Saturday, December 28, 2019

Finishing Father's Work



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December 25th, 2019
Southampton, England
Off Camera
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Moss-laden bricks of grey-orange, fitting as guards on the threshold. Behind the fool’s-ancient wrought-iron gates. Where rows upon rows of crumbling mounds stood in various interpretations of upright, their pores bathing in light from an ill moon, ailing. Porous trees hunched over most of the void spared by the sickening light’s expanse, plunging the rest in healthy shadow. The place echoed.  Moss-laden marble pillars stood as despairing guards on either side of the cemetery threshold. Behind the ancient wrought-iron gates were rows upon rows of crumbling gravestones, their engraved epitaphs bathed in light spilt from an ashen moon. Gnarled trees hunched over most of the expanse, plunging the rest in shadow. The place echoed with painful grief and the emptiness of heartfelt loss. The graveyard was so neat. Row upon row of white marble tombstones all rising from the manicured grass. Each one was perfect, polished and exactly the same as all of the others, except the name it bore. They were lined up perfectly with those in front and behind, a city block for the dead.

This is where Glory Braddock enters as the day is about to draw to a close and night prepares to take over.  Most would find a place like this to be a difficult place to visit.  For many a cemetery is creepy and spooky; a place of death itself.  The British Bombshell does not see it that way at all.  Graveyards need not be grave, yet can be a place of new life and the reaching of blossom from tight bud. The graveyard can be a place to bring the joy of rebirth and renewal to the spirit and wish our loved ones well on their onward voyage.  In this case, she hopes this particular visit will bring her peace, tranquility, and maybe some answers.

Glory Braddock is wearing a long flowing black maxi skirt, black high heeled pumps underneath, a white silk blouse, and a matching floral print black blazer.  Gloves covered her hands on this evening.  Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  The beautiful self-proclaimed Best in the World seems to know precisely where she wants to go, she seems to know exactly where she is heading as she makes a beeline past several rows of headstones until one particular one comes into sight.  The British Bombshell approaches this headstone and stops.

The gravestone was as white as the crystalline snow. Under the steady glow of the dim light that remained in the day it seemed to have an aura of its own. Glory reached out,at first with cerise woollen fingers to touch the marble and run her fingers over the black engraved lettering, but she quickly removed the glove. Her bare fingers blanched in the wintry wind but she didn't care. Somehow the feel of the stone on her skin brought her some peace. It was beautiful, polished and smooth.  It reads simply, “Glenn Braddock: Loving Father”.

Funny, for someone who dedicated his entire life being the best wrestler in the world his headstone does not mention him by his wrestling nickname, Britain’s Best.  It doesn’t even mention his wrestling career at all.  It simply refers to his time as a father.  Glory, who knew her father better than anyone else, knows how appropriate this is.  Her father’s sole desire was to be the best wrestler in the world but a sudden, unexpected injury put a stop to that dream coming to fruition.  He vainly tried to keep his hopes and dreams alive through the wrestling school and through his children, Glory and Julia, but at the end of his life he realized his obsession with wrestling did cost him a relationship with Julia, who abandoned the family name altogether, and nearly lost his daughter Glory.  Thus at the end of his life he wanted the world to know him as a father, not as a wrestler.

Still, Glory knows that her father is a beloved figure in English wrestling circles.  She wants to preserve his memory and maybe even his dream.  So she wanted to make sure his headstone was exquisite.  It was the most expensive option in the catalogue and she had chosen it without hesitation. Her late father would never see it of course, he would never know, but she would. It was her final gift to the man who gave his all to the sport of professional wrestling, the man who taught her everything she knows about the industry.

“Hi, dad…” Glory’s voice trails off. Normally The British Bombshell, who is all about public appearance, would be fighting back the tears in an attempt to look strong.  She knows she is alone, though, so putting on a strong front does not matter.  Braddock chooses, instead, to look weak and let the tears flow freely. “...damn, I miss you, dad.  I miss you so much. Despite all the time we spent together I still feel we missed out on so bloody much.”

The blonde chuckles. “That’s probably because we were always wrestling.  Anything and everything we did together had to do with wrestling.  And you know, I unfairly blamed you for that.” Braddock shakes her head. “But it was partially my fault.  I didn’t want to just live up to your lofty standards, I wanted to fulfill your dream.  I wanted to become the Best in the World.  So I did...at the expense of having a normal relationship with you…”

She sighs, shakes her head, and wipes some tears from her eyes “...what I miss the most is the advice you would give.  You always gave me the absolute best advice and now, when I need you the most, when I am at a crossroads and need to know where to go from here, you aren’t available to provide that advice.”

Braddock wipes some tears from her eyes. “Angelica told me you’d always be there for me, in my heart…” she rolls her eyes “...but I’m not getting any bloody answers from my heart.”

At this moment a vision starts to come over her.  Two figures, both of them somewhat translucent and see through, appear a few feet away but just behind Glenn Braddock’s headstone.  As the two figures come into focus, Glory can see that one is her father and the other is herself, back when Glory was twenty five years old.  This is a flashback, a memory that Glory recalls quite well.  This is the conversation that she had with her father on the day she graduated from his wrestling school.

