Continued from: The Day Had Just Begun

Ned took a deep breath. It had been a while since he had spent some real time in The Notorious Gym. He loved seeing the locals but his schedule and personal life had made it tougher. But after his therapist Urias called his friend Ethan and his brother, Nate, for some celebrating, he knew it was time to do some training in the gym he was so proud to renovate, endorse, and own. Despite all of the use, new equipment, and time since he first got it, it still had that dusty stench to it. It felt right to have the three of those closest to him here before his match at Savage. In a way, they had all helped build this place and Ned by extension.

The Notorious One sat on a small wooden stool he had kept from early on in the gym's history. Despite his efforts to train, he found himself increasingly disheartened at his inability to gel well with the equipment in the establishment. Certainly, he didn't have trouble with routine training, but this upcoming match was anything but routine. He watched the three of his friends do their best to try and formulate a regimen, but to little avail. Urias's suggestion of underwater trampoline endurance cardio wasn't in the realm of useful, but it did lighten everyone's spirits. As Ethan argued with the doctor about the logistical issues and practical redundancies with the concept, Nate Kaye walked over to his brother's side, chuckling.

“Don’t worry, they can’t bicker over this forever.”

“Obviously, you haven’t spoken to Urias much.”

The brothers both shook their heads, grinning as they looked at the gym they both managed to keep running. Nate glance over at Ned, noticing something unspoken about his younger sibling.

“So, you’re not happy with the equipment? We can always get some more. But it will be on your tab.”

His gaze falling towards his feet, Ned shook his head.

“It’s not that. I just realize that this place has grown a lot under you.”

“A business degree will do that.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

With a sigh, Ned looked back up.

“I think you should take ownership of the gym.”

“What?”

“Hear me out. I know we’ve had our differences in the past. I know it’s been rocky even recently, but the more we’ve reconnected, the more I realize how much kindness you’ve shown me, even when I haven’t done the same. Seeing you in here… it’s just really reinvigorated you from the brother who visited during Leap of Faith. The locals like you and you’re already here more often than me. Besides, I’m busy focusing on getting to a better place mentally and a better place as an athlete. Somebody’s gotta be around here to teach all the little Ned Kayes out there and…”

Nate kept quiet, looking his brother up and down.

“And?”

“...There’s nobody I trust more for the job than you.”

The emotion was clear in Nate’s eyes, but he wasn’t one to get all sentimental typically and that wasn’t about to change now.

“Well, I’m honored. This place has done a number on me… in a good way! I’d be happy to keep the ship sailing while you go kick some ass and stomp some heads. Just don’t expect a big, mushy emotional speech. That’s for you wrestling types.”

The proud speech was on brand for Nate, but Ned read right through his brother’s exterior.

“I love you, too, man. I think I’m gonna need a trainer to get where I want to be for this Warstein match. The machines are great and all, but I’ve been missing the human element. It always pushes me further.”

Nate’s eyes lit up, but not before Urias scrambled to Ned’s side, clearly having eavesdropped the conversation.

“It’s the part I was born to play, buddy! I’ll be the toughest coach you’ve ever had! First things first, we cut off red meats, red wines, and-uh… actually, cut out all meats and wines! You can always eat eggs and drink vinegar, worst case!”

Ned rolled his eyes, reaching a hand out to Nate who passed him one of the pairs of punching mitts they had on hand.

“Alright, doc. You can train me if you can stand after one punch from Ethan.”

“Wait, why me?”

“Oh, this’ll be easy! Come on, kid, give me your best shot!”

Urias began to use his oft forgotten dancing skills to shuffle in front of Ethan, holding up both pads with the confidence of a bullfighter.

“Just remember to twist into your punch, Ethan.”

“Whatever you say.”

Ethan readied himself, taking a deep breath before throwing a fairly average straight square into Urias’s mitt. Urias tumbled back from the force of the blow, rolling backwards as he did! As he lifted himself to his feet, he was visibly disappointed.

“Well, I guess you can’t win em’ all.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it, Doc. Even if you had taken that punch well, I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to train Ned for an instant. Besides, you’ve always been more of the plucky sidekick type, anyway.”

“You think? I always thought myself more dashing than that!”

As Urias began to argue with Ethan over the qualities than constituted “dashing,” Nate pulled Ned over to the gym’s garage. As they entered, it was clear it hadn’t been touched for a few months, a thick layer of the gym’s trademark dust over a sheet that covered the car within.

“I don’t remember leaving a car in here.”

“You didn’t.”

Nate pulled the cover off, sending dust up into the air, obscuring everything and getting a few coughs from the Kayes. But as it settled, Ned recognized the car all too well. He ran a hand over it’s beaten, ugly exterior. It was his 2001 Saturn SW2, somehow in the same shape he had left it when it crapped out on his way to Wrestlestock.

