Inspiration (Wes Ikeda RP)

[Ashlee]

The scene opened, not in Houston, Texas, but in St. Louis. The camera was focused to look out of a window and the sprawling Gateway Arch National Park was blanketed in snow. The national monument itself rose tall before the Mississippi River, and as the camera zoomed out it revealed the gorgeous view was just outside a stately office. The camera continued to zoom out to the desk, and the leather, high back executive chair slowly turned. Wes Ikeda sat behind his desk, wearing a black v-neck t-shirt. He sat back, and kicked his feet up on the desk, leaning back in the chair.

Wes Ikeda: You might not know this about me, but I’m petty as fuck.

He grinned.

Wes Ikeda: Call it…. a character flaw. My flaws though sometimes become the EBWF fans’ gain though, because it is the fact that I am so delightfully petty that has gotten me into the Royal Rumble match.

Wes scratched his head, and lowered his feet, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Wes Ikeda: See, Aiden, if there is one thing I don’t like, it’s being underestimated. Being told what I will and won’t do. Being… predictable. And I’m sure you’re going to try and claim that it was some carefully constructed plan to get me in this match. That the only reason you said that I’d never lace up my boots for this show was precisely so I would, but I’ve watched the tape over and over, Aiden. I’ve watched it, and you believed what you were saying. You thought I wouldn’t do it. First mistake, don’t ever presume that you know what I will and won’t do.

Wes chuckled to himself.

Wes Ikeda: Then fate delivered us a little reality check didn’t it? You’re coming out at number one, and I’m coming out at number 30. Which I understand is very convenient, and which I understand looks like the fix is in from the word go, but the randomizer did it’s bidding and here we are. You out first, and me out last, and statistically speaking, no real hope of encountering each other in between. The thing is, Aiden, I don’t have any desire to face you in a match. Not because I couldn’t. Simply because I don’t want to. I don’t have anything to prove to you, and I’m not impressed by the little Banana Republic you call a Kingdom.

Wes raised an eyebrow.

Wes Ikeda: What I do want? Is to shut you up, and give you, and everyone like you an example in what hard work really is. Too many men on this roster have come to glory by cheating, stealing, and aligning themselves with miserable people. And if the only way to push the reset button on all of that is for me to win the Royal Rumble and then go on to Wrestlemania to become the EBWF World Champion and restore some order to this roster, then so be it. That’s just another sacrifice I’m willing to make for EBWF. Like all of the sacrifices I’ve made for this company over the last 20 years.

Wes leaned forward toward the camera.

Wes Ikeda: This has been my whole life. Do you know what that’s like. Aiden? Do you know the ways I’ve sold my soul, risked my life, the family I’ve buried just to be thee guy? Just to run the most successful wrestling juggernaut on the planet. Just to surround myself with the most brilliant wrestling minds the earth has to offer. All of that for someone like you to come along and disappoint me. As if talent is the only requirement for success, as if you think you didn’t have to pay your dues because you’re too good to have possibly owed anything in the first place. I know they don’t call you The Drama King for nothin’ but spare me the theatrics, Aiden.

Wes wrapped his knuckles against the top of his desk.

Wes Ikeda: You’re scared. Not of me. I’m a distraction from what’s really happening, but I can play the villain in your play. That’s fine. You’re afraid that EBWF is passing you by. You’re afraid that with the talent around here you’ll be hard pressed to win the EBWF Championship, and like so many other people who have intersected my life, it’s just too easy to blame good ol’ Wes, than face your own shortcomings. So my plan is to compound that. To make your worst nightmares come true, to prove that not only will you not become EBWF World Champion anytime soon, but that I will do it before you, and I will do it better than you. So, while I might not see you in the Royal Rumble Match in Houston, Aiden. I’ll be thinking about you when I throw those last guys over the top rope. I’ll be thinking about how your plan to lure me to a match failed and backfired spectacularly. Then I’ll be plotting your Wrestlemania moment. Pre-show sounds about right.

Wes grinned.

Wes Ikeda: Aiden, of course, the reason for my decision to enter this match, but then there are of course 28 other men who will attempt to stand in my way. First, I want to say that I come into this match as a competitor. I don’t want anyone to go easy on me because I’m the boss, and whatever happens, happens. No hard feelings.

There’s a whole host of young men in this match that I either don’t know, have never heard of, or whom I have no intention of meeting ever. So that’s entertaining. I would consider Colten Gunn chief among them. But Wes, I hear you saying, “How can you never meet them. You own the company!” I outsourced recruitment a long time ago. I just put my signature on stuff. I don’t know half the things I’m signing. I don’t expect Colten to last long considering that Chavo Guerrero is out third, and the two of them will probably dispatch of Mr. Gunn pretty quickly. Just as well. Let me see…

Wes cracked his knuckles.

