Calling the Shots. An Icon RP for EOD RP1

[Bobby Barratt]

We open backstage after Fired Up. We can still hear the AWF fans cheering like mad as new AWF Prestige Champion Seth Dillinger walks through the curtain. Agents, staff and the roster are all around giving him a standing ovation after he successfully toppled previous Champion, Bobby Barratt in a massive match. Seth flashes them a winning smile and slaps a few high fives before his eyes settle on something in the distance. He breaks up the crowd and moves quickly past them all to embrace his partner, Dennis. This goes on for a few seconds as they whisper inaudible things to each other. Slowly the crowd break up and go about their jobs, leaving Dennis and Seth to their moment. The moment that many thought wouldn't happen... The moment that was so deserved, given the hellacious night Seth has just put himself through in his attempted climb to the top of the AWF mountain. Seth and Dennis link hands and walk away, Seth taking a second to look at the titles adorning both of his shoulders, the Midwest Championship on his left shoulder, as well as the AWF Prestige Championship on his right. 

THUNK!!

Seth hits the ground suddenly as Dennis looks distressed, all of a sudden, the Icons rush into shot, shoving Dennis out of the way as Seth lays on the ground clutching at the back of his head. We see what the offending object was as Jack and Maverick stomp away at Seth... Previous Champion, Bobby Barratt walks into shot holding his trusty black bat, Debra. Bobby surveys the scene before calling off Jack and Maverick. Dennis thinks they have finished and tries to rush in to help Seth, but Jack and Maverick grab him by the arms, forcing him to watch Bobby drive Debra into Seth's ribs repeatedly. Dennis struggles hard against the vice like grip the Icons have on his arms and Maverick threatens him.

Maverick: Hey Bobby, why not give Dennis a taste, here?

Bobby: Nah, this one's for our new champ, here! Besides... We need to be careful. 

Maverick: Careful?

Bobby: Yeah... Taking Seth down is a message... Taking out both of these is a hate crime and a PR nightmare I could do without. 

Maverick and Jack tighten up their grip on Dennis as he screams out at Bobby to stop, but Bobby looks him right in the eyes, grinning sadistically before he takes a golf like swing, catching Seth right under the chin. Seth drops unconscious as a small trickly of blood exits the right side of his half open mouth, pooling on the ground near his cheek. Bobby stands astride Seth, looking down at him before picking up the AWF Prestige Championship. He holds it up to his face, seeing his reflection between the blood spatters, before dropping the belt across Seth.

Bobby: Enjoy the reign.... Champ!

With that, Maverick and Jack relinquish their grip on Dennis' arms, letting him get across to Seth and call for medical help as the Icons walk away, high fiving each other.

---

The scene reopens as the Icons sit in the back of the limo that brought them here. Bobby is sulking in the corner of the car as Maverick and Jack make awkward chatter, trying not to acknowledge the mood Bobby is in. Bobby stares out of the window with the thousand yard stare that often comes with losing the biggest prize in AWF. Jack and Maverick look at each other and throw a quick game of Rock-Paper-Scissors.... Jack loses the game and rolls his eyes before swapping places with Maverick, so he's sitting next to Bobby.

Jack: Hey man don't worry... You've lost titles before... We all have. It's how you bounce back from it that counts. 

Bobby: It's not that I lost the title, it's HOW I lost the title that's the issue. I was kicking out of that pin like fuck!

Maverick: Not to mention he hooked the ropes.

Bobby: He WHAT?! So hang on, he hooked the ropes and the Referee conveniently didn't see it? Wow... And they give US shit for playing dirty! Every day I'm working here, I hate this place more and more. 

Jack: Hey... look at me.

Bobby reluctantly turns around to look at Jack. 

Jack: There's no point in getting caught up in the how's and why's... The result is done and that's that. It's a minor set back. We've still got the GUNS show coming up... You've got a month off now to prepare for that and the match after it when we get our hands on those tag team titles. 

Bobby: Yeah... I guess. Maybe I can just take some time off, take it easy and refocus on things. 

Maverick: Just do us a favour and lay off the juice.

Bobby: What do you mean?

Maverick: The last time you lost the belt, you dropped into a dark hole of booze and sniff. 

Bobby: Dude... there's cameras here. Ixnay on the iffsnay, get it?

Jack chuckles to himself as Bobby makes the cut throat motion to Maverick, as he finally gets the message and understands the situation. 

Driver: Guys... Sorry to interrupt you, but there's something on the radio you might be interested in.

The driver turns up the stereo speakers in the back, so the Icons can hear what's going on. 

"This just in. New AWF Prestige Champion Seth Dillinger has been admitted to a local Hospital after being found in a pool of his own blood backstage after his win tonight. The Icons are being pointed out as perpetrators of this sick crime and unfortunately due to this, Seth Dillinger is officially OUT of the End of Days tournament. Who AWF name to replace him is to be announced."

Bobby, Jack and Maverick share a few nods and smiles as the stereo gets turned back down and the Driver hits the key to raise the privacy screen in the car. 

