==========
May 26th, 2019
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========
Angelica Jones finds her comfort with her
spirituality. If she is stressed, upset, or in grieving, she finds that
her faith helps to comfort her. Whenever the Matriarch of the Jones
Family finds herself puzzled, confused, and in need of answers, she turns to
her local parish to find get some sense of direction. The redheaded
Boston native understands that her church isn’t perfect and that, yes, that are
imperfect and sometimes outright bad people in her church, but overall she
believes in the moral principles and foundations that her faith is built upon,
that it preaches. Plus, this is more than just religion for her. It is a lifestyle. She was born and raised in this church. Thus when she needs answers, her local
church, Our Lady of Annunciation Catholic Parish, is where she will go.
Jones needs more than just answers; she needs help.
For a very long time now she has felt in control of her inner rage, the
anger and darkness that she dubbed “The Dragon” due to the violence she
unleashes. Several times throughout her life she has felt herself lose
control but each time she managed to find a way to pull herself back together. Most recently she found the companionship of
James Evans quite helpful in controlling her dark urges.
They shared a mutual bond over their desire to
control the violence and anger that both were capable of. As a result
they formed a tag team, Redemption, with the implication that they were going
to redeem themselves; forging new memories, better memories, and sending a good
message to the people. This way the SCW universe would have positive
things to remember them by, as opposed to the darker negative things that they
both were so infamous for.
Unfortunately things have begun to fall apart;
recently James himself has begun to lose control. His utter violence
began to creep out in brawls with Andrew Raynes and Giovanni Aries. Evans was a solid foundation that helped Angelica
to maintain her control but without James there to assist her, Angelica now is
concerned that she herself is in danger of losing control.
In fact, she feels as if she has begun losing
control already. Her darker, more violent urges seem to be prevalent. Instead of simply winning, she wants to hurt
her opponents. She wants to make her enemies pay dearly for even daring
to challenge her.
So this is what brings her back to her home away
from home, her sanctuary if you will, the Catholic Church. Mass this
Sunday has ended about twenty minutes ago and thus only a handful of
parishioners are hanging around. Angelica Jones, sitting in a pew in the
very back of the church, is wearing an ankle length black skirt, a black lace
top, and her signature black leather jacket. Black patent leather high
heel pumps are on her feet and her long gorgeous silky smooth red hair hangs
unrestrained to shoulder length.
Beside Angelica is a priest who is a complete
stranger to her. He has already changed out of his robes and is just
wearing black pants, black shoes, a black button up short, and his clerical
collar. He has mostly dark hair but a few grays are poking through and he
has a small bald spot forming at the top.
He has a congenial smile on his face as he sits and listens to his
parishioner.
“I am so glad you made time to speak with me
Father…” her voice trails off and her face grows red in
embarrassment. She cannot remember his last name. The priest chuckles lightly.
“Fitzgibbons.” The
priest says, finishing Angelica’s thought for her.
“Right, Father Fitzgibbons. I’m sorry,” she
shakes her head “I guess I just wasn’t paying as close attention as I
thought.”
“No need to apologize. I only just recently
got assigned to this parish after your long serving previous priest, Father
Heiny, retired.”
“Maybe, but it doesn’t excuse me missing out on
your first mass here with us a few weeks ago.”
“Don’t start with that mess.”
Father Fitzgibbons remarks, shaking his head. “You’re a busy woman.
Traveling the world is all part of being a professional wrestler.”
“So you follow me?”
“Absolutely!” He
exclaims. “I am a huge wrestling fan.”
Angelica smirked; she can hardly believe her church
has a priest who actually follows the sport. He seems so down to earth,
too. Not as high and mighty as
others. He’s just so pleasant to be
around.
“That’s good to know, Father, especially
considering how my professional life can get just as screwy as my personal life
at times. I may need to come to you with spiritual advice many times.”
“And that’s fine with me, Angelica.”
The priest answers immediately. “You can come to me with anything.
Absolutely anything.”
“Again, that’s good to know,”
Angelica sighs deeply “because I may need your help; or your advice, at
least.”