Wes Ikeda: Jericho then Omega. That’s a pretty interesting pair. Get the Kingdom riff raft out of there and those two could probably put on a pretty decent match. I’m here for it. Okay. Couple of mystery entrants. Non threatening, never win. Then Elias and Ciampa, both of whom I only just found out still work here. I was surprised, to say the least. I really got to keep a better eye on the checks I’m signing. I don’t know what a Jungle Boy is, and I suspect he’ll be long gone before I have to find out.

Wes cocked his head.

Wes Ikeda: And what the hell is a Luchasaurus?

He gave a puzzled look into the camera and shook his head.

Wes Ikeda: Number 12. Edge. Wow, Adam. It’s that time of year, isn’t it? Time to showboat around, and be the nostalgic fan favorite. Exciting. When’s the last time you were in a Rumble without Randy, hmm? No partner. Just you and 29 others, all wanting to see you fail. That sounds sobering for a guy who likes to party. When’s the last time you did anything without Randy? Doesn’t sound like it’s going to be your night, my friend. You’re not the Rated R Superstar anymore. You’re one half of Rated RKO, and it looks like tonight you don’t have a side to kick. Of course, you could always do your damndest to prove me wrong. You’re usually final four in these things right? See ya out there. You’ll come up short as usual.

Wes sighed.

Wes Ikeda: I don’t know what to expect out of Bray Wyatt, and no matter what version of him shows up, I’m going to be sure not to dismiss him. The rest of the field would be wise to do the same. And then… number 14, well that’s where it gets interesting. Christian. Wow, in EBWF? It must be a very cold day in hell. Not because you’re back, but because you came all this way and the best you could show up with was Kane and Maven? Did I take a time machine back to 2001, what in the actual hell? I’m not seeing the vision, Christian, and I’m not sure your peeps are either. Good luck with that.

Wes rolled his eyes.

Wes Ikeda: Another contender for the final four comes out at number 15. Tell me Miz, what would the Rock think about your ambitions toward the World Championship? Didn’t you used to be the guy around here? Didn’t you used to be the biggest pain in my ass? You were mean. You were ruthless. Then you got married, dad-to-be, soft. Soft. Soft. And not in the fun, face, crowd favorite sort of way, but in the complacent, ‘oh yeah, he’s still around here somewhere’ sort of way. You’ve become what you hate, Mike. Just coasting through. Not who I thought you were, but I’ve been wrong before.

Wes paused a moment to look disappointed.

Wes Ikeda: Doc Gallows rolling in for something new, and then MJF… I like your style Maxwell. Very impressive. See ya out there, maybe, if you can hang around long enough.

Wes grinned.

Wes Ikeda: Kane coming in hot from whatever boiler room Christian drug him out of. Then a Mystery Entrant to spice it back up, and God knows we’ll need it because coming in at number 20 is MAVEN! Yes, that Maven. And listen up folks, I know I said that I outsourced the recruiting a long time ago, but I kind of find the addition of Maven a bit… unacceptable. He’s such a big Hollywood Superstar I’m surprised we can even accommodate his ego. The way he talks you’d think we didn’t have Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson walking around here as World Champion. Maven is a parody of the Rock right? That’s what he’s going for? It’s the only explanation, and it’s very poorly executed.

Wes’ eyes narrowed as he took a breath.

Wes Ikeda: Punk. Welcome home. It’s been a while. And I’m still more than happy to put my boot up your ass. So let’s look forward to that, shall we?

He nodded slowly.

Wes Ikeda: Drew Gulak, compelling presentation. Have to say I got a lot of pointers from reviewing it. I take umbrage with the assertion that I’m not really a wrestler, but I guess I deserved that. You hang around in the match long enough, and I’ll prove to you that I know a few moves, and I’m more than capable of tossing any one of the men in this match out of the ring. See if I can’t get a little update to your presentation.

He sat back again.

Wes Ikeda: And from number 23 on, it really just feels like it could say “and the rest”, that’s how memorable some of these entries are. Karl Anderson, Sami Zayn, Austin Gunn… Finn Balor… Rey Mysterio… I’m bored just reading these. Paul London might fly in on a space ship, and who the actual hell is Cameron Grimes? Just kidding, I know who Cameron Grimes is, but number 29? Just one more for me to throw over the top rope. You see, the thing is Aiden, when you laid out this challenge, you just made it too easy. How could I NOT see this opening and take it? How could I not come out here, win the Royal Rumble, and then get the pleasure of not only telling you that I won’t face you at Wrestlemania… but, oops, sorry I actually CAN’T face you at Wrestlemania because I’m too busy being in the main event and becoming the EBWF World Champion? I won’t waste my time lacing up for the likes of you, Aiden, but what I will do is remind the entire world that when I leave this desk? When I leave this building? I’m still one of the greatest professional wrestlers alive today. Too many people have forgotten that fact, and they have you to thank for the inspiration. If anyone still doubts me, they won’t after I leave Houston. Wrestlemania 20 îs going to be my night, and the Royal Rumble is just the first stop on the road to get there.

Wes turned in his chair, facing away from the camera to look back out the window over the landscape that had opened the scene, as the camera faded to black.

[Matt]

This is why I love this place. Great RP, Ashlee.