Thinking about the Future: Part 3

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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Angelica and Kayla’s return to tag team wrestling since Rise To Greatness has been a rather bumpy one to put it mildly.  They lost in the first round of a tag team tournament to crown a new set of number one contenders to the tag team titles.  But they would also earn a victory over Adrenaline Rush who at the time were the number one contenders to the tag team championships.  They also got to compete against Gable Winchester and Autumn Valentine, the champions themselves, only to fall just short of achieving victory.

The Sisterhood will not be dissuaded.  They will not let a few bumps in the road get them down.  They know that the quest back to the top will be a long one and instant gratification is not to be expected.  As veterans of many ring wars, Angelica and Kayla both realize that winning the SCW World Tag Team Championship back will require a hard work and dedication and they will have to deal with many successes as well as some failures along the way as they fight their way back.

Rise To Greatness and Apocalypse were both mixed bags for The Sisterhood.  Kayla Jones led her eight person team to victory against Shilo Valiant, Lexi Von Aaron, Justin Davis, and Memphis Cade.  But Angelica Jones, the elder sibling, failed to capture the Adrenaline Championship.  And yet, despite that loss from Angelica’s side of things, as disappointing as it may have been, the sibling pair have reason to be hopeful for the future now that the experiences of Rise To Greatness and Apocalypse have come to a close.

Now, with Rise To Greatness and Apocalypse behind them, and with the string of disappointing  performances at Breakdown and the house shows behind them, Angelica and Kayla are ready to look forward to the next challenge; and that next challenge will come in the form of Donovan Kayl and Rocky O‘Reilly.

Kayl and The Sisterhood have history.  Angelica and Kayla defeated Kayl and his partner at the time Simon Lyman to become SCW World Tag Team Champions the first time.  Kayla Jones has stood with Donovan from time to time against Punk Hazard and, most recently, stood by his side at Apocalypse as part of an eight person tag team match.  The Jones women know all too well how good Donovan Kayl is.  But Rocky O’Reilly is another story altogether.

Little is known about Rocky.  But Angelica and Kayla have the advantage of having been in GCW with Rocky.  They watched him grow and evolve in GCW before he made his way into Supreme Championship Wrestling.  And The Sisterhood also knows that, under the tutelage of Donovan Kayl, Rocky will just get better.

While Angelica and Kayla may be the more experienced team with better chemistry, while they may even be favored in this match, they also understand that they cannot look past Donovan and Rocky.  This will be a challenge for both teams and The Sisterhood will have to be clicking on all cylinders to ensure a victory that they feel they need to win.  Angelica and Kayla, though, are quite confident that they are operating on the same page…

…but the woman making her way down the hall of the Jones Wrestling Incorporated Headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts is evidence that, perhaps, the sisters are not operating on the same page after all.

The black haired Italian beauty known as Audrey Russo is excited and the smile on her face that will no doubt have to be surgically removed is proof of that.  And she has every reason to smile and to be happy.  Her methods may have been questionable, but she is finally on the path that leads to her dream of salvation.  She’s been stalking the Jones sisters, Angelica and Kayla, for quite some time now.  And while Kayla had been relatively sympathetic to her and her story, Angelica wanted to hear none of it.  For awhile, Audrey thought her goals would go down in flames.

And yet here she is, happily walking the halls of Kayla’s Modeling Agency, walking in the direction of the younger Jones sibling’s office.  She was told to meet her here today to get started with her modeling career and Audrey cannot wait.  This is how Kayla got her start.  This can be how Audrey gets her start. For Audrey this isn’t a simple dream.

This is about survival.

She had little hope of survival just a few weeks ago.  Her only hope was that the Jones sisters, The Sisterhood, would agree to train her to be a wrestler.  And the funny thing is, she hasn’t even told them why.  She hasn’t even told them why she needs this or why she believes wrestling is her only method of survival.

That’s not important right now, though.  What is important is the fact she finally got at least one member of the Jones family to help her. Kayla is going to help her get started in the modeling industry and maybe, perhaps someday, that could lead to wrestling.

Just like Kayla.

Audrey reaches a door that reads “Kayla Jones”.  Clearly this is the office of the woman she came here to see; Kayla Jones.  She puts her hand on the knob and turns, pushing the door open.  As she pushes the door open a voice calls out to her from within, a familiar voice…

“You’re late again, Kayla…”

…but not Kayla’s voice.

