The Gift

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The Gift

Off Camera

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We open outside of the Braddock Wrestling School, which is located on the outskirts of London, England.  It is here where many wrestlers have been trained; including thirteen time world champion Glory Braddock.  This school, owned by her father Glenn Braddock, continues to train the wrestlers of tomorrow.  So much history is contained within these walls that Marie Annabelle Jones and her sister, “The Morning Star” Jessica Lasiewicz, are in awe each and every time they visit this place.

No, this isn’t the first time they have visited this prestigious school, and as prestigious as it is, it certainly does not look like a prestigious school on the inside or the outside.  The grizzled veteran of the mat game known as Glenn Braddock is what most would describe as cheap but he would prefer to call himself frugal.  If it isn’t broke, do not fix it.  If it gets the job done, keep with it, why change?  That is why his wrestling school has been relatively unchanged for decades.

Change can be good and at the same time change can also be bad.  Valentina Madison continues to yap about changing herself like anyone really cares.  Jessica certainly doesn’t care and yet she is expected to, or at least she is expected to care enough to fight her at IWC’s next pay per view event Extreme Fury.

Extreme Fury and Valentina Madison are most certainly the farthest things from Jessica’s mind right now.  No disrespect to IWC, but much disrespect intended to Madison, fighting that little loud mouth isn’t considered very important as far as Jessica is concerned.

“Why are we even here?” Jessica’s voice is rather annoyed.  Impatience is written on her face.  “This is pointless.”

“It isn’t pointless.” Marie says, trying to encourage her sister. “Glory has something for us.”

“It had better be worth our time.”

Jessica pushes the front doors of the gym open and steps inside, Marie following her closely behind.  Once inside the young Lady Gambit takes a look around the empty school and sighs, folding her arms over her chest.

“So, where is she?”

“Right here!” Marie and Jessica turn around to find the retired thirteen time world champion standing behind them.  Glory is grinning knowingly as she looks upon the sisters. “You sound a little impatient, Jess.  Something wrong?”

“That is definitely an understatement.” Jessica rolls her eyes. “Everything is going wrong.”

“Oh now it can’t be that bad.”

“It’s pretty bad, Glory.” Marie responds. “I only just now got back after being kidnapped by Kim.”

“Well you got me there, but what else?”

“Apocalypse in IWC is a failed experiment.” Jessica chimes in. “Too many flakes, flakes like Danny Darko who go based on how the wind blows.  We can’t keep a group together.”

“Well as much as I hate to say it, William Mason was right about him.”

“Oh?”

Braddock nods her head. “Darko is dangerous only when his head is in the game but his head clearly isn’t in the game like it used to be.  You and Marie are much better off without him.”

“Then what do you suggest, Glory?  Apocalypse is coming apart.”

“First of all, Apocalypse never comes apart.  It never dies.  Apocalypse lives forever and that’s not just a cheesy line, it’s fact.  Apocalypse was founded upon the principle of watching each other’s backs…”

Glory places both hands on Jessica’s shoulders. “…and Jessica, you have to believe that while some members come and some will go, there will always be an Apocalypse member ready to stand by your side and fight to their dying breath with you.”

Marie places a hand on Jessica’s shoulder as well, prompting Jessica to turn and look at her sister who is smiling warmly.

“That’s right, Jess.  If anything you have me.”

Jessica looks back at Glory who just nods her head. “Apocalypse isn’t a standard organized faction like Sinistry, Chase Global, or any other run of the mill group that comes along.  Apocalypse is a force of nature that will never go away and cannot be stopped.”

“That’s all well and good, Glory, but what does this mean for Marie and I?”

“Simple.  It all goes back to FWA’s End of Worlds pay per view.  Isis Derrida assaulted my father.  I was ready to take on the world by myself after that I was so angry but you and Marie stepped up and volunteered your time to help me out.  You stood by my side and took on the world with me and together we took down Derrida and his cronies.  And now I am going to return the favor.”

