Champ Level Conscience by Instant Classic Superstar Pac
Disclaimer: I own nothing, and this has nothing to do with any of my other stories.
Rating: T
Summary: After winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at No Surrender, A.J. Styles finds congratulations from new and old friends, including one former tag team championship partner with regrets from the past. Two-shot.
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Chapter 1: The Phenomenal Winner
An upbringing filled with strife and hardship will culminate into a career littered with twists, turns, ups, and downs that one never could've seen coming. Yet it was moments, nights, triumphs, like this one that would fulfill the stuff of dreams and feel truly phenomenal.
"Phenomenal" was actually the adjective all too familiarly used in describing the man that walked through the corridors of the Impact Zone with a white towel draped over one shoulder and the championship title belt hanging over the other one. In fact, it had pretty much become his main nickname. But of course, this was one of the nights where he truly felt that way. Because the title belt hanging over his shoulder wasn't just any championship belt. It was the title belt that his whole life had been poured through destiny into realizing and obtaining. The TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
The long, arduous journey of A.J. Styles' wrestling career could best be described as the ascension of a man. From his considerably humble beginnings in Gainesville, Georgia, riddled with poverty, an abusive father, and a staunch belief in God to ride him through it, he was able to make his way through college with a partial scholarship in amateur wrestling, though he would eventually leave to become a professional wrestler. Making his way up through the NWA promotion Wildside, he found himself attracting the attention of World Championship Wrestling in its fleeting years. Some time after WCW folded, he was able to land jobs in both the independent juggernaut Ring of Honor and the newly created NWA-linked Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. In fact, apart from the founder Jeff Jarrett, who wasn't even on TV anymore, he was the only guy left in TNA that had been there literally since day one. (There were still quite a few that could virtually make the same claim, though, like his best friend Christopher Daniels.)
As he walked through the hallways trying to find his locker room, his journey through time in TNA flashed before his eyes, as he remembered so much, the days at the Asylum in Nashville to the beginnings of Impact to the mainstream expansion which started in 2006, all the way through to today, and he recognized so many fond memories, on top of so many hard ones as well. There were the aforementioned original days which began in Nashville, where guys like himself and Christopher Daniels would begin to craft the X-Division, and TNA itself, into something amazing that had never been seen before. For him, this included the triple crown, winning all the titles a guy could win in TNA over the years. There was the Unbreakable rivalry in 2005 that through mutual respect would forge one hell of a friendship between himself, Daniels, and Samoa Joe. There was the very successful tag team between himself and Daniels in '06. His subsequent frustrations after losing the belts, which led to his falling out with Rhino later that year and joining Christian Cage in the Coalition in '07. There was the Kurt Angle situation which had come to a boiling point in '08 which led him to finally stand up and fight once he got knocked down. There was, of course, the war waged between the hungry originals who got their first TV contracts through TNA, plus some others who believed in the company, and the… well, jaded, to say the least, legends who would come to form the Main Event Mafia.
Of course, during everything, between all the incredible matches through which he sought to soar like no other, there were definitely some tough moments. Especially over the past few years, he'd seen many a time when he'd felt like throwing his arms up and quitting, whether because of his own insecurities, the serious hardship of the problems, or most likely some varying combination of both. So many friends had come and gone, so many people he thought he could know and trust for life had fallen out with him or lost contact after leaving the company.
But of course, the whole time he's had his wife, and later his children, to inspire him. His loving wife Wendy, whose collegiate aspirations he'd actually turned down an offer from WWE to support. His sons Ajay, Avery, and Albey - the first of which took his middle name from one Christopher Daniels, and the third of which was actually born this past Tuesday just minutes before Pélé-kicking the doctor. Which made tonight all the more majestic.
Tonight, at the pay-per-view event No Surrender, A.J. had been scheduled to take on the icon Sting, who'd actually helped him get back on his feet when he was seriously on the verge of walking away a few weeks ago, along with the scourge of his recent career, Kurt Angle, and the young, athletic, cocky, vicious, and quite frankly huge Matt Morgan. "Super Mex" Hernandez actually tried to get himself into the fray by cashing in his Feast or Fired briefcase for the title match tonight, but Eric Young would end up taking him out of the equation before he ever really got into it. Eric Young… only the latest of his former friends to have betrayed him… how ironic he'd be taking out one of A.J.'s opponents on a night like this, although it was obviously for his own selfish reasons and A.J. would never be one to ask for such a favor. Though, that wouldn't be the only one he ever got that night.
