Sins of the Father: Act 4

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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Calling the Jones family dysfunctional would be quite the understatement.  To be perfectly frank, the Jones family has been downright chaotic for over three decades.  The Russian mafia put a hit out on Bart Jones but ended up murdering his wife Kelly instead, Bart ditched their children, Angelica and Kayla, who were left to fend for themselves in foster care.  Angelica, as a teen, would get pregnant and have twins; Marie Annabelle Jones and Kimberly Williams.  Like her father, Angelica would ditch her children.  Much later, Angelica would murder Marie and Kim’s father in a cold blooded attempt to make certain she would maintain custody.  Kimberly would attempt on several occasions to get revenge on behalf of her father but Marie herself was continuously trying to find an identity.  For a while she looked up to her mother but, after some convincing from her sister Kimberly, Marie joined the cause in trying to make Angelica pay for murdering their father.  That didn’t last long, either, and Marie tried to mimic other identities.  Young Marie went dark and gothic, she joined a group of beautiful “mean girl” types known as Hidden Desires, and she even became one of Silas Mason’s girls when she was a part of the Independent Wrestling Cartel.  And yet throughout all of these changes and evolutions that Marie Annabelle Jones has gone through during her life, a life that has been full of chaos and anarchy, only after Marie left Silas World did she finally realize what it was that she was missing…

…she was missing an identity of her own.

The younger Jones, oldest child of Angelica Jones, had always been viewed in the shadow of her legendary mother.  She had always known this and had been constantly fighting to find a way all on her own, and at the same time find a way to deal with the chaos that was her family.  Unfortunately whether it was her dark and gothic stage, her Hidden Desires stage, or whether it was the Silas World stage, she never did find an identity that gave her both a name and face of her own as well as peace within the chaos.

So instead of following the lead of others, Jones decided to create her own path and create her own legacy.  Perhaps this way was the only way to truly forge her own identity as well as to find peace.  And at first she seemed successful, despite failing to capture the World Championship in IWC, Marie did manage to create a name for herself away from her mother, away from Silas World and Hidden Desires, and away from anyone else she ever attempted to attach herself to in her career as a professional wrestler.  For the first time ever in her career, the name of Marie Jones was on the lips of wrestling fans and experts.  Instead of being “the daughter of Angelica Jones” she was known as The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling.

Even her family life appeared to be taking shape.  Marie had made peace with her mother and the rest of the Jones family.  She had begun to accept that just because her last name was Jones did not mean she had to accept the chaotic nature that had seemingly followed every other member of the Jones family.  Marie herself, in fact, had made it a point to be different.  She had made it a point to be different from her mother and, thus, eliminate all of the chaos from her life.  What she wanted was something that so many other people in the world take for granted.

She wanted normalcy.

What child would not want a normal life?  In Marie’s case, a normal life was something she thought she would never have.  From her mother killing her father to being raped by her aunt’s foster father, Marie had it rough growing up and despite all of the trials and tribulations, despite her desire for normalcy throughout, she was still willing to settle for just one thing…

…a good man.

Marie Jones, a single mother of a young son named Sean Connor Jones, wanted a good man, primarily to be a good male role model for her son.  That’s what she wanted more than anything else.  That, too, seemed to be a quest that would be in vain.  It seemed that there was no one out there ready to accept her…

…but then Arthur Pond came along.  She and Arthur immediately fell head over heels in love with one another.  It was like a match made in heaven and, for Marie, she felt as if she had finally achieved her quest for normalcy.  She had reached respectability in the professional wrestling world, she had made peace with her family, and she had a husband.  Everything had seemed perfect.

Yet, not everything was perfect.

Marie had begun to see strange things during the engagement period with Arthur.  Namely, she had begun to see her deceased father Sean Williams.  Almost every day she saw an image of him.  It was almost as if his ghost had appeared out of nowhere and was stalking her.

She saw him at a dress shop.

She saw him at her home in Boston, Massachusetts.

She saw him at a local coffee shop.

The shit hit the fan, as they say, when she claimed she saw him at the wedding ceremony when she married Arthur.  She freaked out and ran out of the church screaming, only to end up tripping on the church steps and falling down, hitting her head, knocking herself unconscious.

