Beating you Stupid (TC RP)

[The Dunne Deal]

It was the middle the afternoon, and the home of Cheez, the ever-lovable Twitch streamer, was buzzing with a mix of excitement and tension. The Tilted Cartridges' powerhouse, Wellington Dunne, was striding back and forth in the narrow hallway just outside Cheez's gaming domain. Each heavy step made the old wooden floorboards groan and creak beneath his weight. The rhythmic sound of his pacing was almost hypnotic, but it did little to soothe his growing agitation.



Inside the gaming room, Cheez was deeply engrossed in his latest Twitch stream, headset snugly fitted over his ears. The constant click-clacking of the keyboard punctuated the otherwise quiet atmosphere.



"Hey, Wellington!" Cheez's voice crackled through the headset, sounding mildly annoyed yet calm. "You keep pacing like that, you're going to put a hole in the floor! Just go back to whatever you were doing. I’ve got this covered."



Wellington stopped abruptly, his face flushed with frustration. He shot an intense look toward the open doorway leading into the gaming room. "Just for once, let me handle the talking, alright? You always get way too emotional and fired up. You don’t think things through."



Cheez barely looked up from his game. His fingers danced over the keyboard, manipulating the game characters with precision. "Oh, and like you don’t? Remember your whole gimmick about losing your mind when you see your own blood?"



Wellington’s expression hardened. He clenched his jaw, trying to suppress his irritation. His partner’s jibe hit close to home. He knew Cheez had a point—when he got overly emotional, he often lost sight of the bigger picture. He needed to stay calm and collected.



Taking a deep breath, attempting to channel his frustration into something productive. "Look, I’m going to try to be as calm and courteous as I can. But sometimes, I wonder if people in this business, and even in life, don’t actually study the past properly. Do they just repeat what they've been told without any real understanding?"



Cheez, still focused on his game but clearly listening, offered a slight nod. "I get it, but where are you going with this?"



Wellington continued, his voice steady but passionate. "I’ve always had this thought since I was a kid. How many of our memories are real, and how many are just things we’ve been told by those around us? Take Niko and Kono, for example. I swear I’ve faced them before—maybe in a rumble. But I don’t remember clearly. I’ve taken so many blows to this thick skull of mine. I’m bullheaded and stubborn, but let me make this clear: I am not one of the Dunnes you think I am."



Cheez finally paused his game, pulled off his headset, and peered out of the room. "Who did you say our next match is against?"



"The Dark Stars," Wellington answered, his frustration evident.



Cheez’s face twisted in confusion. "Oh, you mean the Czars?"



"No, Cheez," Wellington corrected. "The Dark Stars. Kono and Niko."



Cheez chuckled, shaking his head. "No, it’s a game reference, not ‘Czar’ like the old rulers of Russia. I’m talking Ztar—spelled with a ‘Z.’"



Wellington looked bewildered. "Okay, buddy, you’ve officially lost me. I’m not as into games as you are. But I don’t recall any character or item with that name."



Cheez grinned, clearly enjoying the chance to explain. "Oh, there is. You know the game Mario Party?"



Dunne groaned. "Don’t remind me. My hand still aches from all that control stick spinning. But go ahead."



Cheez’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he explained. "In Mario Party, there’s this level called Mario’s Rainbow Castle. It’s the only level with a straight path, and you need to get to the end to buy a star from Toad. But once a player gets the star, the castle tower spins, and Toad gets replaced by Bowser. If a player reaches Bowser, they get this black star that’s worth nothing. It’s called a ‘Ztar’—with a ‘Z.’"



Wellington scratched his head, still perplexed. "Why would Nintendo do that? And why do you even know this?"



Cheez shrugged, a playful smirk on his face. "My question is, why are we facing a tag team that makes as little sense as that fake star from Mario Party? Just like that Ztar, these guys are completely and totally worthless."



Wellington had no comeback. Cheez’s ability to link opponents to obscure video game trivia was uncanny. "I... I have no words. How do you always find some random piece of video game trivia that perfectly fits our opponents?"



Cheez’s expression softened, and he stepped out of the gaming room. "It’s simple. I’ve spent so long focusing on my weaknesses that I forgot what my strengths were. And you’ve done that too. So here’s the plan: we go out there and give them a taste of the old us. You, the bull that loses his mind when he sees red—make them bleed. Remember that shirt you made years ago? You called it the dawn of the ‘Age of Rage’? Well, I think it’s time for a new day in that age."



Wellington’s face brightened with understanding. "I see exactly what you mean, buddy. This is my chance, with your help, to break away from the constant confusion with Lee Dunne. Dark Stars, Dork Stars—whatever you want to call yourselves—I’m going to give you a history lesson you won’t forget."



He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a steely whisper. "My real name is Wilford Matthias Dunbar, not Wellington Dunne. And when I’m done with you, when we’re done with you, the next time you hear the name ‘Wilford,’ I don’t care if it’s the bald guy talking about diabeetus—you’ll get flashbacks. You played the wrong game, and you lost. Game over, Dark Stars. Game over."