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Москва звонит; /Part 3/King Guaranteed The Crown
Topic Started: Jan 7 2018, 01:41 AM (137 Views)
Wadjethotep

As he stepped outside the cold air punched him immediately. It’s tight grip surrounding his body that was only lightly covered. Slippers, shorts, and a hastily put on zip up that was only halfway closed was all he had to protect himself from the elements. The skin on his chest tightened when the wind came. None of it was paid attention too, instead he set down a hot cup of black coffee with a fair amount of vodka in it and reached into his pocket. A pack of Camel menthol’s was produced, he gripped the lighter tight on the way out to keep it warm. There was no trouble with it as the flame came on the first flick and the cigarette was lit.

Ty sat down in a chair and took a drink from the cup. Some meme somewhere had referred to all of this as a Finnish breakfast or something like that. For him it was just a way to try and numb. That way he could try and wrap his head around the fact that Jackson Magnum was really gone. Jackson was more than just someone to share the road with. It was his tag partner, one of the few people in the world he legitimately trusted with his safety. Then when the time came for it, he wasn’t there to do the same.

As Ty took another drag from his cigarette his mind searched for someone to blame. It’s not the way it should have been, but it was his way of trying to make it easier to cope with. Despite the fact that nothing was going to make this easier. Felicity Banks is who popped up first. That she didn’t have to do the gun theatrics at the end of their match. That she didn’t need to put the thought in his mind in the first place. She was the last person on earth he wanted to see right now, and he wasn’t sure how long that feeling was going to last.

Then came the real moment, a moment that his body seemed to anticipate but his brain did all it could to put him off. It was his fault. After his press conference at Endgame he had gone to check on Jackson. As he tried to enter the locker room the door was locked. Ty knocked a few times but there was no answer. His thought was that Jackson just didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. That he was frustrated with the match, and with the way it ended. Space is what he figured was best at the time. So he yelled through the door that he was going to get going cause he needed to get to New York for Phe’s New Years Eve party. He told him if he needed anything to let him know and he would call him.

Those would be the last words he would ever say to Jackson.

Now he sat there in the freezing cold with a cigarette pressed to his lips and a cup of coffee in his hand, doing all he can to prevent himself from breaking down. After that everything became a blur. He got lost in his own mind and who knew how long he would have been out there alone. Phoebe was the first to find him, Ty doesn’t even remember what she said to him or if he even responded. The next thing he remembered was Phe herself coming out. He stood up and tried to act like he had it together, even though that clearly wasn’t the case. She came up to him and pulled him in for a hug. That was it, he lost it all, and in her arms he broke down and cried like the world around him was crumbling again.

_________________________________________

Wednesday was the first day he allowed himself to think of wrestling. Mostly cause he didn’t have a choice, he had a match for Vengeance Pro and as much as he didn’t want to do anything right now the show must go on. It was decided it was best to fly into Vegas during the middle of the night. He got to Vegas at around two in the morning. It was quiet, there were no reporters or no one waiting for him. Usually he tended to drive himself, he still enjoyed his freedoms. This time though he let someone drive him to the hotel. He was still looking at buildings to buy in the city. Though a part of him was thinking about just buying a piece of land and putting a tiny house on it, that way he could have a place to just get away. Right now he was strongly wishing he had done the later.

He made his way to the hotel room without much fanfare, then placed the do not disturb sign on the handle and locked the door. Next thing he knew he was sprawled out on the bed. There was something about desert landscapes that did nothing for him. One the eyelids were shut it was the grand images of Lake Baikal that filled his mind. It was unbearably cold at times but it was beautiful, and it was home. This was just another hotel in a place where the real temperature was in the 40’s but it could have felt like 80 to him after leaving New York. Sleep was best but it wasn’t coming. The idea of drinking came around but it wasn’t best, neither was the idea about taking some Tylenol PM. The last thing needed right now was to slip deeper into the depression he fought on a daily basis. Addiction was another thing that was too risky to play with. Then it was the thought of Jackson himself, what would he want him to be doing right now?

