Punk Country

"New York, eh? So you're a Yankee Girl..." He'd respond jokingly to her revelation before she began to talk where Clyde was supposedly from, commenting on the accent. "I'm from lil' ol' Liberty, Texas The Duke is from Iowa... And as much I love me some John Wayne I was more of a Clint Eastwood boy growing up... But he ain't got no accent." Clyde would say with a nod, starting to an urge to watch 'The Good, The Bad, The Ugly' right about now.

Hearing Taylor talk about NYC again, Clyde gathered that Taylor did not miss home as much as he did right now, part of him envied that. He would let out a small laugh though when Taylor revealed that the one thing she was good at was kicking ass. Clyde could understand that, since he felt he was the same. He didn't have much of a brain but he had one hell of a right hook and knew how to take a hit. AFW was once a dream job, these days he was starting to regret ever coming here.

"Dunno bout that..." Clyde would mutter to himself sarcastically, thinking about how 'Good' Taylor was at running her mouth and pushing people's buttons.

"I used to love workin' for AFW but things have changed now, too much bad shit has gone down ever since I left home and came here. You'd think the life of a Wrestler would be simple but it ain't. It's hard as shit sometimes... Especially when you owe Big Money to a crazy Doctor and Your Snake Lady wont pay me my money! Pretty sure you don't like her but I hate that bitch." Clyde would say as he talked about some woes, Chesna and finally Brittany friggen Luuve. The current Entropy Champion.

"You know you ain't always been my favorite person to see on TV... But I really hope you use your dang ol' rematch clause and take the damn belt back. Anyone but Brittany Luuve, fuck, man."

"Hah!" Taylor laughed. "Aw, you don't like me? Is it because I'm way hotter than your ex? And faster and more ripped and more talented and more entertaining? I can understand that." She said, giving Clyde a sly look over her shoulder.

She walked out into the grass and her pace slowed as her mind drifted off to Brittany. She tried not to think about her very much. They were never nice thoughts.

"Man, forget that psycho." She said. "Losing clean to her is still better than doing what she did. That bitch. I'm real popular with the psychos around here, man, they love to come after me. Gatt, Karina Rine, Brittany... And that's fine with me. Bring it on. But... Britany, man, she sucks. She's got no skill. And Lukretia booked that match to try to screw me over, because I was already hurt. If that match was like, a week later..." Taylor shook her head. There was no point to killing herself with what if's.

She stopped and idly kicked at the grass with her hands on her hips. "She hurt me, though, man, really bad. It was bad. Gatt triple-teamed me, Karina tried to beat my head in with her guitar, and neither of them came close to doing what Brittany did." She said, her hand absently wandering over to her side, where the ribs broke. She looked up at Clyde with a sober expression on her face.

"All she did was slow me down." She said. "I think sometimes... you've got to want to give up and go home just so you can remember why you're here." Her eyes wandered away and the looked back at the ground. "Right?"

"Pft. I could understand it too, babe... If it were true..." Clyde would shoot back with a sarcastic tease at first, sticking his tongue out at Taylor when she gave him that sly look over her shoulder. He tried to keep the situation light despite getting a somewhat queasy feeling when he began to compare Heather and Taylor, it was only making him miss the former even more and he had to stop himself from thinking about that. Though he couldn't deny Taylor was certainty a lot more wittier with her teasing, trash talk and ability to push peoples buttons.

Then the conversation would shift to Brittany 'The Viper' Luuve, whom both Clyde and Taylor seemed to have mutual disdain for. Though Clyde felt pretty bad for Taylor having to take her on while she wasn't at 100% and only got hurt even worse during the match. Clyde had fought Brittany when they were both injured, making it an even (though kind of boring) match between the two. Taylor however didn't have the luxury of being on even ground with The Viper unfortunately and was injured as a result. As much as Clyde didn't see Taylor as his favorite person in the world, he could sympathize with her.

