Changes

There were moments when the young professional wrestler known as Indy Darling felt as if he spent more time in the air than inside of a ring. During his days of traveling from one independent promotion to another, he and Doc had often traveled by car unless it was a rare trip overseas. Now, with a position on the Project: Honor roster, Indy was growing accustomed to airports and jet lag. The regular tours inside of North America weren’t so bad, but the recent tour that had them traveling through Europe was beginning to take its toll. Indy comforted himself with the thoughts of being young and not being away from his family for weeks at a time, but between his duties on Proving Ground and various other promotions, he was beginning to miss the comforting surroundings of Doc’s gym in Indianapolis.


He reasoned with himself that training in the familiar confines of his home gym was worth the personal cost of taking an early flight back to the States from France, but what had really motivated the decision was his next scheduled match for Project: Honor. The last time he had been in a ring with Mark Hunter, he returned to the backstage area to find that his friend and manager had suffered a near-fatal heart attack. Now that he was scheduled to be in a match with Hunter once again, albeit as a partner, he couldn’t pry his thoughts away from Doc Miyagi. He had taken the time to reconnect with his roots while in England, but making peace with his late father also made Indy yearn to find that same peace with the only father figure that remained in his life.


The stopover in Indianapolis was supposed to be a short one, just so Indy could check in on the property and get some much needed rest after competitive matches against the likes of Blair Regent and Amber Payne in overseas venues. Instead, witnessing signs of activity upon his arrival at the gym was Indy’s first clue that an additional flight to California would have to be put on hold. With his travel bag over his shoulder and his ever-present sunglasses upon his face, Indy entered the unlocked gym to discover a flurry of activity. Men that Indy did not recognize were wandering around the main floor like an army of worker ants, moving furniture and training equipment about the room, taking measurements of the floor space, and dismantling the practice ring where he had spent numerous hours honing his craft.


“What the hell is going on here?!”


Indy managed to complete his shouted inquiry before his eyes fell upon the colony’s queen, Meg Yamamoto, his ex-girlfriend and Doc’s formerly estranged daughter. She stood amidst the chaotic activity with an air of authority, clearly supervising the men around her despite being half their size. As Indy’s questioning voice echoed throughout the gym, she turned her attention toward the door and locked eyes with him, her feelings on seeing him in person as mysterious as her intentions for the warehouse gym. They exchanged stares for a few uncomfortable moments before she finally told the workers to continue with their business and began to make her approach.


“Nate. It’s good to see you…”


Meg’s voice was filled with uncertainty, and Indy couldn’t help but feel that she was lying about the sentiment.


“Meg. It’s good to see you too…”


He wasn’t sure if he was lying or not as he gave his response, and with his precious ring being torn down before his eyes, Indy didn’t take the time to make that determination.


“What are you doing here? What are they doing to my ring? Where’s your dad?”


Indy’s questions came one after the other, fired off too quickly for Meg to answer before being hit with another one. In an attempt to either calm Indy’s apprehension or slow down his questions, Meg motioned her hands toward him like a crossing guard signaling for pedestrians to stop their approach.


“Look, I know this probably looks crazy, but I expected to be done before you were home from Europe. We’re just taking some measurements and making the most of the space. I would have called to tell you, but after our last conversation I wasn’t sure you wanted to hear from me…”


Her brief explanation did little to ease Indy’s concerns, as he watched some of the workers awkwardly attempt to roll up the canvas of his ring.


“What are you talking about? This is your dad’s property. What gives you the right to come in and move his stuff around like this?”


“It was his property, Nate. Dad’s medical bills aren’t cheap and the doctors don’t want him having anything to do with the wrestling business for fear that it could trigger another heart attack…”


“But he was poisoned!”


Indy knew that his continued interruptions during Meg’s explanations were not helping, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from questioning everything she said. It was as if their sudden and uncomfortable break up had managed to dissolve any trust he had in her.


“Yes, he was poisoned by your friend’s girlfriend if I’m not mistaken. That doesn’t mean the damage that was caused disappears overnight. Dad needed money for the medical bills and his continued rehab. Luckily, one of my business partners was willing to invest in the property. Considering the neighborhood, I was lucky to get any offers at all…”


“You sold Doc’s gym?! Are you insane?! This is his home! This is my home!”


Indy could feel the heat rising in his face and he was sure that his cheeks were reddening from his growing anger. After making peace with his own inner demons while in the U.K., he suddenly feared their return should he be forced to start living in his car.