“I have been working with you for nine bloody years, Gloria.  And in those nine years it has become obvious to me and everyone else out there in that ring busting their ass with any fucking brain cells to rub together that you are the absolute best of this graduating class.  And I don’t say that lightly, I damn sure don’t say that because you’re my daughter.  You truly have proven yourself better than anyone else out there.”

“Don’t say that, dad.  They work just as hard as me and…”

“They may work just as hard as you but you are better than them.  All of them.  Everything I have witnessed you do proves that.  I am about to give each and every one of them a speech similar to one you’re about to hear, but I wanted to tell you first, because you are the best.  You are the diamond.  You will be the one to carry on my legacy and fulfill my dream.”

“Thanks, dad.”

“There is one final lesson you need to learn.  It is the final lesson each and every student who passes through this gym will hear before graduation, because everything I have taught you and everything you have learned from me during these past nine years are tools.  They are resources.  They are very powerful tools and very powerful resources.”

“You mean they can be used for good or bad?”

“Yes, sort of; but more like foolishly or wisely.  You, Gloria Marie Braddock, are a wrestler, and a wrestler, him or herself, is the single most dangerous weapon.  Use what you have learned wisely.  Do you understand what I have just told you?”

“Yeah...I think so…”

With that the two figures fade away back into her memory.  A slight roar of thunder off in the distance causes The British Bombshell to worry just a little.  This whole trip appears to be a bust.  Still no answers, despite the memory from her mind just now.  Maybe she should turn back and leave before it starts to rain?  It is at that moment she hears leaves rustling.  A sly grin forms upon her face.  The gorgeous blonde turns around and spots a cloaked figure approaching from the distance.  Some might feel nervous or afraid being here in a cemetery this late at night and seeing a figure like this approaching but not Glory.  As a matter of fact, she feels completely safe.  She was expecting this individual, which is illustrated quite clearly as Glory places her hands on her hips and stares down the cloaked figure who stops just a few feet away from her.

“Sophie, you’re late.”

The cloaked figure places the hood of her cloak down and reveals that, indeed, this is Glory’s long time best friend and fellow graduate of the Braddock Wrestling School; Sophie O’Brian.  The black haired Irish beauty has a frown upon her face.  She doesn’t appear too happy right now with her good friend as she uses the thumb on her right hand to motion back behind her.

“I thought we were going to meet at the gate?  I thought we were going to come in together.”

“We were, but I changed my mind because I wanted alone time with my dad.”

“Well, that’s different then I guess.” Sophie says with a disappointed sigh. “I mean, I wish I could say I understand you but truthfully I cannot.  I hated my blood drunkard of a father and I’m glad the bastard is dead.”

Braddock lets out a light chuckle. This is typical Sophie, she rarely holds anything back unless she is trying to manipulate people.  She only tried to manipulate Glory one time and that one time was a magnificent failure.  The Irish beauty has since realized that any attempts to manipulate Glory are pointless.  Glory just knows Sophie all too well.  The truth is, Glory and Sophie are practically the same person.  In terms of wrestling style and skill, they are equals.  The only way the differ is in what motivates them, what drives them to do what they do.  Most would argue that Glory Braddock is a good person who fights for what is right whereas Sophie O’Brian selfishly does what is only in her best interest.  Glory definitely believes that and for a long time Sophie even believed it but recently Sophie has changed her mind about this.  Now she does not believe that she and Glory are all that different after all.

“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living...Marcus Tullius Cicero.” O’Brian remarks, staring stoically down at the gravestone of Glenn Braddock.  She runs her hand across its smooth stone exterior and then pulls her hand back.  The raven haired beauty looks up at Glory yet again. “Why have you brought me out here, Glory?”

“Do you remember back when we first graduated from my dad’s wrestling school?”

“Bloody hell, of course.” Sophie nods her head emphatically. “It was one of the greatest days of my life.”

“It was for me too.” Braddock says with a nod of her head. “I remember dad telling me each one of us individually, one by one, and give us the one final lesson.  You remember it, don’t you?”

It is a dumb question, Glory realizes, but she asks it anyway.  Anyone who graduates from the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School is taught this final lesson on graduation day, just as Glory was, just as Sophie was.  Sophie, as any good former Braddock student, remembers this lesson well and immediately nods her head.

“He told me, ‘You, Sophie O’Brian, are a wrestler, and a wrestler, him or herself, is the single most dangerous weapon.  Use what you have learned wisely.’  That’s what he told me.”

“That’s pretty much what he told me.” Glory remarks quietly, gravely.  Sophie, feeling a little impatient at the time with a desire to know what the point of all of this is, rolls her eyes.

“We all know that, Glory.  That’s what he told everyone who graduated from the school.” Sophie points a finger at Glory. “Now you’re telling all of the graduates the same bloody thing.  So what’s your point?”

