What's Next? [NoC X*Crown RP #1]
Jul 8, 2018 0:42:26 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, ForeverKuroi, and 1 more like this
Post by Jack Diamond on Jul 8, 2018 0:42:26 GMT -5
July 2nd 2018 - 12:22 AM
University of Minnesota Medical Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
It's a funny thing, the wrestling business. Sure, there are good guys and there are bad guys but as quick as hard feeling develop in a battle, respect can also form. Those that you thought you respected, a quick hatred can just as easily rise up.
BEEP... BEEP... BEEP
As the scene fades in, former XCrown Champion, Jack Diamond, dressed in a tailored suit, leans against a glass window, his forehead laying on his forearm, his eyes peeking through the blinds into the ICU room. The camera moves in as the steady rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor pierces the silence of the hospital. Each time it echoes down the white halls is a reassurance that life is still here. It gives hope that a heart is still beating.
Inside the room, Michael Storm lays still, machines whirring and whooshing around him. The steady rise and fall of his chest as his breathing came in short bursts and fell away for what seemed a moment too long for anyone to hold their breath. Jack sighs as the chest rises once again. He turns from the window and walks over to a waiting room couch, sits down and rests his head in his hands.
Footsteps break up the repetitious sounds. Diamond looks up from his hands to see a beautiful woman, in her mid to upper twenties walk up to the window, look in at Storm and immediately breakdown crying, the tears causing her dark mascara to melt down to her light, flushed cheek. She looks up and sees Diamond and her heartbreak immediately turns into something else as she sniffles and wipes her eyes.
Erin: How dare you! You shouldn't be here!
Diamond: Excuse me?
Erin: You of all people! You chose to fight for a stupid trophy instead of looking out for someone who couldn't look out for themselves! Get out of here! It's partly your fault Michael is in that room, hooked up to those machines!
Diamond: Listen, doll, I'm not sure who you are but I'm just here to pay my respects. Storm gave me a hell of a match earlier tonight AND won. I hated seeing him get carted off like he did, but that was his decision to get in that ring, we all know the dangers.
Erin: He hasn't known much of anything lately! Shame on you for going through with the match! You could have stopped him before it got to this point!
Diamond: Stop him how? Look in that room beside him. You see that belt. That is the X*Crown. Well, one of the titles that represents it anyways. It is the title that I held proudly and the championship that Storm has chased for the better part of his career. Whatever questionable decisions he made as of late, whatever strange events that have been going on inside his mind... the sanest decision he ever made was going for the XCrown. Risking life or limb... That is what this business is about. He knew it, I knew it, and I think deep down YOU know it.
Erin: Please, just leave...
The woman breaks down crying again. She knows Jack isn't really to blame. She is deflecting, trying not to put the guilt on her own shoulders. After all, she didn't do as much as she could have to stop Michael Storm after he called her and said that "this is goodbye." Who could have known this night was going to turn out the way it did. Jack certainly didn't. He goes to say something else but thinks better of it and slowly turns to leave the waiting room as a doctor comes out to speak with Erin.
Outside the hospital, Jack slumbers back down in the driver seat of his rental. He closes his eyes for a moment. The sounds of nighttime in Minneapolis fill the void around him. Cars roaring down busy streets, sirens fading in and out a various distances, the low humming sound that is a city at night. He begins to think of everything that is going on with his life and career. The scratching and clawing his way up the ranks in AWF and XHF, putting on a clinic in the Rumble and following that up by going on to Blood Money and beating Rob Arnold. Watching Arnold become a shell of himself, contemplating getting out of this business. The challenge by Storm, the loss tonight, and now Storm also a shell of his former self. Jack's relationship with Dakota, The death of a good friend in Jenny Stackhouse, The Diamond Lounge, The Icons, The AWF... Night Of Champions. Jack opens his eyes again, a cold look in them as he exhales, looking into his rearview mirror he notices the lost look on his face, feels the crushing weight as he stares into his own soul...
Diamond: Maybe she is right. Maybe this is my fault and it all could have been prevented. What's next?
Diamond sighs once more before starting up the vehicle and pulling out of the hospital's parking garage.
July 3rd 2018 - 11:03 AM
Future Site of The Diamond Lounge
Canton, Ohio
Dakota: So? What's next?
The scene opens back up on the familiar sidewalk outside of Jack Diamond's casino and hotel. Workers are busy getting the final things taken care of in both buildings. The pace is feverish now as deadline approaches. As much as Diamond loved being XCrown Champion, he has to admit to himself that he is relieved he has time to focus on the completion of The Diamond Lounge as opposed to preparing for Night Of Champions. Diamond sits at a table, reading the news off his laptop. Dakota sits across from him, scrolling through her phone before asking that question.*
Diamond: I don't know, honestly. I've now won, and lost the most important title in not only AWF but the entire Network. I imagine any rematch for that is out of the question right now considering the champ is laid up in the hospital.