That made him think of the letter again. Wrestling was usually Ty’s thing to fall back on in hard times. He hadn’t suffered a loss like this inside of the business in a long time. That letter made him not want to think about it. Each word had been photographically placed inside of his mind. Almost as if it was placed there for him to over analyze every consonant and vowel. There was something about how Jackson said he was one of the best in the world that lingered. Jackson was always on Ty for thinking less of himself. His confidence was nearly shot over the fall but Jackson helped him gain some of that back. Now with big singles wins over Kol and Dom was Ty really as good as Jackson thought he was? Placing him with Fel, Atwater, and Emilio was prime company, still he didn’t feel like he belonged in that group. He still had the chisel in his hand and there was a mountain looming in front of him.

Crowned Royalty, the thought had slipped these past two days. Now it was right there. First though were to big tests. Tonight’s match was going to show him how he was going to be in the ring while trying to get over this. Then came a huge match in FGA. While he was at the Final Frontier shows in Albany members of management snagged him aside to talk about doing a show or two. Of course he said yes but never in a million years did he expect the first one to be a title match. Especially against someone like Chris Madison, but it was what he wanted. This never ending quest to be the best was only going to be achieved if he constantly went up against the best. This match was proof but he wasn’t going to let himself think about taking that belt home yet. He still had the tag match to think about. Kyle was someone Ty had never tagged with before but Keegan was someone he had faced before so there was some familiarity. The nerves were there though, much more than normal. After some shuffling on the bed to find a better position it met his eyes, the NKP Openweight championship. Belts were always placed on the cleared off nightstand, that way they would be safe and close to him. Everything he went through to get it ran back through his mind. Then the focus came, maybe once he was in the ring everything would be ok.

_________________________________________

Thursday was the first day he could consider half decent all week. Last night's win was a huge relief, now he knew that he could still get in the ring and run on all cylinders without worry. Now it was time to put his mind to the matches with bigger implications. There was still that feeling of emptiness however, as if the places that were already hollow inside of him had just grown wider and more pronounced. What could be done about it though? For some the grieving process can be long, especially when dealing with it alone. He knew other people were upset about Jackson’s passing but he didn’t know how to share his feelings with those people, so instead he interalized it and felt the brunt of it.

This slightly changed early in the morning. Sleep was still an issue, he was sure after the win that he would finally be able to get a few hours but that wasn’t the case. Nightmares had him up every hour or so. He saw a tweet from Phoebe and figured it would be polite to respond, for all he knows he could have froze to death if she never came out and got him from the cold back in New York. She called and suggested he come out to LA. That it might be good for him to get away. So Ty did what he always does, asked for Phe’s opinion. She told him to go, try to relax and enjoy the nicer weather. After that conversation the bags were packed and it was straight to the airport.

The two went out to lunch. It was there she told him that Phe was glad that they were hanging out. That it was good for the both of them considering they had recent losses, albeit in different veins. It was a few things she said soon after though that really caught his attention. The first was when she said that Phe had given her the week off and told her to try and cheer him up. If Phe wanted her with him that meant she was going to have to come along with him, so he invited her to come to the rest of the shows he had for the week. Then Phoebe told him how Phe said it was important that she make sure that Ty eats and sleeps. Of course all of these things sound normal to someone who is just looking out for a friend who is experiencing a loss, which is the complete opposite of how Ty’s brain works.

Now he started to wonder if she was here to really keep and eye on him and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. He couldn’t blame her though if she did, he’s done plenty of stupid things over the past couple years that would warrant her feeling uneasy about Ty being alone during a moment of crisis. It made him feel guilty for all the stress he put everyone through. These were the times he wondered just how much better off would people have been if he hadn’t survived?

