"Sisterly" Advice

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Off Camera

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One of the many talents possessed by Angelica Jones is the ability to appear unphased by just about anything.  Talking to her, interacting with her, you would think that nothing can rock her.  The truth is that Angelica is a very fragile woman mentally.  The Boston native has her inner demons that she has fought all of her life.  There are moments when those demons surface and despite all of her best efforts to contain them, she ends up losing control.  She snaps and ends up making rash decisions that she lives to regret.

Such a rash decision was when she murdered her ex-boyfriend in cold blood.  Her mental state was fragile at the time.  In her mind, she felt it was the only way to prevent him from gaining custody of their child, their precious Marie.  The result was Angelica getting locked away in a mental institute to deal with her mental instability.

Ever since that point the matriarch of the Jones family has battled her own mental illness for what seems like her entire life.  She knows that at any moment, events could cause her to snap, could cause her to lose control.  If she does lose control, what then?  How far willl she go if she loses her mind?  Could she end up back in a mental institute?

That is her greatest fear.  Angelica’s time in the mental institute separated her from what she loves the most: her family.  She felt lucky to be granted a clean bill of health and allowed out of the institute.  She’d hate to end up committing yet another crime that would get her thrown right back in.

Yet that is exactly what she thought might happen back in July.  Global Championship Wrestling was presenting it’s For Glory & Gold pay per view and Angelica Jones was challenging Jazmyn Rain for the GCW Global Championship.  Angelica hit Jazmyn with her best offensive moves and yet Jazmyn would not stay down.  In a fit of rage or frustration, depending on your perspective, Jones took a sledgehammer to Rain.

To outside observers this may seem like just a wrestler throwing a tantrum.  Angelica knows better.  It was as if she were a prisoner inside of her own body.  She had lost complete control over herself as she watched her body move in automatic, driving the hammer again and again into Rain’s back.  It was not normal.  It wasn’t just frustration.  This was worse.  This was the brink of insanity.

There were those in Angelica’s life who thought she had done nothing wrong and had nothing to worry about.  Aphrodite Noel is Angelica’s lover and she was quite pleased with what Angelica had done to Jazmyn Rain.  She may be slightly bias and Angelica doesn’t feel comfortable talking about this issue with her.  There is one individual who Angelica feels will give her an honest appraisal of the situation.

Angelica is sitting outside on a black bench situated under a large tree providing shade from the blistering heat of the sun.  She is on the ground of a convent, the convent where she spent her formative years as a nun in the Roman Catholic Church.  Jones is wearing an ankle length floral print black skirt, black high heeled pumps, and a black sleeveless blouse.  Her long gorgeous red hair hangs unrestrained to just below her shoulders.

“Lemonade!” This is the cheery voice of Sister Maria, a nun and Angelica’s friend.  Sister Maria joined the convent against her will, at the wishes of her parents.  This life was thrust upon her during Angelica’s final year at the convent and it was Angelica who helped this frightened girl get through one of the roughest patches of her life at the time.  Now Sister Maria will do just about anything to help the former Sister Angelica who had once helped her so long ago.

Maria has two glasses of lemonade in her hands.  She hands one to Angelica who nods appreciatively. “Thank, Sister.  And thanks for taking time to speak with me.  I know you must be very busy.”

“Anything for you, Sister Angelica.  And please, don’t be so formal.  Maria is fine!”

“Yet you call me Sister when I’m not even part of the convent any longer.”

“Point taken.” Maria responds with a light chuckle before taking a seat next to Angelica on the bench.  “So how may I help my good friend today?”

“I just need someone to listen, someone who isn’t biased and will give me an honest opinion of the situation I find myself in right now.”

“You know I am always available to listen whenever you need me, Sister Angelica, but I’d hardly call my opinion unbiased.  You are my best friend, after all.  You saved my life, Angelica, and for that I could not be more grateful.”

“I know.” Angelica nods her head. “You were in quite the mental state when your parents dropped you off in the convent.”

“Who knows what would have become of my fragile young mind at the time were it not for you?”

“And that’s what I need from you right now.” Angelica takes the nun’s hands and squeezes them tightly. “I feel as if I’m losing control again.”

“What do you mean?” Sister Maria asks, her face growing slightly more concerned as she listens to her good friend explain the situation.

“You know about my own battles with mental instability.  I’ve had these bouts with depression and psychosis ever since I had to witness my own mother’s rape and murder.”

“No child should have to witness their mother go through that.” The nun says, shaking her head with sadness.

“But I did, and ever since then I’ve had problems.  I snapped the first time a very long time ago, when I murdered the father of my daughters Marie and Kim.  I was lucky to get away with being institutionalized instead of facing prison time or worse.  But I still had to deal with time away from my family.  And even when I was released I had to earn everyone’s trust.  They knew of my mental issues, they knew of the rage, and I had to earn their trust.  My own sister Kayla didn’t even fully trust me.  But I worked through it, I dealt with my issues, and I came out of it stronger, a better person…”

Angelica’s voice trails off as tears form in her eyes.  Sister Maria pats her on the back to comfort her. “...but now I’m worried that my problems are coming back to haunt me. I’m worried that my psychosis is coming back.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Don’t you follow my career, Maria?” Angelica asks with a light chuckle. “I took a sledgehammer to one of my recent opponents.  Right into the small of her back over and over again until I was sure she couldn’t walk.”

“I see.”

“I’m worried, Maria.  I’m worried what I might do if I snap and lose control again.  I can’t…” she shakes her head “...I can’t afford to be institutionalized again.  I may never get out this time.  Or worse, I may lose my family forever.”

“Sister Angelica, you are being tormented by your inner demons and they may be fierce but you have no idea how many weapons and allies you have at your disposal.”

“What do you mean?” Angelica asks curiously with an arched brow.

“A support system, silly.” Maria smiles warmly. “Your sister, your children…”

“I do need a support system.  But I’m not sure my family would understand what I’m going through, except maybe Kimberly.”

“Do you know of anyone else?”

Angelica thinks about it for a moment before a smile forms upon her face. “Yeah, I think I do…”

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On Camera

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I’m baaaaaaaack!

