MD56: Big Dave vs Barbosa

[Phoenix]

Deadline is Tuesday 10th May 23:59 EST

 

[Барбоса]

*The scene opens in what appears to be the poker room. However, this time as the Depressive and the Smoker sit at the table, Manic and the Catatonic are sitting on the floor in front of a television. Manic has tears running down his cheeks as the Catatonic stares blankly at the screen, saliva running out of his mouth, clearly mesmerised by the colours and moving pictures on the screen.*

Manic: *sniff* She looks beautiful. *sniff*

*The Smoker looks up from the poker table.*

The Smoker: Black Swan again? I thought you were saving your 200th viewing for a candle lit supper with Conan the Barbarian

Manic: No, I would never watch Mila and Natalie light up the screen without Hunt. It's our thing… We are watching *sniff sniff * a real life princess being crowned and you should be too. It is a big moment in the life of our future king and the history of our home

The Smoker: Bah, history is more or less bunk. Who would be stupid enough to live in the past and try to make a career out of studying it? Besides, no one rules over us. Not even a king. We left any ideas of patriotism behind long ago when we were sent to that place at Her Majesty's Pleasure. Anyway, how did you get a TV in here? Surely the reception is horrible?

Depressive: The affairs of the Windsors are not important. Planning the overthrow of another king is.

The Smoker: Yes, we are going to do to continue to show WZCW how cold-hearted and pitiless we can be in teaching Big Dave a lesson for messing up our complexion.

We unleashed the beast on Kurtsey last week, Colonel Blooding his Crown Jewels and proving that he is not as good a doctor as he thinks because he failed to cure our Bipolar Disorder. Something even Munter Havitoff could not do.

Manic: HEY, leave Munt… errr.. Hunt out of this!

The Smoker: Yes, we do not need to talk about that moron again.

Depressive: We must focus on Big Dave - the reason why we have decided to unleash the beast - he is not to be taken lightly. As a tag team wrestler, he was one of the best…

Manic: Almost as good as ourselves and Hunt!

*The Depressive ignores the Manic's interruption.*

Depressive: As a singles competitor, he was someone that we could look up to and aspire to be like - vicious, cunning and ruthless with no regard for others. However, in the last few months, that impression has started to fade.

There was a brief glimpse of that old fervour on top of the pod in the Chamber but those glimpses have become all the more infrequent and it is becoming increasingly obvious that he is just as lacklustre and uninteresting as the rest of the WZCW roster - reacting to the crowd; letting Ty get into his head regarding the Lethal Lottery; cosying up to Kurtsey and running away to his old friends and opponents from a bygone era rather than relying on the callousness that got him so far.

The Smoker: Does he really think that pandering to the crowd or bringing in some more oldies can stop our relentless march to dominance? Look at Everest. Look at Titus. Flies merely swatted aside by our greatness. What makes him think that he will end up any different to those "legends"?

Manic: We are going to take that nice new crown for ourselves!

The Smoker: There is no crown. Just a briefcase…

Manic: Awwwww… then we shall have to make one!

The Smoker: As long as it is not some pink and yellow monstrosity or as stupid as what that buffoon Kravinoff was walking about in.

Manic: HEY!

Depressive: It will not be that easy to overcome Mr Bail.

The Smoker: What? We are easily as cunning, ruthless and callous as he ever was.

Depressive: This might be true but Big Dave knows something that we do not.

Manic: What is that?

*Realisation about what the Depressive is alluding to washes over the Smoker.*

The Smoker: You mean?

Depressive: Yes. That.

The Smoker: He is part of the conspiracy?

Depressive: A crude way of putting it but essentially correct. Dave thinks he knows something that we do not. But he is wrong… for we do know. We know that he is a cog in a system of oppression and suppression. The signs have been there. Not perceptible to the normal slack-jawed yokel of the locker room or exposed through some "I see dead people" revelation or finding out that Bing Crosby's daughter shot JR.

No, it has been more subtle than that; so subtle that only a select few have recognised it. Even when the evidence is presented to the public they refuse to accept it such is the power of the manipulation of those involved.

Manic: What evidence?

Depressive: There have been numerous instances of political manoeuvrings, scandalous treatment and biased decisions to keep us from ascending to the top of the WZCW world.

