Identity

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September 22nd, 2019

Baltimore, Maryland

Off Camera

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Backstage the Royal Farms Arena  in Baltimore, Maryland is bustling with action and excitement.  A little over an hour from now SCW Apocalypse will begin and the athletes and officials who will be taking part in this event are already beginning the preparations.  In the case of the somewhat eccentric, if not downright insane, Kimberly Williams, she is already dressed to compete in her wrestling gear.  Tonight she and her identical twin sister Marie Jones will challenge for the SCW World Tag Team Championship against Autumn Valentine and Ryan Watson.  The Woman Scorned has a sinister grin on her face as she hops and skips through the backstage area chanting “stabby, stabby, stabby” over and over again.  Some stare, but most ignore, for they are used to her antics by now.  Kimberly Williams eventually hops and skips into a dark, empty part of the arena.  A boiler room, perhaps?  Either way, she is alone.

Or is she?

“Oh Jessie, Jessie, Jessie,” Kimberly says in a sing-song voice “you really think you can sneak up on meeeeee?”

Kimberly spins around in time to watch “The Archangel” Jessica Lasiewicz step out from within the shadows.  A stoic, undisturbed, emotionless gaze is upon the face of the reigning one half of the GCW World Tag Team Champions as she stares across at this eccentric ginger standing before her.  Jessica may not like to admit it, but this is her half-sister.  This is family, whether she wants to claim her or not.

“I used to be able to sneak up on you.” Lasiewicz pauses and scratches her chin as if in thought.  “Maybe I need to get more training from my aunt Mags [Magdalena Lasiewicz]?”  

“Orrrrr how about you stop trying to be some kind of super secret spy person, huh?” Kimberly asks, approaching Jessica. “I mean, I thought you and Summer had some fashion gimmick now?  Fabulous, am I right?”

“Yes.” Jessica remarks pointedly.

“Before that you were pure.  And there was that time you had a cheerleader gimmick.”

“Do we have to bring up all of my past, Kimberly?” Jessica asks, sounding somewhat annoyed.  The Woman Scorned nods her head quickly.

“Oh yes!  Definitely!  Because YOU don’t know who you are, young lady!” Kimberly pokes her in the chest. “And before you interrogate me about...um...whatever it is you’re here to interrogate me about…” Williams tilts her head to one side, looking curiously at her half-sister “...you ARE here to interrogate me, right?  I mean, you wouldn’t have stalked me for no reason, right?”

“Yes, I am here to ask you a few questions.” Jessica answers after a frustrated sigh.

“So yeah, before you go grilling me like a grilled cheese sandwich maybe YOU should look in the mirror and find out just who the hell you are, hmmmm?”

The Archangel stares into the eyes of The Woman Scorned who simply smiles back at her with a look of mischief upon her face.  Lasiewicz hates to admit when this eccentric woman makes a good point but she does make a good point in this case.  Finally Jessica nods her head.

“Fine.  I will answer your question, but only if you hear me out.  Deal?”

“It’s a deal!” Kimberly nods her head emphatically.

“Excellent, because I have a great deal to say to you.”

“Awww and here I thought you were gonna grill me!” Kimberly says, trying to sound disappointed.

“The problem I have with you, Kimberly, is that I cannot figure you out.  There are times when I see you with Marie and it appears as if you are sincere, as if you have truly changed, despite your somewhat…” Jessica pauses as she attempts to some up with the appropriate words.  Finally they come to her. “...unconventional methods.  But then there are other times when I see you in action, when I see you stapling people or bludgeoning people, and the times when I listen to you threaten your opponents and the graphic details of what you want to do them, and those times remind me of how you tricked Marie.”

The Archangel shakes her head. “I love Marie.  She is a saint.  But she is also naive.  She trusted you once and you took advantage; you kidnapped her and took her place in her life.  I just want confirmation from you that you will not betray her.  Because if you do…”

“If I do betray her you will rain down hell, fire, brimstone, evil, four more years of Trump, and all other kinds of unthinkable and torturous things!  Got it!  But Jess, what you fail to grasp is the one thing that no one seems to understand, no one can possibly understand, is that Marie saved my life.” Kimberly’s face breaks as she shows a rare sign of emotion. “She took a chance on me and tried to rehabilitate me.  Was she totally successful?  That’s up for debate.  But she was successful enough that I feel guilty for what I did to her.  Guilty enough to devote the rest of my life to helping her.  Case in point, I knew Marie was walking into a trap by siding with Dark Fantasy.  I knew those bitches were corrupt as hell.  But I stood by Marie’s side and helped them anyway, because I felt I owed it to Marie.  I would put a bullet in my head if Marie asked me to do it.”