I’ll be the first to admit, my leave from Supreme Championship Wrestling was a little premature.  Kayla and I felt we had done all we could as a unit in SCW.  And you know what?  Maybe she’s right.  I mean, let’s consider the history of The Sisterhood.

Former GDW World Tag Team Champions.

Former MCW World Tag Team Champions.

Former 2 time GCW World Tag Team Champions.

And of course, former two time SCW World Tag Team Champions.

There was nothing left for The Sisterhood to prove.  Once in a great while, you have to know when to pack it up and leave.  You have to know when to move aside and let other teams have their crack at glory.  Kayla and I had our moment in the sun on many occasions.  There is no denying how great we were as a team.  There is no need to continue beating that dead horse.

Now that doesn’t mean the competitive drive ever goes away, and anyone who knows me knows that my competitive drive is as high as it gets in this industry.  I am a Jones, the Matriarch of the Jones Wrestling family, and we strive for greatness.  We thrive on competition.  Just sitting at home watching everyone compete isn’t enough.

I have that itch.  I have that hunger to get back in the ring and match myself against the best SCW has to offer.

Things have changed on the landscape since my time away.  Some old faces are still around, still kicking ass...Regan, Sienna, Bree, Blake, Alistaire...and there are new faces trying to make their mark on a company I call home...Owen Cruze, Slater MKinney...and I want the challenge.  I want to be tested and to prove once more that I am STILL at the top of my game, and that I can STILL beat anyone that’s placed in front of me.

And as luck would have it, I now have my chance.  Thanks to James Evans.

James and I are together as a team, and we are going to light a fire under the asses of the tag team division, a fire that you haven’t seen before in a long time.  James and I both have the same drive for competition, the same need to challenge ourselves.

Because if you quit challenging yourself, you’re no longer growing, and if you’re no longer growing, you’re dying.  Plain and simple.

I’ve won tag titles with my sister.  That shouldn’t be a shock to anyone that two sisters, both of whom are pro-wrestlers, can get along and win gold.  We have natural chemistry.  We know how the other thinks.  It’s a perfect blend.  But James and I?  We’re still relatively new as a team.

Therein lies the challenge.  This isn’t just a matter of can I still get the job done but it’s a matter of can I get the job done with someone else?

You damn right I can.  And if luck is on our side, we may just get a tag title shot at Fatal Fortunes.

Which would be very unfortunate for you, Abi and Dawn.  You’re another sibling pair...Kayla and I want our royalties for that idea, by the way...but if lady luck sends James and I in your direction, then those belts are coming home with us and there is nothing you can do about it.

But lady luck is a finicky little bitch, isn’t she?  James and I are partners but who knows what we’ll get in the end?  As much as we want those belts, we may not get Lohan Country at Fatal Fortunes.  It could be Har Megiddo.  It could be Team Desire.  It could literally be anyone.

Or we may get separate singles matches?

Yes, there is a lot of unknown quantities to consider about Fatal Fortunes.  What IS known, however, is the fact that someone will have to come face to face, eye to eye, with a hungry Dragon that hasn’t feasted in a very long time.

I’m back, ladies and gentlemen, and that is bad news for all of you.

End of an Era

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Off Camera

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“Are you sure we’re making the right decision?”

We’re backstage in the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.  Kayla Jones is watching a television monitor in her dressing room, watching the proceedings of tonight’s Breakdown.  Her older sister, Angelica Jones, is there with her.  Both are dressed classy tonight in black skirts that fall to just below the knee, black high heel pumps, and floral print blouses. Angelica’s blouse is a dark reddish color while Kayla’s is also black.  Kayla’s face has a sense of uncertainty on it and one could expect that considering what they just did not too long ago.  They just back from the ring where they announced that their tenure here in Supreme Championship Wrestling would soon be coming to an end.  It is something that you don’t usually come back from; at least not without looking like an idiot.  Everything is signed sealed and delivered.  It’s all over.

Well, almost over.  The Sisterhood still has one last thing left to accomplish.  No, it isn’t a third SCW World Tag Team Championship.  This final goal is something Angelica and Kayla have wanted for quite some time.  It’s something they’ve thought about, something they knew that they wanted to do if they ever decided to hang up the boots.  And since now is that time, they are putting their plan into action.  A plan to give the fans of SCW one big treat and, in the process, answer a question that both Angelica and Kayla have had for quite some time.

Who is the better sibling?

Angelica and Kayla have been teaming for a long time now and in that time they have won many tag team championships together.  Both are former world champions in their own right.  But which is the better sibling?  At Retribution that question will be answered when Angelica and Kayla go head to head, one on one.

Though Kayla, right now, questions whether any of this is the right move.

“Definitely,” Angelica says with certainty and determination in her voice “we are definitely making the right decision, Kay.  Now is the time to walk away.”

“You say that now, but can we be so sure of it later?” Kayla asks with a sigh in her voice. “This is for real, Angel.  There is no going back.  We can’t have regrets once this is over.  We have to know, is this right?”

“There’s always going to be regrets, Kay.” Angelica points out. “For instance, I regret not winning my thirteenth world championship while in SCW.”

“At least you won a singles championship.” Kayla says, rolling her eyes.

“Two tag team championships is nothing to sneeze at, Kay.”

“Isn’t it?” Kayla points a finger at her older sibling. “Both those tag titles came as a result of a team effort.  So it wasn’t just ME who won those belts, YOU won them as well.”

“Your point is?”

“My point is that I currently don’t have anything to show what I can do on my own.  I have nothing to prove just how good I am by myself.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Angelica remarks, shaking her head. “You are a former world champion.”

“Twice.” Kayla answers, holding up two fingers. “And they’re so unmemorable that the only one who can remember that I am a former world champion is you.  But you?  You’re a thirteen time world champion.  Everyone knows what Angelica Jones is capable of.”

“Kayla, I’m sorry, I had no idea…” Angelica reaches over to place a comforting hand on her sister’s shoulder but it is quickly swatted away.