The first three times she saw this man, a man everyone knows is dead, was chalked up to wedding jitters.  But that fourth time on the day of the wedding itself was the last straw.  Doctors suggested that Marie go see a psychologist and both Arthur as well as Marie’s mother Angelica agreed.  Marie would go to see a psychologist…

…but that doesn’t mean she has to like it.

“This is absolutely ridiculous!”

Marie is waving her hands and arms about wildly.  The young Jones female is being escorted to a local psychologist and she does not like it one iota.  She does not think she needs a psychologist.  At least, that’s what she is telling the person who is escorting her, the man who happens to be her husband Arthur Pond.  Deep down inside she knows a talk with the psychologist could do her some good, but she’s afraid of the answers that the psychologist might have for her.

“I’m sorry, Marie, but you’re going and that’s final.”

“Only my daddy could tell me that and he’s dead.”

Arthur sighs.

“I know, and I’m sorry about that, but I am your husband…”

The pair stop walking as soon as Arthur grabs her by the hands and turns her around to face him.

“…and I love you, I won’t try to measure up to your father, but I can say that I do love you more than you will ever know.  And I am worried about you.  Your mother is worried about you too.  That’s why agree that this is a necessary step just to make sure you are ok.”

Marie sighs and shakes her head.

“That’s part of the problem, Arthur.”

“What do you mean?”

“My mom, she…”

Tears well up in her eyes.

“…she spent time in a mental institution, Arthur.  And I’m afraid…”

“Afraid of what?”

“I’m afraid that…that…”

She wipes some of the tears from her eyes.

“…I’m afraid that the psychologist will tell me I’m crazy, just like my mother was crazy!”

Arthur nods with a look of realization on his face.

“Ah, I see.  You are worried that you’ll end up like your mother.  I understand.”

Marie vehemently shakes her head.

“No, Arthur, you really don’t understand.  You could not possibly understand what I am going through right now.”

Arthur smirks as he folds his arms over his chest.

“Try me.”

“You really want to know?”

He nods his head.

“Yeah, I want to know what’s bothering you.  Something is clearly bothering you but you are NOT crazy.”

“Oh, so I’m not crazy?”

“You are not crazy, Marie.”

“Then answer this one question for me, Arthur.  Just one question.  How am I not crazy when I’m seeing a dead guy at every corner?”

Arthur shrugs his shoulders.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?!”

“No, I don’t know, but what I do know is that you clearly need help…”

Arthur points off in the distance to a smallish brick building not too far away on the sidewalk ahead of them.

“…but I do know that psychologist just may have the answers.  If you give her a chance.”

Marie folds her arms over her chest now and pouts.

“Why should I give her a chance?”

“Because I know you also want answers.”

Arthur leans in and kisses her on the cheek.

“And also because your loving husband is asking you nicely.”

That pouting scowl on Marie’s face quickly fades away.  In its place is a warm grin.

“You are very convincing, Mr. Pond…”

“I try to be, Mrs. Pond…”

Marie sighs and throws her arms up into the air out of defeat.

“Fine!  Fine, I’ll go!”

“Wonderful!”

He leans in and kisses her again.

“This is just what you need.  Trust me.”

“That’s why I’m doing this, Arthur.  Because I trust you.”

Marie takes Arthur by the hand and squeezes it tightly.  She needs his strength right now more than ever, because she is worried, she is nervous about what this psychologist might tell her when they are finished.  The worst case scenario is that she finds out she is just as crazy as her mother is.  She could find out that the insanity of her mother was passed onto her.  She hopes that is not the case.  She hopes there is another logical, another reasonable explanation to this whole situation.

With her hand firmly in his, Marie and Arthur walk hand in hand up the sidewalk and towards the offices of the psychologist; a woman named Dr. Brianne Mabry, who has an extensive experience and extensive credentials in this field.  She came highly recommended from a wide variety of doctors as well as Jones family members.  Arthur wants only the best for his wife.

The pair continue walking and then make a right turn, walking up the walkway that leads to the front door of Dr. Mabry’s office.  It is a red brick building with a blue door.  Cream colored blinds veil the insides.  There is a small sign with her name and logo, letting Marie and Arthur know that they are indeed at the right place.  Arthur turns to look at Marie questioningly.

“Should I knock?”

Marie shakes her head.

“No…I will.”