“I get it, I get it,” Jessica remarks shaking her head “no need to exaggerate.”

“I’m not exaggerating.” Kimberly says, looking dead serious.

“Whatever.” Jessica sighs and rolls her eyes. “In any event, you’ve convinced me.”

Jessica turns to walk away but Kimberly calls out after her. “Whoa!  You’re not done yet, Jessie!”

The Archangel stops.  She turns and faces Kimberly.  “I had hoped you had forgotten.”

“No such luck, sis.” Kimberly winks. “You are such a confusing individual.  You’ve been a cheerleader, you’ve been part of that purity cult of Loretta Inglewood’s, and now you and Summer are a pair of fashionista’s.  I don’t know if this is multiple personalities or just some multilayered bullshit.  But tell me, who the hell are you?”

“I hate you.” Jessica says pointedly. “You have to ask the tough questions.”

“What can I say?  It’s a gift!” Kimberly proudly declares.

“Well it’s tough, you know?  You may not realize it, but you and Marie do have it lucky in the sense that only one of your parents was a world famous professional wrestler; our mother, Angelica Jones.  But me?  I have the added pressure of having come from TWO world famous professional wrestling families.  My mother is Angelica Jones and my father is Andreas Lasiewicz.”

The Archangel runs a hand through her long red hair. “It was fun at first, before I officially made my debut.  Once I debuted as a wrestler myself it became clear that people would only view me as either the daughter of Angelica Jones or the daughter of Andreas Lasiewicz, depending upon who you were talking to.  Finding my own identity was extremely difficult.  I thought teaming with Summer but even then people based our identities off of our families.”

A low chuckle escapes her lips. “That was our own fault and I realized that early on.  We chose the name Fame & Fortune, the name my mother and Summer’s sister-in-law used when they teamed up.  So of course people would identify us with them.  I never told Summer about my frustrations, I probably should have.  Though the decision was taken from me when Summer provoked Neil Newman and Kyle Butler of Golden Era.  Talked ourselves into a match where their careers would end if we won but if they won we would have to become their personal cheerleader valets.”

There is a long, tense pause as Jessica lowers her gaze in shame; not wanting to look back up at Kimberly.  The Woman Scorned immediately picks up on this tell. “Oh my God...you threw the match?!”

“No, I did not throw the match.  I do have too much pride for that.  But yes, I did WANT to lose the match.  I was that desperate for an identity, any identity, of my own.  We were cheerleaders for awhile but it became clear that at the time that they weren’t going to let us wrestle, so we earned our freedom from that contract and yet again I was stuck as just the daughter of Angelica Jones and Andreas Lasiewicz.  Until Loretta Inglewood and Gabriella Austin entered my life.”

“The purity lady.” Kimberly mockingly gags.  Jessica stares angrily at Kimberly.

“Through Loretta Inglewood and Gabriella Austin I was introduced to the concept of purity.  Through purity I found an identity of my own.  For a time it was good, for a time I was happy.  But then I realized that I was just a follower.  I was part of Loretta’s identity.  So I took it and attempted to make it my own.  It nearly got my thrown into a psychiatric ward and it would have had it not been for my old friend Summer Collins.”

Jessica smiles warmly. “Summer and I were friends again and Summer had an idea, an idea for us to retake the tag team division under a new banner and an identity all our own.  The identity of Fabulous.  So who am I?”  Lasiewicz shrugs her shoulders. “I am Angelica and Andreas’s daughter.  I am a cheerleader.  I am an agent of purity.  I am Fabulous.  I am all of those things, Kim.  And I hate it.  I hate it more than you can imagine.”

The Archangel turns and slowly walks away. “I envy you, Kimberly.  The world views you as a psychopath but at least you have that as YOUR identity.  I either have someone else’s identity or I have too many identities.  I wish I could figure out just one thing that I am…”

Kimberly watches as her half-sister slowly disappears into the shadows.

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September 25th, 2019

Boston, Massachusetts

Off Camera

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When the day is growing old and the nighttime calls, the sun sinks down beneath the tops of the pines.  On these days the fogs cast those same beams of light into sepia tones and the woodland becomes the most beautiful of photographs. And never is the woodland silent, though it is quieter than any city street, that’s for certain. There are the birds above, calling, pecking for grubs. This forest is ancient. The trees thick and old, roots that were twisted. It might once have been filled with bird-song and animals that roamed. But now it was ages past its former glory. It's canopy was so dense that you could only see the occasional streak of sunlight that rarely touched the forest floor.

