Voyage of the Damned: Act 2

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Pay Attention

On Camera

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Isis Derrida has proven one thing and one thing only since becoming FWA World Champion…

…that he is a coward.

He knew he couldn’t defeat me clean in the Iron Man Match so he assaulted my father at ringside so that I’d get counted out, knowing I would check on his well being.  Then when I put Apocalypse back together he knew he couldn’t stand up to it so he brought in allies to do his dirty work for him.

Jay and Lance Williams, the Lone Star Outlaws.

Willow Wilkes.

That’s not to mention the many times he has tried to duck, cover, and avoid challenges from Dante.  But Dante’s group is growing ever larger and soon Derrida won’t be able to duck, will he?  I was certainly surprised to see my cousin Angelica Jones here in FWA standing by Dante’s side.  I’m sure Isis was too.

Your days are numbered, Isis, and you know it.  Whether it comes by my hand at Darkness Within or by Dante’s hand, your title reign will end and there is nothing you can do about it and that’s what has you running scared.

Don’t think that Darkness Within will be just a repeat of End of Worlds.  This isn’t the same Glory Braddock you fought back then.  I’ve gone to a place that I’ve had to go to only one other time in my career.

You can see firsthand what I’m talking about if you tune in to Mayhem and watch me against Scott Wilson.  You see, Scotty has no idea what he’s in for either.  He just remembers facing the old Glory Braddock.  He remembers being in the ring with the happy go lucky British Bombshell.

Even then I nearly choked his ass out.  Imagine what I might do to him in the state of mind I’m in right now?

Or better yet, just watch and find out what I will do to him on Mayhem, because it may very well be what I’ll do to you at Darkness Within.  What happens to Scott Wilson on Mayhem will be what happens to you when I take your championship.

So pay attention.

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Voyage of the Damned

Act 2

Off Camera

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I usually love a good surprise; normally I am a good sport when it comes to surprises and I take it all in good stride.  I was surprised when Randal Williams asked me to marry him and equally surprised years later when he made me choose between him and wrestling.  I can imagine that he was pretty surprised when I chose the wrestling industry over him and we broke off our marriage.  Just because you can handle a surprise and take it in good stride doesn’t mean you have to like the surprise.  I know I was surprised this past Mayhem when I saw that my cousin Angelica Jones had arrived in FWA.

Honestly I am not sure yet whether or not this is a pleasant surprise.  On the one hand it should be a pleasant surprise.  The more family that’s here in FWA, the better right?  Marie and Jessica, two Apocalypse members, are also daughters of Angelica Jones.  Their mother being here to support them can’t be anything but good right?

And yet on the other hand Angelica and I have not had a good relationship in quite a long time.  In fact, the last time Angelica and I had any kind of face to face meeting we ended up fighting one another and she threatened to end me the next time she saw me.  And that can’t be good, now can it?

I don’t pretend to be a good person.  I don’t pretend to be the perfect, innocent, little angel, even if some people get that impression of me.  I just try to do what I think is right.  And I know that I do have just as many skeletons in my closet as the next person, maybe more.  Yet for the life of me I cannot figure out what it was that I did to piss off Angelica?  I cannot figure out what I did that made her want to hate me so much?

There is a part of me that tells me I shouldn’t worry about it.  That part of me is the logical side.  Logic says that Angelica has a history of mental disturbance.  She has attempted suicide before and once faked her own death.  So what if a psychopath is mad at me?  There’s no real trusting her opinion now is there?

Yet there is still another part of me that wonders if there is any truth to Angelica’s wild claims against me?  That part of me thinks with my heart, the part of me that feels emotion.  Emotion is what makes us human but damnit if it doesn’t hurt sometimes to have those emotions and it does hurt to know that Angelica hates me so much.

Angelica and I used to be real close.  Angelica was the person who got me my first professional wrestling contract.  She set up a meeting between me and GDW officials.  Had it not been for her, I may not have made it to GDW and may not have won my world titles there.  I may not have eventually made it to MCW and later to FWA.  Had it not been for her, would I be where I am today?

Those are a lot of what if hypothetical questions that no one will ever know the answers to and for that reason my mind tells me to just forget about it but my heart can’t and won’t let me forget.  That guilty feeling of wondering if I am at least somewhat responsible for this mess eats away at my soul.

I feel really bad for Jessica Lasiewicz and Marie Annabelle Jones, my fellow Apocalypse stablemates and Angelica’s daughters.  They are my family as well as fellow Apocalypse members but also being Angelica’s daughters makes it incredibly difficult for them especially now that their mother has arrived in FWA.  I would hate to make them choose between loyalty to Apocalypse and loyalty to their own mother.