“Will you please calm down and let me finish? Dad wouldn’t let me sell the place outright. Instead, he signed it over to me and I’ve been coming up with some plans to make it a profitable move. Fortunately, one of my business partners has agreed that it would make an excellent manufacturing and shipping location for one of our operations.”


“That doesn’t change the fact that this is my home…”


Indy was doing his best to remain calm, but it was beginning to feel like his patience was hanging by a thread. Meg felt her own patience starting to fade as she continued to explain the situation.


“As I was getting ready to say, he insisted that you be allowed to stay and that part of the space be dedicated to the gym. Your continued access to the building was written into the contract. This can still be your home if you actually enjoy living in a loft apartment above a warehouse. Even the gym equipment is going to stay if that’s what you want, but dad can’t afford to have this much urban real estate and not make a profit off of it.”


Everything Indy was hearing was coming too fast for him to process. The only thing his ex-girlfriend had succeeded in doing was to plant more questions in Indy’s mind. Then, just as he was preparing to fire off those questions in a rapid response, he caught sight of someone he hadn’t noticed before. Seated upon the ringside sofa where he would often watch Indy train, was an aging Asian man with a wide smile. It was the first time Indy had seen Doc out of a hospital bed since December, and if he wasn’t so overjoyed to see the old man, he would have chastised him for taking such obvious enjoyment over Indy’s panicked state. Without thinking twice, Indy dropped his bag from his shoulder and rushed past Meg, charging at the old man on the sofa. As he leaned over to embrace Doc Miyagi and ignored the old man’s protests, Indy did his best to fight back tears of joy.



“Change is something you have to get used to in this business really quick if you want to last very long. We travel from town to town and country to country like a band of gypsies, pulling up stakes after one show just to put on another one the next day. Not only does the scenery change at an alarming pace, but so do our opponents. Just as an example, I went from a brutal multi-person war in England to a scientific one-on-one encounter in France for Project: Honor over the past few weeks. That’s not to mention all the independent bookings I took in-between. That means I had to make adjustments on the fly, from preparing for 15 opponents to focusing on just one. It takes a kind of training and dedication that most people can’t adjust to.”


“I guess that’s good evidence to back up the claim of Project: Honor having the best competition in the business, or at least for those of us who stick around month after month. I found out just how good Blair Regent was at the last Proving Ground, and there’s no doubt that Blair belongs here with the rest of us. Not only was I pushed to the limit, but there were moments in that match that made me question whether or not I’d be able to hold onto the X-Factor Championship. It was the kind of fight I strive to have, and if Blair is able to earn another title shot, I’ll be happy to provide it.”


“It’s the kind of match I wish I was having on the next Proving Ground, but as everyone knows, wrestlers don’t make the matches. We just deal with the hands we’re dealt. For some reason, I’ve been dealt a tag team match against Dickie Watson and Aiden Reynolds, The Commonwealth. They’re both great opponents and the kind of competition I’ve come to expect since signing with the company, so that isn’t an issue for me at all. On the other hand, my partner is the newly crowned Grand Champion, Mark Hunter. He and I are no strangers to each other, but we’re also a long way from being friends. The last time Mark and I met in the ring was when I eliminated him from Wargames at The Crowning. Before that, he made his debut against me and took the win in a Best of Three Falls Match.”


“Talk about change. Two guys that have never worked as partners are now booked to meet one of the premier teams in the company. I guess it makes for great fan interest, leaving people wondering if two guys so drastically different can co-exist. I’ve been in these kinds of matches before, and sometimes you find yourself lucky and scheduled to work with someone who shares a similar philosophy or style. Other times, you’re stuck with a partner that can’t pull their own weight and you’re forced to carry more than your fair share. My last tag match for Project: Honor found me alongside Sarah Roberts, who at the time was Warrior Rising Champion. Despite my offers to do my part and watch her back, Sarah wasn’t up to the challenge and we found ourselves on the losing end.”


“We all know Mark was in a similar situation when he was teamed up with Ramesses, but instead of trying to make it work, he took the easy road and left his partner in a two-on-one situation. So I guess you could say that Mark and I have both been stuck with tag partners we didn’t really want in the past. Now, at least for one of us, we’re in that situation again. Simply put, I can’t trust Mark Hunter not to walk out on me just like he did his last partner. I do believe he’ll show up, simply because he seems to hate Dickie so much, but when the going gets tough, will Mark be there when I need to make a tag or will he be wandering back up the aisle?”