“That’s the problem, Angel.  Sometimes you do live in your own world and you forget about the others around you.  Had I won Trios I could’ve happily left.  I could’ve used that Trios contract to make a major impact but now I’m left with just those two tag team title reigns; two title reigns that I had with you as my partner.” Kayla sighs and shakes her head. “No offense, Angelica, but I wish I had more achievements, more accolades of my own, so that I could’ve separated myself from you at least a little bit here in SCW.  And in that sense you really have boxed me into a corner.”

“What does that mean?” Angelica asks, arching her brow out of curiosity.

“Beating you helps me make a statement, Angel.  Beating you means that I am just as good as you, if not better.  Beating you is my way of ending SCW on a high note.”

“I think we both want that, Kayla.” Angelica responds stoically. “I think we both want to end things on a high note here in SCW.  But you have to remember who I am.  You’re right, I am a thirteen time world champion, I am also undefeated against the members of our family in straight up one on one matches.  And I don’t intend to let that streak end.”

The sisters stare into each other’s eyes for a few tense moments before releasing the tension with a hearty laugh.

“Listen to us!” Kayla exclaims. “We’re just too competitive!”

“That’s not a bad thing.” Angelica points out. “That competitive spirit is what drove us to two SCW World Tag Team Championships.”

“That’s true.  That competitive spirit delivered some great moments for The Sisterhood.”

“Yeah and there’s one more moment left.”

“Yeah, Retribution.”

“Wrong.” Angelica shakes her head. “There is still one more match before Retribution.  The Sisterhood’s last competitive tag team match.”

“Against who?” Kayla asks inquisitively.

“The Red Empire.”

“The Red Empire?” Kayla smirks. “Perfect.”

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On Camera

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Scarlet and Ruby, The Red Empire…definitely loving the whole red hair thing, but perhaps I’m a little bias…our match on Breakdown is the end of an era for The Sisterhood, while at the same time your era is only just beginning.  You beat Abby Normal...we’ve done that, by the way.  You beat The Stewards…we also did that, by the way…but you’ve definitely gotten off to a great, promising start here in Supreme Championship Wrestling.

I applaud you.  And unlike so many other people in this industry…those who are full of themselves, conceited, and self-serving, we do with you the best of luck as your era continues to shape itself.

Quit giving them so much praise, Angelica.  Geez…

Sorry.

Right; anyway, this is your beginning, ladies.  And Angelica’s right, your era has already begun.  Who knows?  You could be the next big thing here in the SCW tag team division.  You could be the next Sisterhood.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, sis.  No one can replace us.

Oh, right.  Well, you may very well have a bright future ahead of you, and while I’m sure beating a former two time tag team championship duo would look pretty damn good on your resume, we’re not just going to roll over and let you have it so easily.

Kayla’s right, we had to bust our asses tooth and nail, week in and week out, to earn our spot in this business, to pay our dues.  We had to earn our way here in SCW by beating some of the best SCW has had to offer.  We’ve had a great time in SCW, and we’ve enjoyed entertaining the fans.  But we’re not about to just let you have our spot without a fight.  It wouldn’t be fair to this industry, it wouldn’t be fair to ourselves as competitors, and if we’re perfectly honest, it wouldn’t be fair to you two either.

You may want to knock us off of our pedestal and send us off on a low note in our last match as a tag team in SCW, and you may very well do that, but to do it you’re going to have to beat The Sisterhood at our very best.

It’s for your own good, ladies.  If you want to be a great tag team here in SCW then you have to beat some of the best talent in all of wrestling.  Adrenaline Rush, BAE, The Resurgence…the list goes on and on…they won’t roll over for you, and beating a couple of losers like Abby-Normal won’t prepare you for things to come.

For the past few years in SCW The Sisterhood has been the measuring stick.  We’ve been the standard.  You want to be something?  See what you can do against us.  But bear in mind that while your era is just beginning, ours is coming to a close and we want to go out on a high note.

Tell them what that means, Kay.

It means we’re going to kick your teeth right down your throat!

Legacy Revived

You don’t always get blessed with a second chance, a chance to do things differently, a chance to make up for past sins.  In my experience with the Catholic Church, you can confess your sins to God or to a priest and get them absolved, wiped away, and the slate is clean.  You can thus start fresh, brand new.  But the past is still the past.  What you did and your consequences are still there.  Rarely does anyone get a chance to turn back time and rewrite their own legacy.

Yet that’s what I’ve been able to do.  I’ve been able to turn back time and rewrite my own legacy.  Instead of merely reviving it, I am changing it altogether.  No longer will I be known as The Dragon because I’m a monster who kills the lives and careers of her enemies.  I will be known as The Dragon because I possess that warrior spirit who will conquer any opponent who dares to challenge me.  I will be known as The Dragon because I possess the power and majesty to overcome any obstacle.  And now, after defeating Torsten Voigt, I am known as The Golden Goddess, the new SCW Television Champion.

My legacy has been revived and rewritten.  Now comes the hard part; keeping up the momentum.  The target is on my back and you had better believe that I will fight like hell to keep that momentum going.  I just now got back to where I want to be and no one is going to stop me now.

Not even Donovan Kayl.

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Breakdown

February 7^th, 2018

Off Camera

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After completing the monumental task of toppling the powerhouse known as Torsten Voigt to become the new SCW Television Champion, Angelica Jones now steps back through the curtain and walks through to the ready area that leads to the backstage of the arena.  The beautiful redhead has her newly won championship belt draped over her right shoulder as she walks the hall, searching for her dressing room.  Jones holds her head high as a sense of pride seems to emanate from every pore, just like the sweat that currently pours from every pore as a result of this hard fought contest.

She has a right to feel proud.  A string of victories that started with Konrad Raab and continued with a win over Bill Barnhart has now led to this, her opportunity at championship gold against Torsten Voigt.  She’s had championship opportunities before, at singles gold on her own and with tag team gold on the line as she stood side by side with her sister Kayla, but each and every time she got the opportunities it seemed as if she would come up short.  For awhile she began to think that she may not get back to the gold standard she had once set for herself.

Yet here she is, walking the halls of an arena at an SCW show as a champion.  No longer is she the woman who comes up just short.  She took full advantage of this opportunity granted to her.  And as a result she is the SCW Television Champion.  Or to put it another way, The Dragon is also The Golden Goddess yet again.