“It isn’t about the words, mate, it’s about the meaning behind the words.  You know as well as I do that you and I have differing opinions of what that statement meant.  We always have had a different opinion of what that statement truly meant.” Braddock takes a few steps closer towards Sophie.  Now she is up in the face of her good friend but not in a threatening manner. “You always took it as meaning victory at any cost.  The skills and knowledge my father bestowed upon us, in your mind, were tools and resources that you could use to achieve whatever goals you had.  The ends justified the means, as far as you were concerned, Sophie.  If breaking your opponent’s neck helped you to achieve your goal then by God you would break their bloody neck.”

The frown of impatience and agitation that had been upon Sophie’s face changes drastically into a smug, almost arrogant smirk as she takes in everything her good friend has just told her. Glory then points towards herself as she continues her rant. “But me, I always took what I had learned and used it to do what was best for professional wrestling.  Professional wrestling had given so much to me and my family that I had wanted to give back to it.”

“Is that so, Ms. Best in the World?” Sophie’s voice is full of sarcasm and accusation.  Glory remains steadfast and unmoving.  Sophie points towards the headstone. “Your father gave us the same speech, Glory.  And you’re right, for a time we thought that we had two very different opinions of what that speech truly meant.  Looking back at your career as well as mine, I’m not entirely sure that our opinions are that different.”

The beautiful Irish woman pokes Glory in the chest. “You speak of being upright and selfless but answer me this, Glory; how exactly does winning fourteen world championships benefit anyone else in this industry other than yourself?  How does you becoming SCW World Champion benefit anyone else but yourself?  Sure, back at Rise To Greatness it was about dethroning Syren but Alistaire Allocco won the match.  He became champion.  You should have been satisfied. But be honest with me, were you truly satisfied?”

The British Bombshell stares a hole through her best friend Sophie.  She would like to deny it but it would be a lie.  Glory sighs and shakes her head.  Sophie nods approvingly. “Right, and you shouldn’t have been satisfied. You should never have been satisfied with having to fight Abigail Lindsey, or carry Peyton Rice against Abigail and Sutter.  You shouldn’t have been satisfied with an elimination chamber match as another world title match.  You shouldn’t be satisfied with this open invitation battle royal for the world title.  Your opportunity should be one on one.  Hell, ANY championship match should be one on one, triple threat at most.  This bloody battle royal where anyone can enter, including people from outside Supreme Championship Wrestling, it is a joke and you know it.  Yet the people love it.  The urchins lurking in the SCW locker room love it because it is their golden opportunity to win a title that they do not deserve being anywhere near.”

Sophie points at herself and then Glory. “You and I know what’s best for professional wrestling because we were taught by the man who knew professional wrestling better than anyone else.” Sophie lays a hand upon the Glenn Braddock headstone. “That man was your father, Glenn Braddock.”

The British Bombshell is stunned in silence.  She is stunned not because of what she has heard, because she has heard these words from Sophie before.  She is stunned because she cannot find it within herself to argue against what she is saying.  And the Irish beauty isn’t finished yet. “Wanting to give back to professional wrestling is a noble cause, Glory, because we both know that those in charge of wrestling today do not know what is good for it, especially those in SCW.  And there is no harm in taking a reward every now and then for all of the sacrifices you make for this industry.  You deserve it, Glory.  You deserve to be SCW World Champion.  Let no one tell you otherwise.”

Braddock is not sure what to say at this point.  She agrees with much of what Sophie has to say but doesn’t want to admit it.  The blonde doesn’t answer right away and instead turns and gazes down at her father’s headstone.  She stares at the grave for an indeterminate amount of time before Sophie begins again, this time with a question. “Would your father be pleased with the current state of professional wrestling?”

“You already know the answer.” Glory says quietly with a sigh. “Sophie, I was sixteen years old when I began my training.  This bloody end of the year battle royal where anyone and everyone under God’s green earth is invited to participate and compete is all fine and good when it’s just money and a car on the line but now, this year, the SCW World Championship is on the line.  Do you think my father would have approved of me entering that bloody nonsensical war and, by some stroke of luck, happen to become world champion without having had any professional training?”

The black haired Sophie shakes her head. “No, he wouldn’t.”

“Damn right he wouldn’t.  There are a fucking ton of people out there who could become world champion but do not deserve it because they have not put forth the time, the effort, nor have they shown the will to win.  That isn’t professional wrestling.  That’s…” she shakes her head with disgust “...that’s a side show.”

“And what are you going to do about it?” Sophie asks with a sinister grin forming upon her face.  Glory pauses for a moment to think about this question.  Eventually she turns and kneels down next to her father’s headstone.  Braddock lays her head upon the stone.  It brings comfort, peace, as well as the answers that she has been seeking for so long.

“Don’t worry, dad.  I will make damn sure that the hard work you have done to make this industry what it is today was not done in vain.”