The Smoker: Like the referee not helping us out of the ropes at Lethal Lottery so Ty could steal our victory. Then there was us not getting a rematch afterward because the World Heavyweight Charlatan is so afraid of what we would do to him. So scared that between him and his vacuous puppets Bateman and Myles they decided to hand pick the next challengers to the World title by fixing the Lethal Lottery itself - first by not having us in the match, then orchestrating Kravinoff's elimination and finally having Big Dave and that nutcase Showtime the last men in the ring.

Even the King For A Day was fixed - ourselves and Kravinoff starting out the match and then when it seemed as if our alliance would run roughshod over St Stephen and St David, an abomination of a referee's call has that alliance broken. It would not surprise me if next year's Kingdom Come main event has already been signed up.

Manic: This is awful. Why can no one else see this?

Depressive: Because they are being manipulated by Ty, Bateman and Myles, with David as another willing pawn. I am sure that once individuals such as Gordito come to the same realisation as we have, that he and everyone else is being manipulated and purposefully kept down by the increasing flood of 'veterans' like Titus, Everest and Ricky, there will be full scale revolt in the locker room.

Manic: Yeah, and the racism that is holding Hunt back, that must be part of their plan too.

*The Smoker moves to silence the Kravinoff-obsessed Manic but gets a preventative shake of the head from the Depressive.*

Depressive: It is our job to reveal this conspiracy to the WZCW roster and in doing so we shall take our place as locker room leader and WZCW champion. Big Dave, as King For A Day and a willing participant in this horrendous game of thrones, is our first target.

Manic: We are coming to get you Dave and take your crown!

The Smoker: There is no cro…

CRASH!!

*The Smoker jumps backward as a large stage light falls into the middle of the poker room. A shout of apology can be heard from above.*

Sorry!

???: CUT!

*Suddenly, lights go on, the Depressive stands up straight and frowns at the interruption, the Catatonic comes out of his trance and acts normally engaging in an inaudible conversation with the Smoker as it becomes obvious that this is not the poker room. Nor are any of the people on the stage Barbosa but four actors. Clapping can be heard from the audience where Hunter Kravinoff is sitting beside Barbosa. They are the only people present to watch this performance.*

Kravinoff: Bravo! Excellent work. You all played your parts wonderfully. It was as if I was in the poker room and it really puts Big Dave on notice that we are on to him. What did you think, Barbie?

*Barbosa, who is still sporting his Hannibal Lector-inspired jaw protector, does not acknowledge his colleague.*

Kravinoff: I am so glad that you invited me down here to see the first dress rehearsal of your deputation drama to be sent to Mr Bateman and Mr Myles should we have a repeat of the injustices of the last few months.

I especially liked your satirical comments about my ongoing up hill struggle against the inherent racism of WZCW management.

*A look of depressed vexation sweeps over Barbosa's face as if Kravinoff has not understood something. He quickly begins working on his Sketch-by-Etch, ever-present as his jaw has yet to heal. When he has finished, he shows his message to his jungle companion.

SATIRE?

Kravinoff: Oh, I am sorry, Barbie. I sometimes forget that you are not as intelligent, loquacious or wordy as I am. Satire is the genre of written or spoken word in which irony, ridicule and sarcasm are used to denounce or scorn something or someone. By employing satire to my case you have helped highlight its importance.

*Barbosa puts his head in his hands before throwing them up in exasperated surrender, gets up from his seat and leaves the auditorium.*

Kravinoff: Wait, Barbie.

*The Hunter turns to the actors still on stage.*

Kravinoff: *clap clap * Lunch everyone! Wait up, Barbie. I have gotten us reservations at Neddys… We both have to get some fuel onboard for our matches…

 

[Phoenix]

We open to Big Dave sitting in his lounge, typing away at his computer, searching the net, he appears focused and intent on what he is looking at. He stops and leans back into his chair in deep thought, that he’s caught something of interest, as he sits focused on what he’s reading, his sister Dani walks in and curiosity gets the better of her and she looks to see he’s watching youtube videos, namely light comedy.

Dave? Is this what you would rather spend your time doing when you got more important things to do?