Audrey enters the room and shuts the door.  She stares at the desk that must be Kayla’s desk but sitting behind the desk is not Kayla Jones.  It’s her older sister, Angelica Jones.  At first the look on her face when seeing Audrey was surprise.  But that look of surprise quickly distorts into one of anger and rage.

“What are YOU doing here?”

Angelica shoots up out of the chair she had been sitting in.  She points an angry, accusatory finger directly at Audrey.

“What the HELL are you doing here?!”

“I,  uh…well, I …”

Audrey was not expecting this and she has a difficult time finding her words.  Unfortunately time is something she does not have as Angelica makes her way around the desk and over to Audrey.  Jones grabs her by the throat and slams her against the wall.

“TALK!  You were warned about spying on us!  You were warned about stalking us!”

“I…”

“And yet you keep up the same damn stalking practices!  Do you have a death wish?!”

“I was invited!”

Angelica growls angrily.

“Invited?  What the hell do you mean by that?!”

“Exactly what it sounds like!  Kayla invited me here!  I’m supposed to meet her here!”

“I find it hard to believe that my sister would invite you here!  We agreed not to have anything to do with you!”

Suddenly, and thankfully for Audrey’s sake, Kayla Jones, who had heard the commotion, comes running into the office.  She notices Angelica with her hands around Audrey’s throat and gasps.

“Angelica!  Let her go!”

“This maniac stalker claims that you invited her here!”

“She’s telling the truth.”

Angelica’s eyes grow wide as she does indeed release her iron like grip on Russo.

“You…invited her?”

“Yes, I should’ve told you and I’m sorry , but I did invite her.”

“So you invited her?”

Angelica points at Audrey again.

“You invited…HER!”

Kayla nods her head.

“Yes.”

“But…why?  We agreed, Kayla.  We agreed not to have anything to do with her!”

The elder Jones gets up in Audrey’s face yet again, only this time Russo doesn’t seem as frightened as before.  Perhaps it’s due to the fact that she just stared The Dragon straight in the eyes and walked away from it?  Still, she is not backing down.

“I want to hurt you, just like I said I would if you ever poked your nose in our business again.”

She turns and glares back at Kayla.

“But I can’t because she has every right to be here!  YOU INVITED HER!”

Kayla sighs and rolls her eyes.

“Look, sis, I’m sorry but I just have to say it.”

“Say what?”

“Quit being such a bitch.”

Angelica is stunned.  She wasn’t expecting her sister to snap at her quite like that.  Her eyes grow wide…

“A bitch?”

…then she narrows them in anger.

“I’m a bitch?!”

“Yes, you are acting like a bitch because you won’t at least hear Ms. Russo’s side of the story.”

Kayla motions to Audrey.

“I mean, how cold hearted, how hard hearted can you be?  There is a reason she wants us to help guide her, sis, and while I’m not ready just yet to take her on that road, I am willing to at least hear her out.”

Kayla gets up in Angelica’s face.

“And quite honestly, I’m surprised you aren’t willing to hear her out.”

The younger Jones sibling pats herself on the chest.

“You know my story.  Audrey doesn’t, a lot of people don’t, but YOU do, Angelica.  And I know your story.  I know what brought you to pro-wrestling.  I know how pro-wrestling saved your life, just as it saved my life.”

The siblings stare into one another’s eyes.  No words need to be exchanged.  They do, indeed, know each other’s story all too well.  Angelica knows about how Kayla was put into the foster care of an abusive drunk who regularly beat and molested her.  Escaping the house at age eighteen to pursue modeling and pro-wrestling in order to sustain herself on her own so that she would not have to return to her foster parent’s care saved her life.

Likewise, Kayla Jones knows that a career in pro-wrestling is what put helped Angelica when she wanted to put the family together.  Pro-wrestling gave Angelica the time, money, and resources to find her children.  Was it not for pro-wrestling, Angelica would be in a convent, the children would be God knows where, and Kayla would probably be dead.

The long, silent stare between the sisters is interrupted with Audrey’s voice.

“Angelica Jones…”

Russo holds out her hand, offering it out for Angelica to shake it.