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December 27th, 2019
Raleigh, NC
Off Camera
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“Don’t let your history interfere with your destiny.” - Steve Maraboli

Ever since her graduation from her father’s wrestling school, Glory Braddock was convinced that she had everything figured out.  The British Bombshell was convinced that she knew what her path was supposed to be and she knew that she was on the right path.  Despite every bump in the road and any and all mistakes that she seemingly made, Braddock knew that they were all for a purpose.  All of it was for a greater good and that she was on the right path for greater things.  All of that changed when her father, Glenn Braddock, passed away.  The passing away of the single most influential man in her life rocked her world to its very core.  Whereas before she would look at the events going on around her with a determination and an absolute knowledge that she was right, now she is left in doubt and confusion, unsure if she was making the right decisions or not.

The one thing Glory Braddock knew more than anything else is that family is very important.  Her mother, Mary Ford, valued family above anything else.  Even her father, at his deathbed, told Glory to never ever turn away from her family the way he did during life.  It is for this reason that Glory sought out the advice of her family and friends, including her cousin Angelica Jones and the one woman who has been more like a sister than a best friend, Sophie O’Brian.  Now she is confident and assured of who she is and what she needs to do.  She is certain of her destiny and she will not allow her past to define it for her.

Still, despite her certainty, there is one other person she must see.

The law offices of James Phillips today in Raleigh, NC; the law office that represents none other than the Board of Directors of Glory Braddock’s own wrestling promotion, the atmosphere is so tense you could cut it with a knife.  But this thick, tense atmosphere does not bother The British Bombshell, not one iota.  She is used to this kind of cutthroat legal and corporate drama.  She learned her lessons well on how to deal with the suits, who arguably are more ruthless and cunning than the athletes she deals with on a regular basis in SCW, and she learned those lessons from Aphrodite Noel, a woman she once considered like a mother figure to her.  Glenn Braddock taught Glory how to survive and be the best inside the squared circle but Glory credits Aphrodite for her knowledge of how to be cutthroat and ruthless outside the ring.  Braddock is prepared to utilize all of the tools she has learned to her fullest advantage this evening.

She is sitting in a lobby just outside of the conference room.  The beautiful blonde is wearing a black pencil skirt that flatters her curves, a matching black suit coat over a white silky blouse.  Her feet are encased in black peep-toe high heeled pumps.  Her long golden locks of hair hang to just below the shoulders.  She has been waiting her for awhile now but she can afford to wait.  Braddock has been waiting a long time for this moment.  The British Bombshell since early November has wanted to consolidate her assets, specifically her wrestling promotion and her wrestling school, to make things easier to manage as well as cool off some of the heat generated from the Board of Directors at her wrestling promotion, a board that is especially upset with her for dividing up her time and not placing a heavy enough emphasis upon running her company.  It is crazy, as far as Glory is concerned.  She thought most individuals would love not being micromanaged and yet these Board members representing her company want more of her attention.  If that is what they want then that is what they will get in due time.

Her wait comes to an end when the conference room door opens and a younger looking brunette steps out, smiling politely at Glory.

“They’re ready for you, Ms. Braddock.”

Glory stands up and nods in the woman's general direction as a way of acknowledging her. “Thank you.”

The brunette steps aside and holds the door open as Glory walks across the laminate floor, her heels clicking as she goes.  The brunette shuts the door upon Glory walking across the threshold into the conference room.  The first thing she spots is an oval shaped brown oak desk.  Sitting around this desk are a group of nine individuals, five men and four women.  Braddock scans the entire room, making sure to make eye contact with each of the nine attorneys that make up this army of legal expertise before her.  While she is certain that things will go in her favor, she still wants to leave nothing unchecked, no rock unturned, before this meeting begins to officially merge all of her assets into one.

Braddock recognizes her lead attorney, Robert Odom, is in the room at the head of the table.  She nods in his direction and he acknowledges her with a nod as well.  One of them she recognizes as James Phillips, the lead attorney representing her Board of Directors.  Six of the remaining seven she does not recognize, and thus must be James’s associates, a part of her Board’s legal army.  Then she notices a man in a dark gray suit and tie, he has long gray hair pulled into a ponytail in the back.  He definitely does not look the part of a well groomed attorney but he is Clegg Mabry and he never has looked the part.  Clegg Mabry is the attorney representing Glory’s biological sister, Chastity Noel, who sits next to him at the table.

Glenn Braddock once told her that before any wrestling match begins she should always size up her competition.  She should always evaluate who and what she was up against.  It isn’t that much different in the corporate world, Aphrodite once told her in regards to dealing with corporate suits and dirty attorneys.  The British Bombshell has now evaluated her enemies, she knows what her goal is and the strategy to achieve the goal, and now it is time to implement her plan.

“I am so glad that all of you could make time out of your busy schedules to discuss the future of my promotion,” the blonde beauty begins to make her way around the table as she speaks, making certain everyone can hear her words.  She stops in front of an empty chair that happens to be next to her sister Chastity.  This empty chair is not by accident or coincidence.  Chastity saved it for Glory “as well as the future of OUR wrestling school.”