There are other SCW officials and superstars lining the halls; some of these individuals are watching her closely.  Perhaps they want to congratulate her?  Or maybe they want a shot at her title?  Angelica ignores them either way.  She already knows her next opponent will be Donovan Kayl.  That much is set in stone.  But she won’t even worry about him tonight.

Definitely not tonight.

Being the television champion means constantly being ready to defend the title on each and every edition of Breakdown.  Angelica knows this and she knows that she won’t have any time to rest and very little time to enjoy her moment in the sun before the threat of Donovan Kayl looms its ugly head.  So the rest of tonight will be about enjoying herself and celebrating this night, the night when she finally regained her gold standard.

Angelica approaches her dressing room door and turns the door knob before pushing it open.  Jones steps inside and is immediately met with a big, tight hug from her daughter, Marie Annabelle Jones…

“Congrats, mom!”

“Thanks, Marie.” Angelica says with a sigh. “Though I’m not sure even you have any idea how much this means to me.”

“Oh come on, mommy…” that’s the voice of Kimberly Williams.  Angelica and Marie turn to get a good look at Marie’s twin.  They are identical in every way except the clothing.  While Marie is more nicely, and modestly attired in her long ankle length skirt, flats, and long sleeve red blouse, Kimberly definitely looks rough in torn denim jeans, flip flops, and her “I Groped Mr. D” t-shirt. “…I haven’t been part of this Sicilian crime family very long and even I know how much winning is supposed to mean to us.”

Marie rolls her eyes upon hearing this.  Angelica just chuckles lightly as she approaches Kimberly and embraces her in a hug.

“You’re right, Kim, this is a fiercely competitive family, and we don’t accept anything short of winning, but this was different.” Angelica takes her championship off of her shoulder and holds it out in front of her.  She stares at the title lovingly, almost as if it were a child, with a smile on her face. “I had stepped away from the ring, Kim.  I made my return in 2012, called it may “Legacy Revival”.  I wanted to prove to the world that Angelica Jones can be a major threat anytime she wants anywhere she wants.”

“Yeah, and you did that…” Kimberly answers back “…in GCW when you won their Global Title, or GFC when you won their world title.”

“I had the backing of groups like Apocalypse or Silas World back then.” Angelica remarks, shaking her head. “I really didn’t do it on my own.  But this right here…”

Jones pats the Television Championship belt “…I did this on my own.  I won it on my own merit.  No groups providing backup, no cheating, no tricks, no smoke and mirrors.  Just me.”

“Sounds boring.” Kimberly remarks with a shrug of her shoulders. “But if that’s what you like, more power to ya!”

Kimberly snickers as she walks past her mother and Marie.  The more sinister child of Angelica Jones then exits the dressing room door, shutting it behind her.  With her gone Marie turns back to face her mother and sighs, shaking her head.

“Sorry about that, mom.  You know how Kimberly is, though…”

“I know, but really I should expect it.  It isn’t like I was much of a role model during my life, you know?”

“You did the best you could.”

“Did I?” Angelica frowns. “So many of my championships, so many of my accomplishments, they were ill-gotten gains.  I often ask myself, am I famous for what I have accomplished in this sport, for how I broke glass ceilings for women athletes everywhere or am I infamous for HOW I accomplished those goals?”

“It shouldn’t matter.” Marie shakes her head. “You did so many great things throughout your career.  This sport is better because of you.”

“I’m still not sure.  I mean, yes, I’ve done many things, but the ends should not justify the means and yet that’s how I’ve practiced things my entire career.” Angelica kisses her SCW Television Title belt. “But this right here is the symbol of how I’ve revived my legacy, how I’ve reshaped it.”

She turns and looks directly in her daughter’s eyes. “You’ll carry on my legacy, Marie.  Hell, the torch has already been passed, hasn’t it?  But I want to leave you with a good legacy to carry on.  I’ve been given an opportunity to change that legacy and thus far I’ve done a pretty damn good job.  Konrad Raab, Bill Barnhart, and now Torsten Voigt, all of them beaten, all straight up, and I have a championship to show for it.”

Angelica places her title belt on top of her gym bag.  She then heads over to the showers. “I’m taking a shower, Marie.  You and Kim wait on me…”

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Later That Night

Off Camera

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We open at the third floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel.  The elevator doors slide open and Angelica Jones exits the elevator, all by herself, carrying her gym bag which contains her wrestling gear and her new championship belt.  The redhead is wearing her normal clothes now, which consist of denim jeans, black boots, a red floral print blouse, and her signature black leather jacket.  She takes her gym bag with her, carrying it as she walks the hall, following the numbers on the doors, for they’ll tell her where to go…201, 202,  203, 204, and on and on, passing few other hotel guests along the way until finally arriving at her room, at room 207.  Angelica slides her key card through the door and she hears it clicking, signaling that the door is now open.  Angelica pushes the door open and then steps inside.  She lets it slam shut behind her.  Angelica walks into the room and drops her bag down onto the floor.

“Now time to celebrate.” Angelica walks over to the mini-fridge and opens it up.  She looks inside at the options and finally produces a bottle of red wine, shutting the door behind her.  She looks at the wine bottle for a moment before shrugging her shoulders, popping the cork, and turning the bottle back, drinking it straight from the bottle.  A wide ear to ear grin forms on her face.

“Damn!  It feels good to be champ!” Angelica takes the wine bottle with her and collapses onto the king size bed. “No one is taking it from me. Not anytime soon, at least, and not Donovan Kayl.”

RING! RING! RING!

The ringing of her iPhone startles Angelica to where she sits straight up in the bed.  Angelica hops up off of the bed.  She places the wine bottle on the nightstand and then goes over to her gym bag.  She unzips it and produces her ringing iPhone.  She looks at the caller ID and it’s her sister, Kayla Jones.  Angelica chuckles lightly.

“I wonder what she wants?”

Angelica answers the call and flips it to speaker before dropping the phone onto the bed.

“Hi sis!  What’s up?”

“Just a congratulatory call.  Hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Pffft,” Angelica rolls her eyes “you should know me better than that, Kay.”