The forest is also all but empty.  Small animals and birds are sparse with the exception of one lone human female roaming around the forest floor.  She is not a very well liked individual in her circles.  In fact, one may find that she has just one true friend in Supreme Championship Wrestling; that being Drake Hemmingway.  And yes, that would make this female none other than Loretta Inglewood.  Is she awaiting the arrival of Drake?  Is he supposed to meet her in this empty yet beautiful fall forest?  No.  It is yet one more individual who understands Loretta, and perhaps another individual who considers her a friend.

“Dobrze przestrzegasz wskazówek.” The voice doesn’t startle Loretta.  It is a familiar one.  She turns around to find a woman with red hair, though the ginger locks are not her natural color which is actually black, a long ankle length black skirt, and black high heeled boots, and a silk purple button up blouse.  This is “The Archangel” Jessica Lasiewicz.  A stoic, unphased, emotionless gaze is upon her lovely features as she stares directly ahead at Loretta Inglewood.

These two have quite a history together.  Jessica, along with her best friend and co holder of the GCW World Tag Team Championship Summer Collins, at one point was assimilated into Loretta’s purity movement.  She had joined not necessarily out of agreement with Loretta’s lifestyle but because her friend, Summer, had been brainwashed into it.  Jessica did not want to abandon her friend.  Jessica would tear Summer away from Loretta, creating a tension between the two but many years later Jessica would rejoin the purity movement, this time because she allegedly did buy into it and she was hell bent on forcing it onto others; much like Loretta does now with those who cross her path in SCW.

The Archangel would again abandon the concept of purity.  She would rejoin her friend Summer Collins and regain the GCW World Tag Team Championships not for purity but for a concept they call Fabulous.  Still, the question remains, what of Jessica’s relationship with Loretta Inglewood?  Where does it stand?

“I am happy to see you again, Jessica. Wish it was under better circumstances.” Loretta sincerely said. 

“Okoliczności zależą całkowicie od ciebie.”

Luckily for Loretta, she was able to understand exactly what Jessica said. “I am fully aware that all this hinges on me. When I was addressing Cassidy [Carter] the day before Apocalypse, I was caught in my zest to let everyone watching know that I am serious about purging SCW of its filth. Cassidy and Kimberly are similar in their chaotic nature, just made me think about your sister being one half of the tag team champions. I am not going to take that back, she is a bad role model for the children. SCW deserves better.” 

“First, I am pleased that you remember enough Polish to translate what I said.” A smile finally crosses Jessica’s lips. “Second, as far as your mission in SCW is concerned, I cannot help but agree with your methodology.”

Lasiewicz snarls. “There are certain individuals who are beyond help and should be purged from this industry.  Cassidy is one of them because she cannot be helped, she cannot be salvaged.  Others should be allowed to choose.  Cassidy is not one of those who should be granted the right to choose.  On that we agree.  Kimberly, on the other hand, is my sister.  Whether I like it or not, she is family.  And trust me, I do not always like it.”

The Archangel shuts her eyes tightly as memories come flooding back. “She kidnapped Marie.  Everyone knows that by now.  What people do not know is the lengths I went to rescue her.  Do you recall the one known as Prince Kamijo?”

Loretta shudders at the mentioning of the name. “I’d prefer to pretend he doesn’t exist.” 

“As insane and corrupt as he is, he is equally as good at getting answers.  When Kimberly took Marie’s place I sent him after her and he was the one who found out for me that the public Marie was, in fact, Kimberly Williams.  Do not ask what kind of payment he wanted for that job.” Jessica shudders.

“When Kimberly got locked up after that incident I was pleased, thinking that she was out of our lives for good.  Then when Marie reached out in an attempt to change her, to make her good, I was enraged.  You have no idea how angry I was with Marie for thinking she could change Kimberly.”

The Archangel nods her head. “But she did change her.  Has she changed her completely?  No.  Do I trust her?  Hell no.  But what I can tell about my half-sister is that she definitely has good intentions, even if the way she goes about her good intentions is not exactly pure in the eyes of you and me.”

“I... believe you. Jessica, none of this is easy for me. All I see when I look at Kimberly is a woman who runs around with a staple gun, shouting stabby stabby every chance she can. Some may chalk that down to being eccentric, cute, whatever... but I believe her when she says those things. She’s scary. She has a national platform to promote her ‘eccentricity.’ I worry about the wellfare of anyone who watches TV believing the way your sister acts is ok.” Loretta pauses. She grabs Jessica’s hand. She looks sad, conflicted almost. “If she wasn’t your sister I wouldn’t think twice about what needs to be done. I can’t change the fact that she is. And I also can not change the fact I care about you. We’ve been in and out of each others lives for as long as I can remember. I wish you came back home, I would prefer you under the same roof with me and Drake. We are actually living at the Mason family estate now. It’s odd. Quite comfortable. Me, living somewhat of a life of luxury, who would have guessed.” Loretta smirks. “I always believe that we are destined to be in each others lives, this current one, past ones, future ones. The thought of losing your friendship over this does scare me. But I don’t know what else to do. To overlook Kimberly is to turn my back on my crusade. I don’t know where we go from here. So I’ll ask you, what do you want from me.”