Hmm? Oh yeah, sorry, it’s hard to get away from these little habits.

What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be focusing on taking down Barbosa? It’s going to be tough without the Chamber around you.

Thanks. But actually, I’ve been thinking about this and I have the answer.

He closes the tab and opens up another, Dani takes a closer look, she’s unsure what to make of the situation.

The Hydra? What does that have to do with anything?

To understand how Barbosa works is to understand the nature of his background. We know he’s suffering from multiple person syndrome, and he has about three or four personalities that are defined through each of them, but this gains more questions than answers in how he works. But then I was thinking about the ways of ancient mythology and just the element of dealing with multiple heads, does the phrase “Two heads are better than one” work? Is there an ongoing conflict to the point that Barbosa is now at a delicate balance that he has to jump between them in order to keep himself at his most stable?

You trying to do the psychology thing? Ok Steven!

I’m not finished. The point I’m trying to make is that despite the differences and jumps he makes on a frequent basis, there is a common goal and desire between all of the personalities, the will to win, the will to dominate and destroy. There is a single voice and element of control within him. Why does this lead me to the Hydra? In the short term, the Hydra had one head that was immortal, something that kept firm control despite the chaos of it’s six or so other heads. One of these personalities is in control of Barbosa, making the decisions beyond the other’s knowledge, the question is, which one?

And you plan to spend your time finding it out?

No, I plan to find out in the ring when I face him, I will know it when I look him in the eyes and see where the control is there and when there is an absence of mind. That the goal to defeating him, to put it in literal terms, chop off the main head and the others will fall. But right now, I have some business to take care of, I’ll catch you later!

Dave gets up, grabs his keys before heading to the front door, he gets into his car and drives off. Leaving himself to him and his thoughts.

If there’s one thing I can’t tell Dani, it’s this. The accomplishments I have gained in this company mean a lot to me, but I think about what I did to get to this position, what I became. Was I any less than the likes of Barbosa? I made people suffer, I ended some careers, forced people into retirement, but with many, it appears to be water under the bridge, but I just can’t seem to get over it. Becoming the King of a Day has changed me, I took my destiny into my hands, it paid off, just like it did before when I won my previous championships, all the key points and victories came because I refused to back down and the situation was mine to lose, yet I have let myself get the better of me. I wanted to keep in that moment, I refuse to let it be taken from me and I didn’t care who I hurt to get there.

This has been what’s testing me since the events of Unscripted, the pursuit of the World Heavyweight Championship, I wanted it to be handed to me, I didn’t make an effort to give myself the opportunity because I felt I was good enough, all this time since then I’ve been realising that I am not, I was always coming close, coming second and that’s what changed me in the Chamber, I made the victory mine through my own effort, I didn’t demand anything, I knew that if I couldn’t win, I couldn’t be the best. Now I keep asking what more must I do? The burdens of carrying this prized and sought after shot keeps the questions being asked of when is the time to rise. The more I think, the more I feel that the time to challenge is when I’m ready, when I feel ready and know I can be the World Heavyweight Champion that I would feel proud to be, to have won because I deserved and nothing else.

Dave eventually slows down and parks outside the gym he normally trains at and walks around to the back field area, going to the tree and bench that he consolidates his thoughts at times, he sits in the baking sunlight, looking into the distance.

Truth is, I don’t feel ready…to forgive myself. All those things I said and did, it bugs me more than anything and I know I can’t be the champion if I carry doubt on my shoulders. Someone once said “Sorry is hard, forgiveness is harder”, and I agree, I may have made some amends with those I fell out of favour with, but it doesn’t do enough for me, I know there’s more I need to do in order to feel at ease with myself, how will it take though? Will it be a week? A month? A year? Will I have long enjoy with this title shot to get that burden off my shoulders? Only time will tell.

He looks towards the gym and spots his trainer standby in the doorway in the distance, they both nod at each other and Dave stands up, looking away once last time before turning towards the gym and walking towards it.

At Kingdom Come, I captured the Golden Hind. Last week, I conquered the Lion. My trial this time is facing the Hydra. Will I relive mythology and continue on to complete twelve labours before I rise to join the ranks of immortality? Only time will tell.