“Yeah, typically you stay up late.  But you just got through fighting Torsten Voigt, I wasn’t sure how exhausted you would be.”

“Oh I’m exhausted, Voigt definitely was a tough customer, but not too much to take me down.”

“I can almost see the arrogant smirk on your face when you said that, Angel.”

“Arrogant?” Angelica frowns. “What do you mean arrogant?”

“It means exactly what it says.  You sounded a little full of yourself.”

Kayla is right, of course.  Angelica is a little full of herself right now and she knows it.  Angelica, though, is still in denial as she sighs, shaking her head.

“I’m not full of myself, Kay.  I’m just happy, you know?  It’s been awhile since I’ve had a singles championship.”

“Yeah, nearly three years I think.”

“So am I not allowed to be happy?” Angelica asks, now sounding slightly defensive.

“Angel, it’s not that you can’t be happy, it’s just…oh just forget it.  I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, no, say it.” Angelica insists. “I mean, you’ve already opened the can, it’s out there, so let’s hear it.”

“Angel, it’s just that I’ve seen this pattern before. You feel like you need to prove something, you prove it, and then you get a little full of yourself because you’ve proven everyone wrong.  You’ve shut all your doubters up so you feel you’ve done it all now.  You’ve finished the task.”

“Haven’t I?”

“No, you haven’t.  And if you have that mindset then you’re going to lose that Television Title straight away to Donovan Kayl.  He’s coming at you with the same mindset that you had tonight against Torsten Voigt.  Remember that mindset you had in the days leading up to the match?  I hadn’t seen you that intense before, sis.  Well Kayl is coming at you with that same level of intensity because he wants to be champion again, and I dare say he’s gone longer than you without a title.  Think about that.”

Angelica’s eyes grow wide as she realizes her sister is right about everything she just said.  After a momentary pause…

“Angel? You still there?”

“Yeah…”

“So?”

“Yeah…I’ll think about it.”

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On Camera

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This has been a long time coming…a VERY long time…but finally, after all of the struggle, after overcoming obstacles like Konrad Raab, Bill Barnhart, and finally Torsten Voigt, I can now call myself the SCW Television Champion!

The Golden Goddess is back with gold around her waist.

I’ve been wanting this for a very long time because these victories, and the subsequent championship, just proves that I still have a lot left to give to this business and that I will bring my career to an end when I want it to end.  I will not go quietly into the sunset.  I’m sticking around and ruling over this land with the Television Champion held firmly in my vice-like grip.  And if anyone ever wants to take it from me, they’ll have a Dragon to contend with, a Dragon that stands fierce and wrathful, ready to consume any and all who get in its path.

Donovan Kayl appears to be that next victim.

Though putting all metaphors aside, this really should be a great contest of two like individuals.  Two veterans of the sport, two legends of the sport; I’ve been spending my time trying to revive my legacy and now, after my victory over Torsten Voigt for the SCW Television Championship, I believe I can safely say that I’ve accomplished that goal.

What are you after, Kayl?  What is it that you want from this match?  Is it just for the thrill of competition or is there something deeper, something else that you want out of this?  Maybe you’re trying to prove something to someone else or to yourself?

Or maybe none of it matters because at the end of the day, Kayl, whatever your motives are, whatever your reasons are, it won’t be enough to motivate you past me on Breakdown.

Now don’t get me wrong.  That isn’t meant to be disrespectful.  That’s just me telling you flat out that while you may have your dreams, your goals, your motivations, that I also have my own motivations.  And my current motivation is to KEEP this SCW Television Championship.

I just won this title, Kayl.  I just now ascended back to the throne.  How do you think it’s going to look on me if I lose it first defense?  I’m no Derek Adonis.  I’m not a one hit wonder and I am damn sure not a joke.  My reign is to be taken serious and I will not let this championship go anytime soon.  I refuse to lose and become an afterthought on the Television Title history books.

Something has to give, Kayl; your dreams or my title reign.  And I’ll be damned if my title reign ends on Breakdown.  I’m not ready to end this just yet.  I’m not done proving people wrong. I’m not done proving to myself that I still have something left to give.

See, Kayl, I may have the title, and it may appear that I have everything I want right now, but in reality there’s still something missing.  I DO have everything I want, but you could take it all away and just can’t let that happen.  Thus, therein lies what’s missing.

The continuation of my title reign.

Being Television Champion is a never ending series of title defenses.  You can never rest once you win the title.  So I will never rest until you and each and every other challenger has been beaten.  That means my job is never over.  I must continue fight again and again and again in order to continue what I have fought so hard to obtain.

You may be like me, Kayl.  You may be fighting to get back to this spot, this position where you have gold around your waist.  If my memory serves, I ended your last title reign.  Kayla and I defeated you and Simon for the tag titles.  We’ve been in each other’s shoes.  The roles are reversed now.  You want to get back to that championship prestige.

But I want to keep it and my desire to keep it is a hell of a lot greater than your desire to win it, Kayl.  I can promise you that.  And no matter what you do, no matter you throw at me, I will not stop, I will not quit, and I will not be beaten on Breakdown.

Who or what am I?

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone!

It’s a cute line from a cute song but it rings with truth right here and right now in Supreme Championship Wrestling, because I hope everyone can see clearly what is happening.  I hope everyone, especially those who doubted me, who doubted The Sisterhood, I hope they can all see clearly what is going on; because I am in the process of proving each and every one of you wrong.  I am in the process of revitalizing my legacy, as I make a push for one more big run in this great sport.

Among those doubters is yours truly.

Yes, it’s true, these last several months, especially since Rise To Greatness, I’ve been down on myself and The Sisterhood.  I’ve been questioning whether or not we still had enough left in the tank to keep going and to make it here in SCW. But with victories over Konrad Raab and Bill Barnhart I have now proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to any of my critics, and to myself, that The Dragon is back and she isn’t taking any prisoners.

Torsten Voigt needs to just shut his damn mouth and listen.  He needs to listen very carefully to the clock on the wall; tick tock, tick tock, tick tock…the countdown to the end of his SCW Television Championship reign is on, because he now has a date with a Dragon.