Towards the end point of the match, Angle had Sting in the Ankle Lock, only to be clocked clean by Morgan via Catbon Footprint. Sting would send Morgan out over the top rope, and with Angle in the middle, Sting shared a brief look with A.J. before leaving the ring and taking out Morgan, allowing A.J. to take advantage. Of course, this was only followed by the springboard 450° splash and pin cover that lifted the weight of the world and resulted in the wrestling moment that would last a lifetime in his memories.
It wasn't that Sting's kindness was the sole reason he currently held the title, per se. That was mainly up to A.J.'s own hard work, athletic ability, growth as a man in professional wrestling, and honestly the blood, sweat, and tears that he'd poured into TNA over the past seven years. But Sting had a lot to do with producing the crowning moment, which at the very least, A.J. made a mental note, sufficed for an interesting topic of conversation with the icon down the line.
All in all, the crowning moment had arrived tonight, and Styles had never felt so good in his life. Less than a week after becoming a father for the third time, he was finally the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Now finally standing in front of his locker room, A.J. was about to go in, have a nice breather, and change, though he had a feeling half the locker room wouldn't even let him do that much before celebrating the victory…
"A.J., hold up!" came a call from behind him, just in time to stop him from opening the door. It was Daniels.
"Chris! What's going on?" the new champ couldn't help to ask.
"Well, for one thing," Daniels said, holding up a navy blue Sprint LG Rumor, "I've been guarding your phone."
"What?" Styles asked as he took the phone back onto his own person.
"Yeah. Before you left the locker room to go looking for your belt," Daniels started to reply, taking a brief pause as he eyed the object on A.J.'s right shoulder, "which I can see you've finally found, you left the phone right on the table after you finished with Wendy."
"Oh. Thanks, man," A.J. stated, before starting to move for the door. "I'm goin' in to change. I got a real good feeling this night is not o…ver, yet."
Not only was the night not over yet, but even that sentence wasn't over yet before he found himself victim to the original version of his TNA theme song ringing from his cell phone. Quickly he looked at the caller ID, and a smile came over his face.
"Speak o' the devil, I already got a call," A.J. spoke proudly.
"Huh? Who is it?" Daniels asked.
"You might recognize him. Captain Charisma, the Instant Classic-"
"Okay, I got it. It's Christian. You know, you really should just work on answering the phone sometimes," Daniels stated, cutting off his best friend once he'd received just about enough hint about the old 'peep' who was probably calling to pay Styles congratulations. Of course, from there A.J. finally answered.
"Christian?"
"A.J.! I just got a tip from Edge you won the main event tonight at No Surrender. Congratulations, baby boy, you're the champ now!" came the voice on the other side, and sure enough, it was the former Coalition general himself.
"Yep. That I am!" he shouted loudly and proudly, having himself a heartfelt chuckle. "And man alive, I can tell ya - it feels just like you said it would. I know I've been champion before, but never with TNA bein' this high as it is right now - and let me tell ya, it feels that much better! I feel great! I feel stupendous! I feel phenomenal!"
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, no need to try over-dramatize, alright? I know exactly what it feels like to be the champ. I am the current ECW Champion, you know," Christian proceeded to remind him, cutting his flow for a second.
"Yeah, third brand champion. That's a really big accomplishment there, Christian," A.J. retorted, seeing the invitation to a battle of wits and taking it in full stride.
"Well, actually, it is. I mean, I hate to reign on your parade, but A.J.… it may be third brand to the WWE, but my show still gets watched more than yours," Christian countered. A.J. could only enter a sardonic chuckle at the moment.
"Nice to know you could turn this whole discussion about my World Heavyweight title win about how you're on a more watched program. And all this and you still never told me where you are? You're a real swell guy, Christian," A.J. quipped back. This time, he could hear a chuckle from the other side.
"Sorry, A.J. I guess you win this round. I mean, it is your night, after all," Christian conceded. "Seriously speaking, I'm glad you're the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. If I personally had a choice of anybody to put it on, I'd probably pick you. And the reason I say probably is because I gotta keep up appearances, me being the guy with the whole big Peepulation and everything. But don't let a little fact get in the way of a good line."
"Don't worry. I won't," the Phenomenal One 'assured' his former leader.
"Also seriously speaking… I heard you and Wendy got a third kid last week?" Christian inquired.