“…I need help.  Just like you and Kayla, I truly believe wrestling can save my life, but I need a way in.  I need your help.  I just want a chance.”

“I…”

Angelica looks down at the hand and then back up at Audrey.

“…I, uh…”

Tears form in Angelica’s eyes as she shakes her head.

“I’m sorry.”

This statement bowls both Kayla and Audrey over.

“Sorry for…uh…what?”

“Sorry for letting you down, sis.”

Angelica turns to look at Audrey.

“And I’m sorry for…for…for just being me!”

Angelica pushes her way past Audrey and Kayla and storms out of the door.  Kayla sticks her head out of the door and calls after her.

“Angelica!  Wait!”

Angelica is already halfway down the hall when Kayla called out to her.  The elder Jones turns around in time to see Kayla making her towards her.  She can clearly see that Angelica is emotionally distraught.

“What’s wrong, Angelica?”

“Nothing…at least, there won’t be anything wrong soon.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, sis?”

“Let’s face facts, Kayla.  The world would be better off without me.  And personally, I…”

She shakes her head.

“…I just can’t live like this.”

Angelica turns to walk away.  Kayla grabs her by the arm.

“Where are you going?!”

“Just do me a favor…”

She pulls away from Kayla and storms away.

“…don’t follow me.”

Kayla watches uneasily as her sister walks away.  It isn’t long before Audrey, who had been concerned about Angelica’s well-being, steps up beside Kayla.

“Uh, Kayla…”

“Audrey…I think today is a bad time for us to get to know each other.

“I agree.  But what about your sister?  Where is she going?”

Kayla shakes her head.

“I don’t know, but I have a real bad feeling about this.”

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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Darkness has fallen upon the booming metropolis of Boston, Massachusetts.  This city where the American Revolution had its roots is awfully quiet now in the pitch black of night.  The only light comes from a few street lamps and the bright moon, although astute observers know that the moon itself is not bright, it is just the light of the sun reflecting off of the moon.  Few people would bother to come out at night, but one of those few happen to be Kayla Jones, the younger half of the sibling pair known as the Sisterhood.  She walks the streets, dressed in denim jeans, black boots, a long sleeved red blouse, and a black leather jacket, heading in the direction of the Convent of Our Lady of the Annunciation…

…and she isn’t alone.  Just up ahead she spots a female figure with her back turned to her.  She’s wearing what appears to be a long dark trench coat.  Kayla approaches the female figure with caution and trepidation.

“Angelica?”

Kayla waits for an answer but does not get one despite waiting several moments.

“Angelica?”

“Go away.”

Kayla sighs with some relief, happy that she did find her sister.  Kayla reaches out and places a hand on Angelica’s right shoulder.

“You need to come home, sis.”

“How did you find me?”

“That doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you need to come home.”

“How did you find me?”

Kayla rolls her eyes as she realizes that her sister is ignoring her question.  But at least she did find her sister.  Kayla decides to play along for now.

“You texted me your location.”

And with that Angelica suddenly spins around and turns to face her younger sibling.  Looking into Angelica’s eyes, Kayla can tell that she’s been crying.  Kayla finds this appearance alone rather disturbing.  Despite being borderline unstable, Angelica has always seemed like such a rather strong individual.  It isn’t normal for Kayla to see her crying like this…

…unless it is really bad.

“I did not text you!”

“Of course you did.  You texted me where I could find you and asked me to come help you.”

“No I did not.  And I have my cell phone to prove…”

She reaches into the pockets of her trench coat.  She fumbles around inside and outside trying to find the ever so elusive cell phone.  After coming up empty Angelica sighs and hangs her head in shame.

“Great…it looks like I lost my cell phone too…”

Angelica is far too emotional at this point to put the pieces together but Kayla, her younger sister, has it figured out almost immediately.  If Angelica is being honest and she was not the one who texted her, then whoever currently is in possession of Angelica’s cell phone not only knows about Angelica’s current situation but that person felt it was necessary to text Kayla and get her some help.  But that’s another mystery for another time.  First thing is first and that is helping Angelica.

“Forget about the damn phone, Angel, and just tell me what’s wrong!”

Angelica sighs.

“It happened right here, you know?”

Kayla frowns and tilts her head to one side out of curiosity.

“What happened?”