==========

Off Camera

Scene 1

==========

The Frank Irwin Center’s massive round shape stands out like a sore thumb in the Austin, Texas skyline.  It is because of this round shape that this arena gets its nickname of “The Drum” or “The Superdrum” in Austin, Texas.   The Frank Irwin Center is located on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin and has a seating capacity of a little over sixteen thousand.  This evening it will play host to a House Show as presented by Supreme Championship Wrestling. Two of the participants, two of the wrestlers that these Texans will get to see, are making their way towards the front entrance as we speak; Angelica Jones and her sister, Kayla Jones. The younger Jones sibling is wearing an off the shoulder floral print crop-top silhouette and a matching maxi-silhouette button front floral print skirt.  Her feet are encased in a pair of simple sandals.

Angelica Jones, the woman known in many circles as The Dragon, is dressed much simpler than her younger sibling, wearing a pair of denim jeans, flip flops, an “SCW” t-shirt, and her signature black leather jacket.  Both redheads are carrying their gym bags with them, for they know that tonight they will be competing for the fans.

“So, Angel, are you ready?”

The question from Kayla brings about a slight scoffing noise from the elder Jones. Angelica has been competing nearly as long as Kayla.  Angelica has been around the blocks of professional wrestling many times and has seen everything there is to see, she has done everything there is to do.  Of course she is ready for this, a mere house show.

“It’s a House Show, Kay.” Angelica answers rather sarcastically. “Of course I’m ready.”

“Yeah, I know you’re ready for this afternoon.  I mean, if nothing else, you got me to back you up and that’s all you really need, right?”

Kayla winks knowingly at her older sister who just responds with a big eye roll.

“Humility is not your strong suit today, Kay.”

“That’s rich, especially coming from ‘The Golden Goddess ‘…”

“Touché.” Angelica nods her head in acknowledgement.

“Still, you don’t quite get it.  I’m not talking about here today, because I know you and I golden tonight, pardon the pun.  We are The Sisterhood, we know how good we are, and we can get it done.  So no, I’m not talking about today’s house show.”

Angelica rolls her eyes yet again.  If her eye rolls were vocal they’d probably be quite obscene right about now.  Jones stops walking as she and Kayla get right up to the steps that lead up to the front entrance of the Frank Irwin Center.  She sets her gym bag down on the ground.  Kayla stops walking as well and turns to face her sister, placing her gym bag next to Angelica’s.  Angelica folds her arms over her chest and glares at Kayla judgmentally.

“What is it then, sis?”

“I’m talking about next Breakdown, the one from Washington DC.  I am talking about your Television Championship opportunity.  Are you ready for that?”

“Seriously?” Angelica chuckles lightly. “I’ve been competing for nearly as long as you, which puts me at fifteen years, Kayla.  In SCW alone I am a two time SCW World Tag Team Champion, and that isn’t to mention accomplishments outside of SCW.  I’ve done enough that I could call it a career and retire now and be happy knowing that people would remember me for how great I was.” Angelica shakes her head. “But I don’t, I keep going because I love the thrill of competition, I keep going because I want to keep accomplishing more and more.”

Angelica points a finger at Kayla. “But you ask if I’m ready for Torsten Voigt?  Kay, honestly, I may or may not beat him.  I’ve been in this business long enough to know that the outcome is never guaranteed.  But I CAN guarantee you this, I’ll be ready for Torsten Voigt and if nothing else, I can guarantee that I will give him a fight that he won’t soon forget.  But…” Angelica tilts her head to one side and studies her younger sibling intensely “…this isn’t about whether I am actually READY for the title match and for Torsten Voigt, is it?”

“No, it isn’t just that.” Kayla admits with a sigh. “I mean, I know that you at the top of your game can beat anyone, especially Torsten Voigt.  You at the top of your game should easily become SCW Television Champion.  But I know you, I know how you let certain things get to you…” Kayla’s voice trails off and Angelica takes immediate note of it with an arch of her brow.

“What do you mean?  What things?”

“Well, I mean, I know you told me about your visit with Dr. Jennifer Warren…”

“Oh, that.” Angelica says with a frustrated sigh.  The elder Jones clearly doesn’t want to deal with this topic of conversation and starts to ascend the stairs.

“Angel!  Wait!” Kayla goes after her sister, bolting up the stairs.  Finally she catches up to Angelica at the top of the stairs, in front of the Frank Irwin Center door.  Kayla sighs as she shakes her head. “Look, Angel, I’m sorry, but this isn’t something you can just forget about.  It’s…”

“It’s what?” Angelica demands. “It’s driving me crazy?  Is that what you’re worried about?”

“No, of course not, I just want to make sure your head is in the game.  How can you, or me for that matter, how can either of us be in the right mental or emotional frame of mind after what we learned in Europe?”

“You can because you are stronger than me, Kay.” Angelica remarks, pointing a finger at Kayla. “You always have been.”

“That’s not true…”

“Of course it is.  You always were the strongest between the two of us, you were always able to deal with this kind of crap better than me.  I overreact.  I lose my mind.  I did lose my mind once but I found my way back.  But I’m still not sure…” she shakes her head as her voice trails off.

“You’re not sure of what?”

“I’m not sure who I am, or what I am, and it’s driving me crazy.  That may not be something that bothers you, or hell, maybe you HAVE figured out who you are but I haven’t.  I haven’t dealt with this yet.  And I’m worried about what will happen to me, what I will become, if I don’t deal with it soon.”

“Then maybe you need to see Dr. Warren just one more time?”

==========

Off Camera

Scene 2

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Those close to my family believe that my mother’s maiden name is Ford; Kelly Ford.  Her sister is Mary Ford, my aunt.  She was brutally raped and murdered when I was only twelve years old and I was forced to watch.  No child should have to watch that happen to their parent, or any loved one.  Ever.  But that used to be my reality.  That was all I ever knew and that made me what I am today.

You can imagine what happened when I learned about the Kurensky family.  Who are they, you ask?  Well they are Russian, for one, but most importantly it’s my mother’s family; my mother’s true family.  Kelly Kurensky and Maria Kurensky, the surviving children of the Kurensky family, who worked closely with the Soviet KGB government during the cold war and fled to America in order to escape the tyrannical communist rule.  But why the name change?  Why Ford instead of Kurensky?