Clyde would then listen to what Taylor had to say regarding the Psychos that seemed to be popular with, but he really only knew of Gatt and Luuve, but would nod at what Taylor had to say about The Viper and would frown at what Lukretia had apparently done on purpose to Taylor, not liking how unfair and bitchy it was. Clyde figured it was either the GM doing her job without honestly giving a fuck about her wrestlers or it was some little backstage corporate conspiracy or some shit like that. Maybe Lukretia just got off doing shit like that. Clyde didn't know but he had been inside her mansion long enough to not like the woman without even meeting her.

Clyde stopped behind Taylor the moment her walk came to a halt, raising an eyebrow as she kicked at the grass and spoke of how Brittany had hurt her worse than a triple-team from Gatt and most likely her two flunkies Nha & Sha. Clyde could sympathize with Taylor even more now, because he too had once taken a hard beating from Gatt's people that nearly ended his career, maybe even his life too. But he didn't feel it was right to just share that and give off a 'I've endured worse than you!' kind of vibe. So he kept silent and held his eyes on Taylor, not looking below her neck this time, watching as he hand would rest at side while she gave The Drunk Cowboy a calm and serious stare before telling him something that struck Clyde hard in his heart and made him question himself. The expression on his face turning into a look of defeat as he stared at the ground for a moment. Starting to wonder why he was even here.

He HAD given up. He WANTED to go home more than anything. He came to Japan as a coward running away to escape punishment from the crimes he had committed back home. But he came here trying to restart his ruined life, make a living and help his mother back home with weekly checks in the mail. And even when he lost the one who meant the world to him, his life here wasn't over like it was in Texas. He still had his second chance at life.

Clyde looked to Taylor as she looked away and then to the ground. But he couldn't help but smile widely as he looked at her, finding a renewed since of purpose despite having lost so much. Clyde then took off his hat and looked to Taylor in calm, reassuring manner. "...You're absolutely right, Ms. Parker. More than you know." He'd tell her before grinning at her widely. Still a bit depressed and heartbroken over everything, but finding some solace in knowing that he still had his 2nd chance at life, with or without the one he loved.

Clyde then put his hand on Taylor's shoulder as if to try and cheer her up. "Lady... You and Me might not see eye-to-eye on everything, but I like ya! You're tough and you've reminded me why I came here in the first place." He'd tell her proudly before taking his hand away, walking past her just a bit as he scoped out the park for a moment before looking back at her with a sly grin.

"We ain't so different. Me and You. I gotta knack for attractin' the crazies like Gatt and Brittany Luuve too. And... There ain't nuthin' left for me back home to, neither... Japan is my home, with or without Heather, I know why I'm here now.... So thanks a lot for remindin' me, Missy." Clyde would tell her from a few feet away, giving her a quick wink, while keeping that wide grin on his face, putting his hat back on a moment later.

"Brittany Luuve aint shit, neither! You just wait till you're 100% again, you'll mop the fuckin' mat with her, trust me on that." Clyde would reassure.

"Thanks." Taylor said quietly. Being called tough was one of the only compliments she really wanted.

"Well..." She said. "We're pretty different. I think a lot of people end up in AFW because they have nowhere else to go. And they're insane enough to try it. But yeah, this is home, I just have to defend it from the psychos." She started strolling again through the grass and swinging her arms loosely.

"Man, I don't care if I don't have a rematch, I'd be okay with it, but if I do get one... she's fuckin' over. Still, don't worry about what I'd do to Brittany. Worry about what I'd do with a rematch with Heather." Taylor said, flashing a half grin back at Clyde. "I owe that bitch a few bruises, and a big fat loss."

Taylor drifted off for a moment, remembering the agony of that loss, and daydreaming about what she'd do in a rematch. After a moment, she shook her head and snapped back to reality.

"Well look, man, it's been fun. I'm gonna make the run home and like, watch some Friction. Just got a new TV because the old one... died." She said uncomfortably. "So... see ya." She said, and turned to start the brisk jog back to her new place.