“No way! I thought this girl got scrapped out in Nevada.”

“I did too, but I got a tip about it and decided I’d grab it for you. I know you like having pieces of your past and all of that aforementioned mushy shit. I was gonna give it back to you around your birthday, but that was around the time everything with Mom happened and… it just wasn’t the right time.”

With a warm smile, Ned gave his relunctant brother a one armed hug, tapping the hood of the car with his free hand.

“I’m glad to see the SW2 again, but I can’t imagine driving it to Providence. I was just gonna take a train.”

“Oh, you’re not gonna be driving her.”

---

The alley behind The Notorious Gym was blocked off by fluorescent orange cones. It wasn’t a long street, but it was certainly enough to keep the ol’ station wagon in. The car sat in neutral at the start of a makeshift track Nate had made out of spaced trash cans against the wall of the building adjacent to the gym. Nate held a stopwatch, standing out of the way of the car’s trajectory. Standing in front of the vehicle, Ned held two chains that had been attached to the car’s front.

“So you want me to pull this clunky, heavy piece of shit down there?”

“Correct.”

“In 15 seconds?”

“Yep.”

“Upper body strength isn’t really something I’ve been known for ever. Are you sure this is the best way to condition me?”

“Did you swamp Rob’s dad with this many questions?”

“Oh, no. You’re getting way fewer.”

Nate began rubbing his forehead, a little nervous of how difficult Ned might be. They had shared a ton of attitude with each other over the years and it was hard not to expect a little of that here.

“Look, if you want to lose to Warface, keep yapping. If you want to actually pull this off, time starts-”

“Hey, wait-”

“-now!”

The stopwatch clicked to a start, Ned pulling on the station wagon with everything. At first, Ned was able to make quick progress on the first half of the track, but each step demanded exertion than he had prepared for. He could feel exhaustion setting in rapidly, only making it across their impromptu finish line after an intense struggle towards the end. Gasping for air, Ned called out to his brother.

“What’s my time?”

“26.46. You’re gonna have to try a lot harder than that, Ned! Come on, you’re ten seconds behind! I know you can make this! Now, push it back to starting position.”

Ned sighed, looking up in exasperation as he began to push the Saturn, giving a quizzical look to his brother who simply watched as Ned labored to reset the car.

“Aren’t you gonna help?”

Scoffing, Nate laughed at Ned, finding a comfortable place to sit.

“Hell no! I’m not the one who’s ten seconds behind pace!”

“I’d love to see you try this.”

“Oh, once you’re done, I’ll gladly lug that sucker around. Till’ then, you push until you can pull better.”

With the Saturn in its original spot, Nate gave Ned a short break to catch his breath and prepare before starting the clock again. Summoning all of the strength in his legs, Ned took step after demanding step forward. His muscles burnt from the effort, his face straining as he worked to hit a stride that could make it to the end faster. He focused on the Saturn, looking within for the power to hit the seemingly unreachable goal when a recent memory flashed in his head.

---

“I’m glad you agreed to clean out this dusty thing with me, Ethan.”

“Don’t mention it!”

Ned and Ethan held trash bags, trying to rid the car’s interior of its excess garbage so that it was a little less disgusting when they brought it outside. The last thing they needed was to get a bunch of flies from some half a year old pizza gone rotten. It was a surreal experience for Ned to clean out the Saturn with his best friend. Ethan hadn’t actually seen the wagon in person until now, just due to Ned’s isolationist tendencies at the time. Although each small receipt and straw wrapper held a memory, all of them were ones Ned had made at his loneliest, when he couldn’t even look his best friend in the eye. It wasn’t long into Ned’s absentminded cleaning that Ethan’s voice broke his concentration.

“Ned.”

The Notorious One looked up, his eyes focused on the green, empty beer bottle in Ethan’s grip.

“Care to explain?”

Ned had dealt with alcoholism for years of his younger life. Only through intense struggle and help from Ethan himself that Ned made any sort of dent in it. But every time that pressure began to weigh on Ned’s shoulders, he could feel that devil whispering in his ear, a bottlecap away from quenching a parasitic thirst. He had briefly relapsed on the stuff heading into Wrestlestock, succumbing to the feeling of failure.

---

Ned fell to his knees, barely crossing the finish line, exhausted mentally and physically.

Nate stepped in front of him, “19.65. Not bad!”

Ned was motionless, looking overwhelmed by the feelings in him.

“Ned…”

“Shawn thinks I’m not a threat. He thinks I’m just an easy win for him…”

Nate knelt in front of Ned.

“Then you’ll show him just how wrong he is. Nobody decides how easily beaten you are except you, got it?”