Glory places a hand upon the shoulder of her sister, who smiles politely up at Glory and then out at the attorneys present for this meeting.  While it hasn’t been made public knowledge yet, these attorneys in the room are all well aware of the fact that Chastity and Glory, who for a few weeks were at legal odds over the future of the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School when Chastity attempted a lawsuit to make a legal claim to ownership, have now come to a settlement; Glory has agreed to give fifty percent of the ownership of the wrestling school to her sister.  Despite the name she chooses to use, Chastity is still a Braddock, she is still her sister, and she deserves her inheritance.  Besides, having Chastity as an ally as opposed to an enemy is much better.

“And to remind everyone of why we are here today, I wanted to consolidate my assets in order to make it easier for me to manage not only my company but compete actively as a professional wrestler.  The only issue with this consolidation was that my sister, Chastity Alexis Noel, had legal claim to one of my biggest and most important assets; the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School.  My sister and I have come to an agreement so that we can settle this outside of court.  Chastity will receive a fifty percent share of ownership in the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School.  My fifty percent share will be consolidated within my promotion, Global Championship Wrestling.”

The British Bombshell sits down in the empty chair and smiles knowingly at her sister Chastity responds with an equally knowing wink. James Phillips, a balding man wearing a navy blue suit and tie, stands up. “Just as Ms. Braddock did, I too would like to welcome everyone here.  My name is James Phillips and I represent the Board of Directors for Global Championship Wrestling.  I can confirm that the Board has agreed with the arrangement Ms. Braddock spoke of and we are prepared to make this official.  Every attorney involved has signed the appropriate paperwork and now all that remains is the signatures of the ownership, namely Ms. Braddock and Ms. Noel.”

Phillips produces a thick stack of papers and slides it across the desk towards Glory Braddock and Chastity Noel. “This deed will sign over a fifty percent share of the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School from Ms. Gloria Marie Braddock to Chastity Alexis Noel.” Glory takes the deed first, flips it to the back page where she knows the signature page is, and uses a pen provided to her by attorney Clegg Mabry, and signs the document.  She passes the pen and deed over to Chastity, who signs her name as well, making that part of the transfer official.  Chastity slides the deed back across the desk to James Phillips, who takes the deed, places it back in his portfolio, and then produces another thick stack of paperwork; another deed.

“This deed does not require Ms. Noel’s signature as her share is not being transferred.  This deed deals only in Gloria Marie Braddock’s fifty percent share of ownership of the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School.” He slides the deed across the table to Glory Braddock. “By signing this deed, she will consolidate her fifty percent share of the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School with her promotion.  The Board of Directors have already signed off on this, all that remains is your signature, Ms. Braddock.”

“Thank you, Mr. Phillips.” Glory takes the pen back from Chastity, flips the deed to the back page, and signs her name onto the deed.  She slides the deed back across the desk to attorney James Phillips who places it back in his portfolio.

“And that makes everything official.  Starting with the first day of 2020, Ms. Chastity Alexis Noel will be fifty percent owner of the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School.  The other fifty percent will be consolidated with Global Championship Wrestling, all of which is owned by Gloria Marie Braddock, who I now cede the floor to for closing remarks.”

James Phillips sits down.  Glory feels an overwhelming sense of victory and satisfaction.  Her Board of Directors tried to torpedo this deal for a long time but now she has gotten the deal she wanted.  While her position within the wrestling school may be legally weaker than it was before, she now has a much stronger position within her company.  As far as the school itself, as long as she and her sister remain allies, then her strength within the school will not change all that much.  The British Bombshell stands up, looking across the table at the attorneys present, almost as if they are conquered prisoners.  A smirk forms upon her lovely face.

“I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today.  I want to thank my attorney, Mr. Odom, as well my sister’s attorney, Mr. Mabry, who worked hard to make this happen.  I would also like to thank the GCW Board of Directors for seeing the brilliant and bright future that this consolidation means for all parties involved.” The British Bombshell turns to her sister and extends a hand. “I would also like to thank my sister Chastity.  Stand up with me, Chastity.”

Noel nods and takes her sister’s hand and stands up. “We have had disagreements before, and we understand that we will never agree on everything, but we also understand that we are stronger together.  No matter what name you know us by, we are still children of the great Glenn Braddock and members of the Braddock family.  Our father may have  passed away but his legacy lives on in both of us and together Chastity and myself will not only finish his work but we will add to it, we will continue to give back to the world of professional wrestling, not only making it great again but making it even better than it was before.”

Glory and Chastity embrace in a tight hug as the attorneys present stand and applaud.  While the applause goes on, Glory whispers into her sister’s ear. “I would like to speak to you outside.  Is that ok?”

“Yes.” Chastity remarks, nodding her head.

