OOC: Stuck at work. Gonna format as soon as I get home.

January 13th, 2020

"Well, here goes nothing."

Ned adjusts his webcam, sitting back in his chair, the background showing his office in his gym. He's got an SNES controller in hand and looking over at his computer screen, ensuring that the game is displaying correctly. He goes ahead and glances over the viewer count.

86 people watching

"That's not too bad."

He shrugs, directing his attention to the webcam, giving a small wave as he starts speaking.

"Uh... hey guys! I've been wanting to play a few games on here for a while, but I haven't really had time to just sit back and Twitch stream. Thankfully, the gym had to be shut, so I went ahead and gave the employees a day of pay and I can use the space in hear while we have some relatively peaceful renovations in the place."

"Regardless, hopefully we can have some fun today, talk a bit about what's been going on. I've kind of distanced myself from Twitter as of late, but hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things soon. Anyway, today I'm playing Chrono Trigger. I know it's kind of a dorkier choice, but-uh I quite enjoyed playing it growing it up and it grew my fascination with science fiction and fantasy. So, how y'all doing tonight?"

Ned checks the comments, leaning over to his laptop, placed to his side on a hastily set-up TV tray.

tinypeen: ur pp small
Jobberwocky: Doin good.
xXxtheannhilatorxXx: fanastic.
tgirls4life: I am great Ned. I prefer cross tho.
Jobberwocky: Hey why do you use 3s in your Twitch name?

Ned chuckles a bit, scratching his head as he leans back for a moment.

"Aw man, turns out somebody else already took my usual handles, so this is what I got left with."

Ned starts to play, beginning a new game nonchalantly as he becomes a little more engrossed in the gameplay. He smiles softly, reminded of a simpler time in his life. Lily had always preferred Secret of Mana, but despite their long arguments on the subject, they loved both games well enough. Deep within him, Ned felt a dripping void laying just below his heart. A spot he wasn't certain would be filled again. Still, there was a sweetness in even touching the tiniest bit of that past. And the music sent a wave of tender nostalgia through him. One that overcame everything he had been going through as of recently. All of that mattered little now. And, though Ned wouldn't say it, he found a sense of optimism in playing a game about saving the future as he prepared for his own. After a few minutes of getting caught up in his own reminiscence, he looks over at his computer again.

452 people watching

MacNCheenis: TALK YOU FUCK
Woofenstien: are we sure he hasn't been drinking
tinypeen: ned is a weiner cleaner
TheRaven4673: guys stop
BBBmusix: Why does anyone even like this guy? He's like Diet-Santos
tinypeen: thats why he likes big d
bettathandabest: A corpse has more of a chance of pinning Fuzz than Ned Gaye

"Jesus Christ...!"

Diverting his attention to his computer, Ned looks on in a confused awe, somewhat hurt by how quickly people came to mock and belittle him.

Boomstix11: im suffering from bad insomnia so my doctor recommended your promos! thanks for the full nights sleep!
BBBmusix: lol
QuadrupleHaitch: Imagine having a son so lame that cancer can't kill you fast enough to get away from him.
bettathanthebest: Still surprised Fuzz chose this excuse for a has-been over literally anyone else. Where's Boris ffs?
RenegadeXx: pretty sure his wofe drove into the truck i woulda

The more he stared, the more he wondered why he bothered standing up for people who chose to actively say these things to him. He definitely had obtained a great deal of attention from the internet, but he was yesterday's news. He wasn't putting his hands in his pockets or going on long tangents about percentages of victory, he just went out there and did his damn job well. And whether they knew it or not, it was rarely easy to, but he made the effort. Even when his Dad passed. Even when he felt hopeless, Ned got up and he did his damn job, so where did he earn the embarrassment of being insulted by fucking "tinypeen" of all people on the planet? Taking a deep breath, Kaye shakes his head before looking at the comments more intently.

"Look, if you're just going to be a jackass and insult the people who have unfortunately passed on in my life, I can start handing out bans, but I would much prefer to play some damn Chrono Trigger and maybe some MGS later. Can we do that for just a couple hours please?"

The chat slows down before a single message pops up.

tinypeen: u r mr gay

Suddenly, more follow.

BBBmusix: yeah dont be a pussy ned
RenegadeXx: pretttty gayyyyyyyyyyy
MacNCheenis: Fuckin
Woofenstein: im pretty sure i'd have more fun sniffing drezdin's jockstrap than listening to kaye talk about his shitty white boy problems again. i wanna hear real issues like what lacklan goes through
TheRealBigD: His name IS Ned Gay, after all.
tinypeen: NED GAYE
QuadrupleHaitch: Notoriously gay

"Et tu, Daniel?"