Bobby: Good luck getting some schmuck to replace him in your tournament, Bradshaw you geriatric prick. 

Jack: Hey.... Why don't you...

Bobby: Why don't I what?

Just as Bobby stops speaking, the car pulls up to a set of lights. The XHF Network are running a HUGE ad for End of Days and Bobby's eyes lock onto it, as he catches his reflection in the window at just the right angle, putting his face over the poster in a way that makes it look like it belongs.

Maverick: Looks like we just found the schmuck!

---

We come back to scene in Terry Bradshaw's office. For some inexplicable reason he's sitting behind a lead screen.

: Now add the Plutonium!

: But Mr. Bradshaw, don't I need protective gear to do this?

: Why? Come on, now you're tougher than a fucking rod of that stuff! You took on the X*Crown Champion, for God's sake!

: B-b-but why am I doing this, anyway?

: Because it makes time travel possible! Don't you watch the movies?! They're a reliable source of information, everyone knows that!

: Yeah... I guess. Mr. Bradshaw? I don't feel so good.

: See, that's the spirit! You watched the Avengers movie! 

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The door opens before anyone gets chance to invite whoever is knocking in. In walks Bobby Barratt. He's dressed in his customary fitted suit and groomed to perfection. 

: Bertie!

: It's Bo- You know what forget it. 

: To what do I owe this pleasure?

: Well I know you're a busy man, so I won't waste your time and I'll cut righ- Hang on, what the fuck is happening here?!

: Great, right?! I'm teaching Copycat how to make a time machine! 

: Wait, what? You know what I don't even want to know. Listen. I hear there's a slot available for the End of Days tournament and now I'm eligible... What do you think?

: That could be a grea-

: Did I fucking tell you to speak?! Well my first call was to put our Nuclear Scientist over here in there!

: Terry... Come on. If you want to have an actual WINNER in the match.... Surely you see the problem here?

: What do you mean? Copycat is a winner, a prime athlete that not even Plutonium can defeat! If Plutonium doesn't put him down, then why would I believe Barney Bartlett can?

: Because I'm the guy that's won anything worth winning here! I'm set to bring the XHF Tag Team Titles back to AWF too! 

: You know what? Prove it then! If you take out my man Copycat here in an arm wrestling match, I'll give you the shot!

Bobby looks at Copycat, struggling to keep his eyes open and quickly turning a pale shade of Green. 

: Deal! Gloves!

: See? Pussy!

Bobby goes and takes a seat opposite Copycat, who by this stage is clearly suffering from a heavy dose of radiation sickness. He puts his arm on the table and links hands with Copycat, staring intently into his eyes. Copycat looks a little bewildered as to what's going on, but follows suit. 

: GO!

With that, Copycat collapses onto the table, destroying what he was working on and Bobby quickly slams his hand to the table, "winning" the contest. 

: See? Not only did I win, I think I killed him too! 

: HOLY FUCKING SHIT! YOU'RE IN, BRYAN! 

: It's Bobby! Fuck's sake!

: Hey, no need to be so hostile!

: Whatever, I got what I needed. Call him an Ambulance!

Bobby leaves the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

: You're an Ambulance, Copycat! 

Terry laughs to himself as the scene fades.

---

We come back and Bobby is sat astride the bench in his gym. He grabs a towel and dries his face after another heavy set of lifting. 

Bobby: So... End of Days. Lat year men from all across the Network went to war to claim they were the absolute best at what they do. Week after week after week of grinding, fighting, clawing for what you want to prove. Attempting to show the world that they underestimated you. End of Days is when I first stepped foot in AWF, winning a shitty $50 gift certificate and a Terry Bradshaw T-shirt. I stepped up and I removed the threat of anyone who stood in my way, making my name known right away in AWF. This year, I find myself in the first round in the tournament, no short cuts. Fukushima Zombie... Wow... Is that a real person? It is? Well I'm hoping that you weren't genuinely caught up in the Fukushima plant and ended up a Zombie, God knows I've had my dosage of radiation this week and worse....Copycat germs. You find yourself in the first round opposite me. Opposite the Living Legend of the XHF Network and the only man to hold both incarnations of the AWF World Championship. Do you really like your chances? 

Bobby grabs his mixer bottle, taking a sip of a protein drink. 

Bobby: Think of it like this... You're fighting in a fed that no one in America has even heard of. You're trying to make a name for yourself with no eyes on you! How do you think that's going to end? I mean surely you know about AWF. You know that last year, the tournament was won by an AWF wrestler, so you know we mean business. Now you're taking on the most decorated AWF Wrestler in history. How do you think that's going to turn out for you? I'll keep this one short because no one likes someone hogging the gym equipment without actually doing a set, so Fukushima Zombie... I'll see you on October the 7th!

With that, Bobby sets down his drinks bottle and gets back to working out. Motherfucker of the Year starts blaring out as the screen fades to black, showing:

"BOBBY BARRATT: YOUR SOON TO BE WINNER OF THE END OF DAYS TOURNAMENT"

Just to add, permission from Seth and Kuroi was given for usage of characters.