“This very spot, over twenty plus years ago, I attempted suicide.”

Kayla holds her hand over her mouth and gasps.

“Angel…”

“Sean Williams and I broke up and I attempted suicide shortly thereafter, right here on this very spot.  Attempted drug overdose.”

She chuckles lightly.

“I think it’s rather ironic.”

“I’m afraid to ask but…”

Kayla’s voice trails off as she tries to find the courage to ask the inevitable question.

“…why do you say it’s ironic?”

Angelica reaches into her coat and produces an empty pill bottle.  Kayla gasps again as she takes a step back.  Kayla’s face grows pale and a look of sheer terror crosses across her face.

“Oh no!  Angelica!  Please, God no…”

Angelica smirks as she throws the empty pill bottle away.

“Don’t worry, sis, it was already empty.  I didn’t attempt suicide again.”

Kayla’s eyes are still wide with shock as she takes this all in.  Just then Kayla narrows her eyes and glares angrily at Angelica.  She rears back and slaps Angelica as hard as she can across the face.  The sound of the slap echoes across the Boston sky.  Angelica rubs her stinging cheek in pain.

“You bitch!”

“Uh, sorry?”

“Sorry?  You scared the shit out of me and all you can say is sorry?”

“I’m sorry!”

“Suicide is not something to laugh about.  Especially not now in the SCW community.”

Angelica sighs and nods her head in agreement.  She may not have liked David Miller all that much but she would not wish that on her worst enemy.

“I’m sorry, Kay.  I truly am.”

“At least you’re ok.”

Kayla reaches in and pulls Angelica to her as they embrace in a tight hug.  After breaking the embrace Kayla looks her up and down and sighs.

“So what’s is it?  What happened to you?”

“That’s the thing, Kay.  I did sincerely consider suicide for a brief moment.”

“Thank God you came to your senses.  But why?  Why on earth would you even consider such an alternative?”

The tears once again well up in Angelica’s eyes.  It’s clear that whatever it is, it’s bothering Angelica a great deal.

“You have no idea what this is like, sis.  You have no idea what it is like to live like this.”

“Like what?”

“To live like a monster!”

She buries her face in her hands.  Kayla pats her gently and comfortingly on the back hoping to sooth her pain.

“You’re not a monster.”

“Yes I am!  You saw what I did earlier to Audrey!”

“You did nothing to Audrey.”

“But I almost did.”

“You almost did but you didn’t, you stopped yourself and that’s the important thing.”

Angelica looks up and shakes her head.

“It isn’t as simple as you make it out to be!  I’ve lived for over twenty years with The Dragon controlling me, with this darkness that I have inside me guiding my every action and movement.  The Dragon was all I knew.  The Dragon became second nature to me.  But now…”

She wipes some tears from her eyes.

“…now The Dragon’s very existence is being threatened.  The darkness that guided me all of my life may soon be gone.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

Angelica shrugs her shoulders.

“I don’t know!  A part of me wants it but…but…”

“But what?”

“…but I’m scared.”

“Why are you scared, sis?”

“I’m scared because I don’t know how to be good.  I don’t even know if there is good in me.”

Kayla sighs.

“Well that’s your decision then, isn’t it?  You can either decide to change, to be good and get rid of the darkness and The Dragon, or you can embrace The Dragon.”

“I want to be good, but…I don’t know…”

“Being The Dragon is easier because it’s what you know so well?”

Angelica nods her head, acknowledging that her sister is right.

“Well, you can take the easy way and be The Dragon, that monster you don’t want to be, or you can accept the challenge and try to change.”

“What do you think I should do?”

“I think you should change.  I think you should kick The Dragon’s teeth down its throat.  And you know why?”

Kayla grabs Angelica’s hands and squeezes them tightly.

“Because you are Angelica Jones, the toughest woman I know, and if anyone can take on this challenge, it’s you.  And also because I know there is good in you.  I’ve seen it.  I’ve seen that good in the eyes of Marie and Corey, they would not have grown into the women they are today if you were so evil.”

Kayla holds her arms out for a hug.

“So what do you say?”

“I say…”

Angelica embraces her sister in another hug.

“…I say, thanks Kayla.”

“Don’t mention it.”

While this tender moment is taking place, one person watches from the windows of the convent building; it’s Sister Maria, who happens to be holding Angelica’s cell phone in her right hand.