“I can’t control what Mark does in our match. Just like when I was teamed with Sarah Roberts, I can only do my part. If that means it turns into a Handicap Match with me against both members of The Commonwealth, so be it. They’ll still get every ounce of fight I have to give, and I’ll settle things with Mark another time. After all, we’re talking about a guy who used the ropes to win a title. Not long ago, I would have gone off on him for being an dishonorable scumbag looking for an easy road to the top. Truth is, that’s just the kind of guy Mark Hunter chooses to be. I didn’t make excuses when he took advantage of a distraction to beat me in his debut. In fact, I went out of my way not to mention it until now. I even congratulated him and offered him an X-Factor Title Match whenever he wanted it. Kind of makes me wonder if I’ll get the same offer at a Grand Championship Match, seeing as how I pinned him in Wargames. For some reason, I kind of doubt it.”


“No matter how our match turns out, Mark will still be the Grand Champion and I’ll still be the X-Factor Champion once it’s over. Odds are, the only change that’s going to develop between us is how much we dislike each other.”



While leaving the gym as inexperienced strangers were taking apart his ring did not come easy, Indy was thrilled at the opportunity to have some one-on-one time with his friend and mentor. The diner down the street from Miyagi’s Gym wasn’t known for having the best food, but as Indy flipped through the menu, he was at least thankful that it wasn’t printed in French. Doc sat across from him in the booth, frowning as he poured a packet of Sweet n’ Low into his herbal tea.


“Sometimes I think I’d be better off dead. Do you know how long it’s been since I had a beer or a piece of bacon? If my heart doesn’t give out, that girl’s gonna kill me with sheer boredom.”


Indy glanced up at Doc from his menu with a half-smile.


“You shouldn’t joke about that. You know she’s only trying to do what’s best for you. You’re lucky to have a daughter like Meg.”


Doc began to stir his tea as he glanced around the diner, his eyes lingering on the cholesterol filled plates of the other patrons.


“Hmph. I guess it could be worse. I could have woken up from that coma and had you as a son-in-law.”


Indy forced his eyes back to his menu before he could respond, suddenly finding it hard to look Doc in the eyes.


“So I guess she told you about us.”


“She told me enough. The less I know, the better. Honestly, I’m sorry you two didn’t work out. I may joke about it, but I just want you kids to be happy. Both of you.”


Indy felt Doc’s gaze back upon him, but he still couldn’t lift his eyes from the menu. Desperate to change the subject, Indy ignored Doc’s sentiment and attempted to steer his focus back to the gym.


“So how’s this going to work? I get to keep the loft and part of the main floor while the rest of the warehouse gets turned into some kind of sweatshop?”


Doc finished taking a sip of his tea and let out a light chuckle.


“Not exactly. Meg’s got her fingers in all kinds of different businesses. From what she’s told me, they’re thinking about setting up a screen printing shop and then shipping out orders from the back of the warehouse. The front will still be dedicated to the gym, but she’s looking into opening it up to the public. She figures that advertising it as the official gym of “Project: Honor’s Indy Darling” will help drum up some business.”


Still unconvinced, Indy disappointingly shook his head.


“So much for training in private…”


“You’ll have the whole place to yourself after hours. At the most, you’ll have to show up during the day once in a while to sign a few autographs and take some pictures. I know it’s not ideal, kid, but you need to give it a chance. It’s good to be open to change, for both of us. Hell, if I can give up red meat, you can learn to share that big old building. Trust me.”


While his feelings toward Meg were complicated and hard to define, the one thing Indy still had was trust in her father. He finally raised his head to look at Doc, giving him a nod and a smile as a waitress approached their booth.



“When it comes to change, nothing is bigger than Dickie Watson no longer being the Grand Champion, but has anything really changed? No matter what Mark Hunter says, Dickie is still the measuring stick in Project: Honor, even if he doesn’t have to carry that gold belt through airports around the world. Maybe that’s why Mark seems to have it out for the former champ. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t respect Dickie or his accomplishments. He saw the former champ as an obstacle to overcome by any means necessary, and he most certainly did take every advantage he found, but I still haven’t heard anyone call Mark the best in the business except for Mark himself. As for Dickie, sure he was upset at the way things went down at Proving Ground, and he has every right to be. I don’t think he was very happy about losing our Triple Threat Match a couple of months back either, even if he didn’t take the losing fall.”