He looked up and saw Phoebe smiling at him and figured he could at least try to do something today. So they went around LA, hit up some of the spots he enjoyed from when he stayed with Phe to help her take care of the kids after the split. He even hit the gym for the first time this week and finished off the night at his favorite Thai spot in the city. At the end of the night she even got him to laugh from a joke. He was optimistic again, which had him feeling like things might start to turn the corner soon. Then it was time for sleep. Sleep meant nightmares. The optimism was gone.

_________________________________________

He didn’t really want to be around large crowds right now, so he did as he did for Vegas, chartered a flight for the middle of the night. So Phoebe and Ty took a cab from the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton to Philly to catch a flight, but first he had to stop at Geno’s and get a cheesesteak. At this point it was tradition, if Reading Terminal market was open he would have taken her there. He had a feeling Phoebe would have liked it. As they boarded the plane he did his best to get comfortable. This time the nerves were very hard to deal with, the time was finally here. Crowned Royalty.

Since the day came that they announced he would represent Defiance in the tournament he had been waiting for this chance. This is the moment he had been waiting for. Yes beating Dom was big, but it was big for him. HKW might care less, this was his chance to make them care. When they signed him they were expecting a big deal. Something he had yet to produce, but if there was ever a night.

To win Crowned Royalty he would have to win three matches tonight. All less than twenty four hours from last night's war. Ty’s mind slipped and thought of Jackson. Magnum probably would have told him he was an idiot for taking the match the day before Crowned Royalty, especially for the rules surrounding the Pride title, but Ty would have just said it was worth the risk. There was almost solace in the fact that whether he was here or not he would still be in the same situation.

As the plane took off he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He could see the bracket clearly. JZ Crowns, a man who sure loved to hear himself talk. Still that didn’t mean that Ty could just ignore him and declare this an easy win. That’s what he did with June Kolby and look where that got him. JZ was going to get his full and undivided attention. The plan was to end it early though, as fast as he can. Three matches in one night is a lot and despite the fact that he’s never ran out of gas before, he doesn’t want to see how many miles it takes to reach that point.

JZ is a good worker but he still has a lot to learn when it comes to wrestling. That’s Ty’s advantage, having been around for a while and having shared the ring with the best his eyes are more tuned on what to look for. It wouldn’t be hope for JZ to make a mistake it’s wait, then crank it up to eleven and take it home. This also sets how the rest of the tournament is going to see him. There can’t be any struggling here, and if he could pick up a submission that would be even better.

Then would come the semi finals, where he was hoping he would see Annie. It’s not that he didn’t like Annie, she was one of his better friends in HKW. It was just one of those things where he wanted to avenge the loss, especially when Annie’s wasn’t a clean win in the first place. It was nothing she did, just a result from the war with Kol. He knew how bad she wanted it but he also knew that he needed it. That’s why if they do match up he knows what he has to do to beat her, and he knows it's possible.

But then there’s also a strong chance it could be Sophie El. Ty hasn’t heard a lot of people talking about Sophie El in this tournament and he wasn’t sure why. She has all the tools, and she can use him. A stronghold of Subversion for as long as he can remember, Sophie is someone he would love to share a ring with. She’s a fine person to test your craft against, especially with all of her accomplishments here. Crowned Royalty was sure another one she would love to add. That made her even more dangerous. Still he knew that when shit was ready to hit the fan he could make his way through to the other side.

If he was lucky enough to make it to the finals he could be facing one of four different wrestlers with four different styles to bring to the table. Tristan Martinez was born to be a star in this business. He couldn’t deny that, it was apparent during his time as the health and fitness coach as RISE. There was just something about him that made you know he was meant for this, and he was meant for big things. This was easily a moment where he could shine. That is what made him someone to look out for. His road to the finals wouldn’t be easy but Ty could see him there.