"You damn skippy 'bout that." Clyde would agree at Taylor's comment regarding how people with often come to AFW because they have nowhere else to go and are insane enough to make lives out of this place. Clyde could agree. He'd laugh a bit though at her words regarding defending home from Pyscho's. Did she mean Japan or did she mean AFW? AFW wasn't home. AFW was a prison and this girl seemed naive.

Still Clyde would nod happy with Taylor at her words towards a rematch with Brittany Luuve, but that happy nod would instantly switch into a deep frown when Taylor spoke about Heather yet again. And then that happy atmosphere was dead and he would begin to shoot her a scowl for a moment.

"You don't listen well, do ya?" He'd ask her with a hint of bitterness in his voice towards her statement turning away from Taylor as he clinched his fists tightly to avoid yelling at the girl. He then heard what else she had to say, actually finding some relief in her leaving now.

"Yeah. Been fun too." He'd mumble out with his back turned to her as he eyed a nearby bench, thinking he'd probably make that his bed tonight. "Later Yankee-Girl... Try not to botch and bust ya ass again." He'd add before walking away to head towards that bench, lay down length-wise across it, tipping his hat over to cover his eyes before crossing his arms to cover his chest, intent on sleeping there in the park.

Taylor slowed after Clyde's remark. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists and tried her very best to cling to her self control, but she felt the heat of her fiery temper welling up in her. One look over her shoulder at Clyde, just sitting there on the bench, on her bench, like he had already forgotten about her, and she lost it.

She stopped. She drew a long, shaky breath and let it out slowly, and walked over to stand in front of Clyde, her eyes locked on his.

"You don't get it." She said in a low, severe voice, on the edge of breaking. "Your girl, your ex, she's my job. When I wake up in the morning, all I have to think about are people like her. Yeah, I want to kick her ass. Hell yeah, I do. I've got to prove to myself and everyone else that I'm better. Wherever she is, she's thinking the same goddamn thing about whoever she's got to look forward to. That's how this works, and if you got a fuckin' problem with it, maybe you should've found a chick outside AFW. Or maybe just fuckin' grow a pair." She spat disparagingly.

"And yeah, I missed a big spot. Heather's head is made of goddamn steel, I dunno, who would've thought she was still up for it. I missed. But way to botch on your entire goddamn life, you fucking hick."

There was that familiar feeling she had after unleashing on someone that maybe, just maybe, she had horribly overreacted. The thought was so unbearably embarrassing she couldn't stand it, so instead she had to stand by what she said. She glared at Clyde and clenched and unclenched her fists. She wanted to fight him. She wouldn't. But she wanted to.

As he laid down on the park bench, Clyde prepared to turn in for the night after a long day of drinking, but no more than a few seconds after laying down, Clyde heard a pair of footsteps getting closer until they stopped just in front of him and he heard Taylor's voice from above with a clear attitude in her tone. "Jesus Christ All Fucking Mighty, Woman! Leave me alone in peace, goddammit!" Clyde thought to himself, his eyes shooting wide open in frustration that very moment, scowling in irritation beneath his hat as he laid there and listened to Taylor's speech.

He'd scowl further at what The Punk had to say. Raving about things he already knew and understood but also had no problem with. What pissed him off is how she thought he didn't Get It. How she kept bringing up his Ex like she didn't give a fuck about how much of a sore subject she was to talk about. But the real blow came when Taylor made that last remark about botching his whole life. He couldn't take anymore.

"The fuck you say!?" He let out angrily as he removed his hat and shot up to his feet from the bench, holding his hat in one hand at his side as he stood close in front of Taylor, getting right in her face as he began to yell.

"Don't you talk to me like you know me, woman! Don't talk like you know who I am or what the fuck I've been through, the shit I've done! The lives I've ruined! You don't even know the meaning of botchin' your whole goddamn life!! You don't know shit about me lady! You ain't got a goddamn clue what this fucking hick has left in his life, you stupid cunt!"