“No one likes to lose, and Dickie Watson is no exception to that rule. It’s probably an even harder pill to swallow when you’re so used to winning, and that’s one thing Dickie has become very good at. A part of me wishes I had thrown down the gauntlet and cashed in my X-Factor Championship for a shot at Dickie before Mark staked his own claim. Would I have become another number in Dickie’s win column? Would I have shocked the world by becoming Grand Champion? Unfortunately, we’ll never know. Instead of taking the chance and giving Dickie the kind of title match he deserved, I doubted my own abilities and waited in line without raising my voice. The one thing I can be sure of is that, win or lose, I would’ve offered a handshake at the end of our match.”


“That’s because, unlike Mark Hunter, I do respect Dickie Watson. I know what it’s like to be a champion in Project: Honor and I know the kind of stress and pressure that goes along with it. Month after month, Dickie defended that title to the best of his ability, and he gave the fans one five star match after another. Admittedly, my respect might not mean much to Dickie, because the respect he was really yearning for was the kind I couldn’t give. Mainly because I don’t sign the paychecks, make the matches, or count the millions I’ve made off the backs of in-ring performers. So while we may not agree on a lot of things and my respect may not mean much to Dickie Watson, he has it nonetheless.”


“Dickie may want to kill Mark Hunter when that bell rings, and if that crosses over to him wanting to kill me as well, so be it. It won’t be the first time I’ve had an opponent out for blood, and it won’t be the last. Dickie has a pair of losses that I’m sure he’d love to avenge before he takes his shot at Elena DeDraca and the Legacy Title, so in my mind he’s more dangerous than ever. I could be a little messed up in the brain, but that only makes me look forward to the match even more. Fighting a hungry Dickie Watson at the top of his game should be what everyone on Proving Ground looks for if they really want to challenge themselves. I still have an endgame in sight when it comes to my story in Project: Honor, but that final chapter, that greatest achievement, is not titled Mark Hunter. It goes by the name of Dickie Watson.”



While the simple lunch at the diner was everything Indy could have wanted after being in Europe for the last few weeks, he couldn’t help but notice Doc eyeing his hamburger like a hungry wolf. No matter how many times Indy claimed that Doc’s salad and fruit looked delicious, he knew the old man wasn’t buying it. Whatever guilt Indy felt while eating passed away as the pair made their way down the street, both unsure of what they would see upon re-entering the warehouse gym. Attempting to take both of their minds off the changes in their lives, Doc finally succumbed to the temptation of asking Indy about the business, despite the orders of his doctors and daughter to avoid wrestling altogether.


“Still the X-Factor Champion. You should be damn proud of that, kid. You put Strader in his place and got past Blair Regent. So what’s next? Have they announced your next match yet?”


Painfully aware that the last match Doc had seen him in was against Mark Hunter, Indy tried to be evasive when answering the question.


“Just a tag match, Doc. Nothing for you to be concerned about.”


Still, the old man was not giving up that easy.


“Don’t you start coddling me too! I’m not some fragile baby that’s gonna cry when you pull me off the tit! Who’s your partner? Who are you fighting?”


With a sigh, Indy gave in to his mentor’s demand for answers, hoping that Meg wouldn’t find out about them discussing the wrestling business.


“They’re teaming me up with Mark Hunter and we’re going to face Dickie Watson and Aiden Reynolds. It’s not a great spot to find myself in, but it is the main event against some of the best competition on Proving Ground, so I’m not about to complain.”


Doc remained silent for a few moments as he nodded his head. Even without saying anything, Indy knew that he was formulating strategy in his mind.


“Watson and Reynolds. That’s a tough mountain to climb, but we both know you’re capable of doing it. As for Hunter, I guess he’s made a lot of progress since my nap. Is he still an egotistical jerk?”


Indy shrugged his shoulders as he briefly considered his answer.


“I think it’s more complicated than that, but yeah, he’s definitely full of himself. Then again, aren’t we all?”


Doc slowly nodded his head upon hearing his protege’s answer.


“True, true. My suggestion? Kick him in the face before the match starts just to let him know who’s running the show out there.”


Turning to look at Doc with a puzzled, yet somewhat amused expression, Indy tried to decide whether or not his manager was serious.


“I’m not sure that’s the best way to start out a tag team match, Doc.”


Keeping his focus on the sidewalk, Doc gave Indy another quick nod before better explaining himself.


“Normally I’d agree, but you and Mark Hunter aren’t exactly a tag team, are you? Watson and Reynolds will be out there as a team, watching each other's backs and doing what it takes to win as a unit. They’re gonna be in that match together. You and Hunter? Not so much. Even if you two manage to win, what’s next? I don’t see you putting aside your differences to challenge Legacy any time soon. So kick him in the face and let him know that his shiny gold belt is on your radar. It’s either that or you wait for him to make the first move. The only problem there is that he’s smart enough to make sure you don’t see it coming.”