The next few minutes are taken up by the requisite shaking hands and greeting the attorneys.  Glory doesn’t particularly care for the attorneys.  With the exception of her own personal attorney, Robert Odom, Glory really doesn’t like any of them.  It is probably safe to say that some of them do not like her either.  Still, despite the fact that the legal transaction has already been confirmed, she knows that making enemies with these legal men and women would only harm her corporate standing in the future.  All of them put on a front, all of them pretend to get along and pretend to be one big happy family.  It is all part of success in the corporate world.  Putting on a good front is another lesson she learned from Aphrodite.  When the greetings are over and the lawyers start to exit the room, Braddock uses the opportunity to make her exit as well.  Once outside she finds her sister Chastity waiting on her.  She is by herself, Clegg has made his exit with the other attorneys.

“Congratulations, Glory.  You finally got what you wanted.”

“It wasn’t what I originally wanted.  Originally I wanted the entire wrestling school under the umbrella of my promotion.  Then you put a halt to that by threatening a lawsuit…”

“Bringing that up again?” Chastity rolls her eyes. “I told you that you didn’t have to give me fifty percent ownership.  I told you that I would drop the lawsuit and…”

Braddock shakes her head before interrupting her sister. “Stop, Chastity.  Stop right there.  I know you said that you would drop the lawsuit.  But giving you fifty percent was the right thing to do.  It is your birthright because whether you call yourself by your birth name, Julia Braddock, or by the name you have chosen for yourself, Chastity Noel, you are still the daughter of Glenn Braddock and that school is every bit yours as it is mine.  Plus, having you in a position of ownership is a good business decision.”

Chastity furrows her brow in confusion. “How so?”

“You and I have had our disagreements in the past.  Some of the times we have even come to blows.  At the end of the day, we are still family.  And you know dad’s dying wish was that you and I do not lose sight of the importance of family.  Will we disagree at times?  Absolutely we will.  I definitely disagree with your choice to side with Mason Van Stanton.  But we can never again let it turn into an all out rivalry.  We can never again feud.  We cannot take sides against the family.”

“Nice Godfather reference.  And I agree, we should never fight again.  But where are you going with this?”

“Merging my company with the wrestling school helps me out in terms of management.  But do you think I trust the Board of Directors?” Braddock shakes her head. “Not on your life.  The Board members have time and again tried to make life hell for me.  Do you really think I would allow them the opportunity to ruin our father’s wrestling school?  They would certainly try but they cannot do that as long as you have fifty percent share of ownership.”

The British Bombshell scowls angrily at the mere thought of her board of directors, men and women whom she despises.  “The Board of Directors, those attorneys, all of those corporate suits...none of them know professional wrestling.  They know about their bottom line, they know what makes them money, but they do not know what’s best for wrestling.  You and I, we are Braddocks.  We know what is best for wrestling.  And I for one will not stand by and let people like them ruin this sport that our father helped build up.”

Glory extends a hand.  Chastity, her sister, without hesitation accepts the handshake. “I wholeheartedly agree.”

The British Bombshell smiles haughtily, knowing that she has a strong and powerful ally in the form of her sister.  She is quite pleased knowing that she has finally found the answers to the questions she has long sought after and that the path forward is now perfectly clear.




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December 28th, 2019
London, England
On Camera
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The camera feed begins to roll and the first scene is the bright blue sky of a gorgeous day in Southampton.  As the camera pans out we see that we are in front of a somewhat run down looking gym.  There is a sign in front that reads “Braddock Wrestling School” that is probably the cleanest part of this gym.  It may not look like much, but this small, run down looking gym on the outskirts of Southampton is quite a well known venue.  This is the gym that hosts the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School.  A few moments later footsteps echo throughout the empty, concrete floor of the school.  It isn’t long until we see our visitor; The British Bombshell, the woman who some believe to be The Best in the World, Glory Braddock approaches with a confident stride in her step.  She is dressed in her royal purple colored two piece wrestling gear.  Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  A confident smirk is etched across her lovely features.

“Many of you recognize this place...I mean, this isn’t the first time I’ve shot one of these bloody things in here before...it is my father’s wrestling school.  My dad, God rest his soul, busted his ass for this industry.  He gave his heart and his soul for this industry and then when a freak injury ended his wrestling career, did he give up?  Did he wallow in self-pity, realizing that he could never compete again?” The British Bombshell shakes her head. “No, he did not.  He refused to quit, he refused to give up.  Instead he came up with another way to give back to the wrestling business, he found another way to improve the combat sport he loved so much.”

Glory continues to walk across the concrete floor.  As she does so a standard four sided wrestling ring comes into view.  The blonde stops momentarily and turns back to face the camera. “He founded this wrestling school, so that he could continue to train the future generations.  He wanted to make sure all future wrestlers would be taught the proper ways of professional wrestling.  When he handed control of the school over to myself and my sister, it was our solemn duty and obligation to ensure that this school would continue to fulfill our father’s desire to shape this industry not in his image, nor in my image, but in the image of what professional wrestling should be.  It was his desire when he founded this school that he would do whatever he could from the sidelines to improve wrestling, to make it better, to give back to the sport that gave him so much.”

The British Bombshell turns away from the camera and begins to march towards the ring.  The camera follows her every move as she approaches this place of combat.  With ease she hops up onto the ring apron and steps through the ropes and into the ring.  The cameraman clearly has a little more trouble but he, too, makes it onto the ring apron and eventually follows her into the ring itself.  The camera then focuses in on Glory, who stands in the center of the ring.

