English Reformation

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Off Camera

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The building is simple and plain.  Some would argue that this rectangular, large, red brick building is quite frankly too simple and too plain of a building considering what goes on inside.  And what goes on inside this quadrilateral shaped building, you ask?  The sign above the double doors at the front give you the biggest clue: “Braddock Wrestling School” in big bold lavender and underneath a subtext in smaller font saying: “We’ll make men out of you!”

The Braddock Wrestling School is an amazing sight in the daylight.  Students who attend the school are struck by the near run-down appearance of the legendary establishment, an establishment that still pumps out some of the best wrestlers in the world today.  Yes, this is Glenn Braddock’s legendary wrestling school, and yes, he completed this while he was still in his chauvinistic male mindset of men wrestle, women don’t.  He has since changed his mindset, obviously, but the grizzled veteran is too lazy to change his sign.

The concrete floor is gray and the walls are painted an off white color.  There is a standard wrestling ring set up near the center of the room and weights are scattered all over the floor.  A heavy bag is hanging down as well.  This establishment is located on the outskirts of London, England; which also serves as the host for the next edition of Breakdown during SCW’s European tour.

That’s what brings Angelica Jones to London.  She’s here to compete on Breakdown against Bree Lancaster, a future opponent whom she and James Evans will challenge for the SCW World Tag Team Championship. But this isn’t about the tag team titles.  This is one on one and it’s about pride and it’s about momentum.  Redemption has all the momentum in the world after winning the elimination chamber match to earn their tag team championship match.  But now Jones knows that it rests upon her shoulders to keep this positive momentum going.

With an important match such as this one, including her tag title match coming up later in the month, Angelica felt she would use this opportunity to get some quality training time in with her uncle Glenn Braddock and his daughter, Angelica’s cousin, Glory Braddock.

Angelica and Glory have had a roller coaster of a relationship since Glory made her debut as a professional.  Both have been tremendously successful which led to jealousy on both of their parts.  But they have put their differences aside and have reconciled.

“Hold nothing back!”

Those words that seem to drip with venom from the voice of Glenn Braddock are directed at Angelica’s sparring partner.  Her sparring partner isn’t anyone random, either.  Glenn felt if Angelica wanted to be ready for anything then she should be sparring against one of the best wrestlers he’s ever trained.  That means pitting Angelica against her own cousin and Glenn’s daughter Glory Braddock.

Braddock has a height advantage over Angelica and definitely an advantage in terms of technical and submission prowess.  Angelica has the speed advantage, not to mention she knows every one of Glory’s best moves.  Braddock looks at her father and smirks.

“Don’t worry dad, I think I can handle Angel here.”

“You think so?” Angelica asks with a smirk of her own.

“I know so.” Angelica’s British cousin says with a wink.

“Quit the yapping and fight!” Glenn bellows out loud with frustration and impatience.

Glory Braddock nods and then charges Angelica, wrapping her up and taking her down in a double leg.  She proceeds to pour on rights and lefts without any break or hesitation.  Angelica manages to kick her off and scramble back to her feet.  The British Bombshell charges again but this time Jones sidesteps her, sending her into the ropes.  She comes back and Angelica hip tosses her.  Glory scrambles to her feet, charges, and Jones connects with an arm drag deep into an arm bar.  Glenn grins pleasantly as he claps, applauding Angelica’s accomplishment thus far.

Braddock slowly but surely fights up to her feet.  Angelica fights to keep wrenching the arm bar in tighter and tighter.  Glory Braddock reverses the arm bar into an arm bar of her own.  Angelica then counters again, this time into a hammerlock.  Braddock, a technical wizard in her own right, reverses into a hammerlock of her own before tripping up Angelica’s legs, bringing her down face first to the mat.

“Sloppy, Jones.  You can’t get caught like that or Barbree Bimbo will easily whip your redhead ass.”