With Angelica here now in the company, threatening to end me, I felt the least I could do is go talk to her daughters about this.  From what I heard they are sharing a hotel room here in Liverpool for Mayhem.  Last time I saw Jessica she was chasing after Dakota Smith to get her Xtreme Championship belt from him, a belt she co-holds with Laurel Anne Hardy now.  At least Marie should be there, I think, and hopefully, if I’m lucky, I can maybe intercept them both before they leave.

I stand at the front desk, wearing a off-shoulder white hanging top, which is a good match to the ankle length black maxi skirt, white sandals on my feet, sunglasses on my eyes, and a cross necklace around my neck.  The young man I speak to is dressed nicely in a black and white suit and red tie.

I ring the bell to get his attention.  He immediately turns to face me, smiling politely.  “May I help you?”

“Yes, yes you may.”  I answer him with an equally polite smile that could melt butter.  “What room are Marie Jones and  Jessica Lasiewicz staying in at this hotel”

“Who is asking?”

“Glory Braddock.  Jessica and Marie are my cousins.”

“Oh, ok…I will have to check the computer.”  He turns to his computer and starts typing.

Jessica and Marie are much like their mother in how stubborn they can be.  They are also like their mother in how independent they are.  They will set their mind to something and that’s what they’re going to do and there will be no changing it.  It’s just how Jones women are.  My mother is a Jones woman and so I got a little bit of that stubborn streak myself.

That stubborn streak has served me well in FWA.  It helped me fight through the challenge of having to defeat Eric Herrera and Nate Lawson in the same night to become number one contender to the FWA World Championship.  It helped me to keep my head in the game after Isis Derrida assaulted my father in order to defeat me at End of Worlds.  It helped me as I put together Apocalypse to combat Derrida and his tactics.  It will continue to serve me as I get ready to head into Mayhem to face Scott Wilson.

Scott Wilson and I are no strangers to one another.  In the weeks leading up to my first match against Isis Derrida, I fought Scott Wilson one on one and would’ve beaten him by submission had it not been for Dante’s associates interfering, causing a disqualification.

Of course Scott Wilson, being that lame, pathetic weasel he is, declared victory for the singular fact that he didn’t get pinned nor was he made to tap out.  If you ask me, that’s stupid, but nevertheless, I am thrilled to get another crack at him.  I am thrilled to get one more opportunity to teach that idiot a lesson.

This time there will be no count out victory or a disqualification victory.  I will only be happy with a pin or a submission.  Simple as that.

“Miss?”

I was deep in thought and the voice of the young hotel clerk startles me back to my senses.  “Yes?”

“Your cousins are staying on the third floor in room 305.”

I reach into my purse and snatch a dollar and hand it to him.  “Thanks, mate.”

With that and the other pleasantries out of the way I turn away from the welcome desk and make my way over to the elevators.  I flick a strand of my shoulder length auburn hair out of my face as I make my way past the mass of humanity in this hotel lobby.  This is reminiscent of a battle royal but eventually I do make it through the sliding doors of the elevator.  I press the button and the doors close shut and send me on my way, stopping once at the second floor to let some more people on the elevator, and then finally onto my destination; the third floor.  The doors slide open once again and I quickly make my way out the door and turn towards the right and walk down the hall, looking at the door numbers.

“301…302…303…” I’m getting there “…304…305!”

I grin as I spot my destination.  I have arrived.  Balling my hand into a fist I knock on the door and wait patiently.  The wait is not a long one as eventually the door opens and I see the red head Marie Jones standing there.

“Oh, hi Glory!”

“Hi,  mate.  May I come in?”

“Sure.”

She steps aside, allowing me access to the room.  I enter and immediately we embrace in a hug.  “I know I stopped in unexpectedly and I’m sorry for that.”

“Oh don’t worry about it.” Marie shakes her head. “You’re family, it’s all good.”

I wish Angelica and I could say that to each other.  I wish we could just say that we are family and everything is ok with us but unfortunately everything is not ok with us.  There is something terribly wrong and I ‘m not sure I can fix it.

“Is Jessica here?”

Marie nods her head.  “You’re in luck.  She just got back in after chasing Dakota Smith.”

Jessica and Laurel Hardy just won the FWA Xtreme Championship when both of them pinned Dakota Smith at the same time.  Not only did we not see a definitive champion crowned but, unfortunately, Dakota made off with the title belt.  Jessica had been giving chase but she must have given up.

“Is she available right now?”

“I’m honestly not sure.” Marie asks, tapping her chin. “I know she stepped into the shower first thing when she got back.”

Marie and I head deeper into this nice hotel room the two of them chipped in together to rent for the duration of their stay during FWA’s tour.  We get to the main bedroom area where we find Jessica Lasiewicz standing there, bare feet and sweat pants pulling a white t-shirt on over her head.  Once the shirt is on she turns to face us and smiles pleasantly.

“I’m out now.  Hi, Glory.”