There was always the chance of Felix making it. Any member of the Vialpando family when placed in any tournament was capable of winning it all, this was also a concern for the Young Guns Cup. Ty had been around Felix for a whilT now from SAP and HKW and now HELL. They were always around each other and Ty liked to believe that there was a mutual respect there. Ty has always felt that Felix is just looking for his chance to break out in the big time. Winning Crowned Royalty would sure put some spotlight his way. Ty also liked the idea of him “taking notes”, it is always important to know the strength and weaknesses of those around you. Ty loved watching tape of those he really wanted to beat, which meant Felix wasn’t the only one taking notes. If Felix makes it to the end against him it would be a match he would welcome openly. He has always wanted to stand across from him and see what he has. Ty just hopes he isn’t a sore loser about it.

Tommy, Tommy was a man with a very strong heart. He had been through so much. Ty almost felt like the two could relate on a lot of things but they never seemed to talk much. If Tommy made it to the end that could be a wonderful thing, because it could kill two birds with one stone. With Tommy coming in as the NKP Grand champion it would be a fun setting for a champion versus champion match. The two were set to face off at the end of November in NKP, however things changed when Ty and Kol were too busy fighting through the streets of Barcelona than to be at the arena for their matches. Kol had stated that he felt he brought the Openweight title to a level near the Grand championship and that it was now Ty’s job to uphold that. What better way for that to happen then for the Openweight champion to beat the Grand champion on such a large stage? It might not be inside an NKP ring but that wouldn’t mean NKP officials wouldn’t be watching. There was nothing wrong with trying to rise one’s stock in multiple places. So facing Tommy might be the best option after all.

And then there was Nest, the person he feels he has the best chance of meeting in the finals. What words can be describe Nest besides chaos, utterly and completely. Nest was an opponent that could do anything in that ring and you somehow had to prepare yourself for it. He still remembers what happened to Jason at Control over the summer in Mexico. He’ll never forget the shape Jason was in and how rough he looked. Leaving by ambulance is never the way to exit an arena. Since that moment Ty has always wanted revenge. At that time Jason would have told him it’s not his revenge to take or something in that manner. Even if he did beat Nest now as some kind of retribution there’s a chance it wouldn’t mean much because it's been so long. Still a moral victory to him was still a victory. Plus this wouldn’t be about fighting Nest for someone else’s reasons, he has plenty of his own to win this match. In a way Nest would be the perfect symbolism to end the tournament against and end this week against. A brick wall with a way of projecting all of your worst fears and nightmares against you. Someone who you know could eat your best shot and keep charging like a bear getting in close for the kill. At that point Nest is terror in it’s human form. That means there’s plenty for Ty to be afraid of, but he’s not afraid of nest. At the end of the night the only thing Ty is truly afraid of, is failing.

Right now he missed Jackson more than ever. He could use Jackson’s unwavering belief in him. Ty leaned forward for a moment which made Phoebe ask if he was ok. He told her he was fine and made a joke about how he maybe shouldn’t have had that cheesesteak before the flight. He went back into a deep thought. Here he was nearly crying to himself, Jackson wouldn’t want that. He’d want him to pull himself up by the bootstraps and get the fucking job done. All this bragging he was doing about having a new found confidence and he was ready to tear it down, when he should be doing everything he can to keep raising it. That meant no excuses and no bullshit. If he really needed it as bad as he felt he did then he was going to have to leave everything out there, everything. He was going to have to dig deeper than he did with Kol. It was time to grab the shovel and dig the proverbial trench. It was time to be the King guaranteed the crown.

Ty reached down into his bag and pulled out his phone and a pair of headphones. He put one bud in his ear and offered the other to Phoebe who accepted. He opened Spotify and touched the spot that said “Your Library”, a couple of clicks later and he had what he wanted. He settled into his chair but stayed close enough to Phoebe not to pull the bud out. That was when the first lyric could be heard

“There’s trouble where I’m going but I’m gonna go there anyway, I hate Sunday mornings cause they always seem to start this way”

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