“But I thought you said you were retired?”

Glory nods. “I am retired, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you out.  I said I was going to give you a gift and I will.”

Footsteps from behind Marie and Jessica cause them to turn around and see who it is coming towards them.  Their eyes grow wide with shock upon seeing Sophie and Mark O’Brian, better known as Total War.

“May as well wrap a bow on our heads then…”

“See, I told you this would be a good idea!” Mark says, pointing to the pink bow he tied around his head.  In response Sophie smacks Mark on the back of his head.

“You are a disgrace to ignorance…”

Jessica looks back at Glory. “Seriously?”

“Sophie and Mark have been very loyal to my father, not that they’ve needed to…”

“Hush that talk, mate.” Sophie retorts. “Your father saved our lives once and we owe your family a debt of gratitude.”

Glory rolls her eyes. “Whatever, point is, Sophie and Mark are my best mates, instead of doing whatever I ask, I’m asking them now to do that for you two.  You say the word and Total War will go to war with you.”

Sophie nods her head. “That’s right.  Anytime, anyplace, Mark and I will fight with you.”

Jessica smiles warmly. “Thanks Sophie…”

She looks back at Glory. “…but I’m not sure I’m going to be in IWC much longer.  This whole thing about them changing to SIN, not letting me team with Marie, I’m beginning to think if I should just stick to one company, just GCW.”

“And if she goes, I go.” Marie chimes in.

“And that’s fine,” Sophie adds “but remember, wherever you and Marie go, you always have someone watching your back, and its not just each other.  Understand that Mark and I have your back as well.”

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Irrelevant

On Camera

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Amazing how things change in such a short amount of time, isn’t it?  I signed up with IWC to tag team with my sister Marie and watch her back.  Since then IWC has become SIN and I cannot seem to buy a tag team match with my sister as my partner.  And instead of competing by my sister’s side at IWC Extreme Fury, I am fighting a Little Miss Muppet wannabe who is so uncreative that she can’t use any other insult but “princess” over and over again, and I am facing her at SIN Extreme Fury.

Is that it?  I just want to make sure I got everything right.  I swear this place changes its mind more times than Danny Darko.

I am completely unmotivated for our match, Valentina.  Nothing you have done to this point has made me believe that destroying you is worth my time.  To be completely honest with you, I am just going through the motions with this little rivalry between you and I.  After Extreme Fury is over I am moving on to something else, hopefully tag teaming with my sister or at the very least feuding with someone worth my time.

Oh but I will do you one favor, though.  Not that you deserve it, but I will do you one big favor.  I am going to put you over at Extreme Fury.  That’s right, Valentina, I am telling you right now that I am going to let you win.

Go ahead and pat yourself on the back, pop the cork on the champagne bottle and celebrate the completion of this half-assed transformation you’ve been rambling about, this transformation of yours that no one gives a shit about.  It will be done because you will win at Extreme Fury.  You will defeat me.

Now how it happens, I’m not sure yet.  I just might skip out on the show altogether.  Me and Steven could spend an intimate night alone in a nice hotel suite while the rest of the idiots beat the hell out of each other.  That sounds like a great idea to me.  So I may just skip out on the show.  Or maybe I will show up, beat the hell out of you, and walk away, leaving you unconscious and lying in a pool of your own blood.

Either way you will win by forfeit because I don’t give a shit about this match.  I never have and never will.  I never gave a shit about you.  I don’t even understand what the hell you’re saying half the time.  You do not make any sense to me and that just further adds to why I think you are irrelevant.

I’m being very honest here, I know it and I realize it could get me in trouble but I don’t care.  I really do not care what anyone thinks because I am tired of reading from the script handed to me.  The script says I am supposed to hate you for what you’ve done but I don’t hate you.  I don’t like you, either.  I just don’t care one way or the other.  You are completely one hundred percent irrelevant to me.

Irrelevant.