“What’s that?” The
priest asks, cocking an eyebrow out of curiosity.
“To put it as simply as I can, I feel that I’m
losing control.”
“In what way do you mean?”
“I’m losing control of my emotions, my anger and
rage specifically are beginning to bubble over, I’m losing control over who I
am.” Angelica holds out both hands and stares at them
intensely, almost as if she just did a crime and is gazing at the blood on her
hands. “I’m not a monster, Father. At least I wasn’t born a monster.
But more and more I’m finding difficult not to just give in and unleash
that monster, to just become a monster…”
“I won’t sit here and pretend to know everything
there is to know about you or everything about your life experiences.”
Father says with a warm smile. “But I can honestly say that you are a child
of God and God didn’t create any monsters.”
“That’s easy for you to say, Father.” Angelica
remarks with a sad sigh.
“If you’re worried about it then all you need to do
is pray.” Father Fitzgibbons suggests. “God
will listen. Or speak to a saint, or to your guardian angel. They
are there for you, interceding for you.”
“Again, easy for you to say.”
Angelica chuckles. “I never thought I’d say this but I’m not sure thoughts
and prayers are going to work here this time. I need something more
substantial. You know?”
“I understand.” Father
Fitzgibbons nods his head. “If you want some more substantial help,
admittedly I may not be the person for you. I am no expert on potential
psychiatric issues and that’s what this sounds like. What I can tell you is that God gifted people
with special skills and abilities, talents, that can help you.”
“So you’re saying I should see a psychiatrist?”
Angelica asks.
“If that’s what you think is best.”
“I’d rather not go that route, Father. Me and
psychiatrists don’t exactly get along.”
Angelica isn’t quite sure whether or not this new priest is informed of her
history, a history that includes her spending time locked up in a mental ward.
Those were not good memories and she would rather not risk revisiting
them.
“I’m sure you have friends and family with special
talents, knowledge, and resources who could help.”
“I’m not sure.”
Angelica shrugs her shoulders.
“Oh I’m sure you have someone you could speak to;
I’m sure you have someone in your life who could offer you some assistance.
Just think, who do you know who could help?”
==========
May 27th, 2019
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========
Her visit with Father Fitzgibbons was slightly
disappointing. She had hoped to receive an instantaneous answer to her
problems but only got shuffled off into another direction. Angelica
shouldn’t have expected much different.
It isn’t Father’s fault; he doesn’t know much about her history with
this mental issue. And as he said, he is no expert in the field. Any
advice he had provided would have been from an amateur.
Still, despite the disappointment she has to admit
that, at the very least, she may be one step closer to her answer. The
new priest suggested that she seek out help from someone whom she knows can
solve her problem.
A psychiatrist is out of the question. She
does not want to risk being committed yet again. She racked her brain
until she finally thought of someone who may be able to help her regain her
control. It will be a long shot, it will be quite the gamble, but a
gamble may be her best opportunity right now.
The atmosphere outside of what appears to be an
apartment building is quite down and dirty. It is a dilapidated exterior
to say the very least. Furthermore,
while this may be an apartment, it isn’t being used as a home. It is
being utilized as someone’s office.
Based on the run down looks of the building, whoever uses this doesn’t
have much income to spend; otherwise they may have a better place to plant
their roots.
Angelica stands just outside, wearing denim jeans,
black boots, a red blouse, and her signature black leather jacket. She is
here to see Samantha Hodgson.
Samantha Hodgson was Angelica’s very first agent.
Jones and Hodgson have a rocky history of ups and downs, both good times
and bad. Before they got together, Angelica had begun to lose control;
just like she is beginning to lose control now. It was Samantha who
managed to help rein her in. Samantha
kept her controlled for many years until they had their first of many fallings
out. It led to Samantha trying to take advantage of Jones. Immediately all ties and associations were
cut. Angelica never knew exactly what
happened to her after they split up.
Clearly Hodgson fell from grace in a big way.
She used to live high and mighty, making a great deal of money and
enjoying the lap of luxury. Based on outward appearances it would seem
that Hodgson’s luck has run out since she and Angelica split up.