Ned nodded.

“Now, are you ready?”

Taking a deep breath and getting to his feet, Ned looked into his brother’s eyes, a fire building.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

---

---

---

“Can you feel it, Shawn?” 

“The pounding in your chest? Your cold skin preparing for the heat of the spotlight upon it? The adrenaline waiting to pump through your bloodstream? See, if I understood how you addressed me correctly, then the only thing you feel is the chair underneath your ass. But what should we expect from a man who mistakes my shivers of anticipation for fear?” 

“This rematch is one that I’ve been waiting for- that the XWF has been hoping to witness for over a year. Forgive for the trembles in my hands, Shawn, but know that they’re there solely because this match is infinitely important to me. And I’m self aware. I’m not under any belief that I’m a favorite to win this match, but that’s why I pour every ounce of myself into this match. It’s why I’m not leaving anything up to chance. It’s the reason I’ve been out there, surrounding myself  with the people who challenge and inspire me to be better and you’re smack dab in a place best known for its automated responses.” 

“I mean, surrounding yourself with the artificial is a pretty on the nose metaphor, Shawn, but if I knew any better, I’d say you allowed them to choose your first words towards me. What happened to the man that summarized me based on my worst moments? The very thing I said would happen: Your harsh words from a year ago and your corresponding victory have convinced you that I’m not capable of defeating you in the slightest. I’m out there challenging myself against champions, against the tournament bracket, against the Left Hand just to build the endurance I need to finally reach that summit! I chose this path of hardship because it matters to me. I wake up and I think about professional wrestling. I go to bed thinking about professional wrestling and I did it long before anybody looked at me and thought I can a win a match against the John Rogans of the world, let alone the Shawn Warsteins! And yet the most passionate thing I find Shawn talking about is how my hair’s good and I’m not.” 

Ned clapped his hands together, visibly frustrated as he slides them together.

"Remember what I said, Shawn? How your perception would backfire on you? Your words are my proof. And your actions are merely the icing on top. You don't feel like I'm a threat. You heards the whispers of those believe you could win this tournament and you allowed your ego to run rampant. It's come to the point where you are literally basking in your own legacy! If the symbolism were any less subtle, Shawn, you'd have changed your name to Ozymandias by now! You are so high on your hubris that you took this match, this match of the utmost importance with two men who represent their eras in bold ways, and you tread it like a bye week! Treated facing me as a formality to your eventual triumph. You know what I did, Fuzz? I worked my ass off. I fought my own limits, I strived to improve upon the mistakes I've made, I forged a path forward without once forgetting who I was! Yes, I changed, I grew, but I never forgot."

"And you want to know the truth, Shawn? In the wrestling world, you are one of a kind. You are a legendary athlete with an immense history behind you. But that's the world where perception rules over reality with an iron grip. In my world- the real world? You're as common as they come. Another person set before me that is a self-proclaimed expert of what I can't do. The same type who beat the shit out of me in high school. The same who hazed me and told my first coach not to take me in because I "wasn't worth the time." Fuzz, those words you said over a year ago didn't originate from your mouth, you just had the sharpest tongue of them. But the thing I've come to realize about you and your ilk is that as I grow so do your goalposts."

"First, it was that I would never become a wrestler. Then it was that I'd never be popular enough to be in the XWF. After that? I was just gonna swirl around in the undercard for a few years. Then I was a "dedicated midcarder" right before I won Leap of Faith. Following that I wasn't good enough to wrestle elsewhere and even with a loss at Wrestlestock I brought Andrew Logan's eyes on the XWF. When I came back I heard how I would never be a Champion. And as Thaddeus Duke called me and my Championship out, I saw however many posts about how I could never make it against any Universal Champion. If everything I "couldn't do" is any indication, Shawn, you have one rough Saturday night ahead of you."

"I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't ready to be a Champion in March of 2020. I needed more time, more focus, and more fire. Because a Champion, no matter how humiliating the loss, doesn't slink off into the night after losing their belt, right, Shawn?"

"But you know why you're gonna lose? It's not due to your engineers failing to be cutting edge or your programmers writing some faulty code. Hell, I've been training with a two decade old lemon and my brother, you more than have the tools to push yourself! But instead you prop your feet up on those who work for you and call it a day. For you, your victory is written in the stars. And there it will stay. All of the technology in the world can't simulate determination. If you want to emulate passion, you will be immolated by it! And I am burning brighter than ever."

"We walk in there representing one of the most anticipated rematches in XWF history. We walk in there from the same ramp, alike in many ways, yet different in the ones that matter in that ring. The perception of Shawn Warstein vs. the reality of Ned Kaye. And reality is heading in like a freight train."

---

"You can't run from yourself."