Arthur nods and allows Marie to do the job.  She knocks on the door.  It isn’t long until the latching mechanism is heard, signaling that it is being unlocked.  The door then opens and a slightly heavyset woman with medium length blonde hair is standing there in the doorway, wearing a dark pink power suit and pants with a white blouse underneath.

“Ah, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Pond!”

She seems extremely happy as well.  Arthur nods his head.

“That’s correct, Dr. Mabry.”

“Well come on inside, please!”

She steps aside to allow Arthur and Marie room to enter.  Once inside they can see two black sofas a few comfy red leather chairs lining the walls of what appears to be a rather large waiting room.  Next to each sofa and one chair are tables with magazines on them.  Dr. Mabry points to one of the chairs.

“Mr. Pond, you may wait out here while I go have a chat with your wife, ok?”

Arthur nods his head and he silently finds a seat in one of the chairs.  Meanwhile Marie follows Dr. Mabry down a hall.  The red carpeted hallway leads to a door on the left which they enter.  Inside is a desk, which appears to be the doctor’s.  Across from the desk against the wall is a leather sofa that looks similar to the ones in the waiting room, only this one is red as opposed to black.

“Sit down, Mrs. Pond…”

Marie still finds it odd being referred to as Mrs. Pond but still, she knows what she is being told to do and she does so.  Marie goes over to the sofa and sits down.  Brianne Mabry sits down at the desk.

“Your husband told me a little bit about what was going on.”

“So you should already know I’m crazy.”

The doctor giggles lightly.

“I’ll decide that after we’ve met.  First, tell me about how you remember your father.”

Marie shrugs her shoulders.

“That’s the problem, I don’t really remember him that well.  I was still a young child when he was murdered.”

“And I understand your mother murdered him, correct?”

It really is difficult for Marie to talk about, even after all of these years.  Tears form in her eyes as she nods her head.

“Yeah…”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about your father?”

“Well, I…”

She sighs and shrugs her shoulders again.

“…I wish I could.  But seriously, all of my life I was told my father was an abusive maniac.  Only recently did I learn that I had been lied to my entire life.  My father may have, in fact, been a good man who was the victim of circumstance.”

The doctor nods her head.

“I see…”

“What?  What is it, doctor?  What’s wrong with me?”

The doctor sighs.

“I wish I could tell you but it really is way too soon to tell you right now.  I still need to ask you more questions, not just about your father but also about your mother and even about you.”

“So you’re telling me this visit has been for nothing?  You mean to tell me that you have NO answers for me as to why I have been seeing my dead father all over the place?!”

“Marie, I just need more time.  We need to have more visits with one another before I can make a clear determination.  What I can tell you is this; I believe that your mind is playing tricks on you.  I believe these visions of your dead father perhaps could be your mind’s way of dealing with the death of your father.”

“Really?”

Dr. Mabry nods her head.

“It is a possibility, yes.  But I still need to talk to you…more today, and more later on another day.  Are we clear on that, Mrs. Pond?”

Marie nods her head.

“Yeah, we’re clear.”

“Good.  Now tell me more about your father.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

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On Camera

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Willow Wilkes,

You and I have been through a lot, girl.  I can imagine that when we were first thrown together for that world title lethal lottery tag tournament set up by Helms and Bryant that we were among the first teams expected to implode.  It was a logical assumption; there you were, at the time, a member of New Eden and me, a member of the infamous Jones family.  How could we possibly get along?

And yet we did.  We worked like a well-oiled machine, crushing Gavin Taylor and Benjamin Flynn.  Then everyone thought it was over when we were assigned to face Abigail Lindsey and Sophie James.  Abigail was someone you, at least at one time, had strong feelings for.  Sophie is not only my tag team partner but by best friend.  Could we put our differences aside and forget about our history with those two long enough to win yet again?

Yes, yes we could.  We defeated them to advance to the final where we fought Myra Lynwood and Alana Starr.  Myra Lynwood is one of the most devious and manipulative minds in UWA and Alana had a ton of backup in the form of Ethan Von Aaron and Kennedy Street.  But we didn’t back down, Willow.  We stood side by side and beat back the competition and we won.  We defeated them just like we defeated everyone else the UWA put in front of us and we advanced to the Pyramid.  We earned our right to compete for the UWA World Championship.

It was then that you decided to pull the plug on our partnership.

