The backstage area opens on the screen, a water cooler placed off to the side in a quiet corner of the arena sitting in the middle of the frame.
After just a second on this shot, the One Man Revolution and Pride Champion of OCW, Bobby Minio, walks into frame, dressed in his entrance attire over his ring gear.
He walks to the water cooler, grabbing a paper cup and filling it, releasing an air bubble into the clear water jug which gurgles and bursts upwards.
Minio downs the small cup of water, repeating the process and gulping it down again as the jug echos the burping of the air bubble inside.
Minio taps on the jug, the sound echoing a hollow thud, just before he begins talking to himself, his gaze locked on the trapped water.
Bobby Minio: Gut check time, buddy. This is a big opportunity, a hint at what might be if both titles were on the line, a chance at besting one of the other men who’ve spent the last few months embarrassing FAME all over the place…
He scoffs at himself, banging a light fist onto the water cooler’s jug, the echo thudding off of the walls of the corridor.
Bobby Minio: “Big opportunity”, what are you talking about? This is basically another rookie, hotshotted into a main event position, just like you when you strolled into OCW and quickly established that you were more than the same old shit this company has over valued for, what, fifteen years?
Minio shakes his head, centering himself, centering his ego leading into tonight.
Bobby Minio: Uh uh. This is a big opportunity for HIM, for Doc Green. He showed his mettle against Pugh, but who is Pugh anymore? He’s road kill.
Bobby Minio:
He’s a flat tire, run up and down the highways and byways of the wrestling world until little more was left than a few tattoos and gray hairs desperately bleached platinum blonde. The echo of a career.
Bobby Minio:
With newer talent coming in like Doc, like Quartz, like Maxwale... over the last few years… YOU’RE THE BIG OPPORTUNITY. You’re the gate keeper to Riot notoriety. You’re…
He stops mid sentence. Turning his head slightly, showing more to the camera, his expression locked on shock as it clicks for himself.
Bobby Minio: Oh my god. You’re the old guard. You… Harvey… the underdogs fighting against the grains of the parade of Hall of Famers coming back to cash in on Sensation’s desperation… jesus. We’re the status quo now.
This has shaken Minio to his core, his entire time here in OCW has been defined by being the counter-culture, even under the wing of veterans, he was the outspoken upstart determined to prove that he was worth more than the champions of yesterday would give him credit for, and now he too, had become them. He MADE it, for better or worse.
Bobby Minio: …
He attempts to center himself, to stow this revelation away in his gut, where it can’t gnaw at his identity and eat away at what drives him.
He pours himself another cup of water, drinking it down with a painful looking forced gulp before hurriedly pouring another cup.
This time, he pours it over his head, giving his hair that TV perfect wet look as he runs his hand through his bangs, pushing them back over the top.
Just this practice alone cracks at the dam holding back his disgust for himself, for becoming what he battled against for the better part of the last decade.
With an explosion, growling shout, Minio turns, shoving the water cooler against the wall, the jug bouncing off of the cooler’s frame and landing on the ground with a loud, hollow bonk. Water begins pouring across the concrete floor as Minio turns, huffing deep breaths.
Though his eyes are blocked by his Wayfarers, the viewer can fill in the blanks to figure out, this is a man distressed heading into this main event.
Minio stops in his tracks, only now realizing that a camera had been watching this mini-meltdown play out, knowing immediately that it’s too late, that he can’t walk this back or promo this away at the moment.
He takes a deep breath through his nose, exhaling slowly from his mouth, and turns his chin up, all while staring into the lens. Without another word, he turns and exits, frame right. The scene cuts back to ring-side.
The Camera Pans To The X-Tron!
Rust Cohle is standing in front of a television monitor backstage, inside the TTT locker room. He stands with his arms crossed, as the TV is showing Quartz with his head down, walking nonchalantly to the back, up the ramp after his loss to Mugen.
The former OCW Tag Team Champion Rust Cohle shakes his head at the TV, showing a combination of remorse and disgust at what he’s seeing.
Rust: Hmph.
After the TV cuts to commercial, Cohle turns back facing the TTT door, waiting on his estranged tag team partner.
With a sudden blast of energy, the door swings open, slamming against the protector on the opposite side. Walking in is none other than Ijitu Quartz. He immediately peers out of the corner of his eye to see Rust gazing at him.
Rust: Nice job, champ.
Quartz does not even respond and slowly, lightly grabs his duffel bag, tossing his various belongings inside.
Rust: What? Are you leaving?
Quartz, again, ignores his tag team partner and puts on a different jacket, leaving his TTT jacket on the bench. He slides a pair of sweatpants over his underguard shorts.
Rust: We have a title match in 4 days! Can you cut the crap and get back on track!?
Quartz zips up his bag and attempts to storm out, but Cohle slams the door closed before he can leave. Quartz brushes his hair back and out of his face and lets out a huge breath, staring face to face with Rust Cohle.
Quartz: I don’t have a gah’ damn thing in 4 days.
Rust: ...What?!
Quartz: I lost. It’s over. I don’t have anything in 4 days.
Rust scoffs a bit.
Rust: Lost? You mean that stupid singles tournament? THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT!?
Quartz: … I’m done.
Rust Cohle moves his hand from the door handle and slaps the soul out of Ijitu Quartz. The OCW Universe drops a massive “ooooooh” as the slap can be heard throughout the entire arena.
...Rather than a response, Quartz just turns his head back to Cohle, as if his entire being had just evaporated. Cohle, even angrier at the lack of reaction by the slap, grabs Quartz by his jacket and pushes him away from the door with ease.
Rust slams Ijitu Quartz back first against a nearby wall several times.
Rust: What is the matter with you!? Why aren’t you fighting me back! Do you even care anymore?
Quartz: …
Rust is baffled and lets his tag team partner go.
Quartz turns back after Rust lets him go to see an empty locker where Kassidy Hayes used to sit week in and week out… He turns back around and scowls at Rust Cohle, before once again sighing and heading towards the door.
Rust: So what?! You are just going to let me fight Inception by myself?
Quartz: Do whatever you have to do. I don’t care.
Rust: You saw what measures they went to beat both of us at Certified Greatness… What do you think they’re going to do in a handicap situation!?
Rust: This is what I’ve done with my year. I’ve poured my heart and soul into CQC and you’re just going to watch me try the impossible to get OUR Tag Team championships at Road 2 Glory by MYSELF!?
Quartz: No…
Cohle stops… hoping for a change of heart.
Quartz: … I won’t be watching at all.
Quartz slams the door in his partner’s face and the camera fades out as Cohle kicks over a nearby bench.