Making a mental note to seriously consider Doc’s suggestion, Indy decided to push away from the advice concerning his partner as he attempted to focus Doc on his opponents.


“What about The Commonwealth? Any suggestions on how I should handle them?”


“We both know you’ve already devoted plenty of time to studying Watson, so you know what to do in there against him. Hell, you’ve been preparing for a singles match against him for months. If you ask me, it’s Reynolds you need to watch out for. Those Aussies have a different way about them. A lot of pride, tough as hell, and usually willing to go that extra mile. At least when they feel like it. He’s gonna be hard for you to pin down, but stick to your instincts, keep an eye on him at all times, and I think you’ll have what it takes to figure him out. He may be unorthodox, but you’re not exactly the easiest book to read either.”


As he took in every tidbit of advice that Doc offered, Indy could not help but feel thankful to have his friend back at his side, even if it was only for a short time.


“Thanks, Doc. You don’t know how good it is to have you giving me advice again. I really missed this.”


The older man turned to give Indy a look of warning as he waved off Indy’s sentiment with a shake of his hand.


“I’m sensing a heartfelt monologue coming on. Save that shit for when I’m actually dead. You’re better off keeping your mind on your matches, kid. There’s a hell of a lot more for Indy Darling to accomplish whether I’m in your corner or not.”


As they neared the warehouse gym, Indy gave his manager another nod and a smile, respecting the old man’s wishes by keeping his feelings to himself.



“I would be remiss to share my thoughts on Dickie without giving his tag team partner his due as well. Out of everyone else in this match, Aiden Reynolds is the only one I haven’t faced in the ring before. Coincidentally, he’s also the only one I haven’t beaten. I’m not gonna call my shot or make a bold prediction, because Aiden is not the kind of competitor anyone should take lightly. Let’s face it, the guy just beat a walking tank by the name of Ozymandias at the last Proving Ground. Before that, he earned a spot in the main event of The Crowning for The Legacy Championship. When it comes to the cream of the crop, he’s right up there in Dickie’s league.”


“Sure, he’s a smartass and his accent can make it difficult for a Midwest guy like myself to understand him, but those are just the kind of things I need to look past when stepping into the ring against Aiden. Maybe he doesn’t want people to take him seriously because that makes it easier for him to dismantle them in the ring. I’m not going to make that mistake. A pin fall win over me would put him at the front of the line when it comes to X-Factor title shots, and while I love the thought of defending against a competitor like Aiden, it’s also my job as champion to represent every time I compete. If that means I need to beat Aiden Reynolds and deny him a championship match, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”


“On some level, I actually like Aiden Reynolds. I like his sense of humor and I appreciate his ring work. I also like to win, and I won’t let any amount of admiration throw me off my game. I don’t care if those feelings are mutual or not. I’m long past the point of going into fights with the hope of earning the respect of my peers. I’m in this game to win, just like everyone else. I’m not entering the next Proving Ground to stand by and watch Mark Hunter get his comeuppance. I’m not in it to let The Commonwealth continue their dominance without a fight. I’m sure as hell not in it to take the loss and damage the prestige I’ve worked so hard to bring to the X-Factor Title.”


“Let’s be honest, this tag match isn’t what either Mark Hunter or I would prefer to be in. For all I know, Dickie and Aiden may not want it despite being an established team. Dickie has a shot against Elena DeDraca to prepare for, Mark probably wants to put Dickie in his rearview as quickly as possible, and Aiden...well...Aiden wants Outback Steakhouse to stop spreading stupid stereotypes or whatever else that Aiden might want at any given moment. The point is, despite all of the change that we’re used to in this business, effecting that change is something we rarely get to do, at least when it comes to who we fight and where. It’s in those matches we're given that we have the chance to create the change we want. Mark took advantage of that opportunity by winning the Grand Championship, Dickie might do the same by winning the Legacy Title, and Aiden could get the victory for his team and change his own fortunes.”


“What about Indy Darling? What change does he want to bring to Proving Ground and Project: Honor? That’s an easy question to answer, because I’ve been doing it since I won the X-Factor Championship. I’m going to change the way fans and management look at a guy from the indies. I’m going to bring fans to their feet by showing them things they’ve never seen before. I’m going to keep fighting to prove that I am the absolute best I can be, and that’s not just good enough, it’s better than the rest.”