Jones is unhappy with the criticism but can’t do anything about it now as Glory transitions into a front chancery.  Angelica slowly fights back to her feet and then Glory switches into a side headlock.  Angelica with a belly to back suplex.  Glory scrambles back to her feet and Angelica immediately takes her down with another deep arm drag into an arm bar.

Braddock fights up to her feet and counters into a hammerlock.  Angelica reverses it into a hammerlock of her own.  Glory breaks it with elbows to Angelica’s face.  She runs off the ropes and comes at Jones only to get floored with a beautiful dropkick right on the button from Angelica.  Jones immediately goes back to the arm bar.

“I got you, Glory.  Tap.”

“You think you got me?”

“I know I got you.”

“Think again.” In just a few swift movements, Glory counters the arm bar into a triangle choke on Angelica.  She pulls it tight as Angelica tries to counter it, to fight out of it.  But then...

“Ok, that’s enough of that!” Glenn waves them off.  Glory relinquishes her hold on the triangle choke and then holds out her hand, offering to help Angelica up.  Jones takes the hand and Glory helps her back to her feet.

“Were you holding back any?”

“Do I ever hold back, mate?” Braddock says with a wink. “You were great.  Honest.”

“She’s right.” Glenn chimes in, approaching Jones. “You were downright bloody brilliant on the technical side of things.”

“Yeah, but she still caught me with the triangle.”

“Yeah, that’s because you got cocky.  Don’t get cocky.  It’ll bite you in the ass.”

“Noted.” Angelica says, nodding her head.

“You two take a break, a little later we’ll work on cardio, striking, and strength.”

Angelica Jones walks over to the edge of the ring apron and sits down.  Glory Braddock, her English cousin, joins her.  Braddock hands her a white towel, which Angelica uses to wipe the sweat from her brow.  Braddock takes another towel and does the same for her face.

“Thanks again for working with me, Glory.  I mean, I wasn’t sure you’d even be willing to help me, considering…”

Her voice trails off and Glory knows why.  Glory and Angelica just ended a brutal feud over nothing more than petty jealousy.  It was Angelica who was jealous this time, jealous that Glory may have been more successful than her in a shorter amount of time.  It led to several matches between the two which Angelica was trying to get the better of her cousin.  It was an obsession for a few months until she finally came to her senses.

“What happened back then is water under the bridge.  We’re competitors so I understand. I may understand more than you about how important it is to be the absolute best you can be.  Do you have any idea how tough it was growing up as the daughter of Glenn Braddock, a man many called ‘Britain’s Best’?  It was a crap load of pressure.  So believe me, mate, I know how you feel.  Besides, it isn’t like I made things easy for you.  It isn’t like I’m entirely innocent in all of this.”

Angelica smiles warmly. “Nice to hear you say that, Glory.”

“We both made mistakes but as long as we learned from the experience then we’ve grown and we’re stronger because of it.”

“I’d like to think so.  At the end of the day we are a product of the decisions we have all made, good and bad, right or wrong, those decisions and their consequences have shaped us.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” Glory remarks, nodding her head.

Angelica smiles pleasantly at her English cousin.  This moment, this time they share together is proof that people can change.  Just months ago they were trying to end each other and it drove Angelica to an obsession that nearly broke her mentally.  But Angelica has since pulled herself back from the brink and, with the help of James Evans, she has maintained her cool.  She has kept a level head.  She has, in her opinion, become a better person.

Still, there’s more she could do.  A part of Angelica feels a calling, a vocation even, to be a role model for anyone going through similar situations as her.  A positive example of someone who can change their ways.  That nagging feeling, that calling if you will, seems to want to bring her back to the Catholic faith she grew up in, the Catholic faith that she once served as a Sister in The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

Yet her own friend, who still serves as a Sister of Our Lady of Mercy, has already questioned whether or not Angelica should return to the faith.  This has put Angelica’s plans in doubt.  She needs more opinions.

“That does bring up another point.”

“Oh?”

“I need your opinion on something, Glory.  Something very important to me.”

“Sure.  What is it?”