Reaching out to Hodgson is definitely a risk but it
is a risk Angelica thinks is worth taking. Angelica feels she is out of
options and besides, Hodgson managed to keep Angelica’s ruthless aggression
under control once before. She could do it again.
At least she hopes she can.
The Boston native sighs as she steels herself for
what will no doubt be an awkward meeting. The last time these two were in
the same room together Angelica threatened her with physical violence.
She had already begun to lose control again at that point. Will Samantha Hodgson even be willing to
help?
There’s only one way to find out. She
approaches the front door and takes note of a gawdy sign on the door that reads
“Hodgson”; Jones reaches out and grabs the doorknob, turns the knob, pushing
the door open and steps inside. Immediately she is met by even further
evidence of the cheap standard of this location for Samantha’s business; her
office is right here, there is not even a waiting room and while she knows
there has to be bathrooms none are in sight.
The office was painted grey, and it had only one
floor-to-ceiling window, which faced the main road. In a state of half
organized clutter, mahogany desk with three drawers on the right hand side,
swivel chair, pens in a tin, floor to ceiling bookshelf, books leaning against
one another different directions, filing cabinet with paperwork stacked on top,
water dispenser with no cups. There sat a desktop computer on the desk, a
notebook lying open, and a stack of papers sitting under a small paperweight.
In a corner, the air conditioner was blasting at medium.
Angelica finds it odd that not a soul is here to
greet her; then again, Samantha probably can’t afford a secretary. So she
shrugs her shoulders and decides to find herself a seat in front of the
desk. She crosses her legs and folds her
arms over her chest and waits patiently, hoping for Samantha’s arrival
eventually.
She isn’t kept waiting very long.
“Angelica? Angelica Jones?”
Jones turns her head in the direction of the voice calling out to her.
From one of the rooms comes a dark haired woman wearing a red suit jacket
with a white blouse underneath and a matching red suit skirt. It’s none
other than Samantha Hodgson, Angelica’s former agent and manager. These two had spent so much time together;
Samantha guided her career throughout GDW, MCW, FWA, MWA, GFC, and finally it
came to an end just as Angelica’s career with SCW had just begun.
“I never thought this day would come!” Samantha
exclaims with a wide grin on her face. She approaches Angelica with open
arms. Angelica stands up and accepts the
embrace.
“Well I did call you, didn’t I?” Angelica
asks after breaking the embrace.
“Yes you did but still, considering how our last
meeting went, I didn’t expect to see you again. Ever.”
“True.”
Angelica nods her head. “We didn’t exactly end on a positive note.”
“No, no we didn’t. But I do hope we can put
those nasty memories behind us and bury the hatchet so to speak.”
Angelica studies the woman standing in front of
her. It’s hard to read Samantha.
This is the same woman who at one time tried manipulate, use, and abuse
Jones. It is her manipulation and deceit that caused Angelica to part
ways with Samantha. She appears to be
sincere in her desire to patch things up. She sounds as if she means
it. But is she just putting on an
act? Can Angelica really trust her?
Does Angelica have a choice but to trust her?
“Yeah, I hope so too.”
Angelica remarks, nodding her head.
“Please, sit.” Hodgson motions to the chairs.
Angelica obliges, sitting back down.
Samantha sits down in the swivel chair located behind the desk.
Samantha smiles that deceptive smile that could either be sincere or a
lie. She lays her hands on the desk and
stares into Angelica’s eyes.
“Before we go any further, I just want to say that
I mean it when I say I want to make things right between us. And I mean that sincerely, Angel. This
isn’t some trick to try and get you to let me be your manager again. As a matter of fact, discussion of your
career is completely off the table. All I want is my friend back. Can I have that?”
“I’d like that.”
Angelica answers with a smile.
“I did consider you a friend, Angel. You were
one of my best friends.”
“Friends don’t take advantage of friends.”
Angelica snaps back suddenly without even thinking as memories of the past come
flooding back. She worries about potentially angering the one person who
may help her with her problem.
Thankfully Samantha just nods her head in agreement.