Some were surprised by your actions.  They were surprised that you attacked me post match.  Finally we had convinced the world of the impressive and efficient tandem we could be inside of that ring, and they were wondering why not utilize that partnership in the Pyramid.  And yes, to them that made sense.  And I guess that’s why they were all surprised you attacked me.

I wasn’t surprised.  If anything, I’m stunned you waited.  You hesitated, Willow.  You didn’t attack right away.  You allowed the two of us to celebrate before you struck.  Granted, it did allow you to catch me off guard.  That was my mistake.  A mistake I will not make again.  But I do understand why…

…this is not about partnerships.  We may have been through a great deal together and hell, maybe someday down the road we could team up again.  We have already shared three impressive moments together on UWA Outbreak events.  But for you and I, our Olympus moments cannot be shared.   Only one of us can have the privilege of being victorious and raising that UWA World Championship high over our head in victory when all is said and done.

What you did was remind me and the rest of the world that this Pyramid was every competitor for themselves.  No friends and definitely no allies because there can only be one world champion.  And by God, I will do everything to make sure that world champion is me, Marie Annabelle Jones, The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling.

I hope you are listening as well, Victoria Salinas…

Vicky, you have had quite the sudden and fast rise to the top of the UWA.  How matches did you win when you first signed with UWA?  Two wasn’t it?  You defeated Gavin Taylor and then you defeated Abigail Lindsey.

Now there’s nothing wrong with that at all.  Gavin is a legend and Abigail has held world championships in both IWC and GCW.  Both are tremendous competitors and defeating either of them is quite the accomplishment.  But still, you only had the two matches before luck allowed you to be entered into the Last Chance Battle Royal.

Once again, I don’t want to diminish what you accomplished, but your participation in the battle royal was pure luck.  Your name was DRAWN from a pot of several names to be entered into that match.  That’s luck.  Yes, skill was involved in winning the battle royal, but you won a battle royal whereas me and Willow earned our way in a grueling tournament.

Some could argue you have the most to prove.  Some would say that you have to prove in the Pyramid that you worthy of this spot you have been blessed with and while that is a great deal for a competitor such as yourself to have to prove, it does not make you the one with the most to prove.  I mean, the fact is, if people did their research, they would know that you are a former world champion in GCW.  Regardless of the fact that it is a different company, the fact that you did win a world championship means that you can get it done.

Willow & Vicky, I do sincerely wish you both the best of luck, but that’s where my kindness ends.

I have a hell of a lot more to prove here than either of you.  I have been so damn close to the top of the mountain that I could taste it.  I nearly had Taylor Chase beaten in IWC.  At Invictus I was within a hair of becoming champion again.  And I was almost able to grab that brass ring against Vanilla Skyy and Alana Starr but yet again I failed.

In one year’s time I have had three world championship opportunities.  This is opportunity number four all in the span of a year.  Yes, I earned each and every one of those opportunities, but the fact remains that I have had three now and I couldn’t get the job done.  The pressure is on me to get the job done and finally, once and for all, grab that brass ring and become the champion I know I can be.

If I don’t, I know this is it.  I know that I won’t get any further opportunities if I do not win at Olympus.  I’m not putting all of my eggs in one basket so to speak, I’m just stating facts.  I doubt Drew Bryant or David Helms will continue to give me opportunities after failing to become champion for a fourth time.

This fourth time will be the charm for me, I guarantee it.  I refuse to let this opportunity slip through my fingers.  I will move through both of you, moving right through the Pyramid.  I will ascend and I will take what is mine.  I will claim my rightful spot as the best in UWA.

And I guess that’s where you come in, right Vanilla?

You are currently the world champion which makes you the best.  I have to get through you to prove to be the best, so some may argue the inclusion of Willow and Victoria in this match may taint any potential victory I would have over you.  That’s why, at the very least, I hope it comes down to just you and me at the end.  I hope that when all of the smokes has cleared it’s just Vanilla versus Marie, the way it should have been from the very beginning, the way I wanted it from the very beginning.

If there is one other thing almost as important to me as the UWA World Championship it is this opportunity to compete against you, Vanilla.  I have a great deal of respect for you, whether you believe me or not, and I need to prove to myself that I can defeat you without any interference from a third wheel of a tag team partner and without interference from annoying managers.  I need to prove to myself that I can get the job done on my own.

