Rise of a Champion

Fire & Flesh

His first singles match, a lot of pressure, a lot riding on this for him and Timothy was a bag of nerves, unlike anything he was before.

"Stop shaking," Rianna said punching him in the shoulder, "if you fall on your ass at least the crowd will laugh."

"Ria shut up," Brynn scolded her before turning to reassure him, "you'll do great."

"I was just trying to make light," Rianna argued back after letting Brynn speak.

"Yeah, and it wasn't helping," Brynn shot back.

Timothy for his part just sat back and let them argue with each other the exaggerated affronted look on Rianna's face made him smile despite the nerves.

"Well, I'll just take my great advice and take a walk then," she threatened after a moment.

"Oh, shut up," Brynn scoffed at her playfully and held up her finger when Rianna tried to fire back a response, "or I'll tell Timohty about how you asked me out."

The shock on Rianna's face was something to behold and it only made Timothy want to know the story even more.

"You'd never," Rianna almost screeched.

"You wanna try me, Ria," Brynn smirked back.

It seemed enough to quieten Rianna for now and she settled back into her seat next to him. The entire time they had argued she had been at his side, while Brynn was rubbing his back in an attempt to soothe him.

"Thanks," he said quietly after a few moments.

The glimmer in Brynn's eye and the small smile on Rianna's face told him exactly how serious their little bit of amateur theatre was.

Before he could say more one of the arena agents came to collect him for his match.

Adem was a good agent, the one that managed Rianna's fights and after having been dragged to him oversaw bookings for Timothy too now. Timothy had felt guilty about putting the man out, he seemed to have little choice in the matter once Rianna set her will to it.

He was reassured though when Adem told him he was almost as new to the arena as Timothy himself was and if it wasn't for Rianna and whatever she saw in him he wouldn't be booking for anyone.

"You ready?" Adem asked breaking him out of his reminiscing.

"As I can be," Timothy shrugged going over his equipment one last time. He knew it was all in perfect working order but damn his nerves if he could stop himself from checking it for the thousandth time.

"I have faith," Adem said with as much confidence as Timothy had ever seen in the man.

"I just wish it was a simpler fight," Timothy admitted.

He had seen his opponent fight, saw what Ignis were capable of and how directly it opposed his strengths. He would have to be smart and imaginative to win this fight, that or just blitz his opponent from the outset but that wouldn't make for a good match.

"Simple means boring," Adem told him, "And the crowds hate boring."

"I know," Timothy sighed and resigned himself to the imperfect reality.

"Besides think of how they'll talk about you when you win," Adem told him with a big smile, obviously thinking of what the arena staff would say about him and his genius booking.

Timothy couldn't help but laugh at the man's ambition. Although he couldn't say much, it was something they had in common with each other.

"I'll need to win it first," Timothy admitted.