My grandfather knew all too well that you don’t just walk away from the KGB.  They are everywhere and during the Cold War they were everywhere within the United States.  And it wasn’t just the Russians, the Americans would have killed to have a Soviet defector on their team, but my grandfather didn’t want anything else to do with it anymore.  He was through with fighting the Cold War and didn’t want to fight for either side, Russian or American.  He felt changing the family name was the only way to stay under the radar.

Ever since that revelation…and don’t get me wrong, there were many more revelations after that…but ever since that one revelation, I have had the same strange dreams.  I would almost call them visions.  The dreams, or visions, would be of conflicting images; a Russian bear fighting an American bald eagle, or a parade of Russian soldiers down the streets of Red Square followed by a parade of American soldiers in Times Square of New York City.  I’ve seen visions in my head of the Russian flag flying side by side next to the American flag.

“Funny, I never told anyone else about these dreams before.” Angelica chuckles lightly as she turns to face Jennifer Warren, the psychologist who has been unofficially seeing Angelica for the past couple of weeks, helping the Boston native with her stress as well as her perceived mental and emotional breakdown associated with the secrets she just learned about her family.

Angelica and Jennifer find themselves sitting in an outside patio area of a café.  The café is located on the outskirts of Washington DC, the city that will host the next edition of Breakdown.  And it is on that Breakdown where Angelica receives a shot at the SCW Television Championship against reigning champion Torsten Voigt.

Jones has done well thus far, defeating Konrad Raab and Bill Barnhart on her way to receiving this Television Championship opportunity, and it is quite an important opportunity for Jones.  It is an opportunity to prove that she still has what it takes to get the job done and that she still has what it takes to win championship gold.  But she still has her doubts, doubts that have crept into her mind since Rise To Greatness, doubts that were exacerbated by the secrets that were dumped upon Jones during the SCW European Tour.

During their initial conversation, Jennifer Warren had suggested that Jones just channel her anger and angst over this whole situation into a more constructive manner; most specifically, inside of the wrestling ring against her opponents.  But this is a championship match, this is different.  Besides, she isn’t satisfied with just simply channeling her angst.  Angelica Jones is having a legitimate identity crisis and she wants it over.

“Well getting things like that off of your chest and off of your mind is the first step to recovery.”

“Maybe so, but I don’t want just a step.  I want answers.  Who am I, Dr. Warren?”

“Please, you can call me Jennifer or Jenny.  We’re not on an official doctor patient relationship.”

“Whatever…”

The two ladies are interrupted when a waitress approaches their table.  She places a cup of plain black coffee in front of Angelica, and the redhead wastes no time in taking a sip of her coffee while the waitress places a French roast in front of Jennifer Warren.  The two ladies nod their heads in appreciation before the waitress walks away.   Angelica sets her cup of plain black coffee down in front of her as Dr. Warren chuckles lightly.

“You want the strong stuff, I see.”

“Lately I’ve needed the strong stuff in order to keep me going.”

“Too much of that is NOT healthy, Angelica,” Dr. Warren says with a wink “and I can tell you that for a fact.”

“You are a head doctor, Jennifer, besides,” Angelica, almost in a show of protest, takes another sip of her coffee “anything in moderation is fine.  Not that I care what you think anyway.”

“You’re right about that, anything in moderation is good.” Dr. Warren says with a chuckle. “But you’re lying about not caring what I think.  If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t have asked to meet me again.”

“Oh it’s nothing…”

“Nothing?  Nothing that you paid for my trip to the nation’s capitol when my office headquarters is in Boston?  Nothing that you gave me a backstage pass to the SCW Breakdown event in case you needed me after your Television Championship match against Torsten Voigt?”

“Alright, fine!” Angelica exclaims before sighing and nodding her head. “Maybe I do care, but only because…because…”

Angelica drops her gaze, looking away almost in shame “…because you’re the only one I trust to help me.”

“I’m honored to hear that, Angelica, but…”

“No, I mean it!” Angelica insists as she interrupts Dr. Warren. “I love my sister Kayla and she is mentally and emotionally the strongest Jones in the family, but she doesn’t have the academic learning that you do.  You know all about this crap that’s going on inside of my head right now, doc, and you’re the only one who can make things right.”

“Wow, I don’t know what to say.” Dr. Warren takes a sip of her French roast and then sets it down on the table.  She sighs and shakes her head. “What you say makes me feel great, Angelica, but I think you give me too much credit.  I’m sure there are others who could help you.”

“No, you’re the best.” Angelica says, shaking her head. “And trust me, I’ve dealt with many.  I was locked up in the mental institution for years, and in that time I dealt with so many doctors, most of whom didn’t give a damn about me or any of their patients, for that matter.  It was just a job for them.  It was little more than a prison for the criminally insane.”

Angelica smiles warmly as real tears form in her eyes. “But you always seemed like you cared, doc.  Your work with my children, with my sister, with me…I’ll never forget any of it.  But most importantly, even more important than all of that, I know you are trustworthy.”

Dr. Warren shakes her head.  She knows from her last meeting that Angelica’s greatest fear is being committed to a sanitarium for a second time.  The first time Angelica was committed was after she killed her ex-boyfriend, the father of her twin daughters Marie and Kimberly.  Angelica agreed to an insanity plea to get out of prison.  Little did she know that the mental asylum would be just as bad, if not worse, for her.  Angelica does not want to risk going back and therein lies the real fear, the real problem with this mental and emotional breakdown.  If she does not get a handle on this breakdown, this identity crisis, then she fears that the next step would be the asylum.

Her entire family have told her that she is overreacting, that there is no chance of her going back to that situation.  But it’s hard to get her to believe that.  Perhaps Dr. Warren can get her to believe that?  Or better yet, perhaps Dr. Warren can get to the bottom of her identity crisis and fix that.

“Angelica, you have no need to fear going back to the mental hospital.” Warren says in a soothing voice. “I am around people, real patients with real problems in MY mental hospital, and I can see why they are there.  They need to be there.”

