Jon arrived at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida where he would be doing a much against Joey Janela. He went in search of a locker room for him to put his gear bag and suitcase. Turning a corner, Jon stepped in sight of Adam Page, who appeared in the middle of talking with the Young Bucks. About to head in the opposite direction, Jon stopped at Kenny walking over to him.
"Ready for your first AEW match, Mox?"
"Yeah." Jon nervously answered.
Kenny noticed Jon's bags. "Follow me. You can stay in our locker room."
Slinging an arm over Jon's heavy clothed shoulder, Kenny began leading him through hallways. When to the locker room, Jon set his gear bag on the bench and had his suitcase hover to a corner. The former WWE wrestler heard voices to see the Young Bucks enter the locker room.
"Kenny, let's go train." Nick demanded.
"I'll be right there." Kenny told the two before they left. "Hey, Mox. Come train with us."
"Okay." Jon hesitantly agreed.
He opened his gear bag to take a pair of black cargo pants out from his Shield gear and long sleeve t-shirt that matched. Once having changed into them and slipped on his boots, he left the locker room to see Kenny waiting in the hall.
"Why are you so covered up?"
"My memory transfer power can be a little challenging to control while I'm nervous." Jon admitted.
"Nervous about the match." Kenny realized as they walked.
"A little. I end up always emptying my stomach right before my match for Mania."
"I bet you'll do fine tonight."
The two stepped through a curtain to be out on the stage and Jon noticed the Young Bucks already in the ring. At both catching sight of Jon, wide smiles came on their faces. Jon had no time to react as they yanked him through the ropes once he got on the apron. He kept repeating Regal's lessons on control to prevent anything starting to hover.
"Now we can do a tag match." Matt announced.
"You and Kenny against us." Nick instructed.
"Riho, ring the bell." Kenny told his friend, who sat in a chair beside the bell.
The bell rang loud through the place and Jon immediately avoided a superkick from Matt. He was filled with complete shock at both Nick and Matt shifting into bucks. It caused him to trip over his feet when trying to not get smacked by one of the bucks' antlers. From his crash on the mat, some of Jon's control slipped to cause chairs, ring weapons, and other not bolted down things to snap distances.
"Mox?" Kenny called, worried.
"You good?" Matt wondered after changing back to normal.
A shake of the head came from Jon as he sat up from the mat and pulled his knees up to wrap arms around them. He had grown so used to WWE's rules about only allowed to train with powers in private areas. The fact those in AEW use them openly had him so unsure of what to do. Only time he ever used his powers in a ring had been either mentally communicating or by accident with his other ones. Pulling his sleeves over his hands to completely cover them, Jon began rethinking his decision of leaving WWE. So alone he felt and it just brought back dark memories of the past.
"Mox!" Kenny shouting, snapped him from the memories.
"I shouldn't be here." Jon whispered.
"Why do you think that?" Kenny crossed his arms.
"Where I come from, only time my more visual powers got used in public were on accident."
"This is still new. You got to give yourself time to adjust." Nick told him.
"Will try to do that." Jon said. "Just wish Regal was here."
"Why?" Nick wondered.
"Because the man happens to be his babysitter." Jimmy Havoc announced as he stepped in view. "Triple H couldn't have his unstable son ruining his image."
"Regal wasn't for that." Jon corrected as he clenched a hand in a fist.
"Then what?"
"He taught me how to control my powers at a time I was a danger to myself and others."
"I would have thought being locked in a hospital done that." Jimmy laughed as he saw Jon's eyes shift color.
"What would you know about that place?"
"Like you, I got locked away there due to my powers being a danger."
That reveal had Jon unclenching his hand as he stared at Havoc, who began stepping closer. A warning look got given to Havoc by Omega as if believing the shorter planned to do something bad. On Jimmy's face came a twisted smirk before his eyes locked onto Jon. Through Jon came a dark feeling that cause his heart to begin pounding. Shaking his head to fight against it, a hand snapped up to send Havoc rolling into a barricade.
"You're strong with mental powers." Havoc laughed. "My own power is mental. Can alter personalities, but yours are very dangerous. No wonder Janela is eager to fight you."
"Leave him alone, Havoc." Darby Aleen commanded as he came down the ramp on his skateboard.
"The Ghost Whisper." Havoc mocked.