Ned drops his head in his hands, realizing that he probably won't get any productivity out of today's stream. He internally kicks himself, knowing he should have predicted this and acquired some moderators sooner. He lifts his head up, eyes scanning over the messages and seeing only one not proclaiming his supposed homosexuality or lameness. He reads it aloud.

"Do your best Macho Man impression for your match against Fuzz."

The Notorious One shakes his head, mind going in circles.

"I dunno, he'd say something like..."

He switches to a passable Randy Savage impression.

"OOOOHH YEAHH. IT APPEARS THAT THE AFTERTHOUGHT WILL BE SOUGHT AFTER NO LONGER ONCE I'M THROUGH WITH HIM, YEAH. THE POTENTIAL OF INJURY BECOMES A CERTAINTY WHEN YOU TRY TO FIGHT THE MA-CHO MAN IN HIS RING. I'LL BE THERE TO STAMP HIS ONE WAY TICKET TO SWOLLEN ASS AVENUE, BROTHER."

Ned coughs, the impersonation doing a number on his throat before uttering, "Yeah, I ain't doing that again." He swivels his head to check the chat again.

TheRealBigD: ...Whoa
tinypeen: i liked that actually
BBBmusix: I would watch Ned promos if he did that no lie
bettathandabest: talk about Fuzz you absolute fuck

"Look, y'all want me to talk about Fuzz?"

MacNCheenis: kinda
TheRealBigD: Duh
RenegadeXx: YES
BBBmusix: YES
TheRaven4673: I want that too yes
bettathandabest: fucking do it

Ned throws his hands into the air, obviously frustrated at this point.

"Fine! You know what I think about Fuzz? I think he's fucking great, guys! I worry that he's on an entirely other level, actually! Because as much as I like to wish that I did with some naysayers and jerks on here, you'd better believe NONE of you can affect me like I can! You throw around these playground insults because you have so little creativity without considering that maybe I've heard or thought some of the nonsense you people spew! But I realize that that's what you guys like! It's fun to get under my skin, right? You all think you're high tier trash talkers because you can repeat the weakest take in XWF history: Ned is boring! Wow guys, so fucking what? I don't give a good goddamn if I'm boring because I get paid to wrestle and do it well and despite how easy it is to be some over the top cartoon character version of myself, I still make an effort to not become that? Can you imagine Shane or Peter Gilmour or Sarah Lacklan taking ten minutes to be self aware and come to terms with their problems? I doubt it! I mean, I can relate to Fuzz on that! Hell, in a lot of ways, I respect Fuzz entirely!"

"He's a self-made man. He makes decisions that other people find difficult and morally suffocating and doesn't care about what they think about him. But the problem with Fuzz is I think he's bought into his own image a bit. Not a complete, one note person, but he does believe he truly is "The Afterthought" and I don't mean to sound like this, but he's not. Not one bit, in fact! You know who gets snubbed all the damn time; who gets treated like an afterthought? My partner and my friend Daniel. He goes out there and always tries to do his damn best because he strives to be in the Uni title picture and despite every ounce of his flesh being devoted to this craft, he gets passed up for Robbie Bourbon when time for a shot comes. Robbie "couldn't care less about a belt" Bourbon is there when he hasn't shown the devotion that myself or D have. Because he's old guard Main Event, like Fuzz, and we're just coming around. It's infuriating to get treated like a joke because I can't always be on my A-game because when Lacklan has off weeks, she has someone to pull her up and protect her. Even Fuzz has a guy at his side waiting to take on the extra load, but when I fail it's always put entirely on me. APEX Prophecy doesn't swoop in and save me, the burden of being treated like anything is always being placed upon me, but it's never enough. Because even those who support me are never gonna give me the respect of Centurion, Raven, Robert, Drew, Bourbon, Fuzz, the list goes on. I have to fight just for a thumbs up and someone like Fuzz can get here through a few profanities and a bad attitude. That's what I think of Fuzz."

Ned calms down, nearly ready to slam his head against his desk, anger nearly seeping from his pores.

"Sorry for getting so worked up, I'm just dealing with a lo-"

A loud noise is heard from downstairs as Ned swivels around to check.

"What the hell was that?"

FuzzFann9100: fuck u gayboi

"Is that a SWAT team? Am I getting swatted?"

From behind Ned, the door is obliterated as a SWAT team rams into it, guns scanning over his office as they pour in.

"You can't run from yourself."