stink! I'm gonna chop you down like the big stupid cherry tree that you are like my name was Abraham fucking Lincoln!

Natalie: ...Brandon, sugah? It was George Washington that cut down the cherry tree, in the story you're talking about.

[Walking out onto the back porch, the Southern Belle is carrying a pair of mugs which are filled to the brim with steaming-hot tea. Dressed in a pair of jeans and her favorite Duke sweatshirt, she holds one mug out to her boyfriend to take before she sits next to him, crossing her legs primly in front of herself once she's seated. Brandon takes the mug, smiling and nodding in thanks before taking a quick sip, then quirks a brow.]

Brandon: It was..? Hrm.

Natalie: Indeed, it was.

Brandon: ..Ah well, Lincoln, Washington, the point's the same at least. Namely, me chopping big dumb trees down with my pickaxe of awesome.

[He chuckles and shakes his head, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, hugging her close as he takes another sip of tea.]

Brandon: Mmm, that's good tea. How great is this..? Me the Hardkore Champ, you the brand new Lionheart Champ! The world, she is ours for the taking.

Natalie: Just the two of us against the world, huh...?

[She chuckles softly, settling in against his side.]

Brandon: Mmhmm.. I think the world gets the short end of the stick there. Cause with you by my side, I feel like I can do anything.

Natalie: Aww.... speaking of, I didn't interrupt you, did I?

[Brandon smiles at her, then shrugs.]

Brandon: Only slightly. I was kinda hopin' you would actually, because I know how so many people out there hate seein' us be all cute together. Raptor Jesus forbid a couple a' kids in love ACT like it or something. But moreso I know it bugs Care-care, which only makes things even more fun for me.

When I said with you by my side I could do anything, I meant it. And 'anything' is exactly what I'm going to do this Monday, when I become a card-carrying member of the Avengers and do some Avenging all over Carebear's stupid face!

[Brandon actually reaches into his back pocket as he pulls out his wallet, rifling through it for a minute before holding up an actual Avengers calling card.]

Natalie: Just don't get too carried away, now. I know how you can get when you really get into something.

[He grins.]

Brandon: Perish the thought!

[..Then he realizes he's still holding out the Avengers card, which he quickly puts away.]]

Brandon: I know this isn't going to be a cakewalk. I know not to take Care-care lightly, but its the reason I know that this isn't going to be easy that is going to lead me to victory this time. Because I've been on the losing end already, and I know that winning is just going to make his ginormous head even bigger, which just gives me a bigger target for retribution. He's already beaten me so what's stopping him from thinkin' he's just gonna do it again?

Nothin'.

And that's what's going to be his undoing.

[He turns to the camera, that fire back in his eyes.]

Brandon: Everything I've seen from this guy says that even if he may say he respects me and he won't overlook me, he's going to anyways, because what he says and what he does are two different things. And that's what I'm going to use to make THIS time around MINE! I'm going to use his biggest weakness against him, and he is going to crash and burn in grand fashion fitting one so 'awesome' as he.

Natalie: And if you could give him a swift kick in the pants for me, that'd be greatly appreciated.

Brandon: Done!

[Brandon chuckles as Samson bounds up towards the happy couple. Brandon takes the ball from Samson's mouth and hops to his feet, offering his non-slobbery hand to his love to help her up.]

Brandon: I think that's enough work-time for now. Let's go have some fun.

Natalie: ...as you wish.

[Taking his hand, she smiles up at him as she stands. Brandon's smile grows wide as he hugs her close, then tosses the ball out into the yard. The two following after Samson as the scene begins to cut out.]

[See you, Space Cowboy.]