"Yeah. Past Tuesday, actually," A.J. clarified. "We named him Albey. And he came out with a Pélé, too. Right to the doctor."
"Did you help him out with that, or did J.B. tweet you a story to tell?" Christian questioned.
"Oh, no - I've been found out!" A.J. mock panicked, resulting in a laugh coming from Captain Charisma. "Seriously, though. Albey sent me a text message to congratulate me on winnin' tonight?"
"I wonder if I should tell Edge that A.J. Styles' five-day-old kid is more technologically adept than he is," Christian remarked. "He might be mortified!" He said this in reference to when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship about 3½ years ago. Edge had texted congratulations in the Captain's direction.
"Nah, I wouldn't say 'more' technologically adept. Probably a little less," A.J. pulled back, "but still pretty good."
"Yeah, I'd bet gold he probably got a little help from mommy. Then again, I don't have gold. I have steel," Christian deduced.
"And that's something to be proud of?" A.J. took the irresistible jab opportunity.
"I'm a champion, right?" Christian pointed out.
"Okay, you got a point," A.J. admitted. "But speaking of kids, how are you and Denise doing?"
"Ah… no. A.J. No," Christian immediately cut him. "All I'm gonna tell you about that is, don't believe everything you read." He understood A.J.'s subsequent silence as understanding that that subject was out of conversation. "Anyway, this whole time we've been talking on the phone here I forgot to tell you that I just finished working a house show. By the way, uh… where's Daniels?"
"Oh, he's still right behind me, I think. You wanna talk to him?" Styles offered, to which Daniels stirred in curiosity, figuring the subject of conversation had turned to him for a second.
"Nah, I'm good. But you can send him a little message for me, right?" Christian asked.
"Yeah, sure," A.J. replied. "What?"
"Tell him he did awesome tonight, and that if he keeps it up, he can beat King Bowser Samoa and save the X-Division," Christian told him, referring to a certain plump violent Samoan with the 'King Bowser' line.
"Absolutely," A.J. replied with a nod.
"Good. But back to you, A.J.," Christian quickly switched pace. "I think you should know that there's a reason everybody in the Peep Zone-"
"Impact Zone!" A.J. earnestly corrected him.
"Alright, alright. A.J., there's a reason why everybody in the Impact Zone quickly rushed the ring once you became champion, and it's like this," Christian began. "True peeps out there know the big long road you took to get here. They know the talent that you are in the ring, and they know the man that you are out of it. And for that, they respect you. You are the man who they have wanted to see as the World Heavyweight Champion for a long time. Trust me, I know a little bit about the subject." The last part earned a chuckle from A.J.
"Well, thanks, man. That… that really means a lot to me," A.J. acknowledged, the nod being fully heartfelt at this point.
"Glad it does, my friend," Christian stated, obviously tryin to "feign" his humility. "Hey, listen, though - sorry, A.J., but I gotta cut this off. I was talking to Edge before I decided to call you, and uh… kinda promised him I wouldn't keep too long."
"Okay. Take care, Christian. And good luck on ECW!"
"Right back at ya on the future of TNA, buddy. We'll talk later! Cause that's how I roll," Christian confidently asserted, A.J. laughing happily at this point.
"Later!" A.J. bade him adieu, before pressing the 'end' button and folding up his phone.
"Sounds like you had fun," Daniels' voice suddenly spoke behind him, causing the new TNA Champion to turn around. "You guys were talking about me for a second, weren't you?"
"Yeah, he just wanted me to say you did awesome against Joe, and if you keep it up you'll beat him soon," Styles told him.
"Thanks," the Fallen Angel replied. "You ready to go inside and change?" A.J. nodded. "Well, I'll see you in a few, then."
As the two best friends exchanged a nod, the Phenomenal One started to open the door to his locker room. And as soon as it came ajar, the lights came on, and there was half the TNA roster shouting "CONGRATULATIONS!", including Daniels behind him…
Meanwhile, back in his locker room at the Exposition Building in Portland, Maine, Christian, who'd actually changed back into street clothes just before his phone conversation with Edge started, decided to reboot that angle of dialogue.
"Hey, it's not my fault A.J. actually did something tonight. Give me a break, will ya? What did you think I was gonna do, call him for one second, say congratulations, and then hang up right away? What would that accomplish?" Christian defended himself against a cranky complaint from Edge about what took him so long.
"Simple. Me, not being bored," Edge retorted.