Olympus is my opportunity to not only prove that but to also win the UWA World Championship in the process, and I will do everything in my power to get the job done.

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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Marie’s session with her psychologist, Dr. Brianne Mabry, lasted for a good two and a half hours before it came to an end.  Future sessions were scheduled and, needless to say, Marie does not look forward to them.  Her particular concern is the final outcome of these sessions.  Will she find an answer that will clear her conscious and help her to move on with her life or will she learn that, no matter what she tries and no matter what she does, she will always be just as crazy and mentally unstable as her legendary mother?

The day has come to an end.  The sun has gone down and the darkness has taken over in Boston, Massachusetts.   Arthur Pond is lying in the king sized bed with the sheets up to his chest.  He has a book in his hands that he is reading.  His wife, the lovely Marie Annabelle Jones, is standing by a full length mirror taking appraisal of herself.  She is wearing a black lacy bra and panty number with black sheer nylon over her legs.  Long red hair hangs down to just below her shoulders.

“Sweetie, are you still in the bathroom?”

That’s Arthur.  He is so engrossed in his book he doesn’t even know where his wife is right now.

“No, darling…I’m just making sure I look good.”

Arthur frowns.

“Look good for what?  We’re going to bed.”

“Exactly.”

“Huh?”

Arthur puts the book down and looks over at Marie.  At first his eyes grow wide with shock, causing Marie to giggle.  Arthur then smirks knowingly.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this pleasant surprise?”

“Just for being you.”

Marie strikes a sultry pose for a few seconds before waltzing ever so sexily towards the bed.  She climbs into the bed and then gets as close to Arthur as she can.  They begin to passionately kiss.  Marie’s hands slowly begin to make their way down Arthur’s chest and then southward but then…

“Whoa, we have to stop…”

Arthur pushes away ever so slightly, just enough to make Marie stop.  Needless to say, Jones is surprised by this…

“You’re saying no to me?  To…to this?!”

“Am I saying no to sex?  Yeah, I am.  And I’m not particularly fond of saying no to sex myself, but I also realize that we can’t be staying up all night fucking like a pair of sex-crazed rabbits…”

Arthur touches Marie on her nose.

“…especially not when you have to make a trip overseas tomorrow.”

The redhead sighs as she comes to the realization that Arthur does have a good point.  She has to make the trip overseas to France tomorrow where she will participate in Fan Fest and then, after the fun and games are over, she has to get serious about potentially becoming World Champion at UWA Olympus.

It’s the Pyramid, something entirely new for Marie Annabelle Jones.  Granted, Marie is not entirely unfamiliar with strange and unfamiliar matches.  She’s had to adapt to the ever changing environment of in-ring action.  Marie will not be intimidated by the Pyramid.  Her main concern is finally overcoming the obstacle known as Vanilla Skyy.