“You know me, Glory.” She chuckles. “Hell, you probably know me almost as good as my own sister.  Even when we were butting our heads inside of the ring, we still were very close.”

“True, enough.  You know everything about me.”

“And YOU know everything about me.” Angelica counters, pointing a finger at Glory. “You know how important my faith is to me.”

“I do, indeed.” Glory nods her head. “It wasn’t as important to me as it was to you, but I always respect your decisions, I respected your lifestyle choices.  If that was important to you, then I respected it.”

“You also were there to help me in the trying times.  When I went public…”

“Came out of the closet you mean?” Glory grins knowingly.

“Yeah, that.” Angelica chuckles lightly. “When I first came out of the closet, I was run out by my local parish priest.”

“Really?” Glory furrows her brow. “I thought you told me you were excommunicated?”

“No, they never went that far.  The priest was just rather rude…”

Angelica’s voice trails off as the pains of those memories come flooding back.  Her faith is indeed important to her and while the Church itself did not turn its back on her, it felt just as bad when her parish priest ran  her off.  This is why she wants Glory’s opinion most of all.  Angelica was questioning her own faith at the time but Glory knew how important it was to her so she introduced her to The Episcopal Church.  Glory Braddock, while not as religious as Angelica, is a practicing member of The Church of England and knew Anglicanism was very similar to Catholicism.  It may not be the same for Angelica but it would make her feel at home.  The Episcopal Church being more progressive than The Catholic Church was just icing on the cake.

“...but that’s not the point.” Angelica shakes her head. “The point is, I’m thinking of going back.”

“Going back?” Glory arches a brow out of curiosity.

“I’m thinking of going back to the Catholic Church.”

“Why?  Why would you go back, after the way you were treated?”

“I told you, Glory, it was one priest.”

“But how many more of them out there think the same way?”

“There are, I’m sure, but the Church has changed since I left.  It’s become more progressive under Pope Francis.”

“You think so?  Really?  Pope Francis may have his heart in the right place but look at the news, and I don’t just mean the scandals, although I could easily throw that at you but I won’t.  I’m talking about how other priests, bishops, and cardinals speak out against the very same progressive views Pope Francis tries to espouse.  Do you honestly believe ONE MAN, even if it is the Pope, can change that ancient institution?”

“Maybe he can, maybe he can’t,” Angelica shrugs her shoulders “but you said it, Glory.  It is an ancient institution.  They were the original Christians. All other churches came from them.  The Protestant Reformation, The English Reformation, and on and on, all of it came from the original church.”

Glory Braddock frowns. “That’s your indoctrination talking.”

“It isn’t indoctrination.” Angelica sighs. “It’s my faith.”

There is a long stare down as the cousins gaze into each other’s eyes.  Finally it’s Braddock who breaks and sighs, shaking her head.

“Look, I’m sorry, mate.  I know that sounded bad and I didn’t mean it.  I truly do respect your faith, I’m just trying to look out for you.  I don’t want you to get hurt if you try to go back and you’re not received with open arms.”

“That’s what Maria said.”

“Maria as in your friend from the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy?” Angelica nods her head. “See, she’s Catholic and she agrees with me.”

“I know and that should tell me not to pursue this, but I have this nagging feeling in the back of my head that I need to at least try.  Being Catholic to me isn’t just some random choice of where I want to go on Sundays.  If it were I’d choose rock and roll Jesus or choose to just stay in bed.  Being Catholic was a part of my life until I felt it was taken from me.”

“I understand that, that’s why I pushed you into Anglicanism.  It’s practically the same thing as Catholicism.  Same pomp and circumstance, same rituals, same everything...” Glory smirks “...just less judgment.”

“It isn’t the same thing.” Angelica answers back, shaking her head. “It just isn’t.”

“So it seems to me like you already made up your mind?”

“Maybe I did?” Angelica says, smiling from ear to ear.

“If that’s true, why did you even bother asking me.”

“Maybe I wanted to be sure I was doing the right thing, so I’d let you have the chance to talk me out of it.”