"Okay. Listen. I know it's boring having to sit on your ass through an injury for the thousandth time," Christian began, "but I was talking to a man, to a friend, who just won a World Heavyweight Championship, and last I checked I'm not your babysitter."
"No, because apparently you're counting on Tomko to babysit me, is that it?" Edge countered, the apex of his wits brewing with fire again.
"What's Tomko got to do with any of this?" Christian immediately questioned.
"Uh, nothing, apart from the simple fact that, oh- he's here," Edge informed him in the condescending (or pseudo-such thing, depending on who he's talking to) way that only Edge can.
"Wait, so Tomko's at your house and you're barking at me to talk to you?"
"I've been hanging around with Tomko in here for the past five hours. I need a new voice," Edge countered.
"Ah- you know what? Get him on the phone. I need to talk to him anyway," Christian immediately requested. He did need to talk to Tomko, but he was hoping the big man would give him a call as soon as he reached the States again. He just didn't know was that the guy was already stateside again, visiting and hanging out with an injured and utterly cranky Edge.
"Fine," Edge gruffly replied after a brief pause. Immediately thereafter, Christian could hear Edge shouting Tomko's name in the background, and what barely sounded like a brief conversation between the two, presumably Edge explaining that Christian was on the phone.
"Hello?" Tomko answered after a short while.
"Hey, man! It's good to hear from you! How's Japan been treating the Problem Solver?" Christian greeted his friend of five years.
"Well, right now I'm not exactly known as the Problem Solver out in Japan, but that's a different story for a new day," Tomko responded. "So what's up?"
"I actually, um… talked to A.J., just a couple minutes ago," Christian explained.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know. Heard Edge complainin'," Tomko informed him, to which Captain Charisma offered a small laugh.
"Seriously, I told ya. Jericho must've really got to the guy, because he's getting really, really grumpy," the captain replied.
"Who, Edge or A.J.?" Tomko asked.
"Why would A.J. be grumpy after winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship five days into fathering a third kid?" Christian answered with a longer-winded question - one of the witty quirks that defined his charisma. "About that, though. Now I understand how Gangrel must've felt when he saw me and Edge win a couple of world titles."
"A couple? Edge has got, like, nine," Tomko corrected him.
"I'm sorry, was that you trying to be funny?" Christian asked rhetorically. "Because, that failed, Tomko. Sorry. Leave the charisma to me."
"Right," Tomko conceded, backing off that avenue with a laugh.
"Hey, it's all good though," Christian assured him. "Anyway, any updates on everybody else? You know, Daniels, Roode, Stormy, people like that?"
"Beer Money and 3D kicked seriously elite ass in a cage. Daniels… really contested Samoa Joe, but he couldn't beat him. Pope Burke and Suicide have a bit of a problem, and not only did ODB kick the crap outta that little idiot Cody Deaner, the Knockouts actually have a new tag title," Tomko reported as Christian, unsurprised, took in the TNA updates. Though described by some as being "army strong", Tomko wasn't just a big guy with a strong boot and clothesline. Actually quite the student of the game, even after leaving TNA he'd pay close attention to goings-on in that promotion and study up on moves and tactics that he was seeing there.
"Well, if you talked to Daniels often I'd ask you not to tell him this," Christian admitted as a segue, "but I'm not really shocked that he couldn't beat Joe. I mean, for crying out loud, even I could barely beat him, you know?"
"Yeah. He's a real stiff and vicious guy, and that's actually what people wanna see from him." Tomko remarked.
"Sadly, by 'people' you also mean the bald eagle machine, the hollow-legged giant wizard guy, and their walking band of geriatrics," Christian complained in his own comical way, obviously lamenting the way the Main Event Mafia had sent him packing from that company. Not that he wasn't generally over that particular happening in and of itself, which he was by leaps and bounds now since becoming ECW Champion, but it still left a bit of a sour taste in his mouth that they were continuing on even worse than they were when they'd done it to him. It was like those guys were trying to railroad the entire company for the sake of Angle's ego. Little did he know, Tomko was embroiled in similar thoughts involving the only Olympic Gold Medalist in professional wrestling history, though his sentiments against Kurt ran easily further back than the Main Event Mafia. Though, the silence on the other side accompanying his own would soon tell him that.
"Tomko?" he called, receiving no answer after three seconds. "Tomko!"
"Whoa! Yeah, I'm here," Tomko hurriedly replied. He must've been deeply fixed on his thoughts.