Jones has had many big matches with Vanilla Skyy and the one in which she did defeat her was a handicap match in which Marie had a tag team partner and Vanilla was left alone.  Marie wants to prove once and for all not just to the fans but to herself that she can defeat Vanilla Skyy and she can become world champion of the UWA.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Marie sighs as she reaches up to the light-switch and turns off the lights.  She kisses Arthur on the cheek before both husband and wife lie their heads down on their pillows and attempt to go to sleep…

~~~1 Hour Later~~~

It has been nearly an hour since Arthur and Marie went to bed.  Arthur is a heavy sleeper.  He is sleeping quite well right now.  Marie, thought, is a light sleeper and even the slightest noises will cause her to wake up.  In this instance, it’s just a noise, a very faint noise granted but a noise nevertheless, that causes Marie to sit right up in bed.  It’s very quiet, almost hard to make out, but they sound like footsteps…

…the same kind of footsteps she heard all those several weeks ago, the first night she saw the ghostly image of her dead father.

“Arthur?”

Marie reaches over and gently shakes Arthur in an attempt to wake him up but it does no good.

“Arthur?”

She shakes him again but again he does not wake up.  The sound of footsteps get louder and it sounds as if they are coming closer and closer to their bedroom door.  She shakes him again, harder this time.

“For the love of God, Arthur!  Wake up!”

The footsteps come to a stop right outside the bedroom door.  Marie quickly makes her way over to her dresser and opens the top drawer.  She reaches inside and produces a small pistol.  She points the pistol at the door.

“I don’t know who you are, but you’d better leave!  I have a gun!”

“What’s wrong, Marie?”

It’s the sound of Arthur’s voice.  Marie turns around to find Arthur is now sitting up in bed.  Jones motions with the barrel of the pistol towards the gun.

“Someone broke into our house!  They’re behind the door!”

“You’re wrong, Marie.”

“Huh?”

Marie watches with confusion etched across her face but that confusion quickly changes into horror as Arthur’s facial features and other physical features twist and contort, slowly morphing and transforming before her very eyes.  They change and morph into an image she has seen before…

…in old photo albums…

“…daddy?”

Arthur, now fully morphed and changed into Sean Williams, gets out of bed and begins to walk over towards his daughter Marie.  As he walks, clothes begin to appear on this man.  Jeans and black boots appear on his lower body and a long sleeved dirty green sweater appears on his upper half.  Marie, for her part, is so shocked that she drops the pistol she had been holding.  Fortunately, it did not go off.

“Yes, Marie, it’s me…”

Sean gently rubs Marie’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“…your father.  I am here for you now.”

“No, it can’t be!”

Marie vehemently shakes her head.

“You’re…you’re dead…”

“Death can never destroy the love I have for you, Marie.”

Sean embraces Marie in a tight hug.

“Nothing can keep me away from you.”

The embrace lasts a long time, primarily because Marie does not want it to end.  She fears that if she lets go of him, she may never get him back.  But the embrace does eventually end.  Marie looks up at her father with tear filled eyes.

“Then why did you leave me?”

“There were circumstances beyond my control, darling.”

“Do you mean mom?”

Sean chuckles a bit under his breath.

“Ah, Angelica…let me be honest about your mother by saying that I did love her and I truly believe she loved me.  But our relationship was doomed from the start.”

“Why?!”

Marie pulls at her own hair in frustration.

“It doesn’t make sense!  If you love each other why would it end the way it did?!”

“Marie, your mother and I did love each other, you can believe that, but our relationship was doomed because we were both mentally unstable.”

Sean places a hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

“What I’m trying to tell you, my child, is that you can try to be different from me…you can try to be different from your mother…but at the end of the day, you are no different from your shadow self.”

“You mean…Kimberly?”

Sean nods his head.

“What you see in Kimberly is the true result of your mother and I breeding.”

He laughs at his own weird joke.  Marie, though, does not think it’s funny at all.

“That’s my sister you’re talking about, dad!”

“Yes, but what I’m saying is she got her mental instability honest.  She got it from both your mother and I.  And you are just like her, you’re just in denial.”

“No!”

Marie shakes her head vehemently.

“You’re wrong!  I am NOT like her!”

“Oh you have been doing a good job of hiding it.  Some might even be convinced that you are a good person.”

Sean touches his daughter’s chest.

“But deep down inside, you have the potential to be like Kimberly.”

He sneers nastily.

“And right now you need it…you need that kind of mindset!”

“What makes you say that?!”

“Don’t play dumb.  My children are smart and you know what I’m talking about.”

Marie’s eyes grow wide.

“The Pyramid.”

“Exactly.  This is going to be brutality.  This is going to be bloody and violent.”

“No…I’m different!”

Marie turns away from her father.  She doesn’t even want to see him now.

“I am not a sociopath!  I am not psychotic or a monster!  I am…”

“You’re good?  You play by the rules?  Is that what you’ve become?”

He spins her around and violently shakes her like a rag doll.