“You’re right. You are absolutely right.
I threw our friendship away. I ruined what we had and, as a result,
I drove you into the waiting arms of that scum Silas Mason.” She
sighs and shakes her head. “You can’t imagine how much guilt I felt when I
watched you on SCW television alongside that man. I’m just thankful you
got away from him when you did.”
“So you’ve been keeping up with my career?”
Angelica asks inquisitively.
“Yes but not in a creepy stalker kind of way.”
Samantha chuckles. “I’ve been trying to stay in the business of managing
people’s careers, from singers to models to wrestlers.”
“How much luck have you had?”
“Do you even have to ask?”
Samantha frowns as she motions to her surroundings. “Look around you.
Or go take a look outside. I’m located in a dump, the only place I
could afford. I have no clients right now and if I’m on the verge of
having to shut down because I can’t pay my bills.”
Angelica can’t help but feel pity for Samantha
Hodgson. Despite the things she did, she never wished this kind of bad
luck on her. Maybe if they do manage to patch things up and repair their
friendship she will help her monetarily. She will owe Samantha big if she
can manage to help her with her mental issues.
“I hate that for you, Sam.”
“Oh don’t worry about me.”
Samantha chuckles. “I’ll find a way. I always do. What about you, though? I bet you’re
doing great without me to ruin you.”
“Not exactly.”
Angelica shakes her head.
“Oh?”
Samantha says, her curiosity peaked.
“That’s why I’m here, actually.”
Angelica continues. “Tell me, Sam, do you remember what I was like when we
first began our business relationship?”
“Oh absolutely. Your talent was obvious.
You were a natural and had so much potential for so much more. I
knew that together we could really go places, you and I.”
“Thanks for the ego stroke but that’s not what I mean.”
Angelica answers with a sigh. “I was a total wreck back then, wasn’t I?
I was out of control.”
“Oh well yes, you were a little violent. I
saw those violent urges as well, the darkness was obvious. But together
we helped put you on the right track mentally.
We straightened you out.”
“Yes, and I never got the chance to thank you for
that, Sam. I was a monster back then and you helped tame that
monster. Unfortunately…”
her voice trails off as she pauses for a moment before finishing “...the monster
is back.”
“You’re losing control again?”
Samantha asks. Angelica immediately nods her head.
“Yes, and I need your help. I need you to
help me regain control over this.”
There is a long pause as Samantha takes in
everything that Angelica just told her. Angelica, for her part, is
concerned over the silence. She is
worried that Samantha may not help her out after all. Finally, Samantha
breaks her silence.
“You’re asking a lot of me, Angel. But I did
do you wrong, and so I owe you one. So I’ll help you out and you can
consider us even. Capiche?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
Angelica nods her head, feeling incredibly grateful.
“But I have to warn you that this won’t be easy.
Controlling your rage back then was easier because you were younger and
your violence and darkness hadn’t developed into what it is today. If I
am to rid you of The Dragon for good, then I will need to utilize
hypnotherapy.”
“Hypnotherapy?” Angelica
asks, suddenly feeling a little more cautious.
“I can tell that you’re nervous.” Samantha
says grinning. “Well don’t be. It’s nothing like what you see on cheap
b-rate fantasy flicks. It does involve inducing a trance-like state of
focus and concentration. This trance-like state is similar to being
completely absorbed in a book, movie, music, or even one's own thoughts or
meditations. In this state, you can turn your attention completely inward to
find and utilize the natural resources deep within yourself that can help you
to make changes or regain control.”
“So hypnosis is a real thing?”
Angelica asks curiously.
“Of course! There are many applications.
Hypnotherapy can be used to treat anxiety, phobias, substance abuse including
tobacco, sexual dysfunction, undesirable spontaneous behaviors, and bad habits.
It can be used to help improve sleep, learning disorders, communication, and
relationship issues. Hypnotherapy can aid in pain management. It can do
almost anything.” Hodgson motions to Angelica. “Including
treat your problem with The Dragon. But you have to trust me.”
Angelica stares at Samantha intensely for several
moments. This is the big question from earlier; can she trust Samantha?