“I take my duties and my obligations very seriously.  I know full well what my father had intended, knowing what he had wanted my sister and I to do with the Braddock legacy.  I also realize that I can do so much more than my father could ever have dreamed.  I run a wrestling promotion...with this school that I help maintain, the future generations of professional wrestling are prepared and taught the right way...and on top of all of that, I compete.  On top of everything else I do for this business, on top of everything else I do just to try and give back to this business, I still physically give my body, my blood, my sweat, and my tears for this sport.  I do not do any of this just for my selfish fame and fortune, but instead I do it simply to help improve professional wrestling.”

The British Bombshell narrows her eyes in an angry glare at the camera. “And it has become clear to me that this sport is in desperate need of help.”

“Do any of you know why I came to Supreme Championship Wrestling in the first place?  If you think I had any grand, selfish designs on being in the main event of Rise To Greatness then you’re mistaken.  That was never the plan, it just happened because I’m the Best in the World. I signed with SCW because I wanted to make a difference.  I saw problems within this company that I knew I could help fix and that is what I do, that is what I have always done anywhere and everywhere I have gone.  I help improve the sport, I improve the competitive atmosphere and spirit of the locker room I enter.  Greatness follows me everywhere I go and sure enough, as soon as I sign with SCW, greatness followed.”

Braddock holds up one finger. “You had issues with Damian Angel and Giovanni Aries influencing Konrad Raab?  I dealt with it.”

She holds up a second finger. “Casterillo?  Dealt with him.”

She holds up a third finger. “Abigail Lindsey?  Not only did I deal with her, but she’s gone from SCW.  That same night at Clarity when I dealt with Abigail, I also taught Sutter a lesson.  For all of this that I have done, SCW, you are welcome.”

“There was just one thing that I had set out to accomplish here in SCW.  There was one thing that I knew had to be done that would improve SCW above and beyond anything else I could possibly do; get the SCW World Championship away from Syren.  At one time, she may have been a tremendous athlete.  At one time she may have been a good person.  But that same thing can be said about so many people alive today in positions of power, because you know what John Dalberg-Acton once said, ‘power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely.’  When leaders become corrupted they need to be removed.  Syren had clearly been corrupted.  That conniving brasser had cheated and manipulated her way to the SCW World Championship time and time again and I knew that she needed to be removed.  Sic Semper Tyrannis…”

Braddock shuts her eyes “...thus always to tyrants.” Glory reopens her eyes, staring into the camera with a renewed intensity. “So I fought side by side with Kellen Jeffries and Regan Street.  I battled with them throughout the Trios Tournament and we prevailed. Each one of us earned a Trios contract and we swore to use it in order to make a positive impact upon not only SCW but professional wrestling itself.  I had an inkling of what I wanted to do with my Trios contract but when I saw Alistaire Allocco was the winner of Taking Hold of the Flame and that he didn’t want any help against Syren, knowing how she operates, knowing how she bends the rules to her advantage, I knew immediately right then and there what I had to do.”

“I used my Trios contract to insert myself into the Rise To Greatness main event.  Making it a triple threat meant that Syren now had only a one-third chance of leaving with the championship and a two-thirds chance of losing it.  And that is exactly what happened, Syren got pinned, she lost the world championship.”

Braddock chuckles. “You know, at this point I would probably say ‘you’re welcome SCW’ but ever since that Rise To Greatness main event it would appear that SCW management, specifically Sasha, did not appreciate what I have done.  And if you want evidence I have it.  I present to you Exhibit A, Apocalypse 2019.  Syren loses in a one on one match to Aaron Blackbourne.  The following event, Under Attack, the elimination chamber for the SCW World Championship.  Syren is in the match competing for the title but what about Blackbourne, the man who actually beat her at Apocalypse?  Nowhere to be found.  As for Syren, she lost at Under Attack.  You may argue that technicalities say she never really lost, she couldn’t continue.  Point is she did not leave with the championship and in the eyes of any true competitor that is a loss.  Syren had been on a losing streak since Rise To Greatness and yet at Clarity, guess what?  She gets yet another championship opportunity where she lost yet again, this time she couldn’t even make the finals of the double jeopardy match because she was beaten by James Evans.”

“I had been fuming about all of this for quite some time now but I kept it all bottled up.  I kept my opinions to myself because, according to Sasha, Clarity was meant to clear the deck.  I was under the impression that Syren would receive no further title opportunities.  Thus after being beaten by James Evans and eliminated from double jeopardy, I had let out a sigh of relief, thinking that finally the greatest tyrant of them all been dealt with and that my hard work that began at The Trios Tournament was not in vain after all.”

There is a long tense pause and the intensity in Glory’s face does not weaken.  If anything it grows as she stares into the camera. “Then Kellen Jeffries, the man who I fought side by side with at Trios, utilized his contract to be Santa Claus and gift everyone in God’s green earth a world championship match by placing the title on the line in the End of the Year Battle Royal.”