“Because if that is what you’ve become then you will lose at Olympus!  You will fail again if that is what you’ve become!  A failure…a failure who obeys the rules…”

He slaps her hard across the face.

“…do you think you can overcome a violent psychopath like Willow Wilkes?  Hell, even Victoria Salinas has more of a killer instinct than you.”

“You’re wrong!”

“Am I?  Let’s look at the past.  You have tried to beat Vanilla Skyy how many times now?  Three at least.  And you’ve only beaten her once…and that was when IWC saddled you with a tag team partner.  You might be able to get past Victoria and Willow but if you get alone with Vanilla you will be beaten again because thus far you have been unwilling to embrace who you really are.”

Marie drops to her knees.

“I…can’t!”

“You must!  Embrace who you are, Marie!  Embrace it!”

“Noooooo….”

Suddenly Marie sits up in bed…she blinks a few times to regain her bearings…she looks around just to confirm that yes, she is back in bed and that yes, her husband Arthur is indeed right next to her, where he should be.  Further investigation shows that there is no one else in the bedroom.

Marie slowly and gently, so as to not disturb or wake Arthur, gets up out of bed.  She walks over to the full length mirror and stares at herself.  She stares at herself for what seems like a long time when suddenly…

“Let me out!”

It’s the reflection.  Marie’s own reflection just shouted at her.  Only Marie can see it or hear it, whether it’s really there or not is irrelevant, it is very real to Marie and it scares her to death.

“You’re not real!”

“LET…ME…OUT!”

Marie shakes her head violently.

“NooooooooooooooooaaaaHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

She throws her head back and cackles maniacally…

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On Camera

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The sun beats down upon the sands of ancient Egypt.  The sky is a bright blue and the air outside is extremely hot, almost like an oven.  As the camera pans to the right we begin to see a figure take shape.  The figure happens to be the famous Egyptian pyramids.  Three of them stand tall in the distance; two smaller ones on either side of a much larger one in the center.  At this time Marie Annabelle Jones steps into view from stage right.  The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling is wearing a slinky little number that embraces every single one of her luscious curves.  The black dress is a stretchy, sleeveless, off the shoulder midi-dress that features a wide fold-over neckline and an open back cut-out.  The skirt flares out ever so slightly and stops just below the knee.  Her feet are encased in strappy black high heeled sandals.

“Behind me you see three examples of the most fantastic structures ever devised by mankind.  The pyramid was an architectural marvel back in its day and it still has modern day scientists and historians baffled and confused in the sense that no one knows how they did it with their limited technological advancements.”

She grins knowingly.

“Call me crazy, but I think I know how they did it.  I think the ancient Egyptians had a little something back then that, perhaps, we take for granted.”

She pats herself on the chest.

“Heart…not only heart but a desire and determination to see the job completed.  They believed in what they were doing and were willing to go to great lengths to see that the job was completed.  And it was important to them that the job was not only done but that it was done right.”

She motions to the pyramids behind her.

“You see, those things back there were not spectacular palaces.  They were tombs for their dead leaders, the deceased pharaohs.  The ancient Egyptians believed in their heart of hearts that their leaders would rise again and in the resurrection would ascend to become gods themselves.”

Marie shrugs her shoulders.

“I don’t know much about that, and I’m not going to judge their religion.  That’s not my place.  What I do know is this…”

Marie holds up four fingers.  As she does so the scene changes.  Marie stays right where she is at but the backdrop morphs and changes to an image of the UWA Olympus logo.

“…four individuals will be stepping inside of the Pyramid structure created by the UWA.  Willow Wilkes, Victoria Salinas, the UWA World Champion Vanilla Skyy, and of course yours truly, The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling.  You could argue that, like the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, the four of us are in a way leaders of our chosen sport because we are all former world champions and Vanilla, of course, is the current champion.  But unlike the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, not all of us will ascend to godlike status.  Despite all of our heart and determination, despite the will to win that we may have, three of us will leave in disappointment…”

Jones holds up one finger.

“…and one will stand tall among the ashes of the fallen three, one will ascend to that godlike status I spoke of earlier and become UWA World Champion.  But unlike the ancient Egyptians, who made the resurrection as easy as possible for their fallen leaders, things will not be anywhere near as easy for the four of us.  It will be brutal and violent and bloody and only the strongest will survive.  Only the best will be able to ascend to the top and reach up to snatch destiny in the palm of their hands…”

Marie motions to herself.

“…and that person will be me!  And what makes me so confident?  Yeah, confidence and sometimes arrogance does run in my family, but I assure you, this is not arrogance.”

She smirks knowingly.