I approach Jessica and the two of us embrace just as Marie and I embraced earlier. “Evening, mate.  You’re looking well, considering.”

“Considering my run in with Laurel Hardy and Dakota Smith?” Jessica shrugs. “Eh, at least I got a championship out of it.”

“That’s true.  Now you need to make that title your own.”

Jessica smirks knowingly. “That’s what my dad said.”

“Your dad is a smart man.  One of the best minds in this industry.”

“You and everyone else may say that, but I do question some of his decisions.”

Jessica sits down on the edge of one of the beds.  I watch as her sister Marie approaches her and sits down next to her wrapping an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.  Feeling awkward, nevertheless I approach the other bed opposite of them and sit down on the edge of it, facing them.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Oh it’s nothing.” She shakes her head.

“Trust me,” I smile pleasantly “sometimes getting it off your chest will help.”

Jessica sighs. “Well it’s just that, I hate that my family is at odds.  You know?”

I do know.  I know better than even she may understand.  “Yes, I know.”

“I mean, I can understand why he wouldn’t trust Aunt Kayla right now.  I get that.  But he talks as if Jones women are all terrible.  Does he forget that I am a Jones woman?  He likes Marie, or at least he seems to, but does he forget that SHE is a Jones woman?”

She reaches up and wipes a tear that has formed in her eyes. “And I wish he’d give my mother a second chance, not to get back together with her, but to just be a friend to her.”

“I understand, Jessica…”

“Do you?”

I nod my head as I reach out and place a hand upon her shoulder. “I do.  In fact, that’s why I came here to talk to both of you tonight.”

“What’s wrong, Glory?” Marie asks, beginning to sound a little nervous.

“I do appreciate everything you both have done to help me out since End of Worlds.  You were brave to join Apocalypse and join this fight.”

“We’re family.  It’s what family does for one another.” Jessica says.

“That’s right.” Marie chimes in. “We’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

They really are making this hard on me. “Thank you, that means a lot, but I don’t think any of us expected your mother to join FWA as part of Dante’s group.”

“I think I know what you’re about to…”

“No, listen to me.” I say, cutting off Marie.  “I don’t know what grudge Angelica holds against me and I don’t even know what, if anything, I did to piss her off, but I refuse to make you choose between loyalty to me and loyalty to your mother.  So if you want to quit Apocalypse.  You are more than welcome to.  I will understand.”

“Quit Apocalypse?” Jessica asks.  I nod my head which prompts her to laugh. “Not a chance!”

“Seriously?”

Marie nods her head.  “Jessica is right.  Look, we understand that there is a problem between you and mom.  We get that.  We wish there wasn’t, we wish you guys could work it out, but we understand that there is a problem but it is your problem and mom’s problem.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t mean we have to leave Apocalypse over it.” Jessica says, agreeing with Marie. “We’re in this to the end, Glory.  We’re going to back you up in your war against Isis Derrida and his cronies.”

Hearing Jessica and Marie tell me that, hearing them affirm their support for me is heart warming.  In unison the three of us stand up and embrace in a giant bear hug.

“I appreciate it, I really do…” my voice trails off “…but be careful.”

“Be careful?” Marie looks confused. “Why?”

“I have no idea what Dante has planned but I do know that whatever Angelica has planned regarding me will be bad.  It could be very bad.  And I’d hate to see you girls get caught in the middle.  So be careful.”

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Burial

On Camera

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I have a deep respect for Dante.  I really and truly do.  He has put together quite the army here in FWA with the goal of bringing this company and Nick Harris to its knees and I have to admit that he will probably get the job done.  The only thing he has done so far that I question, his only judgment call that I think is rather foolish on his part, is him making Scott Wilson an ally in his little army.

Really, Dante?  Is Scott Wilson really the best you could do?  Could you not have thought of someone else?  Was there no one else available to do your dirty work?  I mean seriously, when it comes to the talent totem pole Wilson ranks at the bottom with the bottom feeders, curtain jerkers, fan boys.  He might be a step above the janitor but even then I wonder if I’m giving the piece of shit too much credit.

So you’re “The Last King”, eh Scott?  That would be a nice, catchy nickname except no one knows what the fuck it means.  First of all, the name itself implies that you are the only king left and I can think of plenty of legitimate royal family members all over the world, not just my home country of Great Britain, who would dispute your claim as the last monarch.  And to call yourself a king or any kind of royalty in this industry is completely unoriginal.

My psychotic cousin Angelica Jones calls herself the Queen of Professional Wrestling.  Dante, though, calls her a princess.  Eric Sailes of MCW fame was once part of a group known as The Kings of Khaos.  Kamijo of EXODUS Pro Wrestling calls himself a Prince.  I could go on and on but you already get my point, don’t you Scotty?  Yeah, you get it.  You are unoriginal.  You don’t have a creative bone in your body.  Anyone in this industry can rub two brain cells together and come up with an excuse to call themselves a king or a prince or a queen or a princess.  Claims to royalty are overdone.