"Havoc, either be nice or go to your locker room." Cody ordered as he too came down the ramp.
"Fine." Havoc pouted and sat against the barricade.
"Hey Cody." Jon greeted.
"Don't let any of these guys intimidate you, Jon. Some of them have been affected by their powers." Cody explained with a glance to Havoc.
"I'm fine." Jon assured.
"The show will start soon. Everyone better go get ready for their matches."
"Come on, Jon." Kenny dragged the younger by the arm.
Cody watched them all head up the ramp or with Darby, roll up it. His blue eyes focused on Jon, who appeared to be starting to grown close with Kenny.
"Do you really think Kenny can prevent any harmful accidents happening from Jon?" Brandi questioned her husband.
"I do. Kenny knows what it's like to feel unstable with his powers. Jon will be fine as long as Kenny as there to check on him like others had in WWE."
"But there were accidents in WWE."
"I know that, but Jon wasn't at fault for any of those. You heard what my dad used to say that those who are very powerful will be who attracts evil even when they don't want to."
"Your dad was very wise."
Cody held his wife's hand as they began walking up the ramp to then see Kenny talking with Jon as the two wrestlers head into the locker room. As Jon pulled out his actual gear for his match navy patterned cargo pants and vest with MOX spray painted in orange on the back.
"You get used to wearing cargo pants when part of the Shield?" Kenny asked, curiously.
"Yeah. It helps me feel able to move more freely and also I think about my brothers when struggling." Jon answered.
"Well, I bet they're watching tonight and can't wait to see you go out there and kick Janela's ass around the ring."
"Thanks, Kenny."
After Moxley and Janela's match, Jon reentered the locker room and used his powers to removed any tacks that might be stuck in his skin. Once having that done, Mox began changing out of his gear to pull on a pair of dark sweatpants and a t-shirt. He received some text messages from his brothers, parents, WWE friends, and other family. Some of text told him he did great in his match and congratulated him on the win. His brothers and parents asked if he was okay and how his elbow felt afterwards. A quick assurance that he was fine got sent to the four before his phone started ringing and it was his wife for a video call.
"Hey." Jon greeted Renee when saw her face.
"I hate you sometimes." Renee sighed. "Why did you have to be in an unsanctioned match?"
"That's how people see Jon Moxley. You never acted like this during my matches in WWE?"
"Most of your matches didn't result in you having tacks stuck in your skin."
"What about my asylum match against Jericho?"
"I didn't complain because Joe was already chewing you out for not informing him about those before the match."
"I'm fine though. How about I make you a promise that I will let my opponent decide on what goes into a match from now on."
"Okay. They can't come up with anything worse than tonight, right." Renee laughed. "I can't wait to see you when you get home."
"I can't wait to see you when I get home."
"I love you, Jon. No matter how much craziness you display, I will never regret marrying you."
"Love you too, Renee."
Once his wife hung up, Jon put his phone down on his bag and finished tying his boots on while thinking about how great a wife he got. Renee would always seem so perfect for him and she got along great with his family. He couldn't wait to talk to his wife when home and tell her about the fact he thinks they should start trying for a kid since they should be the ones to give the next grandchild to his parents.
"Mox, that match was awesome." Kenny announced as he came into the locker room.
"Thanks." Jon nodded and took a careful look at his elbow.
"You okay?" Kenny asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I just felt a little pain. I'll have it checked out if gets worse. Great way to try setting a match us between us before."
"I think fans would like to see us two go at each other. I'll surprise you with how hardcore of a wrestler I can become when we have an unsanctioned match."
"Can't wait for it."
"So, all of us are going out to celebrate a successful pay-per-view. You in?"
"Okay."
Jon quickly threw his gear into his bag and rushed out of the locker room with Kenny to soon join up with some of the others in the ring. Jericho stood with Cody as they noticed the two wrestler walking over.
"First off, before we all go rushing off to bars or wherever you all plan to go. I want to say that everyone tonight did great and delivered an excellent pay-per-view." Cody told the AEW wrestlers.
Mox walked with his new friends to a nearby bar where they all started to celebrate a successful pay-per-view. He at one point sat on a curb with Janela to take a quick photo and Kenny start brainstorming for their predicted match. Everything may be so different than WWE, but Jon found he was starting to like the difference and that he fit right in with everyone in AEW.