Dr. Warren places a comforting hand on Angelica’s shoulder. “But you are not like that, you are nowhere near that level of crisis, Angelica.  You are just a woman who is having a difficult time coping after learning a rather shocking secret and, to be perfectly honest, I would be more worried about you if you did not seem bothered by this at all.  Your mother turned out to be alive and well, hiding in Russia for God’s sake!  It is normal to be upset!”

“And I’ll never forgive her for that.” Angelica says with that anger and angst returning to her eyes, eyes that are flaring with rage.

“And that’s fine, Angelica, it really is, but channel it in constructive ways.  Be careful not to lose it.  If you keep things bottled up it can prove to be dangerous.  Unleash that anger inside of the ring, like I said.”

“Yeah, I remember you told me to do that.” Angelica says, nodding her head before taking another sip of her coffee. “And it worked, I defeated Bill Barnhart.  I’m getting my Television Title Match.  But as good as that advice is, it isn’t what I wanted to know.  It isn’t what I NEED to know.”

“What do you need to know?” Dr. Warren asks, tilting her head to one side.

“Who am I?” Angelica asks simply. “Am I Angelica Jones or Angelica Kurensky?”

“Oh is that all?” Jennifer Warren grins warmly. “Angelica, the answer is simple, and as cheesy as it may sound, the answer lies within here…” she reaches out and touches Angelica’s chest “…your heart.”

“My heart?” Angelica frowns skeptically. “Seriously?”

“It’s true, Angelica.  Names are just labels.  You can look at me and know I’m Dr. Jennifer Warren.  That’s all names are.  The real person is your personality and no ethnicity, no nationality, whether it be Russian or American or otherwise, can change that.  Nothing can change your soul.”

Tears once more form in Angelica’s eyes as she takes in the good doctor’s words. “So what does my soul tell you, doc?”

“It tells me that you are a beautiful person.”

==========

On Camera

==========

Do you hear it?  Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…it’s the clock… tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock …the countdown is on, Torsten. The countdown is on and I hope you’re ready, because when the time runs out, when the countdown is over, so too will be your reign as SCW Television Champion.

I’ll give you credit.  You’ve had a nice run.  And I’ll be the first to thank you for ending the pathetic run Derek Adonis had with the Television Championship.  But seriously, Torsten, you had to beat Derek Adonis of all people to become Television Champion.  Then Max Kane, a rookie here in SCW, tried his hand and gave you a run for your money.  Oh and let’s not forget about Madison Steward, who is still clearly lost without Katie, tried and failed to capture your title.

Now I don’t mean to diminish your reign as SCW Television Champion.  You’ve definitely had your run and what a run it was.  What I am saying is that you are no longer facing the comic relief, a rookie, or a sidekick.

You are facing The Dragon.

I imagine you have no idea what that means, Torsten, but let me go ahead and get one thing out of your mind right here and right now before we go any further.  The Dragon is more than just a nickname for me.  It is my fighting style, it is an attitude, it is very much who I am.  So if you want to have any idea as to what you’re up against, you need to understand The Dragon.

The Chinese dragon is the highest-ranking animal in the Chinese animal hierarchy, strongly associated at one time with the emperor and hence power and majesty.  To Vietnamese people, the dragon brings rain, essential for agriculture. It represents the emperor, the prosperity and power of the nation. Like the Chinese dragon, the Vietnamese dragon is the symbol of yang, representing the universe, life, existence, and growth.

Long before you ever set foot inside of a wrestling ring, Torsten, and long before anyone in SCW ever knew me, I was an athlete who dominated this sport anywhere and everywhere I went.  You want to talk about power; I exuded power because anyone who challenged me got put down.  And if you want to talk majesty, look no further than yours truly, because championship gold always was around my waist.

I came to SCW willing to settle for being a part of Silas World, a part of that mighty machinery that once dominated professional wrestling. When that was done and over with I wanted to team with my sister, something I had never done, and in the process we won two SCW World Tag Team Championships together.  But the problem is that during that time period people forgot about who the REAL Angelica Jones is; people forgot about The Dragon.

Thus I came to the realization that I needed to remind the SCW Universe about The Dragon.  I needed to remind everyone about the majesty that I represent and the power that I am capable of when pushed to my limits.

Konrad Raab learned the hard way how serious I was when I planted his head into the canvas.  Bill Barnhart thought he could overpower me but I proved to me far smarter and thus superior to him in every way.

Now that brings me to you, Torsten Voigt.  You are the one remaining obstacle in my path to making each and every SCW superstar and fan sit up and take notice of who the hell I am.  You are also in possession of the one thing I want, the very symbol of the majesty that I exude…

…the SCW Television Championship.

I need that SCW Television Championship so I can fulfill my destiny and revive my legacy as a Golden Goddess of professional wrestling.  I need that SCW Television Championship to revive my legacy of being The Dragon, one of the most vicious competitors in this sport.

And it’s only appropriate that I accomplish my goal, that I achieve my destiny, by defeating you.  It’s only appropriate that I defeat another monster, a powerhouse like you, Torsten Voigt.  Because this is exactly how I made my career.  My career was built upon being the underdog.  I made a living off of destroying the bigger, stronger, more powerful athletes and bringing the arrogant, egotistical back down to reality.

But then, the Germans have always been a rather egotistical bunch, haven’t they?  Twice they thought they could conquer the world and twice they got beat back. You think you can conquer me, Torsten?  You think you have the firepower to keep The Dragon down for a three count?

You are wrong.  You are dead wrong.  And you will come to that sad realization a little too late.  You will come to the realization that you are doomed only after the bell rings and you are staring across the ring at me, staring into my eyes, because you won’t be staring into the eyes of a Dragon at that point…

…at that point you will be staring into the eyes of a woman who refuses to lose, even if it means sacrificing herself, and her soul, to The Dragon in order to become SCW Television Champion.

Tick-tock, Torsten.  Tick-tock.  The countdown, and your reign as SCW Television Champion, is over.  It ended the moment I defeated Bill Barnhart in the TV Title Eliminator to become number one contender to the SCW Television Championship.