There is a long pause as Jessica ponders the words spoken by Loretta.  Finally The Archangel sighs and shakes her head. “Our friendship will never be in danger, Loretta.  You purified me and for that I will always be grateful.  But I had to take a step away from purity.  I let it go too far in GCW and were it not for the actions of Summer reaching out to help me when I needed it the most I would have become the third member of my family to end up spending time in a mental ward.  My career could have ended but Summer saved me.  I owe a great deal to her but more than anything, I know I needed to step away from the mission of purity if only for a short time.  But know that our friendship will never end, Loretta.”

A much more serious look crosses her face. “That being said, you DO have my permission to target Kimberly if you feel this is a necessity.  I will not judge you nor will I try to stop you.  I do warn you, however, that targeting Kimberly is to bring about destruction.  So be careful.”

Loretta’s face lights up. With a solemn nod reples. “I will. Always. Thank you for giving me the comfort in knowing we will be fine. I don’t have many friends--” Loretta hesitates. “--you and Drake are the only ones, in fact. Glad we had this talk.” 

“You don’t have many friends but if you look at the professional wrestling landscape today do you really want any of them as friends?” The Archangel scowls. “It is difficult to find anyone today who cares about the traditions of professional wrestling.  All of them just want to either brag about their sexual exploits, post nude pictures of themselves on twitter, or both.  Not to mention the violence which is not pure wrestling.  It is time that wrestling itself be purified.  This is why I entered the God of Wrestling Tournament.”

“I have faith you’ll win. There is no other option. The world is in desperate need for a shining example. That person is you. ” Loretta smiles.

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On Camera

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“Why?”

The single voice sounds out in blackness.  A few moments later a spotlight lights up, shining down in the center of what appears to be a wrestling ring.  Jessica Lasiewicz steps into the scene from stage right.  Her naturally black hair is dyed red to match her mother’s family.  She is wearing a long sleeve crimson red dress with a hemline that stops just at the knee.  It is form fitting and hugs every curve.  She is perched atop matching high heeled pumps.  Her GCW World Tag Team Championship belt is draped over her right shoulder.

“Why?  It’s a question I have been asking myself ever since I decided to throw my hat into the ring so to speak for this God of Wrestling Tournament.  I look at the field of fierce athletes and competitors who have entered this tournament.  Some just want to hurt people.  Others are in this for pride and ego.  Why would I enter this tournament?  What do I have to gain?”

Lasiewicz shakes her head. “I can tell you one thing right now, I am not in this to make wrestling ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS...that would be selfish of me and I am in this for selfish reasons.  Besides, I’ve already declared myself to be a goddess once before and it didn’t turn out well for me.”

The Archangel chuckles. “No, I’m not in this for ego to try to prove to anyone and everyone who will listen that I am the best ever.  I know who and what I am.  I know what I am capable of.  I don’t need to explain it to you.  I just let my actions speak for themselves.  This tournament is about purity, the purity of TRADITION…”

“...I come from two legendary wrestling families, my mother Angelica Jones and my father Andreas Lasiewicz, twenty six world championships between the two of those extremely amazing competitors, decades of experience between those two athletes, two athletes who defined a generation.  Back in their prime they didn’t get into senseless twitter wars or post meaningless GIFs or nude pics on social media to get cheap heat.  They did their work in the center of the ring.”

“That, my friends, is tradition.  You go into the ring, do what you need to do, and win or lose you leave it all inside the ring.  I go into the God of Wrestling Tournament to fight for the traditions of wrestling.  And it starts with Lyza Reyes.”

“You should recognize me, Reyes.  Or at least, you should recognize my name.  My name is well known in the HKW circles.  I have friends and family in the HKW Underground, the final surviving brand of the former HKW.  This will be the first time you and I have ever met face to face, so I want to give you one bit of advice.  Do not think of The Silver Eagle and think that defines me.  Do not think about The Gambit and think that defines me.  No, don’t even think of The Morning Star and think that defines me.  They may define my father but they do not define who I am.  I am another beast altogether, one that you may or may not be able to contend with.  You are dealing with The Archangel and I fight for tradition.”

The spotlight suddenly shuts off and we are again left in total darkness.