She still isn’t quite certain she can.
Then again, does she fear Samantha more or does she fear The Dragon?
She may not have much of a choice.
Finally, after much thought, Angelica nods her head.
“Yes. Let’s do it.”
==========
One Hour Later
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========
It has been a solid hour since the hypnotherapy
session began in earnest and it is far too late for Angelica Jones to back out
now. She’s in too deep to have any misgivings. Besides, the atmosphere is calm and the music
playing in the background is soothing.
There’s even a pleasant aroma wafting around the room. All of
Angelica’s senses are working hard, and the result is her mind is damn near
numb. She’s more open than she has been
in quite some time. And more importantly
she feels good. She feels pleasant.
She feels happy. It’s almost as if
she is the only one in the room. She
hardly even notices Samantha Hodgson walking around the office.
“Tell me Angelica, do you feel relaxed?”
“Yes.”
“Do you feel calm?”
Yes.”
“Good, this is how you need to be if we hope to
have any breakthrough. Focus on those pleasant odors, the soothing music,
and most importantly the sound of my voice. Focus.”
Hodgson remains silent for several moments to let
Angelica’s senses continue to overload. She wants Angelica in a good,
solid trance for this to work properly.
Several moments later Samantha Hodgson continues.
“Continue to focus on my voice, this is important
because you and I together need to determine what exactly is the cause of your
violence. What is the cause of your darkness? What created The Dragon? Do you understand what I am asking?”
“Yes.”
“Good. So tell me, what are some of you
fears? What are some of your worst and most painful memories?”
“I don’t want to go back to the mental ward.” Angelica
states. “If I go back, I may not get back out.”
Samantha nods her head, taking this all in.
Angelica continues. “Suicide.”
This one word immediately surprises Hodgson. “Suicide?
Did you attempt suicide or did someone you know commit suicide?”
“I attempted suicide.”
“I see; when was this?”
“A long time ago. I was young. I was in the convent and hurting, hurting
over being separated from my sister and knowing that I may never see her again.
Hurting after feeling betrayed by my father who was responsible for
separating my sister and me. Hurting
from witnessing my mom being tortured, raped, and murdered.”
Hodgson sighs and nods her head. “You are tough,
Angelica. Very tough. Most would
have crumbled under such pressure and pain. It is clear to me that you
still hurt. How could anyone heal
completely from such wounds? And that is why The Dragon
exists. The Dragon is how you intend on
making the rest of society feel your pain.”
“Yes.”
“Good. This means we just need to heal your
wounds. If you wounds are healed, then no more pain, and no more pain
means no need for The Dragon to exist. Tell me, Angelica, what would it
take to heal your wounds?”
“My mother.” Angelica
responds. “I need my mother.”
“Then you shall have her. That is the one
thing you must remember from day forward; you will have your mother.”
“I will have my mother.”
“Good.”
Samantha walks over to the wall and flips on a switch, turning on all of the
lights. She walks to her desktop computer and presses a button and the
soothing music ends. She blows out a
scented candle on her desk. Hodgson finally snaps her fingers. “Wake
up, Angel! The session is over.”
“Huh?” Angelica
sits up, looking somewhat dazed and confused. “Is that it?”
“That’s it.” Samantha
answers. “Although there are two final questions I should probably ask, just
to be certain that you are still in the right frame of mind.”
“Sure, go ahead.” Angelica
answers with a pleasant smile.
“Where are we?”
“Seriously?”
Angelica asks incredulously.
“Yes, I’m serious.” Samantha
answers. “Where are we?”
“We’re in Boston, Massachusetts.”
“Good. Last question; who am I?”
“Again? Really?”
“Yes, again.”
Samantha answers. “They may not seem like they mean much but they are
important questions. So humor me.”
“Fine.”
Angelica says with a light laugh escaping her lips. “You’re my mother; Kelly
Jones. And I love you.”
Samantha smiles warmly as she approaches Angelica,
who also stands up and meets Samantha with a tight embrace. Hodgson runs
her hand through Angelica’s long red hair and then plants a kiss on her
forehead.