"You were thinking about Angle and why you left too, weren't you?" Christian immediately guessed further and aloud. The sigh that came from the other side before any words definitely confirmed it for him.
"Yes," Tomko finally replied. "I mean, I just… I can't believe how stupid I was, man."
"Hey, you better watch out, cause if Edge hears you saying this, he'll be decking your ears for weeks about how he could've told you the same thing was gonna happen because that's the kinda gearbox that Kurt Angle is," Christian easily pointed out, once again trying to add some light to the conversation. This time, Tomko was with him enough to offer a chuckle, but that's still not exactly being totally responsive.
"Hey, uh, here's a thought, man - while you're still here for awhile, you should try and go talk to him," Christian suggested. If Tomko was listening, he'd know full well who and what he was talking about.
"I don't know… I mean, it's not like I can just walk in like we're still friends and shout 'Congratulations, buddy! You did it!' I'll have both him and Chris breathing down my neck if I do that," the Man of Principles replied. He had a good point, Christian realized - I mean, there was no reason they shouldn't breathe down his neck in suspicion if he suddenly tried to play buddy-buddy with them after what he did, more importantly what he briefly became, toward the end of his run.
"Well, then don't. Just be perfectly honest," the always-thinking livewire suggested, having a definitive answer for even this situation. "Just say what you have to say, and more importantly while you're doing it, just be the real Tomko. It'll take awhile, but he's a bit more receptive now that he's both a dad again and the champ in less than a week's time span. Trust me, this is as good a time as any. You don't wanna waste this opportunity." Enter the customary ten seconds of extra thought - Tomko being consumed and inspired by the words of a true friend.
"Thanks," he finally stated, which sounded to Christian like he would go through with it.
"No problem. You're gonna thank me for this soon, I think," Christian brashly stated as soon as he got the message.
"Hey, knowing you, I probably will. Now, I think I'm gonna get some shuteye before I drive upstate. Want me to get you Edge again?" Tomko offered, back to his usual self again.
"Nah, just close it. I can talk to him again tomorrow, but right now, I gotta get to my hotel room, think, then get some shuteye of my own," Christian responded. Tomko didn't even snicker at the "think" note - one look at Christian, let alone years of history with him, and one could tell right off the bat that he was the kind of guy who was capable of thinking before stepping off to dreamland and actually enjoying it.
"Hey, thanks for the talk, man. 'Preciate it," Tomko instead offered, starting the goodbyes.
"No problem. I needed to hear somebody other than an angry Edge at the end of the day anyway," Christian once again added for amusement purposes. "But hey- don't forget what I said. And take care, man."
"Don't worry, I won't. See you around, boss," Tomko replied cordially, giving Christian a chuckle at the Coalition days throwback.
"Alright. Say hi to Michelle and the kid for me, will ya?"
"Will do."
"Good. I'll talk to ya later."
"Okay. Peace, Christian."
"Right back at ya."
And on that note, Christian finally pressed "end" on his cell phone, closed it up, put it away, took his travel bag, and stepped out of the locker room. Though, before closing the door behind him, he looked down at the doorknob, and realized he wanted to have some fun. So, with a shady grin coming over his features, the ECW Champion, title on his right shoulder the entire time, turned the knob inside the door to lock it with no one inside, then closed it up and walked away, ready to leave for the hotel, knowing that the arena owner would be pissing off Vince McMahon within the next 24 hours.
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A/N: First off, I would like to comment on recent events since my abruptly ending the WWE custom Christian Coalition fanfic as a result of Victory Road all but draining my will to involve myself extensively in anything long term for the wrestling section. I haven't yet rescinded that vow, if we can call it that at this point, but I've certainly found myself some inspiration to do a two-part shot here - ironically, from the same company that actually killed my extensive spark about two months ago. I don't think I need to explain anything further, as those of you who have watched TNA Impact in the past two months since the event I infamously will always refer to as MEM Victory Road could probably tell about this more than I already know. (Amazingly enough, it's now Raw that's becoming an absolute joke.)
I did watch the past couple of pay-per-views through streams, which TNA apparently allows, and getting to bear witness to the historic shocking moment that this story is about is of course what has moved me to detour from my Charmed directives for just a second. Before I get into ramble mode, this does not mean I'm having any long term extensive ideas ringing in my head to try to carry out here again anytime soon. But this is just something I felt compelled to do. Congrulations, A.J. Styles. Keep flyin'.
Of course, at this point, you know part 2 is coming up. I'll see the community then.
-Pac.