“In that case you chose a perfectly miserable person to have talk you out of it, mate.”

The two cousins share a laugh together.  “Well what do you suggest, Glory?”

“If you want someone to legit talk you out of this, then you should find a very judgmental Catholic.  Like, your sister for instance.”

“Kayla?!  Why her?!”

“Why not her?  She’s perfect.  She’s Catholic and she hates your relationship with Aphrodite….she hates my relationship with her too, come to think of it.  She’s perfect.”

Angelica pauses to think about what Glory has just suggested.  It makes sense.  Kayla was none too pleased with her older sister when she ‘came out of the closet’ and left the church.  She was even more displeased when Angelica started having a relationship with Aphrodite Noel.  Perhaps the most judgmental person Angelica would ever encounter is someone you wouldn’t expect to be judgmental?

Family.

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On Camera

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The tag team division has officially been put on notice.

Six teams were locked inside of the elimination chamber but only one had the capability to run a gauntlet that included talent, legend, and sheer dominance.  In the end it was Redemption who survived the chamber.  It was James Evans and myself who overcame every other tag team to be put in our way.  We proved that we were not some one hit wonder or a fluke.  We were the real deal and that Redemption has its eyes on the SCW World Tag Team Championship.

And it’s like we got here just in time because Lohan Country lost the tag team championship in an upset to Bree Lancaster and…

....Scott Burnside?

Seriously, that’s your SCW World Tag Team Champions?  I feel bad for Scott.  Really, I do.  He’s having his health and well being put on the line so that Bree Lancaster can go all over the world and live the good life of a double champion.  He may have survived Dawn and Abigail but what happens next?  He has to deal with Redemption.  He and Bree have a date with James Evans and Angelica Jones.

I’m sure Scotty would rather have a date with James, than me.

Can Bree protect her little pet yet again?  Maybe.  I have been in this sport a long time and I know talent when I see it.  I’ll give the devil her due; he has talent.  She’s definitely good enough to potentially pull off an upset and beat a team by herself.  But I’m a thirteen time world champion and James is one championship away from a Supreme Championship here in SCW.  This is a little more than just any mere “tag” match, if you want to really call it that seeing as Scott is Bree’s partner.

But I’m willing to entertain the hypothetical scenario.  What if they do beat Redemption?  What happens next if they get past us?

True Love Twins?

Har Megiddo?

Trinity Street and Kennedy?  How long do you think you can last saving Scott’s ass?  And really, Bree, are you saving his ass for his sake or just so you can continue to be a double champion in SCW?

You don’t have to answer, I honestly don’t expect one, but if it’s the latter then even I must admit that there was a time I would have applauded your cunning and clever tactics.  There was a time that I would have done the same damn thing if I were in your shoes.

People detest you for your attitude, how stuck up and snotty you act, and how you choose to go about doing your business in the ring.  But who am I to judge you when I once was you?  Hell, I did things far worse than you, all the while living the luxurious, classy, elegant lifestyle.

Don’t get me wrong; I am not impressed by people like you and I am not intimidated by people like you.  But I respect your ability.  What pisses me off is that it’s a shame that someone as talented as you chooses to act the way you do, chooses to go about your business the way that you do.

For James and I, this is about Redemption.  In a way, now we’re redeeming the tag team division.  That’s why we want to be the SCW World Tag Team Champions.  To be good role models and good ambassadors for this sport and, yes, so that we can be called the absolute best tag team in SCW today.

But I can put redemption on hold just for a night, for this coming Breakdown in London. You need to be given a wake up call, Bree.  You need an illustration of just where this path you have chosen to take leads to.

You can manipulate the system, cheat if you have to, and then when you achieve as much success as you have, you arrogantly and pompously hold your head up high as if you are better than everyone else..  You need to be reminded that one day someone will come along who is better than you at all of that; and that someone will punch you in the face.

This coming Breakdown in London, I’m coming to punch you in the mouth.