“I love you too, my child.”
Samantha remarks. “I love you too.”
==========
On Camera
==========
I remember back when James Evans and I first came
together to form this tag team known as Redemption, no one thought we had a
chance of making it. It was a silly idea, a preposterous notion. And the whole prospect of James and I, who
had little tag team experience with one another, surviving a tag team
elimination chamber match against opponents with far superior chemistry and
experience than us? Impossible.
And yet we pulled off the impossible. We won
the chamber match and earned an opportunity to compete for the SCW World Tag
Team Championship. But surely we wouldn’t advance any further than that,
now would we? Oh no, of course not. Redemption just got lucky, am I right?
We were lucky to survive that chamber but there was no chance of beating
Bree Lancaster and BFF Andrew Raynes?
Yet that’s exactly what we did. We defeated
Bree and Raynes to win the SCW World Tag Team Championship and then we beat
them again, inside of a steel cage. We have held the SCW World Tag Team
Championship for six months now, taking on any and all who wish to step in our
way. And what’s the talk now as James
and I head into Taking Hold of the Flame ready to defend the gold against
London and Paris Truelove?
James Evans is unstable.
Will Angelica even HAVE a partner?
I do love when people overreact. I mean, I
appreciate Sharper reminding the world that I do have options just in case
James doesn’t show up at Taking Hold of the Flame. I have four children,
three of whom are wrestlers, two of those three wrestle for SCW. Then there’s my cousin, Glory Braddock, who
already pledged her support for me if I need it.
But I don’t need it.
Redemption has overcome every single obstacle placed
before us and this is just another obstacle to overcome. A chamber
couldn’t stop us, the combination of Bree and Raynes couldn’t stop us, a steel
cage couldn’t stop us, and you can be damn sure The Truelove Twins will never
stop us and if you think James Evans being MIA gives them an edge you are
sorely mistaken.
Sure, Paris and London have some excellent tag team
chemistry that isn’t taught. It comes natural to them. And they’ve honed their skill throughout
their time in SCW. They’ve certainly earned this title opportunity and
are a formidable threat to the tag titles. But there is one thing that
James and I have that I am willing to bet we have more of for each other than
damn near any other tag team on this roster…
...faith.
We have faith in one another; we trust the other to
be there for us when we need them the most. Trust is an intangible
element of tag team wrestling that every great tag team has to have in order to
be successful. Trust is why James and I have managed to survive the chamber. Trust is how we overcame Bree and Raynes in
the cage. Trust is how we made it six
months still as the SCW World Tag Team Champions.
Trust is what will propel Redemption to victory
against The Truelove Twins.
Despite the doubts of people like Sharper, who seem
to think I may need someone to replace James, I am one hundred percent
confident that James will overcome whatever it is he needs to overcome and that
he will be there at Taking Hold of the Flame. I have faith that he will
have my back when Redemption defends the tag team titles against Paris and
London.
You’ve been begging and pleading for this for a
very long time, haven’t you? You go from facing whatever talent Sasha and Mr. D
before her could find to facing the best tag team in SCW today. This is
precisely what you’ve been asking for; the pressure is on. I hope you are ready.
Ladies, my advice to you would be to not get too
excited about this. Sure, you are in the spotlight now. You are competing for the SCW World Tag Team
Championship but you two are still new and you still have a lot to learn.
James and I are great teachers and we intend to make those lessons very
rough and very difficult for you. One of
the key lessons is that you do not always get what you want in this industry
and as much as you may want these titles, you are just not going to get them at
Taking Hold of the Flame. You are not going to take them from Redemption.
You’re also going to learn that nothing is ever as
it seems. So many teams before you thought that they had us figured out
and all of them were beaten. What makes you think this will be any
different? Is it because you’re buying
into the garbage about James?
Go ahead, drink the kool-aid, girls. Believe
the delusion. Ignorance is bliss and thus
your ignorance of reality will make oh so happy until reality comes smacking
you in the face. Reality, girls, is Angelica Jones and James Evans.
Reality is Redemption mowing you over.
Class is in session, ladies.
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