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On Camera

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We open in front of a SCW logo backdrop.  “All The Things She Said” by T.A.T.U. is heard playing in the background and eventually Angelica Jones emerges onto the scene from stage left.Angelica is wearing a black petite v-neckline sleeveless dress that features a stunning lace overlay at the bust and a flattering tiered skirt that finishes with a tulip style hem.  Her feet are encased in black high heeled pumps.

That music comes to a sudden end.  Just then Within Temptation’s The Howling begins to play.  Angelica’s younger sister, Kayla Jones, then steps into the scene from stage right.  The younger Jones sibling is wearing a red shimmering crew neck short sleeve sheath cocktail dress that features allover sequins.  Her feet are encased in strappy black high heeled sandals.  Her music dies down slowly and they stand there, smiling confidently at the camera, before Kayla breaks the ice.

“I lived almost my entire adult life within the world of professional wrestling.  There were heroes back then and yes, there were even villains back then who did whatever it took to get ahead.  But to say that it’s got worse today is an understatement.”

She points to Angelica.

“I’ve been in this sport longer than her and I’ve seen more things than she has.  I witnessed the deterioration of pro-wrestling from what used to be a classy sport to an excuse for psychopaths to do whatever bloodthirsty, borderline illegal act they want to do and get away with it.”

Angelica turns her head and glares at Kayla.

“You haven’t been in the sport THAT much longer than I have.”

Kayla frowns.

“I’m trying to make you seem younger, sis.  Be thankful.”

Angelica realizes this and smiles.

“Oh, right!  Thanks!”

Kayla rolls her eyes.

“Point is, this sport has indeed deteriorated into nothing more than comic book supervillains and sociopathic monsters getting a license to do whatever they want.  Politics have become the norm for getting ahead as opposed to pure talent and ability.  And to speak of tag team wrestling specifically?  Well the great art of tag team wrestling has become nothing more than just gang warfare.”

Angelica nods her head in agreement.

“All too often it’s about the numbers game and using it to their advantage because, well, you do whatever you have to do to win a match, right?  You do what you have to do to achieve your own selfish goals at the expense of everyone else.”

She pats herself on the chest.

“I thought that way once.  But maybe, just maybe, I was wrong about all of that?  Maybe I was once part of the problem?  But now I’m ready to be part of the solution.  There is a better way, tag team wrestling can be civilized and can be fought with honor and respectability.”

She points at the camera.

“Honour Code, Cruze and Helms, Kayla was right about me…and you guys were right about me.  While Kayla was busy treating you with the respect you deserved, I was busy treating you like garbage, and disrespecting her indirectly.  For that I apologize, and I damn sure want that rematch.”

Kayla turns and stares at Angelica.

“I told you that you didn’t have to say that.”

“I know, but I wanted to.”

Kayla sighs and turns back to face the camera.

“We respect Honour Code and anyone else who shares the same values about wrestling tradition as we do.  We will stand side by side and fight with anyone who wants to restore to this sport.  And one individual who earned my respect a long time ago and continues to earn my respect each and every time he steps inside that ring is Donovan Kayl.”

Kayla smiles.

“We stood side by side and fought with honor against a team that knew nothing about the term honor.  You, me, Konrad, and Tommy…we were clicking on all cylinders at Apocalypse, we were a cohesive unit with one goal, one shared purpose, and we got the job done.  It was an honor fighting with all of you, but especially you, Donovan, because in a way, I see a lot of myself when I look at you.”

She nods her head.

“I really do.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to understand everything you’ve gone through in your own legendary career in SCW, but I do get that you’ve been disheartened in some ways about this sport, as have I.  I have been there.  I have been to that place you are in now.  I know how you feel.  But despite what anyone says, no matter what anyone may claim, there is only ONE Cornerstone in this sport and that’s you.”

Angelica nods her head in agreement.

“Kayla is right, you are a legend in SCW.  I consider myself a legend in this sport but here in SCW I have not come close to touching your record.  That’s why facing you will truly be an honor and a privilege.  And facing you will be perfect for me for another reason.  Kayla and I, The Sisterhood, we do want to restore honor and a sense of tradition and respectability back to tag team wrestling, but for me personally I want redemption.”