“The pyramid may be new to professional wrestling but violence is nothing new to me.  Having to risk my own body and physical well being in order to win a match is nothing new to me…”

The smirk fades.  In its place a halfway evil smile crosses her face.

“…having to shed someone else’s blood, having to shatter someone else’s bones, and having to break someone in half, all in the name of winning is nothing new to either.  I went to war with Taylor Chase inside of a steel cage in IWC.  I fought my own sister in a Hell in the Cell match in GDW.  And I perpetrated some ungodly and unthinkable acts in a Seven Stages of Hell Match against Malcolm Cross in GCW.  So do you think I sweat the dangers of the pyramid?”

Jones shakes her head.

“No, I don’t.  That’s not meant to be arrogant, it’s just fact.  I am mentally ready for the weapons, for the unforgiving steel, and for the violence that will be perpetrated against me by my opponents in the pyramid.  I am mentally ready because I have had to take risks like this before in my professional career and I know precisely the kind of physicality I can expect.  I have risked my life before and I am prepared to risk my life again in Nimes, France when I attempt to once again become world champion.”

The scene changes yet again, this time the UWA Olympus logo backdrop changes into an image of the Nimes Arena in Nimes, France.  Jones turns around to face the arena image and takes in a deep breath before letting it out in a big, loud sigh.

“Ah, France!”

She turns back around to face the camera and grins knowingly.

“J'aime la France. La France est ma deuxième maison.”

Jones winks at the camera.

“You could almost say that I have a home field advantage, because I love France and the French love me.  I spent a great deal of time here growing up and it has become my home away from home and there is absolutely nothing that would please me more than to become UWA World Champion right here in Nimes, France.  Though I have to ask myself one question…do my opponents truly know what I am capable of doing in order to make that dream a reality?”

Jones shrugs her shoulders.

“I don’t know!  But let’s start out with Victoria Salinas, because I know for a fact that she has no idea what I am capable of.  We have never been one on one, Vicky.  We may be in the same wrestling organization but we have never fought one another.”

She shakes her head.

“And don’t talk about how you fought my aunt Kayla or how you’re a tag team champion with her currently in GCW.  Your interactions with my aunt Kayla, my mother Angelica Jones, or even my sisters Corey and Kimberly mean absolutely nothing because I am not them.”

She pats herself on the chest.

“I am Marie Annabelle Jones, The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling, and you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into by facing me in the pyramid, Vicky.  That’s a simple fact; a fact that Willow, perhaps, does understand.”

She grins.

“You should have some idea of what I am capable of, Willow.  We had been tag team partners for the entire duration of that number one contenders tournament.  You witnessed what I could do against some of the very best UWA had to offer.  You held up your end of the bargain, I damn sure held up my end of the bargain, and we won.  But like Vicky, you don’t know what it’s like to be my enemy.  And you’re anxious to find out, because you dropped me like a ton of bricks when I wasn’t ready.”

Jones laughs lightly.

“That’s good…that’s real good…because you’re going to damn sure find out what I’m capable of at Olympus inside of the pyramid.”

Jones points at the camera.

“Then there’s you, Vanilla.  The World Champion herself should definitely know what I’m capable of, am I right?  We have fought in a street fight and an I Quit Match.  We were opponents in a triple threat match that also involved Alana Starr.  You know, better than anyone else in this match, what I am capable of, especially what I am capable of in a brutal, sadistic environment such as the pyramid.”

She nods her head.

“So you should also know that I am the biggest threat to your championship in this match.  And I’m not a threat just because of what I’m capable of but also because of how badly I want this.  I want this win and I need this win a hell of a lot more than any of the rest of you.  Does Victoria Salinas need this?”

She shakes her head.

“No…this is only her fourth match in UWA.  She won her last three.  A loss here would not hurt her one damn bit.  Does Willow need this?”

She shakes her head.

“Again, the answer is no.  Much like Vicky, Willow has been unbeaten in UWA and she is also a former ULW World Champion.  A loss here does not hurt her.”

Jones points at the camera.

“And you, Vanilla, you’ve been the most dominant Triad champion ever since you won the belt back when we were still a part of IWC.  Your reputation isn’t diminished any by losing the title in the pyramid.  People already respect you and fear you.  That doesn’t change regardless of the outcome of the pyramid.”

Marie pats herself on the chest again.

“But I do need this…I need this more than you can ever imagine…I need this win more than life itself!  I can see the writing on the wall and I know that if I fail to capture the UWA World Championship that it’s over for me.  I’m done.  No more title opportunities for me for a very long time here in UWA.  I have to get the job done, I have to win, and I will do whatever it takes, I will risk everything if I have to in order to finally unseat you and become UWA World Champion.”

Jones winks at the camera.

“À bientôt.”

The camera fades to black.