"And Don't you tell me I don't get it! I know how this stupid job works! I know how my Ex-Fiance thinks! I ain't no different in wantin' to fight the best around to prove my goddamn worth, neither! So you go on ahead and fight Heather all you want, lady, I don't give a shit! But when you keep on and on talkin' 'bout the one person I said I didn't wanna talk about... The One Person I can't stop thinkin' 'bout enough as it is and miss more than anythin' and then you call her a bitch!? You think I'm just gonna smile and nod when you say all that shit right in front of me with the way I am right now!? Can you not tell I don't wanna talk about her at all!? Are you Deaf!? Are you Blind!? Are you stupid!? Or do you just not give a shit!?" Clyde let out angrily as he barked right in Taylor's face, letting a lot of pent up emotions rain out, tempted to slug her for that very last statement, but he would hold himself back, keeping his fists clinched tightly as his sides as he scowled at Taylor in the eyes.

Taylor stood her ground and right up in Clyde's face. She didn't back up an inch, but she stood up straight and with a posture that showed that she wasn't backing down, almost daring him to take a shot. She wasn't afraid of some drunk cowboy.

She laughed derisively at him. "No, I want to hear about all the lives you've ruined." She mocked, her tone was infuriating set against Clyde's rage. "How many lives have you ruined? Ruined any lately?"

"A'right, mothafucker, So you've got some baggage. What, do you want the rest of the freaking world to just tip toe around you because you don't have the stones to handle your business? Maybe instead of drinking yourself to death you can get your shit together and go get her, or at least settle up and move on!" Taylor ranted, keeping eye contact with him. "And yeah, she's a bitch, I'm not gonna lie to you and tell you she's not. If that's such a problem for you, fuckin' do something about it. I know you won't, though, if you're such a pussy all you can do is hide in a bar and drink the moment things get tough, I don't think you have a chance in hell at changing anything."

A deep hateful glare would begin to develop within Clyde's scowl towards Taylor when she just mocked him for his statement regarding the lives he had ruined. He didn't think about how hokey it probably sounded, but in his current state he wasn't really taking time to think his words through, so everything he yelled back was from the heart and the fact that Taylor had the nerve laugh at something that still haunted him from time to time only got Clyde to hate her even more.

"No! I expect the one person I'm talkin' to right now to be a good guy and not bring up someone that I don't wanna to talk about! So who's the real bitch? My Ex who tried to help you up after your match!? Or this cunt in front of me who clearly don't give a shit about other people and what the fuck they're goin through! All you care about is yourself and what you gotta say, you never stop and think about what it's like though other persons eyes, do ya!?" Clyde would yell in Taylor's face, getting forehead to forehead with her as the two kept on going with their little war.

"You don't know SHIT about what happened between us or what I'm dealin with! What I intend to do! Don't preach to me how to run my life, bitch! But what do you know!? All you like to do is talk shit and act like you know everything!" Clyde would snap back before backing away from Taylor, removing the trenchcoat and hat and throwing them on the bench beside him.

"I'm tired of your fuckin' mouth, woman." He'd add before cracking his knuckles and then getting his dukes up, ready to brawl with Taylor in the middle of the park.

Taylor was beginning to lose her cool. "Okay, why is this always a one way motherfucking street? I have to watch out for your shit, but no one gives a shit about mine. Your stupid slut-bag dyke of an ex was too busy thinking about what she wanted to do, never mind what would actually be helpful!" She shouted back. "Taylor has feelings too!" She said mockingly.

She bared her teeth and growled, clenched and unclenched her quivering hands, and unconsciously slid one foot back so she'd be ready to move when...

Oh, good. There was her cue. She waited, poised and ready, breathing deeply while Clyde took off his coat, and by the time he was cracking his knuckles she was already on him. She launched herself at him with alarming, adrenaline-fueled speed and jumped up high, throwing a knee up to crash into his chest with all her weight and momentum behind it.