Angelica narrows her eyes.

“Kayla said it herself, this sport has deteriorated into nothing more than psychopaths and sociopaths jockeying for position to be the meanest, bloodiest, most evil monster in the land.  It’s gotten to the point where there’s a monster at every turn.  A monster is a dime a dozen.  Anytime you turn around you find another monster.”

She shakes her head.

“I’m through being the monster.  The Dragon, as far as I’m concerned, is dead.  Now I want to redeem myself and I can’t think of anyone better to start my redemption quest off against than The Cornerstone.  Donovan Kayl, The Cornerstone, against The Dragon…”

She chuckles.

“…I guess I’ll need a new nickname, huh?  But I do look forward to the challenge.  And I hope you’re ready too, because I’m going to show the world that just because The Dragon is no more, that doesn’t mean I’m any less dangerous.  I’m just as good, just as talented, and can still beat anyone at all inside that ring.”

Kayla nods her head in agreement.

“We both are looking forward to this match.  We’re going to continue to show the world what real tag team wrestling is all about.  That in and of itself is great.  But Donovan, as great as this will be for us to face you, we want this win.  We need this win.  Restoring honor to the sport and to the tag team division isn’t our only goal.  We also want to work our way back up in the tag team division.  We dropped the ball against Honour Code but we’ve learned from our mistakes, we’ve fixed the problems, and we will not drop the ball again.  You are going down, Donovan.  With all due respect.”

Kayla smiles.

“And then there’s Rocky O’Reilly…”

She turns and looks at her sister Angelica.

“…we know him, right sis?”

Angelica nods her head.

“We watched Rocky grow and evolve in Global Championship Wrestling.  Now seeing him in Supreme Championship Wrestling standing by Donovan’s side makes us feel hopeful for the future of this sport.  Perhaps this sport is in good hands?  Perhaps this sport does have a good future?”

Angelica studies the camera intently.

“Rocky, you have a hell of a partner watching your back, I hope you realize that.  Listen to him and you’ll go places.”

She shakes her head.

“It just won’t happen on Breakdown and it won’t come at our expense.  Like Kayla said, we want to work our way back up in the tag team ranks and we need this win.  We cannot afford to drop the ball again and that means we have to beat you and Donovan.  We have to beat you more than anything you can ever imagine.  We’ve been given chance, after chance, opportunity after opportunity, and when those brass rings were dangled in front of us, we failed to deliver.  And that’s no one’s fault but our own.  But we cannot screw up again.  We will not screw up again.  On Breakdown The Sisterhood will accept nothing less than victory.”

Kayla nods her head in agreement.

“Nothing less than victory.  And if we don’t win, if you beat us, we’ll shake your hands.  No problem.  Because this sport shouldn’t be about petty grudges or sociopathic bloodthirsty monsters or gang assaults.  This sport should be about competition, trying to prove who is the best.  And we happen to believe that we are the best.”

Angelica smirks.

“The difference is that we’re done talking about it.  From now on, we prove it in the ring.  From now on, we let our actions speak louder than our words.  And we admit, lately we haven’t done much in terms of actions to prove we are the best, that’s why we have no problem working our way back up to the top of the tag team mountain.  We don’t want handouts.  We don’t want automatic title shots given out just because of our last name.  That was the old Sisterhood.  We recognize that we dug ourselves into this pit and we are prepared to pull ourselves out of it.”

Angelica motions to Kayla and then to herself.

“Rise To Greatness is behind us, Apocalypse is behind us, and for me, personally, The Dragon is dead.  You’re getting The Sisterhood, Kayla Jones and Angelica Jones, no dragon, no monster, no arrogance, just a sister team looking to prove themselves one more time, a team ready to perform for the great fans of Supreme Championship Wrestling…”

She pauses for a few moments to let those words sink in.

“…but make no mistake about it, gentlemen, this is still a competition, a competition we intend to win.”

She turns and looks at Kayla.

“Now tell ‘em sis!”

“Tell them what?”

Angelica frowns.

“You know what.  Don’t play dumb.”

“Oh…that…do I have to?”

“Yes!”

Kayla rolls her eyes.

“Fine.  Donovan, Rocky, get ready, because Angelica and I are going to kick your teeth right down your throat!”

The camera fades to black.