The British Bombshell sighs and shakes her head. “And you know, I feel a sense of guilt.  I feel a sense of responsibility for what happened, because were it not for me, had he been put together with a different partner, Kellen probably would not have made it to the finals of Trios, let alone won it and been able to use it to create this chaos filled match; a match that has the possibility of destroying the credibility of the SCW World Championship.”

“I’m not exaggerating.  What I say is fact.  And this is about more than just Syren, who will now receive her third opportunity at the world championship since losing it at Rise To Greatness.  I mean, Syren getting another title shot definitely pisses me the hell off, because if she does manage to win, then that makes all of my hard work and efforts that began at Trios and concluded at Rise To Greatness all meaningless.  But Syren receiving yet another oppotunity that she does not deserve is not the only thing that pisses me off, because quite frankly I can do something about that myself.  Part of the reason I am entering this battle royal is to do my damndest to ensure Syren does NOT win the world championship.  I am not going to let my hard work be ruined because Kellen made a stupid mistake.”

“This is also about preserving the credibility of the SCW World Championship.  Do any of you blokes watching this know when I made my debut as a professional wrestler?  It was January of 2008.  And it wouldn’t be until one year and nine months later before I got my first opportunity at a world championship and I had to fight, claw, and work my way up the ladder to earn that opportunity.  Yet now anyone, even a rookie fresh out of wrestling school, or even someone who has never been to wrestling school, could enter this match and on a bloody fluke win the World Championship of a major promotion.”

“How about those who have experience under their belt but not as much success?  Tommy Valentine barely has any singles match at all these days because he’s too busy with his head shoved up Kandis’s ass and the last singles match he had ended with me making him cry like a little bitch until he tapped out.  Clyde Sutter hasn’t even won a damn match since his debut in September.  And of course there’s Syren, who lost the world championship back at Rise To Greatness and since then the only thing that lousy, pathetic, half-rate whore has been able to do well is talk and lose matches.  Answer this question, and be honest with yourselves, do any of those three deserve a world championship match?”

“Oh and we cannot forget the comic relief.  Derek Adonis and Cookie who are popular for their bloody porn shtick could enter this thing and either could become world champion.  I can say that Adonis has at least won the Television Title before but really, outside of that, what have those two clowns done?  They’ve done nothing except attract horny little bastards to this sport I love but these new fans are not fans of the sport, of the competition, no they are fans of the pornography.  And to be perfectly fair while I’m on the subject of clowns and comic relief, there is Loretta Inglewood, who apparently would prefer all ladies to join a bloody convent rather than be independent, strong willed, and free thinking.”

“Whether you are talking about the inexperienced rookies, the losers, or the clownish comic relief, do you think any of them deserve to have a world title match, let alone BE world champion because in this match, by a pure fluke, any of them could become world champion.” Braddock frowns and shakes her head. “It just isn’t right.  It is pure and utterly disrespectful to the sport and any of them becoming champion would just demean the title, it may not even be an exaggeration to say that if certain competitors were to become champion in this bloody thing it would turn the SCW World Title into a joke.”

The British Bombshell pats herself on the chest. “Fourteen times I have been a world champion.  Fourteen times in various promotions I have been able to hold my head high and say that I was the Best in the World.  And each one of those times I had to bust my ass and EARN that title opportunity.  Never was it handed to me the way this opportunity is being handed to each and every little snot nosed wanker who gets the itch to enter this thing.”

“Look, I am no fan of Sienna Swann’s tactics.  You may not like her actions, her lifestyle, or the choices that she makes.  You may not like who she surrounds herself with.  I can honestly say that I do not like everything about her.  But is she a more deserving champion than some of the other multitude of possible participants in this battle royal?  Damn right she is.  Now, thanks to Kellen Jeffries, she is in a match that is practically winless.  For all intents and purposes, we are guaranteed a new world champion, and that new world champion could be anyone from the fat ass running the concession stand or a bloody referee.”

“That is why I must enter this battle royal.  It is not a choice, it is not an option, it is an obligation.  I promised my father that I would do everything within my power to give back to professional wrestling, to do what is best for professional wrestling.  Clearly Kellen does not know what is best for wrestling, otherwise he would understand that not everyone deserves an opportunity at the world championship and he would not have made this ridiculous match.  Now the only way I can guarantee that someone worthy will win this match and enter the new year as SCW World Champion is to enter the match myself and win the damn thing.”

Braddock glares with an intensity in her eyes.  “Because I know damn well that I am worthy.  Everywhere I have gone I have proven myself to be worthy.  Fourteen times I have proven myself to be the Best in the World.  And at the End of the Year Battle Royal, I will once again prove myself to the world as being worthy, as being truly the Best in the World, and I will win my fifteenth world championship.”

Glory extends her arms out to the camera. “And I do it not for myself, but for you, for SCW, for the fans, and for professional wrestling.  You’re welcome.  Sic Semper Tyrannis…”

The scene fades to black.