Dakota: Yeah, how is he? You stopped by there after the show right?
Diamond: It's not good. He's hooked up to all kinds of machines. I'm not going to sit here and say I didn't want to beat Storm, but seeing him like that... I never wanted that.
Dakota: I know you didn't. Everyone knows this isn't your fault. You heard the crowd, thanking you for your compassion.
Diamond: I'm not sure EVERYONE knows that. That Erin lady sure didn't seem to know it wasn't my fault.
Dakota: Well, it has to be an emotional time for anyon- wait. Felix just posted a video to address the State of the AWF.
Diamond slides his chair over closer to Dakota as she pushes play on the video. There is Felix Ziko, wearing a black button down shirt and a black suit. There is Felix Ziko being made to look like a fool by Terry Bradshaw once again. However, once the video is back on track from the clusterfuck that is Copycat, Diamond eyes perk up when Felix makes mention of his match against Storm at Clash of the Icons.
Felix Ziko: Mr. Diamond, our support is with you.
The video comes to an end and Diamond has a small smirk on his face. As unfortunate as the news is that Storm is in a coma and the championship vacated, Diamond gets his rematch after all by being in the Four Ring Circus match at Night Of Champions. Dakota meets his gaze
Dakota: So, you were saying?
Diamond: This is not what I had in mind for a rematch, but if AWF wants to put me in that spot to win back my belt, I'll gladly oblige. Not for Felix though, not for Terry Bradshaw, not for AWF. For Jack Diamond. For the Michael Storms of the world who would kill their fucking selves just to try and win that Championship. So what's next? I will take on Dillinger and Danny Ray alongside Maverick, and once we dispose of them it will be on to Night Of Champions. Four Ring Circus. Jack Diamond versus seven other representatives all across the network.
Diamond closes his laptop, and looks at Dakota right in the eyes and smiles.
Diamond: Seven others that have no chance in hell at walking out with my X-Crown championship. There may not be a champion going into this match, but you can damn well bet that Jack Diamond will once again be X-Crown Champion when it's all said and done. I don't care if its one ring, four rings, or twenty rings. Weapons, Fire, Glass, It doesn't matter. I've had a taste at what it means to hold the X-Crown. I will not let this opportunity go to waste and when I win at Night Of Champions, those titles will be mine for a very long time. I don't care what Felix thinks about it, What Chris Card thinks about it, or anyone across the entire network!
Dakota smiles as she listens to her man getting fired up about the announcement that he is back in the X-Crown picture. She looks back down at her phone and gets a quizzical look on her face.
Dakota: Uh, Felix just posted ANOTHER video...
Dakota hits play on the second video. Felix is back on the screen, right after just cutting off the feed in the previous video. Diamond looks on as his "boss" looks clueless on the screen as he explains he forgot to mention Danny Ray would not be at Prestige 19 to team with Seth Dillinger to take on Diamond and Maverick. Felix then clears his throat.
Felix Ziko: But that really does nothing for Seth Dillinger and I'm not going to put him up against two men. And honestly, Clash of the Icons has put me in such good spirits that I'm going to take Danny Ray's place and will partner up with our State of Ohio Champion! I hope you two are ready, because I'm lacing up my boots once more at Prestige 19!
The video ends an Dakota stares on speechless. Diamond stares at the screen, a rage building in his face.
Diamond: You've got to be fucking kidding me. He put himself in a match...with me? Well, I guess before Night Of Champions, what really is next is Jack Diamond finally getting to get his hands around the overgrown neck of Felix Ziko. After that, he can lay in a room beside Michael Storm and watch me become a two time X-Crown Champion.
Diamond stands and straightens his tie before grabbing his laptop off the table. He pulls out his phone and starts clicking away
Dakota: What are you doing?
Diamond: Making some travel arrangements. We are going to Cherokee to get something. It's only fitting Night of Champions has a match called "The Four Ring Circus" because they have their very own Ass-clown in Felix Ziko. For fucks sake...
Diamond continues tapping away at the screen of his phone as Dakota looks on slightly amused. Nevertheless, Jack Diamond will be at Night Of Champions to compete, once again, for the X-Crown. When he wins, it won't be so easy getting it away from him again. As Diamond makes plan to head home to Cherokee ahead of his next match at AWF Prestige 19, the scene fades to a close