Finally, if you really are a king, or any kind of monarch, why the fuck are you bowing down to Dante?  Why the fuck are you worshipping him?  A king bows to no one or did you forget to do your research on that subject when coming up with this pathetic moniker of yours?

No, you are not a king.  You are a lap dog who wipes Dante’s ass for him.

In that sense this was difficult for me.  It was difficult and challenging to think of what exactly I wanted to say to you.  My father brought me up to respect every opponent I stepped into the ring with and I have done exactly that throughout my career.  Worthy competitors such as Andreas Lasiewicz, Priest, and even your pal Dante got respect from me because they earned it and they deserve it.

I cannot think of a single positive thing to say about you because you have not done anything to warrant it.  You have not done anything to earn respect.  You have not proven to me or anyone else that you are a worthy competitor.

You are a pathetic worm who makes excuses.

Listen closely, Scotty, because I’m about to give you a life lesson.  Real wrestlers don’t make excuses when they are getting beaten by the better competitor.  They learn from the experience and move on.

But not you and that’s what really pissed me off about you.  It seemed that every single time someone beat you it would miraculously be due to an intentional count out or an intentional disqualification or if you lost a tag or triple threat match you would make sure the other guy got pinned, then you would run around and act all proud of yourself as if you’ve won the Olympic gold medal for your country when in reality you lost a damn match!

LOOK AT ME!  I DIDN’T GET PINNED!  I DIDN’T TAP OUT!  I GOT MY ASS KICKED BUT AT LEAST I DIDN’T GET PINNED OR SUBMIT!  WEEEEE!  I’M AWESOME!

God you’re pathetic.

Do you realize how stupid you sound?  Do you realize how fucking idiotic you sound when you say those things, when you try to make those excuses?  Or maybe you’re not all right in the head in order to get it?

Is that it?  Did you get dropped on the head when you were a baby?  That would explain why you act like a complete moron today.

If you were any kind of warrior then you would take your loss and admit the truth…

I LOST!  I GOT MY ASS BEAT!

I’ll learn from it and grow…

But you refused to admit it.  Somehow you got a sweet deal going during the early stages of your FWA career where you wouldn’t get pinned or made to submit despite all of your opponents outclassing you at every turn.  You refused to admit your failings and therefore you refused to grow as an athlete.

Think back to the last time we went face to face, Scotty.  Think about how that match ended.  You remember it, don’t you?  It ended with me locking you in Shekhinah Glory.  I was going to either choke you out or tap you out and you know it.  You can’t deny it.  And yet you went on after that match to declare that it didn’t matter because Dante’s other associates got involved causing a disqualification.

That right there is evidence that you are nothing more than a cowardly chicken shit.  That right there is evidence that you aren’t even a true wrestler, you are just a fucking pathetic excuse for a sparring partner.

It’s also evidence that you are one of the biggest dumbasses in this company because you have to be fucking stupid to think that it didn’t matter.  It does matter, Scotty.  It does matter because you know as well as I know as well the rest of the world knows that you were going to tap out or I was going to choke you out.  I had totally, completely, and utterly destroyed you in every aspect of the game; and for you to say that it doesn’t matter that I destroyed you in every aspect of the game is ignorant.

That or you’re just putting forth a strong front; a fake façade of being a confident athlete when in reality, deep down inside, you know that I am exactly what I said I am.  You may not have believed it at first but when I had you locked in that submission hold and you knew there was no escape whatsoever, you realized at that point that I really am The Best in the World.

That’s it, isn’t it?  You pretend to be a confident athlete but deep down inside you are shaking in your boots because you know that you are facing the woman who was going to tap you out or choke you out had it not been for your little associates.  You know that you are about to step back into the ring with the woman who had unmasked you as the pathetic little worm that you really and truly are.

You have every reason to be afraid, Scotty, because back then I was just frustrated but now I am really pissed off and I am going to hurt you.  I am not just going to beat you, I am going to hurt you.

I don’t just plan on hurting you physically, either.  I am going to hurt your reputation by embarrassing you.  I am going to go out of my way to bury you on Mayhem, to make you look like a rank amateur, because you need to learn a lesson.

That’s right, you’re going to school to learn a lesson and I’m the fucking teacher.  These are going to be hard, challenging, difficult lessons and you won’t enjoy them.  Your body will be aching and you will be humbled.  I will make you bow down and kiss my hall of fame ring, much like you kiss Dante’s ass you little bitch.

Understand also that you have no choice in the matter.  Everything I said that will happen will indeed happen.  You can think of me as a prophet because I’m telling you your future, little bitch.  And I can tell you one other thing, come Mayhem you will get to make one choice…

…you will get to choose whether you tap out or you get choked out!